edwardspk's Profile
What to do with Fava Beans?
Mix favas with small cubes of pecorino cheese, then toss with olive oil and sea salt. Makes a wonderful cold appetizer/salad.
Mint coming out my ears!!!!
Being a good Southerner, mint julep was the first thing that came to my mind. Just go easy on the minted simple syrop - the drink should practically be all bourbon over crushed ice, with just a splash of minted simple syrop, then garnish with a mint sprig. Quite refreshing on a hot summer day.
Need recos for downtown Chicago near Allegro Hotel
Hi, all, this question may look familiar to some, as I posted one similar last year and got great suggestions (several of which I took advantage of, and you steered me well!
This year, the budget is tighter. I"m looking for a good recommendation where (hopefully) we can get a well-made entree in the $12-18 range that can accomodate a party of 12. These are work colleagues on a per diem of $42 for the entire day (yes, that's right - breakfast, lunch and dinner total not to exceed $42). Looking for a casual atmosphere where jeans will be ok, but an atmosphere appropriate for professionals in their 30's-upper 40's. Dinner will be this coming Tuesday evening.
Anyone have just the perfect spot come to mind?
Lincoln Ristorante - Need soothing words to calm me down!!
Thank you for that update! It's always great to hear how things work out from those seeking input/opinions. I"ve always enjoyed Lincoln and am glad Charles liked it, too.
Babbo vs. Del Posto
I've had more consistently good meals at Babbo than at Marea. You really have to order carefully at Marea to get an outstanding meal (which is certainly possible with homework). On the other hand, I had a wonderful 4-course lunch at Del Posto today and was perfectly happy. The food, service and live piano music were all lovely, if slightly more formal than Babbo (or Marea). So to the OP, I'd say the choice comes down to atmosphere. You'll enjoy the food at either restaurant.
Homemade strained yogurt volume?
I"d say you're doing pretty good. When I"ve made yogurt and strained it, I've used a half-gallon of milk. Once the half-gallon has been cultured and strained, I end up with less than 1 quart of yogurt. I've never measured the whey, so don't know how much liquid volume is "lost", but it makes sense to me the yogurt plus the whey would not be the same amount of liquid volume as the original milk, since yogurt is denser than milk. Just for fun, you might weigh the milk first, and then see if the resulting yogurt and whey equal the same weight as the original milk. My guess is that it would come much closer.
Cuban appetizer
I appreciate the suggestions. And yes, I'm hoping for something that "carries" well to someone else's house, so fried items aren't ideal. Regarding tostones or maduros, I've always thought of them as a side vegetable instead of a first course. Is that just my ignorance?
I'm beginning to lean towards baked empanadas stuffed with beef picadillo. If anyone has excellent recipes to suggest - especially for the picadillo - I'm open!
Monkey Bar? Saw RGR's photos...how is the food???
We went to Monkey Bar last weekend. We do like the decor, and the service was good. However, the food was extremely average tasting but expensive. My angus beef dish (which was described by the server as having both sirloin and short rib - but only sirloin was delivered) was $40. When I inquired about the short rib, he acted surprised and went to investigate. When he never came back, i flagged him down to ask, and he said there had been a "miscommunication" between the kitchen and the servers. He didn't mention it when the bill came, but he had comped my glass of wine (which was a heavy pour and quite good), so I guess I can't begrudge the error. However, there are much better places to eat if you're going to spend that much on a meal. We won't be going back.
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Monkey Bar
60 E 54th St, New York, NY 10022
Cuban appetizer
Going to a neighborhood dinner group this coming weekend, and the host has selected a Cuban theme. I'm on the hook for an appetizer. I've thought about empanadas. Does anyone have any good suggestions for anything else? This is not a cuisine I have much cooking experience with, so all help is appreciated.
Donatella or Bottino for dinner?
Between the two, I'd pick Donatella. The meatballs are great!
Help--which of these are NOT kid friendly??
It's not Breslin/Spotted Pig-like, but Otto takes resvations and is very kid friendly.
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Otto
1 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003
Help: making a roux
For making dark roux (like for gumbo), I use peanut oil. It has a high burning temperature, so the roux is less likely to burn. Like thimes, I also use a wide, flat-bottomed wooden spatula ("paddle"). This allows me not only to get into the corners (which a whisk does not), but also allows me to stir more of the roux with every pass (again, reducing the risk of burning). I find this is more an issue with dark roux for creole/cajun cooking. When I'm doing a bechamel that doesn't cook nearly as long before adding the liquid, the whisk seems to work fine.
Pre-theater near 43rd and 9th
They get fresh fish each day, so the menu changes pretty often. However, the lobster spaghetti is a standard item that always pleases me. The fresh burrata topped with caviar is a wonderfully decadent mix of impossibly creamy burrata offset by the salty caviar, and for dessert I like the affogato. If it's a cold evening and you're in the mood to warm up, the zuppe di pesce is really nice, too. But they do a good job with just about all the fishes.
The only dishes (for me) that have fallen a little short are the fritto misto and maybe the whole fried fish (which has been served to me under-done a couple of times). In the cases of the under-done fish, they've been quick to take it away, finish it off, then bring it back perfectly done.
If you go, please tell us how you like it!
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Esca
402 West 43rd Street, New York, NY 10036
Pre-theater near 43rd and 9th
If you like Italian seafood, Esca is on the corner of 43rd and 9th. Definitely make a reservation, though.
