ulterior epicure

Thank you!! That sounds seasonal enough! Really, though, which turkey - nearly all the food magazines have one of their cover for next month!

... does anyone subscribe to Martha Stewart Living? If so, I'd really appreciate it if someone would tell me what (dessert) is on the cover of her newly issued November, 2007 issue. A friend emailed me and asked me if I could make it for her husband one of these days, but I thought it'd be nice to surprise them with it this weekend when I go to their home for dinner (reason for not asking her what it is)... I don't subscribe and I can't seem to find a copy of it on the news stands.

... or, these days, bruschetta. Gah... you've got me flash-backing to my last trip to turkey... spicy ground lamb... As for the whole "it's not technically a pizza" issue - you may be right there, but, that is why it's called Chicago-styled pizza...

Right, right. I know it also includes flour, butter (or shortening), and some yeast and oil... salt, and I wouldn't be surprised if there were a little sugar too.

I'm not so sure the praise for Bruni's Asian-friendliness is warranted. As best I can recall, no Asian restaurant has won three stars from him. Right, but are any even arguably close to deserving? Friendliness is one thing, but outrageous (gratuitous?) star-doling is another... ← What would Masa be considered? Bruni gave it 4 stars. That is actually higher than their Average Reader Rating, currently at 3.79 stars after 19 votes. ← Bingo! Yes, Masa counts in my book as an Asian restaurant...

I'm not so sure the praise for Bruni's Asian-friendliness is warranted. As best I can recall, no Asian restaurant has won three stars from him. Right, but are any even arguably close to deserving? Friendliness is one thing, but outrageous (gratuitous?) star-doling is another...

Happened by the store last night. Wow. It looked fantastic (the facade). The expansive windows/doors/wall(?) of glass was opened out onto the cool night. Amidst a rather dark day-time commercial spaces, the restaurant POP'ed in the night. It almost looked - well - ethereally out of place - in a good way. Seriously - it was as if a UFO had landed in a rather bland landscape. I really wish I had my camera with me - I would have taken a picture of the restuarant. Pity I had already eaten, though I was tempted to stop in for something. Will have to return. Calamari salad?! Sound promising... website, anyone? I haven't found one... but then again, I haven't been looking very hard.

"Chinese Bistro" - there. That basically sums up my immediately preceding post.

NOooooooooooooo!!! Sorry, pure instinctual adrenaline fired response (reaction?) to the title of this thread. P.F. Chang's (and, yes, there are plenty out here in the Midwest and I have been a few times - not by my will) is the archetypical "Chinese" restaurant that retards every little step our country makes towards bringing and encouraging the spread of traditional Chinese cuisine. It is the Olive Garden of Chinese restaurants. Okay, actually, that might not be exactly a fair analogy, but pretty close.

It seems to be one of the Michelin rules: leave an obviously starworthy restaurant starless for as long as possible to generate interest every year and keep people talking. ← I'm curious - name an example (other than EMP)?

Anthos... would I be mistaken in noting that it is the first Greek restaurant in the U.S (or, NYC at the very least) to get a Michelin star? Also, I see that the only Indian restaurant, Devi, is on the 1 star list. I thought that I heard it had (or will?) close.

Um, yeah, I didn't get that on my last visit... nothing much more than Sushi Yasuda, if at all. Perhaps a tad more Western, but certainly not anything 1 star level worthy. Also, if Manresa, Chez Panisse and The French Laundry make it within the purview of "San Francisco" for the Michelin Guide Rouge, I can't imagine why Blue Hill at Stone Barns wouldn't make it within the purview of "New York City." If it is (within the purview of NYC), then I can't imagine why it hasn't made at least a 1, if not 2 star appearance.

In the years that I lived and worked in Chicago, I came to like Giordano's the best of all the major stuffed-pizza pizzerias. Two reasons that I identified. 1. The crust is key: cornmeal instead of dough. With Gino's, Uno, and others who use flour dough, it often doesn't cook all the way through and there's a really heavy and rather unappealing amorphous layer where cheese meets uncooked dough; the entire middle section of the pizza becomes almost an endible mass of wet clay. The cornmeal dough is, as you noticed, is lighter and drier than the dough versions, almost crisping up in certain parts... the cooked cornmeal also imparts a toasty fragrance that I love. 2. Just the right amount of sauce. Many other stuffed pizzerias tend to overdo the sauce, which also contributes to an overall soggy and heavy feel. Glad you enjoyed Giordano's! It's been way too long since I've had a slice of their pie.

Everything on that menu seems pretty "readable" to me with the exception of the "Duck and Eel Terrine" with chocolate consomme and sweet mango. I will be interested to hear how the consomme was incorporated. I recently had a dessert here in Kansas City where the chef is doing a chocolate consomme - a cold liquid in a shotglass. I'll be curious to see what from the cosomme takes with this terrine. Looks like you did some fine eating at Tailor.

No more quail egg ravioli with truffles....

I just received the November issue of Food + Wine and there's an article about Nancy Olson (pg. 139) and her North Dakota roots. The article includes five recipes - including a "Gingerbread with Quark Cheesecake" that actually sounds good to me, a generally cheesecake-avoidant person.

I didn't attend (either), but I do know that the "People's Choice Award" went to Muhammed Rahman of Kwik Meal. I also know that the Super Taco people had to leave early (supposedly because they ran out of food early), and so I don't think they won the judges' award...

Any word from the Kansas City crew on Bella Pizza?

I'm sure someone has read this NYT article about Bouley teaming up with Yoshiko Tsuji to open a new artisanal product-focused restaurant downtown? Any word?

