TarteTatin

How about Oklahoma? Seems like all the truly nice people come from there.

Are you sure they don't mean L'ardoise in the 1st? I used to love that place...

No, but I had the Langoustine with mayonnaise at Les Fables de la Fontaine two weeks ago. Being from New England, I spent about a full half hour picking each of them clean. They kind of looked at me funny, I don't think they'd ever seen anyone do that before.

We have a Bluestar. Great.

The show is not an interest of mine, as Ripert has some offensive points of view. A lot of us will not watch his show.

We stayed at Guy Charbaut two years ago. It's an Inn at the vineyard, outside of Epernay in Mareuil-sur-Ay. The staff was a bit like Fawlty Towers, as they were busy with the business... and it was a bit low end, but comfy enough. We had a tour and their champagne isn't bad. Don't let them cook for you for dinner though...it's right across the street from Billecart-Salmon. Also down the road in the same town-right off the town square- is a really big old house/chateau with nice big rooms that our friends stayed in. We really liked Pierre Peters champagne from the same town that Salon is from. Mesnil...(is it sur Oger?)

Popcorn. Really. edited to say: not microwave popcorn, but I buy the local stuff from my csa.

We went to Bistrot La Minette last Wed. The atmosphere and server were super. We each had flammekuche, which was the highlight of the meal. If you go, split one, that's plenty. Sit at the bar and have one with a pichet of wine. Delicious. It's full of wonderful lardon and copious amounts of carmelized onions, and although it was really really tasty, the richness of this dish affected our digestion the next day. TMI, I know! No creme fraiche that we could see, should have had a bit....the crust was very good. Their bread is tasty and homemade too. We had two pichets of white ($18 each), which was cheaper than a bottle and the same quantity. No taste to it really. We should have just ordered a good bottle. Mr. TT had monkfish. He says, "Monkfish was supposed to be drizzled with a hazelnut oil - No taste of that. And there was an 'American' sauce under the monkfish, a really thin shrimp sauce. Should have been lobster and much thicker. There were hazelnuts and the pomme puree was good, though under seasoned. Brussels sprouts under the monk fish were good." I had the entrecote, which was about 1/3 fat. Yes, I know that cut of meat is fatty, but this piece really was gristly and lots of it unedible. I told the waitress I usually like rare meat, but to let the chef cook it the way they like. Surprisingly, it was just medium rare. That's fine, just interesting. The meat was tasteless. Perhaps I tasted a bit of vinegar? It came with dauphenois that was oh, so delicious, but way too watery. Also on the plate were haricots verts wrapped in more bacon! Nice beans, but with the steak perhaps the big thick slice of bacon was overkill? (not to mention the tons of lardon on our apps). Desserts we heard, were supposed to be the best besides the apps. My beignets were really heavy, the fromage blanc sorbet didn't taste of anything, Mr. TT said, "The cassis sorbet on the lemon tart was pretty melt-y like it hadn't spent enough time in the freezer. The chocolate butterfly with gold leaf was pretty but 'pedestrian'. It wasn't lemony enough. Needed more zing. It was like lemon meringue pie without the meringue. I use a pate sable/sucre variation. Chef used a VERY GOOD pate brisee. If he used a sucre and upped the lemon acidity it would have been a much more interesting dessert." It was $168 plus tip. Rather expensive, we thought. Some really good points. Like I said, we'd go again and sit at the bar and order the flammekuche and wine.

OMG, we've passed by there a few times already, but haven't eaten there. OMG, that lamb sausage with roasted fennel and gorgonzola sounds amazing.

The link to the article says he wants to do burgers and ribs in Center City or Northern Liberties. HELLO! We already have all that in NoLib! Especially with the new place of Owen's opposite his Bar Ferdinand.

WAHHOOOOO!!!

