The Skinny Pig

CookieBar Opens (If Only For a Moment) Today

Here's the good news: there are nearly a dozen varieties of cookies for your munching pleasure. Here's the bad news: it's only going to be there for six days. WHAT?! How can they do this to me??

Dorie Greenspan (award-winning cookbook author of Baking with Julia, and Baking: From My Home To Yours) and her son, Josh, will be selling their precious sweets from a temporary storefront inside of Mizu Salon (505 Park Ave between 59th and 60th) from today, Feb 8, through Sat, Feb 13. Just in time for some more Valentine's Day sweets! The Greenspans hope to open a permanent shop by the end of the year, so I assume this is the test-store. Prices range from $2 -$4 for her famous cookies.

Brunch at Bao Noodles

Lately, I have come to really appreciate a good brunch; there's just something about it that's so comforting, relaxing, and indulgent (champagne at noon, anyone?). However, brunch doesn't always have to be comprised of eggs benedict or smoked salmon and bagels. Bao Noodles in Gramercy does a great Vietnamese brunch for $9.99 pp, and it was deliciously different.

Their new "Brunch Special" menu is kind of small, but the options are very different, so it still feels like you have plenty to choose from; and of course, each entree comes with either a Bloody Bao (lemongrass and habanero spiked bloody mary), Bao Bellini (peach puree, citrus vodka, golden star tea) or Mimosa. My friend Monique was with me for this brunch, and she has a thing for Bloody Mary's, so she was very excited about the twist on the traditional. I have a preference for sweeter drinks during brunch (I'm such a girl), so I opted for the Bao Bellini.

We each got a sampling of Vietnamese Congee, which is similar to porridge, though I assume it's very different than what Goldilocks had. This Congee is made of rice and there is a seafood version (squid, crab and shrimp) and a poultry/meat version (chicken, pork, duck). It was like eating cream of wheat...with shrimp and pork in it. That was sort of the consistency that it reminded me of. It came with five little pieces of fried dough on the side (mmm fried), with soy sauce for dipping and some fried onions to top off the Congee (mmm fried again). I was pleasantly surprised with this one, because I can't lie, from the looks of it I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, but we both agreed that it was really good - probably not for everyone, but if you're open minded I would give it a chance.

Congee

Now, there were a few things on the brunch menu that jumped out at us, and they both involved eggs (I guess we're more traditional than we thought). There was the Vietnamese Breakfast, which is a Panko crusted pork chop Banh Mi with fried egg; the Hanger Steak and Eggs, which is pretty self explanatory, and the Vietnamese Omelette with Yucca fries, also pretty self explanatory. We both wanted to try the Pork chop Banh Mi, so it came down to the omelette or the steak...and the steak won. Nothing says hearty brunch like Steak and Eggs! The steak was perfectly cooked to a nice, medium rare, and the eggs were scrambled and fluffy.

Hanger Steak and Eggs...mm meat

However, I think the real winner here was the Vietnamese Breakfast: the sandwich was huge, and I popped the yolk on the egg, which caused all the yolky deliciousness to run down the sides of the bread (drool). It was one of those delicious-but-messy sandwiches that required a lot of napkins and finger-licking. Not ideal if you're on a brunch date with someone you want to impress. Fortunately, Monique didn't judge. Maybe that's because she split the sandwich with me and had the same problem. It was really good though - the carrots, the cucumber, the crispy, juicy pork and the egg complimented each other so well. I'd go back for that sandwich right now, but this time, I'd bring some wet-naps. 

Vietnamese Breakfast: Pork Banh Mi w/fried egg nums

 

Bao Noodles
391 2nd Ave (nr 23rd st)
212-725-7770   

Valentine's Day 2010: Prix Fixe Dinner Beats Roses Any Day

Valentine's Day is really more of a marketing scheme than a holiday at this point; where people either end up depressed from being alone or bloated from all the chocolate they've consumed. Or a little of both. No good can come of this day. BUT if you're a believer in St. Valentine and Cupid and those little chalky hearts with sweet nothings written on them, then you might be interested in the below information. You sap.

