Bux

The French seem to get such bad press here and are so often pictured as ill mannered, while the English are more often set on a pedestal in terms of behavior. I have found the French an extremely well mannered people. Unfortunately, their code of public behavior is far too formal and complex to be appreciated by a sort of casual back slapping group of Americans who don't understand the rules. Of course there are paragons of civilized behavior on both sides of the Channel and boors as well. In your case I suppose it was no more than the luck of the draw, but as this is the France forum, we'll take cheer in the fact that it was a Frenchman who was socially conscious.

News, not unlike photograhs and statistics, can be deceiving to the viewer, particularly one who doesn't focus on the issues. That the announcement of Bruni as the new restaurant reviewer follows criticism of Hesser's reviews is pretty coincidental. Ms. Hesser was never presented as a possible permanent choice. The NY Times was following it's customary practice of having a staff member as an interim reviewer before a new reviewer was announced. By and large, the Times seems to have gone outside the paper for its new critic and twice in a row it's gone outside the world of culinary journalism for the new reviewer. While I've been very critical of the lack of enthusiam for restaurant dining Grimes brought with him, there's a tradition of great culinary journalism coming from news journalists. The contributions of Waverly Root and AJ Liebling alone will have editors thinking about discovering the next great voice. France may not be what it was to Root and Liebling and journalists may not be what Root and Liebling were, but we tend to live in hope of selectively repeating history. My point is that had Ms. Hesser's reviews been met with nothing but positive criticism, we'd still be reading about a replacement. I say this as someone who hasn't been fond of recent reviews, but let's understand that Hesser was always a temporary appointee. Another point I'd make is that the Wine Spectator found this all newsworthy had less to do with the inherent abilities of the individuals involved or their talents, but the fact that appointments at the NY Times are news. As noted in the article the position of restaurant reviewer at the Times, "is widely considered the most important position in American restaurant reviewing." With that in mind, it's not unreasonable that even a temporary reviewer might be subject to scrutiny of her judgment in terms of taste in food and journalistic ethics. I don't know how often one might expect to find corrections printed in reference to any one journalist's articles. I wonder if 16 in the space of less than 7 years is abnormal. My own sense has been that she's young and inexperienced and been very unaware of what she doesn't know and that earlier, in particular, that's been evidenced by erroneous assumptions in her articles. Those assumptions don't always show up as corrections. I don't know what's better or worse, journalists uncovering each other's faults or helping each other bury past lapses. There are allegations in the Spectator article that may not be in the best reporting traditions, but there's also an interesting story as long as one bears in mind the Spectator's own issues. I completely disagree that Bruni's selection is a departure for the Times as I noted above. Almost everyone who buys or reads the Wine Spectator has some interest in wine and food. That's hardly true for those who buy the NY Times and apparently that's not lost on the editors at the Times as evidenced by the remark by Barbara Graustark, editor of the Times' Style department.

Are you sure this is being done as some form of manners or etiquette? That would seem wierd to me. I try to finish my food because I am aware some chefs actually look at the plates and get upset if the dishes aren't eaten completely. Mrs. B, on the other hand, stops eating when she's had enough, or even before if it's a long meal with many courses. She is more intersted in ensuring she has enough appetite to enjoy at least part of each course than she worries about leaving the restaurant hungry. If the food is good and portions not overwhelming, I'd say the gesture showed some restraint, but I see nothing polite in it.

I rather agree with her position on this, but I'd probably have expressed it differently. In answer to your question about whether I'd feel kindly disposed to the place, the answer is probably not, but likely not for the reason you might assume. My reaction would be to question the kind of clientele they were getting, or expected to get. I just don't believe one will get excellent food of the kind I like, from a kitchen that either has to pander to diners' tastes or from one that worries it's not attracting a clientele who came looking for their food. Schaem's point is well made. A restaurant wants to thrive by selling what it does best.

I'm not surprised the restaurant is fitted out in a minimalist style, but I'm surprised and saddened to hear it's not tastefully done. I've really thought Blue Hill in NYC was really well designed and expected the same level at Stone Barns. That the food served at any soft opening is inconsistent would neither surprise or disturb me. People I know in the industry are always surprised if I mention even a mild interest in going to a very new restaurant. Almost universally, they expect things to take a while to shake out. I would however, have liked to be at Stone Barns this week if I had the time, to offer moral support to Mike and Dan. I share Robert's admiration for the way they cook. My dinners at Blue Hill have come as close to perfection as regularly there as at any restaurant I've been able to return to over a period of time. I can understand why Robert is looking for perfection. I must admit that I've rarely, if ever, had eggs in the U.S. that came anywhere near the best I've had in France. Mrs. B will often choose an egg as a first course in a multistarred restaurant in France, albeit usually with truffles or something.

I'm sure the phrase "more than I want to know" has cropped up in many a member's mind, reading this thread. Keep up the good work. If nothing else, you may be keeping the price of woodcock low.

