I'm dying for good Indian in Park Slope. Recently, I had a livery cab driver from India who pointed me to India Place on Vanderbilt. Reviews online seem to run the gamut.

Has anyone eaten here? Or had take-out or delivery?

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India Place
655 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238

My brothers are coming to town tomorrow night and want to hit a red sauce italian place. It doesn't have to be terribly upscale, but neither should it be a dive. Thanks in advance!

My wife and I are driving from NYC to Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, CT tomorrow and are looking for a great diner to stop at for lunch. Any suggestions off I-95?

TIA

My wife and I were there last week and thought it was spectacular. Definitely way more expensive than it should be, making it a rare treat rather than a regular visit, but the pie was absolutely delicious. It was also unlike any other pie I've had in NYC, relying solely on the freshness of the ingredients more than, say, the charcoal char or a deep, rich sauce. I'm sure there are other places that this can be said about, but none that we've been to. This is not a complaint at all. We loved it.

Thanks for all of the suggestions! For convenience, mostly, we went with Lassen & Hennigs. Also for price, since Defonte's was almost twice as much.

I must say that the sandwiches were far better than expected. Not Defonte's level (I've had theirs before), but quite good. I'd recommend as a solid party sub for anyone who's interested. Good people to deal with there, too.

We are looking to get some enormous heroes (3 feet long, 4 feet long...that kind of thing) in DUMBO. Any suggestions as to where we can find good ones?

Thanks in advance.

My wife and I were watching Bourdain's recent special on street food and he ends, as he always does, by saying a spicy noodle soup with a broth made of various animal parts - offal is best - is the most perfect bowl of food. I agree with him.

Where in Manhattan can I get a real one? Sapporo on 49th is a great bowl of authentic Japanese noodle soup, but that's not what I'm looking for. I imagine the locale would be a dingy hole-in-the-wall with no English to be found.

Thoughts?

What is the atmosphere like? I have business associates coming in from Australia and want to eat at a Spanish restaurant. Would La Nacional be a good choice for this?

I will be in London on business for one night next week - Thursday. I hope to grab some great food after the show I'm seeing, probably around 10pm.

I would love to find a 5-star tasting menu, but realize that it may be too late for that on a Thursday night. French and/or seafood preferred, but mostly I just want a great meal - budget be damned.

I'll be near the Holborn tube station, but I'm willing to travel. Of course, travel makes it even later, so perhaps that limits things still further.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

My wife and I hit the Vinegar Hill House with another couple last night. We live a few blocks away and have wanting to try it. We planned for an 8pm dinner and showed up at 7:40pm with our bottles of wine (they don't have their liquor license yet) and sat at the bar. It was Saturday night, but a slow one because of the weather. The place was only about 1/2 full. The bartender said "It should be picking up any minute" and as if on cue, the place filled up inside 10 minutes. By the time our friends arrived, the place was packed!

The atmosphere is just what I imagined. Easy, comfortable, relaxing atmosphere with totally chill servers. If we'd been in California, the phrase of the day would have been "No worries, dude. It's all good." Not sure what the NYC equivalent is, but that was the vibe.

We were sat around 8:30pm, having reserved our table when we walked in. The food was also as expected - very homey, very competent and very delicious. Nothing particularly memorable, but great home cooking.

For appetizers, the ladies had the bean soup special - cannellini beans with pork in a gentle broth. It was great, and something you felt like you could make at home (in a good way). We also ordered the Chicken Liver Mousse, which was fantastic. It came with some crackin' good bread and was just a little better than you even would have expected. I had the mussels, despite all of the negative comments posted here about them. The waiter assured me they were good and he was right! There were a ton of them, they were all plump and delicious and the chili broth was fantastic. Everyone with me tried one and agreed that they were terrific. So don't be afraid of ordering them.

