weinoo

I can't imagine pre-baking the top crust.

OK, what are you talking about?

Surf and turf. Onglet from Heritage Meats and wild shrimp. Shrimp were cooked in the Cuisinart combo on steam broil.

While I don't have recipes at hand, I would think for some of the following dishes, recipes can be easily found and prepared within the constraints of your budget. I'd probably break down the cost further and say $2 pp for the main and $.50 pp for the dessert. Arroz con Pollo Mac & Cheese or other baked pasta dishes (baked ziti) Red Beans and Rice or Beef and Bean Chili with Rice Oatmeal or Chocolate Chip cookies Brownies as mentioned above

And... Today, at the Essex St. Market. And they look & feel nice and juicy.

Boy - Reinhart is pretty much the opposite of "Modernist," no?

Well, from the sound of them, why not cook them on a skewer till just done?

You live in the Bay Area - surely someone must sell imported Italian porcini. They are graded, A, B, etc. Have you checked Whole Foods?

I'd cook them (kidneys) like gizzards.

Yes - these are often served in izakaya places, simply salted and grilled on a skewer.

Why would you have to go any further than Amazon. Dried Porcini from Italy.

When we all first got together, donbert, johnder and I split a can of these. My portion lasted me about 2 years. Now, I buy the smaller jars. Had a nice Manhattan the other night (out). The place I was at had Wild Turkey 101 rye. Pretty good stuff.

Also - confit.

Yeah - one big appliance. It's as large as my Cuisinart Combi-Oven!

Yes, but it seems like I can user the anova with 4 - 6 quarts of water. And a standard saucepan/soup pan. The SVS probably weighs more than that empty.

Well, it's a quieter device and a high-quality cooking vessel. I was one of the original owners of the SVS; interviewed by the Times, etc. My biggest issue with the SVS at this current point in time, is that it weighs a lot when it's full, and since I tore up my shoulder and biceps, I can't lift it. Now that's where the Anova that's been ordered will take it to the cleaners.

Those look like thighs to me - and a bit of smoke.

Spaghetti with bottarga, lemon zest and bread crumbs.

Try orange bitters and a twist. Do you have a WF near you? The one I shop at stocks the cherries. Or here, perhaps.

I stopped at Union Market last week. They didn't have veal knuckle or bones, but they had beef marrow bones for about $3 a pound.

I don't think you'll leave any of those places hungry. 11 Mad is one of my faves - but for sitting and dining at the bar. And really - bettter than Le B - no way (it's also $225 and you're there for many hours).

I like Hearth a lot. Fun place, great wine list. But for a 15th anniversary dinner, there are places I would choose over it.

Contra is quite "modern," whatever that means. Wells reviewed it a month or two ago in the Times. Tough choice. Do Contra for dinner and GT or JG for lunch - that'll fall within your budget .

And don't forget, once you start drinking, your tab can easily double.

I'll ask a few questions that are asked on another board when someone asks the same thing as you... Is that your budget before or after tax and tip? And $100 - $150 is a broad range; can you be more specific? What types of food do you like? Jean-Georges is probably one of the most reasonable tasting menus on the planet. At lunch, especially, it's $39 for 2 courses, and $19 for each additional course. Dinner is slightly different; they do a 3-course prix fixe for $118. Le Bernardin - 3 course lunch is $76; 4-course dinner is $135. We loved our anniversary dinner there this year. Here's my blog post about that meal. Gramercy Tavern's lunch tasting is $58. Dinner is a 3-course menu for $92, or a tasting for $120. Still great food after all these years. Then there are set menu places like Contra, which has been very well received. It's around $60 for their 5-course menu. Or another favorite, because Dave Santos is just a fine chef/cook, is Louro. On Monday nights (if you're here on a Monday), they often do a Nossa Mesa supper club. For example, May 19th is pig & uni, and it's $75 a person. It's also bring your own wine and beer, which makes it an outstanding value. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the first 3; As a matter of fact, you'll have to wear a jacket at Le Bernardin. GT is not quite as fancy; Danny Meyer casual fancy.