Perilla

December 1st-

It was Nathan's birthday, and we wanted to celebrate by dining somewhere new (to us) and fantastic, so we made reservations in Greenwich Village at Chef Harold Dieterle's Perilla. According to the restaurant's website, "The Perilla plant is a relative of mint and basil but has a strong anise-like flavor. Primarily used in Asian cooking, Perilla is most commonly known as Shiso." Since, I was unaware of this little fact, I thought you may be interested in it, too. If not, well, at least you are a little more educated now. Anyway, we didn't choose this place for its name. The Chef Dieterle's gem is known for its emphasis on seasonal ingredients, and that is what its all about.

Upon entering the restaurant, we noticed it was small, and unpretentious. It's cozy and minimal at the same time, very comfortable. They have a small, but fun cocktail menu which consisted of a Manhattan, (their way); The Perilla, a blend of gin, perilla, grapefruit and prosecco; the Cool Cuke, cucumber vodka, St. Germain, lemon and soda; and the one I couldn't resist, the Autumn Pear which was made up of vodka, cassis and Bordelet pear cider....bright red, delicious and light, served in a tall soda glass.

After pondering the mouthwatering menu, we decided to go our usual route of ordering two appetizers and an entree to share. First, the hand cut tagliatelle with Maine lobster, guanciale, holy basil, and fra diavolo sauce......it sounds a lot fancier than it was. The pasta was good, the lobster was cooked perfectly and the sauce had a tomato base. It was very fresh tasting. But our favorite appetizer, and being a former vegetarian, I sometimes cannot believe this stuff comes out of my mouth.......the crispy wild boar belly with stewed huckleberries, squash and banyuls-vanilla caramel. I'm sorry, but I was so giving it up to that boar and appreciating him. He was delicious! Carrying on in a carnivorous vein, for our entree, we devoured the roasted duck breast with duck fat popcorn, mustard greens, mung beans, dragon fruit and spicy chili jam. Wow. We were loving life now. And.......to top it all off, at the birthday boy's request, we had the chocolate souffle.

All in all......no complaints.....great food and drinks, good service, cozy restaurant in a cute neighborhood.......I recommend.

Craftbar

November 28th-

My whole family was in town over Thanksgiving and everyone voted to go out to dinner and leave the turkey behind for one night. (Ha!.......as if a family of foodies actually ate leftover turkey all weekend!) Anyway, my mom is a huge fan of Top Chef, so we decided to make reservations at one of Tom Colicchio's restaurants.......enter Craftbar.

Nathan and I had been there before, but I didn't have this blog up and running yet, so I guess, now is the time to include it.....plus I promised my sister in law I would. The restaurant is very spacious, and I do remember from last time that it was very dimly lit. That hasn't changed. We were all sitting around the table looking like a silly bunch of visually challenged people trying to use everything from the lights on our cell phones, to the candle at the table to try to find enough light to read the menu. I almost gave up and had my husband pick something for me. The dark room wouldn't have been a problem if the menu that was posted online was current. We had all given it a gander and had collectively agreed on a plan of action before we even arrived at the restaurant. There was a 30 day aged beef that we were going to get for the table to share, and spigarello (from the broccoli family) and cardoons (like artichokes) that no one had heard of before, and wanted to try. We were overconfident. That is where we went wrong. Of course, the whole time this was happening, I had a sinking suspicion that the menu would not be the same when we got there. It was just a little too easy. I was right. That aside, I do appreciate a changing menu that promotes seasonal, local ingredients and Chef C even included a list of the farms where he bought his. This I loved.

Eventually, we decifered the menu well enough to squeak out an order......for appetizers.....fried oysters with cucumber and old Bay aioli (my favorite thing to order), field mushroom bruschetta with fontina cheese and pecorino risotto balls with spicy tomato sauce. The oysters were too heavily battered for my taste, but the cucumbers that were ever so delicately pickled and the silky smooth aioli that accompanied the oysters were delish. The mushroom bruschetta was absolutely divine! I am not a big fan of bruschetta, because I find that when you order it, you are usually served a huge chunk of hard tasteless, boring bread with a tiny dollop of some kind of mediocre sauce on top. Chef C's was the exact opposite...... just enough bread to hold the earthy, delicious mushrooms and cheese that was dripping from each bite- yum! Kudos to my sister for picking that one! The risotto balls were also fantastic. They were so creamy on the inside.

