gnosh's Profile
Please help with PARADE GROUND SOCCER FIELDS
Taking a group of hungry kids to DiFara after a soccer tournament is possibly the worst idea in the entire world. You could wait hours--no exaggeration. (And I love DiFara.) If you want pizza, there is San Remo on Cortelyou (maybe a 15 minute walk) and also place on the corner of Coney Island Avenue and Church. If Thai is of any interest, there is a newly-opened branch of Am Thai on Church Ave., close to the soccer fields. (Not sure about their hours.)
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Di Fara Pizza
1424 Avenue J, Brooklyn, NY 11230
San Remo Pizzeria
1408 Cortelyou Rd, Brooklyn, NY 11226
Indian/Ethiopian/other near Dupont Circle
Thanks, everyone. I will report back. We're arriving tomorrow, staying until Saturday. Any other suggestions welcome, of course.
Indian/Ethiopian/other near Dupont Circle
A friend and I are visiting DC with our pre-teen sons. We're staying at Hotel Palomar near Dupont Circle, and are looking for good, not super-pricey places to eat dinner and maybe breakfast (breakfast needs to be quick and cheap). The boys, who like interesting food, have expressed interest in Indian and African (Ethiopian or other), but we are open to all (except for places that are mainly seafood). I've searched this board a little and have seen recommendations for Bistro du Coin, which sounds nice. Thanks.
Trader Joe's Yea/Nay Thread - 1st quarter 2012 [old]
Unfortunately, that combo box includes the nonfat variety--I much prefer the 2% version.
trader joe's coq au vin (frozen)
I think this alleged generous return policy at Trader Joe's may be an urban myth--or is perhaps being phased out. A couple of weeks ago I told the manager at the store in Brooklyn that I'd bought two containers of yogurt that were past their expiration date and that I'd had to throw one out because it was clearly spoiled. He was very skeptical that I was telling the truth and asked for a receipt. I said I didn't have one. He grudgingly OKed a refund for one of the yogurts, but said next time, without a receipt and the actual product or container, no refund. That is the only time I've ever complained there--and it was not a pleasant experience.
Southern Spice closed and relocating ?
How do the prices compare to the previous location? Why do you assume they'll serve alcohol?
birthday dinner conundrum
Thanks for doing the math for me! I tend to have a more impressionistic (inaccurate) approach.
Falai sounded interesting, then I checked the web site. Apparently they are closed due to "technical difficulties," whatever that means. Given the time period we're living in, I'm guessing it's the same as financial difficulties. Sad.
I will look at Forgione.
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Falai
68 Clinton St, New York, NY 10002
birthday dinner conundrum
Ciano looks great. Nice photos. That may be the answer! I didn't know Casa Mono was so cheek-to-cheek—thanks for mentioning that. My husband is very tall and a bit claustrophobic, so that wouldn't have been so great.
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Casa Mono
52 Irving Place, New York, NY 10003
Ciano
45 E 22nd St, New York, NY 10010
birthday dinner conundrum
I'm trying to figure out a place to take my husband for his birthday (the two of us plus our 12 year old son who likes everything but fish). I am searching for something not terribly expensive—something like $200 for the three of us (we won't drink much)—but that still feels like an occasion. I was thinking of Balaboosta (downside: too casual?) or Casa Mono (downside: I don't really like small plates myself) or WD-50 (probably too expensive, and we've been there--though not for a while). Also, I want to be able to make a reservation. We ate at Aldea recently and loved it....
Thanks everyone.
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WD-50
50 Clinton Street, New York, NY 10002
Casa Mono
52 Irving Place, New York, NY 10003
Aldea
31 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011
Balaboosta
214 Mulberry St, New York, NY 10012
Staple and Fancy question -- and more
Thanks for the encouragement, chowhounds. We ate at Staple and Fancy last week, and it was amazing. One of the best restaurant experiences of my life! At each course, they served a selection of items that satisfied (and thrilled) all of us. Our special requests weren't a problem (we were a little flexible too). Everything was wonderful, but what I'm craving this moment is the little cup of tomato soup that was part of the appetizer course.
Trader Joe's Yea/Nay Thread - 3rd quarter 2011 [Old]
You're right. It is a pale shadow--a mere suggestion--of a real dosa, but kind of edible nonetheless! Not sure it is worth the two-step process, though.
Staple and Fancy question -- and more
Thanks to all of you. That sounds like great advice. Do you think it's still worth going if we wind up ordering off the regular menu?
Cheers!
Staple and Fancy question -- and more
I'm going to be visiting Seattle from NY with my husband and 12-year-old son in a couple of weeks. (We've never been there before.) I've been reading the board here, and have booked a dinner at Staple and Fancy, which sounds like a blast. But a question: Is it possible to customize the chef's dinner at all? We are all food lovers, but I don't eat mammals and my son doesn't like much fish (though I am ever hopeful he will start liking it, and maybe this will be the trip!). It would be fine to get a little of both of those--we just wouldn't eat them--but it would be bad if everything were porky or fishy or whatever. Has anybody had experience with this kind of thing?
Also: our reservation is for 6 p.m. I am guessing that since the restaurant is in Ballard, it's near the Ballard Locks. Is that a fun trip? Would it make sense to get to the Ballard Locks at around 4:30, look around, then go to the restaurant?
Thanks!
Trader Joe's Yea/Nay Thread - 3rd quarter 2011 [Old]
I tried it at the store. They were handing out samples. It was pretty good--didn't have as much of an Indian flavor as you'd like--very potatoish. But I did buy a package, and noticed when I got home that the preparation is more complicated than I'd like for an OK frozen food. (Microwave then pan fry.) So I haven't tried it at home yet.
