Dignan

Do I need to book for lunch at the starred venues?

I heard no accent mocking either. He was posturing, scolding, coping attitude, but he wasn't spoofing his accent.

Hanedan is firmly on the list, thank you. The dogs menu looks great, so I'm pretty sure it's also a go. Though, I'm not sure what "David Ramsden's style of service" means? Your last three suggestions I don't believe I've come across, so I'll look them up. Thanks!

Well, I wouldn't call it exactly a scene, but if you check out the Far East section on the website for the List magazine's eating and drinking guide, you'll see that there are a number of restaurants offering sushi - some as part of a more multi-cultural overall set-up. It might have constituted a scene when Yo! Sushi were here with their conveyor belt, but that didn't last. Not being a tourist myself, I'm struggling to think of the best places for haggis and for fried breakfast, although the good news is that you should be able to kill both birds with the one stone, as haggis ought to appear in a full Scottish. C ← Would The List's Dining Guide be a good investment when I arrive? And I don't know what "sushi scene" means anyway. I guess what I meant was that I'd seen plenty of references to places that did sushi, but no place that was lauded for it or highly recommended on that basis. And you're right, but only trying haggis at breakfast would mean no neeps and tatties with it. I know, full tourist thing, but then I can check it off the list and not worry about it ever again.

Sure! Great everyday spots that I cross town for include Hanedan, a Turkish restaurant on the southside of town. We invariably eat mezze and then grilled things. Cheap and lovely. Also Sushiya - a tiny but popular Japanese place near Haymarket station. I always hesitate to recommend sushi although I always have it, as my experience of non-Scottish sushi is quite limited, but even if you wanted to order tempura, noodles and the eggplant dish (my favourite) it's just a great place with a clear plan that knows what it's doing. Bella Mbriana is a really good Italian in the more modern "short menu" style. (As opposed to the 40 pasta/ 40 pizza style still popular in Edinburgh.) The Dogs, last mentioned in the spring I think on this thread, seems to be going from strength to strength. Still stupendously cheap and our last meal there was really exceptionally good. Toad in the Hole is sometimes on, it's smashing. Lemon posset is always on - its magic too. Some people find the high concept service from the owner aggravating, but I'm not one of them. I'm chilled that way. I'm lucky in my locals in Stockbridge - I might well cross town for La Concha, a smaller owner-in-the-kitchen sort of Italian, and for Bell's Diner a venerable hamburger place with delicious fried onions. The first time I ordered them as a small child I was disappointed that they weren't onion rings, but I've been eating them ever since. Breakfast - Roseleaf in Leith for sunday morning waffles; Kilimanjaro on Nicolson Street (possibly Clerk Street) for coffee and every choice of breakfast roll filling, including potato scone; two branches of Urban Angel for porridge. I don't think you should go hungry, Catherine ← Oh, I have no intention of being hungry one single moment, Catherine. I live out in the boonies so it is a significant occasion when I get to spend a length of time having the run of a town with a bunch of restaurants in all styles and cuisines. I'm on a diet now, and intend to arrive in loose trousers, and to depart with my belt buckled in previously unutilized beltholes. I was wondering about sushi. I enjoy it and was hoping there would be some good places, but haven't really come across much during my research. Is there a sushi scene? The first three places you mention are new to me. I want to do some turk and some indian. The dogs I've read about quite a bit it seems, so thanks for mentioning them. Two things I should specifically mention, though earmarking me a tourist which I most certainly am, I must try haggis and the full scottish breakfast. so any places that would be best for experiencing either would also be appreciated. Thanks again!

Thanks for the input, Phil. I'm hoping places won't be as busy in March as they are during Hogmanay! I've read mixed reviews on the various V&C operations, but the market will have some items that I can't get over here in the states so it'll take on the roll of candy store to my kid. If there's a better place than that to go, I'd like to hear about it. I haven't come across Dubh Prais, so thanks for that one. I plan on trying Wisharts for lunch -- it'll just be me and that will make it easier. And the Dome I've read about and will stop in for a drink and maybe some bar food depending on the timing. Appreciate your response!

I'll be in town for about a week early in March. There's lots of great info in this thread (love the pictures of Eddie's), but a lot of it is rather dated, with the most recent discussion revolving around Mr. Wishart. I wonder whether anyone would like to sound off about their current favorites? Price is not really an issue, and I'll have the run of the city. The high end places are the ones that are easiest to get information on from my remote location, so part of what I was hoping to hear about are your "go to" places, your "everyday" type favorites, where maybe you tend to order the same thing when you go. All cuisines, all settings are acceptable, 'cause there is nothing I won't eat, though I confess I won't pay to eat vegetarian. About the only thing I believe I will do for certain at this point is shop at Valvona & Crolla for some goodies. If you think I oughta go somewhere else, please let me know. And how about a good breakfast place? I plan on doing some drinkin' too....