For entrees, we ordered the Black-Angus hanger steak with baby shiitake mushroom, market onion and potato puree, the cavatelli Bolognese, the Colorado lamb shank with Swiss chard, chic pea fries and Nicoise olive, and the Pappardelle with rabbit, mustard greens and Picholine olives. I tasted and like all of it. The steak was well prepared. The potato puree was one of the best I've tried. The rabbit pasta was so full of flavor, and the lamb was falling off the bone. The Bolognese was probably my least favorite, but in all fairness, I don't think it stood a chance with all of the other more decadent dishes.

I liked Craftbar......but I would've liked it better if everyone had moaned with delight. Everyone seemed to like it, but I go for the moan.

I'm back!

November 29th-

I'm back!

Sorry, it has been so long since my last post! I didn't realize I had so many fans until I stopped writing! Thank you! Don't think I stopped going out, though! Oh no! I've been to some AMAZING restaurants that really deserved a shout out, but just didn't get them. What restaurants you ask? The best places I have been to in the last few months have been Little Owl, Salt, Public and Blue Hill, to name a few. I loved each of them! So, I guess, I am just going to have to go all over again. (What a shame! Ha!)

The Grey Dog's Coffee

July 12th-

After shoe shopping in Union Square, we were in need of a little break, a comfy place to sit and something cold to drink. We stumbled upon The Grey Dog's Coffee, which couldn't have been more perfect for a late afternoon stop......as if I could pass up a spot that so honored the admirable canine. They serve everything from coffee, tea and pastries to wine, beer, sandwiches, and salads. All I had was iced coffee, but Nathan can vouch for the giant cookies. Still, the place was so cute, it is blog worthy.

Le Bernadin

July 22nd-

After contemplating a few months ago, whether or not to continue living in Manhattan, I went down a mental list of all the places I needed to visit before we embarked upon such a feat, and all I came up with was Eric Ripert's Le Bernadin. Surprisingly, we have been to a lot of places, and I didn't feel as if I would die, if I wasn't given the time to go everywhere.....that is except Le Bernadin. No one was getting me out of Manhattan without this one! I've seen Chef Ripert on numerous shows..... Top Chef, Martha Stewart, etc. We've cooked one of his recipes at home, and frankly, I just think he is a god. Do the Greeks have a god of food? Surely, they must....note to self...need to investigate this. Now that we've opted to stay in the city, we decided to schedule this visit to Le Bernadin for lunch on our three year wedding anniversary.

This is one of those restaurants that feel spa like. Nathan was commenting on how noisy the street is, and how the opposite is true inside the restaurant, when upon entering this sanctuary, all you hear are quiet soothing sounds......sounds like, "May I get you some wine?", and "Here is some beautiful smoked salmon spread for you while you peruse the menu." These are sounds I am quite fond of. The whole place is very understated and elegant, with huge, fabulous paintings on the walls, and a simple but spectacular arrangement of pink flowers in the middle. In fact, I think these are some of the exact same words I would use to describe the menu....elegant and spectacular.

I have to admit, choosing what to eat was difficult. There were just so many wonderful options! We actually spent a few minutes online going over everything before we arrived, just to give us a bit of a head start in the decision making process. We take dining out very seriously. There is nothing I hate more than ordering the wrong thing, and I take pride in the fact that this rarely happens to me. (I do actually hate soggy bacon more, but that is beside the point.)

