Members Raves, Pans, and Notable Comments

Danube, Lupa, Landmarc, Second Avenue Deli, Shake Shack, Lumiere, Le Troquet, Cafe Boulud (West Palm Beach), Emeril's, Gautreau's, Bastide, Manresa, Chez Panisse, Lampreia, Michiaki, Christopher's, Locanda Locatelli, Deya, The River Café, Anthony's of Leeds, The Box Tree, Ume No Hana, Shima's, Aquitaine Bis ....continue reading Raves, Pans and Notable Comments

                                                                           

                                                                                                   

Shaved Bottarga over a Salad of Shaved Japanese Radishes, Peaches, Ruby Grapefruit, Meyer lemon, Olives, Olive Oil and a sprig of Dill at Lampreia; Chorizo Cream, Balsamic, Macadamia Nuts, Onion Ice, and Cornichon Ice at Bastide ;Tempura Sea Urchin at Manresa; Tofu Dengaku, Green Tea, and Yuzu at Ume No Hana

Opinion: Tasting Menu Struggles: When the Diner and the Kitchen are at Odds Over the Menu

I’m a big proponent of tasting menus. They are the best vehicle for a chef to demonstrate his artistry, while allowing the diner an opportunity to sample many different dishes. Tasting menus also eliminate the possibility that certain dishes will become boring after more than a few bites. But a tasting menu isn’t the right choice in every situation. Some restaurants don’t offer tasting menus because their cuisine isn’t conducive to being served in small portions. Then there are instances when diners find themselves at odds with the way the chef wants to express his cuisine. But all things being equal, I opt for the tasting menu about 80 percent of the time. Unfortunately, there are times when uttering those two magic words, “tasting menu,” leads to a battle with the kitchen over who controls the meal....continue reading Tasting Menu Struggles

Wines This Month - 1924 Huet Vouvray Haut Lieu; 1979 Bollinger Champagne RD; 1979 Trimbach Clos St. Hune; 1983 August Clape Cornas; 1985 Lafite-Rothschild; 1985 Roumier Bonnes Mares; 1988 Palmer; 1988 Reichsgraf von Kesselstat Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Auslese; 1989 Meo-Camuzet Corton; 1989 Niellon Chassagne-Montrachet Vergers; 1990 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Rangen de Thann; 1991 Guigal Cote Rotie La Landonne; 1993 Lamarche Grands-Echezeaux; 1996 Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Elizabeth Rose; 2001 Nigl Sauvignon Blanc Reserve; 2002 Ramonet Bourgogne; 2002 Domaine Richaud Cote de Rhones "Les Garriques"; Pierre Gimonet Blanc de Blancs NV...continue reading Wines this Month

Coming May 4th: Reviews of Michel Bras, Chez Michel, La Chamarre, Five Meals in San Francisco in a day and a half, A Taste of Chinatown and more

Don't Forget: Steve Plotnicki's Guide to Dining and to join Opinionated About Dining Discussion Forums today

Raves

Landmarc, NYC - Mint Chocolate-Chip Ice Cream Cone for Dessert. "Strongly minted and flavorful, cleverly served in a cone-shaped spring with a base."

Lupa, NYC - Afftetati/Cured Meats. "The housemade ones were the best, especially the testa."

Second Avenue Deli, NYC - Matzo Ball Soup. "My wife is an aficionado, and this got her top rating. Second only to my Mom's."

Shake Shack, NYC - Shake Burgers and a Fiji. "Delicious. Martin's Potato Rolls are the key here, it just adds to the pillowy texture of the sandwich."

Lumiere, West Newton, MA - Foie gras with Brioche. "This was the best dish of the night, and it showed that Leviton can cook."

Cafe Boulud, West Palm Beach, FL - Bitter Green Agnoloti stuffed with Bitter Greens, with Smoked Eggplant, Sultanas, Tomato Confit, and Celery Emulsion. "This was very tasty for all the ethnic confusion involved in its mounting. The vegetables were cooked nicely."

Emeril's, New Orleans - Homemade Andouille and Creole Boudin Sausages with Beer-Braised Onions, Mustard and Homemade Worcestershire Sauce. "The andouille was amazing, with the perfect flavor and spicing profile."

Gautreau's, New Orleans - Spicy Tomato Broth with Shrimp, Peppers, Cilantro, and Bean Sprouts. "Absolutely delicious, and the broth alone could have made a meal."

Bastide, Los Angeles - Chorizo Cream, Balsamic, Macadamia Nuts, Onion Ice, and Cornichon Ice. "Absolutely fantastic, but it was essential that you combine the flavors."

Chez Panisse, Berkeley, CA - Spit-Roasted Hoffman Farm Chicken with Morel Sauce, Potato Puree, Fava Beans, and Spring Onion Ragout. "The chicken was succulent, the sauce perfectly captured the essence of blond, early-season morels. One of the best dishes I have eaten this year."

Manresa, Los Gatos, CA - Abalone with Braised Veal Cheeks. "Wonderfully concentrated, succulent, rich veal with spongy, almost sweetbread-texture abalone."