I get emails from The Wine Garage in Calistoga, California. Here is what the one last week said: "Dear Friends and Loyal Customers, I am so happy to announce our very first wine release in conjunction with a wine pairing dinner at my new favorite restaurant, JoLe. Mat and Sonja Spector moved to Calistoga this summer from Philadelphia where their restaurant, Madyson, received rave reviews. I have personally dined there over 5 times and have been wowed by Mat's entrees and Sonja's desserts. Mat and Sonja bring new energy and enthusiasm to the "Farm to Table" concept all us Californians enjoy. Mat and I designed the menu found below to pair perfectly with the Wine Garages' first releases. Looking forward to seeing many of you next Monday, Todd Miller The time is 6 p.m. and the cost is $100 per person, plus tax, tip, and other beverages. JoLe is lcoated at the Mount View Hotel 1457 Lincoln Ave. Calistoga, CA phone 707-942-5938 Please call Jole directly to make your reservation. The menu and wine pairings: "Joy Ride" White Blend North Coast 08 (Albarino, Sauv Blanc, Viognier, and Muscat) Foie Gras Slider w/ Pear Chutney, twice baked almond brioche *Sauvignon Blanc "Musque Clone" Napa Valley 08 Sea Scallop w/ Lobster & Potato hash, pink grapefruit sabayon * Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 07 Hawaiian Swordfish w/ Smoked avocado mousse, toasted cumin and tomato vinaigrette *Cabernet Sauvignon "Hillside" Napa 06 Pulled BBQ Brisket, w/ Crispy Polenta and pickled veggies *Zinfandel Napa Valley 06 Crispy Pork Belly, w/Pork stuffed eggplant, dried cherry gastrique *Syrah North Coast 06 Lamb Tostadas, w/ Lamb loin, tongue and red mole * Vin Santo NV Mascarpone cheese cake, biscotti

What is that Italian restaurant on Front St. at Chestnut? Not the one near Market...It's on the north corner of Front & Chestnut. They have this huge room next to the main dining room. When you go back to the bathroom you see it, it's really a big room, always looks unused. Plenty of parking on the bridge.

We went to the Santa Rosa farmer's market the week between Christmas and New Year's (can't remember which day). It was really good! I love seeing the different local products available. We barely have anything left in Philly at the buy fresh buy local places. But Santa Rosa had a lot of fresh local produce. I also forgot that almonds are so local and plentiful in Ca. - got some great almond flour and almond meal for a gluten free friend. And the dried fruit place and seafood place were super too! Bought some fresh tamales, some quince jam and fresh quince...tons of other produce items not available on the east coast this time of year.

Happens to us all the time when we go to France. Rich foods that we're not used to eating in our regular everyday life. Lately, we've been going into "training" before we leave for a trip. Seriously! For a week before, we'll have butter and sauces and cream and things we just don't eat on a regular basis.

Four of us had lunch at Bouchon on 12/30. We had drinks while waiting for our reservation. It was very crowded, we enjoyed our pastis. Mr. Tarte Tatin has been wanting to go to Bouchon for a long time. He is a great home cook, and follows Bouchon's recipes for his Quiche and their pot a creme, along with his roast chicken and a few other things. I had frisee salad with lardon and egg, he had bacon and onion quiche with salad, another had beef carparccio with (? grapefruit?), plus I ordered four small clams at $2.00 a piece. Hubby has been trying to perfect his Quiche for awhile now. He makes the pastry himself, and it usually comes out a bit too thick. He really liked Bouchon's thin crust. Also, hubby is serious about the custard, he thinks a good quiche should be all about how you make the custard, it should be light and high, not like people in the States usually like it. Many people really only want a frittata; thick. Sometimes at our dinner parties, it is not to everyone's taste the consistency of his custard. It's not undercooked, but the texture is different from what we are used to. Bouchon really got the custard right. The texture and consistency of the custard was just perfect. But, actually, I like the taste of Mr. TT's better. Also, at Bouchon, it had thick chunks of very tasty lardon, but we like the other ingredients to be finer. Next I had poulet with a savoy cabbage and mushroom big square. Nice taste, and I liked the side. Mr. TT had steak frites, served medium rare to rare, he asked the waiter to serve it as the Chef wanted it served. It had a bit of compound butter on top, and the meat tasted good (the meat tasted good everywhere in California, I believe better than East coast). His frites were good, asked for mayo... Another had a trout with cauliflower and caper sauce and potatoes confit. My other friend had a crab & lobster salad that was very tiny, and not impressive. We had a side of frites. A liter and a half of rose, then a half of sancerre, then a half of bordeaux was gone through. Dessert: pot a creme, chocolate mousse, profiteroles. Mr. TT thought the pot a creme was souffled and not perfect. I don't really remember the other desserts. It was pricey: $360 plus tip and $40 for drinks at the bar. A few other notes in the area: Oakville Grocery is now Dean & Deluca. A few employees were wearing D&D shirts, and the items were just so touristy. I bought a sheeps milk yoghurt, regular size for $3.75 that I saw the next day in a Santa Rosa supermarket for $2.00. We did find fennel pollen there. Went to Sattui after lunch. Tasting notes from our trip will eventually be posted on the Wine thread.