The lunch menu is a prix fixe, which allows you to choose an appetizer, an entree and a dessert. To start, I chose the curried crab and zucchini panna cotta in a vadouvan spiced broth. Two little zucchini rolls stuffed with crab in a light, tasty broth came out- very good! I mostly tasted crab, and it was presented very creatively. Nathan ordered the marinated himachi Vietnamese style with a nuoc mam vinaigrette. It looked like a little spring roll in a citrus juice. The fish was very light, and the dish was very refreshing and summery. For my entree, I chose the bread crusted red snapper with a zucchini, mint and coriander compote in a rich citrus broth. I almost didn't order this when I saw the word "bread" in the description, because I just never feel breading is ever done crispy or light enough. This time, I was not disappointed. There was a very light, crispy top on the fish, but not encasing it- the perfect amount of breading. The citrus broth was tomato, and that, coupled with the breading on top, gave the dish a comfort food feel to it, while still possessing its light, fresh, pure, upscale flavors. Nathan ordered the crispy black bass with braised celery in an Iberico ham and green peppercorn sauce accompanied by a parsnip custard. Ok.....I might have liked his better. The sauce was amazing. It was the kind of sauce you dip your bread in to try to scoop up every last drop. Honestly, all of the sauces were like this, but this one was just my favorite. And.....the parsnip custard was to die for! I think I ate half of it. It was kind of sweet, yet still savory. It just teeter tottered between the two, and made my mouth go crazy with joy! This was so good that if they would have given us a tub of it, I would have finished it, I swear! Last, for dessert, I requested the yuzu parfait, meringue and green tea biscuit and ice cream. As one who is not a big fan of sweets, this was great. It wasn't overly sickeningly sweet, or heavy. I did not feel the sugar burst into my veins the moment I took a bite. It was light and palate cleansing. I loved it-especially the green tea ice cream. Nathan loves sweets, so he had the gianduja ice cream with Oregon hazelnuts, honey, banana and brown butter ice cream. This was good. I mostly liked the bananas, but overall, too sweet for me.

Overall, this was one of the best dining experiences I have ever had....in Manhattan, or anywhere. The food was rich, yet light; simple, yet complex......and everything tasted very fresh, pure and clean. It excited, revived, and inspired me. Praise be to Chef Ripert, god of food!

Hill Country

May 23rd-

Since it was Memorial weekend, it just felt right to eat barbecue. So......we consulted Zagat to find the best barbecue joint near Mood, where I needed to go to pick up some fabric. Hill Country was one of those spots, so we decided to give it a try. Once you enter, you no longer feel like you are in Manhattan. The place is HUGE.....roomy, tall ceilings, two floors (they have bands play downstairs).....and it was pristine clean. I thought I was in Texas! If I had to describe the decor, I would call it "rustic cute". They hand you a card when you enter and direct you to three stations: meat, sides and beverages. We started with the meat. I asked for six ribs thinking these are those tiny little things smaller than my hand. Thankfully, the guy at that station told me that was "a lot", so I ordered three, like he suggested, instead. When he brought them out and plunked them down, I got the picture. They were almost as long as my forearm! We moved on to the side station next where they offered everything from green beans to corn pudding to salad to cucumbers to mac and cheese. We opted for the last two. The tables are all set with salt and pepper, hot sauce, barbecue sauce and a roll of paper towels. I think I used half of a roll during lunch. The barbecue sauce was pretty good. I drenched the ribs in it. I've come to realize it isn't really the ribs I like, but the sauce. I wonder what else I could slather in it? Hmmm... The mac and cheese wasn't bad, either. The cheese wasn't made from some horrible powder like I expected. It was actually real mac and cheese. The cucumber were marinated in vinegar and if left for a time, would become pickles. In fact, they almost tasted like those homemade pickles you get at the farmers market. As we were devouring our lunch like hungry wolves, I noticed the drink menu out of the corner of my eye. I had to read it sideways, of course, because my hands were dripping with barbecue sauce, but I could see it well enough to discover that they had a huge selection of beer, tequila and bourbon. Oooh la la! So....bourbon does in fact go very well with ribs, just in case you were wondering. I had to try it out, solely for educational purposes, of course. The pecan pie looked good too, but we opted out of dessert. I doubt it would have been better than my mom's, and then I would just be disappointed. All in all, this was a pretty fun place. It made me feel like buying a pair of cowboy boots and booking a trip to Austin. Hee haw!

