Gingerbread/Cake

Those are essentially the same recipes (just minor differences) and both are cakes . . . but can be made into loaves, muffins, etc.

BRB in Home Cooking

Tropical Dessert Recipe Suggestions

Sorry - I have not been paying any attention and I'm not often on the site except when trip planning, and I haven't been getting the e-mails concerning replies. But I happened to be on the site and noticed your post, so here you go with my recipe:

At least 24 hours before you plan on making the dish, soak 1 cup raisins in 1 cup of dark rum.

When ready to prepare the dish, lightly butter your pan. You can use 2 pyrex bread loaf pans, and 8x8x2 pyrex pan, a large baking pan, individual ramekins, etc.

Drain raisins, reserve rum.

I start with a loaf of a good quality egg bread, crust removed - challah or brioche is my favorite - which is just past its prime. If not past its prime, toast cubes shortly just to dry out slightly. Cube the bread into 1 inch cubes, having started with about a 1 lb. loaf of bread.

Preheat oven to 370 degrees.

Prepare the bananas. Start with 5 large, ripe but firm bananas. Cut each banana in 1/2 lengthwise, then cut into quarters. Heat 6 oz. unsalted butter (1.5 sticks) and 3/4 cup dark brown sugar over medium heat and when it begins to caramelize, add 3/4 cup of the reserved dark rum from the raisins (use any remainder for the rum needed for custard). If you wish to add spices, do so before adding the rum - I usually do a 1/4 t of cinnamon and maybe a pinch of nutmeg and allspice. Let cook down a little, letting just a little of the rum burn off. Add cut bananas, cook just until lightly caramelized but don't allow to soften too much. Let cool slightly while you prepare the custard.

Prepare the custard. Whisk 2 C heavy cream with 4 large eggs. Add 3 T dark rum (separate from cup used for raisins), 3 T dark brown sugar, 1 t of vanilla extract and mix.

Put one third of bread cubes in pan and spread out evenly to cover bottom of pan. Pour 1/3 of custard over bread cubes, then spread 1/2 of the banana mixture on top of the custard, and then 1/2 of the raisins. Next, another 1/3 of the bread cubes, 1/3 of custard, remaining 1/2 banana mixture and remaining 1/2 of raisins. Top off with remaining bread, then custard.

Bake in 370 degree oven for about 1 hour, or until golden on top and firm. Note that this is a stickier bread pudding than most so a knife will not come out completely clean.

While the pudding is in the oven, prepare the rum-caramel sauce. I like to use a fruit puree/pulp, typically passion fruit, but mango and pineapple work very well too. I like Goya brand and I can find the frozen pulp packages in freezer sections of many ethnic markets.

To prepare the sauce, heat 2 oz.butter (1/2 stick). When melted, add 1/2 C of dark brown sugar, a pinch of sea salt, and cook for a couple of minutes over medium heat. Then add 1/2 C heavy cream, 1/4 C dark rum, and 1/2 C of fruit puree (whichever you have chosen, or a combination). Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. You can adjust flavor and thickness as desired at this point - a little more cream, a little more puree, and if desired, 2 T cornstarch mixed with 2 T water to thicken slightly.

To serve, cut a square of the bread pudding and top with the passion fruit-rum-caramel sauce.

I hope this helps - sorry again for the delay. I'll check back in case there are questions.

BRB in Home Cooking

Short stay in Siem Reap

Great post - I'll be there next week and I now know at least a couple of places I'll be hitting.

BRB in China & Southeast Asia

Good ethnic and other cheap eats in the Desert?

I erred in my above post. The Middle Eastern/Mediterranean restaurant I visited was Garbanzo's in Rancho Mirage, not Kabobz. Sorry for the confusion - my review is for Garbanzo's.

BRB in California

Good ethnic and other cheap eats in the Desert?

Interestingly, last night I enjoyed my favorite ethnic meal in the desert. It was at Joy Asian Cuisine, inside the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio. Now I fear that there's no way Joy will make it in this location - Vegas, maybe, but not here. I sure hope I'm wrong because what I had was pretty good.

Now another complaint is that Joy, whose chef ran a vegetarian restaurant in the Jilin Province of China, seems to want to be all things to all people. Although the menu is largely Chinese, and perhaps leaning towards Hong Kong bbq (albeit upscale), there's Ameri-Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese and Malaysian food on the menu. In my experience, places that serve pho, banh mi, congee, dim sum and Hong Kong-style bbq (not to mention food from many provinces in China) don't know what the hell they are doing.

