Nicole mentioned quite a list of delicious national cusines, but she was remiss in not mentioning her favo(u)rite {keep the Brits happy}- German. The privileged members of the Los Angeles Dinning Club are still talking about her gusto for brautwurst. I can imagine brautwurst with jerk sauce (Caribbean fair), brautwurst on a small rice mound (Japanese), sweet and sour brautwurst (Mandarin speciality), and the all time classic brautwurst kabob (Middle Eastern). The sounds of am "ompa" band resonate wherever she chooses to dine. On that note I must leave as my brautwurst parmigiana(sp?) is nearing completion.

I once saw Nicole cook up a bratwurst paella and she's been known to knosh on bratwurst a la plancha (only when in Argentina). It's rumored that she has brats and crumpets for tea. She also has enjoyed moose bratwurst while traveling in Sweden. Read all about this and more of Nicole's culinary quirks in my new book "Things That Make Me Want to Punch CaliBasco".

Oh.. you guys are so going to pay for that
I am going to have to think about this one for a while to come up with appriate revenge.. hmm.

sour brautwurst. gross.

I was just about to scan the pictures from our illustrious dinner. Think I might just have to do a little photo editing before I send those puppies in to MM...

Did I mention how radiant you looked that evening??????????????

hahaha

actually -nothing like a photo to make me realize the hairdresser took "a little too much off the top, sides, back...all over," except those freaky sides burns they left on, which I chopped off a few days ago.

On the other hand, I really think the Victorian mustache and spock-like ears I drew on your picture are very becoming. That and Shawn's ponytails and gold teeth should distract from my bad hair cut..

I am surprised to read CaliBasco's comment on the autheticity of Chinese restaurants in Spain vis-a-vis the US. I found the best Chinese restaurants outside Asia in the US. A frequent stereotype for Chinese cuisine in Europe is that it is cheap and plenty. You can get a three course meal for 5 $ but you note the lack of quality, it is often some undefinable mixture of things adapted to the European taste. And the decoration looks the same everywhere. I am not crazy about going to Chinese restaurants in Spain.
It is different for Indian or Japanese restaurants which usually offer better food at higher prices. I went to some good Indian places in Madrid.
But ultimately, I agree that nothing compares to Spanish cuisine in Spain!

[This message has been edited by connie (edited 01-24-2001).]

I also found that "chinese" food restaurants in France and spain were not as pleasing to my palatte as in the States. I almost laughed in France when I saw all the cream sauces on the menu in one restaurant. Obviously they tailor it to the community's tastes (or they would probably go out of business).

Not having been to china though, I assume that chinese restaurants also have been tailored to american tastes here and no doubt are not any more "authentic" (unless you go to a restaurant that isn't as mainstream and obviously caters to its own community, i.e.). I used to go with my vietnameses co-worker to these tiny, whole-the-wall restaurants in the heart of the vientamese community. best food EVER!! Had I not gone with her though, I would never have been able to order, because there was no English on the menu.

I wasn't surprised at all by CaliBasco's comments. I found them quite enlightening!
The restaurants I mentioned were the few I found that were seemingly authentic. It is true, however, that the majority have the knock of being "mucha comida, poco sabor".

There are a pair of good Chinese resturants in Madrid but they are expensive, I don't remember the name now, just look in a guide ( Lanetro , metropoli , guía del ocio , etc) for a chinese restaurant with menu around 5000 ptas. I think one of them is near Colon.

[This message has been edited by MadridMan (edited 01-25-2001).]