conordog's Profile
Babbo or Scarpetta?
Can't believe u put stock in the GnR reports. babbo is a superior dining experience in every facet. I read this whole thread only to come away upset and dejected. I'm sorry these people steered u wrong. The scarpetta spagetti is SO overrated. Especially put next to the babbo garganelle funghi oe even their classic ( but perfect) bolognese.
Ribeye for Two at Del Posto/Babbo
Can't speak to the del posto ribeye. Have had their veal chop and while veal chop isn't my favorite thing, it was solid-not special.
The babbo ribeye however... Wow. Your palette should already be sufficiently lubed just having finished hopefully your third course of pasta. The preparation is brilliant. Steak and potatoes. If I recall there were maybe a couple mushrooms- porcini maybe, but just a couple. A few roasted potatoes and then a couple cloves of perfectly roasted garlic. Most of the people I dined with passed over the garlic as if it were a garnish, not me. I parceled it out with each bite. And then the key, the drizzle of some very HQ balsamic and olive oil over the meat. More people should prepare steak this way. Not sure why more places haven't stolen it.
Wurstboro/Monticello restaurant for Dad
there is an outback not far down rt17 from wolf lake (not kidding).
dining options up there are VERY limited. rock hill would be the nearest town to wolf lake and it has 2 country diners (very modest) and rock hill pizza, which actually produces some fantastic sandwiches.
monticello no far from there, perhaps try looking there? i found this because im in the process of buying a house in south fallsburg, which is about 15min from wolf lake and trying to find dining options.
Best Bagels in Metro Detroit?
NYB in ferndale is excellent. i live in NY/NJ and i rush there to get their chick salad on pumpernickel or their tuna salad on sesame everytime im back in town. i actually freeze their bagels and bring them back to NJ with me.
Momofuku Fried Chicken
going tonight. im excited. can anyone recommend sides? we'll be four dining. hope it compares to the bo ssam which i thought was exceptional- the rest of what i had at ssam was forgettable though. i wouldnt choose to go back to ssam if not for the bo ssam dinner. would actually try to convince a group not to go there if not having the ssam. never been to the noodle bar, but ive read underwhelming stuff about their ramen. hope the fried chicken holds up. to me, fried chicken without the southern fixins aint fried chicken. just trying to get my mind into the korean fried chicken mind set. im sure it will be good.
Veggie Tasting/Amazing Wine
gramery tavern veggie tasting menu might be a fit. make it clear to them when ordering your exactly veggie-diet guidelines. this is a layup autumn/winter. not sure i love going there in the summer. just glanced their summer veggie tasting menu and it didnt jump off the page at all. i do think though, that its exactly what you're looking for. wine options abundant there as well.
Babbo booked - where to go?
popular responses to this question here have been:
alto
convivio
scarpetta
Bread Pudding (dessert)
Can anyone suggest a good one in NYC? my benchmark is the bread pudding i had in new orleans from a concession stand at jazz-fest. it couldnt have been more simple. not sure if it was brioche or not, but it was slathered in a butter-brownsugar-(cinnamon?) goo and it was insane. trying to find a comparable product. would rather not have it ruined by a grand marnier sauce or some other off-the-run garnish. just butter and brown sugar will do. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. i know ive had the one at mara's homemade and i dont think it stood out to me.
Mary's Fish Camp (Review)
$37 for a lobster roll is instant justification for a table tossing imo. that is completely outrageous. maybe a bald eagle roll, but a lobster roll should NEVER imo run over $25. really, i dont like paying more than $20. use the extra cash and buy a jitney ticket and get yourself out to montauk for an equally bravo product. one of the few things i'd rather make at home if need be.
if you end up going back, their fried clam app is divine (although light in portion)- still a must get, we had to order a second.
for dessert, get the banana pudding. perfect complement for a clam-shack kinda meal (the other being a good bread pudding).
mary's needs to fix their fries. how in this day and age you could serve fries that mediocre (borderline bad?) is beyond me. their are SO many good french fries out there right now, would rather get mine at some fast food chains that what they offer at mary's.
Milos-Sushi is Cheaper
i agree at milos the prices are just punitive. great if youre on an expense account, but even still, you cant feel good about a $100 piece of fish and then the slap-in-the-face $20 charge for a side plate of roasted vegetables. quality and prep is flawless, but dang, can i get something on the side with my $100 fish? maybe their only flaw is the complete absence of an edible starchy side.
Bobby's Burger Palace (Flay's new chain) opens
sorry, but db bistro isnt serving a burger- theyre serving a novelty. a real burger isnt stuffed with foie gras and short ribs. you also wont see me eating the $50+ burger at the old homestead. does it taste ok? yes. but hq kobe just doesnt bring the flavor you want to a burger. you need at minimum 20% fat beef blend and imo, it should be all beef. anything less ruins the flavor imo. would rather have a 5 guys or if god allowed it, krazy jims blimpy burger in ann arbor michigan.
