Back In NYC

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

Stepped out of the train at Penn Station and felt the vibrancy of good ol NYC hit me smack in the face. I love it walked from 30th to Grand Central just soak it all in. Currently sitting in The Oyster Bar having a oyster panroast & a beer, nothing betta :DI Love NY ;)

[Domesticated_Mr. Know It All]

I remember seeing NYC from a truck.
What a nightmare.
I was so lost most of the time.
The only thing I really enjoyed while I was there was the Art Museum.

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

Yup just got home, takes a long time to get from FLA to ( Cold Spring on Hudson )

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid215/p470e4140b52521a87e2102df7bec9757/ecf296dc.jpg

The art of the pan roast

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid215/pbd6ca0cb82dd71ac194fccf14344af47/ecf29721.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid215/p2e9783ff3df357ea663ed0c8b8c10301/ecf29701.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid215/pf652482293b47b222758fbf733c3d6cf/ecf2974a.jpg

I love NY :D

Definitely aint no Clearwater Fla Strip-mall Red Lobster thats fer sure ;)


Grand Central Oyster Bar Dining Review

The Grand Central Oyster Bar and Restaurant is a landmark within a landmark. This living encyclopedia of seafoods, this Fort Knox of fish houses, has been doing business for 88 years deep in the bowels of the Grand Central terminal.

It opened in 1913, when Grand Central did, and retains the ambiance, atmosphere and spirit of that time. Its vault-like Gustavino glazed white tile ceiling, massive light trimmed columns, ship’s wheel lighting fixtures, expansive counter top eating area, wonderfully old fashioned 23-seat Oyster Bar and warm, woody saloon, complete with swinging doors, stuffed fish, portholes and nautical wall hangings, mark it as a place from another era.

They literally don’t build restaurants like this anymore. Its scope and size are no less than staggering.

This sprawling 27,000 square foot restaurant presents a daily hand-written menu containing around 75 seafood dishes to about 1,800 diners every day. The Oyster Bar serves 25 to 30 different varieties of oysters daily, and shovels out over two million annually. The 500 square foot smokehouse is just a small section of a kitchen that also contains an in-house bake shop that churns out 3,000 biscuits and fourteen desserts daily. Four hundred thousand customers consume more than 1.7 million pounds of fresh seafood a year, and they wash it down with 240 different bottles and 70-80 different glasses of wine. (Regulars sometimes lunch on Champagne, oysters and cheesecake).



All of this would mean nothing if the food and service didn’t measure up to the surroundings. But they do and that is the most remarkable accomplishment of the Oyster Bar. Huge restaurants are rarely great restaurants. Often the diner (and the careful preparation of food) is lost in the shuffle, turn-over, and pace of such mass production spots.

Not so at the Grand Central Oyster Bar and Restaurant, a place that has never lost its focus and, most of all, its dedication.

On a recent visit our waiter said, “If you like oysters, this is the place.” Our Maitre d remarked, “Oysters are our bread and butter so to speak” and a press release claims, “at the Grand Central Oyster Bar, all the world’s your oyster.” Indeed the Oyster Bar lives up to its name delivering oysters a zillion ways: raw, fried, poached, broiled, steamed in chowders, pan roasts and stews.



After ripping into the basket of warm biscuits, sourdough rolls, boards and oyster crackers that had been placed on our red and white checkered tablecloth within moments of being seated, we sampled four oyster specialties of the house. A luxuriant, memorable New England clam chowder sporting strandsónot sliversóof clams, a combination pan roast dense with clams, scallops, lobster claws and shrimp as well as oysters swimming in a rich, creamy paprika kissed broth and a colossal platter of a dozen pristine oysters on the half shell.

The last yielded extra large Belons from Maine the size of small steaks, slim, smooth Glidden Points with a delicate texture and dainty, sweet Pacific varieties that were no bigger than a thimble. Four poached Wellfleets on a wild mushroom base, napped in an intoxicating beurre blanc sauce, were virtually inhaled within seconds of being served.

Not so for two crab cakes that, according to one diner, were either “crab balls or pregnant crab cakes.” Two Rieslings meshed well with the briny fare (only rarely seen on American lists; there are 12 here).

A lighter-than-air key lime pie and an opulent American cheesecake covered by strawberry coulis are sweets I’d order again at The Oyster Bar.

