chefdavidrusso

I'd give my vote to Glen Rock Hot Bagels. To me, a bagel place has to have 3 important qualities (all of which GRHB has)...#1 - good fresh bagels made on-site, #2 - they'll put the schmeer on the bagel for you (discounting for a moment my agreement with Rachel that most places put on too much), and #3 - it's got to be fairly close by and convenient. My sunday morning bagel is generally not something I want to drive a 1/2 hour for, but that's just me. Bagelicious in Ridgewood also fits in there, too.

Ok...here's the situation so far: I am finally in a position where I can release some of the details of the project, becasue I have in fact been given the job for which I was designing these menus. They are for a new avocational, community cooking school that is opening in Manhattan, hopefully sooner rather than later. I am going to be the Exec Chef/Director of Culinary Operations/whatever. The mandate from the woman who is opening the school was to design menus for the classes that reflect an urban sensibility in terms of cuisines, ingredients, and techniques. Obviously we don't have to set the trends - rather we just need to be aprised of them and keep current with them. Perhaps that in and of itself is "suburban"...I don't know. That being said, the trick is to also design menus that appeal to a wide range of ability levels - menus that won't overwhelm the novice, but will keep the interest of an advanced home cook. There are many other aspects to this cooking school which I won't go into here, so as to keep the discusion on-topic. But if anyone is interested in knowing more, you can feel free to PM me. And I will certainly make some announcement of it's opening whenever that happens (to whatever extent I am allowed to on the site). So back to the main discussion....as I said, in one of her emails to me she wrote of designing menus that "were not too suburban", and I opened this thread to try to help clarify exactly what that meant. I had my ideas, but I was interested to know what others out there thought. I liked Busboys comments a couple of posts back...howvere i am reminded of an article in the NYT food section that came out a couple of weeks ago. It noted that most of the restaurants around hte city were doing not-so-different riffs on alot of the same ingredients or dishes. I summarise the examples by saying that one restaurant may serve Basil-Scented Ahi Tuna with Morel Mushroom Risotto and be called mediterranean, while another restaurant would serve Cardamom-crusted Ahi Tuna with Coconut Risotto and be called "Sub-Continental". So much for innovation and creativity. But anyway...that's where things stand for now

I second this suggestion. I grew up not far from this place and not only are their soups fantastic, but their breads are as well. Actually my first introduction to Soupe Du Jour was for their Sunday brunch, which still ranks as one of my all-time favorites. Definitely check it out.

Hello Chef - I'm reading "American Pie" right now, and I'm heartened by the emergence of more artisan pizzas around the country. In general I think that artisan production of ANY food product is a good thing. But I wonder what you think of what I call "joint" pizza...the kind of pizza that I grew up on and that most people are familiar with. The kind of pizza that you get by the slice with pepperoni and mushrooms. (The great comedian Jean Shepard joked that the quality of this kind of pizza was based on how far the grease ran down your arm. With a truly great slice, it made it all the way to your elbow.) Most of the time, when I am craving pizza, it is this kind of comfort/nostalgia experience that I want. Is there any place that you have come across that makes a great pie in that style (Koronet Pizza in NYC at 112th (?) and Broadway has always been one of my favorites), or do you think that this kind of pizza is simply a mockery of what pizza should be? Thanks!!

I find it an interesting trait of Chicago thin crust pizza that it is often cut into little squares rather than slices. I've still yet to understand that one.

I'm just curious why they had gyros at the Italian festival (the organizers, that is. Not John and his wife)

Interesting...didn't know that. I've certainly never experienced it.

It's funny...the whole time I was reading this exchange I kept thinking to myself "I wonder what Lou thinks of all this?" because you had such professional and well though comments after your NYT review.

I love Escolar...but I've never heard it referred to as the "poop" fish. What's up with that? I guess a better way would have been to say he "might" have had a ponytail, as in that I couldn't remember. And for the record, he looked NOTHING like John Cleese

