Della

Thanks - I will give them a call and see what I can find out. Della

I am glad to see this thread. Me and 3 other fellow e'gulleter's (my guy, and another couple along with myself) are heading to Montreal on September 22nd. We had booked and planned a trip to New Orleans but we aren't going there now due to Katrina. We just decided on Montreal a day or so ago and are all working together to get the trip planned. We will be in late on the 22nd and heading out on the 27th. That gives us about 4 1/2 days. I am working my way through the this thread and some others in this forum but wanted to ask outright - is there anything happening in the restaurant scene that is a flat out don't miss? (We are from Seattle and get this question all the time - there are a few restaurants that do a stand out job so we tend to list them often - I am guessing that you have some of those as well) We love almost any of food as long as it is done well. (Schwart'z is on the list already ). I am asking mostly about dinner/evening restauarants. Price is not technically an object as we are willing to pay for great food, service etc etc. As I continue to go through the thread I am sure I will have some specific questions - but wanted to do a heads up and I am going to be asking. Thanks in advance - Della

Finally made it in to Cafe Lago last night. What can I say - the lasagna was awesome. The ravioli divine. Service wonderful. The place was packed but not too noisy. I am going back as soon as possible!

Not yet - but I have to say I just walked by it for the first time yesterday. They only had one table going and it was about 12:30 PM. (the food looked good however from what I could see) I am going to try to get over there next week for lunch to try it out.

I got my free copy in the mail the other day. I don't think I will subscribe - the recipes aren't really that interesting to me and I didn't think the layout was that great. My impression is that they are trying to do something "everyone" can cook - very simple and easy to make recipes. But I didn't see even one that I would want to make myself. I love their spices though!

Thanks Brooks!! I need all the help I can get

Della here, jumping on on LMF's NOLA Trip Food Thread - Who has a recommendation for the best Soft Shell Crab Po'Boy? One of our group is looking forward to trying one of those sandwiches. I know that there are lots of places that have Po'Boy sandwiches and we have marked some that we might want to try but I am thinking of just the best Soft Shell Crab Po'boy Does anyone have a favorite spot??

Stopped into the "Black Bottle" after work last night with my guy. Liked the space but can see how it might be nosy if it was full so if you were looking for quiet this might not be the place. Ed the bartender is quite nice and made a great dirty martini. We asked about some liquors we hadn't seen before and he opened them up and gave us some tastes. We shared the "7 spice shrimp" and "BB's Anti Misti" platter. Both $8.00. The shrimp portion was generous and the spices we good. Slightly spicy but not overwhelming the shrimp taste. They were still in their shells but easy to get out. The platter had 5 each of 3 items. Panko coated cheese stuffed fried green olives. Fresh mozz wrapped in thin slices of eggplant, basil and a roasted pepper. And proscuitto wrapped and baked figs. All were pretty tasty but the plate itself could have used some presentation. We both had some wine as well - $5.50 for the pinot grigio. All together with tip it was $60.00 - good service, friendly staff and a bright space. We will definately go back another time.

