Rail Paul

One need which is often unsatisfied in the suburbs is a place to go after the movies which isn't a club or a bar. Perhaps a Friday / Saturday only situation. Many suburban restaurants take their last seating at 830. In my area of western essex / eastern morris, I can count the two or three places which have a 930 reservation. Whether a dessert / cappucino / brandy menu would work for after the movies, I don't know, but I haven't seen anybody try it. With good marketing (distribute flyers at the cinema, etc) it could fill a niche from 10 until 1. I'd suspect dessert, coffee and brandy could well be the highest margin products on a menu. Promoting your highest margin products has often been a rewarding effort. Edit: Replaced missing with unsatisfied in the first sentence)

...smoking in one's own office... Our landlord has a prohibition against smoking anywhere in the facilities written into our lease, with monetary penalties for violations. My company's parent prohibits smoking in any company facility in the US. We just had a seminar on the seven deadly sins, of which smoking is one I understand that NJ's smoking laws require a separate ventilation system for any interior areas where smoking is permitted, don't know about NY. Way back when I was a new manager, one of my few pleasures in life was lighting up a cigar on Friday afternoon, and pouring a drink with my supervisors as we reviewed the week. That would be two separate deadly sins these days

Wilfrid - I want to apologize to you. Upon re-reading my post, I find it has a contentious tone wholly inappropriate to your many generous emendations. I'll be tied up most of Wednesday, but should be able to locate the info Thursday. It appears we all agree there are several desirable objectives here: --a place for smokers to enjoy their tobacco --a safe work place for employees --respect for the needs of others The problem is finding an appropriate balance Paul

Point well taken, FG. I went in search of several Loire / Chinon items, and found zippo. Last time in they had quite a selection. While I was writing out my prices, I noticed the typical buyer in the wine aisle was taking six bottles or a full case. That's typical of Gary's or Wine Library, but not my local liquor stores. Next time I'm over there, I'll price the brandies. I suspect there would be a similar differential.

Stopped by Costco in Wayne NJ last night. Filet mignon at 7.99, tiger prawns at 7.99 for four oz monsters. Due Torri Pinot Grigio 1.5L 7.69 Cavit Pinot Grigio 1.5 9.99 all 750s from here on. this is about 15% of the stock Fetzer Sundial Chard 98 6.99 Rosemount Shuiraz Estate 2001 9.49 Ravenswood Vintners Blend 8.49 Chat Ste Michelle Joh Ries Columbia Valley 01 6.99 Latour Paulliac '99 125 Pavie Bordeaux-Ste Emilion '99 105 Mouton '99 119.79 Lafite Rothschild 123 Penfolds Grange '98 189 L'Angelus '98 94 L'Angelus '99 73 Margaux 122 Ducru-Beaucaillou '99 47 Dubouef Pouilly Fuisse '00 14 Stags Leap SLV Cab '98 78 Chimney Rock Napa Stags Leap '98 35 BR Cohn Olive Hill Sonoma Cab '98 31 Simi Alex Valley Cab '98 58 Villa Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva '99 18 Penfolds Cab bin 707 '97 66 Mondavi Cab Reserve unfiltered '99 87 Dom de Chevalier Pessac-Leognan Grand Cru '98 57 Tattinger brut '92 artist matta 120 Mumm Cordon Rouge Millesime '90 45 Michel Redde Pouilly Fume '00 14.69 Moet Dom Perignon '93 100 Antinori Guada Al Tasso Bolgheri Sup '99 64 Chandon Brut 12 Moet White Star 24 Veuve Cliquot 28 Lots of hard liquor, brandies, etc.

Bux - I think you put your finger on the issue. Good ventilation will dramatically improve the air quality for people who work in bars and other areas where smoking is allowed. It already works wonders in grain elevators, sawmills, chemical plants, etc. Wilfrid - There are cases, however, as you note. One was a 1997 $350mn judgement against Phillip Morris, et al, which established the legal standard the industry must prove that second hand smoke doesn't cause cancer, emphysema, etc in cabin attendants. The industry chose not to appeal that verdict, which is known as "Broin." The flight attendants now file their own suits and litigate based on their personal situations. Rosenblatt, in Miami, was lead counsel, and he recently (June, 2002) won the first Broin flight attendant individual case. Lynn French was awarded $5.5mn (she had asked for one million). "French" will likely be a template for subsequent litigation. in Florida, California, New York, and elsewhere. The industry is appealing. Flight attendants for NorthWest litigated separately and won a nine figure judgement, as well. I'll find that one.

about the actors... Some of the most sophisticated upselling has been done by people who act well. "We have a delightful dessert tonight of poached pears and spring berries, topped with cream and a hint of black pepper. I tried some earlier tonight, and the pepper really makes Chef Dave's brandy sauce stand out. May I bring you a small sample?" or "We have a special tonight, only three servings will be available. It's a sockeye salmon salad served with NJ heirloom tomatoes from Warren county. I understand the owner served the same salad to his family earlier tonight. May I bring you that?"

I took a course in butter several years ago. Among other features, items were cooked in the various sampled butters and tasted. One observation was the season in which the cow is milked has an impact on butter flavor (and milk flavor) due to the moisture content and type of feed consumed. Other than two or three extra pounds on me, I discovered that most butters in the US have 80% to 82% butterfat, and about 20% to 18% water. Solids were negligible, as I recall, but it's been a while. Premium butters like Plugra are designed with 84% to 85% butterfat, and 16% or 15% water. The reduction in water content is about 20% (20 to 16, 4/20 in my example). When we melted a selection of butter pounds and let everything settle, you could see the difference.

