coolranch

I think he's staying at the Four Seasons...

Ah! I was driving by there a week or two ago, and wondered if Louie's 106 was even open. I never hear anything about them anymore. I used to go there on a fairly regular basis (5-6 yrs ago)--but I guess so did everyone else. Sad to hear it's on the decline. But the chocolate martini sounds interesting. I tasted one of those pineapple martini's at Sullivan's last weekend (made w/pineapple infused vodka)--good, but sweet enough to produce a royal hangover. Oh, and I saw Robert Duval and Michael Caine there, too.

What was your family food culture when you were growing up? Suburban Middle class. Basic beef, chicken, etc. Little brother was very picky. Always a salad/vegetable, bread, and desert. My mother and father had very different family cultures growing up, so I got the best of both: dad grew up in rural Oklahoma, so he was definitely a meat-and-potato-stick-to-your-ribs type of eater. Mom is a New Yorker, so she had a more diverse food background. Was meal time important? Yes, especially as we (the kids) got older--we always had a "dinner time" and were expected to be there. Even if the family was eating off TV trays in the living room. Was cooking important? My mother enjoyed baking more than cooking, but ingredients were always important. No potato flakes, frozen dinners, rarely casseroles. She cooked a lot of family recipes. What were the penalties for putting elbows on the table? None, meals were very casual. Who cooked in the family? Mom during the week, dad had his "specialities" he'd make on the weekends--either spaghetti w/homemade sauce (a recipe from his college roommate's Sicilian mother) or homemade dumplings (his mother's recipe)---but during the summer, he'd wake at dawn to cook a brisket all day. He was also great with omlettes and pancakes. Were restaurant meals common, or for special occassions? We went to casual restaurants about once a week. For special occassions, we went to special restaurants--and we always got to pick the restaurant for our birthday dinners. Did children have a "kiddy table" when guests were over? No...unless there were too many to fit at one table. When did you get that first sip of wine? Passover seder, when I was about 10 or 11. When we ate with my grandparents, they would let me have some wine with dinner starting around age 13 or 14. Was there a pre-meal prayer? On Friday nights, for the Sabbath...and on other holidays. Was there a rotating menu (e.g., meatloaf every Thursday)? Dad's meal on Sundays (usually the spaghetti w/sauce). We would have Chinese take out or pizza delivered on Saturdays..or dad would grill burgers--something casual and fun for the kiddos. How much of your family culture is being replicated in your present-day family life? I don't have children (yet)--I do keep most meals casual, but we always sit down at the table (no TV). I almost always have wine with dinner, which my parents never did. My husband and I do make a special effort to collaborate on Sunday dinners...I now have the sauce recipe. My brother is the cook in his family and he makes all of my mother's recipes like stuffed cabbage, turkey tetrazini, etc.

Milwaukee’s Best, aka "The Beast" gets my vote. One beer I've never liked is Rolling Rock...just foul. Maybe it's a regional thing--all my friends from PA love it. I like Shiner Bock. But there are lots of skunky bottles floating around out there.

I never tried salt on cantaloupe, but I have always put salt on watermelon. Creeps Mr. coolranch out. Jinmyo: Have you tried Jean-Georges Vongerichten's recipe w/watermelon, goat cheese w/cracked black pepper, drizzled w/EVOO? Quite tasty. I also have always eaten my French toast w/sour cream and salt. I just can't do the powdered sugar thing. I'm seeing a pattern; perhaps that's why I definitely prefer savory to sweet.

In my hometown of Austin, there is the Horseshoe Lounge (or, just "the shoe"). They had that table shuffleboard game, cheap Lone Star beer--and depending on the night--either free popcorn, hotdogs , or sloppy joes in the back. Juke box was old country tunes...or Elton John. I learned how to play dominoes there from a retired postman. I find it hard to spend too much time inside now since I stopped smoking and the olfactory senses have come back.

NYT, thanks for the refresher. Mr. coolranch and I are dining there tomorrow. We've haven't been in a couple of months. I'm glad to see they're still busy on weeknights.

Reale's is great! Our friends that moved here from Hoboken say it reminds them of their old 'hood. Saccone's has fantastic pizza---I just wish someone would open a NY/NJ pizza place south of the river.

I love Curra's coffee--we always buy a pound when we're eating there. I'm not a big coffee drinker, but that stuff is just tasty!

black bean burgers (black beans, mayonnaise, cilantro, hot sauce, little bread crumbs, seasonings, mushed, formed into patties, then browned in a skillet) w/fresh pico, grated jack cheese, lettuce in a pita. Salad w/romaine, lots of scallions, bit of garlic, dressed w/lemon juice and olive oil. few glasses of Rancho Zabaco red zin

That sounds wonderful--do you use Udon noodles for that?

