philadining

Yeah, the cornets just come, they are indeed a great way to start a meal, and it's really just a bite, so I wouldn't stress about not wanting to repeat a dish, just eat them and enjoy them... As noted back a few pages, the Oysters and Pearls did not appear on any of the menus the day that our party was at Per Se, but when we asked, they basically said that if they had the ingredients, they'd make them. I suppose at any given location on any given day, they might not have good oysters, or not enough, or there's been some sort of worldwide tapioca embargo or whatever. But if there's some famous dish they make that's not on the menu, and you wanted to try it, it's always worth asking. And as to the "worth-it" factor of either of the restaurants, let alone both in a short time, it's just too multifaceted and personal of an equation for any of us to offer advice about. I'm still going back and forth about my meal at Per Se. The food I had was excellent, but not so much better, in fact maybe not any better than meals I've had at less than half the cost. But the entire experience made it worthwhile to me. The whole package: the setting, the service, the pacing, the wine pairings, the tour of the kitchen, etc made it one of the most fond memories I have about a meal. On a purely academic level, it was incredibly valuable just to get a better sense of how a top-end place can work: what happens when you do have the finest of ingredients, plenty of talented cooks in the kitchen, plenty of gracious service staff on the floor, plenty of space between tables, plenty of glass overlooking the plenty of NY? So, I'm very happy to have gone, and I'd like to get to the French Laundry one of these days too. That said, I'm not incredibly eager to return to Per Se, even though my meal was excellent. At my income level, it is unquestionably NOT worth it to to me to dine there with any regularity. But I found it totally worthwhile to do it once. Maybe again in a few years. How this translates to your sense of value, only you can say. I hope my impressions can be helpful in some way. If I were you, I'd go to one or the other for sure. Both? maybe...

Yeah, that sounds like a legitimate gripe, and you explain it well. I think restaurants can be helped immensely by customers pointing things like this out. The crying baby thing is a tricky one, I wouldn't want to be the server or even manager who has to explain to this oblivious mom or dad that the little one is ruining other people's experiences. I think it's great that parents bring kids of any age to restaurants, even fancy ones, but they also have to have the sense to know when their children are being disruptive. Who knows, maybe your letter will prompt them to devise a default response to these situations, where they may have been ad-libbing previously. Your letter is well-phrased and focused, I hope you send it. Please let us know what you hear in response.

It's probably a risk, but there's a transitional zone between the liquid itself that's very foggy so I think he was staying well above the surface, and using a spoon, even as his hands were getting down in the murk. But of course he could get splashed, or as Percy and I were pestering him with questions, he could get distracted... The frozen stuff is fished out with a slotted spoon. But it's probably like putting stuff in hot oil, or using the mandoline without the guard: after the 500th time, you figure you can do it without hurting yourself. And MOST of the time you're right. Edited to add: his hands do look kind of red, don't they?!

It's not very loud. You can hear that it's on, but it's more like a moderate fan-noise, not a churning motor. Here's one in action at Studio Kitchen (more at the link M.X. provided above). As you might guess from the shapes, these "antipancakes" started out in rings to hold their shape.

Wow, mottmott, beautifully said! I'll take those metaphors over crass photo food porn any day....

