Oceangroveguy

Re someone ahead of you way over the express line limit - This isn't something I thought up, and I think it more often than I say it, but I say it once in while: "Are you a math major who never learned to read, or an English major who never learned to count?" The yuppy vermin seldom will acknowledge fault, and so generally ignore the dig, but the checkout people always get a kick out of it....

People of German ancestry I knew in central PA would eat pork chops and sauerkraut on January 1 for luck in the new year. I believe everything I read on Egullet, but will have to run a taste test to confirm that cooking them with octopus will tenderize wine bottle corks.

This only serves to remind me that I am getting old and my memory is fading. I have seen (somewhere) a Chinese place called "Yangtze Doodle", and a deli called "Noshville", and I have a recollection - if not a true memory - of a place in NYC's chinatown back in the late 60's called "Big Wang". Of course, it could have been a hullabalootion......

Samizdat was the name for clandestinely printed and circulated material the USSR government had suppressed or would have suppressed had it been aware of it. I think it now can mean anything unauthorized or 'underground'.

I use the Squid brand, too. I think (and please someone correct me if I am wrong) all such fish sauce smells vile, because the stuff stinks until you cook with it....

THere's a difference between Propane and natural gas. If I remember correctly, people who use propane for home heating or cooking or hot water do so with large tanks outside their houses. Natural gas used for the same purpose comes into the house via a public gas utility line from the street. If your house uses natural gas, and your grill is a tank-fueled propane one, then I think you need a different grill to run on a gas line from your house. Look at the Weber website and note there are 2 types of gas grills offered for most models, one being propane and the other natural gas. OGG

Fresh Avocados Olive Oil Cheap 10 year old 'balsamic' Nirvana Veggie Burgers (frozen) Frozen Haricots Verts, Asparagus, Blueberries Frozen lamb chops and buffalo burgers Packaged arugula (always cheaper than Shop Rite) Kashi cereals Red Stripe beer Tapenade They used to sell black and white farfalle but I haven't seen that in years.

Off the street (so delete if you are being strict) but in Penn Station, the otherwise dull Nedicks sells Usingers bratwursts.......mmmmmmm

What was he supposed to drink with that pizza?

Yes, especially fried, and especially at Sonny's in Asbury Park, where it was especially good on Saturday night

Go ahead and brave the smoke at Spirito's Also try El Salvadorano at 1128 Elizabeth Avenue, and Cuban food at El Palmar 523 Elizabeth Avenue, and Spanish/Portugese at Valenca, 665 Monroe Ave. I've only been to Manolo's, 91 Elizabeth Ave, for dinner and don't know if they serve lunch, but it's a wonderful Spanish place, if pricy for the area.

If they name it "Pho Tops", then I'll be there.... Also "Go Pho", "Pho Chi Minh" and (remembering Country Joe and dating myself) "Let Saigons Be Bygones" I vote against any of the puns on fuck - restaurants needs humorless and prim customers to survive.

I've not bought any for 6 months or more, but Whole Foods always had ground ostrich meat and steaks - look in the freezer section.

Dr.Oz' Columbia Univ bio/CV is here: http://www.columbiasurgery.org/divisions/c...c/staff_oz.html pretty heavy-duty credentials.

I second (3rd?) the vote for Delicious Orchards, but also recommend Sickles Market in Little Silver, which also has great cheeses and prepared foods.

If you want to brave Elizabeth, there's a Shoprite on West Grand, well to the west of downtown, that sells the Goya frozen product. West Grand is what South Avenue becomes as you go east from Westfield thru Garwood & Cranford & Roselle.. tel # is 908 558 9126 It may also be available at the Shoprite in Garwood - that one is on North Avenue, just east of the Westfield border. - the tel # 908 654 0803

Good Cuban food at Havana New York on 38th West of 5th

I beg to differ about Kam Man in Edison. I don't know whether the assertion about being closed by the health department is true or not, but I go in there every few weeks and have never seen or smelled anything that made me nervous. I buy mostly fish and vegetables, but also fresh noodles and condiments, and everything is always fresh and seems to be properly handled. I look at the meat and it always looks fine, too.

Can't help you with either place in Clark, but have you considered La Griglia in Kenilworth? 740 Boulevard, 908 241 0031

Re South Beach - Yuca on Lincoln Road in Miami Beach is upscale modern Cuban and if memory serves is where Douglas Rodriguez first came to reknown. In Coral Gables there's Franceso on Alcazar Avenue - fabulous Peruvian seafood

Anyone been there lately? All the reviews I've been able to find have been pretty old (and very positive) Thanks.

You might call Bistro Ole in Asbury Park (732 897 0048) or Raspberry Cafe in Ocean Grove (732 988 0071) to be sure they are open on Monday, but both have terrific food. Both are BYO. If you do want romantic and good - if not brilliant - food, there's Matisse in Belmar (732 681 7680) and Moonstruck in Asbury Park (732 988 0123). Moonstruck has a liquor license. I don't remember if Matisse does.

You can lead a horse to bacon, but you cannot make it fry

The Whole Foods stores in NJ often have venison - if the other suggestions don't work for you, call the store in manhattan