Review Of La Fontana Italian Rest. & Pizzeria

[mascarakatze]

I found La Fontana a mixed bag...

On the plus side:

• Immaculately clean, including the rest rooms--and attractive.
  
• Cloth napkins--always a pleasant surprise in a restaurant with moderate prices.
  
• Good house wine--at least the red I was served.
  
• Bread sticks with salsa dip made a nice hors d'ouvres.
  

However...

• I ordered spaghetti bolognese. There was plenty of ground beef, but the tomato sauce was disappointing. It had a viscous taste--not fresh.
  
• My order arrived promptly. Shortly thereafter the restaurant began filling up, and clearly the kitchen was overwhelmed. The table next to mine ordered soon after I did, but they were still waiting for dinner when I paid my bill and left.
  
• The waiter and two waitresses never cracked a smile; neither did the owner. An eleven year-old boy, presumably the owner's son, brought me my bill and made change.
  

In summary, a convenient location and a reasonably priced menu. However, La Fontana faces heavy competition when it comes to Italian food in that area of Chiang Mai.

bolognese sauce is not made with beef

What is it made with?

pork. finely chopped not ground

[just_Elaine]

Oh, thank you for the responses. I decided to try and look up bolognese sauce. I never really thought about the types of meat that is supposed to go in there.. Anyway, ran across and old egullet discussion/posts that says that has ground veal, ground pork, ground beef and minced pancetta in it. Also, a surprise is a white wine (not red) and optionally milk... mmmmm

[ARISTIDE]

You got it right, I've been making Ragu or Bolognese for a long time and there's only one way to do it if you want to call it Ragu Bolognese not just meat sauce. (Ground veal or) ground pork or both and ground beef, no garlic and optional milk or minced pancetta, simmer at lowest setting allow only bubbles for 6 hours (or at least 3 hours) is THE ONLY WAY to cook Ragu Bolognese there are no other recipes. Otherwise it's just called a meat sauce. Marcella Hazan popularize a lot of Italians stuff to the world via her recipes including Balsamic vinegar and Bolognese with a dash of milk.

Oh, thank you for the responses. I decided to try and look up bolognese sauce. I never really thought about the types of meat that is supposed to go in there.. Anyway, ran across and old egullet discussion/posts that says that has ground veal, ground pork, ground beef and minced pancetta in it. Also, a surprise is a white wine (not red) and optionally milk... mmmmm

Edited January 16, 2013 by ARISTIDE

[dickyknee]

no doubt a chicken schnitzel parma with sliced ham isn't authentic Italian either, though it still tastes pretty good if done well. I prefer my spag bog with beef.

I like La Fontanas' Tortellini.

[junglechef]

Cooking is an art like writing verse which also share poetic license so using what is available due to season, region or just what's in the fridge or one feels like adding is acceptable unless for instance it's in a restaurant and one's customers expect the same each time. True if cooking a dish one should not add different ingredients and still consider it the classical recipe but so much is up to opinion. So when having Italian food in Thailand there are many gourmets who would not consider it authentic just because of the source of the food stuffs.

[mascarakatze]

Cooking is an art like writing verse which also share poetic license so using what is available due to season, region or just what's in the fridge or one feels like adding is acceptable unless for instance it's in a restaurant and one's customers expect the same each time. True if cooking a dish one should not add different ingredients and still consider it the classical recipe but so much is up to opinion. So when having Italian food in Thailand there are many gourmets who would not consider it authentic just because of the source of the food stuffs.

gosh you are do deep talking about verse. I'm sure it must impress a lot of the monosyllabic readers however the more that you validate was is or what is not acceptable in a recipe will clearly eventually dilute the original intent of the chef

[Ulysses G.]

the more that you validate was is or what is not acceptable in a recipe will clearly eventually dilute the original intent of the chef

So what. It is called progress.

