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Show Me Your (Unlimited) Mussels: Flea Market Café

24 Mar

My seafood kick has by now turned into a full on Sheen-style bender; but hey, at least my vice of choice is Mussels.  Here to enable my mollusk-fiending ways is Flea Market Café where Tuesday nights will get you unlimited Mussels, frites and a glass of wine or beer for only $19.95 (#WINNING).  With 4 excellent varieties of mussels to satisfy your cravings, this may be one of the hottest deals in the East Village (Avenue A btwn St Marks/9th St).

The French kitschy knick knacks adorning the walls should put you in casual mode for your mussel “moment”… please tell me you weren’t thinking of bringing that new hottie you’re dating.  Down boy, this is a comfort-zone date night.  Sure, you may be checking out that table of hipster good-lookins across the way, but keep your eye on the mollusk menu and FOCUS.  To be fair, they do have other French fare like the Pistachio Crusted Salmon (which was excellent) – but we all know why you’re really here…

Whether you start light with the moules Marinière (served in a garlicky white wine sauce w/ shallots) or go all out with the moules au Roquerfort & Brie (a double teaming of creamy cheese goodness), you’re going to be in for a messy yet delightful evening.  The moules a la Dijonaise are a nice in between if you want something flavorful without it being too heavy.  Don’t forget the remaining variety – the moules Provencales (my faves) were served up in a spicy tomato sauce that was very different from the rest of the pack.  No matter the “flavour” you opt for, SUGGESTION: take advantage of that warm crusty bread basket – when I dip, you dip, we dip.  If we’re being honest, you’re going to try them all anyway, so admit surrender and quit playing, fool.

Some things to note… by 9pm, “the Market” is packed and there’s a good chance they may run out of the mussels, so try to get there sometime before 8:30pm to ensure your all-you-can-eat evening.  The first bowl is the biggest portion, so don’t be deterred from ordering a second smaller bowl (or a third – just sayin’).  Also, they only take Amex and cash so be prepared. Speaking of preparation, it’s gonna be a long night so go with an empty stomach and get ready to put in some work – all you can eat is a serious business, and this place has some seriously great mussels.  Bon appétit!

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Meatless Monday Munch-Fest: Dovetail

22 Mar

At this stage in my life, I know that when it comes to really expensive fine dining, I’m at the mercy of my parents – if they’re treating, I’m eating!  That being said, I usually reserve my splurge evenings to special dining experiences when I’m truly treating myself to a classy little meal.  SO, when I heard about the 2 prix fixe menu options (meat-free OR meaty-yet-vegetable-focused) that are offered every Monday at the Michelin Starred restaurant Dovetail ($46 for 4 courses), I decided it’s about time to take the trek to the Upper West Side (W 77th St @ Columbus Ave) to get my spoil on.

Dovetail’s modern vibe is well complimented by the classic appeal of impeccable service; it’s nice to feel like you’re being well taken care of but without the stuffiness of a very formal resto.  Our server for the evening (admittedly not a veggie-saurus) made helpful suggestions, which I appreciated since everything on the menu looked amazing (and at times, complicated to imagine).  Since we ate so many dishes, I think our purposes will be best served going through a rundown of my menu choices:

Salsify Soup – creamy, with sweet pearl onions and truffle marshmallows which were SO different; I’m just glad I got to experience them / Winter Tempura – a mélange of lightly fried veggies, served with kimchi and sprouts on a puddle of chai curry sauce (an excellent gourmet take on the traditional vegetable tempura) / Braising Greens Lasagna – a complex layering of flavors that had my brain changing gears every bite – such an uncommon set of flavors; the golden raisins (which I’m not usually a fan of) actually made the dish.

My favorite part of the entire meal was a complete surprise – picture a dense chocolate brownie perched on river of thick, gooey caramel topped with mini pretzels and a perfect sphere of BEER ice cream.  OMFG.  First, this was the best dessert I’ve ever had.  Second, where can I find more beer ice cream?!  Consider me officially a woman on a mission.  Now if you’re on a mission to treat yourself well, I suggest you head to Dovetail on a Monday evening and try either the vegetarian OR meat-infused, vegetable-focused prix fixe dinner – you know you deserve it!

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New-ish New American Restaurant, My New FAVE: Brindle Room

17 Mar

I feel like a bit of a slacker – I try hard to do my due diligence in resto research… so HOW (up till this point) I’ve missed one of the BEST restaurant openings of the past year (March 2010), is beyond me.  Taking into account the space/atmosphere, value and overall deliciousness of Brindle Room – I’m confident in recommending this new-ish East Village (10th btwn 1st Ave/Ave A) gem serving up New American Cuisine.

Walking in, I first noticed the dark wood paneling and dim lighting paired with junior bar-stool seating; the whole place has an air of modern rustic refinement.  The restaurant itself is a deep, narrow room; there’s nothing cramped about the space arrangement, but I’d probably cap my dining party at 4; this really isn’t a spot for groups.  The waitresses – we had 2 frequenting the table – impressed us with their knowledge of the menu offerings.  They set us up with cardboard mounted menus, which are an expanded version of the website menu, and then quickly grabbed us 2 craft brews – the Genesee ($4) and a Smuttynose IPA ($7).

