ronnie_suburban
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Posts posted by ronnie_suburban
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I now know why this thread has remained dormant since my last post in early 2006.
Tonight, as many of you know, is the season premier of Top Chef (Bravo!). Stephanie Izard, ex-chef and owner of Scylla is one of this season's contenders. Curious, I wandered onto the restaurant's website to see what the restaurant was doing. Apparently, nothing. It has closed its doors (when this happened, I know not).
I had one great dinner at Scylla a couple of years back. I look forward to seeing Ms. Izzard do well on Top Chef.
Scylla's former location is where Takashi now sits.
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Updating Thursday's stuff . . .
Dinner
=R= +4
Alchemist
newbie21
HeatherM
Alex
tammylc*
jesteinf +1
edsel
Lady T
prasantrin* +1*
Jean Blanchard +1
santo_grace +1
HOLLY_L
NancyH +1
Nina C.* +3*
nyokie6 +1
nsxtasy +1
yellow truffle +3
joiei*
Sam Iam +1
LuckyGirl* +1*
Elrushbo
stuart_s
daniellewiley +1
Amy Viny +1
-46- (36 definite, 10 probable)
Only 2 spots remain for Thurday's dinner
Drinks
=R= +4
HeatherM
Alex
tammylc* +1*
jesteinf +1
edsel
tino27 +1
Lady T
prasantrin* +1*
Marmish* +1*
newbie21
Nina C.* +3*
Jean Blanchard +1
santo_grace +1
HOLLY_L
NancyH +1
nyokie6 +1
nsxtasy +1
yellow truffle +3
joiei*
moreace01 +1
Sam Iam +1
LuckyGirl +1
Darcie B
kasw* +1*
stuart_s*
daniellewiley +1
Amy Viny +1
Aaron Deacon
-54- (42 definite, 12 probable)
Only 6 spots remain for Thursday's cocktail session
Updated list for the Saturday event:
=R= +4
NancyH +1
torakris
edsel
LuckyGirl +3
Alchemist
CaliPoutine
Alex
tammylc
jesteinf +1
nsxtasy +1
Kerry Beal
Marmish +1
moosnsqrl +1
Osnav +1
prasantrin* +1*
tino27 +1
Sam Iam +1
nr706 +1
hsm +1*
rockandroller +1
joiei
Jean Blanchard +1
newbie21
hjshorter
moreace01 +1
HOLLY_L
santo_grace +1
daniellewiley +1
kasw +1
dls*
nyokie6 +1
Nina C. +1
LAZ +1
maggiethecat +1
Elrushbo
Darcie B
white lotus +1
Fresser
cat lancaster
HeatherM
Lady T
yellow truffle +3
Amy Viny +1
Aaron Deacon
-78- (74 definite, 4 probable)
Only 12 spots remain for Saturday's group meal
Again, please take a look at the above lists and let me know if I have failed to record your status accurately.
Thanks!
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When they say "Tunnel of Love" cake, I believe they mean "Tunnel of Fudge" cake. It was originated by a Bake-Off contestant and later translated to a cake mix I think. I quote:
'The Tunnel of Fudge Cake, a second-place Pillsbury Bake-Off winner in 1966, was developed by Ella Rita Helfrich of Houston, Texas, who won $5,000. The original recipe used a product called Double Dutch Fudge Buttercream Frosting Mix, which the company has discontinued. However, because of many consumer requests, its test kitchens developed this recipe, which uses scratch ingredients. Nuts are essential to the cake's success.'
Bake-Off winners have often had their recipes attributed to someone else. "Dilly Casserole Bread" is a lovely no-knead bread featuring warmed cottage cheese and dill seed. It appears in many local and regional cookbooks under many names, until hardly anyone knows where it came from any more.
Lots of wonderful recipes are from the 50s Bake-Offs, when hardly any mixes were used. I have a well-worn 1959 cookbook containing 1000 recipes from the first 10 contests.
Thanks, Ruth!
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I received notice of this event from a friend who is one of the founding members of the Greater Midwest Foodways Alliance. If this event is even half as successful as their inaugural event last fall -- which focused on Midwestern Sausage Traditions -- it promises to be an extraordinarily informative and rewarding experience. I highly recommend checking it out . . .
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Greater Midwest Foodways Alliance presents
The Midwest: How Sweet It Is!
Sweets: A Journey Through Midwestern Dessert Traditions
Saturday, April 5th, 2008
9 AM – 4 PM
Kendall College
900 North Branch Street, Chicago
(West of Halsted Street, North of Chicago Avenue)
FREE PARKING
Join us for a program about the history of sweets in the Midwest, including the important dessert traditions that began in small towns and big cities here in the Midwest. Enjoy a day learning about:
· The influential role of the railroad and immigrant populations in bringing new desserts to the Midwest and establishing them as traditions
· Abraham Lincoln’s favorite dessert
· The blue-ribbon pie traditions of county fairs, including unusual, lost recipes such as bean pie and sugar-cream pie
· The cooking of late 19th-century Michigan, as described in the autobiography of Della Lutes
· The role of Midwestern food companies in creating much-loved home dessert recipes like French Silk Pie, Tunnel of Fudge cake and Princess Brownies
· The humble Midwest origins of many internationally known candies, candy bars and other treats, such as the Heath Bar
· Dessert traditions completely unique to the Midwest, including the Wisconsin Kringle and the Mennonite-German Pfeffernusse
Featured speakers are Robin Mather Jenkins and Donna Pierce from the Chicago Tribune as well as LTHForum.com members Dobra Bielinski, Peter Engler, Michael Gebert and Catherine Lambrecht, in addition to a host of other dynamic Midwest food academics, culinary historians and cookbook authors. The program to date can be found here.
