JeffW's Profile
First time to Paris in 27 years, this May.
Thank you ChefJune....I love that idea of checking out Patricia Well's web site. And your other tip too!
Cheers,
Jeff
First time to Paris in 27 years, this May.
This is so funny, and wow....talk about a small world! Uhockey was in Los Angeles for a few days, and I was going to finally meet this wonderful chow contributor and writer....that is until I had a partial tear in my Tibial tendon, and was casted for 5 weeks....ugh.
First time to Paris in 27 years, this May.
Thank you thimes for sharing. I only now just decided to learn more about Chow, and see if indeed there was a board for Paris. We're staying in a small hotel called Pont Royal....I think it's the 7th. arrondissement. Our last trip, when we were in our 20's, had us staying in Montparnasse. What I remembered about that exciting trip was that we would take the Metro all over the place, just for the fun of being in various parts of the city....we would do this even if we had just an hour before a dinner reservation....just so much fun to go exploring. I'd like to think that we're still young in the mind, to do this again....our bodies??? Well just fabulous :) It's the mind thing that can change. :) :)
No budgetary concerns for this trip, but maybe that's because I can remember the two of us absolutely feasting at Taillevent for $150 PER COUPLE!!! Obviously I know this is a "blast from the past". I guess I'd like to think that a lovely meal might be had for 250 Euro's per couple, but I might be completely off here. We're fine heading out to wonderful Bistros, and I'm guessing that this pricepoint might be doable in this type of milieu. Maybe we could do 2 bistro type of meals, and maybe one big blow out. I remember a spot back then called L'Ami Louis (sp?) They were booked solid, and at that time the chef or chef/owner was Antoine Magnin. Don't know what this place is like today. Anyway, I think I'm rambling here, so will close for now. Thank you again for your input.
Cheers,
J
First time to Paris in 27 years, this May.
Really dating myself here, but that's o.k. (56) Our first and only trip to Paris had us dining at Michel Rostang, Au Pre Catelan, Taillevent, Jamin, and Chez Phillipe....Haven't a clue as to where to spend our 3 dinners this time. We are passionate about Foie Gras, and just love to be in places where there is warmth and marvelous food. Less important is dining at one of the fancy places, although that being said, if this is where the best food is, so be it! We start off in Barcelona for 2 nights, and then a 10 day cruise...then Rome for two nights, and our final 3 days of this special trip will be in your beautiful city. How well i can remember Berthillon for ice cream during the day, and we'll absolutely be re-living this wonderful experience. When we traveled to your romantic city those years ago, it was just after a Patricia Wells book came out, called "The Food Lover's Guide to Paris"....this book was our bible, and my how we ate....just stupendous.
Should there be a recommended book that might evoke the same excitement of how to spend our 3 days of exquisite eats, I'd so appreciate hearing....and the same goes for any tips on special restaurants, bakeries, chocolatiers, or anything culinary that we should not miss, I would be grateful to hear.
My very best to all of my Chow brethren and sistren (did I just make up a word?) in the City of light.
Cheers,
Jeff
Cooking hash browns: a side-by-side method comparison
I do hope the 1 1/2 "TABLESPOONS" salt is a typo.
Around My French Table
Happy New Year all. I stumbled on this post only just now...WOW, lots of responses. Not able to pore through all of them, so hopefully I'm not being redundant. From this book I've made the Stuffed Pumpkin. I used a Kabocha squash instead which some call "Japanese Pumpkin". It was a stellar dish. I used a tad more cream for the texture that I wanted....I think maybe 1/2 cup. I baked it on a pan and the Kabocha kept its shape beautifully....it's a less watery squash than a sugar pumpkin, plus if desired one can actually eat the skin of a Kabocha. The only other recipe I made from the book so far was the "top secret" chocolate mousse. That one won't be made again.
Cheers,
Jeff
Happy entering Pizzeria Mozza....so satisfied when leaving.
Might give that a try too....hmmm, do you think this would work for JAR'S Butterscotch pudding ? :)
Sushi Zo or Asanebo?
And I agree with you too! Stellar quality, and I will never forget the soy sauce that had a wonderful smoky lilt. The owner has changed regarding humbleness, which in a perfect world, we would all be.....humble and feeling the connection between us all.
Happy entering Pizzeria Mozza....so satisfied when leaving.
Wow! There is hope. Thank you so much for the suggestion....looks like I have to wait until August 2011...oy!
Jeff
Sushi Zo or Asanebo?
