cabrales

Well, "it is" might be taken as too "know it all" on my part, in the eyes of certain beholders, might it not?

Whether word choice is revealing can be in the eye of the beholder. For example, if a post read: "I do not necessarily agree with that position", it might be a gentle way of saying "I do not agree". Similarly, "I did not necessarily intend the post to be interpreted the way you appear to have in the last post" might be a gentler way of saying "Your interpretation of my post is wrong, relative to my intentions".

I agree that my posts should be taken in the context of my never having visited Diwan, and my not being knowledgeable about Indian cuisine. That is why I tried to make these aspects clear. Every diner has her own preferences and experiences. I'm not knowledgeable about Mexican, Italian or Russian cuisine either, among other cuisines.

Steven -- I did not necessarily intend the post to be interpreted the way you appear to have in the last post. I am merely saying that, when one is "known" at a restaurant, one might receive, depending on the restaurant and the applicable diner, better-quality food or more interesting food. That might happen because the kitchen takes extra effort, is willing to take risks it might not with an unknown diner, or otherwise *wants* to give VIP treatment to the diner. I don't think that's a negative thing for the diner or the restaurant. I was not attempting to "cast a shadow of doubt on the motives and integrity of Suvir, [you], and 'applicable other diners.'" Why is say, a diner like Orik, who may have earned his VIP treatment by multiple visits, a person whose motives or integrity might be negatively impacted if it were the case that he *does* receive VIP treatment? Note I'm not sure what standards apply to a professional critic like Asimov or yourself, but why shouldn't, for example, Suvir get special treatment at Diwan when he has helped craft certain of the menu dishes? Getting VIP treatment is a good thing, very generally, in my book.

In the case of the buffet, I think that would be clear. On the buffet, do you find it odd that a restaurant could purport to offer high quality hot/warm food as part of a buffet? Do members think that a gastronomic restaurant should be offering buffets? Are there particular cuisines, such as Indian cuisines, where buffets "hurt" the food less (e.g., if there are heating devices and the warm/hot food is kept around)? If the answer is yes, what might that say about the cuisine?

Wilfrid -- I empathize with your position. Note I have never eaten at Diwan, nor do I want to, subjectively. (I find Indian cuisine stark in general, although I have never willingly explored it and, when I take it in, tend to get coerced into it by dining companions.) Could it be possible that there might be less bewilderment if a member were to focus on the relationships that Suvir or applicable other diners might have with the personnel at the restaurant, and what effects (if any) such relationships might produce on the quality of the cuisine offered (if not on such quality as perceived)? My sense is that simple VIP treatment of other diners might explain the discrepancies. As Orik as noted, he has eaten there dozens of times. Suvir's relationship with the restaurant, and Fat Guy's dining experiences there, are also evident on the board. Also, I am not offering the following potentially relevant consideration as it relates to Suvir, Fat Guy, Orik or you, but perhaps a regular diner at Diwan's expectations of Indian cuisine are so low (based on the average quality of the Indian restaurants in NY and the fact that, subjectively for me at least, there are superior cuisines), that they are more impressed by Diwan because of some element of surprise. In other words, if one expects an average meal and receives a good one, one might be more pleased than if one expected and received a good meal.

Consider indicating you are aware of no other Mobil five star that has refused to fax you a wine list, upon request. This will garner the restaurant's attention, given Perrier's attention to five star status. I assume you can say that, based on any prior requests to five stars you have made. If the sommelier/receptionist resists, ask to speak with the maitre d'. It's inappropriate for the restaurant to refuse a limited portion of the wine list, upon request. I would have retorted, after the "it's expensive" comment, "that it's expensive implies what?... I'm sorry? Here's my fax number. I look forward to receiving the excerpts with the champagne list by the end of business tomorrow."

I have never visited Les Halles (any location). What would be good items to sample during a weekend lunch visit (not the entrecote, at this point)?

