Jason Perlow

At authentic regional-style chinese restaurants, yeah. Especially Hong-Kong style. But I've more often seen black tea or a lower grade Oolong used at American-Style chinese restaurants.

The realities of producing television in the modern age really prohibit TV cooking show chefs from actually producing this content in their real homes -- lighting, camera placement, et cetera don't neccessarily fit in with the kitchens these people actually cook in when they are in their actual houses. As mentioned in the first post about Micheal Smith's show, some homes however are actually scoped out to be good cooking locations, however. The house used on Good Eats as I understand is a real house with a kitchen, not a set. It's not Alton Brown's, though. Cooking show kitchens are for the most part as real as Fred Rogers' living room. They are functional, but they are a set, in a studio.

I wondered about that. Back in college, a Texas Spring Break was always a trip to Puerto Vallarta or Acapulco (cheaper than Ft. Lauderdale for us), and I inevitably got Tourista (Montezuma's revenge, etc) on return. Of course, staying a really cheap hotels that did not filter the water was one issue. My in-laws now live in Ajijic on Lake Chapala. On our last visit, my SO and I ate pupusas and tamales from a street vendor. We were careful to specify "sin lechuga y tomate." No problema! ← Actually, now that I recall, Tony wrote a peice for eGullet.com that touched on those issues somewhat, and I think it was the second artcle we published. Its actually in his new book, The Nasty Bits, that was just released. http://www.egullet.org/tdg.cgi?pg=ARTICLE-bourdainidentity

The La Batalla chorizo is definitely excellent. Which is why their huevos rancheros are fantastic, because its got a lot of that in it. And apparently there's ANOTHER Mexican restaurant that just opened up in Bergenfield, also on Washington, thats somewhat more upscale that I need to check out.

New La Batalla Photos: Quesadilla de Chorizo Chilequiles con Huevos Steak "Envueltos". Cream sauce with onions, peppers and mushrooms

I have a few bottles of the 1824, It's a nice rum. Been meaning to try the 1919.

Exactly. To me, its a fancy 7-11. That doesn't make it not worth it to go to, however.

The pork is amazing (particularly the fresh linguica sausage) and I've never had any kind of problem with beef I've bought there. I don't go to Seabra's to buy fish. But Pork and Beef? Totally.

The border episode was excellent. Although I have to imagine Tony spent a considerable amount of bathroom time in that episode that was left on the cutting room floor. Street Tacos and Street Tortas? They looked good, but I dunno man. You must really have to be loaded up with antibiotics to eat that stuff.

I don't care for their frozen stuff either. I like their snacks and nuts and sodas and juices/drinks though.

Certainly will be a welcome addition to Paramus. I live closer in proximity to the Westwood store, but I shop in Paramus a lot more often than I head in the direction of Westwood.

For sake of comparison, before you go home, Head over to Central Grocery on Decatur Street in the Quarter and pick up one of their muffalettas. Great to have on the plane. Buy two, in fact.

That's great to hear. I know they have been working very hard over there to keep quality up since the storm. Palace Cafe has introduced a new cocktails program recently so I know they mix a damn good drink. If you like Bloody Marys, try their "Bloody Bull" -- its a Bloody Mary with beef bouillon in it. Really does something. Its a classic New Orleans drink that originated at Commander's. If you get dessert there DEFINITELY GET THE BANANAS FOSTER (click). Its like the only place in the city now where you can get a properly made one. The White Chocolate Bread Pudding is outstanding as well is the Strawberry Shortcake. By the way, if you do go to Bourbon House (which is also owned by Dickie Brennan like Palace Cafe) I've been told their Barbecue Shrimp is really good. Mr. B's, his other restaurant he owns with his cousins makes -the- barbecue shrimp to die for, but that place isn't going to open again for months, its being renovated.

Peanutgirl, I think you need to make one right away and photograph it. I'm thinking in addition to the crushed potato chip crust we use Durkee onions, for maximum white trash effect.

Kouign, I think we need to have Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup in there someplace. Or Velveeta. Or both.

I now have a new found respect for Frank Bruni.

Sounds great, bavila. You might want to consider roasting the asparagus, it gives it a very intense flavor that would go nice with the bleu cheese in your beef tenderloin roast. Toss with olive oil, S&P, put on sheet pan, bake at 500, done in 10-15 minutes. Drizzle with melted butter and grated parmesan.

I did something similar once with shaking hot pepper flakes over my spaghetti and meatballs at an Italian place once in front of a bunch of friends.

Oh yeah, Camile's in Port Allen. God I love that place, in all its redneck glory.

I've had a bag of those meatballs in the freezer for at least two months, so I pulled them out this past Sunday. I've spent hours making my own Swedish meatballs (Samuelsson's recipe) and while the frozen balls from Ikea aren't that good, they're good enough considering the labor that it takes to make homemade. I served them with a brown sauce with caramelized onions, mashed potatoes (instead of the traditional boiled), rutabagas (for She Who Must Be Obeyed; I can't abide "Swedes"); quick pickled Persian cucumbers; and lingonberry preserves. Perfect with some bag syrah. Hmmm? Jason, do you think an Ikea Meatball-Tater Tot casserole is worth pursuing? ← If it's for the sole purpose of pissing certain people off at the very thought of someone doing it, yes. It will probably taste good too.

Yeah the Daim cake is good. The Daim candy themselves are like crack.

So you're saying they had the "brioche-style" buns when you went last? We sometimes buy the frozen Swedish meatballs for our kids' school lunches. ← Yes, I believe they were the brioche-style. Definitely eggy-bread type. The meatballs are good just by themselves, reheated in the toaster oven, but I like making egg noodles and tossing them up with a beef stock/demiglace gravy and some freshly chopped parsely.

Some new Lotus Cafe Pics. Decided to order differently for a change and try new stuff: Tofu Skin with Sweet Peas, Scallion and Mustard Green Sauteed hand-cut noodle with beef Mandarin seafood-stuffed eggplant

Thats a good question, sanresho. I haven't been to an IKEA for at least a year. I ran out of meatballs a while ago but I am not sure if that's enough motivation to actually get me there to find out about the stickybuns.

Those meatballs rule. I think going to IKEA is like visiting the ninth pit of hell, particularly on a weekend. But if someone drags me there I'm coming home with a bag or two of those frozen meatballs. The sticky buns kick ass too. The ligonberry "bug juice" drink is awesome, I always buy the concentrate too.