[paladin]

too many concrete mountains for me.....and the ground is all hard and black......and the smog...uugh....

[Dave Fleming]

Personally I preferred the Oyster Bar at the Downtown Athletic Club.;)

[Phil Heffernan]

Always have loved the Oyster Bar...Good on ya jcsoh for reminding me of her charms...like most great women, the Oyster Bar is not an inexpensive option...But I have enjoyed her since I was a KID :eek:

I'm in the process of HALF moving into NYC, eg, renting a 2BR apt for the wife & kid & (me), as well as keeping the Cold Spring pad for weekends, and ME during the week...A challenge is afoot...

PH

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

Personally I preferred the Oyster Bar at the Downtown Athletic Club.;)

You would, coming from lace curtain Wall St stock. GCS Oyster bar was for the every-man working class and upper class. The DAC was for the elite and the Heisman trophy. Now it's just a place to get an expensive Condo not a good Pan Roast.

Hey Phil a pan-roast aint to bad $9.50 or so. Thick with oysters and a slice of bread at the bottom it will fill ya up good ;)

[Phil Heffernan]

Hey Phil a pan-roast aint to bad $9.50 or so. Thick with oysters and a slice of bread at the bottom it will fill ya up good ;)

I'll take it
:cool:

PH

[Leon m]

Can ya get one to go ?

[George Jung]

What smog? I've only visited several times, but the air seemed pristine! (Sorry, lapsing into Manhatten speak). I love NYC, but don't get there often enough. Which museum, dmkia? I love the Met, but MOMA is great (just remodeled last year), and the Museum of Natural History is fantastic. Haven't hit the Guggenheim; found some small, revolutionary war era museums in the historic district.
Haven't been to the Oyster Bar; was just reading about it, planning my next 'rehab trip'. Great - now I'm hungry! Good times, good times!

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

Can ya get one to go ?

Aint the same ;)

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid215/pbd6ca0cb82dd71ac194fccf14344af47/ecf29721.jpg

Ya see that pot he makes it in. It's a special gas fed pot. Those pipes coming up from the table fuel the base of the pot, heats it up awful fast. and then he tips the pot into the bowl. Its a one of a kind thing. ;)

[Memphis Mike]

Glad you're back safely, Joe. I hope everything went OK in Fla. for ya.:)

[pipefitter]

You shoulda tried off the beaten path if it was food you were after. Like the family owned Cuban restaurants. One of these press grilled Cuban sandwiches. Some say it's the roasted pork in the center,I say you could put sawdust and olive oil in it and the bread would still be good. Add a couple shots of espresso or some flan. http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2006/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/04/28/cuban.flavor/vert.sandwich.jpg

There is alot of Greek food,Jamaican but it helps to know the folks who cook it so you don't have to even go to a restaurant. Most folks that have lived here forever go to friend's houses for dinner.And most of these people cook good.

Smoked mullet outings mixed with any seafood available as fresh as it gets. Stone crab claws rival lobster IMO. Apalachicola oysters.Big slabs of grouper seasoned and fire grilled. It's endles the possibilities here. But it doesn't take a map or a restaurant but a joint venture at the waterfront and plenty of ice with a keg or 2. Good stuff. Sorry you missed it.

[shamus]

Yeah, local knowledge always goes a long way. Joe- it could be you just did the Amer. tourist thing (compare with home and immediately condemn) that the rest of the world associates with you guys, but inside you own country. And then of course you never get any information from the locals with that kind of attitude. Or, maybe Fl. is a hell hole, like you said.

[pipefitter]

Yeah, local knowledge always goes a long way. Joe- it could be you just did the Amer. tourist thing (compare with home and immediately condemn) that the rest of the world associates with you guys, but inside you own country. And then of course you never get any information from the locals with that kind of attitude. Or, maybe Fl. is a hell hole, like you said.

