El Kallejon

I've never been a fan of the east side. Something about it just never appealed to me as a child and I find it even less appealing as an adult. This is especially true in my neighborhood. I don't cross fifth avenue uptown but when Shrutster suggested that we find tapas in Harlem, I figured it was the perfect opportunity. El Kallejon is the kind of restaurant you would miss if you didn't know where to look. Tucked away down a few stairs on 117th and 3rd, it is overshadowed by its brighter, more colorful sister restaurant, Agua Fresca. The restaurant has only been open for about 9 months and doesn't have much of a weeknight crowd. The menu had several notable options and we were starving. We started with the Picudo Fish Ceviche.

It was like a bowl of never ending deliciousness! The fish was bite size and perfectly proportioned. The blend of jalapeño, red onion and lime juice was tart with a spicy bite. The ceviche was easily the highlight of the meal but the other dishes also didn't disappoint.

The El kallejon garlic shrimp tostas were a delicious surprise. The mix of garlic shrimp, chipotle aioli, avocado and roasted pineapple were creamier than I expected. I was a little hesitant to bite in, but was thrilled by the delicious shrimp and refreshing avocado. The pieces if bread were lightly toasted but thankfully not crispy.

We also ordered the Pollito tacos. I'm definitely a soft taco kinda girl so I was excited when these arrived. The bright colors and mix of adobo marinated chicken, black beans and salsa was even better when I added the avocado jalapeño sauce. I was overstuffed so it was hard to finish the tacos but I enjoyed every bite. Our server was kind enough to offer us a complimentary dessert.

The flan wasn't particularly delicious. I don't think it was because I was full. I think it had more to do with the consistency of the flan. The heart shape was cute but that's about the only thing desirable about the dessert. Next time I'll skip it or order something else. Thankfully the meal was otherwise worth it. I'm thinking East Harlem will be seeing more of me soon.

Hungry yet?

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?

Mo-CHiCa Los Angeles

This summer has flown by. I've spent almost as much time on the road as I've spent in NY.  My last trip was a two week stretch in Los Angeles.  I was not that impressed with most of what I ate out there but I did encounter a few gems.  The lovely Peruvian restaurant Mo-CHiCa was a pleasant surprise after days of bland eats.  Mrs. C and I met up after work and decided to wander 7th street until we came across something desirable. The menu looked promising so we took a chance. The restaurant was well decorated and had a laid back breezy feel.  We were famished so we quickly decided what we wanted to try.  We started with the Causa de Cangrejo.

A refreshing blend of aji amarillo mashed potatoes, fresh crab and avocado.  Although the flavors were lively and bold, I was disappointed the the mashed potatoes were cold.  The Ceviche Carretillero was fantastic!

The fresh slices of sea bass were swirled with leche de tigre, red onion and yuzo.  As our meal went on, each dish was better than the last.  When the Arroz con mariscos arrived, the aroma alone made me salivate.

The Peruvian seafood paella was flavorful, spicy and pretty much perfect.  The rice was cooked just right and although it looked soggy, I was pleasantly surprised. It tasted even better when you mixed in the red onions.  Our last dish was the Paiche.

This Amazonian fish from Peru is served on top of a bed of ajiaco de arroz and cherry tomato escabeche. It had a lot more spice than the paella. The fish was firm so it didn't crumble but it was still tender.  The rice tasted different than the paella, it was more like a spicy stewed rice.  Although we were truly satisfied with everything we ate, we couldn't resist dessert.

The Alfajores were fantastic!  These Peruvian cookies are shortbread cookies sandwiched around dulce de leche.  The other sandwich was made of chocolate ganache. They were dusted with powdered sugar.  Amazing!! The cookies were rich and just what we needed to end the meal.

Mo-Chica was a delicious experience. Each dish was perfectly flavored and they built on each other as each dish arrived.  I wish I could have gone back again to try some of the other dishes that caught my eye.  No worries, I'll be back in LA soon enough.

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?

Flounder Ceviche

A while back when things were a little crazy but I had a slight reprieve, I decided to have a little get together.  I can’t help but feed people when I invite them over, so I decided the theme for the evening would be South America.  After menu planning with Bestie, I made sure to shop for the appropriate pairings for our dishes.  While I’ll be posting some of the recipes over the next few posts, my favorite one – the one that had me brushing off my own shoulders was the Ceviche!

It was actually remarkably easy but I was definitely reluctant.  I mean seriously who cooks fish in lime?

Ingredients

1lb flounder, or other white fish

1 tsp salt

8-10 limes, juiced (enough to cover fish)

½ jalapeno, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

½ red onion, chopped

¼ cup cilantro, chopped

Cut fish into ½ inch strips.  Place fish in bowl and add salt.  

