My NY Plate

Movin' On Up

2009-12-07T16:22:00.001-05:00

...to the Tumblr side. To a deeeluxe blog in the sky. I know, I'm a traitor, but it's for the best. Please redirect your browsers and bookmarks to the new and improved My NY Plate for more NYC food news and reviews. Come on now, scoot over and grab a fork! And as always, thank you for reading!

Review: Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl

2009-12-03T11:20:00.000-05:00

Last night I finished the incredibly enjoyable Tender at the Bone by former New York Times food critic and Gourmet magazine editor, Ruth Reichl. I love, love, loved this book. I'm a little embarrassed my knowledge of her was so limited. In New York City, her name comes up often, and even more frequently now with the recent close of Gourmet. But, there's something to be said about going into her memoir fresh without any preconceived notions. Her story feels like a million mini-stories - she's lived so many lives on both sides of the country. From her moldy childhood meals served by her bipolar mother who refused to ever throw anything away, to her time spent in French boarding school in Montreal, where she first discovered souffle, to her 10-person dorm room feasts in college, to her hippy commune life out in California, where she cooked for transients and regular customers in few restaurants, to her catering and cooking class career in upstate New York - food was a constant in Reichl's life. Food is a constant in everyone's life, of course, but so much of her joy and fulfillment was achieved through preparing a meal for herself or for others. And, unlike many other chef's and critic's stories (and mine), she didn't grow up in a house where great cooking was a large part of her heritage. A self-taught cook, Reichl was forced to make meals for herself when her mother couldn't be relied upon. This, I understand now, is why she's so adored by foodies and home cooks alike. She's one of us. Never pretentious, and never one to say no to a meal or a snack. She's literally eaten the spectrum of horrible rotten garbage to genius cuisine. She's also just funny and self-deprecating, which I like.

An article came out yesterday on salon.com of a tour inside her refrigerator, and I was happy to learn 1)she's writing a new book 2) she likes sriracha too, and 3) she makes sweet potato gnocchi straight from her magazine's recipe. Love that!

I can't wait to read her other books - next on my list is basically "Part 2" of Tender at the Bone, called Comfort Me with Apples, which picks up where her the first story ended: married, around 40 years old, and her career as a food critic just beginning.

These Have Crack in Them

2009-12-02T17:39:00.000-05:00

...someone please take them away. If you feel like getting a little hit yourself, they can be found at your local Whole Foods or deli (if it's a good one). Or Amazon.com, where I got this image from, but probably not the fastest method for your licorice fix.

Thanksgiving 2009: NYC edition

2009-11-24T15:48:00.001-05:00

For Thanksgiving, my family is known for (well...not known by many people really...more like usually agrees to) do something nontraditional. In the past, they've come to NYC, we've gone to Las Vegas and other warm destinations, or cooked a nontraditional meal at home. One year, my cousins made a Thai dinner, completely from scratch, and it was incredible. Once again, this year, my fam is coming to NYC for the holiday. I'm looking forward to eating in some new restaurants and will not miss the traditional Thanksgiving dinner at all.

I know it sounds downright un-American, but I'm actually not a big fan of the holiday's food or activities. Watching football while half-comatose is a normal thing for me anyway, so, Thanksgiving doesn't make that any more exciting. I don't get that sentimental about the food, either, I know, how could I. The thing is this. I love fall flavors. I love squash, pumpkin, nutmeg, apples, pears, figs, and sweet potatoes. In the fall, I eat them ALL THE TIME. I made that sweet potato and swiss chard thing last week. I had a turkey and cranberry sandwich for lunch today. My mom sent me a dozen honeycrisp apples that I've been chomping on the last two weeks. So Thanksgiving, for me, is not that exciting. I'm eating this stuff anyway! Sure, I don't make stuffing every day, but I totally could. Or I could buy it basically whenever I wanted to at Whole Foods. If your life doesn't have gravy, pie, or baked/mashed potatoes in it on a regular basis, then, I can see how this is very exciting for you, but, not for me. I much prefer Christmas because my mom cooks something different every year (honey glazed ham, baked chicken with apricots) and it's always fun to help her plan the menu and put in requests.

Having said all that (any Larry David fans reading ;), this year, I steered the family towards the traditional and we are going to Cookshop in Chelsea for the big meal, just because they're making a little bit of everything (and cooking in my apartment for 4 is hilariously NOT an option). We'll be dining on the following:

Raisin-walnut bread, cornbrad, honey butter, New York grapes

Choice of soup (TBD), mache salad (Bartlett pears, pomegranate, and toasted hazelnuts), house-smoked Hudson Valley venison sausage with red wine braised red cabbage, Maine lobster salad with frisse, squash chutney and raita, or Dipalo's ricotta ravioli with roasted pearl onions, black trumpet mushrooms, and sage brown butter

and

Vermont free-range turkey with smashed sweet potatoes and butter braised chestnuts, braised beef short ribs with roasted carrots and salsa verde, wild striped bass with kabocha squash, pomegranate and quinoa pilaf, salt-roasted Hudson Valley ham with caramelized Brussels sprouts and horseradish-tarragon mustard, or mushroom pot pie with mushrooms, fingerling potatoes, and wild chicory

and

a choice of desserts including pumpkin pie, pecan tart, molten chocolate cake, warm oatmeal cookies, and maybe one or two others (the hostess read them to me over the phone)

also at the table will be baked beans, slow-cooked collard greens, goat-cheese mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce. And lots of wine of course, Happy Thanksgiving to us! I should pull a Frank Bruni and make everyone order something different, so we can try them all.

Also on my list for the weekend is going to Katz's for the first time (shameful), Centro Vinoteca, and a few other places we haven't agreed upon because my dad wants to eat before the play Friday night, and my mother thinks eating early is for old people. So we shall see.

Whatever you're celebrating this weekend, have fun, relax and eat a LOT!

Recipe I'm Trying This Weekend: Swiss Chard and Sweet Potato Gratin

2009-11-13T10:04:00.002-05:00

"Surely I’m not alone in this: When I’m eating starchy foods, I think I should be eating more greens. When I’m eating my greens, I wish I had heavier foods to balance them. And pretty much all of the time, I wonder why it has been so long since I made macaroni and cheese." -Smitten Kitchen

Totally not alone. This recipe looks so great, and is the perfect solution to the starches vs. veggies problem - can't wait to cozy up this weekend and give this a try.

Má Pêche Opens

2009-11-12T13:47:00.003-05:00

..in the Chambers Street Hotel. This is the latest development from my favorite noodle man, David Chang - note the requisite peach on the door, above. Check out the menu here. I never go to midtown. Can someone go grab a bite of the Chambers Burger and let me know how it is please? Thanks!

Momofuku: The Book

2009-11-10T12:23:00.012-05:00

It finally arrived!

Amazing. Yes, I read it from cover to cover last night. The best recipe books do, in fact, read like books and Momofuku by David Chang and Peter Meehan is no exception. Such a fun read and I have a newfound respect for David Chang - he's a major risk-taker (bordering on retarded and insane) and passionate about Asian and American food. The book plays out chronologically - you learn a bit about Chang's childhood and learn how he got his start in the industry. He really risked it all as a young, not-quite-seasoned chef. He'd spent some time traveling and working in Japan, and working in NYC alongside Jonathan Benno (now at Per Se) and many other now-stars at Craft, but, hadn't quite put in the time necessary to risk it all with a new restaurant, let alone a ramen restaurant in a city that probably couldn't have cared less about the stuff. Of course, as the bad boy he so wants to be, Chang has to detail spending his last $800 on the eve of Noodle Bar's opening with Joaquin Baca, his first employee, on a night out in Koreatown with strippers and bottles of Korean whiskey.

I won't spoil it all, but, the road to success, as fast as it may seem in restrospect, was a really rocky road for Chang. Many, many of his ideas have died along the way and the menu at Noodle bar, his first restuarant, has changed (and improved) dramatically. All the menus at his restaurants have. That said, some of the greats have stood the test of time:

The pork-laden Ramen at Noodle Bar:

The Pork Buns at Noodle (and Ssam bar):

The rare yellowtail (hamachi) at Ssam bar, made with wakame chazuke furikake - Japanese for "rice seasoning" - that crazy crunchy salty seaweed/rice ball mixture that's sprinkled over the fish:

The soft-cooked egg and shaved foie gras at Ko:

What Chang strives to do (and why I respect him) is to just cook awesome, rediculously tasty food. Of course, many of his dishes are rooted in Asian cuisine, but this is a man who appreciates fried chicken, fried apple pie, foie gras, and cured ham - totally Western stuff as far as I know. The way he combines classic American dishes with Asian flavors is both genious and delightful. Take, for example, the cured country hams he serves at Ssam bar. Sliced thinly, they are simply served with a slice of crusty bread and what looks like a spicy mustard. It's called Red Eye Mayo. I had no idea, but, it's actually composed of egg white, coffee, some vinegars, oils, and sriracha. Interesting, right? Coffee rubs are straight-up USA, but the rest of it is pure Asia. And he understands that a salty ham like that aches for a creamy, spicy, slightly bitter sauce to dip it in.

Anyway, the number of dishes I'll be making from the book is questionable, as some of the ingredients are a little trickier to find. And I won't be seeking out any "meat glue" a la Wylie Dufresne to make the "Brick Chicken" dish. I'm going to start with attempting to master slow-poaching an egg and making the ginger-scallion sauce - more my speed for now. But I can't believe I have access to the recipe for Christina Tosi's Strawberry Shortcake, or the freaking pork buns. It's amazing. But more than wanting to cook, it made me want to run out and grab a stool at my favorite East Village noodle joint and dig right in.

Born Round: The Movie!

2009-11-06T15:04:00.008-05:00

It's happening!!!! So exciting. But actually, when I think about it, this would have made a really good TV series on HBO or something, too. Mostly because it would be so entertaining, I'd want to watch it week after week rather than all at once for an hour and a half on the big screen. Grub Street recommends Bradley Cooper for the role of Frank Bruni. I'm not so sure. He's cute and all, but, can he commit to gaining the weight necessary for this role? Not sure he's got the chops, as they say in the biz. My casting call would be:

Matt Damon - just because I love him, and he's lost and gained weight for roles many times before.

Vince Vaughn - he resembles Frank a bit, and I think he could tone down the snappy snarkiness that I love and play someone a bit more humble and insecure.

Paul Rudd - he's adorable and dorky, and he actually sounds like Frank Bruni (I would know) when he speaks.

Leonardo DiCaprio - he's so pretty, but I think he could make himself look like Frank through the years. No question on the acting.

What do you guys think?

And then the secondary casting would be so fun - his family, Jefferey Chodorow, Mario Batali, Eric Ripert, and so many others. This may take a few years to get going, but I already can't wait.

Review: Baoguette

2009-11-06T13:18:00.004-05:00

After a tasty tapas dinner last night at Boqueria, I decided to keep the ball rolling today with indulgent, cleanse-erasing delicious food. Since my date ( ;) ) bailed on me today I went over to Lexington Avenue solo to try out a relatively new sandwich place called Baoguette. Their specialty is Banh Mi. Banh Mi, in Vietnamese, means baguette, but that's not the complete picture of these amazing, pork-stuffed sandwiches.

The regular banh mi/"Baoguette" contains a few different kinds of pork - pork belly and pork pate, along with fresh pickled jalapenos, carrots and cucumbers, romaine, cilantro, a little bit of mayo, and is drizzled with fish sauce and Sriracha, all served inside a crusty TomCat bakery baguette. I ordered mine medium spicy, but after a few bites now I regret not slapping on some extra Sriracha - but it was still great. The shop itself is tiny - a row of stools and a countertop to eat at, but that's it. Did I mention I was the only woman in the place? Definitely not a sandwich for the daintily stomached.

The Bao certainly lived up to the hype - the crunchy bread, sweet and salty pork, the spicy jalapenos, and the umami flavor of the fish sauce hit all the right notes. And the touch of cilantro brings a bitter freshness to the whole thing.

You can also order a "sloppy bao"(ground curry-spiced beef), a fried catfish bao, or a bbq chicken bao. They have soups and pho noodle dishes as well.

A wonderful surprise is the iced coffee - I'd heard it's really good but wasn't sure why. But everyone in line as ordering so I went along with the crowd. I have to say, it's like drinking a melted milkshake. So good. It has this malted flavor to it that is unlike any iced coffee I've had here in NYC.

Baoguette, fyi, is owned by chef/restaurateur Michael Hyunh, who was responsible for opening up Mai House, Bun in Soho, and the recently opened Bar Bao on the Upper West Side. So this stuff is the real deal. There's two other locations on Christopher Street and St. Marks Place as well. Oh, and the best part? My bill only came to about 8 bucks. Not bad for a giant, manly, Asian sub. I'll be back again soon, preferably on my next hungover Friday.

MY Empty Plate: BPC Day 3 Complete!

2009-11-05T10:29:00.003-05:00

I'm done! Yesterday was hard. I think I was drinking the juices too fast because I was both hungry AND because I just wanted to be done. Full disclosure: I definitely cheated with an apple again last night. Ok, an apple and peanut butter. I had to - my mom sent me the DELECTABLE Pepin Heights Honeycrisp apples and I just had to try one. They're the best and you should be jealous you don't have them. Seriously - they've done taste tests among different kinds of Honeycrips, and these are always rated the best.

Anyway, it's the next morning and I'm glad to be done. The bowl of cereal I had this morning was amazing. Crunchy foods rule. And coffee! Coffee is great. But it was a great challenge for me and I'm glad I accomplished it. As far as the overall experience goes, I enjoyed not having the highs and lows during the day that caffeine and heavy foods can give you. I was certainly more energetic in the afternoons than I usually am. But mornings and nighttime was tricky. Results-wise, some people have said their skin's been amazing, etc. but I feel and look the same. I did lose some weight, but my weight tends to fluctuate up and down 5 pounds anyway. But I feel good! I think there's a large placebo thing goin on here, which is fine. BPC's expensive, but pretty rewarding overall, so I think I'll consider stepping up to levels 2 or 3 next time around, with the raw dinners so that I have energy to be social at night and not fall asleep before 10 pm.

Excuse me while I gulp this coffee and look forward to tapas and sangria tonight...

MY Empty Plate: BPC Day 3

2009-11-04T13:26:00.002-05:00

I'm hungry. Like, really really hungry. It's 1:30 and I'm already halfway through drink #4, the cayenne-lemonade one. That can't be good - too early. Two and a half drinks left until I sleep....yikes. I think I might have to cheat again. Why am I most hungry today?

92nd St. Y: Frank and I

2009-11-04T11:12:00.002-05:00

This past Sunday night I hoofed it uptown with my girlfriends to see Frank Bruni and Mike Colameco speak at the 92nd St. Y. Mr. Bruni was asked to speak as part of the Y's Food Series, the same series of speaking engagements that Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich were a part of.

Although I arrived a few minutes late, the moment I sat down I was totally engaged. Much of what Frank spoke about was lifted directly from his book, Born Round, which was fine with me, because it was just as entertaining the second time around. He's a wonderful speaker - just as colorful and witty as his writing is.

Mike Colameco, a radio talk show host and author of Mike Colameco's Food Lover's Guide to New York City, was an excellent moderator and clearly a NYC restaurant insider. While you might consider Frank Bruni to be part of the city's current, new-school scene, Mike's definetly knowledgeable of the old-school, and how the industry's changed in New York city in the past 40 years. He's actually neighbors and freinds with one of the previous Times food critics, Mimi Sheraton. So it was interesting to hear him share how some of the big players (chefs and restaurateurs) got their start, who worked together and what New Yorkers are looking for in a great restaurant these days.

One of Bruni's most interesting topics was his explanation of what the value of his reviews are. He's aware that the New York Times' star system is powerful, but also understands that the nature and purpose, really, of restaurant reviews has changed. With the introduction of the Food Network, Top Chef, food blogs ;) and internet databases like Yelp, he realizes that his reviews do not just fuction as a map for the restaurant he's evaluating (what to order, what the waiter's demeanor was like, how the serivce was, etc.) but that they should (and do) hold great literary value - that is, people should enjoy reading them for the sake of enjoying great writing. And to an extent, have a kind of vicarious experience of the restaurant through his writing. After all, how many of us can dine for free at Masa 3-5 times and then get paid to write about it? What fun. This is dramatically different than how reviews were written 50 years ago, when they were all about mapping out the restaurant - a guide - rather than a story about person's individual experience. He also acknowledged that the NY Times is much more internationally read, by people who may never visit the restaurant being reviewed, let alone New York, and just want to read something entertaining.

He also made a good argument against HIS critics - those that deemed him unqualified for the Times food critic postion. He made the excellent point that the theater reviewers are not playwrights, and that the architecture features writer is most likely not an architect. Why should the food critic be required to have been a chef? Again, this goes back to his point that the role of the reviews, in addition to delivering essential information about a restaurant, is to write a point of view in an entertaining fashion.

He also talked a little bit about where he's eating now that he's paying for dinner on his own dime again. Peasant, Vinegar Hill House, Veloce pizzeria, and Levain Bakery ("you either love them or consider them to be an abortion" - FB referencing the giant, half-baked chocolate chip cookies Levain makes) were all mentioned.