First of all, happy birthday! Every aspect of your birthday dinner should be perfect.... I love nothing more than to feel satisfied on all levels when entering and finally leaving a restaurant, I will use this criteria to personally recommend that you should choose Asanebo versus Sushi Zo. No doubt you would experience first rate quality at Zo, as you would at Asanebo. In the beginning of Sushi Zo's reign, we've enjoyed delicious sushi. We returned about a month ago, and with a reservation yet! Upon entering, we were treated with utter coldness, as well as the sushi master himself being a little "grumpy", and un-welcoming. We ended up on Sawtelle that night, and we won't be returning.
-----
Sushi Zo
9824 National Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90034
Asanebo
11941 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604
Happy entering Pizzeria Mozza....so satisfied when leaving.
Greetings fellow Chowhounds,
Another enjoyable evening for us last night at Pizzeria Mozza. We had the Butternut Squash Bruschette with applewood smoked bacon and bitter greens, tri-color salad, and of course utterly fabulous pizzas.
I guess I will find out if I've posted in the right area of Chow or not.....I have a particular question....is anyone out there privy to the recipe for the aforementioned Bruschette? I would give anything to prepare and devour this dish in our home.
Cheers,
Jeff
-----
Pizzeria Mozza
6602 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90038
Pizzeria Mozza
641 N. Highland Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Prime Steakhouse at Bellagio
Greetings Eujeanie,
May I be frank as well regarding Prime? We thought the room was lovely, but that's about all I can say in a positive lilt. Our steaks were average at best. I realize this may sound a little absurd, but these days, when we want a great steak in Las Vegas, we head for......Joe's STONECRAB! We sit in the main dining room, and have a grand old time. Mind you, the atmosphere may not be the same as nestling into a swank room, but it works for us. Not so different from the steakhouse atmosphere of The Palm, or Morton's, etc.
Grateful to be in the following "rut"...fine dining question.
Thanks for your post....a very nice memory for your girls, enjoying the "good life" at such a tender age...by me, I was lucky if my parents would take me to a cafeteria :)
Cheers,
J
Grateful to be in the following "rut"...fine dining question.
Hmmm, more to "chew on". Thnx, Jason. Uhockey as well, is doing the L'Atelier experience on his next trip......so many restaurants, so little time :)
Grateful to be in the following "rut"...fine dining question.
A friend of mine told me the same thing....that he will be around in November. Whether or not he will be in the restaurant on the 18th., who knows....no doubt his crew runs a very tight ship every day, but knowing that Robuchon will be in town does make me feel good.
Grateful to be in the following "rut"...fine dining question.
Hey again Uhockey,
Your coming trip to Las Vegas sounds like you are going to be very well taken care of...enjoy to the max! You've brought up Alex, and we've dined there twice. Our first meal was a deux, and let me tell you....simply ummmazing. Our second Alex experience was when we gave my in-laws a 60th. anniversary party. We took over a private room, and the pampering was luxuriant. There were 10 of us, and we arranged our own menus, with maybe 3 choices within each course category. A lovely evening to be sure, but in this type of atmosphere, we felt ultimately that the cuisine took a bit of a hit. No doubt we will return to this restaurant, but not for a party. Again, I am looking forward to delving into your blog site.
Cheers,
Jeff
Grateful to be in the following "rut"...fine dining question.
Thank you Willyum for your generous response...Funny thing...today, even before having read your post, I was musing about our coming Robuchon experience and the 16 courses...I've been re-thinking the merits or lack thereof so many courses. I believe it's time to do a little homework, and finesse a 5 or 6 course meal, with perhaps an extra thrown in. Uhockey's post gave me the entry to his blogspot, and thereby my first knowledge of Alinea...and now you've gone and mentioned that restaurant as well. Looks like Chicago may be on our "soon list". Enjoy Guy Savoy in November....we've had the thrill of dining at his restaurant in Paris, half a lifetime ago! Our two nighter "double nickels" birthday trip won't have us dining at another restaurant in the tier of Robuchon, so we'll save that for a future trip...our first night will be at Joe's Stone Crab....and believe it or not, it's for their steaks!
Cheers, and thanks again for sharing your thoughts,
Jeff
Grateful to be in the following "rut"...fine dining question.
Big thank you here. Your blog is "off the charts" with interesting content and detail...some good writing going on...who knew about this dividend? Heck, now I'm hell bent on "googling" for the graham cracker crusted French toast recipe.
I feel stronger now about keeping our table at Joel Robuchon, without the necessity of different wines for each course...so thanks for that as well.
Cheers, and I'm looking forward to delving into your blogsite
Jeff
Grateful to be in the following "rut"...fine dining question.
Greetings fellow Hounds,
I'm writing one month in advance of turning "double nickels"...we're celebrating my day with hopefully a truly memorable and an "exquisite on all levels" dining experience on Nov. 18th. Not too much to ask for, is it :) ?
