About
This blog will attempt to review the best restaurants in the world. I live in San Francisco but I do try to make it out a few times a year. My preference runs to high-end restaurants with stellar ingredients - decor and service, while nice, are secondary elements to the food. I like chefs that have a unique culinary voice - a philosophy that grounds their restaurant in a time and/or place.
Reviews
Sadly, all meals are paid for by me (or friends once in awhile.) If I know the chef, I will disclose that in a review. If I don’t pay for a meal (hasn’t happened yet), I will disclose that too.
About Me
I quit the high-tech rat race in Aug 2006 - I saw no point to working as a cog in a machine that made its top executives multi-millionaires several times over every year. However, if I don’t come up with my own great idea soon, I may be forced to eat those words.
Food and cars seem to be my top 2 passions. My current car is a 700hp 2001 Porsche Turbo outfitted with an upgraded Moton Clubsport suspension. When it runs, much to the chagrin of my friends, neighbors, and anyone within hearing vicinity; it’s pretty quick!
I’m not a fan of my own writing but these authors give me enough inspiration to think creatively (and dangerously) and continue:
- Thomas Pynchon - a tour de force synthesis of low & high art, history & science, and mathematics and literature.
- JG Ballard - the most relevant writer of our times.
- Jorge Borges - a world of ideas.
- Umberto Eco - another tour de force author that mixes all styles and genres.
- Italo Calvino - for the sheer love of language and ideas.
- Don DeLillo - the american poster child for post-modernism.
- Manuel de Landa - the philosopher of self-organization, chaos theory, & complexity theory.
- Paco Taibo - a mexican detective novelist w/ ample Pynchon in his veins.
- Tom Stoppard - a playwright of history, philosophy, science, and high (and low) culture.
- Alan Moore - the comic book writer that has changed the art form many times over.
- chuck
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Wilbur M. Reeling said,
February 11, 2007 @ 3:35 pm
I just found your BLOG today and I love it! WHAT A HIT… PLEASE-PLEASE-PLEASE, do a little work on your close-up photography. Just to many are soft and out-of-focus. Besides that I love what I found.
QUINTESSENTIAL C U I S I N E©
by Wilbur M. Reeling
epicurean raconteur
http://www.WilburMReeling.com
Administrator said,
February 12, 2007 @ 9:03 pm
thanks Wilbur, i’m trying… too often, the restaurants are a bit dimly lit to get a clear sharp picture. nonetheless, the photography is one area i’m determined to get right.
Wilbur M. Reeling said,
February 13, 2007 @ 3:55 am
THANKS — My daughter & I will be trying Jose Andea’s MINI BAR in Washinton DC when she comes home for spring break from Kutztown U. (I’ll take pix - how do I send ‘em?)
When last I looked a couple tasted the the entire menu at IlBulli w/ pix but now I can’t find the article or pix to send to the daughter — please advise
PS
try partially holding down ur focus finger for an extra few seconds until the until the camera finishes buzzing & wheererering and then jam the shutter down. My 2 Nikons often give me the same problem on dim light auto focus
Wilbur M. Reeling said,
February 14, 2007 @ 2:42 am
I called MINI BAR tonight and our earliest reservation is for April 14 at 6:30PM — They have 2 seatings the other at 8:30 but at both there are only 6 total seats. For us the drive is 1 1/2 hours. It’s not too pricey $100 p/p 22% tip and $15 valet added to the bill. I spoke with Chef/owner Jose Andre & photos of all the food items and a pix w/ him and autograph of his book (I’ve had for a year) is OK
– anything on where to find the ElBulli photos?
Wilbur M. Reeling said,
February 14, 2007 @ 8:10 pm
whatZ the World’s best VODKA? — Next Wednesday I’m meeting people in Baltimore for (BOBBY’S ‘WORLDs BEST’ ANCHOVY STUFFED MANZANILLAN OLIVE MARTINI) but it’s been so long I don’t know what’s out there Vodka wise … and I want the best!!!
Wilbur M. Reeling said,
February 16, 2007 @ 4:14 pm
VODKA VOTE SO FAR (///’s ARE ADDITIONAL VOTES)
Level / / / /
Imperia-Russian Ultra / / /
Ciroc / / /
Precis / /
Roberto Cavalli Vodka / /
Hangar One /
Belvedere /
Stoly 100
Stoli Gold
Elit
Tino’s Vodka
Siku-glaciers
44°North flav
Modern Spirits flav
Russian Standard
Grey Goose-crappie
Square One organic
Wilbur M. Reeling said,
February 19, 2007 @ 7:08 pm
– SORRY — I 4got that my friend Art Bocutti in Ragged Point, Maryland says …”I like Stoli 80″… But he did work for Stoli-Pepsi 20 years in Atlanta and he got it by the 55gal drum for free! (also drank it directly through a specially designed Russian STOLICHNAYA 100 straw [maybe that affected the taste] `ole Pres Boris gave him the straw in `92) ~ and I said to him later on — Art, …”UR 1 of the 5 Doctors (all proctologists) w/ their OWN opinions”… VODKA OPINIONS ARE LIKE ASS-HOLES … EVERYBODY HAS ONE!