I thought some of the restriction problem was derived from dioxin findings in fish off Long Beach Island and Seaside. There was a lot of offshore dumping from a chem plant near Toms River back in the 1970s leading to restrictions on commercial catches. It's good to hear a species has replenished itself, given a few decades.

No response to my question?

Nina, Wlfrid and Cabrales - Would you comment on the texture, flavour, etc of the internal organs? Specifically the heart and liver? Did you find the "strong" taste more intense than the pig, etc sampled earlier? Cabrales - was the Lynch Bages '97 an educated guess on your part? I can't imagine there's much literature or experience on matching first and second growths with hedge hogs. Many thanks Paul

Do you have the same attitude toward clothing made in sweat shops by children and mistreated pregnant women? Gives 'em jobs, doesn't it? Kathie Lee Gifford and Wal-Mart certainly ran for the hills when that mess came to light. If restaurants won't serve sea bass, or carry it until there's better management of the fisheries, the message gets down the food chain very quickly. Intelligent, well managed fisheries will produce better, higher paying jobs than rampant overfishing will.

There was considerable evidence introduced in the flight attendant cases about the impact of second hand smoke on persons required to work in smoky environments (aircraft, etc) for sustained periods of time. I don't think it's a far jump to bar tenders, waitresses and others who have similar exposure over severa years. Settlements in the first two cases were in the two billion range, IIRC. We're not talking about customers who drop in for a snort (whoops, drink) after work. There are folks who work 40 hours in smoky, potentially dangerous situations, week in and out. (Of course an even greater liabiility is the crew which delivers pesticides to lawns. I've seen these guys soaked in stuff which has more x's on the warning label than some porno videos. You couldn't get me to buy a dime of stock in these guys or their insurers.)

There's case law in the US on employee rights when compellled to work in smoky environments. Flight attendant unions have won substantial judgements from the airlines for the unwilling exposure to second hand smoke with the resulting emphysema, lung cancer and other maladies. Bar tenders and waitresses are a good analog, I'd say. The argument that they were free to pursue other employment didn't get to first base. This situation is a good example of class action lawsuits making sense

The structure of the deal will also have some bearing on how a restaurant is financed. Investors will be drummed up, financial plans will be drafted, buzz artists engaged, etc. I'd suspect that many NYC chef-owners are relatively modest owners overall, with the majority of the equity contribution coming from outside investors. The outside investors get some writeoffs, get some prestige, and have an outside chance of making some money. Sorta like a Broadway show, where you always get great seats to distribute to your friends...

Dee and I stopped by for dinner a few months ago. I believe I posted here, but didn't get much interest I don't recall what Dee had, but I had the grilled hanger steak. Juicy, chewy, very beefy taste. Arranged in a fan shape on the plate as I recall. Might have had a wine enriched jus, but I'm not sure. Enjoyed it. Was it the best, most sublime expereince of my life? No, but it was quite pleasant. Would definitely go back. Place has a nice bistro buzz to it, lots of hustling waitstaff, etc. It's not Daniel, by any means, but most items were in the $20-$25, range.

Happy anniversary, Ellen and Steven - and many more anniversaries to come! Your stroll about the city sounds like a fine way to enjoy the day Paul

You mean it isn't? Dee and I walked past Gallagher's in NYC the other day and noticed the beef aging in the window. Coupla giant rib cages. I was impressed at how old they LOOKED. Weathered, purplish, like a fighter two or three days after the fight he lost. Very indented. The meat on the first rib was easily indented two inches I'd have to believe this stuff (the same meat) has been in this window since Jack Dempsey and Babe Ruth came in for steaks and a few beers a few years ago.

The trend of suggesting a wine for each item on a menu is continuing to grow. Although some folks have the expertise to parse a dense wine list for the precise match, many customers don't have that confidence. Offering a few choices at appropriate price points may move bottles and expose people to wines they might not have considered before. A well tuned wine list will never replace a thoughtful sommelier, who may also be a threatened species...

We visited Calcada last year. Found the food to be fine (not exceptional, but fine). Don't recall service to have been a concern. One thing I have noticed about Corcoran / Cook reviews lately: they hit all the notes discussed here. Number of visits Name of the pastry chef Specific service issues Comment on chef's background

Wazwan does a lot of take-out, and it's popular with West Essex's significant South Asian population. It's not unusual to see people with six or seven items. They pack meals for the Gazebo concerts (Thursday evenings) in Crane Park, too. Based on my visits every two or three weeks, it's unusual to see people actually dining there. Occasionally, but not often. Good food, I think I posted on the place a while back. Meats are pretty good across the board, some of the vegetables may be, for me, an acquired taste.

I recall the folks who used to run Baladi in Montclair (Egyptian / Lebanese) were looking for new space in the Edgewater / Cliffside area, as well as an NYC location. Did that ever happen?

The Wall Street Journal picked up the pressed sandwich maker and reported in Friday's Weendend Journal. Zabar's sale of krups universal ($85) best overall Salton's Toastmaster cool-touch ($13) best value, crispy sandwich Sur la table Panini Grill ($90) easy to clean Kitchen Collection Procter-Silex ($20) Cooking.com Villaware sandwich maker ($40)

The Park is lovely. Lots of very upscale dogs congregating in the run, many CSFB investment bankers and MetLife execs debarking their limos. Much less seedy than the old days...

I didn't realize the article also appeared on nj.com. The reference was only to the Ledger of course. (What is nj.com, anyway?) Double O - I just surfd the high points, didn't focus on the negatives, of which there were many among the joints. There's a place in Somerville which I understand has great BBQ, don't recall the name...