bmdaniel

Thanks Bryan, that helps. Schedule is pretty tight so I really would prefer not to try to reschedule (also don't want to give up on lunch pricing).

Question for the group - do you think it's feasible to make a 2:00 show at the Lincoln Center if I have a noon reservation? Don't want to shortchange lunch, but trying to fit as much as possible in the few days we have in the city.

I made my first one tonight - even with mint that was past sad, I thought it was spectacular. One of the most complex cocktails I've tasted. I also like that you get a completely different taste at the front (herbal daiquri) and then on the finish (bitter and cynary).

I'm in Dallas - the hispanic markets seem to carry every brand of goya frozen pulp except passion fruit. Very strange. Right now I'm trying the Goya passion fruit product from concentrate (20% juice); I don't have a good basis for comparison to a good syrup though.

So you are using it as is for Passion Fruit syrup?

Will you make the materials available to non-participants - I'd love to see the lists at least.

i would also choose cinc everytime over commerc 24, moo are also running a lunch promotion which is good value and you could try routa ← We enjoyed Abac quite a bit for lunch - would highly recommend it. ← I lied - didn't got to Abac - it was Hisop for lunch.

i would also choose cinc everytime over commerc 24, moo are also running a lunch promotion which is good value and you could try routa ← We enjoyed Abac quite a bit for lunch - would highly recommend it.

We were in Majorca in June - beautiful island. We had one fancy dinner at Es Raco Des Teix, and I couldn't recommend it more highly. Sitting on the terrace there is probably the most spectacular ambiance I've encountered.

I in some ways had a similar experience to Leslie. Our service was very good (although not outstanding in the way that it was at Cracco in Milan, for example, with nice personal connection), but the food was very hit and miss. The water lily course Leslie mentions may have been the most inedible thing I've ever been served at a haute cuisine restaurant, period. Just like eating a perfume bottle, in a gross way. The coconut "dessert" was interesting in that it was just like eating raw, unsweetened coconut - but who wants to do that? Nonetheless, some things were spectacular - the sea cucumber in particular was revelatory. However, I'm not sure the average level was equal to some of the other places we went on our (admittedly extravagant) honeymoon.

I've had no luck with their terrible website - I'll just head over there today and see what they've got. Thanks!

Alright, this is a 5 year old post, but I am having a hell of a time trying to find syrup bottles like this - are they glass or acrylic? Do you know a source?

Bump to ask: How does that lavender honey syrup hold up over time? Does it need to be consumed pretty quickly?

My problem is finding the Marteau - nowhere locally seems to stock it (at least based on their online inventory), and my go-to internet distributors either don't have it or are out.

Is it possible to make a good meatball without any carb-related product (panade, breadcrumbs, etc)?

So what Absinthes are you preferring in cocktails right now? Andy mentions that he doesn't like St. George and Lucid for mixing - any suggestions?

My list ended up being: Trattorie della Posta Piazza Duomo Antine Da Renzo Latteria San Marco Cracco We are Spain right now and everything has been amazing so far - I am posting though because I have a worry; I ended up leaving (in the post-wedding whirlwind) with a suit jacket; will I have a problem dining in any of these restaurants in nice pants and a button down shirt? Thanks again to everyone who has helped!

Apparently that pun frustrates Bobby somewhat but I think it's kind of amusing in a cheeky way. Doesn't help with the image they are trying to project so I can understand the source of frustration. As far as the rest of the state, we have quite a ways to go and the guys at Anvil seem extremely aware of the fact that they have to educate their customer base to a greater or lesser degree (usually greater) and so the list is down-to-earth and the drink I saw made most was a whiskey sour with egg white and a mist of Angostura on top...they aren't trying to beat people over the head with things like infusions or off-the-wall flavor combos although they are equipped for that as well when the need (and appropriate customer) presents itself. Perhaps the most interesting drink (out of many interesting drinks) was a mix of Chamomile-infused Pisco and bianco vermouth in wet Martini preportions with orange bitters. The highly innovative and distinctive take on a concept that is mostly noted for the subtlety of it's differences in variation* really sort of summed up the experience for me. *For an idea on how many variations there are on the formaula of Spirits+vermouth+bitters, head over to the Spirits & Cocktails forum and browse the Stompin' Through the Savoy thread. ← They do plan to open more places (in Houston), but not necessarily all cocktail focused.

I would go as far as to say that this is the most important place that has opened in Houston from a culinary perspective in at least the time I've been back here (3 years), and maybe in Texas altogether.

What Andy said - Anvil is spectacular, wouldn't waste a visit on Beaver's. Was hoping beyond hope they had found someplace in Dallas, but alas.

I can't truly speak to how accurate the list is, since I've only been to a handful of the places on it, but I still suspect it will be useful to all but the most die-hard cocktail aficionado. (Sam, I'm looking in your direction. ) As you note, there are really only a couple of places on the level of a top-tier NYC bar outside of NYC, and really... why let the perfect be the enemy of the good? ← Is there anywhere to see the list without buying the book? Did anywhere in TX make it?

Indeed - you might as well include Limoncello if you were going to throw out all flavored vodka. Gin too, for that matter.

You've at least got phosphoric acid and citric acid.

I've eaten at Rudy's in Denton and Peggy Sue's in the last month or two. Rudy's is consistently average (not necessarily a bad thing), and Peggy Sue's wasn't particularly distinguished either (but also, not bad). Back during the college football season I ate at Railhead before a failed attempt to go see Stanford play TCU in the rain; probably slightly below average BBQ, although the "Life is too short to live in dallas" shirt was a big hit with my fiancee.

3 hours to Taylor - might as well drive to Louis Mueller's as try to eat anything in Dallas.