Chef MJ and the Squirrel Make It Official!

Prune: the Redux

A very belated post on a recent brunch at Prune with Bomber.

We anticipated the wait of a lifetime but we were lucky to only have a half hour wait in front of us. Even with long lines, both the front of the house and the patrons were very patient.

After much agonizing, I finally made a decision and ordered the Dutch Style Pancake (yes, pancake...singular!). The menu stated the pancake came with pears, however, our waitress alerted me that it would be coming with blueberries. Even better! It came as one large and very filling pancake with a side of Canadian bacon. Normally, I'd stay away from pancakes but this was light and fluffy and left me satisfied without feeling like I had just eaten a hockey puck.

Even better than my pancake was Bomber's Monte Cristo, perhaps the best Monte Cristo I can remember. Prune serves their Monte Cristo with an egg and some currant jelly. We both couldn't believe how simple yet amazing this was, so good in fact, that Bomber complimented the chefs who were happily toiling away in the open kitchen at the back of the restaurant.

On this trip to Prune, we also enjoyed a few of their Bloody Mary's. The Mariner made with clam juice and olives were served with a shot of beer. This was certainly the stand out of the few we sampled (yes...Bloody Mary's plural).

This was my second trip to Prune and I was equally impressed on my return visit. The wait for a table can be a bit daunting, especially if you are with a large group, but certainly worth every minute if you are looking for a high quality, satisfying meal.

Daniel: The Last Supper!

He had me at Bar Boulud.

That being said, for when it came time to chose what could be my last dining experience in New York for some time, Chef MJ treated me to dinner at Daniel, the mothership of fine French dining.

We began our evening in the lounge where I sipped two smooth delicious drinks: a rose martini followed by a bergamont martini. The rose martini was beautiful, complete with a rose petal encased in an orb of ice. The bergamont martini was tart and refreshing with a flourish of a flaming lemon wedge, the perfect cocktail to kick off the summer drinking season.

After saying au revoir to our gracious bartender, we were seated in the balcony area of the dining room. The dining area is grand and formal, complete with a balcony, pool and tent areas. This terminology is all a bit tongue-in-cheek with the exception of the tents since yes, there are actual tents in the corners of the dining room.

Chef MJ asked the sommelier to bring us a wine tasting with each course and we were in his capable hands. I was more than ready to begin my culinary adventure at one of the best French restaurants in the city, if not the country!

The amuse bouche arrived in a three tier serving platter. We began with a taste of briny sea bass and clams with apples that had all the freshness of the sea and followed with bites of the classic combination of lobster and avocado, a crab salad, and finally some beets with walnuts. We enjoyed these tasty treats with a lovely Savignon Blanc from New Zealand; crisp, clean and a perfect compliment to the fresh ingredients in the amuse bouche.

We also enjoyed a few of the fresh breads that were served tableside. The sticky sweet garlic roll was my favorite with the butter roll a close second. I was tempted to push my caloric limitations and go for the rosemary roll but I knew there was a lot of food to come and I needed to be ready!

My decadent appetizer was the mosaic of foie gras and black angus beef cheek with Satur Farms beets, wagyu carpaccio and peppercress; paired with a sweet German wine. This was an interesting wine selection since I wouldn't think a dessert-type wine would compliment an appetizer. This is why I am not a sommelier. The sweetness of the wine was just perfect to cut through the richness of the foie gras. The beef cheek was tasty with just a touch of horseradish and capers. The meal could have happily ended here, but it was only the beginning.

The palate party continued with an extra course of fennel-basil ravioli with littleneck clam emulsion, baja shrimp, cuttlefish, broccoli rabe, and chorizo. This dish was super rich and the small portion was perfect. The chorizo and saffron brought a zesty richness to the plate and the ravoli were al dente. This plate was paired with an absolutely exquisite white Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The drinks were getting the best of me at this point, but there was no way in hell I was leaving a drop of this amazing wine.

For my main dish, I chose one of Daniel's signature dishes; paupiette of black sea bass in a crisp potato shell with tender leeks and a syrah sauce. The fish was so moist and flavorful that it made the wine sauce simply an added yet unnecessary bonus. One of my favorite things is when a simple technique (like wrapping a piece of fish in thinly sliced potato) is well-executed and elevates a dish to a new level. I was equally impressed with the Santa Maria pinot noir that was paired with the fish. The earthiness of this wine was more reminiscent of a French pinot than a California pinot.

After cleaning our plates, we were treated to a visit by the man himself! Chef MJ saw Daniel on her way back from a trip to the lounge and brought him by for an introduction. Holy Merde! I have been in awe of this culinary god of terrines for some time, but managed to keep my cool and we chatted about coming to Daniel for my last great meal in New York for awhile. I did joke that he needs to expand the Boulud empire to Hartford and I think he didn't realize that I was totally serious. All from a completely selfish perspective of course!

