I was up in the Bay Area on Monday and had a chance to stop by Google to visit st a little after lunchtime. I had visited st once before at Google, but had already eaten that time, so all I was able to do was nibble on a few things here and there. I do remember that the watermelon agua fresca was quite refreshing. So in effect, this past visit was my first chance to experience the Google cuisine, and I was fairly excited after hearing all the raves about it.
Imagine the disappointment I felt when I showed up and it was revealed to me that Google was still in the midst of what they call Meatless Monday. Since I arrived fairly close to cafe closing, we didn't have enough time to make it to another cafe that actually served meat. So I was left with some green beans, beets, summer squash, fruit, and "meatless" salmon and shrimp. A fairly unexciting menu for me to sample, particularly since the vegetables weren't really prepared in any mind-blowing fashion. I did partake in some vegan desserts though, and followed up my unsatisfying meal with a grab&go sushi roll of smoked salmon and crab (though mostly rice). There was a nice seaweed salad with the sushi roll though.
I think Meatless Monday is a bit misguided, because it takes the balance out of one's diet, when the goal is to give people a more balanced diet. Protein is an important component of the food pyramid, and the buttery shrimp didn't really feel any healthier than say, a chicken breast or pork loin (particularly if you factor in the cholestrol). But I think the biggest travesty of Meatless Monday is that the vegetables aren't even showcased. If you're going to force thousands of people to give up meat for a day, then at least show them that there are viable, tasty options aside from beef, chicken, or pork. Don't serve blandly prepared vegetables. Maybe it's a function of the role vegetables have in the U.S., where salads dominate (which means a salad is only as good as your oily, unhealthy dressing) and cooked vegetables aren't really given their proper due. But if you go to Asia, you see an amazing display of different types of vegetables that are cooked in so many varieties, that eating vegetables for a meal actually isn't so bad. I even believe that st will eat a majority of Chinese vegetables, though he claims to be a carnivore.
I think oftentimes we get caught up in the extremes of things. Yes, eating too much meat is not good for the body. But no, cutting out meat or meat products entirely is not necessarily healthy either (not to mention not very convenient). Life is about maintaining a balance between everything, and I think we need to strive for better ways to showcase that there are great attributes to both sides of everything.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Nobu
Ew and I met up with ac and the other dk this past Monday at Nobu for SD Restaurant Week. For those of you unfamiliar, Restaurant Week is a chance for local restaurants to offer 3-course prix fixe menus for $30-$40. Usually, restaurants give you 3 to 4 options for each course.
I've always heard mixed things about Restaurant Week. Many people don't think that the food served during Restaurant Week is very good, because chefs are paring down their menus to accomodate the price. Or the menu selections off Restaurant Week aren't very imaginative since it is your typical selection of tartares, sea bass, short ribs, etc. Others are more in favor of it, because it allows them to have the fine dining experience without having to spend exorbitant amounts of money. And after dining at Nobu, I think I have to agree with both sides.
The first course at Nobu was a choice of unagi, seared salmon, and mixed seafood ceviche. After ew's and my horrible ceviche experience in Lima, we opted for the salmon and unagi. Both were competent dishes, but the "mashed potatoes" that the chef claimed were so essential to the unagi, did not add to the dish at all. And the unagi itself was a little too sweet for my taste. The salmon was pretty much a salmon sashimi in a yuzu type sauce.
There was a "side" course of sushi rolls before the second course, which were your standard salmon avocado roll and a more interesting yellowtail jalepeno roll. The jalepeno definitely was a nice touch to the roll, but I felt like it completely overpowered the yellowtail.
The second course was a choice of artic char, short ribs, or scallops. I personally had the char, which was well prepared, but nothing really stood out from the dish. I enjoyed how the skin was crispy, but it was a large piece of fish that seemed unelegantly done. The scallops were well-cooked as well, but the basil slaw that accompanied it didn't seem to pair with the dish very well. The short ribs were just that: slow-cooked short ribs with a heavy, sweet, tangy sauce that they claimed had to go with the cherries on the bottom, which once again, did not seem to add very much.
The third course was a choice of a "whiskey shot," something similar to a tiramisu: layers of cream with some crumble with whiskey infused inside, a green tea chiffon cake, and one other item that no one got. The heaviness and richness of the cream made it tough to finish the whole thing, despite the initial rave reviews. The chiffon cake came with a blood orange sorbet, which was light and fresh, but did not seem to pair with the somewhat bland cake.
