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But 201, don't you think that conversation could have happened anywhere? Some people have closed minds on food, but in my experience, that has less to do with where they're from than how they were raised. I don't think it's more of a symptom in Charlotte than it is anywhere else... Sorry for the late response, Kpurvis. I forgot all about this thread and just happened to see it again while looking for the elusive "Florida Forum". Reading my post again, I see that I was a bit unclear. I just meant that these few specific people I know in Charlotte have no appreciation for the food scene there (or anywhere for that matter). They're originally from Jersey too, so I really wasn't saying anything about the greater Charlotte population... some of whom I would have to befriend so as to have dining companions if I ever make it down that way! And yes... one can find unadventurous eaters EVERYwhere.

I'm leaving for West Palm Beach tomorrow (Feb. 5th) and I'm coming back on Monday (Feb. 10th). Any chance this window of time will allow me to attend? I realize it's not the end of February yet, but who knows!

A couple of times this week I found myself forgetting about dinner only to remember with enough time to get to Malee for some take out. I really like this place for takeout because (1.) it's close to my house... and (2.) they put everything in very nice containers... and (3.) a white bag with a proper handle allows you to feel like you just bought a pair of shoes or something. Very Ridgewood. Anyway, on to the food. I think they've raised the heat bar up a bit since they opened. Of course, I ordered different dishes than before so I'll have to go back for a more controlled experiment, but it seems to be a good thing. Gang-ped-yarg was very good. Roast duck in coconut curry with basil, pineapple, and cherry tomatos. I'm slowly learning that pineapple plus curry makes 201 a happy camper. The duck was in large chunks that gave a good ratio of flesh to skin (I think too much skin wouldn't work as well with a curry) and the tomatos were very interesting. The tomatos had a very firm skin, but once the skin broke, the inside of the tomato just exploded. I'm still not sure how I feel about that, but it was a hell of a thing. Beef larb was also very good (not as good as pork larb, but that's not an option at Malee ). I agree with Tommy that a little more rice would help the texture along and some lettuce underneath would've been a welcome addition as well. Actually, it came with some cucumber slices which I really enjoyed topping with larb, but I'd still like some lettuce as well. Is it too much to want the best of both worlds? Chicken panang was ok, but not something I'd think to order again. Sliced chicken in peanut curry with slices of lemongrass and avocado. I don't think the avocado really added much here, but the curry was nice. The dish was just a little plain for my tastes. Pork pad-kee-mow was frustrating. I say that because it was VERY good except for the fact that the noodles were scarce and largely stuck to each other in strange clumps. I'm guessing that this was a cooking error and I'll certainly order this dish again to see if my experience was a deviation from the norm. It tasted very good, but the noodle situation was just strange. Anybody tried the desserts here? Anyone at all? Ah, what the hell am I saying... Tommy, have you tried any desserts at Malee?

Suvir- My brother currently lives in Boulder with his girlfriend. They might not have many suggestions on the vegetarian front, but if you decide you feel up to it I'm sure they can recommend some good Korean BBQ and/or Japanese restaurants in Boulder or Denver. I'll ask later tonight. Actually, they also took me to a very nice Czech pancake house that I believe was in Boulder, but I'm blanking on the name right now. It would satisfy the vegetarian requirement pretty easily (and also allow for a little cheating... perhaps a side of bacon hidden under the table?). I wish you and your family the best of luck. Remember that everyone back east (and all over this forum) is pulling for you. Be well. edit: poor grammar

I was at El Gran Mexicano last night with a couple of friends and we all went home very happy! It was particularly satisfying because two days prior I had been suckered into going to Chevy's for the first time, which pretty much lived down to my expectations of that chain. El Gran Mexicano is just great because it's simple and honest comfort food. The chorizo quesadilla is made with really tasty cheese with a nice creamy texture. The skirt steak tacos are dangerously addictive. The mole is powerful and the enchiladas always hit the spot. The only thing working against El Gran Mexicano is that it's a very small space, but there's not much they can do about that. As far as the cooking goes, they're doing everything right. It would be nice to see some daily or weekly specials from time to time, but they've always been very good about meeting my special requests as long as they have the ingredients handy. Plus, you've got to admire the integrity Mauricio has. Last night, I asked for a large serving of guacamole, but they only had a small serving left and the avocados they had were "not quite ripe enough for making more". No problem... I'm sure I'll be back plenty of times when those avocados ARE just right!

