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Tommy, You hit the nail on the head, the bars suck because of the people in them (most of the staff, and some of the patrons included!) As JHLurie wrote: "As far as McSoreley's itself goes, I've still found it pleasant during off-peak hours." The above applies to most bars, as at off-hours you don't have to deal with the B.S. of other people. My fiance loves the story about the time she was at some "swank" NYC bar and ordered 3 drinks, one of them being Vodka and Soda w/ a Splash of Cranberry (or something like that). Well, the bartendress brings 3 drinks and says, "ฦ" (or whatever the amount is). My fiance points to one of the glasses and says "I think that one is supposed to be with a splash of cranberry" (the bartendress forgot the cranberry). Well, without having ot pour out anything from the glass, the bartendress takes the "gun" and shoots a drop of cranberry in it, and says "Now that'll be ว."

I was there last August and REALLY (i mean REALLY) enjoyed my meal at Irene's.... it's mostly a local's place that doesn't take reservations, but they have a nice piano bar area that you can wait for your table (or wait in the garage, and then move your way up to the piano bar area to wait(i'm not kidding)). This was one of the most memorable meals i've had in the last year. I know you were looking for a comment on Peristyle, but i had to throw in my 2 cents.

I believe that there only has to be one excellent item on a menu for me rave about it. I'm such a creature of habit that i've often said "if i was a wanted man, i'd be dead" as i often order the same thing at each restaurant we patronize (whatever i feel each place does "best"). I usually don't tire of a great dish for about 6 months, than i take a break from the restaurant, then go back again and start the cycle all over again. I can see myself visiting this Korean restaurant once or twice a month for the next few months, ONLY ordering the Boogogi, and then taking a hiatus for a few months. My fiance likes to cook at the table, so it'll be interesting to see the quality of the meat once they start serving it that way.

No beer or wine listed on the menu... just Coke and 7-Up (no Diet Coke either... at least not listed). I would bring a bottle along and ask if it's ok before you open it (but there may be a bit of a language barrier getting your point across). Enjoy!

Burger Heaven 20 East 49 Street New York, NY 10017 212-755-2166 Burger Heaven 9 East 53 Street New York, NY 10022 212-752-0340 Burger Heaven 804 Lexington Avenue New York, NY 10021 212-838-3580 Burger Heaven 291 Mad Avenue New York, NY 10001 212-685-6250

If you got the phone number from above, i think it is incorrect. The correct phone number is: 201-941-0104 (at least that is the phone number on their take out menu). When i was there last nite, they had a "flashing sign" that said they were open until midnite, but i couldn't figure out the rest of the Korean!

OOOh BABY!! Tried this place tonite, and it was VERY good! We were cheerfully greeted 3 times (by different people) before we even sat down, and it's nice to feel so welcomed in a restaurant. They truly seemed happy to have us as a guest in their restaurant. We enjoyed the "tasting" dishes that are brought to the table, and when i told the waitress that i especially enjoyed one of them in particular, she brought out another serving! We shared a Kimchi Beef Tofu soup and a Boolgogi. I'm not a fan of tofu, but thought the soup would be heaven for anybody that really likes tofu. I'm glad i tried it though, as it looks so good when it's served bubbling in its own hot cauldron. The boolgogi beef, however, was completely fabulous!! It was so flavorful and tasted so good mixed in with my rice. I'm certain we will re-visit this place fairly soon. Even my fiance (who wishes not to be quoted in my posts) commented that the meal "hit all the right buttons."

To mesh threads somewhat, the book Kitchen Confidential mentions (paraphrasing): "check out a restaurant's bathroom, if it's a mess, you can only imagine what the kitchen looks like. Afterall, the customers SEE the bathroom, they DON"T SEE the kitchen." As far as i'm concerned, i'll eat just about anyplace in which the food is good, but i'd prefer that it just "looks" dirty as opposed to seeing cockroaches. Just this week i went to my favorite "bread shop" (where all they make is bread in a BIG brick oven) and while i was waiting for my small loaf i glanced thru the curtain which leads to the baking area and saw a small mouse/rat scurry across the floor. Needless to say, that loaf didn't taste as good as the prior ones i've had there, but i'm convinced that all places like this have mice (and/or roaches), so i think i'm just kidding myself if i don't go back and choose a (slightly inferior) place to buy my loaves from now on. I think it's just an accepted fact of living in a city. I think i recall reading someplace that a certain amount of mouse droppings are actually acceptable to be found in a loaf of bread.

Don't know what "quickish" means (30 minutes, 60 minutes, longer?) but i had a GREAT meal at Nick and Stef's Steakhouse located at the base of Madison Square Garden. Service was fantastic, so i'd imagine if you told the server you were on a time schedule s/he'd be able to accomodate you (EXCEPT if you are going before starting time of a big event at MSG, in which case everyone will be trying to get out of there at the same time). I wrote a detailed review of my dinner there on this board back in Novemeber if you want to look it up.

