percyn

Welcome Shelby and LaCookrasha and what terrific first pics !! Shelby, that dog and ceviche look amazing. Did you use any particular type of dog (Nimans, Hebrew National, etc)?

More eats from Las Compadres in Downingtown: Homemade Chips and Salsa Tripe Soup - This is soooo good. A big bowl of the the most tender and flavorful tripe, simmered in a thin beef broth, spiked with paprika. Served with your choice of tortillas or bread. Carnitas and Asada Tacos Shrimp in a Mexican sauce - The sauce tastes like a mixture of cocktail sauce and salsa...very refreshing.

Went to Jasper's in Downingtown (78 W Lancaster Ave, next to Rita's water ice). This restaurant is located in a converted white Victorian house and the driveway is easy to miss. It was a Wed, but the place got pretty full by 7:30pm or so. We were presented with an Amuse Bouche of Asparagus and (Grilled) Chili soup, which was an interesting combination, though a bit too salty...an unfortunate trend which continued through our dinner. We ordered appetizers of Warm Goat Cheese salad and Grilled Quail with 3 Onion Tart. I was impressed by the quantity and quality of the quail dish, for under $10...though the quail was just a touch over done. Wife ordered the Fillet, which came with provincial vegetables, while I ordered the Lamb Loin. Unfortunately the chef was again heavy handed with the salt. Service was friendly, but could be more finessed if they want to be considered a fine dining restaurant (e.g. we had to remind the wait staff for replacement silverware, etc). Cheers Percy

I just ordered some Alphonso and Kesar mangoes from http://organicfruitclub.com/ Comes to about $10/mango, but should be worth it !!

Came across some fresh Porcini and immediately the dish that jumped in my head was one I was served at Le Cinq in Paris this past winter. So, I here is my version of the dish - Porcini Rissotto with root vegetables in a Lobster and Scallop cream sauce . The root vegetables were carrots, celery, turnip and parsnips. The sweetness of the cream plays off well with the sweetness of the lobster and scallops. Poaching the lobster and scallops in butter the official taste tester checking the lobster Making the risotto with porcini Making the froth While this dish lacked the finesse of what I was served at Le Cinq, it was quite tasty. ETA : Shalmanese, happy belated birthday. BTW, it seems my invitation was lost in the mail Cheers Percy

Natasha, I believe the name of the Mexican place at 2 Wallace Ave in Downingtown is Los Comprades. The owners/family also have 2 lunch trucks in Coatesville. Interestingly, the menu and prices are pretty much the same (with the exception of a few dishes like Mexican Shrimp Cocktail, which they did not have and the weekend tripe soup mentioned). They do have Horchata (and other Mexican sodas/drinks), which is great with the homemade chips and salsa. I ordered the Carnitas Burrito (served with rice, beans and salad) and a super creamy/eggy Flan (the pecans were a good touch, but had to take the canned cherries and peach off) I hope this place stays around, though I am a bit concerned about them being able to cover all the overhead and make a profit when they are charging the same prices as the lunch truck (essentially the entire menu ranges from $2-$8/item). Hoping to try the tripe and hominy soups they serve only on the weekends. Cheers Percy P.S: Sorry, for the blurry cell phone pics

Made a burger yesterday to get into the summer mood... Handformed patty with red onions, lettuce, tomatoes and a fried egg

When your computer's screen saver is a collection of food pictures you have taken.

Been there 4 times in the last 2 weeks....this place rocks !! These were impromptu visits, so I had to rely on my camera phone for some lousy pics As Philadining said, the staff is very helpful and the owner is super cool, making recommendations and bending over backwards by offering to make any special dish which may not be on the menu, when they are not very busy (Mon-Wed). The are looking to increase clientel soon, so please visit as often as you can before we loose this gem. I always start with some Sichuan Dumplings in Hot Oil - Chao Shou (红油抄手) and Jia-Jiang Mein (aka Chinese Spaghetti) I have also tried the Pork with Jalapeño (actually these are not Jalapeño but a long pepper) - very nice dish and I am trying to get them to make it with small green chilies Yesterday, I got the Sichuan Eggplant in Garlic Sauce Wife for Mongolian chicken which was also good. When I told the owner about eGullet he said some crazy guy in a ponytail was here taking pictures and mentioned the site....hmmm...wonder who that could be Anyway, grab a friend or 12 and go visit this place. Cheers Percy ETA: Yes, the Chef is ex-Tifco and left Chung King garden in Chinatown 7 months ago. Next time the owner is going to have the chef make me some pork belly with pickled vegetables....hmmm pork belly.