All in all, I think this experience really brought home those mixed reviews of Restaurant Week I described earlier. I don't think this was Nobu's best menu. The proteins in the main courses weren't anything that lent to really inspired dishes. The appetizers were also very safe, off-the-shelf sushi/sashimi dishes. I've heard great things about other parts of their menu, such as the miso black cod, so I'd like to believe that the menu offered to us probably wasn't the best foot forward. With that said though, I do think the preparation of the food is representative of the restaurant. Everything was well cooked. My fish wasn't dry, the short ribs were tender, the scallops well prepared. But the sauces were a bit overdone; in a way, they were "Americanized" from the clean, light flavors I was expecting from haute Japanese cuisine. And it does upset me a little bit that the menu wasn't more inspired. It goes back to an earlier post of mine where I talk about how chefs in Paris are turning away the Michelin star in favor of more personalized, high-end yet casual and affordable food. I think Nobu is probably the furthest away from this, in the sense that eating at Nobu definitely has that cachet of premium quality. Was it a good meal for $40 + tip and tax? Yes. Could it have been better? Undoubtedly. Would it have been worth the normal Nobu prices? Definitely not. So that's the mixed bag: Restaurant Week doesn't let you really experience the truly inspired dishes from a restaurant, but at the same time, those truly inspired dishes probably aren't worth the price, so at $40/person, it's definitely a great experience to go to a nice restaurant with decent food and spend an evening with friends.
I've always heard mixed things about Restaurant Week. Many people don't think that the food served during Restaurant Week is very good, because chefs are paring down their menus to accomodate the price. Or the menu selections off Restaurant Week aren't very imaginative since it is your typical selection of tartares, sea bass, short ribs, etc. Others are more in favor of it, because it allows them to have the fine dining experience without having to spend exorbitant amounts of money. And after dining at Nobu, I think I have to agree with both sides.
The first course at Nobu was a choice of unagi, seared salmon, and mixed seafood ceviche. After ew's and my horrible ceviche experience in Lima, we opted for the salmon and unagi. Both were competent dishes, but the "mashed potatoes" that the chef claimed were so essential to the unagi, did not add to the dish at all. And the unagi itself was a little too sweet for my taste. The salmon was pretty much a salmon sashimi in a yuzu type sauce.
There was a "side" course of sushi rolls before the second course, which were your standard salmon avocado roll and a more interesting yellowtail jalepeno roll. The jalepeno definitely was a nice touch to the roll, but I felt like it completely overpowered the yellowtail.
The second course was a choice of artic char, short ribs, or scallops. I personally had the char, which was well prepared, but nothing really stood out from the dish. I enjoyed how the skin was crispy, but it was a large piece of fish that seemed unelegantly done. The scallops were well-cooked as well, but the basil slaw that accompanied it didn't seem to pair with the dish very well. The short ribs were just that: slow-cooked short ribs with a heavy, sweet, tangy sauce that they claimed had to go with the cherries on the bottom, which once again, did not seem to add very much.
The third course was a choice of a "whiskey shot," something similar to a tiramisu: layers of cream with some crumble with whiskey infused inside, a green tea chiffon cake, and one other item that no one got. The heaviness and richness of the cream made it tough to finish the whole thing, despite the initial rave reviews. The chiffon cake came with a blood orange sorbet, which was light and fresh, but did not seem to pair with the somewhat bland cake.
All in all, I think this experience really brought home those mixed reviews of Restaurant Week I described earlier. I don't think this was Nobu's best menu. The proteins in the main courses weren't anything that lent to really inspired dishes. The appetizers were also very safe, off-the-shelf sushi/sashimi dishes. I've heard great things about other parts of their menu, such as the miso black cod, so I'd like to believe that the menu offered to us probably wasn't the best foot forward. With that said though, I do think the preparation of the food is representative of the restaurant. Everything was well cooked. My fish wasn't dry, the short ribs were tender, the scallops well prepared. But the sauces were a bit overdone; in a way, they were "Americanized" from the clean, light flavors I was expecting from haute Japanese cuisine. And it does upset me a little bit that the menu wasn't more inspired. It goes back to an earlier post of mine where I talk about how chefs in Paris are turning away the Michelin star in favor of more personalized, high-end yet casual and affordable food. I think Nobu is probably the furthest away from this, in the sense that eating at Nobu definitely has that cachet of premium quality. Was it a good meal for $40 + tip and tax? Yes. Could it have been better? Undoubtedly. Would it have been worth the normal Nobu prices? Definitely not. So that's the mixed bag: Restaurant Week doesn't let you really experience the truly inspired dishes from a restaurant, but at the same time, those truly inspired dishes probably aren't worth the price, so at $40/person, it's definitely a great experience to go to a nice restaurant with decent food and spend an evening with friends.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
The Boat
After breaking the news to my parents over dinner this evening, I can't help but feel the guilt that Nam Le captured so well in his first short story of The Boat. The circumstances of that protaganist and myself are completely different, but what I think Nam Le is able to portray so vividly are the feelings and emotions that go through an immigrant's child. The feelings of resentment, entitlement, misunderstanding, and as the title of the story indicates: love and honour and pity and pride and compassion and sacrifice.