I like the wine spectator board--the people are knowledgeable, but not quite as stuffy as those that are on Parker's board.

Hello Crispy, 1)I'm not in Cleveland (Texas, actually), but my husband went to Case Western, so we still visit there from time to time. Try Lola's. The chef, Michael Symon, was one of the chefs featured in the book "Soul of a Chef", which is what motivated us to try it---great spin on local meat-and-potatoes type fare. 2) I consider it to be in the heartland I'm sure others will have more ideas, which I will be interested in too, for our next visit.

--Old fashioned chicken n' dumplins--the dumplins being REALLY thick, homemade egg noodles . --kugel--not the sweet kind--no raisins and such, and topped with extra sour cream and a sprinkle of salt.

Spudboy, thanks for dropping by. Starlite is our favorite restaurant. My husband first ate there with some friends while I was on a trip to NYC. It was in January, so I believe you were still there. He and rarely gets excited about food--but he actually called me specifically to describe his meal at Starlite!! He had the tenderloin I believe, with bleu cheese and a wine reduction. Be sure to let us e-gulleters know where you are cooking when back in Austin. (a Sooner? say it ain't so! )

I always salt my watermelon--always gets me some weird looks at picnics. Feta and watermelon? Hmmm. I love Jean George Vongerichten's recipe for watermelon w/crumbled goat cheese, cracked black pepper and a drizzle of EV Olive oil--that is good stuff.

Whew! Great stuff. Happy to get locals' opinions--now I won't have to depend on business travellers w/expense accounts, people who lived in the area 10 years ago, or G-d forbid, citysearch.com. Choco--I will be in AA for a wedding (both bride & groom are UM grads), then spending a day or two in Detroit with some friends (in Ferndale)--about 4 days total. Unfortunately, I won't be there during a game weekend, and we're staying at the Campus Inn. mlpc--I may have to make the trek to Five Lakes. I read Soul of a Chef last year--loved it. Will probably have limited transportation, but willing to cab it for a good meal. Zingerman's sounds like my kinda place. Our days will be free, so we look forward to tooling around a bit. Thanks everyone!

Interesting thread... I'm not from Detroit, but I will be in Ann Arbor for a few days in the fall and would love any local foodies' advice on restaurants in AA and Detroit. Following are some restaurants that have been recommended to us (besides Tribute, Rattlesnake Club and the Whitney): Opus One Duet Beverly Hills Grill Yotsuba for sushi Chophouse Gratzi Real Seafood Company

Ah, thanks for the tip, being in Texas, I'm sure the papaya here comes from Mexico. I'll keep an eye out--I'm always willing to try it again...

Over the years I've learned to like most foods that I once hated: cilantro (I am a cilantro convert--love it now--used to think it tasted like soap), fennel, cumin (overcame that by simply living in Texas for several years)--but, the one thing I cannot stand (though I try it every year or so) is PAPAYA. I actually tried it recently--yep, still blechy. I don't get it, mangos are my favorite fruit and I love most all tropical flavors--can't do papaya.

Totino's frozen cheese pizza.

I tried Starlite's brunch yesterday. It's one of my favorites for dinner so we gave the brunch a try--it was very good. I had the Bangok Breakfast, which was 2 small crabcakes, a poached egg on jasmine rice w/an asian influenced hollandaise sauce (spicy) garnished w/cilantro. Mr. cr had the Steak and Eggs, a tenderloin w/shitake jus, egg over easy w/hollandaise sauce on cheddar grits. Wasabi bloody mary good, but nothing special. I was intrigued by the idea of their "breakfast martini", but didn't try it. Prices were 6-13 for entrees. Will definitely go back. Just thought I'd share.

Getting some great ideas. I always tend to go more savory than sweet. My favorite topping of all time is sour cream and salt. mmmm Will definitely try the goat cheese/jalapeno jelly--never thought to put that on french toast.

When I was in NYC in January, I had a specialty martini at Asia de Cuba that had orange vodka, Campari and blood orange juice in it. Good, but was a little too sweet for me--needs more Campari.

Mr. coolranch and I are planning to try Juan in a Million this weekend...will follow up with a migas report... I like Nopalito--good migas and extra cheapy cheapy--Little Mexico isn't bad either, actually you really can't go wrong with most of the choices on that stretch of S. 1st st. And another vote for Maudie's. I had brunch at Fonda's about a month ago and Miguel Ravago was working the mole station.