plattetude

Point taken, and no snarkiness intended. A useful feature of the search option available in the eGullet portal is to limit the search to thread titles only, in which case, you could've searched all of eGullet and come up with a pretty targeted result set. (And I post this here rather than as a PM since it may be good knowledge to share with others as well.) Christopher

Another option is to search these boards. More specifically the NJ boards. Or just click here. Christopher

I'd rather reply in a way that neither gets up the dander of those who've chastised me for even bringing this up, or gets up my own dander. Frankly, I'm not sure that'll be possible, but here goes. First, an update: we did go to Pegu, and planned to go in shifts with our friend. As I finished my first round, I called my wife to let her know I'd stroll with our youngin while she enjoyed the vibe. It should be noted that it was shortly after 5 on a Sunday, and there was perhaps one other party at the other end of the room. I decided, why not ask if they'd abide a stroller for a quick round, which I did ask, and was graciously told there'd be no problem. No one on the staff batted an eye as I brought the stroller in and we set up in an out-of-the-way corner. We all had our round and left. Toby never made much of a peep, other than to coyly flirt with the waitstaff. If any patrons were distressed, they were extremely discreet about it. And of course, if our son had made any sort of scene, we would not have stayed longer than it took to settle up and hustle out. [incidentally, although I asked the question of whether it would be okay to bring the baby in in such a way as to allow "no" for an answer, and was told, with no hesitation, that it wouldn't be a problem, as we were leaving, it was communicated to us by someone else that it is not their policy to permit children of any shape or size.] As for the bigger-picture, slippery-slope, "parents today think they're entitled to everything" arguments, I'll only say that the general case is the general case, but please don't ascribe your thoughts and prejudices to an individual you don't know (whether that individual is me, my wife, or our friend). We never intended this was something we'd do regularly, or frankly even more than once. (And our friend never felt slighted in the least by "sharing" us with our son, by the bye.) And certainly we're sensitive to the idea that this question has the potential to upset people and bring their high dudgeon down mightily; if we thought it was generally acceptible, would I even have brought up the question? The opening of Pegu Club was of extremely high interest to me and my wife, having been big fans of Bemelmans and having been chomping at the bit since we'd first heard word of it. It was extremely important to both of us to get there as soon as we could after they opened, and we tried to make it a time that would maximize our enjoyment and minimize our impact. All the opinions given upthread are certainly taken in the spirit they're meant, but please do realize that my wife and I know that babies aren't appropriate in all places at all times. We had a lovely dinner out at Venue this weekend and had no qualms leaving our son home. Conversely, we absolutely love the fact that we now have a place like The Cup Joint to have a great dinner that's fully family-friendly. None of that has any bearing on what we were asking about at the top of this thread, and again, if we felt entitled to bring a baby everywhere, I certainly wouldn't even have posed the question. In any case, this thread came about from a very specific question about a very specific circumstance that wound up having a workable resolution. The point is obviously moot by now, and I fully understand that by opening up this can of worms in this forum, I asked for whatever broad brush strokes are going to be splattered my way. I also realize that I shouldn't have asked the general case, knowing my own intentions for having this be a one-off situation, and expect everyone here to have gleaned those intentions. (Not that I'd expect knowing that would've changed many, or any, opinions expressed here, nor should they have necessarily done so.) If Toby wants another Fitty-Fitty, he'll have to ask his daddy to make it for him, just like any other baby. Say, anyone have any suggestions for getting a nipple on a cocktail glass? Christopher

Indeed it is the Jupiter. I've tried it once or twice, but didn't have oranges handy to juice freshly and hence used carton OJ. Worked okay enough, but hasn't quite seemed to come together the way I'd hoped. I'd done a bit of poking on cocktaildb.com when putting together my New Year's Eve cocktail list for inspiration on other uses for Parfait Amour, and gave Parfait Amour Cocktail a try. A bit on the sweet side, but made for an excellent after-dinner cocktail, I must say. I'm definitely curious to hear other good uses for this liqueur.... Christopher

Yeah, it's steep all right. But I think the Old Potrero Straight Rye is amazing stuff. If you see it at a bar and they're not charging $25 a shot for it, give it a taste at the very least. My wife and I each pined for it for years after having tasted it at a whiskey tasting a while back, and a dear friend gave us a bottle on the occasion of the birth of our son last year. When we cracked it open, what amazed me was how very smooth it was; I expected (and recalled) much more of a spicy bite to it. But man how it lingers, and man how it warms.... Christopher

I did a club for a good 2+ years that no longer exists -- Great Beers of Belgium, run by RealBeer.com, the retail portion of which has since been subsumed by beveragebistro.com. My membership was converted to "Michael Jackson's Rare Beer Club", but I didn't stick it out too long, having already amassed a substantial backlog of brews (many of which, being bottle-conditioned, I can afford to take my time getting through). It's a decent option, I'd say, with a number of price-points for varying quantities, and will definitely get your husband some off-the-beaten path beers from pretty much all over. Christopher

There's also the option of some really great little South American tapas-style plates at Cucharamama, at 3rd and Clinton. Christopher

