webgeekstress's Profile
Say what?? Cooking comments that baffle you
My mom similarly had a double oven, and she used the upper oven, not for storage, but for things like drying pans or metal utensils (so that they would dry without rusting) and defrosting frozen bread. Anytime we wanted to use the oven to actually bake something, we always had to check first to make sure it was empty.
Need Upscale Dinner Recommendations for Prague
I'm not familiar with any of the restaurants you cite, but my favorite splurge restaurant in Prague was Aromi, upscale Italian seafood in Vinohrady, http://www.aromi.cz Closest metro/tram stop is Jiriho z Podebrad. If you go, say "Hi" to Marek (manager) for me.
Aromi has a sister restaurant, Le Finestra, near Old Town Square, but I wasn't as taken with that one.
Breakfast near Jack London Square?
Yet another vote for Buttercup. Not for light appetites, but at least you can skip lunch!
Czech Republic - Prague & Cesky Krumlov
As others have mentioned, Prague restaurants mostly shut down 24-26 December for Christmas, although most of the more tourist-oriented places will still be open.
The last two years, I ate at Rybi Trh (http://www.rybitrh.cz/index_en.html) just off Old Town Square, for Christmas eve. They have a special Christmas menu (http://www.rybitrh.cz/en/vanoce10.php), and if you wish, you can enjoy the traditional Czech Christmas fish soup followed by fried carp with potato salad (also traditional for Christmas Eve). If you finish early enough, you can get to Old Town Square for the live outdoor performance of Ryba's Czech Christmas Mass at 9 PM.
Some of my other Prague favorites were Aromi (Prague 2, upscale Italian seafood, www.aromi.cz), U Basnika Panve (Prague 2, more or less traditional Czech food - I always liked their Moravian sour soup and venison goulash, and they do a tasty svíčková - beef tenderloin in a vegetable-cream sauce - http://www.ubasnikapanve.cz/) and U Male Velryby (another seafood restaurant, this one in Mala Strana, Prague 1, http://www.umalevelryby.cz/en/restaurace/)
When I was living in Prague, I relied heavily on Czech Please, http://czechoutchannel.blogspot.com/ for dining ideas.
Hotel Brunch around xmas time
I splurged on the holiday brunch buffet at Top of the Mark a few years ago. Magnificent view and the food was surprisingly good (although for the price, I shouldn't have been surprised). This year's holiday menu is at http://www.intercontinentalmarkhopkins.com/i/downloads/Holiday_Brunch.pdf
-----
Top of the Mark
Number One Nob Hill, San Francisco, CA 94108
Brothy Leek Soup Recipe?
Well, of course, there's the famous Leek Soup from "French Women Don't Get Fat", at http://frenchwomendontgetfat.com/content/leek-soup-kick-weekend Couldn't be simpler, and there's no reason you couldn't substitute broth for the water.
If you're looking for something more interesting, soupsong.com has some recipes that might suit you, including:
Welsh Leek Soup (Cawn Cennin): http://www.soupsong.com/zh3.html
Japanese Miso Soup with Tofu and Leeks, http://www.soupsong.com/rmiso1.html
Lemony Lentil Soup with Leeks and Scallops, http://www.soupsong.com/rlentil5.html
Japanese Clear Soup with Chicken and Leeks, http://www.soupsong.com/rsuimon2.html
Cock-a-Leekie Soup, http://www.soupsong.com/rcockale.html
Seeking recommendations for Oberammergau
I'll be in Oberammergau in mid-July, to attend the Passion Play. Any Chow-worthy recommendations?
Kusadasi?
A search of the board didn't turn up anything. Does anyone have any Kusadasi recommendations. Being here in the off-season is especially limiting my options.
Thanks.
restaurants with charm in Paris
Ah, well, if you're in the 18th (near Jules Joffrin), you want to go to La Table d'Eugène at rue Eugène Sue 18. Good, basic French cooking at a reasonable price, a neighborhood clientele, and an extremely congenial proprietor. Tell Joel (the proprietor) that l'Americaine says "hi".
Saint Malo suggestions?
I'm going to be spending a week in Bretagne, based in Saint Malo. Suggestions, anyone? I'm looking forward to the oysters!
Old School and Historical SF Locale
I'll go along with the Tadich Grill suggestion: just doesn't get older school that this.
Weeknight dinner option near Orpheum...Buzz 9 closed? Gyro King?
Soluna is just a couple of blocks over from the Orpheum, http://www.solunasf.com/. You'd probably have to stick to the "small plates" and "side dishes" portions of the menu to stay vegetarian, but even so, you could make a meal of it. (That, or call in advance and see if they could come up with something off the menu for you).
Occidental - Bistro des Copains - any reports?
I was there earlier this summer, in June, just a few weeks after they opened.
I started with the oyster sampler (2 each of 3 local oysters), which were beautifully fresh and served with a mignonette of red wine vinegar. I prefer a milder mignonette: while this one was tasty, I had to be very sparing to avoid overwhelming the poor oysters. I also had a glass of the Iron Horse Cuvee.
I went on to the three-course prix fixe, which that night consisted of the butter lettuce salad, the salmon, and the chocolate souffle cake; I forget what wine I paired it with.
The salad was pleasant enough: the dressing was light and, unlike the oysters' mignonette, did not overpower the leaves. My server alerted me that the salmon would be prepared medium rare by default, but alas, arrived well done. It was served over mashed potatoes. Since I was sitting at the bar, I was able to observe the dishes coming out of the kitchen, and I noticed that the mashed potatoes were pretty ubiquitous. The chocolate souffle cake surprised me a little: it was prepared in a sort of shallow, undersized (4-5 inch diameter) fluted quiche dish. It had been baked in the wood-burning oven, and so had risen and baked unevenly.
The service was friendly and attentive (and I had three separate people offer me bread).
Total for two glasses of wine, the oysters, the prix fixe, and tip: about $65
I would certainly go back if I were in the area.
They took over the old Naked Lady location, BTW.
