Pan

Why, it's "pig pork" of course. ← I expected as much but didn't want to assume so.

I'm glad you had a good meal. But what is "pork miale"? A Yahoo search produced no results.

If you're thinking of going to Venice, consider Joe's. I still haven't posted my meal report yet, but it is extraordinary.

We did, but it was a tight squeeze!

Well, the subtitle really says it all: Overall, the meal I had at this establishment last week was my best dim sum meal in the US. The food was all very fresh, with vivid flavors (and I don't mean lots of hot pepper: this is Cantonese food) that immediately grabbed me, cooked perfectly to an ideal texture. World Tong in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York had high peaks, but the consistency at CBS was better: Every item my cousin and I got at CBS was really superior, except for the bok choy with oyster sauce, which probably can't get better than simply good and well-executed -- and welcome that way -- as it's such a simple dish. If I really wanted to, I could nitpick the cuttlefish as a bit salty, but the fact is, I liked it anyway. We ordered the following: The biggest stuffed crab claws (well, really, I'm referring to the shrimp balls they're surrounded by) I've ever seen, roast duck, salt-baked squid, turnip cakes, taro cakes, waterchestnut cakes (the last two items were a mixed order, and we split one cake of each kind between us), the aforementioned bok choy, some kind of dumplings, and some sesame balls filled with red bean paste. Of course, there were leftovers, as our eyes were bigger than our stomachs, and the food was good though not quite as wonderful the next day, too. As we bit into each item, a look of delectation came across our faces. It's really hard to pick out a standout among all these great dishes, but the taro cakes were really fantastic, and the waterchestnut cakes were probably the best I've had. The sesame balls were still warm and perfect: Not too thick, great crunch, not very oily, lots of filling. They were a perfect ending to a meal of excellence. The waitresses all spoke English well, which is not always the case in New York's dim sum eating halls. Though we went there for dim sum, I feel sure the restaurant is excellent for a dinner banquet, too. We noticed some other customers ordering some beautiful large plates, like the gentlemen at the next table who got a steamed whole fish. The restaurant has two large dining rooms and also does a brisk takeout business. They manage to shoehorn a lot of cars in their free parking lot. I'm sorry that a snafu prevented us from meeting rjwong for lunch that day, but my cousin and I are very grateful to him for his recommendation! CBS Seafood Restaurant Open every day 8 A.M.-10 P.M. 700 N. Spring St. Los Angeles, CA 91012 Tel: (213) 617-2323 [Edit: Squid, not cuttlefish.]

We went in without reservations and were promptly seated at the bar (or, rather, a communal counter which is very comfortable). At least some Mission District residents treat it like the neighborhood restaurant it in some measure is, and sometimes are able to get a seat on a whim.

Chef Santamaria talked about the "illusion" of a Michelin rating. Did he mean that something temporary is illusory? I'd say, rather, that a temporary thing is elusive. Is there a way in which a yearly rating is more of an illusion than most other things in life? I found a contradiction in these two statements by the chef: Perhaps context is all, but what intelligent public is Chef Santi referring to in the second place, when he referred to the popularity of McDonalds in the first place? I don't think he would consider McDonalds to be a quality establishment where there's cooking with character. Quite. I think this is an important statement. As a musician who loves to listen to and play music from various historical styles and periods, I do not relate to the idea that recipes from more than x number of years ago are ipso facto irrelevant. Very interesting. Pasta hadn't reached Catalonia during the period of the Caliphates or earlier? Is the issue how the word "pasta" is defined? Also, would some of you like to elaborate further on regional differences and international influences in Catalonian cuisine, or point me to a thread where these are elaborated? I couldn't help taking note of Pedro's remark about pork as one of the ingredients that defines Spanish cuisine. That's surely a legacy of the Reconquista and the Inquisition. The former Muslim and Jewish inhabitants during the period of Muslim rule obviously didn't use it, but that goes back over 500 years now. I think this is a great statement, and I really relate to it: Of course, the difference is that the existence of "ultra-modern" cooking doesn't necessitate the destruction of traditional cooking, but the point is made, and that would be an over-literal reaction. Chef Santi is right: The wisdom of the ancestors shouldn't be discarded just for the sake of being new or serving what he calls "a cuisine for tourists" and what, based on his description, I might call the cuisine of tourists. Don't get me wrong: If it tastes good, I like it, regardless of what you want to call it, but the chef's respect for tradition strikes a chord in me. I don't think that we're smarter than all previous generations and don't believe in the inevitability of Progress. The French Socialist anthem, the Internationale, in its English translation features the words "No more traditions' chains shall bind us" but does not call for all traditions to be smashed, only those which are holding people back from progress, as socialists saw and see it. Politics aside (?), I feel that a general disrespect for tradition is a kind of nihilism. I think I like these remarks most of all: I recognize in these remarks the soul of a fellow performing artist.

