ngatti

I like Foie Gras... A big Fat effin' lobe of Foie Gras baked into a PIE!! Nick

This may be a faux pas (commenting on a Q&A) but couldn't agree more and couldn't resist. Always tell my guys: " When all is said and done, when you distill what we do. Abstract the essence of our kitchen beings. It comes down to one thing: We Cook For The Rich. Don't forget it." Your answer is why so many of us pro's respect you so much. No gush jes' fact. All the artsy fartsy stuff is illusion. YMMV Nick

Nope , I think that you just ahve to soak it longer. But now that you mention it I'm gonna try it with my 'challah french toast' royale. Cream, eggs, OJ, and vanilla flavored rum (Tahitian beans stuffed into a bottle of Mt Gay). Thank you egullet Nick

Oh jeez! what a flood of memories. The B&H! Every saturday afternoon for latkes with sour cream. Babka French toast, and crisp on the outside, searingly hot on the inside cheese blintzes. Thanx Steve Nick

I'm ashamed to say it but...mayonaise. I find it slimey. Although I can get down small doses of my own homemade. Nick

jaybee, The establishment I work for has a large jewish clientle. Matzoh Brei is run as a special during Pesach every year. We soak the broken up matzohs in egg until soft. Then cook like an open faced omelette until everything firms up. Plate, dust with powdered sugar and serve with preserves. Play with the egg/matzoh ratio until you get something you like. I would imagine the wet/dry factor is a matter of personal taste. Hope this helps Nick

Fair enough. ngatti = Nicholas Gatti, Executive Chef at the Alpine Country Club and Restaurant Coordinator for 'Table to Table', Bergen County's food rescue program. Formerly Chef at The Bacari Grill in Washington Township. Recipient of three very glowing stars from 'The Record' in 1993 (and still trying to figure out Mary Amoroso's culinary chops vis a vis that review). I've also been reviewed by Anne Semmes who was not nearly as glowing (only a 'good') but was spot on with her criticism. I've been a scrupulous reader of 'The Record's' reviews since Mark Howat (I've met him twice). I know John Foy through my past work as Restaurant Coordinator for North Jersey's 'Share Our Strength' and I've met Pat Mack on more than one occasion. Now all cards are on the table along with my axe and grinding stone. I thought it was clear that Rene Mack was the reviewer. . I think 'The Record' restaurant reviewers should aspire to something beyond mere reportage. I also think you're grasping at straws. This restaurant is a landmark. One with a sordid and tragic past that 'The Record' has reported about on its front pages. I find it naive to think that the general populations of Edgewater and the surrounding towns have not heard of both 'The Binghamton' AND its reputation. Perhaps we may agree to disagree on this point Of course!, but this belabors the obvious. How about taking a review to the next level. Look, as a longtime critical reader of "The Record's' restaurant reviews, it's clear to me that this newspaper has a adapted a quasi NYT paradigm with the dual nature of the friday restaurant reviews. I think it behooves the editorial staff of 'The Record' to take a closer look at that model as currently practiced by the 'Times': One reviewer (Grimes) provides criticism of important restaurants and chefs that attempt to make unique, strong and, perhaps, cutting edge culinary statements. The other reviewer (Asimov) attempts to inform us about all manner of relatively inexpensive restaurants. The criterion being, and here lies the important distinction, that the price of a meal be generally under twentyfive dollars. Asimov generally writes much more of a descriptive piece than a critical one. Yes there is criticism, but no vitriol, little sarcasm, and certainly little time is spent on gratuitous rants about food and service. Misses are quickly and minimally dealt with, generally implied, and the reviewer moves on to the next dish. The Record started out with a similar model (although for a while it seemed that anyone with a free night off was doing the diamond review). However a perverse transformation seems to have taken place. Why is The Binghamton (which provides full bar service and a healthier check average than many BYOBs or diners) getting the diamond review while many BYOBs get the starred review? I don't think anyone ever made such a statement. 'The Record' would never make such a gross ethical breach. That said, people are human. Over the years of reading 'The Record', it seems clear that the paper is somewhat enamored of certain Chefs and restaurant groups. This is bound to happen. it's a natural occurrence. But because it does happen it's very very important, IMO, to keep Food editorial staff separate from the reviewing of restaurants. This is not always the case at 'The Record'. I also think that it is not yours or any other reviewers job to deconstruct a meal or a dish to the point where I'm reading a treatise/manifesto on how 'I Would Have Done It Differently' or 'In Cooking School I Was Taught This Way', and maybe YOU don't 'walk into a restaurant looking for mistakes' , but then perhaps someone should inform Foy, and Bonom that they shouldn't either. I realize that you and 'The Record' freelancers and regular staff food writers, write for a dining public and NOT for Chefs and restauranteurs. But I must say that a lot, I mean A LOT of Bergen County Chefs feel exactly the way I do. The subject comes up quite often. We would all like to see a bit more consistency on the review pages (maybe too many reviewers is the problem). I for one would like to see 'The Record's' dining out reviews garner the same respect that The 'New York Times' New Jersey edition reviews do. Thanx for listening Nick

