lizzy69's Profile
Boudin Noir in Charlotte?
My Belgian husband would flip his lid (in a good way) if I made him boudin noir for Valentine's Day. Does anyone know of a great butcher in the Charlotte area (or Rock Hill SC) who makes unusual sausages? I would make it myself, but I don't have the equipment and frankly don't trust myself with the task! Thanks!
Hearth Iowa City?
Hi Hounds,
Has anyone been to the new sister restaurant of 126 yet (Hearth, next door)? Opened I think last weekend, we're thinking of going next week and want to know what everybody thinks...
Iowa City: The Chef's Table
Yes, exactly, but I think my French friend is planning a little "intervention" for Eric! She really does want him and the restaurant to do well, she just would like to give him a few hints on how to improve...(like adding salt to the bread and not heating fois gras as an appetizer, things like that). I think it might be too rich for our blood at this point, so I'll have to be o.k. with living vicariously through you all! ;)
Iowa City: The Chef's Table
Part III...
Conclusion:
Count an average of $60 per person (1 appetizer, 1 entree, 2 glasses of wine, dessert).
Good restaurant (si, si!), but simply not French (except for the wine selection)... or let's say, just exactly like the caricature of a French restaurant as most Americans envision it (i.e. uptight, new-age, snob cuisine, with very few to eat and a lot to pay at the end). Let's bring a precision here: no one in the staff was French, not even the Chef himself!
DO NOT EXPECT TO HAVE A FRENCH EXPERIENCE WHEN GOING TO CHEF'S TABLE. Then, you'll be find and you'll enjoy your meal, like you would do at Devotay or 126.
Chicago is NOT Iowa City, as we all know, but I did discover the BEST French restaurant on the Midwest 2 months ago there. The French Bistrot, just oh!so very French. Affordable (all the more so that it's in Chicago), with an amazing bistrot ambiance like you could find anywhere in France, simple, chic, but not uptight, with a lot to eat in your plate, and a real taste of my mum's cuisine. Amazing selection of French wine, wonderful waiters who do seak French.
My advice: if you REALLY want to knwo what French cuisine tastes like, pay yourself a trip to Chicago, a go to the French Bistrot. THAT would make it worth the trip, believe me!
Iowa City: The Chef's Table
Part II, just stop reading when you get bored!!
So. to make a long story short, the Foie Gras was disappointing, both in terms of quantity and quality. Also, it just wasn't accompanied properly. Believe it or not, but there are actual rules on how to accompany Foie Gras, and leek, gnocci and garlic do NOT belong to the list of things that go well with Foie Gras. Figues, apples, raisin would be much better. So, conclusion: big F on the Foie Gras, from a French perspective. And from an American perspective I'd say that, though you might not dislike it, you'll find anyway that it is awfully expensive for what it is.
Entrees: we were eager to see what was ahead of us after this disastrous experience with Foie Gras. During the 30-minute wait between our finishing the appetizers and the serving of the entrees, we decided to lower our expectations on the Confit and Magret, just to try to save our night.
The duck finally arrives (NB: 30-min wait in France is in the norm, but from an American perspective, as judged from our American guests at the table, you'd probably find it too long). It looked much better than the Foie Gras did. Accompanied with fresh asparagus, potatoes and onions, there were 3 little slilces of Magret (not a lot, to be true, but still better than the microscopic slice of Foie Gras) and a wing of duck Confit. Again, coming from the actual area in France that made duck its #1 priority, I had previous taste and standards in mind. I can't say it wasn't good, and I'm sure that those who have never had real duck South West of France would probably find it tasty, but *I* found it very average, and not even remotely comparable to my mum's duck confit. But I have to say, $19 for Duck confit was much more understandable and acceptable, than were the $16 for the Foie Gras.
In the meantime, we did dig into some good wine. I spent no less than 15 minutes studying their wine list, and judging by what was on the menu, they do seem to have made their forte on the wine. AMAZING selection of French wine!!!! But again, very expensive. Take the Sauternes, for instance, which we actually should have ordered to accompany our duck: $64 for the cheapest half-bottle, which is the exact same one as the one you can find at the Co-Op for $14 (which I already find outrageously expensive). No way!!!! We decided to pass!!!
