201

Umm... yeeeeeaaaaaah. I'm just going to need you to just go ahead and start up a NJ bar thread, umkay? Thanks, that's terrific. By the way, have you tried Nellie's in Waldwick? I might have mentioned it earlier in this thread, but I'm too lazy to go check. Their kitchen is open until 1am and they're a lot closer to you than Kinchley's is. They also have beer there at this long table type area with stools.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I also made it Lido and sampled their pizza some time ago, but I neglected to comment on that as well (I've actually got a bunch of places I need to post about). My general impression was that while I really loved the staff there, the pizza is essentially the same style as Kinchley's but not quite as good. At least on the night when I was there it was considerably more oily, but I'd be willing to give it another shot. The people I was with said the open-faced steak sandwiches were very good though and you can't beat the hostess who informed the entire restaurant that I was not wearing a coat in cold weather.

I stopped by El Gran tonight and asked Mauricio about the mole poblano. He said it IS made from sweet chocolate and yet that it IS supposed to have that bitterness from the toasting of the peppers. So basically, we're all right and we're all wrong and I don't know what's what anymore. Glad that's settled.

It's just a North Jersey sort of crowd, Rich! I'm glad this topic popped back up though because it reminded me to post about a little trip I took down to Old Bridge to try the Jersey location of L & B Spumoni Gardens. The jist of it is, if you're not in the immediate area, you're better off going to Brooklyn. The longer version is below... The Spumoni Gardens in Old Bridge is located in a small strip mall on route 516. Driving by the front of it I was a little nervous when I saw the sign read "Spumoni Gardens Express" and consequently had thoughts of microwaves and a warming lamps filling my head. When I pulled around to the parking lot in the rear, the sign simply read "Spumoni Gardens" again, so I was relieved... a bit confused, but relieved all the same. I walked through a set of double doors into what looked like a moderately sized dance hall. The room was deserted at 5:30pm, but it was clear that it wasn't the dining room. Through another set of doors I entered the dining room... roughly the same size as the dance hall and this one looked like the banquet hall of a convention center or some such institution. I didn't bother counting the tables, but let's just say that this place holds a LOT of people. Apparently my friend and I had entered through the wrong doors, so we walked all the way up to the hostess station and seeing as there was only ONE occupied table made the entirely too-obvious joke of "wherever you can fit us will be fine". She was good about it though and seated us with a smile. This place seems to be TRYING to be somewhat upscale (certainly moreso than the Brooklyn location), but that definitely wasn't what I was looking for. Sure, tablecloths might be nicer than picnic benches, but the pizza seemed to be hidden away towards the back of the menu and that's just not right! Our server was very friendly and efficient, but it took probably a good 40 minutes before we got our pizza from the kitchen. Granted, I did have a salad as an appetizer, but it was still a long time to wait and the salad was NOT worth the delay. It was a goat cheese, pear, and walnut salad using canned pears. The waitress asked what sort of dressing I'd like on it and then listed off a few that didn't make any particular sense given the salad. Pass. Anyway, we got pepporoni and sausage pizza. It was in the style of the Brooklyn location (crust, mozz, sauce, then parmesan, toppings), but just not as good. The sausage, for one, had a particular dense texture and was sliced thickly enough that I could see a lot of charred skin. The Brooklyn location slices the sausage very thin and it has (perhaps consequently) a more crumbly texture. Pepporoni tasted like Hormel brand packaged pepporoni. I think the other main difference was in the crust. Someone mentioned above that it might be a difference in the water and I might just agree with that. Unfortunately this trip was a while ago so I can't quite bring up what it was about the crust that was different, but suffice to say, overall the pizza was not as good as the Brooklyn location. As we were eating, a gentlemen who seemed to equally likely to be either a cook, manager, or owner walked through the room and asked how everything was. it was one of those rare times when I knew I wouldn't be returning, but felt I should give an honest assesment anyway. "It's decent, but I don't think it's up to the standards of the Brooklyn location." His response had a confrontational tone, "Oh, you DON'T, huh?" I explained about the sausage and was told in the same confrontational tone, "I KNOW we buy GOOD sausage." At this point I think the two of us were done with each other and he left the room. I wasn't entirely sure what buying good sausage had to do with slicing it differently and charring the hell out of it, but I knew I wasn't getting that answer from him. Anyway, as I said, I don't see myself going back to Old Bridge for this place, but maybe someone closer might want to give it a shot. edit: It was so long ago that I completely forgot the difference between Woodbridge and Old Bridge...

Well, I'm going to ask the obvious question... if one doesn't find great mole poblano at El Gran Mexicano, then where? Provided there is a place within the NY Metro area I'd like to be able to have a concrete example I can taste rather than a theoretical one. I do know that the Mexican chocolate used to to make Mexican hot chocolate (i.e. Ibarra) is very sweet. In fact, it's too sweet for my tastes. There was a short discussion of that on this thread. There's also some more discussion on moles and Mexican chocolate on this thread where the general consensus seems to be that Mexican chocolate is sweet. Keep in mind, I'm not arguing that there is no unsweetened chocolate used in Mexico... after all wasn't it the Aztecs who first discovered chocolate? I would imagine there must be SOME diversity in the types of chocolate available. However, running with Joy's idea above, perhaps a telephone call to El Gran would settle the question of which type of chocolate THEY use in their mole poblano? I'd also like to add that I'm still a fan of their mole poblano... just in case that got lost in the above.

