Bux

We all have our short comings. I don't get gristle. I get offal and really love blood and guts, when well prepared separately or together.

In the US, a list of vegetables might include macaroni as well as ketchup. In France, the other name for lettuce is "salad."

This is about as unassuming a place as one could find in Paris. I'd be the first to agree that it doesn't meet the definition of "bistrot," although I'd also be hard pressed to find two people who agree on what that definition might be. Then again try and find two people in France who agree on anything. The cooking is very much bistro cooking, albeit without the standard array of cold appetizers, often brought in a large bowl from which the diner may help himself, I'd expect to be able to choose. No doubt enables the chef keep the price down. As I'm pretty much an omnivore, I'll take quality and value over choice almost any day. The real option I'd like to have is to pick my table at the last minute, but fewer and fewer restaurants are not fully booked weeks in advance. Once I've selected my restaurant, I'm happy to let the chef choose my meal anyway, so there's little to be lost by not having a carte from which to order for me. Sometimes a few dishes stand out and a few cry out to be ignored. My guess is that the latter are exactly the ones the chef wouldn't be serving if he didn't feel a need to pander to a large audience of diners with food issues. Most places that only offer a set menu, have a few dishes in reserve to offer those with serious allergies or problems. Although I'd heard that Au C'Amelot only offered a choice of desserts, I recall having a choice of two dishes for both the meat and fish courses. In fact, looking at my brief notes, I'm reminded of the one objection I might have to the single set menu--one of the two choices for the meat course was the same animal cooked in a style similar to what I had for dinner the previous night. We met an eGullet member there last year, and friends from the Languedoc told us it was the best discovery they made on a recent visit to Paris. I'm not sure if it serves food that's making a comeback in Paris, or if that's just food I'm rediscovering after too much attention to haute cuisine. The pity about going to all that trouble and expense of flying across an ocean and then paying for a hotel room is that the cost of dinner seems so much less critical than it does when dining out at home after it's all factored in the total cost of the trip. Restaurants such as Au C'Amelot really provide more of a sense of place than internationally reputed destination restaurants in some ways.

There's no accounting for taste. Natto's a bit weird and I suppose there are other things that are as much an acquired taste as olives are in western cuisines, but Japanese food seemed pretty reasonable to me, except when it imitated western food. Of course tempura and tonkatsu were were imported hardly more than a few hundred years ago. The real problem with foreign food (or should I say with indigenous food) when one travels, is with breakfast for most people. No matter how well they adapt to lunch and dinner, most crave a breakfast that's familiar. All the stranger that in Japan I was always disappointed when I didn't get a traditional breakfast of hot rice, raw egg and seaweed with some bit of preserved fish and green tea. I just don't get it that people don't like Japanese food at first contact. Normally I crave coffee and the Japanese make good coffee. Jello is not a salad and miracle whip is not food, but a peach cobbler is fine, unless of course, you don't get dessert.

Not from my point of view. I guess you don't get through many of my posts. I enjoyed all of your post on Nice. When we were there last, which was quite some time ago, we found the Sofitel characterless, but comfortable. The neighborhood was equally characterless, but I didn't think it was "grim." The Gounod, next door to the Sofitel has more character, but it's slightly down scale from the Sofitel and Mrs. B used to recommend it to those traveling on a more economical budget. I suspect she still does. It's a part of France we haven't been to in some time.

Here's a comment I recently received from a friend in Paris with a significant food interest. My mail went on to describe a number of places including a few I knew that are not so new, and a few that have already been mentioned here including, Darroze, Robuchon, Legrand, (the wine bar) and Kong. There was even a place that sold Spanish products, all from tins and jars with the exception of the ham. Cuisine de Bar on rue du Cherche-Midi was not mentioned, but a favorite of ours for a quick light lunch. It is positively more American or Scandinavian than Spanish, but really quite nice.

I've eaten well from Dutournier's kitchen, so Pinxo interests me. I would have guessed it was a tapas bar from the name. Apparently I would have guessed wrong, although maybe not. Any word on the type of food? Pintxo, (pincho in Spanish) is the Basque word for tapas, which in the Basque area is often a small open faced sandwich. Your expanation would describe the act of getting and eating one to a "T." The open kitchen sound so very "Atelier de Joël Robuchon" or perhaps so very American and Japanese. Let's see now, I have about 17 places a day to check for lunch.

Why exactly do you find it necessary to offer your credentials so frequently, Victor? Numerous times in this thread alone, and in many others as well. If you're confident in your stance, and in your argument, there shouldn't be a need for this. This, I feel, is one of the primary factors contributing to why you've rubbed me the wrong way (and apparently others). Not to say that your credentials aren't valid; because they most certainly are, but I've heard them 36 times already. And that was in THIS very thread. Not to mention the famed white asparagus thread. Obviously I was exaggerating to prove my point. You obviously aren't even aware you do it, which is unfortunate, I suppose. Because to me, I feel it detracts from your character. Exaggerating? You didn't produce the mole hill you claim is a mountain. There's a difference between being a journalist for 35 years and deputy editor of El Mundo, not to mention the other credentials. We allow anonymity for any number of reasons, but to criticize a member for indentifying himself, especially when his character and reputation are at stake, is just absurd.

