alexhills

They grow unaided in my parent's front garden in England. SOOOOOO good, but trying to find them ripe before the garden beasties get them takes a lot of luck. But a very good treat when waiting at the front door in summer....

I'm pretty sure Paul Aussignac's father is actually a foie farmer in Gascony, and it's tended to be his foie they use at his restuarants. Whether or not they never force feed I have no idea but he has presumably has a very good idea what goes on... My one sample of their foie was, by the way, very good indeed. I'm also pretty much of the school that what industrial farming does to animals is so incomparably worse than force-feeding that it's a fairly minimal issue ethically, and its prohibition worrying for all the reasons everyone has already said....

I'm curious about Puffin - us English people tend to think of them as terribly cute birds and not food at all - but its a fairly dark game-like meat isn't it? I imagine it as a more potent version of duck. The shark my friend had was already fairly strong smelling, the skate does sound pretty serious. After my experience with hakarl I'm not sure I'm too ready to try it. I usually like VERY strong food though, maybe I should give it another chance...It's a traditional christmas food isn't it?? I didn't mean to suggest anyone was actually trying bite the heads off gannets any time recently, it is only hearsay, but my friend said it was in some kind of anthropological films made 70 or 80 years ago.... Are there cooks trying to combine the more traditional foods with modern technique - sort of Noveau Icelandic??

Apparently the putrified skate is even stronger than the shark. As I understand it, its the way the cartiledge decomposes that preserves the flesh. I heard a NPR slot on it a couple of years ago, they went to a barn in the middle of nowhere where this guy had some sharks hanging, they asked him why there were no flies there - Iceland in the summer, lots of flies - he said, 'the smell is too strong for them'... My Icelandic friend told me the shark-rotters tend to be kinda outcast bumpkins because they smell too bad themselves to be let into the towns. Apparently there are also films from the 20s and 30s of people from a particularly rural - and apparently inbred - backwater hunting some flightless bird in the 'traditional' manner - chasing after them and biting their heads off.... Oh dear.... Oh, and if that isn't bad enough, an Icelandic soccer player who used to play for Ipswich (English team) would provide a recipe for Puffin in each week's match program book. Ok, enough on that, most of the Icelanders I've met have been the most cosmopolitan and sophisticated people imaginable, so no more stereotyping.....

Gorgeous pictures as ever. I especially like the one of the tea... What was the fish spine like? Fried so hot that the bones become crunchy I suppose. Sounds interesting. The whole meal does seem pretty much unbelievable, even something like a shitake mushroom looks totally different to those I'm used to eating.

An Icelandic friend somehow managed to get some of the decomposed shark back through customs into the US, and I tried it. Uuuuuhhhh never again.... It took most of 24 hrs for me to get the taste of ammonia out of my mouth. Brenevin I actually quite like, although the effects are on the extreme side, shall we say. Allegedly the shark dilates your blood vessels, so you metabolize the shot of Brenevin you do afterwards more quickly. Like that needs any help....

Suzi - Sala Thong was great when it started, but now pretty dodgy I believe (was already headed downhill when I last ate there 5 or 6 years ago), now worse according to the reliable parents. I like the 3 Horseshoes quite a lot, I think there was a thread on that 6 months or so ago. Apparently what was Hobbs's Pavilion is now a pretty decent thai, again secondhand... The famous Fitzbillies cake shop now has a restaurant attached that looked ot be upscale modern-ish british, but no idea if its any good. I last ate at 22 Chesterton Rd 2 years ago or so, elegant, simple, food well cooked but a little plain - more upmarket dinner party than serious restaurant I'd say. For cheap places the noodle bar on King Street is decent, but very generic. Way way too many chains in general, though. When last back EVERYTHING was totally packed on a Saturday, ended up in a pretty dodgy pub, sort of amazed that that many people were eating out when what's on offer is pretty limited.

I went back to see my family a couple of weeks ago and had a great chinese meal, I meant to write it up on its own actually. It was at a place called Shanghai family on the corner of Burleigh St. and Mill Rd - upstairs above a sandwich store. Unusual, very strongly flavoured food, twice cooked pork belly superb, hot and sour soup also - everything had obviously been prepared in the restaurant, no pre-cut meats or anything. Also very decently priced. There's a long standing expensive and good chinese called the Peking on Burleigh St. itself, but I enjoyed this food more and it's less than half the price. The clientele was almost exclusively Chinese and they had some amazing things coming out - a slow cooked pork shank and some whole fish looked really interesting. I usually gripe horribly about Cambridge eating but this was a superb meal.

I last went at Xmas time and made my reservation - for a Saturday - a little over a week ahead, I don't know if its any more difficult now. The other time I went it wasn't full. I have exactly zero connection to the restaurant and had fantastic and very long meals both times. the second time I did let them know we'd be having a tasting menu and what wine we'd bring before hand, but that's it.

