Thanks so much, ladies!

Looking for a Carvel-style ice cream cake to take to a friend's birthday party (i.e. please don't tell me to go to Parm for a slice of ice cream cake). Birthday girl does NOT like the Baskin Robbins-style ice cream cake which has actual cake--she likes all ice cream. Will go to Carvel if all else fails but wondering if there are any other tasty options I should consider. Thanks!

I recently was asked, at one of these newfangled bars in NYC that specializes in old-fashioned drinks (no pun intended), whether I wanted my Old-Fashioned up or rocks. Having never had one up, I asked if that was the traditional way. The bartender noted that neither way was "correct," but it was just a matter of preference. Still, I have never seen or been offered an O-F up before or since.

Crab cakes, simple salad, cheese grits, and creme brulee for dessert. Veuve for me, bourbon for him. Delicious (even if the crab cakes did fall apart a bit in the pan)!

This crab cake recipe is the most flavorful I've ever tried--and I'm from Baltimore! So easy, too. Very tangy and moist with lemon, mayo, Dijon mustard, and Old Bay in it. I also sub in a half tsp of Sriracha for the jalapeno called for.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

I just held a brunch at Beauty & Essex for 22 people; I believe it was $30/pp. Gorgeous space, delicious food.

-----
Beauty & Essex
146 Essex St, New York, NY 10002

Thanks to you both--chilled overnight, and came out great!

Hi all,

I'm making this crab cake recipe tomorrow:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

Do you think I could form the crab patties tonight, refrigerate overnight, then fry tomorrow? Trying to do as much ahead of time, since I'll be running home to cook these after work!

Thanks in advance.

Thanks all!!!

Hi all. I want to cook Valentine's Day dinner this year, but tend to work late and want something make-ahead and/or something I can throw together very quickly. Was thinking of shrimp and grits, cleaning the shrimp the night before and cooking the night of. Will the shrimp stay good? Thanks in advance!

Planning a brunch there--any must-eat items on the menu?

-----
Beauty & Essex
146 Essex St, New York, NY 10002

Am in New Orleans for a conference this weekend; will be solo much of the time. Is it possible to eat at the bar at Galatoire's, Mr. B's, or Commander's sans reservation? Is that even an option? Any great places to eat alone, possibly at the bar (aside from Luke, where I've been)?

Also--what's a great place for a gal on her own to park with a drink and watch the Super Bowl? Am staying on Canal St. near the Quarter, no car.

-----
Galatoire's Restaurant
209 Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70130

I opened a bottle of cranberry juice on December 20, 2010; the sell-by date is August 2011, but of course, now it's open and in the fridge. Is it too late to drink from it???

I broke two organic brown eggs into a bowl this morning and as I beat them for scrambling, I noticed one of the yolks was super-chunky. A big dark-gold yolk with a big clump that didn't easily break apart. I tossed the eggs and broke two more...and again, one of the eggs had that dark yolk and a big clump. I pulled that clump out and scrambled and ate the eggs as planned. What the heck was that clump, though? The eggs were well-refrigerated, don't expire until 9/26...

I had a fun birthday party at Otto. Good pizza/wine/gelato, loud music.

Agree also about Tortilla Flats.

They don't have great food, but I love taking people to the gaudily-decorated Indian joints on 6th streets for their birthdays and having the waiters bring out cake to awesome music and flashing lights. And also when it's not their birthday.

These may be old, but I love:

Sea salt brownies. Little fudgy brownie bites with a sprinkle of sea salt on top--the perfect combo of sweet and salty.

Chicken gyoza. Surprisingly tasty and low in calories, and even good when microwaved.

Can't wait to try Miss Shirley's for the first time! I'll be going with two friends--how early do we need to get there to avoid the crazy lines? Should 10 a.m. be safe?

Michele, best post ever. Run, don't walk, to Hop Kee for the crabs Cantonese.

I also wonder what that place above Hop Kee will be. Used to be a little dim sum place.

Linda, I didn't realize the cake lady was permanently gone! I have such fond memories of stopping for a hot bag of egg cakes with my parents on our way out of Hop Kee.

Crabs Cantonese. Thank you. Thought that was the name but couldn't be sure. And forgot to mention the snails--we didn't order them but were jealous of the folks across the aisle that did.

