elizabells's Profile
Dinner near Chabot Space?
Hi all!
Sorry for the delay. I'm coming from El Cerrito and he's coming from San Francisco. I know there's nothing really up near the Observatory (unless the Mormon temple has opened a restaurant), so I guess I was hoping there was something decent in Montclair. As of now it looks like Hunan Yuan, based on one reco from a friend. I had heard there was a good sushi place, good to know the name!
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Hunan Yuan Restaurant
4100 Redwood Rd, Oakland, CA 94619
Dinner near Chabot Space?
::waves hi::
In my usual fashion, I'm looking for a restaurant for a 2nd date. We're going to the planetarium show at Chabot and I'm trying to find something fairly nearby. The bistro at Chabot itself is out, as they only have 2 seatings that night and we can't make it. We've got one inveterate carnivore (moi) and one pescetarian (... not moi). Something relatively casual would be good, as we're just two young Hounds getting to know each other, not so much in A Grand Romance.
Thanks you guys!
Pork stock in El Cerrito/Albany/Berkeley?
Hey all
I'm looking to pick up some fresh or frozen pork stock for Udon soup this week. I was wondering if anyone knew for sure where to get it? My brainstorming thus far has come up with Berkeley Bowl West, El Cerrito Natural Grocery, Andronico's (on Solano) or maybe 99 Ranch? I'd just rather not drive all over creation if someone could point me in the right direction.
Thanks!
Front Royal - Wynn's or Apple House?
@ Dennis: Will definitely take a look, as I seem incapable of taking a road trip without passing through the valley, so I'm sure it'll come up again!
@ Henry: 4 day vacations require packing leisure into the travel time!
Front Royal - Wynn's or Apple House?
Thanks! Think I will try Wynn's and then swing by AH for snacks.
Either one is equal in terms of destination, as I'm heading for I64 on the way to Chincoteague. I've driven 11 from FR to Lexington twice now, and I do love the little towns, but more that it's... country? I guess? I live in NYC. So big freeways don't appeal to me at all - I'm more going for leisurely. As long as there's a single gas station somewhere along 340, I don't need much beyond pretty hills, etc. Oh, but Civil War stuff is always a plus.
Front Royal - Wynn's or Apple House?
Time for another Virginia road trip!
I've stayed in FR twice now en route to SNP, and both times I've had breakfast at Apple House, which was fine, not anything special, but decent eggs/potatoes/toast action. I'm wondering if this time I should try Wynn's, which I've heard good things about. I would sell my soul for good biscuits and gravy, and I believe Wynn's does this well, yes? I'll still stop off at AH for road doughnuts, of course. :)
(Also any views on whether US11 or US340 is more scenic and relaxing are welcome)
Road trip lunch near-ish to Charlotte
Wow, thanks, guys! Lots of suggestions = lots of options depending on how my time and appetite are looking. Yay!
Road trip lunch near-ish to Charlotte
Hey all -
I'm taking a week-long road trip from NYC to Savannah pretty soon, and I've mapped out all my meal stops except one. I'm going to push from Savannah to Roanoke, VA in one day, and I'm planning on stopping for lunch somewhere in the general vicinity of Charlotte. I don't particularly want to go anywhere in downtown Charlotte, as it's going to be a long day of driving and fighting with city traffic and lunch crowds doesn't really appeal to me. I'm looking for something along I-77, within, oh, about half an hour either way of Charlotte (just for the timing of it) and I'm trying to keep my meals pretty Southern-oriented. I live in NYC, so I can get most things *except* good country cooking up here. Diners/dives/vaguely sketchy local joints most welcome, as long as I don't actually end up with Shigella. I'm not crazy about NC style BBQ, but I'm willing to be proven wrong if you know of somewhere that'll knock me on my ass.
Thanks!
Where to find instant yeast in NYC?
Grace's Marketplace on the UES has it, SAF in the jars. There's a teensy shelf of baking stuff over by the bakery section in the front of the store. Inexplicably, they do not have bread flour.
2nd date between 40th and 20th, East Side
Hey all
I need a reco for a good 2nd date spot on the east side in the 20s-40s. We attempted to go to Asia de Cuba on the first, but the hostess was so snotty we ended up at Blue Smoke instead. Something fairly nice but not too... I don't know, romantic? It's only the 2nd date, after all. :)
Thanks!
Tastespotting... oh noes!
So not a legal problem with the site itself, but rather NotCot. Hmmm...
Okay, I'm calling it. Jean's a secret agent, and has to go into witness protection. What? Those are "legal complications"!
Tastespotting... oh noes!
You know, I keep reading this, but it would be super if someone had actual info to back it up. I realize that if you're friends with Jean or whatever you might not want to tell a story you feel to be hers to tell, but some... crumble? Of something?
Tastespotting... oh noes!
Okay, I've done some poking around and it looks like a good number of bloggers were having pics ganked off their sites and linking to bogus recipes by one particular poster, who I'd actually noticed before as posting way more than was healthy. TS would remove these links on request, but maybe it just got too much to keep up with.
So thanks, gingerbreadgirl03. Hope the traffic you got was worth it.
Tastespotting... oh noes!
@ k_d: "If that's true, perhaps the troll did something or said something that led a blogger to blame (as in, legally) TS for the harassment?"
If THAT'S true, that's the dumbest damn thing I ever heard. Might as well blame AG Bell, seeing as how he invented telephones, which led to the internet, which led to tastespotting, which led to you *choosing* to have a blog, which ...
