miltronix's Profile
Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup at Cafe Opera in Ashburn
Maybe I'm visiting the wrong parts of Taiwan but I've never seen snow peas in a Taiwanese beef noodle soup. It seems weird that they're adding it.
Ray’s to the Third
I enjoyed my meal there but to throw out the Morton's comparison is unfair. While Morton's is overpriced, the steak at Ray's to the Third is not prime. Landrum has even come out and said the steak is not the same quality as Ray's the Steaks. With that said, as long as you aren't expecting prime steak for $30 / person, you'll have a great time like I did.
Oval Room, Vidalia, Proof, Blue Duck Tavern, Acadiana, or somewhere else?
Acadiana is good but pales in comparison to what you get in NOLA. Creole cuisine done well is just not something that's easy to find in DC. With that said, if I have a hankering for BBQ Shrimp, Acadiana's version works in a pinch. If you've been to NOLA, you'll notice that everything lacks just a little bit of "oomph" compared to the real thing. They work if you're craving it but you won't mistake it for the real thing.
I haven't been to Vidalia in years but my understanding is they always do a good job with their classics. You might struggle though since you had RJ Cooper's Vidalia blowout IIRC. In short, if your aunt really knows her Creole cuisine, then Acadiana is an option only if she's craving it and doesn't plan to go to NOLA in the foreseeable future. I'd pick Vidalia over Acadiana. Can't recommend Oval Room (always seemed boring to me although again, I haven't been), Proof (gets decent marks on chowhound) or Blue Duck Tavern (reviews say it has gone downhill) since I haven't been there.
Restaurant Eve Tasting Room - 2 Separate Tables for Party of 4?
Thank you everyone for your suggestions. Eve actually called me back since a party of four canceled. We were seated a lovely table in the corner and my friend's mom had an amazing time. It was the first time she'd done a tasting menu and she really enjoyed the unique food combinations (lobster with a bacon broth, foie gras with peanuts and caramel were some of the dishes she said she never would've thought of).
From my perspective, Eve is probably my second favorite special occasion restaurant behind Komi. The food was really good but I felt like the food at Komi was just a bit more interesting. The service was good until the end of the meal when they forgot to help pull the table out for my friend and his mom. They were seated on a loveseat type of thing and it was pretty hard for them to get out since there was only one side for them to scooch out. My wife and I helped pull the table for them as they started to scooch, which we found odd since we saw our server look over a couple times as he was arranging silverware in the staging area in the middle of the room. Maybe we're just spoiled by the service we received at Michelin starred restaurants in France since this was not that big a deal to be honest and my friend and his mom didn't even think twice about it.
New York EMP Lunch
We were charged $70 even though it was one of our 4 courses. I was told on the phone that it would not be an upcharge if part of our 4 course but it was there when I got the bill. Since we were celebrating my wife's birthday, I was not looking to argue about the bill even if it seemed like the cost were incorrectly communicated.
Restaurant Eve Tasting Room - 2 Separate Tables for Party of 4?
I'm not sure but I'll check. The reservationist didn't seem very polished. She said she couldn't even seat us at the same time even though it was a 15 minute difference (6:15 and 6:30 are the two different reservations). She said they were concerned about overloading one waiter. Since most restaurants of this caliber tend to use teams for service, I'm not sure why this would ever make a difference.
Restaurant Eve Tasting Room - 2 Separate Tables for Party of 4?
My friend decided this week to take his mom to Restaurant Eve to celebrate her birthday with dinner in the Tasting Room this Friday. Since this is my best friend and I've known his mom forever (known her since I was in grade school) we decided it'd be fun if my wife and I also joined them to celebrate.
The problem is there are no tables for 4 available until 9pm (which would be way too late) so I made a reservation and requested we be seated next to each other as a consolation prize. Does anyone who's been to the Tasting Room know if this setup will work out? We'd like to be able to have a conversation between the two parties (reservationist said tables are about two feet apart) and really "celebrate" together and don't want it to be awkward if we want to interact with each other.
Graffiato: Recommend Chef's Tasting
We also had the strawberry zeppoles which were pretty gross. They tasted like fried dough seasoned with strawberry cereal flavoring. Our friends who went with us went back a few months after my first report and experienced a much better rendition which featured a coffee flavoring.
New Hong Kong style restaurant in Rockville - East Pearl
Had the seafood pan fried noodles, two meat platter (bbq pork and duck), gai lan and wonton soup last night. I think Full Key in Wheaton is more flavorful. The pan fried noodles were decent but mostly soft noodles without as much of the crunchy bits. Full Key's duck has more prominent spicing and the bbq pork at East Pearl had some fatty bits that were almost crunchy which was odd. The wontons were large and tasty though.
