Simon Majumdar

Steve An interesting thread Here FWIW is my take on it French food is the single most influential cuisine in Western History and by "french" food I mean the whole gamut from rustic regional to the finest chefs who worked their way through L'ecole. The terms we use, the style with which things are cooked and the ingredients we buy are all a result of "french" cookery. In the east, far near and middle ( India, China, Iran and a host of others, excluding those where France based its empire ) French cooking meant little or nothing. Each area developed its own cuisine and while there were intertwinings because of population migration, no one style dominated a region in the same way French food did Western Europe Because of it's dominance, Cooking is France has been slower to develop. Rather than expand, it has been running around in increasingly frenzied decreasing circles. At the same time its dominance of world kitchens is declining. TV, travel and better education have opened up cookery, both at home and in the restaurant, to a huge number of new stimulators from outside the classical tradition. We can source ingredients in this country from all over the world and, I guess because we have little culinary identity of our own, we are open to use them. Perhaps sometimes we are like children grabbing every new ingredient we find and using it without thought and dexterity ( one of the reasons I dislike "fusion" cookery so much ) but it does give a breadth of offering that you would not find in France. From my limited knowledge of French kithcens, they seem much more rooted in their classical traditions to the point that using new ingredients is a challenge. They cling too closely to their past rather than using the superb skills they have to bounce forward. There will always be a level at which French food will dominate, that is at the very high end. We have had this discussion on the Michelin thread. High end excellence has become synonymous with Michelin and Michelin by its nature is a judge of restaurants by French standards. However, like all cuisines it will need to move forward or die S

Suvir Do you find buffets sad or the sort of buffet offered in restaurants at lunch time sad? Buffets play a large part in indian food, from the array of chat offered in homes when guests come to visit, to the vast groaning tables that appear whenever there is cause for celebration ( which can be anything from a Tendulkar century to a marriage ) these buffets can often be extraordinary depiction of the glories of a region. I mentioned before a family wedding where a buffet was offered with the best dishes from each of he neighbouring villages. Cooks from each village had been sought to cook their finest The lunchtime buffet in restaurants is however just a means of saving time, and limiting choice. If you know you are going to cook 10 dishes and people can take their pick it makes your life a lot easier. It depends on the restaurants if this is any good. In Brick lane it is invariably abysmal. In the Bombay Brasserie, it is often better than their evening offerings.

Georgia is definitely on my mind for next time This time I believe my estimable brother has booked Galatoires Bayonya (sp?) clancy's I hope all these meet with approval of y'all ( ahem) or I may have to rescind his Steely Dan listening priviledges The one place I have insisted on trying is a place called CRAKLIN'S which I have heard good things about. I think it is just a shack doing crackling, but would love to hear if anyone knows it S

Suvire - I would question the praise of Tabla. Of my two meals there, I have yet to have one dish that satisfied on any level and I have had some actively nasty ones ( a quail dish particularly made me quail with the rawness of the spices) I found the spicing to be inexact and it had the hallmarks of a menu that had been tempered to suit western tastes and budgets. This was the one place I had in mind when I thought of the word "dishonest" I am otherwise a fan of Mr Meyer(sp?) but I think tis was an attempt to add a bit of colour to the portfolio Suvir- what is it about this that I am missing? My brother and Uncle really enjoyed this place and I know other people whose opinions I admire love it. What are the dishes you admire? As for fusion. I think the word itself is the problem. Perhaps there is a more true word for what happens when someone spends enough time in a culture that the mores,norms and eating habits and techniques of that culture seep through their being. Perhaps Immersion is a better word. That way you can have a non-indian who is able to prepare a sublime indian meal ( I have already used the example of my welsh mother and my fillipino aunt ) because they have absorbed the essence of the food and its origins not just the techniques. By the same token it is not ok for a chef to spend three weeks in Delhi and Bombay with a day trip to Agra and come back and put Pot roast pork with garam masala on his menu. That smacks of cultural imperialism and ignorance. S

Adam ( Dr Balic - I didn't know they gave that title for those who did a PHD in Cheerleading and drinking Fosters - who knew ) - I know that most Aussies find it hard if it is a "you must wear trousers to eat here Sir" type of place, but Club Gascon would be worth you shaving your knuckles for. Steve's description is spot on ( things you thought you would never hear me say. Like Andy saying, "I insist on paying, Bruce" ) The chance to have what are otherwise rustic dishes in smaller portions gives you the chance ( and indeed the restaurant the chance ) to experiment. I am not sure if the foie with chocolate works, but if I am paying £8 for it, I might give it a go. There are some hugely expensive wines on the list. I wouldn't claim to know if they are over priced. I have no expertise in that matter, but they also have some bargains and a very good list by the glass. So, while it is possible to spend a horrible amount there, it is also possible to have a well valued meal of great quality. The sign of a great restaurant. S

