The MasalaWala

I love Indian food yet I find myself ordering take out rather than going to restaurants. So when I was invited to a press dinner at The MasalaWala, I was thrilled! The restaurant is understated and seats less than 30. The cuisine focuses on Indian street food. My mouth immediately started watering when we received the menu. The Kolkata Gobi Manchurian immediately stole the show.

I don't know why I've never experienced such deliciousness in my life. The cauliflower was crispy and to some extent it was difficult to tell it was cauliflower. The blend of Indo-Chinese spices made this reminiscent of a high class general tso dish.  I was also a big fan of the Lamb Kakori Kebab.

In the last year lamb has reappeared in my diet and this was probably the best I've eaten. The lamb is imported from Australia, home of the world's best lamb. It is triple ground so it's incredibly tender then grilled in the Tandoori. Simply to die for! The Chicken Tikka was a close second.

The small chunks of chicken were marinated overnight which definitely showed in the depth of the flavor. They were then grilled in the Tandoori which cooked them to perfection. The samosas were standard fare.

Definitely well seasoned and thankfully not overstuffed but with so many other interesting dishes on the table it was not the star. When the entrees started arriving my nose was having a party thanks to all the amazing aromas. I absolutely loved the Nawabi Lamb Biryani (bottom left).

The lamb was just as tender as the Kebab. The rice was also cooked to perfection. The blend of flavors was what made it so amazing. I definitely had dreams about the biryani the following night and fully intend on calling in an order whenever I'm in the neighborhood.  The Chicken Kali Mirch was another great dish.

It had a unique flavor unlike anything I've tried before. The black pepper chicken was blended with a variety of spices reminiscent of curries I've tried before but with an extra kick.  The Lamb Pasanda was spectacular.

I really tasted the difference in Australian lamb than what I've eaten elsewhere. I had high hopes for the Shrimp Malabar. The flavors were right but the shrimp was slightly overcooked, almost tough.  The coconut curry was mild with slight tamarind undertones.

Overall, I was quite pleased with the selection at The MasalaWala. The mix of new dishes and familiar staples was refreshing. I had to leave before dessert so I will definitely be back to try it out!

Hungry yet?

incognito italian bistro

A couple of weeks ago, I attended a press dinner at incognito Italian Bistro in Chelsea.  It's an open airy space and the weather was still nice enough to open the floor to ceiling windows.  they recently started featuring live jazz on Tuesday nights so that could make for a very enjoyable dining experience.

Although Incognito bills itself as an Italian bistro, the cuisine is actually a mix of Italian and Scottish. Not surprisingly, my palette was much more pleased with the Italian dishes. The best thing I ate was definitely the Rack of Baby Lamb.

It was perfectly cooked, juicy and well seasoned. The accompanying creamed potatoes were a helpful way to soak up the rosemary jus.  I knew it was good because it was the last item to arrive and I still devoured it. Usually by then I'm turning away food and only taking a couple of bites.  The pasta tasting was also a plus and I wish we had received a larger portion.

Lobster Ravioli with saffron butter and Risotto with lamb ragu.  The ravioli was creamy and light but lacked complexity.  The risotto was an interesting twist. I don't think I've ever had a dish quite like this.  I definitely recommend it.  I would also come back for the margharita pizza.

I had to resist going back in for a second slice since it was at the beginning of our meal.  The crust was crispy and the sauce was light enough so as to not make the pizza soggy.  I was not impressed with the Highland Haggis.

Perhaps it's because I'm not familiar with Scottish food, but it just seemed like an odd item for a summer menu.  The turnip tasted great but the lamb sausage was odd.  It was like a poorly constructed shepard's pie.  I would say the same about the Crepes.

Stuffing haddock, bechamel and leeks into a crepe just did not do it for me.  The varying textures were not well defined and it tasted more like a pile of white than any distinct item.  The fish was well cooked though and that was salvageable.

The meal certainly ended on a high note because the desserts were fantastic.  The chocolate torte was rich and the caramel sauce enhanced the depth of the chocolate flavor.

Incognito has the right vibe for a post work hang out or even an evening dinner.  Their menu offers a lot of diversity but has several staples that are bound to please.  I recommend Tuesday night because I'm sure the jazz will add to a pleasurable dining experience.

