A few weeks ago, Jeff and I made a last minute decision to head over to The Breslin for dinner after work. Though we had to wait a while to get a table, it was well worth it – the food was amazing! We were also joined by some of Jeff’s friends…in case you were wondering if we ate all this food between the two of us. The Pork Belly & Mash was to die for – a must if you see it on the menu. (These pics were taken with my iPhone4 – not too bad).
We started with a Terrine Board (not shown) which came with all kinds of goodies…and then got a little adventurous -
blood sausage with fried duck egg and tarragon cream
seafood sausage with beurre blanc and chives
chargrilled lamb burger with feta, cumin mayo and thrice cooked chips
pork belly and mash
warm apple walnut crumble
brioche doughnuts with 3 types of dipping sauce
Our last dinner with my parents was at Gotham Bar and Grill – and it lived up to all of our expectations – sophisticated cuisine, amazing flavors, and a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. This was definitely one of the best meals we’ve had in NYC.
Yellowfin Tuna Tartare
Japanese cucumber, shiso leaf and sweet miso, Asian ginger vinaigrette
Black Trumpet Mushroom and Chestnut Risotto
smoked bacon, dry sherry and fines herb creme fraîche
Grilled Prime New York Steak
marrow mustard custard and vidalia onion rings bordelaise sauce
Miso Marinated Black Cod
bok choy, shiitake mushrooms and sticky rice soy lemongrass ginger sauce
Juniper Spiced Organic Chicken
roasted root vegetables, rapini and parsnip purée golden raisin and hazelnut stuffing
Truffle Crusted Atlantic Halibut
romanesco cauliflower, baby leek and mushroom fricasseé marcona almond vermouth sauce
Gotham Chocolate Cake with seasonal ice cream
Restaurant #2 while my parents were in town was Tom Colicchio’s Craftbar. We’d been to Craftbar before and so were expecting simple, good food and a casual atmosphere – we were pleasantly surprised to find the food was even better than we remembered! We’ll definitely be back.
Veal Ricotta Meatballs
Black Angus Hanger Steak, Baby Shiitake Mushroom, CippoliniOnion,PotatoPurée
~definitely the winning dish of the night, flavorful and delicious~
Apple Crisp, Brown Butter Ice Cream
I just realized it’s December 31st and I’m seriously behind on all the great eats we’ve been enjoying over the last few months – definitely not the best way to start out 2011. So, I’ll attempt to catch up…
We went to Dovetail with my parents when they were in town at the end of October (yikes – so far behind!). Located on the upper west side near the American Museum of Natural History, Dovetail earned a Michelin Star just a few week prior and we were excited to give it a try. Also, we love the idea of upscale cuisine, emphasizing farm-fresh seasonal ingredients, offered in a casual and approachable setting. While we all enjoyed our meal, I think we were also a bit underwhelmed given all the hype. I loved the restaurant design – clean modern lines that still felt warm and worked with the exposed brick of the building – but felt like the service was a little stuffy.
Sautéed Foie Gras with Graham Crackers and Huckleberries
~flavors were nice, but this was a HUGE piece of foie gras, could definitely be shared~
Pistachio Crusted Duck with Beets, Soy Beans, Curry
~this was my pick for the main and it was delicious, i think others at our table were jealous~
Roasted Sirloin with Beef Cheek Lasagna with King Trumpet Mushrooms and Onions
Lamb Loin with Potatoes, Artichokes, and Olives
Pumpkin Cake with Earl Grey, Lemon Curd, Cinnamon Toast Ice Cream
Bittersweet Chocolate Soufflé with Grand Marnier Ice Cream
Petit Fours
Finally catching up on our latest eats…
A little over a month ago, we headed to Sushi of Gari – we’d heard great things about Gari and it was even better than we expected!
We turned ourselves over to the experts and ordered Gari’s Omakase (the Chef’s Tasting Menu) – definitely the right decision! Each piece was a unique combination of flavors – we were surprised and delighted with each bite!
We couldn’t pass up the Seared Foie Gras…
After hearing great things about both locations, we finally made it to Tamarind in Tribeca last month. The restaurant space was definitely something – very large and airy, light colors and modern. And the food was fantastic – Indian fine dining at its best – we really enjoyed all the dishes, each full of distinctive flavors.
Bataki Kosha
~duck with mustard, onion, garlic, ginger and garam masala, hand rolled in a rice crepe with black salt and tangerine chutney~
Fried Cauliflower
(note to self – remove serving spoons before taking pictures)
(can’t remember what this dish was, but I think it was one of the specials)
Poori
~whole wheat, deep fried puffed bread~
so good!
Can’t quite remember but I *think* this dish was…
Chicken Shahi Korma
~roasted chicken in a saffron cashew sauce~
Raan e Dumpukht
~lamb shank braised in Indian run, onions, cashew nuts, saffron and nutmeg~
Another one I can’t remember!
Chicken Tikka Masala
~tandoori chicken tikka in a creamy tomato and fenugreek sauce with Indian spices~
Dessert…
Rasmalai
~sweet cottage cheese dumplings flovored with saffron and cardamom~
