SobaAddict70

New York Times Weekly Update (continued) Wednesday, 26 January 2005 B. Elsewhere in today's Times... Beyond Diet Soda....Low-Calorie Rum (Melanie Warner) Echoes Of "The Jungle" (Steven Greenhouse) When Food Itself Makes You Sick (David Gonzalez) Bond 45 (Mervyn Rothstein) Choice Tables: Naples, Florida (Sam Sifton) Soba

New York Times Weekly Update Wednesday, 26 January 2005 A. Dining In/Dining Out Section Spirits of the Times (Eric Asimov) Sidebar: If you navigate your web browser to the article's web page, you can hear an online audio presentation given by Mr. Asimov, Florence Fabricant, William L. Hamilton (author of the Shaken and Stirred column in the Sunday NYT Styles section) and Eben Klemm (director of cocktail development at the BR Guests Restaurant Group), on a selection of vodkas. Click on the box entitled "Spirits of the Times" to begin the presentation. Related discussion of the article can be found here. The Mother Of All Food Courts (Frank Bruni) The Minimalist (Mark Bittman) Sapa (Frank Bruni) Click here to contribute your experiences. Discussion regarding Mr. Bruni's performance as main restaurant critic for the New York Times can be found by clicking here. Taci's Beyti (Kim Severson) Tales Of A Cider House (Peter Meehan) Dining Out Downtown (Jennifer Steinhauer) The Chef (Dana Bowen) Bits and Pieces (Florence Fabricant) Hamburger America (Melena Ryzik) Beyond Foam (Melissa Clark) Pairings (Florence Fabricant) Recipe: Liptauer Cheese Spread Correction Recipes in this week's section: 1. Manhattan Clam Chowder with Hake and Chorizo 2. Spaetzle 3. Pasta In Broth 4. Fast Potato 'Gnocchi'

Aquavit (Frank Bruni) Soba

Do I dare plunge in and defend Jewel Bako? (I'm in the process of re-evaluating JB (my still-current favorite of all NYC sushi) with Tsuki, but that's another story.) Jewel Bako (main thread) Some tips and advice: 1. Make a reservation at the sushi bar. 2. Go early. 3. Get the top level omakase. 4. Ask to pair sakes with your courses. (I don't drink but others who do have reported that this enhances your experience.) 5. Plan on spending approx. $100, perhaps more with the sake pairing and wine. Be prepared to be amazed, or at least suitably impressed...or not. Soba PS. And once you have gone to JB, your next mission should you accept it is to investigate Sushi Yasuda, Kurumazushi and Masa respectively. Sushi Yasuda vs. Kurumazushi Sushi Yasuda Masa and Bar Masa

So...is minestrone next up? Natural use of beans and Parm rinds, among other things. I've been thinking of ribolitta for a while now, as well. Soba

It might build character, but not when it's bone-chillingly cold with a wind chill of 27 below as was the case a few nights ago. Being a spineless jellyfish suits me just fine. Soba

Flaky brioche or a giant toasted sesame seed bun Ground chuck, broiled, with salt/pepper; a decent sized patty that's neither too small or too large and cooked to medium rare throughout. Slice of beefsteak tomato Some romaine or butter lettuce Maybe a slice of avocado or some melted jack or cheddar. hand cut fries, or beer-battered onion rings. a mound of coleslaw on the side with a thick kosher dill pickle. *sigh* Soba

Ghee is really nice as a cooking fat. Once you try making it, you'll almost never go back to EVOO again. (kidding) I love it's nutty fragrance whenever I make it. Soba

New York Times Weekly Update Wednesday, 19 January 2005 Dining In/Dining Out Section A Hot Time In The Old Town, Tonight (Marian Burros) Related discussion regarding this article can be found here. Click here for discussion regarding Citronelle. Click here and here for discussion regarding Il Laboratorio del Galilieo. Click here for discussion regarding Charlie Palmer Steak. Click here for discussion regarding Equinox 818. Vietnam-by-the Potomac (R.W. Apple, Jr.) Homemade Arak, In Lebanon (Neil MacFarquhar) Little Giant (Frank Bruni) Click here to discuss your experiences. Click here for related discussion regarding Frank Bruni's performance as main restaurant critic for the New York Times. Brown (Peter Meehan) The Minimalist (Mark Bittman) At My Table (Nigella Lawson) Bits and Pieces (Florence Fabricant) Lunch with John Grisham (Frank Bruni) Recipes in today's update: 1. Roast Duck with Blueberry Sauce 2. Belgian Endive and Grain Mustard Salad 3. Lentils with Bulgur and Herb Salad 4. Whole-Grain Crostini with Beans and Greens 5. Vietnamese Stir-fried Vegetables with Chicken or Shrimp Dining In Washington, D.C. Noodles and More Arak in the U.S. Corrections

There have been stories (I kid you not!) of people coming home after having been away for several months at a time, only to find that they can't push their apartment door open because of the sheer mass of menus lodged directly behind. I'm not sure if this state of affairs has continued but at one point in time in the (distant) past, it was a quality of life issue in the UWS. Soba

