Oficina Latina

New York is an amazing city. I am always discovering something new and it usually makes me fall in love with the city just a little bit more each time. Sometimes it's a new (to me) museum or a new restaurant and on occasion a new neighborhood. The latter is what happened earlier this month. I never go to Nolita. I'm sure I've stumbled through it a few nights, but earlier this month when I went to a press dinner at Oficina Latina I found a new restaurant that would give me reason to go to a new (to me) neighborhood.

I perused the expansive menu online and was definitely looking forward to the night. When I arrived and reviewed the tasting menu, I was excited that many of the items I lusted over during  my initial review were on the tasting menu! We started with a Calamari and Scallop Ceviche.

Of all the ceviches that I've eaten, I don't know that scallops have ever made it on my plate. I'm usually not a fan of calamari in ceviche but this was quite tasty. The use of celery and pineapple is what really made this ceviche stand out.  They went perfectly with the plantain chips too! I preferred the ceviche calamari over our next dish the Pulpo a la Parilla.

The octopus was tender with a smoky taste and definitely better than it looked. The potato and celery salad added a great textural mix. I wish it had more potato though. They were so tender and deliciously flavored. The arepas were a pleasant surprise!

I usually avoid them because of one bad experience a very long time ago. I'm suspicious of them because they seem like fake me out soft taco in sandwich form.  That day, I learned their joy. The chicken and avocado was a light and tasty blend.  The arepas were a nice warm up for my absolute favorite dish, the Jarrete de Cordero.

Lamb shank that was slowly cooked and melted in my mouth. I was blown away by the flavor.  The sweet plantain puree was a nice touch that I may have to try at home soon. I would definitely return just for this dish. It was definitely the best plate that landed on the table. The Avocado Flan dessert was a refreshing and unexpected way to end the night.

I'm always impressed when an ingredient is used effectively in a non-traditional way. Oficina Latina had more highlights than I expected. The lamb was by far the best dish with the ceviche and avocado flan coming in at a close second. The lamb alone is worth the trip but there are other items on the menu I would love to try.

Hungry yet?

Essex NYC

Way back in the spring, GMTT made her way into town. She selected Essex as the site for our reunion dinner. What an excellent selection! The group agreed that Oysters would be our first course.

These fresh bites were impressive when they arrived but even better once I ate them!  There were a couple of interesting items on the menu and they even made their way onto our table. The Potato Pancakes with homemade salmon gravlax, salmon caviar and sour cream was an interesting arrival.

I wasn't interested but it disappeared pretty quickly. The crisp potato pancake was surprisingly delicious with the salmon.  I couldn't resist the Scallops.

Four perfectly seared scallops over croutons, watermelon, roasted peaches and basil. Yum! I was a little hesitant because of the fruit, but the watermelon provided a juiciness that was quite refreshing. The croutons were crunchy goodness, but I could have done without the basil.  One of the better-looking dishes was the Grilled Shrimp & Avocado Salad.

The tail on shrimp was seasoned and grilled to perfection. The avocado salad and large slices of avocado were served on a bed of baby spinach.  The portion was just right for a starter and the avocado salad was my favorite part!  The Endive Salad didn't look quite as good.

Pecan and dried cranberries with Gorgonzola puffs and pear vinaigrette. Meh. I didn't eat it but Ms. P cleaned up the plate. I guess it's good, if you're into that type of thing.  The starter menu had a lot of appeal. G ordered the Chipotle baby lamb t-bone.

The lamb was cooked just right and tasted even better with the sauce.  The pear tasted good but I was not interested in the watercress.  I was a big fan of the Tilapia and Mango Ceviche!

The cubes of Tilapia were well flavored with cilantro and aji amarillo.  The big chunks of mango and avocado were splendid!  I ate way more than I should have but I savored each bite.   We eventually moved on to a few main dishes. The Papardelle was quite impressive.

Those huge fresh pieces of pasta were amazing. It tasted even better with the fresh seafood mix of shrimp, calamari and mussels.  I would definitely go back to try that.  I ordered the Cajun Spiced Catfish.

It was served over shrimp and potatoes.   Holy Deliciousness!  The fish was juicy and well spiced.  The shrimp and potatoes were spectacular.  I loved the blend of seafood and I'm a huge fan of potatoes.  Although my stomach was bulging at this point, but the meal had been so good I couldn't turn down dessert.

The Warm Chocolate cake with caramel and fresh fruit was the best way to close out the meal. We ordered a couple for the table and within a few minutes of them landing at our table, there was no evidence they ever existed.

This was a memorable meal thanks to the many dishes that provided satisfaction to my taste buds. There are a few dishes I'll definitely be revisiting. The meal was also incredibly affordable considering how much we ate.  Can't wait to go back!!

