ballast_regime

Is California a food, because it's been flammable of late.

cat lancaster: Like you, my years of fishing in the Gulf of Mexico as a child and teenager left me with a knowledge that had to slowly be de-programmed by haute cuisine, stripped bit by bit. You can eat red mullet, bonito, or skipjack tuna? One person's bait is another's dinner. budrichard: Charlie Trotter wears clothes (usu. nice shirts buttoned to the neck), even in a metaphorical sense. I don't think his dishes are complex to the point of creating cognitive dissonance. His style does not use big flavors that clash. If anything, I could understand somebody who was complaining because he or she was underwhelmed. His dishes tend to combine very natural, subtle flavors that harmonize in the same way as Tom Colicchio's cuisine (but with more ingredients). Much peace, Ian Lowe ballast/regime

Fat Guy: C'mon, I know you know the difference between being driven by money and being entirely dependent upon money. Individual artists often pursue commercial success, but need not rely upon it to be successful or influential. An historical look at the avant garde within any artistic media will show that many artists were destitute, drunk, and living hand-to-mouth. (Not everyone can be Charles Ives.) This example does not (necessarily) apply to restaurants (even if many chefs are poor or drunk) because money has a positive correlation with influence for people like Ferran Adria, Alain Ducasse, Charlie Trotter, and so on. They need dollars to spread their gospel. IML b/r

I have been on an eGullet sabbatical for quite some time, but I thought I'd drop in to absorb all the interesting developments, this thread included. There is a lot of discussion involving what constitutes the avant garde in various artistic media but with little consideration for the differences between the arts. Many musicians, painters, and writers have been referenced as somehow relevant, but it is important to remember that there is one constraint that separates high-end cuisine (where food's avant garde is almost always found) from every other art: money. Restaurants are first and foremost commercial ventures, whereas any person with a pen and paper can scribble a silly ditty that ignores syntax in under a minute. Any discussion of food as art and what comprises innovative cooking must be made against this backdrop. As is quickly being learned in Hollywood, risk and commercial success seem to have an inverse relationship. (William Goldman is among the best-spoken on this subject.) So, to say there is a strong relationship between quality and food's avant garde is not out-of-line because it is institutions with large labor forces and expensive ingredients that are making some of the biggest strides in cuisine (even though I expect smaller mom-and-pop restaurants will become increasingly relevant in the next twenty years). Much peace, Ian Lowe ballast/regime

Read all about it here.

That's why I drink only boxed wine.

Good espresso at high-end restaurants is a rarity, and only a few come to mind. The variables involved present too great a challenge for most restaurants. As I've said before, I'm friends with a two-time national barista champion and premier roaster, and even his shots are mediocre most of the time. Proper training just doesn't exist, even at serious cafes. I've had scalded milk at Alain Ducasse, acrid shots at Charlie Trotter's, spent grounds at Daniel, and on and on. I have roughly eight years of barista experience, have scoured volumes of books, and tinkered away hours trying to hone my coffee abilities. Rarely do people understand how milk temperature or fattiness affect foam, or how the angle or dipping motions with the steam wand can ruin froth. Like other deceptively simple crafts (but really aren't, like sushi or pizza-making), it takes years and years of training to understand many of the nuances involved. Just as a good chef can tell if oil is too hot just by the sound of the sizzle in the pan, the same applies to milk in a pitcher, which is just the beginning of the longer equation to produce good espresso-based drinks. I agree with everybody's sentiments, and I look forward to the day when I can get an even decent cappuccino at most of the great restaurants in this country, which will only happen if it ever makes economic sense for a restaurant. Much peace, Ian Lowe ballast/regime

Uni.

Red tide did hurt oyster farming in Texas recently, if I remember correctly, during September 2000. More importantly, most oyster farming along the Texas coastline and elsewhere in the Gulf doesn't open up until November, which makes warmer waters a non-threat to oyster beds. In order to prevent infected oysters from reaching the market during red tides, government health officials (like the Texas Department of Health) take water and meat samples to determine whether or not oysters are safe for consumption. As the TDH says, "Oysters you buy from a restaurant or certified shellfish dealer should not have red tide toxins in them because of the TDH’s monitoring program." For current red tide information in Texas, call 1-800-792-1112. Press 4 for "fishing," then 9 for "red tide information." To find out about shellfish closures, call 1-800-685-0361. Btw, most red tides are harmless. Of the 60 species of phytoplankton that cause red tide, only four or five are harmful. New England is just as likely to get a red tide as the Gulf, but most of the hazards of eating oysters during summer are a non-issue because of the large regulatory mechanisms in place that prevent diners from sucking red tide from a half-shell, which gets back to my recommendation: Disregard the "R-month" adage.

