My good friend Dawn and I are very competitive... over who can pick the best restaurant when we get together over dinner and drinks. Each time we meet up, one of us is in charge of picking where to go. Most recently, it was Dawn's turn and she picked one of her old standby's, Resto. (www.restonyc.com)
Located in the Gramercy area on 29th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues, the unassuming restaurant stands out on an otherwise empty street. With a handful of outdoor seats, the inside boasts a minimal decor, with specials written on a chalk board, wood tables, steel chairs, exposed brick walls and a silver tin ceiling. Billing itself as a Belgium Restaurant, it boasts a large selection of Belgium beers both on tap and in the bottle.
As with most of our meals, we started with a beer at the bar. Our very knowledgeable bartender, Ward, directed us to two completely different beers St. Feuillien for Dawn and Malheur 10 for me. The St. Feuillien is a light, triple, Belgium Abbey with a delicate nose and flavors of peach and grapefruit on the palate. In contrast, the Malheur 10 (10 for the percent of alcohol, high for beer) has a fuller body that sings of toffee.
Following our pre-dinner drinks, we moved to the table where we were overwhelmed by the expansive, seasonal menu. After careful consideration, we decided to taste outside of our box, and started with the deviled eggs, served on crispy pork. The thinly sliced egg white was elegantly decorated with a creamy and delicate yolk, dotted with notes of paprika. Placed atop the crispy pork tart, it adds a nice crunch to the soft egg. We paired that with the Hen of the Woods served with a spinach fondue, garlic and green onions. The generous serving of mushrooms was perfectly seasoned and the spinach fondue with garlic created a nice balance of earthy flavors. Sadly, both dishes ended a bit too soon.
Paired with a second round of beers, the Tournay and Maredsous (both a bit heavier but still great suggestions that paired well with the food) we were eager to move onto the main course of Smoke Trout with ham succotash and the Burger served with fries. The trout was a beautiful pink color, with a crispy skin and a rich smokey flavor. Served atop a mixture of lima beans, corn and smoked ham, the succotash was a delicious though salty match.
The burger is a must try, but only if you are willing to eat it exactly as it is served. Topped with Gruyere cheese, red onions, pickles and mayo the beautiful and scrumptious presentation of a classic dish is simply divine. As is standard in Belgium, the fries it was served with were a perfect pair for a European twist on an American classic. (Although we decided to pass on it, they also offer the fries as a side order with 8 different dipping sauces to try.)
As much as we debated over dessert, we took a pass and let the mixture of flavors ring in out mouths a bit longer.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Lobster Rolls!
People always forget that I am from Brooklyn. It makes introducing them to my favorite places fun because for them, they discover a new piece of NY they never knew, and for me, I now have someone to go to those places with.
I've been working on a project for work, The Waterpod, that is currently located in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn (http://www.thewaterpod.org/). Turns out, it is less than a 5 minute drive from the BEST Lobster Roll place in all 5 boroughs. On a beautiful, bright, sunny, warm Thursday afternoon, I kidnapped one of my coworkers and we drove there to see how the project was doing. A trip out to Sheepshead Bay however, is never complete without a stop at Jordan's Lobster Dock on Harkness Avenue.
After meeting up at the project with the 4 artists who are living aboard and 2 of their supporters, the 8 of us headed over to what would be a fabulous seafood lunch. The unassuming resto, with a handful of picnic tables and a covered patio with plastic tables and chairs, is more reminiscent of a roadside New England lobster shack than a high end dining establishment in New York.
When you walk inside to order, (there is no waitress service) the only menu is the one hanging above the counter. A chalk board next to the kitchen lists the prices of whole lobster by the pound. For me though, I order the same thing every time, the lobster roll.
For $14.95, you get a quarter pound of Maine Lobster meat overflowing the top of a toasted egg bun with a single piece of romaine lettuce. (For a few extra dollars, you can get a side of fries or corn.) Coleslaw, mayo and a lemon wedge are served on the side, to dress to each persons liking. With the chunks of meat freshly boiled and thickly chopped (I had a full claw this time) the only way I ever enjoy it is exactly as it is served.
I quickly explained the proper technique for eating it, by placing a napkin beneath the paper lobster roll tray it is served in (this protects any pieces that accidentally fall on the table without having to lose the meat to dirt) and eating a couple of pieces of the meat with a fork before attempting to pick it up and finish it by hand.
The 8 of us downed the rest of the smorgasbord, which included authentic New England style clam chowder, packed with tons of clams and thick chunks of potato. A side order of summer sweet corn on the cob, onion rings (huge rings which were battered and fried to a perfect crunch) french fries (fresh cut potatoes lightly salted) and sweet potato fries helped to cap off the meal.