Lectures, interactive discussions – and of course, delicious tastings throughout the day that will help illustrate the ideas discussed. The cost is $50 in advance, or $60 at the door, with refreshments and lunch included. To register go to registration or to Brown Paper Tickets.
The symposium is sponsored by the Culinary Historians of Chicago, Kendall College and the Almond Board of California.
Visit Great Midwest Foodways Alliance for more details and periodic updates.
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Please put me and my husband Neil down for both events Thurs. and Sat.
With pleasure
Updating Thursday's stuff . . .
Dinner
=R= +4
Alchemist
newbie21
HeatherM
Alex
tammylc*
jesteinf +1
edsel
Lady T
prasantrin* +1*
Jean Blanchard +1
santo_grace +1
HOLLY_L
NancyH +1
Nina C.* +3*
nyokie6 +1
nsxtasy +1
yellow truffle +3
joiei*
Sam Iam +1
LuckyGirl* +1*
Elrushbo
stuart_s
daniellewiley +1
Amy Viny +1
-46- (36 definite, 10 probable)
Only 2 spots remain for Thurday's dinner
Drinks
=R= +4
HeatherM
Alex
tammylc* +1*
jesteinf +1
edsel
tino27 +1
Lady T
prasantrin* +1*
Marmish* +1*
newbie21
Nina C.* +3*
Jean Blanchard +1
santo_grace +1
HOLLY_L
NancyH +1
nyokie6 +1
nsxtasy +1
yellow truffle +3
joiei*
moreace01 +1
Sam Iam +1
LuckyGirl +1
Darcie B
kasw* +1*
stuart_s*
daniellewiley +1
Amy Viny +1
-53- (41 definite, 12 probable)
Only 7 spots remain for Thursday's cocktail session
Updated list for the Saturday event:
=R= +4
NancyH +1
torakris
edsel
LuckyGirl +3
Alchemist
CaliPoutine +1*
Alex
tammylc
jesteinf +1
nsxtasy +1
Kerry Beal
Marmish +1
moosnsqrl +1
Osnav +1
prasantrin* +1*
tino27 +1
Sam Iam +1
nr706 +1
hsm +1*
rockandroller +1
joiei
Jean Blanchard +1
newbie21
hjshorter
moreace01 +1
HOLLY_L
santo_grace +1
daniellewiley +1
kasw +1
dls*
nyokie6 +1
Nina C. +1
LAZ +1
maggiethecat +1
Elrushbo
Darcie B
white lotus +1
Fresser
cat lancaster
HeatherM
Lady T
yellow truffle +3
Amy Viny +1
-78- (73 definite, 5 probable)
Only 12 spots remain for Saturday's group meal
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Again, please take a look at the above lists and let me know if I have failed to record your status accurately.
Thanks!
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If one wanted to attend the definite Bratwurst Festival, would it be Bratwurst Days? If not, where?
IMO, no, Holly. I hit Brat Days 07 and found it to be a near waste of time, from a culinary perspective. The main issue is that it's a Johnsonville-sponsored event, so the only brats served at the event are Johnsonville Brats. While there's nothing inherently wrong with them, I just don't view them as a 'destination' brat.
I believe the Madison event is also Johnsonville-only. I'm pretty sure there's an indie brat fest held annually somewhere in Wisconsin, but I can't seem to find any information about it at the moment.
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You could do worse than Fogo de Chao. Sure, it's not super premium but it's still arguably the best in its category.
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I'll agree with that. I guess this comes as especially disappointing news since George Brett's (however awful the food may have been - I don't know, I haven't been since it first opened) was at least somewhat "local."
Ronnie (and for those of you who have not been to Kansas City), the location that Fogo de Chao will be moving into is on the Country Club Plaza - probably the premiere shopping district in Kansas City, to date (it's also the oldest outdoor shopping district in the nation). My (and I suspect ChefCAG's) frustration is simply that the centerpiece of our city has been over-run by chains and somewhat sub-standard restaurants (with a few exceptions - Starker's comes to mind). Fogo de Chao will be opening down the street from Ruth's Chris, around the corner from P.F. Chang's, catty-corner to The Cheesecake Factory, and sandwiched between a McCormick & Schmick's and M&S Grill. Did I mention that there's a Capital Grille also lurking just a few blocks away? There's a Starbucks within ear (espresso?) shot. There may or may not be a Coldstone Creamery next door - I can't remember if it's still there.
Ok, I get the picture and I can easily see why it's so unappealing.
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I'm really going to miss that hot pine tar appetizer
I guess that even for a great player like Brett, once you stop playing, your momentum eventually dies. How long was it open?
