KitchenMaid's Profile
D & f Astoria
Their homemade marinara sauce is amazing. I stopped making my own b/c theirs is so wonderful. In fact, I moved to Nassau recently and still go to stock up on it! Also their fresh mozzarella is wonderful as well.
What is THE BEST fine dining Latino restaurant in NYC?
For classic Cuban, you cannot go wrong with Victor's Cafe. It is one of my absolute favorite restaurants!
-----
Victor's Cafe
236 West 52nd Street, New York, NY 10019
ASTORIA SALAD LUNCH PLACE-- HELP ASAP!! THANKS!!!
There are 2 Sai Organics on 30th Ave (one is by 31st Street and the other is between 36th and 37th Streets). There is another organic place on Steinway between 30th and 31st Avenues. My favorite Sushi in Astoria is Watawa on Ditmars between 33rd and 35th Streets. Good luck!
-----
Watawa
3310 Ditmars Blvd, Queens, NY 11105
Astoria bakery for a birthday cake
I've never had a cake from La Guli. Martha's is horrible. It's an adorable place, but I've never had anything good there, and I've always wanted to love it!
There is a Chilean bakery/sandwich place on Astoria Blvd. called San Antonio #2 which does bake cakes, although I've never had one there. Just a suggestion.
-----
Martha's Country Bakery
36-21 Ditmars Blvd, Queens, NY 11105
San Antonio Bakery 2
36-20 Astoria Blvd, Queens, NY 11103
Early roadtrip to Wineries/Tanger - where to stop for coffee/bagels?
Not great coffee but the best bagels are at Utopia Bagels on Utopia Parkway in Queens. It is definitely worth a stop!
Outdoor Tented Wedding Reception [Long Island, Hudson Valley]
Well, flowers is where I splurged...Diana Gould is supposed to be the best and that was certainly not cheap! On the positive side, though, I did not need one decoration for the ceremony (besides bouquets) because I got married in the rose garden, but I did want to spruce up the tent. I recall that they were extremely nice as well and ended up throwing in lights and drapery in the tent for free; I was against it for the longest time, but actually it made the tent a lot more elegant than I could have imagined!
Outdoor Tented Wedding Reception [Long Island, Hudson Valley]
At Lyndhurst I believe it was $125/person for a Saturday night event (in the summer of 2009). But as I said they were flexible, so you could get the price down by taking things out of the package, which in itself was pretty generous.
North Fork Vineyard weddings are absolutely gorgeous but can also cost an arm and a leg (my sister got married at one over 5 years ago and it was beautiful!).
It all depends on how much work you want to put in yourself. Before deciding on Lyndhurst I investigated museums and historical sites, which can be much more affordable, but which are really a blank slate for your creativity. I quickly realized that while I would have liked giving money away to a good cause, I actually preferred a wedding venue where everything would be taken care of for me.
Outdoor Tented Wedding Reception [Long Island, Hudson Valley]
I got married at Lyndhurst in Tarrytown, NY last year. You have different options for the wedding ceremony if you wish to have it there (in the rose garden or in front of the castle on the lawn), and you have the reception tented in the courtyard. It is absolutely beautiful with tons of greenery, overlooks the Hudson (but it's just barely visible from the veranda of the castle which is where you have the cocktail hour), and the caterer, Fabulous Foods is simply wonderful. Joseph is the coordinator and he is the best. Plus they are flexible in terms of packages and pricing. It is truly an extraordinary place to get married. Good luck!
NYC foodie dining alone this weekend
Thank you for great suggestions. Unfortunately Topolobampo is all booked up the whole weekend, but I'm lucky in that both restaurants are right next door to each other. What I may do on Friday as I arrive in the afternoon is go and inquire at each restaurant how they may accomodate a solo diner. I wouldn't mind sitting at the bar at all!
I tend to avoid communal dining experiences (perhaps that's the NYer in me?), and wouldn't mind either table or bar seating. I like your idea of an MP3 player with audiobooks. I may have to bring along a couple of "This American Life" podcasts!
Ironically, even though I have my heart set on both Rick Bayless and Art Smith, I'm looking for truly regional cuisine. I can get most ethnicities in NY and in the outer boroughs of NY where I live. So far from other threads, I have pieced together a tentative schedule--besides Rick Bayless' place, breakfasts at either Bongo Room, Atwood Cafe and/or Fox & Obel, lunch at Giardano's, and dinners at Cafe des Architectes, Table 52, and/or South Water Kitchen. While both Charlie Trotter's and Alinea look amazing, I don't think either are really appropriate for this trip. Better for next time!