On day on our recent vacation from Philly, we drove from our Santa Rosa base- toward Bodega Bay and down route 1 to Point Reyes. This was on New Year's Eve Day. The cows are amazing! They're everywhere and just beautiful. I wonder if the ones that stand on the sides of hills have one leg shorter than the other. The redwoods and water, passing by Hog Island Oyster house, etc.-all a very pretty drive. We were headed to Johnson's Oyster House, now called Drake's, that we'd heard about -in Tomales Bay. As we drove out the other side of Point Reyes, we saw a big sign that said, "Butcher", and had to stop. This was the Marin Sun Farms- local organic butcher shop. Just amazing! There were signs about CSA pick up and all local meats and we were just in heaven. They had different cuts of meat too, not your typical cuts that one gets in the States. We ended up buying this amazingly gorgeous rib roast for the four of us for our New Year's Eve dinner. Absolutely some of the tastiest meat I've ever had! We bought numerous packages of their jerky to bring back for friends. Continuing on to the Tomales Bay Park, we got to Drake's oyster farm. Walked in the door and there were many sizes of oysters, we bought 3 dozen smalls, which weren't that small, for $9.00 a dozen. For our appetizer that night. While we were there we had 4 each, shucked right there and I thought I'd gone mad. West coast oysters are SO much better than East coast. I know, I know, some of you might not agree...but I've had lots of different ones, including Chincoteague and Cape May salts and New Orleans and Canadian east coast. But every time I come to the west coast, the taste amazes me! Just preference, I guess. These looked like Belons. Out back of the shack there were the men working the production line, right there, bringing them in from the water and separating the sizes on the conveyer belt. A great place. We signed a petition to keep it open, because they want to close it down. I believe its the national park service? Drove back into town and stumbled across the Pine Cone Diner. WOW. We loved this place! Sat at the counter with two very nice locals next to us, telling us what to order. They were also into local foods and the owner (I believe she was the owner) talked to us as well. I had a fried oyster salad over the best greens, avocado, feta, can't remember what else, just a beautiful salad. Mr. Tarte Tatin had the vegetarian chili (he figured with all the meat we were eating for dinner, he wanted to be good). WOW again. Very spicy, but truly not like any other chili we've ever had. After lunch, we walked across to the Cowgirl creamery, lovely local fresh cheeses.... What a great town.

