docsconz

Silly, I will be looking forward to your report as well. Michel Bras along with The Fat Duck are two of the more intriguing restaurants in Europe to me that I haven't been to yet.

There are many places that sell Berthillon, particularly on the Ile St. Louis. I have been disappointed several times by shops that handle the ice cream poorly, apparently letting it partially thaw and refreeze. I've never found the ice cream or sorbets icy at the main store. However, I also was disappointed with the fraise du bois. It lacked the intense concentration of flavor that I associate with Berthillon, even in their more sublte flavors (e.g., pear). ← I made a point of getting it at the main store on Ile St. Louis, where I had been before. Perhaps the fraise du bois were not quite in season. Perhaps the ice ream was freshly made with frozen strawberries. However and whenever it was made, it certainly didn't live upto my admittedly high expectations. The bitter chocolate, however, fortunately did, so it wasn't a total disappointment.

Despite Matthew's raves about some of the food, some of his other comments along with Moby's and my own recent experience at Pierre Gagnaire makes me wonder if some of the titans of French avant-garde cooking are having some troubles maintaining consistent creativity that continues to astonish and still be delicious.

Sounds like a silver lining in those clouds...ok maybe a gold lining:laugh: Where I live when it rains all we get is water (not that that is so bad). It's funny, our August, which is usually or at least often, wet and chilly was stunningly beautiful weatherwise - more like what I would expect from Italy!

I believe that he is trying to counter an impression of elitism. This may be an interesting discussion for another thread.

Understand? I couldn't say that I necessarily "understood" anything about the menu in a culinary, intellectual or philosophical sense. I certainly was not able to connect it with a chronological history or progression of the cuisine. I can not place it in any context other than that evening. I can only take it on the terms offered to me then. It was gracious, beautiful, delicious (even the less compelling dishes) and most of all, great fun. On the one hand I wish I was able to understand it and in the future I hope to be able to to a greater degree. On the other hand, I am very happy to have taken that evening on its own terms. Thank you for the link, Rogelio, and your perspective.

OK Doc, on the amuse we had a cantaloupe soup with prosciutto foam; a tiny puff pastry with pesto and parmigiano; and one slice of Hamachi with wasabi granita. We then had between us, seared foie gras, raw tuna cubes in a dashi and rice vinegar broth, with a demitasse cup of buttery mushroom soup; risotto with porcini and balsamic; garlic soup with frog legs; beef tenderloin; squab; trio of berry dessert; trio of chocolate dessert; marshmallows; petit four. One cocktail, two sparkling water; one glass Loire Valley white. $136 + tip. ← Sounds great. Did any of the dishes particularly stand out?

Very interesting, Chris. out of curiosity, how many times was each wine tasted and for how long a period of time over an evening? I ask because a fruit forward wine is likely to have a better initial presentation and then pale with continued drinking unless it has more complexity to it. I'm not saying that Yellowtail wsn't the best. I don't know, I wasn't there. It is just that the parameters can make a huge difference.

If I remeber well I think that last year after my second visit I wrote here something like that I was not as shocked as I was on my first visit and that the surprise factor is very important, that's why I didn't wanted to know anything on this year's menu before dinning there. Last year the progression was in crescendo from low to the top and this year was the other way round so at the end of the meal the sensation was we were flat down. And in last year menu there were a few otstanding dishes like espardeñes with ham, oysters with habugo fat and oyster sauce, ñoquies with potato juice... that could be placed in any three star restaurant. This year thare was a lack of this 10 out of 10 dishes. And there were a few dishes so chalenging on this year's menu that I didn't understood like the Papillote de tomates al mastic, estragon y sorbete de kumquat or the Terroso. And others like the Espuma de zanahoria/lyo-Marrakesh, espumaire de avellana or the Sufle/coulant de maiz al maiz that I didn't found to be up to other year's standards. On the other hand, the Ensalada Folie and ventresca de caballa as well as the nécora were stunning dishes. It could be my fault but at the end of the meal I was very tired of all those contrasts, bitter/sourness and marshmallows with peta zetas. This are just a few dissapointments for a great meal that I found to be not as good as previous years. ← Interesting contrasts, Rogelio. I particularly liked the papillote and the sufle/coulant de maiz and was less thrilled with the Ensalada Folie. I thought the least successful dish was the marshmallow de pinones. Someday I hope to be experienced enough with El Bulli to be able to critique from year to year No matter how this dinner stacks up to any future ones I may have, this will always occupy a special place in my heart.

