IR Chef Salad

Not sure about what we can get done tomorrow. We got a late start and it is 230 AM and still not settled down before a long day tomorrow. The forecast is not looking good for walking all day, and we haven't had much luck securing a reservation for anywhere. But, we are in NJ and tomorrow we'll try as much a possible. I'll update when we get back to NJ. Thanks for all of the great suggestions. Aloha chef salad

I have eaten at the Grand Sichuan on 23rd and 9th. Both meals were great, but how late are they open? I had a hell of a wait last time, so we might consider a later meal there, as our friends live on 36th and 9th. Thanks for the great suggestions. I felt a little squeamish asking where to go when I do a decent job on my own, but I really wanted some fresh ideas. Nice to know that some of my own faves are mentioned here. Aloha Chef Salad

Email from daughter: Dad, we certainly can eat SUSHI in New York. You don't mind forking over the cash for that, do you?? So, at 2:45 AM, let me suggest that we'd LOVE to eat a wonderful Japanese/Sushi meal Saturday night. But again, WHERE???

Thanks for your excellent attention to the important details. I am frequently disturbed by those, "the pasta was okay, but the service was slow" type of posts. I think one of the reasons I have good luck with dining experiences is because my expectations are based mostly (not all) on the kitchen. Your experiences (so far) add up to an amazing tour of the city's tastes. Now I am already lamenting that we can only be there for one day this weekend. One question about Per Se? How do they set the pace of service? I hate food coming before we can complete (or nearly complete) a wonderful course--granted it is my own pet peeve. Did they take their cues from your pace, or did you have to keep up, until the lobster? Just wondering. And thanks again.

Greetings, My family will be spending an unexpected day in NYC THIS SATURDAY. As I directly replied to Kim Shook re: her excellent description of a recent New York trip, we are from Richmond, VA. However, I am originally from Queens, and spent most of my adolescence in Princeton, NJ, with stops in Philadelphia and overseas. But I have been in Richmond for 26 years, so I am not as in the loop as I would like to be. As the years have passed and my family has taken root in Richmond, I get back to the Northeast less and less. I am no stranger to food. I was a relatively successful executive chef (The Track, Richmond, VA) for 15 years before leaving the restaurant biz after 20 years. But, I need help navigating all the changes and ups and downs in the city. Here is what we want, like, need. Here is our itenerary for the weekend: My kids (both) want to stop on the way up and eat Pat's and Geno's cheesesteaks in Philly. They aren't the best (actually Hoagie Haven, in Princeton is the best!) but they are a tradition for us. That will be dinner Friday night...I have to teach a class friday morning. Saturday morning we will drive into the city early. Our breakfast: H&H Bagels and various spreads, cheeses, and smoked fish from Zabars. My son will manage to eat at least 3 Gray's Papaya hot dogs before 11:00 AM. We park in a gem of a cheap lot between 10th and 11th off of Times Square. Shopping (including Zabars) will occupy a lot of the day. I used to play in bands and loved to buy records downtown (is Bleecker Bob's still in business?), but I think my wife and kids (15 and 16) will take over that role. Any good ideas on where to find teenage girl shopping, rock and roll high school boy shopping, and my better half shopping all in one district?? And how about those "knockoff" handbags? Anybody want to divulge their secrets on getting the best deals? Is Union Square a good all around location for a lot of this? I want to hit the market vendors there anyway. Cheese? Where do I buy cheese? I can get italian stuff in Trenton (where I will be on Sunday) but I need CHEESE! Late lunch: We go to Katz's. Period. I'll eat one pastrami and carry another around. Where is the good smoked fish place very nearby Katz's? My memory is so not good. And does anyone recall a pickle market nearby?? I need to bring home bags of fresh half sours. Dinner: This is the challenge. We all love to walk around and eat in Chinatown, but many of our old standbys are gone. It will be the Saturday night before easter so many of the more trendy and/or popular joints will be rocking. So...where to go? We are adventurous eaters, but my daughter is dumpling person. I am a spicy sichuan noodles with meat sauce guy (Jia Jiang Mien) and my son eats whatever isn't nailed down--especially duck. Our other choice is to find someplace more upscale but still fun. We did Babbo a couple of years ago and it was a good night, but we got a lucky reservation and great service. We WONT be dressed for dinner and it promises to be a COLD NIGHT in the city. Still, someplace with great food and good people watching that we still might be able to get into on this late notice is a hard thing to find. ANY SUGGESTIONS? My daughter is a celebrity HOUND--she wants to see someone famous at dinner...but there is NO PINKS in NYC. She has been in the hospital for 2 weeks and I really want her to have a great time. She LOVES New York, but loves celebrity watching even better! I just want a great meal...great food plus great memories with my family. Maybe some in town family or friends may join us. Generally, we'd prefer great Italian, Latin, or Japanese if we aren't eating Chinese. No offense, but I can get great Thai and Vietnamese down here. On occasion we will do Carmines. I know the food is not so great, but it is totally an atmospheric thing. Since we aren't staying in a big shmancy Times Square Hotel, that is probably not our best option. HELP? Late night...we'll stay in town until 2-3 AM. Where to go after midnight for snacks, desserts, deli, pizza??? Okay that is HUGE task...help me out EG people. Thanks much, The Chef Salad

