mascarpone

Nougatine at Jean Jorges (sp?) for lunch. It is on the lobby level of the Trump Building near Columbus Circle. Great fixed-price lunch. Great decor an service.

Perhaps try to get one of the sequestered Rooms at Congee Village. I don't know what your budget is, but I got to congee village early one evening and they let my party sit in those rooms and order from the normal menu (no extra fee). You might also plan in advance and even poll those in your party to see if there are any dietary restrictions and then discuss a menu with the staff of the restaurant. I went to a birthday party last February at Sweet and Tart and, even though there were several vegetarians present, everthing served was decided upon a week in advance and it was a very nice experience for everybody. The nice thing about Congee Villiage, opposed to Jimmy Sung's (near Grand Central), is that, because of its location, you can feed a larger group for considerably less. It is my experience, in Manhattan, that when you get out of Chinatown (Jimmy Sungs in midtown, Shanghai Pavillion UES) prices go up and you are served tea in western style cups (Grand Sicuan restaurants are an exception, naturally). Perhaps you already know this but if you go to Congee Village, order the House Special Chicken; it is a winner and everyone will love it.

Here, Here!! Smashing good black sesame, ginger, and fortune cookie ice flavors.

If I remember correctly, the tables are so large at Le Bern that you can hardly see your companion, let alone speak to her. Maybe I'm just tiny. The lighting is good, and unless one equates romantic with a clandestine liason, that shouldn't be a problem. I have seen people treat a restaurant dining room as if it were a hotel room, but for someone who has a more private place to go after dinner, I find the temporary abstinance from unbridled passion actually works in a positive manner. Those with exhibitionist tendancies and those who like to explore love on the edge, might want enough cover to make it both possible and challenging, however. ← lol I find this thread absolutely hilarious!

Great photos! I like Malecon's Pollo a la brasa (Rotisserie Chicken) so much that I generally order this when I go to the 175th Street branch. It is only $6.00 for a half a chicken or $9.00 for a whole. This comes with a huge platter of steamed vegetables. When you consider that this is arguably the best chicken of it kind in New York, it is an outstanding bargain. The result, however, is a feeding frenzy on the weekends.

Very interesting...as a resident of Yorkville, I'm always interested to learn more about New York's Germanic heritage! One of my favorite Sunday spots for a beer is the sidewalk in front of Heidelberg. I suppose that I do enjoy it somewhat for its kitsch value, but also because it is one of the few authentic places left in a neighborhood once known as "Little Germany." ← I recommend an academic yet interesting book by Stanley Nadel titled "Little Germany" Ethnicity, Religion, and Class in New York City, 1845-80 (University of Illinois Press, 1990. )

[i came across this review while researching the Historical New York Times online via Proquest for my doctoral dissertation. It is interesting to see the parodistic fashion in which this immigrant group was portrayed by the anonymous Anglo-American critic.] Administrative note: This material is in the public domain.

I would recommend a great soup called Gam Ja Tang or Pork Back spicy soup. I was told by a Korean friend that hot and spicy soups are frequently eaten in the summer.

For he's a jolly good fellow, . . . which nobody can deny!

I have seen a curry lamen on the menu at Men Kui Tei at 56th street between fifth and sixth, however, I have yet to try this dish.

What are you going to do with that daikon? ← I thought I would just keep it in my bag and it might come in handy someday if I ever get held up in some dark alley. I can just pull out my huge daikon and the criminals will run away in horror. Another thought is that if I am really tired and I get on a crowded subway, all I will have to do in order to get a seat is open my bag and pull out my daikon and, I am sure that in less than several minutes the subway car will be evacuated and transit police will call in a S.W.A.T. team. "Yes, we have a possible terrorist who has pulled out a large white bomb like object from his attache. Please inform the mayor to evacuate lower manhattan."

They use jicama in the sandwiches in NYC? Here, it's a carrot-and-daikon slaw. ← Yeah, I really think that was jicama. I didn't taste any of the bitterness of daikon in it. Perhaps mascarpone will weigh in later with his opinion. ← I spoke with the guy at Banh Mi Saigon where I had a chicken sandwich and and iced coffee today. I asked then about the daikon vs. jicama when I ordered. They looked at me with puzzled expression. When I asked them if they had any pickled daikon or jicama in the sandwich, they said there was cucumber, cilantro, and carrot but no pickles (although I also tasted a very spicy green pepper that was most likely jalapeno). I then inquired about the white vegetable and they replied," white carrot." I then walked to Grand and Christie, purchased a daikon for 75 cents, and returned to the sandwich shop. When I pulled the daikon out the bag, I was immediately greeted with an affirmative smile and head nod. White carrot, or Ba Lo Pa is indeed daikon and not jicama.

