Steve R.

Not that anyone asked, but my current favorite places in Flushing are Imperial Palace, several of the stalls in Golden Mall and Fu Run (used to be Waterfront) on Prince St. I've personally never found a dim sum out there that is worth going out of my way for but the mall's stalls are better for snacking anyway.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/699803?tag=boards;topic-699803 Based on Fat Guy's ordering, I'm sure he's seen the above thread but thought it might be useful to anyone else who might be considering a meal there. I've been to dinners with "erica" at Fu Run & other Chinese places and with "Lau" elsewhere as well... they're both very knowledgable and credible.

Sorry I just got to this thread, since I've been to Fu Run more than most and its become one of my favorite places to go in Flushing (Hunan House, Imperial, the Malls and S&T being the others). The waitstaff can definitely be told to skip or go lightly on the wasabi based dressing for the bean sheet dish & agree that, when they're heavy handed, it ruins the dish. The tofu skin dish is also variable, with incendiary peppers making their presence known once in awhile. But, by and large, spicyness is not this place's forte. This dish, however, is excellent. I have a list of other dishes that should be tried & I'll look for it. There are some real gems at this place and some dogs as well (like the popular dish with the lead weighted "pancakes" lining the sides of the serving pot. It's a place worth exploring and, as they get to know you, their English gets better.

You said: "I'm going to hedge and say that Pastrami and Smoked Meat are actually different things - the smokiness of this meat was quite awesome, lending a distinctive flavor that's quite different from the typical NY deli style pastrami. The smaller slices from the thinner end, obscured in this photo, had both impressive smoke flavor and a strong spice component that was very impressive. If I only had time to go either Katz's or here: OK, it's probably still Katz's for me, but I'd pause and consider this place." I couldnt agree more. Exactly how I felt. Not quite apples and oranges but maybe tangerines and oranges. I still prefer Katz' but I'll eat here any day.

First of all, just to be picky, Little Pepper is in Flushing, not Jackson Hts. Its on Roosevelt, 2 or 3 blocks short of Main St. (dive joint, downstairs). If you go to Main St, make a left, go 3 blocks and make a right onto 37th (5minute walk...short blocks), there's a very large Asian supermarket which is equidistant & I like better. Its almost right across the street from Imperial Palace, a Cantonese restaurant I also like. Besides having a great selection of foods, the supermarket also carries (as do many) Cafe du Monde coffee for prices substantially lower than even ordering direct from the company. If you love N.Orleans chicory coffee, get it here. And Asian supermarket food of course. Not that you asked but, although L.Pepper is highly touted, I like Spicy & Tasty and Fu Run better. Both on Prince, a block from Little Pepper... S&T to the left of Roosevelt, Fu Run to the right (across from the schoolyard). Just sayin'

Well, yes it's passe but so what? And I think that Plataforma is probably still the best of its kind. Although it's not as big a salad bar, I've always preferred their branch in Tribecca (West Broadway)to the midtown one unless there are theater tickets involved. Remember to bring your Lipitor (or whatever the English equivalent is).

While visiting Miami last year, we wound up going to Talula twice. If it was in NYC, it'd be on our regular rotation (not that we really have a regular rotation, mind you). The food was great. I wouldnt sell Andrea short this season. Just sayin'.

Mostly, I go out to Flushing (Fu Run more often than anywhere else). But, this year, Bowery Congee has made me happy more often than any other place in Manhattan.

C'mon now.... no one is going to send her to Ted Drewes????

Chestnut on Smith St in Bklyn serves homemade breads, including a great7(or 10)grain, that I really like. At brunch they have scones, etc as well, all made on site. Redhead serves a bun that I like a lot and their cornbread (served with some entrees or as a side) is very nice. I still like Union Sq Cafe's bread basket but that's about all I still like about it there these days. The breadsticks at Mialino are addictive. I find that I go to their bar more to eat a couple of hundred of these than for the wine (which is a good list). The bread baskets at 2 old line red sauce places (Park Side in Queens and Queen in Downtown Bklyn) can be inconsistant but are usually great, with 4-5 breads all good.

And, if you wind up at Buttermilk Channel, there's a dessert wine on their list that is great: Dashe Late Harvest Zin (I think '07). Very reasonable price as well.

Henry's End in Brooklyn Heights. It's 2 minutes from Manhattan, at the end of Henry St, 1st stop into Brooklyn on the 2 & 3 trains (Clark St station).... very easy to get to, you can even walk over the Brooklyn Bridge to it. At any rate, it's exclusively a US wine list, with hundreds of bottles, well chosen, from very moderate ($25) to high end (several hundred $). The restaurant itself is well above average, with creative American fare at decent prices. We spend about $50/person for dinner before wine, tax and tip. I think this is just what you're looking for. We live in this neighborhood and go there very regularly. Let me know if you need any other info.

Piccolo Angelo on Hudson and Jane in the West Village.

