cabrales

Russ: The A Balic thread contains a description of certain lobster and fish being served alive. Shrimp are another common item eaten alive. Click Here -- The following is an excerpt from The Daily Telegraph, October 11, 1996 (unclear which country this publication is attributable to, likely Australia) ("RSPCA fights for ban on 'live' food," by Simon Benson): "The businessmen who chose lobster at a seafood lunch never expected it to walk out halfway through their meal. They called the RSPCA to report they had been served a live lobster. Their complaint was among the 12 a week registered by the RSPCA from people visiting restaurants where crustaceans are either cooked or served while still alive. . . ." -- Below is an excerpt from the Courier-Mail, an Australian paper (June 27, 1997): "Queensland may follow a New South Wales decision to ban the serving of live crustaceans, including lobsters and prawns, in restaurants. . . . The dishes, popular delicacies in some Asian restaurants in Sydney and Brisbane, include lobsters which have had their shells cracked and which are presented live on the plate as fresh sashimi. . . . 'Drunken prawns' or 'screaming prawns' -- live green prawns soaked in alcohol and set alight at the table -- is one popular dish in good Chinese restaurants in Brisbane. The Japanese term for the same dish, readily available in Japanese restaurants in Sydney, is 'Ebi no Odori-gui', which roughly translates as 'eating prawns while they dance'. . . ." (State of legislation not yet verified) Can members provide input on whether Japanese cuisine includes the ingestion of "live" sea slugs? ---------- Bourdain describes his experience in Vietnam of eating the heart of a snake (cobra?) while it (at least the heart) is still beating a bit. It was taken with some type of wine, among other things (?). Does that count? I have heard third-hand-plus about another potential Vietnamese dish in which duck eggs that have been fertilized somehow have their contents sucked out. I cannot find information on this, and there may be controversial issues (analogous to abortion-related matters) as to when an egg becomes "alive", etc. If I were in your shoes, I would not expend too much effort on locating the preparation of the Vietnamese duck egg dish as I heard about it in an indirect and not particularly reliable manner. If you are willing to include fertilized eggs as being "alive", perhaps there might be more dishes on which members can provide input.

robert -- Thanks for the write-up.

jay -- As you know, occupancy of tables is only one indicator (although an important one) of profitability for a restaurant. Because significant profits are derived from wine sales, I would imagine that the economy and other factors may be reducing the quality of the wine that some diners might be willing to purchase at high-end restaurants. I doubt restaurants like RHR would be affected by this, though. If I were to try to save money, I would purchase less expensive wine or purchase a 1/2 bottle or wine by the glass (relative to my regular capacity of a bottle with aperatif, when I am having a longer tasting menu at a restaurant in which I am interested).

Some additional observations -- The River Cafe was busy on a Saturday or Sunday lunch when I visited post-9/11. Almost every table was occupied. Putney Bridge never seems filled up, although the food there may be worthwhile (no recent visits). Caviar Kaspia has very limited traffic, although its chef is more than competent and is an alum of La Tante Claire. Smith's of Smithfield, Second Floor, is teeming with youngsters on most weeknights. Moro is very busy. Simon might be able to provide more information on Eyre Brothers, but my perception is that it is not full, but has a decent volume for dinner. 1 Lombard does fairly well in its bar area for dinner and for drinks, but booking the gastronomic portion is very easy (booking the bar area is not that difficult either). Pre-locanda locatelli, Zaffarano was already easier to book than before, at least if one had a small number of diners and was flexible as to timing. The restaurant is generally full, but one can sometimes secure reservations that one wouldn't have expected. I wonder how Novelli is doing? He seems to be much lower-profile now than before (perhaps not necessarily in a bad way).

