Rail Paul

Stopped by tonight. Sign in the downstairs window says they are OPEN. There's another sign which says Casa Filippo will be offering a special St Patrick's meal.

Martin, You are the only one who has defined duty in a legal sense. Nowhere in my post did I state that. Surely, you are not advocating that it is a server's responsibility to assume or guess which customers have which foodborne allergies and make suggestions appropriately. If I am allergic to peanuts, I should not expect the restaurant to guess this and clairvoyantly warn me as to all dishes that contain peanuts, nor should the restaurant feel obligated to set forth the exact list of ingredients in every dish so as to warn customers of every potential food reaction. Instead, the customer need only say, "I am allergic to peanuts. Can you make sure nothing I order has peanuts in it?" To which the server can easily reply, "Sure thing." It can be very easy. Ron - I think there are reasonable expectations that a diner and a restaurant both bring to the table. You expect a Chinese restaurant may use MSG, and ask about it, if that's a concern. You don't expect "vegetarian" food will be cooked in beef caul or tallow. My co workers didn't expect that a turkey and sprouts wrap would contain bits of bacon, which offended them and their religious sensibilities. It also cost the caterer a weekly $80 tab A little bit of disclosure will go a long way toward enhancing customer satisfaction if it allows people to focus on the meal in comfort. Paul

Do you really know what's in that sandwich? We had a similar situation at work today in our Monday management meeting. Sandwiches were brought in, usual turkey wraps, portabella mushroom sandwiches, tuna salad sandwiches, a green salad. Turkey had a little crunch to it, which turned out to be bacon bits, added to the turkey, sprouts, and balsamic. Created quite a stir, and a written request for kosher food alternatives from now on.

was he sitting in the back? or was he one of the guys with ink at the stand-up part. i'd probably recognize him if i saw him. but then again, out of context, maybe not...and i try not to make eye contact with people at Rutt's. mark, we gotta get a group together at fink's and take the place over. not sure how that might be best arranged, however, as seating is limited. perhaps fink could throw out a suggestion if he has the time and feels comfortable? How 'bout we bring over a few 8 foot tables and set them up in Fink's parking lot? That way we don't need a seating chart or place cards. Set a keg on one of them, Rosie's Turleys on another, and go at it. Note: this idea works better when it warms up a bit...

I've been to Clearfield, and to DuBois, and to Brookville. And, to St Marys and Walston. Gertrude Stein's comments on "no there, there" apply in spades to these places. However, I will make an exception for Straub's beer in St Marys and perhaps for this big burger next time I'm in the area.

That's one big burger. Almost worth the ride out there, but not quite

I'll put in a favorable mention of Striped Bass, discussed elsewhere. Had dinner there on Friday, very polished, very pleasant. I was very impressed with Metropolitan bread in the Terminal Market, and with the Market experience. It's not to be missed. Dee and I are heading down for the Degas Show in a few weeks, and woud be interested in any suggestions you may gather. Paloma in North Philadelphia has been mentioned favorably here, too, and I'd like to try that. Perhaps the Dangerous Dining Club will have something scheduled during the same period!

The Albany (NY) Times-Union has a story today about a proposal to permit grocery stores to sell wine in New York State. Currently, wine may be sold only in wine and liquor stores. The Den of Thieves is expected to consider the proposal later this year. Unlike the recent controversy concerning direct shipments of wine into New York, the wholesalers favor the proposed change, while the wine stores oppose it. Grocery stores, not surprisingly, favor the change. A claim that tax revenues would increase is also disputed. Proponents of change point to the relatively low number of wine stores (1 for every 5,400 New Yorkers) compared to California (1 for every 860) and Washington State (1 for every 900). Articles in the Times-Union tend to disappear quickly. Times-Union

Tutwiler is nice, I stayed there a few years ago on a quick trip. Old, very classic hotel, I'd date it to the same vintage as the du Pont in Wilmington, Seelbach's in Louisville, and the Peabody in Memphis.

I regularly grind a half cup of Kashi and add it to my yeast mixture prior to forming bread dough. That's in lieu of whole wheat flour. Adds a nice crunch and specks of different colors to the bread. It would probably make a nice flatbread as a base for an amuse, too. Different ingredients, relatively low processing of the grains compared to cereals. I've considered adding the same mix to cooked parsnips, mashed potatoes, etc, but haven't done so yet.

Thanks for the kind offer, KatieLoeb. Based on my experience the average critter off the street at TSB gets very good treatment, so VIP must be exceptional. Your team is very impressive. I expect to be down for the Degas Show before it ends in May. I'd like to combine that with a visit to the Barnes Collection, so we may stretch the visit out to a few days, and have a car with us. There are several Philadelphia food venues I'd like to visit.