 Whether you've got a hot date this year or are just going out with friends, some good old wining and dining is the answer to this over-indulgent holiday. And as we have learned from restaurant week, you can't go wrong with a delicious prix-fixe menu. Because remember, nothing says romance like "I don't feel like spending a lot of money on you." Awww...

Marfa on the LES sounds like a delicious deal for $32 pp, you get three courses with choices like lump crab cake with smoked chipotle pepper aioli or grilled filet mignon with pink peppercorn sauce and tequila. Pink!! And of course, there's a selection of rich desserts to tempt your tastebuds. See below for menu.

Marfa Valentine's Day Menu

$32 per person

Foreplay

Baked Goat Cheese, Strawberry and Candied Walnut Salad

Raspberry Vinaigrette

 

Lump Crab Cake

Smoked Chipotle Pepper Aioli

 

Grilled Chicken Roll and Avocado Corn Relish

Cilantro Bean Sauce

 

Passion

Grilled Filet Mignon  - Sauce of Pink Peppercorns and Tequila

Asiago Potato Gratin and Grilled Broccoli

 

Crackling Skin Duck Breast – Sauce of Strawberry and Passionfruit

 Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Mango Compote

 

Pan Seared Wild Striped Bass - Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Sautéed Baby Spinach and Housemade Potato Chips

 

Aphrodisiacs

Raspberry Glazed Chocolate Cake and Vanilla Ice Cream

 

Chocolate Strawberries with Amaretto Mint Whipped Cream

 

Brandy Poach Pear and Vanilla Ice Cream

Coconut Flakes and Raspberry Sauce   

Speaking of Aphrodisiacs, Esperanto's prix-fixe menu actually has supposed aphrodisiacs in the ingredients. They call it "love spices," we call it "yum." It's a sweet deal too: $35 pp gets you three courses, a cocktail of your choice, and live music as well. Start your meal with their shrimp avocado ceviche with red pepper and ginger (two known romantic stimulants...who knew?), and try their signature Banana Leaf Flounder with Secret Aphrodisiac Spices. Oh my. Menu below. 

Esperanto Valentine's Day Menu

$35 per person

Stop The Jitters with...

Passion Fruit Punch  or

Strawberry Mojito

Open Your Appetite With... 

Shrimp Avocado Ceviche with Fresh Ginger and Red Pepper  or

Plantain crusted Goat Cheese Appetizer with Sauteed Leeks

Heighten Your Senses With...

Filet Mignon of Pork in a Passion Fruit Sauce with Sweet Mashed Potatoes

or

Flounder Steamed in a Banana Leaf with our special combination of Aphrodisiac Spices

 

Top it All Off With...

Banana Flambe with Dark Rum and Anise Spices or

 

Chocolate Cake with our secret Love Spices

 

Who wouldn't want love spices on Valentine's Day?? Well, I guess you wouldn't if your mom was your date. But if you have a non-relative as your date (good for you!) and feel like speaking the language of love, Italian may be the way to go. Emporio is offering a $69 pp prix-fixe menu that sounds amazing. Appetizers range from steak tartare with mushrooms and Parmesan cheese to lobster salad with chickpeas and crispy guanciale, and for something fun, why not try a pink risotto? Champagne and strawberry risotto to be exact. Mmmm. Top it all off with some strawberry and banana tiramisu and you'll be gazing lovingly into each others eyes all night. I'd probably be gazing at the tiramisu, but that's just me. Menu below.

Emporio Valentine's Day Menu

$69 per person

Aperitivo

Strawberry Bellini

 

 

Antipasti

Kumamoto Oysters with Sea Urchin and VinSanto Gelee

 

Grass fed Steak Tartare with Nail Mushroom, Parmesan Cheese and Crostini 

 

Warm Lobster Salad with Chickpeas and Crispy Guanciale

 

Organic Beets and Blood Orange Salad with Horseradish and Yogurt sauce

 

Primi

Champagne and Strawberry Risotto with 20-year aged Balsamic Vinaigrette

 

Agnolotti with Ricotta and Langostine, preserved Lemon and Marjoram

 

Secondi

Flash Seared Arctic Char with Spinach Puree and Roasted Sunchokes

 

Balsamic-glazed Long Island Duck Breast with Chestnut Emulsion and Wild Mushrooms

 

 

Dolci

Strawberry and Banana Tiramisu

 

Prosecco and Sake Poached Pear with Spicy Chocolate Truffle and Toasted Almonds

 

What's better than that? Nice to know Valentine's Day is good for something. Here's to love food! 

