emilymarie

anyone been--? Am trying to decide between Applewood and La Lunetta for a birthday dinner next week. Have been to Applewood and like it but am not sure if La Lunetta would be a better choice for a group. any thoughts?

Anyone been to Centro Vinoteca and have any reports? Should I visit? And any recent reports on Gusto? Am looking for some good W. Village Italian. Thanks.

Does anyone know anything about 743 Bistro?

I am curious--has one of the chefs left Trattoria Fresco?

Where is Allwood Bakery exactly?

who doesn't have that dream?

It's Packanack Bakery on the East side of 23. It just says Bakery on it. They have old fashioned cruellers dusted with cinnamon sugar or with powdered sugar--and maybe also plain--that I think are out of this world. And they had an Irish soda bread on st. patrick's day that was delicious right out of the oven. They don't make everything (like the cookies) but they make everything else. The simpler things are best. I love the crumb cake too. Try it and let me know.

anyone know of good donuts near montclair area? I'm willing to drive. there's a bakery on rte 23 that has pretty good old fashioned cruellers, which is a fall back.

alright. my bad. i will now back down!

Well I don't want one course after the other either but the service was not just relaxed and well-timed it was too slow and uneven. We did wait a bit too long at the end of our meal for our dessert. I had the feeling that they had already started to close up shop... And as far as restaurants meriting an amuse. I guess I was thinking as much about the amuse we had at Fascino when I made this comment. It was some hot zucchini soup in a shot glass next to a piece of too-crunchy Italian bread with a plop of olive tapenade on it. With some micro greens thrown on top. It didn't do a thing to enhance my meal but is more, in my opinion, given to suggest that I am dining at a "fancy" restaurant. To me it said: We have to do an amuse tonight. What do we have. That is the same feeling I got at Passionne with the amuse. NOT with the rest of my meal, let me say again! All that said, I really liked both restaurants and will be back, but there are a few things about both that I'd prefer to do without!

I had dinner here a few months ago and didn't report but will after having seen this. The restaurant space is nice inside, very sedate and dark (though perhaps a bit too dark for my taste). Our meal was very good though a few points: -I don't need an amuse from every restaurant. If I'm at the Modern or at Daniel I want an amuse but not if it's a Thursday night and I'm at Passionne. I know it's a high-end restaurant but to me, the place does not merit an amuse. I can't remember what we had. To me a more casual welcome from the chef would be more appropriate and in tune with the restaurant space (immediate and more general) -First Course: I had a very classic bistro salad with small pieces of escarole, lardons, blue cheese and croutons. It was perfectly dressed and seasoned and very balanced. It was presented in a nice, tight bundle on the plate and very nice. My cousin had a wild mushroom tart that was also delicious. -Entree: I had the short ribs which came with delicious, creamy mashed potatoes. The ribs were tender and seasoned well but needed more sauce. My cousin had the lobster crepes which I think needed a creamier sauce. It seemed to thin to me and a bit dry overall. -Dessert: Profiteroles. They were delicious! My one real complaint about the place is that the service was so slow. I think we waited 10 minutes to get our profiteroles, and maybe longer. It was a Wednesday and we were 1 of 2 or 3 tables in there. I will be back and if they improve their service then I think it will be a very welcome and needed addition to the area!

Thanks for the tips! I'll try to get out to the meetinghouse one night. I'm making a special trip to Primo on Sunday night. Bowdoin actually has a nice tradition: They have a lobster bake on the night before the graduation for grads and their families. I may be lobster-ed out but might make the drive for some good sight-seeing. thanks, again.

We will probably go via I-95 as we'll be leaving around 6PM. I think we'll be by-passing Providence. thanks!

I am travelling to Bowdoin from Westchester, NY for the Bowdoin graduation over Memorial Day weekend. We will be leaving late at night and travelling north from around 7 to midnight. I have a couple of question: -What are some good restaurants that we might hit on our way up to Brunswick for dinner? I would like to avoid fast food. Are there any diners or spots close to the highway that would be open late for a good and quick bite? -Once in Bruswick, what spots should we hit--for breakfast, coffee, snacks, lunch, dinner? This is my first time to Maine and I want to eat as much great food as possible! Please advise and thanks!