Unless otherwise indicated, I will address only dinner reservations during the last three months, as lunch reservations are easier to come by. In general, one still needs to be "known" to RHR before one can capture certain cancelled reservations. Dinner reservations remain scarce unless one adheres to the one-month-in-advance rule. As members know, Claridge's is going very well, although some late or early lunch reservations are easy to capture with little notice. Do members have experience capturing reservations for the chef's table (for which the food is charged out at a significantly higher rate)? La Tante Claire is relatively easy to secure reservations for, particularly if one is willing to accept cancelled reservations the day of. When I visited, the restaurant was at least 85% full, and I believe it is doing relatively well. The Square is one of a few restaurants at its level open on Sundays and there have always been many empty tables for Sunday dinners. Not just since September 11. For example, during summer 2001, one could secure reservations the day of. That has not changed one iota. Note the quality of the cuisine at The Square is not poor. I do not understand why the restaurant is not more busy on Sundays, when options are limited. Petrus is doing at least well and likely very well. Dinner reservations are not easy to secure, although eating later and seeking cancelled reservations still make a table likely with limited notice. The Fat Duck remains very busy on Saturday and Sunday nights, but I was able to book on Thursday or Friday for a Saturday lunch reservation. Foliage never seems to be full, even before the departure of the chef. Note this is not a poor reflection on the quality of the cuisine at Foliage. Club Gascon appears to be doing well, for lunch as well as for dinner. I stopped by several times for each meal, and was always told the restaurant was fully booked. The reason that Steve P, macrosan and I ended up going to La Trompette during 1Q 2002 is that we originally had a reservation at CG, cancelled it (pending changing plans) and then were unable to recoup it. Cellar Gascon also appears to be reasonably busy. The Capital usually has same-day reservations for Sunday lunch (when I tend to visit). La Trompette is doing a very brisk dinner business. Mju appears to be doing very poorly for dinner. The last time I went several months ago, the restaurant was less than 25% occupied. When I asked, Tetsuya was described as no longer committing any significant amount of time to the restaurant, and was dubbed a "consultant". St John is not necessarily 100% filled up for dinner, particularly at odd times. However, it seems to have a good flow. Coq d'Argent appears to be doing a good amount of lunch business. I have never visited during dinner. Richard Corrigan's Lindsay House and Rhodes' two restaurants are easy to book, typically even "same day". I have not seen Dolphin Square more than 60% full.

The hopefully-still $35 tasting menu is a bargain for weekend lunches too, with certain reservations being available potentially with limited notice. Despite the disappointing nature of my first meal at the "new" Bouley, I am eager to take advantage of the lunch prix fixe soon on a weekend.

Before members rely on the bone marrow reference on the menu, note that certain dishes are currently not available (the restaurant is in its "start" phase) and the availability of the hangar steak should be verified if relevant to a visit. For bone marrow to be yummy, there should be a decent amount (for bone marrow) of it. I find it frustrating if bone marrow is promised, I anticipate it, and the quantity turns out to be very limited.

Stefany -- I'm not 100% sure how Django is pronounced, as I'm uncertain how the last name of the musician after whom it is named (as described by TimeOut) is pronounced. I would assume Django would be pronounced "Ch-ang-go" as well (instead of D the letter+jango)?

In view in part of my interest in mentoring relationships among chefs, I find the Ramsay/Wareing bond quite interesting. Here is additional background on their history: -- Sunday Times, July 26, 1998 (Michelin man sees stars, by Stephen McGinty): "Last week, after a furious argument with his financial backers, Ramsay left Aubergine . . . .The chain of events that led to the candles going out in Aubergine and L'Oranger [of which Wareing was head chef] can be traced back to market forces. . . . Senior management at A-Z were eager to reap the rewards of flotation and expand into a chain, an idea Ramsay disliked . . . Golden handcuffs were offered, but Ramsay and Marcus Wareing . . . refused to sign lucrative four-year contracts. Last week Wareing, at work in the kitchen of L'Oranger, in Piccadilly, *was dismissed,* escorted from the premises by security and replaced by another chef. . . . Ramsay, who had already resigned as a director of A-Z on Friday, was appalled and resigned as a consultant to the firm on Tuesday, *in protest* . . . ." -- The Times, September 2, 2000 (What makes Gordon Ramsay run?): "*When Wareing was sacked* as head chef of L'Oranger by AtoZ Management, which also owned L'Aubergine, Ramsay's then legendary restaurant, an *outraged* Ramsay gave the company a week's notice. Practically his entire staff went with him. . . ." -- The Herald (Glasgow), May 12, 2000 (Ramsay's L1m legal battle settled out of court): "Gordon Ramsay's L1m legal battle with his former employers has been settled out of court. . . . The chefs took most of the staff of the two restaurants with them, forcing them to close for several weeks in 1998. A-Z demanded compensation for earnings lost during those weeks and alleged damage to electrical equipment at L'Oranger. They also claimed pages were torn from the reservations book and those on it were urged to eat at Ramsay's restaurant in Chelsea. . . . Ramsay has claimed he *quit in protest over the sacking of Wareing* who had refused to sign a four-year contract." Wareing owes much of what he has to Ramsay. For example, Ramsay's father-in-law was active in the financing of Petrus and Ramsay's reputation was significant to that restaurant as well. Even simple things are telling. GR-Claridge's voice recordings (when customers calling to make reservations are put on hold) suggests (or at least used to suggest) that guests consider RHR and Petrus as alternatives. Based on my recollection, the two alternatives were given equal prominence, even though Ramsay's financial stake in Petrus is lower. Of course, RHR is not in need of customers

