foggy_town's Profile
After Manresa and French Laundry
The best antidote of fine dining is something rustic yet light. Asian food usually works great.
Going to Plum: amount of food to order
Thanks, 8 plates went perfectly for 3 of us when we dined at Ubuntu. My guess is the portion size would be similar.
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Ubuntu Restaurant & Yoga Studio
1140 Main Street, Napa, CA 94558
Going to Plum: amount of food to order
We have a reservation later this week at Plum for 3 of us. The menu is simply divided to "To Start", "Vegetables" and "Animal" sections. Are they roughly small-plate portions? If each of us orders a starter and a vegetable (probably their strength), do we still have room to share 1 or 2 animal plates?
Au Pied de Cochon: for occasional meat eaters
Good to hear the overwelmingly positive endorsement. We have made the reservation, along with Lemeac and Le Filet.
Au Pied de Cochon: for occasional meat eaters
My wife and I will be visiting Montreal and Quebec City in October from San Francisco. After the first couple of hours' browsing this board, APdC comes up frequently as the most unique Montreal restaurant. My question is whether it appeals exclusively for meat lovers. These days we eat very little meat, and my wife does not eat pork at all. Their menu does include poisson du jour. Would that be a "wasted restaurant meal" if we do not order what it is best known for?
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Au Pied de Cochon
536 Av Duluth E, Montreal, QC H2L1A9, CA
Hong Kong: Dining with a Small Group
Can I have some idea how much earlier one should make dinner reservation for the likes of The Chairman, Tim's Kitchen and Yan Toh Heen?
Do we need to make reservation for dim sum lunch (say FLM)? We will be in HK on weekdays.
Hong Kong: Dining with a Small Group
Is there a particular reason the IFC location is singled out for Lei Garden? Better food, or better for a couple?
I will keep the fish advice in mind. There is no need for us to seek something rare and exotic for long time HK residents. We will be more interested in fish that is relatively common in HK (and hence likely to be prepared well), but hard to find in San Francisco,
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Lei Garden
IFC Mall, Hong Kong , HK
Hong Kong: Dining with a Small Group
Thanks for the great ideas, and I will definitely look into private kitchens. Do they require reservation many days in advance?
Hong Kong: Dining with a Small Group
My wife and I will be visiting HK in October, after many years’ absence. We are looking forward to the trip, and started browsing this board to get familiar with the current dining landscape. In the past we always dine out with a big group, but this time it will be just 2 of us. These days we avoid eating Chinese food unless there are at least 4 persons to order enough variety of food. I am seeking advice on dining ideas (other than Dim sum and noodles) with a small party of two. I am wondering if some of the favorites on this board (such as Lei Garden, and Fu Sing) is suitable for 2 of us. I would love to hear suggestions.
Two days before we leave HK, a friend will arrive from Japan to join us. While not a Chinese descendant, he is nevertheless a passionate fish lover. We shared many meals in sushi bars, and he also loves Chinese style steamed fish. He did some research and asked us to arrange 2 evening meals:
• A high-end restaurant with good view (his first time in HK) and good food. His initial proposal is Man Wah in Mandarin Orient, with set menu. I am not convinced set menu is the best way, as HK is not omakase kind of place. The online menu does look enticing, but can we do better by asking the restaurant to design a “tasting menu” within a budget? Is Yan Toh Heen a better venue for this purpose?
• A restaurant specializing in fish, preferably steamed. I know steamed fish is on the menu everywhere, but I want to satisfy a fish connoisseur. Any suggestion? At this point I assume money is no object and ambience irrelevant. Just best ingredient and precise execution.
Thanks.
Do I need reservations for these rest in Paris?
I can think of one more event: when the big earthquake hit in 1989, people stop going to restaurant in SF. Otherwise I am with you.
uhockey's thoughts on Paris Restaurants - Part 2 - l'Arpege, Ledoyen, Jean-Francois Piege, Cafe Constant, L'Astrance,
Great review! What are part of the prix fixe lunch menu, and what are your supplement?
a funny thing happened on the way to the bistro...
