rshorens

I am not familiar with the restaurant you mention, since the only time I spent in Uzes was in 1995. It is a delightful town with a wonderful market, stone arcade. and interesting castle tour. We stayed at the Hotel d'Entraigues, which consisted of several beautifully renovated old stone townhouses across from the cathedral. We most loved the pool on the roof of one of the hotel buildings and the restaurant called "Les Jardins de Castille"on the roof of another of the buildings. The food was good, moderately priced, and the view of the town was lovely. Have a great trip Roz

Thanks for the invite, Marlena. What's the procedure for signing up? Roz

The Chronicle's list of classes sound appealing, and I am very tempted to drive up from Santa Cruz for a November class with Marlena Spieler. I think the Ferry Building site will draw more participants. Roz

In the current issue of Vogue magazine, Jeffrey Steingarten had nice things to say about Casa Mono, a Spanish restaurant at Irving Place and 17th Street. I would like to know how Casa Mono rates in quality and value with other Spanish restaurants in Manhattan. My only point of reference is Ibiza in New Haven. Thanks! Roz

I ate in Les Bookinistes(on a side street perpendicular to the street that parallels the left bank of the Seine) several years ago and enjoyed it, but I was under the impression that it no longer exists. Roz

Here are a few suggestions for moderately priced places Vincenza restaurant: Antica Casa della Malvasia, Contra delle Morette,5; phone 0444/543704. We had a wonderful lunch here on a Sunday afternoon in October, nary a tourist in sight As you're traveling from Turin to Vincenza or Rome, you might pass by Valeggio, which is south of Lake Garda and north of Mantova. If so, try Antica Locanda Mincio, Via Michelangelo, 12, Borghetto, 37067 Valeggio sul Mincio, phone 045 7950059. On the edge of the small river Mincio, this restaurant has an outdoor terrace that was on the cover of Gourmet in 1982. It took me 18 years to get there, but it was worth it. A magical place to eat, especially on a sunny day outside. The owner, Signor Gabriele Bertaiola, is a delight and will show you the small but beautiful kitchen if you ask. Torino: Venezia Hotel, Via XX Settembre, 70 . Phone 011/56.23.384. Right in the heart of Torino,a great value for the price. We had a huge room with beautiful antique furniture. Near to the Egyption museum, we ate lunch at the historic and beautiful Ristorante del Cambio, Piazza Carignano,2 ; phone 01154.66.90. The main shopping street in Torino has many decorous bars with some of the best mixed cocktails in the world! All these phone numbers are preceeded by 011-39- Have a lovely honeymoon Best wishes Roz

I live in northern California. I was in Manhattan for a wedding in early May and bought Mallomars in Zabar's. Maybe it's me, but they didn't taste as good as I remembered them from long ago. The chocolate coating did not have the dark chocolate taste that they used to have. Chocolate Pinwheels cookies, which are sold in California(except in summer), are far superior in the taste of the dark chocolate coating, plus the cookie part, which is also chocolate, has a better flavor than the vanilla Mallomar cookie. However, do not buy Fudge Pinwheels/Swirls, which are the substitute hot weather counterparts- the latter are not made with real chocolate, and they taste plastic-y, like the Mallomars.

Here are a few of my personal favorites(I've lived and worked in Santa Cruz for 25 years): Dinner: Bittersweet Bistro in Aptos(fish) Theo's in Soquel(California/country French) Casablanca near the Boardwalk/Santa Cruz wharf(ocean view) Lunch or dinner Omei on Mission Street on the Westside(Chinese)lunch or dinner Crow's Nest near yacht harbor(fish- touristy but great view)lunch &dinner Cafe Bella Napoli on Water Street near downtown(Italian) Picnics: Takeout from Gayle's Bakery & Rosticceria in Soquel Enjoy your trip! Best regards, Roz

I just finished reading "Liquor", a colorful recent novel by NO resident Poppy Brite. It takes place in New Orleans and chronicles the picaresque(to put it mildly) adventures of 2 young chefs about to open a new restaurant. I enjoyed it immensely, especially in the context of having made my first trip to NO in April, guided by the invaluable commentary in egullet by Mayhaw Man and everyone else who has posted on this forum in the past year. If you love New Orleans, love to eat, and enjoyed "Kitchen Confidential", Anthony Bourdain's memoir, get ahold of "Liquor"! I am especially interested in your opinion of the novel if you live in NO or work in the restaurant business. It sounded pretty authentic to me. Cheers/ chin-chin/salute/l'chaim, etc. Roz

I haven't been to any fish markets lately, but a local Italian restaurant in Santa Cruz, CA, where I had lunch today, served a fresh fried soft-shell crab, along with fried vegetables, and a salad including lettuce, avocado, tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella for $ 9.95. It doesn't pay to cook! In any event, the soft-shell crabs are getting around Roz

I just returned yesterday from a trip to New York with 7 other family members attending a wedding. We made a reservation at the Grand Sichuan on 745 Ninth Avenue. Since our group included some picky eaters, I put our dinner completely in the hands of our waiter. He patiently listened to our array of requests(6 people wanted spicy food, 2 not spicy, one calorie conscious person who needed a lot of vegetables) and allergies, and we let him and the chef come up with a variety of dishes satisfying this scenario. Of course, we don't quite know the names of what we had, and we stuck to conventional meats and fish, but we ended up with just the right amount and combinations of foods at a very reasonable cost($15 per person including a 20% tip) The service was very efficient, and I am happy that I heard about Grand Sichuan on egullet.com. Next time I go, I'll be with a smaller group and can try the more exotic dishes Roz

