ulterior epicure

n.b. The immediately preceding iteration of shrimp (Seared Gulf Shrimp, Silky Pumpkin, Ginger and Basil) expired as of the day before yesterday. I was offered the current incarnation, which had not been printed on that day's (lunch) menu. Steamed shrimp (dotted with wasabi) with chanterais melon balls. A tepid carrot broth, with a touch of lime is poured over the carousel of crustacea tableside. I'm giving this one a green light (with the caveat that I, personally, would have liked a touch more wasabi). Also, a new iteration of peeky toe crab is on the lunch menu. Off went the dumplings and in came a cold crab salad laced with an aggressively lip-tingling mustard emulsion. I can easily see how this dish may need to be calibrated to suit a wider audience. I, however, enjoy a good kick in the nose and mouth. I loved it. I can see how more timid tongues might be put out. Full report later. *COMP DISCLOSURE* The pastry chef generously sent out more desserts than I could count. I think we managed to cover every square inch of our linen-lined top with saccharin. I could have swam the Atlantic that afternoon.

And the scallop with cauliflower/raisin/caper. Christopher ← And the aforementioned asparagus with morels. Is it just me or was that squab with lemon confit and foie a classic as well? Either way, it was great and I miss it.

Ah, I see. What are your favorites? What would you recommend for a first timer? Someone upthread mentioned they added a few new things very recently. ← The menu is going to be in flux for the next week or so as the bring in their spring menu. On the present menu. My favorites include the asparagus with morels, the madai with muscut grapes, the foie, the lamb, duck, the turbot with chateau chalon sauce.... ← Not to be a pedant, but I believe the turbot is at dinner, skate at lunch. Also: duck? Is that the Duck "a la JoJo?" How is it prepared?

Oh, yes. Lovely dish. And pretty too.

And I can't help but notice the similarity between the quartered "Chocolate Frivolous" and Iuzzini's "Four Play" presentation.

I totally agree - he seems short on the food description and long on the interior design. I HOPE they don't send out all of those "chapters" of sweets out at once like last time. I felt like I was being shoved out the door; meanwhile, I had ice cream melting on four different plates.

Sorry, I know this is REALLY trite, but I can't bite my tongue any longer. Is it me, or is Bruni color weak? He described the pre-Tihany Daniel as "pastel" - I recall it being sumptuously red with a gold and ivory glow. Now he's describing the old Bouley as being "purplish pink" and "a gigantic magenta gumdrop." I recall it being blood red.

He was chef de cuisine at TRU, I believe, then he was executive chef of Blue Water Grill in Chicago, then Adour. His last job in NY was at Alain Ducasse NY (separate from Adour, of course) before he went to TRU. So, its...ADNY, TRU, Blue Water Grill Chicago, Adour. ← Of course, I should have checked the website, which, by the way, is a considerable improvement over its former cyberhome.

No, no. To be sure, Bryan, YOU'RE not the one I'm questioning.

Sounds more like the filling of tzong tze, or "oil rice," rather than "eight treasure rice," ba bao fan, which consists of glutinous rice, red bean paste, sweet red dates, nuts, etc.

I'm assuming this wasn't sweet? Traditionally, eight treasure rice (or at least the ones I've encountered) are served, more or less, as a dessert. Isn't Shang a "more serious setting?"

Since he left Adour where is Chef Esnault now? ← I believe he is a private chef. ← Martha Stewart's, if I'm not mistaken. But I want to know more about Mr. Dennis.

As long as you were properly dressed, it was always possible to stop by Per Se and have a drink in the lounge, regardless of your reservation status. ← Unless I'm mistaken, lounge visitors (i.e. Those without a reservation dropping in for a drink) were not able to order food in the past, whereas, henceforth, they shall be able to do so. For the Keller cult, this IS/SHOULD BE big news.

Never mind, I see that they are the same. "Parmesan Crusted Confit Leg of Chicken, Salsify, Basil and Lemon Butter"

Has anyone here had the Parmesan chicken? I know of people who have had the confit of chicken, but not the Parmesan version.

Who's the new(ish) chef, again?

I was toying around on opentables.com late last night and stumbled across BRUNCH reservations for April 12. I assume that this is a one-time exception for Easter. Unless they also do the same for Mothers' Day.

