cabrales

I believe that problem does exist in France (regardless of whether the machine is brought to the diner at the table), although at least American Express makes possible a tip being reflected somehow (not necessarily as a separate line; it can be written just as numbers on the credit card slip, I was told by a reliable source). However, presumably a diner interested in leaving a tip could bring cash for the tip, as I do.

Nina -- Shouldn't a restaurant group's own view of what a restaurant should be called be deferred to?

DStone001 -- Leaving aside the merits of your argument, how do you know hensonville is a male user? Plus, with all respect to hensonville, I am extremely picky (not that I have reason to be, but I am; that's not a statement with respect to only restaurants) and quirky.

Apologies if this highlights my ignorance about the smoking processes, but would the absence/presence of a cover or other device to trap the smoke or not be relevant? Does the kitchen team member turn or otherwise move the relevant meats frequently during the smoking process? Is jus/saucing applied to applicable types of ribs or other meats periodically during the smoking process? What role (if any) do you see bitterness as having with respect to smoked items?

I believe I have had devilled or similar eggs at Blue Smoke. Could you discuss how you came up with the inclusion of this item in the Blue Smoke menu? Also, what are your views on the utilization of eggs (in non-breakfast items) at other restaurants that you created?

Why doesn't a member call Otto, or if the line is busy, Lupa, Esca or Babbo, to ask?

I don't disagree it would be appropriate, by local convention, to leave nothing or 10 euros.

I would worry about humiliation at the hands of Wareing if I were J-G and charging 60 Pounds for a tasting menu (albeit one with six courses prior to dessert), relative to Petrus' current 60 Pounds tasting menu (four courses with two desserts). Frankly, apart from foodies, diners in London probably wouldn't recognize Jean-George's name. (I wondered how many people would recognize Gagnaire's name). Everybody is going to recognize "Marcus Wareing's Petrus". Interestingly, Ramsay cares enough about Wareing's establishment (despite his partial interest) to have listed Petrus (at least a while ago), along with RHR, in the recorded message one got while waiting to be connected to Claridge's reservations. My take on the J-G-B menu: -- "Duck breast glazed with 'dragees', baby turnip, sauteed" is a dish "inspired" by a Parisian three-star chef (who has a recipe that utilizes pigeonneau). -- On Vong, below for comparison is the NY Vong indicative menu from Jean-George's website. Note that there is much more of an Asian flavor to Vong dish names and more explicit mention of Asian spicing than on the J-G-B menu (which admittedly does mention lemongrass, cumin, ginger, etc. -- but a less explicitly Asian overall feel to J-G-B): APPETIZERS THE BLACK PLATE (2 PERSON MINIMUM) $23 PER PERSON CRAB SPRING ROLLS WITH TAMARIND DIPPING SAUCE $13 PRAWN SATAY WITH FRESH OYSTER SAUCE $15 LOBSTER & DAIKON ROLL, ROSEMARY- GINGER DIP $16 RAW TUNA & VEGETABLES WRAPPED IN RICE PAPER $12 QUAIL RUBBED WITH THAI SPICES, CRUNCHY CRESS SALAD $14 ROASTED SWEETBREAD ON LICORICE SATAY, ASIAN PEAR SALAD $14 CHICKEN AND COCONUT MILK SOUP, GALANGAL AND SHIITAKES $8 CRISP VEGETABLE ROLLS, NAM-PRIK VINAIGRETTE $9 SAUTEED FOIE GRAS WITH GINGER AND MANGO $25 DUCK ROLLS WITH PLUM SAUCE $9 SEARED TUNA WITH SZECHUAN PEPPERCORN, SOY-MUSTARD SAUCE $14 WARM ASPARAGUS SALAD WITH AVOCADO & ENOKI MUSHROOMS $12 ENTREES CRISP BEAN CURD WITH SWEET AND SOUR MUSHROOM BROTH $16 SPICED COD FISH WITH CURRIED ARTICHOKES $19 MONKFISH BAKED WITH SPECIAL SPICES & SEEDS, POTATOES & ASPARAGUS $27 SALMON WITH LENTIL CRUST, ORANGE-GINGER SAUCE, WILTED ENDIVE AND SWEET POTATOES $20 STEAMED BLACK BASS, CARDAMON SAUCE, CABBAGE AND WATERCRESS $26 LOBSTER WITH THAI HERBS $36 ORGANIC CHICKEN WITH LEMONGRASS, SWEET RICE IN BANANA LEAF $19 RABBIT CURRY, CARROTS BRAISED WITH GALANGAL $25 BEEF SHORT RIBS BRAISED WITH TAMARIND, MASHED POTATOES $22 DUCK ORIENTAL $26 CRISP SQUAB WITH EGG NOODLE PANCAKE, HONEY- GINGER GLAZED PEARL ONIONS $30

