FOOD: What's next?

[Jenise]

Jenise, the restaurant I was referring to is called "bazaar by Jose Andres" (yep that's the full name), he being the trendy Spanish chef who has successful restos in Dc and is now out to conquer the rest of America.
There are so many reviews of this place that instead of choosing a link to post, it would be better if you'd google for them and descriptions of the interior and different stations.
Needless to say, it's very expensive.
It's at 465 S. La Cienega, Beverly Hills.

Ah, well, Jose Andres! That's all you had to say. NOW I'm interested. I'll go look for more info.

[Jenise]

Regarding Jose Andres' new restaurant Bazaar in Los Angeles that Shel mentions, here's a report by a guy who was there on opening night, including restaurant photos and both a description and photograph of all 49 dishes he was served. Yes, 49.
[url]
http://www.kevineats.com/2008/11/bazaar ... les-ca.htm[/url]

I can't answer what constitutes a significant amount of Indian restaurants in an area, unlike the UK where it's easy as the latest is around 9,000, and probably near 2,000 of them in the London area.
In L.A. where there is a "Little India" neighborhood, there has to be well over 200 of them, not including the Indian markets and at least a dozen of them within 10 minutes driving from my house. And if you added in the infamous Orange County, there has to be close to 400.
Not so many "upscale" ones, maybe a dozen or so, but that holds true everywhere else where the vast majority of Indian restos come under the affectionate heading of "sloppy curry joints".

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls of All Ages ..... Have I got news for you!

The next step in food is not even going to relate to food. Considering the hooplala and whoopdedo continuing around molecular gastronomy, the next step (my prediction is for three-four years) is when Ferran Adria and Heston Blumenthal collaorate in writing a book. And that book, of at least 400 pages, will be dedicated entirely to telling us how the two of them perpetrated the greatest culinary practical joke of history - that of course being their concept of molecular gastronomy.

The book will, of course, simply be another step in the joke, for it will surely sell for a minimum of US$400 per copy. And the best part of the joke is that tens of thousands of gourmets, gourmettes, gourmands and gourmandes will run out and, in addition to actually buying it, reading it.

Best
Rogov

I am surprised how many of the regional styles of Indian cuisine (Udupi, Punjabi, etc) are so popular in areas like South Africa, the UK and Australia - but in the US (despite a significant ethnically Indian population) it's not taken off besides a couple of areas in the Bay Area and Chicago.

Salil,

I'd really appreciate any of your recommendations (and their specialties) in the Chicago area.

Thanks

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls of All Ages ..... Have I got news for you!

The next step in food is not even going to relate to food. Considering the hooplala and whoopdedo continuing around molecular gastronomy, the next step (my prediction is for three-four years) is when Ferran Adria and Heston Blumenthal collaorate in writing a book. And that book, of at least 400 pages, will be dedicated entirely to telling us how the two of them perpetrated the greatest culinary practical joke of history - that of course being their concept of molecular gastronomy.

The book will, of course, simply be another step in the joke, for it will surely sell for a minimum of US$400 per copy. And the best part of the joke is that tens of thousands of gourmets, gourmettes, gourmands and gourmandes will run out and, in addition to actually buying it, reading it.

Best
Rogov

Rogov, you apparently haven't heard the latest: the new book will be released as a writing pen, multiple bottles of ink, several hundred separate and uncollated sheets, three separate hard cover slats (front, back and spine) and some glue. It's the latest fad of deconstructive book publishing.

Salil,

I'd really appreciate any of your recommendations (and their specialties) in the Chicago area.

Thanks

Hi Dave,
Here are my old favourites from when I lived there. All of these are on Devon Avenue up north.

Khan's Barbeque is a Pakistani Hyderabadi/tandoori place on Devon & Western - very spartan, hole in the wall type restaurant, but really good prices.
The speciality there is the chicken boti kebab (marinated breast meat pieces). The goat chaap or frontier chicken (plain grilled or with rice) are also very good. The variety on the menu is not great (esp. in terms of vegetarian options), but it's definitely worth a visit at least for naan and chicken boti.
Mysore Woodlands further west on Devon is a South Indian Udupi place - meaning all vegetarian, they specialize in different types of dosas, idlis (steamed rice cakes served with various chutneys or a gravy) and other south Indian lentil/rice/pulse based dishes. Again quite inexpensive but the food has always been excellent. I would suggest ordering the medhu vada (fried lentil rings), paper or rava dosai and any of the mixed vegetable/cheese uthappams.
Usmania is very good for goat, lamb and heavier rice dishes like biryani. Didn't eat there as much as the other two, but also quite consistent (though the curries can be a bit on the oily side).

Seems like the trend is already "fat." With the resurgence of bacon, duck fat and now pork belly, it seems we are throwing cholesterol cautions to the wind. I think it's actually a campaign orchestrated by the makers of Lipitor.

I'd agree - and add fried chicken as another recent resurgent trend. Not to mention insane things like the "bacon explosion", which makes me wonder if I should have gone onto medical school instead and become a cardiologist (where I'm sure there'll be plenty of business in the next few decades).

What are the odds of a vegetarian food trend in the future?

What I forgot to list as the latest "what's new" in L.A. is the resurgence of food trucks that started a few months ago with a Kogi BBQ taco truck and has now expanded to pretty much anything you can think of and maybe a few you can't.
However long this fad will last, it's causing problems as the cops are unhappy with traffic tieups, no parking zones and probably antiquated laws governing mobile food.

Salil,

I'd really appreciate any of your recommendations (and their specialties) in the Chicago area.

Thanks

Hi Dave,
Here are my old favourites from when I lived there. All of these are on Devon Avenue up north.

Khan's Barbeque is a Pakistani Hyderabadi/tandoori place on Devon & Western - very spartan, hole in the wall type restaurant, but really good prices.
The speciality there is the chicken boti kebab (marinated breast meat pieces). The goat chaap or frontier chicken (plain grilled or with rice) are also very good. The variety on the menu is not great (esp. in terms of vegetarian options), but it's definitely worth a visit at least for naan and chicken boti.
Mysore Woodlands further west on Devon is a South Indian Udupi place - meaning all vegetarian, they specialize in different types of dosas, idlis (steamed rice cakes served with various chutneys or a gravy) and other south Indian lentil/rice/pulse based dishes. Again quite inexpensive but the food has always been excellent. I would suggest ordering the medhu vada (fried lentil rings), paper or rava dosai and any of the mixed vegetable/cheese uthappams.
Usmania is very good for goat, lamb and heavier rice dishes like biryani. Didn't eat there as much as the other two, but also quite consistent (though the curries can be a bit on the oily side).

Sounds great, Salil. Thank you very much for the details!