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LPShanet

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Everything posted by LPShanet

  1. So I finally got my hands on a bottle of the current "Todd's Inner Beauty" version. And I'm glad to say that it's really good. It tastes much more like I remember the Inner Beauty REAL Hot Sauce tasting, which I preferred to their regular Hot Sauce. In the intervening years I had searched various boards around the web for what people had considered the closest other commercially available hot sauces in flavor to the original Inner Beauty sauces. The ones that were repeatedly mentioned were Rasta Fire Hot Hot Hot, and Lottie's Yellow. The Rasta Fire was actually fairly close to what I remembered and quite good, with a notable habanero/Scotch Bonnet flavor to it. The Lottie's was more specifically mustardy and less integrated than I remembered the Inner Beauty (or the Rasta Fire). Lottie's does also make a red version called "Original" that has no mustard, but I haven't tried that, as it seemed a different style. Anyway, since I now have the Lottie's and the new Todd's Inner Beauty, I was able to do a side by side taste test, and for me the Todd's Inner Beauty is the clear winner. It's very balanced, with a bit of sweetness (presumably from the papaya and tropical fruit elements), and the mustard works as part of the whole without dominating. The Lottie's is good, but definitely more of a mustard sauce, and to my palate not nearly as special or as versatile. The Todd's is quite hot, and much closer to the former Inner Beauty Real Hot vs Inner Beauty regular. I feel like I successfully time traveled. I highly suggest getting some of the Todd's Inner Beauty, which can be had on Amazon (shipped from Todd's) or directly from Todd's on the web.
  2. That is the name I've heard. Don't know him personally.
  3. I don't remember the Sweet Papaya Mustard personally, but I mostly purchased original Inner Beauty outside the Boston area at various gourmet shops that carried it. But a thorough Google search does show that Sweet Papaya Mustard existed in the early 90s. Maybe it was only distributed in a smaller area. There were, in fact, two versions of the hot sauce as well. One was called Inner Beauty Hot Sauce, and the other was called Inner Beauty Real Hot Sauce. The names are deceptively similar, but the sauces were definitely different. The regular Hot Sauce was much more mustardy, and basically tasted like it had a hot papaya mustard base, as it happens. But the Real Hot Sauce was not only hotter, but had a different flavor profile, with less acid/mustard and sugar flavor, and more actual Scotch Bonnet/habanero flavor. I preferred the Real Hot Sauce personally, even though the heat level was a bit high for use on some foods. I still have a bottle of the original regular Hot Sauce in my fridge and can confirm that it has a definite mustard and papaya flavor to it.
  4. And how does the new one compare to your homemade version?
  5. So what's the report? Does it taste like the original? And are any of the same people involved or did someone just buy the rights to the name (or steal it)? Also, is it meant to be like the IB Hot Sauce or the IB Real Hot Sauce? The two had different flavor profiles, not just heat levels. Any info greatly appreciated, since I was also a HUGE IB hot sauce fan (especially the Real Hot Sauce).
  6. I went a few years ago, and thought it was really wonderful. You have to decide for yourself if you can handle the price point (I think it's $450 for the basic meal, plus booze, etc.). If you're the kind of person who feels no meal is worth that, and need to be convinced otherwise, then don't go. But if you can handle the expense, definitely try it. Both the experience (sit at the bar) and the food itself are really top notch. And if you're a fan of this style of cuisine, it will not disappoint. Will happily provide further detail if you like.
  7. I'll be in New Orleans for a wedding, and am a first time visitor. I've been wanting to go for years, but only have two free days before wedding events start. So assuming I only have two lunches and two dinners (plus possibly one more of each in various windows), what are the can't-miss places these days. Price is no object, so I'm not looking for bargains, just the quintessential NO experience at any price point. Please include classics (Commander's, etc.) as well as anything that's at the top of its game right now (Peche?). Also appreciated are additional experiences worth having (breakfasts, po boys, treats, etc.) Also, I haven't seen as much talk about cocktails and booze on this thread, so please provide suggestions on the best places for cocktails, both classic and newfangled. Can't go to NO without getting my Sazerac/hurricane/other on! Thanks!
  8. Totally agree on Wallse if Austria is being included. Another good option is Hospoda. (Modern Czech food)
  9. Is it possible to substitute another sister, who does eat pork?
  10. Although others seem not to care much, I personally do still have a major issue with the use of "biodynamics". While there are quite a few accidental benefits that sometimes may occur to the same people who employ biodynamics, the actual requirements of biodynamics are 100% nonsense. It's all poop-filled animal horns, magic spells, bogus "energy" manipulation and disproven homeopathy, and very little tangible farming technique, despite what people think. There is more misinformation about biodynamics than there is correct information out there, and presenting it as science or reality is a total sham. If biodynamic wines turn out well, it has nothing to do with biodynamics, and everything to do with the fact that people who care that much about their crops will treat them better and give them more attention of the relevant kind. Credit should go to them and not the fakery, and being biodynamic should not be held up as a mark or standard of quality. The benefits of organics on the end product are debatable enough, but biodynamics takes it to the level of pure bunk, on par with saying that the wine was raised via unicorn blessing. Time to start understanding why a particular wine came out well in a way that is reproducible and therefore useful.