Last Thursday (07/14/05) Little Miss Foodie and MR Little Miss Foodie along with myself and my special guy (Adiabatic) went to try Volterra. I have to say that we had a great time, had some good food and I think we would all go back again. We made reservations for 6 pm and LMS and her MR were on time but I made me and mine late by about 20 minutes. The hostess was gracious about it and our servier (Regina - whom we all really enjoyed) did not rush us or make me feel badly for being that late (which was super nice). The outside table (I think there were five 2 tops out there) were full and the bar was about 1/2 full and the dining room had probably 2 or 3 table sat when we rolled in at 6:20. By 7:00/7:15 the place was packed. Noise levels were fine. We liked the room, the art and our table by the open windows. We all had the Tuscan Limoncello Rosemary Drop cocktail: housemade limonchello, vodka, fresh rosemary, lemon sour and a rosemary sugar rimmed glass. There was a nice fresh spring of rosemary as a garnish that you could dip and swirl in your glass. It was delicious!!!! Nice bread and olive oil on the table to nibble. For our appetizer we ordered the Homemade “Little Bite” Selection (Antipasti Assortiti) which is a daily selection of Chef Don’s seasonal antipasti items - you order it per person - so we ordered for four. Let me say that this was wonderful. The large rectangular platter it was served on was very nice -just white but huge and pretty. It had little pork/fennel remoulades, grilled prawns (i forget with what but they were good and cooked just right -not overdone at all), proscuitto wrapped figs, salumi from salumi - the mortadella and one of the salami - I think the one with fennel) a two cheeses that our server told us the names of but I forget them, one was a parm or pecerino something close to it and one was a "streko-something" somewhat like a very mild brie. Hmmm - I think there might have been one other item but it escapes me right now. LITTLE MISS FOODIE - Feel free to jump in and correct any of my mistakes or make additions to what I forgot! We ordered a couple of pastas to share - LMF and her Mr LMF ordered the Spaghettini coi Granchi - Thin spaghetti pasta tossed in a spicy tomato sauce with Dungeness crab and fresh basil; drizzled with Tuscan organic extra virgin olive oil. It was ok - the tomato sauce was nice but it overwhelmed the crab. Me and my guy ordered a special pasta with Tagliolini (sp) (I think that is the right pasta - small like the thin spaghetti but square rather than round). It was prepared with small shaving of razor clams, pieces of prawn, olive oil, pepper flakes. Very good!!! I would go back for that - we all really liked it. Dinner - Which I am stealing off their online menu - Gran Misto di Pesce al Cartoccio Mussels, clams, scallops, prawns and halibut baked in parchment with tomatoes, garlic, fresh herbs, white wine and butter Wonderful!! Our waitress cut open the parchment and brought a small bowl for the shells. We all tried bites of everyones dinner (yes we are THOSE people) and I think we agreed this was the best entree. Cinghiale al Gorgonzola) Wild boar tenderloin roasted and served with a gorgonzola and mustard cream sauce, Yukon Gold potato gratin and seasonal market vegetables Quite good - all the meats were cooked about MR and they all came out pretty right on. I liked the sauce - not overwhelming just flavorful. Selle d’Agnello al Dragoncello) Pan seared boneless lamb saddle with a tarragon, mustard and cognac sauce, Volterra mashed potatoes and seasonal market vegetables YUMMY - cooked just right and the sauce was delicious. Lamb was tender and not overcooked. The last dinner wasn't on the menu to steal the description but it was a Veal Chop (I don't know what the sauce was but it had the Volterra mashed potatos and the seasonal vegetables). It was also quite good. The veg was sauteed spinach with some red onion, olive oil and probably something I didn't detect. I don't usually like cooked spinach but I gave it a try and it wasn't too "mushy" which is what turns me off of it normally. I had a couple bites and it was fine. I would guess if you liked spinach you would have liked this one. All the food was good - but I think the 3 meat entrees were a little more "fall or winter" as they all had a brown sauce over them and were probably a bit heavy for spring. The seafood in parchment was just about perfect. Wine - LITTL E MISS FOODIE will have to step in and let everyone know what we had - I never seem to remember! Our server was knowledgable on our first bottle and admitted she hadn't tried the 2nd bottle. We offered her some to taste so whe would know in the future what it tasted like and could talk about it. The 2nd bottle was a bit warm and when we mentioned it she was nice about it. I think when she tried the wine we gave her in the back she also recognized it was warm, took another bottle, put it in the cooler for about 10/15 minutes and brought us out a new bottle. Dare I mention we had drank most of the original one by then? We drank the 3rd bottle (on the house) and it was much better. Not so loose in the mouth and the flavors were a bit more "together" which probably isn't a wine term but oh well Dessert - berries with creme anglais & whipped cream (just ok - some of the berries were sweet, some were tart) and the Semifreddo with Khaula and chocolate covered espresso beans. Quite good - not too sweet, firm and cold. As we were winding down one of the owners (dare I guess Managing Partner Michelle Quisenberry ) came by the table. I had stepped away for a minute and missed the introductions. Talked for a few, thanked us for coming in - was nice and gracious. I think I can say we all liked the service and the experience and the food. I will definately go back.

