VivreManger

Correction to my last post: the two cheeses were Pleasant Ridge Reserve and Widmer's 6 year cheddar. The first at $20 a pound and the second at $9.99.

Enjoyed Sophia's. Good artisanal baking. Filling-filled omelettes. Real whipped cream on the well-made waffles, though as a New Englander I would have liked real maple syrup as well. Kabul gets a down thumb. The appetizers were all right, but the main courses were disappointing. An Afghan restaurant should prepare good rice. No such luck. Tried C'est le vin near the capitol. They have a wonderful selection and a lot of cheap choices, but their wines by the glass were very limited. Only six. Last week they were all Spanish, but not a roija amongst the choice. How can you offer Spanish wine without including the star of the litter? The seating was chic but sparse and uncomfortable. On the other hand I did buy two of their Wisconsin cheeses, which I am still enjoying at home. The first was a very creamy aged cheddar. I could do without the food coloring, but the taste was good. The other was a Wisconsin vache, called Prairie Ridge or Prairie Run. It was expensive at $20 a pound, but tasty and complex. Added: Tasted the Bascom ice cream at the Student Union. Ugh! Sorbitol Sorbet. The stuff tasted ersatz. Never again. Why couldn't they use some of that good whipped cream from Sophia's?

In Madison for a conference and a daughter's college-decision tour. I only have Sunday free. Is any Farmer's Mkt. open that day? Any other stores with a good selection of Wisconsin artisanal cheeses that would be open Sunday? That would respond to the terroir needs of this trip. Sophia's seems a good choice for Sunday brunch-breakfast, assuming it is open then. Any other options for Sunday, brunch and/or dinner? I would have liked to try L'Etoile Cafe, but they are open only when I am NOT free. And the restaurant would be too expensive and slow for that college kid- oriented part of the visit. Kabul might make more sense for a Saturday night dinner.

There may be a restaurant simply called The Bistro which got google-confused with the other one.

I was puzzeled by the Ocala reference as well. Bistro appears under Gainesville and I think that it maybe some computer error. The place I am looking for is within the UF orbit since it was the choice of some faculty who wanted to meet there since it is close to campus. But the address I gave may be wrong. Yours is the second bad notice about Emiliano's so I may drop it, rather than test it. Juniors may be better.

After I return, I will try to post my comments. On the agenda is Emiliano's, Juniors, Newberry BBQ, and Bistro Mediterranean Grill, though we may not hit all of them. For your convenience, Newberry BBQ Ten Miles out of town (352) 472-7260 (352) 472-PORK (7675) 25405 W Newberry Rd Newberry, FL 32669 Juniors Restaurant, 1218 N. Main St. 32601-4370 352 (371-8008) about a mile from 13th & University, at western end of campus HOURS: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily Emiliano's, 7 SE 1st Ave, 32601 Gainesville, 32601 - (352) 375-7381 http://www.emilianoscafe.com Thu 11:30 to 10:00PM Fri till 10:30 The Bistro Mediterranean Grill, (352) 873-7876 3500 SW College Road, Suite 400, Ocala, FL 34474

He's dumped us for Hawaii, gang, faster than you can say tabarnouche. ← Oh, come on. Is that a serious contest in early March? After all when I was in Hawaii, elle ne pas encore est arrivee. Now that the maple taffy is flowing into the ice cream, I may have to head up north. Here in the States quite apart from the absence of maple taffy ice cream, there is hardly any maple taffy. I have identified one supplier in New Hampshire and I will see if I can churn up some at home.

Judging from the absence of posts -- almost none - - Gainesville is the pits. There is ball and chain central on Archer and Newberry Roads and a few pretentious over-priced steak houses like Porters and Mark's US Prime. The only places that seem worth trying are Newberry BBQ, Juniors for soul food, (1218 N. Main St. 371-8008, HOURS: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily), and Emiliano's downtown, for Latin American/Caribbean. In terms of my own food preferences, my first choice is always to find what is distinctive to the area I am visiting. Thus no chains, no sushi, unless it is directly on a coast, and no East or South Asian cuisine, unless there is a substantial community of that origin. Since I have lived much of my life in New England, I rarely eat Italian unless I am in Italy. I have to go there in about two weeks for a quick visit. I wonder if I should simply brown-bag it for 48 hours.

