jack van praag's Profile
Fellow culinary professionals please help!!
Hi there, I am on a desperate search for a spare part (the agitator) for the carpigiani "boil 5" ice cream pasteuriser.
I just need the part for a day so that i can take the measurements and get another one cut. It is a bit of a rare machine and as it is the type that is more suited to restaurants than ice cream shops cold calling has not got me anywhere.
Do any of you kind folks have one of these in your kitchens? would be SO grateful for any help or leads!!
Where to buy anchovies in salt? [London]
I have been searching hard for a to place to buy anchovies IN SALT (in London or online) and am astonished that it is proving so difficult. They are not exactly an obscure ingredient! Can anyone please point me in the right direction!?
Where to buy new season olive oil in Florence
I am journeying to Florence next week would like to pick up some high quality olive oil from the last season's pressing. I will be staying in Settignano with family and will have access to a car so can travl a bit outside Florence. Can anyone point me in the right direction and/or recommend particular oils etc?!
Pizza al taglio, London
NYLONDave; Not been able to try Maletti yet as it is closed on weekends and that is when I am mostly in London, it has been on my list for a while, look forward to it!
Helen b: I too am rather keen on Franco Manca but what I am actually interested in getting a conversation going on about is Pizza al Taglio (pizza by the cut/slice).
I.e I believe Pizza al taglio can also be of very high quality, some of the best pizza I have eaten has been Pizza al taglio in Rome. Beautiful beautiful snack-food when it is done properly.
Pizza al taglio, London
I am a great fan of pizza al taglio and am trying to find somewhere of exceptional quality in London. Am I being overly optimistic? I hope not.
I have recently tried adagio pizza al taglio in soho and was not impressed. ridiculous toppings and the much talked about dough was rather bland.
Cambridge - heeeeeeelp!
there is also the rather lovely 'thanh binh'. A really great Viet place on Bridge Street, It is BYO (small corkage fee). Good value and in the older part of town.
also, in the very small area of Cambridge that is familiar to academics, there is riceboat. Kerelan food, not that great in my opinion but quite highly regarded in Cambridge.
Just down the road there is Sala Thong (the first thai restaurant in Cambridge I believe) which has a good reputation. I have not been for a couple of years and I have always had lovely meals there. Not much of an atmosphere though. Both of these places are on Newnham Rd.
For Indian food. There are many, my current favourite is Panahar, on Norfolk Street.
Seoul Plaza on Mill Rd also sells pretty good Korean food. They sell good Korean style sushi on tuesdays and fridays (gets delivered at around noon and sells out pretty fast) and some other nice prepared things too. Cheap.
Where to shop in Nice and the surrounding areas?
One week in, the Rue du Marche in Vence is indeed excellent. Also in Vence, there is a Vencois market on Fridays whish is rather good. Some fantastic produce and also a guy with a portable wood-fired oven selling socca.
Where to shop in Nice and the surrounding areas?
Has anyone been to the fish market in Nice? I.e the early morning one? Is it open to the public (I would buying fish for 20, not just wandering around and getting in the way)? All advice on that would be welcome!
Also, I am almost out of ingredients and would like to go market shopping tomorrow but it looks like most are shut on Mondays. Are there any good markets (maybe some of the ones you mentioned) that are open on Monday mornings?
Where to shop in Nice and the surrounding areas?
Thanks for all the wonderful and detailed advice!! I am going for two weeks so should have time to see all your suggestions.
I will be sure to report back.....
Where to shop in Nice and the surrounding areas?
I am popping down to Nice/Vence for a couple of weeks and am looking for good places to stock up on delicious things.
I have searched the board but not come up with much, I am looking for markets, fishmongers, cheesemongers, quirky specialist vendors etc and great bread.
I am looking for the real thing, genuinely great and French produce, no vegetables from Spain or Kenya etc, as one so often sees in Paris, even at Batignolles/ Blvd Raspail etc.
La Vitrine (in the old spring/table 28 space), anyone been?
I, for one, was not assuming it would be good. I was also trying not to assume that it would be bad.
Roast chicken in Paris
Fantastic post indeed. Do you have any more detils on this venture soon to open in the 15th!?
Best Pizza in Florence
Hello, I know that Florence is not exactly known for it's quality of pizza but I am going to be there in a couple of weeks and am hoping to get a fix. Looking for al taglio places as well as restaurants. All suggestions very welcomed!
Where to eat in Florence in a Sunday?
