psychobombshell

I think what it is is that Carla was beloved and people don't want to blame her, so public opinion is throwing Casey out with the bathwater. I am highly disappointed in both Casey (for being tactless and obnoxious) and with Carla (you are in the finale! Now is not the time to try something new! That's like going for a home perm the day before school pics and looking like a deranged poodle in the yearbook!). I am more interested in what Marcel had to say about working with Stefan. I have the feeling that he wasted Wolverine's talents and used him like a prep bitch instead. Hosea... oh my.. I would actually put him the worst Top Chef winner above Ilan. He has the appeal and personality of soggy toast. If it wasn't for playing kissy face with Leah, I don't think anyone would've payed him much mind at all this season.

Am I crazy or did they skip Rhadika's (sp?) presentation in the quick fire in this episode?

My roommate and I's opinion is that the only reason Lisa got yet another skin-of-her-teeth pass, was because she had Andrew as her sous. I don't care, but Mark, Dale, Spike, Antonia and Andrew are WAY more creative and competent chefs than she. Each week, said roommate and myself have sat on the couch with our jaws gaping in shock that she continues to progress to the next round, even though she has been in the bottom for the the LAST 7 WEEKS!!! That is more than half the episodes! And every week I feel like throwing the remote at the TV and have said on more than one occasion "If she skates by AGAIN, then I'm not watching this show ever again!" I am completely bemused on how she keeps getting a pass. SHE CAN'T EVEN MAKE RICE! She has proven this twice! If reality TV competitions have proven anything to us over the years, a chef who can't cook rice is dead weight (see Survivor: Australia) and should be pruned. And on top of that, she specialises in Asian cuisine! How do you not know how to correctly make the starch staple of the region of the world that you claim is your expertise! I'm done ranting.... GO Stephanie! GO Richard! BOOOO Judges Table for letting 7 weeks of mediocre food pass you by!

Compared to everyone here, I feel like I should be locked up and giving a flogging with a wet noodle or something... I am a horrible, horrible condiment theif. While living in Las Vegas, I would routinely steal bottles of brown mustard from Stage Deli at Cesar's and I once stole a bottle of HP sauce from the Crown and Anchor pub. those are the biggies.. my main klepto moment is blackberry jam.. I LOVE those little packets of blackberry jam and would take them whenever I saw them! Oh and the Grand Lux at the Luxor carries Maman jams in these cute little ginham tubes.. I couldn't resist relieving them of a little bucket full. But I am reformed! Since I have been in Chicago, I have not stolen ANYTHING... not even a sweet n low packet!

Is it just me or does Tony seem a little ,er, muted as of late?

I'll admit I eat at the major casinos on a regular basis, but that's because those are my neighbourhood joints (I live and work between the Convention Center and the Strip).. Other than that, my roomates and I like Tacos Mexico, Sushi Yamada, this pho place on the top level of that big asian complex on Spring Mountain where Ranch Market is that I can't remember the name of, M & M Soul Food on Charleston... we used to eat at the Bunkhouse a lot, but the management stinks and it over shadows the food.... Go Raw on Windmill is awesome and lets me express my Oregonian tendencies Paymon's on Maryland is my pick when I want Mediterranean....Otto's has great shakes....And Capriotti's Turkey sandwich is lust worthy Oh BTW, does anyoneknow where to get good humbao in this town? I have been craving it for months and yet to find someplace that has it

I have a HUGE crush on Duff... bald head, loves Fu Manchu, plays the bass, plays with power tools in a non-traditional fashion, cute smile, smart as hell, AND passionate about my favourtie food ever..... what's not to love?

I keep hearing about how young and immature Marcel is, but he is older than Ilan! Age is nothing but a number in this case I am torn... I don't know who shouldve won..... it sucks that it wasn't about the food and was instead about who the judges deemed ready to be a chef... that was just stupid.. I thought this was a competetion for Top Chef, not a CIA graduation Maybe Ilan is just super passionate about one thing... I don't know... The whole end of the season mystifies me.... On the other hand this Top Design thing is just as surreal..