-----
Alinea
1723 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614
Charlie Trotter's
816 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago, IL 60614
Bongo Room
1152 S Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60605
Topolobampo
445 N Clark St., Chicago, IL 60610
Cafe des Architectes
20 East Chestnut Street, Chicago, IL 60611
Table fifty-two Restaurant
52 West Elm Street, Chicago, IL 60610
South Water Kitchen
225 N. Wabash Ave., Chicago, IL 60601
Giardano's
2206 S Busse Rd, Mount Prospect, IL 60056
NYC foodie dining alone this weekend
Thanks, I appreicate the advice. To be honest, I am actually looking forward to the solo experience!
NYC foodie dining alone this weekend
I am coming this weekend to visit my husband who's in Chicago on business. I've been told that he will be so busy that I'll most probably be dining alone the entire weekend. Which is okay, since my husband is an extraordinarily picky eater. I've just noticed the thread about 2 NYC foodies also coming this weekend, and similarly, I'm pregnant too!
My question is: Can I dine solo at many of the places referenced in that thread? Are there places particularly suited to solo diners? I'll eat almost anything (I am pregnant so no sushi/raw fish), am staying downtown at the Peninsula, do not have a car, and do have an obsession with Rick Bayless so I would definitey like to try either Frontera Grill or Topolobampo (which is better?). Other than Rick Bayless, I'd like to eat at Giardano's, and perhaps Art Smith's Table 52.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions!!
-----
Frontera Grill
445 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60654
Topolobampo
445 N Clark St., Chicago, IL 60610
Table fifty-two Restaurant
52 West Elm Street, Chicago, IL 60610
Giardano's
2206 S Busse Rd, Mount Prospect, IL 60056
Anyone tried Amarelle (Wading River)?
Oh boy...
I went to Amarelle last night with my husband, and while there were positives about the food, overall it was a terrible experience!
First of all, their menu had changed from what they posted online. Not a huge deal for most, but my husband is a picky eater to the point of having a social phobia of new foods, so take away his one option on the menu and we are in a pickle. It's almost false advertisement, and the reason I brought him and not someone else was because of that one dish!
Secondly, we arrived on time and were told we had to wait 5 minutes for our table. Happens all the time. But does it happen when your empty table is just sitting there all made up (in addition to other empty tables)? We were honestly perplexed when over 5 minutes later, we were brought to the table we had been looking at the entire time. Not a well-oiled machine.
The dining room itself is beautiful, with a lovely fireplace in the center of the room. Our waiter took our orders, and treated us quite coldly...a little note that the vast majority of people in the restaurant were very noticeably older than us. My husband and I are not spring chickens (~30), and it has been a LONG time since I've been treated with less than respect because of my age. Our waiter clearly wrote us off as a light fare, and ignored us most of the night. The nicest part of the evening was the other waitress who served us delicious bread, and who spent more time with us than our own waiter!
Nonetheless, the mushroom ragout I ordered as a started arrived and was quite delicious--rich, buttery mushrooms in a cognac cream with thyme and a puff pastry shell.
Our main courses arrived (a small order of the duck for me and a small order of the Kobe beef for my husband) and I was pleasantly surprised. The duck was moist and flavorful in a cherry sauce with bok choy and a butternut squash flan. My husband on the other hand did not fare so well. The one thing he requested was no pecan butter with the steak. That was ignored, unfortunately and could have been disastrous had he actually had a nut allergy, and not just particular tastes. The steak itself was very cold, as if it had been cooked half an hour before. Just as he was telling me this, at the table next to us, a woman was complaining to the waiter that her pasta dish with lobster was terrible, with the noodles being ice cold and the lobster chewy, as if the whole thing had been microwaved. She even requested the chef come over to speak to her (which she did)!
Not once did anyone come over to us to ask how our meal was, and our waiter disappeared for a full 20 minutes after we had finished our main course. He had even walked near our table at one point, looked right at our empty plates, and simply walked away. I would have liked to have seen a dessert menu but since we were left neglected, we finally had to ask the hostess for our check about half an hour after we were done eating.