But what I ate last night impressed me. The boring sounding shrimp and pork wanton soup boasted a wonderful broth that screamed of well roasted pork, it was accented by bok choy, and the dumplings themselves were tender and flavorful.

I thought the pot stickers featured a slightly too-thick dough, but the filling was delicious.

The honey glazed walnut prawns were excellent and reminded me of a similar dish I have always enjoyed at Lao Sze Chuan in Chicago. The dish featured lightly crisp and perfectly cooked shrimp in a light, honey (and maybe citrus) glaze and honeyed walnuts. Really good stuff, but overpriced at $24.50.

We also ordered the Peking Duck, which was really overpriced at $45. It was very good, but not as good as I have enjoyed elsewhere. But the skin was crispy and delicious, served with your choice of buns or pancakes (we chose buns) and served with hoisin sauce, cucumber and green onion. My complaints about the duck were the lack of tableside slicing (but not a huge deal), it only came with 4 buns (but they brought us extra at no charge) and it's only served in one course (I think 2-3 are typical, including duck fried rice and sometimes duck soup, but I've seen a 5-course presentation). In any event, they included the wings and drumsticks which made for a nice, albeit overpriced treat.

Overall, I really enjoyed the meal and would certainly run back. What I tasted was surprisingly authentic. Here's a link to their website which has a link to the vast menu (which includes bbq, congee, hot pots, etc.): http://www.fantasyspringsresort.com/prod/dining/dining.php

There's also a newish Israeli/Mediterranean restaurant which I tried in Palm Desert called Kabobz. It's decent but nothing great. Decent hummos, decent falafel (wonderfully moist and tasty, but too much exterior coating). Shawarma was lamb and turkey and again decent, but nothing exciting. I liked the flat bread with za'atar that they bring to the table when you sit down. All in all, pretty good for the area but not wonderful for Middle Eastern. Just beware of desserts . . . I noticed chocolate "moose" on the specials menu. http://www.kabobz.com/

BRB in California

Would like a couple of recommendations...please

I have had fantastic luck with two dinners at Dante's Kitchen. It's more Southern than it is Cajun, but the food and atmosphere are just great. They offer some of the best shrimp and grits I've ever had (with head/tail on), great andouille & crawfish stuffed flounder, and a number of other very good and interesting dishes (maple glazed chicken under a brick was also excellent, as was the complimentary molasses spoonbread, root beer sweet potatoes and mac & cheese). They also feature all locally sourced items and list the farms/suppliers of each day's menu offerings on a blackboard. The chef/owner spent a number of years at Commander's Palace before opening Dante's.

It's set in an older house and you can eat inside or outside. Service was outstanding on both of my visits, and while I have enjoyed a number of great meals in NO, including a couple at Upperline, Dante's is a place that just grabs me and draws me in - maybe not the absolute best food, maybe not the most charm (that was Commander's for me), but I absolutely love the food and charm here. It's right across the street from Brigsten's and half the fun is riding the St. Charles streetcar through the Garden District to get there, passing some beautiful houses and Tulane along the way and soaking in all of the New Orleans and Southern charm. It's also pretty casual and I noticed a number of diners in shorts and jeans. Reservations can be made on Opentable.com.

Here's a link to their website: http://danteskitchen.com/

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Dante's Kitchen
736 Dante Street, New Orleans, LA 70118

BRB in New Orleans

4 nights - what do you think of my choices?

I was just back in New Orleans for a quick trip and I don't have that much new to report. I made it to Port of Call and was pleased with my cheeseburger. While I would have preferred my cheese melted, I was impressed by the lightly packed, well seasoned, medium rare patty.

Having been so impressed with Dante's Kitchen on my last visit, I decided to return again. No amuse this time, but the food, atmosphere and service were just perfect. I can't tell you how much I love this place. Shrimp and grits with redeye gravy for an appetizer was excellent. Flounder stuffed with crawfish and andouille also great. Our table split the mac & cheese (perfect al dente pasta and very flavorful cheese), Barq's root beer candied sweet potatoes (delicious) and of course the complimentary molasses spoonbread. All were quite good. Housemade blueberry pie could not have been a better finish to a wonderful meal. I know there are so many great restaurants in New Orleans but everything about Dante's just seems perfect to me. I wish I could transport this place to Chicago. If you go to Dante's (and you should), it is across the street from Brigsten's and is easy to get to by the St. Charles streetcar, and what a beautiful ride through New Orleans it is.

