Roederer is good and definitely a solid pick for the money. It's pretty big - lots of body, not as refined as a lot of bubbly out there. Toasty. But if that floats your boat and you're looking for an option that won't break the bank, it's a great one.

Was just saying to my husband the other day that Veuve isn't what it used to be. When ordering by the glass at a restaurant, it's still one of my go-to wines, mainly because its popularity means the bottle is likely to have been freshly opened. But for at-home drinking, I'm sort of over it.

My favorites:

Duval Leroy - A greatly undervalued Champagne, IMO. Great with sushi. The term "seaspray" comes to mind. Lots of minerality. Less $ than Veuve.

Tattinger - Their Champagnes and California sparkling wines are both excellent. The entry-level Champagne is one of my favorites; it's clean and bracing and complex. It's slightly more expensive than VC, usually $50ish.

Aubrey Brut - Excellent. This is a good one with food; has a lot going on.

And Moet (their basic entry-level Champagne) is a good sub for Veuve, though not as interesting as others. It's easy-drinking and pretty likable.

Good thread - cheers!

BLT BLT BLT

Ketchup in your stir fry? Or chili? Or both? Sneaky...

I often add Worcestershire. To me, gives the chili depth and a little lift, too (two opposing directions, I know).

Then again, I could drink Worcestershire sauce, so maybe it's just me.

Thanks (two years later, sorry)! Definitely going to try Vito's next time. We love to make pizza at home but every now and then you just want to pick one up (or have it delivered) and watch a movie, you know?

Have you gotten to try the Villager Deli yet? It seems to get busier and busier as time goes by. After now dozens of visits, we still really like it. No complaints.

Could not agree more re: the double awesome. I loved it so much the first time I had it I wrote a Yelp review of it. I think it was Yelp, at least...I just went to the first place I could think of to write a glowing review of it, pretty much before I had even picked the pesto out of my teeth.

Poaching an egg perfectly every time, on a food truck no less, is worthy of mention. Putting it on a crispy-delicious scallion pancake, surrounding it with farmers market-fresh pesto and melty cheddar and serving it with spicy ketchup...that's worthy of high praise. And a trip to wherever their truck is.

Speaking of, they aren't always where their website says they'll be. Check their Twitter feed. Sort of annoying but I have no choice but to deal with it, because their food is so good.

Their corn fritters are also simply effing fantastic. I could eat thirty of them.

Update: tried Tamarind Bay twice now since reading this thread, and am happy to report that fiancee and I were happy with our meal both times. I'm impressed with their variety of seafood and veg options (I guess the seafood part makes since, given the full name of the restaurant). We didn't sit in the restaurant, however -- did takeout/delivery -- so I can't speak to the dining experience. Overall though, great to have another option for Indian in Brookline. Thanks for the rec, teezeetoo!

So

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Tamarind Bay
75 Winthrop St, Cambridge, MA 02138

Well, I grew up in Florida eating butter-soaked Lenders out of the freezer bag when I ate bagels at all. We don't have the bagel culture in the south that you find up here, so perhaps that would explain our differences in opinion on boiled-and-baked bread. Fortunately, my tastes have evolved beyond those of the Lenders-eating ruffian I used to be. I now trust my food judgment, and in considering the local, Coolidge Corner-based options of Kupels, Brueggers, and the hellhole that is Panera, Kupels wins my vote without question.

Thanks for the other recommendations, teezeetoo. I agree about Seven Subs, Pigs Fly, and Athans. I'll have to check the others out...especially Tamarind Bay. I like Rani for reliable take-out, and their Tomato Coconut Shorba is truly one of the most delicious things in CC, but I would love to find another go-to Indian spot.

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Tamarind Bay
75 Winthrop St, Cambridge, MA 02138

Seven Subs
1364 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02446

Pomodoro in Brookline Village is my favorite restaurant in the area, hands-down. Great food, warm service and hospitality, creative drinks, and cozy atmosphere. It's our happy place. (Have never had a bad experience there, though I've seen on some threads that others have. That's too bad. I will say, I love the staff there -- but I imagine that if you sass them they'll sass you right back. So, as with all dining experiences, it's best not to be an a-hole.)

Zenna is consistently good. Zenna Noodle Bowl -- yum.

Agree with others that Zaftigs is overrated. I am baffled by the line there every weekend, though perhaps part of the issue is that CC lacks brunch options in general.

Rani for Indian.

El Dorado, up Harvard St. a bit, has delicious tacos - lots of options, serve with a charred jalapeno. Really good.

Kupel's for quality bagels. Not open Saturday.

Off topic, but we recently discovered Wulf's fish market. Since you're moving here and you like food, you should know about it. Pricey, but awesome. And they're nice as can be.

A few blocks out, Washington Square Tavern. Excellent food & drink (esp. wine).

Enjoy!

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Pomodoro
24 Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02445

Zenna Noodle Bar
1374 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02446

Washington Square Tavern
714 Washington St, Brookline, MA 02446

I actually used to manage a CC wine store and did some work with Michael, but only a few times. He was generous with his food, but on one occasion (without getting into details) suffice it to say his behavior made me and others very uncomfortable and he was not welcomed back. I do not patronize his restaurant.

We too recently bought a place in Pinehurst and have been scoping out the best places to eat.
Haven't had a ton of luck yet, honestly, but that might be because we're used to having lots of options and the luxury to be picky.

Ironwood Cafe in Southern Pines is usually pretty good -- large menu, nice outdoor seating and, occasionally, very good wine specials. Also have early bird pricing of some sort, though we've always been there too late to take advantage of it.

Villager Deli is old-school and makes delicious sandwiches.

New York Deli has very good bagels -- apparently the fly them in every day from, you guessed it, New York. They run out early.

Have yet to find any good options for any pan-Asian cuisine...I find myself really missing Thai, Chinese and sushi, especially, when we're in P-hurst.

This thread is pretty old, so maybe you've discovered some good options in the past few years, GolferBitch? Would love to know three things:

1) Where in god's name can I get a good cup of freshly-brewed, strong coffee?
2) Any good pizza in the area?
3) What is the name of this elusive Mexican joint in Aberdeen?

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New York Deli
1047 Murchison Rd Ste 110, Fayetteville, NC 28301

Villager Deli Restaurant
6 Chinquapin Rd, Pinehurst, NC 28374

Southern Pines
Highway 253, Donalsonville, GA 39845