Taboni

Unfortunately Buona Sera is not BYO, and although the wine was excellent, the general pricing of the wine list is a bit high for the area in my opinion, leaning more toward NYC prices. The 95 Nardi was $90 I believe, but I don't remember the exact price.

Went to Buona Sera last night with my wife early (6:00) and had a very good experience, for a Saturday night. I say this because my only other times there have been midweek since I despise their reservation policy of 6 or more, and I can't imagine why anyone would jam themselves in a tiny bar area to wait an hour for a table anywhere. By the time we left around 8:00, people were standing on the stairs up to the second floor...insanity. But I digress....had cappellini and proscuitto wrapped shrimp with horseradish aioli to start which were quite good albeit a tad overcooked followed by an excellent double cut veal chop with porcini, portobello, and morels accompanied by and excellent 1995 Nardi Brunello. My wife being on the extremely pregnant side only managed a shrimp bisque and a few bites of the same veal chop before the full sign lit up. We passed on dessert opting just for coffee. I have always enjoyed Buona Sera, but the busy atmosphere is something that has to be taken into consideration, as it is a factor. I would also opt for the downstairs dining room as upstairs can be a little claustrophobic and about 20 degrees warmer. Also, try to go midweek as this place is a real zoo on weekends. BTW only wound up there because we couldn't get a table at Sogno, or Angelica's in Sea Bright at ANY time...who says there is trouble with the economy!

I think the HoJo's in Asbury Park is still open during the summer...if you like to live dangerously.

How long is a piece of string?

now why didn't I think of that...

I find it makes an excellent choice for Beef and Guinness pie, or any meat pie for that matter.

Apologies if I have offended anyone with my rather casual use of a term I had assumed was understood by most not to be demeaning to women etc, etc. Now a Brioni blazer and a tank top, w.b., ginny t.....there's a fashion statement.

Fromagerie as well. It actually surprises me how indignant people become when requested by any establishment to dress up a little. Maybe I am old fashioned but I usually wear a jacket when dining out almost anywhere except those places where it is obvious they would serve me in my sweatpants and wife-beater. Sure I have had unpleasant experiences like Tommy (I remember removing my jacket when in La Gavroche in London due to the temperature only to be succinctly reminded that I was in violation of their dress code) but they have been very few and far between and to be quite honest since standards in my industry have changed regarding daily dress, it actually feels nice to dress a little for dinner.

Say it isn't so ! Actually its been a little over a year since we moved down the shore and I haven't been able to keep up my regular patronage. I'm actually not that bummed about Benny's since I have found a few places down here that have excellent pie, but to hear the Spumoni Gardens has gone downhill is really a disappointment...best I take the trip and see for myself.

Regular slice has got to be Benny Tudino's, but for a square ( I assume you mean Sicilian) slice, if you can't get them at Santillo's in Elizabeth, (I know they make a great pie, not sure if you can get it by the slice) then you have to abandon Jersey for the only place ever to go for Sicilian pie and that is of course L&B Spumoni Gardens in Coney Island. None better anywhere.

The cheaper one is the standard as opposed to the wide version of the knife...I have the wide one and it serves me very well, providing a little extra heft for bone chopping and a little bit better rocking action, but I'm not sure if the marginal increase in performance is worth the extra $40

Both of my dear departed grandmothers made poppyseed roll (makivnyk) and there was just something about theirs that I can't replicate and miss terribly. For poppyseeds, check out either Pulaski market or more likely Bratek's, both in Linden, or Lazirko Olympic Ukrainian market on 40th st in Irvington. (the best kobasy at Lazirko's as well). The Christmas eve bread mentioned earlier is probably Kolach.

Pardon my ignorance (Goyim alert!) but is kishka necessarily a kosher thing? I have been eating it all my life and usually get it at any decent Polish or Ukrainian butcher. Try Pulaski in Linden on Wood ave, or Bratek's around the corner from them. If you are in the city you can get better at Baczynsky on 2nd ave. Hope this helps.

I haven't been in a long time, so I can't vouch for recent quality, but I used to get very good products at the Summit Cheese Gourmet on Union Pl in Summit.

I have had several good fondues, although on further reflection the best ones were invariably in some now forgotten restaurants while on drinking holidays in Zermatt and St. Anton (I don't ski). One can assume then that the fondue just doesn't stand up on its own without the proper surroundings (at least my attempts at reproduction don't, despite using only traditional recipes) I do fondly recall some excellent raclette while celebrating Swiss National Day when I was working for a Swiss bank, not to mention some great meat fondues and pear williamene at the now dear departed Chalet Suisse in NYC.

It seems as if there are as many cornbread variations as there are "perfect" fried chicken recipes, but here is one of the myriad ones taking up my recipe box that seems to work quite nicely, with a little honey added for sweetness. Also it helps to not work the batter too much as it will result in a less risen final product. 1 1/4 c ap flour 3/4 c yellow cornmeal (I use stoneground for a little coarser texture) 1 tbsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 2 lg eggs 2 tbsp honey 1 c milk 2 tbsp melted unsalted butter preheat 8 inch cast iron skillet in 425 oven with 3 tbsp Crisco for 15-20 mins Whisk together dry ingredients. Whisk together wet ingredients. Add the wet to the dry until just combined. Remove the skillet from the oven and pour in mixture. Bake for 20-25 mins. We also like homemade maple butter to go along with it. ( 1/2 lb unsalted butter + 1/2 c maple syrup + 1/4 tsp cinnamon + 1 tsp salt)

Kielbasa and stuffed cabbage.... I grew up on it and need my fix every so often...the wife just doesn't appreciate fine ethnic cuisine.

I should be receiving a new skillet soon (ordered it yesterday, couldn't be bothered to search the stores) and I'll let you know.. a little apprehensive about the performance as compared to my own feeble attempts at creating the perfect non-stick surface but we'll see.....

Although I religiously follow the Alton Brown Crisco method for all of my cast ironware, it seems as with so many things science is already beginning to relegate this time honored process to the realm of antiquity... Lodge Cast Iron

Frankie and Johnnies in Hoboken...moved from there to parts south (Fair Haven) a couple of months ago and God I miss it...I think Tommy will agree