I believe Wareing gets the La Tante Claire space, and Jean-Georges keeps his Vong space. However, I can't be sure. The menu is definitely not Vong-type. I haven't been to Jean-Georges enough times to compare the Jean-Georges at The Berkeley menu to the J-G menu in NY. Given my subjectively not liking J-G's cuisine in NY, I can't imagine going to J-G-B when Gordon Ramsay RHR and The Square are alternatives. I would even go to Petrus over J-G-B. I wonder how much competition will be engendered between J-G-B and Petrus. How interesting things will become over at The Berkeley.

According to Lumiere's website, the Dining Out Menu will be a selection from its bar menu. Since bar items are ordinarily CAD$12.50 each and dessert is only CAD$7.50, the CAD$25.00 three-course dinner is not that good a deal relative to normal prices. West offers a better deal. http://www.lumiere.ca/pages/index.htm

Have you encountered situations where guests have claimed to have gotten ill as a result of a top restaurant's food? Is that kind of feedback shared with a restaurant? What is the best medical facility for emergencies in Paris? Are there facilities that are open 24 hours? On an unrelated note, what Internet cafes close to subways stations are there on the Right Bank (1st or 8th arrondisements) and Left Bank (6th or 7th arrondisements), apart from the large facility near Les Halles?

fresh_a: What gifts do you and your colleagues typically receive from maitre d's? What was the most unusual gift you have received? Do you receive gifts from regular hotel guests? What was the most unsual gift you have received? Also, what happens to maitre ds' functions as they age and become less agile? (The Lucas-Carton senior maitre d' seems to be at the door, greetings guests, which at that restaurant is a very significant function. The older maitre d' at L'Ambroisie appears to be around, although the young maitre d' Pascal seems more active in the dining room at times.) Which restaurants have older maitre d's in Paris? Could you give us a primer on the key areas of a maitre d's responsibilities?

As I mentioned, some people leave no tips at top restaurants. However, I believe the potential rationale "one should be concerned the staff thinks one doesn't know service is included" to be a frail one. If a dining room team has provided good service, I believe a tip of 10%+ is entirely appropriate. For a 400 euro meal, that's only 40 euros. I see adjacent diners buy two aperatifs at more than that. What is conventional might define what one can "get away with". It doesn't define what one should do, necessarily.

Many top restaurants' menus indicate that service, among other things, is included in the prices. The prices are supposed to include the tax and service. I do not believe that resolves the appropriate level of tip issues, though. Note I would agree that not all dining room teams directly share in the implicit service component included in the pricing.

Autun is, according to Michelin directions, about 40 minutes away from Puligny-Montrachet and related regions. As you know, this is a wonderful wine area in Burgundy. Autun is a 40-minute drive from Chagny (which is connected to Chalone-sur-Soane by train), where one can find three-starred Lameloise (good pigeonneau dishes and more traditional cooking). You are also approx 45 minutes from Loiseau's three-starred La Cote d'Or. I appreciate you may not be looking for three-starred restaurants; I thought I would mention it in case you were interested. Note that from the Chalone-sur-Soane train station (among others) you can access all sorts of places (e.g., Lyons).

Beachfan -- I don't know much about wine/prices, but the Gary Danko indicative list had a number of half-bottles, including Opus One 1999 (too young, even though 1/2 age more quickly in general?): http://www.garydanko.com/site/wine/half_bottles.html Your advice on the Danko winelist (bottles and half-bottles) would be appreciated. In France, while I have yet to visit Jacques Thorel's restaurant in Brittany, its wine list has nice 1/2 (and is very strong overall): http://www.jacques-thorel.com/anglais/aube...berge/cadre.htm (click on the "stamp" labelled "The Cellar" and then look at the very bottom of the right hand side of the displayed area)

There has been some recent discussion, including on eGullet and in the NYT, on burgers. What are your impressions of the burger(s) at Blue Smoke?

Steven -- Could you describe the Smith & Wollensky burger and the Michael Jordan's burger, and how they might differ?

I'd appreciate information on the restyling of Vong as "Jean-Georges at the Berkeley", per the website for The Berkeley Hotel. http://www.savoy-group.co.uk/Berkeley/Rest...enu/default.asp

Michael Bauer's recent Bistro Jeanty review: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...0.DTL&type=food

Interestingly, the SF Chronicle ran a recent shorter piece on local burgers too. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...2.DTL&type=food

Sampling the cuisine of a given chef at the Beard House and going to the applicable restaurant (on a different evening) are not mutually exclusive activities.

