cabrales

In my assessment, diners who care about possible price differences from the those quoted in Michelin should inquire prior to making a reservation. When the Michelin guide indicates that prices are from Autumn 2001, and one utilizes the guide after its publication in early 2002, there are clearly possibilities for change. Even if the pricing information were accurate as of the time the guide is released, prices can change during ensuing parts of the year.

Nick -- When you have a chance, could you consider discussing at what stage of preparation of the dish (late?) the duck confit becomes "pulled"? I really like razor clams. Wilfrid and I saw them displayed in the glass case at the end of the bar area at Esca about a month ago. Note I visited Basildog's restaurant, and described my meal in an older thread in the UK forum (the name may be "Lunch at Basildog's?")

Below are my thoughts on the Kebab Cafe meal, to the extent that I was in a position to document it -- Ali's restaurant buzzed with his enthusiasm and responsiveness to our dining party's interest in offal. Ali showed warmth and generosity as he cooked, chatted and brought dishes to us. We had Nina to thank for much of this, but I imagine that Ali would be helpful to diners with whom he was less familiar. Our meal included: (1) The lettuce and tomato salad was a nice start, but it was the beet and onion salad that I liked better. This dish offered the moderated sweetness of the beet against the piquantness of raw rings of onions. Also, the color of the burgundy beet jus as it ran into and tainted the white flesh of the onions. (2) Brain was presented with lime sauce. Certain brain dishes remind me of the texture of foie gras generally, and this was a bit like that, but with the aroma and slightly, slightly browned edges associated with smaller pieces being pan-fried (?). The lime pairing was appropriate, producing a dish I enjoyed. (3) Cow's foot soup with garlic. I am unaware of the prevalence and uses of garlic in Turkish cuisine, but this pairing surprised me a bit when presented. The soup was of a thin consistency (in a neutral way). The cow's foot portions included portions of the bone sections, in the interior of which Wilfrid and I attempted to discern marrow-like substances (it was difficult to extract the material inside). This was the first time I sampled cow's foot, and I would be interested in further understanding this underutilized part of a cow. (4) Veal sweetbread with onion, basil and garlic. This was very good. Wilfrid identified the interesting utilization of lamb flavors in this dish, through the stock. (On lamb, much of the offal served to us was from lamb) (5) Two types of tripe, in soup. Honeycomb and another type of trip were offered, in an appropriately intensely-flavored soup. I like tripe generally, and this preparation was good. (6) Lambs' spleen with onions and peppers. Hearts. Liver preparations. I had never before tasted any animal's spleen, and the slices of lambs' spleen were interesting (in a good way) because of the minerally and blood connotations (at least in my mind). For some reason, the heart I sampled (also the first time I had sampled an animal's heart) reminded me less of blood than the spleen. Both were interesting tastewise and texturally. The liver preparations were good as well. (7) Aboo Zalouf -- I had had certain trepidations about the sheeps' eyeballs upon hearing Nina describe prior meals on the board. However, when this dish arrived, it took no particular effort for me to sample the item. I had contemplated that the eye might be more gelatinous than it was, given friends' description of the gelantinous nature of fish eyeballs (not sampled by me). The lambs' eyeball was, very roughly, 2 1/2 cm in diameter. To me, it tasted not gelatinous, but more a controlled mushiness like one might imagine for a cooked bowl of oats, but clearly a solid rather than a liquid/porridge like texture. Perhaps Nina or Simon could provide a better analogy with respect to texture. The rest of the meal cannot be described by me, for reasons mentioned above Details on Certain Wine Taken In Chassagne Montrachet, Ramonet 1998 Chateau La Roque, Laguedoc, Pic Saint Loup Bodega Montecillo 1998, etc. Other Information The Kebab Cafe storefront is a narrow one, about 2 1/2 times the width of the entrance door. The cooking area, where Ali and his assistant were busying themselves, is on the left hand side when one enters the welcoming, small restaurant. The restaurant is relatively small -- accommodating perhaps at most 15-20 people, and one has a good view of the cooking area from most tables. There is a sense of having been invited into somebody's home, from the designs on the wall and the eclectic nature of the decorations (e.g., some Egyptian masks, pictures holding presumably personal memories). The tabletops included colorful pieces of glass-like items presented in a collage-type manner, and were made by somebody known to the chef.

At Steve P's request, I include the below post from the "Chinese Food vs. French" thread:

levyme -- Thanks for the update. When you have a chance, could you discuss whether you derived any pleasure from your awareness that the lobster was so recently alive, or whether you focused essentially on the taste of the item?