Oh man!, Holly that's great. I gotta try this. Nick

Yes you can. Peel it and slice thin. It deep fries fine. Nick

When I was a kid (9/10), my dad was out of work with an injury. Compensation/union bennies weren't what they are today, so both money and sometimes food was scarce. Our neighbor, a longshoreman, gifted us what must have been a large (10/20#?) wheel of Roquefort cheese. We kids ate grilled Roquefort cheese sandwiches on wonder bread for weeks. Sounds weird but I really liked em. Also Horn&Hardart, I guess 3rd and deuce? Grat Franks & beans 20 cents. Hot chocolate out of those carved spigots (sigh) Nick

arghhh!!! oh man!, You win! Nick

Thank you jhluhrie. I stopped at all the sites. I now have quite a few serious reservations or at least issues that I would like addressed or explained further. Thanx Nick

Oh Thank You God!! For sending me a simpatico soul Nick

Only know it by rep rosie, But it's a VERY good rep Nick

This sounds like someone who knows something of the editorial practices of 'The Record'. If you have a connection I think it only fair that you out yourself. Otherwise I'm going to think that 'msp' = Marge Perry. Whoa!, Generally your argument is valid, BUT in this particular case, with this particular restaurant, this argument is slightly specious. I think dodge raised an important point in his original post. If I read it correctly (and dodge'll be sure to jump in if I didn't ), dodge was commenting more or less on why 'Binghamton' ? If you live within a 20 mile radius of the place and know anything about the area's restaurant or food scene (even a little bit) then Rene Mack's review begs the question: 'why don't you tell us something we don't already know?' I mean if Rene Mack wanted to see if the place still warranted its hash house rep then fine, visit it. If it changed for the better then that's news of the man bites dog variety and deserves review space. But it obviously didn't. So why write one at all. We already know the place sucks and it would be disingenuous for Rene Mack to think that the dining public doesn't have a clue as to how bad this place really is. What the review gave others and myself was the impression that Rene Mack is pretty mean spirited. Kinda like : "I know the place is bad, the dining public knows the place is bad, but I'm gonna kick the guy while he's down anyway, it'll make good copy. Besides I haven't written a good asshole ripper in a while and this is just the place to practice on." I agree with dodge on this one. I thought the review unecessary. The public would have been better served if Rene Mack had found a restaurant with a GOOD rep and THEN found something to complain about. I always thought restaurants were reviewd because the reviewers heard some buzz about a place and decide to investigate. Then the reviews good bad or indifferent serve the readership. This particular review was merely gratuitous and served no one. Rant over Your mileage may vary Nick

Anthony, What Chef or kitchen presented the most 'cool' factor for you when you were younger and first working in NYC. I mean to say, which place or Chef made you say "that's where I want to be or who I want to be like when I'm a Chef". The guy(gal) or kitchen (not necessarily where you worked) who provided the culinary shoulders that you stood on that perhaps enabled you to see a little farther in your own cooking. Thanx Nick

Corcoran reviewed East in the Times this past Sunday. Seems like he liked it. Nick

Leftover frozen pizza. The worst supermarket brand, eaten cold directly from the refrigerator. I have sinned Nick

That's cause I told Hiroshi you were coming Seriously tho', I don't doubt you. Bad fish is pretty hard to fake. I hope you threw it back at the sushi chef. Let him know man. Squeaky wheel gets the grease and all that... Hiro is a reputable guy. I'm sure he wasn't behind the sticks the night you were there. In fact he'd be mortified. The quality of the fish I've had has always been impeccable. But that's the only thing I'm qualified to comment on. As I said, don't know much about sushi. Though I eat it fairly often. Nick

In fact I was just thinking this before i came across your timely post. What about a staph type of contamination, where the food poisoning comes NOT from the bacteria itself but from the bacterial excrement. My immediate tendency is to agree with you John. I sense a movement, driven by the very real dangers inherhent in bulk ground beef, to irradiate everything. My fear is your fear. That a 'let's irradiate everything' mentality will take hold leading to lax enforcement of existing standards. I think that the industry is looking for an irreducible panacea to combat food spoilage. Irradiation is not the answer to everything. Certainly the move to change nomenclature could be viewed as a specious marketing attempt to 'sell' this to the public. YMMV Nick

How very generous of you to post this. Thank You Nick

Hiro, Teaneck I eat sushi, but am not a maven. More like an ignorant Oenephile(sp?). You know... 'I don't know much about sushi, but I know what I like' . Anyway. People who profess to know (i.e. both my sous chefs) and whose opinions I respect say they like Hiro. Cedar Lane, just west of Degraw Ave. Teaneck YMMV Nick

Jason, Only because it's the only place I can find one north of Bergenline Ave. But I agree, good Cubano. Nick

Here is the NRN abstract, $5.00 for the full text at their site: www.nrn.com. Go to archives and type in keyword irradiation. " DQ FIELD TESTS IRRADIATED BURGERS AS FARM BILL RELAXES LABELING LAW Date: May 20, 2002 Source: Nation's Restaurant News Section: News Keywords Found: 15 Words: 1488 Characters: 9605 Summary: In unprecedented promotional test marketing of irradiated ground beef, Dairy Queen was tallying high marks from burger consumers in the Midwest this month even as President Bush was signing legislation that will permit marketers to label irradiated foods as "pasteurized." House Bill 2646, "The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 20..." Hope this helps Nick

Paul, While irradiation of bulk ground beef prolly makes sense, I see no reason for irradiating subprimals, steaks, chops or roasts. The interiors of these meats don't come into contact with the gut. The added food safety margin gained from irradiating these cuts is of dubious value and probably adds uneccessary costs to these items. Nick