Kent Wang

July 28, 2006 Austin Chronicle MT Supermarket by Mick Vann New Chinese supermarket on North Lamar. "It's close to the size and complexity of some of the larger markets found in Houston, and you'll be amazed with the diversity of products." Austin Chronicle Sampaio's by Claudia Alarcon Review of Brazilian restaurant on North Burnet. "The atmosphere and cocktails are great, the service is friendly (if a little inexperienced at times), and most of the dishes are delicious and plentiful for the price. I'd like to see Sampaio's go for more "authentic Brazilian" without fear. I think Austin is ready for the real deal." Austin Chronicle Misung 888 by Mick Vann Review of traditional Korean restaurant. "Portions at Misung 888 are ample, and the taste is big and hearty. The staff is friendly and helpful. The prices might seem a little high at first glance, but the quality of the panchan more than makes up for it. We loved our visit and will return." This thread is for food media DIGEST entries. If you want to discuss one of these news items, please start a separate discussion thread.

From the Austin Chronicle:

When I was in Seattle last week I wondered if it was possible to tour an oyster farm and learn about the various cultivation techniques and possibly eat a bunch of oysters for cheap. Many wineries have such programs, some even have "resort" facilities like hotel rooms, spas, etc. I searched online, found nothing and gave the Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association a call. They said that most of the farms are small family-owned operations and just don't have the capability to offer tours. Are there bigger oyster farms that offer public tours in other parts of the world? Would you go to one?

You may want to take a look at Do you brine your fresh pineapple?.

You've never cracked open a cooked fish head and dug around? The best parts are the eyes, cheeks, tongue (in smaller fish [20 lbs or less] it is very tender), and the brains. I've never seen the tongues of bigger fish though, so this cod tongue sounds quite promising.

You could also visit some wineries on the way. Texas Wine Trails has a nice map.

I was not expecting so many responses! This is my favorite.

I'll start. Occam's razor clams Schrödinger's catsup Heisenberg's uncertain-tea and crumpets Isaac Newton's apple pie

My picks: Hudson's on the Bend - wild game, e.g. kangaroo and rattlesnake Uchi - contemporary, um, Nobu-esque sushi Driskill Grill - the very best high end New American, also the most expensive Casino El Camino is the perfect example of this. Great burgers.

What do most people wear there? Is there an eclectic mix of people in suits and others in flip flops?

Very few places make it in house; they all seem to order it from somewhere. I've purchased 10 lb packages of the stuff -- I like it that much.

What are they feeding Wagyu cows in Japan? Fat Guy, you are spot on about the way the media portrays grass-fed. It does seem rather unscrupulous to me.

July 6, 2006 Austin Chronicle Independence Freestyle. A brewery benefits a greenbelt. by Virginia B. Wood Local microbrewery supports new fundraising campaign to benefit Austin Greenbelt. Austin-American Statesman Café 909. Inspired fare in the Hill Country. by Dale Rice Positive review of Marble Falls restaurant. "Café 909 is less than 3 years old, but it's already strikingly mature... All fine-dining aficionados in Central Texas should have this inviting spot on their must-visit lists." This thread is for food media DIGEST entries. If you want to discuss one of these news items, please start a separate discussion thread.

Really? Are they exporting? I've never seen any Chinese foie gras at retail. Maybe they're more readily available through wholesale channels. How is the quality? Animal cruelty laws are way behind in China. At least we can be sure they won't be banning foie gras any time soon -- unless PETA pushes through an international treaty! That would be scary.

My friend posed to me the question of how he can get drunk without getting fat, regardless of flavor. More precisely, this means which drinks have the highest ratio of ethanol to calories. Since alcoholic beverages are not required to have the USDA Nutrional Profile I don't know the calorie content. I'd imagine that beers (not all, some) are the worst, then wine, then the various liquors. Even within the liquors I'd imagine there is a lot of disparity. I'm guessing that rum, being made from sugars, have the most calories per ethanol while Everclear and vodka would have the best ratios. Where can I find more information about this? It'd be especially nice to find calorie content of specific alcoholic beverages.

Maybe we can count on China to produce and export foie gras. They already force-feed ducks for Peking duck.

That's true. Smoked ham is often used. One can use prosciutto ends or other ham ends to save money.

It's also funny that the tattoo used in the advertisements is a very typical, meaningless, done-to-death Maori design.

You know it's sketch when the recipe on the front page is basically a rum and Red Bull:

Jeffrey's is an old Austin institution and has been around for over 25 years. Lots of people consider it a "special occasion" restaurant. A lot of the buzz I've heard is that it is rather overrated. Dale Rice reviewed it recently My friend and I decided to investigate for ourselves on Friday. The restaurant is fairly small, about 40 seats in the main dining room, though there appears to be a large private room. The decor is fairly modern and eclectic, reflecting the menu. The crowd was exactly what the buzz predicted: mostly 50+ year old couples celebrating their anniversary. The seating was a bit too crowded as we at one point nearly got into a shouting match with the couple at the next table just so that we could hear each other. My friend was also repeatedly struck by the purse of the woman at the next table as she left to go to the restroom. For appetizers we had the Crispy Oysters on Yucca Root Chips with Habanero Honey Aioli ($13) and Seared Foie Gras with Szechuan Creme Brulee Spoonful & Nectarines ($22). Both were to our expectations. The oysters were very fresh and fried to perfection. The entrees were very disappointing. I had the Pheasant with Asparagus Ravioli, Pecorino & Tempranillo Glaze ($18) from the new Bistro Selections section of the menu. The pheasant was not a breast or leg piece as I was expecting but a meat loaf! Yes, it was ground pheasant with seasonings. Granted, the seasonings were great but a meat loaf is a poor use of quality meat and certainly not something I expected to pay $18 for. My friend ordered the Roasted Duck & Shrimp with Orecchiette, Chevre & Champagne Parmesan Cream ($26) and it was also meat loaf! I didn't have a chance to taste it but he felt it was very dry and unappetizing. My complaint here is that 1) meat loaf has no place in a high-end restaurant, 2) especially not at these prices and 3) the menu should have mentioned that the meat would be prepared in loaf form. For dessert I had the Pistachio Gelato & Blackberry Sorbet ($9) and my friend the Chocolate Intemperance ($9). Both were fine and to our expectations. This business with the meat loaves was a major turn-off. The appetizers and desserts were fine but not outstanding, especially considering the price. I think the buzz was right: Jeffrey's is overrated and overpriced. I certainly will not be returning.

I went to Hoover's (the original location on Manor Rd) today and finally actually paid attention to the food. The CFS is much much better than Tony's. It was thinner, not as tough and the batter had a bit of pepper in it. I still prefer RO's a bit more though. Hoover's menu also has many more Southern dishes with a few Creole items, too.

Yao's is one of the worst restaurants I've been to in Houston. It's barely authentic with all these bizarre Western influences and priced way above what it's worth. I'm sure they get plenty of business from the name, though.

Salami from Columbus (San Francisco). These three were all remarkably similar; the differences between each were very subtle. All are coarse ground with a dark, rich, red color. From left to right: Felino: Sweet, very little spice, mild salt. My favorite of the three. Crespone: Some spice from black peppers with a mild bitter medicinal (not in a bad way) finish. Cacciatore: Very little sweetness, spice or salt with same mild bitter medicinal finish as Crespone. The mildest of these three and my least favorite.

The New York Times raves over Le Reve. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/28/dining/2...&pagewanted=all

Kevin, you know a lot about Italian cuisine. How authentic Italian do you think Mi Piaci is? How many of those dishes would I find in a restaurant in Italy? Dishes like the salmon seem very New World to me.