docsconz

I can't wait for the full descriptions of these dishes. It is hard to believe, but the photography keeps getting better as well.

Then clearly you haven't been to Dog River, Saskatchewan, Doc. There, porridge-thick (chardonn--eh?!) accents grunt and collide in the muskeg zephyrs. The landscape is eerily reminiscent of the more chic precincts of the Russian Steppe. Speaking of which, step inside the Ruby Diner to sample the daily specials, from stuffed goldeye or baked pickerel bechamel to chump of bison. But keep your fork, Duke, 'cuz there's pie - Saskatoonberry pie - à la mode! The parvenus of Paris should be so lucky, but need not apply. And did I mention the women? Well, I love a woman in uniform, especially if she's packing heat and her cheekbones are so sharp you can hang your laundry off 'em. Montreal, a great city. But Dog River is clearly the most European of all unincorporated North American jurisdictions and a blessing to us all! ← You are right, Jamie, I hadn't been there! But thanks to you I have now seen what I have been missing

I'm glad we had a chance to see a response from Ms. Strong, although it would have been even better if she responded directly. Ms. Strong, if you read this, please note that becoming a member is not difficult. I, for one, would welcome your direct input on this and other topics. Comments on your opinions and style are fair game, while comments directed at you (or anyone else) are not.

Nice issue. Leslie's article was particularly enjoyable. I felt like an insider reading it as a lot of it is familiar from this site and subsequent personal experience. I have not been to a North American city with a more European feel to it than Montreal. Perhaps the language has something to do with it, but I think it is more than that even if it is difficult to put a finger on what it is.

If I may be so bold as to suggest: Double smoked bacon on bacon bread with bacon dressing? ← Don't forget a little extra bacon on the side

Morimoto South in philly has a rock Shrimp Tempura with Roquerfort cheese, I am assuming its the same dish. Ding Ding Ding Ding......correct answer. So I am curious why supposedly food knowledgeable people go out and order a dish that is the only food combination that has never been pulled off by any chef on the planet. Bleu Cheese/Shellfish. Ewwwww! ← That is certainly not how she described the dish. She made no mention of bleu cheese at all. Strong has certainly received a lot of grief both here and elsewhere and for all I know much of it is deserved. However, we will see what the preponderance of opinion is as more people experience the restaurant for themselves and report back. At this point, Augieland and Andrea Strong IMO cancel each other out. There have been both positive and negative reports posted here. It almost sounds like the restaurant may have some consistency issues. When it is good it sounds as if it is really good, but when it is not....

Of the two I have only been to L'Astrance, which delighted me greatly.

Thanks for the report, Tim, and welcome to eGullet! What else did you eat in and around Barcelona?

You should also hit L'Astrance not far across the river. You have an excellent location with plenty of great food choices as Laidback outlined. Bon voyage!

Perhaps a potential solution to the dilemma would be to regulate the industry to certain standards such as those at Sonoma rather than ban it altogether.

I suspect that the lounge policy was based on expectations that they would be busier than they appear to be. I agree the policy appears to be a silly and counterproductive one.

With so many different ingredients on the menu, how do you keep them all fresh? ← ← Thanks, Spiro. So if something isn't selling very frequently and has a short shelf life will it be removed from the menu? At what point are slower selling ingredients removed from the pantry?

My guess is that they figured that if they could take the quality of the food at Babbo and put it in luxury surroundings with top-flight service they would be deservingof and get four stars and they should have been right. The problem with Del Posto from what I have seen from my limited direct experience and what I have read is that it comes off as being little more than pretentious.

Where did the bleu cheese sauce come from?

Interesting intrepretation, Adam. In a lot of respects, your description is very similar to mine from December though your conclusions certainly differ. The prices seem to be slightly less expensive than they were, though it is difficult to tell.

With so many different ingredients on the menu, how do you keep them all fresh?

Glad you enjoyed it, Rich.

Nice job, Fudy. I particularly like the lighting and composition of this image:

Which? Asian? Hedge-fund manager? Both? U.E. [edited to add: I'm assuming that since no one else has voiced a suggestion other than Yasuda and Kuruma that these are hands down the best in NYC for this type of experience. Or am I assuming too much?] ← While it almost certainly doesn't hurt to be Japanese at Kuruma, I can't say that my meal suffered in any way as a result of not being Japanese or Asian. My wallet, on the other hand was considerably lighter after the fact! My experience with NYC sushi restaurants is not terribly extensive, but these two were for me transcendant

Jean-Georges makes its own sodas. They make a great non-alcoholic aperitif or accompaniment.

The kitchen staff at WD-50 is very good. While the quality of the food likely does not suffer too much on those nights Wylie and/or Sam are away, the restaurant would lose a little of its personality. I think that this is true for many chef-driven restaurants. I applaud those chefs, like Wylie and Sam, who remain very involved in their kitchens on a daily basis. I think it makes a big diffeence and is one of the biggest reasons I think celebrity chef "chain" restaurants suffer.

The real test to see if it is a Donostia style pintxos bar besides Txocoli would be to look at the floor during service to see how much litter there is It does sound good and is on my list of places to try in NYC.

It certainly helps to be one at Kuruma

If you haven't already, check out this thread.. Both are great. My preference was for Yasuda. It had more bang for the buck, although Kuruma gives a greater sense of an "inner sanctum" sort of experience.

Very interesting report, Fat Al and welcome to eGullet! Your comparing it to The Venetian in Las Vegas is right on, even if there are visual differences. The vibe is certainly similar. I think the vibe probably comes from a sense that the style of the restaurant is not really consistent with the style of food. It is sort of like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. I base this upon your description, my limited experience there in December and having read about the restaurant here and elsewhere.