We decided to pass on what could only be an extensive cheese course and head right for dessert. Hopefully you can follow the extensive list: raspberry-lemon vacherin with Thai basil meringue and raspberry marshmallows, a tasting of mango with roasted sesame ginger marinated coulis with cilantro, sorbet with kalamansi hazelnut mousse with Gianduja biscuit, milk chocolate salted caramel ice cream with bittersweet chocolate-praliné, crémeux Amer cocoa sponge cake with Caraïbe ice cream.

This all came with an additional plate of petit fours. Oh my! Extravagant even for a sugar fiend like me! The salted caramel ice cream and the hazelnut mousse were my favorites, although I quite enjoyed the originality and lip smacking tartness of the raspberry and meringue dessert. The only and I repeat only miss was the mango dessert; most likely due to it similarity to sushi than poor execution. (NOTE: Ms. Foodie is not a fan of sushi)

I managed to find a bit of room for a lemon meringue tart and a dainty smores-type stack of treats while I polished off the rest of my dessert wine. Then it was time for a tour of the kitchen!

By the time we got back there, most of the staff had gone for the evening and I stopped dead in my tracks to marvel at the size of the kitchen, a rarity in New York City restaurants. After all, less room in the kitchen means more room for paying customers. The tour also included a stop at the prep kitchen and I stopped to get a whiff of two large pots of stock bubbling away. After making our way through the prep kitchen we made a stop in the chocolate room where one of the members of the staff was prepping some chocolaty confections for the next day's service.

Speaking of service, let's just say outstanding would be an understatement. While I'm sure we were given the red carpet treatment due to Chef MJ's association with the company, I did notice how the staff treated the diners around us. I even watched as two members of the staff were asked to take photos of the same couple at the table next to us and in both cases, they graciously obliged. So whether you are a tourist, VIP or just regular Joe I'm pretty sure you will receive the same white glove service that I can only assume Daniel demands. And rightly so.

The bar has been set for Ms. Foodie's next NYC dining adventure. And it's been set pretty high.

Wildwood BBQ: the latest in NYC's BBQ frenzy

On Saturday during a stroll to find lunch, Thighs declared "I feel like eating meat. Does that make sense?". Honestly, it didn't until we found ourselves standing in front of the latest entrant into New York's race for BBQ supremacy, Wildwood BBQ.

Reviews for Wildwood have been mixed, but I was certainly willing to give it a try. The woody airy decor was enticing, however, it did make me long for the former inhabitant of this space, Park Avalon, a former new American establishment in the B.R. Guest empire.

We began our meal with 1/2 dozen chicken wings; choosing the "rubbed and fried" version since Thighs was going to have her main with Wildwood's chipotle-raspberry sauce and we wanted to taste as many flavors of sauce as possible. The wings were juicy and not as heavily battered as I expected, a pleasant surprise.

Thighs followed with the Memphis-style baby back ribs which are "wet and slathered with Wildwood spicy chipotle and raspberry BBQ". The ribs were tender and the sauce was rich and hearty. The best dish of the meal.

I chose the pork spare ribs which are "dry dusted with Lou's sugar and spice rub". The ribs were meaty and on the lean side yet still slid off the bone with ease.

We enjoyed our vegetarian's nightmare with a side of sweet potato fries which were decent, but not as crispy or salty as I would have liked.

Overall, it was a noble effort by Wildwood to stand up to the competition and while it slightly missed the mark, this might improve with time. The quality of the meat may be slightly lower than the high standards set by Hill Country (an obvious competitor) but the level of smoke and flavors are on the right track. That is, until the next wave of cuisine takes over the city.

Batali-Bastianich Double Header: Lunch @ Esca, Dinner @ Lupa

The dining extravanganza continued this week with a Batali-Bastianch double header on Wednesday.

Kenny and I had lunch at Esca, Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich's foray into the world of seafood with David Pasternack at the helm. I kicked off lunch with a lovely sweet rhubarb bellini while Kenny kicked back with a beer. After a short wait we were seated outside and treated to an amuse bouche of mackerel and white bean bruschetta.

For a first course I enjoyed the caprese salad with creamy buffalo mozzarella, oven dried tomatoes and basil. There is just something about buffalo mozzarella... beauty in it's simplicity that makes it an amazing part of any meal.

