whit565's Profile
LA girl in NYC and need restaurants recs
Maybe you have already been and gone but to clarify a few things...Otto is awful and you have Mozza in LA, which is fantastic. Skip all of the "famous" pizza joints. Skip the hideous Corner Bistro. Shake Shack is fun and you can sit in Madison Square Park. If you go from 3-5 you have no wait. Skip the hot dogs and maybe even the fries in favor of a black and white shake. Pearl Oyster Bar is not to be missed: fried oysters, mussels, a lobster roll and a slab or bleuberry crumble pie. Go to Del Posto and sit in the enoteca portion for a delicious and well priced meal...anything there. Skip dessert, though. Also 'ino for truffled toast and brasaola or any pannini. Buddakhan is a cool lounge atmosphere and has surprisngly good food. Flatiron Lounge is an amazing place for a drink and you can go two doors down for tapas. Katz's, Carneigie Deli and Russ and Daughters are not to be missed for the NY experience. Chinese at Shun Lee, the 64th Street outpost.
Veritas or L'Impero or Esca?
Veritas, always Veritas. Such an underrated talent and menu. GREAT wine list, as well.
Where should 50 women eat in Manhattan?
No way will Otto work. No way. Fri or Sat is really a problem, although you might do better in late August when half the city is away. Of course, half the restaurants are closed, too. What about a huge Chinese or the BR Guests are a good idea. You can google them. Redeye Grill in midtown. Vento downtown (meat packing) lots of these places also have private dining rooms but they charge you for that real estate, too. Del Posto has a million private rooms...you are going to have to get on the phone and call. As for the prix fixe, that size party, they'd probably be happier with it.
Best lobster roll in the city?
I agree. Pearl without question and we've eaten them all. But as Ed Levine pointed out this week on seriouseats.com (and as I have on this site) if you eat Mary's or Ed's lobster roll, you are really eating Pearl's. They both worked at Pearl before leaving and ripping off the Mothership.
Pearl Oyster Bar report
Had a lobster roll there yesterday and they brought it down to $23. It was only $26 because their was a lobster shortage and prices were exorbitant. I love the fries, incidentally.
Good Chinese for lunch group
I think that you're out of luck on this one...eqit is right...best your gonna' do is Grand Sich.
Opinions of Cafe des Artistes
Oh, dear...was it ever a top restaurant? I don't think so. Pretty, though.
June 2007 Cookbook of the Month: Your Suggestions Needed
Couldn't find last month's so don't know if you've covered it but nancy Silverton's new book, Twist of the Wrist...wonderful
overrated restaurants
Dollar for dollar the best meal in NYC: POB. And you can always count on it. Are they a little pushy service-wise? Sure but they seem to be trying to accomodate everybody.
Aquavit...just tried again and had a HEINOUS meal. Too bad because the "newish" space is nice.
Sullivan Street Bakery in NYC - Any Similar Loaf Here?
Well, first, Sullivan STreet has taken a real header in the last couple of months; at least in my mind. The couple who owned it broke up apparently and she got a bakery and he got the bread division, or something like that. Anyway, not nearly as good or as consistent as it was. That said, I discovered something recently and I can not believe that I'm saying this but go to your grocery store and see if they are carrying LaBrea Bakery bread now. D'Ags in NYC is and although the great Nancy Silverton sold her company (for like 60-million, no joke) they are her receipes and this bread is GREAT. Mind, you have to get it fresh. A day or two in those paper sleeping bags they stuff bread into and it is all over...but I've had the white boule, the sourdough and several different grain breads. They are DELICIOUS. Give it a try.
LOBSTER IN PORTLAND, MAINE
Yikes! Don't go to J's. Used to be great but awful now. If you don't mind a little drive, head over to Nunan's Lobster Hut in Cape Porpoise (toward the Kennebunks on Rte. 1.) They've been catching their own lobsters for more than a century and serving them in the shack for more than fifty. Now, when I say shack I mean SHACK! You get a little paper plate with a bag of chips, pickles and a little square roll. Lobster comes out on a big tin tray. As for opening it yourself, you're lucky if they'll open your beer for you! This place is absolutely fun, rustic Maine. Chowder and steamers are okay but steer clear of anything else. This is my favorite food in the world but the upscaled lobster roll has ruined me for the old shack version.
lure fishbar, ed's lobster bar or tides?
Well, I love Lure fish Bar because it doesn't just rehash the New england seafood concept. I'm glad they were able to rebuild so quickly after the fire, good, interesting food, nice folks. As for the others, my money is always on Pearl Oyster Bar. The others are like copies of a digital photo, the generation just keeps getting worse and worse. Pearl was the first New England lobster.clam shack in NYC--I remember when we couldn't get a lobster roll here! Then a cook there left to open Mary's; tried but never liked the place. My understanding is that Tides was opened by someone who worked at Mary's for a while and ripped THEM off. I've been to Ed's and, frankly, Time Out is clueless...I've had 3 bad meals there (because I happened to be in the area) and I won't make it a 4th. The namesake an owner worked at Pearl for many, many years and the menu is IDENTICAL to Pearl's. Quality sure isn't.
HAS ANYONE BEEN TO HAMA SUSHI?
This is the one I know, too, and it is pretty good. Never heard of the one in Venice. Still love Nobu's first place though I think we have better sushi here in NYC.
Peanut Butter
Well, on rye bread lightly toasted or...and this is very bizarre, I know...spread on these large square, pillowy soy sauce rice crackers that came out under Jean Georges' name. I haven't been able to find them in a while but there was a time I actually considered this my "low carb" peanut butter option---LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ed's Lobster Bar in SoHo
Please. The guy's been making the exact same food for at least 6 years, depending on the press release.
