Restaurant Books

Great reference book. I have been in the foodservice business for years and I learned a few things from reading this book.

As a professional health facilities planner, I was in need of a definative reference on planning institutional kitchens and cafeterias. This book is particularly informative and exceeded my expectations.

I like the fact that this book discusses how to make the design and layout of a facility function in its favor. As I read it, it continues to remind me that a lot of thought has to be put into the environment of the facility and people within various specialties must be integrated to make everything work smoothly.

I enjoyed this book so well that I ended up giving my aunt a copy. It is informative and very interesting. Foods are described from many restaurants found all over.

This book is full of wonderful information for someone who wants to watch calories, but doesn't have the desire to go on a real diet.

This is a handy book, and in Kindle format even more so. I carry my Kindle in my bag, so this book, among others is always with me. Since I eat out a lot that is very handy. The Kindle is lighter and thinner the the print edition of the book, so this is one book that becomes more useful because it is on Kindle. It has information of grocery store products and a huge number and variety of resturants. If the resturant you go to isn't listed one with very similar is, and it isn't difficult to translate the ideas of nutritional info from resturant to the other. I do a quick look up in the car before I go in, or at the table sometimes, and I have the info for a good choice. The Kindle edition is well formatted, the graphs are big enough to read, and the links work.
One of the most pratical Kindle purchases I've made.

My name is Woodrow and I'm in this dang book. Let me tell you it's all a pack of lies. Most of the stuff Reavis wrote about me NEVER EVEN HAPPENED! Well, SOME of it may have happened, but I don't think he needs to be airing all of our dirty longjohns out in public. Doc, Wrong Willie, Jerry Wayne and all the rest of us agree Reavis needs some kind of therapy... and fast. And I don't mean the kind of therapy he's been getting from Charlie Daniels' brother, Jack, if you know what I mean.

Eat Gas Now by R. Wortham brings two things together that makes me giggle: first, a group of hunting buddies who enjoy each other's company probably more than hunting (it's a male bonding thing); and second, the diner that grace's any small town where local's sip coffee and trade yarns. This group reminds me of my 'lunch bunch' who just have a funny way of looking at things. I highly recommend this book.

Set aside a couple of hours and read this book non-stop. You won't have a choice because you cannot put it down until you have finished. One story just makes you hungry for another. Caution: do not attempt to read one of the stories to another person, because you will be unable to speak, having fallen into uncontrollable spasms of laughter. I tried to read one to my wife and we both fell on the floor howling.

This book appeals to outdoor persons of course, but the humor will not be lost on anyone.

Chef Tommy Ryan has been referred by many friends, associates and competitors as truly "The Czar of Yankee Cooking." After reading the book and visiting Durgin Park (as I have many times in the last 20 years) the reader will clearly see Chef Tommy Ryan has a basic principle and that is you must start with quality ingredients. Everything from the meat, fish, poultry, vegetables and deserts comes from the purveyors who sell the very best. After the Chef and his team prepare your meal it's truly a culinary masterpiece and this book gives the reader the steps to success in his/her home kitchen.

I have been going to Durgin Park for the past 40 years and it is always the same. Real down home Yankee Cooking. The food is always great and very fresh. I was told that everything is bought daily and it is obvious by the quality of the food. If you are ever in Fanuiel Hall Market Place in Boston, this is a must to go too. Also, buy the book as there are real great recipes to try and there is also the history of Durgin Park in it. You won't be sorry you did............. Enjoy

Every now and then you run across an exceptional cookbook. The Durgin-Park Cookbook is one example. It is beautifully laid out with good photos and interesting sidebars full of extra tidbits of history and anecdotes about this Boston institution.

Over the past weekend I made three recipes from this cookbook alone. The Corn Bread # 2 recipe was a real keeper. It had a light texture, was moist, and was crispy on the edges. I added my own twist by throwing in finely diced fresh chives and sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil (drained).

The chicken wings, marinated and basted with a garlic and ginger sauce, were also quite easy and tasty. As with any cookbook, I always analyze the ingredients and decide if they will be to my taste. For example, if ginger powder is called for, as in the chicken wings recipe in this book, I almost always use fresh ginger. Why not? I keep one-inch length pieces of ginger in the freezer and just take them out whenever a recipe calls for powder or fresh. It's all personal preference of course. I just happen to think ground ginger powder tastes harsh.

