Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations Seasons 1-5

[gingerbeer]

This is probably totally irrelevant, but I've only seen what I think are old episodes of this show, I only manage to catch it when I go home to stay with my parents for a bit.. so... did anyone see the Saudi Arabia episode? That was my favourite. I feel that A.B. experienced something really unusual, even for him, and had his views of another culture actually changed by engaging with it. I respect him a lot for that one episode. Also, the fried chicken looked delicious, as well as the family dinner at the end. Mmm.

[ThatGrrl]

New shows start tonight with a return episode to Mexico. Rest of the season: Venice, Washington, D.C., the Azores, Chicago, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam.

[ken T]

I found a new Washington, DC episode on Travel Channel "On Demand". Very good. Don't know if it is a mistake or not!

[daisy17]

This Mexico episode was one of my favorites ever - it really paid homage to the incredible food and vibrant soul of the country. And now I have an inextinguishable craving for tacos al pastor. I still have no idea what those doll heads were though.

[docsconz]

This Mexico episode was one of my favorites ever - it really paid homage to the incredible food and vibrant soul of the country.  And now I have an inextinguishable craving for tacos al pastor.  I still have no idea what those doll heads were though.

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The doll heads were simply bizarre. This wasn't my favorite episode, though it did have its moments.

[Ono Loa]

i wanted to mention something about the hawaiian shirt thing. i have been in that shop MANY times and have loads of shirts from them.

not the ones for 3K but just the usual older stuff in the medium price range.

i believe that shop has the most vintage hawaiian shirts anywhere. period.

those vintage shirts are fabulous and many people buy them as collectors items.

the fact that tony wanted to actually wear his ...instead of having it put away somewhere is GREAT!

its not exactly something that screams out HEY I COST 3 GRAND! !

its a low key shirt that most people would think came from some vintage section

of goodwill. LOL

and i have gotten LOTS of similar ones at goodwill.

if tony wanted it.... he can certainly afford it and what does it matter.

LOL ! bloody HELL ! MANY is the time i have been in that shop drooling over shirts i couldnt buy....and most likely never will.

so yeah! i am glad to see him wearing it ! why not?

it certainly looks good on him.

and i am really jealous. LOL

[Vinotas]

This Mexico episode was one of my favorites ever - it really paid homage to the incredible food and vibrant soul of the country.  And now I have an inextinguishable craving for tacos al pastor.  I still have no idea what those doll heads were though.

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The doll heads were simply bizarre. This wasn't my favorite episode, though it did have its moments.

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Yeah, the dolls freaked me out.

I used to go to Mexico City on business and we never had that much fun, and I'm a pretty adventurous person. This episode sort of made me want to go back and see it as a food tourist. I would really love to go out into the countryside, as I was never a fan of the City.

So I'd say this was a good, not great, episode.

[Jon Savage]

This Mexico episode was one of my favorites ever - it really paid homage to the incredible food and vibrant soul of the country.  And now I have an inextinguishable craving for tacos al pastor.  I still have no idea what those doll heads were though.

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Those doll heads were creepy no doubt.

I enjoyed this episode. Despite the fact that we'd just finished an ample dinner it was hard not to jump in my truck and drive to a taqueria or three. Man that food looked so freaking good.

I'm really looking forward to next week's episode, Venice, a place I love and have been to more times than I can (literally) count.

[daisy17]

In my four trips to Mexico over the last 3 years it has managed to completely win my heart. Food has played a big part in that, and I thought Bourdain showed it well. What I appreciated most was Carlos's story, which is similar to countless Poblanos here (most of NY's Mexican immigrants are from Puebla) who left their families and homes at a young age to work their asses off here. I know a guy who left Puebla alone at the age of 12 to come to NY, and he hasn't been back in 20+ years because he doesn't have citizenship here. His wife still makes tamales and mole poblano though.