Jonathan -- I agree that was a sommelier mistake. I chose a white wine (the Laville, which was developed even relative to a bottle of the same year, in part due to the 1/2 bottle nature of the offering), but that is because I generally prefer white wine with chicken. After the 1/2 bottle had been exhausted, I chose Puligny Montrachet by the glass, after the sommelier described what he had by the glass. With the intense truffle sauce, even a strong-ish red would have been entirely appropriate from an objective standpoint.

I've had the same dish. Below are my comments, from another (unmerged) Ledoyen thread.

Soba has described my favorite method for sampling preserved ducks' eggs. In the congee, an optional additional ingredient might be salted pork (sometimes with a sheddy-type texture). The simplicity of the congee base facilitates a sampling of the gelantinous-type texture of the egg "white" portion (the color is not white, of course).

fresh_a: I'm not sure L'Astrance's surprise menu (at 90-95 euros before wine) is the "best gourmet value in Paris" if three-star lunch possibilities are taken into account, but I think L'Astrance offers excellent cuisine (regardless of price) and a very good quality-for-value relationship. It's just that there are very good quality-for-value relationships during lunch at three stars too. (I am not talking specifically about Saturday lunch, as obviously Grand Vefour, Lucas-Carton and Pierre Gagnaire are not open during Saturday lunch. Query whether Guy Savoy is open for Saturday lunch and whether it has a special priced lunch menu. Probably not. Note I am also excluding wine components, as those of course tend to be more expensive at three-stars, where one will not find some of the nice lower-priced wines inhering in L'Astrance's wine list.) I would agree that, if one wanted a large number of dishes during a meal, L'Astrance might offer the best gourmet value in Paris. I appreciate the poster initiating the thread was addressing Saturday *dinner*

My favorite soup in Chinese cuisine is shark's fin soup, taken preferably at Fook Lam Moon in Hong Kong. It comes in at least two varieties there (with crab roe and without). Its accompaniments there are fairly traditional: shredded special Chinese ham, raw bean sprouts and good quality vinegar (separate from the other accompaniments of course). The "broth" (it is much denser, like almost a sauce) in this soup of considerable depth of flavor.

It is not at all unusual to use it as a sweet. In Singapore, HK et al, it is most commonly cooked as a dessert, usually as a double-boiled sweet soup (tong-sui) with rock sugar. tonkichi -- I agree that bird's nest is at least as commonly cooked as a sweet item than as a savory item. There is a not uncommon savory preparation involving, typically, chicken soup/bouillon. However, the sweet preparation is at least as common in people's homes and clearly *more* prevalent in restaurants. I believe that's the case, with respect to restaurants in both Asia and North America. I subjectively prefer the savory version, when the chicken soup is well made. But then I generally do not focus on desserts in any meal. One has to be careful when ordering this item at restaurants. Like shark's fin, there are imitation versions. Also, as previously mentioned, there are very large differences in grade. Fook Lam Moon in Hong Kong is a good place to get the sweet version. Your description of the "tong sui" typical preparation is accurate. Another typical preparation is to use a small amount of coconut milk in the tong sui-like sweet concoction. One of the most sought-after versions is roughly translated as "blood bird's nest". It seems to have bits of reddish/orangish color in parts of it. On whether a little goes a long way, it depends on whether one is savoring it for the gastronomic value, in which case one needs a lot in a bowl to achieve the appropriate density of texture impact in the mouth (the intrinsic product is not at all dense when it's been rehydrated), or whether one believes there are health benefits, in which it is generally believed that a little goes a long way.

The wine list at L'Astrance has changed a lot recently. I forget when it changed exactly. Craig -- Was the version you received a grey, folder-like cover made of a light cardboard-like material with the L'Astrance flower emblem (like the grey on the menu)? Or was the version of today -- bound black leather, much more extensive, and resembling a huge photo album? It still has the L'Astrance logo on its cover, but now it is embossed. The first page inside is a page from an old list of types of wines recommended for different types of ailments (e.g., crises de foie). I have an extremely high regard for the cuisine at this venue.