[butterisbetter]

You got it right, I've been making Ragu or Bolognese for a long time and there's only one way to do it if you want to call it Ragu Bolognese not just meat sauce. (Ground veal or) ground pork or both and ground beef, no garlic and optional milk or minced pancetta, simmer at lowest setting allow only bubbles for 6 hours (or at least 3 hours) is THE ONLY WAY to cook Ragu Bolognese there are no other recipes. Otherwise it's just called a meat sauce. Marcella Hazan popularize a lot of Italians stuff to the world via her recipes including Balsamic vinegar and Bolognese with a dash of milk.

If there is such a thing as an official source for Italian food, it's the Accademia Italiana Cucina.. Here are the ingredients it lists for Bolognese sauce (slightly defective translation courtesy of google). You'll notice there's no mention of ground veal or ground pork anywhere in it. So apparently, neither of those 2 ingredients are considered essential.

300 g of lean beef (or folder fesone belly or shoulder or spindle) minced large,

150 g of pancetta,

50 g of yellow carrot,

50 g celery,

50 g onion,

300 g of pureed or peeled tomato,

½ cup dry white wine

½ cup whole milk,

a little broth,

olive oil or butter, salt, pepper, ½ cup of whipping cream (whipped cream?)

For the complete recipe, here is the link

http://www.accademiaitalianacucina.it/ricetta.php?id=2097


[daoyai]

....... add fish sauce and chili to taste (keeping it Thai related)

[arunsakda]

Recipe for a Serious Ragu Bolognese. The essential missing ingredient with this recipe is the chicken liver, but good luck finding Rabbit livers at Big C.

http://fxcuisine.com/Default.asp?language=2&Display=150&resolution=low&page=1

[junglechef]

Cooking is an art like writing verse which also share poetic license so using what is available due to season, region or just what's in the fridge or one feels like adding is acceptable unless for instance it's in a restaurant and one's customers expect the same each time. True if cooking a dish one should not add different ingredients and still consider it the classical recipe but so much is up to opinion. So when having Italian food in Thailand there are many gourmets who would not consider it authentic just because of the source of the food stuffs.

gosh you are do deep talking about verse. I'm sure it must impress a lot of the monosyllabic readers however the more that you validate was is or what is not acceptable in a recipe will clearly eventually dilute the original intent of the chef

What Chef are you referring to Chef Bolognese or Chef Boyardee? Glad you impressed but I'm only trying to share some of the expertise of this Chef to contribute something to this topic

[butterisbetter]

Cooking is an art like writing verse which also share poetic license so using what is available due to season, region or just what's in the fridge or one feels like adding is acceptable unless for instance it's in a restaurant and one's customers expect the same each time. True if cooking a dish one should not add different ingredients and still consider it the classical recipe but so much is up to opinion. So when having Italian food in Thailand there are many gourmets who would not consider it authentic just because of the source of the food stuffs.

gosh you are do deep talking about verse. I'm sure it must impress a lot of the monosyllabic readers however the more that you validate was is or what is not acceptable in a recipe will clearly eventually dilute the original intent of the chef

What Chef are you referring to Chef Bolognese or Chef Boyardee? Glad you impressed but I'm only trying to share some of the expertise of this Chef to contribute something to this topic

The only big or highfalutin' words I saw in this exchange were "monosyllabic" and "validate". 5 syllables in "monosyllabic". Impressive.

[realthaideal]

I've been to La Fontana a few times now. Good date restaurant. Also a nice place to meet and catch up with friends. I enjoy the garden and open restaurant design. Good Food, too !

I get a 30% discount every time I go there.... 'cause I buy those restaurant vouchers off the Dining Guide CM guy. That doesn't hurt. I've mentioned that you can get these things for a few of the top resto's in town before and alot of people went off on the Cheap Charlie trick. If anyone wants more info about those I'll repost.

I get a kick out of ordering a Caesar salad (a Mex invention) at Fontana. Theirs is a good interpretation with thick shavings of parmesan and nice big pieces of bacon. Bacon ? Like I said, it's their interpretation.

