lambretta76

It's owned by the Mango Thai people, which I would consider "sickly-sweet" at best. Beautiful room, though - perhaps they have a better cook here?

Can a starred-restaurant receive a Bib as well? Saul has a $30 fixed price menu for dinners Monday-Thursday I believe - probably one of the least expensive MIchelin-starred meals you can get. That said, I've always felt that they were certainly above their other Smith Street companions, and it's time they've been recognized.

Went again last night for a quick cocktail after a so-so Ambulance Ltd. show at the Bowery. The cocktails were great as always - I had the apple cobbler, highly nuanced drink with about a half a page worth of ingredients - shaved this and muddled that. A bit sweet, perhaps, but very good. I was a bit put off by the floating orchid in it, but I'll live. It can't be a girl drink if it's made with applejack. The waitress and hostess again were incredibly friendly and (the waitress) quite knowlegable - the best in any bar in NYC. However, the soundtrack has switched from jazz to 'jazzy house', or that kind of music typically found at any lounge in New York. I was a bit disappointed at the change, as it made the scene all a bit cheesier, more loungey (obviously). I hope they consider going back to the slightly more formal, classier jazz, even if this isn't an entirely classy place. (Though the room is beautiful.)

Salinas still advertises it as a Sunday special for $30. You may try calling on Sundays to see if they have it. Other Ecuadorian places in Brooklyn (in Sunset Park, along 5th Ave.) and Queens also have it, and I believe there was something on chowhound a while back about where to by frozen ones ready for the grill. Also, in the summers, there was a merchant who sold them by the soccer games in Flushing Meadows Park, but I believe he was shut down by the Board of Health or something...

Make him stay at the Ice Hotel! Or at least get him drunk there. (Withdrawn, as I missed that you said next month.)

rocketman - thanks for the research! I've noticed a number of "authentic Cuban" places offer Cubanos with chorizo on them, so while I'm not discounting a salami-fied version as a great sandiwch, I wouldn't consider it a Cubano in the pure sense. I'm not trying to be a purist or anything, as a good sandwich is a good sandwich is a good sandwich, but I'm just not willing to consider it a Cubano. (Likewise my local DR places, who don't even have pickles in the restaurant.) And I like mine with mustard, which is not entirely a traditional cubano topping. (Or even a dash of aioli if I'm fixing one up at home.)

Below you'll find a write-up on a rather great value - 4 course truffle tasting menu at Sapori D'Ischia for $50. The reviews I've seen have been very positive.

OK - I'll take all of my impressions out of the equation. As this is a food and, to a lesser extent, drink, board, I'll comment on those two aspects of Cavalli. Drinks - watererd-down and poorly constructed. Food - white fish and beef carpaccio were at best passable (the beef tasted 'funky') and not worth half their prices. It seemed like any of the dime-a-dozen bottle service places here in NYC. The one thing I will give it the benefit of the doubt on, however, is its wine list, which at least was quite interesting, allbeit overpriced. Now - to Dieu du Ciel - since they only have drinks, I can only point out that they make some of the best beer in North America. I don't know if thats an opinion or a fact. And I shouldn't, but I can't resist - whether I have a million or a hundred million, I'm going to pick the Vespa over the BMW any day. Well, perhaps, like my name implies, a Lambretta.

I used to think that Montreal bagels were far inferior to the NY bagel. I mean, why should "plain" have sesame seeds all over it. Had one hot out of the wood-fired oven at St. Viateur, and then one smeared with cream cheese and lox at Beauty's. Both were flavorless and, well, absolute crap. Spring forward two years. I decided in fairness to give Fairmount a try. DAMN! The absolute best bagel I've had - their "tout garni", our equivalent of an everything bagel, but with the addition of caraway seeds, was out of this world. The whole-grain bagel was also outstanding. I'm an everything bagel fiend, and as such, didn't try their "plain" bagel, but I imagine it is far superior to that at SV. So, the ball is now in NYC's court - now I have to find a NY bagel that can up the ante for Fairmount. (Especially since it'd be a lot closer to home.)

