cabrales

The gorgeous progression of the described Concord grape tasting menu at Blue Hill called for a request for an encore. So I called Mike up to ask if he could secure grapes for a second all-Concord grape meal. As usual, Mike was helpful and inquired whether I contemplated dishes that were distinct from those in the first sequence. Oh, yes, I gleefully retorted, although I would understand if he were to prepare the same dishes for robert and Susan brown and jordyn (my dining companions) to sample. I had a very good meal at Blue Hill tonight. Perhaps not as stunning as the first Concord grape meal, but a meal that was very thoughtfully designed, intelligent and expressive of the grapes. A meal that embodied considerable effort and thought and consideration (e.g., the purchase of grapes from several suppliers, preparation of a Concord grape oil for certain dishes, securing of heirloom eggplants for one of the dishes). For all of those things, I am incredibly grateful to Mike and his team in the kitchen and dining room. :laugh: A shotglass of warm duck consumme with Concord grape oil was a delicious amuse. As jordyn and I discussed, it was engaging because the inclusion of Concord grape was reflected largely on the nose, when one took in the aromas from the shotglass, instead of in the mouth. As the duck consomme was taken it, its intensity and warmness brought to mind a beef consomme, and some muted Concord grape component could be detected in this heartening liquid (although it would appropriately been more difficult to detect, had I not known that the theme of our menu ). (1) Tuna Toro Tartare with Concord Grape Vinaigrette. This was a very good, and visually arresting, dish. Three or four thin slices of medium-sized radish, its whiteness made more apparent by the reddish tinge along the edges of the slices, almost formed a little, gentle domed cup, like certain flowers, for the interior of toro tartare. The tartare was a dark burgundy color, somewhat like the accompanying saucing of Concord grapes. The saucing was made using a special technique that Mike later described to us and that literally stunned me in terms of the labor involved and the attention to detail paid by Mike (uncooked grapes had been utilized). The saucing had the texture almost of certain tomatoes, with a soft feel of slight vegetable/fruit-like granularity. There were other reasons this dish was tasty. A limited, but appropriate, sprinkling of sea salt had been added to the tartare. This was beneficial to the taste of the tartare, but was amusing to me because it hinted at the texture of what one might imagine finely crushed seeds of Concord grapes might feel like in the mouth. Moreover, the tartare was integrated with the grapes in such an appealing way that the tuna had been transformed beautifully. A dish I liked very much. The wine pairing was Al Vino Cava, a Spanish sparkling wine that conveyed grapiness towards the end of a sip and that had a bit of sweetness. (2) Poached Ruby Red Shrimp with Spaghetti Squash, and Concord Grape and Shrimp Sauce. While some of my dining companions were discussing the inherent merits of ruby red versus "regular" shrimp and their respective textures, I dug into this dish. I liked the slight sweetness and matte feel in the mouth of ruby red shrimp, and these aspects matched the relatively sweet Concord grape saucing well. The sweetness was mitigated by a slight hint of pepperiness which expressed itself slightly later in the saucing. The shrimp flavors in the brown-colored Concord grape saucing were appropriate controlled, and this dish highlighted the ability of the grape to match flavors of the sea well. The spaghetti squash was presented in a mount in thin juliennes, and added a refreshing aspect to the dish. The matched wine was Gewartztraminer, Eisenberg 1997. (3) Poached Wild Halibut with Eggplant Confit, Eggplant Consomme and Concord Grape Gelee. This dish was literally ravishing. Perhaps the best Concord grape dish I have had at BH -- even more expressive than the sea urchin with grape sabayon and the Belle Rouge chicken prepration from the first meal. Two intrinsically flavorful, perfectly cooked (and I do not say this lightly) medium-sized pieces of wild halibut formed, on my plate, almost the shape of a scallp shell, with a spoonful of sweet, perfumed Concord grape gelee nestled inside. :blink: The flesh of the halibut was tasty, and the inside had a room temperature and a slight pinkish hue and texture from perfect cooking. The halibut had been placed on top of a reasonably sized, luscious piece of slinky eggplant with a whitish, slightly lavender (?) skin. This eggplant was excellent, being subtly smoky and yet luscious in a "clean" way. Quite subtle (in the best possible way, in my book). The consomme was special as well , bearing certain Asian-like aromas when its aromas were inhaled. A connotation of certain dashi ingredients. A sensation on the nose of the softened intensity of mushrooms, which also appeared in supple juliennes inside the consomme (some of it in mounds). The consomme was at once clear and nuanced, and carried roundness concurrently with a hint of smokiness. It was as though intensity had paired with restraint to produce something that was no longer either. Perhaps the wine paired of Domaine Henry, Rose, from the Languedoc region was slightly stark for this dish. However, the halibut dish itself was truly excellent. It contained a good taste of Concord grapes in the gelee, but embodied so many other flavors. Furthermore, from time to time inside the consomme, there was the same superb preparation of Concord grapes (tanin-like, intense qualities of the skin, still attached to the fleshiness and slipperiness of the insides of the grape) that I had experienced during my first grape meal at BH. A burst of flavor and sunshine to the dish! :laugh: (4) Slow Roasted Flat Iron Steak with Chestnuts, Brussel Sprouts, Blue Kale and Concord Grape Sauce. A dish showing that Concord grapes can convey intensity and a transfixing "darkness", and yet not overwhelm a dish when cast against beef (in this case, from the shoulder). The beef was in several delicious slices of medium thickness. The aggressiveness of a red meat seemed appropriate at this stage of this meal. The Concord grape saucing enveloped the steak pieces (which were cooked just right) to cast their irresistible spell. Chestnust were nice, and not unduly softened. The brussel sprouts included were tiny, and delicious. The kale was an excellent choice, for it fulfilled some of the roles normally occupied by spinach, and yet was darker and a better choice with the Concord grapes than spinach. The paired wine was a Loire Red. I liked this dish very much as well. (5) Our pre-dessert was a shotglass of Bosc (spelling) pear in a Concord Grape soup with vanilla ice-cream. It was spot-on at this point in the meal. I appreciated the utilization of mint (or a similar item), which was apparent on the nose and also in the aftertaste of this effective pre-dessert. (6) Concord Grape Financier with Concord Grape Sorbet and Blueberry Sorbet. A fitting, wonderful closure to our meal (or so we thought). Paired with a nice glass of Muscat d'Asti, the financier was more intense than the blueberry version that is sometimes served at BH. I liked the amusing retention of bluberry in one of the two quenelles of sorbet, although I preferred the Concord Grape sorbet. The financier was an appealing, buttery base for the convincing notes of grape. The perfect end to our meal was the bringing forth, after the serving of mignardises, of Concord grapes au naturel. Here, there was the ability to sample the contrast between the skin of the grapes and their fleshy interior. After this meal -- after two such Concord grape meals -- I am somewhat at a loss as to how to convey my gratitute to Mike and the BH team.