Last time there my friend got the mushroom raviolis in a cream sauce. So good ! Pasta with a red sauce is my usual thing in an Italian place, but those ravioli are killer. Might have to get those for myself next time.

[AngelsLariat]

I get a 30% discount every time I go there.... 'cause I buy those restaurant vouchers off the Dining Guide CM guy. That doesn't hurt. I've mentioned that you can get these things for a few of the top resto's in town before and alot of people went off on the Cheap Charlie trick. If anyone wants more info about those I'll repost.

I would be interested to hear more about those coupons. Nothing wrong with using coupons, assuming that they are legitimately issued. So how does that work, is a 3^rd party selling coupons that they collected from promotional literature?

[just_Elaine]

You got it right, I've been making Ragu or Bolognese for a long time and there's only one way to do it if you want to call it Ragu Bolognese not just meat sauce. (Ground veal or) ground pork or both and ground beef, no garlic and optional milk or minced pancetta, simmer at lowest setting allow only bubbles for 6 hours (or at least 3 hours) is THE ONLY WAY to cook Ragu Bolognese there are no other recipes. Otherwise it's just called a meat sauce. Marcella Hazan popularize a lot of Italians stuff to the world via her recipes including Balsamic vinegar and Bolognese with a dash of milk.

Well, I guess I really make a meat sauce then. The recipe I was following also used tomato paste, but I used heirloom tomatoes from the garden instead (when tomatoes are coming out faster than one can handle). It takes a long time, but it ends up very nice and then I freeze batches of it for an easy pasta dinner. I will have to try to make a real ragu bolognese this year. Thanks for making me think about this everyone....

[ARISTIDE]

You're one of the lucky few who get to pick your own produce from your own garden to the pot, that's a real masterpiece. Just leave the theories to the grumpy expats.

The recipe I was following also used tomato paste, but I used heirloom tomatoes from the garden instead (when tomatoes are coming out faster than one can handle).

[TheVicar]

I've been to La Fontana a few times now. Good date restaurant. Also a nice place to meet and catch up with friends. I enjoy the garden and open restaurant design. Good Food, too !

I get a 30% discount every time I go there.... 'cause I buy those restaurant vouchers off the Dining Guide CM guy. That doesn't hurt. I've mentioned that you can get these things for a few of the top resto's in town before and alot of people went off on the Cheap Charlie trick. If anyone wants more info about those I'll repost.

I get a kick out of ordering a Caesar salad (a Mex invention) at Fontana. Theirs is a good interpretation with thick shavings of parmesan and nice big pieces of bacon. Bacon ? Like I said, it's their interpretation.

Last time there my friend got the mushroom raviolis in a cream sauce. So good ! Pasta with a red sauce is my usual thing in an Italian place, but those ravioli are killer. Might have to get those for myself next time.

A good post with some nice info and it brings the thread back to the topic of the restaurant. But to add some other fire here to the hot sidetrack topic on bolognese sauce, the actual origins of the Caesar Salad aren't so clear either. Some people say it was invented in Tijuana by a chef called Caesar, but James Beard, a giant in cooking, says it is a "West coast salad" and a "California salad". How does that old saying go, success has many fathers but failure is an orphan. That probably is in play with the origins of Caesar salad.

As for the raging topic of beef in Bolognese sauce, it should be noted that ragu alla Bolognese is the Italian name for Bolognese sauce and ragu comes from the French "ragout" or meat stew. One of the foremost Italian chefs in the world, Antonio Carluccio, the owner of the Neal St. Restaurant in London's Covent Garden and the author of at least 8 Italian cookbooks, several of them bestsellers, who has had two highly successful television series, gives in his recipe for Tagliatelle al Ragu Bolognese (he emphasizes that this recipe should be made with tagliatelle, which has thicker noodles, and NOT spaghetti) "minced lean veal or beef" in addition to "minced lean pork" . See A. Carluccio, Complete Italian Food at p. 163. Similarly, in his recipe for Ragu alla Napoletana Con Penne he starts with beef seasoned in salt and pepper. Parma ham fat is also used in this recipe.

