franprix's Profile
Best fried clams, lobster, chowder in long island?
is it Port Jefferson Lobsterhouse? Not sure of exact location. Prolly about a 5 minute drive from the ferry. BF and I used to drive there when we went out on the island. They have a retail counter in the front that you pass to get to the dining room. Table service, unlike the Steam Room. Lots of variety....lobster, clams, mussels, king crab legs, chowders, oysters,etc plus it's all super fresh and reasonably priced. No frills service, not a fancy place, but they've got big booth seating. We used to go there for our king crab fix, until we found out about the king crab legs at Costco for $9.99/lb.
Itchin' for Oysters...
BF is craving oysters right now. But, we're in Astoria, where oysters are found few and far between. Does anyone have suggestions for a restaurant with good, fresh oysters? We have a car, so don't mind driving a bit, even to Manhattan (as long as it's not downtown). Thanks :)
Why Do We Love Tongue But Think Brains Are Disgusting?
Vetter.....Can you contract mad cow only by eating the brains, or is it also possible to contract from the "normal" cuts (steaks, ribs, etc...)?
What is the difference in types of curry?
I asked my aunt that question once. She said that the green curry uses fresh herbs and spices whereas the red curry uses dried. She taught me how to make green curry paste from scratch once, but I should've written it down. That's the best of my curry knowledge, don't know much about the other types.
Dim Sum primer???
That's interesting and good to know. How do you say "black tea" in cantonese? We usually order jasmine, which I'm not sure how to say either...
Thai experts: a whole pig question
Yes the kuay chup is a noodle soup with various organ meats, yum! My mom's favorite street food in Thailand.
Another thing commonly done in Thailand -- just the skin is deep-fried. They are sold at random food stands kinda like pork rinds I guess. Also, various noodle shops will top off their noodles off with chopped up fried pork skin, so some bites have a little bit of rich, salty, crunchy porky goodness in them. This is the ingredient I sorely miss that I haven't seen in the dry noodle dishes at US Thai restaurants.
Super Bowl Desserts
I'm making cupcakes for the SB party...... I just made a recipe from the Everyday Baking show (on public tv) and they are sooooo good. They seem like a fun, portable kinda dessert.
Good mail order source for Wild Alaskan Salmon?
Surprisingly, I haven't found anything here on Chowhound. There are plenty of sources I found on Google, but can anyone recommend a company they've had good experiences with already? (preferably one based in Alaska) Thank you!
Best Pad Ki Mow
Holy Basil's is yummy :) They do theirs with both chicken and shrimp I think. I get it extra spicy!!
Best high-end Asian?
Of the above mentioned, I've only been to Philippe. Didn't have the Peking duck, but their food is delicious at first bite, but the food is very rich and heavy. It's definitely higher quality ingredients than your local No. 1 Chinese, but at a much heftier price. Have you seen their menu? I've also been looking for good Peking duck. Even in Chinatown I've been disappointed, as they sold the regular roast duck as their Peking duck (not the proper preparation).
As for the other Asian options, I am a fan of Holy Basil. It's a Thai restaurant in the East Village. Not a high-end posh, see and be seen type of place, but definitely classier than your average Thai resto. Beautifully decorated, with a great wine list. And the food and service there are superb.
Thai for Birthday Party
When are you planning the party for? Holy Basil does accomodate large parties every night, except Fridays and Saturdays.
Soy sauce for Gyoza?
Does anybody know what kind of soy sauce if used for the dipping sauce for gyoza and those little shrimp/crab dumplings? I used the soy sauce at home which is dark and I know is not the correct one. I have a feeling it's some kind of "light" soy sauce judging from the color at the Japanese restaurants. Anyone know what specific kind/brand to use? Also a recipe? I presumed it was just soy sauce and vinegar. Am I missing anything?
ISO Romanian white bread
I'm looking for a store that sells the white bread that they serve at Acasa and Romanian Garden. Planning on making some eggplant spread and fasole batuta and need that wonderful soft bread that goes with it. A plus too if you know of any specialty Romanian bakeries or grocers in Queens--Sunnyside/Astoria area. Thanks!
Kurowycky's NOT closed?
I've read in the Times as I'm sure many others have that Kurowycky's was closing its doors June 2, 2007. Since then, I've seen the store open every time I've passed by recently with the store fully stocked, not empty looking at all as stated in the article. Does anyone know the deal? Are they staying open in the long run or know when they will really close?