As is the case with many baby boomers, the generation before me had to work really hard to get to where they are today. And I think this is especially true of immigrants, who really had to struggle to adapt to a new language, a new culture, and prove that they could be a citizen of the U.S. People like my parents, who came to the U.S. because there were no real growth opportunities in their country, and who both had to work, oftentimes night shifts, in order to support a family of four. And I think as a child of an immigrant who has succeeded here, I have often forgotten these facts. To the pride and compassion and sacrifice my parents demonstrated to get to where they are. It's sad that I sometimes do feel pity for immigrant parents, who seem to only care about success measured in whether their children are doctors, lawyers, bankers. It's sad because this is what they sacrificed for. This is what love and honour mean. And upon realizing this, that's when you feel guilt.
I dont' really read too many short stories, but I do enjoy them over the novel occasionally because you can pick it up and leave it for good periods of time (at least if you finish a story). And I think I gravitate toward immigrant writers like Nam Le and Jhumpa Lahiri because they do get to the heart of what it feels like to be the new generation in a land that your parents will never be part of. The feelings of alienation, of uncertainty with oneself if not following the "traditional" path, but also the perspective that we should all keep in mind when we struggle with our own selfish endeavors.
As is the case with many baby boomers, the generation before me had to work really hard to get to where they are today. And I think this is especially true of immigrants, who really had to struggle to adapt to a new language, a new culture, and prove that they could be a citizen of the U.S. People like my parents, who came to the U.S. because there were no real growth opportunities in their country, and who both had to work, oftentimes night shifts, in order to support a family of four. And I think as a child of an immigrant who has succeeded here, I have often forgotten these facts. To the pride and compassion and sacrifice my parents demonstrated to get to where they are. It's sad that I sometimes do feel pity for immigrant parents, who seem to only care about success measured in whether their children are doctors, lawyers, bankers. It's sad because this is what they sacrificed for. This is what love and honour mean. And upon realizing this, that's when you feel guilt.
I dont' really read too many short stories, but I do enjoy them over the novel occasionally because you can pick it up and leave it for good periods of time (at least if you finish a story). And I think I gravitate toward immigrant writers like Nam Le and Jhumpa Lahiri because they do get to the heart of what it feels like to be the new generation in a land that your parents will never be part of. The feelings of alienation, of uncertainty with oneself if not following the "traditional" path, but also the perspective that we should all keep in mind when we struggle with our own selfish endeavors.
Monday, September 13, 2010
It's Premium Tequila
I somehow managed to board my flight and return home last night from an exhausting, but great whirlwind of a weekend in Cabo San Lucas. The fantasy bball crew and I wanted to celebrate my impending nuptials with ew, and after throwing around the typical spots, some more sophisticated haunts, and crazy international locales, we settled on a mix of all three in Cabo.
Not knowing much about Cabo, we pretty much embraced the idea that MTV's The Grind presented back in our junior high days: a place where young, attractive women go looking to have fun, much like Vegas, but without all pressures that come with Vegas's glitz and glamour. Plus, there's a wider range of day activities that don't make you lose all your money (for nothing).
So what was Cabo really like? I think maybe the best way to address this it to go through it piece by piece.
Worst Of
People
So let's just say we were probably a bit naive to expect Spring Break action in September. In fact, one of our taxi drivers said that September is probably their slowest month ... and it showed wherever we went. Our pool resembled more of a male Turkish bath than anything you'd see on TV. All the clubs/bars seemed to have guys outnumber the girls, and there seemed to be more local Mexicans than tourists. This led to places like Squid Roe and Cabo Wabo being pretty sparsely populated, and with the people there, it was usually dominated by Mexican males or groups of people that were older than we were expecting. Given this population, suffice it to say that a group of Asian men weren't the most popular group around, making it a bit tough to get things going.
