tajanna

My craving when I was pregnant was grilled cheese sandwiches with processed cheese. Still like the grilled cheese sandwiches but it has to be other cheeses - processed cheese will never take up space in my fridge.

I also like William Sonoma. In fact I ask for gift certificates from my family on gift giving occasions from this store. Thanks for the other suggestions too. I will be making a visit to all the stores.

I loved the lamb from Britain. I can only compare it too Ontario Lamb and New Zealand Lamb. Remeberances of tastes past. Ontario lamb is good though.

My friend has been cooking for years and has produced very good results. But I am often surprized at things she doesn't know. She didn't know what capers were. or where to use them.

There was no punishment severe enough for me to drink milk. In fact, now that this subject has been brought up, you have reminded me of an event that caused me such humiliation that I think I will still have to enlist pychiatric intervention. My aunt, who was a producer of a radio show had the host announce to the 'whole' world that I did not drink my milk. That 'whole' world was only small city Ontario, but to me it was the 'whole' world. Even that didn't get me to drink a glass of that vile liquid. I do love buttermilk though, and with lots of pepper.

It is not that I don't want to eat in the morning, it is that I don't like breakfast foods. I would rather have 'lunch' type meals for breakfast. Soup and a sandwich, or last nights leftovers. With oatmeal I have to have so much brown sugar on it that it's not worth it. Don't like cold cereal. Eggs are for the weekend I do have to eat in the morning, but not 'breakfast'.

My first job - way back when - was dispensing the boiled weiners in steamed buns at an arena in small town Ontario. At the time I thought they were great. I haven't been able to look a hot dog in the face ever since.

This whole International potatoe chips thread amounts to garbage. Yes, deep fried, who knows what the additives are, garbage. How can anyone put one of these vile foods? into their mouths. And then join a thread that talks about eating at Susur's, North 44, Avalon, slurping down oysters? What wine is recommended 'to go with' the latest trend in the famous international cchips/crisps? Popcorn?. well that is another story.

I didn't pick Jesus myself, but I would like to know why you think it is so sad? Jack Kerouac was never sober and in some circles he is a has been - or a never was.

Go back to your trailer. How astonishing that you were completely ignored (except by me, who found you too repulsive to restrain myself) for your immature, troll-like comments. I agree, Pixelchef. Perhaps James Barbar/Urban Peasent is more his/her type of guy. I was one of those a*o that paid to dine 'in the mud' and it was wonderful. It takes 3 months to get a reservation. BTW Coop what is wrong with Europeans and Ontarians?

Ah, but we are forgetting about the 'new' sponges we buy. Where has it been, whose hands have left their contaminants on it? It's a nasty, germ ridden world out there. Watch Out! Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they are not after you.

I will look forward to giving my impressions of my next visit to Susur's

I was thinking of Jefferson too, and would have also been speechless at the table. Oprah would be great, set up the time and place and I will join you.

What I expect from a chain restaurent is consistancy. You know what you will be getting to eat. It is not outstanding but it is reliable. Some chains do not provide this. I have been in good MacDonalds and bad. The same as KFC. The chains I find most reliable is Swiss Chalet and Tim Horton's for their lunch specials.

We have more donute shops and pizza places then any small town I know. In june/july we have 'strawberry fields forever'

It would be a toss up between Ayn Rand and Jackie O. It would depend on my mood

That is exactly the way I feel about Susur. Some dishes are excellent and other's not so. It is still a fine dining experience but with all the hype surrounding Susur, patrons can be disappointed with some of the dishes. I am looking forward to dining at JOV and we have had a wonderful exprerience at Avalon. I highly recommend Avalon. After my JOV experience I will write my review.

If you aren't prepared to offer anything but "it's irrelevant, and I won't say why we were disappointed, but we just were", you're giving the restaurant bad press with no justification of why. What did you like about the dishes? There had to be something. And you're welcome for informing you of the proper name of the restaurant you're criticizing. To tell you the truth Pixelchef, the experience was more then 6 months ago and I am old and forgetfull. I just posted my impressions, not to trash Susur's, but to give my viewpoint. I am sure the readers of this thread are not going to take the word of Tajanna as gospel. This is a place to give viewpoints is it not? I also stated that I was going to go back to Susur's to re-evaluate my first impressions. I have read this post with interest and would love to know your dining experience at Susur's. My spelling error was a mistake, not an insult to the Chef. I also said that I love his first restaurent Lotus.

I promise myself never to go to chains, but I do find that I sometimes end up going. Reasons? Don't feel like cooking that night, a last minute decision, a group of friends plan an outing and I have no say in the restaurant choice. (It is far more important to be with friends then the food you eat.) Outback, in my opinion, is one of the better chains. I have been there twice and both times the steaks were fairly decent. Not as good as at Ruth Chris's Steakhouse, but then again that would be considered a chain too, right?

Instead of giving you a long-winded description of the courses, I will simply say that some courses were bland and that the marriage of some ingredients didn't work for some of us. There were 6 in our party so opinions varied. I actually liked the sequence of the dishes, but still found there was too much food presented. There were no 'bad' dishes at all. We had excellent service. We were at the second serving. The date we went is irrelevant. The experience has not discouraged me from returning, but I will not go the tasting menu route next time. Pixelchef - thank you for taking the time to correct my spelling of Susur.

We have dined at Susar's and we were a little disappointed. Maybe it is all the hype? The name Susar rolls off the tongue's of food critics and clients alike. Infact it is the buzz word of all foodies and foodie wannabee's. I would like to know the opinions of those that have dined there. We were entertaining clients of my husbands and raved about the restaurant and we were disappointed. I loved Lotus (his first restaurent) and we expecting the same food experience. The staff was attentive, but the food was 'not outstanding' I hope it was just a bad culinary night for Susar and staff.

Avalon is excellent. I too found Susars a little disappointing. It may be a matter of too much fame and too little substance. I enjoyed his Lotus restaurant much more.

Yes I know what you mean. We went to North 44 and paid the big bucks and I didn't think it lived up to expectations. It was good but not great and felt that we paid too much for it. All because of the chefs name. We have gone to lesser known restaurants and have been wowed. I take the time to write the chef a little note of appreciation - he/she may be our next 'star'.

Harvey's Swiss Chalet debate?? I must have missed something here. Or was that a 'hit below the belt' about Toronto restaurants. I admit that I do want to try the Vancouver culinary scene and I don't care whether the chef is a star or a jackass, as long as he provides me with wow to my taste buds. That is what counts.

Gee, you have inspired me. I thought I had too many cookbooks and now I see that 'it is only the beginning' I will continue to buy, not recipe books but cookbooks. I read them like novels.