What are you eating?

[toledobass]

Well we ended up having a great time last night.  I had the onion soup which turned out to be one of the great ones I've had in my life.  Excellent color on the cheese,  a perfect size of crouton, nice sweet onion flavor,  the only thing that stopped it from being perfect was the dissapointing uneven knife cuts of the onions.  I followed up with the seafood of the day. Basically what that amounted to was a single serving Grand Plâteau.  I got some oysters, shrimp, clams, some of the best diver scallops I've ever had and a small lobster tail.

I also got to try some of the caeser salad that is prepared table side and boy was that great.  Easily the best caeser I've ever tasted.  There was a plate of calamari that was also incredible.  None of that rubbery o-ring stuff you usually get.  All of the food was top notch but I think everyone who ordered seafood commented that it was some of the best they've ever had.

For dessert we had a couple of souffles, and a ridiculous amount of chocolate.   

If you're ever in Bar Harbor, be sure to check it out.

Allan 

[karlhenning]

Ah, onion soup!

[uffeviking]

Ah Onion Soup! 

I think I have to make my own because I found out how it is prepared in the two local restaurants who even have it on the menu:

It's prepared the day before, ladled into those heavy stoneware cups, put in the freezer and as the orders come in, they go in the microwave, get served and the poor sucker at the table thinks he gets fresh onion soup made the same day. Of course if only two get ordered and twenty are in the freezer, it'll take some time to sell the stash! YUCK! 

[Lilas Pastia]

La soupe à l'oignon could be the subject of one of those fancy cooking art books. There are as many variants as couuld possibly be. White onions and beef bone marrow or oxtail are the indispensable ingredients. Plus lots of time. As simple as it may look, it takes the better part of a full day to achieve perfection.

[SonicMan46]

DON'T EAT LOBSTER TOMALLEY!

Since we've had a number of posts on eating lobsters - avoid the 'guts' of the lobster (shown below) - meat is FINE!

My FIL use to ALWAYS eat the lobster innards (and would want more from other lobster eaters @ the table!) - won't stop me at all from enjoying the rest of this fine ocean bug! 

[drogulus]

    Pork Roll with English muffins. 

     

[M forever]

Those things look like dead and skinned Pacmen!

Since we've had a number of posts on eating lobsters - avoid the 'guts' of the lobster (shown below) - meat is FINE!

I tried that when I had my first complete lobster a few weeks ago, but I didn't like it so much. I am generally not disinclined to try intestines, brains, marrow, and other "nasty bits" which often are special delicacies if one happens to have the taste for them. But I didn't like the green stuff. Later, somebody told me it was the fecies from the digestive parts of the lobster, but apparently it is more like the liver.

[SonicMan46]

I tried that when I had my first complete lobster a few weeks ago, but I didn't like it so much. I am generally not disinclined to try intestines, brains, marrow, and other "nasty bits" which often are special delicacies if one happens to have the taste for them. But I didn't like the green stuff. Later, somebody told me it was the fecies from the digestive parts of the lobster, but apparently it is more like the liver.

M - yeh, I used to 'sample' the lobster tomalley but  was never that excited vs. the meat!  Basically, think of it as all of your intestines + adjacent organs (esp. the liver) combined into one for this animal; of course, the main problem is that the 'liver part' is filtering out all of the 'toxins' that these animals may encounter - so avoid! 

[Lilas Pastia]

I didn't know about the tomalley (its function and its potential toxicity). But I've always considered it rather suspiciously. I've tasted it, and its watery texture and slightly bitter taste did nothing to alleviate my misgivings. I was raised on the 'clean your plate' and 'wasting food is sinful' kind of stuff, so I dutifully eat some of the stuff even as I don't really like it .  But now I have an excellent excuse to give it a pass . Why bother when the real delicacy is in the claws? 0:)

[M forever]

I was raised on the 'clean your plate' and 'wasting food is sinful' kind of stuff, so I dutifully eat some of the stuff even as I don't really like it . 

Does that mean you also tried to eat the shell and all that?

[Renfield]

Those things look like dead and skinned Pacmen!

I make one of my rare visits to this thread, and M nearly kills me with that comment.


Beyond this, if I ever had the inclination to eat the digestive organs of a lobster (rarely as I anyway eat lobster), it has now evaporated entirely.

[Lilas Pastia]

Mores specifically, liver is an "accessory digestive organ". The real thing consists of those organs in direct contact with the food ingested: stomach,  intestines, and the like. Tripes (intestines) are a delicacy in many countires (faute de mieux IMHO). The thing is as chewy as a recycled Goodyear tube.. I've never heard of elephant anuses or morse jowls, though. Methink they would make a plentiful course. With lots of seasoning.

