Flaco's Profile
Where the locals eat in Oaxaca City
I have several go to spots all over Oaxaca and I never pay more than 45 pesos. One of the ways to identify a good comida corrida is the soup i.e. does it change often and is not the usual sopa caldosa? This is a great indicator. Recently I enjoyed a sopa con nopalitos with egg floating around a clear broth and small shrimp. Wow. Today on my way to a usual favorite I stopped at a packed place because the menu said lentejas and the soup had chunks of pineapple... wow again. I realize this might be normal but my dear old suegra in Barcelona would never have thought of that. Anyway, look for different soups, a packed house with families and away from el centro. Explore and have fun.
Maizal in Rosebank Staten Island is God Awful
Hey, it's all good as the kids used to say but I don't think I can go back for another round. I can tell you Leo that your bartender thinks the world of you and I know you run another restaurant that has been successful. I think you know what you are doing and that the average Staten Island diner wants nothing to do with "real" Mexican food of which there are many variations. Skirt steak for carne asada is more or less a recent arrival in Mexico (although arrachera has become very popular) and your presentation thereof was to me, a denizen of Sonora, absolutely horrendous. As for the cuisine of Puebla, I'm a huge fan courtesy of Marcelo & Eugenia down at Poblano Mixteca on Victory. I don't know what to call your food, "comida gabacho" perhaps? But seriously, all the best and I'm sure the locals of Rosebank won't care at all about the food although one or two might recognize a dismal margarita.
Fanta Lemon or Fanta Limon
Just bought some Frizz Gassosa made by Spadafora of Italy at the Top Tomato on Bay Street here on Satan Island and dang if it don't taste pretty darn similar to the Gaseosa of Spain, at least the brand I buy when in Barca. Having a tinto verano right now as I type...
Maizal in Rosebank Staten Island is God Awful
Was going to cook a steak but Top Tomato had just closed so I ducked in for a tryout. Have to say that the Hungarian bartender was very nice but really the worst margarita I've ever had. She tried to hide the bottles from me but the labels would not be recognized by any Mexican north or south of la frontera. I believe the mix was some sort of powdered cosmonaut beverage left over from Sputnik. I ordered carne asada thinking how hard could it be but I think they get their steak from the same supplier as the the Chinese Mex place down the street. Strips of this rotted carcass was served over limp rice with undercooked black beans on the side. The salsa ranchera was served in a plastic hermetically sealed container probably to lock in the blandness. Here's the kicker: the place was packed with gueros while Molcajetes in Stapleton sits empty.
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Maizal
990 Bay St, Staten Island, NY 10305
Citifield best choices?
I send my kid to get the fried flounder sandwich from Catch of the Day? Last time he brought mine back with fresh jalapeno slices so I guess he's learning. The bun is dismal but they give you a nice hunk of fish that's breaded and fried quite well. Tartar sauce is average but won't kill you. $8 bucks plus change. I forget who sells them (Nathans?) but the big old bag of slow roasted peanuts are excellent and at five bucks a bargain relatively speaking... nice with the Honkers Ale that's sold here and there.
Brunch at DoSi Caffe' in Stapleton, SI
I might add that lunch during the week here is also a bargain. They're trying to hang on and I for one welcome smaller portions at less cost.
Tacos Matamoros & Sunset Park
Something is wrong with this picture... just sounds muy raro. Taco Bell? Maybe that's the problem, being a frame of reference.
Los Molcajetes, Staten Island
Nice addition to Stapleton, right across from DoSi... I have a vested interest since it's located a soft 9-iron away from where I live. The new owners upgraded the interior significantly since it was the dreadful Los Lobos. I resisted this place at first, since they were going after a mid-market gringo crowd but it has won me over with a fairly eclectic menu that satisfies both obrero and white collar alike. The gimmick here are combinations served in Molcajetes but one can easily just go with autentico little tacos or quesadillas made with a light fresh masa. What they need is a liquor license to get the margarita and guacamole crowd, no shame in that. If you go, just ask chef Ricardo what he recommends, this DF veteran has been around some of the best NYC kitchens and has some great ideas about where to take the menu.
