La Niña

Steve, not only swiss chard - whatever greens he's in the mood for - this time it was frisee. And it's zaatar he uses.

I think Kabab Cafe is my favorite place on earth at the moment. I can't stop going, and it's been that way for months. Ali is among the most charming people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. This is a real gem of a place. (Yes, his brother, Mustafa, does own Mombar, a few doors down - some evenings they run back and forth, cooking together - a real treat)

Well...what's the venue? Is there a stove/microwave/regular oven, or do things need to be room temperature?

I would love to participate. I'll accept any assignment category, happily...

*Some* people don't dress up anymore to go to the opera, theatre, etc. And I know that number is increasing. And I, for one, find it truly lamentable.

Broadway plays...and how about the opera? Or Carnegie Hall, etc? Is it not a sign of respect, or a mark of the "occasion-ness" of it to dress differently than you might, say, to hang out at a bar? Is there/should there be a distinction between these things, as manifested in the way we dress? I think so, hope so. The opera feels different to me than a bar, and I want to demonstrate that outwardly. It's also an indication of the specialness, the out-of-the-ordinariness of the event. If not in the way we dress, than how to make the distinctions?

A contradiction: given your stated feelings, why then do you "automatically" dress nicely?

Barring an interview of every stranger we encounter, on what basis do we then "judge" people? The way we dress, and present ourselves externally in general, is a statement of some kind, a representation of ourselves that we choose to show to the public.

Of course the appearance of other patrons affects the experience of others patrons. Part of what one goes to a fine restaurant for is for the spectacle of it, a particular kind of ambience, and that ambience is made up in part by the appearance and behavior of patrons and staff. To those people who feel that it's "just about the food and service," I ask - how would you feel if you're spending gobs of money on your meal, in an upscale place, and the wait staff dressed in shorts and t-shirts? The problem I see is that those of us who do feel that dressing well in such places is respectful and appropriate are not given the choice of that kind of atmosphere as long as others feel differently. Hence places with dress codes.

I cannot begin to tell you how refreshing this is for me to read. I have spent the last 2 days on "another site" being flamed, called a fascist, compared to the taliban, all because I expressed my dismay at the falling standards of dress in fine restaurants and other venues like the opera, etc. It got so contentious it's almost unbelievable. I'd love to hear what this gang thinks about this topic, in general. What makes a restaurant "upscale?" Why does the dress/appearance of other patrons affect our enjoyment (it certainly does mine)?

The coffee I had at Sabarsky was filter coffee, not espresso (not expresso, certainly :-)

I loved the desserts at Sabarsky. Superb sacher torte, wonderful dobosch torte, and outstanding apple strudel. The savory dishes were okay, nothing too interesting. The coffee was superb - and they bring it in from Vienna.

...or even de rigeur...

Go for it baby, go for it. I ain't going to sleep any time soon.

The name is Peter Cuce, by the way, not Paul whatever you said. And I had a beer, for those interested. I didn't think the meat was overcooked because it was Luger's fault, I think we should have ordered it rarer than we did, in all cases. Unfortunately, shy little demure me didn't open my mouth loud enough (but oy, look at my competition)... ...and Plotnicki, which particular view were we all wrong about?

Plotnicki, we all had the same view on the issue...you lookin' for a fight? :p