I agree Foch is not impressive, although its 29 euro and 39 euro prix fixe menus for dinner are inexpensive for a now one-star. I wouldn't choose it.

No, I have not previously posted about it. Also, what makes you believe that a restaurant is not involved? Gorgeous produce does not a meal make, without talented chefs like Dan and Mike. As NYT reported earlier this month: "DAVID ROCKEFELLER ... plan for a restaurant, organic farm and education center at the heart of the Rockefeller Preserve here ... the estimated $28 million construction and renovation costs for the Stone Barns property, where the restaurant, farm and education center will be housed. ... Stone Barns project ... will include a restaurant that will serve organic produce grown on the property year-round in greenhouses. Daniel and David Barber and David's wife, Laureen, who own the Blue Hill restaurant in Greenwich Village, will create the restaurant, which is to be called Blue Hill at Stone Barns. ... [T]he education center, which will focus on agriculture and the environment in the Hudson Valley. The educational component should open around October and the restaurant soon after that, Mr. Rockefeller said."

If we are addressing the same dish, below are my notes on it: Black Sea Bass with Green Tea Tempura (entree, around $20-25; name inexact, as the restaurant refused me a menu copy): This dish was misguided. A long filet of sea bass was thin and was deskinned. Then, a mimic "skin" made from a heavy tempura batter (not really tempura, more like batter) with a little hint of green tea had been placed on top of the bass. Problems abounded: (1) the bass was significantly overcooked (adjustment is absolutely mandatory for the relatively thin and long shape of the bass) and the flesh lacked a good flavor, (2) the tempura was too heavy, (3) the dish was served at the same time as the lobster claw dish I had also ordered and cooled as I took in the latter (a clear mistake; given the size of the dish, it would have been vulnerable to cooling effects even without a concurrent serving), and (4) the saucing was an orange-colored oil with sweet and sour effects predominating (particularly, the sweetness, which was too stark). True, the orange-colored oil also had some aspects of the heat from chilli. However, a bad overall saucing for an average-minus filet. The moist bits of green tea bits and oil on the side were helpful, but did not save this dish from mediocrity.

Unless I am incapacitated (by eating too much foie gras, of course -- Chinese dumplings are not my style, although certain other members may be described as overdosing on them) before Thursday evening or Friday morning, when I would expect to post about it.

Wilfrid -- Pay attention, please; I've been in such shape for several days now. I just haven't been inclined to post until now... I was tempted to post on Blue Hill, of course As I have previously noted on another thread, Blue Hill appears at James Beard this Thursday.

Beachfan -- I sampled the eggplant dish recently. -- Japanese Eggplant stuffed with Sardinian Couscous, and beluga lentils, on piperade and piquillo pepper jus (from the Vegetarian Feast degustation menu; substituted at my request for a fish course on the non-veggie menu), paired with a Mersault, Chateau de Mersault 1998 (one of the poorest Mersaults I have sampled -- too acidic). An interesting dish, with a single specimen of eggplant the length of my outstretched hand stuffed with bulbous couscous (had a slight tapioca aspect), cooked down lentils (that reminded me of preserved vegetables in Chinese cuisine -- the type sometimes paired with pork or duck), black raisins (that were not noticeably sweet) and other small bits of veggie. Not bad, but not memorable. Eggplant was (as Japanese eggplant tends to be) supple, but the temperature was definitely not as warm as it should have been. The pepper saucing was interesting, manifesting itself as a bright-ish orange sauce interspersed with green herb oil from time to time. I do not believe this dish worked for me -- the components just didn't work well together. It was interesting, but not necessarily with a favorable connotation.

When the Blue Hill non-Manhattan venue becomes operational, that should be an outstanding day trip. In addition to the meal to be taken in, a tour of the greenhouses and other farming areas supporting the restaurant (if available) would be fulfilling. As members may know, the facility will serve a number of purposes, including the promotion of worthwhile farming methods and certain educational purposes.