Bobby's Burger Palace (Flay's new chain) opens
i think you stumbled into some bad luck then. you goto a clean location of 5 guys (avoid the one in midtown manhattan and georgetown- too much traffic) and you're going to get a good burger. only drawback is their lack of cheese variety and their sauteed onions could be better.
otherwise, for 6 bucks- that, is a good burger.
Lobster $5 lb. for 1 1/2 - 2 lb. $5.50 for 4 lb.
how do they offer that price? is it just because the hard shell? amazing.
NYC Lobster roll search
not sure 'value' and nyc lobster roll belong in the same sentence, but the quality youll get at all three of those places is just fine. none of them do anything to actually ruin their lobster roll (a la cyrils in montauk with the dill bath they give it). i dont think any of them price for under $22-24. warning on the mary's fish camp one is that their fries are awful. and if you're at ed's and one of your dining partners wants to try the lobster pot pie, advise them not to. its a bowl of hot heavy cream with a freezer section puff pastry laid over it- one of the most disappointing things ive ever had in a restaurant in nyc.
Jamaican food
jamaican flavors was my favorite. closed for a year now i think. negril, the food seems fresh to me and the flavors arent bad. but it didnt ring of authentic jamaican to me (at least not what ive had). they actually plate your food etc. me, i prefer just a bowl of rice smothered in meat and gravy. i guess its good both ways. i wasnt disappointed with my meal at negril.
Need Help Finding Grits in New York!!!
what i dont get, is how does clinton street baking co brag about their biscuits but not offer biscuits and gravy on their menu?
Chinatown Brasserie
i liked it. its basically expensive dimsum. i enjoyed the majority of dimsum items i had there. good fried taro. pretty decent soup dumplings. good steamed shrimp dumplings. i was actually pleasantly surprised by their main dishes as well (i was not expecting much). their peking duck was just ok. ive been struggling trying to find a good one. peking duck house has just run out of control with their prices.
Restaurant and Neighborhood Recommendation Needed
chelsea isnt much of a sidewalk neighborhood although they do have some good restaurants. wouldnt plan an evening hanging out there. a nice walking trail is to start out in the meat packing district (14th at and 9th ave) -- maybe check out the maritime roof/courtyard if its a nice evening, their bar/restaurant does nice little pizzas if you want a snack/cocktail outdoors. you can then stroll through the meatpacking. pastis and spice market are two popular restaurants right next to each other there, but those arent the only options. plenty of places to dine or cocktail. you can then stroll through the zigzag streets of the west village just south of the meatpacking. more quaint restaurants- not quite as many bars- but cute streets and brownstones which are pleasant for a walkabout. at christopher or bleeker turn east past 7th ave which will seem quite busy and make your way easy towards wash square park and the village. im a big fan of the north square lounge located behind the north square restaurant under the washington square hotel on the NW corner of the park. this is just down the street from babbo. you can then make your way down one of sullivan or thompson or macdougal. try a kati roll from the kati roll company or a falafel from mamouns, maybe have a drink at XR bar (nice casual neighborhood spot). my favorite food in the area is the crab spaghetti at tre giovanni on laguardia place- seems like just an ordinary pizza place, but their pastas are brilliant for the takeout scale they offer- fun to sit at their sidewalk as well. cap that off with dessert at the famous bruno bakery on laguardia, try one of their signature tarts (this is NOT a cupcake joint). you can then follow w. broadway down (laguardia turns into w.broadway at houston) and start branching east along prince or spring past mercer broadway and mott through soho. youll pass an array of restaurants, shops and some bars. go too far east and youll be in the lower east side which is now home to a bunch of great bars and you can finish your night off with drinks. enjoy. not hard for you to hit multiple spots in a short period of time.
Breakfast in East Village
cafe mogador not too expensive- moroccan. stick to lunch/dinner though (not brunch). im partial to their lamb tagine in charmoulla. all their little mediterranean tapas are fun too- i like the eggplant and the spicey carrots. not too expensive and its got a great vibe in the evening if youre dining with your lady friend. best in autumn/winter, but youll do fine this time of year as well.
bobbi flay restaurants in NYC
mesa grill and bolo are a trainwreck imo. very few redeeming points. have not been to bar americain. his steakhouse in ac at the borgata is boo as well. i think i remember seeing something positive about one of his restaurants either in texas or santa fe nm. cant remember which it was. i would steer clear.
Restaurant and Neighborhood Recommendation Needed
you can survive del posto despite some of the jabs they take from critics. just make sure you get the pasta with the lamb sausage and DO NOT GET THE RISOTTO. in fact, i recommend a pasta sampler- pasta is their strongest suit. good space to accomodate a group, but i wish you had chosen il giglio for a one shot italian.
consider union square cafe if you can get a reservation for saturday night. that will but you in union square and there are some fun bars nearby for after.
gramercy tavern, kellari parea and veritas (if youre wine people- although ive noticed their butter poached cod is absent from their current menu) are all on 20th st within a block of each other. some good bars and clubs near by their.
if you goto the ssam bar per the other poster, call in advance and line up the special pork butt for 8.
and honestly, if you end up at a place like scarpetta as the other person suggested, its so 'new' italian that you may not even count it against an italian in your list of meals.
