Pumpkin Lover

Suvir, the NYT review is probably the one to send to your mother! Many, many congratulations. William Grimes was much more on the mark with this review than with his Diner's Journal review. I am so happy for you and everyone at Amma. This is turning out to be some holiday season for you, huh? - Jayanthi

Re: the CU student-- That's amazing!! If well-known graduates were eating there, then perhaps it wasn't my piece that led them there (well-known graduates of Columbia, I hope, can fend for themselves ), but I'll believe it if the currently enrolled student suggested it to them. I'm still a young-enough writer to be wowed when someone listens to my writing. And, Suvir, you're completely welcome about the piece. I'm so glad you and everyone else appreciated it (and I'm also honored that it's being mentioned around your staff!). It should be noted, though, that from beginning to end, the meal deserved nothing but praise. All the reviews I've read, especially that Grimes one, have been (almost) spot on. It was just a night of fantastic food, simple as that. Personally, the best compliments that I got about the piece were from my twin sister (also a CU student)--she's definitely interested in trying out Amma. We may be back before X-mas. That picture of the spinach chaat is perfect! - Jayanthi

Tell me about it. I still think about that shrimp and that halibut. Hoo, mama. I think I should convince my folks to take my sister and me there for a graduation dinner.

I've written an article on Amma in my college newspaper, the Daily Spectator. I had an amazing time at this meal: it was AMAZING, and Suvir and Hemant are AMAZING. Apologies if the writing isn't so eloquent--I'm still somewhat of a novice food writer, and getting descriptions down can be pretty difficult. I hope I've done justice, however, to this AMAZING restaurant!

These past few days have been more than strange for me as far as PMSC... I've specifically craved Japanese food. So yesterday, I got take-out chicken katsu curry, and I also went to a Japanese market down the street (JAS Mart), and bought two bowls of instant yakisoba, and two packages of boil-n'-serve curry. At said market, I bought some wasabi peas, some roasted nuts, and the coolest snack I've ever encountered. Scroll down to the section that says "Roasted Crab Snack." They are the teeniest-meeneist crabs ever! One package is a serving size, and it has 440% of calcium (from the shells). A good way to get lots of calcium before the thingy comes: calcium reduces the pain of cramps, I hear. I'm not sure if the crabs on that site are the same ones that I have. My crabs came in a yellow bag that has some Japanese script, and below that, in English, it says "Let's Party." How could I resist partying with crabs? Mmmmm... crab party. A few hours ago, I was craving chocolate, so I had a mini-Snickers bar and a choco-chip cookie. Now, I want some bacon and cheese.

Heh heh heh. I think my boyfriend might have a problem w/that. ;-) My bed is pretty high, and I store a lot of stuff underneath it. It's dark, and I like to think it's cool down there. Is that a good condition for 'em? They haven't gone soggy yet, so I think I'll wash them off, squeeze them to see how they are, and just use them up ASAP. Kate, we do have a kitchen in our dorm - it's really great. Kristin, I have an obsession with butternut squash. I had butternut squash soup twice last year, and became obsessed, so about a month ago, I roasted some squash and veggies and threw the lot in a blender. I froze some for my fam and man, and it was a hit. I'm looking for more time (soon, I hope) to make a huge batch for myself. ::crosses fingers and prepares to wash squash:: - Jayanthi *EDIT AND UPDATE* Eh. I had three two pound squashes and all were smelly. They didn't set me back too much, so I'm not sad. I bought the squashes at my local greenmarket, one that's set up right outside 115th and Broadway (NYC). This particular greenmarket hasn't had the squash for a few weeks, however. Anyone got a good connection w/a greenmarket that's still selling this squash? I ran away with a four-pounder when I first bought squash, and it was perfect for mah soup.

I live in a dorm room and I've kept some squashes under my bed. They're currently wrapped up in plastic bags, and I just opened one of the bags to check on my oldest squash, bought about a month ago. It smelled very strongly... like dirt. Like the smell I last smelled when I forgot to wash out a container that had held tuna and turned fungus-y on me. So I'm wonderin' - does squash get old and moldy? Even after only a month after purchase? And how should I properly store it? I hope that all I'm smelling is fresh farm dirt, but if there are buggers in my squash, then... no soup for me. - Jayanthi

::claps hands to cheeks:: Thank you, Suvir!! This looks fantastic! - Jayanthi

Hey, is there a menu online that I can peruse? I'd love to check the restaurant out! - Jayanthi

::drools:: ::falls over:: If I'm following correctly, you had this in NYC. What restaurant did you go to for this dish? (Unless I missed the flow of the thread and you cooked this one...)

//Soul Coughing// Hey now, that's awesome! Great band. Once I get a portable boom-box, I'll be listening to music in my (dorm) kitchen. I can imagine it being the radio, though, probably WFUV or WFMU...

I like Teany a lot: the lists of teas are overwhelming, but if you go for something simple, it can be great. I hear the vegan cheesecake is supposed to be one of the best cakes in the city--who knows, but I've been curious to try it. And, the turkey club (I think that's what I got) is good, fake bacon and all. :-) There's a very good possibility that Moby will be around if one happens to walk in... just the other day, I saw him with a bee-autiful lady, and an injured dog (one with those plastic funnels around its neck). It's a pretty chill place.

Bringing up Nice Matin again, but: I'm going there again tonight to try out the Aioli Monstre, which Grimes mentioned in his first mini-review of the place (it's supposed to be a big plate of dippable yums like fish and veggies with a pile of aioli). Wondering if anyone has tried it, and (because I'm going w/my sis), if it's a splittable dish (we're small, give us a break). Thanks!

Yeah, totally--there's one downside to that. What can you do? The rest of the reviews, I think, are pretty much alright. (The pictures are pretty, too). Seriously, they capture what Malaysians really care about in food, which is trying to figure out where you can buy the best of a certain dish, like nasi lemak or pau or whatever. In that sense, I think their reviews are good, and the site needs to be read regularly to really capture all that. And thank ye for the welcome!

There's a really great site w/restaurant reviews: http://www.friedchillies.com/ (My mom's Malaysian, and this is one of the most delicious sites to read).

Extra spicy Hot Mix (the Indian snack)! And only the kind from from Deep, and none of those cheap imitations that Indian groceries sell... although Hot Mix can get expensive sometimes....but, no matter! Need Hot Mix!