cabrales

Steve P -- Other than the restaurants listed in my previous post, are there other restaurants at comparable levels that permit BYO?

I wonder what Japanese restaurants' approaches towards BYO might be. As members know, Chinese restaurants in Chinatown very generally permit BYO and do not charge corkage. Would it be safe to assume that most Korean restaurants do the same?

It might be useful to have a list of restaurants that allow BYO, with an indication of the usual corkage fee. I'm not well-positioned to provide this list, but thought I would kick it off by including other members' indications (members should check the corkage rates before reliance). Sorry to take so long in responding. I called the restaurant and asked. The policy is as follows: Guests are welcomed to bring their own wine. The corkage fee is $50 per bottle. They will not open any wine that is currently on their wine list. My own observations -- Blue Hill $30 Craft $25-35 (?) Union Pacific $30

Please see the above request, relating to a meal planned for this weekend. Any input on worthwhile French white wines would be particularly appreciated. I hope to spend less than $200 for a bottle.

i've been trying ta tell ya, don't get too pumped up about these things. tommy -- I know. The greater the level of my expectations, the greater the potential disappointment.

Wine mark-up considerations remind me of the below thread, which appeared when Basildog began immersion into the board: http://forums.egullet.org/ibf/index.php?s=...&t=4774&hl=wine

Leslie -- Your book describes Boulud's "Twenty Years in America" dinner, in which thirty dishes in ten courses were presented by ten chefs from Daniel and Cafe Boulud (including Alex Lee, Frederic Cote, Andrew Carmellini and Brad Thompson). Taking into account the progeny of Boulud preparing dishes for that dinner, but not limiting the pool to such chefs (i.e., including chefs who trained under Boulud and have subsequently established themselves elsewhere), which single chef would you say Boulud is most proud of having nurtured?

Mao -- Why is the presence of one or two dominant flavors not a wonderful thing, when it is accompanied by nuanced other flavors?

