CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS
Non-Audio Stuff => Food and Drink => Topic started by: Anaxilus. on February 20, 2013, 06:38:47 AM
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So finally had a friend send over some pics of our post CES dinner. One of the best meals we've ever had in Vegas or anywhere. Charlie Palmer's 'Aureole' one-star Michelin restaurant. Exquisite. We had to take take pics as describing it to friends was just too complicated. In basic terms, a four course with each focused on a single ingredient but prepared in a duo ('Paralleled'). If you go, don't just order a steak or a burger. That's an injustice to the chef and yourself.
(http://i.imgur.com/9MWprJbl.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/ck0jg78l.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/qnRvRcWl.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/1hZcFsil.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/702MveYl.jpg)
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Very cool Mike. Cooking as a work of art.
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Damn I need to visit a Michelin star restaurant at some point...
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Very nice. To date, the best place I've been is Gary Danko. If you're ever in SF, do it.
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Does out Afghan post ChangFest meet meal at Kabul qualify?
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unfortunately Canada does not have Guide Michelin, but Atelier in Ottawa is by far the best meal I've had here. followed by toque in Montreal. both offer ~10 courses tasting menu, which is the obvious choice to me. the wine pairings at Atelier were also really good, with many modern wines unlike any other I've had. and they love making funny names for the dishes too - don't go there expecting stiff boring "classical" service.
in Sweden I really liked Frantzen/Lindeberg, 2 stars. though I heard they keep changing their style quite radically though, so should be worth visiting again.
noma in Copenhagen I think deserves the "best restaurant in the world" title from my experience there - do go if ever visiting Denmark.
on my list right now would be The Fat Duck in Bray, around London. also voted one of the best in the world, but regardless of that I really like his way of cooking. got his Fat Duck Cookbook and it's very inspiring.
did anyone here get the chance to go to el bulli before they closed?
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Wow the food looks awesome.
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This thread needs a bump, and it just so happens that I ate at Providence last weekend for my anniversary, which is one of only a couple Michelin 2 star restaurants in L.A. We went with the 5 course tasting menu and added on spot prawns for good measure. The fish was generally excellent as expected (the scallops truly amazing), and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
That said, my wife and I both agreed that our relatively recent meals at Animal (L.A.), Solbar (Calistoga) and Ad Hoc (Yontville) were all at least as good, if not better, from the standpoint of bold, memorable and complex flavors that hit all notes (see http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15819485). For that matter, each of them also had more amiable servers (particularly good at Solbar) and cost about half as much. So although worthy of high praise, I guess I'm going to have to respectfully dissent with Jonathan Gold's 2013 list which places Providence in the no. 1 spot.
Anyone else eat anywhere good/great recently?
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Providence is one of my all-time favorite restaurants. If you can, do the 9-course market menu. If you're brave, do it with wine pairings. If you're alcohol-tolerant, you may remember some of the last courses after 9 glasses of wine. Expect to be there three hours minimum. It's definitely not an everyday dining experience, nor is it cheap. But it's worth experiencing at least once.
(For those not familiar with Providence, 9 courses is still rather midline. You can do the full 15-course menu as well. But I haven't been brave enough to try that yet.)
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I've been keeping an eye on Charlie Palmer's weekly $20 three course lunch menu trying to work it in when possible at least once a week if I can. Just to refresh my spirituality and remind myself of the magic that humanity can be capable of. It's relatively cheap and local, always fresh and well prepared.
I need to hit up 50 Forks sometime and get those culinary students some feedback. Best deal in town for that level of execution.
Btw, if anyone up in LA wants some Austrian cuisine, I highly recommend BierBiesl. Fantastic! Pricey, but normal for LA. They had an awesome Rabbit terrine and the Brats were great. Haven't tried the Schnitzel yet which is criminal of me.
http://www.bierbeisl-la.com/menu/ (http://www.bierbeisl-la.com/menu/)
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Updating this thread after my last trip to Las Vegas, Texas and Louisiana.
Gordon Ramsey's Steak Tasting Menu. Wasn't really interested in the steak as I figured I could have better elsewhere anyway and wanted to sample some of his signature dishes.
Scotch Quail Egg Amuse Bouche - Fantastic, could have eaten a whole nest of them. Yolk was perfect inside. I need to find someone local that can nail this.
(http://i.imgur.com/RxTxqqRl.jpg)
Heirloom Beet salad w/ goat cheese and Creme Fraiche
(http://i.imgur.com/hTe36FMl.jpg)
Diver Scallop Risotto - The most perfectly cooked Scallop and Risotto I've ever had, and I've had some good ones. His Risotto knocked off Bartolotta's as my #1.
(http://i.imgur.com/6hdMb1Bl.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/U0gHuU0l.jpg)
Beef Wellington was prepared perfectly as well. I did feel the ratio of crust to meat and gravy could have better balanced however. A couple of the potatoes were undercooked and overcooked too which was unfortunate.
(http://i.imgur.com/BWOcdMOl.jpg)
Sticky Toffee pudding with Brown Butter Ice Cream - If you've ever seen his contestants try it and make orgasmic expressions, believe it, it's true! I need more of this in my life.
(http://i.imgur.com/OTiRay1l.jpg)
Time Love's Lonesome Dove in Ft. Worth - I've linked this in the beef thread before but I believe place is a Michelin winner so I figured I repost the Wagyu Tomahawk Chop w/ Langostinos and truffled mac n cheese using orzo and parmigiano reggiano, and the Filet w/ wine reduction that takes 4 days to make.
(http://i.imgur.com/4k3zFwyl.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/HmbCe7Al.jpg)
La Provence, New Orleans
Quail Gumbo - The rice is inside the quail. Got to open it up and get all the flavors and textures combined.