Hi from beautiful downtown VCU!! We are going to NYC unexpectedly for about 24 hours this weekend. I am a yankee transplant--originally from Queens and Princeton NJ, but down here for over 26 years. I loved your honest appreciation of the city. I am so torn by not living there, but having lived there...it is a strange thing. I am going to start another thread for our itenerary and for suggestions for dinner, but I so motivated by your descriptions. I hope we have as full an experience as you did. If you ever hear Chef Salad at Edo's (eating, not working!) that's me!! Aloha, cjs

It happens everywhere - go into any respectable town in Texas and ask where the best barbecue is. ←

MZ is still what it always has been: garlicky good italian food with a bad attitude. If you take the place for what it is, the food will bail you out most times. I have had a couple of bad meals and I think the kitchen dudes are not as hot as they once were. Try Edo's Squid if you need a bit more service and credit cards...the food is pretty close, although MZ still makes me hungry when I think about it. And try some of the Vietnamese food off Horsepen Road...and the Full Kee!!

The best food in all of the OBX is John's Drive-In: Inshore Special (that's a fried dolphin sandwich) with a chocolate banana milkshake After that, go catch a yellowfin or a wahoo and fire up the grill yourself. And go to the Thai Room during soft shell season!

My recent experience was less fortunate. My mussels were unbearded and old. If you have cooked mussels you know that older dead (nasty) ones will tend to split onto the two shell halves when steamed. My entire order was this way--and smelled unappetizing. I couldn't even dip my bread. The server was not too terribly impressed with my complaint--which I find hard to take because any establishment that serves a lot of mussels will eventually run into this situation from time to time. The fries were nice...

In the last 3 weeks I have eaten at both Mamma zu's and Edo's Squid. To be honest, I work at VCU and my office is literally a block from Edos. But I have always felt the food at MZ was better. Until now...I have to totally agree on the aggressive saltiness in the food. The pasta allamatricianna was a salt lick...honestly it was TERRIBLE. The broccoletti was really salty--even overwhelming the garlic. We had a piece of rockfish, which I have been eating there since they opened the place--and it was horribly overseasoned. What is going on?? I used to know a few of the cooks and they were just guys who Ed taught to make the dishes...but all of them evolved into reasonably (for THIS PLACE) thoughtful cooks. But now it's really not good. Edo's is better, but can be salty too. So...FELLAS, CHILL OUT ON THE SALT. Let the food work...

Miu Kee is good--we actually went the first time when Mark's was full with a long line. The selection is not as extensive as some other places. There was an excellent Chinese restaurant (name escapes me) in the Eden Center that rivalled all of these mentioned, but it closed pretty quickly. Fortune is quite good, but not on everything...and it is expensive by most any Chinese restaurant standards. Full Kee in the district is good--their noodle soups are great, the duck and the roast pork are always good, and their selection of green vegetables is fantastic. I agree that MDH has its problems, but the Roast Pig is worth the blockage. Their dim sum was pretty good early this summer--last time we were there. And, the make excellent hot and sour soup--even though they are not a Sichuan restaurant. DC area NEEDS sichuan food!! Has anyone ever eaten at Lin's Dumpling house in NYC? It just closed but was a favorite for their Jia Jiang Mein (noodles with spicy meat sauce) Any other chinese establishments farther south of falls church--please let me know--we drive up twice a month from Richmond for dinner.

The service still stinks! I ate there recently and nothing has changed. I still prefer their version of a'llamatriciana over what you get at Edo's Squid. But, since you are now north, the BEST cannoli you'll ever eat comes from the Little Italy Pastry Shop and Deli off of Olden Avenue in the Chambersburg section of Trenton, NJ. I have eaten them everywhere--they are GREAT. Try on dipped in dark chocolate glaze... But back to Richmond...the dining scene is riddled with the usual suspects. Part of the problem is that where most of the people live (out in the counties) there are very few independent restaurants. We get PF Changs, Flemings, Copper Grill, etc. and the masses think it's great. Thank god for Full Kee and the Pho joints who can manage to serve authentic food and not be driven out of business. On a happier note, Carytown seafood has opened a restaurant in the West End near Innsbrook. Chef John Maxwell is handling the kitchen and I have heard some really good things. John has the capacity to do some very creative and interesting things...let's hope Richmonders order enough dishes to keep the kitchen cranking out some challenging and tasty treats.

