cabrales

Lesley -- Are reservations made at individual facilities, or would there be a general number to call? Also, how quickly do reservations/tickets become sold out?

My plans to visit all of the three stars in Belgium (I think there are only three) over a weekend have been foiled by the X'Mas closing period of Comme de Chez Soi. I have reservations at Bruneau (probably two meals), and a choice of one of the following: (1) Secured table at Guy Savoy, Paris (which I have visited several times, but which offers a dish of "lamb in all its states" on which BLH reported and which is somewhat interesting to me). (2) Secured table at De Karmeliet, Bruges (less than one hour by train from Brussels; likely my choice), or (3) Wait list at Comme de Chez Soi, Brussels (no availability currently, even at the table d'hote). What are members' views on De Karmeliet for sure versus Comme de Chez Soi on wait-list? Gary -- Non-food activities do not matter at all. I can't have two significant meals a day as readily as I could even a year ago (hope it's temporary). But in Belgium, I will try attempt that. By the time I've napped after lunch, it's dinner. By the time I wake up the next day and get ready, it's time for lunch.

I'm going to get some eggnog latte from Starbucks. It's available only for a limited period. The latter is too sweet for my tastes, and the eggnog is not more than good-minus. However, I like it for some reason.

Scrat -- When you have a chance, could you discuss the Burgundian white truffle d'Alba in the boudin? From the name, these were white truffles, of the species available in Alba (Italy), that were grown in Burgundy? I have not yet taken in such an item.

I may be an outlier, but, for me, it's only the cuisine. There are very few restaurants whose cuisine I subjectively adore, and, with the exception of Blue Hill, they are outside the US. I'm willing to travel to visit them. Enhanced service will follow if one does what one would do with respect to a preferred restaurant anyhow -- visit.

J Steingarten's "It Must've Been Something I Ate" has a chapter on turducken.

I object less to a man's standing (if I were a man) than remaining diners waiting for a missing companion. Standing only takes a minute or two; the other situation could take a meaningfully longer period of time. I don't mind if a man stands or not; I suppose it's nice if he does and there is no detriment subjectively to him in his eyes.

On the standing point, if I were a man and I were in the middle of taking in a dish, I would not stand. A dining room team member should be pulling out the chair for the returning female diner at many restaurants in France (no connotation re: US), and contextual considerations regarding the sampling of the dish by the male diner could weigh against standing. Separately, I believe that for a man to stand might be antiquated practice.

Nina -- For a man to hold open a door, there is no cost presumably to either the man or the woman and therefore it is a situation where adhering to etiquette is a net benefit (or at worse, neutral) to both parties. The waiting for a diner question is different, because it extacts harm without offering concrete benefits (save blind adherence to perceived etiquette).

Nina -- It was in some composite section. I left the paper at home.

Nina -- There's a picture of a circular dish construction with, perhaps 8-12 quails' legs (very small in the picture too). There is a yellow-colored sauce in the "center" of the circular presentation. The text noted that the legs had been cooked in goose fat.

Gary -- Thanks Have you visited De Karmeliet or Bruneau? (Note I have three meals, so these two are not mutually exclusive as to each other, or as to Comme de Chez Soi)

Nina -- As you might have read, the quail legs we sampled as part of the Armagnac tasting at D'Artagnan were described in the NYT Dining section today.

rpdkpd -- Please note that I have only eaten at a very small number of the baby bistros. La Regelade (not a baby bistro, but discussed elsewhere on the board), I would recommend. Also see my recent post on a new restaurant called "De La Garde" (prices no higher than those at baby bistros, and perhaps lower, from indicative prices given by professional reviewers).

Lesley -- In reviewing the current "bar and lunch" menu, I noticed a number of breakfast-type items have been added. Arguably the style of the non-breakfast items is somewhat more "bistro"-like and slightly more "comfort-food"-like (as opposed to the more composed dishes on the dinner a la carte and tasting menus). Do you agree? http://www.ouestrestaurant.com/ouest/main....asp?index=menus

Sarah -- Do you recall how far De Karmeliet was away from the train station?

Do members have input on how far Comme de Chez Soi is from the Brussels "Midi" TGV train station (TGV from Paris)? Note the journey takes only roughly 1.5 hours.

Below is a link to a Bonjour Paris report on the opening of Aux Lyonnais: http://www.bparis.com/newsletter1464/newsl...m?doc_id=136893

macrosan -- No, that there is a preferable (from a purely etiquette standpoint) practice of waiting does not mean that not waiting is breaking the etiquette. In other words, that waiting comports with etiquette does not demonstrate that not waiting breaks etiquette. If A results in B, then (not A) does not necessarily mean (not B).

I don't think it's the same chain as Aman______. The names of Aman resorts usually (not always, I think?) have an "n" in them as the fourth letter. Also, the spa at Amarvilas is described as having been developed "in conjunction with" (?) The Banyan Tree's spa in Phuket, Thailand (which has been around for some time). Banyan Tree is in some cases a competitor of Aman______.

Suvir -- Yes, I strongly suspect the food would not be what a guest would be at the hotel for. The pictures were nice-looking. There appear to be fairly good spa facilities at the hotel as well.

A magazine ad for the 2003 Boston Wine Festival includes the following events: -- Opus One, February 26, 2003 (Wed): Winemaker Patrick Leon "takes you through a tasting of several vintages of Opus One paired with the innovative cuisine of Chef Bruce". Dinner 7 pm, The Atlantic Room, $145. -- Chateau de Beaucastel/Tablas Creek, February 27: "Winemaker Pierre Perrin will join us for a seminar comparing the Beaucastel Appellations -- Chateauneuf du Pape, Gigondas, and Vacqueyras -- followed by a dinner including Red and White Rhone Blends from both Chateau de Beaucastel and Tablas Creek." Seminar, 6:30 pm, The Atlantic Room; Dinner 7, at same venue. Seminar and Dinner $175. Dinner Only $125. Depending on what cuisine is offered, those prices don't look too bad for members resident in Boston. Note I have limited knowledge of wine. Perhaps other members could comment. More info at 888-660-WINE.

The January 2003 edition of Food & Wine contains an article on a new resort called Amarvilas ( Oberoi affiliate), overlooking the Taj Mahal (double rooms from $350). Food on site is described as including the following: "chile-stuffed fillet of bekti (a firm white fish) with fenugreek in an onion gravy; fragrant twice-fried butterflied shrimmp hot out of the tandoor; chicken with ground cashews; potatoes spiked with tart pomgranate seeds; black lentil dal ..."

The January 2003 edition of Food & Wine has a one-page short article on "Where to Go Next In Vancouver", by Rhonda May. In the "All-Stars" category, Ouest received the following description: "Local boy David Hawksworth is Vancouver's best European-trained chef and arguably its best chef, period. He combines a passion for Fresh West coast ingredients with labor intensive French technique." Interestingly, the other All-Stars are "C" and its affiliate Raincity Grill (C is extremely poor in my mind) and Chartwell. Lumiere is not included Instead, Lumiere Bar is included in the Best New Restaurants list, together with Lucy Mae Brown and Memphis Blues Barbecue. Best Asian goes to Tojo's and Vij's (what about the Chinese restaurants? ). Wild Rice is mentioned under no category as a newcomer with a contemporary Chinese cuisine (117 W. Pender, 604-642-2882).

Stepping back a bit, I don't think there is disagreement that it would be polite to wait. The question is whether not waiting, under certain circumstances, may also be acceptable with respect to being polite. Looking at the question of etiquette only(and not sampling of cuisine), of course it would be preferable to wait (I believe nobody is disputing that). The key question, though, is whether it would be considered impolite to begin eating.