IPcook's Profile
New Fuchsia Dunlop book
Two years ago I attended a two week cooking program in Chengdu China at the Institute for Higher Cuisine, the school where Fuchsia first learned about chinese/sichuan cooking. The program was very well done with English translation provided by the school. If anyone is interested the program is coordinated in the USA and details can be found at www.cookingschoolinchina.com.
Salute ( glen ridge) vs, Rose Mediterranean ( west caldwell)
Salute was our choice. Best course was the roasted octopus. Tender , yet firm texture with a good taste of the sea. Portion was enough for the two of us to share. Shared pasta course was ok, needed more porcici assertiveness. Shared meat course, the tuscan meatloaf was weak , not much flavor outside of some added spice.
Szechuan Gourmet/Flushing vs. Hunan Kitchen Grand Sichuan/Flushing
Well we had a wonderful meal at the Hunan Kitchen. Started with Sliced conch in hot oil and Sauteed spinach with ginger, both of which were freshly prepared and were perfect at getting the mouth watering. Moved to Big fish head with chili, BBQ fish, Sauteed string bean with chicken, lamb with cumin, white pepper smoked beef, spare ribs with bamboo shoot, pea shoots with garlic, Ma Po Tofu and three kinds bamboo shoots. The dishes were served at a reasonable pace and each was just off the wok, i.e. had wok breadth. Perhaps the most interesting dish of the evening in aprt because of its novelty was the white pepper smoked beef , the white pepper of which according to a chat with the chef is imported from fukien province in China. Others thought the two fish dishes were the highlight. Perhaps the only dish below excellent was the Ma Po Tofu , which is better done at little pepper and in my own kitchen.
Szechuan Gourmet/Flushing vs. Hunan Kitchen Grand Sichuan/Flushing
thanks for all the suggestions. We're heading to Hunan Kitchen tonight (wednesday) and will report after the dinner
Salute ( glen ridge) vs, Rose Mediterranean ( west caldwell)
Party of six going to one of the above this Sunday May 20. Any suggestions as to which you would picK? Give preference to food over ambience.
Favorite dish at each?
thanks in advance
Szechuan Gourmet/Flushing vs. Hunan Kitchen Grand Sichuan/Flushing
It was just two of us so we didn't try many dishes but I was very impressed by the Braised Pork Mao style which used pork belly and softened the fat to a beautiful custard consistency. Better than I've ever had this dish.
I noticed many of the fish dishes coming out of the kitchen looked lovely including the fish head dish
Szechuan Gourmet/Flushing vs. Hunan Kitchen Grand Sichuan/Flushing
thanks
I've been to Spicy and Tasty and Little Pepper many times and love both of them. However, I was very impressed at the Hunan Kitchen a few months back and have wanted to get a group there but chinese friends are also high on the Szechuan Gourmet in Flushing where I have not been.
websites/blogs for food/art/music events in Bay area
Can anyone suggest a good website for food or music or art events in bay area- visiting from end of May through middle of June
would like to be informed as to whats going on.
Szechuan Gourmet/Flushing vs. Hunan Kitchen Grand Sichuan/Flushing
Looking for input, comments, suggestions on dishes on a dinner for about 10 people at either the Szechuan Gourmet in Flushing or the Hunan Kitchen Grand Sichuan in Flushing. Diners are very knowlegeable about sichuan cuisine.
Which one would you choose?
Thanks for any help
Urgup , Turkey
Any suggestions for restaurants in Urgup, Turkey or Goreme, Turkey. Visiting in Mid March 2012.
BAM- restaurant selection within 2-3 mile radius.
Thanks to everyone for very helpful replies
First of all, the performance by Kevin Spacey was wonderful, how he does it every day is just mind boggling to me.
After the performance we went to Le Comptoir on Grand St, about 3 miles away from BAM. WE had our car and found that parking was available right across the street from the restaurant- at least on a sunday evening at 7 PM. The meal was absolutely delicious and the Foie gras brulee was novel to me and wonderful. The only problem with the restaurant is the small number of tables for two and the sound level but it was a fun evening.
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Le Comptoir
251 Grand St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
BAM- restaurant selection within 2-3 mile radius.
Will be at BAM on Sunday for a 3 PM performance of Richard III , exiting at about 6:30. Looking for restaurant serving interesting high quality food, american ,french or italian doesn't matter that much. Emphasis on quality, passion from the chef and use of local ingredients to the extent possible at this time of year. Price point of perhaps $125 for two with a simple bottle of red wine. Not looking for steak house
Burgundy restaurant and Wineries
Thanks to everyone for your very helpful suggestions. We dined at Ma Cuisine in Beaune and loved it. The food was bistro type home cooking and delicious. I had the escargot which were plump and savory with the garlic sauce followed by a wonderful cote de veau sauced with chanterelles. One of us had the menu which was very well priced at 25 euros. The wine list in my view was a notch or maybe two above excellent- two full pages of DRC and two pages of Yquem. We had a lovely Chassagne Montrachet rouge premier cru although i forget the vineyard-went well with the chop and a tripe de veau . On the wineries we had a wonderful visit to Anne Gros including a tour around her vineyards , an introduction to the cellar, and a tasting of 6 wines from the tank, cask and bottle. There is a charge but well worth it.
