Pumpkin Lover

That is SO AWESOME

Too true, man. That kind of thinking led me to believe, in my first post about all this, that the servings would be skimpy anyway. Looking back at the NY Times review, I realize that the drinks, wings, and Thai jewel dessert were the dishes/drinks that really caught my eye. Worse comes to worse, my sister and I will go there to get wasted and eat wings. Not that far a departure from my life now, drinks and wings.

I dunno, actually. I mean, the food sounds really good, but I know I could go to Chinatown and eat at Jaya, or something like that. I realize it's probably a dumb decision to try and not spend too much money, but... oh, I don't know. I've never been to a hip place while it's still new--never could afford it. Perhaps I'm just trying too hard? Blarg.

Don't mean to interrupt the convo, but: I fell for the reviews of Spice Market, and made a reservation for me and my sister. We're poor. I know that, as a poor person, I shouldn't attempt to eat at places like these yet (places associated with big names, etc.... you know what I'm sayin'), but I couldn't help myself. What dishes would you guys suggest for poor people like me? Should I stick to cocktails and appetizers? Try out some of the entrées? Hesser listed some of the entrées as being $6. Is this for real, or are they just really tiny? Should I plan to buy a falafel afterwards? I guess, for my sister and I, we'd like to stick to the $50 and under range. If this is impossible at SM... well then, we're screwed.

I wish that I had read asola's posts while I was in town! There's always next time... but man, Foxos sounds great. Thanks for the advice, everyone--I'm back in NYC, dreaming of Spanish wines. During my stay in the city, I lived in an apartment with eight other ladies at the south end of the Rambla, C. Santa Monica. Two minutes away from the Boqueria--one morning, I bought enough slices of jamon serrano to last me the day's sightseeing. Here are my highlights: 1) Mou Celler. It's listed in the guidebooks, but it was a quality restaurant, and it gave me my first *real* exposure to tapas. Baccala with tomatoes and oil, omelette with olives, ham croquettes (YES!), a huge slice of bread with jamon iberico (it reminded me of Chinese roast pork), a cheese plate (manchego, two types of brie, cana de cabra, roquefort), patatas bravas. I don't have the address, but it was great. 2) Celler de Gelida. A beautiful wine shop on Vallespir, an area of the city that was devoid of tourists and therefore very welcome to me. It was AMAZING: each wine came with a description provided by the store, including how long one should age it, etc. I know next to nothing about wine, but I think I came away with some purchases that I'll always cherish. I highly suggest this store; my twin sister was tipped to it from another food/wine forum, I'm not sure which. By the way, the store itself was beautiful, with wood floors and shelves, and a small staircase in the back. Gorgeous. 3) Quimet y Quimet. Amanda Hesser and Jeffrey Steingarten both wrote about this place in 2002, and it was everything that they said it was. High quality preserved and canned foods became tapas. Salmon on toast with a thick yogurt, spicy honey, and vinegar (or maybe it was a Heinz bottle that I saw?); pate with roasted cipollini onions on toast with BV; olives wrapped in anchovies and speared with an onion; clams on tomato and toast, topped with caviar; vinegary mushroom salad with small slices of pate; toast topped with a cheese that we think was called Obeha (? it's a soft, spreadable cheese that had a salty, strong flavor on its own), topped with a chestnut. Everything was MINDBLOWING. I discovered how great Ochoa dessert wine is. 4) Finally, here's a new one that hopefully no one here has heard of. It's a Japanese restaurant that, evidently, other chefs in Barcelona flock to. My friend was friends with a chef there (say hi to Suzuki-san!) It's called Shojiro Restaurant, Ros de Olano, 11. We had the menu del dia for lunch: an amuse of tuna in vinegar, tempura of white baby shrimp, filet of pork, and mango parfait. Shojiro changes the menu every day; sometimes, it's more Japanese, and other days, it's more Spanish. The pork was killer. Everything was perfect, not too oily like some tempura here in the NYC. I wish I were back; I wish I had bought more wine at Gelida!!! Someone go buy wine there in my honor! Again, thanks for the advice. You luckies in Barcelona, keep the city safe for me when I get back there! *Edited for spelling*