Glad to see that you made it out to Smoke Meat Pete's at some point. When we all parted after the SM Marathon a year ago, we hoped that you would sample SMP's offerings. Now we have the report. As for another glutton festival, I would love to make it, but I suspect I won't be able to get up to Montreal. While I often eat Snowdon Del's smoked meat because of its convenience, I don't think it is in the Schwartz's league. Of course it is better than the Main.

My strongest recommendation is: Hiroshi Eurasion Tapas, Restaurant Row, 500 Ala Moana Blvd at South St (808-533-4476) My only regret is that I ate there only once. While some dishes at Alan Wong's were excellent, I thought Hiroshi's new place is a real steal. The food is practically as good and the price is about half. I doubt that it will stay that cheap for long. The wine list is extensive and thoughtful. I will post a more detailed report when my schedule permits. Helena's Hawaiian Food is worth a visit for local color more than gastronomic excitement. Though the butter fish collar is worth a taste. The ribs were drier and less tasty than the Korean version on which they are based. I was pleasantly pleased by the Hawaiian plate lunch at the Poi Bowl in the Ala Moana Shopping Center Food Court. The luau cooked pig was well-smoked. The tea-leaf steamed pork was outstanding. Haupia is haupia, but it was well-done. If you get stuck shopping there or are in that neighborhood for other reasons, it is worth a visit. Their imu-smoked pork is better than that served by Gordon Biersch and perhaps better than Helena's as well. Again many thanks for all the good advice and company.

What a story!

← Actually, although I post sometimes in the Montreal Forum I live in Massachusetts where we have a few respectable BBQ places which I have described, but I am always happy to expand my BBQ horizons. My preference is for slow cooked, well-wood-smoked meat not dependent on sauce for its taste. PS Sorry I botched the quote initially, but the point is clear. Let us see if this correction works.

The Okinawan restaurant Hatsune-ya (fmr Kariyushi) 1436 Young St. Suite 103 Honolulu, HI 96814 808 942-1137 seems not to be in business?? I called the number and a recording claims it has been disconnected. The superpages don't list it, but only the former restaurant, Kariyushi, with that same number. Similarly Google lists Hatsune-ya at that very address with the same phone number. So the information is consistent, within limits. I have been able to find no other phone number. Has anybody been there recently?

During my visit I am planning to rent a car for one day -- probably on a Saturday -- and try to conduct a gastro tour of Honolulu and Oahu, heading for out of the way spots, sampling and collecting unique foods to eat there and - - when legal - - to bring back home. The farmers market at Kapiolani Community College which apparently is open on Saturdays from about 7:30 AM struck me as a good place to start. http://www.hfbf.org/FarmersMarket.html furnishes more details. The Saturday Farmers' Market at Kapiolani Community College, 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Kapiolani Community College, 4303 Diamond Head Road. Catch #3, 22, or 58 on TheBus. Unfortunately I won't be able to take the fresh produce back to Mainland. But I can sample some of it. What will be in season next month? Whatever has been denatured, I can bring home. Jams and jellies should be more varied and cheaper (??) than what would be available at the ABC octopus. Any tips out there for distinctive local products? I should hit at least one supermarket to pick up things like canned Wahoo from Samoa and local items that the Farmer's Market might not carry. Foodlands seems to be the big local chain. Is there one near Kapiolani CC? Away from town I have been considering Giovanni's Shrimp Truck and Matsumoto Shave Ice, which I believe is at 66-087 Kamehameha Hwy. 96712 Haleiwa, Hawaii 96712. Are the two anywhere near each other? About how distant is Haleiwa from Honolulu? Is Waialua Bay an exceptional beauty spot? The last time I was in Hawaii I did drive to the North Shore, mostly along the Eastern coast -- though I missed the Sacred Falls -- and then quickly headed back on H2 to Honolulu a bit after sunset. As a result I did not explore the interior. I believe that Oahu does not have the dramatic mountains and volcanoes of some of the other islands, but are there any accessible mountainous areas with inspiring vistas? For instance does Sacred Falls State Park offer what I am looking for? One area I missed completely last time was the western coast: Makaha, Waianae, Maili, and Nankuli. Do they have anything special to recommend by way of site or cuisine? Between Haleiwa and Honolulu are there any other sites of gastronomic interest? Are the Kona coffee plantations located in one particular part of the island or are they spread out? Do any of the pineapple or other fruit plantations have on-site stores that carry unusual portable-to-the-Mainland products or is everything there already available in the globalized supermarket. Do please keep your suggestions coming. Thanks. Also let me know if anyone might be interested in joining me on the trip?

