Jaybert41

I believe many restaurants to include a sommelier cut in the pool of the evenings tips. I would only tip on any special services rendered that may not have been available to every guest, bringing in your own bottles or requesting special stemware for instance. After all, having someone help choose and poor wine is the main part of their job and that's why they receive an appropriate salary for the restaurant. I hate the expectation that some people believe that you should 20% on the bottle regardless of whether it costs $50 or $2,000. That just doesn't seem right to me.

Geez... that stuff sounds great. I off to look for more information about him now. Thanks for the report! Upon review of the menu posted on the website I am completely intrigued. That is one of the most exciting menus that I have seen in a while. Here is a link: Menu

Ahh... Glad to see some Biodynamic principles are making their way into the high end New York Restaurant scene. Slow food may take on a new meaning when people start asking for the 6x6 tasting menu...

Did anybody see A Cooks Tour with Anthony Bourdain a few years back on The Food Network when four of them went to The French Laundry? What was astonishing about that episode was that the kitchen put out four entirely different tasting menus for the table! The guests (Eric Ripert, Scott Bryan and Michael Ruhlman) were all completely flabbergasted that the they even dare attempt something of that magnitude. They all thought that Thomas Keller was a little bit crazy for doing so and were amazed that a chef would take the generosity that far... That was a VIP Table, for a television show! My point is, I don't really understand how people can arrive at the impression that they should and/or would go to a restaurant like Per Se or anywhere comparable and anticipate or request "four different tasting menus for the entire table." They offer several menus as it is, with several options and the idea of asking for more options on top of that because you want to see more dishes is a little unnerving. I would want to see more dishes also, but I am happy enough when a restaurant has a tasting menu that looks intriguing, let alone asking for them to cook separate menus for the entire table. I can understand an occasional substitution for something that you want to avoid, but basically requesting that they go nuts on you and your table seems a little indignant.

The Pastry Chef, Sebastian is the chef nearest the photograopher in the picture. In the white apron.

Absolutely not. I guarantee.

No, The courses are served in intervals on a split table. There will certainly be a point where one guest may have a blank plate during the the others nine course menu, but they would not get their five course right up front.

Yes they will. Thats because they are Masochists... that fact that a table of three can have three differnt menus in just insasne. Dont get me wrong, I would enjoy seing all of that food, but cooking it is another story...

New Yorkers or not, can you really get too worked up over the generalization that such a restaurant might frown upon reconfiguring the chefs tasting menu? If you want it your way why not go with the ala carte menu like so many other people do in most restaurants? As it pertains to New York in particular, a majority of the restaurants that I am familiar with request that the majority of/or the entire table order the tasting menu. I think that what TFL and now Per Se does in regard to parallel menus and special substitutions is pretty admirable. The Cooks Tour Epsidose a few years ago is a true testament to that. For example, Eric Ripert was blown away by their four way menu and commented on how daring it was for a chef to attempt such a thing. It does sound like the tuna substitution that Fat Guy previously mentioned at FL was a definitely some sort of a glitch, these guys are known for being more then flexible when it comes to accommodating and I think that it is pretty incredible.

[Almost all restaurants that have a computerized reservation system (as opposed to using a pen and a day planner) use software made by Open Table -- that's actually their primary product. The online-booking site, opentable.com, is a spin-off which they offer to restaurants but far, far more restaurants use their software than use the site. ] Precisely. Per Se uses OpenTable for guest information.

Assuming the artichokes are still good, you could always make a ragout with these "black" artichokes with a little bacon or duck fat, red wine, stock and butter. Maybe some morel mushrooms too...

You could attempt to dry to leaves for safe keeping but making an oil, puree or pesto would be my preffered solution. Both would freeze equally well for later use.

I couldn't access your link but I was once told that those blood spots occur from the birds being bruised while still alive. Presumably from other birds beaks in the cages. As far an opinion on the matter of eating or serving "bloody" chicken, I don't particularity enjoy eating it myself and it is impossible to try and serve such a piece of meat in a restaurant. It has happened to me too where I know the leg is cooked but there still that blood spot, and somebody always seems to question its doneness. I cannot say I blame them though.

Yes, the name "Eve The Restaurant" terrifies me a bit to be quite honest. It is difficult to pass judgment on the place from afar because I want to see something succeed so badly, but the name is quite forward and precariously prominent. It is funny that you mention an all female staff because what prompted me to look into this restaurant was seeing an online add looking to hire front and back of the house staff. Have you been? If so, what is the concept? How is the food, price, wine, etc.?