I also had a quick muffuletta from Johnny's Po Boys on my way out of town. Not as good quality meats/cheeses as either Stein's or Central Grocery, but very good nonetheless, in no small part due to the wonderful olive salad which featured plenty of fresh garlic.

I also had a fine lunch at Eat (previously had brunch there) and was very, very impressed by their gumbo, but very unimpressed with the crawfish pie.

Sadly, had to cancel dinner at August as work got in the way. But all in all, more good eating.

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Dante's Kitchen
736 Dante Street, New Orleans, LA 70118

Port of Call
838 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116

BRB in New Orleans

Some questions about Asiate

I just returned from my meal at Asiate - I liked, didn't love. Things got off to a wonderful start with gruyere, cayenne and nori gougeres which were very tasty. An amuse of a strawberry "yolk" (which exploded when eaten) mixed with rhubarb was also delicious.

Then came appetizers which were also excellent. I had the blue prawn with arugula and house made udon in papillote. It was buttery, a little garlicky, and just fantastic. My slightest complaint is that the prawns were very slightly overcooked, but not enough to detract much from the outstanding flavors. A tuna degustation and a shellfish etuvee with a coconut-herb broth were also very good to excellent.

I didn't think main courses were as successful. I had the wagyu beef which although perfectly cooked, was slightly spoiled by being over-sauced. The short rib portion of the dish was not affected and was so tender and delicious.

Miso black cod was fine, but this dish has become as boring to me as molten chocolate cake. Sea bass and lobster were both fine but nothing special.

Desserts were pretty strong. I particularly liked my lemon-lime gateau with lime sorbet and a marshmallow.

Overall, it was a nice meal, just not great. But to be fair, I don't think they're charging prices that would be expected if it was a great restaurant . . . not that it's cheap by any means.

But the food was good and the service was top notch. So in short, I guess you could do a lot worse.

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Asiate
80 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10023

BRB in Manhattan

Some questions about Asiate

Thanks for the help.

BRB in Manhattan

Some questions about Asiate

Hi all,

I'm going to be dining at Asiate in a few weeks and I have some questions about the menus.

First, I noticed they offer a 3-course menu and a larger tasting menu. Do they require that everyone at the table choose the same menu?

Also, do you have a menu preference based on prior dining experiences? Some restaurants do a wonderful job of ensuring that the tasting menu features the best the chef has to offer that evening, and in the perfect order.

Are there additional courses offered with both menus, such as an amuse, bread, other small tastes?

In terms of dress code, is it jacket or jacket & tie?

Finally, I'd appreciate any additional advice you might have, including must order items. Thank you in advance for your help.

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Asiate
80 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10023

BRB in Manhattan

West Maui Restaurants

I plan on writing a bit more detailed trip report concerning my 2/26-3/5 trip (with pictures), but to respond to your post, I'll say that I enjoyed a great meal at Merriman's last week. Service was a little odd and robotic at times, but the food was excellent. I had a fantastic ahi poke for an appetizer (the quality of the ahi just amazed me, as if it had been just caught and perfectly diced), and I believe my main course was opakapaka, but can't recall specifically. In any event, great food and a beautiful atmosphere. The quality of the fish was impeccable. In terms of West Maui, it was our best meal (beating I'O and Kimo's). We decided to skip Lahaina Grill - though highly recommended, we preferred the seafood selections at Merriman's and Mama's and didn't want to break the bank every night.

As for I'O, they highly tout the herbs, vegetables and fruits grown in their own garden, and those were really outstanding. However, the fish preparations were good but not great and the dishes just didn't come together so nicely. We shared a decent ahi poke, ceviche (can't remember the exact fish), monchong prepared in the road to Hana style (see menu) and another fish prepared with the rainbow preparation (see menu). The poke was ok, but the ahi was of the poorest quality we saw for the week (still decent, but a bit stringy and not so well cut), the ceviche was a bit over-flavored and didn't allow the natural flavor of the fish to shine, the other fish dishes (pictured below) were fine but unremarkable. Service and atmosphere however were second to none - I just wish the food measured up but instead we preferred the more casual Kimo's (near I'O, which is next door to Pacific O, in Lahaina).

Our meal at Mama's was on par with Merriman's - both were excellent and I'd have a tough time choosing between them. And my lunch at Bev Gannon's General Store was also excellent, but the latter two are a good drive from West Maui.

BRB in Hawaii

Authentic macarons?

I'd modify this statement only slightly - most are made with ground almonds, but a fair amount are made with ground hazelnuts.

