Sugar's Profile
Pino's in Cleveland Circle, what's the fuss?
Yep, I grew up in Brookline, went to BHS, and probably ate at Pino's twice a week. They were always nice to us high school kids who would go there, spend $4.50 on two slices and a soda (the #1) and let us sit in their booths for a few hours on the weekends. Then we'd go outside and yell stupid stuff at the BC kids. Would I send someone there as a destination? No. Is it a decent slice joint if you happen to be in Cleveland Circle? Sure. Does my nostalgia for the place bring me back whenever I'm home? Usually.
Advice - Mains under $30
Apiary is a great suggestion. Have had consistently good meals there. Giorgio's of Gramercy is another but not as refined as Ai Fiori.
Bar Americain?
Relatively expensive for what you get (location + Bobby Flay) but food and service is very well executed. Won't blow your mind in any direction. Good for a business lunch. Great, bright room with well-spaced tables.
Awesome pizza at non-Italian, non-pizza places
Agreed. Pizza at Area Four is very good.
Kin Shop Review (Thai Fried Chicken)
The broccoli sounds similar to their brussels sprouts preparation which is also delicious.
UES low key Saturday dinner
not sure the last time you went to Cascabel (or if you ever went to the original a few doors up from its current location), but it's a shell of its former self now unfortunately. And that's from multiple tries on my part trying to regain the old magic.
B Cafe is a low-key spot with a nicely done menu.
Whole roasted pig for 25 people
I did the Big Pig Gig at Daisy May BBQ a few years back. I assume they still do it. Great time, very casual. They bring the entire roasted pig out to the table and you pick the meat right off the carcass.
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Daisy May's BBQ
623 11th Ave, New York, NY 10036
Keeping up with Kendall Sq
Did you eat on the restaurant side of Area Four? I can't see what about the dining room you would have thought was like a coffee shop.
Sunday and Monday in Paris
awesome, thanks everyone, very helpful. from what I gather is there's so much great to eat in Paris that I won't go hungry no matter when I go!
Sunday and Monday in Paris
Hi there -- trying to plan a 4-night trip to Paris in late January that will either be Th/Fr/Sa/Su (nights) or Fr/Sa/Su/Mo (nights). The latter works much better for our schedule, but I'm concerned that many food options will be closed on Sunday night and Monday (day and night). Is that true? Or has my cursory research made me unnecessarily concerned?
Thanks.
Sorella -- Tasty Piedmontese Small Plates on the LES and A Great Value
Agreed on all counts Kathryn. The front room can be a bit hectic and narrow but the back room where you sat is totally civilized (with decent space between tables). They do vegetables really well there.
Vandaag Review
Agree with gutsofsteel -- went there tonight. Split the kale salad (boring, small), the artichoke (served cold, the vinaigrette was more just oil) and the meatball. Meatball was good, but it was one small meatball for $11. We used the sauce, which was excellent, for the artichoke.
Had the hangar steak as well which was well cooked and flavorful, but again, a tiny portion. The fingerlings were sliced and overcooked, although I saw a side of the fingerlings on another table that looked better. Everything there seemed twee.
Cocktails were great actually, would return there for a drink.
Service was, as above, uninterested. Weird unannounced waiter switch midway through the meal, and no one came back to check on us once the entrees were dropped. Won't return.
Rookie here, I apologize if this is a tired topic...need a cool, romantic spot for Saturday dinner...
Along those lines, I'd suggest Osteria Morini. A bit more casual w/ a great downtown vibe (same chef too).
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Osteria Morini
218 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10012
Southern Hospitality on 9th?
The one on the UES is like its brother-from-another-mother, Brother Jimmy's: a good place to drink beer, eat wings, and watch the game. I wouldn't expect much more food-wise.
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Southern Hospitality
1460 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10021
Flex Mussels
Agree -- was there for the first time (UES) on Saturday night. Lively crowd, mussels were solid -- I had the lobster broth and chunks of lobster. Girlfriend had the Dijon. Frites were good as well (have to order these a la carte which is a bit annoying). Many of the broth flavors looked appetizing. Needed a reservation on a Saturday night but they hold all the seats up front (bar and counter) for walk-ins with a list which is managed by the hostess (which I appreciated, saving the hover-and-mad-dash for bar seats).
