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plattetude

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Everything posted by plattetude

  1. someone's got to be singing that ← Mama Rose (aka Rosalind Russell) is singing that. (Well, actually, she didn't sing it, or all of it. Lisa Kirk dubbed much of it I think.) Gypsy.
  2. I for one don't think getting an alcove seat makes much difference (those seats still loom over the room, so to me at least they don't seem any less cavernous). ← I think you may be thinking of a different space in EMP -- you're talking about the area over the bar? Whereas I'm talking about the nook next to the bar (i.e. the far corner from the entrance). Christopher
  3. My wife and I just had her birthday dinner at EMP last week (leaps and bounds better than our previous visit a few years ago) and were really incredibly impressed. As for the room, there *is* a alcove with a half dozen or so tables and banquettes that looks out on the main room (and looks out those glorious windows to Madison Park). That's where we were seated, and I thought it made the evening that much more special. You might request being seated there if it makes your final list. And I'd recommend that it should. Oh, and yeah, the gourmand menu is absolutely the way to go. Christopher
  4. Oh I've tasted it. Boy have I ever. (Not that I'm someone you've met, of course.) It's really superb and very exciting how the tequila and Campari play together. Christopher
  5. I do believe that the Last Word, at least, is more of a dusted-off great than a classic in the "classic" sense. It's noted on DrinkBoy.com, that it was revived by the ZigZag Cafe in Seattle a few years back. Given that few on your original list can be ordered reliably in all but the most top notch of cocktail bars, I'd be hard pressed to call any of them "classics" in the broad sense. And while I don't have specifics to back it up, I thought the Rosita was a more recent creation. Christopher
  6. There's a 'wichcraft outpost at 46th just east of 5th. Say what you will about Tom Colicchio, but he's got some good sandwiches. That location is rarely very busy, and frequently has seating available, even limited as it is. Christopher
  7. As a sometime visitor to London/UK, I'd throw out, off the top of my head: Wimpy's (burgers a la McD's) Pizza Express (upscale pizza and, oddly enough, live jazz) Pret A Manger (sandwiches, now Stateside as well Paul (international, France-based bakery/cafe chain, dating back to 1889)
  8. Don't have any idea what part of NNJ you're looking to score this in, but I know I've seen it at Shop-Rite in Hoboken. Christopher
  9. Hm. Papaya King on E. 86th St. has been offering slaw dogs (hot dog with cole slaw and a pickle) for a couple of years now. Christopher
  10. Something else to keep in the back of your mind in the coming months is a little tiny producer in the Finger Lakes region, Castel Grisch. They do some very traditional German styles and do them incredibly well and incredibly well-priced. You can get one of their vidal blanc ice wines for $18. A steal. (They also do a riesling ice wine, but the vidal blanc is absolutely sublime.) They have a very limited distribution, so you won't find them locally, but mail order is an option. Apparently, according to their website, their stock is out of many of the choice wines, but check back in a few months. Really. Christopher