In Japan, this sort of competition is no joke. They train obsessively and they have their own televised contests in which the contestants (combatants?) are put through challenge after challenge until only one is left. So they might start the show out by eating 20 rolls of sushi in a minute and as soon as that challenge is finished they'll all have to drink 2 liters of water within 10 seconds or so. Then they roll out the next challenge without much of a break. Any one of these challenges is usually met with very impressive skill, but when one stops to think about all the food already consumed, it's just mind boggling. Oh yeah, and for some reason, the fat Japanese guys usually lose out to the skinny Japanese guys too!

A while ago, I happened to catch a televised CNN piece on the Old Homestead burger in which the chef explained that the beef is indeed produced in the US. Unfortunately, I can't find any documentation of this on the CNN website.

My brother lives in Colorado where both Qdoba and Chipotle (I like that website!) are very well-established. When he used to live in Golden, there was a fantastic little mom and pop breakfast burrito shop about five minutes from his house. Then he moved to Boulder and wound up trying these chain places. He tells me they're decent for fast food, but I believe he prefers Chipotle to Qdoba. Of course, he still misses the place in Golden. I won't be able to formulate an opinion for myself any time soon. There IS a Qdoba in Hoboken, NJ... but the nearest Chipotle would be in the D.C. area.

There are about 12 seats at the counter. It's usually hard to predict when it will be busy or not, but because of the limited number of seats, you're more likely to wait a bit with a large group. Customers are usually good about switching seats to accomodate groups who want to sit together though.

Thanks for the recipe, Jaymes. Of course, I've got a dumb question about it... how do I go about removing the water from a tomato? I know I'm a pain, but I've got to learn these things someplace!

Indeed, I did!! But this is the store-bought salsa and chips thread and my cooking experiments aren't going so well right now... I think it's mostly because I'm not getting the right ingredients. I'm going to try to make salsa again tomorrow though and I'm also going to attempt guacamole. Any suggestions/recipes for the latter? PS - I was actually planning on using the ranchero for cooking so I guess that's one small step in the right direction!

Lately, I've been enjoying the peach and mango salsa from the Desert Pepper Trading Company. It's very sweet though, so you have to use it with very salty chips. Actually, I've been eating it mostly with El Galindo's lime and chile chips. The salsa actually cools the chips down and that makes them work well together. I also picked up some canned Herdez salsa ranchero and salsa verde yesterday. I haven't yet gone to specifically seek out Herdez salsa, but I just happened upon these cans at a local Hispanic store about 5 minutes from my house. I'll try these salsas out this weekend and if I like them I'm sure I'll head out for the bottled casera.

I need to get back to Sakae. The katsu and sukiyaki were both good and the service was VERY friendly. The Japanese DO eat foods other than fish and rice!

Strangely enough, I happened to catch a glimpse of this burger on CNN. Aesthetically speaking, it's not very appealing to me. Also, it's made from U.S.-produced kobe beef rather than Japanese kobe beef and I've heard differing opinions on whether the former is as good as the latter. As far as upscale places being a valid venue for good burgers, I don't see any reason why they shouldn't be. I'd say that in 95% of these places I would be considered riff-raff, but that doesn't mean they can't have a terrific burger. Still, I can't help thinking that the $41 burger is more of a tourist attraction than a serious creation.

