Corinna Dunne

Sorry to disappoint you further... it looked very good to me too!!! Unfortunately I forgot to buy a copy and am making do with reading it online. In fairness, picking on a Christmas issue to criticise is a bit of an easy target.

I had the surprise dinner menu at Thornton’s a few weeks ago. Our table was down to the left in “the widows and orphans section”, which actually isn’t too bad, and we had a good view of the pass. We were greeted by the Maitre d’ who is a chatty, friendly type, but somehow a slight misfit in this restaurant (I think). The food was very good. We had no amuse bouche, which struck me afterwards as a possible oversight (it was 9pm and service was in full flow), or maybe it doesn’t come with the surprise menu, which without doubt, is generous. We started with deliciously sweet queen scallops, with pickled vegetables and a white truffle frothy foam. This was followed with seared king scallops (perfectly plump and not halved to make the dish look bigger), an intense squid ink sauce, a few shavings of white truffle and a little caviar (ticking a lot of expensive gastro boxes in one swoop). Next was skate wing, cooked so exquisitely, that it nearly stole the show. It was served with the pan juices and was garnished with tiny wasabi marinated fish eggs tucked into a tomato skin. These were gorgeous, but felt a bit wrong with the buttery fish (slight cultural clash, I thought). When Kevin did his rounds of the tables at the end of the evening he told me that they were catfish eggs (the young little French waiter had said they were salmon eggs which clearly they weren’t and insisted he was right when I diplomatically asked him if he was sure). I asked Kevin if he had used them before and he told me that he serves them with seared tuna in the summer, which strikes me as a perfect pairing for them. Then onto the foie gras: a superb terrine with beautiful layers and velvety foie gras interwoven; there was also a heady little truffled foie gras ball (these sometimes feature on the lunch menu) and some truffle sauce. A second foie gras dish followed (to our surprise and delight), this time seared and served with a Muscat grape sauce. It was delicious, although not perfectly de-veined and perhaps a bit cold in the middle, so could have done with a shade more cooking. I’m being picky I know. I got a sense that he thought, hey, they like their foie gras, lash a bit of the fresh stuff onto a hot pan and trot that out to them too. It did feel like a generous extra course. A grape and lime sorbet, shot with Absolut Citron was a perky little palate cleanser. A surprisingly large piece of perfectly cooked rare venison was served with a Valrhona sauce, which I know is a classic, but I actually prefer the chocolate to be more in the background and taste some savoury meat notes from good stock coming through. No one else at the table agreed with me, so take this as a very personal comment. It was served with gratin potato, carrot and parsnip cones, and a parsnip purée. A lovely dish. Cashel Blue cheese was next, in perfect condition, as you’d expect and then a trio of desserts arrived. The (very filling) Valrhona chocolate fondant was cleverly served in an espresso cup, (which I’m sure makes the timing easier since it’s set on top and creamy underneath); there was a hazelnut ball and Blanc Mange. As you can see, I’m getting vaguer with my detail!!! We finished with petit fours. Without doubt, Kevin Thornton is a very talented chef; it’s in his blood. He sources excellent ingredients, respects their integrity and is confidently creative without getting too carried away with whistles and bells. As I mentioned earlier, he worked the tables at the end of the night. He should do this a bit more as he’s got a nice touch. He comes across as being genuinely interested and very unassuming. He explained that he made a point of serving both the queen and king scallops on our menu so we could compare the two, a point that we “got” at the time of eating, so it didn’t feel repetitive. He generously explained how he cooked the skate “an undervalued fish”: put it onto a hot pan, turn it down immediately, and cook for a few minutes on the stove and finish in the oven. And probably because we’d asked a few questions, he sent over a handwritten copy of the menu to us before we left. So, no problems with the chef. But I still think that the FOH is a bit lacking. The Maitre d’ just doesn’t make the grade, ze young French waiter doesn’t know it all, despite what he thinks (although he was a great catalyst for impersonations of the Simpsons gutteral French haw haw haw laugh when we left the restaurant… remember the “laugh in French” classroom scene?), and the sommelier our end of the room was just OK. I had asked him to keep the bill down (which he did), but the consultation amounted to “do you drink red and white?” and a very nice Chablis and Minervois arrived without previous discussion (we would probably have said yes, and they were relatively good value for €50), and there was no wine by the glass discussion, although I had suggested it. But the worst offence was not being consulted on a Sauternes to go with the foie gras courses, which we really missed, and was a missed opportunity for him. It was, after all a surprise menu and we were depending on his inside track. We felt it was too late to order a glass when the plate arrived, so we said nothing, only to feel the loss a second time as the seared foie gras arrived. There was a very smart French sommelier working the main room who did our dessert wine service. He was very polished and had presence in spades. From a value for money perspective, the surprise menu is €125, which is a lot, but I can see exactly how it adds up and I didn’t feel ripped off. However, I strongly object to the unsociable prices on the wine lists in top end restaurants (there really is nothing at entry level) and we made the mistake of going for bottled water, which was constantly replenished (without a quiet “should I open another bottle” interjection), and ended up adding €50 to our bill for four. I suppose it’s not bad in the scheme of things, but I view it as another bottle of wine (which I would have preferred). The word is that a major refurbishment and a less expensive, more informal change of direction are planned for Thornton’s. This makes sense as the Michelin guys are unlikely to fall on their swords and restore his second star, even if he did get the FOH sorted. And if Derry Clarke in one star L’Ecrivain has any sense, he’ll get a bit more creative than crème brulée and chocolate fondant with his desserts and do something about the dreadfully small bathrooms which beggar Michelin belief.