On Aubergine, when I visited about six months ago, the cuisine was better than I had expected it would be post-Gordon. The foie gras was still good, and the service was good as well. Do members have recent experience with Aubergine? I'm glad Wareing is well-regarded for Petrus, although my last meal there (written up but not linked) was oversalted and left significant room for improvement. I wonder if he is taking business away from the place from which he was fired -- is it L'Oranger or some similar name? I might research this a bit later, but apparently Ramsay's departure from Aubergine might have somehow been at least expedited by the then unfortunate situation for Wareing. I'm very uncertain about this.

In a recent discussion on the Grand Central Oyster Bar, Steve P, jaybee and I discussed what should be drunk with oysters. I noted my not liking Rieseling that much, and Steve noted various possibilities. Below is the white wine list (by the bottle) from Aquagrill's menu: -- Sauvignon Blanc Silverado Vineyards 2000, Napa Valley, CA (29; denoted exceptional value by the restaurant) Cain "Musque" 2000, Ventana Vineyard, Monterey, CA (40) Palliser Estate 2001, Martinborough, New Zealand (36) Seresin 2001, Marlborough, NZ (40) Menetou Salon, Domaine Roger Champault 1998, Loire (28) Pouilly Fume, "Vielles Vignes" Regis Minet 2000, Loire (32) Sancerre, Domaine Fournier 2000, Loire (36) [i had chosen a Sancerre by the glass at Grand Central Oyster Bar; it was so-so] Pouilly Fume, "Pur Sang" 2000, Didier Dagueneau, Loire (68; denoted exceptional quality by Aquagrill; also a wine I like in general) -- Othe Light Wines Chenin Blanc, Chappellet Old Vine Cuvee 1998, Napa (24; exceptional value) Viognier, Calera Wine Company 2000, CA (67) Sylvaner, "Vielle Vignes" Dom Ostertag 2000, Alsace (33) Aligote, A et P de Villaine 1999, Bouzeron, France (35) Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Le Grillaie 2000, Tuscany (30) Pinot Grigio, Toprre Rosazza 2000, Fruilia, Italy (34) Crotese, Villa Sparina Gavi di Gavi 2000, Italy (35) Falanghina, "Vigna Caracci" 2000, Villa Matilde, Falerno del Massico, Campania, Italy (44) Semillon, Tim Adamas 1998, Clare Valley, Australia (30; denoted exceptional quality) Torrontes, "Don David Selections" 2000, Michel Torino, Cafayate Valley, Argentina (28) -- Chardonnay [longer list omitted] -- Proprietor's Blend Conundrum, Caymus Vineyards 2000, Napa, CA (45) "Turno", Movia 1997, Friulia, Italy (37) Pinot d'Alsace, Zinde-Humbrecht 1999, Alsace, France (47; denoted exceptional quality) Crozes Hermitage Blanc, "Mule Blanche" 1998, Paul Jaboulet Aine, Rhone, France (45) Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc, Vieux Telegraphe 2000, Chateauneuf du Pape, Rhone, France (75; denoted exceptional quality) -- Riseling and Gewurztraminer Gewurztraminer, Bouchaine Vineyards 1999, CA (23) Johannisberg Riseling, Hermann Wiemer 2000, NY (24; denoted exceptional value) Gewurztraminer "Jubilee" 1997 Grand Cru, Hugel et Fils, Alsace, France (55) Riesling, "Kaiserberg" 2000 Smaragd, Prager, Wessenkirchen, Wachau (84; denoted exceptional quality) Interesting items on the Aquagrill menu for lunch/brunch as of last weekend included: Toro Tuna Escabeche, with marinated vegetables and EVOO (10.50) Grilled Wild White Salmon, with roasted sweet corn, wild mushrooms, haricots verts and wild asparagus in a sweet-corn emulsion (24.50) Diver sea scallops (grilled, poached or roasted 16) Blueberry or banana pancakes with maple syrup, bacon or sausage (9.50) Sweet Maine Jonah Crab Claws, served with jicama-jalapeno-pineapple slaw and Dijon mustard sauce (5 claws for 20) Fresh Maine periwinkles (with lemon aioli, 7.50) I'd appreciate Steve P and other members' input re: the wine list at Aquagrill, in connection with a potential meal consisting solely of oysters and Jonah crab claws.