My friends and I all got a laugh when he talked about a dessert at Corton. A friend of a freind of mine happened to be in the audience, and happens to be one of the head chefs there. Bruni was describing his favorite dessert at Corton, a sorf of French toast-like dessert with blue cheese, but exlaimed that it's completely misnamed. He and Mike stumbled a minute, trying to recall the name of the dessert, when the friend piped up and said, "Brioche!" just loud enough for the back rows to hear. He may have called out the name again, but, the speakers never heard. It was fun being one of the few people in the audience who knew what Bruni was talking about. And I have to say, "Brioche" as a name for a dessert that contains blue cheese might in fact be a little misleading.

All in all it was great to see one of my favorite writers speak and even better that he lived up to my expectations. He's still on staff at the Times, but will be writing long-form pieces for the Magazine, which I love. I can't wait to read more of him soon!

My Empty Plate: BPC Day 2

2009-11-03T12:40:00.005-05:00

**Update: Finished drink 5 and feel good. Not too hungry, and not tired at all. Time to go shopping to kill some time and avoid FOOD!

Onto day 2, but first I'll tell you a little bit about how Day 1 wrapped up.

Yesterday afternoon sort of sucked. I had a pretty debilitating headache - I'm not sure if it was from the hunger, or the lack of caffeine, but it was difficult to be very productive at work - I just wanted to go home and lie down. I felt like a bowling ball was inside of my skull. Not fun. Taste-wise, the 4th and 5th drinks are great. Drink #4, the Tart and Spicy Lemonade, tastes similar to what I imagine the master cleanse tastes like - sweet and tart with a hint of cayenne. I loved this one - again with the cocktail comparisons, but it kind of tasted like a spicy margarita - you know the kind that have jalapeno-infused tequila or whatever? Yummy. Drink #5, the Carrot-Apple-Beet-Ginger, was better than I expected, because the ginger flavor was pretty strong. It was sweet and spicy like #4, but much more dense. I didn't really even taste the veggie ingredients at all.

By 6 pm, with one drink left, I was STARVING and tired. Drink #6, which I drank at about 6:45, was awesome. Juice #6 is the Cashew Nut milk with vanilla bean, cinnamon, and agave nectar. It's the most caloric of the six, so with every sip, my headache faded away. If you've ever had the Naked brand protein drinks, it's very similar to those, but a little lighter. I finished the night by drinking lots of water, because I felt a little dehydrated for some reason, even though all I'd had that day was liquids.

Then, at about 8:30, I cheated.

I'm not mad at myself for doing it, though, because it was an apple. I probably only needed half of it, but, I just still felt hungry and it was just sitting there so I ate it. Whatever. I'm still happy about my progress!

Today I woke up pretty hungry and tired. It was a struggle to walk up the subway stairs being that low on energy. But, I quickly drank the Green Lemon drink #1 and felt SO much better - tons of energy and I don't feel overly hungry. Yay! I'm on the nasty Green Apple drink #3 and still feel great.

I actually brought an emergency apple with me that I'm planning on eating in between drinks #5 and #6 if I have to. BPC is very particular about the order in which you drink the juices, for maximum efficiency and digestion of the nutrients, so I figure eating an apple after the apple drink is probably better than after the cashew milk, since that's my major protein intake for the day. Maybe I won't need it though - we shall see!

My Empty Plate: BPC Day 1

2009-11-02T11:42:00.005-05:00

So after weeks and weeks of indulging (birthdays, happy hours, wine nights with the girls, dates with the BF, and one boozy Halloween) My NY Plate has decided to take a break from food and try out the super-trendy Blue Print Cleanse. Some say gimmick, but I am sold. I'm pretty late to the game, but in case you are too, here are the basics:

- The Blue Print Cleanse is a NYC-based company that blends and distributes fresh juice cleanses.
- The juices are raw, organic, and unpasteurized.
- Some taste better than others.
- When you commit to doing the cleanse, you can choose between three different levels: "The Renovation," "The Foundation," and "The Excavation." Basically, the Renovation is for people starting out, sort of the entry-level, easiest cleanse. The Excavation, is the hardest - i.e., has the least amount of calories and probably tastes the worst. I am doing the Renovation.
- You should not eat or drink anything other than the juices while on the cleanse, with the exception of water and unsweetened green tea. No coffee. If you simply HAVE to chew on something, there's a short list of cleanse-breakers you can eat, including all the ingredients in each juice.

What else? They encourage you to do some preparation before you start, which of course I did very little. They tell you to cut out meat, dairy, caffeine and alcohol a few days before you start. 36 hours ago I was dressed up like a cat, drinking Rickies in the west village, so this really didn't happen. I did have some pumpkin soup last night though, and no coffee on Saturday or Sunday. I'm a hero. Oh, they also tell you to do a colonic which most definitely did NOT happen, in case you were wondering.

I'm exactly halfway through day one and the morning was okay. The first drink, the Green Juice, was actually really lemony and nice. Not too green-tasting. Tolerable when very, very cold. Drink #2, the Pineapple Apple Mint, is very tasty. Very fresh and light and almost like a mojito if you can pretend. Drink #3, the miselading Green Apple, sucks big time. Tastes very similar to Drink #1 but more green. The aftertaste is like eating a garden. Also difficult as it's lunchtime, and my office mates are starting to eat and heat up their meals.

And how do I feel? Mostly the same as I usually do. I definitely have a caffeine headache and for some reason, my nose is running a lot. Strange.

3 more left - I'm excited for the Cinnamon Cashew Nut Milk tonight, it's supposed to be the best as it is the most caloric - kinda like a super-healthy milkshake. Wish me luck!!

Nu-Romance: Entertainment is Key

2009-10-28T16:09:00.004-04:00

Great article in today's dining section about how the nature of dating in NYC has changed. Stuffy white tablecloth dining is for rookies. Food-savvy daters (part of the nu-romance, as Ryzyk calls it) are looking for restaurants with entertainment value, whether it's learning about a new cuisine, crawling through a back door secret entrance, or laughing over ordering something called The Spicy Redneck (Crif Dogs). Sharing arepas and sangria is a million times sexier than champagne and caviar, anyway.

I Want Candy

2009-10-28T10:33:00.003-04:00

Interesting entry in today's NYT Diner's Journal blog and very seasonally appropriate given that it's Halloween on Saturday. Paul Rudnick lists out his favorite and least favorite sweets. I have to say, for being a "sweetavore," or, someone who eats sweets and candies exclusively and is therefore an expert, I'm sorry, but he has horrible taste! I'm so mad about this and am glad I am not trick-or-treating in his neighborhood. His faves:

Hershey's Kisses: BORING! Of course, they'll do the trick, but Hershey's milk chocolate can't even compare with Cadbury's or swiss chocolate. They're everywhere, and obviously cute and fun to eat, but taste-wise, Hershey's Kisses are the Average Joe of chocolate.

Candy Corn: Festive, and tasty when they are fresh, but these would never even crack my top 20.
Kit-Kat bars: Again, boring. Good if you need a sweet/crunchy fix but they melt so quickly in your hands. I'd rather have those 99-cent packages of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry wafers any day.

Li-Lac almond bark: Never had it. I do love chocolate bark and I love almonds so I'm guessing these are alright.
Rasinets: Seriously? Again, OK, but not my favorite!

Trail Mix: Also good, but would not even REGISTER on my list of sweets. So utilitarian. So old school, like a lot of his choices. Reminds me of vending machines, and the 1970's, and not in a good way.

Yodels and Hostess Cupcakes: Not real chocolate. I don't think this guy is actually a chocolate fan. This actually hurts my feelings. I think he actually enjoys fake chocolate more than the real thing (which is fine, but he should've called himself out).
Hostess Snowballs and Peeps: Gross. And who actually eats Peeps (after blowing them up in your microwave)? These are just toys masquerading as food.

So what would my favorites be, now that I've slammed his? Well, if we are talking chocolate, I loooove Cadbury eggs - the little ones with the crunchy shell. Peanut Butter M&Ms are also great. I love Reisens, too. Baby Ruths, 100 Grands, and Whatchamacallits (fun size) are superb. So are Snickers, especially when they're frozen. Speaking of frozen, those crack-laced Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies are great, fresh outta the freezer. I also enjoy the surprise and delight of a box of chocolates, with the little guide to lead you toward the best flavors. Chocolate-covered pretzels (there is a popular brand in a blue bag, but I'm forgetting the name) are addictive. When I was little, I loved Caramellos (check it out, out out, ca-rah-meloooooo).

Some of my non-chocolate favorites: I LOVE twizzlers (regular, nibs or pull-n-peel - remember when those first came out? What a revolution in licorice), I love Jujubees because you can chew on them for HOURS. Sour patch kids, swedish fish, watermelon chews (the little sour pink things), red dollars, Mambos, sour coke bottles, Jelly beans (especially the very cherry), and I also like gum - dark pink extra, spearmint (whitening) and cinnamon. Mike & Ike, Hot Tamales, and Dots are great too.

When I was little, I really loved Fun Dip and Jawbreakers - the massive, baseball-sized ones. I also loved those super-ghetto wax soda pop things, with the liquid inside. Sugar Babies were a favorite too.

Paul does a little better with his dislikes:

Reeses Peanut Butter Cups: Actually not my favorite either, but, I disagree with him - I think chocolate and peanut butter together is a match made in heaven (see: Peanut Butter M&Ms, Reeses Pieces, or Billy's Bakery Peanut Butter Pie).

Necco Wafers: Agree. Tasteless.

Jelly Beans: DISAGREE! Love the variety and definitely not a fruit. Stupid.

Butterfingers: Eh. I guess I agree. But good in a DQ Blizzard.

Gourmet Candy: Um, disagree. Raspberry inside chocolate is in fact gross, but, truffles and imported candies (especially Japanese) are amazing and fun.

Circus Peanuts: Agree. Disgusting. Why are these still made? Receiving these as a gift is like getting a lump of coal in your stocking.

Licorice: So NOT an elongated form of a jelly bean. What?? And, they're healthy? I should start eating more.
Chocolate & Peppermint: Again, he is so off. Thin Mints will be served at my wedding I think.

White Chocolate: Also DETEST. Not actually chocolate, white chocolate is made with coco butter. So it's actually more like eating lotion than guest soap.

Other candies I don't like: Sweet tarts, those hearts you get around Valentine's day, Pez, suckers - especially tootsie pops, anything overly sour (those warlord candies or whatever - my mouth puckers just thinking about them), Crunch bars (because the chocolate is so bad). I used to love the giant Cadbury eggs with the cream filling, but I think if ate one now I'd go into diabetic shock. Also, I don't know what they're called, but they have a wrapper that looks like a strawberry and they are a hard candy with liquid inside. Those are nasty and remind me of grandmothers. I have a love-hate relationship with black licorice, but it's mostly hate.

Am I forgetting anything? What are your favorites and hates? And, I've been dying to check out Economy Candy. Anyone ever been, or want to take a trip there this weekend?

Recipe: Coffee and Spice-Rubbed Salmon Tacos with Tomatillo-Avocado-Cilantro Slaw

2009-10-27T16:11:00.004-04:00

Sunday night I took a stab at a healthy and easy recipe courtesy of cupcakes and cashmere and Food&Wine.

I really, really loved it and really only made a few minor adjustments. I used fat-free white flour tortillas, microwaved, rather than piling up a bunch of corn flour tortillas in the oven (I am lazy but try to be healthy at the same time).

Also because I am in NYC and NOT a baller (yet) I do not have a grill. So I just seared the top of the fish (placed the salmon skin-side up in a skillet) for about a minute, then threw it in the oven at 300 degrees for probably 10 minutes, until the salmon was light pink all the way through. So easy.

Finally, Whole Foods did not have any pretty purple cabbage, so I had to use regular white. I think purple's a little more bitter, which I would have preferred, especially with the richness of the sour cream, avocado and salmon, so I'd recommend buying purple if you can find it.

If you're not a salmon fan, I'd try Artic Char, which is a lighter-tasting (and less fishy-tasting, if you are sensitive) pink, flaky fish.

All in all, a lovely, rich, healthy dish. I'm also obsessed with tomatillos and am on the hunt for more recipes with them. They're like a lime crossed with a green tomato and smell AMAZING.

Enjoy guys! My final sunday meal for one above. :D

Bill's Bar & Burger

2009-10-26T12:18:00.001-04:00

Um, yum:

http://nymag.com/restaurants/reviews/underground/60271/

3 Stars for Marea

2009-10-21T12:27:00.003-04:00

"It offers exactly the same sensation as kissing an extremely attractive person for the first time - a blot of surprise and pleasure combined."

- Sam Sifton on the Ricci (uni, lardo and sea salt on toast) at Marea, in his review, out today.

Cupcakes and Cashmere

2009-10-19T11:53:00.002-04:00

Just wanted to alert all of my reader friends to a blog I recently discovered and LOVE. Cupcakesandcashmere.com is part LA street style and part restaurant reviews and recipes, it's my new fave for fashion and food inspiration. Enjoy!

Review: Blue Hill NYC

2009-10-15T10:35:00.005-04:00

Last night my boyfriend and I were lucky enough to enjoy an early dinner at Blue Hill, Dan Barber's farm-fresh haven located on Washington Place - one of the most gorgeous brownstone-lined blocks in NYC. Blue Hill NYC is the sister restaurant to Blue Hill at Stone Barns, the revered farm, restaurant and cafe in Pocantico Hills, NY. Dan Barber, head chef and co-owner, is an advocate of sustainable agriculture and organic produce. Dining at the farm, as we learned from our waitress, is quite an event. Barber combines education and thoughtfulness with the traditional dining experience. You can walk around the farm, see how the cows and plants live, and then enjoy a fresh dinner based on what looks good from the day's pickings. It is the definition of farm-to-table eating.

The NYC restaurant is a little different, though still thoroughly enjoyable (I know the Obamas are fans as well ;)). Like Stone Barns, the menu changes daily, based on the quality of ingredients the restaurant has brought in - some from the farm, and ALL others from local bakeries, butchers, etc. There is no imported mozzarella here, no mangoes from Hawaii, and NO Kobe beef. Only seasonal, fresh, local (NY, PA, VT, etc.) ingredients are used.

It was freezing cold last night and I couldn't wait to see what fall vegetables and preparations we'd be enjoying. We started with drinks - me with a Chenin Blanc and Char with an Allegash White (from Maine, of course). Our waitress brought us some Vermont butter and freshly baked TomCat bakery bread - crispy on the outside, chewy and soft on the inside. The butter was so flavorful, it was almost cheese-like.

For our appetizers, I had the Stone Barns Coppa and Crispy Pumpkin with honeycrisp apples (my favorite!), pickled onions and purslane. Coppa is pork, similar to a cured meat, like a salami. This was excellent - the saltiness of the coppa, the sweet apples and pumpkin, and the bitter purslane (a watercress-like green) all worked together in a harmony of fall flavors. Char had the Sweet Potato Ravioli with tuscan kale (chiffonnade, very thinly sliced little ribbons), marscarpone and hazelnuts. Again, the creamy pasta with the tart cheese, bitter green and crunch of the hazelnut made for a well-balanced bite each time.

For our entrees, I had the Wild Striped Bass with manhattan clam chowder, adirondack blue potatoes, and pancetta. Crazy, crazy good. The mahattan clam chowder had this great, tomato-y, zippy flavor that really brightened the flavor of the mild fish. The creamy potatoes and salty pancetta, when eaten with the fish in that broth, was hitting all the right notes - flaky, chewy, creamy, salty, and maybe even a hint of spice as well. Charlie hit a home run with his Berkshire Pig with shelling beans, curry and tomatoes order. His broth looked and tasted similar to mine, but with an extra kick form the curry. The pork, oh my god, the pork. I've never even seen pork that looked like this. It was sliced into little medallions, and cooked to a light pink perfection. It looked like a watercolor painting or something - just smooth and pretty. The texture was unlike anything I've ever eaten. It was so smooth and tender, that it really didn't feel like pork in the mouth, because we didn't really have to chew. We would more or less just take clean bites into the pork, that just divided apart. Like eating a slice of mozzarella, but, pork-ier. They also gave him a piece of pork belly, which was fatty and crispy-sticky on the edges, just like it should be. We definitely cleaned our plates. Cleaned them. We actually sopped up the remaining broth with more of that crack-laced TomCat bread.

For dessert, we shared the chocolate bread pudding. There are no words. This bread pudding did not look like your mom's marbly, lumpy bread pudding. It actually looked more like a brownie, but had the texture of a pillow. A single spoonful of vanilla bean ice cream sat on top, and inside the bread pudding was a molten chocolate center. So when eaten together, the cold ice cream hit the roofs of our mouths, and then the warm, pillowy pudding and gooey inside tucked us into bed. I seriously wanted to take a nap inside that bread pudding. Incredible.

