QOTD: best seafood dinner ever (this coming from a meat lover), Caruso’s, Sorrento, Italy. Absolutely sublime.

QOTD- Best ever meal… One time my Mom made crock-pot spaghetti (sauce is simmered for 6-10 hours) for my wife and I when we visited her a few years ago. After being away from home for several years, this meal absolutely rocked! My only regret… I wasn’t into wine then, so this meal would have been awesome with even a cheap-ass wine! I sense another trip to visit is overdue just for the homecooked meal alone (with family and friends)!

QOTD- Best ever meal… One time my Mom made crock-pot spaghetti (sauce is simmered for 6-10 hours) for my wife and I when we visited her a few years ago. After being away from home for several years, this meal absolutely rocked! My only regret… I wasn’t into wine then, so this meal would have been awesome with even a cheap-ass wine! I sense another trip to visit is overdue just for the homecooked meal alone (with family and friends)!

Most people can’t remember what they ate for lunch yesterday, let a year ago, or even 10 years ago for that matter… but when he asked the question, I immediately thought of the curry I had on a banana leaf in Malaysia 36 years ago in an Indian restaurant in Malaysia when I was bumming around the world It was in 1971 and I was just 25 years old, doing the ‘Hippie’ thing in Asia.

The meal was served on a Banana leaf, not on plates… the piece of banana leaf was about a 12″ wide and 18″ long I guess. The waiters brought out pots of food and condiments and scooped them directly onto the banana leaf. No plates, bowls or utensils of any sort… you eat it with your fingers. It was just plopped onto the leaf in front of me. Amazing, I’d never seen anything like this before.

The rice was placed in the center of the leaf with the Fish and Vegetable curries plopped onto the leaf around it. The Dahls and Sambhars were arranged around the rice last. This is Southern Indian cuisine at its best. Lastly they served up Dosa’sAppam and Idli which is great for soaking up the Sambhah’s.

After hitch-hiking throughout Malaysia and Thailand I traveled across Northern India, trekked in Nepal, then bussed it through Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey then on into Europe. I’m now 60 years old and I can honestly say that the Banana Leaf Rice meal I ate that day in Malaysia almost 37 years ago was the greatest meal I’ve ever eaten in my life.

Most people can’t remember what they ate for lunch yesterday, let a year ago, or even 10 years ago for that matter… but when he asked the question, I immediately thought of the curry I had on a banana leaf in Malaysia 36 years ago in an Indian restaurant in Malaysia when I was bumming around the world It was in 1971 and I was just 25 years old, doing the ‘Hippie’ thing in Asia.

The meal was served on a Banana leaf, not on plates… the piece of banana leaf was about a 12″ wide and 18″ long I guess. The waiters brought out pots of food and condiments and scooped them directly onto the banana leaf. No plates, bowls or utensils of any sort… you eat it with your fingers. It was just plopped onto the leaf in front of me. Amazing, I’d never seen anything like this before.

The rice was placed in the center of the leaf with the Fish and Vegetable curries plopped onto the leaf around it. The Dahls and Sambhars were arranged around the rice last. This is Southern Indian cuisine at its best. Lastly they served up Dosa’sAppam and Idli which is great for soaking up the Sambhah’s.

After hitch-hiking throughout Malaysia and Thailand I traveled across Northern India, trekked in Nepal, then bussed it through Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey then on into Europe. I’m now 60 years old and I can honestly say that the Banana Leaf Rice meal I ate that day in Malaysia almost 37 years ago was the greatest meal I’ve ever eaten in my life.

About twenty years ago at friends Scott/Louise wedding reception on a perfectly blue summer day in the backyard of a Kennebunkport, Maine restaurant on a point jutting into the Atlantic.

First off, an eight ft long cart with two sloped sides packed with shaved ice. Covered top to bottom with oysters, mussels, clams, crab legs, lobster tail rounds etc. Where the sides met at the top was a HUGE bowl of cocktail sauce and lemon wedges that cascaded down onto the seafood.

Then herb-crusted salmon and cut to order melt-in-your-mouth beef tenderloin. Fresh veggies and potatoes Lyonaisse. I know there was wine, but I can’t remember what. Hey, I’ve got an excuse here!

I’ve had some great dinners since then, but not as great and memorable at the same time.

PS. They’re still married.

QOTD: Perfectly crisp duck breast in a black cherry sauce. Some of the cherries were mixed in with the mashed potatoes and all was served with fresh crisp green beans with almond slivers. All was enjoyed with a very nice cabernet sauvignon. The wine was perfect with the slightly tart cherry sauce.

Greatest meal ever: Last holiday season we had some roasted eggplant parmesan at the dinner table. On the side, there were fresh green beans, roasted vegetables, and pesto on some baguette. It was absolutely mouthwatering and delicious.

P.S. I’m no longer a lurker!

Great show today! By the way, we couldn’t figure out how to put the widgit on the website… we will try again now! 🙂 QOTD best meal EVER consists of the most recent steak and shoestring fries meal I have… it updates to be the BEST EVER each time!

Great show today! By the way, we couldn’t figure out how to put the widgit on the website… we will try again now! 🙂 QOTD best meal EVER consists of the most recent steak and shoestring fries meal I have… it updates to be the BEST EVER each time!

Lutece when Andre Soltner was still the chef.
Great food with fantastic Raspberry Souffle that I still remember the flavors till today.
This was when I was still in High School and saved to go with a like-minded friend.

Great Episode, so many styles of wine in the far corners of France!

QOTD: best meal ever i think its a teriyaki goie grass wraped in some strange lettu
great show today gary!! good question of the day!!

Thanks Gary for the show and I believe you are 100% correct: the best part about drinking wine is the people we share it with and the experiences we have while drinking wine.

