cabrales

Artusi -- Thanks for the additional information I used to wonder why there were no three-stars in Holland, in contrast to more than one in Belgium (not that the two countries should be equated for this purpose). When you have a chance, what do zeeland lobsters tend to taste like? Do they resemble Brittany lobsters or other European lobsters, if a response is readily available to you? Are there special types of fish local to any lakes in Holland, like the omble chevalier or fera in France? Also, why is the Nieuwe Maatjes Herring special (if it is)?

Another example of humor: At least during certain periods in the wintertime (?), Troisgros served a large cookie-like item in the shape of a Christmas tree towards the end of a meal. (It is not separately ordered in our case.) The item was placed flat onto a large plate with a sky-blue coloration dominating the centre of the plate. Then, a dining room staff member came by to sprinkle icing sugar onto the plate, suggesting the effects of snow! When I first had this item, it was coincidentally snowing at Roanne. Note I did not intend to trickle in my responses like this, but additional examples occurred to me. Finally for now, there must be examples of humor from Iron Chef land, no?

Below is a link to Morimoto's dinner menu. Note the various "inspirations"/use of ingredients potentially derived from Nobu (including "black cod miso"), and the dish named "drunken shrimp 'yopparai'". I wonder if that dish includes "live" shrimp (unlikely, no?). http://www.morimotorestaurant.com/main.html

Artusi -- Welcome to the board It's helpful to our community when new members can fill in potential little holes in our collective geographic coverage to date. When you have a chance (there is no time sensitivity, of course), please consider describing the cuisine at Parkheuval (e.g., examples of dishes on menu; style of cuisine; use of special local ingredients; existence of prix fixe menus). My impression is that news coverage in the English language of that restaurant has been somewhat limited to date. Also, if it is not too burdensome for you, please consider comparing the cuisines of chefs Helder and Kranenborg.

Speaking of Chinese restaurants, there is a dish (previously mentioned by another member somewhere on the board) involving vermicelli and small bits of meat (beef or pork, typically?). The Chinese name of the dish is literally translated as "ants crawling up a tree", based on the general visual connotations of the dish.

Our dining party had a discussion about marrow spoons as well. We utilized a small spoon that came with either (1) the garlic-based (?; unsampled) sauce served with, but in a separate container from, the fingerling potatoes entree side (probabably the case), or (2) the bernaise sauce accompanying the Porterhouse.

LML -- I should have known you couldn't resist an FD reference.

The following little card was dispensed at Craft: "the craft family and Tom Colicchio are pleased to announce the July 2002 opening of craftsteak MGM Grand, Las Vegas . . . raw bar and charcuterie grilled, roasted and braised meats fish, shellfish and poultry distinctive sides and vegetables . . . ." Tel: 702-891-1111 (noted to serve dinner 7 days a week)

The Porterhouse steak (for two persons; $70-75 for the combined portion) at Craft has two segments of bone marrow included. The bone marrow was a decent amount, and accompanied a tasty steak. A write-up on the dinner from me (or robert brown, who dined together with Susan and me) will be provided when time permits. Overall assessment: average-plus for the meal, with a good-plus steak dish and a very good Meyer lemon steamed dessert.

If names matter, how about the Fat Duck red pepper lollipop, served before the presentation of desserts? Perhaps it's also the association of lollipops with immaturity/childhood times that renders its sampling at a restaurant for adult diners arguably amusing. http://forums.egullet.org/ikonboa....85;st=0 (General background on FD meal) Also, FD (or some other restaurant I've eaten at recently?) offers green cotton candy (apple flavored?) at the end of a meal.

Wilfrid -- The Tidal Pool is an appetizer, but it was the only item I took that night before the Meyer Lemon dessert. Note the dish is not particularly large. Also note there are very few pieces of sea urchin (2, I believe) in the dish. One can taste more sea urchin by ordering 2 pieces at a Japanese restaurant. I arrived very late (around 10 pm -- I can't be sure, and there were plenty of tables to be had; the exact closing time varies slightly depending on a night's business). I believe tables late can be readily had.

Thanks for the input. Note I have now tried the Tidal Pool (see above posts)

lizziee -- Yes, I have taken in that sandwich, and afterwards sampled a dessert shaped to resemble a cigar. That was slightly amusing, obviously, because cigars are also sometimes taken after savory courses in a meal. (Note I found neither the truffle sandwich nor the other courses taken at Rostang tasty.) Also, there is an argument apple desserts at Bouley contain some minor amount of embedded humor, given the history of apple baskets at the old Bouley and the apple racks at the current Bouley (a play on decor/associations). When I last visited, one of the desserts was: Apple orchard prize, slowly baked apples with caramel and phyllo crunch, cinnamon ice cream.

