gnocchi's Recent Activity
Chowhound Post
Mouse in the restaurant's dining room.... [moved from Manhattan board]
That's what I was thinking. What should he say and how should he say it? And what should the customer say? As a customer I wouldn't want to damage the owner's image in front of a room full of customers because of a single mouse sighting. And it's difficult for the manager to address you if within earshot of several others tables; all hell could break loose. I say better to let the manager know quietly when you're leaving and then see how he apologizes/explains.
Chowhound Post
Does anyone use "Rewards Network"?
I think some of the confusion is because there are several levels of cards out there. Some are "paid" like yours and the rate is 10% but they are charging you a $40 fee that is deducted from initial rewards. Others are completely free but they will max at $5%.
The current program which is about to expire had an additional provision whereby your earnings would jump by an additional 5% after spending a certain amount each calendar year. I think it was around $400. Once you spent $400 the establishments that were offering 10% would jump to 15%.
bagelman01 posts below that the 15% is legacy but I know for a fact that a few places in my area (NYC suburbs) are at that level. I would say the majority in my locale are at 10% with a very few at 5-8%.
Rewards Network/iDine/Transmedia etc keeps jerking around with their marketing scheme trying to get something to click, but it's probably a delicate balance between pleasing and signing up consumers vs. doing the same for restaurant owners. Remember when they tried offering rewards that varied by time of day that you dined?
But in the end if the program is free you can't complain too much. If the public is in fact dining out less they are going to use the best promotion available in their area. It seems that some restaurant owners are just better at how they handle these rewards programs and local promotions and the treatment they afford to diners who utilize them.
Chowhound Post
Does anyone use "Rewards Network"?
I tried posting this at the top in reply to bluebird, but anyway it ended up down here.
Chowhound Post
Is Organic a Hoax?
I believe there was an e. coli outbreak in fresh apple cider in New England several years ago. Animal manure had been spread on the orchard floor as a soil ammendment and contaminated drop apples.
The peanut problem was supposedly caused by birds and/or rodents in the warehouses. The packaged spinach situation from CA involved E. coli O157:H7, which is found in cattle intestinal tracts. I don't think they ever determined where it came from, but there were dairy farms in the area.
READ THIS: http://www.organicconsumers.org/artic...
or full article here:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article...
The desire for increased food safety will have its own costs, environmental and otherwise, and most likely will impose new hardships on the smaller and/or organic grower.
Chowhound Post
Does anyone use "Rewards Network"?
What in hell is up with this lately? They've been sending emails advising of change back to iDine on SEP 27, 2009. And with the changeback the rewards will be only 5% and won't be credited until you dine an additional time within 60 days. I just looked and most rewards in my local area are currently 10% with a few 15%'s here and there. This looks like a big step backwards in consumer benefits.
Another thing I've noticed lately is an increasing shift in their participating merchants to pub and nightclub type establishments that serve some food versus straight restaurants. I think it's the beginning of the end, but who knows, they've been around a long time thru several reincarnations. Maybe the slugggish economy plus competition from outfits like restaurant.com forces them to make a change, but probably the basic problem is they are losing merchant clients.
Chowhound Post
Rockaways or Howard Beach
Here is another in Rockaway Park close to water .
The Wharf, Beach 116 st.
Click here: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/20...
Then click on link on that page for Rockaway Park,
As far as Howard Beach I would definitlely rate La Vila above Lenny's. La VIla is good.
Is there a Vincent's in HB? How is that compared to Lenny's?
Also does HB or S Ozone Park have a coffee/pastry shop serving cappucino, espresso and italian pastries in the evening other than the usual Starbucks?
Chowhound Post
Lettuce has not sprouted
Don't you think the last week of August would be too late for Toronto, or have you had success with that timing? It might be OK if all you were looking to harvest were baby lettuce leaves. To obtain a more mature head I would suggest the first week of August. and you could probably harvest mid October.
Chowhound Post
Lettuce has not sprouted
I would say they shoud have sprouted by now. Lettuce will germinate when days are above 40 deg F. Maybe you planted too deep? You want the seeds to be barely below the surface, maybe 1/8 inch. If you carefully scratch with a knife point or toothpick you should be able to find some seeds and see if they are sprouted.below the surface. If you moisten the soil for the first few days after sowing, that should be enough. If inorganic fertilizer was added to the soil you may have appled too much and burnt the seedlings. I assume this was raw seed, not the pelleted type.
You could test the seed by trying to germinate some between moist paper towels, but at this point it's probably best to replant with some new seeds from a reputable source. Or try planting two sections of the box separately, one with new seed and another area with your problem seed.