QOTD:
The meal that was most memorable for me was the one me and my wife shared on our wedding day. Texas style steak and potatoes, together with Franciscan Cab.

QOD: Mother’s Day dinner at Cyrus in Healdsburg, Russian River Valley, CA

We had heard that this place has been considered a rival of the French Laundry in Napa so we decided to give it a try. It’s very close to the Plaza in the center of town and we were able to enjoy strolling there from our hotel.

We brought a bottle of wine with us and were ready to pay the $35 corkage when Mrs Monrovino suggested we be gastronomically daring, break free of the yoke of fiscal responsibility and go for the Chef’s Tasting Menu and Grand Tasting Wine Pairing. They corked up our bottle, put it in a nice to go bag and brought us the following:

Canapes
(Accompanied by the Caviar and Champagne cart)
~

Amuse Bouche
(4 spicy little 1/2 inch meatballs with different sauces)
~

Course One
“Steak and Eggs”, Wagyu Steak and Lobster Tartare with Horseradish Creme Fraiche, and Caviar
Champagne Krug “Grand Cuvee”, Reims, France
~

Course Two
Chorizo Crusted Scallop, Mirepoix and Manila Clams
Puligny-Montrachet, Henri Boillet “1ER Cru Caillerets”, France 2003
~

Course Three
Rabbit Loin with Spring Onions and Porcini Mushrooms, Stuffed Baby Artichoke, Sherry Jus
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Chateau Beaucastel, France 1996
~

Course Four
Foie Gras with Braised Duck Cannelloni and Green Garlic Moscato Sauce
Rioja Gran Reserva, Muga “Prado Enea”, Spain 1998
~

Course Five
Veal with Morel Mushrooms, White Asparagus and Crispy Sweetbreads
Pinot Noir, Williams Selyem, Russian River Valley 2005
~

Course Six
A Selection of Artisanal and Farmhouse Cheeses with Complementing Breads and Fruits
(The “cheese tease” came by with her cart overflowing with a couple dozen delectable cheeses for us to gather onto our plates. My particular favorite is called “Minuet”, made by a little cheesemaker in Petaluma)
~

Course Seven
Rice Cream Sandwich with Yamamomo Gelee, Tapioca, and Hibiscus Chips
Sauternes, Château d’Yquem, Bordeaux France 1997
&
Caramel Soup with Kettle Corn Sorbet and Chocolate Filigree
Boal Madeira, D’Oliveiras 1968
~

Mignardises (little chocolates. Much like in Monty Python’s “Meaning of Life” if you catch my drift)

Although we may never revisit some of these delicacies, we savored the experience, got to expand our horizons and try some heavenly wines that we must now acquire.

Cyrus’ regular menu http://www.cyrusrestaurant.com/menu_dinner.pdf is also full of fantastic food that we saw paraded by our table throughout the evening.

We will definitely return!

QOTD: Well, this is a bit weird and sounds tacky but I remember about 8 years ago having a spectacular meal at the French restaurant in the Epcot Pavilion at Disneyworld! Les Chefs de France I guess… magnifique… the creme brulee for dessert was ridiculous, with raspberries and chocolate. I would have had a Sauternes to go with if I had known better at the time too. Some day will actually go to France :-).

QOTD: I unintentionally invited myself to my friend’s birthday dinner at a family owned Italian restaurant where I had the best Bruschetta I’ve ever had, and ravioli san remo, followed by tiramisu. mmmmm….

Great show W L TV rocks

Hey, even if my palate is a little different, 24 dollars for a 95 point wine, I have to try it.

QOTD: Overall experience, my husband and I had a blast and could not stop raving about the food and wine at the Artichoke Cafe in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is not the fancist place in town, but we loved it. As for ambiance, a privet room in the Shamish Lodge overlooking Snoqualmie Falls in Washington was great, though the food was not quite as amazing. Also, highly recommend the Culianary Institute of America in Newbough, NY, especially the Italian restrauant, for great value gourmet. Ooops, that’s three 🙂

Hey, even if my palate is a little different, 24 dollars for a 95 point wine, I have to try it.

QOTD: Overall experience, my husband and I had a blast and could not stop raving about the food and wine at the Artichoke Cafe in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is not the fancist place in town, but we loved it. As for ambiance, a privet room in the Shamish Lodge overlooking Snoqualmie Falls in Washington was great, though the food was not quite as amazing. Also, highly recommend the Culianary Institute of America in Newbough, NY, especially the Italian restrauant, for great value gourmet. Ooops, that’s three 🙂

Wow 95 points and 24 bones that sounds like a deal to me great finish on the show, much like the Saint Jean Du Barroux had 2-3 minute finish.
QOTD The best meal i had was monday August 20th 2007, It was at L’etoile in Edgartown MA, I had the chef’s tasting menu we had 7 courses we throughly enjoyed the ambiance and food for probably 4 or 5 hours. The highlights would be the spice crusted foie gras, beat salad, etuvee of lobster and the duck breast!!!

QOTD: Seared butterfish with the St. Supery Virtu Sauvignon Blanc-Semmilon meritage at Papaya in Buffalo NY

QOTD: Duck Confit with Leatherwood honey glaze at Passionfish in Pacific Grove CA. Fabulous restaurant – great food and no corkage fee.

QOTD: Tough to pick just one, but I’d have to say a filet mignon stuffed with blue cheese alongside garlic mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus all cooked to perfection.

QOTD: Tough to pick just one, but I’d have to say a filet mignon stuffed with blue cheese alongside garlic mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus all cooked to perfection.

QOTD… Mid-summer seafood orgy with steamers, shrimp, and crab legs, with a cheap-ass California Sauvignon Blanc…