Singing in the Waldorf

My parents were in the city last week so the three of us had dinner at Peacock Alley, right in the lobby of the Waldorf=Astoria. Since it was a pre-birthday celebration, my mom had arranged for the waiter to bring three glasses of champagne over to our table when we first sat down. It was a wonderful way to start the evening... Mom and I both started with the creamy potato, herb, and truffle soup and Dad had the Kumamoto Oysters...no surprise there! As an amuse bouche, the chef brought out the pistachio crusted seared foie gras with lychee caramel...can you say decadent? We pretty much could have stopped there and we would have been content. Instead, we pushed through and continued to eat our way through the menu. Oh, and did I mention that Dad also ordered a bottle of Pinot Noir? Because we all know that eating without drinking is like eating without silverware!

So with our wine, we all shared the Tuna Tartare, Butter Poached Maine Lobster, and the house Bouillabaisse...clearly we were in the mood for seafood. Everything was great, except for the risotto that accompanied the lobster - it was pretty bland and slightly cement-y - but at that point, I was already slightly buzzed and just enjoying catching up with my parents.

After our entrees had disappeared, there was a small lull in conversation and I swear, it was at this exact time that we stopped to listen to the pianist and she started singing "Happy Birthday"...to me. Right in the middle of the hotel. It made me blush, but I was secretly thrilled that the manager had arranged it - Mom was just as surprised as I was! Right when the song ended, the waiters brought over three desserts for the table, one with a candle and "Happy Birthday" written in chocolate. Another very welcome surprise! Oh wait, make that four desserts - I forgot that Mom had actually ordered one: Cookies and Mignardises, for the sole reason that it comes with amazing, delicious, homemade, melt-in-your-mouth marshmallows. The other desserts included cheesecake, peanut butter and chocolate mousse, and apple crumble. Those came home with me for the roommates...you're welcome K1, K2, and K3!

Whoever said that drinking with your parents was awkward was sorely mistaken...

Un Poquito #2

Here's a little tidbit on another hotel restaurant in midtown, The Bull and Bear at the Waldorf = Astoria: try the Tournedo of Beef that comes with Stilton Cheese, Red Wine, and Bearnaise Sauce (above) with a big glass of the Zinfandel. If tomatoes are in season (usually summertime), start with the simple Beefsteak Tomato and Buffalo Mozzarella with drizzled Balsamic and Olive Oil appetizer. The steak, tomato, and cheese are cut very thick and it's a small, but hearty meal.

O yea...

...and speaking of Mac & Cheese, this "diet" is horrible. I have had about an 1/8 of an ounce of dairy in 10 days and I still feel like crap after certain meals. What gives? I swear to God that it better not be a gluten allergy...seriously. I cannot possibly live as a Vegan or on specially made gluten/dairy free meals. I NEED CHEESE!

Un Poquito #1

If you ever stay at the Grand Hyatt next to Grand Central, be sure to try the Lobster Mac and Cheese side dish from The Commodore Grill. Mom and I enjoyed it the most out of anything we had all night. Well, except for the La Crema Pinot Noir we had with it...oh and the cheese bread from Tomkat Bakery. Mmmmm....

Damn you wholesale bakeries!

"Diet"

For the month of February (my birthday month, may I remind you), I am not allowed to have any type of dairy whatsoever. This pretty much means that my life is over.

Since I often experience stomach pains (cramps and bloating to be specific...too much information?) after I eat, my doctor suggested that we try to figure out the root of all this evil by cutting out all dairy products from my diet for a month. I already knew that I had an intolerance to lactose and I take Lactaid pills when I am about to ingest something with a high dairy content, but as you can see from the list below, everything in my diet has some form of butter, cheese, or milk in it except Japanese, Chinese, and Thai food.

Pizza.
Sandwiches.
Soup.
Smoothies.
Yogurt.
Macaroni & Cheese.
Toast.
Bagels.
French Toast.
Cereal.
7-Layer Dip.
Nachos.
Burritos.
Salads, specifically the Cosi Signature Salad.
Hot Chocolate.
Scrambled Eggs.
Cupcakes.
Frozen Yogurt.
Sour Cream.
Any cheese-flavored product. (There's a lot of those.)

I mean the list goes on and on. Perhaps it is a little more extreme in my case, seeing as I add cheese to pretty much everything I eat, but still. This is really uncool.

