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adegiulio

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Everything posted by adegiulio

  1. I'm with Oakapple. A great read. Three of my favorite subjects, food, history, and NYC.
  2. I just saw a headline on my newswire saying that Conde Nast is going to be shutting down Gourmet, as well as a few other magazines. Anyone have any more info on this? It was just a headline with no story behind it.
  3. Well, judging by the complete lack of discussion on eG, there must not be must interest, implying it's not such a great idea.... FWIW, I love Ronzoni, even better than the pricey stuff at the import store...
  4. Sam, I hear what you are saying, and if most home extruders suck, then I will avoid them. But, there are people, like me, who enjoy doing things for themselves at home. It isn't always about better quality, its about satisfaction. Now, if the quality of homemade extruded pasta is that bad, then that's a different argument.
  5. Not a lot of discussion about extruders here. So far, most people say the KA extruder sucks, and the Kenwood attachment is fine. Anybody else have a standalone extruder they can recommend??
  6. I just started using the Kitchenaid rollers. I love having the extra hand free, but have a bit of an issue with the spaghetti cutter. instead of cutting individual strands, it cut strand pairs. I could pull the pairs apart, but that would be tedious. Any hints on what is wrong? I have a feeling my dough may have been a little too moist... tia
  7. A Scottish acquaintance once told me a of a first date gaffe. When asking the waiter whether or not the venison was aged, she inquired "The deer, was it well hung?" Nuff said
  8. Yeah, the brisket is probably the worst thing on the menu. I'm not praising Max's here, but their pork is much better than their brisket. I've heard decent things about the barbecue place on 28 in Kingston. That might be a bit of a hike for you though....and I've never actually tried it to recommend it...
  9. I went for lunch many months ago. I don't know if it was the bass fishing on tv, my overcooked burger made from low quality meat, or the lamest martini I've ever had, but I won't be back...Go to Prime right around the corner. It's lightyears better...Actually, McDonalds is better too... Yeah, that's a big thumbs down
  10. I mentioned it to the waiter, but it wasn't bad enough to send back. I have a hard time sending something as high cost as a steak back, unless it's really bad. This was certainly edible, just not as enjoyable as it could have been.... One would think with the CIA a few towns south that we would have more restaurants. I guess we need a more vibrant local economy for that... Honestly, I think this place has a chance to be quite good. The problems I noted are all easily corrected, and not totally uncommon for such a new establishment.
  11. Our lovely town of Red Hook suffers from a severe lack of local culture. The handsome downtown area has a difficult time supporting anything worth going to. For dining, most people head down to Rhinebeck, or up to Hudson. Recently, a new restaurant called Flatiron opened, and judging from the menu, it has promise.. I heard good things about Flatiron from two different people whose opinions I respect. The pair who opened it have some strong restaurant and hospitality experience, so I was looking forward to a nice experience. The menu is mainly steakhouse a la carte fare, with a very nice selection of Meiller's beef. The interior space is fairly sparse, and still retains that new restaurant smell. I'm very excited by the bar, which has a wide selection of well thought out liquors. They seem to have a serious focus on cocktails, which is a welcome development in this area. Our meal began with a few cocktails, an Aviation and a Bramble. Both were very good, though my Aviation was a bit sweet. The integration of jiggers will correct this easily. A server quickly brought us a charming amuse of cured salmon on a potato chip. Very tasty, and completely unexpected in Red Hook. Bread rolls are made in house, with an excellent texture and crisp crust. They could use a bit more flavor, but I'm still giving kudos to the baker. We then moved on to appetizers, which consisted of a branzino chowder and raw pemaquid oysters. The chowder was terrific, with clams, potatoes, corn, and bacon, all in a tomato broth and topped with a small fillet of branzino. The oysters were also wonderful, briny and plump, though they could have been colder. The rock salt base should be substituted with crushed ice. We then moved on to our main course, a Meiller's lamb burger, and a dry aged Ribeye. The burger was served on an english muffin (again, housemade), cooked perfectly and served with fries. The steak was a nice piece of beef, served with watercress and toast. It was an excellent example of a ribeye, but unfortunately it was quite overcooked. The medium I had hoped for had barely any pink at all. Luckily, the marbling helped save the day. I'm willing to overlook the mistake and give them the benefit of the doubt the first time out, hopefully they will get their systems down to a science. The sauteed mushrooms and fries I ordered on the side were fantastic. Service was fine, if lacking polish. I could sense a real desire to excel, hopefully as they get into their rhythm it will smooth some rough edges. The restaurant has only been open a few weeks, so I'm not expecting much. Everyone was very warm and friendly, so I have no doubt that they will improve greatly... Overall, it was a decent experience. I'm sure I will be back, and I'm hoping that as they evolve, the easy-to-correct problems will go away. We desperately need something like this in Red Hook, and from my perspective they are well on their way to providing another quality dining option for this area. I'm spending too much of my money at le Petit Bistro, Mercato, and Madalin's.... They are open Tuesday through Saturday, with brunch on Sunday. I'll post contact info when I go back and actually get it...
