halland

I too have noticed a decline in Burrito Loco, just not the same anymore at all. Especially the mole. Hal

The best thing I had was at a burger shack on the north end of Long Beach. Their claim to fame is a giant burger (about 12" in diameter). I just had the regular burger and a shake. It was everything a burger from a burger shack should be. Sorry I can't remember the name. Hal

I'm embarassed by the fact that I don't know more about wine, I used to know a bit and actually led some tastings at a wine store I once worked at. I just let the knowledge slip and now just go by what the little editorial cards at the local grocery say. As a result I probably missed a few opportunities in the wine-list department, but at the same time I probably saved myself a few euros from lack of temptation. I wouldn't call Tartine a wine bar (unless we're thinking of different places) as much as I would call it a semi-automat. Yes someone came to the table and took an order, and someone put the food on a plate, but it doesn't take much to run a microwave. Hal

Au C'Amelot was very nice. We at there and at Le Clos des Gourmets on back to back nights, and they are very different indeed. Au C'Amelot has the feel of a rustic farmhouse. There are about 10 tables all told arranged in a long narrow room with windows at the front out onto the street and a bar along one side. The center section of the room has small 2-tops along one wall next to a large mirror. Along the other wall are more tables and shelves with assorted country crockery, etc. In the back were two additional tables separated from each other and from the rest of the room. Both of these appear to be geared to larger parties (6+). Service is very casual, but in the French style, still very proper with the appropriate silverware and plate changes between each course. The only menu they have is a chalkboard which is brought to your table for you to peruse. As I mentioned before the only choice is dessert. There might also be a wine list but since we ordered the house special, I didn't ask to see the wine list. Dress is pretty much whatever you want to wear. I had on jeans and a sweater and didn't feel out of place at all. That was the case for everywhere we ate while there, but we didn't go to any starred restaurants and Le Clos was by far the fanciest place we dined at. Hal