Another award winning Italian cookbook author, Sophie Braimbridge in her Simply Italian at page 40 (gold medal winner of the 2003 Jacob's Creek World Food Media Awards), calls for minced beef AND minced pork in her Bolognese sauce (she agrees with Carluccio that this sauce should NEVER be used with spaghetti but only with tagliatelle.

Wikipedia (in a wonderful article with 23 detailed citations) also indicates that Bolognese ragu is made with meat. The person who is thought to have originated the recipe, Pellegrino Artusi, in the his cookbook published in 1891, called for lean vean fillet. However, Wikipedia's article on Bolognese sauce gives a very nice history of the evolution of this recipe. It includes the following from the Italian Academy of Cuisine (which contradicts what one person writes above):

"In 1982 the Italian Academy of Cuisine (Accademia Italiana della Cucina), an organization dedicated to preserving the culinary heritage of Italy, recorded and deposited a recipe for "classic Bolognese ragù" with the Bologna Chamber of Commerce (La Camera di Commercio di Bologna).^[4][5][6] A version of the academy's recipe for American kitchens was also published.^[1] The academy's recipe confines the ingredients to beef from the plate section (cartella di manzo), fresh, unsmoked pancetta (pancetta di maiale distesa), onions, carrot, celery, passata (or tomato purée), meat broth, dry wine (red or white, not sparkling), milk, salt and pepper. The option of adding a small amount of cream at the end of the preparation is recommended." Indeed, I have looked at the Italian wording of the Academy and the person in a post above (or his translator) mistranslates "cartella di manzo" which definitely means beef from a certain section of the animal.

What does all this mean? Although there may not be a debate about the beef (all the authorities I cite above call for it) unless one goes with the "original" recipe which called for veal (proving again that recipes do evolve with time), there is no doubt that just about all authorities agree that Spaghetti Bolognese is a no-no!

Edited January 19, 2013 by TheVicar

[junglechef]

There are lots of types of pasta, I've heard 3000, each for a particular use, most often for sauces of different textures to adhere to it so the recipe using taglitalle makes perfect sense as spagetti would just be smothered and lost in bolognese. But your not going to go to jail, well outside of Italy anyways, for mixing and matching as you prefer.

[beb]

Interesting thread about what the dish actually is because I never knew what made bolognese bolognese. At the same time the point seems to have been forgotten, and that is the effort to recreate a dish on the other side of the world with the available ingredients. Forgive me but I don't think the heart of bolognese is the meat, meaning if you are doing the sauce right then you can probably substitute to some degree. I mean, look at what passes for pizza these days.

I come from close to New Orleans, LA and am always frustrated by restaurants in other parts of the world that call their food Cajun but that fail miserably in their attempts to make it. What spoils it for me isn't specific ingredients so much as a complete failure to understand what is at the core of the dish. What makes it what it is. I mean, without gulf seafood, you'll never get the flavor exactly right but that doesn't mean you quit trying.

[TheVicar]

I've been to La Fontana a few times now. Good date restaurant. Also a nice place to meet and catch up with friends. I enjoy the garden and open restaurant design. Good Food, too !

I get a 30% discount every time I go there.... 'cause I buy those restaurant vouchers off the Dining Guide CM guy. That doesn't hurt. I've mentioned that you can get these things for a few of the top resto's in town before and alot of people went off on the Cheap Charlie trick. If anyone wants more info about those I'll repost.

I get a kick out of ordering a Caesar salad (a Mex invention) at Fontana. Theirs is a good interpretation with thick shavings of parmesan and nice big pieces of bacon. Bacon ? Like I said, it's their interpretation.

Last time there my friend got the mushroom raviolis in a cream sauce. So good ! Pasta with a red sauce is my usual thing in an Italian place, but those ravioli are killer. Might have to get those for myself next time.