For us, the holy grail here in Los Angeles, is when we've pulled out all of the stops for dinner at Urasawa for exquisite sushi and more. Since my husband turned 50 (5 years ago), we've partaken 4 times, and we were all but positive that this is where we'd ring in the start of my 55th. year.
As hedonistic as it sounds, we've gotten used to this special type of evening, running over the thousand dollar price point, and here is where Las Vegas comes into play. We have never experienced the meal at Joel Robuchon, although we've dined at his restaurant Jamin, in Paris years ago. We are aware of the $385 per person cost, and we've booked a table. Something occurred today that is giving us pause for re-thinking this extravagant evening. Sixteen courses is a bounty of food to be sure, and we realize that the evening will run for hours....which we dig! For the ducks of it, I tried to "google" to see what the cost of wine pairing might be to accompany 16 courses. I couldn't find any answer, so I finally called the restaurant. I was told that wine pairing for this spectacular meal would cost between $299 and (gasp) $900 per person, in addition to the cost of the meal. The wine pairing for this type of event seemed so important, but I confess that at this point, we're in the "all or nothing" mode. It seems folly to select a single bottle of wine to take us through a lengthy evening with so many flavors and food ingredients.
I would dearly appreciate input on the above...I've done some research, and have heard that the Atelier restaurant is also a stunner, and we are not closed to it.
The final part of this post, is I guess the age old question, of where is the best?.....I would love to know amongst the hounds who've partaken in this type of splurge, where else you've been fulfilled on all levels....service, atmosphere, and of course food quality. A lifetime ago, when we were pups, we remember Andre's, when his restaurant was in a house like setting....God, did we love that restaurantt. Anyway, I do realize that I'm running on and on, so will close.....but I do hope for some helpful Chowhound reading when I re-visit my post tomorrow.
Big thanks to all,
Jeff
My Canelé Misadventures, Thus Far
Hi again pilinut,
First off, my Michel Roux recipe is different than the one listed below. This intrigues me. Both recipes with his name....and different measurements. Anyway, here is the one I've used, for your obsessing pleasure :)
I've mentally blocked out anything to do with Beeswax from my memory....but if I must go back to this period of time, I think I ended up paying a tidy sum for edible beeswax from a company that also manufactures aromatic oils....the smell was noxious for me...it was a b--ch to clean up from in the vessel that I melted it in....the molds were a double b--ch to clean thoroughly, etc.
Cheers,
Jeff
Michel Roux's Canneles
1 1/2 cups sweetened condensed milk (15.6 oz.)
2 1/2 cups sugar (17.5 oz.)
1 2/3 cups flour (7.5 oz.)
3 whole eggs plus 2 egg yolks (5.25 oz. whole egg + 1.35 oz. yolk)
5 tbsp rum (2.4 oz.)
2 1/2 cups water (20 oz.)
4 tbsp unsalted butter (2 oz.)
1/2 cup whole milk powder (45 g.)
Combine condensed milk, sugar, flour, whole eggs, yolks and rum with a whisk.
Put the water, butter and powdered milk into a saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking continuously. Still whisking, pour the boiling liquid into the condensed milk mixture and mix until very smooth. Pour through a chinoise, let cool completely, transfer to an air tight container, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 350º pure convection. Prepare molds by brushing the insides with a combination of melted beeswax and peanut oil. Place the molds upside down on a cooling rack for 5 minutes, until the wax has set. Arrange the molds on a baking sheet.
Whisk the Cannele mixture and fill the molds almost to the top (2.75 oz.). Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, until the Canneles are deeply colored. Immediately unmold them onto a cooling rack.
Makes 24 large (2” x 2”) Canneles
My Canelé Misadventures, Thus Far
Hello pilinut, and greetings from Sherman Oaks, California. I don't think that I have the time or the strength to share all of my own Canele misadventures to date....suffice it to say, I do believe we are cut from the same cloth :)
I even joined up at the e-gullet to follow their Canele thread. I've had silicone molds, tinned copper molds, etc.
I'm about to run out to grill some steaks, so I will cut to the quick....after years of trying most of what you've experienced, including dreadful beeswax experiences that I won't even elaborate on, here is what works for me:
I use the Michel Roux recipe, and will no longer use my silicone molds. No beeswax AT ALL. I paint the inside of my large Canele molds with peanut oil, and then I give each one a nice spray of Pam!
Our little family of two is very happy indeed when I prepare these treats.
Best wishes and luck on your fun obsession!
Cheers,
Jeff
Curious here....sushi question.
