mogsob

Mogsob - Thanks for this review, I have been meaning to try Roussillon for awhile but it just got a dire review from Jan Moir, one of the few reviewers I trust, in the Sunday Telegraph (I can't find it on line though, it was in last Sunday's...April 12).

Personally, I think MPW and Terrance Conran should devote all of their efforts to rebuilding Iraq.

As noted above, try Suduiraut and Climens, which are both widely available and extremely good value.

Magnolia -- Sorry for the confusion. Roussillon's wine list is anything but a good value. Regarding the negative review, I did not see it and would be interested to hear the complaints, as in 6 or so visits over the last year, Roussillon proved to be exceptional in all respects and very consistent. I have taken some of the most demanding and difficult to please friends there, and they have all been as enthusiastic about Roussillon as I am. All in all, Roussillon provides extremely good value, although I wince every time I look at the wine list. Simon -- NYC restaurants tend to mark up heavily on the cheap and very expensive side. Most $20-$30 bottles on a NY wine list generally represent very poor value, as do many of the top end wines in some restaurants. But I generally can find a good value (100% or less markup) somewhere in the middle range ($50-90 on the list). That middle to high end "bargain" is notably lacking on many London wine lists. Indeed, if I recall correctly, Ouest had two very good values on their list: an Amarone and a Kracher dessert wine.

Since its publication, I have followed the Fat Guy/Matt Seeber method of cooking risotto. I use homemade chicken stock, Orvieto Classico wine, carnaroli rice, and regular olive oil. I am partial to my Le Creuset pots for risotto making, as they maintain very consistent heat over low flame. I stir in figure eights. I am currently adding asparagus and morels from Borough Market at the end.

I'm not sure exactly how to reply. I have followed Delouvrier since his days at Maurice, and ate about 5 or 6 times a year at his restaurants. I don't know if that made me a "regular", but I never had any complaints about the service and Chef Delouvrier always found the time to stop by my table for a chat at the end of the meal (as he did at many tables). While I am shocked to hear that you were treated with contempt, based on my experiences at Lespinasse, I hold out hope that this was an abberation and not the rule. For a long time, I thought that my experience at Babbo (rude and inept service, there) was unique, until I read similar posts on this and other boards. Any like experiences from others?

For those interested, Roussillon is hosting a dinner with Domaine Piquemal, one of the best producers in the Roussillon region. Here is the menu: Aperitif -- Rivesaltes Ambre 1985 Course 1 -- Roasted Dublin Bay prawns, Kentish herbs, purple basil and crustacean dressing. Muscat sec, Vin de Pays des Cotes Catalanes 2002. Course 2 -- Slowly cooked cut of halibut, lightly creamed morels and brown butter. Cotes du Roussillon Blanc "Les Terres Grillees" 2001. Course 3 -- Wild garlic crusted fillet of lamb, spring vegetable gratin with fresh thyme, lamb jus. Cotes du Roussillon Villages "Eleve en futs de chene" 2002. Course 4 -- Almond "Calisson", preserved fruts and vegetables, carrot arromatic jus. Muscat de Rivesaltes "Coup de Foudre" 1999. Filter coffee & petit fours 68 pounds

Inspired by the recent debate in the London Newbie thread, we went to Roussillon on Saturday night with an eye equally on the plate and the wallet. Since our last visit, Roussillon has changed its menu slightly, now only expressly offering three courses at 39 pounds. We ordered an additional fourth course for an additional 7 pounds, but it was not clear whether the additional price was standard (we ordered an additional asparagus dish). Here is what we ate: Starters: White asparagus and morels in veal jus reduction; spring truffle risotto. The white asparagus was a bit bitter, but the morels were HUGE and the sauce very fine. The risotto was superb, as usual, and props for not charging extra for the dish. Extra course: Green asparagus and morels in veal jus reduction. Superb. We wanted to see the contrast between the two dishes. The green won hands down. Mains: Dorset spring lamb with garlic crust. Excellent. The lamb was deeply flavored and had a wonderful texture. The sauce, as always, was understated but very fine. Dessert: Bitter orange souffle; rum baba with a selection of aged rums. I didn't try the souffle, as I was engrossed in the rum. The baba was very light, but really not my thing so I won't comment any more here. The selection of rums were great. I never heard of any of them, but I might consider rum over brandy as the summer goes on. Very fine spirits indeed. Wine: Domaine Piquemal Cotes du Roussillon Villages 2000. 34 pounds. A glass of Gaillac Doux 9 pounds. Two glasses of house rose champagne 20 pounds. Total Bill: 150 pounds. I would be hard pressed to find a comparable meal in NYC at this price. Restaurants like Cafe Boulud and Gramercy Tavern come closest -- good value fine dining in a slightly relaxed atmosphere. But for the wines, Roussillon was by far the better value. Speaking of wine, while the champagne was very good, 10 pounds a glass is very steep. I would expect to pay 10 euros or 10 dollars, which makes Roussillon 60% more expensive on that account. Ditto for the dessert wine. But the real culprit was the Cotes du Roussillon. I found the bottle online for 5.99 pounds. It was an exellent bottle (sommelier's choice) -- reminded me of the better Coteaux du Languedocs -- and worth the cost based on quality alone. But the markup in real world terms was outrageous. NB: Roussillon is actively seeking its second Michelin star. From my point of view, their food is already there, and has been for some time. They are making subtle changes to the restaurant at the behest of Michelin (no more photos of their hotel in the Isle of Wright in the restrooms, more servers on the floor, etc.) and I think they are only a year or two away from realizing their ambitions. Get there now while the getting is good.

