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Please Help - Need your opinions!
I'm the best man in a wedding and am planning the bachelor party in Chicago, but live in New York!
The groom has narrowed it down to two places:
* Hop Haus/Leona's
* Goose Island Beer Co
Please give me your thoughts on food, appropriate for big groups, ambience, etc.
Thanks so much!
Best Churrascaria in NYC
Been to both Porcao and Plataforma, and while I thought Porcao was a bit better (on occasion) Plataforma is much more consistent in their goodness. If this is a one time thing, I would stick with Plataforma.
HELP - laid back dinner, great food
Goblin Market
Awesome food, great decor, and very chill. Here's a review:
http://foodabee.blogspot.com/2007/02/am-i-scared.html
Pinkberry: Brief review
I can't wait for the "orignal Pinkberry" to show up in the states - and I hear it will. When Red Mango hits the US, I think people are gonna be blown away by how different, and better, Red Mango tastes.
Are Pinkberry Stores Opening In EV?
Stick with Red Mango when it shows up. It's the original and a lot better.
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Bachelor Party Ideas - No Steak Houses
Thanks for the questions:
We're staying at the HardRock, but I would imagine that most everyone can go anywhere.
Budget is I would say $100/person.
Definitely not chowhounds. More about ambience and "trendiness". No particular food preferences.
Bachelor Party Ideas - No Steak Houses
I'm a best man in a wedding in Chicago but live in New York and am trying to plan a Bachelor Party in Chicago.
It'll be a multi-night bachelor party and so I've got the "steak house night" well set. Need help with a relatively trendy, but with good food, restaurant for a relatively big group of guys (10-15).
I've had suggested to me:
* Nine
* Japonais
* Twin Anchors
Any other ideas?
Can't miss restaurants in NYC?
clearly all the places listed above are great! i'd add three things:
1) Babbo is absolutely amazing
2) I would also go to Taisho or yokocho's (japanese tapas - kind of holes in the wall, but great food good atmosphere and one of my favorite places in new york)
3) i'm not a sweets guy, but i would not want to leave new york without going to chikalicious at least once more - amazing desserts.
First Date Spots?
Check out Goblin Market for an amazing first date place that's a little loud (but definitely not too loud for a first date), great food, romantic and awesome!
Another review: http://foodabee.blogspot.com/2007/02/am-i-scared.html
First Date Spots?
Gotta second Cha'an. But after dinner.
Here's a review of Cha'an I put up: http://foodabee.blogspot.com/2007/02/new-find-brilliant-as-they-say-in.html
Business lunch- union sq/gramercy
i don't think fleur de sel is a good lunch place. i bit too small and too romatic, even for lunch (in my opinion)
Business lunch- union sq/gramercy
Gramercy tavern, Union Square Cafe, Eleven Madison Park, Blue Water Grill (will probably be the loudest of them all)
They're all kind of on the upscale side. But I've taken clients to each of them and it's gone over well.
Goblin Market - Review
Upfront:
* Decor:
Homey, quaint, cozy, Village-esque, with a feeling of being in another era.
* Service:
Friendly hostess, who ended up being our waitress, and a very inviting bartender. Could've offered a somewhat cheaper wine, but I guess it was good nonethless.
* Appetizer:
Could double as the entree. Stick with the hearty appetizers (and make sure to get an appetizer) - you won't be let down.
* Main Course:
A great balance of natural flavors and additional ingredients that made the dish not too rich, but so creamy and smooth.
* Drinks:
Wines were good, but somewhat overpriced. Provided a good balance with the food.
* Dessert:
Great texture, but could've had a little bit more added to enhance the experience, like a dollop of ice cream.
* Value:
Great value for such an "in" restaurant.
Alas, my friend Jennie is shipping herself off to the cosmopolitan city of London and five of us decided we wanted to have an early farewell dinner (she's not moving for another six weeks). I had heard about this new "in" place from my friend who knows "in" places and is part of the "in" crowd and would only suggest new "in" venues. So, we tried it out, and it was a good thing we did!