So I guess I'm officially trendy now, but after reading so much about this place in such a short time, I just had to go. Of course, having gone, I now have to go back many times! Of the anitpasti I sampled, the white beans really caught my attention. There was just something about the way the smooth surface broke with my bite and revealed the texture within that was especially satisfying. A very simple dish, but obviously using very high quality ingredients and executed with a skilled hand... I think that pretty well sums up the theme of Otto. The highlight of the meat offerings was certainly the salami. Apparently it's made in house which is one of many hooks ensuring that I will be going back to Otto for a fix. This isn't the sort of stuff which you simply chew and swallow and exclaim, "That's pretty good." This is the sort that lands on your tongue and you don't want to let it go for a long time because you're afraid you might not ever be able to taste another piece! A pizza that gave me a similar reaction was the oil, garlic, and hot pepper pizza. As the name suggests, this is simply a pizza crust with oil and sliced garlic/pepporocini, but it was hands down my favorite dish of the evening. The smile on my face while I ate slice after slice was just uncontrollable. There's a heat to this pizza which might not be for everyone, but I thought it was simply perfect. The garlic slices were likely cooked somewhat beforehand because they added their flavor to the oil without being overpowering. The pepperoni pizza was probably my second favorite and one of only three (of eight sampled) that had a red sauce. This is the sort of sauce I wish they had on New Haven pizza. It's subtle enough to not throw the balance, but it still has a distinct character of its own. Otto uses it very sparingly, it almost seems as though it's often there simply to color the crust. I would personally prefer a little more sauce, but I guess I'll find out next time whether they'll accomodate that request. The crust, as Rstarobi pointed out, calls to mind a toothsome matzoh. It's cracker thin and not doughy at all. While I like this style, it does make for some problems if one chooses to divide a slice into smaller portions. A small pizza slicer at each table would not be an unwelcome addition, as the pizzas seemed to be sliced rather unevenly. The only pizza which I wouldn't recommend was one with clams IN THE SHELL as a topping. The consensus at the table seemed to be that the presentation was showboating for the sake of showboating. I could've done without it, but it was an isolated incident and I'm not a seafood eater, so I didn't have to deal with it anyway! With dessert I ordered a hazelnut hot chocolate which stands as my new benchmark for what hot chocolate should be! Extreeeeeeeemely rich. As hot as it was in the back room, this was hot chocolate to be enjoyed during a heat wave. I didn't receive the cookies that Suvir got with his hot chocolate, but I can't say I missed them because I was too busy enjoying the drink by itself. I don't care what else is on the breakfast menu, because I'm showing up for the hot chocolate! All in all, a VERY good experience at Otto. Sure, it's loud and a bit hot in the back room (cooler in front), but it's definitely worth a repeat visit (or thirty).

The past two weeks' reviews seem to be missing the blue column to the right which lists all the pertinent restaurant info (rating, price, address, etc...). Do these get added to the online reviews later? (I'm assuming they're still present in the print edition)

I can't believe they actually review buffets like that Dynasty Buffet. I drove past that place yesterday and sort of shook my head at the fact that a new building is bookended by a buffet and a 99¢ store. Anyway, I also received a new menu from Hanami in the mail yesterday. They're definitely taking the "health food" approach. Amoung various assertions that they care about our health is one which reads, "At Hanami we don't use ingredients that are bad for your health such as MSG, butter, cream, peanut oil, or preservatives." Hmmmm... sesame oil is missing from that list...

Not that adding New Jersey would increase the area of parkland. I'm willing to go outside and measure my yard if it will help advance the discussion any. It probably has more grass area than Union Square Park.

I for one am getting very sick of all the remakes. From what I've read, the remake of Texas Chainsaw Massacre is supposed to be VERY different, because one of the producers (Michael Bay) is on some sort of anti-violence committee. I think I'll go remake a sandwich without using bread.

Not to mention all the topical references to slaughterhouses! There's a lot about the killing and following preparation of things to be eaten. Clearly a very food-focused film! On the Art issue... it's been a while since I last watched TCM, but I always put it in a category above most other horror films. I think the opening in particular is pretty accomplished in setting the atmosphere and would certainly qualify as an argument towards the film being Art. However, I'm not sure I agree with Kikujiro that the makers intended it to be art with a capital "A". Of course, I also agree with him that the intent is irrelevant. So, to sum up, maybe it is... maybe it isn't, but I think aspects of it can be and I should watch it again so I can speak about it with a little more coherence.