Hungry yet?

Copper Chimney

A few moons ago, AAA and I attended a press event at Copper Chimney. It was a private affair with a hand selected menu showcasing many of the top dishes at Copper Chimney.  

The lighting wasn't very good so some of these images may be a little more washed out than I would like.  We started with the Tandoori Samosa. 

These mini pockets of heaven were filled with spicy potatoes and peas. They were very flavorful so they didn't require a sauce, but one of the batches may have been baking for a little long because it was a little dry. The Gobi Honey Garlic were one of the surprising treats.  Gobi means Cauliflower in Hindi. The Cauliflower florets were tossed with a multilayered spice blend. They were not hot, just spice filled. Definitely a big fan. Bombay Bhaja was another surprising favorite.

We were served a variety of fritters, onion, eggplant, potato and spinach fried in chickpea batter. The spinach was my favorite and it was spicy, so you know I loved it! The Shrimp Balchao was by far my favorite appetizer.

A spicy blend of onions, tomatoes and curry cooked with red wine -- perfection! I was satisfied with the appetizers and truthfully, if the dinner stopped then, I would have been satisfied and quite impressed. But, thankfully it didn't! 

The entrees were saved in four separate bowls but really I ate them as one.  My favorite was the Lamb Vindaloo.

A tangy and spicy blend of lamb and potatoes. The lamb wasn't as tender as I would have liked, but the flavors were up there with the best vindaloo I've ever had.  The Chana Pindi was also up there on my list.

I don't know when I first fell in love with chickpeas, but it was definitely an India dish that first did it to me. I loved the blend of onion and tomatoes. Allegedly there were pomegranate seeds in there as well, but I don't recall tasting any. The Chicken Tikka Masala was solid.

Nothing spectacular in my mouth, but AAA was a big fan. The Saag Paneer Bhutta was another solid performer.

Spinach and cheese in an onion and tomato curry sauce. The other diners that sat my table were definitely into it and finished their portion quite quickly, but really who am I to judge? Wasn't much left when I finished.  

Copper Chimney gets solid marks from me. The appetizers were great and really opened the palate and set a high bar for the entrees. The entrees met that bar and a few of them even exceeded it. Definitely Indian food worth traveling for. Special thanks to One Source Resource for the invite!

Hungry yet?

The Mermaid Inn

On a snowy day earlier this year, I splashed through the puddles down to the East Village for dinner with Ms. O and Mr. M.  I was super excited to finally dine at The Mermaid Inn. We sat in the main dining room at the back of the restaurant. Although it was cold outside, it was quite warm in the nautical themed restaurant. Since the office closed early, our dinner was before 7 which means we were able to take advantage of the amazing happy hour specials! To kick off the night, we started with the Grand Platter. 

We are definitely seafood lovers so we were thrilled when the platter arrived. They oysters were fresh, the clams were flavorful and the shrimp were fantastic!  The lobster was a nice touch, but the star of the platter was the chilled bowl of Tuna Crudo. 

Holy moly! The sushi grade tuna was chopped in bite size pieces and mixed with avocado and jalapeño. It was like eating the best spicy tuna roll you've ever had but without the rice or seaweed. From that point on, it was non-stop food at our table. We were curious about the Lobster Knuckles Escargot, after all you can't combine two of the most delicious items without piquing our interest.

Le sigh. The tricked us! It was really lobster knuckles served escargot style.  Still delicious, but not as exciting as the advertisement would lead you to believe. The Mermaid Fish Tacos were as advertised!

Lightly fried beer battered tilapia in a tortilla filled with red cabbage for crunch, pickled jalapeños for spice, and pico de gallo for liveliness! The pickled jalapeños were the most powerful part, which was perfect for me. Definitely not for the uninitiated though. The biggest disappointment was the Boston Bibb Wedge Salad.

No surprises from me that generally, a salad is disappointing, but the specific complaint was the blue cheese. Too overpowering!! I suspected as much because Ms. O never lets her salad linger and this one lasted the entire meal. Mr. M ordered the grilled octopus which had some pork product that I couldn't eat.

Judging by how quickly the plate was emptied, I imagine it was quite good.  He also ordered the Mini Clam Chowder. 