I was just on my way out when I read this. I will reply now to the one point That was the furthest thing from my mind. It's just that when an anonymous first review appears, one does not know what credibility to give it or the reviewer. Over time that will change. We will learn more about your tastes and approach to food. We will learn by what you say about restaurants we know. We will learn by eating at the places you recommend. We will also learn by reading what others say about dining in the restaurants you recommend. If someone I trust says your opinion is good, it's natural that I will begin to trust it. As you post here, you will also build a reputation by what you say about food in general as well as what you say about specific restaurants. By the way, I agree with what you have to say about groups, restaurants, set menus for groups, etc. and will expand when I have time, but you should have some idea of my position from my earlier post. The subject of tasting menus has been discussed in the past elsewhere on eGullet and is always an interesting topic for me. Ultimately, it depends on the situation and the restaurant, but I have a prejudice for taking them when offered, although I also have an interest in trying the dish for which the restaurant may be known if it's a first visit. I look forward to this discussion although my time is tight this week and we're off on a trip starting this weekend.

I don't know the restaurant or its wine list. I suspect "price collection" may well have been a typo for "prize collection" referring to a small group of excellent bottles. I trust Jellybean will elaborate on that. I'm a fan of tasting menus and while they are not always equally successful, they have many advantages. Not the least of these advantages is the balance of the composition of the meal. For any group of eight or more eating together, there's the advantage that it's far easier for a restaurant to ensure every dish reaches the table in perfect condition than if they are trying to get several different dishes out at the same moment to the same table. For a group whose interest is the food, I think a tasting menu provides the opportunity to share as repast and to discuss it on equal terms. Unfortunately, Jellybean's first post is a restaurant recommendation for one that most of us don't know. Thus it's going to be difficult to weigh his advice. Nevertheless, it seems like an address worth knowing, even more so with Robert's comments about value. I don't understand the reference to "eating with one hand tied behind my back." Is that because there is no choice in the menu? Some of my favorite bistro meals in Paris have been at restaurants with limited choice and even with only one set menu for the evening. This is a very subjective thing, but I'm happy to reserve at a place that offers no choice, if it comes well recommended. I also suspect that a group of twelve could arrange a menu in advance, allowing for some dependency on what's in the market that day.

I think you sell us short if you think conversations such as you seek cannot happen right here. Whatever the average user considers, there's no reason every thread need be devoted to the average user's interest. For starters, the average thread on this site is so different from what I recall on Usenet not so long ago. For another thing, I find the dicussions here far more ranging than on other public web sites devoted to food. The remarkable thing for me, is not how much or how little infotainment, or just plain entertainment is provided by threads, but how many threads there are with real meat and how often these threads aim for the core.

Indeed, and when I responded to this point, I had forgotten how I closed my first post in this thread. For reminders, here's what I said: The smiley was part of the original post and it was a long post, that if delayed might well have been lost in the momentum of the thread. The nature of the medium will change how we think and how we express ourselves. It's probably done that already.

Interesting point, because I think it highlights one of the faults of the Internet and particularly a fault of interactive sites. Mayhaw Man said "I know that I spent alot more time composing when I had to use a typewriter, the words are much more valuable when you can't cut and paste and delete and carbon paper is involved)." I suppose that applies right here.

It's one thing to be writing about writing and another to be posing that a specific subject is not well covered by journalists. That sort of criticism is likely to have some appeal to a cross section of the public interested in that subject. I'm concerned about how local politics and world news is covered in the media because I'm interested in getting the best information I can on those subjects. This holds true for food journalism, but I have far less concern about how poorly high school sports are covered.

Perhaps, but one of those men is twisting the definition. To really be part of the avant garde, there should be some following of some sort. You must, to some extent, be a leader or history will not credit you as anything but an oddity or outsider. There really should be a movement you inspire. I"m not talking about a following of copiers or imitators, although I suppose that would qualify. What I expect is for the avant garde to inspire a generation of others in his field, even if it's to go in other directions. Adria qualfies because other chefs cannot ignore what he is doing and talk about what he is doing.

We could compare the advantages in theory and reality as well with the understanding that theory often has the opportunity of becoming reality. Our government is a representative one. We don't vote on every bill that comes before congress, the state legislature or the local city council. We elect representatives. There are all sorts of reasons why this was necessary then and why it's necessary now. The guy I vote for often doesn't win and all too often the guy I vote for doesn't vote the way I want him to on all the issues even if he gets in office. the deal for me, is that I don't have to be as well informed as I would be if I had to vote on every issue. In the same way, I trust major editors to choose the reviewers most worth my time to read. It is a tremendous expenditure of time for me to read everyone's reviews and then make up my mind which to heed in the future. Of course the major editors have failed me. There's a disconnect between the way things should work and they way they do. It's not the eGullet or the internet that makes the Times look bad, it's the Times who is responsible for that and for providing the need to be overtaken. There's no doubt the potential has been here and to a great extend seized. If Gourmet or any other publication had run a feature on Molly O'Neill's article, it would inspire some people to get a hold of that particular issue of the Columbia Journalism Review. How many would actually read the article might be a factor of the interest stirred and the difficulty of getting a hold of the publication. Were a link provided, the difficulty factor would be decreased quite a bit, but no where near as much as it was when I read Andrew and Karen's post. All I had to do is click. I didn't even need to have much interest. There was no effort and little time invested in taking a peek at the article. The problem now is that there are more threads on eGullet than I can follow, or even open and I have to stay alert. Any active media should be self correcting and there are already signs eGullet is aware of this and making an attempt to direct my attention on the front page and via e-mail notices, though I'm not posting just to blow our own horn. Now, I should go back and edit this, but it I do, I risk letting in too many other posts which will take the thread in a different direction. Is that a fault? Whose?