For entrees, one ordered the pork ribs. They were delicious and tender. Quite salty and flavorful too. The rest of us had the infamous chicken. The chicken in the pan was delicious, but not particularly memorable. That's not a complaint, but I'm not sure where all of the rapturous accolades came from. It's a very good dish. The broth in the pan was quite vinegary - not a strict chicken jus. I didn't really prefer it - just my taste - but the others liked it quite a bit. it was surprising to us all.

After we finished our entrees we sat there for at least 45 minutes before anyone came over to us. By that time it was 10:45pm (it's a VERY relaxed dinner, despite the bustle) and we had to leave, so no dessert was had.

All in all, it's a fantastic neighborhood place, similar to Noodle Pudding in quality. I'm not sure it's worth a trip from elsewhere - perhaps for the atmosphere, but not necessarily for the food. As a local joint, though, it's a place I'd visit quite often. They'll do well, I expect.

Our friend made the point when we first sat down, so she could order the proper dishes for herself. What was surprising was that the server forgot each time the issue came up again. So when the amuse was set down, rather than saying "And this is fine for you" or "We've arranged for this alternative for you", she had to ask if the item was gluten-free. Blank stare followed by "I'll have to check." Again and again.

Thanks for your comment, Cpalms. I don't disagree that there is some onus on the customer to comment when they're not being properly served, but I believe there is an obligation of the restaurant (at least of a restaurant of this caliber) to smooth the process.

I shouldn't need to tell the restaurant that we've been waiting 50 minutes for our entrees - they should know that. And after 30 minutes, the owner or manager (we saw no floor manager other than Nieporent) should come to your table with a comment. That's their responsibility.

One thing I didn't mention was that one of our friends has a gluten allergy. Every time something came to the table that wasn't specifically ordered (amuse, chocolates, etc.), we had to ask if it was gluten free. The waiter's response, each time, was a blank stare followed by "I'll go find out". Again, not the service level I'd expect from a place like this.

I'm glad your experiences have been great. And I can certainly see where there's a great meal to be had there. It just wasn't our experience, and the problems seemed, to us anyway, systemic. I truly hope they will be solved, or that our experience was an aberration.

My wife and I, plus 2 other couples, had dinner tonight at Corton. What a surprise it was, mostly for the horrendous service problems we experienced. Some of the food was divine (with a few misses thrown in), but they have a lot to work on in the kitchen and front of house to make it worth a recommendation.

The first thing we noticed was Drew Nieporent at the host stand. On a Monday night? Surprising, but a good surprise. We sat at 6:45pm and were promptly given menus, the wine we ordered, and bread. We ordered our dinners and prepared for a great meal.

The amuse was a small oyster with grapefruit and toasted barley. Beautiful presentation. Absolutely delicious.

Appetizers ranged from very good to stellar. Three of us went for the Smoked Pasta with Black Winter Truffle and Gouda ($35 supplement). Absolutely incredible. Smooth delicious butter, silky pasta, a hint of the gouda, and more shaved black truffle than I've ever seen. I had the Nantucket Bay Scallops with Uni Crème, Ama Ebi and Marcona Almond, as did one other. I thought the plate was fantastic, with a lovely balance of textures and flavors - the sweetness of what looked to be figs (but weren't) offset the unctuousness of the uni creme. My friend found the dish a bit more forgettable than I did, though he acknowledged it was well prepared.

Then the problems began.

We waited almost an hour for our entrees. During this time, no one came to the table to offer an explanation, or even more bread or water. We disappeared. This was particularly confusing since the dining room was only about half full. Eventually, we were forced to ask the sommelier to request that our waiter look into our entrees. She returned and assured us that they were being plated as we spoke. The food arrived shortly thereafter.

Three folks ordered the turbot with a razor clam chowder broth. It was absolutely stellar, with a gorgeous "log" of turbot perfectly cooked and just the right amount of microgreens to add some bite. One ordered the Maine Lobster with Tarragon Mustard, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Lobster Jus ($9 supplement). Wow. Wow wow wow. The winner of the evening, and easily the best single bite of lobster I've ever had, save Per Se. Stunning.

