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toolminer

  • Favorite foods: spaghetti puttanesca, fried chicken, skirt steak, caesar salad, shrimp cocktail, ma pow tofu

Rediscovering the Rickey

For a really refreshing summer drink, forget about Rickeys and just
mix your favorite vodka with lots of ice, some lemon essence sparkling water and garnish with a lemon slice.
Now you're talking.

Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: Two Peter Luger Steaks

Porterhouse, period.

I'll Take (a) Manhattan

I cannot give a rational arguement for this, but I prefer Ketel One Martinis in warm weather and Crown Royal Manhattans in the winter.
If Crown Royal's unavailable CC suffices.
I order both drinks straight up with ice on the side so I get the Martini glass and ice when the drink gets too warm.
It's like rooting for the Yankees or the Mets. Being a New Yorker, I root for them both; and when they play each other I have a real problem.

We're Giving Away a Truly Great Steak This Weekend

My favorite steak is Peter Luger's porterhouse (T-bone) at their Brooklyn location. Medium is just perfect and I've had none better anywhere.
I only go at lunch so I don't need a reservation or have to wait for a table or fight the crowds. Year after year after year the steak is consistently wonderful and worth a trip every four or five months.

Clam Chowder in Boston?

I have no quibble with any of the other comments but - believe it or not - the Union Oyster House has absolutely wonderful clam chowder even though it's considered a "tourist attraction" because of its proximity to Faneuil Hall.
You're probably going to take your 10 year old to Faneuil Hall anyway (I took mine many times, and she's 30 these days) and we always stopped at Union for a bowl of chowdah.

Let's talk pie...

I lived in South Miami for fourteen years and had a yard filled with tropical fruit trees; my favorites of which were the Key Limes.
So I quickly learned to make Key Lime pie (it's "easy as pie" with the right ingredients...especially limes right off the tree).
So my vote goes to Key Lime pie. Although I like my own the best I rarely meet one I don't like. Great stuff.

Question of the Day: What's your favorite doughnut style?

My all-time favorite donuts were the whole wheat & powdered sugar ones at the old Chock Full 'O Nuts chain in NYC.
Otherwise I have to go with the Dunkin Donuts plain classic.
I remember when they came with little "handles" so you could really dunk them. Mmmm. But not as mmm as Chock Full 'O Nuts.

Man Bites Dog: New York Times Restaurant Critic Reviews Legendary Deli

I've been eating at Katz' for over fifty years and still get there for a
pastrami sandwich a couple of times a year. Simply none better.
If Katz' disappears we lose another icon. And so it goes.
Funny story: my wife is Chinese, we live in Greenwich Village and for many years we hosted Thanksgiving, Christmas and Chinese New Year's parties for her very large family (30-40 guests). But we always started with a lunch take-out order from Katz' . Pastrami, corned beef, brisket, turkey, salami and a couple loaves of rye bread. That lunch was always more popular than whatever meal followed for dinner.

Question of the Day: How do you like your hot dog?

Grilled in butter, with sauerkraut and Coleman's mustard on a lightly toasted bun.

Rachael Ray Will Endorse Your Product!

Rachel Ray makes me nauseous.
Always has, always will.

Who's your favorite food writer?

For pure reading enjoyment with the topic being "food", you can't beat:
Calvin "Bud" Trillin
Ruth Reichl
Jane & Michael Stern
Ed Levine
These are not in any order because I love reading them all.

Best NYC Bloody Marys

For a wonderful Bloody Mary try Spring St Natural restaurant in SoHo
(Spring St & Lafayette St). Perfectly spicy.

Best diner breakfast in NYC?

I agree with Ed that the many (mainly Greek-owned) coffee shops in the City are the closest thing to an "authentic diner experience". I haven't had breakfast at either of the places Ed recommended, but since I live in the West Village (West Greenwich Village) my favorite places for breakfast are: The Village Den (corner of W 12th St & Greenwich Ave), The Bus Stop Cafe (corner of Hudson St & Bethune St) and, for a British breakfast experience, try Tea & Sympathy (Greenwich Ave bet. W12th & W13th Sts).
It's tiny, very cutsiewootsie and a lot of fun, but I think the only day they serve breakfast is Sunday.

Cuban Chinese restaurants: only on the upper west side of Manhattan? If so, why?

There are lots of Chinese Cuban restaurants in Miami.
There are also lots of Chinese restauraurants owned by Cuban Chinese and lots of Cuban restaurants owned by Cuban Chinese.
You've got a lot of choices in Miami.
I agree with BaHa that 8th Ave in Chelsea once had a bunch of Chinese Cuban restaurants. Maybe there are still a couple? One? I'll check.

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