I had another very pleasing meal at Blue Hill recently. Mike was again in the kitchen :laugh: My dining companion had experienced one of Mike's outstanding all-Concord grape meals last year, and had been looking forward to this meal. (1) Beet Veloute. (All dish names unofficial) The meal got off to a good start with a shotglass of beet veloute laced with horseradish sensations. The beet taste was well-conveyed. Interestingly, the texture of the veloute reminded me slightly of pureed tomatoes (including with respect to the little granules one can feel in the mouth for certain tomatoes). Even the color of the veloute was a bit redder, with a slightly more limited amount of purple hues, than certain beets. But it was not just the color of the veloute that was worthy of note visually. The appropriately gentle horseradish, in a thin creamy texture, took its place as a modern-looking blot of white color on top of the veloute. It was wonderful seeing Christopher again. :laugh: He poured us Proseco, Ombra from the Veneto region, and was wonderful detailed in describing the origins of the name of the producer. (2) Meyer Lemon Sabayon. I was absolutely won over (hmm -- more accurately, won over yet again) by the next course. I was presented with an eggshell (with the top portion removed), nursed within a whimsical-looking ceramic egg holder depicting an adorable little chick! The colors of the egg holder were spring shades; they were cheerful. :laugh: Christopher winked that the restaurant had placed tracking devices on the two egg holders, as the risk was too great under the circumstances! I soaked up so much pleasure from those egg holders that I admittedly did covet them ... and not just because I have a special interest in eggs and chicken. How perfect that the sabayon inside the eggshell was flavored with Meyer Lemon (another product to which I am drawn)! The acidic, slight sweetness of the Meyer Lemon combined well with the slightly different-tasting hint of sweetness in the sabayon from yolk effects. Inside the sabayon, which occupied much of the inside of the eggshell, was fresh, clear-tasting crabmeat. A few lengths of deep fried squids' legs protruded invitingly from the sabayon. Adjacent to these items was a piece of fried, drier (in a good way) anchovy or similar fish. All the foregoing items were small in size, but flavorful. As with so many other dishes I have received at Blue Hill, this creation was so on target with respect to my subjective preferences for ingredients and the manner in which they are combined that it made me think yet again how fortunate I am to have identified a restaurant in the US that resonates in that way for me. :laugh: (3) Citrus Cured Salmon with Potato Foam. This little dish was tasty as well. The salmon was presented in chunks, and the citrus elements of the curing had been appropriately controlled and were subtle (in a good way). For me, it was the potato foam that was the prominent component of this dish taste-wise (not in the sense of being more aggressive-tasting than the salmon, but in the sense of capturing interest, through offering unexpectedly pleasing tastes, once in my mouth). I am uncertain whether this was intended, but this pleased me considerably. It toyed with the notion of what a diner should expect when being presented with a dish visually. Why shouldn't it be the potato foam that is more interesting when taken in? I've had my share of potato foams at different restaurants. Here, the potato foam, while prominent with respect to taste interest, was still subtle and very well-executed. It had a hint of an unusual (in a very good way) kind of sweetness, and yet conveyed starchy sensations (despite its texture). Also, I appreciated that the foam was not too "cappuccino-froth"-like. (4) Sea Scallops with Romaine Sauce and Endives. Adorable dish, with slices of fairly large Maine sea scallops conveying their intrinsic flavors. A clean dish filled with conviction on the part of the chef. The accompaniments to the scallops, which had a bit of olive oil and a very little bit (appropriately) of fleur de sel on them, reminded me of a garden after a bit of rain. A very appealing Romaine sauce that was included in an appropriate quantity. Raw (?) endive sections, cut-up, and microgreens continued the refreshing aspects of the dish. This was as delicious as the sea scallop carpaccio that Dan had made for me a week before, yet the two dishes were very distinct. It is meaningful that Dan had Mike had each made a scallop dish and a trout dish (see below) for me, that I liked all of the dishes, and that the dishes had come out quite distinctly. For example, Dan has furnished smoked trout. (5) Local Blue Trout, Roasted Beets, Pinenuts and Grapefruit. Such a gentle dish. The trout was delicious in a soothing way. It was nice that the beets were not "loud" either. I liked the beet components interwoven into this meal. The pinenuts did express themselves in this dish, imparting a bit of depth to the dish. The grapefruit were appropriately muted within the context of this dish. (I neglected to note the paired wines for this and the prior course.) (6) Duck with Beet Puree and Kelp. This dish was very well-executed. Of note was the type of duck utilized, which a small farmer had been breeding to constitute a cross between a French and a Dutch duck. The flesh was flavorful, and there were reasonable amounts of fat between the skin and the flesh. The beet puree was interesting, imparting not only a bit of sweetness but also some complexity. (I wonder what kind of stock or other item had been incorporated into the puree?) Kelp is not ordinarily associated with duck, but here the combination worked. The wine pairing was, I believe, Acanzio Mauro Molino (spelling), 2000. (7) Fruit Canneloni -- Mango, Passionfruit, Bananas Two canneloni