Reviews by funkylump

funkylump says "best little place you've never heard of" about A Tavola - Chicago, IL

funkylump — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 19:49:06 GMT

Excellent little place. Chef Dan used to live/work in Italy and it shows. His menus are mostly very traditional but he's not averse to experimentation. Example: the first time I went there, my dining companion had the gnocchi with brown butter&sage (an old chestnut) and I had the grapefruit rissotto. Who ever heard of grapefruit risotto? Well, now I have and it's pretty damn good. The wine list is very good, though not very extensive.

There's no sign out front, just their name in etched glass on either side of the front door. Keep your eyes open if trying to find it for the first time.

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funkylump says "Can't recommend it" about Shaw's Crabhouse - Chicago, IL

funkylump — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 19:32:12 GMT

I've eaten at Shaw's on a couple of dozen occasions, mostly business dinners. Why would I keep going back to a place which I can't recommend? My presence was required. That said, I can state with confidence that your money would be better spent elsewhere. I have found Shaw's to be coinsistently mediocre oveer the course of several years. Waterlogged lobsters, overcooked asparagus, overcooked scallops, under- or overseasoned sauces, you name it. Just go in with a party of four, somebody's order will be inedible. I can practically guarantee it.

If you have to go, order oysters. The seafood is fresh, just poorly prepared. Oysters, needing no preparation, are a safe bet. Also, the crab cakes are good. It's pretty hard to screw up a crab cake....

funkylump says "Trotter dumbed-down for the rest of us" about Charlie Trotter - Kitchen Sessions With Charlie Trotter

funkylump — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:49:25 GMT

I was walking through Costco and out of the corner of my eye I spied a book-signing. Lo and behold it was Charlie Trotter. Interestingly, he was hawking old volumes; Raw and Kitchen Sessions. Well, I've already got a couple of his books and they are books which I rarely use. Frankly, his preparations are too involved and frequently require ingredients which are too difficult to obtain--too difficult despite living in a huge metropolis. Anyhow, utility aside I had to get a signed copy from one of the world's great chefs.

I picked up the copy of Kitchen Sessions because I recalled a couple of episodes from the series on PBS and remembered the recipes being more improvisatory than his usual fare. Turns out this is the whole point of the book: taking an idea and improvising on it. Lots of suggested substitutions, etc. It's kind of the way I cook anyhow. Charlie has some cool non-traditional techniques which anyone could incorporate into their repertoire. He's totally changed the way I...

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funkylump says "excellent low-end car stereo." about Kenwood - Kenwood KDC-MP2035 CD Player

funkylump — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:40:01 GMT

Excellent sound and power for the price. A good value. My only complaint is that it is very easy to inadvertantly toggle the volume knob into eq-mode while trying to adjust the volume. I've had this head unit for over a month and I'm still doing it....

funkylump says "pretty disappointing grinder on this machine" about Cuisinart Grind and Brew - Thermal Coffee Maker

funkylump — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:20:39 GMT

It's a drip coffee maker. Not the best method of making coffee, but a decent cup can be had if you use the correct amount of beans with the correct grind. I can do neither with this machine. The grinder's timer cannot be reset and fits a relatively small amount of beans. It can't brew a full pot of strong coffee and utilise the grinder. I wish I'd bought the one without the grinder.

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funkylump says "The final word in dutch/french ovens." about Le Creuset enamel coated cast iron cookware

funkylump — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:10:03 GMT

Le Creuset. I've been using mine for about ten years now; all of my pots cook just as well as they did when I bought them and still look beautiful...and I use them a lot. My one and only gripe: having bought some of my collection used (and, unfortunaltely, abused) on eBay, I have seen that improper clean up can ruin these pans. DO NOT use the abrasive side of the kitchen sponge when cleaning these. Soak them and wipe them clean with a soft sponge. If you lose the glossiness of the finish on the inside of the pan, it's quasi-nonstick properties are over, the pot/pan is ruined.

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