A good post with some nice info and it brings the thread back to the topic of the restaurant. But to add some other fire here to the hot sidetrack topic on bolognese sauce, the actual origins of the Caesar Salad aren't so clear either. Some people say it was invented in Tijuana by a chef called Caesar, but James Beard, a giant in cooking, says it is a "West coast salad" and a "California salad". How does that old saying go, success has many fathers but failure is an orphan. That probably is in play with the origins of Caesar salad.

As for the raging topic of beef in Bolognese sauce, it should be noted that ragu alla Bolognese is the Italian name for Bolognese sauce and ragu comes from the French "ragout" or meat stew. One of the foremost Italian chefs in the world, Antonio Carluccio, the owner of the Neal St. Restaurant in London's Covent Garden and the author of at least 8 Italian cookbooks, several of them bestsellers, who has had two highly successful television series, gives in his recipe for Tagliatelle al Ragu Bolognese (he emphasizes that this recipe should be made with tagliatelle, which has thicker noodles, and NOT spaghetti) "minced lean veal or beef" in addition to "minced lean pork" . See A. Carluccio, Complete Italian Food at p. 163. Similarly, in his recipe for Ragu alla Napoletana Con Penne he starts with beef seasoned in salt and pepper. Parma ham fat is also used in this recipe.

Another award winning Italian cookbook author, Sophie Braimbridge in her Simply Italian at page 40 (gold medal winner of the 2003 Jacob's Creek World Food Media Awards), calls for minced beef AND minced pork in her Bolognese sauce (she agrees with Carluccio that this sauce should NEVER be used with spaghetti but only with tagliatelle.

Wikipedia (in a wonderful article with 23 detailed citations) also indicates that Bolognese ragu is made with meat. The person who is thought to have originated the recipe, Pellegrino Artusi, in the his cookbook published in 1891, called for lean vean fillet. However, Wikipedia's article on Bolognese sauce gives a very nice history of the evolution of this recipe. It includes the following from the Italian Academy of Cuisine (which contradicts what one person writes above):

"In 1982 the Italian Academy of Cuisine (Accademia Italiana della Cucina), an organization dedicated to preserving the culinary heritage of Italy, recorded and deposited a recipe for "classic Bolognese ragù" with the Bologna Chamber of Commerce (La Camera di Commercio di Bologna).^[4][5][6] A version of the academy's recipe for American kitchens was also published.^[1] The academy's recipe confines the ingredients to beef from the plate section (cartella di manzo), fresh, unsmoked pancetta (pancetta di maiale distesa), onions, carrot, celery, passata (or tomato purée), meat broth, dry wine (red or white, not sparkling), milk, salt and pepper. The option of adding a small amount of cream at the end of the preparation is recommended." Indeed, I have looked at the Italian wording of the Academy and the person in a post above (or his translator) mistranslates "cartella di manzo" which definitely means beef from a certain section of the animal.

What does all this mean? Although there may not be a debate about the beef (all the authorities I cite above call for it) unless one goes with the "original" recipe which called for veal (proving again that recipes do evolve with time), there is no doubt that just about all authorities agree that Spaghetti Bolognese is a no-no!

Here's the link to a very good article in Wikipedia on Bolognese sauce and its evolution (along with a pic of what it looks like!):

http://en.wikipedia....Bolognese_sauce

A snippet from that article:

"Ragù alla bolognese is a complex sauce which involves a variety of cooking techniques, including sweating, sautéing and braising. As such, it lends itself well to interpretation and adaptation by professional chefs and home cooks alike. Common sources of differences include which meats to use (beef, pork or veal) and their relative quantities, the possible inclusion of either cured meats or offal, which fats are used in the sauté phases (rendered pork fat, butter, olive or vegetable oil), what form of tomato is employed (fresh, canned or paste), the makeup of the cooking liquids (wine, milk, tomato juices, or broth) and their specific sequence of addition."

..."The many variations tend to be based on a common theme. For instance, garlic is absent from all of the recipes referenced above, as are herbs other than a parsimonious use of bay leaves by some. Seasoning is limited to salt, pepper and the occasional pinch of nutmeg. In all of the recipes meats dominate as the principal ingredient, while tomatoes, in one form or another, are only an auxiliary ingredient."

