funcook

Must be kidding !! Chinese waiters in traditional old Chinese restaurants? They just seem to shake their heads and never take requests or listen to you. At least, I have never been lucky with them.

Me too just got back from India and one of my first visits was Thali and of course after the last posting what I had seen on the gullet made me go back right away. I was very very pleased to be back and an evening full of surprises of specials at Thali. One thing I always thought desserts Indian restaurants are a drag and I liked the efforts the chef at Thali does on specials. Their bread pudding is probably the best I have ever tasted, not to forget they are doing some wonderful choclate desserts and gelatos and sorbets. What really impressed me were their specials, atleast to read thru and I especially thought Goan style mussels, a bread stuffed with mushroom and raisins as an appetizer and for entrees I tried their Halibut with ginger crab was outstanding (pardon me for not remembering the name). Over all a very good experience after coming back and we shall return many many more times to Thali.

Acqua - 203-222-8899 - Mediterranean Conte's Market and Grill - 203-226-3474 - Lots of Seafood Chez Stephane Bistro Francais - 203-226-8356 - French Splash - 203-454-7798 - Lots of Seafood, cross cultural / Pacific Rim Tavern On Main - 203-221-7222 - American cuisine I have enjoyed every establishment except the Chez Stepane Bistro which I have never been but heard good comments. Enjoy your play and have fun. Fun

Great! Let me know what you think. No no no !! I wouldn't return to hunan gourmet even if they paid me to go back. Right from the moment we entered it was pretty negative. Pushy and poor service. Seems like they want to get you out as fast as possible. Food was very ordinary to poor. Atmosphere was dull. Dinners were brought to the table before you could even finish your soup or apps. As we were eating the waiter asked if we needed anything and we said no, the next we know is the check lands on the table with cookies. Terrible way to please a customer. I usually enjoy most places even if they were ordinary but not this one !! Oh no! Funcook, I have to apologize. I have never even heard of Hunan Gourmet. Having just recommended Hunan Harmony over on the Best Chinese Food thread, I had Hunan Harmony on my mind. When I read your post, I responded to it as if you were referring to Hunan Harmony. I need to slow down. Anyway. If you get to Norwalk, you should try Hunan Harmony. Claire Please do not apologize. We will give a full try on Hunan Harmony. Please don't slow down. Next week will be Norwalk if not sooner.

I guess we are talking about the same and correct me if there are two, this one is at 68 Putnam Ave. I hope for better for Hunan Gourmet at least the waiters from Beijing have purchased round trip airfare!! Yes it seemed to me it was unadultrated praise for this Chinese and as per Rickster's quote above my suspicion stands strong and it seems there is a high level of suspicion that it's a shill, plant, troll, or whatever. I honestly felt the food was OK to poor. Spring rolls dripping of oil with tasteless filling, a fillet mignon with onions in brown sauce was tasteless, chewy and muddy flavored. What claimed to be Prawns were actually shrimp. I think my evening could have been better somewhere else and if the NEW HOMEOWNER was infact at Hunan last night he must have been one among three other tables. I am not here to criticize if someone enjoyed their dinner, I am here to give my opinion, I certainly did not and I shall not return or reccomend. On the other hand other neighborhood Asian/Chinese restaurants were busy. We ended up at Wish in Stamford for a after dinner drink.

Yes it seemed to me it was unadultrated praise for this Chinese and as per Rickster's quote above my suspicion stands strong and it seems there is a high level of suspicion that it's a shill, plant, troll, or whatever. I honestly felt the food was OK to poor. Spring rolls dripping of oil with tasteless filling, a fillet mignon with onions in brown sauce was tasteless, chewy and muddy flavored. What claimed to be Prawns were actually shrimp. I think my evening could have been better somewhere else and if the NEW HOMEOWNER was infact at Hunan last night he must have been one among three other tables. I am not here to criticize if someone enjoyed their dinner, I am here to give my opinion, I certainly did not and I shall not return or reccomend. On the other hand other neighborhood Asian/Chinese restaurants were busy. We ended up at Wish in Stamford for a after dinner drink.

I am sorry I have to contradict here a BIG way but the following is my response on the visit to Hunan Gourmet and probably my last one too........ No no no !! I wouldn't return to hunan gourmet even if they paid me to go back. Right from the moment we entered it was pretty negative. Pushy and poor service. Seems like they want to get you out as fast as possible. Food was very ordinary to poor. Atmosphere was dull. Dinners were brought to the table before you could even finish your soup or apps. As we were eating the waiter asked if we needed anything and we said no, the next we know is the check lands on the table with cookies. Terrible way to please a customer. I usually enjoy most places even if they were ordinary but not this one !! This one I did not have FUN at allll.

Great! Let me know what you think. No no no !! I wouldn't return to hunan gourmet even if they paid me to go back. Right from the moment we entered it was pretty negative. Pushy and poor service. Seems like they want to get you out as fast as possible. Food was very ordinary to poor. Atmosphere was dull. Dinners were brought to the table before you could even finish your soup or apps. As we were eating the waiter asked if we needed anything and we said no, the next we know is the check lands on the table with cookies. Terrible way to please a customer. I usually enjoy most places even if they were ordinary but not this one !!

