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I was at Can Roca two years ago, and I had the oyster. One thing I am curious about with L'Esguard is that I have ordered Micri, his supposedly miracle ingredient. In my hands at least, it was horrible - like a jar of wallpaper paste! Perhaps the jar I had was old or suffered in shipping. Or maybe I did something wrong, but I tried variations for weeks and eventually despaired of the stuff. I find the hydrocolloid gels more useful. So it would be very interesting to me to see it in the hands of the master. Maybe he does a great job with it. ← He does. All the more reason to check it out for yourself.

I have no doubt that if they did a dish with cuy at Schwa it would be excellent. I would have no problem with it, Molto.

I won't ask what bunches of scallions and bags of turmeric or cheetohs are doing in your laundry room We save the bags from cereal boxes and use them to put chicken or veal cutlets in to pound them for flattening.

Wonderful photos and instruction, Jennifer. Thanks for doing this. In reality, the only differences between your quesadillas and other styles I am more familiar with that I can discern is how you finish yours. You seal them (like an empanada) and then fry them. The quesadillas I know are not sealed and are grilled on a comal or equivalent. Your photos make making tortillas look so easy, when they are anything but! With a little practice they aren't too hard, but they aren't nearly as easy to make as it looks! It's true that there are many different versions of chilaquiles, which makes sense as they probably originated as a way to take care of leftovers. Your cochinita pibil looks marvelous. How did you make that?

I would venture that most NYC based eGullet Society members are more likely to be leading or giving tours and have done so on more than one occasion. I must say, Raji, that yours look pretty good. While I have never felt the need to go on a formal NYC food tour, I certainly enjoy gastrotourism and the knowledge and connections of experts elsewhere. The CIA/Viking World of Flavors Tours are particularly good for that. Indeed they will be offering a culinary visit to NYC in June of 2008. Note: For some reason the link to WOF doesn't lead directly to the page describing their NYC trip. One need only click through to the Travel and New York links.

Love it or hate it, L'Esguard is unique and worth the experience IMO. I would also suggest venturing a trip a little further south to Valencia and Ca Sento and of all my wonderful meals in Spain second only to elBulli. It is not necessarily the most cutting edge, but it is extraordinary. While I haven't been to all of the restaurants on your list, the ones I have been to are all worthy. They include Hispania, Sant Pau, L'Esguard and El Celler de Can Roca. Conspicuous by their absence from your list are Abac, Alkimia, Cinc Sentits, El Raco de Can Fabes and Hisop all of which are also worthy of consideration. Of all the places though, I would love to read your opinion of L'Esguard. Enjoy! FWIW, as much as I love the Vanguardist approach ad cuisine, it was my impression that the pendulum (at least in Northeastern Spain) is swinging back to a more ingredient driven, more evidently tradition-based cuisine than has been the case in recent years. It is not that the Vanguardist movement is giving up on exploration, innovation and creativity. It is that they seem to be rediscovering the primacy of their local ingredients and traditions and playing to them with the techniques given more supporting rather than starring roles.

I will be looking forward to reading of your experience and take on this year's offerings. Have you been before?

Daniel, I do not disagree with you or your points. The utility of the bottles and their contents are certainly debatable as is their value. Nevertheless, there are some pretty cool designs. I am not advocating for anyone to necessarily buy them though .

I don't think the topic here is to debate whether bottled or tap water is better. That probably depends on the where the tap water (or botled) is coming from. The issue here is simply on the ingenuity of the packaging and the imaginative designs therein. I am fortunate to live in a place where the tap water is generally good and so I typically choose it. I still admire the artistry and ingenuity of various water bottlings as I would any other piece of art.

From The New York Times Travel Section: Has anyone been on any of the tours mentioned in the article or on any others in NYC?

What an extraordinary and fun looking meal, Ron. That looks like a meal that would be right up my alley mixing great, diverse ingredients with interesting technique and clever presentation to form a cohesive and delicious whole. Having eaten at Schwa but once, I have only a sense of what Chef Carlson and his team are capable of. That quail egg raviolo remains one of the greatest dishes I have had. I can see why he has such a hard time getting it off his menu. I know next time I visit that in addition to whatever else I have, I must have that again! Ron, nice photography!

