260047 Fri Apr 06 11:49:29 -0700 2001 10 26 International 0 1374442 Here's a link from today's Guardian to a good piece on El Bulli and the weird and wonderful things they do there. All of a sudden the comments made about The Fat Duck and Blumenthal make more sense to me. Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,469186,00.html Fri Apr 06 11:49:29 -0700 2001 0 Jon Mitchell 1 1374443 Nice piece. The last sentence is a blinder! Fri Apr 06 11:58:08 -0700 2001 1374442 0 Paul Davies 1 1374444 Meanwhile, back in the real world, anyone anyone know a restaurant that serves a decent Roast Chicken ? Somehow I have a problem with aerosols of wine and microwaves for cooking scratchings, why not roast a joint of belly pork and have the best of all worlds, with some spinach and roast spuds maybe ? Oh, and I'll take my wine in a glass please. And another thing, is it realy possible to encapsulate the cuisine of Thialand or Mexico in a mouthfull ? Of course Picasso was a genius, did he really cover the entire human condition in any one of his paintings ? If this is the cutting edge, count me out ! Fri Apr 06 12:47:10 -0700 2001 1374442 0 Phil Laurie 2 1374447 We had one of the most exceptional dining experiences of my life when we managed to finally find El Bulli (it is nearly impossible to find the road without a local guiding you)several years ago. Our table was overlooking an exquisite small bay..golden sand and the bluest water I think I've seen. It was an exceptional afternoon and we devoted what turned out to be 5 hours to experiencing Adria's sense of food. We felt like children as we waited for the next dish to arrive. All of our senses were stimulated that afternoon. We moved from one marvel to another. What astonished me is that we never once thought we were eating "plastic food"...nothing seemed to be unpleasantly contrived. I didn't want the experience to end. And we left totally exhilerated and satisfied. I cannot wait to return. Yet, I will say that I would not want this to be the new way of dining. It is a most cerebral way of looking at food and very few chefs will ever be able to pull it off well. In no way does Adria's vision include a world without that fabulous pork roast that someone just mentioned. But, as someone who has seen waves of trends in food over the decades I will say that Adria is in a place by himself. And I shall be forever grateful that dear friends encouraged us to go there. Especially when we did...before the flood of articles at least in the US. I also have to add that the young staff was perfectly trained, managing to also be relaxed and welcoming. Fri Apr 06 16:18:04 -0700 2001 1374444 0 Linda Griffith 3 1374449 "very few chefs will ever be able to pull it off well" The absolute heart of the matter. I haven't eaten at El Bulli and it's highly unlikely that I will get the chance. However, from what I have read, Adria's set up is unique, and something that cannot be simply replicated in the standard kitchen. Your average UK chef might try to appropriate the ideas and bung a few jellies on his menu, but all that will achieve is the dreadful kiwi fruit and raspberry vinegar with everything mess that nouvelle cuisine eventually degenerated into. Fri Apr 06 17:40:31 -0700 2001 1374447 0 Andy Lynes 4 1374454 No doubt the food at El Bulli is absolutely fabulous and provides a unique experience, but its the TV shows, the Hotel Restaurants ( surely that says it all ! ) and liscenced products mentioned in the article which should be ringing alarm bells. I've eaten three times at St Johns in Smithfield, and before that at the French House in Soho, and would offer the back to basics, quality at every step, eating bits we've forgotten about as a better future. And the cookbook ain't bad either. Sat Apr 07 07:31:22 -0700 2001 1374449 0 Phil Laurie 2 1375019 I guess you have not eaten at El Bulli. First of all, the place is a temple devoted to the worship of food in all forms. The atmosphere is divine -- not like any other restaurant I have ever experienced. We sat out on a terrace by the sea, listening to water crash against the shore, while waiters treated us so well, we had to laugh. The food, by the way, is weird. It's meant to be. There are things (like barnacles) I'd rather not eat again, but, all of the food transformed into candy blew my mind. The little snacks we ate when first seated were so intense they could only be the result of a scientist's passionate work. (Dried corn and powdered tomatoes were sooo good.) And, despite the strangeness, no one there was snooty or pretentious. They want you to come into the kitchen and look around. One guy took the time (on the chef's request) to show us how they came up with pulverized ice cream -- the machine was defective!). You my dear, are no foodie. El Bulli is THE place to sample what's new in the food world. Roast chicken is great, but comfort food is just that -- comfortable. Not challenging to your palate or your mind. Chef Ferran Adria is pushing people to think when we eat which is a great, and delicious, exercise if you get the lucky chance to experience it. Sat Jun 09 14:06:50 -0700 2001 1374444 0 Stephanie 3 1375168 Hi....My husband and I are leaving for Barcelona in one week and we have been offered an opportunity to eat at El Bulli (my husband is a chef and a fellow chef actually knows Chef Adria -- hence, the open invitation to dine). My question -- how do we get there from Barcelona? We will not have a rental car and I understand the restaurant is at least an hour and a half from Barcelona. Any suggestions?? Thu Oct 30 16:18:06 -0800 2003 1375019 0 Laura 4 1375169 A couple of things. First are you "sure" you will actually eat at El Bulli. It's now closed for the season, and in the off-season Ferran Adria is based in Barcelona, and has a lab there (not sure if there are dining facilities). If it is, indeed, El Bulli then access is VERY difficult. It's a 30-45 minute taxi ride from Rozes (the closest town) and you have to get to Rozes as well. I think there's a train - but winter schedule will not be frequent. If you do rent a car, you might want to make a day of it and take in Figueres, the site of the Salvador Dali museum which is 20-30 minutes from Rozes. Driving from Barcelona to Figueres (where we stayed) took about 90 minutes (and an extra hour returning because of a traffic accident). Thu Oct 30 19:48:08 -0800 2003 1375168 0 estufarian 1 1374448 Thankyou for posting the link about the extraordinary Ferran Adria at El Bulli, the restaurant world's Frank Zappa, and creator of some of the most memorable, if confounding meals, I have ever eaten. Thanks, also, for pointing out the connection between Heston Blumenthal at the Fat Duck (turbot candy-floss and five course ice cream meals served in cornets made out of bacon, etc. etc.) Blumenthal is the provincial in the modern art gallery who on seeing a Mark Rothko or Jackson Pollock canvas remarks; -"I could do that". The difference is that Blumenthal actually does. Badly, stupidly and sadly, because the result contains nothing of himself apart from his cynicism. I know I've been harping on about this ad nauseum, but I still think these kind of rip-off activities are not on and should be highlighted.(If you're interested, search 'Fat Duck' on the Chowhound home-page search engine.). Chowhound users are all potential El Bulli customers, as are they potential Fat Duck customers and if the press can't be relied on to keep them informed as to whether or not they are getting the genuine article, then somebody should. Sadly when a respectable British newspaper finally gets around to sending a writer to El Bulli they make the curious choice to send an art critic. Consequently the article will only be read by a few thousands, little of whom will make the culinary connection between the remarkable El Bulli and the sham Fat Duck . I wonder if Matthew Fort (the same newspaper's restaurant critic, an arse-kisser and out and out Blumenthal lover) has read the article, I wonder also if it will change his opinion, or is this one gravy train that is completely out of control? Fri Apr 06 17:19:38 -0700 2001 1374442 0 Michael Lewis 1 1374467 I'm looking for a copy of their menu? Wed Apr 11 04:15:19 -0700 2001 1374442 0 Christian Eckmann