P.S. If you are buying “fresh” gindara that hasn’t been frozen in Laguna, then it probably isn’t real Gindara, which is imported from the U.S. or through Japan. Note cautionary tales on how to eat Escolar without getting sick or upsetting your stomach in the second link above.

last week i returened with my friends. i was looking forward to telling chef jayme my gastronomic adventures in spain and italy. we ordered the basics and some of the the creations of chef jame. to my dismay, the food has changed. i asked for chef jayme and the server said that he has resigned. that answered my question as to why the food quality has changed. the food is still good. but somehow it isn’t the same. staff is still corteous and service has improved. i hope that the new chef or who ever is in charge will follow what chef jayme has begun or even surpas what he has made in terms of creating dishes.

i wonder what chef hayme is up to. but i sure can’t wait to try his cooking again.

i think maket man is right about what hes said…..

https://goodfoodonkcrw.vox.com/library/post/rip-gourmet-magazine-backyard-farms-top-chef-tomato-leaves.html

and

https://goodfoodonkcrw.vox.com/library/post/a-death-in-the-family-gourmet-magazine.html

I rely to some extent on reviewers whose tastes are similar to my own (which of course takes some time to figure out)…this goes for both food and wine. Nowadays I will buy a case of wine untasted on the recommendation of a certain friend of mine who is in the wine/food industry, but that is based on years of experience. On the other hand, I recall an allegedly professional restaurant reviewer whose tastes I could never trust if this person was reviewing anything even faintly “exotic” (Japanese, Thai, even Spanish food)…it was beyond my comprehension how this person ever got the job when this person admitted to disliking raw fish or meat, could not tolerate heat (spiciness), and didn’t drink anything except white wine.

On a similar note, there is a lot of chatter going on about the recent demise of Gourmet magazine. I was crushed to hear of it, as I am a third-generation subscriber (my grandmother subscribed way back at the beginning). Conde Nast has decided to keep Bon Appetit but to close down Gourmet, and I think that is telling. What a shame…while there are aspects of the “old” Gourmet I liked, as well as aspects of the “new” Gourmet, there have always been contributions from good writers and challenges to the serious cook. I read comments from some that Gourmet never had recipes they would cook, or focussed too much on expensive/hard to get ingredients, but I did not find that to be true…some of my staple recipes are from Gourmet and many are based on pretty everyday ingredients. But I guess there are those who prefer Bon Appetit to Gourmet (I am not one of them).

PS
If you have not read the books on the creativity process and food and reviewing by Dornenburg and Page (Culinary Artistry, Becoming a Chef, Dining Out), I highly recommend them. It is especially interesting from the viewpoint of American restaurants right now.