herbacidal

Can you put a freezer in your backyard/alleyway/etc.? More than a few restaurants have refrigerators outdoors. Can't say very much about the asthetic of it though. Well, maybe you could design all kinds of cool art around it.

I'll heartily agree with everything Katie said. With regards to the party, there's an extent to which it comes down to which is more important to you: A) Saturday night B) BYOB C) special/private room If the BYOB part is most important, many would be willing to let you have the entire place on a Tuesday or even Wednesday. Few are likely to have private rooms though. If Saturday is most important for you, than the only places that are likely to let you bring your own wine AND allow a group that large to stay that long are the normally unmentioned BYOBS like Balkan Express (22nd and South St./Grays Ferry Ave.), whichever Korean restaurants don't have liquor licenses, certain Chinatown restaurants, etc. If the private room aspect is most important, then you most definitely will be paying significantly more than either of the above options. All things considered, my own recommendation would be the non fine-dining BYOBs like Balkan Express, Fatou and Fama (new location on Christian in Graduate Hospital area!!), or Korean restaurant without liquor license option (like specifically the one Katie and I were at). Another option would be one of the many gastropubs---bars that serve restaurant quality food (still, some better than others)---that we're blessed with in the area. Standard Tap, Abbaye, N 3rd, New Wave Cafe, Bridgid's, TenStone, Good Dog, etc. This would only help you with the cost portion of the equation, not the Saturday nor BYOB parts. However, as mentioned by Katie, neither seems to be what you're looking for right now. Catering seems to be a reasonable option although the costs there might be a concern, depending on what level of service you want. Silver trays, nice glassware, hors d'oeuvres, petit fours, etc. would be prohibitively expensive. On the opposite end, you can get all kinds of food, from gourmet, to your favorite "ethnic" delivered to your home in that volume. Then, separately hire one or two people to serve & heat up food, tend bar, etc.

There's no reason you can't post on the topic, you would just be doing so with slightly less accuracy. Your insight is welcome regardless on this topic and others in this forum.

You're supposed to take the picture BEFORE eating!!

I believe they have a new person in there, don't they? It was in Table Talk or something.

http://www.cinnaminsonnj.org/ I don't know any more than that.

Please stop catching me between digests.

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I understand the Cuban-Chinese joints in NYC aren't serving Cuban-Chinese food as much as serving Cuban and Chinese foods side by side. Can anyone confirm this? If this is correct, might this also be the case for Peruvian Chinese, Indian Chinese, etc.? But Muslim Chinese is probably more real and authentic (because of the Muslim influence in the western provinces and regions), although really just a lesser known subset of Chinese food.

I don't go out of my way for coffee of any kind. Please note, as briefly implied above, I'm not necessarily endorsing the places listed nor am i indicating their coffe is superior, merely listing them as possiblities and telling you what little I know about them. That said, I usually know where all the indie coffee joints in a neighborhood are because I: avoid Starbucks usually sometimes want a chill place to hang for a little

Tattoo Mama's? ← Tattooed Mom's. On South, somewhere between 7th and 5th. Same owner as Sugar Mom's in Old City.

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I vaguely recall eating in one many years ago, and it might even have been the Voorhees one, which I actually just drove by today. My nondistinct impression is that it was better than the big tres of McD, Burger King, and Wendy's, other regional chains are probably better. One particular chain I tried in the Westport, CT area whose name I can't recall was very good.

Wouldn't know how the coffee is. I drink too much during the week. I try to avoid it during the weekend as much as possible. Plus, we're sort of on a tangent, because I was talking about local coffeehouses, as opposed to locallly available coffee brands/roasts. Perhaps the thread should be split. I think the owner was there, but I'm not entirely sure. The counter person gave off that impression. I do think lots of coffeeshops in the area have comfy homelike vibes. Ground Floor is one, also the one on 9th south of Christian, not Anthony's, the other one. Mugshots is slightly less homey, but mainly because it's larger. There's one on 41st(?) north of Walnut I like, but can't recall if it was homey. I know a few people here (I think Sara now in Wisconsin) like Cafe Clave around 43rd and Locust, but I've never been myself. Old City Coffee is sort of homey, but in an Old City, kinda more modern kind of way. Cafe Ole is clean, arty but also nice. Stellar (at both 11th and Spruce and 20th and Walnut) are both fairly homey, but that's mainly because they're both small. The one on 20th slightly less so. I don't like Green Line at 43rd and Baltimore, but that's less the feel than that I think their food is overpriced. There's a cafe (Kaffa I think it's called) on Chestnut btwn 44th and 43rd that is more of a coffeeshop, but they serve a few simply prepared hot foods like omelettes. I know there's also a coffeshop in the 1500 block of South Street, and there's also an Ants Pants Cafe at 22nd and South. Okay, I suppose that's enough for now.

Evan, overall Maya Bella sounds like the best choice for you. I'd look into Lourdas and Citron as well. byobguide.com suggests Spezia and Bella Luna as well, although it also suggests the Point, which I'm wary of, because I recall the Point being a coffeeshop type scene with indie musicians, although I can't say I know what's replaced it, although I vaguely recall hearing that something did.

Maybe that's all it's trying to be. Any additional pressures are just what the media and readers put on it in their own minds. That is of course, unless management has been quoted with higher aspirations, and/or it sets prices at a high level, with a noticably expensive dining area. You're not disinclined to visit? So you think it's worth checking out?

Can't make it, have to work. Although, if I understand the thrust of the thread correctly, it's going to be Marra's and Celebre's, so I may have to stop by the second one.

How so? There's more than a few coffeeshops with neighborhood cafe feel. I'm sitting in one right now, the Ground Floor, at 2nd and Poplar.

Certain cellphones can be used to charge things, right? Do they work by just sending an amount to be charged to an existing account? Is there any reason a disposable cell phone with a built in debit amount wouldn't work?

Do they make their own soba? That might make Goji going to right there, but that would cost a decent bit, in labor and time. But tempura shrimp with soba noodles does need to come with more than one shrimp, even if you have to raise the price.

Yea, Hausbrandt never gets any love. It's a quality place.

I would love to, but I'm not optimistic that my scheduling and finances will allow me to come up between now and June. I am glad that La Luncheonette and la Focacceria are not closed, they were among my own favorites of the tour. You are welcome to organize Offal Tour, Round Two amongst yourselves. If it is necessary that I live vicariously through the rest of you, so be it.

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Hmm, I wonder how long it'll take Katie to notice. Overtures is a great choice, and I don't think they get enough business, so definitely stop by the place.

There was never a second one to my knowledge. The first one was semi-organized around a weekend visit by me to NYC, and I haven't had the chance to swing back for a visit since, and hence have not had the opportunity to goad more members into a second round.