Well my wife and I just returned from 6 days in Paris and 2 in Beaune. We went armed with Patricia Wells Food Lovers Guide to Paris, copious notes from friends who lived in Paris, a few egullet posts, and a Marling Menu Master. In almost every case we just ordered the house recommended wine or else asked for help in the 30 euro range. For now I'll just provide the basics and let further discussion flush out the details. In Paris: Las du Fallafel: On rue du Rosiers in the Marais. We had the lamb schwarma and the fallafel and both were delicious. I'm sure most of the menu is equally good. I wanted to go back for more, but being in Paris, there is so much else to eat. Definately worth a trip, this place was recommended by 4 different friends. Aux Negociants: This is mentioned in Wells and was also recommended by friends. Some of the most honest delicous food we had. They have a chalkboard that lists a selection of cold charcuterie and 1 or 2 hot specials. I had the tripe maison and my wife the rillettes maison (a cold paste made with cooked meat and fat that is pounded in a mortar) along with a few glasses of good wine and a very decent chocolate mousse. We generally tended to eat earlier than most in Paris, which gave us the opportunity to sit and ponder (decrypt) the menu without interruption, but didn't allow us to look at other people's plates and point. Had we eaten later we both would have ordered the Choucroute, which included a large shank/hock of pork that looked just awesome. Definately a "locals" hangout. 27 rue Lambert (18th). Phone 46.06.15.11. Au C'Amelot: Delicous, delicious, delicious! This place offers a 4 course prix fixe (35 euros) where you only choose the dessert. I apologize for not taking better notes on this one we were just too overwhelmed, just go. 1. Potato veloute with croutons and some kind of garlicky paste. My wife is still talking about this, probably the best soup either of us has ever eaten. 2. Round of eggplant caviar topped with a piece of fried fish and then topped with a small greens salad. 3. Lamb tenderloin with polenta 4. Me: biscuit de chocolate -- warm chocolate cake filled with molten nutella and side of vanilla ice cream Wife: Warm pear clafoutis with raspberry sorbet. 50 rue Amelot (11th), 43.55.54.04 Restaurant Vagenend: We can't figure out why we went here except that we were approaching the meltdown stage of hunger. The food was edible but otherwise unremarkable and we were seated in a corner against the wall (over by where the staff ate) while the rest of the place was empty. The only thing I can say is that the Art Nouveau interior is spectacular. Stick your head in to look around and then leave. Le Clos des Gourmets: This has been discussed in depth here and it was as good as everyone states. La Tartine (in the Marais). We were lured in by the way it looked from the street. Wound up being bad. There doesn't appear to be a kitchen just two toaster oven broilers and a microwave. Upon closer inspection their "old bistro" look was exactly that -- contrived. Other places to mention in Paris are as follows: Calixte -- small bakery on Isle St. Louis, mentioned in Wells. Really the best croissant and pain au chocolate we ever had. La Duree -- Macarons are phenomenal. Jewish bakeries in the Marais -- if you like poppyseed fillings than you should live here. Just awesome pastries. After a pastry I also ate a phenomenal challah (yes, the whole loaf) just for good measure. I ate at a small hole in the wall near my hotel that appears to be run by a Breton. Had delicious Curry Moules (6 euros) and a demi pichet of cider (4 euros). This was on Rue St Antoine (at Rue de Turenne?). Good honest food, nothing fancy but sometimes that's what you want. I was the only non-Parisian, which was nice. Le Grand Epicerie de Paris (part of the Bon) -- this is the best gourmet grocery store I've ever been to. I could have dropped a grand easily. Got lots of gifts and a bottle of a very nice prune brandy that is a little more flavorful than Slivovitz. If I lived in Paris, I would just have my paycheck direct deposited there. Restaurants in Beaune: I should start by mentioning that Jardin du Ramparts was closed or we would have eaten there. Ma Cuisine -- This was mentioned in a very thorough post by David Russell here among other places. Less than overwhelming. We went with the prix fixe menu (as we always did). Starters: Lobster bisque and something I can't remember Entree: Chicken and a pasta side, salmon in a cream sauce with ravioli Dessert: a custardy orange tart and epoisses. I should mention that the amount of epoisses I received was obscene, I bet it was 5 or 6 ounces, and I ate every bit. Not having ever eaten epoisses before, that in itself made an otherwise unremarkable meal worthwhile. Les TonTons: This was one of the best meals we ate in France, period. Why we were the only ones in the restaurant all night I just don't understand because other places did have some diners. Starters: Veloute de Carottes au Cumin et Huile d'Olives (carrot veloute with cumin and olive oil) Terrine de Roquefort a la Figue Sechee with Salade de Maraicher -- this was so so good, fresh figs and roquefort is a great combination. Plat: Saucisson Chaud w/ Pommes a la Creme Filet de Rascasse Grille w/ Endives Gratinees a la Tomate (again this was outstanding with the bitter endives being balanced by the sweet tomato sauce) Dessert: Assiette de Fromages and a pear tart with pistachio ice cream We also had a very good lunch at a small salon de tea that serves one hot plat du jour, in this case homemade noodles with chicken in a cream sauce. Thats all for now. Hal

I'll 3rd or 4th Tims. On my wife's birthday I'd arranged for a tour of the Tims factory, which is in Auburn. I think we were as surprised that Tim himself was giving us the tour as Tim was that he was giving a tour to three thirtysomethings! Tim's wife joined us for part of the tour too. The highlight was watching all the chips run down a conveyor into all the different seasoning stations and just grabbing chips off the line to snack on (I probably shouldn't be mentioning this). At the end of the tour Tim gave my wife a box with a Mountain size bag of every product the make (chips, kettle corn, cheese curls) and a Tim's watch with a potato chip second hand. Hal