Yuki

May 16th-

I don't even know where to start in this review of Yuki. It is definitely the best Japanese restaurant in my neighborhood, and my "go to" for takeout. Seriously, I think we eat from Yuki once a week. You can eat indoors, in its impeccably clean and modern space or when the weather is nice, you can eat outside like we did. What's good? What's not!? My favorite appetizers are the age tofu....so creamy on the inside, yet light and crunchy on the outside. How they get that tempura batter to stick to the soft wet tofu is beyond me. And, let's not forget the tuna tartar with quail egg, which is just so rich tasting, and colorful to look at......the deep red tuna playing against the bright yellow yolk of the egg.... mmm.......so decadent! I do love that the Japanese know that how something looks is just as important as how it tastes. You eat with your eyes first, after all. They also know how to make good sushi here. I have two choices for top sushi rolls. First, the shrimp tempura roll, because the shrimp is tasty and perfectly cooked, and the tempura surrounding it gives it a nice crunchy texture. They also sneak a tiny bit of a mayo based sauce on the inside, which makes it just that much more special. Second, I like the eel avocado roll. Eel coupled with avocado and eel sauce creates such an intense, distinct flavor. In all honesty, I've never had anything bad from Yuki, and I think I have tried a good portion of their menu. Their salmon sashimi is one of my favorites. I know, I know, you think there is nothing to that, but isn't there? In fact, it is the most important thing to do right, because when sashimi is bad, its really bad! At Yuki, the sashimi is awesome! First, the appearance.....it has an even, bold color, and all the salmon sashimi are the same size, the same thickness, and perfectly sliced, nothing measly and nothing obnoxious.....just the perfect size. Next, there's the smell.....fresh, like the ocean. Then, the texture.....just the right amount of firmness at first, and then, it melts in your mouth.....only the really good sashimi does this. Finally, the taste....full of gentle flavor. There is nothing like the perfect piece of salmon sashimi......with a good sake to wash it down! Last, I have one favorite entree.....just one because there is no way anything else can possibly compete with this one.....Saikyo Yaki, grilled black cod with saikyo miso flavor. Oh my god! Oh my god! It is to die for! I don't even think words can do it justice. It is the absolute best way to eat black cod, and once I had this dish, black cod became my new favorite type of fish. Yuki is never a disappointment. They even give you these little Japanese hard candies when you leave that feel like a crystallized drop of soda pop in your mouth as it dissolves-fun!

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Sadly, Yuki is no longer in existence. Manhattan is a tough place for a restaurant.

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Momofuku Ssam Bar

April 28th-

Before heading out to the Tribeca Film Festival, Nathan and I went for an early dinner at Momofuku Ssam Bar at 2nd Avenue and 13th Street. Since we were there so early (6:45ish), we were able to walk right in. It's a pretty small place, and they don't accept reservations, so go early, really late, or be prepared to wait. The interior is modern and clean, with dark wood paneling and a long sleek bar. The bar has the little hooks underneath for your handbag, which I love a little bit too much. There is an open kitchen in the back, but it isn't loud and distracting. They offer several types of Sake, various beers and have a huge wine list, which is handed to you in a thicker than you would expect, leather-bound book that they keep behind the bar. We ordered drinks......just beer and wine....since we had to stay awake for the movie.....and then moved on to the menu. The steamed pork buns from the small plates portion of the menu were the first thing we devoured. I thought Nathan might die from excitement when they came out. They were the cutest little sandwiches made up of soft, white, spongy buns and filled with moist, tender meat.....add a touch of hot sauce and yum! Next, we had the lamb tortelloni. It was so full of flavor and texture.....my favorite! As the special entree of the night, they were offering grilled himachi collar with daikon (crunchy radish pieces, basically), umeboshi (a tart little plum colored dollop of deliciousness) and ponzu sauce. Neither one of us had ever had collar of himachi, and we wanted to be adventurous, so we ordered it. The fish had a stronger taste than I usually like, but it was a bit masked by the tasty ponzu sauce, which was key. Nathan did not get enough of the pork buns, so we ordered another round of those, and were told by our waiter/bartender that that was a common occurrence......apparently there are never enough pork buns for anyone......ever. I am usually not tempted by dessert, but when I saw what was on the menu, I made sure to leave room. How could I have possibly refused pear sorbet with pumpkin ganache and gorgonzola dolce? I couldn't! Anytime something savory is offered as a dessert in a new, creative way, I can barely contain myself. It was amazing! What a combo....a new inventive melange of scrumptiousness! Delish! I will return.