Even though the recent meal was only my third at Blue Hill, I am happy to report my belief that I have identified a NY restaurant well-matched to my subjective preferences. Even though Blue Hill may not be up to par with my few preferred restaurants in France, it appears to be capable of delivering cuisine appropriate to me. Both the kitchen and dining room teams are communicative and capable. The amuses were appealing. A curled sliver of anchovies, with a silver glean to the small section of included skin, nestled itself above diced beetroot. The signature color of beetroot had seeped into the toast point. The acidity and sweetness of the beetroot took form. I vaguely recollect an hors d'oeuvre presented by Chef Dan Barber in a magazine that paired cured or smoked (?) salmon with beetroot. There was a full-page spread in the NY-based (?) magazine that highlighted the purple and burgundy tones of the beetroot. The corn veloute amuse was interesting (in a positive way). When one took in the liquid, the first impression was of the peanut oil. Then, the smooth texture and clarity of corn tastes in the thin veloute. Interestingly, afterwards there emerged the peanut oil again. jordyn and I thought the temporal "sandwiching" effects in the mouth with respect to the peanut tastes to be interesting. I had heightened expectations with respect to the tomato dish -- and they were nonetheless met. The tomatoes were varied, with respect to: size; slicing vs. halves versus whole; method of preparation (e.g., raw vs. roasted); "crisper" or more supple from cooking; the amount of fleshy material along the walls of the fruit relative to the interior seeds with their slippery slight coating; color; level of sweetness or acidity. What was wonderful was the internal consistency in the dish despite the various tomatoes. The dish was bound together by the tomato and watermelon broth -- sometimes gentle and slightly sweet; other times exhibiting somewhat spicier tones; nuanced. The dish was also bound together by the bitterness of a limited amount of included greens. The quenelle of [tomato]/mint sorbet tasted like watermelon to jordyn and me for some reason. It also added a contrast in temperature to the tomato dish -- a theme that was to evolve a bit more over the course of the meal. Although tomato and watermelon are ordinarily easily separated flavors and I had earlier wondered to myself whether watermelon would be a good match for tomatoes, in this dish the two ingredients melded without abrasion or a sense of having been forced together. The small bits of mint leaves added to the dish were helpful as well. A dish I savoured, and nicely paired with a white Rioja in my mind. The seared foie gras was very good as well, being luscious and fatty and appropriately prepared. The cocoa nibs (first time sampled; somewhat like certian troasted nuts, as jordyn noted, but in smaller pieces) added depth and there appeared to be coconut flavors in the saucing as well as cooking jus. The "coated" texture of pistachio oil was favorable. Initially, I could not pinpoint what about this dish was slightly disappointing, and then it dawned on me that my expectations were interceding. Even though I had not alerted Mike Anthony to such preference, I had been hoping for the poached foie gras dish. (I do not say this to sway my next foie gras dish, as I might specifically request poached foie gras in advance.) When the Madeira was served prior to the arrival of this course, jordyn and I had surmised that foie gras would be served. At that point, my mind had for some reason leaped to the happy conclusion that the poached foie gras would be offered. The hamachi was the only dish in the meal that I had mixed feelings about, although I liked it enough. A piece of slow-cooked wild (??) yellowtail was presented, its flesh whitish-pinkish in most areas except for certain portions where the flesh was a darkish, purplish color. Interestingly, these darker-colored portions were more intense-tasting. The hamachi was overall quite intense-tasting, almost bordering on being too iodine-ridden. However, for me, it was still on the appropriate side of being what hamachi should taste like. Like certain other dish served at Blue Hill, the temperature of the hamachi piece was lower than that one would ordinarily associate with cooked fish. The fish was only a bit above room temperature. Imagine the wonderful element of surprise when the diner takes in some of the cucumber-based broth, with bits of raw-looking cucumber, with the hamachi flesh and realizes that the broth is at a noticeably warmer temperature than the flesh. The broth was the color of "normal" cucumber, cold sauces, but its taste was more developed -- through ginger, we were told. There was also a small amount of haricot vert (or a similar produce), cut into shorter bits and included sparingly (in a good way). I liked the Berkshire pork dish considerably. The thin slices of pork were rimmed with a very small bit of fat, and were cooked delicately. The inclusion of roasted tomatoes, now more robust a backdrop for the pork and "fleshier", was a welcome echo of the tomato-themed appetizer. Aubergines added further depth to the composition of the dish. Equally significantly, there was a good amount of pork belly, with nice fatty portions and a bit of "browned" portions along its exterior. An appropriate peach-based pre-dessert -- the sectioned fruit lazing in a tempered rose wine-based sauce. I liked my bluberry gateau dessert. jordyn and I agreed that this item was nicely moist -- almost as though the dough had not been cooked enough, but clearly intended that way (and in the way I prefer). Ripe bluberries throughout the gateau, and in a row on each side of it with a bit of a sugar glaze. A meal that was very satisfying and that drew me into wanting to sample the next dishes in the pipeline.

jordyn -- My favorite champagne, although the pricing is a bit high (not necessarily for a restaurant at Trotter's level, though). Note that the producer ages before release, so that 88 is probably the second most recent release (the most recent being 90; I don't think I've seen an '89 -- there is production only in the appropriate years).

jordyn and I had dinner at Blue Hill over the weekend. I had a fulfilling, bordering-on-very-good meal there, with an outstanding tomato tasting as the first dish. Below are the dishes sampled (not predicated on dish names appearing on the menu): -- Amuses of (1) anchovies and beet on a toast point, and (2) a shotglass of corn veloute with roasted African peanut oil -- Tomatoes: raw heirloom tomatoes marinated in tomato water, orange juice, with garlic oil and sherry vinegar as well as oven dried plum tomatoes, watermelon-tomato vinaigrette, pickled green tomatoes, upland cress and [tomato]-mint sorbet; with a white Rioja -- Seared foie gras with cocoa nibs, spinach and pistachio oil; with a 1977 Madeira -- Hamachi (yellowtail) of an unusual variety with a warm ginger-cucumber broth; with an Italian white -- Berkshire pork, including a belly portion, with tomatoes and aubergine -- jordyn: Strawberries and lemon sponge cake cabrales: Moist blueberry gateau with vanilla ice cream and a berry sorbet More details will be provided, when jordyn posts or as time permits on my end. As usual, Mike Anthony was on hand to greet us

Jinmyo -- I may pursue the "fried alive" mini crabs at an applicable Sushi Samba this weekend.

vivin -- Your assessment of JG would be close to my subjective view on the place. Note I have not visited during the past two years.

