peterpumkino

Sure,but only on the assumption that customers will spend the £100. They may choose a much cheaper wine,or even no wine at all rather than subscribe to those kind of prices. Yes, but Tony the bottom line is still the bottom line whether you or I would order a £100 bottle or not. If the establishment gets it's sums right it will still be here in five years time regardless of what you or I think about their wine costs because, bottom line again, they obviously know their business better than you or I.

BYO should cost no more than a bottle of house wine. A customer has no obligation to pump a restaurant's beverage GP just because they can't price their food properly and need the money. Oh, but they can cost their restaurant accordingly! That's why the wine is pricey and helps to subside the food costs. DOn't forget that it's a very competitive business and the 'average' diner (whoever he/she may be!) looks at the cost of the food principally - they may complain about the wine costs but it is the actual cost of the food they compare to other places. You may not but a business is not run based on 8 people but based on the overall revenue produced. Sorry, but you have to look at the situation "as is" not how you or others think it should be. It is, after all, a business not some kind of charity organization.

Ah, but yes I have and you are 100% correct. However California is a special case and the Mexican food I have had there is extremely good, healthy and uses many different ingredients. Unfortunately you have difficulty finding this food in Mexico as it's predominately Californian! But you are so right, it's very good.

Whilst Andy's description is quite good I still had trouble with the quotes (yes, I know, I'm a bit thick). But here's step-by-step: Say you want to show this sentence as a quote. You would simply click the 'QUOTE' button on the top right hand corner of this box. What happens is that you are taken to an empty box where you list your own comments. As you scroll down you'll see that my complete text has been pasted in a seperate box below your comments. Simply edit out of this box the sentences you do not wish to appear (i.e. in this case cut paras 1, 3 and 4).

Based on my experiences in the US I can say only two things for the 'average' Mexican restaurant - it's cheap and fattening! Unless it has some genuine dishes on the menu (my personal favourite being Mole Poblano - chicken in chocolate sauce) then, as Tony said, it's mushy pap. But it's not just the UK it's also the States too (although there are some truly amazing Mexican restaurants there but they are not usually 'chains'). Believe it or not one of the few large places in Florida that serves semi-authentic food is in Disney World at Epcot Center! At least they do an edible Aztec soup and Mole Poblano. It's in the San Angel Inn which, in itself, is supposed to be a copy of the 'real' San Angel Inn in Mexico City. It isn't really but for Disney it's really quite good!

Oh, Peter, you must be an idiot by your own definition then, as I am obviously only joking. Anyway, I don't have to point out that you are an idiot anymore as we have appointed people to do that job.

Adam, it only proves that people are idiots because I am NOT lying in this case. I do not appreciate being called a liar anyway (who does?). Yes, a certain Mr SP's name (NOT nameS) I have misspelled sometimes in error (it's a difficult name for us WASPS to spell) and sometimes, I admit, intentionally as an attempt at humour. BUT THAT IS IT! I accept your belated apologies, if your a man that is.

Peter, I've already told you that everytime you adopt that cute little nickname for me, you are trolling. Do not provoke members on a personal level to draw attention away from their post. Alright Bux, enough is enough. Unlike you I do not work for Egullet therefore when I prepare my comments I am in a hurry and sometimes make spelling mistakes (as we all do) so BUX I was NOT 'trolling'! The last time I was 'told' something was in school.

There are a few of these around. Gourmet Pizza Company has an English Breakfast Pizza (bacon, sausage, black pudding) with an egg cracked in the middle. It's actually pretty good. Sounds wonderful. Incidentally, I love the egg cracked in the middle on Pizzas but that's Italian originally.

No Bix I wasn't trolling. Just making an observation based on the fact that one guy got upset for Pizza Express calling one of their pizzas 'American Hot' (especially the mention of Bolivia!). I was merely pointing out that the same thing happens in reverse (and your own comments regarding the French was very apropos). Next thing I'm given a rude lecture by someone who obviously can't understand English too well.

I ate at Spiga but didn't think the pizza was great - but don't spam me for it, it's only my opinion!

I'll second Francesco's comment in Leivi. But there are a lot of good restaurants in Ligure. Just ask around, the Italian's know. I'm jealous. If you get a chance go to Santa Margherita. Apart from being a great place (with Portofino a hop skip and a jump away) it has one of my favourite restaurants for sea food. I cannot remember the name but it's very easy to find. This restaurant is al freco and located above a fishmongers (presumably that's why the fish s so good) overlooking the bay in the center. Go there early to make a res. and order the 'special' (it has to be preordered about 3 hours before). It's sea food pasta but unlike any seafood pasta you have ever had. Lobster, mussels, clams, calamari - need I go on?

Actually, if you think about it, Pizza with Pepperoni IS common in America - hence the name.

Such a wasteland, isn't it? I wonder why all those Danish, French and English fools (not to mention Italians, Germans, et. al) want to come here to eat our faux food when they can stay home and eat the real thing. Sorry, Jaybee, I was NOT making a negative comment about America just putting this comment in perspective: 'not so with Pizza Express which is an abomination, what the hell is an American Hot? We dont have those in America. Perhaps by America they mean somewhere in Bolivia? '. I was just showing that the 'American hot' comment can be reversed is all. However now that you mention it I can assure you that no Frenchman or Italian go to America for the food! Maybe the friendly people and the culture but the food? Never. Have you all got such inferiority complexes that a comment like mine in answer to someone's post is attacked?

Funny!

Don't ever tell the Germans that! I lived in Munich for 2 years and they constantly told me that the food in Germany was great and when I happened to tell them that the food in London was quite good they all laughed and humoured me. When I asked where they had eaten in London they said places like The Angus Steak House or 'an Italian in Leicester Square' (can you imagine? And yet there's wonderful Chinese food only a block away). Sad.

Ah yes. America - where they have Danish that you don't get in Denmark, French Toast, that you don't get in France, English muffins you don't get in England etc etc. Maybe they mean the 'International' restaurants at Epcot! But I am very happy you liked the pasta, and, as you say, it is the best in London IMHO. (although I would question having Pizza AND Pasta!). Yes, the area is not so salubrious and, for me anyway, it's very difficult to get to if your not driving.

As I've said, I've never actually had a pizza at PM! But I am told that the 'square pizza' is a speciality of the Naples region (although I've never seen one cooked like this) so how like your average pizza it is, I really don't know. However, horrors of horrors, I do actually like Pizza Express, even if it's not a wood burning oven there!!!! Unfortunately I hear that Pizza Express are losing money and closing locations every day. Does anybody know if that's true?

Yes Tony, but it certainly would NOT be for pizza. As I've said I've never even had pizza at PM - too bigger fish to fry (excuse pun)

Did the girls give up because of the food or the guy??? Hey Peter - are the girls all Italian - you know same taste in women, wine and food? Good question but as you live in Italy you should know better than to ask that question No, I have never taken an Italian women there although I have taken Italian friends. I think the girls must have given up because of the guy. They got tired of smooth sophistication (as you do).

Very good post. Being a fan of PM I often wondered about MII. I've never had a pizza at PM because I feel that I am wasting a precious evening but as I am in the Kings Road area frequently it does seem a nice place to try the pizza. Thanks again.

Sorry, but I will not post my comments on this nor my opinion of the author's taste.

apart from you, I presume Otherwise, I agree with Tony: Peter's best post to date. Thanks. Thanks.

Unfortunately there's not many places. Personally I like Metro Pizza in Battersea. Ask Alberto to put something together for you and you'll get to try various tasty antipasti and I'm sure he'll also do the Spaghetti Frutta Di Mare with lobster, clams, calamari etc. Very good. Amazingly I've never tried the pizza as it's a long way to travel for me so I don't go as often as I want so when I do go I eat 'the works'. In a previolus thread that was somehow deleted I remember that you reminded me about setting up an Italian night. I hadn't forgotten, I was waiting to go and see Alberto and see what he could do. Problem with Metro Pizza is that's it's not easy to get a reservation for 2 let alone 22!!

Great selection. Here's just a very small selection of mine: Spaghetti cooked with sea urchins on the Isola D'Elba. The complete meal at Il Carpaccio (+39 (02) 29405982) in Milano (rather than read the menu just ask the owner to bring it all on - you won't get ripped and the wonderful food keeps coming, it's unforgettable - give him my regards, tell him I'm the little English guy who comes in with a different girl each time, he'll remember - he's Italian). Il Vecchio Portico a very local trattoria in a small town called Chiari near Erbusco (yes, THAT Erbusco but one tenth of the price) that has a wonderful selection of very fresh Antipasti). A truck stop (literally!) just before you hit the Autostrada Milano/Torino at Santhia. Great meat dishes. Interesting set meal (uniquely without a pasta course - SP should like it!) at Locanda Del Isola on Isola Camicina (the only island on Lake Come) complete with wonderful views (the same view you see during the last Star Wars film).....Craig? The 32 different appetizers brought to your table at Maison De Fillipo including 2 different kinds of Tumin (a Val D'Aosta/Piementese cheese which is kept in a bottle of oil for as long as pos), 7 different Salami's, Bagna Cauda (another specialite of the mountains - a sort of oil fondue where you dip and cook various fresh vegetables) - see previous post for contact. Eating fresh grilled Langostini in a side alley in Venice. Eating pizza or calzone almost anywhere in Italy that has a wood-burning oven and no stranieri. Eating pasta with lobster, clams, calamari etc etc in the open air looking across the bay in Santa Margarita di Ligure (you can't miss the place, it's above a fishmongers across the road from the sea front, so the fish is really fresh). Staying with a friend at his parent's converted farmhouse in Tuscany where the whole family arrived on a Sunday and each one cooked a speciality! The meal lasted four hours and the family served up everything you can imagine, finishing with Vin Santo and Amaro's. (Incidentally, Craig, this friend actually lives in Legnano and I've stayed there quite a few times - typically Italian town, no single historic restaurant but each one there is miles better than Locatelli, IMHO). Having very fresh Fritto Misto in the, wait for it, self-service restaurant in Rome airport! Eating in a small tunnel just before you descend into Amalfi - magic. Eating Sardinian specialties in Arbatax (Sardinia) - especially the fresh fish and the Sardinian bread and wine. Sorry, I could really go on and on and on.