Any wars in your house this week? What is more important to you when you eat at a restaurant, service or food? Can a good desert overcome a bad meal? Changing from food to relationships can a great apology and a good gift overcome a significant other kissing someone else? Or is getting down on your knees and begging for forgiveness more appropriate? These are guestions that came to mind as I watched this week's Top Chef. And questions that I would love for you to answer! Your input and getting to know you a bit better is always cherished by me.
Lots of life's lessons on Top Chef this week. You can be the best at what you do but when they are choosing up teams personality will matter more than ability. Sometimes the teammate that nobody likes will save your butt. If you lay on a couch with a member of the opposite sex for most the night something most likely will happen. Great service can cover up less than stellar quality. Sometimes as a leader you have to recognize that your best place may not be out front but out of the public eye. Fish is better cooked but raw fish doesn't always mean you are going home on Top Chef.
The guest judge for restaurant wars was restaurateur Steven Starr owner of several restaurants including Morimoto and Biddakan in New York. The Quickfire Challenge for the Restaurant War episode of Top Chef was for the chefs to create one dish to showcase to an investor looking at investing in a prospective restaurant. For the first time all season the winner of the Quickfire challenge did not receive immunity from elimination. The winning dishes for the Quickfire Challenge were Leah's tempura poussin with dashi soy sauce and rice wine vinegar and Radhika's pan seared cod, butter braised corn, spinach, chqrizo with cream sauce.
As the winners of the challenge Radhika and Leah got to choose the teams to help them open their restaurant. Radhika chose first and chose Jamie. Leah then chose Hosea. Radhika went for Carla, Leah chose Fabio, Radhika chose Jeff, and the best chef on the show, Stefan, was chosen last by Leah. Stefan has pretty much alienated everyone on the show and nobody really wants to work with him unless they have to.
The night before the big openings. Hosea and Leah, both with significant others at home, after laying on a couch for over two hours were seen kissing. The next day on the day of the restaurant wars both expressed regret and found it stressful to work with each other. In my humble opinion the best way not to get burned is not to play with fire. I pity their boyfriend and girlfriend that had to watch this unfold.
Opening Sahana (means strength) were hostess Radhika, desert expert Carla, kitchen lead Jeff, and main entree cook Jamie. Sahana's opening menu was Curried Carrot Soup, Grilled Scallop with chickpea cake, braised lamb shank, seared snapper, baklava, chocolate cake, frozen yogurts.
Opening Sunset Lounge was host Fabio, desert expert Stefan, kitchen lead Hosea, and main entree cook Leah. Sunset Lounge's opening menu was egg roll, sashimi two ways, short ribs, coconut curry bisque, seared cod, chocolate parfait, panna cotto.
Radhika turned out to be a very poor hostess, spending more time in the kitchen then in the front of the restaurant. Once she didn't notice that diners were sans silverware. Then she forgot to say goodbye to the judges. She should have made Jeff the host. As a leader she also didn't lead Carla into not serving lousy deserts. Carla sent out frozen yogurt that wasn't frozen but she sent it out "with love."
Leah didn't cook the fish. It was so un-edible that the judges sent it back and didn't ask to have it replaced. Fabio turned out to be a remarkable, charming and attentive host. Stefan served two remarkable deserts.
The restaurant war was close but by a very slim margin Sunset Lounge won over Sahana thanks to Fabio and Stefan. The winner of the restaurant challenge was the last member chosen, Stefan. It was also stated that if Sunset Lounge had lost the war, Leah would have been sent packing.
The losing team at the judges table were partially raked over the coals. Jamie and Jeff were complimented for holding up their share. Radhika was reamed for not being a leader. Carla gave the weirdest defense ever on Top Chef. Carla's defense was so way out there that I would have sent her home. The judges didn't, they sent Radhila packing.
Just wanted to note that in a poll taken and shown at the end of the show 88% of the respondents said Hosea and Leah should knock it off and keep the heat in the kitchen. I'm sure their boyfriend and girlfriend would agree! Personally, I don't think it is going to be a problem after next week since Leah is my pick to go home next.
May this be a great day for all of you!
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14 comments:
No wars in my house this week, except the usual one with myself wondering why I don't get more stuff done.
Food is more important to me than service at a restaurant, altho' bad service can make you wonder whether to come back. A good dessert cannot begin to overcome a bad meal.
Leah and Hosea are behaving like idiots. Neither wants to really have a relationship with the other, but they keep fiddling anyway. It would serve them right to go home and find the old SOs were out of the picture. They were even sillier after they KISSED. Like it was the biggest thing to ever happen and they couldn't look each other in the eye or work properly. Sheesh! Talk about immature! They should absolutely knock it off until the show's over, at least.
Carla's excuse was cringeworthy for sure. The chef's "love" doesn't make up for bad food, but she should have gotten a few points because the freezer wasn't working. I suppose a really good chef would have just done something else if that happened.
Hi Pat
I have that war almost every hour with myself, looking at what needs to be done and then ignore it.
Good service will soften the blow of a bad meal for me and great service will encourage me to give a restaurant a second chance. Also bad service can make a good meal taste bad to me..
