Slow Food NYC hosts Cocktails!

Lifted from their website, "The Slur is an opportunity to meet, chat, discuss, and share happy hour with other Slow-minded folks at Slow bars & restaurants. “Slur” is not an acronym for anything, just a statement about conditions afterward (sometimes).

Almond offers their continued commitment to farm-to-table bistro food, friendly familial-like service, and warm atmosphere to us for the first Manhattan Slur of 2009."

What better way is there to spend a Monday evening?

Rsvp on The Dish's Dish facebook page or on theirs.

Monday, March 16th

7-9pm

Almond

12 East 22nd St

Black Truffles, Burgundy, Blue Jean & Blues

This is what Danial Boulud is calling his annual Citymeals-on-Wheels benefit this year.  He's got a wonderful line up for the evening - black truffles in at least two dishes, exquisite burgundies to boot, and a live and silent auction in which one lucky winner will get two weeks of The Dish's Dish.  All this will be set to the Chris Bergson Band and complete with two guests chefs - Michel Troisgros hailing from Roanne, France as well as Daniel Humm from Eleven Madison Park.  Sirio Maccioni will be the guest of honor during this sumptuous evening; however, in spite of it all, guests are encouraged to wear jeans! This is truly my kind of event! Check out the menu below and see why ponying up $1,000 per ticket might just be money well spent.

Mercadito Cantina

I had a fantastic meal last night with an old friend at Mercadito Cantina. I had been to the outpost across the street years back as well as the location on Grove Street in the west village, but somehow this third branch escaped my radar. Maybe it opened after I moved to Brooklyn and was heavy in my "only Italian" phase.  In any event, I am glad I made it to MC for dinner.

We kicked things off with two guacamoles - traditional and the calabaza.  YUM!  The calabaza - cinnamon spiced pumpkin, tomatillo pico de gallo, roasted jalapeño, and toasted pumpkin seeds - was heavenly.  Just this with a little bit of garlicky shrimp on toast could sustain me for life.  To wash it down, we had some miches: various flavored cheladas.  My friend had the house chelada and I went for the ker-mich, which I thought was the superior.  It was all cucumber and agave and cumin.  His was more like a breakfasty/bloody mary chelada. But he liked his best. So, to each his own. But certainly try one of these. They are very tasty.

On to the tacos.  Two per order runs you $9.50, which I thought was steep.  But then I was very full so it about evened out.  My friend went for the carnitas - Michoacán-style braised pork.  He wolfed them down.  And, since we'd traveled to Michoacán together in early 2006 and had the very realist thing, I knew I could trust this one's palate when it came to carnitas.  I opted for the tacos calamar, a sweet and crispy rendition that came topped with a plantain salsa.  To accompany these morsels, I selected the hongos y huitlacoche - a dish I can never ever resist- sauteed mushrooms and huitlacoche-mushroom fungus.  He ordered the arroz verde al horno.  I was pleasantly surprised and ended up being the one who finished this dish off.  Green rice baked in a casserole, covered with manchego and oaxaca cheese.  It ended up getting very crispy around the edges - something else I cannot resist.

We sat at the bar which, despite it being a narrow restaurant, was really pleasant.  The place was crowded but not overly packed on the Wednesday evening.  We both noted that the back table would make for an excellent little dinner party zone.  I snagged a menu on the way out, and looking through it on the way home, saw about 6 things I wanted to try.

Shang

Last night I ate at Shang, the chinese resto in the LES Thompson Hotel.  Each dish, as well as the space and waitstaff, was gorgeous, meticulous, and very ornamental.  Each dish is meant to be shared and so began the parade of nine dishes we split between the three of us.

White snapper soup, Beijing cucumber salad, and a sashimi special that came with yellowtail, sliced artichokes and a sauce reminiscent of the Nobu sashimi salad dressing led the charge.  The soup was perfect for the windy night, the cuke salad came with ample avocado and was garnished with all sorts of tastys - persimmon, squash, lotus root.  We agreed on this as our favorite of the trio, noting that the sashimi sauce was the best part of the special.

Next dishes up were a homemade tofu.  It came steamed and enhanced with soy and spinach.  Atop it was a pile of chanterelles and other mushroooms.  I had been in Hong Kong with one of my dining companions last year and we both felt instantly transported back to the remarkable island.  The dumplings arrived soon after.  A net of crispies held four vegetable-potato dumplings in a perfect circle before we cracked through to them.  Steamed and soaked in soy and chili, the dumplings had a vibrant flavor, making them a complete meal in and of themselves.  If I were to come back to sit at the bar for a snack, this would be my meal.

