lizziee

I would second Robert's suggestions. Also, I would add that driving to El Bulli should not be done at night. The road is treacherous and although getting there might be OK, getting back is a nightmare, particularly after a meal with wine.

I happened to be looking at my orginal posts re El Bulli and came across what is quoted below. I think what I wrote then sums up how a diner can not only maintain that sense of enthusiasm for dining, but is, in many ways, an active participant in a meal. Having high standards should not mean that dining ceases to be fun. Quote (lizziee @ April 13 2002,17:06) "Juli Solter, the GM, and his team picked up on our unique perspective and appreciation for cuisine coupled with the joie de vivre that we bring to dining experiences" "Can you explain the above quote a little as to why your perspective is unique and perhaps an example of how your joie de vivre manifests itself when dining?" (Andy) -------------- Andy, As to why Juli Solter picked up on "our unique perspective and joie de vivre", this is something we experience in most restaurants. I do not think it is because we are that much more knowledgeable (although after years and years of fine dining experiences and almost as many years in the kitchen, we do understand food). I think we approach each dining experience with excitement. I am never jaded or give the impression of "show me what you can do." I really want to have a wonderful time and love and respect the profession to the utmost. I do not expect the "last meal on earth" experience every time we go out. Instead I so appreciate the effort of both the front and back of the house that I think this sense of "I am ready to enjoy myself and truly love what is served" conveys itself to the staff. Because we are so willing to let ourselves be willing participants in a restaurant, the restaurant willingly tries to give us their best. Also, if one dish doesn't live up to expectations or there are missteps along the way, I am willing to chalk it up to experience. We try not to put a staff on edge or give the impression that you had better "wow" us. I think because we are so enthusiastic that enthusiasm generates even more enthusiasm from the staff. At one restaurant we go to frequently, the chef commented to us, "we love seeing your name on the reservation list." I think the reason he feels that way as we are ready to try whatever is offered. Sometimes this can be very difficult as when I am served a dish I really don't like, I know that the chef inspects my plate and I have been known to tell the waiter, busser to somehow "bury" the uneaten portion. In France, we try to go to a restaurant, particularly in the provinces for at least 3 meals. The first one is sort of a "what kind of diner are you?" The next meal is much more relaxed. By the third, it is fun, I hope, for all of us. Of course if the first meal is a disaster, we do alter plans. A perfect example of this is at Puymirol, Trama's restaurant. We had been there in 2000 for 2 wonderful meals, wrote him a note when we returned home and planned a second visit in 2001. When we arrived this year, he did remember us and took us for a tour of the new facilities, kitchen, dining room and salon de fume. That night we ordered his degustation menu. About 20 minutes into the course of the dinner, he came to our table and said,"eat lightly at lunch tomorrow, I'm making your dinner tomorrow night." The next day, I happened to run into Michel Trama at the Tabac and he said,"I've decided to devise your lunch menu as well." (those notes are posted on the France board). Suffice it to say all meals were wonderful. Again, we were nothing special except enthusiastic.

cabrales, Do you and I have the same version?

loufood, This is obviously only 4 ideal menus out of 80. I am struck, however, that these particular chefs chose many of their "signature" dishes for their ideal menu. I think it is more than just a pride in their creation. I think they chose dishes that they really enjoy eating. As for those items that I have sampled, it varies from one chef to another. I have eaten 3 of the dishes listed for Senderens: Foie Gras de Canard au Chou, a la Vapeur Homard a la Vanille Canard Apicius Unfortunately, the last time I had the Duck Apicius, it was not as good as other times but that might have been a result of someone showing up unexpectedly at the last minute and our changing what we had originally ordered. I have only had Bocuse's Soupe aux Truffes Noires V.G.E. and that was in LA, many years ago, when he cooked it himself. It was spectacular. When we ate at Bocuse in France, I am afraid I have to second Cabrales' sentiments and say it was not very good. I haven't eaten at Loiseau in quite some time and that was in my pre-note-taking period. I know we ate the Jambonnettes de Grenouilles a la Puree d'Ail et au Jus de Persil and the Poularde a la vapeur "Alexandre Dumaine" presentee dans son pot, but as to the later, I am very hazy. The grenouille dish was wonderful and I can still taste that one. Finally, as to Henriroux, I have not sampled any of the listed dishes. My general feeling about Pyramide is that this was a two star on the way down. I saw them serving the chicken and assumed that it is to be carved tableside. They didn't. They quickly showed the chicken, whisked it off to the kitchen and plated it there. Also, unusual for France, they were turning tables. If there are any other chefs you are interested in, I will be happy to post their ideal menus.

