ulterior epicure

tammylc... a great report as usual! i've left the a2 area, so i'll have to rely on you for updates and reports! tell me, what was the motivation behind the cheese course? i see the connection between niman ranch and the mincemeat pie... but the cheese? just curious. u.e.

Well, I'd be glad to treat both of you to Mitchell's Ice Cream after you're done with your tacos! edit - grammar ← Erik. Deal - you know I'm a sucker for frozen treats... and I haven't tried Mitchell's on the West Coast. If I'm not mistaken, they're a chain? Unless the Mitchell's ice cream in Ohio is owned by a different proprietor? u.e.

Yes, and often from night to night. I would wonder about the "Sunday night factor" if it weren't for the fact that both docsconz and molto e had an excellent dinner there a while back on a Sunday. I have to admit that I have similar distrusts about "hotel dining." However, I think that in the U.S., you can meet success if you are selective about where/when you dine in hotel restaurants. In my experience, San Francisco, NYC, Hawaii, and of course Las Vegas are pretty safe-bets (of course, on the higher-end). Then there are isolated hotel greats around the U.S. - for instance Mary Elaines' at the Phoenician in Phoenix, The Avenues at the Peninsula in Chicago and The Cosmos at the former Le Meridien in Minneapolis (I'm pretty sure it's no longer a Le Meridien). ... or even worse - like it's pre-fabbed cookie cutter chain-ish... Yes, I admit the interior did surprise me. I really didn't know what to expect (even with doc and molto's excellent picture report). I hadn't expected the restaurant to be so dark and "sleek." That's promising... how was the service throughout the rest of the dinner? Not that I was particularly expecting an amuse, I have to admit I was a little surprised that none was served. Since I did the (above mentioned) tasting, I had been curious about the regular portion. What did you have in your chawan mushi? A woman the table next to mine ordered it. However, I don't remember it being bean salad - it was more of a mixed greens salad with some rather nice and substantive additions.... but I don't remember beans. Well, I did love the quail - and I didn't have the risotto, which is what you didn't care for. That's too bad. I hope your trip was successful and rewarding otherwise! u.e.

Is this the same BBQ cook-off that I saw featured on The Food Network last year?

wench: I've tried two different kinds of yogurt when making frozen yogurt. While I've used goat's milk yogurt for some recipes, I thought goat's milk yogurt would be a little too strong for the honey-pinenut, and full-fat goat's would be too thick. For the honey-pinenut, I just used plain non-fat yogurt, more out of laziness - as the full-fat requires you to cheese-cloth it and let the liquid strain out. I wanted a bit of clean-tangy-ness to the flavor. u.e.

tupac17616 Thanks for the report!! I was at The French Laundry just a couple of weeks after you were at Per Se and it's amazing how similar many of the courses were When I was at Per Se, we had Scottish Langoustines as our shellfish course. They had been poached in butter and they were exquisite. In fact, my favorite course of our meal, by far. However, when we had the Lobster "cuit sous vides" at TFL, it was just as you described. The lobster, although not entirely unacceptable, was a bit hard to cut through. But, as you also noted, the meat was very sweet and the flavor very good. I wonder if shellfish takes better to butter poaching than sous vides? I wonder only because I can't remember a time when I've not had plump and tender shellfishmeat after butter-poaching. This being one of the most memorable preparations). Just curious - were the lobster dishes that you liked better at J-G and Bouley butter-poached? A calotte de boeuf is simply a cap of beef. I had this same course at TFL (although our server was a bit vague on the definition as well). While the accompaniments were different, the meat was just as you described - very well marbled, tender and extremely flavorful. If you like bone marrow, check this sucker out. Glad to hear you had a great experience!

Thanks Saara for the post! My batch of peppermint-chocolate chip was a hit. I also wanted to add another interesting flavor that I concocted: honey-pinenut frozen yogurt. I actually didn't measure out the quantities or take notes when I made it, but here's my best estimate: 2 cups of yogurt 1 cup of milk 1 cup of honey (3/4 is enough if you like a milder honey flavor) About 1/2 cup of toasted pinenuts, chopped. Thoroughly mix up the first three ingredients - making sure the honey is well incorporated. Refrigerate for a few hours and chuck it in the ice cream maker. Add the toasted pinenuts as close to the end as possible or else they'll got a bit soggy. It freezes hard, like most frozen yogurts... however, the honey does help keep in a tad softer. u.e.