Nerdgirl, I found some of your irreverent comments to be right on target in both their insight and irreverence. For all the over intellectualization the food seems to invite from reviewers, especially non-professional ones, there is a very direct appeal to much of the food if one just sits back and opens oneself up to the food. My guess is that Adria would prefer to have his guests to talk about pork skins than to have three stars. I think he'd be happy to hear you. I think you too have brought a wonderful perspective to the thread. My hope is that this thread serves to prepare people for a meal there and perhaps dissuades those who would not enjoy the experience from going there as well.

Welcome I think much of the food is hard to explain. I remember reading an article in the NY Tiimes some years back. A bunch of well known American chefs went to El Bulli and they were interviewed and asked about their reaction. I had the sense that each of these chefs understood the food, although perhaps in their own way, but that the writer conducting the interview was still in the dark after it was all over. In any event, the ability to offer an articulate explanation of the food is a wonderful thing, but I think it's possible to appreciate the food without being able to put it in words. A friend with whom we dined there said it's a meal he preferred to take in the company of others because he found the table conversation so important to his enjoyment. Everyone else's comments helped him get more from the meal. In the same way, each observation offered here, contrubutes to the snowball of infomation and understanding. A lot has to do with how recently someone has been there. We dined with someone who had been there only a week before and he said there were no repeats of the first meal in the second meal. That's even more remarkable when you consider that he's allergic to fish and seafood and how many of the standard offerings at El Bulli are related to fishand seafood. You might suspect that one special meal would be a logistical challenge to the kitchen, but two different meals in less than two weeks seemed not to be a problem. Welcome again to eGullet. We're not hard to talk to here and we enjoy sharing our interest in food. To a great extent, I think this board appropriately reflects an earthy passion that might be compared to traditional Iberian cuisine and an inquisitive intellect that mirrors the more creative professional kitchens in Spain today.

Here's a link to the NH Hotel's Press Release on the opening of the first Fast Good in the NH Eurobuilding.

It's hardly a chore to get to Bocuse, but it can be expensive without a car. It's an easy taxi ride. You will however, pay the driver, each way, enough for him to have a good dinner, though not quite at Bocuse's price level.

To what extent are dinners another matter? it's been my experience that at the three star level, if not all all formal dining in France, dinners are much the same as lunches. There are a significant number of fine restaurants that feature a simpler menu at lunch and at a gentler price, especially in Paris. Most all of these restaurants also offer the regular carte offering pretty much the same dishes as at dinner at the same price. In the provinces, it's even more true that lunch in a great restaurant is the major meal of one's day. I remember reading about the differences between a formal lunch and dinner and I think it was Raymond Oliver who noted, among other things, that a cold appetizer was proper at lunch, but never at dinner. I think such distinction was dying when I began eating at better restaurants in France and I think it's rare to find adherents today. Certainly there were always exceptions such as caviar and oysters and unadorned caviar and raw oysters seems an unlikely choice in a chef driven restaurant where it's the kitchen's talents most gastronomes want.

mdibiaso, I couldn't agree more with you in terms of protecting our gastronomic heritage. For a restaurant to toss it's menus solely because the offerings are deemed out of date is perhaps even worse than refusing to try new dishes. A problem I am having with Michelin is that it seems to have come late to the new cuisine party and is now over reacting. It seems as if all the new one star places are the ones taking chances. We've been spending more time in Spain, not just because there's such excitement in the creative category, but because there's such depth in the traditional food and restaurants devoted to serving it. It's a wonderful opportunity for the new and the old to counterpoint each other. If only I had more time to fully explore each. I'm not sure Bocuse is the place to make this argument and it's rare that restaurants which settle into being an institution keep up the level of excellence they once had for many reasons. They're still worthy of a visit and discussion, albeit less easy to justify when making a relatively short visit to France.

When we were there, I found the "welcome" just fine in the way I would expect to get from an overworked staff in a bistro providing great value in terms of food delivered for the euros charged. I suspect the actual reception will vary according to just how busy the staff is at the moment you arrive. Our waiter seemed a little friendlier later in the meal than he was when he first came to take our order. Maybe he had a moment to relax and maybe it was our atttitude that softened him up. I too was put off by the apparent banality of the carte--I was looking for some great Lyonnais tripe dish--but what sounded ordinary was superb.

Opinions run high when it comes to food. Most gastronomes have strong opinions even when polite enough to hide them in company. Here is what they say in my English edition of the Larousse Gastronomic. "The woodcock, which is considered, by people who know what is good, the best winged bird." They go on to express some other strong opinions on eating and cooking woodcock, although they note that gastronomes don't always agree on certain things such as gutting the bird and allowing the bird to get too high. They support spreading the bird's intestines, which are chopped finely with some bacon fat or foie gras, a dash of brandy, salt, pepper and spices, on a piece of bread that has been fried in the drippings, although they note that not everyone agrees on this. They prefer simpler recipes rather than complicated ones. Their basic recipe is to cook the bird, cut it up into joints which are kept warm, but not boiling, while a sauce is made from a small glass of cognac, armagnac or calvados added to the pan, the chopped intestines, any blood from the carcass, a tablespoon of concentrated game stock and a dash of lemon juice and a pinch of cayenne. They are not so supportive of allowing the bird to get too high. They say that some alleged woodcock fanciers have no interest in eating woodcock unless the bird has reach a state of decomposition and go on to say this is not a healthy practice. I'll not quote their exact words in this regard as they're quite unflattering to those who enjoy the meat when it is very "high."

