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Congratulations to L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon for winning the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant

Congratulations to Chef Thomas Keller for winning the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restauranteur

Congratulations to Frontera Grill for winning the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant

Congratulations on winning the James Beard Award for Restaurant Service

Congratulations to Chef Nobuo Fukuda on winning the James Beard Award for "Best Chef" Southwest...what a great honor!!

Congratulations Chef G on your James Beard Award!!!!!!

May 7, 2007 From the Arizona Republic: Asia de Cuba...Food Critic Howard Seftel delves into the fusion offerings at the Mondrian Hotel's hot spot, Asia de Cuba. Howard Seftel's Blog "Feeding Frenzy"...Keep up with Howard by reading his blog, his recent posts include news of an upcoming restaurant at the Camelback Inn and his "under the radar" ethnic restaurants. From the Phoenix New Times: The Gelato Manifesto...Arlecchino Gelateria...Michele Laudig pens the "Gelato Manifesto" that reveals why Arlecchino Gelateria is best in the Valley! Essence Bakery Cafe & Cafe Bistro...Michele reviews two spots that she finds suffers a little bout of confusion...Essence Bakery Cafe and cafeBistro bar and grill. Michele Laudig's Blog "Chow Bella"...Keep up with Michele by reading her blog...Chow Bella. From the Tucson Citizen: Tequila: Sip it...Food Critic Tom Stauffer details some of the top spots to sip tequilla in town. La Parilla Suiza...Tom details the Mexico City style cuisine of La Parilla Suiza. National Geographic puts Café Terra Cotta, The Grill on the MapGuide...Dina L. Doolen gives some insight into National Geographic's MapGuide and the Arizona notables. Meet the Chef: Dave Boehm, Bistro Zin...Tom Stauffer performs a Q&A with Dave Boehm of Bistro Zin. From the Tucson Weekly: Touch of Class...Rita Connelly review the BBQ at Touch of Class but finds it useful to call before you go. Noshing Around with Karyn Zolden...Karyn Zolden checks in with the culinary goings on in the Old Pueblo. Good Eating, Molto E

RS, Turns out my finicky Father went to dinner the following Monday at S&S. That is a good indication of how he enjoyed the meal. Molto E

You alerted us to a good one DRPNY...this is my go-to lunch spot now...one thing that I have noticed is on his pastas they can be a little over sauced (though still good)...

Josh, Your experience was along the lines of mine...not all palates are alike so the good thing about the boards is to find the palates that are similar to your own...though I do not know why you do not like Kaze Molto E

IMO, Everest is not in that top group any longer. I did not say the S&S was in the top eschelon of restaurants in Chicago nor does it aspire to be. If value was factored in then I would put it in best value dining.

I think the $50 three-course pre-theater deal at Everest is an equally good value. It's nice to have two great values from two great (but very different) restaurants. ← this meal was a far better experience than my last at Everest

well...my dog's were gifted the foie gras biscuits and they love em

Do you remember the aioli or mayo on the burger??

Sweets & Savories 1534 w. Fullerton (just east of Ashland) 773-281-6778 After trying Sweets & Savories for the first time, I can not believe that I waited this long to make the maiden voyage. With Alex, George, Josh, RS, and Truffle showing the love for the restaurant that should have been enough...When weighing our options for a Monday night dinner, Ronnie S. threw S&S in the ring and the $50 7 course dinner sealed the deal. I want to make one thing PERFECTLY clear...the experience that Chef Richard and his staff provide for $50 is the single best dining value in the city of Chicago-PERIOD! Futhermore on Mondays there is no menu delivered to the table, nothing, and if you owe someone dinner or want to impress anyone and save some $$$ then take them to S&S. The waiter hands you the bill in the end and no one is the wiser . Foie Gras Mousseline with seville orange gelee Great opener...this set the tone for an amazing meal. The mousse was very creamy... Prince Edward Island Mussels, tomato lobster cream I do not recall ever having a mussel / lobster cream combination before. The tomato lobster cream was mopped up with a baguette after I polished off the delicate mussels. Crispy Soft Shell Crab, watermelon tomato salade with cilantro, mango coulis, french paprika I love soft shell crab and the flavor set that Chef Richards used was delicious and evoked spring / summer. The crabs were delicately fried so the crab's interior was not sacrificed for the crunch. At this point in the meal I looked at my finicky father and said that I could not believe that we were at couse 3 and this was what they put out for $50. He told me forget about the price...this place is good! pan roasted sable, white bean and spring vegetable ragout with bacon, roasted corn butter This fish was as good of a piece of fish that I have had...fork tender, moist soooo good. The corn butter mixed with a bite of fish on top of the ragout was delicious. EXCELLENT I turned to my finicky father again and asked him again," Can you believe this is $50?" and again he told me to forget about the price. Really I am not price conscious because unfortunately most fine dining experiences fetch the $$$$$$$, but in this instince believe me this is the deal of all deals. And I think normally it is $70 and that is still a steal! Grilled venison striploin, brasied french green lentils, black cherry chutney, veal demiglace and truffle oil I am not so much into game so this course is not one that I can judge. Kobe Burger with duck pate I had heard so much about the burger that I requested the kitchen to send out addition to the tasting...they did not have the brioche bun because they bake those on Wednesdays for burger night, and they did not have the proper foie garnish but the kitchen subbed for me. This is definitely a quality burger and on a Wednesday for burger night, S&S must be given strong consideration. Foie gras risotto, dry fig and fig mostarda Creamy truffle risotto could be a cure all for me...the addition of the fig and the mostarda worked. Salade of roasted heirloom garnet beet and Indiana goat cheese, baby frisee and broken vinaigrette Cudos to Chef Richards for taking us here to before the dessert courses. Beets, goat cheese, balsamic is a money combination. pineapple spice rum sorbet Meyer lemon curd tart, blueberry compote, soft whipped cream Lemoncello cheesecake, raspberry coulis Warm dark chocolate fondant, chocolate genache sauce, cocoa cinnamon sorbet This was quite an array for dessert and all of the selections were good...even the chocolate fondant, a dessert that is no stranger, was a great rendition. and just when you thought it was done... truffles This meal was a total success...when you walk into a restaurant and receive this kind of experience, when you are not expecting it, for me that is why I live to dine. When you walk into the French Laundry or Alinea, the expectation is for an experience that will knock your socks off and they do. But when you walk into some neighborhood spot on West Fullerton and get treated to suberb food and service then it does not get much better than that. I have spent more money than this for pub grub...go check it out!

Michele Laudig just published what I am calling the Gelato Manifesto on the BEST gelato that I have ever had.