My main course was the polipo; grilled octopus with giant corona beans, preserved sorrento lemons and rosemary on a bed of frisee. Kenny chose the scallops with citrus and greens. I was curious to see how Pasternack's scallops would stand up to the amazing ones I had at Tocqueville the previous evening, and they actually fared well. The citrus added a nice flavor to the sear on the scallops and it was the perfect choice for a light lunch. I was equally impressed with the octopus, which can be either very good or very very bad. It had a great char on the outside without being overcooked or rubbery. The creaminess of the beans and the dressing added a nice balance to the dish.

Overall, I was pleased with my lunch at Esca and it more than made up for an abysmal meal that RRR and I had there about a year ago. I'm glad I gave it another chance!

Now that dinner was over, it was time to get ready for dinner! We had decided on a trip to Lupa prior to lunch at Esca and it didn't seem like it would be a culinary conflict, as long as I stayed away from the seafood offerings. Lupa is yet another jewel in the Batali-Bastianich crown, this time with partners Jason Denton and and Mark Ladner.

We decided to eat at the bar and after a short wait, RRR and I were perusing Lupa's fantastic menu. Having eaten at Lupa a handful of times, we were pretty well versed in the menu offerings, especially the house cured salumi and outstanding pastas.

I began our meal with another one of the delightful rhubarb bellini's I enjoyed at Esca a few hours earlier and we finally decided on a game plan. We started with an order of the coppa cotto and quickly added a creamy blended goat and sheep's milk cheese we saw being served to the couple seated next to us.

After slathering some fresh Italian bread with the cheese and sopping up some of the nutty olive oil served with our meat and cheese, we were ready for our pasta course. We decided to split the asparagus cappellacci and ramps, a creamy unique mix of fresh veggies and creamy pasta. The cappellacci were shaped like small envelopes with a delightful package of asparagus and sharp fresh ramps. Absolutely wonderful!

For our main course, we split the pork shoulder with treviso and aceto. The pork was fork tender and melted in our mouths. The aceto provided a bit of sweet richness and I'm certainly glad we decided to split this dish, I would have been jealous if RRR got to enjoy this all about herself. Did they cook this all day? Oh my!

Once again, we ate ourselves into oblivion and we unable to muster up enough of an appetite for dessert which was fine since of all that Lupa does so right, the desserts are fairly unimpressive in my book.

What an outstanding culinary day!

Tocqueville - Still the best restaurant in Union Square

Tonight RRR and I treated ourselves to dinner at Tocqueville. In the early incarnation of this blog, I declared Tocqueville to be one of my top three restaurant choices in the city. Will it still fare as well?

Since that post, Marco Moreria and his wife Jo-Ann Makovitzky, have expanded Tocqueville into the larger space next door and opened a Japanese restaurant, 15 East, in Tocqueville's former home, so this was our first foray into the new digs.

RRR and I were in a celebratory mood so after enjoying our amuse bouche, we decided to treat ourselves to the calorically decadent short rib and Hudson Valley foie gras ravioli appetizer. The ravioli were served with some wilted arugula which gave the pasta a peppery bite and worked in perfect harmony with the richness of the short ribs and foie gras. Pecorino cheese added some saltiness to the plate and we debated the other spice we tasted in the dish. Fennel seed? Cumin? Simply a red wine braise of the short ribs? It was so simple, so rich, mouthwatering and utterly amazing. I could have ended the meal here and been completely satisfied.

While waiting for our entrees, we were treated to some white asparagus, courtesy of the chef. We believe this was mainly due to the extremely long wait between our first and main courses. This seemed to have been a theme in the dining room this evening; since many tables were sat simultaneously and the kitchen became a bit backed up. However, our server kept checking in and the sommelier kept the wine flowing, so all was good in the proverbial hood.

When our mains finally arrived, I was treated to Tocqueville's signature dish, seared diver sea scallops and foie gras. This was the dish that caused me to obsess over Tocqueville in the first place, so it seemed fitting to return to my 'first love'. I was not disappointed. The scallops were perfectly seared and seasoned and the lightness of the fish held up well to the richness of the foie gras.

RRR enjoyed the local wild striped bass poached in asparagus vichyssoise, with rutabaga purée, white and green asparagus. The fish had a great char on the outside and was moist and extremely tasty. The asparagus was thinly sliced and perfectly seasoned. It was such a standout that the asparagus would have worked well on it's own.

By the time we finished with our main courses, we were a bit too sleepy (I think I was in a foie gras induced coma) to enjoy dessert so we decided to call it a night. On the way out, we found Marco sitting at the bar and struck up a conversation (I used to sell Marco potatoes and tomatoes during a stint years ago at the Union Square Greenmarket). Jo-Ann joined the conversation shortly thereafter and the couple were quite charming. I certainly think it added to RRR's "I am dining like a rockstar" experience!

