What did you have for dinner? -Part dois

[lpast]

We had blackened tilapia....baked cauliflower breaded with italian style panko breadcrumbs... and we had baked, then mashed yams cuz I had them for awhile, wanted to use them

 

[jamesrage]

Chili cheese fries with waffle cut fries. Those kind of fries work really well for chili cheese fries.


Just in case no one has any idea what waffle cut fries are.

 

[jamesrage]

Steak and Perogies.

 

[mac]

New York Strip, medium rare, with baked potato and asparagus (basil butter sauce).

 

[grip]

I'm chef tonight at Casa Las Chimeneas. Dinner menu as follows:

Beetroot/feta dip
Red pepper humous
Lahmacun (Turkish ground lamb flatbread)

Beef and apricot tagine
Steamed lemon leeks
Chickpea basmati pilaf

Baked curd cheesecake

I tried to like this twice but it wouldn't let me. :mrgreen:

 

[Andalublue]

I tried to like this twice but it wouldn't let me. :mrgreen:

Thanks anyway. It went down well, especially the steamed leeks. That was the first time I'd done them that way and they really are delicious, provided you have fresh dill.

Today I'm making myself a beetroot soup, not quite borscht, but near enough, using a Moroccan spice mix, ras el hanout, and thyme.

 

[Your Star]

A turkey sandwich at 1 AM after an amazing concert. Loving life.

 

[wolfie]

A red hot chicken curry..with veggie rice...onion bhaji's..poppadoms...onion and coriander flatbreads..

And fresh mango with passion fruit ice-cream for after...yums...

 

[grip]

Thanks anyway. It went down well, especially the steamed leeks. That was the first time I'd done them that way and they really are delicious, provided you have fresh dill.

Today I'm making myself a beetroot soup, not quite borscht, but near enough, using a Moroccan spice mix, ras el hanout, and thyme.

You should be on one of those Food Network- chef shows with your cooking skills and food/spice knowledge. I make a few decent dishes on occasion but I've eaten at that level and it's a culinary world of delight. Many people wonder why the wealthy pay for high cuisine, till you've tried it.

 

[wolfie]

On the other hand...what is the worst thing you've ever eaten?

Mine was baby camel at an Algerian wedding...It was a thick piece of wobbly fat with 3 inch blonde hair on it...:shock:

 

[MaggieD]

We went out last night to a place called Bob Chin's in Wheeling, Illinois. It's quite famous in the Chicago area. They're famous for their fresh fish, flown in daily from around the world. I had their salad bar (excellent), Alaskan wild salmon chargrilled, 1/2 sweet potato and cole slaw. Had a So-Co Manhatten and a glass of K-J Chardonnay. Tom had something similar and two Miller Lites. Our bill was $120.

We'd never been there before. I can't think of a reason to go back. Red Lobster's fish is just as fresh and deliciously prepared...for probably half the price.

Guess we had to try it, though. (Went w/another couple.)

 

[Andalublue]

You should be on one of those Food Network- chef shows with your cooking skills and food/spice knowledge. I make a few decent dishes on occasion but I've eaten at that level and it's a culinary world of delight. Many people wonder why the wealthy pay for high cuisine, till you've tried it.

You're very kind. I absolutely love playing around with spices. I'm not a big eater of meat because, apart from lamb and pork, I'm not mad on the flavour of plain-cooked beef, chicken etc, so I spice it up and play at mixing, toasting and pounding my own from seeds. It's good fun, but not always successful.

 

[Your Star]

We went out last night to a place called Bob Chin's in Wheeling, Illinois. It's quite famous in the Chicago area. They're famous for their fresh fish, flown in daily from around the world. I had their salad bar (excellent), Alaskan wild salmon chargrilled, 1/2 sweet potato and cole slaw. Had a So-Co Manhatten and a glass of K-J Chardonnay. Tom had something similar and two Miller Lites. Our bill was $120.

We'd never been there before. I can't think of a reason to go back. Red Lobster's fish is just as fresh and deliciously prepared...for probably half the price.

Guess we had to try it, though. (Went w/another couple.)

Good graciousness $120 :shock:

 

[grip]

You're very kind. I absolutely love playing around with spices. I'm not a big eater of meat because, apart from lamb and pork, I'm not mad on the flavour of plain-cooked beef, chicken etc, so I spice it up and play at mixing, toasting and pounding my own from seeds. It's good fun, but not always successful.

You sure you're not French? They call the Brits 'roast beefs'....lol

I love great tasting food and unfortunately a beef and chicken man. Bad for the cholesterol but a taste I've acquired over a life time. Growing, preparing and mixing you're own spices for new dishes is exciting fun, especially when it turns out spectacular but I've also made some disasters. You're not a good chef, unless you've made some mistakes.

 

[MaggieD]

Good graciousness $120 :shock:

Yeah, I was really disappointed. Just panned them on Yelp. It's funny how these over-priced mediocre restaurants get the reputation of being OMG-Out-Of-This-World-Fantastic. Honestly, Red Lobster's got it all over this place. Ha!

 

[Your Star]

Yeah, I was really disappointed. Just panned them on Yelp. It's funny how these over-priced mediocre restaurants get the reputation of being OMG-Out-Of-This-World-Fantastic. Honestly, Red Lobster's got it all over this place. Ha!