Loving Italian at Da Franco

Cooking with love is probably one of the greatest things on earth. Cooking Italian food with love is even better. I dined at Da Franco this past week with my mom (aww) in our hometown of Astoria, Queens, and we were feeling the family love.

Tucked away in the heart of Astoria near the park is Da Franco, just 7 months young and full of promise. Owner Franco Spatola and his wife, Esther, were very gracious hosts. I told Franco that I had heard a lot about their homemade mozzarella and their Pizza alla Modena, so I had to try it. He told us he would go back into the kitchen and start working on it while we ordered some wine and browsed the menu...

Ahhh this menu! Breathtaking is a word that comes to mind...overwhelming is another. It's a huge menu. This menu is to Italian food what words are to dictionaries. Upon further review, I noticed that it's a lot of the same ingredients, just used differently in a multitude of combinations. I think the menu doesn't need to be that extensive, especially when the food is good and simple, but I guess there's nothing wrong with variety, which seemed to be the theme of our meal anyway. We did a tasting of quite a few dishes, and it was hard to pinpoint a favorite, but that Pizza alla Modena won my heart, quite literally...see below.

Pizza all Modena = perfection

How can something so simple be so delicious? When it's made with fresh, homemade ingredients and a little love. This pizza is made in a special Marsal brick oven that cooks evenly from all sides, producing a wonderfully crispy crust, then topped with cherry tomatoes, homemade mozzarella, arugula, prosciutto and shaved parmesan cheese. It was so good, I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a pizza that much - everything was perfect. The cheese did that beautiful stringy thing that only fresh mozzarella does, and even though I looked like a slob eating it, I really didn't care. As cheese was dangling from my mouth, Franco came over and suggested a little drizzle of Sicilian olive oil on top. I didn't think it needed it, but it really heightened the flavors and brought everything together. And, he made it in the shape of a heart for me and my mom...who will also probably be my Valentine's date this year. Awesome.

Gorgonzola Polenta

As my mom and I ripped through the Pizza alla Modena, we were presented with more appetizers: Polenta e Gorgonzola, Portobello Milanese al Forno, Antipasto Italia, and the Insalata di Rucola con Noci. All of those, roughly translated, mean "scrumptious". The gorgonzola polenta was my mom's favorite, with its incredibly smooth texture and silky gorgonzola sauce. I liked the oven-roasted portobello mushrooms topped with more of that homemade mozzarella (can't have enough of that), served on a bed of spinach with cherry tomatoes and white balsamic vinegar - they were so earthy and flavorful. We also really enjoyed both the antipasto and the rucola con noci (arugula and walnut) salads. The antipasto is inherently Italian (imported cheese, peppers, olives, salumi) while the other is lighter Italian fare and not-so-traditional with arugula, walnuts and fennel, tossed with apple and fresh mint cider and big shavings of parmigiano reggiano. Being that they are so different, it was hard to pick a favorite. I'd have to say that if I was in the mood for savory, I'd go with the antipasto, but if I wanted something light and refreshing, the walnuts and fennel salad would be perfect. It was citrusy, sweet and crisp, while the antipasto was fragrant and intense. 

Antipasto

Insalata di Rucola con Noci

When Franco told me that all of their pastas (except for the rigatoni and ziti) are homemade, I felt I would be doing myself a disservice by NOT trying one...or two. Again, there were so many to choose from, I had to go with my gut (and a little help from the waitress): Orecchiette alla Barese, orecchiette pasta with garlic, extra virgin olive oil, broccoli rabe and grilled pork sausage; and the Rigatoni all'Matriciana, rigatoni with pancetta, onions, and pecorino romano in a light tomato sauce. Here is the bottom line for pasta: fresh is always better. The rigatoni was a bit undercooked, and therefore didn't soak up the sauce the way it normally would, which was a shame. My orecchiette, however, was very good; savory sausage, sweet garlic and the mildly bitter broccoli rabe on top of fresh pasta was excellent. Another drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and I was in carbo-heaven.