Drunch: The Redux

Rockstar, Thighs and myself, known to some as "The Trinity", gathered on Sunday for a drunch at Il Bastardo. Dunch is a drunken brunch for those who are not-in-the-know. Previous drunches have been held at Sette, the restaurant next door, which shares a kitchen with Il Bastardo. Now it seems the owners are reinventing Sette as another establishment but I'm not exactly sure what the story is there.

Since our last visit, it seems that drunch has become more popular and the new found popularity is reflected in the prices. The previous deal of an $8 all you can drink Bloody Mary, Mimosas or Screwdrivers has been replaced with a $15 deal. Still a deal even though the glasses are smaller and the refills less frequent.

The portions have decreased as well but the food still fares well. After some internal debate, I decided on the frittata with parmigiano and mixed vegetables. The eggs came with a small side of potatoes with some peppers and eggs and without the usual accompaniment of toast. At least the mini muffins that are served when you first sit down are still part of the service.

On a more positive note, I chose to polish off the meal with a surprisingly delicious ricotta cheesecake, complete with fresh fruit. I usually skip dessert and decided to treat myself this go around and it was well worth it.

So while Il Bastardo might have fallen a bit off the mark, it's still a decent deal in the city of over priced over crowded brunches. And after a few Bloody Mary's, does it really matter?

A Carnivore's Dream at Hill Country

On Tuesday evening, Goldie, Smunch and I headed to Hill Country for a second trip and a long awaited review. It took so long before I got around to writing the first review that I forgot most of our meal! After a bit of debate on whether to go to Hill Country or try Wildwood Barbeque, the latest to hit Gotham's burgeoning bbq scene, we decided to stick with what we knew to be quality.

The restaurant was pretty crowded for a Tuesday evening and there was a pretty long line at the barbeque counter. The good news was it gave us some time to take a peek at Kevin Bacon, who was dining with an older couple (his parentals perhaps?). After reviewing the extensive meat offerings, we decided on a sampling of everything!

We started out with what was the last beer can hen of the evening. To that we added beef ribs, pork ribs (just for moi!) and some lean brisket just to keep the gluttony in check. And then we hit the sides counter and got some beer braised cowboy pinto beans (again just for moi), white shoepeg corn pudding and some pickles (just for Goldie).

The hen was the standout item and that came as a bit of surprise to this trio of carnivores. There was a great hickory smoke on the crispy yet juicy skin of the hen and even if it was the last hen of the evening it was still moist and tasty. The ginormous beef ribs were tender with a nice layer of fat and I was a bit torn whether I preferred the beef ribs or the peppery slightly leaner pork ribs. If memory serves, I might have enjoyed the pork ribs more on the first visit, the beef ribs on the second. Either way, it's a win win for me... and a vegan's worst nightmare!

The corn pudding was sweet and rich but I think we were a bit more impressed on the previous visit. The beans were okay, and just okay, not a lot of flavor there with the exception of the strong green pepper flavor that came through even with a healthy dose of bacon. But then again, at Hill Country it's all about the meat, right?

I somehow found a bit of room for some sweets and we shared (although I semi-commandeered the dessert) Hill Country's banana cream pudding and hot apple cobbler. The cobbler was a bit dry and we had a better dessert on the previous visit. I did enjoy the banana pudding, however, it doesn't come close to my favorite Magnolia rendition.

Speaking of Magnolia, over dinner, Smunch presented me with a thoughtful gift of the "More From Magnolia" cookbook. Yes, the bakery that inspired the great cupcake debate! This could be trouble! Sugary, fattening, amazing, wonderful trouble!

NOTE: Smunch's beautiful photography is going to put me out of a blogging gig!

Happy Birthday Ms. Foodie

For Ms Foodie's birthday, Chef MJ spearheaded a dinner get together for a small group of ten. Paladar offered a great deal of three appetizers, three entress and three desserts served family style for $36 per person. Not a bad deal when you are looking for a nice meal before a night of drinking. Everything was as good as it looks and I think I have to get back there soon!

Here's the menu we decided upon:

Empanadas: Seasoned flour turnovers filled with chicken picadillo, served with smoked tomato salsa

Costillas 'LES' Pork Spare Ribs: with guava BBQ sauce, served with mango, jicama & cabbage slaw

Marinero Fish: ceviche with habanero, lemon & citrus segments

Pan Roasted Market Fish With coconut clam rice & orange rocoto chile vinagrette

Carne Asada: Grilled sirloin steak with salsa verde,yucca con mojo & bitter greens salad

Pollo Asado: Adobo-rubbed chicken with roasted garlic chipotle glaze, & sautéed hominy

For dessert, I chose the tres leche cake (much better than I anticipated), the flourless chocolate cake and the bananas soaked in rum. They also brought over some coconut ice cream complete with a birthday candle. It doesn't get much better than this.

