MHesse

Hi all, I plan to celebrate the end of the week by making my first visit to Bemelman's at the Carlysle hotel in NYC with the missus. I think we will only be able to try two drinks at most this visit. Are there any must haves? What are your favorites? What's in them? thanks, --mh

It is a nice place for a reception or even a dinner. The views are excellent!

The lower level big shots at the company that laid me off a couple years ago eat there a lot when they must entertain. Because its 2 blocks away from the office. They showed poor judgement in personnel; I assume it carries over to food also.

Sigh. At $38, Franny's is not for me

The 'zas were quite good. I've missed the earlier stops on the 'survey' so these were my 1st coal oven slices in a while. It certainly makes for a tasty crust. As Sam described the 'oven spring' these wereat the lower end of the spring scale, but still a much tastier crust than a gas oven place. I particularly liked the sausage, the plain, and the roasted pepper, but we were a little too full for the pepper one. Clam was interesting too. Pepperoni was good, but added even more salt to the taste, and the cheese and crust already had plenty of salt. After 2 hours I was happy to walk for a bit on the way to Otto for gellato. Ummm, gellato. I had olive oil, apple and ricotta. Very nice, but I still think I had asked for gorgonzolla. Too bad, because the gorg was awesome. Good to see everyone. Good to take a day off from schoolwork.

I saw his show last night on WLIW. I was also a litle disappointed. His skills remain unmatched, e.g. his butter rose. But he seems a little "off" being alone in the kitchen. I've enjoyed him better when he has someone to interact with in person. He worked so well with Julia. And even in his shows with daughter Claudine he was much more animated. I hope he adapts to the new format, or gets a companion.

Turning 60? That's the right age to be an Elvis fan. Why not Memphis - especially if he likes that kind of barbecue.

Many years ago, a cargo ship tied up along the docks of the Hudson River to unload its shipment: holds full of tapioca pearls destined for a pudding packaging company located in the Brooklyn. Unfortunately a fire broke out aboard ship before the cargo could be unloaded. Fire trucks and boats responded quickly to the scene of the conflagration and the fire was quickly extinguished. The combination of the heat of the fire and the water used to contain it was sufficient to cook the pearls into the largest tapioca pudding ever. As the pearls swelled the ship was torn asunder and sank to the bottom of the river, never to be seen again. Fish caught in the river were the sweetest they had ever been.

Empire Szechuan still exists, but does Japanese sushi in addition now. Symposium has been around since at least 1973, my first visit. It was memorable, as I locked myself out of the car in a torrential rainstorm. Fortunately the 64 Rambler had those little triangular vent windows, so it wasn't too expensive to replace after smashing it!

La Fortuna - the coffee and pastry shop seems likes it's been around a long time; I'll ask them the next time I visit. Lenge isn't a record setter, but it's been on 69th and Columbus at least since 1981. Maybe almost as long for Isabella's? Papardella, in the 70s has been around a long time too.

I'll have to check with my wife to try and remember the slogan. Did it have something to do with meatballs? Yes, the ABC space did become Peretti's, which lasted quite a while too, in Columbus Ave terms, before then turning into @SQC. I vaguely remember Dosanko. Beefsteak Charlies I remember much better. And for a long time there was Diane's, on the east side of Columbus, also good for burgers. I'll have to try and remember other places north of 72 and South of 66 next.

Places I miss: Al Buon Gusto: first on 72nd St, then around the corner (I think @SQC has that space now.) ABG was inexpensive italian, I remember their meatballs. McGlades, a tavern across from ABC, it's a Starbucks now. They had delicious burgers. Tuesday's - you could get a rack of ribs, big salad with lots of fresh blue cheese, and a baked potato for $9.99. It's China Fun now? Columbus tween 70,71. Restaurant 222 - on 79th St. Always had a good meal there. Fancy. Had a nice truffle festival as I recall. and others whose names don't come to me right now

Fresh picked fruit, covered in chocolate and shipped overnight in a chilled container to your door from Bissingers. I think their chocolate covered blackberry season is just ending.

I remember Old Frothingslosh. Not sure it was a holiday beer though; might have been year round. Aluminum bottles will lose or gain heat almost exactly like aluminum cans, unless they're making them double layered with a space between like storm windows. I am an engineer. Iron city wasn't particulary memorable. Neither was OF. They were just regional, when thing like that still existed. Strohs was equally 'good' and a PBR was better than any of them.

A group of us visited NYBC tonight. While almost all thought the meat was of good quality and probably fresh (though they had a stack of patties sitting outside next to the grill), the grind was too fine and the cooked patty was very dry. My order was properly medium rare, but even the rare portion was dry. The brioche roll is too much bread for the burger. While toasted on the inside with a shiny, almost "Krispy" appearance on the outside, in-between is soft white bread. I doesn't matter what the toppings are if the burger itself isn't up to snuff. The fruit smoothies were quite good however. On the way home, I managed to get the last Shackburger of the night at the Shake Shack. It was so so so so much better tasting and juicy. Do try Shake Shack. Don't bother with the New York Burger Company, unless your alternative is McD. Maybe not then either.

I scored the last hamburger served tonight at the Shake Shack at closing time. It was quite good, especially when compared to the New York Burger Company burger I had 90 minutes previously. Good, fresh, juicy, beefy little burger...far superior to NYBC's dry, over-ground patty. Friends of mine had custards. All agreed flavor is lacking. The smoothies at NYBC, admitedly a different concoction, were very good.

Yep. That's the name. But they aren't there anymore. L'Occitane was next door and now has the space of both stores. Another one food store though: Tasty D Lite.

There's a store around the corner from me (Columbus & 69) that only sells stuff made from olive oil. They have non-food olive oil items (like soap) too.

Too bad, today would have been a good day, weather non-withstanding. I'm still interested in the new date.

I had one of those two pronged wine openers and managed to break the neck of a bottle I was opening. That was foolish, but more foolish still was a bystander who threw the entire bottle away instead of pouring it into a couple big glasses. Even if there were glass particles in the wine, they would have sank to the bottom of the big glass. I am pretty good at getting those prongs into the bottle, but not so good at getting them and the cork out.

I imagine that you have been asked any number of interesting, amusing, dull, or thought provoking questions about what cheese to buy from your customers across the counter. Are there certain cheeses that promote a romantic mood, such as a triple creme brie for example? Or perhaps you'd just like to relate some of the more unusual questions you've been asked over the years. Thanks!

I liked my 1st Shake Shack experience, growing pains non-withstanding. The custard is velvety in texture, but to me it whispered vanilla rather than screamed with flavor. I'd like to see little flecks of vanilla bean.

This sounds like a worthy quest. Count me in for one on Aug 21. I'm rare to medium and definitely will walk the bridge. Possible California conflict, but too soon to tell.

Let us not forget juice boxes. The little foil target hole is much tougher than the little straw provided. And packages of pretzels or chips. The two sides don't separate at the top. The entire package tears open.

I will start with the concept that heat flow is a function of delta T.