I would call Mangetout Catering. You can PM me if you want their phone number and a contact name. They have have done parties that included whole roasted pigs, bbq pork & beef down to just plain grilling. They can handle vegetarians as well - in fact, they work with you to create your menu. I am partial to them as I worked for them many years ago and still stay in close contact. And I eat their food all the time. Their website needs some revamping so don't let that sway you! I really give them a strong 10!

I haven't eaten them with the crusts cut off or cut out into the circle shape - but I have been known to eat the occasional tomato sandwich. My introduction to the tomato sandwich didn't come from the south however but from a book I read when I was in about 2nd grade (and I won't say how many long ago that was!). The book is called "Harriet the Spy" and has since been made into a movie. The main character Harriet would only eat tomato sandwiches for lunch and since I wanted to be just like her, I ate them too. White bread, tomato, mayo - that's it. Now, when I make one for myself I am instantly transported back in time when I was going to be "Della the Spy".

Do you have a grill pan? They can be bought for about $20 at kitchen stores. I love mine for the grilling/bbq season. I just place it on the grill (it has holes in it so the heat and flames can come thru but your food doesn't fall into the fire) and put my green beans in the pan. I coat them with some olive oil first, salt, pepper, sometimes a dash of red pepper flakes. Just give them a stir once in a while and they are super yummy. I sometimes will add some mushrooms about half way thru the cooking process.

I don't know the restaurant equivilent but I have a question for you - are you advising her to put fresh garlic in the potatoes or are you going to have her roast some garlic and then add it? My thought would be to roast the garlic (cut the top off, put in shallow dish, fill with water to be level with garlic, cover with lid or foil and roast for 45 minutes or until soft at about 400) Squoosh out the garlic cloves and mix/mash in with the mashed potatoes, butter, salt, pepper, cream - however she likes to make the potatoes. I would advise two or three roasted cloves per potato when making the dish. Then you can always add more if you want more garlic. Any leftover? Spread on your bread!

I have been 2 times in the last 6 weeks and had a great time both occasions. The first time we went we hadn't realized that the wine is paired for you (yes - meaning that Phred doesn't let you see what he is pouring) and there is no wine list - but we thought it was fun and went with it. There are very few tables - 4 I think is correct - along with 2 seats at the bar and a couple of low chairs at the front. So the trick is to get there early or late. Yes - Phred can come off as abrupt but I don't think rude (at least in my opinion). They pass the menu according to when you arrive as they just have one or two people cooking. When we went the first time and asked for the menu and were told we had to wait our turn I wasn't quite sure what to say or do - but the people at the next table teased us and said they had it next so we were 3rd in line. I think that the fact that the tables/people around us were all friendly helped with that first experience. The second trip we made was with another couple and we had told them about our first time there and the way that the restaurant "works" and they were looking forward to the experience. We shared 8 dishes between the 4 of us, had two cocktails each, wine throught the meal plus 2 desserts to share and spent a total of $200.00 and were there for close to 3 hours. Phred definately added to our experience. We talked with him a great deal thoughout the night, he was funny and pleasant and we all really liked him. The food we had both times was good. Drinks were good. Wine was good. Prices were very good. We are definately planning on going back often.

I am a fan of Mangetout Catering. They do amazing work over there and you can pick up your desserts rather than have them delivered or have staff. They make great mini cookies, tartlets, cakes, pies - the whole works. Plus the garnish is lovely - typically, fresh and dried fruits, flower and herbs.

You didn't say if cheese is ok to add. I find a few crumbles of goat cheese or feta cheese adds that little bit of flavor and tang I like in a pasta salad. And ditto on the red pepper flakes. Very important to me in my pasta salad. OR - maybe some hot peppers. I don't know if you have access to something like "mamma lil's hot peppers" but I like them in pasta salad quite a bit.

