rich

It is! My parents used to take us there when we were kids, and in the past couple of years I've gone after games at Shea but by car. Not sure how long a walk it is from the 7. If you're there at night, take your ices across the street and watch the guys play bocce . . . . Lemon Ice King of Corona 52-02 108th Street (at the corner of Corona Avenue and 52nd/Strong Avenue) (111st Street stop on 7 train) ← If you're going that far, then eat dinner at Park Side. One of the best Italians in NYC - and home to the best chicken dish in captivity. It's across the other street from the bocce ball lanes.

Based on the last couple of posts, I need to ask a question. I have not been to Del Posto yet and have backed off based on suggestions from two friends who advised me to wait until they got their act together (and that was two different people, both Batali fans, on two separate occasions). Well, based on recent comments it appears nothing much as changed in almost eight months except the lounge pricing. So I ask - is there any compelling reason to eat at Del Posto, especially if you have dined at Babbo?

I have the same problem when I wear my summer dress.

If anyone is interested in real food journalism, pick up a copy of August's Gourmet and read the supplement. Culinary journalism at its finest. Congratulations to Ruth Reichel, her staff and the writers. It proves you can be creative writing about food.

i'm going to assume you're being ironic about all this indiscernible raving, right? ← Yes!!

I agree Russ, the writing was fine (as I mentioned upthread that is not the problem). While the Greenmarket piece was well written, how frequently will the NY Times run the same type of story?? - I think Green Market stories appear every other week. It seems they have a morgue full of them and dig one out every time space needs to be filled. This time they added more inches with an "exciting" map. Defending the NY Times food section as it now exists is like defending Saddam Hussein - there's no telling what type of indiscernible raving we'll find next week from the editors.

Let me say right at the start, that I agree wholeheartedly with John's last post. As far as advice Ned, there is no one problem the Times can address to solve this problem. It is a cancer that has spread throughout the paper. A large number of the food writers are fine - they lack focus and direction and that comes from the editors who get it from the publishers. The death of a newspaper is one of the saddest events we as an educated community can witness. The New York Times has died a painful death. I know it's still publishing and will continue to do so long after everyone on this board has turned to ash, but the spirit of the paper is no more (with apologies to Mr. Poe). The lifeblood of a newspaper isn't the pulp, it isn't the words, it isn't even the opinion columns, it's the "nebulous feel" of the staff that they're turning out something special day after day. The current editors and publishers have taken that "feel" away and I fear it will never be returned.

Normally I would agree with you about Le Cirque. But remember, there were couple of Le Cirque features a few months back and one was a front pager (I think). So based on that, I don't think the review belonged on the front page unless it was four stars. Whatever happended to publishing a food section that was meaningful? Personally I agree about newspapers being "not as important resources anymore." But I believe it is a result of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Soaring temperatures have nothing to do with the Times food section. The editors work in very comfortable conditions. NYC has been cutting the Times "slack" for the last five years. No more! They want to be the paper of record, it's about time they started bahaving as such. No one cuts me slack in the summer if I'm doing a bad job. Sure everyone is entitled to a off day (as I said about Asimov's wine article), but the Times as a whole is in the middle of having 1826 consecutive bad days (5 years plus an extra leap year day). How much more slack should we "cut" them?

The New York Times Food Section has been in decline for some five years, but today it hit rock bottom. It has reached the point of embarrassment and has followed the rest of the paper into the solid, but unheralded state of mediocrity. Today's section is composed of meaningless features, meaningless recipe ideas, non newsworthy stories and a completely worthless wine column. (The latter is highly unusual because Asimov is normally at the top of his game - I guess everyone's entitled to an off day.) The section puts a restaurant review on the front page - a place normally reserved for its four-star reviews, yet Le Cirque is awarded two stars. (That's the level the reviewer lavishes on every restaurant in which he doesn't have a clue - there have a been a number of two stars lately.) Even the lowly Staten Island Advance has a far better food section than the NY Times at this point. And please, I don't want to hear it's summer and slow - if that's the reason, then don't print the section during July and August. That would be infinitely better than printing what they have. And what would be the excuse for the other ten months? It's too sunny, rainy, cold, icy, etc.??? Maybe it's just plain homecooked apathy. The NY Times yesterday announced the paper would be cut by an inch starting next year to save money - and this by a paper whose moto is "All the News That's Fit to Print." Here's my suggestion - keep the inch and get rid of the rest of the paper.

If we're going to start an "ugly plate" section, there are a few more notables that belong on the list - Per Se, Cru, The Modern and L'Impero come to mind, but the food is outstanding to very good at all. Chefs today seem to have gone the way of "big dishes" as opposed to the "tall food" of years ago. IMO, putting tiny morsels of food on large dishes looks totally ridiculous. They then compound the silliness by decorating the plate with meaningless paraphernalia - donkey dust, essense of toad, streaks of artifically colored anthracite oil, etc. If I want a Picasso viewing, I know the wall where he's hanging. Just serve the food in simple dishes to highlight its natural color(s), texture and flavors - and please put it in a dish that doesn't cover half the table so I don't need to reach across my dining companion's lap to eat my food. The best presenter that I've witnessed in recent years is Wylie.