So here are some impressions of our dinner at Village Green..... Everything I have read and heard about this restaurant had lead me to believe that it was one of (if not THE) top restaurant in the area. Overall I would definitely agree. Granted, I haven't eaten at half-a-handfull of the restaurants in the area, but I've been in the business long enough to know when a restaurant gets it right. First...the menu. We had the 5-course. 1st Course ME - Baby Greens and Frisee with Maytag Bleu, Strawberries, Candied Pecans and Cabernet Vinaigrette. MRS. - Heirloom Tomato Salad with Bleu Cheese, Crispy Shallots, Micro Greens, and Basil Oil. THE WINNER - Heirloom Tomato Salad. 2nd Course ME - Foie Gras with Cranberry Mango Bread Pudding, Red Wine Reduction ad Aged BAlsamic Drizzles MRS. - Crab Salad with Avocado, Greens, and Citrus Dressing THE WINNER - Foie (like it was ever really a contest) 3rd Course ME - Special....Apu with Bok Choy and Carrot Reduction Scented with Coconut MRS - Roasted Escolar on Shrimp Wonton with Tomato Sffron Broth THE WINNER - Apu 4th Course ME - Bonless Australian Lamb Loin on Eggplant Moutael, Peas, Roasted Peppers with Moroccan Sauce MRS - Filet Mignon with Whipped Potatoes, Fava Beans Morel Mushrooms with Red Wine Reduction THE WINNER - Lamb by a nose Dessert (descriptions lacking because I forget to get a dessert menu) ME - Bread Pudding MRS - Fallen Chocolate Cake THE WINNER - Tie Overall I would say that the quality of the food was excellent. And the Foie Gras...Oh My God!!!! It was perhaps the best prepared foie gras that I have had. And I'm not talking about the whole dish (which was excellent)...I just mean the liver itself. Perfectly seared, flavors were great....amazing. I thought that the breads were very good, and the butter was just warm enough to spread well without being too melted (a small pet peeve of mine) I thought the portion size was very good. I was completely satisfied but in no way stuffed after the five courses. (My wife was a little, but she just naturally eats less than I do) Her one criticism was that she felt all the food was a littl salty. Two caveats to that....#1) she has a lower salt sensitivity than I do, and #2) I surmised that becuase it's been a long time since we've eaten food that is that rich and unctuous, her palatte may not have been used to it. I did agree that her filet was perhaps a bit on he saly side, but in general I didn't think that it was an issue. The service I thought was very good. One thing that I did find a bit diconcerting was that when the host directed us to our table, he pointed and said "You'll be at that table by the window", rather than escorting us to the table. In the big picture I don't think it was a huge gaff, but something I definitely took notice of. Other than that the service was hig caliber. OUr waiter (very tall man, maybe had a ponytail, very gaunt face with almost sunken cheeks.....anybody know who I'm talking about?) was very knowledgable, offered excellent recomendations, and gauged our mood very well. A couple of the back waiters seemed a bit awkward, but stuff like that doesn't generally ruffle my feathers. To me, as long as I get my food in a timely manner and the server is polite and responsive, I'm a happy camper. Of course then the food has to be good.... About the table, we had the deuce in the front room by the window. Besides the fact that it looks out on the bus station I think it's a very nice table. I don't know how you all feel but I love to eat by a window. Must be the actor in me..... I would give it an A-; my wife said B+ mostly because of the salt issue.

So FINALLY my wife and I are going to get to the Village Green for dinner...and I know it's a lock because my in-laws are wathching our son. We're in there tomorrow at 8..anybody else going to be there? I'll post our selections and thoughts on Sunday.

No...actually I haven't talked to the client recently. She was on vacation for a couple of weeks, and then I was. And as a matter of fact I am going to email her today. I think I've gotten a handle on what she's looking for, and have come up with some options that she'll be happy with. Unfortunately, I can't really go into in much more detail at the moment (non-disclosure and all that). Perhaps it will all make a bit more sense when I can tell you everything about it....

Which I'm pretty sure is a concept that Gibson pilfered from something Philip K. Dick wrote 20 or 30 years earlier. Sorry I can't cite the specific reference. Gibson is great too & I'm going OT here so I'll stop. Yes. I think he was most heavily influenced by "Do Androids Dream of electric Sheep", which became the film "Bladerunner". I'm sure he was quite familiar with most of Dick's works. Not to get too far off my own topic....

So where is this place? And I'm getting the sense that it's a mid-price Italian place...is that the case?