Reading the thread about the use of Indian spices in French restaurants, I thought I would find out what the view is generally of fusion food with particular reference to Indian inspiration. I am torn. On the one hand I hate the notion of spices coming in and out of fashion. For this reason I think the whole Pacific rim fusion debacle has been appalling. It seems to primarily consist of putting a few chunks of mango under a slice of kangaroo or pouring coconut milk and galangal over some otherwise perfectly fine piece of fish. This isn't taking inspiration from, it is fooling around. It is like putting a moustache on a Rembrandt because you spent a day at arts school. These guys spend a few months travelling around the east after college and come back thinking they can sprinkle curry powder on whatever and it is all ok. On the other hand I truly believe that a cuisine cannot stay still. Like a shark it must move forward or drown. Without Portugese influence, we would never have had a Vindaloo, withour Moghul influences the wonderful richness would not be possible. But I would argue that these came about because of the migration of a population ( or because of imperialist expansion ) rather than because of a chef thinking that his dish would be better with corriander! In London we have great examples at either end 1) We have the Red Fort. Innordinately expensive but true to its roots while still trying new things. It is ok to extemporise on a theme if you know the basics, so if you want to cut the ghee content of soften the spices, it is acceptable 2) We have the Cinnamon Club which is unashamedly fusion trying to offer dishes which will not offend a western taste. It fails horribly and achieve none of the things it professes to do. In the end it is no more successful than the latest Burger King Promotion that is offering Chicken Tikka Masala wraps. Sorry for the rant, but I would love to know what everyone thinks S

I have it laminated so it can be wiped clean afterwards

Steve - A thoroughly enjoyable post on two very different but very London experiences. My tuppenceworth 1) The potted prawns - if the were small and brown they were proably spot on. A great dish if done well and a trad starter if one is having a roast. Rules does the best. 2) My favourite place for roasts was Claridges, cosseting and superb. I think the loss of that haven has tainted my views of GR'S@ Claridges 3) I want to hear more about the foie with chocolate. Texture taste etc. Mr Balic - I don't think they let australians in, but if you were to really scrub up and put on clean skivvies, a meal for two would be c£130, but worth it. They have a wine bar next door, Cellar Gascon which I am not fond of but it serves a great list by the glass. The also have a deli around the corner, Comptoir Gascon which has great produce at extra ordinary prices ( I mean that in a bad way )

FWIW my take on the place Robin and I went to this new Italian place for dinner tonight and I have to say after the disappointments of the great Parisian debacle, it was indeed a pleasant surprise. The room is welcoming and the staff more so, although I am not sure that buying the front of house desk from a sell off of Blake 7 memorabilia was quite the thing. I was little concerned as the jazz musings of Bird were blaring our a little too loudly, but bang on 8.00pm they turned it off. We started with a Negroni each. Too strong but well priced at £6.50. We could not really choose on the starters so ordered three. Mackerel wrapped in pork belly ( salty/sweet and juicy ), pan fried cheese and a superlative Ox tongue with a salsa verde. Each was worthwhile for their simplicity, no muss no fuss, but the Ox tongue was a revelation with a texture and taste that is rarely found in the bland supply in London ( the estimable St J's excluded ) Breads ( seven varieties ) and breadsticks were baked on site and worthy of special mention Main courses were more mixed. Robin went for a sweetbread in a "sweet & Sour sauce" I was less convinced about this than him. I thought it over powered. He thought it was better and more savoury. My beef loin was close to the perfect piece of beef. It was Buucleugh Beef from the highlands who also supply Buck house and Le Gavroche. The meat was marbled and of stunning flavour and cooked to perfection. Something which sounds simple but is achingly difficult. Sides of Spinach and salad were OK but slightly Desserts were a pistachio yoghurt and a fondant. Good, but only puddings and therefore not worthy of true discussion by grown ups The wine list was small but contained lots of choice under £30. It also scored high by not relying too heavily on the Tuscans with some superb Barbera’s and some Sicilian wines who made me an offer I could refuse. We chose a well priced veneto ( Allegrini ) at £29 was subtle and light and from a good grappa list we chose a Nonino Moscato and a Nonino Pirus at £9 a pop Service throughout was spot on and it is noticable that when I asked about the provenance of the beef, Mr Locatelli himself came out with the brochure to chat passionately and at length to us about it and the restaurant. Bill with the works came to £150 for two. I would proffer great value for money. 7 1/2 /10