Orecchiette alla Barese

At this point, I had so much savory that I needed something sweet. I also needed something caffeinated. Da Franco was hosting a rather large party that night, so the service was a little slow, but understandably so; the group was over 40 people and they had to crank out pizzas and pastas by the dozen! So we were patient. Esther and Franco suggested a homemade ricotta cheesecake they had made that morning, and I NEEDED something chocolate (as I usually do), so I got the tiramisu as well. I am incredibly biased towards my mom's cheesecake, so I rarely order it out, but this one was pretty good. It had a much better texture than I expected (I find ricotta cheesecake to be too mealy sometimes), and it had some nice lemon zest in it, which my mom also puts in her cheesecake, so they won points for that. I thought the tiramisu was better, but that could be my somewhat unhealthy addiction to chocolate kicking in. It was a beautiful presentation in a glass, goblet-like dish, and the layers were all perfect; the lady fingers were soft but not soggy, the mascarpone cream was not too sweet, and the dusting of chocolate on top was just right. I felt like Goldilocks - the fat version.

Tiramisu nums

Just a few sips of my espresso rounded out an overall great meal. I really didn't expect to like it as much as I did; I even told Franco I was pleasantly surprised. I don't venture out to Astoria much for the fine dining, but I really should. They have so many good restaurants, and Da Franco I now know is one of them. For Manhattanites, it's a bit of a walk from the train, but in the warm weather I think it's totally worth it, not to mention they have tables set up outside then. And if you live in the boroughs with a car, then you have no excuse - parking is pretty easy around there too. The prices aren't bad either, and for the quality of the food, I say make the trip and put a little love in your stomach. And PS for all of you pizza lovers: the Pizza alla Modena tastes great cold too. How do I know this?? I wouldn't let them take it away for the entire meal.

Da Franco

1919 24th ave

718-267-0010

Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Festival Roundup

Itssssss bacon!

What's a great way to warm up on a cold, blustery New York day? Take some shots of bourbon with a side of bacon! That's what I did on Saturday at the first annual Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Festival at La Venue.

Granted, I know not much about bourbon, whiskey and the like, so I can't comment too much on that, but I do know a thing or two about food, especially barbecue and bacon. There were plenty of vendors in attendance for this festival, yet I think it was geared more towards the drinking than the eating. There was definitely more alcohol than anything else, which normally isn't a problem for me, but I got pretty sick this past week so I was on antibiotics and couldn't drink much, but my friend Hal was there to sample most of the alcohol on hand. Good pal.You can check out his site for some reviews as well.

In terms of the food, there were some standouts that I really enjoyed, then there were others that were just OK. I was handed a piece of bacon upon entering, so that was a good way to set the tone for the event. My favorites were Georgia's Eastside BBQ, Gerb's Pumpkin Seeds, Todd's Dirt, Hill Country, Southern Hospitality, The Meat Hook, and Loveless Cafe's Famous Piggy Popcorn. Yum. There was one mega disappointment on my end: I couldn't get to Dinosaur Bar-B-Que. The line was insane and I have no patience. BBQ Fail. I'm sure it was good though, because we went back twice and the line didn't die down.

Nashville's own Loveless Cafe made my popcorn dreams come true: they mixed it with bacon. Actually, it's more than that. It's caramel-candied popcorn that is popped in pure bacon grease (!!!!), then covered in caramel sauce and studded with bits of their own hickory-smoked country cured bacon. I went back for seconds, and I'm not even kidding when I say I would have taken home a truckload of that stuff. I would eat it off of a shoe. It had that amazing salty/sweet combination that kept me (and many others) going back for more. I loved it. LOVED THE LOVELESS.