Jinmyo -- Apologies for the typo. It was, of course, "whipped" potatoes. Note my posts may contain more typos for restaurants I do not care about. As I am attempting to document the maximum amount of information for members, I will not check posts for restaurants that do not interest me after the visit and may not check other posts as carefully as I would like. I will be careful with the typing of prices. Steve -- Yes, the decor is not Baltazar-like at all. It's more modern, with greater ambition on that dimension. There were certain nice-looking burgundy suede chairs and comfortable looking white (leather?) sofas with geometric lines. A bit distracting were little crystal-like beads used in long strands to adorn the glass portion of the restaurant. But a restaurant intended to be attractive to those who think they are hip (obviously, not necessarily with respect to food). I believe a fairly good interior designer had been employed, although I forget whom.

Below is yet another example of a newly-opened restaurant that I knew would be sub-par and that I was nonetheless tempted to visit. In Django's case, I could at least indicate that it was financed/created (?) by the same group that brought us Union Pacific, one of my favorite restaurants in NY. Django is accessed from East 46th St., very close to Lexington (and across the street from a Bolton's branch). The restaurant's name does not appear to be marked anywhere, but there is a set of swinging doors (much like those of any other office building) that leads into the restaurant. The large, two-level restaurant with so-so modern dedsign was full the night of visit. I ventured to the bar area, where men in their 50s were chatting up young women. Fortunately, I secured one of the two four-person individual tables that are viewed by the restaurant as being part of the bar (where food can be served). The meal was below average, although I did not take in meaningful items that would have enabled sampling of the restaurant's cuisine. An assessment is uncalled for at this time, but Django appears to be more currently hip than offering substantive cuisine. Tuna Tartare with Wasabi Crisp ($12) Vidala Onion Soup Gratinee (9) 2 glasses Paul Goerg Blanc de Blancs (11/glass) The Ahi tartare was so-so. It was fresh-tasting, but the wasabi and Asian oil flavors were nothing special. The vidala onion soup was unduly sweet (even recognizing the intrinsic qualities of vidala onion), and lacked "depth". The cheese on top of the soaked pieces of bread in the soup was appropriate. Overall, neither here nor there, in terms of a meal. My ordering of dishes contributed in large part to this. However, Django does not appear to be a partcilarly gastrononomic restaurant. Apart from the wild boar daily special one day of the week (see below; not yet available, just like the charcuterie platters), there were no menu items that I found particularly interesting. -- Menu Items Appetizers: Vichysoisse (8) Arugula salad with chevre, orange, toasted almonds and citrus zest vinaigrette (9) Frisee, roquefort and lardon salad with garlic croutons (10) Lobster salad with avocado, pear tomatoes, watercress and rhubard vinaigrette (18) Coquilles Saint-Jacques [scallops] with shipped potatoes and double smokeed bacon (11) Foie gras terrine with fig compote and truffle mache (16) Escargot with garlic herb butter and sweet potato chips (9) Ostrich carpaccio with mustard, harissa oil and quail egg (14) Charcuterie: Rillettes, Pate, Saucisson, Chorizo, Jambon, Proscuitto, served with cornichons and Dijon mustard (Small plate for 12, large for 23; not currently available; unclear whether house-made) Seafood plate (small 40, large 80) Moules Frites (Mussels and fries) (15, with two alternativef preparations) Daily Specials (in 20+ range), including Rabbit Casserole on Tuesday, Leg of Lamb on Wednesday, *Wild Boar Cassoulet on Thursday ($24) and Duck a l'Orange on Saturday. Entrees (names not complete, but with principal ingredients): Lobster bouillabaisse (26) Roasted monkfish with white wine shallot sauce (18) Sauteed black bass with ginger lemongrass broth (20) Parpadelle with wild mushrooms, asparagus and truffle oil (17) Crispy roast chicken (19) Steak au poivre (27) Roasted rack of lamb with rosemary (29) Grilled hangar steak with bone marrow (22) Braised lamb shank with mushrooms risotto (24) As reported in TimeOut, food prices are reduced by 20% through Sunday (please verify before reliance). Due to service mishaps, my food bill was further reduced by 10%and I was given another glass of champagne. The service was competent, although the dining room staff member who was assiting me was unduly stretched by the number of tables he was covering. -- Wine List The wine list was lean in depth. Selections included: Corton Charlemagne Bonneau de Martray 1992 ($135); Pascal Jolivet "Chateau de Nozay" Sancerre (45); Blanc de Chateau Lynch-Bagues 1999 (82); Domaine Anne & Francoise Gros Clos Vougeot 1990 (380); Opus One 1989-1992 ($250-280); Lynch-Bagues 1996 (140).

