Scott -- DFW

May be too late. But for Thai, Bambu (Richardson) or Jasmine Thai (I or II, both in Plano). There are two areas of concentration for Korean. First and best, Royal Lane near I-35 (e.g., Yun Tan Gil, Wondumak, LA Hanbak Solong Tang, Dal Dong Nae, So Gong Dong, et al.). Second, near the itself-destination-worthy Super H Mart (almost like a Korean Central Market) in Carrollton (e.g., WooGak, To Dam Gol, Choon Chun Chicken House, et al.). Though there are quite a few Chinese in the northern suburbs (Richardson, Garland, Plano), few of the restaurants are Sichuanese. Of those, I haven't found

Good thinking. Okay, for a slightly dated source of info on CFS, see this article. The article only covers Dallas proper, not the northern suburbs, so it doesn't include Babe's Chicken Dinner House in Garland, which makes a reliably great CFS and offers a wonderful slice of authentic Texas kitsch. It's about 6 miles from your hotel--virtually walking distance, by Dallas standards--but closer than any of the good options within Dallas (and still damned good). For barbecue, the closest good option will be Meshack's Bar-B-Que Shack, also in Garland. Here's a report by Daniel Vaughn (the m

Richardson is among the most ethnically diverse parts of the greater Dallas area. If you're looking for fine dining, it's definitely not the best option; but it's no wasteland. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VWItEwhuoA What, exactly, are you looking for? Scott

Hmm. I've had the arroz de pato the last three times I've been in NYC and will probably have it again the next time. It's never seemed bland (though I admit that I didn't pick through it to segregate the olives, chouriço, duck crackling, etc.). A polishing up of a comfort food, without sacrificing what makes the inspiration great. Another vote in favor of the dish's excellence, though I might be prejudiced by having lived in Portugal for a couple of years.

It's only $5.95 at Chris Madrid's, though maybe more if you request the "market price" Frito supplement.

Wasn't sure whether to post this in the Italy forum, General, or Baking & Desserts, so here it goes. This morning, the first part in a series of articles on gianduia appeared on DallasFood.org. What you see in Rail Paul's excerpt above (updated link here) reflects, for the most part, the conventional view of gianduia's origins. Those who are able to stay awake through this series will see much of that account questioned. Scott

So that explains all the thrift store ties the servers wear! Scott

Was it Leone's Gianduioso? Scott

Thanks for the input! Scott

I don't see a separate thread devoted to Italian markets, so I thought I'd ask here. Regardless of prices, are there any Italian markets in NYC with generally better selections of goods than Eataly is offering?

I buy blocks and feves from Chocosphere pretty regularly. (We have a cookie jar in the house filled with feves--usually Manjari or Guanaja--as a quick, easy, healthy treat for the kids.) Their pricing is a little higher than you could get it at wholesale locally, but that's made up for by the convenience of having it shipped straight to your door (along with some good retail bars of Amedei, Domori, Amano, or whatever your pleasure). In smaller orders, the feves and blocks run about $13/lb. Another advantage of Chocosphere is that you can mix and match--getting some Valrhona, some Cluizel,

Sitting on the sidelines till I see what they do. If it becomes a hub for legitimate scholarship (like the SFA), I'm in. Scott

[edited to remove tacky comment]

The video appears to have been removed. Scott

It's definitely "international style." (And, for what it's worth, Cabrales found the cheeses improperly matured.) Scott