NY regional dinner

[Liza]

Yaffa's on Harrison St. In Mid-Sept, I delivered a crate of donated tomatos to Yaffa herself, as she was cooking food for the rescue workers. In my post, I wasn't suggesting that we dine at Chanterelle or even at Yaffa's, merely that if we're talking about helping downtown, let's help those places that could really use it because they helped out when it was really necessary.

[=Mark]

I've been eating in Chinatown regularly since the early sixties when Bill Dekooning introduced me to some long gone restaurant in a basement space on Doyers Street. I wooed my wife in cheap Chinese restaurants and we continued to eat in them for years.

I remember that place!  It was downstairs across from the Chinatown Post office.  I was brought there in the mid 70s and it was frequented pretty exclusively by Chinese clientele and was amazingly cheap even for that time.  I think it was called the Noodle House or something.  I just walked by there last weekend, ah the memories...

[Steve Plotnicki]

Bux-You're talking about the place with the sizzling rice soup right? If so, I was there loads of times in the late sixties and early seventies. And when I mentioned Ping's, that was generic for a Chinatown seafood joint. The place I go to on Division Street, the one that Azimov wrote up. I can't remember the name. That would do as well. But I think that Dim Sum GoGo is the write place. It's a foodie joint and we're just a bunch of foodies.

Rosie-Maybe not nice but tru..... :)

[Rachel Perlow]

I guess the other solution is to eat in one of those all you can eat places like the people in Jersey did. But then again it's Jersey and this is NYC. We are too sophisticated for that here. I mean did you see that picture of the guy with that big skewer? Please, a little refinement.

Hey STEVE P --That was not a very nice remark about NJ.

Rosie-Maybe not nice but tru..... :)

No, not true.

I actually kind of resent your post criticising that dinner. It was not an "all you can eat buffet" or anything. In fact, several people did not order the rodizio, including myself. However, it was a fun, convivial kind of place where we could be as loud as I knew we would end up being after several glasses of wine or sangria. That said...

I agree with Fat Guy (and I'm sure others) that there should be a range of dinners, from the lavish to the funky and/or "ethnic". No, eating in the boroughs should not be relegated to "that other board" (ch0whound, I assume?). This is the New York City & State board, not the Manhattan board. Obviously, the first few dinners will center themselves in NYC, but the city consists of five boroughs!

Boy, I usually try to be quite civil on this board, but the more I type, the more I'm getting pissed by the comments denegrating New Jersey.

To continue,  I'm sure Jason and I would want to participate in any NY dinner that is planned, either high-end or low-brow (even if SP is there ). I have tried to stay out of most of the planning discussion, because I've been organizing the NJ dinners and I'd like to go to the NY one as a regular guest. But someone needs to step up to the plate and be willing to organize it.

#1   I think taking over a place for the evening is a nifty idea.  That could be for a pre-determined amount per person and for a relatively large group.  Someone, any ONE person can organize this.

#2   Also, a more intimate dinner can be planned for 8-10 people at a more upscale establishment.  Someone else can plan this.

I'm up for both and willing to plan #2

Stefanyb very generously offered to plan one type of dinner. I think that a smaller dinner like this needs to be done after a bigger, lower cost, blow-out. So, anyone willing to plan that type of dinner, please post that you are willing to do so. Fat Guy's schedule is obviously too full for the next couple of months, so anyone else up to the task? It really isn't that hard a job, and we are run by volunteers here...

[tommy]

I actually kind of resent your post criticising that dinner.

steve was just kidding.  it's just that he's not very funny.  :wow:

[Rachel Perlow]

That's what the winks are for! Anyway, I have a very poor sense of humor. And, I'm tired of everyone picking on NJ!

[jhlurie]

Now that Rachel has calmed down, and Steve P. has exhausted his sarcasm   it is apparent that EVERYONE agrees.  The events should alternate between sophisticated dining and cheap ethnic eats (and NYC is famous for both extremes), between Manhattan and occasional visits to the outer limits of the boroughs, and "no harm, no foul" should be the rules of participation--you come if you want.  What's the disagreement now?

Since Jason and Rachel asked my opinion on the Jersey dinners, I'll say that it was my advice to start modest, and get more ambitious as time goes by.  There's always a temptation to try and create a "blowout event" on the first try, but instead we guaranteed a wide participation at the beginning, and we'll climb the ladder of sophistication as time goes by.  At least that was my advice, although apparently it created some undercurrents I wasn't aware of.