Hungry yet?

Muriel's Jackson Square

After spending several months looking forward to my escape from NY, I was psyched when Ms. O and I finally made it to New Orleans. It is definitely one of my favorite cities in the US. As Tennessee Williams said, "There are three great cities in the US, New York, San Francisco and New Orleans...everywhere else is just Cleveland."

We started with a tour that helped us get acquainted with some of the sites we would return to later during our trip. For dinner our first night, we decided to dine at Muriel's Jackson Square. We were greeted by the hostess and immediately escorted to our table. We had two servers. One person for drinks and another for our food. They take their drinks very seriously in NoLa!

We immediately encountered a problem because the menu had too many great choices!! We decided to order as much as we thought was reasonable. Our first dish was the Creole Tomato and Crab.

The display was enough to make me melt a little bit. We were there during the height of the Creole Tomato festival. These were some special tomatoes. It was like heirloom infused with an extra level of sweetness and freshness. The jumbo crabmeat was mixed with avocado and tossed in a tarragon tartar sauce. The tartar sauce initially threw me off because it was creamy and reminded me of mayonnaise.  The dish was well balanced but definitely a little rich, which isn't surprising when you mix crab with avocado.  Of course Ms. O ordered a salad.

The romaine lettuce tossed with a roasted garlic and Parmesan dressing with shaved red onions and herb croutons was inoffensive. It looked good but I refuse to acknowledge salad as a part of my meal, especially when Escargot is an option.

The Escargots Orleans was phenomenal.  The tender escargot with fennel, leeks, and oyster mushrooms simmered in a roasted garlic butter were served in a flaky vol-au-vent shell. Definitely melt in your mouth goodness. The contrast of the buttery snail and the flaky crust made every bite perfect.  As though the appetizers were not rich enough, we went for the gold with our entrées.  Ms. O ordered the pan seared maple leaf duck breast. 

Any one who has read my duck related entries knows how weak my knees get when duck lands on the table. This dish was a double dose because it was served with duck confit dirty rice, leeks and baby carrots with a blackberry gastrique. Holy Moley!! 

The duck confit dirty rice was the most spectacular rice I have ever eaten. I fully intend on recreating this masterpiece.  I had a little bit of food envy but that was quickly dismissed when my Blackened Redfish arrived. 

The large filet of fish was a bit intimidating.  It was perfectly seasoned but I especially loved the peppery Louisiana Crab stuffing. The stuffing was moist but not watery. The best bite was the combination of the fish and stuffing swirled in the accompanying Blue Crab butter sauce.

Muriel's you wowed me in a way that I will never forget. I genuinely enjoyed every bite on every plate. My only regret was my inability to finish my entrée.  I will definitely be back next time I'm in New Orleans!!

Hungry yet?

Vai Restaurant

I’ve been spending more time in the Upper West Side these days and with good reason. With the recent (re)opening of Vai Restaurant, I have even more reason to head back.  I was invited to a press dinner to celebrate Chef Vincent Chirico’s move from a smaller space to its new location on Amsterdam between 80^th and 81^st Street really suits him and the food at Vai.

We started with what was one of the highlights of the meal.  Hamachi and yellowfin tuna duo.

It was layered on avocado and floating in a preserved ginger sauce.  The sushi grade tuna was delightful – it actually tasted like sashimi at the best sushi restaurant I’ve ever been to.  Incredible.  The avocado provided a great textual contrast to the fish. This was definitely one of the highlights of the meal and I highly recommend it to anyone who dines at Vai.  Next up the Pan Roasted Sea Scallops.

The scallop was fantastic. The seasoning was light and each bite was even better when I included some of the parsnip mousseline that was served with the scallops.  A full portion consists of 4 scallops. The surprise of the night came when the Alaskan Roasted King Crab Leg arrived.

Oh boy! The picture might not do it any justice. The king crab was succulent and tasted even better when it was dipped in the brown butter.  The side of risotto was amaaaaaazing! I’m definitely not a risotto lover, but I may have been turned out by this meal.  I was impressed that it was so rich, creamy and impeccably flavored with a little bit of crab in every bite. It really was a special moment for me. While the rest of the table dined on a Beef Duo of filet mignon and short rib, I was served the Burrata Ravioli.

I was really looking forward to the ravioli. It turned out to be the only misstep of the entire meal. The ravioli was slightly salty. It lacked the precision of every other dish, which was unfortunate. All was forgotten once the desserts arrived. Although he doesn’t serve them as trios on his menu, I plan on ordering them together the next time I’m there.  I started with the passion fruit mousse.

It was sweet and delicate. The Almond pot de crème was next up.