I was in the process of posting a detailed reply when my computer froze up on me and I had to reset the computer and it all disappeared. Anyway, though, I loved this interview. I've never been to Catalonia, had never heard of Chef Santamaria before this, and know little about Catalonian cuisine, but I doubt that made this less interesting for me. Chef Santamaria is so eloquent and gives the reader so much to think about -- and of course the interviewer had a lot to do with eliciting the responses, too. I'll post separately about some of the content.

Perhaps it's most useful to discuss this in the New York forum, but in any case, the usual suspects in Manhattan are Udon's Thai-Indonesian Store on Bayard St., the Thai store on Mosco, and the Vietnamese store on the west side of Mulberry between Bayard and Canal. Have any of you had success in using coconut cream reduced with some water to approximate santan? I think it's not bad.

I really enjoyed the photos. Those hungry ghosts ate extremely well, didn't they?

I'm sure I do not speak only for myself when I say that I found this article absolutely fascinating.

I really want to thank you all for helping me to pick out Joe's. I will attempt to do justice to our meal in a separate thread when I have the chance.

I should add that we found the tomato aioli in the halibut dish to have a very healthy amount of hot pepper in it. That's rather in keeping with the spirit though not quite the taste of Nicois aioli (as it was really a plain aioli plus a very spicy tomato sauce), and we really liked it, but we thought that it would probably be in the restaurant's interest to include the hot pepper in the description, lest some diners might send it back.

I enjoyed the photos, Daniel. I like the Mondongo very much, but the secret is that you need to squeeze the juice of some lime sections into it. I also like to add some hot sauce. They may or may not give you any lime sections unless you ask, but in that case, ask for them. Many patrons squeeze lime juice onto various other dishes, too -- particularly, fish and seafood dishes, I think.

Actually, it was my dessert, not the creme brulee, which was paired with the Port, but it is indeed a great value!

I'm truly shocked that there is no thread on Delfina yet (as opposed to the threads on Pizzeria Delfina). But now there is. My last meal on my recently-completed trip to San Francisco was a dinner with my brother at Delfina. We shared the following, most of which can be seen on the menu on Delfina's website: Grilled fresh calamari with warm white bean salad Little gem lettuce with gorgonzola piccante and champagne vinaigrette Halibut with roasted fennel and tomato aioli (not on the menu online, may be subject to correction) Buttermilk panna cotta with blackberries and lemon caramel I also had two glasses of a Tocai that interacted especially well with the salmon, while my brother had one glass of a California Chardonnay and one glass of the Tocai. In terms of quality, the cuisine struck me as occupying something of a middle position between a fine neighborhood restaurant like Cacio e Pepe in the East Village and a great one like Lupa, if I can make some comparisons with restaurants I know in New York -- except that Delfina is not really an Italian restaurant, and reminded me more of Scott Conant's cuisine at L'Impero, only less Italian. What Delfina serves, to me, is a really good Italian/Mediterranean-influenced California cuisine of impeccable ingredients, delivered by superb servers. The quality of the service can be summed up in the fact that our waiter gave us tastings of several different white wines, when we were ordering by the glass. Some more specific comments on the food: The calamari in the Grilled fresh calamari with warm white bean salad was grilled perfectly and couldn't have been better. The salad was tasty and the little white beans were really pleasant, but as a high-level criticism, we felt the dish could have benefitted from a little less liquid. The lettuce hearts in the Little gem lettuce salad were truly little gems, but this salad should have been mixed better, as some lettuce hearts had a fairly extreme overabundance of vinegar inside and others, barely any. Excellent ingredients, but problematic execution. The halibut dish, however, was absolutely brilliant! The fennel was roasted perfectly and had an unusually strong licoricey taste, and the tomato aioli was an imaginative and harmonious component. The fish was of course perfect. The dessert was also really pleasant, with all ingredients having a bracing sourness and the result being only slightly sweet. The total cost including tip was $60 [Edit: per person], and it was worth every penny. Delfina probably wouldn't be quite as popular amid all the competition it would face if it were in New York, but it would have a loyal clientele. Meanwhile, its San Franciscan fans are right: This is a restaurant well worth your patronage.

Just a quick remark, since I have only a moment right now: Some warnings I got about San Diego were greatly exaggerated. I ate well and was able to get from Hotel Circle to locations in Old Town and Downtown San Diego easily via trolley, bus, and foot. I also had the chance to meet up with mizducky, who took me to a very good Afghan restaurant called Khyber Pass that is superior to Ariana Afghan Kebab House in New York. I'll post separately about some of my meals, but I really want to thank you all for your recommendations, and especially mention of Indigo Grill, which was really worth going to. [Edit: Here's the Indigo Grill thread.]