The restaurant space is warm and inviting, but simple. The chocolate-brown booths are lined at about eye-level with slim mirrors. There are a few flower arrangements here are there (seasonal, of course) and because it's in the basement of a brownstone, it feels very tucked-away and cozy. The noise level stayed subdued as well. But it wasn't boring - in fact the wait staff was wonderful and friendly and unpretentious. Very knowledgeable about the ingredients, their preparations, and the farm, and happy to offer up details if you ask. Also supportive of food blog-writing, which was a lovely surprise! ;)

I can't wait to check out the farm or even go back to Blue Hill NYC during the winter, to see what wonderful stews and meaty cuts of beef they cook up. It's been a while since I've been home to see my parents in the Midwest, but the experience of eating Dan Barber's food felt a lot like eating mom's food: made with attention to the seasons, and with thoughtfulness and love. Mr. Barber's food is seriously made with love. Love for the animals and the land, and the hope that the person dining will feel cared for, knowing the kind of respect and attention the creation of the meal received.

Major Food Porn Ahead

2009-10-14T12:20:00.005-04:00

I mentioned Joseph Leonard in my fall preview, and Serious Eats has some serious food pornography of the offerings. Above, that is a huge effing plate of hash browns. Do yourself a favor and check out the other stuff here. Damn Gina!!

P.S. Speaking of my fall preview, some friends and dined at Los Feliz the other night. Cool space, the basement is dark and spooky and feels exclusive. The food was extremely hit-or-miss. The chicken taco was spicy and sweetly balanced with a slice of pineapple. The soft-shell crab taco, however, tasted like it had washed up on the Jersey shore and spent a night in some goomba's gym bag. I didn't try the ceviche, but it looked and tasted like a bloody mary, according to my freinds. No los gusta.

Milk Bar's First Bad Idea

2009-10-14T11:25:00.005-04:00

The new fall-themed soft serve flavors at Momofuku Milk Bar have been announced. Fruit cobbler, caramel apple, and, um, stuffing. Is that actually considered a dessert? I'm curious to try it, if only to prove my opinion that stuffing is truly one of those foods that CANNOT BE MADE BETTER BY BEING AN ICE CREAM, NO MATTER WHAT. Over the line, guys.

Sam Sifton's Debut

2009-10-14T10:30:00.004-04:00

It's out today (well actually, late last night) and it is a pleasure to read. Although I'm a Bruni fan for life, Sifton, the newly appointed New York Times food critic, is a wonderful writer. His review this week takes us to DBGB's, a place I reviewed a few months ago. Some of the highlights are below.

He describes the dining room as ,"tables and cocoa-brown booths running down a long rectangle in the manner of a train car parked in a station... There is a chef's table hidden behind the pastry station, where private parties are meant to observe the kitchen's choreography as if they were dining backstage at New York City Ballet."

Ballet = French dance. Of course. One of many nods to Boulud's heritage.

And about the burgers, "The best option is the coarsely named Frenchie, which arrives as if a passenger on an old Cunard ship, with confitted pork belly, arugula, tomato-onion compote on a slab of Morbier, riding a peppered brioche bun with cornichons and mustard on the side."

Riding a bun! So great. And a very French burger indeed.

Finally, about Boulud, "[his] great genius is to be absolutely true both to the training and the underlying flavors of his French childhood and to the joys and pressures of being a New York businessman, always on the run. He has made being French the most American thing about him. This makes for good restaurants."

Well said, dude. DBGB's is certainly a restaurant with French influence, but done with a very specific New York City-East Village-Rock-and-Roll twist. Two glowing stars well deserved. If this review is any indication, Sam Sifton is going to have a lot of fun on his culinary journey, and us readers are in for an entertaining ride. That, and starting now, DBGB's is officially impossible to get into!

Recipe: Scarpetta's Spaghetti

2009-10-06T17:26:00.003-04:00

One of my absolute favorites! Serious Eats has the detailed recipe here.

2010 Michelin Reviews Are In

2009-10-05T15:27:00.003-04:00

Ch-check em out here. Now, I don't live and die by these, especially because things like service and decor are not evaluated, but still no real surprises. Ko is the only David Chang restaurant to receive any stars, but did nicely with 2. Daniel has been upgraded to 3 stars. Interestingly, Eleven Madison Park only received 1 star, even though the Times famously upgraded it to 4 stars this summer. Do people actually try and get a reservation booked through this site? That cracked me up. Oohh this Masa place did well - let's try to score a table! Hilarious. I'm a snob.

Mario Batali Looks the Same in Real Life

2009-10-05T12:33:00.006-04:00

No surprise there, but it's true, Mario Batali looks as jolly and orange-clog-loving in real life as he does on TV and in photographs. I saw him speak last night as part of the food series at the 92nd St. Y. He spoke alongside his business partner and wine guru, Joe Bastianich. Joe & Mario have been partners for years, co-owning restaurants such as Babbo, Esca, Casa Mono, and Lupa.

It was interesting to gain a greater understanding of how managing a restaurant works, and how the relationship between Joe and Mario works. Mario is obviously the chef of the duo, and much more talkative - you can tell he's well-seasoned speaking in front of large audiences and hamming it up for his fans. He's incredibly knowledgeable of the regional cuisines within Italy. It's so vast and overwhelming - literally every village in Italy, it seems, has its own cuisine. You drive one mile away and the pasta is just a little bit different. Mario understands this greatly - if you've ever watched Molto Mario, you know he loves to go into the details - he can talk about a particular cheese and get into how the goat is raised, what it eats, how the curd is aged, etc. for hours on end.

Joe, on the other hand, is much more serious however equally passionate about his country's food and wine. "Wine is my lifelong muse," he said. Me too. He shared a lot of interesting details about what a day in the life is like for a restaurant owner. There's so much that goes on each day - the delivery and inspection of the products as they arrive to the restaurant, a review of the "book," ie. the reservations book for the night, and details of the previous night - how many tables they served, what went well, what went wrong, and the hard numbers of the night. They meet with different food and wine vendors, inspectors, the restaurant manager, and then obviously meet with the staff - both front of the house and back of the house to evaluate what's in-store of the evening. They review the menu and the specials, and change things as necessary depending on how the day's deliveries look. More meetings, etc. and finally a "family dinner" with the restaurant around 4:00. By 5 p.m. they open. By this time, all prep work must be done - fileting, buchering, chopping, slicing, freezing, sauces, etc. It's intense! And they do this 7 days a week. I wonder how they ever find time to change the menu and test new items. Or just have a life, or speak in front of super geek fans in auditoriums at the 92nd St. Y.

The moderator, Francine Segan, left a little to be desired - sometimes her questions weren't exactly what I would've asked. "How can we be better customers?" Really? Let's not go there. Everyone in this room knows not to mess with how a dish is prepared at a nice restaurant. Trust the experts, we know. Or, "What's the most embarrassing thing in your refrigerator?" For god's sake, they're both parents, of course they have regular food! Dumb. It was fun to hear what restaurants they like to eat at - Mario likes Pearl Oyster Bar and Dim Sum from Chinatown Brasserie. Like me, he's also a David Chang fan. Joe likes sushi and pairs wine with every single meal he has. My kind of guy!

Overall it was a fun to get special access to these food geniuses and learn how much creativity and expertise goes into the concepting of a restaurant. More than anything, these men are fantastic businessmen. As Mario said, all they're doing is taking a product, dressing it up, and re-selling it. So they have to make it worth our while. Being in advertising, I related a lot of what they said to basic branding and marketing. Shelly Lazarus, the chairwoman of Ogilvy & Mather once said, you really just have to know the most loyal consumers (or customers, in this case). All consumers are not created equal - there is always, always a small group of consumers who will account for the majority of any brand's profits. If you please them, you can be pretty sure that the masses will follow. In the New York City restaurant scene, this is a tiny, savvy, relatively wealthy group of people. So if you delight their palates, enough for them to try your food again, you win. Mario and Joe are absolutely experts at this. They know what tastes good, and they trust their loyal customers to know what tastes good, and this breeds the kind of elevated cuisine and success that they've seen.

The only real disappointment of the night was finding out one of Mario's pastimes. Mario actually enjoys attending Nascar races. Nascar!? NASCAR! Really??

P.S. Regarding their upcoming projects, all hands are on deck for Eataly, a massive food emporium coming to 200 Park Avenue next year. Think Whole Foods, but with 5 restaurants, LEED-approved facilities and practices, and an Italian focus.

Dessert Truck Parking it on the Lower East Side

2009-10-02T10:23:00.004-04:00

On Clinton St. and Houston, in a real 4-walls-and-a-roof setup. Yay! If it's looking too crowed at Clinton St. Baking Co., this will be an awesome alternative. Check out the menu here. The highlights: Warm molten chocolate cake with olive oil and chocolate center, topped with pistachios and sea salt (ice cream optional); milk chocolate, hazelnut, and pretzel bark, and coconut macaroons. Awesome.

Amanda, Julie, Judith, & Juila

2009-09-25T16:06:00.004-04:00

Last night I had the privilege of seeing Amanda Hesser, Julie Powell, and Judith Jones speak (for free!) about the legendary Julia Child. They're left-right above.

Amanda Hesser, one of my heroes, is a writer for the New York Times magazine. She writes a great column every week in which old-school New York Times recipes are re-worked and modernized. She's also responsible for getting Julie Powell her book deal.

Julie Powell is the infamous blogger/author of Julie&Julia. She spent a year cooking Julia Child's recipes from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and blogging through her culinary triumphs and disasters. From the success of her book came a little old movie starring Amy Adams and Meryl Streep, also called Julie&Julia. And deal with her publishing company to write more books, of course. Not bad.

Judith Jones is a celebrated book editor, in particular, for recipe books. She helped Julia Child spin Mastering the Art of French Cooking into the gold it's known for. She's also responsible for bringing a little book called Le Journal d'Anne Frank to the U.S., where it would subsequently end up on every elementary-aged child's reading list: The Diary of Anne Frank. Both she and Amanda are played by actresses in the movie, Julie&Julia.

They all had lovely things to say about Julia, and it was really entertaining. In particular, Judith Jones' stories were really great. She had Julia's warbly voice down pat. She and the other women were adamant about Julia's fearlessness and salty personality. Julia would tell it like it is, and was not afraid to tell someone if they were doing something wrong - or defend her own technique! They all agreed that what makes Julia Child's book (and her TV shows with Jacques Pepin) so enjoyable was that she really taught you how to cook - not just the recipe, but the steps. And each step made sense, because you learned the HOW behind each step. Which, after completing a recipe, is what truly helps you remember how to cook a meal, because you remember the technique. As Julie learned in the movie (and in real life, of course), you must dry the meat before you brown it in order for it to sear correctly, for a perfect Beef Bourguignon. Get the technique down, and you know how to cook. Julie just raved about Mastering the Art of French Cooking, because one chapter so neatly builds upon the next. Similarly, Amanda Hesser remarked how wonderful a writer Julia was, which also makes her books fun to read. Judith, of course, agreed, being the editor!

It was fun to listen to women who (except for Julie, who only knew Julia through her cooking) had spent some time with Julia Child and reconfirm for me what a powerful, fun, brave, sassy woman she was. A big night for me, for sure, but an even bigger night for Julia and her legacy.

TJ's is Coming to Chelsea

2009-09-24T10:30:00.002-04:00

So exciting! Now they just need to build about 10 more in NYC so that they're actually shop-able. But this is a start!

Image via businessweek

So in the Know

2009-09-23T17:18:00.004-04:00

Did you know Starbucks has a secret "small" size (smaller than "tall," but larger than an espresso cup) that's not listed on the drinks menu? You gotta be in the know to ask for it. Good for an afternoon pick-me-up or when you're just short on cash.

Click here for more off-the-menu secrets from DQ, Wendy's, Taco Bell, and more. Have any to add? Leave em in the comments.

Just Like Mom Used to Make

2009-09-23T14:28:00.002-04:00

Uh, this looks amazing. Everything I read about this place is: better than it needs to be. Gotta try it out, if only for the "deal closer" above.

photo courtesy alwayshungry.com

Review Roundup

2009-09-23T10:22:00.003-04:00

Some great reading today, on this hot and muggy hump day. First up: Pete Wells of the Times gives a big fat zero to Hotel Griffou. Says the cocktails are basically the only thing going for the place. And the fahbulous people, if you're into that sort of thing.

Serious Eats has some fun stuff: First, a review of the $28 fixed-price lunch at Eleven Madison Park, something the Times glazed over a bit in its 4-star review. If you order iced tea, they give you three kinds of sugar syrups to sweeten your tea: regular simple syrup, ginger lime, and pomegranate. Love that attention to detail.

There's also a review of the General Greene, a down-home comfort food restaurant in Brooklyn. I actually ate here a few weeks ago and loved it. The Mac & cheese, candied bacon, and the salted pretzel ice cream (savory and sweet!) are amazing. Great cocktails served in mason jars too, yee-haw. And a really nice staff, which counts for a lot.

Restaurant Girl has a review of Yerba Buena Perry, the West Village (Perry & Greenwich) location of this latin eatery. Her faves: the suckling pig, the watermelon fries, and the churros with dolce de leche dipping sauce. If it's anything like the East Village original, and it sounds like it is, it's going to be great. While there are plenty of mexican joins in the Westville, there actually aren't many latin american (cuban, brazilian) restaurants in the area. Especially ones with a little bit of a bar scene. This one's certainly on my list to try out soon.

Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Offal

2009-09-17T16:17:00.005-04:00

So I've been meaning to do a post on this for a while, and, after reading about a special sandwich made in Philly with tripe (what IS tripe? I asked myself halfway through the article) and tomato sauce on a hoagie, I had to find out. Tripe is stomach, apparently, and can vary in texture (honeycomb-shaped, leaf-like or flat). What. The. Hell. Do I have honeycombs inside me? Or is that a cow-specific trait? I had to find out more. I'll list my sources at the bottom in case this appetizing post has you hungry for additional info. First, a few definitions for these tasty organs some people love so much:

Offal - German for garbage, waste. Well no wonder. All-encompassing name for non-muscle or bone internal organs. See also: variety meats.

Scrapple - pig parts (varies), flour and spices, formed into a loaf and pan-fried.

Sweetbreads - lamb or cow thymus or pancreas. Such a misleading name.

Tripe - cow stomach.

Trotters - pig's feet.

Bone marrow, brain, kidneys, liver, lungs and tongue are all considered offal as well, but do not have nicer names in English.

Did you know that there is a dish called Pajata served in Rome for which a baby calf is killed after being only nursed on his mother's milk? Once he is killed, his belly, full of milk, is cleaned and cooked. The enzymes of the intestine and the heat cook the milk to create a creamy, cheese-like sauce. That is insane.

Haggis, served in Scotland, is a boiled sheep's stomach filled with different offal (heart, lungs, etc.) and oats. I don't believe the stomach is actually eaten, only what's cooked inside, so two points for restraint to the Scots.

Similarly, an Italian version of Haggis was recently featured on Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations Sardinia episode. A sheep's stomach, stuffed with bread, cheese, spices, herbs, and blood is served during his visit. The shot of that thing being punctured open and spilling all over the plate (like "a bloody piñata," Tony says) is truly special - go to around the 5:34 mark to check it out. His Italian family goes nuts and digs in with bread to sop up the beefy bloodbath:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXzhWw3gV8E&feature=related

In Mexico, you might wander into a cafe and be served some sopa de médula, or, brainstem soup. Makes you smarter. Maybe.

Turns out in most parts of the world, offal is a regular part of carnivorous eating. It's only here in North America that people get particularly queasy towards it. Sure, we have chopped liver, and giblets (fowl heart, liver, other stuff I won't tell you) are commonly used to make home-made gravy around Thanksgiving. But outside of New York, Chicago, and L.A., I think you'd be hard-pressed to find offal on many restaurant menus. You can go out west and try some Rocky Mountain Oysters (fried bull testicles, har), but that's about it within the creamy middle of the country. It wasn't until I moved to NYC until I learned about how some of these innards are prepared and enjoyed.

Bone marrow I know is a real delicacy and is served at places like Prune, Minetta Tavern, Employees Only, and the Spotted Pig. Batali loves him some offal. I believe pig's ears and calf's liver are also on the at the Pig. I have yet to try. His tripe dish at Casa Mono has been called so soft and luscious, it tastes like pasta. David Chang and Daniel Boulud often dip into the offal section, too. Fergus Henderson, of St. John restaurant in London (awarded a Michelin star this year) is the O.G. of offal and is known for his "Nose to Tail" menus that change seasonally.

From a nutrition standpoint, these "meats" (feels weird to call a kidney "meat") are for the most part very high in cholesterol and saturated fats, so they can taste extremely rich. But for those who've acquired the taste, they LOVE it. They go NUTS for it. Usually those people are food lovers, chefs, and reviewers. Maybe I need a few years more of this in order to prepare my taste buds for something new. There has to be some connection besides food snobbery that allows these people to enjoy offal - perhaps their palates get bored, and the byproduct is that offal is the only taste left in this world to wake them up.

I'm trying to figure out why, besides the fact that I wasn't raised eating offal, I find it so unpleasant. When you think about it, eating the meat along a cow's ribs, gobbling up some raw salmon eggs (roe), or even chowing down on a little grey duck's breast isn't any stranger than eating its brain. Really. Except brains, lungs, livers, etc. all have a function, since they are organs. Sometimes that function is to remove waste or break foods down so that they are easier to digest. Maybe that's the distinction. Muscle/fat = normal, yummy. Organs = weird.