"My question is whether it is possible to develop a highly critical sense of food and still maintain one's level of enjoyment for meals that fall far short of the bar. One proposed answer is that one's expectations need to be adjusted prior to every meal. In other words, raise and lower the bar based on where you are eating and what you can expect from the cook or chef." To take this discussion from the theoretical to the practical, I will focus on Jaybee's question. It is absolutely possible to have an acute awareness of cuisine and maintain that sense of love and enthusiasm. I love food. I love all sorts of food from a hot dog to haute cuisine. What I don't like is mediocre food. I am definitely a food snob when it comes to places like the Sizzler or Cheesecake Factory. I won't go. Given that, I have very different expectations at a Langer's Deli than I have at Arpege or Gagnaire. For me, it is not a matter of easy versus complex, but rather I expect a great deal from Passard and Gagnaire. Would those expectations be there if I did not have a long history of eating at this level? Probably not. But does this culinary awareness make me a less enthusiastic diner? Not at all. I have had numerous meals with other chefs as dinner companions. They know far more than I do. Their palates are much better than mine. Do they pick apart every nuance? Are they jaded diners? Not in the least. In fact, there have been many times we have been served horrible food and we laughed and socialized, instead of criticized. I thank Jaybee for his comment that "If one can keep that capacity for enjoyment (LIzziee, for one example seems to have it)in the face of highly developed frame of reference and sophisticated eating experience, then you are ahead of the game." I hope that my love of food, discovery of food, passion for food never makes me so hypercritical that one "off note" destroys the whole experience. I honestly think that the only loser in the "rating game" is the diner himself. This might be overly simplistic to the discussion at hand, but for me this is what works and keeps me as enthusiastic as when I started this marathon of dining years ago.

Intrigued by Cabrales' quest for certain dishes, I went through a book I have entitled "Le Tour du Monde en 80 Toques" with illustrations by Georges Damin. It lists the menus from the 80 selected restaurants as well as not only giving a biography of each chef, but also detailing what each chef would consider his ideal meal from his menu. The majority of the restaurants are from France and include Pacaud, Passard, Veyrat, Haeberlin, Bocuse, Boyer, Bras, Chapel, Loiseau, Robuchon, Henriroux, Senderens to name a few. Also listed are restaurants from Belgium, Spain, United States, Japan etc. (This is an older book - note Chapel was alive and Robuchon was at Jamin) Some of the ideal menus chosen by the chefs are listed below. Menu Ideal de Paul Bocuse Soupe aux Truffes Noires V.G.E. Loup de Ligne en Croute a la Mousse de Homard, Sauce Choron Volaille de Bresse en Vessie, Sauce Albufera Baratte de Chevre et St-Marcellin "Mere Richard" Tarte des Demoiselles Tatin et Glace Vanille Menu Ideal de Bernard Loiseau Jambonnettes de Grenouilles a la Puree d'Ail et au Jus de Persil Sandre Roti a la Fondue d'Echalote et au Vin Rouge Poularde a la vapeur "Alexandre Dumaine" presentee dans son pot Fromage Epoisse Rose des Sables a la Compote d'Oranges Confites Menu Ideal de Patrick Henriroux Coquilles St Jacques a la Truffe Turbot au jus de Poulet Poularde en Vessie Fernand Point Piano au Chocolat Sauce Cafe -- Dessert Griottines Menu Ideal D'Alain Senderens Cointreau au Ice et ses Amuse-Bouche Foie Gras de Canard au Chou, a la Vapeur Homard a la Vanille Canard Apicius Association de Vins et Fromages Soupe de Mangues aux Fraises des Bois et sa Garniture

loufood, As this was 3 years ago, I am assuming that it is the same person. Was the dinner disastrous because the food was poor or that your sister and dog got sick because the food was so rich? There is something wonderful about having a dog at your feet.

Nick's review can be found here: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...ST&f=27&t=10439 Unfortunately, our last meal at Jeanty at Jacks was also poor.

Cabrales, I meant to say that Rochat is on a par with Arpege, L'Ambrosie, Guy Savoy, Ledoyen et al. We had a great meal with no flaws from cuisine to service.

