BryanZ

Life is not fair. This white truffle talk depresses me for two reasons: 1) My inability to rasie funds Cafe Boulud or Per Se for the white truffle season 2) The fact that outside of NYC (read: the dirty South) white truffles might as well be aliens from Mars.

Oh, I see, you are the sort of person who would marry a "simpleton" and let her bear your four children but not drive your car or cook in your kitchen? Very rational. ← It's a matter of demonstrated ability. If my wife can outcook, outdrive, outanything me, more power to her. But if we are assuming Ramsay's belief that the average woman is not as good of a cook as her mother and grandmother, then I'm going to tell her to relax and not worry about it or, if she wants, work her ass off to learn from me of someone else better than her. I respect my food and the culinary arts and don't intend to eat Domino's and Applebee's Curbside Pick-Up.

If I may add a little bit more this discussion in Ramsay's defense, let me recount an anecdote from yesterday evening. What follows is an exact transcript of a brief conversation between myself and an otherwise well-rounded, wealthy, and intelligent, Duke student who comes from a relatively large and traditional family. 19 year-old girl: Hey, what'd you have for dinner tonight? Me: I just broiled a steak I picked up this weekend and ate that with some caramelized onions, aspragus, and spiced glazed carrots. 19 year-old girl: Wow, I had my leftover Domino's pizza and some leftover Chinese delivery. I wish I knew how to cook. Me: I hate you. Besides my revealing my inherent food snobbery, what does this conversation show? Mainly, it shows that the simple operations boiling and sauteeing vegetables and broiling a steak are outside of the realm of many a well-educated and intelligent young woman. If this is the trend among cultured and well-traveled young women (and men) in America and Europe, then I shudder to predict the cooking prowess of young women who grew up eating McDonalds and think that the epitome of Mexican food is Taco Bell. Perhaps I'm missing something, but Ramsay's statement was 100% accurate. In reference to Ramsay's banning his wife from his 500,000 euro kitchen, I don't blame him. Would you want some simpleton driving around your $650,000 supercar? I think not. I don't let anyone drive my car, I'm not going to give you free reign over my kitchen (and I assure you neither of those are even remotely close to 500,000 euros). To the people who get in a hissyfit over Ramsay's supposedly inflamatory remarks, give me a break. He's a guy who tells it like it is, and his standing in his industry gives him just about every right to. The multitude of posters on this board, both men and women, who agree with him are evidence that rationality still exists in this world. Edited to add: Of the few girls I know who say they can cook, most of them say they learned to do so for their boyfriends (or, even worse, because their boyfriends told them to learn). To me, giving into traditional gender roles is a hell of a lot more sexist and offensive.

I can't think of any truly romantic restaurants in the area. A super romantic weekend would be like a night at Fearrington with dinner and breakfast. That, however, is a lot of money and not really in Durham or CHill. Off the top of my head, I would suggest the "fine dining" offerings in the area, as they might have competent waitstaff and marginally intimate surroundings. For example, Magnolia, Nana's, Elaine's on Franklin, even Vin Rouge if you're into the romance of the French bistro. Perhaps your best bet might be Il Palio for its supposed elegance, but that's technically hotel dining and some people are weird about that.

Bruni trashed this place. It seems inevitable that it will soon close. I was really hoping for something decent but Bruni only reaffirmed nearly everyone's fears and predictions.

The review of Ninja this week was actually quite good. His usually contrived one-liners were actually somewhat witty this time. Of course, it's easy to bash a restaurant like Ninja if the food isn't good, but I was thorougly entertained from beginning to end. Yay Frank!

While displacing Zagat and NYT with serious diners may not be difficult for Michelin, I believe Chef Ripert was referring to the general public that buys tens of thousands of Zagat NYC guides each year.

That tagliatelle with ercargot and chanterelles sounds perfect for fall. I've generally had pretty quick service with the food. If anything, it takes them a while to get you the check to wrap up your meal.

How much are they upcharging for that and how is it presented?

This was a well-stated post. Although I do not not explicitly work in food-service I must admit that the entire generation, with very few exceptions, of kids my age has absolutely no conception of good food or basic cooking. I am not saying that tradtional gender roles are or ever were a good thing, but it cannot be denied that the average 20 year-old girl working or going to school is near braindead when it comes to cooking. Ramsay is not denigrating the females who strive to reach the top of their profession, he is simply remarking on the complete lack of initiative taken by younger women to get into the kitchen and learn how to cook decent meals for themselves. Ramsay's original statement was not sexist in and of itself; it was only portrayed that way in the headline. He simply notes that many young women today place greater emphasis on entertaining (i.e. mixing cocktails) and similar pursuits than learning how to cook for themselves.

Todai is essentially the same thing as Minado. You're not missing out on anything.

That sounds ridiculous. I want.

They felt the flavor combinations at wd-50 were better composed. The restaurants have similar ideologies but they also seemed to suggest that wd-50 also offers Sam Mason's ridiculous desserts which are an integral part of the wd-50 experience. Venue bordered on "trying too hard", a line I think they probably consciously toe. Again, I can't offer more concrete words because I haven't eaten there myself.

I sent my family on a recon mission to Venue to check it out before I visit it next month. Generally, they said it was very, very good and certainly among the top restaurants in New Jersey. As good as wd-50, however? They said no. The three of them got the 4-course tasting menu and each tried different items. The short ribs were supposedly among the best dishes of the evening I will post a full update with my impressions when I go.

