Lady T

Thank you kindly! The current thinking seems to be that the period through the end of December is far too fraught with shopping/social engagements/high-calorie holiday binges/bill paying to do this in the next 3 weeks, and that early January is going to be much better. If there's any possible chance that this could be made to work out with your schedule, we'd all be delighted.

Finest kind! We may hope to see a few more folks as plans for the post-New Year's period come into focus.

Based on the description of Opera, the new Jerry Kleiner place, in the South Loop in the Ed Schoenfeld Q & A section, I'm planning to go try it out. Would anybody be game to accompany me ? I'm looking at the period directly after New Year's. Takers?

On the strength of this thread, I'm going to find an evening soon to get down to Opera -- any Chicagoan/out-of-town eGulleteers want to come along?

For onion fiends, here's a sinfully easy three-onion casserole that has been made at most of the Thanksgiving gatherings I've attended over the last decade: Red onions, sliced thinly, to taste Yellow onions, sliced thinly, to taste Leeks, sliced thinly, to taste Boursin cheese Pinot gris (Chardonnay will also work if it isn't too oaky) Layer the yellow onion slices on bottom of greased (need not be buttered) casserole; add a layer of red onion slices and a layer of leek slices. Salt and pepper to taste, and finish with a generous sprinkle of Boursin over all. Repeat layers of onion slices, leek slices, and cheese chunks to top of casserole. Casserole can be made ahead and set aside at this point for convenience in pre-Thanksgiving dinner mayhem if needful. Can be refrigerated, no problem. To finish, pour in pinot gris to roughly half to two-thirds the depth of the casserole dish, and bake at 350 degrees (Fahrenheit) until onions are done enough to be sweet, cheese is well melted, and wine has reduced -- or until the concoction smells too good to resist any longer. Enjoy.

Only on the square, Steve -- I'm well aware that Keller is the flavor of the moment, but the economy is famously tight and restaurants of any kind are famously expensive to run, let alone high-end places like the one for which Keller is most known. If I had major money to invest, that wouldn't be the place I'd put it. Then again, Vegas is known for gambling...

Lord God...one slated to open in NYC and now, apparently, one in Vegas?! Where's he getting the $$$$$ for all this?

I'm waiting eagerly for this account as well, and for the one to come about Trio in Evanston, which is where Steve will dine tomorrow night: I've heard a great deal about Grant Achatz' work up there, a great deal moreover in both directions -- either 'it's all foam and shock value and no substance', or 'it's all foam and he's an unbelievable genius and I can't wait to go there again'. I'm itching to find out where Steve comes down on that spectrum.

Suvir -- It may be that we caught Sugar's kitchen at an awkward moment in the turn of the seasons (which happened in about six hours flat here in Chicago; we started out yesterday morning in the low-to-mid 50's Fahrenheit, and dropped to the rainy, raw, low 40's/upper 30's in the course of the day, just in time for Steve to arrive ). The upshot was that Steve asked for the flourless chocolate cake. They'd run out. I asked for the poached peach. They didn't have that either. I asked for the berries-and-cream concoction (I'm sparing you the far-too-precious menu descriptions), and it wasn't available because it wasn't seasonal any more (why, oh why was it on that insufficiently-damned menu then?!?). Steve found his dessert before I could find something that appealed to me; the waiter wasn't quite tapping his foot while I hemmed and hawed over the verbose menu in the insufficient light (they'd turned it down for romance value, I would guess), but I finally went for the tapioca. Thus and therefore: I referred to the food at Sugar as incidental because it definitely took place behind the general suave-of-the-scene in the place's priorities, also in the priorities of the see-and-be-seen's among the clientele. Sorry about the excessive parenthetical asides -- I'm writing in haste.

Only once: I recall (somewhat dimly, given it was a pretty bibulous occasion) drinking from a nebuchadnezzar of Champagne a long time ago, with a restaurant owner who had a special bottle cradle of the correct size, along with the contraption (looks like a set of tongs) to get the cork out safely. Not much spillage. EXCELLENT Champagne. I wish, now, that I could remember the precise maker and year, though.

Salt on cantaloupe is something I still do sometimes -- but I have a friend who salts her grapefruit halves in the morning, and THAT is something I have trouble processing!

What a creep! Shall we start the betting on how long this exclusive private boondoggle will stay open?

All of which is on top of the fact that CT just raised his prices $5 to $10 (depending on which of the tasting menus you look at). The irony is...I never have tipped less than 25% at Trotter's because (call me lucky?) I've never had less than phenomenal service there.

