deirdre

If you haven't yet made it to Zatinya, please put it on your "to do" list. I went for a "snack" (ha!) this afternoon. I was by myself and had three of the mezzes. The menu is on their website at www.zaytinya.com, which is how I know the names of what I ordered. One was hunkar begendi, braised lamb with eggplant puree and cheese, heavenly. It sounds like it would be ungainly looking, but it's not, it looks like a wonderful stewy lamb and tastes fantastic, the eggplant/cheese is a tan puree and with the sauce (what is that!), it's a terrific dish, I gobbled that one up. Another was havuc kofteji, carrot/apricot/pine nut fritters in a pistachio sauce -- excellent as well, quite flavorful. The last were scallops in a yogurt and dill sauce, two huge sea scallops, perfectly done. A good dish but not as exciting as the other two. Someone else at the bar was having the shrimp in the yogurt dill sauce and described it as "oh my god" so that sounds like something to try next time. This is the best way to eat, lots of different tastes in one meal. Before everything arrived, I was served homemade pita, very light and warm, with olive oil and a squirt of pomegranate reduction. I had a glass of Greek sauvignon blanc, actually 50% sb, and 50% a grape I can't remember the name of. I think the wine was Biblia, very good with my meal. The menu is huge, ideal for a few people to try a lot of things. I sat at the bar, comfy chairs and great service from the bartender. Tried a taste of one of the Metaxa brandies, and of course I don't remember the name of this particular one but it comes in what looks like a pottery (white background with multicolor decoration) decanter -- that's some yummy stuff. Unfortunately I didn't have room for dessert and I've heard that they are fantastic and interesting, as they would be with Steve Klc doing them, so I'll have to return numerous times. Lots of light, a pretty big space. Big bar with lots of cocktail tables (also large) in there. And nice bathrooms. I definitely plan to return and recommend it highly to all of you. Deirdre

Kit, I wish my memory was better, but now that pudding has been superceded in my foggy memory by a great sticky toffee pudding I had last night at DC Coast in Washington, DC, and that memory is pretty foggy too due to too much imbibing -- someone else was paying and we had a lot of predinner drinks, plus a glass of Chardonnay with our oysters, then Turley Zinfandel with dinner, highly recommended, then a nice Laphroaig at the bar after. But enough of that. At St. John's the pudding was like a moist apple cake with a strong, but not overbearing, delicious taste of Calvados, and if I remember, little chunks of apple. I don't recall how the cream was served, I just remember liking it, but the sauce was very dark, almost burnt to be honest, but a nice strong butterscotchy flavor which I enjoyed. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

Simon, I think you and many others were like invisible companions on this trip. It's thanks to your posts that I found so many of these places. But I'm just bummed that squirrel wasn't on the menu the night I went to St. John. I was thinking of going back another night but just never did. Wenlock Arms was on my list, but I never did get there. Damn I drank some nice beer in London. And damn, now that I'm thinking about that, I want one, well I'm off today, what the hell, it's almost 5 in London time! Cheers!! Deirdre

Just arrived back from London. Here are the food (and beer) highlights. Thanks to all of you for your ideas and suggestions. This forum has been a great help in planning trips. I ate very very well in Paris last spring based on e-gullet suggestions. St. John - St. John St. Excellent meal. Knowledgable and friendly staff. Native oysters - Exquisite. I normally just eat oysters plain, but the mignonette was really good so I dabble a bit in that too. Roast marrowbone and parsley salad - How could I not get this with all the great reviews it gets? Excellent combination of flavors, the rich fatty marrow with the fresh tart parsley, caper, and shallot salad, with sea salt on good grilled bread. A winner. Venison pot roast with quince, and sides of mashed turnips, quince paste, and green cabbage. Hearty, rich, sweet, delicious. Even the cabbage tasted so fresh and good. Apple and Calvados pudding with butterscotch sauce and cream. Fantastic. India Club - Strand An odd place to find, very spartan. Good chicken dopiaza and dry vegetable curry. Great value. Know your Indian food because the menu gives no explanations, tear the the tiny glossaries out of Time Out Eating & Drinking (which is what I did). Abeno - Museum St. Delicious!! And the staff is so friendly. They specialize in okonomiyaki, which includes cooking pancake-like items on the griddle on your table. I started with avocado and tofu gyoza (cooked in the kitchen) and then had the griddled cake with konyakku (a gelatinized yam-type thing), corn, pork (like really good English bacon), rice, topped with Japanese mayo, a fruity-vegetable sauce (was it ponzu?), bonito flakes, and dried powdered seaweed. Yummy stuff. Mela - Shaftesbury Ave. Delicious. Started with uthappams which were fantastic. Then tandoori salmon - what a great way to eat salmon. Even the cold vegetable garnish/side was good. Borough market - Lots of yummy looking things. I was heading to tea so only had a coffee at Monmouth. Lucky Londoners who can graze and buy here regularly. Cheese picnic - Neal's Yard Dairy Stilton, Cheddar, goat, and Lancashire, with great bread, and a bottle of Sicilian chardonnay from Odd Bins. Heaven. Tea - Savoy Great tea sandwiches. Very good scones -- love that cream. Pastries are just average. Beautiful room. Very comfortable seating - plush. A "have to do it at least once" experience. Fish and chips - Fryers Delight - Theobald's Rd. Plaice and chips, and mushy peas. Fish is fantastic. Ice cream - Marine Ices - Chalk Farm Rd., Camden Oysters and Sancerre - Harrod's Food Hall - pricy but nice late afternoon splurge. Good pubs with great cask ale: Lamb - Lamb's Conduit St. Jerusalem Tavern - Britton St. Museum Tavern - Great Russell and Museum Sts. Princess Louise - Holborn Plus so much to do -- a great city full of history with super museums and art. Friendly folks, with a great smart-ass sense of humor (my kind of people). Can't wait to return.