According to a NYTimes article from last December, Per Se and Aquavit fill that bill in NYC, among others. Brief excerpt follows (focusing on French Laundry, whose beverage service is likely comparable to Per Se): Incredibly, the folks at Per Se didn't make any effort to talk up the idea of non-alcoholic beverage pairings when my pregnant-at-the-time wife and I were there last year, much to our chagrin. The article was published a few weeks later, otherwise, it's certainly something she'd have asked for (rather than nursing her sole illicit glass of champagne through the full meal). Christopher

Anything to report on your trip, Lori? Inquiring gullets want to know! Christopher

I've grabbed Rittenhouse Bonded a few times at Crossroads, 14th St at 6th Ave. Rye choices are slowly but surely increasing everywhere over the past few years.... Christopher

As I recall, the Negroni was actually a variation called the Cornwall Negroni, in tribute to Gary Regan. It included Punt e Mez and Regan's Orange Bitters #6 along with the standard Campari and gin (Plymouth, I think it was), and a flamed orange peel. The "applejack manhattan" was actually more a reverse applejack manhattan called Perfect Parallel, having sweet and dry vermouth as the base and applejack in lesser amount. A crabapple slice serves as garnish. (I tried one of each the other night. Both superb in their very different ways.) Christopher

Gin, maraschino liqueur, and lemon. And much more than the sum of its parts (as is frequently the case with cocktails having maraschino). See here for a full discourse.... Me, I've been completely enamored of the Last Word cocktail for the past few months. Sooooo complex and yummy. And purdy too. Christopher

Here's a NYTimes review by David Corcoran. Based on the review, it kind of sounds like "Alinea Lite" with it's unconventional serving pieces and preparations, but maybe that's overstating the case. Anyway, Mr. Corcoran surely enjoyed it, rating Venue as "Excellent." A brief excerpt: Other weird accent notes mentioned include "madras curry cotton candy," "verjus-flavored cherry leather that is chewy and then yielding, like jerky." I'm certainly intrigued.... Christopher

As I'd mentioned in the Campari thread a while back, I think the Lucien Gaudin cocktail from this book is lip-smackin' good, and a real unexpected treat. And I'm reminded that it's been too long since I've availed myself to one! Christopher

I'm not sure I reach the same conclusion that the St. Sixtus monks "don't want American customers." It's more a matter that they know they can't (and choose not to) meet demand and that they're warning customers from buying it from black market sources. I don't see any anti-American bias in that, just a commitment to (a) quality and (b) fairness. My two cents. Christopher

A recent and very welcome addition to the State College dining scene is Zola's New World Bistro, at 324 W. College Ave. My wife and I had a sublime dinner on our most recent trip to Dear Old State last year. It's a fusion-y bistro menu (I had a whole roasted bass with an asian inspired dipping sauce), but everything was very well executed. It seemed to us like it was aiming for a NYC-trendoid kind of vibe, with modern design elements and the eclectic menu, but damned if it didn't deliver. Creditable bar there as well, and a fairly decent list of wines. Other, more off-the-beaten-path options include Schnitzel's, in Bellefonte (315 W. High Street), which is a very good German place with charm and character. And Gamble Mill, also in Bellefonte (160 Dunlap Street), is a rustic old mill with plenty of excellent entrees to offer (in the Continental vein, I suppose). Good for a night out, to be sure. Mario and Luigi's is decent Italian, but the nearest outpost is now a drive from campus, on North Atherton St. The original location on S. Garner St. is now Beulah's Bar-B-Que, which I believe is a new venture (well, newish) by Mario & Luigi's owners. Others may spring to mind in time, but there are a few thoughts... Christopher

Here are some eGulletacious ideas. Christopher

More on the jazz club front -- I'll stick in my 4 cents for Jazz Standard (27th St. just east of Park Ave) for having not only excellent jazz in a great room but having some extremely creditable bbq, either for snacking or for a full-on dinner, as it shares the kitchen with Danny Meyer's Blue Smoke. The bar has an excellent list of bourbons and some decent house cocktails, and a house beer brewed by esteemed Brooklyn Brewery brewmaster Garrett Oliver. [edited to add this link, that I knew I'd find eventually] Christopher

I've seen it quite a few places. A quick web search found it at Astor Wines and Spirits, and I know I've seen it in my local A&P in Hoboken as well as Hoboken's liquor megastore, Sparrow. It's definitely available and has been for a few months at least. Christopher

One of the local cheesesteak chains during my college days (CC Peppers at Penn State) called the lettuce/tomato/mayo version the "California cheesesteak". Christopher

Well, I'd say the best bet for Mexican would be Charritos, which is between 1st and 2nd on Washington St. Oaxacan dishes, primarily -- a very good mole, and some excellent guac made tableside. No liquor license, though, so BYOTequila. They're opening, or at least trying to open, a second location uptown, between 10th and 11th on Washington, but work there seemed to stall for a good few months. Not Mexican, per se, but more South American, and worth a visit or 10 is Cucharamama, at 3rd and Clinton. Same owners as pan-Latin joint Zafra, but a bit more upscale, and they do serve alcohol. Great, well-priced wine list, including plenty by the glass, and they do amazingly good stuff with cocktails and spirits of the Latino world (emphasis on rum and pisco). Food skews to Peruvian, but it's pretty rangy in terms of influences, and the small plates are phenomenal (as are the entrees, but the small plates really shine). Christopher