Jeanne -- Particularly given your access to events like the R&C ones described, would you consider remaining active as an eGullet member as your schedule permits after this Q&A session? For example, I would be interested in hearing about the menus for the Paris events and other press-specific events.

Speaking of Ramsay, do members have any news on what cuisine is going to be offered up by Ramsay's team at the Connaught?

I appreciate that Sushi Yasuda would not fit within the restaurants initially requested in this thread. However, I had a good-plus meal recently that included good-plus uni (which is still, for me, not as tasty as fresh urchins from French waters). robert brown had eaten at Yasuda recently, and noted the availability of monkfish liver there. I visited the restaurant in search of that item. Below is a summary of the meal: -- Ankima, Steamed Monkfish Liver (names not from menu; between $7 and 10): This appetizer offered a decent amount of the monkfish liver, in three slices. As robert had mentioned to me, the liver tasted like foie gras -- the harder kind that would be included in, say, a terrine and not the softer "inside" of appropriately seared foie gras. I liked this dish. The slices of monkfish liver had a bit of an orangish tinge to the exterior that appeared to have been artificially applied. It was coupled with ponzu sauce (i.e., the sauce deep-fried softshell crab tends to be served with at NY Japanese restaurants) and accompanied by intense-tasting seaweed nestled in a clump in the ponzu. I liked the acidity in the ponzu with the liver. Note that the monkfish liver was not included in the regular menu. It was on a special appetizers menu that also featured the Chilean sea bass described below and even a fugu item (I believe; members should verify if interested). At the sushi bar, this special appetizers menu had to be requested specifically. -- Chilean Sea Bass in Plum Broth ($9-10): This appetizer offered an unexpected combination of ingredients, at least to me. I was immediately drawn to ordering this dish. Two good-sized pieces of bass were tender, smooth and tasty. They had a very limited portion of skin still attached. The broth offered the taste of Japanese sour plums (i.e., in the cured or pickled sense, and not referring to the intrinsic sweetness or lack thereof of the plums). A sourness that very noticeable, but that might be viewed as having a gentleness to it as well. I liked this dish. -- Sashimi, a la carte. 1 Abalone (4.50), 1 sea trout (3.00), 2 Alasaka white salmon (4.00 each), 2 King Salmon (3.75; the waitress described these as Copper River when I asked by name; somehow her response left me less than confident; fatty and tasty regardless of what variety was involved), 4 uni portions. The sea urchins (4.50) were good-plus as far as unis go. They were from Santa Barbara, and the sushi chef's addition of some freshly squeezed lemon juice to them enhanced them substantially. -- Mochi, Green Tea Flavor. While the portion size of this dessert was very small (a medium-sized mochi cut in two), the way the mochi was served was better than most. First, the skin of the mochi utilized a "dough" that had green tea flavors. Also, the exterior of the mochi and the plate had been dusted with a matte, chalk-texture-like green tea substance. This not only furnished the appealing "feel" of that type of texture when the item was initially taken in, but also conferred an initial burst of bitterness that pleased me. Overall, a good-plus meal.

Matthew -- Note the context of my prior post. First, observations regarding Wareing's past as a boxer. Then, a final paragraph reading thus: "As indicated before [referring to some thread in the UK forum regarding Ramsay's being away in which I made the same point of not caring and further distancing the post from the particular night of boxing viewing in question], I would [note the conditional form] not care whether Ramsay or Wareing is in the applicable kitchen, so long as the quality of the cuisine [note reference to quality, to be relevant later] were appropriate. In my mind, Wareing needs to work on that [i.e., the quality of the cuisine, since I don't care whether either is in the kitchen] a bit more than Ramsay (with respect to RHR) [Note this refers to Marcus needing to working a bit on the quality of his cuisine, based on the relative qualities of the two chefs' cuisine]." The "that" on which Wareing needs to work is the quality of his cuisine. Note I am using Matthew's comment to illustrate I choose to be careful in wording a particular post; nothing other than ilustration is intended. The reference to RHR is to clarify that Wareing's cuisine is far from being like that at RHR. I also happen to believe Wareing's cuisine is inferior to that at GR- Claridge's, but that was not intended to be conveyed in the post.

