glauer

I think the big difference is that in Point's case it actually was his presence and not some books that impressed. With the superstar chefs having all 10 and more places these days the cult had to replace the person. Btw, even today, with La Pyramide living to a significant degree from its history, the Fernand Point ash trays and books etc are presented in a small vitrine on the way between dining room and bathroom. Overall I think the trend is very real and Bruni's article timely. Whether it could have been written better is another matter.

good luck with your search! And please let us know if you find something really exciting. I also remember the cakes and Torten at Cafe Lieb fondly. They are in the Karlstrasse if you walk towards the train station. Other places in Tuebingen I enjoy (and have been to recently) are the Hanseatica in Hafengasse 2, where they make excellent coffee and espresso and also sell very good beans. Closeby is a wine store, Vinum, Lange Gasse 6. They have some of the up and coming wuerttemberg red wines, especially the "Junges Schwaben" labels from Zipf and others are surprising. Very different from the almost rose like reds sold in the area a few years ago. They also sell excellent olive oli (the tuscan one is the finest and fruitiest).

I have left Tuebingen quite a while ago so I am not fully informed myself. The problem is the same as everywhere: Most bakeries these days are chains, and many of the smaller ones are too lazy (or not confident enough) so they feel they have to offer a huge variety and as a consequence rely mostly on premixes. What I hear is that Walker still has the best Brezeln. I live on those alone. Herrenberger Str. 65 72070 Tübingen Tel: (07071) 416 25 When it comes to bread I find it rather difficult these days to get a really excellent old style bread out of the wood burning oven. Hard to believe, but I get better bread currently here in Cambridge, MA (though we are talking about just one bakery really). It is hit or miss, but the best might be just to walk through the city and to have a look inside. When you see ten kinds of "health", "multi-grain" etc breads with professional labels on them, or if all the pastries and small baked goods look pale and underbaked....then run. Often (though by no means always) the organic bakeries try a bit harder than others. But obviously it is very diifferent bread. I used to like Naturgabe http://www.naturgabe.de/einkauf.htm , they have one store in town. Enjoy Tue!

I dropped my knives off for Siriacos at Leavit & Peirce in Harvard square yesterday. I will report back in about a week or so how they came back.

You can always get them heads on at New Deal Fish Market 622 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 617-876-8227 Hours: Mon 3pm-7pm, Tue-Fri 10am-7pm, Sat 9:30-6:30, Closed Sunday The best place for fish in Boston anyways. Georg

I would say we do not have any..... But if you could specify a bit more what she is interested in then I might come up with something.

As I live close by I packed all my knives today and went to Siraco. Unfortunately the store has closed. It seems, however, that they are still sharpening knives but they have to be dropped off at other places. A list is here: http://www.siracosharpening.com/

I would also recommend Nicolas Lebec highly. http://www.nicolaslebec.com A great combination of innovation and tradition. Also the service and the atmosphere extremely pleasant. As a simple neighborhood place I enjoyed Restaurant Thomas a lot. Especially the quality of the ingredients came through very well. Very seasonal. When I ate there last july the star course was a sensational dessert of variations around cherries. http://www.restaurant-thomas.com/

Hello, could anyone explain to me why one would go to a restaurant in order to eat food that is so hot as to be painful? food so hot that one has to share a plate with a bunch of other people and is still barely able to finish it? I really dont get it, but I hope some of the afficionados here can explain. Because I live very close and would regret if I was missing out on something really great. gg

Thank you! And I totally agree with you, rather I spend once 250 for something really exciting than having a few soso dinners for half. And with the current exchange rate to the euro, the US top restaurants have become a relative bargain in comparison to those in France etc. Now if I only were still paid in euro.... Gg

That sounds terrific and makes we want to go back, I never had the tasting menu there. If it is not too private would you mind sharing how much the tasting and the wine pairing cost. I need to figure out who I could take with me... Thank you for the nice report! georg

I am totally hooked on those little critters since I had them the first time two years ago (years after moving to Boston). Also so much cheaper than the other shrimp on offer, and so much better than most of the crap we get sold as shrimp here. I hope for the fishermen that more people will get it.....these are delicacies and in many places of the world they would be rather expensive. So today I am contributing my first bit to spread their glory....just arrived in Germany with a few pounds in the cooler, bought yesterday at New Deal fish market in Cambridge. I am sure my family will be hooked. Thank you Johnny for all the info!

hmmmm, I was thinking about that for a long time. I really do not want to upset any one of my fellow egulleters........ but here it comes: what is all the fuss regarding Mike's pastry about? Is anybody out here who agrees with me that their baked goods are barely mediocre (exception: the Ricotta crostata) ? I find most things are lacking in texture, I have found more off flavors than the aromas I had actually hoped for and often I doubt the quality of the ingredients used. Partially this might be due to the fact that I am still comparing to italian bakeries in Italy (which are just different in most regards), but I do know bakeries in the US that really excite me. Best example for me is Cafe Ferrara in NYC. In my world they play several leagues above Mike's. Better ingredients and better preparation (unfortunately also even more expensive). For example the pastries here have a wonderful crunch (best examples are the Sfogliatelle and the lobster tail) and the fillings are first rate (real creams and custards). So again, I hope I did not upset anyone, because I know this place has hardcore fans.......am I the only one who disagrees?

