Aqua Grill / Bistro Les Amis

August 15th-

Aqua Grill-

Nathan and I ventured into Soho to the Aqua Grill. We had attempted to eat there before, but it didn't work out, because we didn't make reservations, and there was a long wait. This time we knew better. The place was packed, as always, and we were about to find out why. We were lead to our comfy table dressed in crisp white linens, and handed a menu filled with mouth watering dishes. First, they brought us some delicious bread...cornbread, some very buttery white bread and then crusty French bread. I ate the first two.....the third was just too boring. Then.....the amuse bouche appeared......salmon tartar with avocado on what looked like a long, slender Ruffles potato chip. What a great idea! The menu was filled with so much seafood. There was an amazing amount of different types of oysters. It was overwhelmingly wonderful! We ordered four of them to try.....Blue Point from Connecticut, our old standby, Malpeque from Prince Edward Island, Northumberland from Prince Edward Island and Moonstone from Rhode Island. The Blue Point are always large and buttery. The North Umberlands were also quite sizable. Nathan loved them, but they were my least favorite. I really like the Malpeque, which are a little smaller and less creamy....more concentrated. The appetizer we chose, actually came first....the Roasted Dungeness Crabcake Napoleon with sundried tomato oil. We rarely order crabcakes, because we never seem to like them. They usually have way too much breading, so you can't taste the crab, and are too greasy. We took a chance. Yum! These were very good! Not only was it not greasy, but it had just enough breading to keep it together and that was it. It was a cake made of crab finally- and the crab was tasty! For our entree, we split one of the specials.....the Grouper....one of my favorite types of fish. The grouper was cooked simply and perfectly, and was served on top of croquettes, which I absolutely adore- the outside was crunchy and the instead creamy. What a satisfying dish! I loved it! We skipped desert, but they brought us a small plate of tiny bites of sweetness, which was just the perfect amount. Everything I put in my mouth was sheer pleasure!

Bistro Les Amis-

It was such a lovely night....a hint of coolness in the air...finally giving us a break from the oppressive heat of the summer....and neither one of us really wanted it to be over with yet, so we went for a little walk before heading for home, and stumbled upon a quaint little French bistro on Spring Street called Bistro Les Amis, which was a perfect name for it, because it was so welcoming, like going to an old friend's house. We had to go in, for this was how we found our favorite West Village gem, AOC Bedford. They was hardly anyone in there, it was at least ten thirty or eleven by then, so we sauntered up to the bar for a drink to top off the evening.....Glen Fiddich on the rocks. I don't think I really needed the drink, but the experience was worth the headache the next morning. I plan to come back to this cozy little bistro for dinner sometime.

What an absolutely delightful evening!