Nice onion proportion
I would like to eat that.
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I know bupkis about babka, but I ventured into celebrity territory on Wednesday and procured a loaf of Padma Lakshmi’s onion chutney babka from Breads. Here’s a cross section, with their fabled chocolate for comparison:
The celebrity onion chutney loaf was fine, but exceedingly timid, especially compared to the gooe-ey chocolateyness of the other. The advertising boasts of Kashmiri chili peppers. Mild though they are, that mildness is accentuated in this loaf by their essential absence.
Still, decentish.
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Cuts & Slices, for all your oxtail, jerk salmon and (pictured) shrimp & lobster alfredo with truffles pizza needs.
We went last night before seeing some old people play guitars at Parkside. I thought the topping was impressive - shrimp perfectly cooked, light sauce, not over-salted or over-greased. But the crust is toasted focaccia texture, not my favorite. H had the pepperoni and thought it was okay, sauce too sweet. The staff is fantastic, so welcoming and warm (granted, there were also a lot of cute costumed kids wandering in and out). And the music is really good, too!
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Right? I can see the wisdom of an airier crust but why not go with something pillow-y and chewy, so there’s less oiliness and less flop?
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Notable eats as of late:
Chalong Southern Thai (Hell’s Kitchen) - Outstanding still. Crab, shrimp, and pork dumplings, wings, Sator Goog, Crab Curry, Massaman Duck Curry, Fried Rice with beef, Southern style Pad Thai. All fantastic. Big lasting flavors with ample heat especially the Sator Goog (ground pork, stinky beans, shrimp and curry paste), the spiciest of the bunch. Not a secret anymore. Super busy with that annoying “you have 90 minutes to enjoy yourself” warning.
Swoony’s (Brooklyn) - Bad name, great meal. I wasnt a fan of Cafe Spaghetti, so naturally tried the sister. Much better food and service. Nothing outrageous, just solid cooking. Creamy Lobster Orzo could have used a little less salt, but I’d still order again. Whipped Goat Cheese with Chili crunch, Dorade, Short Rib Au Poivre (great fries), all great. The only thing I’d skip is the French Toast.
Da Toscano (Greenwich Village) - Surprisingly bad. I liked our lunch when they first opened (covid times), and the Porchetta sandwich but this was disappointing. Polenta Tortellini - Meh. The PB&J Bombolone with foie gras was probably the sweetest dish I ever had in a restaurant that wasnt dessert. They try to be playful but it just doesnt work. The best dishes were the Octopus carpaccio and pasta with clams, a take on Vongole. The Agnolotti is the most popular dish but very rich and one-note. Got boring midway. And the place is ridiculously dark. I’m getting old, but still.
Swoony’s:
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[quote="SteveR
<<It may well be under different ownership than it was when it was named “Golden Palace”. Or the name change could represent any of the many other reasons for such a change. A couple of years after Golden Palace opened, Fu Run changed its name to Fu Ran (could that be the other dongbei place under another name?) while still maintaining the same menu. Figuring out ownership is almost impossible with these small places anyway & I’m just happy to hear that your cumin lamb was still good.>>
Just got around to reading the more recent posts on this thread and remembering those great dinners we had at GOLDEN PALACE and FU RUN/RAN
Coincidence: Had to attend a funeral yesterday near the LIRR in Great Neck so, of course, I looked for a good Asian restaurant nearby for takeout and found..FU RUN on Middle Neck Road. Owner told me that it’s the family same ownership as the one in 'Flushing that closed during Covid. Nice looking place; very friendly owner/son of owner who speaks excellent English and was happy to chat (around 12:30pm Sunday so before the rush). Very sadly, I only ordered two dishes: cold “salad” of tofu skin, lots of cilantro. Very light and very tasty. Second dish (no spice due to partner’s aversion) was shredded pork with bamboo shoots and we both loved it. Really great, even if not exciting. Entertainment while waiting for order: E-bike accident when four kids barreled down the sidewalk and one crashed into restaurant’s front wall. No serious injuries but much commotion. Considering the ease of parking, it may be quicker to get there than to one of the flushing mainstays, from Manhattan. I want to go back very soon…easy to reach from LIE; if parking is as easy at night as it was yesterday afternoon, I’ll be able to report on more dishes…
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Several years ago at New Fu Run in Great Neck, I had lunch with a good-sized group, most of whom had eaten multiple times at the Prince St. location. Given the restaurant’s current, Long Island, setting and their largely non-Chinese customer base, we agreed that the kitchen might be holding back on spiciness, even on dishes labeled as such. Our lamb chops with cumin were still very good, but for this and a number of other dishes, we’d want to be even more insistent with our server about spice levels.
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Very interesting; makes total sense. The only diners inside were Asian, but only a couple of tables. But remember this was Sunday lunchtime..
When I spoke to a local woman outside, she told me that GN is “all Asian” now…can this be true, even if exaggerated? (I thought there were many Iranians in the area but saw no sign of that as far as restaurants go. But then I did not see much..)
EDIT: Found this:
At least two Persian restaurants and two glatt kosher markets are in the vicinity, but larger Asian markets are established in Douglaston and Little Neck. Although “all Asian” seems like an exaggeration, I’m sure the demographics are shifting.
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6 years is a long time in immigrant demographics – for eg, Jackson Heights and Paterson NJ have shifted a lot in that time (JH away from Indian, Paterson away from Turkish, both replaced by newer immigrant groups).
Looks like there’s a cluster of Chinese restaurants around there – wonder if the White Bear there is related to the one in Flushing.
The place is widely known, and there are other Chinese places even nearer the station.
Always such a plus in these times, and well worth mentioning.
My objection to a number of expensive French restaurants in town is the heavily accented English. Just lose the French accent, will you?
And don’t get me started on “Southern twang”. It ain’t cute, it ain’t pretty and it certainly ain’t English.
Dude! Not cool.
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The sarcasm may not have come through
Somehow that makes it even worse.
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than speaking english?
Do you mean like fake Southern accents?
In the UK people speak English with regional accents which will make you run back with open arms to the Southern twang of the US.
I’m lost. Did I insult someone by mentioning that the owner spoke excellent English?
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I was befuddled by this too. Speaking excellent English IMO is a matter of an ability to communicate effectively in a language not accent.
Are you annoyed by French people who speak English with a French accent (this is common and understandable, ours is a difficult language for them) or people speaking with a fake French accent? If the former, have mercy! ditto re the southern accent We dont enforce conformity with a “standard” English enunciation in this country,
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