Soba -- Artisinal has a number of different fondues, with varying cheese utilized and different accompanying ingredients inside the fondue. It comes with little bread bits, but one can order sides for dipping, like crudites, beef tips, cracked egg, etc. There is a three-cheese or similar mix that is the "house" fondue, and also a daily fondue. Perhaps at least six to eight variations. I cannot speak to other variations, but the Stilton and Sauternes was poor. It was difficult for a crust to form in our pot because the cheese was not particularly smooth or melted down. It seemed clumpy, and became increasingly so as the meal progressed. The Stilton fondue is not a dish I would wish upon anybody. To my recollection, no raclette was on the menu.

Apologies I hadn't gotten around to cleaning up the below write-up until lizziee's post reminded me of my 2Q 2002 meal at L'Arnsbourg: Menu Decouverte (a bargain 100 euros) Petits Savoureux Aperitifs (Small Savory Aperatifs) Saint-Jacques et foie Gras de Canard Marines, Petite Salade d’Artichauts et Truffes (Scallops and Duck Foie Gras, Small Salad of Artichokes and Truffles) Homard – Theme: Autour du Homard (Addition to tasting menu: Lobster -- Theme Surrounding Lobster) Soupe de Coco, Rouget au Curry de Madras (Soup of White Beans, Red Mullet and Curry of Madras) Fine Tartelette de Truffes a la “Carbonara” (Truffle Tartlet "Carbonara" style) Croustillant de Langoustine, Jus au Coraille (Croustillant of Langoustine, Saucing from its coraille) Cappucino de Pommes de Terre et Truffes (Cappucino of Potatoes and Truffles) Canon de Pigeon releve au Wasabi, Legumes aux Epices (Pigeon with Wasabi, Vegetables with Spices) Invitation a la Decouverte (Invitation to Discovery) Petites Galeries de Fin de Repas (Various Items at End of Meal) Glass of Billecart Saumon N.V. Mersault Les Charmes, Lafon 1997 (200 euros) L’Arnsbourg is located in the Vosges, which were a lighter green with respect to significant wooded areas than I imagined. The housing structure set is relatively plain-looking, although one can see from the front the side of the main dining room (on the LHS, when one is facing the house from the road). A country-like exterior. However, once the front door is pushed, one enters a darkened entryway with an automatic door on the left hand side. The salon has limited light, and gives this part of the facility a plush, mysterious sensation. The main feature of the salon were sets of crocodile-skin-patterned, brown sofas with straight, rectangular/square lines. There was a Chinese medicine cabinet with orange patterns, several large urns (one elbow-height at least) with Asian connotations and a sixteenth century Asian/Middle Eastern-type door that adorned the coat closet. There were little spotlights strategically illuminating certain of the above items. Also, a large part of the salon faced a showcase part of the wine cellar, with partitioned storage areas for certain bottles. Certain parts of the salon had wood cubbyholes for fancier digestifs bottles, some Riseling bottles and a bottle of not-too-old Mersault. Interestingly, there were 2-3 squares of see-through glass on the floor of the salon that revealed crates of wine. Little amuses arrive in the salon. The amuses are two little tartlets – tomato and pesto on a thin biscuit; also tartlet with egg, onion and bacon (hot). Also served are candied pistachios. The better part of the restaurant is akin to an area with significant glass exposure (almost to the bottom of the floor, if I recollect) on three sides. One overlooks the greenness of the Vosges, and there is a sense of naturalness and beauty. Behind that are seats that are less exposed to the natural beauty of the region. My table on the LHS, looking from the entryway to the main dining room. It is not in the “front tow” overlooking the hills, but has considerable views. Nice. There are white orchids, bound by a row of bamboo stalks. Very beautiful. Each table has a slightly different orchid presentation. A little spoon arrives with a confit of carrots and coffee. Not bad. Petits Savoureux Aperitifs, Then, 4 small items on a long brown-colored serving plate/tray. Three are square, and there is a little white cup as well. First, beetroot slices with caviar and lemon zest and olive oil. Nice acidity, and a bit sweet. Significant fleur de sel was incorporated. Second, a garlic veloute with escargots and parsley at the bottom. The emulsion is quite garlic-tasting, and there is star anise powder on top. Third, a parmesan square with two crunch sides. Finally, oysters a la diable – in their shell. Soya and sweetness – nice, and an interesting utilization of gelee (not clear like Meneau/Dutournier/Savoy – more interestingly-flavored with “red” connotations). Saint-Jacques et foie Gras de Canard Marines, Petite Salade d’Artichauts et Truffes Foie gras with scallops in a gentle terrine. There were crushed truffles and truffle oil, black pepper and fleur de sel and possibly nuts on top. There were also artichokes with black truffles and fleur de sel. This dish went wonderfully with the Mersault Charmes 1997, Lafon. Homard – Theme: Autour du Homard. The lobster is presented in a rectangular shape, with slices of lobster making up that shape. Also interspersed among the lobster slices in a methodical way were truffles slices, sweet (really so) tomatoes (whole, small, perhaps compressed). There was too much truffle oil. Soupe de Coco, Rouget au Curry de Madras. Here, there were tarragon components. This was good. Fine Tartelette de Truffes a la “Carbonara”. I liked this dish less as a preparation of truffles. It was too strong, with a cream sauce and bacon. An interesting play off the saucing in Italian cuisine. Croustillant de Langoustine, Jus au Coraille. This was a weird presentation, involving some type of syringe that I cannot recollect. It has lobster as well as langoustines? The langoustines were skewered on a long stick. Cappucino de Pommes de Terre et Truffes. Canon de Pigeon releve au Wasabi, Legumes aux Epices. I liked this dish as well. Invitation a la Decouverte. There were cantalope balls with a transparent sheet and mint. Then, yoghurt and gelee and passionfruit with dots. Sesame with jus. Coffee in the salon. A beautiful evening. I would agree with lizziee that Klein deserves a third star, although the cuisine here is not among the strongest of the three-stars.

I agree with Bux. However, a dinner at the JB House is a convenient way to get a potential indication of what taking in the chef's cuisine at his restaurant may be like. Note that the price of a JB meal is generally slightly lower than at the applicable restaurant because (1) no tips/taxes are required to be paid above the indicated price (which is usually in the $85-100 range per person), and (2) the price includes different wine (albeit not particularly good wine necessarily) poured by the glass. Also, a difficulty with JB membership is that the least expensive level of membership was frustrating for me because I would learn about events only after tickets had been bought up by higher-category members. I am now in the second-lowest category, and that appears to be fine for my participation in any events in which I am interested.