Katie and I checked out a sneak-peek at some of the upcoming Book and the Cook events, by attending the "A Taste of The Book and the Cook" at the Wyndham Franklin Plaza ballroom. Many of the participating restaurants offered tastes of a dish by the authors that would be appearing at their restaurants. We'll add details, but for now, here's a glance: The "Peachy Queen" from Astral Plane The Bonsai Martini from Buddkan Sorry, I hate to say it, this tasted like vodka, sugar and a good dash of Dawn dish detergent. Bleahhcch. I'm totally OK with the concept of Cilantro in a cocktail. But this aint the one... My photo of the winner of the cocktail contest didn't really look that great, but that drink: the Italian Ice Martini from Washington Square was actually quite good, in a summery-patio-lounging kind of way. Just watch out for the brain freeze. Good mini crabcakes from Abbraccio, based on a recipe by Deanna Segrave-Daly Excellent fried dumplings from Yangming based on a recipe by Grace Young Nice, sticky-sweet ribs from the Museum Restaurant, based on a recipe by Susan Spungen A delicious Cauliflower Soup from Opportunities Inn, Stewed Pork, Sushi Rice and fried Lotus Root from Margaret Kuo based on a recipe by Elizabeth Andoh This might have been the best dish at this event: tender pork in a slightly sweet sauce, seasoned rice and a crispy lotus root chip seasoned with green tea powder. Margaret Kuo, her own regal, yet friendly self... Dolmades, from the Restaurant School based on a recipe by Barbara Kafka The prizewinner of the night for best dish, a Thai salad from Fork based on a recipe by Patricia Yeo (and it was indeed quite tasty) Tuna Sashimi salad from the Grill at the Ritz Carlton, based on a recipe by Brian Streeter, from the Cakebread Cellars Cookbook. Cookies from Penne, based on recipes from Nick Malgieri There were a few other good offerings: Joe Poon's Teriyaki Chicken, as interpreted by the chefs at George's; Ted Allen's Pulled Pork, as made by Washington Square; and Dave Lieberman's Veal Stew, as rendered by Twenty21... it certainly got me a little more interested in checking out some of these events....

This was really the best kind of serendipity: Katie and I had grazed on lots of little bites at "A Taste of the Book and the Cook", and weren't especially hungry, but found ourselves drawn mysteriously toward Capogiro, because, you know, it's Capogiro. Well, that and we were hoping to purge the lingering flavors of a couple of truly egregious cocktails... A funny thing happened on the way to Capogiro... As we were walking toward the shrine of gelato, suddenly I remembered that CherieV had been raving about the Gyoza at Raw, and the lure of good dumplings is almost as strong as the gravitational pull of creamy gelato. So we popped in with the intent of simply getting a drink and trying these gyoza. It, ummm... got a little out of hand. Just as we'd decided on trying a flight of 4 sakes, some dumplings and heck, while we're there, a little sashimi, and maybe something else... Chef Greg Ling came out, and after a little chatting, suddenly all sorts of wondrous dishes were arriving unbidden, and we only ended up paying for drinks and a small fraction of what we ate. Some days, life is really good. Seriously, big thanks to Greg for his above-and-beyond generosity, we truly appreciated the opportunity to try a range of things from the menu. We're happy to report that every single thing was really delicious, well-thought-out and beautifully executed. I hope sharing these experiences with folks here is some payback for Raw. And lest you readers think we were bought-off by comps from the kitchen, or were getting unusually good versions of the food, we got chatting with some other folks at the bar, who testified that the food has been first-rate at their many recent visits. And as much as we like to support our fellow eGulleteers, and show our thanks for kind treatment, neither of us could bear the scorn the rest of you would heap on us if we gave false testimony, so it's with a clear conscience and great confidence that we'll tell you that everything we had was rocking good, some of the best sushi, and beyond, that we've ever had in Philly. Go, find out for yourself, you won't be sorry. We started with a flight of 4 sakes: a Hakushika Chokara, a Miyanoyuki, a Ozeki Yamadanishiki, and an Okagura. All four were tasty in their own ways, and the side-by-side comparison was quite interesting. I really liked that particular Ozeki. They've got a really broad selection of Sakes, and our bartender told us they're planning on doubling it! As we were sipping the sakes, an oyster shooter materialized. A couple of small, sweet, plump oysters were accompanied by some cucumber and scallion in a sake bath. Delicate, fresh, complex, delicious. Next the fabled Gyoza, the whole reason we were here in the first place. They did not disappoint, they were crispy and juicy and full-flavored, helped along by the manager's own dipping sauce (Greg, stick with this sauce, it's better than a Ponzu would be!) As we originally intended, I'd drop in to this place just to have some sake and these boys... The mixed Sashimi appetizer was WAY bigger than I'd pictured, and just perfect. Really fresh fish, beautifully sliced and presented - the Sushi chef's got some serious knife skillz.... I'm not sure I expected to see sweetbreads here. These were freaking immorally good. Greg's been putting anything that's not bolted-down into the sous-vide bath lately, and he's got the sweetbreads pegged: these were creamy and smooth, but with a nice crust from a final crisp-up. Beets, microgreens, grapefruit and some nice citrusy sauce rounded this plate out nicely. Another serious high-point. And of course, while at a sushi bar, you'd expect to get Bacon and Eggs More sous-vide hijinks resulted in some tender, intense pork belly, holding up a poached (quail?) egg. Maybe a little out-of-context, but I don't care, it was freaking great. Perhaps more in the genre, but as big a surprise, was a warm stuffed Squid, adorned with roe. I know I'm sounding like a broken record here, but this was amazing, maybe the best thing all night. Ika is on the regular menu, and you might end up with something like this, but this was the sushi chef's special preparation for the night, so it might be different in future versions. This one was the best squid I've had in a sushi bar, by far. But the real reason I go to sushi bars is for their hot chocolate.... We were tipped-off about this drink by the guys sitting next to us, and they say the dark version is awesome too. In this case, a light, frothy white chocolate liquid was mixed with sake, and adorned with cinnamon. Unexpectedly delicious. I have to say that I was skeptical abut this place when i first noticed it. It was probably an opening party or something, but the first time I saw them open, there was a velvet rope outside, throbbing techno emanating from the inside, and that's all i needed to know, it didn't seem like a place for me. I think it does get to be a bit of a scene late on fridays and saturdays, but when we were there, on a weeknight, it was totally chill. It's an attractive place, with nice decor and lighting, good music, and probably the most surreal-yet-zen restrooms I've ever seen. It's hard to explain, just go... We sat at the bar, and everyone was REALLY nice, helpful, friendly, and informed. Obviously we benefitted from chef Greg being a little bored on a slow night, and from the fact that they're still new, and want to get the word out, I certainly don't expect anything like this experience again. Regardless, I have no hesitation about recommending this place, clearly both the hot side and the cold side are operating at a high level, and putting out some interesting and delicious food. I'll probably avoid the weekends, but I'll be back for sure, probably sitting at the bar on a weeknight. I suggest you try the same thing! Thanks again to Greg and everyone at Raw, we were very impressed. And we'll be back.