I had two very different preconcieved notions before going to the restaurant:
1) "Goblin Market"? Was this some kind of themed restaurant? Is it halloween everyday there, with little candycorn garnishes and a bartender that jumps out from behind the bar and scares you?
2) Having heard from my "in" friend that this was an "in" place, I was imagining a big New York restaurant with lavish furnishings, white table clothes (or ones with ghost prints), and an army of hostesses and waiters running around trying to look busy and attentive, but never really being that attentive.
Thankfully, I was wrong on both accounts. We walked into a very quaint little restaurant with wooden tables, a small bar, exposed brick walls, and light fixtures that fell from the ceiling that put me in Thomas Edison's house. The place had a very homey feel to it, with no more than 15-20 tables of two, reminding me of my many neighborhood restaurants that I frequent. What added to the homey-ness of the place was the fact that there was no coatcheck - next to the register there was a chair that we all draped our coats on. While this was somewhat cumbersome, it added to the whimsical feel of the restaurant.
I had the fortune of eating with four other people so got to try a lot of the dishes. For the appetizer I had the Hanger Steak, which was fantastic. Perfectly cooked with a great marinade (I think it was Miso) on top of sauteed veggies, which were crisp, while being well cooked through. Another friend had the Mac and Cheese, which had the pungent twist of a gruyere (I think). I think the consensus, though, was that it wasn't Mac and Cheese but really good pasta with some gourmet cheese - but who's really counting, huh? Another friend ended up having the rissoto, which was slightly undercooked but had this incredible flavor of shellfish (shrimp) that permeated every bite, whether there was a piece of shrimp in there or not. The sauce was buttery with just enough tang to make you scrape off every last piece.
For my entree, I had the mushroom pasta dish (If you read my reviews, I've never been good with names - hence the fact that I'm a foodabee). The beauty of this dish was its earthy creaminess. You could clearly taste the "dirt" in the mushrooms, while simultaneously revelling in the smooth sauce that it was cooked in. There was a great balance between the natural flavors of the mushrooms and all the enhancements that the chef put into the dish. I think my friend put it best when she said, "MMMM Your mushrooms are delicious."
For desert we had the Chocolate Salami, which had a great texture to it. I think it would have been great with a dollop of ice cream. Again, Guemmy's response, "OOOHHH!"
In general, the food was great! It was overall not too rich, but generally very smooth and creamy. At about $70 per person, with appetizers, entrees, shared dessert, and two bottles of wine, both my palate and wallet were totally satiated! When I left the restaurant, I got into the cab totally full, but wanting more.
Goblin Market
* 199 Prince Street at MacDougal.
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Dinner near 49th and Madison
I've had good luck with Cite and Fresco - all in the general area.
A review of Bar Americain if you're interested: http://foodabee.blogspot.com
Asiate - too romantic for a large group??
I'm not sure if I would go to Asiate with 8 people. I've been twice, once with a party of 4 and the second time with a party of 2. It's a bit too quiet for a party of 8 and expensive. The food is quite good, in general. But the wine's are way overpriced.
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The Politics of Food
I'm not sure if you saw recently, the one page advertisement in the NY Times from Jeffrey Chodorow of China Grill Management, to the Editor of the Times regarding Frank Bruni's review of Kobe Club. The gist of the message was two-fold: 1) That the Bruni owed the employees of Kobe Club an apology because the review was more about Codorow than actually the quality food that the employees were creating; and 2) That while Bruni is an accomplished writer, Chodorow suggests that he is not qualified as a food critic.
Clearly, in this world, the politics of people affect most everything. It affects government, it affects industry, it affects the way we think about issues, etc. Ultimately, though, politics is driven by people, and frankly good marketing. So who do we believe?
This little tiff between Chodorow and Bruni reminded me of the single star that Bruni gave to Morimoto. From what I heard through the rumor-mill, New York and Philadelphia restaurants and restaurateurs don't get along. Hence, because Morimoto is a Starr restaurant, Bruni seemed to give Morimoto a review based on, like Chodorow is suggesting, the restaurateur, rather than the food. Disregarding Bruni's review and wanting to be in the presence of an Iron Chef, I decided to take several different friends there on several different occasions. Every time I went, I got the Omakase and have to admit, some of the dishes weren't great, but were nowhere near a one star rating. Not to forget the fact that Morimoto is an Iron Chef!