Restaurant Uzbekistan on New Dorp Lane on Staten Island
Sad about Ayder on Forest... the owner was a good guy as were his sons. He had it rough from the beginning but I believe he still has another place in Brooklyn. I was speaking to a Russian speaking gentleman the other day at Seaside "Turkish" and asked if he ever went to Ayder and he says "no, bad neighborhood". I'm like "huh?"
Thanks for the review BMartin, I'll be hitting it ASAP.
Fresh-filled cannoli on Staten Island?
There's a Rispoli on Bay St now in Rosebank... I think it's the same family? Also, there's a Mother Mouse on Hylan as well down by New Dorp.
Sunset Park restaurant needed for group dinner
Pacificana is getting a little dingy... time to replace some chairs and such.
So Hounds, How many Beers?
Truth is you would never see this discussion in regards to wine. They use to say that 10 percent of beer drinkers consume 90 percent of the beer! The more things change...
Me? If you feel it in the morning you drank too much... of anything.
Would this kill me?
Okay holiday time so at my local mega-liquor mart I picked up a mix of brews including on a whim some cheap Nova Schin Pilsen from Brazil. After spoiling myself last night with a bottle of Ommegang I just went for a bottle of the Nova Schin and while washing down some guacamole noticed it had an incredible amount of yeast/mold/funk? hovering around the bottom. I immediately looked for a date and the label has an area to mark ranging from 2005 to 2007! Nothing was notched however. The sixers (I cracked a case to get a couple) were wrapped in plastic so I bought them blind and since there's a Brazilian nabe nearby I didn't even think about it. Funny thing was although I only took a sip it didn't taste overtly skunky. Obviously I'm taking them back but I'm curious about whether I'm going to start hallucinating like medieval villagers did after eating moldy grain. BTW, I'm really tired of having to police the retailers... I can barely read the cryptic best buy dates on most brews and can barely tell when a month is "notched".
Best mole in the city
Kinda bugs me... many taquerias in the back of Mex delis have two or three moles a day as specials and it's usually a family recipe if you care to ask and always from scratch. Gabacho places I have no idea... mole poblano is everywhere.
Indian food and beer
Last time at my local BYOB dosa place I drank Otro Mundo's golden ale (Argentina) which I guess would be a pale ale. Great match. Personally, I don't need more complexity (hoppiness) on my palate when I'm already sweating like a pig but to each his own. Victory Prima to me is a perfect pilsner that would go with almost anything... hopped just right for my taste. Maybe Mr. Oliver just wanted to make that IPA/Indian Food connection...
Live near the Staten Island Mall looking for pizza to be delivered
You live by the Staten Island Mall my friend which culturally is a scorched earth zone including the pathetic Tiki bar that Bourdain went to with a mummified New York Doll. This board is full ad nauseum of Island pizza places none of which is in your nabe. However, odds are that in one of those horrendous strip malls that radiate off of Richmond Ave like vericose veins you will find a decent pie but first you must venture inside, take a look and maybe have a slice if it seems promising. Yes, boldly go where no hound has been before...
Finally went to new Staten Island Turkish Restaurant
I concur about Seaside after a couple of take out experiences... wrote about it on the other thread.
BTW, I thinks it was you BMartin who mentioned that Russian deli up on Sand & McClean? Went there today and bought chicken dumplings, Baltic deep fried sardines and some duck legs. Awesome! Also got several bottles of fresh Czech beer that was very reasonably priced.
So Polish Delicious is down by the beach on Sand and International Deli (Russian) is farther up the street, with mock Turkish (Seaside) just around the corner, not to bad for South Beach! And don't forget La Canasta for Mexican...
Restaurants on Staten Island
Yeah Honduras is so close to Yucatan yet so far. Next time grab the big jar of pickeled onions and chiles off a table and apply liberally. I'm very interested in their soups and will report back.
Restaurants on Staten Island
You've got Los Catrachos Honduran over by Vida on Beach... cheap and good. What about the vegetarian Indian right next to Indian Clove? Anyone try that yet? What's the deal with that Roadhouse place? Looks like a funeral parlor.
Wagner has no food around it but that million dollar view can't be beat. I'm sure Joe & Pat's delivers up there.