The full-on brunch is $52 now, and most drinks, wine by the glass, etc, are about $11, so even with just one cocktail, or glass of wine, you're at $63, tax gets it to $67, tip boosts it to just under $80. But if you're not drinking, you're looking closer to $65 all-in. I didn't really even think about it, but apparently coffee and juice are included. If one feels like wine, they have a nice deal where one can get any two glasses from the suggested pairings on the menu for $18. It's a lot of money, but it felt worth it for the quality of the experience.

Hey, by the way, welcome to eGullet augieland! We'll check out your blog, but please come back and update us about your various dining exploits here on eGullet too.

what did you think of that? i'm trying to make myself like uni, but i can't help thinking that it tasted like low tide. ← I liked that actually, although I'll agree with Karen that the uni was fairly subtle in that particular batch. It may come down to one's general orientation toward uni, I was mixed for a while, but got some really amazing basic uni sushi (at Pod, of all places!) that really turned me around. That sample was indeed like low-tide, but in the best possible sense, like being almost physically transported in space and time to a childhood afternoon poking around in tidepools, JUST after the tide went out, while everything is still fresh and bright and alive. It strikes me that really great uni is almost more of an aroma, a sensation that feels like it's coming from outside your mouth... So even just a hint of it resonated with me in this little shot at Lacroix, I thought it worked. Not the most profound flavor combo with uni I've ever had, but nice. (The most profound one? oh come on, you folks can guess: that's right, StudioKitchen - uni custard with maple glaze and a roasted almond...)

