Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Food Network, enough cakes already!!!

The cake shows and the "Build a Small City out of Sugar" challenges are a total turn off for me. I miss Molto Mario and am sad that the FN has dumbed down its programming to the point where any serious or interested cook (not chef) can't watch. However, I do find that I like the Neeley's. Not so much for their cooking but for the way they interact. They look like they really enjoy each other and what they are doing and that is nice to see. Could someone please show Rachel Ray and Sandra what's-her-name the door?

steveTV at 9:43PM on 06/15/09

Balducci's Closing Sale Begins

The store that is actually IN D.C. is closing but the two close-in suburban stores -- one in Bethesda and the other in Alexandria -- are still jammed packed every time I go there. Still, it's no D & D...

steveTV at 9:48PM on 04/17/09

Eating Crab Balls with Russell Crowe

The Maine Avenue Fish Market is one of the neat things about Washington that many tourists don't even know about and that's sort of OK with us locals, especially on a Friday afternoon or Saturday when we are in a big hurry. Truth be told the Fish Market is not what it was due in part to harvesting problems in the nearby Chesapeake Bay but it is still one of the real wonders of the area along with Easter Market and the ever-growing number of top notch restaurants that have thrived here. I go there for one or two items for a Saturday grill and come away with a full stomach and a whole weekend's worth of goodies.

steveTV at 9:28PM on 04/17/09

WD-50 Chef Wylie Dufresne on 'Nightline' Tonight

I'm sorry but Wylie's recipes aren't even close to being something the average home chief could conquer. Those sorts of things may be fun in his restaurant (and I've eaten there and had a great, creative meal) but just don't make the translation to the home. Somebody also needs to tell Wylie that the U.S. rejected the metric system during the Carter administration so ".6 grams of citric acid" doesn't really mean anything.

steveTV at 7:32PM on 04/10/09

Norma, Sarabeth or Isabella?

My girlfriend and I stayed at the Parker-Meridian and were shocked by how rude the staff at Norma's was to us. We ended up going a block and a half up 57th Street to a wonderful bistro called Rue 57 and had the most amazing breakfasts/brunches. We liked it so much that we went back on two occasions. Do not leave without stopping by the Burger Joint in the little hidden alcove off the lobby. When it comes to Norma's JUST SAY NO (at least until they change staff).

steveTV at 7:30PM on 04/09/09

How much salt is too much salt?

The last few times I have eaten a tasting menu in one of the noted restaurants in the DC area -- VOLT and Minibar -- I have been repulsed by the amount of salt that some of the items contained. I saw Jose Andre from Minibar and one of the up and comers in the chef world on a PBS show reccently cooking paella and he said to salt it "until it is just oversalted" to which I yelled at the television WHY? Are they in cahoots with heart surgeons? Do customers tell them to throw more salt in? Do they find that their bar revenues go up when the customers are oversalted? It's an unhealthy trend and I was shocked to see Chef Andre acknowledge and even promote it.

steveTV at 7:39PM on 03/27/09

Five Guys Burgers

I'm surprised by the number of posts here that call these burgers "pricey". I am more than willing to pay a little more than I would for a crummy McDonalds burger to get one that isn't cooked until I order it and comes out the way I want it. I love the vibe in these places, too. No, there are not as good as the Shake Shack but I don't have to wait an hour and a half to get one. Oh yeah, the fries are awesome, especially with some malted vinegar and Old Bay... almost as good as Thrashers at the shore without all the seagulls swooping down on you.

steveTV at 8:55PM on 03/25/09

Changing your mind about a restaurant...after you've arrived.

RE: My dad claimed they knew we were Jewish and told everyone not to eat there because they are racist. I doubt this was the case, but it makes a god story:)

I'm not sure why an unsubstantiated accusation makes for a god or a good story. Sometimes service is just poor (like at all those Denny's that have been sued with or without cause) and without any malice. Your father should be ashamed of spreading such rumors that could impact the viability of a small business such as that. Next time, try asking when you might be seated or simply walking out before too much time goes by.

steveTV at 8:13PM on 03/10/09

New Orleans - Don't Know Where To Start!

For breakfast it's got to be the beignets and cafe au lait at Cafe Dumonde. I like the BBQ Shrimp at Mr. B's Bistro and just about everything at K Paul's (book early or eat at the bar). There are so many great places to eat there and even the "big name dives" like the Acme Oyster House are worth the trip. The reason so many of these places are known is because they are really something different, not the best, but really good and worth the trip.

steveTV at 8:23PM on 02/05/09

If you had your own Food Network show, what would it be?

Co-ed naked cooking would be cool except for the show about frying bacon... OUCH

Seriously, I would like to see more shows that demonstrate the basics of cooking and progress from season to season. PBS has had several successful versions of this over the years and the concept is due for an update. For example, picking the right cookware for the type of cooking that you do (without sponsor influence if possible); how to season a cast iron skillet; sharpening and storing knives; chopping and storing veggies... you get the idea. It's the kind of stuff that could bring a new audience to the network. They have far too many of the insipid shows where professional chefs take a measure of pre-chopped or pre-minced or pre-measured whatever and just start throwing it into a pan without explaining how it got to that point, what they are doing and why (thank you Alton for explaining the why).

steveTV at 8:48PM on 12/30/08

Snapshots from the UK: Gordon Ramsay's Plane Food

Leave it to *&%^#*@ Gordon *+&*@ Ramsey to come up with such a great *@&&^$#* idea. Who the *&*#** else would have thought of such a *&#&*$* thing?

