cabrales

Yes, I do not go to Europe without stopping in France. However, you could go to Barcelona AND to San Sebastian -- Arzak is an outstanding restaurant, and the tapas places are abundant too. I appreciate you might have limited time to allocate, but San Sebastian is worth the journey.

I wonder how we would receive special products at $40/person. The underlying flavors might be the same, but I believe that, as with certain other cuisines, one fundamentally gets what one pays for at a reputable restaurant. Couldn't we give some direction to Ed? At what level of prices would potential participants wish to be operating?

I'm doubtful RHR allows BYO, although I have never inquired. Even if RHR technically permitted BYO, it would be very rare for diners to BYO. Surely if, consistent with the title of the thread, it is a gourmet meal that is being sought, some of the restrictions described could be relaxed. For example, why is the requirement for a la carte included, when many potentially qualifying restaurants offer considerable choice in their non-a-la-carte menu (e.g., is The Square prix fixe, I forget)?

Wilfrid -- While I would not choose to live in Spain, if you liked Barcelona, have you considered visiting San Sebastian? The concentration of gastronomic restaurants and tapas venues is high there too.

There is mention of Herme's white truffle/mushroom macaron from this season in an article on macarons in today's NYT Dining section. The article describes the stark competition between Lenotre and Laduree, including in connection with a square-shaped macaron and rights to a name for it called macaree. The article includes interesting history on how marketing played a key role in macarons' becoming fashionable. Interestingly, Herme once offered a ketchup macaron, but it was not well received.

Tony -- Based on two lunches there more than a year ago, Orrery is not at the level of the restaurants you were contemplating. It is a T Conran facility, I believe. It has acceptable prix fixe lunches (at least on one day of the weekend), but that is the limit of what I would subjectively recommend there (unless the dinner cuisine quality is markedly better than that at lunch).

David -- I agree the dim sum at Sun Sui Wah leaves a lot to be desired, and believe it has deteriorated (from a position that was already not as good as Kirin's). Kirin's dim sum is more delicate. However, the line at Kirin is also long and Kirin is more expensive.

In researching Greuze, I learned that the restaurant is B Loiseau's favorite restaurant. Not surprising, given that Loiseau succeeded to the physical location of A Dumaine's restaurant at Saulieu and Ducloux's work with Dumaine. "Q: Quel est, en dehors de vos établissements, votre restaurant favori ? A: Incontestablement un restaurant qui se trouve à Tournus nommé: 'GREUZE'." Translated: "Q: Apart from your rsetaurants, what is your favorite restaurant? A: Without a doubt, a restaurant located in Tournus called Greuze." http://www.gastronomie.com/interview/Inter...viewNov2000.asp

One source describes Ducloux as having been born in 1920.

Nina -- I agree. However, wouldn't a, say, $50/person banquet price yield approximately $40/person in food when tax/tips are taken into account (Chinese restaurant dining room team members should, in my mind, receive 20%)? At the $40 level, certain dishes might be precluded. Many delicious dishes would, of course, remain available.

Steve P -- Are there write-ups on wine boards of what your wine-knowledgeable friends might have chosen at Greuze? Note the restaurant is accessible by direct train from Lyons, and has good connections through to Paris.

marcus -- Ducloux seems elderly based on his bio; I might have to bump up Greuze on my "to do" list to be sure to sample his cuisine. Michelin lists Poulet de Bresse Saute "Jean Ducloux" among Greuze's dishes. Was that the dish you sampled, and do you remember a signature dish of "Pate en courte 'Alexandre Dumaine'"? If you have the time, what was the wine list at Greuze like?

I guess the price level depends on, among other things, what types of dishes members want to sample. Very high quality sharks' fin, good and large abalone, authentic sparrow's nest soup, good fish for steaming might increase the price threshold. However, I can imagine our having a nice gourmet banquet with lots of crab and other seafood, oysters, etc. for considerably less. Note I did not intend to assert that the previously indicated price levels were the appropriate ones, but merely to suggest that we collectively consider the price level issue. I can already imagine how wonderful it would be to sample the banquet with BYO wine at no corkage! I really enjoy certain types of crabs.

To inform Ed's suggestions regarding dishes and other arrangements with the applicable restaurant, it might be useful to confirm that at least 10-12 eGulleteers are willing to pay up to a specified dollar level for the banquet. For example, would $100, $125 or $150/person for the food component be an appropriate level? (Note no corkage would likely apply, but the cost of the BYO wine would, of course, be separate) Furthermore, there might be products (e.g., sea cucumber, shark's fin) that individual participating eGulleteers might decide not to take in (e.g., by choice, due to allergies). It should be commonly understood that the per person price is not adjusted in the event a particular diner does not take in an expensive dish (unless the restaurant charges for the dish on a per person basis, which is unlikely for banquets). Furthermore, Ed should feel free, presumably, to choose dishes without taking "special requests" for the *exclusion* of dishes by any given participant into account. Do the above considerations appear reasonable to members?

One useful distinction might be between a handroll/cone and regular rolls cut up (including inside out or not). Also, a reference to warm tea.

sashimi wasabi the Japanese name of pink pickled ginger (if any) miso soup sake

I agree with Steve P's assessment. In my subjective view, CP falls short of even the ten strongest restaurants in the US. Perhaps CP was stronger fifteen years ago relative to the then existing restaurants -- I don't know.

I'm in, provided it's a weekend and I'm not out of town.

Here's a recent P Wells review: http://www.patriciawells.com/reviews/iht/iht.htm I hear Trotter's can prepare a barely cooked/raw meal upon request. I wonder how it compares.

Matthew -- Based on your experiences, how many 1/2 days would be appropriate for a stage to get a feel for the FD kitchen? Would 2 half-days be sufficient? I could schedule a Saturday afternoon/evening and a Sunday (through the closing of the restaurant after lunch on that day) to observe.

Andrew -- I believe Grimes had previously written subsequent to his absence.

Kirin (Cambie; the one in the mall) for dim sum, although it might be somewhat more expensive than SSW for dim sum. More delicate fabrication, slightly better flavors, in my view.

Matthew -- What did Blumenthal feed you (including the number of dishes sampled)? Note BLH and I also asked about stages during the Blumenthal Q&A, and received affirmative responses. Also, could you retrieve the name of the inn in the bend in the road prior to FD and its phone number? Are there any other inns that are close to FD? I'm considering a visit sometime next year, but probably would not stay at Waterside Inn while staging at FD.

New York magazine provides a report on C Palmer's Kitchen 22, which offers a three-course prix fixe at a very reasonable level. http://www.newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/food/r...127//index.html Have any members visited?

Chef Ripert -- During a discussion at the 92nd Street Y in which you participated earlier this year, you noted your preference for lobsters from France. I concur with your assessment Could you further describe the differences between French lobster, on one hand, and Scottish, Canadian, Australian or other lobsters, on the other? Are French lobsters served at Le Bernardin or, to your knowledge, at any other restaurant in NY? If you serve the lobsters, how are they sourced and transported?