While I can't say I'm looking forward to craving offal, I'm pleased at how far my tastes have evolved from my time traveling and living in New York City. But I am growing more and more curious, which is scary, sometimes expensive, and alienating - anyone up for trying out the tongue taco at Cabrito? ;)

Info courtesy wikipedia.org, travelchannel.com, New York, and eatmedaily - check out their "offal of the week" column!

Paper'd Up

2009-09-17T14:51:00.003-04:00

Click here for a list of NYC restaurants and bars that have been forced to close since the beginning of summer. Truly sad. Among the lost:

Elettaria

The John Dory

Alfama

Lassi

Annisa

Bourbon Street

Smith's

The Cub Room

Wild Ginger (Grove st.)

Luckily, I've heard that Smith's and the Cub Room are both near-sale, so their prime locations won't be vacant for long. The John Dory is rumored to be looking for a new space with more traffic and a bigger bar. Sad truth is, I'm sure many, many of the restaurants in my fall preview will last more than a year. I wonder who will be next?

Crabby? Have Some Mac & Cheese.

2009-09-17T11:20:00.003-04:00

As previously posted, MacBar is opening its doors today to carb and cheese-loving people like myself. Nymag has the menu. The four-cheese and lobster mac look great. The space is very Japanese and Rice to Riches-esque, even down to the innovative, noodle-shaped containers. Get in my belly!

NYC Fall Preview

2009-09-16T12:00:00.009-04:00

Well it's almost (officially) fall in New York City, and that means friends with beach houses are finally back, Sundays are now taken over by football season, and a crop of new restaurants and bars are popping up all over the place, each trying to carve out a splashy niche in these troubled economic times. I'm really excited about a few of them. By now, most of the major publications have covered the fall scene.

New York Times has a great overview. Among the highlights: Danny Meyer is opening up an Italian restaurant, Maialino, in the failed Wakiya space at the Gramercy Park Hotel. David Chang is opening up a Vietnamese restaurant in the old Town space in the Chambers Hotel in midtown (56th & 5th), which scares me a little. Next to Delicatessen on Prince & Lafayette will be MacBar, featuring different kinds of mac & cheese. Los Feliz (pictured above) is rumored to be the new La Esquina, which soft opened recently on Ludlow & Rivington. Balaboosta will serve middle eastern fare on Mulberry & Prince. Keith McNally is hopping on the gourmet pizza train with Pulino's on Bowery & Houston. Serving up the pies will be James Beard Award-winning Rising Star Chef Nate Appleman.

Metromix.com probably has the most comprehensive guide (with a picture slideshow!). Of the newbies, I've already heard great things about Joseph Leonard (eggs with toast soldiers at brunch...mmm) and the Jane hotel for late night drinks. Hotel Griffou's cocktails are supposed to be as great as the scene, according to Restaurant Girl. Superdive sounds like a massive shitshow and I'm still trying to figure out how that place is legal. Poppa B (my dad) had drinks recently at Ward III and said they were great - they'll customize a cocktail based on your taste (sour, sweet, fresh, etc.). The Back Room at Cafe Select looks fun and unpretentious (below). The Boom Boom Room (!) at the Standard Hotel was the go-to spot for NYC Fashion Week events.

I'm excited to get moving and get eating. And there's still a few summer spots I've yet to try, there just aren't enough days in the week! Stay tuned for plenty of recaps and reviews. Cheers!

Pics via Metromix

Recipe: Paella de Mariscos (Shellfish Paella)

2009-09-10T12:17:00.003-04:00

Last weekend my friend and I attempted to make Paella for a large group and I must say, it was awesome! We used a recipe from a cookbook that my mom gave me for christmas last year called The Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook by Sharon Kramis and Julie Kramis Hearne. I recommend it - tons of easy 1-pot breakfast, dinner, and dessert ideas like yummy blueberry crumbles and cornbread. We made a few tweaks to the paella along the way but here's what you'll need:

(Makes 6 servings)

1 tsp saffron threads (if you don't want to buy saffron, try and find paella rice with saffron already in it - that's what we did. The saffron is crucial for the bright yellow color and subtly spicy flavor)

1/4 cup white wine

4 tbs extra virgin olive oil

4 bone-in skinless chicken breast halves (we used boneless, and chopped them into 1-inch pieces. Just a little easier to eat this way)

6 bone-on skinless chicken thighs (same here - see above)

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 pound chorizo sausage, casing removed and chopped into 1/2 - 1-inch pieces

2 cups paella rice

1 tsp paprika

2 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 can fire-roasted chopped tomatoes, drained

1 pound fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded

1/2 pound prawns, peeled and deveined (thawed if frozen)

1/2 cup peas (thawed if frozen)

1 tbs chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1 lemon, cut into wedges, for garnish

**For the seafood, you can certainly make substitutions depending on what your market has, and what looks fresh. Scallops, regular shrimp, or calamari would all be great. You can also add additional veggies if you want - bell peppers, asparagus, or even a few cauliflower florets would taste wonderful. If chorizo's not your thing, you could try cubed beef or lamb. Just make sure to brown it first, like you do with the chicken. Before browning, pat it dry and season it with a little salt, pepper, and some of the rosemary and paprika. Then add it back to the pan when you add the chicken.

In a small bowl, dissolve the saffron in the white wine and remove the threads (skip this step if rice is already seasoned).

Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium. Brown the chicken breasts and thighs, turning them occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat until all chicken pieces have been browned.

Add 2 tbs olive oil back to the empty skillet, and add the onions and garlic. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add the chorizo and cook for 5 minutes. Add the rice, paprika, rosemary, saffron, and white wine, and stir to mix and coat the rice. Pour the chicken stock and tomatoes over the rice. Stir the mixture once to incorporate (it's important not to overmix).

Arrange the chicken pieces on top. Do not stir. Bring the skillet to a boil, then, reduce the heat and let simmer for at least 30 minutes. If the rice starts to look dry in the middle, add chicken stock, water, or white wine to the pan, 1/4-cup at a time. The edges of the skillet should begin to form a drier crust, but, the rice inside should plump up and stay moist.

Once the rice is looking (and tasting) cooked, scatter the mussels, prawns, and peas over the rice (do not stir). Cover tightly with aluminum foil and steam for 5 minutes. The mussels should open and the prawns should be pink and opaque. If any mussels do not open, dispose.

Remove from heat, garnish with the parsley and lemon wedges and serve!

This recipe makes a lot, so, if you manage to have leftovers, it tastes great the next day either hot or cold. Happy cooking and buena suerte!

Shake Shack's Gonna Be My New Neighbor

2009-09-09T20:04:00.002-04:00

Just in from Grub Street - nymag.com:
http://m.nymag.com/grub/?view=http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2009/09/shake_shack_will_open_nolita_l.html

MY ES Plate - Part Dos

2009-09-08T14:55:00.009-04:00

After a wonderful few days filled with city life, art, and architecture in Barcelona, we boarded the plane and headed west to Seville (Sevilla). Sevilla was pretty much like a movie set: 3- and 4-story, pastel-painted buildings squished next to each other along narrow, cobblestoned streets. The sunshine peeks through white sheets that are strung from roof to roof, across the alleyways, in order to keep the Sevillans (and me) cool as they stroll around. We stayed at this adorable little hotel right near the Catedral Santa Maria, the largest church in Spain and the third-largest in the world. The cathedral also claims to hold the remains of Christopher Columbus - fun fact.

Obviously, once we set our bags down we were starved, so we wandered around the narrow streets and immediately got lost, which was fine. We ended up at a little nondescript restaurant and sat down for some beers and lunch. Charlie had a tortilla and I had a huge seafood platter (see above). We also split some garbanzo beans with this warm, gooey spinach and egg mixed in and some spices. To me, even this meal already felt different and slightly more moorish/arabic influenced than meals in Barca. It was certainly a preview of sights and meals to come.

After lunch we walked around a bit and waited for the shops to open from their siesta - a real, double-edged sword of Spanish culture. Some days, we were happy to go back to our hotel for a nap around 2 p.m., but, other days we were itching to shop and couldn't do anything about it but wait (or eat some gelato and wander around). Soon enough, though, we were able to check out some of the clothing shops, jewelry boutiques and the famous Sevillan ceramics. I think this part of the trip clinched it for me - I will definitely be having Spanish tile in my cucina some day. Later that evening, we sat on our rooftop patio and enjoyed some cava. My boyfriend had a few business calls to take care of so I read my book and tried my best to make the time slow down.

That night we had a surprisingly great meal at El Arenal, a flamenco bar. I was a little worried it was going to be dinner-theater and cheesy, but that's the New Yorker in me. It was amazing. The dancers were serious, sexy, passionate and totally talented. And the food was great! I had the traditional salted cod (Bacalao) served in a spicy tomato sauce, with lots of sangria and a bottle of red wine. By the end of the meal I was ready to hop on stage and stomp along with them.

The next morning we boarded the Los Amarillos bus line and headed for Ronda, a tiny pueblo blanco (white village) south of Sevilla. The journey to Ronda was breathtaking. Gorgeous, grassy, rolling hills dotted with trees, olive tree

farms, and a hacienda scattered here and there. The pueblo blancos get their name from the tradition of painting buildings white - so from afar, these little towns look so pious and sweet and frozen in time.

Unfortunately, rolling hills equals tight curvy roads equals Leslie is carsick. It was pretty rough but I made it through without losing my lunch. About 2 hours later we made it to Ronda and checked into our hotel, a Parador, that overlooked the gorge that defines Ronda. Again, the sweeping views of the rocky gorge, the ancient stone bridge, and the vast hills and farms in the distance is a memory I hope I never ever forget. The town of Ronda is very tourist-friendly and it was easy to walk around. We stopped at a plaza and had some lunch - more sangria, of course, and hands-down the best paella of my entire life:

The seafood was perfectly cooked, along with the rice, which had the lovely saffron-yellow shine to it. Around the edges and along the bottom was the socarrat, the crust, that's such a crunchy, nutty pleasure to eat. Incredible, incredible. My friends and I actually tried to replicate the paella this weekend, and did pretty well! I'll post the recipe we used very soon.

That night, we tried out the restaurant in our hotel. Parador hotels are actually state-owned and were basically set up to provide a standard for Spanish hotels, preserve the country's heritage, and assist some of the regions of Spain that lack tourist resources. We thought it would be fantastic and the views certainly were - the hotel sat right on the edge of the gorge, so the view as the sun went down was amazing. Even the menu looked promising: lots of grilled seafood, a few different beef preparations, paella. Sadly, state-run hotels do not excel with cooking. Or maybe the chef was just having an off night. We should have known - the restaurant was empty when we walked in except for a handful of other tourists, and it never did fill up. From the flat wine, that never got better with decanting, to my fatty octopus, to my baby food risotto, to Char's weird lamb shank, it was just bad, bad, bad. So bad, I lost my appetite after a few bites. So bad, we didn't accept our waiter's offer of bringing the rest of the wine up to the room. I never turn down wine, and it was that bad. Comically bad. We certainly needed that gelato afterwards to rid ourselves from the taste of our meal.

In spite of the scary dinner at the Parador, Ronda was romantic and picturesque and filled with kind people. The next morning near the bus stop we had a simple breakfast of toasted, crusty white bread with olive oil and salt, and a steaming hot cafe con leche. Any culinary fouls committed the night before were forgotten.

After another nauseating carnival-ride bus drive, we arrived in Marbella, Spain, along the coast. Beach time! By this leg of the journey I think we were a little tapas and hammed-out so we tried to find some new things to eat. The first night we had a great meal down the beach, at a restaurant run by a bunch of fun Brits, called Beach House. Lots of wine and sangria and seafood and ribs. The next night we ventured into old town Marbella, shopped and actually had pizza! I know, sad, but when you're outside at a cafe, sipping red wine, and being so close to the fresh ingredients you're eating, it feels okay. The last night we had some steak and gawked at the luxury cars and yachts over in Puerto Banus.

For our last night in Spain, we flew back to Barcelona and ran around like crazy to soak up the city as much as we could. Sadly, we were unable to ever make it to Inopia, the restaurant I talked up so much before leaving Spain - the one Michael Stipe looses his shit in because the food is so good, on On the Road Again with Mario, Gwenyth & co. They were closed for summer holiday! So, so sad. So we found a cute traditional place off the Passeig de Gracia and enjoyed one last round of sangria, pa amb tomaquet (white toasted bread, rubbed with tomato, sprinked with olive oil and salt), paella, croquetas, and a few other goodies we could make room for. There was no holding back.

I will never, ever forget the paella in Ronda, or the tuna at Comerc 24, or our pata negra in Park Guell. It was an eye-opening, waistband-widening, relaxing, romantic, unbelievable, fortune-filled trip. I can't wait to go back to Spain soon. Until then, it's fall in New York City: time for new restaurants, my Born Round review, and new healthy recipes for me to share. Check back soon!

My ES Plate - Part 1

2009-09-08T12:30:00.009-04:00

Hello everyone and welcome back to reality! It's been a whole week since my return to the US from Spain and I still miss it every day. It was a truly incredible time, and I can't wait to go back again and explore parts of the country that we just weren't able to squeeze in. The first leg of our trip was spent in Barcelona. Although we spent a lot of time taking in the cultural sights and activities (including an amazing FC Barca vs. Bilbao soccer game -- FC Barca won 3-0), I'll focus mainly on our culinary adventures.

The first night we ate dinner at Comerc 24, a restaurant in the El Born section of Barcelona. Head chef Carles Abellan's stylish restaurant was recommended to me by a friend who had eaten there recently with her familia. I came to find out that it's actually a pretty difficult restaurant to get into - Senor Abellan's modern tapas are probably among the highest rated in the city, if not the region. He actually spent some time working with Ferran Adria at El Bulli, so, needless to say, this was no ordinary toothpicked and ham-laden tapas meal.

We started our dinner with some white bread (these smallish loaves, probably 6 inches or less, come with almost any meal in Spain... mildly flavored, they basically act as a sponge for your olive oil or tapenade) and 4 different kinds of olive oils ranging from a mild, almost lemony flavor to a much deeper (and darker-green) olive flavor. I wanted to take a bath in those olive oils, they were so good. My favorite was the darkest, the most olivey-tasting. We were given an amouse-bouche of a cold mushroom soup, which was incredible. Creamy and salty and earthy. We were also given a small bowl of gold-flecked macadamia nuts, which looked nice but tasted pretty ordinary.

For our first appetizer, we shared a tuna tartare that was topped with salty, briny salmon roe. Under the column of tuna was an egg yolk, which helped bind the pieces of tuna together, but also provided a richness to the tuna that helped balance both the saltiness of the roe, and the acid of the citrus in the tartare. It was the definition of something melting in your mouth.

For our main, slightly larger tapas, we shared three things (maybe 4? There was lots of wine with dinner). We had a sort of sushi roll without the raw fish or the rice: large pieces of lobster wrapped in avocado, with a citrus-avocado puree. We also had some rare white fish - cod or fluke I think, that was served sliced very thinly. Finally, I THINK (again, the wine...) we had a smoked duck bite that was rich and super-juicy and seared perfectly on the outside. All I remember at that point was pink-red and oh my god amazing.

The service was very attentive, especially at the beginning of the meal since we ate a little bit on the early side by Barcelona standards - I think we sat at 9:00 so it was definitely us and the other Americans lucky enough to score a table. The couple next to us was from Boston, and the wife was writing down and critiquing everything they ate - my kind of gal! Overall it was a totally decadent meal and set the bar high for the remainder of the trip.

The next day, we set out for La Boqueria to get the ingredients for our Park Guell picnic: some fruit (I loved the to-go containers and the fresh-squeezed juices like watermelon and guava) manchego cheese, bread, a couple of pastries, wine, olive tapenade, and an absurd amount of thinly sliced Pata Negra we'd picked up the day before. Pata Negra is a specific kind of Iberian ham for which the pigs are fattened up with a diet of acorns, giving the ham its nutty, rich flavor. Think about that for a second - it scares me to think about what normal old American pigs are fed. These guys run free in pig farms eating nuts all day. No wonder it tastes incredible. Iberian ham is usually cured for at least a year, but Pata Negra can be cured as long as 36 months.

Side note - we'd already visited the boqueria on day 1 so this trip was very picnic-specific. Our first time through, I pretty much lost it. The cheeses, the rows and rows of giant fish sitting on ice, the ham curing and hanging from the walls, the stalls filled to the brim with rainbow-colored candy; I was in shock. We also had a quick (like, gone in 3 minutes) snack at one of the bars within la boqueria. My date had the grilled tuna, which he called the best in his life. Literally. We also shared some grilled squid (calamares a la plancha) which was soaked in this oily, herby sauce that honestly made me teary. We also had some fresh mussels and a glass of wine for good measure.

Anyway, day 2 we made our way up to Park Guell, past the gentleman playing his Spanish guitar and up to a bench that overlooked the entire city (see above). Char cracked the wine open and I assembled los bocadillos:

We agreed it was the best sandwich either of us had ever eaten. Bellies full, we wandered around around and had a low-key dinner that night near our hotel in El Raval, Barcelona's equivalent of the Lower East Side (sketchy in parts, but cool too).