Burgundy restaurant and Wineries
we are staying in Beaune on a Thursday evening in the middle of October ( 4 people) . Looking for a suggestion for dinner and for wineries that allow for a visit and tasting. Prefer good burgundy cuisine and nice cellar selection , cost should be 55 euros or less without wine. Appreciate any suggestions.
Vence/St. Paul de Vence area / Restaurant recommendation
We had a beautiful experience at Les Bacchanales. Dined in the back garden with live jazz and Monsieur dufau's explanation of each course. I loved his version of polenta with girolles and eggplant. Apparently he dries his own corn and uses that in the polenta mix. Roast squab was also wonderfully rich and the house smoked Chevre introduced a new taste to me.
Thanks again for the recommendation.
BYO in Philadelphia
thanks for all the helpful suggestions, matyson's was wonderful!
Best in Brooklyn or queens
thanks to everyone for all your helpful recommendations, we tried Tournesol and loved it; one further note-on monday, tuesday and wednesday- tournesol has a $25 tasting menu- hard to beat that.
I like the breadth of their wine list- including many wines from the southwest such as Bergerac
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Tournesol
50-12 Vernon Blvd, Queens, NY 11101
Pig Roast companies near sparta nj
try Top Quality on route 46 -their roast pig is delicious, crispy and moist and I think the charge for a whole one is $180 or portions at $7.99/pound
Best in Brooklyn or queens
looking for recommendation for French/Italian or American cuisine in Brooklyn or queens. Bill for couple with bottle of wine should be $150 or less. Food should be of consistently high quality and not boring I.e. No broiled salmon on menu. If Brooklyn then preferably downtown or nearby, if queens then LIC or closely.
Basket for Grilling Fish on Gas Grill
Looking for basket to grill fish on a bbq grill and be able to flip fish without breaking and then remove fish from basket without sticking to basket. Prefer rectangular shape to accommodate different fish shapes. No matter how much i oil current basket , the fish tends to stick to it and ruins crispy skin and look.
Anyone have experience with a winning basket?
BYO in Philadelphia
Need a recommendation on Philadelphia's best BYO- Preferably French or Italian or New American cuisine-most important is that the food be of high quality.
We are staying in Rittenhouse Square area but have a car.
SKY Foods
We went last night ( wednesday august 4 ) at about 6PM. Found the 3 hour free parking facility , and had no problem finding a spot on level B . I would describe the store as medium crowded with more people at the vegetable counters than fish/meat. The prices on veggies seemed quite low, e.g., asian eggplant at 69 cents/pound. I like the fact that most items were marked in english as well as chinese. I thought the quality of the fish looked good and we bought two whole flounders which we'll try tonight. Management seems to have an emphasis on cleanliness as there were people moping the floor and generally cleaning up. After leaving Sky Foods we went to the New world Food court for dinner- I liked Chong Qing hot pot vendor the best- as the others seemed westernized and expensive. We then proceeded to try J- Mart and purchased a few items there but prices seemed higher than Sky and not as clean and no free parking.
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New World Mall
40-21 Main St, Queens, NY 11354
J Mart
136-20 Roosevelt Ave, Queens, NY 11354
SKY Foods
Thanks for the helpful response. Did you try anything from the fish/seafood counters?
SKY Foods
Has anyone been to Sky Foods , an asian supermarket on College point Blvd, that got reviewed in the NY times on July 26, 2011>
Comments?
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Sky Foods
40-24 College Point Blvd, Queens, NY 11354
Grasonville, Maryland
Staying for a week in the Grasonville area and looking for an excellent seafood restaurant/diner, particularly one that has as its emphasis maryland blue crabs. Doesn't have to be fancy just good quality seafood.
Much thanks in advance
Vence/St. Paul de Vence area / Restaurant recommendation
Thanks everyone for all your helpful comments, We've made a reservation at Les Bacchanales in September and I will post my comments at that time
Vence/St. Paul de Vence area / Restaurant recommendation
We're staying at the Hotel Le Hameau in St. Paul de Vence in early September 2011. I'm looking for a recommendation on a restaurant for my significant other's birthday.
Quality of the food and the decor/setting are the primary factors with consistency of quality being a key.
Any restaurant can have a bad day but a high quality restaurant should maintain consistency. My experience has been that lunch , particularly at michelin starred restaurants are much lees expensive and we have tended to make that our bigger meal. I usually prefer restaurants that are not connected with a hotel but i'm open . Owner/cook with emphasis/respect for local ingredients is a plus. Willing to drive within a 60-75 km radius
Wine tasting in Sonoma county
recommendations for best tasting rooms in sonata wine country, I.e good quality for fee, and opportunity to taste higher cost, lower availability wines
Dal Porto Ranch Lamb
Does anyone know where to find dal Porto ranch lamb on a retail level in the bay area?