The problem with the term "moleculor gastronomy" is the connotation; it is now shackled with negative perceptions. Give a dog a name and it sticks. Adria, Blumenthal et al are at extreme pains to distance themselves but have been unable to come up with a name other than their latest phrase "new cookery", and clearly, that's a limp non-runner. Until they find a better name, it will be called MG or avant-garde by most people. Has anyone got any suggestitions for an alternative descriptor?

Thank you so much for the wonderful report doc. I hope someone goes to the Asia Conference next year and continues in the same tradition.

Was last night's episode not a repeat?

... And anyone interested in this thread will be interested in Kieran's very good quality ice cream... "Murphy's" from Dingle. Aoibheann McNamara of Ard Bia was singing your praises to me last week. I'm looking forward to the rich Kerry cow milk ice cream. And yes, I've got a copy of Clodagh McKenna's book already. I also like Darina Allen's Traditional Cooking book.

Is there an advantage to browning meat/chicken skin more quickly with a higher intensity of heat? Will this give a better "Maillard reaction" than a conventional blowtorch? As an aside, Heston Blumenthal was on “The Panel” last night, a satirical news show hosted by Dara O’Briain on Irish TV, talking about his show and book. He mentioned the ice cream as being the most useful recipe in the book, saying that it’s easy to get your hands on dry ice, and ice cream made this way is so superior to the over fatty, sweet result of a conventional ice cream machine. Again, he came across as being an incredibly nice guy, and he was very comfortable talking off the cuff in a non-contrived situation. He’s got a lovely, natural touch; I could listen to him all day. I hope we see plenty more of him on TV.

Hi HannaBanana... Welcome to the Forum!!! I'd be very interested to hear how you get on in Thornton's. I was there a few weeks ago (yes, must post on the thread) and had the surprise menu... very good, a well considered sequence of dishes.. There's also a white truffle menu on at the moment, but you'll get some on the surprise menu too.

I think he'll stick to the knitting and go with what he knows works. It looks like Gary Rhodes' lack of location, location, location awareness is biting. He's practically giving away lunch in order to fill the place.

Gordie was in Dublin doing a book signing this week and popped in to the Chamber of Commerce lunch in the Burlington Hotel to be guest speaker. … I wonder what he charged. So, according to today’s Irish Indo, out came the expletives, a few stories, a bit about the business side of things (which apparently was a ramble and lost the audience), and… Not a huge surprise, as Dublin is mentioned on his website as a new venture, but still no indication of where it will be. Everyone’s passionate, honest money is on the Shelbourne Hotel being the venue… when it eventually opens again… now scheduled for March as far as I can remember.

I just heard today that the Farmers' Market at Farmleigh (in the Phoenix Park) will be open on Saturday and Sunday before Christmas until 17h December. A great venue.

I recently found this website on Irish cheese which lists cheese producers geographically under the "Members" section. So if you live here, plenty of ideas for the Christmas cheeseboard, and if you're visiting, this will help you to keep your eating regional, and maybe schedule a visit or two to some of the producers. Cais is the Irish for cheese.

I agree. I thought it was very interesting and will be giving the slow cooking method a shot. I was surprised that he did not discuss using a blowtorch as a method for crisping the skin. Rolling the chicken around to get it evenly browned would be akward enough (I presume it was edited as it seemed to brown very quickly), but I'd imagine that the flavour is better this way.

The authentic shawarma has finally arrived in Dublin. A few months ago, I found a little Lebanese place called Fayruz (well actually a guy at the restaurant at the Mosque recommended it to me when I begged him to tell me where the best shawarma is to be found) and I couldn't believe how good it is. I akways opt for lamb, but a few days ago, I ended up with a chicken shawarma by mistake and found that it tasted a bit too much of white pepper. Is this typical for a Lebanese chicken marinade? And if anyone has a few pointers for the spices in Lebanese and Israeli marinades for lamb, I would be very interested.

Welcome to the Forum bronniebee!!!

We had a clear crescendo in our meal; the wonton dish followed by the bone marrow were intensely savoury and dramatic. And our hummingbird dessert was a stunner. We were there early in the season and I think that Albert Adria - Ferran Adria's brother, who is an incredibly talented pastry chef and devises the dessert dishes - spends the first two months in the kitchen there, so we probably got lucky. However, I know what you're saying. I did feel a bit adrift at times wondering what was next on the 25 course surprise menu. I agree with you on the desserts in Can Roca, they are amazing!