Piggy Popcorn...heavenly

Next on my faves list was The Meat Hook's bacon sausage from Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It tasted like breakfast, rolled up into a sausage...if that makes sense. It had that smoky and sweet bacon taste, but mixed with sausage. I don't know how to describe it other than "it was delicious." And in retrospect, that's really all you need to know. This is also coming from a place that makes bacon cheeseburger sausage, so...trust the Hook.

Bacon sausage!

One good way to lure me in to any vendor booth (or random party): put out a bowl of pretzels with assorted dips. This was what drew me to Todd's Dirt. Specialty barbecue seasonings in three flavors mixed with sour cream and cream cheese made for some outstanding dips. There was Original Dirt, Crabby Dirt, and Bayou Dirt. Original Dirt is made of 14 spices for all kinds of meat, vegetables and more, Crabby Dirt is made of 20 spices for all of your seafood needs, and Bayou Dirt is made of 16 spices in a Creole/Cajun style perfect for all sorts of cooking.

Got crabs? Rub some dirt on it

Call me crazy, but I really like Southern Hospitality's pulled pork sliders. I do. The meat is always tender and seasoned well with a good amount of sauce, the coleslaw is crunchy, and the little potato buns were nice and warm. Their line was pretty long too for most of the day, so I assume a lot of people felt the same way. Only downside in my opinion was that they didn't have any of their fried pickles on hand. BOOOO! If you haven't tried fried pickles yet, I suggest you get on that. Some people think it's gross, but those people are stupid. End of conversation.

To balance out all the saltiness of the 6 different kinds of bacon I tried (regular, applewood smoked, bayou bacon, peppered bacon, duck bacon, maple bacon), I needed something sweet. How about creamy and sweet, followed by crunchy and sweet? Sold. Georgias Eastside BBQ was serving up little cups of banana pudding, which is probably one of my favorite things ever. I love bananas. And I love pudding. This was probably the best one I've had next to Buttercup Bake Shop; it was creamy, sweet, and had a lot of Nilla wafer cookies in it. And did you really expect me to go this whole time without finding SOMETHING chocolate?? Gerb's Pumpkin Seeds to the rescue! Yes, they make all kinds of spiced pumpkin seeds (lightly salted, onion and garlic, etc), but they also make dark chocolate covered pumpkin seeds, which tasted like little morsels of chocolate heaven. I think the ratio of chocolate to pumpkin seeds was about 80/20, but um, who cares? The more chocolate the better. I had to buy a box for the road.

Gerb's Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Seeds

I certainly enjoyed the Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Festival, and I'm actually kind of thankful I didn't drink too much; some of that whiskey and bourbon was so strong, it would have deadened my taste buds for sure. Can't have that.  How can I sample pulled pork, bacon, and popcorn cooked in bacon fat if I can't even taste it? That's like...a sin. I would have enjoyed this festival even more if it wasn't so damn crowded though. There were way too many people in there - I had to throw elbows just to get some bacon. What can I say? I'm passionate about these things...

Looking forward to next year!

Cherry Valley's Sandwich of the Week Sounds...Healthy?!

If I haven't mentioned this before, feel free to send me a virtual ass kicking. Cherry Valley, otherwise known as the mecca of deliciousness in Whitestone, Queens, announced their Sandwich of the Week. The Sunset: grilled chicken, fresh mozzarella, guacamole, tomatoes, salt & pepper on a wrap. I guess Cherry Valley is trying to go healthy on us. Blasphemy! I'm all for a nice grilled chicken sandwich every now and then, but Cherry Valley is KNOWN for their veritable "heart attacks on heros" like the TCS, the Bushman, or the Beast (ohhhh the Beast...see descriptions below). Cherry Valley is my biggest guilty food pleasure, and this could just be me, but when I go there, I'm all about indulging - counting calories basically goes out the window. You just kinda have to in order to get the full experience. And you should also go around 2 am. I'm convinced the sandwiches are fresher at that time than they are in the middle of the day.

Faves in order of MY preference...everyone has a favorite (or two) at Cherry Valley, but growing up in Queens, I can tell you that they are most widely known for the TCS. This could be why their slogan is "Home of the TCS, Corona, Bushman & Beast."

