Bux

75009 paris, is the 9th arrondissement. Rue Budapest is just east of the Gare St. Lazare and at the eastern edge of the 9th arr. where it borders on the 8th. Rue Budapest is also one block long. St. Lazare is served by three different Metro lines.

On a less than El Bulli level, I've heard of requests to leave out an ingredient that was braised with the meat for hours and an integral part of the dish. The flavor was in the sauce and straining the sauce would have strained out everything. "I'll have the minestrone, but without the celery." Unfortunately, threads get away from the original context and we all participate from various perspectives. Start with the word "restaurant" and you'll find that each and every user here, has a different place in mind. It didn't occur to me that there's anything wrong with ordering just ice cream for dessert, but then I never order ice cream unless I have reason to believe it's made in house. On the other hand, if the restaurant is outsourcing it's pies, the ice cream may be a better bet.

Is this a checking account or a statement savings account? Is the bank 100% sure the ATM card will work abroad. I have never been able to make withdrawals from anything but a checking account and I've heard of others whose primary account, or only account, was a savings account and who could not access that account from an overseas ATM. My general opinion is that bank officials are absolutely clueless about how cards work abroad and can rarely be trusted to know which cards work and where they work abroad.

Elsewhere on this Q&A you implied that you didn't think an American Iron Chef was a workable concept. In spite of the fact that Iron Chef had such a tremendous following here in the US, I'm inclined to agree. This is not to say that sort of show might not have a large audience or that the American audience for Iron Chef understood what they were watching, but there's something very Japanese, or at least non-American about the show and the dubbing kept the gulf unbridged. Perhaps a part of the success of the show was based on the ability to keep it Japanese after being dubbed. The communication gap I sensed, was one of the charms of the show. For instance, it didn't immediately occur to me that "fwagra" was a western delicacy and not a traditional Japanese food. The giggle seemed right on. I don't know if my ten weeks of experience in Japan spread out in three visits over twenty years gave me a better or worse perspective on the show, but dubbing reminded me of all the "frustration" I enjoyed as a guest in a country where everyone seemed driven to be as hospitable as possible. There's an odd way that the real Japan is hidden while they try to make you as comfortable as possible based on what they think you want. One learns to appreciate the anticipation of being brought you want they think you should want. Dying for a beer I am brought a coke and enjoy that coke more than I would a beer and more than I've ever enjoyed a cola in the US. In the same way, I quickly stopped needing the information I wasn't going to get via the dubbing and which may not have been available to the Japanese audience for all I knew. On the other hand, although I enjoyed Iron Chef tremendously at first, eventually I grew tired of it as a regular viewer.

Unfortunately a search on espresso will bring up too many threads here that only remotely mention espresso, but we have had some serious discussions about home espresso machines. espresso machine Coffee Machines - Not focused on espresso machines, but the thread has some usefful information. Rancilio Silvia I need a new coffee maker - Some good links in here. There are any number of other threads that contain some useful information along the way and I don't think I've found the link to the thread that introduced me to the Rancilio Silvia model we own. We paid about $400 for it. The shot it produces is far better than the one our old $69 Krups served, although I don't think it comes near what we got in Italy, or Spain from better bars and cafes. No surprise at either end. From what I understand there are better espresso makers at about twice the price. At it's price point, it seems to get good marks all around. We've not used any other make or model in the $100-$700 range and thus can't offer an honest comparison where it counts. We usually get a better cup of espresso than we can get in a bar or restaurant in NYC, however and that's led us to believe we made a good purchase. There's also the Fat Guy's series on home roasting.

The consensus seems to be with the meal. (By the way, it appears to have been suggested that it's a meal for two, or one bottle shared or not.) I think Fat Guy has stated the reasons well. Pirate is simply trying to have his meal and the wine. Bill Klapp raises an issue beyond that of wanting four $250 bottles. I might want five $200 bottles myself, but I wouldn't trade a $1000 meal for two $500 meals and there's the clinching argument -- that meal is going to have greater significance to me than the sole bottle of wine which will be an experience too far removed from all my other wine drinking experiences.

