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Food & Music Fest Spotlight: 'The Super Bowl of Regional Food,' Says The SF Chronicle
I wish! Great music lineup too. When is the east coast version happening, Ed?
Visiting New York City? 7 Must-Eat Pizzas You Should Try
Simon: I agree Sal & Carmine's is an excellent slice joint, but don't think you can put it in the same league as DiFara.
Re Grimaldi's, I was at the Brooklyn spot a month ago for the first time in years and the pizza was just as fine as I remembered from when it was still called Patsy's. Maybe there was a bad spell in there that I missed, but I recommend folks give it another try if they haven't been lately. Tip: you can save yourselves an hour wait by ordering to go and sitting out on the pier.
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Dining w/ veggie friend in Atlanta area this wkend. Suggestions?
Posted by kqrbob, January 15, 2008 at 3:54 PM
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Ed Levine's Serious Diet, Week 80: Remembering Our Serious Eater Beagle Brass
Brassy was pound for pound the greatest hound dog the world has ever seen. He pursued food with ingenuity, stealth and sheer athleticism. Once Marcia and I picked up a Carnegie Deli corned beef sandwich for Vicky, who was convalescing and had expressed that somewhat out-of-character craving. Before I had two feet in the door Brass charged like a wounded tiger and leaped impossibly high, given his short legs and considerable girth. I pulled my arm up in the nick of time, saving Vicky's lunch, but Brass earned my eternal respect that day. RIP, Brassy. We'll miss you.
Food & Music Fest Spotlight: 'The Super Bowl of Regional Food,' Says The SF Chronicle
I wish! Great music lineup too. When is the east coast version happening, Ed?
Visiting New York City? 7 Must-Eat Pizzas You Should Try
Simon: I agree Sal & Carmine's is an excellent slice joint, but don't think you can put it in the same league as DiFara.
Re Grimaldi's, I was at the Brooklyn spot a month ago for the first time in years and the pizza was just as fine as I remembered from when it was still called Patsy's. Maybe there was a bad spell in there that I missed, but I recommend folks give it another try if they haven't been lately. Tip: you can save yourselves an hour wait by ordering to go and sitting out on the pier.
Visiting New York City? 7 Must-Eat Pizzas You Should Try
C'mon, Simon. We share our treasures here. Maybe the wait will get longer but you'll be waiting with us!
Eating and hanging out in Sacramento
Haven't been for a couple of years but I like this upscale Thai place a lot (never tried the noodle shop - I think that's new): www.lemongrassrestaurant.com/
What's the Best Mexican Food Town in the U.S.?
Thanks for the Castro's reco in Santa Fe, arman52. I'll be there on business next month and will check it out. Any other Santa Fe recommendations from you new mex boosters? swank or austere ambience and prices ok.
Pie-Kuing: Today's Best Form of Procrastination
Hot from Dom's oven
A circle of bubbling bliss.
The diet can wait
'F*** Grapefruit'
Adam and Ed, have you tasted the Cara navel oranges that have been at Fairway and other local markets recently? It's a very juicy, very sweet navel orange with a reddish fruit and just the slightest hint of grapefruitiness.
I had to give up grapefruits and their juice when I went on lipitor a couple of years ago. I used to have one or the other or both every day, so these are a nice substitute. Even a GF hater like you might like them, Adam, although I still wonder if you've ever had a really good GF.
'F*** Grapefruit'
OK - I'll give you difficult, but not tasty? Come on. A good grapefruit is so tasty... and so refreshing!
And while I'm at it, what makes a peach more difficult than, say, a banana? And does anyone really think grapes are tastier than, say, cherries?
Loving the chart, questioning the judgment.
The Usual Mayors' Super Bowl Bet Seems One-Sided to Us
Gotta be Mayor Mike's worst negotiation ever. Either he thinks the Giants have no chance or he's just not a Serious Eater. Dunkin Donuts... jeez.
Does Anyone Really Love Pumpkin Pie?
Ed, you're messing with tradition here and on a slippery slope. Pretty soon you'll be having t'giving without cranberries and sweet potatoes too. (Come to think of it, I don't like turkey all that much and rarely eat it the rest of the year either. Maybe we should just order in Chinese food.)