Lampreia, Seattle - Shaved Bottarga over a Salad of Shaved Japanese Radishes, Peaches, Ruby Grapefruit, Meyer Lemon, Olives, Olive Oil, and a sprig of Dill. "I loved this dish which tasted as wonderful as it looked."

Lampreia, Seattle - Alaskan Black Bass wrapped in thin Strips of Purple Asparagus, cooked in a Tagine with Black Truffle Butter. "Will go down as one of the best individual dishes I've ever had. The tagines were uncovered at the table, enveloping your head in a cloud of asparagus truffle-laden steam."

The River Cafe, Hammersmith, U.K. - The fresh pasta. "So consistently close to perfection in a way that no restaurant I know manages. The ingredients are sourced from Zeus's own vegetable patch."

Anthony's of Leeds, U.K. - Monkfish Liver Parfait with Cauliflower Trifle and Grape Jelly. "I loved the contrast between the uber-salty, perfectly smooth cream and the grape jelly underneath."

Anthony's of Leeds, U.K. - Deep-Fried Duck Egg Yolk in Crunchy Bread Crumbs. "Astounding technique. Contrast with passion fruit sauce really clever. Looked like egg yolk but surprise."

Shima's, Tokyo, Japan - Filet Mignon and Sirloin. "Oshima-san brings out beautiful cuts of marbled beef and butchers the steak right in front of you. Then he spears it and cooks it rotisserie-style before finishing it in a pan. Perfect beef, tender and flavorful."

Ume No Hana, Kyoto, Japan - Milk Cream Tofu. "The texture was like fresh cheese, and the taste was gorgous. Yuzu Sauce dolloped on top."

Pans

Danube, NYC - Braised Beef Cheeks. "Dried out, tough, and tasteless."

Aquitane Bis, Boston - Chicken Liver and Foie Gras Mousse Brulee. "The brulee was an afterthought as if someone had just received a blowtorch and thought it would be a fun idea."

Lumiere, West Newton, MA - Asparagus Soup with Crabmeat Garnish. "Insipid, underseasoned with little or no taste of asparagus."

Gautreau's, New Orleans - Roasted Chicken. "Overcooked, and the mashed potatoes seemed like they had been sitting around all day."

Bastide, Los Angeles - Seared Long Island Duck Breast, Wasabi Consomme, Udon, Soy Sauce Gelee, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Dried Apricot, Toast-Skin Oil. "This was the only serious loser of the night. Too much of everything. Too many ingredients, too large, too overwrought."

Manresa, Los Gatos, CA - Confit of Foie Gras, Spring Onion, and Asparagus. "I thought there was a bit of a plastic element to the foie. It didn't have that melt-in-your-mouth quality that the great stuff has."

Christopher's, London, U.K. - Buccleugh Beef Filet Steak. "A charred brown lump on a snow white plate. It looked like chocolate pudding."

Deya, London, U.K. - Masala Duck. "Not only was the duck served with slimy stewed vegetables, the whole lot had been microwaved, and it was served as a scalding hot slop."

Michiaki, London, U.K. - Mixed Sashimi Salad. "Should have been labeled a car crash salad, the different tastes on the plate had no chance of working together."

Le Troquet, Paris, France - Parmentier of Boudin Noir. "I found it bland and the boudin had little flavor."

Notable Comments

Danube, NYC - "In short, the food was of middling-assembly line quality. Leagues below what I've come to expect from Bouley."

Lupa, NYC - "A pleasant lunch, but certainly not a dining destination. The food didn't have the requisite punch, or proper respect for ingredients."

Shake Shack, NYC - "I'm proud to report that in its second season, it is just as great, and just as popular."

Lumiere, West Newton, MA - "What a complete disappointment. Large portions of mediocre food."

Emeril's, New Orleans - "Hit all the right marks. Nice room and totally professional staff that was on top of everything all night long."

Bastide, Los Angeles - "Bastide is a nice addition to the wasteland of LA fine dining. Chef Lefebvre is able to be creative, yet still provide deliciousness on the plate."

Chez Panisse, Berkeley, CA - "I love dining at CP. It has a history that is important in American dining, and eating there is like visiting a living museum. It doesn't change with the times, it changes with the seasons. I think that's a good thing."

Manresa, Los Gatos, CA - "An excellent meal and a steal for the money. It definitely ranks up there with the best meals I've had in the States."

Lampreia, Seattle - "This was a great meal at one of Seattle's top restaurant, and I look forward to going back."

Christopher's, London, U.K. - "Strictly for theatergoers and tourists, I'm afraid."

Deya, London, U.K. - "On this showing, cooking standards have slipped here where it is not among the top high-end Indian restaurants in London."

Michiaki, London, U.K. - "If you want good Asian fusion, I would stick to Nobu, Zuma, and Hakkasan for a small increase in price."

The River Cafe, Hammersmith, U.K. - "Still the best Italian of its kind that I know of anywhere in the world."

Le Troquet, Paris, France - "There is no way to experience a relaxed meal here. I can't imagine we would return."

Shima's, Tokyo, Japan - "A beef Otaku paradise. An incredible first night meal in Tokyo."

Uma No Hana, Kyoto, Japan - "I'd highly recommend this tofu kaiseki restaurant. And the meal is inexpensive for what they give you. It was only about $45 for a 10-course meal!"