  11. It looks like they just want to totally eliminate any possibility of a customer saying they got sick from something that wasn't cooked enough. This, of course, greatly increases the probability of a customer feeling sick because the food is so crap. NB: I've been mostly unimpressed with their seafood offerings as well. The fish isn't nearly the quality or freshness that is found at Citarella and some others.
  12. Sorry for the long absence from this thread. On the night in question, my guest ended up having already eaten his fill of Italian at earlier meals, so we ended up doing something else. However, the mention of Marchi's brings back some great childhood memories for me, so many thanks! Hadn't even thought about that for decades, but used to go there with my parents. Glad to hear it's still alive.
  13. A friend of mine, who used to live in the NY area, is visiting currently, and said he wanted to eat "New York Italian". In my mind (and I'm pretty sure his, too), this refers to the sort of old school, red sauce driven style we all used to think of as Italian food. While we've moved on from that style in many ways, it can still be really good and satisfying, so I was wondering what people thought were the best places to get that kind of fare currently. Specifically, we're looking at Manhattan spots (not Bronx/Arthur Avenue, etc.), preferably downtown, or easily reached parts of Brooklyn. My first thought was that a good option would be Torrisi and/or Parm, since they are essentially odes to that style of food, but executed better. And I guess to some extent, places like Roberta's, Frank, Piccolo Angolo, and Franny's might be evolutions of the style. Il Mulino, Emilio's Ballato and Ponte's are still open, though I never hear anyone mention them much these days. Any thoughts on these and others?
  14. Totally agree. Just as expensive as Yasuda, if not more so, and they usually have a much less extensive selection. It's not nearly the place it was 5-10 years ago, mostly due to an unadventurous customer base, though the quality is still very top notch.
  15. In purely food terms, I'd say my first choice would be Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare for "price no object", and suggest you consider Degustation for a value-oriented "price-to-performance" pick. I'd put Per Se, Momofuku Ko, L'atelier de Joel Robuchon, and Jean Georges right after BK Fare for the no object category. Also, if price is truly no object, and you're a fan of Japanese food, you probably have to consider Masa as well. (Also in the kaiseki vein, Brushstroke, Kyo Ya and the omakase bar at Morimoto are great. Note: the omakase bar is a totally separate experience and has a different menu from the rest of Morimoto and shouldn't be confused with ordering the "omakase" in the main restaurant.)
  16. Yeah it's something like $400 for the food isn't it? Nuts! I think I'd rather save a bit and do Yasuda Beware, Yasuda can add up pretty quickly, too, if you're a big eater. It's not uncommon to spend $250-$300 per person for the food alone there.
  17. Kajitsu is indeed excellent. You might also take a look at Kyo Ya, which has similarities to Kajitsu but isn't vegetarian. And Bouley's new Brushstroke in Tribeca is doing a pretty nice kaiseki right now, too. And I second Newbie's suggestion of Ippudo, if you're interested in ramen. As stated earlier, SHO's food is still good and a good deal, but their service is WAY below par for this level of restaurant. If that doesn't bother, then give it a shot. As for sushi, I'd suggest eliminating Bar Masa from consideration. It's very overpriced for what it is, and doesn't confer any of the benefits of dining at Masa (which is amazing, but way out of most people's price range). Your best straight sushi bets are probably Sushi Yasuda and Ushi Wakamaru. Soto is also fantastic, but not quite traditional sushi. The real stars there are the specialty dishes, although the sushi itself is also excellent. Can't speak highly enough about Brooklyn Fare, but agree that the price hike (and difficulty of actually getting reservations) has meant that I haven't been able to go back in ages. As far as the actual food on the plate goes, I personally would put Brooklyn Fare slightly ahead of Eleven Madison Park, though it's less of a fine dining experience in terms of ambience and service.
  18. Agree with most of these, but do have to say that I had a truly horrible/despicable service experience at SHO recently. Service there was never good, but this time what happened was beyond the pale, and their handling of it (or lack thereof) even worse. That said, the food is still good. I'd add Corton, L'atelier de Joel Robuchon and Marea to this list.
  19. Any thoughts on places to get a drink before dinner at Marea? Looking for a place that does serious cocktails, and has a good atmosphere without being too touristy. Was hoping to do better than Stone Rose at Time Warner, and anyplace too touristy. (For reference, my downtown preferences are in the PDT/Pegu/Milk & Honey/Mayahuel vein.) Thanks!
  20. Although it's a different kind of place, Brooklyn Fare is even smaller. I think it used to be 12 seats, and is now about 18.
  21. Can't speak for Azurmendi or Zuberoa offhand, but I'm guessing any of them would accommodate your diet with a little notice. Arzak is very good in the service department (and one of the most amazing restaurants in the world), so I'd say try calling or emailing them and asking. And Etxebarri, since their cooking style is so simple, is an easy place to navigate without having to eat meat. They have tons of seafood and vegetable options. I'd also inquire at Akelarre and Mugaritz among others. Lastly, make sure you consider a separate meal at Kaia. They specialize in simple seafood plucked fresh from the sea, and it's fantastic. Michel Bras once referred to their langoustines as the single best food ingredient in the world. You can have a great semi-casual lunch or dinner there composed solely of perfect grilled seafood.
  22. Definitely Del Posto would be my first thought. I had a stunning, truffle-studded meal there last year. Other options are Felidia, SD26 and maybe Ai Fiori. But Del Posto would be the place to start.
  23. LPShanet

    Per Se

    Boy, he's really milking that expense account before leaving, huh?
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