But to answer the question, I always skip the pumkin pie. There are just too many bettter choices on the table.
A Carroll Gardens Food Adventure, With Red Hook for Dessert
"could you do a walking tour of washington heights sometime?"
cybercita, I've lived in the heights for 18 years. It would be a short tour. It's a great place to live but we leave the nabe to shop and eat. One exception is a good neighborhood Indian restaurant, Kismet, on Ft. Washington and 187th.
Best Find from Trader Joes?
A bunch of folks mentioned the frozen edamame. Anyone happen to notice if its imported from China? At Fairway that's all they've got and I'm a little wary of Chinese anything these days.
Sweet & Savory dishes... love it or hate it?
Love: My mom's stuffed cabbage and her cabbage soup, which both include a few ginger snap cookies and sour salts in the broth.
Detest: Raspberry vinagrette salad dressing
Annoying food habits...
I am one of those who eats too fast, so fast I annoy others. It's not that I don't savor my food; I just savor it quickly! I do try to slow down, but what really annoys me is dinner companions who eat ever so v-e-r-y, v-e-r-y slowly. The temptation to reload my plate while a companion is still nibbling at his or her skimpy first helping is often overwhelming. And then there's the point where there's no food left on the table but the oh-so-slowly disappeaing portion on companion's plate. The sometimes irresistible temptation then is to reach across the table with my fork and help out. I am careful about doing that, though, ever since witnessing a friend (one who frequents this site) try the same stunt with his wife and get forked in the back of the hand!
Tasti D-Lite in the D.C. Metro Area?
"So why can't cities like Washington be part of the fro-yo fun?"
According to T-D, there's no yogurt in it, which is I think what makes it palatable to me as an ice cream substitute (only some flavors and only on a really hot day).
From their website:
"Tasti D-Lite is a dairy-based frozen dessert; it is not frozen yogurt, because it does not contain any yogurt...."
Häagen-Dazs vs. Ben & Jerry's: Which Are You Down With?
Has anybody tried the new H-D premium flavor, pomegranite choc chip? It's beyond ice cream!
Grand Sichuan International: Still Going (Uphill)
jperlow, sorry to disagree but I thought the midtown branch had sunk firmly into the "gone downhill" category my last couple of visits before it closed. The one on 9th and 24th has been consistently excellent for years. They also have the "freshly-killed" chicken specials (sometimes you'd swear you can hear them squealing and squawking their last in the kitchen!).
My personal favorite is the Au Zhou chicken (gotta specify the fresh-killed). They also make the best cold sesame noodles on the planet. And Ed, next time try the beef or fresh-killed chicken with spicy green peppers and the baby bok choy with black mushrooms.
Do British Candy Bars Taste Better? Serious Eats Investigates
With you, Adam, on the black and whites. Never had a good one and even klg19's rhapsodic description of the apparent cream of the crop still sounds pretty wretched to me (maybe because I hate petit-fours, too).
The perfect marriage of cookie and candy to me will always be Nabisco's finest, the Mallomar.
Food-Related Collections?
pezbaby, we have friends with an extensive pez dispenser collection too. I thought it was one of a kind. Who knew? (unless you're them!)
Question of the Day: ______ looks better than it tastes.
looks better: salad
tastes better: chopped liver
Best High End Dinner and Lunch in San Francisco
Try "Fifth Floor" in the Palomar Hotel (4th and Market). Fantastic, creative French menu in a beautiful room. www.fifthfloorrestaurant.com
Indian Mangoes, Goin' to Cali
I was gifted with an Indian mango recently and agree it is nothing like a Mexican mango. But a better comparison would be to the smaller green-to-yellow Caribbean mangoes (from Haiti, I think) that are plentiful in NY markets this time of year and sell for about a buck apiece. I prefer these to the mexicans for their small pits, smooth almost stringless flesh, and rich flavor. To be honest, while I didn't do a side-by-side taste test, the Indian mango looked, felt and tasted almost identical. It even occurred to me that my benefactor, who paid about four times as much per mango and had to by a full case, may have been a victim of mango-label fraud.