Seaside Turkish South Beach SI
Picked up some lamb shwarma and the usual cold appetizers yesterday at Seaside "Turkish". No complaints at all with some very nice touches. As for ownership, it's "Russian" which could mean anything in South Beach with kitchen staff ranging from Albania to Puebla. Nice front grill with pizza oven making Turkish bread and little pizzas. They have Efes on tap so someone is really trying to keep the Ottoman's happy.
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Seaside
124 Ocean Ave, Staten Island, NY 10305
Beer in Italy
I'm sorry I can't be more specific but last summer around Faenza/Ravenna we found what seemed like small batches of anniversary/special edition type beers from midsize brewers when shopping in small stores that featured regional food and wines. One warning, in pubs and cafes with young patrons you will find very nasty, very high alcohol lagers and such coming from who knows where... the names are usually silly and in English.
Please report back, very interested in your take on Italian brews.
sustainably farmed/caught shrimp
Yes for a week or two this summer my local Top Tomato had very small wild caught Maine shrimp but fresh and not expensive... people didn't know enough to buy them. As a kid who grew up eating fresh Guaymas shrimp it's all very sad nowadays...
Otro Mundo Nut Brown Ale in US?
Just bought a couple bottles of the golden ale by the ferry here in SI... very impressed. Drank it while munching on a spicy dosa... lovely.
What is the best pizza in Staten Island?
Yes of course: Deninos, Joe & Pats, Lee's Tavern would be the big three I reckon but search the board and you'll find a dozen others.
Chinese dinner beer
I'm no exalted beer taster but I definitely noticed a difference when I bought some Sapporo a year or so ago and just went ugh. So much so that I examined the packaging and went aha. I then tried Asahi with similar results, just not that super crisp and clean taste of old, skunky even. Okay, maybe I just got unlucky but I can't pull the trigger again, even when eating udon in the East Village. That said, I've had no problem with Canadian Guiness like some on this board but I usually make black and tans with it so who knows? Like I say, not a super-refined beer guy but I know what I like. Finally, is it me or have the major Canadian players like Molson not deteriorated as well in the last decade or so? I used to like Canadian beer...
Los Catracho's Honduran, Staten Island
Had some excellent baleadas today filled with beans, cheese, egg, sour cream and chorizo with the flour tortillas freshly made. The home brewed horchata was also very good and not sickly sweet like you'll find too often. Each table has a big jar of pickled red onions and peppers etc. to spread on whatever needs some zip. Soups look promising and papusas can't miss. In the defunct Thai spot, 125 Beach Street. Used to be located down at Bay & Victory , not affiliated with the other defunct Catracho over by Stapleton library, you know, next to the methadone clinic. Viva Stapleton!
Yes We Can
Don't forget Dales. Recently in Spain I had a most definite impression that store bought cans were fresher than bottles when drinking Voll Damm, Estrella, Mahou etc. Not always, but often enough...
What is the best pizza in Staten Island?
The problem is the gate at Miller's Field that prevents access to New Dorp Lane from Fr Capodanno. Hylan is one the ugliest and worst designed streets in America with a very high percentage of Hummers, Escalades & Tahoes... good luck taking that left!
As for Mexican just go north to Sand on Fr Capodanno and hang a left at the dolphins. Within a couple of blocks you'll see La Canasta right across from Chinar. Last week they had a special of quesadillas made with zucchini blossoms! Also the corn fungus whatchamacallit... The Polish deli will be before Chinar on the same side of the street.
Mexican in Queens
In Tucson we made fun of LA's Mexican food and in LA we made fun of SF etc. etc. All three had distinct cuisines based on original population and then immigration patterns from specific areas. LA was the first place I saw a lot of pastor (Arabes) for example. In SF the pinche ladrones filled my burrito full of rice. WTF? I was trying to explain the southwestern green corn tamale phenomena the other day at Nixtamal and got confused myself. It's all a gumbo now. How about the popularity of "arrachera" in Mexico itself? Thank you Argentina! New York introduced me to the wonders of la Cocina Poblana for which I am eternally grateful but I'm sure it's morphing by the second especially with the ebb and flow of immigration. One thing's for sure, Tex-Mex equals ground beef and velveeta... some things never change.
What's Your Favorite Food Movie?
"Women in Love" directed by Ken Russell... I've always relished figs.
