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.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
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.
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.
Friday, March 20, 2009
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.
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.
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