Daniel

I havent been to any of these choices you offered up as "very fine" but, Tony Roma's is rather poor, I would offer Corky's for a good chain BBQ experience. But I do agree in theory with what you are saying.. I just havent been to many chains that are all that good..Popeyes is good, Cluck U Chicken, and Gino's East out of Chicago is good.. Nothing else comes to mind..(Does Legal Seafood use frozen fish for everything?)But yes, because its a mom and pop, it doesnt mean its good.. And because its a chain, it doesnt mean its going to be bad..There is a better chance of finding something made with care and love at a mom and pop and almost no chance with a chain.. Chains are certainly not destroying America, its just making us fatter and less creative..

So cooking the chicken breast sous vide with the truffle butter is analagous to butter poaching. It's not really an application that suits itself well to chicken with skin. The color on the plate is lacking I admit, but I guess that's what the bright puree is for. I do love crispy chicken skin though. Daniel Humm at EMP does the most amazingly thin crispy chicken wafer that I'd love to figure out. ← Really pretty Bryan, as all your food is.. Maybe you could take the chicken skin and fry it on its own and then plate it.. Kind of make like chicharrones and add it some place..

I too dont have any photos.. I was really swamped this weekend and ended up cooking this whole Super Bowl spread by myself.. But the sandwich I made is very close to yours.. I also skinned the pork belly and served Chicharrones with it..

The Westin Convention Center just collapsed.. Going back home.. I will definitely keep this information for the next trip..

For any of you watching the news. Dont worry, I'm fine..

Thanks Jason, That was really nice of you, I appreciate it..

beans and franks is Something About Mary.. Ouch

Will be staying at the Westin in Pittsburg the next few nights.. Can anyone recommend a place for a few nice dinners.. I will go from burgers to haute.. I just want it to be great..

Looks great guys.. Are those steamed buns I see too.. Looks like a fun night..

Wow so pretty wattacetti..

Thats a pretty looking piece of pork belly.. I am going to do one stewed and one crispy like this.. That really looks gorgeous..

Yeh, I totally agree with you on the beer thing. I have abandoned the idea of doing totally Chicago and Indi things.. Firstly, i want to make other things, and secondly, my friends are more into gambeling, playing cards, and drinking then caring about some theme.. In fact, I might even take crap for having a theme the more I think about it.. So here is the final menu.. The cold will be 1)Pickeled Shrimp 2)Popcorns w/ duck fat, onions, cayenne 3)Chips and Salsa 4)Deviled Eggs 5)Pimento Cheese 6)Cheese plate 7)Marcona almonds 8)Pistachios 9)Homemade Potato Chips 10)Friends clam dip Hot will be: 1)Wings 2 ways (Stuffed with blue cheese and thai) 2)Mini Empanadas 2 ways (Chicken and cheese and Picadillo) 3)Chicago Pizza 4 ways 4)Mac and CHeese w/bacon 5)Chili with nachos and sides Sandwiches will be: 1)Pork Belly 2)Chicharrones 3)NO BBQ Shrimp Sandwiches 4)Serrano Leg I had to get rid of the Chicago Beef Sandwich because I purchased too much Pork Belly.. .I have 12 pounds of pork belly which is going to be enough meat for the 12 guests showing up.. Dessert 1)Brownies 2)Sweet potato pie 3)Big ol messy chocolate cake

Ok so this is the pork belly I am working with.. Paper towel roll for perspective: And the other side:

Genius.. That sounds like a great little appetizer.. I was going to do the boiled bacon from my porkfest a while back, but I like this idea and its new.. I really want to do this now.. I have 12 pounds, I can certainly play around.. I was thinking of another type of sandwich that sounds good to me.. A chicharrones in a pita.. Crispy pieces of pork belly inside a pita with guacamole, red onion, and a spicy sauce of some kind.. I feel like its missing something to take it over the top.. Or maybe chicharrones and then treat it like a Shwarma with the hot sauce, white sauce onions and maybe throw some feta in there.. Feta might be too much though..

All very good advice guys. Thank you..

Those fries look great.. How did you make them..

I am sure I am not the first person to do it, although I did think of it myself.. The little vadalia blooming onions was a lot of fun too.. I blanched the beans, then wrapped and fried in leaf lard of course.. haha.. I used a really smoky bacon which flavored up the beans.. I then added a little pear jelly to the top of the beans. I only used one strip of bacon.. I might use two next time but, I wanted to take it easy on my guests.. Two pieces of bacon per wrap I thought was a bit much.. Wow, this veggie diet is really rethinking my intake.. It was crispy..

