Pan

Indeed not, and the recipe calls for "2 tbsp white or artificial vinegar." What in the world is "artificial vinegar"? (Maybe I don't really want to know?)

You might be right about the Dining section of the Times, but it might be interesting to check on how many music reviews they do of series that don't advertise in the Times. If you do that, you might reconsider your opinion.

Thom, I haven't read Ellen's book, so I couldn't tell you.

Kew, I don't know what cucur udang is! I sort of get the idea, but perhaps you'd like to describe it further. It's made with sambal kacang. Is that black bean sauce, or does it have belacan in it?

That looks like okra pakoras to me. Am I right? If not, am I close?

In fact, there's a preexisting thread in this forum called Overrated/Underrated. When this thread started, I considered merging it with that one linked above but decided the threads were different enough to stand on their own.

I seem to remember that Libya was the breadbasket of the Roman Empire until they overtaxed the soil so much with farming and grazing that they created the Sahara. Yeah, I know that sounds like a Just So story (you know, as in the ones Kipling wrote down). Any truth to this?

Pam, would you mind sharing your recipe?[...] ← I have no recipe. You'd have to contact Moishe's bakery and see if he would send you his recipe. [Edit: I think you meant to ask whether Pam had a recipe for soft hamantashen. Do you, Pam?]

Nice to have you here, Nancy. As a New Yorker unfamiliar with the Dallas dining scene, I hadn't known about you, but I've enjoyed the personality you've shown here. Here in New York, Frank Bruni made a related comment, but having more to do with the organization of menus into categories than the language in each entry. There's a thread about it here. An illustrative quote from the article: I'd like to ask a question no-one's asked you yet in this thread. Who are your favorite food writers and what do you like best about them? [Edited to add a link to Bruni's article.]

How do they pronounce "prescinseua"? Exactly as it comes (pre-shin-se-oo-a[h])?

I don't think the subtle nose-rings many Indian women wear would bother me in any setting. It's all about context, somehow.

We have a thread about Kid-friendly dining. As of this posting, that thread hasn't been posted to since 2002, but some of the information in it is still timely. More threads: Visitors with kids, Where to go Kids eat, too, Where to dine w/ children That last thread specifically focuses on someone with two daughters aged 5 and 10, but look at it, anyway, and note the reference to Ellen Shapiro's book, New York City With Kids.

I thought our lunch at L'Impero was at least as good and perhaps better.

Probably the Puerto Rican place, but I forget its name and exact location.

It's really unconscionable (I'd say unacceptable) for a $15 delivery charge to be added without warning.

Nope. Just kidding.

Some Indian places even serve a masala lassi, made with a nice spice blend.

Wow, that's rather dispiriting! Do you suppose there's a Thai restaurant better for non-Asian connoiseurs of Thai food in New York than Sripraphai now? I haven't been to Sripraphai in a few years, I guess, and before the renovation, in any case, so I can't comment specifically.

This is the location of El Malecon I know best: El Malecon Restaurant II 764 Amsterdam Avenue (north of 97 St.) New York, NY 10025 (212) 864-5648 And here's their flagship: El Malecon Restaurant 4141 Broadway (right near the George Washington Bridge at, I believe, 178 St.) New York, NY 10033 (212) 927-3812 Mancora in the East Village: Mancora 99 1 Av (corner of 6 St.) New York, NY 10003 (212) 253-1011 And their Brooklyn branch (which I think was there first): Mancora Corporation 176 Smith Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 (718) 643-2629 I believe that covers all the places whose addresses weren't listed on the first page of this thread.

The curly-leafed one or the broad flat-leafed one (which we call "Italian parsley" in the US)? And what do people use parsley for in Malaysia?

Have you tried Madrasi utthapams or masala dosas? When I get them in New York, one of the sambhars is always made with shredded coconut. Lots of Malayali food also uses shredded coconut or coconut milk.

Fully understood. You have 14 tables. Your policy is reasonable. Many people find it inconvenient. I've been there and as a customer, I don't like such policies (in the sense that they can be annoying when you're among those waiting), but I sure understand them. Stick to your guns!

Was that really parsley or actually cilantro (coriander leaves)? I can't remember being served or seeing parsley in Malaysia. Sure. Funny thing about eggplants/aubergines/brinjals: There's an Indian-style spicy brinjal pickle I sometimes buy, and given that their clientele is divided between Indians, British, and Americans, they make sure they use all three of the above words on the bottle.

Mizducky, you could always take photos of stuff available at your local Asian markets and post them to an appropriate thread for advice on what they are and what to do with them.

Could be, but I've never heard Malaysians say that taking a photo captures their souls.