With Cold Stone Creamery right next door, we finished our meal with some delicious ice cream. While the Waterpod may only be there for another week, I think it's important I check on their progress by making a couple of more site visits before they leave... and if I happen to plan it around lunch time, I guess supporting the local business will be in every one's best interests, especially if it means more lobster rolls for me!
Check out Jordan's at http://www.jordanslobsterdock.com/
I've been working on a project for work, The Waterpod, that is currently located in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn (http://www.thewaterpod.org/). Turns out, it is less than a 5 minute drive from the BEST Lobster Roll place in all 5 boroughs. On a beautiful, bright, sunny, warm Thursday afternoon, I kidnapped one of my coworkers and we drove there to see how the project was doing. A trip out to Sheepshead Bay however, is never complete without a stop at Jordan's Lobster Dock on Harkness Avenue.
After meeting up at the project with the 4 artists who are living aboard and 2 of their supporters, the 8 of us headed over to what would be a fabulous seafood lunch. The unassuming resto, with a handful of picnic tables and a covered patio with plastic tables and chairs, is more reminiscent of a roadside New England lobster shack than a high end dining establishment in New York.
When you walk inside to order, (there is no waitress service) the only menu is the one hanging above the counter. A chalk board next to the kitchen lists the prices of whole lobster by the pound. For me though, I order the same thing every time, the lobster roll.
For $14.95, you get a quarter pound of Maine Lobster meat overflowing the top of a toasted egg bun with a single piece of romaine lettuce. (For a few extra dollars, you can get a side of fries or corn.) Coleslaw, mayo and a lemon wedge are served on the side, to dress to each persons liking. With the chunks of meat freshly boiled and thickly chopped (I had a full claw this time) the only way I ever enjoy it is exactly as it is served.
I quickly explained the proper technique for eating it, by placing a napkin beneath the paper lobster roll tray it is served in (this protects any pieces that accidentally fall on the table without having to lose the meat to dirt) and eating a couple of pieces of the meat with a fork before attempting to pick it up and finish it by hand.
The 8 of us downed the rest of the smorgasbord, which included authentic New England style clam chowder, packed with tons of clams and thick chunks of potato. A side order of summer sweet corn on the cob, onion rings (huge rings which were battered and fried to a perfect crunch) french fries (fresh cut potatoes lightly salted) and sweet potato fries helped to cap off the meal.
With Cold Stone Creamery right next door, we finished our meal with some delicious ice cream. While the Waterpod may only be there for another week, I think it's important I check on their progress by making a couple of more site visits before they leave... and if I happen to plan it around lunch time, I guess supporting the local business will be in every one's best interests, especially if it means more lobster rolls for me!
Check out Jordan's at http://www.jordanslobsterdock.com/
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Independent Spirit Expo
One of the perks to being in the food and wine industry is being able to check out some great tasting events. With my former co-worker leading the charge, we headed to the Independent Spirit Expo at Touch Nightclub in New York on Wednesday, June 24th. Dropping the right name (in this case her shop of employment) we were gifted 2 VIP tickets to the one night only event.
These events tend to be a mixed blessing for attendees, due to the high alcohol consumption mixed with the desire to remember the best drinks sampled. On this night, the night club was filled with small batch liquor companies looking to gain more popularity amongst the retailers and enthusiasts that crowded in. Below, are my findings of new and developing labels to keep your eyes on when looking for a new drink:
Amongst the numerous vodka companies on display, LIV (short for Long Island Vodka) is a potato based vodka that comes from the North Fork. Distilled to an almost water like clarity and taste, the burn of ethanol often felt when drinking straight vodka (as I have been known to do) is virtually non-existent. The soft nose hinted at scents of vanilla and citrus, with a clean finish. Another plus for those on a gluten free diet, this is 100% potato, and therefore can be enjoyed by everyone. (For more info check out, http://lispirits.com/home.html)
My other favorite in the Vodka department for the night is an artisinal company from Maine called Cold River. Theirs is also gluten- free, and while their standard vodka does leave a slight burn on the finish, the stand out for me was their recently released blueberry vodka. The pungent nose screamed of blueberry and huckleberry while the taste was more subtle and refined. Made from Maine blueberries and the addition of a minimal amount of sugar, this could be dessert in a glass for me. (http://www.coldrivervodka.com/)
Loft Organic Liqueurs (http://www.loftliqueurs.com/) was a surprise hit we stumbled upon towards the end of the evening. This certified organic, certified kosher company delivers a low alcohol, high flavor drink similar to that of Italian Limoncello. With flavors like lavender and lemongrass mixed in with mandarin orange, these liqueurs made me realize that a few glasses of any of these could give me my own Danny Devito incident.