[ThatGrrl]

Word to the Island of the Creepy Dolls. I sort of wish they'd used that time on something else. Sure, it's interesting (and better than another "we tried fishing, but all we got was this stunt fish" sequence), but I'm thinking there was something out there which might have been better. I will say that I'm at least happy that we missed the worst of the bullfighting. The selective shots skipped the worst of the gore (while at least capturing the bull's one nice shot at the matador).

I absolutely want to visit the breakfast restaurant. That place looked amazing. I certainly wouldn't be able to put away as much food as they managed to eat, but I'd give it the old college try!

[ThatGrrl]

I found a new Washington, DC episode on Travel Channel "On Demand".  Very good.  Don't know if it is a mistake or not!

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Weird. I tried doing this last night and was also able to watch the DC episode On Demand. Wonder why it's available? Good show, though. Anything involving Jose Andres and Minibar is automatically going to give me a happy!

[violetfox]

This Mexico episode was one of my favorites ever - it really paid homage to the incredible food and vibrant soul of the country.  And now I have an inextinguishable craving for tacos al pastor.  I still have no idea what those doll heads were though.

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Hi Daisy, I completely agree. I just wanted to hop a plane for some of those tacos! The doll head thing was beyond weird, but I'm glad that they showed it. I'm a big fan of the Weird USA books, which probably explains my interest. I thought it was an excellent show.

[Jon Savage]

Ahhh Venice...

Not a bad episode.

[RAHiggins1]

Ahhh Venice...

Not a bad episode.

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Why is it NR has to ham up the dream sequence stuff when they go to Italy?

[Kevin72]

Having spent part of our honeymoon there I freely admit to bias but I loved the Venice episode. Perfectly captured why we love it and why so many others don't. Plus him going to two of the places we ate at (do Mori, on our own cichetti crawl, and Al Covo) got me jazzed to no end. My lingering regret when we left was that we never ate risotto everywhere and now seeing that place in Burano I regret it even more.

[ThatGrrl]

OMG. I feel like one of the luckiest people on the planet. This coming Monday, when Tony's DC show airs, it features Jose Andres' molecular gastronomy 6-seat restaurant inside a restaurant, Minibar. I've been trying for weeks to get weekend reservations there. I just know it's going to be impossible to get in for ages, after the show airs. There are only 2 seatings, so only 12 seats available in a given night. Today, I scored 2 seats for Valentine's Day. Woo hoo!!!!! I'll bring a camera and let people know when food porn is available. I'll probably post it in the Minibar thread in the DC restaurants location.

Really liked the Venice show. Any place that encourages drinking and tapas for breakfast is okay by me!

Edited January 14, 2009 by ThatGrrl (log)

[tsquare]

Having spent part of our honeymoon there I freely admit to bias but I loved the Venice episode.  Perfectly captured why we love it and why so many others don't.  Plus him going to two of the places we ate at (do Mori, on our own cichetti crawl, and Al Covo) got me jazzed to no end.  My lingering regret when we left was that we never ate risotto everywhere and now seeing that place in Burano I regret it even more.

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I believe I ate at the place on Burano, but no risotto! Sat outside and ate fish and pasta. Loved seeing places I recognized.

[hungryCAT]

Call me weird (and many peeps do!),

but I thought the dolls were . . . . .

. . . . . awesome!!

[Zeemanb]

OMG.  I feel like one of the luckiest people on the planet.  This coming Monday, when Tony's DC show airs, it features Jose Andres' molecular gastronomy 6-seat restaurant inside a restaurant, Minibar.  I've been trying for weeks to get weekend reservations there.  I just know it's going to be impossible to get in for ages, after the show airs. There are only 2 seatings, so only 12 seats available in a given night. Today, I scored 2 seats for Valentine's Day.  Woo hoo!!!!!  I'll bring a camera and let people know when food porn is available.  I'll probably post it in the Minibar thread in the DC restaurants location.

Really liked the Venice show.  Any place that encourages drinking and tapas for breakfast is okay by me!

