Megan Blocker

That is completely inexcusable. Wow. Glad to hear they won't be charging you. I stayed at the Philly Four Seasons for my 18th birthday (which is longer ago than I care to admit) - my mom came down from Connecticut, picked me up at college on the Main Line, and took me to the city for the weekend. Since I was technically 17 (and therefore still a "kid") when I arrived, they brought popcorn and balloons to our room. It was EXCELLENT.

I ate at Five when I was at my mother's house for Christmas (same night I had drinks at Echo - they're in the same shopping center on Champlain). It was definitely good - some of the better food I've had in the area, and definitely hopping (it was the Thursday night before Christmas), though, true to Fresno form, it was really clearing out by about 9:00 (a phenomenon this New Yorker, typically considered an early-to-bedder, finds disconcerting). I had the beef carpaccio to start - the best part of this was the salad on top. For my main course, I had spaghetti verde (spaghetti tossed with garlic, olive oil, broccoli rabe and some sort of basil puree - maybe a mild pesto?). The portions were huge - too big to finish, really - but this seems to be the norm in the area, and you certainly get your money's worth. I just can't see finishing that much pasta, and it doesn't keep well as leftovers... The big letdown was that they had Dolce by the glass ($17.00) on the dessert menu, but the waiter came back and said they'd stopped carrying it. Also, on a different note, the menu lists espresso as "expresso." Everyone seemed to enjoy their dinners... ETA: I agree with Syrah Girl on the hummus - it's very light and garlicky - great with the crusty bread.

Here's a regional map! Not interactive, but hopefully helpful... This is a great idea, Kevin!

How did they TASTE, Patrick? 'Cause they look beautiful.

I'm not sure exactly who those folks are either Megan. But in the very competitive, low profit margin world of supermarkets, perhaps management felt it couldn't hurt to give the "appearance" of caring about lobsters. What's scary is that according to the article above which sparked this, as usual, lobsters are just a starting point; there are movements afoot to extend this "concern" to the steaming of crabs and crayfish, with the suggestion that these crustaceans be sold dead and raw. Ugh. ← Good points...and, ugh, indeed!

Amen, JLam. Every time a thread like this comes up, I find myself interested...but I also find myself thinking about the fact that millions of people on this earth don't have enough to eat on a day to day basis... Makes me think that debates over lobster treatment are a little self-indulgent. I still find them fascinating, though, and am thrilled to be a part of the conversation!

Just a thought - people who actually lose sleep over this probably won't be buying the lobsters. I mean, I see the point of free-range, organic chicken - we're talking about treatment over a longer timespan, and it does make tastier chicken - but concerns over how lobsters are treated just before they die? You're going to cook the thing alive, man! If you're down with that, are you really worried about the tank it's in? Just wondering who they think this "marketing ploy" will appeal to... Absolutely - which is why I treat every animal I eat with respect, and why you should, say, try to use every piece of the animal for some true purpose. And, also, why you should try not to pretend that an animal is something it's not.

Madeleines into my hot chocolate...yum! That mug is hilarious - it reminds me of the kind of objects combining the everyday with elegant, functional design that you see for sale at the MoMA store. Wonder if this will be the next addition to the collection?

Molten chocolate cake(s) with espresso whipped cream. Happy New Year!

I think (though I could be reading the article wrong) that the guy they bought the croissants from used to work at Le Bernadin, and is now (or was, when the author and his wife opened their shop) in business for himself, selling pastries wholesale to various businesses - not working in the back of a little coffee place.

Klary, those look amazing!

What a great topic idea, Ducky! The comfort food I've discovered and really embraced as an adult is Vietnamese - bun xao with chicken. I love it. I love the crunch of the veggies, the smell of the nam pla mixed with the garlicky noodles, I love the chili sauce on the side...the whole thing is delicious. I've never been huge on chicken soup for some reason, but this is my latter-day substitute. Mmmm, I feel happy just thinking about it.

Just did a holiday lunch with a few work buddies at the Wu Liang Ye on 48th Street...it was very good. It wasn't a hugely adventurous group, so we didn't do anything too out of the ordinary, but even the ordinary was delicious. We started with the vegetable dumplings, which I really enjoyed - you could taste all of the different veggies, and nothing tasted like cardboard, as vegetable dumplings are so apt to do. Next up were the chicken/lettuce wraps - not fantastic, but good - comforting. For our mains, we had vegetable chow fun (great - the veggies stayed crisp and flavorful), eggplant in garlic sauce (delicious - buttery and redolent of garlic), prawns with chili asparagus (spicy and rich - my favorite dish), beef filets flavored with tea (good, not amazing, but solid), and mixed sauteed veggies (eh). All in all, a good meal - that food fed six with leftovers, and with six Tsing Tao's and two glasses of wine, the whole meal came to under $30 a head. I can't wait to go back and try more of the traditional Sichuan dishes.

And I GAVE a copy of Bouchon! Though, not to PS...to my friend Miles, who has been hankering for Bouchon's croque monsieur ever since eating there last summer...

Thanks, Daniel! I've used sherry vinegar for a couple of years now...I first started with it when it was called for in a chicken dish, and have been using it (mostly in salads) ever since. I love it - especially how it mellows out just enough when you soak shallots in it (thanks to Pontormo for that tip). Delicious! I agree with you that it's a totally underrated ingredient, and I like it that way - the good stuff is still cheap! Gorgeous lamb, BryanZ!

Dean Martin had a lot more going for him than my parasitic unemployable ex. ← Don't hold back, Katie...tell us how you really feel...

No pictures , but it was good! I had my little brother and his new girlfriend (verdict: we like her) over for dinner tonight. She is, as little bro used to say, a vegetable-tarian, so I made all veggie dishes. First up, a salad with baby spinach, endive, and vinaigrette (shallots, mustard, sherry vinegar and olive oil). Next, a vegetable tian (zucchini, tomatoes and potatoes sliced thin and baked on top of sauteed onions and garlic, topped with thyme and gruyere) and a risotto (pea and basil). For dessert, I broke out my new kitchen torch and made creme brulee! All in all, a good night. ETA: Klary, that cake looks amazing...and the table you're all eating on is gorgeous! I love it - so rustic and homey.

Oh, my. I am laughing so hard here. I agree - champagne has a definite stink to it the next morning...

Add two for me! I got Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking and The French Laundry Cookbook for Christmas! (From Babbo Natale and Pere Noel, respectively! )

That sounds so good, Rachel!

That is gorgeous, Kathy!

Thanks, Ling! Yup, the seeds were sprinkled in the pastry cream before it set up all the way...

Here's what I made for dessert on Christmas...a pomegranate tart! It was quite yummy, though the photo didn't come out well. I was using someone else's camera, and guess that I didn't set it correctly...

Wow, FoodMan - all of that food looks amazing, but that roulade and the kielbasa are out of this world! Fantastic job...

Jason, my grandparents have been sending us honeybells and grapefruits from Cushman's in West Palm Beach for as long as I can remember - they're very good, always arrive fresh and undamaged, and make the best fresh-squeezed OJ on the planet.