If it were such a hell hole,there wouldn't be thousands of yanks crossing the border every day.The people that live where Joe went are tourerists,tourerist peddlers. The tourerists don't want to be too far from home at any given time,even while they are on vacation, so they parked a variety of home away from home for them no matter where they are from.I don't frequent that rot over there.Most city slickers can't hang in the real Florida.They had to make the beaches like Disney World so that all the yanks didn't just go to Orlando or the keys or Miami. I've been allover this country and still always come home. I'll be fishing in a short sleeved shirt when all those folks are shoveling snow. FISH ON....YEAHHHHH BABY... or dipnetting 7-8" shrimp from one of the bridges by the 100s.Walking the train tressels at night,stir poling for snook with a huge bioluminescent show as it strikes your bait, leaving your adrenaline concentrated in your knees for an hour. A fresh pineapple or avocado from the back yard and I'm thinking I'm on to something.So in a way,I am glad there is all those other distractions keeping the tourerists to their own. I never take people that visit over there,that's the travel agents mark. Somehow,most want to keep coming back.If one involves a cab,they are starting out going in the wrong direction.

[uncas]

I'm not gonna deny that NYC has smog..Not as bad as a CA city I can think of but, NYC is currently way ahead on doing something about it. It has instituted more electric/gas run taxi cabs and revamped many of its buses to run on cleaner fuel to name two. And it is continuing to increase these modes of transportation as we speak. So, it is attempting to do something about the problem.
No, it still has smog but.

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

Yeah, local knowledge always goes a long way. Joe- it could be you just did the Amer. tourist thing (compare with home and immediately condemn) that the rest of the world associates with you guys, but inside you own country. And then of course you never get any information from the locals with that kind of attitude. Or, maybe Fl. is a hell hole, like you said.

This was not a tourist area this is where PEOPLE LIVED there were THOUSANDS of housing communities and not much in the way of ANYTHING touristy. Thats what blew my mind was the people who LIVED there chose medioricty of billions of strip-malls with there chains stores and canned and sanitized crap over having any charm and individuality.

I have been to Florida over about 50 times in my life. It is after all the 6th Borough of NYC ;)

My father lives in Port St. Luci. My mother lived in New Smyna Beach. I used to do business with a print facility in Miami. I have been to Islmadora and Key West. I have done Disney world from the cheep motels in Kissimmee to the 4 star Wilderness Lodge in the park. And now I have done the Clearwater area.

My evaluation of these places now is.
Port St. Luci. Might as well call it Port St. Levittown :rolleyes:

New Smyna Beach has become a place to go to find woman who have more tattoos than the men. Although there are still some nice places if you try hard.

Miami has become SoHo or Rodeo Drive, with club kids puking on the beach. Those quaint little cuban coffee stands are replaced with high-rise condo development.

Kissimmee - well it should be re-named Kiss-a-my-ass cause it is one skank hole if I ever saw one.

The Keys still hold my interest and there can be some semblance of what America was down there, except for Key West where all the dregs end up.


I have had great Cuban sandwiches at a little place off of Ocean Drive in Miami, 12 years ago when Miami was just starting to rock.

I have done the road trip conk fritter taste test. I have eaten alligator ( yes it does taste like chicken. ) I have eaten enough grouper to grow gills. Had a great meal at JB fish camp in New Smyna.

But I'm telling you there would have been NO way to find a single local mom & pop place OF ANY SORT where I was just at in Florida.
It was TOTALLY strip malled as far as the eye could see. No character no vibrancy nothing just stucco and neon chain stores for MILES and MILES and MILES.

To answer your question why do so many yanks move down to Fla, the answer is simple, to die it's Gods waiting room.

[Phillip Allen]

Joe, everyone loves the smells in his own crib best...you're home

[uncas]

I've been to FL. six times.
Spent 1/2 hour from a plane to a boat going to the Bahamas
Spent three days in Marathon..not impressed.
Umm, guess it has been 2xs not six.
Was not impressed with where I was and what I saw.
Now rumor has it, the everglades are worth visiting and I may go soon as they may not be around much longer.

I'm also not a city person. One stop light is enough to deal with and that is all there is in Berlin. However, the museums in NYC are spectacular so if I miss anything about city life, it is the museums.
Then again, Boston is on the top of my list of cities should I ever find myself having to live in one.

