percyn

Corned beef hash is one of my favorites as well and other than 1 local breakfast place I am always disappointed by the canned stuff they serve at diners/restaurants. Thus, I decided to make my own and now I am not sure I can eat the canned stuff. I would be happy to share some with you in exchange for that Benton's bacon

Kim, hope Mr Kim feels better. Maybe you can make him this.... Homemade Corned Beef Hash w/Fried Egg Today it was Scrambled Eggs w/cheese on toast w/fresh cracked pepper

Last week the gastronomic Gods were smiling upon me once again as a co-worker extended an invitation to Talula’s table. The evening started with some Prosecco and before long we were seated for a dinner which featured local-ish seasonal ingredients. Eastern Shore Scallop in Shell, Scallop Coral Emmulsion and Caviar I have had fresh shucked scallops before but none compared to the intense scallop flavor from the coral (scallop roe) and slight sweetness balanced perfectly with the saltiness of the paddlefish caviar while the baby enoki mushrooms added a textural component. This dish reminded me of a version made with seaweed butter at L'atelier de Joel Robuchon Summersweet Corn and Crab Soufflé What more can I saw about this dish other than it was a perfectly executed airy soufflé sweetened by corn and crab while the Cherokee tomato puree lent a bit of tartness to the dish. During the soufflé course, we were presented with gougeres which were fresh out of the oven and so flaky that they melted in your mouth. Around this time they also brought out a bread basket containing some amazing mini brioche buns which did not need any butter, but how can you pass up on some amazing local butter sprinkled with Hawaiian sea salt Handmade Orecchiette, Birchrun Hills Veal Meatballs, Roasted Cauliflower, Veal Glazed Sweetbread The orechiette and sweetbreads were so luscious and tender that it just melted on your tongue. The bite sized veal meatballs packed quite a bit of flavor and amazingly the cauliflower brought the flavors together without overpowering any of the ingredients. I really loved this dish and made a variation with ravioli and Birchrun Hills veal this weekend. Roasted Halibut, Swiss Chard Tart, Braised Smoked Bacon, Red Pepper Essence This was one of the most juicy pieces of Halibut I have ever had and what can I say about the braised bacon twice smoked on premises…except that I could have eaten a big slab of it. This almost reminded me of Benton’s bacon. Tender Guinea Hen, Dr Martin Lima Bean Terrine, Natural Hen Sauce I think the Guinea Hen was prepared sous vide. And these Lima beans were not the ones you momma probably fed you. The sauce had a deep flavor but was a tad bit salty for my taste. Chester County Lamb finished Three Ways Perfectly cooked lamb. There was the obvious roasted loin and I remember the vegetables being stuffed with ground lamb, but I can’t recall what the third preparation was. Little Stinkers (Cheese Plate) Can’t remember all the cheese names, but I think there was a washed rind sheeps milk cheese and my favorite of the lot was the second from the right - an award winning cheese called Grace. Chocolate Torte, Cashew Butter, Roasted Apricots, Salted Cashew The chocolate and cashew butter combination were wonderful, especially when combined with the apricots. I guess the sorbet on top added a bit of textural and temperature contrast, but in my opinion not necessary. We were also presented with some truffles from Eclatin nearby West Chester along with coffee and the scones which arrived with the check as a parting gift was a nice touch....and as I found out the next day...delicious. As for wines, I was not taking notes and there were too numerous to remember – everything from a Louis Lator Chassagne Montrachet, to a Hermitage, to some excellent Bordeaux contributed by our dining partners. We just brought a bunch of bottles and let them do the pairing (except for a few courses when we wanted specific wines paired). A few days later as I reflected on this dinner, I was struck by the intentional simplicity of the dishes which allowed the ingredients themselves to shine. Add to that the friendly and efficient service and you have a winning recipe (pun intended) that is Talula's Table. Can't wait for my next visit.

Braised Short Ribs w/Brown Rice Dr J, there are so many dining options in NYC that it is almost impossible to list them all. I am sure Daniel has many good recommendations but if you PM me the dining style you are looking for (fine dining, ethnic, etc), I can send you some recommendations. Also recommend checking out the NYC Dining thread.

Local Organic Eggs w/Sichuan Chicken variation Over the weekend I made homemade corned beef, which I look forward to using.

Insipired by a dish at Talula's Table which highlighted local ingredients, I made: Shellbark Hollow Farm's Goat Cheese Ravioli and Birchrun Hills Farm veal meatballs w/Chanterelles.

Are you going for dinner or lunch? If for lunch, feel free to take pictures, they will not disturb anyone since there is ample light.

Sorry Judiu, not a Steigmeyer Kim, it was even better than it looks For a pot luck tonight I made Mojito Marinated Pork

V, while the cheese course was probably the weakest, they cannot compare to the dishes from more intimate dining settings like Talula's table (or the former StudioKitchen), where the chefs can pay a lot more attention to each dish, since it is limited to 10-12 dinners. This theory also seems to apply if you have the same dish in the restaurant vs the bistro at Maia.

Actually, plans for another Han Dynasty located in Chinatown is in the works Soon, the New Asian Bistro will be renamed to Han Dynasty as well. Had a chance to swing by for lunch but since this was an impromptu visit, I had to rely on the blackberry camera. While the space is a little smaller, the decor is a little more sleek, stylish and the decor (and food) seems to have a bit more finesse than the Exton location. There are four branches of Sichuan cooking and while the Exton Han Dynasty specializes in Chengdu (spicier), the Royersford one features the slightly less spicy Chongqing(?) style. I asked Han to get a couple dishes he recommends. A few minutes later he arrived with... Pickled Cucumbers - Sweet, sour and refreshing A variation of the Cold Chicken in Spicy Sauce - this dish was bold, but not overly spicy and left just a gently tingle on your tongue that Sichuan cuisine is famous for. A few minutes later he came out with some Chinese bacon stir fried with leeks and peppers - similar to twice cooked pork, except this is not steamed, so it retails its porky flavor. I also got some Porkbelly with preserved vegetables to go, which just melts in your pouth and I think the preserved vegetables had better flavor (less bitter) than the version I had from Exton. A lot of bacon for one day (never thought I would say that). Can't wait to go back and try some other dishes.