Of Martin, the person, I have only heard the most flattering comments from those I know who have met him here in New York and in Lasarte. I don't know if it's been mentioned here or not, but have either girlcook or ginger chef worked in other restaurants, particularly in starred restaurants, in France or Spain? With the possible exception of a few French restaurants in NYC I don't think life in a restaurant in the US has much resemblance to that on the continent. Unfortunately I rely on very few stories to make that assumption, but it seems to me that I've heard stories of apprenticeships in France that would be seen as intolerable in the US. I seem to recall some discussion about the difference between Martin Berasategui and Can Fabes, but forget who made the distinctions.

The greatness of the posts that precede this one is humbling, but they remind me that I serve god by not blaming my bad habits or the way I treat others on him. A shiksa, is a female goy. I've never quite heard them to mean anything other than a fact. Of course, some offense may be taken even at this: He's going out with a shiksa. She's a lovely girl, but if he marries her, it will kill his mother."

I should hope so. It's a "must read" for anyone who writes or reads about food. Thank you very much for sharing this with us. It was a thoughtful gesture and a sign of respect for our membership.

oscubic, welcome to eGullet. I hope you can make good use of our forums, especially this one. In turn, I hope we can make good use of you. It would be great to hear about what goes on behind the swinging doors at LC.

La Boqueria market in Barcelona is truly one of the world's great markets, but I often wonder if I don't have a tendency to overrate it as I think it's the only market I've seen in late December. There's a kaleidoscope of riotous plumage and lots of furred creatures as well. Late last October, we both had lièvre à la royale in Parisian bistros--au Dauphin, in the 1st for me and at Au C'Amelot in the 11th for Mrs. B. Both were enjoyable and the kind of dish that's not uncommon in Paris, but not likely to be found in NY, especially at that price range. The star of the trip however, was the cuisse de lievre en civet au cacao at Lion d'Or in Romorantin, capital of the Solonge. Map.

On the Internet, they all think I'm 29 and have wavy black hair--or at least they did.

I'd say that November-December is better than October and October is better than September, but it really might vary according to the animal and the department. I wonder how much of the game in bistros is wild game and if one is better off in the provinces, expecially an area such as the Solonge.

The word I've had is "you can miss everything there but the view over Paris." This is the old Samarataine department store resto space? The guide books all said to go for the view, but I never went.

The OJC (Obsessive Juvenile Complaint) factor. How can one avoid it? Any place of public accommodation is going to attract it's share. That includes restaurants, hotels and discussion web sites. Pre qualification might help--if you'd like permission to post on eGullet, please submit 200 words on one of the following subjects. I don't think so. I'm sure restaurants would love a way to screen potential diners. I might even enjoy being kept out of a restaurant I'm not likely to appreciate. (Hey, this cuts both ways. There are restaurants serving boil in bag mac 'n' cheese, or is it cheeze as I was corrected recently.) The problem is that they guy who's denied entrance can't be stopped from posting that he ate at the restaurant and the food sucked, and that won't stop him from complaining about the portion size either. In fact, you'd be lucky he didn't say he got food poisoning as well. I don't know about the Washington Post site, although Tom says he tries to weed out the obvious crank posts, but here we expressly prohibit claims of food poisoning without an accompanying doctor's letter and a report to the deparment of health. People will get food poisoning, although more likely at home than in an upscale restaurant, but it's too easy to make the false claim anonymously. Joe H is on the money. We don't know that the guy who dumps on Citronelle or the French Laundry hasn't just had his first meal where he didn't get change from a twenty. The message that the food sucked or that the place doesn't offer the value of Olive Garden is a dead giveaway, but what about the guy who knows food. He's got a personal gripe. Maybe the sous chef is sleeping with his wife. It's easy for him to write that the scallops were well past the translucent stage or that injudicious use of saffron left the risotto tasting bitter. He doesn't even have to eat there. All he needs do is read the menu on the web. Our alexa detractors will eventually get wise and take the time to write more convincing reviews, if they're capable of masking their juvenile obsession. The point is that potential diners of any sophistication at all, are not going to place a value on anonymous reviews. The pseudonym as Fat Guy has said, is not the issue. Until one has developed a persona I don't place much value on anyone's reviews here or elsewhere on the net. Citronelle and eGullet will both draw their best clientele from positive reccomendations from respected voices. This includes trusted friends, associates and journalists. In more ways than one, this thread illuminates the success of eGullet for me.