Dee and I went to the Flower Show, and decided to try Striped Bass after the show. As it was early, 6pm, we walked the eight blocks. Impressive exterior, looks like it had been a bank, high windows, and limestone. The sense of permanence a bank used to convey when it wanted to assure you it would outlast you. Valet at the ready, you are admitted into a narrow area, with curtains drawn at the top, and flared to permit a modest opening. Once through the opening, you are in a huge room, with 40 foot high columns, and a raised area to the left. That area hosts a bar, and tables by the tall windows. Straight ahead is the main dining area, with the open kitchen at the far end. There were perhaps 10 tables taken at 6 pm, although a bar crowd had gathered. We sat in the raised area, with a view of the bar in one direction, the kitchen in the other, and a side view of the Bally's fitness center women's work out area across the street in another former bank. Menus and wine list delivered, drink orders solicited. daily menu, all items printed out, no recited specials. Wide selection of oysters and raw bar items, sampler, etc. Bread arrived. Other than a tasty tomato bread, the bread was average. A salmon and anise? amuse followed on a flatbread, which was very tasty. Nice bite to it. Presentation was excellent. The shrimp and lobster bisque served with garlic bits, turnip dice?, crouton slices and cheese arrived in a bowl as dry ingredients. The soup was then ladled into the bowl. Delicious and very fragrant. My polenta was delivered in much the same way. A plate with shaved tallego cheese, braised greens, and garlic was presented. The polenta was spooned around the edges, forming a ring. There were a number of accent notes in the polenta, suggesting a vegetable and herb addition to the chicken broth. Dee had seared yellowfin tuna, with a thin porcini crust. Our server Patrick described this as a dried, crushed, moistened finish on the tuna. Dee felt the tuna was a little less than medium rare, I thought it was delivered precisely as requested. A bit more than an eigth of an inch of tan inside the sear line, and about an inch of magenta interior. She said it was fine, as was the ragout of mushrooms and avocado. My halibut was good. I would have liked a bit more surface finish on it, but the interior was wonderful, with the color of pearls. Served with a garlicly mashed potato. Table service was attentive, wine glasses were filled as needed, choices of water were offered, permissions always asked before removing items, etc. Our wine was a sancerre, Daulny 2000. The wine list was very broadly priced, with items in the $20+ to several hundred. The after dinner / dessert list was extensive, with depth in brandies, armangacs. With tip, the dinner was about $190. Very enjoyable evening. By the time we left, the restaurant was mostly filled. It was tough getting a cab afterward. Even with the valet working hard to flag one down, we probably waited 10 minutes at 8 pm. An enjoyable and pleasant experience.

I was distressed by two things. One, that he wasted good wine with a stupid gesture. I figure he paid $100 each for six bottles of the DP, plus another grand for the bottles he allegedly dumped. The NJ Community Foodbank could feed three families for a month on $1600. Two, that he hired a publicity firm to assist him in his protest. To me, that suggests more opportunism and less altruism. (One group of terrorists did actually plan to crash a hijacked airbus into the Eiffel Tower in 2000. They were overpowered by the CRS in Marseille. Nobody learned much from that exercise, except maybe Osama)

The Metro Section of the NY Times has an article about Anthony Tola, OB's owner. Tola dumped several bottles of French wines, including six of Dom Perignon, to protest the perfidious French position on Iraq and terrorism. (He suugested the French might have a different opinion if terrorists blew up the Eiffel Tower.) The bottles were replaced with California wines on his restaurant's list. He says calls and e-mails have run heavily in his favor, TV crews are camped outside, and he's re-enacted his sacrifice on several occasions for the media. In fact, he ran out of Dom P, so he reloaded a bottle with ginger ale before pouring it into the toilet again and again. Several customers expressed unhappiness that he chose to express his feelings this way, while many more were unhappy he hadn't poured the wines down their throats. Others were supportive of his position. He has had worldwide publicity, much of it not favorable, for his activity. The article mentions he had publicity stills made of his efforts for an advertising campaign. Link to follow

Dee mentioned the other day that the restaurant looked dark at a time when it should have been bright. I noticed the same darkness tonight. If I have a chance tomorrow, I'll walk over and see if there's a sign on the door. (Of course, I could just call...) Nice place, good food, but a very tough location. Parking in Caldwell can be difficult, too.

Happy birthday! and don't forget to post your report on the dinner...

I figured you'd join us when you were done. We went around to the take-out window (other side of the kitchen) to have our pictures taken. (NOTE to Rachel - pictures?) The counter manager, another HOT DOG JOHN, joined in the picture. A coupla guys in lots of leather, biker jackets, tatoos, and lots of chain link eyed up our group with interest as they demolished platters of dogs and onion rings. The take out area is done up in a tasteful yellow tile and linoleum look, with fluorescent lighting to create the proper mood. Drains in the floor allow them to hose down the place and remove food waste, human blood, or stray chain links...

How did this event make out? Pleased with the food and the place? The other Seabra Rodizio places have had mixed reports from visitors...