Here in Chicago, Michael Jordan owns a piece of one sixty blue (and may have personally prevented its closing a few years back) but his namesake restaurant is long gone. OTOH, Walter Payton's Roundhouse Complex in Aurora, IL seems to be still going strong.
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Coincidentally, one of the national food journals (I *think* it's Bon Appetit's March issue) has a one-page blurb on Michael Jordan's latest restaurant ventureS.
BTW, for those of us in Kansas City who are interested (in being terribly disheartened), according to Joyce Smith at the KC Star, George Brett's is being replaced by the Brazilian meat-fest, Fogo de Chao. (Read the article here.)
Ronnie, I believe George Brett's opened in either 2003 or 2004.
You could do worse than Fogo de Chao. Sure, it's not super premium but it's still arguably the best in its category.
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Hi all,
It's really exciting to see the interest in these events -- especially considering that we're still 5 months out. In the next few days, I hope to fill in some more details about events that will take place on Friday and Sunday of the weekend. My hope is that they will be just as interesting to our prospective attendees as the couple of things we've already presented here.
We also want to provide a 'heads up' that, just as with the Saturday event, we're going to have to cap attendance at both of the Thursday events. The good news is that we still have some room at both Thursday events and that everyone who has already expressed interest is in, including the 'probables.' For now, we're going to put soft caps of 48 on dinner at Blackbird and 60 on cocktails at The Violet Hour. As you already know, we have a soft cap of 90 on the Saturday event. I refer to them as 'soft caps' because the dates are still so far out, our limits could change and because several people are still not 100% certain whether they will attend or not. Even if we surpass these soft limits here on these attendance lists, we will continue to add to them (and create waiting lists) so that if we end up with vacancies, we can fill them in the order in which people here posted their interest.
At some point down the road, when the actual dates get a little closer, we'll migrate the current lists we're keeping here to an outside web site where each attendee will be able to manage his/her own event attendance and information. Once we get to that point, those who have reserved spots here will have the 'right of first refusal' on those spots. They will be able to 'confirm' those reserved spots via pre-payment. We'll provide a short but reasonable period for those payments to be made, after which any vacated spots will be re-filled with people who've expressed interest here, after the caps were hit, in the order in which they posted on the thread.
Thanks again for all the interest, cooperation and patience. They are very much appreciated.
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You can put me down for +1 for both events.
Of course
Updating Thursday's stuff . . .
Dinner
=R= +2
Alchemist
newbie21
HeatherM
Alex
tammylc*
jesteinf +1
edsel
Lady T
prasantrin* +1*
Jean Blanchard +1
santo_grace +1
HOLLY_L
NancyH +1
Nina C.* +3*
nyokie6 +1
nsxtasy +1
yellow truffle +3
joiei*
Sam Iam +1
LuckyGirl* +1*
Elrushbo
stuart_s
daniellewiley +1
-42- (32 definite, 10 probable)
Drinks
=R= +2
HeatherM
Alex
tammylc* +1*
jesteinf +1
edsel
tino27 +1
Lady T
prasantrin* +1*
Marmish* +1*
newbie21
Nina C.* +3*
Jean Blanchard +1
santo_grace +1
HOLLY_L
NancyH +1
nyokie6 +1
nsxtasy +1
yellow truffle +3
joiei*
moreace01 +1
Sam Iam +1
LuckyGirl +1
Darcie B
kasw* +1*
stuart_s*
daniellewiley +1
-49- (37 definite, 12 probable)
Again, please take a look at the above lists and let me know if I have failed to record your status accurately.
Thanks!
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I'm really going to miss that hot pine tar appetizer
I guess that even for a great player like Brett, once you stop playing, your momentum eventually dies. How long was it open?
Here in Chicago, Michael Jordan owns a piece of one sixty blue (and may have personally prevented its closing a few years back) but his namesake restaurant is long gone. OTOH, Walter Payton's Roundhouse Complex in Aurora, IL seems to be still going strong.
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It's the Thursday events I'll have to assess when the time gets closer and I can see what the budget looks like. So probably for both of those.
Duly noted. Just to confirm, you are solo/probable for the dinner and +1/probable for the cocktail session?
Please include me for the events on Thursday. I'm already another party's +1 for Saturday. Is it possible to tag along to the cocktail event without drinking? If space doesn't permit that then please just include me on the dinner list.Stuart, I'll include you in the cocktail event for now (as a 'probable') but if capacity issues arise, you will have to decide between paying and attending or giving up your space.
Updating Thursday's stuff . . .
Dinner
=R= +2
Alchemist
newbie21
HeatherM
Alex
tammylc*
jesteinf +1
edsel
Lady T
prasantrin* +1*
Jean Blanchard +1
santo_grace +1
HOLLY_L
NancyH +1
Nina C.* +3*
nyokie6 +1
nsxtasy +1
yellow truffle +3
joiei*
Sam Iam +1
LuckyGirl* +1*
Elrushbo
stuart_s
-40- (30 definite, 10 probable)
Drinks
=R= +2
HeatherM
Alex
tammylc* +1*
jesteinf +1
edsel
tino27 +1
Lady T
prasantrin* +1*
Marmish* +1*
newbie21
Nina C.* +3*
Jean Blanchard +1
santo_grace +1
HOLLY_L
NancyH +1
nyokie6 +1
nsxtasy +1
yellow truffle +3
joiei*
moreace01 +1
Sam Iam +1
LuckyGirl +1
Darcie B
kasw* +1*
stuart_s*
-47- (35 definite, 12 probable)
Again, please take a look at the above lists and let me know if I have failed to record your status accurately.