I was just trying for sarcastic/funny with the PS. I always get myself in trouble that way.

Steve, you mentioned upthread that you travel to the Harlem Fairway for major shopping. Well, I've got a great alternative - the Red Hook Fairway. Went there Friday for the first time (I think it's been open six weeks). It's better than either Manhattan Fairway with one exception. Let me get the exception out of the way. I'm not impressed with their produce section. Sure it's very large, but the selections are limited as they have the same item in several places . In addition, the prices are on the high side. I guess I've been spoiled by Circus Fruits and Three Guys (both in Bay Ridge). However, the rest of the store is exceptional. Great fish (nice looking soft shells), meat (best short ribs I've seen in a while), cheese (better selection than Manhattan), bakery (yes, they have the mini bagels) and coffee sections (try the Brooklyn Bean - very strong, very good). The store is so large their general grocery section is outstanding and they have extra wide aisles. And yes, free parking (large lot in front similar to supermarkets) and just 10 minutes over the Brooklyn Bridge or Battery Tunnel. But here's the real payoff. They have a small cafe with outdoor seating that has the best view of New York Harbor and the Statue of Liberty - absolutlely breathtaking. Plus a restored old-time trolley sits in their backyard. It will make you forget Harlem (and it's inconvenient parking across the way and down the road apiece). Now when are they coming to Staten Island?????

Oh, I agree Nathan. I was referring to eGullet (and I guess other similar sites). My fault for not making that clear.

I agree with both.

No one takes him seriously anymore (or his paper). Why we waste our time discussing the NY Times food critic is beyond me. Why we waste out time discussing anything in the NY Times (at this stage of their existence) is beyond me. It's not even the best paper in the city anymore, let alone the country. PS - The only two people in NYC that REALLY care what he says/said are Batali and Bastianich. I'm very annoyed at myself for wasting 1 minute 37 seconds to respond. It's part of my life I will never get back. The best form of protest is silence and that's what I intend to do.

I think he was a professor at Philadephia Textile teaching cross stitching.

Oh Oh - sounds like someone is about to make someone and offer they can't refuse. La Familigia - bene, no familigia - brute, facia brute. If I were Menton, I wouldn't walk down Pleasant Avenue without protection. Sounds like it's time to go to the matresses. Buon Natale, morte destefano, morte papa!!! This could get a lot worse before it gets better. I think we're all very lucky Italy won the World Cup - most of the elders are still celebrating. A la Siciliano tu amore!!! Ciao bella!!!

Had dinner at The Modern last night (formal dining). Service was exceptional - food was very good, not spectacular, but certainly acceptable. The cheese cart, which they get from Artisnal, was excellent. Some nice offerings on the wine list. It's a place that you may or may not return, the bar menu was probably better and worth a separate visit. Not a ringing endorsement, but not a "take a photo" place either.

Wasn't that Jordan's first? (I was a latecomer, I started only with their 77.) ← Yes it was. I have at least one bottle from everyone of their vintages.

This story has been getting a lot of play the last two days. But Bob Mondavi has a plan to build a huge air conditioning system that will cool Napa and Sonoma by 6.73 degrees over the next 50 years. The hydraulic fans are being imported from Boeing as we speak.

I used to record wine purchases in a book years ago (don't anymore) and I checked some prices based on this thread. Twelve dollars was one of the more expensive California Cabs in those days. Also in 1981, I bought a Petrus for $40, a Mouton, Laffitte and Cheval Blanc for $35 and a Palmer for $25 - all 1978 vintages. Of the Californians, the Freemark Abbey Bosche was $13, the Ridge Monte Bello was $12, Heitz Martha's Vineyard was $18 and a Joseph Swan Zinfandel was $16 - again all 78's, except the Swan was a 74. I bought a 1974 Martha's Vineyard that same year for $30 and a 1975 Petrus for $80. Interestingly, I still have at least one bottle of each. The oldest bottle I have (not vintage year, but from when I purchased it) is a 1976 Jordan Cabernet. I bought in in May of 1980 for $12.

I agree SE, it's the dim sum that makes the place. There's no need to order anything else. I had a great meal and never looked at the entrees. My impression (before I went there) was those items are tokens for people who think they're going to a neighborhood chinese restaurant and need to feel comforted. I don't think we're supposed to take that part of the menu seriously. It's really two restaurants in one - the entree people are seated to the left and others sit on the right. It's segregation at its finest. Of course the host/hostess must be very observant because you wouldn't want to mix the patrons.

I still have one bottle of the 1978 Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill Cab. The last one I opened was 10 years ago and I thought it needed another 10-15 years, so this may be getting close. I paid $11.99 for it in 1981. Thirty years is probably best for this wine, can't wait until 2008. I'll do a special dinner around it.

You have an excellent estate and an excllent vintage so you want something that enhances the wine but still has a distinct flavor but somewhat mild finish. Two suggestions: a Tete de Moine or a Le Moulis. Both have the body to stand up to a red, yet will not overwhelm the wine. My suggestion is the serve them with roasted cashews, fresh fig confit and lightly toasted, good quality bread. Hope this helps - good luck!