Could it be a reaction to the super-size portion of typical American restaurant? It’s interesting many have mentioned Asian dining culture. I live in San Francisco Bay Area and frequently host guests from Asia. Most of the time, they would request me to take them to the old fashioned American steak house, and share a steak. I do not blame them as the portion is overwhelming in this type of establishments. We have reached a point not to visit this type of restaurant ourselves. When American visit France for the first time, they probably want to sample the traditional French restaurant. But the reputation of rich French food precedes it…
Last time we were in Paris, we dined with an Asian friend who happens to visit France at the same time. She told us she was pleasantly surprised the French restaurants offer more sensible portions, and she can actually finish enjoy a 3-course meal. Well, I suppose she did not go to Chez Denise
Etiquette for 3 star restaurants eg Ledoyen
I understand Ledoyen has a "specialty" menu of E199, with the chef's classic signature dishes. I assume it cannot be split either. Can one of us order the specialty menu, and the other order prix fixe lunch (if we go for lunch)? The number of courses will not match.
Le Regalade or Chez Denise
May I hijack the thread to query about traditional restaurants with strong seafood offerings? We went to La Grille last trip based on recommendation in this board and had a great time. That was before it changed hand (and apparently not for better). I was under the impression the board favorites for traditional restaurants (such as Josephine, Chez Denise) and bistos (CAJ, Regalade) are best for meat lovers.
Providence: ALC or Tasting Menu
I am visiting my daughter who is attending college in LA, and planning to take her to Providence. The online menu looks great, and I am debating between ordering a la carte vs tasting menu.
• The tasting menu gives us a chance to try many different dishes. But I read from this board that it has too much food. Do you know if we can do 9-course for one, and 5-course for the other? Also can we substitute course? 1 meal dish is too many for me, although my daughter would welcome a taste of meat by that point.
• Another option is to go a la carte. Turbot for 2 is enticing. Last time I had Turbot was in Southern France many years ago. Anyone experience that at Providence? We can follow that with a dessert tasting.
Thanks.
Specical Occasion in Holiday Season: Dining Room or La Folie?
I am planning to celebrate our 25th anniversary with the family (wife and I, plus 2 college-aged daughters). For this special occasion, we are looking for somewhere quiet, relaxed, and of course with great food. We are currently debating between the Dining Room and La Folie.
Like many on this board, I think the strength of Bay Area dining is the mid-range places. Among the board favorites, we like Piperade, La Ciccia, Bar Crudo, Koi Palace, Sakae, and Ubuntu. However Aziza, Incanto, Zuni, Slanted Door and Boulevard just did not work for us. My wife and I have only been to a couple of fine dinging places in the Bay Area, and we have never been to either the Dining Room or La Folie. I have a hard time to decide between the two.
• Our daughter’s colleges have different winter break dates. The only overlapping period when both are with us will be between Dec. 20 and Jan 2. Is it a good time to go? Is either chef likely to be in the kitchen during the holiday?
• I understand the Dining Room does a parallel tasting menu. This seems to be a great format for 4 of us (and a great introduction to fine dining for the girls). However we could not find it on their web site. Are they continuing this practice?
* La Folie is known for large portions. If each of us orders 4 courses, there will be 16 between us. It's actually a customized tasting menu. Are the dishes conducive to sharing?
Thanks in advance, I know the toppic hascome up numerous times.
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Ubuntu Restaurant & Yoga Studio
1140 Main Street, Napa, CA 94558
Slanted Door
Ferry Slip, San Francisco, CA 94111
Zuni Cafe
1658 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Koi Palace Restaurant
365 Gellert Blvd, Daly City, CA 94015
La Ciccia
291 30th Street, San Francisco, CA 94131
La Folie
2316 Polk St., San Francisco, CA 94109
Piperade
1015 Battery St., San Francisco, CA 94111
Bar Crudo
655 Divisadero Street, San Francisco, CA 94117
Walking distance restaurants recs? Staying at California and Powell
If you like raw seafood, try Swell on Bush near Stockton.
Las Vegas report: Bartolotta, Sinatra, etc
Oh, that is no incident. We were steered that way, by you and others whose opinion I respect.
Just to clarify, I do like Picasso. It's just that I expect more inspiration from Julian Serrano. It's probably difficult for him to do, when Picasso is so popular. It makes me appreciate Charlie Trotter more, who can still offer a unique experience in the remote Las Vegas, after decades at top of his game.
