KatieLoeb

Yeah - I kinda knew Ben was running both kitchens. But his Sous Chef or whomever was there cooking the night we had dinner (he was over at Black Sheep that night because I asked to say hi and they told me he wasn't in) clearly executes his menu quite well. I just met the owners of Ten Stone at a bourbon party last week. Very nice guys and I'm looking forward to checking it out.

Dark Horse has EXCELLENT food. Was just there a couple of weeks ago and the food was delicious and very reasonably priced. I seriously miss Chef Ben McNamara's cooking at the New Wave.

Check out this link: AMAZON.com - Frog Commissary Cookbook There is a recipe in here for an Apple-Cranberry Streusel topped pie that is absolutely TO DIE FOR. And not that hard to make. It's a fantastic book that I highly recommend for other recipes as well. This was a much loved and sorely missed restaurant in Philadelphia. The Carrot Cake recipe is also the best I've ever had.

what pigeons. Are you sure you were in Venice? You did go to St. Marks, right? It's the pigeon capital of Italy. http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/articl...s_of_venice.htm I have a series of pictures of myself from Venice that include me peacefully feeding the pigeons, followed by what appears to be a cut out scene from a Hitchcock film. I was ATTACKED by the little buggers I tell you! It was really SCARY!!! Pigeons are called Sky Rats for a reason. They turn garbage into bird shit and that is their entire function in the ecosystem.

This place has been closed for YEARS. And yes - it was cheap as dirt for good homemade-type Italian food. It was at 15th & Mole Streets in South Philly. Like stepping into a time warp. A cup of pastina soup was like 95 cents. A bowl was $1.25 or so! You could eat like a skinny Italian kid in there with a pushy Nonna saying "MANGIA! You're much too thin!, etc." and still not spend $10.00. Place was wonderful and I truly miss it.

A drizzle of pumpkin seed oil. Very nutty flavor and a deep green color.

I asked my cats. One shakes the mouse until its neck breaks. The other holds the mouse's head in her mouth until it suffocates. Just trying to help.... My former kitty Sasha was a fierce mouser. She'd bat them around until they were punch drunk. But then they'd stop struggling and trying to run away and they weren't as much fun anymore so she'd bite them in the neck and finish them off.

Elyse: With all due respect the mouse is VERMIN. It does indeed carry disease and filth and deserves no more humane treatment than an infestation of cockroaches would. Does anyone remember the Great Plague that swept Europe and killed off like 20% of the world's population? Yup - started by rats and mice. Or rather by the fleas they carried, but close enough. Vermin is vermin. And having it run around over the surfaces where you prepare your food is about as disgusting a visual as I can handle. The early bird gets the worm and the second mouse gets the cheese...

So here I sit with a glass of Ratzenberger sparkling Riesling. This is just so delicious and I'm stunned that it's like isn't more readily available. Anyone else here a fan of sparkling riesling? This is truly my favorite thing for BYOB sushi, but it's also a very pleasant aperitif or just a nice glass to sip for cocktails. Anyone have other sparkling riesling producers they like? This is the only one I've had the pleasure of finding locally. It's about $16.00 at retail.

Thrak: As one of the many sated guests at Dean's most gracious Pig Pickin', I too would wonder first, what makes Memphis BBQ distinctive, and second, what is it about NC BBQ that you don't like? Is it just the vinegary-ness? Is it the slaw on top as opposed to on the side? You'll have to be a bit more specific about the source of your dismay and speak out with more pride and specifics about Memphis style for those of us that haven't had the pleasure. I often wonder about the regional differences in BBQ styles, and since I haven't been fortunate enough to visit all these various places, like Blanche DuBois, I rely on the kindness of strangers to set me right I, for one, was surprised that the vinegar really sort of cut the greasiness of the pork down and was quite pleasant tasting with the pork when done well and with subtlety. Nothing tastes good with too much vinegar on it, including vinaigrette dressing! I look forward to an informative reply...