Hmm... the review of El Gran Mexicano got me thinking of this topic again. Potrero Grill has been a little too consistently disappointing the past few times I was there. Mexicali Rose's owner was very condescending to me when I brought up a complaint about a server... I walked out of there with a cheap free sombrero and I'm not planning on walking back in with any business. Just thought I should update those preferences (or loss there of) for anyone reading along today. El Gran Mexicano is still rocking though!

What's the general scene like for this festival? Is it too late to book a hotel room? I've been thinking about a trip down to Memphis anyway and this seems like it might be a nice pretense. I notice that Korea is the international highlight this year and that there's quite a bit relating to that aspect of the festival that I would be interested in (certainly not the least of which being a new work by Nam June Paik). Does Memphis have much of a Korean population and dining scene or will this be a relatively new introduction to the area? As much as I love Southern BBQ, I'd definitely spend a good deal of time at any Korean stalls as well!! So, basically, I guess what I'm really asking is... will this be worth the trip?

Ummm... there's a NICE way to do that.

It's a very fair review even if he did steal some of my lines! I'm kidding of course, but I was thinking about the chimichangas and the maduros (sweet plantains). It's odd that their frying technique raises the chimichangas well above the standard of most places, yet the maduros seem to fall below. I'm not entirely sure why that is. The guacamole can be a bit salty sometimes, but Rachel fixed that problem on one visit by asking for a lime and using its juice to balance things out a bit. Great, now I'm hungry and I'm going to have to go do something about that! On a side note... I still miss La Posada.

Thanks for the response, Researchgal! You seem to be our only Boston-based member, so I'm glad you happened to catch my post. I found websites for both Dali and Tapeo, and Dali definitely looks to have the more lively atmosphere. I'd imagine it also has the bigger crowds on a Saturday night... any idea on the average wait time one can expect? I'm hoping to be able to visit more than one of these restaurants during my next visit, but I'll likely be outvoted by dining companions! Of course, if the first place can make a good impression it will give more weight to my next suggestions!

I'm looking for good suggestions for dinner along the lines of Spanish/Latino fare in Boston. I really don't know what sort of scene Boston has for this, because the only experience I had previously was a Mexican restaurant in Chelsea with an entertaining atmosphere, but mediocre food. This time around I'm considering Dali, but I'm not positive it's really what I want, so I decided I'd go fishing here for any other suggestions. Also, someone mentioned on another thread that Dali has (had?) a sister restaurant on Newbury Street, but I can't find any mention of it on their website. My friends should be alright with a price range of around $15-$25 for entrees. My main desires are a diverse and hopefully interesting menu with well-executed food, be it Spanish, Cuban, Argentinian, Portugeuse, Mexican, or what-have-you.

I'm sort of the opposite of lactose-intolerant... my body absorbs milk like a sponge. I go through different cycles of milk consumption, but I'm currently in a phase where a gallon of milk lasts me about 2-3 days. There might be a bowl of cereal, some French toast, etc... coming out of that gallon, but the rest of it is just downed in big beautiful chilled glasses. I especially like to make chocolate milk and put it in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes before drinking it. It's just a habit I've picked up recently but I have to have at least one glass a day like that. I can drink most any sort of milk (even skim) and enjoy it. Not sure about soy milk though... I tend to distrust "imitation" products. I went about two years ONLY drinking skim milk and found that I really didn't like the SkimPlus (Farmland Dairies) stuff. Sure, it had more protein (I was weight lifting at the time), but to me the taste was just too far "off". When I was a kid, my parents always used to ration my milk consumption, because if they didn't I would drink it like water. I was only allowed ONE cup of milk in the morning to put in my cereal and that was it. Before they instituted the rationing, I would use two cups of milk in my cereal and often drink another two straight. So yeah, to sum up... I love milk.

I'm impatient, so I searched around myself. Clickity. I really do need to explore more of Mexico. This report is both making me hungry and giving me the urge to check airline prices! I'm just curious as to how you decided upon these particular restaurants. Obviously you did some research, but I was just wondering what sources you were using. Thanks.

It certainly doesn't have to be chocolate, but now that you mention it, that is probably the accepted American usage of the term. To me, fudge is more defined by the texture than the flavor components. Chocolate fudge is certainly good, but it's not the only sort I'm seeking. Now, to find these New York top end stores... I guess it's time for a post over there too.

Hmmmm.... would it be wrong to base a vacation around fudge? I'll keep the importer option in mind for now though, because I've already promised myself that my next overseas flight will be to Japan! edit: Jason - I believe Kritchley's is the name of that place by Garden State... but I might be confusing it with the place on Kinderkamack Road.