Las Vegas report: Bartolotta, Sinatra, etc
My wife and I visited Las Vegas last week to celebrate our anniversary. We stayed away from buffets and absent celebrity chefs. In the end, we went to three destination restaurants:
1) Bar Charlie: Charlie Trotter is not in LV, but Chef Hiro can more than hold his own. The restaurant went through a recent change to “down size” its offerings. I have reported the experience in a separate thread.
2) Bartolotta: Unlike other restaurants in Wynn/Encore, Bartolotta serves “Taste of Wynn” menu all evening on weekdays. That was what we had in mind, until we saw the family style tasting menu served on the next table. We could not resist the temptation, and ordered the lower priced version of the tasting menu. It was a feast, starting with excellent Oliver oil for bread, 5 antipasti plates (anchovies, scallops, octopus salad, artichoke salad, and tiger shrimp), 3 pastas (seafood risotto, ricotta ravioli, and seafood penne), and followed by a whole Orata (sea bream) accompanied by zucchini. The sommelier proposed a glass of very good Italian white wine (Tocai?) that went perfectly with seafood antipasti, and a glass of Sicilian red that went well with heartier pasta and fish. The dishes are simply but expertly prepared. It does not suffer the common problem of over-salting in many Italian restaurants. We were not big eaters, and were initially concerned whether it would be too much food. Fast forward, we finished everything other than the Anchovy, which is quite salty (not a criticism as it is supposed to be salty). But when desert came, we were stuffed and can only recall a plate of gelatos, the most memorable being a pear gelato. The evening was thoroughly enjoyable.
3) Sinatra: A beautiful restaurant, with special occasion written all over it. One of us had “Taste of Wynn” menu, with beet salad, Ossobuco and Tiramisu. It is a great value, and the “house sparkling wine” that came with it was very nice. The other ordered a la carte with a soup, and Turbot. The food is more Italian American than Italian. Their butter is better than their Oliver oil. The food is well executed. The beet salad can be found all over the country these days, but Sinatra version is the best we ever had. The ossobuco is on the salty side though, but that is probably because our taste leans more toward more delicate fare.
Between our big meals, we had some nice, more casual experiences:
• Stopped at Julian Serrano twice to have a drink at the bar, and a couple of tapas to share. The menu is extensive, and we did not even scratch the surface. We really liked what we had (a potato, and a stuffed pepper), and will definitely go back in our next trip. Serrano introduced us to fine dining many years ago when we celebrated our first anniversary in San Francisco, before he moved to Las Vegas. A few years ago we dined at Picasso, and the food was unfortunately less memorable than the deco. Perhaps the chef is constrained by the corporation to stay on the conservative side? I hope he can shine in eponymous eatery.
• Daily coffee and pastry at Bouchon bakery. What a way to start the day.
• We eat a lot of Asian food in San Francisco Bay Area. It never fails to counter balance the rich Euro-American fine dinging. This time we had dim sum at Cathay House, pho at Saigon 8, dumpling and noodle at China Mama, and porridge at Sam Woo. The quality is very good, even for us used to the excellent Asian cooking in Bay Area. We do need out rental car to explore these off-strip places.
Thanks for the contributors of this board to give us so many great ideas. Our trip is a resounding success.
My second visit to Bar Charlie
I had the pleasure to dine at Bar Charlie in 2008, and it instantly became my all-time favorite. One and half year later, I revisited it with my wife (her first time). It recently switched to a down-sized schedule of opening only on Friday and Saturday. We made the reservation for 7:30pm on Friday. When we were seated, the hostess handed us a menu with a single 10-course offering for $175. She informed us that the restaurant now is “more focused”, and stopped offering 5 / 8 / 14 course Kaiseki menu, although a couple of supplements are “possible”. I inquired about splitting 20 courses that I read about, and was told it could not be accommodated. My guess is that the restaurant is cutting cost by stocking only limited amount / variety of those expensive and highly perishable ingredients.