Ronnie S. and the Fam made it out to scout their beloved Cubs during Spring Training and our first dinner together at one of my Phoenix favorites was at Zinc. Spring weather in Phoenix is perfect for dining al fresco and where better than the courtyard at Zinc. This ended up being truly one of my ATF meals at Zinc and Sous-Chef Jeremy McMillan surprised us with a course that was out of this world. Jeremy will be moving to Napa at the end of the month to futher his development as a Chef. He will be greatly missed at Zinc as he has been a stalwart member of Chef Matt Carter's crew for the last 5 years. Chef Carter will keep his crew humming as he has developed many stars while they have worked for him at Zinc. Our meal...While we were ordering appetizers, RS jr. made his presence felt as a budding epicure by requesting the squab as long as it came with the foie gras. Appetizers Crispy Skate, Bacon Soffrito, Cider Apple Gastrique padron pepper, turnips, Beurre Noisette Skate is a traditional bistro dish but at Zinc, it receives Chef Matt Carter's spin. The skate was tender with a crispy exterior and the bacon soffrito with the slight spice from the pepper was phenomenal. Seared Dry Packed Scallops spanish chorizo, roast corn, arroz calasparra This has become a go-to dish for me at Zinc...the chorizo, corn, manchego, rice combo is so darn tasty...and the scallops are always perfectly seared on the outside and med-rare on the inside. California Squab and Foie Gras cipollini onion honey glaze, tennessee grits the honey glazed cipollini onions are like candy...nice piece of foie gras pairing with the squab...I actually ordered a side of the Tennesse grits because I forgot that they came with this dish. These grits are so creamy blended with mascarpone and bacon making them like a creamy risotto. Sally, our server, told us not to order any pork as an entree because Chef McMillan has something coming. We placed our entree orders and then Chef McMillan presented a glistening rack of Bershire pork to the table. I am surprised that the rack made it back to the kitchen because RS and I looked at it like wolves. Berkshire Pork Three Ways Roasted Loin, Morel, Bacon and Foie Gras Emulsion Grilled Rib, Juniper Marshmallow Charred Fatcap, Brandy and Apple Syrup Wow...where to start...the pork came plated on a long rectangle with the rib on one side and a juniper marshmallow sauce to dip into - the rib did not need to be dipped into the sauce, but it was interesting nonetheless...in the middle was the charred fatcap which was one of the most glorious pieces of swine that has ever gone down the hatch, after eating mine I thought about trying to nab RS jr.'s but RS and his fork were closer than I was...on the other side of the plate was the roasted loin, which was lean but the unctuous foie gras emulsion with morels and bacon made me want to lick the plate...GREAT DISH Entrees Chicken Thighs bucatini, corn, and sherry This has become another go-to dish for me at Zinc...the thighs are cooked sous-vide and then the skin is crisped making the meat juicy and the skin crispy...nice Smoked Onglet a la Bordelaise La Ratte Potatoes - Bound in Bone Marrow Cream Red Wine Reduction and Crispy Shallot with Parsley La Ratte potatoes in bone marrow cream, that works for me...the smoked edge to the hanger steak is a welcome spin Prime Flat Iron Steak, Shallots, Brandy Au Poivre served medium rare, choice of matchstick or pommes frites There was time this was the dish that I ordered everytime I went to Zinc. Classic bistro dish...perfect execution...one change that I make is the frites come with a paprika spice mix (I think) and I get the frites with just salt...the frites are a favorite among all Zinc diners Desserts Chocolate Souffle (which takes 20 minutes so order in advance), pistachio cheesecake, chocolate and candied pistachio with peanut butter (a favorite) and beignets all the desserts were well executed and tasty Zinc Bistro has a convivial vibe that radiates from Owner Terry Ellisor, and Chef Matt Carter. If you are seated at the bar, it is very likely that Terry will be pouring tastes of a new wine that he has just added to the menu or a taste of something that he is enamored with. When the Scottsdale Culinary Festival was going on, one night after an event the restaurant was filled with a virtual who's who of the culinary world at this point Chef Matt Carter just started sending out canapes for anyone in the bar to nosh on. This is what Zinc Bistro is about and why it is one of the most successful restaurants in the Phoenix area. Phoenix Best Bets: Sea Saw Binkley's Restaurant Zinc Bistro Cyclo Lo-Lo's Fried Chicken and Waffles Kohnies-Coffee, Breakfast and Best Scones Pizzeria Bianco Pane Bianco - Chris Bianco's sandwich shop Matt's Big Breakfast Arlecchino Gelateria The Pork Shop Andreoli - Scottsdale, Italian Deli & Grocery

21Club, Chef Claude is still at JR in Vegas?? Molto E

I have hit Andreoli's a couple more times for lunch...every time that I go in there at least half the patrons are speaking Italian...the last two times that I had the patatine e porri frito(fried potatoes and leeks), the fries needed more in the fryer so ask for them crispy...the panino de tizio (homemade sausage, peppers and onions) was VERY GOOD, peppers and onions were nice and caramelized