This time, though, Bruni's review did have an impact on me and I haven't gone to Kobe Club, despite my affinity for steak. However, who's to say that Bruni's opinion is the end-all, especially now that I know that he's not a "trained food critic." Chodorow makes a very important point here. How is the NY Times restaurant critic, with one of the largest readership bases in the US, not someone with a food background. Instead, as Chodorow points out in his letter, Bruni wrote about politics in Italy before coming to the US. Clearly, as Chodorow once again points out, Bruni is an excellent writer (in his last review he used the word: pulchritudinous, which I had to look up and means: Characterized by or having great physical beauty and appeal. He clearly is a good writer for using a world like that) but how can I now trust his taste buds when I know they are no longer trained in the subtle art of taste distinction? I feel cheated now want to see Bruni's resume.
What did I learned from this entire episode? Go and try it for myself, and see what I think!
What did you learn?
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Bar Americain - Review
A couple days ago I was watching the Slam Dunk contest on TNT the night before the AllStar game. As they normally do, the camera was scanning the audience looking for celebrities that were in attendance and there popped up Bobby Flay. What in the world is Bobby Flay doing on the TV? Don't get me wrong... I love the Food Network and watch it religiously. And heck, I would definitely like to meet Bobby, Rachel, or Mario, anytime. But mainstream celebrity?
My answer to my rhetorical question: "Hell yeah!"
I bring this up only because later that night I had reservations at Bar Americain!
All little too pretentious and over the top, the decor at Bar Americain was as classic upscale New York as they come. I can't complain too much though, since I try and frequent these types establishments often. It wasn't too dark, but a good loud bistro-like environment. Actually, did you know that Bar Americain is labeled as an "American Brasserie." And did you know that a brasserie, as defined by American Heritage dictionary, is: "A restaurant serving alcoholic beverages, especially beer, as well as food." I didn't.
All in all, I had a pleasant experience. The service was top-notch. My cousin's wine glass had a little green speck in it, that the waiter immediately changed the glass and wine, and was very apologetic. And my glass of wine had really a lot of sediment in it (I mean I can handle a "normal" amount, but this was excessive), and while I didn't notice it until I was three quarters through my glass, he gave me a new one at no charge - I left a good tip. What do you think though, at a restaurant like that, is it bad service to even have to deal with that?
We started the dinner with the Three Shellfish Tasting - Lobster, Crab, and Shrimp. The shrimp was way overcooked; the crab, which had little-to-no flavor, was subtly sweet in its mango sauce; and the lobster was awesome - chilled, yet not too firm because it was cooked well, with a very subtle and savory vinaigrette tossed with some greens.
I had the pleasure of having dinner with my two cousins, who were amenable to me "suggesting" what they should eat and letting me try it (Translation: I ordered three entrees and ate off of my cousins' plates). Cousin 1 had mussels with frenchfries. The mussels were well cooked with big soft pieces in each black clutch (that's a small woman's purse that she holds in her hand, in case you didn't know what I was getting at), that highlighted a little red pepper spice that added just enough heat to make the dish memorable. French fries were not memorable, but definitely not bad.
Cousin 2 had the pork chop, which on first bite was succulent, juicy (which means succulent), briny, soft, and scrumptious. Bite 4-5, revealed an overcooked piece of meat, and we realized later the waiter had never asked us how we'd like the chop done. That made me very sad.
My BBQ ribeye steak was done absolutely perfectly. The inside was red (not pink), without even a hint of blood, but was juicy nonetheless. I have to admit, the steak wasn't as flavorful as I'd hoped, despite the BBQ sauce and excess amount of fat that was marbled throughout, a bit too though.
If you're a tea lover, get the early grey tea ice cream. Awesome.
Overall, you can't get away from the celebrity chefs. And why would you want to? Mr. Flay, can I get your autograph?