I thought Vengroff said all that needed to be said the first time. For my part, I don't order wine on which I can't afford to tip. Vengroff mentioned "social fabric." I don't buy any argument that you need the wine more than the waiter needs the tip. If you can live like a sport, you can act like one. If you drink like a sport, tip like one. The more interesting questions deal with how one tips on things that are comped. My philosophy is to tip on the price of everything I've ordered, or would have ordered, but not necessarily on what's offered if I wouldn't have ordered it. If I don't order an aperitif and the owner sends me a glass of champagne, it may not affect my tip, but if I order a bottle of wine and then I'm told it was a gift of the house, I will try to remember to add the cost to my bill before figuring my tip. Generally that kind of treatment will increase my tip anyway, so the owner is treating his help as he is treating me.

i was speaking more to the sutble assertion that all meals must somehow be special and wine-worthy. there are many reasons why even avid wine drinkers, a group of which i consider myself a part, don't drink wine with every meal. but i respect your choices if they include wine with every meal, and if you consider every one of your meals "special." Well I think the argument was not that the meal should be worthy of wine, but that many meals might be improved by a glass of wine. Craig raised the argument that a Bic Mac meal could be made better by a glass of beaujolais, but I rarely have wine or beer with lunch these days as it makes me sleepy. When I was in my twenties and thirties, I often enjoyed a beer or two with my lunch. Yes, my meals are special in that I try to make them as enjoyable as possible, even if it's a slice of pizza. I wish I could get a short glass of beer with a slice of pizza more often. A really nice thing about most tapas bars in Spain is that you can get a really small glass of wine or beer. In San Sebastian, and I assume in other parts of the Basque Country, one could get a zurito, which was literally a dribble of beer. It was like not much more than a half inch of beer in a glass. Our liquor laws are crazy and based on an assumption that alcohol is a vice. We haven't come very far from prohibition.

My guess is that seanw meant to say "Aubrac," rather then "Auvergne." Bras is inseparable from the Aubrac. At any rate, the Aveyron is a governmental department, while the Auvergne is a region that is larger than a single department. The Aubrac includes both parts of the Aveyron and Lozere and lies just south of the the Auvergne. It is not a political entity as is the Aveyron. Aubrac is also a breed of cows and they are also known as Lagioule.

While we were raising our daughter until the time she moved out on her own, dinner was always at the table with the three of us, except on those nights when someone had to be somewhere else. More often than not, that someone was our daughter as she become socially active. In NYC socially activites start very young with dinner at a friend's home by the time one is in kindergarten. Of course that often meant we were four or more at our table. It's a habit that's stayed to some extent. Even if it's leftovers, sandwiches, or take out pizza, we still eat at a table. One bad habit that's entered the picture is that sometimes the TV is left on while we eat. I envy those with a deck or porch with a table that allows them to eat outside. We do have a common roof garden with tables and chairs, but since the elevator opens directly to the apartments, it's three long flights of stairs, so we're more likely to have an aperitif and hors d'oeuvres than a full dinner upstairs. We've also prohibited hibatchis and grills on the roof since we put in the new roof. For many years we did some cooking up there which was nice, but the residue from the ashes was damaging to the roofing surface.

First of all, I think water is the universal drink and appropriate with all foods. I drink a lot of water, far more of it than wine, beer, coffee and tea combined. (Try drinking wine, beer coffee and tea combined and you'll know why.) I don't so much argue that wine, or beer, improves most foods as I do that many other drinks -- sugary ones especially -- often ruin the taste of foods for me and suggest others consider that possibility. Clearly, many Americans enjoy pizza and cola as well as hamburgers and milkshakes. I don't dispute that taste, nor do I think it should be derided, I just think it's a taste that hampers an appreciation for other foods that I find far more interesting and rewarding. I suspect that developing a taste and appreciation for one kind of food may often hamper the ultimate appreciation for another kind of food. Substitue French, Chinese, Indian, Thai or Spanish food on either side of that. In the end, we all have to make our own decisions about what we want to eat and appreciate. All that any of us here can do is explain the decisions we've made and how they affect the way we see and taste food. I'm happy to entertain theories as to why Coke and a Big Mac deserve each other. Perhaps we'll even have one of the molecualr gastronomists do that and deconstruct that combo meal and serve us the result. My great reservation about the creative food coming from Spain and Bray is the amount of sugar in the food.

The current problem is that serious wine drinkers will be too suspicious of white Zin's reputation at this time to be likely to try a better white or pink Zin, so there's not much point in making one. the market for good rosés is small in this country. In fact too many Americans have too great a problem drinking rosé wines. Fortunately I have plenty of French and francophile friends who believe rosés are the al fresco wines.