I KNEW I had seen Padma somewhere before!! She was in that god-awful movie Glitter with Mariah Carey!!!! I don't know what to think... why did they have to throw that last minute dig at Judge's table against Marcel? Desperation? stupidity? And it was so half-ass.. if you are going to accuse someone of cheating (ala Betty and the pavlovas), you better have some facts to back it up.. not "Um, well..." I'm kind of glad that Sam didn't make it.... I can't explain why though And I'm hot/cold with Elia not making it.. I like her personality and spark and creativity.. but that poke looked atroucious and had nothing Hawaiian about it... Oh and her crack about not every having authentic Hawaiian food because it's not readily available is crap... Las Vegas has the HIGHEST population of Hawaiians outside of Hawaii! And Hawaiian style delis and restaurants are all over the valley... In fact tomorrow night I am dragging my butt over to L & L Barbecue after work because they do the best macaroni salad anywhere.. and no Hawaiian meal is complete without macaroni salad!

My roomate is a German chef who studied in Switzerland and the best he's been able to do was working at MAndalay on all of their internal kitchens... room chef, catering, employee dining room... It is unionized, but that has it's pros and cons... wages and benefits aren't horrible. From what I've heard from our friends, MGM/Mirage isn't too bad to work for. (my roommate worked at Mandalay before MGM/Mirage took over) Best advice is network.. go tot he restaurants and talk to people... oh and check Job Flash that is the single website 90 % of the casino corporations use to do their hiring

Ah but her taste in men is questionable... Salman must have one hell of a personality because I couldn't imagine waking up to such a fuzzy sight every morning Well, at least there was a reason.. that blessed editing!.. now it's obvious that they shot all those commentaries after main production and shooting had ended and didn't want to ruin the "surprise" I wonder what the space between the shooting of this last episode and the finale is, because Elia looks like she has a good 2 inches of growth back already! As far as the rest of it.. I'm still bemused why they didn't kick off Frank for threatening Marcel a few episodes back.. but Cliff crossed the line... One last note.. someone said something about Sam being diabetic and the drinking.. diabetics can drink alcohol, just in moderation like everyone else should and preferably on a full stomach

I have never seen a meat thermometer used on fried wings. This is why they are often over cooked since they are often cooked by time rather than an imperical formula. As long as the breading is not burnt I can live with overcooked meat. ← Were they fried? I missed that.. my bad

The biggest one is the Le Cordon Bleu/ Las Vegas Culinary Institute... my friend Michelle went there and that's what she does (personal chef) UNLV has a pretty fair culinary program There is another one called the Creative Cooking School of Las Vegas, but I don't know much about it Oh and that national chain of Art Institutes has a culinary school here too

I'm a big fan of Tacos Mexicos (several locations throughout the valley)... Everbody seems to like Roberto's, but I'm not a huge fan A little on the nicer side, try Lindo Mochian Oh and not exactly Mexican, but we have some great smaller Peruvian places

How is it possible that there are 3 whole pages of GG food refrences, yet not one mention of Al's Pancake World, where of course they never serve pancakes!!! Let's hope he lays off the steel drum! Love GG... Favourite show.. I wan't say that I made my work schedule so I can catch up on episodes, but I won't lie and say I wasn't happy that I can watch the reruns at 11AM on ABCfamily of last night's 5pm show