John, the tasting menu that you and molto e had at Wing Lei is what I consider "haute Chinese." Each course was plated for each diner. Each course is based on Chinese cuisine with a certain Western emphasis on presentation. I'm curious, John: Were you eating each course with chopsticks and/or forks & knives? If I remember correctly, we ate with chopsticks. Perfect sense. Thanks. If I remember correctly, our tasting menu was not the regular printed one, but arose from a discussion with our waiter culminating in their offer to create a surprise menu for us. Some of the dishes we had including the lobster and the duck were served from a single platter, though they were apportioned by our excellent waiter.

Great news that he is dealing with the chemo so well. I am still very much hoping that even with the radiation that is coming that he will feel well enough to attend the Starchefs International Chefs Congress in NYC next month. He remains on the scheedule, but ultimately it will depend on how he is feeling.

Madelaine, welcome to the eGullet Society! You have posted an excellent but very difficult topic as your first one. As such, I look forward to more challenging topics like this. For me: Jean-George's turbot, Monte's clam sauce, Ferdinando's panelle special, Wylie Dufresne's squab (any time he and any way he makes it), fried dumplings at No.1 Dumpling, Grimaldi's 12 noon pizza, Otto's olive oil gelato are a few that pop into my head.

It seems to me that you are wondering why someone with so much to offer would not want to offer it, John. An understandable question, for sure. To me the answer would be one of two things. Either he is what some people like to consider as just a money-hungry jerk who only cares about himself, or (and this is what I would like to think, for I like to think the best of people till proven completely and inarguably wrong) he got in over his head and the entire experience has made him gun-shy. That level of performance demand in that sort of market is not an easy skate in any way: physically or emotionally, regardless of what sort of arrogant mask one might put on to make it through it. He might bear some scars that haven't healed yet, whether he seems like a jerk to lots of people or not. ← Actually, Karen, I don't really wonder that at all. Whatever his reasons, I hope that he is happy with his decisions and with himself. My disappointment is purely selfish in that his food was some of the best I have ever eaten and now neither I nor the general public no longer have the opportunity to partake of it.

She seems to be a real whiz with cheese.

I certainly don't hate Rocco. With the great meals that he has produced that I have enjoyed, I could never hate him. I am disappointed in him, though, because he had so much to contribute with his culinary skills and creativity. Whether he cares about that disappointment is another question. I don't think he has any responsibility to anyone but himself, but I am still disappointed with him. Again, whether he cares....

RJ, what would you consider "haute Chinese?"

What a story, Judith! The space looks beautiful. Tanti auguri!

Raji, your comparisons to Japanese ramen shops are certainly appreciated. I absolutely look forward to trying them whether in Japan, in NYC or wherever, especially if they are that much better than Setagaya. Setagaya may not be the best, but to this ramen neophyte it has opened up a whole new world of food.

That price actually sounds like a bargain. David, was this an invitation event or one that anyone could sign up for via the magazine?

Here's a poll on the subject from the Culinary Institute of America Smartbrief. As one might expect most people responded that it is crazy to spend that kind of money, however, about 35% of the respondents decided it might be worth that much. As for whether it would be better than the best Prosciutto di Parma, I would guess yes. Whether or not the difference would be worth it, I am not sure. The best Iberico I have ever tasted, Joselito is transcendent. I would spend the money on small batches, but a whole leg, which is the only way to buy it at present would be too much for me. Maybe if I went in with a group for a party

If the wine is good it is not an issue If there is any leftover it goes into the cooking cuvee.

Great report, Bryan. Your meal at Savoy sounds and looks like an extraordinary one. I had been under the impression that Savoy banned cameras in the restaurant and in fact that was the reason that molto e and I did not go there this past March. Was that an issue at all for you? Did it even come up?

Excellent report and photos. I always enjoy seeing what is the same and different about others meals at elBulli. There were certainly a number of similarities between our courses, but also a number of new dishes in your meal. Thanks for sharing! BTW, I never knew that butterfly place ever existed there. I may just check that out if I am ever fortunate enough to find myself there again.