Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

I second the John's Pizza idea but would also recommend the Playwright, which I want to say is on 46th, for beers on tap

@brittj8585- I feel your pain! While I can't say all of the customers were an issue yesterday, there was an unusual excess of screaming children and, I work at a wine bar. Young children who go out on these holidays typically don't know how to behave on account of the fact that they don't go out very much at all. In some cases, I think this is why parents can be unequipped to control them. The majority of adults had a great deal of patience because they know it is busy on a holiday; the minority complained about the children and under-tipped for not having a "perfect" experience. Not sure if it applies to your restaurant, but children simply don't belong in grown up establishments and holidays should not be an exception.

@onepercent- you're absolutely right! I've always said this about people who wait last minute to shop for Christmas and venture out X-mas Eve...then inevitably complain about the crowds and service. Just as in restaurants, the staffs resent begin forced to choose between their holidays and their jobs.

Personally, I could never do the toasting...all around texture should be mushy (no crunchy PB), so that I could eat it if I had just lost my two front baby teeth.
And I'll take mine with the crusts cut off, please.

I've been lurking for a good month now...what a wonderful way to come clean about that!

I am Kelly, 24, from Long Island (as the name implies) and work as a reading teacher and in a fantastic family owned estate vineyard. I got serious about food two years ago when I needed an escape from the tortures of grad school. I had the misfortune to marry the world's pickiest eater though it doesn't stop me from whipping up feasts for friends and family on the regular. All your bios have been awesome to read. This site rocks!

Vegetables and fruits! Eat anything that's fresh and in season, just wash and chop, and season, and cook lightly if at all. That's what your body needs in the summer to prevent dehydration - lots of food-based water and vitamins.

During hot weather, I eat a lot of frozen yogurt (I make my own with fat-free yogurt and very little sugar) and fruit sorbet. It really helps me stay cool.

My wife and I went out Mother's Day evening with another childless midde-aged couple (we would never go out for brunch on such a day, unless we were getting tacos or Chinese food). We went to Goldberg's Deli at Factoria mall on the Eastside of Lake Washington from Seattle, since our friends had given us a gift card. I'd been reading David Sax Savethedeli.com blog and just jonesing for some good Jewish soul food.

Nice space, little delicatessen shop in the front. My wife got a brunch special: bagels, omelet, hashbrowns, and an enormous piece of very nice smoked whitefish. She was very happy. My friend Suzanne had the stuffed cabbage, which looked very nice and she enjoyed it. My friend Jerry had the beef brisket dinner, which was a generous portion but the only DRY Jewish-style brisket that I have ever seen. I went very traditional -- potato knish, pastrami on rye with coleslaw on the side, and a generous piece of noodle kugel to follow. The knish was nice (the accompaniment of gravy was unfamiliar) but I think that it may have been zapped rather than oven reheated. The pastrami sandwich was very good, not oversized, tasty but a little dry but the Gulden's helped that (just French's yellow mustard and Gulden's -- no regular deli mustard). Heck, I like Gulden's. The noodle kugel was great, although obviously not as good as my mothers and mine.

So, a mostly positive experience. We got rugalach and Joyva halvah for the counter on the way out.

As a former server/cook/bartender/manager of restaurants let me say there is some truth to the difference in service/menu/etc on MD, VD, NYE, etc...we don't call it "Amateur Hour" for nothing! But a well-managed restaurant that typically has great service and standards will be able to adjust enough for the volume without sacrificing quality and service. As a server, if I "sucked it up" and had a positive attitude about providing a special once-a-year treat to otherwise infrequent diner-outers, I invariably had an acceptable day money-wise and a great day karma-wise.
That being said, you wouldn't catch me in a restaurant on these days....no matter what!

Although this memorable story isn't all about food, I feel like I just HAVE to share:

Last summer I attended the wedding of my little sister's high school friend, who had just graduated college and was marrying the "man of her dreams."
*To start things out, the rehearsal dinner was held at the local BOWLING ALLEY and hot dogs were the day's special.
*The groom spent the ENTIRE time during the ceremony "stretching it out." He was literally up there cracking his neck, shaking out his arms and looking like he was preparing for a 100 yd dash.
*We got to the reception, and it was pretty normal, aside from the absence of anything edible and nothing to drink if you're not a keg-stand fan.
*The bride went to cut her cake and, alas, her husband was nowhere to be found. That is, until an announcement over the PA system called attention to the fact he was out behind a decorative bush "relieving" himself.
*Finally, it was time for this wedding from hell to end----the bride and groom left the reception, were about to jump in the Extended 4x4 Truck limo when all of a sudden the groom ran back inside. He reappeared moments later ROLLING THE KEG behind him and stuffed it in his wife's lap before he jumped in the limo.
I still shake my head and can't believe it happened.

oh boy. just starting to plan a wedding for next summer. we are going to check out our first venue next week. we have heard amazing things about the place and the food, but i am dreading it being a disaster. i know how judgmental people can be about weddings... all the personal expectations... all the gossip. yikes!