Cabrales, My post didn't make the link easy. It is not a matter of what Rochat is famous for rather it is a matter that what he does is better than anybody else. Hotel de Ville--Phillip Rochat, Crissier, Switzerland This obviously does not belong in a French thread, but.... There are 3 Star Michelin Restaurants that survive on reputation alone. Rochat's Hotel de Ville is a 3 Star that provides 3+ stars in every sense of the word -the only word that comes to mind is perfect. We had been there once before. It was one month after Rochat took over from his mentor Freddie Giradet. The dining room is much lighter with an oval lit ceiling with seats for only 32-40 people. As you enter the restaurant, there is another dining room on the right that does not seem to serve the gastronomic menu as the diners were not as "dressed." This is only a guess as we did not have a way to check it out. Arnaud, our server, suggested that we do the tasting menu as it was the best way to sample the chef's cuisine. At 170 Swiss francs it was a decent "value" particularly in light of our Ducasse and Veyrat experiences. (see earlier posts) With our champagne, we were served 3 amuse on a long rectangular plate arranged vertically in front of us - razor clam in its shell in a light vinaigrette, 2 chunks of tuna served on a small, silver skewer, and diced crab mixed with a mayonnaise tasting sauce. 1st course--a tomato gelee soup that had finely diced tomato and cucumber in the bottom and the whole thing topped with a 1 1/2 inch round of oscetra caviar. The caviar added the necessary salt to the soup and elevated the dish from simple to sublime. It was served with a feuillete composed of salt and lemon--100% wonderful. 2nd course--a small covered casserole was presented and Arnaud and another server lifted off the tops in perfectly synchronized fashion. This was not done in a serious, profound, food temple way--it was done with a "twinkle in the eye" - let's have fun eating great food in a great atmospheric way. In the casserole were small mussels in a carrot, fennel and dill sauce. The fennel was subtle and not at all over-powering. 3rd course--3 pieces of grilled St. Pierre (John Dory) exactly the same size with chanterelles in a stock that tasted like a light chicken stock. Tiny pieces of walnuts were added for crunch. At first it felt like this dish would be heavy--but not at all--light and delicious. 4th course--2 langoustines were perched at an angle on the plate. They had been wrapped in a spring roll -wonton wrapping and deep fried. Rochat calls this tempura. The sauce was a madras curry sauce and there was a small mound of chutney on the plate. This is where word descriptions of food fail me - I can't convey with words just how good this dish was. 5th course--small rabbit cutlets gently seasoned with garlic and served with haricot verts in a garden herb vinaigrette. It was absolutely essential to eat the haricot verts with the rabbit--you needed the counterbalance and moisture from the greens. On the side were thinly sliced deep fried potatoes - haute cuisine potato chips. 6th course--cheese cart--Arnaud teased me that they only serve cheese from Switzerland-- brie, I questioned, "just consider all cheese is from Switzerland regardless of origin." 7th course--a sorbet of peach with coulis of fruit. An amazing, refreshing sorbet served in a large martini type glass. On the bottom was a red wild berry, then dark purple blueberries, a layer of yellow--pineapple, the pink layer of grapefruit, followed by red--watermelon, orange mango, finally creamy yellow/orange--peaches on top of a peach sorbet. 8th course--from a serving table with 8 cold silver canisters, we were presented with a course of sorbets and a course of ice creams-wild berry, grapefruit, banana sorbets, and peanut butter, lemon and vanilla ice creams. 9th course--an actual dessert cart with three tiers with about a dozen or so rich pastries. We passed on that.

vmilor, I agree completely. My post on Rochat:http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST&f=10&t=11893&hl=rochat

vmilor, I have never seen that on the menu. Would you please describe the dish? Also, do you preorder it when making a reservation?

Vraiment? The chef/owner - a bit older, taller and gruffer? He used to work at L'Orangerie? I never ate there but it doesn't seem his style. His name was Patrick and Thibaud, our waiter, introduced us. My husband was struggling with his very limited French to "talk" to the chef and Thibaud started laughing. He, then, explained that Patrick speaks English perfectly and that is how we discovered that he had worked in the States. You are right, though, that L'Orangerie and Benoit are as dissimilar as can be.

