I like the wine suggestions - having a bottle myself tonight with George Lang's version of REAL Hungarian Chicken Paprikash. As for the other postings.... garlic?.... mushrooms????? really???

I am spending a few days in London and attempting to arrange a reunion with a few cousins who live in Holland - and decided to meet in Brussels because I remember it fondly from a trip about 14 years ago. Unfortunately, we will all meet for 3 hours or so and then go back to our lives. I want to host at a place where we can eat and drink and linger - but a place which will be welcoming and warm and have good (but not terribly expensive) food. I remember the lovely food and warm welcome at the Roeden Hood restaurant..but it may be too formal a place. Any recommendations would be gratefully appreciated.

Fully agree. Besides ... my original thought was "mass produced fake food" (and i used the term "chemicals" for brevity). Yes there are chemicals in raw sugar (duh) but the point is that big chemical companies that produce man-made chemicals and insert these into our food together with massive campaigns whose price would easily run some small countries are not something that the common man can evaluate easily. Thus - my personal preference to stay away from those mass produced man-made so-called food.

May be a little late now ..but I read through your entire post and I have only one suggestion - don't miss the gruyere cheese croissant at Clear Flour (you need to be there early to get one - or a handful as i do - and eat it right there (preferably before you pay for it, or as soon as you step away from paying. Please do let me know your opinion of these (again on the "Western International Scale" of things) if you get a chance at these croissants.

+1 ..... this easily wins by a 100 trumps! Yecccchhhhh!

+1 more for sugar .... let those who wish to taste chemicals do their own thing..... to each his/her own...

ICOB IMHO is best - however, we should give others who prefer other places to exercise their own options and leave those of us who are smitten with ICOB to get a chance at those few remaining seats.....

Totally correct, chowser - thanks for the clarification. In most environments rudeness and breach of etiquette are sufficient reason for excluding the offending person from further invitations. It's a little harsher in a business context where Clients are involved -unless you are the Client, of course (in which case the price may be increasing soon - humor intended)

Excellent point - attested by the plethora of bad pics on the net.

thew - Unless you are dining alone, I would say that talking on the phone and having a private conversation - while ignoring everyone else that you are with - is the foremost offense. As the volume of the one-sided conversation continues to grow and interfere with the interactions of others, it becomes ruder. If you are dining alone and speaking quietly - I would definitely not consider it intrusive or rude. To me, I notice rudeness first. A couple in a fine dining establishment having a fight is just as rude and disruptive of my dinner.

There is always a difference of course, between informal meals and formal meals. In the poorest of households, sharing from communal plates is often the norm (and I dare say this is true almost anywhere in the world). In families with more means, each member may have their own place-ware. Formal dinners (such as "State Dinners" or the fabled 32-course Chinese Wedding Banquet) are much rarer and most of us have never been to one. So I guess the "double dipping rule" is also more applicable as people have more means. As I said, the Chinese norm is sharing, and in more formal circles, etiquette calls for reversing the chopsticks and using the blunt end to pick up food from "shared dishes". Again, it is etiquette that rules - even in Chinese gatherings. I think that you are referring to "eating with friends" when you state that "it's pretty common and not rude in China to use your own chopsticks to pick up food from a main dish" - and not when you are eating with, let's say, corporate customers.

It bothers me - even though there are specific cases where it is culturally acceptable to do so. For example, when I am at a Chinese restaurant (specifically Chinese and not Korean or Japanese), I have no qualms about using my chopsticks to pick up food from across the table. In cultural context - it is ok to do so because I am normally dining with friends or family (or workmates). However, in the same setting, I would not pick out something from the communal soup bowl with my chopsticks - I would instead take the soup (using the provided ladle) from central bowl to my very own soup bowl. I doubt any Chinese person would do otherwise. The reason I would not do the same to let's say a cheese/nacho dip (meaning I would not dip into the cheese with a half bitten nacho) is the same reason I would not leave a snot filled tissue on the table. It breaches etiquette - and shows little consideration for anyone else's feelings.

Agree wholeheartedly on the cellphone annoyance aspect. Complain to the Maitre'D and all you might get is a shrug. At least a flash has a certain "end point" to it - yabberwocks keep on through the dinner - ruining the entire experience. Perhaps another thread discussing this particular form of bad behavior is in order?

lipoff - I for one fully agree with you. There may be specific ways to make a genuine dacquoise but this one however mis-named is a good pastry and I am one of those who love it. I personally find it hard to understand the critiques coming from our esteemed colleagues - because these are the same ones who favor Chinese-sushi (another thread) over authentic Japanese sushi. Perhaps their knowledge of French cuisine makes them better judges of "french style" pastries - and thus the critiques - even though the chef is Chinese.

