Liza

In my family, we'd say "Yummy-lish" - combination of yummie and delicious.

The Iron Chef Dessert battle last night (ingredient: Strawberries!) featured a strawberry rice pudding in a saffron honey glaze. Looked gorgeous.

Thank you for your detailed review of your meal. Just from reading it, I want those soups, too. Curious as to whether you asked about the non-pairing with the cheese.

Bacon and Tomato?

If I'm not mistaken, that sounds like a CathyL extravaganza.

Low-cooked salmon, with squash slices cooked in ginger-beurre monte, with a roasted onion relish and Jean-Georges' beet tartare. Miguel Merino Rioja Reserva 1994 - which we decided was delicious.

I don't think I could choose only one app and one main. Could you decide for me? Thanks.

Chef Otsuka, Looking at a brief profile in Art Culinaire when you were at Patina in Los Angeles, I noticed this quote: "Chef Otsuka's years of experience and use of the wide variety of fresh ingredients California has to offer ensure his continued success as one of the most creative chefs cooking today". How much of a difference has cooking in New York made to your approach? Many thanks, Liza

I do wish Fat Guy would quote from his excellent and award-winning piece, "A Week in the Gramercy Tavern Kitchen". Seeing as how I have it here in the "Best Food Writing of 2002" collection, if I may: "...I always wonder how much a restaurant can do to improve the cuisine for a VIP table. In the case of Gramercy Tavern, at least, the answer is: Not much...Perhaps the kitchen will send out half-portions of urchin between the appetizer or entree, or perhaps an extra dessert course. The actual preparation of the food, however, is unchanged". Apologies for off-topically mentioning GT, but the point feels germaine here.

Bison "Minute Steaks" in the middle of refried beans, spinach, Ras el Hanout, sharp Cheddar, lamb sausage, pulverized figs and creminis. All wrapped up in tortillas and baked. Honest. With a Clos Manyetes, 1999 Priorat. Soft and Lush. (Me and the wine)

Vince and Eddies became someone else and someone else. Cafe des Artistes is still there and can be romantic, indeed. Now romantic: Jezebel at 630 Ninth Ave. @ 45th. 212-582-1045. Louisiana bordello decor, complete with swings.

I've always found Il Buco on Bond Street to be very romantic.

In complete agreement about the undercooked state of the marrow bone, Oh Mighty W. And also on point about the flavor of the strip steak coming from the crust. I was expecting more from the creamed spinach, as I believe the menu had it listed as creamed spinach with truffle flavor or something like that. Nice, decent creamed spinach but nothing more. We had asked that the wines be brought to the table together so we could do a side by side comparison and they politely refused, saying the table size would not accomodate that. Any thoughts?

...latkes on the griddle... Widens out your middle?

Toby, I wonder if we could special order a belly from Ted Blew of High Hope Hogs? Definitely worth asking!

Curious how you feel about Tribeca Oven's rye, which I've been on record as enjoying. (They make it with seeds and without, by the way)

Don't you love the barter system, Toby!? Roasted squash soup; chicken thighs braised in tomato, with bay leaves, sumac, onions, etc.

Count me in, Jaybee. SHould be able to give you my listening report to Jay Jay Johnson - The Emininet, Volume 1. SOrry, thread police!

Nick, a true gentleman and fellow member of the Fresh Cod Appreciation society. By the way, my fisherman has monkfish liver these days. Should I start another thread with that information? And Wilfrid, I made Jean-Georges' beet tartare and it was like a Seurat- only stacked. (Apologies to any female Seurat family members).

Wilfrid, I'm pleased enjoyed the cod, as I am a supporter of what I think is an under-rated fish. I've probably bored the Cooking board to boredom with my many Friday night cod dinner reports, but I've found a reliable fisherman and find that slow cooking it with just some fresh herbs can be quite transcendent. Love the description of the venison with beets as fauvist!

The December 2002 Saveur has a review of "Between Bites" which notes that "the chief excitement here is electrifying gossip that pulls no punches". The review is included in the list of editor's favorite new books... A Villas piece AND a piece by Steven A. Shaw are included in Best Food Writing 2002.

Cathydahlink, please count me in on any trip to Philadelphia. Or any trip involving you and mileage and automobiles and cutlery.

I'm uncertain about the business model of this type of restaurant. Color me unenlightened, but I've always thought that to encourage the returning diner, one should serve an exceptional meal. Regardless of whether the diner orders it or not.

I'm signing my holiday cards "love and latkes".

Congrats on the experimentation, NLL. It's way more fun, yes? Sunday night: leftover rabbit and bok choy, with newly cooked pasta, and pea green coulis. Roasted varied squash, with rasel hanout, madras chile powder, and cream. Lots of cream. Oh, and tiny little challah toasts with tiny little slices of Manchego.