I had a deeply depressing meal at Nirvana a year or so ago. That is until I eschewed the "feast" and went back into the kitchen and sat with one of the cooks who fed me the staff fish tandoori paratha. the meal came to $500 for the four of us, but I still think I got the best end of the deal S

I have to confess a familial link ( although a very slight one ) to Tagore as he was close friends with my grandfather who was a young surgeon in calcutta at the early part of the century. Fat Guy - I think the analogy of Tagore is an interesting one as although his poems knew no bounds, he realised that they needed to be translated to reach a wide audience. His first translator was the wonderous Priestley ( who carried a copy of Gitanjali around with him every day of his life ) and Tagore cried when he read it because Priestley had caught the majesty of his words ( the first poem he translated, I think was Unending Love ) However, He always complained that taking his poetry from bengali and translating was like looking at it thru smoked glass. This is how I feel about recipes for Indian food. They are a necessary vehicle if the food in its superb reality is to reach its deserved audience, but by the same necessity they are debased the moment they arrive on paper. Ingredients become prescribed as do quantites. This is not baking, this is cooking, it is an expression. This is not a symphony it is a variation on a theme. Recipes take on an importance they should not. They become set in stone, so people speak in absolutes. You cannot do that with Indian food. What I call a Ghonto would be unrecognisable to Suvir, but just as valid. Indian households have recipes but they are usually vague and orally transmitted ( with such a low literacy rate that is hardly surprising ) and can be as little as "put some salt in" when you ask how much, my aunt ( again a wonderous Bengali cook although she is Fillipino - don't ask ) will say "it depends on how I feel" Co-incidentally, that is the same thing she says about opera ( she was a soprano at the Met for years ) and how pieces should be sung. I guess this is a long winded way of saying that Indian recipes are a useful starting point and worthwhile. I don't think someone with the skill and passion of Suvir would waste time and energy on a book if it was pointless. But, and it is a massive but, they can only ever be a starting point. Indian cookery above all others is a journey and while you don't have to take it alone, no one is going to carry you, you have to figure it out for yourself S

I am not going to argue about the modern meanings of IT. But it did originate with the sahibs of the Empire as they had their medicinal snort every night to ward off malaria. The estimable Mark Tully ( if anyone has not read his "No Full Stops In India" They should as it is the best book on India I have ever read ) once told me that the drink itself was created for one of the maharaj and the recipe had been purloined by the East India Company. Em Forster's novels refer to Gin & IT and do Narayan's ( can't remember which one though.) Still, whatever the origins. A damn fine drink S

I think the variation in mark up from place to place is also the cause of much consternation. Once example, in Foiliage a bottle of ( excellent BTW ) Qupe Syrah ( cost at the one place I could find it, Selfridges, £20 ) was marked up to £50. At the top end of being fair. At L'oranger ( the only other place I have ever seen it on the list ) it was £75 and this was a couple of years ago. Unless, like most of us, you eat out a great deal, it is very difficult to make comparisons. There is also the question of "pushing" In MPW places, I believe it is practice to push wines on which they have the most mark up however suitable they may be for the food. I know at the soon to close ( yippee! ) Criterion, they were mysteriously " out of stock of all the wines I asked for under £30 a bottle. Strange that. They seemed most put out when I said I would be happy with a beer and even more mysteriously suddenly found a bottle. £30 being better than £3 for a pint, I guess. S

Steve Three sittings is quite a lot and I think contributed the feeling of being processed. Perhaps if we had been at 10.30, we would have had a better experience and indeed I would admit that the rapid pace of the meal jaundiced our views ( well they certainly did mine ) I would argue however, that the other sittings should not be allowed to suffer. I would love to know what you made of Club Gascon. It is supposedly French in its take, but i suspect it would be almost unrecognisable to the Parisian. for the record, I am a fan of the place and have had three excellent meals there in the past year. S

Adam, IT= Indian Tonic Suvir - I have not been back to India for a couple of years but last time I was there I loved (I did not sample for fear of the consequences on my insides ) the IMFL's ( Indian Made Foreign Liquors ) which had been produced in the days when imports were controlled. what I particularly loved was the attempt they made to give them the correct sounding names, so you had Sir Peter Scott Whisky Tower of London Gin Eiffel Tower Brandy and my very favourite Rasputin Vodka. I wonder if these remarkable brews which all seemed to be the same colour ( including the gin!) are still available S

Calabres They did indeed and there was no way I was not going to try it. The meat was tender due to slow cooking and the sauce has a slight smokiness to it which was interesting. It was not overpoweringly gamey. I like game that has been hung for weeks, but this was a little more subtle. The guts on toast was a good touch. They did this with roast woodcock before christmas. It is like a very strong pate. If it is on the menu tonight, do try it. I would definitely have it again S