  12. In the years since I first arrived in this lovely upstate NY town, I have seen a bunch of restaurants come and go. Some just changed names, but not their mission. One place that has used several names is the current Starr Place, just north of the light in Rhinebeck NY. Passing by, it doesn't look like much, with tables outside an old Rhinebeck building. Even the first impression of the space inside does not give an indication of the quality of this joint. Belly up to the bar, and all preconceived notions of what this place is fly out the window. Stocked higher than Yao Ming can reach are a wide assortment of well chosen bottles. Not just special scotch or expensive brandy, but locally distilled vodka and aritsinal rye. I'm a fairly well accomplished drinker, and when I come to a bar where I'm not familiar with a number of labels, I consider it a blessing. Besides the wide array of spirits, you'll also find some other welcome sights that the well-seasoned drinker looks for. Fresh squeezed lemon, lime, orange, and grapefruit juice (they have even tried squeezing their own cranberry). Ice in several shapes and sizes, depending on use. Jiggers (I know there are some of you that go silly at the sight of them). Most important, a man behind the bar that cares enough about cocktails to bring all of these elements together. Everything is wrapped up in a non-pretentious, enthusiastic way. Sometimes I feel like they don't even want to charge me, like they just enjoy making drinks and being hospitable. As if a quality cocktail program weren't enough, they are doing some nice things in the kitchen. Conversations overheard between the kitchen and waitstaff tell me they are using their own tomatoes in creative ways. Meat is always of very good quality, and they make a mean french fry. It's easy to cut corners, and from my perspective, they don't. I wouldn't say the food is as great as the bar, but it is worth the trip in it's own right. I know a lot of people on this board never heard of Rhinebeck, but if you are in town and want to whet your whistle, check it out...
  13. Kelloggs just announced that they will be bringing back Hydrox for a limited time. Due to popular demand, the cookie will make a comeback for its 100th anniversary. Over 1300 telephone calls and 1000 petition signatures pushed them over the edge... I'll post a link to the story when it becomes more widely disseminated
  14. during this whole thread I was sure mine would have been a big piece of beef tenderloin with a huge slab of foie gras on top...but now I think I am going to sit down with you instead...
  15. Slightly off-topic question here, but does Benoit offer takeout? I'm donating a kidney in a couple of weeks, and the thought of a charcuterie plate as my first full meal afterward is very appealing...
  16. There is a very large Turkish population in Clifton and parts of Paterson. I've been to a few places, but don't remember their names (we were brought by Turkish friends). I'd post in the NJ forum for very good recommendations...
  17. The menu changes so often, it's tough to recommend specific dishes. He is very good with his pastas, both in cooking the pasta and the saucing. The chicken from North Wind Farms is always terrific. He makes a pork saltimbocca that I order whenever he is making it. Start things with a salumi plate, which always changes, but is made with top quality stuff. The last one had porchetta on it that practically melted in your mouth. The overall theme is: serve quality food, prepared simply with a nod toward tradition. You'll never see veal parmigiana on the menu. Shoot, now I want to go.. How local are you? ← Thanks adegiulio, I'm going tomorrow so your response was right on time. I certainly will watch for those items. Or at times when undecided I just welcome whatever the kitchen wishes to cook. Very glad to hear there is no veal parm. I live about 40 miles west of Albany. But I trust your opinions as I have been reading your suggestions for awhile now. Plus I tend to travel pretty much anywhere when it comes to restaurants. Edited to add. Last year for my birthday I drove to Komi in DC. So this is significantly closer. Gas prices are restraining my dining habits. ← So, how did you enjoy it? I hope it was worth your trip, which seemed pretty long for a neighborhood restaurant...
