santo_grace

Is it too late to offer to make a course? I've been debating between two recipes: 1. Cold shrimp dish - Rick Bayless recipe, or a 2. Corn, pasta, bacon, cream dish. One of our summer time favorites. Though I would have to ask some of the expert caterers here on the best way to make the cream/bacon sauce for 70-90 people! Tammy, let me know if would prefer if I do a course or act as a sous. I am also local, so I can bring coolers and other items. I already plan on lending my Kitchen Aid to the bread class on Friday. If we need a food processor or blender let me know. Also, I can help drive people around during the weekend.

Tom Please count me in. Though I can only do an afternoon session. I have a Kitchen Aid that you can use. If the location is in Chicago or very near north suburb (Evanston), I could get it to you for the morning session even if I'm not attending that session. However, my kitchen has only one oven and is pretty small.

Yes, it is free street parking and even on the weekend you can find something within a block. We generally park on the east/west street (Roscoe).

Chufi, My husband and I just did a trip through Utah last month. We did somewhat of a circle, starting in Vegas, with stops in St. George UT (which is west of Zion), drove to Moab (via I-15 and I-70), then to Boulder, UT, then to Springdale on the way, and then back to Vegas to fly home. We managed to stop at Arches Park, Capitol Reef, Bryce and Zion, and with seeing a lot of beautiful areas in between (and some desolate areas too!). It really is beautiful country and you should enjoy the trip. I wrote about our meals at the Hell's Backbone Grill here. I'll post details from the rest of our trip in a day or so, and in the appropriate threads. Regarding other parts of your trip, I agree with mizducky on making a side trip to Sedona. It's a nice little town with the galleries and fun jeep tours. (Though at a certain point on your trip you may be saying to yourself 'I don't need to see anymore rock'. Everytime I said that I would turn the corner to something beautiful and be glad we made the trip.) It was quite a few years ago, so I can only remember that we had a great dinner at L'Auberge. I'll post more later about other parts of the trip.

Hello All, I thought I would bounce this thread back up, though I wish I had done it a few weeks ago right after my husband and I got back from a driving trip in Utah. I’m having a hard time remembering what we had even though we really enjoyed the restaurant, including the setting and the staff. When planning the itinerary I purposely put us in Boulder just so we could eat here. Plus, as far a convenience goes, it is a good halfway point to spend the night between Moab and Springdale. The room at the connected Boulder Mountain Lodge was really nice as well. Now, onto the food. We were able to have dinner and breakfast here. For dinner, they were out of their award winning house salad for the appetizer. My husband had the asparagus soup, and I had a nice light salad. Both were very good. I really liked the pepper biscuits, which I was a little wary of. I'm not a big fan of something being encrusted in black (or white) pepper or where it is specifically mentioned as a key ingredient. The biscuits were perfect though, and I would love to make them for friends for a dinner party. Luckily, the recipe is in the cookbook, which I plan on getting soon. As our entrees, I had the ruby red trout. It was beautiful in color, more like a salmon. I guess I'm used to white trout, so it was a pleasant surprise. It had a nice molasses, brown sugar coating, which had the right amount of sweetness, and was done perfectly with the right amount of crispiness. My husband declared me the winner between our two entrees. He had a chili rubbed steak, which he really liked, but he just kept saying "should have gotten the trout." We did have the chocolate-chili cream pots. Which I liked, but did not love. Not as much chili flavor as I would have expected. Actually, I detected very little, but as a chocolate cream pot they were good. For breakfast, I had the chilaquiles, which were spicy, but not too hot. This is something I never make at home, but am planning on doing so in the future. I unfortunately can’t remember what my husband had, but I do remember that we both enjoyed the food. We did get blueberry coffeecake to go, which made for a nice snack later on. I guess not many people get this to go, as we did hear them in the kitchen trying to decide if they should heat it up before wrapping it for us. That’s really nice service. I’m really glad we made a point of going here. And now I’m off to order the cookbook online.

Ronnie - please add me as a +1 for Friday's event. Thanks!

Fun thread! Made a Rib Eye with Bernaise sauce recently. I've never made bernaise sauce before, and it was wonderful. I think it was from a recent Gourmet issue. It turned our perfectly, even if we did have a very scary moment of thinking we had scrambled the eggs. My husband is begging me to make it again, which will probably happen this weekend since it is his birthday.

Ronnie, I'm a +1 for both Thursday night events. Thanks!

Wow! Thanks Ronnie for all the coordination. Put me down for 2 for Saturday dinner.

Hi Ronnie, I'm on the list, but put me down for +1

How was Daniel Boulud? My husband and I will be in Vegas in April for 1 night, and I think based on Bryan's writeup we will be going to L'Atelier. I did consider DB's though, and wondered what you thought of it.

I was going to ask what people thought of the list and the offer. Having never participated in a restaurant week before, what can you expect to get for the price? I'm assuming you get to choose between a few options for each course, or is that incorrect? For example, at David Burke's Primehouse am I really going to get a good steak since the steaks there are well above $31.95. In your experience, are the menus posted online as it get closer to the event? (Regarding Buco de Beppo, I've always been turned off by the place ever since I saw the sign in the outfield of Hohokam (Cubs spring training park in Mesa, AZ) and they advertised sanitary bathrooms. Really?! Is that part of a marketing strategy? Because all it does is make me think of UNsanitary bathrooms, and now I will forever associate it with Buco.)