I guess that would have been pretty hard-core, wouldn't it... I can't yet claim THAT degree of gluttony, I needed a few hours to digest. So, yes, thanks, it was Sunday the 5th at Lacroix. Corrected to set the historical record straight. You know, for the kids. Good play-by-play Percy, and I too was getting confused trying to remember which of the little soup-like doses were which... but I'm pretty sure the cauliflower soup was in the shotglass, and the spring flower demitasse was in the little white (demitasse) cups. A couple of highlights for me: some of the little stuff at the start was most satisfying, especially the crispy Sweet potato and Mexican Chocolate Barbajuans, the tiny jambon croissants, pretty much everything on the spoons and in the shotglasses, (raw bars never thrill me too much, but the selection of different caviars was cool...) back in the kitchen, a slice of wild boar was nicely juicy and flavorful, and perked-up by the ginger jus that accompanied. The veal stew was simple but hearty and delicious. The gnocchi with fiddleheads and guanciale didn't look too impressive, but was actually a taste highlight for me. Even some of the simple breakfast things like french toast and waffles were improved by the high-quality accompaniments, like beautiful fresh fruit, Niman Ranch bacon, interesting sausages, and unusual combos. Some of the composed egg dishes were quite nice, and a change from what one normally gets. I passed on many of the things in the chafing dishes, and reports from the table seemed to confirm that hunch, folks didn't seem too impressed with the shortribs, or the sous-vide duck, or a few other things that honestly didn't look too attractive... But those less-impressive aspects were such a small percentage of the total, it's hardly worth mentioning, it's not as if we went hungry because the duck was no thrill... Desserts were pretty universally strong. In the end a chocolate fountain is more fun than it is transcendentally delicious, but they use excellent chocolate, so there's not much bad about dipping anything under that cascade. We actually had to physically restrain Karen from just sticking her head under there, but the staff seemed ready for it, it must happen a few times each Sunday. The liquid nitrogen relied somewhat on the gee-whiz factor, but as we've experienced with the anti-griddle at SK, that fast, super-low temp actually gives a very interesting texture to the frozen items, in this case a passionfruit foam, surrounding a more liquidy, fruity center. But I could have kept pretty happy with the remainder of the dessert area, everything I had was excellent. I'm having a hard time imagining anyone not enjoying this brunch, there are fancy, creative, edge-pushing bites, there's simple bacon and eggs, there's premium chilled seafood stacked high on the serving table, there are somewhat conventional carved meats in the back, along with some more unusual preparations, and there's enough dessert to keep anyone happy by itself. We concentrated on the food, and just had one cocktail each, and otherwise stuck to the good coffee and fresh orange juice. As a result, we ended up owing $80 each, including tax and tip. That's a bit much for pancakes, but totally reasonable for over 3 hours of steady eating, featuring really rewarding food, and very pleasant service. I'd do it again for sure. Maybe not the day after a Rodizio feast next time...

I do it for the kids, you know, risking my financial and physical health so that the historical record is fuller, more vivid, so they'll have a sense of the rich culinary history of this area. And if I just happen to have to eat a few slices of bacon-wrapped sirloin off a skewer in the process, or knock back a shotglass of blood orange-uni custard in order to serve the greater good... I'll force myself... It's a tough job. I will not, however, admit to having gone to Capogiro on saturday. There is no proof of that.

Interesting menu. As suggested earlier, it is indeed WAY more Chinese than the Buddakan in Philly, and augieland's descriptions and pictures make much of the food seem almost like conventional, traditional dishes, with just a small twist or two, or unusually luxe ingredients. I don't see an obvious Susur influence, beyond the pork belly. I'll look forward to more reports (not that there's anything wrong with augie's!) Maybe he's hooked-up, but if any of us ate as many omakases at Morimoto as he has, we'd get invited to the friends-and-family dinner at Buddakan too!

I haven't been in, but just saw a sign not long ago as I was driving through there... it's back in one of the gazillion little strip malls along 30, on the south side of Rt 30. I'll try to get more precise info and share it. Maybe time for a new thread!

I went to Tortugas a couple of time shortly after it opened, and while I didn't hate it, I just didn't feel inspired to go back. That said, I'm glad to know you enjoyed the meal there, if you do return, please share more details. And at the same time, I'll agree with Flav that there are some good options not too far away that might be even better. If you get a chance, I'd be curious to hear your reactions after making a comparison. It does depend on your crowd, and what you're looking for. Los Mariachis and the other little taquerias Flav mentioned have more authentic food, but not much in the way of atmosphere, not to mention that some folks find those more authentic plates a bit harder to take. So they're not always the best spots to take the less adventurous. And keep your eyes open, there are little Mexican groceries popping-up all over, there are a couple of little tiny ones in Phoenixville, but depending on what you're looking for, they might do the trick. There's one in Frazier, one in West Chester....

