docsconz

One of the problems is that this is not an easy cuisine, either to prepare or to appreciate. However, when it is done well it just clicks on so many cylinders. As for not generating regulars - check out the threads on Alinea and WD-50. I have twice travelled to Chicago in the past year primarily to eat at Alinea and I plan on doing so again, hopefully multiple times in the future. I also hope to return to El Bulli and plan to return to WD-50 as often as I can. In addition Minibar is high atop my list and Manresa is my primary culinary destination for my upcoming Bay Area visit as this has been high atop my wish list for some time. Hypermodern cuisine is very labor intensive and difficult to prepare as it requires great creativity. Effect simply for its own sake is not sufficient. The effects have to work and produce a cuisine that is not only brilliant for its artistry, but also and predominantly for its culinary values. Because hypermodern cuisine is so creative it is difficult for many diners to grasp, especially those who are set in their ways and "know what they like". That is not a criticism of anyone, simply an observation. Hypermodern cuisine requires a trust of the chef that is difficult for many people to give. When it works, though, IMO there is nothing better.

Molecular Gastronomy is a term coined by Herve This and other scientists to describe the scientific explanations and experiments defining the processes of food preparation. These approaches have been instrumental in creating new techniques that have resulted in true creativity. I very much enjoy hypermodern cuisine that is done well. This approach has provided the all around most enjoyable meals of my life so far. Nevertheless, I would never wish to eat this style or any other exclusively.I am also an ardent believer in the gastronomic and agricultural tenets of the Slow food Movement. In no way do I see these two approaches as being mutually exclusive. I am for variety, tradition and creativity. each has its place and the world would be much poorer without any of them.

I can't speak to Mas Pau, but the Almadraba Park Hotel in Roses made an excellent base of operations for us last September. Don't worry about making reservations at Rafa's well in advance, because it will all depend on the catch he has available anyway. Delta has a direct flight from NY that isn't too bad. Your best bet if you don't wish to stay stationary is to rent a car. There is plenty to see, do and eat in the region. If you haven't already done so I would suggest a perusal of this forum for a lot of excellent advice on dining and staying in Catalunya.

I think that there is a big difference between Chefs who care about their food and feel an integrity to their cuisine and actions such as those attributed to Chef Greenwood. If a chef is a stickler about how or what they will cook and present fine. I like a chef that is passionate about his cuisine. If I don't like the food I won't continue to patronize the restaurant. That is my choice. However, I agree that there is no excuse for rude or insulting behavior and there are too many really good restaurants to support one in which that is the norm. On the same token, I prefer not to support restaurants with less than consistently good food. I do not believe that these choices are mutually exclusive.

I wonder what becomes of Lomonoco's contract should this restaurant fail? I like his food and wish him success.

While Manresa and TFL are certainly within the greater Bay Area, they are not in San Francisco. It is somewhat but not totally surprising that the City itself does not have a major member of this style. TFL while innovative is not really avant-garde or "hypermodern", a term that is gaining some favor as perhaps a more accurate description of these restaurants. Of course there really aren't too many in the rest of the US as a whole or even the world that fit firmly into this niche. The ones that come to mind are WD-50 and now Gilt in NYC, Minibar in D.C. and Alinea, Avenues and Moto in Chicago. Spain is the major repository of this style in Europe and perhaps along with The Fat Duck most stylistically in tune with the US "hypermodern" restaurants or vice versa. IMO the French and Italian adherents of "Molecular gastronomy" are stylistically somewhat different. There are, however, a number of top chefs who utilize a number of techniques taken from this movement even if their restaurants can not be neatly categorized within this framework. Michel Richard of Citronelle in DC is one who comes to mind. While there is certainly a "cerebral" component to this cuisine, what it is not is dry or tasteless - at least not when done successfully. The best examples of the cuisine incorporate a lot of wit with either boldly evocative essences of familiar flavors that are often presented as a contextual surprise or challenging new flavor and texture combinations.

After reading the discussions, it appears that there are two groups of San Marzano users. (1) I'll buy the real DOP can, hang the cost; it will be better. (2) There are good substitutes worth looking for. I'm in the latter group, since the real thing doesn't come my way, and I'm suspicious of products controlled to keep the price high. A year ago I found a widely available substitute, 'President's Choice Splendido', grown in farms adjacent to San Marzano. This was sold at $1.50 per can, and seemed good to me, better than the North American product. P.C. is part of the the Weston group, and available at Loblaws and other stores. ← I have not had this particular product from president's Choice, but I have previously found all their products to be of exceptional quality. Unfortunately they are no longer carried by our local supermarkets. The problem is with inferior tomatoes that try to pawn themselves off as San Marzano. I'm not sure that San Marzano tomatoes are artificially controlled, at least no more so than any other superior product from a particular area. Of course that doesn't mean they are the only ones that can produce superior tomatoes and if there are other quality alternatives then they deserve business and recognition as well.

