purpleceline's Profile
Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Phangan; Chiang Mai cooking class
Thanks cacruden! Chiang Mai Cookery looks a little commercialized, and although they do offer "master classes" they seem to be a whole lot more expensive than other schools. I think we're going to try Siam Rice Thai Cookery School (just judging by tripadvisor reviews), with Thai Cottage Home Cookery as a back-up.
I love cooking so any advice on markets to visit would be welcome - we are very independent travelers but I could see a tour being helpful for this. Hopefully we'll get a lot out of the market tour in the cooking class.
We're going to the Sunday "Walking Market" in Chiang Mai - is this the same as the night market?
Best Food at (Non Fancy) Bars in San Francisco
I second broken record, those crazy sausages are awesome!
Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Phangan; Chiang Mai cooking class
Thanks! I did see that thread but it looked like it was focused on non-thai food, and privileged atmosphere/service over food - i'll take another look though. And if you do remember the new place, let me know! thank you.
Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Phangan; Chiang Mai cooking class
Hi Chowhound,
This might be too many questions/locations for one thread, but here goes:
In August, we are going to Bangkok for 4 nights, Chiang Mai for 4 nights, and Koh Phangan for one week. We will not have car, though we may have a motorbike on the island. We're interested in authentic Thai food, from street eats to restaurants. I've read previous threads but it looks like not much has been posted recently (2012). So, any tips? Even just particularly good areas or markets to check out would be great.
Second question: We'd like to do a cooking class in Chiang Mai. We're very experienced home cooks and something a little more advanced, with a good range of dishes, would be good. There are so many options I just don't know how to decide. A full day course with a market visit would be ideal.
Thanks!
Leftover shank meat from stock
Thanks! What tasty ideas.
I ended up doing this;
shell fresh black-eyed peas, boil & drain
saute chopped onion until golden, add cumin, coriander & cayenne
add chopped heirloom tomatoes, garlic, spinach
add shredded meat and stock, cook until blended and stock is mostly absorbed
it was delicious! there is lots leftover so I will experiment with your suggestions :)
Leftover shank meat from stock
I made an incredibly rich stock (Paul Bertolli's) with excellent beef neck and foreshank meat, and I'd like to do something with the leftover meat - it still has lots of flavor, even if it's a bit dry. I was thinking a tomato sauce would combat the dryness - any other ideas?
Strasbourg
We had a great meal at Chez Yvonne, but our dinner at Au Crocodile was really exceptional. They offer a "Formule Jeune" if you're under 35 -- 5+ courses with wine pairings for only 84 euros, the best deal I found in a year of eating in France. Every aspect of every course was delicious, the wine was fantastic, the service excellent but not stuffy. It was truly a fantastic experience.
On a totally different note, we had some great beer at a tavern in front of the Cathedral (can't remember the name now but it's fairly well-known); they were serving a dozen Christmas beers on tap at the time.
Whole Animal Caterers
Hi,
I'm looking for a caterer who will help cook and serve at an event where I'd like to roast a whole lamb or perhaps a quarter of a cow. Does anyone know anybody in Northern California who has done this before? I don't mind supplying the meat myself but I don't want to worry about preparing it and serving it in the days leading up to the event or during the event itself.
Thanks!
Foodie with 36 hours in Paris
Nothing quite like Borough Market, but the Marche des Enfants Rouges (3rd arrondissement), on a Saturday, is worth checking out -- a traditional but very small outdoor covered market, with lots of small food stands and a few sit-down but outdoor restaurants. Might be tricky given the current weather but if you bundle up it could be fun.
Strasbourg
I already read Strasbourg-labeled threads before posting, but none of them spoke to the price ranges I am looking for. Does anyone have any advice considering the price ranges I've listed? Also, can anyone point me to regional specialties (i.e., tarte flambee)?
Strasbourg
Hi,
We'll be spending two nights (Thursday/Friday) in Strasbourg at the beginning of December, and I'm looking for dinner and lunch recommendations, primarily regional food since we live in Paris, around 20-30e/person (before wine) unless there's something truly exceptional, for which we could spend up to 50e/person. Also any restaurants with lunch deals (under 20e)?
Thanks Chowhounds!
Your favorite Thai places in Paris?
Lao Siam, years ago, was an amazing Thai restaurant. It seems that with their fame their food has shifted to cater to French palettes, which, in the realm of SE-Asian cuisine, means turning down the spice and flavor. Sukothai, as Souphie and others have noted, wins my vote for current best Thai in Paris. It's worth the trek, even though I live just down the street from Lao Siam. Try their curries, and ask for them spicy.
Suggestions for a Fondue restaurant in Paris?
Heureux comme Alexandre (multiple locations) has a surprisingly good cheese fondu. Set price 15 euro.