Thanks, Snowangel, that's good advice on the package sizing. It's going to be playing Tetris in the freezer as it is. But that may just mean I eat fresh lamb until I've got a manageable amount left!

Thanks, JAZ, that american cuts chart seems to relate as closely to checklist I was given. I think, armed with that and a short talk with the sheep guys, I may be able to put together a list that doesn't walk all over itself. Thanks a bunch.

Then I'd have the rib chops, although the checklist just says "Chops" so I'll have to make sure. I intend to get the stew meat, which I can then grind for different applications. I was thinking a sausage... Does anyone know whether shanks and leg roasts are mutually exclusive? I want shanks for sure!

Okay. If I were to do that, what would I end up taking home?

Docsconz shared his experience with his lamb here. I also have arranged to buy a lamb, but have an issue that his thread did not spend much time on. I'm no butcher nor am I an ovine anatomist. The processor has given me a processing sheet, on which I am to indicate the cuts I would like produced. I intend to visit with them before the day, but I'd like to clarify things before I do so that I'm not completely at sea during the conversation. I've already made it clear that I want most of the innards and the tongue, which is no problem. It's the rest of the critter that has me a bit confused. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated to help me from my ignorance. The sheet they provided lets me choose between the following: Chops; Leg roast; Steaks; Shoulder roast; Steaks (again); Ribs; and Shanks. It also lets me choose how much stew and ground meat I'd like from the trimmings, and specifically whether I want the heart and liver (but like I said, I'll take most of the innards from it). If anyone can clarify these cuts for me I'd appreciate it. What I'm primarily stumbling on is the notion that some of them must be mutually exclusive. For example, I can choose chops and ribs, but I've always thought that bone in the chop was the rib? Also, how do the shoulder and the leg roast come together? I'm thinking the shoulder is most of the front leg, and the roast is the rear. Do the shanks come from all four legs? Finally, where do the steaks fit in and why are they on the list twice? I'll trust you all to make me smarter!

Naw. One of them interviewed at the beginning of the season that they had decided together to limit PDAs and to keep their relationship as much as a non-issue in the competition as possible. Or words to that effect.

Perhaps they are dredging your meats to promote color?

This does seem a little overwrought. I'm glad you found something that was an issue for you and went head to head with it, but . . . I'm guessing you've not done much fishing.

I may be somewhat limited in my interpretation or imagination, but I don't think there's all that much opportunity or value to using an ostrich egg in the new american concept. Its was just a quirk that she thought would give her some originality points, but it was impractical and handicapped her. Now, if she had laid the egg, that might have gotten her some mileage for originality. In the end, she just made quiche, but oh wow not with chicken eggs. Maybe if she could have separated it and played on some sort of deviled egg idea. "One Devil of an Egg Deviled Eggs."

But Reignking said in his follow-up post that he did not recall whether there had been foreign chefs on the show before. So people are remembering for him.

I can't even recall if they have had foreign chefs before. It isn't as if they said "You know, we finally got a female winner last year, so now we need to fill the foreign quota." ← Yes, they had an fella from down under last year. That's foreign. And Sara the year before was from Jamaica.

She's doomed. I can see her go next but with TC anything can happen. ← She reminds me of good ol' whatshername from last season ... Nikki, it was. And she managed to dodge bullets for a while.

I've noted in the most recent dumbass Pizza Hut pasta commercial ... The caption says "real people on hidden camera" which establishes that these ACTORS are in fact genuine humans and are not androids, because they are "real people" and that the cameras are not in plain view while they act out their delight.

I'd hit it.

Robb Walsh writes about Brennan's.

The Story tells what there is to know.

It appears from the picture and the characters beneath each sandwich that they are offering 3 variations ... but I can see that the middle one is a double, and can't tell the difference between the wingers? Are these three different sandwiches?

On an episode of Cook Illustrated they recommended buying frozen shrimp rather than shrimp from the case, because you cannot know how long it has been there -- with the frozen, you know when you thaw it. Frozen shrimp often includes salt and tripolyphosphates. How that differs from sodium tripolyphosphate I don't know. It reduces drip loss, or, keeps moisture in the shrimp. They recommended buying frozen shrimp without it, as it does nothing for the flavor. He showed a label, that indeed read "Ingredients: farm raised shrimp." In my area, I can find frozen shrimp without the TPP but not without salt as an ingredient.