While there were plenty of drinks to be had, there isn't enough time to try them all so here is my list of other ones to try if you happen to see them on bar shelf soon:
Macchu Pisco: official drink of Peru, similar to Brazilian cachasa, smooth like vodka and full of flavor like gin (http://www.macchupisco.com/)
Death's Door Spirits: distilled clear, you can't tell the difference from the bottle between the spirits but this company out of Washington makes super refined gin, vodka and whiskey (http://www.deathsdoorspirits.com/)
Square One Vodka: another organic vodka from Wyoming, these 100% American Rye come in several flavors, including Cucumber and Botanical, these add and interesting twist to any cocktail (http://www.squareonevodka.com/)
Tuthilltown Distllery: out of the Hudson Valley comes a selection of Whiskey's with varying degrees of intensity and piediness. With several options, from the Baby Bourbon to the Single Malt, its easy to find one bottle that will fit your taste (http://www.tuthilltown.com/)
Now, the last thing to do is drink up!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Jazz Feast
If you have never been to New Orleans, you are missing out. I went for the first time this past April and can definitively say, I will be back. The city is going through a Renaissance following the devastation left by Hurricane Katrina in September of 2004 and now is a great time to join in on it's rebirth.
The great thing about New Orleans is no matter what time of year you decide to go, there is always some sort of festival or event taking place. This trip happened to fall during the first weekend of their 30th Annual Jazz Fest. Every year during the last weekend in April and the first weekend in May the fairgrounds turn into a giant music venues with several stages playing all sorts of music and hundreds of local restaurants serving up their classic Louisiana cuisine.
With the popular bands not playing until late in the day, my friend and I arrived with empty belly's to take on the numerous food booths. Colorful signs displayed the dishes you could purchase; classics like Gumbo and Jambalya as well as a few dishes I'd never heard of, like cochon de lait and alligator pie.
Not knowing where to begin, I jumped on the line that seemed to be the longest. While normally I have an aversion to long waits, in this case, I figured the longer the wait, the better the food. Not wanting to pass on anything, my friend and I moved from line to line picking up craw fish etouffe, alligator pie, fried chicken, cochon de lait, jambalaya and gumbo. You only live once, right?
The bright pink craw fish, peas and carrots dotted the light cream sauce that filled the hollowed pastry of the etouffe. The doughy bowl flaked apart from the light touch of my fork and all of the rich flavors melted together in my mouth. That was my first foodgasam.
The second one came when we moved on to the fried chicken, jambalaya and gumbo, all staples of the Louisiana diet. Each of the dishes delivered from the fried chicken that was moist with a perfect crunch, to the gumbo (creole style) delicately flavored by andouille sausage to the jambalaya which had spice that whet my palate for more.
We finished off our meal with alligator pie and cochon de lait, two local dishes you cannot pass up. Alligator pie (which really does taste like chicken) was a hand held meat pie. Filled with cubed alligator and vegetables, the pastry that encased it all added the perfect balance to an otherwise blend of cream and meat. To finish off our marathon meal, we dove into a cochon de lait, which is commonly known up north as a glorified pulled pork sandwich. The meat was tender and juicy, and each bite sang, with the sweetness of the pork that fell apart as I bit into the rich hero bread that served more as a tool to eat the sandwich than apart of the dish itself.
While the temperatures rose, and our once hungry belly's sang with joy, we sat on the grass and took in the live music we'd gone there for. Needless to say, after having multiple foodgasms, there was nothing else we could do but relax and wait for the next one.
The great thing about New Orleans is no matter what time of year you decide to go, there is always some sort of festival or event taking place. This trip happened to fall during the first weekend of their 30th Annual Jazz Fest. Every year during the last weekend in April and the first weekend in May the fairgrounds turn into a giant music venues with several stages playing all sorts of music and hundreds of local restaurants serving up their classic Louisiana cuisine.
With the popular bands not playing until late in the day, my friend and I arrived with empty belly's to take on the numerous food booths. Colorful signs displayed the dishes you could purchase; classics like Gumbo and Jambalya as well as a few dishes I'd never heard of, like cochon de lait and alligator pie.
Not knowing where to begin, I jumped on the line that seemed to be the longest. While normally I have an aversion to long waits, in this case, I figured the longer the wait, the better the food. Not wanting to pass on anything, my friend and I moved from line to line picking up craw fish etouffe, alligator pie, fried chicken, cochon de lait, jambalaya and gumbo. You only live once, right?
The bright pink craw fish, peas and carrots dotted the light cream sauce that filled the hollowed pastry of the etouffe. The doughy bowl flaked apart from the light touch of my fork and all of the rich flavors melted together in my mouth. That was my first foodgasam.
