Liberte Restaurant Montclair

[menton1]

I was thinking of going to this well thought of restaurant in the next couple of weeks-- Anybody have some thoughts on the place?

As a side note, I noticed on their web site that they serve Escolar, a South American fish that was banned for a few years, and has the reputation of causing diarrhea and/or severe abdominal discomfort!! Why would they continue to serve this controversial fish?

[Rosie]

I had escolar at a restaurant in CA and was fine. It was VERY rich though. I have heard the same thing about the "side effects." I was at Liberte about a year ago and enjoyed the food. Do a search and see if there are some posts.

[guajolote]

more on escolar

[dbrociner]

I had brunch at Aqua Grill in lower Manhattan last Sunday and they had Escolar as a special. I didn't have it, but the waiter was reccomending it served medium rare. Sounds like side effect city if the rumour is to be believed.

[scarlet knight]

My wife and I ate at Liberte twice recently and we enjoyed it. I was intrigued by the escolar, but I did not order it because we brought heavy red wine and I thought that it would clash. Maybe I made a good move!

[tautog]

Escolar is perfectly edible, even tasty. It is a deepwater fish that is a member of the tuna family. However it is very rich and oily, in a good way. You should only eat it as a tasting or appetizer. Having a 1 lb escolar steak could cause a side effect, like eating any other really rich food.

[Lreda]

I have served Escolar as a 12 oz Main course, mostly grilled, over the past few months and found my customers enjoy it. I've had it myself and also enjoyed it. My fish guy originally labeled it as Hawaiian Butterfish. Once he received repeat orders it became known by its original name, Escolar. I find it has the same texture as Tuna but similar in oily taste as Center-cut Swordfish loin. If you see in in a restaurant you trust I recommend you try it. Perhaps spliting a main course as an appetizer would be a good idea. Don't worry about asking, any restaurant should encourage their customers to experience something different with limited risk.

[Nockerl]

Escolar is perfectly edible, even tasty.  It is a deepwater fish that is a member of the tuna family.  However it is very rich and oily, in a good way.  You should only eat it as a tasting or appetizer.  Having a 1 lb escolar steak could cause a side effect, like eating any other really rich food.

The Ex-lax fish

Escolar does indeed cause side effects in some individuals. Not everyone is effected.

It's the same thing with olestra used in the WOW brand of Chips from Frito lays.

Since olestra can't be digested by the human body it causes dirrhea in some people. Or as the labels reads "may cause anal leakage".

A report on escolar from Australia

And if you still want to try it, here's a recipe to make it at home

[ngatti]

I don't serve it anymore. In a private member environment, I just don't need the potential headache. I have served it in the past and I have eaten it (in small appetizer type amounts) with no ill effects. It's pretty tasty stuff.

I don't see a *large* problem with it, as long as people have good info about the fish and are comfortable with the potential risks. Kind of like a diabetic eating candy sweetened with manitol. Same problem. The Olestra analogy sounds right.

FWIW, YMMV

Nick

[menton1]

There is a good thread going on on Egullet General Food Topics-- I have added a link to a story in California where a woman purportedly died from eating escolar!! This fish should really be banned, why should eating any food be like rolling the dice? Check it out:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...=0entry194025

http://www.nbc4.tv/newslinks/1773988/detail.html

[Nockerl]

This fish should really be banned, why should eating any food be like rolling the dice?  

For the same reason people eat fugu or any other "dangerous" food--THE THRILL involved.