I also have heard good things about Waraji. You might consider trying that. Also, in Brightleaf Square in Durham, there's a new sushi-centered, pan-Asian restaurant, Mt. Fuji. As the name suggests, it's pretty terrible. I'm working on a full write up of it that will be coming out this week.

I'm probably wd-50's biggest supporter on all of eG. I LOVE that place to the point of adulation. The mere prospect that this place might somehow be better is very, very exciting. I'll be going to Venue over Thanksgiving break from school, so about a month away. A month after that I'll certainly be going back to wd-50 for their winter tasting menu when I get home for Christmas break. And I have a day trip planned to Chicago to eat at Alinea just before the new year. It will be most interesting to see how all three compare.

HOW DID I MISS THIS???? I'm seriously 5 minutes away.

I'm still shocked that a place like this even exists in New Jersey. The "air" concept seems a little too Alinea to me but interesting nonetheless. It would seem that they're "dumbing down" the place by offering the $15 sampling of six of their "small plates." I wonder how much food that is and how that compares with their standard, tasting menu offerings.

Do you care to elaborate on what you had and what made the experience so unpleasant. I still haven't been there, but it's the kind of place I'd go to on a random weekend if I was home.

It gives them an excuse to decrumb the tables over and over with the big, trademark soup spoons.

Just read through this whole thread. How fascinating. I agree with FFB's ultimate conclusion that it's not about being necessarily "Southern" or "Yankee" but is actually about respecting one's food culture and traditions. As a proud northerner and aspiring food writer going to school in the South, this thread hit especially close to home.

Several months back there was an ongoing discussion of the best of the Triangle area. Names such as Magnolia, Fearrington, Bloomsbury, Fins, etc were thrown around. Here's my recent take of Nana's autumn menu as published in the Duke Chronicle, available online at http://www.chronicle.duke.edu/vnews/displa...0/43579ab221bcf Everyone knows that Parents’ Weekend is one of the precious few opportunities to get a good, off-campus meal while at Duke, especially for those freshmen without cars. And with your parents picking up the tab, at no other time are the Triangle’s best restaurants more affordable. Moms and dads, possibly feeling nostalgic for family dinners at home, often insist on taking their supposedly hardworking sons and daughters out to that meal to remember. Which means there’s only one question left to answer: where to? Fortunately, Nana’s is the perfect venue for such a meal. Although others may already be bragging about their upcoming meals at the Magnolia Grill or the Fairview at the Washington Duke Inn, both respectable choices, Nana’s has distinct advantages over both. Nana’s large dining room makes reservations much easier to come by than at the perpetually booked Magnolia Grill, and it also offers more charm than the sometimes stodgy Fairview. Nana’s appealing upscale Southern cuisine, refined yet unfussy setting and amicable but professional service strike an ideal balance between elegant and cozy. Adding to its charm, Nana’s does not aspire to be the quintessential “fancy” restaurant. Thankfully, there are no intimidating waiters in tuxedos to contend with or leather-bound menus printed entirely in French. Instead, Nana’s provides its diners with one of the most pleasurable and rewarding dining experiences in the Triangle. The menu provides a wide variety of dishes, but focuses on strong, woodsy flavors that complement, rather than overwhelm, the other tastes. A grilled venison loin with sweet potato gratin and a honey balsamic sauce exemplified this culinary philosophy of food that is at once delicate and hearty. The venison was superlatively tender and flavorful, easily surpassing any beef dish in recent memory. The accompanying bright orange sweet potato gratin was a whimsical, Southern take on the traditional French potato dish. All other items sampled from the seasonally appropriate menu were well executed and delicious. Another standout was the paté with truffles, pickled okra, grilled onion, and lingonberry compote. This dish highlighted the seductively deep flavor of the truffles as a direct foil to the sweetness, acidity, and bitterness of the other accompaniments. The only slightly disappointing dishes of the evening were the desserts. While not poor by any means, both the blueberry and quince crisp and the sweet potato bread pudding were unremarkable. The hearty flavors from the savory menu seem to have crept onto the dessert menu, resulting in desserts that are overwhelmingly heavy after such large and rich main courses. For an especially memorable meal, Nana’s offers a five-course tasting menu for only fifty dollars, a definite bargain for those who are serious about food and have especially generous parents. Overall, Nana’s is not to be missed, so why not seize the opportunity on your parent’s dime? They’re sure to be impressed with your good taste. Nana’s 2514 University Dr. Durham, NC (919) 493-8545 Prices: Appetizers, $6-12.50; Mains, $20-27.50 Picks: Truffled pate, grilled venison loin, seared scallops Perks: professional waitstaff, New-Southern cuisine, tasting menu

Thank you very much. I'm split on foams as a concept but this one seems simple enough that I'd enjoy it. And the truffle scenting technique is what I'd assumed; I'm assuming it's effective. This inspired by thread makes me wish I could cook more at school.

Yes, that's the site that piqued my interest after reading the NYT piece.

A beautiful dish. I'm not one to give out easy compliments but that looks ridiculous. How did you make the foam? I wouldn't think that portobellos would be an ideal mushroom, perhaps too strongly flavored, but it certainly looks delicious. And what is the truffle scenting technique?