Hmmm. I live near the Highbury one too and I've not really found that at all. They are always friendly, talk about the cheese and give me some good tastes. They do tend to try and sell up a bit and the prices are NOT low, that I'll give you. The condition of the cheeses is generally good I find although once or twice they've been a bit far gone - a chevre kinda exploded once... Neal's yard is great too though, just a slightly different style of cheese.

Not to totally knock the fine tradition of the gardenia chip butty but that is a truly horrible thought.... There have been enough complaints here about Cambridge restaurants that one needn't continue but the general malaise and low standards are pretty amazing. Still, must make it to Midsummer's current incarnation soon...

I think what Boris is suggesting is that it is strange for an artist to set out to create 'avantgarde' art, rather than whatever kind of art it is they actually want to create, regardless of whether or not it is 'avantgarde'. That said I have certainly met and worked with many self-declared avantgarde composers, and it isn't always a pretty sight... I very much agree with Boris about the issue of ideology, too. For me the greatest power of the arts is to engage with broader metaphysical/philosphical/political/spiritual/emotional issues, and I don't know if food has that, it is simply an incredible pleasure, certainly something to be thought about, by all means, but rather on its own terms...

I'm very interested in the issues this thread raises, not least because I spend a great deal of my time working with avant-garde music, which will obviously color what I'm about to say. First a historical point - to me it never makes sense to talk of 'the avantgarde' in any art form, as it implies it is a homogenous movement. Cage's experimental avant-garde starts from fundamentally different premises to Boulez's modernist avant-garde, not that they don't have certain assumptions in common - iconoclasm, most notably - and influences on each other. Cage was ultimately interested in challenging our idea of what music was, Boulez in extending the content of a pre-existing notion of music. Likewise, Gagnaire's approach to cooking seems very different to Adria's, one constantly finding radical ways to treat a single - traditional - central ingredient, the other playing games with how we percieve what things will taste like. I'm sure this is an oversimplication, as my example with music was, but I think the point I want to make is that the avantgarde should, by its nature, be very resistant to classification or definition. I wonder if the truly experimental avantgarde really exists in food? I'm yet to eat at the Fat Duck, El Bulli or Moto, say (that commitment to avantgarde art plays havoc with the dining budget sometimes), but my feeling is that while they seek to bring radical technique and presentation to their food, they simply won't serve something that bears no resemblance to the food people are used to paying for. And that brings us to an economic crux, restaurants need customers, ultimately, and can't afford to alienate them in ways that I, say, am quite comfortable to do to my audience, such as it is.... I do think I probably look for different things in food and in the (other??) arts to be honest. I certainly like to challenged and extended by both, but I expect food to be part of an entertainment and value its interactive social function, whereas the music, painting, literature are rather more something for contemplation. Again, perhaps this is partly economic - a novel costs me a few pounds, a concert ticket rarely more than that, most of the galleries in London are free, and I'm consuming, if not nothing, very little except vast quantities of time. Food is rather another matter...

Really quite good dinner at the Draper's Arms last night. Very simple dishes but nicely done. foie gras and chicken liver parfait was as rich as it should be and a splash of truffle oil didn't seem at all superfluous. Both oysters and duck and pancetta salad were also very good. Mains were perhaps a little less good, I had a veal saltimbocca that could have been a bit more strongly flavoured, but overall a very enjoyable meal indeed. 25 quid a head with desserts and a very servicable bottle of Corbieres seemed pretty reasonable too. A very solid place I think, not flashy food but well sourced and prepared.

I LOVE THIS PLACE..... I didn't start going until maybe early 2001 so I guess I missed a more eccentric incarnation, but it's a great spot. Quiet - no or minimal music - weird weird decor, kind of a arabian nights/harem thing.... Old school bartenders mostly, mixed drinks the best way to go for sure.

5. My favorites (at least top of mind today): Pierre Peters, Larmandier-Bernier, Fleury, Franck Bonville, Rene Collard, H. Billiot, E. Barnaut, Diebolt-Vallois, L. Aubry, Tarlant.

i've just moved back to England from the US and i have to admit walking into the butcher's shop today and seeing pheasant and grouse, still with the feathers on, hanging in the window made me very happy... hunted game is even available in supermarkets here. hunting with hounds has recently - and controversially - been made illegal - but shot meat can be sold commercially, i believe with very little restriction (although the hunting is itself, of course, very highly controlled).

