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halland

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Posts posted by halland

  1. Just curious if anyone has any updates on how things have shaken out in Oaxaca? I'll be down there in 2 weeks, and will of course report back, but if anyone else has been there recently, I'd like to hear your thoughts.

    Hal

  2. I went to Zagi's yesterday. Its not bad, not bad at all. When you walk in there are 4-6 21" pizzas on display and they look good. Slices are very large NYC style slices for $3 - $4 a pop. I had a slice of cheese and then a slice of pepperoni that was just coming out of the oven.

    The cheese slice was reheated in the oven and I felt like by the time it was done, the crust was just a bit too crisp -- I couldn't fold it in half to jam it in my mouth. Regardless the crust had a good developed flavor (maybe a little bit more rising time would help make it a great crust). The sauce was not overly anything, which is good, just a nice straight tomato sauce. Lots of cheese. The balance is very good and is a definate break from the thick crust, excessive sauce and topping pies that pervade Seattle. The fresher pepperoni slice was not quite as done, and was much better, there was some give in the crust but it still had a crisp character.

    I talked for a while with the owner Ryon, who is a nice guy and very excited about pizza. He uses imported tomatoes for the sauce, makes the cheese fresh, and lets the crusts rise in the cooler for a prolonged rising time.

    Their menu also lists salads, soups, subs (on fresh baked bread), pasta, etc.

  3. La Recoleta - posh area, but good, has THE BEST steak I've had (and I've seen my fair share of New York City steakhouses.  The place was an Orient Express restaurant called La Cabana  (not related to La Cabana Las Litas in Puerta Modero - which is very good).  Insane – I recommend the porterhouse.  They have a website: http://www.lacabanabuenosaires.com.ar/web/...ab_a2a_home.jsp.  The waitstaff was on the young side, but the sommelier and manager were very professional and seasoned.

    Been to some others in Recoleta, but nothing to write home about (or to eG for that matter). 

    Just out of curiousity, how much is dinner at La Cabana?

  4. We want to take some friends out to dinner to celebrate my getting a new job and their helping that to happen. Normally it wouldn't be a problem to find a place to go, but one of the guests does not eat meat, just fish (yes I know, lets not discuss THAT here).

    Any recommendations? If we weren't dietarily restricted we'd be going to Lark or Harvest Vine, so that should give you some ideas about budget and kinds of food we like.

    Hal

  5. I too just went to Via Tribuani. Its good, not great but good. The thing is, if you follow Peter Reinhart's instruction in American Pie you can make pizza that is just as good. Maybe not quite as much char, but still, equally good.

    We had 4 pies: the margherita, a marinara with anchovies, the Tribunali, and a pepperoni. Many of the meats come from Salumi.

    I think in time, Tribuani will get better, our service was not great, and their cannoli are terrible. Even more than a good pizza thread, Seattle needs a good cannoli thread. Its no wonder there aren't more cannoli -- us NWers only have access to soggy mealy cannoli, who would buy that?

  6. In referring to Le Marais I only meant to inquire which Barrios in BA are vibrant and have activity going on day and night? Ideally I'd like to stay in a barrio that does not wind up cleared out on the weekends or in a residential area that does not have a broad variety of shops and stores, cafes, bakeries, and bars to explore in easy walking distance.

    Hal

  7. I think the water soak is a good thing. There is a lot of bitterness that gets washed out of the olives by changing the water, it also reduces the chances for spoilage. After 10 days or so, taste an olive and see if its still too bitter; it will get milder in the brine/vinegar solution so take that into consideration.

    Hal

  8. I just bought a bottle of white truffle oil, and while it wasn't terribly expensive I don't want to waste any of it.

    Does it loose its potentcy over time? How long do I have to use it up?

    Edited addition: I got this oil at Far West Fungi in the San Fran Ferry Plaza building. It tasted good so I bought it.

    Hal

  9. Pizza in 6 Courses

    Ok, there are only 4 photos here, but the pizzas were:

    Marinara

    gallery_7765_249_1098122266.jpg

    Margherita

    gallery_7765_249_1098122247.jpg

    Caramelized Onion and Ricotta Salata

    gallery_7765_249_1098122227.jpg

    Pepperoni (no photo)

    Watercress with Pancetta and Ricotta Salata

    gallery_7765_249_1098122199.jpg

    Margherita (no photo)

    Hal

  10. There was recently a NY Times recipe for an apple cake that looked very good. Its from Scott Carlsberg of Lampreia.

    Also I have a good recipe for an apple pudding that gets a warm vanilla sauce poured over it. Very olde Americana.

    I'd be happy to post either recipe.

    Hal

  11. Everything fifi said is perfect, took the works away from me. Smoked salmon is good added to a BLT. Mix with the cream cheese in a food processor to make a good bagel schmear. Eat it with your fingers right off the plate out of the fridge at 2AM.

    Hal

  12. If you really plow through the text on the c-r-n.com website, you see why many of our favorites are not listed.

    Q: What was the procedures by which these restaurants were ranked? 

    A: The mechanism for such ranking includes open nomination of restaurants that meet a set of criteria, and will be then ranked by category. The mechanism for such a ranking includes three rounds of nominations The first round encourages open nomination that is based on mass media reviews of Chinese restaurants on either the national or local level. In the first round list we collected 3,656 Chinese restaurants across the states.

    The second round involved reviewing candidate restaurants against a set of criteria: minimum 3 years in business, owned by Chinese-Americans, a recipient of a minimum two award of local dining excellence. Thus we narrowed down the list to 1,000 restaurant candidates on the second round, semi-final list. Every candidate on the semi-final list is required to fill in a registration form to participate in the final round of rankings.

    The third and final round involves being reviewed and ranked by the appointed judges.

    The list is also open for public ratings on the web, or by local diners of nominated restaurants.

    How many of your favorite chinese restaurants have been in business for more than 3 years?

    Ok then of those, how many have been the recipient of 2 awards of local dining excellence?

    This contest is about CRN selling ad slicks promoting the restaurants they've identified as the top 100.

    UP the page a bit in the Q&A they state:

    Q: What can diners expect when coming to these restaurants to eat versus other restaurants? 

    A: Diners can see the Top 100 Chinese Restaurant logo at the Restaurant window and know that they are in for a culinary treat. This award will be displayed with pride by the owners, who have a commitment to excellence in Chinese cuisine.

    and elsewhere they state

    Such grand event also creates an innovative marketing channel for name brands like yours. We have enclosed 5 levels of sponsorship for your consideration. Please review the attached sponsorship fact sheet. To sign up the most suitable package for you, call the sponsorship hotline 1-888-909-1234 (East Coasts), or 1-888-727-8881 (Central & West Coasts).

    Don't be fooled by this marketing hype. Instead let all the CRN subscribers support each other, while we eGulleters enjoy delicious Chinese at our favorites.

    Hal

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