It was a shame the pot was so little. The crystallized bits of almond were perfect with the creamy almond creme.  By far my favorite dessert was the Frozen Chocolate Mousse.

Holy smokes! It tasted even better than it looks! It was the kind of chocolate dessert that would make even a non-chocolate lover fall head over heels. It was perfectly balanced with the espresso mascarpone. It wasn't frozen so it didn't taste like ice cream. Instead it was the perfect mousse texture and though light, it was firm enough to scoop and give it a swirl in the espresso mascarpone without risk of it falling off my spoon before arriving at it's final destination.

Vai was a marvelous experience.  The restaurant is beautiful with recessed lighting and exposed brick. About 20-30% of the menu changes weekly so you can be sure the food you’re eating will be fresh. The outside was covered by scaffolding for a few weeks and now that it’s uncovered, I hope they spruce it up soon. It is on a block of Amsterdam Ave that was dying, but thankfully Vai has helped revive it! They are open for dinner nightly and brunch on the weekends. They must have a loyal following because they were quite busy for a Tuesday night. I look forward to returning soon.

Hungry yet?

The Counter: Custom Built Burgers

Several months ago when I was still wearing a jacket outside and praying the temperature would at least hit 50, I saw a deal on Gilt City to build my own burger at The Counter. Of course I told MM about it. A few weeks ago we finally made it to The Counter. It's a smallish space in Times Square but it was pretty lively and the Heat/Celtics game was on. We started with the Turkey Chili.

OMG! It was soooo good! The little bits of dried cranberries were perfect with the sweet yet spicy chili. I tried to stop myself but I definitely ate far more than I should have! We also ordered sweet potato fries and regular fries.

Yum! The sweet potato fries were great and the other fries were perfect for eating with the chili. What makes The Counter so special is that you can build your own burger! When you sit down, you fill out an order sheet and mark off what you want.

MM ordered a salad with a whole lotta goodness.

It was apparently pretty good though it is still pretty strange to turn a burger into a salad. I ordered a juicy grilled chicken burger.

The sautéed onion was a bit overwhelming but the other toppings were excellent. The jalapeños, pickles, corn and sweet BBQ sauce were excellent. The bun also held up pretty well!

The Counter is a pretty pricy burger joint but it was really delicious! The burger was great but I was even more excited about the chili and fries. If you're hanging out in Times Square and in the mood for a delicious burger and some great starters/sides, I recommend  heading over to The Counter.

Hungry yet?

Crock Pot Magic

Looks like a weekend full of birthdays.  Tomorrow is Mr. G’s older brother’s birthday. His girlfriend, Ms. S was kind enough to cook a birthday dinner for a few friends. 

The meal started off with a couple of appetizers.  Shrimp cocktail and Guacamole.

The shrimp cocktail was pretty standard.  The Guacamole was extraordinary.  She made it herself, which made it even more remarkable.  The ingredients were fresh and the avocado was perfectly ripe.

Apparently, she was trying to redeem herself from a previous less than stellar cooking experience.  She decided on a Dominican dish, Sofrito Chicken.  I was able to snap a picture of the chicken when it first entered the slow cooker.

7-10 hours later, the meal was served.  Amazingly delicious.  It was well put together.  The chicken fell off the bone.  I didn’t even need a knife!  The rice and beans were also really good.  

Mr. G added a birthday cake from Crumbs which was also really tasty.  Cookie Dough YUM!

A great Sunday night meal.  Hopefully this week will include more home cooking.  I haven’t cooked in over a week!

Hungry yet?

  

Spice Market

I first discovered Spice Market last year.  I enjoyed a magnificent birthday dinner with my favorites in a private alcove room.  We ate like royalty and I hoped that someday I would return.  Since then, I’ve been to Spice Market a couple of times, but have yet to try the tasting menu.

That opportunity finally presented itself tonight. *  A few weeks ago, I received an e-mail from Ms. F, Mr. J’s girlfriend inviting me to a surprise birthday dinner for Mr. J.  I’ve known Mr. J since the first year of law school and as he is now “on the precipice of 30” a dinner at Spice Market was perfect.

In the Singapore room, 12 of us squeezed in for an intimate dinner in a relaxing atmosphere.  The picture is actually of the Kuala Lumpur room, our room looked used by the time we left J

There are two tasting menu options.  The 10-flavor and the 12-flavor.  Being the food lover that I am, I pushed for the 12-flavor menu and luckily so did many others.  12-flavor it is!  Get ready this will be a long post.

We started with the Shaved tuna with chili tapioca pearls, Asian pear and lime.  Oh la la!  What an excellent start.  The tuna was fresh (as though I could expect anything less).  The chili tapioca pearls were amazing; you know how I love a little spice in my food.  The Asian pear is light and is a great contrast to the chili tapioca pearls.  Definitely a great way to start.

