I loved this episode.  It was so fun to watch, and I seriously want to take a ‘Top Chef’ tour and go visit all the restaurants.  Do you hear me, Bravo?  Somebody there better start making up tour packages!  Top Chef tours New York, Chicago, LA, Miami!  Tasty.

Quickfire: Cheer up Hubert.  (Can I call you Hubert?  Aren’t we on a first name basis now?) I would eat your roquefort burger any day of the week, and am actually a little upset that it didn’t do better.  But you have to remember that you’re up against Bayless here (apparently I’m on a last name basis with him) and he can do anything, as long as he can make it Mexican.  3 kinds of guacamole!!  DROOL.  Also, putting a ginormous hamburger in front of 3 men, well, that’s just a no brainer.  Huge points right away for Michael, even if his fake french accent is awful. 

And on to elimination:  Finally they cook for someone with dietary restrictions!  All through the previous seasons, I would talk to my friend with celiac - “I want to see them cook for you” or to Heather - “Let’s see them go low sodium - then watch the judges complain of underseasoning.” (One time I made a completely salt-free 7 layer dip.  We made the refried beans in the crock pot and everything.  It was……disgusting.  Refried beans need salt.)

And I loved how they noticed that pasta made with something other than wheat - a little strange.  And ice cream made without cream - oooh..not so much.  (I’ve got to tell you, I have bought the ‘low carb’ ice cream since diagnosis.  It ain’t good.  Ice cream is supposed to have cream and sugar.  There’s just no way around it, although she did say coconut milk ice cream….?) 

I kind of want to try quinoa pasta, though, although the fact that it gave a Top Chef master a bit of a challenge means that in my kitchen, it would end up as a big ole lump of nastiness.  Here kids!  Have some goo!  Still, it intrigues me. 

But those tamales —— oh, those tamales.  I must have them.  I won’t get them.  I’ll live - but with a touch of covetousness in my heart. 

And so we say good bye to Art because he tried to make rice ice cream taste good.  If he had made the brittle the star of the dessert, and served it with fresh strawberries - he may have had a fighting chance, because Anita crashed and burned this episode, surprising me greatly.  (That eggplant did look a little..icky….and her quickfire was a hot mess.)  They might have criticized Art for not cooking more, but apparently that brittle was amazing, and they would have been left with a good taste in their mouths, and it would have been bye bye Anita Lo. How DID he make brittle without butter?  Is…a puzzlement. 

Final 2: Hubert Kelly and Rick Bayless.  No question in my mind.

Next to go:  Have no idea.  Michael and Anita are both awesome.  It depends on the challenge, I guess.  But it looks like Dale shows up and starts cussing people out.  Hmmm….

Winner:  Bayless.  But I’m OK with any one of them.