SteveW

Here we see only the Fanta Orange flavor(individual bottles & now cans). -Steve

I think I heard that Bourdain is scheduled to appear live on Christine Cushing Live(Food Network Canada) Thursday Dec 2/2004. He should be taking some calls from viewers across Canada. -Steve

The last couple of years, I've gotten Fanta Orange from Indian restaurants here in Montreal. These are the individual glass bottles, that come from India. About a week ago, I saw for the first time here(in my memory), cans of Fanta Orange. These cans come from Poland. I find the Fanta Orange from individual glass bottles, tastes much better than Fanta Orange from cans. Are they using different recipes? Any other aspect that you want to comment on? -Steve

I missed catching this show in full. It looks interesting. FNC is repeating the first episode again Wednesday(I'll catch it in full then). Does this show have a US airing anytime soon? One of advantages of Food Network Canada, over the Food Network, is that it more readily picks up the foreign programs. -Steve

I'm not sure what temperature is required for retrogradation, but I assume it is refrigerator temperature. That's where I keep my leftover rice anyway. Not sure I'd want to eat cooked rice that had sat out at room temperature for 24 hours. ← Thanks for your feedback. I was thinking of overnight(at room temperature). -Steve

Day-old rice cooled to refrigerator temperature?? Shouldn't it be cooled to room temperature(not in a fridge)? Should the rice be uncovered or not, I'm not 100% sure(I've seen Chinese restaurants cool their rice uncovered, but maybe that's not the best way). -Steve

Seeing this from a outsider POV. Natalie, you have no direct response, to pretty heavy criticism laid against you? -Steve

I see the prices listed at the Ruth's Chris Canada site. The steaks are much more expensive then at Queue de Cheval in Montreal, although they don't list size of the cuts on their dinner menu. Glad for their lunch menu, they offer smaller cuts(12oz offered in their rib-eye & NY Strip cuts). Is their lamb chops any good? I think I heard that each Ruth's Chris location gets the same custom grill that's tailored to Ruth's Chris specifications. I think it gets up to 1800 degrees F. Marlene, have you gone into a Ruth's Chris kitchen, & saw their grill in action? -Steve edit: digging further into the Ruth's Chris Canada site, I see the size of steak cuts listed. Rib-eyes are 12oz(lunch only) & 16oz; Filet 8oz & 12oz; Cowboy rib-eye 22oz; NY Strip 12oz(lunch only) & 16oz; Porterhouse for Two is 40oz.

Are the Ruth's Chris in Toronto & Mississauga, company-owned or franchises(I'm guessing company-owned)? -Steve

Q being far superior to Ruth's Chris. You're talking specifically about their beef, and/or whole dining experience? Not many people would argue that Queue de Cheval has great beef. The other things concerning Queue de Cheval, some people have problems with. The prices they charge are overpriced(in particular their wine list), & some of their staff have attitude. -Steve ← I guess that wasn't really clear, Steve, sorry. I have never had any service problems at Q, or attitude. No attitude at Ruth's, but service was only so-so. Beef was better at Q by far, but not anything I'd call the best steak ever. As for Q's prices, they are high and there are some ridiculous markups on their wine list IMHO. However, it's been 6 or 8 months since I last ate there. I find Ruth's overpriced (food) as well, but I could be said to be somewhat biased as I have never had a really good meal there. ← Another thing with Queue de Cheval, is that their portions are way too big(this complaint also applies to many of the big steakhouses across North America). Gigantic shrimps, gigantic lobsters, gigantic desserts, gigantic steaks, & so on(that also equals to a gigantic bill!!). When I go to lunch at Queue de Cheval, & the smallest steak they have is a 18oz rib-eye steak(that's not right)!!! Previously they had a 12oz rib-eye steak on their lunch menu. One thing however, they were the first steakhouse I noticed that had a bone-in filet mignon on the menu. Now it's a hot cut on menus at high-end steakhouses in the US. Not sure, if they're available at Toronto steakhouses. -Steve

Your friend Hanne manages both Toronto-area locations, so hopefully(& they should), correct any problems at Ruth's Chris Mississauga(to at least equal Ruth's Chris Toronto). The Mississauga location by my count, has opened for less than a year. -Steve

A bit off topic, but it's OK. I've tried Argentine beef(grass fed), several years ago, & was unimpressed. However I've been told that the best Argentine beef stays in Argentina. Otherwise I haven't tried any other grass fed beef. I know the well-known ACME steakhouse in San Francisco uses grass-fed US beef. And they're several US sources producing grass-fed beef(one of them is US Wellness Meats). It's generally less marbled that corn-fed US beef. -Steve

