ulterior epicure

thanks moosnsqrl. i'm actually headed out that way for dinner tonight - although there's nothing as bad as a tardy host, maybe i'll swing by if i have the time. u.e.

just a quick update... found everything i needed at al habashi, only because i had no time to look for the materials elsewhere. with the exception of the honey orange-blossom cheesecake, i managed to make an entire mediterranean Christmas dinner... stuffed grape leaves, hummous, pita, and roasted leg of lamb. u.e.

I don't know if you this is too late - but from my experience Topolobampo is certainly a great suggestion if you want minimal portion sizes (interpret that how you will). Of the three, I would highly recommend Blackbird. It also depends on what neighborhood is convenient for you. U.E.

moosnsqurl. what wonderful news! a new play area for k.c. eaters! i can't wait to try it... very recently re-visited 40 sardines and le fou frog (i'll post on that where we first started that discussion). very happy to be in k.c. again. i think i need to visit 1924 main again soon. will add tonic to the list. u.e.

gmi3904 (may i call you george?) well, if you're dining alone, as i was, i would HIGHLY recommend sitting at the "chef's table" at alan wong's - that's the "bar" right at the pass. i got to speak with the chef de cuisine and see all of the kitchen action. of course, that wouldn't be ideal for a family/party/intimate meal... as for chef mavro's - i particularly liked the booth as opposed to the tables. can't help much. can't say that chef mavro's or alan wong's were particularly stellar on atmosophere. mavro's was very quiet and muted. alan wong's much more 'party room' upbeat. have a blast! let me know how it goes! cheers. u.e.

molto e. everything looks spectacular. in my last stint in chicago this summer (4 months), i don't think schwa had opened (although it was on the dining radar) and butter was too new to venture. prairie grass cafe was one of my favorites (although i had brunch only). looking forward to visiting all! cheers. u.e.

Ms. Wolfert? Hi! Well, I thought I read somewhere that you have a fish version of besteeya (instead of chicken). Ulterior Epicure.

bob. i'm working on my review, which i hope to post soon on my blog. in the meantime, i'm trying to get ready to make ms. wolfert's besteeya recipe posted on another forum... but i'm trying to find her fish recipe. u.e.

bob. i'm writing up my review shortly... in the meantime, i'm planning to endeaver ms. wolfert's besteeya recipe for Christmas - but trying to find the fish version. u.e.

moosnsqrl. thanks for the welcome... it's great to be back - though it's much colder than miserable istanbul (it was cold and rainy - but not freezing!). yes, i know of al habashi, but was hoping for others too... al habashi actually isn't that inconvenient. i am mostly wondering if there are any larger markets - like the many asian markets that have been popping up here. u.e.

two of my most pleasant dining experiences this summer in chicago were had at nomi in the park hyatt right before chef sandro gamba left. as i expect promising things from him, i'd love to know where he is at and what he's up to... any news? ulterior epicure.

hi k.c.'ers!! i'm back from my travels abroad and returning most recently from turkey - where i fell in love with their many mezzes and dried fruits. fearful of getting grief from the customs officials in the u.s., i refrained from buying many wonderful food-stuffs. i know k.c.'s not exactly n.y. or frisco, or detroit (etc...) in terms of ethnic food products, but i'm hoping some of you might help me find some local sources of middle eastern goods. specifically, i'm looking for (affordable) dried figs (smyrna), grape leaves (for dolmas/dolmades) and good white cheese (ie. feta). thanks! u.e. EDIT: add black nicoise/salty olives, good anchovies and non-bottled capers to that list... and not that i don't like whole foods, but i'd also love to know about local purveyors of these items.

quick report. just got back and am exhausted. i will give more details later - but i'm sorry to say that overall, we were very disappointed with our gastronomic experiences in istanbul... i think the best thing were the turkish breakfasts that our hotel served. haci abdullah was terribly over-priced (and they tried to cheat me on the bill twice! will elaborate later). however, we did really enjoy (thanks to sazji's recommendation) their stewed quince with clotted cream. imroz, i think, could have been a much more enjoyable experience had i known what best to order - the dishes were hit or miss. oshez, near the gulhane tram stop was probably our favorite dinner experience. hamdi et lokansanti (eminonou) was pretty good and reasonably priced, but the services was a bit stilted... u.e.

agreed! my point was that though some of these cultures produce very "hot-headed" peoples with very strong opinions - they almost never let their differences get the best of them in the presence of food...

sourmango! thanks, sorry, not that familiar with nyc. u.e.