The scene at Cavalli reminds of the Hamptons, and not in a good way. Middle-aged guys with hair-plugs and Ferraris, not to mention awful bartenders and worse food. That scene would have been cool to me at 21, but not these days. The people were just as pretty (if not more so) at Dieu du Ciel, and I'll take a cute girl on a Vespa over a harlot in a BMW SUV anyday.

Where I have a little cinq-a-sept is private, thank you very much! Or does that mean something different in Quebecois than it does in Parisian French.

rocketman - I though Margon was a Dominican-run establishment? Most of the people I've seen working there have been Dominican, and the menu reads more towards the DR than Cuba.

MobyP - I think you're talking about Sucelt Coffee Shop on 14th - still there and still good. Still have yet to find one that beats El Sitio in Woodside, Queens. I tend to find Margon's DR food a much better option than their Cubano. (Though the salami is an interesting touch, I'd say that because of this addition, it's not a true Cuban sandwich.)

From what I've heard, Thomas Keller is a very strict and demanding person. It's just quite likely that while the cat's away, the mice will play. Not to say that the food isn't great, but it may not be up to his standards. If my memory serves me correctly, the spate of Per Se bashings had occurred at a time when it was known the Keller was back in Napa and down in LA. However, I have to admit that I've never eaten there and perhaps my comment was thus a bit premature. I'm just going on what I remember from reading this site and several other NYC foodie sites...

It would be nice to see Maguy Le Coze finally get her third star for Le Bernardin. The only other restaurants I can think of that might compete for a three-star rating would be Masa and Babbo. If Thomas Keller was in the kitchen at all times I think Per Se would get three, but as it stands, I'd imagine they're looking at two. And ADNY has had too many staff changes recently to warrant three stars, even though I've heard that the current regime is worth of it. (Maybe in next year's edition?)

Theytend to be sold at upscale grocery stores like Fairway. I'd try the stretch of Broadway with Fairway, Citarella, and Zabar's - one of those stores is bound to have them. I think Whole Foods also has them as well...

Sietsema reviews Landmarc for his Counter Culture column in this week's Village Voice: Marc-Down: Tribeca brasserie features fine food and rewards oenophiles

There are many better versions of this cuisine in Queens, most notably Tangra Masala - which has two locations - one in Sunnyside (newly opened in a cheesy but nice and airy old Romanian dining hall - thing lots of mirrors and columns) and the other in Elmhurst near the Target. I recently tried the newly opened one in Sunnyside (on Queens Blvd. and I think 39th Road or Place - a block from the 40th St stop on the 7) and was still blown away. The lunch special for $7.95 starts with a really fantastic bowl of hot and sour soup (all of the spices seem to be fresh and really pop out) and the chili chicken with gravy was fiercely spicy even though I had requested it medium. (A sign of good things if that's their medium - my stomach wasn't too happy with me that day both going into and out of that meal.)

It may have been Chez le Portugais - thanks! I found this review over at the Hour.ca site - sounds like it might be what the OP was looking for. Seems to be straighforward Portuguese cooking even though the menu adds a little verbal flair. However, from the window on the street, I don't remember them offering anything but tapas - the most expensive item on the menu was probably around $9 - I didn't notice anything that was considered a "main". Chez le Portugais 4134, St Laurent (at Rue Rachel) (514) 849.0550

This past weekend I noticed a really nice looking Portuguese tapas place on The Main up around Duluth, on the West Side of the street. Great sounding tapas in the $5-$7 price range, and a nice room to boot. I wished I'd have had a chance to try it out, but I never got around to it. Does anyone know what I'm talking about - it had the word "Portuguese" in the name. Anyways, they had some great Portuguese standards, like grilled sardinhas, on the menu. They also have a tasting menu for two at $95 that includes a number of tapas, wines, desserts, and port.

Airline style is how I would refer to a boneless chicken breast that still has a wing bone (?) attached to it it. I've only ever seen them on airlines, but it came up in a google search as the name for this cut. (For more information - go to Tyson.com. They call it Airline Chicken Breast, too.) As for slow poached egg, it was a runny poached egg, just on the verge of being cooked. When it was mixed with the rice, it pretty much cooked through in less than a minute - kind of like how you add a raw egg to bulgogi, except that this egg was almost entirely poached. That's just what the menu description was. The menu is, for the most part, American (in Chef Pelaccio's take on American) adaptations of Malaysian dishes, although Sinagpore-stle chilil crabs are on the menu (and, at $28 for dungeoness, the most expensive item by far).

