ulterior epicure

Was the skate poached, perhaps?

mark - Depends heavily on what you're buying at Broadway Panhandler. I'd say that the BP is definitely average overall - even very high with some items. But, across the board, I found them to be on par with other cookware stores. However, I will note that the store is highly competitive in these three areas: knives, Le Crueset, and All-Clad (hence my purchases). u.e.

Interesting. Perhaps they have a temperature control issue. I went for the first time this afternoon and had precisely the opposite complaint. The pistachio and fiordilatte that I had, flavor-wise, were quite good, though I think that Il Laboratorio's pistachio has a definite edge. Texturally, though, they were quite strange. Far too soft. But I'm not convinved that this was solely due to their being too warm; the texture wasn't even like slightly melted gelato. The texure was reminiscent of soft-serve ice cream in a way; it felt machine-expelled. ← A lot of this has to do with the percentage of fat/liquid/solids/air that is incorporated into the gelato. A good gelateria, or gelato-maker, more precisely, will adjust the ingredients so that all of the flavors have optimal balance of flavor and texture at a given temperature. It is quite possible that the pistacio and fiordilatte, like the zabaglione that I tried are softer gelatos at GROM. To expect total consistency on texture across dozens of flavors is quite impossible, but the range should not, in my experience, be as wide and varied as that which I experienced across just four flavors - especially when three of the flavors were more heavily milk based (cassata siciliana, zabaglione, and yogurt). The fact that the gianduja was harder made sense, as nut pastes tend to be thicker. GROM's gianduja was just a little that side of fudgier than I optimal for a nut gelato. Next time, I'll have to try their pistachio.

Lunch a week ago yielded: Ramps with Romesco Lambs Tongue with Fava Cardoons with Garlic Aioli Ensalada Mono with Manchego Cock's Comb and Cepes Tripe with Morcilla Sepia with White Beans Duck Egg with Mojama Duck Hearts with Lentils Razor Clams with Garlic Best dish: Tie between the Lambs Tongue and the Cock's Comb. The lamb's tongue was corned, somehow. I asked the chef, but couldn't hear over the hum of the stove (even though he was standing not two feet from me) - sounded like he said it was rubbed, though I asked if it had been brined. The lambs tongues were breaded and fried and served on a nicely dressed bed of arugula and topped with fava beans. The tongue was tender and tasted just like corned beef (except there was a bit of tongue-iness to it). The cock's combs were just like miniature gelatinous gloves which had been sauteed with cepes (not sure what type) in a slightly sweet (I'm guessing there's sherry or wine) sauce which was reduced to a glaze. It was dusted with almond bits that had been coated in a spicy-sweet red pepper powder. The dish was spicy, overall. I'm not sure if the heat came solely from the almonds, or if the sauce was also hot. Actually, everything was very very good. I wish the mojama was grated instead of shaved whole on the duck egg dish - but the black truffles - OH!!! The only disappointer (and we all agreed) was the sepia dish. It was luke warm and the flavor was off - I think too much of the inkiness of the squid had been allowed to get into the sauce. I was happy. I'll be back, I'm sure. Pictures of the entire meal here.

Yup. It isn't as good, overall. The flavors of Capogiro are much stronger and brighter, and the milky aftertaste that Capogiro magically doesn't have is present in GROM. And the range of Capogiro flavors are second to none. I will say that Grom's almond granita is painfully good, though utterly unlike gelato at all (obviously). ← If I'm reading Dryden correctly, I agree. GROM's gelato consistency is amateur in comparison to Capogiro (and others). I recently had a chance to try four of GROM's flavors: Yogurt, Zabaglione, Cassata Siciliana, and Gianduja. The Zabaglione was much more eggy/custardy in flavor than I like, it overwhelmed what Marsala flavor I would have like to have enjoyed. The Yogurt was very good - tangy and creamy. The Cassata Siciliana was rather ordinary - basically sweet cream with a good amount of candied citrus peel dotted throughout. The Gianduja, like the Cassata Siciliana was unremarkable on a whole. Overall, the texture was really disappointing. With the exception of the Zabaglione, all of the gelatos I sampled were served below optimal temperature. At that hardness, it's really no different than high quality ice cream. The Zabaglione (probably because of the higher egg yolk and alcohol content) did manage to be creamier and softer - it had that nice thick coat-your-tongue quality that I look for in great gelato. Normally, I wouldn't mind paying $6+ for a small scoop of gelato, if it's really that good (and stand in line for 15 minutes). GROM doesn't quite rise to that level. The one thing I did like about them is the variety. But, even then, a lot of the flavors are your usual suspects.

andrewB, you're going to have to explain this one to me. Virgin black butter?

Ming Tsai has a butter-poached shrimp recipe (click here) - but he uses a butter poaching liquid. I'm not sure how this might make the shrimp work? I think I'm going to try it with shrimp... unless anyone can recommend something else.

Are they still serving the chicken sashimi course?

Just wanted to report back and say that I found (mostly) what I needed - actually, more than I needed. I ended up spending way too much money at Broadway Panhandler (after going on a self-imposed goose chase looking for it at its old location). Le Creuset and All-Clad in big boxes on their way to my house via UPS. *gulp* Thanks to the friendly folks at the Scholastic Store for looking up the information for me! Zabar's upstairs is outright claustrophobic, but pretty well-stocked. Sadly, neither Zabar's nor Panhandler had the mini-loaf pans I was looking for. I found Montasio cheese - like on every street corner. But, thanks to Nathan, found my way to Di Paolo's in Little Italy where I hauled off with a large wedge. Didn't have time to stop by JBPrince or New York Cake Supplies. And, dangit, I totally forgot to look for/fetch a ravioli cutter (one of those ice-cube tray types). Next time.... Thanks, again everyone.

