Jon Tseng

For good service I suspect Hakkasan and Oriental at the Dorch are your best best (oriental had a relaunch last year... reviews so-so, however). Otherwise services is fairly random. London isn't great for dinner either; dim sum at lunch is of a higher standard compared to HK or the US. However following on wesza suggestion, the whole banquet thing may be an interesting idea, particularly if you want a special occasion - would probably get better service too. This is something you have to prearrange. I would try Phoenix Palace nr Baker St. The food is good there and last time I was there picked up a flyer with some proper banqueting menus. Think its around forty quid a head for the food (ie equivalent to random mid-range french... but a damn sight cheaper than a posh tasting menu which it is fairly similar to). Ring them up and see (just make sure your not derailed into the normal set menu [crispy duck, monk veg, sweet and sour pork &tc]. The banqueting menu is ten+ course job with lots of goodies. cheerio J

Its in their book, The Best Recipe Actually it may be in the magazine as well, but haven't a clue where If you want I can look up the details of the recipe and pm? J

When sauteeing duck breasts a really fine cross hatch (eg 2-mm) helps a lot - allows the fat to leak out and surround the skin so it almost deep-fries Similar also helps with whole roast duck (though not as fine - unless you have a lot of time on your hands!). Similar principle to scoring skin when doing pork crackling Also think about temp - long, low heat roast gives more time for fat to render than short blast which will inevitably leave fatty deposits under skin. cooks illustrated even goes further and part-steams to render fat before blasting in hot oven J

The ones I remember from Sichuan are short (an inch or two long) and sort of boxy. I don't think they are as hot as the most incendiary mexican or thai chillis (in Dunlops book she cautions against using too hot ones as a substitute) As I said they're boxy - ie not like the little narrow ones which are just a sliver of flesh seed. Theres a memorable chicken dish where they deep fry a massive wokfull of the chillis with a few scraps of chopped chicken leg and thigh, still on the bone. You then pick out the chicken bits, which have absorbed lots of chilli flavour, and leave all the chillis! cheerio J ps the live shrimp as kinda fun too - doused in rice wine and chilli. point is to bite down before they start wriggling ;-)

Comment in this months Restaurant Magazine white truffle season will be short and pricy due to weather. Apparently black truffles may not be as badly affected as lots of them are semi-cultivated nowadays (sic) J

No just creme fraiche and chocolate The ratio is 1:1 using lindy excellence cheerio J

ok... the problem with the room is always that all the dividers make it hard to tell what was going on credit card slip left open after charging service. chickened out of deducting service to teach them a lesson AGAIN... (i'll do it one day...) J

Oh I don't think its been cancelled cancelled I just assume someone at amazon finally twigged the data they had in was completely speculative, so the pulled the entry, which presumably autogenerated the message bit of an arse though. then again - frees up seventy five quid for some other cookbooks! might finally get my hands on a copy of Charlie Trotters Meat & Game... J

"Dear Customer, We are very sorry to report that the publication of "El Bulli" (ISBN: 1840913460) has been cancelled and there is no date set for releasing this title. This unavailable item has been cancelled from your order. We aim to keep our catalogue as accurate as possible, but unfortunately there are occasions on which the information we receive from our data suppliers may not be up to date. We apologise for any inconvenience such inaccuracies may have caused you. Warmest regards Customer Services Amazon.co.uk"

I tend to use creme fraiche rather than double cream - its just solid at room temp so the truffles keep shape. If you're stateside you might not be able to get it, though There are zillions much truffle/ganache recipes - cream, creme fraiche, egg yolk, butter &tc &tc. Search this forum for ganache (as well as truffles) for more cheerio J

Might be a bit bony. try next-door's dog instead J

Sea bass AND john dory on a tasting? Sounds like a funny... J

Went Hakkasan first time in a while two weeks ago. Half full on Sat; dunno how busy it is Sundays nowadays. The dumplings were good, and prices haven't moved up since last there (over six months, I guess). Deep-fried prawn dumplings stuffed with dates where good, savoury-sweet and ample. Scallop shao mai good as every (perhaps a little less tobiko cavier on top nowadays - interestingly there was a very similar dish on the menu at Phoenix Palace last weeK). Steamed fish dumplings wrapped in lettuce OK. Plus a huge tureen of glutinous rice for six fifty. Annoying the shanghai dumplings, which didn't have, still a stratospheric six fifty. Well worth it; still the best in Lundun J

