[Sca-cooks] Times Square, was re Pop Tart Sushi Re: Pop Tarts Sushi in NYC [ewww]

[Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius]

On Aug 10, 2010, at 4:48 PM, Christiane wrote:

> Places where I have eaten lunch in Manhattan; keep in mind that with the exception of the Turkish restaurant, these were all chosen by business associates to impress me or they were convenient to their offices:
> 
> Mesa Grill (was not impressed)

Ah, yes, I interned at Mesa for a short time in 1991 or so, hated every second of it, and they had this executive chef there, an obnoxious kid who was like somebody who was wearing chef's clothes he had found in the attic and was prancing around in front of the full-length mirror he had found, covered with a bedsheet. Bobby something... Oh, that's right. Guy named Flay, if memory serves. Bobby ("I really am a real chef, you know, I'm not kidding!") Flay. When he was the chef at the tiny, laid-back Mesquite Grill, he apparently showed some talent.

Not surprised if you weren't impressed. I doubt he's done any cooking there recently, but he still owns part of it, I understand... can't say the guy doesn't have a talent for making money or promoting himself.

> Osteria Laguna (that was yummy, but though the restaurant claims to be Venetian, it's really not)
> Capitol Grille (meat-o-riffic and always consistent, but not really a New York restaurant, so to speak)

For steak: there's really only one choice for the full effect: Peter Luger's, also in Brooklyn. Sammy's Roumanian is also excellent, but it's a different animal entirely...

> Trattoria dell'Arte (homemade and Buffalo milk mozzarellas on the antipasti menu, yum yum yum)
> Craft (excellent that night I was there, a gorgeous space inside, and I got to have Jerusalem artichokes, but I've heard it can be hit or miss)
> Cafe Centro (pretty good, but not outstanding)
> Fresco by Scotto (excellent homemade pastas, but it's pricey for what it is and be ready to pay extra for your bread basket; also can be hard to get a lunch reservation because the political types apparently like to eat there).
> Tribeca Grill (good and a fun experience on a nice day)
> 
> And on the way cheaper but still very tasty side, Akdeniz Turkish Cuisine, on 42nd street between 5th and 6th Avenues
> 
> For the wife of the friend we took to Lundy's, I took her out one evening to her fave restaurant at the time, St. Andrew's on West 46th. Cute Scottish accented waiter in a kilt who took good care of us, Belhaven Ale, and bangers and mash for the win!

I keep trying to get to Saint Andrew's, and haven't managed to find the right night... things keep cropping up to prevent it...

> One thing I did notice last time I was in Manhattan; a certain lack of vendors selling Sabrett hot dogs, at least in the areas of Midtown I was in. A Sabrett with the special onion sauce used to be my mom's favorite treat. But every cart where I was seemed to be a falafel/shish kebab/gyro truck.
> 
> Oh, man, now I want a Sabrett.

Sabrett is pretty much the quintessential New York City Dirty-Water-Dog, of the Kosher-style all-beef-except-for-the-lamb-casing variety. My son goes to school in Rochester, where the grilled Zweigle dog (especially the natural-casing Texas Red or the White Hot) is king. I can't say it's not very stiff competition... and the Zweigle foot-longs just make the baseball gene become dominant. One bite and you crave a double-play...

I still see Sabrett carts around, but mostly clustered around Things like museums, and not so much randomly speckled around town like mustard stains on a necktie...

Okay, now I know I'm tired... Good night, all!

Adamantius






"Most men worry about their own bellies, and other people's souls, when we all ought to worry about our own souls, and other people's bellies."
			-- Rabbi Israel Salanter