weinoo

New York's (Syracuse and NYC) Dinosaur Barbecue is opening adjacent to the sports arena in Newark. Official opening is next week. They were serving free somethings or other last night before the Springsteen show, but I (we) didn't feel like dealing with the insane mob scene, nor having to listen to the "B Street Band," who were playing quite close-by to Dinosaur's set up. Looks like a good get for Dinosaur and for Newark as well.

Well, who hasn't Bourdain gone after? Isn't that his raison d'etre, after all? My wife, Sneakeater and I once had a bit of an "issue" with Mr. Bastianich, right after (the first) John Dory opened.

There's a new book out by Joe Bastianich - Restaurant Man. It's his memoir. Now, first of all, isn't a memoir usually written when one is towards the end of the journey? Second, it has created quite the feud with Esquire's John Mariani. Third - anyone planning on reading it?

I wouldn't even consider DiFara's thin crust. And wouldn't you have to compare Pepe's with NYC coal-oven pizza for an accurate comparison?

We've had good pizza at Pizzeria Picco in Larkspur.

Sorry, but I don't think that's what it means.

But...aren't they? Does any other city know for either its bagels or its pizza have the same quality municipal water? Montreal, at least on the bagels end of it. I'd say that the NYC water/bagels thing is definitely a myth. Montreal bagels are, in my opinion, quite less than delicious. But the bagel thing goes beyond water. It goes to the size of bagels now, and making bagels without boiling them.

Oh, I didn't see your post above. Pepe's seriously uses NYC tap water? Any proof of that?

Thanks. I was waiting for that. Do you know what kind of water they're using?

As a matter of fact, I just pulled out 4 bread baking books. Each and every one discusses tap water, and without getting into too many details, discusses the use of bottled and/or purified water if the muni water is too hard, too soft, too chlorinated, or too crappy to drink. NYC water is none of those.

While there might be one pizza place in Arizona that is, on occasion, better than most of the pizza here in NYC, on an overall basis, I have a feeling the pizza in NY is better than that in Arizona, California (where?) and Connecticut. As far as evidence for water goes, here's what's happening at Bianco: So he's not using unadulterated muni water. Nancy Silverton has always promoted the use of bottled or purified water. If you've ever tasted the water from the tap in Southern California, you're not drinking it and you're not using it like that for cooking. "The pizza is better in Connecticut" is just a blanket statement that makes zero sense. I have heard no evidence for that proposition. Often, I hear that the pizza in Connecticut isn't all it's cranked up to be and not worth the schlep.

But...aren't they? Does any other city know for either its bagels or its pizza have the same quality municipal water?

That's how I like mine - with the M&R and the NP. But I haven't given Peychaud's a try yet; that's next.

Have to agree. That is a strange cut unless the breast is being used for something else. Some investigating turned up this: My link And I have a message in to David Brown to ask how this cut came to be. That definitely does not look like the "ribs" shown above. And if you're gonna cut your chicken across the bone like that, make sure you don't use a fancy Japanese knife all sharpened up. In Chinatown, you rarely see ground chicken for sale, so I doubt they're cutting out a rib from each breast and then grinding the rest. I'm going to take one for the team and walk over today to see what I can see.

But the old thought was that Luger's used to get it all. I'd say that's not true anymore, and I think it's easier for consumers to get good beef (though a fair price might be tough indeed).

Of course, none of those are true "appetizing" stores like Russ & Daughters. And let's face facts: there might be 100 places buying from Acme; they're not all getting the same product. How about this one: Peter Luger gets all the top quality porterhouses?

I was surprised, but recently I led a tour group, and we started at Russ & Daughters. Mark Russ Federman, the 3rd generation Russ, told me that they get their smoked salmon from a number of different sources. Which I guess proves your first point.

I don't know that innovation is that important. Quality, yes. But I go back to my example of Batali and a place like Lupa. Still good, on occasion, great. But certainly not groundbreaking.

Without sounding too flip, perhaps there should be some small business knowledge, some cooking knowledge, etc. Has anyone taken any classes or worked in the business before?

Funny, as I was channel surfing tonight, I saw Todd English was on HSN shilling his "line of Mediterranean-inspired cookware, appliances and gourmet foods. Episode 33." Now, I never ate at any of the early or groundbreaking English restaurants (if indeed there ever were any), but the first time I ate at one of his restaurants, it was in Vegas...and it sucked. So, I don't know the answer to your first question. As far as Tom C. goes, I think his restaurants are still putting out some pretty damn good food.

I don't know that DiPalo or any of the local places will have relevant knowledge. They purchase their curds, I believe, and the problems I've been asking about have to do with making curds. I'm sure Polly-O or another curd supplier has knowledge, but I figure they use industrial processes that wouldn't be relevant to me. Ahhh, quite true. Maybe you can get Ann Saxelby to give you two a lesson!

Yes, Pepin is so off base for this topic...the OP speaks to chefs who have expanding restaurant empires; that was never Pepin.

What about taking a little road trip down to DiPalo's and ask if you can watch them make theirs?

He may not have much to do with his Burger places, but he has lent/sold his name and cachet to them; he therefore should at least care about the food being sold. Now, Bar Americaine is interesting to me. I can't remember the last meal I had there; for that matter, I can't remember the first one either, but I'll have to give it a try. Can you name for me the restaurants (which was the point in the original post) in which Mr. Pepin has been the chef, owner or principal partner?

Is Blue Ribbon really known in "some circles" as the best fried chicken in NYC?