Robert -- It's unclear to me that the Michelin Guide Rouge 2002 would offer an appropriate measure of post-euro-introduction prices. On page 4 of the 2002 Guide, there is a statement that "[l]es prix indiques dans ce guide, etablis en automne 2001, sont donnes en euros . . . ." (the prices indicated in this guide, established in the autumn of 2001, are furnished in euros . . . .). Given the timing of the later introduction of the euro (in 2002), the price increases from the 2001 Guide Rouge to the 2002 Guide Rouge likely reflect adjustments made without a desire to use the euro introduction as a shield.

Another well-deserved favorable review, by Patricia Wells on L'Astrance : http://www.patriciawells.com/reviews/iht/2002/0507.htm

robert -- To the extent there are indications of a lower quality of service at L'Astrance and Blue Hill in your initial post, I would strongly disagree. It might be the case that one doesn't have the same dining room team member-to-guest ratio as was the case decades ago, but my own observations are of an efficient and professional team at each place. Why does one need dozens of people standing idly by, when a smaller and more efficient team would be sufficient? So long as a high level of service is provided (which I believe is clearly the case from my meals at L'Astrance in particular, and also at BH), and the cuisine is presented appropriately, there is not necessarily a justification for a larger team. In addition, the number of people comprising the dining room team would appear to be only one of the determinants of its capabilities relative to service -- the individual qualities of the persons within that team, and their ability to coordinate are also significant. Furthermore, what is inappropriate with restaurants focusing on profits, like any other commercial endeavor intent on long-term survival and generation of returns for those who have invested in it? Seeking profit is not incompatible with a chef's preparing memorable cuisine and being focused on diners' receipt of fulfillment. (We are obviously not speaking of cuisiniers that "cut corners" with quality, preparation, etc.) If it is profit-maximizing for a restaurant to charge higher prices, why should the facility not do so? I don't think it's honorable for a chef to take losses; he may choose to do so, but it should not be expected of it. And an unwillingness to accept losses should not be viewed as a negative factor. (NB: In my mind and as discussed on the board, the prices at both L'Astrance and BH are very reasonable, relative to the quality of the cuisine furnished) I find that many restaurants nowadays are willing to accommodate their clients. There is often a spirit of generosity -- I am frequently offered additional dishes or other goodies. In the US recently, items I have received gratuit included: Radius (soft shell crab dish and dessert wine), Ilo (dessert wine), one Bouley visit (several desserts and dessert wine), another Bouley visit (countless goodies), Citarella (second Yosses dessert), Fleur de Sel (sampling of other wines by the glass not ordered) and Fiamma Osteria (dessert after having ordered just one egg brunch dish). In France, the gratuit situation is evern better. Note I am in no position to compare the Old Dining to the New Dining, not having been a restaurant diner during the heyday of the Old Dining. However, to the extent BH and L'Astrance could be viewed as examples of the New Dining (and I am unclear they should be so framed), I do not see the detriments of New Dining to be severe.

rich -- See my amended post above re: corkage.