flavored with fruit had a coulis-like mixture with passionfruit seeds to top them. This course was appropriate, with the tapioca and coconut components being helpful. The wine paired was a Coteaux du Layon, 2000, a late-harvest Chenin Blanc. (8) Lemon Trio -- Lemon Yoghurt; Lemon Curd Ice Cream; Lemon Tart. I liked this dessert. The lemon tart was delicious, with a nice caramelized thin tuile on top of the tart. Good base for the tart, and good control of sweetness vs. acidity in the tart. The item served in a shotglass had wonderful sweetened lemon peels woven into; in that context, the bitterness of the peel was also presented, conveying a taste slightly reminiscent of kumquat. Overall, a very good meal from Mike. A separate recent meal from Dan follows: I was almost giddy with anticipation, as I stepped into the doors of my subjectively preferred restaurant (still) in the US. Jean-Paul welcomed me, as did the various other dining room team members. An adjacent table had former Mayor Dinkins and Ed Bradley (spelling) among the large number of diners. I had brought an ‘85 Salon, and the team was very gracious about handling that. The amuses were appropriate. Duck proscuitto with apricot puree featured a piece of duck that was not as thin as proscuitto might sometimes connote, and that was also smoother in texture than one anticipates for duck. Interesting (in a good way). While I do not generally prefer apricot, the puree accompanying the duck was nicely made, with a suppression of the sweetness that can be excessive in apricot concoctions elsewhere. A small addition of baby greens on the side of the plate was not sampled. The second amuse was a small shotglass of brocoli or similar veloute with parmesan. My dining companion and I agreed that there was a distinctive meat-based sensation to the veloute – perhaps from bacon (his guess) or veal stock (mine). (1) Carpaccio of scallops with Meyer lemon This was a very nice dish, with the freshness and controlled acidity of Meyer lemon interwoven into the thin, oil-based saucing. There were strands of Meyer lemon peel that added a hint of bitterness, highlighting the good intrinsic quality of the scallops utilized. Sprinkles of fleur de sel and diced chives were appropriate too, although I might have subjectively preferred just slightly fewer grains. (2) Monkfish with golden beets, pinenuts and soy beans This dish was delicious, with the monkfish appropriately cooked incompletely. Golden beets in small, round slices of medium thickness formed a “base” when they were placed in an overlapping manner to form a larger circular shape. They were less acidic than the average burgundy-colored beet, and were therefore a more softer background (appropriately) for the monkfish. The beets were also not unduly sweet; they had sweetness, but it was appropriately limited (due to the intrinsic characteristics of the beet). A pairing with the monkfish that worked. The pinenuts were surprising with the monkfish, but welcomed. They went well with the green, slightly crunchy texture of the soy beans too. There was a very little bit of vegetable shoot on top of the piece of monkfish. Also, the saucing was of an appealing consistency, having almost connotations of what an egg yolk (when heavily diluted) might bring. The saucing contained bits of chives too. (3) Smoked trout with walnuts and cider and soy A large filet of smoked trout that had nicely strong soy sensations on the nose, but not in the mouth. I liked this dish too, despite an initial question about the softness of the flesh of the trout. The smokiness was appropriately limited, and there was a certain limited darkness from the cider and jus-based saucing. I am ordinarily not a big fan of walnuts, but in this dish they were appropriate. Our dining party moved onto a super red Bordeaux for this dish. (4) Roasted poussin with black truffles, porcini, chickpea salad and homous A well-executed dish that was also delicious. Poussin pieces were very moist and smooth-tasting. Very flavorful at the same time. The black truffles and porcini in thin strands were complementary in adding to the aromas and the intensity of the dish. These two accompaniments were appropriate, as were the whole chickpeas and the muted homous. (5) Lime sorbet, avocado dessert with caramel tuile Mike had given me a taste of this dessert when it was at an earlier stage in its conception. I liked it better then, given that the sorbet appeared more acidic and stark in this iteration and the avocado in Mike’s original version seemed somewhat more ripe and therefore more imbued with fat. In this version, the circular tuile carried more butter sensations and there was also a sticky sensation (involving stickiness to the teeth) that was an improvement from the original tuile. I do not recall whether the original version I sampled had the little slivers of lime confit on the plate adjacent to the avocado base for this dessert. I still like the small dicing of the avocados, and the fact that they seemed integrated into one another. (6) Green apple sorbet with green apple cream and something else This might be a creation of the new pastry chef, hailing from France. In using not that many different flavors, this pastry chef has the potential to be in keeping with BH’s mentality for savory courses of highlighting ingredients (7) Passionfruit souffle with passionfruit ice cream I liked this dessert. The souffle was nicely done; served in a large cup-like clear glass container that had nice steel handles in a good shape. The souffle was not unduly sweet, and its texture and flavor were appropriate. The passionfruit ice cream was served on a Chinese-rsetaurant-like porcelain spoon. This also appears to be a creation of the new pastry chef. Mignardises were small madelaines, served with a jar of orange marmelade.

