Going into tonight's show, when Cat was talking about how this would be the hardest call yet, I thought that it would be the easiest we've had for a while: bye-bye to Lauren and Neil. And I actually like Lauren and Neil. After the show, I'm not sure. I really thought Pasha didn't bring it tonight, and I thought Lauren might have edged out Lacey. That said, I would still choose Lacey over Lauren, but not Pasha. So sad. I like Pasha.

I really liked the jazz office routine, but was it just me or were they off the beat of the music? It seemed really glaring with the strong movements (all that pounding of the table) and strong beat. I was meh on Mia's but liked the rest. In general, the choreography did seem harder and the dancers seemed to have smaller mistakes, but that's to be expected at this point in the competition.

Yeah, Cat's nose is totally crooked. It's very distracting.

Top Chef: When will we ever get rid of Howie? He is on my last nerve.

Top Chef: When will we ever get rid of Howie? He is on my last nerve.

that was a producer decision. yes, sarah was whining a little, but the baby comment was unnecessary, and Howie has never been able to get along in a team setting. I liked him in the beginning, but now I think he's an asshole. Every single pantry scene, he's fighting with someone.

Kat: I'm hoping next week. Hee - ANOTHER team challenge. Guess what? I'm sure he'll be unable to cooperate.

I love that Dale not only got immunity he got a night out. I'm only hoping that this doesn't mean he gets eliminated next week. Because I'm rooting for him and because HOWIE must go.

Tre is looking better and better. And I want cheesy grits with a bacon wrapped shrimp.

And the other team so totally have made felafel (sp?) and french fries with different sorts of dipping sauces.

I can see why the j udges think somebody should have stepped up but my feeling is that the cheftestants are so used to Howie the Bludger that they have already given up on him and when they should have GANGED up on him they quit. They try to minimize the tension by not arguing.

Ted's Blog.

Top Chef: When will we ever get rid of Howie? He is on my last nerve.

Whatever ever happened to the old Gail-ism about Chef = Chief? Howie has proved himself incapable of leading. Browbeating, yes. Leading, no.

I did sort of feel a little bad for the women. I certainly wouldn't be comfortable cooking in club clothes. On the other hand, when they were all excited about their night on the town, I was screaming, "Guillable! Idiots!" How did no one see that twist coming?

Looking at next week's preview, they've moved up the Restaurant Wars challenge, no? In the past, each team had only three cheftestants, I think.

ETA: Reading Ted's blog, I'm glad to see he's reconsidered his position on the women's complaint.

I was glad that he reconsidered too. I thought that the producers should have at least brought a change of shows for the women - cooking in heels and opened toed shoes has to be both uncomfortable and unsafe.

Yeah, they're doing this a bit early: last year it was episode 10 and the year before episode 7 - but both times when they were down to six.

This year - they'll have one FOH and 3 people in the kitchen. Maybe that's why they decided to do it a little bit earlier. But it was episode 7 - same as season one. (Did we start out with more contestants?)

This year - they'll have one FOH and 3 people in the kitchen. Maybe that's why they decided to do it a little bit earlier.

I think so. They always felt so shorthanded before for what was expected of them. I think an extra body might go a long way on this one. Or, it'll just give Howie someone to sweat on.

Does anyone else miss Tiffani about now? Seriously, Howie's gotten into it with just about everyone, but the ruthlessness with which he goes after the women he works with is getting blatant. I want someone to call him out on his misogyny. If Tiffani were in this season, she'd totally emasculate him. And I would watch and laugh and laugh and laugh.

Oh, a season 1 season 3 cook-off with Tiffani!

That would rock. You know, Tiffani was a hardass but she was an equal opportunity hardass. Howie. . . grrr.

(Bourdain calls Howie out on the cuban sandwich debacle, but doesn't mention the misogyny. - Think he hasn't noticed it?)

What he said about Sara:

I gotta tell ya; I've worked with women cooks who could crank out a hundred fifty meals off a very busy grill station in freakin' stilettos and still have the energy to give Howie the beating of his life -- so that don't cut it as an excuse.

And on Howie:

Howie, on the other hand, suggests that he might well be an asshole and that he doesn't apologize for that. I'd suggest he reexamine his position here. It might be okay to be a buttwad in the cause of victory, but it's not okay to be a buttwad when what you've got to offer Miami is a bogus Cuban and bad leadership.

Bourdain on Hung's ice cream:

Had Hung stuck to sweet stuff and stayed away from CAULIFLOWER(?!!), I have a hard time believing he couldn't have, at very least, avoided being the very worst. Who EVER finds themselves yearning suddenly for cauliflower in their ice cream sundae? Who has ever -- in recorded history -- thought to themselves: "Gee...this ice cream would be so much better if only there were tempura flakes on it"? Or yearned, while spooning vanilla ice cream into their face, for FOAM?

I love Bourdain on Rocco --

***A Final Note:

Concerning Rocco DiSpirito's typically gracious and good humored response on this site to my torrent of abuse: It is natural, as some have suggested, to assume that I'm jealous of Rocco. In fact, I am. I'm jealous of Rocco's talent in the kitchen. He had an extraordinary proficiency with food -- one most cooks would cheerfully have sawn off a finger or an arm to replicate -- and an ability to "envision" (and then execute) truly delicious and original creations. That he chose to turn his back on this rare and unique gift does indeed stick in my craw.