"Dancing in the Dark" has been the name of at least two popular songs that I can think of, one that made the rounds in the early 1930s and became a standard and the other introduced by Bruce Springsteen. Question: Will DINING in the Dark reach equal prominence?
The thought came to mind as I learned about one of the more unusual dining twists I've seen recently --and we'll all be seeing more twists as restaurant prices escalate and disposable income stays the same --called "Dining in the Dark" at Frog Hair on Transit Road in Williamsville. (I reviewed the restaurant today in Gusto.)
Anyhow, this is the deal: the restaurant plans to serve a five-course meal June 19 in a totally dark room, all the better to taste and identify what you are eating. The servers will wear night vision glasses. The emphasis, you see, is on your other four senses - taste , smell , touch and, I suppose hearing. Not bad training for a budding foodie.
The experience isn't cheap. it costs $95 per person which includes drinks but it might prove, uh, interesting. Call Frog Hair for more details. And if you hear about a restaurant promotion, that's equally unique,I'd like to hear about it.
(Photo: Laura Slawiak and Ann Skrip in the Frog Hair dining room. Photo by Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News.)
Today was lettuce day. A lettuce day and how! In my story on Page C1 in today's Buffalo News, I'm discussing some of the more common types of lettuce and greens that are available in Western New York now (or soon).
So here's my question to you? A dessert island question in a way. We listed nine different greens in all -- iceberg, romaine, radicchio, red leaf lettuce, Boston lettuce, arugula, dandelions, fiddleheads and escarole. Anyone out there want to vote for a particular favorite on that list? We'd also like to hear about some of your favorite (simple) ways to prepare it. (For what; it's worth , if I had to choose one lettuce to pack in my bag, I'd go for the romaine.)
For some ideas, check out the slide show on greens at www.buffalonews.com/webextras
Big flap recently about something Washington Post restaurant critic Tom Sietsema wrote about noise in restaurants. Among other things, he said that it was the number one complaint he received from readers no matter what their ages, and also that he was going to monitor it with some sort of machine in his reviews in the future. Got a lot of response pro and con.
Here at The News, we used to give a noise rating (purely subjective) along with my restaurant reviews but stopped it because of space. How important is it to you? And, yes, there is a difference between the contented hum that prevails in a successful restaurant, the vibrant edginess of a so-called "hip" restaurant and just plain all -out chaos.
What do you think?
If there's anything more likely to send dietitians and health professionals crazier than people sitting on a couch and stuffing themselves with junk food, it's the thought of those same people so ensconced on that couch that they won't even hoist themselves to the store to buy the food themselves.
That said, a brand new snack delivery service in town is certainly, er, unusual. Mark Czerniejewski and his partner Jason Simon have just started a business called Who's Got the Munchies? It offers a vast menu of items like Kit Kats, Skittles, Tootsie Pops, Twinkies , pop and salted nuts and will bring them right to the house when you call 828-6927. Monday through Thursday from 5 pm to midnight, Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. and Sundays from 2 to 10. (There's a minimum order of $10 and a $2 delivery charge but they do take credit cards.
"I pretty much walked through BJ's and stocked up on anything I would eat," says Czerniejewski. when asked how he made up the menu. which includes, we should also say, Kraft instant mac and cheese and ramen noodles. Not only that, orders are delivered in paper bags adorned with original Sharpie art by his girl fried Jessica Saddleson.
Coming soon: cigarettes! And, please don't shoot this messenger. Visit www.whosgotthemunchiesonline.com for more details.
Interesting news broke this week about five restaurants in Manhattan cited for not posting the calorie count of their dishes as required by a recent city law. The regulation, which is supposed to apply to all NYC restaurants with five national outlets and more, stipulates that such counts be provided and even though the Restaurant Association fought the rule, the courts finally said it was a go.
How good an idea is this posting anyhow and what would it accomplish? My first reaction to it was favorable, that it was a good idea because obesity is such a problem . But now I'm now I'm not so sure. Would someone avoid buying a Big Mac for instance when he saw that the sandwich would provide a day's worth of calories or more? Or would he simply not pay attention and order it anyway? (Maybe he'd even order a second Big Mac, who knows?)
Surely the information wouldn't come as a shock. Any literate person who is alive in 21st century
America knows that most fast food is not diet food. Will a label help reinforce the knowledge? We all have to take responsibility for our actions in the end. Another thing: How would we like a such a regulation here in Western New York?
As mentioned in my column today, the big culinary push this year will be how to save money when shopping for food. One approach, as I mentioned, is to stay flexible when visiting the markets and change menus fast -- on your feet, as it were. All the better to take advantage of good buys and specials you may encounter.
But, of course, there are plenty of other ways to proceed as well. I hereby open this space to hear your thoughts. I'm looking for really original ideas. We all know the same ol' same ol' stuff -- like not shopping when hungry or with distracting kids. This is getting to be serious now. Who has ideas that work -- and are different?
It may be raining, and it may be chilly, but the good news is that the Hatch is open at the Erie Basin Marina. And, if you ignore the muddled and slow service -- which is really part of the experience -- you can enjoy Western New York's most politically incorrect treat: fried bologna sandwiches complete with cheese, pepper and onions. Hurray!
