Simon Majumdar

Whipped!!! S

Probably Don King Wrong, but wilf is right, Sir Donald Bradman. The greatest cricketer in the history of the sport. Think Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth rolled into one and then given some table manners Winona is a great choice but I would skip dinner!!! S

Would loved to have chewed the fat with Zappa. Was fortunate enough, in another life altogether, to share a table with Kingsley Amis and Anthony Burgess who were literary heroes of mine Greatly regret never getting to break bread with Bruce Chatwin or Derek Jarman. Oh, and dinner with The Don ( wilf knows who I mean ) would have been interesting S

I wasn't aware I called it a shambolic restaurant..... I said the service was shambolic and yes it is like that every time I go there ( probably about once every two months for the last three years as it is very close to my office. Not for about four months now though as I have been going to The House ) They may not try and set fire to me everytime, but it I would describe the service as amiably happless. They ALWAYS get the drinks order wrong. ALWAY have to be reminded to bring the bill and USUALLY manage to put plates in front of the wrong people. I do think that this is offset by the fact that they are very friendly. I am not too down on Lola's. It is one of those places that I would take clients if I didn't want to stray too far from the office but not somewhere I would go on a date or for dinner with friends. It had an upward blip when HJ was there, but now ( or certainly on my last visit ) it has returned to being what it always was, a dependable, realtively expensive, neighbourhood restaurant. S

Does setting fire to a menu not count as shambolic? S

Isn't the new chef at Lola's Jones' old sous? There are some dishes on the menu now that are very much of his ilk ( i.e stuff "Three ways" the cuban choc that is similar to the one at Patria in NY etc) but there are one or two new touches. When I last went there, it was post Reid, but before the new person ( whose name escapes me although I walk past there every day ) was allowed to take over. The whole experience was a bit underwhelming as I put in a post I will have to try it again. When Jones was there he was obviously working under constraints that he did not have at Foiliage ( definitely worth three stars on my two visits when he was cooking ) mainly in the quality of service ( Lola's is at best friendly and shambolic - they managed to set the menu on fire last time I was there and Tony Finch has a great story of one of the chefs burning his foot in the soup!!!!! ) and ingredients. I have yet to try Pharmacy so can't comment, but looking at the menu, it seems to have all the usual Jones' Schtick. Perhaps he is a one trick pony, not a bad trick though S

I am speaking to them about dates on my return from the US on Friday, so I am sure this will all be fine S

I have just eaten at the CF in Barrington Il. Very bizarre experience, full of enormous people eating enormous amounts of food Not too disgusting but I can't imagine ever wanting to go back S

Dinner at Prune this evening after a couple of drinks at the entirely agreeable DBA. The room itself is a bit pokey but the initial service was good, so one made allowances We started with the monkfish livers and the sweetbreads. Both were disappointing. The liver was an excellent ingredient but the way it was served with hot buttered bread ( not great bread BTW ) was a total misfire. The sweetbreads were better but the coating was more of a batter than a crust and this served to keep the excellent meat protected and they were very moist. To follow we ordered one more starter and one main. The appetizer of roast marrowbone salad was identical to that at St John in London and the waitress confirmed that it was taken from there EDIT: didn't read the thread so didn't see Toby B's comments ) It was actually pretty good. The suckling pig main course was OK. The crackling was poor but the aoili served with the pork served to counteract the dryness of the meat. Side orders of chestnut puree ( soupy and very nasty indeed ) and bitter greens ( cabbage by any other name ) were a pointeless expenditure A dessert of chocolate grenache was very nice and they aced the mint tea test. With a glass of sherry to begin and a decent RIbero to follow, a bill of $150 inc tip was on the steep side. Service was good, friendly and efficient if perfunctory. It was fine, and I was in Joyous company, but I would not rush back 5/10 S

good to see you again What is on the new menu? S

I said no such thing Difference doesn't have to imply inferiority. It can, but it doesn't have to What are the special qualities of clotted cream, steve? That would be a starting point. What do you taste when you have it and I don't care if it from a bucket or a silver spoon S

There is a great andalucian dish using Chickpeas, garden peas, garlic, olives ( black ), fino sherry ( 1 cup ) and thyme Simply enough you brown the chicken ( skinless ) and put in a shallow dish with the remaining ingredients and a good glug of olive oil and bake in the oven for about 35 mins. Er, that's it. It works wonderfully with a glass of cold fino with it. S

That seems perfectly reasonable. I for one agree with that. The condition of the taster doesn't change the molecules on the plate. Who would disagree? While the molecules on the plate don't change, the sensors on the tongue do and surely taste is an interaction of the two and a reaction of one to another S

I have done the group thing at Mela - friendly but chaotic service, best to order family style than let people order individually came to c£400 for 18 people ( not bad ) Food was excellent Zaika - 10 people, formal, best part of £1000 Red Fort - 10 people - Mid level food, hit and miss service, bloody expensive Chutney Mary - 10 people - Bloody dreadful S

The temperature issue is an interesting one but again it demands a certain amount of knowledge on the part of the diner I just received a mail from a friend who tried a Bengali fish dish at Mela and sent it back because it was at room temp. The waiter was happy to exchange it but explained that, as with most Bengali dishes, it is best served at that temerature as Bengali's consider that an aid to both flavour and digestion. The other dishes were all hot, so she sent it back anyway and it was represented ( in fact re-made ) at the requested temp. The point is she was just wrong, so the taste she experienced were in this case not authentic I hate food that should be hot being brought out tepid, but there needs to be a balance between what the chef knows to to be correct and what the diner wants S

of course ban them This site is about extremes Perhaps I should have added cheese in America as well as American cheese S How about cheesy ex-pats in America? cheesey ex pats in loud suits made out of furnishing fabrics ( he could at least have taken the curtain rings out of the monstrosity he wore at the London Christmas bash ) S

of course ban them This site is about extremes Perhaps I should have added cheese in America as well as American cheese S

I used to believe that, but now I know I was wrong. You still are unless someone proves otherwise which the visit to Artisnal ( great fun, but not superb cheese, OK, but ......) didn't do S

Just about any cheese in the USA S

While I agree with Steve to a large part in that the balance between chef and diner needs to be achieved, this statement really does not support that Craft and art has always been a "victim" of patronage from the court musician to the furniture maker hired to make particular items. Even the Cistine chapel was repainted in places after criticism from the higher powers. It is a relatively recent development for artists of any type to have the freedom to work without purely commercial concerns and, even now it is rare. It is wrong to see Chefs and their recipes in isolation from those who benefit from their "art" So,you cannot as Steve would seem to be implying, hand back all power to the chef without reference to the paying customer S

It used to be a very reliable lunch place when I was at Penguin round the corner, so it is sad to hear that it has faltered a bit I have rather fond memories of taking a group of people from Barclays there who were up on a day trip from Bristol to talk about publishing a Tax guide. We sat at a table and I couldn't understand why they were gawking over my shoulder. When I turned round I saw a slightly desolate looking Princess Diana sitting on her own poking at a green salad. I suspect they dined out on it for years S

I don't know you

because the food is no more than OK. The starters are the way to go and, when I go back there now, I stick to ordering a mix of them rather than the slightly iffy mains. Damn good vodka though S

Dog and cat is pretty good eating too S

Bresse north of Lyon is famed for its poultry The chicken in particular is now widely available, but turkeys, pigeon etc are also available There is a remarkable little store in Ille de Louis ( sp?) in Paris that stocks only Bresse products here is a helpful link http://www.dupainduvin.com/deli/market/bresse.html S