I_call_the_duck

I didn't go to Nazo's when I was recently in Maui, but reid's recipe sounds very much like the soup my dad used to make. He also added lotus root, and sometimes black beans to make it heartier.

This is currently my favorite for cha siu bao. It's a little hole-in-the-wall place, unlike the larger places that sell very un-Chinese pastries. Asia Bakery 127 N 10th St

The biggest outcry came from my family several years ago. High cholesterol runs in our family, and for several years my sister used to lecture us all on what we should and should not eat. Every time we even mentioned a food that was high in cholesterol or fat, she would promptly say "It's bad for you." Well, one year she was carving the turkey, and took it upon herself to throw out every last bit of skin. I don't even think the giblets even made it into the gravy! All of us freaked. Though she tamed down since then, she is forbidden to go anywhere near the bird when it comes time to carve.

I have no shame when it comes to cleaning my plate, and find a piece of bread to work fine. In fact, I feel embarrassed if I leave sauce. (My father took a clean plate as a sign that he was a good cook.) Waiters have made comments such as, “I guess you didn’t like it, huh?” or “I see you’re a member of the clean plate club.” We usually head them off at the pass by saying either, “can we please have the rest to go?”, “I wanted to see where the plate was made,” or “there used to be a pattern on this plate.” I used to do this while growing up, and it used to mortify my mother. But that’s where we got the expression, “I want to know where the plate was made!” The last time we ate out, our waiter even offered to turn his head so we can lick the goblet for our last drops of tiramisu. Now that's gross. I don't blame you for "forgetting" to invite them.

Heh, I have heard of this whole hallmark display issue, but have never witnessed it. Of course, this place did the hallmark trick, though I didn't know until today why the cutlery was laid upside down. The funny thing though, I sometimes inspect the hallmark when it's just a nice piece of stainless!

Egad, Jackal that's it!! Thanks, all. I wound up using it for sauce, but since my knife worked fine, it proved to be excessive. It also seemed too flat for sauce. My bread worked better.

When dining at a French restaurant the other night, my place setting included a fork, fish knife, and a very unusual-looking piece at my place. (I ordered fish and my husband, who did not order fish, also got that thing.) It looked like a small cake server with a little knick on one side near the tip. The knife and fork I know how to use, but what was that other thing? I’ve seen this utensil before, and have always been a little embarrassed to ask how it is used. This time, I asked our waiter how to use it, and he said you can use it a number of ways without giving me a direct answer. He was very nice about it, but I don’t think he knew either. The closest I could find on the web to was something called a fish server. So etiquette lovers, what is that funny thing, and how exactly do you use it properly?

When I was in college many moons ago, we used to have Nutella on one slice of bread, Marshmallow Fluff on another, then stick it in the toaster oven for a bit for makeshift s'mores. This was common practice until I OD'd on it one lonely Valentine's Day. It took many years before I could even look at a jar without holding my stomach.

We had our dinner at Lily’s Cafe at at Lacroix, and have to say that we weren’t that impressed. They did offer a two wine pairing for $18—a glass of brut and either a sauvignon blanc or merlot. The brut was nice—dry and a little crisp. The sauvignon blanc was not that great, nor was the merlot. The food was good, but not remarkable. My husband had the Terrine of Diver Scallops (which went very well with the brut) and the Crisped Loup de Mer. I had the Parsley & Lily Soup which I found a little bland and the “Bonnet” of Beef. Everything was served cold as if they were already plated. And call me naive, but the portions were tiny. We couldn’t help but wonder “where’s the rest of it?”. For dessert, we ordered Warm Valrhona Chocolate Tart and Fromage Blanc Cheesecake. Both were good. The chocolate tart was a little burnt but tasty (and not very warm), and the cheesecake was light—almost like a mousse. The best part of the meal was probably the chocolates that came with the bill. The service was fine, but we felt very rushed. No sooner did we place our order did they start to bring out our dishes. This happened throughout the entire meal. We were barely finished with one course when a waiter would bring out the next one. We were seated at 6pm and were out before 7:30, and only because my husband was lingering over the remainder of my nearly full glass of wine that I wasn’t able to finish with my meal. To the waiters’ credit they did not hover or sneer at us, and were actually pretty friendly. Hopefully, our experience at Le Bar Lyonnais will be better.

AND WHERE WOULD THAT BE?!? (Thanks for the wonderful report!) ← I don't know! Sorry if I made it seem that I did.

