tupac17616

Here are 10 meals that really stand out in my memory for 2005, in no particular order: Le Reve -- San Antonio, TX Kreuz BBQ/Smitty's BBQ -- Lockhart, TX Salt Lick BBQ -- Driftwood, TX wd~50 -- NYC Casa Mono -- NYC L'Impero -- NYC Babbo -- NYC Gramercy Tavern -- NYC Barney Greengrass -- NYC Balthazar -- NYC

Meeee too. I kept trying to think of other dishes that really stood out in my memory from this past year, but found myself coming back again and again to that beautiful dish from L'Impero.

Why? I haven't been but it's very well-liked by many. ← It was several months back, so I don't remember all the details, but I found some notes I'd written about it on my computer, which I'll copy below: BLACK'S: Our second stop, we arrived here to find a practically empty restaurant, just one other couple there. Here we sampled 1/4 lb of brisket, 1/4 lb of pork ribs, a link of regular sausage, 1/4 of a chicken, and one 1/4 lb turkey (along with a few non-meat things like cornbread, potato salad, and peach cobbler, but back to the good stuff). The brisket here was only passable. Not good but not bad. Very little smoke ring evident, and the flavor and moistness were kind of lacking. The ribs were terrible. The sausage was practically inedible. They were too loosely packed, leaving a soft wrinkly casing. They were so incredibly greasy that any attempt to cut or bite them left a nasty trail of grease in its wake. Just disgusting. The chicken was juicy and pretty flavorful, and the turkey was boring and dry, but we were not terribly fond of either. After all Texas BBQ is about beef, not birds, darnit. FWIW, the sides were very weak as well. And unlike Kreuz and Smitty's, Black's offers BBQ sauce. Says something about the quality (or lack thereof) of their meat if you ask me, but that's just my two cents. I really doubt we'll be back here next trip to Lockhart.

Best: Tie between Le Reve in San Antonio and Kreuz in Lockhart (very different, I know ) Worst: Black's BBQ in Lockhart.....pathetic.

Wonderful post, Doc. Looks like a truly wonderful meal. Lunch at Jean Georges is definitely high up on my list of things to try here in NYC. One dish in your description particularly caugh my eye. This Black Sea Bass: Interestingly enough, I had the exact same dish (same components, same presentation, everything) less than two weeks ago at Perry Street. I agree with your assessment of the dish, it really had a nice depth and complexity but also great clarity of flavors at the same time. The only thing I would have changed is perhaps to use a smaller amount of the chopped lime on top of the fish. It was a particularly assertive flavor that threatened to steal the show if you happened to get too much of it in one particular bite. Really a delicious dish, though.

Welcome to eGullet, Susan. In San Antonio, fine dining is not as prevalent as it tends to be in many other large cities. I agree with BigBoyDan that many of the better quality places in SA and Austin have a much more casual atmosphere. That being said, you must go to Le Reve. It put every other restaurant I've tried in San Antonio to shame. It is truly a wonderful dining experience, easily on par with many of the best restaurants here in NYC. For more fine dining options in SA, you might consider: The Lodge of Castle Hills, fine dining in a very beautiful and secluded setting. L'etoile, a French place located in Alamo Heights. Biga on the Banks is also a nice option, and has the advantage of being located on the river, if you are curious to check out the Riverwalk a bit. Bistro Time for the city's best crab cakes. Not fine dining, but truly a special place that kind of just says "Texas" for me is Liberty Bar. Great food in a laid-back setting. It's my favorite place in the city besides Le Reve. (Two very different places) Lastly, as BigBoyDan said, it would be a shame to be in SA or Austin without sampling some great Tex-Mex and Barbeque (just a short drive to Luling, or Lockhart, or the Salt Lick...). Have fun, and eat well!

Italy. Definitely Italy. Never been, but always wanted to go. Next summer, I've decided to take a month-long trip there with my best friend. Sooooo excited! Now I just need to check out the Italy forum to figure out where all I am going to go. Definitely Emilia-Romagna, home of prosciutto di parma, parmigiano reggiano cheese, and pasta bolognese. And some wonderful balsamic vinegar, unless I am getting my regions mixed up. And I'll definitely hit Naples, the birthplace of my favorite food, pizza. But where else? The options are so overwhelming. I must seek the wisdom of my fellow eGullet-ers, and soon. To the Italy forum!

You poor, poor soul. I feel your pain.

Only on eGullet! I love it!

Wow, that an incredible report. Thank you both so much, Ellen and Fat Guy!

I enthusiatically second this recommendation. Liberty Bar is probably my second favorite restaurant in San Antonio (behind what I believe is hands-down the best restaurant in Texas ---- Le Reve, which definitely doens't fit the "reasonably casual setting" criterion the original poster was looking for).

