paulbrussel

Gaig is indeed very interesting. I am not sure whether they will have it now, but I had there one of my greatest dishes ever: Huevo Cremoso con "Tartufo Bianco di Alba".Although this is not the most creative dish of Gaig (it is a very interesting cuisine, in my view!) it was prepared excellently, and I never had a bette truffle dish as this one (although I had even two white truffle dishes at le Calandre in Italy last month that disappointed me).

Finally, today in the Michelin Guide Benelux, chef Peter Goossens of restaurant Hof van Cleve got its thirs star!

Well, I wasn't impressed at all when I went to Le Bernardin, although the fodd was good (years ago; it may have changed). Creativity I couldn't find, which doesn't imply that it was that simple. But what I see here, not much semmes to have changed there. For the prices, I do remember Le Bernardin was not at all cheap! And then, one of my most interesting experiences in seafood was at Nobu, years ago. But I am not sure whether that is still that interesting.

Well, I am having lunch once and a while in Dublin (last time a couple of weeks ago), only to visit the excellent restaurant of Thornton's (two Michelin stars, considerd to be one of the 50 best restaurants in the world): modern cuisine, excellent wine list, good sommelier, good staff in general (mostly from France). Last meal: Warm White Asparagus with truffle Hollandaise – Green Asparagus Bavarois Fillet of Brill with Beetrootpuree – Lime Oil Terrine of Forest Mushrooms with Truffle Braised Pigs Head with Shallot Puree, Thyme Sauce Sauteed Scallop with Prawn Bisque and Sabayon Roast Grouse with Foie Gras Terrine, Roast Salsify and Pistachio – Crab Apple, Savoy Cabbage, Calvados Sauce Sea Urchin with Sea Urchin Sauce – Truffle Cream

Apart from Joe's excellent advice on the best cuisines of Germany, I am not sure whether Germany is THE country to go for very fine / modern cuisine. But of course, there is a difference between modern and classic cuisine. You will find more of the latter in Germany, I think. Like James I have spent several days in Dresden a few months ago, having been to very nice restaurants with a befriended couple who lives there (she was born in Dresden) and who are in food business. Nice city, also food wise. Apart from the mentioned Caroussel, I did enjoy very much: Alte Meister (the opera building), Gambotti, and most of all Lesage (VW factory). Extremely enjoyable was also restaurant La Rue, not especially because of the food, but the gay, Jewish owner / singer knows how to give you a very nice evening.

vmilor: thank you very much for your description of the meal! Like Joe (who happened to be there at the very same evening as I was), I had a few of the same dishes as you had. The Taglioni al fumo con burro, acciughe e sfoglie di turolo, was indeed very special. Nevertheless I found overall the meal less creative as expected. But Massimiliano Alajmo didn't believe at all in "creativity", but more in "personality" and especially using the ingredients and recipes of the region, giving them a more modern interpretation. In that way, he fits for me more in the tradition of Santi Santamaria then of Ferran Adrià. In a way, I also found Cracco in Milano and the German chef at La Pergola perhaps more creative then Alajmo. Service I found by the way excellent at Le Calandre, as was the wine list and the maître-sommelier! By the way, when some members of the staff noticed that we didn't understood Italian, all dishes were explained by members who did speak English very well.

Nice to hear that you enjoyed the meal again. I share some of your conclusions, but I am not, unfortuantely, able to compare with his former years, since this was the first time I was here. Anayway, wat a coincidence. Indeed: the meal was interesting! We had on the other hand not the classic menu, but the more 'creative' one (Adesso). There were several interesting dishes; the wines were really perfectly chosen by tyhe maître d'. Service was very good, and the chef, with whom we talked for a very long time afterwards, was very nice and interesting to talk to. Probably I will post later on the meal.

Just another question: I received last week 11 DVD's of Ferran Adrià's series on daily cooking (in Spanish). Does any one know whether these DVD's will be released with subtitles?

The difference between two and three stars doesn't seem to be big, in my opinion. Three stars are usually given to restaurants that have an overall very high two star standard during a very long time (mostly several years). About three stars, the direction in France always decides. Last year, thanks to several publications (Morteau, Olivier: Food business, Rémy, Pascal: L'Inspecteur se met à table) and interviews with Derek Brown, a bit more transparency in Michelin's policy was given. One star is not too difficult to get, but also not too difficult to loose. Every year, restaurants do loose stars given the preceding year, even if there is no change to be noticed. Move of a starred chef sometimes could be a reason to reconsider stars. Another remark: in Holland, a two star restaurant (Inter Scaldes) was closed due to fire for almost a year, but nevertheless, it kept its two stars.

Thank you both for your suggestions! And I will certainly try the tasting menu at Le Calandre.

Coming Saturday I will go to Padova and Venice, Saturday spending in Padova (having dinner at Le Calandre at Rubano). I am still looking for a restaurant that is open for lunch at Saturdays in Padova. As perhaps can be understood from my choice for Le Calandre, I am very fond of modern, creative cuisine. (In one of my old Italy guides of Michelin, there was Casa Vecia* in Monterosso, but it doesn't seem to exist any more.) Is there any one who can help me with suggestions (even if the restaurant is only a cab drive far from Padova center) ? Sunday I will spend in Venice. I saw the thread on Venice. There was no mention of the only bib gourmand, Anice Stellato - can any one comment on that seafood family restaurant? If any one can recommend another Venetian restaurant, I would be very greatful.

