Judith Gebhart

On the other hand, Blumenthal seemed to have been informed by a Michelin inspector that it would be wise not to move to another, more lucurious place. So I don't know whether the ambiance at Can Roca is the main reason. It was suggested earlier that the Roca brothers haven't been in the possession of their two stars long enough to deserve already their third. ← We returned again to Can Roca this year with great anticipation; hoping that even more menu items would be as compelling and inventive as we had experienced two and three years ago.We enjoyed the meal and rated it highly; we did not find it a three star experience!! We were seated, as we have always been, in the front area of the restaurant; although we wished to experience the back room overlooking a garden area, our request has never been satisfied. The aesthetics of the dining experience are always less important than the menu's content. We ordered again the tasting menu and specifically requested, via email, the cepe ice cream which was delicious as it had been on an earlier visit. There is no doubt about the Roca brothers' singular and collective talent. It is, in our opinion given our Nov. 2005 visit, that the brothers are stalled or frozen in their culinary approach. We found little to excite our collective palates'. The menu did nothing to champion their culinary acumen. We would not rate their current work as Michelin 3 star material. I donnot think that Michelin is the be all end of all all guides. I only use it as a rating guide and probably not the best. Gualt Millau rates few Spanish restaurants. Nevertheless, we cannot extol the virtues of Can Roca's culinary talents. They continue to offer excellent fare. They were in the vanguard but we think they are exhausted or resting on their laurels. We are no longer energized by their efforts. We report this with a heavy heart, Judith Gebhart

We have yet to publish our 2005 October/November Spanish trip which included the Can Roca brothers; this culinary destination which we visited many times before our last return trip in Fall 2005. We do not support Pedro's assessment. Can Roca is a marvelous restaurant which has promised and executed some exciting dishes for the diner. It still offers some exciting dishes. After our last 2005, Fall visit, we do not agree that it is a three star expereince. We will be more specific in our egullet later response which we will report before the New Year. Judith Gebhart

How about Ovic? It's location is not far from Cinq Sentis. It is a promising Barcelona luncheon and maybe dinner location. We have yet to report our Barcelona Fall stay which included this modern, fairly new Barcelona restaurant. If anyone has tried this tiny, seemingly new spot it would be welcome to hear about their experience. Our one time luncheon must be left to our more comprehensive report which is forthcoming. We found the food enjoyable and noteworthy. Any reports? Judith Gebhart

SCHWA!! A wonderful restaurant that is a gem of a find. Every report in this forum echoes my kudos for this amazing dining experience. This tiny, superb dining spot is unique in Chicago. The chef has enormous talent and can challenge the best of Chicago's more celebrated chefs. Michael is one of the most adventuresome , creative chefs we have encountered. Our opinion is that Schwa should become a home for food lovers who are wine and food savvy people. This UNIQUE destination is without equal in CHicago. We will be champions of Schwa's enduring, ongoing abilities. Thank you Michael for a marvelous meal that has no equal in Chicago. You are a unique talent that has yet to be truly appreciated. Your advocate, Judith Gebhart

Dear Victor: You are a celebrated mycologist and an informed wine expert. I bow to your expertise!! Thank you for your informed posts. Gratefully, Judith Gebhart

Pie azul (blue feet) ← Rogelio: Your response is most illuminating. FOr the American forager, the Lepista nuda is a violet tinted mushroom. The cap is that color. It is unnmistakenly identified in the field with those aforementioned colors. Pie azul is close but not exact enough; in fact why are the "feet" blue? Please explain. Judith Gebhart ← I have never experienced the L. personata in the field in the USA. IT may exist but not in my 40 years of foraging. L. nuda is not an elegant mushroom favorite. I presume that L. personata is mild flavored as well. THank you Victor for your input. I am grateful. Judith Gebhart

Pie azul (blue feet) ← Rogelio: Your response is most illuminating. FOr the American forager, the Lepista nuda is a violet tinted mushroom. The cap is that color. It is unnmistakenly identified in the field with those aforementioned colors. Pie azul is close but not exact enough; in fact why are the "feet" blue? Please explain. Judith Gebhart

