Mnehrling

I loved it. The only thing that got to me was Jack Davenport as the narrator (Steve from Coupling). I was expecting him to go off on a tiraid about breasts or something. (Other Coupling fans out there will understand.) I've recommended this show to some business students I mentor. It will be a great 'shock' to their system. ;->

Were there any children in there? Some people are very wary of people taking pics of kids (and I don't blame them).

I agree Chris, Other than the ice cream, his food seemed more 'real' this time, something I've complained about his food in the past. Squash was good for Bobby.

My fav list: Tony Bourdain Ainsley Harriot Silvana Franco Gordon Ramsay Ming Tsai Nigella Jamie Oliver Rick Bayless Michael Chiarello Alton Brown Julia Child Jacques Pepin Hate List: Rachael Ray (If I hear one more giggle...) Mario Batali (Sorry yall, bad experience at his restaurant (Babbo) put me off forever.) Dweezil Zappa & Lisa Loeb (Get out of the kitchen and just sing.) Bobby Flay Rocco Lidia Bastianich So-So List: Emeril (Watch when you are drunk and its kind of fun). Martin Yan (While I'm not crazy for him now, I cannot hate anyone that I grew up watching.)

My guess was to keep it from cracking when it was quick frozen? Just a guess.

Oh, come on yall. Didn't you just love the rope on top of the pumpkin with the fake flowers stuck in it? Does anyone have a pic just in case somone missed the show? It was the funniest thing I've seen on any IC since Morimoto made hot dogs out of Uni. (if memory serves me correctly)

That's what I understood as well, but if you listen to the interview Chef Feenie did on CKNW (Vancouver) he says there is actually a list about a page long of potential ingredients. The advance notice they're given, according to Feenie, "isn't much help at all." Personally, I think he's embelleshing a bit. Ming Tsai showing up with an air compressor for his Peking Duck is enough proof for me that they know more than Chef Feenie is letting on. A. ← I have heard from an insider that the list was 5 ingredients, so it would appear that somewhere in between lies the truth. That being said, it certainly does not detract from the fantastic cooking and creations that you see on ICA. What spoke volumes about the preparation and advance notice was the lack of banter and discussion amongst the sous chef's and chefs. Having heard the interview, there was some foreknowledge but not lots. It would be interesting to see a show without any preparation, warts and all ! Lots of yelling, swearing, threatening of lives, kicking garbage cans. But I doubt that would happen. Not in TV land! ← From the previews, that looks like how Bobby will be acting on the next episode.

Never underestimate the power of the image. You've convinced me to go for Vietnamese food tonite.

Star Canyon has been closed for months. Without a doubt go to Lola, either the Tasting Room or the "regular" side of the restaurant. Both are wonderful. ← Thanks, Its been over a year since I've been there. I guess this answers the question as to why it was so hard to find info on them. I knew they closed in Austin but I didn't know they closed in DFW.

I found the site link for Star Canyon. http://www.crww.com/starcanyon/index.htm

After Alton Brown explained that one of the crabs (was it the blue?) switched sexes several times during its lifetime, Kevin Brauch threw out the comment: "We all wish we could do that sometimes, don't we?" Wah? Seriously, isn't a midseason replacement due for this guy? ← ..and giggle take the risk of giggle Rachael giggle Ray being the new giggle floor correspondent giggle?

IMHO, the best burgers in Texas are at: Juicy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers & Wings Inc 2103 North Town East Boulevard, Mesquite, TX 75150 Tel: (972) 613-7001 I visit the original Juicy's in Longview TX at least once per month. Their Chicken Fried Steak Sandwich is also awesome.

I agree that Coppola makes some great wines. What wines does Sting have labeled? My wife will go nuts if I bring some home.

Dont be so sure...anything can happen in Iron Chef ← I'm waiting for Alton to pull the move Hatori (sp?) did on ICJ and challenge the Iron Chefs for a place on the podium.. After all, Alton is already the Scrap Iron Chef.

bump for later.. I just sent a message to a friend in that area to let me know of some recommendations.

Its been a few years since I've been there, but Star Canyon is a good reflection of high end Texas dining.

I heard that NOBU was opening a restaurant in downtown Dallas sometime around March that will be neo-Japanese.

Unless you have a professional reason why you can't afford to be seen criticizing a restaurant, I wish you would tell us which one you're talking about. If anything, the lack of identification could be seen to possibly imply disparagement of several other restaurants you don't mean to criticize. ← I didn't list the specific restaurant because I didn't want to imply I thought a specific place was 'bad', especially since I am a big fan of the chef and his art. I just wasn't happy leaving a restaurant feeling like I had a $200 appitizer. The restaurant in question was Per Se in New York.

I hate to admit it but I have never really been a Mario fan (bad experience at his restaurant last year, no comment), however, I do like how he works with his staff and his genuine passion for cooking.

I have had the opportunity to dine at two 'Avant-garde' type restaurants and the experience was quite different for each. The positive experience was Charlie Trotter's (I consider it Avant-garde but I realize others may not). Not only did his cuisine reach the level of high art, but I also felt that I had met my basic nutritional needs. My negative experience was, to say the least interesting. I won't say the name because of my negative comments. I felt as though I spent a little over $200 per person on eating at a purfume counter. I am never happy with a meal when I don't feel even slightly satisified nutritionally at the end of the meal. I feel that some chefs who have the freedom to follow the Avant-Garde route forget the basic function of food. While I have no problem with their expressing their freedom and art, I as a consumer would rather choose a place that I don't have to order a pizza after I eat. This is just my opinion, flame away.

Oh wow, I didn't realize Michael was a member and participating on EG. Well, with that said, GOOD JOB Michael!

I'm another person who voted for Michael. While Mario's dishes looked pretty OK, Michael seemed to center around the theme while Mario, for the most part, used the theme as an accent. I love Michael's use of 3 types of salt in the first dish, each accenting a different dish. This shows a real understanding of the subtile differences between the chocolates. I have a feeling that Mario's pasta was what turned the originality points to his favor.

My wife being out of town means that I don't have the motivation to cook too fancy but tonite my thrown together simple dish was quite good. I sauteed garlic, shallots, green olives, asparagas, and walnuts in olive oil and I added some of the single malt scotch I was drinking and rosemary to it at the last minute. Not only did it look good but it tasted wonderful. I think I'll have to add this to my 'list'. I apologize I don't have pics (I need a new digital camera).

I tried The 5th Floor a few months ago and it seemed to be buzzing (in a subdued way). Everyone at the conference I was at wanted to try (about half of us were staying at the Hotel Palamor where it is located) but only a few were able to score reservations.

My wife is there this week for a convention and I asked her to scope out the good places to recommend.