Laurent Gras of SF's Fifth Floor (and formerly of NY's Peacock Alley) will cook at the James Beard House on Wednesday, January 22, 2003. Separately, Michael White of Fiamma will cook there on Monday, January 27, 2003. However, White's cuisine is more accessible at this point due to the location of his restaurant.

Despite the blatant warnings on the board about Artisanal's fondues, I ordered the Stilton with Sauternes combination during lunch today. It was very poor. The blue was clumped, and did not adhere meaningfully or smoothly to the small bread pieces accompanying it. The flavor of the Stilton melted was also not particularly appealing, despite my generally liking that cheese. The crudites (raw brocholi, carrots, celery stalks, radishes, etc) we ordered as a side were also mediocre. Our party consisted of only two people. We shared a $20.02 prix fixe lunch progression prior to the fondue, with the restaurant being helpful in splitting the portions into two good-sized plates. The gnocchi mentioned by Matt Zito was fairly good, but the scrambled eggs with boudin blanc entree contained eggs that were a bit grainy and not sufficiently smooth and luscious-tasting. The boudin was also slightly mushy on the inside for my subjecdtive preferences. However, the prix fixe is, as mentioned by other members, a good deal (Mimosa was included).

If you are comfortable discussing it, I'd appreciate your thoughts on what you like and dislike about Gordon Ramsay's cuisine at Royal Hospital Road. Do you continue to sample other restaurants' cuisine with some frequency, and what are your reactions to special attention you might receive?

A recent thread on signature dishes led me to wonder whether members are more inclined to order a dish at a restaurant if such dish is listed in the Michelin guide. Do members review the guide's list of 2-3 dishes for each starred restaurant before visiting it? If so, how much does inclusion on the list sway members to order the dish? Does it depend on whether members otherwise recognize the listed dish as a signature dish? Note that, not all signature dishes are listed in the guide, and presumably vice versa (?). For example, my 2001 guide lists the vanilla lobster, steamed foie gras with cabbage and canard apicius dishes (which are also the major signature dishes) in the case of Lucas-Carton. I look at which dishes are recommended by the Red Guide, and tend to order them.

If you are comfortable, could you discuss the regularity of your interactions with Michel and Alain Roux of the Waterside Inn, and what type of professional and/or personal dialogue there might be? How has The Fat Duck's relationship with Waterside Inn evolved, as your restaurant has progressed from its earlier stages of establishing itself to its current posture? Is there a sense that having two gastronomic restaurants in Bray results in something that is greater than the sum of its parts, for example? Finally, to what extent (if any) is there a sense of competition between the two facilities?

Friday's edition of The Guardian notes the following about Locatelli: "Two diners were 'held hostage' at his restaurant after refusing to pay pounds 30 for the chef's special starter at Locanda Locatelli. David and Gabrielle Silver were advised to try out the spaghetti with white truffle, but only learned later what the size of the bill would be. They were physically prevented from leaving the premises until they coughed up." I'm uncertain when this episode occurred, because the article in which it was recounted also describes certain "aged" GR and MPW incidents. I'd have to say that I have little sympathy for the described diners. Dishes with white truffles are bound to be more expensive. If the price of the special appetizer were significant to them, they could have considered inquiring prior to taking in the dish, no?