  18. Comments like this one imply that you see the waitress as someone who can do no wrong. Without even knowing the full details behind the level of service, you feel it is your right to assume that she was an excellent server, providing above average service. What made you think that she was deserving of 20%?? How often do you ask to speak to management when 87 cents worth of your experience is not quite right. I'm sure it's all the time. And as for the fact that "you must be right because everyone agrees with you", you can save that BS for someone else. A few people on eGullet is hardly a representation of what people really think. Not to mention, it's probably easier for people to speak out against the OP actions, which would invite more posts. Not everybody is willing to take the side of dissent, just like most people don't speak up when the manager or waiter asks how everything is. The wonderful Zagat's is full of "well though out" "opinions" of "people who think everything is great" "even when it isn't" But, in the end, I'm sure none of this will change your mind since you are always right.
  19. You're only talking in circles because you are convinced you are right. Some of your points border on ridiculous, others are complete hyperbole. If it is your opinion that these diners entered into a contract, entitling the server to 20%, what about the other side of the contract, where the server is expected to fulfill basic services? Oh wait, she is a server, so she can do no wrong. She is hard-worker, exploited, and underpaid. Clearly she deserves 20% when she only provides 5% worth of service. Your point of view as a server is inhibiting your ability to see both sides of the story. I wonder how many people, when realizing they were 87 cents short, would call over management and explain that they weren't going to pay the arbitrary 20% gratuity because the service didn't warrant it, but instead were going to pay 87 cents less. I'm fairly certain most people would just pay the 145 and leave it at that.
  20. You are preachin' to the choir. ← But I think you put the server in a weird position not willing to cough up the 80 odd cents, the charge is probably in the servers till and she/he probably has to drop the 145.80 odd cents no matter what you give him/her so its not necessarily that you are shorting them the 80 cents but actually 1.60, ← The way I see it, the server doesn't have to pay 80 cents, it's 80 cents less that they earn. Just the way it should be, considering the poor service. Stand your ground Boagman...don't let these head in the clouds people bully you..
  21. I'm not trying to bust your chops Mark, but how do we know that the 87 cents didnt mean a lot to the individuals at that table? Maybe the server makes more money than those folks?
  22. I think a lot of people are being a little rough on Boagman. Making him out to be a demon versus the angelic waitstaff just doesnt portray reality. In my experience, most waitstaff aren't worth 20%, and plenty aren't worth 15%. For the restaurant to charge them 20% is exorbitant. And, just as some people think Boagman is wrong/cheap/an asshole for not paying the 87 cents, you can just as easily flip the argument around and say the waiter/restaurant is the cheapskate for making a stink. Apparently eGullet is made up of the world's elite hospitality workers, where every person is entitled to 25%, no customer has the right to be upset, and they can do no wrong...
  23. The menu changes so often, it's tough to recommend specific dishes. He is very good with his pastas, both in cooking the pasta and the saucing. The chicken from North Wind Farms is always terrific. He makes a pork saltimbocca that I order whenever he is making it. Start things with a salumi plate, which always changes, but is made with top quality stuff. The last one had porchetta on it that practically melted in your mouth. The overall theme is: serve quality food, prepared simply with a nod toward tradition. You'll never see veal parmigiana on the menu. Shoot, now I want to go.. How local are you?
  24. So, I've been making breaded chicken breasts in the same way for the last 20 something years. Dredge in flour, dip in egg, into the bread crumbs, and fry. While it produces tasty, juicy chicken, the crust doesn't adhere the way I would like, particularly as it cools I've noticed commercially made chicken doesn't have this problem, nor does it seem like the coating itself is that thick. So, anyone got any better ideas? Since this was merged with a good thread, it makes my question somewhat moot..
  25. I don't think that is "obvious". I have absolutely no problem with a server pouring me more wine. I consider it part of the service they provide me to keep me topped up. I have a feeling I am not alone in that either. I have been fortunate enough to dine at some pretty excellent restaurants in my life, and I would venture to bet that I rarely get asked if I would like some more wine or bottled water. We ordered it, why wouldn't we want to drink it?
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