is aesthetically idiosynchratic, yes, but the center of our home in every sense. Make room for art (we have paintings screwed to our ceiling!), maybe a freestanding breakfront or dresser for linens if you can, odd colors that...

safe. If you want any eye opening experience, take a job delivering produce/linens/cleaning supplies to restaurants. It is truly amazing how some of these people conduct business “behind the scenes”.

place — neither are 95% of the Chinese places in this country. It’s nice to have a place where I can sit in a reasonably nice environment, linen napkins, and not have the burden of shifting my coworkers' food...

if that increase wasn’t also experienced by many non-fast-food eateries – as for tablecloth restaurants, what do you think would happen to their volume if they didn’t accept plastic? Cost of doing business, just...

are 10 hallmarks that I’ve found to be common among the best sushi bars: 1) When you enter the restaurant (probably by passing under a heavy linen banner) the itamae (chef) greets you with a shouted “irrashai!”...

dessert. L’Orangerie: It’s one of THE most romantic places in town. High ceilings, chandelier-like lighting, candles, tall flower arrangements, white linen. The food- foie gras, corona beer granita (hehe), caviared...

Snap! And isn’t our inability to control them one of the reasons that we love them? Mind you, I do wish Dylan would stop sleeping on the clean linen shelf. He has a perfectly good bed with built in heating, dammit (it hook...

. . Despite all of this and knowing little about Petrini...I still think his comment holds water. Compared to the humble, long standing and traditional FM’s, like Alemany, FPFM is boutique-y and it’s pricey. I mean...

of us after a rocky beginning.I don’t lend her anymore of my dinnerware or linens, though.

context (or not). But just as a restaurant needn’t have linen tablecloths and fine china to be worth our complete respect, there are times when humbler ingrededients are the best choice to provide optimal deliciousness;...

if it comes in a coctel de camaron from a mariscos truck than if it’s served on china and white linen. The funny thing is, the guy in the mariscos truck is probably more likely than the line cook at the nice restaurant to...

Jeet — I, too, am much more of a HITW type guy. I hate eating at fancy linen-napkin Indian restaurants and knowing I’m paying four times as much as I would for the same food at the sterile, stark atmosphere of India...

when we entered, but either the memory is failing, or too many things have changed. One aspect that was retained was the elegance of the dining room. Now, I have to admit that I really enjoy a stately and luxurious room with...

complex. Everything from dim sum to elegant linen and fine china dining is covered by one of these. Back in the early 80’s, I had a very bad experience at Bali. It was not with the food, but with the service. We were made...

because it lacked some of these elements. But here are 10 hallmarks that I’ve found to be common among the best sushi bars: 1) When you enter the restaurant (probably by passing under a heavy linen banner) the itamae (chef)...