For three-star restaurants where I plan only to have a meal, and not to also take a room (where there are typically potential cancellation constraints), I book as early as I can. The reason is that I like to be safe rather than sorry. I keep track of reservations on an Excel spreadsheet, with indications of wait-listed positions, secured positions, etc. For example, not that I particularly like Guy Savoy's cuisine, but I was considering a Saturday dinner. Certain Saturdays in mid to late December are already sold out (despite the restaurant's general two-seating policy). Even in the event (which is not frequently the case) that a credit card were required to hold a table-only reservation, cancellation a few days in advance would be fine. Note that it is sometimes easier to secure a lunch reservation at a three-star with less notice. If you are flexible on eating a lengthy lunch, you might do better. Stil, it would be advisable to book early, subject to the caveat below about concurrently booking rooms. It's the rooms that would be charged; I really doubt a French three star would charge diners anything in respect of the meal portion. Further note that early booking has a number of advantages. Sometimes, if you are intent on say Restaurants A, B, C, D and E over the course of 5 days in Paris (leaving aside traveling to other cities), you might secure 3 of the restaurants you seek, but not obtain the remaining two. Now, those two might have reservations on some of the nights allocated to the already-secured reservations, requiring you to shuffle meals back and forth. In the case of, say, Troisgros and Jardin des Sens, you might be interested in rooms and there the calculus is not as clear. However, note that the less expensive rooms tend to sell out first, such that delay might cause you to have to move to a higher rate level during busy seasons. As you indicate, late November/early December might not be the high season. However, if your schedule is firmly set, I would suggest your considering reservations. Ferme de Mon Pere doesn't have that many rooms. When the rooms first opened earlier this year, I stayed in a room and they only had about less than six rooms. They were in the course of building more. The rooms are, as Bux mentioned, relatively expensive. However, Veyrat also has a decent breakfast (albeit not an inexpensive one) -- smoked salmon that was quite "fishy" tasting, soft scrambled eggs, various cheeses, I forget the littany, but there's a lot of food brought to the guest in a craddle-like device. The breakfast wouldn't justify the room, of course. Of the two stars you mention, you might want to book Chibois, not that that is necessary. If you did not book, would you just show up or would you book at least two or three days in advance? If you are sure about your itinerary, consider booking Bastide (not that I consider Ducasse's cuisine appealing; not that Ducasse is cooking there either). I am uncertain about the other ones. Perhaps the above is tainted by my own travel habits. Outside of Paris, I like to fit in two significant meals a day sometimes. That requires significant planning re: trains, ability to drive after drinking, etc. I also cannot drive a manual. With the relatively limited availability of automatics in small town rental locations, I need to book in advance for the car as well. Knowing which restaurants I will go to also enables me to research the restaurant's cuisine, and be prepared to pre-book any dishes that have such a requirement. Generally, there are no pre-booking requirements for dishes, but the few times I have encountered such requirements, they have been for chicken dishes I would have really liked to sample. For driving, I also like to print out detailed directions from the Michelin site.

BLH -- When you have a chance, could you confirm the prix-fixe price included dessert (as it always does at such establishments)? I agree that the chef had not "taken care" of you. "Take care" in the context of an apology, which was apparently intended, should have meant at least an extra dessert item for each person (or at least two or three to share) or a sampler.

jakubc -- I have never eaten at Adria (yes, that's the case), so I cannot speak to comparisons to Adria. Did you see the Ferme de Mon Pere menu a while ago, before it was taken off the Veyrat website? If so, I am not going to type in my menus from earlier this year. My own sense is that it is worth going to sample any three-star in France, even though I would find Veyrat to be among the weaker three-stars. Certain other members appear to take a contrary view to this food. Also, one should sample something to judge for onself.

ajay -- Our dining party did choose the omakase ($75 level, which confers four appetizers, usually one of which may be a soup, and either sushi or sashimi; a $100 level omakase provides the same number of appetizers and both sushi and sashimi, apparently). The $75 omakase level is appropriate for me, although it is not the highest level. I consider Jewel Bako among the stronger sushi establishments in the city, together with Sushi Yasuda. The appetizers are slightly more composed, and more non-Japanese cuisine-like in general sentiment (although Japanese in flavors) than dishes one might find at Kuruma (spelling), Yasuda or Blue Ribbon. Interestingly, JB is slightly more authentic than a facility like Bond Street. I wouldn't say that my experience at JB was not satisfactory. Perhaps it did not meet my heightened expectations, which had been formed upon my first visit to the restaurant. I believe the browns liked their JB meal at least as much as I did.