Nick, I usually don't follow the Art Culinaire recipes from beginning to end, particularly as a home cook. Two dishes that I have found particularly successful are the artichoke ravioli and the uni with scrambled eggs. Generally, however, I will use bits and pieces of a recipe. Also, the presentation of a dish is so extraordinary that I try and adapt some of these.

Other suggestions for Sunday lunch in Paris Cap Vernet - one of Guy Savoy's bistros - good oysters, unpretentious. Le Pre Catalan - can be very pricey, but last year we ordered "one for twos" and our bill was 140 euros without wine. My full notes are here: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...ST&f=10&t=12206 Le Soleil - We ate here about 6 years ago. It is located at the main Paris flea market at Saint Ouen. I don't have notes on what I ate, but I remember the food as adequate, bistro fare. The atmosphere is fun and even includes a chanteuse. Benoit - In 2000, we ordered beef tongue pate, escargot, cassoulet, cheese - solid, bistro food. The chef used to work at L'Orangerie in LA for a number of years and his brother owns the Moustache Cafes also in LA. Robuchon's new restaurant is suppose to be open 7 days a week. This won't work until March when it is suppose to open. From what I can gather, there will be no reservations. Robuchon is to team up with Philippe Braun (Laurent) and 3 other chefs who will work in rotation from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Nick, Art Culinaire has come out with The Best of Art Culinaire Issues 1-14 and Issues 15-30. They can be ordered through Art Culinaire.

vmilor, Too many restaurants to try and not enough time. We have decided to try all 5 recommended restaurants - Zubero, Akelare, Arzak, Berasategui and Mugaritz. This is not exactly my favorite way to eat as I prefer going to a "new" restaurant for a couple of meals to really get a feel for the place. Somehow, we will have to find time to put in some tapas places --- how early and how late are they open? By the way, Arzak made a typing mistake re our reservation by typing the wrong date. In perfect English, they re-faxed the confirmation and apologized for the typing error.

jakubc, I agree with you completely on your reaction to Troisgros. It is definitely the perfect three star experience. Also, even though we had lunch and dinner on the same day, I could have had another 4 meals. This is cuisine that is neither tired nor tiring. "I was also curious as to how the potatoes are made, but I did not ask." The potatoes you had were pommes soufflé. A recipe for it can be found here http://cheftochef.net/r/0/A00141.shtml. Julia Child also has a recipe for this classic dish. My least favorite dish was also the eel dish, although our presentaion was quite different from yours.

For the record, the only time I have had anything stolen at a Metro station was at the Metro stop, Concorde. So much for a "bad" neighborhood. I had my purse open and was putting my ticket in the slot when someone pushed me. I turned to see who was doing the pushing when this man pushed me through those one way swinging doors while taking my purse. He got all my money, my credit cards - everything except my passport.

TexMike, Welcome to eGullet and thank you so much for your reply. Why do you feel that "restaurants may be the most competitive industry in Dallas?" Also, what type of restaurant would you like to see added to the dining scene?

I would appreciate member's input re the Dallas restaurant scene. Is Dallas a fine dining town? Does the clientele seem to want as well as support fine dining? How would you characterize the fine dining scene i.e. steak house?, 50's Continental?, New American? French? Mediterranean? Italian? etc. What upscale restaurants have you enjoyed and why? Is an extensive wine list an important feature at a Dallas fine dining restaurant? What is the general age range of those seeking fine dining in Dallas? What type of restaurant would be a welcome addition to the Dallas restaurant scene? I thank you in advance for as much help as you can give me.

Jonathan, In using the Ritz as an example that is actually what I meant by a chef negotiating a contract on his terms in the hotel setting. In San Francisco, the Ritz Carlton Dining Room, headed by Sylvan Portney, is a completely separate entity, run as a separate restaurant with its own hours, staff, sommelier, kitchen etc. The "main" dining room is headed by the executive chef who is also responsible for room service, banquet service, the club level etc.

Update on Briffard. Below is the link to an article in Figaroscope about Les Elysees and their new chef, Eric Briffard. The room is probably the most romantic in Paris. http://www.figaroscope.fr/restaurants/c_es...nouveau_24.html

Nippy Sweetie, Thank you so much for the translation. I greatly appreciate it.

My Spanish is nil and I gather that the restaurants want me to reconfirm, but when? From Mugaritz: "En espera de que reconfirmin la reserva durante la misma semana le saludo atentament." From Arzak: "Le agradeceremos confirmen su reserva mediante una llamada al restaurante algunos dias antes."