I thought the food had real potential. However, for a restaurant in Wading River to be charging those prices, the service and the front of the house have to deliver. The kobe beef was $26 for the small portion and $49 for the large portion! I am happy to spend good money for a wonderful restaurant experience. But that was just not worth it and I will not go back.
Anyone tried Amarelle (Wading River)?
I'm going this weekend because I've heard good things from friends, but there has not been much reported on Chowhound since it's opened...
Any must have dishes?
Thanks in advance!
In Search of Large & Unique Fall Wedding Venue for 2010
Yes the site fee was basically a donation to the museum. I think it came out to $3000 total ($1000 deposit and $2000 later on). Hope that helps! It can be difficult to get Joseph on the phone but be persistent as I promise you it's worth it!
In Search of Large & Unique Fall Wedding Venue for 2010
I ABSOLUTELY recommend Lyndhurst Castle in Tarrytown, NY. I just got married there in July of 2009 and it was the most amazing experience. The views and the grounds are stunning (and in the fall I can only imagine it gets better) and the food is wonderful as well. Joseph and the entire Fabulous Foods catering crew all work together to put on a very classy and beautiful affair. They will definitely be able to accommodate $125/person as they are quite flexible in letting you choose a menu that fits your budget.
First Stay in Suffolk County, LI
La Plage in Wading River is a wonderful restaurant for lunch or dinner. Go around sunset for dinner (they're across the street from the beach) and enjoy!
Heirloom Tomatoes in Astoria - Where to find?
I'm not sure if you have heard but this summer, a terrible fungus has destroyed a lot of tomato (and some potato) plants in the Northeast: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/18/nyregion/18tomatoes.html
That's why the selection has been so lacking in markets, restaurants, etc.
If you do find a good selection anywhere, please pass that information along. Thanks!
Greek Food in Suffolk County?
There's a Greek restaurant/diner called Greek Island Restaurant on 25A by Wading River. It's okay, not great. Being half-Greek I tend to avoid places that have some mention of "Greek" in the name as they're usually not that authentic. But in a pinch it's not that bad.
Malasadas in Maui: Komoda Bakery
I love sweet treats and so I scoured the boards for malasadas in Maui on a recent trip. Apparently they do make malasadas at Home Made Bakery (one location is on Dairy Road) but when I asked a native Hawaiian, she told me to skip that and head to Komoda Bakery in Makawao. Not too far from the Hali'imaile General Store, they make malasadas to die for! I had one filled with guava which was wonderful. Even better, they make old-fashioned donuts and something I think called "donuts on a stick" which several people in the bakery at the time recommended. Amazing! I am still craving these treats weeks later and wish I somehow shipped some home with me.
Trip Report: Oahu, Big Island, Maui
First off, as a native NY hound (who lived in Phx for a year), I am very appreciative for all of the wonderful advice I received from this board (especially from Bill Hunt, who was a big reason I absolutely loved my year in Phoenix!). I just spent 11 days on these 3 islands for my honeymoon, which was made even more special with some great chow. And since I always take from these boards, I'd like to give back as well:
Oahu:
Was mostly a blur (from a 23 hour trip!)...We ate first at Benihana's out of convenience which I'd skip next time. If you are staying at or near the Hilton Hawaiian Village, there is a great, local coffeshop/diner next door called Wailana Coffee House. It will save you tons of $ from the traditional hotel breakfasts and is typical, good food. Had banana ice cream at Cold Stone (I know--not very local!), had some delicious cocktails at the bar at the Royal Hawaiian (which you should check out regardless of where you stay), and ate at Alan Wong's on our last night there. The food was amazing! I called one night without reservation and they were able to seat us promptly at the chef's counter which was so fun because you can really check out a kitchen up-close. I had the 5 course tasting menu, which is a lot of food so go on an empty stomach!