Here's the rule of thumb: Eat oysters whenever you can if you trust the establishment. Red tide hasn't been a concern in the Gulf Coast for quite some time, and farming methods have improved so much that oysters are exceptional year-round (in terms of whether they'll make you hurl or not). The "R-month" adage is a bit archaic, and most oyster gulpers and farmers ignore it altogether. (As a side note, many oysters in restaurants along the Gulf Coast do not actually come from the Gulf, and tend to be smallish and not as not as plump as their East Coast cousins.) Much peace, Ian ballast/regime

All I can say is, looks boring. I haven't been (it's the last great restaurant in the United States I have yet to dine at), but I will go. Some day. Your review was very thorough and excellently written. Thank you very much for sharing, and I hope to see many like it in the future! Btw, which did you prefer between Charlie Trotter's and The French Laundry? Much peace, Ian Lowe ballast/regime

What I find attractive is Tomoe Sushi's prices. Granted, it may not be within the top tier of sushi joints in NYC, but for the money, I will go again and again. Much peace, Ian Lowe ballast/regime

Good friend is a manager at BondSt, and it's a money machine above all else. Ridiculous the amounts of cash that flows through there. IML b/r

The real answer: Swordfish flesh-color is diet-specific, which can vary depending upon the species. Atlantic swordfish always have a pinkish color to their flesh, as they're often called "salmon swords." Pacific swordfish are the ones that are a milky white. Most swordfish, as with all billfish, feed primarily on squid, mackerel, tuna, and other fish rather than krill or shrimp, which comprises the smallest part of their diet. (In the Gulf of Mexico, cephalopods account for the largest part of a swordfish's diet. Atlantic swordfish mostly eat blue whiting and squid. Pacific swordfish prefer to munch on fish in the family Myctophidae family, or lanternfishes, followed by myriad squid types.) The bloodline and flesh-color of your sample were perfect. No need to worry because color is not an indication of quality. Much peace, Ian Lowe ballast/regime

David Kinch's Manresa, of course! Not too far for "The French Laundry South."

Schneier: Why was it disappointing? What did you have, and why didn't it live up to your expectations? Just curious. Much peace, Ian ballast/regime

Good, inexpensive wine that's always a fallback for me.

Raw oysters are something I could enjoy every single day for the rest of my life without ever tiring of them. Ditto on fresh-squeezed orange juice to drink. IML ballast/regime

Consider this, Brits: It's really hard to get good, authentic Mexican food in the United States, so consider your chances of getting halfway decent Mexican food across the Atlantic. (Keep in mind I'm referring to states that border Mexico, as I have lived in four of them.) Much peace, Ian Lowe ballast/regime

mrs.inkling: There's no accounting for taste, so I'm not sure you'll enjoy it. If you do go, be sure to order the platter of roast vegetables as an anti-pasto. Much peace, IML b/r

mrs.inkling: Chris Bianco's produce quality is second-to-none in Phoenix, and puts even Mary Elaine's to shame (and even many New York Times three-star restaurants). No other pizza joint can remotely compete. His anti-pasti are quite astounding despite their simplicity. I've eaten there 50 or 60 times, and I don't think I would ever describe his pizza as "heavy" or "cloying." His cremini mushrooms are outstanding, and remain the best I've ever had, period. Desserts are average, and waits can be long. Just go early and enjoy! Much peace, IML b/r

I think it's interesting that even the best restaurant websites still pale in comparison to some of the worst Fortune 500 company websites. The bar will slowly be raised, but not very far. Customers do rely too much on word-of-mouth recommendations. Even posting current menus wouldn't do too much to boost sales. Some studies have shown that visual information is one of the most important elements of menu-design in chain restaurants. I'm surprised high-end restaurants don't take advantage of this fact, and post high-resolution pics of their food. IML b/r

Jeremiah Tower was no doubt instrumental, but I wonder how much of this book is like Chuck Barris' Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.

Ferran Adria's restaurant, el Bulli, is a must, as is either one of Alain Ducasse's flagship restaurants. Add to the list Pierre Gagnaire, Marc Veyrat's L'Auberge de L'Eridan, Paris, Michel Bras, San Sebastian, Northern Italy, and a handful of other restaurants that individually appeal to you and you're set to go. As Bux said, your money would better be spent in France and Spain, then Italy, then any place that isn't part of the UK. Much peace, Ian Lowe ballast/regime

We have a Pochi Tea Station (same one as you, Schielke) here in Lawrence, KS, and they serve a durian shake, but it's from frozen durian. Much peace, Ian Lowe ballast/regime