Thanks!
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Is this place a chain or a single-location restaurant? Where is it?
The tortilla switch-a-roo doesn't really sound like something "best" restaurant should do. I guess that's the 'fusion' aspect, right?
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It would probably be more accurate to change my status to "probable" - because as much as I want to be there for everything, sometimes life interferes...
But assuming I do make it to the Velvet Hour, I expect I will be +1.
Np, Tammy. Should I change your status for Blackbird or leave it as is? What about Saturday?
. . . we would love to meet everyone at TVH, so please put me down as a tentative +1.I would also like to be included in the Thursday dinner at BlackbirdUpdating Thursday's stuff . . .
Dinner
=R= +2
Alchemist
newbie21
HeatherM
Alex
tammylc
jesteinf +1
edsel
Lady T
prasantrin* +1*
Jean Blanchard +1
santo_grace +1
HOLLY_L
NancyH +1
Nina C.* +3*
nyokie6 +1
nsxtasy +1
yellow truffle +3
joiei*
Sam Iam +1
LuckyGirl* +1*
Elrushbo
-39- (30 definite, 9 probable)
Drinks
=R= +2
HeatherM
Alex
tammylc* +1*
jesteinf +1
edsel
tino27 +1
Lady T
prasantrin* +1*
Marmish* +1*
newbie21
Nina C.* +3*
Jean Blanchard +1
santo_grace +1
HOLLY_L
NancyH +1
nyokie6 +1
nsxtasy +1
yellow truffle +3
joiei*
moreace01 +1
Sam Iam +1
LuckyGirl +1
Darcie B
kasw* +1*
-46- (35 definite, 11 probable)
Again, please take a look at the above lists and let me know if I have failed to record your status accurately.
Thanks!
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We met some friends at Vie for dinner a couple weekends back and things were humming along quite amazingly. Because of the Slow Food event held on Sunday 2/10, the Vie people had missed their customary day off and we were there on the 13th consecutive day on which the restaurant had been open. In spite of that -- or perhaps, because of it -- this may have been the finest meal I've ever had there . . .
Amuse of pork belly and pickled cherries . . . there's nothing quite like an unanticipated slab of crispy, sticky pork belly. This amuse was delicious and I loved the sweet/sour house-pickled Rainier cherries that accompanied it.
Berkshire pork cheek ''ossobucco" with risotto milanese, gremolata and parmigiano reggiano . . . a fun and tasty take on the traditional version. This was tender and delicious.
Yukon gold potato gnocchi with wild mushrooms, fines herbes and parmigiano reggiano . . . fantastic flavors and great textures. The gnocchi were light, with a pleasant density to them.
Creamy, farm-fresh eggs with perigord black truffles, butter, whipped cream and wood-grilled bread . . . this was so simple, yet amazingly satisfying. As a breakfast dish, this would make eggs benedict seem downright pedestrian by comparison.
Not pictured: Roasted winter roots with picked herbs, house-made ranch dressing and farm-fresh deviled egg . . . another inspired dish, which really showcased the 'winter' skills of Vie's kitchen. If Vie were in California, this dish might not even exist. Instead, the "off season" inspired something truly delicious and original.
Cream of house-made sauerkraut soup with house-made boudin blanc, organic creme fraiche and rustic croutons . . . this may have been my favorite dish of the entire meal. The components fit together so well, with the slight tartness of the boudin blanc accenting the creamy sauerkraut perfectly.
Red wine-braised short ribs with horseradish dumplings, roasted beets and winter radishes, pickled beets and braising jus . . . perfectly braised and immensely flavorful short ribs were terrific, as were the dense, slightly chewy horseradish-laden dumplings. The beets, both pickled and roasted, were a great accent.
Domestic lamb combination: roasted rack with house-made lamb sausage, served here with the sides that were listed with the short ribs . . . sensational rack (thank you, doctor
), which was perfectly cooked and a beautiful puck of flavor-packed, grilled sausage. A fantastic combination.
Marinated, wood-grilled fluke with Wisconsin fingerling potatoes, herb aioli, pickled garlic, shaved radishes and fried, house-made pickles . . . I'm not sure which part of this dish I liked the most . . . the rich, wood-grilled fluke, the tender, delicate potatoes, the intense aioli or the decadant fried pickles. What a great dish!
Gunthorp Farm chicken 2 ways: breaded, fried breast and crispy chicken-sausage pierogis with beer-braised cabbage, pickled red onion and jus de poulet . . . this was also just amazing. As much as I loved the short ribs, I ended up commandeering this plate because it was simply glorious. The breast was crispy and juicy, the pierogi were just awesome; their filling was aggressively seasoned and moist, and their exteriors were browned to perfection.
House-made pot pie of Burgundy escargot and chestnuts . . . this was another treat sent out to the table by the kitchen and what a treat it was. The buttery pastry matched up extremely well with the escargot and the chestnuts provided a tasty, textural contrast. I loved the fresh herbs, too, which elevated the dish even further.
