Lady T

At this point, we had chosen individual appetizer and main-course combinations from the menu, intending to share samples and cross-critique. However, our main server (a lady of exemplary patience) arrived right then with an offer no eGulleteer anywhere ever refuses: Chef Paul was offering to cook for the group, a tasting tour that would cover most of the menu. We took about one long collective deep breath to arrive at consensus: "Yes! PLEASE!" What arrived next for each of us was called a "duet of soups": a creamy ginger-soy on one side and a tomato-black bean on the other, swirled into a yin-yang pattern in each bowl. While we appreciated the subtle use of the ginger, and the way the two soups tasted excellently, both individually and together, none of us felt blown away; it was just a real fine start. Following the soups was a "trio of dumplings" for each of us: five of us received a lobster/pork siu mai, a chicken and chanterelle dumpling, and a crisp fried pork wonton. The remaining diner, who doesn't do mushrooms, got his own different, and very interesting, trio: a little 1" x 2" (approximately) square of soft tofu topped with red chile sauce, a little lobster meat on a potato tuile with a fried lotus-root garnish, and a nicely sauteed (looked like; couldn't be sure) diver scallop. Universal approval. Onward...

AAARRRGGHHH. Thank you. I feel much better now. I'll re-enter this review course by course; that way I won't spend an hour writing something that gets lost when I hit 'submit'. In any case: The Awbrigs and I met at Nine a bit after 6:30 last night, in good time to sip a bit, catch up with New Year and Super Bowl menus and such, and then cab it down to Opera, where Maggiethecat and His Handsomeness had already arrived. Aurora joined us during the delightful tour and conversation with Jerry Kleiner, and at our seating we received two trays (one at each end of our table of six) of nibbles: a very vinegary shredded cabbage, almost kimchee-like; peanuts with a sweet/spicy glaze (these vanished fast!); and cucumbers, sliced thin, with a chile-touched marinade. After that, each of us received an amuse consisting of a crisp vegetable-stuffed wonton with a bit of Chinese mustard on the side. To be continued...

Patience, troops. I just wrote this the first time, went over my time limit apparently, and the system has just deleted my entire review. Give me a few moments to catch up with the work I'm not doing here in the office, and I'll re-enter. GRRRR. And Mike: I'm a 30-year member of the Chicago Symphony Chorus, which group has won nine (not six) Grammy awards.

Same address as Nine: 440 West Randolph. Haven't been there myself, but I gather it's a "scene" sorta place. Oughta be fun to stick a nose in, just for the people-watching value alone.

I loathed beets and lima beans when I was small. I loathe them now, even more. Consistent? ME?? Surely not in everything: just food.

6:30's fine. I'm planning to hit the place between 6 and 6:15 to see if I can clear us some space and/or a place to sit down. And Lordy, woman, if YOU aren't swank enough for Ghostbar, then there's zero hope for me, that's certain! Let's get there and see what's what and who's there, hmmmm?

Yikes! Don't scare me like that, boyo! I was already reaching for the phone to cut the party down again when I saw the end of your post! Whew.

I've already called to update the res. We are now six, and I'll be seeing folks over at Nine before we head over to Opera. Remember, please, if we don't all meet at Nine: we need to be at Opera no later than 7:30! Those folks are hardcases about not seating unless the party is in fact complete. See y'all there!

I'll miss both Belinda's kindly counsel and the evident delight she always has taken in making customers happy. I never felt condescended-to when consulting her for an evening's menu at CT's, even when I asked truly spectacularly stupid questions. I wish her well in whatever she does in future. Wonder if CT's going to promote her assistant Jason, or do a search for a new wine director?

I can hardly wait to see how good the tipping is (or isn't) at this place! I guess I'll watch almost anything once -- but I'm with Liza: I'm skeptical.

Savory: A risotto with porcini mushrooms that I took from 'Gourmet Cooking for Dummies' a couple of years ago has somehow morphed into something ELSE that causes people to rave. It's still risotto, but I've messed severely with Trotter's original amount of onion (currently it's half-and-half very finely diced shallots and garlic); I use chiffonaded basil as well as finely chopped parsley; there's considerably more butter and cheese in it at the end; and on occasion I even throw some baby spinach in it to cook down for the last five minutes. The recipe is flat down damn indestructible, no matter what I do to it: folks purr and coo and carry on and demand the recipe like crazy. Go figure. Sweet: The last few Thanksgivings, I've taken the pumpkin pie filling from the first Silver Palate book and poured it into an old-fashioned mix-in-pan oil piecrust. Utterly idiotproof. Instant ecstasy from all at table. As Vengroff said earlier: "...any moderately serious pastry chef could mop the floor with my sorry ass -- but people really seem to like it."

Sounds really good to me. The way work's been going, I probably could use some decompression time before dinner!

Fresh asparagus, plain, steamed, with salt and pepper and just a little sweet butter and/or a squeeze of lemon juice. Instant spring, even if it's snowing outside.

