Stop #3 On the TV Food Tour

 Apparently I'm on a mission to try the places in Park Slope that have made it onto Food related TV. A few weeks ago I had my first chopsticks brunch at Talde, which is owned by Dale Talde from Top Chef a couple of years ago. Then I hit Surfish, whose chef was on Chopped. To finish off my TV food tour Blake, Paula and I hit up Sidecar for brunch. Sidecar was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Much like the first two stops on the adventure, Sidecar didn't disappoint.

I started out with a fantastic bloody mary while waiting for Blake and Paula to arrive. I think that's one of the reasons I'm all about brunch lately. I love the meal to begin with. But recently I decided to jump on the wagon as I've been imbibing a bit too much lately. Too many Sundays spent feeling less than spectacular. And at 38. I already feel less than spectacular most of the time. But I gave myself a loophole in my wagon riding...bloody marys are allowed. It's a brunch drink, all's forgiven. Of course, I later broke that rule during brunch when I ventured further into Sidecar's drink menu and had myself a “Spicy Jesus”. Spicy Jesus is a cocktail of gin, Pimm's, grapefruit, ginger and hot sauce...so good. You can't blame me for temporarily jumping off the wagon, the drink was called “Spicy Jesus” for god's sake. I'm a sucker for things with Jesus in the title.

Blake and Paula arrived, braving the rainy misery outside, and after probably 30 minutes and a couple of more bloody marys we were seated. There's a pretty decent crown bustling through Sidecar for brunch. An interesting mixture of every day folks and strange mixture flaunting their irony like a peacock showing off its feathers. People in heavy winter coats and cargo shorts make no sense whatsoever. The hostess was very nice and apologized quite a few times about the wait. Although if you're going to brunch in the Slope and you don't expect to wait at least half an hour, you might have been lobotomized without your knowledge. Our waiter was a very social guy with a plethora of terrible one-liners to drop on us.

We started out our Sunday with fried oysters and biscuits in sausage gravy. The fried oysters were excellent. The breading had a lil kick and the oysters were big and loaded with briny goodness. The biscuits were a little tough and overcooked, just a little. But the gravy made it so that just didn't matter. Blake and I debated getting another order so we could bathe in the gravy at the table. Paula, being the voice of reason, interceded and kept us from getting arrested for public indecency. It's a good thing Paula comes with us on these excursions. If left to our own devices Blake and I would order everything on the menu...we're not very good at moderation.

Paula and I both got shrimp and grits. I'm not an expert on grits by any means. I've only had them a small handful of times. My one try and making them turned out just this side of OK. These grits were creamy and cheesy and otherwise tasty as hell. The shrimp were cooked perfectly and the creole sauce it's all smothered in makes the whole dish. Blake went with something called Migas. This is a kind of egg scramble with avocado, cheese, tomato and tortillas. Good and fresh tasting.

I'm looking forward to going there to try dinner. Lots of interesting sounding stuff on that menu.

Sidecar

560 5^th Avenue

Brooklyn, NY, 11215

718-369-0077

http://www.sidecarbrooklyn.com

Peruvian in Park Slope

Annie and I headed out for our yearly shared birthday dinner last Friday night. We were looking to go a little more low key this year and try something different than the usual steakhouse. So I went searching for a place to suit our needs and wound up suggesting a place that Annie had mentioned months ago. Surfish is a Peruvian based restaurant in Park Slope whose chef, Miguel Aguilar, was trained by Iron Chef Bobby Flay and featured on the show “Chopped”.

Surfish is a small joint tucked into 5^th Avenue. We were looking for it as we were driving and nearly missed it. It's relatively small inside too, probably seating for about 30. I'd imagine that at capacity the place would be cramped. As it was, a person of my somewhat larger stature was just barely on this side of comfortable. That being said, the wait staff were sweet, helpful and attentive. Surprisingly, they were able to be attentive and not obtrusive in a room that small.