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Soho restaurant
Gotta try Goblin Market! I went there last night, awesome! I'll have a review up at some point: http://foodabee.blogspot.com
The House
I haven't been there, but looked at the wine menu. Doesn't seem like there are many wines that are very affordable? Since I haven't been there, is the place somewhat pretentious or a bit too over the top? The menu seemed "relatively" reasonably priced.
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Best Korean Stews and Soups in Manhattan?
yes, please do not go to bann if you're interested in eating korean food. totally overpriced and not worth your time. as HOON said above, seoul garden is the soondooboo place in ktown. really bad ban-chan though. actually, kunjip has good soondooboo and good ban-chan.
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Burgers! Please Opine regarding your faves
I'm so surprised that no one has mentioned PJ Clark's on Third Ave. Amazing!
BEST BBQ in Manhattan?
Pulled pork from the Hog Pit in the meat packing district. They serve it on metal plates and it tastes amazingly good!
sushi places for a 1st date...
I have to agree with the Sushi Samba recommendations. It's lively and fun and the sushi is good - not great, but good. I think Bond Street is a pretty good suggestion, too!
Jewel Bako - Review
As with any new endeavor, I think there’s always some bit of apprehension that one can feel going into it. I went into our eating club with no such reservations and must admit that I’m looking forward to our next venture into the world of foodabees.
Girl 1, Girl 2 and I decided to begin our journey at Jewel Bako, a well-known Japanese restaurant that’s been highly acclaimed by Zagats and Citysearch. I was somewhat hesitant about what I would see when I first walked in as the picture on the Citysearch site showed a very chinsey (is that even a word?) shimmering gold ceiling, which has been known to come with many Asian “things” – well, maybe not the ceiling but chinsey gold does. Pictures are worth a thousand words and theses were words that I didn’t want to hear. Then again, sometimes pictures say the wrong words. Girls 2 and I walked through the nondescript door - that we almost walked right by (I think Girl 1 said she did) - into a warm and intimate dining room. Jewel Bako is set up with two different dining areas, both decorated the same, with about twelve seats on either side of each of the rooms (actually, I think the other room was a little bigger than ours). What I had originally seen on the web as chinsey (there’s that word again) gold walls/ceiling, were in fact soft bamboo rods that extended from the walls and curved onto the ceiling, enveloping the room like fingers. Light seeped from behind these cupped hands onto the grayish walls, providing a warm and comforting environment.
The wait staff was, I have to say, extremely attentive and helpful. When I asked one of the waitresses to suggest a dry yet vibrant (I really couldn’t think of any other word… and clearly still can’t) sake, she pointed two out to me and offered to bring a small sampling (maybe that’s commonplace for you, but it was good service to me). Both were good, but I chose the daijingo, which she explained was less refined and therefore had more of the pure rice taste. The one that I chose (in a small little green bottle) was excellent. It was dry, with a bright spark to it when it hit your lips and had little to no aftertaste.
As we perused the menu, our eyes glanced over a dizzying array of appetizers, entrees, sushis, sashimis. Why go through the anguish of choosing when you can choose the omikase, which is the chef’s tasting menu. There was the option of the sushi/sashimi omikase, but we chose to take on the whole shebang (is that even a word, too?). Our meal started with an amuse (I have no idea what this word is but assume it’s some type of palette cleanser or appetizer) that consisted of a sweet potato topped with a seared tuna and some greens, covered with a miso sauce and a sprig of 24k gold. Once again, our wait staff impressed me as all three of our dishes were placed in front of us at exactly the same time – this continued throughout our meal. The spiciness of the greens really complimented well the soft savory flavor of the tuna and miso. I think we all agreed, though, that the potato should have been a lot crunchier, adding to the texture of the dish.
