menton1

Yes, but that would only be logical in New Jersey, where there is a finite number of licenses per municipality. In New York State, there is no limit on how many licenses can be issued. Just meet the requirements, pay the minimal $3K fee (or thereabouts) and Voila! you have your license. That's also why the NY-NJ border on the Rockland side is littered with restos with liquor licenses. Unlike in NJ, in NY you don't have to wait for a business to fail to get a liquor license. There is no limit, either in quantity or geography there.

Well, alot of people don't like to go 55 MPH maximum, either, but a/ it is the law, and b/ it is for the general overall good. In New York City, where there has been enough time to get some statistics, liquor license applications are higher on average than what they were before the smoking ban. If this is such a bad business without smoking, why do so many want to go into it?

Just a personal opinion, but I'll take Florence over Bologna any time. Much more charming, and, in spite of all the hype, I have found the Florentine cuisine to be the equal of Bologna. A much more attractive place too. I know Bologna has its fans, but there is good reason why Florence is so much more popular. And you can't get Ribbollita in Bologna!!

Actually, Pisa has always had more international flights using it than Florence; I also have to disagree about the FS (trains) being unreliable; of course, when there is a "sciopero", (strike) which can happen at any time, everything stops. But in normal times, the trains are highly reliable and mostly within a few minutes of their schedule, in my experience. P.S. A check on the official FS website shows about 1 train every hour from PisaAE (aeroporto)-Firenze, even on Sundays. (I checked May 7) Here is the site: http://www.trenitalia.com/ Type in "Pisa AE" in the departure field, there are actually a bit more than 1 train/hour...

Yep, and UPS is usually no more expensive than the Post Office, and they are MUCH more efficient, and you can track everything!! Don't know why anyone uses the PO for package shipments...

Didn't this restaurant get a new owner less than 2 years ago after the original owner passed away? Guess he didn't like the resto biz!! I vote for another change-- Sunday opening! It seems to make so much more sense to close on Mondays and open Sundays...

Of course, there's Nicholas, but that's in a cosmic price point... Another restaurant that is high quality but of a more moderate price range is Spargo's, in a strip mall in Manalapan. Serving creative, "New American" this is a nice place and it's also BYO. It's not on the Monmouth county resto list mentioned above, but IMHO it's better than 75% of the places that are on the list. Spargo's 130 Route 33 (Westbound) Manalapan 732-294-9921 http://www.spargosgrille.com/

There are so many great restaurant choices in every part of Paris, it would be difficult to make a bad choice, here. Ditto for choosing based on other criteria such as the apartment conditions themselves.

Here's a short list of places in the city that offer Piemontese food. Reports are excellent, if anyone has been please let us know what you thought of the restaurant: Del Cambio Piazza Carignana Agnolotti, tartufi, Piemontese cheeses, lots of Barolo for reductions, Casa Vicina Via Massena , 66 Neuv Caval d'Brons Piazza San Carlo http://www.cavaldbrons.it/ristorante.html Particular attention paid to authenticity of cuisine Tre Gallini via Bellezia 31 ...and a couple of scores more of AUTHENTIC Piemontese restaurants in Torino!! There may be some outstanding restos in the countryside as well, but, as the most cosmopolitan place in the Piemonte, and the vibrant nature of the city, Torino has plenty of great restaurants where one can eat the indigenous cuisine.

I disagree, I don't think that it's a "general" thought. If its so tacky, maybe the printed menu should not have the pricing either? I am spending my money. I want to know what I'm spending. It's no more tacky than putting the price on the bill. Restaurant customers want to know the price!!

This issue came up on a local board, but it is a universal subject and I thought it would be interesting to open the floor up on this topic in a general way. Personally, my experience has been that most of the time, restaurants recite specials without giving the prices. Not a scientific study, but discussions with others lead me to believe that the prices are not given more often then they are. I would surmise that most restaurant customers would not only prefer to have the specials'pricing given, but would actually prefer that the specials be written or printed on paper rather than have the wait staff recite them. Blackboards work, too. Some have commented that this is not an intentional mindset of the restaurant management, but rather a whimsical approach, something that just happened, the lack of pricing information. Others contend that it may be a sales tool, something like presenting the product is its most favorable light, selling the sizzle, and leaving the bad news (the price) for a later time. Would love to hear the comments of others regarding this subject. Intentional or not? What do you prefer? How should a restaurant handle the Specials/price issue?

