eGullet NY Indian restaurant outing--open to all

[Suvir Saran]

Suvir can I just take my plate and sit in the kitchen and talk to the cook? 

I often find myself doing just that.

[Suvir Saran]

I see no problems at all. Lets all breathe deeply and slowly... It will all be just swell.

This dinner will go smoothly... Lets not worry about too much.... Please!

[Suvir Saran]

If you dispense with having a name tag, does that mean you don't have to pay?

( logistics)

Do I see a latent interest in being with us that night? Are you in town? Would you want to join? Let us know... I can see if we can get a seat added.

[Wilfrid]

No, that's very kind of you, but really. I am just interested in the details of the planning, as anyone would be.

[Rosie]

Correction. I am bringing 3 bottles of shiraz which will include the wine donation from Lowell and Bara.

[Suvir Saran]

No, that's very kind of you, but really.  I am just interested in the details of the planning, as anyone would be. 

Are you implying we are such a miserable lot that we cannot plan for ourselves?

[Suzanne F]

And I will bring a bottle of something red, most likely wine.

Cakewalk, somewhere around here -- either the India board or the Wine one, I think -- someone posted a link to suggestions of wines to go with Indian food. Sorry I can't point you there right now, but it's been a rough day, and will only get worse (nothing to do with eGullet )

Yvonne: how much lead time do you need to do the name tags? And should people PM you with their "real" names if they want them on the tag? Everyone, please try to comply with Yvonne's deadline. Otherwise we may have a lot of "uh, hey you"s there

[Rachel Perlow]

Nametags, musical chairs, strongbox for money...I'm beginning to feel like I'm in some weird gradeschool event...

I think with this many people, half of whom haven't met about half of them nametags are pretty necessary. The strongbox probably isn't. The amount due is pretty easy to collect exact change. I'm sure an envelope will suffice.

[Matt Zito]

*sigh* I will have to give up my seat at the ever-more-enticing-sounding indian outing. Work calls me out of town, and though I tried my hardest to get out, it is not to be. Hopefully someone will take my spot.

I think I'm never ever going to get to go to an egullet outing......stupid work......

Matt

[Suvir Saran]

Light, fruity whites

Jean Rosen Pinot Blanc 2001 (Alsace, France)

Babich Sauvignon Blanc 2002 (Marlborough, New Zealand)

Rex Hill Pinot Gris 2001 (Willamette Valley, Oregon)

Daniel Gehrs Chenin Blanc 2001 (Monterey County, California)

Chateau de Sancerre 2001 (Loire Valley, France)

Dr. Loosen Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett 2001(Mosel, Germany)

Medium to full bodied whites

"J" Russian River Pinot Gris 2001 (Sonoma County, California)

Domaine Schlumberger Gewurztraminer 2000 (Alsace, France)

Basserman-Jordan Riesling Trocken 2001 (Pfalz, Germany)

Pipers Brook Vineyard Gewurztraminer 2001 (Tasmania, Australia)

Cakebread Chardonnay 1999 (Napa Valley, California)

Light, fruity reds

Bonny Doon Vin Gris de Cigare Rose 2001 (Santa Cruz, California)

King's Ridge Pinot Noir 2001 (Willamette Valley, Oregon)

Sottimano Dolcetto d'Alba 2001 (Piedmont, Italy)

Domaine Hautes Roches Cotes du Ventoux 2001 (Rhone Valley, France)

Medium-to-full bodied reds

Simon Hackett Shiraz 2001 (McLaren Vale, Australia)

EXP Syrah 2000 (Dunnigan Hills, California)

Chateau Ribebon 1998 (Bordeaux, France)

Capezzana Barco Reale 2000 (Tuscany, Italy)

Montes Malbec 2001 (Colchagua Valley, Chile)

Peachy Canyon Incredible Zinfandel 2000 (Paso Robles, California)

Beer and Cider

Anchor Steam Wheat Beer (California)

Red Stripe (Jamaica)

Bitburger Oktoberfest (Germany)

Lion Stout (Sri Lanka)

Chimay Blue (Belgium)

Full Sail Ale (Oregon)

I have Joshua Wesson of Best Cellars for these reccomendations.

www.bestcellars.com

[Rosie]

If anyone is bringing Pipers Brook Vineyard Gewurztraminer 2001 (Tasmania, Australia) or

Cakebread Chardonnay 1999 (Napa Valley, California) I want to sit with them. We are into Australian wines this year as we are going there in May. We are bringing an Australian Shiraz but if anyone has some Turley I am yours for the evening!

[yvonne johnson]

Just some thoughts based on previous eG events:

*I'm with Rachel on paying on arrival.. It beats the headaches of gathering payment at end, when people are leaving in separate groups. We have the price up-front, so my preference would be to get this over and done with.

*Not my initial suggestion the nametags, but I see the utility given we are now 45 people, many of whom have not met one another before. Usually the person to bin any name tag I'm given, I volunteered to put nametags (classy ones if such things can be imagined) together including: board name, avatar, and real name (if preferred-- and many people have PM'd me their real names they'd like on them).