I found them!! I found the alpine strawberries that chardgirl recommended. I was visiting my go-to nursery for some perrenials. I love this nursery because the owners stock the most strange and exotic plants... da doo... and sitting there (literally) stuck in among the zinias there was the fragaria - although no strange humming noises or total eclipses of the sun. Anyway, I asked the owner (not a Chinese man) why these strawberries were with the flowers and not the vegetables. She told me that it was because most people bought these for decorative use. "But these are strawberries, right?" "Yes, but you wouldn't want to eat the berries." "Why not?" "They're just usually not why people buy these." ...and so it went... I never got down to the bottom of this... except to buy a few. So, long story short, I bought a couple to try in my nice shady plot. I'll let you know how it goes... hopefully it doesn't turn out to be Audrey 3!! u.e. [if you missed all the seemingly nonesensical references in this post, I highly suggest you find the nearest performance of Little Shop of Horrors].

oh - right!! how could i forget the logo comment!! um, who are they? u.e.

... and you're right - I'm still alive - and even better now that I've got some yummy gelato!! The olive oil gelato was *divine* - one good reason not to skimp on buying really fruity and fresh olive oil!! OHYGOSH... it's even better sprinkled with crunchy Maldon or sel gris!! I'm making a batch of peppermint chocolate-chip ice cream right now - and stirring the custard carefully over low heat to prevent scrambling ain't fun... fresh eggs with cream is MUCH easier! u.e.

... spot on to your assessments and tastes? Me too. Have you been? Sounds great to me! u.e.

Oooo, thanks for xdrixn for giving birth to this thread! A number of chefs that I spoke with on my recent trip to the Bay area were really excited about Coi. I'll be interested to hear what other eGulleters think and experience! u.e.

Yes, yes... too many people have pressured me about G.D.'s... and honestly, not that I regret having gone to TDR... the decision to leave out G.D.'s is haunting me... so too my decision to leave out FdL... ah, but then there's Quince and Incanto... okay... another trip to the Bay area is obviously needed! ...anyone out there willing to foot the bill? u.e.

