slep's Profile
Momofuku Ko: Lunch vs. Dinner
Had the lunch and pleased to report it exceeded my high expectations. It was a lot of food, but I didn't feel at all gross at the end. I felt much worse after a 4 course meal at Eleven Madison Park. Afraid to say I had the pairings...I couldn't resist. The pours seemed light, but they were just right given how much it ends up being. Not in the mood to write a whole lot, but it was perhaps the best meal I ever had. To anyone who is hesitating to go, just do it...
Momofuku Ko: Lunch vs. Dinner
Thanks for the advice ellenost, I'm opting for lunch tomorrow. From my experience, I've seen a few open lunch slots by randomly checking the Ko website (not at 10am), probably due to coincidentally checking right after cancellations. This only happened once for a dinner slot. Good advice on the wine too - I think I'll stay away from the pairings and just get a bottle, which I'll enjoy slowly...I thoroughly enjoy day time drinking but I'll reserve the excess for the beer garden.
Momofuku Ko: Lunch vs. Dinner
I have the opportunity to go either for Lunch or Dinner. While the Lunch's marathon 17 course tasting is very appealing, the cost for 2 people with beverage pairings of $650 seems a little irrational given the times. In contrast, dinner with the cheapest pairing including tax & 20% tip is $385 for 2 (staying just under the psychological $400 barrier)...
Can anyone who has done both lunch and dinner opine on whether the lunch was that much more special (and not just more food)? I know there's no overlap, save for the frozen foie gras, but I'm sure lunch and dinner are somewhat comparable.
I'm inclined to go to lunch and I understand both would be incredible (to Momofuku fans anwyay), but I'm reluctant to spring so much cash on a meal without confirming greatness with my fellow hounds.
Thanks in advance for any input!
Wedding at Studio 6 / Abigail Kirsch
Hi, I recently booked my wedding date at Stage 6 (I was in between Stage 6 and Tribeca Rooftop). I have heard mostly good/great to sometimes mediocre things about Abigail Kirsch. Has anyone been recently who can comment on the food... especially the stations (which I typically loathe at wedding factories)? Has anyone had any of the seafood stations there? Any other specific praise/gripes about the food in general?
I am especially curious if anyone has tried the sushi bar. I feel my family would devour it like drunks do whitecastles or taco truck tacos (now there's an idea!) but I am afraid the 18 per person 'enhancement' cost is just a ridiculous waste of money.
What Recent Meal "Blew You Away"?
Momofuku Ssam last week: the pork buns and mushroom salad really blew me away.
Sushi Yasuda - Omakase price range?
I went recently and sat in front of Yasuda. He gave us roughly ~16 pieces each (one by one), including an extra toro at the end. That, with 4 or 5 Yebisu's + tax resulted in a $300 bill (for two). He is such a funny guy. Someone sitting next to us asked Yasuda for a sashimi recommendation, and Yasuda replied "my recommendation is that sushi always better than sashimi." After the guy got his sashimi, Yasuda told him to apply the wasabi directly on the fish. Then he started mixing it in the soy sauce and Yasuda pretty much lunged at him and proceeded to apply wasabi himself on each piece of sashimi.
Sapori d'Ischia - great experience! (long post)
I like the place a lot. I've had a few great meals there, and the water thing can be a bit annoying but I got over it. A lot of people, including my friends, have issues w/ the water thing and the service, but the food is undeniably good. I should go back for that bargain prix fixe.
Favorite Queens Takeout?
I concur on Sripraphai. I frequent their takeout on a regular basis.
In the Sunnyside area I also order De Mole/El Jaro frequently.
Astoria - outdoors dining
you're thinking of Agnanti, on the corner of Ditmars and Astoria Park. They have some outdoor seating though it's underneath an awning. Be forewarned, it's a hike from the train. Quality of food is good, probably one of the best in Astoria. You can also make reservation, which is an incredible asset.
Taverna Kyclades, also on Ditmars but close to the train, has outdoor seating and is really good but perpetually packed.
What to order at Aquagrill?
If you like Oysters, get some at Aquagrill. They are probably the best I've had in NYC or anywhere for that matter. As for the prepared food, I usually order the specials since they reflect what's in season. About a month ago, I had Toro Tartare and Bonito prepared w/ Soy Sauce, Sesame and Soy Beans as well as White Salmon and Loup de Mere, all of which were excellent. However, what I've tried off the regular menu has also been excellent, especially the truffle crusted cod and the warm octopus salad.