Bux, I'm flying out of Newark, NJ on Saturday afternoon. Do you have exact addresses for those two other markets? (I can Google 'em, but in case you have the info on hand, it'd be great). After reading Marlena's blog, I'm inclined to try out the bars near the Boqueria; hopefully, the areas surrounding those two other markets will be as fruitful. And in response to jariggs's comment: do most tapas places adhere to specific hours? Are some of them all day-joints? Thanks so much for the responses so far. And, one more question: my trip is, I guess, now officially up in the air due to the Madrid attacks. I'm inclined to go anyway, as someone who lived through 9/11 in Manhattan. What would be everyone else's advice about this? According to the Washington Post, the ETA declared a ceasefire only in Catalonia. Should I take faith in this statement? *Edited for spelling*

Hey guys-- Out of the blue, I discovered that my twin sister and I would be going along with a bunch of our friends to Barcelona. We're leaving on Saturday night, arriving on Sunday morning. I have no idea where in the city we're staying, but I'm willing to travel to places that you all suggest. I'm on the lookout for tapas bars, especially ones that can be accomodated on a small budget. Are there any suggestions that you guys have? I know that I at least want to check out Quimet i Quimet, the bar that Amanda Hesser reviewed in the NY Times magazine a couple years ago. Are there any other "can't miss" places that I should keep my eye out for? Also, I should mention: I only have five full days in Barcelona, and one of those days might actually be in Madrid. So I'm gonna need to pack in a lot of eating during that time! I plan to try and check out the Boqueria market that Marlena wrote about in her food blog. Any other markets to check out? Any other ANYTHING to check out? (Cheap) wine stores? Restaurants? (I think I'd only like to spend 30 euros at most on dinner, and not even for all the nights that I'll be going out. I'm really broke, gah). I'm so excited! Any suggestions you guys have would be great. - Jayanthi

Because of this thread, I just purchased a turkey, brie, and honey mustard sandwich on ciabatta--my first taste of ciabatta--from Milano Market. Hummina hummina.

Ooh, me me me.!! Hey, watch it! We're drunk on Foucault and Freud; at least, that's what we tell our folks. Someone on the last page asked about the brunch at Kitchenette: I find it to be more reasonably priced than the lunch or dinner menus. The Lumberjack is a pretty good deal, as is the Farmhouse. Their eggs with herbed sour cream is really nice, and sometimes they have a salmon cutlet/cake-y thing sandwich with homemade tartar sauce that's yummo. Portions are huge. They have a website, but the menu @ Kitchenette Uptown is more extensive, I think.

I'll add another vote for Noche Mexicana. Their combo platter is awesome. Plus, cheap beer, yay!

Kate's Joint 58 Avenue B New York, NY 10009 Good fake dogs, and disco fries! (the fries aren't vegan). I believe that much of their menu is vegan, however. Teany 90 Rivington St New York, NY 10002 Moby's own place. My BF likes the Teany club sandwich, which is vegan. They also have cheese sandwiches, plus the usual array of (vegan and non-vegan) tea snacks, like scones and muffins. This is more like a tea/coffeehouse than a restaurant, but the sandwiches are pretty good, and the tea selection is amazing. Plus, they have the best vegan cheesecake in NYC! (I'm totally not the person to be a sucker for something like vegan cheesecake, but for realz--if you're feeling guilty about a big dinner, and you still want something like cheesecake, Teany's vegan cake is really amazing, texture-wise and everything. Fresh berry garnish. Mmmmmm.)

Just to add somethin' to the mix: up on 122th and Broadway--Harlem/Morningside Heights, I know, but for us students, I guess it can still be considered UWS--there's a block of semi-new restaurants that are pretty good for us poor undergrads. There's Seze Medi (I've only heard that they're pizzas are good, don't know about the pastas and entrees), Max Soha (of Max's Downtown--I don't know what MD's reputation is like, but I die for their lasagne), Kitchenette (a little overpriced, but nice for brunch), and Max Cafe, a great place for small plates, coffee, and cocktails. The block is being developed along with Columbia's new School of Social Work, so they're trying to bring all the graduate student-hipsters into their businesses. But, still--these places are pretty good, especially on the wallet.

