millions

I just saw an "as seen on tv" ad for this, and it's now selling for $20, which includes a vacuum sealer. Obviously, I'm not expecting this to be on par with my SVS, but I'm having a hard time thinking of a reason not to try it out. If it works reasonably well, I'd use at as a sort of portable "road" sv setup.

I was able to make a reservation at é yesterday for this Saturday night, so maybe things have calmed down a bit.

I made some of the best short rib chili I've ever had over the weekend. I browned about 1/4 pound of ground chuck just for a little beef fat and flavor, to which I added garlic, onions, bell and chipotles, the chili powder and cumin. After adding some canned tomatoes and red wine, I let this cook down for about a half hour before letting it cool. I then cubed 2 pounds of boneless short ribs, added them to the other ingredients and then bagged. 36 hours in a 135 degree bath, and I then enjoyed some of the most incredibly tender and flavorful chili ever. I plan to make bigger batches of this for bagging and freezing of individual-sized portions as rainy-day meals.

It's been open for almost a year now. I went the first week it opened and was impressed by the space, but not really anything else.

Using 93% lean ground sirloin is not going to get you anything resembling the Shack Shake's burgers which are made from a blend of sirloin, chuck, and brisket. Very different flavor, and approximately 80% lean, which is worlds apart from the meat you used.

I just received a lobe of grade "A" foie gras from Sonoma, and would like prepare some of it en sous vide. For tonight, I want to do seared medallions. Any suggestions for temperature and time for 1/2 inch thick slices? It seems to me that if the point of cooking the foie sous vide is to minimize weight loss, after removal from the bath, I won't want to pan sear. Has anyone here used a torch on foie?

I'm glad to see the restaurant looking busy. I visited in November and had a very lovely meal, but only 2 other tables were occupied on a Thursday night, so I was concerned about the future of the place.

The Sous Vide Supreme rack does not get used only in a vertical manner. The manual details how the rack can be used so that the food pouches stand vertically or lie flat.

Well, just another data point -- I asked for any day available on last year's schedule, and received a reservation.

I don't have a high-powered vacuum -- just a frisper -- so I doubt overcompression was the main problem. I didn't mean to imply that I believe the length of time was the principle culprit. After this experience, my guess is that 137 is just too high for a pork chop unless you're pulling the meat out of the bath before it even reaches that internal temperature. There was no pink hue whatsoever to this chop, and I don't think it was because of the browning. I used my iwatani torch, and as you can see from the photos, I didn't overdo it with the color. As I said, I'll definitely give brining a shot next time in addition to dropping the temperature of the bath.

I had a very disappointing center cut pork chop last night. Though I had planned to originally cook it for a couple of hours at 137, I ended up doing 137 for those 2 hours or so, and then dropping it down to 135 for about 20 hours more. Very dry. I did not brine before cooking, but was still quite surprised at the dryness at only 137 degrees. I'm going to do one brined, one unbrined next time, but at 134 for only a few hours.

If you look at the last pages of their menu, there's an entire beverage list, including beer and sake and "Matsuhisa’s exclusive sake cocktail" list. Matsuhisa does have a bar. Whether a restaurant has a bar or not, that shouldn't deter a diner from going to that restaurant, unless it's a matter of personal preference. Now, if you want to try a really good new bar, try Copa D'Oro over in Santa Monica. Barmaster and mixologist Vincenzo Marianella is great! ← Uh, okay. I guess I also have a bar in my bedroom, and my office, and sometimes when I'm flying cross-country, but I think most of us have another idea of what a restaurant bar means, usually including a full liquor license, a dedicated bartender or two, and and maybe even a few spirits. FWIW, I have eaten at Matsuhisa dozens of times over more than a decade now, but thanks for the tip! And yeah, Copa is a good bar. So are the Varnish, Seven Grand, and the Edison. There are also excellent mixologists at the Hungry Cat, Comme Ca, and the new Bottega Louie, all of which you could even go so far as to call restaurants. I apologize for trying to give some advice in line with the OP's actual request, you know the part that said "I like to dine at restaurants with full bars...." Sorry about that.

No bar at Matsuhisa, obviously. Providence, Osteria Mozza, and Sona all have top-notch cocktails, and I have had spectacular meals at each. Not super-expensive, but very classy, and serving some of the most unique and exciting food in town right now is John Sedlar's new restaurant Rivera downtown. And the cocktail program is excellent.

Are you sure that isn't the 2008 schedule? He did appear in NYC then, but elBulli was already closed for the season. This year's elBulli schedule is different than past years as it is starting and finishing later. I have not seen anything about a 2009 NYC Wine and Food Festival just yet. I know that Starchefs has tried to get him to come to their ICC in September, but he hasn't because of the conflict with the elBulli schedule. ← Ah, you are correct. Thanks.

Is Ferran Adria typically in the restaurant each night it's open? My reservation is in October, and I notice that on October 11 he is scheduled to appear at the New York City Wine & Food Festival.