Welcome to the Forum Max Frank. There's a thread on Chapter One here if you want to update it and there's no thread on Dax (just a few mentions on the Eating in Ireland thread) so feel free to start one. And I agree... Chapter One and Dax both get over the basement hurdle more successfully than Pearl. BTW, OT I know, but since I mentioned it upthread, the food in the Unicorn was worse than usual when we were there on Thurs, with two of our party sending food back to the kitchen. Top marks for how they handled it though. It was immediately taken off the bill, replacement dishes were offered etc, etc. The girl working our table was exceptional. Unfortunately the music wasn't. There was some dreadful hairdresser stuff playing, which emphasised the muddy sound system. Advice: stick to lunch in the Unicorn.

So... if you were to plot Heston's next move from a brand perspective... what do you think it should be?

Great report Tim. Thanks so much.

It may be worth asking your hotel in advance about a local tour guide (ours was arranged through the Ministry for Information, and as I’ve moved house about 8 times since, I have no idea where my notes or the piece are). Typically you hire a driver in a 4-wheel-drive (very dangerous roads, mad drivers), and you brief them on where you want to go, eg food markets, etc. You may even get an invitation to their home as we did. Outside Sana'a, some of the smaller towns don’t have hotels, so you will have to stay in a funduq, which can be pretty rough and ready (felt a lot more dangerous than the Red Sea camp), and from a food point of view, there will probably be a very basic restaurant nearby. We certainly didn't dine in style. Some of the villages are inaccessible from time to time because of tribes fighting. I’ll send you some details of places to visit by PM. Take care, and I look forward to your report. Edited to add: For some reason, I can't seem to send you a PM. If you send me one, I'll reply, and maybe that will sort it.

Correct .. but one can't be terribly certain that in the (rapid) processing of body parts of the chickens, some spinal tissue doesn't get mixed in with the rest ... maybe it isn't a cause for concern but it made me think and thinking of BSE always makes me, heaven should pardon me for this, 'nervous' .... ← We're on the same page... What I find most unsettling is the food chain disconnect, fish eating land animals. It spells doom in my totally unscientific opinion.

About 16 years ago, shortly after Yemen opened up to tourists, I visited as a travel writer with a female Arab photographer. From what I know, things haven't changed much since then. It is an unbelievable place with breath-taking mountains and incredible buildings, and yes, there are plenty of markets. From what I remember, you’ll find the usual fruit and vegetables (there were a lot of gourds when I was there) and I also remember some wonderful smoked cheese. We travelled around and spent a night in a mud hut by the Red Sea. It was an incredible sight to see the small fishing boats coming back in the evening, the catch being hauled ashore in nets, and the fish being left out to dry in the sun. Our dinner was delivered from the local village. It was a large grilled fish, wrapped in newspaper, which we ate with the bread and cheese we’d bought at the market earlier. It’s a dry country, so we drank water with it. It was one of the best meals of my life. Unfortunately, the experience was slightly marred when later that night, a four-wheel-drive pulled up and two men with guns came up to our little camp. Our guide put them at ease. None-the-less, I would recommend a trip like this if you are feeling even a little adventurous. I'm not sure that it could be classified as a food, but Qat is the local “hit”. It is sold in bunches in the markets and you chew the leaves which give a caffeine high. It is totally legal and is said to stimulate the intellect, which is very possible as you will find more bookshops in Yemen than you'll find in neighbouring states. The UAE will be a very different experience from Yemen. I would love to hear how you get on.

Wasn't the feeding of animal body parts one of the causes of bovine spongiform encephalopathy or Mad Cow Disease? ← Exactly my thinking, although, if I remember correctly, the spinal chord was the issue with BSE.

I find the term "organic fish" very misleading. I think that among some poeple, there is a misconception that it is better than "wild". It would be much clearer if these fish were labelled "organically farmed fish". Fish farming worries me for the following ecological reason: Perhaps equally worrying is what "organic fish" are being fed: Am I the only person who finds the idea of salmon being fed farmed chicken and other land animals a bit unsettling?

Yes, they should have to put "truffle flavoured oil" on menus, to ring the same alarm bells as "chocolate flavoured topping". I think, unbilled and subtly used, it can provide an interested dimension to dishes that can remain affordable for diners not accustomed to paying for £100 for a pizza, etc. (Am dying to try that pizza... ) ← There seem to be two types of truffle oil, one that is purely synthetic (and close to poison) and one that is truffle infused, and yes, when used humbly and subtly, it has a place. ← As far as I understand it, all commercial truffle oil is made with flavouring essence, from the petrochemical industry, not the real thing. I would love to hear of any exceptions, but I've looked hard. Plenty of misleading labelling! ← I got a good truffle oil from Valette, a foie gras/truffle supplier in Gourdon, a hilltop village in the Dordogne... but it was about 5 years ago.