phneale's Profile
how about some ideas for Marco Island
I would also try CJ's on the Bay. It is in Esplanade and has nice water views, a good bar and good food. The chef is classically trained and used to work at Marek's
Speaking of which, Marek's in the old Collier house is a nice place. They have one side that is fine dining, the other is a bistro/bar casual spot. Full bar too.
Also, try the Philly Grill. It is in a strip mall on North Collier, but really good, creative sandwiches, flatbreads and salads. The owners used to own Verdi's.
The best seafood market in SW Florida is on Marco. Paradise Seafood on Bald Eagle drive in the same plaza as Porkys.
Hope this helps.
Paula's English Pea recipe = what's wrong with Food Network
Ever since he went on the diet and lost all that weight, he has become a drone. His stuff actually used to be fun and informational.
rib eye as substitute for short ribs in making beef bourguignon???
I agree with everyone else. Why use ribeye for that. Use chuck or round if you don't want to use short ribs.
Vergina Restaurant Naples
Vergina is OK. I agree that Bice is no better. The best Italian restaurant in the fifth avenue area is off fifth on 4th Ave South between 41 and 8th, Ristorante Ciao. It is truly great Italian food, handmade by the chef owner. Eat there and walk on fifth later.
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Vergina
700 Fifth Avenue South, Naples, FL 34102
Ristorante Ciao
835 4th Ave S, Naples, FL 34102
Cuban sandwich recommendations for Naples-Bonita-Ft Myers?
Not one of the best places on earth for Cuban sandwiches (Miami or Tampa are much better choices), but try Fernandez the Bull. There is one on Immokalee road in North Naples and another on Airport Road just north of Davis Blvd. OK Cubans there.
Gourmet magazine to close
It is truly a sad day. I got my first Gourmet magazine in 1971 and until my divorce had every issue from 1978 until then. Many great meals and lots of inspiration for adventurous cooking has come from there. I just got their new cookbook in the mail Saturday, and now they are gone. I am sure Ruth will surface somewhere else, but every month will be missing a special day.
Cuban sandwich between Marathon Key and MIA: Help!
I would go with Versailles. SW 8th Street (Calle Ocho) and about 34th Avenue. Not only for the Cuban sandwich and mariquitas (fried plantain chips) but for the atmosphere. Try it next time you are in the area.
Horrible experience at Roy's
It is symptomatic of all Roy's, I think. I have eaten at Roy's in Naples Florida, Bonita Springs Florida and Seattle. Every one of them has been mediocre at best. The one in Seattle was actually almost as bad as the OP depicted, but on a very slow night. I only go now if someone else has made the reservation and I am along for the ride.
Jackson's - Tampa
My personal favorite in Tampa is still Mise en Place. It is near/in downtown and I just ate there last week. I had a completely outstanding meal and great service at the bar.
Nonna Ristorante Newark DE
What a find! One of the managers at the Hilton in Newark DE suggested this place and I took a shot. What a surprise! Wine Spectator award winner and not standard Italian. Things like wild boar and excellent pastas. I had an arugula salad with prosciutto and gorgonzola and a wonderful veal dish of scallopini with crimini and hot roasted peppers. A gruner to start and a nice Italian tinged blend that had cab, cab franc and sangiovese called Lady in Red.
Worth a drive.
What Is More Important to Being a Great Chef? Technique or Recipes
I agree that the basic techniques are the thing and you should know basic dishes that are common on America restaurant menus if you are going to win Top Chef.
On another note, I love Culinary Artistry. It is my go to book when coming up with a new dish. It has a great section that indicates what flavors go together with what. You go to beef and it shows 40 different flavors (horseradish, etc) that go with it. Great for making the mind work.
Marco Island - On the water
Sale e Pepe is quite good for fine dining on the beach. You can walk from the Hilton. It is a bit of a hoof, but not terrible. My favorite beachfront fine dining is Kurrents at the Marriott. If you let either of the places know about the birthday, they will take good care of you. The view is not much at Kurrents, but the food is special. For a casual lunch on the beach, go to the Sunset Grille at the Apollo all the way on the south end of the beach. The food is nothing special, think sports bar, but the view is unmatched.
I have lived on Marco for 21 years so have a pretty good fix on what is going on.
Orlando Steakhouse on an expense account
I am a Del Frisco's fan. Small chain, but a bit different from the others. Shulas (former Miami Dolphins coach), is really quite good and a bit unique. Lots of football memorabilia.