My brother and I had dinner at Delfina last night (I'll post about it in more detail when I'm not paying by the minute at an internet cafe). No problem with salt, and I'm sensitive to excessive salt.

I went to Chow for lunch today with my brother. We shared a large Prawn Platter (listed under salads), a Cheese Pizza, and a Ginger Cake with Pumpkin Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce. I also had an iced tea with lemon, and my brother had an espresso. The food was very high quality and inexpensive. They use organic vegetables whenever possible, only wild seafood (nothing farmed, including the shrimp), and Neiman Ranch beef and pork. In particular, I really liked their tomatoes, both the large beefsteak-type ones and the baby ones. The prawn platter came with lettuce, fennel, cucumber, tomatoes, havarti cheese, excellent brown olives, some kind of pesto, and a little dill, in a light vinaigrette. The grilled shrimps had been rubbed with a flavorful sauce including some hot pepper flakes. The pizza is cooked in a wood oven and does not have the kind of char that many pizza aficionados look for. I could have actually stood for a bit less cheese on the pizza, and it was a bit salty. But these are all pretty high-level criticisms. The whole pie cost $7.50, a price that is simply unavailable in New York, and it had a nice tomato sauce and a pleasant, bready crust. The dessert deserves a special mention. It is nothing short of fantastic! Even if you aren't hungry for a meal, you should consider coming for coffee or tea and dessert. Service was exemplary, with constant free refills for the iced tea, including refills of ice after a while, and the waitress was also very cooperative in answering questions about ingredients and adding the little tomatoes to the salad by request. I'll sum up this report by quoting what I said to the waitress: If this restaurant were in my neighborhood, I'd eat there three times a week. Basically, this is really good casual California food with quality ingredients at an excellent price point. Chow has two locations in San Francisco. The one we went to is at: 215 Church St. (near Market) San Francisco, CA 94114 Tel.: (415) 552-2469

I thought of this thread while I read this New York Times Op-Ed Article (I hope the link works): "Bad to the Last Drop" By TOM STANDAGE Standage also states that most people can't taste the difference between bottled and tap water, and that the safety of tap water is more tightly regulated (it's understood that he's referring to "developed" countries at that point in the article).

My friend and I kept away from soups that day. I could see why people might eat spicy soups in the summer, because they make you sweat from the head and cool you off, but I tend to find the soupy stews very hearty and perhaps more suitable for winter. After we shared the seafood pajun, my friend had Jap Chae (her little daughter loved the noodles in it) and I had Ojinguh Bokum. (Descriptions of the dishes from the menu on menupages.com, with a couple of typos corrected: Jap Chae: A mixed Dish of Vegetables, Special Noodles, Mushroom, Sliced Pork Ojinguh Bokum: Sauteed Squid with Vegetables In Spicy Sauce)

Would it be possible for you to elaborate (without getting yourself in potential trouble for libel)?

In the spirit of the previous "THE BEST" threads (see pinned linked list at the top of this forum), I am starting this thread. Tonight, I went to the following brasserie with a friend for dessert near closing time: Belleville 330 5th Street (corner of 5th Av.) Brooklyn, NY 11215 (Park Slope) (718) 832-9777 I don't remember the name of the dessert that I got, which was fine, but let me describe the creme brulee for you. It was a cardamom-pineapple creme brulee, with the absolutely perfect amount of burnt taste in the crispy caramel crust. The cardamom was a brilliant addition, and the pineapple, though perhaps not essential, was also pleasant. I can't remember when I had a creme brulee that was that good. I should add parenthetically that desserts at Belleville are $7 and are only $11 with a pairing with a dessert wine or liqueur. My dessert was paired with a very good somewhat dry Muscat wine, and I forget the name of my friend's drink, but it had a delightful citrus taste. What are your favorite places to get creme brulee in the Five Boroughs? (Reminder to those of you who are seeing this thread in "Today's Active Topics" or "View New Posts": This is about creme brulee in New York, not in France or any other geographic region. If you want to contribute your thoughts about the best creme brulee in some other part of the world, please start your own thread in the appropriate regional forum. Thanks! )

I've always thought of gado-gado as a salad. I don't have my own nasi lemak recipe, but if you want to start a thread on nasi lemak in Elsewhere in Asia/Pacific (or, if you prefer, Cooking), I'm sure you'll get pointed in the right direction.

Your fur? I guess fur is a type of drink?