menton1

One of the things I like most about a French meal is the time it takes. If you think good service is getting the next course just at the moment you take your last bite of the previous one, you will be greatly surprised. As a matter of fact, I hate this about many American restaurants. I want the meal to linger on!! 2 1/2 to 3 hours is de rigeur in France. As a matter of fact, most restaurants only do ONE seating for dinner. They don't turn the tables over. (There are exceptions to this, but they are the exception in France). This is more of a translation error that stuck, rather than a cultural difference. Once you get past the semantics, the "appetizers" and "main courses" are similar. This is the cause of lots of friction and ill will. Many Americans who travel just don't bother changing anything, or learning anything about where they are going. This is a true "Ugly American" and perhaps these are the folks complaining that the French are rude. I've cringed many a time at loud, rude Americans in a restaurant assuming that all French people should speak English and just making fools out of themselves. Very embarrassing. And let's not forget the "portable" credit card machines that they bring over to the table. If we had those a lot of fraud would be prevented!

It's a virtual certainty that they cleverly chose that name on purpose!

If you are not eating salads, just what do you have in mind for "low-calorie"? You could get some sliced turkey or roast beef at the supermarket deli, there is cottage cheese, there is plain yogurt... Some Chinese places will cook without oil for you, but it is generally not so good, unless there is an unusual Chinese place out there. And, Boston Market sells a whole chicken "a la carte" without any trimmings. Also Butch's in Westwood will broil some fresh fish for you. A can of tuna in water is also on lots of folks' list...

My vote is a resounding "NO!!!" Yes, all salt stimulates the basic sensation on the tongue; but then, like wine, there are much more complexities than the mere salty sensation. It seems that the complex flavors of fleur de sel are because of the minerals that accompany it. Size of the crystals are also a factor. My favorites are the ones from Brittany, from the Guérande. In order to be harvested there, the wind and surf must be just right, hence production quantities are limited. The Brittany varieties usually come in a little cloth sack tied up with string. They also usually have no non-stick chemical agents added, so it behooves one to store in a cool, dry place. Of course, the complexity of this wonderful salt is lost in cooking, this is best used right before consumption on meats, fish, vegetables, anything that you like salt on. In Paris, I have found the biggest selection of Guérande salt at Izrael, a lovely little spice shop on rue Francois-Miron in the Marais. If you've never tried fleur de sel, go for it! And it also makes a lovely gift, for anyone who realizes that "salt is not just salt"!!

This is just a name incorrectly translated by a commercial enterprise; I would not go so far as to say that is the English translation... Often in an American restaurant or store a French word is used incorrectly, particularly with gender issues. There is even a restaurant in NYC "Le Madeleine" which is the wrong gender. Well, menu translations are a whole other matter, they are so idiomatic. In Lyon, I remember being in a Bouchon and there was a dish on the menu referring to the firemen "Tablier de Sapeurs" (The exact name escapes me now) which actually refers to a type of offal dish (!) and has little to do with the "Pompiers".

So he's just willing himself to eat less? Sounds like the ice cream diet, or the potato chip diet, or some other silly fad. Sure, if you eat fewer calories than you burn, it doesn't matter what you eat. But "intuitive"? Just a lark, IMHO. And what happened to the health implications? Looks like this "professor" did not touch on those...

There is just nothing in this world in this category as good as Lorina French soda. These are sparkling lemonades in about 6 different flavors. Not only does it taste great, but the bottles are gorgeous! You can decorate your kitchen with the empties. I know it's widely available in the NY Metro, but I'm not sure about the rest of the country... http://www.lorina.com/Site/eng/Corporate/

Whole Foods, hypocrisy central. From the highly sugared soft drinks to the "natural" peanut butters with high levels of pesticides, this store is not what it cracks itself up to be. Now Trader Joe's, for example, is a terrific place that doesn't claim to be anything but low-priced and tasty and sometimes unique. N.B. The Whole Foods in Ridgewood, NJ was so concerned about saving money that they refused to do anything about a severe mold problem in their basement where many of the foods are stored, until employees protested and complained to health authorities that their own health was being put at risk by going into the mold-infested basement. I believed they finally did someting after two months of a problem-- but there has been little reported about this...

Have to disagree a little about San Gimignano. The towers are actually authentic. Sure, the facades of some of the houses in the village have been restored, but it's been done faithfully. And yes, it is quite touristy, but mostly in the daytime. If you stay overnight, you will find that after 5PM the place becomes quite dreamy. It takes on a whole different atmosphere. The day trippers and the buses are gone, and it's mostly the natives and you. It's really a wonderful place, I highly recommend that you do not miss it. P.S. I also recommend the gelato place, its right on the Piazza del Cisterna in the center of town. It's the only place open at 11PM. There is also a wonderful restaurant, actually built into the city walls, La Vecchia Mura. The interior stonework is astounding and quite lovely. Just follow the alleys behind the Hotel del Cisterna to the walls. That's one nice thing about Italy vs France-- all the gelato places are bustling and booming very late, usually until midnight, and later on weekends!! No French equivalent, I'm afraid.

