Simon Majumdar

Interestingly a colleague tried the new Bistro Trouvaille which opened yesterday and declared it "rubbish" I have not been for about 4 months but am planning ( hangover post Xmas bash allowing ) to go on Friday.

It is an incredible combination and I believe that something like 30% of the Indian population eat with chopsticks The best Indian food I have ever had was in Calcutta. Noodles in a fiery sauce with the biggest shrimp in their shells all cooked in front of you on the street. The perfect fast food. Please do share some recipes S

I am thrilled you enjoyed. It is not to everyone's taste given the manner of ordering and the spicyness of hunanese food, but I do enjoy it very much perhaps the site for an Egullet dinner next year?? S

I am reminded by my dining companion that we also had Abalone sushi Enoki mushroom Sushi Both were outstanding. I had never had mushroom sushi before and it was excellent if patently not memorable!! S

Oh well, I thought it was too good to be true at the time As indeed was she S

Looks like a good start B'dog One day I will have to hop in my tardis and come down that way Mention of the ampersand reminds me that I once went on a date with the woman who was the grand daughter of Mr Amper who was a Hot metal typesetter and carver for The Times. he designed the Ampers set of hot metal type and the name comes from the squiggle for and which was known as "amper's and" So there you go. Not sure if it was true or not but the story just mde the date fly by......... S

Not necessarily "high End" but I had a very romantic supper last Valentines with a special someone at THE PLACE in The Village. The food was OK to better but the room and service made it a memorable night. S

Well it wasn't wriggling about if that is what you mean. That is just the way it was descibed The serving was four slices of jellyfish served on a seaweed base with soy sauce . They were served with a dish of herring roe ( marinated as described below ) The jellyfish was also slightly sour and I am not sure if that was down to a marinade ( I did not find out ) but after the initial gelatinous touch to the mouth there was a real crunch to it. A unique texture I am not sure I could have eaten too much of it, but in the context of the Omakase it was excellent S

I was also at JB last night with a CH'er. We plumped for the $75 Omakase and I have to say that it was one of the single best meals that I have ever had in the US. Sitting at the cramped bar was not a problem as the floor show of watching the head chef prepare the sushi and sashimi was worth the money in itself. The meal went something like this ( working from a bad memory ) Salad of micro greens - sharply dressed in a wasabi dressing - quite wonderful Tuna Tartare with advocado dressing - quite an extrordinary flavour to the dish and a richness and smoothness that I had never encountered before Live jellyfish with herring roe marinated in soy, sake and mirrin - The roe was good but the jelly fish was unlike anything I have ever tried before with both a gelatinous quality ( Er! It probably should have given the name ) and a crunch. Sashimi Platter - two types of yellow tail and two tpes of snapper. Oe of the snappers was a little tough for me but the rest were sensational Miso soup with dumplings made of ground yellowtail - Described by the owner as "Japanese Matzo Ball soup" Rich, delicious and the dumplings had a real earthy quality that belied their fishy origins There then followed a host of sushi and I may not recall them all but they included Parrot fish Squid Snapper Salmon Seared tuna Live octopus Sea Urchin Eel Interestingly enough the Octopus and Squid which I normally crave was less successful that the fish. I do not think that it was bad, but rather the fish was so superb that it overshadowed them. The final sushi was the tuna seared by blowtorch. This was the highlight for me, so fatty and unctuous, I think if I had cloed my eyes, I would have sworn I was eating bacon. Quite wonderful A pre dessert of sorbet was fine and was followed by a pastry made exclusively for the restaurant by Payard ( sp?) This is the place on the upper east right? To drink we chose a bottle of Baptiste Tokay Pinot Gris which I thought worked very well but was a bit steep at $55 The service was exemplary and friendly and the room while small was beautifully laid out. I wont say how much it cost all told as as I was treating someone who might read this. It was not cheap but not bad value considering that we were there for some 3 hrs and there was not one dish that showed less than a passion for freshness and skill in execution After so many meals on my last few trips to NY that were, to be frank, slightly Blah, this was a treasure. I had heard much and all of it good and it did not disappoint. 9/10 S

I can add to the wicked witch's rec's for Saka Gura. it was fun ( spectacularly good company) and the food was delicious. The sake did not really appeal to me ( my failing not theirs ) and I had to pop out afterwards for a couple of Knob Creeks at the W. The food was interesting and well executed to my limited knowledge. Highlights were the belly pork ( the first order. The second order was a little tough ) The Fluke and the sashimi. Weaker were the sea urchin wrapped in fluke and the monkfish livers which were not to my taste a very fresh ingredient. The eggplant was as the monstrous La Ninja says, sensational. Not over priced for the quality and preparation 7/10 S

I was overwhelmed by the company as usual on my NY trips but underwhelmed by the food and service and price. The starters were measly. My bib salad while not actively nasty was close to being inconsequential as it is possible to get and I was thrilled when Liza stole some. My real "beef" with this was the quallity of the meat. GJ's Prime rib looked excellent, but in the true spirit of a former pupil of a minor public school he refused to share so I could not confirm one way of another. My rib chop was perfectly cooked ( balck and blue ) with a good crust but the flavour ended once you cut through it. It lacked anything at all. Very disappointing W is right though, my choice of the Chianti was a bad one. It was insipid to say the least. Still few evenings in the company of EG's can be less that memorable and this was a highlight for me because of a superlative martini made by our very own Miss Jean Brodie Hats off to you madam S

