French Schools Ban Ketchup – France

October 10th, 2011


The French government has stated that as of this week, ketchup will be banned from school cafeterias to promote healthy eating and to teach a respect for French culinary tradition.
We have to be able to limit children serving those type of sauces to themselves to mask the flavor of whatever they are eating. Children must become familiar with French recipes so that they may hand them down to the next generation. They must realize that in France food has a meaning beyond just “filling up the tank”, it represents sharing a good time and conviviality, at the table.

Once a week ketchup will be allowed to be served, as an accompaniment to an order of French fries, but only once a week mind you, and that goes for the French fries as well!

Editor’s note: I read this post to my daughter, who is an eight-year-old now, and she mainly took offense to it, as she is a staunch ketchup supporter along with most of her classmates. To take the edge off of it, I promised that we would make a homemade ketchup this weekend to compare the difference, and she thought that would be great fun.

NEW Seafood Season: The Oyster Bar & The Seafood Bar – Bangkok

October 9th, 2011

It’s the beginning of a new seafood season and they have some NEW oysters to roll out for you!
Fish hooks from Hama Hama! A brand new farm! First time in Thailand.
Shigoku – they’re back!
Olympia’s – not much bigger but still the most awesome tasting oyster.
Iwagaki’s – the HUGE oysters from Japan! No radiation in these monsters.
Kushi’s are back and delicious as ever.
Their usual fine assortment of Eld Inlet, Barron Point, Eagle Rock, Effingham and larger selection than ever before!
The only restaurant here in Bangkok importing seafood twice weekly the arrival days are Tuesdays and Fridays. Sundays still all you can eat from the a la carte menu including oysters and seafood platters.
ALSO, order a platter for four and get a free bottle of PB Valley Chenin Blanc! Chosen specifically for enjoyment with our Fruit de mere platter.
Book a table for ten or more in a private room and get free flow wine all night long!
Call us for further info, directions, advice and for your general well being.
THEOYSTERBARbangkok and THESEAFOODBAR.

The Seafood Bar Co., Ltd.
41/2 Somerset Lake Point, Soi Sukhumvit 16, Sukhumvit Rd.,
Klongtoey, Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110 Thailand
Tel: (+66) 2 663 8863
Email: info@theseafoodbar.info

The Oyster Bar
395 Narathiwat Ratchanakarin Soi 24, Thailand
Tel. +66 2 212 4809 ‎

Starbucks Tries To Eliminate “Table Squatters” – U.S.A.

October 8th, 2011

Starbucks have been using business-suited employees that politely but firmly ask the customer to buy something or leave. If necessary, police would be called to explain to these “Laptop Hobos”, as Starbucks refers to them, that it is a business and you must buy something.
Attention Asia; You may be next! However, I am sure that customers in Asia would be indignant if treated in the same manner.

Japanese: “It Is Our Cultural Right To Eat Whale” – Japan

October 7th, 2011

VIDEO Sea Shepherd Ship Rams Japanese Whaling Ship

The Sea Shepherd (a conservation society) has again launched Operation Divine Wind, which is the common translation for Kamakaze. Japan’s Asahi News has confirmed that in December 2011 the Japanese whaling fleet intends to resume whaling in the Southern Ocean International Whale Sanctuary. This according to Sea Shepherd’s founder Paul Watson is an insult, after anti-whale hunting nations contributed so much to help Japan in their time of need during the tsunami that caused the Fukushima – Daiichi disaster. Read more here

Below is the end result: Sashimi of Antarctic Whale being served in a Tokyo restaurant.

Photograph by Koji Sasahara, AP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NYC 2012 Michelin Star Results 2012 – New York City

October 6th, 2011

 

Michelin Star Restaurants & Bib Gourmand New York City 2012, Follow Links Below to Michelin Guide:

Michelin Star Restaurants

Bib Gourmand Restaurants

 All trademarks, copyrights, logos, images, and information are the sole property of Michelin Guide

Sad News: LA Chef Amy Pressman Has Passed Away, Just Before Opening Her New Project, Short Order with Nancy Silverton – Los Angeles

October 5th, 2011

 

Amy Pressman has passed away on September 30, 2011 just before the scheduled opening of Short Order, a Gourmet Burger project she was a partner in with Nancy Silverton, opening in October at the Farmer’s Market. Link to our recent post on Short Order

 

Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair, 3 – 5 November 2011 – Hong Kong

October 5th, 2011


Macau, Balancing Old & New – Macau, China

October 4th, 2011

“The Old” – San Ma Lo Plaza

Macau, A Mélange of Old & New Existing Together

SAN MA LO
Also known as Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro, San Ma Lo is the best known street in Macau. The splendid façades and elegant architecture mirror past cultural triumphs. The street is a popular destination and offers art exhibitions, music, shops and open-air cafes and restaurants with daily festivities that continue on well into the evening. There are also plenty of historical landmarks to be seen and visited here.

