tommy

YES YES YES!! that's what i was looking for, but couldn't come up with anything close. ahh, that's sounds good. you can come to my house *any* time you want.

babbo's menu, including the pasta tasting, are on-line on their website for anyone who's interested. scattilo prego, voi bastardi silly

by all means surround the bird with carrots, onions, celery, and a head of garlic! when the bird is done, place the pan on the range, adding white or red wine and chicken broth to deglaze. add a couple of sprigs of thyme and reduce. strain all of that stuff out and you'll have a quick and easy au jus.

and yet again, i wasn't mentioned.

if you could incorporate fruit somehow, you'd be in good shape. that's assuming they are not providing that aspect. a mango salsa is always right on with fish. throw some rice in it and you have your starch!

yeah, people watching. that's why dining outside when alone is ideal. reading is a close second. i also enjoy chatting with the bartender, assuming i'm at the bar, and assuming he or she is interesting/interested.

i shall give it a try on your recommendation. it is BYO, as far as i know, and that's right up my alley! so what wine would you drink at a place like Mela? i generally drink sweeter whites with indian food (reisling, gewurtz), but i always think that i should be ordering something like cabernet franc or even a fruity zin, although those two are almost completely different. hell, beer usually works just fine. eck, i'm confused again. :confused:

Tsk, Tsk, Tsk. Did I forget my emoticon? Did you? :wow: i must have left my emoticon in my other suit. i'll bring it in tomorrow! but really, sitting when at a bar isn't for me, usually. i prefer the socializing aspect. talking to strangers. getting to know them...well, as much as you can get to know someone at a bar. i've had some wonderful conversations with people at bars. i suppose, in a way, bars are kind of like egullet. and no one sits at egullet. we stand and wander and babble. and babble. full disclosure: for anyone who doesn't know, stefanyb is one helluva attractive woman, and my comment about age was nothing less than the equivalent of a schoolboy tugging at a girl's hair.

you have a point, but that has an entirely different flavor than cooked tomatoes. i am probably in the minority, but i don't really enjoy the flavor of raw tomato. too acidic, or too something. i haven't figured it out. although, mixed raw chopped tomato with garlic, salt, pepper, herbs, olive oil, and patience, and you have yet another thing altogether. and i suppose that's what you were suggesting!

OTT? yeah you know me. well, i had the pasta tasting, paired with wines. very good indeed. the first past dish, one with fresh peas, was outstanding. all good. a bit too much food, although i think the portions were just right (mrs. tommy was stuffed, but then again, i've got about 100 lbs on her). thanks for the advice. i now remember why i like the place so much. and, the lamb at the next table looked incredible!

but, like, i'm not old.

come on people! don't make me respond to myself. that would be emabarrassing. i know more than a few of you have enjoyed babbo recently.

indeed. but it is in place to "protect" the staff. i don't know that it is easy to explain why large groups tend to undertip in relation to the amount of work it takes to serve the table, but it seems to be a phenomenon that is widely accepted as existing.

umm, mrs. who? huh? drats. busted again.

i said that i don't want to sit. i said that i don't want to sit. i said that i don't want to sit. thanks for your help wilfrid.

i know we've discussed babbo, but i don't think there's a thread where everything is in one place (and i can get my answer), so i'll ask here... going soon. haven't been in probably over a year. any recommendations? should i again do the pasta tasting paired with wines? any advice would of course be appreciated.

this place is one of the great mysteries of NJ. how is it? i mean for dinner and steaks? seems like it might be very clubby.

my friends and i are always looking for outdoor cocktails in midtown for the late afternoon weekday. the problem is, they seem to be few and far btwn. the few that i do know of in midtown specifically are: beer bar at cafe centro - let's face it, it's "outside", but it's also directly under park ave. not ideal. bryant park - ugh. i'm not sure who is worse there: the staff or the customers. great spot, but horrible people. rudy's - c'mon! that's no "outdoor beer garden!!!" it's an alley for cryin out loud. are there any other options in midtown? i know of a few in the east village, but that's just not on my way. to be specific, i'm looking for a place where you can stand up so that it's easy to talk to the ladies, rather than sitting down at a table talking to my ugly friends.

the only list that Republic appears on for me is the "top 100 places i hope my cheap and clueless friends don't insist on meeting me at for dinner".

i had a mushroom and asparagus risotto at tabla in NYC the other night. on top of the risotto where lightly fried morels. it was very, very, good.

artichokes add a nice touch, if you're into that kind of thing. i usually use the jarred "marinated arichoke hearts", which are readily available, when in a hurry. peas are good too. those fancy lesiure peas, or however the french spell that brand.

can we assume that "asian" generally refers to southeast asia for the most part, with the addition of india and some of the smaller countries around india? jeesh. i just love semantics.

try it. you'll probably like it. byob. click me for the citysearch reviews...

this "scam" is being perpetrated at just about every restaurant on the globe every single day. it's probably more of a conspiracy at this point, wouldn't you say?

cute little pink ones. wilfrid. hehe.