ulterior epicure

I just posted all of my Alinea photos from my last trip on my flickr account. u.e.

Great news from all of you. Thanks for the reports. Not that I doubt TFL's service or quality - but it's always reassuring to hear positive reports. dvs - looking forward to the menu. u.e.

doc! the best pics yet - and the most appetizing-looking stuff so far! can't wait for more! u.e.

Ditto! Not to detract from the Chicago culinary anchorage, but congrats to Minneapolis, Cincinnati and Milford for making a showing this year!! ... but you talk as if your mind's in Vegas! u.e.

I guess I'm at a loss as to what/how you would use this for... other than directly spooning it into one's mouth... Seriously, though, how did you use this nut butter (although somehow I think that myriad of other ingredients qualifies it only loosely as "nut" butter. )?? Again - sounds wonderful, but help us less-creative thinkers a clue... Also, I like my nut butters chunky - not strictly creamy. Maybe, I should sat that I like my nut butters creamy but with lots of chunks. Is it better to make a really creamy butter and then add bits of nuts (not that chunky - but like store-bought "chunky" varietals). Thanks!! This is all very helpful!! u.e.

Yeah, for those of you who haven't seen the "Interlude" website, took a look. It's quite shocking how many of those dishes I've had at a couple U.S. restos... Apparently, "Interlude" has pulled some of the photo links from the menu, but the ones embedded in the flash are still up (as of last check yesterday). u.e.

Re: Bonefish. There's a small blurb in the KC Star Dining "Spotlight" section.

Wow. Thanks andiesenji. The problem is that I'm in a transition stage in my life and it's not feasible for me to be purchasing new (small or large) appliances. As soon as I settle in somewhere more permanently, I'll consider the options - until then, small batches in blender will have to do. Thanks again! u.e.

Yeah... I got that from both the Chez Panisse cookbook and everything I've read about Waters. I'm really looking forward to simplicity... I also look forward to that sort of take on food re: Manresa... as I've heard Kinch is similarly oriented - although perhaps a little more removed... (but that's for another forum). u.e.

I'm a nut butter fan but have yet to make some at home. 1. Can any nut be "buttered?" Are there certain ones that just don't work as well as others? 2. If I don't have a food processor available, will a blender work? 3. What is the best way to store nut butters? Particularly, I'd like to try home-made cashew and hazelnut butters. u.e.

No problems with U.S. customs? u.e.

Excellent. Thanks doc!! Looking forward to the next installment! u.e.

... well, more like a matter of convenience and logistics - a few days with tight schedules and mad dashes to restaurants... we'll be at TFL sometime that week and I hope to get to Manresa somewhere in there... Awesome, but to be expected... I would hope. As long as it tastes good, I don't care if it's sending off sparks and blowin' whistles or just sitting there and staring at me! Huh? u.e.

doc. Thanks for the continual photo-feed (pun intended!). A few questions from a very under-versed Mexican eGulleter. 1. What is salsa negra made of? 2. Were the atoles cold or hot? I would guess that blueberry would probably be cold, except the chocolate, I thought might be warm/hot? 3. Re: pelliscadas. At first (quick) glance, they looked like to rounds of hummous... but after reading the description and closer inspection, they look like a short-bread type pastry... althought it looks like it could also be slightly doughy-chewy... how would you describe the texture? You said they were like tostadas or pizza - thin crust or more "deep dish?" Sorry for the ignorance - immensely captivated and curious. u.e.

... yeah - the skate with brown butter powder on interlude's site - had that myself at alinea a few weeks ago! and, the bowl with litchi halves in a green chervil sauce and servruga caviar - had that at alinea last year! shameful. u.e.

I hope you caught on that I was majorly jokin'! I'm sure I'll be very impressed. I"m gettin' really excited! u.e.

Figures!! I guess I'll just have to settle for dining with the "masses" off their "regular selections." u.e.