Sigh. I guess I'm onto the "anger" stage of the grieving process.
ps: I don't mean your theory is dumb, I mean that I can totally believe it, because people are dumb.
Tastespotting... oh noes!
Yeah, I did notice a lot of times the link to the person who submitted the entry didn't go back to the actual post. But there has to be a way to fix that! Didn't the tastespotting crew review posts before they went up? They must have, or there would have been a lot more spam/crap entries. Or a rule that entries must be submitted by the author of the post. Maybe there would be fewer entries, but there would still be some.
Tastespotting... oh noes!
chiffOnade? Oh hells naw. I don't care if her boyfriend is named Big Bear and weighs 450lbs or whatever.
Tastespotting... oh noes!
From the homepage of TS today:
"Thanks for a great 18 months! In light of recent legal complications, NOTCOT will no longer be operating tastespotting.com."
Dude. Duuuuuuuude. I haven't been this upset about a website since Bravo took over Television Without Pity.
Anyone have dirt? So sad!
NY Hospital
Ask your nurses - seriously, we've tried every restaurant in a reasonable radius surrounding whatever hospital we work in.
Can I bake strawberries into brownies?
You know, they turned out really good. I took the freeze and toss suggestion, although I used the dry brownie mix instead of flour. Yeah, I use brownie mix. For shame. But it's organic! Anyway, I did brownie cupcakes and only put berries in half of them in case it was a disaster. I just tried one of each and the ones with berries are much better. They're kind of goopy and fall apart, but I wasn't able to resist trying them while still searingly hot. I have a feeling they'll firm up a bit as they cool.
Thanks for all the tips!
Can I bake strawberries into brownies?
Hey all
I have entirely too many strawberries kicking around my fridge, and thought maybe I could bake them into some brownies. Maybe sliced, as a middle layer? The only risk I can think of is that the water content is too high and would screw up the baking. I know I can always put them on TOP, but if it works I think it would be cool to actually bake them inside.
Best Breakfast place in Eastbay
I second Homemade, and also add Mama's Royal in Oakland. I've never liked Rick and Ann's, it's fine, but not worth the wait for me. Does Jupiter on Shattuck still serve breakfast? I moved east a few years ago, but when I was still in Berkeley it was one of my favorite spots.
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Mama's Royal Cafe
4012 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94611
Michael Mina, Boulevard, Quince, Delfina.........
The only two I've tried are Boulevard and Michael Mina, and I would say Boulevard ALL the way. Michael Mina is an interesting experience, but I've had many, many wondrous meals at Boulevard. If you tell them it's a special occasion and you'd like a table by the window, under the bridge, they'll try to accommodate you.
Any comments on Cafe Joul on 1st avenue?
I go with my grandmother fairly regularly - I nearly always get the chicken breast with lemon fettucini. The chicken is always lovely - crisp skin, tender and juicy. It's an entire breast perched on the pasta, not sliced and mixed in. I don't even like lemon, but the lemon sauce on the pasta is just fantastic.
Groceries at 72nd and 1st
I'm soon to be moving to that shiny beast they're putting up on 72nd and 1st, and when I walked by the other day I saw my choices were basically Food Emporium and Gristedes, at least for things right there. I'm coming from Bklyn Heights, where shopping at Gristedes was akin to taking your life into your hands, what with the puffy dairy containers and salt flats-scented meat. I hear, though, that the ones in Manhattan aren't so bad. I have zero experience with or knowledge of Food Emporium. I'm going to be spending nearly half my take-home pay on rent (hey, it has a dishwasher!), so as much as I'd love to continue my Fresh Direct/Garden of Eden junkie ways, I'm going to have to reign it in a bit.
So: Gristedes or Food Emporium - Thoughts? Opinions? Other places to get that one ridiculously expensive fancy item when I just can't help myself?
First date help - with actual details!
Hey guys, I need help, of course. I'm pretty unfamiliar with subway lines not the A or 2/3, and I need a place for a relatively casual first date - from the internet.
The criteria are diner or Mexican (in that order, I guess), between Bay Ridge (where he lives) and Bklyn Heights (where I live) and near the N or R trains. I'd love something relatively in the middle, so that one of us doesn't bear the major burden of the train ride home.
Y'all are the best!
Mighty Leaf Tea
Garden of Eden in Brooklyn Heights has it by the box as well, but it's expensive. I believe GoE has locations elsewhere in the city, so you may be able to find one closer to you.
Parm for Gruyere in potato gratin
Well slap my ass and call me Suzy, the corner store had Gruyere after all! God, I love New York. I'm sure it's not the same as I would have gotten at Garden of Eden, but it'll do. Thanks for all the replies, everyone!
Parm for Gruyere in potato gratin
Hi all
I'm making a potato/artichoke gratin later which calls for 1/2c Gruyere. I'm not going to be able to get to the store with the good cheese before it closes, which leaves the option of a generic Swiss (I think they carry Jarlsburg) from the corner store. I basically hate Swiss cheese except in gratin form, so I won't use up any excess. Can I use Reggiano? I have it on hand. I'll go ahead with the Swiss if the parm will ruin the dish, but it seems a waste.
any new eating spots on montague street?
Not since May, when I moved here. Oh, wait, I tell lies. There's a 5 Guys burger place now. And Greens closed.
Nicky's Vietnamese Sandwiches now serving pho
YAY! I'm not a fan of banh mi, so I've never been to Nicky's, although it's close to me. Now I have a reason to check it out.