... forging on. 4th Course: Lobster Section of lobster tail poached in clarified butter. The shellfish is served on a bed of English peas and white onion. The dish is sauced with a sweet carrot broth. Taste: I really loved this dish. The butter poached lobster tail was nice and plump, not stringy or tough at all (unlike a lobster that I was served a few nights later at another restaurant... ). The peas were nice and firm, yet not raw-tasting. The best part was the sweet carrot broth, which added an earthy sweetness that really played off nicely against the sweetness of the lobster meat itself. 5th Course: Hearts of Palm Salad This course was supposed to be a foie gras course. However, since I was foied-out from the surfeit of the silky wonder from the night before, I asked to have a salad instead. A tuft of baby mesclun crowns a thin layer of Navarro Pinot Noir gelee. At the very bottom are impossibly thin carpaccio of heart of palm. The salad is dressed with a coconut-lime vinaigrette and seasoned with vanilla salt. The carpaccio are drizzled with fruity "Olio & Olive Primo" olive oil. Notes: I have NEVER seen sections of hearts of palm as large as these. Each perfectly round, paper-thin slices of hearts of palm was the diameter of a baseball. I was most curious about the pinot noir gelee - which was nice and tart-sweet and actually mixed in well with the salad. Besides the delicate sweetness of the hearts of palm, the most oustanding flavor on this dish was the very strong and fruity olive oil. I asked the server for the olive oil name - he said it was "Olio & Olive Primo." To be honest, I couldn't really taste the coconut-lime vinaigrette. 6th Course: Quail Roasted quail and slices of home-made coriander-pork sausage on a softened fennel stalk and melted rhubarb. The quail is sauced with a natural quail jus reduction. Taste: Like the squab[/a] course I had the night before at Manresa, I found the most compelling element on this volaille dish to be the sausage. To be sure, the quail was very good (although the skin had gone completely soggy after being sauced), but the spicy (heat) and savory-smokey coriander in the sausage was get-out spectacular. The fennel stalk, which had been rendered very soft, was a nice refreshing foil to the otherwise full-flavored elements. 7th Course: Beef Tenderloin A round of beef tenderloin sits on a bed of tender morel mushrooms and meaty fava bean halves. It is sauced with Bourdelaise and surrounded by roasted fingerling potatoes. The tenderloin is topped with fried bone marrow. Notes: The beef was almost fork tender - the consistency was if the meat had been braised and then pan fried (although I have no confirmation on this). The tenderloin sat on a bed of oh-so-melted morels and sauced with a rich Bourdelaise. Together with the sturdy fava beans, the accompaniments were great companions with the meat. I also appreciated the nicely golden-brown roasted (although I think might have been deep fried) and trimmed fingerling potatoes added the needed starch. The most amazing item on this dish was the fried bone marrow that crowned the beef tenderloin. Look at it! Ohmygosh this was just over-the-TOP!! (pun intended). Personally, I was more impressed with the novelty of the marrow rather than the eating... it was literally a honkin' cut o' fat that was just too "fatty." When I cut into it, it just ooooozed grease... The crispy crust that encased the marrow, along with the chive and sea salt garnish was actually more interesting. 8th Course: Cheese Cart Yep, like a good old French restaurant, as soon as my bread and butter were cleared, the server steered that puppy over to my table and rolled back the glass lid. From my estimation, there seemed to be a good score of cheese to choose from. When at hoity-toits, I try my darndedst to try only cheeses with which I am unfamiliar, unless an absolute favorite is in the mix. And I always try the blue - whatever it is, unless it's gorgonzola (see exception below). I got greedy with the cart (read: lots of unfamiliar goodies) : 1. Moliterno - Italian cows milk cheese stored and aged with black truffles. It tasted especially awesome with the honey. I think this was my favorite of the entire selection. 2. Mimolette - I've had this bright orange French cheese before. Sweet yet sharp, I always love me some good Mimolette. It my only selection from the cheese trolley that I had eaten before. 3. Hoch Ybrig - From a small Swiss artisanal cheesemaker. Made in the style of Gruyere, this mountain cows milk cheese was surprisingly sweet - and had a creamier mouthfeel. As well, I thought it was grassier than a traditional Swiss cheese. 4. Andante Pastorale - This fresher goat's milk cheese was encrusted in a layer of local herbs. I really dislike chalky-bitter-tasting fresh goats milk cheeses (they often also have a tinge of sour). However, I was surprised at how mild this cheese was. The flavor really meshed well with the grassy herbs. I enjoyed this cheese more than I expected to. 5. Montgomery Cheddar - From England, of course. Very sharp with a sweet after-taste. Incredibly smokey. My small cut was toward the rind - so it was extremely dry and crumbly - if not chewy. 