In general, I think East Pearl has a lighter touch when it comes to seasoning. Maybe I'm just a salt fiend (which I wouldn't deny if someone accused me as such) but I would rather drive the 15 min to Wheaton to get eat at Full Key instead of the 5 min drive to East Pearl.
nicoise dining recommendations
We loved eating at Bistrot d'Antoine. I don't think any dish was over 14E. Le Safari is fun for lunch and the lunch prix fixe is a decent deal for a good amount of food.
name 5 overrated, or over hyped or famous restaurants whose food doesn't live up to reputation
Did you leave hungry because of the portions or because the price ruined your appetite from the get go? I consider myself a pretty hearty eater and I felt really stuffed after my meal there. The lobster mac n cheese probably did me in since it was exceptionally rich.
Vetting Paris concierge recs with the CHOW community...
Was the crepe place Breizh Cafe? I know they are known for their galettes...
Il Buco Alimentari e Vineria
We actually enjoyed our visit this past weekend for lunch. The salumi and bread were excellent and the short rib sandwich was very tasty and much bigger than expected. The paccheri pasta dish was delicious but not as amazing as I was expecting. We've heard bad things about their service but our server, Alana, was wonderful. She was honest about our food being accidentally delivered to the wrong table and gave us a free dessert as an apology (not necessary but a really nice gesture).
We ended up trying the panna cotta and an espresso / chocolate parfait that were both great. We had a pretty big breakfast and were stuffed after all the food. Really glad we tried it despite some of the feedback I'd seen. I think the salumi, short rib sandwich and panna cotta really stuck out in my mind as being the best eats from the meal. I can't say if it's worthy of 3 stars since I don't always keep up with NY Times reviews but I can say that the food was good and we enjoyed ourselves and would like to go back.
-----
Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria
53 Great Jones St, New York, NY 10012
Paris Itinerary Help - Primary question Le Cinq or Guy Savoy for lunch
By the way, the pork belly we had there was the best I've ever had in my life. The top was rendered so crisp that it tasted like a crisp piece of bacon. It's quite a sizeable portion so keep that in mind if you order it!
Paris Itinerary Help - Primary question Le Cinq or Guy Savoy for lunch
It was about medium rare. With that said, my wife who typically prefers meats cooked medium loved it.
Paris Itinerary Help - Primary question Le Cinq or Guy Savoy for lunch
Definitely consider Le Regalade St. Honore for one of your open meals. We thought the food was excellent and the service was great as well. The duck for two supplement was worth every penny (16E supplement). Two large pieces of duck breast topped with black truffles and a whole lobe of foie gras and served over a sweet potato puree with a parsley salad. The thigh and leg were also included. I almost forgot, this was just my portion.
Nice lunch in Versailles?
A picnic on the grounds is the best meal in my opinion. We found a bench and just enjoyed the great scenery and chowed on our baguette and various cheeses.
TOP 5 DISHES To EAT in NEW YORK
I agree with the oysters and pearls. I didn't think the oysters and pearls could stand up to the hype but they did and more. The oysters and pearls and the lobster mac n cheese (orzo with a marscapone sauce) at Per Se always come to mind when I think great dishes in NYC.
The only downside to the lobster mac n cheese was it was beyond rich. I started hitting the proverbial wall after that course at Per Se and we didn't even do the extended tasting menu. With that said, I would absolutely request it again!
Chez L'Ami Jean: Interested in meeting for dinner?
We've added a third to our party. Anyone interested in being the fourth? We've already decided on doing the chef's tasting at CLJ.
Early - or VERY late - meal in Versailles
Great suggestions Parnassien! Is it actually feasible to visit Versailles in the morning (say the chateau) and then head out to grab a bite? I'm not sure how tickets work and if it'll be too much of a walk to get to the more local establishments closer to Carres Notre Dame. I'm asking this because we plan to spend the whole day at Versailles. Pretty much visit gardens or chateau, eat lunch, visit other parts of Versailles. We don't plan to see it all but do plan to spend the entire day there.
Early - or VERY late - meal in Versailles
Do you have any personal experience with any of them that you would care to recommend? Almost anything other than a multi-course extravaganza. Something in the 10-20E per person range.
Early - or VERY late - meal in Versailles
I apologize for veering off topic a little but are there any recommendations for a place to grab lunch when visiting Versailles?
Barcelona Trip Report - Cinc Sentits
That's too funny. I've heard of other people doing that too!
Barcelona Trip Report - Cinc Sentits
Aleta - you're exactly right. I really struggled to remember the dishes when writing this report. It was a good time because it's nice to share a nice dining experience with my family. I just think maybe expectations were a little off given how much positive feedback I've read about CS.
