JSnake

Ron is a pure gentleman. He's never been anything but extraordinarily gracious and kind to both me and my mother. We're proud to be customers but also to consider him a friend. Please support this man. He's not just an expert pit master with a fantastic product but he's also extremely generous and worth getting to know personally. Now, Ron, let's talk about this craving I've had recently for smoked rainbow trout.

Speaking of Baseball and Japan: Nintendo (yes, that Nintendo) owns the Seattle Mariners and has since 1992. A videogame featuring Ken Griffey Jr was published by them in 1993 on their Super NES console.

I still think the best fried chicken out there for my money is Popeyes.

Erik Bruner-Yang to step down from Toki Underground with Johnathon Uribe taking over. Not sure how to feel about this. I always felt Daikaya was the better ramen joint but Erik certainly deserves full credit for the DC area ramen boom of late and I look forward to any and all of his future projects

Why the hell did they sous vide it for three and a half hours? Of course the texture was messed up. *slaps head*

RT's

The French Laundry? Don, let's just agree to disagree. /copout

Again, and I mean this respectfully, I truly do, but the only thing you've demonstrated to me is that you've only experienced misuse of the technique. Saying your problem with sous vide is with the texture only tells me that you have a misunderstanding of the very mechanics under which this cooking method operates. Sous vide allows the chef to cook the food at a precise temperature for a precise period of time. It's not the same thing at setting your oven to 350 degrees and walking away. Oven temperatures cycle up and down and vary because when you set an oven you're basically telling it to cook at somewhere averaging where you set it. If you set a sous vide circulator to 135 degrees for a medium rare steak, it will stay that temperature. It won't go above or below for even a second. Not even by a tenth of a degree. But food texture and doneness is not just a measurement of temp, it's dependent on time too. A fish cooked longer than, say, 45 minutes or so at 118 degrees absolutely will come out mushy and kinda gross. Cook it for roughly 20 mins though and there's a world of difference.

The only point I see you're making is that like any other technique, it's up to the individual to use it properly. That's a fine point but it's also one I never disputed, nor is it one I disagree with.

The newly renovated Cedar Knoll. It used to be an absolute dump. Everything was pre-cooked and thrown in plastic containers and reheated in a microwave. It's under completely new management now and the difference is drastic. We had Easter dinner here and had a fantastic time. Our food was expertly cooked, the service was efficient but also knew when to stay away. Plus we had a great view of the lake and a cozy fireplace near our table.

Here's a good example of what sous vide can do

The sous-vide technique is why it was as delicious as you say. (Well that and it was likely very high quality chicken, I would imagine). I don't mean to be overly harsh here, Don, but you might want to do some further investigation into the sous-vide method and how it allows food to be cooked ahead of time and then finished in the oven without any degrade in quality. The reason they finished it in the oven was more than likely to get a nice sear on it, which sous-vide doesn't allow for on its own. That's why when cooking a protein sous-vide you either blast it in an oven preheated to hot as Hades or in a cast iron skillet that is, again, as hot as a goddamn volcanic eruption. Because of the extreme temperatures being used during these final steps, you don't end up cooking the meat any further. Meat cooks from the outside in, meaning that the skin gets a browned, crispy exterior before the inside even has a chance to heat up any further. And since you have cooked the meat to a precise inner temp already during the sous-vide process, you get the best of both worlds every time: Juicy, tender and flavorful meat with a perfectly browned crust.

Mamma's Kitchen. Whenever we know we want to grab a leisurely family lunch or dinner but don't know where, we inevitably end up at Mamma's. Nice cozy neighborhood joint where everyone knows everyone.

I'd be interested in: Best Italian Best Fast Food Best Fast Casual Best Atmosphere Best Value

They had an awesome coq au vin on the menu for a week or two last year and I'm still waiting for them to bring it back. Similarly, I hope the ribeye never leaves because it is the bomb and at an affordable price. Otherwise I agree with you.