Premium Tequila
So again, this is probably our fault for being naive, but we asked one of our taxi drivers to recommend a place to eat. And wouldn't you know it, we end up in a huge tourist trap, as he takes us to a restaurant that immediately forces us to enter, tries to act friendly with us, gouges us on the bill, and then feigns ignorance about the whole scam. The only explanation for the entire price gouging, including $40 for a pitcher of margarita? "It's premium tequila, bro." Stay away from that seafood restaurant behind the National rental car place near downtown Cabo San Lucas.
Tourism
Cabo's biggest industry is tourism, and it shows in everything they do there. You don't get the local Mexican rates for anything, everything seems a little bit like a scam, and it's hard to understand if there is really any value to be found. It's like that feeling you get when you follow a Lonely Planet guidebook in a developing country and find that every recommendation is populated only by foreigners.
Best Of
Beaches
When you begin to descend to the Cabo airport, you can't help but wonder if you went to the right place. In fact, you may wonder if you were actually in some place like Tijuana or Mexicali. I don't think any water is in sight from the airport, only desert and rolling hills of more desert. But as you make your way down the 1, you begin to see the city take shape, with its gorgeous haciendas dotted along the coastline, all the way to the famous arch that Cabo San Lucas is known for.
The beach itself was sparsely populated, probably because of the strong rip currents and waves, but for the moments when the waves didn't send you crashing to the floor, the water was warm enough to enjoy and the movement fun to dive around in for a short time. But the real treat of the beach is lying in that sand, whether it's from playing a game of tackle football or staring at a sky full of stars while having a heart-to-heart. It's soft and inviting, and you can imagine falling asleep on it.
Taxis
Whenever the group of us guys go to Vegas, we inevitably end up splitting up the group to take cabs somewhere. So much to our surprise, Cabo taxis include vans that can seat up to 12 people. I'm not sure why Vegas doesn't follow suit with this, because I guarantee most groups in Vegas are more than 4 people, and it's always more fun sticking together.
People
So among the masses of people who had no interest in Asian men, we found pockets of fun from some unpretentious, easygoing, and really nice groups. Ay asked me why girls find the need to act cold when you just want to start a conversation; upon reflection, I don't really know why either. Why go to a club or bar if you're not at least interested in talking to someone beyond who you went with? But thanks to d (or is it p) and her friends at Squid Roe, and the Chicago girls at Cabo Wabo, we had enough female interaction where the trip didn’t feel so, what’s the best way to put it, “manly.”
But it wasn’t just the girls that helped make the nights fun. Despite my earlier criticisms of the large number of Mexican males present, I found that they are actually pretty nice and generous, whether it is encouraging you to dance with their girls, or giving you advice on where to call a cab.
Tacos
Growing up in San Diego, I'm a bit of a sucker for tacos. So even though the tacos I had in Cabo weren’t particularly mind-blowing, I have to mention how they just do it right in Mexico: simple tacos that aren’t filled with lettuce, cheese, or any other topping; just meat on a tortilla, with fresh pico de gallo and some salsa on top. Add guacamole if you like as well. If the meat is halfway decent, then a fresh taco off the grill is delicious.
So What Does It All Mean?
I remember my sister said that Puerto Rico is basically the U.S. in Spanish. Cabo is pretty much the same, except if you went somewhere that only had people living there to serve the tourists. So it’s a bit of an odd destination with much less character than most of my usual travel destinations (though maybe similar to a lot of beach travel destinations), but it’s a pleasant place that with the right people, can be pretty spectacular. Next time I go: VIPS and Mi Casa.
Not knowing much about Cabo, we pretty much embraced the idea that MTV's The Grind presented back in our junior high days: a place where young, attractive women go looking to have fun, much like Vegas, but without all pressures that come with Vegas's glitz and glamour. Plus, there's a wider range of day activities that don't make you lose all your money (for nothing).
So what was Cabo really like? I think maybe the best way to address this it to go through it piece by piece.
Worst Of
People
So let's just say we were probably a bit naive to expect Spring Break action in September. In fact, one of our taxi drivers said that September is probably their slowest month ... and it showed wherever we went. Our pool resembled more of a male Turkish bath than anything you'd see on TV. All the clubs/bars seemed to have guys outnumber the girls, and there seemed to be more local Mexicans than tourists. This led to places like Squid Roe and Cabo Wabo being pretty sparsely populated, and with the people there, it was usually dominated by Mexican males or groups of people that were older than we were expecting. Given this population, suffice it to say that a group of Asian men weren't the most popular group around, making it a bit tough to get things going.
