Masq Restaurant & Lounge

It’s no secret that I LOVE NEW ORLEANS! Food is the primary reason that I love that city.  So when I received an invite to attend a press dinner at Masq Restaurant & Lounge, a New York restaurant with a New Orleans theme, I HAD to be there.  The theme is definitely there in the décor.  There are three main areas and my favorite is definitely the back lounge area, which is heavy on the masques and likely to be the location of my birthday celebration next year.

Aside from the décor, the food is heavily influenced by New Orleans, but also has some standout dishes outside of that theme.   By far my favorite dish was the Shrimp Po Boy.

It was served on a sweet Hawaiian roll, which enhanced the flavor of the Cajun fried shrimp by providing a contrast.  The spicy remoulade was also a game changer that brought up the level of complexity in an otherwise simple Po boy.  The Asian Marinated Salmon was a close second.

Since it falls outside of the theme, it couldn’t be the favorite.  It is usually offered as a special.  The honey garlic soy sauce had deep flavors. I treasured every bite of the salmon.  I also very much enjoyed the Maryland Crabcake.

Another item that falls slightly outside of the theme, but it was seasoned to perfection.  The breading was light and it was quite obvious I was eating chunks of crab and not filler.  The arugula was slightly salty so I stayed away from that part of the dish.  This is definitely not the restaurant for vegetarians.  Both the Grilled Vegetable Flatbread and the Asiago Cheese Wedges were the least successful dishes.  

The tomato basil sauce tasted great, but the cheese itself was bland and the breading was equally tasteless.  The flatbread suffered a similar fate.  It was also foiled by its use of cheese.  The goat cheese seemed odd and detracted from the flavors.

The two dishes I would most like to return for are the ones I did not taste.  The Mac ‘n Cheese Croquettes and the Jambalaya.  Both of them contain some form of pork so I unfortunately missed out.  Judging by the empty plates and looks of satisfaction around the table, I would guess that these were the top dishes.  I have already inquired and I’m pleased to hear that the chef is willing to work with me and de-pork these dishes, when it comes to my birthday dinner.  I can’t WAIT to try both.

Masq’s menu is diverse but definitely has a clear New Orleans swing.  Considering my love for the city, I am thrilled that this restaurant exists in my city and I’m looking forward to returning.

Hungry yet? 

The Hudson House

I heart my mama bear like no other. For her birthday, the family got together and had dinner at The Hudson House in Nyack.  It was a spectacular affair and we had a wonderful time. We started with a few small plates. The Gnocchi of the day was my favorite.

Bite size pieces of potato gnocchi with arugula in a light tomato sauce.  As I write this, my mouth is watering a bit. The Surf & Turf also made its way onto our table.

A 4 oz Filet Mignon was served on a bed of spinach and topped with one shrimp. It was also served with crabmeat tater tots. I generally stayed away from this dish but couldn’t help but pop one of the “tater tots” into my mouth. YUM! That warmed up my taste buds to devour the Lump Crab Cake.

It was jam packed with crab and served on a bed of shaved fennel.  Scrumptious! They also had a special small plate that night, Pheasant. 

It was perfectly crisp and served on a bed of mushrooms. I didn’t care much for the sauce but the bird had perfectly crispy skin and was incredibly tender inside. Yum! Soon after our entrées started arriving.  With all the beef eaters in the family, it was no surprise that steak was a favorite on our table. 

The massive Porterhouse was apparently quite tasty as were the potatoes, however the broccoli rabe was underappreciated.  Even more steak arrived on the table.

Apologies, but when it comes to beef I can’t say I know the difference unless I’m paying attention.  This was also a tasty cut because by the time I turned around, there was no trace remaining on the plate.  Mama Bear ordered the Rainbow Trout.

It was a good-looking piece of fish, served with warm fingerling potatoes and sautéed spinach. I was quite pleased when she let me sample it.  The potatoes and spinach were perfect. The crispy skin of the trout was delicious. I only wish it was a bigger piece of fish. Not to worry, I was thrilled with my Duck two ways.

