lizziee

cyn, As to your question, "Where in heaven's name do you get the capacity?", my husband keeps asking that very same question. I don't have a clue and I know I should weigh over 300 pounds. Thank goodness I have the capacity and I weigh in at a normal rate. We were at L'Arnsbourg for lunch and it was very unhurried. The room was not at all at full capacity so the pace of the staff was probably at half speed. I am in complete agreement with you on your reaction to all 3 restaurants, although we might have been able to make at better connection at Auberge de l'Ill as we stayed there. If and when you go again, I would suggest that you request the Fisherman's Cottage - quite an experience. I don't have a clue why Beurehiesel has retained 3 stars. The only dish that I thought was extraordinary was the frogs legs preparation. Other than that, it was less than remarkable. Where else on your France trip did you go? I would be interested in any and all of your reactions.

From everyone's description of Cafe Atlantico, it seems that it is definitely a destination restaurant in DC. I wonder, then, if you think Jose is raising the bar of the general culinary scene in DC?

carpet bagger, He had the problem not me and as far as I know, he was not taking anything unusual. I did not find the wines as objectionable, but when it comes to wine he is so much more knowledgeable than I am. I know that David cooks at the moment, but it is so frustrating to be accurate as to what you are eating over the course of a long meal. Also, I continually short change Michelle which is so unfair given her talent.

We all have good taste.

Michel Richard has been incorporating breakfast cereals in both his savory and sweet dishes. He has topped mushroom soup with rice crispies for crunch. In his "Reese's Baby Croquembouche" (Art Culinaire #54) he uses Cocoa puffs cereal mixed with melted milk chocolate to form the croquembouche.

Robert, What an extraordinary job!!!! It makes Frommers, Time Out, Fodor's et al look like a joke. I'll take eGullet anytime. How labor intensive was it to do all that cut and paste?

There are some restaurants where not only can you have a fine dining experience, but where the hospitality and graciousness of everyone concerned just makes you want to keep coming back. Sona is one of those restaurants. It just never disappoints. We were there for dinner last night and from the moment we arrived to our final good-byes 4 hours later, it was a wonderful dining experience. As soon as we were seated, Franck Alix, the GM/sommelier, opened our champagne and we settled in, waiting for the menus. Instead Chef David Myers came out, said he was so excited to see our name on the reservation list, and proceeded to "wow" us with a tasting menu. An amuse of tomato water with uni, green apple and mustard oil. I thought it was oil flavored with Wasabi, but at the end of the evening, Chef Myers brought out the oil and confirmed that it was definitely a special mustard oil that he had obtained. This dish was light with just a trace of acidity from the tomato which highlighted the uni. 1st course - Halibut marinated in blood orange covered with a nasturtium leaf with a strip of creme fraiche mixed with fennel pollen. This presentation was masterful in that all you saw on presentation was the leaf and the white strip of flavoring. The halibut was 100% covered. The leaf added just a hint of a peppery accent with the flavors being bright and light from the blood orange marinade. 2nd course - Salmon belly with hijiki (black seaweed), clam shell mushrooms and ponzu emulsion. The seaweed resembled black pasta and provided the crunch and texture to the dish. The salmon was moist with that fatty taste of the belly. 3rd course - Pureed Fingerling potatoes with foie gras, Santa Barbara prawns and boudin emulsion. If you mixed this, you had the most intense foie gras/potato soup. 4th course - another masterful presentation. Braised rabbit leg with Ravioli of Celery root, marjoram and a touch of argon oil. Celery root was sliced almost to translucence with one slice on the bottom, braised rabbit leg in the middle with another slice of celery root on top of the rabbit to give you the look of a ravioli. 5th course - on a bed of arugula, rare slices of roasted squab on one side of the plate and on the other a tart of rabbit confit and topped with mushrooms. The tart was in a word extraordinary and the squab perfectly roasted and succulent. 6th course - rare slices of aged prime beef, and bone marrow on toast. My husband does not have the appetite that I have and Chef Myers was giving him very small portions to my larger ones. 7th course - a composed cheese plate with Asian pear. My note taking was grinding slowly to a halt so I don't have the exact names of the cheese, but they were served at the perfect temperature. Normally, I am not a big dessert person, But Michelle Myers, the chef's wife and pastry chef is remarkable. She makes all the breads in house and her long breadsticks and olive bread are not to be missed. The breadsticks remind me of the ones served at Elysees de Vernet in Paris - about 2 feet long, crunchy and favorable. It turns out that Michelle worked at Elysees! The only thing missing is what my husband calls a "mop up bread" something that tears up into a "mop" for the fabulous sauces. As we had consumed quite a bit of wine by this time, I can't do justice to Michelle's desserts as I can't decipher my notes. They look like a struggling first grader wrote them. Briefly we had: Meyer lemon sorbet with wild blue berries and pine nuts. The berries had more of a huckleberry taste. Strawberry rhubarb Melba with mascarpone sorbet and pain perdue. Tiramisu on one side of the plate with berries, a touch of pepper and a presentation in an egg shell. (For complete descriptions, I will have to have dessert first!) My one minor but important criticism of Sona: I wish I had a written menu of what we were served. Although the staff is knowledgeable, the two Chef Myers are so creative that the service staff presentations do not do justice to the cuisine. At several two and three Star Michelin restaurants in France, they provide a printed menu to follow along with as the meal is served and to take home...this would be a great touch. In France the Chef has occasionally signed our menus as a nice "gift" to enthusiastic customers. My husband's notes on the wine which we brought: '85 Bollinger RD 7/98--I was disappointed because this is one of my absolute favorites in super premium champagnes...I felt that it was over caramelized and "older" than I like...it was not a stimulating, bright flavor which is what I expect from this wine. '98 Batard-Montrachet Vielles Vignes Reserve, Domaine Vincent & Francois Douard...I have had 2 other bottles of this wine and love it...maybe I was "off" last night, but this bottle was dull, flat and a bit "over". It was not corked but the color was darker than I expected... '90 Chambertin Clos de Beze, Jadot--again, maybe it was me, but the wine, which I have had many times... I bought a case some time ago...was flat and the nose very closed...nothing interesting. Obviously, the wine "problems" were not Sona's fault as they were from our cellar. Sona is a serious restaurant for people who are serious about wine and food. It is a most welcome addition to a very dull and uninspired LA dining scene. We are hopeful that David and Michelle will be "discovered" by real food enthusiasts from all around the country...this is a destination restaurant for everyone from San Francisco to New York who is looking for cuisine that is different and yet equal to the best of both coasts.

With southern girl's help as we didn't have any cremant and SFJoe's suggestions were too late, we had A. Jacquart et Fils, rose champagne which worked very well. The shad was wonderful and all I know about the shad is that they were from Santa Monica Seafoods as my husband did the shopping.

carpet bagger, If you are in California, Santa Monica Seafood now has shad roe. They are beautiful. I posted the recipe in another forum, but here it is: Shad Roe 8 slices lean bacon 1 stick unsalted butter 4 small pairs of shad roe 1/2 cup all-purpose flour seasoned with salt and pepper 2 Tablespoons medium dry Sherry 8 slices homemade-type white bread toasted, crusts removed and kept warm 1 bunch watercress, trimmed 1 lemon, quartered for garnish In a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until it is crisp, transfer it with a slotted spatula to paper towels to drain and keep it warm. Pour off all but 1 Tablespoon of the fat from the pan, add the butter and melt it over moderate heat. Dredge the shad roe in the flour, shaking off the excess. In the skillet, turn the shad to coat it with the butter and cook it covered, turning it after 4 minutes for a total of 8 minutes. The shad will sputter as it cooks. Stir in the sherry, carefully and simmer the mixture UNCOVERED for 2 minutes. Halve 4 of the toasts diagonally. Arrange 2 toast triangles on opposite sides of each whole toast. Spoon 1 Tablespoon of pan juices over each portion of toast. Top each whole slice with 1 pair of shad, spoon remaining sauce over shad. Garnish with bacon, watercress and lemon.

Bux, I enjoyed Figueras, but you are right, it is more haute cuisine than typical Catalan food. I also agree that 3 days is just too short to experience all aspects of Barcelona. Robert, you will just have to go again! From the November 2001 issue of Saveur Magazine, Colman Andrews, who has written a book on the region of Catalonia, mentions the following restaurants. He cautions that this list is incomplete, but does include some of his longtime favorites. Bar Pinotxo - real Catalan food such as shredded salt cod salad and white beans with baby squid. Counter service. Breakfast/lunch. Inexpensive. Ca L'Isidre - Bux and I have both mentioned this. Colman Andrews says," Our vote for the best restaurant in Barcelona." Cal Pep - A lively crowd at a brightly lit counter. Specializes in seafood: razor clams, sea snails, fried baby inkfish. Dinner, moderate. Can Majo - Seafood based rice dishes such as black rice made with inkfish. Dinner, moderate. He suggests that you visit the La Boqueria Market at Rambla de Sant Josep 101 which is open Monday through Saturday from approximately 8 AM to 8 PM.

We are having shad roe for dinner tonight. Yippee!!! I am making it the classical New England way with bacon. What wine would be best?

Thanks fresh a. Would you let us know when it does and what people are saying about it?

From Departures magazine, Arthur Lubow does a long piece on the new up and coming chefs of Barcelona. I haven't eaten at any of them but below is what he suggests with his recommendations of what to order: The full article can be found at: http://www.departures.com/ep/ep_0103_barcelona.html • ALKIMIA "Fried egg" appetizer, with cauliflower cream, unsweetened egg-yolk ice cream, and sevruga caviar; terrine of guinea fowl with pistachio-and-green-apple "guacamole" and trumpet-of-death mushrooms; squid with creamed rice and squid ink. $95; tasting menu, $30; At 79 Carrer Indústria; 207-61-15. • CATA 181 Pig's trotters with figs, walnuts, and honey ice cream; three squares of rare tuna, each topped with a different mustard; sugared cruixents of cheese and tomato. $25; tasting menu, $20. At 181 Carrer València; 323-68-18. • COMERÇ 24 Asparagus with mayonnaise foam; sardines marinated in balsamic vinegar or fried in Parmesan cheese; onions tempura with a soy-foam dip. $40; "festival menu" of tapas, $40. At 24 Carrer Comerç; 319-21-02. (In the case of this particular restaurant, this is the only restaurant in Barcelona that Adria recommends unconditionally. The chef is Carles Abellán, 38, a veteran of El Bulli.) • HISOP Purée of green melon topped with spicy mâche; pigeon with sweet purées and arrays of different salts and peppers; chocolate madeleine soaked in rose syrup, with strawberry-pepper ice cream. $80; tasting menu, $35. At 9 Passatge Marimon; 241-32-33. • ESPAI SUCRE Smoky tea cream made from Lapsang souchong, with yogurt, a black sesame wafer, grapes, a coffee-and-chocolate cake, and chocolate ice cream. Seatings at 9 and 11:30 p.m. Five-course menu, $30; simpler three-course menu, $20; savory dishes, $9-$11. At 53 Carrer Princesa; 268-16-30. • OT Peanut "vichyssoise" with quail eggs, cabbage, and carrot; a deconstructed suquet (a fish, potato, and tomato stew); pigeon with shiitake mushrooms, baby corn, and popcorn. Prix fixe, $40. At 25 Carrer Torres; 284-77-52. • SANTA MARIA Tiburon shark with carrots and okra in a red-pepper sauce; botifarra (pork sausage) with white beans and cèpe mushrooms; parfait of coffee foam, mango cream, and white chocolate; rice pudding with cinnamon ice cream. $30; tasting menu, $30. At 17 Carrer Comerç; 315-12-27.

Robert, I had posted these notes some time ago on the Spanish board, but thought it would be easiest to reproduce them here. We liked Jean Luc Figueras very much. The cuisine is very contemporary and the decor stark. We found the service exceptional. Our waiter, Mikial, had worked at Guy Savoy. The sommelier is a young woman, Helene, who selected wonderful, inexpensive Catalonian wines. It is difficult to describe the food. There are separate flavors on the plate that need to be mixed as you eat it. It is not the 20 ingredient syndrome of some American chefs, but the chef focuses on a number of ingredients and wants the mixing at the moment. We had the tasting menu - 2 amuse were served beforehand. Memorable dishes were: Rare ducks chunks, iced tomato with shrimp, gazpacho soup with apple puree, snails with a red pepper mousse and baby pork with peach honey and hot goat cheese. One surprising highlight was at a restaurant in Barcelona called Ca L'Isidre. The owner is Isidre Girones. We got there around 1:45 and the place was empty. By 3:00 every table was filled, no tourists, mostly affluent businessmen. Our waiter, Joseph, spoke perfect English and with his help we orchestrated a perfect lunch. We started with tiny whitebait deep fried. Every time they fry up a batch, they use fresh oil. Next an incredible gazpacho with clams and shrimp with a slight dollop of oil floating on the top. Next quickly sauteed squid in olive oil that were so tender they melted in your mouth. Then their specialty - roast baby goat with small onions and white wine. The owner's daughter, Naria, is the pastry chef. She did a wonderful dessert - in an egg shell she placed sabayon which represented egg yolk, white chocolate was the white of the egg and underneath all liquid dark chocolate.

Chef, You have captured the spirit of Thomas "perfectly!" I wish every aspiring chef would understand what Thomas loves doing and what you obviously incorporate as well. No wonder that Thomas speaks of you with pride. You definitely deserve it. I understand your need to create constantly, but you mention a signature style. I am trying to understand it in the context of your exposure to Thomas's influence as well as other cuisines. Let it be said that I am a fervent admirer of Gagnaire, had 2 incredible meals at Adria and one in 2001 that I was less impressed with, think Trama is underrated and so on and so on. Given the above, what do you characterize as your signature style? I know it is so much more than the "molecular gastronomy" mode and I certainly don't want to put you into a box, but I would greatly appreciate it if you could better define "signature style."

Stone, As I have not been to Andalu why does it drive you nuts? Also what do you think of Lubow's list?

Any updates on what is happening with Robuchon's new venture?

In the latest issue of Departures magazine (AMEX), Arthur Lubow reports on the best of the new cafes and restaurants in San Francisco. High-end Comfort Chez Spencer The Fifth Floor (new chef - Laurent Gras) Fleur de Lys (re-vamped menu) Big and Small RNM Andalu Piperade Julia New Asian Slanted Door (new location) Ozumo Limon (actually Peruvian) Down to Earth Tartine Bakery Pizzetta 211 Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market His comments re RNM talk about a tapas-style format where you order any number of small or large plates which can come together one after the other. He characterizes the restaurant as "regional ingredients cooked simply in a casual yet stylish setting." The chef is Justine Miner. The dishes he mentions are a "small plate of grilled hearts of romaine with Pettigrew Farms pears, Point Reyes blue and toasted hazelnuts and Syrah-braised short ribs on lemon risotto. Southern girl, the only restaurants I have been to on the above list are Slanted Door which I found not as good as in their old location and Fleur de Lys which is definitely deserving of its 4 star rating.

Chef, Thank you so much for the time and effort you are giving these Q and A. We are lucky enough to be long term customers of the French Laundry and have been the recipient of many 5 hour plus meals. I would imagine we have crossed paths many times and look forward to a trip to Chicago and the Tour de Force. Being such an integral part of the French Laundry family for almost 5 years, Thomas must have been a major influence in your development as a chef. What elements of Thomas' approach to cooking do you continue to embrace? What do you feel has been his greatest contribution to your evolution as a chef? In what ways have you evolved in a different direction and would you credit Adria et al for this divergence? One difference that I note is derived from Keller's statement that he finds passion in the everyday routine of cooking and derives "deep gratification from the mundane." From your answers, your approach seems more cerebral and more dependent upon seeking new and different ways of manipulating ingredients. Is this a misreading of your approach?

My husband was there the 2nd week in January and he did not notice a difference in the Pastrami in his #19 sandwich. He has been eating the #19 since 1971 and loves it.

Beachfan, I figured as much. But then again, given that you are in LA, you can always change your gender.

For the record, we brought our own wine. We had '95 Billecarte Salmon Cuvee Elisabeth '00 Pur Sang Puilly Fume Dageneau '94 Clos Vouegeot, Anne Gros The Vouegeot was perfect with the hen and the Dageneau is always a favorite. Beachfan, I can't imagine that your gender was a problem. It just must have been an "off" night much like we experienced a number of weeks ago. Hopefully, this was an aberration for us both as one thing I have always credited Spago with is its consistency.

Robert, I know this is not what you are looking for but Ca Isidre in Barcelona is absolutely wonderful. Do NOT go to Mas de Torrent, another relais et chateau. We ended up calling it Mas de Torment.

Robert, I haven't eaten there but it is a relais et chateau. The site is at: http://www.relaischateaux.com/site/us/Fich...?RcCode=santpau

I fail to understand "modern" chefs reluctance to repeat dishes or establish signature dishes. Somehow a repertoire has come to mean lack of creativity. A signature dish can be tweaked, refined, subtly changed over time while still retaining the chef's signature. I would hate the thought of going to France and discover that I would never be able to have Faugeron's Oeuf coque a la puree de truffes, George Blanc's Poularde de Bresse cuitre en croute de gros sel "selon Alexandre", Troisgros' Boeuf Charolaise , Marcon's Brochette "Marigaridou, Haeberlin's La Mousseline de Grenouilles, Boyer's Truffe en Croute, Lucas Carton's Canard Apicius and on and on. Are these dishes less exciting or extraordinary because they are familiar? If anything, the re-experiencing of these taste sensations becomes an anticipatory excitement. I think the practice of a constant change of dishes tends to be more an American phenomenon of our "young Turk" chefs. I admire Keller's evolving style, but also welcome his adherence to his classics such as Oysters and Pearls, Cornets of Atlantic Salmon Tartar, Cauliflower Panna Cotta, White truffle Custard with Ragout of Perigord Truffles, Butter Poached Lobster etc. Even Adria at El Bulli seems to recognize the importance of his past as witnessed by his retrospective menus this year. Gagnaire, although constantly evolving, still relies on his variations on a theme technique by taking an ingredient and reworking it in various guises. I think sometimes it is harder to maintain "signature dishes" and have them retain that "wow" factor than to constantly reinvent the wheel where the creativity is found just in its newness.