There was shrimp from a truck?! I never noticed a truck anywhere along the road to Spouting Horn. Darn. Sounds like I missed something great. I guess I'll have to add it to my list for our next visit.

We got back from Hawaii a couple of days ago and had a great time! Thanks to everyone for their recommendations. We had six glorious days in paradise, in which we snorkeled, basked in the sun, did a helicopter ride, and of course, ate wonderful meals. Wabi, I love your island. We plan to return someday. We stayed at the Sheraton on Poipu Beach, which we found very nice. The Sheraton’s “resort fees” included a full buffet breakfast, so we never made it to any of the breakfast places. We hardly did any of the lunch places either, since we had leftovers and fruit we obtained at breakfast. (Also, we were trying to save a little money when we could.) We did however, go to Hamura’s Saimin, which I loved. We went there twice. The first time we each ordered a medium bowl of the regular saimin, and the next time we went, we ordered one deluxe and one shrimp. For dessert, we had a shave ice. Very good, very affordable. Since we were staying on the South Shore, we stayed in that general neck of the woods and only ventured to the North Shore once. I made some notes on what we ate when we got back to our hotel. They weren’t as detailed as I intended (I was on my honeymoon), so I tried to piece my notes together with what is listed on the restaurants’ websites. So here goes (and I’m sorry if I’m overusing my superlatives—I guess I’ll never make it as a restaurant reviewer): Our first night, jet-lagged, we went to The Plantation Gardens. The setting was really beautiful and the service was fine. I had grilled ono with soba noodles, and my husband had the Hawaiian Hot Pot (shrimp, scallops and ono simmered in ginger coconut broth, Asian noodles and peanut oil). The food was fresh and tasty. We were off to a good start. Roy’s. Not the prettiest setting (we had a view of the shops across the courtyard), but a nice restaurant nonetheless. Our server was nice and funny. I had the ahi-ono combo, and my husband had the sampling menu, which included crab cakes (which he said surpasses K Paul’s in New Orleans as the best crab cakes ever—I think partly because of the panko coating), salmon skin salad in a ginger vinaigrette, scallops in some truffle sauce, grilled rib-eye, and butterfish. Interestingly enough, I can’t remember what we had for dessert, but it wasn’t the molten lava cake. Now I originally didn’t want to go to Roy’s since a) it’s a chain, and b) we have one here in Philly, but my husband really wanted to go, and I’m glad we did. The food was great. Everything was fresh and well prepared. I loved the butterfish—it was well, was “like buttah.” This rated as my husband’s favorite. Speaking of New Orleans, my heart goes out to the city and its residents. It’s one of my favorite dining cities. Café Hanalei. Beautiful sunset. Nice service. Great food. We started off with Oil-Blasted Sashimi (ahi and hamachi). My husband had the Kaua’i Coffee Rack of Lamb (two things he loves—coffee and lamb) with fingerling potato-kilauea corn hash, braised kai choy and mint shiitake jus, and I had the Hawaiian Spice Rubbed Ribeye Steak with Kunana Goat Cheese Flan, Roasted Hamakua Mushrooms and Wagarashi Demi Glace and Charred Kula Onion Marmalade. Everything was very good, but my steak was a little more done than I prefer. The sides were very tasty. For dessert I think we had a pineapple-mango crisp. Then again, that could be from someplace else (maybe Roy's), but wherever we ate it, it was yummy. Keoki’s. Probably my least favorite restaurant in which we’ve dined. Since we were there on a weekend, there was a band playing, and they were LOUD, despite the fact that we were pretty far away from the bar. (We could even hear them from our hotel.) My husband had the ribs, and I had Orange Ginger baked fish (I think it was opah). But the decor was cute, the service was fine, and the food was good, but nothing incredible or memorable. Kintaro. My husband was in the mood for sushi, and this restaurant was recommended by the concierge. Since it was Monday (and Labor Day), many places were closed. It was some of the best sushi we’ve ever eaten, and a great bargain. We started with fried wontons (they ran out of the gyoza dumplings), which were good, but not fantastic. I had a mixed tempura-sushi combo dinner. Dinner included salad and a flavorful miso soup. My husband had a mixed sushi dinner, which arrived not in separate pieces but in a bowl of rice with the fish layered on top. The ahi was oh-so-tender, as was the rest of the fish. The Beach House. My favorite of all. The food was amazing. We started off with the Thai Curry Shrimp & Scallop Wonton. My husband had the Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahimahi in a citrus aka miso sauce, and I had the Chinese-style Roasted Duck with lemon orange Grand Marnier demi, porcini mushroom risotto cake, pickled vegetables, pesto. Everything was expertly prepared and very delicious. There were noticeable chunks of shrimp and scallops in the wonton, the mahimahi was not overcooked, and the duck was one of the best I’ve eaten. The servers were friendly and accommodating. Though it was crowded, the servers were very understanding when the second they showed us to our table, we excused ourselves to catch the last brilliant colors of the sunset. We never made it to Coconuts. Or the Camp House Grill. Ironically, they were top on my list. Coconuts was closed the Monday we planned to go. We’ll have to go next time. Hopefully by then, A Pacific Café will be open again. Betts, have a great time. I miss Kauai already.

