Abe Froman's Profile
Bread Bar at Tabla- Are You Serious??
For me it's all about expectations and I did not have particularly high ones going into BT, enjoyed it as a result. fantastic? no. enjoyable? surely. Price is somewhat high but I could see where it went, preperation and ingredient-wise. And since I do not see any real comparable alternative I can justify the cost if that's what I feel like eating.
and I do feel like eating the lamb "nanini" sometimes, that's a tasty sandy.
sidenote: bagging on this place because of a "paneer pizza" is seems about out of sorts... like bagging on blue smoke cuz you do not like their hush puppies or something.
Raw Oysters Happy Hour
i was served a REALLY bad oyster at BP.
can not recall that ever hapening before in manhattan... and i had got used to the guy at Shaffer sniff testing every oyster shucked and throwing anything unsatisfactory away.
point being, the guy at BP plated a really bad, really smelly oyster that made it into my mouth before I caught it. horrible.
Beef on Weck in Manhattan?
Thanks a bunch... this is a sandwich I have wanted to try for some time.
How does it compare to the upstate originals?
Raw Oysters Happy Hour
not lucky.
it's a low key casual place with "decent" food and service to match. my impression is that people who go in there looking for more are the ones who walk away disapointed.
regarding the quality of oysters (response to fishermb)... i dunno, sometimes it's nice to just rock some mid-grade crustacions so long as they are safe. I don't need to pay 2:50 for some exotic import every time I crave the briney goodness, so these local non-discript jobs suite me just fine on the right occassion. any way, to each their own...
Raw Oysters Happy Hour
"But were they served w/ incredible rudeness?..."
been there a ton, never served with incredible rudeness, never been served a bad oyster, never had a ifgt with the manager.
:-)
Homemade granola in Manhattan?
"At the Famers Maket in Union Square there is a vendor that has great granola that you buy by the pound. "
US West, North end... should be there every Saturday. They have some great standard cheeses as well (cheddar, Edemer, etc) and a killer loaf of white sandwitch bread
Grilled Wings?
not exactly "grilled", but you can get good BBQ wings at Virgil's and RUB
... wouldn't recomend Virgi's for too much, but I think their wings are quality
Aquagrill or Shaffer City for Oysters?
just oysters + super casual = Shaffer
not as casual + having other food = Aquagrill
Desperately seeking an *authentic* Lobster Roll like I just had in Nantucket
Try Pearl, it's a great lobster roll... but do not expect a carbon copy of your NE roll anywhere in the city. like most regional dishes, the overall experience does not always translate well.
... for instance, i know nothing down here will ever scatch my itch like Jay's Oyster Bar in Portland Maine.
hill country
what is your opinion of the quality of meats used? surely a taste that disagreable is caused in part by inferior cuts and not just preperation.
A Texan visits Hill Country BBQ
Note that Careter has no idea what method they use to smoke/prepare the meats at Hill County, he is simply making things up.
hill country
Maybe you went on an off night.
When I went the food had taste.
The drinks had taste too.
I like the taste of both the food and the drinks.
Will try again soon to see if they no longer cook food with taste.
Would be a bummer if there is on fact no longer taste in the food at Hill Country, because that is one of the main reasons I like to eat food!
A Texan visits Hill Country BBQ
So you have absolutely no idea how they prepare/smoke their meets?
Got it.
And cudos on the baseless liquid smoke/gas flame comment!
Una Pizza Napoletana - Steer Clear
I'm with you... never understood people's special needs at restaurants, or why they can not adjust to different experiences and levels of service. The service and attitude here is no different than any of the hundreds of pizzarias in the tri state: you order a pie and maybe a soda, you eat and drink, you leave. It's not like the menu is complicated where you need affable informative wait staff, it's just pizza with or without topings.
And the idea that you can get this specific level of pizza quality "anywhere" is laughable. Source the ingredients, note the well documented preperation involved THEN list the comperable options for this particular style.
The only question you have to ask here is if it is worth it for you on a value for dollar basis. For me it is not, though I will pop in once in a while because it tastes so damn good. Could care less if I get served with a smile, don't need it, don't always want it, necessarily.
midtown recommendation?
I think Keane's Steakhouse is worth a visit, though might not be "walking distance" for you. Try the mutton chop...
What to order at Del Posto?
Totally see your point... on the flip side, there is something to be said for eating the whole plate vs having a bite of everything once. Personally, I could not go to Enoteca once, have a bite of every dish and say "been here done that". And for me, there are some definite "repeater" dishes on that menu... the octopus and the calamari for instance.
Regarding service... yeah, it's been laughable for me too. have had our first glass of wine poured AFTER the first course twice now. I chalk it up in part to the people I dined with though, they hang on to the wine list and menus WAY to long. To avoid bad service, best practice is to know, more or less, what you are gunning for and encourage your party to do the same... works like a charm in most cases.
