alacarte

Here's my "foot-soldier" review -- meaning how crowded the restaurant looks when I pass by. Last night at about 7PM, the restaurant was only half-full (usually it's teeming). That said, Monday is not considered the optimal night to eat out (thanks Tony Bourdain) and 7PM is still early by most trendy diners' standards -- so this may indicate nothing in terms of current buzz. I'll have to do a walk-by on a Friday night to get a better read. Bar Jamon still was packed. FYI, because Casa Mono is essentially a fishbowl, it's one of the few places on which one can get a reliable read with with the "foot-soldier" walk-by method.

It's OK, kind of ordinary, the food is decent quality but I thought it was uninspired. It's owned by B.R. Guest (they also own the Dos Caminos chain, Blue Water Grill, and Park Avalon). I took a team of co-workers there a couple of years ago, and they did seem to enjoy themselves.

How do you boil anything in a bathtub? That's a really good question. I never gave much thought to the logistics.

Friday night was a blast -- what a great way to start the week! I preferred the Grimaldi's pizza to Patsy's. I felt that the Grimaldi tomato sauce was fresher and I didn't care for the extreme char of the Patsy's crust. And I agree that the Grimaldi's toppings were excellent, especially the fennel-laced sausage and briny olives, while Patsy's toppings were good quality but ordinary. Still, I enjoyed Patsy's pizza very much. My favorite of the Patsy's pizza was the plain one -- not the fresh mozzerella, sorry, guys. IMHO, the fresh mozz was too bland, although the fresh basil was a nice choice. The classic mozz just stood up better to the sauce and made for a more well-rounded slice. The decor is nothing to write home about -- very hole-in-the-wall -- going there at night was the kindest thing we could have done for the decor. Maybe Blondie will redecorate the joint. The staff was frenzied and it was hard to get their attention at times, but when they finally made it over to our table they were very hospitable, especially Victor. I think he would have stayed at our table telling stories all night if Patsy's weren't so busy. Just loved his hand-in-the-oven story!

...and add approximately 3 inches to one's waistline. just kidding. were any non-cream puff items selling, like the cheese cake sticks? thanks for such a thorough report, Suzanne.

Peeps Rock! My guess is that the mystery ingredient will be white tuna. I second hillvalley's request -- Chris, please post the link when your article is available, I'd love to read it!

Arroz con pollo -- Oven-roasted chicken with lemon juice, paprika and bay leaves, served with spanish rice and steamed asparagus, peppers, and baby carrots. gorgeous photo, pcarpen. I think I hear my stomach rumbling.

Florence Fabricant wrote them up in the Wednesday NY Times too: A Cream Puff to Make New York Go All Soft at the Center

I had the opportunity to interview Matt Lee (of the "Boiledpeanuts.com" website Varmint mentions and a food/travel writer, both with his brother Ted Lee). He said that he started making boiled peanuts while living in NY in 1994. He'd literally make a batch in the bathtub of his apartment on Ludlow Street. Here's a snippet from the interview, as to why he thought he'd make boiled peanuts a popular NY city bar snack: Cafe Beulah is no longer with us in NY, but the boiled peanuts catalog lives on. In fact, it's celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. The Lee Bros. are publishing a cookbook sometime this spring -- Matt mentioned plans to promote the book by hooking up some custom built barbeque and peanut-boiling rig behind a patched-up VW bus and touring the U.S., giving Americans nationwide a dose of boiled peanuts. I think he was kidding, but who knows!

On a more serious note, I dined at Ulrika's recently too. I shared the herring sampler appetizer, which was very good (and fun to eat) but reminded me of the majtes herring that comes in a jar. I think I was hoping for fresh herring, rather than pickled -- but I understand that's a seasonal thing here, apparently it's imported in the spring and is available in the U.S. for a very short time. Followed that up with the Swedish meatballs served with mashed potatoes, sauteed spinach, and lingonberries (which resemble tiny cranberries). Oddly, meatballs -n- mashed potatoes reminded me of Jewish soul food, as did the herring. I tried the same drink, and I thought it was one of the highlights of the meal. It was so pretty, it looked like pink and green flowers floating in the glass! Next time I go back, I'm trying the hot glogg. Like rlibkind, I also eyed my neighbors' plates...the table next to us had orded a tasting menu -- and everything looked great. And the dishes just kept coming! They were seated and nibbling herring when we arrived, and still were nibbling contentedly even as we paid the check and departed.

you know, a good swig of Lavoris will help fix that.

Clickety. Jitter Jitter. Clickety. from the mastermind behind The Regrettable Gallery of Food.

Is there a distinction between Kentucky and Virginia ham -- other than the obvious geographic difference? Is there a difference in the way the pigs are raised, the smoking of the meat, the spices used, the preservation methods?

Interesting article on TJ's -- as viewed through the tint of a wine glass. I'm surprised they didn't mention the Trader Joeses expansion throughout the U.S. When did it start to branch out? I'd never even heard of it until a few years ago.

Good luck! And it's wonderful that you are enjoying the process of building the restaurant too. Puts one in mind of the old saw about enjoying the journey as much as the destination.

No posts on the restaurant start-up in awhile. Either Bond Girl is busy, or we have discouraged her. What's the scoop, Bond Girl?

FoodMan's tahini recipe is included in his eGCI class on Lebanese cuisine.

so off topic, but so funny! steering back on topic. This is a very eggy time of year in both religions, isn't it? Lent begins and ends with eggs. Easter eggs. Eggs at Passover (roasted on the seder plate and served at seders in salted water). Eggs for the classic matzah brie. Anyone want to lease me a chicken for the duration of the spring holidays?

Peeps! PEEPS! PEEEEEPPPPPS!!!!!

Guess Hesser is taking one for the team. I attended a 92nd Street Y panel at which she shared that she'd done reviews for the NYT when she first joined the paper, but that she disliked doing restaurant reviews.

Sounds like a combination of Woody Allen and Sex & The City. My cure for the blues is to order a take-away meal from the most expensive restaurant that will deliver to my door -- INCLUDING DESSERT -- mix a batch of margaritas and wallow at home in solitude, with a stack of mystery novels. And I'm defiant if I get chocolate on the pages of the books. Always makes things brighter the next day. Hope your skies clear up soon, Ondine.

I think that's the commercial that tells viewers that Quizno's will honor all coupons, even ones for oil changes or hairplugs. ergo, beware of paper cuts from the coupons. I guess it's a better commercial than I'd thought if it captured my mindshare like this. Speaking of outlandish and bizarre food commercials...how about the one for Pepperidge Farm goldfish crackers? "It's the snack that smiles back...until you bite its head off." Yikes. What are they smoking at ad agencies this day? And where can we get some?

Kitchen Arts & Letters rocks my world. Try also Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks on 10th St. in the West Village. If you can find the store, it's a treat. I second the Hell's Kitchen recommendation. I'd also recommend Orso on restaurant row. Reservations a must for both during the pre-theater rush.

I agree with the comment about La Golue being the place to "see & be seen," not the place to eat. I stopped in for a bite recently, and was disappointed by the food. We ordered a cheese plate that was attractively garnished with walnuts and candied quince, but with barely enough fromage to feed an anorexic fly, let alone "l'appetite Americaine." I'd also add Cafe Deville (3rd Ave & 13th St.) and L'Express to your list. L'Express is more brasserie than bistro, but it's open 24 hours. I do love that I can get rillettes round the clock. Based on markk's description, I really want to try Tournesol.