Jump to content

pups224

participating member
  • Posts

    163
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by pups224

  1. On EG's recommendation, we went. Very pretty space. Nice appetizer of buffalo mozzarella, canelli beans, roast peppers and out of season tomatoes. The pizza was good, not great. I had a broccoli rabe, buffalo mozzarella and sausage pizza. The quality of the sausage was no where as good as Nick's. The crust was good, but became soggy on the plate. The DH had a ham, olive, tomato and Mozz pizza. Also good, not mind blowing. I would happily go there again when on Arthur Ave. No need for a special trip. We got there at 12 pm sharp to get a seat. The place filled up slowly, so no need to rush. A note of advice; unless you need to, do not shop on Arthur Ave. right before Palm Sunday or Easter. It's a mob scene. Got some amazing veal shanks though.
  2. Go to the salami store on Arthur Avenue. They have Fra'Mani and their own fabulous salamis. They also know how to slice! Great call, pups. On Sunday I finally bought a pack of this stuff -- 12 ounces (aka single-serving size for the bacon lover) for $5.99 -- and was really impressed. So many of these artisanal bacons disappoint. I was a member of the Bacon of the Month Club for a couple of years and most of the time what they sent out wasn't as good as, say, Schaller & Weber. But this Vande Rose Farms stuff is wonderful. A nice restrained balance of smoke, salt and sweet ham flavors. And I like that the slices are nice and thick. The way I counted it each slice was about 3/4 of an ounce. In other Fairway news, on Sunday I was reminded of why I rarely utilize the deli counter. It's a real shame, because they have some excellent stuff back there, but the management and labor at the deli counter are just abysmal. On this latest adventure, I decided to try all the Fra'Mani products on offer. They proudly claim, on two little signs, that they have six varieties: five salamis and one mortadella. The first two products I asked for triggered lengthy searches by clueless employees and, finally, the claim that they don't carry them. The other problem is that nobody at the deli counter comprehends the Fra'Mani casing. That white bloom is the best part of the salume from Fra'Mani, but if you don't intervene quickly they'll cut it right off before slicing. In general the Fra'Mani salume in large deli sizes are problematic, though: first, they have all this string around them that's a challenge to get off without mangling the products (which tend to be pretty soft-textured); and second, because the casing with the white bloom is exposed to the outside world (Fra'Mani products don't come wrapped in plastic), it gets repeatedly manhandled during slicing. So it's kind of gross if you keep it on, but if you take it off you lose the best component of the Fra'Mani flavor. In the end I'm going to stick with the individual Fra'Mani salami because I can better control the situation. ←
  3. I had dinner at Atelier Robuchon on Saturday night and can not improve on Tupac's review. The amuse was the foie gras parmesan foam. The bread and butter was amazing, with a little fleur de sel on the butter plate to sprinkle, or not. We started with six small plates. Carpaccio of scallop and sea urchin with citrus..amazing. Then the avocado and crab, which I liked a lot more than Tupac. The eel and foie gras did not really work for me, the foie gras and citrus, butter emulsion did. I thought that the Langoustine Papillote was boring, however the sweet breads were perfect and soft on the inside. It is rare that they are properly made. Mains were a deconstructed tete de veau (unctions and full of gelatin and taste) and the quail for the DH, also, excellent. Oh, and the signature mashed potatoes. Desert was that chcoclate pudding-like thing that Tupac mentioned and whose review was dead on and the other desert we can not remember. Petit fours were two chocolate caramels. No macaron..Boo. The service was professional and attentive without an attitude. The sommelier was wonderful (she did not have the wine we ordered and served us another excellent one without trying jack up the price). The food was very good and well worth the price tag. The crowd was serious about food, local and older. The place was not booked solid. Compared to my dinner at Bouley last week, that pretentious, fussy, over hyped restaurant, with lousy food and snotty service with a massive dose of undeserved attitude, Robuchon is an oasis of of fine, sometimes exciting tastes. Everything is done with great care and caring for the diner. I could eat there every night.
  4. pups224