(http://i.imgur.com/bzQGceql.jpg)
Butternut Squash Tortellini - Got really good reviews from the table.
(http://i.imgur.com/Fovri5dl.jpg)
Fish w/ lump Crabmeat - This was awesome and perfectly prepared. Everyone wanted to ninja this plate and lick it clean. One of the best fish dishes I've had.
(http://i.imgur.com/pEoNhNzl.jpg)
Braised Duck in wine reduction - Prepared well but not memorable other than it was rather unducklike in flavor with a more neutral signature.
(http://i.imgur.com/6lWxaxol.jpg)
Cochon Du Lait - Unfortunately the preparation and presentation far outweighed the flavors and taste. Somewhat one note.
(http://i.imgur.com/KyRfzxnl.jpg)
Pavlova for dessert - Not too shabby, not remarkable. Don't think I'm really a pavlova guy.
(http://i.imgur.com/SbfQkRPl.jpg)
Root, New Orleans
Foie Gras Five Ways - Unbelievable. I can't begin to describe all the technique and ways this was prepared. Lots of molecular gastronomy here and done well, not just a gimmick. I believe the globe had Foie Gras foam on a broth of Oolong and Kombu w/ edible flowers and foie gras little dots like the ice cream. The cotton candy is foie gras as well obviously. Try picking at it and then eating it whole, tastes completely different. Highly recommended.
(http://i.imgur.com/Oe4hvGil.jpg)
Sweet Tea Chicken Wings with Maple butter and biscuits - Sounds better than it was. Not enough sweet tea flavor to be noted at all. The butter was the best thing on the plate, it's wrapped in the foil.
(http://i.imgur.com/7HULxbil.jpg)
Kalbi Bimbimbap - Superbly balanced and layers of fresh flavor were great. Only issue was the cut on the short ribs was too thin and overcooked for my tastes.
(http://i.imgur.com/B58spoll.jpg)
Cohiba smoked Scallops - Yes they use real Cohiba tobacco smoke to smoke these suckers. Highly recommended. Probably the best dish of the night along with the foie gras app.
(http://i.imgur.com/haY0JpYl.jpg)
More Duck - Duck and Quail seemed to be in season and on all the menus. Hunting season was in play when I went down south. Nothing special here.
(http://i.imgur.com/pO9LNISl.jpg)
Fish - Pretty well done for Gaijin! Had to snap the pic quick, didn't want it to get cold.
(http://i.imgur.com/kSs1z36l.jpg)
August, New Orleans - Unfortunately this establishment seems to be run by another excutive chef from the last two times I visited. John Besh is probably too busy opening new restaurants for proper oversight. Seems to be common with many celebrity chefs these days. The portions were noticeably smaller and John Besh's touch seemed less present overall. The Duck was the hands down winner this evening.
Agnolotti with Huitlacoche - Meh, I've had better implementations of Huitlacoche and combination here did nothing remarkable.
(http://i.imgur.com/mrHKipEl.jpg)
Braised Beef Cheeks - Pretty good, too small and not enough going on. Pasta was done well. Would expect 3x's the portion size from John Besh normally for that $$.
(http://i.imgur.com/f51OID3l.jpg)
Rabbit loin - Second best dish of the evening.
(http://i.imgur.com/rIAOfyYl.jpg)
Duck..again - Best meal of the night by a long shot. Best duck of the trip actually.
(http://i.imgur.com/9tPJROPl.jpg)
Banana Pudding - Fabulous! Actually won an award for best dessert in New Orleans and they aren't lying.
(http://s3-media3.ak.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/-xV0cACtIU05e_SO2mozXg/l.jpg)
Commander's Palace - No brainer stop everytime you're in town. Don't forget the 25 cent Martinis! Oh yeah. Laissez les bon temps rouler!! Kitchen that birthed Paul Prudhomme and the invention of blackened cooking as well as Emril Lagasse and his Tchoupitoulas sauce.
Oysters under Absinthe Dome - Yummy!
(http://i.imgur.com/o1EMzQjl.jpg)
Famous signature Shrimps Hennican - Good stuff with just a smidge of heat from native NOLA Tabasco. The gelee w/ peppers is a great complement to balance it out.
(http://i.imgur.com/MY8OJMnl.jpg)
Quail stuffed with wild rice - Well played.
(http://i.imgur.com/tmykIi7l.jpg)
Fish was decent, nothing special.
(http://i.imgur.com/9RbErAfl.jpg)
Shrimp with Grits - One of the better versions in NOLA.
(http://i.imgur.com/tcSL4zSl.jpg)
Satsuma Sorbet w/ icicle basket - Really yummy, nice balance with sweet and a hint of savory. Just the right amount of sweetness and really fresh citrus flavor with just enough mint to make the flavors pop.
(http://i.imgur.com/CMNujI9l.jpg)
Their famous Bread Pudding - Quite unique and flavorful with a cotton candy type texture to the souffle. The vanilla dressing has just the right amount of liquor to kick you in the pants as you end your meal. Just looking at this picture makes me want to get back to NOLA asap. I think it pretty much sums up the place.
(http://i.imgur.com/B70jpPQl.jpg)
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Damn it....now I'm hungry.... >:(
Seriously though...all of that stuff looks AMAZING.
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OH. MIE. GWAD.
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I feel like I would drop a mortgage payment just to eat this well...
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I feel like I would drop a mortgage payment just to eat this well...
Pretty much. Excuse me for a sec, my instant ramen is boiling over...
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This fucking thread is making me pissed that Cyrus is closed.
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60 second tasting menus! Cool series for those into the art of dining.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cX9IPTR_6I