nobody special's Profile
SF Hound looking for a Cuban Sandwich on Upper West Side
My recommendation is the Cubano at La Floridita on Broadway just north of 125th street. It's similar to the Cubano at El Margon in midtown.
what do you think of carne on 105th and broadway?
Funny, I considered recommending Bistro 1018 to you, but I found the food there to be a bit bland and uninspired. The prices at Metisse are similar to Bistro 1018.
I think Metisse and Pampa are good, solid choices for steak in the immediate neighborhood, but I wouldn't call them great or "truly stellar".
Note that on weekends, Pampa can get crowded and cramped and there is often a wait.
what do you think of carne on 105th and broadway?
Oops, sorry, made a mistake on (1). Metisse is on 105th just east of B'way across the street from Carne, not Pampa.
what do you think of carne on 105th and broadway?
If you want a good steak, I think there are much better neighborhood alternatives to Carne:
1. The steak & frites at Metisse on 105th st. just across the street from Pampa. I think it's arguably the best overall restaurant I've been to in Morningside Heights.
2. Try the skirt steak at Pampa (98th & Amsterdam), an Argie restaurant. Good, inexpensive Argie wines too.
Pio Pio Anyone ??
There's a branch of Pio Pio on the UES on 91st and 1st. It's as you describe, just as good but smaller -- and more crowded!
Rei Momo
Tried the sha-momo (Tibetan steamed beef dumpling) for the first time at Yamakaze (39th st. and Qns Blvd in Sunnyside) for lunch. As much as I wanted to like Yamakaze and its pleasant, accomodating staff, I didn't think their steamed dumplings compared to the Himalayan Yak version.
Both places served the steamed sha-momo in a steam filled wooden bowl, but my first impression of Yamakaze's sha-momo was that the steamed dumpling dough was lighter colored, more transparent, and a bit soggier than Yak's.
Himalayan Yak's sha-momo are made with thicker, fuller, and tastier dough, and I found the beef filling to be a bit richer and more flavorful than what I had at Yamakaze.
At Yak, you get a choice of serveral very different tasting sauces, each bursting with spice.
Yamakaze served only one red hot sauce, which was layered in flavor and interesting enough, but I couldn't help but long for the variety at Yak.
Please tell me I just hit Yamakaze on a bad day.
One huge plus, at least for me, is that Yamakaze is a Japanese restaurant and offers a selection of Japanese beers, which wash down momo quite well. And after a meal, I can walk up Queens Blvd. and contemplate the meaning of momo over a big mug of coffee and some doughnuts at Alpha Doughnuts.
Yakety-Yak, guess I'll be back.
Any other suggestions where I can find better sha-momo than HY?
OH WHERE AND WHAT KIND OF EGG NOG TO BUY IN NYC???
I always liked the coconut eggnog my aunt used to make. Obviously you have to like coconut, but it's a hit at parties.
I'm not sure about the measurements or number of eggs (A LOT of eggs -- maybe 10 or so?), but I seem to remember the ingredients are:
Egg nog mix, eggs, sweet condensed milk, can of Coco Lopez (available at most bodegas), your favorite aged dark rum (e.g., Barillito, Brugal or, for a lighter coconut flavor, try white Cruzan Coconut rum), bit of cinnamon. Maybe a little vanilla extract.
After adding each ingredient to a large bowl, you need to mix it like crazy with an egg beater to thicken.
Best Chicken Wings
I'm so with you on Dinosaur's barbecue wings. Wonderfully tender and they practically melt off the bone when you bite in. Almost like a cross between a rib and a chicken wing...
Best Burritos
Full veggie menu.
http://www.cueat.com/main.php?id=mexican&view=1&menu=taqueriacali
Best Burritos
Piccola,
I'm so with you on the whole burrito "authenticity" tired debate. Okay, okay, Poblanos don't do burritos, but isn't it possible a few of them--just a few--have come to New York and learned to make a burrito that just TASTES good, even if no one would dream of ordering it in Puebla and it's made differently than what you get in the Southwestern U.S.?
That being said, I think the tacos are the thing to get at Taqueria Y Fonda, not the burritos.
NativeNYer,
La Noche has better burritos than Taqueria y Fonda, but not the best in the neighborhood.
My recommendation is the chicken burrito at Taqueria California on B'way between Tieman Pl. (124th) & 125th st. Yes, the rice is on the inside, for all the Californians morally opposed to that, but it's delicious anyway. The place gets throngs of chicken burrito-requesting Columbia students and I suspect they've catered their tastes to them, but it's the best I've had in Manhattan. Their burrito obviously isn't on the authentic side of thier menu (other things are, however, I haven't tried them yet) but it tastes pretty darn good.
Rack & Soul's Fried Chicken - Looking for a consensus of opinion
Ditto DF's post.
Better than average, but the fried chicken is, well, Lack 'n Soul. Charlie owns the place so we're forced to hold the chicken here to his own high standards (i.e., Charles's on a good day when he's in the kitchen).
The ribs are the thing to get at R&S.
Himalayan Yak Report
I've found that too often at Him Yak the butter tea just isn't hot enough.
Chilean sandwiches
Joe,
Sorry, I didn't see your original post. Really? The last time I was at JC Pizzeria was about a year ago, and I'm so sorry to hear things have changed. This is a TRAGIC loss to the New York sandwich scene.