"I don't think any of This's books have been published in English yet. I asked about that here a couple of months or so ago to no response. I wonder how much they add to the kitchen science literature in English now that the new edition of McGee is out." There is a Dutch-Belgian, very interesting quarterly culinary magazine, called "Culinaire Saisonnier" (http://www.saisonnier.net/). Since "Printemps 2002" there is a French version of this magazine. In the Dutch version, articles from Hervé This are published in every issue. Since they are busy starting an English version in the USA, the articles of Hervé This may then be available in English as well. By the way, Hervé This was granted recently the "Grand Prix de la Science de l'Alimentation", the most prestigious scientific award on food.

Pedro, Any idea why hisop didn't get a star? I think it is comparable to Alkimia, don't you think?

Thanks pedro! I already heard about the 6 Catalunya stars yesterday, and I was very glad Alkimia got its star; I still haven't been to Hofmann. Nevertheless, as pointed out here very often: Michelin is not the most important culinary guide for Spain.

What about: Baerle, Brasserie van (just re-opened: classic) Hollandais, Le (Dutch classic cuisine with modern touch) Vis aan de Schelde (fish restaurant) or just simple: Wagamama of the well known chain. Anyway, I highly recommned Le Hollandais, also because of the interesting wine list.

"Overall it was a good lunch, but given all the rave about Comerç 24 it fell a bit below my expectations. The service was excellent, and more than half of tables were busy." Exactly my impression. The rave is, I think only because it is the most look-a-like of elBulli in BCN. I hope you had other experiences, e.g. at Alkimia, that just received its first Michelin star; well deserved, I would say.

In my view, the best restaurant in Brussels for the moment to go to is: Resource (http://www.restaurantresource.be/). It has not been in any guide yet, because it opened this year. The chef has a very good CV; worked at the Ritz in Paris, at Le Grill aux Herbes d'Evan in Brussels and at Le Vieux Boitsfort in Brussels, all restaurant with high notes in GaultMillau and / or Michelinstars. But I have the impression that at Resoucre, his own restaurant, he seems to be more creative then the chefs mentioned whith whom he worked. For the moment, it is not too expensive: 35 € for a three course menu, whith interesting choices from the menu for each course. But since it will be mentioned in the 2005 guide and getting high rates, I am afraid prices will rise.

Cracco-Peck I found very interesting for the food, especially since I did get the impression that creative cuisine is very rare in Italy. But I liked it also very much because of the excellent service and very good advice on wines. Whether he already deserves three Michelin stars is hard to say for me. I can't judge the consistency of the high level yet, since I have only been there once. For La Pergola, my opinion is slightly different; I have seen it going up, and I feel that there is a great deal of consistent high level in his meals now, which perfection I did not find the very first time I was there (january 2003). And the service at La Pergola is probably the very best of Italy, also according to GR, as I thought to have read.

Thanks for the report! Happy to see La Pergola at the top. Cracco-Peck went up as well, I think Once again, the high rate of Vittorio strikes me... (In a couple of weeks I will visit Cracco-Peck again - I am curious. Then a few weeks later, for the first time le Calandre: how exciting will that be!)

There are several shuttle buses from the city center to the airport and v.v., which I always take. In those airport buses, there is always room enough for luggage. As said, it is very easy to get to the airport of BCN.

Isn't the nomination more stressing the business side of Red Michelin Guides, since they are in crisis because of the negative publicity by Pascal Rémy and Olivier Morteau? Besides, I wonder whether Michelin will be able to create Europe wide consistency in their criteria for rewarding restaurants with stars. In every country guide of Michelin, three star rewards for example are so different, that they are not comparable. For Spain and Italy, the Red Michelin Guide is not even the best standard, as has been argued very often on eGullet.

Joia has a very nice website: http://www.joia.it/. There are several menus, from 40 - 52 €. But I do think there is a cheap lunch menu as well. The menus you can find at the web site. It is mainly but not completely vegetarian: there are some fish dishes. The concept is quite interesting, the products used are excellent, and the wine list is nice. However, I thought there was sometimes a lack of harmony in the dishes which made them not very consistent.

I don't know the others, but I was very much impressed by Cracco-Peck earlier this year - food and excellent wine choice. E.g. the Uovo al tartufo: simple but very good (although not as good as the similar dish with white truffles that I once had at Gaig in Barcelona). Most impressive was the Crema di riso, ricci di mare e caffè, which went very well with a chianti (and the wine went extremely well with the coffee!),as impressive as one of the desserts: Miele d’acacia con caprino e tartufo, the latter with white truffle from Alba. (Since I will lunch there again in a few weeks time, I will check whether the standard has been kept high.)

There is a website for the brasserie: http://www.belgaqueen.be/. And also for the most famous pastry and chocolate of Belgium: http://www.marcolini.be/. Meanwhile, opposite Marcolini, there is the great competitor, also excellent: Wittamer. Belga Queen is part of a 'chain' of Antine Pinto, who owns also trendy places like Dock’s Café, Pakhuis, La Quincaillerie, Pasta Commedia (Antwerp, Gent, Brussels). Although the places are quite nice for the atmosphere, and the food reasonably good and modern but safe, his restaurants are more known as sort of 'places to be', not for the very interesting cuisine. For lunch it is always very busy, but for the lunch menu (12 €) you must be early, otherwise you have to order à la carte, and those dishes are much too expensive for what you get, as is the same for the other places of Pinto. But nevertheless, you won't be disappointed.

The question is, if you can call the Rijsttafel really Dutch cooking, since it comes from the former colony Indonesia (Dutch Indies), and there is no other relationship than that with the Netherlands at all.Furthermore, the Dutch rijsttafel is mostly adapted to the Dutch taste. And as was said, a rijsttafel easily consists of about 20 different dishes, some of which should be made days beforehand...