Holly Moore

And you were wrong!! Having seen only the last 2 episodes, there was no contest who fit Ramsay's style -- that being his cooking style. That's why Michael and his tattoos won. ← Just as in the law where one isn't innocent, rather one is simply not guilty, at worse I was not wrong, just not right. But I might actually be right. My case goes like this. Ralph started out with Gordon Ramsay-like tendencies. Michael started out like Clark Kent and halfway through turn-out found his inner Gordon Ramsay. Which would Gordon Ramsay pick - someone who was like Ramsay already or someone who valued Gordon Ramsay so much that he tried to adapt his persona to match Ramsay's? On another topic there were two winners tonight. Michael who won Hell's Kitchen and the production company/Fox who didn't have to shell out a few hundred thousand dollars to put Michael into a Hell's Kitchen-like restaurant. I wonder if that was ever going to really happen. Double kudos to Michael. First for winning. Second for realizing that a few contrived days on a reality tv show did not qualify him to open a restaurant.

1/3 into the finale and I'm guessing that unless one of the two really screws up Ramsay will pick the cook that most duplicates Gordon Ramsay's kitchen personality. In other words, the cook who gets the "best" out of his staff by most berating them. If nothing else I am the master of the obvious.

Why pay out a buck or whatever it is for directory assistance when I can connive the info through someone else's phone bill. Thanks Jim.

About 10 years ago I wrote about Wynnorr Farm on E Street Road of Rte 352 in Glen Mills. Back then they had some of the best fresh corn around. Used to tractor it in from the field every hour. Was thinking I'd take a ride out there this weekend, but not sure they are still around. Couldn't google or yahoo them. Anyone familiar with Wynnorr Farm? Know if they're still in business?

I really want to like Honey, but they are making it hard. Was back today for a 1 PM breakfast - one of those days. Decided to try the chicken fried steak with two eggs over easy, milk gravy, grits and a biscuit. One the good side - the eggs were cooked perfectly, as were the grits. The portion of chicken fried steak was huge - double what I would expect. Way over on the other side - what aliwaks said about the flavor of the chicken fried steak. No flavor in either the gravy or the steak. And the crust on the steak was way too thick. Also the biscuit was dried out - crumbled as I broke it apart. Service again was quirky. Super friendly, but unprofessional. He spent way too much time talking to friends and a couple of delivery guys. I had to wait 10 minutes to place my order and get a cup of coffee (waiting for my first cup of coffee, especially when it is coming at 1 PM, makes me particularly grumpy). Beyond that - no coffee refill offered - I only got a refill when I requested it as the server cleared my plate. I still remember that first meal I had at Honey. Especially the soup. It was wonderful. So they can cook. And the ambience is perfect. They just need to get a lot more consistant and supervise the front of the house more. A lot more.

I'm partial to the nice wiatresses and good cooking at the Southern Kitchen in New Market.

Yes, all manner of Fried Fish. But your wife and you might have to eat in separate rooms. Might be different since Mrs. Bowen passed away, but she proudly told me of the time she kicked the Mayor of Charleston out of the Oyster Room because he wasn't having oysters. Also call ahead and make sure oysters are on the menu. For a while they were real finicky about the "R" rule, but that too might have eased up. Hope you figure out a way to make it there. It's one of the great American restaurant experiences - though I may be using the term restaurant a tad loosely.

The thing is, no surprise. Disappointing. Other than the executive chef, who didn't come across as hands on and was a dead man walking from the first day in the kitchen, the two most skilled and experienced professional cooks won. Logical and expected, as professional kitchen skills aren't usually learned over a few days of taping, but a boring result.

For the record it's more like Shola has worked in some very good kitchens around the world.

I'm also wondering if the bread Tony Luke's uses in NYC is genuine Philadelphia bread or a New York City substitution.

I don't think institutions like Tony Luke's are easily duplicated. There is too much 'tude, and look and feel about the original. Plus the employees at the orginal, the institution, very likely have more pride in their restaurant and the food they put out. Plus some of the employees at Tony Lukes have probably worked there for decades. Tony Lukes opened a place in Center City. It flopped big time. Just wasn't Tony Luke's. Don't know if the the Center City Philadelphia Tony Luke's or the NYC Tony Luke's are operated by Tony Luke, or franchised out. But it really doesn't matter. There will never be a Tony Luke's equal to the South Philly Tony Lukes.

For the morning after, a Bloody Ellie-May. Barbecue sauce on the rocks with a shot of moonshine.

