hll

If anyone is interested, we have a 2 top this Saturday evening (April 4) at 5:45pm that we can't use. hll@well.com

Anyone have any special suggestions for one dinner in Dallas. Business meeting so cost not a real concern. Thanks in advance.

Any current recommendations in Oslo? We'll be there in 2 weeks.

Does anyone have nay experience with any of the Koch vacuum machines?

Does anyone know if Akelarre open for lunch in July? Thanks

New Muchelin Guide 2010 just out. I'm in HK now. Any thoughts on their new recommendations?

Does anyone have a ideas on cooking a turkey breast sous-vide? I tried Thomas Keller's recipe from NY Magazine a few years ago for Thanksgiving, but wondered if there is any better info on cooking times/temps. Had a great and different texture when I did it last time. Nothing in his new Under Pressure book on turkey. His last recipe is here: http://nymag.com/restaurants/articles/reci...uitsousvide.htm

Great correlation between expected and actual results in the sous vide model!

Jordan's Lobster Farm in Island Park is pretty good. They will steam them while you wait if you like. All sizes up to 10lbs.

I've had a TEC 36" grill for 10 years and really like it. It's one of the old ones without the glass. Really hot surface which takes time to get accustomed to. Started off with great seared meats, but raw inside. Cooking burgers, et al takes low heat after an initial sear. Once you learn it, just great. I've used it to smoke pastrami, turkeys, and rotisserie chickens. The downside is that the company had poorly responsive to parts, etc and the cost is high (>$3500). I don't use it with a tank so I'm not sure how much gas it uses. Just got a Wolf for inside with the infrared burner. Looks like a mini version of the TEC, but only one heat setting (high) and recommended for searing only. I called Wolf and asked if they modify it with temp adjusting and they said emphatically - no. Oh well.

The service (I would be more inclined to place responsibility with the kitchen, actually) was a distraction on my last visit, as well. Irregular to the point at which it occasionally became distracting. ← I agree it was a problem with the kitchen rather than the waitstaff.

We had brunch here this morning - Latino Dim Sum. Loved almost all dishes. Duck confit with an passion fruit flavor was meltingly delicious. Fried egg in veracruz sauce just spicy enough, with a rich olive, caper, tomato flavor. Conch fritter were quite tasty, the liquid filling a perfect compliment. Also enjoyed the wild mushroom quesadillas. Love to go to the minibar next time.

We visited last Friday night for the degustazione dinner. Mine with the wine pairings, my wife without. I was surprised that the $155 actually included wines ($60 less without the pairing). The food was all wonderful, as described by those above. Favorites were the seafood, with the amberjack being a high point. The service, however, was disappointing. It seemed they couldn't get the timing down, with long lulls between some course and others coming out one after another in quick succession. It was fairly busy, but not too large a place for a table to get lost.

Wow - we're flying in for for dinner tomorrow night - can't wait!

My wife and I just returned from Italy where we took the 1-week course at Ital.Cook in Jesi. We had a great experience! It was their first time doing a short course for amateurs (usually 10 weeks for pros). There were 10 peope in the class, most from Europe. Instruction was in italian, with simultaneous translation of the chefs doing the lessons. As the level of the studwents varies, I found some of the instruction a little basic, but all questions were answered fully to my satisfaction. We cooked from 9-5 daily with a lunch break. For the last night we also cooked dinner. The area was beautiful too (we stayed about 10 miles away on the Adriatic). Many great restaurants around for dinner too. Highly recommend this for a fun vacation experience.

I've got a couple of wagyu navel plates (about 14lbs each) that I'd like to make pastrami with. I didn't see the brine formula you used and was also wondering the brining time. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks.

← It's called Gelglace" and can be found here http://www.pastrychef.com/Catalog/ice_crea...zer_3617718.htm Be aware that the container they sell is quite a lot (you only use about 5-10 grams at a time. Friends today tried some and couldn;t believe it didn't have cream in it!

I made avery simple and very good fig gelato last weekend. Peel 2 cups figs and quarter them. Mix 1:1 with water. Add about 1/2 cup sugar. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Add juice of 1/2 lemon. Use stick blender to blend in solids. (I add about 1/2 tsp of stabilzer at this point and blend again). Cool for about 4 hours before putting in ice cream machine. Fresh and figgy.

There is a Hostel that is about a 15 minute walk from the school. Check with the school, too; they may have suggestions for a B&B or even be able to accommodate you in one of the Ital.Cook. apartments. The closest hotel is the Hotel Mariani (a 7 walk to the school): http://www.hotelmariani.com You'll love the school and Jesi, too. Be sure to try the gelati at Bar Trieste near the train station. ← Thanks - will do. I saw there were a couple of Michellin starred restaurants nearby on the Adriatic - Madonnina del Pescatore and Uliassi. Has anyone tried these?

My wife and I just enrolled for the 1 week course of Summer Menus beginning July 31 and are looking forward to it. Any recommendations for places to stay nearby?

Is there a date for Gras to take over?

We went to BLT prime the opening Saturday night a couple of weeks ago (after an afternoon of the Big Apple BBQ). The food was very good, not top steak house quality though. I had the "Kobe" skirt steak, my wife the l"rack of lamb". I was not taken by the skirt steak. It was good, but nothing special (I've had U.S. Kobe and Japanese Kobe previously), considering the cut of steak. The "rack" of lamb was actually 2 double cut chops. Very good and perfectly cooked to medium rare. Side of mushrooms were very good, with the morels a littlle too salty. Funny the wine list had several very good half bottles of bordeaux, but they were not available. The sommelier explanied he hadn't moved them from BLT Fish yet. We had a very nioe bottle of 1996 Olivier for less than $60 though. Atmosphere was very informal and quite loud (music was very loud for background). Not as pricey as the top steakhouses, and not quite as good.

We were there within the last month and enjoyed dinner. Not to be confused with the top places int he city, but very good and a decent value. Service was a little wanting though.

The Per Se website I saw in June before our first visit had the current menu posted along with a few other pages about the restaurant. Before our second visit earlier this month the website was down to the one page. When speaking with the staff they said it was being revised.

We were at Can Fabes last Christmas and were not overly impressed. Quite pricey for nothing that would be 3-star IMO.