GordonCooks

Barberian's - Great Steak* Chiado - Best Portuguese in Toronto* Courtyard Cafe (Windsor Arms) - Nice Fusion food* Lai Wah Heen (Metropolitan Hotel) Best Dim Sum and Chinese in town* Mildred Pierce - downtown joint - nice plates* Opus on Prince Arthur - Wine Spectator "Grand Award" !!* Ruth's Chris - go to Barberian's Terra - A little out of the way* More importantly - Sassafraz - stay away Tundra (Hilton) - see Sassafraz

Why not whip up a sheet pan's worth - refrigerate - and slice, nuke, and serve as needed

Gravy goes with everything - kinda like cheese.

It's hard to break it down to seven - here' my "Your sailing around the world and the galley only will fit 7" List Bourgeat 11" Saute - I never use it, but it looks great on my rack Bourgeat 4qt Sauce pan - Ditto Le Creuset - grill pan Le Creuset - 4.5 qt Round - For braising 12" Lagorsse Skillet - flea market find - 10.00 ! 20 Qt Stainless Stock Pot (don't know the brand)- ditto - 15.00 ! All Clad 12" Non Stick - my egg pan

I like Opus, but I don't love Opus. I think you did wonderful in the "Wow Gift" dept. I would rather spend a couple more bucks for Bordeaux or a few bucks less on 98 Viader

My experience has lead me to believe that I do not consider veggies as a hearty staple. My solution was hot and cold pastas - Broccoli, Roasted brussles, olives, favas, carmelized onions, chicken with penne - Cold pasta salad w crab meat, carrots, celery, green beans, ...you get the idea

For eclectic, yes - but there are many, many options. One meal only - it's gotta be Susur

Variety (albeit Good or Bad) is the spice of life

SNOB 1 British : COBBLER 2 : one who blatantly imitates, fawningly admires, or vulgarly seeks association with those regarded as social superiors 3 a : one who tends to rebuff, avoid, or ignore those regarded as inferior b : one who has an offensive air of superiority in matters of knowledge or taste By definition, You’re all snobs, I’m a snob – why else would we be here, in this site discussing this. I’d like to think of myself more as a connoisseur than a snob. The difference is my mind is that: a Snob is a Connoisseur that relishes his superiority over those of lesser knowledge.

Truly a destination restaurant - You can check out Stadtlander on the food network (canada only ?) Adventures in Dining The food is fantastic but the place is a little rustic.

Throwing away food - It's what makes America great.

I always carried a bottle of Galliano with me - our neighbors were Italian and I would just say the smell was wafting over from the Santora's.

I think we're in agreement in that having the waiter frappe' my bottle of Beaux Freres Pinot was not helping me in any way. And....if you will... I should have ordered Zima's and Belly Shots of Cuervo for the table ? It all makes sense. They were pushing the lobster empanadas a little hard that night.

I would think that you could harm an older wine by roughing it up. I've not seen an older Bordeaux go through a strainer, but have poured older ports and some other older wines through cheesecloth with no ill effects. This is my point - I would not like to see '61 Bordeaux crashing on the bottom of a decanter - I'm just not sure if it damages the wine and this is what I'm trying to ascertain. Foam is maximum areation - you're wrapping wine around bubbles of air. Is foam good or bad ? Is there a molecular viticulturist in the house ?

I do agree with decanting younger wines for that reason and had good luck with it - I guess my question is; does an aggresive, almost vigorous decant affect the wine in any manner ? Has anyone ever seen a '61 Bordeaux poured upside down though a strainer ?

Sediment is not a concern - the wine in question was a 99 Beaux Freres Pinot ......that the waiter dumped out like cans of Budwieser at a fraternity funnel party. I thought he may as well as poured the wine in a cocktail shaker and strained it into martini glasses I may do a taste test myself over the weekend just to see the diff (if any may exist)

I've decanted my fair share at home and experienced it in restaurant settings. My question is regarding younger wines with little or no sediment. Older wines are almost always poured slowly to prevent transfer (sediment) to the decanter but I've seen some young whites and reds poured out with the bottle almost inverted. I have heard some spirit connoisseurs comment on bruising a fine gin but can you affect a wine in general by dumping it like a pitcher of maple syrup. I myself pour fairly slow trying to follow the neck of the decanter to aerate but not foam - am I being ridiculous?

Manwich is God-Awful - tastes like tomato paste and barbeque sauce. Use a dry mix like French's or McCormick for good results. The only deviation I make is sweat some sweet onions and then add ground chuck..then the tomato paste...then blah, blah.blah...then - Sourdough Rolls !

What would you prefer they request if they desire a cocktail composed of Cranberry Juice and Vodka? Vodka & Cranberry, of course - it's an ex-bartender thing. Kinda like when you're busy, someone waves their money for you to come over - you make it over to them and then they turn around to ask their group what they want - or.... The double/triple order - you order a round and then add a drink or two after the bartender has made a round - that's a double. Repeat and you have a triple order The list goes on

Large bag of Ruffles potato chips and a tub of Sour Cream & Onion dip washed down by a large pepperoni pizza

Rubanesque, Pebbly, Malleable

Fugu !

Most of the places I frequent can start you a check with the bartender or the bartender can add your drinks to the dinner check. I do think it's proper to tip him out for his services and not deduct it from the dinner check. I think if have a large bar bill that get's carried over - then it may be proper to deduct from the dinner tip.

I hate it when people complain about the crappy service/food they always get whenever they frequent chain-type restaurants.

Glad to hear you didn't get stuck behind the fish case. Those boxes are Bonito Shavers - each of the chefs shaved their own bonito - a la minute. Pretty impressive in my book.