Shake Shack: Open for Business

Jax and Dr. Dre were getting married this weekend and Bacon blew in from the mighty Midwest for the occasion. We met on Saturday afternoon, for a pre-wedding lunch at Shake Shack.

Chef MJ, Bacon, UofM, the Aussie and I met in Madison Square Park and agonized over the menu (okay just MJ and I were agonizing) while we waited in the surprisingly long line on a somewhat chilly but sunny afternoon. Apparently Bacon wasn't the only one who was excited for an inaugural meal at Shake Shack.

We skipped the delightfully filling shakes and concretes and stuck with the traditional burger and fries. The five of us tried to sit as close to the heat lamps as possible while we waited impatiently buzzers in hand to be called up to the counter.

Finally, my double stack and cheese fries I was splitting with MJ were ready. I was a bit disappointed that my double stack did not have one cheeseburger and 'shroom burger as promised but I was too hungry to argue. The burgers were juicy and tasty.

Bacon and UofM were a bit shocked that I added a bit of ketchup to my stack since there's plenty of shack sauce and the beef is good enough that it's not needed. In my book though, there's never too much ketchup. Delicious! Worth the wait! I really think you do not realize how many mediocre burgers you consume until you've have a taste of a really excellent one.

Unfortunately the fries did not fare as well as the burger. The crinkle cut fries were crisp but without much flavor and the orange cheese quickly coagulated in the cool air. Next time, I'll save my calories for a Brooklyn Lager!

Don't worry Shake Shack...I'll be back! Next time I'll plan my visit around the custard calendar!

Borgo Antico - A neighborhood gem

MPV came into the city last night and I found myself struggling to pick a restaurant. I wanted somewhere low key and casual, with great food. Ideally, it would be one of the few places left in my Union Square neighborhood where I've never been eaten before.

The amount of restaurant choices sometimes leaves me paralyzed by indecision. In the embarrassment of culinary riches that is the New York City dining scene 'too much' can often be as frustrating as 'not enough'. (What a rough life, huh?)

The eventual winner: Borgo Antico!

We arrived on the early side of the dinner rush and were offered a large table near the window on the second floor of Borgo Antico's charming townhouse. After ordering a bottle of Valpolicella Marion from the well-priced wine list, we decided to start our meal with a bit of salumi and cheese.

We chose an aged salumi and a cow and sheep blend cheese to start. They were presented on small cutting boards with an adorable butcher knife for the cheese wedges. Both plates puzzlingly came with hazelnuts, sliced red onion and mushrooms but also with a delightful bit of honey complete with pears. Unfortunately, only one piece of toasted bread came with each order but our bread basket was able to provide some additional cheese and honey vehicles for us.

For our main course, we both went with pasta dishes. MPV chose the pappardelle con ragu di funghi while I went with the ricotta gnocchi with sausage and mushrooms (my apologies for not writing down the official name of this pasta special).

MPV's pappardelle was in a hearty ragu of assorted mushrooms and the scent from the truffle "perfume" wafted above the table as soon as the waiter presented the dish. The pasta was fresh and perfectly cooked and the earthiness of the mushrooms were complemented by the subtly of the truffles.

My gnocchi were small, light and melted in my mouth. The tomato sauce was hearty and while I did feel that there weren't enough sausage or mushrooms in the dish the perfect execution of the gnocchi more than made up for it. Most gnocchi on Italian restaurant menus tend to be heavy and sit in your stomach like a ton of bricks after two bites. In Borgo Antico's case, this was one of the few times that I took a chance on gnocchi and was pleasantly surprised when my gamble paid off.

While Borgo Antico is not a 'fancy restaurant' by any means, it is a down-to-earth comfortable neighborhood place with good sized portions and gentle prices. Judging by the amount of people who had filled the restaurant by the time we left; this is not so much a neighborhood secret as it is a great date place or in this case a place to spend some quality time with one of your best friends!

"Un-Wined" Wednesday's at Choice Kitchen

Tiara wearing birthday Princess JRo celebrated the big 3-0 with a get together at Choice Kitchen in Murray Hill. Choice has an aptly titled "Un-Wined" special on Wednesday's where for a mere $35 bucks you get a bottle of wine with your choice (pun intended) of three appetizers. What a deal!

The atmosphere at Choice is pretty relaxed. There was a decent amount of people there but you were certainly able to talk to your companions without having to scream over the innocuous soundtrack. I was one of the last to arrive (par for the course with post work get togethers) and the wine ordering was well underway so I just went with the proverbial flow.

