cinghiale

I was there last night as well. Probably sat down as dagordon was finishing up (was one of your party from RI?). I concur with dagordon that Fuji is now sadly history. First, the location is odd, to say the least. It's not unlike going to a doctor's office in some commercial building (the old location's funkiness made a trip there feel a tad like an adventure) The room is much larger, the woodwork nice, the sushi bar also roughly 50% bigger. We also had the omakase, yet a much different one than described above. However, I share dagordon's disappointment that Matt was not wielding the knife. He has been the show at every meal I had at the old Fuji. He appeared out from behind the draped kitchen entrance only briefly during the meal, usually as the hot items came out. When I asked about his absence, he said he had "many new toys to try out in the kitchen." As far as I understood, in addition to Chen, the new knife master hails from an NYC sushi bar. Annoyingly, he answered every query about the fish being served with a *jokey* "I don't know." Also, as dagordon comments, the sushi came out PRIOR to the last two hot items, and I was sorely annoyed. Finally, I agree with dagordon that the meal didn't sing. There were a few standouts, one surprise, a number of acceptably rendered standards, and a few disappointments. Not what I'm used to with Matt. The rundown: Fluke with miso This dish was rather weak, with the miso overwhelming the fish Salmon tartare, salmon roe, creme fraiche Good. Very fresh, roe perfect saltiness Gobo root, snapper with wasabi, almond-crusted shrimp shumai, asparagus w/miso (apologies for the focus) The gobo was terrific, the snapper was fine. The shumai was nice, but no longer hot (if designed to be served room temp, it didn't work), the asparagus was ordinary. White tuna with passion fruit Best cold dish. Tuna was great, paired really well with the passion fruit, which was garnished with a terrific sea salt. Shad roe with fiddleheads: Worst dish. The roe was terribly breaded and poorly cooked, ending up distinctly mealy. The fiddlehead were, on the other hand, perfectly prepared. Live scallop, yellow jack, salmon, snapper, toro Toro like butter, amazing. Yellow jack was also very good. I'm no fan of scallop. Salmon and snapper completely acceptable. Also, there appeared to be wasabi sandwiched between each fish and its rice bed, which we found odd, to say the least. Uni souffle Hands down best dish. Very rich, silky, awesome. I could eat this often. Squab with wild asparagus A old standby, always good. This did not disappoint. I can't be sure, but I think prices have gone up. This one ran $80 a pop, and that seems higher than anything I paid previously.

Well done, Rachel ... with Last Detail and KoMG. However, I'm thinking of a different film for 173, one involving southwest bbq.

Well done! Jack as hippie. Priceless.

CC: the deck of the Moshulu North: the courtyard at Hamilton's Grill Room in Lambertville South: the roof at Buckley's Tavern in Centreville

I always think wistfully of The Garden at this time of year.

As long as it comes with an appropriately sized container -- one allowing a potated perambulator to dine afoot without too much mess/loss.

Yeah, I passed Alyan's on my way home from Lorenzo's the other night, and kinda went *duh*. The few falafel sandwiches I've had there weren't bad. How does Maoz compare?How about west of Broad? Any pickings, say, in the South St. corridor around Grad Hospital? Anything around the Square?

Could be worth a detour, Herb?

Gotta walk in, walk out, eating on the go.

I'm ruling out diners, since you gotta sit. But on the area diners, I always liked the [spacing on name] Diner, now defunct, at 11th & Locust, over the one you mention, Sandy. It was grittier, Greek-ier.

You’re out and about. Midweek. Had a pop or four. Homeward bound. In need of a quick fix of something good. Prepared to detour a tad for that great bite. Where do you go? Let’s say river to river, Washington to Girard (rules out the Passyunk Triangle of Hell; many outward taco joints). Have to be able to walk in, designate your choice, and be on the go again w/in 5 minutes, maybe 10 if it’s awesome. Last night was Lorenzo’s @ 4th & South. Always godawful (but cheap and somehow momentarily satisfying) heartburn goo, especially with the all the prohibitions and what. Tonight, 10:45, going south from Hilton Garden Inn. Primo’s: closed. NYPD Pizza: closed. Looking pretty bleak south of Walnut, so I caved and got a Jr. Cheeseburger at Wendy’s. Philly’s sidewalks still seem to be rolling up as early as they were 20 years ago. So: where do y’all go for the fast fix later on?