Oh, goodness. I just lost my favorite sandwich.
Chilean sandwiches
I had a lomito sandwich at JC Pizzeria (formerly El Guaton) with tender sliced pork and avocado on Chilean bread. Maybe one of the best sandwiches I've ever had.
There's a woman who sets up a steam table in the front with Brazilian food, but the Chilean restaurant/pizzeria, and, most importantly, the sandwich counter are still there.
Chilean sandwiches
Delicious lomito similar to what you describe at:
El Guaton
68-14 Roosevelt Ave (68th/69th St)
718.478.1199
Himalayan Yak Report
The butter tea goes down smooth as silk at first and is quite soothing, but after it cools a bit, it tastes more like something you'd drown movie theater popcorn in. Maybe it's made to ease altitude weariness in mountainous Tibet, but won't help you recover from a long subterranean ride on the E/F train.
I go all the time and see a most of the Burmese/Nepali customers sipping Heinekens or colas, not butter tea. Probably the right idea.
New "Burmese Cafe" in Jackson Heights
Ah, thanks. That explains a lot. From what I saw, I felt like the only patron there not ordering Chinese-influenced dishes. Burmese-Chinese food seems to be in a class of its own, no?
Inexpensive All-U-Can Eat Buffets in Manhatan?
No, the Manhattan churrascarias are certainly NOT inexpensive.
Porcao is terribly overpriced and the rodizio is pretty bad.
New "Burmese Cafe" in Jackson Heights
Peter, great review and photos. The tea leaf salad looks delicious. I wish I had ordered it.
When I went to BC, the place was full of Burmese and it looked like a lot of them were ordering big heaping platters of the Burmese Chinese food. It was sort of suprising.
Riverdale Restaurants
Oh. I haven't been there in 2-3 years and didn't know the food quality had improved since then. Now this makes a lot more sense. Years ago, it was a running joke amongst Riverdalians just how BAD the food was. The service--or lack of it--was also laughable. Your waitress used to serve you and then vanish.
Inexpensive All-U-Can Eat Buffets in Manhatan?
If you like soul food, try the buffet at the restaurant portion of Charles's Southern Fried Chicken. $11.95 for AYCE fried chicken, ribs, oxtail, mac & cheese, candied yams, greens, black-eyed peas, salads, etc. Includes unlimited drinks and I think a dessert. Go with an appetite!
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/189794?query=charles+buffet&user_name=
West Harlem/Morningside Heights Bar for tonight after work
I'm so with you that it's nice to see Uptown hounds!
Actually, there a few sort of "stylish" hangouts in East Harlem on the arty-bohemian tip.
Catch a film, exhibit or live music at Carlitos Cafe y Galeria (Lexington btwn 106th-107th). Grab a cheap beer and don't bother with the coffee or bare bones bar.
At Camaradas-El Barrio (First Ave. btwn 115th-116th), the Spanish coffee (expresso), cafe con leche, and sangria are quite good and some of the tapas are excellent. It's a cafe by day, bar at night. Drawback: no comfy couches or Wifi.
This is obviously pretty subjective, but if you're talking strictly coffee quality (not atmosphere), I've always preferred the strong Spanish coffees and cafe con leche at the Latin places over places like Les Ambassades and Society. And it's less than half the price!
In many ways, the nabe reminds me of the LES 20 years ago (for better or for worse, since we know how that turned out).
West Harlem/Morningside Heights Bar for tonight after work
I liked Mona Lounge the one time I was there and I totally agree it is so badly needed in that hood, but my first impression was that you won't find any kind of quintessentially uptown scene or Harlem vibe there. It is, after all, in Morningside Heights/Manhattan Valley. The place could just as easily be in Hell's Kitchen or below 14th st., no? Should I give it another shot? I definitely could be missing something.
tubby hook cafe in washington heights closed?
I don't know if it's closed for good, but it was seasonal and close when the colder weather came, no?
Fun place.
smith's restaurant and bar in hell's kitchen
Get the corned beef on rye or the corned beef and cabbage from the steam table. It's famous for it.
Riverdale Restaurants
A few things:
1. I offered recommendations. Please read the thread.
2. Furthermore, I diasgree with your position. If I disagree with a review, which I vehemently did because the Riverdale Diner is just God awful--they can't make toast for goodness sakes, I have every right to voice my dissenting opinion in order to help readers make an informed choice on whether or not to dine there. It's done all the time. It isn't "terrible" not to include a recommendation. Avoiding a bad restaurant is progress, however slight.
3. I've never panned a place before and perhaps my post sounded a bit harsh, but, believe me, it's warranted.
Good Carrot Cakes in Westchester?
Try Lloyd's Carrot Cake on B'way in North Riverdale.
Riverdale Restaurants
The Riverdale Diner is a one-way trip to the land of horrible food. It hasn't been edible in 20 years.
The Greek diners? Gee, that really narrows it down.
New "Burmese Cafe" in Jackson Heights
Do they have thousand layer bread? I love it. Any coconut curry?
Oh, I need to try this place.
West Harlem/Morningside Heights Bar for tonight after work
I've heard that too, UF. That's why I just had drinks there.
Went to Baton Rouge recently and it was closed due to some plumbing problem (yuck). Is it any good?