You really want an enchilada party out in the garden in these temperatures...? Don't think I have a mole sauce up my sleeve hot enough to keep folks warm, ma'am...and the cilantro ain't growing too well right now in any case. Awbrig and spouse do intend to be with us at Opera.

As well ask whether the items on display in an art museum are relevant to an artist working in the here-and-now: to me, the answer is yes. The history of the art form influences what the artist will do -- without dictating it entirely, of course -- and the techniques employed to produce the museum pieces may very well be the precisely same ones the contemporary artist will use to produce his/her own output. Compare, then, what a kitchen brigade was asked to do in Escoffier's time and what might be required from them currently. There are differences there, to be sure: government-mandated sanitation procedures and suchlike. Inquire HOW they will do it, though -- the same departments, assembling different elements of diners' meals sequentially, in about the same amounts of time (assuming that cutting shallots into brunoise by hand is about as time intensive now as in Escoffier's day!) -- and not a whole lot has changed. True? Therefore: my answer is in the affirmative. I look forward to further enlightenment.

So be it, folks! We have a reservation for a non-smoking party of seven at 7:30 p.m. (to allow folks a deep breath after work) on Monday night, January 27, 2003 at Opera. Opera is located at 1301 South Wabash Avenue in the South Loop, easily reachable from the Red Line Roosevelt Road L stop or by cab from downtown. Valet parking is available for $8 (before gratuity) for anybody who drives, according to Metromix. Street parking can be found, too, but I don't recommend it; neighborhood may be yuppifying, but it's still dicey. I have made this res on my own nickel (albeit plastic!), in connection with which I'm going to mention that Opera's 'Guaranteed Restaurant Reservation' form says: "Please be advised the party must be complete at the time of the reservation. Opera will release the table fifteen minutes after the reservation time if the party is incomplete." Please, please please be timely, hmmm? Give me a yell (here or by PM) if you have any questions. I am purely looking forward to this! OBLIGATORY DISCLAIMER: This joyous gathering of people who happen to be eGullet members is not sponsored by eGullet, and eGullet is in no way responsible for any individual or group mayhem we may cause in the process of having a total blast.

To the extent that one of the overall goals in gastronomy -- not the only goal, by a long shot, nor likely the primary one -- would be to educate all consumers in the products available and encourage thoughtful, responsible enjoyment of those products, thereby creating a marketplace where they will be more generally available (maybe, eventually, at generally approachable prices), then I can say that the recent boom is a good thing, or at least it's doing vastly more good than harm. I see a particular improvement in the ongoing discernment (and ferocious argument) about what constitutes quality produce. The debate has widened (occasionally also deepened) hugely, and I choose to see that as a plus. I note that this naturally begs the question of what the goals of gastronomy have been/are/should be; let the record read that I DON'T propose to begin that complex of arguments today, thank you just the same!

Vive la difference...

Therefore: a party of seven it will be. Now: the three noted dates are January 13th, 20th, and 27th. Is there a preference (such a luxury!), or shall I simply make the call and take the date on which I can get the nicest table for seven? Talk to me folks...I'd like to get that reservation in!

If the drinking choice had to be wine, I might choose a new Beaujolais: not pricey, unsubtle, bright, plenty of fruit, more or less able to stand up to the spicing in the food. Someone was pouring the nouveau Duboeuf at a gathering I attended while I was in Maine during Thanksgiving weekend. All the adjectives above applied. Gotta confess I like Margaritas better with Mexican, though.

Okay...the roster is reading: Yours truly, solo Mikeczyz, solo Aurora (bringing anyone?) Maggiethecat and His Handsomeness Awbrig (with missus?) Possibly, if schedule and flight/fare can be made to work: Suvir Saran That's a max of nine. So far. The floor is now open: can we narrow down the date? Suvir? What looks possible for you?

Tommy nailed it for me pretty efficiently. A convenient, comfortable, moderately-priced place with good food and cordial, warm service is a place that's going to see a lot of me.

Okay...since I have a conflict on Monday, January 6th, that will leave the 13th, 20th, and 27th clear. Do any of those dates work for you, Mike? Any previously unknown conflicts for anybody else on those dates? Let's narrow it down and I'll phone in the reservation. Awbrig? Bringing your ever-gracious missus? Mike? Ditto for The Handsome One, Maggie? Bringing a date, Aurora? I need to get the size of the party straight -- preferably the first time I call!

A book I would recommend highly for use ALONG WITH (not instead of!) whatever books you choose from the discussion above would be Shirley Corriher's great volume 'CookWise', for a wonderfully explained and good-humored analysis of the science that makes recipes work. I rarely use her recipes, but that's the book I turn to when something doesn't work out and I want to know why.

The more the merrier! Once we get past New Year's, we'll see if a date/time can't be set up to jive with your work schedule.