Forest
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Posts posted by Forest
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You're quick, petite tête de chou! nice work.
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And another (I think someone mentioned the movie earlier, but not sure if there was a reference to it):
"It's a baguette, with brie and butter. I had four of these damn things every day I was there."
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Pontormo: fun thread!
I'd like to throw one out there:
"French fries, French dressing, French bread..."
It's a movie that's been around for awhile, but still makes me giggle.
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I've used my pressure cooker for stews and veggies, and decided to try a pot roast the other day - and it came out really tough and over cooked....what did I do wrong?!
I went to the butcher and explained what I wanted to do and he gave me a topside for 5 people (I don't know exactly how much it weighed - but it was big enough to feed five people...sorry i know that's probably a critical piece of information!)
I browned the meat first in hot oil.
I added some broth, wine, bone from the butcher and seasonings.
I brought it up to high pressure (my pressure cooker is old, so it doesn't have settings - the little nob bobbles when it's really steaming) and then once it seemed like it was really going, turned the heat down low and cooked it for about 35 minutes.
The juice/sauce was great, but the meat was really tough, overcooked and kind of dry. I had looked online for pressure cooker pot roast recipes before trying and several mentioned 30 to 40 minutes cooking time, so I thought 30 would be good. (I actually forgot, and thus it went for about 35)
But, I kind of thought, that even if it cooked to well-done, it would be pretty moist having been in the pressure cooker...and it wasn't!
Any suggestions for weight/time to get it medium rare? Also, is it possible that I didn't brown it long or well enough?
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Yes, I was thinking about the Bistro Paul Bert, too. I think I posted somewhere else that I thought the wine list was a little heavy on expensive options. But, I had a great bistro meal there recently - and it looks like from your post, you're more focused on the food than the wine - and, I think the menu is a really good value - I think it's about 35 for starter, main and dessert?
And, I second molto's enthusiasm for the Bristol (although I have a lot of experience eating in mid-range bistros and the like in Paris, so I might not have enough of a taste of starred restaurants here to judge it compared to others.)
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Hi Bryan:
Re: cheap hotel recommendations, I'm not sure what you are looking to spend, but I've had friends stay in a couple that I would recommend in the 25 - 40 range/night. Hotel El Dorado in the 17th. This one's not as centrally located, but I think it's clean, friendly, very acceptable for the price. Also, even though you're not right in the center, it's very easy to take metros or buses from here to anywhere in town - and you are easy walking distance to Montmartre.
Or there is the hotel du sejour in the 3rd (I think), which is much more centrally located, but not as nice as the El Dorado. Both are easy to find info just by googling. Or I'll find their websites when I have a bit more time.
Anyway, if you decide on either of those, let me know, as I know both areas and could give you ideas on restaurants/food interests in the area. Or feel free to PM me for more hotel information.
Have fun!
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Thanks, all. Yes, I've been to the Bar Hemingway & agree: great drinks.
Felice: no not looking for a particular atmosphere (although something nice is always good!) but more for where everyone thinks the best cocktails are. Otherwise, I'm pretty open.
And, will take other suggestions on board and report back if i find anything really good!
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In Paris, the fast food chains I notice are McDonald's, Quick (French equivalent of McDonalds) and KFC. But if I want something fast here while I'm walking around, I'm likely to grab a crêpe from a street vendor.
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Gifted Gourmet: Of course, you’re right in that it would make sense that you’d want your preferred places to be busy so they don’t close. But, I think the concern is that if a place gets too busy the quality could suffer – or simply that you lose the charm/quaintness/exclusivity of the secret little restaurant that you’ve found. Also, there are some who want a restaurant to maintain a particular crowd and not be overrun by the “wrong” kind of people who are just following the crowd and might not appreciate the food in the same way they (the discoverers) appreciate it. (This is not my feeling, but i think you guys know what I mean?)
And, WHT – I agree it’s way more fun, interesting and rewarding to discover great-priced finds that are truly good…but that’s exactly the ones I think people are keeping secret!
Me, I don’t have secret food places - The only food related-secret I keep is what goes in my purée de pommes, but that’s just because I don’t want my dinner guests to have psychosomatic heart attacks!
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Maybe this topic has come up and I missed it, but I was talking to someone recently about their favorite place and he made a comment about not wanting to share it with other people because he didn’t want it to “get out.” So….does anyone else out there have special restaurant that they don’t share (even here…or especially here) because they want to keep it for themselves. (you don’t have to tell us which ones the are!)