Checked out Zak Pelaccio's new joint over on Hudson last night for an early dinner (or incredibly late lunch: they open at 6 pm). Food is served family-style, as is par for the course in Manhattan eateries these days, but as it has been at many Asian joints for years. Overall, I was very impressed with the wuality of the food, but feel that prices are a bit higher than necessary and the portions smaller. Started with the Green Mango with Chili-Sugar-Salt ($3) eight sticks of mango with a dipping saucer full of hot, sweet, salt. NOthing out of the ordinary, but a nice starter. Next up were the Fatty Tea Sandwiches ($7) - one each of braised lamb, pig belly, and sardine sandwiches. All were quite tasty, with the pork belly standing out among the three. All are served slightly chilled. The sardine sandwich started a pleasant mouth-burn that would continue throughout the meal. The Watermelon Pickle and Crispy Pork Salad ($7) came out next - a smallish portion of pickled watermelon and nicely charred pork belly. Unpickled pieces of cucumber rounded out this dish, which was pleasant and quite enjoyable, but not as boldly flavored as the tea sandwiches had been. (Side note: I had a fantastic watermelon, potato, and pickled herring salad at Restaurant Sorrel in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, and I had hoped for this to be as good.) Next were the Heritage Foods Slow Cooked Pork Ribs ($8) - two not-too-meaty ribs that did look quite fantastic, but I passed as I had just spent a week in Huntsville, AL, and had my fill of ribs. I opted for the Jalan Alor Chicken Wings ($6), two whole wings in an incredibly nuanced marinade that even my Lion Stout ($6) couldn't keep from burning all areas of my mouth. The last dish ordered was the Nasi Lemak ($10) - an "airline-style" curried chicken breast over coconut rice served with a slow-poached egg. Again, I didn't sample it, but my friend wiped his plate clean. Service was pleasant, but I think she overcharged on a beer (my friend had originally ordered a Rogue Ale that was $12, but they weren't cold, so he got a Tiger which was $6. I think we were still charged for the $12 beer, but that's out fault for not pointing it out.) The total came to $68 including tax, but not tip. As they don't have cocktails, and, from what I understand, don't plan on getting a full license, I don't see this becoming the next Spice Market as far as trendiness goes. But the food is good, if small, and the room is nice (I didn't see the pornographic wallpeper in the bathrooms.), so I'm sure I'll be back. Zak was in the kitchen last night and he's just a pleasure to watch cook. (He was smiling the entire time.) As it's a fairly open kitchen, it's also worth watching one of the other chefs with a massive tattoo running from his chest up the front of his neck. Mesmerizing. Anyways, no hard reviews yet, but here's what Daily Candy had to say. Fatty Crab 643 Hudson Street, between Horatio and Gansevoort Streets (212-352-3590) (No reservations, opens at 6 pm)

Any word on this restaurant lately? Is Chef Cardoz's cooking as good as it has been? Everyone's been talking about Devi (and, on a less impressive level, places like Bombay Talkie) - but no one has come back to Tabla's Goan-American food of late. What's going on in the Bread Bar these days - any new menu items that are worth checking out?

Went last night (Monday) at about 8 pm - the bar was full but the seats we're about 1/3 occupied. Sat in very plush lounge chairs and had a Pegu Club cocktail (outstanding) and my fiancee had a Whiskey Smash (she's a Dale DeGroff fan). Both were very good - the Pegu Club had an interesting taste of fresh lavendar. By 9 pm the bar was empty. The service was nice, but I doubt she knew much about cocktails. Next time I go I'll go a little later so I can sit at the bar and order directly from the 'tenders - there's lots of bottles of things infusing behind the bar - I'd like to see what's going on there. Prices are $11-$16 for cocktails and are well worth it. Food ranges from $7-$18 and looks decent. One great thing is that they sell Peychaud's bitters at $6 a bottle - these are quite elusive outside of The Big Easy. Sazeracs here I come!

Sorry to be the guy who does this - but does anyone have the address, phone number, and closest Metro stop?