prasantrin

Cafe Dario is relatively new (though not really new) and has been getting very good reviews. The day my mother and I dropped by, they were undergoing a change in menu, so we had very limited options. Service was, again, lacking. Not very attentive at all, but when we managed to get our server's attention, he was very friendly and helpful. We talked to him about the decor, the menu, the chef/owner, etc. The chef/owner is Colombian, but much of the decor is Mexican (as was our server). Not that that matters... My mother had chicken breast stuffed with goose liver pate with a light chocolate sauce (which was, in facet, mole). I really enjoyed this. I normally hate chicken breast (dry and flavourless, I say), but this was cooked perfectly. It was served with a side of pan-fried potatoes (heavily peppered), and some vegetables. I had pan-fried fish (halibut? sole?) served with a passion fruit sauce. I liked the fish--it was moist and flavourful. Wasn't crazy about the passion fruit sauce, but I think it may have been because I don't like passion fruit, not because the sauce wasn't good. I had the same pan-fried potatoes that my mother had, and also some very simply cooked carrots. The portions of both our dishes were quite large, and reasonably-priced (I think they were each about $15) for what they were, though for Winnipeg, a bit expensive for lunch. The food was good, but I wasn't blown away by it. I would probably return, but I wouldn't be in a hurry to do so.

A little late, but thanks to molto e and nsxtasy for their advice regarding reservations. My mother and I almost didn't make it to S&S. Our flight from MSP to ORD was roughly 4 hours behind schedule, and although we arrived a few hours before dinner, my mother was very very tired. She knew how much I wanted to dine at S&S, though, so she rested a bit and we set off. We didn't have reservations, so we went quite early--I think we arrived in the area just before 5:30pm, so we lingered at a nearby Walgreen's so we wouldn't seem like eager beavers. Of course, arriving at 5:40 didn't really counter our eager beaver status. When we entered the restaurant, it was empty. We were warmly greeted, and when we informed the waitstaff that we did not have reservations, he went to speak to the chef. Apparently, on Monday nights they do prefer that people make reservations. I can't remember the reason, but it had something to do with the evening's offerings being course-menu only, and how the food was prepared for each table. We were told that they would be happy to have us dine with them, but it may take a bit longer for our meal because they weren't quite prepared, yet. We were fine with that. I think the choices were a 5-course and a 7-course option. I wanted the 7 course, but knew I would not be able to enjoy all 7 courses, so we both ordered the 5 course. In the end, I was happy with my choice, because by the third course, I was approaching very full, and by the fourth course, I was near bursting. I don't know how people can finish all that food! Our courses were similar to KateinChicago's. We started with two types of bread (multigrain and I think a French-style loaf) with blueberry butter. Blueberry butter--yum! But rather sweet for the start of a meal, I thought. Next was the potato vichyssoise with white truffle oil--a favourite for both my mother and me. This was followed by halibut (I think) with a summer medley of vegetables. I liked the lightness of the halibut, but my mother thought the dish was a bit meh. Our third dish was scallop with citrus-infused roe and lentils. This was my least favourite of the night, but my mother's favourite. The scallop was perfectly cooked, and I enjoyed the the citrus-infused roe (I think they used yuzu--one of my favourite citrus flavours), but I hated the lentils. In the defense of S&S, I have never had any lentils I've enjoyed. My mother, on the other hand, loves lentils and all things bean-y, in addition to loving all things from the sea, so this dish had her in heaven. (Later in the evening, her face would sometimes light up with excitement and she would say, "I found another egg in my mouth!" as she crunched down on a wayward citrus-infused roe.) At this point, I was ready to stop eating, but we had two courses left. We also had the beef tenderloin dish that KateinChicago had. I loved this dish, and ate the entire thing. Had I more room, I would have used some of our multigrain bread to wipe all the demi-glace off the plate. Damn my stomach!! My mother enjoyed this dish, too, but not as much as the scallop dish. The final dish was some kind of marbled terrine-like dessert with peanut butter mouse and chocolate, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Delicious, but quite heavy after such a large meal. I managed to eat about half of mine, and then I had to give up. I enjoyed my meal at S&S. Although the Monday evening menu is an excellent value, I think I would try a night when I could order off the regular menu. There was a time when I could eat five courses without so much as a burp, but these days, it's simply too much food for me. I didn't take pictures, because we were the only diners in the restaurant for the first 30 or 45 minutes of our dinner, so I was a bit embarrassed to do so since all eyes were on us. Thanks again to molto e for recommending the place! It helped give our Chicago holiday a great start!