I was just curious if anyone knew anything about a place "Eve The Restaurant" in Kerrytown. I preseume it is in the old Kerrytown Bistro spot. I live in NYC now and just saw a few things about the place on the internet but their official webiste is down. Has anybody been there? If so, is it anything good? A serious contender? Thanks.

WOW! You guys have really got me intrigued on this topic. I have been working on a business plan for a proper "chef driven" restaurant in downtown Ann Arbor for the last 16 months. It is still in the hypothecial/trail and error stages of development but there are a few things that relate to the food, wine, and service that are concrete. Everyone's opinion here has brought up some of the very same thoughts that I have had myself. I think that there would be a horde of people willing to try it, but does that style of dining fit in to their weekly or monthly lifestyles? I am a little worried about trying to start something in Ann Arbor as I do see so many pluses, but as people have touched upon there are a few minuses. That is true for every city though and until someone tries it I don't think that any one could be so certain. For what its worth, I consider Tribute to be the best restaurant around where but I take up great dislike for the inherit proprieties of the location. Once you are inside Tribute it is great, but the idea and process of getting there sucks and leaving there is a complete buzz kill of a way to end the evening. Something like that in downtown Ann Arbor where people can feel like they are dining in a comfortable community environment should be much more pleasant then I696 and Twelve Mile. As I come a little more articulate about the concept I would be thrilled to have the opinions from fellow eGulleters. I believe strongly that there is a community waiting to happen that can support a "Chez Pannise like" enterprise in A2. I have seen some great restaurants concepts first hand (Moveable Feast, Chanterelle, French Laundry, WD~50) and believe that something can, and needs to be done in A2. Thanks for the thread!

How about Michel Bras!

I agree with the sentiment of the pervious posts about not discounting the subtlety of Lamb by masking it with smoke. However I think that if the smoking is done carefully it can make for an exceptional experience. Again, because of the fat present in the lamb it will take smoke more readily than say a chicken breast, if you are so inclined I would opt for a cold smoke for about twenty to thirty minutes and then proceed to cook the leg in the oven. A little bit of smoke applied gently can add a bit of mystery, subtlety and "meatiness" to many cuts of meat. It must be done with a deft hand though...

I think that smoked lamb would be a great idea for Easter- Go For It! The fat in the lamb will take really well to the smoke and give a nice counterpoint to the gaminess of the meat. It sounds great!

Apples are incredibly versatile with savory food, considering their sweetness, acidity and texture and you could work them in to almost any dish or recipe. In a savory roll I would consider them more of an accompaniment than main ingredient. Some ideas: Smoked Salmon with Apples & Horseradish Raw Oysters with Green Apple, Celery & Pistachio Oil Raw Oysters with Gewertzraminer Gelee, Apple & Caraway Seed Foie Gras with Preserved Ginger and Apple Relish Tuna Sashimi with Apple-Lime Puree & Goat Cheese Slaw of Apple, Celeriac, Radicchio & Brown Mustard Seed Clams with White Miso Vinaigrette, Shisho & Apple Crisp Applewood Smoked Bacon on Brioche with Apple Puree Pickled Apples with Coriander Seed and Chinese Celery Leaves

I think that if what you are looking for here is a quick method of cooking chicken breasts for a salad and still retain some moisture, then pounding them out is a step in the right direction. For several reasons I think that size manipulation would be the biggest factor given your circumstances. By slicing the breasts into thin (dare I say) sashimi sized pieces you can 1. Maintain a little more moisture and better texture by needing to cook them less to reach internal doneness, 2. Introduce more flavor to more surface area, 3. cook them rapidly. That is how I cook chicken for such needs as well as for tacos, burritos, pita wrap sandwiches, etc.

Pepsi.

You're welcome. It would indeed be great with pork, possibly with the addition of Szechwan peppercorns for a little more complexity considering the richness of pork vs. duck. Yes, yes, Szechwan peppercorns are still out there...

As far as the Maple Glaze goes, I am willing to take a stab at it... I would normally make such a glaze by sweating a little shallot and ginger in olive oil, deglazing with a little sherry, and then adding in a good amount of maple syrup. Let this cook down a bit with a few peppercorns and or coriander seed and wisk in a few more tablespoons of olive oil or butter at the end. This works great when roasting whole ducks because you can apply the glaze every ten minutes of so. As far as glazing individual breasts go I would consider either cooking the glaze down a little further or thickening it with a little arrowroot. Because the breasts will cook much more quickly then a whole duck you will have less time to develope a nice glaze, unless you choose to use it as a sauce as well. In that case a drop of sherry vinegar is nice at the end Maybe that helps?