odds and ends from nyc

With all the tastiness that was had in January, there isn't enough time to chronicle each meal.  Here's a mish mash of pictures taken over the course of the month with a few words about each.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Rooibos Glazed Ribs and stewed lamb in bread at Braai, a South African restaurant near the theater district.  It had the perfect ambiance, bustling but not crowded, and the dishes were delicious.  The flavors seemed like a mesh of Indian and soul food, so we weren't sure if the fact that it was South African lended anything unique to the taste, but thoroughly enjoyed the meal nonetheless.  It was here that I had Six Hats Sauvignon Blanc, a delicious wine with the start of a riesling and the finish of a sauv blanc.  Since then, I have been on a mad dash to find the wine in stores, to no success at present.

Roast Chicken at the Smith.  Juewon and I met a mash up of our friends at this large East Village location, and though Steph did not enjoy her pecan crusted fish, I very much liked the chicken and bites of Juewon's ribeye steak.  I found the drinks, however, to be overpriced for their size and unmemorable.

Just a few more photos from Jean Georges in case you didn't get enough from Juewon's post.  It was truly an amazing brunch and felt like an intellectual as well as a culinary experience.  Later on in the day, I would remember tastes from brunch and feel very satisfied with those memories.

Tuna carpaccio at Fig & Olive, meatpacking branch.  Juewon and I stopped by for a quick bite and found this to be very tasty.

I worked near a Bouchon and one day forced my co-intern to make a trip there with me.  The taste of this giant pistachio macaroon with a cup of earl grey was absolutely decadent.  It ended up being too much macaroon, but it was absolutely fantastic.

Curry seafood soup at Republic in Union Square.  It's a lively, fun location with a variety of different noodle dishes.  It wasn't overly soul-gratifying or life changing, but definitely very satisfying.  I would come here again.

On one chilly evening, Ana picked me up for a night of bratwurst and mashed potatoes in Long Island.  I usually find bratwurst too salty or chewy or something, but this was sweet, savory, and delicious.  The sauerkraut complemented it perfectly, and I found myself overly full but pining for more.

NYC and Jersey City are the only places I've had Vietnamese grilled chicken served with my pho.  I definitely missed it, and though I am glad to say that Cleveland's Superior Pho makes a better noodle soup, Manhattan's Pho Grand makes an excellent grilled chicken.  The smoothie pictured up top is an avocado smoothie, something everyone at the Jersey City Vietnamese place I used to go ordered.  It was less sweet at Pho Grand, but definitely grows on you.

And now the last night in NYC!  We met friends at Cubana Social in Williamsburg for one final meal.  The food was PHENOMENAL.  This gross flash picture will not convey that, but the flavors were rich and the textures were tender but still had body.  Drinks were also tasty.  Definitely come here!

one if by land

 

Excitement abounds!  Steph and I headed to One if by Land, Two if by Sea in the West Village for a mid-week treat.  In college I had always come across the restaurant in my internet searchings, only to be dismayed by the numerous dollar signs that followed the reviews.  Thankfully, my stay in NY encompassed restaurant week/month, so we quickly made reservations at this notable NY place and debated their menu options. 

   

One of the biggest strengths of the restaurants certainly lies in its ambiance.  Juewon informed me it was "one of the most romantic restaurants in the city," and I assured him I would try not to leave him for Stephanie as we enjoyed this candlelit dinner.  The restaurant is on the unassuming Barrow Street, and upon entry you are greeted with the charming jazz of a baby grand piano player and his petite Asian trumpet counterpart.  The bar in front was bustling with friends and dates cozily enjoying plushy seats by the charming fireplace.  Our hostess lead us up the stairs, and we noted the multiple chandeliers with stained glass.  The hotel was the old carriage house of Aaron Burr, and the window next to me housed the pistols from his and Alexander Hamilton's duel!

The amuse bouche set up us for a much better dinner than we actually experienced.  It was some sort of celery root creme topped with a rice cracker-tasting bit, and it was absolutely delicious.  The creme was light and airy on top, with a rich but fresh taste of celery juice below.  For my starter I tasted the Roasted Bartlett pear accompanied with dried cherries, blue cheese, pistachios, and sliced endives.  The blue cheese and pistachios were salty and satisfying, and I'm glad I tried roasted pears, but the endive bits on the side were unnecessary and tasted like chopped raw celery.  Steph absolutely adored her chestnut tagliatelle cooked in venison ragout, which was "a good portion and incredibly satisfying.  The venison ragout was unexpected and delicious.  I would say it was a tad on the oily side, but that certainly didn't hurt my enjoyment of it"   

 

For our main courses, I had the mushroom risotto while Steph finally decided on the braised short rib ("Is it too Asian with the Korean glaze?  Would the Hake fillet be satisfying?).  Though the risotto was certainly tasty, it was on the dry side with only three mushroom bits scattered at the edges.  It was also slightly cool and didn't pack as much buttery goodness as I was expecting.  I also felt rather cheated that I had a better mushroom risotto at a pit stop in Richmond, Indiana.  