A group of us gathered at Rutt's Hutt in Clifron NJ on a rainy Wednesday evening. Those who wish to do so will surely identify themselves in due course. After introductions, it was agreed waves of food would be brought to the table of 10. Bottles of beer, diet coke, Perrier (!) and a pink lemonade were visible, and a pitcher of Molson beer showed up immediately. The place used juice glasses (5 oz?) for the beer. First out were plates of french fries. Crisp exterior, slightly moist interiors. VGood, not exceptional. Plates of exceptionally greasy deep fried onion rings followed. I was disappointed, as the rings were nowhere near as crisp as I remembered. Left a memorable pool of grease on the china This was the only food service which was on other than paper. The Rutt's deal is deep fried hot dogs. Cooked briefly, they crack open (rippers). Cooked a long time, they incinerate and turn a very deep, very dark, color. 'inanouts' are cooked only briefly. First out were the cremators, deep fried, almost cindery dogs. That's the way they were supposed to be, although the sample of 10 had wide variations from mahogany finish to crimson. Centers were generally pink. The Hot Dog Expert (Good name and it is open) will opine on the exact content, I'm sure. I didn't especially like this dog. Crunchy skin, not much taste inside, no spices or garlic were especially evident. The rippers came next, along with more fries, onion rings and more beer. Rippers were good. Long hot dog, with various rips stretching about 3/4 of the length of a dog. More of a spice taste, although I'm sure these were the same dogs used in the cremators. Table condiments included a dusseldorf style mustard with much horseradish. Very sinus clearing. I tasted each dog naked (which delighted the other diners but embarassed the eGulleteeers) and then added mustard. The table relish was exceptional. The mustard, mixed with picle relish and a touch of pineapple, perhaps. Sweet tasting, very fragrant in a tropical sort of way. Rolls were very pedestrian. Inanouts were not memorable. My overall verdict was acceptable, but not memorable. Another eGulleteer, who has also visited Rutt's over many years agreed that this was not one of their finer offerings. Damage per member was about $15-20. Rutt's is a 1940s, early 1950s time warp. I'd argue presentation as two dogs on an Italian or Portuguese roll could be superb. Of course, it wouldn't be Rutt's! For folks interested in a hot dog caravan, the following could be accomplished in an afternoon. ---Rutt's for a ripper ---Royal Grill in Clifton (2 exits up NJ 21) for a tasting ---Johnny & Hange's in Fairlawn for a Texas weiner (continue up 21, right on Fair Lawn Avenue to 208, west on 208 two exits to J&H) ---Goffle Grill, two exits west on 208 and south on Goffle Road

My wife and I regularly use open.table in NYC and NJ, and have never been disappointed. Reservations are in the book and honored. The system is used in many NY restaurants, including Lespinasse, Picholine, Vong, Veritas, Craft, fresh, Blue Hill, and Tabla. Special requests are usually honored. One feature is the ability to print out directions, identify nearby parking / validation, which frees up staff time otherwise spent with these tasks. I know of at least one restaurant which routinely blocks out a few tables for friends of the house, so I'm sure there are customizing opportunities. I assume there's management information stored on the system ("big tipper, likes Barolo, don't sit him near the bar, etc) which could be of help to a restaurant's repeat trade management. Don't have any idea of what it costs to the house, but it works for me

Floyd Cardoz of Tabla?

I noticed the irradiated beef is no longer offered in West Caldwell Shop-Rite. It is available on special order. The butcher said there wasn't much of a demand for it, and they didn't re-order after a few weeks of testing it. He didn't say, and I didn't ask, anything about protests. Shop-Rite didn't do any advertising, other than a single blurb in the circular. The meat was on a high shelf in the display case. That's unlike Wegman's which had shelf talkers, a special section, and sample recipes. The Bridgewater Wegmans still has a nice, and fairly large selection of SureBeam beef. I thought I saw a note that Giant-Eagle is introducing SureBeam products in additional Pittsburgh and Eastern Ohio stores.

The Ledger had a brief note this morning that the Gristede's proposed purchase has fallen thru. D'Agostino's also looked over the goods, and passed on the deal. The paper speculates a management buyout may be the only option left. (The paper doesn't mention this, but the decline in the dollar relative to the UK pound means that the store is worth much less to the British owners now than a year ago even if they could get their asking price, which is unlikely.)

Rich - nice report. finding a place like that on a horrible night like Friday is a real blessing. did you order / converse in spanish? I've noticed that in some places, native speakers get the benefit of the doubt on spicing and ingredients. The house doesn't make any money on returned dishes (when =Mark ran the eGullet dinner at Mie Thai in Woodbridge, even =Mark's skills weren't sufficient to get the staff to turn up the heat. They came out and watched the chileheads eat the soup before they prepared the dinners to the desired HOT.) Paul

I did my census by mail, like 90%-92% of the US. (I didn't want my neighbors describing me, my income, my investments, my marital status, my ancestry, no sireeee. I can mis-represent myself without their help) The door to door takers were for the relatively small portion of folks who didn't return their mail, or for whom the census had no records. Which would include a significant number of people earning under $25,000, I'd suspect. In both JC and HOB, un-reported household income over $100,000 would probably be a modest but countable segment, but shouldn't affect the validity of these numbers by much. Based on the fill-out at Sugar House and Port Liberte, I'd suspect JC's numbers are a bit better now than they were. Sugar House starts at $850,000 or so. Not bad for an old warehouse, with a good view.