Jump to content

AK@Spicehouse

participating member
  • Posts

    114
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by AK@Spicehouse

  1. AK@Spicehouse

    Dinner! 2008

    Have purchased all of my family meats at Costco for over two years now. Fantastic quality, rigorous inspection, and great prices. Ribeyes in NY are usually $5.99 per pound, boneless, 3 to a pack Usually around 1.1 pounds per steak. I find that two of them, when sliced after grilling, easily feed three adults. Have had the filet mignon, the ribeye, the skirt steak, sausages, chicken and mostly every meat there unprepared. Watch the portions, as these are huge pieces of meat. For a family, its a great deal...
  2. Thanks, that's it ... And Spiro says hi !!!! We at Starwich send our best !!
  3. I remember a store on 86th street with marzipan cookies. I need to get some today, premade ready to go. Local Balducci's has a box of 6 pieces in Fall designs for $20 that is my fallback. Anyone know where they are in stock, preferably fresh. Thanks for any help
  4. Vendor management, my kinda girl. Offer still there for lunch for you and some friends any day. Email me AKlein@starwich.com. We deliver and cater for our friends
  5. The food at STARWICH is quite tasty.,.. And they will cater any event you need...
  6. Watch for the Grand Opening of STARWICH #5, Lexington Ave and 75th Street, last week of June !!!!
  7. The Dover Sole at Per Se last week.... OMG !!!!
  8. Wow. I hope that was not directed at anyone personally, or contained any political overtones? One restaurant had one customer. I too, have little patience with those who 24 hours into a mess are in a panic. After all, if you have fair warning as hurricane victims and the people in New York have had, you at least put a bottle of water and a can of tuna in the cupboard. In fact, the biggest BBQ's I have ever been to have been post storm. Fun to be had by all the first day or two or even three for those who plan ahead. After all, it will go bad if it is not eaten, right? Those that cannot or do not plan ahead are a separate issue. They exist, they will always exist, and deserve a bit of compassion. A city without electricity for 24 or 48 is sad. I understand. I have been without electricity for time measured in days, and in one case weeks. It is hard, and as each day passes, it gets worse. No need to get hysterical, but no need to like it either. I just feel sorry for those who cannot prepare, or will not prepare for some reason. I hope this all works out soon, and is no longer a topic. I really feel for you guys up there, even you Sneakeater. Hope you find good grub. ← Sad thing is the effect this has on the lowest wage earners in the industry. Line cooks are staying home. 9 hour days at $9.00 per hour net you $55 after taxes. To travel from the Bronx or Queens can cost $25 in a gypsy cab or similar. Add it up, call the chefs as I do. Its bad, really bad.
  9. I read the comments and I have to ask are you all kidding ? Restaurants are laying off staff, closing for the night and business is decimated. As a supplier to the city's busiest restaurants, I can estimate that business is off by 75%. The busiest time of the year, and there is no customer. Yeah, Per Se diners dont take the subway, but will they get into a cab with two other people they dont know in a group ride to travel for an hour through 9 blocks of gridlock ? Will they find a cab after dinner ? Hotels will keep guests in their dining rooms, but will anyone else venture out ? So far, NO !!!
  10. MAINLAND 1081 3rd Avenue. They use a special oven, special chef, tasty duck. Pricey, but the best I have eaten.
  11. Bill Peet is at "Pair of 8's" and it is doing well. The chef de suisine at Cafe Des Artistes is Joseph Paulino. Having been at Vong for a few years, Joseph brings many skills to the task. Food was great last week.
  12. Alright, you caught me. I supply Alba White truffles to many of the restaurants written about here, in Manhattan. White truffles are limited, they need to be firm and smell fantastic. The prized truffles pick up a hint of the pine needles that grown near them, are larger than a golf ball, and smell like heaven should. The market price to the restaurants has averaged $110 an ounce this season. That results in a $3.50 coat per gram. Mushy truffles are bad, small ones are not preferred, and when put on anything with an egg base, they shine. Are they worth the restaurant MU. If you have to ask, why are you ordering a $39 bowl of pasta in the first place. I love them, I wish I could afford more of them, and I love chefs that use them liberally..
  13. Cafe Des Artistes has them in, and Chef Joseph know what to do with them !!! Run !!!! ← Interesting.... I was under the impression that Cafe Des Artistes was pretty much an overpriced tourist destination these days. Am I mistaken? Do you know if they do a white truffle with pasta dish? ← I went Sat night and it was great...Snooty, very fancy, new chef, Joe Paulino from Vong... Very tasty !!!! Not inexpensive !!!, but very good..
  14. Cafe Des Artistes has them in, and Chef Joseph know what to do with them !!! Run !!!!
  15. So where do things stand now? It's kinda hard to tell behind the brown paper covering the windows. The bridal shop that occupied your space looks like it's OK up a couple of blocks and around the corner. ← I have read the complete startup from start to today. Very impressive. I have changed jobs and now work for a fish company in NY. We visit Philadelphia on Tuesdays and Thursdays. High end stuff, Sashimi grade Ahi, Ono, Opah, Hamachi. I can get you 30 days to start, revolve from there, after reading your great plan. Email me at Allan@seastarfoods.com... I'll get you some info.