Side dish of new potatoes and spicy, pickled green beans . . . this was another side that was sent out by the kitchen. The tender, roasted potatoes -- cooked in duck fat -- were accented just wonderfully by the slightly spicy pickled green beans. I loved this one.
Prairie Fruits Farm chevre with slivered almonds, house-made jam and toast . . . yet another treat from the kitchen, this cheese course bridged the gap beautifully between the savory and sweet courses. The rich, pungent cheese seemed to have a hint of smokiness to it, which was great. I also loved the house-made jam, which was aromatic and perfectly balanced between sweet and tart.
Intermezzo of Rosé sorbet . . . tasty, refreshing bridge between the cheese and the sweets.
Tahitian vanilla creme brulee with cinnamon butter cookies, maple & orange granola and sweetened, whipped creme fraiche . . . what a glorious rendition! Not only was the dish executed masterfully, but the well-matched accompanying elements would have even been great on their own. I loved every aspect of this compelling dessert. Not long ago some friends and I were discussing our feeling that creme brulee is so often a perfunctory waste of space. In this instance, however, the dish was both distinctive and memorable.
Cornmeal doughnuts with organic buttermilk ice cream, lady finger Spring Valley Farm caramel-coated popcorn and caramel sauce . . . great flavors and textures here. The rich doughnuts were crispy and tender and the buttermilk ice cream provided a perfect cool and creamy sour note that foiled their richness very successfully.
Chef Gabriel Rucker's 'Au Bon Cannard' foie gras ice cream with profiteroles and caramel sauce . . . ok, this wasn't quite the 'Iron Chef' moment we thought it might be. After being advised by a few staffers that this dessert -- served at Vie during a recent guest stint by chef Rucker of Le Pigeon in Portland, OR -- should not be missed, we ordered it. In spite of our initial concerns, it was great. The ice cream tasted like cold, creamy, maple-y sweet butter. Joe Moore would have loved this one
Warm caramel gooey butter cake with almond-chocolate chip ice cream, almond lace cookie and almond toffee square . . . yet another innovative and satisfying incarnation of what has become my favorite Vie dessert. The gooey butter cake is always great but the caramel element, combined with the delicious ice cream, made this one of my favorite versions.
Illinois black walnut brittle . . . a crunchy, tasty last bite in which the funkiness of the black walnuts really came through. It was sweet too, but not to the point where the distinctive nuts were obscured. Very nice.
Vie continues to hit me on such an emotional and spiritual level, it's hard to analyze it. Each time I go there, I'm impressed by the way the dishes build in impact as the meal progresses. At so many other restaurants, after the short, intense burst of flavors provided by the starter courses, the entrees often fail to compel, and the momentum is lost. But at Vie, the exact opposite is true. Yes, the appetizers literally appetize -- hell, they dazzle -- but the inspired, imaginative and satisfying entrees just blow you away. There is no palate fatigue at Vie. Chef Virant and his crew may have the best senses of culinary build and pacing that I have experienced. The menu at Vie changes frequently and while that definitely benefits the diner, it's significant in that seems to be a natural extension of how this crew is constantly pushing themselves to build on what they have already accomplished. When you dine at Vie, you're tapping into the ongoing creative process of a uniquely-talented chef and a kitchen with a truly artistic sensibility. I'm sure customer satisfaction is important at Vie but I get the feeling that no one is harder to satisfy than chef Virant himself.
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Steve and I would be a maybe for the dinner at Blackbird and a highly likely for coktails at TVH.I can't do the dinner, but would like to be included for drinks at TVH Thursday.
Updating Thursday's stuff . . .
Dinner
=R= +2
Alchemist
newbie21
HeatherM
Alex
tammylc
jesteinf +1
edsel
Lady T
prasantrin* +1*
Jean Blanchard +1
santo_grace +1
HOLLY_L
NancyH +1
Nina C.* +3*
nyokie6 +1
nsxtasy +1
yellow truffle +3
joiei*
Sam Iam +1
LuckyGirl* +1*
-38- (29 definite, 9 probable)
Drinks
=R= +2
HeatherM
Alex
tammylc
jesteinf +1
edsel
tino27 +1
Lady T
prasantrin* +1*
Marmish* +1*
newbie21
Nina C.* +3*
Jean Blanchard +1
santo_grace +1
HOLLY_L
NancyH +1
nyokie6 +1
nsxtasy +1
yellow truffle +3
joiei*
moreace01 +1
Sam Iam +1
LuckyGirl +1
Darcie B
-44- (35 definite, 9 probable)
Please take a look at the above lists and let me know if I have failed to record your status accurately.
Thanks!
=R=
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Saturday +3
Updated list for the Saturday event:
=R= +2
NancyH +1
torakris
edsel
LuckyGirl +3
Alchemist
CaliPoutine +1*
Alex
tammylc
jesteinf +1
nsxtasy +1
Kerry Beal
Marmish +1
moosnsqrl +1
Osnav +1
prasantrin* +1*
tino27 +1
Sam Iam +1
nr706 +1
hsm +1*
rockandroller +1
joiei
Jean Blanchard +1
newbie21
hjshorter
moreace01 +1
HOLLY_L
santo_grace +1
daniellewiley +1
kasw +1
dls*
nyokie6 +1
Nina C. +1
LAZ +1
maggiethecat +1
Elrushbo
Darcie B
white lotus +1
Fresser
cat lancaster
HeatherM
Lady T
yellow truffle +3
-74- (69 definite, 5 probable)
Only 16 spots remain
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Will we see a bit more detail about these menus? I'm leaning towards "nasty bits", but I'm willing to be steered towards the veggie menu if that's a strength for Chef Kahan. I'd also like to know more about their wine service - particularly what their notion of "premium" might be.