Premium Tequila
So again, this is probably our fault for being naive, but we asked one of our taxi drivers to recommend a place to eat. And wouldn't you know it, we end up in a huge tourist trap, as he takes us to a restaurant that immediately forces us to enter, tries to act friendly with us, gouges us on the bill, and then feigns ignorance about the whole scam. The only explanation for the entire price gouging, including $40 for a pitcher of margarita? "It's premium tequila, bro." Stay away from that seafood restaurant behind the National rental car place near downtown Cabo San Lucas.
Tourism
Cabo's biggest industry is tourism, and it shows in everything they do there. You don't get the local Mexican rates for anything, everything seems a little bit like a scam, and it's hard to understand if there is really any value to be found. It's like that feeling you get when you follow a Lonely Planet guidebook in a developing country and find that every recommendation is populated only by foreigners.
Best Of
Beaches
When you begin to descend to the Cabo airport, you can't help but wonder if you went to the right place. In fact, you may wonder if you were actually in some place like Tijuana or Mexicali. I don't think any water is in sight from the airport, only desert and rolling hills of more desert. But as you make your way down the 1, you begin to see the city take shape, with its gorgeous haciendas dotted along the coastline, all the way to the famous arch that Cabo San Lucas is known for.
The beach itself was sparsely populated, probably because of the strong rip currents and waves, but for the moments when the waves didn't send you crashing to the floor, the water was warm enough to enjoy and the movement fun to dive around in for a short time. But the real treat of the beach is lying in that sand, whether it's from playing a game of tackle football or staring at a sky full of stars while having a heart-to-heart. It's soft and inviting, and you can imagine falling asleep on it.
Taxis
Whenever the group of us guys go to Vegas, we inevitably end up splitting up the group to take cabs somewhere. So much to our surprise, Cabo taxis include vans that can seat up to 12 people. I'm not sure why Vegas doesn't follow suit with this, because I guarantee most groups in Vegas are more than 4 people, and it's always more fun sticking together.
People
So among the masses of people who had no interest in Asian men, we found pockets of fun from some unpretentious, easygoing, and really nice groups. Ay asked me why girls find the need to act cold when you just want to start a conversation; upon reflection, I don't really know why either. Why go to a club or bar if you're not at least interested in talking to someone beyond who you went with? But thanks to d (or is it p) and her friends at Squid Roe, and the Chicago girls at Cabo Wabo, we had enough female interaction where the trip didn’t feel so, what’s the best way to put it, “manly.”
But it wasn’t just the girls that helped make the nights fun. Despite my earlier criticisms of the large number of Mexican males present, I found that they are actually pretty nice and generous, whether it is encouraging you to dance with their girls, or giving you advice on where to call a cab.
Tacos
Growing up in San Diego, I'm a bit of a sucker for tacos. So even though the tacos I had in Cabo weren’t particularly mind-blowing, I have to mention how they just do it right in Mexico: simple tacos that aren’t filled with lettuce, cheese, or any other topping; just meat on a tortilla, with fresh pico de gallo and some salsa on top. Add guacamole if you like as well. If the meat is halfway decent, then a fresh taco off the grill is delicious.
So What Does It All Mean?
I remember my sister said that Puerto Rico is basically the U.S. in Spanish. Cabo is pretty much the same, except if you went somewhere that only had people living there to serve the tourists. So it’s a bit of an odd destination with much less character than most of my usual travel destinations (though maybe similar to a lot of beach travel destinations), but it’s a pleasant place that with the right people, can be pretty spectacular. Next time I go: VIPS and Mi Casa.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
No Reservations
A lot of people swear by this show. Probably because it showcases things everyone likes: good food and interesting locales. And Tony Bourdain can be pretty funny sometimes. But for me, the show is somewhat hit or miss, particularly with his most recent seasons. It just seems like he's been playing it safe, going to places he went to on his book tour, staying close to NYC; and even his travels to more exotic locales seem a bit off. Rome seemed overdone, Harbin and Liberia both felt a bit disconnected. I don't watch the show religiously though, so maybe I've missed some really great episodes, but for the most part, it doesn't seem like he's been really getting into the food culture of these places.
