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Thanks to bottom-rung, overly-sweet, artificially-flavored Sloe Gin, and bottom of the barrel (usually bottled) sour mix, the Sloe Gin Fizz (and most anything else made with the much-maligned spirit) took a terrible beating in the 70's-80's. The hangover has been long-lasting, and I STILL have to lobby even my most loyal cocktail fans to give it a reprieve.

Plymouth has always been my preferred gin for Martinis, and I was excited when reading the debut of their brand of sloe gin. I was able to find a bottle here in DC, and haven't regretted the first drop. This is NOT the "foamy-top" syrup previously marketed by deKuyper, BOLS, and LeRoux.

The Plymouth Sloe Gin is FAR better than anything we've seen stateside in AGES. You can actually taste the fruit, and it's a nice, distinctive flavor.
Can't think of what it compares to.

I'm a bit of a purist, and haven't tried any of the other published drinks in the literature that came with it, but mixed with equal parts (or slightly less) FRESH lemon juice, topped with 5-6 ounces of good seltzer, it makes a refreshing, sour (and only slightly sweet) Sloe Gin Fizz. My favorite summer drink can finally re-gain some respectability!

It is NOT a bargain price, but it is a big bottle, and should last a long time. THANKS to Plymouth for giving us the first decent sloe gin I can remember.

In Pittsburgh, Point Brugge, a Belgian cafe. Their mussels are very good too.

Yeah. I know. The first definition is pretty heady. I think "an idea that spreads virally" pretty much sums it up. Think of catchphrases from TV shows and how your annoying coworkers and/or friends use them (SNL catchphrases; "I'll be back" from Terminator, etc.), which is probably a good example of non-internet memes.

@lambowner: Wikipedia says, "A meme comprises a unit or element of cultural ideas, symbols or practices; such units or elements transmit from one mind to another through speech, gestures, rituals, or other imitable phenomena. The etymology of the term relates to the Greek word mimema for mimic. Memes act as cultural analogues to genes in that they self-replicate and respond to selective pressures."

When a meme hits the web, it's an "Internet meme." Says Wikipedia, "The term Internet meme is a neologism used to describe a catchphrase or concept that spreads quickly from person to person via the Internet, much like an inside joke. The term is a reference to the concept of memes, although this concept refers to a much broader category of cultural information."

Basically, it's an idea that spreads virally. Have you seen LOLcats? That's a meme. Other memes: the whole FAIL! thing, the Dramatic Hamster, and Rickrolling, among many others.

add another one. Victoria gastro pub in columbia, md (in between Baltimore and DC)

They have a side 'poutine' that has duckfat fries topped with duck confit, gruyere cheese, and duck gravy. it was mighty tasty.

Yet another example of neighborhood rename. Back in the 60's and 70's there was no Gowanus. That section of Brooklyn was simply known as South Brooklyn. And if you don't believe me, check out Jimmy Breslin's "The Gang at Couldn't Shoot Straight" (book or film) in whic much of the story took place in that neighborhood. You'll find no reference to Gowanus, other than it being the name of what was the world's dirtiest canal.

Ciao,

Paulie Gee

I've worked in both pooled houses and non-pooled houses, and I definitely prefer pooled houses. And not because I'm a lazy ass, but because the competition and inequity get in the way of a guest enjoying himself. Of course in a pooled house, one should expect to be fired or yanked by his short and curlies if he doesn't pull his weight! There are many times when one server is free to help another, and in a pooled house she is motivated to do so. A pooled house is ONE ingredient in a well-run place. Excellent product, exceptional staff, and great management are necessary as well, of course.

I think pooled house is fine in her situation because she hearts her coworkers and they all work together to ensure a great night. When you're all family and it's a small place, it's one thing, but when you've got a couple of lazy asses that no one else likes, pooled tips could create a really hostile environment, in which case it's up to management to abolish the shared tips rule (and/or fire the lazy asses).
If you'd been to Hannah's restaurant, though, you'd see that even with first time diners, there's a real sense of comraderie and food-loving-ness, everyone just wants to have a good time and be happy. So it really does work there, though I would be really angry if I had to do that and one of my teammates was an idiot who loafed around and got the same tips as me just because we pooled.

Adam, "sauce yakisoba" is yakisoba made with "sauce" (sosu). In Japanese cuisine, the mononymous sosu is a tangy liquid with a flavor similar to Worcestershire sauce (although milder). It is slightly sweet, quite tart, and just a little salty. Its ubiquity in modern Japanese cuisine gave it the honor of having such an ambiguous name while remaining instantly identifiable to those in the know.

I can only wonder what other "100..." memes you'll come up with, if ever.
Indian food? French? XD

Sorry about the qualifiers... I just wanted you all to know what the best is! :)

I actually didn't mean for it be a meme... rather a sort of reference list (yes I know, I need to get up the descriptions faster)

@mochihead yep I mean Baby Star Ramen (but we always called it Baby Ramen growing up. It represents the category of dagashi. Yes, explanation coming soonish.)

@KirkK - this is a list of food I like, not 'omg can I hold my nose long enough to get this thing that smells like an unclean toilet in my mouth' !

Wow, that is some list. I was looking for the Kusaya listing tho'! ;o)

Adam, I think your fresh, old-Japanese-lady-made mochi counts! I lived in Japan for two years and ate everything that crossed my path, and I still don't recognize half the dishes on this list. Makes me wish I was back in Japan...

"Dengaku" is the name used when something is slathered in miso sauce and grilled. I've had tofu dengaku and nasu (eggplant) dengaku, but never konnyaku. Yum, I'm totally craving nasu dengaku right now.

It just bugs me when writers (or anyone really, but writers tend to have audiences) adopt an adversarial stance with restaurants or servers based on nothing, but a momentary whim.

If Mr. Hitchens doesn't want the waiter to touch the wine after opening it, then he should tell the waiter that. However, I'll just bet that Mr. Hitchens' guests might be the ones to suffer, as they sit waiting for some wine while he enjoys being at the "very peak "of his "form as a wit and raconteur." **barf**

I wonder, if after a different dining excursion, Mr. Hitchens would write about the slack waiter who expected a full tip if the waiter were to neglect to pour the wine.