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Okay, just got back and I have to say I really liked it. Ptipois is right that they don’t have the generosity of a Mexican restaurant, but I kind of think they are at least trying to have the gutsiness. I get the feeling that they are trying to stick with actual Mexican food (within reason of getting ingredients) rather than catering to what many consider the French palate of not liking spicy foods or trying to adapt to an international/French audience.
To begin with, I had a margarita, which was good – not the best I’ve ever had, but the best I’ve had in Paris. And, by that I don’t mean it was acceptable, I mean it was pretty darn good! (I’m just picky about my margaritas). The salsa was yummy. It was spicy – not super hot, freshly made. You don’t get a lot – a tiny ramekin of chips and another of salsa. The chips were also good (the chips I wouldn’t rave about, but they were good)
We ordered four entrées. Guacamole (which I liked – chunky, you could taste all the ingredients, maybe not as spicy, salty or citrusy as some would like, but I was very happy with it - fresh, homemade, tasty), chimichangas (a little dry, but good), and something stuffed with huitlacoche and, well, I’ve already forgotten the last one, but I remember liking them all.
I had tamales for my main, which were excellent. The person I was eating with told me not to expect them to be as tightly formed as what I might have had in Texas of Southern California, and he was right, but they were good. The only one of us that wasn’t really blown away by our main was the mole…I don’t care for mole so I can’t comment on that. But otherwise, we were all very happy with our meals. (three Americans who have spent time in Mexico so we’ve had a good taste of both Mexican and Tex Mex)
They brought out some tequila and something else for a digestive for us – I had something kind of herby (tasted very anise-y…again, don’t remember what it was…maybe too much margarita and digestive) but it was very nice.
And the husband/wife team that own and run the place were delightful. I always kind of pause when people use the word “delightful” because it sounds a bit…I don’t know…cheesy or something. But they were very nice - she came out and talked to us for quite awhile at the end of dinner and then he came out and I really got the impression they are making a real effort to serve good, authentic food.
By the way, it’s not a Tex-Mex place, definitely more Mexican, but overall I was really happy with it. But, then again, I’ve heard very little good about finding Mexican in Paris, so I wasn’t really expecting anything great. On a final note, it was very empty. There were maybe two or three other tables full during the time we were there.
Also, I heard (not sure, but someone told me tonight) that a al mexicaine closed a few months ago.
Not the best Mexican I’ve ever had in my life, but overall I was very very happy with it. I haven’t tried Anahuacalli, but the people I was eating with said it is just as good. As always, that’s just my opinion and what made my tummy happy – but I’d say give it a try if you haven’t and you’re craving Mexican.
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Thanks, as always, for the good input. I just heard back from my dining companions and it looks like we will be trying Hacienda del Sol (I do want to try Anahuacalli, as well, but unfortunately I can only fit in one meal a night!)
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A friend just sent an email looking for food and drink recommendations for an upcoming trip to Paris. I have plenty of food recommendations, but less for good cocktails.
There's some places that I might recommend for drinks (but not for dinner) where I think the cocktails are well-made compared to a lot of what I find such as:
China Club
Buddha bar and related bars
SoMo
Kong
and for more laid back atmosphere:
Fubar & Rhubarb (although I've only had their creative tini's there and think they are pretty good, but don't know about a range of cocktails at either of these)
Harry's
I've never really gone on a search for the best cocktails in Paris (but wouldn't mind finding them). So, any recommendations on where to find the best?
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This thread has been silent for awhile, but I'm bringing it back up because I'm going out for Mexican food tomorrow and wondering if anyone has any new input or updates since the last posts. Any new or yet unmentioned Mexican places to try in Paris?
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FG - thanks for the clarification - if it's improved over what I had before, which I enjoyed, I'm sure it would be even better.
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Felice: I agree with the idea of not obliging the hosts to open the wine. I always make a point of saying something like "this is for you to serve if you want or enjoy it on your own later" or something like that so they know I don't expect them to open it. Because I'd hate for them to mess up the wines they planned because they thought I wanted it opened - but I also like to make my own little contribution to their efforts (even if it's a contribution to be enjoyed later.)
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Dave, I got a good little giggle out of the beginning of your post!
On host/hostess presents, I always think you should bring a bottle of wine. If it's a good friend, I'll probably ask before hand if they are serving something in particular and there is a wine or alcohol that they would like me to bring. Most people say no, so i try to bring something they could serve if they wanted to (a bottle of champagne for aperos or after) or something they might like to enjoy themselves later. I believe there are some that say you shouldn't give wine to the host, but I do. (but then again I'm not French & maybe I've been offending Parisians left and right with my wine offerings!)