[Tylerdurden]

Aint the same ;)

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid215/pbd6ca0cb82dd71ac194fccf14344af47/ecf29721.jpg

Ya see that pot he makes it in. It's a special gas fed pot. Those pipes coming up from the table fuel the base of the pot, heats it up awful fast. and then he tips the pot into the bowl. Its a one of a kind thing. ;)

Not really , just rare. its a steam fired kettle. I built a restaraunt in Worc. Ma. that was based around those. Place was called Kettles.
Chefs were coming to see it from all around, I am suprised I don't see more, its a wonderful way to cook and fast. If you have small square footage it maximizes your production and its a sautee cooks dream. No need for a fire rated hood too, just ventilation. Of course I am a steam fan so I am tainted in my opinion.

[Mrleft8]

I refuse to set foot in NYC for less than $1,000. (Cash, no checks, no credit cards.)

[Tylerdurden]

I refuse to set foot in NYC for less than $1,000. (Cash, no checks, no credit cards.)

I have been asked on several occasions to do restaraunt builds in the city. Money was awesome but its a different world there in my bussiness. A lot of horror stories about inspectors. Now if someone would offer me dockspace instead of a hotel room I might change my tune. Though I don't mind visiting I wouldn't want to stay there long.

[R.I.Singer30]

Stepped out of the train at Penn Station .................................... :DI Love NY ;)

The first words reminded m of a song by Aztec Two Step "Lullaby on New York".

Couldn't find the lyrics on the net , I have their songbook but I'm lazy so here is my rememberance of some of the Lyrics

I arrive at creation,when I step out on Penn Station,New York
Just a sightseeing child, going wild with some wine,and a fork
Well I was very impressed, by the whole mad mad mess
and I felt just like (someone I don't know)

...............If you value your life carry a gun and aknife,and a fork....but it's alright cause sometimes it snows

These two guys a a major influence on my music.I've seen them more times than anyone else and met them several times.They are very humble.They play around the northeast often
http://www.aztectwostep.com/album_second_step.asp

in fact they are in R.I. this afternoon but I can't fit that into the schedule either.Great acoustic music. Rex is from Maine and I'm sure that this song is from his first experienc there.(Neil a N.Y boy,they met at an open mic in Boston and had a large college audience) I felt it too when my first bus trip took me there in 1978.I asked a cop what a boy could do in the area,he asked if I was from there ,I said no ,he suggested I put my back to the wall and don't talk to anyone.I didn't sit still ,I had to explore.It has changed alot from those days.

DanL

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

Nice tune, reflects the sentiment exactly, thanks ;)

Lots a good NYC songs, not too many Clearwater songs ;)

[geeman]

I flew over NYC one time on the way to Greenland.No offense Joe but that was close enough for me LOL

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

I flew over NYC one time on the way to Greenland.No offense Joe but that was close enough for me LOL

If it aint in NY it don't exist ;)
Come on over I'll show ya livin. :D

[R.I.Singer30]

The first time I remember seeing the NYC skyline I was about 12 y.o. a bus trip with a pop warner football team on our way to a Jackson N.J.game.One kid ,Stewart ,kept saying over and over"I wish I had a camera,I wish I had a camera....".The next was the bus trip x-country and it was an eye opening stop over.The last time I was there was with a friend who lived here and worked there,1990 orso.He had(past tense)big moneyHe gave us quite a tour limo rides etc.It sure is quite a place to experience.you can't dis the city that never sleeps without being there.Ido know NO$$=NO FUN.I could say the same about Newport ,but my boat is anchored there.
The Vagabond DanL

[Dave Fleming]

Those are ***STEAM JACKETED*** kettles.

the oyster bars at, DAC and the NYAC plus the Oyster Bar at the LIRR station in Brooklyn had them as well as Lundys of Sheepshead Bay.

Larger ones were used on the bigger USCG ships as well as bases in Alameda, CA., Cape May, NJ..

Probably on other military installations as well.

In basic training at Cape May, each recruit company spent a week on Galley Duty.

Fun cooking scrambled eggs, 40 dozen, in one of the big ones.:D

[Phil Heffernan]

My favorite part of Fla. is the Panhandle, the land that time forgot, at least until yesterday:D

Favorite spot: Apalachicola, the 'Cold Spring' of Florida. A robust Timber Industry town in 1890, then went bust in the 20th cent...Until shrimping came on strong...for 50 years or so, until the Asian shrimpers undercut the market radically...

Now the shrimpers will sell their property to the condo-istas, and it will become South Atlanta...

Interesting times :rolleyes:

PH