We tried to order a variety of appetizers so that everyone's dietary needs, food passions and allergies were taken into consideration. When all was said and done we wound up with the following: spinach and artichoke dip complete with tri-colored tortilla chips, Thai chicken skewers, Chimichurri beef skewers, buffalo wings, nachos grande, crispy spring rolls and the Mediterranean delight. As the bottles of wine increased, we went back for doubles on some of these tasty treats.

I was pleasantly surprised by the wings. They were meaty, a bit sweet and a nice hit of spicy heat on the back end. Bar menu wings have the tendency to be pedestrian but Choice's were a bit above average. The rolls were crispy without being greasy and didn't need the accompanying dipping sauce. Good thing because the double dip dilemma is always tricky in a large group.

Equally pleasant were the beef and chicken skewers. The meat was tender and juicy and not the least bit dried out. The peanut sauce for the chicken was just okay, but the chicken was seasoned well enough that again, the sauce was not needed.

The Mediterranean delight was an interesting combination of tastes. Fresh chickpea hummus (I get it) guacamole (huh?) and pico de gallo (what?) and served with warmed pita chips (fine for the hummus but for the guac and pico? Huh? What?). By this point, we were well on our way to being "un-wined" so who cares?

While our waitress seemed overwhelmed most of the evening, she became more attentive as the crowd thinned, even buying us a round of shots. And to top off the evening was the JRo's chocolate molten cake with vanilla ice cream complete with a birthday candle. Poor girl barely got to make her birthday wish before she had to dive out of the way of my incoming spoon. My greed and gluttony served me well, the chocolate was quality, warm, gooey and perfectly complemented by the cool creamy ice cream.

The few misses on the appetizers menu were certainly overshadowed by the hits. The nachos needed a bigger dish to spread out the cheese which was instead stuck in clumps to some of the chips. Of course, that did not stop me from devouring the bulk of the bowl. And I've already mentioned the curious Mediterranean delight.

Hits and misses, notwithstanding, if you are looking for a good weeknight deal and a place to "un-wined", check out Choice.

Otto: the perfect start to a bachelorette party!

On Saturday night our small mob of nineteen women descended upon Otto to kick off Jax's bachelorette. Otto had a pretty good deal for a large group. For $75 per person (without tax and tip) you get bread, charcuterie, cheese, appetizers, salad, pizzas, dessert and all the wine you can drink.

The caveat? You have two hours to imbibe and eat to your heart's content - that's it. Not bad though when there is a long night of drinking ahead but there was a sense of urgency to drink as much wine as possible and eat quickly.

The bread came with three dipping sauces: a truffled honey, roasted pears with a nice kick of pepperoncino, and a sweet cherry sauce. I particularly enjoyed the pears; the perfect balance of sweet and savory.

This was followed by a lazy Susan presentation of some small vegetable plates. Some of the highlights included roasted beets and saba, califlower "alla Siciliana" roasted in a light balsamic sauce, eggplant caponatina enriched by capers and pignolis, large mixed olives, simple but hearty green lentils "Toscana" and a I'm-not-quite-sure-how-they-did-it brussel sprouts and vin cotto.

For me, the meal could have ended here but it was only just the beginning. Next came two salads and bruschetta with roasted leeks. The leeks were pretty good, but honestly, not the best choice to eat on a night of flirting with guys and carousing with your girlfriends.

The one salad was a puzzlingly boring Romaine with thinly sliced onions sans dressing but the peppery baby arugula made up for what the other salad lacked.

As I was busy enjoying this feast with a lovely light 2005 Nebbiolo, out came the pizzas. We were given four: funghi and taleggio, margherita, bianca and pepperoni. The funghi was a bit salty but I quite enjoyed the extra salt balanced by the earthy mushrooms. The margherita was pretty good, however, I found myself wanting the crust to be a bit more crisp to compliment the freshness of the tomato sauce.

Pepperoni was a heartier meatier option of the bunch and this was not your store bought pepperoni stick, definitely house made. The bianca proved to be the most dissappointing of the four. When you have a great dough this simple pizza can excel but in this case the dough was a bit flat. Even the olive oil and rosemary couldn't help this pizza.

And just when I thought I couldn't possibly eat any more out came dessert, an assortment of gelatos with plenty of spoons for the group.

Highlights included the olive oil (only me and Chef MJ seemed to be fans of this one), an outstanding hazelnut stracciatella, vanilla, chocolate, and creamy butter pecan. After much debate it was decided that the "strawberry" was really grapefruit and the tart fruit didn't do much to impress the group.

