Lreda

O.K. back from lunch at Kyoto and must say it blows Nikko away. Much more creativity here. For starters I had a very good miso soup and then a starter of Peppered white tuna in a citrus marinade that is similar in taste to Ponzu with thinly sliced cucumber & fish eggs. Next I had individual pieces of uni, tuna, fatty tuna, eel & hamachi. All very fresh. The sushi chef, Roger who judging by the comment cards hung in the window seems to be the owner who very accomidating, explaining to me a couple of items I didn't recognize. I personally can't resist specialty rolls, and had two. Four Feathers consisted of shrimp tempura, spicy tuna & cucumber inside and wrapped with yellowtail, salmon, tuna & red snapper outside. I-Spy ( Hopefully not named after another certain bomb by Eddie Murphy) had spicy lobster, sweet shrimp(raw), eel, avacado, cucumber & fish egg wrapped with white seaweed. Each roll had 8 pieces to it and I managed to each 6 pieces of each. Cost was $12 each, sufficiant to share for 2-3 people. I'm just a pig when it comes to sushi. Bothered me to leave it behind but my girlfirend is bringing me pastrami from Katz's on E Houston. I made a reserevation for 8/10 people for next Thursday before I left They have habachi there also but I don't think anyone's interested in that. Rachel's post above has the sushi prices so if everyone give me a idea how much they want to spend I'll contact them and set up a menu on Monday. I'll bring some wine and sake for all of to share but if you want anything particular you'll have to bring it. This should be fun. Lou

Rosie, it's quiet tonight and I'm going to work out a menu, and have a little lunch at Kyoto Thursday just to check it out. I'll have details Thurs evening if I don't drink too much sake. A list of people attending would help as to decide whether to get a table or if they have a private kneeling room,

O.K. I'm on it.

Amen. you're quoting yourself. did you forget to log out and in under the other name? good catch tommy. thanks tommy. amen. That's it!!! I'm going to AA tomorrow. Greetings and salutations, Lou

TCD, great post. I'm limited for time right now and will expound late but remember 1 of 10 restaurants make it over the course of 3 years. I'm fortunate that after 8 years my financing is done and yes I can make a better profit off of liquor. But a lot of places don't make it and are forced to sell the license and some lose money because they're selling from a disadvantage. Tommy, if a restaurant sells a $8 bottle of wine for $35, that is a disgrace. I've written in previous post about pricing and don't want to get into my pricing ideas but today's consumers are much more wine savvy than before.

Tommy, to be honest there's a goddamn bigger profit for BYOB's. Just on the top my head they're closed earlier than we do. Less people to pay to wash dishes, hang around to make the odd last desert. Dude, if you want I could probably come up with 10 more reasons why it's more profitable to open a BYOB. Tell you the truth if I had a BYOB, I'd be in better shape, have sex in the afternoon, wouldn't smoke as much as I do and would avoid the gamblers that ask my who I like. They called me at home last night to ask who I liked.(Die-hard Giants fan but told them to take The Friggin Eagles and the Under). No offense to those that have a BYOB, and my father has one now and does very well but he's home earlier than me.

As you might know I have a big problem with the thinking that BYOB"s have a more difficult time turning a profit without the benefit of a liquor license. First of all, a license in Morris Co and I would assume Essex Co runs aprrox $150,000 to $300,000. This is a big risk we take on to create a dining experience. The insurance costs approx $10,000 to $30,000 per year for protecting yourself against someone who has had 5 drinks somewhere else and lives 1 block away and you're not able in 5 minutes to realize he's half in the bag til he knocks it back that he's already wacked. He gets in his car and drives the 2 blocks when the police pull him over and ask where he was. " Officer, I just left An American Grill " Opps!! I read how people who frequent BYOB's are upset proper glasswear isn't provided. Why isn't it? Good Reidel is easily aquired. Unfortunately, based on experiences in eating in BYOB's, on the average, service is slacking when compared with a restaurant that has a liquor license. The reason I believe is because servers aren't tipped on the wine or beer or hard liquor that is allowed in these restaurants. I've made a decision on what type of restaurant I want to run but I don't think not having a license is a detrement at all. Shit, you get home a lot earlier than some putz like me.

Newton also puts out a Calif Claret. Napa Valley. The 98' is out now and is very good but I was tasted on the '99 which will be distributed by the end of the month and it is wonderful. Lou

S**t, I gotta ask her when the date of the show is. Toohooo, it's tough being a grown up male. I'll crawl my way out of this but why do I feel this could be an episode of "Raymond in the Middle". Lou

O.k. let's do it on the 14th at Kyoto or else we'll be celebrating the new year. Everyone who's in let me know by 10/29 and I'll book the lunch. I'll start up a menu that will be ready by 10/29 and everyone can add to it as I'm strickly a sushi guy but know my way around a menu and will consult with Kyoto on what they can do. Please add if you want. I think it's BYOB so give me a price range for yourselves without booze and I'm sure we'll come up with a tasting menu with wine, beer & sake. Lou

Not to be disagree with anyone, but to me #1 Crust- Must be thin but outercrust should be somewhat thick and puffy, #2 Cheese- No crap please, uppe grade mozz, mixed with pecorino, lightly seasoned with fresh greek oregano, #3 Olive oil- lightly basted over outercrust just to allow cheese and seasonal tomato to ahere without weighing down center of pizza #4 Use f*****g fresh seasonal tomatoes. Thank you, I'll be here all week, Lou Opps, 3/4 Semolina & 1/4 cornmeal mixture on the bottom of the dough before it hits the oven

My girlfriend is taking me to see Frankie & Johnny in Dec for my B-Day. What is the best time to call to make reservations? Is it that difficult to get in. Am I looking at FL problems? Help a brother out!! Tommy, where are you? Shit, I gotta eat here, I'm jonesin" Hmmmmm....beefcheeks.........

Very frustrating. I understand. Give them another shot. Did you catch the bartender's name? If it's worthwhile to you, perhaps call in advance and see who's behind the bar the next time you want to go and if it's someone different go because you like the food. Horrible thing for a owner to get pegged down because a server's having a bad day. No excuse, but give it another shot and you can blame it on management.

Funny, going to Columbia University for routine medical tests tomorrow and have plans to go to Arthur Ave to the market for rabbits. Will report back. Lou

Thanks Nick, but in my excitment to post after my imposed self-exile I mis-read the question. See I've had nothing to do in the afternoons on my break and started wine tastings for my usual suspects at the bar. Be cool, Lou

Paul, you're right about Esposito's it's very good.

I'm assuming from your post you're a chef in a restaurant in Harding. If so call: Call D'Artagnan and ask for Maureen 973-344-0565 or Far Hills Seafood and ask for Rick 973-578-2820 Welcome to egullet and good luck ChefJeff

You dined at my place over 5 months ago and I offered to make up to you for what was in your word a less that medicore at best dinner. You waited all week for someone to jump on the bandwagon even though Chefb had a better meal the 2nd time around than the 1st time. ( I was at a wedding the 2nd time so I couldn't even plate each dish the night he was there to make sure everything went well). I do however take offense to your comment on kissing ass. I have a business that does demand that I cater to customers. I come to this forum once again trying to add something positive in regard to dining in the Garden State and with your limited posts leads me to this you have a agenda with my place. I don't enjoy seeing my place being downgraded by posters on this forum but it comes with the territory of being a public figure. At this point I am frustrated of trying to defend myself to occasional faceless posters while I have a name and face to go along with my posts. I will not post in N.J. any longer. It's a shame, because I think this is a imformative place for foddies to come and find out about the ins and outs behind the scenes of restaurants and I hope I added a little insight.

Either Kyoto or Nikko, doesn't matter to me. Let's get a show of hands for where and if the 31st is O.K. with everyone

O.K. I goofed. I've done a small lunch menu for us but unfortunely I can't do the 17th. I've got a full day of medical tests that I can't cancel on. May I move this to the 31st at 12:00 at Nikko.Will this effect all those that were planning to go? Let me know who can attend on the 31st. Lou

Hey listen, if something is wrong you MUST express yourself while in the restaurant, first while dining to your server. Second, if that doesn't help the situation then talk to management on the way out Third and last post it here. But if it's about my place send me a PM. I hate to read about my downfalls here!!

Yes, I'll get to work on it. Paul sent me the menu but I really haven't looked hard at it. It's my 1st day back to work. I'll look at it over the weekend and e-mail Paul a tasting menu. I'll do a light menu as it is lunch. If everyone who's attending just confirm now. I'll call and see where they can sit ( or let us kneel) us. Lou

Can someone pick a date? I'm good for most days.

No loophole. Torricelli resigned after the 51 day limit. Lautenberg will not be on the ballot. He will have to be written in. Good ridance Torch

that would be a sight: rosie standing on a telephone book giving a lapdance.