Our appetizer course, which was next, was made up of four dishes, nicely plated in the four corners of a square plate. I can’t really remember them exactly, but the upper left corner consisted of a braised radish that sandwiched what we thought was some type of fish pâté. This was cut in half with one half topped with pickled radishes and the other with some caviar. I think Girl 1 liked the fishyness of the caviar. I didn’t as much but very much enjoyed the freshness of the radish side. They were subtly different toppings, but made a significant impact on taste. In the upper right corner was what looked like a spring roll stuffed with mushrooms that had been cut sideways and laid in a black bean sauce. Like the amuse, I think the general consensus was that the skin should have been much crunchier, but that the sauce was incredibly delicate. You could clearly tell it was a black bean sauce but didn’t have the saltiness or the consistency of most. In the lower right corner lay a lone oyster that was absolutely sublime (enough said). And last but not least, was a small green salad, which was once again spicy, fresh, and very tasty. A note on eating etiquette: Turning the dish is allowed when going for the corners that are away from you. *wink*
Our next course was the sashimi course, which was amazing. There were three on our plate that truly stood out to me. The first was the salmon sashimi. Before I begin, I should say upfront that I’m not especially a salmon sashimi fan - I think generally it’s a bit too fishy for me. BUT this was nothing short of spectacular. It was like butter that was instantly melting in your mouth as soon as it touched my tongue. The texture was perfect and it added an entirely new dimension to my plate of sashimi. Next was the yellowtail sashimi that, like the salmon, was rich with flavor and texture. I think though that I’d have to describe this as margarine, rather than butter. What I was most impressed with was the smooth aftertaste of briny herbs that came from the yellowtail. Lastly was an octopus sashimi that was toped with a sprinkle of green tea salt. Girl 1 and I (I think I’ve gotten the Girl numbers wrong, but I don’t think they mind much *wink*) got that instead of the uni. The octopus texture was perfect – very soft on the outside, but strongly chewy as you bit into it. There was a soft film of something that covered the octopus that added a very supple taste to it. What really topped this piece off, though, was the green tea salt, which added a faint dry and herbal tint to the sashimi that blew your mind. I have to admit though that I was thoroughly unimpressed with the tuna, which I had saved for last thinking it would impress me even more than all the others. It was bland and lifeless, with little flavor or texture.
We had our choice of entrée between mushrooms in sake reduction, salmon in an uni sauce, or a scorpion fish. Girl 1 and I chose the mushrooms and Girl 2 chose the salmon. I thought that the mushrooms would be somehow braised in some sort of cream sauce that was made with sake (clearly I’ve been going to too many French restaurants). But it was actually a compilation of a whole bunch of different kind of mushrooms, from shitake to straw mushrooms that had been put in parchment paper and baked in an oven with some sake, salt, and pepper. My first thought as it was deftly laid in front of me was: I paid 95 bucks for this?! ABSOFRICKINGLUTELY! I’m a big mushroom fan and this dish just went to strengthen that sentiment. Somehow, the sake enhanced the flavor the mushrooms without really added anything new (not that that would have been bad). There was just enough salt and pepper to enhance the flavor of each bite further. I think what the sake added was this drying affect of the mushrooms. The taste was sharp, filled with earthy goodness, but left you desiring for more.
If you’ve made it this far, I’d like you to know that I’m on a 5 hour plane ride and that’s why I’m being so detailed – or not, however you want to read it.
Our last course was a sushi course that can be described similarly as the sashimi course. Once again, I highlight the yellowtail and wished they had the octopus as a sushi. This was our last course and I have to admit that I don’t think a sushi course should be placed last. While the sushi was incredible, it definitely left me with a strange fishy feeling in my mouth afterwards. Some sort of palate cleanser would have been nice right afterwards, before the desert (maybe a fresh corn salad with scallions or a stuffed cabbage leaf that is lightly grilled).
I’m not much of a desert guy (as I’ve said before) so I don’t really have much to say here. BUT, when I do have a really great desert, I definitely know it. This wasn’t one of those times.
All-in-all, it was a great start to our eating club, which we really need to change the name of. At around $125/person for food and drinks, it was a bit spendy but I think the food was definitely up to its reputation. I’m looking forward to our next foodabee foray to Cru where we can talk about the wine too (I’m told they have one of or the largest wine list in the city). Actually, I’m not sure if we’re going there, but it was mentioned.
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