Edsel,
I think Toby/Alchemist covered this but just in case, menu details will be provided a bit closer to the actual event, as will details about the pairing options.
If you ask most people, they'd probably tell you that pork belly is one of Blackbird's signature items. While I'm sure they'll do a very nice job with the veggies, 'nasty bits' are in their wheelhouse, and that's why Toby and I asked chef Kahan and crew if they could take the meal in that direction.
About dinner at Blackbird, would there be any chance of having the option of non-alcoholic pairings? I'm a cheap drunk, and I doubt I could handle both the wine at dinner and cocktails at TVH, but I feel dinner would require something better than water (my usual choice of beverage).Rona,
I'm not sure if non-alcoholic pairings will be an option but you'll be able to order either menu without pairings or, almost certainly, just a glass of wine.
General comment: As for specific selections, we'll be asking for that information a few months down the road, so there's no need to worry about it for now. When the time comes, we'll post here about how to make your selections and reserve your place(s).
~~~~~~~~~~
Both of us in for both parts on Thursday . . .Can you count me in +1 for the Violet Hour?Mr. Heartland please sign me up.Thursday (both events) +3
I will have to go tentative for thursdays events, both.Add two for both Thursday's events.Updating Thursday's stuff . . .
Dinner
=R= +2
Alchemist
newbie21
HeatherM
Alex
tammylc
jesteinf +1
edsel
Lady T
prasantrin* +1*
Jean Blanchard +1
santo_grace +1
HOLLY_L
NancyH +1
Nina C.* +3*
nyokie6 +1
nsxtasy +1
yellow truffle +3
joiei*
Sam Iam +1
-36- (29 definite, 7 probable)
Drinks
=R= +2
HeatherM
Alex
tammylc
jesteinf +1
edsel
tino27 +1
Lady T
prasantrin* +1*
Marmish* +1*
newbie21
Nina C.* +3*
Jean Blanchard +1
santo_grace +1
HOLLY_L
NancyH +1
nyokie6 +1
nsxtasy +1
yellow truffle +3
joiei*
moreace01 +1
Sam Iam +1
-41- (32 definite, 9 probable)
Please take a look at the above lists and let me know if I have failed to record your status accurately.
Thanks!
=R=
Edited to add Sam Iam, with whom I cross-posted.
-
Please put us down for both events on Thur.
Updating Thursday's stuff . . .
Dinner
=R= +2
Alchemist
newbie21
HeatherM
Alex
tammylc
jesteinf +1
edsel
Lady T
prasantrin* +1*
Jean Blanchard +1
santo_grace +1
HOLLY_L
NancyH +1
Nina C.* +3*
nyokie6 +1
-27- (21 definite, 6 probable)
Drinks
=R= +2
HeatherM
Alex
tammylc
jesteinf +1
edsel
tino27 +1
Lady T
prasantrin* +1*
Marmish* +1*
newbie21
Nina C.* +3*
Jean Blanchard +1
santo_grace +1
HOLLY_L
NancyH +1
nyokie6 +1
-30- (22 definite, 8 probable)
Please take a look at the above lists and let me know if I have failed to record your status accurately.
Thanks!
=R=
-
I and my +1 are a tentative for both Thursday night events (although more likely to attend the Violet Hour than Blackbird.)
Edited to add that our hosts in Chicago would also like to come to the Violet Hour. So that's Nina C. + 3.
We're in for both events on Thursday.I'm in for The Violet Hour as well!I'm a +1 for both Thursday night events.I am interested in both Thursday events.. . . put us down for both Thursday events.Updating Thursday's stuff . . .
Dinner
=R= +2
Alchemist
newbie21
HeatherM
Alex
tammylc
jesteinf +1
edsel
Lady T
prasantrin* +1*
Jean Blanchard +1
santo_grace +1
HOLLY_L
NancyH +1
Nina C.* +3*
-25- (19 definite, 6 probable)
Drinks
=R= +2
HeatherM
Alex
tammylc
jesteinf +1
edsel
tino27 +1
Lady T
prasantrin* +1*
Marmish* +1*
newbie21
Nina C.* +3*
Jean Blanchard +1
santo_grace +1
HOLLY_L
NancyH +1
-28- (20 definite, 8 probable)
Please take a look at the above lists and let me know if I have failed to record your status accurately.
Thanks!
=R=
-
Oooh - just read about the Thursday plan. Count me interested in both parts!In for both events on Thursday.In for both.In for 2 for both Thursday events.Tentatively, 2 for after dinner onlyCount me in for both Thursday events.Put me down (+1) as interested for the The Violet Hour. That sounds like it will be a lot of fun!I think I'm a tentative +1 for both.Is there room for one more for the whole weekend, including the 'Nasty Bits" dinner at Blackbird and the Saturday event at Immanuel?