Andy - I agree on the choclate box take on Paris. what it does have in its favour is NO BLOODY CRANES. these big monstrocities blight the london and NY landscapes. in paris they restore and protect. In London and NY we rip down and replace. What that does mean though is that the centre of Paris, to me at least took on a look of atrophy. I know I barely scratch the surface when I am there, but it certainly lacks the energy of NYC and London Steve - I push buttons I know. Its just my way but it gets more of a reaction than just saying " a disappointing meal in Paris" and as on here, it does bring debate even if not everyone approves of my way of doing it. Margaret - Most people wouldn't come near me with a ten foot pole, but it is interesting to see that regalade is capapble of being not great.

I went again last night in search of products porcine and I have to say my love affair with this place continues to grow. I started with the Pigs cheek. It was the best starter I have ever had at St J's. Confit and then roasted, it was crisp and delicious, like the most melting crackling you can imagine. My date's salad of purple sprouting brocoli with a sauce of anchovies and capers was very good but no comparison. For the main course, she had faggots ( a weeks detention all you americans giggling at the back ) and I tried, for the first time, squirrel. It was a revelation. The nearest comparison I can make is to hare, but more gamey. They served the shoulder, saddle, and legs braised in a sauce thickened with blood and they served the guts on toast. A shared pudding of Brigade pudding ( also called Bee's Bum on the menu ) was a swirl of light pastry with mincemeat and served with an impossibly thick cream lots of wine, coffee and a sticky plus the meal came to £100 which is not bad.

I am not sure if it counts as a cocktail but surely the the most historically accurate drink would be a Gin & IT. Gordon's gin was, I am told the most widely drunk of the London Gins ( my office is about 1/2 block from the original mill ) in India and the original Indian Tonic was rich in malaria avoiding Quinnine(sp?) So I would say a great big umbrella stand full with lots of ice and a slice of lime would be the ideal. S

This has really whetted my appetite. I am there tomorrow for dinner S

I have to say that the most recent embarrassing thing that happened to me was on a recent visit to the otherwise near perfect Grammercy. I was with a good friend of mine who also happens to be extra ordinarily beautiful. A real head turner. The poor waiter was quite smitten with her and kept coming back to the table to ask if everything was alright and I mean like every 2 mins. He was no problem and he was not making her uncomfortable. I mean he didn't try and grab he chest or anything, but it got progressively more ludicrous and the evening wore on and in the end I even forewent pudding and we buggered off More amusing than harmful. I just hope he has a girlfriend next time I take her there S

Thanks for all the help guys. It is a great aid in my continual battle against the forces of nature. S

Calabres This is the one post in the thread that ( almost ) makes me change my view of Paris. Be impassioned in defence of a city your love, argue its case, don't hide behind poorly veiled digs at the critic. Thanks for that. like you, I thought the light in Paris was extra ordinary, unlike London where the grey and the grey used in the stone for much of the building soaks up the light. I would have to say though that when it comes to a city being shown off to its greatest extent in this watery dappled sunlight of late winter, NYC is hard to beat. BUX- They did have us marked down as swells from the UK. I think it is because we were the only ones not depending on man made fabrics to cover our ample shame Steve - I am pretty sure everyone is aware that you don't value my opinion and that the likewise is true. If it is a debate you truly want to have, let's do it over the messenging service so we don't bore everyone. I will repsond to two points though 1) You went to Regalade last May. You had a good meal. I don't doubt it. Too many people whose opinion I really do rate recommended it for it to be worthless. Magnolia in particular and she has give me the heads up on some great places in the past. Unfortunately it did not live up to its billing on our visit. There are two possible reasons for this a) It is in decline. Ten months is a long time in the restaurant trade even in a town which has been described as moving "stately as a galleon". It is possible that it has become a victim of its own success. Whatever your thoughts on Trouvaille. It has provided excellent meals and got great reviews. There are signs now that it is slipping. It does happen. b) You say it may have been an off night because of a holiday and that other restaurants were closed. That is a possibility. Would it not have been better forRegalade to close than offer a sub standard meal? 2) I will ace your main Paris wine dealer with the Editor in Chief of France's leading Cookery Book Publisher. I asked her for her opinion of the place yesterday and she replied " go to Euro Disney, the food is better and at least the mice you see are only in costume"

Adam/Miss J I await your recipes with eager anticipation Mr Balic I await news of your heart attack after eating three buttery croissants with equally eager and baited breath. But then you are an aussie and probably don't have a heart or you would not taunt me so. S

Get a room, you two S