Other favorites from our time in Barca: the cafe con leche, served piping hot in tiny glasses, the olives, the patatas bravas and their mayo-paprika sauce, the croquetas, the wine, and the incredible seafood. I'm not sure other than the duck at Comerc 24, what, if any, poultry I consumed. Just my style.

Stay tuned for Part 2, when our Spanish adventure takes us to Andalusia and the Costa del Sol. Luego!

My ES Plate

2009-08-20T10:18:00.002-04:00

So today I am off to the land of Ferran Adria, Jamón Serrano, and this guy:

Hola Victor! Me gusta!

I will be vacationing in España and am super excited. I'm hoping to take lots and lots of copious notes and pictures during my travels, and not just of FC Barca but of every crazy thing I eat. I am going for the craziest I can - I've packed plenty of stomach-coating medicines just in case. Already on our agenda is Ferran Adria's brother's restaurant in Barcelona, Inopia.

Anyway, I feel so lucky to be going and am looking forward to drinking, relaxing, dancing, and eating my way through Spain. Stay tuned for MY ES Plate, coming in September. Adios mis amigos!

Los photos via spainontheroadagain.com and fcbarcelona.com

Bruni's Final Review: Aww

2009-08-19T10:09:00.004-04:00

So at last, the time has come. Frank Bruni of the New York Times has published his final review for the Dining section. The recipient? Not Marea, as I and many others had guessed. Not one of April Bloomfield's latest endeavors, not somewhere classic like Elaine's or Tavern on the Green. Mr. Bruni chose the humble but fabulous Redhead. I love this. As I've said many times before, Bruni has the ability to knight or completely de-throne a restaurant with a few words. He could have given a glowing review to any large, impressive, uni- or fois gras-laden restaurant in New York City. But instead, he chose a tiny, first-come-first-serve, New Orleans-leaning bar and restaurant in the East Village.

I've been wanting to try the Redhead for months but have lazily never made it over there. I always fear places with no reservations on the weekends and thought that the Great Jones Cafe nearby could answer any of my creole/cajun cravings. But the Great Jones Cafe does not have fried chicken with onion goat cheese bread pudding (Bruni says it's a cross between stuffing and a quiche), caramel-banana pudding with house-made nilla wafers, and it definitely doesn't have the bacon peanut brittle that has made the Redhead famous among those who've dined there. Yum. It's definitely high on my list for this fall (I'll plan for a weekday).

Also in today's dining section are a few notes from Bruni on what it's been like to eat in some of the best (and worst) restaurants over the years. He typically visited a restaurant at least three times before writing a review, and usually brought three different people along each time. This way, he can instruct his dining companions on exactly what to order, so that he could make the largest dent in the menu possible. Think how unbalanced his reviews would be if he only ate there once or twice, or only ordered a few things, especially if he ordered badly. Sometimes, his companions would get upset about having to order certain items, especially if it was something they didn't like or didn't ever eat. Other funny notes:

"Some companions kept track and kept count. They noticed if the four restaurants they’d accompanied me to all wound up with one-star ratings, and they wondered whom I’d taken to the restaurant that just got three stars. Guilt more than girth is a critic’s fiercest enemy.

...Often, toward the end of a meal, I’d catch one of them making odd, half-hidden hand signals in his or her lap, flashing one finger, then two — or two fingers, then three — while watching for me to shake or nod my head. The companion wanted to know what the star rating was likely to be. Sometimes I obliged, but usually not."

That's so great. What a treat to read. I'm so sad to see Bruni go, but, I am looking forward to reading his book, now more than ever, and to see where his successor dines first. Goodbye Bruni, and please keep writing!

Greatest Hits

2009-08-17T17:33:00.004-04:00

Read here for a great recap of Frank Bruni's most vicious (0- and 1-star) reviews of his tenure. A sample, from his Kobe Club review:

"Hanging upside down from the ceiling in the nearly pitch-black dining room are sharp, gleaming samurai swords, about 2,000 of them. The server volunteered that number, appended with an assurance that the blades, firmly anchored, shouldn’t cause any concern.

The food and the bill should. Although Kobe Club does right by the fabled flesh for which it’s named, it presents too many insipid or insulting dishes at prices that draw blood from anyone without a trust fund or an expense account."

Please read the rest. So funny.

Rave for Eleven Madison Park

2009-08-12T09:43:00.007-04:00

In a glowing review today, the Times gave 4 stars to Danny Meyer's Eleven Madison Park. It's a really, really enjoyable read, so if you don't normally read Bruni's reviews all the way through, this is one I highly recommend. Basically, he says the restaurant started out incredible 9 years ago when it opened, and, has only gotten better. A sampling:

"Some of his best work comes in small packages, like a cup of “sea urchin cappuccino” that was presented as a little surprise during a meal whose climax would be a flawlessly cooked blue foot chicken for two with a brioche, foie gras and truffle butter stuffing under the glistening skin.

The cappuccino’s inclusion of cauliflower mousse below a peekytoe crab salad, sea urchin roe and a sea urchin foam made with cream and Cognac seemed to allude to (and perhaps borrowed from) a famous Joel Robuchon dish of cauliflower cream, lobster, and sea urchin.

But Mr. Humm’s version was an altogether frothier and more indulgent affair, and whenever it threatened to become too much, a tart, astringent note flickered, reining everything in. The difference between good and great cooking of this kind is often knowing where the creamy, buttery, unctuous tipping point is — and stopping just shy of it. Mr. Humm does that expertly."

Ahaha umm...wow. My favorite part of the review, though, was the note that the restaurant offers an $88 tasting menu. I'm putting this one high up on my to-do list. I get the sense that Daniel Humm (head chef, who is only 32 by the way) knows when to stop with all of the molecular gastronomy stuff. Do it a little and it delights, but do it too much, and people will never remember what it was exactly they ate for dinner.

Kadoos to Danny Meyer for having two great reviews in a row. He is having one hell of a summer. Back to Bruni, though, could Marea (my guess, and many other bloggers' for his last review) possibly impress him more than Eleven Madison Park does? Only one more week and we'll know the answer!

Image via elevenmadisonpark.com. Check out the website, the food images are gorgeous.

Recipe: Summertime Tequila-Soaked Watermelon

2009-08-11T14:31:00.004-04:00

Try out this 1/2-dessert-1/2-cocktail creation next time you need to bring something for a dinner party, or just a party-party. It's like a watermelon margarita you can bite into.

Summertime Tequila-Soaked Watermelon

Serves 4

1 seedless watermelon, halved and then cut into 1-inch wedges (keep rind on)

1 cup sugar (optional... I did not include this because watermelon is so naturally sweet already. But if you want something to balance the tartness of the lime and triple sec, go ahead)

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup tequila

1/4 cup triple sec

2 limes

sea salt

Combine water, tequila, and triple sec in a large pyrex pan, or a large ziploc bag. If you add the sugar, you will need to first bring all of these ingredients to a boil in a saucepan to dissolve the sugar. Let cool, and pour into pan or ziploc. Add the watermelon wedges, and let marinate for at least 45 minutes in the refrigerator. Remove the watermelon from the liquid and place on a serving plate. Squeeze the limes over the watermelon and lightly sprinkle each wedge with salt.

Enjoy!

P.S. I was thinking about variations of this recipe, and I think you could do a kid-friendly version if you replaced the tequila and the triple sec with orange juice. You could also try it with strawberries sliced in half (from tip to stem, so the salt has more flesh to adhere to), or maybe peaches! Watermelon is more watery so I'd soak any other fruit just a bit longer.

P.P.S. If you can't get enough tequila like me, try Crate and Barrel's mix for Jalapeno Lemonade, available here. Everyone I've made it for loves it - it's just a great lemonade mix with just a hint of jalapeno at the end. Wonderful mixed with a little tequila! Fiesta!

Review: DBGB's

2009-08-11T13:56:00.005-04:00

Finally! After blogging about the place for months, I finally made it over to DBGB's to celebrate a friend's birthday. I actually had a reservation back the week it opened but had to back out at the last minute, so I was ecstatic when my friends decided to check it out this past Wednesday evening.

Unfortunately, I don't think I can do the place justice in this review. Due to the fact that I am going to be in a swimsuit on the beaches of the coast of southern Spain in 9 days, and the fact that my exercising has not kept up with the amount of NY Plates I have been eating, I kept my meal at DBGB's somewhat simple. In other words, I need to go back again and not order like a girl.

To start, I had the Octopus a la Plancha (to get me in the mood for Spain) served with an eggplant paste/puree, tomato, and a chickpea fry (or, a Panisse to you fancy pantsers). It was delicious and had a lovely grilled flavor. It was also larger than I expected - tons of meaty octopus as opposed to those few stringy chewy pieces you can come across in a fish stew sometimes.

For my entree, I kept it simple and had the Yankee, which is a beef burger with lettuce, tomato, onions, and an Essex Street pickle, served with fries. It was expertly done, and I definitely cleared my plate. However, most of my friends ordered different sausages, hot dogs, etc. which looked a lot more exciting than my plain burger. Like I said, I'll have to go back again and do it up.

The atmosphere of DBGB's is great, and just as lively and cool as I expected - all over the walls are scribbles of Mr. Boulud's favorite quotes about life and food. In the main dining room, pots and pans sit on shelves that peek through to the open kitchen. All the pots and pans are signed famous chefs - I think I remember seeing Dan Barber's near our table (see photo above). As I've probably mentioned before, it's Daniel Boulud's nod to the neighborhood and all of the kitchen supplies stores along the Bowery. The bar is gorgeous, albeit extremely packed, always, and very loud. They serve 22 kinds of beers, but, again, I kept it girly with wine all night.

If I had to classify this restaurant, I'd say it's great for a birthday or other large celebration - I hear they have a private dining room as well, if you are interested in something quieter. The bar's too busy for my taste for just grabbing a drink, so I'd recommend it for sitting down for dinner only. Good for a date if you've been going out for a while, just because it's so freaking loud, and, most people aren't brave enough to order a sausage for their meal on a 1st or 2nd date. But if you are, go for it! And let me know how the sausage is... :)

DBGB photo from danielnyc.com

Eat, Earn, Burn

2009-08-06T10:14:00.003-04:00

Cute article today in the Times about staying in shape when you eat for a living. I'm taking notes!

Bruni's Replacement Announced

2009-08-05T14:36:00.002-04:00

And the winner is...

...no, not me. Mr. Sam Sifton. Read Bill Keller's staff memo here. I actually LOVED his article in the Times magazine recently in which he described cooking meatloaf for Norah Ephron (she's behind the new Julie & Julia movie, and is supposedly a great cook). If that article's any indication, I'm sure he'll be fun to read. I'm eager to see what his tastes are like, and who he reviews first! Any guesses?

2 Stars for Union Square Cafe, 2 Reviews to Go

2009-08-05T09:59:00.003-04:00

Frank Bruni gives Danny Meyer's Union Square Cafe 2 stars in the Times today. This perennially-packed restaurant revieved 3 stars by the Times the last time it was reviewed. Most of the faults given to the restaurant this time around seem to be with the service, which probably has a lot to do with the crazy popularity. To paraphrase Bruni, it's no small task to feed basically an entire dining room that sits down to eat at key times like 7 and 8 pm. I love Danny Meyer but I don't think I'll be visiting USC anytime soon. There's just too many "old reliables" on my list already, including many of his other restaurants!

Review: Casa

2009-08-04T12:47:00.005-04:00

Last Saturday, my date and I made our way over to Casa in the West Village for some Brazilian fare. When I used to live in the neighborhood, I would pass by it 100 times, always packed with people sitting closely together, happily enjoying their meals. But, with so many other restaurants in the area, I simply never made it inside. After Saturday night's meal, I'm a little sad I haven't gone sooner! But I am so happy it's on my radar now.

Casa is a cozy corner restaurant that really does feel like someone's home. The Brazilian home cooking they serve will warm your heart and your belly. And best of all, it's reasonably priced. We started with Pao de Queijo, one of my new favorite little treats - cheezy warm buns the size of a cherry. They come served with a jalapeno sauce to spread on top. Amazing. My date had the Cuscuz Paulista, which was described as a shrimp cake. I couldn't really make out all the flavors, but, it was slightly sweet and very large - like a slice of cake, rather than a little fried patty. Good, but a little heavy for an appetizer.

For our entrees, I had the Moqueca and my date had the Feijoada. Both were incredible, incredible. The Moqueca is a sort of fish stew done with coconut milk. It comes in a pot and is served alongside white rice and a bowl of yucca mash. So to assemble the perfect bite, you take a little bit of the stew, pour it over the rice, and then plop some of the yucca on the side. It's rich, but not overly sweet and the texture of the fish with the rice and the smooth yucca is lovely. The Feijoada is also a stew, a beef, pork, and black bean stew, and is served with rice, oranges, a salsa, and collard greens. Citrus and black beans are always a great pair - the citrus brightened up the flavors of the beans and the meat and the collard greens were perfectly salty and bitter.

Be sure to order the caipirinhas if you go - they come in a bunch of flavors and taste authentic - no sour mixes here.

Check it out next time you are looking for a comforting dinner. But do make a reservation - it's always crowded and there's not much wiggle room at the bar if you're hoping to wait for a table to open up. But definitely worth being a little close to your vizinhos for such a great meal.

Image via Nymag

Born Round

2009-08-04T12:23:00.004-04:00

Publishers Weekly has an exciting interview today with the one and only Frank Bruni. With only 15 days left until his final review for the New York Times, followed closely by the release of his memoir, Born Round, he's got a lot to chat about. What's even more exciting, though, is that the magazine has published a photograph of him! Here he is:

Hi Frank!

At long last. This is the man whose photograph sits in restaurant kitchens, warning its staff to be on the lookout for him. This is the man who dons mustaches and wigs in order to eat a meal and review it without special treatment. This is the man that can singlehandedly close a restaurant (Kobe Club, Ago, probably Table 8, unfortunately, among many others). This is exciting! This also means that he is most likely done eating in the restaurants he's reviewing for these last 3 weeks. He would never, ever let his picture be taken if he wasn't done being a mystery.

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to reading his book, as I got a taste of it (pardon the pun) a few weeks ago in the New York Time Magazine's snippet of one of the chapters. It details his lifelong relationship with food - in particular his struggles with bulimia starting at a terrifyingly young age.

I'll miss his reviews but am happy to know he'll still be writing for the New York Times Magazine. And I think this means he can pretty much eat wherever he wants in NYC now, right? I'll be looking for him, sans disguise. And still no word on who's filling his shoes, though. I'm still holding out.... :)

Bon Appetit!

2009-07-29T12:55:00.004-04:00

Last night I was lucky enough to score a ticket to a screening of Julie&Julia, which opens in movie theaters nationwide this Friday. If you haven't heard, it's a movie that tells the story of famed chef Julie Child and blogger-turned-author Julie Powell, and their parallel lives. Much of it is derived from Julie Powell's blog (which was subsequently turned into a book), Julie and Julia, in which she details her year of cooking every single recipe in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Julie and Julia have a few things in common. Both women worked for the government, unhappy and unfulfilled, and both knew little about French cooking before taking on their life-changing tasks: Julia attended Le Cordon Bleu not knowing how to even boil an egg, and Julie started her blog knowing the basics but not knowing anything about French technique.

I haven't read Julie's blog or book yet, but, I loved the movie and I am obviously jealous of all her success. Norah Ephron (When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, etc.) did a fantastic job. Amy Adams is adorable as Julie, and I felt her pain as she climbed those subway stairs towards a job she didn't love. Meryl Streep does a dead-on impression of Julia Child, down to her sing-songy voice and her no-fear attitude towards cooking. She was hilarious. I learned a lot about Julia Child as well - she didn't start at Le Cordon Bleu until she was in her 40's! I didn't really realize her place in American culinary history before seeing the movie - as Amy Adams' character points out, she truly brought French cuisine to Americans for the first time. Before her, it was all frozen dinners and canned foods.

The movie really brought out my cravings - I was starving by the end of it, of course, and, I'm eager to get in the kitchen and try something new. I'm also dying to watch some old TV clips of Julia Child to see if she was as charming as Meryl Streep makes her out to be. I'll have to check out Julie Powell's book and blog, too, of course, maybe I can learn a few things!

The Times must have been in the house last night too, check out their review here. Bon Appetit!

Julies and Julias image a la thefoodsection.com

The Best Stuff On Earth Just Got Better. We're Dating.

2009-07-22T11:01:00.007-04:00

...That's how I feel when I think about David Chang and Momofuku. The OG of the East Village ramen noodle and pork bun empire has done it again. He's officially killing it by launching a new menu item similar in fixed-price fashion to the Bo Ssam: a freaking Fried Chicken Dinner. Yes, you read right. With a benjamin ($100 bucks to you non-Chang Gangers) and a prayer, you can enjoy the following meal at the Noodle Bar:

2 whole fried chickens - one Southern-American style (buttermilk/Old Bay batter), one Korean style (triple-fried with spicy glaze), mu shu pancakes, spicy peppers, carrots, radishes, shiso leaves, bibb lettuce, sauces, and an herb basket. Holy crap.

Pretty similar format to the Ko resi system (opens up at 10 a.m., click fast) so GET ON IT.