Ok, here are some early counts for Thursday's stuff . . .
Dinner
=R= +2
Alchemist
newbie21
HeatherM
Alex
tammylc
jesteinf +1
edsel
Lady T
prasantrin* +1*
-14- (12 definite, 2 probable)
Drinks
=R= +2
HeatherM
Alex
tammylc
jesteinf +1
edsel
tino27 +1
Lady T
prasantrin* +1*
Marmish* +1*
-16- (12 definite, 4 probable)
=R=
-
Sign me up please!
Saturday for one.
Updated list for the Saturday event:
=R= +2
NancyH +1
torakris
edsel
LuckyGirl +3
Alchemist
CaliPoutine +1*
Alex
tammylc
jesteinf +1
nsxtasy +1
Kerry Beal
Marmish +1
moosnsqrl +1
Osnav +1
prasantrin* +1*
tino27 +1
Sam Iam +1
nr706 +1
hsm +1*
rockandroller +1
joiei
Jean Blanchard +1
newbie21
hjshorter
moreace01 +1
HOLLY_L
santo_grace +1
daniellewiley +1
kasw +1
dls*
nyokie6 +1
Nina C. +1
LAZ +1
maggiethecat +1
Elrushbo
Darcie B
white lotus +1
Fresser
cat lancaster
HeatherM
Lady T
-70- (65 definite, 5 probable)
Only 20 spots remain
=R=
Edited to add Lady T, with whom I cross-posted
-
List of prospective attendees for Friday's events:
=R= +2 (both parts)
Do you mean Thursday? Or did I miss something about Friday?
No, I erred. I've gone back and edited it.
This is Thursday we're discussing.
=R=
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Initial Inquiry about Thursday Night (August 7)
Changing gears here slightly to focus on Thursday night. Through the benevolence of eGS member Alchemist and a few of his associates, we have some excellent, prospective events lined up for Thursday night but before we move forward, we want to get a feel for general interest. Below is a brief description of each event. While we're not asking for a 100% firm commitment at the moment, we'd like to make sure there's at least enough interest to warrant holding these events. There are 2 parts to Thursday's prospective activities. Please indicate which parts you'd be likely to attend and how many would be in your party. Once they are 'officially' scheduled, we'll post detailed instructions here on how to reserve your spots at both parts of Thursday night's events. You may choose to attend either or both parts.
7-AUG - Thursday Night - PART 1: Dinner
Blackbird Restaurant, 619 W Randolph, Chicago, IL 60606, 312 715-0708
Award-winning chef Paul Kahan
Custom, 5-course, chef's choice, prix fixe dinner in the private, upstairs room at Blackbird. Total cost, with wine pairings, tax and gratuity would be approximately $140 per person. Without pairings, the price would be approximately $100 per person. Premium wine pairings would also be available for an additional $35 per person (~$175 total). Each diner would have the option of ordering either of the pairings, or ordering beverages a la carte, at their own expense. Each diner would choose from one of these 2 menus:
'Nasty Bits' menu (e.g. cheek, pork belly, shank, tongue, sweetbreads)
or
Vegetarian menu
Chef Kahan is excited about the prospect of putting together such a meal for our group. It promises to be a great event, as we'll have the upstairs room at Blackbird all to ourselves and we'll enjoy a unique, customized meal from a Beard-award winning chef and his restaurant's stellar crew.
~~~~~
7-AUG - Thursday Night - PART 2: After Dinner
The Violet Hour, 1520 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, 773 252-1500
Cocktailist/Managing Partner Toby Maloney (aka eGS member Alchemist)
Private cocktail session at Chicago's premiere lounge, in the Wicker Park neighborhood. Not only will we enjoy some of the finest, most meticulously-crafted cocktails available anywhere in the U.S., but we'll also get a hands-on, behind-the-scenes look at how these libations are prepared, and we'll also have the opportunity to 'tweak' our own beverages. We'll have TVH's salon all to ourselves as we sip our delicious cocktails, socialize and kick off what promises to be a great weekend. Cost will be $25 per person for the all-inclusive, 3-beverage-per-person Cocktail Session at The Violet Hour. Not only is this pricing a wee bit lower than their regular pricing but it will provide us with a level of access to The Violet Hour which the general public simply cannot obtain.
~~~~~
Again, the goal here for now is to gauge the interest level of those who are planning to be in Chicago on Thursday evening. If you are still undecided on whether you will be in Chicago on Thursday evening, perhaps the lure of these exclusive culinary opportunities will help you to make up your mind. But again, if you're not planning on being in Chicago on Thursday August 7, please do not respond to this particular query.
Thanks!
=R=
~~~~~~~~~
List of prospective attendees for Thursday's events:
=R= +2 (both parts)
Old Town Brasserie
in The Heartland: Dining
Posted
I'm scratching my head today thinking about the distinctively unpleasant experience I had at Old Town Brasserie last night. In fact, I cannot recall any single dining experience at which I've encountered such complete indifference and inconsideration as I did last night. And given how much I was looking forward to it, the experience was especially disappointing.
