noblejay's Profile
Best food city in North America.
Not so, the metro areas of each, which is really the only valid comparison, since we are talking about a market areas or economic areas rather than artificial city boundries, are Boston, around 5.8 mill, nearly the same for Phila, and Montreal about 3.7 mill. This from person who has lived in all three and is a city planner, extremely familiar with census data and usage. NY CMSA clocks in around 21 mill. See tab 8 at http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/phc-t29.html
Mallomars question
Ever tried Whippets, the Canadian version , in my mind superior, and avaialable all year round ( I think) in some US stores?
Tip calculator at the bottom of the bill...?
Tacky is when the 15 or 18 or 20% is based on the food amount PLUS the tax, as it was at KINKO's a Manhattan restaurant I like a lot. I always say, I never tip the government.
Restaurants where you can eat at the bar
Problem is many restaurants now completely fill up the bar seats, even using reservations, for diners. Means you can’t go to a restaurant with a bar and use the bar for a simple drink, and believe me, we used to have many such places in NY before this overdone craze. For example, I used to go to Docks and order a glass of wine at the bar and have a squid appetizer, or maybe 6 oysters. Can’t be done now. Full tablecloths (i.e. napkins) place settings and reservations. For the bar!! Enough already!!
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Out of the way favorites in Old Montreal/ Plateau?
Of course, in the second most dense city in North America, there is a very good subway. Closes between 1 and 2 am; that is the only real problem. See the following link http://www.stcum.qc.ca/English/metro/a-index.htm
What does cous cous taste like?
Great thing about whole wheat couscous is that it is not only more healthful, but is actually better tasting than the regular…. something that cannot be said for nearly all whole wheat pasta, and nearly all whole wheat European and especially Mediterranean style breads.
Finding a post older than 26 minutes when you don't have the precise topic name?
In this case a post made last Friday or so on sharing restaurant bills with many diners. There were over 110 responses. Now Monday I look for it and cannot go back beyond say the last 30 posts today . Searching by topic( Bill sharing"? “cost sharing?” etc, yields thousands of posts , and as we know unsortable by date. So how do I get that late last week post? A similar problem has occurred many times.
Brik Dough in Manhattan
Thanks, I'll try Kalustayan's; but I am simply going to try a simple street brik( egg and tuna) that I grew to love in Tunisia, and which is unobtainable in New York except at a very few places (see my earlier post/query)
Brik Dough in Manhattan
Today's Times mentioned using North African brik dough available in sheets instead of phylo dough. Does anyone know where it could be obtained in Mahattan or possibly other boroughs?
Packaged Dried Shrimp in Chinatown?
Forgot the place I used to get them; but remember it had about 7 different sizes of shrimp and some even claimed to be unsalted , which is a big plus.
By the way, I grind them up fine, add them to soups, seafood burgers, stews, risottos, etc; really packs a "seafood" punch. I presume others do the same... how else would you use them?
Good Upper West Side pizza for delivery?
Sounds like him. Thin, fluent English and Spanish. He's never ignored me, but I think we both agree he might not be to everyone's taste. Nonetheless I love the place, especially the owner and the two pasta dishes I eat regularly , one with sauasage and peas, any cut of pasta you prefer.
Althoiugh they used to have a grilled vegetable appetizer which was very good value at around 7-8 dollars (although quite underseasoned- a comment I made to the chef) Now it's 12 bucks and overpriced. Have only ordered it once since price hike.
Good Upper West Side pizza for delivery?
Re the rudeness at Pizzabolla. The one massively"rude " waiter is incredibly efficient; he simply has no personality, at least any expressed at work. I have gotten to know his style and find it refreshing; none of this " I'll be your server tonight" business.
Wild rice shelf life?
I have been buying wild rice from the source near Winnipeg ( probably Shoal Lake Co-op, one of the biggest on the continent) for thirty years and have occaisionally used 7 or 8 year old rice. Works fine following all the advice in the above threads. I have always done a 10 minute boil-drain -rinse cycle before my cooking time, with both new and old rice. Never had a problem.
Where can I find Walleye in NYC?