What's the Best Mexican Food Town in the U.S.?
This one is an absolute no brainer. I am a software programmer and fortunate enough to work for a company that allows me to work from home, I try my best to make a point of living in a different city every year, I pack light and go. I've gone from southern cali, mid-west to the east coast and NOTHING compares to the mexican food in San Diego! Travel just 60 miles up the coast to Los Angeles and the difference is night and day, doesn't even deserve to be mentioned in the same category. San Diego is on the border of Mexico, and the mexican food gets exponentially worse the farther you get from it. Ask anyone who has actually tried mexican food in mulitple cities, I will guarantee the same response, San Diego hands down. Anyone who calls them nachos instead of carne asada chips, or taquitos instead of rolled tacos can automatically be discredited in this discussion. Those of you who have lived in San Diego will know what I mean.
Visiting New York City? 7 Must-Eat Pizzas You Should Try
2 days overall, yes, but AM only requires 12 hours of actual 'rental' @ the new motorino. So I'd imagine it'd be the same as you remember...you lucky b**t*rds.
FP
Visiting New York City? 7 Must-Eat Pizzas You Should Try
@Pblogger since The Tatooed Uber-Pizzaiolo's dough does not require refrigeration, he can probably just bring it with him.
Ciao,
Paulie Gee
Visiting New York City? 7 Must-Eat Pizzas You Should Try
Ah, but will Magieri be firing up his own sourdough 2 day dough or be using the Palumbino dough?
....that's what we wonder, yes
Visiting New York City? 7 Must-Eat Pizzas You Should Try
The crust on that UPN white pie look amazing. Simply f**king amazing. R.I.P UPN. I can hardly wait for the resurection on 10/10.
Ciao,
Paulie Gee
Visiting New York City? 7 Must-Eat Pizzas You Should Try
I lived in NY all my life, then moved to Phoenix some years ago. There is NO substitute for NY pizza, but there are some pretty good runners-up. Pizzeria Bianco being a prime example. However, we have Grimaldi's now and I will tell you that pizza frozen from a box is better! Grimaldi's pizza is like tomato sauce on a wheat thin cracker. No give to the "crust", no oil, it BREAKS when you bite it! There is another pizza joint in Scottsdale which never gets any mention, too few know it's there, but it has true NY style pizza, so put this one down on your list to try: Joe's New York Pizza. The oil runs down your arm, the sauce is great and the cheese needs a sissor to detatch it from your mouth! And they even sell slices!
Do British Candy Bars Taste Better? Serious Eats Investigates
i mean the US chocolates cant compare to the UK ones ! sorry!
Do British Candy Bars Taste Better? Serious Eats Investigates
I am from Wales in the UK and I have a Second home in LA, and I go there around 6-7 times a year. The thing I miss the most going there is having Cadbury's Dairy Milk. there are so many gorgeous chocolates in the UK - Mars, Galaxy, Snickers, etc. And they just cant compare to the chocolate in the US. I will say the sweets/candy in the US in great, but the chocolate cant compare.
i will defend the black/white biscuits, they are kinda nice. everyone likes them in the UK!
Food & Music Fest Spotlight: 'The Super Bowl of Regional Food,' Says The SF Chronicle
I just got back from Great American Food Fest. I agree with the last person,a wonderful idea when I read about it. I did not have too much problem with the long line to get in, although we experienced rude and unruly people almost fighting over a group of troublemakers who wanted to jump ahead in line. We reported this as it was happening to staff - but was told, "we are not the police, you will have to handle the situation yourself." The issues really began once we got inside the gates.There was no direction and no one to ask what to do. No programs were accessable.They were handing out photo copies at a information booth I had to search out. It looked like somebody printed copies from the website as an after thought.So then we decide to get our free plate of food.So we chose the BBQ because it seemed like you got the most food.So we went to the back of the line for the Texas BBQ,we had to almost guess which line it was because there was certainly no one to ask what to do.There was confusion also because some had wrist band some did not.Well the BBQ line was a block and half long,about one hour in to our two hour wait I could see alot of people were just cutting into short lines up in the front.So when we got close to the three service windows I asked the guy in the center line next to us how long he waited he said 9 minutes.So the long line was only being serviced by one window and the other two windows was servicing basically the people who were cutting.I don't blame those people they were probably confused also.Shoreline is to blame,I saw almost no security or efforts to control things or help people,it is almost like their crowd control plan was to let everyone in the gate and let it be a free-for-all.Two people need to be fired; the head of the organization and head of Security. If I was the Food Network I would be ashamed,but I know most of it was not their fault.
