NYC Mike

The first card attempt might have been flattering to me, maybe. That fiasco at the table with the wine glass etc would have sent me far off the deep end. Good for you for telling them to stick their card request the 2nd time! Mike

Hi All, Tap and the ever present bottled water is getting dull. The ol diet cola staple isn't exactly what I would call a great paring for most things outside of burgers and pizza etc. The non-sweetened tea at most places is just yuck. Any ideas of other things to order? Any restaurants out there that do interesting things for non-drinkers? Thanks. -Mike

Wow Pam, amazing kinshes! There used to be a Kosher bakery on W. 181st where I grew up. Real old school place(might still be there) called Greenblats or Greenbaums, cant remember which now. They made them this way and sold them still warm if you were lucky...we would run home, cut them open and pump in the yellow mustard.

The only thing really interesting in Inwood these days is the Dominican food, its really good but the supermarket/butcher/fish market situation is dire. We drive downtown to fulfill those needs.

The mothership on White Plains Road in the BX is by far the best patties and coco bread ive ever had. Mike

Malecon on 175th for Chicken Mirage on Dyckman St for cubans San Loco on 2nd Ave for tacos

I'm dying over here! What was it?

My wife and I had an amazing time at WD two nights ago. She was assigned to do a "zagat" type dessert review for school and we thought is was an awesome excuse to pop our WD-50 cherry. I'm not sure we have picked our jaws off of the floor yet! Kind of like but way more pronounced. We went in for the 5 course dessert tasting but had a couple of appetizers as a warm up. Its all one big blur but I'll try and list the dishes. There are two that are just stuck in my head and since then I have forgotten all else. Two things are sure in our minds after the fact, 1. Sam Mason is a master doing amazing, you saw it here first folks type things in that kitchen. 2. we must return for the full tasting asap. We had the Foie bullet and shrimp cous cous for aps. There were amazing, and have been talked about endlessly on the boards. Pre-dessert - Ants on a Log- One of our clear favorites. WOW! Manchego Cheescake Miso Creme Brulee Braised Pinapples with Mustard Ice cream- This is the dish that rocked my world. I listlessly sit and day dream about it now. Black Olive Claufoutis- I dont even eat or like olives and I loved this dessert. Butternut sorbet, mole etc. We loved each dish and loved how the flavors seemed to get stronger and more pronounced as the courses went by. There was a split instant that we almost told to server to pour some coffee and send us through again! What a chef. -Mike

I once got a very revolted "ewwwwwwwww" when I ordered and enjoyed a very rare on the inside black and blue steak. I think we dumped each other at the same time. Her ewww was more than I could take and I think it was genuine on her part. Mike

These parenthetical exceptions seem to demonstrate the weakness of the resolution, dude. ← A bigmac I can live without but a dog with ketchup and onions...that would have been asking too much!

That's some good deal! -Mike

In 2006, I will eat nothing that resembles Mc Ds or like fast food (This does not include pizza, dirty water dogs or the whizmush from genos) I will make my first dinner for the kids without my wife’s help. I will find places to shop for fresh, affordable ingredients outside of my local supermarket. I will learn how to cook!!! I will teach my children as I learn. I will read the cookbooks in my wife’s collection with interest. This is the year I will try not to spend more than $15 on a single bottle of wine. I will taste as opposed to eat. I will use a sharp knife to cut things without fear. I will give myself hell if I don’t at least attempt some of these things listed above. I will contribute on this site more than I lurk. We will take a vacation this year, and it will be more than a long weekend (we say this every year….work work work) My kids will wash the dishes! mike

Popover, This is a very common item in supermarkets in Washington Heights and Inwood. Make a left on B'way off the GW and stop at the first one you see. -Mike

Went to Mama Mexico today with the kids. I was hungover and thinking tequilla and chiles and my wife worked until 2ish so neither of us wanted to stay in and cook. I'm losing faith and near convinced that there are no decent mexican places outside of taco joints like San Loco in NY. None that compare to even an average place in Cali. We were asked to enjoy the complimentary quacamole served and prepared into mush (they did not forget the extra salt though ) and then later tried to charged $12. Had to ask the guy for a menu 4 times. He insisted on running through beverage, chips and salsa, quacamole service and the specials sales pitch before conceding to that request. The queso fundido was 30% burnt and 70% onions, the mole tasted like burnt pot bottom and the tamales were just awful. Long rant short and $150 bucks later I wished I did a drive through style run downtown to San Loco for $40.

Cra* Jason there goes my healthy eating and weight loss resolution. Mike

What she said.

I'm a born and raised Italian NYer and my wife is born and raised in the Dominican Republic. When I made my first trip there to meet her folks they went on a mission to find something the gringo americano wouldn't eat. It became a challenge for them and a big joke to everyone since I eat just about anything happily! Her father shopped for every obscure ingredient and her mother made every Dominican tipico dish she could think of. It was good fun, I was intoxicated by the time I left and did not eat a full meal for at least a week afterwards. Some of the standouts, now added to our regular menus were, dulce de leche cortada, habichuelas con dulce (this was for the biggest laugh since you cannot eat these in mixed company ), arenque with eggs, pernil, mondongo, mofongo and rabo. But, the all time comfort food they gave me that replaces all others is sancocho. I cannot look out the window on a fall or winter rainy or bad weather day and not wish I had a little sancochito to warm me up. Not to mention, its the hangover cure from god. Mike

I love Country Club Rojo and Uva from DR, especially great with a chimichuri.

Matthew, So we could have the regular tasting menu savory and sweet and add 3 more deserts on the end? That is pretty awesome, thanks. Did Landmarc this past weekend, was pretty dissapointed with the service, onion soup and croque madame but the deserts and the caramels were great. -Mike

WD-50 has a 3 and 5 course desert tasting menu for $35. Anyone know of any others? Thanks, Mike

Bump. Anyone have an opinion on this? Anniversary coming up!

"Juicy rumor of the week: much anticipated Upper Meatpacking newcomer Del Posto (which we've been tracking since its midsummer plywood stage) is said to be starting tastings this week ahead of its December 12 target opening." http://eater.curbed.com/ From today, man I wish I could taste...anyone have any more detail?

At least they didn't say to "say no" to Who-pudding, and rare Who-roast-beast!

Thanks for the replies! Hmm taste in food....we like spanish/caribean/mexican, italian, fish/asian of any kind. Wouldn't mind a byob. Homestyle Italian we can get in ny. Thanks again!

We have two age 8s as well and one with a similar fondness for "bad" snacks. What makes it harder is that we eat what tastes good rather than what is good for you. We have made one slight change to all of our diets and it has shown dramatic results. We have eliminated all processed sugars and syrups. No more devil dogs, snicker bars and fruit punch etc. We still allow sweet snacks like home made cookies, 100% juice, any and all fruit. Homemade good gushy deserts are amazing compared to the absolute garbage they put in kids snacks, cereal and drinks (juice boxes for example have close to no juice in them ) M Oh also: the best advise our doctor ever gave us (we have 3 total) is that issues and problems with children are sometime best left to simmer. Nothing ever needs immediate or drastic action. Slow and steady wins the race.