I think it's OK as long as the use is subtle and tasteful. Cake decorations would be fine, a big honking plate of Star of David cookies might be a bit over the top. Leave the tuxedo strawberries as is. They look cute just the way they are! I LOVE tuxedo strawberries and helped to make a huge tray of them for my friend's "late in life" Bat Mitzvah last spring. They were a big hit!

Zilla: I suspect that the scrolls are cakes baked in a cylindrical pan and then sliced in half. But I'm not a pastry chef, so I really am not certain. Check out this link: SweetLisas Bar/Bat Mitzvah cakes and click through the slide show for some cool alternative ideas to the open scroll thing. I don't know how fancy you want to get with a cake, but the "architechture" of some of these is a little easier to figure out.

Zilla: Having just re-read the entire thread I think you can do the best of both worlds and blow away your clients as well. Do the brownie/sundae bar for the kids and a small Viennese table for the adults that has some sort of cheesecake type bars that you can cut into small squares along with the usual suspects of minature Linzer Tortes, etc. You can whip up a few trays of candy or other flavored cheese bars or marbled cheesecake type bars and just include them for the adults and the guest of honor will have anything and everything he could possibly desire and the parents will be duly impressed with your creativity and respect for their wishes

This is a great idea but sounds like it might be time consuming to serve each guest. I was under the impression that the places that do this "slab-mix-in" thing had special marble tables with installed cooling coils beneath. Anybody ever work at a Thomas Sweet or similar location and can answer this question?

Has no one suggested a humble potato knish??? Served with mustard any kid would love these.

Zilla: I don't know how many staff persons you were planning on having with you, but I'd think that one person helping serve brownies or giant chocolate chip cookies with tongs/gloves as the "bottoms" of the sundaes and another doing ice cream scooping duty and replenishing the toppings as they run out would be fine. Definitely do NOT let 13 year olds loose with ice cream scoops and free access to frozen weapons. You'll have a food fight on your hands in no time! Set up the bowls at the beginning of the line, the "bottoms" person next, the scooper next and then the toppings in bowls with spoons to "dress-their-own". Bowls of whipped cream are also safer than cans of whipped topping. No need to get the little buggers stoned on the propellant! Been there, seen this - trust me. If you want to do a cool presentation of the toppings, perhaps having them spill out of little cornucopias or some such nonsense would look nice. Or maybe if you could reproduce the labels of the toppings in color copies and paste them around the outsides of containers (empty coffee cans or something else disposable?) that held each type of topping? Get a glue gun and pretend to be Martha!

I'm with Herb on this one. Having been a "Cater-Waiter" for many years I've been to more than my share of Bar/Bat Mitzvahs. And that doesn't even count when they were the Social Event of the 7th grade! Buffets for the kids are quite common, at least around these parts. If you think it would impress the Parental Units more or justify your fees you could make the ice cream yourself perhaps. But I think anything that is well thought out, well presented and executed will be appreciated. Especially if it keeps the little delinquents occupied and away from trying to nick drinks at the bar or whatever other trouble their little pubescent minds can dream up!

There used to be an ice cream chain here in Philadelphia that had all the toppings you could imagine for your ice cream. Some of the choices were chocolate chips, jimmies, crushed oreos, crushed Vanilla wafers, crushed graham crackers, different sauces (chocolate and strawberry), different fruit toppings (which I suspect were either canned pie fillings or canned fruit that was buzzed through the processor), chopped Kit Kat bars, Heath bars, Snickers, Milky Ways, non-pareils, jelly beans, red hots, etc. If you put out bowls of these various toppings along with the brownies and ice cream the kids would have a blast and it would be a total no-brainer. If the bowls were disposable, it'd be minimal clean up as well

David: I see the reasoning with this as being similar to bringing your own cake into a restaurant that has a full time pastry chef/department. If you call ahead and clear it, it's almost always OK. They might charge you a nominal fee per person to "plate" your dessert, i.e. slice it and garnish it with whipped cream and a sprig of mint or whatever, but if you check it first with management, no one is offended. Oh - and when you decide to uncork that Brunello, make sure to let me know

Scott: Quite right. I'd forgotten this one as well. Another truly remarkable rose that I was fortunate enough to be gifted with a few holiday seasons ago. The Egly is seriously great Champagne.

