TarteTatin

A.D. Amorosi's column today in City Paper says something about the chef who created the menu leaving already...

I can tell you that we visited an amazing winery near Poitiers, and their wine is very reasonable and delicious: ampelidae.com Try the Armance B sparkling. Really, really good, and only about 8 euros when we were there a few years ago. (I can get it in New Jersey for $20, I think-at Moore Bros.-and had it at a restaurant in Philly last week for $38-much cheaper to buy on site!) Just show up at the winery and buy what you need.

"...but the thing that's always been in his way is gradiosity and ego (which we all have to some degree)." Oui, c'est vrai pour tous...

Kaluystan's (sp?) in NY is the best. It's Indian, and bulk spices, to boot. I've ordered on-line from them too. Edited to add: Oh, and living in Philly, we get our local bulk spices directly from an Indian shop at 42nd and Walnut in an old 7-11 type store. Great selection.

We've been to both La Tour D'argent and Grand Vefour in the past year, for the same reason. Good, old school food and service. We'd been to Tour D'argent 20 years earlier, and it really didn't change. I loved it then and now. You're right, not especially innovative, but...romantic, great view, great service. Place settings the same, however I think the cobwebs were gone and the single old lady who's small white poodle had the opposite chair and a place setting weren't there. Oh, and the ancient Captain who bowed one vertabrae at a time after asking, "voulez vouz une ap-er-i-tif si vous plais"-took him about three minutes to straighten back up. Still, it was the same and worth it. I really didn't love Grand Vefour. Yes, it was pretty, but I found the wine service so old fashioned that they just wouldn't give me (the wife), the time of day, even though I ordered. Still served my husband, etc. That's very old school, and we accepted it and didn't cause any fuss since it is France and the old sommelier at lunch just hated women ordering. And, he served us some really, really expensive glasses of wine when we asked for medium priced recommendations for dessert wine. (come to think of it, we didn't especially like the lunch sommelier at Tour D'argent either. Maybe it stems from both of us being ex wine stewards) I also didn't like the excess of five million desserts. It's just overwhelming.The main courses were okay, still, not worth it in my opinion. My husband, however, feels a bit differently and enjoyed it. I think, basically, from all of the old stories and people that went there; the history... I believe I posted a review of both places under their names.

What's that Mexican that was around for years at 36th and Lancaster? Is that any good anymore? Also, there's a Thai place near there that's good. I went there for take out when my Dad was in that hospital a couple of years ago.

The good news: Judy Collins was MAGNIFICENT! The bad news: The food was some of the worst I've ever had, especially for the price. And the service wasn't too hot either. Six of us had (mostly) $24 appetizers: A slice of basic foie gras, an insipid lobster bisque, a tasteless caesar salad. Six of us had (mostly) $44-$50 entrees: Horrible "chicken hash". This was cookie cutter squares of chicken with large pieces of truffles that had absolutely no taste whatsoever, over mashed potatoes with no taste whatsoever, not even salt....others had a single basic small, thin filet of Dover Sole for $50, nothing special. The steak, lamb chops and swordfish looked like the better, old school choices. We had a side of peeled asparagus, again, no taste. Desserts ($14) weren't much better. I had what tasted like a supermarket vanilla ice cream covered with a what tasted like supermarket hot chocolate sauce and was touted as "French ice cream with a chocolate sauce". Someone else had the worst creme brulee they'd ever had. Service was rushed, crowded, old school waiters, who constantly bumped into the back of everyone's chairs. Granted, it is a tight space, and they want to serve you before the show starts. But there wasn't any finesse to this (formerly in the business, we understand what can and cannot be done in the circumstances). They even took away more than a half a bottle of expensive wine, never to appear again. When I asked about it- after the show, they said it had all been poured, but I was watching, and it definitely wasn't... Anyway, it was a very expensive evening. $125 a ticket for Judy. Plus the dinner. It was totally worth it for an incredibly close venue with an incredible singer and personality like Judy Collins. But if they require dinner to be eaten there, why can't they make it decent???

Les Caprices de l'Instant by the Bastille- is our favorite too! Great selection, they love to talk about wine, very passionate.

Perfect! Thank you soooo much for this list, Daniel!

We were there about 4-5 years ago and loved it. Then, we went again about a year or so ago, with some French friends, and, yes, the service was totally obnoxious! That's the right word! The food just okay. Sometimes we think we get servers being rude to us because we're American's, but this time, we had French friends with us. Our friends wouldn't even let us leave a tip at all, that's how bad it was. I wonder what's up with them?