I frequent the Baja somewhat regularly, and the only thing that we have ever ordered is the Baja Special. Although it is still good, the consistency has gone WAY down hill in the last 2-3 years. There have been too many instances of cold food coming out of the kitchen, drink orders messed up, water glasses that require begging to get refilled. It's been "hit or miss"... sometimes i go and it's as good as ever, then the next 2 times will be terrible, then it's good for a few times again (with no rhyme or reason as to days or the week OR busy vs. non-busy time at the restaurant). They DO, however, still have the best chips and salsa in town. Also the best "on the rocks" mararita (the frozen kind are better at East LA).

Two Questions: 1) Is this BBQ the kind you cook at the table yourself? 2) Did you see Bi Bim Bap (spelling is often different than shown here) on the menu?? OK, a third question: I'm fairly familiar with Rte1+9, could you please give me two landmarks that this place is located between (or 1 landmark with the location being North or South of it). Thanks!!

Sure, i was a touirist, but i had one of the best meals ever at Irene's Cuisine, which i was told is mostly a "locals" place. I also ate a burger at Port of Call, which i thought was just OK, although the atmosphere was GREAT as i sat at the bar and next to a "regular" college student who brought in her mom ("Hey Pam, you still cutting classes and going to the track like you told me you've been doing? OH!, this is your mom? Sorry, nice to meet ya") Breakfast at Camellia Grill was also a highlight... again, not so much for the food, but the atmosphere. They just make everyone feel "special" and like a regular, although requests for egg whites are declined (as well as looked down upon all over the city).

Tommy (and others).... Don't know how long you've been in the "north Jersey" area, but Kinchley's reminds me of a place my family used to take me to when i was a kid, called Nola's (in Emerson, NJ). They had the greatest thin crust pizza! Does anybody remember this place? Not only did they have great pizza, but they were good people. Lou, the chef/owner/pizza maker would always come out of the kitchen and give me and my sister rolls of Lifesavers... we loved him! He'd also take me (~6 years old) into the kitchen, which, even at that early age, i thought was VERY cool. Another place which supposedly has similar pizza is Nellie's in Waldwick, but i've yet to go there (a promise to myself for 2002?). I already have plans to try DiFara's in Brooklyn next month! Kim, About a month ago I visited my sister in that area and took my fiancee for lunch in Princeton. I asked my sister where to eat and she sent us to some "local" place that was simple, and just "ok." It's an old place and is downstairs/underground if that helps you at all. Last week i asked her about Conte's (as i had read about it on another board) and she says "Oh, that place is great!" I replied, "So why didn't you mention that to me when i asked you for lunch recomendations last month?" Her only response was WHOOPS! (and she couldn't believe i knew about it) I properly admonished her and forewarned her to remind me to go there next time i'm in town! Tommy, maybe a quick drink next week to toast the New Year? (i don't know the wine places in town though.. as i know how much you like the grape :)

I agree that Hackesack's Brooklyn is better than Hoboken's, but for convenience Grimaldi's in Hoboken isn't bad (and no line either, although i don't know if the Hackensack place still gets a line, it's been ~2 years since i've been there). However, Brooklyn Grimaldi's (under the Brklyn Bridge) blows them both away. I think i remember something about the owner in Hackensack and the owner of Hoboken's Grimaldis being relatives (cousins perhaps)... and no love lost between them. But i could be wrong (and just starting a rumor).

Tommy, Guess i won't be seeing you at "Big Chef" or "Off the Wall" anymore... NOT that either of us frequented those places anyway! Glad to see you've found decent Chinese, for living without Chinese food would be a sin.

Kinchley's "pretty good"?? Some of the best crispy thin crust in the state!(IMO) I am fortunate enough to have recently encountered a group who go out and critique "destination" pizza places every other month or so. Next month is my first tour with group, and we're heading to Nick's in Forest Hills, which has been on my list of things to do for far too long! I'll be sure to report back afterwards! I'm not sure if i posted on the NY thread or not, but last month i made a trip to Umberto's on Jericho Tpke, and had some very good sicilian. Dough was thick, but also light and airy. Not as good as Sac's in Astoria, but pretty good stuff (my fiance kept telling me to stop eating out of fear i'd be sick the rest of the night), as i insisted on ordering a whole sicilina pie for the 2 of us (don't worry, i brought SOME of it home).

Just to follow-up because i said that i would.... I sent an email to S+W and they apologized for the poor attitude and said that discipline action has been taken against the waiter. Regarding the NYC location not having the same promotion, they did say that the NYC menu was different. They defended themselves, admitting that the promo said that it was "valid at any Smith & Wollensky" but that NYC was not listed on the email (incidentally, there was only ONE location mentioned on the email, but based upon their reply, the offered menu was valid nationally, just NOT in NYC). They invited me back to partake in the price fixed dinner once again as their guest, but i don't think i'll be taking them up on their offer.