Yes, do go to Avec, which I also mentioned in reply to your post about The Violet Hour. One of the best dining/drinking nights I've had in awhile - TVH for early drinks and apps, followed up with Jamon Iberico, braised pork shoulder, and the fish of the day at Avec. I second the recommendation for Super Dawg and will throw one in for Hot Doug's. I'll also add Sol de Mexico to the list - very good moles. (Yes, yes, I know that Frontera/Topolobampo is usually what is recommended, but this is 10 minutes from my house, doesn't have a wait, and is BYO). Our out of town guests always like it.

highflyingbird - we were there this past Saturday night at 7:30 and got a table no problem. Stayed for 3 wonderful drinks for each of us and some apps. When left at 10pm (to head for Avec for some yummy Jamon Iberico) the line was out the door. Go early if you don't want to stand in the cold and wait. What we loved about it was that we had no idea people were waiting - the bar never filled up to the point where you couldn't move and the noise level was never too loud, so we didn't feel rushed to leave. I don't think there was anyone standing and drinking in the front room. Combine that with the great drinks - we left very happy.

I'm good for both of those dates.

Once I discovered roasting them a few years ago, I can't wait until they come into season. So, I agree with the comments about roasting them with all sorts of combinations of ingredients - bacon, duck fat, onions, walnuts, pecans, etc. Also, like to thinly shred them, saute them with whatever I have on hand (again, bacon, duck fat, olive oil), once they start to get a little soft throw in some cream and reduce slightly. Mix in with pasta and some good parm or whatever cheese you like. I'll often throw in some pine nuts to contribute to the nuttiness. A simple meal that always looks nice with the contrast of the pasta and the green from the sprouts.

How about...? Mac and cheese Corn bread Cole slaw - cold dish Baked beans

How exciting for me! I grew up in Fulton* and get back to the area a couple of times a year since my family is still there. Looking forward to seeing some familiar places and things. Salt potatoes are a good start! And Byrne Dairy milk too! Do they still sell it in glass bottles? *FYI for those not from the area - Fulton is 10 minutes south of Oswego and about 20-40 minutes from Syracuse (depending on what part of Syracuse you are going to). You basically have to go through our sleepy little town to get to from one to the other.

The difference between the Fredonia and Buffalo weck is this: Buffalo - hot roast beef with au jus Fredonia - cold roast beef, swiss cheese, lettuce and Thousand Island dressing Which style did you get in Olean? ← Oh boy, we are going back about 3 years now. I believe it was hot with au jus. I'm not a huge fan of swiss cheese, so I think I would remember that. They seem so different I'm not sure how they could even have the same name. Edited to add: Happy Birthday!

We vacationed in Oregon at the beginning of August. You can read about our Wilamette Valley trip here. As for Portland, we stopped at Pok Pok after we got our rental car at the airport and ate before we started our 4.5 hour drive to Bandon. We were so happy with our meal there that we picked some up to-go before we headed back to the airport to fly home a week later. It held up quite well as we checked our bags and went through security. We loved sitting there eating our delicious hen and watching people eat their airport fast food. What a great way to end a trip! I also picked up some pastries (a 6-pack of macaroons and a Pixie) from Pix which is about a block or two east of Pok Pok. I really enjoyed the macaroons. I can't say that I'm a macaroon expert though, so I'm not sure how they compare to other places. I thought we would eat these on the plane on the way home, but we were so stuffed from Pok Pok we didn't enjoy them until later in the day. In Portland, we also had lunch at Andina, which we really enjoyed; dinners at Carlyle and Clyde Common. We would recommend both of these places as well. Though don't get the squab at Clyde Common (or was it quail? I can't remember). I just remember that it was a seriously undercooked bird, which when I sent it back to be cooked for another 1-2 minutes (knowing that it can quickly go from undercooked to overcooked), it came back tough as nails. Other items we had there were very good though, so don't let that dissuade you. Our meals in Bandon mostly consisted of the restaurant and pub at Bandon Dunes golf course, which were fine. We did get out for one meal in Bandon at the Wild Rose Bistro. We had hoped to go to Alloro Wine Bar but there was no room for us. We really enjoyed our dinner at Wild Rose. It's a tiny space with a husband/wife team - he serves/talks, she cooks. We got a late table and were the last ones to leave. One of my other meals at Bandon was at a fried fish place on the main street near the harbor. I'm a sucker for fried clams, so I was happy. However, the hugest seagull that I have ever seen (and I've seen plenty growing up near Lake Ontario) didn't get anything from me, so he was a little less happy. Enjoy your trip! We've been raving about ours ever since we got back.