Just to add to the India-and-beef thing: it's already been mentioned, but religious other than the Hindu practice flourish in India, and eating beef is a-okay in non-Hindu communities as long as people are respectful of their neighbors. R.W. Apple Jr. made a small mention of beef-eating Indians in this lovely article on South Indian cuisine in the NY Times. I also remember reading, in a Lonely Planet guidebook to India, that Goa, being a predominantly Christian city, is known for its various beef dishes (I think LP mentioned beef vindaloo).

At some club meeting a couple months ago, I had wings from a kosher restaurant, Dougie's BBQ. I thought they were absolutely amazing--the first time I had them, they were covered in a spicy, vinegar-y wing sauce. Thick, juicy, a great tasting batter, and lots o'meat. I had them again tonight as take-out. I didn't know whether or not they would come covered in that sauce again (they didn't, but one can order the sauce on the side). My sister bought a bottle of blue cheese dressing (*I think kosher laws prohibit the combo of blue cheese and chicken, but we're not Jewish), but for real--these wings didn't need any accompaniment at all. The batter was DELICIOUS, and there was a ton of meat. I'm not sure if they were marinated, but it was like eating mini-honey fried chicken. Incredible wings on the Upper West Side--thank God!! *Edited because after reading that article on kosher laws in the LA Times, I wasn't sure about my own interpretation on kosher laws, and didn't want to cause any offense to people who know more stuff than me

Hey, Stone: do you happen to remember the name of the place? There are so many restaurant supply stores around Delancey, Rivington, etc., that I've never braved myself and actually gone into one. If you found good knives at a good price, I'd love to know about it (I'm in that area a lot). And, the Victorinox knives some of you are mentioning: is that the same company that makes/sells Swiss Army products?

Going back to NYC for a sec: Angel's Share, on Stuyvesant St. (which is that itty bitty street near E. 9th and 3rd) makes a great mojito. They're famous for their lychee daiquiris and renditions on old-timey drinks like the Sidecar, but that mojito is really something. Angel's Share 8 Stuyvesant St New York, NY 10003 Cross Street: Between 9th Street and 3rd Avenue The door to the bar is located within the Korean restaurant that the staircase leads to when you enter the building.

Firsties: awesome blog, Helen and Kristin! Second...ies: Baskin Robbins in Japan RULES TREMENDOUSLY. They have Turkish Delight-flavored ice cream! With chunks of rose Turkish Delight floating in ice cream! Guh. To die for. Consider yourselves very lucky women, K and H!

Hey, do you think that quality bagels are still being produced in Flushing? I travel there a lot for dim sum and other Chinese/Malaysian eats. I'd love to know if there are any bagel jewels hiding around out there.

I saw Columbia Hot Bagels mentioned a few times (Broadway, near 110th). COLUMBIA HOT BAGELZ RULEZ. There is no better post-drinking snack than a CHB. And, I believe that they will be closing in spring 2004 due to building renovations, so if you can, get 'em now. (If you're interested in reading about the renovations of that building, I think that my college paper, Spectator, has some articles about it. Do a search of "Columbia Hot Bagels"). And, I've had bialys at Kossar's before, but I can't remember if they make bagels or not. That's some damn good bread right there.

Fantastic advice--my folks have decided to open one of the bottles during X-mas morning, so I'll let them know about what you guys think. One more question, however: where can I determine prices on these bottles? A lot of sites out there have inconclusive info, and I even tried my favorite liquor store, Astor Wines and Spirits, to no avail. Are there online merchants who might have a nearly correct prices on these two? Again, many thanks--all this totally rocks.

Thanks for the links! One question: one of the posters over there stated the following: //1993 Dom Perignon--Crisp dense fruit, very elegant but too young and tight. Needs time. (89)// How much time, y'think?

Hey everyone-- I need some help. My folks recently received a bottle of 1993 Dom Perignon, and they also uncovered a 1985 DP Rosé. They wanted me to try and find tasting notes, ratings, and pricings on these two, but simple Googling hasn't really helped. Do you guys have any inside info on these two champagnes (and also, are there any links you would suggest should I run into this situation again)? Thank ye! *Edited for grammar*

Aw, man, that is a GREAT music-while-eating-Indian suggestion!

Of course!

Whoops! That's Jayanthi Daniel, but no worries