When I asked why someone's "regular everyday-type of food" isn't "nice," I kind of had that in mind. Not that wine always improves a meal, but that one shouldn't turn one's taste buds on and off and even a sandwich or slice of pizza can be made better with a supporting drink rather than a sweet drink. It may sound snobbish to say I never have dinner at McDonald's, but I've always thought that instead of licensing restaurants to serve alcohol, restaurants should be required to serve beer or wine by the glass. Even a dinner of a fast food burger might be improved with a glass of zinfandel. On looking ahead, I see Craig's already said that. I see his suggestions. I don't disagree with his choice, but I'll bet spring has made a more definite appearance where he is, than it has here. Give me a month and I'll prefer rose or chilled beaujolais too. Regarding a quick lunch on a workday, I'd have water in lieu of wine perhaps, but I don't think sweet drinks compliment most foods, although they may contribute to a craving for ketchup and less subtle tastes.

It's on the coast and on a part that's heavily dependent on tourism. Most hospitaltiy businesses are going to be dependent on tourists and priced accordingly. Where the trade is transient, the problem of just finding a good restaurant can be hard enough without finding a good buy. Consider yourself lucky if you've already found a few reliable restaurants. Michelin recommends two in Puerto Banus. If neither are on your list, they may be worth checking out although neither sound that interesting to me. Cipriano, which is described as classicly elegant, offers meals from 35 to 42 + euros. Le Biarritz offers French food for around 43 euros. In Estepona, there's a luxury one star restaurant offering creative but pricey (73 - 91 euros) food.

I think Michael hit the nail on the head regarding what was missing from the desserts at Blue Hill. I think they were always interesting and tasty, but they never matched the elegance or delicacy of the cuisine. The predesserts served as part of tasting menus, generally a simple fruit soup with an ice cream were always nice though. I've always been a fan of two of their opening desserts which were a simple, but still elegant rice pudding and a chocolate desserrt that I seem to recall was a chocolate bread pudding served with a chocolate ice cream or sorbet. I wonder if either is still served. Pierre has been offering a lively passion fruit souffle with ice cream. There's a conservative side to my tastes that balances my interest in avant garde food. I wonder it he'd do a chocolate variation on the souffle. Anyway, I've always thought Blue Hill was a destination restaurant in spite of the paper tablecloths. Pierre's desserts just make it more so. Remy is in Palm Beach and I can't tell you much about the new chef as the last time I was in Cafe Boulud, I had the special poulet en vessie. Appetisers and a whole chicken split two ways with it's rich garnishes left me too full to do more than split a few orders of ice cream and sorbet with the table, but even the plain vanilla ice cream was outstanding.

Of course Michelangelo had to kiss ass and every professional -- that is everyone who expects some income and not just those in it solely for the money -- needs to accommodate himself to his audience as much as he can't accommodate his audience to his food. Restaurants are about food and hospitality. The compromises all of us have to make are both internal and external. At some point you have to please those who pay, whether they pay your salary or patronize your restaurant and allow you to come away with a profit at the end of the year. The trick is to attract those who want what you do best and to do well that which will please those who you get. If you don't need the diner, employer, publisher, etc. who wants you to do that which doesn't appeal to you, you don't do it unless you need that patronage and then you do it with a smile. Fortunately different people get different pleasures and for every chef who needs to express his artistry in the kitchen, there's a restaurateur who gets his kicks from being the consummate host. I remember reading an article in the NY Times a good time ago. It dealt with the most expensive luxury restaurants in NYC. In some the diner is king. If he wants a ham sandwich or a hamburger, his whims are the pleasure of the owner and chef. In others, the chef wonders why anyone who wants a hamburger would come to his restaurant where what he has to offer is his skill and talent that is not represented by a hamburger. I don't think the customer is always right. The first thing a diner can do wrong is chose the wrong place to eat.