Hello, I am looking for places to eat in, or around, Florence that are open on a Sunday. Traditional, ingredient led cooking, preferred. Thanks!
La Vitrine (in the old spring/table 28 space), anyone been?
I just noticed that a new venture has popped up where spring etc was. Has anyone been yet or know anything else about it (i.e. who is cooking etc)?
I was in a rush so all I could gather was that it is a E35 formula (give or take a euro or two) and that it was 4-4-4 menu or maybe 5-5-5 (which seems kind of crazy with still only 16 seats!).
Gothenburg, Sweden? (Goteborg)
I have just returned from Gothenburg and I have to saay that I was not impressed by the food. I only had a couple f days so I did not get enough to fairly judge the food scene of the city, i am only critical of the places I went to.
Smaka was quite terrible. The meatballs were really not very good and they were served with lukewarm/cold mash that has little flavour and and dull brown cream sauce. At least it was not expensive.
Hemma Hos was ok, but only in comparison with the other places I went to Gothenburg. It was nice to be able to sample lots of small dishes though. In a nice area too.
Solrossen was really nice. Very generous. Certainly not a gastronomic spot though.
And as for the fish soup at Amanda Broman. Maybe I went on an off day. The only good thing I can say about it iss it was fast service. The soup itself was nothing special. And the huge dollop of Alioli? (couldn't detect much garlic) was not even freshly made. It was the sickly white stuff. If it was homemade it must have had only a trace of egg yolk in and god knows what else. The soup was lacking punch, it did have some nice pieces of fish in it though. But for 14 euro it should do. It was also not very generous a portion for that price.
I have never typed such a negative post, i feel bad about it. But that was my experience.
On the plus side I bought some wonderful cheeses from a very very nice and helpful guy in the Saluhallen. The place was called Berglund and Wallden and they only sold cheeses from the local area (state/county, not sure what one says when referring to Sweden), very artisinal. Amongst others, I highly recommend the Spiran, a really delicious goat and cow blend.
Also at Saluhall Briggen there is a butcher at the far end who sells a delicious (and traditional?) elk salami.
Nice places to eat in Chartres?
I am going down to Chartres for the day (Sunday), do I have any chance of finding a good meal? Two good places would be best (lunch and dinner)!
The friends I am meeting there (not locals) are talking about La Vieille Maison, anyone been? Thanks people.
Where to buy Portugeuse products in Paris?
Also, whilst we are on the sourcing subject, does anyone know where I can find saltpetre in Paris?
Where to buy Portugeuse products in Paris?
Hello,
I am getting into Portuguese cooking but having trouble finding some of the right ingredients,ie:
Lupini beans
Piri Piri chillies
Chourico and other sausages
and more
If anyone can point me in the right direction that would be great!
Remind me where the authentic Japanese food in Paris is?
Kunitoraya is a pretty authentic udon joint. i think. rue st anne once again. about 12-15E for a bowl. Try to not let them seat you downstairs.
Paris, Les Racines
I had many a great meal there when it was under Pierre Jancou, now that it has been sold, and had a few months for the new owner to adjust, I was wondering if anyone has been and what they thought?
Paris over easter, how much does it shut down?
Hello, I have a friend who is thinking of visiting Paris over the Easter weekend.
How much notice do the food establishments of Paris take of this holiday. I am talking mid to top level restaurants and also top level chocolate shops, bakeries and pastry shops. Just looking for a rough idea! Thanks.
Great places in Paris where you don't need a reservation
Thanks for the tips guys. Maybe I was not completely clear. Most of the time when I eat out I book in advance. Days, weeks or months. Whatever required. However, occasionally, I want to go out for a meal when I had not planned to in advance. So, what I am trying to ask for help with is places that one has a good chance of getting into on the day. And have had some good feedback thus far, thanks!
Also, L'Atelier was clearly an awful example. I have only been to the London outpost (and it was not very busy, either time), clearly things are different here in Paris.
At all the other places that I mentioned I have never waited more than twenty minutes, maybe I have been fortunate?
Great places in Paris where you don't need a reservation
Hello everyone, I am trying to compile a list of places to go to on a whim, at all price points. So i guess I am asking about places that either have a no reservation policy, or keep some tables open for walk-ins (or maybe have a bar which you can eat at with no reservation). All help greatly appreciated!
The only ones I have so far are:
l'atelier de joel robuchon
Le Baratin (at the bar)
Le Comptoir (lunch times)
Kunitoraya
Pretty much all the south-east asian places
