SobaAddict70

I don’t know how much sway the editors of the section and other higher-ups have over which restaurants the critic chooses to review. Can we assume that Mr. Bruni goes to the boroughs because he feels it is his mission to highlight them (well, Brooklyn, at least) as a destination for higher-end dining? Ruth Reichl was forthcoming about her time at the Times in her recent memoir, Garlic and Sapphires, and she seems to have selected her diverse pool of restaurants without theese editors' input, to their chagrin, in some cases. It would be interesting to ask her about this when she joins us in late November for an eG Spotlight Discussion. This topic continues with NYT Articles on Food, Drink, Cooking, and Culinary Culture (2005– )

It sort of depends on whether you prefer a kitchen that's just getting ready for service or whether you want the opposite, as members begin to take it apart, in preparation for the next day. The dynamic is different accordingly. I've found that the chefs and assistants tend to be chattier earlier or later, rather than during the midst of service. For instance, I had the opportunity to speak with a few staff members last night. That sort of interaction might not have been possible during the first dinner rush. If by myself, I have seatings at the pass; if with others, it's usually out in the main dining room. Regardless of whichever seating arrangement there is, you'll have a great time.

Dinner at Hearth last night. I called around 8 pm, and was told that things were quite slow, that "I could just walk in". I showed up around 10 and had a seating at the pass. Tasting Menu for 13 November 2005 Diver Scallop Carpaccio Pickled chanterelles, beets, black truffle, herb salad Txomin Etxaniz 2004 Veal and Pork Meatballs (half order, substitution) Ricotta ravioli, tomato sauce G. Bologna 2003 Duck Pappardelle Black olives, red wine, rosemary (gratis) Pumpkin Tortelli Chestnuts, amaretti, sage (gratis) Kobe Skirt Steak Cipollini onions, rapini, red wine Syrah Edmunds John 2001 Orange Panna Cotta Candied pistachios Quince Fritters Rosemary-honey ice cream Elderflower tea Total: $126 (tax and tip) Very reasonable, and a wonderful time as always. Being that it was a school night, I opted to bow out and not get a dessert wine The veal and pork meatballs were a half-order in place of the normal 2nd course which was Black Bass, Autumn vegetables and Asian pear. Hearth is my favorite NYC restaurant, and as I remarked to my waiter, "If I could afford to eat here every night, I would." If you haven't yet been to Hearth, you really should take it upon yourself and go. Soba

I'm having my second breakfast (6 egg whites and 2 whole eggs) and I'd trade that for a bowl of last night's maze-gohan in a heartbeat.

Er, can someone please explain to me the significance of Cosi fan tutte? Soba (who is still an opera newbie)

One of these days, you have to try making an Alsatian tart that Andre Soltner used to serve when Lutece was open: pastry enclosing layers of potatoes, onion, bacon, creme fraiche, and topped with parsley. Oh, and he used a ton of butter as well. Something tells me you'll enjoy it.

Chefs Eric Ripert and Stephen Hanson, of Le Bernardin and Vento respectively, present the culinary version of the Odd Couple -- a coupling that works wonders in the style of Spain. Barça 18 (Frank Bruni) Discussion relating to Le Bernardin can be found here. Click here to view a thread on Vento. Related discussion regarding Mr. Bruni and his style of reviewing, and the New York Times star system can be found here. Soba

Folks, I'm only going to say this once, as one post that violated our guidelines on political commentary has since been removed, and others are perilously close to skirting those borders. Please keep the discussion focused on food. Thanks. Soba

Sapporo on West 49th between 6th and 7th Avenues is a nice default place for ramen in midtown. It's not as good (imo) as Minca or even Zen Sushi (an izakaya/sushi bar on St. Mark's); it's just ok, though their gyoza is slightly above average.

I've been jonesing for a bowl of ramen for quite a while now. Looks like a trip is in order sometime soon.

Tres snarky there, eh, Frank? Discussion relating to The Cafe at Country can be found here.

Chefs Geoffrey Zakarian and Doug Psaltis present a "less formal, first-stage operation of a larger enterprise" in the heart of midtown Manhattan. The Cafe at Country (Frank Bruni) Commentary and related discussion regarding Mr. Bruni's style of reviewing and the New York Times star system can be found here. Discussion regarding Country can be found here. Discussion relating to Town can be found here. Click here for previous discussion relating to Mix with Chef Doug Psaltis as chef de cuisine. Soba

Ninja New York (Frank Bruni) Related discussion regarding Frank Bruni's style of reviewing and the New York Times' star system can be found here. Soba

I wonder if there's ever been a sushi flavored version of Pretz.

Hearth Restaurant prepares it by braising octopus in red wine, then pairs it with cubes of potato and celeriac sauteed in butter. The result is absolutely divine.

I really need to get a digital camera. A good thing too, because then I would have been obliged to take pix of my apartment's kitchen. It wouldn't have been pretty.