Big Island:
Wow--interestingly there are just not a lot of options on this huge, sparse island. Most of the food we did have was great, don't get me wrong. It's just that, if you have a dream of opening a restaurant in a new, exotic place, this would be ideal! No joke. Fairmont Orchid-FABULOUS hotel. We dined at Huli Sue's for some delicious BBQ on picnic tables and I loved every second of it. Try the ice cream soda (in a jar). We also ate at Norio's, the sushi restaurant at our hotel. Good, fresh fish, fun cocktails and a nice ambiance with the entertaining Norio himself. We had breakfast every morning at Hawaiian Style Cafe--an absolute must! These are not merely big portions; they are offenisively huge portions of great, cheap food that will keep you full until dinner. After a long, exhausting day hiking around the Volcanic Crater, we drove back one night only to find that nearly everything was closed by 8:30 pm. Very reluctantly, we headed to Cafe Pesto, which had been recommended to us by several transplants. Reluctantly I say, because I fortunately have access to wonderful Italian food/pizza in NY and my gut feeling was that this would not be good. Go with your gut! This place had disgusting pizza and sub-par entrees. No offense to those who enjoy it...I suppose if you are living on a little island in the middle of a gigantic ocean, this would qualify as pizza, but if you are a lover of good pizza and Italian food, this is a must-skip. Also worth checking out on Big Island is Greenwell Coffee Farm. They have great samples of their Kona coffee and a very interesting free tour.
Maui:
We stayed at the Four Seasons which we rarely left because it's such a gorgeous hotel. If you can splurge here, definitely do it, it's worth it! We dined poolside; good, but as you'd expect, expensive. We had a couple of breakfasts at Kihei Cafe, alright but not outstanding. The macademia banana pancakes were quite tasty though. One night we ate at Roy's in Kahana. I'd never been to one so I wasn't sure what to expect. The food was delicious! Simple, yet elegant even though the ambiance was not the best, and the food was rather expensive for the mediocre setting (you're actually in a strip-mall). The yummy chocolate souffle is well worth the wait. We dined at Hali'imaile General Store for lunch one day as well. Fantastic! One of the most memorable meals of the trip. The pineapple upside down cake is moist and gooey and deliciously sweet. Another winner from Maui is Mama's Fish House. This place is VERY expensive, but for a special occasion, it cannot be beat. You have the beautiful location, very attentive service, strong and tasty cocktails and the freshest fish you can imagine. They even sat us at one of the window sunset tables when I mentioned it was our honeymoon! Also on Maui...I tried plate lunch at Da Kitchen by the airport and was less than impressed. I really wanted to love the authentic, local food but it just didn't do it for me. Finally, we found the best malasadas ever at Komoda Bakery--so good that I'm going to add a separate post so that there will never ever be any confusion again about where to go for these delectable treats.
All in all it was a fantastic trip and thanks again for the great suggestions!
Help! A glorious 13-day honeymoon on Kauai and Maui - where. to. EAT!?
I highly recommend Mama's Fish House on Maui. It is expensive but it is worth it! Make sure to book your reservation just before sunset and when you get there, tell them it's your honeymoon and hopefully they'll sit you at a table along the windows facing the ocean.
Also recommend Haliimaile General Store. I went for lunch and thought it was amazing. While "upcountry" you should trek a little further to Komoda Bakery for the most amazingly delicious malasadas and donuts you've ever had!!
Review: La Bocca (White Plains)
I had a rehearsal dinner for about 30 people at La Bocca last month. I must say that the food was wonderful, the service outstanding and the set-up/ambiance perfect! We hosted the dinner a little early (around 5 in the evening) because our rehearsal had to be in the afternoon. The timing worked out beautifully because people were able to go early and have some drinks at the bar, which provided a lovely cocktail hour prelude to the dinner. We occupied most of the restaurant for several hours and never felt rushed in any way. I was most suprised and impressed by the food (4 courses) which had everyone singing praises. Best of all, Nicola will work with you on the menu and price. I highly recommend La Bocca for private parties!
Pizza Bianco. Worth it?
There was a recent thread on 3 must order Pizzeria Bianco pizzas - http://www.chowhound.com/topics/527807
There are many opinions on this--mine is to go starving and order everything on the menu!
And Marcellino's is fabulous. I went a couple of weeks ago and it was simply amazing. Go there if they have not yet departed to Italy...good luck and good eating!
Review: Marcellino's (PHX)
I went last week to Marcellino's for my birthday dinner with my fiancee (thanks to the recs on the boards). We had made reservations far in advance, and my FI told them ahead of time of the special occasion (thanks to Bill Hunt for that rec). We arrived early and there were a fair amount of people there - always a good sign for a weekday. Sima met us at the door, said happy birthday to me, and sat us right in the window (I believe the special room in the back was already filled).