We're certainly not entertaining the notion of getting blitzed at 10pm and staggering out at 3am. Honestly, I'm sure it may seem we're being utterly self-centered and boorish to even consider bringing an infant to a bar. The bottom line though, is that we only spend time with him on weekends; we don't want to leave him behind if we're trekking into Manhattan for an afternoon/early evening. And he's been so incredibly well-behaved in so many different environments that we don't even think twice about toting him along most times. Our most notable major adventure with him was on Father's Day, when we had a grand ol' time wandering through the Flatiron District and across to the Meatpacking District where I cautiously asked the host at 5 Ninth if we'd be welcome with our stroller. Not only were we welcome, but we essentially had the area near the bar all to ourselves (it being mid-afternoon on a Sunday), and we had a fabulous time (and a couple of fabulous drinks). Based on that experience, it never seemed like a great leap to consider having him with us at Pegu. Anyway, thanks for all the replies so far... Quite a hot-button issue, I see! Christopher

General question from a very specific concern: What's the etiquette and propriety concerning bringing wee ones (pre-toddler age) to a fine drinking establishment? I'd love opinions from both sides of the stick. Obviously, an ill-behaved child will not be well-received anywhere, but if the child is relatively quiet and under full supervision, does the mere presence of, say, a stroller in a bar rankle both barkeeps and bar patrons? I ask specifically because Pegu Club in NY has seemed to set up a kind of "adults only" vibe by having hours starting at 5pm. Audrey had mentioned way back in an earlier topic about having a kind of "new parents gathering" around Christmas (yes please!) where parents with babies would have the run of the place, which indicated that otherwise, perhaps kids aren't quite appropriate here. And I fully respect and understand that point of view, of course. Nevertheless, my wife and I are hoping to visit Pegu Clubu this weekend with some friends, and are currently thinking to have our 7-month-old in tow. We'd hardly want to be tossed out on our ear, nor would we want to assume too much graciousness be granted us, grudgingly or otherwise. Paternally, Christopher

Well, having been a few times now, I'll chime in with a brief report. It's REALLY GOOD. Those who'd like a little more detail, here goes: it's a small, unassuming space, and between the diner-like atmosphere and diner-ish menu, well, there's plenty of excellent touches that make it all stand a cut above. The lone server (and co-owner, I believe), Jeff, is never overly solicitous, always helpful, and always good-natured. Yes, it's casual, but hey, it's a neighborhood joint. And one certainly worth a detour. Tonight, my wife and I each started with the Symphony Salad, which was greens (mostly romaine, I think, chopped to bite-size, with some watercress) with almonds, crumbled blue cheese and dried apricots with a honey vinaigrette. The sweetness of the vinaigrette and apricots played beautifully off the piquant blue cheese, with the sliced almonds adding just the right crunch and added flavor. My wife had one of the two specials (and at 7pm, nearly the last order of it available) which was a hangar steak sandwich with sauteed onions and muenster on grilled garlic bread. Oh. My. God. Really superb, the steak in a substantial rough chop, onions well browned and impossibly sweet, and the muenster adding its unique funkiness. Granted, it was standard US-style muenster slices, and not the gloppy, super pungeant Alsatian kind, but it did its job well. Oh, and a side of very nice cole slaw (mayo-based), with the cabbage in fairly toothsome strips and not minced ala KFC slaw. I went for the hangar steak entree. A very good size couple of hunks of meat, prepped as requested to perfect medium-rare status. Marinade tasted a bit like a teriyaki, which may have been influenced by (or did influence) the choice of sides -- a simple, but elegant, basmati rice, done with garlic-infused olive oil and tossed with chopped scallions and lots and lots of black pepper, ground fine enough that it generated a slow-building heat without being too aggressive; and pan-roasted (and perhaps parcooked first) cauliflower, again with the same generous coating of black pepper. Other meals we've tried have included the superb meatloaf, gnocchi, and a few of the sandwiches (a very creditable Cuban sandwich among them). The signature salad (mentioned and pictured in one of Markk's posts above) is elegantly sublime, the mac 'n' cheese appropriately decadent. We've yet to get there for breakfast, but the cinnamon-rum french toast sounds like a winner. And the hangar steak makes an appearance at breakfast in the steak and eggs. There was mention tonight in passing of finding a bigger space; maybe said in jest, but if it comes to pass, we're in for a real treat, I tell you! Christopher P. S. Extra special bonus of tonight's dinner -- we caught Rosie on her way out as we were getting settled with our little one, and when Jeff mentioned her name, my wife called out, "Are you Rosie from eGullet Rosie?" Which prompted a nice little exchange to kick off our meal. Very nice to meet you, Rosie!

<salivating> So... About that Pegu Club opening... Do we know anything more than "August"? </salivating> Christopher