weinoo

My experience over the years has been that our local, indigenous BBQ does as good a job at this event as any of the out-of-towners. Blue Smoke does a really good job. Dinosaur also. Other favorites tend to be Ed Mitchell, Mike Mills and Chris Lilly.

Yes, you are. Simply Grazin' Organic Farm is about 55 miles from the Whole Foods on Bowery. I consider that local.

I don't know how many others will think it's a sad day when 100 year-old Chinatown mainstay Sam Wo has had to close its doors forever, especially when the city's health inspectors decided to: All that aside, Sam Wo was where I first tasted Chow Fun noodles, and where I loved taking out of town guests on our jaunts to the city. I'm sure Edsel insulted my friends and me many times, as he served us our wonton soups brought up from the kitchen on that ancient dumbwaiter. And I'll never forget the look on friends' faces as he threw down the pencil and pad and implored us to write down our own orders. RIP, Sam Wo. Edsel Ford Fung, too.

As I mentioned in this topic, my local Whole Foods has entered, at least for the time being, the burger wars. I first spotted the Bowery Burger sign a couple of weeks ago; at that time, I wasn't able to give it a try, because I had just come into the store to pick up a few things and was in a bit of a rush. But I returned earlier in the week, once again to do some shopping, but also to try the burger. Whole Foods sells some excellent quality stuff...that's why it's probably my main food shopping destination. I don't generally buy beef at the store, though, because I prefer a butcher's shop or the green market for that sort of stuff, though they do sell locally raised grass-fed beef at the meat counter, at least in this store. And that's what the burger was made of - beef from Jersey raised, grass-fed cows. And it did have some nice flavor - but man, the cooking technique needs some work, as I wrote about on my blog. Basically, they cooked the living hell out of this patty, rendering it barely edible - tough, dry and everything you don't want from your burger. There are plenty of places doing this style of burger (thin patty, griddled, etc.). My advice: seek them out instead.

Not a bad choice, but be aware that the Frankie's on Clinton Street has morphed into Francesca's, their attempt at Spanish tapas, pinxtos, etc. (my first visit there was less than impressive). They still have a Manhattan outpost, though, at 570 Hudson. Frankie's Spuntino website. I've had a couple of good meals at Sauce, which has opened in the old Kampuchea location. Real red-sauce stuff, along with some more innovative fare; for instance, I like their zucchini "pasta" with bottarga. As a matter of fact, Eater listed it as the affordable alternative to Parm in this piece. It's from another Frank (Prisinzano), the owner of Lil' Frankies, Frank and Supper, so he must be doing something right.

You could take the FF, use the money you've saved to buy a really good grinder (I don't even know, but does the FF take ground coffee or pods?), start resaving and then when you're sick of the FF and want to move up to the next level, the Silvia will most likely still be there.

My dishwasher has an adjustable rinse aid dispenser. Since our water here is so soft, I set it on the lowest possible dispensing number. I probably fill the dispenser twice a year, so that cost is also pretty darn low.

I use Cascade powder very sparingly. I decant it into a 6 cup Tupperware container which I keep under the sink and use a measured coffee scoop full or so per load, a bit more if the dishes are really dirty. I mostly don't rinse my dishes either - just scrape them off, per the instructions...if they're got something like avocado or peanut butter on them, then I might rinse. No etching so far (7 years) and my dishes come out totally clean. That said, I find a 4.5 lb. box lasts me months and months, and if I spend more than $15 or $20 a year on dishwashing soap, I'd be surprised. Which is a long-winded way of saying I have no idea what the CPL is .

Only if you count bloggers (which brings us back to the argument about who is a journalist/writer vs. blogger)- otherwise less and less qualified food writers. Well, of course I do . I mean, the NY Times started employing non-food writers as their chief restaurant critics many moons ago. And when NY Magazine first hired Gael Greene to do their restaurant reviews, she was (iirc) writing for Cosmo. Good point.

I actually think that the "profession" of food writing is very much alive. I mean, have you ever seen more food writers in your life?

Yes, Santa Barbara was where I lived from '76 - '78, before moving to the Bay area. Sunshine Market was the first place this boy from New York ever laid his eyes on organic produce. As well as alfalfa sprouts and mashed yeast.

What exactly is your experience? Professional or perhaps as a customer?

Great kosher restaurants are, in my opinion, fairly non-existent here in the United States. Oh sure, there may be a kosher restaurant somewhere which puts out decent food. Edible food. But here in NYC, where one (me) would think an excellent kosher restaurant is a viable business opportunity, there aren't any. I've been to the ones which are allegedly "the best." And I wouldn't send anyone to any one of them, especially if they were looking for a fine dining experience. Even weirder, kosher restaurants are expensive. Really expensive. So one might think they'd be able to pull off excellent food; yet they don't. Why is this? Ingredients to be used can be just as high a quality as at any fine dining establishment. There are no rules against vegetables and fruits. Excellent quality birds are available. As is lamb, beef, goat. Fish, too. Sure, there's a problem with using any dairy in a kosher restaurant that serves meat, but that's not insurmountable. So, what gives? Why the lack of great, fancy kosher food?

Make that "steal an idea..."

I should have read the article - their inspiration is indeed Crif Dogs paired with PDT's cocktails, in NYC. I guess it would be nice if someone didn't have to steal a trend that started in New York, but that's just me.

Hot dogs work with cocktails, why not champagne...or perhaps sparkling wine?

Despana sells a Grand Daisy bakery ciabatta-type bread, which they also use for their sandwiches. It has a lighter crust than the other ciabatta I buy around town.

I'm not. I don't think. Just a random, pain-in-the-ass blogger.

For cocktails, though, you both want and need the dilution that comes from the melting ice. So just add some water to the recipe. In my opinion, that method is never getting a cocktail (that is, a drink with 3 or more ingredients) to the proper temperature or dilution. I imagine for a sipping whiskey, it would be just fine. But in any event, do as it please you.

For cocktails, though, you both want and need the dilution that comes from the melting ice.

No. Unless you take the burger upstairs, which has plenty of seating.

Last week, my wife mentioned to me that the new Whole Foods in Foggy Bottom, Washington, DC has a burger bar. Lo and behold, shopping at my local WF this morning, Bowery & Houston, NYC...I first smelled them and then saw this... I picked up a menu, and it's only $4 for a burger, or a cheeseburger for that matter. From locally sourced, 100% Grass Fed beef. Fries are $2. I tried nothing, because I wasn't there to eat lunch. But...at these prices, for a potentially good burger, does anyone think this could be a serious challenge to the 5-Guys and Shake Shacks of this world? And, has anyone tried the place yet?

Last night we had what I believe to be the best French fries I've ever had in NYC at JWF. And a pretty darn good burger, to boot. It's evidently their third iteration of the fries (different potatoes, different techniques, oils, etc.) and, and as they say on "the boards," spot on. Groundbreaking? Not necessarily. Not Nomad. Not Atera. Just fries. But oh so good.

While everything looks amazing, that culatello and prosciutto truly made my mouth water.

No, NYC municipal water. Hard water would certainly be an issue.