Blondie

Isn't Thomas Keller already planning to open a place in NY? *That* would make an interesting series.

I found the lamb in Ireland to be exceptionally good, which may have made the difference. When I lived in rural Ireland I returned from a visit to NY to find my then-boyfriend has agreed (over many pints at the pub) to purchase an entire butchered lamb from Paddy the Sheep Farmer. I was only clued in when Paddy showed up to deliver it. I didn’t like lamb at the time, but when faced with 40 pounds of it in the freezer I gave it the old college try. It was frankly exquisite. Delicate, herbal, and you could almost taste the fresh sea air. It was also interesting being so close to the food supply as we had watched those lambs play in the fields on our walks over the mountain to the coastline where Paddy grazed them. I love lamb now

I don't think doing a second series as damage control for the first is a very good idea

When this happens to me I can usually trace it back to eGullet

now that's not very nice. It had to be said UPN has new sitcom called "The Mullets". How long before mullet-wearers unite to complain about the way they're being stereotyped? So when will we see this infamous steak sandwich?

eMullet.com

Sorry to disappoint you, Tony, but Rocco just said on the Today show he'd consider doing it *again*

Except that, call me a cynic, I see additional possibilities here for product placement.... Condoms, anyone? Rocco was on Conan a week or two ago and they were talking about product placement. Rocco said Trojan had contacted them and been turned down. Conan made a joke along the lines of "Is that calamari...or a Trojan condom?"

Here's what Tony said at the time:

I'm very sorry to hear about your problems, PaulaJK. I have to ask if you checked this person's references (i.e., interviewed former clients and trade references). This is the most important step a homeowner can take to protect themselves. Marble is not suitable for kitchens floors for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the possibility of staining. What is the finish? Tumbled or honed, I hope, because polished marble wouldn't be safe. There's a penetrating sealer called 511 Porous Plus that we've used with good results. It's expensive, but it may be worth a try to save you another refinishing.

Same with Manhattanites that come out to the Hamptons. They stand out like a sore thumb and their out-of-place behavior provides the locals with hours of entertainment

Abita, from Louisiana

Queer Eye does it tastefully. The Restaurant's is insulting. Yep. And I have to agree with the post a few pages back which mentioned that this will be more prevalent in the future. As more people use Tivo and skip over ads, advertisers will continue to look for ways to integrate their products into the programming itself. I hope you Tivo people are happy

http://www.gothamist.com/archives/2003/08/..._place.php#more I can't believe I missed this Gothamist report on Rocco's. Apparently John the Kitchen Manager got fired

Thank you Matthew and Maggie for bringing this recipe to my attention. I've made it twice and it's going right into the regular rotation

We did an eGullet dinner at Congee Village last year. If I'm free I'd love to attend but won't know my schedule until much closer to the date.

Perhaps Rocco intentionally opened Rocco's so that Cuozzo could pan it so the Post could sell more papers as part of a deal for more Page Six coverage of Rocco. That's more like it

Maybe I am being a bit harsh, but if you’re in PR you should be able to take it I’m not saying that a restaurateur shouldn’t look to get business any way they can, but if they think a Page Six mention is more important than a Times review then maybe they aren’t so confident about the food. Page Six is a gossip column. It reports the comings and goings of celebrities. I would prefer to take my chances on a place Bill Grimes or Eric Asimov likes, rather than where Demi was seen canoodling with Ashton. I wasn’t trying to imply that the Post or Daily News critic weren’t qualified or good at their jobs, but it seems that if they were influencing eGulleters at all we would be talking about them.

Vengroff, I don't know what to say I work in the kitchen design business and I hate to hear these stories because it reflects poorly on all of us. One way to avoid these problems is to hire a qualified (CKD if possible) kitchen designer. Check the references thoroughly and ask if you can visit some completed jobs. This isn’t foolproof but it will weed out some poseurs. Same with the contractor. Make sure to ask his references about jobsite attendance and cleanliness. Check for any required licenses and insurance. Some designers act as contractor themselves. This can be a relatively painless way to get the work done since you only have one person to nag with phone calls instead of 2 or 3. Who hired these subcontractors: you, the contractor or the designer? If the designer or contractor hired them, then he/she is responsible for making sure the work is done satisfactorily and as specified on the plans. That lazy-ass plumber asking you to *change the plans* to save him some work really takes the cake. The designer should be run out of the business for trying to get you to pay for his mistake. Once the job is over please report him to the BBB or to his superior if he works for a large firm. Do not let the designer walk away before the punchlist is complete and everything is done to your satisfaction. Good luck

Wall Streeters may still read the NY Post and spend money in restaurants, but that doesn’t mean they know anything about food. In fact, I’d run the other way from any place Wall Streeters congregate to eat just to avoid tables full of drunk assholes behaving boorishly. I know, I know, they’re not all like that, but I worked in the field for nearly a decade and the business attracts that type of person. If you go to the Post website you see they are trumpeting “Steve Couzzo’s Zero-Star Review” on the front page of the print edition with a big picture of Rocco. I’m not saying that Cuozzo intentionally panned Rocco’s so the Post could sell more papers, but I wouldn’t put it past a paper that thrives on sensationalism and intellectual dishonesty. Then I hope your clients get the clientele they deserve. Correct me if I'm wrong but the restaurant reviews in the Daily News and Post are rarely mentioned on eGullet, and I think I can safely say we are among the most food-obsessed people in New York. I think that speaks to their relevance to serious food people.

Does anybody really take the New York Post seriously? At all? As typically mean-spirited and obnoxious as anything else that appears in that rag, I think I'll ignore it and wait for the Times review. Regardless, I'll probably try Rocco's at some point anyway. Among other things the guy missed the point of the concept, even after watching the show. Not surprising since the staff apparently missed it as well, with the exception of that one guy at the gripe session. Am I the only one aside from Rocco who thinks it's funny to have an Italian-American theme restaurant?

I was no stranger to a "99" when I lived in Ireland, mainly because there wasn't much choice. I was never able to find out why they called it "99". Do you know, jackal10? Good one Was it Eddie Murphy who did that classic bit about the ice cream man?

I must have missed this part of the show. Did the "goosee" complain? Do we know whether she and Rocco were previously acquainted?