I agree with GreenYoshi below. If you mean Sinatra, El Gaucho is it.

If you mean The Breakers, Canlis is it.

Incidentally, I dined at El Gaucho tonight, and while their filet mignon and king salmon were both delicious, the vibe I got at the Seattle location was more old than old school. It felt dated, and not in a good way.

Hi Steve:

I'm Iranian-American, and seeing Iranian-American cooks in the kitchen of Persian restaurants is normal. Similarly, non-Iranian cooks in Persian restaurants seems abnormal, and would raise my eyebrow.

It's analogous to the rare occasion I meet a non-Iranian who speaks fluent Farsi. Hearing Farsi out of the mouth of an Iranian is normal, but the former is always surprising and unexpected.

There is nothing to prevent anyone from mastering Persian cooking (or language). Food should be judged blinded to the individual(s) who prepared it in order to prevent bias.

However, the likelihood that a great cook of Persian food is of Iranian descent is high, and the likelihood that a great cook of Persian food is of non-Iranian descent is low, though nothing would preclude it from being possible. It's just rare.

We make the decision to pay for the food at a restaurant before having the opportunity to try the food. In the case of two identical sushi restaurants with identical menus, and all other things being equal, before having tried either one of them, I might be tempted to try the one with Japanese chefs rather than the one with French chefs. In simpler terms, we're forced to "judge the book by its cover" a bit before making the financial investment of trying a restaurant.

Despite this temptation (or prejudice), there is no way to know which restaurant serves the better food without trying the sushi at both locations. And there is obviously no genetic aptitude to making sushi, and a sushi master like Jiro Ono could train any diligent apprentice to be a master sushi chef given enough time and effort.

To reference the Anton Ego from the highly relevant 2007 cartoon film, Ratatouille:

"In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little, yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the *new*. The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations. The new needs friends. Last night, I experienced something new: an extraordinary meal from a singularly unexpected source. To say that both the meal and its maker have challenged my preconceptions about fine cooking is a gross understatement. They have rocked me to my core. In the past, I have made no secret of my disdain for Chef Gusteau's famous motto, "Anyone can cook." But I realize, only now do I truly understand what he meant. Not everyone can become a great artist; but a great artist *can* come from *anywhere*. It is difficult to imagine more humble origins than those of the genius now cooking at Gusteau's, who is, in this critic's opinion, nothing less than the finest chef in France. I will be returning to Gusteau's soon, hungry for more."

alarash

Yes, it's impractical to "sauté" with, in the classic sense, unless you do it with two hands, and even then, wouldn't be easy. I have 3mm copper pans of the same proportion, with but with loop handles, making them a "rondeau" rather than saute. If I owned the pan you were describing, I would cherish it, and use it as a rondeau.

The weight and dimensions make perfect sense. Have a look at this auctuon on ebay 140959342510. The pan in question is the same dimensions (15.45-16 inches across, 9.2 kg = 20.24 lbs). Hopefully yours was a bit cheaper, and hopefully you bought it! I wouldn't pass up on a pan like that if I could afford it, because as you mentioned they are uncommon.

After living in Baltimore for 5 years, and recently moving back to the west coast, I'd like to point out that my favorite restaurant in the whole world, and also my second favorite restaurant, are both in Baltimore.

My absolute favorite place anywhere is The Woodberry Kitchen. It's rustic, down to earth, fresh, and delicious in every way.

My second favorite place anywhere is Le Petit Louis. A french bistro with all of the delicate details of common bistro food which make you certain you're in Paris.

Occasionally I suggest to my wife that we fly back and check out our old home town and eat at these two places. There are other great restaurants in Baltimore, too.

Overall, I would not say I have a "food crush" on the city, though their restaurants are very good, and the average bar in Baltimore cooks their food from scratch. I can name several great restaurants there, but I could do the same in our new home town in Sacramento. This leads me to believe that most mid-size american cities have good restaurants, if you take the time to find them.

But The Woodberry and Petit Louis are absolutely exceptional in my book.

I lived in Baltimore from 2007-12, and I converted to Maryland crab soup, too.

Hi Chipped Ham,

How about posting a photo of that beautiful hotel-sized saute?

