phaelon56

I've tried the first three and lack the breadth of experience to say that they're in the top five in the US but suspect that it's correct. have not tried the last two onthe list. I'm surprised Terroir is not on there but they've been pretty low profile since George Howell got things rolling a couple of years ago. The thing that kills me is the fact that people will gladly line up to pay $8 - $10 for a 12 oz bag of Starubcks over-roasted and middle grade beans but don't "get it" about buying better quality. The cost difference per cup for those making it at home is really quite small when one compares $12 per pound to $8 per pound.

I thoroughly enjoyed my espresso *but* was a bit shocked that my bill came to $15. granted, i should have been paying attention to the prices. i got a triple followed by a double and nearly had a quadruple. ← henryjunior - nice to see you here and your insights are truly appreciated. Could I posisbly have read that correctly? A double espresso and a triple espresso came to almost $15? Here in my little town a double is generally $1.75 to $2 and a triple (only at Starbucks as most places just offer singles or doubles) is about $3. We offer a quad - two ristretto doubles - for $2.50. I've been in pricey and upscale restaurants where espresso (admittedly not very good quality) was overpriced but still cheaper than the prices you mentioned. Even in Manhattan that seems really, really steep.

Am I correct in recalling that they have now disproven the supposed link between caffeinated coffee (or perhaps caffeine in general) and osteoporosis? My poor dad has been relegated to crappy decaf for years and has to either use coffee "bags" or go out to get "real coffee" because my mom banned all but decafe from the house. Granted... they drink Folger's and the regular is just about as bad as the decaf but at age 83 a little caffeine shoudl be fun and he's less and less able to get out. I coudl probably sway my mom back into using regualr coffee again if I can reference valid scientific studies (but she'll still buy Folger's despite the fact that I can get her high quality fresh-roasted decafe or regular specialty coffee the day it's roasted!).

In this month's Frommer's Budget Travel magazine there's a good article in which 33 well known foodies offer up a capsule description of their two or three "best of" food items and where to get them. Luminaries well known to the eGullet community, including Alice Waters, Dan Barber (Blue Hill) and others focus on mostly simple but very memorable dishes - often street food. The on-line version of the article is not as complete as the print version but none other than Mario Batali makes the claim that is found at the airport in Rome Italy. I'm darn near ready to fly to Rome just to check it out. Surely it's good but the best in the world? Anyone care to offer up other candidates?

I cetainly won't drink less There was a good NPR one hour special a few weeks ago about coffee and this aspect of coffee was discussed extensively. I think the show is archived in mp3 format at National Public Radio Doesn't it seem that every couple of years a new study comes out and the results alternate between touting the health benefits of coffee or decrying its dangers? I can't drink red wine (or any other kind of wine for that matter) so I just keep drinking coffee and espresso as my health beverage.

Actually... the GF and I are thinking of renting a cabin in Letchwporth park for a weekend this fall. Just checked Mapquest and it looks like a reasonable distance from there. When she's not closed for vacations is she open for Saturday lunch or early dinners? We'd drive over from the park at noon or perhaps 5 PM for a meal.

I'll respectfully disagree with that statement. Go into any Puerto Rican or Dominican neighborhood cafe in NYC (and there are lots of them) and you'll find empanadas offered. Typically filled with ground beef or minced chicken and always fried. There's also a less widely sold Dominican variety that's made with mashed plantain as the "dough" and filled with beef then deep fried. I've only tried Ecuadorian cuisine once - out on Long Island if I recall correctly. They had empanadas of a sort but they were very flat and thin with cheese I think. The bagel shop in Rutherford NJ whereI lived from '99 until '03 (just west of NYC) was owned by Colombians. They had empanada that were smaller and thick than the Puerto Rican / Dominican variety and very dense rather than having a looser filling. Served with a homemade salsa like condiment that had lots of cilantro - very good. I assume there's a Cuban version also but my GF in NJ was Cuban and I don't recall her family ever serving them nor did I see them when we got food from a neighborhood restaurant in West NY (which has a huge Cuban population).

Yes it is uninspiring. I actually had a mind-bogglingly good shrimp seviche and a very good sauteed snapper over pasta on Caye Caulker not the mention a remarkably good cappuccino (considering the location). But I think that was a bit of a fluke and the place changed hands the next year (the owner when I was there was actually a young guy from Milan who had a deft hand with the local ingredients. Get the meal plan at the resort and just plan on getting our for one or two meals for the sake of adventure. But do visit Belize - wonderful country.

