Lesley C

Eric Gonzales is leaving Cube on Dec. 31. I'm not sure he does have plans to open his own place. Maybe you know more than I do, but I just spoke to him a few weeks ago and nothing was set.

Haven't been to most of these restaurant so I don't know what to say. But considering the complete mess Chris Johns and En Route made of this survey last year, I think this whole thing is a complete joke.

Actually, that is incorrect. O Noir is a restaurant that serves diners in the dark, pitch black actually. Some of the waiters are blind, and the idea behind this all is to give diners a greater sense of the taste of the food without the distraction of everything and everyone around them. I believe you order, from quite a gourmet menu judging by the one I read on their web site, BEFORE you enter the dark dining room. It sounds very odd, but certainly interesting. If you google the name, you'll find a few articles about the O Noir restaurant in Paris and the history of the concept developed, I think, by some doctor or scientists (can't remember). Anyway, I plan on going one day soon. Not sure when, but I'm certain it will make for quite a night.

The DVD is worth the price of the book alone.

Wow, what a great write-up! Thank you Eric. You made me fall in love with my city all over again. But you'll have to come back. I see you still have to dine at Club Chasse et Peche and Joe Beef! Especially happy to read your review of Toque! And all that attention to wine, which is another thing I think our restaurants do so well.

I too had problems with the index. In search of the coconut tea cake recipe I couldn't find it under coconut. I actually gave up and wondered if I had seen it in another book. But I eventually went back and found it by flipping through the pages one by one. BTW, the coconut cake is incredible. Delicious coconut taste and texture. I ate most of it myself 9great for breakfast with coffee). I have the apple sauce bars cooling on my counter right now and the whole house smells like apple and spices. The only downside to this book is the five pounds I've gained since I starting baking from it. But they were worth it!

Paolo Macchi is the fellow you're after. I'll PM you his number. Another idea: why not contact Moreno di Marchi at Le Latini. He really has AMAZING truffles. He might be willing to share as you're not in direct competition.

Jonathan isn't there a new Jamie Oliver book coming out called something like Jamie Cooks? Do you have it yet? Also, do you have his Jamie Cooks Italian book? I got a copy in England but I haven't seen it on shelves here yet.

I disagree. I think she's already there. And she's a heck of a lot easier on the eyes.

Just pick up How to Eat and start to read. You're bound to find something that grabs you, if not Nigella herself.

I'm on a huge Nigella Lawson kick right now. For home cooking she's hard to beat -- and certainly fun to read.

I went to Lee instead. Definitely fun, but I expected it to be different. Good duck. Bad satay Nice to see Susur checking out the room every so often, keeping the waiters on their toes.

Please note, The Gazette restaurant reviews run in the Saturday Weekend Life section, not the Wednesday food section.

I ate a chicken dish with cream sauce at Joe Beef the second time I dined there, and it was just incredibly delicious. They served it in a little red-lidded pot. So nice. There's so much love in that food.

I was just talking with someone about Chris Mcdonald's new restaurant, Cava. Fun? Good? Expensive or casual?

It's worth having a glance at the new pastry book Tartine to see how this can be done without things looking too "scary" for readers. I review cookbooks, and I've come accross so many mistakes in even regular measurements that I think an extra set may indeed be asking too much. I do, however, dream of a day when I can show my grandchildren a measuring cup and tablespoon and tell them: "Look children, don't laugh, but these are the tools we used to use to measure ingredients."

Yes, but couldn't it happen soon if food writers educated the masses on how much more efficient the metric system is for baking? For instance, couldn't you have added metric measures in your book and dedicated a page in the introduction to using them? As a former pastry chef it really gets me that this system is not being pushed. It is not only more precise, but easier and faster. If the French and British can handle it, why can't we? And scales are so easy to use now that they are digital.

I think the Latini is an excellent restaurant -- IF you're a regular customer with cash to burn. The owner, Moreno di Marchi, is someone who is extremely passionate and knowledgeable about Italian food. BUT unless you're a friend of the house, you might end up with indifferent service. Happened to me more than once and it just ruined everything. Toqué! is a great restaurant, arguably the best in the city. A little cold, yes, but they have settled into their new space now. This time of year, I think the food is unbeatable. There are 18 chefs in the kitchen. When dinner is "on" at Toqué! it can be mind-blowingly special. My vote: Toqué!

Wow Lucy, nice sister! I would give a serious thumbs down to Fortnum's chocolate selection. Despite all the hype over Chloe Doutre-Roussel, I found her chocolate selection, as in brands like Cluizel and Amedei to be minimal (I can get a ton more varieties in my local gourmet shop), and the quality of bonbons (chocolate candies) is seriously lacking. I was told they are not made by Fortnums, but bought in Switzerland and Belgium. Very sweet and granular. Really second rate. Mme. Doutre-Roussel 's book is very nice and she has a selection of single origin chocolates that are sold in a pretty box. But otherwise I really don't see what all the fuss is about.

Another gorgeous picture Patrick. Very inspirational. Now I have to make that cake too. Meanwhile, I made the tarte Tatin last night and it was the best ever -- and I've made hundreds of tarte Tatins. I should have snapped a picture because it tasted as good as it looked. Thank you Dorie!

He's also incredibly charming

Wow Patrick, I just love that picture with the fork. Now I have to make that cake!

Interesting. I heard they were rethinking the concept, going Mediterranean. Funny, high-end Montreal restaurants are limping along lately. Actually, let's be blunt, a lot of them are doing pretty badly. I hope Gonzalez can find a new place to exploit his talents. I never thought Cube and Gonzalez made such a good fit.

As I mentioned in the new books for 2006 thread, this really is a terrific book that every baker should jump on. So far the recipes I've tried have been fantastic (save for the blueberry muffins, which didn't turn out at all -- too long a suggested cooking time and surprisingly not sweet enough -- all but I'll have to give them a second go.)

Get the Tartine book also. I made their brownies today. The best ever!