SobaAddict70

I predict something like two stars. I'd be surprised if it merited three. (But if it does, so much the better.) SA

what I don't get is that some takeout palaces will sell Lobster Sauce by either the pint or the quart all by itself. whether this is a potential moneymaker or not beats me. I always thought "x" with lobster sauce was a way for Chinese takeout palaces to market something seemingly exotic without going out on a limb and exerting the effort needed to produce something authentically exotic (i.e., REAL lobster sauce) -- hence the overuse of things like egg white in order to produce the APPEARANCE of something approximating crab or lobster. Its a cheap and relatively effective way to market a dish that has very little or no basis in reality whatsoever. Soba

Although I can't encapsulate the job of a restaurant critic in one sentence, I think the ideal trait all restaurant critics should exhibit is (in a word): consistency. Then you wouldn't have wildly differing outlooks vis a vis Otto and say Blue Hill (or some other place that recently merited two stars). Consistent standards (although keep in mind that standards vary from reviewer to reviewer) should be the mantra and the job description. Grimes probably has that in abundance -- unfortunately, recent reviews lend a different perception that his "standards" seem to have slipped. About rankings for decor, service and ambiance -- I thought the Times' review is supposed to be all about the overall package, with emphasis on the food. (Grimes seems to give equal weight to consideration of both food-centered and non-food centered aesthetics.) Take away the current outlook and then how would the NYTimes be any different from a Zagat? SA

No, you've got it right. The first time I had this, I thought I had died and gone to Chinese restaurant heaven. .... Just kidding. But it was this shy of amazing. SA

The pork with chestnuts and the pumpkin are two of my favorites for GSI. At GSC, its the minced pork with sour string beans and chiles, as well as the Green Parrot dish (can't remember the name) that number among my faves there. SA

I have this huge Indian vegetarian cookbook at home. It's a resource I refer to, almost constantly. I'm at work right now and can't remember the full title of the book, but the title is something like "Lord Krishna's Cuisine/Vedic Vegetarianism". Now, I'm not a vegetarian by any stretch of the imagination, although non-meat foods figure prominently in my diet. (Sorry Suvir, Malawry and others -- I can't imagine life without lamb and roast chicken. ) Amyway, the section on desserts in the cookbook is amazing. Anything from milk-based confections to halwas (this was where the carrot halwa came from), to pastries and fried things. One of the things I'm currently fascinated by are iced drinks that could almost double as dessert. (Lassi, of course, springs to mind as one example.) Others involve crushed ice drinks with flavored syrups. I think one of these drinks involves sandalwood. Any experience with these? SA

sauteed scallops [citrus butter sauce] winter root vegetable mash (carrots, turnips, rutabaga, one potato, LOTS of butter and cream, salt, pepper and minced parsley for color) sauteed escarole with garlic, red pepper and lemon fruit. Poland Spring. SA

A popular Filipino dish involves sauteeing thinly sliced onions in peanut or vegetable oil, until the onions are browned, adding browned garlic, then frying the corned beef in the onion/garlic mixture until heated through. Adjust seasoning to taste, and serve with fried rice, or as Jin suggests -- with eggs or atop a plain omelette. At least, this is the way I've had it in the past. (As a side note, on the Asian food similarities thread, this arose, along with other food items such as spam, out of the brief period where the Philippines was in American hands during WWII.) SA ediot: I'm assuming you're talking about corned beef HASH. If not, then don't pay attention to me.

Ok, I read somewhere about a dessert made entirely from milk and sugar: Boil or simmer milk with a bit of sugar dissolved to sweeten. As a skin forms, skim off the skin with a wooden spoon into a bowl, and let cool. Repeat this process until all of the milk has been collected. Carefully mix the collected skins, and serve immediately. It sounds like a lot of work for a milk-based pudding. Does anyone have a clue as to what this is, and has anyone ever had it? Does anyone have a recipe or method for making halvah? I seem to recall a carrot version from somewhere -- can't remember where. Best, Soba

tommy: try making an uncooked pasta sauce with EVOO, lemon juice, capers, minced Kalamata (or other Greek) olives, Italian flat-leaf parsley, minced red or Bermuda onion, grated lemon zest and Italian oil-packed tuna. The EVOO, lemon juice, tuna and parsley should form the basis of the sauce. You can replace the capers with a little sprinkle of bottarga. Use this with penne, fusilli, or other similar pasta. SA