2 Stars for Locanda Verde

2009-07-22T09:47:00.003-04:00

As predicted, the New York Times has reviewed Andrew Carmellini's (Cafe Boulud, A Voce) newest endeavor, Locanda Verde, located in the Greenwich Hotel. Overall, the review is pretty positive - the simple, glossy, industrial decor, the wine list, and the food itself - the vast majority of it stays under the $25 price point, which I love. Highlights for him included most of the small plates, especially the grilled octopus and the lamb meatballs. Yum. There's also a roast chicken with garlic and rosemary for two that's super-juicy. I'll definitely be checking Locanda Verde out the next time I'm south of Canal.

In other Times news, Mark Bittman (or "Bitty" if you are an On the Road Again fan) gives 101 simple summer salad ideas, mostly vegetarian.

Finally, in your daily Pizza news - Anthony Mangieri of Una Pizza Napoletana, the east village shrine to Naples-style pizza, has closed his shop to move out West. This is something he mentioned he was considering in his New York Magazine interview, however, I didn't realize it would happen so soon. He doesn't mess around! And to top it off, he's already handed over the keys to Motorino's owners, so we can expect to see them open up the space again pretty soon. Well damn. He didn't waste any time. Oh well - guess I'll just have to make a trip out to Cali at some point to get a taste of his pies. That, or go to Naples. I'll take either one!

You Eat With Your Eyes First

2009-07-20T10:50:00.001-04:00

This is kind of horrifying, but amazing.

Late Night @ Momofuku

2009-07-16T13:00:00.003-04:00

Just read that Momofuku Ssam is rolling out a late night cocktail and dining menu, for after 12 a.m. when the kitchen closes. Drinks will include sake lemonades and something called the Reverend Palmer, kind of like an Arnold Palmer (or a John Daly-heh), but with bourbon. The crack-laced famous pork buns and pickles will also be served.

Then over at Momofuku Noodle bar, a slushie machine is in the works. Knowing David Chang's tastes, I'm guessing this slushie machine will NOT be doling out your standard cherry and blue raspberry flavors. They'll also have booze in them. That's my kind of summertime drink. Yum!

Monkey Blah

2009-07-15T11:35:00.005-04:00

Frank Bruni's much-anticipated and expected review of Graydon Carter's latest project, Monkey Bar, is out today. No big surprise his one-star review states that the food pales in comparison to the space, and of course, the A-list crowd. Reading this review I get the sense that Mr. Bruni didn't really enjoy himself. Besides the fact that the food was mostly mediocre, I'm sure it's exhausting to dedicate one of your final reviews to a restaurant that delivers on hype and hype alone. True lovers of food just can't get down with overly-sauced meatloaf and watery linguine and clams. As a 25-year-old downtown gal who loves to eat, I have just about zero interest in dining at this restaurant. Recipes resurrected from decades ago are lost on me, unless they're my grandmother's. Not Graydon Carter's grandmother's.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to reading Mr. Bruni's final reviews this next month or so. It will be interesting to see where he goes. My bets are on Marea, Locanda Verde, maybe the Standard Grill, and of course, DBGB's. Where do you hope he dines next?

Photo courtesy the New York Times.

I May Have to Start Using Fresh Direct

2009-07-14T09:58:00.003-04:00

Just read on Serious Eats that starting next Thursday, Fresh Direct will start selling mucho famous butcher Pat La Frieda's hamburger patties on their website. Until now, Mr. La Frieda sold his meats exclusively to New York City restaurants (Minetta Tavern's famous $26 Black label burger among them), so this is pretty exciting. Need proof? Take a look at some of the feedback Josh Ozersky's chef pals gave when they tried the Black Label burger. Unfortunately, that blend will not be sold on Fresh Direct, but the patties that WILL be sold are the same as those offered in some of NYC's best burger joints (Shake Shack and the Spotted Pig, just to name a couple). Amazing.

Black Label Burger commentary:

Patrick Connelly: “The juice is awesome…I’d almost save all this juice and serve it to mop up with some bread.”

Nick Solares: “It’s very steakhousy. The dry-aged flavor is really coming through. It’s ethereally tender.”

George Motz: “I like the blend; it’s really coarse. But whose hands will this burger fall into? It doesn’t matter how good it is if the person can’t cook it right.”

Mike Colameco: “I’d never garnish it with anything. A great bun, that’s it.”

Jim Leiken: “I was impressed by the sheer meatiness of it. It’s like little pieces of steak. That has a lot to do with the grind.”

Brett Reichler: “Hey, it’s dry-aged steak at half the price [referring to Minetta's $26 price]. In this day and age that’s not a bad thing.”

Mike Price: “It’s so rich. You really have to be careful cooking it. It’s like searing foie gras.”

You sold yet? Also, back in November 08, Serious Eats published a little La Frieda guide with pics of the factory over in the MPD, along with a pic of the man himself. Check it out here.

Life, As It Is, May Have Nothing More To Offer

2009-07-14T08:46:00.005-04:00

...say Rob & Robin of NY Mag, about Keste, in their annual Eat Cheap guide. Bold words for a subject that elicits a lot of fire and passion in New Yorkers' bellies: Pizza. If I wasn't convinced to try Keste before, I am now. Just one of the many highlights in the Pizza Revolution section of this year's guide.

One of my favorite interviews in the section is their sit-down with Una Pizza Nepoletana's owner, Anthony Mangieri, above. UPN is a serious pizza place, if there ever was one. Only a handful of pizzas are on the menu, and no salads, desserts, or really anything else is offered. It's only open Thursday-Sunday. Only the finest, freshest ingredients are used. When the dough is out, the shop closes. And, it's expensive. But his devotees call it incredible. Mangieri is extremely stern and has a low tolerance for foolishness, for both his customers and himself. Robin & Rob say it best: "No one is as passionate about pizza as Anthony Mangieri. No one in New York, and no one in Naples." That's like saying he's more passionate about Jesus than the Pope. It's a great read.

There's also a handy guide to the pizza revolution/evolution in New York City. If it wasn't clear to me that pizza really is religion here, this section confirmed it for me. I think I have it figured out now. The bible states:

- Sicilian pizza is pan pizza (rectangular in shape) and can be either soft or crunchy, depending on how much dough you use in the pan.

- Roman pizza is cracker-thin, with little or no crust. Usually cooked in an electric or wood burning oven (think Emporio).

- Grandma style/Long Island style is medium-to-thick, with more sauce and less cheese.

- Grilled pizza (courtesy of Rhode Island) is marked by its thin crust, which is cooked on both sides.

- Neapolitan (Naples-style) pizza has a chewy, puffy crust, and ingredients must be limited to san marzano tomatoes (from Naples, grown near Mt. Vesuvius), buffalo mozzarella, basil, and olive oil. Must be cooked in a wood-fired oven only, for under 2 minutes. No slices in the pie (think Una Pizza Nepoletana, Keste).

- Neo-Neopolitan is similar to Neopolitan, but with more outside-the-box ingredients (think Co.)

Got that straight? And did I miss anything? Please don't hurt me.

Anyway, along with the publication of the Eat Cheap guide, New York has also debuted their Grub Street microsite and national Grub Street blogs for Boston, Chicago, LA, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. This is exciting for Boston/Chicago/LA etc. locals and travelers alike. As on-the-pulse as NY Grub Street is, I can only imaging how thorough their coverage of these other cities will be.

And finally, in case pizza isn't your thing (weirdo) there's an 82-page slideshow of the best burgers in NYC. Let it guide you into oblivion.

Image via NYMag.

Murray's Melts

2009-07-10T14:13:00.003-04:00

Today for lunch I wandered over to Bleecker street to check out a Village fave, Murray's Cheese. I read recently on Gastrochic that they have opened up a sandwich bar, called Murray's Melts, that features 14 kinds of cheese! It was pretty impressive. You can either create your own - start with a bread of your choice, cheese, meat, and toppings like quince, artichokes, cornichons, and sundried tomatoes - or, you can try one of their "Signature Melts," with names I love, like "Little Stinker" and "Old Skool Playa." I tried out "The Spaniard," which is manchego cheese, a Spanish ham that I think was Iberico, and quince paste, all toasted and melted together on wheat bread. It was salty and savory and sweet, which is my favorite combination. They offer a free side, either a garlic dill pickle or jalapeno slaw, which I tried. It could've been spicier so next time I'll opt for the pickle. Check it out if you're in the neighborhood - buy some melts, maybe the watermelon and feta salad, some malted milkballs and a soda and walk over to the newly renovated Washington Sqaure Park and have yourself a picnic. Or, if you're heading out for the weekend, pick up a melt for the ride, and grab your hostess some salamis, some cheese, and some salted caramels. It's a guaranteed invite to be a guest again!

P.S. they also have vanilla and chocolate MeltShakes (no cheese included) I'm dying to try. Let me know if you slurp one down.

Diablo Royale Heads East

2009-07-10T10:57:00.002-04:00

Eater is reporting today that one of the West Village's Mexican mainstays, Diablo Royale, is heading East to Avenue A and 10th street. Exciting! Not that the East Village needs another Mexican joint, but I love an NYC restaurant with a garden, and overall the place sounds bigger - 2 floors - which is great because the DR is always packed. Hopefully the Rickies (3/4 beer, 1/4 margarita) make the move too - my favorite.

My RI Plate

2009-07-08T10:06:00.006-04:00

Hey everyone! So over the weekend I was lucky enough to escape NYC eat some of the best seafood, turkey burgers (tooting my own horn), and Italian cuisine I've had in a while. My NY Plate headed up to New England for the holiday, and the region did not disappoint!

Friday night, I was fortunate enough to eat at the super famous Al Forno in Providence, RI. Among many things, Al Forno (which literally means, "From the oven") is known for their use of ultra-fresh ingredients in both their entree's and desserts, their no-reservations policy, and, of course, their grilled pizzas. Chef/owners Johanne Killeen and George Germon have won many accolades - the James Beard Foundation's "Rising Stars of America," and "Best Chef in the North East," along with numerous Food and Wine and Conde Nast Traveler awards, just to name a few. More recently, Alan Richman of GQ magazine gave Al Forno's grilled pizza with eggplant a #18 rating in his 25 Best Pizzas You'll Ever Eat article. We had to try it.

My group started off the meal with the pizza spicy - pomodoro sauce, 2 cheeses (I think mozzarella and pecorino romano), basil, and a hot pepper infused oil. It was incredible. The crust was almost Roman-style thin, crunchy but not to the point where it broke apart when you took a bite. The salty cheeses with the sweet tomatoes and the aromatic herbs - it was outstanding. Definitely worth the many write-ups and awards. We also munched on the buffalo mozzarella, the beet and avocado salad, and some oysters. For the main course I tried the gnocchi with spicy sausage red sauce and parmigiano reggiano, which was amazing. The sweet, creamy, perfectly cooked gnocchi with the salty cheese and sausage were a perfect combination. For dessert, I squeezed in a few bites of the rhubarb tart, which I couldn't resist. My friend Shelby smartly ordered both our tart and her cherry cake a la mode.

Back in NYC, a pizza revival is fully underway, as I'm sure lots of you are aware. A batch of new "artisinal" pizza joints have popped up all over NYC and Brooklyn. Frank Bruni of the Times details the trend, and some of his favorites here. I have been to Co., and thought it was okay - I agree with him that sometimes the toppings don't cook all the way through, and blend the tastes together with the crust like they should. I've been dying to try Keste, Emporio, Una Pizza Napoletana and Artichoke for a while now. There's something so casual and "New York" (I hate that phrase) about sitting down with a glass of wine and a salad and a pizza pie. It also reminds me of growing up in the midwest, where good pizza is hard to find. So my mom would make homemade pizza - garlic and olive oil brushed onto the dough, followed by mozzarella cheese, black olives, pepperoni, and sometimes some red or green onions. No sauce. I used to sit at the counter and watch her make it and eat the extra black olives. Last night I was feeling a little blue - I always get sad after a long, fun weekend - and a little homesick so I actually picked up the ingredients to make a pizza at home. I bought some Rao's arugula sauce as well, and of course I can use some local ingredients, so I'm excited to make it! I'm sure it'll beat those blues right away.

Photo courtesy the New York Times

Burgers = America

2009-07-01T11:40:00.008-04:00

Jane Sigal of the Times details the elements of a perfect burger today, here. Meats, buns, pickles, cheese, grilling. Yum. I'm hungry now.

Speaking of cheese, Bruni's review of Bar Artisinal is out today. I reviewed this restaurant a while ago, and while I agree with Frank Bruni that Mr. Brennan isn't doing anything revolutionary, there's something to be said for creating dishes that please a crowd, and creating dishes that are trendy, but done very well. Every neighborhood needs a place like this. Plus I love cheese, so there. His lamb burger with cheese in the middle is outstanding.

I plan on doing some cooking and grilling this weekend for the 4th, and I'm hoping my new favorite turkey burgers will be on the menu. Maybe some corn, some seafood, and something red white and blue - a blueberry crumble with a glass of rose. What about you - what are your 4th of July must-eats?

Happy long weekend everyone!

The Kobe Beef Farm of Coffee Machines...

2009-06-30T14:06:00.010-04:00

...or, my awkward description of the Clover coffee maker. For those of you in the know, I KNOW I'm about a year late with this posting. But for those of you that are unfamiliar with the Clover machine, settle in for a legendary tale.

The Clover brewing system was owned and manufactured by Clover Equipment Company, based in Seattle, Washington (what is it with that city and coffee?). Their bread and butter was the Clover 1s, a coffee brewing machine that combines a filter system similar to the french press brewing technique, with a vacuum mechanism that extracts the liquid coffee. Brewing time and temperature can also be selected based on the bean you use. All of this is done one cup at a time, allowing for what some would say is the perfect cup of coffee. Did I mention it also retails for $11,000? You can see a great demo/illustration on Chow.com here, or watch this video from Chow below:

The Very Expensive Clover Coffee Maker Shared via AddThis

Note I said was owned above. The Clover Equipment Company was bought by - yep you guessed it - Starbucks in March 2008, along with the Thermoplan AG esspresso machine as part of their re-vamp to bring back the coffee house vibe and smell - no more pre-ground beans, etc. Actually when you type in cloverequipment.com, you will now be redirected to starbucks.com/clover.

The latest news is Starbucks is still testing these machines in a few select cities. Just a handful in the SF Bay area, Seattle of course, Boston and, curiously, Miami. You can also check out the clearly fan-created BeClover.com to find non-Starbucks coffee shop locations that own the machine. Yes, Starbucks may have one the battle, but there are many small victories being won throughout the country. I don't think Grumpy's in NYC is giving up their Clover machine anytime soon. Again, $11,000. Grumpy's is actually where I was first introduced to the machines - thanks guys! - and I can say first-hand you can definitely taste the difference. I admit I'm a little bit of a coffee snob - I grind my own beans and refuse to drink anything made with those coffee pod machines - but I think most people will be able to tell. It's richer and more full of flavor. It's not necessarily stronger, but it's just made correctly. Just like Kobe cattle are coddled with tender love and care, and how a great piece of Kobe steak must only be lightly seared, no more than a minute, in order to protect the perfectly distributed ribbons of fat that flow throughout it, coffee made with a Clover machine does a quality bean some justice.

I think it will be interesting to see when and where the Clovers get rolled out. I know NYers and Seattleans (Seattlites?) are particular about their coffee, but I don't know if our midwestern neighbors are ready to trade in their grande-half-caf-mocha-lattes-in-a-venti-cup-please for a regular old cup of Joe. That said, I am my midwestern mother's daughter, and she too grinds her own beans, and owns an espresso machine and a frother, so maybe there is a market for it. Time will tell! Until then, off to Grumpy's!

Odds 'n Ends

2009-06-24T13:51:00.002-04:00

Restaurant Girl has a quickie interview with Keith McNally here.

Eater is spreading rumors about a possible second location of The Smith, to move into the old Sheridan Square/Tasca space. That stretch of 7th avenue has had some back luck lately (let alone that specific restaurant space), so good luck to them!

Update: Urban Farming

2009-06-23T13:29:00.005-04:00

As I mentioned in a post last week, I've been dying to own an herb garden. I finally made it over to the Union Square farmer's market and bought myself one! I went into it thinking I would buy just a few and pot them separately along my windowsill. But after seeing this cute and easy herb garden all ready to go, I splurged! I'm naming it Herbie. I've heard the naming helps it grow. He holds it down all day on Mott Street.

From the back and clockwise: Cilantro, mint, arugula, parsley, basil, chives in the middle, and some others I'm not sure of yet - maybe thyme, maybe lemon verbena? I have to tear some more up and smell them. I'm super excited to take care of them (need to do more research though) (nerd) and do some cooking. Sunday night I made turkey burgers with the cilantro - they were great! Miss Frostbites gave me her recipe for chutney and apple-based turkey burgers. Sweet and savory at the same time, which is my favorite.

Stay tuned for more recipes using old Herbie. I hope I can keep him fresh and livin'. Wish me luck!

More Standard Hotel News

2009-06-23T12:41:00.006-04:00

So I know it's up and running so I'm a little late with this, but the Standard Hotel keeps introducing cool stuff. First, the restaurant, then, I read the other day that the yellow picnic table area outside of the lobby (on the High Line) is BYOB, and now, the news about the elevators. Part Beetlejuice, part Poltergeist, a video art installation entitled "Civilization," created by motion artist Marco Brambilla will play inside the hotel's elevator. Simply put, it's a video collage of heaven and hell, that changes and morphs based on the direction you're traveling.