Before even placing our drink order, she gave us a special dish of salami, parmigiana reggiano and an olive. Very nice touch. I was in the mood for a cocktail so I ordered the Marcellinocino (or something to that effect that was pretty difficult to pronounce), with vodka and homemade limoncello. It was extremely strong and delicious. The bread came warm, with a nice crusty interior and a soft chewy interior, along with a red pepper tapenade. Also excellent. I think that bread is a very good indicator for quality of a restaurant. Too many places skimp out on this important detail.
I was overcome with indecision, so I asked our waitor for advice on the starter and main courses. He recommended the beef carpaccio appetizer which I then ordered. It was amazing - thin pieces of raw beef over arugula, shaved parmigiana reggiano and a lemony vinagrette. It was extraordinarily fresh and light. I was intent on trying one of their homemade pasta dishes and with the help of our waitor, I settled on a porcini mushroom tagliatelle with chunks of lobster, mushrooms, and truffle oil. Truly one of the best pasta dishes I have ever tried. The pasta noodles were silky and wonderful (which was not overcome by the porcini mushrooms). The lobster meat was superb, and the whole dish melted in my mouth. I could have eaten two platefuls, it was so yummy. I also had a glass of Chardonnay with the pasta, another recommendation from our waitor, who steered me away from a lighter Pinot Grigio. The wine complimented the pasta beautifully. My FI ordered the filet mignon with a barolo sauce (this was his only course as he is a very picky eater). The filet was cooked just right and the barolo sauce was fantastic--rich and yet sweet at the same time. It is now my quest to figure out how to make this sauce!!!
For dessert I had an apple galette with hazelnut gelato and homemade caramel sauce. Wonderful. The galette had a great sweetness, and the gelato was fabulous. Perfect ending to a truly spectacular meal.
The service was great too - our waitor was very helpful with suggestions and always attentive to our needs. The atomsphere was very nice and the bathroom too was surprisingly cozy! I HIGHLY recommend Marcellino's to anyone who loves Italian food, especially to those who crave fresh pasta. Thanks again to all for helping with the recommendations!!
Coffee in AZ
My mistake - the Clover is a brewing machine, not a roaster. This place does roast their beans out back though. You've got to check out the Clover...it's so tiny for such an expensive machine!! The best thing about this place is that when you go, talk to the owners (Jason and Amy) and you will get a fascinating spiel about coffee. When I went, Amy explained to my friends and I all about different kinds of beans, and the varying components of a good cup of coffee. She then gave us samples of each kind of coffee so that we could follow along. You can tell that they truly love what they do--the coffee is amazing.
Coffee in AZ
Check out Coffee Cartel Lab in Tempe. They roast their own coffee on the Clover, the $11,000 machine that's been in the news because Starbucks has recently taken over the company. At Coffee Cartel they have beans from Brazil and Guatemala and it's seriously some of the best coffe I've ever had. Here's an article about them in the AZ Republic: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/0603biz-tr-coffeelab0603.html
Tucson SW/BBQ?
I'll be in Tucson for a concert at the Hotel Congress next week and I'm looking for a great Southwestern and/or BBQ dinner before the concert, ideally somewhat close by. Any suggestions? I've already looked into the classics on the boards (Janos, JBar, tons of Mexican places); however, my picky-eater fiancee really only eats steak or burgers out. HELP!! Thanks in advance.
Pizzeria Bianco Trek: 3 Must Order Pizzas
When we went a couple of months ago, our party of 6 ordered everything on the menu. I agree with rlm, order more than you think you can eat and bring the leftovers home. The fennel sausage is amazing (and of course homemade) so definitely try that. The hands-down favorite at our table was the Rosa which not one of us was expecting. It's a unique combination of ingredients that works. Our least favorite was the biancoverde (although still very good). Have a great time and enjoy :)
Interesting Wine Selection - Sprouts Market
Yes definitely. Sprouts has wonderful deals on wine--I thought it was my own little secret! Sancerre is one of my favorite wines. If you liked that, you may enjoy Barefoot's Pinot Grigio which I got there last week for $5.99!
Phx bday dinner for NY transplant and...
Many thanks again to all! Marcellino's it is - I have a reservation and I cannot wait! I love wine as well so I'm excited to ask for the special recommendations. Also, I'm heading to the Super L Ranch Market as soon as I can for those crabs. Happy eating (and cooking)!!