How does Robuchon fit this bill, especially in Las Vegas? ← You're absolutely right. It doesn't. Bolded Red for emphasis. ← I did see that U.E., but I wanted to be specific and am trying to find rhyme or reason for this list. If terroir or locavorism were the unifying factor then The French Laundry might have replaced Robuchon, since much of their produce is quite local indeed. I'm not saying that Robuchon isn't a great restaurant or doesn't belong on a list like this, just that that restaurant sa wonderful as it is specifically does not fit that particular profile. ← Yes, but as with Chez Panisse, which I mentioned above, as an editor, I'd want to avoid contributing one more syllable to the culinary stutter. There's only so many times a reader (like me) can see an article about certain restaurants before we start rolling our eyes and sending them to the round file. I had a fantastic meal at Chez Panisse, less so at The French Laundry. And, I too agree that both are VERY important restaurants in the U.S. - as are alinea and half a dozen other restaurants (I'd argue minibar sets a standard that very few, if any other restaurants in the U.S. can/have met). But Waters and Keller are more than usual suspects now. Their presence seems mandatory. And, indeed, you have not much further to look than page 48 of this very issue of Saveur. There's an article entitled "Alice and Thomas." I'll let you guess their last names.

How does Robuchon fit this bill, especially in Las Vegas? ← You're absolutely right. It doesn't. Bolded Red for emphasis.

Right, right. Fraternal, not identical. Still joined at the hip. And one sibling still has more expensive taste.

Interesting, considering that I've always been given to understand (from people I trust to know these things) that the "molten center chocolate cake" was a conception of Michel Bras and not Jean-Georges Vongerichten. As have I. Then again, I've heard it attributed to about half a dozen chefs. The common denominator there was that they were all French.

Right, but how does one write about Chez Panisse in this manner without sounding redundant? I suspect these are JUST twelve restaurants that matter, NOT the ONLY twelve, or even the TOP twelve, or the BEST twelve, or... you get my point. ← I agree with you on the "just" part, but can't help wondering "why" write the list article without a defined point of view? I really can't come up with a common denominator to make this list appropriate in my mind. I'm probably in higher agreement with the signature dishes than restaurants that matter. ← Common denominators: 1. In composite, this list of restaurants covers the four corners of this great country. 2. In composite, this list of restaurants covers a relatively diverse set of cuisines. Name me the most "important" Asian restaurants in the U.S. I bet The Slanted Door might just be at the top of most people's list. Likewise, Topolobompo for Latin - especially Mexican - cuisine. 3. What I didn't disclose in my initial post (and what I didn't discover until reading some of the restaurant profiles) is that there is an emphasis on terroir and locavorism. That automatically narrows the field. Most of these twelve restaurants fit the bill. There may be other thematic under currents here, but I'll have to think about it a little before I venture any other observations. ← Though, I would argue that Frontera Grill is more important than Topolobompo. But, six and one half dozen - they're basically twins conjoined at the hip. One just happens to have more expensive taste.

Right, but how does one write about Chez Panisse in this manner without sounding redundant? I suspect these are JUST twelve restaurants that matter, NOT the ONLY twelve, or even the TOP twelve, or the BEST twelve, or... you get my point. ← I agree with you on the "just" part, but can't help wondering "why" write the list article without a defined point of view? I really can't come up with a common denominator to make this list appropriate in my mind. I'm probably in higher agreement with the signature dishes than restaurants that matter. ← Common denominators: 1. In composite, this list of restaurants covers the four corners of this great country. 2. In composite, this list of restaurants covers a relatively diverse set of cuisines. Name me the most "important" Asian restaurants in the U.S. I bet The Slanted Door might just be at the top of most people's list. Likewise, Topolobompo for Latin - especially Mexican - cuisine. 3. What I didn't disclose in my initial post (and what I didn't discover until reading some of the restaurant profiles) is that there is an emphasis on terroir and locavorism. That automatically narrows the field. Most of these twelve restaurants fit the bill. There may be other thematic under currents here, but I'll have to think about it a little before I venture any other observations.

Right, but how does one write about Chez Panisse in this manner without sounding redundant? I suspect these are JUST twelve restaurants that matter, NOT the ONLY twelve, or even the TOP twelve, or the BEST twelve, or... you get my point.

Tangentially, I got to flip through more of the magazine while I waited for the sandman to arrive last night. There's a one-pager that profiles 9 "Signature Dishes." Here they are in the order in which they appear (though I don't think the order here really matters): 1. Snapper (Turtle) Soup, Bookbinder's (Philadelphia) 2. Oysters Rockefeller, Antoine's (New Orleans) 3. Lobster Savannah, Locke-Ober (Boston) 4. Orange Beef, Shun Lee Palace (New York) 5. Baked Goat Cheese with Garden Lettuces, Chez Panisse (Berkeley) 6. House Smoked Salmon Pizza, Spago (Los Angeles) 7. Chicken for Two Roasted in the Brick Oven, Zuni Cafe (San Francisco) 8. Black Cod with Miso, Nobu (New York - and available at all 18 Nobu establishments) 9. Jean-Georges Chocolate Cake, Jean-Georges (New York - and, like Nobu's miso black cod, available at many other imitators the world over.)