Looks like that's it. So how is Sanford? ← We were repeated customers of Sanford until our last visit when Sanford returned to his restaurant and reclaimed his menu. This was for us a devastating disappointment. We will never return to Sanford and lament the loss of the prior chef. Milwaukee had a tiny window of excellence with Sanfords prior chef.Today, the heart of it's creativity has been excised. What a misfortune. Milwaukee has a world wide, magnificent art musee. Chicago never had such a remarkable museum. We don't think that Milwaukee understands their international position. If you keep a totally provincial food approach, you will deter international visitors. We lament this food reality. We also realize that no where in the mid-west is there a museum of such quality as Calatrava's contirbutiion. As a Chicagoan, we hope that Milwaukee employs an exceptional chef AT LAST. We will return for the museum. Keep us happy with a great restaurant. Judith Gebhart

Victor: I couldn't resist: "And that's OKAY with me too!!" What a tasting delight!! Judith Gebhart

Victor your recollection is inaccurate. Michelin mentioned Etxebarri in the Spain -Portugal 2003 guide. They dismissed Etxebarri as a restaurant worthy of only two spoons in black. In 2004, Michelin wiped Etxebarri off the culinary map.WHY?? Michelin will never address their decisions; they also NEVER address any diner's opinion expressed by letter. Victor your protest about Madrid restaurants denied acknowledgment by Michelin is heeded. I will put your recommendations on file for our next Madrid trip. If it wasn't for eGullet, the international diner would never find his/her way via Michelin. This reality is maddening for those diners entirely dependent on the Michelin guide. Judith Gebhart

I am certainly supportive of any Michelin awarded stars to any Spanish chef. Each and every award is deserved. Too many Spanish chefs have been overlooked by Michelin. One glaring example is Extebarri. THe Michelin 2005 guide fails to mention this extraordinary chef. What a unthinkable omission. Judith Gebhart

Reviewing your message, Victor, about certain German chefs failing to connect with locals.... Is Koerper one of the more successful German chefs? Have you sampled his menu at Girasol? More input would be helpful about his work, if you know it. Thanking you in advance. Judith Gebhart

Dear Viking: This sub-thread about Mas Passamaner and Victor's report that Girasol's chef will be running the kitchen or heavily influencing the food at the Gigantea's dining room is another plus for us as we anticipate our visit to this establishment. We booked this hotel primarily for our Modernista architectural interests. We will visit Mas Passamaner in our upcoming late October and November, 2005 trip to Spain. We never dreamed it might be an equally desirable culinary destination. We are ecstatic about the presence of Girasol's chef's influence. I know this is a bit off topic but can you elaborate on why YOU chose to visit Mas Passamaner in the first place? Thanking you and Victor for your comments; I am interested in both this sub-thread and the virtues of Mallorca which is on our list for a future visit. Thanks for the good news. Judith Gebhart

Dear Victor: FOr those of us that are not Spanish, I must suggest an electric contemporary Spanish magazine: Gourmetour. This periodical is a well written and informative Spanish magazine for foreigners, that reports about the current Spanish chefs, culinary trends and food essays. We find it very useful. We have come to recognise that Spanish visitors are as educated about aspects of Spanish cusines and culture as any native. OUr task is to write about them intelligently. Judith Gebhart

Bux: I should have reported that our October journey will include our second visit to Ca Sento. We both were entralled with the magic that we experienced dining at this finest Valencia fish/seafood restaurant. I had hoped you recalled our Valencia experience which was dashed by our roadside robbery earlier this year. Our 2005 Fall visit will finally allow us to visit El Poblet and other restaurants in the vicinity. The robbery took all our photos and notes for that visit which we will always regret and miss. I am sorry that my response to Vedat was less than stellar. Vedat, please forgive my remarks that sullied your response to this thread. I have great respect for your informed responses to many eGullet issues and your viewpoint is most welcome and appreciated. My gratitude, Judith Gebhart

Any input about chefs in Cataluyna for wild mushrooms and game dishes? We know and value both Can Fabes and Ca l'Enric! Other suggestions from the countryside are most appreciated. Also, Valencia will be another culinary destination. Vinaros is famous for their prawns. An excellent seafood spot that is in Vinaros, or nearby such as Benicarlo or Peniscola? Any commentary before October 20, 2005 will be very welcome!

Yeah. No doubt !. Has that Doug Psaltis thread got ya all worked up and cynical ? * puts hand on the pass * ← I usually read with relish the Canada: Vancouver and BC et al but rarely comment. We visit BC and Vancouver as often as we can. My vote is for Tojo of Tojo's. We have never been disappointed. We love Rob Feenie's work, Rain City Grill and others. Returing again to Vancouver we will run to Tojo's.

