menton1

Craig, you have touched upon an interesting issue. Yes, when we return from a trip to Italy we swear off Italian restaurants here in the NYC metro area for months and longer. It is just not the same food. Most of the Italian restos here are just glorified pizza parlors. The biggest issue I have is these places' claim of authenticity. My favorite is the "Tuscan" restaurants (some even have Tuscan in their name) who, when asked, haven't the slightest idea of what Ribbolita is, nor do they know what a Bistecca alla Fiorentina is. (Quintessential Tuscan dishes) One of the biggest hoots I had was while watching the show 'Mario Eats Italy" with Mario Batali running around Italy showing all the authentic foods, their manufacture and preparation, and then they cut to an advertisement for the Olive Garden!! But as far as defining the criteria, a lot of it is intangible, it is the European ambience that also makes a restaurant great in Italy. When having a great meal in a medieval square under the stars, with the warm wind blowing, well, this is just impossible to duplicate in the US. It does seem, though, that the French restaurants in the US, as a rule, do a better job of duplicating their counterparts in France than the Italian restaurants do of duplicating theirs in Italy. I wonder what accounts for that phenomenon.

Bill, I also stick by my statement that drug abuse is pervasive in all professions, all walks of life today. Not to mention prescription drug abuse as well (did someone say Rush Limbaugh?) You would also be surprised how these users can cover themselves up and be "on" for periods of time when they are exposed to public view; I also know many attorneys and have heard many stories of high-powered advocates closing the door to their office and indulging, and then going right to court!! For all we know, this poor fellow in Pons may have found his wife cheating!!

Sammy's is the place!! Pulled up their menu on menupages.com, and they not only have Petcha, they have Kishka, Chopped eggs & Onions, Flanken, Kasha Varnishkes, Fried Kreplach and lots more. No mention of Gribenes, but perhaps they would make it for you! I guess it's still going strong. Sammy's Romanian Steakhouse, 157 Christie St, north of Delancey, Manhattan, NY, 212-673-0330 Ess G'zinterhayt!

There used to be a place on the Lower East Side, Sammy's, I think on Allen Street, that had all these Jewish traditional foods, and even had schmaltz sitting on the table along with the salt and pepper. It used to attract all types of celebrities as well... Has this place disappeared? Anybody remember it?

Chicken.

One place in Manhattan with all that stuff is Barney Greengrass on the UWS. No need to leave the city!! Barney Greengrass 541 Amsterdam Ave. New York, NY 10024 212-724-4707

Well, please go-- you will love Lambertville; 2 of the nicest places to eat are No. 9, on Klines Court, and Hamiltons Grill Room on Coryell Street-- you will find them discussed extensively on the NJ Forum.

The village of Riez, in the Alpes de Haute Provence, is pronounced with the final "z" as well; Vallauris near Cannes is pronounced with the final "s" sound-- a complete opposite to the way they say Paris, which is indisputable. The most puzzling pronunciation I've encountered is that of Cassis, a town a lot like Villefranche (dreamy) but 140 miles further west near Marseille. When I stayed there in 2002, I asked about 20 locals how to pronounce the name Cassis. About half said the "s' was silent, the other half said to pronounce the "s". What to do??!!

Unfortunately, Bill, I think that this rampant use goes on in most industries and all forms of living today. To single out food preparation is unfair. And, unknowing of the circumstances of this poor fellow's demise, we should not assume anything... Drug use is a problem endemic in all of modern society, and I don't think we can say that it is more pervasive in the food industry than other industries.. There are countless occupations that are very stressful....

This resto also has its own thread Here. I agree, it's a little gem. Really feels like France.

Not to start a Pa/NJ competition, but don't you find that right across the bridge, Lambertville outshines New Hope by miles and miles when it comes to restaurants and town ambience?

We had discussed the 12th Arr. at length in a thread about Bercy, Here, and I believe jackal10 reported that he had a nice meal at L'Oulette. (Details on the other thread). Have also heard good things about Le Train Bleu, although it will probably cost 50-60€ PP. You might, for your budget just walk around and stop at a neighborhood bistro and hope for the best. Remember, in France, all the menus are prominently posted on the window. For that scenario, though, the chances of a good meal increase as the distance from the RR station increases. Re: Bed Size-- Usually, in the 3-star hotels and up, what they refer to as "un grand lit" is about the size of a Queen bed; however, if you are doing 2 star or Chambre d'Hote, you probably need to inquire at the specific hotel as to the dimensions of the bed-- they will tell you in centimeters, so get your calculator out... You should be careful about heading south, incidentally. A large portion of the South has had horrendous "inondations" (floods) and will probably have not recovered by the next 3 weeks. You should check with the OT in the towns where you are going, to get some idea if you should re-do your itinerary. Might be prudent to stick to the North of France now.