Steve -- No, but I have the menu that has the wine list. I'll post excerpts later.

Wareing used to be quite involved in boxing: -- Jay Rayner wrote in The Observer (July 15, 2001, People: ...and a bottle of Blue Nun, please: Jay Rayner meets Marcus Wareing): "His background is not unlike Ramsay's. . . .Ramsay, famously, was a footballer. Wareing was a *boxer*, punching his way quite successfully around the amateur circuit in Liverpool." -- Simon might find the below excerpt from The Scotsman particularly amusing (November 24, 2001, Call it Chemistry: Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing): "[Ramsay] tells me he doesn't feel at all threatened by Marcus's success. 'I get off on it. For me to go down to number two and Marcus to go to number one, I'd be over the moon.' [hee, hee -- John, that was added by me] You get the impression he means it, too, perhaps because he sees Marcus as a mini Gordon. . . . After work, [the two] are often seen sloping off together for dinner. Apparently, they speak to each other 16 times a day on the phone too . . . . Perhaps Marcus is the brother [Gordon] wanted. His real one, Ronnie, is a heroin addict. When I told Marcus what Gordon had said about his early moustache, he laughed. 'He's [Gordon is] such an asshole. I spent from nine to 18 in the *boxing ring* and we all had moustaches. . . . .' '*Boxing* was the most fundamental part of my youth,' he admits. 'It's the same discipline that makes me stand on my feet 13 hours a day.' It's also something that bonded him to Gordon." As indicated before, I would not care whether Ramsay or Wareing is in the applicable kitchen, so long as the quality of the cuisine were appropriate. In my mind, Wareing needs to work on that a bit more than Ramsay (with respect to RHR).

Steve -- Thanks; I'll adopt your recommendation on my next visit. In the meantime, Aquagrill awaits. Do you think that D Dagueneau's Pouilly Fume, Cuvee Pur Sang, could match oysters? As I was discussing with Liza during the NYC potluck, I don't like Riesling due to its sweet-ish tones (Jason's sparkling Riseling did not have such tones, happily) I agree the wine list is significantly overrated. For example, in one of Frank Prial's introductory pieces to the 2001 NYT Guide to NYC Restaurants, he noted "[f]ew seafood restaurants, if any [pl--ease -- what about Le Bernardin or Cello leaving aside price considerations], offer the huge selection of white wines to be found at the Oyster Bar . . . ."

Steve -- Indeed, I did try to chat up the waitress regarding the appropriate oysters. For the first plate of six, she dismissed (by ignoring) my requests for a recommendation and noted she would choose (I ended up receiving 2 wild Belons, which were good, and 4 average other oysters). While other "apparent" servers were standing around doing little, the waitress was serving around 8-10 people on her own. As you said, this is no Le Divellec or Goumard, Paris. I miss Marennes and the teeny oysters dubbed Papillon (butterfly) plucked from French waters. :confused: On a happier note, I have never been to Pearl Oyster Bar. Do members have input on that establishment? ron -- On recalling the names of the oysters: (1) I asked for the menu, which appears to be printed daily, (2) each serving came with a little piece of paper appearing to list, in sequence, the included oysters (I kept that list), (3) the oyster varieties were listed on the bill, and (4) I did take notes.

Jeanne -- Thanks for your responses to date. On the Relais & Chateaux Paris events: (1) What and when are the events (including participating Michelin three-star chefs, if information is available)? (2) Are members of the public permitted to purchase tickets or otherwise attend?