  11. So they *asked* you for your address? Uh, because they're screening for locals? Huh?
  12. 226 Washington St (between 2nd and 3rd). And the address *is* listed on hoboken411.com, FWIW. So, yes, it's at the south end of town, easily accessible by train. Christopher
  13. There's also Vintage Wine Bar, at 482 Broome St. They serve exclusively NY State wines, which can seem to be an odd affectation, but there's a good bit of stuff worth a taste. 200 wines by the glass and a so-called local element (e.g. Long Island duck meatballs) to the "wine-friendly" food. Pairings and flights are also featured. I haven't been, so I can't comment on quality, but I've shopped their retail space and had tastings there enough that convince me it's worth trying. Christopher
  14. Not too far from Astor Wines and Spirits is Crossroads, 14th St. just east of 6th Ave. -- tiny little shop, but they have a pretty solid collection. I've gotten the Rittenhouse there as well as Luxardo Maraschino. A few years back, I even scored a bottle of Carpano Antica vermouth, but that seems to have been a one-off. They do seem to stock Vya pretty consistently though (if you're in the market for an upscale vermouth). Christopher
  15. If I'm remembering right (and I think I am), it was sangfroid. Literally "cold blood" en francais, and figuratively "calm, cool, collected." I did a tiny spit take when he said that, fer sure. But hey, I'm not one to pooh-pooh a good vocabulary. Good for him, the little geek. Which I say from my own perch of geekdom, of course. Christopher
  16. Well, if you're interested in getting the essence of tequila, the best tequila drinks are certainly these: tequila on the rocks tequila neat tequila up If you're feeling adventurous, a squeeze of lime in each of the above wouldn't be out of place. Maybe we'd want to call that a Tequila Rickey. But if your aim is to compile a list of tequila-only mixed drinks, I'd suggest cocktaildb.com as having a fairly sizable compendium, ranging from reputable to thoroughly dubious provenance ("Gorilla Sweat"? Really? Eek). That said, I think single-spirit cocktails (or more appropriately, "mixed drinks") are pretty rare in the cocktail culture, though I'm sure many may chime in to the contrary. And by the bye, the Tequila Sunrise may sometimes include creme de cassis as well as grenadine and orange juice, potentially putting it out of competition. Christopher
  17. Couple of additional Hoboken points -- First, there are certainly more kids there these days than just a few years ago. More families (mine included) are setting down roots in Hoboken rather than hightailing to Montclair as was the norm not long ago. Between stay-at-home moms and nannies, as well as the burgeoning professional population from Wiley and college kids from Stevens, there's a viable weekday target audience, IMHO. Second, in terms of location within Hoboken, the west side development is growing by leaps and bounds. I'd think if you could find a spot near Shop-Rite and had signage to attract passers-by, you'd get a big buzz very quickly. That'd also put you in range of the Light Rail, potentially opening up your customer base to easily reach Jersey City, Bayonne, and Weehawken. Granted, this would put you at a bit of distance from the PATH and from Wiley, but if you were able to deliver within town, I don't see that as a major problem. Don't make us beg. Come to Hoboken! Christopher
  18. Maybe it had left been sitting out. After all, the concept of the challenge was that these were all leftover ingredients in Social's walk-in (though it became apparent that they were not really terribly left-over-y). What I don't understand is that the pomegranate juice was not served as a solo ingredient -- it was mixed with orange juice and basil (IIRC) -- so how could that team NOT have tasted it? I can't imagine they'd have just blindly come up with ratios and hoped it worked. So if they did taste it, did they not think it tasted off? Or were there good bottles and bad bottles, and they'd only sampled the finished product from the good? Definitely kinda strange.... Christopher
  19. Hey, that was me! I call it the Amethyst (for what should be obvious reasons). And it's been a while since I've had one. Thanks for the reminder, and glad it was a winner! Christopher
  20. Yeah, they are certainly very cool. Figuratively AND literally. The whole shop (all three locations) are kept at a cool 56 degrees, so the retail floor is a veritable wine cellar. And there's nothing better than walking in there with a vague budget, a vague idea of how many bottles and styles you want, and putting yourself in their hands. You'll invariably walk out with a ton of eminently drinkable (or cellarable, if that's your goal) and reasonably-priced wine, with your likes and dislikes, your cooking habits, your price point, taken fully into account as much as you can articulate them. And they're not shy to dig to help you articulate them, either. Definitely worth a visit. Christopher
  21. While we're all considering, let's also consider that the very concept of the cocktail stemmed from mixing subpar ingredients to make a more palatable potable. And so, with mbanu's observation, we come full circle. That said, I think the converse can also be true -- that the cocktail culture has led to *better* ingredients. Witness the rebirth of rye as a increasingly widespread spirit. Witness the ultrapremium vermouths like Vya and Carpano Antica. Witness the creation of Regan's Orange Bitters. And how about tequila -- premium brands are getting more and more expensive, not to mention growing in number. And agricole rum. And cachaca. And pisco. edited to add: Boy, I'm thirsty. Christopher
  22. One other nit to pick -- the Rosita should have both sweet and dry vermouth. But agreed, very nice list! Christopher
  23. 44 & X (44th at 10th Ave) is decent for comfort food. Half a block north is Hallo Berlin, if you want to satisfy your Oktoberfest jones. Daisy May's BBQ (46th at 11th) is decidedly not dressy and does some creditable BBQ. Christopher
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