What are the markings? What does she weigh?

Thanks in advance!

alarash

About 12 years ago, my family took me out to the Met for my birthday. I was in my mid 20's. I ordered a new york cooked medium, and my Dad ordered the same cut of beef.

My Dad, being the old-school guy that he is, orders steaks well done. I know.... we always roll our eyes at him when he does this, and to this day I think that he thinks well done literally means "well done", as in "appropriately done."

In any case, the waiter brought the meals to the table for all 5 of us. I was two bites in when I realized my steak was well done. My Dad on the other hand was loving the medium steak served to him.

I brought it to the waiter's attention that he had switched the steaks. My Dad decided he was happy to keep eating my steak. I was NOT happy to eat his. So for the next 10-15 minutes while my family members ate their meals, the birthday boy sat and watched, waiting for them to cook me a medium steak all over again.

I hated that birthday dinner and am still sore over it to this day (can you tell?). I was really pissed they didn't do anything to make it right (like not charging us, etc). All they did was apologize.

Anyway, we went back many times over the years, and I would still go back today. But if anything like that happens again when I'm there, I swear I'll blow a fuse.

I think they call it a delmonico, if I'm not mistaken.

That spinalis really is the shizzle.

When I was living in Baltimore, and had access to Fogo de Chao, sometimes I would go there and eat *just* spinalis for dinner.

I wish I could buy it at the butcher. I guess you could buy the whole rib roast and dissect it off, but who's got that kind of cash?

1. The thicker the copper, the better, minimum 2.5 mm.

2. Shape and lining have negligible practical differences, in my opinion, wooden spoons are common, and high quality plastic wisks are widely available.

What I've noticed is that a substantial factor in the decision are peoples sensibilities. I'm old school. I tend to prefer old-but-good stuff. I tend to subscribe to the "they just don't make them like they used to" mentality. As a result, I chose the tinned Faitout (Windsor) straight walled variety.

My wife on the other hand, she tends to lean toward new technology, and she prefers SS-lined rounded sides of the Bourgeat/Falk variety. She also feels newer SS-lined copperware is just cleaner and more sanitary than the 60 year old pan I tend to reach for. Or at least that's the impression of cleanliness she gets from the new school pans.

In the end, I think the only thing that might make a difference in the flavor of your sauce might be the thickness of the copper. The rest is more a result of your personal aesthetic.

My 2 cents.

"I know you agree with me that "common sense" is an oxymoron. :-)"

I'm tickled whenever someone makes a derivative of this comment. It strikes me that implied within the comment is the notion that the speaker is among the rational few who *have* "common" sense.

Do others get this sense, too?

I just always found that to be funny :-)

I'll take two of those touring cars, please.

Oh my what sad news, as the skin on marconas are my favorite! And usually slightly cheaper, too. But at least they will continue stocking the rosemary variety(?)

Great score!

Cookware is not all about practicality. I'm of the opinion that it's okay to obtain certain items just because you want to have them.

And in your case, it sounds like you actually are going to use them pretty often.

Post a photo of them in action some time.

Thank you for the extensive review. I hope to try both of these restaurants sometime soon.

I wonder what you would think of Mamnoon if it were inconveniently far, and if Munir were close?

wow.

Dear Aaron,

Thank you so much for your help. I truly appreciate your lengthy review. I wonder if others can chime in to let us all know their experience at Oregon Retinners.

I have about a dozen pots and pans that need retinning, and a few might benefit from tightening of rivets, too. I tried to learn how to do it myself, and I even tried once with my good friend Kaleo one day. We struggled, and did about a C+ job. It was lots of fun, but I'm not sure I'll try it again until I can get a lesson from a pro.

Regarding the dozen or so pans that need refurbishing, I was considering sending one to OR, and another to RMR. I was planning on comparing the two products upon return, and sending the remainder of the pans in one or two large boxes to the victor. In the interim, I'm saving money for the job.

