docsconz

This diversity is still a relatively recent phenomenon and is not all that diverse considering that the most widespread examples tend to occur around ethnic enclaves. That some of the foods or derivatives of them have made it to the mainstream is a function of evolution and the fact that not everyone is xenophobic and by xenophobia I mean averse to eating foods foreign to them as opposed to foods of non-US origin. Michael I believe that you answered your own question about "relatively recent" when you provided the time line you did. Perhaps traditional British food has been grossly under-rated for many, many years. I would like to see more evidence of that. On the other hand, I don't think that French cuisine has been grossly over-rated from rustic to haute. It is that good, even if claims that it is the pre-eminent cuisine of the world may be exaggerated.

For continued discussion on Per Se in 2007 see here.

Good to know. Thanks for sharing.

I think Per Se is a a superb restaurant, but the new level of pricing is more than I currently care to pay for that experience. It is not that it is not necessarily worth it, but at that price point I would prefer to spend my limited dollars at other restaurants priced similarly or less. I have no doubt, however, that they will continue to function very well despite that.

Mmm hmm. But we're always talking about two different things when we talk about the food that the "usual" people eat and the food that the aristocrats eat, even in the US, no, Doc? Oh, plus I thought that the British aristocracy used to eat French food in public. . . and nursery food, large joints, and puddings in private when they "let their hair down" so to speak. But that could be another one of my fantasies. ← You are correct about the divergence, but I believe that reputations for quality as a national cuisine and the "superiority" of French cuisine has come more from the top down than from the grassroots though French country cooking is certainly wonderful as well. Besides, being no expert on British cuisine I based my statement on Tim's article.

That is a good question, Karen, however, as Tim stated in his article, the British aristocracy has subsisted to a great degree on French cuisine for some time.

I think the wide acceptance of international cuisines in NYC is a relatively new phenomenon and is a reflection of the cultural diversity present there. That diversity is exceptional for the US outside of a few other major cities. Speaking of my own environment several hours outside of NYC, it is much less culturally diverse than the city and most local dining habits reflect that. NYC is the exception to the rule. Interestingly, I think that it was the Phoenix writer's recognition of this that elicited the statements that caught Tim's craw. Sadly, I think that writer has a point though I know that Phoenix has at least a few superlative restaurants. Though the culture of food is growing in the US it does not yet form a significant part of the fabric of American life as it does in other parts of the world.

Dining at a restaurant should be fun--of course. I do agree with FG that often wine geeks go a bit overboard in trying to intellectualize what is in essence a very hedonistic endeavor. I also agree that the sommelier who pairs up multiple courses with wines should be creating a fun and informative experience introducing diners to wines and wine experiences they may not normally have if left to their own in selecting the wines. As I noted earlier I thought that March was one of the better restaurants at this due to the brilliance of Joe Scalice. There are simply not enough truly talented sommeliers out there. Otherwise ordering a bottle of a really nice white and a fine red should suffice for most meals of one to twenty or more courses! ← John, I agree with what you have written here. Clearly there is room for both practices. I partake of each at what I consider appropriate times and venues. So long as Alinea offers the wine service and pairings that they do, I will always choose that option when dining there. One thing that hasn't been discussed here is the influence and preferences of other diners in a party. I will only order a wine pairing if my enthusiasm is shared by everyone else at the table. In addition, sometimes economic factors come into play that must be respected. In those instances I have no problem with choosing and drinking wine by the bottle.

My list may very well have looked much more like yours if I had been able to partake of more dinners there. It was just fabulous. I'm looking forward to Shola's next endeavor, wherever and whenever.

I'm with you on the Olive Oil Gelato. It made it made it as one of my Top 10 desserts of 2006. That stuff is like creamy crack! ← I can't say that I have ever enjoyed ice cream more than that olive oil gelato - it is heavenly.

The British may not have done a good job of promoting their own culinary tradition, but they have been geniuses at promoting the cuisines of others, foremost of which have been the French. This is not just true for cooking, but it has been so for wine as well, as the rarified reputations of both Bordeaux and Burgundy owe a lot to their British fanciers. One thing to consider though, before we go off railing against the French, is that there might in fact be much merit to their culinary reputation. If that reputation has been supported by foreigners that is not the fault of the French nor does it mean that the reputation is undeserved. While French cuisine is clearly not the only great cuisine in the world it is just as clearly one of the world's great cuisines.

This topic has veered a bit from the question at hand. I don't think too many wine pairing flights are necessarily looking or claiming to be the absolute best match possible for a given dish. First of all, there are too many subjective elements for that to even be possible. Rather, the concept that I have experienced and how I view it is here are some fun and interesting wines that happen to go well with the particular courses for which they have been chosen - enjoy! And enjoy I do, especially if some thought has been put into the selections by the sommalier. I frequently get to try worthy wines that are off the beaten track and off my personal radar. Judith, though I personally haven't tried it, your tasting with the steak sounds like a fun exercise to me. My bottom line is that if it is not fun don't do it. If it is and it is within one's means, go wild!

