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For all the Bourdain fans.....

post #1 of 13
10/6/04 at 10:07am
Thread Starter 
Anthony Bourdain has come out with the Les Halles Cookbook! I went to B&N the other night and unexpectedly ran into the book! Literally. I had to buy it, I had no choice. I've read through the introduction and perused only some of the receipes and it is a must!

Can't wait to see what other folks have to say about it.

Enjoy.
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post #2 of 13
10/7/04 at 5:19am
Neat!
Would you happen to have the ISBN at hand for the book?
I'd love to get myself a copy.
Thanks.
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post #3 of 13
12/19/04 at 6:47am
i defiantly am gonna go buy it... i've see it, but i had another book i needed to get that day
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post #4 of 13
1/3/05 at 10:26pm
The number is ISBN:158234180X and there are 40+ copies on abebook.com
ranging in price from $24.00.
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post #5 of 13
2/15/05 at 9:00am
I've had Les Halles for a few months. It was a great read if you like Bourdain's style of writing. I do, and I read it cover to cover - couldn't put it down. The only recipes I've made from it are beef burgandy and steak Diane. The steak Diane was awesome. I think the Cook's Illustrated & Bon Apetit (almost identical) recipes for beef burgandy are superior, albeit a good bit more time consuming and dirty dish producing. This recipe was good, however, and it probably would have been better if my boyfriend has chosen a slightly higher quality bottle of wine. I look forward to trying some more, though not all of, the recipes in this book.
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post #6 of 13
2/23/05 at 5:19pm
I am about 1/2 way through it... it is the Bourdain voice we have all come to expect. He is brash, droll and punchy. And that's just the intro!
In all seriousness, he takes recipe writing to a 'different' place; his descriptions are flavored with fire and a bit of spite, now and again. He holds nothing back and shows off for the camera. But, again, that is why we have read Kitchen Confidential with such gusto.
His passion, his style, his rhetoric is not for everybody. And that's a good thing; for those of us that relish his fantacism, his piquant style is a pleasant foray to never, never land.
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post #7 of 13
2/23/05 at 7:23pm
Great review Jim!!! And so very dipolmatic, considering what some people say about Bourdain. Have you ever thought of going into PR!!!! :D Seriously, I have only read snippets from the book, so far, but it is definately on my list to pick up.
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post #8 of 13
3/24/05 at 6:59am

Just picked it up last night...

My knowledge of french technique is pretty poor.. but I've been obsessing over this chicken dish I had last week at a tiny bistro in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Then last week I read here about the cookbook and was fortunate to pick it up.. I celebrated by reading the first chapter, while splurging on some seafood @ the Oyster Bar in Grand Central station. yum!

Once I actually cook something, I'll have to let you know how it goes.. but as a novice.. I got to say.. I really, really like his writing. It's not intimidating, but still feels very, very rich. I don't feel like I'm sacrificing information by having something dumbed down for me.

-- P
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post #9 of 13
4/4/05 at 10:23pm
sounds good...i intended on picking this up when i read a review for it somewhere but havent been able to yet...i have yet to read any of his writing, but i saw him briefly on tv once. He seems cool :cool:
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post #10 of 13
4/9/05 at 7:24pm
Thanks to Bourdain & is book I found a good source for mergez & boudin noir(having boudin & parsleyed garlic mashed potatoes with a decent cabernet tonight).Beweare of the recipes, Bourdain assume that you are already familiar with technics & (fresh) ingredients.
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post #11 of 13
4/11/05 at 7:57pm

the best cookbook recipes since The Silver Palate

Very few cookbook recipes end up looking like the pictures that accompany them.This book makes World class food that is easy to make,if you have skills.This is the best, most useful book since the Origanal Silver Palate cookbook.
I understand these aren't Tony's recipes,But he makes the read a pleasure

and I agree he gives us the proper recipe for frites
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post #12 of 13
4/13/05 at 12:10pm
I met Anthoney when he came out with this book. In fact, our kithchen rolled a joint for him and put it on a silver platter. It was really strange because our chef was so anti - drugs. Anyways,
I was impressed by the intro but the recipes are alright. I work now in the top french restaurant in Vancouver and I feel a lot of our dishes are more traditional. He seems to take the short cuts that I somewhat disagree with. I guess it depends on your kitchen and its staff as well as the customers that it feeds. But it is a good buy for someone just learning about french food. You might want to look into the reccomendations that he makes about other books at the back. I have most of them and I honestly couldnt do without.
Have fun learning and even more cooking
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post #13 of 13
5/4/05 at 10:24am
I'm a few pages from being done with "A Cook's Tour." He's a funny guy..
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