In 1996 I had one of the most memorable and enjoyable meals of my life at Le Francais, with chef Liccioni at the helm. As a relative neophyte to fine dining at the time, I was concerned going in, that it would be stuffy, stodgy and overly formal. Happily, the exact opposite was true. We were treated warmly by a well-trained staff who had good senses of humor. We were immediately disarmed, made to feel welcome and treated kindly. The food was glorious and stunning, and in many ways, that meal changed my life.
Now that chef Liccioni has moved into a supposedly more informal brasserie venue, the last thing I expected was pretense and snobbery coming from the FOH, but that's exactly what we encountered last night, and we received it in droves. From the moment we entered the restaurant, we were treated like our presence was a burden. Considering I'd made the reservation a month in advance, I was confused as to why. It's not like we'd shown up naively without a reservation and begged to be seated. We asked for no favors other than a venue in which to spend our money on a (hopefully) fine meal. But even taking us to our table was done with a sigh, although I have no idea what that sigh meant. I have always defended chef Roland -- even going so far as to question publicly why he was left off a list of Chicago's 50 Top Chefs a few years back, when he was back at Le Francais for his second stint. But at Old Town Brasserie, he's got a cast around him that aren't doing him any favors. It's ironic to me that in the less formal Brasserie setting, the air of pretense among the FOH'ers was so palpable -- especially when it didn't exist at all at Le Francais (or at Les Nomades, during Roland's run there).
Perhaps part of the problem with OTB is simply one of design. Clearly, there are too many tables in this restaurant and they are obviously way too close together. Does this reflect naked greed on the part of management or simply obliviousness? I'm not sure but no one in the joint seemed to be comfortable. Looking around the room during our meal, seating one party nearly always seemed to involve moving a table, or one patron fighting to squeeze past another patron who was already seated.
Our party of 4 ended up in the very back corner of the restaurant at a table that was so crammed into its space, it could barely be serviced by the staff. And I'm not exaggerating. We had to hand some of our used plates to the busboys because they could not otherwise reach them. One of my companions was served a soup terrine minus its lid because there was just no way for any staffer to reach the terrine and remove the lid once it was placed on the table. Facing the wall as I was, I had the 'pleasure' of the busboy's genitals being mashed into the back of my right shoulder repeatedly over the course of the evening. I joked that I didn't know figs were on the menu. And speaking of menus, the one I was originally given had both food and wine stains on it. Damn! It bemused me to receive such a shoddy experience from a staff who acted as if they were bothered by our very presence. Oh the irony!
Maybe this led to the FOH's generally lousy attitude. Perhaps they'd also had enough of forcing diners into spaces too small and trying to do their jobs in a restaurant that was clearly too small for the number of diners it housed. Maybe we'd done nothing more than stroll unwittingly into ongoing battle, the proportions of which we may never truly know. But I'm speculating.
Still, regardless of the reason behind it, service was uniformly uneven, if such a setting even exists. Twice, we had to ask for more butter. Water was not refilled without our asking. On more than one occasion during the meal, food and wine arrived at the exact same moment, which was really annoying -- especially since we'd asked at the outset for the meal to be 'conversationally paced.' Entrees were placed in front of the wrong diners. Dessert souffles, which had to be ordered well in advance of dessert time, arrived at the table before the individuals in our party who didn't order souffles even had a chance to order their desserts. And one person at our table never even got to order dessert because our server simply forgot to ask him and then walked away too fast for him to do so. At one point, another table's dessert showed up at our table. I'm not sure we would have known had it not been for the 'happy birthday' inscription on the rim of the plate.
Foodwise, things were better but still up and down. Appetizers were excellent, with pates and terrines all being masterfully-created and delicious. Duck consomme, which I loved 12 years ago at LF, was too salty. But the Salad Lyonnaise was very tasty and contained rendered bacon fat in the dressing. The special truffle salad was also quite tasty. Main courses were mixed: Ribeye was cooked perfectly but pretty bland. My veal strip loin was cooked to the right doneness but it was hard and dry, although the calf's liver which accompanied it was great. But both fish/seafood entrees were well-liked by everyone at the table. Souffles were tasty but the passionfruit creme brulee was truly awful -- with its way-too-soft texture and oily finish -- but they took it off the bill, at our request.
Unfortunately, pretense, snobbery and maybe even a bit of fattism are what I will remember most about my first (and possibly only) experience at OTB (which is ominously just one letter away from OCB, which stands for Old Country Buffet). There are so many other great places in town where the cost for a similar but better meal is no higher, or even lower. When I think about some recent meals I've had at Vie for example, this experience at OTB verged on laughable. For me, the 2 best moments of the evening were arriving at the restaurant (before I knew how lousy our experience would be) and leaving it, after which our mood collectively lifted. After spending a few hours at a Weegee's, a very nice lounge, we made a late-night stop at Jimmy's for a few hotdogs. Four of us ate there like Kings for $18.90. But more importantly, we were treated with a sincerity at Jimmy's that was completely absent at OTB. Perhaps the FOH staff at OTB should make a little field trip to the corner of Grand and Pulaski to see how it's done.
=R=
Weegee's Lounge
3659 W. Armitage
Chicago, IL 60647
773 384-0707
Jimmy's Red Hots
4000 W Grand Ave
Chicago, IL 60651
773 384-9513