jaybee -- Thanks for taking the lead on the write-up. The Blue Hill meal, while not as subjectively memorable as the first meal I had there, was bordering on very good. It was interesting that the various dishes included in the two meals by Chefs Michael Anthony and Dan Barber hinted (preliminarily) at some range in composition and intended effect underlying the dishes. Onto specifics: -- I liked the testa disc, and wondered what portions of pigs' head had been utilized in it apart from the cheeks. Little integrated "pockets" within the offered slice that had a predominantly fatty, but also slightly gelatinous, texture were helpful to the disc. This texture was noticeably distinct from the remainder of the testa. It was described that there was pickled fennel (??) accompanying the testa, but this taste was too subtle to be sampled. The papadom on which the testa had been placed was, for me, a less-than-ideal base for the testa, due to the appropriately moderated (but still detectable) hints of spicing of the papadom itself and the crispiness of papadom (a subjective preference). Not having taken in much Indian or related cuisines in which papadom might be utilized (and recognizing that papadom is increasingly being utilized in the context of other cuisines), I could not say whether the papadom had been made from lentil flour as is customary in certain contexts. -- jaybee, Steve P and the eGulleteer liked the diced white salmon dish more than I did. I thought the salmon and the gelee each were fine on their own, but somehow the dish was not more than the sum of the parts. A bit of herb-infused oil was appropriately lending a slight sense of emolience that brought out the texture of the salmon. -- The char dish jaybee described was indeed tasty. It was likely two leaves of lambs' quarters (??) that furnished an appropriately intense, and yet still refreshing, taste to the flesh of the fish. A dish I liked for its internal consistency. -- My favorite dish of the meal was the slow-poached cod with mussels and ruby shrimp. The flavor of the cod was preserved, through flesh that was, as jaybee described, well-prepared and almost translucent. I particularly liked the temperature effects inhering in this dish. The interior of the serving of cod was literally (and intentionally) slightly cool, which was made feasible presumably by the slow poaching. The cooler temperature in the interior highlighted the attractivenes of the flesh of the cod. When the dish was presented, my initial reaction was to wonder why there was only one mussel in the serving I received (which was generous). A sampling of the saucing furnished the response. There were connotations of "warmth" from seafood stock (?) and corn-based, among other things, saucing that was at once both nuanced and quasi-familiar in general construction. There was some discussion about whether the crunchiness of the corn included generously in the sauce was desirable. jaybee, I believe, and I liked that aspect of the dish. On the tomato, I may have been the only diner who thought it was redundant. The dish did not, for me, need the jolt of acidity, and the tomatoes, to the extent utilized, could alternatively have perhaps been prepared in a way to bring out their sweeter tones as well as their acidity. Note that I tend not to like too many ingredients in a dish. For me, the mussels, ruby shrimp, corn and saucing were sufficient for the cod. Nonetheless, I dish that I appreciated considerably. -- The poached duck was as jaybee described. On dessert, I was again presented (see Union Pacific thread for background -- not linked) with a chocolate dessert. Fortunately, jaybee seemed indifferent between his capuccino-based dessert with cherries (my favorite fruit, together with blood oranges and peeled green grapes -- not taken together obviously) and the chocolate dessert I had received, and we switched. Scott -- The cost charged was that of the "regular" tasting menu ($60 or 65?/person), and corkage for three bottles ($25-30 each), before tips/tax.

jaybee -- When you have a chance, could you consider discussing why you are uncertain you would make the effort to visit the restaurant, whether in the short- or long-run? robert -- On the retrospective that El Bulli was furnishing, did you receive an indication as to how long that opportunity might be in place? Also, were you tempted to also visit nearby El Raco de Can Fabes (which I have never visited)?

Ben -- When you refer to "cheap eats", what per diner price range (food only) are you intending to target and is wine desired?

The following is an ironic (at least for me) excerpt on Auberge de L'Ill from Henry Viard's "The Gourmet's Tour of France. 27 Great French Restaurantsw and Their Favorite Recipes" (English translation, Little Brown 1984): "Paul, who succeeded his father [and is the father of the current lead chef Marc], concentrated his efforts on innovating, drawing upon the resources of Alsatian gastronomy for inspiration but taking into account the new preferences of the customers. . . . We gourmands derive our happiness from the delights to be found on the menu of L'Auberge de L'Ill: boudin de cailles et de foie d'oie cuit a la vapeur (steamed sausage of quail and goose livers), *salmon souffle*, aiguillettes de canard aux pleurotes fraiches et aux petits oignons (duck fillets with wild mushrooms and onions) . . . sandre au Pinot noir (pike perch in wine sauce), supreme de faisan Alcantara (pheasant with foie gras, port wine and truffle sauce and small quenelles of pheasant meat), *peach Haeberlin* (poached, served with pistachio ice cream and a a champagne-flavored cream sauce), peches souffles Cardinal de Rohan, or the rhubarb-glazed souffle in a cherry (griottes) sauce." "At Illhaeusern, the river is sinuous and bucolic; the weeping willows plunge their thin, tender branches into it." Sadly, there is also a chapter on Amat at the Saint-James. It reminded me of how well regarded Amat had been at one time (without any connotations as to his current position).

Ahh, I knew eggs would feature prominently in cooking school. But so early on ....

While Aubrac beef is not my preferred rare breed, it is worth sampling at Bras. I didn't consider the Aubrac beef at Bras stunning in the way that Charolais at Troisgros is. I also think Salers is worth sampling (not generally available at the above restaurants, to my knowledge). I was surprised, upon a recent visit to Maison d'Aubrac in Paris, that the Aubrac tartare is now less tasty for me than before. There were more sweet elements (possibly from Worcheshire sauce) than I remembered. I've moved towards the entrecote at Maison d'Aubrac. As indicated in the initial post in this thread, 59 Poincare has certain steak dishes. I'd be interested in visiting that restaurant for its historic value alone; the beef would be merely a bonus.