BRB in Chicago Area

Pumpkin and Pecan Mini-pies/tarts in Chicago

Here's a link to their website: http://www.hoosiermamapie.com/

BRB in Chicago Area

Pumpkin and Pecan Mini-pies/tarts in Chicago

I have not seen these, but did you know Hoosier Mama sells miniature pies and offers pumpkin and maple pecan? Both are excellent.

BRB in Chicago Area

Last time in Chicago we ate at Tru, but this time must watch our budget

The fact that Sweets and Savories is BYO and fine dining in a casual atmosphere would seal the deal for me. I think it's the perfect recommendation.

BRB in Chicago Area

Dinner suggestions near VIC Theatre?

A new hot spot (meaning it might be tough to get in) is DMK Burger Bar, an upscale burger spot opened by Michael Kornick (of MK Restaurant) and David Morton (of the Morton's steakhouse family). It just opened in the last few days and they are serving grass fed beef burgers. It's just a couple blocks south of the Vic on Sheffield (just south of Wellington).

BRB in Chicago Area

L2O or Tru

I think it's funny the strong opinions you get with these two places. In my opinion, they're both excellent. In fact, I think Tru might be as good right now as it has been in years. L20 is still young but was ready for critics on day 1. Both have contemporary dining rooms. Both have excellent service. The menus are very different however.

To me, which one you choose depends a bit on the type of cuisine you seek. L20's focus is seafood, and not the typical varieties you would seek elsewhere. So if that really appeals to you, head to L20. Bread service also wins at L20 - it might be the best bread service I have ever encountered. As for desserts, I think Tru is the winner, but the food at Tru is really excellent and their current chef is doing a great job.

My only suggestion with L20 would be to choose 4 courses instead of the 12-course menu. Although I thought the 12-course menu was very well thought out, I thought it was a bit too much food and a very long evening.

BRB in Chicago Area

Recommendations for birthday dinner restaurant in Chicago

Both can get a bit loud, but I still think they are conversation friendly. Of course, even at the quietest restaurant, a long table will make conversing with someone at the other end difficult. I'd call and see what they can do for you.

BRB in Chicago Area

Recommendations for birthday dinner restaurant in Chicago

If you like the food Coco Pazzo offers, I would suggest Piccolo Sogno instead.

Le Bouchon is very nice - I just can't imagine fitting a large group in there.

Have you considered Naha? Carnivale? Salpicon would be great if you want upscale and excellent Mexican.

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Le Bouchon
1958 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Coco Pazzo Cafe
636 N St Clair, Chicago, IL 60611

Piccolo Sogno
464 N Halsted, Chicago, IL 60622

Naha
500 North Clark St., Chicago, IL 60610

Carnivale
702 West Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60661

BRB in Chicago Area

Best chicken wings in Lakeview?

I have not yet tried Wings O' Flavor at 3109 N. Halsted, but I've heard glowing reviews about the quality of the wings and the sauces. I understand they offer a handful of flavors including jerk.

BRB in Chicago Area

Authentic Mexican Food in Chicago?

Sol de Mexico would be a great place - especially if you are a mole lover. It's a bit of a haul from downtown, but so is every excellent Mexican restaurant other than Frontera/Topo and Salpicon.

Salpicon is definitely on the upscale side, but otherwise fits your criteria and the food is excellent.

One under-appreciated spot which I just love is La Casa de Samuel on Cermak. Also a bit of a drive from downtown but the food is outstanding. They don't miss a beat here, starting with the outstanding house made tortillas. It's great for lunch and dinner and I couldn't think of a better place to showcase family run. Here's more on LCdS: http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=8847

BRB in Chicago Area

Visiting Son, Need moderately priced help

Mixteco Grill is excellent.

Thai Classic is decent for standard Thai orders, but PS Bangkok across the street is better. Note however that PS Bangkok no longer offers a weekend buffet - too bad because it was great.

Spoon Thai is pretty much across the street from the street from the Western Avenue Brown Line station, which is less than a 10-minute L ride from the Southport L station. They will provide you with two specials menus (one is their translated Thai language menu). I think this is the best Thai restaurant in Chicago, provided that you order items off of the special menus. If you stick to items typically found at any neighborhood Thai restaurant, it really won't excite you. TAC Quick is also excellent and reasonably close to Southport/Belmont - it's right next to the Sheridan Red Line Station. They also offer special menus (ask for the translated one here).

Glenn's Diner is a solid spot for breakfast/brunch/dinner and it's next to the Montrose Brown Line station, slightly over 5 minutes from the Southport stop. I particularly like Glenn's for dinner where they offer very nice and moderately priced seafood in a casual atmosphere.