    Bouley

    I completely agree with FG, having been to EMP for a four hour tasting menu and to Bouley many times. When Bouley is on, it's amazing. However, to drop that kind of money for a very disappointing meal with snooty service is a real shame. Restaurants of this calibre can occaisionally have nights when they are not quite "on", however, the meal, wine and service was careless at best. On top of that, Mr. Bouley does not have a restaurant empire with far flung places. On a Saturday night, the chef should be in the house (or let's hope he wasn't).
  5. pups224

    Bouley

    I have been going to Bouley since he was in his former location. Meals there were always exquisite, coaxing wonderful flavors from prime ingredients. The room was beautiful, with gorgeous fresh flowers. Then he moved to his current location and underwent several reincarnations as ‘bakery’, then restaurant. We went quite a few times for the prix fixe lunch which was still outstanding and a very good deal. The service was attentive and not obtrusive. Wine by the glass was very well selected. So we went for the BF’s birthday last night. We were seated in the ‘white’ room which now has taken on the look of a whore house with pillows and oversized, tasseled lamps and vases, way too big for the wilting flower arrangements. The arrangement on the table was on its last legs. The food. The amuse was a green apple aspic with a Roquefort foam. The gelee was so acrid and tasteless that the foam was a relief, not a compliment. We had the four course tasting menu. I had the Phyllo Crusted Florida Shrimp. The seafood had been seared over such high heat that all I could taste was gas. This was not “breath of the wok” time. The broth had no herbal and no ocean in it and I thought of the days when I used to swoon moping up the broth with my bread. The BF had the Sashimi Quality Tuna, which was okay, nothing special. I then had the Line-Caught Chatham Cod which was over cooked and again tasted of gas. It fell apart when I stuck my fork in it. The nage, which was supposed to have black truffle in it, was tasteless. My partner had the Return from Chiang Mai which was very good, albeit too cold. Then to the mains. I had rack of lamb. One chop with an over cooked loin. Nice, again, nothing special. BF had Squab and Foie Gras which he said was ‘acceptable’. Oh and the potatoes. We were half way through our main when we looked at each other and asked, where are those mashed potatoes? The arrived and were almost tasteless, heavy and gluey. Not those ethereal butter clouds that I remember. Desert for both of us was the Hot Valrhona Chocolate Soufflé. In the past this had been my favorite desert. This time the soufflé had no structure and was mostly molten chocolate. The ice creams, which used to be outstanding were tasteless overwhelmed by all the chocolate goo. Desert was accompanied by a very nice passion fruit sorbet and petit fours, all coming at the same time. The wine list was outrageously priced. We had a very nice Meursault for $150.00. I started with a glass of Greuner Veltliner, which in days of old had been wonderful. This one was sour, no depth. Service was just okay. No one asked us how our meal was. They gave us another bottle of sparkling water without asking. Dinner was almost $500.00 including tax and tip. I felt totally ripped off. Not going there again. Oh, and the crowd was bridge and tunnel. The BF’s fault for having a birthday on a Saturday.
  6. pups224

    L'Impero

    Has anyone been to L'Impero since Conant left? The menu is totally different.
  7. I combined 2 recipes: the one in Nigella Lawsons How to be a Domestic Goddess, and the one in Lynne Rosetto Kaspars wonderful book about the cooking of Emilia Romagna, The Splendid Table . The Nigella recipe can be found here: click and my adapted version here on my Dutch blog (in Dutch...) the almonds are not marcona almonds, just regular ones. ← Chufi, I checked out you blog for the cake. Is there any way that you could translate the recipe into English? The cake looks so beautiful, as all you dishes do. Thanks, Pups
  8. pups224

