Rosie

Why don't you ask the parents to fill out a form listing their children's favorite dishes? How many children will you be cooking for?

How has the London restaurant scene changed during your career? Is it better now than when you started out, or do you feel particularly nostalgic for any particular period and if so why?

What has your experience been dining in the US?

We ended up at Hunan Cottage last night for dinner. Started out with baby broccoli which were the stems and leaves of a broccoli plant before it starts budding. It was delicious with oil and garlic and is only available for a short time. Then we had a pork shoulder with bok choy. Here it was served with a sauce and vegetables. I think at China 46 it was served with sesame rolls. And of course we had to have a noodle dish so we opted for chicken chow fun. Everything was excellent and we had enough left over for dinner tonight. Meal was $35 with tax and tip. Did you go out this weekend? Be sure to give us a report.

No whitefish from a "smoke shack?" We would stop and pick up smoked whitefish for breakfast and then go back to our motel with a roll of paper towels and inhale the stuff. I have never had better smoked whitefish anyplace.

If Lowell's not working that day he'll come but I won't know until we get closer to the date.

As of now the 17th is good for me. I don't care where you go. I would prefer a preordered tasting menu.

I don't remember seeing a sharing charge at Sofia's or ever being charged. We have shared apps there. I would never dream of sharing an entree. I'm always too hungry! Interesting about your experience there. We felt the same way the last time we ate there and thought it was just a bad night.

Can someone post the address. I'm not even sure where you are going anymore!

I don't like the idea of a sharing charge. However, we usually order two apps so it's not a problem. If we just want to share one app I just take my fork and taste from Lowell's plate. I can see having a corkage fee before a sharing charge. I have been told by restaurateurs that two people will come in and have one app, one entree and one dessert and that's why there is a sharing charge. What is your opinion on this Lou? What has your experience been?

Is this a male gathering or our the ladies invited?

jhlurie---What kind of mushrooms did you have this evening? I remember going to H&H in NYC as an infant and getting such a thrill putting a nickel in the slot and getting food. Can you give me the address and phone # and I'll try to see what I can find out.

The food at 7 Hills is very good also!

Yes, I like Shumi and the fish is very fresh. 30 S. Doughty Avenue, Somerville, 908-526-8596. This BYOB restaurant has shelves filled with saki bottles each with the owner's picture and name on them along with shoe holders filled with personal chop sticks. You need to walk thru an apt. house to get to the restaurant.

18 E Mt Pleasant Ave. Entrance is on S. Livingston Ave. Go into the driveway/parking lot before Bottle King. You'll see some tables outside. It's not gourmet dining. Just very good Italian food.

We don't eat there as often as we would like to. It is a casual BYO neighborhood dive with very good food. We get the chopped salad, special pasta with pot cheese (it's not on the menu) and usually a chicken Murphy. They are known for their chicken Savoy as the owner is the son or nephew from Belmont Tavern. Last time we were there Lowell had fish which was excellent. I also like their eggplant parm. Inexpensive prices. This is a review I wrote about 3-4 years ago. I eat at Stretch's a few times a month because the food is good, portions large and prices reasonable. You need to be told about the excellent food at this small neighborhood BYO storefront restaurant because the place is a "dive" with two televisions playing, no tablecloths and an easy to miss entrance off of the main street. The one attractive feature in the dining room is a delightful mural depicting stores on Mt. Pleasant Avenue in Livingston, along with the Belmont Tavern in Belleville where the original restaurant still exists. Service is casual, specials are recited without their prices and you are not told how they are cooked! For example, the waitress will say, "we have flounder, mussels and salmon tonight." Wine is not poured nor are glasses replaced when a new bottle is opened. Although this is a very nonchalant eatery it gets very busy on weekends and reservations are only taken for five or more. APPETIZERS: Ask for olive oil with garlic in place of the foiled butter to dip the crusty Italian bread that is placed on the Formica table when you are seated. Stretch's salad, large enough for two or three people, is a worthy starter containing chopped mozzarella, roasted red peppers, black olives, red onions, tomatoes and lettuce dressed in a robust balsamic vinaigrette. Greaseless, buoyant fried calamari served with a sweet tomato sauce is crisp with a delightful crunch. Although we love the scungilli salad with celery, red peppers and onions in a lemon/garlic vinaigrette our best liked appetizer is the giambotta ordered with a mix of hot and sweet peppers providing a robust flavor to the potatoes, onions and mushrooms in this dish. Mussels fra diavolo, clams oreganato, broccoli rabe and hot peppers are other exemplary appetizers. ENTREES: Chicken on the bone is featured here and the Chicken Murphy, a luscious mountain of chicken, hot or sweet peppers, potatoes, onions and mushrooms or Chicken Savoy, a house specialty, containing chicken baked with herbs and spices in a tangy wine vinegar sauce are our favorites. The double cut pork chop pizziaola is so yummy you will end up gnawing the bone to get every morsel of the flavorful tender meat. The massive portions of eggplant parmigiana is another well prepared dish with a delicious tomato sauce. Individual entrees can be created by pairing marinara, oil and garlic, vodka or a special cheese sauce with a variety of pasta shapes along with ricotta cheese, sausage, meatballs, mushrooms, broccoli and peas. Lowell and I love the penne with pot cheese. Steak lovers are not forgotten and those with voracious appetites can order a shell steak as well as steak giambotta or steak pizzaiola. Seafood is often a special and I especially like the angel hair linguine with broccoli rabe and shrimp in a garlic and oil sauce; a satisfying dish which reheats beautifully the next day. DESSERTS: You probably won't have room for the desserts which are not made in house but in an emergency the tira misu or ices are good. Coffee is not great, but drinkable.

I thought it was McCormick and Schmick.

Feel free to add more information.

Augustino's in Hoboken will be open on Monday's beginning Sept. 9.

Chefb--Where do you work?

I haven't been here in a few years. Is the same chef/owner there? I think his name was John Saul????? Another excellent restaurant in that area is Corso 98 at 98 Walnut St. BYO

The last time I was at this restaurant was '96 and dinner for 2 with 2 glasses of wine, an extra side dish, tax and tip was $40. I know that was a long time ago. Rents can be high in New Brunswick and I assume you are paying for the atmosphere.

No, we sat in the AC room.

I haven't been to Dish since Steve Santoro left. How are they doing? How is the menu?

1 Tough--Can you tell us what you had there and what was the cost of the meal? Did you have any problem with the decor? Where else do you like to dine?