peterpumkino

Ah Gary, but you missed my poor joke (my kind of plaice).

If you search for this phrase and variations thereof on eGullet, the server crashes from the sheer number of returns. As it should!

Difficult is an understatement. And, no, most other Italian restaurants are definately NOT Italian. Assiagi is one of the very few exceptions in London.

Is this a typo or a terribly clever observation. Actually I don't expect Italian but it certainly sounds my kind of plaice. Keep us posted. Thanks.

No, but my eleven year-old (then) American daughter stood on the platform at Berlin Zoo at 5:30 (AM) and sang 'Go West on the ICE, Go West on the ICE, Go West..........etc) which I found amusing particlarly as we were headed for the UK (i.e. West). Ref the German Res System: I remember that I had to go from Munich to a Hungarian town to have my teeth done (very, very good incidentally, $1,500 for 6 crowns) so I went on the Hungarian rail site to get the connection from the Austrian border to where I wanted to go. I then went to Munch res. and bought my ticket only thing was they could give me no information on trains past Austria. I simply emailed the Hungary Rail site.

We have one in Guildford directly opposite Pizza Express and, I really hate to say this, I found the Pizza Express topping much better (although the actual dough at Zizzi was better as it was cooked in a wood-burning oven - I've got it, get the dough cooked at Zizzi and then run over to Pizza Express for the topping!).

Apparantly not Bux. Too late for me though although I took a group of 50 English rugby supporters to Marseille last weekend and I arranged a dinner at Le Feniche in the old town. The food was incredible even when catering for a large group. When I went to Marseilles three weeks ago part of my job was to find a place for this group so I investigated quite a few place and the food I had at Le Feniche (+33 491 54 00 98) was really superb (and it's quite difficult because the atmosphere had to be good but not too formal). Add to this the fact that some clients don't like fish (or meat) the decision for the manu was difficult but I decided on a menu of Seafood platter to start and then a choice of Chateubriand or Loup de Mer and they really came across. I would reccomend it to anyone and it's not too expensive either.

Well, I went on Wednesday night to the famous or infamous, Hunan. (sorry I have not posted sooner but I was taking a rugby group to Marseilles for the England v France game). I found it to be one of the best chinese (or anything for that matter) that I have ever experienced. I didn't take notes so I cannot list everything I had here but the flavours were amazing and the cooking out of this world. The first course was a soup and, prior to Wednesday, the only other time I had tasted this unique flavour (I think it's the oil mixed in with the broth as it makes the soup very hot - temperature-wise) was when I was having a hot pot in the street in a small village in the province of Hunan called Wussan (which is no longer there as it was flooded by the project on the Yangtse). So I can certainly vouch for authenticity! After that came plates and plates of different specialities all with stunning flavours that were highly unique. And, guess what, NO rice at all! (In China rice comes at the end of the banquet and is considered a 'filler' and in some areas it's rude to eat it - it's like saying that there was not enough food and you are still hungry and you must have rice to 'fill up'). It wasn't cheap - I paid £85 for two with one bottle of wine (I know, I know I shouldn't have had wine but nobody's perfect!). Reading other, less complimentary reports, I can only surmise that they ordered the wrong things. I didn't order anything. Mr Peng's son asked me if there was anything I couldn't eat and when I said no the food just kept coming. Some people were in there ordering 'normal' Chinese food but if you want Sweet and Sour pork why not go to the local 'Chinese Dragon' or whatever - it will be cheaper! This would certainly clarify the comments made that 'the food that other people had was very different' - on Wednesday night I was one of the 'other people' and had a truly memorable experience. (Is this OK John? Woops!).

Actually it was in an LA bar during his 'lost two months' phase when Yoko kicked him out and he partied big time (i.e. lots and lots of alcohol) with Harry Nilsson et al in LA.

My first thought on the Ivy is that if they are lucky enough to get the rich and famous good luck to them. And if the R & F need some "protecting" what's the problem? My own experience has always been that the service was great (the booking process is another matter) and I really like the food!

John, as I always turst your recs. I think I'll go to Hunan this wednesday. Can you please tell me where it is? At least it will give me a chance to try out my, very bad, Mandarin!

Yes, Chinese restauranteurs are not the most diplomatic. A few years ago my live-in girl-friend of four years left me (my fault - messing around as usual) and I was in an almost-suicidal depression. So I went to my local Szechuan (I was living in Clearwater Florida at the time) and the owner, seeing my extremely depressed state, laughed and said "Ha, Ha, Ha, Your gil-fliend left you, Ha, Ha".

Don't count on it! Thanks John for clearing up my Bouilliabasse-cooked-tableside query.

Of course. Actually when they finally shut up the Americans are not bad tourists (better than the Brits I think). Believe it or not the wonderful Italians can be a pain. They always seem 'up' and, unlike the Brits, they do spend money and want the best. Unfortunately they spend most of their hols looking for good food and not finding it! (outside of Italy that is). We know that the Germans are awful tourists and the Canadians are just cheap (what's the difference between a canoe and a kanuck - a canoe tips!). That statement should get everyone going!

Bux, you are so right in saying that people tend to see what they want to see (I'm in the travel business - remember ) but in this case I am sure that I read (or was told in Cannnes) that the "real" way to cook Bouilliabaisse is table-side. The rational was/is that every fish is cooked individually due to the fish requiring different cooking times. Has anyone heard this, or is it just me?