Binghamton? Spiedies, perhaps? MelissaH ← DING! DING! DING! WE HAVE A WINNER!! ← Darn, MelissaH beat me to it (note to self: check blogs more than once a day)! I went to college at SUNY Binghamton and developed a taste for Spiedies - once I had the real thing, not the ones from the dining halls. The dining hall used Good Seasonings mix. I was just discussing Beef on Weck with my husband since he had never heard of it. My first (and only) taste was from Olean. Not sure how it compares to Buffalo or Fredonia, but it was fun to have a local food. edited for grammar

Table - so I can more easily read my book. I would get very involved in my books, so much so, more than one waiter made me jump in surprise when asking if I wanted anything else. I would generally only sit at the bar if it seemed to provide a good view of the kitchen. When I traveled alone for work, I considered this my alone time since the rest of the day was spent on a plane or at the client's site.

Yes, lets hear it for the crispy dark bits! That's my favorite part too. My list is: Roasted cauliflower Duck confit - from the wonderful pictorial. The hardest part was finding the large quantity of duck fat for a decent price. Fried eggs placed on top of burgers, pasta, and anything else suitable! Always, a good quick meal. Negronis!

Definitely go to the Painted Lady on your next trip. Other than the slightly overdone pork, it was really nice. Overall, our entire trip to Oregon was met with wonderful service and good atmosphere.

Thanks for all the recommendations on this thread (and other threads on the Willamette Valley). We just got back from a week long trip. Flew into Portland, drove to Bandon for some golf, spent a couple of nights in Portland, and then made it to Willamette for two days. We stopped at about 14 wineries in the two days. Some of the ones we enjoyed are already mentioned here, but thought I would list them again. Ponzi - first winery of the day. Walked in at 11am, and he was more than happy to get us set up. Elk Cove - great view. Kramer - we thought why not stop in, since it 's down the road from Elk Cove. Wish we hadn't stopped here. I think this is why we decided to stick to our lists we had already made up. Adelsheim - we were very impressed with the wines here. We were looking for Bergstrom and ended up here instead. Turns out Bergstrom is by appointment only (started in June 2007). We are very happy with the wines bought here and will either be seeking them out here in Chicago or joining their wine club. Torri Mor - wanted to see the Japanese garden but it was under renovations. Lange - one of our disappointments. We were looking forward to it, but in the end, we didn't purchase anything here. Erath - made a nice purchase here. Very nice people. Archery Summit - our favorite! The wine was wonderful. So good we signed up for the wine club right there. We liked the tasting room - very simple and straightforward - a place where you think it is all about the wine. The tasting fee is one of the highest for the area ($15) but worth every penny. (I should also say that my husband and I share a tasting since I can't consume the wine we would get by myself.) Witness Tree, Cristom, and Bethel Heights - hit all of these on the next day. All good. Great views also. The only drawback to these 3 wineries is that we were followed by a group of 4 with one very loud, obnoxious woman in the group. She didn't like anything (the wine, the decor, etc.). While she is certainly entitled to that opinion, it's the way she presented it. Luckily, I realized we were going to lose her after Bethel Heights. We then headed back north to Domaine Serene and Domaine Drouhin. We had heard great things about both of these, and they seem to be two of the more popular stops. In addition, to overhearing others had been/were going here, these were also highly recommended by other wineries. We enjoyed D. Serene, but did not enjoy the wines at D. Drouhin. Granted they were only pouring 3 wines (2 whites and a red), so we didn't sample much, but we just weren't feeling it. After that one more stop - Scott Paul. Really enjoyed talking to the person pouring our wines here, and ended up with a couple of bottles. Where we ate - I used this site heavily to rely on where to stop to eat (no surprise since that is what egullet is all about). We enjoyed 3 wonderful meals. Our first was Wednesday night at Bistro Maison. I had the french onion soup and mussels (a huge portion, couldn't eat them all). My husband had the escargot, a nice salad, and the steak tartar. The tartar was very nicely seasoned. The setting was a nice garden setting, where I was given a wrap in case it got too cold, which is always a great touch. Thursday's lunch was at Tina's. We were happy to get seated when we got there. The place wasn't crowded but there was a large party that was taking up a lot of the servers time (and she was the only one). We were politely told it would be 10 minutes before they could seat us. Since we weren't in a hurry that worked fine for us. I had a nice pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw on it and my husband had a burger. Thursday night for dinner was at the Painted Lady. Also, very good. (As a side note: my husband did say I was batting 1,000 regarding restaurant choices). We sat outside on their porch, with 2 other parties. We opted for the ala carte menu. The tasting menu looked wonderful, but once you present me with other choices, I would rather create my own menu. We had a nice salmon amuse and we both had the corn bisque with dungeness crab (just the right amount of sweetness). My husband then had the diver scallop. Done just perfectly - warm enough without being overcooked. For the next course, he had the duck breast and I had a pork tenderloin. The pork came as 2 cubes of pork, which is probably my only criticism of the meal. It was a bit over cooked and might have been better prepared as the loin cut up into slices. It was followed by a nice cheese course and then desserts. My husband's chevre panna cotta was wonderful. We split a couple of half bottles, which was just the right amount for us. If you haven't been here yet, we would highly recommend it. It's a nice setting with good food and service. We would go back if in the area again. Thanks again everyone for all the recommendations!