Trader Joe's Yea/Nay Thread - 3rd quarter 2011 [Old]
I love the chili mango fruit bar. But I love all things spicy.
Discontinued at Trader Joe's (started 6/19/2011) [old]
The refrigerated soups. Ancient grains (lentil) was especially good. The soups are replaced by beans and mediocre chicken salad. Don't get it.
Trader Joe's Baingan Bharta
Thanks. I will look for the bhartha. I don't think I've seen it in my branch. Is it sold with rice, a la the paneer tikka masala?
Trader Joe's Baingan Bharta
I thought the paneer rolls were terrible, had a chemical-ish taste. Interested in the parathas, though.
New Trader Joe's Yea/Nay Thread - 2nd Quarter 2011 [old]
It is also pretty expensive for what is essentially mac and cheese. Your description of the "asparagus" is very accurate!
New Trader Joe's Yea/Nay Thread - 2nd Quarter 2011 [old]
Paneer Rolls Stuffed with Red Curry--yuck stuffed with myuck! Repulsive strange taste. Don't even quite know how to decribe it. Kind of chemical-ish and acidy? Looks like a hunk of mush. I was curious because I am a gigantic fan of the paneer tikka masala. I wonder if this was just something strange that they concocted out of extra paneer from Indian entrees and extra red curry from thai? Do not buy! Also, it is wildly caloric. 660 cals for the package, which looks like one serving but is labeled as 3.
Buttermilk Channel question
Thanks! Yes--not prepared to wait (well 10 minutes would be OK.) I had hoped maybe Tuesdays were slow. I resent this Brooklyn no-reservations trend. It seems very...second-city.
Buttermilk Channel question
I wanted to try this place tomorrow night (Tuesday) around 8, but they don't take reservations and I'm not prepared to wait more than 5 minutes. There will be 3 of us. Can someone who goes there or walks by often advise--might we get a table?
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Buttermilk Channel
524 Court St, Brooklyn, NY 11231
more Brooklyn Fairway disappointment
Yes, you're right there are some bargains. Like Bob mentions above, the olive oils seem to be great deals. It's the cheese thing that really bothers me; maybe because I so loved the Cheese Primer by Steven Jenkins (who worked at Fairway when he wrote it--don't know if he does anymore). Reading that book years ago really opened my eyes to the wonderful world of cheese!
more Brooklyn Fairway disappointment
I have always been underwhelmed by the produce at the Red Hook Fairway, but liked the cheese a lot--cut to order, great selection, good prices. But yikes--I was there a few days ago and the cheese situation seems to have taken a turn for the worse. They were charging around $18/pound for Parmigiano reggiano--pre-cut and smothered in plastic. I'm sorry, but for that price I can go to Di Paolo's and get amazing Parmesan cut to order--and know its exact origin. Or, I can patronize my charming but wildly expensive neighborhood gourmet store. Or, I can go out to Bensonhurst and get the same quality Parmesan as Fairway's for $12/lb, and cut to order. Fairway's Parmesan was always pre-cut, which is not the end of the world, but they seem to be moving away from cutting many cheeses to order (particularly cheese w/rind)--or was it always this way? All the Gruyère (different varieties) was sitting out on tables, precut and wrapped. I wanted a pound, and asked the guy behind the counter if he could cut me a piece (so I wouldn't have to find two smaller wrapped chunks that added up to that). He said no--it was all cut and wrapped at the warehouse then sent to the store. They had precut so many of the cheeses that some were piled on a ledge in front of that area where they cook the fresh mozzarella (which is oddly tasteless and good only if you get it while it's still warm and eat it right away; they wrap it in plastic while it's still hot--ick--instead of storing it in water). Cheese wrapped in plastic piled against a hot steamy pane of glass--Dutch Parrano, I think it was, sweating into its cellophane. Hardly worth the $14/lb (or thereabouts) that they were charging. Perhaps this is the result of Fairway having opened to many stores-it's a supermarket chain instead of a "market"--but a supermarket without good prices. Prices are really high on the other items as well, including the mediocre produce. Organic milk and interesting yogurt are still fairly cheap, but not many other bargains. Right?
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Fairway Market
480 Van Brunt St, Brooklyn, NY 11231
The LaGuardia-Sri connection...how many make a Sri stop before or after LGA? Other LGA-area restaurants?
We used to stop at (or get takeout from) various Indian places in Jackson Heights (we live in Bklyn) so we pass it on the BQE.
Trader Joe's Yea/Nay thread - 1st quarter 2011 [old]
I kind of liked those cookies. I think they're supposed to be an alternative to Tate's (or is it Tait's?). Do you like that brand? They are not quite as good, and not significantly cheaper, but still worth grabbing if you like that kind of thing.
Trader Joe's Yea/Nay thread - 1st quarter 2011 [old]
Nay to the Truffle Brownie Mix, which I was sure would be great. It had that strange coconut taste that I have also found in the Trader Joe's Chocolate Sorbet. (Somehow, I find it less off-putting in the sorbet than in the brownies.) The brownies were sort of worth eating once I slathered them with vanilla ice cream, killing the coconut taste, but still a big disappointment. Maybe they use some kind of coconut oil, or something? I threw away the box before I thought to look.
Costco Hors D'oeuvre's ?
I bought pigs in blankets and mini-spanakopita for a recent party, both in the freezer section. The spanakopita were decent (with the added plus that they can be cooked ahead and eaten at room temperature), the pigs in blankets were what you expect. All got eaten.
Butcher in Brooklyn
Staubitz on Court Street in Cobble Hill and Los Paisanos on Smith Street in the same neighborhood. Both are popular and good. Both are quite expensive, Staubitz more expensive than Los Paisanos. I prefer Los Paisanos.
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Paisanos Meat Market
162 Smith St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