I picked up a bag at a gas station in North Dakota a couple of weeks ago. I thought they were kind of like shrimp chips, too. My mother ate most of them on the ride back to Winnipeg, but I didn't like them as much as she did. I like more substance in a chip.

Did you try Golda's Kitchen? They have a selection of saucier in the size you're looking for, but they're not cheap. Golda's has a retail store in Mississauga if you don't want to do mail order (or if you want to see the pans in person before buying).

I like peanut butter and popcorn, though I've never had that combo with bread as a sandwich. The popcorn would add a nice bit of crunchiness, though!

Hey!!! That was going to be my tip! Man, it just sucks whenever I learn I'm not as smart or original as I think I am... I actually sent that tip to Fine Cooking, but never heard back from them.

Thanks! Was this the place? http://r.gnavi.co.jp/fl/en/k461300/ found it! It sounds like a great place, and the websites I found for it have maps! Glad you had a great time in Kyoto. It's a very special place to me (my first home in Japan), and I love it when other people love it, too!

For Mukka makers out there, could you tell me approximately how much coffee (in volume or weight) you're using in your Mukka? i.e. the amount of coffee grounds, not the amount of coffee the Mukka produces. I bought some Intelligentsia Black Cat decaf while I was in Chicago last week, and I'd like to portion it out into bags and vacuum seal them. Then when I return to Japan in a few days, I'm going to put them in the freezer. It has already been a week since I had the coffee ground (I asked them to grind it for a moka maker), so I've already lost a lot of flavour, I'm sure!

Where are Masuda and Edon located? I couldn't find information on either of them.

I have a whole lot of knee problems which have led to problems (and pain) in other areas (hips, back, etc). For relieving pain, I use massage treatments and acupuncture. Deep tissue massage works especially well, and for me, the more "modern" acupuncture where electric currents are sent through the needles worked better than more traditional acupuncture. For helping prevent pain, stretching is very important. During a slow period, or during your break, do a series of stretches--especially for your lower body. For several years, two or three times a year, I would get very bad lower back cramps that would put me out for a week or so. It was discovered that my back pains were caused by very tight hip flexors (which were in turn caused by a change in posture/gait because of my knee problems), which would pull on the muscles in my back. Stretching out my hip flexors and the other muscles in that area (a few times a day) helped prevent recurrences, and once I started doing yoga, it pretty much went away. I haven't had really bad pains in years, and whenever I feel like my back is tightening up, I spend I little extra time stretching to help ease the muscles. I think pilates might help, too, since it strengthens your core muscles which helps with posture. You work very long hours, but if you can fit a class or two in on your days off, you might want to give it a try.

Who's Ottavia and what baby? Oops...nevermind...found the info by scrolling back a bit.

Is bibingka the same as cassava cake? The one I like is kind of chewy, and very coconut-y in flavour. I'd have to ask my mother for specifics. I love Sans Rival--but it must be made with cashews! None of that peanut stuff! Brazo de Mercedes would be nice to see, too. At a bakery in Bacolod, you have a choice of a condensed milk-based filling or butter-based filling. I prefer the butter one. Butter=good!

Ooohhhhh! I hope you made him some Sans Rival! I haven't seen one of those in ages (not since I was in the Phil. March 2006)!! Or some bibingka. I love bibingka!

I didn't even see that! I thought the frog was near the bottom right corner--it's not a realistic depiction, but you can see legs that look like frog legs doing a plie, and I thought the swirls near the top of that little section were eyes.

Deja vu! You and my mother must be long lost twins or something....