[SonicMan46]

Tonight, just a stop on the way home:  Athena Greek Taverna - I rarely go to Greek restaurants, mainly because in my town, they are just too generic and not very authentic (although I'm not really a great expert of this cuisine) - we actually have a large Greek community in Winston-Salem (North Carolina) and a yearly multi-day festival occurs w/ plenty of great food.

But tonight, we were quite pleased w/ the menu and a fairly extensive Greek wine list by the glass - another pleasure for me (despite being a daily wine drinker, I've really not sampled Greek wines in ages - will return just for that pleasure).

Started out w/ a decent Greek salad + bread which was excellent; wife had the moussaka w/ rice w/ a delicate bechamel sauce; I had the grilled octupus w/ veggies & rice, the latter wonderfully flavored and moist - quite inexpensive and superb - will need to repeat in the near future! 

[M forever]

I love Greek food, and had plenty of it in my short life so far, because I used to have a Greek girlfriend (from Naxos) for 5 years and we went to Greece 4 times or so every year. Plus, there is a lot of Greek food in Berlin, too, from the very germanized places to really authentic ones. I especially like Taramosalata.
Fortunately, there is a reasonably good Greek place nearby, so I may have to swim by there later...

[DavidRoss]

Sharks need hugs, too!

[SonicMan46]

Well, we just returned from the Asheville area and a 3-night stay at the Inn on Biltmore Estate - beautiful architecture to blend in w/ the Biltmore House  - checkout the Vacation Advisory Thread for more details and some pics, please - 

But, this is about the FOOD offered by this fabulous Inn - we had 3 dinners & 2 lunches - don't believe that I've ever seen my wife happier w/ a 'hotel' eating experience (esp. because there are not that many options unless you want to drive off the estate).

First, the main dining room is attractive & the service superb - at all meals we were seated by windows which all looked out over the the fabulous Blue Ridge Mountains - difficult to decide whether to eat or enjoy the views -    If interested, checkout this Panning View - does not really give you a feeling for the views from those window seats, but each is beautiful & utterly romantic (BTW, lots of weddings take place w/ that background!).

Second, the food & menu (sample HERE; unfortunately, the descriptions do not do this restaurant justice!  The salads were wonderfully delicious using a variety of greens grown on the property - light on the dressings (all homemade):

1st Night: Split a salad & bison carpaccio; both had the veal dish (this was some of the best veal I've ever eaten - Italy is my only comparison, plus a few BIG cities in the USA); the side dishes (not large), but just so innovative & tasty (and almost beyond a verbal description - really a sensory experience!); did a cheese course & chocolate dessert to end the evening.

2nd Night:  Another salad + mussel/clam starter; again, we both picked the red trout, from a farm right up the road - cooked beautifully (and again the sides were just indescribably delicious - you have to be there!).  For dessert, homemade sorbets & the SB shortcake - but nothing as expected, a surprise & delight!

3rd Night: I repeated a salad, but Susan had a half portion starter of the lobster gnocchi - believe that we were suppose to split those two, but did not hear a 'peep' from her (I ended up w/ a sliver of lobster & one gnocchi); main course, I had the pheasant - just succulent and again w/ difficult to describe but utterly delectable side accompaniments; dessert that night just shared sorbets (mixed berry, mango, & watermelon w/ lemon zest - perfectly made).

We don't go to Asheville that often (have been there so many times), but I believe that we will likely re-visit that Inn & restaurant this fall! Not cheap at all, but not to be missed if you're in the area! 

[toledobass]

Been making a lot of pizzas lately.  Here is a marinara pizza that was today's lunch, along with an arugula salad:







Allan

[Lilas Pastia]

Very nice. The crust looks absolutely scrumptious, Allan !

Chicken and corn chowder right now.

[SonicMan46]

Allan - agree w/ André, i.e. your pizza looks quite delicious - want to open a bottle Zin & share! 

For us tonight, returned to the Greek place posted not too long back for a re-try - Susan had the lamb chops (she was in heaven!) - I tried the salmon; both quite good & inexpensive - also had a few glasses of 'red wine' from Macedonia (thought of Alexander the Great!) - good experience - 

[toledobass]

Thanks guys.  The crust is still work in progress. The crispy/chewy holy grail gets closer and closer each one.  Good eats none the less.

Allan