We opted for two seafood dishes, the sablefish and shrimp.  The sable (also known as black cod) came "caramelized" and flecked with salmon roe.  The mustard was a good addition to the tradition, and oft overdone, miso cod.  The shrimp were a work of art.  Four jumbo ones hid beneath a spun web of rice tuille upon which rested an artichoke heart filled with sipnach gratin.  The shrimp sat in a spicy bath of tomato jam.  A favorite of the table.

For dessert we went for a banana chocolate cake and a fruit granita.  The chocolate dessert was more like a sticky toffee pudding with a layer of ganache hidden within.  The fruit dessert, described by the waitress as a "fruit explosion," was just that - and a great way to end the meal as well.

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On our way out the door, Susur stopped us to ask what our favorite dishes were.  At that point we had to decide.  It was split between the spinach tofu and the garlic shrimp.  But this morning, looking through my snapshots, I remembered how delicious the vegetable potato dumplings had been.  The truth is, each dish at Shang is a sculptural wonder and an axciting, refreshing juxtaposition of flavors worth giving a shot.  Check it out and explore - next up for me is returning at breakfast.

Graham Ave Breakdown

After living on the edge of Williamsburg and Greenpoint for over a year now, I am almost convinced that my "new" stomping grounds rival my old (West Village and Soho). I've compiled a list of my favorite places...from the walk to my apartment from the Graham Ave L-stop.  Not bad!! And, this isn't including my local laundry drop off, a few great bodegas, one-hour photo, a little shipping place, a pharmacy, a wine store, the park, and a pet store.  There's also a hair salon for old ladies and a place to purchase (and get delivered) tombstones... but I don't need those things yet.

Motorino
New, food-media loved pizza joint opened in late 2008.  Former BLT chef and generally lauded chef owns, runs and cooks almost every night.  All pies are good. Try the seasonal one. BYOB.

Barosa
Old school Italian. Neighborhood joint. Great risotto, garlic knots (for free, all you can possibly eat), eggplant parm, and pizzas.

Harefield Road
A solid bar run by an Irishman.  Come in the summer to sit on the patio in the back.  Cozy up at the long wooden tables in the winter.  Whatever you do, don’t miss brunch.

Ralph’s
In the summer, their ices are irresistible.  Strawberry, ‘Smores, Birthday Cake, and Cherries Jubilee are my favorites.

Oak
Wedged next to my go to bodega, Oak is easy to miss.  But the backyard is a treasure in the summertime.  Figs grow from a fig tree that shades the entire space.  Mediterranean food to boot.

Caffe Capri
Joe Capri makes the best iced coffee around.  The secret? Crushed ice… along with many years of experience.  He and his wife came to the hood from Italy when they were children and have been serving up the neighborhood’s caffeine fix since the time when it was Williamsburg mobsters, not hipsters.  The décor is always festive to say the least.  Be prepared for a few fun stories to go along with your coffee.

Blue Stove
So New! A little café with pies, muffins, coffee and a little blue stove.  Sit here all day and read.  Take a meeting.  Pick up the cuties lingering by the counter.  A welcome addition.

Fanny
French food plus a few additions like a burger and fish sandwich make this a neighborhood staple.

Emily's Pork Store
Classic, old-school Italian pork store. Two brothers make their own sausages and other meaty items. It's also stocked with everyday Italian sundries.

La Locanda
My favorite. Homemade pastas, thick accents, family dining.  Fresh, simple, always good.

La Piazzetta
Everyone’s old country here.  The chef, the waiters, anyone who walks in the door.  There is always a site to be seen of old couples, slick guys on dates, and without a date a few birthday parties.

Daddy’s
A dirty lil’ bar that no one ever tires of.  The margeveza is famed at this point, but just as good.

The Richardson
The new kid.  Refined, pro-crafted cocktails like French 75s and Manhattans are drinkers choices here.  There’s an unbeatable selection of bourbons for this neighborhood.  Small but tasty nibbles, and a kitchen open til 2am, keep people hobnobbing all night long.