Rebecca -- thanks. I left out proportions on purpose because I believe that recipes (well, nonpastry/nonclassical ones anyway) aren't quantifiable. The best cooks I know don't measure precisely. It's usually a dash of this or a dose of that. For the fig salsa, I recommend two to two and a half cups worth. It kind of depends on how sweet you want it. No sugar involved; most of the fruitiness comes from the figs, lemon and strangely enough, the chipotle. I used three chiles this time, but feel free to use more. I love jalapeno Tabasco, but feel that they use too much thickener. It's definitely different from classic Tabasco. Another easy salsa I make from time to time is the following: roasted plum tomatoes roasted garlic, peeled Vidalia onions, chopped EVOO chipotle en adobo poblano chiles, seeded and minced (to taste) salt and pepper, to taste fresh plum tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped red wine vinegar pinch of sugar cilantro Saute onions in EVOO until translucent. Adjust seasoning. Puree roasted tomatoes, garlic and onions for 30 seconds; add chiles. Pulse but do not puree so that the chiles retain a bit of texture. Add vinegar and sugar. Stir. Fold in as much fresh tomatoes as you prefer, add cilantro to taste. Refrigerate to meld flavors, or serve immediately. If you're feeling devious, you can add a little Scotch bonnet infused vodka.

Smithy -- thanks. A liquid diet may be an answer. It's certainly not an optimal answer, but it's possible. Fiber is one thing that would have to be consumed in some quantities, because it helps perform certain cleansing functions that a wholly liquid diet would otherwise be unable to. However, it's probably best to check with an appropriate medical provider.

Hi, Lucy. I'm not sure if this was clear, but that's what I had. I thought about getting a pizza but in the end just decided on a (relatively) light dinner. Now that I think about it, I really need to try Lupa and Babbo again. Oh, and I take back some of what I said about the spaghetti carbonara. I dreamt about it all last night. Still was a bit too much sauce but what there was.... It was like sex on a plate.

Ok, I'm leaving this thread open for most of tomorrow in case people have questions and such. I said I'd post a picture of me once the blog was done, as today is technically the last day. So, here you go: I'm really really really nowhere near where I want to be. Though it doesn't look like much, trust me when I say it's a marked improvement from the pic in 2003 a few pages back. There won't be too much more time for meals like this weekend's. I've said elsewhere that I plan on going on a cutting diet soon. When really depends on when I've decided that I can't stand the rolls of fat around my waist. Unfortunately, I've never met a calorie I didn't like. I'm scarfing down some cottage cheese before bed. Good night!

I don't really know what wine I was drinking as I sat at the bar. Even at 7:30 pm when I had gotten there, it was LOUD. All I remember is that the bartender, an affable and friendly gentleman said that it was a Chardonnay. If there was mint in the mussels, I couldn't taste a single hint. Eggplant caponatina was just the right mix of sweet and sour, with bits of pignoli throughout. Spaghetti carbonara was silky smooth -- the essence of egg coating every perfect al dente strand, but suffered from an overdose of pancetta and just a little too much sauce. A trio of gelati -- olive oil, hazelnut and pumpkin -- and a cup of mint tea rounded out the evening. $54, with tax and tip. Out of 10? A 7. I'll be back, I just don't know when that will be. I've decided that it's been too long since I've been to Jewel Bako. Too many restaurants, not enough time.