    Prime Rib

    I have only used the Claiborne high temperature method and purchased a really nice looking choice roast at Costco, for the first time, which I am dry aging in the fridge (tisk tisk). The meat comes out incredibly crusty and juicy but do not open the oven! Here is a website for the recipe. http://foodmaven.com/diary/archives/00000179.html
  9. Too much cumin in the chorizio. Got some prime hanger steaks.
  10. It's that time again to think about caviar. Since the GOOD Russian stuff first became unaffordable and then unavailable, it seems that no matter what I taste is not even comparable. I have surfed Zabar's, Russ & Daughters and D & D's websites and have found so many different kinds. Does anyone have any recommendations for a reasonable substitute? By the way, will pick up some Jamon Iberico at D & D this afternoon. When I was in Bruges, I had the fresh, grilled Pata Negra Bellota filet. So, so amazing!
  11. pups224

    Venison

    I live in Manhattan. I love venison. I have lost my contact. If anyone knows where to find some or is willing to part with some, please PM me. I am happy to remit and part with my venison sauerbraten recipe.
  12. Once upon a time, there was a bakery named Jespersen's in Scarsdale that made a most decadent cookie, named Sarah Bernhardts. They came in two sizes, 2" and 5". The 5" were the only ones to eat. They consisted of a crunchy outside, gooey inside almond macaroon, followed by a rich, chocolate ganache, covered by 1/8" of a dark chocolate glaze that if the cookie was cold, would crunch when you bit into it. There was a little almond on top. The whole effect was, chocolate crunch, followed by soft, deep ganache, followed by crunchy outside, gooey inside almond macaroon. They were ethereal. The small ones were not crunchy enough and disappeard too fast. Jespersen's disappeared along with the cookies. I and a childhood friend are looking to recreate them. Any help is welcome.
  13. Thank you so much! Will try when I get fresh shrimp.
  14. Vande rose farms Iowa Duroc Heritage bacon. Applewood smoked in the meat section, next to the Niman Ranch at 73rd Street. Also, two types of French garlic.
  15. Has anyone noticed that Bruni Slammed Etats-unis in the Diner's Journal? http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/200...nd-short-of-it/
  16. The shrimp cutlets sound wonderful and seem to have an asian influence. I am dying to make this dish. Just curious about the amounts of seasonings and shrimp and also did you use a whole egg or just egg whites? Could you/would you please share?? Thanks
  17. Has anyone eaten at the restaurant (not the bar) since it changed ownership? I Would like to go there, but don't want a so-so meal.
  18. I would like to take my German realtives to Momofuku for dinner. It seens that they do not take reservations. Is there an optimal time to go (preferably early) on a Monday or Tuesday so that we do not have to wait?
  19. pups224

    Dinner! 2007

    "I admit it looks like a burst colostomy bag but omigod does it taste good..." Thank you so much for the laugh after a tough weeks work! Any chance for a recipe?
  20. I was at the market yesterday. The produce is always expensive but usually worth while. What really galled me, was that the guy selling apples on the corner of Park and 17th Street wanted $10.00 a pound for wild asparagus. Imagine, ten bucks a pound! As for last years produce, in addition to the apples, the potatoes are from last fall and they are sprouting.
  21. Gouten Harynk: Beautiful space. Simple and white washed walls. Quiet, efficient service. Dinner: Chef’s menu, Amuses, then raw, thinly sliced scallops with Asian/Indian toasted seeds Sea bass in lovely nage Tenderloin of Pata Negra pork topped with a thin slice of lardo with salsify, encasing pork forcemeat, and brussels sprouts with lardons. Desert was tropical fruits with a clear foam that the S/O said “what’s this, it looks like semen”. The pork was the finest I have ever tasted. It was smoky without being smoked. Porky without being piggy and moist with the lardo on top. The salsify was brilliant. The chef was a lovely man. The wine (a white Bordeaux was perfect).
  22. View my post of Le Fourneau here http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=5029
  23. Not quite true. There are several purveyors and then there is the imported salmon. Which smoked salmon at R&D do you like. There are about seven different kinds?
  24. As I sit here savoring my smoked organic Irish salmon from Fairways, I looked for a smoked salmon or lox thread. Is anyone interested in starting one?
×
×
  • Create New...