Gencarelli's Bakery in wayne has the best version with a thin, chocolate shell. Divine!

i never ate here but it was the spot of my parents' first date--36 years ago. it's sad to see it's gone. i never got to eat there.

There will be--and thank you for replying again, Michael. I was as anxious as he was. I'm really excited for this show... take care.

So, have the 12 finalists been chosen? Would my friend have been notified by now if he were chosen? thanks. I'm really looking forward to watching this show...

thank you, michael.

Does anyone know when people will start getting calls back? I see that the deadline for mail-in applications is Friday... any info? my friend applied and is eagerly/anxiously ( ) waiting. thanks.

I caught a few minutes of the show last night but had to turn it off when the blonde woman (who came on right after the farfalle with salmon, peas, and mint) started talking. She looked so nervous it made ME uncomfortable. Any rate, what I saw reeks of Martha--and that's a wonderful thing in my opinion. From the color palette to the absolute neat, uncluttered set. It's like a tease of things to come soon (I hope). I like that the recipes seem really simple and healthy. And I am sure once the hosts calm down and ease into their new positions it'll be a show full of good tips and recipes. It seems that they're going for a very teacher-to-student/one-on-one approach in how they talk about what they're doing, like they are trying hard to seem friendly and approachable. It's everyday food, let's not be stuffy about it, would seem to be their intended tone. They're not quite there yet. Still seems a bit too tense, coiffed, and strained for that--not to mention the fact that Martha's presence is definitely hovering over the set. And let's be honest, Martha's not freewheeling, breezy, or cool--at least on television. It can develop into a nice alternative to the garbage that has become the Food Network and to all of the other wonderful, but otherwise decadent food demonstrated on WLIW. One night, you cook Lidia, the next you cook Martha Everyday.

I'd like to second, third, and fourth the votes for Gotham. Had dinner there last night--for the first time in about 4 to 5 years. Lovely, very comfortable and un-stuffy evening. Had foie gras with gingerbread crust, quince and pomegranate. Dining cohort had risotto with applewood smoked bacon, duck confit and cabbage. Very nice. Dinner was lobster over black trumpet mushrooms, shredded savoy cabbage and cauliflower with lobster sauce (not enough) and a delicious cauliflower custard. Also tasted venison with spinach and butternut squash puree in huckleberry sauce. Good, but much preferred mine. Dessert was white chocolate and peanut butter mousse with 2 tiny bites of banana cake with a chocolate ganache or frosting with caramelized bananas. Also had Gotham chocolate cake, almost mousse-like, dense, and rich, with buttermilk ice cream, which very much tasted to me like cheesecake. The service was attentive and everything about the place just made for a quiet, relaxing dinner. Very lovely! If that were my neighborhood (and if money was no object) I would certainly make it a regular spot.

great responses. i suppose everyone has their own method for making lobster stock, hence the advice to use only heads. on this one, though, i'm going to go with the consensus and give lobster stock another try, using the whole shells and roasting them in the oven. i love the idea of treating lobster stock like a meat stock. i toasted them on top of the stove in the stock pot when i made it the first time, but that didn't yield much flavor. My final question--Per every 1.5 to 2 lb lobster, how much liquid am i adding, and how much final stock product can i expect.

i think he's referring to my original post--where i say that many have told me that it's heads-only. he can confirm or deny, i am sure-- . thnx again.

thanks all. so the reasoning is that you use the heads b/c that's where all of the guts, etc. are. but once you remove the guts, etc. isn't it just the same as using other parts? unless the stuff, etc. flavors the shells, which it very well might. dano1, I have some questions about your post: "Remove the guts out of the heads(this is what we're using)" -So you use only the heads? i apologize if i'm misreading. "For a bisque, i'll use the shells also and berr as part of the process." -What does berr mean?