The menu for Blue Hill's J Beard dinner on April 3 has been released: Reception -- Maine Crabmeat with Spring Onion Shortbread -- Shots of Romaine Lettuce Soup -- Bay Scallops with Raw and Preserved Jerusalem Artichokes -- Chicken Liver with Soy and Poppy Seeds Dinner -- Asparagus Terrine with Soft Goat Cheese, Fennel Gelee and Lemonette, with Ata Rangi Sauvignon Blanc 2002 -- Wild King Salmon with Pickled Ramps in their Own Sauce, with Jakoby-Mathy Kinheimer Rosenberg Riesling Spatlese 2000 -- Spring Grass-Fed Baby Lamb -- Canneloni, Chops and Loin, with Podere Capaccia Querciagrande 1996 -- Lime Sorbet with Marinated Avocado and Salted Caramel Crisp -- First Rhubarb with Soft Meringue and Tapioca, with Gatti Sparkling Brachetto 2001 -- Petit Fours -- Marmalades and Preserves with Financiers :laugh: Other interesting J Beard dinners coming up, which I will attend, are: Julian Serrano on Thursday, May 1; Michael Mina on Friday, May 2; and Rick Tramonto and Gail Gand on Saturday, May 3. I am not attending the Mario Batali J Beard dinner on Tuesday, May 6, or the Out-of-House Event at Craft on Friday, May 9.

Stone -- Not necessarily. I believe that any diner with significant Vietnamese cuisine eating experience, as you and (to a sufficient but apparently lesser extent) I, would know. However, I wonder whether all FF diners have experience with Vietnamese cuisine. Liza -- I have never sampled Jean Georges' dish, and, while I have sampled J-G's cuisine, have not been impressed by it. Apologies I can't therefore answer that question.