I saw another commercial for next week's episode, and it looks like someone actually gets kicked off for whatever prank they pulled... this is going to be interesting As for this week.. I think there was some snobbery on tom's part about Michael. He knows he's a line cook and I think he may have let that influence him in regards to Michael's performance. He has always seemed to look for something to critisize him for... Marcel... at least there was no foam!!! Hurrah! But come on, have you not heard of a meat thermometer???? There is no excuse for undercooked chicken when you are cooking on that level What was up with that dessert? Upscale diner I get, but come on.. it looked like something Sandra Lee put together (and I like Sandra Lee because when you want to be lazy, she's the cook to look to!).... lemon pie filling on crushed oreos?!?!?!?! It honestly sounds like something a stoner came up with in their dorm room. Cliff is really bothering me... Why does he feel the need to act like he is everyone's superior, especially Elia!? Geez, it's hard enough being a line cook as a woman, guys like Cliff make it even harder! Sam.. that dessert looked disgusting and there is no way in hell I'd eat it.... I still like Ilan, but he has been a little snarky lately... and I have the feeling he's going to be the one they are going to kick off for the "incident" next week... *sigh*

That's my dream Top Chef jusdges panel right there.. AB and Ruhlman... oh the fun that could be had!

Isn't that what ever reality competetion is about?

Yeah, totally, but I don't think that was Bravo's doing per se. He's muted himself. I caught a No Reservation episode (leftover material, mostly) where he expressed the opinion that he didn't like "non-religious vegetarianism." I mean, in my opinion, it seems the best vegetarian food tends to emerge from religious cultures -- like Indian food, rather than secular cultures -- but damn, what a horrible cop-out! It's like -- oh hell, I know this isn't gonna be a good analogy but -- like Doctor Phil moving to Utah and saying he doesn't approve of non-religious polygamy. ← I'll just say this on his comment.. I think he is coming from a point of view of being critical of those who turn a bit snooty towards those who eat meat. I also think he tried to give them a fair shake, but the experiences came up short...I agree with your observation... and I'll leave it that so we don't get off topic

Personally I like Stack at the Mirage!

Maybe the Bunkhouse on 11th & Fremont? I know they have a great menu with lots of burgers ! and it's in the heart of all the lawyer's offices!

Few points.... About Marcel being an arrongant 20-something... he's a master chef at Robuchon! While master chef may not mean what it used to, still that's a great accomplishment at 26! Especially in a town like Vegas... I mean if he were master chef at , say, Mr Lucky's at the Hard Rock I'd be a little more skeptical of the title. But the kid has something.. Bravo is just editing him to be the new Stephen... thing is, even Stephen isn't the guy they made him out to be and redeemed himself... I'd be a little snotty too if I was in a competetion with someone who is more about playing favourites with everyone and brown-nosing than actually producing quality product (Betty).... He had every chance to be an ass and throw Betty to the lions on that Camp Glucose challenge.. but he didn't... and look how he got paid back... As for Michael... I see some potential in him and it sucks that everyone in that Thanksgiving competetion with him just shot his ass down! There was a spark there and at least he's trying, instead of all these other fools who keeping thinking that being in the middle instead of best or worst is going to get them through to the final 3! He started off rough, but there is something in him that has potential to do good.. if someone would give him a chance instead of these stupid group competetions! I have to say, Tony is my god... but this is the first time I was every dissapointed with his appearance... the man talks and writes like all the crazy ass thoughts I always have running through my head that I can't seem to verbalise... Yet he was somehow muted... and me thinks it was Bravo's call! I mean come on.... he had such great material and situations to work with... yet, it didn't feel like Tony... One last thing... can someone get Tom a midol please?

I think Betty will go before Marcel... I am going to pick Ilan, Elia and Sam for my final 3

Just a strange note I've noticed.. the camera-work! Seriously.. Padma has a very large scar on her right upper arm, and the camera guys are geniuses! they keep shooting her at an angle or with a flower pot or tall full wine glass in front of her arm! It's bizarre! It's like when they are trying to hide a pregnancy on a sitcom with a large handbag!

Norm Thompson Is a great place for someone like me who grew up in the NW ... not to mention the cheesecake is amazing! (oh and my mom works there, so I am a little biased ) On another note, does anyone know any good sites for import food? Specifically Dutch? I am CRAVING Dutch candy and frit saus, but i have yet to find a place in Vegas with any Dutch imports.. just German.. I did manage to find a place with some Indonesean stuff, but drops are what I want!