Leah and Hosea are being foolish. They were immature. Internet rumors say Hosea and his girl friend might have broken up, not much is being said about Leah.
I would have given Carla more sympathy if she hadn't yelled at the judge.
Bill
Hi Bill. I don't watch Top Chef - but I can say that bad service isn't overcome by good food in my book. I have left many restaurants where there's been bad service and some have been really good places to eat. Customer service is really important to me if they want my business. Rudeness doesn't sit well with me.
No wars on my home front this week either. From what you say, those kissing scenes or relationships on TV just don't fly in my book. Frankly, I'm not into reality shows (except the Amazing Race)and one of the reasons is because people can act so stupid sometimes. If my significant other would have done what you said they did, I wouldn't be waiting at home when they got back there.
Disappointed that Defiance didn't get on the list of movies. Hopefully, however it will have a chance for next year.
Have a great week.
Hi Red
Believe it or not I don't really watch a lot of TV either. A couple of reality shows, one show people say is a reality show but it is really a variety show, and Friday Night Lights. The reality shows Amazing Race and Top Chef. Amazing Race I like to watch how the teams solve problems, communicate in foriegn countries, and see the locations they go to. I loved that it ended in Portland. A link to my blog entry about it was put on The Oregonian web site. Then Top Chef. I like to see what happens when competitors are put into close quarters with each other as they compete for a hundred grand. The variety show is Dancing With The Stars. I like the elegance of some of the dances.
I agree with you about bad service. You can have a great meal but if the last impression is bad service I probably won't go back.
What is your favorite restaurant in Portland? For special events I like Higgins.
If my s.o. had been seen kissing on national tv with a member of the opposite sex, it would tell me there is something missing in our relationship and I really wouldn't want to invest any more time in it.
I'm hoping DEFIANCE will get some awards this year, it does qualify for both the SAG Awards and the Golden Globes in 2009.
Bill
There is an excellent restaurant in this town that we have been to exactly twice. The food is fabulous and the service both times was abominable. I won't go again because I am so furious at the service that even fabulous food can't overcome it. (I've even written to the management--the only place that has not offered to make it up to me for their abominable service.)
(Of course, if they had the world's best creme brulee....)
I'm with Bev. What's funny is that some of those restaurants that had bad service when I was there have closed. Must tell you something.
My favorite restaurant is the restaurant at the Progress Downs Golf Course..white table cloths, candles overlooking the golf course. Great food. Higgins is just as nice and good. Usually have gone there after a theatre production - I think it's by the Schnitzer - correct?
Hi Bev
Good service will help me to give the restaurant a second chance even if the food isn't up to snuff. Really bad service will chase me away for good.
The fact that the management didn't respond to your complaints tells me the bad service at that particular restaurant starts at the top and works itself down.
It is about time the group gets together and goes to Higgins for their creme brulee again!
Bill
Hi Red
The restaurants with bad service closing speaks volumes.
The restaurant at Progress Downs is a great one, it used to be called The Stockpot and now is called something else. Been there a few times!
Higgins is close to the Schnitz. The creme brulee Bev mentioned in her message is the one Higgins served when the group was here a few years ago.
If some weekend you are looking for a good place to have breakfast on weekends try the John Street Cafe in St. Johns. The owners Jamie and Marie used to be clients of mine. Do plan on standing in line for about twenty minutes and make sure you tell Jamie that Bill Dahn sent you!
Bill
Yes Bill, it was the Stockpot that I was thinking of. Also, it isn't Higgins that I am familiar with but the Heathman (unless the restaurant is called Higgins there). I don't live on the eastside of town and rarely get there, but thanks for the breakfast place. There's also a really good one over by the Aladdin Theatre off Milwaukie and Powell and can't think of that restaurant's name either. It's on the corner and is only open for breakfast..maybe you've been there?
Hi Red
I can't really remember the last time I was in S.E. Portland either so I haven't been to the restaurant next to the Aladdin. I'll have to look it up.
St. John's is really close in
North Portland. John Street Cafe is just on the other side of the St. John's bridge not to far from where Mr. Holland's Opus was filmed!
Bill
Hi Bill - sorry about the delay in the job. Sounds as if you were looking forward to it starting.
The restaurant is near the Aladdin, opposite side of the street and down one block or so on the corner. It's painted purple. Have a great week.
Hi Red
Yes, I was kind of looking forward to starting the job. I was getting kind of bored but this will give me a little more time to knock items off my to do list.
Now you got my curiousity about the restaurant, I am going to have to adventure out sometime and cross the river to see the restaurant you are describing!
I just remembered the last time I was on the East Side, it was in August for a business lunch!
Bill
They are only open until 2 or 3 p.m. I think and like I said they pretty much only serve breakfast. One block down from the Aladdin, opposite side of the street, on corner and house is purple. If I think of the name I'll let you know. I've been there several times. I don't get over there very much either and have to make an effort to get there. That's pretty much as far into the east side as I go and haven't been there in a year or so. Hope it's still open.
Hi Red
If memory serves me right there is a car wash not far from there. I like breakfast places. So it would be worth a trip.
I used to love to go to the Hawthorne District but for some reason life has kept me away from there. Used to be some great restaurants on Hawthorne.
Bill
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