Month: January 2009

review: m to the g…

“My former cell mate had no teeth!” The cry went up from the deuce in the corner, followed by a giggle. The soundtrack at all 15 tables stopped. *Crickets* Ugh. The decibel count and nasal frequency was unmistakable. She (yes, she) was clearly from my neck of the woods. The four of us Yankees hunkered […]

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review: m to the g…

“My former cell mate had no teeth!” The cry went up from the deuce in the corner, followed by a giggle. The soundtrack at all 15 tables stopped. *Crickets* Ugh. The decibel count and nasal frequency was unmistakable. She (yes, she) was clearly from my neck of the woods. The four of us Yankees hunkered […]

Continue

review: high fidelity…

Mazzancolle Cotto in Bianco The River Cafe I was staring down unwanted reservations at Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley when I, with the help of Food Snob, secured last minute seats at The River Café. Sorry Chef Wareing, do try to get a better buzz going the next time I swing by. I rang up […]

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review: high fidelity…

Mazzancolle Cotto in Bianco The River Cafe I was staring down unwanted reservations at Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley when I, with the help of Food Snob, secured last minute seats at The River Café. Sorry Chef Wareing, do try to get a better buzz going the next time I swing by. I rang up […]

Continue

review: of blood and wonder…

Amuse Bouche l’Ambassade de l’Ile There is a sinister sleekness to l’Ambassade de l’Ile, the recently opened outpost to l’Auberge de l’Ile, a 2 Michelin-star restaurant in Lyon, France. There are shadows and dark corners. There are distorted silhouettes cast by underlit fixtures. Angles and mirrors make you doubt your presence. And there are voyeuristic […]

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review: of blood and wonder…

Amuse Bouche l’Ambassade de l’Ile There is a sinister sleekness to l’Ambassade de l’Ile, the recently opened outpost to l’Auberge de l’Ile, a 2 Michelin-star restaurant in Lyon, France. There are shadows and dark corners. There are distorted silhouettes cast by underlit fixtures. Angles and mirrors make you doubt your presence. And there are voyeuristic […]

Continue

review: pro forma…

Potato Crisp Sandwiches Gordon Ramsay at Royal Hospital Road London, U.K. I’m sure I didn’t wake up at 3 a.m. to secure a restaurant reservation only to subject myself to three plus hours of boredom at a levy of 120£. That was my fear. Thankfully, I was spared that fate. But to claim that my […]

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review: pro forma…

Potato Crisp Sandwiches Gordon Ramsay at Royal Hospital Road London, U.K. I’m sure I didn’t wake up at 3 a.m. to secure a restaurant reservation only to subject myself to three plus hours of boredom at a levy of 120£. That was my fear. Thankfully, I was spared that fate. But to claim that my […]

Continue

best of 2008, the restaurant edition…

Milk Chocolate Tree Gordon Ramsay Royal Hospital Road Boy, people sure do love lists. Since publishing the “best dishes of 2008,” I’ve received numerous emails inquiring about my best restaurant meals of 2008. As I said in that post, this year I have been blessed with many very good meals. But a few float to […]

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best of 2008, the restaurant edition…

Milk Chocolate Tree Gordon Ramsay Royal Hospital Road Boy, people sure do love lists. Since publishing the “best dishes of 2008,” I’ve received numerous emails inquiring about my best restaurant meals of 2008. As I said in that post, this year I have been blessed with many very good meals. But a few float to […]

Continue

review: nose to tail…

Roast Bone Marrow St. John Restaurant, London, U.K. Do you know how long I’ve been looking forward to eating at St. John? Perhaps more than any other restaurant I had planned to visit on my recent trip to Europe, this is the one I had most desired for and thought about. That should tell you […]

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review: nose to tail…

Roast Bone Marrow St. John Restaurant, London, U.K. Do you know how long I’ve been looking forward to eating at St. John? Perhaps more than any other restaurant I had planned to visit on my recent trip to Europe, this is the one I had most desired for and thought about. That should tell you […]

Continue

best dishes of 2008…

Softball-Size White Truffle l’Ambroisie, Paris, France Gastronomic self one-upsmanship was not my intention when 2008 began. But it happened quite unexpectedly. For the past three years, I’ve recapped the top 25 dishes in a year-end review (click here for 2005, here for 2006, and here for 2007). Annually, I announce with certainty that my lucky […]

Continue

best dishes of 2008…

Softball-Size White Truffle l’Ambroisie, Paris, France Gastronomic self one-upsmanship was not my intention when 2008 began. But it happened quite unexpectedly. For the past three years, I’ve recapped the top 25 dishes in a year-end review (click here for 2005, here for 2006, and here for 2007). Annually, I announce with certainty that my lucky […]

Continue

review: salt marsh umami…

Scallops with Seaweed Butter Steve Plotnicki was premature in posting his Best Meals of 2008 list, on which I am listed with Le Bernardin beneath my name. I told him as much when he sent me the questionnaire, knowing full well that my best meal just might be had whilst on my mid-December trip to […]

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review: salt marsh umami…

Scallops with Seaweed Butter Steve Plotnicki was premature in posting his Best Meals of 2008 list, on which I am listed with Le Bernardin beneath my name. I told him as much when he sent me the questionnaire, knowing full well that my best meal just might be had whilst on my mid-December trip to […]

Continue