Someone once told me the outdoor market at 97th and Amsterdam during the summer used to have it. I never checked, even though I have carried a frozen one back in my suitacase from 450 miles north of Minneapolis, I love it so much.
Epicurean Cutting Boards - Slippery as hell?
I recently bought a 9 by 12 Epicurean "wood fibre" board.
Excellent in every regard EXCEPT it slips and slides over any formica type counter top, even worse when wet. Real wood boards don't do this and the solutions of always putting a towel under it or adding suction cups( from the oh so helpful twerp at Williams Somona; no I bought it at Zabars) seem excessive.
Any comments or advice?
Thanks
Frozen WILD blueberries, not the large domestic ones
I am addicted to the real thing as I get them in the summertime and manage to make a great pie. I was told that someone packages WILD ones frozen, but where to find in Manhattan?
I know frozen works as I buy several quarts fresh as soon as they appear on the market in July/August, use a few within a week and then freeze the rest for use over the rest of the summer.
High Tea where husband will feel comfortable
I am really not trying to be pedantic, although I may sound so... High tea is a late afternoon meal, most commonly associated with farmers and industrial workers (see below for a roughly accurate web enty). Afternoon tea is what you are seeking and generally US places have adopted the wrong name, probably because it sounds snootier, whereas the reverse is true.
""""These are two distinctly different social events.
Even I used to think that High Tea and Afternoon Tea were the same thing: dainty little social events, where one drank tea, ate sweets and little sandwiches. But now I know better. Don't make the same mistake when you are talking about these English tea ceremonies. My wife enjoys an occassional Afternoon Tea, but I think that High Tea would be more to my taste.
Afternoon Tea
This is the one that comes to mind when people think of English tea ceremonies. It all began back in the mid 1800s, when the Duchess of Bedford started having a tray of tea with bread and butter served to her in the mid-afternoon. You see, in those days, lunch was served at noon but dinner was not eaten until 8 or even 9 o'clock at night. The Duchess found herself hungry during those long afternoon hours. It became a regular occurance and as she began to invite other high-society ladies to join her, having Afternoon Tea became the 'in-thing' for the upper-class women. Along with tea, there would be small pastries with clotted cream or preserves, delicate sandwiches, and scones.
High Tea
Many people use the term "High Tea" to describe the event I've mentioned above, probably because it sounds more elite. But High Tea is a much different thing. It was served later (around six in the evening) and consisted of a full, dinner meal for the common people. Tea was still served, but there would also be meats, fish or eggs, cheese, bread and butter, and cake. It was more of a man's meal, than a ladies social diversion.""""
Frozen or canned lobster meat in Manhattan
May sound like a sacrilege, but I have my reasons!
Any good sources in Manhattan,preferably UWS?
Fresca Tortillas type places near Union Square
Any ideas on good "Fresca Tortillas" (Mexican tortilla places run by Asians) type places near Union Square?
Brick à l'oeuf?
It was in one of the earlier posts on either brik or Nomad. I think it was Ave B and 3rd St.
Brick à l'oeuf?
enter Brik in the search tab and you will get a few leads, My sense is that only Nomad and the place on Ave B are worth it.
Banana Nut Ice Cream
Thanks Dave, I called two of the five or six BRs in Manhattan and they responded as if I was asking for something like salmon-elk ice cream. "Never heard of banana nut". Any specific loactions open to begging and pleading?
Nomad (Algerian/Tunisian-French place)
I agree with all the above comments about Nomad. I went specifically for the brik as I lived in Tunisia for a year and had one every day.
Theirs was way too big, way too filled with potatoes, way too greasy, way too falling apart, way too hard an egg yolk,and way too requiring a knife and fork. I liked it nonetheless and had a long conversation with the waitress and manager(latter from the town I ived in in Tunisia) and they agreed with several of my comments. Hope it's better soon.
It's also supposed to be a cheap, small piece of street food, not an overpriced appetizer, but then who am I too complain?
Banana Nut Ice Cream
I discovered this summer in Canada that Hagan Daz makes a wonderful version of this. Not made in US. Does anyone have any Manhattan suggestions as to any other maker/provider/seller?
