pim

Sorry Raisab, I've only seen this today. I wholeheartedly recommend Le Meurice. I am definitely a fan. The dinner menu is 170euro--but well worth the price tag. Also, I find the setting and environs at Mon Vieil Ami rather romantic. The room is modern but warm, on the cute rue St Louis en l'Ile, and when you are done with dinner you could stroll down to the river. At 38euro, the menu is very reasonable for what you get there.

Jardin d'Hiver is gorgeous during the day. I've never eaten there but I know they have a separate kitchen from the restaurant, though also overseen by Yannick Alléno. I've thought about having tea there, but haven't tried yet. Let us know how it goes. I second L'Ardoise, Belotta Belotta, and also Le Verre Volé. La Cave will be an interesting choice too if you didn't mind the trek.

Thanks for getting the ball rolling John. Le Meurice is definitely on top of the list for the new-ish top places. Yannick Alléno is doing some fabulous stuff. The last time I had dinner there he made up a menu for us and it sure knocked our socks off (haven't written it up though--will do shortly). I was less impressed by Les Ambassadeurs but in all fairness I've only been to one lunch. I'll have dinner there soon I hope before I form a stronger opinion. I've also heard good things about Eric Frechon from trusted sources, and will have to give his food a try as well. For bistros, lots of the places I like are not exactly new this year, except for L'Ourcine. But the new-ish places are: L'Entredgeu Mon Vieil Ami L'Ourcine Les Fables de la Fontaine Café Constant L'Ami Jean has been there a long time but I guess the new chef counts. I've only had one lunch at La Régalade post Camdeborde and didn't like it much.

If you go to Ozumo expecting the same type/level of food as Ino, you will be disappointed. Ino is classic sushi while Ozumo is very "modern" and almost fusion. I've enjoyed Ozumo in the past, but not when I am in the mood for serious sushi. I would sooner go to Kiss, or perhaps follow Chaud-froid's recommendation and go to Gyo-ya, or Malik's to Hamako.

It's out of season. During the season, about March to June-ish, they are everywhere. It's possible to find good mango now, but not superlative ones. There is a very good sticky rice shop in soi Thong Lor (or Sukhumvit 53-I think). You could take the skytrain to Thong Lor, at the beginning of the soi, on the left side of the street there's a Khao Neow or Sticky Rice shop, don't remember the name, but the are famous and there's just the one on that street. You should be able to find it. Another famous vendor is Kor Panich, near Sao Chingcha (the giant swing used in old royal celebrations). I can't give you direction, but just go to the vicinity of Sao Chingcha and ask anyone around,. This vendor is the most famous in Bangkok and most people shouldn't have any problem pointing you there. Both of these sticky rice shops will have some out of season mango as well--not great, but still far better than what we get here.

Seriously though, I'm so happy you were in the north by then. Couldn't reach you but spoke to Malik instead. I already knew you were gone but still was worried.

It's an antibiotic taken to prevent malaria. It also treat typhus and other infections. ← wimps

Now I guess I see where this is coming from. Thanks Carolyn and Sam for pointing to the Tsunami Help blog. And yes, Mongo is right, it's really not my blog. I am just a tiny help in the huge efforts of everyone on that site, and started by peter, dina, and rohit. No offense taken. No apology necessary.

Oh you're done with then. Take the 9.30 table at Delfina perhaps? All the other Italian places worth eating -and mind you we don't have many- are likely full. You'll never get into Quince, unless you don't mind a very late table. Acquarello would have been the best bet, I thought they are open Sundays, but I was wrong. In any case, they are the only one of the bunch that is not crazy popular and likely to have a table open on a short notice. Try A16, though you are unlikely to get into that too. Think about the late table at Delfina, perhaps you could go somewhere first for a cocktail, or have a very late lunch that day?

Acquarello.

and I forgot to talk about the dessert. The deceptively simple pineapple and lemongrass soup was perfect, and couldn't have come at a more perfect time. The pannacotta --and I am no fan of panna cotta normally-- reminded me of the taste of the blueberry cheese tart made of philadelphia cream cheese and canned blueberries of my youth. It was a vast improvement, obviously, but the flavor profile so reminded me of my favorite childhood dessert. I loved it. Another brilliant piece was the mint sorbet and chocolate gelee, a wonderful closing to the already wonderful meal.