Jon -- I am not sure that chicken breast is necessarily unduly highlighted relative to chicken thigh in French cuisine. It might be in French or related food in the US. There might still be a tendency to serve chicken breast if it is the sole piece being served in France. However, certain chicken dishes at three-star restaurants in France are presented to the diner in two servings, with sometimes a thigh/leg portion included as the second (e.g., Loiseau's Alexandre Dumaine chicken, Westermann's Bresse chicken in a Baekekoffe, spelling; Ami Louis' roast farm chicken -- which I have never sampled but which looked large and wonderful and which I studied visually in detail).

Bottarga was part of an appropriately severely-criticized tuna appetizer at Union Square Cafe: I recently noticed bottarga on another menu, although I cannot recollect the precise restaurant (Bid? Gramercy Tavern?).

The following is an excerpt from the M Bras newsletter for July 2002. As members may know, Laguiole is in Aubrac country. "On a balsamic plateau, about 1/2 mile (800 m)above sea level, you will find our cattle with black-rimmed eyes. They are descendants of Aubrac stock from a well-defined geographical area, as only a hardy breed shaped by the country could adapt to the rigorous weather of the plateau. This creation will not revolutionize the world of gastronomy. It is only a simple, heart felt dish I like to prepare for friends. This is a recipe owing more to love than to science. The centerpiece is obviously the Aubrac beef. I remove the piece on the top of the filet, which we call the 'ear.' It is silky and juicy, a choice cut. The position of the potatoes that garnish the meat was inspired by a profile I drew in my book and which, while I was working on it, developed in an unexpected way. The butter, fragrant with the aroma of shallots, absorbs all the flavors and the juices collected in the frying pan. The tastes remain very clear and fluid: meat, potatoes, and butter. On Sundays, it is always a treat for Gi and I, who are fond of vegetables, to eat a top-grade piece of meat accompanied by a potato puree. Just as I did when I was a teenager, I like to dig a little hole in my puree. I fill it with a pat of slightly salted butter, which melts and spreads into the potato. I find that the hollow is never deep enough to accommodate all the butter!"

Nick -- When you have a chance, could you consider discussing what Giannone chicken is? Also, I'd appreciate learning about the rotisserie.

My mom studied gemology as a hobby a while ago, and received accredition to practice under the applicable leading UK organization. She never practiced it professionally, but is proactive about ensuring she gets "value for her money". She felt that Cartier and Bulgari diamonds are not good purchases relative to what one could purchase a comparable diamond at wholesale (and have made at places she knew). I end up buying Cartier or Mikimoto (I like dropped tiny pearls) earrings for myself (little ones) when I feel particularly deserving once in a while, but accept rings she has made for me from time to time. Back to dining, I actually do wear a bit of jewelry almost all the time (usually simple earrings and a ring) and it is one of the ways I present myself nicely for myself, including when I go to restaurants. I also use a lot of designer clutch handbags. It's not a question of liking the brand, as it is that my identification of the brands of clothing and accessories I like (e.g., Cerrutti, Max Mara) helps me to identify individual items I like with limited effort. I don't have to go and scour 40 stores to find the 4 pieces I like. If I go to certain stores (4-5) that I have identified from past experience fit me, I have a fairly decent chance of locating 4 pieces as well. There's a close analogy to restaurants, relating to why in France, concurrently, (1) I am visiting restaurants I have not been to before, but making assessments over the course of, in many cases, one visit (for non-three-stars) about whether the restaurant is worth my visit in the foreseeable future (of course, things can change over the course of 5-10 years, so I might revisit), and (2) I have an extremely short list of restaurants that meet my expectations. If I go to a hodge-podge of 40 different restaurants for 40 meals, I am unlikely to find even one meal that is to my subjective satisfaction. However, when I go to the restaurants that I have identified suit my subjective preferences, I am very likely to receive a superb meal.

The following is the gratin dauphinois description from Root: "Thinly sliced potatoes are moistened with boiled milk and beaten egg, seasoned with salt, pepper, and nutmet, and mixed with grated *cheese, of the Gruyere type*. The potatoes are then put into an earthenware dish which has been rubbed with garlic and then buttered, spotted with little dabs of butter, and sprinkled with more grated cheese. It is then cooked slowly in not too hot an oven."