Yikes I miss C'ville like crazy! The chicken shack behind Durty Nellies is the Wayside. If the grease is right, it is some of the best chicken you'll eat. As for Guad's, I ate there enough to know that they cater to all of Charlottesville--food experienced and not at all. So I think the place is like many "mexican" restaurants in the US: it HAS to sell standard stuff to exist. Last time I went it was not crowded at all and it was 730 on a Friday. It made me concerned...I need these places to persist so I can eat when I visit. By the way, Bodo's Bagels are the closest thing to a real bagel in the entire southeast.

mamma zu still has the same rotten service. There is a difference between attitude and bad service and they cross the line too many times: forgotten meals, entrees before appetizers, never refilling water or beverages. BUT, the food is great. Edo's does as good a job and they serve broccoli rabe while mamma zu tends to have escarole. Either way, they are garlicky and delicious. Nobody gives the Jamaica House on Broad St. near VCU much credit. Fantastic and authentic Jamaican food, and the line out the door at lunch proves it. Also we are blessed with a number of great Vietnamese Noodle joints: I prefer the Pho So #1 on Horespen Rd behind Full Kee, but all of the restaurants in that block are good.

A great selection under one roof is going to be in Trenton at the Farmer's Market. There are several choices, but the old Dominic's is now Porfirios and they still have a good selection of italian cheeses. There is another shop down the hall that has a broader international selection, and still another bakery with a nice choice of cheeses. In the spring and summer, some vendors sell local farm cheeses, with some really nice chevre, mozzarella, farmers cheese, cheddar, and other goodies available.

Verona! Woohoom, we have family in Montclair and make the trip from Trenton often. Let us know when your empire expands to Virginia and we'll start forming a line. best chef salad

I even make mixed references to my own barbecue. I may refer to it as BBQ, bbq, barbecue, 'cue, or often pulled pork. Barbecue people understand that it is the style and the manner in which the item is cooked that makes it worthy of any of these labels. If it ain't cooked with a lot of smoke, it ain't barbecue. This is true of Memphis, Carolina (mustard and vinegar) Texas, Kansas City, and my backyard. chef salad