Do members have input on whether humor might play a role in certain dishes at Park Avenue Cafe? http://www.jamesbeard.org/events/2002/02/003.shtml (Bio of Murphy on James Beard site notes, among other things, "Murphy helped establish a distinctive New York style of cooking and food presentation, using both drama and *humor* to emphasize flavor and taste. A recent review of his cooking at Park Avenue Cafe by *"Fat-Guy" Steven Shaw* noted that his dishes are still as 'visually arresting' as they are delicious.")

As members may know, wingding is referring to Le Cirque's desserts. Below is an article with pictures of certain desserts: http://www.s-t.com/daily/03-98/03-04-98/c01ho089.htm In the article, Jacques Torres (who has since left the restaurant) observes: "Fortunately, my job allows me to be very whimsical. My boss [Maccionis] has been very supportive of the zany creations I have developed over the years."

Below is an excerpt from L Brenner's "The Fourth Star", regarding Boulud: "Across the small cranny from the canape cook, . . . the chef garde-manger sauces a plate, arranges strips of marinated raw tuna in a perfect rectangle onto the sauce, places several pieces of sauteed veal sweetbreads on top of the tuna. This tongue-in-cheek take on vitello tonnato looks like a painting. He garnishes it with baby mache (lamb's lettuce) and celery leaves." Note I am not knowledgeable about vitello tonnato; perhaps the humor may be apparent to other members.

Is "langoustino" the same as "langouste", or alternatively the same as "langoustine", on French menus?

I'd appreciate members' input on restaurant offerings they have found humorous. The humor might be conveyed through the name, appearance, composition, historical connotations or other aspects of a dish. Below is A Bourdain's response to a comparable question posed in the Q&A: Below are J McManus' responses (quoting unavailable, due to locking of the applicable Q&A thread): McManus: "Humor in dishes? Like what? A sailor’s hat on a softshell crab? Little Barbie high heels on the frenched lamb chops? Oh, I’ve got it: a smiley face in brown sugar on the crème brulee!" Cabrales: "On humor, here are some examples: (1) T Keller's dishes and their names (e.g., 'macaroni and cheese', 'oysters and pearls'), (2) the foie gras bonbons at the Pourcels' Jardin des Sens at Montpellier (which have a concentric-circle-like swirl of burgundy-colored sauce resembling a bulls'-eye), (3) the inclusion in the db bistro moderne burger of bits of braised short ribs, which are reminiscent of Boulud's short ribs at sibling restaurant Daniel, and (4) as other members on the board have mentioned [see A Balic], the use as garnishes in a dish of ingredients with which an animal/fish was associated during its life (e.g., turbot cooked in a salt crust, wild boar with chestnuts). I hope the above helps clarify the egg/humor question." McManus: "That DOES help, thanks. I've had oysters and pearls and macaroni and cheese by Keller. They were out of this world, of the planet. Would I have felt differently if they had different names, no. But I think someone like Thomas Keller and the others you mention can pull it off. But please I can't stand too many cutesy things on the menu."

Gavin -- When you have a chance, please consider discussing some of the dishes you have taken at Roellinger.

I have not yet visited Roellinger. Below is a link to dialogue in connection with an aborted visit: http://forums.egullet.org/ikonboa....90;st=0

More on Ilo. Appetizers on the dinner menu included Stuffed Duck Neck, with smoked beet and onion soubise, upland cress and coronas ($10), and terrine of smoked duck foie gras ($24), with compote of kukicha-infused prune and kumquats, Ilo-cured magret. Mains included Grilled Passamaquaddy Bay Rainbow Trout ($28), asparagus, pattypan squash, cherry tomatoes, whipped potatoes, sorrel sauce. Sides included Heriloom tomatoes, ricotta salatta ($10), and aligot potatoes, tomme fraiche and leeks ($8). There is an After-Theater Supper, with 3 courses for $38. There are four selections for each of the appetizers and mains. Appetizers- Fruitwood smoked salmon; Gold beet, endive and goat cheese salad; white mushroom soup (oyster mushrooms, with peekytoe crab); Jambon Iberico, watercress, picon cabrales, sherries fig condiment. Mains -- Grilled Hangar steak; roast Amish chicken, wilted greens, grilled portofbello, broccolini, pepato cheese, natural jus; Sorrel and Chanterelle risotto, lobster, roast cherry tomatoes; Suateed filet of salmon, asparagus, fennel puree, oil cured olives, wild fennel pollen (?) Desserts -- Passionfruit tart; Silken Chocolate pudding; Creme brulee; Sorbet/ice cream