Going up? Heaven.

Going down? Hell.

Check it out here:

Motionographer.com has an interview with the artist and details on how he created the video. I know that Flame work is very, very expensive and time-intensive, so I'm thoroughly impressed. To loop the individual clips but somehow collectively make them move as one is incredible. Although Mr. Brambilla didn't receive a formal brief (beyond, make something cool for our elevators), I have to wonder how he briefed his team: Any video images depicting satan, eternal doom, unending pain and horror, please. His team motion-sickness-proofed the video, too. Awesome. However, if I were to get stuck in that elevator for any amount of time, I'd have to say I would officially lose my shit. Worth the risk or no?

Quick Review: Mayahuel

2009-06-22T15:25:00.006-04:00

This past Friday night I checked out Mayahuel, a new East Village tequila bar from the Death & Co. guys.

The tiny, 2-floor bar oozes Mexican culture and spice. From the tile floors, to the creaky chandeliers, and the sexy, beat-up-just-so velvet booths, Mayhuel makes you feel like you're in an old church or cathedral that's been reworked into a speakeasy for sinners.

Although the effects of tequila can be wild, there's a sense of refinement at Mayahuel. There is no standing allowed, so everyone is seated as they drink, a la Milk & Honey. You could pound shot after shot of aged tequila if you so choose, but the team here has done a terrific job of choosing a great variety of deeply flavorful tequilas. The menu encourages you to explore the different varieties, by sipping and sampling as you make your way through. They offer regular cocktails, and mixed drinks that are a bit stronger/purer. The back half of the menu is sectioned off by category: Reposado (rested under 1 year), Anejo (aged more than 1 year) and Blanco (not aged). I can't attempt to tell you what we ordered, but everything we drank was intense and full of flavor and heat. Just go.

The small bites menu was also great - plantain-crusted black bean croquetas were a highlight, along with the steak dish and the rare tuna. Definitely a sizzling place to bring a date - but dangerous. Drink slowly. ;)

Images - our table was the lower-right - via urbandaddy.com.

New Summer Fro-Yo Flavas

2009-06-22T14:58:00.004-04:00

Along with the official arrival of summer, Pinkberry has announced its new summer flavors: Coconut and Passionfruit. Thanks to gracenotesnyc for the tip. I love coconut-flavored anything, even when it's artificial-tasting and weird, I just do. Just this past Saturday I slugged down two of Pravda's coconut-lime martinis that have shavings of real coconut in them. So tropical! I forgot for a split second I was in the rainy swampland that is NYC this month.

Head over to the 'berry this Friday 6/26 for a free sample.

Image via pinkberry.com

Ummm...OMG

2009-06-18T14:17:00.004-04:00

David Chang is coming out with a Momofuku cookbook.

I'm dying.

Highly unlikely I'll be able to replicate ANYTHING, or will it convince me to eat at the Momofukus any less, but the pictures and interviews will be worth every penny.

Amazon.com is taking pre-orders. Comes out October 27. Serious Eats has more info here.

Book cover (!) via Amazon.com

NoLiTa News

2009-06-18T14:03:00.005-04:00

AMNY has a quickie interview with the owners of recently-opened Jo's in Nolita (located in former Tasting Room space). Food sounds great, nice and cozy/comforting. I love the $9 cocktails too. Will be trying it out for a weeknight drink very soon.

Also, Morocco heads west: Cafe Gitane Coming to Jane Hotel

Posted using ShareThis

Flavor Trippin'

2009-06-17T15:38:00.004-04:00

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to taste a miracle fruit berry. A pal of mine got them as a b-day gift from his sister, sent straight from Africa!

Miracle fruit is pretty neato. Basically, it's a tiny cranberry-type fruit, but with a pit. When the flesh is eaten, it causes sour foods to taste sweet in your mouth. This is not a semi-sweet situation. We literally sat around eating lemons and limes and they tasted like candy! I generally hate sour foods, and it was like eating a strawberry. It was awesome. It lasts for about 15 minutes or so before stuff starts to get tart again.

Miracle fruit's been in the news lately for some reason, and there's even a miracle fruit tasting event at Sidebar here in NYC tonight. According to the eventme.com peeps, miracle fruit makes Guiness taste like a milkshake, and hot sauce taste like donut glaze. At something like $3 a berry, it's not exactly a cheap diet trick, though past efforts have been made to replicate the effects. But man, flavor elevating with miracle fruit is definitely the kind of munchies I can get into!

Windowsill Guac

2009-06-17T11:32:00.003-04:00

Great article in the Times today about "urban farming," or the new trend in cities to grow herbs and smaller-sized produce on restaurant and apartment rooftops. This idea really hits home with me for a lot of reasons - gardening can be fun (especially on a roof, where you can take in the view as you hoe it up), it's environmentally friendly, cost-effective, a great use of space (a la The High Line), and it just makes New Yorkers look less like money-hungry, rat-racing animals. We're gardening, people!

I've recently decided to do my own take on urban farming, from my windowsill rather than my roof. Am I totally weird? I am hoping to grow basil, cilantro, and maybe mint from my bedroom window. Besides the aesthetic bonus, I'll be able to make "Windowsill Guac," "Mott Street Caprese Skewers" and "Apartment-Grown Mint, Pea, Cous Cous, and Feta Greek Salad" with ease. As a singleton I always end up buying too much of an herb and then it inevitably goes bad and gets thrown out. This way, I am reducing waste and actually saving money.

Anyway, fingers crossed I don't kill these plants. Off to the Union Square Farmer's Market this Saturday!

Image above not my garden, just a dream. Via gardenwiseonline.

Recipe: Chili Pepper Sweet Potato Fries

2009-06-16T11:47:00.003-04:00

Happy Tuesday!

If you're like any other red-blooded American, you love summertime BBQ's and grilling. The recipe below is a fab side to burgers, steaks, kebabs, and anything else you might fire up on the grill. My Chili Pepper Sweet Potato Fries are a healthy alternative to French fries, but taste just as addictive. Enjoy!

Chili Pepper Sweet Potato Fries

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 large yams or sweet potatoes - look for the long, slender variety

chili powder

olive oil (extra virgin if you prefer)

salt & pepper

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.

Wash the sweet potatoes under cold water, pat dry. Cut the potatoes in half, and then stand them up on your cutting board with the flat, just-cut side down. Cut each half lengthwise, and then into quarters (or even smaller) into roughly 3-inch fry-shaped slices. You can make them smaller if you prefer a crunchier fry, or larger for a softer fry. You can even cube them if you want - up to you! You can also peel the potatoes before cutting them, but I like the flavor and the texture of the skin so I leave it on.

Spread the fries out onto a baking sheet. Pour the olive oil over the fries liberally, making sure the fleshy part of the potato is coated. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and chili powder to taste - shuffle the fries around the pan to make sure they are evenly coated. Pop em in the oven for around 15 minutes. They should shrink up a little and the chili pepper will darken into a golden brown.

Serve with ketchup, honey mustard or even Sriracha if you dare. Happy Summer!

The High Line at Night

2009-06-15T14:16:00.003-04:00

Better in person. No dogs, bikes, cars allowed. Only people, chaise lounges, wildflowers, and good views. Heaven.

I Joined Technorati

2009-06-10T17:31:00.002-04:00

Technorati Profile

Central Park News

2009-06-10T13:59:00.004-04:00

Two items today:

1. Oh hell to the no.

2. Danny Meyer's Public Fare has opened next to the Public Theatre at The Delecorte, aka the Shakespeare in the Park amphitheater. Finally, there's an alternative to the Boathouse! Menu is here. Highlights include whoopie pies, peanut butter & jelly cookies, banana chocolate chew cookies, root beer floats, and a variety of under $10 wine and beers. Exciting!

Don't Call It a Comeback

2009-06-09T10:38:00.003-04:00

The meatpacking district might be worth entering again. Nine blocks of the High Line officially opened yesterday above the MPD. View some notes on the opening and a tour of the architecture surrounding the Chelsea portion of the park, here. I can't wait to check it out this weekend! This never-ending miserable rain ought to be great for the grass and flowers. Bad for my sanity and hair, but good for the city of NY. After this week, let's be done with the rain though? Honestly. I need a summer.

Also, the much-hyped, High Line-straddling Standard Hotel from Andre Balazs has opened its restaurant doors to friends and family. The Standard Grill is set to open to the public on June 15.

Image via thehighline.org

Review: Table 8

2009-06-08T10:41:00.007-04:00

This past rainy Friday night I made my way over to the new

Cooper Square Hotel to have dinner at Govind Armstrong's month-old third outpost of Table 8. I was excited not only for the meal, but to check out the hotel as well. It's a remarkable building, and the glass facade looks sexy and cool almost any time of day.

You enter the restaurant through the front of the hotel, where a dimly-lit bar/lounge area welcomes you inside. Unfortunately, we didn't have time for drinks but I would love to come back to curl up in one of the booths, and grab a book from one of the many bookshelves that line the bar, restaurant, and halls of the hotel. Not that I'd actually read it, but I appreciate that they're there, and a fun discussion piece, right? We we seated for dinner near the all-glass wall in the back, which gave us a great view of the restaurant and the garden.

There's been a lot of fuss about the garden and the noise level, and I can see how it would be a problem. The garden and patio area sit directly next to/below an apartment building (this is New York) but since the hotel blocks in the area in from another angle, the noise most likely shoots straight up into the neighbors' living rooms. Not my problem though! I have an electronic billboard shining into my bedroom all night, so what can you do.

We started with cocktails, and I drank the Basil 8, which was crisp and refreshing: white (green?) grape juice, soda, sweet basil, and vodka. I'm a big fan of herbs in my drinks (mojitos, etc.) so I was happy. We started out the meal with some items from the Salt Bar that runs through the middle of the restaurant. Here, small charcuterie and crudo plates are made to order. We had the fluke, the foie gras, and lamb sausage. The foie gras was seasoned with bourbon and was decadent and smoky. The fluke was delicious - rare, salty and citrus-flavored, but I would have liked a larger piece.

For our salads, my date had the prawn and pea-shoot salad and I had the softshell crab salad - definitely the winning order. The crab was battered and fried, and served with greens and a tartar sauce that might've had a little paprika or cumin in it. The bitterness of the greens, the richness of the sauce, and the crunchy-creamy crab worked lovely together. My date literally cleaned my plate. A bread tray was also brought around to us a few times, and our favorite was the salt bread, which was basically a soft pretzel in a bun/ball shape! They were tough to break open but doughy on the inside.

For our entree`s, I had the sea bass with lobster sauce, and my date had the small roasted chicken over short rib hash. Both were wonderful. My sea bass was perfectly cooked with a nicely crunchy crust. The lobster sauce had actual pieces of lobster in it, and the richness of the sauce gave a lot of flavor to the flaky white fish. What I appreciated the most was that my fish came steaming hot. I know it should be expected, but, I could tell immediately that my sea bass had just come off the stove, and it makes all the difference in flavor when it's warm and the crust has literally just formed. Similarly, my date's short ribs were so tender, I could tell they had been roasting all day, so the flavor was deep and comforting. In other words, our meals were perfectly prepared.

All in all it was a wonderful meal that showcased California/Nouveau American cuisine quite well. The restaurant space really brought the meal to life - the airy, glassy room, the clean lines, and the ultra-modern facilities all represented the California cool that Mr. Armstrong is known for. On other days, New American cuisine is not my absolute favorite, but for some reason, on that dark and stormy night, the brightness of the restaurant and the kindness of the staff was just what I needed.

For dessert, we headed over to the Milk Bar and had the cinnamon bun cake and the banana cake. Over-the-top amazing!

P.S. Check out Adam Platt's review here, just came out today. Ouch. I agree about the bathrooms, which are impossible to find, but I disagree on the more important issue of his dislike for foods that are dressed up with too many ingredients. I agree that this is a common mistake chefs make in order to separate themselves from the crowd, and impress finicky New Yorkers. However with California cuisine, you can go two ways. You can be Alice Waters (who I share a birthday with, weird), and make it a quest to serve the most local, freshest, sustainable meats and produce on earth, or you can put your own spin on it. There's nothing wrong with dressing up simple dishes like roasted chicken or sea bass with deeper flavors and interesting combinations. If we all had to judge an asparagus soup by the freshness of the asparagus and the hormone-free local cream it's made with, I certainly would fail. And sometimes, honestly, it's boring. Sometimes it's about taste and pleasure rather than following the rules. I think Tony Bourdain would agree.

Images via coopersquarehotel.com and oprah.com

Rave: Jacques Torres

2009-06-05T15:26:00.007-04:00

Today was our Creative Director's b-day, so we celebrated with some chocolate chip cookies and milk. Not just any cookies, but Jacques Torres cookies! We don't mess around. His nickname is Mr. Chocolate, after all. If you haven't had the good fortune to have eaten a JT cookie, they are some of the best, and I am an aficionado. The love affair began when I was about 5 years old, and my mom would take me to the mall and get me a cinnamon-sugar cookie from Mrs. Fields. Soft on the inside, with a crunch around the edges, they were to die. If I walked past a Mrs. Fields cookie shop today, I'd totally stop in and get some. Are they even around anymore?

Anyway, the reason Mr. Torres' chocolate chip cookies are so great in particular, is the texture of the chocolate within the cookie as a whole. The cookies cover off on the soft vs. crunch ratio perfectly, but unlike other chocolate chip cookies, these cookies don't have actual "chips." What's in them actually looks more potato or poker chip-like, rather than the teardrop/conical "chips" you might get in an average cookie. One of my coworkers said she's bought the mixes before and the secret is that they are chocolate DISCS. Like flattened chips. What this allows for, then, is a melting of the chocolate within the cookie dough, in almost a layered form, like a tectonic plate or something. Like slate. See below.

I would have taken a picture mid-bite to get a sense of the layering, but, I didn't. Sorry. But the discs make a world of difference in how the cookie tastes. It breaks more evenly (better for sharing) and melts in your mouth, since there are no hard cone-shape chips to bite into. The hallmark of a good cookie, of course, is how it tastes cold, and the JT cookie passes with flying colors. By the way, JT calls his cookies French Kiss cookies. How cute is that?

Anyway, if you're ever in the hood, or shopping online, pick some of these up. Oh, you can get some for yourself, too. ;)

Images via geologyclass.org and Mr. Chocolate.com

Update - National Donut Day: Bogus

2009-06-05T15:23:00.002-04:00

My coworkers just went to the Dunkin donuts on Varick and Van Dam , and they only had ONE donut left! Terrible. The bloggers will be all over this if this was a trend today. Gotta be prepared, DD! New Yorkers love them some fried dough!!

My Review De Santos (tambien conocido como, De Diablos)

2009-06-03T14:04:00.009-04:00

De Santos is confused. Let me rephrase: I'm confused by De Santos, the restaurant seems pretty sure of itself. Here are the facts:

- De Santos, which opened in September 2008, is part-owned by Alex Gonzalez, a drummer in the Grammy-award-winning Mexican band, Mana`.

- Two other locations of the restaurant exist, in Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

- The NYC location is in a townhouse that dates back to 1845, on what is now prime real estate along West 10th Street in the West Village.

- The menu is labeled as "Modern Italian" and the kitchen is run by Luxembourg-born chef Aldo Alo.

- The front of the house is run by a bunch of monkeys. Monkeys with beards and 16-year-old girlfriends.

My friend made a reservation for his birthday at De Santos and specifically asked if we could be seated in the back garden/patio area. He said they seemed overjoyed to accommodate his request and assured him that seating in the back would not be a problem. Super!

However upon arrival, we found out that an outdoor table would not be ready for "another twenty minutes or so." Famous last words. But since it was only 8 o'clock, we happily waited at the bar with our drinks. I didn't even mind when the bartender splashed a drink on me as he shook his martini shaker, and my boyfriend didn't mind when he accidentally put cranberry juice in his margarita. So 8:20 came and went and no table. We asked, not much longer they said, and so it

continued. I'll spare you the details but there were many trips back and forth by members of our party to check out the status of the patio. 6-tops and 4-tops were seated while we became increasingly drunk and hungry. Meanwhile, our furry hosts sat down next to their 16-year-old girlfriends who were seated near the entrance, and took pictures that will surely end up here, and enjoyed themselves as we waited.

Finally, the birthday boy explained the situation to one of the beardies, and Beardy tried to sympathize and explain that some parties linger longer than expected, etc. B-day boy

explained back that he had been assured both on the phone and in person that the wait would not be as long as it was panning out to be. Beardy shook his head and (maybe?) apologized, and offered us a round of drinks. Yes please, can I get an Amsdel with a splash of pineapple this time? I told Beardy it was actually my friend's birthday (and so maybe he should get his act together), not knowing my friends had already told him, and I'm pretty sure I saw him actually ROLL HIS EYES at me. Jerk. (Pic at right is not Beardy, but maybe his friend)

Finally, at approximately 9:30 p.m., an hour and a half after our reservation time, we were seated in the garden. The rest of the evening was fine - I give them points for the quick service and a tasty, but not earth-shattering meal. We were so starving at that point we would have eaten anything. Most of our party ordered steak or veal just because it looked to be the most filling item on the menu. When almost everyone at your table orders a steak at an Italian restaurant, you're doing something wrong. It's even more infuriating because it's usually the most expensive item on the menu, so the restaurant wins. Can I also say that 3 kinds of hummus served with white Italian bread as a starter is not "Modern Italian"? That's called "Lazy Leslie" because that's what I eat in my apartment on most weeknights.