If Racine, why not a Cafe Rouge!! I think there is one on Church St Shame on you Andy S

I like short ho's they try so much harder S

I would recommend Launceton Place, unsurprisingly on Launceston Place The food is very good and the service exemplary. It is a short ho from TAH here is the London Eating Link http://www.london-eating.co.uk/1701.htm Hope this helps S

What about the Nobu and Korovo bankruptcy being discussed on the other thread? S

But it doesn't count for the same. All the above quotes on this thread make it clear that this is Charlie Trotter's restaurant, Charlie Trotter's venture, not that of his right hand man. I know we've touched on this issue before but I think we need to be constantly vigilant against being misled- some might say conned. I've never argued that a named chef has to be in the kitchen all of the time. However it is one thing having a break or making the odd TV programme and another altogether to be spending the bulk of your time in another country, cooking in another restaurant while at the same time using your reputation as the main selling point of the restaurant in London. I don't see how a chef who spends 5 days a month in a restaurant can meaningfully claim to the public that it is "his" restaurant except in the sense that he might part own it. You could argue that Trotter and Gagnaire have never claimed to be the main chefs in these ventures but at the same time Gagnaire must realise that the success of his venture depends on the association with him. Clearly this is a case of CAVEAT EMPTOR- all of you BEWARE! In this sense, London has become like Las Vegas, with satellites of NY and other restaurants opening here with nothing to link them to the mothership other than a name and a price tag I rather like CT's in Chicago ( not as much as Tru, but that is for another thread ) but it is a bit meaningless when it opens here and he is scarcely going t be there. I have the same feelings about GR@C's. I guess it is a kind of fine dining by association S

wouldn't be the first time I have woken up in a West End Flophouse next to a journalist!!!!! I still have a soft spot for Elena's Etoile on Charlotte St. She is such a charming woman and although the place is very VERY old school, I recall the food being pretty good. I mentioned once before a time when on a date, I had a supper there and forgot my wallet. I left the table and spoke with elena who just said that if I left my card she would send the bill on. It arrived the next day at my office with a handwritten note saying she hoped we had both enjoyed our meal. Not sure you would get that in many places these days S

Who's the good soak you enjoy? Actually I spent a rather romantic night at TCSH recently and the staff were teriffic and the Residents Bar was a good hidey hole Also when my sister stayed there with my little nephew, they let me wait in there for her, poured me an unfeasibly large cognac and gave me a paper to read. This chain ( it is the same people who own the Pelham, The Covent Garden Hotel and The Rookery isn't it? ) is one of my favourites in London, certainly not cheap, but good value S

I have never tried the Dim Sum at JKL How is it? I am always open to an alternative to Golden Dragon or Harbour City S

I am rather fond of this bar and often use it as a place to meet. You have to get there early, but the drinks are well made ( I was not that fond of the martini there, not cold or dry enough ) but they made excellent Sazeracs S

You say this as if there is something wrong with it S It may have escaped your attention but the vast majority of the British population doesn't live in London, and some of them would like somewhere decent to eat. Mind you there is a problem with the provinces, at one of our better local restaurants the owner said he could survive quite well by only opening two days a week, unfortunately they would both have to be Saturday. I think that's the difference between London (and other major cities) and the provinces, in the big cities people are dining out every night but out in the sticks it tends to be weekends only. If they live in the provinces, they may LIKE to eat out, but do they DESERVE to eat out Discuss?

I mentioned this on the "dinner" thread But When you are done eating, keep the shells Sweat a cinnamon stick, some cumin, turmeric, Chilli powder, garlic and ginger in a little oil and butter mix. Add the leftover shells, two tins of tomatoes and two pints of water and simmer over a very low heat for at least six hours ( I guess a slow cooker would work as well ) Strain the liquid and add chunks of fish ( Mackerel is wonderful ) and potatoes ( not for me for, as we all know, Carbs = Death ) and sprinkle in a large amount of chopped Corriander The most delicious soup ever S

You say this as if there is something wrong with it S

yes that is exactly what I am saying. An amateur can try and cook fusion or a chef can slap down something with somethng else. it don't make it right. Before you can extemporise, you have to know the basics. jazz would be the perfect example. to play free form jazz you have to exceptionally technically proficient. You have to understand the parameters and the structures before you can go out and play around. The same is true of fusion. what people come up with is coarse and vulgar. It displays the hubris of those who think one can run before one can walk. Fusion per se is not a sin, but fusion as it is executed in just about every restaurant I have ever tried is Will it play showtunes? S

NO There is a big difference between the organic development of a dish which combines the knowledge and understanding of two or more cuisines and the slapping of lemongrass with a piece of lamb because the chef went backpacking after college Vibrating one, Natch? S