(continued)

FrederickCooke:
Who do you feel offered the best $19.96 lunches this past summer? And, have you found any restaurants which offer excellent $19.9_ menus, year after year?

GordonSt:
The amazing thing about New York is what a wonderful deal people think they're getting when they pay 19.96 for lunch. Man, that's a week worth of lunches for me right there.

Eric Asimov:
I'll tell you, I go to the $19.96, or is it $19.97 lunches, rarely. Those are not the usual kind of restaurants I write about it, so I don't have the time. But the Gotham Bar and Grill is a pretty good deal.

Eric Asimov:
So Gordon, where do you eat for your $4 a lunch?

emmawood:
Do you ever tire of the constant eating out? Ever just want to order in? How many nights a week do you have to eat out?

Eric Asimov:
Emma, once in a while I do get tired. So I do order in! But I almost always am eager to go out. I eat about 25 to 30 restaurant meals a month.

emmawood:
I guess that's lunch AND dinner. Ever take your kids? Do they like the ethnic foods that you seem to?

Eric Asimov:
I have two kids, Emma, 6 and 5. And I pick my spots with them. I find they are getting more picky as they get older! And it changes. The key is messy desserts.

FrederickCooke:
I find that the huge mark-ups restaurants place on wine often render otherwise inexpensive restaurants expensive. With this in mind, could you recommend some good BYOB restaurants?

Eric Asimov:
I hesitate to mention BYOB places, Frederick, since those are often places waiting for a liquor license to arrive.

ruby5:
What about the soup nazi? Do you like the soup nazi?

Eric Asimov:
I love the soup nazi! Great soup, misunderstood genius. Just move ALL THE WAY to the left, alright?

GordonSt:
Eric, In New York there are these really cool places with big arches outside, and they have this thing called a Value meal. Also, and this is really key in New York, if you're quick you can use their bathroom without even paying for anything.

ruby5:
Gordon, that's because restaurant bathrooms are Public in NYC, didn't you know that? It's the privitization Guiliani keeps talking about.....and that right place, right time thing Eric was talking about before --

Pinky11:
Gordon, a branch of that big arch restaurant in the Wall Street area is the best!!!! They have a door man and a piano player for lunch during weekdays. You can get cappuccino there, too.

FrederickCooke:
When you travel how do you choose where to eat? Guide books (if so, which one(s) do you prefer)? Word of mouth? Wing it?

Eric Asimov:
Frederick, unfortunately my kids tend to dictate where I eat when I travel. Either that, or I'd get recommendations from friends. Guide books too, if they seem to know what they're talking about, if they go beyond generalizations and tourist evergreens.

ruby5:
What about the boroughs -- besides queens -- where are your favorite places to go?

Eric Asimov:
What's wrong with queens, ruby? Can I try Brooklyn? My favorites include the Garden Café or the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Acadia Parish on Atlantic Avenue, and, for the best sweet potato pie, Caroline Country Kitchen in East New York/Bed-Stuy.

ruby5:
No -- everything's right with queens, that's the thing -- I bet there are a jizillion places in queens you like to go -- but Frederick likes to dis brooklyn, and as a denizen, I need some artillery

Ana0:
have you been to Harvest on Court Street in cobble hill? If so what did you think of it?

ruby5:
What about Fatoush? That red pepper salad? mmmmmm

Pinky11:
Eric, have you been to Brawta? I think it's the best Carribean/Jamaican food. What do you think?

Eric Asimov:
I love Brawta, you are so right, Pinky! Ruby, I've never been to fatoush. Sounds like a mel brooks joke in yiddish.

ruby5:
What's your favorite Big Splurge?

Eric Asimov:
My favorite big splurge is Montrachet in Tribeca. Great food, but not TOO expensive, and great wines!

FrederickCooke:
How much do you tip when you get really horrible service?

Eric Asimov:
For horrible service, complain to the manager before it's time for the tip. See if it improves. Then judge how much is the waiter's fault. Often, it's a kitchen problem, which I don't like to take out on the waiters. But if truly offended, you can show it with a minimal or no tip.