It's probably of bygone interest now that most everyone on this thread has probably been to Tailor and ordered this dish (or tired of talking about this restaurant), but just in case anyone hasn't and is curious, here is the photo of the Black Olive Cake (with yogurt ice cream, house-made granola and blueberries), that I especially enjoyed at Tailor. Somehow, I had failed to upload this amidst all my others.

UE, got a question about this: is the consomme meant to be taken simultaneously with the other ingredients, or separately from them (i.e. alternate a bite with a sip)? I assume that it's not meant to be poured over the other ingredients, as if that were the case, the kitchen would have taken the initiative to do that before it arrived at the table. It's funny you ask; I had the same question. I was told that the consomme had been poured over the rest tableside by the server (for presentation). But, it was served to us separately, and they told us to do whatever we would like. I took a sip of the consomme from the shot glass and my friends poured it over the rest of the dessert. I thought that made the dessert too wet and soup. I would have much preferred eating the dessert and sipping the consomme separately. So am I.

This thread lies dormant a lot more than it should. I haven't been in the dining room to eat (I don't think) since I last reported. However, I have been doing some Wine Lounge eating. Nothing really new to report on the savory end. Still the same old good stuff - Wagyu Tartare, Smoked Salmon, Charcuterie, and Artisanal Cheeses. They do have a new "Chicken Truffles" dish (think nuggets) and "Crispy Shrimp," which I have tried. The desserts are really what have been most interesting in the Lounge (same as in the dining room). Joe West (JWest) is now pastry sous and is churning out some new products while Megan's on temporary baby hiatus. To my understanding, she's still overseeing the pastry program as Pastry Chef, but Joe's getting a chance to experiment. I have now had all of the current dessert items except the "Double Cream Cheesecake." I'd have to admit that a couple might be a bit challenging for less adventurous palates, but I like them all. I'd love to hear what others think. Perhaps the most challenging item on the dessert menu is the "Caramelized Granny Smith Apple" - it's served with black truffle ice cream. I have always enjoyed truffled desserts when I've had them (mostly in Europe), and this one was no different. It's a deconstructed American apple pie taken to a different plain - cubes of slightly caramelized Granny Smith apples are strewn across a long plate with flakes of pastry crust. It's garnished with a walnut emulsion and sided with an addictive, rich apple butter and, of course, a quenelle of black truffle ice cream. Why I like it: it's not straightforward, predictable, or saccharin sweet. It's kind of savory, in fact (which is why I probably it works for me). I just returned from New York not long ago where I ate at Sam Mason's (former pastry chef of wd~50) new restaurant Tailor. He is known for playing with notions of savory and sweet. The concept of this dish could compete with any of Mason's desserts, in my opinion (except, maybe, Mason's black olive cake with blueberries, granola and yogurt ice cream). Another dessert I like is the "Malted-Ginger Root Cake" with stout foam and chocolate sorbet. The first time I tried it, the ginger flavor was too faint. But, on my recent visit, they've tinkered with the flavor and really up'ed it. The cake, I believe, is soaked in a ginger broth (syrup?). The effect of the entire dish is like a root beer float (with chocolate sorbet instead of vanilla ice cream). It's very adult. And, I *love* the "Lavender Baked Alaska" - which is a child's dream. Fluffy, and quirky, it's a nubby ball of toasted meringue encasing a luscious and fragrant lavender ice cream. There's a bit of acid from yuzu and a floral-sweetness from the hibiscus foam. I have to say that although I love this dessert - more for its presentation, and because it's ALL about ice cream, it is too sweet for me - I can only have a couple of bites before I'm sated. It's the meringue that gets me. There's another dessert worth mentioning - "Valhrona Chocolate 'Consomme'" - go see the picture, I really can't describe it. Chocolate, peanut, and banana - it's another adult version of a classic - the banana split - sort of. You'll just have to try it yourself. The consomme is basically clarified and strained chocolate water - think coffee, but with chocolate instead. Okay, I just realized that this ended up being a posting about dessert... Oh - the cheeses right now are really great. There are six, I believe - the River's Edge chevre, with a layer of sweet paprika ash running through the center, is my favorite. Upshot - get thee to bluestem Wine Lounge. To see both meals, Click Here.

As in, you'd fly into Boston from out of town, and out of all the meals you could have....?

SG, Just curious what sorts of service issues you've noticed over the course of your visits. Could you elaborate a bit? While the service does lack stiff formality, I personally find this quite refreshing.I'm with SG. Great food, but the service I had was very unpolished. I don't need stiff service, in fact I prefer a more relaxed service, but I would like my wait staff to know what they're serving us.To be completely fair, I've only been once (Jan 2006) and I got the impression that our server was new not only to Manresa, but to fine dining as well. Beside the lack of knowledge, some additional examples that I would think would prevent a 3rd star would include 1.) having water poured over the table in a manner that allowed condensation from the pitcher to drip onto the food plate 2.) waiting far to long for our coffee and after dinner drinks. By the time they came, we were just plain ready to leave, so they all were barely touched. We still really enjoyed our meal and the unpolished service really didn't detract from it in any major way. Just agreeing with the point that for Manresa, "service is it's weakest point", which could be argued is actually a good thing Manresa Photo Set snekse's experience sounds similar to mine. I have only been to Manresa once, as well. However, I experienced some of the same service issues. Our server did not, for the first half of the meal, know what he was serving us. This may not be as problematic at a restaurant where the diner has ordered his/her meal. But, when the chef is cooking for a diner, as was in my case, and the diner has no idea what is coming out of the kitchen, the server should be very well-versed in what is being presented. I will mention that half-way through my meal, they switched out my server. The later half of my dinner was much more lucid.