Last moth for Jeff’s Birthday Dinner #1, we headed to Casa Mono with Alex, Joel, and Casey (CaseyCulture). This was our first visit to Casa Mono, and I hope it won’t be our last! Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich along with Andy Nusser’s cooking take Spanish tapas to a whole new level at Casa Mono. With 5 people, we were able to try a number of different dishes – most pictured below – and we were impressed and delighted by the amazing flavors in each. But for me, the most memorable dish of the night was the foie gras, a MUST if you visit Casa Mono.
Beet Salad
~This special menu addition was not only beautiful, it boasted fresh and wonderful flavors.~
Sweetbreads with Fennel al Mono
~I’ve had sweetbreads a handful of times and I can honestly say that this is the best preparation I’ve had so far. Crispy and tasty!~
Calamares Fritos
Soft Shell Crab Sandwich
~Another special we couldn’t resist ordering – and another winner!~
Sardinas Fritas
Foie Gras with Cinco Cebollas
~This dish was absolutely amazing – one of the best foie gras dishes I’ve had. It was so good in fact, that we ordered a second!~
Hudson Valley Pork Belly with Sweet Corn and Sandia
~Definitely one of our favorites of the night – we really need to spend more time in the Hudson Valley~
Duck Breast with Sour Cherries
Leg of Lamb with Harissa and Pickled Peppers
Skirt Steak with Onion Mermelada
Pudín de Naranja – Bread Pudding with Horchata Ice Cream and Stone Fruit Mermelada
~This bread pudding was just delicious. Bread pudding, when done well, is one of my favorites, and the caramelization on top really made this dish special.~
(One Fifth Avenue at 8th Street)
Our Mario Batali weekend continued a few days after my birthday when we went to Otto, still one of my favorite restaurants in NYC. Much more casual than Babbo, Otto’s offerings are accessible, consistent, and always satisfying. Check out the Wine List at Otto – I wish I knew more about Italian wines to appreciate this impressive list!
Special Bruschetta
~This bruschetta had about 4 different kinds of onion – a few too many for me.~
Meat – Prosciutto, Lonza, Coppa, Testa, Salumi
~I can’t think of a better way to start off a meal than with a plate of meats and cheeses.~
Spaghetti Alla Carbonara – Pancetta, Scallions, Black Pepper, Egg
~This is the best carbonara I’ve ever had – we order it every time we dine at Otto.~
Pasta Alla Norma – Tomato, Roasted Eggplant, Basil, Bufala Ricotta
~This is also one of our favorites – the Bufala Ricotta is incredible.~
Margherita D.O.P. – Tomato, Bufala Mozzarella, Basil
~This is another dish that I always order at Otto. I know it may seem boring amongst the other choices, but this is really one of my favorites – and I appreciate when a restaurant masters this class pizza.~
Asparagus & Goat Cheese Pizza
Funghi & Taleggio Pizza
I didn’t get a good picture of one of our other favorite dishes at Otto – the Olive Oil Gelato. This may sound like a strange flavor for gelato, but it’s amazing – the sea salt, olive oil, and sweet gelato flavors complement each other in a way that makes for a unbelievably smooth and delicious treat.
(110 Waverly Place)
Before I start talking about all the amazing food we had at Babbo, I want to thank my husband, Jeff, for snagging this great reservation for my birthday. Also, thank you to Alex, Joel, and Casey for joining us. I can’t think of a better way to spend my birthday than with my husband and family enjoying some of the best food that New York has to offer. Thank you!
Jeff and I went to Mario Batali’s Babbo about a year ago and thought it was wonderful – this experience was even better than our last because we got to try so many different dishes – luckily, we all like to share!
We started with some Antipasti and Primi…
Our waiter promptly informed us about a special dish on the menu – Culatello di Zibello. Apparently, Babbo is the only restaurant in the US where this particular culatello is currently available – the last time Babbo offered it was 8 years ago. Of course, we couldn’t resist! And it was delicious – the flavor was rich and smooth, noticeably different from other prosciutto I’ve had.
“Hailing from the Parma region of Italy, Culatello is considered a superior cured meat from the pork haunch, which boasts a clean and delicate flavor unlike many classic Italian cured meats.” ~Babbo
(In my food excitement, I forgot to take a picture of this, so I borrowed this pic from CaseyCulture – Casey, I hope you don’t mind!)
Grilled Octopus with “Borlotti Marinati” and Spicy Limoncello Vinaigrette
~Jeff said this signature dish was the most tender octopus he’s ever had.~
Fettuccine with House-Made Pancetta and Dandelion Greens
~This simple dish was actually one of my favorites. It was served with asparagus instead of dandelion greens. I would absolutely order it again.~
Beef Cheek Ravioli with Crushed Squab Liver and Black Truffles
~The sauce in this dish was so good (yes, I admit that we scooped up every last bit with our remaining bread).~
Black Spaghetti with Rock Shrimp, Spicy Salami Calabrese and Green Chiles
~This is the first time I’ve had squid ink spaghetti and I thought the flavor was really interesting with a bit of a kick.~
Then we moved on to Secondi…
Fennel Dusted Sweetbreads with Sweet and Sour Onions, Duck Bacon and Membrillo Vinaigrette
~Casey’s pick – I’ve had sweetbreads a few times before, and this is probably the best preparation I’ve tasted.~
(pic from CaseyCulture)
Deconstructed Osso Buco for Two with Saffron Orzo, Cavolo Nero and Chestnut Gremolata
~Jeff and Alex’s pick – wow! – the presentation was beautiful with such vibrant colors. The flavors were wonderful and the bone marrow was a treat!~
Grilled Lamb Chops “Scottadita” with Sunchokes, Grilled Onions and Lemon Yogurt
~Joel’s pick – definitely good but not quite rare as requested.~
“Brasato al Barolo” Braised Beef with Porcini Mushrooms
~My pick – I think we were all impressed by the intensely rich flavor, I know I was.~
And then desert…
Pine Nut & Honey Tart
~One of the best desserts I’ve ever had. This is one of Gina DePalma’s signature dishes – you can find the recipe in her book, Dolce Italiano: Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen
, or here.~
Like I said earlier, I can’t think of a better way to spend my birthday than with family enjoying amazing food – I feel so fortunate!