The food at Ferme is rather different from that at Annecy, with the differences in my mind being largely attributable to (1) seasonality of products, (2) dishes appropriate for different seasons and (3) Veyrat's "evolution" with respect to his cuisine. In mid 2001, I had two meals at Annecy; in early 2002, I had two meals at Ferme. Not to dissuade you from sampling Veyrat's cuisine, but I subjectively dislike it. For your reference, below are indicative menus taken off Veyrat's current website. Note that the Symphony or Sonata tasting menus should be ordered, in view of a la carte pricing being very high. If you have specific questions about dishes, I have sampled probably at least 50% of them, so I could try to respond. AUBERGE DE L'ERIDAON AT ANNECY A LA CARTE For an apéritif, come and discover the sea breezes and mountain air... Raspberry Royal, Cassis, Sloe Gin, Wild strawberry, Blackberry 23 euro Savoy Champagnette 23 euro Champagne 23 euro Beaumes de Venise 2000 Muscat 'Domaine des Bernardins' 23 euro ************ Let yourself be guided along mountain paths in the company of Marc Veyrat... One Cold with Sour Purée and Cinnamon, the other Hot with Fragrant Myrrh Vinegar 75 euro Frog's Legs with Orange, liquorice, Extravagant Salad from Elsewhere 73 euro Warm Squid Jelly Warm Squid with Ivy Flavour, Cucumber, Squid with Pistachio, Foamy Flaky Crab 60 euro Sushi Ravioli Three Raviolis from the Region, Sinful Sushi, Spicy Oils, Hazelnuts, Olives, Bean sprouts 59 euro ************ Warm Hedge Woundwort Soup Warm Hegde Woundwort Soup, Wilted Iced Echalottes, Hint of Back Bacon 60 euro Vegetables from Arthaz Vegetables from Arthaz, semi-cooked, semi-raw, Filled with Exotic Spiciness and sourness 54 euro Chicken Consommé Chicken Consommé, Melt-In-Your-Mouth Spaghetti with Dairy Flavour, Chicken Liver Sorbet 67 euro Soft Boiled Eggs Semi-Soft-Boiled and Semi-Scrambbled Eggs, Foamy Nutmeg, Hint of Wood Sorrel 54 euro ************ Char from the Region Roasted Char in Spruce Bark with Poppy Seed Milk 99 euro Pieces of Lightly Sautéed Prawns, Yarrow Millefeuille Bonbons 99 euro ************ Lake Féra Lake Féra Cooked on its Skin, Ice Cube, with Alpine Avens Flavour 76 euro River Stone Roast Turbot with a Gentle Touch of Bread Crumbs, Bitter Lemon Grass 85 euro Turbot on a Stone Turbot Cooked on a Stone from Arly, Verbena Balm Lozenges, Wild Celery Coulis 88 euro Delicately Smoked Lobster Dry Steamed Lobster, Good King Henry, Freshly Steamed Junniper from Menthon 104 euro Lamb Cooked in Clay Saddle of Lamb Cooked in Clay Flavoured with Wild Thyme, Ramson Gratin 79 euro ************ Beef in a Crust Filet of Beef in a Crust, Green Apple Coulis, Alpine Mugwort from Manigod, Greaseless French Fries 99 euro Veal Filets Veal Filets, Runny Yagourt with Queen of the Meadow, Coffee Bonbons, New Rice, Swish of Black Juice 99 euro Pigeon in Milk Poached Pigeon in Hogweed