Really all you need is a good beer, or bottle of wine and your all set :lol:

 

[Andalublue]

On the other hand...what is the worst thing you've ever eaten?

Mine was baby camel at an Algerian wedding...It was a thick piece of wobbly fat with 3 inch blonde hair on it...:shock:

It's usually at a wedding, no? I remember being presented a plate of steaming, raw pig's liver at a wedding in Thailand. Steaming because it was 2 minutes since the pig had had its throat slit.

 

[wolfie]

It's usually at a wedding, no? I remember being presented a plate of steaming, raw pig's liver at a wedding in Thailand. Steaming because it was 2 minutes since the pig had had its throat slit.

Did you manage to eat it??

I would have barfed my guts out!!

 

[grip]

We went out last night to a place called Bob Chin's in Wheeling, Illinois. It's quite famous in the Chicago area. They're famous for their fresh fish, flown in daily from around the world. I had their salad bar (excellent), Alaskan wild salmon chargrilled, 1/2 sweet potato and cole slaw. Had a So-Co Manhatten and a glass of K-J Chardonnay. Tom had something similar and two Miller Lites. Our bill was $120.

We'd never been there before. I can't think of a reason to go back. Red Lobster's fish is just as fresh and deliciously prepared...for probably half the price.

Guess we had to try it, though. (Went w/another couple.)

I always found the best seafood comes from those little dives with hardwood dirty floors right next to the water. The fish/seafood comes directly from the boat, is inexpensive and prepared by people who like to actually make seafood delicious. Crabby Joe's in Port Orange, Florida on the Sunglow Pier serves a grouper sandwich and onion flavored, hush puppies that will make your tongue say ooh la la.

 

[Andalublue]

Did you manage to eat it??

I would have barfed my guts out!!

I managed a couple of slivers. I don't like pig's liver at the best of times, but this was beyond awful for me. The taste wasn't as bad as it could have been, but the texture was barf-inducing. I really didn't want to refuse as it was offered to me first as a sign that I was an honoured guest.

That was the same wedding at which I was offered deep-fried assorted insects. Now those I really enjoyed! Grasshoppers, crickets and silk worms. Nice taste, lovely, crunchy texture. I recommend them.

 

[Andalublue]

Yeah, I was really disappointed. Just panned them on Yelp. It's funny how these over-priced mediocre restaurants get the reputation of being OMG-Out-Of-This-World-Fantastic. Honestly, Red Lobster's got it all over this place. Ha!

Did the $120 include tips? If so, that doesn't sound outrageously expensive to me. What would you normally expect to pay for a fine dining experience?

 

[MaggieD]

I always found the best seafood comes from those little dives with hardwood dirty floors right next to the water. The fish/seafood comes directly from the boat, is inexpensive and prepared by people who like to actually make seafood delicious. Crabby Joe's in Port Orange, Florida on the Sunglow Pier serves a grouper sandwich and onion flavored, hush puppies that will make your tongue say ooh la la.

Bestest seafood in the world on our coasts!! (Does Lake Michigan count? Apparently not. Ha!)

 

[wolfie]

I managed a couple of slivers. I don't like pig's liver at the best of times, but this was beyond awful for me. The taste wasn't as bad as it could have been, but the texture was barf-inducing. I really didn't want to refuse as it was offered to me first as a sign that I was an honoured guest.

That was the same wedding at which I was offered deep-fried assorted insects. Now those I really enjoyed! Grasshoppers, crickets and silk worms. Nice taste, lovely, crunchy texture. I recommend them.

Yes I have eaten insects in the far East...fried grasshoppers taste like salted peanuts..I wouldn't say I enjoyed all of them...I saw a stall that was throwing live tarantulas onto the barbeque..all that was left was the body section..like a white marble...tasted like chicken...Ha ha..

I liked chocolate covered bees...

 

[MaggieD]

Did the $120 include tips? If so, that doesn't sound outrageously expensive to me. What would you normally expect to pay for a fine dining experience?

Yes, that included the tip. This wasn't a fine dining experience, Andalublue. Picture the inside of a Lone Star Steakhouse and you've got the ambiance of the place, except it's four times larger. Their Signature Drink (a Mai Tai) is served in a plastic cup. If you order four of them at the table, you get a 50-cent plastic jacket made in China that says Bob Chinn's Crab House. The waiter addressed the guys as dudes. OMFG!! No. Hardly fine dining.

When we want a great steak or prime rib, we'll go to Shula's in Itasca, Illinois. It's the finest of fine-dining experiences for beef, in my opinion. It's close to a $200 evening with a couple glasses of wine each. One waiter for your table; one waiter standing at attention focused on your table 10 feet away. Raw steaks brought to the table for your inspection...napkins provided either black/white depending on your clothing...a sommelier...THAT'S fine dining, in my opinion. And for that special evening where nothing but the best will do? And steak's the food of choice? That's where we'll go -- probably once or twice a year.

This restaurant was far from that. They're dining room(s) seat 700. They use 500# of garlic a week. :rofl -- I think it was all on the garlic rolls they serve.

If the food had been excellent, I'd have had no problem with the price. But the food was just . . . meh. I have it 2 Stars on Yelp.

 

[wolfie]

a sommelier...

.

Does anyone ever argue with the sommelier...he's there to make you feel small and to sell the house wines...