picaman

Again with the broom insults! My broom is clean That would work perfectly, and a picture would be in order If you go the broom route, just put it between two chairs or two anythings (I use the counter and a shelf opposite.) And, in all seriousness, the wax paper/clean towels is probably a good idea for "multi-use drying racks" and one that I'll adopt going forward. Jamie

I eat here ~once a month--it's one of my favorite places to get an excellent meal with unbeatable value. I hate that I live a few too many blocks away from the edge of their 15-block delivery radius On my next visit, I'll try to look at any fish dishes that come out. It seems like I always get a table by the kitchen door anyway. I'm always eating with the staff But, given your warning and my natural preference for their pork, beef and chicken dishes (I've never ventured into their fish realm) that's all I'm promising For anyone interested, here is a link to a piece about my first dining experience at El Malecon. Jamie

Congratulations...it is fun. I've several times made pasta with very young children--it's tremendous fun for them. I think making pasta is a lot like baking bread. You start to get a good feel for it after you've made a few batches. Jamie

Sauerkraut and Pork Recipe This one I liked a lot...the sour cream was a good touch. I substituted for the Lipton onion soup mix. Jamie

RecipeGullet crock pot category I've made the German Red Cabbage and the Greek Beef Stew (from Jaymes) and loved them both. Jamie

"Back off, jack. I have a thermometer, and I'm not afraid to use it." It's been an occasional hot button issue here in relation to Luger's and nighttime in the neighborhood--that's why I put my two cents in. Jamie

That's the spirit! Suzanne's assessment was spot-on. I think it may have been the best Luger's visit I've had. I thought the steak had the most outstanding char ever, period. Here's my theory on that--please feel free to dispute or support: All my prior Luger's visits were for lunch (it used to be walking distance for us, so we'd just go on a whim.) Last night we had a 9:45PM reservation, so I had my first nighttime Luger's steak. The stove would have been going probably close to 12 hours at that point, well-heated and probably not scrubbed down since morning. Could this contribute to the excellent char? Also, as a side note, we left ~12:30AM and security was not an issue in the least. In fact, we walked past Marcy (the station was closed for inbound Manhattan service) to the next J stop without incident. Jamie

I'm going to have to have a "Pasta-Off" I've made pasta with semolina and water for so long that perhaps I've lost perspective, but I've never found it grainy in the least. I make everything this way, from ravioli to various widths of "cranked" pasta (I have a few attachments for my Atlas) to papardelle. I let the dough rest for a while before cranking it, and seems to me to have a pleasantly chewy tooth to it. I'll get some 00 flour and try that. It may be a revelation. Jamie P.S. Toliver: my broom accepts your apology

My broom is very insulted. Pasta rack indeed I think this might be a bit different from what I've read here, and may be heresy, but my basic pasta recipe is semolina and water, with a tiny bit of olive oil. Where does semolina fit into the flour hierarchy? Jamie

Thanks for an excellent refinement of my original point; the higher percentage of meals eaten in non-chain restaurants may contribute to the level of interest in food in general. Jamie

Here is a link to a fairly large recent thread on this general subject. Jamie

From the U.S. perspective, things have been improving in this regard over the past few days. I'm going to Paris at the end of the month, and I'm watching the rate like a hawk. I've decided I have a "strike price" of $1.20. When I see it, I'm off to American Express for my euro-checks. Jamie

One small thought--in general, people eat out far more often in this city than they do in just about any other city in America; at least that's my perception. That might contribute. In other words, there are an awful lot of people who don't do an awful lot of cooking. But they do eat a lot of well-prepared and varied meals on a regular basis. Jamie P.S. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Ugh. Curiouser and curiouser. Yesterday it was my bedroom, today it's my dinner. I shudder to think what tomorrow will bring. Jamie

I used to walk to Luger's from Greenpoint after dark and never had problem one. I agree, the "danger" is largely a myth. Who's your fence? Jamie

From the handle, I'd say it's a Hobart. Do you care? Jamie P.S. I could be wrong.

Pepsi? Never heard of it. Jamie

Amazing how every post that mentions Luger's, even peripherally, inevitably morphs into a debate about Luger's. Jamie

My partner and I have our tickets as well, but they are in April--when you post about where you went to eat, please slip in a mini-review of the show Although a few blocks down, I'll throw out Esca (43rd @ 9th/10th) as an idea; I like Le Madeleine across the street as well, in addition to the places already mentioned. I'll also second Pan's Grand Sichuan idea--definitely a non-traditional pre-theater dining idea, but you can't beat the food or the price. Jamie

Or pray the ATM nearby has not been emptied. Jamie

This is the place I'm most familiar with, as we always go there before Brooklyn Cyclones games. If there are any baseball fans out there, this is a great inexpensive summertime evening. I'll stick my hand up to help out with the Totonno's visit if necessary when the time comes. As for next, either Lombardi's and Patsy's sound good to me--there is a logic in going to Patsy's having just gone to Grimaldi's. Jamie

Ow! I'm up for that. Per JosephB's observation, it's a good idea to have the tour start with a hot opening-time oven in East Harlem, to give the best benchmark slice possible. What's next on your top five list? Jamie

I couldn't agree more, except I'd substitute the word "minimal" for "other." Fascinating post--you articulated very well and with fascinating detail the reasons (most of which I guess I knew more subconsciously than consciously! ) why I prefer pizza crusts from coal-fired ovens. Of particular interest to me was JosephB's observation about the importance of arriving when the oven is at peak heat. Definitely a crucial detail to note. And as far as the attitude, I agree that one can't blame them much. They have a hard job to do, and I'm sure they want to do it as expeditiously as possible. So to boil all your information down, it's margherita at noon, with a small side of attitude Jamie

Count me in. Jamie

I had the Friday-night bouillabaisse about six months ago and was happy as all hell. Jamie