I am continuously impressed by the quality of food at Aquagrill, especially when considering the reasonable prices. Although quite different, in terms of seafood, I prefer Aquagrill to Esca and someone else at my table much preferred it to BLT Fish, where he had eaten two days prior. A recent trip to Montauk strengthened my opinion of Aquagrill -- I subpar seafood at greater than $30 entree prices which blew my mind... all I could think of was the excellent fish at Aquagrill for 2/3 the price.
Wine shops in Sunnyside?
If you have access to a car or don't mind taking the subway to LIC, Hunters Point Wines and Liquors is the place to go. Paul, the owner, knows his stuff and has incredible recs for every price point. He also knows everything on his shelves and his selection is primarily comprised of small vineyard stuff. I have never met anyone so passionate about wines. He used to be the wine director at Scalini Fideli as well as a distributor and has been in the wine biz for a long time. Go in there on a Thursday or Friday evening between 6-8 when he usually has tastings or better yet go on a Saturday morning when you can really strike up a conversation with him, he's a real great guy and will certainly guide you in the right direction.
best of queens for outer-borough rookie?
Jackson Hole is gross!! I ate at the Bayside branch once and my burger was nearly inedible - the meat was gray, fell apart and tasted like it was boiled. I am not the most critical person either... perhaps a bad day. If you're after a great burger in Queens then Donovans is a solid choice.
If I were to suggest a few restaurants for a novice to Queens, I would certainly mention Spicy & Tasty, Sripraphai, Little Pepper and Spicy Mina (Bangladeshi). I'd also recommend dim sum at either Gum Fung (closed till Sep for renovations) or Gala Manor. I think these places are unique and delicious.
Kanoyama
I was at Kanoyama not too long ago and between two people, ordered the scallion in marinated duck, gyoza, the sushi chef's mini appetizer tasting and two omakase. The duck and mini appetizer tasting, which consisted of marinated fluke, seared toro, and something another marinated fish, was wonderful, and at $9, a steal.
The omakase was excellent for what it was -- a platter of impressive sushi. It included blue fin, toro and a roll of blue fin consisting of 4 pieces. For the money, I thought it was incredible although we didn't get the real omakase at the bar. Every piece was described to us and presented in the order that it should be eaten. Yes, it was not the real deal, but it was still excellent.
Aquagrill Lunch Review
I had an outstanding dinner at Aquagrill a few days ago. Incredible Toro Tartare, bonito sashimi, a selection of incredibly fresh and delicious oysters, Loup de Mer and White Salmon. Everything wowed the table. It's probably the best seafood-focused restaurant I've ever been to.
EMP suggestions for a 1st-timer?
Suckling pig confit is a must and the black angus beef w/ bordelaise is incredible. I second the duck for two as well. I ate there earlier this year and remember the prices being slightly lower... can anyone confirm this?
time out mag says quaint restaurant in sunnyside is best in queens anyone been?
Quaint is okay... it's good if you want a simple, tasty, American meal. It's also reasonably priced. I find myself there on Fri nights in the winter, if I had a long week at work and just want to eat somewhere close by and am too tired to cook. Definitely better than new Bliss, but not as good as old Bliss.
Esca
Esca is awesome. I went last Friday and had the crudo flight, sea urchin and crab maccheroni, local sea bass w/ braised leeks and the columbia sturgeon. Everything was delicious, interesting and fresh -- it lived up to the better hype and extinguished any doubts I had from reading a lot of bashing on this board. The fish was expertly cooked and some of the best I've had in some time. Desert, surprisingly, was equally memorable -- raspberry polenta cake topped w/ mascarpone that was on special. The wine list was nicely focused and they offered nice choices by the quartino as well (the sommelier is very helpful and forgiving of talkative clientele such as myself).
However, I must note they have not updated the online menu in sometime and many prices were much higher. The tasting menu is now $75 and $120 w/ wine pairing compared w/ $65 and $95 indicated in the online menu. Entrees were generally in the low $30s, the Branzino for 2 was $60 and individual crudo $15-18. Online, these items were mid $20s, $50 and $11-$13 respectively. It was a bit of a shock to see the prices since I pored over the online menu for the past week or so. In the end, the meal was pricier than Babbo, mainly due to the crudo flight (6 pieces for $30 per person). The dissapointing part of the flight was the inclusion of an oyster (priced at $3/pp a la carte w/ a min order of 6). It was good, but at that price point, I felt a little ripped.
Best NYC Veal Chop
The veal chop for two at Del Posto is amazing. It's super thick and covered in black truffles, cooked to pink perfection. I thought it was tastier than the veal I had at Per Se, though it had some assistance from the heavy hand of the Batali kitchen.
give me an idea for queens
yup, sripraphai is closed wednesdays. if you want cheap and light in that locale, how about TJ's Asian Bistro? it's far from great but I ordered a tuna fillet from there yesterday which wasn't bad for 10 bucks... the sushi is passable and the appetizers are decent too.