BLT Burger review
For me, all the burger options at BLT are "very good". The quality of ingredients is high and the preparation has been consistent. The size for me is "just right", with sides it is a nice amount of food. IMO all of the fries options are top-notch, especially the sweet potato (not sure I know of any spot that does them better). Should be noted that you can easily share the fries two or even three ways, depending on how you like to eat.
Is it worth the money? For me it is. The bar is cozy off-peak, staff is nice and they usual have at least one "special" draft worth trying. I also think the combos offer good value, like burger/can of beer(Dales!)/fries for $15+
Not sure I understand the need to compare to Stand. It's a completely different type of burger... for me anyways. Could you compare it "pound for pound" with Shake Shack? Sure... but overall it's such a different experience I would not bother. For a quick outdoor nosh on the go? Shake Shack wins. For a sit down burger with some excellent fries and app options? BLT wins.
And the bar popcorn is DANGEROUS...
Best bread and butter basket?
They have sort of a light seseme galric/herb/cheese loaf at the fish shack.
not bad.
What to order at Del Posto?
$45 for 4 course tasting, concidering the quality of dishes available on the Enotaca menu, does not seem that out of line to me (and I am not a big spender). It's not an amazing savings or anything, but I have walked away several times totally satisfied that I "got what I paid for". Throw the excellent bread basket in there and I have walked away each time downright happy with the experience.
Best bread and butter basket?
Enoteca at Del Posto (assuming it is the same in the main space as well)... great variety, all styles done well and the soft butter/lardo option was perfect (I could not stop using the lardo). That $45 tasting, with bread basket, is great value for dollar, imo.
Hill Country for Group?
- Call ahead for res, they do take em for parties larger than 8 or 10.
- Get to know the menu in advance to get an idea what your party will want
- send two people to each counter, meat and sides... the rest getting seated should put the drink order in immediately (and ask for water immediately too)
- It's guesswork as far as quantity of food to order per party, but you can heavy up the order if people don't mind doggy bags, or order liberally if you don't mind getting back in line for more. I found the countermen to be very helpful with the order, don't be afraid to ask for advice.
Overall I found eating there with a large group to be a bit hectic and the service was questionable. Some of us did not get drinks until we were almost done eating and we never got the water. I think this can be avoided if make sure everyone/everything is covered with the first order.
Anyway, not a great "restaurant experience" but I could care less due to the excellent food.
Oysters?
Shaffer City is the best for just oysters, imo.
if you want cheapo, Fish on Bleaker has 1/2 dozen + a beer for $8
Rare Bar and Grill, BLT Burger, Stand, or Shake Shack??
you really like the burger at BRGR that much, huh? what exactly are you digging about it?
Curious because it has been so universaly panned, myself included in the panning. my experience was not good, dry overcooked lifeless patty, though you could taste that the beef used was good (just not prepared well)
Rare Bar and Grill, BLT Burger, Stand, or Shake Shack??
Have not had a bad item at BLT Burger to date (including a fantastic fried Okra app on Saturday). Perfect fries (all varieties), excellent beef alternatives (salmon,veg which is fallafel, and kick-ass lamb) and great draft/bottles/cans for a small place.
Does the burger stack up? I think so... value for dollar amy not be the best but it is a quality burger for sure.
Sandwiches at Grand Central Oyster Bar
not overated since most people who dine regularly in and around Manhattan agree that it is not that great.
Go for the raw oysters and the pan roast, skip the rest...
Best Beef Ribs?
Daisy Mae's
Not sure what people see in the Blue Smoke beef ribs, tried a couple times and they were never worth the money (miniscule amount of meat on the bone)
What do NYC residents really think about Dean & DeLuca?
Believe it or not the "new" Balducci's is not that bad... way better than the last incarnation on 6th. The deli counter may be the highlight, especially the RB which is much better than it's Garden of Edan counterpart (imo).
Gourmet Fast Food Burgers-why bother?
Not sure why anyone would bother to compare Molly's and Shake Shack. Molly's is a monster bar burger and SS is a more modestly portioned option. Molly's is grilled and SS get's the griddle. Just nothing similar in style, size, ingredients, service environment, preparation method.... the only similarity is that they are both hamburgers.
Regarding the original post... there is nothing to explain, you either like the burgers/experience and feel it is cost effective or you don't. I happen to think that BLT is the best of the new and have had no issue with the cost since "figuring it out"... ie, go with friends and share sides, or order the combos (I don't care what anyone says, $15 for a burger, fries and a can of beer is a great price). Also, I happen to think all their fry options are better then just about any of the spots listed. And while included in the burger debate itself, their non-beef options are excellent as well (lamb, salmon and veggie).
As usual, this seems like a case where agreeing with the masses, popular opinion and trends makes it difficult to enjoy anything outside the accepted comfort zone. Obviously taste is subjective and you are going to like what you like... but these days bashing certain establishments is just as trendy as hyping Corer Bistro ad nauseum.
craft
have had the kobe ribeye for two a couple times... thought it was excellent on both occasions.
sweetbreats were excellent...