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Esca
402 West 43rd Street, New York, NY 10036
Southern Belles visiting the Big Apple
I'd probably put Locanda Verde, The Standard, Marea, Minetta Tavern, possibly Maialino on your radar. They could all fit into your $100-200pp price range (depending on how much or little you drinki).
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Minetta Tavern
113 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012
Marea
240 Central Park South, New York, NY 10019
Locanda Verde
377 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10013
Standard Grill
848 Washington Street, New York, NY 10014
Maialino
2 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10010
Bouley or Corton?
ellenost hits the nail on the head (as usual!). Both will make you happy - it just depends on whether you're in the mood for a more classic feel or a more modern feel. I like them both and seriously doubt you will walk out of either one wishing you had chosen the other.
Help--which of these are NOT kid friendly??
I'd probably take Grammercy Tavern and Colicchio and Sons off the list as well. It's not exactly that they are quiet and hushed - but they don't strike me as being exactly "friendly" towards a 2.5 yo.
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Gramercy Tavern
42 E 20th St, New York, NY 10003
Colicchio & Sons
85 10th Ave, New York, NY 10011
ABC kitchen without a reservation?
I'd go the bar route. But you'll still have to go early, as the bar is first come first served, and it gets busy, too.
"Hurricane" flavored sorbet recipe?
Hi, all, I'm planning to do a cajun dinner, but would like a lighter, lower calorie dessert than bread pudding. I was thining it might be fun to try to sorbet that's a riff on the Hurricane cocktail. Anyone ever try this?
I was thinking of taking the basic Hurricane recipe, eliminating the alcohol (which prevents freezing) and just use the mixture of juices. Then maybe top each serving off with rum just before it hits the table. It seems to me I might need to eliminate the sugar syrup as well, just to keep the sorbet from being too sweet.
Anyone have any guidance or suggestions? OR even better, a recipe for something similar that has been successful?
Thanks!
Kaffir Lime Leave
And if you have the slightest green thumb and a sunny window, kaffir lime trees are quite easy to grow in pots and make interesting house plants. My dwarf variety easily stays about 3 feet tall and is pretty compact. Fresh kaffir lime leaves whenever I want them!
Babbo substitute for 50th birthday
How about Scarpetta or Lincoln? Can't go wrong with the food at either, and I'd you order carefully it fits your price range.
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Scarpetta
355 West 14th Street, New York, NY 10014
Lincoln
142 W 65th St, New York, NY 10023
4th Annual Barbecue Night needs a site.
+1 for RUB. They even serve sweet iced tea and sliced white bread. Doesn't get a whole lot more authentic than that (coming from a Southerner).
Need top notch Italian where I can get a great steak?
Yep, I'd second that. And while I like both Marea and Locanda Verde, the noise level there might inhibit conversations - unless you're intentionally looking for an "energetic", entertaining environment and not a "business" dinner. I'd probably stick with Babbo myself.
Vegan options in theatre district?
Ok, I'm completely out of my element on this one. 3 meat-eaters are lunching with one vegan in the theatre district on Sunday. We don't need a vegan restaurant, but would like the menu to be able to accommodate our 1 vegan friend. Any CHers have suggestions? All types of cuisine are fine,and price isn't an issue, but the meal should be nice. Think 1-3 stars from NY Times. Thanks!
French Bread Crust Goes Soft. Help!
Thanks, Scott. I'm in Atlanta and have been using AP flour. I'll give your bread flour suggestion a try and see if that helps. Appreciate the input!
French Bread Crust Goes Soft. Help!
I've been using Julia Childs' recipe for French baguettes and baking the dough in a French baguette pan. When I take the baked loaves out of the oven, they are always "hollow" sounding and the crust is nice and crispy. But once they are cooled, the crust goes soft on me and loses that ideal crunchy crust.
If I reheat the loaves in the oven for about 10 minutes just before serving, the crust is once again crispy, and the interior is still moist and flavorful.
Is this normal? Or am I doing something wrong? I'm happy to eat the bread hot and crisp, but I'm wondering if I should be doing something differently to get that crispy, room-temperature baguette like from a boulangerie.
Thanks for any help or tips.
Barcelona Wine Bar
Im surprised not to have seen anyone post here about this new restaurant in Inman Park. I've been a couple times now and have enjoyed both experiences. A nice addition to town. Any other CHers have experience there? What are your thoughts?
Need Casual Supper Suggestion Near High Museum
I would also add Tamarind Seed to the list, a locally-owned Thai restaurant.
Birthday Dinner for Foodies (price and location not a factor)
Bacchanalia is the best restaurant in town, but it might be difficult to get a reservation there this late for next Saturday.
I have an etiquette question [moved from Manhattan]
As others have said, if you are throwing the party and inviting guests, you should plan to pay for everything. One option to help limit your "exposure" is to arrange it at a restaurant with a private room and only provide wines in the room. You can usually limit cost that way, as compared to doing an open bar with liquor. Also, as a hint, people usually drink less on, say, a Sunday afternoon than they do on a Friday or Saturdday night. So you can also reduce the cost of the bar tab based on when you choose to have the party. Also, another way to limit your cost is to specify the time period of the party (for example, on Sunday from 5PM-7:30PM, or something like that). That way, guests don't feel they have an open invitation to drink all night at your expense. And all of these options/suggestions would be considered perfectly acceptable and "proper" in terms of hospitality and etiquette.