Bushman: Chicken Cutlet w/bacon, brown gravy, american cheese on toasted garlic roll/hero

Beast: Chicken Cutlet w/bacon, swiss cheese, onion rings, brown gravy on a toasted garlic roll/hero (pics below...mmmm)

TCS: Chicken cutlet w/american cheese, brown gravy on a toasted roll/hero

Leanboy: Grilled honey turkey w/mozzarella cheese, fried onions, brown gravy on toasted garlic roll/hero

Corona: Chicken Cutlet w/bacon, cheddar cheese, onion rings, and BBQ sauce on toasted garlic roll/hero

If you aren't salivating, there is clearly something wrong with you.

 
Mmmm beasty 

Cherry Valley

12-29 150th st

Whitestone, NY 11357

718-767-1937

 

And they deliver now! SCORE!

Buttery Brunch at L'Ecole

You've got to give it to the French; they know what's imperative for a good meal. I don't think I've had a more indulgent brunch in my life, but believe me - the butter, the cream, and the flaky pastries were worth every highly caloric bite.

I dined with my friend Angela at L'Ecole Sunday at the French Culinary Institute, and we ate for a good cause too: all proceeds went to the American Red Cross for Haiti. L'Ecole offers a prix fixe brunch menu, and for $19.50 per person, you get a basket of fresh bread and pastries, an appetizer and entree. Let me talk about this bread basket for a second. Would a scone by any other name taste as sweet?? This scone was special: flaky, buttery, with blueberries and sanding sugar on top - it glistened in the mid-morning light. Disclaimer: if you have an aversion to carbs, give it up for this brunch. Trust me.

Blueberry scone and Blood Orange Sidecar...mmmm 

What's brunch without a punchy, alcoholic beverage? Not brunch, I say! L'Ecole has a fabulous list of specialty cocktails for brunch, so I got the "Blood Orange Sidecar" and Angela got the "Easy Like Sunday Mimosa" in peach; she went semi-traditional. The Blood Orange Sidecar was orange juice just like mom used to make...if your mom was an alcoholic. Cointreau, cognac, blood orange, orange bitters and fresh lemon certainly packed that "punch" I was referring to. A sweet and tart drink perfect for any brunch, I declare. And the mimosa was...a mimosa. Good, but something you can get anywhere.  

Rarely would I order shrimp in the morning, but when it's butter-poached shrimp with andouille sausage and grits, I will reconsider. The grits were good, but the andouille sausage and shrimp made this dish. It was buttery and spicy - how can you go wrong? Butter makes everything better. So does cream. That's what I have deducted from this experience. Our other appetizer was a cumin-roasted butternut squash and almond soup, thickened with cream, of course. It was a very rich soup, and I would have preffered it a little hotter (though cream-soup experts suggest that a soup of this nature shouldn't be served too hot), but it was still very tasty. You could taste the cumin infused in it, but it wasn't overpowering, and I liked the crunch of the crispy shitake mushrooms and almonds on top.

 
Butter Poached Shrimp and Grits; Cumin-Roasted Butternut Squash Soup 

Now for the pièce de résistance: the entree. Or entrees I should say. I was having trouble deciding what to order (a common problem for me), so our lovely waitress, Shibhon, suggested I get an omelette. Odd, no? Just an omelette? Well...ok. I did. I got an omelette with goat cheese, bacon and spinach (you know, keep it healthy), and Angela got eggs benedict (normally MY brunch staple). When our food arrived, something was off: eggs benedict, check. Omelette, check. And...Croque Madame? Surprise! Shibhon said I had to at least TRY the croque madame, so my response was, "well, if you're going to twist my arm..." For those of you who don't know, a croque madame is essentially the same as a croque monsieur, but with a sunny side up egg on top. So it's an open-faced "sandwich" of sorts with ham, bechamel sauce, gruyere cheese and a sunny side up egg on top. God bless the French and their obsession with all things butter and cheese. Everything was delicious, but that croque madame was a scene-stealer. I'd like to meet the person who wouldn't enjoy that. And if you're trying to be healthy, don't worry, it came with a small side of mixed greens. 