Then, in addition, I might bring a present. I was at dinner the other night and someone brought the hostess a little potted plant and I thought "that's cute, i wish i had done that." I love getting flowers, but I've read that sometimes it's a pain for hosts/hostesses that are in the middle of meeting, greeting, prepping, etc, to drop everything and find a vase. The little potted plant solves the vase problem. Oh...and now that I think about it, i was just having lunch at a friends and her French mother in law came over and brought a little potted plant as a hostess present (she did not bring wine, though).
So...if either of these (plants or wine) are apt to cause embarrassment or problems, I hope some other EGers out there will stop me before I single-handedly destroy Franco-American relations!
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I definitely third the idea of happy hours - Seattle is packed with happy hour options! I don't have anything off the top of my head, but I've seen lots of lists. (Hey, Wendy, if you're around here - didn't you direct me to a list online when we were looking for a good happy hour when I was there in Sept?)
I also really like Le Pichet (French cafe downtown)...I'm not sure how much wine you want to drink with your meal or if you want multiple courses, but depending on how you order you could probably get in and out of here for your target lunch or dinner prices.
I had a very cheap and yummy lunch in Ballard at the Mexican place, La Carta De Oaxaca. In fact, maybe, it could be good to try something particularly cheap like that for lunch so you could splurge a bit more at dinner instead of limiting both lunch and dinner.
Enjoy your visit to Seattle!
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I have never eaten at the Grammercy Tavern before, so can’t speak for it compared to the past, but did eat there last month with Little Miss Foodie and Tall Drink of Water. (in the tavern part)
Yes, the cocktails were great and I was impressed with the vibe – it was busy, buzz-y and fun. The food was also good. While we were in NYC, we did have better meals, but we also paid significantly more for them. So, on the whole, I was very satisfied with this experience: atmosphere, good food, well made drinks. Our server, I can’t remember her name, but it was her first night, was friendly, helpful and a real pleasure.
The only thing I was slightly disappointed by (and not even really disappointed, just thought it could have been better) was the sommelier/wine steward.
But, I would definitely go back and recommend it to others based on my one recent experience.
And, Pan, since I wasn't in the main dining room, I don't know about that - but I'd definitely say the tavern part is mid-range in price.
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I agree with Rebecca - no need to be nervous - sounds great! I got the same cookbook from someone for Christmas this year - I think it was so i would cook them something out of it!
In looking through it for ideas, I'm really liking the look at the insalata di radicchio e rughetta - I think the spicy greens would be nice before the boar.As for the apps, Little Miss Foodie turned me onto a crostini recipe from Food and Wine which is ricotta and radishes and rocket. We made it and I thought it was really good and then I made it again for a cocktail thing and everyone loved it. I never add links to my post, so I'm having a hard time figuring out how to do it, but the recipe is on the Food and Wine magazine site and it's Fresh Ricotta and Radish Crostini. I think the tip to making it good is to dress the radishes and rocket really well before putting them on.
Good luck and have fun!
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I think Le Repaire de Cartouche is a good choice...especially since I think technically we're still in game season (I'm not sure when it ends...late January? so, I guess we're at the very end of it!) But, they do a lot of game, so if there's still anything interesting to be had game-wise, I imagine they'd do it well.
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I will be in Mombasa for a week. Mainly work, but if i get a chance to get out and about, does anyone have any recommendations on any food or places I should try? And is there anything particular I should know about food or eating customs in Kenya?
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I'll be going there in a couple of months and think I'll try Ubiquitous Chip so a few questions on that:
Any changes of opinion since the older posts?
any big difference between the experience/quality of upstairs versus downstairs?
I assume it's a place where we should make reservations to get a table on a weekend night?
What are the prime dining hours in Glasgow?
And any good recommendations for a bar for a before or after dinner drink that's closeby?
Thanks.
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Something I noticed -and by no means makes it a fact- but in Paris while most of the time i notice people lean left so their right cheeks touch first as said above by C&Z, I used to live in Annecy and it seemed in that area of France people more often started on the other side first. Maybe it was just the people I knew there?
Also, on the hand on the upper arm, I notice & do that, too, but that's more to kind of stabalize myself so I don't fall into someone if I'm leaning towards them.
Chinese bloggers bash Starbucks
in Coffee & Tea
Posted
interesting.
But, in terms of the economic and cultural invasion they talk about, there's also Walmart in China, which doesn't seem particularly Chinese to me. Although, I do understand that they made efforts to adapt to the culture and changed some of their standard ways of selling food (things like live seafood, fresher food). I wonder if Starbucks will/could make some changes to blend more besides just a discrete sign - a bigger focus on tea?
I'm not a fan of Starbucks (or coffee for that matter) so I don't really mind if Starbucks makes it in China or not, but it's it's all interesting food for thought on globalization, cultural changes, etc.