I definitely agree with Fat Guy on this one. That grape sundae was incredible. Wonderfully sweet, tart, and refreshing right to the very end. The concord grape sorbet especially was undoubtedly among the better sorbets I have ever had. The champagne grape sorbet tonight was very good as well. It had a rougher, almost icy texture, almost like a granita. Between the sorbet tonight at the Bar Room and the sorbets I had a couple of weeks ago at wd-50, I'd be hard pressed to choose a favorite between them. I normally prefer ice cream or gelato to sorbet, but if I keep trying sorbets this wonderful, I may soon be converted into a full-fledged sorbet lover. This dessert was a beautiful ending to what was a very pleasant meal tonight. I had: Artic Char Tartare with daikon and trout caviar Sorrell Soup with roasted foie gras and barley Cobia with buckwheat noodles, cockles, and lobster sauce Artisanal Cheese Selection Concord and Champagne Grape Sundae My friend had: Veal Shank Terrine marbled with goat cheese and watercress Artichoke Soup with Maine lobster Wild Salmon with horshradish crust, cabbage, and riesling Artisanal Cheese Selection Modern Cheesecake Without going into details, everything was good (especially that grape sundae!). Besides that dessert, though, nothing else comes to mind as being outstanding or a must-try. However, the food was solid, and the price not bad ($60/per person before tax for what we had). This was my first visit, but definitely will not be my last. I especially would like to try the liverwurst, the wild mushroom soup with toasted chorizo ravioli and the muscovy duck and "gesiers" with lychee and mint, among other things.

All I can say is...this place is special. Having told myself for so long that this was a restaurant I needed to try, I finally made it there last Sunday night. A friend and I did the Chef's Tasting Menu. Absolutely wonderful. The different textures. The different flavors. I find it impossible to believe that anyone who goes to this restaurant with an open mind would not enjoy themselves and end up with both a tasty and thought-provoking experience. I will be back. Soon.

Since I was in the neighborhood (actually like a mile away, but hey, that's walking distance ) yesterday, I figured it was time for some Shack Shack frozen custard. I'd had it twice before, and loved it both times. First time, vanilla custard with rainbow sprinkles. Second time, pumpkin concrete. This time....Code Blue. Concrete consisting of vanilla custard with blueberrie pie mixed in. Sooooooooooo good. Wow. I love this stuff

Thanks for the replies so far. Please keep 'em coming! The more I can learn about this sweet treat, the better.

The exact same thing happened to me. I make pumpkin pie, they each have a small piece. I make pumpkin gooey butter cake, they enthusiastically go back for seconds. What can ya do?

Sorry. Not much time for me to provide a whole lot more help (sorta supposed to be working ), but here's a picture I found of one: http://www.brunobakery.com//images/Dsc_1326.jpg

Actually, I'm familiar with sfogliatella (which I find quite delicious in their own right, but that's neither here nor there ), but that's not what I'm talking about here. While sfogliatella are smaller and shaped like clams, lobster tails are usually larger and shaped like, well, lobster tails . The cream I am thinking of is also smoother than the ricotta filling of the sfogliatella, so it must be something different altogether.

Quick question for all the wise eG pastry and baking gurus here: What kind of cream is it that typically fills the classic Italian-American "lobster tails" you can find in so many pastry shops around NYC (and I'm sure many other places as well)? I was thinking it was called Bavarian cream or something like that. I know it's not just whipped cream, since it's kinda more custard-y. I think it's the same kind of stuff that often fills fruit tarts as well. Does anyone know the stuff I am talking about? And more importantly, anybody have a good recipe so that I can make some of my own? Thanks for the help.

Well said. I agree with ya.

Cool skewers, Susan! I like 'em.

Yes (fried, please)

I am a little full after breakfast this morning. First, had an apple. Then a cinnamon roll. Then two slices of cinnamon chip french toast with fresh whipped cream, blueberries, and banana slices, with nutella and honey on the side for dipping the french toast into. Then some strawberry yogurt. Then some of the pumpkin cheesecake I made the other night. That's all.

Thanks, Ann. I'll have to try soaking them, never tried that before. Tonight's dinner: A 5 minute throw-together-stuff-I-feel-eating kind of meal. Chopped broccoli sauteed with roasted garlic, herb polenta heated on the griddle, sliced prosciutto di parma, sliced fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes fresh from our garden, toasted pine nuts, and of course some extra virgin olive oil drizzled over everything. Dessert: Nutella panino, bananas caramelized in butter and brown sugar, vanilla ice cream. Not a good picture, but it sure was tasty

Wow, your homemade fries look absolutely delicious (and nothing like my own homemade version ). What method do you use to get them to come out that beautifully?