jogoode

Pampano I ate at Pampano Taqueria a while ago. It was good, not great.

I order it at work . I get quite a few stares.

I am not sure if it ruins the dish, i think that the bones definately add to the overall flavoring.. I actually was impressed how they leave the bones on in dishes like the spring water chicken, and the second sisters rabbit. It is really keeping with the restaurants authenticity. I often go to china on business and there everything is on the bone .The chinese have a way of deboning everything in there mouths and quickly disposing of the refuse and if you master this or the more you get use to eating like this, the bones are no big deal.. One thing that i do have trouble with in China is deshelling a shrimp in my mouth,, The have this way of rolling the shrimp in their mouths and spitting out an intact shrimp shell. I was very thankfull for them taking the shells off my shrimp dish. It's interesting to hear you say that most meat in China is served on the bone, Daniel. I was hoping it was a mark of authenticity. I understand their potential contribution to the meat's flavor. To me boning the meat in my mouth is a hassle -- but maybe if I hone my skills I won't mind it so much. Still, if the bones were bigger or whole, they'd be manageable. Are the bones in spring water chicken and second sisters rabbit bigger or at least more predictably distributed?

The unpredictability of the bones is what kills the dish. You have a bite of the rabbit meat, peanuts and scallions, and it's great. The next bite you think you're crunching into a peanut but when you bite down harder, you almost crack a tooth.

Bites on my leftovers suggest that there is slices of fish flesh among the "something else."

Can't wait for the day I walk in there with you two! It's hard to get anything very spicy when it's being delivered. I think they need to see in your eyes that you want it as spicy as they're willing to make it. Yea, well... let me know when you're usually free. We're there at least 3 times a month, if not more frequently. Um, that would be you, Sam. I'm there more like 2-3 times a week. And you guys still have working stomachs?! I've been eating the moderately spicy stuff at work about 4 times a week for the last month and I think my stomach now has a hole in it.

I guess it is the "modern Asian" aspect that disappoints me -- I thought I'd be eating simple street food, not tapioca balls. Nevertheless, from your description it seems like it's worth a try! Do you remember any of the other menu offerings?

Can't wait for the day I walk in there with you two! It's hard to get anything very spicy when it's being delivered. I think they need to see in your eyes that you want it as spicy as they're willing to make it.

Daniel, I tried the soup today for lunch. Very good, very soothing. I wish there was a little more cabbage, though. And the fish?! It's definitely not plain old sliced fish flesh. My guess is that it's fish maw, but I could be wrong. Any other ideas? I also tried the "Diced Rabbit with Hot and Peppery Sauce," from the cold dishes. Almost every bite had me spitting little shards of bone onto my plate. Otherwise, it was excellent. The rabbit tasted pleasantly gamy and came with crunchy peanuts and scallions. If anyone tries it, make sure to tell GS you want it very spicy, because I think they held back on the spice in my order. Too bad.

I was hoping Spice Market wouldn't be a fusion place! I thought their goal was the bring Southeast Asian street food to NY. But I'm not that familar with those street foods, so, Pan, what makes you think this is fusion -- something in Lauren's description?

Thanks for your comments, docsconz. It was definitely a German riesling, possibly from Joseph Leitz, though I could be mangling that name. I think if it were drier I would have enjoyed it a lot more, but again I don't know what a dry riesling tastes like.

That's too bad! I hope she understood...

Best rendition of the dish I've tried. Did you have any sesame buns with the pork? I have to try those jiaozi. How do you pronounce it, so I can order it with minimal confusion and embarassment? jeeo-ZEE... JEEOW-tzi...?

To resurrect an old thread... I enjoyed my boeuf en gelee so much that I decided to try db's two-course pre fixe. For around thirty bucks, you get an appetizer or dessert, chosen from a very limited selection, and a main dish. I tried the country duck pate, arranged beautifully on the plate with little dots and stripes of house-pickled vegetables: a tiny chanterelle and piece of shitake, sweet ramps, very delicate pickled ginger cut into three petals, two cubes of pickled onion(?), and a jagged line of highly horseradishy mustard. It was excellent. The pate was rich tasting, coarse, and had bits of peppercorn. With that and the pickled vegetables, every bite was different. Piled in the lower right-hand corner of the plate were little granules of something, more pepper maybe. For my main I chose Roasted Atlantic Cod with Brandade Crust, Cockles and Chive Beurre Blanc. They gave me an enormous piece of fish, surrounded with cockles, carrots, and leeks. The buerre blanc was excellent and picked up a briny flavor from the cockles (there may have been some juice from the cockles in the sauce). The brandade topped the fish and breadcrumbs on the very top were crunchy from the oven. I had a very fruity glass of Riesling -- my first time trying a Riesling -- and it may not have been the best choice. But its sweetness was welcome as my dishes very rich. I thought the lunch was a great value. The service was great, the portions generous, and the food very simple and enjoyable.

Awesome analysis, Sam. Do you know how hot their oven gets? It might be interesting to compare oven temperatures of Grimaldi's and DiFara's, because they each exemplify two very different crusts and oven temperature, based on your explanation, is most likely the cause.

Even if no restaurant features a like option on their Web site or menu, I wonder if you could convince the kitchen to extend a tasting menu. Or are these kinds of multi-course tastings too labor intensive for a kitchen to put together on the spot?

Yikes. Sorry, Tommy. How long does a meal like that last?

I was browsing Aquavit's Web Site and noticed that they serve a tasting menu that they call a Bite Menu. Tommy said he tried it and was served 14 courses! He also said it was far too much food. Do any other restaurants in NY have similar menus? WD-50 is one. Any others?

If only. I enjoy and admire his writing, but I've heard him give two talks which were so rambling and seemingly ill-prepared as virtually to cause a behind-the-scenes revolution within the organizations that had invited him. It's a shame; something seems to happen to his brain when he stands behind a podium. I liked hearing him speak, but it was more enjoyable as a demonstration of his personality than as a well-conceived lecture. His (very) frequent digressions were interspersed with mumbled jokes and were very entertaining. He does write like he speaks. I think he gets nervous in front of an audience, at least without the pen and page to protect him and give him a chance to collect his thoughts. Also, to the lectures he gives in NY come people who haven't read his books and ask questions that necessitate his reciting chapters from his books. I also saw him on a panel with Ruth Riechl and Donna Hay. He was contentious, almost insulting at times, which in my opinion saved the talk from the typical discussion: "Ms. Riechl, Ms. Hay, how do you get such pretty pictures in your magazines?" He started some interesting conversation and felt free to challenge the other two, especially Riechl, whom I understand he is very friendly with.

I think he'd get a kick out of hearing that! Aside from his custom-made shirts and that photo of him on his books' jackets, which somehow manages to make him look like he's 6'4'' despite only being a bust shot, he is a very regular looking guy -- short with appropriate girth.

Funny how the article ends by listing the prices of Keller's menus...

Nice! I'll have to think about that...I love the idea of these multi course menus with tiny portions...

I just noticed that Aquavit has a "bite menu" (a multi-course tasting). It's $110. Anyone been recently? To the cafe? The Cafe isn't too expensive...

Very interesting information, Rich! I've always wondered whether restaurants actively pursued customers when there was a no show.

I haven't been this excited about a new restaurant in a while! Too bad I couldn't get there before it was written up.