Kalee's Profile
Top Chef Texas - Ep. #15 - 02/15/12 (Spoilers)
I can easily see why Bev would irk people. I definitely remember being none too impressed with her behavior in the first full episode, but...She isn't actively mean to anyone. I don't know if she had an outlet at her station. Or if she did, whether it was working. They didn't pan to an outlet, so I wonder if there either was none, or if it didn't work. I sort of feel like they would have if it was there. It made me think that that gripe, like the gripe about not getting as many bullets was just Sarah whining.
i don't think Lindsay was as outright rude and nasty as Sarah and Heather were. Heather was just on her own planet, regardless of what Sarah thinks about Bev being on Bev world. And Sarah? Well, her condescending tone would drive me up the wall.
So I don't love Bev, but I saw nothing in her behavior to justify Heather and Sarah's bitching. Yes, it could be editing, but the two worst parts for Sarah last night were not. The "oh, look trees!" bit and the bullets thing. That's all Sarah.
And speaking of TWoP, a poster over there said that s/he has met both Sarah and Bev and that even now, knowing that she beat out Bev, Sarah can't shut up about Bev. Something along the lines of, you know what, hold on a sec while I find it:
[quote]
[E]ven now, despite Sarah's supposedly contrite dedication to be "nice," Sarah had the gall to say negative things about Beverly to a complete stranger in a completely passively aggressive way. For example, Sarah told me that Beverly was "so cute" because she wanted to take Italian dishes and put an "Asian" spin on them (while she was rolling her eyes and laughing derisively, but smiling as if she was saying something nice, which she wasn't). She also said things like, Beverly is much more "bubbly" now than she was during the taping of the show (implying Bev was not nice during the show). What does a person gain by trying to put a fellow contestant down even now, after the show has aired? Sarah knows she made it to the final three and she couldn't keep herself from downing Beverly to a complete stranger.....I'm sorry, but I'll take Bev's goofiness any day over such clear two-faced-ness.
[/quote]
Yeah. So that's just one person's take, and who knows the agenda, but nothing seems to have been said about how great Bev is in comparison , doesn't she?
Top Chef Texas - Ep. #15 - 02/15/12 (Spoilers)
I think Tom has said all along that Bev really knows her flavors. The final elimination came down to a tough protein or an underseasoned one. I don't think anyone implied that she didn't meld her flavor combinations well. In fact, I think it was the opposite.
I was a little surprised it didn't go to Bev with Sarah not cooking the rabbit well versus a slight seasoning problem, but Tom clearly likes Sarah. I guess in the end, Tom and the guest judge had more of a say than Gail and Padma who both seemed to prefer Bev's dish. I'm only disappointed because I cannot even with Sarah and her drama. She irks me more than Betty (season 2), Lisa (season 4?) and Jaime (all stars) combined. Which how? And yet, every time I think I'm being harsh, she does something else that is like nails on a chalkboard to me.
I can't blame editing on the fact that she interrupted Bev when they were in the car to say "Oh, look trees!" while on a mountain top. Or that she complained about the number of shots she got because somehow Bev had more? What the hell with her?
All I can say is that Paul had better win the whole thing because what with what he's done this entire season and his amazingness in helping both Bev and Sarah get their ingredients in that RIDICULOUS ice block challenge (so much for fresh ingredients and not using frozen seafood), he is now my favorite cheftestant ever.
Top Chef Texas - Ep. #14 - 02/08/12 (Spoilers)
I'm sure they did. And it's one thing for her own work station to be a disaster, but the sink and other common work space should be respected.
I think I'd really like to try her food, but I can imagine working with her, under these circumstances, probably isn't easy, not that that justifies Heather and Sarah's behavior towards Bev.
Top Chef Texas - Ep. #14 - 02/08/12 (Spoilers)
I can see why Bev would tick off the other competitors if she's going around doing things like leaving whole fish by the sink. That said, I think it's pretty clear that she does have cooking chops. She worked at Charlie Trotter's for over a year. If she didn't have what it takes, I don't think she'd have lasted that long.
