bugmenot3's Profile
huitlacoche and flores de calabaza on LI (or Queens)
Thanks Stuart, I've been there but I'm looking for a place to buy the the ingredients myself.
Jefferson Park Restaurants
The Gift Theater is a few storefronts north of Lawrence on Milwaukee, so the Gale Street Inn, less than one block away, is a good choice for dinner. I think they are the best "fall off of the bone" ribs in the city. The Prime Rib is also supposed to be excellent, although I have never had it.
Sabatinos and Las Tablas are also fine choices, although both of these restaurants are on Irving Park, a mile south of Lawrence. La Pena, an equadorian restaurant at 4212 N. Milwaukee between Irving Park and Montrose, is another good choice.
If you are interested in fish, you may want to check out Pier 5736 at 5736 N. Elston (one block north of Central on Elston). Its a storefront seafood restaurant similar in quality and presentation to what you can get at Glenn's Diner and the old Davis Street Fishmarket in Evanston (The $10 fish specials they have every night can't be beat)
huitlacoche and flores de calabaza on LI (or Queens)
Can anyone point me to a place selling Mexican groceries, specifically huitlacoche (is fresh available?) and flores de calabaza. I'd prefer Nassau County, but I'm willing to travel.
Halloween appetizers?
Check out this site for some great ideas!
http://www.britta.com/HW/HWr.html
Anyone tried Kultura?
Great, sexy ambiance. Strange pairings of food. If you are not food adventurous, you will not like the fare at Kultura. Go strictly for the drinks, music, scene, and to be seen.
Check out the "announcements" section in www.w4wtoronto.com for restaurant recommendations.
Tips for making Flan
I am going to make my first attempt at making Flan this weekend to bring as a dessert to a chili cookoff party. Are there any special tips or tricks to this dessert? I have never carmalized sugar before and I am a little intimitated at the prospect. Is it better to raise the temp gradually or can I just set the stove on high right off of the bat? Whould using a thermometer be beneficial or is it fairly easy to eyeball it based on color? Should I cover the flan when baking? Any help/advice would be appreciated. TIA
Korean Food in Seattle?
Happyharriston is wrong, both Old Village and Four Seasons in Shoreline are very good, Four Seasons used to be the only place you could get gopjang gui.
What Happened to L&L on Clement St?
They probably did what others have already done...
Sign up as an L&L franchisee to get the training and company assistance in starting the business. Once the business is going, drop the franchise so they don't have to pay royalties to the company.
The Great Momofuku Debate (Long)
Try the pork buns before you dismiss them. I grew up on mantou as well and the Momofuku buns are not quite what you would get from Chinatown, Taiwan, HK, etc. They may still be overpriced at $9, but I will continue paying it unless I find the same item for less.
However I do agree that the broth at Momofuku is subpar -- I read somewhere that David Chang actually does not intend his broth to be an "authentic" ramen broth, so that might be the explanation. The other ingredients in the ramen are top-notch, however. I often wish I could get those ingredients in a Rai Rai Ken broth.
Has anyone tried Wasabi?
It is terrible. Avoid the place and try Cafe Asia or just about any sushi restaurant in DC, as Wasabi is probably the worst one in all of NW.
New Saigon seafood Restaurant... have you been to?
I've been dining at the (now burnt down) original location in the East Bay for 2 years and now this location. I've dined here about 20+ times total, so I know what I'm talking about and know what's hot and what's not.
It does some things well, but you have to know what to order.
Dim Sum - Not. The old location didn't do it terribly well, and I wasn't surprised to see that it didn't get any better at the new location.
If you notice, there's a paper menu placed for each diner at the table. There's a reason for this. That's where all the good stuff is, in general.
There are about 3 things that you gotta order here: the congee, the wonton noodles, and the Hainan Chicken. You will see variants of these 3 kind of dishes served repeatedly, and there's a good reason for that. They're darn good and are what keep the people coming back. Some even order them for dinner, even though they're lunch items.
The congee has just about the right consistency (the type where the rice grains "melt"), has enough taste and the right taste, and enough hints of ginger. Sounds simple to do, but I can attest that it's so easy to get this wrong. Many places can do 1 or 2 of these qualities right but it's rare that all 3 fit the bill.
There are lots of things to put in the congee. I enjoy the handmade fish balls one which uses chopped dace and wood ear. The fish fillet one is also pretty good.
Wonton soup is pretty good by South Bay standards. It uses the good type of noodles with a little snap to them. The wonton itself is big. Not standout but better than the other place that does it - JLP. The soup (the most important component) ties the whole thing together nicely.
Hainan Chicken is wonderful with the requisite "crunchy skin" which I rarely find nowadays and a level of saltiness that is just right. The garnishes on the side aren't quite as excellent, but I don't use them because the chicken speaks for itself. This is hands-down, the most popular dish for good reason.
So in summary, you need to know what to order, otherwise the experience won't be rewarding at all. If you want good dim sum, this isn't the place, but if you want good congee, wonton noodles and Hainan Chicken, this is great and convenient, if you can nab a spot (it's crowded on weekdays).
A post on Bubble tea got me thinking: Where is there GOOD bubble tea in Mpls/St. Paul area? Any tried and true?
Found one more place for those working downtown Minneapolis. It is a place called Freshens Frozen Treats. It is located on the skyway level of One Financial Plaza on fifth street and 2nd ave.
It is next to the Starbucks and across from Turtle Bread Co.
They are really sweet and not the best in town, but can help if you are craving a bubble tea during lunch.
Boston Magazine's Best of Boston [moved from Boston]
And again I say, give me examples. In this case Boloco was mentioned as a Best "Quick Bites" in Back Bay. I've never had the bad experience there like the original poster, so to me it's a perfectly reasonable choice. Where else are you going to get decent quick food in Back Bay - Sonsie? Burger King?
A post on Bubble tea got me thinking: Where is there GOOD bubble tea in Mpls/St. Paul area? Any tried and true?
There is also good bubble tea in the Midtown Global Market. The name of the place escapes me, but it is the large SE Asian/Chinese place. It is good, too. Best I've had this side of Chicago.
Still not as good as the ones I got in Taiwan, but that may be nostalgia talkin'!
Boston Magazine's Best of Boston [moved from Boston]
Any facts to back that up, Barmy? Statistics? News reports?
Top five Baltimore area pizza places?
I've only had good at pizza at two places so far in Baltimore:
1. Tutti Gusti (Canton) - Quattro Stagione & Genoa pizzas are excellent, although the sausage is a tad bit salty.
2. Matthew's (Highlandtown) - Interesting Baltimore-style with good cheese and low prices.
Oinkster update - Watch out Eagle Rock
While driving by today I noticed that they had "Now hiring" signs in the front windows and it looked as if they had several hopefuls already there interviewing.
Baklava in SE Baltimore
Where can I get good baklava and other Greek desserts in SE Baltimore? I've been to Greektown a few times but am not too familiar with particular bakeries and restaurants.