It seems that in Canada, most people don't appreciate iced tea made with real tea. If it's not Goodhost, it's just not good... (FWIW, I love real iced tea, but Goodhost has its place, too.) I think pineapple upside down cake is a great dessert for pork roast. Whenever I make pulled pork, I like to make pineapple upside down cake.

OK, on to Tre Visi. I've always been a fan of Tre Visi and have recommended it to many. After this last visit, I would be a little more reluctant to do so. Service--it was much like the service at Inferno Bistro, without the excuse of being too busy. We arrived for our reservation at 1:15, just after a very amusing Fringe Festival show, and just after the lunch rush. The remaining tables were either waiting for their food, their coffee, or their cheques. So why did we have to wait so long for someone to take our order? We did get our menus and water shortly after we sat down, so Tre Visi was one point ahead of Inferno. But although the waitstaff here, like at Inferno, seemed to be working in stations, it was difficult to say who our server was supposed to be. The servers spent much time rushing around, but going nowhere, it seemed, and one place they definitely were not going was to our table to take our order. I finally managed to flag someone down (nicely, not in a snap-my-fingers-I'm-annoyed kind of way, despite being very annoyed). I ordered carpaccio. Tre Visi's carpaccio is one of the highlights of their menu. It's rare to find it in Winnipeg, so I always order it. But every single time I order it, I'm questioned, "Have you ever had it before?" always with the same look on their faces that says, "This rube can't possibly know what carpaccio is, so I'd better explain before she complains that it's raw." I understand why they ask, but it pisses me off when they do. Nevertheless, the carpaccio was very good. The last time I ordered it, the olive oil tasted a wee bit rancid, but this time it was perfect. Our mains, on the other hand, were both disappointing. My mother ordered Puttanesca. I think they didn't drain the olives well enough, which would explain the wateriness and the overly briney flavour. Plus the spaghetti was overcooked, and there was no other flavour but the brine. With puttanesca, a little brine is fine, but I don't think the brine should be the only flavour... My pasta was some kind of penne with a sauce similar to a bolognese but with the addition of cheese (I think it had 4 different cheeses in it, but I could be wrong). Again, the pasta was overcooked. The sauce was much better than the puttanesca. It was a little salty and greasy, but I suppose that's what happens when one adds all that cheese to a meat sauce. At least it had flavour, and was even better the next day (and the day after that--it took me three meals to finish it). The focaccia was as good as always. We didn't have salad or dessert, so I can't comment on the quality of those, but judging from our mains, Tre Visi is getting sloppy. I know the owner/chef was in house that day (we saw him when he came out of the kitchen), so that just makes my meal doubly disappointing. More to come, but tonight we're going to a celebration put on by the Thai community. And I hope there's going to be food!

Does lunching count? In the last 3 1/2 weeks, I've lunched at several restaurants in Winnipeg. Highlights: Bistro Dansk--We had chicken schnitzel, chicken soup with dumplings, and my favourite hazelnut pie. The service was friendly (before our dessert, our server even brought me a small bowl of the mushroom soup I had orginally wanted to order, but couldn't because it wasn't ready), the food was good, and the hazelnut pie was fresh fresh fresh! It's good to know some things don't change--Bistro Dansk is always a reliable bet. The lowlights--everything else.. Just kidding...sort of... InFerno's Bistro--We sat for more than 5 minutes without any kind of service at all (aside from being seated and being given menus--btw, to servers, don't give the customer a menu that's upside down. It shows a certain sloppiness and lack of care that's a bit off-putting), then finally received some water and the specials (we had already selected our orders by then), but still couldn't order because the person giving us our water and specials wasn't our server. Another 5 minutes or so later, we were able to give our order. I wanted the "tartine de poulet et roquefort" (that could be wrong), but I asked about the bread. According to the menu, it's served on "chapati". Strange, I thought, since it's supposed to be a bistro (although judging by the menu, I think they're not using the word "bistro" in a classical French sense). I asked if it was really chapati, or if perhaps they used a wrap. I was assured it was chapati, so I went ahead with my order with a side of frites. My mother had the pate sandwich with a side of manhattan clam chowder. Our food arrived. My frites were lukewarm and, I thought, refried. I don't mean double cooked i.e. poached then fried in oil, but were probably cooked along with a previous order, then reheated in the fryer for my order. They were shoestring fries, so this treatment did not serve them well. They had a sheen of grease on them, and a funky flavour. They either needed to change their fryer oil, or choose their fried foods more judiciously, so none are overwhelmed with the flavours of others. The sandwich was tasty, but also greasy. They toasted the bread on the grill, which I quite liked, but they use too much butter/margarine on it. Oh, the "chapati", by the way, turned out to be "ciabatta". Someone over there needs to get their breads straight, at least on the menu. My mother's sandwich was fine, she said, but I did not taste it. The soup was not a manhattan clam chowder, but more a tomato soup with the promise of clams (she found none). It was also sloppily served, having spilled over the small bowl onto the plate. This wouldn't have been so bad had the sandwich not been served on the same plate. I would go back to try dinner to see if it's a different experience, but I would probably not go again for lunch. I liked the design of the space, but the tables were a bit crowded together, and the music was too loud (they later turned down the music a bit, so we and the other guests no longer had to shout). Also, the service just plain sucked. They were far too busy for the number of servers they had, and because they seem to work in section, the servers don't willingly help each other out. For some reason, around the time we arrived, all new arrivals were being placed in one server's section. She was overwhelmed and couldn't handle the volume by herself, but the other server was reluctant to help (though her section was almost cleared out). Tre Visi--what the hell happened to this place? But I'll leave the rest of that review for later.

