Fairway opening in Douglaston

Could not agree more. Just bought a container of their blueberries and had to throw out half of them as they were leaking and oozing. Staff seems to spend lots of time trimming the rotted and browning leaves from the older greens, fennel, lettuces, etc, to make them look like they are fresh. You can always see the telltale marks of this at the base of the stalks/leaves. I know that many markets do this but Fairway takes the prize.

I eat papaya daily. I can buy a whole large papaya for $3.49 at WholeFoods; Fairway charges $1.99 a pound,so the same size fruit often weighs out around $7. I used to take two buses from my apartment to shop at the original West Side Fairway. Those days are long gone! The only things I like there are their olive oils, their coffee, dried fruits (WF has better prices on nuts--365 brand) and some of their jarred, imported items.

Call me fussy but I would NEVER buy fish or seafood from them. Far too much farmed Asian stuff...even down to the squid, which is cheap and plentiful right in our own waters.

erica in Outer Boroughs

Fairway opening in Douglaston

If my experiences at 86th Street and Plainview are any indication, bargains are few and far between at Fairway these days. The fruits and vegetables are wildly overpriced and all too often are not in prime condition; I get better 'bargains" at Eataly!

erica in Outer Boroughs

Dover Sole

Interesting related link:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/577963

I've had excellent imported Dover sole this year at Marea and at Scalinatella, which rarely gets mentioned on this forum, but has very good food.

erica in Manhattan

Distinguishing Factors in Determining Good (authentic) Mexican Cuisine in Manhattan: Kahlua's Cafes and other venues in El Berrio

Jonkyo I applaud your enthusiasm.

About the offal, though: I have spent a lot of time in Mexico, in various regions of the country, and apart from menudo (which is often eaten after a "borrachera"), I did not see vast amounts of organ meats on tables. I'm not saying that they don't eat them, but I believe that they are far less common in Mexican cuisine then, say, in the Chinese traditions. There are however, many incarnations of meat from various parts of the pig's face, from the cheek to the lips, and tongue (is that offal?) and on and on. One must brush up on porcine anatomy before ordering tacos in a market stall!

Anyway, happy eating!

erica in Manhattan

Mission Chinese Food

Related story from Bon Appetit about chef's first visit to Chengdu here:

http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/badaily/2012/04/sichuan-travel-story.html

erica in Manhattan

Humm and Guidara's Nomad

The Post has weighed in; he did not like the lobster, either.

http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/food/tasty_nomad_doesn_wander_HE0uVEFbfpJVYvY2j7r0iL

I know what I'm ordering for the main at my next dinner!

erica in Manhattan

Taggiasca Olives?

Thanks, Bob. I will try the Iliada next time. I did find the Sitia 0.3 at Mediterranean Foods after hearing Eric Ripert rave about it on his tv show.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/713018

Just returned from Fairway with a stash of Castelveltrano olives, so thank you for that tip!

erica in Manhattan

LITTLE PEPPER College Point is OPEN!!

VVoice Sietsema review:

http://www.villagevoice.com/2012-05-23/restaurants/eat-heat-little-pepper-review/

erica in Outer Boroughs

Best Pasta Dish of 2012

Echoing Charles: The Fusilli with Marrow and Octopus at Marea.

Second: Trofie Nero at AiFiori..black pasta with seppie, scallops and bread crumbs

erica in Manhattan

Kutsher's "upscale jewish food" in Tribeca

Yes, please report back!

erica in Manhattan

Taggiasca Olives?

Bob, I was hoping that you would weigh in. I fell so in love with those olives on a trip to Liguria and I brought home a few jars packed in oil, which are now depleted. Eataly used to sell them loose but they now pack them with a few other types. They also sell them in jars but their price seemed so high that I wanted to find another source. I will check Fairway today, and also look for the Nicoise olives. I remember liking them in the past. I need to further my olive education!! Thanks so much!

