josephreese

We'll be dining at Manresa on April 2. It's likely that at least one person at our table will order the vegetarian tasting, while the rest of us will enjoy the non-restrictive tasting. I won't be taking pictures, but I'll try to report back here promptly with a review. I have no connections to the staff, for what that's worth.

I'm using the last drops of my Cointreau to make a Delilah. 1 1/2 ounces gin 3/4 ounce Cointreau 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

I love bacon, but I air the place out after cooking to get rid of the odor. Bacon candles. Nasty.

It's not in Napa proper, but The French Laundry in Yountville is a fine place. My wife and I dined there on our 5th wedding anniversary and had a wonderful time. Reservations can be tough to secure, and it is petty pricey, but I doubt I'll forget the experience. There's a long thread about The French Laundry in this thread: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=31012 Someone whose opinion I trust tells me Brix is very nice.

I find that taking pictures removes me somewhat from the present moment of enjoying the dining experience, so I don't do it myself. I've never been bothered by others taking pictures of their food. Then again, the only people I've seen take pictures of their food have been pretty discreet about it. For those of you out there that do take pictures and make an attempt to be discreet, thank you. EDIT: Tommy, this makes 10. How'd we do?

... and it would sell for $20 per taste.

The dish sounds wonderful on its own. I'd not serve a side, but would warm some untoasted bread for the table. Maybe ciabatta. The romantic dinners my wife and I have shared have usually been very simple in preparation and presentation.

I've never been there, but I think I've guessed it. No glee from me until I've dined there.

I'll third the recommendation for souffles. So many options are available.

My uncle told me a story of a time his father took the family to a restaurant for dinner. My grandfather asked for the check, and waited... and waited... and waited until finally he took his family home without paying. Someone from the restaurant called him to remind him of the check. My grandfather told him how long he waited, and told the man he'd gladly pay... if the check was brought to his house. Someone from the restaurant actually showed up for payment, with coupons for a complimentary meal in hand. My grandfather could be pretty grumpy sometimes. I suppose these days they'd just charge it to the patron's credit card if someone pulled that.

If I feel I've been wronged in some way, and I want restitution of some kind, when I speak with whomever wronged me I'm explicit about what I expect in return. In this case, if I were certain the restauant caused the food poisoning, I'd demand a refund on the bill. The manager might not acquiesce, of course. If the manager wanted to make a different kind of restitution, we'd have a starting point for the discussion. The $100 hasn't soothed you, so perhaps some thought should be given to what you expect.

ketchup/catsup cheese food poi

Butter and sugar rolled in a warm tortilla, too. My mother in-law still makes fresh tortillas every couple of days. When we visit I'm sure to get up early to catch one or two hot of the iron.

I use Bar Keepers Friend on my stainless surfaces. Works like a charm. http://www.barkeepersfriend.com/sample.html

To the original question: Don't patronize establishments that work in ways you dislike. That is the best way.