I have to say that I never imagined my small question would spark this kind of discussion. God I love this group!!! Anyway...a couple of random comments: #1 - Reading about all the metropolitan areas and their expansions and swallowing of the suburbs, I can only think back to 1984 and William Gibson's Neuromancer and the Sprawl. For those who don't know, it was his premise that the entire area from Boston to Atlanta had become one giant city (BAMA - the Boston Atlanta Metropolitan Axis) #2 - I also find it interesting that even in what one might consider the most hip and most urban of cities (that is to say, New York) that there are varying degrees of hipness and urbanity. No one could ever clain that the Upper West Side (or Upper East for that matter) has nearly the "hip quotient" of the East Village. And like tisch said, that can hold true for any of the arts, culinary or otherwise.

Once again, Fat Guy, you have exibited the clarity and wisdom to get right to the meat of the question. You've gotten it exactly...how do you translate those sentiments into the food. Because really, everyone has access to the same ingredients, so it's not about that. It's what you do with them, how you bring them together on a plate in a way that is creative and interesting. It is stretching an ingredient's boundries while at the same time respecting it's history. Like you said....chicken wings are neither inherently urban nor inherently suburban. It's how you come to them that gives or takes away their banality.

I don't disagree with that at all. In fact one of my top 3 favorite restaurants is in the suburbs....of Gary, Indiana!!! (and when I say that, it's setting aside the once-in-a-lifetime places that I've eaten) However, it has been my experience that those restaurants in the suburbs that are great tend to bring with them an approach to food that one might generally call "urban". Rarely does that work in the opposite direction.

First of all...Carrot Top...excellent suggestion. Thank you. Secondly, after having given this some more thought, and having read your comments, here's where I'm at so far.... I don't think it's just a question of more refined or elaborate presentation...there are certainly plenty of great urban restaurants that are more rustic in their presentations, with the food left more in it's natural state. And I'm not sure that it's all about reinventing the wheel all the time. It is my personal opinion that restaurants that are always trying to rethink the way we eat or experience food can sometimes over-intelectualize the dining experience. To quote Mario Batali, are you making a statement or are you making diner? I myself prefer diner. Is it just a question of removing the safety net? I don't know. Urban diners don't want to walk the edge ALL the time. I'm thinking that it's using a mix of mundane and exotic ingredients, and bringing them together in unusual ways that still make sense, and still respect the ingredients cultural heretige. Just because I'm curious, are those of you who have posted Urban or Suburban folk? I myself have been both urban (NYC, Chicago) and suburban (the corresponding 'burbs of each city).

I'm working on a project doing some menu development where the target market is a hip, urban, probably single, crowd between their late 20's and late 30's. The person with whom I am working stressed the importance of catching that hip urban feel with the food, and "not being too suburban" (her words). This got me thinking...now days, is there really a difference between urban and suburban dining? Do those in the cities eat differently from those in the 'burbs, either at home or when dining out - especially with the proliferation of local farmer's markets, the availability of quality artisan products, and a generally more food-conscious consumer? What do you all think?

Babysitters

Absolutely! But I think we should go for dim sum...! I would be ALL OVER going for dim sum!!!

I was in Princeton today visiting my family and I stopped into the Bent Spoon for the first time for an after-lunch treat. FANTASTIC!!! I ended up having the chocolate gelato, but I tried their Heirloom Tomato Sorbet and bizarre but wonderful. Like the crispest, cleanest glass of tomato juice you have ever had. Got to talk to the husband half of the couple who owns it...he seems like a really nice guy, which always makes the buying experience that much better.

It definately sounds like I am in the minority here, but I don't think it's such a big deal for a restaurant to have a wine list instead of being BYO. Granted, BYO makes the experience that much less expensive. But in a ceratin way it also makes it more limiting...you can't make a food and wine decision that is in concert. You've already choosen your wine and are now stuck with it redardless of what you decide to eat. Since it is more often than not just my wife and I dining together, my prefered style of wine service is a vibrant "by the glass" system. That way I can let my wine choices shift with my food and my mood. But unfortunately resaurants don't generally have great "by the glass" offerings. I guess my point is that a strong case can be made for each system and that a restaurant shouldn't be written off for choosing one over another, especially if the food is as good as it sounds like it is at Rocca. Let's face it, they're just trying to make a buck, which is hard enough to do in this business without removing liquor sales from the mix. But I do agree that the restaurant then has a degree of responsibility to offer good wines at resonable prices. They are ceratinly out there, but I think everyone up the "wine chain" gets lazy and takes the wine path of least resistance. So there!!

Sorry I'm not going to be able to make it...I'm going to Tennessee for BBQ

So what is this place and where exactly is it? The name alone piqued my interest.