frankj

zephyrus, you're better than I. I had just a six course meal at a French restaurant and had to purge before leaving. I'd vote for Le Reve as best in Texas. I've been to Boulevard Bistro and Wink and while both are fine, I don't put them in the same league. Friend of mine loves Le Reve because you can organize your own courses and have as many desserts as you want. Had a five course meal with three of them desserts.

Drip coffee can be great. But I've largely switched over to espresso. Home espresso machines have gotten to be good. The nice thing about the French Press is that the grind isn't as essential as for a drip machine. Just don't go overboard on grinding and get too fine. After a while, my grinding blade wore down to where it couldn't get too fine and produced a very nice grind for a pressoir.

The Bistro at the Maison de Ville used to be my favorite NO restaurant. And the Maison de Ville was my favorite place to stay. I think it's where Susan Spicer started out, and I haven't been back there since she opened Bayona. But if she still runs it, I'm sure it's great. Thanks for the reminder, I'll have to try it myself.

I have just discovered parippu vadas. I think they are very nice but maybe seem a little dry. Are they conventionally served with some sauce, or raita, or chutney or other complement?

I got curry leaves shipped from Foods of India in NYC. Getting the actual growing plant is difficult, though. I was told by a gardening company that it couldn't be done. Anybody have leads?

No disclosure of interest there, foodie52? Actually I agree, whenever I have family or others in from out of town I take them to the Central Market in Austin. When it opened it was way ahead of the curve and I think it's still ahead.

I went into an IHOP not long ago. Stranded in the neighborhood, I thought "why not?" It's by no means bad, straightforward pancakes, fried eggs, fried potatoes, etc., and the prices are low. Plus, being in there makes you feel really young!

I don't know of any history between Kirby Lane and Magnolia. You may be thinking of the Omelettry. Magnolia Cafe is a spinoff of the Omelettry, as I think the restaurants were divided in a divorce of the owners.

I think you can make scrambled eggs in the microwave fine, but they are actually more difficult than in a pan. You have to keep opening the microwave and swirling them. Plus, you run a great risk of overcooking. What could be simpler and quicker than scrambled eggs in a skillet. They're quick and you can easily observe when they are done perfectly. Now, the best scrambled eggs are made in a double boiler, I think, and they do take a little longer.

The best meal I've had in New Orleans was at Emeril's. And I've had a lot of fine meals in NO. But that was some years back and I haven't been to Emeril's in the last couple of years. Those of you who say it's not good now; what did you have and precisely what's wrong with it? Or is it just backlash against his TV personality?

Some say Le Reve is the best restaurant in the entire state.

I think Vespaio is not nearly so good as it was. I used to love it. When I ate there recently, the menu had changed considerably so that it had lots of pastas and pizzas but very few traditional entrees. Both the mixed seafood and mixed carne grills were quite good but you really don't have much choice beyond that. They no longer had the fabulous duck dish that helped make their reputation.

My experience is that prepared spice mixes in Indian groceries are often great. They save time and, frankly, I don't think I could improve on them no matter how I tried. My only complaint is that they come in little boxes with cellophane packages that don't keep and are less functional than traditional spice jars. However, my rule of thumb is "never buy anything that has curry in the title." I have yet to find a "curry" blend that I really like. So, if it doesn't say curry, be sure to try it.

I've used amchur powder. But not enough. They sell it in quantities that amount to a lifetime supply for me.

When I first came to Austin, from Boston and DC, I thought County Line was good and really looked forward to eating there. Now I wouldn't consider going there.

Awfully harsh, Roger. I'm in some agreement with your substance but not your tone. I think Bella Luna is ok, that Brennan's is pretty darn nice as touristy experiences go, and that Galatoire's gives you a true feel of old NO, even though the food is not great. Nor am I a big fan of Acme or K-Pauls. I don't love beignets , but can't possibly see how you can call them disgusting. I completely disagree about Emerils. I haven't been there in a couple of years but have been a few times before and found it to be very good (regardless of one's opinions of the proprietor). My rule of thumb for NO is Susan Spicer. If she's connected with the restaurant, eat there. Haven't been to Horinoya but I don't go to NO looking for Japanese food. If I'd been there for a year, ok.

Tasca's very good but not real fancy, more of a bar/date place when I was there. Is the Boulevard Bistro still around? Again not too fancy but very good when I ate there.

I am of the opinion that Indian cooking may stand out most of all in its breads. I think they're all fabulous. And I may not be getting the really good quality ones, but they're still great.

Cafe Annie

Great talk, but I want to make the case for chicken with bones. Admittedly, they can be annoying, especially with something like fried chicken. But a great chicken curry is cooked and cooked and cooked. By the time it's done, the meat is falling off the bones. You don't even need a knife. And the bones add flavor to the curry as well as the chicken itself.

While I can't add much to the above discussion, I still want to elaborate. Whatever food you are thinking of, it's almost certainly Cajun. Gumbo, etoufee, red beans and rice, etc. Both Justin Wilson and Paul Prudhomme are basically Cajun. Cajun was the downstairs food, characterized by "variety" meats and spices and stews. Creole is the upstairs food that is basically French. I think of "Redfish Ponchartrain" as a classic Creole dish -- basically traditional French use of local ingredients. But of course the downstairs affects the upstairs. And I think what can make Creole good is the influences it has drawn from Cajun cooking.

Belated thanks for the heads up on Foods of India, Suvir Saran. They could ship me fresh curry leaves. I notice you're developing a retail section on your website. Perhaps you could team up with them. They have no web-ordering and the clash of our accents over the telephone made ordering a little iffy.

Well, the thread started with reference to fusion and innovation, which I'm not sure are that important. They are not good in their own sake, only insofar as they produce better food. I find that typically they do not, though occasionally they're great. My own list starts with Jeffreys. I've wavered on them over the past 15 years but I still think they're the best. Second would be Vespaio, though I haven't gone there much due to the wait. I think you've got to consider Zoot up there. The Cafe at the Four Seasons seems very inconsistent but can be great. Emilia's is very good but I've been there only twice. Jean Luc's Bistro and Aquarelle provide good French food. Siena's setting alone makes it worthwhile, and there are some very nice menu items. For Indian, the Clay Pit is good for dinner and probably the best for breads, but I think their lunch buffet has gotten much worse. Sarovar is the place I most often patronize Of course, it's nothing like Manhattan, but you can eat pretty well down here in Austin.

Lots of Indian recipes call for curry leaves. We have lots of Indian groceries in Austin but none seem to have fresh. The dried ones are tasteless. Can you get fresh ones anywhere mailorder? Or can you suggest a good substitute?

Enchiladas Y Mas moved to Anderson Lane. I think Ravago left Fonda San Miguel to write books. I hate Cisco's migas (though I am aware they are renowned). All the places listed are good but overlook the best places. The strip on South First is fabulous, my favorite is Polvo's. The strip on East Sixth & Seventh too, my favorite is Dario's. Anglos can make good migas and Tex-Mex, but don't forget the places ran by Latinos. El Rey's another good one.