6. "Pau" - Named after the <a href="http://www.artisanalcheese.com/prodinfo.asp?number=10372">Spanish cheesemaker's</a> daughter, this Catalonian goat's milk cheese was, surprisingly, my least favorite selection. I was especially surprised because I usually especially enjoy aged goats milk (as opposed to fresh goats milk cheese) products. I found this cheese to be somewhat bitter and vegetale in flavor - sort of leather-like also in aroma (not consistency). 7. Guffanti Gorgonzola ("Piccante") - Although I LOVE blue cheeses, Gorgozolas are usually my least favorite because they tend to be sweet - the Australian Roaring Forties I'd consider a dessert! (Nevermind the fact that I love blue cheeses served with honey, or even gorgonzola gelato...) However, when I do come across a Gorgozala "piccante," I make a point of trying it. I find the "piccante" versions much sharper. It's got all of the butteriness of the French Roquefort (which remains my favorite) - with just a slight hint of sweetness. Pre-Dessert palate cleanser: Lychee Sorbet with Hibiscus gelee. Notes: While both the lychee sorbet and the Hibiscus gelee were distinct by themselves, when eaten together, the lychee dominated. A most refreshing palate cleanser! 9th Course: Dessert - "Celebration of Strawberries" (Rollover picture) Presented as a "Celebration of Strawberries," this trio included: 1. Strawberry and honey-chevre tartlet - The most interesting taste sensation on this plate. I really enjoyed the musky "goatiness" of the cheese against the faint sweet of honey and the tart strawberries. The shortbread was pretty neutral in flavor, if not obscured by the assertive flavors of the chevre, honey and strawberries. 2. "Napoleon" of mascarpone-buttermilk panna cotta sandwiched between crispy phyllo. The Napoleon is topped with strawberries soaked in balsamic vinegar and it is topped with a square of sugar glass. Interesting how similar desserts can be at two different restaurants... I think that Manresa's version from the night before was much more successful. 3. Strawberry sorbet with pistachios - Good, but otherwise unremarkable. The entire plate is drizzled with a balsamic vinegar reduction. Okay, if you know nothing about me... know this - I'm not a sweet-tooth, but I am a HUGE SUCKER for ice creams, gelatos and sorbets.... basically, you freeze it with cream and I'll eat it. Not that I wasn't satisfied with my meal thus far... but my eyes happened to wander (as they often do) over the dessert menu items' iced accompinments. I spied with my eyes a few that sounded just too intriguing to leave without trying. I asked my server if the kitchen could supplement a sampling a few of their ice creams. After a unintentionally letting out a at my gluttony, said in the nicest and *sweetest* way possible... "but, of course." ... and for an extra $10, out came: Ice Cream Tasting Supplement: 1. Honey ice cream - Where's the honey? Couldn't taste it... 2. Carrot ice cream - this was surprisingly salty! Probably my second favorite ice cream behind the Bamboo rice. It was very carrot-y, but just a twee odd... can't place my finger on it. 3. Bamboo Rice ice cream - YUM. Yeah, this was pretty much the only one that I was truly curious about from seeing the dessert menu. It was truly novel - tasted of toasted rice... 4. Ameretti Tacchino ice cream - Very very faint almond flavor... barely perceptible... A whole French press of their strongest decaf brew came out along a lavishly bedecked trolley laden with the mignardises and petite fours. They all looked pretty, but (a) I was rather full, (b) not a sweet-tooth - remember? and © nothing really appealed to me - mostly milk chocolates, nougats, lollipops, caramels (basically, nothing frozen or dark chocolate). I picked out three: sugared orange peel, a coffee-dusted marshmallow (dry and chewy - boo!), and a coconut-cocao nib macaroon (not macaron) that ended up being chewy and really rather dull... could see nibs, but couldn't taste them - they had gone soggy in the mix. The bill came with a box of caramels to take home. Overall, TDR pretty much met all of my expectations. From everything I've read about Chef Siegel and eGulleters, it was very formal setting and service. The food and plating, while traditionally French, did veer off into Asia (Japanese, to be specific - especially the spot prawn course). While the food wasn't sending off sparks, I did think that overall, everything was expertly prepared and well-planned. Some of the items I found a bit gimmicky - like the prawn heads and the upstairs-downstairs halibut and Dungeness crab. But, this was easily overlooked given the damn-good taste. Desserts did peter out a bit... especially the desserts. The service was stupendously spectacular. In fact, I would give the service tops out of all five restaurants I visited. Ame and Manresa come close. Surprisingly, it was (other than The French Laundry) the most formal Continental-styled service of the five (ie. formal), I really got along with the staff. They were both helpful and very knowledgeable... as well, they were on cue with everything - spot on. Good show! ...okay, on to Chez Panisse...