Looking over the season, I was surprised to realize that Lindsay actually did really well. I thought her behavior during RW was atrocious, but I can chalk that up to stress. Over all, her flavors appeal to me more than Sarah's. I think I lumped her in with Sarah and have had a bias against her because of it.
I just can't with Sarah. Her refusal to cook anything but Italian but dinging Bev for cooking only Asian is just the tip of the iceberg of my dislike. She might be a great person and a great chef, but it hasn't been displayed well here. At all.
Still, I could see any one of the three possibly pull off an upset. But that better not happen! Paul might very well be my favorite TC cheftestant after the Voltaggio brothers. I never thought anyone would come close, but he does.
Top Chef Texas - Ep. #14 - 02/08/12 (Spoilers)
Hee! Thanks for that. :)
I find it really annoying when people say that all Asian cuisine is the same. It's really, truly not. And if you think so, I can only assume that you haven't eaten much but Chinese.
Chinese isn't the same as Vietnamese which isn't the same as Thai which isn't the same as Malaysian which isn't the same as Korean which you see where I'm going.
Even ingredients are not prepared the same way. Oh, well. Clearly an internet posting isn't going to convince people.
Top Chef Texas - Ep. #14 - 02/08/12 (Spoilers)
"The smoked oysters had good taste according to the chef who tasted them in the store; why do the judges have such automatic spasms over canned/tinned anything?"
It's possible that they were fine out of the container but once Ed used them as the base of his sauce that the cooking intensified the smokiness in a not great way. I really like Ed so I'm disappointed but as soon as he opted on the smoked oysters I knew he was toast.
Paul for the win, please!
Paleteria Fernandez in Mamaroneck!
I tried the avocado to try something different and I liked it a lot! It's definitely different and if you're someone who likes a really sweet ice cream, this won't do it for you, but it was very good.
Molly Spillane (sp?) Mamaroneck
Does anyone know anything about the place? It's on Mamaroneck Avenue in Mamaroneck. I think it's in the space the Den of Antiquity used to be? It's on the corner of Prospect and Mamaroneck. It looks like a pub but it's enormous. It looks like a lot of money has been put into it, but I have no idea when it's going to open or even what it's going to serve.
Excellent Sushi in Greenwich or Westchester???
I'll have to try Sazan. I had dinner at Sushi Mike's this weekend and I was really disappointed. It's not as good as the last time I went, admittedly some months back. The sashimi was not great and the rice in the rolls were too mushy. I was very disappointed since I thought I had found a new place.
Sadly, Abis where I used to go in Mamaroneck has closed as well. Although what the new owners were thinking in buying it when three (!) Asian fusion places were opening I don't know. I will say that my parents went to Haiku last night and they loved it, even my finicky mom who typically turns her nose at non-Japanese sushi places. She said the toro was very good as was the uni.
xaviar's restaurant in Yonkers
X20 (I think that's what I heard it called) is supposed to open next month.
Good Hot Buffalo Wings in Westchester or Putnam?
I love Candlelight's wings. They use a garlicy buttery sauce that I love. I suddenly have a craving for wings. I guess I'm going to have to try the wings at Chef Carl's in Harrison today. :)
Mexican/Central American in Westchester County
I haven't been in a couple of years, but I really liked Cayote Flaco (Mexican) in Port Chester.
Best liquor store in Westchester for fine spirits?
Actually, Stew Leonard's in Yonkers has a pretty big selection. They keep some stuff separate. I have no idea what you're looking for, but you could call them and ask? They're pretty helpful there, and as Scotty said, I think they'll order stuff in if you ask.
Where to get great Pasta?
I like Pastina in Hartsdale on Central Ave. It's always dependable.
Anywhere in Northern NJ to find granulated honey?
What the poster above said. They definitely stock it at H-Mart. There's a really big one in Little Ferry.
Excellent Sushi in Greenwich or Westchester???
I have always had a good experience at Abis in Mamaroneck. It's always fresh and the service friendly. Toyo, I've only had at lunch, but it is always good as well. Has anyone tried Nara?