Food & Music Fest Spotlight: 'The Super Bowl of Regional Food,' Says The SF Chronicle
A good idea, but horrible in execution. Went to this - the most poorly organized festival I have ever attended. It took over an hour just to get in, even with tix in hand.There was no organization, lines were long and unorganized, the "wristband" pay system didn't work, and they started running out of food at three hours in. When we left (disappointed and hungry) mid-afternoon, the refund line was over an hour long, and growing. I can't imagine that if anyone is still there, an angry mob hasn't rioted yet. Hope the "organizers" seriously revamp the logistics before they attempt it again. What a colossal waste of money!
Visiting New York City? 7 Must-Eat Pizzas You Should Try
Brooklyn has the original Goodfellas. Anything in that restaurant is worth the trip. Manhattan? A little, tiny place that is always packed: Patzeria on 46th between Broadway & 8th.
Does Anyone Really Love Pumpkin Pie?
mmm pumpkin pie is fabulous and should never be forgotten especially on thanksgiving! save the pumpkin pie! :)
What's the Best Mexican Food Town in the U.S.?
Good grief, anyone who says that San Antonio has bad Mexican food and is "touristy" clearly didn't stagger far enough from the Riverwalk to learn anything about this city and its cuisine. People who actually *live* here don't go near the tourist areas, unless they have no choice.
And to say that LA *isn't* touristy but still has good Mexican food is just laughable. I didn't find one decent restaurant in all of California when I lived there. The food was horrible, and the service abominable.
When you get away from the downtown area of San Antonio, that's when you find out just how awesome the Mexican food is here. There are dozens of wonderful mom-and pop joints tucked into unexpected places all over San Antonio. You just have to know how to look.
And if you want the best Mexican food, anywhere, Texas's Lower Rio Grande Valley is the place to go. Until you've had seso or eyeball soup or panchos, until you can lay out the perfect botana platter, you don't know jack about authentic MX food.
Best Find from Trader Joes?
My pleasure bareneed, especially when it is to bring new people into the TJ's cult. Unfortunately there isn't a store in SC yet. They have locations in Chapel Hill, Charlotte, and Cary in NC, and half a dozen locations in GA. Perhaps a road trip is in order once you get there; you can even use the excuse that you want to compare the 'cue in NC and SC (well beyond the scope of this thread).
Best Find from Trader Joes?
@DavidNY - Thank you so much for your information - that is what I love about this site, people are friendly and willing to share their knowledge with others. I will try and find the video and watch it, perhaps I can also "google" it and find out if there is a store in Charleston. I will definitely check it out.
Best Find from Trader Joes?
bareneed: There is a recently posted video of a fan-made TJs "commercial" on this site. It sums up the store better than I can, but here is a brief overview. TJs sells mostly private-label products, which are often identical to brand name ones, just with different packaging. They sell them at much lower prices than the branded counterparts, but even when they do carry items you can find elsewhere, they are often significantly cheaper. Their basic "philosophy" is to cut out middle-men as much as they can, and buy directly from manufacturers. Other ways they keep prices low are by having a more limited selection (and smaller stores) than most suburban supermarkets, limiting advertising to radio ads they record themselves, getting rid of products that don't sell well, buying from suppliers in large quantities, etc. etc. While they do sell a lot of organic and healthy food, there is also a ton of snack food and other items that are upscale but definitely off-limits to anyone on a diet (witness the bacon spinach salad containing 50 grams of fat). The stores are done up in a mock-maritime decor, with wood paneling, a ship's bell for signaling the crew, Hawaiian shirts for full-time employees, etc. As you can probably tell, people are fanatical about the place. Aside from the food and prices, there is a fun atmosphere to the stores; I worked there for three years, and constantly had people telling me that it was their favorite place to shop (for anything). The company also treats its employees better than just about anyone else does; IMHO, the only reason it never appears on Fortunes Best Companies to Work For is that it is privately held.