I have very little self-control, so this has been really hard for me, especially when friends, family, co-workers, and strangers are enjoying delicious cheesy and buttery meals around me. There was free pizza today at work and I had to settle for lettuce with some sort of Italian dressing on it! What the f! Ok, enough complaining. I'm sure my roomates, Boy, and my co-workers are really sick of hearing me bitch about this, so I'll just keep the suffering to myself. Good thing that February is the shortest month...

On the bright side, I get to cheat on my birthday!

I'll keep you posted and wish me luck!

Restaurant Week, Part Deux

It is a tradition that every time Restaurant Week rolls around, L will make the journey from Hoboken into the City to dine with K1 and I. This winter we chose China Grill as our rendezvous point and we had a delightful evening together. L and I got there a little early, so she ordered a glass of red and I had the China Grill Cosmo that had a sweet, but not syrupy black cherry flavor. When K1 arrived, we were seated in the front of the Asian-fusion restaurant, which is located in the CBS Black Rock building on 53rd and 6th. The place is impressive, with 30-foot ceilings and an open kitchen in the middle.

The portions there are family style, so with a party of three, we were instructed to order two appetizers, two entrees, and two desserts. We decided on the Spicy Beef and Scallion Dumplings, Crackling Calamari Salad, Sweet Soy Marinated Skirt Steak, Sake Marinated "Drunken" Chicken, Homemade Sorbet, and Hazelnut Chocolate Torte. And then, just because, we decided to add a wine pairing to each course for just $15 more. They were blends for the most part and were pretty decent, but nothing mind blowing. The appetizer white wine option, however, had a pretty great name: Luna Freakout.

So, onto the food: the dumplings were not overly spicy and sauce was so good that we ate it by the spoonfuls. Our salad was light and flavorful, with perfectly fried pieces of calamari. I'm not a huge steak eater, but this one was very good, with juicy small slices and sauteed lo mein noodles. When I go out to eat, I very rarely order chicken because, quite frankly, it's really boring. But tonight, the selections on the RW menu that did not involve a supplement charge were limited, so it was either salmon, mushroom pasta, or chicken...and salmon is the one fish that I do not enjoy and mushroom pasta? Eh. Long story short, the chicken turned out to be pretty good - really moist and tasty with lots of crunchy onions on top. Our dessert was yummy too, especially the fruity and fresh sorbets. Since the options for our dessert wine pairing were two not-so-good reds, our waitress was kind enough to bring us each a glass of Ice Wine/Eiswein and it really concluded the night on a high note.

All in all, a great Tuesday night: good food and even better company, and we left with a happy buzz. If it wasn't for work the next morning, that buzz may have escalated a bit...

Zai Jian!

"Wicked" Good Pasta

Last Friday was a perfect New York night: dinner, drinks, and theater. It was a clear, cool night, and the work week was over, so morale was very high.

Boy and I started the night off with about 30 pounds of pasta at Vice Versa on 51st st. We had been to its sister restaurant Etcetera Etcetera and really enjoyed it, so when we got tickets to the Gershwin Theatre, it seemed like the perfect choice. They, like many other restaurants in the area, are known for their pre-theatre dinner - they get you in and out with plenty of time. Boy started off the night with a glass of chianti and I had a blueberry cosmo, and then we dove into the menu.

We are both extremely indecisive, so we thought it would be best to share a bunch of appetizer portion pasta dishes: asparagus risotto, strozzapreti with duck ragout and black olives, gnocchi with smoked prosciutto and porcini mushrooms, and pumpkin ravioli with butter and sage. All very different, but all very delicious. Our favorite was the strozzapreti, or "strangled priest" (photo above), with the thick strips of moist duck. The creamy risotto was cooked perfectly, just like the artichoke risotto at Etcetera. Pumpkin and brown butter and sage make a terrific combination - sweet and savory. The gnocchi was a little heavy...thank god we got the app size portion or else we wouldn't have been able to move... To finish the meal, we shared a glass of limoncello and complimentary cookies. So far, so good.

Since we still had time to kill before the performance began, we decided to duck into The House of Brews down the street for a quick beer. Or beers as it turned out. Again, because we're indecisive, we went with a flight of four 4oz beers: Checker Cab, Chimay Triple, Duvel Green, and the Brooklyn Brewmasters Choice (which turned out to be a wintery ale). Chimay was hands down the top beer of the evening. By the time we finished the brews, it was time for Wicked, a show that I have wanted to see for a very long time and one that absolutely did not disappoint.

Such a wonderful (albeit full) night, by any city's standards.

Have a good one!