Milk, Celery Raviolis with Vermicelli 88 euro Savoy Cheese Platter from Aravis 23 euro My Childhood Desserts... Fruit Raviolis Fruit Raviolis, Tomatoes, Pineapple, Mangoes and Similar Flavoured Sorbet 69 euro Christina Cream Christina Cream, Sweet and Sour, Lemon, Cinnamon, Passion Fruit, Light Caramel Ice-Cream, Orange Flavoured Madeleine 61 euro Chocolat Platter Wild Thyme Mille-feuille, Overflowing Biscuit, Dairy Ice-Cream, Cacao Sorbet 73 euro Cream Pots Old-Fashioned Cream Pot, Alpine Flora Discovery 54 euro Feuilleté Mille-feuille Soufflé, Jar of Old-Fashioned Apricots, Cold Almond Coulis 70 euro AUBERGE DE L'ERIDAN AT ANNECY -- TASTING MENUS Sonata Menu Hot Escalope of Liver, Fragrant Myrrh Vinegar * Half Soft-and-Scrambled Egg, Foamy Nutmeg, Spiked with Wood Sorrel * Warm Jelly with Ivy Flavour, Cucumber, Squid with Pistachio, Flaky Crab * Three Raviolis from the Region, Sinful Sushi, Spicy Oils, Hazelnuts, Olives, Bean Sprouts * Chicken Consommé, Melt-in-Your-Mouth Spaghetti with Dairy Flavour, Chicken Liver Sorbet * Lake Féra Cooked on its Skin, Ice Cube with Alpine Avens Flavour * Turbot Cooked on a Stone from Arly, Verbena Balm Lozenges, Wild Celery Coulis * Hedge Woundwort Soup, Iced Wilted Echalottes, Hint of Back Bacon * Baby Potato Cappuccino with Truffles, Cloud of Cocoa * Warm Duck Irish Coffee, Iced Corn Soufflé, Caraway Bonbons * Saddle of Lamb Cooked in Clay Flavoured with Wild Mountain Thyme, Ramson Gratin or Poached Pigeon with Hogweed Milk, Celery Raviolis with Vermicelli * Savoy Cheese Platter from Aravis * My Childhood Desserts * 220 Euro VAT included Symphony Menu Hot Escalope of Liver, Fragrant Myrrh Vinegar * Half Soft-and-Scrambled Egg, Foamy Nutmeg, Spiked with Wood Sorrel * Warm Jelly with Ivy Flavour, Cucumber, Squid with Pistachio, Flaky Crab * Three Raviolis from the Region, Sinful Sushi, Spicy Oils, Hazelnuts, Olives, Bean Sprouts * Chicken Consommé, Melt-in-Your-Mouth Spaghetti with Dairy Flavour, Chicken Liver Sorbet * Roasted Char in Spruce Bark, Poppy Seed Milk * Turbot Cooked on a Stone from Arly, Verbena Balm Lozenges, Wild Celery Coulis * Dry Steamed Lobster, Good King Henry, Fresh Juniper from Menthon * Hedge Woundwort Soup, Iced Wilted Echalottes, Hint of Back Bacon * Baby Potato Cappuccino with Truffles, Cloud of Cocoa * Warm Duck Irish Coffee, Iced Corn Soufflé, Caraway Bonbons * Filet of Beef in a Crust, Coulis of Green Apples, Mugwort from Manigod, Greaseless French Fries or Veal Filet, Queen of the Meadow Runny Yoghurt, Coffee Bonbons, New Rice, Swish of Black Juice * Savoy Cheese Platter from Aravis * My Childhood Desserts * 298 Euro VAT included The Symphony Menu will only be served to the entire group of guests at table. I probably have menus from Ferme de Mon Pere that I can type up. However, I am somewhat pressed for time, so please post in this thread if the menus would aid your decision.