* Drink: Thanks Nina for the update. Tommy makes an important point, as always: how can there be too much in this department? (And if some left, take it home, no?) Also, given there is a bar there's no chance we can run out, right? Individuals/groups can run tabs.

[jaybee]

Under no circumstances will I wear a name tag. I am considering having my name tatooed on my ever-enlarging forehead in purple letters. Saves introductions.

Bottle of red, bottle of white...in my Indian restaurant....

I'll bring a Reisling, which will take care of the person on my left and the person on my right and me. If we figure two people to a bottle, we will need 22 bottles. I suspect we will really need more like 40.

[LaNiña]

Except some people will drink/bring beer...

Another tally coming soon...

[Sandra Levine]

I think I said I'd bring cider. Alan will bring beer.

[Suvir Saran]

This will be a great dinner for all of us... If we are all at our natural best, we can also make it an historical evening in NYC... so many online friends meeting at one restaurant together.... Lets keep this in mind... It could be a great way for each of us to participate in something that could forever be a great small step in the history of eGullet.

Thanks all for your generosity of spirit and patience with my own slow pace in revealing details in the beginning. Thanks for being patient with each other.. And thanks in advance for maintaining the civility with which we have always handled ourselves for the most part.

I am here to help in any way I can to make this a pleasant experience for all attending and also for those that will attend through our posts both now and after the dinner.

If anyone has any concern or worry, please do not hesitate to bring it to me... I shall do all I can to quickly share with you my outlook on it.. And if I can help in alleviating your concerns, I shall do so quickly. It amazes me that we have kept this thread alive so long and so graciously. I could not control my emotions... I had to come and thank each of you for your generous ways. Now that I have been all sappy... I shall continue with my browsing of this thread and others...

[Suvir Saran]

Just some thoughts based on previous eG events:

*I'm with Rachel  on paying on arrival.. It beats the headaches of gathering payment at end, when people are leaving in separate groups. We have the price up-front, so my preference would be to get this over and done with.

I promise not to embarrass any of the 3 fine women that have worked to make this dinner happen.... We still have to wait till next Wednesday... But never too early or late to acknowledge....

I shall thank each of you now...

Yvonne for thinking of this dinner idea...

Nina and Suzanne for each taking stuff in their own hand to help make our dinner next week seamless.

I shall not trouble you by thanking you in public. Lest you turn RED... But I thank you all.(cherchez la femme)

What would I do without the feminine gender in this world? Thanks!

PS: As people come in, they can come and hand me the $50.00. Exact change would b appreciated. I shall give this to the manager as we sit down. Would be the most dignified and also easy way to handle this. Thanks for the suggestion Rachel and thanks for the reinforcement Yvonne.

[macrosan]

On the subject of "social circulation", I also believe this should remain unorganized. The UK eGullet dinner at the New Tayyab was a brilliant culinary and social success, and all that happened was that twice during the dinner someone shouted out "Everybody move round" and everyone did Where they moved to, and excatly when they moved, was discretionary. Granted we were "only" 20 people, it worked very well.

Suvir, it would be helpful if you would publish the earliest time of arrival as soon as possible, since I will be "off the air" from Saturday onward, and I'd hate to turn up too early

I'm very much looking forward to this

[Rosie]

Under no circumstances will I wear a name tag.  I  am considering having my name tatooed on my ever-enlarging forehead in purple letters.  Saves introductions.

Bottle of red, bottle of white...in my Indian restaurant....

I'll bring a Reisling, which will take care of the person on my left and the person on my right and me.  If we figure two people to a bottle, we will need 22 bottles.  I suspect we will really need more like 40.

Jaybee--My experience at these events has been one bottle per person.

[tommy]

Jaybee--My experience at these events  has been one bottle per person.

there is little doubt in my mind that this is going to be the case. with the exception of the beer drinkers, assuming they'll be drinking only beer.

i'm changing from a red to a rielsing or gewurtz, as i probably won't want to drink red.

[LaNiña]

Looks like we're up to:

11 bottles of white

10 bottles of red

2 dessert wines

1 port

1 whisky

1 hard cider

6 people bringing beer

25 people heard from re: booze (some are bringing more than one bottle, obviously)

[macrosan]

Can they mull wine in a tandoor ?

[yvonne johnson]

Under no circumstances will I wear a name tag.

Oh, good (and I don't blame you). One fewer for me to make.

Please, anyone else out there who wishes to remain un-tagged, please PM me. I'll be making my art work this week-end, so, Suzanne, please PM me the final list around Friday-Saturday morning. Thanks everyone.

[Suvir Saran]

Can they mull wine in a tandoor ?

Is this a serious question?

If it is, I am sure they can mull wine for you if you want... You would have to pay for them to get a device made that could hold the wine in the tandoor and mull it for you. Anything can be done in a tandoor... It will only take special devices that can be placed in it.

[Rachel Perlow]

Suvir or whomever collects the money - have an RSVP list with you to check off names as you are paid. That's why I suggested exchanging payment for nametags. The names on the tags that are left, you know haven't paid yet.

It would be nice if there were a separate drinks table, with a tub of ice on top in which to insert bottles of wine and beer. Promotes sharing and leaves more room on the tables for the food.