Month: December 2009

best of 2009, the restaurant edition…

Corton New York, New York The course of any meal unfolds in a highly personal and circumstantial way.  Evaluating any restaurant experience devoid of personal context (e.g. company, mood, and personal preferences) is an impossible task. Though I like think that I can be scrupulously objective, I know that emotion trumps reason, personal preferences cloud […]

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best of 2009, the restaurant edition…

Corton New York, New York The course of any meal unfolds in a highly personal and circumstantial way.  Evaluating any restaurant experience devoid of personal context (e.g. company, mood, and personal preferences) is an impossible task. Though I like think that I can be scrupulously objective, I know that emotion trumps reason, personal preferences cloud […]

Continue

best dishes of 2009…

Petales de Melon Confit Pierre, Hong Kong 2009 arrived on the heels of an incomparable eating tour of London, Paris, and beyond.  I can’t believe a year has gone by since I stuffed myself silly with macarons, cheese, bread, butter, and truffles. As memorable and impressive as my eating itinerary was last year, I can’t […]

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best dishes of 2009…

Petales de Melon Confit Pierre, Hong Kong 2009 arrived on the heels of an incomparable eating tour of London, Paris, and beyond.  I can’t believe a year has gone by since I stuffed myself silly with macarons, cheese, bread, butter, and truffles. As memorable and impressive as my eating itinerary was last year, I can’t […]

Continue

review: constant, steady, ever-faithful…

Salmon-Caviar Le Bernardin, New York I don’t take my birthday too seriously.  All I ask for is a very good meal (or a few) shared with good friends. For the past few years, I’ve made it a point to celebrate my birthday away from home.  I’ve had a strong bias for New York, which has […]

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review: constant, steady, ever-faithful…

Salmon-Caviar Le Bernardin, New York I don’t take my birthday too seriously.  All I ask for is a very good meal (or a few) shared with good friends. For the past few years, I’ve made it a point to celebrate my birthday away from home.  I’ve had a strong bias for New York, which has […]

Continue

recipe: edible christmas memory…

Baba au Rhum A year ago today, I shot across France, from Paris to Lyon, on a bullet train with my friend Houston.  Destination: Paul Bocuse, the legendary (and longest-standing) three Michelin-starred restaurant. Our Santa Claus was Monsieur Bocuse.  Though not quite jolly, he was be-toqued, pear-shaped, rosy-cheeked, and bore lots of delicious goodies for […]

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recipe: edible christmas memory…

Baba au Rhum A year ago today, I shot across France, from Paris to Lyon, on a bullet train with my friend Houston.  Destination: Paul Bocuse, the legendary (and longest-standing) three Michelin-starred restaurant. Our Santa Claus was Monsieur Bocuse.  Though not quite jolly, he was be-toqued, pear-shaped, rosy-cheeked, and bore lots of delicious goodies for […]

Continue

review: two-star ascendant…

Saddle of Venison le Bristol, Paris, France I had had a good run. But sadly, my luxurious, two-week romp through restaurants in the U.K. and France was coming to an end.  It was my last night in Paris. Four years ago, I struck up a conversation with my server at le Cinq, who seemed quite […]

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review: two-star ascendant…

Saddle of Venison le Bristol, Paris, France I had had a good run. But sadly, my luxurious, two-week romp through restaurants in the U.K. and France was coming to an end.  It was my last night in Paris. Four years ago, I struck up a conversation with my server at le Cinq, who seemed quite […]

Continue

rumination 6: the cheftestants v6.0…

I rarely watch the boob tube. When I do, it’s usually the news. But lately, the news has gotten so intolerable that I’ve shut that off too. When it comes to television culture post-2002, I’m rather clueless.  With the tee vee shows I do like to watch – The Big Bang Theory, for example – […]

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rumination 6: the cheftestants v6.0…

I rarely watch the boob tube. When I do, it’s usually the news. But lately, the news has gotten so intolerable that I’ve shut that off too. When it comes to television culture post-2002, I’m rather clueless.  With the tee vee shows I do like to watch – The Big Bang Theory, for example – […]

Continue

rumination 5: the last supper conundrum…

Mike Czyzewski over at The Budget College Cook blog emailed me with three well-traversed questions that, collectively, comprise what I call the “last supper” conundrum.  You can read about his final meal, and others’, including mine, on his blog. The task is preposterous.  One meal?  Are you serious?  I can’t even make up my mind […]

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rumination 5: the last supper conundrum…

Mike Czyzewski over at The Budget College Cook blog emailed me with three well-traversed questions that, collectively, comprise what I call the “last supper” conundrum.  You can read about his final meal, and others’, including mine, on his blog. The task is preposterous.  One meal?  Are you serious?  I can’t even make up my mind […]

Continue

review: put it on vibrate, please…

4th Course: Fresh Washington State Black Cod Bouley, New York When I last left Bouley in March, I said to my dining companions that I’d never go back on my dime. I didn’t have to. You can read about how this third visit to Bouley came about over HERE. Doubtful I’d return to New York […]

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review: put it on vibrate, please…

4th Course: Fresh Washington State Black Cod Bouley, New York When I last left Bouley in March, I said to my dining companions that I’d never go back on my dime. I didn’t have to. You can read about how this third visit to Bouley came about over HERE. Doubtful I’d return to New York […]

Continue

rumination 4: levittable…

Recent news that Gordon Ramsay sold his eponymous New York restaurant to The London hotel (owned by the Blackstone Group) and his restaurant in Los Angeles, got me thinking.  If he hadn’t opened so many restaurants to begin with, and stuck with the one that had earned him some respect, maybe he wouldn’t have to […]

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rumination 4: levittable…

Recent news that Gordon Ramsay sold his eponymous New York restaurant to The London hotel (owned by the Blackstone Group) and his restaurant in Los Angeles, got me thinking.  If he hadn’t opened so many restaurants to begin with, and stuck with the one that had earned him some respect, maybe he wouldn’t have to […]

Continue

review: comedy of errors…

1st Course: Porcini Flan Bouley, New York I’ve been to Bouley thrice now. The first time I went was in 2007, when the restaurant resided in that sumptuously red, arched space at 120 West Broadway where Bouley Bakery is now. To this day, I count it as one of the most beautiful dining rooms I’ve […]

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review: comedy of errors…

1st Course: Porcini Flan Bouley, New York I’ve been to Bouley thrice now. The first time I went was in 2007, when the restaurant resided in that sumptuously red, arched space at 120 West Broadway where Bouley Bakery is now. To this day, I count it as one of the most beautiful dining rooms I’ve […]

Continue