Mulcahy

We had a great experience at Les Halles about six months ago (I can't find my post about it). But I had a very similar experience to goshi about two weeks ago. Husband and I showed up on a Wednesday night when the restaurant was fairly empty -- lots of available tables. Seated at a table and then left there. 32 minutes went by before we saw our server. When our server appeared I ordered a bottle of burgundy. He returned with it and then disappeared for another 15 minutes. By this time the restaurant is mobbed. The server then comes over and proceeds to tell us how he is in the weeds, how unhappy he is with the expansion, how much of the regular staff has quit, then blessedly finally takes our order. The reason, if you're wondering, my husband and I stayed is because a) we really wanted steak frites b) we had traveled from the wilds of the Upper West Side to get steak frites and c) neither of us (we were tired from work) felt like having to wandering around to find another restaurant to eat at. The apps (escargots for me, fried oyster special for husband) were excellent. The steaks were very very good, cooked mid-rare as we ordered them. My hubands fries were way too salty, while mine were undersalted. It took, not surprisingly, forever to get our check. We were not the only table having this experience -- all the tables around us were. I love the food there. Really love it. But the service was so bad it outweighed my prior "good" visit. I am not sure that we will go back.

Me too, for the most part. But these people seem to take it too the extreme. What's missing, if all you do is eat, and with the same dining companion no less, is the interesting culture part of the equation. Without knowing something about the place you're visiting, and actually meeting some of the people, how can you truly appreciate the food? Me too. It's a little scary.

When did they close????? That stinks. They have a branch in Grand Central Terminal Market (yes, same company). I wonder if they closed as well.

The meats at Whole Foods in Greenwich tend to be of very high quality (although expensive). Bon Ton Fish Market, on Greenwich Avenue, is absolutely worth the drive from Westport. Great quality fish.

I spent many many Christmases when we lived in Spain eating as large a number of polvorones as possible. I bitched loudly this Christmas because our relatives in San Sebastian failed to send the polvoron allotment. Turron we had plenty of (both types) from tienda.com. But no polvorones.

Totally cleaned up this year. On Food and Cooking Les Halles Cookbook The Babbo Cookbook Simple Pleasures (Alfred Portale) The Professional Chef Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia Le Cordon Bleu: Professional Techniques $90 in gift certificates to Williams Sonoma (total from 2 different givers). $400 in gift certificates to Broadway Panhandler (super-cool NYC kitchen store) New Dansko kitchen clogs. A cute chef potholder. Chef snowman christmas ornaments. 2 Riedel stemless glasses. A chefs hat with my name embroidered on it. Karen Mc'Neil's Wine Page a Day Calendar. It was a very very nice (and generous) christmas. My husband, relatives, and in-laws were exceedingly good to me.

We would love to visit you at Ladera! Absolutely love to. When we get closer to departure I will pm you to set up a visit. Thanks for the list of the others. Never been to any of them and now will work on setting up visits.

As I described here my husband and I were considering a trip to Napa in February. Well, we've decided to go (yay). We will be staying in Yountville. Am wondering if any of you (Carolyn, I know you do) have favorite wineries -- am looking for off the beaten path type of places. For instance, wineries we love: Havens, Schoolhouse, Casa Nuestra. Wineries we didn't like: Rudd, Jarvis. I could use a little restaurant help, as well. We've been to: Tra Vigne Mustards French Laundry Bistro Jeanty Domaine Chandon Martini House Bistro Don Giovanni Auberge de Soleil Bouchon Hurley's Will definitely be going back to Bistro Jeanty and Mustards (I know, touristy, but I love the pulled pork sandwich). No French Laundry or Terra type restaurant this trip (am trying to spend less). Any suggestions? (Have no interest in repeating Tra Vigne or Hurley's). Thanks folks. Edited to add: We'll be there on Superbowl Sunday. Any suggestions for good bars to watch the game? Edited again to fix the mispelling of Carolyn's name.

'Cesca opened a little more than a year ago. Amanda Freitag is the chef de cuisine there. She was the chef at Lavagna.

My husband and I love the Napa Valley. We have had the extremely good fortune to spend three weeks there over the last two years. September, 02 we spent two weeks there on our honeymoon. September, 03 we spent a week there celebrating my 30th birthday. We are in the middle of planning a last vacation before I begin culinary school in February, because we don't know when our next one will be after that. We will likely be vacationing 2/1-2/8. Here are the critical questions: 1) Is the weather so crappy we can't play golf? 2) Are wineries still open? Or have they shut up tight for the winter? 3) How much does it really rain? I am dying to go back, as is hubby, but as he put it, he doesn't want to get there and discover that we can't do the fun stuff we like to do. Thanks.

He lives on Riverwoods Drive, which I believe is in the little bubble of Scarborough right next to Gorham. (It is right off of Route 22). It really is a beautiful part of the world. Thanks everyone for your advice. Did a giant shopping at the Hannaford on Forest Avenue (OMG, that place is huge -- especially compared to New York stores). Then went to Wild Oats for the pork, cheese, and a few other missing items (pastries). I was really impressed with service at both places. And we ate at Fore Street on Wednesday night. Lovely little restaurant. Had probably over-hyped it in my head, but it was a very nice evening. (Am scurrying off to find the thread on Fore Street).