Steph was more disappointed in her short rib, which was "not as tender as one would expect, chewy, and stringy.  There were moments when I had a bite with the radish strips and sticky rice where I could understand what they were going for, but overall it was probably 15% of what I hoped it would be." 

 

Our meal concluded with an ice cream popcorn sundae and a fondant cake with cappucino ice cream.  Though my ice cream was, how do you say...half melted...the caramel popcorn bits were really tasty and overall, spoons of chocolately cream were not the worst way to end the meal.  Steph thoroughly enjoyed her cake and ice cream, and we received some blackberry pastry bites at the end!  

Despite the patchy quality of the meal, I'm still really glad I got to try this restaurant out.  I am exceedingly glad, however, that I went during restaurant week rather than for the normal prix fixe, as I do not believe it was worth anywhere near $80.  Perhaps stop by for a drink, a small plate, and enjoy the old school coziness of the jazz duo before stepping back out into a windy night some time!

in which i break the cardinal rules of food photography

I would never dare to claim that I am even at an amateur level of food photography, but in my adventures I have happened to come across a tip or two.  Unfortunately, this week of eating brought circumstances that forced me to abandon the simplest of rules.  The meals were delicious, however, and I insist on chronicling them despite my glaring and harsh photos!

 Never, ever use flash!!!

 

 

Crispy Ipoh Squid

Basil Mango Beef

Late Wednesday night, Ana picked me up for a surprise "free bottle of wine with online reservation" dinner.  After I got in the car, we drove two blocks, parked, and entered Hachi Bistro.  Dark, red lighting and goldfish in porcelain vases greeted us at this Asian restaurant tucked at the edges of Williamsburg.  Given the sketchy details surrounding the reservation and the just-out-of-normal-people-reach location, I wasn't expecting much.  We ordered the crispy ipoh squid, a spicy salmon roll, basil mango beef, and pad thai.  

The highlight of the meal was definitely the squid.  It was battered in tempura, fried in butter, and sauteed with green peppers, onion, and fresh basil.  Knowing full well the gluten-y nausea that would follow, I still had my full share of the squid.  The rest of the meal was delicious, especially the smooth and flavorful basil mango beef.  I would definitely go back to try a few other dishes on their menu.

Don't photograph in a shadow!

Huevos Rancheros and Fried Yuca

There are few things greater on a Manhattan Sunday than a delicious prix-fixe brunch with little wait time at noon.  Despite the 13 degree windy weather,  Joanna and I met at Esperanto for huevos rancheros and fried yuca.  This brazilian spot had less obnoxious decor than I would think, just lively enough to be fun but clear that the staff was dedicated more to the quality of their food.  

Brunch came with mediocre drip coffee but a delightful mimosa, perhaps the grown-up version of a red bull vodka.  The huevos rancheros tortilla was exceptionally buttery, and the eggs were beautifully runny with a fresh heaping of tomatoes and red onion.  The potatoes were dusted with chile powder and accompanied with black beans.  Joanna and I caught up on work happenings, post-college gossip, and 2012 plans.  After wandering the east village and both being successful at finding heavy-duty scarves (Zara and Urban Outfitters win!), we parted to let Joanna get started on journaling for the Golden Globes.

Don't use artificial light, and do use props and styling!

It could have been the freezing weather or just my lingering cold, but I returned to Brooklyn with a cloud of dizziness and malaise.  After laying in a dark room for a few hours contemplating my frigid demise, I finally decided to get up and make myself something warming.  The following soup turned out super awesome and life-giving, such that I am now able to blog!  The next time you feel like you're in a stew of unending sickness, I hope this soup will calm your head and stomach!

1. Bring 2 cups of chicken broth to a boil.  
2. Tear up 1-2 cups of a rotisserie chicken with a mix of white meat, dark meat, and skin.
3. Chop up 1/2 cup of cilantro.
4. Combine chicken, cilantro, and a big handful of baby spinach leaves in the broth and continue to boil for 2 additional minute.
5. Sip slowly and feel the rejuvenation of chicken and spinach!!

<3

Jane