The Hamptons Part 2- Pierre's

April 12th-

After wine tasting at Wolffer Estate Winery in Bridgehampton, we drove two minutes to Pierre's, (it was just down the street), for a late Easter brunch. It was just what we pictured.....elegant, but understated and casual, with delicious food. And.. it isn't too large or too small inside. You have enough room to have a private conversation without being plagued by the conversation of your neighbors......something not always easy to come by in crowded Manhattan. Of course, this was off season. It was cold enough to wear winter coats on the beach, after all. You couldn't tell that inside, because the restaurant was full. The mostly white interior felt very peaceful and relaxing.....the antithesis of Manhattan, which is what we came for. And.......the first thing I saw when I sat down at the table was a tiny bowl of fleur de sel!!!!!! Being the salt lover that I am, I took that as a great sign! The menu was full of wonderful choices. I had a difficult time deciding what to order. In the end, we went with the classics......the Oeuf Poche Florentine (Eggs Florentine) and the Croque Monsieur Parisien. Both were perfectly created. The service was good, no complaints. I definitely recommend it. I must say, some of the patrons are a bit odd, though. A few minutes after we arrived, I noticed this older couple at the opposite end of the restaurant, where I was facing. I would have never noticed them, had they not been wearing dark sunglasses. I felt that weird feeling you experience when someone is staring at you, but I didn't know if they were, since they had their spy glasses on and were seated facing me anyway. I mentioned this to Nathan, telling him not to turn around......of course, the second you tell someone that, they do just that- turn around. He did, and the couple hurriedly removed their sunnies and tried to look away. We had to laugh.

The Hamptons Part 1- Wolffer Estate Winery

April 12th-

So......we wanted to see the infamous Hamptons, but didn't want to do the go from crowded city to crowded highway to crowded beach thing.....so we went on Easter Sunday dressed in our warm sweaters and coats. No traffic....no lines.....no crowds......this was such a heavenly escape from Manhattan- instant relaxation! I might even have to say that it is one of the smartest things we have done in a long while. We decided to visit a winery, a restaurant and the beach.....in that order.

First, we drove up to Wolffer Estate Winery....it looks like a Tuscan Villa from the outside, and is so welcoming and spacious on the inside- rustic with tall ceilings and french doors that frame views of the vineyard.....(check out the video below). There were only a handful of people there, so we received wonderful service. They handed us a menu of flights, glasses and bottles, as well as assorted cheese and crackers. We wanted to try as many wines as possible, so we both chose a different flight.

Nathan chose the Grand Tasting, and I chose the Spring Tasting, which turned out to be their two most popular. I'll tell you about the Grand Tasting first. Glass number one was one of their anniversary wines which we found out, they name after horses. Don't ask me what the significance of that is, because I was too excited to try the wines that I cannot for the life of me remember what she said, and I guess Nathan was feeling the same, because he can't either. Needless to say, the wine was good. It was the Caya (the horse's name) Cabernet Franc 2005 which was a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot. It was very light, so I liked it, but substantial enough that Nathan, who prefers heavy reds, also enjoyed it. So far, so good. Next, was possibly one of the best wines either of us has ever put into our thirsty mouths......the Premier Cru Merlot 2004, consisting of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Oh my god! This is what they drink in heaven. I am sure of it! And......since just one glass costs $25, (the bottle is a mere $100, and the case $600), it made the $20 flight a true value! It was just perfect.....complex, easy to drink, good aftertaste......and no, much to my dismay, I am not a professional wine taster, so yes, I am describing all of this in a way anyone can relate to, I hope. After this, nothing could measure up quite the same, but there are many more wines for me to "unprofessionally" review. Following the god's nectar, was a Claletto Amarone Style Cabernet Sauvignon 2005......100% Cabernet Sauvignon.....so, so syrupy. As she poured it, I thought it may be best on pancakes.....really, it was thick. You could see the legs (Oooh! Wine jargon! See? I know a little.) so long after you made the wine twirl and took your first sip. Nathan thought it was good, but it wasn't for me. Last in the series was the Descencia Botrytis Chardonnay 2006, which was made up of 100% Botrytis Chardonnay. She told us it is every expensive because there is a fungus that grows on some of the grapes which causes them to be super crazy sweet, and these grapes have to be handpicked, one by one, because one might have the fungus, and maybe the one next to it does not.....interesting. The wine tasted like honey......and was almost the same color.....good, very intense, but good.......a dessert wine.

Next, I will tell you about the flight I chose, the Spring Tasting. First on the list was a 2008 Rose made up of 53% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Chardonnay. Ok, I admit, anything pink in the past scared me. Whenever someone approached me with Rose, all I could think about what White Zinfandel......and bad ones.....the wines that are pink and sugary and gross, and should just be served as a wine cooler, really. This was not that wine. This was lovely. This was the wine you want at brunch on a hot summer day. This was so good. I bought a bottle. Next. Pinot Gris 2008- consisting of 88% Pinot Gris and 12% Chardonnay, (yes, I brought the menu home if you are wondering how in the world I have managed to remember all of these percentages after drinking all of this wine).....this was so light and delicious and refreshing, even Nathan, who is really picky when it comes to whites, loved this one.....yes, we bought a bottle of this, too. Next was the Estate Selection Chardonnay 2005 which was all Chardonnay baby! It was fruity, and oaky, and fabulous. No, I didn't buy this one.....but I wanted to. Finally, they brought me a Pinot Noir from 2006, which was 100% Pinot Noir. It was good, but I personally liked a few others that we had better.

