Foil reacts to acidic ingredients, such as lemon, tomato, white wine - all of which are great for en papillote preps

2013 update!!! So after two trips in 2012, I have a few more spots to add to this list. These are for places in PSL or Jensen Beach. I didn't make it to Stuart.. being from NYC, driving 55 minutes to eat somewhere is a bit much.

Thirsty Turtle - I am iffy on their other items, but their WINGS are GREAT! medium, the sauce has big chunks of garlic and they are seriously quite tasty. They have a happy hour every day on wings from 2PM til either 6 or 7? also drink specials too

Tin Fish on Port St Lucie Blvd (can't speak for the one in Tradition Square) - apparently this is a franchise, but they receive daily shipments of fresh fish. HUGE fish tacos (just ONE is a meal!), GREAT fish and chips (breading is flavorful and not thick) and I liked their bang bang shrimp and their clams casino dip. I've heard from a fellow IGer their grilled fish tacos are also excellent. (I post food pics under RestaurantGroupie, all my FL pics are there too!)

Frank and Al's Pizza - I really liked their gold rush wings (combo of hot sauce and honey bbq). They were big and filling and perfectly cooked. We had the cheese steak pizza after reading multiple Yelp reviews that this place had "authentic NY pizza". My SO liked it, but I found the sauce to be lacking and bland. That said, my cousin went the same week and his family loved it. I would give the pizza another try here. But I guess comparatively for the area, pretty decent.

Shindig Pub (Irish gastro pub) - after reading some positive food reviews, I was excited to try this place. We went on a weekend night, BIG MISTAKE. They had a life band that was DEAFENING. I'm from NYC, and have spent my fair share in dance clubs, live concerts, etc. But this was ridiculous. It was like you had to scream at your waitress to be heard. If the food made up for it, it might have been bearable. We ordered potato skins, corned beef and cabbage spring rolls (fusion attempt) and bacon jalapeno flatbread. I only liked the last appetizer as it reminded me of thin crust Dominoes (like a cracker) which I kind of like. The other two apps really left something to be desired. How do you mess up potato skins? Here I would take a chain version / TGIF over these any day. Major disappointment. I've heard their burgers are good, so maybe I'll give it one more go, but definitely not later on a weekend, unless I want to be fitted with hearing aids anytime soon.

El Cubanito - have been hearing about this place for years. Was cute, and stopped in for lunch. Had the app sampler, liked the lechon / pulled pork and croquettes. Was disappointed by the tamale. The chicken chunks (chicharrones) were ok. The cuban sandwich was lacking pork, so we put some in from the plate and then it tasted better. Apparently their specialty is the steak, so I would go back to try that. And maybe the fried snapper.

Spiro Taverna in PSL - part of a Greek chain of restaurants in the area. The chicken gyro platter was not traditional (made with marinated chicken tenders) but very simple and delicious with the tsaziki. The saganaki was also good, but how can you mess up melted flaming cheese? The pasticio and moussaka were not very good. Super heavy, felt like cafeteria food. My feeling is that much of the food here is not very authentic, but I would go back for the gyro platter / sandwich. The greek salad was nice with shredded (?) feta, but for some reason my mother's didn't come with cheese.

Berry Fresh Cafe - I had a good experience here last time, but this time it fell short. WIth an extensive menu of brunch items, I feel like ordering on the lighter side is better here. I've heard their coffee is great (plus), but the redneck eggs benedict I ordered was not just heavy, but really no flavors. Granted it was eggs benedict with hollandaise, sausage patties and gravy, so I was asking for it. But the flavors were really disappointing. I've had better heavy food at Cracker Barrel. I do remember my friend getting the blueberry oatmeal pancakes in the past and those were quite good. I would stick to an omelet, or perhaps a salad / sandwich here. It's one of those places that all the dressings are "raspberry vinaigrette", etc. I think it caters to local tastes.