Anytime of year, preferably late fall, pre-Ikea

Well done! If this thread were about "Name the booze..." I'd submit this one: Jack: Hi, Lloyd. Been away, but now I'm back. Lloyd: Good evening, Mr. Torrance. It's good to see you. Jack: It's good to be back, Lloyd. Lloyd: What'll it be, sir? Jack: Hair of the dog that bit me. Lloyd: Bourbon on the rocks. Jack: That'll do her. Lloyd: No charge to you, Mr. Torrance. Jack: No charge? Lloyd: Your money is no good here. Orders from the house. Jack: 'Orders from the house?' Lloyd: Drink up, Mr. Torrance. Jack: I'm the kind of man who likes to know who's buyin' their drinks, Lloyd. Lloyd: It's not a matter that concerns you, Mr. Torrance. At least not at this point. Jack: Anything you say, Lloyd. Anything you say.

Bingo on Chinatown, kitty cat! That's the second Nicholson line in this thread, I believe. How about these other gems from Jack? * Movie 1 features The Strawberry Alarm Clock doing "Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow" * Movie 2 involves cheeseburgers where the cheese doesn't melt right; purported greatest Italian sausage sandwich (+ "What's an Indiana Dog?"); and complaints about eggs * Movie 3 has one of my fav Nicholson demented responses -- "Mmm, nice" -- after being served eggs "just the way you like them -- sunnyside up!" * Movie 4 opens with a recounting of a story of non-intervention upon Grandpa choking to death on a fish bone ("breaded sole -- the crumbs only helped to conceal the bones"), with Gramps collapsing off his dining chair "looking like the remains of some chaotic dinner party." * Movie 5 features a lot of barbequeing (as I recall)

Scene: Whole broiled fish served for lunch. Host: "I hope you don't mind. I believe they should be served with the head." Guest: "Fine, as long as you don't serve chicken that way."

I've been drinking a lot of Coke Zero with Wild Turkey or Evan Williams -- and turning friends on to it, too. One's dubbed the cocktail Whiskey Zero.

According to Table Talk, the opening is "April 17" (don't know why Klein put the date in quotes -- maybe the fire?).

Wandered in last night a little after 10, and they'd just shut down the kitchen. Kristina kindly offered to try and rustle up something, but I declined, figuring it'd be better that my first meal there to be during normal service. So, can't comment on the food. But I can say I enjoyed my James-hattan (i.e., Manhattan w/spice-infused whiskey [Jack Daniels ]), and the space felt comfortable. About half the tables were occupied, not bad for a Thursday night, I guess. And I had a nice bar chat with perky Rachel of Rachel, Inc., which gave me a chance to ask her why she doesn't act on my many unsubscribe requests regarding the regular party/happening invites floating unsolicited into my inbox. I'm just too old to be a hipster, I explained.

During our dinner at Stocker, we were informed that the chef/owner, Manfred Stocker, was ill with cancer. On a return visit to Hamburg last summer, I was told that he died in Apri, 2006. His wife is continuing the restaurant.

Butt + ribs, I think he meant. In quantity.

Picked up some guanciale made from Berkshire jowls yesterday from d'Angelo's. Silky smooth, fatty, buttery, porky ($20/lb). A bit light on the cure, but definitely Sonny's best results to date. While the jowls were long in arriving, Sonny told me he regularly purchases significant butt-age, selling chops at $8/lb. The chops looked good, but I'm no Berkshire expert. Was in a hurry and neglected to ask about the provenance of the pork.

Stoccafisso, perhaps? Can't say to what it extent it differs from that in the Veneto or Liguria (as mentioned in both respective "Cooking of" threads). Some Marchean restaurants that serve it, though, are proud to display their membership in the Marche chapter of the Stoccafisso Academy.

One manner of preparing/serving lamb chops in Italy is called scotto ditto = "burned fingers".

Fer chrissakes: How may of us actually eat at potential PTT locales bwtn Th and Sat 8-10PM? I, for one, forsake any such booking, on account of the knucleheadedness of the scene. Let the exurbs have their fill at those hours. Gimme a quiet table on a Tuesday. Really. Unbunch the panties, and let an idiotic business idea either (i) suck on the teet of the clueless, or (ii) reside for evermore in the 7th Circle: Proceeding then the current of my sight, Another of them saw I, red as blood, Display a goose more white than butter is. And one, who with an azure sow and gravid Emblazoned had his little pouch of white, Said unto me:"What dost thou in this moat?" To paraphrase Chef from Apocalpyse Now: Don't go in the moat.

Bumping up this thread to give the website. Googling was only giving me the other TdP. This one is La TdP. Having eaten at the restaurant several times, I was much looking forward to lunch there last week. Alas, weather-related flight delays out of Philly resulted in our arriving at the restaurant at 3PM, just after service. We did speak with Moreno about planning a party for 40 or so this fall. He's quite passionate about his dedication to traditional Umbrian cooking, and he was more than happy to craft a menù degustazione that embodies his style and fits our budget. As Dale mentions, the ambience is terrific, both inside and out.