The delicious confit and the slices of duck breast were laid on a bed of sweet potato puree. There was also some Brussels sprouts on the plate. I pretended they didn’t exist. Just too green for my liking. The Free Range Chicken was quite impressive.

I’m usually unmoved by chicken, but this one, served with a side of potato & leek gratin was remarkable.  It was moist and flavorful. The chicken vinaigrette was excellent and likely why the chicken stayed so moist.  

The experience at The Hudson House was nothing less than fabulous. The food was excellent and I realized I shouldn’t have had such low opinions of Rockland County dining. Hudson House often has a lot of specials, so you will likely have to deal with the server spending an inordinate amount of time reciting the long list. Once you get past that though, there are great options and you will certainly enjoy your meal.

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?

Remlik's Grille & Oyster Bar

Graduation season has come and gone, but back in May I was fortunate to celebrate as Y-squared graduated from college. The two-day ceremony was worth the trip and totally brightened my weekend. We celebrated by having a post ceremony meal at one of the area's newest restaurants, Remlik's. They had a special graduation menu so unfortunately some of the delicious treats I spotted on the full menu (Seafood Fra Diavolo and Jumbo Diver Scallops, I'm talking to you) were unavailable. We made do though and still had a great time. We started with a couple of appetizers for the table. The Calamari was quite impressive.

Crispy goodness, this was actually the first time I ate the tentacles! The aioli was also quite tasty which might have been why I dared eat the tentacles.  The breadbasket arrived with warm corn bread and delicious rolls. 

The Crab Cake was even better.

No filler in this bad boy, just big huge chunks of jumbo lump crab meat. Oh man it was so good and also had a tangy coleslaw on the side. Y-squared ordered it as his entree so that meant more for me as appetizer! 

After a longer wait than I anticipated, our entrees started arriving. It was a slow process and I think there was some miscommunication in the kitchen because of the amount of time that passed between the arrival of our dishes.  I ordered the Fish & Chips.

It wasn't exactly what I expected and I had to remind myself that the Fish & Chips I ate in London will not be properly recreated at a random restaurant here. The breading was off it just didn't taste very good. No seasoning! The fish was surprisingly fresh though so I just peeled the breading and enjoyed myself. The ¼ chicken with asparagus and baked potato was also a great dish.

Considering the way white meat often disappoints, I was glad this was juicy.  The asparagus was also quite good, but of course the baked potato was boring.  The Cheese Steak was popular at our table and must have been great because there were several empty plates.

The Classic Reuben was also a hit. It’s served with either Roasted Turkey or Lean Corned Beef on Marbled Rye bread. 

My aunt tore it up and barely came up for air. The Burger was apparently similarly appetizing because there was another empty plate. 

I was a big fan of the French fries and the Sweet potato fries too. Although I don't foresee any more trips to Binghamton, locals should go check this place out. Definitely a big step up from most of the other restaurants in the area!

 Hungry yet?

Crisp Crab Cakes

When the Thanksgiving issue of Food & Wine arrived, I was ecstatic! Bestie saw me jumping up and down in the elevator like a kid on Christmas morning. I was thrilled when I saw the Crisp Crab Cake recipe. I knew I would have to make them…and I did. I made a few changes mostly because I wanted the crab cakes to be more filling but didn’t want to buy more crabmeat. I also made these as mini crab cakes so they could be served as appetizers.

Ingredients

½ pound skinless cod, cut into ½-inch pieces

5 scallions, thinly sliced

3 jalapenos, seeded and minced

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup mayonnaise

1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over

½ cups panko breadcrumbs

In a mini food processor, puree the fish. Transfer to a bowl and add the scallions, jalapenos, lemon juice, parsley, cayenne, salt, pepper and mayo and mix thoroughly. 

Gently fold in the crabmeat.

Form the mixture into 1-inch cakes. Be careful not to make them too round. 