Two of us ordered the beef (Black Angus Beef Sirloin, Short Rib, Horseradish Bone Marrow Crust). The Sirloin, also a "log", was perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious. If I were being picky, I would have wanted a bit more butteriness to the meat, but that's a minor quibble. Both the small potato cube and the butternut squash puree made me sit up and take notice they were so good. Unfortunately, the short rib wasn't just average, it was bad. Overcooked, dry and lacking any of the richness you want from a short rib. The marrow crust was tasty, but also overcooked of course, which limited the flavor. Not just disappointing, but surprisingly so.

While we ate our entrees, the dining room filled up and the wheels started coming off the service wagon. The wait staff started running around more quickly and we couldn't figure out how so many staff, with relatively few tables, were so overworked. Also, we didn't wonder for long how a kitchen that took almost an hour to make our entrees with a half-full dining room was going to handle a completely full one. More and more tables now displayed the same longing stares we had roughly 40 minutes into our entree wait. No one came to our table during this time, to fill our water or, seemingly, even to see if we seemed satisfied. The rushing quickened and Drew N. started walking around looking displeased.

After our plates were cleared, we waited easily another 25 minutes or more until someone took our dessert and coffee order. This was not for laziness, as the rushing continued at a still more frenzied pace. The tea was spectacular (my wife and I are tea fiends, so this mattered to us), though the small teapots left us wanting more. We would have asked for more had a server paused for a breath anywhere near us. The caramel brioche was terrific though not transcendent. The cheese plate also looked incredible.

While we ate the chocolates (Spectacular - the pastry chef and sommelier deserve kudos at this restaurant. Both were spot on), the service got still more harried, culminating in the inevitable crash - LOUD - of a number of dropped, broken dishes in the dining room. (If you've worked in a restaurant, you know this moment, when all is lost and the only goal is to make it to the end of service.) Drew N. quickly moved to the service station outside the kitchen, which was right next to our table. Another glass was dropped just inside the kitchen shortly afterwards. Not a good service night.

We finally had to ask for the bill after another 15 minute wait. When we put our credit cards on top, we were clearly ready to pay. What wasn't surprising was the 10 minutes it took for a server to pick up the bill. What was very surprising was that Drew N., standing next to our table, seeing a clearly perturbed party with a check awaiting pickup, did absolutely nothing. He didn't appear to be working to calm down the staff. He wasn't taking care of our table. We only saw him speaking to a few select tables - VIPs we presume. It definitely left us feeling like the owner's concern was for the folks he knew, not for the folks he didn't. Not a ringing endorsement.

Despite the highs, the overall experience was disappointing. A 3-course dinner taking 3 hours? No one to refill water glasses? The owner staring at tables lacking good service and standing idle? This is not a place to recommend. Not yet. Perhaps they will work out the kinks - I mean, isn't that why Drew N. was there on a Monday? - but as of now, there are better choices in the city for the price, at restaurants where the owner presumably wants your business.

My wife and are planning a mid-week lunch on a day off. We were thinking Perry Street, where we've been before. We've also done Jean-Georges for lunch. Both are great experiences.

We thought we might change it up and hit on Babbo, but they don't serve lunch.

As you can see, we're looking for great food but not too uptight an atmosphere. 1-1/2 to 2 hours of great food and wine. Not too stuffy.

Any suggestions?

My wife and I went to insieme for breakfast this morning. I've had dinner there before and was blown away. I can't wait to return...for dinner.

Breakfast was wholly underwhelming. We arrived at 10am (they serve until 10:30am on weekdays) and there were 3 other tables seated, all of whom looked to be almost done with their meal. When we sat, there was a decent wait until someone came over and asked if we wanted coffee or juice.

I asked what kind of tea they had and was told "Uh, chamomile. English Breakfast." (That's it?) I have a hunch there was more than that back there, but went with the English Breakfast. After we ordered, I noticed 4 specially listed loose-leaf teas right there on the menu - one of which I would have been interested in trying. Ah well.

