tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667271330300336985.post6985957297842148693..comments2024-03-18T06:46:36.387-07:00Comments on kevinEats: L2O (Chicago, IL)kevinEatshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13874030588556187843noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667271330300336985.post-21309622207923843292009-06-22T15:10:44.788-07:002009-06-22T15:10:44.788-07:00kevin,
the ribeye was a substitute for the pork b...kevin,<br /><br />the ribeye was a substitute for the pork belly (my dining companion doesn't eat pork). the meat was prime at best, and it was smoked rather than grilled or seared. so it was less tender than the average prime steak and had a crust more bitter than the usual grilled-char. <br /><br />the pork belly i had contained nearly 90% fat and only a hint of lean meat, which was way too rich for that stage of the meal (2nd to last course before desserts). <br /><br />the miyazaki wagyu you had was of much higher quality beef and seems to have been seared or grilled. i suspect i would like your meat dish a lot more!Richhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13498966673407104236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667271330300336985.post-78447209580618093252009-06-22T14:23:04.466-07:002009-06-22T14:23:04.466-07:00Rich,
Sorry to hear that the meat dishes didn'...Rich,<br /><br />Sorry to hear that the meat dishes didn't measure up. I enjoyed my filet, though I could see how other meat dishes could falter.<br /><br />As for the bread, I had to temper myself, so as to not fill up on it.<br /><br />It's good to hear that there wasn't an automatic gratuity for the rest of the restaurant. Yes, the servers do dress up in Japanese-inspired garb, though I'm not certainly if it's strictly kimonos.<br /><br />I hope you enjoy yourself at Trotter's. Please report back!kevinEatshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13874030588556187843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667271330300336985.post-89646864117281066792009-06-22T08:32:22.742-07:002009-06-22T08:32:22.742-07:00also, we were not charged with 20% automatic gratu...also, we were not charged with 20% automatic gratuity. it may have been something unique for the tatami room. we didn't see anyone in there yesterday. supposedly the waitresses wear kimono?Richhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13498966673407104236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667271330300336985.post-77553084656100064562009-06-22T08:19:11.944-07:002009-06-22T08:19:11.944-07:00hey kevin, after reading your review, i decided to...hey kevin, after reading your review, i decided to try out L2O yesterday. i had the spring tasting menu and wine pairing. the seafood was very well executed, but the pork belly and the red meat dishes were not good. i thought the bread was good but not amazing (the butter was very good), but i still ate a lot of bread. so much that i couldn't finish the 12-course tasting and wine pairing properly. by the end i could only take sips and bites from each dish/glass! i need to adjust my strategy for charlie trotter's next week XDRichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13498966673407104236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667271330300336985.post-84072852225218289802009-06-03T22:11:15.464-07:002009-06-03T22:11:15.464-07:00Ha! It was actually with a colleague of mine. Basi...Ha! It was actually with a colleague of mine. Basically, if he were to get a certain job, then I'd be owed an Urasawa dinner, and vice versa.kevinEatshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13874030588556187843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667271330300336985.post-72293973631505003022009-06-02T16:59:05.341-07:002009-06-02T16:59:05.341-07:00Did you make a bet with Hiro-san? LOLDid you make a bet with Hiro-san? LOLKung Food Pandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14947611326101640959noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667271330300336985.post-80438727043655837772009-06-02T15:55:35.429-07:002009-06-02T15:55:35.429-07:00uhockey: Thanks! Unfortunately I did not get a cha...<B>uhockey</B>: Thanks! Unfortunately I did not get a chance to have the tuna/foie during my last visit to Le Bernardin. What's the latest on their status?<br /><br /><B>KFP</B>: You definitely should get a macro lens. Being able to get up close gives you so much more flexibility in your shots. I'd have a really tough time going back to a P&S.<br /><br />Regarding Urasawa, I believe Ryan wanted to go back sometime in the August time frame. As a result of a bet, I actually have a free meal there due to me!<br /><br /><B>Secular</B>: Alinea, which I'd suggest over any other restaurant in the city.kevinEatshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13874030588556187843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667271330300336985.post-30485685457843107942009-06-02T14:33:48.155-07:002009-06-02T14:33:48.155-07:00So, if I only have one night available for dinner ...So, if I only have one night available for dinner in Chicago (which I do), would you say Alinea or L2O?Secular Gastronomyhttp://www.rockanddinnerroll.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667271330300336985.post-18351281683664659442009-06-02T12:46:04.352-07:002009-06-02T12:46:04.352-07:00I have to say, with these pictures in your recent ...I have to say, with these pictures in your recent reviews, I can't imagine you using your P&S unless you're using it to take videos. Looking at it, I want to get a macro lens myself....<br /><br />L2O's presentation looks beautiful and some of the dishes looks unique (ie: lamb tartare), but I think I'd rather spend the money for another Urasawa meal. When's your next trip?? LOLKung Food Pandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14947611326101640959noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667271330300336985.post-43609538506722942212009-06-01T16:04:26.275-07:002009-06-01T16:04:26.275-07:00Per always, excellent review. Another truly super...Per always, excellent review. Another truly superb foie/tuna combination is Ripert's at Le Bernardin if you make it back to NYC before they (hopefully not) close shop.uhockeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05517253579812259226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667271330300336985.post-50468991461887931332009-06-01T02:47:25.719-07:002009-06-01T02:47:25.719-07:00There is no set sake pairing. However, a nice sele...There is no set sake pairing. However, a nice selection of sake is available. In hindsight, perhaps we should've gone with that instead.<br /><br />The tofu is made in-house, I believe in the Japanese style. In his blog, Chef Gras wrote "Last week, I bought soy milk from Kyoto. It was mixed with Nigari (Magnesium chloride) and then the coagulation is made by steaming the tofu in a serving cup."<br /><br />Thanks for the note about the Medai. I checked Gras' blog, and he refers to medai as "Japanese butterfish." During service, the fish was described to us as "fluke." I'm going to make the change in the post.kevinEatshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13874030588556187843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667271330300336985.post-64455594577303972692009-05-31T20:59:33.391-07:002009-05-31T20:59:33.391-07:00kevin,
