Wilfrid

As I write, I am weighed down by pan roast clams. Nevertheless, I am thinking of trying an early evening walk-in for two people at the above establishment, to sit at the bar or communal tables. I have never eaten there during the rush-hour (i am thinking of, say 6.30 to 7.30), and given its location I may be mad. Will it be bedlam? Should I forget about it? (Edited by Wilfrid at 2:55 pm on Nov. 7, 2001)

Picked up a big slab of breast of veal for a ridiculously cheap ū at the weekend. I guess those bones in there are ribs, right? Anyway I stripped the meat (and some of the copious fat) from two of the ribs and made a blanquette de veau, served with a plain pilaff. The other rib I roasted whole, very slowly, having shrouded it in fresh tarragon. Ate that last night with minted peas. Have now taken on all my fat requirements for the winter, but I'd like to cook some more dishes with this fabulous, gluey stuff. Any ideas gratefully received.

Well, having found my notes, I am happy to throw a more positive light on the place. First, no wonder I couldn't remember what I'd eaten. It seems I ate everything. Must have been a tasting menu. Highlights were foie gras with lentils and a filet of venison. Low point was "halibut au curry". I have come across this pairing of white fish with brown, sweetish curry sauce at more than one restaurant recently (at Atlas it was cod with curry sauce) and I cannot see the appeal. Yuk. Overall, as I said, it was a very enjoyable meal. Quennelles de brochet: light, creamy dumplings of pike, often served with a sauce Nantua (pink sauce made from crayfish), although I see I have had them with a lobster sauce at La Caravelle. As to the disappointing experiences above - I believe I've eaten at La Caravelle four times in the last five years. At least twice, I have eaten alone. I have sat in the corridor, although I am neither famous nor regular, and in the very comfortable main room (it is not quite as pretty as Le Grenouille or La Cote Basque, but it is not far behind). I remember the "Siberia", but I don't think I sat there (it's on the way to the restroom), so I am not sure how much of a hierarchy is really at work. Of course the service is old-fashioned, but I always find it friendly. Plate presentation is indeed quite different from many top New York restaurants - but, again, it's old fashioned; the different foods are placed next to, not on top of, each other, and decorative garnishes as minimal. It's what one should expect. Surprised to hear of the bad duck - that must be a very popualr dish. Again, my suggestion would be to stick with the classics and avoid the supposedly modern stuff, which I am sure you can get better elsewhere. My fingers are crossed for you.

Yvonne, I feel bad because the answer is yes, I have...but I am also totally blank on what I ordered, and the book in which I obsessively record such matters (for reasons now obvious) is elsewhere. Have you been before? I try to go at least once a year, and I enjoyed it equally during Cyril Renaud's time and after he left to set up Fleur de Sel. It's a luxurious room, and the obvious way to go is with classic cuisine - the quenelles de brochet have always been lovely (a little light as an entree, perhaps, if you're hungry). If you reservation is for some time in the future, let me know and I'll try to give some specific recommendations: if it's this weekend, just enjoy it!

At the risk of stating the obvious, the cuisines of that region are strikingly diverse, not because the produce varies so much from island to island, but because the political/social histories are so different. I love Dominican food (which is very close to Puerto Rican). I can't see that Cuban is superior, but it's certainly different. Cuba (and Jamaica of course) spice their food with chili. The Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico do not. The variety of staples in the Dominican Republic (rice, plantains, yellow bananas, yucca, yautia and beans, as well as potato and bread) gives them great building blocks for their cuisine. They garnish the staples fairly simply with chicken, superb pork with a depth and richness of flavor I can hardly describe, or fresh seafood if they can afford it. The Dominicans also make great asapaos.

Wow, we are getting into some stereotyping, aren't we? Born in England, now resident in the States, may I first defend American cheeses? Forget Monterey Jack. A very superior range of cheeses are fairly readily available from small producers. If you're in New York, get along to Picholine or Artisanal and ask Max or Peter for an American cheese tasting. And now my homeland's sausages. Sure, the cheap nasty mass-produced links you find in supermarkets are open to severe criticism. But have you bought a pack of breakfast links in D'Agostino's recently.? Again, if you're actually in England, try independent butchers who make their own sausages (you'll find a wide range, and I partiularly recommend a well made Cumberland), or an imaginative specialist chain like Simply Sausages. For my taste, their products are a little too low in fat, but they are certainly fit for human consumption. Oh, the original question? I rarely miss specific foodstuffs. The main problem I have had with travel - especially business travel where one doesn't pick the destination - is visiting places where the general standard of restaurant cooking is way below what one has come to expect. It was this that brought home to me the non-transferability of Zagat scores. A restaurant which scores 20+ points for food in, dare I say, St Paul or Atlantic City, just is not of comparable standard to restaurants which score the same in New York, London or Paris. What a pathetic answer, then, but true: I miss good food well-cooked.