Mostly found on the Riviera, a Pan Bagnat takes all the ingredients of a Salade Nicoise and puts it on a large round bread sliced in half. A Boston-type lettuce, tomatoes, onions, green pepper, and cucumber to start. Add anchovy filets, tuna, nicois olives, and a slather of vinaigrette with a lot of olive oil. Most of the boulangeries in Nice and environs have this great treat, right next to another favorite, not exactly a sandwich, Pissaladiere. Oooo, j'ai faim, j'ai faim!!

This link probably got lost on the previous page of this topic-- here are about 25 places with great fried clams, in New England: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...5669&hl=seafood As far as New York City, if it is OK to discuss it here in New England, I can think of a couple right away: Black Pearl, in the far lower East Side; BLT Fish, in the Flatiron area. If a chain resto has a "best" in any category, heaven help us. But that's my humble opinion.

It seems that the Maitre D and head of everything here, Joe, has left the restaurant for a new profession. He was terrific, a great personality, and it seems that the restaurant owes a large portion of its success to Joe. Just wanted to post this little tribute to Joe, mention how much we will miss him. We'll also miss the friendly political sparring that we used to do since we were on opposite sides of the political spectrum. Joe, you will be sorely missed... thanks for all the wonderful meals at Saigon!

Any more recent reviews? And how is the neighborhood?

Egullet has an excellent search feature-- just click "search" from the top line of the Egullet page. Mine turned up this thread: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...5082&hl=seafood Some good seafood choices here, saeems the best area for t hese is the "North End" Also, Holly Moore, someone whose opinions I highly respect, has this terrific thread about fried clams in New England: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...5669&hl=seafood

I find Legal Seafoods to be a shadow of its former self. I had been to the original in Boston many years ago when it was the only one. We waited for 90 minutes to get in, and it was well worth it! Great, is the operative word. Now it is a very ordinary chain. It is little more than a glorified diner with a lot of seafood. Not particularly comfortable nor attractive, they charge unbelievably high prices! The average entree is in the mid $20s!! (At least in Paramus NJ it is). A real disappointment, this is only a hair better than Red Lobster. There are much better choices around for creative seafood. Particularly in the New England coastal environs. Stay away from Legal, IMHO.

Getting 3 stars from the Ledger is very ordinary; Just about EVERY restaurant reviewed there gets at least 3 stars. Same with the Record. A really striking anomaly is "Smoke" in Englewood, getting 4 stars from the Record. Incredulous. I can't say that it's done to promote the restaurant advertising in the newspaper, but I find Corcoran and Cook in the Times to be much more credible than the Ledger or the Record. And I've also heard that Morristown has slim pickings for restaurants; although I did hear some good things about Pierre's lately. Anyone been there?

Well, it would be no surprise that many restos in France and all over the world are using pre-prepared stocks and sauces for soup and other finishing; but the original poster said that the entire dish including the salmon itself (or at least that is what I inferred) is pre-made and that is what I took issue with. N.B. I just love the Picard stores that are ubiquitous in France; someone should take the clue and start that type of operation in the US...

I believe the above-mentioned La Samaritaine is closed now for a 3-year renovation. I think also that Galeries Lafayette is the best place to start, they have a lot of choices, big selections. Unusual little gifts you might find in the basement (sous-sol) of the BHV, such as Parisian street signs, key chains, and door signs in french. We have found another good way to shop is to stroll along the little streets in the 4th Arr., some very unusual artisinal shops there. Torchons are a nice gift as well. Not much of the ticky tacky shops in the 4th. A good place for unusual food and spices is Izrael, a crammed-full epicerie with off-beat foods. It's on rue Francois-Miron in the 4th as well. Brittany fleur de sel is an interesting gift, as well as some very unusual stuff.

Any specific examples, or was this just a general smear? Perhaps in some of the casual lunch spots and coffee barsthis happens, as it does in the US., but hard to imagine at a restaurant. This sounds like a lot of hearsay and innuendo, with nothing to back their statements up. And even if their is some offender, how did this become a general trend?

Speaking of New Haven, what's the local word on Louis Lunch? I saw this place on Tv recently, and it looked like it was worth a trip.

Is this a store or an event?

Question: How does one dispose of the used cooking oil after the cooking is done?

Several newspaper articles have appeared recently warning against the health risks of actually cooking the stuffing inside the bird; apparently bacteria can grow depending on the temperature of the turkey, and cooking time can be different for the bird itself and the stuffing. Any good ways of making tasty stuffing on the stove top or separately in the oven? (And not that Stovetop brand stuff, please! It's horrid!)

Several newspaper articles have appeared recently warning against the health risks of actually cooking the stuffing inside the bird; apparently bacteria can grow depending on the temperature of the turkey, and cooking time can be different for the bird itself and the stuffing. Any good ways of making tasty stuffing on the stove top or separately in the oven? (And not that Stovetop brand stuff, please! It's horrid!)

Yes, the food hall "Lafayette Gourmet" is alive and well. The food section at Galeries Lafayette could hardly be called second fiddle to Grande Epicerie, either. They are both quite grand. I have personally not found GE to be more upscale than GL; bring plenty of money for either one; The real problem as a tourist is that you can't really use much of the stuff, because you don't have a kitchen in France, and just how much stuff can you drag back on the airplane?