Between Louisville & Lexington KY & Bourbon Trail
I like the ones you hit, but you missed an all time fave. Lynn's Paradise Cafe in Louisville. It was on a Bobby Flay Throwdown, so you may turn away because of that, but she makes awesome breakfasts and it is a genuinely fun place to go. Louisville is full of great eating places. I go there once a year to visit friends and love every minute.
fat bastard
Those are crazy prices for FB. In Florida, it is never more that $10 per bottle.
Dinner in Naples or vicinity
For Mexican, I would do La Bamba on Pine Ridge road. Pretty good, as they call it, Fresh Mex. For stone crabs, just go to Captain Jerry's at Wynn's market, get a few pounds, have them crack them, get some mustard sauce, a good bottle of wine at Wynn's and sit on the beach and eat them. Much better than overpaying at Truluck's, even though I like Trulucks. Chinese is tough. Mostly just standard Chinese joints with no REAL Chinese. Vergina is a good Italian place across from Trulucks.
Portion Size at Finer Restaurants
I agree that some of the portions offered are absurdly small. I don't want a Flintstones rib, but I do expect a reasonable portion. The $22 three scallop app is the perfect description of the problem.
Mail Order Steaks
I agree with SWSIDEJIM - Allen Brothers. I have tried most of the others and AB is the one I come back to. If you are going to use them right away, get the never frozen. If not, I have used the frozen ones after six months in the freezer and they were as good as, prime or Greg Norman from my best local butcher - Jimmy P's in Naples.
Organic Turkey
That is nuts. You can go to D'Artagnan www.dartagnan.com and get great turkeys of all varieties for less than that, fresh, not frozen. They run about $70-80.
Top Chef Sept. 12th. >>SPOILER<<
A few reflections. What was up with Tom's caps? He must have an endorsement deal. Didn't his mother ever tell him to take off his hat when he eats?
It is my guess that the airline food deal was part of the sponsorship deal with CO. They give the show free tickets, they get a show featuring CO. In my mind it was a terrible challenge. This season still has not grabbed me. I find the challenges poor, the contestants uninteresting and it has all seemed forced. The only positive side was the large presence of Bourdain.
Never cooked a steak before....help!
Totally agree with this one. It will turn out a superb steak, if you have a good fan.
Overly salty meat results in arrest [moved from Not About Food board]
Apparently they salt on the grill, or at service. This is one of the worst stories ever of a police force over stepping its bounds.
Batali Did Not Quit Iron Chef America
I think the new Iron Chef is to be a replacement for Morimoto who is not shown on the promos.
Conch
Very brave of you. I have never prepped a live conch for cooking, so I will pass on that. However, there are a number of ways to prepare it. One is in conch salad, which is essentially a conch seviche. There is also a classic called cracked conch. This pounds the conch to tenderize, The classic is conch chowder. This is a tomato based chowder. http://www.motuiti.com/ConchSalad.html http://www.thebahamasguide.com/facts/cuisine.htm These two websites have good basic recipes for all three of the classics above, plus conch fritters. Good eating.
Sriracha Chili Sauce Condiment or Crack?!
On grilled grouper, in black beans and rice, in coleslaw. Even tried it in mashed potatoes for a twist on wasabi mashed, awfully good with pork. It is crack, but better.
Stuffed cabbage--country of origin
My German mother made it with a thin tomato sauce and lots of caraway. My Hungarian wife makes it with a tomato sauce and sauerkraut in the broth. In Russia it is typically done with no tomato. Pick a place, it stuff vegetables or vegetable leaves and braises them. Just like dumplings, stuffed pasta, empanadas, etc.
Are Morels worth it?
I agree with all the suggestions above. For a first timer, the simple morel cream sauce for pasta or the risotto are probably the best. They ARE worth it and fresh are amazing. I also would not buy from Whole Foods and get ripped off. Go to www.earthy.com. They have the most amazing selection of dried mushrooms of all types, and fresh in season at great prices. Their price for 4 oz of morels is $50.
Feasting on Asphalt #3 Season 2
They were not canned tamales on the show. The ones fresh made on the trail bear a resemblance to the canned ones, but are much better. I have had the trail tamales and they are an experience unto themselves. Not like Mexican or any other Latin tamales, but still really good.
Darden buys Longhorn Steakhouse and Capital Grille restaurants
I have found CG and S&W to be the best of the chain steak houses. I have had horrible experiences at Morton's. I have only eaten at RC's about three times, to I am not an expert.