And: "Gruppo Virtuale Cuochi Italiani (GVCI), an international organization and network of culinary professionals dedicated to authentic Italian cuisine, annually organizes and promotes an "International Day of Italian Cuisines" (IDIC). In 2010 tagliatelle al ragu alla bolognese was the official dish for IDIC.^[18] The event, held on January 17, 2010, included participation by 450 professional chefs in 50 countries who prepared the signature dish according to “an authentic” recipe provided by chef Mario Caramella.^[9] Media coverage was broad internationally,^[19] but reports often incorrectly identified the recipe followed as that of l'Accademia Italiana della Cucina, and some included stock photographs of spaghetti Bolognese."

Who said cooking is not controversial and fascinating?

Edited January 20, 2013 by TheVicar

[TheVicar]

Here is the recipe prepared by prominent Chef Mario Caramella for the "Gruppo Virtuale Cuochi Italiani (GVCI), an international organization and network of culinary professionals dedicated to authentic Italian cuisine, which annually organizes and promotes an "International Day of Italian Cuisines" (IDIC). This recipe served as the basis for the organization's January, 2010 event (450 chefs participating in 50 countries) for which Tagliatelle alla Ragu Bolognese was the signature dish. Media coverage often misidentified this group and this recipe for that of the l'Accademia Italiana della Cucina (see Wikipedia article referenced above).

" Tagliatelle with ragù Bolognese sauce, Tagliatelle al Ragù alla Bolognese by Mario Caramella

In Italy, there are several traditional recipes of Tagliatelle al ragù alla Bolognese with more or less slight variations and far too many individual interpretations of it. This recipe has been tailored mainly for all those non Italian chefs who aim at serving this traditional Italian dish abroad in a correct and professional way. The recipe however may be useful also to the many Italian chefs in Italy, as well as abroad, who are just as confused about it. It takes into account the basics of the various streams of the Italian tradition as well as the experience of many talented chefs, including many GVCI associates. I hope it will give you a clear direction and help you achieve a good result.

Mario Caramella

Ingredients per person

100 gm dry, egg dough tagliatelle

200 gm Bolognese ragù (see recipe ahead)

Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese freshly grated

Procedure

• Cook the pasta in salted boiling water, strain when al dente, and place it in a hot pasta bowl or plate
  
• Bring the sauce to boil and if too thick add little water from the pasta
  
• Spoon the hot sauce over the steaming and fragrant tagliatelle and serve with the freshly grated cheese on the side
  
• Put a spoon and a fork so the guests can mix their own pasta and put the right amount of grated cheese. This is the real and better way to enjoy this dish. The alternative is to sauté the pasta and the sauce in the kitchen and then serve it.
  
• Do not decorate with basil leaves or chopped parsley, or even more gross with garlic bread on the side
  

* * *

Bolognese ragù sauce

To achieve a great result, this sauce should be made fresh every morning and be served within a few hours or the same day

Ingredients for 2 kg (approx) of Bolognese Ragù

600gm coarsely ground lean beef

400gm coarsely ground lean pork

200gm pancetta diced or chopped

100gm chopped onion

100gm carrot diced

100gm celery diced

1kg tomato peeled (canned)

300ml dry white wine

500ml fresh milk

3 pc bay leaves

Black pepper and salt to taste

Procedure

• Place the pancetta in a thick base large stainless steal saucepot (cm30x20) stir and cook over low flame until the fat is melted, add the onion and keep stirring until the onion is translucent
  
• Add the carrot and celery and the bay leaves and keep cooking until the vegetables start to soften and get some colour,
  
• Raise the flame to very high and add the ground meats, previously mixed and seasoned with salt and black pepper and mixed well, by hand ( wearing gloves!)
  