Thank you so much for your response. Indeed we will give it another go. Years ago, we had a "go to" list of about 12 sushi restaurants. We almost hated adding new ones to the list, as this would keep us from knowing the enjoyment of being a "regular" at a particular sushi bar. About 2 years ago, we ended up in a cozy and happy place of going strictly to one spot, which was/is Chiba in North Hollywood....our exception has been to celebrate crazily (but obviously happily) on the rare occasion, such as we did for my husbands birthday 2 weeks ago, namely "U".....you know the rest of the letters :)
I'll head back to Kiyokawa, and maybe try Mori.
Cheers,
Jeff
Curious here....sushi question.
Greetings hounds,
Ages ago someone had asked at Chowhound, if anyone knew about Kiyokawa, on Robertson. At that time, I was "in the know", as we've enjoyed very high quality sushi there, and we were always treated so nicely by Satoshi. Back then it was my pleasure to answer the post and say how good it is. Now it's my turn to ask about this place, as we haven't been for maybe 2 years. Has anything changed?
Best to all, and have a great eating week.
Jeff
Urasawa - Update
Hi again Porthos...I knew from the get-go that your experience at Urasawa was great, and we expect no less when we dine on June 29th. Our first experience at Urasawa was when hubs turned 50. At that time, I felt it would be a once in our lifetime experience, and we went for it eagerly. So much for best laid plans...we got hooked, and we'll be dining at Urasawa for our 4th. bacchanal. We've done the fall as well, and what can I say?...Just spectacular. Regarding Mori, we went there when they first opened, and I guess we need to think about trying it again, after reading what you said.
By the way, at the Chow event held at Malo some years ago, we met you!
Cheers
J
-----
Urasawa Restaurant
218 N Rodeo Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Malo
4326 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90029
Urasawa - Update
Wow, did your post hit home or what! Haven't been too active of late at Chow....Hmmm, I am wearing my Chow.com t-shirt though, even as I write. Your response was akin to the story of The Emperor Who Wore No Clothes...a little bit stirring/jarring for some to read....but oh so true. You nailed it. That being said, we're dining at Urasawa for hubs "double nickle" birthday in a couple of weeks....we're looking very forward. This is so silly....but one of the exquisite treats for us, when dining at Urasawa, is that for a moment in time (well maybe a few hours), we feel like we are less of a "cog" in the grand scheme of life. We feel special, pampered, and being interested in. Hiro is a man who can rake in the bux for sure, but can also exude a genuine humble and gentle sweet soul. An evening at Urasawa is meditation on various levels.
Cheers, and thanx for your post,
Jeff
-----
Urasawa Restaurant
218 N Rodeo Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Any Chowhounds have cooking experience in prison?
You have successfully made me soil my Levis!
Coconut Syrup angst.
You are my new best friend! Thank you SO SO much. I went to the hyperlink, and from the description and exacting details of the recipe within the hyperlink, I am absolutely going out to purchase a fresh coconut, and be in coconut heaven.
Thank you again for taking the time to help out.
Cheers,
Jeff
Coconut Syrup angst.
Greetings my hounds,
Wondering if anyone may share some tips on how to prepare a Coconut syrup that would be perfect for pancakes. I've tried a few recipes that have not come remotely close to what I've enjoyed when visiting Hawaii. Mostly they have been recipes that mix canned coconut milk with either maple or light corn syrup...sweet and not bad, but nothing like what I'm looking for.
Your help would be appreciated.
Cheers and thanx,
Jeff
Animal review of last night
Hubs here---last night indeed was ummmazing. Really can't say enough about Ashley, who took care of us. Just the nicest person who truly cared about everything from the spacing of our dishes, as well as the dishes that complimented each other.
My take on the hominy: Really dug it, but unlike Owen, I found using fingers to be a lot of fun. We went through only half of the amount, because it was a lot. But at $5, it was a steal. Hmmm, maybe I should have taken the rest home for tonight's appetizers . The house Cab, is Rutherford, and it's nice to find a glass of wine for $7 at any restaurant these days. My thanx as well to the CHOW posters who gave us the framework for a wonderful meal. Next time (and there definitely will be a next time), more than likely we'll re-order a few dishes, but discover some others that read so well.
Babita AND DinTai Fung,......
May I suggest that the next time you visit Babita---go for Roberto's soup. Typically in the bowl, there are 2 soups that are ladled side by side, and they are always complimentary regarding flavors and seasonings. When I was a boy, I would order soup anywhere. Now that I am a fancy shmancy sophisitcated diner, I rarely eat soup! Of course that sentence was sarcastic, but the truth is, that I rarely will order soups. Babita is a restaurant that excels in this area, and I always partake when dining there.
Happy to hear that you enjoyed.
Cheers,
Jeff
