RaisaB

Joe, I don't discriminate. I like all wine! I do agree with you that one should venture out. Though like always tastes are subjective and seasonal. What I like this year, I may hate next year.

I would love to be able to describe the floral notes, the cassis, the tobacco, pepper, etc., in a wine. I find myself limited to a few little things I can detect, otherwise I think the best description for me, as a sage poster on here once said, "It is DARN TASTY!".

Speaking of Merlots, has anyone tried the Clarendon Hills Merlots? If so what is your opinion? I am not a big fan of Merlots, even the Bordeaux kind.

In defense of JoeH, he is passionate about what he likes. I for one cannot describe what is in a wine. I am sure he can but he was sharing his passion as he does often. I am familiar with JoeH's taste in wines and if he is passionate about it, I know I will probably like it also. I wish he would describe what he loved about it so the rest of us could benefit from it, but in the same token, Don would you tell us what you did not like about it?

Jake, forgive me, I appreciate your philosophy and your poetic soul, but the soul of the earth could be dung. If it picks it up and mirrors it and makes the wine not taste good, then it doesn't do anyone any good. It is just bad wine.

Saturday is sold out! Can anyone help me get tickets? PM me please.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. So why are you surprised?

The seafood stalls at Maine Fish Market had shad roe. Lots of it. Most had it at 2.99/lb.

I will be using Paula Wolfert's Slow Mediterranean Foods. I have 2 of her books and haven't used either. Pork with Prunes is a definate. I am still browsing the rest, her recipes can be slow...haha I guess that's why it is called "slow". I need some more coffee, because obviously her cooking is not the only thing that is slow this morning.

I am tired of eating at the same ole, same ole in Queens. Does anyone know any restaurants that are decent? I usually stay in Jamaica, 5 Towns, or Kew Gardens. I will be there a few times this month so suggestions are appreciated!

Masia Carreras Costa Brava Emporada '03

The replies are endless....

I have been using Happy quite a bit lately. Nothing has turned out dissapointing. The biggest surprise is his Brussel sprouts recipe! Yummo! (oops wrong author )

I have so many I haven't tried. I also ordered 5 (yes 5) of the Weight Watchers cookbooks, but they are the French Editions from France. So that may help with my weight loss challenge.

I do see your point. I would say your establishment is probably on a much higher scale of service (not to mention food also) than a place like OTB. I guess my point would be he needed to clarify this with the server before ordering. I think alot of us on this board are more atune with what a server has to go through either by virtue of working in the business or just eating out alot and becoming familiar with our servers and management. Even if this happened at a place like Dino's, I would take pity on the server and not cause him the hardship. I also speculate how many manager's would take the time such as you did to ring the checks up for ther server. (again I am speaking in terms of chains and not necessarily upscale chains.)

Heather, are you saying we each choose our own cookbook? Or is it a group project from one cookbook per week?

Okay Dino, so if I come in this Friday with a party of 10 (for a reserved table) (at your busiest time) and I assume the server knows I want 10 seperate checks plus a seperate one for our wine, and he is already in the weeds with his 5 other tables, this won't cause a hardship for him, your restaurant's quality of service, and not to mention the other patrons? (Just playing devil's advocate.) How hard would it have been to divide the check among themselves? Cheap and stingy may have been the wrong words, more appropriate would have been, cheap and selfish? As many have pointed out, it is very easy to make copies of the check and hand it in for your expense account. Having worked in that kind of restaurant during my younger days, it would have definately ruined a lunch shift for me.

I am getting two new cookbooks today from Amazon. They are Monica Bhide's Indian cookbooks. I am pretty sure I have almost every cookbook ever written , some go back to the beginning of the century! (20th)

What we should start is a Cookbook Addicts meeting!This sounds like fun, or at least variations of it. I may not be able to cook all four every week. Maybe three as I don't do the appetizers much. Maybe every other week. (At least me.)

It is such a small world! I remember eating there on a layover in Kansas City in 1984! One of the flight attendants I was flying with had grown up in KC and had fond memories of the place back then! I don't remember the details of my meal, but I do remember it was fun and one of the first enjoyable "adult" meals I ever had.

Just came in from a snowball fight, cooking for the neighbors, Hangar, Porterhouse, and Flatiron Steaks. Celeraic Bisque, Garlic Mashed potatoes, Homemade German Chocalate Cake and LOTS of wine. Chez Raisa's for me. But Corduroy's would be a nice place today, for one of Chef Power's Braises!

Happy Birthday Charles and Chris!

Okay, you wanted one server to wrote up 13 checks for one table for a cheap reataurant? How hard would it of been for you guys to guesstimate how much you owed? Or divide among 13 and give or take a few bucks or five? Give the poor server a break! I am sorry I am not being sympathetic, but come on, you guys were being cheap and stingy. You should of gone to Chipotles and ordered seperately!

Bagel Buddies is good. Blue Iguana is steady. Rosemary's Thyme Bistro is steady. Picante is steady. None of these compare to Ray's the Steak, Citronelle's, Palena;s, Corduroys, Komis etc. They are all good local joints but you could do better at home with Whole Foods and Wegmans nearby. If you don't feel like cooking, sure go to them, they are not bad, but don't expect any wow factors. You have the beautriful kitchen and great groceries nearby. Lower expectations and you won't be dissapointed.

Ha! At least you are closer in! You aren't that far from Vienna, so Bazin's is always a choice. In Fairfax there is Dolce Vita, which I feel has very decent Italian. Saravana Palace is right around the corner. There is no place like Citronelle, but you are still very close to Restaurant 2941 and Maestro which some may argue for either that they are comparable and some will argue better. I had a topic over a year ago addressing the same issue, believe me, just drive in or take the connector to the metro!