Pan

A warm welcome to you two! I look forward to working with you.

Thanks for linking to that great thread, which I'd forgotten about. But I'm a bit surprised to read that you consider San Francisco "the dominant dining city on the west coast" (which Vancouver may or may not have replaced). San Francisco is not that big a city compared to L.A. Did you mean to include everything within a 50- or 60-mile radius of the city by the bay?

I mentioned it already. ← Ah, so you did, as did Ludja, making me third to mention that combo. But no-one has mentioned pineapple and coconut yet. Have any of you tried Dominican cocopiñas? Yum! (Include lots of butter.)

perhaps so, but i would hope (hold) that any civilized diner would above arguing, and "discuss" issues in an open dialogue... but that raises another observation. i've noticed that some cultures, which seem extremely passionate about food (boy, am i getting myself into trouble with that statement), like the italians, chinese, spanish and perhaps french, would put content of the conversation second to focusing/enjoying the communal experience. i contrast this (mainly) with the american culture, where even the greatest food could be ruined by an off-remark... ← Italians also typically love to argue. That made me very comfortable in Italy, because most Jews also love to argue. The point of discuzione (argument), though, is to have fun, not to make really serious accusations. I think there is a difference between good-humored argument and verbal confrontation. balex, what is "sconceing"?

A baker am I not, but here are some really good gelato combinations: Chocolate and hazelnut Strawberry and lemon And I see nobody has mentioned "the lime and the coconut" yet. That's not only a good song but also a very good combination. Better yet if you use a more fragrant tropical lime like kaffir lime or Malaysian limau nipis. Bananas and plantains go terrifically with rum (flambeed!) and dulce de leche.

Let's hear it for critics who can make fun of themselves as well as you!

What's chicken 65?

Good God! That looks like a fine Japanese print!

I ordered Kung Pao Baby Shrimp and Chicken from my local branch of Grand Sichuan tonight. They don't use bell peppers in the dish. Is it common to get bell peppers in Kung Pao dishes, or is that mainly a personal preference of yours?

Jamie, great short story about you and your brother, Pete. Passages reminded me of Huckleberry Finn and Moby Dick. Because of the way you wrote it, I care about the characters and now I want to know what's become of Pete, if you'd feel OK about telling us.

Even at a super- or hyper- marche one says "Bonjour" and "Au voir." Indeed, I find myself saying hello or good day now in US markets and people respond surprisingly enthusiastically to have been paid attention to. ← Here in New York, I say "Hi" or "How's it going?" to people I know at shops where I'm a regular, but I also do have a habit of saying "How's it going?" to cashiers I don't know, as long as they aren't absolutely slammed (and I usually stay away from supermarkets and so forth at such peak hours). Sometimes, I find that cashiers don't expect to be talked to and ask what I said. In some shops where I shop really frequently, I may have longer conversations with the countermen, time allowing. They may ask me how my music is going, how my brother is, etc., depending on how much they know about me and whether they know other family members. So let it not be said that New York is a totally anonymous city, though things here are a far cry from the "Hi! How are you!" while waiting on line in grocery stores and the like in places like the Carolinas. I guess these things are changing. In the early 90s, middle-aged ladies were saying these things in Paris boulangeries, charcuteries, etc. I didn't much note whether there was a difference during a much briefer (2-week total) trip in 2002 (the total lengths of time I spent in France were something like 6 or 7 weeks in 1992 and 4 weeks in 1993, I think). I love the story you retold.

Yup. I've defintely heard them referred to that way at a couple of restaurants. ← Any insights as to the origin of that expression?

Right, but actually, you greet not only the staff but whoever is in the store, so the greeting is usually "Bonjour, Messieurs-Dames," and one usually says "Au revoir, Messieurs-Dames" upon exiting. That's a really important fact many foreigners who haven't yet been to France don't know. I learned the expression prior to arriving in France, but doubted that this would really be a general case or still in general use until I heard French people saying exactly that in boulangeries, et al. I thereupon adopted the custom and made it a consistent habit while in France.

Great dish! But more or less as others are saying on this thread, I've never had it in an "upscale" place.

A crappy wine list obviously isn't good, but what about no wine list? I've eaten at plenty of good Chinese restaurants with no wine list at all, and I figure you have, too. So is your basic philosophy that a restaurant should either present a good wine list or none at all? ← No, my philosophy is that restaurants should sell beverages that complement their food. Thankfully, in the (considerable) universe of Vancouver's Chinese dining scene, there has been a considered evolution in wine pairing. Some restaurants have hired consultants to match dishes; others have put together more proforma agents' lists. But your point is well made; some Chinese restaurants have lethargic lists and occasionally, as you say, none at all. ← No, my point is different. My point is that there are excellent Chinese restaurants with no wine list. I rarely drink anything but tea at Chinese restaurants worldwide and would hate to think that any Chinese restaurant serving wonderful food would get marked down simply because they don't serve wine. I rather doubt that there was a wine list at the great Chinese restaurants I ate at in Malaysia, for example. Beer they had, sure. Wine, I doubt it. Maybe at Xin. But would you drink wine with a dim sum lunch?

I met the new owners today. The woman who's in partnership with her brother-in-law told me her name, but I forgot it.

I can't imagine that Messrs. Batali and Bastianich are happy about that last sentence.[...] ← Probably not, but it's a whole lot better than if the review said that "It's an extremely appealing setting for somewhat unappealing food"!

A propos the French or English from waiters question, I spent 4 weeks in Nice in the summer of 1992 and 2 weeks there in the summer of 1993, and to the best of my memory NOT ONCE did ANY waiter (or boulangere or glacier, etc.) speak with me in any language other than French. Either things have changed, or other variables are coming into play.

I will add my voice to those thanking you for giving us so much insight into your criteria for restaurant reviews. I wish we could get a checklist of this type from some other critics (no names included or necessary here), but I strongly suspect that unlike you, some of them really don't know how or why they come up with their ratings. A crappy wine list obviously isn't good, but what about no wine list? I've eaten at plenty of good Chinese restaurants with no wine list at all, and I figure you have, too. So is your basic philosophy that a restaurant should either present a good wine list or none at all?

Strut to the beet. Great line! Please explain; are commercials in trouble or effective?

I had an early dinner at Angon tonight, which comprised the Halim and the fishball dish. Both were delicious. I think they've decreased the size of their portions, at least of the halim, but there was still a bit more food than I needed, and a satisfying, filling dinner for $23 and change (including a pot of masala chai) before tip is certainly a fair value.

Is that mainly in Paris and otherwise mainly in 2/3-star restaurants? I haven't found this to be true, myself. I've had lots of experience speaking French and being replied to in French at restaurants in the 0/1-star range.

When I see "civet," I think "civet cat," those smelly spotted nocturnal scavenger/hunters that are best known for pooping high-end coffee. But what is a civet sauce?

I would have thought that cutting a round cheese like a pie was standard everywhere.

Are you positive about that? In every case? Aren't there examples of smokers who live healthy lives and die in their 90s?