The other alternative I was considering is LJ Gonzales down in NOLA, who I've spoken with by phone. Kaleo has trained with him for a day and learned quite a lot. Also, last year when I was trying to learn the art for myself, I tried phoning all the professionals for advice before starting the project (RMR, OR, Atlantic, East Coast Retinning, Metal Coating Company). None of them helped me, and several were rude to me and offended that I was asking about their trade. Not so with LJ Gonzales. LJ called me back after I left a message, and spent about half hour with me on the phone answering all of my questions. He was selfless. I was impressed with him. I wish I could have been there when Kaleo met up with him.

alarash

Hi andreadoria36,

Tell us more about your experience with the other company. Was it Oregon Retinners (www.retinners.com)? Many of us are eager for a detailed review of their work, especially since they are the least expensive, and are relatively close for us west coasters.

How recent was your experience?
What did they re-tin for you?
How did the interior of the pot look after they fixed it?
How did the exterior look after they returned it?
How was the turnaround time?
Were they responsive by email/phone to your concerns?
Did they offer to do anything to make it right?

The more information you can offer, the better.

Thanks so much.

alarash

Hi DuffyH,

"I have not found a purpose for any stainless steel cookware. There is no application in my kitchen (or any I can think of at all) where stainless steel would be the cooking surface of choice."

IMHO, stainless cookware has several advantages, in that it's affordable, durable, washable in a machine, and is versatile (*usable* in almost any application). I routinely recommend a good stainless starter set to younger friends who are still in school, but want to upgrade beyond the ultra-cheap "dollar store" pots and pans. (Often I recommend something like Kirkland Signature for example).

The two comments above, taken together, were meant to express that there is no single application I can think of (browning, searing, caramelizing, stewing, boiling, simmering, etc) where stainless performs the best. Hence, for me, there's no role for it in my kitchen.

For example, when frying eggs, a small 6" thick aluminum teflon coated commercial fry pan for $10 at Sam's club is outperforms anything else. Thus, I keep one handy and use it every day.

For cooking any meat for dinner (beef, lamb, pork, chicken, fish) I use my seasoned carbon steel because it outperforms anything else (except for copper, which takes longer to clean, so I don't use it daily, even though I am blessed to have it).

For stews, I like the heat retention of iron during the slow cook process, so I keep a medium ECI dutch oven handy for frequent use.

Stainless can be used for all of these applications, but given the same cook using the instruments, I would argue the other utensils would have an edge over stainless.

That having been said, I readily admit a good cook would cook the pants off me using stainless, despite me using my pans of choice.

Finally, a word on copper cookware. I got my first two pans together from a lady on craigslist. I used them, immediately fell in love with the precision and control they offer, and have since made a habit of checking craigslist and ebay regularly for bargains. I recommend anyone who is interested to follow suit, as it really performs the best, in my opinion.

I invite those who have not already read them to peruse the related copper links here on CH, and to pay close attention to Kaleokahu's comments, as I have found them to be particularly grounded in science, and less biased than some other frequent posters on CH who have nonetheless gained a substantial following.

If you ever decide to try a copper pan, it won't take long to find a 3mm thick iron handled pan with a good tin lining. There are lots of bargains if you look closely. I drive an '05 Corolla, but despite my pay grade, have added a significant copper component at bargain prices. I use them mostly on weekends though, since I get home tired on weeknights and use the other cookware I mentioned due to ease of cleaning.

Good luck,

alarash

Hi toyopl,

I have two of the same Debuyer carbon steel mineral pans, and I've been using them for about 6 months. My carbon steel 10" frying pan is the pan I use the most these days. It is well seasoned, so is essentially non-stick. Since it is a monoblock, I have no hesitation to turn the gas hob on high to get it smoking hot before searing meats. It's not very heat responsive, so I can't do anything delicate with it, but I use it every night to cook dinner. When I'm done cooking, I just run hot water over it and scrub it with a stiff-bristled plastic brush, and the clean up is finished. I store it right there on the range.

I keep a commercial grade small 6" heavy aluminum teflon coated fry pan for eggs in the morning.

I keep a medium LC enameled cast iron dutch oven handy for stews.

While I consider myself a cookware junkie, and even though tinned heavy copper is my absolute favorite type of cookware to use, for the last few months the above 3 pans are all I've needed 95% of the time.

