The Foodie Thread

James Beard Award semi-finalists announced:

www.jamesbeard.org/sites/default/files/static/additional/2013-jbf-semifinalists-blog.pdf

Have you eaten at any of the nominees?

 

Man, I wish I had, and I looked hard.

Hit some memorable restaurants in Charleston, S.C., but none with the chef nominees.

 

I have eaten at Jaleo (DC) and it is outstanding for tapas.

I have eaten at Vidalia (DC) and it is very good - but frankly, I am surprised to see it on a list of this grandeur.

I have eaten at City Zen (DC). The service there is indeed excellent and I am surprised that the food is not nominated for recognition on its own.

I have eaten at Vetri (Philly). The service is excellent but frankly, the food is even better. My only "complaint" about Vetri is that there are only about 40 seats and you need to get reservations WAAY in advance if you are even able to get them.

 

One of my favorite restaurants is nominated for Rising Star Chef-- Tim Maslow of Strip T's in Watertown, MA. He's a David Chang protege, and really talented and creative.

Have also eaten at Flour, which is nominated for Best Chef Northeast. Best sticky buns around. Also in that category is Hungry Mother. Great southern food with a french twist.

Have eaten at one of the places nominated for "Best Service": Eastern Standard. They also have great bone marrow.

Puritan and Company in Cambridge is on the list to eat at. The chef's old restaurant was one of my favorites, so I assume I'll like his new one.

I've also eaten at Incanto, but I feel like that one is pretty well known at this point.

 

Zagat picks the most iconic restaurant in 15 cities:

Slide show: http://blog.zagat.com/2013/04/the-most-iconic-restaurants-in-15-us.html

List: http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2013/04/02/zagat-iconic-restaurants/2044301/

I'd say they got Chicago's right. Do you agree with their choice in your city?

 

Just spent a couple of days in Charleston and ate at Carolina's and Magnolias. Both were excellent, Carolina's a bit better, IMHO. You could spend a couple of weeks there, never eat at the same place and never have anything less than a great meal.

 

You make a good argument for each of the places you site. Carnegie Deli could easily be the choice.

But, I don't have much of an argument with their choice either.

 

Carnegie Deli or Gray's Papaya would be great choices. I'm huge fan of both. Or original Ray's.
Tavern on the Green would've been a good choice if it hadn't closed.
What about the 21 Club?

The San Francisco choice is a good one. I love the Swan, and it's a good embodiment of the city.

The Philly choice is alright. Ralph's would've been good. Striped Bass closed. Bookbinders was an institution but burned down.

 

I have wanted to eat at Lynn Crawford's Ruby Watchco since it opened. For my 50th birthday, JR threw me a party and gave me an IOU for dinner there. Well, we finally made it there tonight - my 53rd birthday. Completely worth the wait. There is a single menu each night with an option for an additional dish and suggested wine pairings. Food is served family style - the steak on one platter and a bowl of each side that you serve yourselves from. The only thing that was served individually was the dessert and our lattes. (Plus, we got to meet Chef Lynn!!). Tonight's meal:

 

That flank steak sounds spectacular...

Happy belated birthday.

 

OK, here's the new fad-- the Cronut, a cross between a croissant and a doughnut.

http://tinyurl.com/kbxba84

Invented by a French chef working in Manhattan and he's very tighlipped about the recipe

He acknowledges loads and loads of butter, along with cream injected through multiple layers with a syringe-like pastry tip and a glaze on top that encircles the hole in the middle. He fries each Cronut in grapeseed oil for 30 seconds, using just one pot that can hold up to nine at a time. The oil leaves outer layers crunchy but inner bites doughy.

Wonder how long it will take Food TV to launch a new programme.