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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A Little Bit Louder Now: Poco

8 Mar

Lobster Mac: Where It's At

Brunch is always a bit of a party so there’s no shame in a loud brunch; there’s a time and a place for every rip roaring fiesta. Here to show your brunch a monster of a good time is a “little” place in the E.Ville (Ave B @ 3rd St) called Poco.

Poco is a tapas restaurant whose claim to fame is a brunch that balances good food with a superior AYCD brunch deal. If you want to dig up our past, I did have dinner at Poco 2 years ago; picture the following – me, a boy (yes, this was a date) and 2 women in corsets trying to put a mask on said date for a blind vodka taste testing. Clearly, this was not an ideal romance situation. I may have written Poco off altogether had it not been for a friend bringing their phenomenal brunch special to my attention nearly 12 months after said date disaster.

The dealio? $22 bones gets you an entrée and at LEAST 3 drinks (red/white sangria, blood mary, mimosa). We started with Bloodies (complete with blue cheese stuffed olives, mmm) and an order of the Lobster Mac’n’Cheese – I was quite easily persuaded into eating some. I think the Mac could’ve been a tad bit cheesier (t’was a lil runny) but all in all, the panko crusted starter was good for business. That and the free raisin/walnut bread and carrot cake mini muffins all help to curb the worst of your hangover.

We all went for omelets – 2 of us had the Truffled Mushroom Oms – 1 white/1 proper egg – both amazeballs (holler for truffles). The other order was the omelet of the day – Lobster, Goat Cheese, Spinach; awesome but pretty small for whatever reason, perhaps just the luck of the draw. If I wanted to get crazy, I would’ve gone for the pancakes of the day – Reese’s Peanut Buttercup Pancakes – WTF, is this real life?! No matter your order, the ish is good but the scene (if you’re ready/prepped for it) is great; so get your party on, there’s nothing wrong with a little Sunday Funday.

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