I had a different meal from Melkor, though we were dining at the same table. Mine is the menu for the shellfish and pork eating barbarians. which consists of the following items: Parmesan Churros carrot-orange cocktail with hibiscus Oyster with sea urchin, in it's own gelee Sayori, shiso and bacon Fatty Bluefin belly, meyer lemon Chestnut croquettes Beef and Oyster Tarare Potato leek soup with egg and Manchego Foie gras and cumin caramel Twice cooked foie gras, spiced quince Scallop and osetra caviare tartare, watercress Horse mackeral with steelhead roe Potatoes with (salt) cod and new oil Garbure of duck fois gras Monterey abalone and brasied veal cheeks Confit of suckling pig, cardoons, boudin noir 36 hour" lamb shoulder with sweet garlic Pineapple soup with lemongrass Meyer lemon custard with ginger cream Buttermilk panna cotta with huckleberries Warm banana cake with candied pecan ice cream Chocolate pear Molasses milkshake Mint sorbet and choclate gelee The ones that really stood out for me, interestingly enough, were the ones Melkor couldn't eat. The Oyster and Uni in "sea water jelly" was luxurious texture and sharp, bright flavors, not to mention quite a sight to be seen. The beef and oyster tartare was assertive yet wonderfully blended flavors. The scallop and osetra caviar was one of Jay and my favorites the last time we were there, each on its own were good, but together it was something far beyond the mere combination. The fish stick, sayori and shizo, I could eat unlimited amount of these. The confit of suckling pig was just piggy and delicious, and i could never resist crackling, and the pièce de resistance, the ultimate surf and turf, the fried abalone and braised veal cheeks, was also beyond description. My favorite braised dish of the year, by far. There were also a few things that were not great, the bacalao/mashed potato dish was too salty, the quince paste a little too sweet and overwhelming for the foie, the molasses milkshake far too sweet even for my sweet tooth. I strongly disagree with Dave on the Potato leek soup with egg and Manchego though. I thought it perfect. It was all subtlety and flavors, layers and layers of delicate tastes and feels. Just marvelous. Don't count on me to say that Manresa is perfect. It is not. No restaurant should have to live up to that impossibility. Manresa is definitely my favorite place to eat in the Bay Area though, hands down. I happens to think David Kinch is brilliant, and I could never resist the charm of Michael and the other staff. The chef always make it so interesting to return, to see what else he will pull out of his hat. As often as I go there, I still manage to get new dishes all the time. It's never boring at Manresa. Another thing that we should make known, this dinner was a holiday party of 14. That the kitchen could pull off such an intricate menu for that many diners is quite a feat in itself.

..and talk about inexplicably forgotten places, I would also add Acquarello, which has been going about their business wonderfully and quietly for a long time now. I am guilty of this myself, as the last time I was at Acquarello was months ago, despite them being in my neighbourhood. (Note to self, go to Acquarello soon.) I'm not entirely sure how Campton Place fell off everyone's radar, it certainly has fallen off mine. Next year, perhaps. Illuna Basque was a surprisingly bad meal, even the very nice service couldn't salvage it. I much much prefer Bocadillos, where I've had many meals and not a one disappointment.

I had a meal at Gary Danko recently, to give them another chance since my friends seem to quite like them, unfortunately they continue to underwhelm me. The food was good, but nothing at all spectacular about it. I am certainly not a fan. The famed cheese cart also was a little disappointing. The cheese were left out standing in the open air and was sweating by the time we had them. There was also really nothing much on offer that I couldn't get from Cowgirl, 24th st., or the cheese board. There was nothing offered in the way of interesting taste pairing with the cheese, so I don't know what the big deal was. For a high end restaurant, Gary Danko was amazingly crowded. The servers brushed against the back of my chair, knocking down my little purse more than once. The guy who was serving cheese at the table next to be kept bending down to get stuff from the cart, and he was right up next to me, so his you-know-what was right up at my eye level quite a few times.. The wine list was so precious it was hard to believe, the mark up was so huge as to be unreasonable. Michael Mina, on the other hand, I am curious to go back again. Yes, the meal I had there was spectacularly underwhelming, but since they were closed for many weeks during the strike, I suppose they had a chance to fix some of the service/execution problems we faced before the closing. I am quite willing to give them another chance. Also, I haven't tried Ron Siegel at the Ritz yet. Perhaps soon.

I've ordered lots of books in French from Amazon.fr. One really convenient thing about this is that I could use my regular account at Amazon.com to do the purchase. I just have to sign in et voilà. No more typing neccessary. Postage from europe, both from the amazon.fr and amazon.co.uk is surprisingly inexpensive, even. edited to add-- Obviously I didn't see John's post above when I wrote this. Sorry for the duplicate rec.