I did please myself with a glass of Champagne though (because some French - the snobbest, like me - could actually do an entire meal only on Champagne). $12 for a glass of Moet & Chandon - completely worth it!!!! That's when you have to set your mind on quality rather than quality (or just decide to call your banker before ordering an entire bottle to explain to him your overdraft is going to be due to your economic support to the Champagne filiere). REAL REAL REAL Champagne, like you can barely find it anywhere else in the MidWest (did I mention that my father comes from Champagne? I was raised with Champagne in my glass instead of milk :) )
Dessert: a limited menu, but all seemed pretty good. You had the traditional creme brulee, that I'm guessing everyone would expect from a French restaurant, and some original choices (like the white chocolate tart). Good desserts, but not to die for. And more importantly, except for the creme brulee (which you can actually find in almost all American restaurants) there was nothing French about those desserts. I was probably expecting a Tarte Tatin, or a Poire Belle Helene, or a Peche Melba, or a Tarte aux Pommes (the French way, i.e. without the load of cinnamon that American apple pies have), or a Mousse au Chocolat.... none of those, although there are probably the top 10 most common desserts you'd find in any French restaurant... in France.
Iowa City: The Chef's Table
Hi again, here's the report from my French friends who went there last night...doesn't bode well...
My best friend Tony was dying to see the New Chef's Table restaurant open before his birthday, so that we could all go there to celebrate with a REAL, TRUE French meal, as the gustative aspects of our native culture tends to be missing so much in the US.
Full of high expectations, notably after stealing the menu 3 days prior to have dinner there, so we, Frenchies, who always take half an hour to order something even in the most common restaurant, could all take time to study it in-depths, we arrived at 7:30pm, ready to have the meal of our life.
The reception and the decoration looked fantastic: classy, chic, sophisticated, much like the type of restaurants you would usually find in big cities like Chicago or New York, and although none of us is really a Big-City person, it felt good to see simple refinement in a restaurant. The wooden path in the middle of the restaurant is very poetic. Wooden tables and chairs, all very sophisticated but extremely simple, filtered light, epurated walls, modern paintings on the wall, and, more importantly, 3 refined glasses on the table for each guest, and just as refined China to accompany them. The tables really looked like we were back to France.
Like all good Frenchies, we started asking for bread almost as soon as we sat down. The waitress brought us a variety of campagne bread... what a disappointment!!!! The bread was literally tasteless - no salt whatsoever. And as we had at our table an American friend who also happens to be a cook, and who does make his own bread, and makes it very well, we starting laughing and telling him that HE should have brought his bread to the restaurant, or that he should maybe see to be hired by the Chef as the boulanger. First bad note! A French restaurant should ALWAYS have the best, crispy outside, smooth inside, bread. Bread is THE basis of all good French cuisine
As we had time to study the menu at home, and as three of us were coming from South West of France, we just could not NOT order duck, which is the #1 culinary speciality of our native area. So duck for appetizer (that would be the Foie Gras) and Duck for entree (that would be the Confit and Magret).
As a matter of coincidence, just 3 weeks before that, I happened to have some foie gras at home that I had brought back from my last trip to France. As my boyfriend could not make it during that dinner, he had to discover foie gras from the few pieces of leftover that I had. He discovered it and liked it, and I told him I was sorry because what he had in his plate was probably only a quarter of the traditional portion you would have in each plate in France.
So, to go back to Chef's Table, we saw the Foie Gras arriving, and.... WOW... where exactly is the foie gras???!?!?!?!? OOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH.... wait! Give me a microscope.... That's this tiny microscopic thing in the middle of the plate!!!! To go back to my anecdot, the piece of foie gras we had in our plates was probably a third of the piece of foie gras my boyfriend had had 3 weeks before that as leftover, which was, in turn, only a quarter of what you would usually have in your plate in France. Doing the maths, I'd thus say that what we had in our plates at Chef's Table was only a 12th of a French portion of Foie Gras, for... $16!!!!!
Worse! That Foie Gras was cooked!!!Sacrilege!!!! Which also explains why it was so small!!!! But Foie Gras, except if it's explicitely mentioned that it is going to be cooked, in which case it's not an appetizer anymore, but an entree, should ALWAYS be raw!!!!!