Yes, we call the being "cheap". What might the threshold for the retail price, at the time the wine is brought to the restaurant, of a bottle be before it might be appropriate to BYO (assuming there is such a threshold)?

In addition to Wilfrid's questions, the following lines of inquiry would be interesting to me: 5. If one is bringing a "fairly good", but not excellent, wine to a well-regarded restaurant, would the dining room team members look upon that BYO gesture differently than if one were bringing something extraordinary? 6. Apparently, it is poor etiquette to bring a wine that is available on the restaurant's wine list. I assume that the same vintage would be required before that becomes an issue. Also, how would one know, with many wines, whether they would be available on the list of a restaurant not previously visited? 7. Steve P appears to bring "back up" bottles sometimes to a restaurant. Is that a customary practice in BYO-land in NY? Would it be appropriate to bring a bottle of white and a bottle of red, and only open one, depending on what dishes one picked as, say, a solo diner? 8. How are demi-bouteilles, magnums, etc. charged with respect to corkage? Would it be poor etiquette to bring a magnum for a larger dining party in hopes of paying the same corkage as a regularly-sized bottle? 9. What bottle-carriers do members utilize? Is it more appropriate to have an inconspicuous carrier or to have a more stylish one? Are the carriers checked with coats and bags, or does one typically bring them to the table?

bpearis -- Could you elaborate on the "live" octupus?

I'd appreciate input on the ADNY wine list, only excerpts from which are available (unclear reserve list is adequately represented): http://www.alain-ducasse.com/adny_carte_vins.pdf

JFK -- Have you considered calling Waterside Inn to see whether Roux's Menu of Reflection can be made for you, despite your arrival at the restaurant after October 1? I should be able to report on the special 30th Anniversary collection of dishes at a later point in time. Also, if Gagnaire's collaboration, Sketch, has opened by October (the opening keeps on getting delayed, although current indications are September), it would make an interesting (though expensive) meal.

Robert -- Whether you believe that the prices at a place like El Bulli serve as a restraining factor on prices at restaurants in France depends on whether you believe the restaurants are at least to some extent substitutes for one other. I would subjectively view most three-star restaurants in Europe as not having close substitutes. In other words, if in my assessment Taillevent both is considerably less expensive than L'Ambroisie and offers less attractive cuisine than L'Ambroisie, I may nonetheless not view L'Ambroisie as a good substitute for Taillevent. The reason is that each restaurant is distinct -- these are not fungible experiences. Perhaps that is what differentiated pricing between two restaurant suggests. I happen to believe that not only is El Bulli not a substitute for a restaurant in France, but it is also not a substitute for another three-star restaurant in Spain. Also, I believe that a meal at a given restaurant today is not a substitute for a meal at the *same* restaurant two years from now. Restaurants evolve, perish, sometimes stagnate, sometimes reinvigorate themselves; sous chefs or sometimes executive chefs move on. Like many things in life, moments at restaurants that one values are to be "captured" as available.

Simon -- How was the head portion of the pig presented (including particularly the snout, cheeks and ears)? Also, what vegetables/fruit/starches/sides accompanied the suckling pig, if you recollect?

Simon -- Could you discuss how large the pig was? I vaguely remember being advised that the St John pig was for perhaps 4-7 people?

southern girl -- If you are comfortable discussing it, what is the current price for the tasting menu you sampled?

Leslie -- Your book describes the background of certain key members of the Daniel kitchen team (e.g., Boulud himself; executive chef Alex Lee, who spent some time at El Bulli, among other places). Leaving aside the restaurants in Europe at which various members of the brigade had worked, did you sense which among the restaurants in Europe garnered the admiration of many such members and why?

Leslie -- I understand this Q&A relates to your book, but would appreciate learning what egg dishes (non-dessert, and whether taken in at Daniel or any other restaurant) have been particularly memorable for you. I do not recollect reading in your book a description of Boulud's egg supplier(s). Do you have information readily available on this point? Also, did Boulud utilize ducks' eggs in certain dishes during the course of your visit? In addition, your input on when humor can play a significant role in a dish (with any available examples) would be of considerable interest to me.

Leslie -- glenn and a number of members were discussing the role of opentable.com. I'd appreciate learning any updates you may have on how opentable.com may currently be utilized at Daniel, particularly in respect of the tracking of diner habits and visits. Could opentable be a ready means to obtain "PX" treatment?