Top Macau Restaurants

A Lorcha De Bche, Rua do Almirante Sergio 289, Inner Harbour, Macau ; Tel: +853 2831 3193/95; Open Wed to Fri (12:30 pm – 3:00 pm and 6:30 pm – 11:00 pm (closed Tue); Portuguese-Macanese Cuisine. Near A Ma Temple, A Lorcha offers very good traditional Portuguese and Macanese dishes.

Antonio Restaurante, Rua Ho Lin Vong 25, Taipa, Macau Phone; Tel +853 2882 7627; Open Daily 18:00 – 22:00, closed on Wednesdays

Cafe Bela Vista, Grand Lap 2/F, 956-1110 Ave da Amizade; Tel +853 8793 3871; Open Daily 24 hours except Thursdays until 12pm – The restaurant still retains the charm of the old Bela Vista Hotel, the restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets, as well as an a la carte menu featuring Portuguese, Macanese, Asian and Western dishes. Fresh seafood buffets are local favorites on Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday lunchtimes.

Cafe Ou Mun, 12 Travessa de S. Domingos, Macau | Tel: +853 2837 2207; Open: Tue – Fri (8:00 am – 10:00 pm); weekends (9am-10pm); Closed Mondays; Portuguese Cuisine. A favorite of Portuguese and Macanese residents for its coffee and fresh bread and cakes. The company owns a bakery that supplies other cafes around Macau.

Clube Militar No. 975, Avenida da Praia Grande, Macau, Tel +853 2871 4000, Open Daily 12:00 – 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm, Portuguese Cuisine. This is a private club, although the dining room is open to the public and is a good way to see a perfectly restored, original Macau colonial building.

Camoes, Shop 101, Lisbon-Evora, Macau Fisherman’s Wharf, Macau; Tel: +853 2872 8818
Open: Daily 11:30am – 11:30pm; Portuguese Cuisine – Serves generous portions of monk fish casserole, seafood steamer stew, cold crab and alcohol-infused pears for dessert. Genuine Portuguese cuisine inside an inspiring interiors.

Copa Steak House, 3/F, Sands Casino, Largo de Monte Carlo No.203, Macau Phone +853 8983 8222 Opening Hours Daily 17:30 – 23:00, closed on Sundays – The Copa Steakhouse is located inside the Sands Casino and is one of the first to offer American style steaks.

Escada, 8 Rua de Se; Tel +853 2896 6900 or 2823 9229; Open Daily 12-3 pm and 6-10:30pm; Portuguese cuisine. – Light and healthy Portuguese cooking inside a beautifully restored old residence right in the middle of central.

Espaco Lisboa, 8 Rua dos Gaivotas, Coloane Village, Macau Phone +853 2888 2226, Opening Hours Monday to Friday 12:00 – 15:00 and 18:30 – 22:00; Weekend 12:00 – 23:00. – Espaco de Lisboa’s chef Antonio Coelho brings a new and creative touch to Portuguese cuisine in this cozy old village house. There is a flower filled balcony upstairs that is popular for outdoor dining in good weather, as well as air-conditioned dining areas upstairs and down.

Fat Siu Lau, Rua da Felicidade 64 (tel 2857 3585) A very popular, traditional old Chinese restaurant surrounded by cafés and restaurants. Pigeon is their specialty.

Fernando’s, 9 Hac Sa Beach, Coloane Island, Macau Phone +853 2888 2264 Opening Hours Daily 12:00 – 21:30
Featured in many guides and magazines, Fernando packed by locals and visitors alike during weekends. Serves tasty and reasonably priced Portuguese food. The simple, no air-con and very casual service may not be for everyone. However, the food is so good that you probably won’t notice.

La Gondola, Estrada de Cheoc Van, Coloane, Macau (next to the swimming pool) Phone +853 2888 0156, Opening Hours Daily 11:00 – 23:00. Afer 20 years in operation it is still a favored by local families.

Litoral, 261A Rua do Almirante Sérgio,Tel. 2896 7878, Opening Hours: noon-3pm & 6-10.30pm, Recommended dishes are baked duck rice and shrimp soup served in a bread bowl.

Long Kei, Largo do Senado 7B (tel 573 970). After a hundred years still an inexpensive Cantonese restaurant, on the left side as you face the square from Almeida Ribeiro. Dim sum available.

Nga Tim, No. 8, Caetano, Coloane, Macau (Near St. Francis Church) Phone +853 2888 2086 Opening Hours Daily 12:00 – 01:00; Chinese and others. – The food, which combines Chinese, Macanese, and Portuguese styles of cooking and ingredients, is in a category all its own, with many unique dishes not available anywhere else.

O Manel, 90 Rua Fernão Mendes Pinto, Taipa, Macau Phone +853 2882 7571, Opening Hours Daily 12:00 – 15:30 and 18:00 – 22:30, Closed 1st & 4th Tuesday of each month. It deserves its reputation for fine Portuguese cooking since 1991.