guru -- With all respect, if I were in your shoes, I would have politely mentioned to the maitre d' that, while you had a wonderful meal and appreciated the generosity of the restaurant, you had ordered the $45 prix fixe and hoped that the bill could be adjusted accordingly. If my request were declined, I would ask to speak with the lead chef in the kitchen at the time. To charge $75 without prior consultation is inappropriate. That you were happy with the food is not a mitigating factor, although the converse of dissatisfaction with the food might be an exacerbating factor.

I'd appreciate learning what egg dishes (non-dessert) sampled at a restaurant have been particularly memorable for you. In addition, please discuss the role you see humor as playing in the composition and naming of your dishes (e.g., snail porridge). Please provide examples of ingredient/ flavor combinations that you deemed too "cute" for inclusion on your menu (if any), and discuss how you drew that line.

robert and Susan brown and I had dinner at Jewel Bako's sushi bar tonight. While I was very happy to spend time with robert and Susan, and the food was good-plus, the food was not as memorable as that on my first visit. The meal began with anu amuse of a pasty, creamy, grainy tofu-like mixture laced with diced slightly sweet baby persimmons (tasting almost like sweet carrots or yams). Apparently, this dish was in the Kyoto style. An appropriate introduction. (1) Seared Japanese Bonito Slices with radish and juliennes of onions and chives. This dish was served in a beautiful lettuce-shaped, green bowl that had detailing in the ceramic reminiscent of the lattice-like structure of certain cabbage leaves. The bonito was a relatively strong-flavored fish, with a meaty-like texture almost. The accompaniments for this bonito were dominated by the celery, which added crunch and which were accompanied by very limited amounts of the area near the skin of cucumber stalks. The saucing was jus-based, with dominant notes of ginger. Overall, appropriate. Our dining party drank Chateaux Carbonnieux, a white Bordeaux, from 1999 ($50). robert and I later switched to Nikko Kirfuri Nigorizake "Smoky Mist" (unfiltered, milky, rich textured sake from Tochigo prefecture, 300 ml for $25). The Smoking Mist sake was different from any other sake I have sampled. (2) O'Toro with creamy avocado sauce, and oscetra -- This was appropriate, as previously described. I could be wrong, but the O'Toro part of the caviar column appeared less "tall", and there seemed to be a bit more of the avocado puree, than previously. This time, on top of the column was a nice "criss-cross" pattern formed by hemispherical-shaped slices of radish and cucumber. (3) Chawanmushi -- This time, the chawanmushi had integrated notes of uni, which had presumably been incorporated into the delicate steamed egg. There were also small scallops suspended inside the egg. Initially, I deemed the temperature of the steamed egg silghtly cooler than I would have liked, but I began to understand upon sampling more of the dish. The dish had the sensations of the sea. There was a little bit of caviar on top of the chawanmushi, but it could not be meaningfully sampled. (4) Steamed freshwater eel with raw diced avodao, cucumber and radish and vinegar gelee -- This dish was alright, although the sweetish, wine-and-soy-based saucing of the dish was a bit mundane. The interesting part of the saucing was the inclusion of small bits of crunchy materials that our dining party posited might have been seed of an unspeciifed fruit. However, we were advised these were bits of crispy rice. The freshwater eel also had a bit of this crispy rice on it, and was appropriate. The vinegar gelee was quite balanced and appropriate. Perhaps there was slightly more sweetness in this dish than I would have subjectively preferred. (5) Soup -- same as last time (see above write-up) (6) Sashimi -- This was good-plus-plus, and