What about Weczeria? Owned by eGullet member Junior, their homepage with contact info is here.

Crocs is coming out with a new style called "Alice". They look like mary janes, so they have a closed back and no holes. However, because they're styled just like mary janes, they don't have full coverage for the top of your foot.

I caught the most recent of Top Chef by chance. I didn't think Rocco had plastic surgery, just that he had lost weight. I did think that he had some hair implants or perhaps was wearing a hair piece (he was thinning on top when he was doing The Restaurant). While Tony Bourdain's guest blog may have been an enjoyable read, I thought it was highly unprofessional to dis' Rocco and his guest appearance. If it had been his personal blog, fine, but on a blog affiliated with the show and the network? It was in very bad taste, indeed.

So if I want to try one, I'd better get down to your store today!? (Been to Eva's a couple of times, but both past your hours, so I couldn't stop in.)

How necessary are reservations for S&S? We arrive in Chicago on a Monday morning, and I was thinking of doing an early dinner at S&S that night. I don't know if my travelling companion will be up for dinner that night (we have a long drive the day before, and an early flight Monday morning), so I'd rather not make reservations and risk having to cancel them at the last minute.

I was at a friend's Thai restaurant today, and I was thinking of how great it would be if she offered a few Thai-inspired cocktails to her beverage menu. No one at the restaurant is capable of making anything other than a basic cocktail (long island ice tea, for example, is about as complicated as they can handle), so anything I suggested would have to be easy to make. She carries a few wines, some beers (Thai and domestic), and has very basic spirits for making very basic drinks (whiskey, rum, vodka...maybe gin, but I'm not sure). She has some canned fruit juices, like tamarind and mango, and she used to make her own lemongrass drink (just lemongrass steeped in hot water with lots of sugar), and of course she has Thai iced tea and coffee (and run-of-the-mill soft drinks, too). Those are all the beverages she has to work with. I was thinking of something like a Thai-inspired sangria for the summer--it could be made ahead and kept in the fridge for the evening, so the staff wouldn't have to spend too much time with it during service. Anyone have a recipe for such a thing, or have an idea of how to go about creating a recipe for it? Any other interesting easy-to-make cocktail ideas?

What about chiles? You're doing a great job, btw. It's interesting to read two very different takes on the same city, and you have a wonderful style of writing. There's no sucktitude about this blog, at all! Did you mention why you ended up in Amsterdam? And I've asked this before to other expat bloggers, as an expat, what foods do you miss the most from the US? (I guessed it was you partly because of your location, but also because I remembered you really liked different ethnic foods, though I wasn't certain. But when I saw you were reading the topic when I posted my guess, but didn't deny that you were the blogger, I knew for certain it was you! )