So, our flights were finished.......but we were? Hell no! We still had some time before our late brunch reservation.....which was thankfully two minutes down the road, so we each chose a glass of something we hadn't tried yet. Being a big fan of Chardonnay, I ordered the Wolffer Estate Chardonnay 2006, which was all Chardonnay, and happened to be our server's favorite wine. It was delightful. Nathan opted for La Ferme Martin Merlot 2004, which......ok, this is the last time I am going to do this, I promise.......80% Merlot, 18.5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon and .5% Pinot Noir. The wine was good, but how can you come back from the nectar of the gods Premier Cru?

What a heavenly place! Now we must move to wine country!

Jimmy's

March 31st,

Ok......Jimmy's isn't a restaurant......but they serve food, so it counts! Jimmy's is actually a tiny little shiny silver food cart that parks itself on 72nd and Columbus, Monday through Friday during the daylight hours. I know, I know, it seems ridiculous to write about a food cart, but this one is special. From what I can surmise, it is run by Jimmy and his son. They are the only two in the cart every day. Jimmy takes the orders and the money, and his son cooks the food. They both have sweet eastern European accents. (At least that is what it sounds like to me.....but I don't know how good I am at deciphering these things.) Your food is made as you watch. It isn't sitting around in some bin. I am telling you it is good and.....there are always lines. The other day, I heard someone say they walked several blocks to find this food cart ......and they brought friends. I am personally addicted to the egg and cheese croissant. I mean it when I say that. I have eaten that one particular sandwich so many times that they ask "The usual?" when I arrive at the cart and once, they even gave it to me for free. It is always the best $2.50 I ever spend. Jimmy's is worthy of a space on my blog.

Bar Americain

March 20th-

I watch him on TV, but I could no longer remember what his food tastes like. It was time to go back and visit one of Bobby Flay's restaurants again. Since we haven't been to Bar Americain in at least two years, and I remembered it fondly, I decided we must go there tonight. We arrived at nine and the place was hopping! After being seated near, but not too near, the open kitchen, which is cool, I looked at the cocktail menu hoping to find the maraschino cherry concoction that was given to me on my last visit, but sadly, it was not there. I consoled myself with a champagne cocktail instead. I forgot all about the champagne cocktail! And how could I? It's adding a simple little sugar cube with a dash a bitters.....and poof! It's a new drink! Delightful. Back to the menu....my eyes then went straight for the hot potato chips with blue cheese sauce. I had to have them. Lately, I've been obsessed with upscale chips and dip. I don't know what has come over me, but it has been one enjoyable obsession! Very tasty! I think I prefer the homemade chips with creme fraiche and caviar from Pravda, though. It must be the Russian in me. We also had a basket of various breads brought to us at this time, and I love a good cornbread! This one had teeny tiny bits of jalapeno in it.....tasted great with a bit of butter. Next, we had the dish I could absolutely not leave without having.....I have been enamored by this since my mom made her version of the dish she tasted in Seaside, Florida at the Great Southern Cafe........gulf shrimp and grits with bacon, green onions and garlic. Perfection! The grits were creamy and tasty....and the shrimp was so so good. I just want to say, good grits are amazingly delicious, but bad grits are just disgusting.....trust me.....I tried the bad ones the first time I attempted to make them.....now I respect them. Getting back to the meal.....we then moved on to the red pepper crab cake with red cabbage slaw and a basil vinaigrette. It was prepared the way crab cakes should be prepared.....so you can actually taste the crab and not just the cake (breading) part of it. The slaw was surprisingly yummy.....it looked like a garnish I would leave behind, but when I tasted it, I changed my mind. The basil sauce was the clincher- so fresh, so perfect with everything else. We found ourselves sopping up every last drop. For the main event, we chose the porterhouse lamb chops served with sweet potato gratin, tangerine hot sauce and fresh mint. I was not disappointed. The lamb was tender and juicy, and I loved the sweet potatoes with that texture instead of the mashed version I am used to. We could not fit one more bite of food into our mouths after that, although I was very tempted to try and stuff the blueberry lemon crepes with brown sugar brown butter down......next time.