The second one came when we moved on to the fried chicken, jambalaya and gumbo, all staples of the Louisiana diet. Each of the dishes delivered from the fried chicken that was moist with a perfect crunch, to the gumbo (creole style) delicately flavored by andouille sausage to the jambalaya which had spice that whet my palate for more.
We finished off our meal with alligator pie and cochon de lait, two local dishes you cannot pass up. Alligator pie (which really does taste like chicken) was a hand held meat pie. Filled with cubed alligator and vegetables, the pastry that encased it all added the perfect balance to an otherwise blend of cream and meat. To finish off our marathon meal, we dove into a cochon de lait, which is commonly known up north as a glorified pulled pork sandwich. The meat was tender and juicy, and each bite sang, with the sweetness of the pork that fell apart as I bit into the rich hero bread that served more as a tool to eat the sandwich than apart of the dish itself.
While the temperatures rose, and our once hungry belly's sang with joy, we sat on the grass and took in the live music we'd gone there for. Needless to say, after having multiple foodgasms, there was nothing else we could do but relax and wait for the next one.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Eat, Drink and Be Hopeful
I'm the type of girl that finds it's hard to say no to an invitation especially one that raises money for a good cause. Last Tuesday, June 9th, I had the pleasure of being a VIP guest at Eat, Drink and be Hopeful, an event to raise money for cancer reseach that my very good family friends help organize every year. This year, the event was held at Design Within Reach, an interior design store, in Brooklyn Heights. Living room sets were replaced with tables displaying fine food from local restaurants and drinks were donated from many of the vineyards on Long Island. VIP status is nothing new for me, but, it was extra special this time because we got to drink all the bubbly we could handle!
It's hard to pick a favorite dish among the many that were presented. Henry's End, a longtime Brooklyn Heights establishment, delivered perfectly cooked black pepper crusted tuna. The medium pink center highlighted the delicate flavors of fish while the dijon vinagerette brought out the perfect amount of spice to keep you wanting more.
My other favorites were the Gumbo from Sidecar in Park Slope. After having recently travelled to New Orleans (I'll tell you about that soon) I learned some of the important components to a good gumbo, and the roux can make or brake it. Theirs was perfectly spicy and rich, it made me want to go back for seconds, and definitely put Sidecar on my list of must try places.
The other hit for me the Farm on Adderley. I've read and heard wonderful things about this restaurant in the Prospect Heights section of Brooklyn. The chef excited my palate with tarts of perfectly cooked beef, it was hard not going back for seconds.
The evening wrapped with silent acutions and raffle drawings. Food and wine were the top give aways of the evening with me taking home a bottle of cava and an invite to a private tour and tasting of the Brooklyn Brewery. Once again, the event raised a ton of money for cancer research and I went home with a nice buzz and a full belly!
It's hard to pick a favorite dish among the many that were presented. Henry's End, a longtime Brooklyn Heights establishment, delivered perfectly cooked black pepper crusted tuna. The medium pink center highlighted the delicate flavors of fish while the dijon vinagerette brought out the perfect amount of spice to keep you wanting more.
My other favorites were the Gumbo from Sidecar in Park Slope. After having recently travelled to New Orleans (I'll tell you about that soon) I learned some of the important components to a good gumbo, and the roux can make or brake it. Theirs was perfectly spicy and rich, it made me want to go back for seconds, and definitely put Sidecar on my list of must try places.
The other hit for me the Farm on Adderley. I've read and heard wonderful things about this restaurant in the Prospect Heights section of Brooklyn. The chef excited my palate with tarts of perfectly cooked beef, it was hard not going back for seconds.
The evening wrapped with silent acutions and raffle drawings. Food and wine were the top give aways of the evening with me taking home a bottle of cava and an invite to a private tour and tasting of the Brooklyn Brewery. Once again, the event raised a ton of money for cancer research and I went home with a nice buzz and a full belly!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Let's Give it a Shot
Welcome to the first installment of Miss Adventures. I realize as a born and raised New Yorker, I am experiencing this city in a completely different way from my friends that have recently arrived.
Since this is my hometown, I have been privileged to take advantage of some of the unique events that only happen here. It also means that my social circle includes friends from birth to now.
So where did this blog idea come from? I figured I'd share my tales with anyone who cares to read about them. I try to have fun at all occasions and sometimes even I don't always believe the stories I come away with. I plan to share my experiences and along the way I hope to tell you about the great places where I've eaten, the bars where I drank, and the people I've met.
My friends know you've got to book me two weeks in advance, now you'll get to see why.
Stay tuned!
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