It is always easy to recommend a great resto - not so easy to find them.... glad you had as good a time as the rest of us had!

If you don't want "chain" or "mass produced" pizza, you owe it to yourself to get to DW Pizza (on DW Hwy near three amigos) - and order any one of their pizzas. My regular order there is their spinach pizza (with about 1/3 of the cheese they usually put onto it), slightly overcooked - the spinach comes out nice and crispy and the crust is TDF.

Your response gratefully acknowledged. In turn I must state that I have some very specific tastes for specific items. For example, I think that finding an exceptionally well done fried chicken is an ongoing and (mostly futile) task. But I do enjoy Popeye's fried chicken a lot - and might even go so far as to say that outside my own (or possibly Scott Peacock's) it is one of the best fried chickens I have tasted. Others obviously disagree vociferously with me. I do, actually, factor in the fact that dishes cooked at home with love and caring cannot be directly compared with those that have a profit motive as an objective - and therefore, factor the price into my evaluation. On the other hand, my personal tastes do not allow me to appreciate even the choicest poutine in all the land. Perhaps it can be summed up with that - our tastes and expectations differ - and I try and try and try to like duckfat (believe me, I do - especially since my most esteemed other half loves them also). But alas.
....................... I may try again (when she goes to get her fix).

Have you tried those at Crema Cafe in Harvard Square?

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Crema Cafe
27 Brattle St, Cambridge, MA 02138

I second, third and fourth this statement - Clear Flour's Gruyere Croissants are at least as good as - if not much better than - any other croissant I have personally had.

agree on that!

sometimes people just LOVE semantics. As for me I will attempt to remain quiet on this one restaurant because I have said all i will say. To one its fish to another its poisson - so be it. I have posted my personal opinion and review and will continue to stand by it.

Sorry about taking so long .... here is a link to a recipe... http://www.alleasyworld.com/Iranian-Chelo-Rice.html

I use a recipe from a book called "In a Persian Kitchen" (http://www.amazon.com/Persian-Kitchen...)

I agree with the wild belons - had a few myself - they were incredible. I normally have wasabi with my oysters and they didn't have any on hand. I chalk that up to opening days and hope they will have wasabi next time I go there. As for the unevenness coming from the kitchen - I hear there is someone who went over to ICOB from Eastern Standard - perhaps to lure customers back... hahaha

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Eastern Standard
528 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215

Perhaps because I really really wanted to agree with you - that's probably why. But not to worry - you enjoy them!

I have returned dry oysters at Neptune (and encountered pushback) - that was one more fault (which I am glad you mentioned) I forgot to mention earlier.

The oysters gregory were excellent. She may become a convert with those. Stay away from the fish-n-chips (that was not so good). If you see the pork hocks, you should try them and report - I wanted to (after reading all those rave reviews), but they didn't have any that evening.

Never too late.

The gizzards are hardest. The liver is softest. The heart is in-between in texture. feel each one and you should be able to tell them apart easily.

Well, I am not into fanfare so i didn't. We had 42 oysters and 2 bottles of wine and fish and chips and Oysters Gregory and Oyster sliders and after 3 hours of gourmandistic bliss almost missed the bus home! I am not easy in my critique of restaurants (as some of you may already know) - but I put this place up there with the top 3 places I have ever eaten at. As far as Oyster shucking goes - I had one tiny (imagined?) shard. Compared with Summer Shack (which seems to add shards to it's oysters) or with Neptune (which I used to love also but almost always encountered shell bits in each platter) - ICOB rocks! Our waiter was totally awesome. Can't say enough about the place except I hope they keep it up (or if it is possible - get better with time). Boston now has something to brag about!

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Summer Shack
310 Northern Ave, Boston, MA 02210

Island Creek Oyster Bar
500 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215

Agree with what the others have said - except for the liver part. I personally think that the liver provides a depth of flavor that the other innards do not. So here is what I do. After you have made the stock (and sometimes, even after I have thickened the gravy) - I would cut up the liver into tiny pieces and saute these in whatever fat you like (some combination of turkey dripping fat/butter/olive oil) until the pieces are cooked through. Pour off all the fat and deglaze with a splash of brandy/cognac. Put a ladleful of the stock into the saute pan and stir to make sure you get the fond (brown bits sticking to the bottom of the pan) mixed in with the stock. Pour it all back into the stock/gravy, heat the gravy as usual before serving. Happy thanksgiving!