Daniel

I havent watched this show since the first season and I hated it.. However, I recently started watching his show on the BBC where he saves struggling restaurants.. At least he uses his ass-ocity to motivate people and to save peoples careers and financial lives..

I halve them, cut the cores out and then cut thin.. Then add to a pan of hot caramel.. Coat and then serve with a blood orange or grapefruit sauce,with scallops or cod or white fish... I have seen some places use add grits or a cauliflower puree to the dish...

I guess it was your wording.. But I truly feel there is nothing like Bar Crudo in New York.. Esca would be something that comes closest.. In terms of service, I sat at the bar and spoke with the owner/chef the whole night.. So, I didnt have a chance to see the restaurant or experience the service.. But to say something is very New York, can only be said by someone who doesnt spend much time there..

No surprise to hear that from a New Yorker. Bar Crudo is a NYC restaurant transplanted into San Francisco. ← Considering you know nothing about me, considering I have eaten and enjoyed restaurants in every state of this country and around the entire world, considering its pretty ignorant to group a people together, I am confused by this statement.. I am also confused by the statement because you show how little you know about New York and its varied cuisine. Please name me 10 out of the 20,000 restaurants in New York City that Bar Crudo is like.. The restaurant serves amazingly fresh fish, they use wonderful ingrediants like Banyuls Vinegar.. She poaches mussles beautifully, you can sit and talk with the staff, and they have hands down the best chowder I have ever tasted.. How surpisingly New York all of this is!

10 is dinner time for us.. Or it has been every night of our trip.. I know what sushi place you are talking about. It seems to be crowded every night... We made the mistake of having chinese food while we were here. Not so much a dinner but, a going home, needed soup type of dinner.. We were looking for a place that had a green salad and soup.. We were tired of tapas, getting sick, looking for some steamed greens and a green salad... I will post a review of the experience soon.. But it might say something of my Spanish that I get along better speaking Chinese.. Leaving today, its bitter sweet.. So happy to go back to New York.

Sorry everyone, I mispelled Biarritz.. Its a beach in France right on the border of France and Spain... Here are my crappy little photos.. One of my only photos of Biarritz.. Sundown in San Sebastian.. To the left: To the right: Why not: View in front of our apartment:

Thanks everyone, thanks Huey.. Its nice to keep in touch with eveyone.. Egullet is a living encyclopedia with cool people.. We drove around some vineyards and then went to Biaritz.. It is beyond description or what crappy photos I might have taken.. there was a QuickSilver Surf competition.. We watched people hit crazy waves created by the rocks.. I am talking people were riding tubes.. Drove along the coast, came back to watch the sunset in San Sebastian.. Sat on the beach and drank campari with fresh orange juice, bacharans, and had some tapas.. Will add photos of both beaches tonight as I cant wait to see the photos..Sitting on my terrace waiting to make room for the last round of the night

La tupina it was.. We had a nice dinner there.. A pretty shady walk back to the hotel filled with young drunk/drugged kids, peep shows, and shwarma shops.. We quickly realized we were in a city and not some picture perfect postcard.

Change of plans we drove to bordeaux france after lunch in rioja.. Anyone have any suggestions of where to grab dinner here in Bordeaux..

Honestly speaking, we rented a car and hit the road.. We are now down in Rioja staying in some castle about a 10 minute walk away from two of our favorite wine producers... We are thinking about not going back to san sebastian and having our things sent... We are now in the town of Haro.. Here is a steak house from San Sebastian... In Spain you see Chullates sp? in a lot of places... As Yonatan described, before several glasses then bottles of wine, its steak from an older cow... It is cooked a perfectly bloody medium rare... And its fantastic... This would not be allowed back home. Meat just sitting on the counter...Amazingly we all lived...Health department is muy mal.. Steak: The steak is more tough then a steak from a younger animal.. However, the little piece of fat on the end adds the texture and burst of flavor that really makes this cut and style special... A wonderful bottle of red: Some cheese and wonderful membrillo.. Better here then obviously anywhere i have tried...you could roll it in sugar and eat it like candy.. Mmmmm almost as good as starbucks...They dont even know what venti means... They are so backwards here..

Grouper it was.. Did not order it but, thanks for the clarification..

I was recently at a restaurant in Spain.. When a menu here has an English version I like to see them both side by side to compare and see how things are translated.. As well as it being helpful.. To my surprise they had "Jewfish" on the menu..

some random spot duck toast will have a lot more photos to speak about

These are aged for three years so the outside is black and they are a third of the size.. Alot of the moisture is gone... By no means is it dry.. Perhaps more fatty.. Hmmm.. Bring home my clothes or pack 3 legs... Clothes or legs, legs or clothes...

uni soup. the need for salmon eggs gives you a feel for the dish.. "Puffy es bien y todos, pero wu-tang esta para los ninos.." Translation : Since when does uni done properly need help tasting like the sea.. It was good and all but, besides being served in a shell, it could have been any fish based soup..Certainly good though.

Three year aged iberico..

After going to Spain, I can say those fried mussles are better then any version I have found in San Sebastian..

