Mistinguett
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Posts posted by Mistinguett
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Zaelic, I don't agree about going for italian in Bucharest. If I had to eat just to feed myself, I'd rather buy a lb. of tomatoes, a cucumber, 200 gr. of ham and a bread (excellent bread everywhere) - that would be 10 times cheaper and better than the best italian restaurant in the city.
And what's wrong with grilled meat and french fries? Nothing, I say.
Bucharest might be the most expensive city in Romania (it's the capital, what can you do) but it's still cheaper than U.S. or Australia (I'm guessing about Aus., haven't been there yet).
Worst come to worst, there's always "La Mama" (one location behind Eva store in the center of the city) - amazing white bean soup with smoked ribs, eggplant salad, fresh mixed salads, in-season fruits and what else.
Rojerk, try the stuffed cabbage/cabbage rolls ("sarmale") - if you see them on the menu.
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All I could help a bit with would be Romania.
In Bucharest, there's this terrace I went to several times last September and I really liked. It's 10 minutes (at the most) from downtown either by subway or taxi, but the real challenge is to find it. It's in the so called "Children's little town", a sort of an aging Luna Park. If interested I could e-mail you some pointers on how to get there.
The owner of the place, nicknamed Spaniolul - and the name of the terrace is "La Spaniolul" makes everything on premises. Every time I went there were fresh lambs hanging in hooks, waiting to be butchered and cured and grilled for lamb "pastrama" - that is not really what we know as pastrami, just lightly salt cured and grilled meat, tender and delicious. He also makes fresh grape juice, a fall staple in Romania - but August might be a little early for that. Hard to find tender pork skin can be found here, too (ask for "sorici", makes a great appetizer).
Here's Spaniolul and a platter with lamb pastrama, mici (little sausages without casing) and polenta.
I never heard of Budesti, it's probably a small village and that could be a good thing. Baile Herculane it's a touristy place and I'd avoid eating in restaurants. As with all the other places, I'd ask around for a good place to eat. Heck, I'd try to eat in somebody's home but if not possible I'd look around for a "pensiune" - that's a sort of bed and breakfast.
Ask around for a "stana" that's a sheep pen in the mountains where friendly and lonely shepperds live for months at a time - you'll be more than welcome to share their food, mostly incredible fresh cheeses. IF you're lucky, you might even get to try a lamb "owtlawry" style - that is a lamb that is burried on coals until it "pops". Come to think of it, this would make a good "No Reservations" episode - I could be the guide
Edited to add:
Don't miss: the vegetables and fruits at markets and road stands. The pretzels and (some sort of) doughnuts, hot from the oven/frier - great for breakfast or snack, there are fewer and fewer places in Bucharest but I know of at least 3: the pretzels by Cocor store and Piata Romana, doughnuts by cinema row on the way to Cismigiu Park.
Also, although not food related - I hope you'll get to see the Merry Cemetery in Sapanta, it's just an hour from Viseu.
Excuse the lenghty post, I hope it's been some help though.
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Bugey Cerdon
in Wine
You'll also find it at Astor Wines.
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GaijinGirl, you'll find dragon's beard candy at Deluxe Market in C-town, the stand that also sells peanut soup. It's right by one of the entrances but of course I can't remember which. It might be Mott.
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Payard - the last time I was there was mid-april and it's still the best. I actually gave up my birthday cake in favor of the small pastries - they're all little tastes of heaven.
If I may add to the list, Ceci-Cela on Spring St. at Lafayette and if you're willing to trek to Queens, there's this european pastry shop that I've been forever raving about - Nita's bakery - 40-10 Greenpoint Ave. in Sunnyside. A short 10 minutes ride on the 7 train from midtown to the 40th st. stop and walk 1 block south.
Edited to add pictures from Nita's - this way you might decide if it's worth the trek.
One of the 4 display cases
and the so called "cataif" maybe because of the cataifi shreds.