I've been in the San Ignacio area (near the Western border), at a jungle lodge for a few days for caving and then on Caye Caulker for diving. Did plenty of research on food/dining options before going there and found little of interest in advance. The reason proved to be that there's no significant cultural culinary tradition in Belize that's indigenous to the area (perhaps apart from dishes favored by the Mayan population but I did not find any Mayan cafés or restaurants). I suppose the lack of culinary legacy might be attributed to Belize's past as British Honduras but the "national dish" is stewed chicken with rice and peas (pigeon peas I think). Cow's foot soup is also reputed to be a favored dish but having tried it I wouldn't venture out to look for it again. I don't know the restaurant scene in Placencia but if it's like most other areas in Belize where tourists visit you'll find an Italian restaurant, a pizza joint or two, possibly a place with Mexican influenced food and maybe some sort of "upscale" joint or two run by an expat Canadian or American. As might be expected you'll find fantastic fresh seafood everywhere - quite often in humble little joints like the one I dined at in Caye Caulker - a BBQ grill and two picnic tables on someone's front lawn and a cooler full of Fanta. But at $8 for grilled herb buttered barracuda steaks with a side of rice 'n peas and potato salad it was a heck of a good dinner. But variety and inventive cuisine was not present in abundance. You might want to visit The Belize Forums and post your food inquiries in the general topics section (their food discussion section is almost totally inactive).

Not just you - it's busy most evenigns and must get repeat business but I ate there three times and had mediocre meals every time. I had a GF who generally just wanted to eat steamed veggies and rice for dinner more often than not. She really liked it there because they coild accomodate that but I was unimpressed - even by the quality of the rice. But she swears they have the best carrot cake in the area (I didn't try it and can't confirm).

They have so many names... here they call them elephant ears if they're broad and flat but just plain fried dough if they're longer and thinner. We have a local vendor for the long thin variety who's been here for so many years at the Fair that most folks just call fried dough pizza frites (the name of the stand). Not sure about the broad flat ones but at the pizza frites stand I think they use fresh dough not frozen. Down in the NYC area theyy're usually sold as zeppoles (sp?). Hey - fried mac 'n cheese is pretty damn good! They bake trays of mac 'n cheese in a thin layer - about as thick as a cookie. It's cooked until firm, cooled, cut into small triangular shapes and then coated in bread crumbs before being placed in the deep fryer. The result is akin to the really tasty bite of mac 'n cheese you might get from a pan that has been baked with buttered bread crumbs on top. that bite where you get the crispy bread crumbs contrasting with a bit of the cheese and texture of the macaroni. Okay - so it's a heart attack on a plate - I split one order with my GF and it was done strictly on a scientific research basis. But if I go back later this week I'm not splitting my order with anyone

That's called a balanced meal in my house Just curious - are there any really good Polish restaurants in Wallington?

Actually they do mention but only very briefly and not int he context of hwo current production is affected There's a substantial amount of qat grown in Ethiopia as well and we may see reduced plantings there as well if the specialty coffee market does not rebound. It wold be tragic to see some of the Yemini and Ethiopian strains become endangered or disappear. These are really our heirloom coffees - the oldest and wildest strains and those from which most others have been developed.

If it was in Rutherford then it might be Cafe Eros. I like the nice young guy who owns/runs the business and they always had some friendly and attractive young servers when I lived in Rutherford. But on my many visits there the coffee was acceptable not great and the espresso drinks were mediocre. The Greek desserts (baklava etc) appear to be homemade and are very, very good but I was unimpressed by the cakes etc. Not sure who their supplier is but it all had that frozen and thawed Sysco vibe to me. And overpriced to boot. Have you tried Corrado's down on the circle for Italian? Always meant to try them and never got there. I did eat at Paisano's (Park Ave next to the library) on multiple occasions and found it to be consistent and enjoyable but not inventive or inspiring. Glad you have a fond event to remember from the Village Gourmet but I just never had a good meal there on my three visits. Far from it. It was really pretty bad. I mean - how can you screw up a simple hamburger? They did it. The meat was sort of soggy and lacking in beefy flavor - weird texture and just not right. Had several very good meals and one that was average at the Italian place on Ridge Road in Lyndhurst - it's just past Rte 3 heading south right where you enter the borough - just past the Enterprise car rental on the corner (katty korner from Sadowski's Shell station). Can't recall the name. If you're in the mood for huge portions and enjoy Brazilian/Portuguese food consider giving Teros a whirl. Also on Ridge Road - across from the cemetery - on the left just past New York Ave. Some of the waitresses speak very little English but the food is very reasonable in price and quite fresh. I found it to be as good as most of the places in Ironbound but much easier to get to (it was only a mile form my apartment)

How's the chowder at Jack's Fish Spot across from the Market (next to the bakery) - they have it there don't they? I was disappointed in their cioppino when I tried it but thought maybe they could do better with chowder.