Tomorrow, we're dining at Lily's Café at Lacroix, and we're going to try to get to Le Bar Lyonnais later this week. When choosing a place to go for Restaurant Week, we pick the places that a) we haven't already been, b) we normally wouldn't be able to afford, c) don't usually offer a prix fixe, and d) offer the best "bang for the buck".

That always bothered me too. Particularly when Rachel dumps can lids (sharp--ouch!) in the bowl with the organic material. That poor intern better look carefully when cleaning it out. Getting back to the original question, my work area is one step from the sink and trash can, so I just dump (or toss) organic stuff in there for the disposal and throw the non-organic stuff in the trash. The cans also go to the sink and are set aside for recycling. No, it probably is not the most efficient method. I have toyed with the idea with working with a garbage bowl, but would rather not dump everything in one bowl.

Hey Rookie, Since you're big wine drinkers, many wine stores in New York City have free wine tastings on Saturdays, in which you can sample from two to five wines per store. By tastings, I mean a sip or two. If you plan well, you can sample many good wines and get a good buzz without having to pay a dime. Astor Wines, (12 Astor Place) from 1-4. Union Square Wines (33 Union Square West) from 1-4. Anthony Road Winery, (Union Square Greenmarket), a winery in upstate NY, until 6pm. Vino (121 E 27th St) sells only Italian wines, from 4-6. Burgundy Wine Co. (143 W 26th St) sells primarily French wines with a few from Oregon and California, from 3-6. is-wine (225 E 5th St), from 4-6. 67 store, (179 Columbus Ave) from 1-3 (I think). Chelsea Wine Vault, 75 9th Ave, usually from 1-3. Sometimes Sherry-Lehman (679 Madison Avenue) has tastings from 1-4. *IMO, Vino, the Burgundy Store, and Sherry-Lehman have the best tastings. If you're lucky, Union Square and Chelsea Wine Vault will have "super tastings", in which they will each offer about 12+ wines. (In fact, our record was 36 samples in about five stores, and it would have been 40, but I was getting very drunk after 30.) I don’t have many recommendations for dinner, mainly because we don’t live in New York anymore and are a little out of the dining loop, but we still have some favs. I like i trulli (across the street from Vino, and owned by the same person) has wonderful Italian food. Next door is Blue Smoke, which as great BBQ, and equally great jazz downstairs. I wouldn’t say these places are inexpensive, but it should be within your budget. Marion’s Continential (354 Bowery) offers a good early bird (I think until 6pm). The food is decent, but not memorable. Around the corner is Bianca (5 Bleecker St), which offers good Italian food. A.O.C. (314 Bleecker St) serves French bistro cuisine. Amy Ruth’s (113 W 116th St) has soul food. We recently had a nice brunch at Delta Grill (700 9th Ave), which serves New Orleans/Southern food. Since you're from Toronto, I won't bother offering you dim sum options. In Astoria, Sabor Tropical (36-18 30th Ave) has great Brazilian food, and their special Saturday dish, fejoida, is the best I’ve had yet. Astoria is also home to some of the best Greek restaurants in New York. Uncles Georges (33-17 Broadway), or S'Agapo Taverna Ouzeri (34-21 34th Ave) are good options. To get to Astoria (about 20 minutes from midtown), you take the N to Broadway or R to Steinway, which will get you within a few blocks from the aforementioned restaurants. For a good inexpensive place to stay, try the Club Quarters Midtown. It's near Times Square, but on a quiet block, and the prices just can't be beat. It’s a hotel geared towards business travelers, so they offer great deals on the weekends. (About $99 a night. The catch, you have to "belong" to their client list, so when they ask, you can just say that you have a relative who works at one of the Fortune 500 companies, like Citibank or Chase.) Also, get a “fun pass” MetroCard, and you can ride all day for $7. My husband and I are all about bargains. (Mind you, we also love high-end stuff too.) I can go on, but I don’t want to overwhelm you. If you wish me to continue, just holler.

