tommy

i'll handle directions.

something tells me cecil will be expecting us. but i'll call to arrange the table, after we get a final number.

essex. right south of clifton. nice town. i find myself eating there quite a bit, btwn little saigon, franklin steakhouse, and various pubs.

welllllll!?!?! i'm waiting...

i'm game for earlier. but, i think we're only getting about 5 people for this. shouldn't be much of a problem getting out of there a bit faster.

so assuming it's the 8th, who's in? i'm in, about 80%.

yes. yes.

how about a raffle or something? winner gets the carcass. sounds corny, but i've been involved in things like this where a raffle helps offset costs, and they're kinda fun too.

i'm in.

there's always pam's thai, on 49? off of 9th. stay away from the pad thai, however. good otherwise. byob.

ha! oh man, i was there a few years back. my drunk friend pissed off the dancer, insulted the bartender, accidently dropped 100 dollars on the floor, and stormed out. i haven't been back since.

what place is this?

copied from another thread. some comments may seem out of context: What a fun room. After devouring the TVFN special on the opening of this place, I felt as though I’d been there before. We were seated in a side “booth”. The tables were so roomy, and the seats so comfortable, it made me think twice about returning to NYC. In fact, all of the places in philly seemed very generous in their spacing btwn tables. A different world for sure. At any rate, we opted for the omakase, of course. Tuna (toro) tartare in ponzu with freshly grated wasabi. Oysters White fish over greens with an acidic dressing Another light fish sashimi dish with some great infused oil Kobe beef over some sort of Japanese sweet potato Sushi Chocolate cake I saw no sign of “upselling.” In fact, when presented with the menus, the server merely stated that wines by the glass and specialty drinks were on the first page of the menu. That was it. Although, we did end up ordering some sake, even though I proclaimed “no sake” to the server. However, this was due in part to her bringing out a bit of “dessert sake” for us to sample, after we discussed sakes and wines for a while (she was very eager to discuss wine and sake, and made it clear that she loves it when customers are into wines). This sake was sweet and smooth. Fortified with plum. Wow. Like nothing I’ve ever had. We also tried another sake (they are specially made for the restaurant), and it was certainly the best sake I’d ever had (read: palatable). Although, I probably wouldn’t order it again, even at Morimoto. The bill was about 450 before tip.

copied from another thread: The room is absolutely beautiful. Billion foot ceilings, give or take, in an old bank. Open kitchen. Hoppin’ bar. Wow. Great vibe. Ms. Loeb was kind enough to say that we were “friends” (even though I had just met her), and introduced us to the sommelier, Jason, and some others. The staff was cordial and efficient. After I put the server through some hell during ordering (I couldn’t decide what I wanted, and if I wanted three courses rather than two, etc, etc), he deferred to the sommelier when I started in with the wine. Jason recommended a sparkler to start, and a white from Provence for the rest of the meal. Started with oysters. I forget what kind they were, but they were fresh and right on. Moved on to share a corn and morel soup of some sort. I forget how it read on the menu, but it was green and served with a corn concoction in the middle. A soup that you had to chew. I loved it. Mrs. Tommy had a roasted lobster, served out of its shell. I forget the preparation, but I recall artichokes, which turned out to be a great match. I had a crispy black bass (I think it was black bass). As promised, the skin was crispy. Again, I forget the specifics of this dish. We skipped dessert, as we were both falling asleep (although that didn’t stop Katie and Herb from dragging us to the bar at le bec fin, much to their chagrin no doubt). My one complaint is that the place is too dark. I’m a handsome young man with perfect vision, and even I had a hard time reading the menu. The older couple next to us were sharing reading glasses and tilting the menu towards any light source they could fine. Aside from the obvious obstacles of reading, I found that I really couldn’t see the food very well. In fact, I thought the soup was “green” and mrs. Tommy thought it was “brownish.” That’s just a shame. I forget the total, which worries me because I can’t find my receipt (did I pay!?!?), but I think it was about 140 before tip.

in the interest of keeping things in one spot, i'll cut-and-paste my thoughts on django from this thread here The place was packed and the sound level deafening. It certainly appeared that this was a “hot spot.” the restaurant looked like it could have been comfortable in any number of hip cities across the country. Exposed brick, prints through out, a pleasant buzz about it, etc. Freshly baked bread was served in still-hot ceramic flower pots. This bread was a standout. Just sweet enough, soft, and delicious. Unfortunately, I ate the whole “pot”, which threw off my appetite for the rest of the meal. But it was worth it.. It was clear when the appetizers arrived that the chef was fond of fresh ingredients, and especially herbs. Fresh herbs popped out of both dishes. The first was a celery bisque. This bisque was visually striking: white broth, white celery noodle (with a tint of green), and droplets of herb-infused oil about. This dish was just fantastic. Slightly tart, slightly sweet, and rich-tasting without being gloppy. Mrs. Tommy had a goat cheese gnocchi, served in a bit of butter sauce, with tarragon and a mix of other herbs. The gnocchi were beautiful. Soft, light, delicate, and with just enough cheese flavor. Another winner. At this point, mrs. Tommy wondered who had ordered better. It was a dead heat. The entrees were a bit disappointing. Perhaps this is due to the huge build-up. I ordered a cod dish. The cod was cooked perfectly, and seasoned with a spice mixture. However, something wasn’t working. The flavors didn’t marry well. Or perhaps they could, but for some reason didn’t. a perfectly acceptable dish, however. The dish, overall, was lacking in flavor (with no help from the cod of course). Mrs. Tommy ordered the bacon wrapped strip steak. I normally wouldn’t allow anyone to order steak anywhere but a steakhouse, but I made the exception, as the dish sounded pretty good. And it was. I have to question in the cut was actually strip, though. It sure did look, feel, and taste like tenderloin. The bacon wasn’t overpowering or soggy, or even wrapped. It was basically served on the side of the thinly sliced “strip” (although I’m sure the meat was wrapped at some point). The reduction was rich and deep, and by the time the dish was done, the risotto had sopped up some of that reduction, and all was good in the world. Oddly enough, I think we ordered dessert, but I don’t remember it. Perhaps it’ll come to me. The bill was 65 bucks before tip. Certainly a great deal. (BYO)

three posts up from the last post (this is the first page). just above the pictures of awbrigs kids.

I guess... fritz, i think it's a similar situation with diet soda. people snear when others order a big mac and a diet coke. there has been some discussion on that here and, as i recall, i was right.

because every little bit helps? because they're used to drinking it? because they like it? meat and cheese and sour cream don't have too many carbs, do they?

i've been very interested in making pickles for some time now. although i've never done it. what's your method, in a nutshell?

i was under the impression that some "regular" light beers have only about 5 grams of carbs. if that's the case, i can't see why anyone would drink that stuff. i'd gladly have 1/2 as many corona lights instead. here's one persons math. and, i see that i haven't posted on this thread: i tried this stuff and it's virtually tasteless. this is coming from a guy who can quite often be found drinking coors light and bud.

and all along i thought the 7 train would get me there.

spaghetti with EVOO, parmigiano-reggiano, hot pepper flakes, s/p, fresh oregano. one of the world's most perfect dishes in my estimation.

nutley res, i think that you're no stranger to the internet. so, this all should come as no surprise. but, as long as you post in good faith, nothing anyone says should deter you.

ah, *that* glop.

which glop?