We ate at Slanted Door for lunch on Dec 26th. Our friends from north of San Francisco really wanted to go there...after reading this thread, we didn't, but they wouldn't get the hint when we suggested other options. Wandered around the food shops at the Ferry Bldg...and went to eat lunch. Yes, our meal at SD was all rather underwhelming. Why? The drinks were inventive and about $10 each, that was fine...also found a very respectable Bugey Gamay for $29? I think. Very inexpensive and tasty. Drinks were: an Elderberry and processco, a warm rum cider with star anise (this was the winner), a vodka with falernum (sp?) and lime, and one other that we can't recall. They ordered a spring roll. Yawn. Spring roll in rice paper, done just as good for probably half the price or less at Vietnam Palace in Philly. There was a nice size shrimp in each bite. Then a jicama and grapefruit salad with lots of red cabbage. Nice and fresh, but, Yawn... The vegetarian crepe, Yawn, was pretty good, basic. Then, our friend insisted on ordering the shaking beef. Ok, I don't know what that is, so maybe I missed the point. But: 1) what is all this fuss about paying premium price $26 and one of the highest menu items for Niman Ranch beef? I've had Niman before, and its okay, but especially this time, really didn't have any sort of extraordinary taste. AND: 2) it was way overcooked! We weren't asked how we liked it cooked, and it came out well done. Since we did not know what shaking beef meant, our conclusion would have been that it would be rare or shaking?? Lastly, we had the catfish claypot with caramel. VERY WEIRD. Sweet, and it just didn't work. They left there raving, and we just looked at each other...San Francisco, I'm sure, has good ethnic cuisine that isn't this hyped. I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to enjoy it, as we went north the rest of our vacation. (there will be more posts on Bouchon and other North of San Francisco places shortly) -Oh, we had a Boudin soup and salad the first day-- and their sourdough bread was very good...

We just bought a whole lamb with two other couples from Farm to City - Winter Harvest. It's a sort of winter CSA. It was $7.00 a pound. Good taste and it is local. farmtocity.org

Any updates for Philly Foodies going to San Francisco? (really Santa Rosa/Sonoma, but we'll spend a little time in San Francisco.

Okay, although I tried to convince our friends that there are better choices, they are DEAD SET on going here the day after Christmas. That being said, and having read this whole thread, are there any recent comments about what to order or what not to order? We both like all types of Asian cuisine, and like different foods with taste and creativity. We like the more authentic types of foods... I saw the comment about the raw bar being good. We're from Philly, and the thought of West coast oysters sounds marvelous...do they have that?

Turns out we'll be in San Francisco on Christmas Day around 11:00 - or Noon. Looking for an early lunch in Chinatown, doesn't have to be dim sum. Any ideas what might be open, not too far off of our route from the airport to Santa Rosa? (can't remember the road, but it seems like I might have written down route 101, does that sound right?)

Six of us ate at Cochon last night. It was packed! Black Friday, lots of families... Appetizers included three of the wonderful, decadent chicken livers (the serving was way too big). There was an escargot, a fried oyster, and Mr. Tarte Tatin got the pigs feet terrine. He liked it and said I wouldn't have; that it was very gelatinous. Two had Cassoulet with garlic sausage and duck confit. It was good! Mr. Tarte Tatin liked his. He said it was one of the best he's had, even in France, outside of his own. Two of us had the pork shoulder with the egg, two the duck. Desserts were a very good creme brulee, a warm chocolate cake and one person had the apple cinnamon bread pudding. We started with a small producer Champagne from Mesnil-sur-Ogur (sp?) - the town where Salon is produced. Tasty. Moved to a Gary Farrell chardonnay, then a 1990 Bandol -sooo good! Also good was a Savigny-les-beaune. We finished with a Beaume De Venise. All around a tasty evening. The owners and staff were lovely as usual. ...I guess my only complaint is the noise level. It's hard to hold conversations; but really that is the way it is in a lot of places lately. (could it be I am getting....NO! It cannot be! I won't admit it!)

In today's NY Times Food Section: (11/26/08) "Ms. Greene-who once wrote that "the two greatest discoveries of the 20th century were the Cuisinart and the clitoris"-...." An amazing quote causing Mr. Tarte Tatin to guffaw for a good ten minutes.

Merde. I was hoping to keep this place our little secret! We've been going to L'absinthe for years. Just love it. Can't beat their plateau in the summer. Split one of those with some frites and pretend you are in France! Wow, that Tarte Flambee looks marvelous! Can't wait.