But last night's trip, a celebration of their 100th episode reminded me why I even watch the show. I actually only watched half the episode before I went to sleep, so maybe the second half was terrible, but the first half is exactly what I think most travel food shows should try to emulate. I think too often in most travel/food shows, the showcase is really just the sampling of different foods or a different cultural activity. No Reservations is definitely victim to this. It's rare that shows really explore what food actually means to the people in the region, and to challenge the evolution of food's role in society. Maybe last night's Paris trip was different because Eric Ripert accompanied (and who doesn't love Eric Ripert), which set the stage for a highly decorated French chef going back to his roots and discovering a changing food culture. Whatever the reason, I thoroughly enjoyed the dialogue and debate about what a good restaurant and what a good food experience really means to people in Paris.
Apparently French cuisine is morphing from its classical fine dining stereotype to more casual, comfort food. And one of the most interesting debates from the episode revolved around Eric defending his Michelin stars, defending essentially what makes him such a respected chef around the world. But I think at the end of the day, even Eric acknowledges the changing shift in food in Paris (and what is occuring a lot in the U.S. today too), where fine dining doesn't mean it has to be a Le Bernardin type experience. It can be created by a chef who only makes one prix fixe meal a day, for one seating, for 25-30 Euros. Joel Robuchon explained it when he talked about how the market is actually better now than in the past (despite claims otherwise), because it is so much easier to get fresh ingredients. Michelin-starred restaurants were the ones who could get those ingredients before; in this day and age, everyone has access to great ingredients. And I think this is why French people are finding a liking to more affordable, casual dining.
This isn't to say that I agree or disagree with what the episode examines. But I do believe that people place too much emphasis on the Michelin rating. Eric Ripert himself even said that the guide was really just to help promote tourism in a country, so that people know what is good and what isn't. And what has happened is that such a premium is placed on those 1-3 stars, and while the restaurants are undoubtedly good, there is great food that can be had at better values. And there are chefs who don't believe that you need 5 waiters to 1 person to get the ultimate dining experience. That it can happen in an atmosphere similar to someone's kitchen. So much of the Michelin star is branding, similar to the way Whole Foods and Organic are brands. I think people need to start finding their way beyond these labels, and it was just eye-opening for me to hear it come from such well-respected chefs who really made their name and money off these labels.
I think that one of my biggest problems culturally with the U.S. is how we eat. In the Paris episode, they go to a butcher who does his own charcuterie; they go to restaurants who go next door to get the cheese plate, to get the fresh fish. In Asia it is the same. I think I read in some travel magazine that fish in the U.S. could be served a week old in a 3-Michelin starred restaurant, but in China, if it's more than a day old, they'd throw you out of the room. There was another article in the NYTimes that talked about the ratio of processed food eaten by each country versus fresh food, and the U.S. is by far one of the worst countries. And this is incredible to me because we are such a wealthy and developed country. Where are our cheese makers? Our butchers? Our bread makers? Where is the dedication to a craft that is so important in our lives? Maybe it's because we don't value food in this country. And what hurts us is that where there is good, local food, there's the branding issue of Organic, Whole Foods, Free-Range, etc. It's associated as a premium product, and it is priced accordingly. People take this slow food movement very seriously, too seriously in fact, because it ends up being one of those things that people get snobbish about. No, Whole Foods does not always have the best produce or best meats. No, Organic doesn't always mean that it's higher quality. But people try to do this because they don't know how to emphasize the need to bring in local products and fresh ingredients.
The U.S. is seeing the same shift that No Reservations highlighted in Paris, but I feel like it's being done in such a different way because our food culture here is so different. What's funny is that in Paris, it sounds like it's being done in an unpretentious manner, by people who just really care about food, whereas here, it's this new thing that people can be snobbish about and charge a premium for. I think maybe if more chefs tried to make their top restaurants more accessible, to turn away the greed and fame of a Michelin star (as it seems they are doing in Paris), maybe that's where it can start.
But last night's trip, a celebration of their 100th episode reminded me why I even watch the show. I actually only watched half the episode before I went to sleep, so maybe the second half was terrible, but the first half is exactly what I think most travel food shows should try to emulate. I think too often in most travel/food shows, the showcase is really just the sampling of different foods or a different cultural activity. No Reservations is definitely victim to this. It's rare that shows really explore what food actually means to the people in the region, and to challenge the evolution of food's role in society. Maybe last night's Paris trip was different because Eric Ripert accompanied (and who doesn't love Eric Ripert), which set the stage for a highly decorated French chef going back to his roots and discovering a changing food culture. Whatever the reason, I thoroughly enjoyed the dialogue and debate about what a good restaurant and what a good food experience really means to people in Paris.