Nelson Family Farms market - LOVE this place. GREAT FIND, especially in an area where your grocery shopping options are only Walmart / Publix. They had everything from fresh squeezed juice (a half gallon cost almost the same as an 12 oz in NYC!), fresh baked breads (found my ciabatta here!), a great selection of veggies and fruits, marmalades, baked goods (banana bread, pies), sauces, etc. I found the tortilla chips to be a bit greasy and over seasoned, but whatever. Who doesn't love chips! (ate these with the smoked fish dip below)

New England Fish Market - The market side is THE spot to get fresh seafood. I bought clams from here to make my portuguese beer steamed clams. I also bought some pre-made fish cakes, which were great. Their smoked fish dip is also very good. The restaurant shed a new light this trip. They have a raw bar Tuesdays where oysters are $0.79 and clams $0.59. Yummy and smaller well shucked oysters. In the past I've gone for a lot of the fried food here. This time around we all ordered off of their special fish menu. It was excellent! Fresh, healthy and well-prepared. My mother had a broiled haddock that was moist and delicious, and I ordered the cod dijonaise that came in a mustard sauce. My SO had the jerk tilapia, which was laden in spices. They all come with sides, the rice and beans were excellent, and the green beans were perfectly cooked (still slight crunch). All in all, a great spot for a fresh healthy meal, which I've found to be a challenge in this area.

Crawdaddy's - still awesome creamy chunky clam chowder. award winning. Their oysters were bigger than NE Fish Market, but they were poorly shucked with lots of shell and grit. I would only go here for the chowder.

Mrs. Peters Smokehouse - cool spot to swing by for smoked fish dips, smoked ribs, smoked shrimp. little market.

FYI, Flagler Grill is under new management and called something else now with a new staff.

I ended up cancelling my 11 Maple Street reservation. I have had two amazing meals here in the past, but when I took a peek at their menu, I noticed that their prices had increased. With small plates topping out at $25 and entrees were all in the $35+. I thought this seemed a bit extreme.

We made a trip to Coral Castle in Homestead, FL, which is 2.5 hours away. But made a whole day out of it with a visit to Robert is Here farmstand for smoothies and their animal zoo (awesome place started by Robert when he was 6 years old, specializing in tropical fruits and exotic) and then had the best ribs of my life at Shiver's. They had this black pepper sauce that was out of this world. If the to go version didn't come in styrofoam containers, I would have bought a ton of it. Their apps were excellent too (fried okra!!!). Coral Castle was pretty neat too! I recommend this long trip since it has some pretty awesome food stops :)

I made the skillet lasagna as one of my first meals this new year, and I don't know what would ever convince me to go back to the old way! it was so much easier, shorter time spent and equally flavorful. leaving it on the heat longer even crisps the bottom, which mirrors the top of a lasagna in the oven.

Thanks for all the great recs! Yeah, the combinations and the food flavors in general at Flying Fish didn't do it for me... I guess I was expecting more. I'm glad the difference between Passionfish and Flying Fish was defined. I wasn't looking at the wine price points (I just spent 4 days in Napa) but more at the entree prices. They seemed similar to Flying Fish and I was really underwhelmed at FF. Just didn't want to drop $36 for another bad fish entree I guess... But thanks for all these recs!

Help! Yelp completely lead me astray! Went to Flying Fish Grill tonight based on over 100 reviews totaling 4.5 stars, and it was so mediocre! Have a res for Passionfish but afraid I will be disappointed with the price point and read some negative reviews. Just looking for a delicious, can be simple, fare for me and my mother for Friday dinner. I fly out on Saturday so I want to make this a good one... Was looking at Dametra but we have great Greek in NYC. Please help!

Thanks for the tip! their website is still up, and there is a message on their voicemail though??? hmmmm. if it was still open, worth it?

Mary Queen of Scots and Highlands are sister restaurants that have solid gastropub food, as well as a long scotch list. Mary has a really cute atmosphere, built in the old Allen and Delancey space.

Are you looking for gastropub / comfort food?

Interesting. I was considering going to Bianco as soon as we landed, but maybe I will re-route to Carolina's for a more AZ experience. I've got a rez for CPH and FNB already, very excited for those!

I also got a Saturday Brunch rez for Lon's and a Sunday one for T. Cook's. Do you feel one exceeds the other? T. Cook's buffet sounds good on paper... not sure if Is Lon's fancy? I was thinking maybe morning hike in Camelback, and then brunch-- or would we look odd in that dining room?

I was recommended Greasewood's for the ambience, i know the food is just burgers. Does anyone second this rec? I heard it's on a cliff where you can look over at the sunset?

this is all great info! I already replaced Sapporo with Roka Akor, and did add Carolina's to my list last night. Is The Grind better than AZ 88 for burgers?

Any thoughts on Sunday Brunch? Herb Box vs buffet at T.Cook's vs Lon's at Hermosa vs somewhere else? Thanks!

Fellow Chowhounds!
I will be with my boyfriend and my mother in Scottsdale in late April (Thursday - Monday) staying at FireSky. I am open to anything, awesome cheap eats, mid range, and maybe one special high end meal. I am obsessed with food, and am really looking for some great places showcasing what AZ has to offer. I have been scouring this board and also got some outdated local recs, used Zagat (very little info) and Yelp. Here's what I have so far:

Phoenix:
La Grande Orange Pizzeria - heard wings are great too?
Pizzeria Bianco - I am from New York City and am VERY discerning of my pizza. Is this worth all the crazy wait times I've heard? the other alternative is to go straight from the airport and get there at 11AM on a Thursday as soon as they open.
Chelseas Kitchen - this menu looks interesting, thoughts? is it just straight comfort food, or done really well?
T.Cooks brunch buffet. any comments? vs Herb Box brunch?
Nobuo at Teeter House - seems a bit pricey for an izakaya

Scottsdale:
FnB - this place looks awesome
vs Citizen Public House - both worth visiting? different?
Greasewood Flats for the experience?
AZ 88 - thoughts? better burger places?
Herb Box for brunch or breakfast
Arcadia Farms - rated highly on Zagat
Cafe Monarch - very mixed reviews. is this place worth the hype? and would you go for brunch or dinner?
Sapporo - happy hour. I love japanese food, but if I shouldn't waste my time, please let me know. Happy Hour does sound fun though.
The Mission - is this nouveau?
Positano - is this more of a wine bar w/ snacks?

I tried to use Yelp as a source, but while browsing through restaurant I saw that Chipotle and Taco Bell were also really rated highly, so it made me wonder....

Also any fun places close to my hotel to go for a drink would be great. Not sure if there is anything walking distance so we don't have to drive....

Thanks for your help!

Wow! I'm impressed with the longevity of this post. Again, I am headed down to PSL / St Lucie West for a long weekend. I have taken down all the suggestions on this board, and will consider venturing out to Stuart for some good eats. If you were to recommend your top one or two spots in Stuart, what would they be? I loved 11 Maple, and was thinking of returning again (dreams of their bread basket). Should we sway and try Flagler's instead?

In the meantime, has anyone ever been to Mrs Peter's Smokehouse? Have heard good things about their dips... Also, does anyone know if New England Fish Market still has their Oyster Happy Hour Day? I could not find any evidence of it on their website.

Also curious about Tin Fish in PSL? their tacos look intriguing.... thanks again!

YAY (w/o trying to repeat)-
roasted baby beets (refrigerated). there's a hard part near where the stem was, but if you slice this off, chopped up these are delicious in salads.

smoked salmon, great deal!

creme fraiche - slice hot house cucumber rounds, a dab of this, piece of smoked salmon, fresh dill, capers if you like. great party snack.

frozen mixed seafood - staple in my freezer. great to throw in asian soups.

instant rice noodle bowls - mushroom favorite. comes with dry seasoning, and wet oil seasoning packets, fill with water, microwave. delicious with a touch of sriracha or sambal olek sauce, and great for 99 cents. healthier than fried instant ramen noodles

cilantro dressing in the fridge - awesome on sliced persian cukes. healthier with low fat ingredients

tortilla chips with flax seeds

fresh baked section brioche rolls - always buy this for leftover braised pork shoulder. makes bangin' sandwiches, and more decadent than potato rolls

fresh thyme (cheaper than my market), but i wont' buy cilantro or parsley (more expensive, smaller portion)

multi-grain rice cracker crisps - awesome with cheese

dublin cheddar - I also buy this at BJs, but noticed the price point was the same at TJs. if you haven't tried this, it's an awesome snack cheese (sliced thin with the crisps above)

egg substitute - soooo much cheaper than the market. half price. I add this for fritatta's and omelettes with regular beaten eggs, to make a little healthier (since they are 99% egg whites)

NAY -
once I had the thai green curry sauce in a jar. gross.

frozen onion soup - came in a weird cylinder, and was super salty

I don't love their frozen salmon. for some reason the vacuum sealed packaging is never tight, and causes freezer burn. i use their frozen tilapia, cod and orange roughy all the time with success.

I always have the latkes with TJs spiced apples (in a jar) and TJs light sour cream. They served them like this once as a sample, and got me hooked.

the multi-grain pretzel nuggets are addictive. my boyfriend will go through a whole bag in one sitting.

every time the Tarte d'Alsace is not on the shelf (especially in NYC Union Square location) and I've asked an employee if there are any in the back, they always say "that is one of the best products we have. it is sooooo good". it's a major addiction, and i keep about 3-4 stocked at any time. make sure you bake straight on the rack for the crisp. great solo dish nor if you HAVE TO share, cut in squares with a pizza cutter for a fancy-ish appetizer for guests. i've tried the alsatian tartes at Danny Meyer's The Modern and DB Bistro Moderne in NYC, and I still think the TJs one is better.