[Bux]

I remember that place!  It was downstairs across from the Chinatown Post office.  I was brought there in the mid 70s and it was frequented pretty exclusively by Chinese clientele and was amazingly cheap even for that time.  I think it was called the Noodle House or something.

No, that's not the one, it was just off Pell.

You're talking about the place with the sizzling rice soup right?

That's probably the same one and the name just came back to me. It was King Wu. I sort of remember it having some connection to a second floor place on Pell around the corner that had Shanghai in its name, but I don't recall it having Shanghai food. I remember sizzling rice also as a bed for a shrimp dish called shrimp with sizzling rice. This was probably my first real Chinese food, or Chinese food of any interest to me. Those two places were favorites for years.

[robert brown]

Bux, did you used to hang out at the Cedar Tavern?

[ahr]

King Wu, indeed, run by Madame Wu.  Sizzling-rice soup, moo shu pork, Day-Glo sweet 'n' sour shrimp,  shredded beef with carrots and black pepper (here it starts to get hazy)... Oh, sweet, innocent days of youth.

[Bux]

King Wu, indeed,

Memory lane indeed. Whatever happened to sizzling rice? I think I've run into it only once outside King Wu.

Cedar Tavern?

I assume you mean the one that was closer to Ninth Street, rather than the current incarnation. Not so much. Dillon's was less intense, seedier and suited me better at the time. I think I covered my youth on some bar thread here. Nevertheless, I did attend the closing of the Cedar Bar. I recall leaving the crush and my wife, who I believe was not my wife at the time, smelled something burning. It turned out to be her suede jacket which had a large smoldering circle evidently from someone's cigarette. Of such things are the memories of my nights there. bar thread

[ahr]

And Mondays and Tuesdays are the best nights to cut deals with places.

Per Bourdain, does this preclude a fish course?

At the risk of confirming my worst fears by actually meeting some of you, I’d consider attending both an economical BYOB at Sripraphai and a cost-little-object at Bid. I hold against Sripraphai neither its outer-borough location nor its initial “discovery” by another web site, and would enjoy sampling the variety of dishes made possible by a large group. I’m eager to try Bid, especially with Fat Guy manning the stoves; anyway, Bid sounds like it can use, and deserves, our business.

As for the wine controversy, why not a glass preselected from the restaurant's cellar to match each course? If we’re planning a fixed tasting dinner, then why not a complementary (no “complimentary” joke, please) wine card, which we may each choose to purchase or not? Just two prices, one with wine and one without, service compris, also makes for civilized checkout.

Because of my diet, however, I’d prefer to do both restaurants in the same day.

[Wilfrid]

Picking my way through the anecdotes, reminiscences and humor, I think I could see a consensus to start off with a modest event, reserving the right to go for a sumptuous blow-out next.  Lots of suggestions for venues - I'd still like to hear more about Pinxtos.  Personally, I would rather do something more interesting than a cheap, cheerful Chinatown meal - although maybe I do DimSum GoGo (is that the name?  sounds awful) a disservice.

Anyone up for jellied pig's foot at The Ukrainian restaurant?

[Steve Plotnicki]

Rachel-Who was making fun of the dinner? I was just commenting on how New Yorkers are too sophisticated to eat Riodizio. And the ones who do won't frequent places that use longer than 9 inch skewers. It's gauche.

Bux-King Wu it is. I had a best friend whose parents used to take us there when I was 15. Later on when I got older I used to take my dates there. The sizzling rice soup always aroused them.

JHLurie-No vests at the NYC dinner. But wait a second. Does Fat Guy have a vest in that picture? Or is that a hat? Or is it a vesthat?

Wilfrid-Dim Sum GoGo is a good place for a dinner because it is a foodie's dream. It's the dipping sauces that do it. And we will be able to get tons of interesting food at a good price.

AHR-I think Sripiphai is a bad place for this type of dinner. I mean the food is fabulous, vying for the best ethnic in the city. But the room is bad. You need a place where people can get up and talk to other people. One of the worst things about the London dinner was that the room wasn't much larger than the table we were sitting at. And it wasn't comfortable to get up and walk around to the other side of the table to talk to people.

[yvonne johnson]

Me and Lurker are up for cheap and blow out ranges.