With all due respect to the others who disagree with me, I have not found a purpose for any stainless steel cookware. There is no application in my kitchen (or any I can think of at all) where stainless steel would be the cooking surface of choice. If I wasn't so lazy when it comes to washing dishes, I would use my tinned copper daily, since it is apparent to me that in every application I can think of, it is clearly the best cooking surface.

alarash

I own the above mentioned rondeau. It's just an amazing pan, so heavy, so responsive, so sturdy, and soooo pretty. $300 is not a small sum of money, but to me it's been really worth it.

Hi klsalas,

"I am starting to find irritating the refrain I have seen in several articles about how Seattle is behind the times in its coffee culture."

Seattle is the espresso Mecca of the world.

Not because we're smarter, or inherently better, but because we are infatuated by espresso.

The mean of Seattlites' interest in espresso is significantly higher than the mean interest in espresso of people in other cities.

Because the mean of our population distribution is "right-shifted", we have a larger percentage (and larger absolute number) of people who are 110% dedicated to coffee as their career in such a way that they push the leading edge of its technology. In other words, we have produced more coffee geniuses.

Why is there a higher than average interest in coffee in Seattle? High number of gray days per year making caffeine use common (and hence a large economic consumer market)? Prominent history of coffee/espresso in our city?

The others are making great contributions, too, but you can't blame them for being a bit jealous.

alarash

Hi bennyboy1,

Could you direct me to the Mandarin and The Golden Dragon, which you recommend? It seems there are a couple restaurants with those names, and I'd like to try them.

Also, what do you recommend we not miss at each place?

alarash

Hi howard 1st,

YES!!

It was definitely Gaspare's. I went with 5 other guys, all in our mid 20's. we sat around a large table, the server was the owners daughter. I remember feeling bad for them as the place was empty on that particular weeknight.

I wasn't optimistic for the food. Ordered the most expensive thing on the menu ($17), a mixed seafood pasta. It was delicious. I would have considered it a bargain at $25.

I ordered a similar dish at every Italian place I've dined at since, and have never been as satisfied.

I hope the owners family is doing well, and hope their fortunes have turned for the better. The one night I spent in their company was a memorable one, and I'm grateful to them for it.

alarash

Hi JayDK,

My Mom buys frozen Sangak bread from persian markets in Bellevue (Persepolis Specialties, 13112 Northeast 20th Street). I'm pretty sure they're imported from LA, though. Still tastes pretty darn good out of the toaster, but nothing like having one fresh out of the tanoor.

Where did you see the process of making Sangak? You can see it on youtube. Sang means stone in Farsi, and the ending -ak means "small", so Sangak literally means "small stone."

I'm not an expert, but I think this in reference to the small stones (pebbles) on which the flat dough is laid to bake. When the flat sangak bread is cooked and removed from the oven, the baker carefully removes any pebbles which have stuck to the bread to spare you the trip to the dentist.

alarash

About 10 years ago I had a delicious meal at a family owned Italian dive on Lake City Way near 15th (i think), back when I was still a student.

I went searching on google maps, and I am saddened that it appears they have closed.

Well, I guess in the company of a warm pancake or two, or even better, a crepe!, I would welcome some fresh sweet blackberries. yum!

Berries in general I would except from my generalization.

I was originally thinking more about the typical things my svelte wife eats in the AM: cut cantaloupe, peached, apples, pears, orange wedges.

I prefer something warm, or even a low carb protein shake.

worth the read.

i'll try it next time i'm back home.

fruit.

love it after dinner, or midday, but cold fruit for breakfast (in the absence of hot oatmeal) isn't my cup of tea.

Mmmmm........ tea!

Hi CocoDan,

I cooked Cacio e Pepe tonight for my wife, and couldn't resist responding.

When I see that cheese is starting to clump or stick to the pan, I scoop another half ladle of salt water from the pot the noodles were boiled in and add it to the cheese/noodle mixture, and with a little heat, the cheese clumps mostly fold into the noodles.

It's a simple dish, but must be done delicately to get it right. I've had variable success and still need practice, but I'd give myself a B+ for tonight's version. I served it alongside a pan fried 6 oz tri-tip steak, which I find to be very flavorful, though a bit tougher than traditional cuts.

alarash