Brooks has done a superb job of conveying the flavor of Jazzfest. It was really fun meeting him and we appreciated the advice on strategy of eating, which acts to hear, and also where to find the best bathrooms(no joke, a really crucial and practical piece of information). I especially enjoyed the soft-shell crab po'boy sandwich, while my husband had red beans and rice and sausage(unfortunately he's allergic to shellfish and flour). We managed to hear lots of music-our favorites were Famous Rock of Harmony gospel group, Irma Thomas(the Soul Queen of NO), and 2 different zydeco bands. The weather was perfect, and we took the air-conditioned express Esplanade bus back to the Quarter. I was astounded by the incredible organization, helpful staff, well-mannered crowd, and the amazing selection of food and music. Definitely a not-to-be-missed experience! Thanks to Brooks for being a terrific forum host and for spreading the word about Jazzfest! I am currently nursing a swollen ankle( sprained from too much dancing??? and trying to catch up on my work before heading off to New York for a wedding, but I will post my New Orleans restaurant experiences on the regular forum when I get the time. Thanks a bunch, Brooks! Hope to return before too long Best regards, Roz

I'm leaving for NO tomorrow and hope to see a lot of egulleteers on April 24 at JazzFest. I hope we can find each other! Bon voyage! Roz

Maybe I've just been lucky, but in the few places where I've eaten skate(Farallon in San Francisco, J. Sheeky and Sweetings in London), it has been delicate, sweet and nutty when prepared very simply(sauteed in butter). I love it and always order it when it's on the menu. I'm glad I didn't read about the urea problem here or I wouldn't be tempted to try it! I've had more problems with scallops being off. Roz

Matzoh balls are really easy to make and taste wonderful at home, but somehow I'm afraid to order them in a restaurant because the matzoh balls are usually too big and tasteless there. I don't understand why. Roz

We're bringing a friend from New York, along with any other fun-loving colleagues willing to skip out of the last afternoon of our conference. Roz and Michael

I miss Mallomars- can't seem to find them in northern California- has anyone else found them out here? Real chocolate Pinwheels are different, but equally good. DON'T EVEN TRY the warm weather FAKE chocolate ones they sell during the summer-they're awful!! Roz

Try Gianni Franzi by the water in Vernazza- great seafood and pasta(naturally). Sit outside for lunch under the colorful umbrellas. Drink Sciachetra(spelling???), the local white wine and watch the people and boats go by. After lunch, we watched as our waiter ended his shift, got into a rowboat, and rowed way out to sea. Sestri Levanti has a lot of wonderful places for take-out- bakeries, deli's, fruit stores, etc. great places to picnic, esp. on the beach along the Baia di Silencio. It really is quiet- no road along the beach, just small hotels and houses. Buon appetito Roz

Ybiza does both tapas/appetizers and main courses. I prefer to get 2 appetizers so there is more variety. The food is beautifully composed on the plate plus the flavors are very delicate and delicious. Don't skip dessert. Roz

If you want creative Spanish food, try Ybiza on High Street off Chapel St. A close second favorite is Roomba, a Carribean restaurant specializing in fish with terrific cocktails and incredible desserts. While not cheap, both restaurants offer excellent value for the money and outshine many restaurants in northern California, where I'm from. Of course, you can't go wrong with pizza in New Haven, if you only want that. Louis' Lunch was only barely ok in my opinion. If you wanted pizza for dinner and Ybiza is open for lunch, then that would be a good combo. Enjoy!!! Roz

For those of us who don't know our way around town, where are Mosca's and Clancy's, and what would be the best way to get there from the French Quarter? Do they take reservations for dinner? I second slbunge's comments on salads! I live on the central coast of California, and I cringe at confronting another plate of bitter mixed greens with over-vinegary dressing. If you had to choose between Jacques-Imo's and Herbsaint, taking into consideration quality of food, atmosphere, price, and overall experience, what would you say? Roz

Dear Brooks, Sign us up for 2 spots on Saturday, April 24 at 12:30 PM. We will try to figure out where the meeting spot is. Since we arrive on Tuesday, we will be busy expanding our gastric capacity in preparation for the eGullet JazzFest get together. Looking forward to meeting you! Best regards, Roz and Michael

The mail-in ticket order form for JazzFest recently became available online. This will save a few dollars off the Ticketmaster credit card charge fees. Just click on nojazzfest ticket order form, send a cashier's check or money order, and mail to Ticketmaster at their New Orleans P.O. Box address listed on the form. I would like to organize an eGullet get together at Jazzfest on Saturday, April 24, as was mentioned earlier in this thread. Who would like to join us in seeking out the best food booths and music? Counting down the days! Roz

Depending on how much money you want to spend, I like to bring a small piece of Annieglass-these are beautiful hand made glass bowls/plates/trays made in the tradition of antique Roman glass with a band of either 24 kt. gold or real platinum. You see them often as dishes in food magazine layouts. There are several small pieces(candy dish, relish tray) either rectangular or in the shape of a star or heart, which are easy to pack. In Santa Cruz, where they are made, you can buy excellent quality seconds at 40% off;online the prices are retail. Their website is ANNIEGLASS Bon voyage! Roz

Noone in my family can understand why I am glued to my computer, hooked up to eGullet.com in my spare time. I find it fascinating to read about restaurants all over the world, ask for advice about upcoming trips, give my suggestions to others about favorite restaurants in exotic places, etc. Now I finally can make make my family understand! My 22 year old daughter loves peeps, so I will email her this thread and make her an eGullet believer Roz