We started with the Cauliflower Spread ($6), rich with garlic + oil, and served with a side of crispy toast that was baked with parmesan and paprika in each cheesy bite.  Both items were amazing and together were a great spread/dip pairing.  Next up: a Baked Oyster ($3 each) – my very first Oyster, lightly baked and topped with creamed leeks + bread crumbs.  Such a stellar first experience; I want more! NOW!  I was also THRILLED to find Moules Frites ($14) on the menu – t’was a large portion of pretty big mussels in a spicy tomato and garlic broth with just a touch of dairy.  I’ve been on an absurd mussels bender of late and these were the BEST I’ve encountered yet.  My dinner date had the Steak Burger ($12) w/melty American and caramelized onions – he said it was an impressive burger, but wished he asked for it a little less done (he ordered it medium).  Both our meals came with massive portions of well-salted steak cut fries that I could’ve should’ve done without, but were great nonetheless.

Surprisingly, I got wind of this place when it showed up on NY Mag’s Best Donuts list – I’ll have to return for breakfast (it’s a separately branded menu called Wonder City Coffee & Donuts at Brindle) … Hopefully the service remains on point; I must say, one of my favorite things about the resto is how sincere everyone was when asking how we enjoyed everything.   I was happy to report to them, and now to you all, that it was all wonderful.  Really, if you’re looking for a great new-ish spot to try that’s easy on the wallet with foodie-approved eats – Brindle Room is the place to go.  The deal just keeps getting sweeter; book your reservation through Savored for 30% off your total dinner bill Mon-Thurs!

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Contender for No. 1 Sandwich Spot in NYC: No. 7 Sub

15 Mar

When I did a little research into the latest and greatest in NYC sandwich culture, a sammy shop called No. 7 Sub popped up quite a few times.  Located in Flatiron (B’way btwn 28th/29th Sts) and situated in the ground floor of the Ace Hotel (though there’s no direct access between the 2, as far as I could tell), I made a mental note to add this spot to my to-do list.  Seeing as they’re only open for lunch Mon-Sat from 11:30am-5pm (or until they run out of bread for the day), I decided the buzz on this place warranted skipping Saturday brunch in lieu of a rocking good sub-day.

No. 7 Sub is an offshoot of the No. 7 Restaurant in Fort Greene, BK – the sub spot has a quirky yet swanktified vibe about it, stealing a page out of the Ace Hotel book.  Head in and order any of the subs (all $9 bucks), take the 5 strides necessary to cover the width of the resto, and hang while they freshly prepare one of their amazing innovations made  just for you.

I was really torn between a few of the options but I had the insane pleasure of grubbing on the General Tso’s Tofu Sub.  Breaded and fried, the tofu is so flavorful that it would be amazing by itself; throw in pickled ginger, shisho (a minty Japanese herb), spaghetti squash, and what I think was spicy mayo – full on party in my mouth.  Seriously, may have been the best sandwich I’ve ever had (aggressive call, I know).  The gents I dined with had the Lamb Meatloaf Club which was smothered in white sauce (possibly tzatziki?), a red sauce that was currified and topped with salad – finally got to hear how amazing it was during the brief halftime break.  Additionally, the Cilantro Chicken Sub with avocado and feta was greatly enjoyed.  For my next visit (which I’m obvi already planning), the Brussels Sprouts Reuben needs to happen – a friend who’s a veggie skeptic said it was damn good.

For lunching perfection, walk your eats the few blocks down Broadway and sit at one of the tables just outside Madison Square Park; take a minute to fully relish your sub.  These sandwiches are unique creations best savored (if you can manage to pause from bite to delicious bite).

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The Big Easy in The Big Apple: Ninth Ward

11 Mar

Though Mardi Gras is over, with Fat Tuesday come and gone, there’s always a place where you can go to feel like you’re visiting The Big Easy.  The Ninth Ward, a sexy East Village (2nd Ave btwn 11/12th Sts) cocktailery, welcomes the cajun-craving masses with its dungeon-esque front facade.  It’s the perfect place to warm up by the fireplace with one of their drinks (their warm ginger berry cider  is AWE-some) and I cannot wait to swing by in the warmer weather to visit their spacious backyard.

The biggest surprise of the night was the food – the Hidalgo Grilled Shrimp skewers were nothing short of excellent; the peppery citrus sauce makes the dish (each order has 3 shrimp – order a few, for sure).  The biggest testament to their food came from a New Orleans expat who said that the gumbo was phenomenal, even by Nawlins standards.  So yeah, I’m gonna go ahead and stamp my approval on it.  I also opted to get an order of beignets, which were powdered with sugar and tasty, but a little too dense to be a true beignet.

The Ninth Ward is perfect for drinks (and a bite too) with a date or a group of friends – the booths in the back are perfect for 6-8 peeps.  The spot pays homage to New Orleans with the refinement to assure you that shirts are required (sorry guys) and that you won’t be forced to endure cheesy purple/yellow/green color schemes and Mardi Gras beads.

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