And what great reviews? No real food journalists have reviewed it. A couple of bloggers who don't even know enough about the food business to know a direct copy when they see one? That don't recognize a hot dog bun when they eat one? [gridskipper.com]
By the way, in answer to my own question earlier, I called Pearl and they have no affiliation with this joint.
AND I trust the Chow readers before I do a bunch of bloggers trying to be the first ones to "review" anything new or trying to cop a free meal.
seafood in manhattan
Pearl Oyster Bar is the best of the fish shacks, Mary's is not bad either. Pearl is more consistant, a little nicer for dad, doesn't run out of food and is just slightly cheaper. (Although lobster prices are insane now so you're going to see that everywhere.) Esca is very uneven and someone further down mentioned Gus; which closed a while ago. I think it's going to be a McNally or something.
Le Bernardin is the hallmark; the perfect French fish restaurant. But we are talking about easily $600 for a party of 4. But it is an incredible experience not to be missed and never to be forgotten.
The Grand Central Oyster Bar is another great New York experience if you can get passed one thing--the food suck! So go and have a glass of champagne and some raw oysters. Then go eat somewhere good!
Have a great time!!!!!
Chinatown Brasserie
You have read the hype but I wish I had read Chow first...BE WARNED. This place is okay for dim sum but steeply overpriced and you should not, under any circumstances, order off the other menu. We had Peking Duck, a fried rice, 2 filet mignon dishes and this disgusting thing called crispy chicken. AWFUL!
Ed's Lobster Bar in SoHo
We had the same experience and they had been open for several days. And it's not like this guy hasn't made this food before; he's been making THE EXACT SAME dishes at Pearl Oyster Bar for several years. There were 8 hard, rubbery clams on the plate! EIGHT! I know clams are expensive but if you can't give a decent portion then don't sell them! He had Pearl's combination cocktail (1/2 chilled lobster, clams, oysters and shrimp in the same amount) only on a platter for TWICE the price.
The lobster pot pie was a travesty and the lobster roll was a joke! The fish we had was so overcooked that we sent it back and the French fries are just plain awful--I mean dreadful. Desserts ranged from the bizarre (WHAT was that stupid ice cream sandwich?) to pale imitations of Pearl's sundae. On top of this, the staff are supposedly all trained sommaliers? Another joke. But the shock is that the place was designed and decorated to look exactly like Pearl Oyster Bar! Rebecca Charles can't be a partner there, can she?
Does anyone know?
Pearl has some idiosyncracies but the food is always, always perfect! How else could he get away with such a direct knock off though? Post if you have any 411.
Regardless of who owns this joint, with all of the lobster/clam/fish shacks that Pearl has spawned in this city there is NO reason to eat here.
Black Pearl last night
But they're not new. They've been open for quite a while, just in another locale. And "movin' on up" from the back of a bar to a new kitchen in a spacious new place should have improved everything immediately.
Black Pearl last night
Really, there are too many other decent (Mary's Fish Camp) to great (the original, Pearl Oyster Bar) New England seafood restaurants in this city to visit. This place has lousy service and very uneven over priced food. You can have fries on the same plate from different batches (what is this, Mickey D's???) so half are okay and half hideous. C'mon! No particular bone to pick with them but it's just not good enough.
making a maple syrup pecan pie thicker
Love to try the old one with brown sugar. But, again, if this is a health issue, sugar is sugar is sugar. But I would love to try yours, Candy.
making a maple syrup pecan pie thicker
Why give up the corn syrup. I have an amazing old, old recipe with half light and half dark--perfect every time. You're kidding yourself if you think that maple and corn syrups are all that much different.
12th & University tonight -- walk-in, 5 people -- ideas?
Ugh, Knick is AWFUL! Chat 'n Chew, Saigon Grill all heinous. French Roast also hideous for anything other than a latte or illicit affair.
Cafe Spice is very good. I would call for a reservation, though. They get pretty busy. Mesa is fine, overpriced but big and you should get in. Ive had very, very good delivery from Stand, the new burger joint ( 1 of the thousands of new burger joints, actually...) on 12th and B'way but don't know what the space is like.
If you are feeling flush, call Gotham Bar and Grill and see if you can get a last minute res. If Strip House (12th and 5th)is still open they are decent if you don't go to far off the beaten path: steak, frites,creamed spinach. Had a very good filet there and I usually don't like filet.
Macaroni and cheese with fancy things added?
Better idea: papardelli with truffles at Babbo. AMAZING! They have a heavy hand with the truffle shaver, too.
Looking for Update on The Black Pearl
Oh and our lobster roll was $24, despite the fact I just read an article saying lobster prices are the lowest they've been in years. Canadian lobstermen are having real trouble. Guess it's not trickling down to us, huh?
Looking for Update on The Black Pearl
For my money this place is just not good enough. I guess it is a "soft" opening but they've been doing this for over a year so the food was not new to them. We went the other night and it was mediocre. Additionally, if I want lobster and butter I'll have a boiled or grilled lobster not lobster meat shoved into a bun. What a WASTE! But it is amazing what Pearl Oyster Bar started, isn't it? A few years ago you couldn't get New England seafood in this town and now everyone has knocked her off--here and across the country. These constant best lobster roll contests really kill me, though. With the exception of Black Pearl (more power to them on that...) everyone just copies Pearl's lobster roll. The Mary's vs. Pearl is super funny because that owner worked at Pearl so why wouldn't it be the same? DUH. It's not like these knock offs are copying Maine lobster rolls, which are pretty bad. FYI, we did the Maine Lobster Roll tour this summer and the only decent one we had was Red's in Wiscassette. Allison's, Maine Diner, Michael's, Robert's, the Clam Shack, MC Perkins Cove and Billy's all sucked. Please, please post if you think that we missed a good one since we're going back up on July 4th.