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I know I am giddy with anticipation for next week's show....my girlfriend and I had our first "real date" at minibar last May, and I have to say we could have done a LOT worse.... . I generally avoid dinner out on Valentine's Day, but I think you scored the HUGE exception to that rule! All I can say is ENJOY....what a wonderful and memorable meal. We'll be going back at some point this year. She bought me the entire PBS series "Made in Spain" for Christmas, so Jose is a MAJOR man-crush for me, .

[ThatGrrl]

I know I am giddy with anticipation for next week's show....my girlfriend and I had our first "real date" at minibar last May, and I have to say we could have done a LOT worse....  .  I generally avoid dinner out on Valentine's Day, but I think you scored the HUGE exception to that rule!  All I can say is ENJOY....what a wonderful and memorable meal.  We'll be going back at some point this year.  She bought me the entire PBS series "Made in Spain" for Christmas, so Jose is a MAJOR man-crush for me,  .

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Ever since I ate in a Madrid restaurant with a Ferran Adria created menu and chefs trained by him, years back, I've been wanting to go to Minibar. That meal in Spain made me an absolute nut over molecular gastronomy. I love that Tony has a passion for that type of food. "Decoding Ferran Adria" was so much fun! And certainly the time he spent with Ferran's brother on the show was wonderful. Jose Andres segment on Monday is super funny. And watch for when Jose smooshes Tony's face into a box of peaches at the farmer's market, insisting that he REALLY smell the peaches. Heh.

Think I'm going to hit Eden Center earlier in the day before Minibar (also in the DC show to air on Monday). It looks absolutely amazing! I'll just have to make sure I have room for dinner later.

[Zeemanb]

I know I am giddy with anticipation for next week's show....my girlfriend and I had our first "real date" at minibar last May, and I have to say we could have done a LOT worse....  .  I generally avoid dinner out on Valentine's Day, but I think you scored the HUGE exception to that rule!  All I can say is ENJOY....what a wonderful and memorable meal.  We'll be going back at some point this year.  She bought me the entire PBS series "Made in Spain" for Christmas, so Jose is a MAJOR man-crush for me,  .

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Ever since I ate in a Madrid restaurant with a Ferran Adria created menu and chefs trained by him, years back, I've been wanting to go to Minibar. That meal in Spain made me an absolute nut over molecular gastronomy. I love that Tony has a passion for that type of food. "Decoding Ferran Adria" was so much fun! And certainly the time he spent with Ferran's brother on the show was wonderful. Jose Andres segment on Monday is super funny. And watch for when Jose smooshes Tony's face into a box of peaches at the farmer's market, insisting that he REALLY smell the peaches. Heh.

Think I'm going to hit Eden Center earlier in the day before Minibar (also in the DC show to air on Monday). It looks absolutely amazing! I'll just have to make sure I have room for dinner later.

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If Tony goes to Central, then I'm just going to fall over. I can't take it. We just had the meal of a lifetime there a few weeks ago. "Bargain" is a relative word, but that's what it was. My girlfriend is here in Kansas City for Valentine's Day, and we'll be channeling good thoughts to you for your dinner at minibar.......hoping you get that Thai dessert we loved so much!

[richl2214]

Can't wait for Azores. My wife was born there and both sides of her family are from San Miguel. Going this year in September.

[rooftop1000]

Was that Ronnie in the Chicago episode????

tracey

[docsconz]

Was that Ronnie in the Chicago episode????

tracey

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It sure was.

[NancyH]

Yes - Ronnie looked pretty good, especially compared to a shot of me, hunched over the table trying to not throw up, in my shoulder sling and ER wrap contraption, nursing my torn labrum and trying to manage 20 units of legally administered morphine on an empty stomach - Tony - I am also a New Yorker and, if I didn't love you, you would be a dead man (kidding)!

Truthfully, Burt's pizza - which sat out on the hotel desk all night and was consumed for breakfast - was amazing. And mine was plain cheese - that purist thing I occasionally write about. I hadn't at all been impressed by the Malnati's deep dish we'd consumed the prior October - but Burt's was special stuff.

Hopefully, he'll let me in if I return. And I anticipate a deposition some time this year (City of Chicago, NOT Burt's).

Edited February 3, 2009 by NancyH (log)