Paul Weller's Profile
Drive-thru screw-ups
Here is southern california it seems that drive through places frequently put someone at the window with limited english speaking ability. When I place on order and they repeat the wrong item back to me in a heavy hispanic accent, I order in Spanish. Works almost every time.
Am I the only one who hates Harry & David?
Tell them it's a lovely gesture fruit gives you gastrointestonal illness. I bet they won't ask questions or give you more fruit.
Can Cured Salt Pork Be Used In Place of Bacon?
I get the chunks of salt pork and make lardons. I agree with the posters that say to boil it first to tone the saltiness down.
Italian food in san diego
It's a long way from downtown San Diego, but Ciao in Vista has a penna ala vodka that's really good. It's a pomodoro cream vodka sauce with bacon.
Sky Room at La Valencia -- Reviews?
A coworker just at there last week and raved about a steak he had.
Am I the only one who thinks Cheesecake Factory is overrated?
It's okay I suppose. Not really great but not horrible. Kind of pricey for what you get, but when you are near a mall or something and don't want to eat at Red Robin, Chili's, or one of those type of chains it can be a better option. I will go if someone else insists, sort of a random thing. I don't think to myself wow I'm can't wait to eat there tonight.
San Diego this weekend
Escondido is not far from Rancho Bernardo. Vincent's is tops in the area, http://www.vincentsongrand.com/
Or try 150 Grand
http://www.150grand.com/
Travel to Vista for Italian at decent prices.
http://ciao2.com/ristorante.htm
Or for a good lunch try
http://www.dellzcaliforniagrill.com/
These are just some of my local favorites in North County that won't break your wallet.
Food Related Music
Decendents. I like food. Watch and become a beliver. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A12o3gjvKtg
House Warming appetizers
Get some corn tortillas and use a mini muffin tin to make small tostada cups, then fill them with some scallop ceviche, a bean and salsa mixture, or anything similar. The cups and ceviche can be made a day ahead, filled just before serving and will stand up to moist fillings without getting soggy. Fast to assemble and easy to prepare.
Chipotle Mexican Grill
Chipotle is okay but it's kind of pricey. I can go to one of the 40 taco shops in the area and get a huge ammount of food for the price of a burrito at Chipotle.
Does 7-11 still have chilli and cheese for Nachos/Super Big Bite?
The 7-11 near me has a sign on the chili and the cheese that says "Free chili and nacho cheese topping" but does not specify what you are allowed to put it on as a topping.
Do you live above a restaurant? How noisy is it in your apartment? [moved from Boston board]
Eat at the place, see if you like the food. If you do, become friends with the owner and get free food because you live upstairs and don't complain to the landlord.
when your spouse is out of town,
At my house my SO doesn't cook very much at all. It's sort of at the mercy of the chef, so I don't really change anything at all. She eats what I cook pretty much.
I've never eaten at a "Jack in the Box." How is it?
"in fact I used to really like their Cheesteak (RIP) about 15 years ago"
I have a friend that owns a car that just died one day, and it's been sitting in his garage ever since. There is an unopened, uneaten cheesteak sitting on the backseat. I can only imagine what the inside of the car must smell like.
Bring Back Carl's Jr Original French Fries from the early 80's
While you are at it request the return of the all star hot dog.
StripSteak Poivre: 5 days in ziploc, in oil and peppercorns... has anyone tried this?
I like my steaks to be dry when I am making steak au poivre. They sear best when they are dry and then I finish in an oven while making the sauce.
No-fail flank steak or London Broil recipe/method
I marinade London broil in balsamic vinegar and olive oil with fresh garlic and rosemary, dry it off and grill it. Slicing it right is the key, and be sure to let it rest before slicing.
What do Chowhounds do for a living (besides eat of course)?
I work as a water distribution and treatment operator for a public water system.
American Regional favorites?
Hangtown fry was really popular when I lived in coastal northern california years ago. It's sort of like corned beef hash with oysters instead of corned beef.
Sherry Vinegar?
This came from a friend, don't know where he got it.
1&1/2 pounds of tomatoes, about 4 good sized ones.
Salt & Pepper to taste
6 Tablespoons olive oil
1Lb medium sized shrimp, raw, peeled and deveined
1 Tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 Tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 Tablespoons Italian parsley
cayenne pepper to taste
Pre heat the oven to 450 F
Halve the tomatoes, put them cut side up in a shallow baking dish, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Bake until cooked through about 15 minutes
Slightly before the tomatoes are done warm 1 tablespoon olive oil over high heat in a saute pan. Add the shrimp and salt and pepper and saute until done.
Transfer the baked tomatoes to individual serving dishes. Place the shrimp on the tomatoes.
In a small saucepan over high heat combine the garlic and remaining oil and saute until the garlic turns golden brown, about a minute. Add the vinegar to deglaze for about 30 seconds. Pour the contents over the shrimp and sprinkle with the cayenne and parsley.
Starbucks Improvement???
The machines at buck's are supposed to be calibrated regularly and when I worked there they rarely were due to untrained employees. Most of the time they would just continue to run the machine until the service guy came in about once a month and then tell him so he could calibrate it.
Sherry Vinegar?
I make a baked tomato and fried garlic shrimp dish with a sherry vinegar sauce.
Dubliner cheese uses?
Make a gratin of potatoes. Slice and boil them first, layer them in a casserole dish and pour a mixture of a couple of eggs and shredded Dubliner and a little nutmeg, grate some more over the top and brown it in the oven. It's pretty good.
Do you tip less if served by the owner?
I don't care who serves the food if they are somewhat sanitary looking and efficient. I always tip about 20 percent unless the service is horrible.
Help! Militant Organic Roomy!!!!
My former roommates were militant vegans. They just sort of turned vegatarian and then vegan over a period of about 6 months. They used to soapbox to me all the time about their diets being so much better than mine, me being a bloodthirsty cruel person for eating animal products, etc. etc. etc. I often laughed at them as they claimed to use no animal products but were always drinking cheap wines, which are often clarified with animal products. We went round and round about this for quite a while. The issue was only solved by them moving out and getting their own place. We are still the best of friends, but there is no way we could live together again.
Astronaut Ice-Cream
Sometimes they sell this stuff in the corral you have to wander through at Fry's to get to the register, and I fall for it every time. Delicious.
Requiring credit cards to confirm resos: is this common in SF? [moved from San Francisco board]
Yes people do go there. It's pretty awesome, food service, and atmosphere is the total package, pretty close to dining perfection. Not somewhere I go more than once or twice a year, just a really special occasion sort of place.
Requiring credit cards to confirm resos: is this common in SF? [moved from San Francisco board]
Mille Fluer in Rancho Santa Fe requires a credit card and will charge $50 for a no show. No need to contact them to confirm your reservation, but be prepared to pay if you no show. I don't know exactly how this works, as I have never tested the system they use by no showing.
Cheese course ? [Moved from Home Cooking board]
Looking at that menu I would pass on the cheese course and order the Hudson Valley foie gras and sweetbreads instead, paired with the Kracher Cuvee or the Lafaurie Peyreguey Sauternes if you are not byobing. For main course I'd order the duck paired with the Martinelli Pinot or the Ridge Three Valleys. That wine list is pricey, I hope they allow corkage.
Food Related Music
Fear, Beef Balogna. Warning, explicit lyrics and profanity.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVViiaHovMI
