Comments on: Dining with Chuck

By: Trine

Trine — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 22:33:48 +0000

I’ll look out for your evaluation of Umami, then. With the lot of experience you have from authentic and original places I’m very curious to know what you think of the quality the offer. Have you seen the website? It’s a posh place.

and thank you…

By: JC

JC — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 21:19:30 +0000

I photograph my food when I’m visiting places I know I won’t be able to visit again for a very long time. And when I remember my camera. I don’t do it often because I’m not a very good photographer, and my camera isn’t very good at focusing in low light.

I’ll answer everything else via email.

By: Trine

Trine — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 14:02:15 +0000

Thanks for the explanation, JC! And what an entertaining read, when can I read about the rest of your trip? How did your interest in Denmark take of btw.?

Jesse, I forgot to ask you, do you always photograph your food and why would you like to move to Denmark?

Japan? I have wanted to go there for years. The film ‘Lost in Translation’ made that wish even bigger. Some day I will go there

By: JC

JC — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 09:24:12 +0000

Ramen is a kind of Japanese noodle soup. It’s considered working-man’s food, or the Japanese equivalent of fast food. But it’s a million times better than places like McDonald’s – I haven’t eaten at a McD’s in years, but I eat ramen once a week.

Hopefully Umami has good sushi. It is so easy to get the wrong impression of sushi, because most sushi places can’t even get fish that is good enough for sushi. But good sushi can be sublime, perhaps good enough to make you put Japan on your itinerary.

By: Trine

Trine — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 22:56:54 +0000

There are at least three things to keep in mind about Umami:
- I am a total novice regarding Asian food
- The quality seems superb and I like the creativity and innovation
- The reputation of the service is not good

What is ramen? (sorry)

By: Jesse

Jesse — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:20:17 +0000

I’ll try to give Umami a try when I visit – at least the sushi bar if nothing else. I have yet to eat at Urasawa in LA though (although I have had some very good sashimi and kaiseki in Japan), and am usually content to eat at more modest Japanese restaurants (my favorite Japanese food is ramen, seriously), so my opinion may not be as trustworthy as Chuck’s.

By: Trine

Trine — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 21:57:06 +0000

I’d love to! Wow Please write to verygoodfood at gmail dot com.

Of course, the Hansens Gamle Familiehave would be nicer in the summer… but…

Have you checked Kofoed’s website?

By: bebod

bebod — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:50:25 +0000

Thank you Trine for your hard work. I’ll have a look at it.

BTW, first restaurant of my 2008 itinerary, Hertog Jan in Brugge/Belgium, was the perfect start for my gastronomic tour.
Style, structure, palate and finesse of the dishes was comparable with In De Wulf and l’Air du Temps concept
If you want to know more about it, just let me know and I’ll mail or post you menu and pictures.

Roland

By: Trine

Trine — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 22:00:25 +0000

Roland, I have found another suggestion for you: Hansens Gamle FamiliehaveI've only been there once a long time ago, but liked it and have since then heard very nice things about the place. The wine list proves the interest in epicurean gastronomy and presents at the same time nice Danish traditional dishes. The restaurant is also mentioned in the Spiseguiden of Bent Christensen, who only mentions placed with good value.I assume it's open on Sunday 17 February, but haven't asked.

By: Trine

Trine — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 19:17:05 +0000

Hmmm. Okay I’ll screen the scene!

By: bebod

bebod — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:35:19 +0000

100% into Italian but Era Ora is closed for lunch on Sunday

By: Trine

Trine — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 22:13:16 +0000

I got hungry immediately, when I first read/saw Chuck’s review of El Poblet! Seems like I need to add Spain to my 2009 list. Good grief.

I don’t know what it is, but eating Rene Redzepi’s food really makes me happy. I must be a fine food addict.

Impressive itinerary you’ve got for 2008!

You know, I haven’t given up on that Sunday lunch!! How very unlucky that Søllerød Kro is closed exactly that weekend. Are you keen on tying out Italian fine dining?

By: chuckeats

chuckeats — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 01:51:42 +0000

thanks for the idea bebod – i’ll start researching the various restaurants you’ve listed for inclusion in my trip.

By: bebod

bebod — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 19:56:39 +0000

First I heard of Rene Redzepi was by Kobe Desramault, Chef from In de Wulf, somewhere mid last year who told me he had booked a table at Noma. In October, Noma featured in an article of a Belgian magazine about resto’s in CPH. Few weeks later, Noma was featured on Garcia Santos’ website http://www.lomejordelagastronomia.com. This is the guy who organises yearly the San Sebastian show with top notch chefs from all over the world.
When Kobe told me about his visit to Noma, he claimed that it challenged with Quique Dacosta’s El Poblet. Been there in December 2006 and was the most extraordinary meal I’ve ever eaten (eaten is not the right word to describe the sensations that we experienced but hey, I’m no Shakespeare) So based on Kobe’s experience, we booked a table for 4 on Saturday February 16th nextcoming and can’t wait for January to pass

Personal Itinerary for 2008 (besides monthly lunch at In de Wulf)
January Hertog Jan * Brugge Belgium
February Noma **
March La Bouitte * St MArtin de Belleville France
April Pastorale ** Reet Belgium
May Spondi *Athens Greece
June l’Air du Temps * Eghezee Belgium
Still to book for 2nd half 2008 : Les sources de Caudalie/Bordeaux, De Jonkman*/Brugge, Librije***/Zwolle, l’Arnsbourg***/Strasbourg, l’Air du Temps * revisited and still in doubt between MArtin Berasategui***/San Sebastian or El Poblet**/Denia

By: Trine

Trine — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 22:09:08 +0000

Well, Chuck, thanks for speaking so nicely about me in your end I certainly realised the affect of being listed on your blog!

I only link to blogs and sites I read frequently.

Paris is a target for 2008. I just haven’t my plans settled yet, and until I have made reservations, Paris won’t appear at Epicure’s Itinerary

Roland, just out of curiosity, where or how did first hear about noma? What a wonderful dream job your wife has

By: bebod

bebod — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 10:51:18 +0000

I fully agree with your comments on the Italian/Danish gastronomy.

My wife owns a travel agency and every year she organises a 5 day cultural/gastronomical trip for a limited group of people (max 18)
2007 for example brought us to the Bilbao/San Sebastian region where we visited Mugaritz, MArques de Riscal, Ysios etc….
Over the past 15 years she organised 3 trips to Italian regions and every time it was difficult to find restaurants which could bring extra value to the trip.
With regards to the the standard for comparison, please take into account that we (in Belgium) are really well of when it comes to gastronomy Lucky me

Chuck, saw you planned a trip to Dk, Holland and Belgium. (Thx Trin for link)
After reading your comments on Chef Aduriz and Chef Dacosta, I’m convinced that In De Wulf and L’Air du Temps in Belgium are really worthwile a small detour in your travel arrangements
In De Wulf would fit perfectly in between Hof van Cleve (Kruishoutem) and Paris (as Trin pointed out this was missing )

By: Chuck

Chuck — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 01:19:54 +0000

wow – thanks – i try

i would like to visit Italy but Noma, aside from visiting Japan and Roellinger, has to be a priority this year. The food looks too stunning to miss.

i also appreciate you linking to my blog. i make an effort to link to other blogs/posts when i feel their quality warrants it and they are relevant to the discussion. i really dislike how the entrenched blogs (who shall remain nameless) are quite stingy w/ their links, mostly linking amongst themselves. the walled-garden/silo approach goes against the web.

for others with blogs, and this might sound counter-intuitive, the best way to get traffic is to link – link away with abandon. other bloggers will begin linking to you and you will start to get new visitors. it’s been the #1 way for me to build my traffic.

happy new year – and where’s Paris on your 2008 schedule?