2009 World's Best Restaurants.

[GhenghisVol]

Shit, I havent et at any of these muffuggers.

Not surprised at the number of restaurants in Spain, they have outstanding dining over there.

http://www.theworlds50best.com/module/acms_winners?group_id=1

[volchef]

One trip to NYC could change that for you. You should go. I have been to several of them. One in particular is extremely overrated, but I'm still glad I went. Fine dining is one life's great pleasures.

[GhenghisVol]

Change what, I know they have great restaurants in NY. I had an office up there for 2 years.

[volchef]

That you haven't been to any on the list, silly. Man, you were a tad touchy in the wee hours Gheng. Even I sleep every fifth night or so G. I didn't mean to infer you didn't know NYC had great restaurants, but that sometimes things aren't as out of reach as we think. I was infering more about the cheapness of jet blue than your lack of knowledge...that and I noticed that Ny had the most restaurants of any other city. You could say you've been to four or five in a couple of days. :)

[tebowisgay]

This guy has his patrons eating dirt. Salesman of the year.

[volchef]

That dirt of his looks amazing TIG.......certainly more amazing than anything Thomas Keller has ever put out. That he continues to impress when there are half a dozen more talented American chef amazes me.

[real turf fan]

Take a look at "Young Lettuces in the Garden" and at "Rabbit"

http://www.townhouseblog.blogspot.com/

[volchef]

Beautiful website Real Turf Fan, I've just marked it in my favorites. Thanks for that! I'm telling you....Thomas Keller has nothing on many many young chefs in this country. His restaurants are unmemorable after you've eaten at some of the truly memorable ones.

[tebowisgay]

"That dirt of his looks amazing TIG.......certainly more amazing than anything Thomas Keller has ever put out. That he continues to impress when there are half a dozen more talented American chef amazes me." :shocked:


http://usera.ImageCave.com/dontherep/foamcup.jpg

[volchef]

I'm sorry TIG, but you're over my head with that one.

[tebowisgay]

It means I call horseshit.

[volchef]

Because I don't care for Thomas Keller? I've eaten there 3 times. I wasn't struck with divine worship. There are plenty of other places in Napa where I was. That's all.

[tebowisgay]

Double horseshit, if you didn't like it why three times?

http://usera.ImageCave.com/dontherep/foamcup.jpghttp://usera.ImageCave.com/dontherep/foamcup.jpg

[volchef]

Sigh. Tig, I really don't deserve the 3rd degree on this but okay. The first time, I went with my husband on our honeymoon. The second time I went with a group of my co-workers, who were young cooks like me and hadn't been. They wanted to go for themselves. The third time was with my husband on a business trip. He used to work at a large resort......their parent company decided to send a group of their top chefs to Napa for a sort of food brainstorm. The restaurants were all predetermined. I had nothing to do with where we went.

Now if you don't like that explanation, fine. There are plenty of people who've disagreed with me about Mr. Keller. I take no exception to that. It's just not my cup of tea.

[tebowisgay]

Here's my point. There are two types of places on that list, the people that are actually doing something interesting such as Keller, and then there are the dirt salad guys who figure if they can make their food pretty enough, their waiters gay enough, and the cookbook expensive enough it becomes self fulfilling. Then here come the more money than sense crowd with their mass spectrometer taste buds, and chef trading cards, and lo and behold they become restaurant critics to fan the flames of the Danish dirt salad. Point being, at that level its all show and nobody knows what the hell they are talking about.

[volchef]

Ha Ha! Tig, I really hope you go to one of TK's restaurants one day because I think you'll be radically surprised to find out that you'd agree with me. I think you and I are more alike than you think. I know, I know.....

Anyway, Daniel and I had a really long discussion over lunch today about the website that Real Turf Fan sent me. I think the food is beautiful and I love new sites because they remind me of different ingredients or give me a new take on something I've never done before.......that being said, I am not a huge fan of the decompositional movement that seems to be taking the restaurant world by storm. I think that Ferran Adria is truly amazing....I'm not sure there will ever be anyone else quite like him, but the people who've worked for him or studied his ideas don't necessarily partake in his same course. Everything Adria does is a take on something comforting to him or with an eye toward the tongue in cheek. But many of the foam and dirt chefs have taken it to the level of looks.....so much so that to me there is a detachment from all the love and passion that I feel for food.

To be certain, I don't want to eat deconstructed minestrone. I want my granny's vegetable soup. I LOVE my momma's pot roast and there is nothing, I MEAN NOTHING more beautiful in this world than a mashed potato cooked correctly and mashed with butter, cream, salt and pepper.

Charlie Palmer and Norman Van Aiken are two chefs that I really admire. Van Aiken's restaurant I have been to 3 times as well and I've never been disappointed. I had foie gras there that I still dream about. We sent the last glass of our bottle to him and he came out and talked food with us for 3 hours......until the wee hours of the morning. We were nothing but nobody line cooks, but he wanted to teach and talk....He's an amazing, sweet, and kind person....with a teriffic sense of humor AND a wonderful chef. Palmer is much quieter and more reserved, but his food is elegant without pretension. That's what I want when I eat out.

I truly DO understand what you mean TIG. :)

[tebowisgay]

Take no pity on poor TIG I've eaten at the French laundry and Bouchon. Both outstanding, end of the day I'd rather have family style at Wilber's

[volchef]

Good for you. Me too.

[real turf fan]

Then you can, maybe, understand that I am somewhat frugal. I knew we'd be near there this spring, so I argued with myself for over a month, and decided instead of two meals (one for Mr. Turf), I'd buy both the Bouchon and French Laundry cookbooks.

Now to make some stock and freeze it as well as line up some of the other ingredients.