• Keep cooking and stirring with a wooden spoon until the meat is well done
  
• Pour in the white wine and keep cooking until the wine has evaporated
  
• Process briefly the peeled tomatoes in the food mill and add to the pot and continue cooking slowly over a low flame for at least 2 hours, if it becomes too dry add some beef stock
  
• Add some milk and some chicken stock, stir and leave to slow boiling at low flame
  
• Keep going with the milk and the stock for 60 minutes at low flame
  
• Season to taste and leave to rest
  

Notes

The traditional pasta that goes with Bolognese sauce are the tagliatelle, serving spaghetti with Bolognese sauce is actually a sign of mediocrity in the understanding of Italian cuisine"

Source: http://www.itchefs-g...=585&Itemid=975

The Vicar's take on this witty and lovely recipe is: it is actually better if refrigerated and kept a day or so. That is my only disagreement with the above chef, but he's a master and I'm not.

Edited January 20, 2013 by TheVicar

[junglechef]

Interesting thread about what the dish actually is because I never knew what made bolognese bolognese. At the same time the point seems to have been forgotten, and that is the effort to recreate a dish on the other side of the world with the available ingredients. Forgive me but I don't think the heart of bolognese is the meat, meaning if you are doing the sauce right then you can probably substitute to some degree. I mean, look at what passes for pizza these days.

I come from close to New Orleans, LA and am always frustrated by restaurants in other parts of the world that call their food Cajun but that fail miserably in their attempts to make it. What spoils it for me isn't specific ingredients so much as a complete failure to understand what is at the core of the dish. What makes it what it is. I mean, without gulf seafood, you'll never get the flavor exactly right but that doesn't mean you quit trying.

Though this is a thread on an Italian restaurant that morphed into one about Italian food I can't pass up the opportunity to comment on the Cajun and/or Creole Food. Nothing is more misrepresented, even in America, of this cuisine! Of course just burning/carbonizing some spicy sugar coating on a chicken is not blackened but it's the flavor profile beginning with the use of the "holy trinity" of aromatic vegetables (onion, celery and green pepper) or the proper roux and to understand the food, it's history etc. I moved to NO to learn flavoring and cooked in the French Quarter and forever have a deep romance with the food from there. I'm with you brother!!

Oh, I mentioned the source of the food stuffs earlier in this topic so I agree with you on this too

Edited January 20, 2013 by junglechef

[kaptainrob]

Can we have a poll on best pizza/spag bol/ravioli restaurant in CM?

For my spag bol I use spinach fettucine and add kalamata olives to the beef sauce ...but hey, each to their own.

....... now, who invented pavlova?

[just_Elaine]

Interesting thread about what the dish actually is because I never knew what made bolognese bolognese. At the same time the point seems to have been forgotten, and that is the effort to recreate a dish on the other side of the world with the available ingredients. Forgive me but I don't think the heart of bolognese is the meat, meaning if you are doing the sauce right then you can probably substitute to some degree. I mean, look at what passes for pizza these days.

I come from close to New Orleans, LA and am always frustrated by restaurants in other parts of the world that call their food Cajun but that fail miserably in their attempts to make it. What spoils it for me isn't specific ingredients so much as a complete failure to understand what is at the core of the dish. What makes it what it is. I mean, without gulf seafood, you'll never get the flavor exactly right but that doesn't mean you quit trying.

Though this is a thread on an Italian restaurant that morphed into one about Italian food I can't pass up the opportunity to comment on the Cajun and/or Creole Food. Nothing is more misrepresented, even in America, of this cuisine! Of course just burning/carbonizing some spicy sugar coating on a chicken is not blackened but it's the flavor profile beginning with the use of the "holy trinity" of aromatic vegetables (onion, celery and green pepper) or the proper roux and to understand the food, it's history etc. I moved to NO to learn flavoring and cooked in the French Quarter and forever have a deep romance with the food from there. I'm with you brother!!