You should be aware that waiters in France are generally better paid than waiters are in the US. In the US, many waiters are paid less than the minimum wage and employeres are often allowed to include a waiter's tips as part of his salary to meet the minimum wage. French waiters have health care and retirement benefits, as well as paid vacations that are far better than those offered to American waiters. Thus it should not surprise you to learn that the service charge usually goes to the house. While that may finance a waiter's salary, rarely is a salary directly affected by the amount of the service charge. It is common for Frenchmen to leave 2-5% or even more when dining in France. When paying with cash, diners often leave the change to round off the bill, but this tip is always left in cash even when paying by credit card or check. This goes directly to the staff. For more information on this, you should read the Tipping in France thread. Felice, a parisian waiter, has posted direct answers to your question in the thread. For more information on tipping in Paris, you can read the eGullet Q&A with a Concierge in Paris, where you will find a couple of threads on the topic of tipping.

Although very often that's all I get from a review, and perhaps more often than not, that's all people get from what I write about a meal, I think that's the least important thing about a review. Mostly I find I want to eat at a restaurant if I feel it has captured the reviewer's interest in some way. Whether he liked it or not is not the most relevant thing. What I hope to get out of the review is some knowledge about the food so that when I get to the restaurant I will understand the cuisine better and be better able to order and appreciate the cuisine. Other than that, I hope the review adds something to my general knowledge of cooking and dining. I will certainly read reviews of restaurants I don't expect to visit and hope I come away with some general appreciation for dining and some idea of what's happening in restaurants today.

Reported earlier in another thread To which I replied: Restaurateurs have been arguing that the tax is hurting fine dining in France and in spite of my pessimism, I think they will have to pass on the savings to diners, although I suppose they will also argue that they've been shaving their profits just to stay in business and we'll see a split of the tax savings. It will be interesting to see how things work out. It's over six months away. Meanwhile France is getting terrific comeptition from Spain from those who travel to eat.

That's a beautiful mandolin on the Williams Sonoma page. I'm curious about what kind of mandolins the school offers and what kind you use yourself. I'd long lusted after a nice stainless steel one like that until I was told by a couple of professional chefs that their kitchen has one like that, but it's in a cabinet somewhere and no one uses it. All the cooks use a cheap plastic Japanese model (stainless steel blade) called a Benriner. I went out and bought one for about $29 and it's terrific. I see my favorite local cookwares place now had it for $25 and they do mail order. Haven't really done any damage to myself, but my wife has cut herself several times and is always warning me to be careful. Here are links to the Benriner Mandolin page and the Broadway Panhandler home page. New Yorkers should note that tomorrow and Sunday, June 7 & 8, they're having their annual yard sale.

Make up your mind, are you talking about a specific painter or a real artist.

Speak for yourself.

Intreresting card, but in terms of overseas charges, the 2% surcharge would outweigh the 1% rebate.

I think we'll be lucky if the savings is reflected in a slightly longer period without a rise in prices. I'm not an optimist about savings being passed on to the consumer. As I recall the VAT for "better" restaurants was 19.6%. It would be criminal not to see a 10% reduction in the price listed on menus. It's very hard keeping up with the latest wrinkles in getting local currency and making purchases abroad. With the charges the banks are trying to hide and the number of ways the consumer can be hit with fees, I'm hesitant to write off TCs, but I haven't used them in years. I can't remember when ATM cards became reliable, but with the exception of a few days in China, we've gotten all our local currency via an ATM abroad. I remember some trips long ago when it seemed to be hit or miss. I remember the first time I thought we could count on getting currency with an ATM card and mine didn't work. Luckily I was able to cash a large personal check at American Express to cover most of the trip's cash needs. I got $100 in cash and the rest in TCs with a 1% fee for starters and then a fee, commission, bad rate or combinations whenever we needed cash. All that seems like ancient history now. I can't remember the year we were last in Japan and it may have been almost ten years ago. Whatever I discovered then may no longer be relevent, but I remember depending on my ATM card for cash. We'd find a row of machines from different banks all lined up at the airport, in a train station, department store, or even on the street and while two thirds of them bore either the Visa or MC logo of our ATM card, we'd have to hit two or three before we got one that would actually dispense cash. Never figured out why, and my bank -- I talked to the v.p. in charge of cards at Chase -- was no less clueless.

I'm not sure AmEx rates aren't worse. Years ago on rec.travel.europe there was some guy who had spent as much time as I had on getting all the info he could on ATM, debit and credit cards vs. TCs and he was always railing against AmEx. People would post the fact that got AmEx TCs without paying a fee and he'd go on to tell them how much they lost on the exchange rate. I've just found TCs too much of a pain to cash to bother with them.