It's obviously been too long since my last post. It's not that I haven't been eating out and taking pictures and thinking about food, it's that I've also been preoccupied and in the middle of lots of changes. Nonetheless, I think it would only be appropriate to showcase some photos from the good eating I've had over the past few months. Perhaps proper reviews of those places will follow, perhaps not, but I am going to get back in the game.
First we have Napa:
Taylor's Refresher, a very popular Napa joint known for their burgers and shakes. We stopped there between wine tastings.
A black and white shake and a coffee one. Mmmmmm!
Ahi tuna burger was a delicious burger option.
Irresistibly crisp sweet potato fries with a garlicky sauce.
Ad Hoc, a Thomas Keller creation. And a wonderful end to a day in Napa!
The day's menu.
In print and more detailed.
Sick of wine (after a day of tastings), I opted for a beer.
Potato-leek soup with bacon! Everything is better with bacon.
Everything at Ad Hoc is served family style. This is our hanger steak.
Side of barley.
My plated food.
Cheese course.
And a pecan tart for dessert! These were individual.
Back to New York:
A dinner of shared appetizers at
Frederick's with my gay husband.
Bread with eggplant dip.
Bottle of Cotes Du Rhone.
Lamb carpaccio with lentils.
Out of this world fried artichoke.
Cerviche trio: salmon, scallop, tuna.
Duck terrine.
Sausages with mustard.
Drinks and appetizers at
Sala.
The olive oil was stupendous.
Fried goat cheese with honey and caramelized onions. Yeah....
Wine and goodies at
Winebar.
Olive plate.
Porcini mushroom flatbread with cheese. This one had me at "truffle oil...."
Brunch at
Essex.(far better than dinner, I might add)
Unlimited mimosas.
Yummy oniony rolls.
Potato pancakes with black beans and appley sauce.
Egg white omelet with tomatoes, spinach, and sheep's milk cheese.
Mexican matzo brie.
One of my best meals in recent memory,
Irving Mill. Took my mom, sister, and the gay hubbs.
Drinks: a margarita-style beverage with a smoky, chipotle flavor.
A kentucky-julep style bourbon mash.
Golden beet salad with fava beans.
Green gazpacho with crab salad.
Incredible oysters from Maine.
Sweetbreads with morel mushrooms, fava beans, and onions.
Some wine for our mains.
Scallops with spinach and potatoes.
Pork chop with root vegetables.
Roasted monkfish with summer squash (my mom ordered this, I thought it was the best dish of the night).
Lavender duck with fava beans and spaetzle.
Side of broccoli rabe.
3 cheese platter.
Strawberry-ricotta shortcake.
Peanut butter-milk chocolate caramel parfait!
And cap the meal off with lemony shortbread cookies.
DovetailWent here the night after Irving Mill with the mom and sister.
I love to start the meal with glasses of prosecco.
An amuse bouche of turnips, creps, and salmon with creme freche.
Cold cauliflower soup with a blue point oyster.
A nice primitivo for the mains.
Potato gnocchi with truffles and blueberries.
Avocado with ramps, jicama, and hearts of palm.
Beet "ravioli" with feta cheese and grapes.
Cod with cipolini onions and bacon.
Red snapper with potato puree and radishes.
My buffalo was the best dish that night! With baby romaine and sunchokes.
Chocolate souffle with pistachio ice cream and cherry compote.
Brioche bread pudding with bananas, bacon brittle, and rum vanilla ice cream.
Peanut butter tart with pretzels and beer ice cream.
Petit fours.
But wait! The meal ends with peanut butter granola to take home "for breakfast" the next day.
Momofuku Saam BarI took a friend visiting from San Francisco here (the same foodie from my San Fran trip, actually). She's still talking about our meal!
Hamachi sashimi with edamame and wasabi.
The famous pork buns with David Chang's "melty" pork.
Sugar snap peas in XO sauce.
Hanger steak saam.
Spicy pork sausage and rice cakes.
And lastly, a trip to
Grimaldi's after walking the Brookyln Bridge.
Who's hungry?
Grilled calamari were lightly spiced and fresh. Delicious! Although I wished they'd included some of the squidier parts of the calamari (you know, tentacles n such).
The crab burger was delicious if unremarkable. I ate most of my half without the bun because it was just too much. The online menu liste it as being served in a pita, which might have been better. But it was flavored well and came with a nice sauce. And the oregano fries were wonderful. Perfect crispy fries!
The moussaka is like Greek lasagna. Layers of beef ragout, eggplant, potatoes, and bechamel, it was authentic and well prepared. The side of feta was a welcome addition!
Staying traditional, we got a baklava. This came with peach sorbet and had honey drizzled on the plate. It was good, if a little large. Not the best baklava I've had but not the worst.
And then there was also rice pudding! I enjoyed this, topped with a cherry. but still, so full, couldn't finish.