Q being far superior to Ruth's Chris. You're talking specifically about their beef, and/or whole dining experience? Not many people would argue that Queue de Cheval has great beef. The other things concerning Queue de Cheval, some people have problems with. The prices they charge are overpriced(in particular their wine list), & some of their staff have attitude. -Steve

Thanks Marlene. Do you know if Ruth's Chris Canada is considering anytime soon opening locations beyond the Toronto-area? -Steve

Yes, we had this discussion about Canadian Prime & USDA Prime before. Beef is one of my favorite subjects . From my memory, you previously said US beef(US Prime) was better than Canadian beef. That was before, you ate Canada Prime beef at the 21 restaurant in Casino Niagara. Do you still dine several times a month at Ruth Chris(you know the GM of Ruth Chris Toronto(2 locations))? What's your favorite steak in Toronto, at a non-steakhouse? How does the Queue de Cheval steak(Montreal steakhouse), compare with the top Toronto steakhouses? Sorry for so many questions(as I stated beef is a favorite subject of mine). -Steve

Thanks for all the responses. My brother ultimately decided to make rack of pork loin for the guest. I'm sure he was partly dissuaded from getting the US Prime beef, because of the high price. 31oz would be at least $75+. -Steve

You can get Canada Prime Rib-eyes from your butcher. Has this only been the case, since the US beef ban? Until the US beef ban, no Montreal steakhouse was serving Canada Prime beef. -Steve

Is this a very recent price? During the height of the US beef ban in Canada, Canadian beef prices were sky high? If the US beef ban is over(as I've been told), then I'm guessing, the Canadian Prime beef at Brunos would be much lower now, than 4-5 months ago for example. BTW, did you notice much difference in taste of steaks at Ruth's Chris Toronto, when they were serving Canada Prime beef, instead of US Prime beef(during the US beef ban)? -Steve ← Actually, I was just about to revise that. I just got home from Bruno's where Canadian prime was selling for $34.99 per lb. Thre is a difference between the two in that Canadian prime seems to be richer or more buttery than US prime. ← I got some Canada Prime steaks from Queue de Cheval steakhouse in Montreal approx. 2 months ago, & found them just as good as their US Prime steaks that they use to carry(they're still carrying the Canada Prime beef, instead of switching back to US Prime). Next time you're in Montreal Marlene, you can also get some Canada Prime beef for takeout(raw steaks) from Queue de Cheval, & it's much cheaper than Bruno's. I'm guessing when you say $34.99 lb, you're talking about NY strips. What's your top 5 steakhouses in Toronto, ranked in order? -Steve

Is this a very recent price? During the height of the US beef ban in Canada, Canadian beef prices were sky high? If the US beef ban is over(as I've been told), then I'm guessing, the Canadian Prime beef at Brunos would be much lower now, than 4-5 months ago for example. BTW, did you notice much difference in taste of steaks at Ruth's Chris Toronto, when they were serving Canada Prime beef, instead of US Prime beef(during the US beef ban)? -Steve

During the US beef ban in Canada, I'm sure Bymark used Canada Prime beef. -Steve

Yes now I remember, it was Bruno's, & custom aged for Mark McEwan as you stated. It's US Prime beef. I remember Mark saying that if he sold the steaks(the ones made specifically for Bymark) to anyone else, he 'would have to kill him.' Last I heard Bruno's sells both Canada Prime & US Prime. I wonder what's the difference in price between the two? -Steve

Sorry, my brother just corrected me. He's looking for quality US beef at a good price(prefers dry-aged if it's available). The guest he's making the beef for prefers US beef(my brother also likes Canadian beef, besides top quality US beef). I told him there're several factors that go into the price(eg:dry or wet aged; how long it's aged). Those things should be taken into account, when judging prices. -Steve

The cheese on top thing. Is this the Montreal influence creeping into the Ottawa pizza market? Many Montreal pizzerias put cheese over, & it's usually refered to as Montreal-style pizza. Is the term 'all dressed' used in the Ottawa pizza market? -Steve

My information comes from when I talked to several top steakhouses in Montreal several weeks ago. -Steve

Thanks for the St. Lawrence Market tip. Does Bymark use US Prime or Canada Prime beef(it was talked about in the 'Opening Soon' episode)? -Steve