Pan

In Balmagowry's blog, she has these comments about some pizza she got at the Cinema Cafe: It's been years since I went to the Cinema Cafe, and I don't remember being very impressed with the food, but again, that was a long time ago. Anyone else tried their pizza? Should we add it to our list, in due time?

I haven't been to the Cinema Cafe in many years. I remember it as a kind of pricey diner with cinema memorabilia and such-like that was open late enough to go to after seeing some theater. Sounds like you had a good meal, though. In particular, I noted that you liked the pizza, so maybe it should go on the NYC Pizza Survey list. (Warning, the link is to a 16-page-and-counting thread. Second warning: The shots of some of the pizze could make you salivate. )

Sorry you had problems with service at Kang Suh. It would suck if your perception is correct, but for my part, I've been there loads of times, have always had good service, and haven't noticed small portions there. And for the record, I'm not Korean and haven't been to Kang Suh with Koreans.

Anyone want to comment about your experiences at Fuleen? I know that some of you have been there before.

Love it! Thanks for sharing that, Fat Guy.

Say, where is that?

I like Temple, on St. Mark's Place just west of 1st Av., but it's a lot smaller than Woo Lae Ok - but a relaxed atmosphere and cheaper. You might see about getting reservations on a weekend night. Temple 81 Saint Marks Place, New York, NY 10003 (212) 979-9300 The decor is nicer at Woo Lae Ok, but I think the food is probably better at Temple.

it's usually just amanda. she makes people foam, for some reason. Is it a mystery to you, Russ? Also, I join in welcoming a fellow flutist (I assume) to these boards!

I thought the jellyfish cold dishes were cooked and then refrigerated!

I went to Woo Lae Ok several months ago, I guess. It's the sister restaurant to Dok Suni's, which is right around the corner from me. I thought the quality of the food was about the same, as were the prices (c. $20-25 for dinner). Good food, nice ambiance, but nothing memorable (I don't remember what I ate). I would greatly encourage you to go to Little Korea instead, if you're not going to be in the Village already. My favorite places for barbecue in Little Korea are Kang Suh (just east of Broadway on the south side of 32nd St.) - which has charcoal if you care about such things (I do, a little) - and Woo Chon (south side of 36 St. just east of 5th Av.).

If you want New York cheesecake, there was an article in the Times that listed ten places the rated as tops. Two Little Red Hens basically got top honors for traditional New York cheesecake. It's a really good cake with ungummy cream cheese. Their original location is on 8th Av. in Park Slope, Brooklyn, but they also have a smaller location near 85 St. on 2nd Av. in Manhattan.

If you want a dining partner, feel free to PM or email me. I share some of your favorites and have others. Village Yokocho is one I've never tried, though, and I'm not even sure where it is (Stuyvesant St., perhaps?).

I think of New York Noodle Town as a solid Chinese diner. Anyone who doesn't want that shouldn't go there. There are quite a number of inexpensive places in Chinatown that arguably have better food overall, and some of them also have a slightly less dinerish ambiance. I've eaten at NYNT for the last 15 years or something, and all the waiters know me there, but I've been there less in the last 2-3 years as I've been slightly less satisfied with the beef muscles in their Beef Muscle Wonton Noodle Soup and have been enjoying Yeah Shanghai and some other places around the neighborhood. But it's still a good place. My advice to kurl is to get their excellent Ginger Scallion Lo Mein, and otherwise, order most anything that seems a little elaborate, like stuff with chives in it, for example. Consider the dishes in casseroles, too. And anything salt-baked is likely to please. The basic menu is underneath the glass on the table, but don't overlook the double-sided specials menus that are on the table. I don't recommend the wide noodles, though - too oily and not interesting enough in terms of taste (mostly oil taste, in my experience).

Sounds like P.R. bullshit to me. I was born in New York and have lived here for most of my life, and I haven't the vaguest idea what that odd phrase means. I guess they think that by using "New York," they can imply that they serve really good stuff. Maybe it's something like restaurants in areas of Manhattan outside of Chinatown claiming they serve "Chinatown-style food," which is also bullshit. Any restaurant outside of Chinatown that serves really good Chinese food doesn't have to make any claim like that. Believe me, you won't see phrases like that in the menus at Grand Sichuan on 9th Av. and 50th St. or 24th St. People from Chinatown go uptown to those restaurants because they know how good they are. And I'm willing to bet that no good Chinese restaurant in Florida claims they're serving "New York style Chinese food."

Guys, I forgot to mention the Pig's Heart Casserole at Yummy Noodles in the Arcade between Bowery and Elizabeth in Chinatown. I really recommend it. They've got other offal dishes there, too. You can see a menu here: menupages.com Yummy Noodles listing.

One word of caution about the Sichuan restuarants in Flushing: Even before Asimov's latest review, dinner at Spicy & Tasty without reservations is not something I seriously considered: Long lines. And at Sichuan Dynasty, don't think of going there as a solo diner for a weekend dinner, as they won't give you a table (and I don't blame them - there are too many larger parties waiting and the room is too small for that to make sense for them).

My first reaction is that by increasing attention on the story, Michelin is more likely to hurt than help themselves. But I could be wrong...

Welcome to eGullet and to this thread, enrevanche! I've never been to Wu Liang Ye. You like their Dan Dan Noodles better than Grand Sichuan's, I take it? By the way, if you're out that way, Spicy & Tasty and Sichuan Dynasty in Flushing make delicious Dan Dan Noodles!

Don't be so sad. We're in the same playground now.

I usually went to the one near 97 St.

I love the cold cucumber dish at Laifood on Prince St. in Flushing. Unlike the Shanghainese and Sichuan-style versions I've had, this one is pickled (and pretty strongly, at that). It also has a strong dose of little bits of dried hot pepper and cloves of powerful raw garlic. Not for the faint of heart, but I keep coming back for more.

Does the haiboshi have a sort of smoky taste?

Cool! My uncle & family lived at 88th and West End - and I subsequently lived at 106th & Riverside and at 90th & Columbus... there's something about that neighborhood, I guess. As to the birth-date, hell, I don't see any reason to be coy about it: 1957. Close? You're a year older than my brother, Lisa! In 1960, my family moved to 97 St. and West End Av., and I grew up there also (b. 1965).

By all means, please start the thread and post a link here. I'd love to read all about it, and it would really be news I could use.

I mentioned crispy rice before. Anyone who likes that has to have some Gobdol Bibimbap in a Korean restaurant (or make your own). That's some nice crispy rice mixed with eggs, hot sauce, and various other stuff at the bottom of your bowl!