Honey Do

On Monday, Boy and I had the great pleasure of dining at Apiary in the East Village for our 22 month anniversary (don't judge). I don't really like to scope out restaurants before I go to them, except for a quick peek at the menu, but since it's Restaurant Week, I decided to check out their website for a sneak preview. I'm so happy that I did because I discovered that Monday is Apiary's BYOB night with no corkage fee! Perfect! I have some great bottles of wine from my Sonoma trip in September that I have just been dying to drink, so this was the perfect time to uncork the Pinot Noir from Sebastiani Vineyards.

The space itself is simple, clean, and beautiful, just how I imagine my non-existent restaurant to be. Everyone on the staff was affable and helpful, and made us feel right at home. After we ordered, we immediately dipped into our wine and it was just as good as I remember...

Now to the food...When we go out to eat, Boy and I try really hard to order different meals so we can share as much as possible. For his dinner, Boy ordered the Tuscan White Bean Soup, Confit of Duck Leg, and Vanilla Panna Cotta (he has a weakness for raspberry coulis). We both really enjoyed the thick soup, not too heavy or lumpy, and the duck was cooked perfectly - crunchy skin and moist meat. The Panna Cotta was very eh. I ordered the Endive and Pear Salad, Chatham Cod, and Trio of Ice Cream and Sorbet. All 3 were really great - the Salad was slightly reminiscent of the Cosi Signature Salad (my favorite salad of all time!!!), the Cod was in a razorfish clam chowder that was really yummy except for the actual clams, and I loved the dessert. Boy guessed correctly that they were from il laboratorio del gelato on Orchard St and for my birthday, I want a gallon of the Strawberry flavor...SO good.

Throughout the night, the wine was delicious and paired well with each course, even though I had fish. I wish I had a gallon of that too! On the way home we made sure to stop at Trader Joes for some of their house Muscat...also really good for only $6! Sometimes I wish all restaurants in the city were BYO with no corkage fee because it keeps cost down and you have full control over the alcohol.

All in all, a great night. Cold, but great.

Get eating!

P.S. We were there for the very beginning of Scott Bryan's career there after taking over Neil Manacle's role as Executive Chef. Great showing!

I <3 Tony

Just wanted to give you a heads up and let you know that the Tri-Colore Tortellini Alfredo from Tony's Di Napoli is AWESOME. Go try some! Prego.

P.S. Actually, everything from there is awesome. Penne with Broccoli, Garlic, and Oil, Chicken Parm, Fettucine Alfredo, Calamari, Roquefort Salad, House Salad, Linguine/Spaghetti with Seafood, Chicken Francese, Sausage and Meatballs, and um yea...basically everything.

Mangia! Mangia!

Winter Restaurant Week 2009! YAY!

Just made 2 reservations to celebrate one of the best times during the year: RESTAURANT WEEK!

Apiary with Boy the first week and China Grill with K1 and L the second week

Feedback to come...!

Make mine [medium]Rare

Let me preface this post with the fact that I am not a big meat eater. Actually, I was a vegetarian for a long time. And by vegetarian, I mean that I ate chicken and fish. So I guess that made me something lame, like a....pesca-pollotarian? And then I discovered sausage, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwiches and that was the end of that...

Anyway, the bottom line is I hardly eat red meat (just because of the taste, not the smelly animals), but I will always make an exception for a delicious, juicy burger. So Saturday afternoon when my brother arrived, K2 and K3 had the great idea of going to Rare on 37th and Lex. They are constantly raving about their lollipop wings, so we just had to see what all the fuss was about! Brother is a big carnivore, and since there was a long night of drinking ahead of us, it seemed to be a perfect late-afternoon lunch.

After an unpleasant hostess refused to sit us in a booth (when the place was only half-full), we immediately ordered 2 plates of wings and they did not disappoint. Flavorful, spicy, tender...and when dipped in the warm, roquefort fondue, mmmmm! However, this leads me to my next confession: I cannot handle spicy food. I'm really trying to overcome this aversion and sensitivity, and so far, I've graduated from mild to medium salsa. But these wings...wow. It was the kind of spicy that leaves your lips tingling for a while. Definitely not mild! I tapped out after 3 wings and brother was really proud of me! A few months ago, I would have been done after 1 bite, so I guess I'm starting to toughen up!

Next came the burgers. Our waiter informed us that the chef's trio of sliders were pesto and mozz, caramelized onions and swiss, and mexican style with chipotle puree (hot!), black bean spread, and guacamole. A variety of mini-burgers is right up my alley (as I am totally indecisive!) so I had to order them. All 3 were delicious, especially the pesto and mozzarella. Then again, anything with pesto and mozz is delicious...