Taste it and see... If its in the fridge I should imagine it should still be ok; after all confits were designed to last all winter... J

Booths in borough market stock them when in season Thinks its around 1000 Euro or 1000 pounds a kilo last year. Prices likely to be up this year though due to the weather cheerio J

I think Cooks Illustrated has a similar approach - they steam duck pieces before roasting J

Have seen chocolate paired with thyme and with lavender (though not as truffles). Rococo in London do a range of "Artisan bars" in a variety of flavours cheers J

Sounds fun I'm in J

So Enrico didn't like it then? J

Not sure what you mean by "festive", but the various branches of Giraffe a warm, friendly, good with kids with decent food. Great for brunch on weekends... cheerio J

Chaps I think we're getting a bit carried away here. 1) What Ginger Chef actually said was "the latter". 2) This was when he was offered a choice of "bossy, push over, git?". 3) This was a throwaway comment. 4) We have had no indication of the tone of the comment whether it was humourous, dismissive, angry, harsh or just chilled out. 5) This was from an arbitrary selection (see above). He could equally have been offered the choice "inspirational, harsh but fair, teaching me a lot" and replied "all three" 6) GC has not said that git = "jerk". Someone else said that. 7) GC has not said git = "foolish or worthless person". Someone else said that. 8) GC has not talked about MB not haveing "presence". Someone else said that. 9) GC has not said git = "sad jerk". Someone else said that 10) Saying "the latter" in response to a throwaway comment without any indication of the tone does not, unless I am slightly thick (still a possibility) constitute being "thoroughly disparaging to the point of cariacature" 11) Saying "the latter" in response to a throwaway comment without any indication of the tone does not, unless I am slightly thick (still a possibility) show evidence of having an axe to grind. 12) Saying "the latter" in response to a throwaway comment without any indication of the tone does not, unless I am slightly thick (still a possibility) say that MB is being "completely foul". 13) Saying "the latter" in response to a throwaway comment without any indication of the tone does not, unless I am slightly thick (still a possibility) constitute a "character assassination" 14) GC has not said git = "c-nt". Someone else said that. 15) Saying "the latter" in response to a throwaway comment without any indication of the tone does not, unless I am slightly thick (still a possibility) constitute a "imprudent" behaviour". 16) Saying "the latter" in response to a throwaway comment without any indication of the tone does not, unless I am slightly thick (still a possibility) constitute a "public bad-mouthing". To sum up I don't think saying "the latter" in response to a throwaway comment without any indication of tone or context is means you are calling someone a "jerk", "foolish or worthless person", saying they do not have "presence", calling them a "sad jerk", being "thoroughly disparaging to the point of cariacature", conducting a "character assassination", calling someone a "c-nt", conducting "imprudent" behaviour" or giving a "public bad-mouthing". errr, chinese whispers anyone? hugs Jx

I wonder if it is possible to seperate a chef from his cooking; After all Joel Robuchon, culinary demigod, inspired chef and teacher but by all accounts a very hard taskmaster (cf Gordon Ramsay's tales of getting a plate of langoustine ravioli chucked in his face when he did it wrong, although he doesn't say who by). I'm sure there are stagiares in his kitchen who would have called him tough bastard, tough git, but still taken a great deal away. Again Marco Pierre White, culinary demigod, inspired chef, who ran the self proclaimed "SAS of kitchens" at Harveys in the 80's. He could also probably be a tough git to work for too, at times... Yes life can be tough in *** kitchens (sometimes one of the reasons why they got there!), but I think someone can be a great chef, a fantastic mentor and a tough git at the same time! cheerio J

Thoughts: 1) Potatoes taste nicer, particularly when cut into chips and deepfried so they're fluffy inside and crisp outside. Ditto fresh bread. 2) If you were having these things for flour, as opposed to more general use (like normal chestnuts) you will be competing against grains like wheat &tc. I'm pretty sure wheat has a higher yield/acre, is more cost-effective and matures a lot faster than a stand of conker trees, so there would be little incentive to switch to horse chestnut... J

Don't think his dim sum much good Having said that Gordon Ramsays ravioli of lobster and langoustine is basically a giant, posh wonton - something my uncle commented on when we took him to Claridges (don't think he was that impressed with it!) And I've had a prawn wonton as an amuse at Lucas Carton - but of a let-down really! cheerio J