Simon_S

The only saving grace is the positively delicious Claudia Winkelman. Is there any hope, since this is happening "real-time", that the powers that be might start listening and including more food-related aspects, or are we just crazy outliers in the target audience?

I'm not enjoying this series anything like as much as the last. They have camped up Marco into pantomime villain status, and the seem to have totally excised the parts in the previous series where Marco would teach them how to cook a new dish, etc. Basically, it's trash TV. I shouldn't be surprised, but I'm certainly disappointed. Re: Nick etc. -- as I said, it's trash TV. I very much doubt that Nick would ever act that way in a real restaurant.

To be fair, Marco on UK TV has been very enjoyable (historically at least) and by the sound of things, quite different to the US persona. From the little I've seen of Ramsay's US Kitchen Nightmares, I think the same can be said there. In any case, I'm looking forward to this new series of Hell's Kitchen immensely!

Not a fan. Leads to diner anxiety!

Unfortunate moment on Heston's Medieval Feast last night when one of the guests asked if they might catch the Black Death from the food. Obviously, this was shot ages ago and that was a throwaway reference, but it was a bit cringe in the current circumstances...

Despite the to-ing and fro-ing, I still can't shake the opinion that if you go to a Gordon Ramsay restaurant expecting the man himself to cook your dinner, you're a fool! Of course, I'm also of the opinion that if you go to a Gordon Ramsay restaurant and expect it to be brilliant merely because his name his over the door, you're a fool. If a restaurant is good, it's good, and I don't care who is doing the actual cooking. Why should I? It seems to me that those who care more about the cook than what's on the plate are the ones buying into the celebrity chef culture. I don't care what name is over the door, is the food good?

That's exactly what I thought, David. Even aside from that, I can't help but feel that a lot of people, both in the business and outside, were and are just DYING to take a pop at HB.

I really thought that Mat should try to get into Noma for a year or so.

Great Fergal, hope you enjoy the trip!

Gastropubs aren't so common in Ireland, at least not good ones, so you might struggle a bit there. The Winding Stair would be ideal food-wise (and should have been in my original post) as it represents really good Irish cooking, but it's so busy you'd definitely need a booking, and it might run a bit pricey. The relative strength of the Euro is a kicker alright. It's going to make it really difficult to eat well for anything approaching a reasonable GBP price... I'm not so good at this kind of thing in the city centre. I'll keep thinking, but hopefully somebody else will be along shortly with more recommendations.

You'll do well to get a decent dinner on Valentine's Day at this late stage, but you might do okay for lunch. Normally I'd send you straight to Mint in Ranelagh, but they don't do lunch on Saturdays. If you're in on Friday, though, get the Luas from Stephen's Green -- it'll only take a couple of minutes. At the higher end I'd consider Thornton's or Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud. The latter especially is lovely at lunch, and not bad value for a 2-star. Next tier down I'm always fond of Bang Cafe, and they have a new lunch deal going on there at the moment. Pearl Brasserie is another lovely spot, but I can't remember if they open for lunch on Saturdays (a lot of the better restaurants don't). Dax is another, but I'm pretty sure that doesn't open. One Pico is one I haven't been to in a while, but they have an excellent lunch deal available at the moment also. Whether it's available this particular Saturday I don't know. For rib-sticking grub in a relaxed setting, you should definitely consider L'Gueleton, which has almost become my default Saturday long lunch spot. You can't book, just turn up. Fallon & Byrne is popular and nice, although I'm not a huge fan. For a glass of wine and some pretty decent tapas, you could try Port House or it's sister restaurant Bar Pintxo. Dunne & Crescenzi is always a good bet as well. These are the ones I'd frequent, but I'm sure there'll be plenty of other suggestions. What kind of budget are you looking at? Where are you staying? Incidentally, Sunday Brunch in the Exchange at the Westin is, by all accounts, really very good.

In Ireland at least, generally no, although they're starting to creep in. The standard US-style cardboard take-out box is relatively new to these shores as well, and not used in most establishments.

I really enjoyed that review, Corinna, thank you for posting it here. I still haven't been, but for reasons I just can't explain I'm biased against the place already. It's not the war of words with Dyl, it's not the fact that this is the restaurant du jour for the D4 set, it's not even the begrudgery that you nail in your opening sentences. Part of the problem is the only 10 minute segment of "Corrigan Knows Food" I saw where he spoke, in his best thick culchie accent, of a woman who was a "vaygan". He was just short of saying "Shure isn't that mad, she wouldn't even eat a bit o bacon and cabbage, shure". It pissed me off then, and the memory of it pisses me off now, because it makes me wonder what else is going on behind the nice guy image he seems to have cultivated. I'm not convinced by the shtick. But even that's not all of it. I wonder why I'm not convinced? Anyway, I have a voucher, so when a weekend table frees up in early 2012, I'll report back from the inevitable table 52.

Doesn't Gordo have a new healthy-eating cookbook out? I haven't tried it, but I've seen it in shops. Here it is. ETA: Without having seen it or used it, this probably wasn't a very helpful suggestion. I suppose there's no reason why a Gordo "healthy eating" book should be any different from any other diet book. There are times when it all seems so simple, when discipline is easy to come by, and the pounds can come off pretty quickly. Currently, my wife and I are on a very good run of eating healthily, with recipes gathered together from various sources, including weightwatchers cookbooks, but also from regular books. Personally, my real problem is always eating out, I simply can't control myself under such circumstances, and I have to limit my restaurant trips. One other thing: while the whole "burn more calories" thing is obviously good advice, depending on the kind of eating you're doing currently, it's pretty much impossible to burn enough calories this way without making any dietary changes. I have so many well-meaning friends saying things like "just cycle to work -- that's all I do" but really they don't get it. Their relationship with food is different to mine. It would be a physical impossibility for me to work off the kind of calories I would take in if I left all such decisions to may mouth and stomach. Best of luck in any case!

I can't quite do that, but I have been to a Thai restaurant in Italy, and all of the dishes were sorted into antipasti - primi piatti - secondi piatti. I got the distinct impression that people ate rice dishes/noodle dishes, and then followed with meat. It was all a little bizarre.

I'm very fond of that Pieropan. Their La Rocca is also very good.

Interesting. I suspect my under-stairs storage is probably not ideal in any case, but I might leave it a little while longer for now.

Any thoughts on when a '96 Lynch-Bages might be coming into its glory-days? I tasted it a few years ago and it was very tight.

Quick question: Does Alinea close for long over Christmas/New Year? I'll be in Chicago in late December 2009/early 2010, and I may have to plan my flights accordingly...

So as usual in Ireland, it's "meh". Alexis missing out on a Bib once again really confuses me.

He's talking about EVERYONE we know!

Foie (please note spelling -- bugbear of mine!!) truly is one of the most amazing things when you first taste it like that. I had a similar experience, and there really is nothing quite like it. ...until you taste some sweet wine with it!

Actually, I keep forgetting about Gordo over here -- the restaurant just isn't on my radar. I wonder has it improved enough to get a star?

I suppose times are hard, and you might be tempted to continue supplying if things are tight. COD only, though...

I don't think this is so much a "restaurant" problem as a "what the dining public wants" phenomenon, and I think it runs across the board, not just at the Michelin star level. Simply put, I think the public's interest in, and connection with, quality food is very different in the two countries.