Croque Madame aka heart attack heaven

An omelette is an omelette right? Wrong. This omelette was fluffy, cheesy and (shock) buttery. Thick cut bacon, creamy goat cheese and spinach all wrapped up in real eggs (and what I imagine was a nice slick of butter). It's funny, so many of us eat those damned egg whites all the time, we tend to forget how good REAL eggs taste. I certainly miss it. The eggs benedict were also good; normally I go to brunch and always end up wishing I got the eggs benny (because it's hard to screw up), but this was the first time in a long time that I was perfectly satisfied with what I got and not picking at everyone else's plates.

Eggs Benny 

Now dessert is something I rarely order at brunch, but hey, I figured I already consumed close to 3,000 calories, whats another 500? We ordered the tart du jour, which was filled with passionfruit mousse in a coconut crust. It was slightly frozen which was a little disappointing, and the crust was very hard, but it still tasted good. If the mousse was softer, it would have been divine.

For $19.50 per person, I think L'Ecole's brunch is a pretty sweet deal. And speaking of sweet - they will be open for brunch on Valentine's Day as well, where they will offer the same menu but with specialty cocktails and complimentary chocolate truffles for dessert. What better way to the heart than through the stomach?

L'Ecole

462 Broadway (nr. Crosby)

212-219-3300

Preview of Ducks at SPiN

As a somewhat jaded New Yorker, rarely do I find myself in an establishment that begs me to ask the question: where the hell am I?? SPiN, however, has bested me.

Located on 23rd street and Park Avenue South is SPiN, a rather unconventional business venture backed by Susan Sarandon. The name is kind of vague so I'll spell it out for you: imagine a 13,000 square foot billiards club, but instead of pool tables and old smokers in plaid shirts everywhere, it's ping pong tables and investment bankers in collared shirts (mostly, but all pong lovers are welcome). It's on the lower level of the building, which already adds to the "underground" vibe, and upon entering, you certainly feel like you're in some sort of exclusive club, which is essentially what it is anyway: a "ping pong social club." Who knew? I will admit that it looks like a fun place to entertain though. You have to give it to us New Yorkers - we embrace change (and eccentricity) very well.

Normally, a table tennis social club isn't something I would go running to, but when I found out there was a new restaurant opening inside of it, I was suddenly intrigued. Opening this Saturday (1/23), Ducks at SPiN is a casual little dining area (with full bar) just a few feet away from the masses of ping pong tables. To that end, be on the lookout for stray ping pong balls flying your way during your meal; it's not bad, in fact it adds an element of authenticity to the experience. Anyway, we were there for the soft opening, and the menu is a good mix of classic bar food with a twist, and creative sandwiches.

Menu

Ducks claims to make the best grilled cheese, so that was obviously one of my choices for the evening. The rest was a tough decision because everything sounded really good, but we opted for some wings, lettuce wraps with jumbo lump crab meat, "The Saigon" sandwich, and some gourmet popcorn with chocolate, coconut and powdered sugar. I'm eating chocolate popcorn at a table tennis club...my mind was spinning (no pun intended, I swear).

All the food was really good, but I definitely favored some things. First off, the grilled cheese brought me back to grade school: it was really thin and cheesy on sourdough bread. It wasn't the BEST I've ever had, but I have to say I never had a grilled cheese on sourdough bread before, and that definitely gave it that extra bite; it was good, but not my favorite of the night. The wings were probably the best, followed by the popcorn and the lettuce wraps, believe it or not. The lettuce wraps were filled with jumbo lump crab meat, cashews, green curry, green mango slaw, and pork rousong, aka pork floss, which isn't as gross as it sounds...in the slightest. They were little bundles of light, fluffy crab goodness with a slight tang from the curry. Loved it. The popcorn might have been laced with some habit-forming drug too, because even though I was full, I couldn't stop eating it. Anything that has that salty/sweet mixture in a bite size shape is dangerous to me, but this was strange, in a delicious way.  