Hi Ed. These guys have pretty much covered it all, but I'll throw my two cents in. Also, Reading Market has this nice crepe place (whose name I can't recall, but it's the only one) that offers good vegetarian options. If you go there on Saturdays after four, the Amish bakery (right at the 12th and Arch street entrance) offers pretty much everything for $2, since they need to get rid of their inventory. In Old City, I like Chloe (Arch Street, between 2nd & 3rd). I heard wonderful things about Radicchio (4th & Wood streets). Other restaurants I like include Matyson (19th and Market streets), Pumpkin (18th and South streets), and Django (but you need to reserve one month in advance). All the restaurants I mentioned are BYOs. Don’t miss the Calder sculptures along the (Ben Franklin) Parkway. On Friday evenings, the Art Museum has free concerts on their steps. They also serve food and drinks. Also, City Hall has some beautiful sculptures around and inside the building. It's the type of building they don't make anymore. There's this amazing Tiffany mosaic in the Curtis Center (6th and Walnut street). The hours are kinda strange, but even if you can’t go in, you can see it from the outside. Pine Street (around 12th) has nice antique shops if you're into that. If you walk along South Street (mainly between 10th and 2nd streets), you’ll find beautiful mosaics on the side of buildings. The artist’s studio is located on 10th & South streets. I also like the Rosenbach Museum on Delancy Street (between 20th & 21st streets). There, you’ll find some of Philadelphia’s most beautiful mansions. As far as parking goes, I heard this rumor that you can park in spaces reserved for City Council members for free on weekends. But this is only a rumor. (Has anyone tried this?)

PLEASE don't let my husband see that! He'll think it's a great idea. We had a disagreement over the purchase of a sesame seed grinder. (I acceded, just to end the arguement.) It's currently still in its box somewhere in my house, unopened and unused.

I haven't had that broth since I moved out on my own. In addition to the recipe you mentioned, my mom made another version (less medicinal) in which she added soy sauce. But my favorite preparation for chicken feet is just plucking them off a whole poached chicken. No sauce, no embellishments. BTW, I also start with the claws, proceed to the fingers next, then the forearm, and save the palm for last. (Of course, I don't know if a chicken would refer to those same parts, but you can imagine the equivalent.) Ahhh, memories.

This is the coolest place! I loved the counter in the back with the stools that folded in. Reminded me of the old checker cabs. Anyway, I made my first foray there last weekend. My husband and I shared a scoop each of peanut-butter and black raspberry. YUM. Our friend had a rum-raisin milkshake, and he said that the raisins tasted like they were actually soaked in rum. Unfortunately, I can't verify that. I also was unable to ascertain the name(s) of the ice cream sources, but was told that they're from small dairies in the area. Aliwaks, yes, they use Fox's U-Bet in their egg creams, and YES, it's the ONLY kind one should use. (OK, I'm a displaced New Yorker, so I may be a bit biased. ) Egg cream got it's name from the chocolate “head” that is created, which resembles egg whites when they are whipped to that foamy point.

I've also seen them at Iovine's. Also, have you tried your local Farmer's Market? I saw some at the one on Fitler Square a week or two ago.

Chloe and Matyson would be my first two choices as well. I would like to say one thing about Melograno though...the food was excellent, as was the service. But, I felt that we were rushed through our meal in order to turn over the table for the next party waiting to eat.

Thanks. I looked up Saimin after I posted (should have done it before, duh ) . We do have a Roy's here in Philly, which we have yet to try--but there's only so much money and time, right? Camp House Grill is now on my list! I'll keep you all posted!

This is a great thread! My finace and I (finally!) booked our honeymoon for September. We'll be going to Kauai then Maui. We're staying at the Sheraton on Poipu Beach. What does anyone think of Roy's? I know it's a chain, but I heard good things about them in general. We will definitely try Coconuts, in addition to a number of the recommendations here.

Bless her. She was my hero as well, and I will miss her dearly. Because of Julia, I have always scoffed at fad diets. I adhere to her approach to eating--whatever you wish but in moderation. I live to eat, not eat to live, because what's the point of living without a little butter and cream?

Try State Street Grill in Kennett Square. Very laid-back BYO with great food. And up (down?) the street is a great ice cream shop with about 30 different flavors, many of them exotic.