Pour lime juice over fish and cover with plastic wrap.  

Let fish marinate in the fridge for at least 20 minutes or until the fish appears cooked (it will be a more solid white color rather than opaque).  

Remove from fridge and stir in jalapeno, garlic, onion and cilantro.  

Serve with plantain chips.

This ceviche was a hit!  It is so incredibly easy to make, I can’t believe I was so scared.  My guests loved it and I will definitely be making it again.

Hungry yet?

Limon Restaurant - San Francisco

I had a great time my first time in San Francisco last year. This year I decided to visit my PIC and GMTT.  I was a little nervous about having my worlds collide, but food is a universal unifier so I figured it would be a great time.  GMTT gave me a few options and ultimately we decided on Limon.  It was quite the festive restaurant. Very bright and a little loud, but overall a great scene.  The menu is expansive and we had more options than we needed, but that didn’t stop us from over indulging.  The Truffle mac-n-cheese came out first.

Whoa. They were too rich for me. I took one bite and my eyes immediately rolled in the back of my head.  PIC and GMTT made sure to take care of the rest. The Sweet Potato Fries were more my speed.

They were the perfect combination of sweet and salty. I loved it! Since Limon is a Peruvian restaurant, it’s only right that we ordered Ceviche.

This Red Snapper Ceviche was delightful! It was slightly tart with a tangy finish.  GMTT and PIC also ordered the Lomo Saltado.

They really enjoyed the stir-fry of sirloin strips.  I ate a couple of the fries – couldn’t help myself. We also ordered the Chicharron de Pollo.

At this point, I was stuffed beyond belief but still managed a few bites of these crispy pieces of chicken.  The best part was as crispy as the chicken was the inside was moist and well seasoned.  My favorite dish was the Pescado Limon.

It was beautifully presented, but also tasted incredible. The crispy fried snapper was layered over crispy potatoes and spinach.  The sauce was excellent. I couldn’t quite finish the dish, but thankfully the next morning I was able to reheat it and enjoy it a lot! As stuffed as I was, I certainly couldn’t turn down dessert.  PIC and GMTT went with the Profiteroles.

Those sugar-dusted cream puffs were a big hit. I wasn’t interested though. I was a big fan of the Bandido.

The Warm Chocolate Cake was amaaaaazing. The caramelized apples and dulce de leche ice cream went perfectly with the warm chocolate cake.  I couldn’t help myself I finished every last bite. The worlds collide dinner was fantastic! I really enjoyed Limon and of course any opportunity to hang with GMTT and PIC. 

Hungry yet?

The Mussel Pot

What a brilliant idea! An entire restaurant dedicated to one delicious ingredient that I love - mussels! When I received the email from Blackboard Eats I immediately hopped on it. Thankfully Ms. S was available for what turned out to be one of the best meals I've had this year. Located in Greenwich Village, The Mussel Pot is a delightful restaurant that is tastefully decorated. Their outside garden is beautiful. It's well lit and has a waterfall. Unfortunately there were people sitting there so I wasn't able to snap a quality picture. The menu is obviously filled with mussels but they also had some excellent seafood appetizers. We ordered two items. The Crispy Fried Calamari was a must have.

The calamari was good although certain parts had batter falling off. The best part of the calamari is that it was served with chipotle aioli, classic marinara and chimichurri sauce. The chipotle aioli had a smoky flavor that livened up my taste buds and finished with a slight kick. The marinara was hands down the best marinara I've tasted - especially as a calamari dip! The chimichurri was lacking so I didn't go back for too many dips. When our Seafood Ceviche arrived my jaw dropped.

The combination of shrimp, scallops and lobster served with plantain chips made my mouth water and my eyes bulge! It was incredibly tasty. The tart lime flavor went well with the seafood. The plantain chips provided the perfect balance. I was a little disappointed we only received 4. Who do you think you're feeding here?! I dealt with it though and we moved on to the mussels. The pot of Fra Diavolo was dangerously good.

The mussels were cooked with tomato, garlic, fresh herbs and spicy pepper. The spiciness definitely came through. Each mussel was amazingly delicious. I wasn't even upset when I picked up empty shells. I would scoop some sauce with the shell and slurp it up. We selected another from the Italian section. The Ciopino was fantastic.

A classic Italian broth that was both spicy and sweet. It also contained delicious surprises in the form of clams, shrimp and scallops. I was in love!

Ms. S and I tore through both pots and were pretty successful but in the end the mussels got the best of us. We only left a few but we were incredibly satisfied. 

It was the first time in a long time that I turned down the dessert menu. Hurry over to the mussel pot it is an amazing restaurant dedicated to one of my favorites. The meal was spectacular from beginning to end and I definitely will return soon.

Hungry yet?