chuck

You should definitely try University Seafood on 47th and the Ave. for Dungeness crab. They have the best fish and shellfish available. Also, don't miss the live oysters: cheap and perfect. The bigger the grocery chain (Safeway, QFC and Fred Meyer are the big ones) the more homogenous the supply chain. This is not a bad thing, as the money spent by these big consumers makes the suppliers stand up and take notice. They often get in on the big catches and are able to buy fresh and cheap, hopefully passing the savings on to you. However, they are also more focused on the bottom line, and are more willing to pass on an inferior product to make a buck. The consumer awareness of this fact is the reason that small seafood shops (and butcher shops, produce stands, etc.) thrive. We have all been to a supermarket and seen the variety on display -- farmed Atlantic salmon, Chilean sea bass, etc. The real key to getting quality seafood, almost above anything else as fresh fish is so perishable, is a relationship with your local dealer. If you go to a supermarket, or even the Pike Place Market (although some dealers are less touristy), you will get a product that is okay. What you are looking for is a place where they will tell you what to buy, or at least offer things that are at the peak of their season, which a smaller shop is more inclined to do because their business depends on your opinion of the fish. They don't care if you need Wheat Thins or toilet paper. Their livelyhood is directly related to the freshness and quality of the seafood. Check them out before anyone else. Whoa, there. That was another rant.

When sanitizing a surface what exactly are the detriments to using a higher solution of bleach? Besides the smell that won't come off of hands and the dry skin later. Say it's stainless steel. If it's wiped down with a higher solution, and then the surface dries, is it contaminated with bleach to the point that it is dangerous? Doesn't it evaporate if it isn't a porous surface? I wouldn't mind hearing the answer from MGLloyd, as s/he is the only one so far who has presented any credentials applicable to our discussion.

I was made to understand that the reason bleach didn't work in hot water was that it would evaporate out almost immediately. I think that if you keep a bleach solution sealed in a spray bottle out of direct sunlight it will be fine for a while. Two weeks sounds reasonable to me. 'Just enjoy the cooking, clean when you get the chance or when something starts smelling bad, and don't worry about it.' '...the potential rewards far outweigh the risks.' -NulloModo Well, obviously plenty of common sense employed there. What are you, seventeen?

I didn't find any really good places to eat in Long Beach. A restaurant called The Depot was closed for renovation when I was there, but I've heard great things about it. There is another hotel dining room/pub on the way into town on the left that looked pretty good, but I didn't try that either. The Ark is only open a few days a week, I think, and Sunday through Thursday might not be your best bet. It's also sort of gone down hill so you might want to check their menu first. If you're planning on cooking for yourself you absolutely have to drive up to Oysterville and get a dozen from the Oysterville Sea Farm right on the water. Those are some of the best oysters available. Don't miss the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse on the Columbia River or Leadbetter State Park on the north end of the peninsula, both of which require a little bit of effort but are well worth it.

Don't miss the Rogue Brewery on the south side of the river in Newport. Tons of their beers on tap with the usual sampler-type trays available, good food, including some simple seafood preparations like oyster shooters and fried fish, and a cool pub room inside the main brewery. They also have a gift shop composed almost entirely of bottled beer, some of which is seasonal and cheap. Some you just can't find anywhere else. As you head south over the bridge it's kind of tricky. I think you have to take a left across traffic right after the bridge, then find your way through an industrial area, but it's not that hard.

I thought the term 'Tangletown' had some sort of historical background. I don't think that it's a recent moniker, just that it was revived because the bar used the name. I too get lost in that neighborhood, especially when I'm cruising through on my way to somewhere's else and use it as a shortcut. I have been absolutely sure that I know where I am many times only to pop out somewhere like the Greenlake golf course when I was shooting for Evans pool. That's really not a shortcut after getting off of the freeway at 50th. As for Tangletown (the bar), it is one of the most overrated places that I can think of. Great beer, but everything else is the worst. Everyone I talk to KNOWS it, but will still sometimes end up there. It must have some carry-over karma from the Honeybear years. As for underrated, I still like The Greenlake Bar and Grill. It may be low expectations, but I don't think so. Honest, tasty bar food and a comfy dining room. We'll see what happens to the Eastlake Bar and Grill (used to be Sam's Steakhouse) which they just took over.

Yep, the thought of being in a crowded restaurant is the antithesis of romantic. The Tuesday or so before Valentine's Day, when restaurants are empty because everybody is holding on to their cash for the big day are much more sweet. And better than that is downing a bottle of champagne and doin' it. What the hell ever happened to that?

It's like being fond of red wine and finding Merlot. It's a good place to start, but the real discovery is ahead of you. There are various styles, and within those a degree of quality. I started with amontillado and moved to the oloroso (richer and darker, generally served after a meal) and then to good fino(served before a meal, or with a meal when it's hot out). Find a wine shop that has a good range of sherry, then let them guide you. If there isn't a shop you feel confident in, or if you'd like a solid place to start, then get in touch with The Spanish Table (http://www.spanishtable.com/). They're much more friendly than their website would imply. Before you know it you'll be making fun of cream sherries and trying to figure out how to afford one of every style without going broke.