Beaner
A Mexican coffee bar complete with artwork and music to set the mood.  Try the Chicano Mochaccino.
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Graffiti

Last night, I had a very interesting meal at Graffiti, a four-table yet somehow 25-ish seat restaurant.  The place was crammed like a little bohemian coffee shop - a mishmash of colors and patterns strewn from floor to ceiling.  There's Eastern artwork, chandeliers, mirrors and over-sized cabinets as well as foreign newspapers at place mats.  Confusing to say the least; distracting sets the mood more accurately.  But the menu was quite the opposite.  Focused into $7, $12, and $15 options, each dish description is as meticulous as a scientists calculations...or a baker's?  The chef/owner worked as pastry chef for Jean-Georges prior to opening Graffiti in 2007.  It shows.  Everything plays on savory and sweet, spicy and mellow, crunchy and smooth as our waitress pointed out each time she served us a new dish.

Start with the zucchini hummus pizza.  The dough is puff pastry (sweet, flaky), the hummus is smooth, the zucchini is mellow and the kicker is wasabi peas crushed atop - the savory, spicy, and crunchy.  I loved the squid and lotus root, which came to us looking like a bowl of strange grub.  Squid and sauce were sweet; lotus root and white poppy seeds was savory and crunchy.  I also adored the green chili shrimp.  A $15 item, it came with six sweet and spicy shrimp.  They got crunch from a bed of bean sprouts and kick from mirin soaked daikon.  The skate was a surprise delight.  Chickpea-crusted translated into a flavorful encasement to keep the fish moist.  Mint/yogurt sauce was sweet and mushrooms on top were savory.  Don't miss out on dessert - chef did specialize in pastry after all.  We couldn't pass up the hazelnut chocolate caviar cupcake.  A moist hazelnut-cocoa bun came doused in a rich chocolate mousse, dotted with balls of dark chocolate.  A scoop of chocolate-chocolate chip ice cream made the a x4 chocolate dish.  Heaven.

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Obama Sushi

In Japan, they've made a roll in the form of Obama.

Madeleine Macarons

With all the hubbub about Mitzy's macarons lately, I wanted to revisit my favorite as of The Dish's Dish official 2007 taste test, Madeleine on 23rd Street. Since conducting the taste test, they've moved locations into a cozier spot just up the road a bit.  The macarons are just as good, if not better.  Vanilla, Lemon, Strawberry, Rose, Cassis, and Cranberry-Raspberry all packed in the flavor.  They were out of Fleur de Sel-Caramel but with my re-instituted adoration of these perfect treats, I imagine I'll be back very soon.  Now I feel like I can try Mitzy's in earnest.  They are available at Tafu in Midtown East.

And for all those macaron lovers all over the globe, this is a very thorough treatment of the matter.

Cabrito

Last night I had dinner at Cabrito, the Zac Pelaccio joint in the West Village.  There were some hits and misses with our meal as well as with service. But it was an overall pleasant experience. It is an excellent Mexican option in this part of town in which seasonal American (Blue Ribbon, Market Table, Mas, 10 Downing) seems to abound.

We began the meal with some very interesting jalapeños rellenos.  Three blistered peppers came atop a pool of crema, stuffed with sweet raisins, toasted pine nuts, tangy capers, and chunks of snappers.  I'm not sure how Mexican it was, but the appetizer really was delicious.   We also started off with guacamole and chips, which were very tasty, if a little overpriced (it was the only thing I felt to be overpriced).  My dining companion got the chorizo huaraches.  It was a sort of deconstructed gordita - an oblong fried disk of masa, topped with ground chorizo, cabbage, radishes, and crema.  It was tasty but extremely spicy.  Too spicy for him to finish.  My main, the hongos con chile was a much more mild choice.  Though I could not taste the guarillo chile or the epazote (two aromatic Mexican spices), I found the hefty bowl of 'shrooms to be delectable.  The 'housemade" corn tortillas which came with the dish were a little bland, but I spiced them up by adding a side of braised greens (which came with chicharrones) to each bite.  Dessert was traditional churros con chocolate - always a pleasure.

Final assessment: no need to run to Cabrito, but definetely a good standby to have.  Ideal situation would be drinks and appetizers with several rowdy buddies.

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Amanda's Cooking

Last week, one of the Culinistas, Amanda Elliot, came to cook at our headquarters.  Amanda has been working for The Dish's Dish since it's founding year.  Prior to DISH, she worked at Mas, Craftbar, and assisted at the James Beard House.  She is a peach! I knew we'd be in for a treat when I recieved her proposed menu.