I'll confess I didn't partake of the "tidal pool" when I visited Ilo, although one of my dining companions did. My recollections is that the various sea creatures are raw when brought out, but then they pour some hot broth into the bowl tableside, which will have the effect of cooking them shabu-shabu style. This seems to be confirmed by William Grimes's review of Ilo, in which he mentions the dish. I had dinner at Ilo today, specifically for the Tidal Pool (percebes, olympia oysters, sea urchin, wakame, edamame, siverears and woodears, for $25, served as an appetizer). The dish was average. The presentation of the dish was above-average. An oval, white-colored ceramic dish with a limited amount of height on the side is brought to the table. There was a small-sized mound consisting of one or two sea urchin specimens, two small oysters (fairly good), crispy, textured items that resembled (or were) grey "cloud ear" mushrooms and their translucent cousins (their Chinese name sounds like "snow ear"), various seaweed-like sheets of green-colored wakame, and small peas (not necessarily edamame as one usually sees them). A silver-colored, covered bowl was brought to the table. The bowl's lid was lifted close reasonably close to the diner, so that the released aroma was intended to be concentrated for the diner's enjoyment. Unfortunately, the aroma was like that of any other bonito-based broth. In the silver-colored bowl, the color of the broth was indeed quite appealing -- a reddish, clear color. This color became a clay orange when the broth was ladled onto the white ceramic dish. Then, a dining room staff member came by with a medium-sized, unusually-shaped glass container with EVOO and used a large extraction tube (also oddly shaped) to add some of the oil to the surface of the dish. Bonito-based broth is slightly interesting, because it does not have the usual sensations of a fish-based stock and has very slight connotations of smokiness. Unfortunately, it is also quite prevalent in Japanese cuisine, as was the utilization of seaweed-liked materials and the urchin. The urchin was no better than that one could find at the average Japanese restaurant. I did like the miniature oysters, but they were utilized in small quanitites, like everything else, in the dish. My overall assessment of the Tidal Pool dish was that it was average, and too Japanese in general orientation. I took in the dish with a glass of 1990 Pommery Brut, magnum ($19). The dessert and mignardises were fairly good. The dessert was Warm Meyer Lemon Cake, Vanilla parfait, mandarin sorbet and candied zest sauce. Meyer lemon is generally something I order whenever it is on a dessert menu, and this dish did not disappoint. The cake was in the shape of an inverted, flower-shape, and the cake material was interesting and tasted almost undercooked (but in a way I liked subjectively). The inside of the cake was molten, and contained a very interesting-tasting runny, custard-flavored, thin material that likely also contained Meyer lemons. Nice accompanying parfait, and appropriately tart mandarin sorbet. The patissier appears quite classic (in a good way), and even the mignardises were appropriate. A pineapple panna cotta had appropriately subdued flavors of pineapple (not a preferred taste for me), and rang of coconut flavors. Overall, an average meal, but with a fairly interesting dessert of Meyer lemons. Appropriate service (including a French and French-speaking maitre d'); location in a hotel. The pricing is high for things like water (bottle of sparkling at $7) and coffee (double espresso at $7). Nonetheless, I was provided with free dessert wine.

thebaker -- Apologies I did not see your question until just now. I did not take in dessert at Django. I ate very lightly that night (in part because nothing on the menu was of particular interest to me except for the vidala onions in the soup).

To quote Wilfrid from the Union Pacific thread:

That banana dessert was good, from the sample I received. I wonder why I have been tending to get chocolate-type desserts. This happened at Blue Hill too, and again when I received an extra dessert during a Bouley dinner and others received different items. Do dining room team members think that female diners like chocolate more? (That reminds me of a question I had. Given ahr's appreciation for chocolate, why did we not switch his fruit-based dessert with my chocolate rendition at BH?) The interesting thing is that I don't ordinarily place particular emphasis on dessert in evaluating a meal. However, it is weird that I keep on getting chocolate desserts in NY when I prefer fruit- or egg-based desserts. :confused: I am going to have to continue observations.