I did buy the Taggiasca oil at Fairway (under their label; fairly new) but would not buy it again, as I like other Fairway-brand oils better. (I've also been buying Greek oils in Astoria, but really need an education on the various kinds)

erica in Manhattan

Taggiasca Olives?

Looking for sources other than Eataly. I'd prefer Manhattan, but willing to travel if necessary.
I'd prefer to buy them loose, by weight, rather than in the glass jars but will taken either.

Also interested in other excellent black olives packed in oil, so give me your favorites.

Thanks!

erica in Manhattan

Nutella from Italy

Thanks for the tip about Cerini...I'll have to add it to my AA shopping agenda. Walked by for years and never thought to take a peek inside.
http://www.cerinicoffee.com/Nutella-Large-750-gr-Glass-Jar-MADE-IN-ITALY.html

erica in Manhattan

Nutella from Italy

I was asking where the Nutella sold in most NYC retailers was manufactured. I believe that Ferrero has plants all over the Americas and did not know how difficult it was to find the "real thing" here in NY. I know that many people schlep the containers home from Italy, so I figured there was a real difference!

erica in Manhattan

Nutella from Italy

is it usual to find the Nutella made outside italy in most NYC retail outlets?

erica in Manhattan

Best of What is in Season in Early July?

Much obliged for the advice and reassurances. This will be a Sunday so perhaps parking will be quite easy. Thank you so much, yet again!

erica in Italy

Diver XO

DiverXO is reportedly among the most difficult reservations in the city. According to their website, which may not be up-to-date, menus range from 75 to 120 Euro plus 8% tax and exclusive of wine.

http://diverxo.com/

I'm curious: Is Anthony Bourdain the Rick Steves of the restaurant world?

erica in Spain/Portugal

Best of What is in Season in Early July?

BB: Excellent idea, as they appear to be open for Sunday lunch. Question: Since we would be driving into Taranto just for lunch, I'm wondering about parking nearby with luggage in the car, on a Sunday afternoon. What are your thoughts on that and how would you handle? Bring rolling bags into the restaurant? (shudder)

FYI: http://www.ristorantegattorosso.com/2012/04/15/323/

Allende: Sorry to hear about those Crapolla shrimp, as I was bemoaning the fact that they were out of season. Must be a tiny catch, as I did not notice them on any menus outside the Sorrentine peninsula. I did have a tasty raw shrimp on the mixed raw platter (correct to call this an antipasti of crudi?) at Acqua Pazza in Cetara, but no idea of its birthplace.

erica in Italy

Best of What is in Season in Early July?

And there are also much prized shrimp named Crapolla in Campania that I've yet to sample.

http://www3.lastampa.it/cucina/sezioni/dove/osterie-ditalia/articolo/lstp/433634/

erica in Italy

SAN JUAN restaurant questions

Please!!

erica in South & Central America & the Caribbean

Puglia, Basilicata, Molise "report" May 2012 (really long with more negative than positive impressions)

You're not kidding about the prices; and this one is a blend:

http://gustiamo.com/cgi-bin/front_end/prodotto?id=250

erica in Italy

Don Antonio - New Neapolitan Pizzeria in Midtown

Prima: I've not had the pizza at Don Antonio (it's been jammed when I've stopped by in the early evening and I'm guessing they get a huge pre-theatre crowd) but if you are interested in trying the montanara pizza at a place that does take reservations, I can recommend FORCELLA on the Bowery. It's an attractive space with friendly service and a good range of pizzas, both fried and traditional, plus some non-pizza offerings (which we did not try).

They also have a tiny outpost on Ludlow Street but I would doubt that that branch takes reservations.

http://forcellaeatery.com/

http://www.lamontanarapizza.com/

erica in Manhattan

Drinks and good grub near the Omni Berkshire (21 East 52nd Street) in March

Prima: I'm not a regular since I usually eat breakfast at home, but in the past I've thought the spinach/feta omelette was ok...nothing better than the usual diner fare, though, so don't get your hopes up.