steveTV at 8:35PM on 12/23/08

Seriously Delicious Holiday Food Giveaway: Russ & Daughters

A toasted poppy seed bagel with a healthy shmear of cream cheese, some nice lox, finely-chopped red onion and plenty of capers... now THAT'S a brunch that you can hold in your hands.

steveTV at 7:44PM on 12/23/08

Fresh Food on TV: Weekday Edition

I liked the remake until the Oompa Loompa (singular) started to do his thing. I was immediately repulsed and pining for the version I grew up with. If you wonder if I am really into Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (the book) and the Gene Wilder movie that followed, just look at my screen name... an homage to one the characters. What classic will they remake next? Citizen Kane set in South Beach? How about On the Waterfront set in Silicon Valley?

steveTV at 6:55PM on 12/22/08

Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: Southside Market Sausage

Dinosaur BBQ in New York City. Just the coolest place with the best ribs and burgers. But the thing that really makes my mouth water is their potato salad. It the kind of thing I'd like to order by the gallon but it only comes in pints and quarts. Rockland BBQ in Washington, D.C. isn't too bad either.

steveTV at 8:48PM on 12/19/08

Cheese-Filled Bacon Roll, Too Much of a Good Thing?

Looking at these pictures it strikes me that there really might be too much of a good thing and that this is where the whole "bacon with and on everything" mania may have jumped the shark. Frying cheese for sale as an appetizer was over the top but wrapping cheese with bacon had to be developed by a cardiologist whose practice wasn't bringing in enough money. That is sick and it's got to be the most unhealthy thing every displayed here. Please tell us that this is a joke that first appeared in The Onion.

steveTV at 7:17PM on 12/18/08

Type Designers Amused at Street Cart's Typography

I think the font works very well which was the point of retorting the "designed for a magazine" comment. If something works it doesn't matter what the original intent was. Yes, foodies are more than willing to give their opinion on anything. By the way, happy National Chocolate Covered Anything Day.

steveTV at 7:51PM on 12/16/08

Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: Two Peter Luger Steaks

As much as I love a porterhouse I have a real hankering for a well-marbled New York strip about an inch and a half thick with a nice strip of fat around the edge; preferably grilled but a super hot broiler will work in a pinch. Rubbed with a freshly-crushed clove of garlic, some salt and pepper. A sharp knife and a long-tined fork. I am sooooo hungry right now.

steveTV at 7:37PM on 12/16/08

The Carnegie Deli Pastrami Sandwich Mitosis

I love the sandwiches at the Carnegie along with two or three half-cooked pickles. The amazing thing though is that you can get, mostly in European cities like Nice or Rome, a single slice of meat and very little else on a very fresh bagette that fills the need just as well. The best thing around here in that regard is the Bahn Mi with roast beef served at a place in Falls Church, Virginia called DC Sandwiches. They add some thin sliced veggies and cilantro and you get instant happiness without the post-Carnegie guilt... which I know all too well.

steveTV at 8:05PM on 12/15/08

Type Designers Amused at Street Cart's Typography

RE: "I have no idea why a street vendor would use Monark to promote their services, because it was a typeface originally designed for a magazine." Are you serious? Me think the type designers need to realize that nobody pays as much attention as they do to something so mundane. The most important thing (in addition to the food) on a food cart is being able to read what has been written on the menu. If a clean, sans serif font serves the purpose it matters not that it was created for a magazine or the side of an airplane. Maybe they need to get out of the office more than once a year.

steveTV at 7:54PM on 12/15/08

Mrs. Fields Files For Bankruptcy

Maybe, just maybe, we're getting to the point of making the point that we won't (can't?) afford to overpay for things, like cookies, that we don't really need. next stop: pinkberry and the $5 spoonful of frozen yogurt, then $7 sheets of wrapping paper from kates paperie (sorry) and all the other nonesense that we spend way too much on.

steveTV at 8:38PM on 08/19/08

Top 10 Celebrity Chef Earners: Who Isn't on the List?

I can only think that those who make the bulk of their money from running actual restaurants may be at a disadvantage in a poll like this because many of them don't really want anyone to know how much they make. Todd English has a bunch of restaurants, a PBS show and sells crap on the shopping channels and yet he doesn't make $1.5 million? Yeah, right. By the way, can someone explain to me how Paula Dean makes more than Mario Batali? Mario sells more "butcher leavings" at top dollar than anyone in the country. Oh yeah, the order on this needs to be switched. Last time I took a math class $4.5 million was more than $3 million.

steveTV at 7:54PM on 08/11/08

Does anyone drink Tuaca?

One of my favorite "end of the night" bar drinks is Tuaca with an equal part of Grand Marnier. The combination is much softer than straight GM and has an extra kick that Tuaca lacks. It's actually become rather popular in my favorite watering hole although I have yet to come up with a good name for it.

steveTV at 8:14PM on 07/03/08

Colorado Eats

"Nothing over the top, please" Isn't this site called "Serious Eats"? If you want a great meal and one of the best views ever you've got to try Flagstaff House. It's located just up the mountains west of Boulder and serves up some of the best lamb I've ever had. In addition to the food you can see out over the plains for a good 60 miles... incredible. So good I'm flying out there with reservations for next week.

steveTV at 8:05PM on 06/17/08