Tommy (and anyone else reading), Couldn't find where we origially discussed this, so i'm putting it here, figure you'll get around to viewing it. Last nite i was on my way from NYC and was starving, so before getting on the PATH i thought about what i wanted to eat when i got back to Hoboken. Then i remembered the the Mexican place you mentioned (was HOPING i remembered it correctly to be on 38th and 9th)! Anyways, made it over there and ordered 2 chicken tacos to go. Food was good and cheap (just as you described it). I wouldn't make plans to go to this place, but it certainly served its purpose and satisfied my appetite, and i'll go back when i need a quick bite and i'm in the area (why didn't i know about this place when i used to commute from the Port Authority). However, the chicken lacked any spices/flavor that i thought i would be getting. If you like this place a lot, i would reiterate giving Mission Burritos another chance. Order something with chicken (the kind pulled from the bone) which is spiced/marinated fantastically (i recommend the chicken burrito). Also, their pico de gallo is home made and the best i've ever had.

After eating a few meals at the NYC Smith and Wollensky in the past, i received an email regarding a "price fixed" dinner for ฮ.01 and my wife and i decided to try it (the email showed the menu, which included appetizer, entree, and dessert). A very good dinner (food wise) was destroyed by a waiter (G. Donnelly) that made us feel like second class citizens. He was noticebly upset when he learned we were ordering the price fixed meal (even though we ordered drinks and a "side" as well). Additionally, the email received stated that caesar salad was one appetizer choice, yet we were told that we could only choose from a house salad or pea soup. The same thing ocurred with dessert, where the email states that Apple Brown Betty is an option, but we were told it wasn't. We were told that the NYC location doesn't participate in that exact program, yet the email states: "Valid at any Smith & Wollensky." By the way, I even called the restaurant beforehand to ensure that they participated in the ฮ.01 dinner promotion. Dinner still ran 贄 (which is not a cheap dinner in my book) and we were looking for a good time, but unfortunately we didn't get it. What are other people's experiences with taking advantage of promotions such as this, and how do you handle it if/when you're treated poorly because of it?

Barney Greengrass is a good choice for "old style." For the best bagel (IMHO) i like Essa Bagel on Third Ave (~51st Street).

Tommy, In case you didn't see it, in the New Jersey section of the Sunday NY Times there was an article about chefs and their passions. The chef from Zarole's (Mr. Patel?) was interviewed in the article.

My parents like Marchello's (east of the RR tracks), also located in Ridgewood. I was only there once and was in a bad mood that nite, so my thoughts on this place that nite don't count for much. However, my mom is definately knows good food from bad.... and my dad is just plain fussy, so given that they go there frequently, i'll pass it along.

Tommy, Attempted to try the Ū chicken tacos today at Los Compadres. I drove by on my way home from an errand and didn't see the place, so i looked them up in the phone book, took the address with me, and was off for a walk. Well, upon approaching 302 1st Street, nothing there but a sign on the door that says "CLOSED." I looked into the window and it looks like all the restaurant equipment is gone. Perhaps they were selling Ū tacos which cost ū to make? Guess i won't be able to fufill my curiosity.

Tommy, I'll disagree with you on the amount of meat at Mission... they load it up, but it sounds like the place is not your style. If you ever travel to Chicago, it sounds like this "hot" place run by Rick Bayless is what you look for in Mexican He has 2 restaurants which occupy the same building, Frontera Grill and Topolobampo. If you like to cook, he also has a book out called "Mexico, One Plate at a Time." He often tours Mexico looking for new spices, suppliers, and dishes.

Tommy, I assumed that the steak on the meal you're discussing is the same as the steak on the platter, and getting all the shrimp grilled, again, equates it with the shrimp on the dish you're speaking of... so the only difference is the chicken (which i'll admit is the weakest part of the dish, although still good). If i'm correct in the above (and i DID assume), then i think the "special" represents one of the best values on the menu, as it is A LOT more food than any individual dish (even when split), and just a few dollars more. I usually tell people that it's the only thing on the menu to order because i was getting tired of telling people that i like this restaurant, only to tell me that they've been there and didn't think it was anything special. I would then either go with them, or tell them to retry it, but order "the special." I would then hear how it was better than anything else they've had there. I also agree with you that it makes the meal "fun." I've NEVER gone there with a group of people and had anybody in the group complain or claim that it wasn't a GREAT meal. I do usually go with there with a group. Have you tried Mission Burritos at all? I used to go to East LA happy hour often, but since the Amanda's management has taken over, the margarita prices have gone up, up, up! I remember Happy Hour margaritas at Ū.25... now they're ~Ŭ.25 during Happy Hour, Ů other times. (where's the deal there?)