Casual Steakhouse
i think the other poster had it right, if youre willing to sport jeans and a button down shirt, you're good to go most anywhere in the city. no one rolling jacket/tie required.
ive never had a bad steak dinner in nyc, but if you want a great one, hit del friscos on 49th and 7th ave. by far my favorite- love the sides. their ny strip is my favorite steak in the city.
if you like a porterhouse, try wolfgangs. they do the bacon as well similar to lugers.
hell, why youre on topic, maybe try to hit peter lugers in brooklyn. great classic porterhouse steak dinner.
my favorite non-steak steakhouse is palm west. i only get the chicken parm (which still isnt the best chicken parm, but its better than their steak). chase it with a piece of the carrot cake.
my best spot of late is the bobby vans grill on 50th and 7th ave. they feature some great italian stuff on their menu and have had some really inventive specials. had their beef wellington special on my last visit and it was spectacular. this is located where the old 'stella osteria' was.
even more casual is the wollenskys grill. very informal. try the roastbeef hash (only if you like stuff slathered in butter though).
none of these places are going to be super casual. i think youll find most people dining are business people have business dinners. jeans or khakis and a button down though and youre good to go at any of those spots.
Quick - Kellari Parea or Periyali tonight?
the mezzes at kellari parea are good... dodge the meatball app. the saganaki isnt very good either (its not bad, i mean how bad can saganaki be)- but i wouldnt waste a bullet on it. moussaka rocks.
Thoughts/Reviews from a recent Manhattan Foodie Trip
kathryn, have you had the hot chocolate and cafe angeline in paris? touristy, i know- but how does the ones you mentioned stack up to that?
Semi-comprehensive Montauk dining guide (long)
ive never been to ENE or manuccis. how does ENE hold up against harvest? is manuccis really legit italian or do you order other stuff there?
what is it about hideaway that theyre having these problems right now?
Help me narrow down my pizza choices...
i really like angelos on 58th (have to eat it there though). pepperoni and sausage. their penne vodka is a nice sidecar. wonderfully fresh ingredients on their pizza.
and imo, going to artichoke and not getting the artichoke slice (at least your first time) is a mistake.
i would skip the whole johns, grimaldis, arturos line of pizzas. theyre just not that good.
Best Carrot Cake in NYC?
the carrot cake at any palm restaurant. and each serving is plenty for 2 people. plenty. it really is nice. make sure they side you some of their fresh whipped cream.
did my homework first, but still need some help with trip itinerary
you would send someone to artichoke to not get their artichoke slice? seriously? their artichoke slice is brilliant. i agree its rich, but arent we talking about melted cheese on bread anyway?
kathryn, youre spot on in all your other threads ive read- on this though, i just think youre wrong. obviously, artichoke isnt nyc pizza. if you want nyc pizza, there are great slices all over the city and surrounding (i think its best in the burbs)- you dont need to consult chowhound to find one. the mass availability of the classic ordinary ny slice (done well) is part of the glory of ny pizza. anyone who takes there ny pizza too seriously, probably isnt from ny..... as far as non-classic ny style pizza (the coal/wood oven stuff) in nyc, it hardly competes with whats out there in most ordinary american cities. sad, but true.
as far as your hit on magnolia. 'terrible' isn't a word i use to describe cupcakes in general. same with Pan below... 'gross'? people, its a cupcake- if you think a magnolia cupcake is 'terrible' or 'gross' i think you need to ask yourself if you take your cupcake eval too seriously. besides, the people that know what they're doing when they goto magnolia get the banana pudding which is a triumph in the world of desserts. an attack on their banana pudding is basically a forfeiture of any credibility imo. their cocunut cake is pretty awesome also.
did my homework first, but still need some help with trip itinerary
forgot the part where you ask for seafood...
i had a great experience with BLT fish for a chef prepared fish dish. the accacia cod, another dining partner had a salmon (not sure if its the same prep is as on the menu but it was insane and i never order salmon at a restaurant). red snapper cantonese style was good also. any fresh fish served with their caper-brown butter would be good though. this place is more white table cloth as you self described though- but its good.
marys fish camp does pretty decent clam shack seafood fare. youll need to goto eastern long island for the real deal though. oyster/clams app is quite good as is their version of the banana pudding dessert. their fries suck though which takes away a lot from a potential fish and chip experience. eds lobster bar is really disappointing. youre ok at pearls oyster bar also (do this ahead of oyster bar in grand central).
i would skip salt and battery for fish and chips although no harm in trying it once i suppose. their batter lacks. they do have an east village location though not far from you.
if you really want the high brow seafood treatment though, dont leave montreal and just goto milos there for the fresh fish!