QUOTE(Andy Fenn @ Nov 2 2006, 07:26 AM) I'm going for lunch on Monday after coming out to NY to run the marathon on Sunday. Is there a dress code of any sort? Would rather avoid bringing clothes I don't need... We will also be there Monday for lunch (my brother in law is running...) and the lady on the phone said: business casual

I am not sure whether they will open over christmas.....but I really enjoyed dinner at Gaumenspiel recently. ( www.gaumenspiel.at ). It was quite ambitious food, based on classic austrian cuisine. The setting is very informal and relaxed, very enthusiastic and friendly service and a smart wine list. Everything at modest prices. At the end of the evening we almost felt like regulars, and were sad that we could not go regularly.

tuesday and lunch for two? that will work for many places with a * (or even more than one). I would just pick a few you are interested in and start calling them.

hmmm, I had forgotten about the original question. New German is certainly not what you get at Le Moissionier, it is heavily french influenced. At the same time it is so unique that you might not find anything similar in France, so I would still highly recommend.

Looks like we are all in surprising agreement. If I plan a big dinner on the weekend, I usually do New Deal, Russos and Formaggio Kitchen for the shopping. The latter I actually do not find that overpriced, at least if once choses wisely. They just have the very best of everyhthing, and I rather pay 30% more for the best than still high prices for mediocre "gourmet" stuff at many other stores. For example the cheeses....yes, you can buy cheese for 25 a pound, but these are then always super rare specialties that are costly everywhere, even in europe. But buy a nice brie or other more "common" cheese and you will end up paying little more than at the supermarket (sometimes even less) for far superior quality of what is the same only in name. And the bread they sell(that from R&B ? being my favorite) is in my opinion easlily the best in Boston. Oh, and Hi-Rise bakery around the corner is also worth a stop.

no restaurant in germany needs 7 months of advance reservation.....but I also dont think they have policies like taking them only a month or two before. another great place in cologne is Le Moissonier (one star plus in michelin). they recreated an old bistro and serve very unique food. complex and quirky compositions, very satisfying and fun. and a great wine selection with an emphasis on small, unknown and surprising regions and wineries.... exciting.

It is not exactly in your neighborhood, but New Deal Fish Market on Cambridge Street in Cambridge is first rate. The many japanese customers are there for a reason. Always super fresh, and most fish come whole, so you can decide how you want them. This store is one of the few places in Boston that make me always really really happy.

just out of curiosity, as a lover rof offal dishes: what is wrong with them at eastern standard?

Legourmet: as a German I wish you were right, but France has still signficantly more starred restaurants when compared to Germany. I did not have much time so I only found the numbers for the 2005 guide, but not that much has changed for 2006. It was : 402 *, 70 ** and 26***, so more than double over all and a even higher ratio at the ** and *** level. Otherwise I agree that the big revolution is long past, though I very much hope we are up for another one soon.

hmmm, I remember the famous foie gras ravioli at Le Grand Vefour indeed. I had been salivating for weeks in anticipation, but both filling and pasta were disappointing. Wonton wrappers would explain half of it..... The rest of the meal was very good, but lacked that little extra of inspiration you expect at ***. Only the (was it quail or pigeon?) broth and the cheeseplate (!) were truly extraordinary. But the dining room is very special. And we had a good laugh as the tailed and white gloved service brigade treated me all night as the "lady".........I got a priceless menue, and ,despite me paying that night, the check, CC, receipt etc were always brought back to my dining companion......and I swear I was not in drag. I also want to very much second Culinista's point: Check out as much as you can about the different options, and get a feel for which place speaks to you regarding kitchen philosophy and decor.

I had lunch at l'Arpege recently and found it wonderful. Having said that it might not be the perfect choice for the first *** experience as it is somewhat atypical. Both service and the food are very restrained and extremely subtle. For me it was one of the most memorable meals ever, but I can see why not everybody leaves as happy as we did. For a first experience one of the more opulent places might be a better bet. I have not been at Le Grand Vefour very recently, but it certainly is "grand theatre" and a unique experience (sometimes bordering on the ridiculous, imho).

I think I would go to No 9 park , or to Radius. No 9 park is a bit more intimate, Radius has a more metropolitan feel. Both have pretty smart food including local products, and both a five minute walk. If you want to have a wine centered meal then troquet might be another option. http://www.no9park.com http://www.radiusrestaurant.com http://www.troquetboston.com/