mjr_inthegardens

Marscapone -- thanks for the report. I will be repeating your menu in Sept for a group of 20-30 in the upstairs "atrium" -- we are excited by your rave review! cheers MJR

Funny enough I am likely going to book Scottadito for a rehearsal dinner myself in September... there are few places in park slope or nearby that can accomodate a group of 30 for such a family/group dinner without issues. Scottadito though seems to have a plan and space for such groups. I tried smaller restaurants but it is tough to take over someone's whole place on a thursday night in such highly trafficked residential neighorhoods like Park Slope, Carroll Gardens etc. The manager was pretty friendly and the food seems authentic and they are going to do up family style for us which is what I want so no one is distracted by menus and prices. Cheers mjr

obvious: phone number?

I don't think it is old montreal but we love Chu Chai, all vegetarian Thai food on St Denis...

the ginger ale is very good

If I want to get a booth @ Totto on Thursday, but think arrival time is going to be between 7-8 what should my gameplan be? Make a reservation and try to get there for 7 or just show up between 7 & 8 and wait for a table? Party of 4 Cheers MJR

It was a little while ago, but when I had brunch at biscuit everything that was placed on the table was awful, eggs, pork, and the biscuits.

I have to buy the beef for Christmas dinner for my family coming into NYC from Illinois. I am a little confused on what to order from my butcher however. In the UK (where I was raised), we would order a sirloin joint on the bone. Delia Smith for instance suggests "The cut of beef for roasting is of great importance – if it's a very special occasion I would go for a sirloin joint on the bone with the fillet still in it." What is this cut of beef called in the US? I want to make sure I am getting the right thing! My usual butcher is Los Paisanos on Smith St in Brooklyn. Staubitz butcher is also a block away from there. Any assistance / suggestions on this point would be greatly appreciated! Cheers MJR edited for punctuation

Can't speak for this year but RW at BR Sushi was great last year and they usually take your cell # so you can piss off and have a drink while waiting for a table MJR

Yeah I was about to say. Never been to Quercy but it seems pricy. Bar tabac is solid fare. -MJR

MJR - I live right near there and have never noticed Sabaa. Is it take out only? I usually go to Zaytoon's, Waterfalls or Bedouin Tent. ← It is not take out only but it is not really an eat in place (perhaps particularly if you are a single woman, but I may be being judgemental). Their falafel has been without fail totally awesome though -- layered and spicy how I like it, huge, great value, freshly cooked falafel. 2 thumbs up. -MJR edit: to say, I find zaytoons and bedouin tent falafels subpar, they are more wrap sandwiches than pita stuffed falafels, and also tend to be drier and without enough of the essential falafel ball flavor.

MANHATTAN: Hoomoos Asli OUTER BOROUGHS (Brooklyn): SABAA - Atlantic Ave near 4th

My top 2 brooklyn falafels: SABAA -- Atlantic Ave near 4th Avenue -- spectacular SAM'S BBQ and VEGETARIAN -- flatbush near Carlton -- quite good I think the Falafel from Zaytoons (both locations) is a different style and not as good -- more of a rollup than a pita falafel I have yet to try the Park Slope pita places -- pita pan and mr falafel

Raji, it's very close, steps from the Union M/N/R stop on 4th Ave. In other brooklyn notes: Bogota Bistro on 5th is maintaining a blog about their restaurant, bogotabistro.com. Interesting account of starting up a restaurant in Brooklyn and their progress through today. cheers MJR

Cube 63, Sushi, 63 Clinton in the LES

quick report: had dinner for the first time at maria's mexican bistro on 4th & Union in Slope/Gowanus. How have I not eaten here before? Had nice fresh guacamole, although given the choice of mild, medium and spicy, and picking spicy, the resulting guac was not very spicy at all. For my entree I had enchiladas -- cheese, shrimp and chicken with 3 sauces -- each very good, although the cheese filling was Oaxaca cheese which does not melt to the point I prefer. My gf had a Pork Chop stuffed with Zucchini flowers and Oaxaca cheese topped with tomato sauce and cheese on top of spicy spinach bed. Delicious. Our margaritas were definitely not up to snuff though -- disappointing given the range of tequilas on offer. Engaged a caramel crepe with vanilla ice cream for dessert - serviceable but over-caramelled, perhaps the Flan next time. At 65 bucks with tip this was a pretty fair deal for great mexican food. Will be back. MJR

Seitsema backs up my Cubano recommendation in Greenpoint in the Voice. Get em while they're hot!!! MJR

PS I tried Starwich and liked it better. -MJR

andiesenji, may the perpetrators be found and burnt at the stake on nothing but kingsford matchlight sorry for your loss! I hope that you will respond with vigor next year and make a garden to be reckoned with. Have you pondered video surveillance? -MJR

Update in Brooklyn... the greengrocer on Atlantic Avenue near Sahadis had a big box of bright red and verdant green 'barb for $2.99 a pound on Sunday morning. I may visit during the week to pick some up.

ATTEMPTED to buy some rhubarb for a crumble in Brooklyn, NY this weekend. None in sight at produce place next to sahadis, none for sale at Park Natural on Court. Steve's CTown between 5th and 6th Ave -- 5 pounds of big stalked barb in evidence. At register rings up for.... wait for it.... $9.99 / lb. GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE WITH THAT NONSENSE. Made Apple Crumble instead. -MJR

Countertops were installed by a stone company employed by my gf's mom's neighbor who owns and architectural kitchen design company in Sugarloaf, NY. We picked out the stone we wanted from a yard called NY Stone that is actually in jersey. My contractor says we got a fair deal on it. We are ecstatic about the resulting stone and the installation is solid. -MJR

It's called "Lapedos Dark" or "Lapedos" At least that's what was written on the back of the sample from the stoneyard. I'm not convinced that anyone knows how it is actually spelled though.

new pics: Soffit for lights (before plaster guy took a visit) Pendant Lighting Array with Finished (Plastered) yet unpainted soffit (and GF's head) Pendant (need to be cleaned) Fuzzy closeup Drumroll.... THE COUNTERTOPS "Extreme" Closeup #1 "Extreme" Closeup #2 Dishwasher under C'Top The Tavern Master Reverse View of Island Short section of C'Top Countertop and Sink with OLD (busted and now returned) faucet Countertop and Sink with NEW functional faucet w/sidespray and 3rd hole (center) drilled cheers -MJR

peapod.com by stop and shop is available in parts of the tristate area