Apparently French cuisine is morphing from its classical fine dining stereotype to more casual, comfort food. And one of the most interesting debates from the episode revolved around Eric defending his Michelin stars, defending essentially what makes him such a respected chef around the world. But I think at the end of the day, even Eric acknowledges the changing shift in food in Paris (and what is occuring a lot in the U.S. today too), where fine dining doesn't mean it has to be a Le Bernardin type experience. It can be created by a chef who only makes one prix fixe meal a day, for one seating, for 25-30 Euros. Joel Robuchon explained it when he talked about how the market is actually better now than in the past (despite claims otherwise), because it is so much easier to get fresh ingredients. Michelin-starred restaurants were the ones who could get those ingredients before; in this day and age, everyone has access to great ingredients. And I think this is why French people are finding a liking to more affordable, casual dining.
This isn't to say that I agree or disagree with what the episode examines. But I do believe that people place too much emphasis on the Michelin rating. Eric Ripert himself even said that the guide was really just to help promote tourism in a country, so that people know what is good and what isn't. And what has happened is that such a premium is placed on those 1-3 stars, and while the restaurants are undoubtedly good, there is great food that can be had at better values. And there are chefs who don't believe that you need 5 waiters to 1 person to get the ultimate dining experience. That it can happen in an atmosphere similar to someone's kitchen. So much of the Michelin star is branding, similar to the way Whole Foods and Organic are brands. I think people need to start finding their way beyond these labels, and it was just eye-opening for me to hear it come from such well-respected chefs who really made their name and money off these labels.
I think that one of my biggest problems culturally with the U.S. is how we eat. In the Paris episode, they go to a butcher who does his own charcuterie; they go to restaurants who go next door to get the cheese plate, to get the fresh fish. In Asia it is the same. I think I read in some travel magazine that fish in the U.S. could be served a week old in a 3-Michelin starred restaurant, but in China, if it's more than a day old, they'd throw you out of the room. There was another article in the NYTimes that talked about the ratio of processed food eaten by each country versus fresh food, and the U.S. is by far one of the worst countries. And this is incredible to me because we are such a wealthy and developed country. Where are our cheese makers? Our butchers? Our bread makers? Where is the dedication to a craft that is so important in our lives? Maybe it's because we don't value food in this country. And what hurts us is that where there is good, local food, there's the branding issue of Organic, Whole Foods, Free-Range, etc. It's associated as a premium product, and it is priced accordingly. People take this slow food movement very seriously, too seriously in fact, because it ends up being one of those things that people get snobbish about. No, Whole Foods does not always have the best produce or best meats. No, Organic doesn't always mean that it's higher quality. But people try to do this because they don't know how to emphasize the need to bring in local products and fresh ingredients.
The U.S. is seeing the same shift that No Reservations highlighted in Paris, but I feel like it's being done in such a different way because our food culture here is so different. What's funny is that in Paris, it sounds like it's being done in an unpretentious manner, by people who just really care about food, whereas here, it's this new thing that people can be snobbish about and charge a premium for. I think maybe if more chefs tried to make their top restaurants more accessible, to turn away the greed and fame of a Michelin star (as it seems they are doing in Paris), maybe that's where it can start.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Henry Sugar
I'm not sure why, but I always think of this story whenever stress mounts. I actually didn't even remember the name of the story until I just looked it up so I could title this post; in my mind, it's just been that Roald Dahl story I read when I was younger, the story that was part of a collection of stories. Apparently it's not even a children's story, but one of his adult stories.
But as ew and I struggle to figure things out, inevitably we lie awake at night with a million things going on in our heads. I read an article somewhere, I think in NYTimes, that talks about how we don't let our minds rest anymore and process information, how every waking second is really stimulated from technology, especially with these mobile devices that allow us to stay connected. And I think to some extent, maybe our minds do suffer from information overload. I spend all day at the office in front of a computer, processing information, or just surfing the web, then come home and use the computer some more, checking more internets. Ew loves her share of celebrity gossip, me sports and movies. Sometimes it's hard to slow the brain down until it's time to sleep, and once we're off the stimulation, we begin processing and get overwhelmed. It's hard to sleep like that.
