Bux

I'm curious as to what she found ridiculous about it, or in what way she found it ridiculous as opposed to amusing or just unworthy of serious consideration. This is not to imply that I, or my wife, were necessarily impressed with every amuse we've had at Blue Hill. In fact, I think that most of our table found the amuse shot just plain uninteresting the last time we were there. The rest of the meal was super however, so we all left happy campers.

Great! Wrt. to fair use, let's just extract one or two small portions. The "Cuisine is much more than recipes" motto is so wonderfully expressed in that preface. If it's to appear on eGullet.com, we're talking of very small portions totaling about 100 words unless you secure the written permission of the copyright holder. I had assumed all of you have read The eGullet.com Copyright & Fair Use Policy. We've worked very hard on our policies and believe they are greatly responsible for our success and for bringing us the respect of our peers in print journalism and publishing.

I loved the sweetbreads at Casa Momo. I recall, they were served with an assertive garnish. I'm hard pressed to even remember where I've had them recently. Mrs. B was quick to respond "Daniel," when I asked her where she'd had the best sweetbreads. I didn't have them at hearth, but someone else at my table did and they were very good.

Don't forget increasing participation by South Americans, particularly Columbians, I believe. It might take a bit of last minute adjustment, but you could do an international menu arranging courses in order of national leader standings. It might require brisket as a first course.

There are "4 star restaurants" serving 3 star food and worse, but there are no 4 star restaurants serving 3 star food. The difference is in the qualifying quotation marks. The function the same was as in the vegetarian "duck" in a Shanghai restaurant. That is to say there are restaurants serving less than fine food that take on the appearance of a four star restaurant and mimic it in some ways. Many of these may actually believe they are superb restaurants, but they are on no better grounds than tofu thinking it's duck. Others have already said that four star cuisine is a genre and thus it's possible to speak of a "four star" restaurant that fails to live up to the promise as it's possible to speak of a "Chinese" restaurant that serves chop suey and other less than distincly Chinese food and which fails to live up to one's expectations of what a Chinese restaurant should deliver. Inflection and tone of voice serve better than quotation marks perhaps to convey the sarcasm that should accompany such descriptions. NB: I rather enjoy "mock duck" at Shanghainese restaurants. I don't think of it as imitation duck as much as a visual play on the form of duck breast. I have, over the years, come to appreciate and enjoy the trappings of an elegant meal in an elegant restaurant with fine service rather much like great theater and other art forms. Not only do I believe cooking can be an art, but there is a certain "art" to running a lgorious restaurant. I believe there's a place for formal restaurants serving mediocre foods in the world, but not in my life. I find them personally revolting and hollow. Casual restaurants serving great food, be it robust or haute cuisine in nature, are a blesing to us all. Great food is always welcome in any form.

Oh yeah, that ought to make the squeamish feel a lot better.

Cheap. I'm a fan of all things inexpensive, but I don't recognize any of the labels, so I can't say if they're inexpensive or just cheap. We've been drinking a Costières de Nîmes, this summer--Ch. Grande Cassagne--and it does it's job well enough. It pairs well with foods eaten al fresco. A perennial favorite of ours is from Chivite in Navarra, but I recall reading in the paper that they've lost their importer. At any rate, I haven't see their rosado this spring. I think rosé has been a little in and out of fashion, but I think it's gotten over it's post 60s reputation. People no longer say "you don't really drink rosé, do you" to me any more. For us it's a part of summer. A few years back I was in an Italian restaurant in NY's "Little Italy" with an old friend--a French woman. I don't recall what we had, but it wasn't anything special. I ordered a rosé and the ass of a waiter, presumably interested in raising my tab asked if I didn't want a real wine. He almost lost his tip, but I felt kind of sorry for him after my friend almost bit his head off. She's from the Languedoc where they drink a fair amount of rosé in the summer especially on terraces. Vin Gris de Cigare is at the top end of our inexpensive rosés. A good Tavel is another class up and actually deserves some attention as do the Bandols I've had.

We had arroz, but not paella, both times we were there. I think it was called arroz caldoso.

Let's for a moment accept for argument's sake that Babbo serves the best food in NYC, or perhaps North America. It may still be that it's not four star food. The "best" may be highly subjective, and in another thread, or was it this one way back when, I thought it was established or at least a case was well presented that four star food was as much about being about style as it was about quality. Babbo doesn't serve four star style food. Four star food doesn't aim for the belly. It aims for the senses. It must be visually stimulating as much as it is a belly full of satisfaction. Perhaps more so. Many people don't find four star food very satisfying. Four star food needs to be as elegant as it is delicious. Nowhere in his review does Bruni imply Babbo does anything in a four star way and that includes the preparation of the food, but we can argue about this until we're both blue in the face if we don't agree on what four star food is, or if one of us believes four star food tastes better than three star food. It doesn't, it's just more elegant and requires more finesse in preparation. Neither of those things necessarily affect the taste directly although they can serve to heighten your expectation perhaps.

