=Mark

It's on Bay Avenue across from where Cousins Cafe used to be. A couple blocks from the river but no water views. The decor is quite nice tho...

Reminds me of one of the first episodes of Northern Exposure. Dr. Fleishman comes across Adam cooking some Chinese noodles over a camp stove in a wooden shack in the middle of nowhere. Joel remarks on how much they remind him of the noodles at a little off the beaten path restaurant in Greenwich Village. Adam asks if it was the Five Spice Cafe. Astonished, Joel says that it was... At this point Adam flies into a rage. "That damn Kwan! I helped him get through cooking school and apprenticed him for 2 years! And he turns on me, steals my recipes and makes a hit with the Times!! Joel: "But I..." Adam: "Shut Up! Do you want me to break you like a dry stick!!!" Joel: "Nooo..."

Even number addresses on Tuesday, odd number on Thursday. Impossible? Nobody said anything about written permission. If gaining public attention about serious problems is "silly" I suppose any marketing concept should be considered such.

I think the rules about how restaurants are allowed to serve tap water has more to do with raising the conciousness of the public about the drought situation as opposed to being a significant way of dealing with it. What I don't understand is the alternate odd/even rules about lawn watering. Watering a lawn every other day is still way too much. If they are serious about restricting water use they should restrict lawn watering to once a week or none at all.

Tried it out last weekend and was impressed. Very nice space both up and downstairs with a full service bar. Appetizers from $8 to $10 include BBQ Shrimp, Shrimp Remolaude, Lump Blue Claw Crab Coctail and Gumbo Entrees from $17 to $21 include Chicken and Shrimp Jambalaya, Red Snapper with red beans and rice, Shrimp Creole, Shrimp Etouffee, Crab and Shrimp Au-Gratin. Southern Style Meatloaf with red beans & rice, Seasoned Grilled Ribeye with Penne and Creole Cream sauce, Pan Seared Pork Chop with black beans & rice, Pork Tenderloin Jambalaya, Crab Cakes with Spicy Garlic Sauce and Seasoned Pork Ribs with red beans & rice.

Doris & Ed's in Highlands has some of the best, freshest seafood in the state, as well as an award winning wine cellar. For more casual fare there is Rays Seafood; BYO in Little Silver or full service in Colts Neck.

I still have to admit that I prefer a nice strong, black, coffee flavored coffee...

Russ, Have not heard from you since you left the FoodWine mailing list some years ago. How've you been doing? As to boiling meat, it only reminds me of my Ex and the outlaws in the culinary wasteland of western Pa. I've seen my Mother Out Law take a beautiful 2 pound 2 inch thick sirloin steak, toss it in a skillet with a glob of that fake soft margarine substitute (You know, the stuff that when tossed in a hot pan does not even melt, just separates into a wad of goo and a puddle of mystery moisture...). She then slaps a lid on it and lets it boil till it's gray. I realize this is no comparison to carefully timing a tenderloin or roast so that it stays on the rare side, but then you'll never see anything other than overcooked out there. To add insult to injury they've trained my sons to press all the moisture out of burgers with the spatula and to eat hotdogs with catsup... :confused:

I always save the little packets of BBQ sauce I get with my 6 piece chicken McNuggets. When I get home I use Hoboken Eddies Mean Green sauce on the McNuggets, and save the little foil sauce packets for my ribs... I've found 8 packets of BBQ flavor mixed with 2 packets Honey Mustard to be just about perfect.

For some reason my "comfort foods" are generally hot & spicy, probably due to my being a card carrying chilehead (Anyone spot me in the TV Food Network special Eat the Heat?). Extra spicy Buffalo Wings, Jerk pork, chipotle rubbed hickory smoked spare ribs... That last one especially. I've been into BBQ for quite a few years and nothing picks me up more than the ritual of preparing to spend a few hours smoking up a thoroughly spiced rack of ribs! Sit back, crack open an Adult Beverage, poke at the fire at appropriate but unnessesary intervals and tell lies...

Down here on the shore we have a local chain called the Windmill which bills itself as "Gourmet Fast Food." Their hotdogs are produced on contract fron Sabrett with their own formulation. They have a crisp skin and are heated on a large griddle till they split. They don't add any condiments unless you want chili or cheese. They provide a condiment station that has Guldens brown mustard, Heinz Catsup (Don't freak, they also sell burgers...), Sweet pickle relish, sweet pepper relish, hot pepper relish and diced onion and heated saurkraut. They also do a kickin' boneless ribeye steak sandwich! Now have to go get one...

Just keep in mind that April 7th is the NJ regional dinner. Simon, if the NY folk can't set up something for the week you are here you should feel free to hop across the river and check it out! If the NY folks do set up a dinner, we all should attend both...

Let me guess... A Shop-Rite? You guessed it! I knew the Sakers, the family that owned the chain. The Soprano comment was not that far off base...

How about "fried perfectly?" Or would that violate Fat Guy's prohibition...

I know at the Supermarket I worked at as a kid here in Sopranoland the deli section was referred to as "Appetizing" or just "Appy" for short. The organizational structure of the market was: Front Office Cashiers Grocery Produce Dairy Frozen Meat/Seafood Appetizing

Chile Pepper Magazine: http://www.chilepepper.com/

I remember that place! It was downstairs across from the Chinatown Post office. I was brought there in the mid 70s and it was frequented pretty exclusively by Chinese clientele and was amazingly cheap even for that time. I think it was called the Noodle House or something. I just walked by there last weekend, ah the memories...

This isn't rocket science! (Actually rocket science isn't science, it's engineering...) Pick a place and a date, post a menu and give folks a deadline for signing up. Period. If you ask everybody for advice you're only going to piss off the 95% of them whose suggestions you don't use. This is from 20+ years of dinners, luncheons and picnics arranged, feel free to use this suggestion, I promise not to be upset if you don't...

I'd be game for Les Halles, but the original location seems to have gotten better reviews than the downtown one.

Any Italian bakery should be able to supply duram wheat flour pretty cheap. If you don't have such a place, try to find where the local pizzarias get their supplies. Durum has a higher gluten content than regular flour which results in a more pliable, flexible dough. It is easier to manipulate in pasta makers and is less likely to tear.

Taking the train up to Woodbridge on Sunday afternoon for a long lunch at Mie Thai. Psssssssssssssssst!!! Ahhh..... Then maybe a couple beers at the Brewpub across the street.

Try bringing a Durian fruit onboard, if the smell doesn't get people you could still use it as a weapon...

Yeah, right. Bet this guy and the Water Sommelier have a great time out on the town...

I would have liked to attend as the 22nd is my birthday, but alas I'm scheduled to hit the city on the 23rd to see The Bears in concert at the Mercury Lounge... Sigh...

PJ Clarkes on 55th and 3rd. Was a nice place with Guinness and Pilsner Urquell on tap. Ownership has passed to the son of the former owner, and it aparrently alienating the help. Bartenders Dennis and Fred who we have been annoying for over 20 years have moved on. <CENTER>Stevens Brothers assume the position at PJ Clarkes<BR> </CENTER> McSorelys is only really good in the early afternoon on weekdays, especially in the winter when the coal stove is lit and the sun shines in and gives the bar a nice glow. Evenings and Weekends the Old House has become a veritable frat house of rowdy drunken 20 somethings shouting and chundering on each other. Fanelli's in the gallery district is still quite user friendly and probably the easiest of these 3 places to join in conversation with the locals.