Brother ordered the brunch burger which was ENORMOUS. He's not a small kid, but he struggled with it. Definitely do not order it on a date because it's really messy, especially with the egg on top! It came with a very mediocre bloody mary and some pretty decent homefries.

Since I'm not used to eating so much meat at one sitting, I was full very quickly. I was never big on leftovers, but since I moved to NY, you gotta do it so you can get another meal out of it... Boy ended up eating them on Sunday night during 24, so it worked out well.

My foresight was 20-20 that day, as we ended up drinking for a pretty long time, with only a slice of pizza somewhere in the middle of it. Good base = long night.

Dig in and drink up!

The Bravest Brunch

After a late night of working/binge drinking on Saturday night, the best cure for a hangover is a big, fat champagne brunch. Emphasis on the champagne. So, around 1 o'clock, in our comfiest sweatpants and last night's makeup, K1, K2, and I head 2 blocks south to one of our favorite bars in the city: The Bravest.

Most well known for their $2.50 bud lights (all day, every day!) and homemade mozz sticks, The Bravest boasts a great brunch special: $12 for eggs or french toast with a side of sausage, bacon, or ham, an english muffin, and homefries. O yea, and unlimited champagne or bloody mary's. The trick is to eat slowly, so you get as much bubbly as possible, which shouldn't be a problem considering how much food you get! The happy, floaty buzz you get from it really is a great way to start off a day. Mmmmmmm

If only we had discovered the brunch at this firefighter's dive sooner, when football was in full swing...

See you Sunday morning!

My favorite restaurant in the city

Ahh The Cow. We met in 2007, but I feel like we've known each other much much longer than that. You've met a lot of my friends, you were there for one of my anniversaries, and you have always taken such good care of me. I plan on spending a lot more time with you in the future and I know you're ready for it.

So for those of you that have not met, let me introduce you to one of the best little restaurants in the city: The Sunburnt Cow. Located on Avenue C between 8th and 9th, this very relaxed Australian spot offers one of the best deals for dinner - $16 for an appetizer, entree, and dessert. You're probably thinking that this is either too good to be true or that the food must be small and mediocre. But fear not! The portions are perfect and the food is consistently great. And then there are the cocktails...heaven. You really can't go there without trying one...or two...or thirty. The Aussie staff is a lot of fun too and they are so nice.

I've tried about half of the entrees and drinks and all of the appetizers and desserts. Here are my favorites:

Appetizers - Cow salad and calamari. They make look small, but they are the best lead up to the main course.

Entrees - Fish burger, lamb burger, or the beef burger with the lot. Getting all of these dishes just how they are with everything on them is KEY. Especially the remoulade on the fish burger...it just melts in your mouth. And now my stomach is growling...mmmmm

Desserts - Sticky date pudding (not actually pudding, more like cake) and the pavlova (a creamy meringue)

Drinks - The Sunburnt (homemade passion fruit infused tequila with strawberries) and the Whinging Pom (a gin and pomegrante spin on the classic mojito)

Really, you can't go wrong here. I know that it sounds like I'm really selling and promoting this place, but to be honest, I don't want it to get crazy popular because then it wont be my "secret" spot anymore!

(Oh, and how could I forget? They have an amazing brunch too! For $15 you get food and unlimited booze! Party on Garth!)


When I came back from studying abroad in Sydney, I missed it so much and The Cow always makes me feel like I'm back, even if it's just for a few hours.

I hope you love it as much as I do.

Resolve to resolve

I just drank a bottle of Australian Shiraz, so I feel inspired to write down my resolutions in a somewhat "public" setting, even if they are not 100% food related:

1. Drink more wine. Wait, drink more good wine. Especially reds and dessert wines.
Relaxing and good for you (well sort of...in small quantities). Done.

2. Start a 401K and a savings account.
I'm almost 24. I need to get it together and now I have the resources to start saving some money.

3. Be healthier. Go to the gym upstairs. Stop eating so much crap food, but continue eating macaroni & cheese.
I think everyone's new year's resolution is to go to the gym more, but it needs to be done. It's too easy not to because a) it's free, b) it's 15 floors up in my apartment building, c) there are TVs that get the food network on all the equipment.

4. Stop being so f'ing lazy.
See above (and below).

5. Do more.
Whether it's volunteer or travel or just take advantage of the city more, reality tv should not keep me in at night. And sleeping does not count as an activity on weekends.


Best wishes for 2009 - be safe, be healthy, be adventurous, be kind, and be fun!!!

Oh, and remember to share your food and try new things!