Fresh Octopus
I'm hooked on this grilled octopus at a local Greek restaurant and do not have the funds to shell out $5 per leg on it. I have a general idea of how to prepare this at home, but need some pointers on picking fresh octopus. Some questions:
1. What do I look for in a fresh octopus?
2. Where in Manhattan/Astoria can I find nice fresh ones?
3. Can I buy just a portion of it (not whole)? And if not, can they remove the innards/beak/eyes?
4. Any tips on cooking it are also appreciated....I'm planning grilling the legs with olive oil, s&p for 1 min(?) Then dousing it with vinegar/lemon juice and oregano like they do at the restaurant.
Looking forward to cooking these. Thanks for your help!
Acasa, in Sunnyside
Man, my boyfriend and I were wondering why the prices shot up...and why the dining room was so full. Mititei used to be $8 when we went, now it's $10.99? We used to spend about $35 at Acasa, but not anymore. We're gonna give Romanian Garden a try. Are their prices pretty decent? Any other good Romanian cooking out there?
By the way, we also noticed that the mititei hasn't been as good as it used to be, maybe because of the change of chefs? Does anyone know if their mititei is homemade or bought? I've been looking for a good place to buy them to cook at home. I did a search online for Romanian meat shops and found one near Steinway, but their mititei was not that great. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated :)
Fresh mozzarella & ricotta-- How to enjoy them?
Thanks chowser, that sounds delicious!
Fresh mozzarella & ricotta-- How to enjoy them?
Just bought some fresh mozzarella and fresh ricotta on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. I've used the large ball of mozza for a caprese salad and to top a chicken and pesto sandwich. I'm looking for simple ideas for the other half of the ball.
Also, I've got fresh ricotta which I drizzled honey over and am looking for ideas for ricotta as well. I was gonna make manicotti, but don't feel like assembling too much, so I definitely don't want to do lasagna too. Any suggestions appreciated, thanks!
Jellyfish salad...where do YOU buy it?
My grandfather used to buy awesome jellyfish in Chinatown for family celebrations. He has passed on now and I've been trying to find a store that sells good jellyfish. I am clueless in Chinatown, so I asked my mom to try to find it. Unfortunately all the ones she buys just don't have the right flavor or consistency. Too sweet, not crunchy, etc.. Does anyone have suggestions of where they buy their favorite jellyfish salad, preferably in Chinatown?
Jellyfish salad in Chinatown?
My grandfather used to buy awesome jellyfish in Chinatown for family celebrations. He has passed on now and I've been trying to find a store that sells good jellyfish. I am clueless in Chinatown, so I asked my mom to try to find it. Unfortunately all the ones she buys just don't have the right flavor or consistency. Too sweet, not crunchy, etc.. Does anyone have suggestions of where they buy their favorite jellyfish salad?
Bagels in Queens
I second the bagels on Ditmars Blvd. between 29-30 st. in Astoria. Those are real bagels and they are only a couple blocks away from the train station, so it'll be easy for you to get to.
ISO Good bakery in Astoria for ciabatta/focaccia
There are many bakeries here in Astoria, but does anyone know of one that makes ciabatta or focaccia? I know of a couple of locations in the city, but am looking for one near home.
Take-out roast meats/duck/squid in Chinatown
For the BEST roast duck, go to Fu Wong on Bowery between Grand and Hester(?). The meat is very tender and rich, skin crispy and just sweet and salty enough. I order here in English, just as for a half or whole duck. Not sure if they do quarters. My mom swears by this place and has converted me and my sister as well as her in-laws.
"The Cart" Review
I tried Dragonas' cart after reading about it and found his chicken and rice to be pretty bland, though the portions are very generous.
The Number One BEST Thai Restaurant in NYC
in manhattan, Holy Basil pops up quite a lot. Delicately balanced flavors, nice place to bring a date or go with a bunch of friends. I'm hooked on their Duck spring rolls. Yum! Great wine list too, might I add.
Blue 9 - Never Again
blue 9 is pretty popular with the nyu crowd though. I had Thai the other night and was waiting in front of Montien which is two doors down from blue 9. A couple guys with blue 9 uniforms on were busy hooting and hollering at me and my friends in front of their establishment . Maybe that's why their floors are so dirty.
Best Thai Food?
Yeah lemongrass has gone downhill. Last time I got delivery, half of it went to the garbage. I've been ordering from Holy Basil ever since. I'm hooked on their Garlic Chicken and the duck spring rolls are to die for! Nice place to bring a date too