Well, several of us Brooklynites who are also Mouthfulsfood.com members thank you for the vote of confidence. We're everywhere... even on the Outer Borough board on Chowhound. At any rate, I wanted to chime in that I agree with Yojimbo about Hibino... I dont go there anywhere near enough. I'd also like to know if you went to Applewood or Buttermilk Channel that night and what you thought. It's too late for me to steer you but I will say that I appreciate Applewood but it's not my cup of chai. We go to Buttermilk Channel pretty regularly and it's a great middle range place... I still prefer Redhead (E.Village) but it's not tooooo far behind (and much closer to home) when I want good fried chicken and a very friendly place with a decent bar.

Not sure what time you were there but, as it turns out, I took off work Wed. for some NYC culture. The matinee off Broadway ("The Understudy") that my wife & I went to had no intermission, so we found ourselves in the Village at 5pm. A perfect time to snag two seats at Lupa's bar and eat an early dinner, so there we were till 7 or so. We'd never gotten around to trying this place and now regret it. Being regulars at Otto, we know that we usually like the veggies offered, so we figured Lupa would be similarly good. We got the beets with pistachios & broccoli rabe, plus the marinated olives. All very good, and fresh bread from the oven to boot. Glasses of Aglianico for Ginny, Tocai for me. Then pastas: I had the carbonara, she a special tagliatelle with pork and tomato ragu. Both a little salty but we'd heard that they probably would be but knew that we wouldnt mind at all... both were excellent. A couple of espressos while sharing a tartufo (nice version) and we were set. By the time we left, it was 3 deep at the bar and people waiting outside in the cold (just a few stupid ones). We liked this place a lot... glad we branched out from our usual seats at Otto's bar, but we were there last week so Dennis & Frank wont miss us too much. Glad you liked it as well. Aloha.

As much as I think of EMP, I wouldnt go at 10pm either. But, I might call them, explain that you're in for only 3 nights and ask them to call you if a table opens up on any of those nights. They're friendly folk and probably will. Not on the same level but quite good, Miailino maintains a well organized waiting list. We got in this week by putting our names and phone #s on the list for a range of hours and they called us 2 days later to let us know that's we were in.

When we were on Oahu in May, we ate at the counter (at Wong's) and had a great meal. At any rate, just saw this thread... I could have sworn that there were a couple of tables at the Community College Farmer's Mkt that were meat sources. Have you checked with the CC's cooking school about where they're sourcing their meat?

Ginny and I could be persuaded.... either place.

Make that another vote for EMP. Too bad Greg has gone off to Redhead full time or he could have arranged it for you.

Going tonite.

I think it's next month.

The chef has always been prominently listed on the River Cafe's website and other promo material so I was skeptical of daisy17's comment upthread. But I checked the website and, boy are they downplaying the current chef. By the way, it's still Brad Steelman (I just called them to confirm). He's listed last on the "History" page on their website so I guess that's their way of saying he's the chef. Understated, to say the least. At any rate, the view is still the best of anyplace anywhere ever. It's a picture postcard of the skyline from a barge next to the Bklyn Bridge with music playing (live pianist) and massive flower arrangements everywhere. It's a story book setting for a proposal. The food, as I've said in many posts, is not NYC top 50 but is fine. It's not catering food, it's a solid restaurant with a great wine list. And overpriced for the food but not for the whole experience. I actually recommend getting the $125 full chef's tasting menu over the $98 prix fixe... I've found it a better choice over the past several years. My wife and I dropped about 2/3 what we did at EMP the last time we went and EMP's food is much better than this ratio. But, for a special event, the River Cafe is magical. Hint: tell them about the special event nature of the dinner and ask not to be seated on a wall table if you have to sit across from each other. Otherwise, one of you gets to look at a wall (when not gazing into each others' eyes of course). Even though the wall is smartly mirrored, it's not the same. I find the best tables to be at the wall across from the skyline IF one can sit next to the other. That way, you see the room as well as the view. Window tables are next best and then middle tables. Since your brother is there for the view, the right table is even more important. Oh yeah... go early and have a drink at the bar. It faces the skyline as well and is in the room, next to a small deck that is usable.. nice to go out and hear the water, etc.

All right, what the hell, I'll bite. I think I understand what you're asking. Try these: Manhattan Redhead Piccolo Angelo Supper Bianca Arturo's I'd also recommend going just over "the bridge" to my side and trying Henry's End, Noodle Pudding & Queen.

"We've recently had well made drinks at Bourbon, in Adams Morgan. Good booze selection and knowledgeable peeps behind the operation". Ginny and I stayed at the Savoy on Wisconsin, a couple of blocks up from Bourbon, this past week & wound up there for drinks and small bites. We agree... nice place, good drinks, good music. The bar next door at Blue Ridge Restaurant was also good, although way more limited. Dinner there was okay as well, although certainly not a destination place. The bar at Dino (on Conn. in Cleveland Park) is also worth going to, even if not staying for dinner (which I really suggest). Scott makes very nice cocktails and the wine list is reasonable and wide ranging.

Although I have no problem going to either (or recommending them), the best Sichuan meal I've had in Manhattan this year has been at the midtown Wu Yang Li. Best Manhattan non-Sichuan meal was at Cantoon Garden, although I highly recommend NY Noodletown as well (both in Chinatown).