These are crab cakes not croquettes! Coat the cakes with the panko and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

After the cakes are cooled, which helps them set, it’s frying time! In a large nonstick skillet, heat ¼ inch of oil until shimmering.  Add the crab cakes and cook over moderate heat until browned and heated through. 

This should take about 3 minutes per side.

The crab cakes were a hit at Friendsgiving! I made them again for Thanksgiving. They will definitely be a staple at future events.

Hungry yet? 

Friendsgiving 2011

It's the most wonderful time of the year! The Super Bowl of cooking is here! Thanksgiving is the BEST holiday EVER! I love my family and spending Thanksgiving with them is fantastic.  But, I also love my friends. So this year, I decided to get the best of both worlds by hosting a Friendsgiving a few weeks before Thanksgiving.  It was an awesome treat for me because I love cooking, eating, and hosting.  I tried a couple of new recipes, but also had many oldies but goodies in the mix.  I think there was something wrong with my camera, or perhaps I just got too excited about the food that I didn't get a chance to take a picture of certain dishes.  The recipe posts will hopefully come later, although last year I never got around to posting the recipes.  Without further ado, below are some of the delicious treats that were part of the feast.

The appetizer selection included two types of wings. Spicy BBQ on the right and Jerk Wings on the left.

Mr. N got quite the shock when he took a bite of the Jerk Wings without realizing what he was getting himself into.  I was patting myself on the back for the quality of these Crab Cakes.

I must have been patting with both hands, because I didn't remember to take a photo after they were plated.  le sigh. I will say the Marylanders approved so I must have done something right :) The Shrimp Dumplings were also a hit.

Ms. O was kind enough to construct and fry these crispy delicious bites. She also mixed the accompanying sauce which was terrific.  After the appetizers, the many parts of the main course were served. It's not Friendsgiving without the Turkey!

This one was Honey Brined and fall off the bone good. Cooking turkey in a bag is really the way to go. I also served Drumsticks with peppers and onions.

Ms. H was convinced this was sausage....I guess the peppers threw her for a loop.  To compete with the poultry, I also served Salmon.

Whole Foods was having a sale on Coho Salmon that week, so once Mr. M mentioned it, I decided to incorporate it into the menu.  I think most will agree that the sides are truly the stars of Thanksgiving. This was definitely the case at Friendsgiving.  By far the most popular was the Sweet Potato.

I served one with marshmallow topping and the other with streusel. I didn't get a chance to photograph the streusel so I'm using a photo from last year.

There were plenty of debates through the night about which was best.  I think a little bit of both is the way to go.  For those who only enjoy the classics, I also served Mashed Potatoes.

I was afraid I wouldn't have enough carbs so I made two pastas.  The Baked Mac and Cheese was a hit, primarily because of the potato bread crumbled on top.

The lasagna also got a lot of love, but unfortunately none from the camera.  Here's a picture from last year.

I can't make pasta without also including rice, so of course some Jollof Rice was absolutely necessary.

And by some, I mean 8 cups of rice.  We also had quite the bounty of vegetables.  Two types of spinach. Creamed and Sauteed.

The Sauteed Spinach was one of the last items to come out so unfortunately no photograph.  Similarly the Broccoli and Cheese was still in the oven when I put my camera down. I did capture the Collard Greens which were slow cooked for about 6 hours.

I'm definitely using that recipe again!  As though those weren't enough greens, Ms. O also fixed a delicious salad!

All that food took a lot more time than I anticipated so I could only offer one homemade dessert.  Pumpkin Ginger Cheesecake! This year, it didn't crack.

Thankfully my guests brought plenty of dessert...

Seriously a lot of dessert...

I'm not kidding when I say a lot...

It really was a lot!

This Friendsgiving day feast was everything I hoped for and more. Ms. O was an amazingly awesome sous chef in so many ways. I am incredibly blessed to have such great people in my life and I hope this Thanksgiving you also Count Your Blessings...

Hungry yet?