... but we digress... Circe? Reports anyone?

Ahhh... good ol' Han ah rheum... I used to go there nearly every day when I was stationed in D.C. last...N.Y.C. anyone? U.E.

I do try to give every restaurant, whether disappointed or delighted, multiple tries to make sure they're truly a disappointment or delight. That said, my budget (and often attitude) prevent me from holding up such a noble goal... I have no quibbles with their offered fare... in fact, I find the whole chalkboard menu (with eliminations as the service progresses) rather authentic and endearing. Rather, my criticisms are pointed more at preparation, quality and presentation. A couple of times, the meat was warm, while the accompaniments cold (ie. the ubiquitous and unchanging cous cous side which has ranged from mushy to pellet hard - but always cold). Other times, vice-versa. I also find the lack of vegetables very troublesome. I know French (European) bistros are not known for their vast quantities of salads and vegetal... but my goodness, Le Fou Frog has yet to put more than two green beans or two small baby carrots on my plate. Their salads are pretty, but not terribly interesting (especially for their price point). Also, I've had both fish and meat. While I've had one very excellent preparation of sable fish (though the portion was excruciatingly small), the skate, which I loved on my first visit with the generous reduced balsamic vinegar and caper sauce was nearly fried to a crisp the second try... half was inedible - skate jerky - and that's not an exaggeration. On the meat side, I had a lamb shank that was all shank and no lamb (except tons of fat) - and cold - which, in my opinion, should never be served anything short of steaming hot (giving off wonderful aromas of the richly stewed meat and sauce). Literally, I had two forkfuls of meat and the rest was a gooey gloppy mess with a huge shank bone... I was left hungry. Desserts I have found boring. The only thing that I can commend "The Frog" on is their interesting, and often very good sorbets and ice creams. I hope that was a little more specific than my last general criticism. U.E.

Well, I'm not exactly sure... correct me if I'm wrong... I though it was the roe of cod... but spiced...

Can anyone help me out - where can I locate a couple of packets of mentaiko, a Japenese salty cod roe product? Thanks! U.E.

perhaps so, but i would hope (hold) that any civilized diner would above arguing, and "discuss" issues in an open dialogue... but that raises another observation. i've noticed that some cultures, which seem extremely passionate about food (boy, am i getting myself into trouble with that statement), like the italians, chinese, spanish and perhaps french, would put content of the conversation second to focusing/enjoying the communal experience. i contrast this (mainly) with the american culture, where even the greatest food could be ruined by an off-remark...

...and a terrible clutter. very interesting... this is what i enjoy about non-American dining - most everything is communal. thanks ptipois! u.e.

i dredged up this thread only because i wanted to ask about circe, as i have not been. i have been to zin (twice) and have found it relatively solid, my second experience with the tasting menu topping the first (a la carte). i'm a little turned off by the space, which i found a bit cramped and contrived, but the food was nothing to complain about. circe? anyone? moosnsqrl, i'm sorry i have to disagree on "the frog." i have been there numerous times and have learned well not to spend any more (of my) money there. on no less than four (consecutive) occassions, their food has been mediocre to disastrously bad... the service as well can be really spotty (slow and unattentive). value is another place where i mark them down... for the same price, i can get much higher quality products, presentation, preparation, and service elsewhere (imho). even for a bistro, i find le fou frog's cuisine to be terribly crass and unappealing. u.e.

inventolux. 1. personal "hi" from a loyal fan - had a fab meal at your restaurant this summer. 2. just to clarify your statement (above) - this dessert is fettucini, cream and pesto with white truffles? please do explain (i understand if you'd rather not)... as i will unfortunately not be able to partake in this creation this season (see below). 3. i, fortunately, have been/am in europe for the past few months and white truffle season here is like no other. restaurants left and right (well, higher end, admittedly) shaving out truffles the size of softballs tableside... if one doesn't want to splurge, one can definitely benefit from the free smells that waft from neighboring tables !! thankfully, i've had a few encounters of my own with the white glory here and was able to be the envy of others . u.e.

can anyone elaborate on the seemingly widely practiced custom of putting one's bread on the table, and not the plate? at least, this is the case in bistros/brasseries... (not the high end places where everything comes on trays, dishes or plates)? perhaps it's my misconception - but this seems to be practiced ubiquitously by the "jackets" and "jeans" alike... u.e.