The baby cup was done in no time. I of course ordered more oysters, because I just couldn't help myself. They were phenomenal.  We also ordered Steamed Maine Bouchot Mussels.

They were cooked with prosecco and although I liked them, because after all, it's difficult to be dissatisfied with mussels, they weren't spectacular. The fries that came with it were good, but with so many other choice items on the table, it was difficult to eat too many fries. Ms. O enjoyed her Fried Clam Slider.

I enjoyed The Mermaid Inn so much, I was back there within a few weeks, but this time I went to the upper west side location with MM and AAA. We had a glorious time. I ate too many oysters, but also sampled other items.  AAA tried the Shrimp Corndogs.

Too much Corndog, not enough shrimp. We also tried the Lobster Slider.

Yummers! It was filled with lobster, so much so that it was falling out.  Yessss! I hope they'll be at this year's Lobster Roll Rumble!  We also ate two orders of the Fried Calamari.

Yup, we were loving it. Lightly battered and lightly fried but heavily flavored - YUM! I also ordered the mini clam bake.

A bite size version that was well spiced - especially the potatoes!  The shrimp corndogs were a no go.  Stay away! 

The Mermaid Inn is high on my list of favorites of this year. I highly recommend their happy hour, because the specials are just too good to pass up. It also runs late enough that you don't feel like you're force feeding yourself early in the day.  The service was also incredible both times. They were very responsive and reminded you when happy hour was about to end. Although they have no dessert menu, I have no complaints because they serve everyone a little chocolate pot and a fish fortune.

Awesome.

Hungry yet?

Empire Steak House

I recently received an invite to dine at Empire Steak House down the street from my office.  I was a bit taken aback that a steak house would invite me to dinner. But the invitation was not one I could turn down considering it highlighted the many seafood options and the availability of chocolate desserts.  Since I have so many meat lovers in my life, it was easy to find someone to come with me.  Ms. A and I arrived on an otherwise quiet Wednesday evening.  The restaurant is in a space that seems to rotate restaurants, but Empire Steak House has been holding that space down since October 2010 and based on my experience I would say they are likely to be around for quite some time.  The dark carpet and dim lighting gives the space an old school steak house feel to it.  I had of course surveyed the menu prior to our arrival and was looking forward to all the seafood I could handle.  We started with  the Jumbo Lump Crabmeat.

I wish I had pressed record on my camera. The presentation was terrific and the server did just that, served! The cocktail sauce was perfect, but they provided us the ingredients in case we wanted to alter the strength.

It was a great way to start off the meal.  It was also quite large and definitely a worthy appetizer for a group.  Ms. A and I reviewed the menu and made our decisions.  She decided to go for the gold and ordered the Prime Rib.

As a non-beef eater, I was taken aback by the size of the monster. Ms. A went at it and made quite a lot of progress. The steak was cooked just as she requested, well seasoned and exceeded her expectations.  I was excited for the arrival of my Seafood Pasta.  It's arrival was preceded by a bib that the server was kind enough to tie around my neck.

The Seafood Pasta was filled with lobster, shrimp, crabmeat, clams and salmon (their fish of the day). I requested a spicy tomato sauce.  The presentation was stellar, but I must admit I was a bit overwhelmed by just how much food had landed in front of me.  The pasta was cooked al dente and the lobster was delicious, though I wish I asked for it out of the shell. Unfortunately, the shrimp was slightly overcooked and under salted. It was just enough to notice so that was a bit annoying.  Definitely not enough to ruin the meal though or even warrant a complaint, merely worth noting.  We were both stuffed after our entrees, but of course that didn't stop us from having dessert. I definitely had a difficult time deciding so the only solution to that is multiple desserts.

The crunchy crust of the Chocolate Mousse Cake was the highlight of dessert. It complimented the very smooth texture of the mousse. I loved it. We also had the creme brulee.

The greatest benefit of having two desserts is the balancing of flavors.  It means you never get sick of either and can accomplish your mission, which of course is to leave nothing uneaten.

I ordinarily would not select a steakhouse, but was pleasantly surprised by the experience at Empire. The food was delicious (save the undersalted pasta) and the dessert was amazing.  The service was also terrific and I noticed the bells and whistles were in place for every table not just ours. I look forward to returning this summer once the meal eaters arrive.

Hungry yet?