Liza

Sorry. You lost a hello: "Food Chains you trust enough..." I don't trust any of them.

And you'd think I look like a teenager from all this! Next thing you know, I'll start reporting that managers are offering me booster seats! Back to the topic of the thread, yes, please, I need room. We walked out of Les Halles when we saw the tight seating arrangements. In merchandising, there is a "butt brush" theory: people feel most comfortable shopping when there is enough room to allow them to peruse the merchandise without their butts brushing other people or things.

I know Liza and others have different views on this, but I believe dressing very well and polite confidence tend to foster that outcome. Cabrales, I do not disagree with you. I merely find that it is often not enough that I dress well and foster an air of polite confidence. No matter that I am well-groomed, dressed (Steve Klc can weigh in here and confirm or deny!), and polite, I still often get lousy service because I look young. There can be no other explanation for it. I don't like to tell people where I work, thereby resorting to "Don't you know who am I" in order to be treated like a valued customer.

Can we say it in the Jan Brady "Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!?!" voice? Come on, just once! That might be a good and valid reason for making the dish. Let's see if they have any at the farmer's market on Saturday....

Thanks, Yvonne, fore reminding me to put Annisa on my list, and for your as always right on descriptions. I'll add that another food friend of mine loves this place and went there recently for a special anniversary. He and wife looked at the menu and then told the server, "We'd love to have whatever the chef is interested in serving us". Server inquired as to allergies or dislikes, of which there were none, and proceeded to serve a marvelous six course meal, full of interesting taste and flavor combinations and differences. (And for those interested, Annisa is located nearly across the street from the building where Hank Greenberg grew up - there's a placque on it and everything! )

Hi Tom, I guess I'm hoping you'll tell me it's possible to be happy and not too, too famous. Or that you're even happier because you're not too, too famous. Do you think some people are in it for the possible - however remote - of celebrity? I used to be in rock and roll, and now I'm in the TV business and am noticing similar reactions to pseudo-stars. What's your take? Any interest in developing catch phrases? Liza

Wolfgang Puck has a recipe for what he calls "Not Kosher Matzoh" and I'm thinking of giving it a whirl for Passover. Anyone else tried making their own?

Ted Blew, of High Hope Hogs / Oak Grove Plantation is currently at the Union Square greenmarket on Saturdays only. His organically-raised Berkshire hogs yield excellent bacon and all other pork products. (also, his heirloom-variety cornmeal is exceptional and makes terrific polenta, but that's another thread). Look for the green and white striped tent, across from the Barnes and Noble on 17th Street.

I guess I'm a Sheila.

I am not now, nor have I ever been, a Steve. I can merely aspire to be Steve-like. Steve-ish? Steve-esque? Other Steves I would invite: Mr. S. Wonder Mr. S. Daedalus

Luckily for NYCers, there's Vintage NY, which is allowed to sell NY State wine on Sunday. (and every other day of the week, too, just to be completely clear).

Ohmy, I take a day and a half off from the computer and I'm missing half my lunch. 1) When we walked in, we were greeted like old royalty, and this is something I'm not used to. "Hello, Liza! So nice to see you!". It seemed to me as if the host/hostess is trained to be that nice with everybody. I mention this because of past threads where I've mentioned that I'm usually ignored at restaurants. Also, when making the reservation, the reservationist was very nice, patient and that is rare and must be noted and appreciated. 2) The amuse. The best item in the lunch? Most likely. It is definitely the one I would like to summon repeatedly to my taste memory. 3) While Steve was enjoying the db burger, I was picking at the lobster salad. No disrespect, well maybe just a little, but what would be extraordinary in another restaurant, was merely lovely at db. I barely touched it after the amuse, the guinea hen terrine (oops! forgot to mention that, didn't I?) and the gorgeous pasta, but Davy liked it when it got home. 4) The guinea hen terrine with foie gras. (drooling at computer) served with tiny, eensy-weensy mushroom caps, not even dime-sized, dressed with vinegar which...insert trite review expression expressing how the acidity of the vinegar balanced the fattiness of the terrine. Sorry. It's true. 5) I'll mention one dessert -- the so-called experimental one Christine is 'working on'. Note to Christine: you're done experimenting, stop, the dessert battle is o-vah, finished, kaput etc. Basil-cinnamon granite, deep green and icy, atop a coconut (Steve?) creamy thing, atop a pineapple/coco-lopez-type gelato. Different textures, different temperatures, with the resounding granite lingering and icing your tonsils. Absolutely gorgeous and spring-like. 6) There were four other desserts. Sigh. I'm thinking of starting a new business: Rent-A-Klc.

Why do I feel so pathetic now?

But of course, deeeeeep ruby. (Confession: we had cod from the farmer's market tonight ....sigh....so lovely and flaky...)

If you're in Sante Fe, check out the watermelon juice at the Diner on the Plaza. Or for some real Mexican, Burt's La Taquieria in the St. Michael's Center - the tripe is excellent. On the Silver trail, check out the Cafe San Marcos in Cerillos - part diner, part rest stop, part bird sanctuary. If you make it to the west coast near San Francisco and familiar with the counter culture, check out my uncle's web site: www.flashbackbooks.com/ It helps if you're a baseball fan, too. Steve, you're travelling during prime Farmer's Market season. If you locate the state tourist board and their website, you'll find your way to the regional farmer's market sites and discover untold treasures. No chew toys for Momo, but local specialties for you and Mrs. Fat Guy.

{Internal monologue: "Jeez, I thought I posted a pretty interesting topic. I mean, tuna oozing pink liquid spotted in Miami and in New York City. Wow, that's a lot of posts! No way nears the ABalic thread, but heck, who's counting. . . oh....so...it's all about...wordplay...right...that's, um, cool, and still, all in all, lots of people are posting on your topic, so what's the worry, right? Just because you're alarmed at a certain not-from-nature color scheme appropriating your favorite fish...no problem..."} {pause in internal monologue while I refresh my drink}

And the best part is: it's pronounced "gooey-duck". Anything with gooey in the title has got to be good.

It's lunch on Friday, with a fellow egulleteer (just where is our theme song, by the way?) And neither one of us has been, to this bastion of Boulud. Apologies if this has been posted on before, but with the new software and my own lack of concentration limiting me to two pages on this one board, I had no choice but to post. So. ASIDE from the db burger with the foie gras. Shirley, there's something else to recommend. Or something you wanted to try but were to afraid to order. Give me your timid, your waffling, your organ meats....

At the risk of sounding even mildly knowledgable about anything, I can state for sure that it was definitely not blood. Thanks again B Edulis for reminding me that Alex is back to answer all our questions. I'm sure when Alex answers, I'll be fin-ished with this question.

- Halibut was already taken. I was going for the less obvious. Ergo hake. But why am I explaining this? Get back to the oozing pink liquid! Cripes, people, this could be up there with Olestra's "anal leakage" and some other disgusting food related thing.

Thank you, gentlemen, for making me supremely glad I started this profoundly influential topic. But maybe, just for the hake of it, we could get back to the pink gooey stuff?

Where's the outrage?? Where's the incendiary posts?? This is shocking, simply shocking.

Granted, of course. But I'm talking about tuna oozing pink gel-like liquid. The fish guy tried to convince me that it was blood.

Where and/ or who is this Stew Leonard? Or is it a command, as in "Stew, Leonard!"

Is anyone else humming, "It had to be you"? Thanks, Tommy!