I don't see how anyone has a basis for concluding that the music was emblematic of anything whatsoever having to do with the food. You folks are just too lawyerly. (Are you a lawyer, Bux? I forgot.) Some days I forget what I'm supposed to be doing and spend too much time here, but I'm not a lawyer. I've never been a lawyer and I've never gone to law school. Some of my best friends are, or have been, lawyers though. The music sent a signal to those who walked through the door that this isn't meant to be a four star restaurant. What I believe Mr. Bruni was suggesting is that all along the course of his meals there, he kept getting the same signal that Babbo is not supposed to be a four star restaurant. I have no reason to believe he didn't get that same signal from the food or he would have said the music is not what I'd expect to hear when served four star food. Instead he said the music was emblamatic of the reasons Babbo wasn't a four star restaurant. I don't think I was making a lawyer's interpretation of what Bruni wrote.

Quite a few years ago there was a major article in the NY Times Magazine, devoted to David Bouley. It gave a few reasons why Bouley has offended more than a few people, and this was well before 9/11. That article would be a excellent reread right now, but I don't know how far back it was published. Indeed. The claim that a four star restaurant will deliver a four star experience to every diner every day of the year is more than a bit optimistic, for at least two reasons. The first is simply that no one is perfect. The other is that the diner is an individual and as such, each diner has his own idea of what the perfect four star experience is and some diners choose the wrong restaurant for them I also feel so unhip not realizing that citrus with scallops is so passé. On the other hand, scallop carpaccio is not the classic that pasta with tomato sauce is and therefore subject to a different kind of criticism. I do sense that even for people in the industry who harbor some kind of resentment about working for nothing to feed the 9/11 workers while Bouley profited, the mention in the review seemed unfair and unreasonable. It's probably worth noting that many construction companies also got good contracts as a result of 9/11 while many people worked in the most unhealthy conditions as volunteers. I can think of reasons why Bruni chose to mention 9/11 in his review, but maybe he was wrong to do so. It's all part of the same "nobody's perfect" syndrome. On balance, we'll get a better idea of his worth as a critic in due time. I don't know if there have been any NYC restaurant critics I've held in high esteem for some time. That may say more about me than them, but I suspect that when I find one I can count on, it's likely not to be someone who's popular.

I've never run across clams that didn't open up when cooked, except for those few that should be discarded and I've never seen a variety of clam or clam-like seafood that was as small as a corn kernal. I've seen some pretty small clams. Tellinas are tiny, but I don't think they're that tiny and one shouldn't have to pry them open when they're cooked. I don't think they're eaten raw and the original poster wrote of clams that were cooked.

While it is much safer to drive with an open bottle of wine in the car than with too much wine alcohol in your blood steam, in many, if not most, states, it's illegal to drive with an open container of beer, wine or other alcoholic beverage. I think it's okay if it's in the trunk though. I've never been a fan of doggie bags and the wine markup in French restaurants, while usually not as bad as in the states, is still enough for me to consider the purchase of wine in a restaurant not to be economical for off premises consumption. A better selection by the half bottle and by the glass would be a better idea in my opinion.

Roasted red peppers with anchovies and olive oil. I'm not sure if this is a classic Spanish combination or not. I associate it with Collioure on the French side of border on the Mediterranean because that's where I first had the combination. As I've noted before current political borders don't always coincide with old political borders or cultural borders. Collioure is probably the epicenter of anchovy processing in France, although it is surpassed by by Spanish Catalan and Basque sources. Spain excels in two areas of food that make for eating well without cooking--great for the summer. Those are cured meats and canned foods.

I was totally unaware of this variety of almond and didn't even recognize it as an almond for sure when I first saw it because of the shape, but they started showing up all over the place on our last trip to Spain. That we were in Alicante and Valencia would explain most of it. I suppose the rest is explained by the fact we frequented some upscale bars. Then again, with the price of gambas rojas from Denia, they can afford to throw in some top quality almonds.

The 10th stage starts in Limoges. You could go out and buy new plates in honor of the occasion.

We have eaten in L'Olivé which is owned by the same group that owns Paco Meralgo. While I don't think of it as a destination restaurant, I think it is recommendable. Our meal was excellent particularly in relation to the price. It's good Catalan food in a chic setting. It's on Balmes, and I believe not far from Arago also in the Eixample, but closer to the placa de Catalunya. I see Campsa gives it a recommended rating. We picked it because we were in the neighborhood and it was one of a few listed in the Michelin guide.

I can be a stickler for that sort of pendantry. I suppose I'm all too aware that eGullet has a reputation to uphold and that after almost three years of work on the site, I don't like the idea that someone will come away from the site with misinformation. Opinions are something else and it's always reasuring when members post their opinions with the well grounded knowledge that no matter how objective we try to be, our immediate appreciation of food and restaurants is bound to be fairly personal. I have a fair sweet tooth and am disappointed when the dessert menu is not up to the quality of the savory dishes. On the other hand, after a long tasting menu, I can find too much dessert, just too much. It sounds as if I would have agreed with Azula10 on the size and complexity of dessert.

