Daniel

Yeh i am looking for a little more of an upscale restaurant. I also just checked out some reviews on epinion and there were several people who questioned the hygien of Uncle Georges.. I wish someone knew about demetris because that place looks good to me. But as for now i am going to go to Stamis and then hopefully run back a demetris this weekend for lunch. My friend gave me this review out of the queens gazette and this looks like this the place we are going.. As he said,"baby lamb to the dome piece" http://www.qgazette.com/News/2002/0123/Dining_review/ Please continue the convo. I am going thursday.

So you say for me to cancel the reservation at Demetris and go to uncle georges. No problem.. I trust ya!

My friend just suggested S'Agapo. Has anyone heard of this place.

Meeting a friend out to dinner friday night in Astoria. My only experience with the area is the occasional short cut taxi drivers take while coming home from the airport. I am looking for an amazing greek experience. Is there one place that immediately comes to mind that will provide a true greek feast. Thank you, Daniel

I went to Amma last night and had an amazing time. Everything was perfect, from food to service, it was really a treat. When I arrived at Amma, I felt like I walked into someone's pretty home. We were greated by a lovely women who took our jackets, and greated by the rest of the waiting staff with a smile. I was instantly relaxed and assured the food was going to be great. I ordered the tasting menu without the wine because the girl i was with had a prior business dinner and she was there to drink. The sommelier was more then gracious and spoke with my date about the different wines. We decided to go with the Shiraz from India which was really good. He and her began to speak about her becoming a sommelier and by the end of the dinner he was sending her information and packets. Oh that sneaky guy! Just kidding... The food came out at a steady pace. It was perfectly timed as to enjoy the food, and my company, and to not feel hurried or forgotten. The tasting menu IMO is a lot of food, so the spacing of the food allowed me to eat more then i normally would. I cant really say which dish i prefered over another because they all were really were terrific. The tandori shrimp was fantastic, the stuffed chicken amazing! If one thing stood out, it was the lamb chop. Cooked perfectly, this thing was so good, I am not really overly familiar with indian spices, but i know that there was goat yogurt on it, that i am still thinking about. To make sure that all the meat was gone, i put down the knife and fork and had to pick this thing up. Also they had a halibut served in a spicy sauce that was superb! I am a big fan of spicy things, but i was surprised that a place would serve something this spicy without a warning. Normally most places make a big deal about a spice in a dish and then you are left underwhelmed. They happily surprised me with that dish and it definately gave me a little more energy during the 7th inning stretch. For dessert, i got this pressed rice dessert, which came with a pistachio sweetened milk . I would go to Amma and get that to go nightly if i could. Great. This place is great and the cool thing is everyone there knows it is, and is proud of it. Its not like they treat you like you should be happy to be there, they treat you like they are happy to be there and that you have joined them.

Or maybe the workers who dont want to work around smokers could find a job where they dont have to work around smokers.

Last I checked it is still legal to smoke. So why must a business owner who wants to have smoking in his establishment be denied. No one is forcing anyone to enter into these smoking establishment. There should be places for smokers and places for non-smokers. And if people dont like smoke they have the ability to no enter these places. By demanding one idea on an entire public is too much controll for me.

Its sad that people are thinking this is an issue over personal preferences and not personal freedoms. It doesnt really matter if you enjoy cigarette smoke or not, its the idea that we are giving the government one more area to control us and hold our hands.

It has been open for about three weeks. I think its on 77th and columbus. They dont take reservations I am almost positive. I would highly recommend the bloody mary's and the alligator cheese cake.

Yeh how could i not try this restaurant with all the praises it has received. I will be there on tuesday. Is a reservation necessary?

Are you trying to say that the chicken wings at Spice Market arent as good as the ones at veritas?

That is pretty funny stuff. I often order take out from places. I dont know how super hip this place is, but i would even see if you could get an order of wings to go.

Well said!

I dont know i havent been. But chances are this place is going to be expensive. This place is well hyped, has a multi million dollar over head, and has a famous duo hard at work. What about this place particularly appeals to you. Is it the experience or the food. Because perhaps someone could suggest something in the same genre, which would be less expensive and better tasting.

You are right, you are right. Nothing is a rule. And I should have included intricate dishes, combinations of flavor, as well as expensive ingredients. I think that the food at hearth used simple ingredients, and processes, perhaps with the exception of the rabbit dish which I loved. I also think the casual atmosphere, and the ugly uniforms the waiters wear all make it a great two star. Mario uses such unique ingredients, combinations, and excellent preparations, that the food alone deserves three stars even before you throw in the beautiful space, the refined settings and staff. And now that i am thinking about it i think more then one star should seperate hearth and babbo.

I really dont see how blue hill and hearth can be compared. I recently went to hearth with a friend who knew paul and marco. We asked them if we could have something more then the 48 dollar tasting menu more around a 100. Paul looked at us and said, i could give you something, but its not going to be close to a hundred bucks a piece. And i think his response prooves FG'S point, that they dont use the more expensive ingrediants to even qualify for three stars. I had pretty much every entree and appetizer on the menu and most things were good, but not fantastic. Most very simple, yet tasty, but certainly not as complex or well crafted as the food at blue hill. One dish i felt completely didnt work. I had this one beef soup, with parmasean croutons, and sea salt. This dish was almost inedible. It was so super salty. That would never have happened at blue hill. I would say hearth is a great two star place.

You said both places would be good for first time swish swishers.. Is there a better place for more experienced shabu shabists? I actually called megu the other day and they said they were eventually going to provide it there.

It comes as no surprise that her review of Spice Market or any Jean-Georges restaurant for that matter will be skewed. It must have been a pleasure for her to write a whole review about a Jean-Georges restaurant instead of having to throw references in while reviewing a less important place.

Are you been serious, or were you commenting that you were surprised that you had to pay to cook your own food. The ingrediants still cost money, and so does the equipment you are using. As does the electricity and the roof over your head that they are allowing you to benifit from.

Have you ever been to Shabu Tatsu, if so how do the two compare?

Can someone please recommend a great shabu shabu place for my friend.

Very enjoyable to read. Sounds like an amazing trip.

I have an indoor smoker and i feel it works pretty good. You can buy all types of chips for it. Its not the same a 17 hours in a real smoker, but it adds decent flavor. I have never tried a smoker bag though.

I felt like the same thing on saturday night for dinner. I ordered from this place called cold waters. For 24 bucks they sent me two steamed 1 1/4 lobsters with a salad, and a potato. They also had one pound and a quarter for 15.95 And for 28.95 they had a 2 pounder. And then there were combos on the menu where they would give you crab claws and a lobster , or they had stuffed lobsters. All and all it was a enjoyable. The palm has great lobsters, min order is 3 lbs and its 20 bucks a pound. Except on your bday

I am curious with the problem with morimotos. I havent been there in two months. It was fine when i left it.. hehe