The place on rue des Trois Freres is a very fun tourist destination but not for you if you're just looking for food. If you want food + party atmosphere + wine in baby bottles, try it (Le Refuge des Fondues).
[sorry for the repeat, cant figure out how to change the post]
London -- St. John vs Bread & Wine, lunch vs dinner
I'm going to London next week and have time for one lunch (Monday) and one dinner (Wednesday). I would like to try St. John or St. John Bread and Wine. Which is better? Should I go to both? If so, which for lunch & which for dinner? Is there another creative restaurant I should try, or a place that's particularly good for the solo diner? (No French food, please, as I live in France.)
Thank you!
Report: L'Agrume
I had an incredible dinner at L'Agrume last night. Made reservations for Saturday night only two weeks in advance. They have two seatings-- 7:30 & 9:30, we went to the second. The A La Carte menu is nice but the Menu Degustation is really where it's at, especially considering that you get 5+ courses (dessert was a double course) that are appetizer-sized or larger for only 35 euros! As far as I've seen, it's an unbeatable deal in this city. My dining partner is a picky eater but the menu was definitely aimed to please-- no offal other than the requisite foie gras.
What really stood out was the quality and originality of the food itself-- each dish was remarkable. We had: crab & shrimp w/tomato pulp (like a thick cold soup) & basil oil, charlotte potato salad with red onion & disk of foie gras & foie gras-olive oil emulsion, john dory (st pierre), poched with ridiculously buttery leeks w/oregano & lemon confit, with a lemon confit butter sauce, slices of veal tenderloin with carrot mousse, arugula pesto & anchovy cream, then 2 desserts: cherry soup (more like compote) with strawberry sorbet + white flat peaches poached in basil w/currants.
Before leaving, I made reservations for next time. I can't recommend l'Agrume highly enough.
indoor picnic
This is an odd request, but does anyone know of a place that can accommodate a picnic-style gathering on a Saturday early afternoon? Perhaps a cafe where you can bring your own food, or a casual wine bar where you can order meats and cheeses?
Thanks chowhounds.
Istanbul, Izmir, Fethiye
Hi,
I'm looking for authentic Turkish food off the tourist track. My family is originally from Turkey so I'm familiar with the food.
I have five days in Istanbul, two in Izmir, three in Fethiye (though probably no lunches as we'll be taking day trips), one in Oludeniz, one in Dalyan, and one in Butterfly Valley.
Thank you!
l'agrume vs frenchie
Thanks JT-- it's good to know about the choices, since my dining partner's a picky eater!
l'agrume vs frenchie
I would like to go to one on my birthday (already got reservations at l'agrume)-- how do they compare? at l'agrume, can one person get the tasting menu & the other dining partner order separately?
Montparnasse area recommendations- moderately priced
Try Wadja-- 22 euro prix fixe w/2 choices per course, plus a full menu. Delicious food, friendly service. Oddly a lot of Anglophones though.
vietnamese food in paris
I don't think it's new, but Tin TIn (Louis Bonnet & rue de la presentation, metro belleville) has a particularly good Pho Sate.
Tous Au Restaurant
The restaurant week event "Tous au restaurant" is happening next week: http://www.tousaurestaurant.com/index.php
Does anyone have any recommendations for places that are particularly "worth it"-- in other words, where 20e for lunch (or 30e for dinner) makes this an opportunity I can't pass up?
Thanks.
Source for Spit-Roasting Whole Lamb? (Bay Area)
Did you ever find a spit roast caterer? I'd like to do this and any tips would be welcome!
Steak tartare - Le Severo (or Bis?) or Cafe des Musees - or elsewhere?
Chartier makes a surprisingly good tartare, actually, for under 12 euros.
17th ARRONDISEMENT
Just had an amazing meal at L'Entredgeu (maybe a bit far from you, but in the 17th). Great deal too, 3 courses for 32 euro, lots of choices, wine starts at around 30/bottle.
Can I bring a bottle of wine to a restaurant in Paris, and outer regions in France?
I'm from California and so I understand your question, but you really can't do that here. One way to think about it is that restaurants here pride themselves on wine as much as on food. Bringing your own wine would be like bringing your own food. Also, as PhilD says, wine mark-ups aren't as bad here as in the States.
I'd recommend drinking the wine you pick up with some daytime outdoor picnics.
Reasonable restaurants on or close to Ile st Louis
One of my favorite restaurants is just steps from there, and way under budget (well, I guess it depends how much you drink). La Reserve de Quasimodo is a cave a vins on the Ile de la Cite just across the bridge at Hotel de Ville (the Pont d'Arcole). They serve excellent tartines (foie gras and apple; potato, st nectaire cheese, and magret; etc), salads, cooked dishes, and a meat-and-wine fondu. You can pick your wine from their cave and the mark-up (droit de bouchon) is only 6 euro. It's an incredible deal and a really fun place. Very old building. Bathrooms are cool too.