Some good suugestions from mogsob, and I especially concur with Alison on Dominick. I have, however, found Savoy to be too cramped almost to eat, let alone propose. If you do the deed in the tiny upstairs bar, you may have to face a round of applause. or maybe several acceptances!

Thanks. I did eat at Chives, maybe a year ago, and I believe it was good. I'll look out for a review of "QC" (what a name!).

Sad to see High Holborn restaurant fold so quickly. I made it there only once, and enjoyed the poulet vin jaune. Passing by a few weeks back, I noticed that a vast landmark building opposite has been converted into a new hotel, the Renaissance Chancery Court. I scouted around briefly, and it looked very luxurious. They have a restaurant with the unpromising name "QC" and the even more unpromising description "eclectic". Does anyone know any more about it? I should have thought they could house a destination restaurant in a hotel like that, but maybe they haven't bothered. thanks

Very interesting, and doubtless very damaging - although I am sure we'll eventually get Mr Bouley's version. One thing puzzles me. I remember a successful and critically acclaimed British chef/restauranteur once saying that if he wanted to make money he'd run sandwich shops not restaurants. I think I recently read similar sentiments expressed by the Waltucks, who have not made their fortunes with Chanterelle. If Mr Bouley wanted to run a high volume/low cost catering business, I wonder why he hasn't been doing so for some time. Why start now? Are we to assume that no-one would finance him until September 11 and the Red Cross came along? Lots of unanswered questions.

The decline of the brasseries is indeed sad. I had dinner at Julien during the summer. Beautiful location, but the food was rather tired. I remember an entree of foie gras aux lentilles which would have disappointed if it had come out of my own kitchen. I used to use Terminus Nord too, and had some excellent meals there - always loved the pied de porc pane; a shame if it's now in decline. I'm curious as to why the big brasseries were suffering as independent businesses. They always seemed busy. Any special reason for their economic fragility?

I have visited Lille by Eurostar a couple of times. It's a nice change of pace from Paris, a much quieter town, but still with a decent open air food market on Saturdays and pleasant restaurants. My specific tip is Brasserie Andre - looks and acts like one of the good Paris brasseries. I once had a sensational confit d'oie des Landes there, served for two with a mountain of frites. That wasn't on the menu when i was last there a couple of months back, but I did have a very nice compote of young rabbit to start, and then a stuffed poulet de Bresse. Here's a web page: '>http://www.lille.cci.fr/tourisme/touri02.html Actually, that's a very nice site altogether. I stayed at the Hotel Mercure - simple, inexpensive, and just a step from the town center. That's on the site too.

Here's a beautiful site. I just remembered that one of my favorite restaurants in the world, the Ateneu Gastronomic in Barcelona, has a charming web-site. Used to be all Catalan/Spanish, but I see you can select English now. I don't want to read the menu, because I may burst into tears at the thought of how far away it is. Wish I was eating there tonight. http://www.ateneu.com/index22.html

Interesting thread, because although I spend a lot of time reading about restaurants, I now realise that I hardly ever check out a restaurant's own web-site unless I have a specific question (say about location) which I can't answer from whatever guide is to hand (and let's be honest, for all Zagat's failings, it's handy for addresses and phone numbers). I'll certainly check out the Boulud site now my interest has been stimulated - but I guess the question is still, what are the web-sites for? Personally, if I knew I was going to a restaurant tonight, I would actually not check out its menu in advance. For me, that would spoil the anticipation.