In that case, I would recommend a dry aged prime Ribeye from Wegmans (my house steak). It is pretty good at $25/lb or so. If you are lucky, you will come across a few on sale for around $15.99/lb.

I doubt there will be a backlash from the Indian population....they are eager to purchase these mangoes, even at $35/dozen, which is about 7 times the price you would pay in India.

Thanks Bruce...and that curry-chorizo egg looks delicious. I am recovering slowly and on Sat started taking baby steps towards the kitchen to whip up something simple like... Scrambled eggs w/Thai Tuna on Toasted Bagel Cheers Percy

Saxchik, that's good to hear. I almost went there on Saturday, but it looked like they were not open yet, so I went to China Bistro instead. BTW, China Bistro (previously known as Tico's) has added a sushi bar which will start serving sushi next week. Will have to check this place out soon.

Went to Nectar in Berwyn recently for lunch. Their steak tartare sushi rolls are not on the menu any longer, but still delicious enough to pursuade them to make a special order. I like their shrimp Pad Thai. Sounds pedestrian, but it really has a kick to it. Bento box appetizer sampler was so-so. Wife liked the goat cheese salad and lobster fried rice.

David, if you do get the cajun fries, I recommend you ask them to season it lightly, otherwise they tend to overdo it, making the fries too salty. And if you prefer more seasoning, you can always add some more

OK, so this is not the classic version, but Nectar in Berwyn used to make steak tartare sushi (sort of like a spicy tuna roll, but with steak), which was pretty good. While not on the menu anymore, they were kind enough to make it for me when I visited last week.

A while back, I made Stake wing roated with Sichuan pepercorn, leeks and asparagus. Topped with spicy Sichuan pork , which people seemed to like. The original post can be found here. You don't need to use all the same ingredients, just use what you have around for the sauce.

Dianne, that chicken looks great!! Do you mind sharing the recipe? Thanks Percy

Wow, some great looking breakfasts all around. Unfortunately, I injured my back last week and am confined to my bed, unable to make my favorite meal of the day. Happy Mother's day to all the mothers who frequent this thread !!

Rona, I forgot to post about my Avenues dinner...will post it soon. Butter's chef Ryan had left just a week before I went and I couldn't get into Schwa, so I went to Avenues and enjoyed my experience, especially since I was seated at the bar and conversed with the kitchen making my dinner.

That looks delicious Prawncracker.

A few days ago, I wanted to sous vide a ribeye and then grill it on a Japanese Grill (Krono) with Binchotan charcoal for extra flavor. Unfortunately, the weather dd not co-orperate, so I had to sear it on the stove. Prime, Dry-Aged Ribeye Packaged for Sous Vide with Thyme and Rosemary Made some Garlic & Herb oven roasted potatoes Plated along with Portobello Mushrooms, Leeks, Shallots and Red Wine Demi glace. A few days later, made a Turkey Osso Bucco with Mashed Potatoes

Lisa, last week I also happened to make Pancakes with Bacon and Sausage Your version looks and sounds better....

Even China Bistro recently seems to have changed owners or at least its menu, which now also offers Thai. The Mongolian beef I got recently was pretty blah. Haven't tried any of the usual spicy suspects or the new Thai dishes yet, but hope to soon. Please report back if you have tried their new menu.

Elements of last night's dinner were SK inspired: Mushroom Polenta w/Bacon and Hot Spring Egg* - Used Shitake, dried porcini and Portobello mushrooms sauteed with shallots in Benton's bacon fat and deglaced with red wine and beef stock. The creaminess of the polenta went well with the richness of the egg yolk, the smoke from the bacon and the earthiness of the mushrooms......yuuummmm. *Egg cooked at 63.8F for 1hr in an immersion circulator. And yes, used more than one egg.