Barcelona Trip Report - Cinc Sentits
I chose Cinc Sentits (Spanish for Five Senses) for our celebratory meal in Barcelona based on feedback that the chef was doing interesting and delicious cooking but not so "interesting" that the food would confuse palates not used to some of Spain's more progressive cuisine. We arrived right when the restaurant opened just like the good Norte Americanos that we are and were promptly seated. The space had a modern vibe to it but still felt inviting due to the service. We went with the Essencia menu since Mr. Milton was paying for our entire party! Now on to the food!
"Tapas" - House-marinated gorbal olives, honey and "sobrassada" bastons, five spiced "marcona" almonds. Nothing really to write home about unfortunately. Although all were tasty, none were particularly outstanding.
Chilled cream, maple syrup, cava sabayon and rock salt shooter. Now this little "shooter" on the other hand was absolutely delicious. It consisted of maple syrup (a nod to the chef's upbringing in Canada), chilled cream, cava sabayon (a nod to the chef's Spanish parents), and rock salt. At first the richness of the the cream hit, followed by sweetness from the maple syrup, and then finished with a bit of salinity from the rock salt. A truly great one sip. The olive oils that were poured were delicious as well, our favorite being the one pictured on the right. Very vibrant and peppery, it promoted quick consumption of the crusty bread that was served. Suffice it to say, my brother ate a whole loaf of bread on his own...
Mackerel with celery root, apple, and onion - Perfectly cooked mackerel that had the clean oiliness but none of the stinkiness that plagues less than ideal mackerel. A bread crust gave a beautiful crunch for textural contrast while the celery root, apple and onion lended some sweetness to the dish.
Pork chin with wild mushrooms, chestnut cream - The clear star of the dish were the mushrooms as they were perfectly caramelized. The dish suffered due to the dryness of the pork chin. This was the first time I started regretting not ordering the Sensacions menu as the dishes coming out of the kitchen looked amazing and much more complex.
Free-range egg with anchovy cream, "botifarra" blood sausage, shoestring potato - Creamy, umami, salty and crunchy. Like all soft cooked eggs, this one ended much too quickly. Only downside was I didn't really taste the sausage all that much (probably due to the stronger flavors of the anchovy.)
Salt cod tripe rice with spring peas, honey crisp - Held some similarities to the Cantonese dish salt fish and chicken fried rice but also different due to the creamy nature of the rice and sweet slight crunch of the peas. The honey crisp served more as a form of entertainment than adding actual flavor.
I can't seem to find the photo for the previous course (Pork loin with shallot, mustard-truffle crisp, clove-orange glaze - It was tasty but I really wish the pork were fattier and thicker since this dish was similar to thin sliced meat with gravy. Tasty but not amazing. Maybe that's why I can't find the picture...) This dessert wasn't too bad either. Tasted like most of the pear and ice cream desserts I've had that were accented with a little spice.
Some of the theater at Cinc Sentits involved the after dinner hot towel for wiping our hands. I think more and more restaurants have started doing this but this was the first time we'd seen this little "show". The little pill of a towel was plumped up and warmed with a dash of hot water. I suddenly reminisced back to my childhood days when we had little sea animals that would come to life once we dropped them in water.
Another part of the show was the folding of napkins. Most restaurants fold napkins when a patron goes to the restroom. Cinc Sentits takes it to another level by doing it with clean silverware! That's got to count for at least 4 Michelin stars on it's own (note - yes, I am aware that a restaurant can only earn a maximum of 3 Michelin stars!) The petit fours were just average and again nothing really stood out.
All in all, Cinc Sentits had some nice dishes but the Essencia menu clearly paled in comparison to the Sensacions menu. Cinc Sentits probably could do itself a favor by dropping the Essencia menu altogether as not too many dishes to be noteworthy. The service, space, and cooking were all very polished. The only problem is the food lacked much spark. Truth be told, the shooter at the start of the meal was probably our favorite part of the meal.
Feel free to check out the photos in my blog: http://miltonyangphotography.com/?p=1092
Quick Bite Near Gare de Lyon Station Before Lunch
I saw this option as well but decided against it since it would arrive 2 hours later than the train from Gare de Lyon.
Feeback on our Nice Itinerary
Thanks as always Parigi! Do you have a recommendation for a place to go after Cafe de Turin?
As for Villefranche, what did you enjoy about that town?
You make a good point of visiting the chateau on the hill on Tuesday. We'll probably do that. What is the Maison Lascaris?
Debating Nice vs Avignon vs La Rochelle
How far in advance did you reserve these two restaurants? Are thy more of the show up the day of or a day in advance and reserve or reserve today?