Well if nothing else I have now learnt why I have that annoying "foodie" tag under my handle. You will see below my signature that I use "feeder"; I found that in A.J. Liebling's sublime food writings - he thought it sounded less finicky than "gourmet". On the original question, I must say I am committed to the two extremes of dining out. I agree with much of what Bux says about fine dining. It isn't just the food (although that must be good) - it's the ritual, grace and elegance of a well-run, attractive restaurant that appeals; and you simply can't get that on the cheap in cities like New York, London and Paris. I am also very interested in restaurant history, and I like to feel part of a long-standing but evolving tradition. In between-times, I love to eat honest, well-flavored food at the other end of the price range. Hunan chicken in the Malaya restaurant in an alley off the Bowery; fried pig offal from a truck under an elevated railway in the Bronx; tacos on 14th Street. What I DO NOT like are the vast numbers of middle-priced, middle-of-the-road, unadventurous establishments, where (talking about Manhattan now) the check is still fairly steep, but the food is predictable, dull, not much better than I could do at home, and the wine choice is basically red or white. This may hurt some feelings, but there seem to be thousands of Italian restaurants in Manhattan that fit that description. In short, I often have a good time paying either 贄 or ŭ for dinner; if I pay ุ I've usually been bored to tears.

Can I ask about a related issue? It seems to me that one downside for the waitstaff, if you bring your own bottle, is that it's not going to show up on the check and become part of the tipping calculation. I guess you would tip on the corkage. How do you handle that? Tip a little extra, or ignore the issue. Not wanting to get onto tipping in general, I did just want to say that one of the things I resent about paying the high prices on Manhattan wine lists, is the amount it adds to the tip. I mean, a 贄 bottle of wine - add on say ฟ (maybe more) to the gratuity. Is that just me, or does anyone share that gripe?

Quote: from Andy Lynes on 6:14 pm on Oct. 22, 2001 Andy, you're not the only Brit in the vicinity, and I have had the experience of drinking with Shane MacGowan (before he acquired an Irish accent) and in close proximity to the late Mr Bernard. May I just say, you must be mad. I have two dinner party fantasies, reflecting two aspects of my character. I can't see any point mixing them up: 1. William Blake, Friedrich Nietzsche, Martin Heidegger and Marcel Proust (with a tri-lingual waiter to help translate). 2. Katie Holmes, Michelle Rodriguez, Clare Danes and Winona Ryder. I will do the translating there. (Edited by Wilfrid at 4:49 pm on Oct. 26, 2001)

I concur with the posts recommending Rules. I have often told fellow Londoners that the food there is excellent, but they take one look at the place and won't believe me. It does have a certain theme park feel to it. My only problem is that I have had a lot of trouble getting a reservation over the last year or two - I get into the Ivy easier. Must be a huge tourist trade - but make sure you book well in advance. On second thoughts, February should be as easy any time.

When I was young, I was offended by dress codes. Recently I saw a young man seated at March wearing low slung khaki cargo pants, and a polo shirt - unshaven too. I have become my father. I would prefer only to see very expensive and clean jeans at restaurants where entrees are ฮ and up.

Yvonne, I'm glad you mentioned Tamarind. I was feeling guilty about forgetting it. Lovely, soothing setting and service, fairly priced for Gramercy Park. It's a favourite of my spouse. I am a bit lukewarm, just because I gew up eating solidly cooked Northern Indian/Bengali good, and this menu is somewhat different. More imaginative, I'm sure, but doesn't satisfy my personal curry cravings. Worth a try for those not thus afflicted.

One more tip on reservations. Even the hot spots often have tables (especially for two) at a later sitting, say 9.30 or 10. You may have to hang around the bar while the people at your table have another round of digestifs, but if you're a nightowl, why worry?

New York Indian/pakistani/Bengali food would indeed be wasted on visitors from the UK (I grew up there). The best I have found in New York is Haveli in the East Village, but the standard is generally amazingly low.

"There is some sous vide prepared paella that is being featured in a few Manahattan restaurants and ever advertised by the company that supplies it." Yes, I've seen the Paellador sous vide paella advertised. I haven't tried it, but have been tempted only because exactly the same is widely available in inexpensive restaurants in Spain.

Even an edible paella would be worth knowing about. Every Spanish restaurant we have tried in New York (never got to Meigas either) had someone in the kitchen who couldn't cook rice: raw, mushy, distinctly microwaved, we've had them all. About the best was at Bolo of all places, but heaped, of course, with inauthentic luxury ingredients like lobster tails. So any ideas about a good paella, or tripe Madrid-style with chickpeas and chorizo - somewhere in the outer boroughs maybe?