Oh, I mentioned the source of the food stuffs earlier in this topic so I agree with you on this too

Ummm... You people are making me hungry for gumbo and oyster po'boys. I liked that better than the fish almondine place (can't remember the name). Also, enjoyed the music there and an occasional cocktail...

[Ulysses G.]

Can we have a poll on best pizza/spag bol/ravioli restaurant in CM?

It isnot the best, but one of the cheapest decen ones is at Gecko Garden. Under 100 baht for spaghetti Bolognese (ground beef), a small salad and garlic bread.

[TheVicar]

Interesting thread about what the dish actually is because I never knew what made bolognese bolognese. At the same time the point seems to have been forgotten, and that is the effort to recreate a dish on the other side of the world with the available ingredients. Forgive me but I don't think the heart of bolognese is the meat, meaning if you are doing the sauce right then you can probably substitute to some degree. I mean, look at what passes for pizza these days.

I come from close to New Orleans, LA and am always frustrated by restaurants in other parts of the world that call their food Cajun but that fail miserably in their attempts to make it. What spoils it for me isn't specific ingredients so much as a complete failure to understand what is at the core of the dish. What makes it what it is. I mean, without gulf seafood, you'll never get the flavor exactly right but that doesn't mean you quit trying.

Though this is a thread on an Italian restaurant that morphed into one about Italian food I can't pass up the opportunity to comment on the Cajun and/or Creole Food. Nothing is more misrepresented, even in America, of this cuisine! Of course just burning/carbonizing some spicy sugar coating on a chicken is not blackened but it's the flavor profile beginning with the use of the "holy trinity" of aromatic vegetables (onion, celery and green pepper) or the proper roux and to understand the food, it's history etc. I moved to NO to learn flavoring and cooked in the French Quarter and forever have a deep romance with the food from there. I'm with you brother!!

Oh, I mentioned the source of the food stuffs earlier in this topic so I agree with you on this too

About 15 years or so ago, I was in Singapore, walked into an uber expensive hotel to have lunch there and saw an enormous farang chef, with a natty golf-type hat and salt and pepper Van Dyke style of beard, preparing Cajun food and giving a lecture on it. I had no idea who he was but it was immediately clear that he was an authority on food and especially Cajun food which I knew nothing about. His talk and food preparation of a special menu for this occasion was extraordinary (and he had a showman flair about him too; good sense of humor and excellent speaking skills).

He was so big, maybe 150 kilos, that he could not stand up, so he sat in a kind of specially-made chair that he could zip around in while he made food for those in attendance while talking about it. He looked like a bear in a wheelchair. After his demo was over and having eaten the food he prepared (which had 10 zillion calories in it especially a tasty dessert he made with ice cream and 3 or 4 different liquors, sauces and nuts and whipped cream), I went and talked with him. Most of the other guests there at the hotel where Chinese and they avoided the strange looking farang, so we had a long conversation.

He was very lively, very animated, loved food and talking about it, even to non experts. He was extraordinarily friendly and humble. And he was an encyclopedia on food! This was Paul Prudhomme, master Cajun chef, author of maybe a dozen cookbooks on the topic. The hotel, one of the best in Singapore, had brought him over for a weekend as their guest chef. So the only Cajun meal I have ever eaten was specially prepared by none other than Paul Prudhomme. It was food unlike any I've ever eaten: unmistakeably of French origins but with zing!

One of the nicest experiences I've had with a person from the famous set. The only other person of fame who I've met who was so humble was none other than M. Ali, who I once met on a beach in California.

Edited January 21, 2013 by TheVicar

[junglechef]

Yep, that Cajun boy can cook (I knew who you were talking about at the word enormous). They sure love their food down there (well if your a Yankee coming from the direction of North) and it's hard to find a people in whose life food is so important incl. here.

[Ulysses G.]

One of the nicest experiences I've had with a person from the famous set. The only other person of fame who I've met who was so humble was none other than M. Ali, who I once met on a beach in California.

Me too. I have met a lot of famous people as I used to work in luxury hotels, but Mohammed Ali was the most famous and pretty much the nicest as well.