We're in Philly, and I'm headed to Queens to a Kosher home. I'd like to bring a good bottle of Kosher wine. Any recommends that I can find in the South Jersey area? (I tried the search engine under kosher wine a few times, and it came up with 40 pages when I typed in Kosher wine...none of which seemed to answer my search).

Oh, man! Look at that shrimp! Merde.

Thank you for the link, Weinoo-Mitch, it is very helpful! And, Pan, Skyway looks good, as well as some others listed. Pan-Regarding Korean restaurants in Philly -we have a few delicious ones in Northeast Philly, can't remember the name, but we loved a Korean BBQ place. There's a thread on it in the Pa section. The newish ones in Center City haven't gotten super reviews. Although there is a new one around the corner from our office at 2nd & Chestnut that sounds okay.

We're going in two weekends- to see a concert at the Cafe Carlyle. They "require" that you have dinner there. Does anyone know anything about the food? I found this: http://thecarlyle.com/entertainment.cfm but wanted some other opinions. Not that we have a choice! Any other suggestions for our weekend in Manhattan? We're thinking good ethnic food, not expensive, since we'll be spending lots that evening...Italian/French bistro/other ethnic...Singaporean? "Die, die, must try!" Thanks!

I wonder if the new Asian supermarket on 4th & Spring Garden has them. The produce dept is huge.

We got a Bluestar about 4-5 months ago and LOVE it! Turned the Dacor in, and have never been happier! Great for those of us who cook a lot...

We were just staying in the Marais a week ago. Had a good lunch on Rue de Turenne at Cafe des Musees. And, a very good dinner at Le Pamplet, right near the Marche des enfants rouges, just off rue Turenne. Our favorite boulangerie is there, also, as it were, on the rue Turenne right off the Place des Vosges: Levain du Marais. The best pain au chocolat in the city, get it warm, first thing in the morning. DON'T GO to Bar a Huitres near Bastille....Didn't have a good experience at all this time...although in the past its been ok. Got in to Le Comptoir. Arrived at 6:00, and asked for a table that evening. They checked and said to come back at 8:30 and we'd have to sit outside. We did, and it was good. They provide these very cute blankets, and there are heaters and we weren't cold at all. Gone is the pate they just set down in front of you. The food was good, though. Numerous other places...hoping to find time to write decent reviews!

Sorry, John. I meant blinis and mont d'or are hard to find in the States. I still have jet lag after being here for two weeks.

I vote for Blini's. And, Mont D'or. I know there are some gourmet shops that sell Blini-but I don't think its that common to find, unless you make them yourself. And, I also think you can get Mont D'or, possibly (?), but its just SO good, and I think more unique than Epoisses.

It seems there's always a stand at the marches... Went to Motte-Piquet market yesterday, and I'm pretty sure they had one with Corsican products (not just cheese).

Just arrived in Paris last Thursday- from Cassis and Marseille. Hopefully will have a chance to write some information next week...

Ever since I read "Salt - A World History" by Mark Kurlansky, and his account of MSG production, I've lost the American prejudice against this flavor enhancer. I use it in dry rubs for ribs, in soups, on some vegetables and occasionally on meats and fish. In all cases neither myself nor my guests have suffered any ill effects. As the expression goes: You mileage may vary.

We have a new Penzey's spice shop in Philly, and husband spied some MSG and bought it. You should have seen the clerk's face when we went to check out! Even she asked what we use it for. Anyway, I am indeed, the wrong person to be writing here. My husband is the cook, and I know he uses it in many dishes as a flavor enhancer. Not just for Asian cooking. I'll ask him and hopefully reply soon!

Should we start a new topic for people who don't appreciate well made food? My husband has been perfecting his custard for his Quiche for awhile now. As some of you know; the American version of hard frittata like quiche is quite different from the French version that Thomas Keller talks about in Bouchon. Hubby's was delicious. Broccoli and cheese, the custard was perfect. A bit "jiggly" coming out of the oven, as Keller says it should be... We hosted a few old college friends over. They were very polite, but you could see they didn't think it was "done." I didn't explain, either. I figured, you can't teach someone to like rare meat, if they only like it well done.

An update on my earlier post (hoping to get some suggestions): We'll be in Aix for 2 nights, Jan 17 & 18. I've read all the threads on restaurants, but would welcome any updated info! Have been there twice, but not in years. Found an apartment right on the water in Cassis. Jan 19-23. So, also looking for recommendations in Marseille. Also as far east as we can drive in a day for dinner...any villages/restaurants we should go to? Again, we've read the compendiums on Aix, Marseille, Nice, etc.-but would really welcome up to date info on the "Central Coast" of the Cote D'azur. Thank you! Any special markets, wineries to visit, specialty food shops?