Tell me that title isn't a great set up! Ok, juvenile humor aside... I've had this craving for fudge the past week, but I'm really not sure where I should go to get some. I'm unfamiliar with candy shops such as Kritchley's (I think that's the name), but I expect those would be places that might have some different varieties of fudge. Can anyone confirm this? I remember about 10 years ago there used to be a cart on the lower level of the Garden State Plaza that sold all different sorts of fudge and you could sample them all before you bought. I'm looking for something like that in and around North Jersey and Manhattan (but I might be willing to travel if there's something really stellar).

I'm so glad I'm not alone! I understand that some people feel the need for something "familiar and predictable", but if I'm in a new city/town/backwater burg and I have the option, you better believe I'm going to take the chance and try out the local restaurants. Even if one happens to be horribly bad, it's still a unique experience which will ultimately be a more treasured memory than "Wow, this Outback looks and tastes just like the one back home". I remember being in Knoxville, TN as the first stop on a solo road trip out to the Southwest. I picked out a German restaurant for lunch simply BECAUSE I thought it would be interesting (read, funny) to see what a German restaurant would be like there. On the way to the restaurant I passed through a slew of chains, both fast-food and middle-of-the-road, before making it to my destination. I'm glad I got to eat at that restaurant, because I'm sure it will be swallowed up by all those chains eventually. And you know what? The sauerbraten was very respectable, the peanut butter vinaigrette will forever be etched in my mind as something I shouldn't have ordered, and the German potato salad was probably the best I've ever had. Plus I got to listen to a German polka song which shares the exact same tune as "Deep in the Heart of Texas". Later on that same trip, I happened to stop for lunch in Truth or Consequences, NM. I had what was probably the worst barbecue I can remember in a tiny little place filled with police officers talking about how quickly they would throw aside the badge and beat a suspect if he said the wrong thing about their families. I was served some shredded pork that seemed like it had just come out of the pool, it was that wet. Not succulent, not moist, just WET and unappetizing. Of course, I couldn't exactly complain about it when one of the police officers was clearly the husband of the cook, but I would still rather have that memory than one about having been to just another chain restaurant. I guess I'm just a gambler at heart, but I think life's more interesting that way. edit: poor tppyipng

I find that #4 is the answer to an overwhelming number of questions. Of course, there are various TYPES of stupidity and we can have a marvelous debate as to which is the truly objective type. edit: Mistakenly left out a word. See #4 above for explanation.

Hey, does anyone Korean remember that little bit Korean that Kevin Nealon used to Korean do on Saturday Night Live Korean with the subliminal Korean messages? That was a funny Korean bit, but I'm not exactly Korean sure why I'm thinking 201's up for Korean tonight about that particular Korean bit now though.

I've been to P.F. Chang's three times. Twice in Boston and once in Littleton, CO. As far as chain restaurants go, I thought the food was decent enough. Not the sort of place at which I'd want to become a regular, but good for dealing with those "Why can't we just go to Houlihan's, Chili's, or Friday's?" sorts of crowds. And actually, the second visit in Boston was just because of an eggplant dish that my friend particularly liked and wanted to have again. Of course, in a perfect world, I wouldn't meet anyone who was scared of eating at unfamiliar non-chain restaurants.

We had a two page thread on the Cheesecake Factory a while ago. Look for Nick Gatti's comments about the design in particular on page two. Good stuff! Please to click for thread edit: typo

Actually, these aren't the deep fried pickles. These are the pickles used to make a nice hot relish. It's pickled habaneros, pickled carrots, and habaneroed (is that a word?) pickles. Very respectable level of heat and just a damn good fruity flavor. I've been begging him to put it on the menu (or at least the specials) for some time now, because I'm convinced it should be shared with the rest of the customers even though I've had it a couple of times!

Thank you for all the suggestions. My grandfather loves mashed potatoes and butternut squash, so those will like become staples. He's actually not supposed to have ice cream because it melts and becomes too thin in the mouth, so we'll have to concentrate on puddings and custards. Any ideas on breads and grains???

Fink... aren't you forgetting a bit of news about your OWN pickle batch? I was in yesterday and Andy said they weren't quite ready yet.

My ninety-one year-old grandfather was recently hospitalized for fluid in the lungs and pneumonia. Among other things, the doctors performed a swallowing test and came to the conclusion that he's been aspirating while eating and drinking. The doctor's orders are now that he is pretty much only allowed food in pureéd form and all of his liquids need to be thickened to nectar-consistency. He was always the meat and potatoes sort, so it's a pretty drastic change for him to be on this diet. He can stray somewhat from the pureé, but that's what we're shooting for. Almost all of his meals will be prepared by his live-in health aid who's a pretty competent cook, but not used to preparing food in this fashion. I figured I would ask here if anyone has suggestions for what to serve him, because my family isn't exactly creative when it comes to food.