Just for a quick update.. IN San Sebastian and having a wonderful time eating our way through.. I just wanted to comment on how good 'cuchara de san telmo' is.. The lechon asada was some of the best pork i have ever had.. My first piece was served with the tail attached.. Lots of foie being served at all of the places.. And I am talking 2 to three ounce pieces on toast or with mushrooms, or served in crepes that are fried for like 2 to 3 euros... Really cool spots.. we are thinking of traveling to pasajes san juan today to try a couple of restaurants that have been recommended.. Trintxerpa and Izkina are a couple of places mentioned.. Thanks for everyones help..

What can I say about this place.. I have a like/hate relationship with this place.. When its good, its only mildly annoying and fairly acceptable.. When its bad, it absolutely sucks. Its expensive, the service is always slow and off, the drinks always take too long.. On quick nights you get served drinks before your main arrives.. On slow nights, well who knows... And they insist on serving drinks in these ridiculous pineapples that you wait for them to core.. We arrived tonight in the pouring rain.. After 10 minutes of not seeing anyone, we are axed what we would like for dinner.. We place our orders and the waiting game begins.. A brief 15 minutes later our empanadas arrive.. Very starchy and dry.. Poorly fried and barely filled.. Garlic bread arrive 5 minutes after the empanada is cleared.. Dried out porkchops mojo come to the table.. Waited 5 minutes or so before going to the bar myself to get limes. Miss K rocked the masitas or pork cutlets.. Better then mine.. Some real gringo type picadillo.. What seperates picadillo from this tomato sauce with beef is the wonderful flavors from olives and raisins.. This was tomato sauce, peas, and ground beef.. As I am finishing dinner our drinks arrive.. We leave asap, having to wait at the bar for a check because it would have taken another 20 minutes.. Though still took 7 minutes with me standing at the bar.. Dinner was 81 bucks.. This place is the worst of both worlds.. Yes I will put up with shitty service in dirty looking place if the food is great.. But if you are going to serve gringo overpriced food, at least dazzle me with service.. I am sure there is a review around somewhere with me saying something good about the place.. I think the garlic sauce with oil was good the first time I went.. It was freshly made and not ready to be put out tonight.. Tonight was one of the worst nights I have seen it there.. On times, i have gotten good food, I have gotten passable Cubanos.. But, after tonight, I am over this place.

Loose in the pocket.. Happily still can't keep cash in my wallet..

Seems like a strange temperature to hold the brisket at.. When BBQ'ing a brisket I am trying to keep my smoker at 200 to 225.. Then you do it for 8-12 hours depending on how it looks.. I want to have an interenal temp of `180 degrees.. I dont know why 147 would be a good temp to cook at? Does Keller discuss why 147? and what internal temp he wants to finish it at.. 48 hours seems very long to cook something for when you arent really breaking down much of the collagen..

They have a strange lease if I remember correctly..I think Columbia owns the spot and can kick them out when they want.. I know a lot of the cost that went into the restaurant was absorbed by Columbia.. Meanwhile, going back today as I left my wallet there last night..(I recently started carrying a wallet for the first time in 10 years) I called from the taxi on my way home and tell them.. I didnt feel the need to return immediately, my waiter was that nice I am positive its still going to be there.. Might have to get a g & t and a little chorizo tonight..

With everything sous vide, its so much neater, more controlled, and more convenient.... I am sure I could have cooked the collards that way but, it would have taken 10 times the amount of pork stock to cook them in.. It would have taken a lot of hassle to watch them, pots to clean, and even then I dont know if they would have come out as perfect.. The asparagus was again so easy.. No having to stand them up to make sure the stem part cooks first, then worrying about it over cooking.. I just vacummed sealed them and placed them in a water bath.. Didnt have to worry about the ice bath shocking afterwards or the cleaning up.. I have yet to do a lot of cooking with vegetables sous vide.. But I like the idea of cooking them on low temps to ensure them coming al dente.. I also like the minimal use of stocks, butters, or sauces that is required.. And anytime I can have more space range space and less dishes to do, I am a happy man..

I need to start writing down temps and time.. I have had two experiences with collards.. One at a high temp and one at a low temp.. With the collards I placed bacon, frozen pork stock in the bag, and a shot of apple cider vinegar. I placed the collards in at a low temp (130 ish) for a few hours at the high temp it was maybe an hour or so.. Both times the collards came out al dente and with a wonderful texture.. I then finished with apple cider vinegar.. Most recently I used white asaparagus.. I placed with nothing inside the package.. I went a high temp I think around 180 degrees.. I let them cook for a think around a half hour.. It could have been more or less.. I basically just kept feeling the bottom.. I took that out and topped it with crawfish in a creamy crawfish andouille sauce. Brocolli rabe was just a quick little dip with a little lemon juice.. I topped with lemon, sliced and diced raw garlic, mashed anchovy dots, crushed red peppers, olive oil and lemon.. Served cold..

I would love to hear peoples experiences with vegetables.. I have made collards, broccoli rabe and asparagus so far.. All have come out pretty spectacular.