Although Mexican is definitely a big part of what I meant when talking about Latin American food - and i'll try the tacqueria you suggested tarka, although I fear I have been ridiculously spoiled living in pretty much burrito-central over the last few years - there are some other things well worth considering. Peruvian ceviche is simply one of the best things I've ever eaten, far superior to the mexican version, which tends to use diced fish and much less interesting seasoning. In the US this has spunoff into a kind of fusion movement called Nuevo Latino cooking, some of which is pretty fantastic. Right now I'd settle for a slightly greasy carne asada burrito with fresh avocado and very spicy green chili salsa any day. It costs less than a portion of bad fish and chips too....

i too have just moved (back) to London after 6 years in California - most recently in san francisco. i've spent most of my summers in the Uk though, so I've been able to compare the food scenes decently. In general the gap seems the greatest at the low end to me. The difference between a £4 kebab here in Finsbury park and a $4 burrito in the Mission in SF is pretty horrific. In mid and upper end places I tend to expect to pay in pounds what I would in dollars... sigh.... In terms of types of food, good cheap Latin American of all types seems pretty much totally lacking in London to me, although the void is somewhat made up by the better cheap Turkish places - try the Mangal Ockabasi on Arcola Rd. just off Stoke Newington High St. AMAZING grilled meats. the 2 most quintessentially London meals I've had have been at Clarke's too, a few years back, and St. John. I agree totally about the idea of a restaurant having a defined philosophy, and they both exemplify that, and very original to go with it. I've not eaten at many of the more orthodox haute cuisine places, although I had a very nice meal at Morgan M and that's also one of the most affordable tasting menus in London. In terms of midrange places, i've enjoyed the Anchor and Hope, although it is very much a baby St. John, and Andrew Edmunds in Soho, also both quite 'London', whatever that means, places. After mostly complaining about London food, one thing I'm very happy to get back to - specialist butchers and fishmongers, which were awfully hard ot come by in California. Wonderful wonderful raid on Steve Hatt for seabass and oysters last night...