Oh crap, were we supposed to keep track of what that stuff was?!? Actually we did manage to take some menus with us (neatly rolled and sealed with a Lacroix sticker by the lovely folks at the front) so we might just be able to decode some of it. Let me just say one thing before Karen does: wasabi caviar - freaking amazing. And we need to take up a collection for bail, so when Percy gets arrested for trying to sneak liquid nitrogen canisters out of the labs, he'll be free to make us some frozen desserts at SKW. He'll be fine, no jury would convict after tasting exhibit A. In lieu of details right now, I'll just say wow! Thanks to everyone who has posted here previously for inspiring us to go, it was really incredible. Extra thanks to Diann for getting the ball rolling, even though cruel fate conspired to prevent her from partaking! (It's a good excuse to go again....) and to Percy for taking the time and energy to coordinate. And to the rest of the folks at the table too, always a pleasure!

Brunch at Lacroix, Sunday March 5, 2006 Dessert:

Brunch at Lacroix, Sunday March 5, 2006 From the Kitchen:

Brunch at Lacroix, Sunday March 5, 2006 To start:

Oddly slick website at, you guessed it: www.brasiliagrill.com/

A couple of details: BRASILIA GRILL 97-99 Monroe St. (The Ironbound District) Newark, NJ 07105 Phone: 973-589-8682 As I hope the photos convey, Brasilia Grill served-up truly excellent food. I'm embarrassed to admit that I got sucked into the feeding-frenzy to such a degree that I completely neglected my responsibilities to document this extravaganza, and missed taking photos of the vast majority of meats. Even without taking pix, I was having trouble keeping up with the furious pace of meat-distribution. It was all quite fresh and tasty, from the grilled meats right through the extensive hot and cold salad bar. If I had any small complaint, it might be that some of the meat that was served in chunks, rather than sliced off the skewer, was somewhat randomly very rare or very well-done. Happily it was all good even at those extremes. And the paths taken by the skewer-guys seemed a little random too, we never felt completely confident that a certain skewer was coming our way without some frantic arm-waving and pleading. But that's really mostly pathetic neurosis: everything was likely coming our way eventually, and given that we were so inundated with meat, it's a bit crazy to worry that we might have missed one of the selections. Servers were very pleasant and accommodating. I have to say that I liked everything that I ate, which added-up to about double my body weight of primarily grilled meats, but I did make an attempt to try some of the salad bar too. And yep, I'm with ya Dana, I'm still full.... (And yes Matt, those were Chicken Hearts. They were good!) This outing was officially an event of the Dangerous Dining Club, which is populated quite heavily with eGulleteers that frequent the Pennsylvania boards, but it was great to meet some of the North Jersey eG folks too! (Thanks for adding those pics ejebud, nice shots!!) Major thanks to South Jersey Epicurean for organizing this event. I didn't do a head-count, but we took up about a row and a half of looooong tables. Again, big fun, great food, very cool to meet some of the Jersey folks, as well as share some great food with the old crowd as well. I'd certainly recommend this particular restaurant, the food was quite good, and the price was insanely good for what we got. I'm ashamed to say that I hadn't visited the Ironbound previously. I'll certainly be back!

Brasilia Grill: March 4, 2006

Oh yeah, or their "Killer Cake".... ← What? Where? Details, please. ← The Commissary's "Killer Cake" put me into many sugar comas back in the 80s... It's in the (excellent) Frog Commissary Cookbook. And I think it still shows up on Frog-Commissary Catering menus from time to time.

Oh yeah, or their "Killer Cake"....

It also depends on how dramatic and stable the foam needs to be. Simply steeping a flavoring element in milk, and then airing that up with a immersion stick blender, or a cappuccino frother, can get you some nice foam which you can simply skim off and spoon onto or beside your risotto. That's not going to last as long, or have the same mouthfeel as something given some backbone with lecithin, etc, but it'll last several minutes, which is plenty if you're going to plate it - serve it - eat it, immediately. Works on a cappuccino...