jaybee -- Apologies for making you sad. There were many varieties of oysters I did not try and such variation in shipment/arrival schedules that the oyster bar may be fine. I used to eat there every couple of months, and the oysters were somewhat better. I expect to return to the oyster bar, particularly in view of the Texas stone crab (which I have never sampled; I have only sampled Florida versions). The waitress indicated Texas stone crab might be available next week (??). The other oysters available at the time of visit included: Blue Point (Long Island), Box (Long Island -- these can be large), Beau Soleil (New Brunswick), Chedabucto (Nova Scotia), Cranes Neck (NY), Dungeness (Washington State), Duck Island (Long Island), Dutch Isle (Rhode Island), Glidden Point (Maine), Hog Island (Tomales CA), Island Creek (MA), Imperial Eagle (Washington State), Matinecock (Long Island), Moonstone (Rhode Island), North Umberland (Nova Scotia), Newport Cup (Rhode Island), Rasbery Point (PEI), Salt Aire (Nova Scotia), Saint Anne (Nova Scotia), Watch Hill (Rhode Island), Wellfleet (MA) and Westcott Bay (Washington State). I posted the Aquagrill oyster list in a thread named for that restaurant over the weekend. Aquagrill appears to offer a good selection of British Columbia oysters, with Grand Central having more US East Coast oysters. Based on past experience (no recent visits), Aquagrill has good oysters. I have the Aquagrill wine list, and can post parts of it in which you indicate an interest.

I had an average dinner at Grand Central's Oyster Bar recently. I sat along the counter area, and was attended to by a waitress who was serving too many guests and appeared pressed and impatient. That being said, I recognize that service is not necessarily an expected feature of the oyster bar. (1) Oysters -- 3 Belon (Wild, Maine); 2 Bras d'Or (Nova Scotia); 2 Coromandel (New Zealand); 2 Kumamoto (CA); 1 Malepeque (PEI); 1 Pemaquid (Maine); 1 Penn Cove Flat (Farmed Belons, Washington state) (Prices for these and other oysters ranged from $1.75 through $2.75, for either variety of Belons. There is no oyster platter available.) Certain oysters sampled were nice -- the wild Belons and the Kumamotos. Specimens from both varieties had an appealing intrinsic sweetness. The wild Belons from Maine were rather dissimilar to French Belons sampled in France. They went well with the slightly sweet cocktail sauce, which did not carry spicy overtones. The mignonette had more stark a taste of vinegar than I had expected. Most of the other oysters sampled were so-so. In particular, the Malpeques, which I ordinarily like, had an unusual aftertaste (not necessarily due to staleness of the oysters). There are better places in the city to have oysters. (2) Nieuwe Maatjes Herring (5.00/Filet) A single herring fish was presented whole, and raw. The flesh was fine, and was aided by chopped egg, diced chives and onions. I particularly liked the onions, which added a bit of "kick" to the fish. The waitress indicated that the herring had been flown in from Holland. I would not necessarily feel a need to sample this again, although I am glad to have tasted them for the first time. A promotional brochure offered by the oyster bar indicated: "Widely regarded as the greatest tasting herring on earth. You'll only catch the Nieuwe Maatjes at the Oyster Bar for three weeks starting on or about May 29th. Gone tomorrow." (3) Oyster Stew (9.45) Five or six plump Blue Points were included in this light-cream based stew (which was more like soup). The oysters felt relatively "insubstantial", although they were large. The broth tasted a bit milky, although the paprika tastes were evident as well. Overall, the oyster stew (one of the better-known dishes of the oyster bar) was disappointing. I had a glass of Domaine G. Millet Sancere 2001 (7.75). Overall, an average meal. Potentially interesting dishes included: (1) Caviar sandwich appetizer ($8.95), (2) Poached Wellfleet oysters on wild mushroom with beurre blanc (9.50), (3) Smokehouse sampler (North Atlantic salmon, rainbow truout, sturgeon; 19.95), (4) Texas stone crab claws with mustard mayonnaise (not priced; not available on day of visit; Joe's of Florida was not on the menu), (5) Imperial Balik salmon (9.95), (6) Bouillabaisse (25.95 -- have members sampled this dish?), (7) *Copper River King Salmon Filet, pan-seared (31.95; limited availability), (8) *Pan-seared Copper River wild king salmon filet, horseradish mashed potatoes, wilted spinach, dill & caviar beurre blanc (31.95), (9) Old fashioned fish 'n' chips, (10) Bing cherry tart (5.75), and (11) Green apple or rhubarb sorbet (4.25). White wines available included: O Leflaive Mersault 1997 ($75; 18.75 per glass); 1/2 J.N. Gagnard "Morgeot" Chassagne Montrachet (54); Domaine Zind Humbrecht "Brand" Riesling 1998 (90).

Chefette --I have some yet undeveloped (non-digital) pictures of Herme creations in Paris, incl. the Emotions line. Also the Ispahan in detail. Messenger me with your address if you would like to receive copies.