Some of the girls were distracted by the loud clublike soundtrack of the restaurant. I was distracted by my conflicting thoughts on Otto, a restaurant I had not been to in at least a year. It is difficult to judge a restaurant by a group meal and I am not sure if Otto has jumped the proverbial shark and become yet another rustic pizza joint. Perhaps some more research is in order...

Da Andrea con Andrea!

Monday night Andrea (aka Bomber) and I met up with one of our sorority pals who was in the city for work. Double D was working down on Hudson Street, so a place on the west side in the West Village seemed in order. Bomber suggested Da Andrea, a small Italian place that's been on my radar for some time. I think she liked the name...

For our first course, we split an order of fettuccine di zafferano con verdurine e "tapanade" di olive nere. Translated, this was saffron fettuccine with vegetables in a tomato sauce over a black olive puree. While I loved all the veggies (reminscent of a ratatouille) I felt like it needed a bit more cooking time and some more aggressive seasoning. Bomber, however, thought the al dente vegetables added texture to the dish. I appreciated that the order came to the table split, a simple step that is often overlooked when you tell your server you are splitting an order.

I followed the pasta with the gamberoni alla griglia con fagottino di asparagi e salsa allo zafferano for my main course. This was grilled shrimp served on two skewers with asparagus and a saffron sauce. I really enjoyed this dish. The presentation was lovely and the jumbo shrimp had a good char on the outside without being too tough. I always love asparagus but I was served spears, not the 'asparagus tart' described on the menu. Either way, I'll take it. The abundant sauce was quite tasty but honestly, I didn't feel the shrimp really needed it.

Bomber had the filetto di salmone con carciofi, pomodori secchi e senape; salmon filet with artichokes, sundried tomatoes and dijon mustard sauce. Since I am not a salmon fan, I did not taste her dish, but it was a quality piece of fish and she really enjoyed the flavor the dijon added to the entree.

Double D went with the cavatelli di ricotta con gamberi, salmone e salsa al pesto; homemade cavatelli with shrimp and fresh salmon in a light pesto sauce. The pasta was fresh and flavorful and just the right texture.

One of the best parts of the meal was the affordability of the menu. The pastas are all under $15 and the entrees range from $15 - 20. Not too shabby in a town chock full of over-priced Italian restaurants. My only complaint is that the selection of wines by the glass were pretty slim and I would have loved more than two red wine options.

If you are looking for a small, inexpensive, casual Italian restaurant with an interesting menu that's not your typical veal marsala and saltimbocca fare, why not take a page from Andrea and give Da Andrea a shot?

Run, don't walk to Bar Boulud!

Where do I begin with what is already is one of the culinary highlights of 2008?!?

I was invited to dinner this past weekend at Bar Boulud as part of the restaurant's "Friends and Family" event, a few days prior to the restaurant's official opening. For those who are not familiar with this common practice, the restaurant's staff will invite people to dine gratis (sometimes you need to kick in for beverage but should always tip and tip well) in order to sample the menu, work out some kinks, and receive feedback at the conclusion of the meal.

This is an opportunity to figure out what worked, what didn't and what could work better in all aspects: presentation, wait staff, kitchen and front of house service, wine list, decor, etc.

Think of it as a foodie focus group. I think of it as Ms. Foodie's fantasy come to life!

Chef MJ, Marathon Man, Rockstar and I began our meal with a tour of Bar Boulud's Charcuterie. Our selections included the Pate Gran-Mere (pork braised pate with chicken liver and cognac), Lapin de la Garrigue (terrine of slowly cooked and pulled rabbit, carrot, zucchini, spices and herbs), Compote de Joue de Boeuf (beef cheeks slowly braised with veal stock; shredded and combined with pistachio and beef gelee), and Saucisson Sec de Lyon (air dried sausage made in-house and hung for a minimum of one month).

If you read any of my posts recapping last year's trip to France, you know of my saucisson obsession. I wasn't disappointed. The thinly sliced, fatty, well-seasoned ham was so flavorful and complimented by the tart pickles and onions that accompanied it.

The terrines were equally impressive with just enough gelatin that it wasn't overly "gelatinous". The quality of the meat really came through and the terrines had just the right amount of spices with additional components to bring the dish together in perfect balance. My favorite of the terrines were the beef cheeks with the rabbit a close second.

I chose a glass of Beaujolais to start off my meal. For this event, we were offered wines by the glass and while our server recommended a glass of the Gevry, I chose the Beaujolais. I must say that I have not experienced Beaujolais this well-rounded since I returned from France! It was so good that I went back for a second glass before moving on to the Gevry, only to wish I had stayed with the Beaujolais.