Earlier this month I attended a dinner at the Maia restaurant (upstairs). Since then I have been back a few more times for lunch and some goodies from the cafe and will post about those visits later. Restaurant Bar Area Table setup Mezzanine level between restaurant and bistro Bistro Upon being seated for dinner we were presented with an eye pleasing mosaic of yellowtail tuna and salmon with yuzu gelée and pink peppercorns, which was paired with Burgans Albarino 2007, which lent hints of grapefruit, peach and mandarin. This wonderful pairing heightened the citrus flavors while overcoming the challenge of a potential clash with the pink peppercorns, The next course paid homage to the local farmer by featuring local vegetable tortellini, warm lemon verbena and sun gold tomato nage. The tortellini melted in your mouth while the vegetable and verbena broth along with the not too acidic tomatoes conveyed the umami of this dish. An Errazuriz Sauvignon Blanc Estate 2007 complimented this dish with notes of apple, pineapple and fresh cut grass. Our delightful feast continued with an offering of Viking Village scallops served with a timbale of summer vegetables and peeky toe crabmeat. The long, oaky and citrus laced finish from a Pine Ridge Epitome 2005 accentuated the natural sweetness of the scallops and crab while highlighting the citrus sauce on the crab. As a means to highlight the Maia Bistro menu, we were presented with Copper Ridge farm strip steak with Kobe beef pastrami, served with carrot and hazelnut puree and garnished with roasted pistachios. The thin slices of the Kobe pastrami were sublime and imparted a deep beefy flavor. This dish was a crowd favorite, particularly when paired with the robust and structured Chateau la Dominique St. Emilion Grand Cru 1990 with opulent blackberry, plum, toffee and leather on the nose and licorice on the palate. The meal concluded with a plate of local cheeses including Hudson Valley sheep’s milk camembert, Penn noble cheddar and Shellbark Hollow farm fresh chevre, which we paired with a BearBoat Chardonnay 2004. Dessert comprised of a chocolate mousse tart topped with rich chocolate ice cream and chocolate covered peanuts, which we paired with Errazuriz Sauvignon Late Harvest 2006.

WoooHooo!! They FINALLY listened to me!! Will go check them out soon (maybe tomorrow).

Another place to add to the list is BBQ USA, in Worcester, near Norristown. Went to Tex's BBQ today to get a Smoked Chicken. It takes make hours of smoking to impart this deep mahogany color and intense smoky flavor. Not cheap ($15), but if you crave rich hickory flavor, it is worth every penny. Made chicken stock with the bones and leftovers.

Good meals all !! Today we had Smoked Chicken - smoked by a local BBQ place. It takes make hours of smoking to impart this deep mahogany color and intense smoky flavor. Made chicken stock with the bones and leftovers. Along with some colossal Cheeseburgers, washed down with a Porter.

Parathas also tend to be stuffed with other items such as spiced potatoes.

What happened to Mosaic?

Why is this called the Alfonso cocktail (I thought it would have Alfonso mangoes)?

Thanks Kim...that bowl came from Crate & Barrel Today's dinner consisted of Crab Salad - crab, lime juice, shallots, cucumber and avocado My take on Shrimp & Grits (Polenta) w/maple ham

For some reason I had not made the now famous corn soup this summer and was craving it, so I was inspired to concoct... Essence of Summer soup - Corn milk, lobster, crab, smoked salt, avocado and avocado oil. Not the best presentation, but good none the less. Pity I did not have lobster oil to drizzle on it as well. Bruschetta w/Manzanillo Olive Oil (which I was introduced to at SK)

The other day we made Lettuce Wraps with an assortment of dipping sauces and pickled cucumber Yesterday it was Bruschetta w/Manzanillo Olive Oil followed by Essence of corn with lobster, crab, avocado, avocado oil and smoked salt Dessert was Vanilla Ice Cream drizzled w/Black Fig Vinegar

Omlette with left over Mongolian Beef

A fairly typical omelette in India consists of 2 eggs, red onion, cilantro, garlic, ginger, green chilies, tumeric powder, cumin and chili powder (and salt to taste - cheese optional). It is typically served as a sandwich between slices of white bread (and ketchup). This used to be my lunch many a times.

Yummmmm.....that looks good. The Khema per Eda is a traditional parsi dish you can get at "Iranian" restaurants in Bombay.

Don't recall the exact price but seem to recall it was pretty reasonable...like under $10.

Went back to 101 Bridge in Phoenixville. Seems like the kitchen is started to find its groove. On this visit we tried: Duo of white cheddar and Old fashioned tomato soup - The favors were very good, the temp though could have been a little hotter. On a side note, I would like to see a local restaurant do a white gazpacho. Scallop Tart - A good idea and the scallops worked well with the cream filling, though the tart seemed to be a touch sweet, which perhaps overpowered the gentle natural sweetness of the scallops. Wife got the Sauteed Chicken w/mashed potato and au jus- Nice crisp skin while the breast meat was still moist and succulent. I tried the bar menu and ordered a Burger with Gorgonzola and caramelized onions - The burger was cooked to perfection and the hand cut fries put this burger a notch above the competition. In fact, I liked this better than the kobe burger I had at another restaurant. Overall a good meal and good service. Next time I am going to try the lobster bread pudding which a table next to us had ordered. Oh, and they are open for lunch now.