SG-

This site sucks!!!! Looks like I'm going to spend $900 for dinner!!! If I end up filing for bankruptcy I'm gonna sue this site!!!!

ditto

I would second Penang, spicy, atmosphere, cheap and get a pack of fried intestines to go with your beer at the pool hall!

Here's my regularly consumed rice collection Nozomi Super Premium Short Grain Rice for sushi Calaspara Rice from William Sonoma for Paella Acquerello Organic Aged Carnaroli for risotto 3 elephants mew crop Jasmine Rice Himalayan aged basmati rice.

Had a bahn mi at the Ba Le in the Big Island recently but thought there was wayyyy to much pickled radish and carrots, overwhelmed the whole sandwich. From your picture appears to be the same case in Oahu, looks like a hawaiian interpretation.

For example Lemang, nasi ulam, ayam masak merah, paru goreng, kerabu jantung pisang. kerabu perut, ikan masak lemak, sup kambing non-excessively sweet sambal nasi lemak i.e the stuff you find in the warungs, pasar tani, PAS dominated regions etc.

Does anyone know of any place that serves "Malay" Malaysian food vs. the predominant "Chinese" Malaysian food?

Not popular amongst LA gulleters but you have to try Sushi Shibucho, cheap and excellent. See review from the "other" site. Warning though it is a hardcore sushi bar, very traditional! Sushi Shibucho 590 West 19th St. Costa Mesa 949-642-2677 http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards...ages/40281.html

Definitely spit roast, soooo goood!!! It would be a waste not too.

Will have to revisit, the one and only time I dined there, oysters were subpar for an oyster house and entrees were tasteless. I do crave oysters though and have altogether given up on the inconsistent quality from local retailers. Those blue points are a deal at $5!!

Not sure I would consider it the best but it does have some good items esp. the taro croquettes and wontons I find to be the best in chinatown. Really lacks atmosphere and the bustle of a regular dim sum place though but good fall back if you don't want to wait in line at the other places. dim sum names and pics http://www.members.aol.com/dimsumlist/page4.html

I'm generalizing but Lee Kum Kee is quite reliable for Chinese sauces. Kimlan is also a good alternative for chinese style soya sauces.

For japanese I would lean more towards specialty izakaya, ramen, yakitori type restaurants which are not as common in NYC and even when available are cheaper and better in LA. Same goes for sushi, for some shock value, bring them to Shibucho in Costa Mesa to see how well you can eat for what would amount to tips at some places at NYC.

Count me in, I eat anything, everything, any cuisine etc. In fact the weirder the better. Have never rejected anything so far in my life (yet), maybe I'll chicken out when I do finally encounter a "balut", but so far nothing yet.

No one has mentioned this yet but Salak fruits especially those from Bali!!

Sorry we haven't helped. Since you're not 100% fixed on French food - and the Mrs. likes Japanese - what about Nobu? Robyn Covered the major Japanese spots already Nobu, Yasuda, Jewel Bako, Tomoe, Nadaman and a few others. Last on the list I have yet to try is probably Sugiyama. As I mentioned before this ploy is really a disguise to benefit myself.. Set for Per Se today for an early April seating.

I have a 27cm knife from Korin they suggested as a "learners" knife and find that it's too short for some of the thicker blocks of fish, tend to run out of knife when trying to achieve a single cut. I would probably go for the 33cm for my next knife, just my personal opinion.

I would choose Daniel (which is what I assume you mean by "Boudud"), but I would have to know more detail about what "blah" means. Bruce

Yes

Le Be Fin, Fountain, Lacroix in Philly, Orangerie, Patina, Spago(not at all french really) in LA, Cafe boulud liked it but more casual(?)... Her favourite cuisine at the moment is Japanese which is also very subtle so I don't think that's the problem... haven't figured it out myself. I will admit my motives for this experiment are entirely selfish! Given what I've been reading about ADNY, final cost could be comparable to a meal and flight at french laundry, if only they weren't closing for the opening of per se!!!

Okay here's the deal, planning a dinner for significant other, would love to go to Paris but cannot travel outside the country in the near future so decided to do NYC instead. Never been to a 3 Star Michelin place but would like something that gets me the closest possible. Right now every french place I've brought her has elicited "blah" reviews" so I really need something to wow her. I think of it as an investment so that when I do get a chance to head over to Paris she will not scoff at the idea of dining at several 3 star places. ADNY / Boulud / Jean Georges come to mind, right now I'm leaning towards ADNY... Help!

budrichard, who did you have make your knife and what length did you decide on? I'm been trying to get a better idea of who the manufacturers are and the options in the higher end knives. Based on your description almost sounds like you're entering the realm of the swordsmiths? Thanks in advance.

Had dinner there this spring, late for our seating because I was involved in an auto accident while trying to find the darn place. ANyway got there told the maitre'd why we were late which was probably about 35mins past our seating time. They put us in the Kabul room instead but the same menu as the main dining area. Waitress we were assigned was terrible. Overall food was mediocre for the prices, don't recollect the specifics anymore but not somewhere I would return.

Any thoughts about Patricia Wells at LBF? Read her column in IHT on a regular basis but a little hesitant to pay too much since she does not cook professionally, at least other than her cooking classes in France.