My friends and I have a 5 hour layover at LAX on a weekday, from 3-8 PM. We would like to go grab a tasty bite somewhere, but it would probably have to be open earlyish for dinner (4ish, or 5) or be a spot that doesn't close between lunch and dinner, and not too far, as we would have to take a cab (which I understand can get pricey in LA). We are from NYC, so great mexican or asian would be awesome, but anything chowhound-worthy and delicious is fine.

Help us west coast Chowhounds! :)

Sauces! didn't think of that idea.

I did manage to find a bunch of other oval vs round posts, and it seems that a larger oval functions fine on a stove top, as it should distribute heat evenly after a few minutes. And has the advantage of fitting longer cuts of meat. It's been a confusing journey, but I think I'll start with the oval. I will probably get hooked and buy myself a round one soon.

Thanks LidaK. I was unaware the top is off for bread. I was asking about the mini ones because I saw this deal:

http://www.kitchen-universe.com/Staub...

I am still torn between oval vs round though. I guess it doesn't make a huge difference?

This is a very interesting and informative post, that I stumbled upon (and have been reading for half the work day).

I just have 2 questions, that both LC and Staub fans should be able to answer.

- for a first time dutch oven buyer, round or oval? My first intention was to use it for oven braising meats, but it seems that it has many other uses. Call me an amateur, but I think for simple cooking, I would probably prefer to use a lighter, easier to clean, stainless steel pan, and would not be pulling this out. So in that retrospect, it seems the oval shape is more suited to meats (chicken, pork shoulder), but perhaps it works just as well stove top? or is round the way to go?

- what uses would a mini cocotte (LC or Staub) get? maybe side dishes? presentation more for serving?

and then an additional question for Staub users, to echo frofro. Do the baisting spikes / nubs have any disadvantages? I imagine with soups, oatmeal (as previously mentioned) it's not that big of a deal / worth mentioning. But I can see bread might have an issue? But then again, many posters here have said the Staub is ideal for cooking bread, as the handle will not melt.

Thanks!

ok ok, I know it's sort of a gross concept, but I'm convinced one of these little sushi joints that have an all you can eat special (usually on a random day of the week) actually has decent sushi and doesn't overload the pieces with tons of rice. anyone have a good experience at one of these things?

I've found that the smaller italian chestnuts are easier and faster to roast in a toaster oven, and much easier to peel as they roast evenly. making that toasted outside (vendor like) texture achievable at home.

Does anyone know where they sell these smaller chestnuts?

frozen acai bowls (with fruit, yogurt and granola) seem easier to find in the west coast and even hawaii. Is there any place in Manhattan to buy the frozen acai and make this dish at home? or if not, does anyone know a place in the west village, chelsea, or times square area that serves this? thanks for your help

NYer will be in Nashville for NAMM staying at the Renaissance Nashville in downtown with no car. Need foodies' help! Please let me know your favorite restaurants we can get to get some good grub. Open to anything, especially southern specialties, like BBQ, etc.

Hello chowhounds! i am resurrecting this post. going down again at the end of this month. i will definitely take all these rec's, but if you have anything more to offer, i would greatly appreciate it! :)

going to vegas this thursday! thanks for all the awesome rec's! we have reservations at Raku, Bouchon and Rosemary. and plans to stop by Kilroy's, some asian spots (will have to painstakingly choose just a few from this long list that looks amazing). i'll report back...

i picked these up and stared at them through their see through wrapper for a good whole minute today. i finally put them back down thinking "frozen fish tacos". but i kept thinking they might be awesome. i'm glad i read this, so i won't be so hypnotized next time.