Name may not be great but definitely not a gimmick -- they do mussels well.
Need BIG country-style breakfast in NYC (other than Clinton St Bakery)
Peels would work for the style of food, but I found the portions to be on the small side.
Takeout in Myrtle Beach (Central/Grand Strand)
Coming with 10 guys at the end of April -- late tee time Thursday afternoon, first tee time Friday is 730AM. Thought some takeout (Pizza/Ribs/Italian, etc) might be a good idea rather than going out for dinner, given the timing.
Any suggestions on something mid-priced ($20pp?) that I can pickup that night? No dietary restrictions...
We are staying at 48th Ave and Highway 17.
Thanks!
Another Bostonian looking for good challah
Mine definitely wasn't overbaked -- it wasnt more brown on top than usual. It just had a stale/dry texture.
Another Bostonian looking for good challah
Agreed on Cheryl Ann's this week. My mom had one on Tuesday night for Rosh dinner and it was dry and hard as a rock. She bought it that day too.
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Cheryl Anns
1010 W Roxbury Pkwy, Chestnut Hill, MA
Restaurants that require minimum for debit/credit card payments
Yeah, the new rule (Durbin Amendment if you're particularly interested) also allows them to charge different (read: less) amounts if you use debit as opposed to credit. It does NOT allow them to charge different amounts for different credit card companies, e.g. Visa vs. AMEX.
Also, the highest the minimum can be is pretty low, something like $10 under the new rule, but don't quote me.
Bar Americain Lunch
Ended up getting french onion soup -- good version, solid, not spectacular -- and a cheeseburger which was notable for its pimento cheese (not seen on a lot of menus around here). Fries were below-average. Burger was good, not great.
Nice space though, solid service (slightly more formal on both counts than I was expecting.)
Bar Americain Lunch
Being taken on Friday for lunch -- what are your favorites?
I found Mesa Grill very meh but a few older threads seem to indicate BA being good for what it is.
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Bar Americain
152 W. 52nd Street, New York, NY 10019
Mesa Grill
102 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011
Searching for Sweetbreads
I enjoyed the sweetbreads (grilled) at Gramercy Tavern (Tavern Room, sitting at the bar). Casa Mono also has good ones that are fried.
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Gramercy Tavern
42 E 20th St, New York, NY 10003
Casa Mono
52 Irving Place, New York, NY 10003
Asking guests to leave, for incoming reservations
you, good sir, are what makes an otherwise enjoyable job in the hospitality industry a complete nightmare.
How is Giorgio's of Gramercy?
Girgio's is good for this. I like Giorgio's for two purposes: dinner with parents (or for meeting your girlfriend's parents for the first time) or for something that is "centrally" located when you can't figure out what else to eat. It's not transcendent, but it is moderately priced, everything I've eaten there is well prepared, the service is gracious, and the room is nice. I've recommended it a few other times on the board because it's a restaurant that knows what it is, it's consistent, and it serves a good purpose.
Planning My "Goodbye NYC" group dinner
the Whole Shebang at Alta is a good idea for large groups in that you can 1) get a reservation, 2) it takes the guesswork out of ordering and 3) I happen to like a lot of the food at Alta.
my problem with it is that the food comes out REALLY quickly and it can get overwhelming. it's also difficult (or somewhat cost prohibitive) to order extras of the things you like so you end up with some duds among the hits.
Best pubs in Manhattan (no TVs)?
Check out Rye House. They actually do have a TV but it was off on a recent Thursday night. Good selection of microbrews on tap and bottle. I'm trying to think of something like a Standard Tap or something of that ilk that's in Manhattan and coming up short.
Gingerman, as noted above, is known for it's beer selection, not sure how festive it is.
The Concierge suggests....Can you do better?
I wouldn't call Quality Meats or The Standard Grill tourist traps at all.
Del Friscos has its fans on the board.
STK isnt worth the money and The Standard Grill, Buddakan, or even Spice Market is a better option in the Meatpacking District.
West Village Bar
Blind Tiger, while a great bar, is woefully small for a group this size.