Tighe is referring to Don and Joe's Meat. I also like Better Meat Company. They are on NW 83rd St or NW 84th St just west of 3rd Ave (Ballard/Greenwood area). My wife doesn't think that their meat is the best meat, but they really are so damn nice its hard not to shop there. I think you would be hard pressed to find as knowledgeable a family of butchers, especially regarding Asian and Eurpoean cuts. In the rare cases where I bring up a cut they havent heard of, they have been genuinely interested in learning about it. Hal

I will try to make it to Le Clos des Gourmets next week when I'm in Paris. Thanks! (not trying to rub it in) Hal

Not sure about Portland, but check out http://www.retinning.com/ Hal

Aquavit is quite easy to make and can be an interesting endeavor. Aquavit is basically vodka infused with herbs, usually dill, caraway, anise or some combination. I used to keep a bottle in the freezer at all times but have fallen out of the habit. The standard green bottle Aalborg has a much more distinct caraway flavor. My friends much prefer the Norwegian Ligne aquavit, which also nice. Please post a followup on the Jubilaeums if you get it. Hal

In addition to the brain sandwich I just ate, I used to eat brains and eggs at Stockmans Bar in Missoula, MT when I went to school there. Good hangover food, but it might have been the red beers that helped the hangover. Hal

I'm almost positive what you had is made under the Alborg in Denmark by Danish Distillers. Their web page is www.distillers.dk. Jubilaeums is one of 16 varieties of aquavit that they produce. You can (see it and) order it online here:http://www.bevmax.com/sku1797.html. What in particular was it about the Jubilaeums that you liked? Aquavits have very different flavors depending on the herbs used. One year I was able to have someone bring me a bottle of the Aalborg Julie, their special Christmas blend that is a limited production release. It was delicious, but as we drank it all I can't remember that much about it! Hal

There was a brief thread on this and other St. Louis food specialties back before Thanksgiving. I went and ate and survived. I've got photos and everything that I've been meaning to post for a while now. I can't say it was the best sandwich I ever ate, mostly just tasted like fried breading, but I'm glad I ate it. I figure I've got a good 4-5 years before my brain gets addled. Hal

Unfortunately our state-run-only liquor stores leave a good bit to be desired. Each store has a slightly different inventory but if its not listed on the website I don't think its available. Anyone know of a decent mail-order liquor store? There's an Icelandic lichen liquor that I'd like to get another bottle of. hal

I went back again on Friday (1/9) and had a meal there while slightly less inebriated. Still good. The tamales, especially the pork are delicious. The doug is quite flavorful and the filling is mole based. The tacos al pastor are fantastic. The albondigas (meatball soup) is good and has a very flavorful broth, but I don't think I'd order it again. They forgot to bring us a few dishes and then over-charged us at the end, but I think those are kinks that will just get worked out. The service is conscientious and very friendly. Their head waiter/server used to be at Thaiku and seems genuinely interested in the success of this restaurant (its not his). hal

Ok the fried egg bahn mi: Warm roll with mayo and ham pate (I ask for this) . 3 eggs freshly fried in a lot of oil. Usually the yolks are still a little runny pickled carrots and radish fish sauce and sriracha (?) hot sauce cilantro I'm sure you can get chilies if you ask $2 It is even better than it sounds and I don't think you can get a more filling lunch for $2. Hal

Its Saigon Deli at 701 5th, just east of the corner of 5th and King. There is another Saigon Deli on S Jackson, but thats not the one of which I speak. [EDIT] I think that Saigon Gourmet is right next to it. Basically they are the same place, Saigon Gourmet is the sit-down half, Saigon Deli the to-go half. Hal

For Bahn Mi go to Saigon Deli (or something like that) just up the block from Uwajimaya on King street (1 door in from the bar on the corner). They have tofu and would certainly leave off the ham pate if you asked. They also have a fried egg bahn mi that is to die for (if you eat eggs). I eat there almost every day. Hal