On the second night of my recent eating trip to S.F. and Napa, I had an "open" night. I toyed with a few restaurants - Gary Danko's, Fleur de Lys, Quince, and Incanto... but in the end, I decided on The Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton. In suspected that I would be in for a more "traditional" styled service and certainly not as daring or innovative as my meal at Manresa. I was definitely right on the service, but I have to honestly say that some of the food that Chef Ron Siegel served pleasantly surprised me. TDR offers a few menu formats: - 3 course prix fixe with your choice of starter, main course, and dessert - 8 course "Salt & Pepper" menu - every course features a salt and pepper - 6-course Chef's menu - 9-course Chef's menu I, the happy glutton, of course ordered the 9-course. All of the photos can be seen on my flickr account here. My meal started with a few canapes and amuses bouche: Warm fennel and leek soup A demi-tasse of warm fennel and leek soup garnished with fennel salt. Notes: Warm and creamy. Very savory, with a hint of curry (although I'm not sure there was actually any curry spice added) - and a grassy celeriac taste from the dusting of fennel salt on top. Diver Scallop Diver scallop on a bed of melted leeks and sauced with Meyer lemon reduction. The diver scallop is pierced with a shard of white nori sugar glass. Note: The white nori glass was very interesting - it tasted like nori, but it was white!?!? I've never heard of "white nori." The scallop was very nicely prepared - still succulent and sweet on the inside, although nicely carmelized on the outside. The melted leeks underneath were great. The Meyer lemon reduction was more sweet than citrusy. Uni "Panna Cotta" Chilled pana cotta of sea urchin served in a martini glass with brunoise of lobster and avocado. The pana cotta is "sauced" tableside, with a tiny drizzle of vanilla bean olive oil. Note: Couldn't taste the uni in the panna cotta - but the lobster and avocado were really great. The vanilla bean olive oil was discernible - but barely... what's with lobster and vanilla? It's everywhere! Spinach fried ravioli Pillowy fried ravioli filled with spinach and dusted with Grana Padana cheese. Notes: OHGOSH, these were my favorite canape/amuse by far... the crispy light crust (like flaky fried wanton) were filled with a buttery wilted spinach filling (almost like creamed spinach - except the spinach leaves were not pureed into a mush). OHGOSH, they were molten hot and so good!! Then on to the courses from the 9-course tasting: 1st Course: Asparagus veloute Chilled asparagus veloute topped with a Miyagi oyster and a small garnishing of Osetra caviar. Taste: I really liked this chilled soup. It was simple, light, and sweet. The Miyagi oyster, which was unexpectedly plump and full and briny (from first glance, the Miyagi oyster, which barely peeked above the soup-line seemed tiny and small - but the majority of the fat oyster, in true iceberg-fashion, was in the soup). The dollop of salty-bitter Osetra caviar offered the perfect textural and flavor counterpoint to the sweetness of the asparagus. 2nd Course: Sashimi of live spot prawn There were two presentations for this course. The first was a sashimi of spot prawn meat: The server informed me that this sashimi of spot prawn was taken from a prawn that was alive just moments before this service. The tender shellfish meat is topped with cubes of yuzu gelee. Freshly wasabi root is grated tableside and garnishes the plate. Taste: I don't dout that the spot prawn was extremely fresh (as in, it was alive a few seconds before) as the meat was excitingly moist and tender. I was expecting a sweeter meat, like ebi, but the shellfish had an extremely clean and pure taste to it. The cubes of yuzue gelee actually complimented the dish very well. As well, I really appreciated the little garnish of freshly grated wasabi (grated table-side on shark skin for presentation) - it was very strong. I hardly used a quarter of it. I also experimented with dabbing the shrimp in the salts that came with the prawn heads. Although I appreciated the salty-sourness, I thought it really overpowered the clean taste of the shrimp. I will say that instinctually, I wanted a pair of chopsticks to eat this course with... but in the end, fork and knife were probably the best mode because of the cubes of yuzu. The second presentation (alluded to in the sashimi presentation description) was a fried spot prawn head, halved. The head is served with two types of sea salt: shiso salt and a Japanese deep sea salt. Both were mixed with lemon juice table-side. Notes: This was fun and tasty. The prawn heads had been flash fried to a crisp. Dipping them in the salt mixtures was fun, but a bit impractical, as the delicate legs shattered everywhere and after taking one bite, I was really just left with a bunch of crispy debris... sadly, it didn't make for very easy double-dipping. 3th Course: Halibut and Dungeness crab This course also had two presentations. The first featured halibut: A filet of halibut was presented nude undertneath a cloche. It sat on a "hammam" of sorts - with drainage holes. The cut of fish is sauced tableside with a coconut citrus sauce sauce spiked with a tinge of habenero. When finished with the halibut, the server removed the dish on which the halibut sat to reveal a second bowl beneath. The contents underneath are kept warm and benefits from the sauce and juices from the halibut above. The second: Underneath the filet of halibut sat a large dungeness crab ravioli. It is accompanied by a sliver of artichoke heart and a single stalk of asparagus. The ravioli has been sauced with the same coconut-citrus and habenero reduction that seeped through from the halibut saucing. Notes: Despite its appearance, this ravioli was STUFFED full of Dungeness crab meat. The coconut-citrus saauce also included some of the nice halibut juices that had dripped through from above. ... more to come