Umm...actually, John Scott Trotter the composer wasn't Charlie the chef's father; that was, I recall reading, Bob Trotter, who owned his own HR/recruitment firm and went in as a partner (and cosigner/source of capital) when Charlie set up to rehab the Armitage Avenue property into a restaurant. The rest, as they say, is history.

The facts as I know them, Cabrales, with sources: The Chicago Sun-Times stated, last fall, that Lynn Trotter had filed for divorce on November 5, 2001, citing irreconcilable differences. Lynn's lawyer was quoted as requesting respect for the parties' privacy. There was no discussion nor speculation concerning any settlement or custody terms. The archived entries at www.suntimes.com will bring up the item if you search under 'Charlie Trotter'. The wine cellar at 816 W. Armitage is valued, in the volume 'Lessons in Service' by Ed Lawler, at one million dollars; I regard his sources at the restaurant as impeccable.

Folks, I don't disagree. Being ignored is not nice. Two points, though: Trotter's is thorough to the point of obsession about handing out mail-back evaluation surveys. Did you get them? Did you tell them that CT failed to greet you, nod hello, or even notice you? Did you let them know that you were offended? Don't let 'em get away with it, not for the $$$$$ you invested in the experience! On the other hand, however: I am hearing that CT is (a) preparing to depart for London to preside at the 'Trotter's at The Hospital' opening, (b) putting final-final touches on the 'RAW' cookbook he's doing with Roxanne Klein out in California, © putting 13 more episodes of 'The Kitchen Sessions' in the can, and (d) starting work on another cookbook, probably to go with the new TV eps. There's no way to EXCUSE the rudeness of the oversight, and I'm not trying to do so -- but fatigue, worry and distraction are common to us all, and epidemic in the hospitality field; those things might EXPLAIN his behavior on the night. See the distinction? Still and yet: please do make sure that you make your unhappiness known to the staff at Trotter's. They need to know that the boss offended a table full of guests and let the team down, and that they need to make it right.

Heh. The sources aren't that limited, but my brain can be so sometimes...now I know where that photo came from, plus a few others that show a smile. Nice.

The only question I have is: what did Meredith say to Trotter to capture that small sly grin? Most of his publicized photos range from deadly serious to downright grim. Which is a shame. The guy can be charming when he's not stressed...

Good night, Wilfrid! If they were sweeping garbage IN off the street -- to clean the place up!? -- then that's dirtier than any place I've ever visited at home here in Chicago. But on 56th Street off Seventh Avenue in NYC, there may still be a relatively foul place called La Fondue. I went there in December 2000 hoping, by the name of the place, to have a bite and a half decent glass of wine that wouldn't quite cost my left arm before a concert at Carnegie Hall a block away. I didn't get far past the front door, however. The place was dim. It was smelly rather than aromatic. I could see mold of the wrong kinds blooming rampantly on three out of five cheeses in the display window. The rats in the alley a few doors down looked more welcoming, cordial and professional than did the host, and the only way I could tell my fellow diners from the roaches, in that murky light, was to squint and count the number of feet touching the floor per body. I went straight on to Carnegie, and ordered room service back at the hotel afther the concert; paid through the nose, but at least I could vouch (more or less) for safety and sanitation. How do these places -- in NYC, Chicago, ANYWHERE -- keep their licenses (apart from the time-honored custom of bribing the inspectors and their supervisory politicians, of course)??

Do please remember to tell us which wine(s) got paired with what courses. Did you in fact open the Opus One you mentioned (the one that seemed to be the consensus recommendation) as one of three possibilities over on the Wine board?

Darn! Wish we'd all known you were Chicago-based in the summer! Ahhh well, there's next spring when you come back north (unless some dagburn hurricane washes you back up the Mississippi sooner -- they seem to be more vicious than usual this year). Let us know when you're back, and in the meantime please keep in touch through the winter!

Surely, surely.

Mr. Jones -- Novelli and Kaufmann (forgive me if I misspelled in haste from memory!), and Charlie Trotter as well: CT puts "crispy pig's foot" into/under/on top of a large number of savory dishes, somewhat as a signature.

My late father was a bartender. He showed me how to saber a bottle of sparkling wine once, after telling me sternly never, but NEVER, to let him catch me doing that to a fine champagne. I admit it looks cool, but it does waste wine.

Many welcomes, NoMI, and thanks for the clarification. Much success to Chef Alicea in his new position, too.