You follow Keller's method up to the point of deshelling and then you sous vide at 120 for 20-30 minutes? I'm not sure I want to follow Keller's method for poaching - he calls for heating the beurre monte to 180-190 and putting the lobster in for just 5-6 minutes. Does anyone think that temperature would be too high - even for a short cooking time? Whoever said upthread that Keller doesn't actually poach in butter, but rather sous vides - that jives with my experience. The Main Lobster "Cuit Sous Vides" was tough and stringy - I much preferred the Sweet Butter-Poached Scottish Langoustine that I had at per se (which was the only memorable course from that meal, actually). The take-away I get from this is that: 1. TK's butter-poaching method (at 180-190 for 5-6 for a 1 1/2 to 2 lb lobster (tail and claws deshelled)) does produce great results, 2. Sous vides lobster doesn't work as well (unless my experience at TFL was anomoly - which is quite possible as that meal was a disappointing experience overall), and 3. Butter-poaching works for shrimp/langoustines/prawns as well. I've not experienced that with salmon, but I have with halibut and other white-fleshed fish. It is very silky. In total agreement. Poaching tuna in fat doesn't seem to do anything extraordinary to tuna - in fact, I find the results to be very simlar to poaching tuna in water-based media. Tuna gets too "steaky" and tough - no silkiness. I'm not a scientist, so I have no clue why this might be. I suspect that swordfish and shark meat might also turn out similarly meaty in a oil/fat-based poaching treatment.One question about Keller's beurre monte recipe: he says that a tablespoon of water is all you need, whether you're using 1/4 lb. or 20 lbs of butter. Is this right? Also, how, exactly, does one boil 1 tablespoon of water? Especially, if you need to do in a pot big enough to fit more than 4 cups of butter?? Thanks everyone! u.e.

Thanks, everyone! All of this is very helpful! I've read that Ming Tsai recipe before - I need to go back and read Thomas Keller's one. Will report back!

Why not just seal the lobster in butter and cook it en sous vide? ← I don't have a cryovac.

Doh! Duh. I have that cookbook and I've read that recipe. I don't know why I didn't think of that! Thanks!

I want to poach lobster in butter. At what temperature should I maintain the butter/oil for optimal texture? I want it barely cooked. I'm assuming shellfish and fish should be treated differently. How about poaching fish in fatty media? E.g. olive oil-poached halibut, etc...

I had a meal at Cru within the past week, and it hadn't struck me as such. It struck me more as a Continental restaurant (I don't know if that is a NY Times classification). With the exception of the "Sepia & Rock Shrimp," it seemed like Gallante had one foot in France (particularly the main item on the dish) and the other in Italy - namely, the accompaniments. Black Bass with black olive and ginger, Lavendar-roasted veal with porcini and fava, and Tortollini of sweet corn with ramps, speck and black pepper parmiggiano. The Buttermilk-poached Poularde with spaetzle, chicken livers and smoked bacon sat squarely on the border - in Alsace - between France and Germany. A first course of marinated fluke with green apple, heart of palm and lemon could have been Brazilian. Basically, based on my recent dinner, and not having seen the NY Times classification for Cru, I would not have described my experience as Italian.

Of course, it was worth it. ← Ahh thank you.. So it was good we left out the foie gras course then.. ← Except foie gras, supposedly, is an aphrodesiac. To keep on task and topic, I think Daniel, had Bruni attended this dinner, according to some on this forum, you would have faired well. You're male. You served ravioli.

I'll put in a vote for the cockscomb and corned lamb tongue at Casa Mono and the sweetbreads at Babbo.

... so, I'm glad I left early. You Bruni scholars are quite entertaining, you know that?

Nevermind, I found Grimes' review.

It's worth noting that the Times gave it two stars, and without looking 'em all up, I think it received a number of other very favorable reviews. I wouldn't put it all on Michelin. ← Maybe management paid people off. ← rich, have you been to Lever House? oakapple, I'd appreciate a link to the NYT review, I can't seem to find it on their site. Was it Bruni or Grimes?

Sorry, do you mean that nobody here would say (or admit?) that Lever House should or shouldn't warrant special attention?

So, basically what we're saying is that for an out-of-towner on a limited schedule who's looking for some "serious eating" shouldn''t necessarily put Lever House high on his list of priorities.

Nothing, I guess, but for the fact that it got a Michelin star. That, I guess, is what I was trying to get at.

There's a difference between "missing the point of" and "appreciating (as in understanding), but not agreeing with" something. I've neither had Goldfarb's desserts at Cru, Kahn's desserts at Varietal, nor visited Gilt. I've not been to el bulli either. But, I have been to Alinea (twice) and WD~50 (and moto, if counted), I'd say I "get" what's at play, but I just can't say I'm wild about it. Either way, however, most of my friends know to take a discount on my knocks on molecular gastronomy, because they know I haven't found that much pleasure out of those eating experiences. That doesn't mean I don't "get it." I maybe able to thoughfully articulate my appreciation of that type of cuisine, but I'm not going to gush about it. [edited for grammar]

Yeah, what's the deal with this place? (Not having been), the restaurant confounds me. It's 1 star Michelin, seems under-reported/discussed (on the forum and elsewhere), the prices seem very high ($140 for a five course tasting), and it's got the 1,000 bonus points on opentables for prime-times Saturday seating (yes, this Saturday - I just checked). I'm terribly intrigued, but very hesitant. On a non-food note, I am fascinated by its futuristic bee-hive look.