Before I get to tonight's dinner, here is the current menu for Otto Enoteca Pizzeria: Antipasti Carne $9 each/ $25 all Prosciutto Testa Coppa Pancetta Toscana Insalata $8 each Arugula with tomato Sformato di parmigiano tricolore Romaine & red onion Artichokes "alla Romana" caprese Pesce $8 each/ $21 all Octopus, celery, lovage King fish "in saor" Calamari, potatoes, chiles Anchovies, breadcrumbs, scallions Mussels, peperonata, mint Pizza Otto Bianca (7) Olive oil, sea salt Otto Lardo (13) Lardo Aglio, Olio & Peperoncino (9) Garlic, olive oil, fresh chiles Fennel & Bottarga (14) Tomato, raw fennel, bottarga, pecorino, mozzarella Funghi & Taleggio (12) Mushroom, taleggio Potato, Anchovy, & Ricotta (11) Pane Frattau (13) Tomato, pecorino, egg Swiss Chard & Goat Cheese (13) Vongole (14) Clams, garlic, mozzarella Pizza Classica Marinara (9) Tomato, garlic, chiles Napoletana (10) Tomato, anchovy, capers, olives Romana (10) Tomato, anchovy, capers, chiles, mozzarella Quattro Formaggi (14) Tomato, mozzarella, taleggio, cacio, ricotta Margherita D.O.C. (10) Tomato, buffalo mozzarella, basil Quattro Stagioni (14) Tomato, mozzarella, Swiss chard, mushroom, prosciutto cotto, peppers Pepperoni (14) Tomato, spicy salami, cacio, mozzarella Prosciutto Arugula (13) Tomato, cacio, mozzarella, crudo, arugula Verdura $4 each Eggplant caponatina Warm house-cured olives Funghi misti Cauliflower "alla Siciliana" Cardoons with bagna cauda Figs "Agrodolce" Roasted peppers & capers Broccoli & pecorino Roasted beets & saba Brussels sprouts & Vin Cotto Olives ($4 each/ $9 all) -- Gaeta, Sicilian, Alfonso Pasta $9 each Penne con Noci e Zucca Hazelnuts, butternut squash, smoked ricotta Pasta alla Norma Tomato, roasted eggplant, basil, buffala ricotta Spaghetti alla Carbonara Pancetta, scallions, black pepper, egg Penne Puttanesca Anchovies, capers, olives, chiles, roasted tomato Linguini con Le Cozze Mussels, saffron, marjoram Spaghetti alla Gricia Guanciale, onion, black pepper Linguine Siciliani Zucchini, fresh chiles, mint, bottarga Formaggi 3 cheeses (10) 5 cheeses (14) 7 cheeses (18) Ricotta (cow, Connecticut) Coach Triple Cream (goat, New York) Baita Friuli (cow, Friuli) Bra Tenero (cow, Piedmonte) Parmagiano Reggiano (cow, Emilia-Romagna) Canestrato (sheep, Puglia) Pecorino di Fossa (sheep, Emilia-Romagna) Aged Peppercorn (goat, New York) Taleggio (cow, Lombardy) Gorgonzola Dolce (cow, Lombardy) Dolci Olive Oil Coppetta (8) Olive oil gelato, Seville orange marmalade, blood orange granita, Capezzana olive oil, pomegranate & Maldon sea salt Black & White (8) Milk chocolate chip gelato, creme fraiche gelato, caramel crema & chocolate hazelnut sauce Ricotta Coppetta (8) Bufala ricotta gelato, Concord grape sorbet, roasted figs & pignoli rosemary brittle Baba A Rum (8.50) Buttermilk gelato, rum maple syrup & spiced walnuts Pumpkin Coppetta (8) Spice cake, pumpkin gelato, whipped mascarpone & candied pecans Affogato (7) Vanilla gelato with a shot of espresso Chocolate Budino (4.50) Chocolate pudding & whipped cream Brioche (3.50) (with Nutella, $4) Choice of one flavor on a sweet brioche Assorted Biscotti (5) Gelati & Sorbetti One, two or three flavors -- $7 With warm chocolate sauce -- $2 Vanilla Caramel Olive oil Chocolate Buttermilk Pumpkin Hazelnut stracciatella Pistachio Milk chocolate chip Bufala ricotta Roasted cinnamon Concord grape sorbet Lemon sorbet Caffe (All caffe available iced and decaffeinated) Espresso (2) Macchiato (2.50) Cappucino (3.75) Caffe Latte (3.75) Caffe Americano (2.50) Corretto (7)

Sunday tends to be my cheat day. Brunch and dinner tonight made up for a week of relatively alien food -- well, alien to most people on eGullet, that is -- and proved to be immensely satisfying. I'm getting ahead of myself however. Breakfast #1: cottage cheese and a peach, whey shake (with Lactaid). Brunch: I made brunch for my roommate and some friends: spinach and Gruyere omelette, home fries, seared scallops and roasted cauliflower flan. I had roasted the cauliflower Saturday afternoon and it was a simple matter of prepping early this morning. I had a glass of Opticen halfway this afternoon, along with a small (relatively) bowl of cottage cheese topped with Mrs. Dash. And then, there was dinner. (See next post.)

Sorry for not updating this. Weekends I tend to turn into a pumpkin and only come up for air Sunday evenings, when it's time for me to step back into the real world (aka the rest of the week). Saturday was spent cleaning the house and being domestic, and such. I had my usual whey shake on getting up, followed by an omelette (4 egg whites to one whole egg), some whole wheat toast, some diced melon and a glass of Lactaid. The salsa had mellowed slightly overnight, so I spiked it just a little more with chipotle Tabasco. Weekends tend to focus more on liquid food than during the week. I had a couple more whey shakes during the day, and a glass of Opticen (see the link I posted to At Large Nutrition earlier in the blog for details). Opticen is a rather calorie-dense packed drink, kind of like a weight-gainer and definitely qualified for one meal. I added a few tablespoons of natty pb and some dry milk powder to fortify that. Then it was off to the gym for my favorite (really!) day: wheelz (legs to all y'all non-meatheads ) and abdominal work. Dinner was chirashi sushi (sashimi over Japanese rice), miso soup and oshinko (Japanese pickled vegetables). It was the same Thai takeout place near my apartment, except they also do Japanese food. It's called Wasabi Boy, for those of you who live in LIC. (On a scale of 1 to 10, Wasabi Boy merits a 5. Not bad, but it's definitely quite a few steps below Jewel Bako.) Finished up with a huge bowl of cottage cheese before bed.

Chris -- thanks. Pan -- I used it as a side for Saturday's breakfast. (see below for details)