Okay, this is going to be a question from WAY out in left field... I've been wanting for years to plant a fig tree here in my yard. I know they're not indigenous to this area, but, when I lived in D.C., there was a fig tree in my yard that I nearly picked clean (amazingly) in the summers. Now, I figured that if they can grow in D.C., they can grow here... the only problem is finding a graft... Anyone out there in K.C. seen/have a fig tree?

oh great yellow truffle! you just saved me a trip to the bookstore... although i need to go anyway. u.e.

I'm curious as well. While many have (accused) told me I'm a "super taster," I don't know if that is really a phenomenon. However, I would have to say that some of the tastes that Tony mentioned resonated with my experience - especially the "metallic" taste of the horseradish foam (not sushi), and food colouring from a bottle (Tony, you weren't the only stupid kid). Regardless, maybe it's just a preference thing, or as doc noted, an abberant mishap or exception to the norm. I guess the only way I'll find out is to return!! In the meantime, a friend of mine went to WD-50 on my recommendation and really enjoyed getting drinks. He even bumped into Chef Dufresne - something I missed out on my visit! u.e.

... as promised: 9th Course: Abalone A filet of abalone crowned a small bed of shredded pork trotter meat covered in a thin layer of milk skin. This "surf and turf" was sauced with brown butter and sauced with a pork fat hollandaise and avocado mousse. Notes: Abalone is one of those luxurious foods not often indulged in outside of Asia. This version was splendid. If I had to choose a hands-down favorite of the evening - this was it. The pig trotter meat was nice and tender - but what made the dish, besides all of the flavors working in concert was the fascinatingly company of the slightly sour milk skin. YUMMY! Creative, wonderful, lusty, and satisfying! 10th Course: Roasted Sweetbreads (Rollover picture) Roasted veal sweetbreads with sliced Granny Smith apples and softened scallions. The server pours onion consomme around the sweetbreads at the table. Notes: I was absolutely stunned and thrilled when the sweetbreads showed up. In fact, from my mouth the chef's ear, I had just jokingly commented to my friend during the previous abalone course that the only thing left to make this meal a complete success with me would be a serving of sweetbreads - and here they are. To be sure, this is an interesting presentation - more so for the apple element. Curiously, I had encountered the sweetbreads and white onion combination a few months before at Per Se. The sweetbreads were roasted to creamy perfection. I loved the warm onion consomme, which was very flavorful and complex. It didn't drown the sweetbreads, rather, somehow remained just a nice saucing element. 11th Course: Squab (Rollover picture) Roasted squab over a bed of beets and "beet gazpacho." The squab course also featured a lovely pork boudin noir that was spiced with allspice and clove. Notes: I don't know what I loved more, the squab or the boudin noir. Regardless, this dish was an ode to that magnificent taste of ferric "bloodiness" that I love. I know that's an awful-sounding description, but I actually love the taste of offal and meat "au natural." The squab meat, which has a naturally liver-y taste to it, was very tender and juicy - unlike so many dry and stringy preparations I've had the misfortune of eating. The beets, as well, added an earthy-sweet, if not visually "bloody" element to this dish. The boudin noir, however, I found to be the show-stopper on this dish. Redolent with the flavor of pork blood, it was made a true delight by overtures of allspice and clove - which added a "exoticism" that I absolutely loved. 12th Course: Wagyu Wagyu beef tenderloin roasted in its own fat with Bourdelaise sauce and garnished with morels in a ginger and green garlic sauce. Notes: The beef was well marbeled - and as you can see from the cross-cut picture, very moist and tender. The Bourdelaise was rich and nicely "dressed" the meat instead of drowning it. The morels, which had been rendered silky soft in a ginger and green garlick sauce, had a nice tinge of sourness that helped cut through the otherwise rich elements to this excellent beef course. What a great way to end the meat courses! Pre-Dessert: Vanilla bean ice cream Vanilla bean ice cream with candied fennel and celery. Note: This is one of the richest vanilla-bean ice creams I've ever tasted. I loved the way the candied vegetables added a vegetale firmness to the creamy-sweet texture of the ice cream. I was especially at how well the anise-flavor of the fennel worked with the vanilla. A nice bit of sugar syrup from the candied vegetables also helped sweeten the otherwise all-too creamy ice cream. 1st Dessert: Buttermilk panna cotta Buttermilk panna cotta with strawberries and Chantilly cream. The dessert is garnished with a fresh mint leaf. It is finished table-side with a drizzling of 25 year aged balsamic vinegar. Taste: The panna cotta was refreshingly tangy and silky smooth. I really enjoyed the textural firmness of the macerated strawberries. I thought the Chantilly cream on top, which was very firm and almost like a ganache in consistency, was too rich. I let most of it uneaten on the side. The fresh mint and deep sweetness of the aged balsamic vinegar were key. 2nd Dessert: Warm chocolate cake Warm chocolate cake with cacoa nib ice cream on a "cacao crisp." Two dollops of chocolate ganache with crunchy sea salt. Taste: Everything was above board. I'm not a huge dessert person, but I am a sucker for good chocolate desserts. This one did not disappoint. I loved breaking the crispy cacoa crisp and mixing it in with the cacoa nib ice cream. As well, I delighted in the chocolate and sea salt combination. The warm chocolate cake was good - not molten runny on the inside, rather hot and buttery - very much like a dense souffle. Migardises Chocolate madeleines & strawberry pate de fruits. The feast at Manresa was appropriately tied up with a "throw-back" to the beginning of the meal. However, instead of black olive madeleines and red peppercorn pate de fruit, this was a different combination - a more traditional sweet ending with chocoalte madeleines and strawberry pate de fruit. I have to admit that the meal petered out after the meat courses - although I did truly enjoy the buttermilk panna cotta and the warm chocolate cake, I think the meats really did an outstanding job of highlighting Chef Kinch's way with meats - especially fish and seafood. My friend and I were thrilled with our experience. As well, we got a quick peek into the kitchen where we met some of the sous chefs, as well as the boss himself. ... again, you can see all of the Manresa photos here on my flickr account. On to the next post: The Dining Room at the Ritz.