What can one do? We devoted francophiles must just grin and bear it. (Great exchange rate in Canada, but that's not for me!) I think the latest is $1.22 per €. On our trip in June 2002 it was as good as .98 . Not to mention the currency-exchange add-ons that we have discussed at length. It's very depressing. They also say it helps sell our US goods abroad. I've also noticed a substantial hike in the prices of imported foods in the stores here. P.S. Robert, I personally like www.oanda.com for the rates-- they have wonderful customized charting for historical rates. Read them and weep! (You only go to France because you have to? What a plight!)

Well, the silent "s" fans still have Paris, Calais, Georges, Beaujolais, etc....

Robert, the only thing I can add is that, according to the latest Guide Rouge, this place is a 2-fork, not a 2-star Michelin! The Hotel is quite a modest place as well, a "Logis de France" member, an unlikely setting for a Michelin-starred retaurant. This may account for the lack of information about (and interest in) this unfortunate occurrence. There does seem to be a tiny article on 4 December in the Bordeaux newspaper, Journal Sud-Ouest, but it is a 3€ article and only 128 words... Pons is a nice little town between La Rochelle and Bordeaux, a place where the always-mystifying Académie Francaise wants you to pronounce the final "s" in the name! (As in Gers, Reims, etc.)

I always have found Zabar's to be a better shopping experience than Fairway; Although they are not quite apple-to-apple comparisons, (Fairway has fresh produce and a few aisles of canned goods) on the items they compete in, Zabar's always comes out a winner with me-- The olive bar is much more attractive, and a better selection at Zabars-- I have witnessed Fairway pouring peanut oil right into the olives at their olive bar-- I hate olives swimming in oil! The yogurt prices are generally a little to a lot cheaper at Z's; The coffee is far superior at Z's; The store is brighter and cleaner-looking; the Z's staff generally is not as foreboding, and I don't think the above-mentioned bagel incident could happen at Z's. Oh, for a nice piece of sturgeon now.....

Snow now blowing horizontally here in Bergen County-- Supposed to go to NY for dinner tomorrow, may postpone, parking is a nightmare in the city when it snows-- The heck with Florida-- for a warm climate with some splash, what about the South of France? P.S. KimWB-- the pussycat looks sooo cute--- what's his/her name?

They said the same about McDo's years ago, but that has stayed-- and with resounding success. Starbucks market research tells them they will be unique, an actual "coffee-to-go" in a cup that doesn't spill in your lap or burn your hand. You will still be able to "own your table for the day" there, just like in the US. That feature probably accounts for their success in the US, their quasi-European style. My bet is that they will succeed in France.

From infobel.fr: (12th arr.) AU PRESSOIR 257 AVENUE DAUMESNIL 75012 PARIS 0143443821 AU TROU GASCON 40, r. Taine 75012 Paris 12 Telephone: 01 43 44 34 26 FREGATE 30, av. Ledru-Rollin 75012 Paris 12

I think we are getting caught up in semantics here. I would consider my favorite neighborhood in Paris, Le Marais, (4th) to be a hip place. I base this on the people you see, (about 80% locals, 20% tourists), the restaurants, bars and cafes, and the shops and the types of merchandise they sell. I love the overall ambiance of the area, love to stay here. The restaurants range from corner bistro to elegant Michelin-star. There are many unique artisanal shops as well. I think we are getting stuck on the word "trendy". I plan to explore Bercy extensively on my next trip to La plus belle ville du monde!!

Please tell us your impressions of the Bercy neighborhood-- is it hip and exciting, or a turn-off touristy area? 2 restaurants in Michelin get 1 star (From earlier post) Au Trou Gascon 40, rue Taine Au Pressoir 257, av. Daumesnil Thanks for the report on L'Oulette. Patricia Wells scores points....

Restaurants only open a week and a half are inevitably on shaky ground... but if you are daring and adventurous, please give us a full report!!

I liked his show many years ago as well. He was charming and interesting. But the fact that seven different men came forward and accused him of similar deviant behavior is eyebrow-raising...

I fail to understand why you would boycott their other products. If it is a real belief of the company that the group has a reasonable argument, so be it. I could be more understanding of your boycott if you felt the decision was mercenary, based on a monetary consideration--but it has probably COST them profits-- why get angry at the company if this is a real belief of theirs? Many department stores have stopped selling furs for years because of a true belief in the cruelty of it, thanks to the lobbying efforts of animal rights groups; They have actually sacrificed profits for principles. No reason not to shop there for other items!

I think a lot of Jeff Smith material has been pulled out of circulation; In 1998 he agreed to pay undisclosed sums of money to seven different men who accused him of sexual misconduct with them when they were teenagers. Adding to the irony is the fact that Mr. Smith is a Protestant minister. He was kicked off PBS and promised to return with a self-produced series, but that has never materialized.... I liked his show in the late 80s, but later on it seemed that he was cooking some very unhealthful things....