The Olympics have started a reawakening in Torino. Shades of Barcelona 1992. This city with a reputation for being dreary and industrial is shedding its image. And it's really after the Olympics are gone that the city will really come into its own. The city is revealing secrets that the natives of Torino already knew. Great history, architecture, beauty, and fabulous FOOD!!! This is the former home of the powerful House of Savoy, whose intimate connections with the rulers of Egypt in the 19th Century and their gifts have resulted in the largest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts outside of Egypt. The beautiful Duomo houses the controversial Shroud of Turin, which most scientists have carbon-dated only to the 1200s, meaning it is a forgery, although the religious believers refuse to accept that. Food-wise, Torino is a delight to the senses. Bagna Cauda is Torino's answer to fondue, with a red sauce for dipping instead of melted cheese; Agnolotti is the native ravioli, and the lucky ones can have it served with truffle shavings from the tartufi sniffed out by the dogs in the Alba forests; Tagliata, a sliced version of bistecca, is a common second dish. Torino also boasts an artisan chocolate, gianduiotto, and its own coffee drink concoction, bicerin. In the downtown area, Torino has its own version of "happy hour," called Apertivo where all the bars offer free snacks with your drinks. And we are not talking wings and popcorn, either! Good luck to Torino, we certainly won't be visiting for the Olympics, but look forward to going after the crowds have cleared out and the dust has settled. Viva Torino!!

RobertR, where in NY State are you? Do you know the Depuy Canal House in High Falls? Might be a shorter ride than Philly for you, and a very very good resto...

That's just silly. I love Philadelphia, and think it has a lot of things New York doesn't have. (And vice-versa). But this is not a worthy comparison. Django is a New American, serving creative and innovative cuisine. Babbo is trying to bring a sampling of what is actually served in Italy to an American restaurant. Lots of offal. Lots of things Americans don't normally eat. And it's about 8 times larger than Django. Just apples and oranges. It's nice to sing the praises of Philly, but let's not get into a mindless Sports-team mode, or the like.

Not too sure about that one. Hard to really know. Have to get into the psyche of the management for that one. But the fact is, that a lot more restos do NOT give prices with specials than do. That's been my experience, anyway. Yes, perhaps "sneaky" was the wrong choice of words. And sure, marketing tools, such as serving nuts or chips on the bar, are part of the way of doing business. But I think in this case they might be doing more to antagonize their customer than to sell them. I think most customers would prefer a printed list of specials every time. (Or at least a blackboard) A complex issue.

I was not singling out Silver Oak, I was making a general observation. And prices are usually higher on specials than the regular menu. I'm with Rosie on this one, though. You should not have to ask. Following your line of reasoning, why have prices even on the printed menu? Just ask!

My guess is that more that 75% of restaurants do NOT give prices when reciting specials. It's an endemic problem, and probably intentionally done as a sneaky marketing tool. But we could probably do a whole thread on the topic.

Guess we'll be seeing you at TJ's after all!!

Well, you could also buy roasted and processed coffee, or you could go to the tropics to see the actual tree, but I prefer the already-processed product. It's somehting like that with artichoke hearts, as well.

They have been springing up all over the US for the last 5 years, so it was just a matter of time before the most dog-friendly country in the world had one. Trying to emulate the success in the US of "3 Dog Bakery" and others, Mon Bon Chien opened 2 weeks ago in the 15th arr. of Paris. Harriet Sternstein, an ex-pat, has devoted the last couple of years in planning, finding space, getting the permits, and hiring the right staff for her grand opening. Her Golden Retriever, Sophie, is the official greeter in the store. The specialties are many types of "pastries", the flavors include Ginger and Molasses, Bacon, Chicken, BBQ Beef, Biscotti, Peanut Butter, Vegetable and Garlic-Cheese-Parsley. They are all natural, and are also edible by humans. There is also a dog boutique, with coats, carry bags, jewelry, and pooper scoopers "for a cleaner Paris". She also plans to have a salon for haircuts as well. With a half-million dogs in Paris, this sounds like a "can't miss". Lots of luck to Harriet, and I can't wait until my next visit to Paris to meet Harriet and Sophie and sample some of the "goodies"!! Mon Bon Chien 12, rue Mademoiselle 75015 Paris Métro Commerce 01.48.28.40.12

Hale & Hearty-- Smoked Turkey & Brie. Actually, most of their soups are quite top notch, some better than others. But overall their soups are excellent, IMHO. I would love any recommendations in NYC for a classic " Soupe de poissons" made as in the South of France, complete with little bread toasts and rouille. (for floating)

You can't get ANY KIND of artichoke hearts there, mikey.

Large package of frozen artichoke hearts, $1.99. Nothing added. Aside from a great bargain and high quality, you can eat them the way you like, no soybean oil or other nasty stuff added. (And you can't get these at the greenmarket, either!)

Yes, of course, US non-pin credit cards are accepted in France. But your original post stated "French credit cards", so I assumed you menat the ones available to French residents.

There are just about no "credit cards" in France; they are all debit cards, tied to your bank account, and they have had that circuit chip on them for many years. That's why restaurants use that portable machine that they bring to the table so that you can input your PIN.