I was with RS on his first visit to Smoque BBQ and here are the images from that meal... exterior menu ronnie s.'s view of the court on a fastbreak...little did they know what was coming Pulled Pork Sliced Brisket 1/2 slab of baby back ribs (on top) and 1/2 slab of St. Louis ribs (bottom) baby back rib 1/2 chicken We had lunch at Smoque and each following day when I thought about where I was going to go for lunch, my thoughts turned to Smoque . That is an indication of how much I liked Smoque's fare, but for research purposes a return visit was not in the cards. The absolute standouts for me were the pulled pork and sliced brisket...so moist and flavorful as good as I have ever had in Chicago. We really should have ordered the sandwich versions of the brisket and the pork because the rolls looked great.I liked the baby backs a little more than the St Louis ribs but I need to try them again, yea definitely . Both BBQ sauces were tasty and served on the side so you can apply to your liking. We came right at the opening so the chicken was ready a little after our order. At that point, I was satisfied after what we had eaten thus far but when RS cut into the chicken, the juices were flowing so I had to dig in. I thought the chicken was outstanding, but we did get it right out of the smoker so I am not sure if that level of juicyness is standard. As far as the sides: the fries were very good, beans and slaw - ok and the mac and cheese had a layer of crumbs on top that I felt should have been mixed in with the pasta and gratineed. We spoke with the owner, Barry. and his commitment to deliver the best product is evident. He told us of his research expedition to K.C., Austin and I think Carolina to check out the various types of "Q" to see what he liked best. Smoque is highly recommended and I seem to have been woowed by the "Q" that Barry and the gang are turning on out there.

I am a fan of Coach K but I left the meal even more impressed with Coach K then ever.

Details from our Sunday Dinner at Wing Lei can be found here.

Wing Lei at the Wynn Dinner: 5:30 pm - 10:30 pm (Casual Elegant) Reservations: (702) 248-DINE or (888) 352-DINE While I wish it would have been bestowed upon me at the casinos during my last trip to Las Vegas, all of my good fortune came with the simple decision to dine at Wing Lei at the Wynn. The cornucopia of fine dining options in Las Vegas these days continually causes me much consternation when trying to settle on a restaurant choice for the evening. However, Chef Richard Chen's establishment at Wing Lei has resolved many of my Las Vegas dining issues. Prior to being lured to the Wynn Resort by Elizabeth Blau, Chef Chen was running Shanghai Terrace at the Peninsula Hotel in Chicago. With Chef Chen at the helm, Shanghai Terrace was a foodie favorite in Chicago and his departure saddened his devoted fans. Chef Chen was born into the restaurant business in Taiwan, where his family ran their own restaurant. When Richard was a young man, the Chen family moved to the United States and settled in Chicago, where they once again settled into the restaurant business. Richard attended the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, where he received formal training to complement his experience in the family business. After graduating from C.I.A, Richard moved to New York City and honed his craft for two years before moving back to Chicago to work at the Ritz Carlton under Chef Sarah Stegner. Soon thereafter, the Penninsula Hotel in Chicago hired Richard to be the chef at their new concept, Shanghai Terrace. The original intent was for Shanghai Terrace to be simple noodle concept, but after sampling the dishes at Richard's tasting, that concept was abandoned for his haute Chinese cuisine. Richard became known for using the highest quality ingredients while fusing Western ingredients and techniques into the preparation of classical Chinese cuisine. In typical Steve Wynn fashion, he gave Chef Chen carte blanche to enable Wing Lei to deliver to its patrons the finest dining experience possible. Richard offers Cantonese, Shanghai and Szechwan specialties, and for the high rollers that come from Asia to try their luck at the Wynn, Richard will prepare special custom menus. The special menus use ingredients that are not familiar to the Western palate like shark fin, dried abalone and various species of selected fish. The selected fish is flown in live from Asia and requires special handling on the flight over so that they arrive in good condition. Wing Lei also offers a Peking Duck tasing menu that has become very popular. Docsconz and I wanted to sample as much of Chef Chen's cuisine as possible and the list of dishes that we wanted kept growing until Chef Chen offered to prepare a tasting menu for us. Table Setting at Wing Lei Tasting Menu We started with cocktails prior to dinner... Coach K. was dining with his family at the table next to us Amuse - Lobster, Melon with Yuzu Dressing The lobster was tender and accentuated by the melon, crunch of the endive, slight acidic component from the creamy yuzu dressing and the briny caviar. This was a great way to start the meal and a preview of Chef Chen's ability to have his flavors meld seamlessly together. Seafood Dumpling with Saute Pea Leaves and Superior Broth The melange of seafood stuffing was encased in a tender wrapper that lay in a little pool of the broth. The broth was delicious and thicker than I have had with this kind of dish. GREAT DISH... Tempura Lobster with Jalapeno, Garlic Seasoning We did not know what our menu was because Chef Chen was preparing it on the fly. So when this dish was presented at the table, there was a communal whiplash effect between Doc and I. The sight of the whole lobster prepared tempura style brought a smile to my face. The lobster was deftly fried but the seasoning of this dish was spectacular. The dish was scattered with little pieces of garlic that resembled granola and when combined with the pepper made a great union. Chef Chen is able to balance the flavors in his dishes without one nuance overtaking the other. Sorbet We had initially planned on ordering one Peking Duck tasting menu and then adding a number of dishes that we also wanted to try. The table on the other side of us had ordered the Peking Duck tasting so as each course came to the table, I had a serious case of Peking Duck on the brain, until... Peking Duck Salad with Almonds, Crisp Orange Truffle Vinaigrette The salad was presented to both of us and ... wonton bowl being broken up and salad mixed Nice clean salad with the cruchy wonton and the meaty duck Braised Pork Belly with Abalone Mushroom, Green Bean At Shanghai Terrace, Chef Chen's pork belly dishes were legendary so we very happy when this dish arrived. The unctuous belly was delectable and the mushroom and the slight crunch of the green bean rounded out one of my ATF pork belly dishes. Wok Fried Kobe Beef with Scallion, Red eye Chili Sauce Before tasting the dish, I was worried that the sauce would take away from the Kobe beef. I have had Kobe beef before and enjoyed the marbling that only Kobe can have. One bite into this beef was like putting a piece of Freshen-up gum in your mouth with the EXPLOSION of juices that came from this amazing piece of meat. The sauce was a good complement with a bit of heat but nothing could over run the Kobe explosion. Dessert Sampler Chocolate Bar Pineapple Coconut Delight Sorbet Sampler The desserts were good... Wing Lei was a delight and Chef Richard Chen is a true talent, this feeling was echoed from every table within earshot. Any future trip to Las Vegas will definitely include a stop at Wing Lei!