Best Find from Trader Joes?
Waah! I have never heard of Trader Joe's - live in Canada - do they use branded products or their own - what is their philosophy? Organic, green? Is there a Trader Joes in Charleston, S.C.? I will be there for two weeks this summer.
Best Find from Trader Joes?
Ditto on the gyoza. Sesame-crusted cashews. Marinated tri-tip (almost impossible to find in any other store in New York). Frozen pizzas. Greek yogurt. Frozen raspberries at half the price of any other store. Double-roasted salsa.
kqrbob: The edamame are from Thailand.
Best Find from Trader Joes?
oh and the frozen chicken gyoza is great.
Best Find from Trader Joes?
the manhattan store is just too crowded and can't keep the stock on the shelves as quickly as things are purchased. they probably gear it towards nyu students because they are the only people who can go during the middle of the day when its empty. its frustrating, but it is so much cheaper then our neighborhood grocery stores and the quality is much better so my roommate and i go every few weeks to stock up on staples. we love the gingersnaps and all of the cereal is great.
Best Find from Trader Joes?
i second the pizza dough. if you bring it up to room temp and crank the oven to 500 for about 20 minutes, you can get a damn good pizza out of it. also at $1 i can afford to buy an extra in case i mess one up.
no one's mentioned the frozen chicken taquitos... i cannot walk out of TJs without a package. they are strangely addictive.
Best Find from Trader Joes?
Cream-topped whole milk – Never thought I'd see that again!
Naan – my daughter's favorite. Fortunately, our new copy of How to Cook Everything has a recipe! (The nearest Trader Joe's is an hour away from where I now live.) Actually, almost all the TJ breads I've tried have been good.
Double Gloucester cheese. Like cheddar with extra butter. And chives. Mmmm.
Maple syrup – affordable at last!
King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour – beautiful stuff, but it's about $6/bag at Safeway.
Spelt Farrotto!
Sugar/salt scrubs for getting extra gooky stuff off your hands. My son swears by it.
Best Find from Trader Joes?
@DaveFaris and others: You mentioned liking the TJ's harvest grains mix (Israeli couscous, red quinoa, dried chickpeas, etc.) - I've gotten it before, but it never turns out right. When I cook it according to the instructions on the package and the chickpeas are always still hard when the rest of grains, etc. are cooked through. Has anyone else run into this problem?
Best Find from Trader Joes?
TJ's brand: Organic mint tea, Organic orange juice, vegetable chips, original beef jerky, frozen brown rice, frozen Thai shrimp dumplings, gyoza dipping sauce, jalapeno stuffed green olives, whole wheat pizza dough, challah bread rolls, garlic naan, orange blossom liquid hand soap, and their french chocolate truffles.
Best Find from Trader Joes?
Dried fruits
Nuts
Trail mixes
Pound plus chocolate (can't make brownies without it!)
Cherry jelly
Recent Posts
Dining w/ veggie friend in Atlanta area this wkend. Suggestions?
Posted by kqrbob, January 15, 2008 at 3:54 PM
Advice for N'Orleans eats & avoiding long waits during Jazzfest?
Posted by kqrbob, February 21, 2007 at 10:42 AM
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Brassy was pound for pound the greatest hound dog the world has ever seen. He pursued food with ingenuity, stealth and sheer athleticism. Once Marcia and I picked up a Carnegie Deli corned beef sandwich for Vicky, who was convalescing and had expressed that somewhat out-of-character craving. Before I had two feet in the door Brass charged like a wounded tiger and leaped impossibly high, given his short legs and considerable girth. I pulled my arm up in the nick of time, saving Vicky's lunch, but Brass earned my eternal respect that day. RIP, Brassy. We'll miss you.