I think that's Pif, but I might be wrong. I heardthere was another place west of the city that does same. No clues on the name but I think it was in a LaBan review.

Another vote here for the Diebolt-Vallois champagnes. An exceptional value for the money. Another line I recently tasted was the Montaudon Champagnes. Also a great value and the rose and the vintage selections were absolutely delicious. I liked it so much that the NV Brut is now the by-the-glass selection at Striped Bass. I'm also very fond of the champagnes of Ployes-Jacquemart. Their rose is positively sublime. Most of these are available for $50 or less per bottle.

David: Corkage varies depending on the establishment, but at least at SB, the fee is $25.00/bottle. I suspect it is approximately the same at other high end restaurants. I've seen it vary from $10.00/bottle up to about $35.00 in places where they really want you to buy their wine. Of course this is meant to discourage BYO at a place that both possesses a liquor license, and that makes a hefty portion of their revenue from said license. The corkage is sometimes waived for very "regular" customers. The presumption, I think, is that you should be able to locate something on the list at a restaurant that prides themselves on their wine selection and service. However, if you were celebrating your birthday or anniversary and had that special bottle that you'd had lying down since the appropriate date and it wasn't something replicated on the restaurant's list, the appropriate procedure is to call ahead and either speak with the sommelier or have a notation put with your reservation so as not to offend anyone. It doesn't happen too often, but every once in a while we have clients that have that oh-so-special bottle that will make their dining expereince complete, so that's where corkage fees come into play.

Thanks for the plug Rich! I've avoided answering this thread so as NOT to appear to be shilling for the home team. I'd be happy to assist Slobhan with planning a lovely dinner if that's what is desired. The staff is extensively trained in assisting with pairing wines by-the-glass and my partner-in-crime, Melissa, our on the floor sommeliere, would be delighted to make wine suggestions that would both compliment your dinner and stay within budget. The room is gorgeous and romantic, if I do say so myself, and the service is fabulous. I love the staff here as they all take a lot of pride in their level of professionalism. Our new chef has changed a few dishes a bit and there are some truly outstanding and interesting new dishes on the menu these days. Melissa and I have really tried to find wines that compliment the more savory and ethnic flavors in these new dishes. We have a new wine by the glass from Alsace (Domaine Barmes-Beucher Sept Grains 2001), which is made of the free run juice of seven different types of grapes. It's aromatic and delicious and a perfect pairing to several items on the menu. Please let the reservations staff know that this is an anniversary dinner, and all care will be taken to be certain your meal is memorable and worthy of such a special occasion. If you have any other specific questions about the restaurant, the menu, or particularly the wine list I'd be happy to assist. Feel free to PM me or call the restaurant's main number and ask for me and I'll do whatever I can to help. The other suggestions you've received are also excellent. I'm very fond of Deux Cheminees for special occasion dining, as well as Pigalle. There is no corkage fee customary at BYOB restaurants in Philadelphia, only at those with liquor licenses. There are any number of excellent BYOB restaurants in our fair city that would serve you a fantastic meal, if that's the route you chose to take. Happy Anniversary!

I confess - I've tried Q-doba Grill and LIKED it! It's steps from my office and the guacamole is quite tasty. I'm addicted to guacamole (it's so good for you! All those healthy fats makes for a glowy complexion...) and theirs is delicious and not overpriced. A small container of it is about $1.79 I think. Can also be accompanied with a huge bag of chips for a little over two bucks. An economical snack. The help at Q-Doba is achingly helpful and friendly. The place is clean and neat and very "un-fast-food-like". They also have Chouloula hot sauce on the side, which is one of my favorites. I also tried a grilled veggie taco salad. Very fresh ingredients and good salsa and shredded cheese on top. If you don't eat the deep fried bowl it's actually a pretty healthful lunch. Also reasonable priced at about $5.00. I'm still awaiting Pico de Gallo's opening though. I suspect authentic will blow friendly fast food out of the water for me.