So that's when I always recall the story of Henry Sugar, a guy who somehow could clear his head of all thoughts, which then allowed him to have some psychic abilities, which allowed him to clean up at casinos. I remember reading the story as a child and trying my hardest to clear my head so I could predict which cards would come out of the deck. I was never able to, but I think the story stuck with me because as I've grown older, I've begun to understand the importance of some type of meditation, to get away from everything. And now it helps me think about nothing, to just hear my breathing. It doesn't always work, but I try, because maybe at the end of the day, I'll be able to garner a higher state of being and maybe I will harness psychic abilities, or maybe I'll just be able to get a good night's rest.
But as ew and I struggle to figure things out, inevitably we lie awake at night with a million things going on in our heads. I read an article somewhere, I think in NYTimes, that talks about how we don't let our minds rest anymore and process information, how every waking second is really stimulated from technology, especially with these mobile devices that allow us to stay connected. And I think to some extent, maybe our minds do suffer from information overload. I spend all day at the office in front of a computer, processing information, or just surfing the web, then come home and use the computer some more, checking more internets. Ew loves her share of celebrity gossip, me sports and movies. Sometimes it's hard to slow the brain down until it's time to sleep, and once we're off the stimulation, we begin processing and get overwhelmed. It's hard to sleep like that.
So that's when I always recall the story of Henry Sugar, a guy who somehow could clear his head of all thoughts, which then allowed him to have some psychic abilities, which allowed him to clean up at casinos. I remember reading the story as a child and trying my hardest to clear my head so I could predict which cards would come out of the deck. I was never able to, but I think the story stuck with me because as I've grown older, I've begun to understand the importance of some type of meditation, to get away from everything. And now it helps me think about nothing, to just hear my breathing. It doesn't always work, but I try, because maybe at the end of the day, I'll be able to garner a higher state of being and maybe I will harness psychic abilities, or maybe I'll just be able to get a good night's rest.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Boxer Rebellion
So dk and I went to see Going the Distance last night. Weird given that we were probably the only two guys in there who weren't on a date, and that we were two guys sitting together in that movie ... but after going through a lot of talks and fights with ew about what to do next, it was pretty reaffirming for me and put me in better spirits. Not sure why, but it really brought home that all the uncertainty going on in our lives right now is worth it, because we have each other. And yes, nothing about this is easy; in relationships, people can't be selfish and stubborn, nor do they want to be if they truly care for another. Maybe it was just seeing it in someone else's (fictional) life that really cleared my head.
But in the movie, a pretty good band is featured, and since it looks like that movie made only $6.8MM this past weekend, I figured I'd try to give it some more publicity (to my nonexistent readers). They kind of remind me of a mellower Augustana, with some Sigur Ros elements mixed in (though not really). It's pretty mellow, and apparently they don't sell their CDs at any retail stores (at least that I could find in San Diego), so they're pretty much an internet sensation, or nonsensation as it is. But check them out:
www.myspace.com/theboxerrebellion
But in the movie, a pretty good band is featured, and since it looks like that movie made only $6.8MM this past weekend, I figured I'd try to give it some more publicity (to my nonexistent readers). They kind of remind me of a mellower Augustana, with some Sigur Ros elements mixed in (though not really). It's pretty mellow, and apparently they don't sell their CDs at any retail stores (at least that I could find in San Diego), so they're pretty much an internet sensation, or nonsensation as it is. But check them out:
www.myspace.com/theboxerrebellion
Never Let Me Go The Distance
I think the title of this blog really speaks to what a lot of us mid-twenty-somethings begin to face, as we've been working for a while, or are beginning a career after arduous schooling, or are realizing that we're not fresh-out-of-college anymore. We're at a point where we feel compelled to do something impactful in this world, or to at least try to be productive, despite our desires to not. There was an article in the NYTimes recently that talked about the twentys as a new stage in development, but maybe this new stage of uncertainty and dissatisfaction is really bred from the era we were born from, from baby boomers who wanted to do everything for their children, and in turn, gave us a sense of false security and entitlement. And maybe when we find out that the world is not the oyster we imagined it to be, we are disappointed. Disappointed that things don't just come easily and work themselves out, but that we have to work them out. That we won't all be able to make a real impact the way we wanted to, but we have to find a way to still do something that makes us feel as though we're doing something meaningful.
There's a passage in Never Let Me Go that evokes the sentiment that we're left behind in a changing world, that we're fighting for our hopes and dreams, asking the world never to let us go. Maybe the only way to do that is to try to go the distance.
There's a passage in Never Let Me Go that evokes the sentiment that we're left behind in a changing world, that we're fighting for our hopes and dreams, asking the world never to let us go. Maybe the only way to do that is to try to go the distance.
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