TO BE CONTINUED...
Iowa City: The Chef's Table
You made me laugh! I lived in France for a long time and am bilingual, and know exactly what you're talking about! My French friend is one of the most positive people I know (she even liked the meal we recently had at Linn St....UGH!), so I'm sure she'll be happy. Thanks for the report, looking forward to trying it out. So what did your French "critic" say that was negative? Just curious. ;)
Iowa City: The Chef's Table
Has anyone tried the recently opened French restaurant on Washington? Reports? I have a group of French friends who have been salivating for months!
Iowa City
I have to admit, I really would be hesitant to lump Linn St. with Devotay and Motley Cow. I know there are some on this board who are not the biggest fans of Devotay, but I adore that place, have never had a bad experience. Motley Cow is also a fantastic place...Linn St. was bad on so many levels that I seriously couldn't count them. Must get to Redhead soon!!
Iowa City
Just wanted to give a mini-report on Linn Street. Went there for the first time the other night for a friend's birthday dinner, and we were seriously disappointed. I know that it's one of those restaurants that's gone down hill in a big way in the past few years, but they could at least have the decency to lower their prices to go with the sub-standard food! They served trout mousse with crackers (not homemade, just a step up from saltines), the scallops were fishy and terrible, the beans that came with my husband's lamb were literally crunchy, the salads looked like they came out of a dumpster, and my side dish just tasted like over-cooked soba noodles drenched in sesame oil. For all this, we got a bill that required us to take out another mortgage on our house. I would NOT recommend this restaurant, it was one of the WORST meals we've had in Iowa City. Spend your money elsewhere...
IOWA CITY, IOWA
I like your list, DHM. Went to Linn Street last night for a friend's birthday dinner, had never been before. I could write pages on how disappointing it was, but suffice to say that the meal was not NEARLY worth the money we spent. For sure on the "Don't go!" list (service was great though). I would put Devotay on the "highly recommended" list too, love that place. Agree with ctscorp, would also add Oyama to the "highly recommended" list for sushi. About Bluebird, have only been once, but had a really tasty breakfast there...blew away Hamburg Inn...we won't even go in there anymore. What's with the syrup there anyway?
Iowa City
Hi Moon Gal,
You are sooooo right, we really liked that place. Coming from San Diego and L.A. where there was really good Thai, we were happy to find Mekong and so sorry to hear that it had been closed due to the floods. I just heard the other day that they had relocated...they should get the word out! Looking forward to going back soon!
Greatest meal ever in SB region?
Thanks for the advice, that's great. Looking forward to it!
Greatest meal ever in SB region?
Thanks! I looked up the Ballard Inn and was planning on going there for dinner one night. I read though that Hadsten House might be a better (and slightly cheaper) place to stay in town...have you heard anything about it? I like that they have an on-site spa, too! :)
Breakfast in Cedar Rapids/Iowa City?
Perhaps it was just the day, but I did finally make it to Leaf Kitchen and had one of the worst breakfasts I've ever had. Eggs Benedict: dry bread, over-cooked eggs (yolks totally cooked through), and almost inedible hollondaise. Yuck. Same dish 100 times better at Blue Bird Diner.
Greatest meal ever in SB region?
Hi from the Midwest, CA hounds! I'll be turning 40 and taking a trip to SD with my husband in a few months. We are planning on leaving our son with his grandma and taking a three-day car trip from there to celebrate my 40th birthday. We don't want to get too far from SD (maybe three hours away, tops?), but the best hotel, food and wine will largely determine our final destination(s). Right now, central CA wine region is calling...Santa Barbara, Solvang, Los Olivos, but all suggestions are welcome. Thanks!
To-Die-For food and wine for 40th birthday!
Hi from the Midwest, CA hounds! I'll be turning 40 and taking a trip to SD with my husband in a few months. We are planning on leaving our son with his grandma and taking a three-day car trip from there to celebrate my 40th birthday. We don't want to get too far from SD (maybe three hours away, tops?), but the best hotel, food and wine will largely determine our final destination(s). Right now, central CA wine region is calling...Santa Barbara, Solvang, Los Olivos, but all suggestions are welcome. Thanks!