We each ordered poached eggs with spinach and prosciutto on an english muffin. We had to ask for our water glasses to be filled. While we waited for our breakfast, there was nothing offered - no small basket of breads or mini-muffins or anything. The jelly and butter that was preset on the table sat there mocking us. Normally I wouldn't expect breads or muffins, but when breakfast entrees are $17+, I expect a little more.

Our entrees arrived and were fair. Nothing really wrong with them, though all 4 poached eggs (2 of mine, and 2 of my wife's) were overcooked, with no runny yolk. The muffin and prosciutto were fine, and the sauce on top was mediocre. It came with a small slice of potato "pie", which was fair, and a ramekin filled with tiny pieces of cut-up fruit. The fruit was fine, but looked like it had been sitting out for a bit.

No one came to ask how everything was. No one refilled my wife's coffee (which was empty) or asked if I wanted more hot water. (For that matter, there was no place for me to place my tea bag when I took it out of the teapot - things like that drive me crazy at restaurants of this caliber.) The host cleared our plates and we sat there for 5 minutes before he returned to set the check down. No "Could I bring you more coffee?". No "Is there anything else we can bring you?" Here's the check. We're prepping for lunch. Goodbye.

I can't say it was a bad meal, but it certainly was no better than a B-. I expected far better, especially considering the price and how good their dinner is. I guess we should stick to eating there later in the day.

The total was $1,400 for the 4 of us. I added another $50 additional gratuity on my half. Not sure what my friend did.

Food was $275 X 4 = $1,100
Wine was $90 X 3 = $270
1 Foie Gras supplement = $30

My wife and I had lunch yesterday at Per Se, with friends. This is the second time we've eaten there, the first being for dinner a year and a half ago on our first anniversary. The first dinner had individual dishes that were more memorable, but lunch is definitely a better way to go and it was great to share the experience with another couple. Overall, today's experience was even better than the last.

The descriptions below are directly from the menu, except the items not on the menu, which are my own descriptions. Here's a breakdown of the 13-course meal (that's right: 13 courses):

1. {Not on the Menu} Gruyere puff: Just a one-bite introduction to the meal, this puff was light as can be, with the perfect essence of Gruyere cheese. In other words, absolutely delicious and the perfect amuse bouche - just enough of a bite to whet your appetite.

2. {Not on the Menu} Salmon Tartare "Ice Cream Cone": I'm not sure what the official name of this is, but it's a tiny tuile ice cream cone with chive creme fraiche in the body of the cone, topped with the most incredible tiny-diced salmon tartare, tiny-scooped like ice cream. The salmon is so smooth and delicious, with the perfect offset of the chive cream and the crunch of the tuille. Awesome.

3. "Oysters And Pearls" ["Sabayon" of Pearl Tapioca with Island Creek Oysters and Sterling White Sturgeon Caviar]: There's a reason this is his signature. It's a perfect dish, with smooth silky oysters and crisp, salty caviar nestled inside a delicious custardy sabayon with tapioca pearls.

4. {Not on the menu} Truffled Egg Custard with Veal Jus and Potato Crisp: Oh. My. Lord. This was an egg custard, with truffle in it, topped with a veal jus and more truffle everywhere. Stuck into the custard was a potato crisp with a chive in it. Picture a flat potato crisp in the shape of a wide, paper-thin tongue depressor, with a thin chive running the length of it. (How did they DO that?!) The entire thing was served inside a hollowed out egg shell. Truffle and veal jus. If you can't contemplate the ludicrous enjoyment that might ensue from that description, I can add nothing further.