Because there's not enough hours in the day for me to be addicted to e-gullet AND to a blog. As it is, there isn't enough time for me to live my life and be addicted to e-gullet. Sad, but true. SA

Extra eVidence Of egulleteers in the knOw. Conspiracy or coincidence? You be the judge. SA

Must taste like fish flavored pork then. SA

Whazzah? SA

SA--I thought you didn't go home until midnight. You mean, when I'm busy. I haven't been busy for a little over a week and a half. I expect that this state of affairs won't continue for very long though. SA

Made pho for the first time tonight. I think it came out all right, although next time I'll have to try it with baby leeks if I can get them. I think the next time I do this, I'll also try it with chicken. [chili sauce, yellow bean sauce, seeded and minced jalapenos, lime wedges, cilantro, pickled spring onions] Jasmine tea. Coconut bread pudding. SA

A VERY experimental breakfast for me and my roommate: socca [navy bean brandade, hummus with roasted garlic] For the brandade, replace the cod in a traditional recipe with pre-soaked or canned navy beans, and proceed as normal. I used roasted garlic in place of raw garlic when making the hummus. I recommend making these two a day ahead, to help develop their flavors. sweet vanilla polenta [mascarpone, orange/ginger marmalade] SA

Youse guys make it possible for me to pass the time counting down the minutes to quitting time. Keep it up! SA

Well, if anything, I'm sure we'll all hear from Regina sooner or later. Maybe she's lurking even now... *hums the theme music from the Twilight Zone* SA

I just realized I'm never going to catch up to Liza's post count. SA

No, I mean that controversy, with respect to Steve's article is good for business, at least insofar as people will pass on "word of mouth" whether for good or for ill, to people who might never have heard of e-gullet in the first place. Such people will most likely peruse Steve's article and either a) move on, perhaps dismissing the rest of the site, or more likely b) investigate the other articles and message boards. A few might become resident lurkers, and perhaps eventually, members. The net effect would be more or less positive, at least with regard to the site's outward development, and might potentially outweigh any perceived negativity by the current membership. SA

Baked swordfish, with chopped tomatoes, white wine, Kalamata olives and capers [onion confit]. Basmati rice, cooked in coconut milk (cashew bits, urad dal and black mustard seeds briefly fried in a little ghee folded in prior to serving.) Roasted carrots, finished with a drizzle of almond oil. Deer Park. --------- midnight snack: a block of tofu, sprinkled with half a seasoning packet from shrimp-flavored ramen, minced scallions, a T. of spicy sesame oil and pickled shredded carrots. SA

I think what El Gordo means is that controversy is good for business. And god knows that this entire SITE abounds in controversies of all stripes. 'nuff said. SA

Re Astoria, it is a given fact that you *cannot* get better Greek food in NYC than certain places in that neighborhood. Although I lived there for a little over seven years, I cannot recommend any place now as I have not kept up on the Greek food scene there. I used to be able to recommend S'Agapo (sp), but I'm not sure if they've declined. Uncle Nick's is good only for their lemon potatoes. (Their roast chicken is passable.) There's a wonderful Greek bakery/teahouse/coffeeshop on the corner of Broadway and either 34th or 33rd Street. It's the one with the glass enclosure and green/silver lighting -- I can't remember the name though. The bakery is adjacent to the tea house itself. I highly recommend their version of spinach pie -- the Greek spelling escapes me now. SA

Indiagirl, I know you want to be an omnivore, but I thought this might work out (and besides it looks and tastes great): tomatoes, chickpeas and cauliflower, stewed with turmeric, garam masala and a bit of asafoetida. when I've made this in the past, the tomatoes turn a brilliant shade of red, with the addition of just a slight hint of turmeric. If this doesn't grab you, there's always borscht (the hot version). SA