Grilled Cheese (with crusts cut off!) and Chocolate Popcorn

The Saigon sandwich was a close runner up for my favorite of the night - it was both meaty and cooly refreshing at the same time (and once again, that mountain of cilantro follows me to every sandwich I eat now - damn you, cilantro!). The sweet and savory five-spice pork with chili aioli was so tender, then topped off with cool pickled daikon, cucumber, cracklings and lemongrass pate made it a bevy of textures and kept me surprised with each bite. I love a good sandwich. In case you can't tell.  

The Saigon

The wings definitely deserve some special attention as well. And this was actually a game-time decision. Not on our original order, the girls next to us ordered them and I took one glance and said "ok, I think we have to get those." Good call by me. They were so messy, but so good. Executive chef Will Horowitz aka "Papa Duck" came by for a moment to chat with us, and he explained how much he loves wings and how the sauce is the baby of many, many years of wing-tasting. He says it has the best of both worlds: the vinegary kick like North Carolina bbq sauce, and the thick, Texas-style spicy glaze. He would be correct on that; the sauce is not too spicy, not too sweet, and had just enough of a coating - not to mention the wings themselves were meaty and crispy. Just...perfection. He said the recipe for the sauce comprises of so many ingredients, it would take too long to list them. Well, whatever the secret is, it's working.

Mmmmm wings

The only thing I missed out on was dessert. After my menu sampling and 2 (or 3?) Kazmanian Devils (vodka, prosecco, sage infusion - yum), I considered the sweet popcorn my dessert. According to Will, the Ducks vision was initially to be a simple grilled cheese and tomato soup kind of restaurant (both still on the menu), but as he and his talented team started putting their heads together, they just decided to have fun with it and keep evolving the food. For instance, he said there might be pork buns on this weekend's menu. And next week, who knows? "We have fun here...we cook, we play ping pong, what more could you ask for?" In my case, I should have asked for dessert.

Ducks Eatery at SPiN

48 East 23rd Street (nr Park Ave South)

212-982-8802

Sample Pestos With Panache at Whole Foods and Edible Queens Winter Warm-Up

If you haven't tried Pestos with Panache yet, you are missing out. Fortunately for you, you now have two opportunities to try them in the upcoming week.

This Sunday, January 24th from noon - 3 pm, Lauren Stewart, creator of Pestos with Panache, will be at the Edible Queens Winter Warm-Up event in LIC showcasing all of her fabulous pestos with even more fabulous recipes. And if you can't make that, on Monday, Jan 25th from 3-7 pm, a representative of Pestos with Panache will be at the Whole Foods Columbus Circle location giving out samples! Mmmm. Try the Pumpkin Chilpotle and the Fig and Gorgonzola...and the Succulent Strawberry...ok they're all really good but those are my favorites. I made many an appetizer using those bad boys and no one was disappointed. And if you think you wouldn't like strawberries or figs in your pesto then you would be WRONG. Trust the pig.

Edible Queens Winter Warm-Up

L Haus

11-02 49th Ave

Long Island City, NY

 

Whole Foods Columbus Circle

10 Columbus Circle (in Time Warner Center on 59th and 8th)

Winter Restaurant Week is Here!! Thank God!

 
It depresses me that this only comes twice a year. Restaurant Week is like a holiday - a holiday where I can mingle with those of my own kind rather than wrestle with tourists and their 3-foot Nikon cameras in the middle of the street. Blah. Humbug. Anyway...I love Restaurant Week for obvious reasons ($35 three-course dinner, $24 three-course lunch), and each year I try to go someplace I haven't been before - it's a great way to try something you generally can't afford either. So from Jan 25 - Feb 7 (Saturdays excluded) you can visit some of those places you've always wanted to try and get a great deal in the process. And remember: cheap food = more money to spend on drinks. Someone was using their thinking cap.

Check out the site to see a full listing of participating restaurants (some are even doing weekend hours! Hooray!), and click here for the restaurants that have their RW menus online. See below for my picks:

A Voce Columbus

Apiary

Artisinal

Aureole

Blue Smoke

Centro Vinoteca

Dovetail

Kittichai

Lupa

Molyvos

Morimoto

The Red Cat

Tanuki Tavern

You can make most reservations online, but for certain places (like the Breslin Bar) you will need to call directly. Happy RW!