April 29, 2007 From the Arizona Republic: Carey Sweet's Dining Column...Carey reports on Chef Kevin Binkley's use of some modern technique at his eponymous restaurant. Fuego Bistro...Food Critic Howard Seftel details the morphing of Cafe del Sol into Fuego Bistro. Howard Seftel's Blog "Feeding Frenzy...Keep up with Howard by reading his blog...Feeding Frenzy. From the Phoenix New Times: Med Fresh Grill...Food Critic Michele Laudig enjoys the new Turkish restaurant on Mill Ave. in Tempe...Med Fresh Grill. Michele Laudig's Blog "Chow Bella"...Michele thinks she has been blog slacking this week but she has a big feature coming out next week. From the Tucson Citizen: Cooking up help for Primavera... "Apprentice Chef and Gourmet Dining Events," is a funraiser for Primavera, the event's description,"community members pay $250 each to work with a Tucson Originals chef. With the chef, they create, prepare and serve an elaborate wine-paired dinner to a group of dining guests. Each "apprentice chef" must guarantee at least five guests. " ANTONIO'S AUTENTICO RESTAURANTE ...Food Critic Tom Stauffer wonders,"Is that weird or is it just me?", in regards to the Mexican / Italian concept of Antonio's Autentico Restaurante. I have to say I agreed with him until I read this is a venture of former Crossroads owner Antonio Gonzalez because I have enjoyed many a meal at the Crossroads while he owned it. Meet the Chef: Virginia Garcia, Lili's Cocina...Tom Stauffer performs a Q&A with Virginia Garcia of Lili's Cocina. In-N-Out rolls in another kitchen to speed orders...What happens when In-N-Out comes to Tucson...read on WOW! From the Tucson Weekly: La Placita Café...Renee Downing reveals that La Placita Cafe is one of the most pleasant places to eat Mexican food in town. Noshing Around with Karyn Zolden...Karyn Zolden checks in with the culinary goings on in the Old Pueblo. Good Eating, Molto E

First off, great tip...make sure you get the patatine with the panino...the panino that I tried were on a baguette, which kind of surprised me. I look forward to trying it again!