I neglected to mention: I've visited Nick's Capitol Hill store on two occasions. Had a 12 oz quad shot latte the first visit when I was a random visitor and a machiatto on the second visit when Nick and his trainer happened to be on premises. In both cases I received a world class espresso drink. The quality was as good as anything I've gotten at some of the best places in Seattle (Hines, Victrola, Vivace) and also at least the same level as my most recent machiatto at Gimme Coffee in Ithaca NY. I was less enthused about the cappuccino and machiatto I had at Gimme about 18 months ago but I think their roast profile has gotten lighter or they're using a different blend. They also have a new Mirage espresso machine at their Cayuga Street store which may be a small factor but IMHO if you have a properly tweaked and operated machine the more significant factors are raw materials, process control and technique. Can't speak to the Arlington Murky location as I have not visited but the DC shop is in my top five for the US. And I'm known for being pretty damn picky about my espresso.

My GF and I are both great appreciators of Southern food (she actually lived in Alabama from age 9 - 13 and learned to cook from her Big Mama). But Olean is a three hour drive and we both have a long day on Sunday. But please do post if something like this comes up again. Withj more advance notice we might be able to plan a weekend trip and include this as part of it.

Sure - every day I learn how little I know and gain more respect for those who are pushing the boundaries of "what is good coffee and espresso". Plus I now know that manic-depressive behavior from a guy like Murky really is the new heroin chic Admittedly his earlier posts were pretty far over the top in some people's estimation but that fact is that he speaks the truth about restaurant coffee in nearly all places and he's 100% correct about espresso in restaurants. I wouldn't go so far as to say that the coffee served in any number of higher end restaurants in the US is crap but more significantly - it fails to live up to the potential that coffee offers. Here's a challenge - I'll offer up $1 - you heard it right - that's 100 PENNIES!!! to the person who can find me a restaurant in the US that 1) Sources coffee from a roaster who gets it to them within 2 - 3 days of roast date 2) Stores their coffee at room temp in light-proof air-tight containers 3) Weighs the beans per brew batch and uses the appropriate amount of beans for the amount of water 4) Grinds the beans for each brew batch just before brewing 5) Brews with a drip/extraction system that consistently brews at 203 to 205 degrees F 6) Offers single origin estate type varietal coffee (at least one varietal in addition to their house blend) 7) Brews into airpots or offers press pots There are dozens (if not over a hundred or more) independent coffeehouses in North America alone that can fulfill every condition on that list. But restaurants? I'll be surprised if there are more than one or two. Or even that many. It's not rocket science but it does require having an individual on staff who takes responsibility for the coffee program. Also - a good roaster/supplier who can assist with setting up the program and management/owners who are willing to trade off slightly lower margins on coffee in return for the opportunity to offer the very best. A factor not yet discussed but significant is that most people, even those who are very food savvy and have highly developed palates, have not actually tasted exceptional coffee. Oh sure... they've had very good coffee but not the truly exceptional. And don't get me started on the possibility of having truly great espresso in a restaurant. Thomas Keller uses Illy pods for the espresso he serves at Cafe Bouchon. I rest my case. In many instances (especially for those of us who eschew alcohol) coffee and/or espresso is the final note in a fine dining experience - the last set of taste sensations that one can savor before the evening ends. I remain baffled as to why more restaurateurs and chefs don't "get it". Pursuit of excellence in cuisine should encompass every single aspect of the dining experience - why not coffee?

The NY State fair opens this Thursday. I'm sans digital camera at the moment and won't have luscious photos to share this year but do intend to try the newest offering: deep fried macaroni and cheese. Now THAT'S healthy!

Mastercard and/or VISA now offer a product for those who either cannot acquire credit cards or choose not to have them for their own reasons. It's a prepaid card with a specified amount of value and can be be used exactly as a credit card or VISA "check card" is used but it does not draw from your checking account. I have no idea whether one pays a small percentage upfront for the privilege but imagine the banks make enough on the float that no fee is needed. There are so many downsides to using such a card that I won't bother to list them (and they're not food related). But one could purchase some of these in $50 or $100 increments and use them for prepaid/guaranteed restaurant reservations.

