rjs1
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Posts posted by rjs1
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On the subject of eggs tried, I've had Penguins. Which are huge with a translucent white & bright orange yolk, even for 3 easily. though not in the same league as an Ostrich egg!
fergal
Unhappy feet....
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im looking to buy some semi commercial equipment in the uk for my new kitchen. the equipment doesnt need to be installed as it will be exported to the middle east, but i preferably need one source for the following:
1. 6 burner cooktop
2. 2 ovens, one combi steamer and one convection.
3. water bath and vacuum sealer for sous vide preparations.
4. high power salamander
does anyone know who i should contact in the uk who can supply all these and be able to arrange shipping documents? my shippers will actually handle export formalities
Parsley in Time, perhaps?
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Having seen Marco's programme last night I'm interested in buying and cooking some gulls eggs.
does anyone know where I can buy them in London or are they already out of season?
thanks
Fergal
A couple of years ago there used to be a fishmonger in Leadenhall Market, Linwoods or something like that I think they were called, that had them in season. However, with the sad conversion of what used to be a market of butchers and fishmongers into an anodyne shopping mall, courtesy of the Corporation of London, they've probably gone out of business. Any member work in EC3 and can update us?
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Okay, here's something of an embarassing question but one I have to ask: If I call ahead to make a reservation at some of the places mentioned on this thread, can I expect the person on the other end to understand english? I don't speak Italian; if forced, I could probably torture them with my awful Spanish...
Now that I think of it, do you think it's necessary for me to call ahead for reservations? If so, how far ahead?
As far as the Carmignano restaurants mentioned go
Da Delfina:
I think you would certainly need to book at any time. Likely to have someone who can speak some English.
Cantina di Toia:
No need to book except at a weekend. No one likley to speak English.
La Bussola / Da Gino
Probably need to book, especially to make sure that you are in the main room. Someone there likely to understand English.
In any case, a good idea to at least check that they are open before setting off - many of the better places in rural Tuscany close for several weeks in the summer (usually in August).
Bo dndnapo
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You will be quite close to ristorante Solociccia in Panzano, which is owned by Tuscany's most famously inspired/mad Butcher.
On the otherside of Florence is the lovely Da Delphina in Artimino (the local wine of this region, Carmignano, is excellent).
Is the butcher the one featured in Bill Buford's book "Heat" ? Well worth reading before you go to Tuscany.
De Delfina is a bit of trek from where you are. We spend a lot of time in Carmignano, but I haven't managed to eat at Da Delfina since I was a child. However, it is in a very beautiful village, it looks great from the outside and its local reputation is high.
Our favourite two places in the Carmignano region are:
(1) Cantina di Toia in Baccheretto
Food isn't great, to be honest, but the space is incredible; the restaurant is in what was the kitchen of Leonardo da Vinci's granny's house; vast, completely smoke-blackened ceilings, a real sense of history to the place. The people are nice, its good value and there's a pleasant terrace to eat outside on. Best bet is simple things - I've had excellent spatchcocked chargrilled pigeon there, for example.
Don't know the phone number, I'm afraid, but probably on google.
(2) Albergo la Bussola /Ristorante da Gino in Catena
This is on the main road from Firenze to Pistoia - about 23 km out of Firenze. As long as you like meat (they don't do fish, and vegetables are an afterthought), it's heaven. Great bistecca fiorentina, every kind of game imaginable - the owner is a fanatical huntsman - and a wonderful wine list. I once found a 1985 Villa di Capezzana Riserva on it for LESS than the Villa were selling it for at the cellar door the same day, and when I foolishly mentioned this to the owner he replied : "So? I bought it a long time ago..."
Two starter options, Antipasti Toscana (good authentic traditional selection) and Antipasti della Casa (a bit fancy, but interesting).
Pasta is good, but can be heavy on the butter and cream.
Puddings are mainly bought-in tarts and cakes, but I think the ice cream is home made.
One of the best meals I ever had was there, for six people, five courses, four bottles of wine, total bill about £100. however, that was 15 years ago and the prices have gone up a great deal since then.
If booking, make sure you ask for the main room, or eat outside; the overflow rooms aren't so nice.
Tel : 0573 743 128.
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Have just tried to find out if I could get a table for Angela Hartnett's new place Murano which I understood was due to open the back end of this month. Girl on the other end informed that it now won't be ready until the back end of August... Could well be a bit of a public spat between Ramsay/Hartnett and the newly escaped Waring around that time me thinks...
I think its now the York & Albany - or is that a separate place?
Yes.
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We always eat late so this has never been an issue. Quite simply, I would never accept a reservation that had an exit time stipulated. I can understand the practice if the restaurant is offering an early evening menu at a reduced price.
Or if they're fitting you in last minute to a restaurant that's fully booked later on?
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Thanks for all the good recommendations!
Final planning has now placed the dinner on a Sunday however, where most of the proposed restaurants are closed...
I’d be grateful to hear if any of you would have proposals for suitable restaurants, open on a Sunday.
Thanks again!
Maze is open Sunday dinnertime, I think.
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How about St John's? Their group menus look incredible and start at £30 per head...
And they've got a nice private room.
I think you'd struggle to get a meal in the private room at Pied a Terre for £50 to £60 a head for food.
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having gone to maze last summer and between myself and the other chef i was with tried 3/4 of the then tasting menu, i thought the cooking was supurb and the wait staff just as good knowledgeable and helpful but they also seemed to be enjoying themselves which is nice to see in a restaurant of this calibre,
this was one of the best meals i have ever eaten and as im going back there next monday wondered if anyone has been recently and if the is and dishes that stood out so i make sure i dont mish them
Went for lunch a few weeks ago, for the first time in over a year, and thought it was really excellent, although drank far too much to remember details. Bill was over £100 a head, even with quite a lot of comp-ed wine, so it's a once a year treat.
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I still like the XL double bacon cheese burger from burger king... the whoper is not too bad either.
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Any recommendations for nonperishable foodstuffs he should be on the look-out for to bring home? Anything particularly yummy that is hard to find in the U.S.?
Cheeses from Neals Yard; they pack them in solid cardboard boxes insulated with straw, which makes them perfectly safe in the hold. Don't know how the US food police would react, though.
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I've been told by my butcher that I can't get beefs cheeks in the UK due to the regulations post BSE.
I would love it if someone could tell me that's not true.
Definitely not true - in fact, you will find it on many restaurant menus.
Had them last week at Maze in a dish featuring beef cheek and tongue - very good it was too.
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Matthew Norman is the one who writes amusingly, Matthew Fort is the one who writes about a subject he actually knows something about. Hope that helps.
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Quilon in Bckingham Gate SW1 has a Keralan chef (Sriram Vishwanathan Aylur) so it is really Indian.
It got its Michelin star recently which is not always a good indication of an Indian restaurants quality/authenticity. However, there have been quite a few recent reviews that are very positive.
I also believe they do a good value set lunch.
Wonderful value set lunch, according to Matthew Norman's recent review in the Guardian.
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Having a few problems ttrying to think of somewhere suitable for a celebratory Saturday lunch at the beginning of May. The future wife and I will be hosting my parents and the in-laws to say thank you for all their help and most importantly money for my upcoming wedding.
We're staying on Park Lane for the weekend and so thinking of somewhere in central London which has good solid food and service but most importantly has a good jovial atmosphere and buzz about it - i.e. probably not Michelin*. I've already had The Wolseley booked for sometime although am getting a bit of cold feet on that now as seeing and hearing quite a few mixed reviews coming back.
I have thought Windows or Foliage would be possible fine dining options but as I say atmospher could well be a bit lacking. So any ideas welcome with a lunch budget of £400 for the 6 of us.
Foliage has a great atmosphere for a lunch in early summer because the view of Hyde Park is so lovely. Also while £400 wouldn't get you dinner for six with wine there, it'd stretch to some fairly good drinking for six at lunchtime.
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Whilst I find AA Gill's reviews can be amusing, I would always prefer to read Marina's or Jay's or someone like Giles Coren as there tends to be much more useful content about the restaurants and food and less witty banter about themselves and their current state of mind.