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This is maybe the earliest childhood memory I have, I was probably 2 y old.
To be able to keep an eye on me, my mom had me sit on the counter next to the kitchen sink while she was cleaning some fish. I had this habit of digging my finger deep into the freshly cleaned, open fish and taste it. I got scolded for it so I figured that when she slightly turns her head I could get away if changing the tactic. She caught me only when she noticed that I suck my toe.
That would translate today in my love of sashimi I guess.
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Blood sausage and any part of the pig from snout to tail I grew up with and I don't consider them exotic. Even had spleen and lungs - nothing was wasted when my grandpa would kill the beast.
Pork mountain oysters (a.k.a. testicles) were part of the mixed grill we had for our engagement party, along with pork spinal cord and of course, regular meats like chops and tenderloin and sweetbreads. :lol:
Other than that: bear and deer sausages, frog legs, alligator, chicken legs, sea cucumber... can't even remember what else.
I've never had insects and I'm in no hurry to try those. Other than that, I'm game.
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Marlena, definitely get the double shack burger.
As for the concrete, the best way to describe it - my way - is a big cup with melting ice-cream with your choice of toppings. Very sweet/rich and huge, I shared one with my husband and it was almost too much. After a double shack and fries, that is. As far as choosing what to get, see the laminated menus they have by the registers.
On saturday the lines were so ridiculous that I spend my entire lunch break waiting for my order. Sadly, I had to eat it cold later, when I was able to take a 10 minutes break.
I'm still sorry I didn't take a picture of the Q&A board they put up where the line to order is - one of the q's is about the long lines, the answer being "Remember that we are not a fast food place". They're absolutely right and I'll never attempt to go for lunch there, as much as I love the place.
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Flinflon, I'm a lover of the extra-crispy ones but I've never requested them, never thought it's possible for the rhythm that you guys work there.
As about the straight-cut, too bad they were a mistake. I'd be willing to sign a petition for the mistake to be repeated. :lol:
I'll be there for lunch this week, keep up the good work.
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I've been going for lunch at Shake Shack every time I'd work in the area (every month or so) since they opened, and finally got to take my husband to try the shack burger on monday. Last friday I got the shoestring fries and loved them, but when we arrived on monday they had again the crinkle cut. However, waiting for our burgers I saw the girl dumping in oil a full bag of what looked to me like the shoestring ones. I asked the guy at the window for them and told him that we're willing to wait until they're done but he said that they had those for the weekend only. Not five minutes after we got most of our order he called me at the window to pick up the concrete and apologized for not knowing that they had the shoestring ones and offered them free of charge. I was happy not for the freebie, but because I really-really like them. Maybe if enough of us ask they'll make the change.
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Trish, the price went up since last fall, straight to $16.99. Lately in NY I was able to find it only at Astor Place Wines and the uptown Whole Foods. Chelsea Wine Vault didn't have it on the shelf for the last year or so (or maybe I was unlucky when I went there).
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The last two flavors I tried: White chocolate raspberry truffle (good, but not as good as Godiva's) and Dulce de Leche Light - I think I like it more than the regular, I'll have to try more to make sure.
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My mother used to make a pudding-like dish with it, eggs and crumbled feta cheese and a tablespoon or 2 of sugar, probably to balance the saltiness of the feta.
Otherwise I think you can use it any way you'd use any hollow pasta and you can break it smaller before boiling.
Funny that I was just telling my husband the other day that I haven't seen this kind of pasta around.
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Stanley, I don't have any stories about roommates, I just wanted to say "Welcome to the neighborhood!"
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Cracking the shell all around and rolling the egg gently will work every time.
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In Romania there's cozonac and pasca.
Cozonac is a sweet bread, fluffy and seldom plain - with either pieces of lokum or raisins, or a filling made of cocoa and walnuts, or cocoa and poppy seeds.
Pasca is a tart made with the same sweet bread dough with a cheese filling (much like a cheesecake) with raisins and lemon peel.