Woodcock, which I believe is becasse in French, is not very common in NY. We had it last winter at Daniel. My recollection was that it was very tasty. It was not unlike pigeon, but stronger in flavor. The flavor is one I describe as rich like liver. I doubt it was hung, which is what I assume is referred to as "faisandage." Edit to say that I now believe that was grousse we had, and not woodcock, after some discussion with those who have a better memory.

It looks a little weird, but if we can get rid of those damn stickers, I'm all for it. Go to the Durand-Wayland website to see pictures of lemons, onions, nectarines and other fashionable produce sporting their new tattoos. You guys are talking in circles and losing me. According to the first two posts there is no ink, which makes it all the more astonishing that some lemons with the same PLU# have red sub-layers while others have green. The web site seems to be closed for repairs in terms of accessing other pages right now, but it appears that the surface is removed and that in the case of those fruits and vegetables where there is not enough contrast, a dye is rubbed on the surface and absorbed where the rind has been removed. The process is "green" only up to a point.

To the NY Times it may be just food. It's also about their audience, or at least their perception of their audience. They may feel it's far more important to have an articulate writer than one who knows all about food and restaurants. Having a food section and regular restaurant reviews will get them some advertising. That's why they have the Dining section. A focus on Bruni's credentials is interesting, if it goes anywhere. Once it becomes circular, it becomes boring. It's certainly important to keep in mind that the last critic given the regular assignment had no credentials and displayed little interest in food and dining. Restaurant reviews that are no more than consumer reports are rather uninteresting to me. Ditto for those who do no more than justify the star rating that accompanies the text. Obviously other readers will have very different interests.

Or maybe more often than you should. Why not just go out to eat with them. ... Oh yeah, finding the right restaurant. Forget I said anything.

My guess is that was cervelle de canuts. Cervelle de canuts, a recipe Edited to add recipe URL.

We take the site underground and start calling everyone names so no one will pay us any respect. We will just have to learn to enjoy watching everyone eat the things we taught them to enjoy as the prices rise above our means. Who ever said no good deed goes unpunished. I think we're probably safe with andouillette for a while anyway. I've made very few converts. It seems my most eloquent descriptions actually turn some people away from trying it.

I've been hooked on carmel au beurre sel since I first tasted the Gwenn Ha Du brand caramels in a pastry shop in Brittany some years back. The flavor seems to have taken off in France and become fashionable. Pierre Hermé's salt butter caramel macaron in Paris being a great example.

Welcome to eGullet, Jesús. I may be repeating myself, but I found Sevilla to offer extraordinary opportunities to snack and grab tapas wherever one went. Even without sticking to a list of recommended bars we were pleased and excited by the variety. A list of destination bars should be even better. Thanks for your additions to the list already in progress here. I think we've had fewer suggestions in Granada and your suggestions here are most appreciated.

Jesus, gracias for that suggestion. Unfortunately we already have our hotels reserved for the trip and out route in the area pretty well laid out. I say unfortunately, but perhaps that's not the case as we waste so much time when we don't structure our trips that I've learned to accede to Mrs. B's professionalism in planning ahead. Perhaps our next trip to Andalucia will concentrate on the landscapes rather then the historic sites. This trip is really to Alicante and Valencia as well as Madrid. It's good to know eGullet has a friend in Granada. It's an important target for most travlers in sourthern Spain and we've not had good recommendations for places to eat there.

Meuniere would be with flour. Meuniere is miller.

How is the position of King of France better than than of King of Andorra. My guess is that it pays better and that you get to eat in better restaurants. But that's just my prejudice. I've never eaten in Jacksonville. I just meant how is the position different in terms of credentials. Robyn The king of France isn't really interested in being king of Andorra and the king of Andorra really hasn't got a chance of being king of France. The credentials are similar. You've got to convince the right person (people) you're the best person they can get for the job. I suspect the job is to sell newspapers and advertising. It's the same thing. If circulation is up, advertising is usually up. It's likely that the people of Jacksonville may buy newspapers for sllightly different reasons than New Yorkers do, but as for buying newspapers to read the restaurant reviews, everyone has a different reason. Some people want a consumer's guide to getting value from their dining dollar, others just want some entertaining chatter, others look for more insight into food, etc. An engaging and entertaining writer may not need to say much about the food at all to get people coming back for more. Such apparently is the case with restaurant critics at many UK papers.