There is a topic discussing their production here. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I haven't yet tried this dish and I very much want to.

Given that your menu, Rogelio was very similar to mine with a few exceptions, I am surprised about your response to the latter half of the meal. Nevertheless, if previous meals were so good as to inspire a ho-hum review for this meal, the previous meals must have been truly spectacular! Either that or with further dining experiences the sense of novelty and awe diminishes?

According to Luis Garcia, that was something that ferran adria wanted to do, but will not at this point. As of the end of August they are not planning any hiatus other than their usual winter stay at the Taller.

Let us know what it is like and how it is please!!

Pranian Man, what were your favorites? The amazing thing is that with expectations so high, it is so easy to have a huge letdown. That they surpassed my already sky high expectations is even more incredible. I also agree that this was not just a superlative dining experience, it was a superlative experience and one of the finest evenings - memories of my life so far. Ted, thanks

St-Viateur.

Trotter used to be one of mine until the whole foie gras thing. He still is a great chef, although I have less of an interest in patronizing him. If he doesn't wish to serve foie gras fine, I can respect that. I have never been to the Ryland Inn, although I have tastes Chef Shelton's cooking and he is a mentor to one of my favorite chefs, Matt Secich, formerly of the Inn at Erlowest. I would love to get there one of these days.

My experiences with wine at WD-50 have been outstanding. While the list may not be the most extensive in town it is well focused and matches well with the food. If I remember correctly (and I may not), Dewey Dufresne, Wylie's dad handles the bulk of the wine chores.

Interesting and thanks for the clarification. I had images of a poor old female dog

Elie, Sorry to have not answered this sooner. I must have been distracted by Molto's photos Thank you and everyone else for the compliments on the photos. It was truly a labor of love. While taking food photos may diminish a dinner experience for some, it enhances one for me, especially at arestaurant like El Bulli where the food is so plentiful, so unique and so fabulous. We had two teenagers and a six year-old on the trip with us and were also in Roses with our friends from Catalunya who had their two sons, one a young man in University and the other a younger teenager. Unfortunately only their University son and our 15y/o eldest son were able to accompany the parents to El Bulli that night. The other two teenagers stayed back at the hotel to babysit. My 14y/o son was particularly disappointed to miss the dinner, especially after how much everyone raved about it afterwards. We thought we would make it up to him by taking him to Pierre Gagnaire in Paris, but I think that only increased his disappointment as that meal was less than stellar. Our 15yo absolutely loved El Bulli. He was as caught up in all the magic as we were. Ideally I would like to go back next summer and take our 14yo. El Bulli was so much fun, I would almost consider taking our 6yo next year when he is seven. He actually did quite well in Paris. Well, maybe not next year, but I would love to take him when he is perhaps a little bit older yet.

It seems that every dining experience at El Bulli is somewhat unique. We didn't get the waving hands or the candies either, but then maybe we left sooner than we should have. I'd gladly be there still.

Pray tell, what is bitch or biche pate?

Anyone willing to guess how quickly this closes. This has to be the most absurd sounding "concept" restaurant ever if the above reports are accurate.

Well, what did you have? Did you have your daughter with you in the main room?

It is the extortion aspect of this that really rankles me. If I got exceptional service and had a great day at the track and I felt like throwing some of that money around to people who took care of me very well so be it. But if I have to lay out a bribe under the table to get something that otherwise I couldn't get, that doesn't sit well with me. If the place is full, it's full and my tough luck. But if there are tables available, then I should be able to get one and spend my money legitimately.

Glenn, Thanks for the additional advice. I am curious, though when you write to avoid all the waterfront restaurants, if One.Waterfront is specifically included in that warning and if so can you elaborate? I have heard good things about the restaurant and given its location at the Cape Grace I would expect it to be good. I am planning on dining there after our day in the winelands, which promises to be the busiest of our stay in Cape Town and therefore the one best served by staying in our hotel. I think I will try to secure a reservation at Constantia Uitsig and The Mount Nelson. Since my dining partner is a bit less adventurous than I am and not into Indian food, that will unfortunately leave out Bukhara and probably Bloemers as well. That narrows things down to the Leinster Hall, Blue Danube or Panama Jack's.