Doc, I had a terrific experience at Danko in November. So much so, I intend to return in mid-March. I have a local friend who was there in October who loved his meal as well. TFL if I can get a reservation on the day I need.

This is a very interesting question. hile the quality of the ingredients of the area are probably as good or better than anywhere in the US and they beg to be featured, they are no better than what is available to the great avant-garde chefs of Spain for example. I would argue too that while technique is very important to avant-garde cuisine, the quality of the raw ingredients are no less so. Manresa certainly has the reputation of being a top "hypermodern" restaurant and I am very much looking forward to dining there.

Keep the recs coming. I knew that this was going to be difficult with so many great possibilities and not enough time! Thanks.

Janet, that is a nice report. Thanks. His review of Danko was one of the recent positives that has whet my appetite. I've been wanting to get out to Manresa for some time now and finally have my opportunity. How about for a special cocktail?

Check out some fairly extensive discussions here and here.

I most certainly will, but that is separate from my S.F. agenda. I also hope to hit a specific spot in Napa and will be staying a couple of nights with an old friend in Oakland.

Negative. How would you or others rank them?

I also must attend the market! There is nothing I love to do more than wonder a great food market.

Thanks for the replies so far. A couple of things - I am looking for the best of S.F., not necessarily the most expensive, although I won't shy away from that if it is worth its cost. The R-C menus do look interesting, especially the S&P. Carolyn, I have an interest in Danko because he is from upstate NY and started out in an area in which I used to live. While I have heard some negatives lately, I have also heard some big positives. i have eaten at RGD a few years ago and it was excellent. I have eaten at La Folie before and it was indeed excellent. I also at at Aqua ehen Mina was there and I was disappointed(I loved Aqua in Vegas, though). I would prefer to eat haute for two of my four nights in the City and go with top-notch ethnics for the other two. The areas that I imagine are better than on the east coast perhaps are the various Asian cuisines and Mexican. I will have returned from a culinary ttrip to Mexico City a few weeks earlier so that jones may not be as needy, but by then it might just be really stoked! I have previously been to both Tong Kiang and Yank Sing and wouldn't mind returning to either if they are still at the top of their games and also at the top of the current S.F. dim sum pile. Then again, dim sum isn't usually dinner fare and I likely won't have the daylight time for it I will be venturing out from S.F. for a few days after my meeting and believe I have that covered and yes, Manresa is most definitely on my list. In fact it is the single biggest culinary reason I chose to attend this meeting as opposed to some other good ones. I did have other reasons as well, though

Any updates on these recommendations. I will be in S.F. at the end of March for a meeting for 4 nights and looking for the best of S.F. Unfortunately I believe my lunches are covered at the meeting so that will limit my exposure time. One restaurant I plan on visiting for a number of reasons is Gary Danko. I am interested in creative haute cuisine and top-notch ethnic, especially places that are better than anything of its type on the east coast or elsewhere. I may or may not be dining alone on those nights so that might or might not be a factor too. Your thoughts and recommendations are as ever appreciated. For what it is worth I will be staying at The Hyatt Regency in Embarcadero, although I will travel within the City for the right stuff.

Assuming that plated food is considereed as "sculpture" under copyright law, is taking a photo of that sculpture a violation of the copyright? I could see another identical food plating or sculpture being a violation but a photograph is a totally different medium.

Being able to envision and virtually taste what you had is almost as good (but not quite) as having been there that night. The tagliatelle and truffles sound like a fantastic accent and counterpoint to the rest of the evening. There certainly is no shortage of food on the Alinea Tour. My wife's one complaint is that she is too full on completion of the meal.

Hell, frog would be good and lizard in the right hands?

Speaking of storage - how do you store yours? We keep ours in the freezer. I can't remember where I got that advice, but it hasn't hurt our stock.

That is one I will have to watch! I hope that he will post later about his experience if he can.

My one would be the Beaucastel which is not a bad price in canadian dollars. I personally would choose Pesquera over Alion in general, although I have not had either from the 2001 vintage yet.

Which should be left to the two interested parties to sort out. The internet is at its worst when it speculates about what might have or might not have happened, what people should have or should not have done in a given situation that only the people involved have all the facts about. ← What clearly did happen and makes this discussion broadly relevant was the cease and desist letter. The beauty of the internet is that the chef has the ability to respond and defend herself should she so choose.

Congratulations and good luck!