I don't think my answer is a secret. Avenues. ... and yes, this article topic, as ronnie notes, has been done... but it's always nice to see the Chicago three getting praise and press. In other news, Shawn McClain's Custom House was featured as a "Hot 10" in this past (May, 2006) issue of Bon Appetit. u.e.

Sounds great. Australian or U.S. origin? =R= ← It's Australian but it feed certified GMO free white grains. and raised in a healthy lifestyle. The marbling is off the cart! ← Cool! I've seen some Australian #11 and it was absolutely unbelievable. The marbling was like nothing I'd ever seen before (or since for that matter). Unfortunately, I never got to taste it. =R= ← Uh oh, the "meat heads are at it!!" Can you please explain the "certified GMO free white grains?" u.e.

... oh, I hadn't thought of that... will have to read the article more carefully...

Question: the article says that guests at moto have to sign a waiver? I have to admit, I skimmed the article very quickly at a bookstore yesterday, so I may be getting things wrong... but, I don't remember having to sign anything when I went last summer. Of course, things could have changed, or I could totally be making it up... I'll have to go back and read the article. u.e.

As I understand it, the ban is strictly on the sale of foie in Chicago. So, if the chef was agreeable, would providing ones own foie for the chef's use circumvent the ban? ← So, how would this be done? The diner would call ahead to "order" foie from the chef who would purchase the foie on order from a non-Chicago-city source? I'm presuming that there are liability issues for a restaurant cooking things that clients bring in (ie. meats, produce, etc....) u.e.

In fact, it was this "chemically" taste that I found off-putting in a number of my sides - like the horse-radish foam that came with my Beef Sirloin and the chickpea batons that came with the ocean trout plate. Perhaps "chemical" isn't exactly the right word to describe its effect on my palate, but there was certainly something a little odd about the way some of these things tasted. u.e.