RGR's Profile
Dover Sole
pikawicca,
I've had the Dover Sole the last three times we've been to La Grenouille, and Mr. R. has had it twice. It is always about the same size and always has the same extraordinarily delicious flavor.
The Dover sole is one of La Grenouille's signatures. I've never heard of it happening, but if they were out of it, they wouldn't serve you a substitute without informing you. So, what you had was definitely Dover sole.
I think your confusion stems from the fact that when they present the whole fish, there is no head or tail. BUT the bone is still in it. They take it to the prep station for filleting and plating. (There is not enough room to do this tableside.)
Photo of whole Dover sole being presented: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11863391@N03/6337660656/in/set-72157627985949885/
The plated dish contains the 4 filets + the haricots verts accompaniment. The mustard sauce is spooned tableside, and the sauceboat is left on the table so that more sauce may be added if desired (and we definitely do desire!!).
Photo of plated Dover sole with mustard sauce: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11863391@N03/5647095809/in/set-72157626561877288/
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Mo' Greens Roast House BBQ in Manalapan
Well, I have no clue why the phone is not in service (I called and also got that message). I stopped by Mo' Greens and though it was closed, everything inside looked normal. There was a sign on the door saying that they'd be closed on Mondays through May. I'll stop by again tomorrow to find out what's up with the phone.
tommy, their first place, Mixed Greens & Grill, is in the same strip. It's been there for quite a few years and is hugely successful. So, if Roast House BBQ were to close -- and I sincerely hope it doesn't -- there will still be "mo' greens." :)
http://mixedgreensandgrill.com/
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Mo' Greens Roast House BBQ in Manalapan
That doesn't sound good. :(
We had lunch there in February (photo set below). We did take-out more recently; however, I didn't take photos and can't remember exactly when that was.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11863391@N03/sets/72157629063277506/
I'm going out in a little while, will stop by to see what's up, and will report back.
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"To join together harmoniously" ... or not. My thoughts on Dovetail.
I just checked Telepan's brunch menu. Actually, not that many choices for lunch dishes. The only two that appeal to me are the burger and the hanger steak. Frankly, I'm not going to schlep to the UWS for them. If I want a good burger for brunch, there are several excellent ones within walking distance of our apartment. And if I'm going to travel, I'd rather go to Minetta, which is closer and where the burger is, I have no doubt, far superior to Telepan's.
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"To join together harmoniously" ... or not. My thoughts on Dovetail.
Glad you enjoyed your brunch at Telepan, steakrules. But as you may (or may not) know, Mr. R. and I have absolutely no interest in breakfast foods when we go out for brunch.
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Best Pasta Dish of 2012
At Ai Fiori: Corzetti with Wild Mushroom Ragu, Brown Butter Fonduta, Sage
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11863391@N03/6903735077/in/set-72157629386873471
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Best Pasta Dish of 2012
I agree with your sentiments. I normally do not like pasta with seafood, but this dish is a rare exception.
Tagliatelle photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11863391@N03/6939568952/in/set-72157629834230867
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Dovetail or Picholine?
The meal we had at Dovetail with uhockey a few weeks ago was rather disappointing. Aside from the food not being as good as the first time Mr. R. and I were there two years ago, we got a lot of attitude from the sommelier with regard to taking photos of the wine labels. Also, it was very noisy this time. And you know how I feel about that!
We haven't been to Picholine in quite a while. But the last two times, we did the tasting menu, and they were stellar. ellenost has been there more recently and posted that her dinner was excellent. Service is always pleasant and professional, and the ambiance is lovely and civilized.
So, Picholine -- definitely!
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Where to buy corn on the cob in May?
Fresh corn on the cob at this time of year here is most probably from Florida. Wegmans near our house in NJ had a shipment a few days ago. 4 for $1. I bought two for dinner that evening. They were pretty good -- much better than I expected. But not as sweet as Jersey corn fresh from the fields. You might try checking Whole Foods of Fairway to see if they have any.
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Who makes the best bone marrow ?
