[Ethnic food recommendations in NYC]

The restaurants in those communities are catering to an ethnic population, not to others - it makes a huge difference - not only in food, but in feeling and atmosphere. 

Don't be afraid of a 20 minute subway ride.  It's no big deal for most of these places - and they're all close to the subway.

I'll be happy to advise you (or whomever) on your transportation, etc.

Thats true and is the case in my town as well. I guess I will chance the subway.

My ethnic preferences are Thai, authentic Szechuan, Vietnamese, Korean, Lebanese, Indian, and other middle eastern types.

[Ethnic food recommendations in NYC]

The outer boroughs seem chock-full of great ethnic places. Where does one go in Manhattan? Any suggestions there aside from the ones Nina has already named?

[Atelier]

Have any other eGulleters been to Atelier recently? Care to share your thoughts?

[New Orleans Trip Report]

Acme Oyster Company is great fun - can't understand all the criticism.  Just don't order anything cooked (except maybe crawfish), and don't expect it to be like slurping Kumamoto's at Gramercy Tavern - load those baby's up with horseradish and hot sauce and you'll have a great time.

Bingo!

[Southern Traditions]

My face looked like this: 

Egad, Ron has no nose or ears!!!! No hair either!! The poor mutant.

You try finding out you just ate 1/2 lb. of velveeta, and LIKED it! See what happens to you.

[Southern Traditions]

Varmint,

I can't explain it, except that a friend of mine has a "bourbon party" every year where everyone brings bottle of their favorite bourbon and she provides set-ups and food. On the table was a platter of mini-pimento cheese sandwiches. I ate about a dozen of them they were so good. I asked her what the secret was and she said Velveeta. My face looked like this:

But, I cannot lie, they were damn good.

[Southern Traditions]

As far as pimiento cheese is concerned, I like to spice it up a bit with some hot sauce.  A good, strong, sharp pimiento cheese also goes well with hot pepper jelly, a combination on menu at Crook's Corner in Chapel Hill.

Saveur had a good recipe for Pimento Cheese that called for cayenne pepper and aged cheddar. Although, I have been blown away by recipes that used velveeta.

[Southern Traditions]

i love the vast expanses of pecan groves, junked cars, evangelical churches in old bombed out schools--the whole thing.  i think the south is a really stupid place, but i love it and i UNDERSTAND it like no other place.  and conversely, everything that northerners find charming and quaint about the south i don't care for at all.

and as Lucinda Williams says, "car wheels on a gravel road"

[Commercial Jams, Jellies, and Preserves]

Peach preserves. On homemade buttermilk biscuits.

[Adding stuff to eggs when scrambling]

Louisiana Hot Sauce goes particularly well with eggs.

[Southern Traditions]

What I notice lacking above the mason-dixon is a lack of  common courtesy to strangers.  For example, when walking down a narrow sidewalk, you should make way for the other person.  A lot of southern manners can be sacchrinely annoying "Yes Ma'am that" and "No, sir this"; but even in Class D restaurants-gas stations off I-95, I have been treated better at times than in the Gold Coast of Chicago.

Nerissa got it.

Stellabella, I didn't really notice it until I lived above the Mason-Dixon line for a awhile. Its the just the little everyday things. I just went to my drycleaners this morning and I, of course, responded to all questions with "yes ma'am" and "no ma'am". When I leave the parking garage at night the lady who takes my ticket always tells me to have a nice evening and be careful driving home. You dont see that everywhere.

[Adding stuff to eggs when scrambling]

So does this excess liquid (skim milk, water, etc.) evaporate during cooking or does it remain in the pan? I have seen scrambled eggs on a buffet that were sitting in this watery substance, perhaps thats why?

I usually have a fair amount of butter in the pan when I add my eggs. This usually coats the eggs nicely.

[The Old Fashioned Cocktail: The Topic]

and why has so much ritualistic drinking emerged from kentucky?  the mint julep even has its own "cup"--a high-sided silver tumbler.  this must be the legacy of our friends the Victorians.

The father of one of my childhood friends is a silversmith and he is well known for his Julep cups. I think he gave some to the Queen when she was here a while back to check out the horses around Lexington.

They are awesome cups, but too expensive for me.