Could you please mention few dishes in Chinese which are your favorites or likes and dislikes, may be we can find some good Chinese in these Pan Asian Restaurants. In my opinion people are just tired of plain old Chinese restaurants and I guess it's hard for just Chinese to stay in biz other than mom amd pop to go's !! Will give a full try on Hunan Gourmet again may be tonight, was not impressed on my last visit and or there was nothing memorable to return back. Fun

Will give Hunan Gourmet a try, may be tonight !! Fun

You are right, I cannot think of a good Chinese in Stamford. How about the following: Little Kitchen or Taipan in Westport ( I guess same owners). Also Tengda in Westport, fairly a new one is good to very good. Asiana or Penang Grill in Greenwich. Chings in New Canaan. Talking about New Canaan I like Thali (For some great Indian food and decor) I have eaten in all of the above restaurants and I enjoyed thoroughly.

Zagat in general is not accurate and usually it sucks.

Always loved wasabi with sushi. One sushi chef mentioned to me it's not the real thing to have wasabi with sushi. Honestly I loveed it, but the sushi chef said no way ???? Everytime I have sushi I always have it with wasabi.

I am sorry to report back that the Copper Beech Inn was a great disappointment. Thanks for sharing your experience, guess what ? I am not going to Copper Beech.

Thanks for you post CHASTE on Fortune cookies. Yes if you think about it their last course which I presume it's Fruit, it is definetely healthier than most of the once fried and once sauteed food. Fun

Fortune cookies I believe fortune cookies are invented by Americans / Westerners. Is it true? Do you find them in Chinese restaurants in China or is it only in the USA. Fun

I have just started making it, I know it's Saturday morning you are probably not on line. Believe me I love garlic, thought garlic was a bit too much.... it,s very very spicy hot My breakfast menu for the day is as follows. Rasam with medhu wada (An other recipe from a S.Indian Book) Thanks Fun

Try Bantara for good Malaysian / Asian 203-562-2511 Try Roomba for Cuban / Carrebean (Hard to get in) 203-562-7666 Try Union League Cafe (French) 203-562-4299 Try Zinc American / Bar 203-624-0507

Has any one been to Lescale? What is the menu like. Was planning to make a weekend reservation if any one is suggesting the restaurant. How is the pricing, per person $ 25 to 30 ?? Fun

Very interesting - I cannot believe it that I actually spent time scrolling through their menu and found some things I'd not find in any restaurant (that I know of) in NYC. Gotta do a junket to yale.edu Thanks for the link fat Guy and Anil. Had a little bit of trouble getting the menu without down loading it. But finally able to open it. Fun

Sources? It depends where you are. How about a major grocery store who carries good seafood or a commercial seafood supplier. Fun

How about Barcelona - Stylish, comfortable and quite sophesticated. Polpo - The good old 100 year mansion for fine Italian. Dome - From contemporary Spanish and slight mix of Asian and for a after dinner drink with some music. Baang - One of the top restaurants in the area, features modern Asian with a hint of French. Asiana - Simple Chinese / Pan Asian. Relatively new is Ginger man a New York Style Bar & Restaurant I have tried them all and was not disappoined. Fun

Was there the other night at Chola and please do not give importance to the lemon rice, all the other food was not at all apreciated by my company at all. At chola I felt like I was doing them a favor. Love - Fun

Well the restaurants ratings are just an introduction by the reviewer to a an ordinary diner or to an expert diner. Basically he is the eyes of the audience. Now if the ratings are based on dinner/lunch/breakfast/bar scene/happy hour it's his opinion and now it is upto the diner to discover the rest of the events and make their own judgements and ratings in their personal dairy. In most cases(restaurants) I usually find that restaurants opened by known operator/chef or a new operator.owner with the best firm in public relations get an automatic full review and an indepth review and pick the good things and often forget the negatives. So overall whether it is dinner/lunch or what ever , sometimes it is unfair. As I have said earlier, it is an introduction to a restaurant by the reviewer to a prospective client and it is copletely up the client to judge from their on. I personally think and am strong about a noted news paper or Magazine such as Times or Gourmet should be a team of people with different ethnic background and knowledge of food will be a review of much more credibilty for the readers than the present situation. (This topic was on FG'S posting on understanding the unknown food) If budgets are constraint, too bad for the small news papers or mags. Given the talent of the EGulleter's will make an excellent team of reviewers. Fun

better idea - buy a duck. trim the carcass of all the fat, grind and render. from one duck you'll have enough fat for a months supply of roasted potatoes Last night I had friends over. One of the menu items I had chosen was Duck. I had the whole duck and collected enough fat for a months supply as have mentioned earlier. I used the duck fat in two ways. I had roasted thyme tomatoes done pan seared from Beef Steak tomatoes and I burnt generous portion of garlic and sauteed some spinach. Turned out very good. Fun