To sum up, I will not be going to De Santos again anytime soon (if it lasts that long... the patio is all it has going for it, so I predict Beardy & Co. will be unemployed by September) unless they make some major changes. De Santos unfortunately performed one of my biggest NYC restaurant pet peeves, which is not honoring a reservation time. Also, hipsters should not be allowed to run restaurants along West 10th street. There's just too much history and charm for that kind of pretension.

All that said, I love any dinner with my close friends, and I still had a great time celebrating the birthday. And sometimes picking on a restaurant is just as fun as truly enjoying one. So onto the next place, guys! But please seat me on time, or eventually, after the meal, I will sit with the check in my hand and say, "just another twenty minutes or so..."

Images big thanks to desantos.com

Friday 6/5: National Donut Day!

2009-06-03T12:24:00.004-04:00

Heads up: Dunkin Donuts is giving away free donuts this Friday with any beverage purchase. Be there or be square (and sad, and tired, and not into fun, since you didn't get a free donut and coffee)!

Homer via Amazon.com

Barack, Burgers and Fries

2009-06-03T11:51:00.002-04:00

President Obama likes Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Watch him and B Dubbs grab lunch for the White House staff here.

Flexin Again

2009-06-03T10:33:00.002-04:00

Frank Bruni also checked out Flex Mussels this week and gave it one star. I reviewed FM a few weeks ago and generally Frank and I agree. Check out the picture slideshow - particularly the shot of the Prince Edward Island location of the restaurant. Those chairs! One of the cutest restaurants I've seen in a while.

Make It Illegal, and They Will Come

2009-06-03T09:58:00.005-04:00

So disgustingly true for New Yorkers. Frank Bruni breaks down the speakeasy trend in today's NYT dining and wine section. What I think is really interesting is most of these faux-speakeasies (alcohol is legal again, fyi) pride themselves on serving expertly-blended beverages, crafted and honed by "mixologists." Don't you dare call them a bartender - bartenders serve people, mixologists serve drinks. That's the kind of attitude most of these places (PDT, Little Branch, the Back Room, etc.) tend to have. Anyway, they pride themselves on serving these novelty drinks that should tingle all of your taste buds and make you feel refined. But real speakeasies, back in the day ("the day" = Prohibition), actually served some of the nastiest cocktails in American history, because the quality booze was so hard to find. Remember the concoctions you'd create by sneaking into your parent's liquor cabinet? That's pretty similar to what most people were served back then. I guess if Sasha Petraske (Milk & Honey, White Star, Dutch Kills) deliberately made truly awful-tasting cocktails, these bars would quickly fade away. Then again, with drinks like the Morning Glory Fizz (scotch, absinthe, lemon, egg white - Milk & Honey bar), maybe the joke's on us?

PDT Image via The Times. Call 212-614-0386 at 3 p.m. for a same-day reservation at PDT. Order the tots from Crif Dogs if you go!

Sean Avery: Jack of All Trades?

2009-06-02T16:06:00.003-04:00

New York Ranger and former Vogue intern Sean Avery gives Dana Mathews at Vogue an interview here about his new bar, Warren 77, which he co-owns with Matt Abramcyck of Smith & Mills and the Beatrice. He describes it as a place that "incorporat[es] my passion for New York sports and the city's amazing sense of style." So if Sean Avery were a bar, he'd be Warren 77. I think that's the idea. In case that didn't hammer it home for you, he says he wants W77 to be the type of place "where we are just as happy to see the guys who are working on the Freedom Tower come in for a drink as we are with a new supermodel walking through the door." Sean Avery, breaking barriers left and right. What do you think - will Warren 77 look more like the Bea, or a construction zone at 2 a.m.? Maybe I should just show up in a hard hat and see what happens?

Warren 77 - 77 Warren St., near Greenwhich St.

Citifield Eats

2009-06-01T15:45:00.006-04:00

Yesterday we took a spontaneous trip out to Queens to see the Mets take on the Florida Marlins, and more importantly, check out the new Citifield stadium and all of its culinary delights. There's been a ton of hype about the new stadium so I will give you the crib sheet here, so you know what's worth waiting for and when to best attack those Shake Shack lines.

If you aren't Michael Bloomberg or a baseballer's wife, your best bet for tickets is stubhub.com or scalping. We lucked out scalping some tickets and ended up with some of the best seats in the house, if you ask me! The best location on a sunny day is the outfield (sections 140-142), right by the home run apple. The giant fruit bobs up and down when a home run is hit, and during the 7th inning stretch.

Besides the thrill of a 1,000 mph ball coming at you, the outfield is best because of its proximity to the "Taste of the City" concession area, AKA the Danny Meyer zone. Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG) has transported two NYC faves out to TheNewSheaImeanCitifield: Shake Shack and Blue Smoke. They've also established two newbies: El Verano Taqueria ("the summer taco stand," love) and Box Frites.

We started out with some Box Frites, which are thick-cut, salty and perfectly fried - crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. They come with an assortment of dipping sauces: horseradish/tartar, mayo-mustard, bacon-bit, and my favorite, the chipotle. I recommend if you're in the mood for fries, which I am, always.

We moved on to some more substantial fare, and got the tacos from El Verano: 1 chicken, 1 pork, and 1 beef served with green and red salsas. I tried the chicken taco and it was a home run, pardon the pun. The chicken was actually shredded and well-spiced, and had a sprinkle of lettuce and raw onion on top. I loved the corn tortilla it came in, and luckily, since the salsas are served on the side, it stayed relatively sog-free. Not bad at all for a hot day at the ballpark.

I was really craving a Shackburger but the lines and my stomach (still recovering from Friday night's anchovy debacle) said no. So from here till about the 8th inning, I stayed put and enjoyed the game. Word to the wise, though - if you run out at the 8th or 9th inning, you should be able to step right up and grab a burger and a shake from Shake Shack! We stuck to just shakes and chose a vanilla and a black & white, stood near the entrance to our row and watched the Mets hold the Marlins at 3-2. Again, the close proximity to these stands comes in handy.

Besides the Taste of the City area, there is, of course, the standard hot dog, burger, corn dog, and pretzel stands dotted all over the stadium. There's also pizza, Carvel ice cream, Dunkin Donuts, and a seafood-shack stand behind right field called Catch of the Day. I was pleasantly surprised by the attention given to the cleanliness of the stadium - there are cleanup crews everywhere keeping the condiments stands nice and appetizing. And as always, beers are not too hard to find. I was happy to see that the guys walking through the stands (the "GET YA BEER HERE" guys) were hawking Heineken and Becks. Nice!

The stadium is truly top-notch. The pavilion area where you enter is gorgeous, dedicated to Jackie Robinson... a Dodger, but still a hometown hero. The hallways are airy and clean and the multitude of areas to sit and eat away from your seats within the stadium is great, especially for parents with squirmy, messy little ones. Get out there if you can, it's well worth the trip and slightly overpriced tickets. Stay tuned this summer for my detailed expert comparison of Citifield and the new Yankee stadium. Yikes. Diet starts tomorrow!

Images from mets.com

Quick Notes

2009-06-01T10:17:00.003-04:00

Happy Monday!

Adam Platt's reviews of Aldea (Portuguese, Flatiron) and Apiary (E. Vlg, local/seasonal American) here.

Frank Bruni's POV on the Obama's date night choice of Blue Hill here.

I think it's a great choice. Very savvy. I actually got stuck on Bleeker Street while the police brigade ushered them through. All of 6th Avenue was shut down! I was fighting off a small case of food poisoning (from an unnamed restaurant owned by a crocs-wearing certain someone...rhymes with GROTTO), so I was a little irritated. But after I found out who it was, and that Michelle had two martinis with dinner, I forgave them. Love that!

Sunrise Mart

2009-05-29T14:48:00.008-04:00

Today I stopped in at Sunrise Mart, one of my favorite work lunch destinations. If you're not hip to Sunrise, you better get with it! Enter with an open mind and stomach and you are in for a real treat. This Japanese grocery store/eatery offers popular japanese lunch items to go like sushi, soba noodles, poki sticks in every flavor, to things I can't even identify. I LOVE anything green tea-flavored so I always grab some mochi - chewy, soft, powdery cakes made from rice, filled with ice cream. They also carry my favorite gummy candies, Hi-Chew. Kind of like Mambas, but only one flavor per packet.

I also like to wander through the more traditional grocery section, where you can find fresh produce, frozen foods, and packaged foods like crackers and cookies. Strawberry is a popular flavor for just about any carb-y treat. I love the bright graphics and not knowing what anything is! Trust me, just grab something and try it - more likely than not, you will not be disappointed.

I also stopped over at the drinks section, and in addition to 1,000,000 kinds of tea, and Asahi beer, Sunrise also serves this serious-looking drink:

Um, just what I've been thirsting for? Turns out it's like the Japanese Gatorade. They could work on the packaging if you ask me.

Stop in next time you're on the west side of Soho. It's such a fun place to explore.

Hi-chews via hi-chew.com

P.S. Do yourself a favor and go to hi-chew.com. Highlights include the About section - one of the "Advantages" of Hi-chew is that the juicy fruit flavor offers refreshment. Totally! They also produce seasonal flavors every year. Hi-chew and Sam Adams: bringing us the spice of life.

Water Taxi Beach Comes to Battery Park

2009-05-27T18:01:00.002-04:00

I'm so excited for this. A "beach," skeeball, seafood and wine? Sold!

Pic via nymag

DBGB's Insider Party

2009-05-27T14:04:00.003-04:00

More news on the soon-to-be industry favorite, via the Feedbag.

Check out pics of DBGB's food here.

I can't wait!

Japanese Soul Food

2009-05-27T11:58:00.011-04:00

It's Wednesday, and that means Frank Bruni has a review out. This week he did a quick review of Ippudo, a ramen restaurant in the East Village. I've been a huge fan of ramen since my college days, but this is not the same ramen as those crinkly packets you broke up onthe stove (hungover) in your dorm room. Ippudo's portions of ramen are huge, for one, served in large, deep, steaming hot bowls. You can choose your protein and varying degrees of spice. As Mr. Bruni says, it's unclear what else is in the soup besides the noodles, some scallions, and pork (or fish), but the broth is cloudy, salty, spicy, and totally comforting. I like to add a little Sriracha to mine as well.

There's a small battle brewing among the competing ramen restaurants in the East Village, but Ippudo is definitely at the top. I tried to go again recently on a rainy Sunday evening and the wait was something crazy like two hours. We ended up at Momofuku Noodle bar, also amazing, but not quite the same. The charm of Ippudo is the simplicity of the experience and the gruffness of the staff. Go on your next rainy day (ie any day this month, blah) and curl up with a bowl.

Images a la iramen.net and istockphoto

You're Welcome

2009-05-26T14:51:00.003-04:00

Just one of the reasons why knowing some of NYC's secrets can be so rewarding.

Old School

2009-05-21T16:05:00.003-04:00

I kind of want to go here. Legendary. I have two questions I need answered.

1) How does it compare to my favorite "New Italian" restaurants (Scarpetta, etc.)?

2) What cute little Nonna will I get to sit next to?

Quick Reviews: Flex Mussels and Bar Artisinal

2009-05-20T14:09:00.007-04:00

Last weekend I ate at two great restaurants on opposite ends of the city. Here's a quick few words.

Flex Mussels on 82nd near Lex. As the name suggests, don't come here unless you're a big fan of the little mollusk. If you are a shellfish aficionado, you're in luck. New York City has a habit of taking one food, and concepting a restaurant that prepares it 700 different ways (see Pommes Frites, Socarrat Paella, F&B's, Co., among many others), and for the most part Flex Mussels does it very well. To start, we shared a dozen oysters from the raw bar. For the main event, I had the mussels prepared a la Negril, with red pepper, jerk spices, rum, tamarind, and lime. My friends had the Thai and the more traditional Fra Diavolo. The mussels arrive at your table in steaming pots, and you can order a tin can of fries on the side as well. We all pretty much emptied our pots, and the waiter was happy to bring over more bread for dipping into the tasty, concentrated broth. My only complaint was that my broth was a little salty - between the fries and the broth, I ended up slugging back my wine quicker than I thought. I know, blame the fries, Leslie, I know. The place was packed on a Saturday night, although you can dine at the bar or outside at one of the few patio tables - a great choice if you're in the neighborhood.

Next is Ba r Artis ina l, Terrance Brennan's (Picholine, Artisinal) new Tribeca bistro. The space of the restaurant is very striking - super-high ceilings and wrought iron details make it seem grand. A wood-burning oven fires up pizzas and bakes bread. And of course, the cheese man Brennan (no relation... that I know of) made sure he included a huge Bar du Fromage that serves a vast variety of cheeses, many of which make their way onto the full menu.

To start, we enjoyed the Manchego Beignets, which were served as (cheesy) lollipops on a stick. Strangely, they were served sticking out of a glass that was filled with different colors of cracked peppers - almost like a sand sculpture. I always think that the way an item is served must be functional - ie., the pots at Flex Mussels kept the mussels warm, because that's what they were cooked in. With the pepper sculpture, I wasn't sure if I was to dip the beignets into the pepper, or just admire it. They could have easily been served in a bowl, or turned upside-down and lined up on a narrow dish. But alas, my love of Manchego, and beignets, made me quickly forgive. We also had the Pork Belly with apricot mustardo and watercress. Nice enough, but maybe too heavy to start. The watercress and apricot couldn't really stand up to the rich, fatty slices of pork belly. Then we tried the Scallops with a citrus soy dressing and cilantro, which wasn't earth shattering, but lovely. The scallop was rare and cut into thin discs, which allowed us to create the perfect bit each time, with a little bit of citrus and the herb. We also tasted the Chickpea Frites with olive tapenade, which were prepared just right: crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. Finally, we shared the Lamb Burger for our entree, served with MORE chickpea frites and it was fabulous! Served on a olive roll, the lamb was cooked perfectly to a medium rare. Goat cheese (of course!) oozed out with every bite. Definitely the high point of the meal. On a block with a lot of excellent choices, Bar Artisinal is an unexpected crowd-pleaser.

photo courtesy of barartisinal.com

The Business of Boulud

2009-05-20T12:19:00.007-04:00

The business section of the Sunday Times had an excellent article about Daniel Boulud's (of Daniel, Bar Boulud, and DB Bistro Moderne fame) newest venture, DBGB's.

I won't recap it all here, because it's worth reading in its entirety. But as David Segal points out, you know times are a changing when a French technique-trained, James Beard Award-winning, New York Times 4-Star recipient tasks himself with creating a profitable restaurant that serves almost nothing over $20. It's blowing my mind. Mr. Boulud is famous for bringing French technique to American seasonal ingredients. Now, with DBGB's, he's created a menu of sausages (served with a mustard caddy), burgers, even tartines and matzo ball soup (menu preview h ere).

The menu is not only a reaction to the economy, but a melding of many culinary worlds, much like the restaurant location itself. DBGB's is located at the corner of Houston and Bowery, where NoLIta, the East Village, and the Lower East Side/Chinatown all converge. It's on a block that's lined with gentrified, glossy apartments on one side, and kitchen supply warehouses on the other. Blocks away is the former rock club from which DBGB's name was inspired - CBGB's. Although now, CBGB's is a John Varvatos store. The Bowery mission and the Bowery Residents Committee, however, are still standing nearby. My neighborhood - it's a little bit of this, and a little bit of that. I'm eager to see how the restaurant does - will DB fans come downtown and give it a whirl? Or will he attract new hipster foodie fans because of the address? And when will either group trade back up to the white tablecloth experience? Or will they ever?

Bringing a bit of luxury to the masses: Alexander McQueen, Karl Lagerfeld, and many others have done through their partnerships with Target and H&M. Thomas Keller is attempting it with his lounge at Per Se. Can't wait to taste how DBGB does it.

Sausages courtesy of Metromix

SIR-AH-CHA

2009-05-20T12:12:00.003-04:00

Fun article about Sriracha aka Rooster sauce aka Asian ketchup aka GoodOnEverything sauce here.

Bruni Gives Minetta 3 Stars

2009-05-20T11:52:00.003-04:00

Keith McNally has done it again. Read here for Frank Bruni's glowing review of Mr. McNally's successful stab at a bistro-leaning steakhouse. I'm dying to eat here, especially after reading this review. I'm not the biggest steak fan, but this just might convert me. Bruni actually details how and why the cuts at Minetta are better prepared than Peter Luger or Sparks. I love that he shaved off points for Minetta's frustrating reservation process. From what I understand, they have a few phone lines that have differing rates of success. Only the Madonnas of the world are privileged to the private number, similar to the Waverly. I still want to go. But unlike the Waverly, the food actually matches (even surpasses) the fabulosity of the crowd, so I'm sold.

Mr. McNally's mug courtesy of The New York Times.