Maison Rustique

Thanks--can't wait to try some buns!

Is it still around? For some reason I'd thought it closed quite a few years ago.

I was there years ago for a media party. (I was still in advertising.) It was quite nice, but it's been so long that I can't remember details or even which publishing company threw the party. I must say though that it wasn't nearly as nice as sailing around Boston Harbor on the Highlander II with Malcolm Forbes. edited to say that I meant I was at Club 33--not the Japanese place.

I've posted several times about the Noriega Hotel in bakersfield for Basque food. Yummy and a great value!

In all my many years I've never been a cereal fan. But (you knew there was a but coming didn't ya), I've got a new breakfast habit. Weetabix. Weetabix sprinkled with cinnamon and some Splenda. Then a splash of non-fat half and half and some non-fat milk. Then nuke it for about a minute. Almost like the cinnamon milk toast Mom used to make for us when we were sick. edited to fix typo

My stepdaughter has asked for a soup cookbook. Any suggestions?

Noriega Hotel in Bakersfield for Basque food served family-style. Not sure of the current price, but I think it's around $14.95 per person for all you can eat including wine.

Good show! Thanks for sharing this with us.

I picked up a bag of their habanero chips at Costco several months ago. I decided that it was the ideal diet potato chip--I couldn't eat more than about 3. HOT HOT HOT!!!! But yummy!

Thanks for all the helpful info!!

Yes, I have the same problem with Chinese. Plus, there's the white rice thing...

My sincere sympathy to you and yours. {{{{{HUGS}}}}}

Me, too!!

Well it's not what I usually eat, but around 6 this morning I had leftover green salad from last night. And I just ate a piece of cheese to tide me over until lunch.

Now I know why I'm so logey all the time! (South Beach)

Nate, please give us some more input on what sort of food/atmosphere you'd like. There is great potential in 3 directions from Dana Point. Will you have a car? Can you get out for lunches? When will you be here? Are there any types of foods that are off-limits? I need to know how quickly to rush in posting suggestions. And also, if you're interested in getting together with some fellow eGulleteers, that might be possible!

Considering the pollution all around us and that we have pest control come e/o month, I must say nothing but the herbs that grown in my urn (which is off-limits for chemicals). Edited to add: The lizards are too small and don't look tasty at all. And I hope all the crows have some disease that will kill them, so don't want them either.

Well, I survived. The food was very good and I'd highly recommend this restaurant. I was terribly uncomfortable with all my questioning and asking for substitutions. Our waitress was a doll and handled it all very professionally and cheerfully. We tipped very well. I guess this was practice. We've going to Monterey (jazz festival) this weekend for 4 days. Fortunately there are plenty of places with good fish choices in that area. And I can always have salads--I just get tired of them sometimes.

I don't have a problem with cooking low-carb/low-fat nearly as much as when I don't want to cook. I put off going out with friends once because of the diet (South Beach) and simply couldn't do it again. So tonight we are going here. I think I'll manage so-so, though I know that I'll be very tempted by certain items.

DH tends to want meat and that's optional for me. Before South Beach diet, my alone dinners would be a hunk of brad, cheese and some wine. Maybe a few olives. Ah! The good old days... Right now DH is in Chicago and was dining at Spiaggio tonight. For me it was some sauteed red onion, garlic, tiny bit of bacon (fat thrown out), spinach and cannelini. I put a touch of blue cheese on top. I was very happy with this, but it's not something that DH would like to eat for a meal. He'd have wanted it with steak or fish or whatever.

I just bought Total at TJ's (Mission Viejo) about 3 days ago. They were fully stocked.

If I go into a restaurant and visit the restroom first only to find it dirty with no hot water, soap, etc. I promptly let the manager know that I am no longer interested in eating there. Where do the employees wash their hands?

I think that someone (in charge) needs to start a new thread for this. I just read this for the first time and might have missed out on the potluck because of being on a diet that doesn't include pie!

I don't think I even know of an art gallery in Laguna Niguel! I do think that to base this discussion of good restaurants on a handful of cities in a large county is unfair. And what types of cuisine are we considering? I suspect that you might find some Mexican immigrants here that can name some mighty good hole-in-the-wall places that would rival anything you'd find in their home country. Maybe. Just my humble ramblings...