included: uni on a cucumber section, Japanese mackerel (I liked this), Bonito, salmon, beak clam (?), needlefish (rather bland), Japanese black bass (quite good), belt fish (with a graphite-colored, interesting-looking skin section), Hamachi, scallop, otoro. Susan later kindly offered me a bit of her sarry sushi. The sushi chef also provided another piece of otoro, now in sushi form and slightly cooked and exhibiting nice fatitiness. (7) After an average pre-dessert of lychee sorbet, we received a mochi dessert containing three disks of mochi formed into a 3D circle (like pie wedges) -- chocolate; sesame (nice); and Japanese white peach (poor). The dessert did not have the effect of providing a comfortable end to our meal. Overall, the appetizers had been noticeably stronger during my first meal. The sashimi was about the same as the first meal, although one of the sushi chefs was being very generous to the browns as he carefully handed over pieces of sushi, one by one and as made.

I'd appreciate a discussion of your amuse of red cabbage gaspacho with mustard ice cream. How did you come upon this combination, and since when have you been serving the dish?

Bernard Loiseau has a 5-course "Vegetarian Feast" (counting cheese and dessert) for slightly over 100 euros. It is likely that Burgundy Stars describes P Wells having taken in some sort of all-potato (?) menu at Loiseau shortly prior to the restaurant's receipt of its third star. http://miseajour.apicius.com/loiseau/uk/carte.asp I have no information on Auberge de Clos de Cimes, and have not eaten there. However, one might think R Macon's skill with mushroom preparation might support an all-vegetarian mushroom tasting during the applicable season.

Stefany -- Thanks for the recap. Note that my participation is subject to a special, short (but very important) food-related trip that I might make during this period.

Charles -- Yes, it's just in time.

Bux -- Yes, I am going to request the chicken days in advance. I doubt the chef would deny my request. I too have never visited Chenonceau, although Chambord (or similar) might be interesting too. PS: There is a direct train from Tours to Roanne (!) during certain hours of certain days, at least. It's not apparently a TGV, but a diner leaving Tours very early could get into Roanne in time for a 1:00 pm lunch. For other members, note that Lion d'Or is an easy drive from at least three other two-stars, including Bardet. One can arrive in Tours by TGV from Paris in less than 2 hours. Bardet is in Tours itself, and Lion d'Or requires driving from Tours.

Bux -- Yes, the historical aspects of this facility are interesting, as is the chicken in crust described on the website. I am uncertain whether that dish needs to be preordered, but I am taking it in before the end of the year, if all goes according to plan. While the chicken dish is the reason I am making a stop at this restaurant, I'd appreciate your guidance on other dishes that may be interesting, after your visit.

I wonder what "grains of paradise", a spice, taste like. It was included in the dish described below recently sampled at Ken Oringer's Clio in Boston. However, I could not discern what component of the saucing and/or spicing consisted of grains of paradise. Grains of paradise also appear with langoustines in a dish at two-starred Grand Hotel du Lion d'Or, within driving distance of Tours. Note I have not yet visited this restaurant. http://www.hotel-liondor.fr/anglais/chef.htm "In his famous Langoustines à la Graine de Paradis, Didier [Clement] uses a most unusual medieval spice named 'paradise seed' which he was the first to reintroduce into French cuisine after a lapse of five centuries." A while ago, Amanda Hesser wrote an article on this spice (this is not a positive factor, but I note it as background ): http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/article...f_paradise.html Have members utilized grains of paradise in their cuisine?