So at the risk of falling into helpless sycophancy, I thought I should write up the meal I had here a couple of weeks ago properly, the same evening Purple Dingo ate there. It was a wonderful wonderful evening and even trying to think critically about it is hard for me, but hopefully there are things that can be said about the food the will actually contribute to debate. The first meal I had here, about 6 months ago, was very very good, but I thought this was clearly a notch above. I think that may partly be because a lot of the dishes this time co-incided with my taste - richer, stronger, preperations, as well as spectacular raw dishes - more closely, but I also just had the feeling the place was on absolutely top form that night. We made it to fully 20 dishes, plus another totally different set of veggie ones as well, I won't try and describe everything but I'll cover most of the main events. Amuses Petit Fours - Olive Madelines/Red pepper jelly Orange Hibiscus Cocktail (frozen gelee) with carrot juice Parmesan Churros Chestnut Croquettes Tuna tartare Of these the croquette - which despite its name tasted entirely of white truffle, and was strong enough that the taste carried on growing for a full 30 seconds after the liqud center explodes in your mouth and the tuna were the most exciting. The very fatty toro was beautifully smooth and a fine chive dice gave it a lovely contrasting bite. The only slight oddness was the red pepper jelly, which was served at the same time as the cocktail, was rather overwhelming in comparison and they clashed a bit. The fresh carrot juice was spectacular though. the last amuse was more substantial and I'll link it up with the dishes that followed. We drank a 1985 Rene Collard champagne I'd brought to start off with, a small producer I'd never tried before, a very substantial bottle indeed, with a strong honey nose and extremely food friendly. Slow poached egg with Manchego, Potato-Leek Soup Foie Gras Caramel Scallop tartare with Osetra caviar Spiny Lobster with apple risotto This sequence of dishes was probably the high point of the meal. The poached egg dish is simply extraordinary, the slow cooking somehow lets it keep its form when you cut into it yet it remains very soft, the crisped manchego adds some textural variety and the soup was intensely thick and full bodied. Later in the meal my veggie friend got a similar egg (they gave her the arpege egg amuse instead), but with truffles rather than soup... The caramel was the only repeated dish from my previous meal, but no harm repeating something that good. Also lovely in succession with the egg dish, one kind of smooth richness to another. The scallop/caviar combo is one of the best things I've eaten anywhere. The sharpness, brinyness and mouthfeel of the caviar complement the scallop perfectly. The scallop had also been lightly marinated, just in olive oil I think, which took away the sweetness I'm used to when I've eaten it raw in sushi, and definitely integrated it with the caviar better. The lobster dish was a lovely follow up, the spiny lobster not as tender as a Maine say, but exceedingly fresh with a lovely sauce, a veal stock reduction i think. We'd moved on to an Alsace Pinot Gris from the restaurant's list by the time we got to the foie, rather sweeter than I was expecting, and than my usual taste, but well made and not clashing at all with any of the food. Wine by the bottle is a challenge when you don't know what food you are getting, but I love the surprise element you get with the tasting menus here... Mackerel with Salmon Roe Smoked samon with lentils and cabbage Relatively the least exciting dishes of the meal for me. Nopthing wrong with the cooking or their constituent parts, just didn't quite get me the same way the rest of the meal did. I loved the salmon roe - I just love brine in general - but the mackerel seemed a touch dry. I guess I'm not really so sure about hot smoked salmon, also a fairly think fillet of it just seems slightly too much of that taste to me. Beef and Oyster Tartare, Horseradish Creme Fraiche and Watercress chaser Fantastic... The tastes remain distinct so beautifully. Phenomenal watercress, never tasted fresher and crisper. In general, the placement of the tartare dishes throughout the meal worked incredibly well for me, sort of pillars to help refresh the palate and find one's bearing amid all the richness and complexity. with this we started on a 1999 Pierre Amiot Clos de la Roche, again something I'd brought along. A serious burgundy, complex and rather minerally. Veal Cheeks with Abalone This is obviously a really interesting dish, incredible contrasts in both flavor and texture, but by this stage a little too complex for my addled brain. The next dish however... Poule-au-Pot This had been presented whole in its braising pot earlier in the meal and had already got us very excitied indeed. The Four Storey Farms chicken is really amazing - is this the bresse-style bird I've read about? Masses of good black truffles under the skin, and more shaved on top. A rich chicken stock/cream reduction, a quenelle of pungent garlic puree and some gorgeous baby turnips. Also a demitasse of the braising liquid served on the side, very little fat and more or less the best chicken soup I've ever tasted. I think worked so well partly becasue although rich it was simpler than the veal dish and more suited to the state of my brain and palette by this stage in the meal. The most classically French dish i've had at manresa, but none the worse for it. Also just a fantastic match for the wine. Desserts Pineapple/Lemongrass soup Coconut creme brulee with sour cherries Pain perdu with caramelized apple Chocolate souffle The restorative powers of the soup are incredible!!! Brought me quite back to life. THe pain perdu dish was the most interesting I thought, a very superior apple crumble. The souffle was great, very bitter, which I love in my chocolate, although it had some water at the bottom, i don't know enought about the mechanics of souffle making to know what the cause of this was, but it didn't make it break up. The great thing about the service for me is how good they are at making you feel like you are special and sharing your excitment with the food. There were a few tiny things - one sever announces the dish soooo fast its hard to follow, the mackerel dish was described as black cod initially, but the graciousness and friendlyness is so nice to be around. The chef came out and congratulated us on our appetites at the end, which really had been stretched very far indeed, and gave us a printed menu, really very friendly and welcoming. the food all in all interests me especially in how it blends classical technique and influence with local ingredients, but also avoids too much fashion consciousness - not a foam or pacojet in sight. Well, I guess I too am embarassingly overwhelmed, this was an amazing way to celebrate the end of 6 years eating Californian food... I've already expressed my uncomfortableness with both comparative judgments and terms like perfection, but this was as exciting and enjoyable a meal as I've had.

I ate here last night as well actually. I thought pretty much a stellar meal, certainlyeven better than the one I had 6 months or so ago. Stars of the show were the scallop tartare with osetra caviar and a really classic poule-au-pot with a whole heapful of truffles. I will write it up properly when I find a way to do so without sounding too hopelessly gushing....

My favourite Chez Panisse celebrity story is one my parents told me. One of their friends was a sous-chef there right when it opened (they got to eat there in the first week) and Francis Ford-Coppola came to eat there while she was cooking. He walks straight into the kitchen at the end of the meal and, without introducing himself, just says, 'you're hired'.. She did go to work for him but lasted about 2 weeks, as it rapidly became clear he wanted a slave not a personal chef...

This is perhaps a little philosophical, but I guess I don't really understand what perfection means when one is dealing with judgements as subjective as those we make about food - taste has a particularly strong double meaning in this context.... To take an example from a field I know much better, a musical performance can be absolutely technically accurate with out it any sense being perfect, or indeed even good. I seem to remember Keller - ironically given how often people speak of the FL as 'perfect' - saying something about perfection being a false objective somewhere, but that could just be in the fantasy land that is my brain. That said, producing that menu for a table of 14 is extraordinary, does anyone know how big the brigade is?? I have to admit the shellfish seems a very important part of Manresa's food, Pim's menu does seem that bit more exciting to me. I'm so glad I don't go without any of those things.... One of the people I'm going with next week is a vegetarian, I'll be really interested to see what they do for her.

I'm glad you found my list helpful, Leslie H. Rather than incure the justified wrath of our moderators for dragging this thread totally off topic, I've posted one here

whoa one of those plates has a LOT of truffle on it....... is that a pasta dish?? looks sensational