I have a few questions that can probably be answered by many. I noticed that the menu that robert40 posted on mouthfuls at TFL features a different dish for his wife and him at each course. Am I to expect different dishes for everyone at each course at Per Se (or some overlapping, but mostly different)? Is there anyway to ask that we all receive the same/different dishes? I remembered that is how both Anthony Bourdain and Mark Ruhlmann described their meals at TFL - but I figured that was just because they were VIP'ed. But, not sure what the format is at Per Se. u.e.

i was only able to secure a spot at the bar with yasuda at lunch. i haven't been in well over a year, but do recent visitors have any clue how much a regular run omakase can cost (range)? i'm taking a couple of friends out and would like to pre-pay... would $100 per person (before tax and tip) be sufficient for a pretty satisfying experience? u.e.

okay - this meal sounds amazing, and as soon as manresa opens its reservation calendar for later this spring, i'll be calling for reservations. thanks dtaylor for the posts and pics! u.e.

E-Gads, maybe I'm a snob, but I'd never waste truffle salt on movie popcorn. It's salty enough and there so much artificial butter (without the extra self-serve pumps) to seriously compromise the experience... but yes, it's enough to drive the entire theatre mad with jealousy! While we're on the subject of popcorn - there's a question I've been dying to get an answer to. I know there are 2 types of popcorn - "butterfly" and "mushroom." When I buy popping corn - is there anywhay I can tell which I'm getting? Are they usually a blend? Can I solely get one type (my preferred type) or the other - or both to mix my own "blend?" Hope someone can help me out! u.e.

oh - right - the additional "aperitif..." - i'm assuming the alcoholic kind? if so, that's a pity, i don't drink. u.e.

Do you mean that we should make a reservation at the Cafe in addition to the Restaurant lest we be disappointed by the dinner downstairs? I think we have our hearts (and minds) pretty set on eating in the Restaurant downstairs. Also, is there a huge difference between the Monday, mid-week, and weekend menus? I see that not only do prices increase $50, $65, and $85, but the corresponding courses increase and seem to get more "sophisticated." This will be our first visit - would it be preferable to visit on a weekend night as opposed to a Monday night/mid-week? u.e.

I had dinner at Schwa a few weeks ago. Everything was pretty good - the Quail egg ravioli, though, stole my heart! I think it actually skipped a beat - and not just because of its permanent artery-clogging side-effects... I'm convinced (hope?) that this is what God serves in heaven without the calories (or guilt). It would be a CRIME for anyone to walk out of the restaurant without trying them! Plating was all very beautiful. As I had remarked upthread - very organic presentations. For example, the beets looked like a painter's palette - absolutely stunning - dots and dabs of almost artificially intense colours. (My only quibble with this dish was that the pickled beets were way too crispy and hard - and not very pickled. But, that's probably just a personal thing). All of the ingredients and produce were very fresh. Meats came out at exacting temperatures (perhaps the lamb was a little more well-done than I would have liked - but I hadn't warned the hostess that I like my red meats on the colder side). Flavors intense. Combinations creative - and good. The only notable downer for me was dessert: a rather sorry-looking ill-formed mass of brown goop - chocolate cake layered with truffled buffalo ricotta and sloppily slathered with a ridiculously rich and sticky chocolate ganache. Way too much ganache. The cake was also leaning on one side from what was apparently a rushed construction - the filling was peeking out in some areas. It just looked like a three y.o.'s attempt at baking and frosting... After scraping of a layer of the ganache, everything tasted alright - the cake was moist and dark and the truffled-buffalo ricotta was a novel treat. The most amazing thing about the restaurant, as noted over and over again, is the operation: 2 chefs, 1 server and a dishwasher. It's really quite a balancing act. While the pacing was erratic - it took a good 20 minutes for one dish toward the end to arrive, I was more than willing to overlook any of these details. Upshot: All very good. To be honest, not as impressed as I was hoping/expecting to be - but I admit to having set very high standards because of the gushing on this thread - which is all very true. I guess it just didn't quite "click" with me on the night of my visit perhaps as it did with everyone else. (Schwa also followed on the heels of an outta-this-world meal the night before at another Windy City resto). All in all, very happy with my meal at Schwa and would commend it to all. Oh, the other thing - make sure you're in for a "lively" atmosphere. The restaurant is small and can get QUITE LOUD... I truly wish the folks at Schwa continued success! u.e. [edit to add: oh - and yes, if you're having problems finding the tiny storefront resto - it's right across the street from the electric palm trees - you can't miss'em!! ]

joie. You really know how to eat!! That's a great report - thanks for taking the time. Have you considered moving to K.C.? u.e.