Has any member sampled the JUdson Grill burger that was favorably described in the NYT article?

Steven -- Could you describe the Blue Smoke burger?

I had an average-to-average-minus meal at Kitchen 22 recently. (Note I might be rating slightly more harshly currently, due to anticipation effects from taking in a single meal a day.) I would not recommend this restaurant for diners interested in cuisine. Even though the bar area of Kitchen 22 was busy, I soon secured a seat. Warm bread arrived with a trio of accompaniments: (a) homous (spelling), with a strong taste of rosemary (smoother than most other versions, not poor), (b) Hawaiian orangish/pinkish sea salt (very salty; when I inquired, the bar team member indicated that, for example, one or two of the largish grains could be placed on the bread), and © olives. (1) Marinated Seafood Salad, lemongrass basil consomme, with a glass of sparkling wine from New Mexico (Gruet Blanc de Noirs). This dish was poor due to its blandness. It came highly recommended by the bar team member, who was helpful, but could not say whether the "marinated" seafood was more akin to a ceviche that was unusually accompanied by warm consomme or whether it was something else. The seafood included were cooked (limited cooking time in some cases) pieces of lobster (smallish pieces), shrimp, cut-up scallops and squid. The shrimp and scallop tasted emaciated and bland. Almost all of the seafood was of a relatively uniform, bland taste, and some of the textures were not appealing. The seafood had been placed on top of a large leaf of lettuce, and a very bland consomme had been poured over the small mound. The only sparkling wine or champagne available by the glass was the Gruet. This will remind me not to order sparkling wine that is not champagne. (2) Roasted Chicken, porcini mushroom risotto + arugula + bacon lardons, with a glass of with Domaine Delaye Pouilly - Loche ($9.00/glass) This was somewhat better than the appetizer, although that is not saying much. Two largish pieces of chicken with a relatively crunchy crust. Most portions of each piece were appropriately juicy, although some portions were overcooked. Most US chickens lack a certain flavor for me, and this was no exception. Flavors within the chicken dish were pronounced (not in a good way). It was as though the very significant bitterness in the cooked argula (unusual that it was cooked) woven in large portions into the risotto was intended to show bitterness to diners who would not notice bitterness expressed more subtly. Similarly, the bits of bacon in the risotto were stark. Overutilization of porcini oil (mixed with chicken jus) in the reddish oil-like jus surrounding the risotto. Unduly thick consistency of the mushroom risotto, as though the saucing had been cornstarch-based (it was not actually). The superficiality of the flavors and their "red flag with respect to general category" nature were unappealing to me. I also disliked the restaurant's pretentiousness in describing why certain wines by the glass matched the various dishes. For example, on the right hand page of the menu, the following is noted for the chicken: "The creaminess of the risotto and the crispness of the roasted chicken require a well structured and balanced Chardonnay, therefore we recommend the Domaine Alain Delaye Pouilly - Loche." Well, the pairing was subpar. This is not Lucas-Carton, which is probably the only restaurant where I would find such descriptions appropriate and which only places such descriptions on its website (the menu describes the wine by the glass a bit, but not why each matches its own dish). Nice provision of a robust-looking steak-type knife for the chicken (Walico?). I like cutting into chicken with stronger knives, such as Laguiole knives. (3) Rum Carmelized Pineapples It is a sad situation when a pineapple dessert was my preferred part of the meal. This was average, with largish pineapple chunks that were appropriately caramelized. Accompanied by a lemon panna cotta (poor texture and lacking in lemon flavors), above which sat a small piece of biscotti. Cheesy presentation through inclusion of a red (cocktail-type) cherry on top of the pineapple chunks. http://64.225.79.246/kitchen22/menu.asp (menu) Total cost before tips $47 (of which $25 was for the three-course prix fixe, the only way in which meals are served at Kitchen 22). Other Observations Many diners were on the younger end of the spectrum, and the noise levels were, as other members have mentioned, relatively high. The below photos of applicable dining areas portray them to be much more appealing than reality. The plastic "globe" lights lining the bar table appeared cheap and cheesy to me, for example. http://64.225.79.246/kitchen22/venue.asp The restaurant is rather convenient, being located on the same block as Flay's Bolo, which is within a 1 block walk of the 6 train. However, Union Pacific is in the same neighborhood and is far preferred to Kitchen 22. The restaurant is "first come first served", apparently. The wait for a table in the non-bar area was significant. For example, I was told my table in the main dining area was available as I approached dessert at the bar. No other guest in the 12-14-seat bar area was taking in dinner. Most were younger people taking in Cosmopolitans (literally) or other drinks. Also, a lot of young women with fake Fendi and other designer handbags.