5. Salad of Belgian Endive [Compressed Peacotum, Nicoise Olives, Candied Hazelnuts and Hazelnut Butter] What's a "peacotum", you ask? Why it's a fruit that part peach, part apricot and part plum. The fruit is cross-polinated on the restaurant's own farm. (Ludicrous, right?) The fruit is absolutely incredible and once again, the complexity and amazing flavor of the dish is difficult to describe. Suffice it to say, I'm skeptical that a "salad" can legitimately find a place on the menu of a 4-star meal (especially at those prices), but this not only had a proper place on the menu but was a legitimate show-stopper.

6. Sauteed Fillet of "Daurade Royale" [Confit of Fennel, Holland Eggplant and Rainbow Chard Ribs with Italian Caper "Ravigote"] This is the dish that got my friend. A perfect filet of fish (where do they source their products??) poached in olive oil, with sweet, soft vegetables underneath in a fruity broth that tied in perfectly with the olive oil and fish. Incredible.

7. "Beets and Leeks" [Butter Poached Nova Scotia Lobster with Melted Green leeks, "Pommes Maxim's" and Red Beet Essence] Pay attention here. Let's start with the butter poached lobster tail, which is the most tender, flavorful piece of lobster you can ever imagine existing in the universe. Then add a softened leek salad (nice counterpoint) and a beet sauce, which was a gorgeous vibrant red color, but with surprisingly little flavor effect on the dish. Not enough? Let's add little 1" rounds of thin potato formed into circular pancakes and perfectly fried with a touch of salt on top. My friend decided she wanted an entire bag of the potatoes. Who could blame her?

8. "Cavendish Farm's "Caille En Crepinette" [Sunny Side Up Quail Egg, Creamed Corn, Sweet Peppers with Hobbs Shore Applewood Smoked Bacon Chip and Quail Jus]: How to begin to describe the brilliance of this dish? If someone had told me you could take a small quail leg (perfectly moist), top it with a small fried quail egg and a strip of bacon, and surround it with - seriously? - creamed corn, I would have said you were off your rocker. This dish was absolutely amazing. We all want it for breakfast every morning. Truly inspired and happily unlike any other thing you have ever eaten in your entire life. (Though many courses fall in the category, I think.)

9. Tenderloin of Marcho Farm's Nature Fed Veal [Glazed "Ris de Veau," Forest Mushrooms Duxelle, Thumbelina Carrots and Fava Beans with "Mousseline Bearnaise"]: I have always wondered why, in a steakhouse, say, one would top a perfectly good piece of meat with gloppy yellow bernaise sauce. Well, when it's done right (as it was done here, naturally), it's a thing of absolute beauty. I have to say that the texture on the veal was stunning, though it was done more than I would have preferred. The "rus de veau" was small (2 bites) and was absolutely incredible. At the time we thought it was veal cheek or something similar. After the fact, we discovered that it was veal sweetbreads. This dish was lovely and surprisingly light for a meat dish.

10. Di Bruno Brothers' "Burrata" [Heirloom Tomato "Vierge," Watercress, Endive Spears and Thyme Oil]: Imagine a classic mozzarella, basil and tomato dish, but cooked in heaven, by heaven's best chef. This was a dish about the ingredients. The cheese was the most perfect cheese, the diced tomatoes more "tomatoey" than you've ever experienced and the thyme oil - oh lord, who knew that olive oil could be so fruity, flavorful and mind-blowing. Add little pieces of olive that showed me, an olive-hater, just how luscious and olive can be. Throw that on top of the olive-oil toast points which were thoughtfully included, and it was the perfect step backwards in the menu from the heavier dishes as we point towards dessert. Our friends both found the dish over-salted, but my wife and I loved the salt, which proves that it's all personal preference anyway.

11. Apricot Sorbet [Nyons Extra Virgin Olive Oil "Pate de Fruit" with Tellicherry Pepper "Sable Breton"]: All that description for "just" a palate cleanser. The sorbet was more apricotty that you can even fathom, with a nice smooth olive oil and smoked paprika (though not listed in the description). Smoked paprika with sorbet? You bet your @##!$. Simple, uncomplicated, and perfect.

