guess I'll have to hike down to Doyers or Mott street to find the name of the place I used to get THE BEST soft shells and razor clams ...

Who else remembers ? I think they had a fire there 5 yrs or so ago ... also famous for a very grumpy but eventually sweet waiter ... heavy set with gold eyglasses ... and they had NY Post or Daily News tabloids plastered to the front window ... raves from Ed Koch .....

Afraid they are gone for good ....

any new developments on this front this week ???

went to Cafe Espanol on Bleeker ... 2 lb. for $25 ... El Paso only had 1.25 lb for $20 ... the critter was meaty but just didn't have that sweet taste that I usually enjoy.

looks like there is a seasonal run on lobster prices .... anybody have any updates on this for me ????

have not been to wildwood ... but I do agree that the meats at Hill Country are quite good ... but their sides .. just don't make sense to someone who grew up on Texas bbq

RUB on 23rd and 7th has good meat and sides ... especially their "onion strings" ... but they put sugar in their rub which is used in everything ... even the fried onions .. the baked beans at RUB are addictive

I know that place ... not quite the same ... the one's I mentioned are under $25 El Paso is $20 for 1.25 to 1.5 pounders ... and I'm really looking for someplace further uptown ( upper east or upper west side ) ... but I do like that place better than the restaurant in Chelsea hotel ...

I've been spoiled by the lobster specials at El Paso on Houston and Sullivan and (haven't tried it yet) Cafe Espanol on Carmine ... is there anything like it ... Spanish / Portuguese places between Chelsea and Washington Heights ( east or west side) that compares ??

Looking for something similar uptown

Thanks

Steve

Cavelo's ... can't find anything on it ... what's the story ??? They specialize in lobster ???

is it just me ... I was quite put off by the wine list at Marseille ... shouldn't there be a better selection in the $40-50 / bottle range ??

Most places in that price range have more reasonable selections, no ?

A midtown issue ???

I went to Marseille for restaurant week on Thurs ... it seemed rather dingy ( tho my date felt that was good french bistro charm ) ... the food was OK .. tho the desserts were under-whelming ... btw ... didn't have the olive dessert ... what's up with that ???

but here's my major beef ... no decent bottle of wine under $60 ... I mean for a place with entree's under $30 to not be able to find a Bordeaux or Rhone wine for around $50 ... the Bordeaux's were all over $70 ... am I wrong ... just didn't seem to be competetive .... are Midtown wine prices like that ???

saturday night at 9pm ... showed up at Ibera ... ordereded a $15 pitcher of Sangria .. waited 10 minutes after the "bus boy" put a wilted salad in front of us ... I asked about what I'd get for the $32 lobster special ... menu notes 4 to 10 lb. lobsters for $9.00 / pound ... had to wait for a waiter to explain .. sipping sangria... Waiter shows up .. 2 1lb. twins for $32 .... no 2 or 3 pound lobsters .... the $9/pound started at 6 pounds ...

... walked out and went to Seabra's Marisqueira ... it was OK ... I'd go back ... lobster was better than my recent visit to Franciso's Centro Vasco
... but where is the value delicious lobster ... ????

I'd make another trip to Newark .... anybody remember the Robert E. Lee around South River, NJ ... I'd travel further for something like that again ...

Yes that place is intriguing .. thanks BP

I've got a great Cabernet that I want to enjoy with a cheese plate and maybe some carpaccio ..... It might make sense to go to a steak house ... but unless someone tells me otherwise ... I'm favoring a restaurant that has a top notch cheese plate:

I've never been to Picholine ... their dinners are prix fixe, but they told me I could have the fromage and appetizers served a cafe table ... $50 corkage, tho.

Artisinal ? Can I get them to put something special together ( $20 corkage )

4 Seasons ??? Their cheese plate must be special

Montrachet ??? No corkage fee on Monday nites .... Any cheese conoseiurs have a recommendation on their selection ???

Craft is a possibilitiy, too ... no ???

Looking forward to some stimulating discussion here.

Thanks,

Steve