Fred's

March 16th-

Fred's is the kind of place that you can go anytime......brunch, early dinner with your honey, late night out with the girls.....anytime. The atmosphere is casual and relaxed. The decor is dark and cozy, and the walls are lined with photos of neighborhood dogs like Fred, a black lab. If you bring in a framed photo of your dog, they promise to hang it up. It's charming. The food would be best classified as American......sandwiches, salads.....and the best thing on the menu.....the mac and cheese. I am telling you, this is hands down the best mac and cheese you have or will ever put in your mouth! The cheese is just perfect.....white cheddar, not that scary orange stuff.....and oh so creamy. There isn't anything avant garde about it.....nothing fancy or experimental. It's just classic, dependable and good. It isn't greasy, and it isn't chalked full of dry breadcrumbs- I hate that. I suggest you go there with good friends.....(like I did.....with Mike, David and Javi), get a nice bottle of wine, and slowly savor your classic pasta over enjoyable conversation. You can't go wrong.

Pravda

February 27th-

I was perusing the Zagat Bar and Nightlife book, and happened upon a section entitled "Vodka Bars". My heart raced! Oh my god.....this could be my nirvana! We picked one to try first...Pravda. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to go that weekend. This only increased my curiosity and desire to experience all that was Pravda, and made it the first priority of the weekend to follow. Well, the next weekend finally came, and off to Pravda we did go. You enter as if you are going into some private basement, and when you open the door, you enter into Eastern Europe.....and are greeted by someone with a Russian accent....what a fantastic cozy, romantic, cool vibe! There are two dimly lit bars, one as you enter, and one pretty private one upstairs- both are inviting. The dining area pretty much feels like a big hip bar....in a good way.........very casual, but chic. You could come here in vintage clothes with long black gloves, all decked out, or casual in jeans and a jacket.....or most perfectly, in all black. The menu consisted of mostly cocktails and vodka from all over the world, and even some infused versions exclusive to Pravda. There was only a small portion devoted to food, but with what it offered, you didn't need any more. I was dying to try the homemade potato chips with creme fraiche and caviar.....so we ordered those first. Oh my god! With vodka......there is not better complement. I was the happiest girl in the world.....I had vodka, potatoes and dairy.....and we just started. The first vodka I tried was the fig....it really did taste like a fig newton to me. Nathan had the black currant.....it was bright pink and a little too sweet, I thought. After that, we went straight for the Russian stuff, I moved on to the Kutskova, because I liked the way it sounded when I said it, and Nathan to the Jewel of Russia Classic. Mine was way smoother. As for food, we ordered the crispy potato pancakes with Scottish smoked salmon. They were delicious.....not too greasy and heavy like a lot of potato pancakes I have eaten. Of course, I had to order the beef stroganoff. It came with a biscuit instead of noodles, which Nathan preferred. It was a more original way to present the dish, but I still like the noodle version better. The mushroom sauce was divine, but the beef itself was a little tough. My mom still holds the record for this dish, I'm afraid......not that I wouldn't eat it again, because I would eat it this very second if given the opportunity. We wanted to linger, but the vodka was now hitting me and we had to go......but I am already dying to go back. There are so many things on the menu I still need to try. If it were around the corner from my place, it would be difficult to convince me to go anywhere else. I haven't been this excited about a place since Jane, with her heavenly fried poached egg over beef carpaccio.
Pravda, I am in love!

Tiffin Wallah

February 21st-

Saturday, we had the day off and I was in the mood for Indian food, so we made our way to Curry Hill, and landed at Tiffin Wallah. We have been here before, and liked it, so we thought we would try a few other dishes. The inside is clean and modern, and always full of Indians. The menu is huge. Today as I looked around, it seemed that everyone was ordering dosas. Nathan ordered the paneer masala dosa and liked it very much. I thought it was good as well, but dosas aren't my favorite thing.....too much bread for me. I ordered the paneer masala with rice and raita. My entree was a bit sweeter than I like, and had big chunks of green peppers in it. I don't really like green peppers. I like the flavor, but not the consistency. It seemed to be more south Indian in style. All in all, it was ok. It won't be the restaurant I have to visit everytime I go to Curry Hill. I will keep searching. I still like Indigo on the upper west side the best.