Cafe Ze is another story entirely. The owner is a top florist and the restaurant, in an old carriage house, is just beautiful, with excellent food and pretty high prices. I'd recommend breakfast there over any other meal.

erica in Manhattan

Drinks and good grub near the Omni Berkshire (21 East 52nd Street) in March

If you can walk 2 blocks past The Smith, the Madison is a full-service coffee shop/diner with the usual repertoire of American and Greek offerings. Long-running and reliable gathering spot for the neighborhood. Corner FirstAvenue@53rd Street.

http://www.menupages.com/restaurants/madison-restaurant/

More upscale and more pricey, with excellent pastries and coffee, as well as full breakfast options, on 52nd Street east of First Avenue is Cafe Ze, which draws a good crowd of locals for breakfast. Gorgeous to look at, too. Definitely not a coffee shop, but thought I'd throw it out since this is my neck of the woods.

erica in Manhattan

Tickets...ABac...Cal Pep...Café De L'Academia ...Santa Maria.....Where do I go?!

There are reams of threads discussing this subject, so you might want to read a few of these and return with questions. For example, I dined at Tickets, Quimet/Quimet, Cal Pep, PacomerAlgo, Pinoxto, and Quim in 2011 and wrote about my experiences in the thread linked below.

There is not single best seafood restaurant in Barcelona; Rias de Galicia is often mentioned, but it is one of quite a few.

You might have trouble booking Tickets because I understand it books up far in advance these days.

Maybe I dined at the wrong places but I do not remember seeing raw erizo/sea urchin on many menus, although the markets have them on hand. I'm sure you can find them easily, but other sea creatures may be more easily found. Sea cucumber, espardena, for example, is quite a delicacy.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/768881

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/769353

http://www.riasdegalicia.com/

erica in Spain/Portugal

Naples- Europeo di Matozzi

I'll echo the thanks, as well as your enthusiasm for Hostaria Toledo. I thought the classics there were exemplary. We had a fairly lackluster dinner at Mattozi and I never had the desire to return. Now I certainly won't pay a second visit.

erica in Italy

Puglia, Basilicata, Molise "report" May 2012 (really long with more negative than positive impressions)

I am thrilled to read your thoughtful report, and will return again to soak it up with more leisure.
I think the cheese you had at Alle Due Corte must have been the ricotta forte, and one has to be forte, indeed, to overcome that smell! I wonder about that cheese; I saw it sold in jars in Lecce, for long keeping, and wonder how such a soft cheese could survive for many weeks. (??)

Interesting how much we both liked Le Botteghe in Matera. Now that is a restaurant smack dab in the middle of the tourist trail, such as it is in Matera. There are many tourists on the night that we dined there. Yet the food does not seem to have been "dumbed down" in any way. Extraordinary, really, how good the cuisine is in that region despite their rather paltry larder, or at least paltry as compared with the cornucopia from which the cooks of the more northern regions can draw.

I'd be so grateful to read details of your meals in and around Porto Cesareo and Gallipoli..in keeping with the non-whitewashed theme here, let's hear it all! (Not to mention of course, the fact that I am headed that way in September!)

A terrific contribution to Chowhound. Thank you.

erica in Italy

VALENCIA- brief report 2/11

Updating this thread to report that Ca Sento has closed after 33 years; Chef Aleixandre has said that he intends to open a new restaurant in another location.

http://www.informavalencia.com/noticias/ampliar/25932/ca-sento-definitivamente-ha-cerrado

He is currently a partner in TrencaDish, a "gastrobar:"

http://www.trencadish-valencia.com/el-restaurante/

erica in Spain/Portugal

Aloreña olive with DOP

Gracias! I will also go to Ronda so will try to do some sleuthing! And now I will be on the lookout for those olives as well. And the famous raisins, too.

erica in Manhattan