Rosie -- Yes, I agree.

bunny -- Soba makes a good point. While I subjectively like tomatoes (not necessarily as garnishes), I do think they are overused as a garnish at restaurants in the US. For me, the frogs' legs dish, as I mentioned might be better off without the tomato garnish. As might the calamari dish, come to think of it. Wouldn't something non-acidic/non-sweet, and more of a neutral (but not unflavorful) base for the bitterness of the watercress and the strength of the wasabi in the saucing be preferable? Presumaby the calamari might also have some charred edges from the grilling, and that could play into the saucing. You might also want to focus on whether the pairing of tomatoes with the blue fish entree is ideal. -- Frogs' legs. You might want to see the Buerehiesel thread in the France forum for a way of pushing the meat of frogs' legs together that might be interesting for you. Also, while you might use both garlic and shallots, I'm not sure both tend to be described on a menu (in particular, garlic tends not to be highlighted at times). -- If the salmon will have a three-orange preparation, you might not want to use a citrus beurre blanc for the halibut, so that clients not interested in citrus could choose one of those fish preparations. I appreciate there is the baked blue fish. Edit: Basildog has covered this point already. Also, if a citrus-based vinaigrette is being utilized for the tom/cucumber/artichokes, that's another source of citrus. -- Interestingly, you do not propose pasta, except in the risotto accompanying the bass. In NJ, is there a significant dining pool that likes pasta-based dishes as entrees? I appreciate the type of cuisine you are proposing may not readily accommodate that. Just a factor to consider. -- I am unsure a vinaigrette of citrus would be ideal for artichokes, cucumber and tomatoes. What do other members think?

bunny -- While I do not have any experience with respect to menu composition, here are some questions/thoughts: -- Your proposed utilization of tomatoes in many dishes (5/16, including garnishes) is commendable. (I also happen to like your Avatar.) However, I am not sure the tomato garnish would be the best pairing with frogs' legs. Would the acidity of the tomato (acknowledging its sweet components as well) match well with the brandy demi? Would the dish be too busy with the addition of the tomato garnish? -- I assume, on your actual menu, you would not actually have all of the garnishings and other components described for every dish. On the actual menu, "Asian" marinated duck seems a bit weird right above "bbq spiced duck", as certain diners might (inappropriately) equate Asian duck preparations with Chinese BBQ duck. What spicing are you utilization for the bbq spiced duck, and what intended effects are you proposing relative to the asian marinated duck (when the two are part of a dish)? -- On your menu, you might want to place frogs' legs lower in your list of appetizers. Some diners become "put off" by them, and a duck duo and frogs' list set of dishes as the first two on your list may not be the best thing. -- How would the bone marrow be presented in the onion soup dish? Would it be next to the soup, presented separately, and intended to highlight the depth of the soup? If in the soup, wouldn't the soup overwhelm the delicacy of the marrow? What balance are you intending to achieve with five onion types? I assume this onion soup would not have cheese. If it would, would that work with the bone marrow? -- What is the intended vinaigrette for the salad of artichokes, cucumber and tomatoes? What types of tomatoes would you use in this dish? -- Have you chosen to omit a vegetarian entree? -- On the tournedo rossini, would white truffles and foie gras be a little bit too much? Also, are you only going to use shavings of white truffles when they are in season? I assume you are using white truffles from Alba. How are you going to price this dish? When I sample truffles, I subjectively enjoy them with usually simpler dishes. However, I can see other diners coming out differently. -- As background, what is your wine list going to be like? Also, do you contemplate effective control of wasted food products, given the combination of dishes proposed?

Here is the relevant recipe, from Ma Gastronomie: "'The whole art of making pommes dauphine lies in the way one prepares the pate a choux.' To make the pate a choux, boil sixteen ounces of water in a thick, heavy-bottomed sauce pan with three and one-half ounces of butter, one teaspoon of sugar and one-half teaspoon of salt. As soon as the liquid is boiling rapidly, take the saucepan off the heat and pour in eleven ounces of sifted flour. Beat this mixture together thoroughly and put the pan back on the heat. Work with a wooden spoon to dry out the mixture and until the paste detaches itself from the spoon and glistens lightly. Remove it from the heat and beat in eight eggs, adding two at a time and beating after each addition." Then, the recipe continues largely in the manner described by Steve Klc. Peter -- Note the reference in the English translation is to two pounds of "mashed cooked potatoes". Not having any cooking skills, I cannot respond to your question.