gingerbeer

Is this the right section of the forum to ask this…? Anyway, hope I can draw on the experience of the experts here. A friend and I very much want to go to this next year, but the consumer passes are SO costly ($1,350). Does anyone know if: a) the consumer pass means once you're in, you don't pay extra for food & drinks b) is it worth just buying tickets to individual parties and events…? I suppose that way, though, you would miss out on all the demonstrations which are the most interesting bit... c) generally, what is the atmosphere like? particularly towards non-industry professionals Generally, does anyone have any helpful tips for this? I've never been before, as you can tell. Any advice would be welcome for a total novice.

I don't know what country you are in, but here the gastropub Sunday roast is very popular. Roast beef or chicken, roast potatoes, yorkshire pudding, gravy, peas, carrots, etc. If you can update it, the comfort factor is huge and people love it. I agree with the mezze plate idea. What about individual pies of some kind (savoury ones) - maybe meat or veggie? Big bowls of shoestring or skinny fries? With different dipping sauces, or sprinkled with dried rosemary and feta? And what about moules mariniere with some amazing bread?

For someone looking to do a 1-2 year course, with the hope of ultimately becoming a chef?

While this article upset me, thinking about it, I realised that my own behaviour is not that different. I'm a full-time PhD student who is also working, and often I am really, really tired. I came from a cooking background, in that my mother put a home-cooked meal on the table every night, and after school I would help her prepare the food (chopping things, blending things, mixing things, etc), and I was even 'babysat' by a restaurant kitchen at one point when my mother went back to work (it was Lebanese, my main job was to arrange the baclava on a tray)... but... nowadays, I mostly end up doing the following things: 1. Making a sandwich 2. Eating cereal or scrambled eggs 3. Eating plain pasta, maybe if I'm really pushing it - making a really quick tomato sauce, or just grating parmesan over it with garlic and butter 4. Ordering food in 5. Very rarely, cooking properly from scratch (a stew or something similar) So how often do I cook? Rarely ever. And if I were inclined to be eating ready-meals, I probably would. There is not much to differentiate me from the people in the article.

I vote for: - A sandwich famous in the Muslim community in South Africa, from one Ekelwayer's (sp?) shop - challah bread roll, South African bologna sausage (fried), fat hot chips, and red chilli powder. - Foodstuffs in Glencoe, IL makes a great sandwich - black bread, boursin, dijon mustard, spinach, sun-dried tomato paste and grilled chicken

Thanks - this is really interesting! (Being out of the US for the last 3 years, I was somewhat behind the curve on this news).

I really didn't like Michael Isabella - sexist and sneering. Then again, watching Top Chef masters, I wasn't exactly a fan of Michael Chiarello ('What's my name???') I think the right person went home - if not for the food, then for her attitude - it's always a mistake on these kinds of shows to insist you're right, no matter what. Wolfgang Puck was the best part of this episode. I think Jen and Kevin look like the best chefs, so far. I'm also interested to see what happens in terms of the sibling rivalry - the producers must've been delighted when they realised they had that plot line going!

After seeing the video of rats in KFC (youtube it if you have not done so yet, and don't mind feeling horribly ill), I told a friend that I would never, ever eat fast food again (yes, it is sometimes a guilty pleasure). I always suspected fast food places weren't the cleanest, but irrational or not, that video has put me off for life. Anyway, my friend commented that they were no likely to be dirtier than 'gourmet' restaurants, where the chefs might touch the food with their hands, and there may be rodent problems and any other array of unhygienic practices also. I know that it's naive to expect every restaurant to be clean and spotless, and eating out means you know that people have touched your food, but I disagree. To me, it seems that a single restaurant has far more to lose in terms of a diner getting ill, failing a health inspection, etc, than the average fast food place, and not only that, but good restaurants have people who know food and therefore know better what is a safe practise in handling and preparing it. So who is right? Is your average McDonalds as clean as your average good restaurant? I am pretty sure I am right, but my friend is full of restaurant horror stories and is convinced. I'd like to point him to all of your opinions to prove myself!

But the food in Australia (Melbourne especially) is better

Oh, and my 'local' pub, the Prince Regent on Gloucester Road, has very good gastropub food, and really nice Sunday lunch with all the trimmings. It's run by Australians. Oh, and a great, great place for coffee - Lantana in Charlotte Place in Bloomsbury.

Tayyabs for Pakistani food Mangal in Arcola Street in Dalston for Turkish food Alounak near Kensington Olympia or in Westbourne Grove for Iranian food North Sea Fish Restaurant near Russell Square for fish and chips Amoul in Maida Vale for home-cooked Lebanese food (truly amazing) and a very 'local' experience (everyone within a few streets radiates there on the weekend) Moti Mahal in Covent Garden for Indian food Bob Bob Ricard in Soho for middle of the night snacks/afternoon tea/milkshakes (you have to try the raspberry ripple one) (and the decor) The Wolseley for afternoon tea Peyton and Byrne on Tottenham Court Road (inside Heals/Habitat main entrance) for a sandwich/British cakes etc Princi on Wardour Street in Soho for dessert Mrs Kibbles sweet shop on Old Compton Street in Soho for a bag of British retro sweets

I HATE the word 'nosh'.

The picnic lunch was very successful, thanks to those who suggested it! I had a great trip - in the end I managed to coax everyone away from eating Paul sandwiches for every single meal and we ate some great food. Especially Les Elysees (see other post) and various North African places.

Rasoi used to be one of my favourite restaurants, and the other day a friend and I were passing by when we decided to look at the menu. It mentioned the 'Indian tapas' place in Westbourne Grove, and the other day I noticed a new VB restaurant opening up across the Intercontinental in Park Lane (next to Nobu, almost). Has anyone been to any of these? How are they? What are your impressions of Rasoi?

Anyone had this? I had them yesterday and it was maybe the best thing I've eaten all year (apart from a recent meal in Paris). I tried my friend's rabbit, and these were so much better.