I figure the crowds can't possibly be worse than New York the day before Thanksgiving. And I will have my bro's girlfriend with me to help. And I love exploring new stores. Thanks for the help. Next time, I'm hitting you all up for restaurant recs.

After much consideration, I think I am going to do a stop at the Public Market and then a big shopping at the Forest Avenue Hannaford. I would like to do the Pat's Meat Market route, but I just don't have the energy to navigate more than one or two stops, max. The menu is going to be very simple (picky eaters) roast pork loin, turkey breast, green beans, mashed potatoes, sauteed mushrooms. I think Hannaford should do me well (I hope!). Thanks for the advice.

As is described in this post, I just found out I am cooking Thanksgiving dinner at my brother's house in Portland (actually Scarborough), Maine. I need to know where to find a) a reliable grocery store (does not need to be organic) b) a good butcher/meat market c) good cheese d) good wine e) good pies. Need the information, obviously, ASAP, as my shopping starts Wednesday morning. Although I will be calling in some orders and making mhy brother pick them up tomorrow. Thanks!

Thanks for the link. I absolutely know what you mean. The uh oh, I think we drank the $70 bottle of Pinot with the pizza while we were playing Trivial Pursuit.

Ooh, this is such a smart idea. I have never been able to figure out a convenient manner for keeping track of the wines we've purchased and drunk. I am going to try this method. Couldn't agree more. You seem to have a lovely life and a wonderful marriage. Congrats on both.

Dijon Mustard. Rarely ketchup, don't like ketchup so much anymore. But the sharper the dijon the better.

Call the concierge at your hotel. If you are staying at the Villagio, Vintage Inn or Yountville Inn they should be able to secure you a reservation. FL used to allow the concierges to line up for reservations every morning and that is how I scored two reservations there when staying at the Villagio. FL has since changed its policy on people making reservations in person, but I am willing to bet the local concierges still have some kind of "in." (Although maybe not). In any event, at the Villagio at least, you put your name on an in house Villagio list (since they typically get two tables a night) for the date that you desire. In other words, call as early as you can so you can reserve a "slot" on the night you wish to eat there. Be prepared to accept either early or late reservations -- not much available in between. The local concierges also (like the Mandarin Oriental and Per Se) get first dibs on cancellations. Good luck and enjoy!

For similar quality and prepration? One can certainly eat well for less than that in NYC, but in my experience not with the same level of ingredients and technique as with Springwater. I have to admit that Springwater can be uneven, but when it is on it is really on. Even when it is not at its best, though I still find it to be a good value. ← I will make a concerted effort to go back. Perhaps on the night I was there the restaurant was suffering from August-itis (although the service was very good). Hubby and I were both really liked our apps and were lukewarm about our entrees. I thought the ingredients were of excellent quality, but I didn't think the quality of the ingredients improved the quality of the entrees. I'm not saying I had a bad meal there, I didn't. I just wasn't wowed, and I thought it was expensive for not being wowed (and I wasn't expecting Per Se wow, I was expecting middle of the road wow.)

How so? Entrees are priced from $18 to $25 and typically include a vegetable and starch. ← Probably because I had been "living" in Saratoga for two weeks at the time, and it is much more expensive then other restaurants in Saratoga. Also, it should be noted that I was there in August when some restaurants in Saratoga raise their prices by $1-2 an entree. I don't know if this is the case with Springwater (and wouldn't mind if it was). $18-25 is expensive, even by NYC standards (at least by mine).

Robyn, sorry you had a bad meal. I have eaten there three times, once without reservations at the bar tables, and never had a bad or iffy dish. I actually think it's the best restaurant in New York I have ever been to. (This includes Veritas, Per Se, Gramercy Tavern and a few other notables.)

You are right about Chez Sophie and Springwater. I live in NYC and was actually taken aback by the prices at Springwater. I will, the next time I'm in town (not soon enough) check out Chameleon. I might have to find new sources.

1) No cocktail should contain blue curacao. 2) If the bartender looks at you blankly when you want vermouth in your martini, order something else.

I heard (perhaps incorrectly) that Dine had gone very downhill. And I have not heard good things about Chameleon on the Lake (that doesn't mean my sources are correct). Yep. And followed it the next night with dinner at Chez Sophie. I still dream about my meal at Chez Sophie, and although I liked my meal at Springwater I didn't think it was in the same category. I will go back (I am a part-time Saratoga resident, my folks live up there and I spend a ton of time there in the Spring and Summer, not so much in the winter) and see if I was wrong. But I will go back to Chez Sophie first.

Chez Sophie, in my opinion, is significantly better than Springwater. I thought Springwater was a local restaurant trying to be a big city restaurant. I found the reverse at Chez Sophie. It is a big city caliber restaurant with a heartfelt desire to be a local restaurant. Hattie's fried chicken is worthy of the hype. Truthfully (and I have eaten there maybe 30 times) I am not sure anything else on the menu is all that worthwhile. But if your husband loves fried chicken, then by all means you should eat there. I have heard great things over the years about Eartha's, but have never eaten there.