For some reason, people pointing food at other people is just damn funny. Especially if that food wiggles a little bit in the process! edit: oh yeah, and people pointing food at themselves is funny too...

I do think I remember reading about this someplace else, but it's certainly right on topic for this thread too! Speaking of creepy, I can't believe that I forgot to mention Eraserhead. The dinner scene in that film is some of David Lynch's finest work. The soundscapes are also incredible and I wish he had chosen to give such aural works the same prominence in his later films. Speaking of Lynch, Twin Peaks is a pie and coffee lover's dream. Just thinking about it makes me wish I had a slice of "damn good" cherry pie in front of me right now. Oh, and in Mulholland Drive there's a scene in which a man leaves the Winkie's on Sunset Boulevard without even touching his meal. It's just sitting there right on the plate and it's clearly the strangest thing about that film.

SIX Vietnamese restaurants in Charlotte??? Wow. I know some people down there and all I can say is that the food scene is wasted on them. I mean even if I payed them a visit, I'd wind up eating at all these places by myself. Real life conversation (takes place with one of these Charlotte persons while they were in NJ) - Me: "Hey, let's go out to dinner... my treat." They: "Ok, sounds good. Just as long as it's not one of those crazy places I hear you talking about." Me: "Um... what are you talking about? Define 'crazy', please." They: "Oh you know, those weird foods that you like to eat. Like Korean barbecue." Me: "Ooooookaaaay... what sort of cuisine would you like to eat.?" They: "Anything else I'll eat. Just nothing spicy... no Indian, no Mexican, no Thai, no Cambodian..." Me: "Vietnamese?" They: "No, no Vietnamese. No sushi. Nothing fancy like French or European." Me: "How about Spanish or Cuban?" They: "No, I just said I didn't want anything European." Me: *sigh* "Okay, so we're basically looking at a steak joint." They: "Oh no, I'm pretty flexible. I could do Italian. Or Chinese I guess. As long as they've got good sweet and sour chicken." (note: at this point, I wish I was making this up!) Me: "Well, I know this little Italian place that's two blocks away and I've wanted to try it for a long time. Let's just go there." They: "That's good. I bet their spaghetti and meatballs aren't as good as my usual place though!" Me: *sigh, head hung low* "Actually, I think I'll save that place for a different night. Let's go get steak."

Yes, it certainly did go down with the rest off OTC. Clearly the other people who saw the film didn't realize its commentary/critique of the butcher industry. Actually, I can't comment on that myself because I haven't seen the film yet (but probably will within a week). Today, after lunch, I'm going to see Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers again (since one of my friends hasn't seen yet). I just realized that the discussion of that film went down with OTC as well and I wanted to comment on what I truly enjoyed about it. The computer-generated character called Gollum was really a delight to watch. I'm not sure if best supporting actor can go to CGI, but he's got my vote. He's also a fan of ultra-fresh sashimi, but apparently the hobbits are just tourists in this regard. Look out for the important scene in which Gollum and Sam debate recipes!

I could certainly see larb as being an acquired taste, but in my experience I haven't seen it served hot. Maybe one of our Thai experts could comment further on that. Personally, I'm a big fan of the larb at Wondee's, but I like the yum pedt (spicy crispy duck salad) even better! It doesn't travel well as take-out, but it's delicious to eat there. Crispy bits of fried duck on lettuce with red onions and fruit slices. Of course, I haven't tried the larb pedt yet... that may beat both. The pad prew warn is crazy sweet, but you know that already. I think it works well to offset the heat of any really spicy dishes. Also good on that front is the pineapple fried rice. While not quite as delicious as the special fried rice at Saigon Republic, it's still beautiful in its simplicity (and if I'm just in the mood for pineapple, it beats Saigon Republic's fried rice!). I'll definitely second Jason's recommendations on the spaghetti kee maow and the moo ping. I haven't tried much of the curry, but my favorite non-curry spicy dish so far is beef pad krapow. It's probably not as hot as the curries are, but I just think it has a very interesting combination of flavors. I still need to sample a LOT of Wondee's menu, but so far I haven't run into any dishes I don't like.