The Parmesan Potato Rounds recipe was also quite excellent. It is made much like a gratin, but without the heavy cream. Again, it was simple to make and tasted like it took much longer. If you like Parmigiano-Reggiano and potatoes, what's not to like about this recipe? It had a crispy crust on top and soft, perfectly cooked potatoes on the inside.

The Sterns have put together some excellent cookbooks over the years and I'd have to say that this is one of my favorites in the Roadfood series. There are recipes for entertaining as well as daily fare. Most of the ingredient lists for the recipes are easily managed without a lot of complicated chopping, dicing, measuring, etc.

Hmm, let's see, this weekend maybe I'll make the Stuffed Pork Chops and Onion Casserole or perhaps the Scalloped Tomatoes...

This is really an unusual book, the authors share their great knowledge not only about Polish food and dishes, especially the dishes which are unusual outside of Poland. They describe how Polish cuisine developed through history, they explain how to read a menu in the restaurant, how to shop for food.. and all of this information is in a very concise form - also with the dictionary of Polish "food" language, the dictionary of Polish dishes, recipes, beautiful photographs.
I recommend this book for your trip to Poland!

EAT SMART IN POLAND

Reviwed by Sharon Hudgins, author of The Other Side of Russia: A Slice of Life in Siberia and the Russian Far East

I wish I'd had a copy of Joan and David Peterson's "Eat Smart in Poland" on my trips to Poland in the early 1990s--and maybe on my last trip to Chicago, too (where there's a large Polish community and some good Polish restaurants). Reading this excellent travel guide for food lovers brought back fond memories of the Polish dishes I've eaten from Warsaw to Krakow to the American Midwest. And it made me want to eat my way around Poland again--following the authors' recommendations for "national favorites" and "regional classics" served throughout the country.

Like all the guides in the "Eat Smart" series, this book is well researched, well written, and lives up to its promise of telling you "How to Decipher the Menu, Know the Market Foods, & Embark on a Tasting Adventure." After an explanation of the historical and geographical influences on Polish cooking, the authors provide a description of Polish regional cuisines followed by more than two dozen recipes for classic dishes from appetizers and soups to main dishes and desserts. You'll definitely want to try the recipes for Bigos (Hunters' Stew) and Sernik Przekladany (Layered Cheesecake).

If all those consonants in Polish food names leave you bewildered, just turn to the two sections of the book that translate all those strange-looking terms for you. The Menu Guide is an alphabetical menu translator from Polish into English, from A to Z. The Foods & Flavors Guide is a comprehensive glossary of "foods, spices, kitchen utensils, and cooking terminology in Polish, with English translations," which you can use for shopping in open-air markets and grocery stores. (Don't miss the smoked sheep's-milk cheese from the Tatra Mountains in southern Poland.) You'll definitely want to take this book with you on your next trip to Poland--and maybe your next trip to Chicago, too! Highly recommended!

Eat Smart In Poland is "must" reading for anyone traveling in Poland for business or pleasure. The Peterson's provide the reader with a rich historical perspective on the origins and varieties of Polish food; extensive background on regional dishes, and easy-to-use menu guide to help make "surprise-free" selections from restaurant menus; a comprehensive glossary of foods and flavors; Polish phrases for ordering and buying food; handy shopping tips for outdoor food and spice markets;; and recipes to preview the taste of Poland before departure. The informative and engaging text is wonderfully illustrated throughout with "on location" color photography by the Peterson's, and with black-and-white illustrations by Susie Medaris. Eat Smart In Poland is also highly recommended for ethnic cuisine clubs, and armchair traveler kitchen cookbook collections!

I've lived in Austin for about 6 years and honestly didn't think I'd find too many new gems in this book. I was wrong!!!! I found a few of my favorite restaurants and stores, but now have a new list of places to hit. So far I haven't been disappointed and can't wait to try the guides for other cities.

This book is witty, informative & right on target. It lists all the best places to eat & shop in Austin in an appealing one-page format with tantalizing photographs. Makes you want to get out there & visit each & every place!