His review today is 90% crap, literally, and has put me off food for the rest of the day.
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Maybe with a torchon of engorged egulleteer liver on the side.
There was nothing cruel about the way our livers got in this state.
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I just didn't feel service was that gracious, something I had also experienced at lunch earlier that day.
piers
You didn't like it much yet you went twice in one day?
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Right now, I'd have to say that Red Pepper in Maida Vale is the best pizza in London (that I've yet tried!)
They've just put a sign in the window saying that due to popular demand they are now opening Thursday and Friday lunchtime. The power of e-gullet?
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The FT launched its 2008 ‘Lunch with the FT’ http://www.hardens.com/ft/lunch-with-the-ft.php?location=All in Saturday’s edition.
Unlike in previous years, participating restaurants don’t have to offer a menu to a price point. The only constraint is an upper limit of £20.08 (why the odd 8p?) for a minimum two courses.
I assume this means that restaurants will be using their standard lunch menu, in which case there is no benefit to booking the FT offer at a number of restaurants that are charging their normal prices.
I plan to sample lunch at one or two London restaurants courtesy of the FT deal. My shortlist includes outlets where the offer appears to give added value compared to the standard Prix Fixe:
La Trompette
The Ledbury
Chez Bruce
The Glasshouse
Arbutus
Any opinions on which of these I should go for?
NB No tokens to collect; you simply have to mention the FT when booking and take a copy of that day’s FT to the restaurant.
Two of us had the FT lunch at Arbutus today (Monday). No problem booking four days ago, but the restaurant was packed.
I thought that it was good value. Three courses, three choices a course, plus a third of a bottle of wine a head (choice of Merlot or Sauvignon Blanc), all for £20.08 excluding service. If I remember correctly, the normal set lunch is two choices a course and costs £15.50 (?).
We both chose a salad of pink fir potatoes and ox tongue - good earthy tastes, although the presence of raw onion was going to be a bit hard on my guest's colleagues when he returned to his shared office. The Merlot was a good match for this course.
We both chose pollack with chorizio as a main course - nice piece of fish, although at these prices I suppose the portion control had to be a bit fierce.
I had baked rice pudding to finish, served in a miniture iron casserole - perfect nursery food, although I'd have loved a spoonful of jam to stir into it (perhaps I should have asked).
With an extra glass (125ml, I think) of wine (a Picpoul de Pinet at £3.95), two coffees and service charge, the bill was just over £55.
Service was charming and professional, an improvement over my only previous visit.
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Ok, so I've heard some suggestions here in the upmarket category:
Foliage, River Café, Magdalen, Wild Honey, Hereford Road, St John
Am I missing something?
If you want to taste what's happening new Nordic cuisine-wise in London, try Texture, which has an Icelandic chef, for lunch, when all dishes (admittedly in pared-down portions) are £8.50.
Rather than the River Cafe, Theo Randall's set lunch is equivalant quality, a fraction of the price and off Park Lane rather than off Hammersmith Broadway.
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oh to spend valentines with Ronnie Wood
Drinking water?
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No.
I don't think anyone's going to get this actually. It was a place called Gabriel's in Golden Square, themed on Heaven and Hell. The chef, whose name escapes me, was ex Koffman, MPW, Richard Neat. The food was quite good, but it was a financial disaster and lasted less than six months I think.
It was a great place - the fig tarte was particularly good, if I remember.
London coffee places
in United Kingdom & Ireland: Dining
Posted
If you're taking away beans or ground coffee, the "Brunette" blend at the Algerian Coffee House always used to be excellent when I lived in the West End.
Anyway, the coffee at Bar Italia, which used to be state-of-the art, has been pants for years. They gave up giving a stuff a long time ago.
Monmouth at Monmouth St WC2 or Borough Market does it for me every time, but the seating at Monmouth St is torment, probably deliberately so as to prevent people lingering (to be fair there are only about twelve seats), so it's fine if you want a quick caffine fix but not if you want to stretch out the experience.