To inject some action here, I made some enquiries at Bid, 1334 York Avenue (at 71st St), 988-1999. I spoke to Patty Lee and when I mentioned eGullet and Steven Shaw she put the phone down . No, Patty said she knew Steven and Ellen and others in their family, and that she would be very happy to help us.

Space: We could have half the restaurant which would allow some privacy as it’s shaped in a U, I’m told.  Patty said the maximum would be four tables of eight, so 32 people.  More than that then we’d have to buy out the restaurant something I didn’t pursue as I didn’t think we’d get more than 32, right?

Menus: These range from $50 to $150, from four courses to seven courses. The restaurant is going to fax/email the menus which I can then post here if people are interested. It would be preferable if we all choose the same menu. That said, if we ended up being a smaller group, say 15 people, then we could order a la carte on the night.

Wines: The restaurant is happy to select wines for each course. They are also happy to offer a menu at lower price for those choosing not to drink alcohol.

If we go for a weeknight, at the moment the restaurant would need only a week’s notice.

How does this sound?

[tommy]

How does this sound?

tommy liiiiike.

thanks for the leg work yvonne!  

[jhlurie]

So it sounds like TWO dinners should be planned.  A modest introductory meal in the near future, and a longer range better planned Bid-blowout.  No conflict there.  They can both happen.

[tommy]

So it sounds like TWO dinners should be planned.  A modest introductory meal in the near future, and a longer range better planned Bid-blowout.  No conflict there.  They can both happen.

oh jeez, here we go again.

ok, how about this:  i'm going to Los Dos Rancheros for 2 dollar tacos and chicken mole tomorrow night.  you're all welcome to join me.

there.  dinner planned.  now back to the discussion on Bid.  

[Wilfrid]

Thanks, Yvonne, you are on the right track as far as I'm concerned.  I am a bit nervous about King Wu; will we all get aroused by the sizzling soup, and where will that lead?  If someone can come up with an inexpensive Asian option with a sensible name, I might be tempted.  How about a duck blood tasting at The Malaysia Restaurant (see, sensible enough; it's not impossible)?

[Rosie]

Steve P "I guess the other solution is to eat in one of those all you can eat places like the people in Jersey did. But then again it's Jersey and this is NYC. We are too sophisticated for that here."

Well??? That was a nasty remark. Are you saying that NJ people are not sophisticated?  BTW--I ordered off the menu at the dinner.

[Fat Guy]

Yvonne, I'm pretty sure Matt will let us do BYO if I arrange it directly with him and Plotnicki brings some nice wine to share with the staff.

I think we'd be looking at about $85 per person for a serious four course menu (three savory courses and dessert -- plus I'm sure an amuse and perhaps other small in-betweens) plus tax and gratuity which would bring it to around $110 per person all inclusive if we brought our own wine. That's for the best the restaurant has to offer, assuming we all get the same menu with the exception that there could be a vegetarian option if requested in advance.

I think Matt would be really into cooking for a group of serious gourmets who could potentially become converts and evangelists on behalf of his restaurant and would therefore give us an experience over and above what we'd get at most places for the same money. At least, that's my theory.

[Steve Plotnicki]

Rosie-I didn't say that Jerseyites aren't sophisticated. I just said that New Yorkers are *more* sophisticated.

Steve-Bid sounds good for the second dinner. How about June?

[tommy]

Rosie-I didn't say that Jerseyites aren't sophisticated. I just said that New Yorkers are *more* sophisticated.

that's it.  you and me are goin' round and round.  you will feel the pain that the garden state can inflict,  hardcore.

[Rosie]

Rosie-I didn't say that Jerseyites aren't sophisticated. I just said that New Yorkers are *more* sophisticated.

that's it.  you and me are goin' round and round.  you will feel the pain that the garden state can inflict,  hardcore.

Tommy--should we bring The Sopranos with us? They are always filming behind my house.

[Wilfrid]

Steve-Bid sounds good for the second dinner. How about June?

Not wishing to throw up my hands in despair, but do we really need more than three months to plan the dinner?  If we can't do it sooner than June, I would just as soon forget about discussing it until some time in May.  Sorry, am I being grouchy?  

if the reason is that Steven Shaw is away for a couple of months, and that it would be sensible to have him directly involved in the Bid dinner, then that's absolutely fine.  Otherwise, can we not risk slightly greater haste?