The Kitchen Club

February 14th-

For Valentine's day, we struggled to find a restaurant that didn't bind you to a prix fixe menu. I hate prix fixe. Your options are reduced, and you are committed to a certain amount of food.....always too much for me, which either leaves me feeling guilty that I wasted it, or gluttonous because I didn't. We finally decided on The Kitchen Club. They had a prix fixe menu, but also let you choose from their usual offerings. That I can handle. We had been here once before, but it had been so long ago, that all I remembered was that the food was good, and there was a cute little French bulldog who sauntered around from table to table looking for samples. It was crowded when we arrived at nine thirty, so we were led to the tiny bar area, (Chibi's Bar), in the back to wait for our table. My first order of business was to see if the Frenchie would be dining with us that evening. It wasn't difficult to locate him, since I had to literally step over him to get back to the bar area. I was happy. The wait was short, and we were seated and handed the menus to look over. We ordered drinks, Nathan, red wine and sake for me, which took so long to get to me that they gave it to me for free. Nathan went with the prix fixe Valentine's day menu, while I ordered, as you can guess, from the regular menu. First, came our appetizers....dumplings, the specialty of the house. We had crab and duck with ginger. Both were good, but we agreed, the crab, (which happened to be on the special menu), was better. Nathan had the steak, which was good, but nothing to write home about. On the other hand, my miso black cod was melting in my mouth! It was pure perfection! After our entrees, they brought out dessert. The menu said it was to be chocolate cake with espresso gelato. I felt bored. I've had this before. That is, until it arrived and I put the best piece of chocolate cake I have ever eaten into my skeptical mouth. It wasn't the sickening sweet taste of sugar that I remembered from chocolate cakes in the past. It was bittersweet heaven! The gelato was a good complement. We left the restaurant happy.....and I even got to feed the Frenchie (Chibi)!

La Portena, The Place, Cafe con Leche, Cafe Luxembourg, Papillion, Water Moon, Barbao

January 25th-

I have neglected to write about my restaurant experiences for a long time, as you can see by the title of this blog. So, since I happen to be experiencing a bit of insomnia right now, I am going to give a very brief word on everything and vow to do better next time.

La Portena-

This restaurant is actually not in Manhattan, but in Queens. It was recommended to us by Jessica and Ralph, would drive us there and back, which is the only way I will happily leave the island. The food was very good, inexpensive and plentiful. My favorite was the chimichurri sauce, which I not only took home from the restaurant, but also ate in some form for breakfast for about a month afterwards. Ooo.....I think I will have some right now.

Ok.....I'm back.

Cafe con Leche-

This place has the best coffee in all of Manhattan. It is the first place Nathan and I had breakfast after we moved here, and it is still my favorite. Top dishes are the eggs benedict, empanadas and rum cake. The condiments they offer are also delish! I put their garlic sauce on everything I can. Hmmm.....I wonder if I could get a jar of that, too?



Papillion-

This is our "go to" restaurant in an area of Manhattan where there aren't as many good options. It's a great place for a drink, since there are two huge gorgeous wooden bars, one upstairs and one down. The word seems to be out, because it is always crowded for happy hour. The food is pretty good, too, which is why we keep coming back.

Cafe Luxembourg-

This is my new favorite neighborhood French restaurant. I love the atmosphere. I love the food, and I love eating at the bar. They have good, classic, French food. Giorgio Armani himself was dining here one of the nights we went. I will be back.

Water Moon-

My favorite neighborhood place for happy hour! They have delicious sakitinis and yummy sushi which you can get for a great price at the bar before eight. We go here regularly.

Barbao-

Tonight, or should I say last night, since it is now six in the morning aleady, we meet the Geeters at Barbao for drinks before heading out for dinner on our own. It used to be "Rain". The interior is mostly the same as it was before, but more inviting and warmer. There are little couches and upholstered chairs in place of the tiny ottomans from before. It was great for drinks.

The Place-

This is where we actually went for dinner. It is the cutest, coziest little place- perfect for a cold winter's night, which is was. After having a glass of wine at the bar, we were seated in the dining room. Nathan ordered the short ribs with mashed potatoes, and I ordered the cod with celery root puree. We each ate half, then switched. Both dishes were perfect, but we favored the cod. For dessert, we had the creme brulee and espresso. I loved it. I had a wonderful time here. It's a great place to relax and have good conversation with the one you love.