12. "Peanut Butter and Milk" [Butter Chocolate Mousse with Salted Peanut Cream and Reduced Milk Ice Cream]: Dessert was a bit of a letdown, since the last time we went we had the dessert that deserved to be voted "THE GREATEST DESSERT PLATE EVER CONCIEVED OR EXECUTED!" But this dessert was still delicious with smooth milk ice cream and very salty (this is good) peanut butter ice cream, balanced with a chocolate mousse "cake" underneath, topped with chocolate shavings. Fabulous.

13. "Mignardises": Hand-made chocolate candy (a la Godiva), ma'am? Sure! Delicious. Oh wait, they're also bringing 3 different kinds of hand-made truffles (the chocolate and caramel one weakened my knees - and I don't have a sweet tooth!). Not enough? How about this dish of chocolate covered hazelnuts? Excellent! Wait, what about the new dish of hand-made sugar candies? PHEW! And while you're finishing up, here's a celophane-wrapped "granola bar" to take home for later. Well, if I must!

WINE: We had 3 bottles of wine along the way, (1) a Rose wine, (2) a white Burgundy and (3) an Australian Pinot. All three were delicious and none were terribly expensive - including the ones directly recommended by the sommalier.

The meal lasted 3-1/2 hours and was followed by a tour of the enormous kitchen (at our request). The kitchen area, which is really 5 different kitchens) is easily 3 times the size of the dining room itself.

As I mentioned above, the first time we went had individual dishes that were more memorable that the ones today. But the overall experience today was noticeably better. Was it because we went for lunch? Because we went with friends? Because the summer menu is lighter than the winter menu we last experienced? Who knows? And who cares? It was an incredible, memorable meal.

I heard they changed their format? Has anyone been? The place always seems empty to me.

I'm taking a client from LA out on the town. He wants a 'scene' and I want decent food. My first two thoughts were Buddakan or Spice Market. Any others that you would suggest?

The goal is for decent food and for him to feel like he "hit the town" in some fashion.

Thanks in advance.

I've been to Del Posto twice and will definitely continue going back. I actually think it's very under-rated on this board. The room is stunning, with lots of open space so it's quite luxurious in that respect. The food is fantastic. I've found the service to be hit and miss (the sommalier was very snooty and not terribly helpful), but as a dining experience it's easily in my top 10 in new york.

I adore Blue Hill - both Stone Barns and here in NYC. But the NYC restaurant is indeed cramped, a sense enhanced by the low ceiling and basement location. The food is spectacular, but I don't think my wife and I would go there for our anniversary. It doesn't say "romantic" to me in any way (though Stone Barns does, obviously).

Other thoughts (though your healthy, organic request is being somewhat ignored):

- Eleven Madison Park
- Cru (I didn't enjoy my meal there a few years back, but I'm clearly in the minority on that one)
- Del Posto (highly, highly under-rated in my opinion, and a gorgeous room)

Congratulations on your baby! I have an 8-month old and it's just the greatest.

My wife and I went to Sunday brunch at Nougatine this weekend. Noon reservation. The experience mirrored our lunch at Perry Street last year. The service was as lousy as the food was delicious - which was quite a bit in both cases.

We arrived at 12:05pm and the small outer lobby was filled with 4-5 parties waiting for their tables while 4-5 staffers looked quizzically at their computer screen and debated. We were sat after about 5 minutes, though there was no "we'll be right with you" or "if you don't mind waiting". We just sort of stood there.

When we sat down, it took 5 minutes for anyone to come by, even to fill our water glasses. "Would you like something to drink?" our server finally asked. "Is there a list?" I asked (since I wanted one of the sodas, but didn't know what kind was available). The server gave me a look which was 80% confusion and 20% annoyance, but he returned with proper menus.