As for the ritualistic drinking, we gotta do something to make it interesting. Have you ever seen how much bourbon we make here?

[The Old Fashioned Cocktail: The Topic]

The glass I use is... an old fashioned glass!

LOL. Yeah, we call them that too. I just thought more people here would be familiar with highball.

[The Old Fashioned Cocktail: The Topic]

In Kentucky this is standard procedure, but I have heard that in other locales it is done. The horror!

[The Old Fashioned Cocktail: The Topic]

Muddle one orange slice, one maraschino cherry, one teaspoon of super-fine sugar, a splash of bitters, and a splash of bourbon in the bottom of a highball glass until juicy. Fill the glass with crushed ice. Add two parts bourbon to one part water and stir. never, ever, use soda water. garnish with half orange slice.

Preferred bourbons for Old Fashioneds:

Maker's Mark

Old Forester

Booker's

Knob Creek

Baker's

Woodford Reserve (pssst. its Old Forester too! just cost more)

[Off the Menu at 15 Restaurants]

Let's drop this "VIP" thing and talk about eliciting the best of a restaurant, even the first time you visit.  First, I start with my appearance.  If it's an expensive and elegant place, I dress accordingly, to indicate my seriousness, and ability to afford potentially more expensive items than might be listed on the menu, depending on what I may end up negotiating.

I look at the menu, I think about ways I might combine things, I think  about what *I* prefer, and I start talking to the staff about my thoughts about the menu.  Invariably, in a good restaurant, the staff will be interested in what I"m observing and thinking about, and a creative conversation will ensue.  In the best case scenario, these conversations result in "special treatment," meaning that I get brought different things, different combinations of things, extra things...in a good restaurant, the staff (both front and kitchen) *want* to please an appreciative, experienced diner.  I also get things that *are* on the menu, hopefully based on the recommendation of the staff, once they understand my preferences and expectations somewhat.  It's actually satisfying for all concerned - and it also many times results in a larger gratuity for the staff.

I, like Steve, can't understand why anyone thinks there's anything wrong with this.

This seems like a reasonable and perfectly legitimate approach. Also one that is likely to result in the desired consequences.

[Notable at Wegmans]

I am so envious of those of you who have access to Wegmans. the store is simply phenomenal.

[Off the Menu at 15 Restaurants]

Anyway, I give up.

Me too.

Tomorrow? Same place?

[what wines with Oaxacan cuisine?]

Mark,

you have found the one cuisine that I find most problematic to match with wine. there just isn't any easy answer and no wine that I know of is going to be a truly great match.

Let us know what you are able to put together that works.

[Off the Menu at 15 Restaurants]

You guys have strong opinions about a subject you seem to know nothing about.

Welcome to eGullet.

[Off the Menu at 15 Restaurants]

My problem is the assumption that, especially in the finest restaurants, what the chef has offered on the menu is not as good as it gets for that chef and that restaurant.  If one is merely ordering off-menu because one assumes better is possible, than that is a slap at the integrity of the chef and the menu, insinuating that the restaurant is not already offering it's best.

What he said.

[Off the Menu at 15 Restaurants]

Presumably not, but I don't know that they acted like jerks either.  One has a great sense of freedom, of course, discussing the article without reading it. 

Luckily, my office takes the WSJ.

I don't know that they acted like jerks either, or that they would have disclosed it if they had.

[Off the Menu at 15 Restaurants]

Except a large part of this thread is devoted to the motivation of people who do it. Now that is personal. So I restate, how do people who do not do it know the motivation of people who do?

None of my posts were attempts to speculate as to the motivations of those who ask. So, I was not being personal. However, you included my name in the list of people whom you thought were.

Again, it is not the asking that bothered me or the chef I worked for when I was in the business. It was the reaction when people were told "no". As if the restaurant had done something wrong, as if the regular menu food was substandard. This was insulting and gave the appearance that these people felt they were entitled to something "better" than others who ate at the restaurant. This is what I don't agree with.

As to "why" they reacted this way, I could not begin to guess. Probably for a wide variety of reasons.

[Off the Menu at 15 Restaurants]

Who on earth suggested such a thing?

I thought the WSJ did.

Maybe I misunderstood the WSJ article. Did they first go to all of these restaurants and eat off of the menu and then return and ask to order off the menu?