Chowhound Post
LI Strawberry festivals?
I think Driscoll's and the other berry distributors have really stepped up the quality over the past 2-3 years. Between CA, FL, and Mexico there's almost a year-round supply of decent strawberries at reasonable prices. The FL berries available in the East can have a very good flavor, but I think that's more due to spending 1 or 2 days less in the truck than anything else. But FL is a lot like local berries, a very short season and then it's too hot down there. We really depend on coastal CA for an almost constant supply.
Story Comment
Is Organic Wine Better than Regular Wine?
Wine can be made from organically grown grapes, have no sulphites added in vinification and/or bottling and still contain sulphites.
Organic growers are allowed to apply natural sulphur compounds to the vines to control mildew and other diseases during the growing season. Some of this sulphur will eventually end up in the wine. If I knew myself to be sensitive to sulphites I would proceed very cautiously with any wine consumption.
Chowhound Post
Brooklyn Pizza along Belt Parkway
Since you mention New Park in Queens, I would also recommend La Villa in that same Howard Beach area. I believe they have a place in Mill Basin close to the Parkway as well, but I haven't tried that location.
Chowhound Post
DiFara's
I would like to think the DiFara inflation index is somewhat justified by his quality evolution over the years; we aren't talking about the same pie he made 45 years ago.
As far as inconsistencies, it's a hand made product and you've got to expect some fluctuation from visit to vist.. You'll run into abberations at DiFara and I've encountered similar fluctuations at the various Pepe's in CT as well. But 9 times out of 10 these places are at the top of the pizza game, hence the hoardes and lines. A TV spot can only provide a momentary shot in the arm, he has to be something unique to keep them coming back.
Chowhound Post
Should I visit Brooklyn for a meal?
Many good suggestions have been offered. I would recommend taking the subway to Brooklyn and then walking back over the bridge after eating. Once over the bridge will be enough for a first visit and the views will be better walking toward Manhattan. Save your walking for the Brooklyn side, be sure to walk the length of the Brooklyn Heights Promenade on your return to the bridge.
Pete's is OK but I prefer Noodle Pudding, Henry's End or Queen near the bridge. Or depending how much of a walker you are, it is less than 1.5 miles to walk back from Carroll Gardens or a little over 2 miles from Park Slope to the bridge.
Figure about one mile to cross the bridge itself.
Chowhound Post
Suffolk County Menu Law
I read that the Suffolk County legislature has recently approved a resolution to require restaurants to list the prices of specials not on the menu.
Probably not a bad idea. I have also noted that menus at some estblishments do not list prices for deserts and/or beverages. I'm not talking about "special" deserts, but the run of the mill apple pie on the regular pre-printed menu.
Chowhound Post
FYI: Tristate restaurant gift certificates on sale at restaurant.com
I notice that some of the offers require a "minimum food purchase" and others only state "minimum purchase". Does this mean that at some restaurants beverages may be included to meet the minimum and at others it can be only food?
Chowhound Post
Thankgsgiving Dinner- away from Manhattan
LONG ISLAND?
I believe the following is doing a $36 three-course. You could call about the menu.
Inn Spot on the Bay
http://www.opentable.com/rest_profile...
http://www.theinnspot.com/onthebay/in...
Also maybe Stone Creek Inn,
http://www.stonecreekinn.com/specials...
or,
Gurney's oceanfront, Montauk:
http://gurneysinn.com/thanksgiving%20...
All of them have "Inn" in the name and well below your price point, which may be good, or maybe not.
North Fork Table and Inn is not open Thanksgiving day.
Chowhound Post
Pie on North Fork
These bakers may make some pies on premises and buy in others, probably certain varieties. It could even vary by season and demand.
This would be similar to a farm stand that grows SOME of their own produce and obtains other items from neighboring farms or even from out-of-state or the Hunt's Point market. It would be hard to pin this down and probably doesn't matter except for the fact that customers don't like to think they're being fooled.
Chowhound Post
East Northport Neighborhood Again - I Need Parsely Root
The place in the shopping center at Pulaski and Larkfield roads is Pat's Meat Farms. It's a good place to start. She might have to buy a "soup mix" package with the root in it along with other soup vegetables. If not there, then check the other stores suggested as well as the ShopRite in Hauppauge. I think I have also seen it at the Fairway in Plainview.
Chowhound Post
Wanted: Grandma Pie (Pizza) info
Does Spumoni Garden have a grandma pie that is different from their square "sicilian" version? I was there a couple of weeks ago and only remember seeing sicilian and round on the menu, nothing else. The sicilian pie with the sauce on top was good but much thicker the typical grandma slice you would find in the LI places mentioned above.