We've been to ilili once a few years ago. As you know, I am very noise phobic. When we were there, it was not very busy, so the noise level was fine. However, it is a huge, soaring space, and I can imagine that when it is full, it could get very loud. So, I think it might be best to go when it isn't too busy. Maybe early on a Sunday? I think that's when we went.
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Craft or Ciano --- Balthazar or DBGB
At Balthazar, the profiteroles for dessert.
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Irish & clueless! Need help to choose a restaurant for post wedding - party of 5!!
In addition to telling us your cuisine preferences, avoids if any, and how soon the wedding will be taking place, on what day of the week will it be?
As far as the budget goes, since drinking habits can vary considerably, it is more helpful if you give us your per person budget for food only. Also, you need to be aware that a 9% tax will be added to the bill by the restaurant, and you will have to add a 20% tip.
Best wishes on your upcoming nuptials.
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Midtown - Looking for nice dinner for 2 for the in-laws celebrating their wedding anniversary this weekend.
Thanks for reporting back, TeacherFoodie! Glad to hear that your in-laws enjoyed their experience at Keens. I hope they took a look at the pipes displayed in cases in the vestibule which belonged to famous people dating back to the 19th century.
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Noah's Ark and Bialys, a bit of history still found on the Lower East Side
Kosher meat and poultry go through a process known as "koshering," i.e., salting and soaking. This procedure definitely make a difference in the taste by enhancing the flavor.
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Molecular gastronoy restaurant in NY
A friend and fellow Hound went to Adara and told me it was pretty awful. If you want to do a search, he posted a review on the NJ board.
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Advice - Mains under $30
Pan,
I think s.gordon (below) makes a very good point about the issue of comparable quality at a much lower price point. But that said....
Vitae is a new restaurant on 46th St., just east of 5th Ave. We had dinner there a few weeks ago and were very impressed. The contemporary American cuisine was very well-prepared, beautifully presented, and delicious. The apple tarte tatin was amazing, the best rendition I've had of that classic dessert, including in various French restaurants.
Service was cordial, accommodating, and attentive. The decor is a bit unususal, but I found the overall ambiance very comfortable and pleasant.
A quick check of the menu again on their website shows that mains run from from $22 to $28 (with one exception, a major steak in the $40's).
Vitae is traveling under the culinary radar right now, so I don't think you'll have any difficulty securing a reservation for Thursday.
Vitae photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11863391@N03/sets/72157629984084137/
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Wowing visiting friends near Battery Park/ Wall St.
We were there at night and not seated near the window side of the dining room, so I wasn't sure if there is a water view.
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Italian near the Theatre District
No, Pan, you did not get it on an "off" day. What you got is what it is now -- the proberbial far cry from what it was when it first opened and before Lidia became a star on the tee vee.
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Wowing visiting friends near Battery Park/ Wall St.
You might want to consider North End Grill. The dinner we had there shortly after it opened in January was delicious, service was excellent (no surprise since it's a Danny Meyer restaurant), and the ambiance was very pleasant.
North End Grill photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11863391@N03/sets/72157629109653881/
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Advice - Mains under $30
There are many restaurants that have mains in the 20's. But Pan has stated that he wants mains no higher than the mid-20's.
There are seven mains on Maialino's menu. Only three of them are in the low to mid-20's. The rest are in the low to high 30's. (Two of those are dishes served for two.)
As for Locanda Verde, four of the seven mains are $28 or $29 and one (the pork chop) is $32.
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Advice - Mains under $30
All of Ciano's main courses are in the mid- to high-30's.
Most of L'Artusi's mains fit the budget, but good luck getting a table for four/five this Thursday.
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Craft or Ciano --- Balthazar or DBGB
The food at both Craft and Ciano is delicious. However, the cuisiines are entirely different, so I would suggest you decide based on whether you would prefer to have contemporary American vs. contemporary Italian. Also, the food at Craft is served family-style vs. individually plated at Ciano. If you choose Ciano, the chicken for two cooked in a clay pot (it can serve more) is not to be missed.
Craft photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11863391@N03/sets/72157629395778603/
Ciano photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11863391@N03/sets/72157627332687474/
Balthazar and DBGB are, of course, both French brasseries. We've enjoyed the food at both. I've not been to DBGB when it's busy (our one time there was for a late lunch), so I don't know how noisy it can get. But we have been to Balthazar when it's been jammed, and it gets LOUD making conversation rather difficult.
Balthazar photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11863391@N03/sets/72157621977198042/
DBGB photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11863391@N03/sets/72157622494353416/
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Best Thing I Ever Ate (Well some of them)
The last time we were at Daniel in 2008, our daughter ordered that dish. I tasted it and, frankly, found it disappointing. I was, however, bowled over by the Cafe Boulud version.
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Best Thing I Ever Ate (Well some of them)
Enjoy! :)
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Best Thing I Ever Ate (Well some of them)
It is no longer on the menu at the flagship, but that Boulud signature dish was revived last year at Cafe Boulud, and it is still on the "La Tradition" section of the menu.
Photo of Striped Bass en Paupiette at Cafe Boulud: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11863391@N03/5579571963/in/set-72157626281943793
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Best Thing I Ever Ate (Well some of them)
We had dinner at Alison Eighteen a few weeks ago. The food was very good, and we liked the atmospherics. Service could have been better as our waiter, though well-meaning, was a bit scatterbrained. I don't think the beignets were on the menu because if they had been, I would have ordered them.
Alison Eighteen photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11863391@N03/sets/72157629948214115/
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Ria Mar in South River
We haven't been to Peter's Fishery in ages but used to go every so often. We'd always order the same thing: Manhattan clam chowder to start for each of us followed by fried shrimp and fries for me, and seafood over linguini for Mr. R. Portions were very generous. He would finish his, but I always had enough shrimp and fries left over for lunch the next day. As you said, decent for what it is.
The one time we tried Blue Water Seafood, in East Brunswick, the food was horrible! So, despite your being pleased with the Red Bank location, Angelina, there is no way we would ever eat there.
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Early Chicken Inconsistencies at The NoMad
steakrules, You're wrong about the chicken. The dark meat is used in the fricassee that's served in a small bowl on the side.
Photo of Dark Meat Chicken Fricassee at NoMad: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11863391@N03/7037779481/in/set-72157629721263747
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True Pit BBQ
I hadn't noticed that "Radical Cowboy." It's pretty tiny, and the angle of my photo makes it barely readable. I wouldn't call the entire food truck by that name since they sell a whole bunch of other things. However, if it's what they want to call the bbq, that's fine.
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True Pit BBQ
We made it to the flea market for the bbq yesterday. I was surprised to discover that what we have here is a food truck with the bbq offerings being an addition to a menu of many other non-bbq items.
We got the Cowboy Chili and a platter of the Baby Backs which comes with two sides. Unfortunately, just as we received our food, it turned fiercely windy. This made it uncomfortable to eat outdoors, so we took everything home. Our house is a 15-minute drive from the flea market. By the time we got home, everything needed to be reheated.
The chili was excellent. Not spicy but very flavorful with chunky beef as opposed to chopped. The ribs were meaty and had good smoky flavor. However, I didn't like the sauce which the woman applied to them after she plated them. I don't know if the sauce was homemade by them or a store brand. But in any case, next time, I'll ask for no sauce and bring my own.
Now, here's the thing about the sides. As I mentioned, plates come with two. But the problem is there are only two choices: Mac & cheese and collard greens. That's it! We were fine with the mac & cheese, but collard greens are a non-starter for me. I asked about cole slaw. Nope. They then mentioned they had lima beans, which we accepted. However, turned out, they were in a soup which they serve in a styrofoam cup. Actually, at first glance, there was no evidence of the beans, only the liquid. Once we got the stuff home, I dumped the cup's contents into a pot to reheat them and discovered that there was a boatload of beans at the bottom. Though the soup had a pleasant flavor, it's not exactly what one would consider a "side" for bbq. They really need to offer a few more traditional sides.
We'll definitely go back to try the brisket and pulled pork.
Bab-B-Que Pit & Grill photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11863391@N03/sets/72157629791209724/
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