Black Olive Polenta with Squash/White Bean Sage Ragu
Brussels Sprout Salad with Black Radish, Toasted Almonds and Cranberry Vinaigrette
Quinoa Salad Mexicano with Corn, Red Pepper and Chipotle Chili with Cilantro Crema
Thai Curry Tofu with Coconut Rice
Handpie's with Caramelized Plantains, Black Beans, Red Pepper and Queso
Stuffed Collard Greens in a Spicy Tomato Sauce

My absolute favorite was the Polenta and Ragu. Irresistible!

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Hot Chocolate Festival

Today I went to the City Bakery Hot Chocolate Festival.  The flavor was Cinnamon Hot Chocolate. It was a madhouse in there, but if timed well, you can get in and out.  I suggest splitting one cup with a friend - it's really rich.  Click the link to see when you want to check it out - the flavors change daily. Flavors inclue Beer, Sunken Treasure, Caramel, Lemon, Vanilla Bean, Ginger, Tropical and Malted Milk.  On the final day, February 28, the flavor is Surprise Finale!

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R.I.P

This man will be greatly missed. I feel lucky to have one of his peelers.

Kahlua Redux

While staying as a house guest with some friends in Park City, I was presented with an opportunity to make good with Kahlua, that sweet, syrupy liqueur enjoyed a little heavy handedly by yours truly during high school.  Our hostess asked me to try the buttercream icing she was making, and, not knowing that it’d been treated with a dose of the coffee liqueur, I happily obliged.  I had sworn it off completely many moons ago, but when I tasted the icing, I couldn’t help but give it a decided two thumbs up.  She’d eye-balled about ¼ cup into about 2 cups of icing, giving the cake topper a subtle Kahlua taste—perfect to accompany the chocolate cake on which she planned on slathering it.  Whether you love Kahlua already or need to be convinced like I did—this is how to enjoy it.

Walter Foods

Dinner at Walter Foods was meant to be. After spending the holidays practically tethered to my sweetie’s family, we were headed to the Grand Street haunt for our first solo meal in several days.  Upon walking into the classy, almost old-timey resto, whom did we see but good ol’ family—younger brother and sister-in-law sat sated in a small booth, finishing the last spoonfuls of a dessert special.  They’d had the same idea.

Their presence was fortuitous—saddled up at the bar drinking dark & stormy’s and bourbon cocktails, we got some ordering advice as we tagged out with them.

Fried Oysters were a special not to be forgone.  Six per order come resting in their shells on individual dollops of tangy tartar sauce.  Other stand-out apps were the blackened shrimp with a cool blue cheese dip.  We were less impressed with the grilled shrimp cocktail, but wowed to boot while devouring the lobster salad.  Lobster, Bibb lettuce, grapefruit, and avocado hide beneath a layer of outstanding creamy yet piquant dressing.  The salad, which comes with meat from one claw and what seems like the entire tail, is enough for a lighter meal—perhaps accompanied by a few sides.

Our favorites were the Brussels sprouts, which came very roasty, and the onion rings: light and crispy with a thick, rich dipping sauce that added to the decadence.  After all of this mid-sized grazing, splitting an entrée seemed prudent.  We chose the sea bass; it came on a tuft of wilted greens scattered with green olives and stewed tomatoes.  Besides being a little on the dry side, the dish was a great way to close out the savory portion of the meal.

We ordered another round of drinks—also a superb aspect of the meal—and chose the chocolate banana pudding as dessert.  Our waitress—just as she’d brought everything in the course of the evening—brought dessert in such a prompt and timely routine that the chocolate and cream were still bubbling hot.  While it cooled, we took a minute to look around and see, on what was supposed to be a slow night, how packed the house was and how happy each diner appeared to be.
Biting into the dessert, we couldn’t help but be happy, too, about Walter being in the neighborhood.

Torrija Navarra

I was unaware of Torrija, a Spanish dessert, before the Navarra Food Festival in Manhattan a few weeks ago.  However now I am scouring menus for it everywhere I eat.

I had the chance to taste the version of renowned chef Enrique Martinez.  The delicacy is essentially made up of bread, in his case brioche, cream, cinnamon, and sugar.  The affect is a springy, custard-like cake.  Martinez caramelized the top of his just a bit and served it with an Idiazabal-spiked ice cream.

I was able to find this spongy delight at two restaurants in Manhattan.  The first, Boqueria, has recently opened a Soho branch, where they offer the dessert with yogurt ice cream.  It is also available at Tia Pol during brunch where it’s dubbed Spanish-style French toast…a pretty accurate description!  But regardless of where you get it—NYC or Spain; made by you or made by a famous chef—it’s a dessert to taste in 2009.