Ok, now that I'm actually lucid and awake.... I think that had you ordered a few first courses, your experience might have differed slightly. Also, if you had communicated to your server a preference towards bringing out a few plates at a time as others have had whilst at Craft, your outlook might have changed. The foundation of Chef Colicchio's food at Craft, as I'm sure you're well aware, is to present ingredients in as close to a simple state as possible by bringing out or emphasizing a particular ingredient's characteristics or flavors. Thus when you say that sort of misses the point of what the kitchen is trying to do. Rather than complexity, more like simplicity. Courses tend to be a more formalized presentation of a meal's progression. "Extreme ala carte" is a simplification of what the restaurant is trying to do. The concept behind Craft is to allow diners to be in full control of their meal, right down to timing, execution and presentation. Finally, the rating itself. A "6" indicates to me that Craft is a step slightly above "average". Now, we know that the star system at the Times doesn't lend itself particularly well when it comes to qualifications such as "average". "Average" is subjective, much like the NYT's star ratings. For instance, two star restaurants such as Hearth and Blue Hill are widely held as borderline three-stars, yet they are lumped in the same category as say, Churrascaria Plataforma or Eight Mile Creek (no offense to their proprietors). Which of these restaurants truly deserves a two star rating? If two stars are considered "average" in the Times' universe of stars, then which of these is truly average? A "6" rating doesn't really fit Craft. Perhaps to you, on that particular night. I would rate it higher, perhaps a 7 or an 8. At the end of the day, what really matters is if your experience lived up to your expectations. Did you have a good time? Was the food enjoyable? Would you return at a later date? Would you recommend the restaurant to other people? The answers to these questions are just as important as any numerical or other type of rating you assign to a restaurant....at least, in my opinion. Best, Soba

Wu Liang Ye (if you like Sichuan food). If you're willing to venture farther afield (by eight blocks), Grand Sichuan on 50th and 9th might be an option. Soba

What's the great evil in menus slipped under the door? They're a lot more useful than most of the junk mail I receive, and I never know when I'm going to want food delivered. I put all of those menus in a drawer, so they'll be there when I need them. ← The great evil is that if a resident is not at home for an extended period of time, then that's almost an invitation to burglarize an apartment. It's also litter, if you think about it. I can appreciate the value of menus but after a while, it becomes less of a service and more of an infestation. Soba

It's 2:45 am right now and I can't really give full justice to tetsu's review at the moment. I have to get up in four hours to go to the gym and then the office. As usual, Justin's review is extremely well-written, thought-provoking and controversial. And as usual, I disagree with his rating. *shrug* I'll come back with more later, but for now I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree. Justin, if perchance you happen to read this betwixt now and later today, you may find the following threads regarding Craft to be of interest: What's all the hype about? Saturday Dinner At Craft Vienna's dinner at Craft From Britain, With Love Craft, with pictures Craft Is Dull I will assume that you have not yet read them. Not all are full of praise, by far. In closing, I think that you should give Craft a second chance and assessment. Soba

Julie Taras and Tasha Garcia, chefs and co-owners of Little Giant, present a "whimsical love child" born of the Lower East Side in post-contemporary New York City. Little Giant (Frank Bruni) (from the NYT DIGEST update for Wednesday, 19 January 2005. Scroll down for the appropriate link to the article.) Soba

Sorry...I am a bbq newbie here. What are a Kansas City-style sauce and St. Louis-style ribs? Soba

There's a Colombian bakery in Astoria on Broadway, between Steinway Street and 38th Street. Can't remember the name of the place (or even if it still exists), but the best cheese bread buns could be had there. Anyone familiar with the neighborhood and can confirm? I used to live in Astoria but haven't...not for several years. Soba

I'm almost afraid to ask if it tasted good... Soba

I'm pretty pedestrian when it comes to patties. There's a hot dog/falafel street cart on the corner of 50th and Park Avenue (northeast corner) that has them. The grilled dogs are kind of ok. Hey, you asked. Seriously, there probably are great beef patties that transcend street food...but I haven't encountered any thus far. Soba

Much obliged, Anna. I was being figurative, btw. That is just amazing. :drool emoticon: Soba

Do people have any idea why these have disappeared from the scene? Well, not necessarily disappeared. Smoothies seem to be a recurrance of milkshakes, except in a different form. Soba

Ohhhhh....that looks just incredibly divine! I'm hungry right now and it's all your fault. Is there a recipe somewhere? Please? Soba

I'd have to say Jamaican beef patties....unless they're not indigenous to NYC. Right behind a knish (with mustard and onions) and a Nathan's, of course. Soba

Dinner tonight was a beefburger deluxe (romaine, tomatoes, red onion) with fries and a chocolate milkshake. I've fallen in love with milkshakes and I can't quite get up. Now, I need to discover how to make them. Also, someone please explain to me what an egg cream is and why they're called that. And there's ice cream sodas. I understand these were once popular in New York (and the rest of the U.S.) but are not anymore. What are they and what goes in them...besides ice cream and soda? And R&W floats. Well...in my book, those have never gone out of style. So, what's your favorite? *slurp* Soba

New York Times Weekend Update Friday, 14 January 2005 -- Sunday, 16 January 2005 A. Dining In/Dining Out Section and the Sunday Magazine Culinary Samurai, With Wusthofers Instead of Katanas (William Grimes) Bistro du Vent (Frank Bruni) Click here to contribute your experiences. Click here for related discussion regarding Mr. Bruni's performance as restaurant critic for the New York Times. Good Eating: In Honor of National Soup Month Click here for related discussion regarding 52 soups in 53 1/2 weeks. Unusual Cargo (Matt Lee and Ted Lee) Wine Under $20 (Howard G. Goldberg) B. Elsewhere in this weekend's Times... In Memoriam: Charlie Bell (The Associated Press) Have a good week, folks. Soba