Archive for July, 2008

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Jul21

Bohanan’s Steak House - San Antonio

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Bohanan’s Steak House is located in San Antonio, Texas. I had the opportunity to dine there recently while away from home, and found a very satisfying experience. You can purchase a high-$20s steak up to the most expensive $135; there’s seafood, some old fashioned favorites (escargot), and a casual yet very professional demeanor to the service […]

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Filed in: Meat and Steaks Out-of-Town Restaurant Review

Jul21

Soy Sauce

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This past weekend I had the craving for… soy sauce. I always overdo the chili oil and soy sauce when dining at Full Kee off Horsepen Road in Richmond’s west-end. But every so often, the taste is both comforting and satisfying.

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Filed in: Asian

Jul11

Garlic Dinner

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Several colleagues and I went to a conference this past February, and while all could not make it tonight, I hosted a dinner around the theme of garlic. Having had such an excellent garlic soup at La Rêve in San Antonio, I tried my hand. I unfortunately needed more potato. 20-30 cloves roasted garlic one large sweet onion, […]

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Filed in: In the Kitchen

Jul3

Was it all a dream? La rêve

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I recently visited San Antonio, TX, and had the great opportunity to visit La Rêve, a French restaurant tucked-away on Pecan St., near the riverwalk area, downtown. Before I start, I should note that I did not read this review/exposé/article in the NY Times before co-selecting it with a colleague. Had I done so, I would […]

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Filed in: French Restaurant Review

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About Messy Cuisine

What is Messy Cuisine?

Several years ago, friends and I decided to produce our own cooking show. What might we call it? The Messy Chef was born, a moniker inspired by my own mother’s description of my abilities in the kitchen. “You might cook well, but you sure are messy.”

Messy Cuisine is a website dedicated to restaurant reviews and future online video productions of The Messy Chef. I hope to find ways to make the site more interactive for visitors.

How do I see all the restaurants you have reviewed?

Under the navigation section, choose Category > Restaurant Reviews and the page that is displayed will show all reviews in alphabetical order.

Is Messy Cuisine a business?

No, a pasttime and a passion.

Messy Cuisine Logo

Who designed the logo for Messy Cuisine? I did. It was produced using Adobe Illustrator. It’s adapted from the typeface PMN Caecilia.

Tell me more about the Restaurant Reviews…

Unlike the NY Times, or other well-established locations, the reviews I write may be based on one or more visits, but sometimes it is just one. Typically, I’ll cover the best and worst points. I usually mention what I had, and make comments too on the service and the atmosphere of the restaurant. The ratings I assign are not derived from some complex rubric, but are a genealized, overall reaction to my meal at the particular restaurant. I do not discriminate on price: cheap eats can earn a top rating, just the same as an expensive restaurant. I think price and formality, however, can affect your choice when dining, so I’ve begun to use a 3-tiered indicator for price to guide your choices.

About the Chef

Not a chef, really… a gourmet, or simply an enthusiast for good things in life. I have shared reviews of places I eat online for over 6 years. I typically go out a lot, due to convenience and a desire to try new things. At home, I gravitate towards Italian cuisine, but also French technique and simple dishes and dinners. My baking skills aren’t great, but I do love a good pie or croissant.

Show Models

Probably my favorite TV program for cooking is TV Food Network’s Barefoot Contessa, for its style and content. We’re also inspired by NBC’s hit comedy show, The Office, and have attempted some take-offs on that filming style and charactature.

The Blog

The blog is powered by WordPress, the open source blog engine. I evaluted several content management systems (CMS) when beginning, but I was most familiar with this and its templating system.

Where else do you recommend I learn about good food online?

I really like a number of food blogs, which I link to up above in the main navigation area, a blogroll, so to speak. I also have included a link below to Vaynerchuck’s Wine Library TV.

WLTV