Back from Anchorage so I will report. And I plan to go back to enjoy Alaska on my own and not for work. What a beautiful place! I recommend going down to Seward and out on one of the boats there. Girdwood is a good trip if you only have a few hours (as I did) -- you can take a tram to the top for great views. I went to Glacier Brewhouse a few times. Very good beers, the bourbon porter was especially good with dessert. And the food was better than I expected -- halibut one night and silver salmon the other. I also liked Sacks Cafe -- good menu and wine list, but a bit heavy-handed on the salt which detracted from the halibut. Snow Goose Brewery was unimpressive - both beer and food. Never made it to Marx Brothers or Simon & Seafort, but heard good reports about both from others who did go there, so I would add them to my list for next time. Also heard a good report about Corsair, right next to the Capt. Cook. Although I hadn't heard of this place from anyone else, the guy who recommended it has a palate I respect so that might be worth checking out. Too much work on this trip so couldn't really see much of Alaska except for that one day trip (because I came in a day early) down to Seward and out into Resurrection Bay, and a trip on my last afternoon down to Girdwood. Had room service more nights than I thought I would but was left pooped at the end of the day and that's all I had the energy for on some nights. And Captain Cook Hotel's room service was pretty good -- they even had Alaskan Pale Ale on the beer list, as well as halibut and silver salmon, notice a trend here? I believe in eating as much wild salmon in season as I can, and so I did. I highly recommend going to Alaska - incredibly beautiful. And very friendly people. Last week the temps were in the 50's with rain -- it's the rainy season. Deirdre

Thanks for the recommendations, tighe. Maybe I can figure out a way to get to Girdwood.

I'll be in Anchorage for a week for work (next week). Even though I'll be working all week, I'd like to try to do my own thing too, that is, eat and enjoy the city. I've checked the posts and I haven't really seen anything about Anchorage, but I'm sure that there's good food to be found, right? Does anyone have any suggestions for good places to eat or good things to buy to take home and eat later? I plan to get some Alaskan Smoked Porter, yum, but what about other food? There's a farmers market on Saturday mornings but I've read conflicting reports about whether it will still be open on the 28th (assuming I can escape to check it out). Does anyone know if it will be open? I'll be staying downtown and won't have a car, or, unfortunately, any time to really explore outside Anchorage. I welcome (and will appreciate) all suggestions. Thanks! Deirdre

Re Geppetto: The Geppetto in Wildwood Shopping Center (Bethesda) is owned by the same guy who owned Geppetto in Georgetown - same recipes. I managed the Bethesda location many years ago and fondly remember the pizza, especially the white pizza, really good. Last I heard you could call in orders for delivery pizza to the old Georgetown location, which is now Mendocino Grille. Georgetown only does delivery, no carry out, no eat in. I've never had Geppetto pizza out of the Mendocino kitchen, so I don't know if it tastes the same. Another option, or it was at Bethesda, is to order a half-cooked pizza and finish the baking in a really hot oven at home, nice and fresh.

Capcooks, I'm picking up this post awfully late, I worked with Jeff Tomchek at McCormick & Schmicks before he decided to move back to Chicago. I always thought that M&S was a strange place for him to be working but I certainly enjoyed working with him (and eating his food). If you talk to him, tell him I said hello and big hug. Deirdre

Sorry, that means cucumbers - that's my shorthand.

Sherry vinegar is great in Gazpacho -- it's become one of my favorite ingredients (good in succotash too). I've been using the recipe from the Jul/Aug 2001 Cooks Illustrated -- tomatoes, red bell pepper, cukes, sweet onion, garlic, sherry vinegar, tomato juice, and hot pepper sauce. It's great for picnic thermoses. Deirdre