tommy

cabrales, i think sometimes people question the purity of your intentions. they, of course, might be totally off base.

it's a good to very good lunch for 12.95. indian restaurants seem to offer buffets. don't know why. i suppose for the tourists.

LOL! well, i don't, in my mind, or out loud, compare the offerings from the buffet with what i get when i order from the menu.

i am certainly "known" at diwan. although i can't imagine that plays much of a part in the quality of the food that comes out. i'm just ordering from the menu, or going to the buffet. i haven't experienced much inconsistency over my multiple visits as some diners have, though i don't doubt that those inconsistencies could exist. please note that my dining at diwan has largely been limited to lunch. diwan certainly did surprise me. so did blue hill, but not in a good way. i think the "VIP" issue is certainly a valid one at some restaurants, and some relationships. nothing wrong with that, of course.

the hanger steak seems to please most. and me as well. charred and blood-red in the middle. nicely marinated. edit: i said "skirt." not sure why.

HA! the one thing that really bothers me about diwan, and this in fact is a very big problem, is the fact that every time i'm there, "smooth operator", by what i assume is "sade," is playing. this song gets in yer noggin, and doesn't leave for days.

i'm not totally convinced that i like the place. plus, they don't serve wine, and i'd feel pretty silly BYO'ing to johnny rockets. and too many damned kids. but keep those suggestions coming, awbrig. you're helping me narrow this down.

much of the discussion on egullet *needs* stifling. as long as it's clear that you've only been there once, assuming you're trashing the place, what's the big deal? people will draw their own conclusions, and at the end of the day, it makes for pleasant reading, which is why (most) of us are here to begin with. i make many recs based on one visit.

i went last week. well, it was Bazooka's actually. horrible wings. although it had to be one of the cheapest places on the planet. 20 wings and 6 beers came to about 10 dollars. my friends and i looked at each other with disbelief and giggled all the way to the parking lot.

but wilfrid's not suggesting comparing the same meal at different times. he's suggesting 2 people comparing the same meal at the same time. unless you're not referring to my use of "subjective," in which case i'll just shut up. all this talk of diwan, i think i'll go for lunch.

yes kim, we are. it's tuesday. where should i eat? same constraints: none. well, north eastern jersey is preferable. solo dining. etc. thoughts? criticisms?

please don't forget Dag Nasty. thank you. continue.

ghee, is taste subjective?

can someone explain tony luke's a bit more? sounds like a place i should definitely go for lunch. striped bass has gotten some good reviews here. given 3 dinners, would this be a good choice for one of them? i saw the chef on TVFN the other day. it was a rib cook-off. he won, although it's a fish restaurant. that was enough for me to call and make a reserveration.

i fancy myself a pretty smart guy, and i haven't been able to tell one thread from the other for the past 2 weeks. one can't help but think that this is the by-product of something intentional on some level.

Bud in the US has had the "born on" date for quite some time. it seems logical that you don't want to drink bud too long after it has been bottled. although, i can't imagine "refusing" a bottle of bud at a bar because the date suggests it's "past its prime." it's a 3 dollar bud fer fuck's sake.

and i, for one, am deeply offended when they do.

sher. they were originally used in the woodshop. then some crafty cooks got involved, and out came the plastic handles, and up went the price.

should a restaurant's overall "rating" also take very-end-of-service-seatings into consideration? you know, when you're they last table there and everyone is waiting to leave? how about when you're the first table in at lunch and staff are still tying their aprons on. does anyone *really* care? or is this just another exercise.

the good news is, uncle joe's is indeed one of the better clubs in the area.

not to be a downer, but are you sure they do? i grew up near there, and it was always my impression that the stories of "right off-the-boat fresh" were greatly exaggerated.

cheeseburger (m/r, american cheese, with raw onion and ketchup) red wine. burgundy probably. carrot cake. with coffee. marlboro light.

thanks, all, for the recs. mrs. tommy ended up at Jake's (not sure which one, but the one that people there said was better). she had some good crabcakes (although the inclusion of shrimp was not entirely acceptable), and some of the best crab ever. so sweet that it needed nothing at all. i'm told that we have to go to portland for a quick vacation, as it's beautiful, and has a lot of dining options. i'll see if i can't make that happen soon. cheers.

but have they PM'd you?

i agree with jason. LS has some damned good oysters, and a good selection ta boot. additionally, their wine list has a lot of perfect matches for food like this. better than any other chain, or at the very least, a better selection than the chains mentioned in this thread so far.