You could really taste the terroir and it brought me back to our amazing visit to this region during their harvest. I echoed this sentiment to the manager upon exiting the restaurant, but I don't think he was as excited by this revelation as I was!

Next up was an item from the Cru et Custaces - the aioli. Chef MJ was very excited for this dish, having had enjoyed it earlier in the week. I wasn't sure of the draw until... the plate was put on our table.

The presentation was absolutely gorgeous! First to get a dunk into the aioli was one of the four thin perfectly salty bread sticks. I was instantly hooked! Each item was more delicious than the one prior, and keep in mind, this is mainly a dish of crudite! What's the draw? The shrimp was meaty, flavorful and not the least bit chewy. The oil poached cod was outstanding and even simple par boiled potatoes were fantastic. Once again, it just goes to show you that simple quality ingredients can make a huge difference. This is one of the more expensive items on the menu ($34 bucks) but don't let the name or the price deter you from trying this dish! I could have had this all night and been satisfied!

But wait, there's more....

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, out came the main event. Coq au vin! Daniel's menu description of the classic French dish is to marinade the chicken overnight in red wine and then braise in red wine and a rich veal stock. Finished with button mushrooms, pearl onions and lardons this dish is completely decadent and truly authentic. Rockstar couldn't believe it was chicken! The poultry was transformed into a rich Bourgogne classic! Incredible!

We ordered a couple of sides to go with our meal, including a whole roasted head of garlic served with toasted country bread. It was delicious but can you really ever go wrong with roasted garlic? We also had the pommes frites which were thinly sliced and well salted but I've had better (namely at Pastis). Perhaps the only semi-miss of the night.

Of course, we had to find some room for dessert. We shared the Pain d'Epices, gingerbread with caramel mousse, topped with orange supremes and orange cinnamon ice cream. The staff even brought over a lovely fruit plate for Marathon Man since he has a food allergy.

We also ordered three cheeses which I enjoyed with a lovely dessert wine. I was impressed by Daniel's description of the cheeses on the menu: bloomy, earthy, creamy, sharp, goat. What a innovative easy way to navigate your way through a cheese course and ensure a well rounded selection. We chose bloomy, goat and sharp with only the sharp being somewhat pedestrian. I was a fan of the 'bloomy'.

When we did receive a bill, it pretty much used to gauge how much to tip our server. It wasn't that outrageous considering the amount of food and wine we ordered and certainly affordable compared to other restaurants in the Daniel Boulud empire. Most entrees were priced in the low twenties and the portions were just right. I must admit I am a bit concerned the restaurant's close proximity to Lincoln Center. My fear is it will be overrun with tourists although I am sure that was part of the master plan.

Run, don't walk to Bar Boulud (which officially opens this week) - I only hope you'll be able to get a table!

Morandi - the Italian Pastis

I went to dinner with RRR and a few of her co-workers. Since I didn't want to freak out the old school finance dudes, I refrained from snapping photos throughout the meal, but that didn't prevent me from telling you all about Morandi.

Morandi is the latest venture from Keith McNally aka the dude behind Pastis, Schiller's Liquor Bar, Balthazar, Lucky Strike and Pravda; all perennial New York favorites. Morandi is his venture into Italian fare with some of the same approaches that have served him well in his highly successful restaurants. The decor is familiar, the menu layout reminiscent and the staff seems to have gone through the same training session. Hey, if it's not broke....

Anyway, onto the food! RRR and I started by sharing an appetizer of grilled radicchio and smoked mozzarella. The portion was a bit small (I would have preferred some more radicchio) but the cheese was quite lovely, with a nice charred layer on the outside and oozy smoky gooey goodness on the inside with just the right touch of seasoning.

I followed this up with pappardelle con cinghiale; fresh flat pasta with boar ragu. It was a bit of a risk since in the past, this dish (outside of Tuscany) can go very, very wrong. At Morandi, it went very, very right. With just the perfect portion, I happily finished every last bit of the tender slow-cooked boar and sopped up as much of the well-layered tomato sauce as I could using the fresh pasta as my vehicle. And with a bit of grated cheese to add another layer of flavors and texture to the dish it was quite lovely!

My meal was complete with a plate of mini-cannoli, a dessert I can never resist. The shell of the pastry was thinner than expected, closer to the texture of a sugar cone than a traditional cannoli. The filling was fresh and lemony with a nice strong flavor of pistachio. A load of powdered sugar and plenty of tiny chocolate chips gave the presentation a nice touch while adding to the flavor of the dessert.

I think the old school folk might have been a bit disappointed in the portion size and the rustic slant of the menu, however, if you are looking for a casual, reasonably priced Italian restaurant in the very crowded restaurant row of Seventh Ave in the West Village you really can't go wrong at Morandi.