The good news is that Chef Hiro is behind the counter all evening, and the food is as good as ever (Corollary: do not expecting his cooking on weekends in the main dining room). He is a true artist. On top of the 10-course Kaiseki menu, we shared the Japanese A5 beef as a supplement course, as I still have the fond memory of Ohmi beef from my 14-course meal in 2008. To my surprise, this time it was cooked by the kitchen, and Chef Hiro was not personally involved. Neither of us was impressed by the result, and it was the only miss of the night.
When we walked in, there was just a solo diner in the bar. Throughout our meal, a couple came in, had a drink while browsing the menu, and moved on to the main dining room. It is still very quiet, and I should be glad it is still in operation. We chatted with Chef Hiro, and he is helping in the kitchen on weekdays when Bar Charlie is closed. He said he would move to NYC when Bar Charlie opens there. I believe he will be a great success in New York, and I wish him good luck, although it would a loss for us who live in the west coast.
Twist, Alex, Bar Charlie, Guy Savoy Bubbles Bar
Someone reported (not long ago) getting Bar Charlie to split a 20-course between 2 diners. Sounds like a lot of fun.
Las Vegas - Bartolotta review
I will be in Vegas at end of Jan, and am very interested in the whole fish. Did you get to pick the fish for Taste of Wynn menu? The price is very reasonable. I am wondering if selection is limited.
Their tasting menu is family style. Do you know if it can be ordered with just 2 diners? There seems to be too much food.
Comments on Commander's Jazz Brunch
Is Jazz Brunch offered on Sunday only, or Saturday as well?
First time in NOLA and loves seafood
One concern we have is about the portion size. We are from California, and these days we eat out a lot in Sushi bars and dim sum places. We find most of the "traditional restaurants" with portion size too big. But this is New Orleans, and we would likie to taste what we cannot find back home. Can you shed some light on the portion size of restaurants we have selected? I would expect the portion size to be quite big at Commander's Palace and Brigtsen's. If this is the case, my wife can order 2 appetizers instead of appetizer + entree.
I understand Irene has a great duck dish. Is it the one that requires long waiting? I have seen a post there is another restaurant with almost identical menu but accepts reservation, but the name escapes me at the moment.
First time in NOLA and loves seafood
My wife and I will visit New Orleans for the first time in late January for 5 days. Both of us are pretty much seafood people, not really into meat (other than duck, which we like). Based on initial research, we have narrowed down to make the following dining reservations:
• Sunday branch at Commander’s Palace. How long shall we plan for the brunch? I believe it opens at 11am, and we are leaving on a 4pm flight. Will it be a rush?
• Friday lunch at August. We gave some thought about dinner, but their 5-course tasting menu has too much emphasis on meat for our liking. The prix-fix lunch seems to be a great deal.
• One dinner at Brightsen’s. I heard great things about its seafood plate and duck dish. How long does it take the streetcar to get there from CBD? Is it easy to find a cab for the ride back to CBD at night after dinner?
• Either lunch or dinner at Rio Mar: We need some variety, in case we get tired of the rich Southern food. Any other suggestions?
For the rest of the trip, we will eat at more moderate / casual places. A couple of questions:
• Oysters: We always eat oysters raw, but are open to trying cooked version. Acme, Felix’s and Luke are frequently mentioned. Do they specialize in raw, fried, or broiled version?
• We never had red fish before. Is it the same as drum?
• I will arrive in New Orleans on Wed and my wife joins me next day. What will be a good restaurant on my first night, dining solo?
Does that sound like a good plan for 2 first timers from California? Thanks for sharing your thought.
Help: a week in Paris, bistro and seafood
Wow, La Grille is exactly I am after: an old-school bistrot that we can enjoy without ordering a large chunk of meat. Thanks for the tip, and I will bring enough cach just in case.
Help: a week in Paris, bistro and seafood
Thanks for the replies. I now have some more specific questions on food that we are searching for:
1) Cheese: What restaurant offers a good cheese plate? Astier is mentioned, but I also heard it is more for quantity that quality. Is it worthwhile to seek out just for the cheese plate?
2) Turbot: While a fish lover, I never had Turbot before. I know it’s expensive. Where would I be able to find it on the menu?
3) Escargot: What addresses are good for a traditional escargot?
Help: a week in Paris, bistro and seafood
Does Les Fables de la Fontaine have 2 seatings? I seem to recall Constant lowered the price because of 2 seatings.