  16. Oddly enough, I have seen the future of seafood dining in chain restaurants. On a tip from a noted chef in Long Island, I went to Secaucus New Jersey to try out Bonefish. One of the first in an expanding chain of restaurants, brought to you from those geniuses at Outback. Gorgeous surroundings, cookie cutter I am sure, but well done, polished and far from the golden arches look. Big Salad, big cocktails, 8 fish selections, 8 sauces, 8 preparations, some other dishes. Imagine BLT Fish at $15.99 per entree. 4-6 ounce laser cut fish, tasted great, sauces that tasted like someone had made them, not poured them. Service was spectacular. Party of 8, well fed, happy and tipsy, total check was $220 with a tip. Look out world, Bonefish is coming...
  17. That was great work. Excellent interview. My big sister Sharon is the head of casting at Fox and chose the characters for the TV show. She tells me the show is a hit in the offing. Looking forward to it...
  18. The chef at Town says two months, October 1st opening earliest. I confirmed it with the Hotel.
  19. I have to tell you, you get the info before I do, and I talk to the Town folks daily. Any other gossip that can help me get to a new chef faster is appreciated. Anything I can do for you, email. Thanks for the tips...
  20. Depending on where you are : CARMINE'S, DON PEPE's, LA PARMA !!! Thats all, game over.........
  21. Thanks heavens my mother has a live in housekeeper. Her idea of cooking was take-out.. Fine woman, but cooking, not.... Grandma made a great Matzo ball soup though,, Inspired me.,,
  22. Under $25, go to Uncle George's and forget what the board says. Order the Calamari fried and the Orzo in tomato sauce as a side. Set you back $13.00 and you will be full and happy. I eat in Per Se, Jean Georges, and Wendy's. In Astoria, I go to Uncle Georges. Its not pretty, its not a fine dining experience, but the food is fresh and delicous. If there are fish specials, it is usually swimming prior to cooking. Enjoy..
  23. You are allowed to detest dried spices. I wear orange on St. Patrick's Day sometimes too. The basis for all gourmet cooking, no matter the country, is dried spices. Everyone is allowed their choice, have a lovely day.. ← I am happy to re-invent the wheel, lose my mind and challenge the status quo. Guilty as charged! However, I'm not sure that frying garlic would be my best example of this. On dried garlic: I'm sorry - no offence intended as I know that this is your business - but this is one of my pet hates. I absolutely detest the stuff. I use plenty of dried spices and some dried herbs, but feel that some have more of a right to be in the store cupboard than others. Dried basil anyone? ←
  24. Being on a restricted diet <a href="http://allankleinonadiet.blogspot.com/"> DIET </a>I can only watch and listen and smell the eating going on around me. I chose last night, an extremely quiet night int the city, to go to Blue Smoke. Having supplied them with their spices for over a year, it was time to see what the fuss was all about. Four of us at the bar, we ordered wine, beer and a soda. My friends order the cheese fries and we waited for the last member of our party. With the fries, one of the chefs sent out the homemade potato chips with Blue cheese dip. The group dove into the freebies, and pronounced the chips to be some of the best snack food they had ever had. Fries went very fast, gooey homemade cheese wizesque on seasoned fries. They were ready for BBQ. In a relatively early time period and an empty restaurant, (5:00) the best time to try the hot places is when nobody is in town, we sat. By 6:15 the place was a zoo. I could only eat the gazpacho, which came on one of the diners Restaurant week meals. $33.00 for and appetizer, main dish with a side, an extra side, dessert and beverage (soda, coffee) Very fair deal. Wife of 120 pounds ordered the rib sambler, Mac and cheese, cornbread, baked beans and more wine. Friends had Rhapsody in Q, Chicken, Ribs, Pulled pork and a sausage. Also another rib sampler with creamed spinach and Sweet potato fries. Last diner, on the special, had smoked organic chicken, spinacch, mashed potatoes and cornbread. I toured the kitchen, the backyard pit and the stock room. Reviews : Fabulous cornbread, ribs went so fast they just grinned and ate. Too much pulled pork for the plate, needed saucing but tasty. Chicken got excellent reviews, eaten with mashed and ccreamed spinach with gusto. Sausage was meaty and tasty, sweet fries were well received. Mac and cheese, the only casualty. Too pasty. My soup was great, needed a kick of hot sauce. Desserts were another gift from my customers in the kitchen, fluffer nutter sundaes, toffee pudding, key lime pie and banana cream pie. The four of them grinned, ate like animals, and I watched. Blue Smoke was worthy of these four foodies praise and heartfelt thanks. Great staff, smiling always, my friend Pete in purchasing and my new waiter friend Tom. Thanks for a great meal and we will send the cayene on Tuesday,..
  25. July 4th Weekend, we should take a moment to remember some of the fine dining at Windows on the World. Rest in Peace....
×
×
  • Create New...