From the NYT article: "Tim Zagat, founder of the restaurant guide, said he was not shocked at the announcement of Lespinasse's closing. "The food was very, very good," he said, "but the décor was a bit too ornate, and the furnishings were outdated and heavy." " You know, fuck Tim Zagat. He has no formal training that I know of that would qualify him to opine as an expert on dining and his publications are based on the most unscientific form of statistical survey. The fact that the NYT would even consider, let alone publish, Zagat's "expert" opinion is testimony to the decline of the Grey Lady, which now teeters slightly above the NY Post and USA Today is journalistic standards. The Zagats could better contribute to the world of gastronomy by slow-roasting themselves over an open fire.

tommy, What? Who killed him? The smokers? Quite clearly, another secondhand smoking related homicide.

And therein lies the rub. To be fair, there are quite a few excellent sushi restaurants in London -- you will have to pay for the privilege (about $150-200 per person easily). Most are located in St. James's.

YES YES YES!!! Delouvrier has in my opinion always been hurt by always being associated with hotels. Maurice was perhaps the best of the three, but the room was so impersonal. I'd love to see him take over the Cello space.

Ron, Lauren -- I'm pleased (and relieved) that you enjoyed March so much (as I think it was my suggestion to your earlier post). When March clicks perfectly, it is about the most exciting restaurant in NYC for wine people. I agree entirely with your take on Chef Nish's lobster preparations -- simply perfect, no matter how different it is (although the lobster in the Muscat reduction is by far my fave!). I will agree that you definately got a bargain there, as I recall spending about $300 per head on a similar meal -- did you factor in tax/tip into your calculations?

Suvir -- The best two panna cottas I have had in NYC are at Il Buco and Tocqueville. Il Buco's is served plain (with no topping), but they will at the table add a few drops of very old Balsamic to the top -- perfect! The one at Tocqueville comes with a seasonal berry topping, and the spring version is more successful than the one served in fall.

I probably said it once before in this thread, but Scalinatella is a must.

Agreed, but only as a last resort. I've had mineral water in Italy that has more flavor than mass produced lager (and I really don't think that Yeungling qualifies there). Give me a cask conditioned lager any day of the week. BTW -- I think calling beers like Bud or Stella "wonderfully crisp" is the equivalent of calling jug wine "food friendly."

Hunter's (78th/3rd). Actually tastes like spinach.

Well, to be fair, he sat down late (at least 10:30) and was wearing an Hermes scarf (or so it appeared) as a cravat.

Based on my 5 days in Florence, I would disagree with good Chianina beef is hard to find and expensive. I would say that it is roughly 50% less than the cost of an aged prime steak in NYC and of comparable size. Outside of superior technique in cooking, what I like best about Florentine chefs is their insistence that the steak be served rare.

A friend of mine just ran the Paris marathon with an Israeli and an American flag on his shirt. He was greated uniformly with a warm response and encouragement. Indeed, I have just returned from Italy where I was treated as well as ever (which is to say better than I am in the US), despite the proliferation of anti-American graffiti. If there is a decrease in tourism to Europe, it is based on the xenophobia of the average American who naturally assumes that Europeans think precisely as they do.

I have seen diners at Guy Savoy sans jacket and tie. I even saw someone in jeans!

Well, I am back and having consumed about four cows worth of beef, I am sad to report that the Challenge was, after all, a dismal failure. THe restaurants in these countries are so different, that it is impossible to compare them. That said, a few observations. 1. The best steak in the world can be found, on a good day, at Peter Luger, Brooklyn, New York. This is American beef at its best: prime and expertly dry-aged. Peter Luger's steak has a depth of flavor and a superiority of texture that cannot be matched anywhere, which is in no doubt due to the ageing process. 2. The best city for a beefeater is Florence. Peter Luger suffers from inconsistency that is shocking at a steakhouse of such long-standing. And that's about as good as it gets in NYC. All of the other NYC steakhouses suffer from inconsistency in their beef, cooking, and seasoning. Not so Florence. Nothing stood out in my mind as much as the high level of execution in the Italian kitchens. Granted, I chose my restaurants carefully, but the level of cooking was far higher here. 3. Dollar for dollar, the best steak in the world is at Sostanza in Florence. Seventeen euros for the steak. Details to follow in a subsequent thread. 4. The best tasting beef in the world is chianina beef. It is incredibly sweet and so different than American beef. 5. Whether it is the economy or otherwise, Argentina is overrated as a beef destination. Fourth best in the world at best (after UK). Details to follow once more sleep is had, work is caught up, and abdomen returns to normal size.

Five Points serves what I think is the best brunch in NYC. Great food, great drinks, fun setting. That said, I've been to dinner there once and was decidedly underwhelmed.

Are we talking cake donuts or lighter than air donuts?

Places like Della Femina and Nick & Toni's are just not for the likes of us. They are each mindless Italianite restaurants that cater to the rich and famous, while merely tolerating (at best) the balance of their customers. I've had a place in East Hampton for 30 years, and I haven't been to either in years. Given the lack of dining options in the Hamptons, that really says something. For what it's worth, I like both the Laundry and Peconic Coast. If either were in NYC, I would give them a pass, but here -- what can you do? The best dining in the Hamptons remains, as it always has, at home. The produce from Round Swamp farm (and the stand in Wainscott Main St.) is fantastic (as is their fish). Meat from Dreesen's. Wine from Amagansett. Italian sausages and other delicacies from Italian Villa. In that regard, that Hamptons has NYC beat by a country mile.