Gianduja is chocolate blended with hazelnut into a smooth paste. Nutella is probably the most widely-known brand and form of gianduja. Whether or not one considers Nutells to be gianduja, the Nutella sold in the states has more peanut oil and sugar than chocolate or hazelnuts and is laced with transfats from partially hydrogenated peanut oil. Its ingredients are, in order or quantity, as required on the label: sugar, peanut oil, hazelnuts, cocoa, skim mild, reduced minerals, whey, partially hydrogenated peanut oil, soy lecithin and vanillan. Nutritional information here.

My emphasis. This may not be the most illuminating or thought provoking post on the thread, but it may be the most practically useful post you will read here. In absolute terms, the best time to eat at any restaurant is shortly before it gets its fourth star, (or three if we're talking Michelin, just to keep this international) but that requires hindsight as does avoiding eating just before a restaurant loses a star. Generally speaking, restaurants that lose stars, more often than not continue to slide downhill, but we have reason to believe efforts are already being made to reverse a slide at Bouley. What the three star rating is likely to mean is that Bouley will not be able to raise prices for a while, but that everyone will be on their toes and traffic, if anything, is likely to fall off a bit making it easier to get a reservation. That last thing will be interesting to check. Often the worst time to eat in a restaurant is just after it's gotten it's fourth star, especially if the restaurant is not prepared to deal with the increased traffic and demands of a new set of clients rushing to be served. This is even true to a lesser extent when a review appears confirming the four stars already held by a restaurant as it serves as a reminder to diners to put it on their short list.

jh1922, let me suggest you also do a search on those three restaurants. I don't recall mention of la Fontaine Gaillon, but both Mon Veil Ami and Bofinger have been discussed before. It may be that those who have already posted on these restaurants will not read the forum in the next few days, or that having exhausted their opinions and store of information on the restaurants, will prefer to devote their attention to other threads and not repeat themselves here as John so thoughtfully did.

I had that langoustine dish in January of '97. Steven's description brings it to mind very well. He called the curry flavor mild and modest. In this thread I posted that it "added a sublimely rich flavor." By that, I meant a certain subtle complexity. There's no contradiction if one understands that "ethereal" was the operative word apparently, for what we both experienced. I recall saying something to Mrs. B at the time about having the feeling the entire preparation was floating just above the plate. For me the curry flavor was a distinct one in spite of its mildness, but absolutely a background and supporting flavor. It was an essentially French dish and reminded me nothing of Indian food I'd had or have had since. It was seven years ago, but even then I felt this was an old fashioned dish in concept. It was a dish that incorporated much of the best of nouvelle cuisine with none of its excesses, but was essentially the updating and perfection of classic French cooking. Our other significant meal in Paris that trip was at Pierre Gagnaire just recently installed in Paris after going bankrupt in St. Etienne. I could not have imagined two more opposite styles of cooking. I could easily have imagined some people being bored by l'Ambroisie and shocked and dismayed by Gagnaire. We loved them both. Perhaps we loved Gagnaire a bit more, but that single langoustine dish remains one of my favorites. It's interesting to know that it's still on the menu. I can only hope that it's still being prepared with the same care and that what tasted uncooked to Moby was the result of different expectations and backgrounds, although one has to suspect either an off day, or some loss of attention to detail.

Welcome to eGullet. I find the Logis de France reliable enough, but not necessarily offering the best food. Michel Bras is of course, a real destination, but as you are aware, a budget breaker. If Laguiole is not too far away however, one of my favorite places in France is much more affordable, and more than a bit closer to Albi. We've been very pleased with le Vieux Pont in the tiny village of Belcastel just west of Rodez as have others on eGullet. It's run by two sisters. Nicole Fagegaltier is in the front of the house and Michele is in the kitchen. These days, she's joined by her husband who is also a chef. The food has changed over the years we've known it, but it's always been on a high level. In the early years, it was very much influenced by Bras, but Michele travels in the off season and has broadened her influences. Our first visit was back before they converted an old building across the stream into a hotel we stayed in a Logis de France in the neighboring town. Now they have several nice reasonably priced rooms. The year we first ate there, GaultMillau cited them as offering the best food value in all of France. I think they've done well by remaining a great value. Our last visit was two years ago. Our room was under 70 euros. The gastronomic menu which included four savory courses, cheese and desserts was 62 euros and a bargain. There were several set menus begining in the low 20 euro range, but they were not nearly as interesting as the big menu. One can also eat a la carte, but less frugally than by taking an inexpensive menu and with less variety than by choosing the gastronomic menu. A search on the restaurant or the town should bring a link to past posts on le Vieux Pont, but here are our meals from 2002. We stayed here two nights. Knowing Micheel's passion for new ideas, I suspect the menu is completely different this year and I suppose inflation has led prices to rise, but this is still an out of the way place and it depends on a clientele from the area. The few rooms at the inn are hardly enough to fill the dining room and it was filled when we were there.

Not to go too far off topic, but I've always thought of cordials as sweet liquers and distinctly apart from unflavored brandies or unsweetened distillates such as cognac, armagnac, calvados, poire williams, etc.

It seemed inescapable to me that Bruni was crediting Babbo with 4* food. He wrote: For goodness sakes. The music is emblematic about the style of the restaurant and the style and execuction of the food.