I'm feeling rather stupid but what is Paella Valenciana?

DMC while you are there think about us ok?

Mig, you really need to read the menu that DMC posted. It has all the dishes explained in great detail.

The menu looks great DMC, but if I just can't live without a bowl of pasta fagioli, are there any decent Italian places ?

Even a pizza joint with good food will do.

PB

There is Panico's and there is also a place opening in April called Catherine Lombardi's which is upstairs from Stage Left (same owners) so if the track record of Stage Left says anything than Lombardi's should be great.

Besides those 2 I'm not sure, I don't know of any pizza places that are even around there. I need to think this one over, but Panico's is good, I can tell you that much.

Paella Valenciana - Shrimp, Mussels, Clams, Diced Chicken, Pork, Chorizo, Lobster Broth, Peas, Piquillo Peppers, Spanish Rice.

Here is the complete NOVA TERRA MENU for your reading pleasure. EVERY dish on the menu has a description on what's in it.


Don Cardi

We can always go to the Vegas Diner (on 86th Street).

I've never had the Paella there but I have had the steak, and like I said people have never had a problem with the food. I think I might even go for the Paella tonight

But I thought it was decided:

Vegas Diner on Friday night (or whenever they reopen)

Taco Bell/KFC on Saturday (or whenever they reopen)

And for those who absolutely must have an Italian meal, there's the Pizza Hut of your choice for lunch.



Signor V.

Amazing, huh?

That diner was THE diner to go to when I was growing up in Brooklyn. I can't tell you how many years straight it was rated in the top 5 in New York.

The guy who used to run the place was fired about 6 months ago. The reason that I know this is because he now runs a diner near my house and we remembered each other from when I used to go to the Vegas Diner.



Don Cardi

What? No Olive Garden?

Screw it! I say that we go to the Babylon Club.





Don Cardi

OMG I have looked at that menu several times. I even printed it for Becky when I go see her tomorrow. There are things on the menu I don't understand. For example:
1. Antojitos
Assorted Appetizer Platter of Alcapurias de Yuca, Chicken, Beef and Pork Anticuchos, Empanadas, Grilled Chorizo, Roasted Vegetable Mojo,

2.Pan Seared Corvina
Crispy Black Bean Torta, Baby Arugala, Saffron Corn Mojo

SB,
I really appreciate you making me feel like a child just cuz I asked what a certain dish was. I am sorry I haven't been to these kinds of places before. If I'm gonna be made felt like I'm a child then maybe I should rethink if I want to come this year or not.

PS. Thank you to Cardi and PB for taking the time to explain it to me.

What chu talkin?

Never act in haste. It clouds your judgement.


Don Cardi

Even I know that place and I live in another borough.

It's always rated in the top 3 in the Daily News Poll. Along with the Neptune diner in Astoria and the Pelham Bay Diner in the Bronx.

I'm in Midwood every so often, so I usually go to the Floridian Diner on Flatbush Avenue, which, along with the Sherwood diner on Rockaway Turnpike in Lawrence, was in GOODFELLAS.

I used to go there quite a bit when I was dating my wife. We'd get together with all of our other friends who were dating, go out drinking and clubbing and The Floridian would be our 4'0 clock in the morning stop for breakfast and burgers!

Don Cardi

Yeah DC, the food is pretty good, but the location is really what makes that place so busy.

It's rare for a restaurant or diner to be on such a busy street AND have a parking lot. It's very convenient.

Hey, Mig, Nobody wanted to make you feel like a child. And I do believe that Don Cardi ALSO told you to print out the menu and read it, so what the hell did I do?? And you're going to cancel your trip because I suggested that you print out the menu?? I don't quite understand how what I said was offensive and how that would make you want to cancel your trip. Certainly, no offense was meant.

Ok, I think that what happened here is just your basic case of miscommunication. So please, everyone just take a deep breath, look things over carefully, and if there are any questions about something, just post them and make yourselves clear on what you need an answer to.

No cancelling and no arguing. Please. We're all pals here and that's why we plan and look forward to getting together once a year

Now where are we staying and eating?


Don Cardi

Well, until I try the Cuban fried calamari at NOVA TERRA, I'm not gonna shut up about it

I'm sure that we're all looking forward to this get-together. We always disagree in the months beforehand, and then have an absolute blast when we're all together! Just like the family that we truly are!!

Did you read my post? I said I did read the menu SEVERAL TIMES and I did print it out. Well when I look at the menu and I still don't understand then I ask again what a dish is I get told to look at the friggin menu again. You know what screw it I'll just ask the waiter when I get there. You seem to forget that these kinds of places are new to me. I don't go to these kind of restaurants except once a year with you guys.

Don't worry, Miggie, I don't know what a lot of those mean either!

Let's try to look some of those up for both our benefit:



Antojitos means "little whims" -- I assume appetizers, so this would be a combo plate I guess.

First, it seems they misspelled "Alcapurrias de Yuca" -- this one is tough, but this site says alcapurrias = "a fritter made from grated yautía and green bananas, stuffed with meat" (yautia = "taro root" , yuca = "cassava a root vegetable"). Okay, let's call this a banana eggroll.

Anticuchos = small pieces of grilled skewered meat. So like a shishkabob.

Empanadas = a stuffed pastry. What they stuff it with here, I don't know, but it seems like a handheld pot-pie sorta thing.

I already know that chorizo is a yummy spicy sausage

And mojo, of course, is what Austin Powers and I have. Okay, in this case I think it means a type of hot sauce perhaps...



I'm assuming that they don't mean corvina wine grapes here, so let's look at the rest:

A torta is a type of sandwich, arugala is perhaps a misspelling of arugula (type of lettuce)?? Got me on this one....


Miggie, see, I have no clue either. But luckily I'm experimental, and am not afraid to ask the waitress if I'm unsure. Maybe someone will bring a laptop with them during dinner? I do know I like paella already so my time will be easy.

But please don't be discouraged -- we'll find you a great dish where ever we end up!!

Some more definitions can be found via:

http://www.elboricua.com/food_vocabulary.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_cuisine (great search engine)

At least by your saying that we know that you aren't going to cancel!



Don Cardi

DMC mentioned OLD MAN RAFFERTY'S, so I did a search and found out that they have one of the most extensive beer lists in all of New Jersey.

Their dessert menu is ranked very high also, so at the very least, you can get a beer and a piece of cake

Mig, I'm not going to beat a dead horse. You're question was, What is Paella Valencia? You did NOT say, I read the menu and still don't understand some stuff. What is________?? So, I suggested that you read the menu. If you took offense to that, I assure you that no offense was meant.

I'm sure there are things on there that all of us are not familiar with. I do enjoy paella, but I am by no means an expert on Spanish cuisine. I'm sure we'll ALL have questions for the waitstaff. Heck, that's what they're there for.

God Bless you Geoffy. You are such a sweetheart.Thanks for taking the time out to do that for me.

You call this extensive???

There was a pub near me (which sadly moved and changed everything about it ) that had a 101 Beer Club -- if you sampled all 101 different varieties, you got a free "101 Beer Club" jacket. (Yeah, I made it. )

Well at least I understand the menu at Harold's

Hey, I'm just going by what a city search told me, and compared to most of the Bronx gin mills I frequent, it is extensive

Here you go, Miggie -- they made this for you!!

Grassfed Beef Ribeye "Mignon" (Celery Root and Cabrales Puree, Haricot Vert, Rioja Reduction)

Sheesh, let's see...

Cabrales seems like a type of cheese... Haricot Vert are string beans (why they used a French term here, I have no clue)... and rioja is a Spanish wine...