Parking near Spicy and Tasty?
Just to confirm MOREKASHA's post, park across Prince street if you're going during a weekend or prime dinner time. It's like 3 or 5 bucks w/ tip. The muni lot across the street from the Sheraton is always a log jam during prime times, and really not worth the aggravation of driving around especially since the streets are one way.
FYI, i grew up in Flushing two blocks away from S&T and frequently go back (my mom still lives there) and though driving can be frustrating, the 7 train is much more lethal to one's high blood pressure. Just remember to be slightly aggressive!
pizza in sunnyside?
I actually like Rosario's on Skillman for a regular slice more than Peppino's, though my roommates think differently. Too much cheese on the regular Peppino's slice. I do like Peppinos grandmas a lot though.
Thai-Chinese vs Thai-Thai..... Any Experts Out There?
That's it!! Man -- I could really go for that right now...
Thai-Chinese vs Thai-Thai..... Any Experts Out There?
When I lived in Bangkok years ago for my study abroad program, one of my favorite street foods was Bamee Nam -- which I believe translates to egg noodles w/ broth. At my usual stand, it was served w/ roast red pork, wontons and an incredibly spicy broth (as a point of reference, I can eat thai chillies raw no problem). Judging by the ingredients, this seems pretty Chinese.
I would also frequent a place that served large flat noodles with chopped pig offals (stomach, intestines, and trip I think). I forget the name of this dish, but a friend from Singapore told me this was a Chinese dish.
Are these examples just street food exported from China w/ a Thai twist? It saddens me that I can't find similar renditions of these in NYC.
Unable to get reservations at Babbo...
I only had to call twice at 10:40am to get through. Got a table for two at 8pm for a month later to the day. All this fuss seems ridiculous though. I'd be super agitated if I experienced what some of you guys went through. I think it's pure chance. Surely some days you'll never get through and some days it'll be fairly easy. I just got back from +2 weeks in Italy (Rome, Campania and Sicily) so this will be a fun comparison (I ate at a few of Batali's recommended spots as well as several chowhound recommended spots).
Help my brother find healthy, cheap chow in Sunnyside
the ceviche at de mole (el jarro) is very good compared to pio pio's ceviche (the one in Jackson Heights)
A Good BYOB in Queens?
I second De Mole (El Jarro). Great, inexpensive Mexican and you can even bring in your own Tequila and they'll make Margeritas for you! They charge around $6/pitcher for this though. This is my BYO of choice.
You can also BYO at Spicy and Tasty (Sichuan) although they serve Beer and Wine.
Visiting NYC- suggestions on my itinerary
On Queens:
For Greek, I highly recommend Taverna Kyclades and Agnanti, both on Ditmars. The latter takes reservations, which are advisable during prime dinner times. If you plan on going to Kyclades at any prime time (lunch or dinner on the weekend) plan on queing up; there always seems to be a crowd outside. I've been to S'Agapo and in my humble opinion, find it inferior to Kyclades and Agnanti, though it's still good. Prices are pretty similar at all three. For Turkish, Hemsin is definitely good though I've only gotten take-out there.
Trattoria L'Incontro is pretty good though I've only eaten there once (I keep meaning to revisit). I thorougly enjoy Sapori D'Ischia in neighboring Woodside, though the opinion on that place is very divided.
What about Asian places? If you're willing to venture to Sunnyside for Turkish, how about venturing a little further to Woodside for Thai at Sripraphai, which is frequently mentioned as the best Thai in NYC? But you are coming from LA...so perhaps not.
Overwhelmed re: Rome
I am in Rome this Friday-Monday morning, and again on a Saturday two weeks later. I booked a table at Checchino dal 1887 on Saturday night and plan on going to either Armando al Pantheon or Matriacenella for typical roman trattoria, Trattoria Monte (yet another Bruni lemming) or Colline Emiliane, and perhaps Paris or Al Ceppo. After that I ship off to Capri, Napoli and Sicily. I realize I'm probably overdoing it... since it's too late for any responses, I'd at the very least like to thank mbfant and others for all the insight.
Dining perfection in Queens
London Lennie's food is OK, but eateryrow is correct re: some of the clienteles' attire. Would hate to make a special date there...feels like you're in a strip mall restaurant. If you're loooking for semi-nice in QNS, in addition to L'Incontro and Piccolo Venezia, there's Sapori d'Ischia (surely they'll be impressed by the picture of Bill Clinton near the front door-- or turned off) for darn good southern Italian-- I've never had a bad meal there. Just brace yourself for the bottled water attack.