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Guppymo, I'll add my thanks for this thread.
Can I add a request also?
Please, some recipe for the marinated carrots - I found out that they're marinated in a water-vinegar-sugar solution, but I'd much appreciate a ratio and also, what kind of vinegar? I'd guess rice vinegar, but I want to make sure. I'm talking about the strips of carrot and daikon that come with lettuce for a variety of dishes in vietnamese restaurants. Thank you in advance.
That stingray soup looks amazing, as does everything else - please keep them coming.
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If you task your local cafe or market to grind your beans, ask them to grind them on a "Coarse" setting. Don't grind them as you would for use in a French Press, Automatic Drip or Espresso machine, you'll be disappointed in the results.
The French Press setting gives pretty coarse grounds, I'm a little confused here, it's the second highest setting. I was ready to try today the cold brewing for the first time, should I not waste the coffee?
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I gathered the courage to finally post my attempt to fifi's recipe. This happened over a month ago and I my first try was for half the recipe. The second time I did the full recipe but I didn't take any more pictures.
I did not upload the picture of the roux because I had to use the flash with the macro setting (whenever I use the macro without the flash the pictures come out blurry and especially so when done with one hand
) - so the picture I took came out too light and did not reflect the real beautiful color that I got in reality. It was for real that perfect Hershey's bar chocolate brown. So the first picture is of the vegetables added to the roux.
the sausages added to the pot
part of the stock added
right before it came to simmer, all the stock added
and the end result - my small portion as it was late at night. My husband finished off the rest in one sitting.
I followed fifi's recipe to the letter (except I used red pepper instead of green) and I was delighted about the perfect balance of flavors and heat, the recipe is printed and filed and it will be repeated anytime I'll have 4 hours + for cooking.
My gratitude to fifi and all of you who keep inspire me every day.
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The Pistachio is excellent also. I always have a hard time deciding between Pistachio and Rum Raisin, so I'll get both. Sometimes Dulce de Leche, other times the Mango sorbet. Sometimes I get distracted by Godiva, which is always near Haagen-Dazs.
Now I have to try the coffee.
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John mentioned Vlad's birthplace and Sighisoara is correct.
Bran Castle is known as Dracula's Castle because of Bram Stoker's novel, but in actuality Vlad has never lived there, apparently he only stayed there once overnight. His castle is now in ruins, at Poenari.
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I watched how the soup dumplings are made at a restaurant in Flushing while waiting to place a take-out order.
The ladies had 2 big bowls in front of them - one with the meat mixture and the other one with something lighter in color and smoother (like a creamy ground product), looking slightly gelatinous. After placing a small amout of the meat in the wrapper, a smaller amount of the mystery filling was placed next to the meat and the wrapper was closed.
From the looks of it I assumed it's a little more than just a reduced bone soup. A recipe would be interesting indeed.
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I'd love to read Fat Guy's opinion as I also rate NGB as the best for both soup dumplings and fried dumplings.
As I tried Yeah SD, I find Fat Guy's statement: "There's a significant step down from New Green Bo to the next best few soup-dumpling places in town" to be most accurate. IMO Yeah's soup dumplings are on par with Joe's and both are way inferior in both skin and flavor.
I've enjoyed the fried dumplings at Dumpling House until I "discovered" the NGB ones.
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We'll definitely spend a full day on St. John and will have a rental car, planning to take the car ferry. Thanks for the directions.
Must have food experience:Croatia,Bulgaria&Romania
in Elsewhere in Europe: Dining
Posted · Edited by Mistinguett (log)
In Sinaia don't miss the Peles Castle, some extraordinary views of the mountains from there. Also on the way up (a nice walk) there's a great restaurant ("crama") I wish I remembered the name... but you might be able to recognize it - all white walls with dark brown/black wood, it's a rather striking building. I remember having the most wonderful deer sausages there.
Edited 'cause "sausage" it's such a hard word to spell... duh!