As mentioned in the emarcus article a grandma pie should be thin-crusted.
http://weblogs.newsday.com/features/f...
In eastern LI I've found the grandma pie at Roadhouse Pizza (Riverhead) to be very good.
Chowhound Post
Hamptons area seafood lunch - baby friendly options?
What areas will you be near? Hamptons LI covers about 30-40 miles.
Chowhound Post
Italian Ice - East End of Long Island
The place in Patchogue is a Ralph's; they do have a very large selection. There is a similar Ralph's store with a large selection on Main St. Bay Shore.
Further east is Ice Cream Cottage in Mastic, Montauk Hwy. and also a store on east Main St in Center Moriches. I believe Ice Cream Cotage makes their own. Also Dari-Land on east Main St in Riverhead outside of town and maybe Snowflake on west main Rvhd might make their own. For basic flavors I like Ice Cream Cottage, they serve a nice portion.
Chowhound Post
Uncle Danny's in Shirley ?????
As far as I know Uncle Danny's is a Pastosa "pasta shop" with fresh and frozen pasta/raviolli, sausages, fresh sauces etc.
My sister shops there and I've had their sauces and raviolli at her home. Everything is excellent. I've never known it as a place to eat, unless something has changed. It's been there for many years.
North side of Montauk Hwy, just east of William Floyd Pkwy. It is worth checking out if you prepare this stuff at home.
http://www.merchantcircle.com/busines...
Chowhound Post
Which Chowhound board is most active?
How do those two compare number of threads started versus number of replies, or are they neck in neck for those parameters also?
Chowhound Post
I have a 2-4 hour wait at Jamaica (for the LIRR)
If you are waiting 2-4 hours for LIRR I would suspect you are going to eastern LI, ie. beyond Patchogue or Ronkonkoma. I know those trains are infrequent midday.
I myself would get out of Jamaica if I had to kill 2-4 hours. You could go to Woodside and hit an Irish place, or your Forest Hills idea is OK too.
If in fact you are going to eastern LI you could even take LIRR to a stop like Hicksville or Mineola. Hicksville has quite a few Indian places. Even if your ticket is for the Hamptons they will let you get off and back on another train a few hours later, the conductor will mark the back of your ticket if you ask. At least you are going in the right direction and not backwards.
Chowhound Post
Breakfast I-81 to Finger Lakes Region
Three Bear Inn, Marathon, NY 13803
http://www.threebearinn.com/Breakfast...
I remember this place had a nice breakfast, real syrup, etc.
Chowhound Post
Late Night Eats in Nassau County, LI
I wish I could help you, but as this is a pet disappointment of mine also I don't know what to say.
You're lucky the Panera on Old Country Road is open till 11pm, most of the ones in Nassau and Suffolk seem to close at 10 and sometimes at 9pm in the winter. Even most of the pizza places act like they're doing you a favor when you walk in for slice around 10pm. Diners like you said are getting expensive; some have decent specials but they magically seem to disappear after 9pm.
This time of the year I'm often out doing yard work till dark, it might be 9pm and then you have to get cleaned up. It would be nice to be able to go out for some good food at that hour. If anyone has suggestions I'd love to hear them.
Chowhound Post
Hold the Phones, Alert the Media- Just had a BAD PIE at DiFara
Well, almost everytime...
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/52017...
Chowhound Post
Italian or steak on the North Fork
Are you looking for casual or more upscale, red sauce italian american or more traditional? The places you mentioned are slightly upscale, North Fork Table probably a little more so.
You can get good basic Italian/Italian American at Lenny's in Jamesport, Michelangelo in Mattituck, or I like La Capricciosa in Greenport. These places all serve pizza but have separate dining areas for full menu. You can get steak most anywheres, Elbow Room/Rendezvous and Diggers in Riverhead. Diggers has a varied pub style menu with steaks.
http://www.diggerspub.net/Menu.html
Chowhound Post
Why are my threads not collapsing
Just observed that this phenomenon has changed (for the better) sometime over the past year. Now when you click on a username and then subsequently use the BACK button the posts in the original thread remain collapsed. Apparently it's no longer necessary to open in a new tab or window. I guess they figured a way for the software to "remember", at least for the current session.
Chowhound Post
Where to eat in Riverhead NY?
Fred19, when did you last try Parto's? When they first opened (2005, 06?) we didn't care for the food, but I tried again a few times this past winter and found it much improved. I also like the food at Village Pizza in Mattituck.