YAY!
- tarte d'alsace - definitely sprinkled with crack or some other highly addictive substance. whenever i go to the NYC union square location, or either northern jersey location, i have to ask the employees to go get more boxes in the back. they always reply, "OOHHHH, that one's SOOOOO good." (has happened a few times)
- frozen tamales, slathered in TJ salsa verde. microwaved a tad extra long so the cheese oozes out and burns a little bit :)
- frozen potato latkes with TJ's chunky spiced apples
- party size mini meatballs with the (old) tsaziki sauce (the new one sucks!)
- thai chili lime cashews
- mochi ice cream, left out to slightly thaw for about 7 minutes, chewy outside, perfect cold creamy inside
- chicken sausage, half the price of whole foods. some flavors are better than others
- flash frozen chicken thighs, defrost and cook as you would raw chicken
- flash frozen orange roughy plain, the seasoned one is too strong. i like to defrost these for 24 hours in the fridge, and then slather them with Nobu's recipe for saikyo miso (super easy, and you can keep a tupperware in the fridge of it for months) marinate overnight. broil. this fish picks up that flavor so well, and is a much cheaper alternative to black cod. garnish with scallions.
- frozen organic greens with envy (do they carry this anymore?)
- frozen brown rice - uber convenient
- whole frozen edamame- quick easy healthy treat
- frozen risottos, mushroom and asparagus, easy side dish
- organic avocados, in bags of 4
- scallions in resealable bag - totally a waste of money compared to chinatown, but i like these scallions for some reason. they're really pretty and uniform sized.
- 99 cent TJ mushroom rice noodle soup bowl - just add hot water, very low in fat, totally savory with a touch of sambal olek hot sauce (made by rooster sriracha company, the one that has seeds)
- bagged and washed organic mixed salad leaves - great but you have to eat within a few days b/c of early expirations
- cheap cheap pasta.
- cheap cheap cheese. when i make martha stewart's world's best mac and cheese, at a NY grocery, the cheese costs me about $25. at TJ's it's only $12-14 (white cheddar and gruyere). that recipe is KILLER, i highly recommend, despite the long prep time. sometimes i cut up small cubes of TJ chicken sausage, sautee it in a pan so it's got a bit of crisp, and toss it into the mac before i bake.
- lime habanero pistachios
- marinated pork loin - bought this once. dinner for two and 4 more lunches.
- wine. nyc has a TJ wine store separate (weird law about not selling liquor in the same place you can sell beer). the selection is great. they carry my favorite pinot noir that i've been drinking for years for cheaper than i've ever found it. cheap sake too.

NAY: (i am not going to be very popular after this, a lot of these are people's YAY's)
- green curry simmer sauce - everything i've made with this, i've wanted to throw straight in the trash. after 3 dishes, i finally threw out the sauce.
- frozen apple tartlets - ok, but i actually think these are too sweet, with the caramelized sugar crystals, it's overkill
- frozen french onion soup - a bit too salty for my taste, and i actually love salty foods
- curry with tuna in pouch - gross. i love thai flavors, and i was looking so forward to trying this. i had the red, and had to throw out most of it. i have the yellow one left, maybe i will give it another go
- bbq chicken pizza - this was the worst. sounded like a cool concept, but they use bbq sauce instead of tomato. really just a strange combo with the cheese
- 4 cheese pizza - didn't like the crust
- green beans prik king - maybe i made these wrong, but they came out super soggy and the taste was flat
- TJ fine sea salt. bought this and it was all clumped together. so much so that i couldn't pour it out of the large container into my shaker. i gave up and just ended up using the large container as my shaker.
- frzozen spinach spanikopita. i don't know. these just didn't do it for me. i had it with tsaziki too. they tasted off. i found myself slathering these in tsaziki to cover up some weird taste in the pastries.
- frozen potato and cheese pierogies. shell had really bad consistency. doughy and dry at the same time.
- THE LINE IN NYC. wow, i have never been to the union square store where the line hasn't almost gone out the door or has been physically at the door entrance. it moves relatively quick (20-25 min) but still it winds through the whole store, making it impossible to shop and see stuff properly (double line in front of the fridge display that you have to muscle your way through). NJ was heavenly in comparison. although today in edgewater, we found 2 things in the fridge that expired in feb. gross. on the contrary, NYC sells out of a lot of stuff by end of day.

but i do wait on that line often, so that shows you how many ppl in NY really like their TJ.

i bought some frozen tropical fruit mix and frozen raspberries a while back cuz i read they were good. but now i don't know what to do with them. any recommendations, chowhounds? much appreciated.

i bought the tropical mix and raspberries a while back, after reading that their frozen fruit is good. but what do you do with it?

hmmm, the one time i went the duck wasn't dry at all. it was quite juicy. and my mother has been a few times before, and brought me there because she like it.

holy moly. the tarte d'alsace is RIDICULOUS. every time i go to the TJs in the city or the 2 in northern jersey, i have to ask the staff to bring out more boxes. they always reply, oh, those are SOOOOO good.

i've had a version of this at the MOMA's restaurant, the Modern, which charges $14. the TJ one is better. just make sure you bake it in a hot hot oven, directly on the rack, so it gets the crisp.