kapusta's Profile
Twisted Noodle open in Durham
DH and I had lunch here last month during a visit to the Triangle. After reading here about the slow service, we were prepared for a long wait. Well, it took some time for a waiter to take our order, but the food came relatively quickly. This was a Saturday. DH had Drunken Noodles...I'd give it "average". I had tofu in spicy chili basil sauce. Very good, although not very spicy despite requesting that when ordering. However, given the subjectiveness of "spicy", I really can't fault the restaurant. Also had an order of Summer rolls, which were also good. Next time we're in Durham, we'll probably try it again.
cow hollow
We often stay at Cow Hollow, and we have enjoyed dinners at "Baker Street Bistro". It's small, so reservations might be a good idea on weekends. Wine by the glass or bottle is reasonably priced, and I believe that they have pre-fix dinners on the weekends. A bit of a walk but certainly within your range...go all the way down Chestnut, then turn left, cross Lombard at Baker and it's about a block up the street on the right.
Second the Lucca's deli. We always grab a couple of sandwiches there for the flight back east.
Betelnut is very good, but it is noisy. Weekdays aren't so bad.
Don't be afraid of Muni buses. We get a week pass on Monday and ride all week with our Muni map, available at the cable car kiosk at Fisherman's Wharf or the tourist office on Market. You can grab Muni downtown from Chestnut/Fillmore (#30) or out to Sunset/Richmond from Lombard/Filmore (#28). So little time, so much to eat!!
Prague - recommendations
We were in Praha for 2 weeks in late April/early May. Most of the restaurants we sought out were Czech themed. Although many people speak some English and many restaurants offer English (or German) menus, you would be well advised to have a phrase book to decipher menus.
Had a lovely meal at "Koliba Praha", a Slovakian restaurant, near the red-line Roztyly metro station. Exit the station, follow the little path up the hill directly to the restaurant overlooking the station. My entree was a delicious lamb-filled ravioli-like potato pasta in a spicy red sauce. There is an outdoor terrace with beautiful views of the city and the Vltava, or indoor seating. The night we were there, a small "gypsy" combo played folk music. If you venture out this way, stop along the red line to walk through Vysehrad, an old fortress that has some great views of the river.
If you want obnoxious, drunken tourists, overpriced food, and impatient waiters who try to sell you extra items, then try U Fleku in the downtown.
U Suteru is worth seeking out, located on Palackeho near Vodickova in Nove Mesto. Great bargains on lunch specials but a little hard to find. The payoff is few tourists inside...they're all at U Fleku getting gouged.
Also for lunch, try Bredovsky Dvor on Politickych Veznu, one block from the Mustek metro station in New Town.
Pivovarsky Dum, at Ječná/Lípová, is also a great lunch stop with beer brewed on premises. Here's a link: www.gastroinfo.cz/pivodum. Menus are available in English and they have a non-smoking section out front.
We would certainly second the suggestion by the other poster, Bradbury, that a train journey to Plzen and the Pilsner Urquell brewery is a wonderful day trip. There is a small fee for the brewery tour (offered in various languages), but it is extensive and includes the cellars and a barrel tasting of beer.
Since our Czech language skills are marginal and we could not reliably understand spoken numbers, we found it helpful to have a pen and paper along when we dined out. When it was time to pay the bill, the waiter could write down the amount owed, and we would then write down the total amount that we wanted to give the waiter/waitress so as to include a tip. This won't be a problem at larger restaurants, but small pubs and cafes are not always English-enabled. At many restaurants, the waitstaff carry cash around with them in a small purse and make change for you at your table when you pay the bill.
Have fun, and remember to say "Prosim" and "Dekuji" and you'll get along fine.
30 minute microwave mozzarella?
Thanks for the tip, Gooseberry. When you caution to limit stirring while the curds are forming, do you mean before or after the rennet is added?
30 minute microwave mozzarella?
Today was my first attempt at this. I used 1 gal. whole milk from Kroger's, heated slowly to 55F, then added 2 tsp citric acid and 1/2 tsp mild lipase powder in 1/4 c water. Then heated to 88F and added 1 tsp calcium chloride in 1/4 c water, and 1/2 rennet tab dissolved in 1/4 c water. The break looked promising but when I tried to scoop it into my bowl to microwave it, I too ended up with smallish, soft curds that just slipped through my slotted spoon. So...not wanting to waste the milk, I tossed the lot into cheesecloth and drained the whey off as much as I could...still a gloppy mess, but when I began to microwave it, it got sticky just like the recipe said, and after several go rounds in the MW, I finally achieved the taffy-like product called for. I think that the kneading and stretching part is important to get the right texture in the finished cheese. Next time, I'll try a different milk...maybe I'll get firmer curds. Anyone else have suggestions?
