bpearis

The Kabab Cafe is a real treasure and I always regret not getting out there more than I do. Ali makes you feel so welcome. Though those paintings in the bathroom are disturbing.

It's never going to work in NYC. (Well, never say never but doubtful.) It's fine to publish a cookbook, but Trotter hasn't opened a raw restaurant of his own. Sure, have Raw Mondays at somewhere like Blue Hill or GT. But as a concept for a big-time restaurant? And Roxanne's is in the Bay Area, much more inviting a place for this kind of thing. Quintessence in the EV is some of the blandest, hard-to-eat food I've had in NYC. Maybe I'm just soured on that experience. I'm sure there are ways to make raw a lot better than that. We shall see.

Well, it can only be better than Quintessence. I'm not sure there's enough interest to keep a place like this going in NYC.

From the NY Times' "Off the Menu":

The only WB restaurant on that list that seems worth it is Miss Williamsburg Diner, one of two great Italian places in the neighborhood (the other being Aurora). I would have to think it would be worth it, especially if their lasagna bolognese is on the menu. Speaking of Aurora (Grand @ Wythe), they've started to do brunch and it's quickly risen to rival Oznot's as the best place to go in the WB for it. There's a $16.95 pre-fixe with two courses, coffee/tea and mimosa/bloody marry. You can order anything off the pre fixe a la carte and there is a separate a la carte brunch menu as well. The chef/owner actually cooks the brunch shift too. In a very homey touch, they set out nice table with breads, jams and nutella. I've gone three times and nothing I've gotten has been less than very good and some of it has been downright excellent. Anything they do with eggs is worth getting The scrambled eggs are creamy and curdy, with an oatmeal-like texture and are served with these light potato pancakes, creme freche and either house-cured salmon or white beans. I also really liked the grilled asparagus with shaved parmigano reggiano, a delicate poached egg and hint of truffle oil. (a first course of the pre fixe menu). But Aurora's version of steak and eggs is the real reason to go. I'm not sure what cut it was but it wasn't shell or skirt. This was served blood-rare and it was tender and flavorful. It came with a poached egg on a piece of toasted brioche that was just about egg heaven. Plus a little salad. (also on the pre fixe but was $11.95 on it's own). I live about a block and a half from this place but I'd certainly be just as in love it it was further away. Best of all, I don't think word is out on brunch at this place and you can stroll in at 12:30 on sunday and be seated right away. You can check out their regular dinner menu here.

The closest is the Marcy stop on the JMZ; the other option would be the Bedford stop on the L but you'd have to hoof it about 12 blocks from there.

Its coming back as a Burger cart, I think. A Burger Shack, to be specific. It will still have hot dogs too. And word is it'll be a permanent structure that may operate 365...

there is a jamaican food cart right outside the post office on 42nd between 8th and 9th. it is the bomb. while i think the curry goat, chicken roti and stew fish are all great, i go back again and again for the oxtail. they've raised their prices on it a few times in the last year and a half. i think it's up to $8 but it's worth it. you get cornbread, plantains and your choice of two sides -- rice and peas, stew peas, collard greens, macaroni & cheese, a couple others. there's also jerk chicken, fried whole fish and a couple others as mains. it's all great. in the general times square area i also like the daisy mae chili cart and kwik meal - both well publicized.

It's been an occasional hot button issue here in relation to Luger's and nighttime in the neighborhood--that's why I put my two cents in. Jamie Williamsburg isn't the scary, bombed-out place it was five years ago.

Dumont in Williamsburg get a well-deserved shout-out from Gael Greene in the new New York: Scroll down to the bottom of the page for the whole blurb.

Adam Platt is not as impressed.

Restaurant reviews are every Friday, though I find them hard to find in the paper (it's always buried amongst the classifieds and business section). Much easier just to bookmark the food section of the website.

Nope. It's Thai, its name doesn't even sound Indonesian, and it's distinguishable in taste from an Indonesian hot sauce like Sambal Oelek, in its various varieties. The guy who started Huy Fong (the company who makes the stuff with the green cap) is from Vietnam which is where the company started. Then he moved to Los Angeles and, according to the Huy Fong website this is where they first started making Sriracha sauce. But it's of Thai origins. I really liked Sam Sifton's Diners Journal, innacuracies or not. He liked the food a lot -- that's what I took from it. He's got a young, snarky vibe to his writing that I dig. The NY Times dining section seems to make a habit of mangling Asian stuff -- remember the takoyaki thing? Pan, maybe you should apply to be a fact-checker for the Times. Sounds like they need one.

Gael Greene gives a mini-look at Masa in the new New York. Scroll down.

Sam Sifton gives Spice Market the Diner's Journal treatment in today's NY Times. He really seems to really like it, saying "Busboys could go around the place hitting random customers with rubber hammers, and the restaurant would still be worth a visit."

Restaurants are intrinsic to the NYC lifestyle. We have tiny kitchens with crummy appliances, it's easier to eat out and have myriad choices at our fingertips. I know tons of people who have never used their stove. Going out to eat, trying new places, it's just what many of us do. I also think living here brings the food-lover out of us. As far as the size of DC, you have to figure in that most people who consider the Nation's capital their home live "just outside of DC" -- Arlington, Bethesda, etc. That adds a lot of people to the mix. But it's still much smaller than NYC.

Early peak at Masa from LA Times. Check out the photos: no skimping on the caviar on the toro tartare.

They really do need to rethink the servers dress. Those jeans and awful striped shirts make them look like country musicians. The food is completely ace, though.

Just finished watching the dvd commentary of the very funny and highly-reccomended School of Rock. I guess part of the filming took place in or near Williamsburg. After prodding from director Richard Linklater, Jack Black admitted that while filming there he ate at Luger's for lunch about every other day. Linklater protests and says try every day. Black replies, "Okay, maybe I had Peter Luger steak two days in a row... once. It may be the best steak in the universe. It is very decadent and very expensive, but I felt I needed it if I was going to be at my peak." They filmed much of the movie in Long Island but they specifically namechecked the Brooklyn one. There was also mention of the best pizza in Staten Island, but they didn't say what it was.

Or maybe people are no longer scared of going to Chinatown, Flushing, Woodside, wherever, and realize that the real thing tastes as good if not better for a one third the price. (That said, I still like Tabla.)

It's pretty similar to yellowtail. I've only ever had it as sushi, where i think it's called kanpachi.

I think all signs point to TFN *trying* to do right. If you remember, the Shatner version was on USA, whose target demographic is more into monster trucks than food. They had as a celebrity judge one of the Baywatch babes who was scared of almost all the food. I agree they shouldn't try to do a Kaga-like MC, it just won't work. It can't be any worse than the two Flay-Morimoto Iron Chefs. Can it? Apart from Flay's grandstanding, they were serious about the food, as were the judges. I think if the show is serious about the food, celebrities will come out of the woodwork to be a judge. I certainly wouldn't be surprised to see Stanley Tucci among the first. He used to be on Cooking Live Primetime all the time. (Really miss that show -- the guests tended to booze it up, which made things entertaining.)

The one in Brooklyn? I really like that place, charm and style for miles and miles. The food is great too, rustic tuscan stuff.

I have to say I've never had a bad dish at Noodletown.

yellow curry and massamun curry have never done anything for me. both contain potatoes. it always sounds like a good idea, hearty and all. and i keep trying them in places where i like everything else, hoping that i'll like it. but it's always rather flavorless.