SANDWICH Ok so above is the only sandwich I have seen for pork belly.I am having about 18 guests over and have 12 pounds of pork belly.. While this recipe looks really good, I was wondering if there was another alternative.. I think I might also want a crispy pork belly sandwich or something.. Anyone have another suggestion for a super bowl party this Sunday.. Maybe a Chicharrones sandwich also.. I just feel like although a shredded pork belly sandwich sounds great, I would also like a fried something too..

What genoa salami.. Wow, I will take your word for it but, up in Jersey City and Elizabeth Area, Cuban Population Second to Miami, there is no Salami around.. I have seen tons of things added to a Cuban Sandwich but always thought it was Roast Pork, Ham, Pickles, Swiss, Mayo.. I like to have a little red wine vinegar on the plate to dip into.. Here is a Cubanesque Sandwich I made the other day.. Smoked pork mixed with a Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce, Ham, Swiss, Pickles, on this really good French Bread.. As good as it was, it cant be a Cuban without the bread.. I find thats the most important thing..

Several?! You're too kind! Shall we do a list? -Fideos -Pan con tomate (which he did TWICE) -Sweetbread dish from the offal challenge -croquetas from the catering challenge -everything "a la plancha" from the catering challenge -Bay leaf "bunuelos" -corn with bacon (from another Mario restaurant) -paella (Not on the casa mono menu but an obvious safebet and lack of creativity) Even the pasta dish from the raw food challenge was similar to the pasta dishes served at a raw food joint that's literally in a building connected to Casa Mono. HA! If you think that this was a smart move on Ilan's part - to play it safe and go with what you know - stop for a minute and be honest with yourself. If Marcel had decided to play it safe as well and rely on replicas of Robuchon's dishes (he did once with the frogs' legs and that was enough) people would be screaming that he was an unimaginative cheater. Ilan's attitude towards food "I cook with soul... I cook with what's market-driven" some off as terribly affected - like perfect catch phrases from a politician. They're everything the public wants to hear because it's popular and it worked. ← Good points Gingersweetiepie.. With those recipes and Ella cooking, he was in good hands.

Really, I dont see the fascination with this place. The food from my experience was really boring, the room is ok, its such a big to do for nothing special...

We had some friends over for dinner tonight.. This one friend of ours is a big fan of fettucini al fredo, so it was a request.. There were a few restrictions in terms of cooking with alcohol, red meat, and only dairy in desserts.. We rushed home from work tonight and put together a pretty fun meal.. We started with Tuna Tartare and endives.. Al fredo for most of the guests.. We made a cauliflower, mint, and chile dish with soy parmesan cheese for another.. Hangar steak with french fries, bacon wrapped green beans, celeriac puree, and inspired from watching Paula Dean last night, baby blooming onions.. I had never had a blooming onion but, after seeing her make large ones, I figured little baby guys would be cute.. For the batter I used seltzer instead of beer.. Hangars were cooked perfectly.. We also had a salmon with fresh herbs, fries, celriac puree made from soy cream cheese and soy milk... These little guys are very fun.. Dessert was called Dealings with Chocolate.. We made a chocolate sorbet. No Dairy just Chocolate, sugar and water.. Next was Rocky Road Brownies and a Chocolate Souffle..

Thanks John..I remember you talking about this place when it first opened but, just forgot about the place.. I have to get over there on a fact finding mission one of these days..

those buns look so good. Daniel what is 'fresh cinnamon?' Freshly ground? ← Yah, sorry I left that part out.. That could go on Menu Screw Up Thread.. I didnt go to Indian or anything and harvest it..

Going to a brunch fundraiser for my friends art group.. Asked us to make some things.. Quiche Lorraine from Bouchon, stick buns, and star anise scones.. Must start with the bacon shot.. Schaller and Weber double smoked.. The crust really makes it.. I have eaten this at the restaurant Bouchon several times.. Its really wonderful Buns.. Rolled in cinamon sugar.. Burbon Pecan topping.. Whats not to love.. Fresh Cinnamon is a must in this.. The hardest part was flipping it out of the pan.. The hot sauce on the bottom became the top.. I have hot syrup burns running down my arm.. And the with the soreness of kneading it for a half hour, these guys best be good.. Dont think we didnt scrape the syrup off and coat the buns.. Bite: Scones had star anise: