lizziee

I have not made this recipe and I am copying it exactly as Alain Giraud wrote it. It is not in any cookbook or has it been published so it hasn't been tested. Mini Brioche with Foie Gras (Alain Giraud) This recipe is an adaptation of the French Classic dish "Foie Gras in brioche." We have been using the small brioche at Citrus for many things. One of the most popular appetizers we serve is Quail Egg in brioche. To the foie gras recipe you can add fresh truffle and fresh truffle juice into the brioche dough or into the foie gras mixture. This will give you a brilliant effect and fantastic taste, but it is expensive! I cook the foie gras in a "vacuum cooking bag." This is a modern way to heat the foie gras, keeping more flavor and losing less fat. For 20 appetizers: 1 baked brioche, 12" length X 2" width 6 oz cooked foie gras 2 oz butter (at room temperature) For the foie gras - Blend gently in a mixer using the paddle. When it is of soft consistency, add the butter (at room temp). Season to taste with salt and pepper. For best results, cook the foie gras two to three days in advance. Cut the brioche into 3 equal parts. Using an apple cutter (shaped like a long cylinder), "core" through the center. Put the foie gras mixture into a pastry bag using a #8 tip. Fill the brioche gently with the mixture. Roll in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours. To serve, use a sharp knife (warm the blade for two to three seconds in water). Slice into 3/4" pieces. Serve on a cold plate and season with black pepper.

southern girl, I have to type the lobster sausage and mini brioche with foie so that will be forthcoming. Here is the yorkshire: INDIVIDUAL YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS WITH RARE ROAST BEEF For this recipe you will need three mini-muffin pans, each containing twelve 1 3/4- by 1-inch cups. For Yorkshire pudding batter 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk 2 large eggs 1 large egg yolk 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt freshly ground black pepper to taste (Sometimes I use the above recipe and sometimes I use the following which is actually Neiman Marcus high hat popover recipe: 3 eggs 1 1/4 cups milk - room temp 1 14 cup flour dash salt dash pepper Beat eggs with whip or hand mixer until lemon colored and foamy. Add milk and stir until well-blended, but do not overbeat. Add flour all at once. Hand beat until smooth on top. 3/4 cup vegetable oil (this is called for in the original recipe. However, I go to my butcher and ask for the fat from a standing rib roast. I then slowly melt the fat in a small saucepan over low heat and use that instead of the oil.) 3/4 cup sour cream 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon drained bottled horseradish 1 teaspoon chopped fresh flat-leafed parsley (wash and dry before chopping) 1/2 Pound cooked rare roast beef, slices 3/8 inch thick and slices cut into 1-inch pieces Garnish: 36 small fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves Make batter: In a blender blend batter ingredients until smooth and transfer to a bowl. Let batter stand, covered, 1 hour. Preheat oven to 425°F. Put 2 mini-muffin pans on 1 baking sheet and put remaining pan on another baking sheet. Spoon 1 teaspoon oil (roast beef fat) into each cup/ Put first baking sheet in middle of oven 3 minutes to heat oil in cups. Working quickly, pour 2 teaspoons batter into hot oil in each cup and bake in middle of oven 18 minutes, or until pudding shells are golden and puffed. Remove shells from cups with tongs and cool on racks. Repeat procedure with other baking sheet. Shells may be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered, or 1 month ahead and frozen in airtight containers. Bring shells to room temperature and recrisp in a 300°F. oven 10 minutes. In a small bowl stir together sour cream, horseradish, and parsley and transfer to a small pastry bag fitted with 1/8-inch plain tip. Fold a few beef slices into each shell and pipe 1 teaspoon horseradish cream onto each pudding. Garnish puddings with parsley. Makes 36 hors d'oeuvres. Gourmet January 1997

An incredible, dramatic appetizer is Hubert Keller's stuffed eggshells. He made 800 for the Aspen Wine and Food Festival and over 500 for The Merci Julia event. One recipe can be found in his cookbook, The Cuisine of Herbert Keller. The other is unpublished, which I have. In any case, hallowed out egg shells are filled with cooled scrambled eggs and topped with a number of different fillings - provencale ratatouille, cauliflower puree, blue prawn pasta salad, or curried duck and sweet onions. The egg shells are decorated with white and black sesame seeds around the rims. Other ideas (just to name a few) from The Merci Julia event would be: Venison in Puff pastry (Claude Alrivy) Lobster sausage (Jean Banchet) Mini Brioche with Foie Gras (Alain Giraud) Corn Blinis Sandwich with Marinated Salmon (Joachim Splichal) Again, I am happy to supply recipes.

PACIFIC OYSTERS WITH FROZEN CHAMPAGNE MIGNONETTE MAKES 24 OYSTERS INGREDIENTS: 24 each oysters The Mignonette: 1/4 cup shallots 3/4 cup pickled ginger 1/2 cup champagne 1/2 cup sugar 2 tablespoons cracked black pepper 3/4 cup rice wine vinegar 1 tablespoon chopped chives Preparing the Mignonette: 1.) Place ingredients in food processor and puree for one minute. Remove and place mixture in 9" pie tin and freeze. 2.) Shuck oysters and place on service platter. Scrape 1 teaspoon of frozen mignonette and place on top of each oyster. 3.) Garnish each oyster with a sprinkle of chives. Serve immediately.

I have a couple of ideas. (If any sound interesting, I am happy to supply the recipe). Tuna Tacos - seared tuna (rubbed with Chinese 5 spice powder) on crispy wontons with ginger/sesame mayo Oysters with frozen Champagne mignonette Jodi Adams' smoked salmon pizza with mascarpone cheese (can be cut for appetizer portions) Thinly sliced roast beef in mini yorkshire puddings with horseradish sauce

Rachel, I was hoping that my prediction would be wrong, but I've been there. Think positive and go out to eat!

Posted: Jun 11 2002, 07:39 Tomorrow we are having our kitchen demolished, in a remodeling project that will take 2 months. Here are the before shots -- Rachel will provide the ongoing narrative and we'll document its construction over the next few weeks. Jun 11 2002, 07:47 PM It will cost twice what you thought and take longer than 2 months. Posted: Aug 1 2002, 03:39 PM So, even though there will be some more downtime over the next couple weeks, there would have been that downtime anyway. I would hope we will be finished by the end of the month. Is that wishful thinking? Yes!!

Jinmyo, I was tempted to go in the kitchen and ask for those legs and thighs back.

Thanks to everyone for your kind words. Beachfan, They not only do a vegetarian menu, but also, as I mentioned, a Vegan menu with advance notice. The current Vegetarian menu: Young carrot and cardamon gelee, melons pearls with sauternes and marrow bean fondant Heirloom Tomato symphony: a colorful tomato sampler under several presentations Japanese eggplant stuffed with sardinian couscous, and beluga lentils, on piperade and piquillo pepper jus Gratin of fingerling potatoes, young leeks and roasted corn, glazed with summer truffle sabayon southern girl, Also give Fleur de Lys a try. Even though my notes were not as extensive, it is definitely worth it. Robert, Good luck on a cancellation. Steve, The pace of the meal at FL was leisurely and long - almost 5 hours. We did take a break after the foie gras course to re-group and re-capture our appetites. The outside garden area is perfect for that, plus you have a view of the kitchen. Also, Yank Sing is an old favorite of ours that is still delivering quality food plus excellent service.

Thanks hollywood.

An update on the French Laundry, Bistro Jeanty, Bouchon, Slanted Door, Yank Sing, and Fleur de Lys. First, Napa and San Francisco in August is over-run with tourists who don't always have the same level of expertise and fine dining knowledge as during other times of the year. Dress can be ridiculously casual (a couple showed up at the French Laundry for lunch in shorts), a table will nurse two iced teas at dinner, and steak and fries seem to be the norm. Other than the Slanted Door and Bouchon, the restaurants "delivered" with the best being the French Laundry and Fleur de Lys. The French Laundry was particularly susceptible to the tourist syndrome. These were people who had heard the "buzz", obviously struggled with getting a reservation, but once there did not know how to maximize the experience. I am sure, in a number of cases, that they went home and said, "What's the big deal?" The sommelier and wait staff were patient and explained in detail every dish, the best way to orchestrate the meal etc., but often to no avail. Some examples spring to mind. A table of five in the middle of the room were warring over the choice of wine. One group wanted a sweet white, while the other wanted a dry white. This one bottle was to last the entire meal and work with all courses. Bobby Stuckey, who is one of the best sommeliers in the country, is down to earth, not the least pretentious and extremely knowledgeable. Finally, to this table of five, he suggested to the sweet group that if they gave a little and the dry group gave a little, he would be able to help. It was like watching major negotiations between Israel and Palestine. Another example would be the man, who as his dish was cleared, asked the waiter what those little bits of black stuff was that he left on the plate. (They were truffles.) Another table didn't want to do the tasting menu and asked if they could have just grilled fish and a salad. Another wanted a steak and baked potato. Thomas Keller does try and adapt the tasting menus in August to reflect this type of clientele i.e.. much more meat on the menu than he normally does. In spite of the above, the wait staff was personal, professional and accepting. We had a specially created tasting menu with one preparation for my husband and another for me. Our Meal: 1. Cornets of Atlantic Salmon Tartar with red onion creme fraiche (As I have mentioned in earlier threads about The French Laundry, this is Keller's signature starter). 2. Soup Cold Sweet Red Pepper Cold White Bean with bits of bacon (the red pepper was intense with an underlying sweetness, while the white bean had a greater savory, smoky component) 3. Sorbet Tomato sorbet with crunchy croutons Coconut Sorbet with bits of fresh coconut (the coconut sorbet was acidic with lemony overtones while the tomato sorbet hinted at a natural sweetness) 4. Blinis Potato blini topped with grated botarga, underneath tomato confit Potato blini with caviar, underneath a raisin compote (Again the contrast between the touch of sweetness of the raisins versus the saltiness of the botarga. Thomas seems to be experiementing between sweet vs savory vs salt) 5. Caviar (two signature dishes that we have had in the past) Cauliflower panna cotta topped with osetra caviar Pickled Oysters on a cappelini of English cucumber with caviar 6. Fish We both had grilled cod belly with piquillo peppers and seaweed jelly (We have had this before. Thomas Keller calls it Jelly Belly) What is extraordinary about this dish is that in one bite you are catapulted to a fine Japanese restaurant. 7. Fish Barbecued eel with a marinated cold thinly sliced radish salad Cod cheeks with onion gastric marmalade 8. Egg (Again a repeat of two dishes we have had before but both are worth repeating.) White truffle custard with a ragout of Perigord truffles with veal stock presented in a hollowed out egg Coddled hen egg with Perigord truffle beurre noisette 9. Foie Gras (We asked that they do only a cold preparation as it was very, very hot in Napa) "Moulard duck foie gras frais au torchon" with green gage plum marmalade and toasted brioche Terrine of Moulard duck foie gras studded with truffles served with frisee salad 10. Fish Pan roasted Sturgeon with a ragout of cranberry beans and basil broth Pan roasted cod with something called Dry Crop potatoes that were probably the best potatoes I have ever tasted. 11. Fish We both had the butter poached lobster with Chanterelle mushrooms, toasted almond 'nougatine' and apricot 'jus' 12. Meat Again we both had the rib-eye of lamb with 'confit de byaldi en crepinette , braised fennel bulb and fennel-infused oil" 13. Meat We were then presented with a perfectly "dry roasted" chicken in the pot that was then sent to the kitchen to be carved. Thomas Keller only serves the breast, using the legs and thighs for stock. This dish is the essence of simplicity, but so aromatic, tender and just perfect. 14. Cheese We each had different preparations but after quite a bit of wine, my note-taking was degenerating. 15. As usual, it is possible to have an entire flight of desserts, but also as usual we just opted for my husband's favorite of doughnuts with cappuccino semifreddo The wines for the evening were: Krug Grand Cuvee Heidi Schrock Ruster Ausbeuch 1999 Trimbach Cuvee Fredic Emile 1997 Domaine Ramonet Les Ruchottes 2000 Domaine Grslain Barthod Premier Cru Beaux Bruns 1999 The question, as always, is it worth the hassle of the reservation system and I can only answer yes. In other threads, there has been a lengthy discussion of The French Laundry's reservation policy of two months only in advance. This is similar to one that is adopted by L'Astrance and L'Ambrosie in Paris. I might add that the dining room is not populated by frequent diners or VIP's. On every occasion that we have eaten at the French Laundry, the overwhelming majority of the dining room is made up of first time customers. On Friday, there were exactly 4 customers who were repeaters. I have two other observations re maximizing the French laundry experience. There are two tasting menus - one of 5 courses and the other of nine. French laundry does not require that the entire table order one or the other. However, if one of you orders 5 and the other 9, someone is going to have to "sit out" 4 courses. My advice, then, would be to either order one or the other. Secondly, French laundry does a seating and a half. If the first group is dawdling or showed up late for their reservation, the second group is going to have to wait for their table. They do not push you out the door or hurry up service so they can free the table. As the restaurant is completely booked, there is no way to manufacture an empty table. Bistro Jeanty is still a wonderful bistro experience; it still gives you the feeling that you have been magically transported to Paris. We did a lighter lunch than normal as we were going to a wedding at 3:30. We started with the rabbit pate - it is chunky, fresh tasting and served on a bed of thinly sliced celery root and apple salad. Next was their special of the day - the tuna nicoise salad - this was a heaping plate of haricot verts, tuna chunks, egg slices, frisee, and potatoes that sparkled in its freshness. Finally we had the steak frites - the steak is typical bistro fare and the frites served in a paper cone are crispy, sprinkled with fresh herbs. The wine list is excellent, the service polished, the tables well-spaced and the food simple and well-prepared food. In contrast, Bouchon, also a bistro in Yountville, was, at best, fair. Their pate tasted strongly of liver. The oysters were fresh, but the accompanying "red cocktail sauce", if used, overwhelmed any brininess of the oysters. The boudin blanc was under-seasoned and under whelming. Tables are packed so close together that you have to carefully slide sideways to go to the bathroom as well as talk loudly to be heard. The Slanted Door is a disappointment now that they have temporarily moved to the Embarcadero. This used to be our favorite Vietnamese restaurant in San Francisco and we always made a point to have lunch every time we went up north. I wish I could say we will go back but we will wait until they move back to their old location on Valencia after the remodel is complete. The decor is functional and corporate in feeling. We sat at a large brown leather-like booth that could have been dropped into any non descript restaurant anywhere in the States. The service was professional, but devoid of any knowledge of the cuisine. (I knew the menu better than our server) We started with their spring rolls - these are served cold in rice paper and filled with shrimp, pork and mint and served with a peanut sauce. I can't complain that they were bad, but they were a dumbed down version of what has been normally served as they were very bland. Next we had crispy imperial rolls that were rolled in lettuce with fish sauce. The imperial rolls were inedible - the dough was both doughy and burnt. We refused to eat them and sent them back. A signature dish - the shaking beef - browned cubes of beef tenderloin with garlic and spring onions was OK but nothing special. The rice which has always been particularly special was a gluey mass. The best dish we had was sweet corn stir-fried with chunks of minced pork, green onions and morel mushrooms. Yank Sing, which had to move from their original location on Battery to the Rincon Center, has made the re-location successfully. Their specialty is Dim Sum which they do very successfully. The dim sum is done in the Hong Kong style - carts are pushed through the room loaded with their dim sum offerings of the day. Obviously, we had numerous little dishes - the best were the Peking Dish in steamed buns with hoisin, minced chicken in iceberg lettuce cups, first lobster, than sea bass in a thin, almost translucent dumpling, the barbecued pork in the steamed buns, shrimp wrapped in bacon, reminiscent of that old cocktail stand-by rumaki, tempera shrimp and numerous other small offerings, each one perfectly prepared. The service is professional and the "push-cart ladies" patient when you ask to have a dish explained again. Fleur dy Lys has always been a special restaurant and Hubert Keller, a dedicated, "in-the-kitchen" chef. They had just remodeled the restaurant about 2 years ago and then there was a disastrous fire which closed the restaurant for 11 months. Monday, August 12 was their opening night and we were lucky to be there. (Also, at opening night was Gary Danko and Madame Oiseau (Bernard Oiseau's wife). The restaurant is as romantic and beautiful as always - the ceiling is draped with fabric giving you the feeling that you are eating in an exotic "tent." In the center of the room is a huge bouquet of flowers and mirrors give a spacious feel to the space. Tables are well-spaced, beautifully set and the noise level one of quiet conversation and the click of diner's silverware. Hubert Keller has completely revamped his menu to include many Alsatian influences, reflecting Keller's heritage. The price level is not excessive - 3 course tasting menu - $65, 4 course $72 and 5 course $80. It is also possible to have a Vegetarian menu and with a call ahead a vegan menu. To view menus, photos of the remodel, press releases and a biography of Hubert Keller go to their web site at http://www.fleurdelyssf.com/index.html. Unfortunately, I am not able to do our meal justice as my notes are sketchy at best. This is not to infer that our meal was less than wonderful, only that I failed at writing it down. Highlights as I remember: Lightly curried cauliflower bisque and crustacean consommé which was served cold with a dollop of caviar We were each served a different presentation of foie gras - My husband had the hot foie gras - Duo of Hudson Valley Foie Gras "Bartholdi" - described as "Baeckeoffe of foie gras, truffles and fingerling potato, Seared duck burger and foie gras in a brioche Bun" (A perfect "hamburger") I had the cold Hudson valley Foie Gras - described as "foie gras and smoked duck breast in Gewurztraminer gelee-Pistachio crusted foie gras 'mi-cuit' - traditional foie gras terrine. Roasted Maine lobster on Jerusalem artichoke, Truffle Sauce with a petit pea soup with wild mushrooms. Oven roasted quail on a gratin of choucroute and spatzle 'Comme en Alsace', toasted coriander seed sabayon Roasted Duck Breast with a cardamom, mustard and red wine glaze, Orzo risotto Wines: '99 Chassagne Montrachet Belin '98 Gordon Washington Cabernet Sauvignon There were other courses that I have not mentioned, but, as I said earlier, I just wasn't in the mood to take extensive notes. Enough to say that Fleur de Lys absolutely is "worth it" and as such we made a reservation for Sept. 6, the night before we leave for Paris.

"Our tasting menu" Mike, I am not at all associated with the restaurant. Our refers to my husband and myself. We are just customers.

Fat Guy, I was just pointing.

This is some very early, and not particularly good, food writing of mine from several years ago. I don't know that it makes a very persuasive case, but it's what I thought of meals at Charlie Trotter's and French Laundry that I had close in time to one another. The reason I'm including the Trotter's report is that I'd characterize it as "worth it": QUOTE CHARLIE TROTTER'S To enjoy a meal at Charlie Trotter's you need to give yourself over completely to the dining experience. Anything less and you'll just find the restaurant annoying. It helps to know a few things before you dine at Charlie Trotter's: First, dinner (the only meal served) is exactly $100 per person (exclusive of wine, tax, tip, parking etc.). This entitles you to one of three printed tasting menus (even the vegetarian menu is $100). Second, what you read on the tasting menu is only a loose approximation of what you'll be served. By that I don't mean that the descriptions of the dishes are vague, but, rather, that the kitchen does a lot of improvising--"Cooking in the moment," as they call it in new-age Charlie-Trotter's-speak. So where you thought you might be getting venison, you might get Wagyu beef instead--or in addition. Third, a team of experts is constantly (and unobtrusively, for the most part) monitoring your actions (including your returned plates) in order to optimize your dining experience. If you're eating well, food will keep coming. If you express likes and dislikes (implicitly or explicitly) the kitchen will try to work within those parameters. Instead of asking, "Is everything okay?" the waiters at Charlie Trotter's serenely ask, "Are you comfortable?" "How are those flavors for you?" and "How are you feeling?" The more information you offer-up in response to these queries, the more excited they get. It's really quite an odd way to eat (I think this accounts for the mixed reviews I've heard and read regarding Charlie Trotter's), albeit a tremendously satisfying one. You may feel the need for deprogramming after your meal, but your meal will be a great one. The food is fabulous, and there's plenty of it. The two most memorable dishes (each a collection of dishes, actually) from our dinner were the "amuse bouche" and the dessert platter (both pictured above). The amuse was four separate exquisite little dishes served on a checkerboard of square white plates, the best of which was a "Napoleon" of marinated hamachi with shallot creme fraiche and Osetra caviar (yes, there are many Asian influences at Charlie Trotter's). A platter of nine small desserts (served on a remarkably hideous multi-colored plate)--every one of them excellent--was the great last-chapter that every world-class restaurant should write. Particularly noteworthy were the Fuji apple crisp with white pepper ice cream, the rice pudding and the yuzu pudding cake with citrus--not to mention the pre-dessert of creme-fraiche and chocolate sorbet with red-wine-marinated berries . . . and the pre-pre-dessert of Alsatian Muenster cheese almost-melted over fruits, nuts and fingerling potatoes. Of the intermediate courses, the fish were the most impressive, both because they take well to the Asian seasonings and because they are cooked flawlessly, and I'd love to return (after a sufficient period of psychological recovery) to try the vegetarian menu because the kitchen has a magic touch with asparagus, mushrooms and the like. Ask for a tour of the kitchen and wine cellar. If it's late enough (i.e., not in the middle of the dinner rush), you'll likely be accommodated. It's a small but beautiful kitchen, complete with custom-designed Bonnet stoves and transparent-door cabinetry, and the wine cellar (three cellars, actually) contains some incredible old bottles--including a vertical of Mouton (with all the artists' labels). There's also a demonstration kitchen (where Charlie Trotter films his PBS shows) with an attached a private dining room (it looks to seat about 20), and you can dine at the chef's table (in the kitchen) with a group of four to six people (this table books six months in advance, to the day). +++ FRENCH LAUNDRY The drive from Cave Junction, Oregon to Yountville, California took all of eight hours (we could have done it in seven and a half, but we were taking the scenic route). It was a beautiful drive along the coast, but, having already seen about a million miles of jagged coastline on our previous day's drive, I yearned for a straight, boring interstate highway. We arrived at our destination, the world-renowned French Laundry in California's Napa region, at the stroke of 8:30pm (that's the time our reservation was for--we would have been early had our plans not been foiled by the very slow Napa wine train crossing the road at the worst possible moment), unbathed (as you'll recall we had camped at a fairly primitive campground the night before) and looking almost as disheveled as the wealthy Californians already dining there (we had changed clothes half in and half out of the car in the parking-lot of a nearby semi-abandoned gas-station, which gave us an authentic version of the grimy/rumpled look that many of the other French Laundry customers had tried to achieve through artificial means). I'm trying to think of one word to describe our meal at French Laundry. "Perfect," that much-overused restaurant-reviewing adjective, comes to mind because the food was flawless in every regard. "Sublime," also from the official restaurant-reviewer's not-so-secret thesaurus, is another contender primarily on account of the restaurant's physical setting (which is the closest approximation of a Michelin three-star restaurant in the French countryside that I've seen in America--I recommend sitting in the magical outdoor garden, even though it is considered by most to be the "B" seating area). Or perhaps "superlative," because in terms of the technical aspects of food preparation (execution, ingredients, presentation, etc.) the French Laundry is probably one of the best--if not the best--restaurants I've visited. But I guess if I had to choose just one word to sum up my impressions of the French Laundry I'd choose "boring." Other than the ambience and my admiration for the precision of the line-cooks there was little there to hold my interest. If that's enough for you, by all means proceed to the French Laundry--you'll love it (no other restaurant has received more rave write-ins than this one). But if you believe that good execution and a nice garden aren't enough to justify a $300 (with the cheapest wine) tab, you can probably do better elsewhere. Certainly, if you've dined in a bunch of other top restaurants, you've seen all these tricks before: The tidy little stack of ingredients (every dish looks like a "Napoleon") in the center of the big white plate. Lightly seared or roasted this-or-that on a bed of brightly-colored vegetables with something-or-other emulsion. The baby chocolate soufflé/cake for dessert. Service is good enough. The maitre d' and sommelier are serious pros, and any restaurant would be lucky to have them, but they're backed-up by a very young waitstaff. I'm sure some people would characterize our waiter as pretentious, although I'm willing to be a bit more charitable and just say that he didn't know as much as he thought he did. The wine list is strong (unusually deep in French wines for a California wine-country restaurant--I'm surprised the local wine producers haven't put out a hit on the sommelier) and priced at the appropriate luxury-restaurant level. Many of the good things about French Laundry (great ingredients, clear flavors, simple presentations) reminded me of New York's Gramercy Tavern, so it was no surprise to learn that Gramercy's Tom Colicchio and French Laundry's Thomas Keller worked together sometime during restaurant pre-history. But there's more to Colicchio's cooking that just that--there's a spark that I felt was notably absent from every one of Keller's dishes. And so, even though the Gramercy kitchen is not without its flaws (inevitable in a restaurant doing so many covers per night), I'd much rather run through a Gramercy tasting menu (priced at $75, including Manhattan rent--$20 less than a menu at French Laundry that includes far less food but perhaps a few more luxury ingredients) any day. And, without a doubt, given the choice between returning to French Laundry or Charlie Trotter's (see previous entry dated June 9, 1999) I'd choose Charlie Trotter's because, despite some imperfections, I found it far more stimulating. -------------------- Steven A. Shaw Fat Guy, To be very specific, one of the things that excited you about Trotter's was the "Cooking of the Moment." Our tasting menu has always been at the moment at Keller's. Worse, he knows a dish that I didn't finish 3 years ago because I was stuffed. One time, he had a blue poussin that he had just gotten from a supplier - he didn't have a clue what to do with it and came up with a dish of the moment. By the way, the flesh is actually blue. Every dish, even a first time diner, is monitored by the kitchen. Sometimes, I think they have listed every dish I have eaten and how much I might have left on my plate. Boring is the one adjective I would never use with Thomas Keller's food. He is constantly experimenting, pushing his suppliers, pushing himself and at the same time accommodating those diners who want his signature dishes and worse want his steak with mac and cheese. Your comment about the wait staff is that some of those staff were young 3 years ago, but after three years at the French Laundry they are seasoned professionals. Also, I would love it if you could point to a sommelier with the expertise and non-pretentiousness of Bobby Stuckey. Fat Guy, I will post our menu of August 9 when I can find my notes, but the one word I would never use is boring.

Hey, wait a second. How did you find out I went there once and it was a few years ago? Because I said so on that thread. Doesn't that count as qualification? Fat Guy, Yes, you qualified but you also stated that, in your opinion, as of now in 2002, it is not worth it. Maybe, the qualifier would be that 3 years ago, you found Trotter more worth it than Keller instead of "don't bother today."

This discussion arose from my comment that I thought Fat Guy was unfair to dismiss French Laundry as 300 dollars better spent elsewhere. Fat Guy did not say that French Laundry was bad, only that it was "perfect" and not as exciting as Charlie Trotter's. But, he as much dismissed it as not worth it. This assessment was based on one meal, 2 or 3 years ago, with the assumption that the staff, the sommelier and the cuisine is stagnant. I think, Fat Guy, because your opinions are highly respected and regarded, it becomes even more important that you qualify your opinions to reflect the "one shot - 2/3 year lag opinion." We have just returned from Napa and San Francisco and some of my judgments of just 4 months ago, have changed. I have eaten in some of these restaurants numerous times and so have some basis on which to judge the changes. However, you dismissed French Laundry, not even because of a bad meal, but because some years ago it didn't measure up to your Trotter experience and your given assumption that what was is now.

Miguel, Thank you for the tips and I couldn't find MICRI either. Yes, it does exist.

"It's a contest. A lot of shows seem to me to fall between the two stools. "Hah! I suggested to some school friends eating grouse next week, as the season tarted on August 12." Wilfrid, I couldn't resist. The typos are very funny!

Steve is back!!!!!! I know answers will be forthcoming.

I think it is telling that Robert is in France at this moment and has reported in a number of different threads that 2 and 3 star dining in France has changed dramatically since the change to the Euro and post 9/11. From what I can gather, it is a buyer's beware type of experience. It is hard for me to imagine that my memories of certain restaurants, even a year ago, might be so very different today. Thank you, Robert, for your up-to-the-moment reporting.

For the record, the cromesquis de foie gras, was created by Alain Rondelli who subsequently had a restaurant in San Francisco called Rondelli. Alain was hired by Marc Meneau for one purpose only --- to create new dishes. I had this dish at Rondelli a number of years ago (his restaurant no longer exists) and it is one of the best dishes I have ever had. You are instructed to eat it in one bite. You pop one of these crispy cubes in your mouth, bite down and out squirts liquid foie gras - extraordinary. I have never eaten them at Meneau and can't comment. We did eat there when he was a 3* and felt a downward spiral - the next year he was demoted to two star. Lameloise in Chagny is not romantic, but wonderful food. Pic, with Annie Pic, now in the kitchen, is doing a good job. I do agree with Cabrales, however, that the food at Lameloise is better, but Pic is more contemporary. I can also dig out my notes, although they won't be as extensive as Cabrales' notes.

Robert, I don't know if this is the case, but I wonder if your Senegalese bussers were getting the "hazing treatment" from the rest of the wait staff. Our son who did a stage at a two star in Paris was given THE newcomer treatment by the staff. When he first started working, the wait staff would set up impossible situations for him to handle. He, too, had to hold a huge, heavy tray and wait patiently at attention while the waiters slowly removed the plates to be brought to the table. When the table was ready to have their plates cleared, they would again "load up the tray" and he had to carry it down a long, spiral staircase to the dishwashers. In the kitchen, the chef would slap his hands with a steel spoon to "get his attention." Of course, I am not condoning this treatment and it certainly should not be so obvious as to make diners wary and uncomfortable. It is just a thought as to why it happened.

I'm waiting for Steve Klc to discover this post. He will let us know what to order and how to do it. Now, where are you, Steve?

Nick, Do you have a monthy minimum ie a member is assessed a dollar amount for the month in food whether he actually spends it or not? If so, do you find the dining room exceptionally busy at the end of the month? Also, if this is the case, does it help with food costs etc.?

Wimpy, Did you notice anything from the staff in terms of attitude or atmosphere that Au Crocodile had been demoted from 3 stars to 2? Would you say that Michelin was correct in their assessment? We look forward to your posts.