Hop Kee rules! It often gets lumped in with Wo Hop because it's been next door for decades and is similarly divey, but it's excellent. My parents (one of whom is Chinese) have been taking me there for over 20 years. It's still cheap and no-frills, but believe it or not, they've actually cleaned up a little and bumped their prices up a smidge (I guess that's natural over time). Anyway, the food: our faves are the salt and pepper pork chops (perfectly seasoned and moist), the crab (forget the name on the menu, but it's one of their famous items--quartered hard shell crab in a delicious light, non-gloppy brown sauce), and the chicken chow fun (far less greasy and with bigger, drier chunks of chicken than you'll find elsewhere). Great steamed fish, too. I took a friend who grew up going to Wo Hop recently, and he declared Hop Kee the hands down winner. Wo Hop is an institution for late-nighters, I know; Hop Kee has same hours and prices but, I'll wager, far better food.

I'm of no help, but wanted to say that growing up in Baltimore, we used to make these and sell them at our school's yearly spring bazaar. Called them Lemon Sticks. Don't know where we got the actual peppermint sticks, unfortunately. But thanks for bringing up a sweet memory!

Yes! This was me in college. I grew up eating chicken feet, fish heads, lamb marrow, dining in hole-in-the-wall Chinese joints where the waiters didn't speak English and we ordered off the "special" menu, Afghani food, etc. To try out Macaroni Grill or Ruby Tuesday or whatever in college after growing up never going to those kinds of restaurants did feel exotic and fun and different. (Don't worry, I also sought out Jamaican food, Vietnamese, etc. etc.)

Even today, I live in NYC and love that I can have virtually any kind of food I want, from Ethiopian to empanadas, in the span of one afternoon. But every so often I admit it's fun to have soup and breadsticks at the OG or brunch at IHOP...because vive la difference!

Hee. A "samosa" is an Indian appetizer made of fried dough filled with potato, spices, and sometimes ground meat and/or peas. A "Samoa" is my favorite Girl Scout cookie: a shortbread base with chocolate, caramel, and coconut layered on top. YUM. They're round with a hole in 'em, like Fudge Stripes.

Chilled Samoas. Yum. Maybe I love these because I was a Girl Scout, but really, once a year, I just can't feel bad about indulging. And yes, because I keep them in the fridge and they are rich enough even for my sweet tooth (caramel and coconut and shortbread, oh my!), I actually eat the serving size. (Two cookies equals four points on WW, for those who are counting.) I have fond memories from an early age of going door to door and feeling accomplished seeing all those signatures on my sales list. It taught confidence and some business skills, too.

Are you me, gourmetgal? I broke up with my BF on the very same day. Heartbreaking as it was, I know it was the right thing, I'm glad people also think it's the right thing to treat myself to lots of yummy comfort foods right now, because I need all the sustenance I can get! Good luck to you. We are brave and we have so much ahead of us!

Hee hee--I do WW myself. The pumpkin is the only indulgent soup I get there (I stay away from the chowder, for instance) and then I only order the medium--in fact, I never order large soup at all (prefer to save the extra points for something else to eat on the side!).

Just had the tomato bisque yesterday--mmmm. And also a sweet cheese croissant. Double mmmm.

Soup is a lunchtime staple for me (comforting in winter, and good for those of us watching our figures), and they have a great variety. Love their pumpkin, tomato bisque, turkey chili, among others. Their salads blow. But they do have yummy croissants, breadsticks (with asiago and rosemary--yum), and cookies.

I saw your post too late, Marc. However, I'd love reports from both you and Ceeceee--I know the Sunnyside location doesn't get raves on this board, but I rather enjoyed the food.

I also love the shrimp balls--crispy fried outside but not at all greasy and big, fresh chunks of pure shrimp inside (no filler breading).

If you like it spicy, be sure and tell them. Their dry curries are really tempting. I had the dry chili paneer and it was delicious over rice, dry though it was--the oil and curry makes just enough of a "gravy" to cover the rice.

This won't help you at all, but your post brings back fond memories of the Banana Leaf Apollo restaurant in Singapore. You sit at the table with your banana leaf, and the servers come around with big pots of rice and curry (meat, fish) that they dole out as you please. YUM.