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ruffers Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Michael Palaeologus Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > The reviewer has accurately described the

> current

> > iteration of the East Dulwich Forum. See

> above..

>

> Absolutely - especially the "Sun Tzu?s Art of War

> of advanced passive-aggressive techniques" bit


It takes one to know one, I suppose.

pilsbury Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> jesus i think he is trying (and failing) to be the

> next AA Gill. definitely want to visit la BB soon

> to show my support!



AA Gill described the welsh once.


"Loquacious, dissemblers, immoral liars, stunted, bigoted, dark, ugly, pugnacious

little trolls"


Anyone following in his footsteps needs to go some.

Louisa Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> They're basically slugs that happen to have a

> home.

>

> Louisa.


Yes.. and who would eat Slugs..? Even with Hot Garlic Butter.. :)


Most restaurants if not all do not call them 'Snails' They refer to them as Escargot" so it sounds posh.


.. and justifies places charging 2 quid each for them. ( not quoting La B.B price)


Foxy

DulwichFox Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Louisa Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > They're basically slugs that happen to have a

> > home.

> >

> > Louisa.

>

> Yes.. and who would eat Slugs..? Even with Hot

> Garlic Butter.. :)

>

> Most restaurants if not all do not call them

> 'Snails' They refer to them as Escargot" so it

> sounds posh.

>

> .. and justifies places charging 2 quid each for

> them. ( not quoting La B.B price)

>

> Foxy



How do they source these snails I wonder? Are they specifically bred for consumption? It would be terrible to think of someone wandering around their back garden hunting the poor things down to boil up for food. ?2 per snail? Who in their right mind would pay that to eat a slug with a home.


Louisa.

"They refer to them as Escargot" so it sounds posh"


In the same way that 'Indian' restaurants refer to their wholegrain flour-based flat pan heated bread as "Chapati", to sound all exotic and cool.


Nothing to do with that actually being the term used for the item in that region.

The use of the name 'escargot', French or not, does make them sound more appetising/exotic to a native English speaker. Possibly also justifies the high end prices for them. If they just put 'snails in garlic butter' on the menu, I would argue that most folk wouldn't go near them.


Louisa.

I'm with you on them not being appetising (to me) Louisa.


But to suggest that calling them Escargot is some trickery to get more "folk" to buy them and charge a higher price is ridiculous.


I like frogs legs, but got tricked into buying toad-in-the-hole the other day. Thought it would be a meatier, larger version with a twist for my more discerning taste. Turns out it was just awful.

In Brixton Market there are occasionally giant snails that look good for a family of eight to all have a decent slice each. In trying to find a picture I discovered the pet snails forum where somebody is considering rescuing some of them.


Who knew?


http://petsnails.proboards.com/thread/8823/brixton-market

Louisa Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The use of the name 'escargot', French or not,

> does make them sound more appetising/exotic to a

> native English speaker. Possibly also justifies

> the high end prices for them. If they just put

> 'snails in garlic butter' on the menu, I would

> argue that most folk wouldn't go near them.

>

> Louisa.


By the same token then they're charging higher prices for confit de canard, or cassoulet, because they use the French names?


And the various Indian places are doing the same by using korma, tikka and jalfrezi?

Tbf JoeLeg the other French dishes you refer, especially Duck Confit, are justifiably more expensive because of the ingredients being used. Can't compare them to snails.


The Indian dishes are not overpriced for the most part, so that isn't really a valid comparison in this context.


Louisa

> How do they source these snails I wonder? Are they

> specifically bred for consumption? It would be

> terrible to think of someone wandering around

> their back garden hunting the poor things down to

> boil up for food. ?2 per snail? Who in their right

> mind would pay that to eat a slug with a home.

>

> Louisa.


I would be surprised if they weren't sourced from a farm. I am pretty sure that not all snails are edible, and, at least in some regions, certain snails are protected species.


I don't see what is disgusting about them. Its no different than eating shellfish (Moxon's has pretty tasty sea snails). I wouldn't cook snails at home; so, I am glad its on the menu.


Anyways, I ate at La Bonne Bouffe a few Sunday's ago and I thought it was a welcome addition to the restaurants in ED. Very nice local restaurant.

Louisa Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Tbf JoeLeg the other French dishes you refer,

> especially Duck Confit, are justifiably more

> expensive because of the ingredients being used.

> Can't compare them to snails.

>

> The Indian dishes are not overpriced for the most

> part, so that isn't really a valid comparison in

> this context.

>

> Louisa


No, it's a completely valid comparison.


You're saying that they use the French term for snails to increase sales.

I'm pointing out that they use French terms all over the menu.

And that other restaurants do the same with their own ethnic food.


It's got nothing to do with price. It's how they write the menu.


Plus can you quote me wholesale prices for snails? Do you know how much the dish costs before a 65-70% GP has been applied? If you think it's ok to use a French term for duck slow cooked in duck fat, because it's more expensive, can you tell me the wholesale cost and GP margin on confit de canard, and show me why that's justified to use the French name but snails should not?

The word escargot loosely means 'Edible Snail' and despite the French name it is not particularly French.


Escargots are usually served as a starter in Portugal, Spain and in France, and are a typical dish in the Catalan region of Spain.. and now in East Dulwich..


Perhaps eating Snails makes some people feel a little bit more continental... European..


And before K.K. or the like asks..


I do not eat Indian.. Bangladeshi.. Pakistani food to make me feel more Asian..


If I want to feel more Asian, I eat Turkish food. :)


Fox




DulwichFox

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