Check the southern section of my website. I have a number of Nashville options. Mine are all basic good eating. Others can direct you to more respectable places. My top five: 1. Barbara's Home Dining - a must go, though it might push the envelope for being 30 or less minutes from Opryland. One of the best meat and threes in the south. The cobblers alone are worth a few extra miles. 2. Judge Bean's Barbecue - for barbecue, especially Texas style brisket 3. Swett's, another meat and three 4. Arnold's, yet another meat and three, but open only for lunch. 5. Loveless Cafe, especially for breakfast. Not as great as it once was, but still worth the trip. It's a southern breakfast institution. Probably closer to 45 minutes from Opryland. One more, if you're not all that hungry or looking for fast food but good fast food. Bobby's Dairy Dip. Black Angus Burgers and fresh cut, twice cooked fries. Have fun.

John, Another great article. Congrats.

Besides Andrew, it's common knowledge that the pizza pies in Rome are nowheres near as good as those in Trenton.

Sent 20 July, 2005

That is a little long. The fried chicken was part of the culprit. It is cooked to order which takes 15-20 minutes. But they should have warned you.

Anyone from Maine does not consider that an issue. If the lobster meat is served warm it may be tasty, but it is not a lobster roll. A lobster sandwich, maybe. I'm with the downeasters. Part of what makes a lobster roll so good to my taste is the contrast of the chilled lobster meat and the warm, toasted and buttered bun.

I'm on record on my site objecting to a lobster roll served on a round hamburger bun. I much prefer the New England style top cut hot dog bun, toasted inside and out. I got an email today from an old time downeaster who took me to task: Now I'm not sure.

Of all the items you mentioned, the only I've had is the potato salad. It was ok, no relish, not gloppy. Might not be home made. In the spirit of eGullet, and as you're pretty close to Fat Daddies, I think you're going to have to find out for yourself and report back.

Hit the Franklin Fountain again. One neat thing I missed before is their antique National Cash Register. Every time a sale is rung up, in the window where the prices normally show, a quotation from Ben Franklikn appears. As part of my ongoing commitment to research, I tried the aforementioned Stock Market Crunch Sundae.

Got to Nashville again last Tuesday and Wednesday. Passed up City Search for some eGullet recommendations. Tuesday Lunch: Hog Heaven. First bit of neatness is it's location. A ramble-down shack in the midst of Nashville's upscale West End - amidst the Parthanon and Vanderbilt. Beyond that, excellent pulled pork and smoked turkey with a vinegary white barbecue sauce. Tuesday Dinner: Prince's Hot Chicken. I should have listened to the nice lady taking orders. Prince's is known for the deadly heat of their chicken. It can be ordered anywhere from no heat to mild, medium, hot, extra hot and extra, extra hot. All the chicken is pan fried. The heat is added later. In that range I figured I was playing it safe with medium. The counter lady observed, "That's kinda hot." Couldn't be that hot I thought. First bite. Think Popeyes x 10. Down right, painfully hot. And you know how those signs say, "Wash your hands after using the rest room." At Prince's, for the men at least, they need another sign warning customers to wash their hands before using the restroom. Think highschool gym class and anagesic balm. The chicken is served on a couple of slices of white bread and I ordered sides of wonderful baked beans and potato salad - all to help cut the heat. Wednesday Breakfast: A place I've been to a number of times, the Pancake Pantry. German potato pancakes with applesauce and sour cream. So far the Pancake Pantry can do nothing wrong. Wednesday Lunch: My biggest surprise, Judge Bean's Bar-B-Que. I figured any place selling Texas Brisket, especially with the name Judge Bean's had to be a chain and therefore mediocre. Judge Bean's is neither. I agree with those that say Judge Bean serves the best barbecue in Nashville, even if it is brisket and not pulled pork. Also hit an ice cream chain for a snack. Maggie Moo's. One of those exceptions to my chain expectations. They do a very good job. Another place that has blown me away, especially for a Meat and Three, is Barbara's Home Cooking. It is regretable that a lot of meat and threes seem to cook everyting hours ahead. By the time it reaches the table the food is luke warm and reminiscent of high school cafeteria fare. Not so Barbara's. I've been there a few times. Never had anything stale. The sides are super-flavorful. Their fried chicken is great. They bake their own dinner rolls. And their cobblers may be the best in the South. One of the best meat and three's I have come across. As to burgers, it's a tough pick between Fat Mo's, Rotier's, and Bobby's Dairy Dip.

Made my first buy nowhere near last trip to Franklin Fountain today. They've done a first class job of recreating the soda fountain of days long gone. I asked about the ice cream - five different sources. Some are custom made by a dairy. Some are Bassett's. Not sure of the rest. Seemed like a perfect day for a peach melba parfait - fresh peach ice cream intermixed with raspberry puree. Pistachios (the menu claimed almonds) and home made whipped cream on top.

I'm not sure that Daniel's whirlwind approach to a road trip qualifies as Slow Food.

Yup, that's the place. Thanks.