The Bagel doesn't excite me. I used to like it more but I stopped going a few years ago, believing they became careless and cheap - stale rolls, really cloudy soup, etc. On Clark a couple of blocks north of Wrigley Field is Uncommon Ground and I think they offer an excellent breakfast/brunch. Orange has two locations nearby and they too offer good breakfast/brunch options.

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Spoon Thai
4608 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60625

Mixteco Grill
1601 W Montrose Ave, Chicago, IL 60613

Uncommon Ground
3800 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60613

Glenn's Diner
1820 W Montrose Ave, Chicago, IL 60613

Thai Classic Restaurant
3332 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657

BRB in Chicago Area

Mexican, not Topo/Fronterra

By "obvious" I assume you mean Frontera/Topo. Close to Mag Mile would be Salpicon and it is excellent. Farther would be Mixteco Grill, Fonda del Mar and Sol de Mexico - if you want to be close to downtown though, Salpicon is a great choice. In addition to great food, they offer an amazing tequila menu.

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Fonda Del Mar
3749 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Salpicon
1252 N. Wells St., Chicago, IL 60610

Mixteco Grill
1601 W Montrose Ave, Chicago, IL 60613

BRB in Chicago Area

Single diner - Frontera/Topo or alternatives

You should be able to get a seat at the bar at Frontera (and you can order off of the Topo menu there), but I'd still arrive early. After his Top Chef finish, the place has been packed. The food is excellent - not my favorite Mexican restaurant in Chicago, but that's more of a statement about the other excellent Mexican restaurants in the city.

Sounds like you haven't been to Blackbird, Avec's sister restaurant. It's very different but also excellent.

My current favorite is Mado (http://madorestaurantchicago.com/), a byo spot in Bucktown. Because they use every inch of an animal, livers, hearts, pig's head and similar will show up on the menu. But there's no gimmick here - the food is just great and don't miss dessert . . . some of the best in the city. Staff is very friendly too. BYO might not seem reasonable for a single diner, but I'd do it here.

Another spot I'd highly recommend is Naha, which leans a bit Mediterranean. It's pretty close to Frontera/Topo.

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Avec Restaurant
615 W Randolph St Ste A, Chicago, IL 60661

Mado Restaurant
1647 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Naha
500 North Clark St., Chicago, IL 60610

BRB in Chicago Area

What's open past 10PM on a Sunday night that's good?

Have you been to Avec? (avecrestaurant.com) It's open late, casual but great food leaning towards Mediterranean and very close to downtown.

BRB in Chicago Area

Best Italian bakery in Chicago or suburbs

Pasticceria Natalina, easily the best Sicilian bakery in Chicago (probably the best bakery in Chicago period), absolutely does not fill their cannoli ahead of time.

BRB in Chicago Area

6 Days in Chicago - Please critique my list

Ate there last night and there were a number of service issues - 30 minute delay in seating, long waits for appetizers, drinks and entrees, unclean men's room, running out of food, wines and wine glasses. Otom needs to find someone to run this place.

That being said, some pretty good food. The highlight for me was the wonderful mac & cheese with truffle oil, bacon and white cheddar. The pasta had a nice bite to it and the dish was creamy and had great flavor.

I also very much liked the grits with bbq brussel sprouts - creamy and flavorful.

The pork chop with bacon bread pudding was also good although the pork chop was not as hot as the rest of the dish, leading me to believe it sat for a while.

I'd certainly go back again for the food, but someone needs to take control of this place and run it.

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OTOM Restaurant
951 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607

BRB in Chicago Area

Banana Cream Pie?

2nd on Hoosier Mama. And if you must have banana cream, you might want to call ahead and see if they'll make sure to have it for you as their varieties change daily. But make no mistake, Hoosier Mama is the spot for the very best pies (and scones) in Chicago.

BRB in Chicago Area

Chicago Trip Report (Long)

Yes, it is really hard to spend $50 at Spoon Thai for 2 people. The good news is that the prices are so cheap. Same at Shui Wah which is my favorite spot in Chicago for dim sum.

Good thinking on Miller's. They actually have some pretty decent food and while caught downtown on occasion, I've had a couple of good meals there. Too bad you didn't make it to the Maxwell St. Market and Hot Doug's but it sounds like you did real well and you are correct that the Market would have been a lot more walking. Glad to hear you enjoyed your trip.

BRB in Chicago Area