Menu for Dulwich Fox....

[david_carnell]

I think you have to head to Japan for the most absurdly expensive restaurants.

There are set menus north of ?1k and the wagyu beef things always goes to bonkers prices.

[Jeremy]

You can get wagyu in Japan for affordable-ish prices, but once you get to the top grades you'll be paying over ?100 for a teeny tiny steak. Ridiculous. I think it's as much a prestige/status thing as anything.

Suddenly I'm reminded of four watermelons I saw on display in a Japanese supermarket. Something like ?5, ?25, ?50, ?100. The difference? The pattern on the rind, which is apparently indicative of sugar content.

[david_carnell]

Was one of them square? They go for a lot of money.

[Jeremy]

Not seen any square ones, but certainly heard of them! Like with the wagyu (and also the most expensive tuna, etc), to us it seems like pointless pursuit of perfection at obscene cost. It will barely taste any different.

[Seabag]

Try Beast for a good ol' spend up

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/oct/19/beast-restaurant-review-jay-rayner

[Jeremy]

TBH I wouldn't have a problem paying ?75ph at Beast for a special occasion. But apparently things start getting really silly with the drinks

http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/restaurants/grace-dent-reviews-beast-9490877.html

2 cocktails ?29

Water ?14

2 Diet Cokes ?14

1 bottle of wine ?55

[Otta]

Ah, so it's not just a chicken then.

When I read about stuff like this I'm glad I'm not a foody person. I just have no interest in food except when You need to eat to keep me going.

I used to really enjoy cooking but don't have the time now. And eating out as an experience (food aside) is something I've never enjoyed. And that is a regret, but I'm just a bit weird.

[david_carnell]

How did you enjoy cooking if you don't enjoy eating?

[david_carnell]

And this place does "just a chicken" for 85Euros!

http://johnrieber.com/2013/04/20/chez-lami-louis-love-this-125-paris-chicken-garlic-potato-cake-rocks-too/

['bout now]

http://www.the-araki.com

['bout now]

And I particularly liked Jay Rayner's review of Beast.

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/oct/19/beast-restaurant-review-jay-rayner

[DulwichFox]

http://i.guim.co.uk/static/w-700/h--/q-95/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/10/14/1413295658692/Long-communal-tables-with-004.jpg

Beast

Is that where thye filmed Oliver. ??

DulwichFox

[Otta]

david_carnell Wrote:

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

> How did you enjoy cooking if you don't enjoy

> eating?

I don't not enjoy eating, I like what I like (not all fast food) and I used to enjoy cooking what I like.

But could.never be bothered cooking weird and "wonderful" things like 5 chickens inside an ostrich inside an aardvark.

What I don't enjoy is eating out. I just sit there itching to leave.

[Sue]

david_carnell Wrote:

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

> The Actress refused to serve me a medium-rare

> burger the other night.

>

> Tells you all you need to know about the quality

> of their meat and confidence in freshness.

Please tell me where you can get a rare/medium-rare burger round here, because I've never found one.

Even if they accept the order, it always turns up well done :(

ETA: Apologies, just seen the posts above. But even so, I've given up the attempt to get a less than well done burger in East Dulwich :(

[KidKruger]

"Please tell me where you can get a rare/medium-rare burger round here, because I've never found one. "

Try the GE.

I was there on Wed last week, asked for the burger to be medium (it's only the last year they seem to have chilled on you asking for medium rare actually).

Burger came back rare. Had to ask for it to be cooked-on.

[Louisa]

Can anyone tell me where to get a decent fillet steak around here now? I always prefer it blue but very few places will cook a fillet blue.

Louisa.

[david_carnell]

Joanna's in Crystal Palace

[spark67]

david_carnell Wrote:

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

> aquarius moon Wrote:

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

> -----

> > david_carnell Wrote:

> >

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

>

> > -----

> > > The Actress refused to serve me a medium-rare

> > > burger the other night.

> >

> > I don't think they are allowed to serve burgers

> > med-rare for health/safety reasons. At least

> that

> > was the case a few years ago somewhere else.

> > Burgers were always cooked well-done

> regardless.

>

> I've never believed this. It just seems a simple

> get-out for restaurants who are risk-averse.

>

> How do some places get away with it and others

> claim they can't? Seems like the usual H&S

> scaremongering without any facts to back it up.

I've worked in catering as a chef for nearly 28yrs, done numerous health and safety courses and food safety courses over the years, intermediate, and a full time two year RIPPH course at Thames valley university, and this has never come up as a policy of law regarding burgers, beef is one of those foods that can be served rare in the case of joints and steaks as bacteria are not present in high numbers in the inside of beef tissue, mainly due to its high density and lack of oxygen. Any bacteria present is usually on the outside exposed to air. hence the need for searing on a high temperature on the outside before serving. steak tartare is served straight after the meat is trimmed of the outside surface then minced. Burger mince on the other hand is not served straight after mincing and being made into patties, if the beef is not trimmed before mincing, you can get the mixing external bacteria through out the mince. (see also unclean mincers)

If the burgers are made fresh that morning and kept below 5c then there should be no problems as long as the burger is sealed on the outside to kill off any bacteria that may have settled on the surface. There are no FSA rules against serving raw beef products as long as general health and hygiene food practices are adhered to, but this is under review due to the rising popularity of rare gourmet burgers, and a report is due out this year I think, with new possible guidelines. So I guess at the moment it's more a case of over caution on the part of some restaurants or councils in fear of litigation should anything go wrong, a more of a better safe than sorry policy.

I've worked all over the city, west London, and north London, and haven't yet worked in a restaurant where rare burgers have been banned... yet.

[Jeremy]

I'm not sure it's over caution on the part of the restaurant... more likely that the burgers are not freshly made, so they know it's not safe.

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

Gourmet Burger Kitchen will do your burgers to order . I like mine well cooked however .

david_carnell Wrote:

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

> aquarius moon Wrote:

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

> -----

> > david_carnell Wrote:

> >

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

>

> > -----

> > > The Actress refused to serve me a medium-rare

> > > burger the other night.

> >

> > I don't think they are allowed to serve burgers

> > med-rare for health/safety reasons. At least

> that

> > was the case a few years ago somewhere else.

> > Burgers were always cooked well-done

> regardless.

>

> I've never believed this. It just seems a simple

> get-out for restaurants who are risk-averse.

>

> How do some places get away with it and others

> claim they can't? Seems like the usual H&S

> scaremongering without any facts to back it up.

[david_carnell]

If I ate at GBK I would too.

It's a putty of meat masquerading as a burger whilst hiding under a multitude of ingredients that belong nowhere near burgers!

Pineapple FFS?!

[Otta]

I do like their lamb burger with hummus and stuff.

But I believe GBK will only do well done or medium, don't think they do rare (this is based on.memory of comments on this very forum, not personal experience).

But if you have a burger rare doesn't it all just get soggy with blood? I love a bloody steak, but soggy buns sound grim.

[david_carnell]

You get juice certainly. And I like it when some runs down my hands whilst eating.

But a good burger bun should be able to soak up the juice and not dissolve into a soggy mess.

[Otta]

david_carnell Wrote:

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

> And I like it when some

> runs down my hands whilst eating.

See I'm a bit OCD, and that is my worst nightmare (well it's not, but you know what I mean). Can't stand any sauce getting on my hands, let alone juices.

[aquarius moon]

Please!

I'm starting to feel sick now!