By the way, are there any difficulties getting reservations? I am planning to go there next month and I wanted to know how far in advance I should book. Does anyone know if there is the equivalent of a chef's table?

Actually its even worse: "EurasiOn" as in invasion.

I looked over the thread quickly, but it was not immediately clear to me despite all the delightful reminisicences, where good saimin is to be had in Honolulu today. Admittedly my Hawaiian geography is weak, but many of the favorites seemed to be on other islands or outside of Honolulu. Aside from saimin at MacDonald's, not my first choice, where is good saimin to be gotten in Honolulu?

I back Oishii over Fugakyu. I have been to both places at least three or four times. But I have to say that the toro at Oishii can be uneven. When it is good it is very good, but I have had it stringy. The black cod with ponzu sauce is excellent. By the way have you located a supply of Wahoo on the mainland? I am going to Hawaii in a couple of months and am planning to stock up, but if I can get it here, why burden my baggage?

The only nights I have in the San Jose area are Monday and Tuesday, unfortunately the nights that Manresa is closed. My question is where to go in the San Jose -- Palo Alto area on a Tuesday night. What is the next best place? I really that there is nothing else comparable to my first preference, but I have no choice. I am hoping to do Indian on Monday and I will have done a lot of East Asian in Hawaii & LA, so what can you recommend?

A few years ago I made a kosher-style cassoulet -- style because I used a prepared confit de canard that was not itself kosher -- but all of the other ingredients came from the Butcherie in Brookline, Ma. ( the best kosher market in Massachusetts) , sausage, smoked turkey, and what else I don't remember. The basis was Mark Bittman's cheaters' recipe. The results were respectable enough that a friend originally from Toulouse, who is a very good classic French cook, but now lives in the States, was happy to bring some home to her family who ate it up with no complaints. I agree about pareve cream desserts, which are repulsive, but kosher substitutes for other dishes should not be dismissed out of hand. After all, cassoulet is merely French cholent. Maybe they stole the recipe from the Jews. An even greater stretch was a kosher feijoada that some friends made about 15 years ago. I don't think they have repeated the treat. We were so stuffed we probably did not need to eat for another 15 years.

During my brief visit to SF last month, just before Thanksgiving I shopped for a few items at Boulette's Larder. Unfortunately I was flying out the next day and could not sample the items that are their raison d'etre. But I did try two that were ready to go & eat. The cornbread and a citron-cranberry relish. The cornbread has a Mexican flavor to it and was quite pleasant when I finally opened it on Thanksgiving Day. The relish was underwhelming. A pleasant concept, but it needed a bit more oompnh in the execution. I like a bit of clove in relish to bring out the citrus bouquet more fully. The store is still a work in progress and should be a great success. BTW BondGirl was with me on this expedition a day earlier and she bought some dog food for her corgie. I have yet to get a report on that feast.

Manresa is closed on Tuesday, drat. I knew about the Monday closing, but I thought it opened on Tuesday night. As for the other ideas I will get back to you with more details, anon. Of all the ideas, well-prepared and imaginative Indian would be a first choice, for my preference, but I still have to find out my hosts thoughts on all of this.

What day of the week are you landing? ← Monday evening.

In March I am returning from Hawaii to home on the East Coast. On the way I have two nights in San Jose, the second will be at Manresa. On the first night I will be arriving at the airport around 9:00 and would like to take my hosts to dinner. They live south of Cambrian Village, near Blossom Hill Road, if I am not mistaken. Any suggestions on late night eating, not too far from the area we will have to drive through? Original Joe's has been mentioned, but I have no idea where it is located since my knowledge of San Jose geography is nil. At this point my inclination is not to go East Asian since after a week in Honolulu, I would have spanned sushi, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and other Pacific variations, though I am open to persuasion if something is truly outstanding. It would be a plus if the restaurant offered something distinctively local. But given the globalized character of San Jose, that might be hard to find. Perhaps an interesting South Asian option might emerge? All those computer specialists from the subcontinent. Whatever the suggestion, late night service is unfortunately the key. Edited to add: I saw the very good survey below on San Jose dining: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...237&hl=San+Jose However I have no idea what from that discussion is likely to be cooking past 9:00 PM and how far from my likely route they are located. I did see that a number of Indian restos appeared and those might be worth exploring if they meet the other criteria.

No, I didn't try it. Having had it at Swan's a month ago, I did not feel this shipped version could possibly compare.