that looks like a really nice dinner. I d...kevin,<br /><br /> that looks like a really nice dinner. I do have some question?<br /> <br /> Since it's kaiseki style, do they offer sake pairing.<br /> <br /> As for tofu, do you know if they are using Japanese style, or Regular style. And are those made in house.<br /><br /> Base on what I know. Medai(目鯛) "Me" means "eye" and "dai ( = tai)" means bream or snapper. Even though they have a name "Tai" it is not snapper or bream or fluke. The Scietific name for Medai is Hyperoglyphe Japonica or Pacific barrelfish / Japanese butterfish in english where they are often found in association with jellyfish, which provides them with protection from predators and opportunities to scavenge the remains of the jellyfish's meals.<br />. <br />Scietific name for Himare is Paralichthys olivaceus or refer as Flatfish, Flonder, Olive/summmer/southern Flounder(fluke) , or Bastard Halibut in english.<br /><br />as you can tell from link below medai look different then fluke or kinmedai (tai family as mention above).<br />medai -- http://uoriki.co.jp/osusume/fish/ta/img/medai.jpg<br />kinmedai --http://uoriki.co.jp/osusume/fish/ta/img/kinmedai.jpg<br />fluke -- http://www.fishbase.org/ComNames/CommonNameSearchSpeciesList.cfm?CommonName=Flukedhkmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16090647560681883745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667271330300336985.post-54032672552106655672009-05-31T19:52:04.302-07:002009-05-31T19:52:04.302-07:00Jo: I loved the serenity of the tatami room, and t...<B>Jo</B>: I loved the serenity of the tatami room, and that, in concert with the service, really made for a unique experience. Also, Moto will be in two posts, after a quick stop for some pizza, so you can save your vocal chords for a while longer. ;)<br /><br /><B>Liz</B>: I really should've gotten more photos of the main dining room, it really was less "office-like" than it appears here, I swear. ;)<br /><br /><B>Anon</B>: Since we have to look at it from a per person perspective, it was more of a $400 meal. You're right in that I do definitely prefer <A HREF="http://www.kevineats.com/2009/03/urasawa-beverly-hills-ca-4.htm" REL="nofollow">Urasawa</A>, though Urasawa's pushing $600pp all-in. And yes, that gratuity was something else...<br /><br /><B>Evan</B>: Though some of the ingredients may have been somewhat disparate, it all went down nicely. I had absolutely no problems sleeping, and felt great in the morning. But then again, my stomach is stouter than most.<br /><br /><B>Sharon</B>: Those comments won't fly for the next post. ;)<br /><br /><B>kiss</B>: I can't imagine there are many places like this where you're at now, but did you ever make it out to the great eateries of San Francisco?kevinEatshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13874030588556187843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667271330300336985.post-77946817408630877782009-05-31T15:29:26.815-07:002009-05-31T15:29:26.815-07:00wowzas - i am speechless. and very jealous. :)wowzas - i am speechless. and very jealous. :)kiss my spatulahttp://kissmyspatula.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667271330300336985.post-53887422699927822232009-05-31T12:56:21.676-07:002009-05-31T12:56:21.676-07:00All of my comments are the same for your posts. T...All of my comments are the same for your posts. They go something like this:<br /><br />"OMG! So beautiful! So expensive! I want that!"<br /><br />So, really, I should just start saying, "Ditto to my last comment."weezermonkeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08023289768556784443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667271330300336985.post-2553418979919103712009-05-31T10:24:45.476-07:002009-05-31T10:24:45.476-07:00Kevin:
I think I would have had trouble sleeping ...Kevin:<br /><br />I think I would have had trouble sleeping mixing all of those courses. Even though the portions were small the combinations in their entirety made me wince....foie gras, raw lamb, tapioca, tofu, chocolate, waygu beef, lobster etc.. mixed with the cocktails? I can handle a 12 course meal, but this one made me wince, IMHO. I am headed to Alinea based on your review, but I'll pass on this one. How did you feel in the morning? This would send me to a clenase for 48 hours, probably or Canyon Ranch or something.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10678677120707742749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667271330300336985.post-69208613397583599322009-05-31T09:56:54.673-07:002009-05-31T09:56:54.673-07:00Doesn't seem like much of an $800+ meal. Money wou...Doesn't seem like much of an $800+ meal. Money would have been better spent at Urasawa. lol@charging automatic 20% gratuity in a party of 2.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667271330300336985.post-75726886121870216592009-05-31T07:50:54.104-07:002009-05-31T07:50:54.104-07:00Oh, my. That looks simply above and beyond. Altho...Oh, my. That looks simply above and beyond. Although, when I saw the dining room photo I thought, "Why is Kevin giving us a picture of someone's office?" The food photos, though, make the meal look incomparable.Food, she thought.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04510492084023508648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8667271330300336985.post-15585579962252631582009-05-31T07:02:27.560-07:002009-05-31T07:02:27.560-07:00I can't stop looking at the five Trio of Sashimi p...I can't stop looking at the five Trio of Sashimi photos! At first glance I thought the soy meringue was a baby blowfish!<br /><br />And I love that L20 has tatami rooms. What a nice contrast to the elegant, modern cookery.<br /><br />Fantastic photos (as always). If your next post is MOTO, I will SCREAM with envy! (ask my husband... I screamed this morning when I saw L20!) LOL!!!MyLastBitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02355731821516764190noreply@blogger.com