Schneier

I have a case of half bottles in my basement.

Excellent. Thanks for the notice. Bruce

Today's review. Bruce ***** Mediterranean Cruise Cafe is a treat for the senses Karen Cooper and Bruce Schneier, Special to the Star Tribune Published November 26, 2003 Middle Eastern cuisine is at its best when you try a little bit of everything. And there's no better introduction to the foods and flavors of Middle Eastern hospitality than the mazza table, a sort of Arab smorgasbord of lots of little dishes, where everyone helps themselves. The Mediterranean Cruise Cafe makes this easy. The menu is a one-stop shop for all sorts of eastern Mediterranean cuisines, from Greek gyros to Lebanese kibbe to Moroccan couscous. It's easy to devise your own mazza table with the dishes that sound tastiest. All the staples of Middle Eastern cooking are competently done. The tabouli salad is bright with lemon juice and mint, and the tomatoes and cucumbers are fresh. The hummus is so good we spoon it onto everything except the foods we dip into it. The falafel tastes great, though we don't usually cook it in such hot oil; it was browner than we prefer. The baba ghanouj (eggplant dip with garlic) has a wonderful roasted flavor. Gyros is the roasted ground lamb on a rotating spit that's carved into slices for sandwiches. That rotating spit gives the dish its name, in fact; it has the same root as gyroscope. Here, the gyros meat has a nice, nearly crispy edge to every slice. The meat is cooked to that perfect stage where it's not too soft and not too dry. Not every gyros place does this so well. You can get gyros in the various shawirma dishes, too, if you don't like it in a pita. We found the chicken kabobs a little dry and the beef kabobs too tough, and the grape leaves stuffed with rice and beef were served in a bland tomato lemon sauce. But we did find an entree worth the trip. This was the Chicken Casablanca Best. Huge pieces of chicken, easily three or four bites big, sauteed in a deceptively simple combination of mushrooms, onions and garlic. The seasoning makes this a little sweet and a little spicy; it's wonderful. There's also a version with shrimp. We really liked the fried vegetables, especially considering that deep-fried cauliflower and mushrooms are not generally a dish worth writing home about. Here, we recommend it. Given the various menu items labeled "combo," "feast," and "platter," you can easily put together a whole spread of dishes, so bring a group. This kind of dining is a festive, social meal. There are many other things on the menu: salads big enough for a meal, steaks and burgers for those who prefer to avoid Mediterranean flavors, seafood entrees and several vegetarian combos and platters. Desserts are good, though not homemade. We like Middle Eastern desserts; with flaky phyllo dough and nuts and honey it's hard to go wrong. The borma is a nice change from the usual baklava. It is a pastry made from shredded wheat, pistachios and honey. The Mediterranean Cruise Cafe has belly dancing on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights and at lunchtime on the last Friday of the month. Show times are Thursday at 7 and 8:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 7, 8:30 and 10 p.m. Call ahead to confirm these times. You don't want to miss the belly dancing if you're interested in the fun show, and you don't want to catch the belly dancing if you're looking for quiet conversation. Karen Cooper and Bruce Schneier are constantly on the lookout for good places to eat. If you have a favorite restaurant south of the Minnesota River, please write us at diningsouth@startribune.com.

I always cook mine with just sugar and water.

Heat the water to no more than 160 degrees. Steep for 3-5 minutes, depending on the tea?

Epoisse Pont L'Eveque Roquefort I suppose that's favorites, not ones that I can't live without.

Excellent and interesting review. Thanks for taking the time. Bruce

I can do this. How long do I sear them for? B

I use mine weekly.

The same way you section any citrus fruit! Cut the rind, pith and "outer" membrane from the fruit. With a paring knive make "V" cuts along the edge of each membrane line, each section will drop out. Takes just about a minute per fruit -- unless, of course, you also want to blanch or candy the rind. Then, you simply add a first step of removing just the colored part of the rind with a vegetable peeler. That doesn't work if I want to serve a sectioned half of grapefruit in the rind. Bruce

I am thinking about cooking them in a pressure cooker. The benefit is that it will free up valuable oven real estate on Thanksgiving. Bruce

I sent in a reservations request last week and have not heard back yet.

I use mine to section a grapefruit. Wouldn't give it up. How do you section a grapefruit without one, at least without losing most of the pulp?

I should add Trotter's, too. I've been wanting to go there.

St. John is my favorite restaurant in London.

I also regularly use a garlic press, and we are forever needing more wine charms. And I'm pretty curous about a shrimp deveiner. Sounds like something useful. But I have a mushroom brush that I've never used. Anyone want to trade? Bruce

I use my tea ball all the time.

Alongside my Thanksgiving turkey, I have four goose breasts...all shot in the wild by my brother-in-law. I'm looking for suggestions on how to prepare them. Bruce

All the high-end Minneapolis restaurants have reasonable lunch menus. Vincent sells food so cheap it's a steal.

El Bulli (still working on it) Per Se (when it opens) Alain Ducasse in New York Ducasse's restaurant in Monaco French Laundry (again) Fat Duck (odd that this is on so many lists) Trio ("Tour de Force" tasting menu) More, I'm sure, but that's what I'm planning on. Bruce

"Buy a hamburger and roll downstairs"

They're always out of sarcasm when I go shopping.

I'll put this on the list for my next visit.

Certainly true. I was just trying to follow the rules in the first post.

I have to agree that the restaurant is overrated. It's a good meal, but not a great meal. When they were one of the only restaurants doing pan-Asian fusion and modern-Vietnamese-style food, it was one thing. But you can get shaking beef in every major city now, so it's no longer impressive. Bruce