Does anyone have experience with OVIC? Would love to know. Judith Gebhart

We have been Tojo fans for many years. We believe that he is the most talented chef in Vancouver; our opinion has been bolstered by our last visit when neither Lumiere or any other chef could compete with this most talented Japanese trained Vancouver talent. We will return to him again and again. Unfortunately we are based in Chicago; so Tojo is not our neighborhood destination. We will return as often as possible. He is a culinary treasure. Judith Gebhart

It is always disappointing news to learn that a deserved chef has failed to successfully connect in another place specifically El Celler de Can Roca in Girona to the Hotel Omm in Barcelona. We always want the fine chefs to transport their culinary wisdom to other venues. The moral of the tale is revisit the Roca brothers marvelous Girona establishment. Avoid the Barcelona satellite. THanks for another much needed culinary assessment. Judith Gebhart

Hello Tonalin: Thanks for the considered feedback. We have always been El Celler de Can Roca fans and we rate it very highly. My recent post was to explore the marvelous Catalan restaurants that rarely seem (to me) to get the acclaim they deserve.Sorry to hear about your negative experience at Hisop. It wasn't our experience. Every restaurant has difficulties that negatively impact the diner; I would like to think that your experience at Hisop was just that--a bad day/meal. I have no experience with Roig Rubi. Sorry I cannot offer an opinion. We have visited Moo. I have already posted a response to our 2004 dining experience sometime ago. We visited Moo Jan 2004, not long after it opened. It is a lovely space and the menu was/is the consulting product of the very talented Roca brothers of Girona. The menu captured the parfums of his 2001 menu--in fact it was a duplication of the 2001 fare offered in El Celler de Can Roca's menu in Girona. It was for us a pale imitation; we found the staff uninformed and disinterested in the consulting chefs talents. We would not return because it failed to meet the standards of the Girona home base restaurant which is exceptional. The question is, has the restaurant improved since last year? Is the staff better educated? Do the Roca brothers continue to exert their culinary vision with greater success? We certainly hope so. We have not returned to Moo since our first visit. I don't have the answer as of today. I would give it a try and urge that you report your impression to eGullet. I would like to know as I am sure would others. With candor, Judith

Mmmm... We'll have to do a rundown of the current Spanish cheese scene when you're here next! It might change your mind! That said , I've just returned from a grueling Madrid-northern Portugal-Manchuela-Madrid drive, 750 miles in one day (including six hours' sleep...), half of it with my station wagon jam-packed with 1,400 grape vines ready to be planted. Grueling. But - here's the point - at least I'm coming back with a neat prize - an artisanal, unpasteurized soft ewes' milk cheese I bought at Macedo de Cavaleiros today. These little devils are good enough to be endorsed by both Frenchmen and Spaniards... ← Thank you Victor. This is the most exciting cheese information I have encountered on eGullet. Can you expand on this marvelous find? Please let us know where we can purchase this extraordinary cheese product? Many thanks, Judith Gebhart

Thank you for your interest. You do raise a great question. We have both decided that we deserve one great meal per day. We try to walk 2-3 miles before our main meal. We also urge the various known cooks that welcome our visit that we have the tiniest portions possible for our tasting menu. I must admit that on occasion we are so enarmored of the superlative menu, that we fail to achieve our perfect balance. When we exceed our balance, we cut back accordingly. We eat very little. Hope this is helpful. It is certainly a problem which we both regard as a true issue that troubles us when travelling anywhere in the world; we want to eat enough but not too much. A delicate balance that only exercise can solve. Judith

I also appreciate your support for my rather long report. You must know that this for us both was our first experience with cocks comb/ crest. Looking over my notes and a picture of the dish, it seemed quite simply a Catalan traditional recipe, somewhat updated. The cock's comb was mildly gelationous. slightly sweet ( as in chicken flavor) and a subtle addition to this typical Catalan traditional dish. The cod was perfectly cooked and the crest/ comb was a nice flavor combination. I have no way of knowing what is a good cock crest/comb recipe. Frankly, the Ducasse rendition of a fried cocks comb makes sense--in culinary terms. The texture of a cocks comb without frying is soft.Now the Echaurren menu which included the Rape confidado which is a monkfish confit in a puree of chickpea clarified broth was delicious. I think the use of confidado or confit is a conceit or misnomer. IMO. I studied the picture of this dish and it's hefty piece of monkfish in a clear broth of chickpeas with a tiny accent of piquillos peppers with a scallion draped over the monk fish fillet. This is an accurate description of this dish.