Next up, one piece of a Lobster Summer Roll filled with Citrus-Dill Gelee and Sriracha Emulsion.  I wasn’t crazy about the Lobster Roll.  I’m generally not a fan of summer rolls though so this is not a reflection of Spice Market, just my taste.  The roll was small and not very memorable.  When we tried to recall everything we ate, no one remembered the Lobster Roll.

Luckily, the Black Pepper Shrimp with Sun-Dried Pineapple came in and saved the day.  My goodness, this is the most fantastic shrimp dish ever.  I absolutely love it and this was the main reason I pushed for the 12-flavor.  The sauce is deliciously spicy and has little pieces of Asian pear.  The pineapple is amazing! Although it is coated in batter, the batter is very light and doesn’t get in the way of the freshness of the pineapple.   If I knew how to make this dish, I would cook it every day!

Next up skewers.  Mr. G and I don’t dig the swine so we went with the Chicken Skewers with a lime dipping sauce.   The skewers were unimpressive.  The chicken didn’t have enough flavor and I didn’t love the lime dipping sauce.  I did enjoy the presentation though.  Can you see the little coals down there? 

Our friends were all about the Pork Satay and the picked vegetables (cauliflower and pepper).  They had all sorts of great things to say, including Ms. F’s comment that “it smells so piggy.”

Probably the dish with the most controversy was the Avocado and Radish salad served with Chinese mustard and topped with Tempura Onions.  There was a lot of debate as to whether they were tempura onions or onion rings and some objection to being served onion rings.  In the end, the avocado & radish was great.  The tempura onion was extremely crispy and the batter was flavorful.  Not my favorite, but definitely good enough to eat!

The Chicken Samosas came next.  Our last appetizer, definitely the best.  They were accompanied with a cilantro yogurt.  Woweee, samosa never tasted so good! This little pastry was filled with potatoes, chickpeas and chicken.  Couldn't be happier!

6 dishes in, I was starting to slow down, but right then things got lively.  Our server announced that he hated Will Smith, which caused a collective roar.  Seconds later, one of the women in the room next-door came over ready to start something, but quickly decided against it.  We had a few laughs at her expense and that of the other people in her group.  If only I had a video of one of the women singing Happy Birthday to Mr. J.

Back to the food…our entrees and side dishes started showing up pretty quickly.  Cod with Malaysian Chili and Thai Basil.  It was perfectly timed.  After eating so much, we definitely needed something light.  The Cod itself wasn’t full of flavor but its accompaniments were fantastic when added to the Cod.

The Baby Corn and Broccoli with Lemongrass and Chili.  Yummers!  I love broccoli and corn off the kernel is fantastic.  

I took a quick detour into the Vegetarian tasting menu and had some of the Chili Egg-Garlic Noodles.  It was incredible!  Definitely reminded me of our last lunch in SF.

Our Ginger Fried Rice also arrived.  The rice comes with a sunny side up egg on top.  You’re supposed to mix it into the rice and the steam helps the yolk cook at the table.  Mr. R, who is a fellow blogger, was kind enough to mix the rice.  I must say he did a great job.  He also was helpful in assisting me by making sure no one touched the food before I snapped a picture.

Next up the Char Grilled Chicken with Kumquat Lemongrass Dressing.  The Chicken was a HIT! Sadly, it was already 12:45 when the chicken arrived.  I had lost my ability to pick up my chopsticks and enjoy my food, but I managed to get a few bites in.

Finally, our desserts arrived.  The Ovaltine® Kulfi topped with Caramelized Banana and Spiced Milk Chocolate Sauce.  Although there was some objection to the idea of Ovaltine, it was pretty good.  Very rich though so I only had a couple of bites.

We also had the Thai Jewels and Fruits with Crushed Coconut Ice.  The fruit included papaya, but I cannot remember what else was in there.  It was alright, but too rich for me. 

Just as I thought I was losing my sweet tooth, I had a taste of Mr. J’s birthday Kumquat Cheesecake with Mandarin Sorbet and Fennel Tuille.  YUM! This was the best dessert and I would have loved to take some of that home with me, but we helped Mr. J finish it up.

As expected, Spice Market was fantastic! The food was delicious and while I loved the tasting menu, there are sooo many great things that we didn’t even get to eat.  You really have to go to Spice Market several times to enjoy everything you need to enjoy there.  If you’re ever having a group dinner, Spice Market is the place to do it!

Hungry yet?

* Note while this post is dated Saturday, the meal started on Saturday around 10pm and ended around 1:30am on Sunday.