I'm roasting a 20 pound fresh ham (un-cured, bone-in, skin-on) for New Years this year with a Cuban bitter orange and garlic sauce. This is a recipe from Saveur from a while ago. The recipe states to cut off the skin and then score the fat. Does anyone know how deeply I'm supposed to score the fat? Down to the meat layer? Also, I'm wondering what kind of pan to put this in? How much fat is it going to give off? Tablespoons? Cups? Pints? Hal

Ha! That's what my menu said at the top but I just assumed that it meant that it was the menu. I was working off a bit of fuzz on the brain this morning. Hal

Last night we ended up at a new Mexican restaurant on Ballard Ave. I don't remember the name of the restaurant, but its definately worth the trip. The restaurant serves the food of Oaxaca and serves in in "little plates" Tapas style. We ate 2 plates of the Mole' Negro Oaxaqueno with pork ($7). The mole could have been a little spicier, but it was otherwise delicious and perfect with a rich chocolate and nutty flavor. We also had the tacos fritos (3 for $6) and the molotes (2 for $5). Molotes are potatoes & beef sausage wrapped in a tortilla, fried and served with guacamole, hot sauce, and Oaxaqeuno cheese. I believe this place is owned by the guys who own Thaiku, which is across the street and down the block a little bit. It was late (11:30) and so I didn't get to ask a lot of questions or explore around too much. I think its only been open about a week now. I have the take out menu that I'd be happy to type out here if someone wants, but you really should just get yourself there. Hal Its right next to the Sunset tavern

What is called a cannoli at Gelatiamo is not a cannoli like you might expect. Its a pastry horn filled with pastry cream. I asked Maria, the owner of Gelatiamo, why they didn't have cannoli and she told me that she was sticking to the recipies of her region, Venice. Cannoli, being sicilian, fall outside that sphere. I have heard that Salumi has cannoli on occasion, but I've never tried them. Hal

Well the cannoli experiment was a huge success. I was told these were some of the best cannoli my guests had ever eaten. Shells: I experimented with 2 brands. The better one was the Golden Cannoli brand. Their website is here.. Filling: I did a little googling and found this website, Cannoli-Enterprises. Its a little odd, but they have a good collection of recipes. I started with Marie Doria's Optional Americanized recipe and then just modified to taste. The secret to getting a non-grainy cannoli is to use good ricotta ('rigot' as my mother-in-law says). At my grocery they had a fresh ricotta that came in little plastic baskets set into a slightly larger plastic tub containing the whey. If someone really is interested I can write down the brand of the cheese the next time I'm at the store. 12oz of filling should do 6 shells. 1. Drain cheese for 3-4 hours. 2. Combine cheese with 2T. whipping cream, scant 1/4c. powdered sugar (add gradually to taste -- it may have been 1/8c.) and beat in the mixer on med-low for about 5 minutes. Taste and add sugar if necessary. Add 1-2 T. of grand marnier to taste. 3. Put in refrigerator overnight. 4. The next day stir in 1/2 ounce chopped chocolate and refrigerate for another hour before filling the shells. Hal

I've got a small Moka pot that I picked up in the Ikea scratch and dent section for $0.99. I use Medalia d'Oro coffee which is the cheapest espresso at the grocery. I like it better than Illy or Lavazza because I think its got a more chocolately flavor. I have run it through the dishwasher and now it is a dull grey color rather than shiny aluminum, but it still makes great coffee. Every morning I start my day with a cup of moka poured into a half-mug of warm milk. Its delicious and is by far my favorite morning beverage. I've gone through 3 month phases drinking tea and milk, regular coffee, and mate out of a gourd with a silver straw, but I think I'm hooked on moka. Hal

I got two varieties at dilaurenti. I don't remember what kinds, but I'll post a followup after I've consumed them both. I'm not sure most places use the mascapone, I think they just spend more time beating the ricotta to get the creamy consistency. I had one of Boracchini's cannoli's at the 2002 Seattle Italian festival (a sad affair, especially since I'd just come from NYC and the San Gennaro festival) -- it was terrible and I threw it out after 1 bite. hal