We are in Short Pump, the home of total-chain dining. The key is that our potential location (still in negotiation) is very well situated among homes, businesses, and recreational facilities. Location is genearlly good. As far as Richmond suburban dining--you are correct sir. I was an executive and sous chef in this area for about 17 years. My success was in balancing against the conservative "well-done filet" crowd (i.e. the MONEY crowd) with innovative dishes gleaned from new ingredients and ethnic cuisines. My last kitchen was The Track Restaurant in Carytown, and I managed to pull a few Top Five's in that location. So, I have an idea about what people will eat. But I am also retired from cooking, and currently teach at VCU. It is here that the call back to the business originated. As an amateur bbq competitition guy, more and more folks seemed to like our pork. I kept joking that all I really wanted to find a good hot dog stand. I drive to Newport News and Hampton to get my fix, and sometimes to Uncle Al's in VA Beach. Once the proverbial collision between dog and 'cue was established, it became clear that there were fans of the subcultures around both of these roadside treats. In Richmond, there are plenty of BBQ fans, but they have no temple. Buz and Neds is good...not perfectly great...and an annoying location. Bill's simply sucks but still draws limeade fans--go figure. The Smokey Pig in Ashland is okay, but a bit pastey for me. The former standard had been Pierce's in Lightfoot. Still, we had a bunch of chain options (Memphis, Red Hot and Blue, Famous Daves) but the real BBQ geeks could not find a monument to their craving. So...a few upwardly mobile West-enders have approached me about opening a bbq joint. Apparently they watch a bit too much Food Network, but the idea was still intriguing...and clearly remains so. They raised some capital...not close to sufficient...and asked what I thougt. At this point, my thoughts were that a great BBQ place in Short Pump would have to be a mill. Quality would not be enough; we would have to serve thousands of customers a week. This did not appeal to me. But then the hot dog stand that I always wanted to open (sick, isn't it?) crept into my thoughts. An exagerated "stand" seemed reasonable, if we could get a great location. A permanent spot with a facility, but not a large restaurant. What we found was an end unit in a strip mall with a facing to both the parking lot and the rather impressive complex of the Tuckahoe Little League Fields. Nobody wanted the end unit for retail, so we are negotiating a good deal (hopefully) and TLL is intrigued by our proximity...we may be able to partner with them in promotions and sell our product to their events. In addition, this facility is used by other promoters for sporting events that we could cater to: hs sports, cross country meets, AAU, USSSA events, etc. It is not a bad collateral market. But the BBQ dog has to be 2 things: delicious and marketable. We think it is. Oddly enough, we can't find any bbq places that do this, nor any hot dog places that make bbq. (we would have thought otherwise.) So...we are teetering on the edge of this venture. The backers are still interested. The space can be easily expanded to add seats, and probably even a beer license. It remains to be seen if Richmonders care about this, but many of the new money in Short Pump is from out of town. Wyndham, Fox Hall, and Wellesley people are more and more from NC, NJ, Pennsylvania, and the DC area. So...we may be a go, or we may be a no. But the opinion of food people is alway welcome and very important. Thanks for you notice. Best, Chef Salad One last point: we would sell hot dogs and bbq. Both would be complete with variation and delectable accoutrements. Both would be worth the drive, if hot dogs or bbq are your things. The bbq dog would be the unique point of sale, the t-shirt, the slogan. Not quite "Home of the Mammoth Burger" but you get the idea. At minimum, with chopped onions and homemade slaw, it makes my Saturday afternoon lunches a messy and delicious affair. aloha 1) Where in Henrico? It's a big county and I see variation in potential success based on location? Henrico does a big business in chain dining and I was never particularly impressed by the palates of the Richmond suburbanites (sorry if I offend). 2) Who's your target audience? Is there anyone doing anything remotely similar that can give you an idea of potential success? Melito's seemed to sell lot's of hot dogs and Buz & Ned's does a pretty good bbq business w/ good pulled pork. Unfortunately, the nasty Bill's bbq chain seems to do a good biz also so that doesn't say anything about bbq tastes of some Richmond residents? 3) How extensive a menu are you planning? Sit-down type of place or essentially a walk up counter w/ a few seats? 4) Do you want honest opinions about the potential of the restaurant or have you made up your mind and you are just trying to get the word out (which is totally fine and reasonable)? Depending on your answer to #1, I'd probably swing by on my next visit back thru Richmond b/c of curiousity but you won't survive on my dining $$ alone. edited to add: I don't think a bbq-topped hot dog is a 30-minute destination meal for Richmond-ites. You'd need to have enough of an audience within 15 minutes (which is one cycle at a traffic light around Short Pump these days!).

Hi Eric, We will FIND YOU...if given some directional guidance. Really...I drive 2 hours for a bbq sandwich, so getting off the the interstate and looking for you is reasonably consistent with my food-hunter personality!! We'll find you when you open and look forward to a great dog! Best! chef salad

Greetings eGulleteers! As a long-since retired chef, I have lamented that the Richmond, VA area is lacking several important culinary comforts. Remarkably the two that I crave the most seem to go together very well: NJ style hot dogs and pulled pork bbq! In doing some research, we have discovered that everyone who tries our BBQ Dog demands another...and another. The recipe is simple: we used several different hot dogs, but most tasters here chose Black Bear hot dogs. They have a bit of a crunch to them--not like most "southern" dogs. Each dog was flat grilled with a bit of butter. Topping each dog was a good amount of pulled pork. My barbecue is good--really, I have done a pretty nice job of getting it right. Basically I rub pork shoulder-butts with a not-so-secret blend, and slow smoke over a mix of charcoal and hickory. The pork gets a mist of cider vinegar-apple juice-water every now and then, and they cook for about 15 hours. The meat is good, moist, flavorful, with a good smoke penetration. I make my own sauce (on the vinegary side) and we also used a good SC--style mustard based sauce that complimented the hot dog. So, the dogs get bbq that has been lightly dressed in the sauce, and these are on butter grilled New England-style hot dog buns. So...WHADDYA THINK? Will anybody drive 30 minutes to eat one of these things? We are in Henrico County...Richmond suburbs. We are tentatively calling the place "Screaming Weenies" and we are in the process of copyrighting the name and a pretty cool logo. Imagine the T-shirts!! Aloha and happy eating Chef Salad

Where are you if coming from I-95 in Delaware? We would love to stop in to a BRAND NEW hot dog restaurant. Believe it or not, there are NO hot dog joints in central Virginia. We have to drive to Newport News, so why not stop by on the way to Trenton. Very best of luck, Chef Salad