Well, that's tremendously annoying too. It shows a good understanding on his part of the composition of the dish, but still... Just a little hint. C'mon.

(I also just thought of "Friends of Chuck") Yeah, I thought of that too.

My pet peeve is a bit more sweeping than the ones I've seen listed so far. It's the urge of servers, managers, restaurant workers, and those familiar with the restaurant business to force the lingo on people who, unless they have worked in food service, have a hard time understanding what the hell the conversation is about. 'Two-top'? No one who is paying a hundred bucks a person (and owns half of the buildings downtown) wants to have that explained to them. The most important person in the dialog is the one paying to eat and drink, even if it is me. Just like being touched on the arm in a fancy restaurant (shudder), it ruins the fantasy of the whole thing. The diner is important, happy, rich, pretty, whatever. I think everyone, at least in the beginning of the diner/restaurant relationship, wants to feel special, like they are being served. If it's ten dollars an ounce on my plate, it ain't 'foie'. Seriously, I'll make it $11 if I can get a 'gras'.

Yes, well, ahem...faggots. Why don't you tell me a little bit about what makes them... Oh, christ, how about you tell me exactly what they consist of, and how exactly mushy peas appear on the plate. I feel like a jackass for appearing so naive, but I really am interested in getting the complete picture. I really admire the history behind these dishes, but haven't seen many of them done. Please continue on the topic...

Sounds like he can defend himself, but when I read the first post about the chef 'discovering' an enzyme I took it to mean that he found out about it, not that he created it. Maybe that's what the waiter meant? That he learned about something that already existed but that he had never tried?

If Wonderbar is located on the corner of Wallingford and 45th across from the QFC I've been there and it sucked. I had the drip and it wasn't good, a stale croissant, attitude from the help, and multiple TV's playing ESPN at 11 AM. It was not a good experience. In fact, it made me want to order a drink to forget about it all. Hey, wait...

What is Melton Mowbray? You can see already that you're gonna have to do some explaining...

Ooooh, the one and only thing I know about Port Angeles is not to go to C'est Si Bon. I heard it from a guy I trust, but this was about four years ago. He said that it was lousy food with service to match. And the prices really pissed him off. Those are Seattle prices, or maybe even a bit higher. Maybe you could take a chance and let us know.

What made those fish and chips so special? Any dishes that a good pub can't possibly be without? I'd love to hear the dishes described, and where your favorites are from. If there are specialities from different areas tell me about them please. How does Britain view the 'gastropub' movement? Is it creating a better neighborhood pub or is it pretentious? (By the way, I think the U.K. and Ireland forum is the most interesting on egullet. To begin with the members are very active, but they also have a lot of intelligent things to say. Very candid comments seem to be pretty normal, which is great.)

I agree with the previous post. I haven't seen a review I've been interested in reading for six months or so. I read them every week anyway, and the reviews in the weekly papers as well, but I haven't been inspired to leave the house. And why is it that the P.I. and Times review the same restaurants within a week or two of each other? Are they kidding? Maybe the argument is to take a look at restaurants across a broad spectrum of tastes? Seriously, a nuevo latino restaurant in a Silver Cloud hotel? Would they hire a renowned chef? Have they been successful before and are shooting for it agian? What the hell does this do for us? We're the ones reading the reviews faithfully and I think that the writers are letting us down. I just don't understand the process behind the selection of restaurants, and no one has ever been able to explain it to me. Should this be a new thread?

Where was the Duke's on lower Queen Anne? What businesses was it near, or what cross streets?

I seem to remember that the Ranch Drive In in Bothell was pretty good. The standard full parking lot and teenagers in every booth. These are solid indicators of a tasty cheap meal. I haven't been there in a few years though. And it is quite a ways from Broadway in every sense. You can have it your way there.

More details about the bad times. Specifics, please. I love to hear that stuff.

When I was very little my dad took an Italian cooking class at the local community center. He cooked a couple of things every month for years after that that were perfect. Bolognese and carbonara. The carbonara was made with spaghetti, onions softened in a little butter, pancetta, black pepper, egg yolks, parmesan, chicken stock, and frozen peas. Reading all of these posts for the right way to make carbonara I can't help but think that they're all wrong. The way I had it first was the way I will think of it forever. I think a lot of people feel that way. I've seen it on plenty of menus, but I'll never order it. I won't even mention the ingredients for the bolognese...

I still want to know how the caramel orbs were formed around the balloons. Popped balloons and burnt fingers, and then it worked somehow. Maybe just a hint... Isomalt? Caramel temperature?

It takes so long to find a good hot sauce. I say once you finally do pick one out you should use it as often as possible. That's why whenever I eat popcorn I melt a lot of butter, then swirl in the hot sauce of the moment before pouring it over the popped corn. Anything habanero. African Rhino Sauce is unbelievable. Maple syrup sounds really good, too.

Now that we've established some good varieties of Tim's chips, where's a good place to find them. I've never seen the habanero flavor, and when I went to my local (and admittedly crappy) QFC I couldn't even locate the salt and black pepper Kettle Chips. Seen them anywhere lately?