I love, love, love this book. As a new resident of Austin, I have no idea where to shop, eat or do anything else. And this book gives you such great ideas about what to do, where to go and what you'll find when you get there. There are so many great-looking restaurants and shops in this book. I can't wait to start exploring them. The style of writing and the photos add a lot to this great book. I highly recommend it!

If you are sick of all the Frommers, Lonely Planet Guides etc, - or you have absorbed all they have to give you, have a look at this gorgeous little guide. Great photos, brief but informative and personal narrative. I have been to Paris several times, but plan to take this guide with me next time - just to find those little shops that you might not go into without a nudge, and actually ALL of the cafes look good!!

Beautiful photography, concise writing, enticing descriptions---I already have the basic travel guides telling me how to exchange money and get around on the train, this guide tells what to do to have a truly Parisian experience. If you love locally owned restaurants and boutiques, this is like pornography. Absolutely yummy.

On a recent trip to Paris, this was the only "guide book" my husband and I used...and each recommendation was a pleasant surprise. Unique locations in each arrondissement and a variety of meal options from traditional French dinners to low-key drinks. The shops were unique and interesting as well. This book fills a void for those looking for something off the beaten track and with a strong dose of French flair. I will highly recommend this book to my friends traveling to Paris!

I simply happen to like common Japanese cuisine (especially sashimi). But, growing up in rural Minnesota, I had no idea how to explore a sushi bar properly. I was lucky enough to find a copy of this book.

I may never need the maps, but the color illustrations & descriptions of the foods are extremely useful, & will help an "gaijin" who wants to explore the cuisine, no matter where you happen to find yourself.

This is a great book for travelers to the Far East. If you are there for the first or fifth time this book will help guide in the various dishes that are offered. It has pictures and brief discriptions ....it is pocket/back pack size and I felt truly valuable!!

Reading "Eating Cheap in Japan" is an excellent way to broaden one's culinary horizons. It contains mouthwatering pictures and descriptions of many of the inexpensive and delicious foods to be found in that exotic country, as well as the types of restaurants in which to find them. While in Japan, I recommend keeping this book on your person at all times, much like you would your passport. Indeed, it is a passport--a passport to a land of gastronomic delights.

This book is informative in every sense of the way. Doing a project for French class first made me look to this book but, the author opens you up to a totally different world. If you are looking to go to France or even if you would like to enhance your knowlege of the country I greatly recomend it.

This book is informative in every sense of the way. Doing a project for French class first made me look to this book but, the author opens you up to a totally different world. If you are looking to go to France or even if you would like to enhance your knowlege of the country I greatly recomend it.

This book is NOT a listing of restaurants... It's much better than that! It is a region-by-region guide to the gastronomic specialties of France. I particularly liked the format which provides a general overview for province or region, then proceeds to list specifics in a series of box-type menus, followed by personal anecdotes. The best seasons to buy, local market days, suggestions for ordering, pitfalls to avoid... they're all included here. A most entertaining and interesting sourcebook, it's well worth taking with you on a voyage to 'la belle France.'

I agree with you on the Elsah Landing restaurant. I drove hundreds of miles to go there for lunch and was never disappointed. Try the California Strawberry Pie with peaches and blueberries (together) if is to die for. I have the first cookbook (although tattered and torn from use) but I would love to find the second cookbook that they published. Can anyone help me on this one? This is another part of my past that I miss so much and wish they were still in business.

If you've ever wanted to have fail-safe recipes for home-made soup, bread, and pies, this is the cookbook to own. The banana chocolate chip bread is requested by my daughter in college for care packages as "the taste I can never forget." It makes a wonderful wedding present or gift to a cook who thinks she already has everything

I remember going to "The Landing" for Sunday suppers while in college just up the hill in Elsah. I can't put into words how good the food was! Imagine how excited I was to be able to bring the desserts, breads and meals home to California with this cookbook. I make the desserts and breads constantly, both for home and gifts. People can never get enough of the Banana Chocolate Chip Bread or the California Strawberry Pie. Sometimes the ingredients are hard to find, but the results are worth any effort you have to make. This is a staple for any good cook's kitchen.