Perhaps I should get the rest out of the way all at once:

* After our appetizer, it took at least 25 minutes for our entrees to arrive. No one came by to check with us or apologize.
* We ordered a side of sausage with our breakfast. It never arrived. Fortunately, neither were we billed for it.
* They dropped a roll while trying to serve it, and nearly knocked over my wife's wine glass while retreating with the water pitcher
* They neatly slid a knife in place, while clumsily sliding aside my used butter knife off the mat and to the table.

None of this made for a significant problem, per se, but was awfully surprising. But here's the good news: The food was terrific!

We started with the pea soup. It should have been more pea-y (for those who watch ICA, you'll understand if I say that it didn't have enough pea-ness), but was delicious with bits of brie and crunchy croutons. The eggs benedict was absolutely delicious! From the perfect egg to the delicious ham to the scrumptious english muffin (you read that right). Plus, the salad on the plate had the most incredible truffle vinagrette and the potatoes - small, neat circles fanned into a tight wheel - were crispy and delicious.

As I said above, this mirrored our lunch at Perry Street last year with inexcusable service (far worse than this brunch) but absolutely delicious food. Perhaps JG needs a better FOH service manager?

Anyway, if we were to return, we'd probably try to sit at the bar and remove ourselves from the service element - just order the food. Yum.

I understand what you're saying, but I'm not going for the bite of dried pasta. When I'm at restaurants that make their own homemade pasta, it definitely tastes like pasta, and not like noodles.

Thanks for your thoughts.

I've begun making fresh pasta. I'm doing pretty good with it, but the pasta that I get has a texture more like egg noodles than like pasta. It's missing the "bite" that pasta typically has, and has the "slippery" noodle-y-ness that you get with egg noodles. Can anyone suggest how to get more pasta-like texture from fresh pasta?

Here's what I do:

3 cups flour / 2 eggs (water if needed)
Knead, fold over itself 4 times through pasta machine
Then thin out

I don't let the dough rest at any point (unless there's time between cutting it and dropping it in water).

Thanks in advance.

I disagree. I was there just last week. Just as incredible as ever.

Pretty standard, though they come in a wide glass, not a traditional sundae glass. Good sugar cookie wafers too. I've never asked for other ice cream flavors as I personally think a sundae with anything other than vanilla is blasphemy.

The other thing that's nice about their sundaes is that they're big but they're finish-able. I will say that whereas Luger's sundaes are life-changing, Keens' sundaes are exactly what you want and very, very good, but you get what you think you're gonna get.

I think it's a perfect end to a steak dinner.

I always get the hot fudge sundae and am never disappointed! I've had the butterscotch and am a huge butterscotch fan, but get the hot fudge. it's better.

Some poker buddies and I went to Uncle Jack's Steakhouse last night - the location on 56th Street. We won't be back.

The restaurant itself has a good look and feel to it. Our server was very thorough in helping us through the menu and wine list. If only he hadn't disappeared for the rest of the night. We waited an extremely long time for our appetizers. The oysters weren't properly shucked. I almost sent back my baked clams when they set it down in front of me; there was a light film over the butter sauce that screamed "I've been sitting around under a heat lamp". The dry and overcooked clams confirmed as much. One buddy loved his caesar salad, however.

It took another inordinately long time to get our main course. Porterhouse, rare. The meat was good quality, but not trimmed at all. Many of the pieces were sinewy, difficult to cut and even more difficult to chew. I have never had this problem at a steakhouse. (And my arteries are happy to confirm that I've been to more than my share.) And our steak was cold. Rare is rare, but there's no reason for it to be cold. (Why aren't their platters warmed?) Sides were serviceable.

The meal took way too long for us to hang around for dessert. As I mentioned, our waiter disappeared on us entirely. So bad food, bad service, and why? There are a million other quality steakhouses in the area. Next time we'll be at one of them. We're not going back to Uncle Jack's.

definitely cafe edison. the soup is great.

Can't really say. I ate at Esca many years ago and actually wasn't impressed with the food. It seems to be a very different restaurant now (much better, based on Chow reviews as well as NYTimes). I haven't been back, so I can't really compare.