I can't say that I find the name particularly appealing, but then I am probably not of the demographic that they are hoping to appeal to.

Where is Arrows and what kind of restaurant is it?

Regardless of how infrequently an underage person does not get served alcohol at a fine dining restaurant when desired, it should never be expected that alcohol will be served. If one is served then he or she should enjoy it and be thankful.

When considering the total wine consumption in Italy, I would not use the size of the population as a reliable indicator. They pop a few more corks than the average American. Only 8,000,000 bottles of Barolo are produced a year. That leaves 1,600,000 bottles of Barolo for 60,000,000 Italians. Subtract out the bottles consumed in Piemonte and Lombardia and you'll see there are few bottles left for the rest of Italy. ← As Hathor pointed out, Italians tend to support the wines of their region. Is there something you find objectionable about that? And if there is, do you also object to their tending to eat local-style food the great majority of the time? Because when you're talking about matching wine with food, isn't there something to the idea that the wines grown in a region match the traditional food of the region, both redolent of terroir in some sense? I found that Chianti and Montepulciano wines went very well with Tuscan cuisine. ← Michael, this is precisely why this question is much less pertinent in Europe, especially outside of haute cuisine establishments.

This discussion strikes me as somewhat similar to the restaurants in Chicago that still serve foie gras. Despite the law, many restaurants apperently still serve the verboten vittle and enforcement appears to be quite lax. Granted the potential penalties are much stiffer for those caught serving alcohol to those underage.

I like it that Bistro Jeanty is touting their tomato soup with puff pastry right on the door! Thanks for the pics

Which means that almost 20% of it is consumed in Italy, and considering what the population of the rest of the world is vs. the population of Italy, that is a pretty substantial percentage. But getting back to the main topic: I've really enjoyed pairings on a few occasions but don't do them much. One occasion was a trip to the New York branch of Chanto, an upscale Japanese chain, where Sethro was the Pastry Chef at the time. I had sake pairings that were listed in their menu. Another occasion was a trip to Al Di La in Brooklyn, where my friend and I had the bartender/sommelier select half glasses to pair with our appetizer, primo, and secondo. I was getting tipsy and didn't order wine with dessert, but he gave us more pours, anyway, and I had a hangover the next day, but it was worth it. But when I drink wine, I usually either have a glass or two with a meal (not necessarily paired to courses as such) or share a bottle. I always consult with the sommelier, or failing that, the waiter, regarding what will go well with what I've ordered. But I digress. My main point would be that on the one hand, pairings can be very pleasurable, but on the other, a bottle can itself pair brilliantly with all the savory courses in a meal (one memorable such occasion was when I had a meal with a friend at Union Pacific, not the most conventional food). Craig, you seem militant about this, in a way that I don't understand. Then again, you're a wine-producer and I'm only an occasional wine-drinker. ← Craig can certainly speak for himself, but my sense of his "militancy" comes from the impression given in this topic that pairing different courses with specific wines over a dinner is inherently nonsensical, something that both he and I feel is ridiculous. If we have reached the point when every corner diner or mom and pop restaurant start getting into the act or it becomes de rigeur that everyone does it all the time then I would agree that we have become "too matchy." In the meantime, I applaud those who are making a concerted and honest effort to make wine service and dining as pleasurable as they can. For me a dinner with well-matched interesting wines increases my pleasure with that meal considerably. Sometimes that occurs with a couple of well chosen bottles. In other instances it occurs with a paired flight of wine. What is the big deal?

I can't say that this corresponds to my own limited experience. Most of the chefs I know are into wine as well though to varying degrees. Some such as John Wabeck of Firefly, are particularly passionate. In John's case, his passion is chenin blanc though his knowledge and interests extend well beyond that varietal..

Outstanding report, Jason! Of all the places and wines you reported on the only one I have any experience with is Pride Mountain. I have been there and tasted their wines. you have certainly piqued my interest in everything else though. Do you really have to ask about the photos though?

Wow, that is astonishing news! Given that they are apparently already working on another restaurant, haute Greek in style, I wonder if they will ever bother returning to this project?

I think the focus on pairings has been unfairly placed on an obsessive desire for "the perfect match". For me it is all about fun and being able to try and enjoy new and sometimes unfamiliar wines in a relatively optimal setting for the food. When at a restaurant like Alinea, at which a lot of thought has been placed in this process by someone else, it is simply another part of the journey of discovery one encounetrs at a meal there. Is it essential? Probably not, but I do appreciate it. Of course that doesn't mean that other restaurants put as much care into selecting their pairings or have as interesting cellars to select from. Many do, though.

Of course we care about the little details - this is eGullet! Sounds like a fun trip.

Pedro, as for Grant Achatz: I very much doubt that he is selecting the wines. That would be Joe Catterson's job. However, I would be equally surprised if he didn't have a say in ok'ing them.