Henri’s Gallery, 4G-H Avienda da Republica, Macau Phone +853 2855 6251 / +853 2856 2231 Opening Hours Daily 12:00 – 22:00; Macanese cuisine. – Since 1976 Henri’s Galley has been offering fresh seafood and is especially known for curry crab. The African chicken and roast fish is highly recommended.

Pinocchio’s, Rua do Sol 4, Taipa Island, Macau Tel: +853 28827 128. A Macau culinary landmark, serving excellent Macanese and Portuguese food for the last thirty years. Prices are reasonable, especially when considering the size of the portions.

Platao, Travessa de S. Domingos No. 3, R/C “B”, Macau Phone +853 2833 1818. Opening Hours Daily 12:00 – 23:00; Portuguese and Macanese. Restaurante Platão, in the centre of the city, is a very relaxing place to be on a hot day.

Robuchon a Galera, 3/F, Lisboa Tower, Lisboa Hotel, 2-4 Avenida de Lisboa, Macau Phone +853 2837 7666 Opening Hours Daily 12:00 – 14:30, 18:30 – 22:30; French cuisine.-  Menu leans toward French and Continental European cuisine. Most a la carte items are expensive although the restaurant’s price fixed lunches are an excellent value as well as culinary adventures.

San Lorenzo’s, New Orleans Block II, R/C, Fisherman’s Wharf, Macau Phone +853 8297 2818 Opening Hours Daily 11:30 – 00:00. – Serves pasta, giant pizzas, fresh salads, and a wide assortment of other dishes.

Vasco, 956-1110 Avenida da Amizade, PO Box 3016, Macau SAR, Tel. +853 2856 7888, glmfm-vasco@mohg.com –  Mandarin Oriental Hotel Tapas and more. Named for Vasco da Gama, it is the perfect rendezvous with an irresistible selection of international local tapas-style treats, innovative champagne cocktails, and the widest selection of wines-by-the-glass.

Vila Porto de Maau, Macau Tower; +853 2896 8899; Open weekdays 12 pm – 3 pm, 6:30 – 11:30 pm; weekends and holidays 11:00 am – 12:30 pm; Szechuan cuisine. Specializing in Sichuan cooking with some adaptation to local tastes. Worthwhile excursion to the Macau Tower.

SAN MA LO
Also known as Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro, San Ma Lo is the best known street in Macau. The splendid façades and elegant architecture mirror past cultural triumphs. The street is a popular destination and offers art exhibitions, music, shops and open-air cafes and restaurants with daily festivities that continue on well into the evening. There are also plenty of historical landmarks to be seen and visited here.

Casinos in Macau
Casinos are a large part of Macau’s local cultural entertainment. Many hotels such as Lisboa, Sands Macau, Macau Grand Hyatt and entertainment centers such as Jai-Alai, the Macau Jockey Club and the Floating Palace, offer casinos on site for visitors to gamble. Major games found in the casinos include baccarat, black jack, roulette, craps, and slot machines.

Casinos, The New Macau“The New” The new Skyline of Casinos

Four Seasons Hotel has gambling next door a few steps away.

Venetian Hotel Macau The Venetian Macao is a 40 story hotel and casino resort on the Cotai Strip, inspired by the Las Vegas Strip. It is owned by the Las Vegas Sands corporation.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel One of the most exclusive hotels in Macau although it has lots of company.

City of Dreams  City of Dreams, known as CoD, has four towers: the Hard Rock Hotel, Crown Towers Hotel, and the Grand Hyatt Macau (2 towers). It has 420,000 square feet (39,000 m2) of gaming space with 550 gaming tables and 1500 machines, over 20 restaurants and bars, including one of the largest in the city.

Club Cubic A club that attracts some big-name acts.

 

Matsusake Mushrooms, Autumn Is Here! – Japan

October 3rd, 2011

By Emi Kagawa

The Matsutake Mushroom is not so much about taste as it is fragrance, it has a very faint, in some cases, almost indistinguishable earthy, pine scent. They are hard to find and are usually hidden under leaves at the foot of a pine tree. Each year it is becoming harder to find enough of them in Japan to meet demand, to supplement the supply they are also gathered in Korea, China and the Pacific Northwest coast of North America.

California Foie Gras Ban July 2012 – California

October 2nd, 2011


In July of 2012, California will ban the sale and production of foie gras. The selling of the velvety delicacy after July 2012 could result in a $1,000 fine. California should think twice before implementing this law. Remember how Chicago lifted the two-year ban on foie gras which, Mayor Richard Daly had said was the “silliest ordinance” the city council had ever passed and made Chicago “the laughingstock of the nation”.

Where will this stop? Restaurant owners worry that lobster, veal, and even eggs might not be too far behind on the “to be banned” list.

OTHER LINKS OF INTEREST:

Fighting for Foie Gras at Animal

California Foie Gras Ban