My mom and I went to Thalia a couple weeks ago. We had dinner there before going to see the Lion King. We had the tuna appetizer listed above and it was very good. I normally don't love the tuna ( or any raw fish ) (yes, I know it was partially seared) but it did enjoy it and my mom loved it. We also shared the caesar salad and it was quite good. My mom thought it was the best she had eaten in a long time. Mom had the lamb shanks with beet risotto and it was great. I ate a few bites of it myself! I had the special which was soft shell crabs and I thought it was just so-so. Which is why I guess I kept nibbling on my poor mom's dinner! We had cheese after and then the creme brule. Ours was tea, ginger and orange. All in all it was a great meal, the service was good, we weren't rushed and we thought the restaurant itself was pretty. I would go back for pre-theatre dining.

I went to Babbo about a week and a half ago for the first time and it was great. My mom and I were on a long weekend trip to NYC and I got us reservations. It was not at all too noisy for either of us and the service was top notch. I was a little worried my mom (she is from a small washington state town) would be sticker shocked on the prices but everything we had so so great and the atmosphere and service all made this such a great experience that she thought it was worth every penny. I started with a martini and mom had an italian lemon drop. We shared the beet salad with ricotta salata and it was the best beet salad I have ever had! Divine! We then shared the proscuitto with rhubarb "marmelade" - The pieces of rhubarb that were on the proscuitto were still whole slices but had the flavor of marmelade. Like if you mashed them up you could spread it on toast. I am sure I have it a little wrong but it was amazing. Mom had the guinea hen and I had the duck - what can I say? They were both divine. Wine - Fatila 1999 Oltrepo Pavesa - Red. I asked for advice from the sommelier and he suggested this bottle. We both liked it and it was good with our food. All in all the best experience in a long time at a restaurant. I wish I was going back today!

I had a friend suggest eating here when I was in NYC last week. I spent a day at the Met and wanted something light, casual yet good near the museum. Well, this place was great. Good atmosphere and service. The food was good, the price was reasonable and it was a great experience all around. It ended up being one of my mom's favorite lunch spots. We did have to wait for about 15 minutes before being seated but the hostess was pleasant and it wasn't a big deal. They don't take reservations as it is a cafe in the new Neue Galerie's museum. The food is Viennese-style. We shared the crab, avocado and tarragon salad along with a salad of mixed greens and duck that had some wild mushrooms, cucumber and tomato. Then we shared the open-faced liverwurt and onion confit sandwich. I will definately go back next time I am in NYC

Isn't it funny? I saw the topic and thought to myself - there are TONS of things you can do with an avocado. But aside from putting in a sandwich or a salad or w/my mexican food - I guess I don't know of many other ways it is used. I will guess that there has to be an avocado soup recipe out there somewhere. I love to spread it on toast w/salt and pepper instead of butter but that isn't a recipe. I just had it with crab and tarragon last week but that I would count as a salad type meal. Now I am going to have to start looking into this one!

We have only herbs going right now. Two kinds of sage, two kinds of Thyme, a couple rosemary plants, an edible lavender, marjoram, oregano, winter savory, salad burnett, french sorrel, spearmint and our bay tree. We will be putting in tomatos, several types of hot peppers and basil. And I have a pot waiting for some parsley one of these days. It is wonderful to have the fresh herbs again. I actually had to buy some Thyme several times this past late winter and I can't say how grumpy that made me!

Thanks for the coupon tip! I do like their meats and their produce. I didn't know the La Brea baguette came frozen - that is good to know - I love their baguette!! I love the pate you can buy by the slice there as well! Nothing like hitting the olive bar, the wine section, the pate and dry meat sections, swinging by cheese and beer and heading home.

I like the Totem House for fish and chips - across from the Ballard Locks. I love to sit outside in the sun and have a snack! I don't think they have beer though

A torte often has layers - with jam or buttercream in between YUM!

Your question made me wonder - I never had thought about the difference before - I "stole" the following definitions off of the epicurious.com dictionary site. tart n. Very simply, a tart is a pastry crust with shallow sides, a filling and no top crust. The filling can be sweet (such as fruit or sweet custard) or savory (like meat, cheese or savory custard). Depending on the type of tart, the pastry shell can be baked and then filled, or filled and then baked. Tarts can be bite-sized (often served as HORS D'OEUVRE), individual-sized (sometimes called tartlets ) or full-sized. torte n. A rich cake, often made with little or no flour but instead with ground nuts or bread crumbs, eggs, sugar and flavorings.