Where to eat in Prairie du Chien, WI, Marquette, IA or Minona, IA?
Thanks all, I really appreciate the help!
Where to eat in Prairie du Chien, WI, Marquette, IA or Minona, IA?
Hi Midwestern CHs,
In about three weeks, we'll be going up to stay in cabins near Minona/Marquette IA, just over the river from Prairie du Chien, WI. Any food suggestions for us? We'll be eating out a few times, but probably will just buy food and cook it for most of our meals. Thanks in advance!
Iowa City
Hey Dana Marie (I once had a roommate named that...you never lived in San Diego, did you??)...I would go to Devotay, without question. First of all, we've been at least 15 times and have never had anything short of a great experience. Secondly, my husband and I had our first meal there when visiting Iowa City for the first time, and at that very lunch decided to move here! Kurt does a great job with the place...the food, decor, service, all wonderful and relaxed.
Iowa City
Hi all,
Family is in from out of town, and they want to take us out for dinner. Looking for a place in or around Iowa City that has good entrees between $15-$20 other than Devotay (went there last time, they want to try a new place). One Twenty Six, Motley Cow, Linn Street Cafe, Vesta, Givannis, all a little too expensive (their entrees are between $20-$30)...other ideas? Taste on Melrose?? Tuscan Moon? Red Head? Augusta?
Thanks for the help...
Help in Iowa City!!
Hi all,
Family is in from out of town, and wants to take us out for dinner. Looking for a place in or around Iowa City that has good entrees between $15-$20 other than Devotay (went there last time, they want to try a new place). One Twenty Six, Motley Cow, Linn Street Cafe, Vesta, Givannis, all a little too expensive (their entrees are between $20-$30)...other ideas? Taste on Melrose?? Tuscan Moon? Red Head? Augusta?
Thanks for the help...
Iowa City
Hi all!
Went to Bluebird this morning and had a great experience, I'd like to report! Coffee was good, my eggs benedict was outstanding, and the other dishes at the table (veggie omelet, pancakes) were also apparently great. Prices are good, service was great, and the food came quickly and was hot. We went because Leaf kitchen is closed until the 6th, and I'm glad we did.
Iowa City
Husband and I went to Konomi last week upon your recommendation and had a wonderful meal. One surprise was a beef roll that was out of this world, and the "Captain Crunch" roll was also outstanding. The tuna was much better than at other IC sushi places, and the salmon was really amazing. Nice bar, beautiful and comfortable restaurant, place was packed on a Tuesday night, which is always a good sign. All in all, best sushi experience we've had in IC. Thanks for the rec!
New Year's Day brunch in Iowa City area?
Hi hounds, and happy holidays! I'm looking for a good brunch place to take out-of-town guests on New Year's Day in Iowa City (or within a 30 minute drive). Any ideas about what might be open?
Dinner in Iowa City
Hi guys...yes, just check that link, there are over 200 posts about Iowa City, a new one almost every day. There are many posts about the best sushi if he's interested. I would second the Devotay rec, one of the best in a very good restaurant town...
Thanksgiving in Iowa City
My family and I live in Iowa City and will be in town for the Thanksgiving holiday. We're looking for community service opportunities (cooking for those in need); does anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance!
Decorah IA
We did end up eating at Rubaiyat and had a really nice meal. I had the seafood pasta and my husband had the lamb, both were outstanding. We had a lovely lunch at Hart's Tea Room (I think that's what it's called), and were made to feel welcome even though we had just canoed for an hour and were filthy! Not exactly dressed for tea! Thanks for the ideas, we'll be back in Decorah soon for sure.
Decorah IA
Hi Hounds!
My husband and I will be going up to Decorah from Iowa City on Friday and were wondering which of the three restaurants you would recommend for our 10th anniversary dinner (romantic atmosphere important, obviously):
Rubaiyat
La Rana
Daton House of Seafood
We'll be walking from our hotel downtown, so something local would be great if you have other ideas.
We'll be there I think for two lunches too (maybe one would be a picnic?). Any good sandwich/take-out places in town?
Thanks for your help!