Or you could skip conventional fries and just serve giant plates of "butterfly potatoes" (disclosure: I fianlly tried some this summer after seeing peopel eat them for years - they actually look much more interesting than the eating experience that is delivered). All you need is a big-ass power drill and a little stand to hold the potato. It was quite entertaining to watch these guys at the NY State Fair cranking out plates of these all day long with their homemade gizmo. It being the fair they can get away with charging $5 for a plate that consists of one large potato butterflied and fried.

I'll attest to the fact that the french fries at Melt are outstanding. Fresh cut can only be better and Holly has a good point: people will beat a path to your door for outstanding fries. Perhaps you could even bring a regional delicacy up to NJ and start a trend. I have yet to try them but a thread on college campus food trucks brought up discussion on Half Smokes

The new CEO of KMart is credited for engineering their turnaround by recognizing that their real esset was the real estate sitting underneath most of their underperforming stores. Close 'em down, sell it off and you have enough cash to buy Sears! Whether they can now succeed as a retailer remains to be seen. Won't happen. The owenrs of this now decrepit and derelict property (it needs to be razed - no value in renovation) wanted $650,000 about ten years ago before the OG was open or perhaps when it first opened and hadn't yet developed a busy trade. I'm sure they expect even more today. No one in this market and I mean no one - not even Starbuck's - could pay that kind of money, build a new structure and then turn a profit on java and desserts. I suspect the only place that might possibly work there is another chain restaurant. But they're all targeting the city's rapidly growing northern suburbs for growth. The static east edge of the city is always a good place for more adventurous dining options and quality independents but the price of real estate on the "strip" keeps them eslewhere. And my late beloved grandfather always insisted that one shoudl never open a store (by that he meant a small grocery) in one of those half-basement locations that's partially below ground level and requires walking down a few steps to access it.

We (meaning my part time employers) use True 24" under-the-counter stainless steel fridges in all three of our coffee houses for the skim milk, cream etc. (whole milk is in six gallon poly cubes in the "cow" on top of the counter). Even our newest one (only 10 months old) is moderately noisy - much more so than my cheap Whirlpool home fridg that's twice the size. But they do seem to hold up well.

Starbucks has finally reached the critical mass stage of wide market acceptance at allows them to open in locations previously considered marginal by their competitors (and even other non-beverage related food businesses). Yet they do plenty of business in these new spots. In my community we're just now seeing the proliferation of Starbucks starting to develop. They're going into locations that had already been deemed as de facto useless by virtue of public apathy for previous businesses that existed there. But they are buying rather than leasing wherever possible and by virtue of increasing traffic flow due to their presence have begun to increase the value of the property. Sooner or later they'll just be a massive real estate holding company that sells coffee just for the sake of having something to do with their time (or has that already happened? ) They recently paid $450,000 for a location near me that's on "the wrong side of the street" (relative to morning commuter traffic flow). Then they spent about $300,000 converting the existing building and Starbuckizing it. It seats only 12 - 15 people at most and has no drive-up window due to town zoning laws. But they're already doing well and will continue to grow their business exponentially if my guess is correct. But $750,000 to open a small coffee shop in a smallish city where $150,000 buys you a nice 2,500 sq ft home in a good neighborhood? That's a lotta frappuccino's. Being a chain in a community that flocks to chain restaurants can overcome the curse. Witness our local "strip" - Erie Blvd East. We have one location that was "cursed" for close to 30 years -a string of different places with different food and decor concepts came and went. Enter Ruby Tuesday's - who most likely bought the property for a song. It's unquestionably not as busy as the other Ruby Tuesday's location in town (which is equally disgusting but in a prime location in a very busy mall). But they're holding their own and into their 5th or 6th year of operation (or more). On the other side of the strip just a half mile down is the truly cursed location. It began as a local drive-in fast-food joint called Carroll's (an early competitor to McDonald's). Eventually it was converted to a Burger King and Carroll's Corp. became the biggest Burger King licensee in the US. Even a BK could not survive in that spot. They closed the BK and then other joints began to come and go..... Swenson's Ice Cream.... Grandma's Pie Shoppe.... Lum's Hotdogs (steamed - oh yum)... Mexican.... then Tex-Mex.... all to no avail. But guess what? Olive Garden bought the empty lot next door, opened their doors, and has had a long wait for table nearly every night since then - for the past ten years or longer. And the cursed location still sits empty - now with too high a price tag because the owners are convinced that it's a great location. Hey - after all - OG is busy every night - right?