I had a very satisfying, reasonable meal at Cocotte two years ago. It was very memorable. But that was two years ago, and things may have changed.

I stopped by the new location of Bánh Mì Saigon Bakery today for lunch and had an excellent Pork Sandwich. The main difference between this item and that found at Việt-Nam Bánh Mì Số 1 is there are more accompaniments (pickled carrot and daikon, fresh cilantro, larger cucmber wedge) and the pork is less saucy. I prefer the Pork sandwich at Bánh Mì Saigon Bakery to that at Việt-Nam Bánh Mì Số 1 on Broome, however the later has a more varied menu. The price of this particular sandwich is the same at both establishments. A papaya and shrimp salad (4.75), chicken sandwich (3.50) and something else is is also a at Bánh Mì Saigon Bakery, as well as iced coffe w/ condensed milk, and other baked items. In addition they have some exotic canned beverages for sale such as winter melon juice.

Fong Inn Too Inc. also sells: Soft, Hard Curd White-Dry Curd Flavored-dry Bean Curd Brown and White Rice Cakes Rice Noodle Shrimp Noodle Lai Fun Needle noodle Sweet Rice Powder Plain Rice Powder Soy Bean Custard Chinese Jelly Grass Soy Bean Milk Egg Roll Skin Egg Noodles Cooked Noodles Pan Fried Noodles Won Ton Skins M. Bean Sprouts Soy Bean Sprouts Gluten Plain Rice Paste Taro Cake Radish Cake

The name of the place that I found the geen dueh (a.k.a sesame balls) is Fong Inn Too Inc. @ 46 Mott Street (just south of Bayard on the East side of the street). The telephone number is 212-962-5196. I stopped in there again this evening at around 8:45 PM and they were sold out but they had some in the refrigerator that they recommended steaming before eating. I passed on the offer.

If you are driving and have time, why not swing by Arthur Avenue and go to Mike's Deli.

Brilliant reply, Thom. Thanks for the feedback.

Thanks very much for the info.

Does the steamed chicken with black mushroom also come with chinese sausage? If so, I think I have had this several times, and heartily second the recommendation.

I was in Chinatown tonight and I found some interesting sesame balls at a bakery on Mott that I did not get the name of but it is across the street from the Green Tea Cafe @ 45 Mott Street. The balls were actually made out of rice cake (mochi) material and were filled with red bean paste and were covered with sesame seeds and I think must have been deep fried in sesame oil. They are slightly smaller that a baseball, but were definitly larger that a golf ball. What are they called? They are delicious ($3.75 for six).

I think there must be a price war going on between Lychee vendors in China town. I was there again this evening and I must have passed a half dozen vendors and they were all charging $9 for three pounds. I felt like I was at a clearance sale. The lychees from the bunch that I bought were all very good, red, sweet. I wonder where the lychees are grown. . . Do you know?

I found lychees for $3 a pound at the fruit and vegetable stand on Grand Street near the North West entrance to the D train.

Strangely, for the third day in a row, I found myself in the vicinity of Việt-Nam Bánh Mì Số 1. I walked around Grand and Mott streets and found the new location and name of the original establishment which began this thread Bánh Mì Saigon Bakery @138-01Mott (just south of Grand on the East Side of the street). Although the sign on the old storefront said they woud open today (6/17), an individual inside said I should call back next Wednesday, as they were waiting for an inspector. They seem to be sharing the space with another business, so my guess they are going to undercut the other sandwich places in that area. It is going to be BATTLE OF THE SANDWICHES Back at Việt-Nam Bánh Mì Số 1 I ordered the Sandwich #1 which had Roast Pork, Sliced Pork, Vietnamese Salami, and the usual accompaniments. My favorite at this point is the Chicken Sandwich. I noticed today that there is also a Lemongrass Chicken (Vegan) available.

Thom, How was your holiday? Where did you end up dining? How was it?