I often find myself at home in the oddest of places. It's perhaps because I've lived in so many cities, and been to even more, that home has become less a real place than wherever I find myself content. Drinking coffee by the window at the cafe around the corner from Neal's Yard, in the cold, damp London air, losing myself in the early morning bustle of Borough market. Sipping a cup of Darjeeling in the tranquil salon at Mariage Frères. Strolling Crissy Field at sunrise watching my city awakens. So it is of no surprise to me that my favorite neighborhood place of the moment is in fact all the way across town, a little pizza shop in the Outer Richmond called Pizzetta 211. The shop occupies a tiny but cheerful and welcoming space which is half taken up by the kitchen and the big pizza oven. There are two window box tables, perfect for lounging, that give a feeling of being outdoor while protected from the cold foggy air, and even a few actual outside tables and an attractive tree bench for more weather-proof souls. The menu is small but inspiring, focusing on what they do really well rather than covering all choices in the universe. It is also constantly changing, with a few pizzas, salad, a couple of cheeses, a cake or two and a few other side items. Everything here is not only seasonal, but also sustainably, organically, or artisanally produced. The pizza crust is thin and deliciously crisp. The toppings vary, but always with the old standby of tomato, mozzarella, and basil. In my rather narrow minded view on pizza, that is my choice, always. But other choices, namely, chantarelles, egg, and greens, and Fiore Sardo (a sheep's milk cheese), pine nuts, and rosemary have easily caught my companions' eyes. There are even some wine and a killer latte to accompany the food. My formula at Pizzetta always covers a pizza or two, a brightly dressed green salad or a side of creamy potatoes, and perhaps an interesting cheese or two on offer that day. For dessert, I can rarely resist the perfect fondant au chocolat made of bitter Scharffen Berger chocolate. There is usually another cake or tart with berries or fruits as well: my favorite of late is a plain cake doused with fig and port syrup. It is a kind of place that makes one feels welcome from the first step inside the door, a neighborhood kind of place, even if it isn't actually in my own. Happily, the memory of the drive across town evades as soon as I settle myself down in my favorite window box. Do give it a try, who knows, it might become yours too. Pizzetta 211 211 23rd ave. (at California) Wednesday to Fri day 12pm-2:30pm, 5pm-9pm Saturday and Sunday 12pm-9pm

Bapi, a bully? That boy couldn't even put up a fight with a wisp of a girl like me over lambchops!

I did, actually, well perhaps not spectacular but perfectly nice. I happened to be wandering around Rockridge and ended up there for dinner. Had a lovely plate of charcuterie, a nice basic salad, and a pasta with flavorful ragu to finish. A simple meal but everything was well done. The wine, a california Syrah, was chosen by my friend and wasn't exactly to my taste, but that's the only complain I have about the meal. I didn't remember any service problems at all. I didn't remember it being particularly nice either, just nothing wrong with it in general. Mind you it wasn't inspiring enough to make the trek out to Oakland for this, but if I lived in that neighbourhood I could see myself eating there regularly.

There are also plenty of Chinese places that would be indifferent to kids. Notice that I didn't say welcome, I said indifferent. There are dim sum places which, during the weekends especially, are full of large family with kids of various age. You and yours should fit in quite well.

Whatever floats your boat, Bruce, whatever floats your boat.

Recent visits to Limon have been a bit of a let-down too. Mochica, on the other hand, is fabulous, I completely agree with Ms.Melkor on that one. Their various ceviches are the best in town at the moment. I wouldn't go to Chez Papa alone if I were you. The place doesn't quite lend itself of a good solo dining experience, as you would likely be stared at in sympathy by the entire bright young things set out socializing on any given night.

Barthelemy has particularly good selection on Chevres. I can't believe no one has brought up the fantastic Fromagerie Quartrehomme, right by La Grande Epicerie.

I go to both, though I think the original Jones st. location is better.

A bowl of curry, a side of rice or naan, some free Chai that are dispensed freely on the counter, one could get out of Shalimar at under $10. Hing Lung on Broadway for a piping hot bowl of Jok and a pair of chinese fried dough, that's easily under $10 as well. How about a shwarma at Alibaba? That's not really fast food, is it? How about a lovely thin crust pizza at Pizzetta 2111? One of those with a simple green salad is barely over $10.

Kan's (Chinatown dimsum) --decent, barely decent, but the bar area looked very retro. I would go back there for the bar, not the food. 1550 Hyde --my deliciously simple neighbourhood place, as good as ever. The grilled sardines were fatty and yum, and the fried rabbit was mmm tasty, washed down with a bottle of Dom. Anne Gros Bourgogne (a lovely -if young- burgundy which was rather reasonable at $36). Manresa --second time in a week, 15 courses instead of the usual 25. One word. Fab.