QUINTESSENTIAL C U I S I N E©
by Wilbur M. Reeling
epicurean raconteur
http://www.WilburMReeling.com
Wilbur M. Reeling said,
February 23, 2007 @ 4:18 pm
Da-Da … “The World’s Best Premium Vodka” …
So, FIN ~ CONCLUSION ~ EXTR`EMIT`E ~ END`e! … The World’s Best Premium Vodka tasting got out of hand — “so many vodkas … so little time” — and then there were all those damned OPINIONS to deal with and the threats of physical violence if their cheesy vodka hadn’t made the BIG-BOY-LIST, my knee caps and what was going to happen to them. Not to mention the many … can’t you just tell me who the top ones are, I won’t say a word to anyone…
Anyway there are thousands of opinions and 29 that were repeatedly offered up and worthy enough to make ‘a’ list, (no flavors allowed) tossed, were the $4.00 bottles of local Jet Fuel used in the last NASCAR race that da’ good-OLE-boys thought should `a been `n clewed`ed. The count drop off from the 4th to the 5th was great, so the top 5 actually became the four that are listed but not in the actual order. Four out of thirty v. thousands of votes is good enough and it’s all just “opinions” anyway.
Surprise to me was the originator (Pepsico spirits Div) back in the mid 70s and in the Vodka Pepsi challenge “Stoli 80 proof” was only brought up one time by a guy still stuck living in the early eighty’s but big Stoli’s like 100 - Elite - and a few Gold, all came up over `n over but never past the midle of the pack.
Me, you say? Well, I enjoy my vodka made from Polish potatoes — I keep it in the freezer and drink her up neat with a manzillian olive stuffed with anchovy (Goya pasteurized olives with anchovy mousse are preferred over non-pasteurized) because of the strong salty fish and brine taste seems to overwhelm the potato finish. The one I enjoy is cheap, relative to the $50 and $100 ones out there and it sounds like the University name where my daughter attends college in Kutztown, Pa., so you figure it out.
Now lost on many was the original question — “WHAT’S the BEST” and not the one you drink or that you may like a lot so my vote for best taste goes to Chopin, but I can buy 4 bottles of my stuff for the same price. I do KEEP BOTH at home. Big boy for the guests.
Does that do it for you? THAT’S MY OPINION!!
~Chopin $40ish - 80 proof, (birthplace of vodka) Polish; distilled from potatoes (smoothest vodka & 1 of the best)
~Belvedere $35 Poland (birthplace of vodka)- 100% Da^kowskie Gold Rye
~Jewel of Russia, Classic $40 - Russian; Birthplace of the last Szar - distilled from hard Russian winter wheat and rye (smooth and delicious)
~ULTIMAT $58 - (birthplace of vodka) Poland; Three Polish vodkas go into Ultimate: potato for richness and body; wheat for light smoothness and rye for flavor **** the bottle is worth $20 bucks alone, LOL
$$$ is aprox.
QUINTESSENTIAL C U I S I N E©
by Wilbur M. Reeling
epicurean raconteur
http://www.WilburMReeling.com
Jack said,
April 17, 2007 @ 3:01 am
“QUINTESSENTIAL C U I S I N E©
by Wilbur M. Reeling
epicurean raconteur
http://QuintessentialCuisine.Blogspot.com/
http://www.WilburMReeling.com”
Too Long. Too Many. What’s up with the longest signature? I thought the Golden Food Blog rule is that you only get one LINK per thread. Wilbur, I think you’re banned for five years.
QUINTESSENTIAL C U I S I N E© said,
May 28, 2007 @ 3:47 pm
5/28/07 — SORRY JACK, NEVER GOT THE “LIST OF Golden Food BLOG RULES” AND ONLY TODAY WAS NOTIFIED BY YOU … PLEASE 4-WARD YOUR LIST of SAME A.S.A.P.
PS
DID YOU SEE THE 20/20 ABC-TV Special last week ON PREMIUM VODKAS ??–
BU CHANCE THE 20/20 FOLKS AGREED WITH ME ALMOST-TO-THE-LETTER
Wilbur in Maryland
sygyzy said,
October 17, 2007 @ 5:31 am
Chuck,
I just found your site today (linked from a discussion I started on molecular gastronomy). I too am trying to make my way around the world on a restaurant tour. I am oh so envious. I noticed the first comment spoke of your photography. I too have a question about that - do you feel weird taking out your camera and taking pictures in 3 Michelin star restaurants with patrons probably in suits or tuxedos? I felt really awkward doing it at The French Laundry even though I know lots of people do it and the staff didn’t have a problem with it.
ChuckEats said,
October 17, 2007 @ 8:38 am
It doesn’t bother me anymore… what discussion was this? i don’t see anything in my referrals (nor on your own blog.)
sygyzy said,
October 29, 2007 @ 6:26 pm
Chuck,
Here’s the discussion: http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?FTVAR_FORUMVIEWTMP=Threaded&catid=38&threadid=2107884#27414607