Steamed Pork and Vegetable Dumplings and Spicy Sauteed Kale with Lime
One of my favorite things – and frequent indulgences – is buying a bag or two of frozen dumplings when I’m in Chinatown. They are really very good! They are so inexpensive and once you have them in your freezer, it’s very easy to treat yourself to – let’s be honest here – your favorite part of Chinese cuisine. *smile*
When I go out for Chinese – or even order in – and get dumplings, they are an appetizer and part of what is rather a heavy meal. When you make them at home, they can be the star of the show…and when you pair them with a healthy vegetable, it all balances out into a fairly healthy meal.
Quick, easy, inexpensive, delicious and turning one of my favorite not-so-healthy snack-foods into a pretty nutritious meal? That’s my idea of What’s for Dinner! Read the full article →
Blistered Shishito Peppers
After yet another large, heavy lunch made up of Thanksgiving leftovers, I wanted something very light to eat for dinner last night. I wanted something, but the thoughts of a nice bowl of Turkey Soup (my all-time favorite and the best part of the Thanksgiving turkey in my opinion *smile*) felt like a bit too much. But I was in luck – I had stopped by the greenmarket and lucked out to find a nice fresh batch of Shishito Peppers at one of my favorite stands, and had bought a bag. So Blistered Shishito Peppers for dinner it was! Read the full article →
These terribly-lit pictures don’t do it justice, but Aceluck Thai serves some of the freshest, tastiest Thai food in Hell’s Kitchen. And with literally dozens of Thai restaurants in this area, that is no small claim to fame.
It’s a small slip of a restaurant located on one of the not-so-nice blocks of 9th Avenue (right near the entrance to the tunnel) – but it’s worth seeking out. The food is so fresh and tasty – spicy the way you want it to be spicy and presented far more elegantly than it’s location would imply.
I’m not a big fan of the appetizers, but every other dish I’ve tried has been excellent – and at this point, I’ve worked my way through most of the menu. Two of my all-time favorites are their Beef Thai Fried Rice and their Shrimp Tom Kar (Coconut Soup with Lemongrass).
When you order a soup – any kind of soup, it is served to you in a covered bowl, who’s top half lifts off and you are left with a two-handled bowl, as you see above. And the soup itself is clearly just made – the vegetables only barely cooked and the shrimp are juicy and crisp. Such a great start to any meal, whatever else follows has to be wonderful.
Aceluck Thai
530 Ninth Avenue
between 39th & 40th Streets
tel: 212-594-7083
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert
Music & Lyrics by Frank Loesser
How to Succeed in Business
I have to admit it – I wasn’t overly excited to see this production of “How to Succeed”. It’s just not one of my all-time favorite shows. It’s certainly not bad – not at all – but it’s just one that I don’t didn’t have a particular affinity for.
I had seen the last revival of it – back in 1995 (with Matthew Broderick and Ronn Carroll in the lead roles) and I had enjoyed it…but when I heard about this production (starring Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette) coming up, I just couldn’t get excited about it. Nothing to do with the performers at all, just the show.
But then I had more than a few friends see it and tell me how wonderful it was. Not only what a wonderful job all the performers turn in, but how the production numbers were phenomenal. After raves like that, I thought – I have to check it out. And boy am I glad I did!
Having seen this one – I will never again be ‘iffy’ about seeing another production of “How to Succeed” – ever again. The cast was fantastic! John Larroquette – you play a cad like nobody’s business! Daniel Radcliffe – by god, can you dance (!) and sell that quirky scheming, yet still remain endearing. Christopher J. Hanke – I never thought I could enjoy the annoying, brown-nosing character of Bud Frump so muc.! And the dance number for the song “Brotherhood of Man” – just exhilarating!
How to Succeed originally debuted in 1961 – and they keep the spirit of the 60’s alive in this current production with the use of a bright color palette and the fun costumes, of the women especially. This is a very entertaining show and good fun for the whole family. A few hours under the spell of this HTS and you’ll walk out of the theatre happy, energized and ready to tell your friends to go see it, too!
Al Hirschfeld Theatre
302 West 45th Street
between 8th and 9th Avenues
Open-ended run