Being who we are, we immediately ordered ourselves a pitcher of sangria. You can't beat $20 pitchers that got us 3 glasses each. Not bad at all. Also, the water had a faint hint of orange which was a nice touch. It took us quite awhile to figure out what to order. The menu has a lot of options and they all were very appealing. A tapas menu is like a fresh hell for a Fat Kid. It's hard to just pick a couple. I want to try them all. We wound up going with a few of the tapas as appetizers and then entrees.

We started out with a Ceviche Mixto, which was a brightly flavored and refreshing mix of raw shrimp, tilapia, mussels and octopus. I'll order almost anything that has octopus and this didn't disappoint. Chicharron Sliders, which were roast pork, sweet potatoes and salsa on tasty buns. Much bigger than we expected. The three sliders were easily enough to be an entree. That didn't stop us from devouring it all because they were excellent. That was some good pig. Then we had Anticuchos, miso-marinated beef hearts on skewers. I've never had beef hearts before, but I definitely will again. So tender with a clearly beefy taste and the sauce was bursting with flavor. I was tempted to lick the plate. We closed out our appetizer section of the meal with Zapallitos, which were sections of fried zucchini stuffed with crabmeat, shrimp and goat cheese. Also with an excellent sauce. I generally am not a fan of goat cheese but its tang was perfect in this.

Then it was off to the entrees. I have a hard time passing up paella whenever I see it on a menu. It's generally a combination of things that I love...mussels, shrimp, clams. Surfish's paella had those things along with squid and chorizo with the usual saffron rice. All of the seafood was cooked perfectly. The clams were HUGE. And the chorizo was exceptional with a different garlicky kind of flavor. Great taste...and I always love seeing shrimp with their heads still on. It's like getting a toy with my meal. I'm always tempted to pop the head off and use it as a finger puppet at the table. (It's not an accident that I call this blog Loving Your Inner Fat “Kid”) Annie had the Entrana Tacu Tacu which was skirt steak with sweet plantains and tacu tacu (tacu tacu is a Peruvian mashed bean type dish). The steak itself was cooked to a perfect medium and had a great charred flavor. I always love sweet plantains. I thought the tacu tacu was kind of bland (which is generally how I feel about tacu tacu anywhere I've had it. So it may just be that the dish itself is generally not very flavorful.). Topping it with a fried quail egg was a nice touch. It definitely made Annie happy. She gets a little excited about anything with eggs.

In all, Annie and I had a great dinner for our shared birthday. We easily could've skipped 2 of the tapas and still have been well fed. When we left I was FULL. We ate and drank quite well for a very reasonable price. I'm looking forward to going back there again to try more stuff.

Surfish
351 5th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY, 11215
718-832-8200
www.surfishbistro.com

Brunch With Chopsticks Is Fun

   On Sunday afternoon I got to have a new experience thanks to Annie's research and determination. I went to my first brunch using chopsticks. We went to former Top Chef contestant Dale Talde's eponymous restaurant in Park Slope. And they gave us the most unique brunch I've had.

If you're going to have brunch in Park Slope on an early Sunday afternoon prepare for a bit of a wait no matter where you go. If you don't expect a wait, you're clearly suffering greatly from Saturday night's debauchery and should probably go back to bed. That being said, the hostess told us there would be a 20 minute wait and it was probably almost dead-on at 20 minutes. That's refreshing. So often a hostess will tell you 20 minutes knowing full well you'll be standing around for 45. The 20 minute wait gave Annie and I a chance to look around the place. The décor is very very Asian. The plates look like the ones in the pictures above the counter in old school Chinese restaurants. It was all very retro and cool as hell. We also had a chance to enjoy the first of a few very tasty bloody marys. The pickled ginger gives it some pop to go along with the heat. The bar area is a bit of a tight squeeze though once there are more than a few people waiting. And given the popularity of Talde, there will generally be a wait.

We noticed as soon as we sat down how loud the dining room was. But it was a good kind of loud. You can tell that it's the noise of everyone enjoying their food and conversations. You don't have to raise your voice to be heard. Immediately after we were seated out waiter was right there. He asked if we'd been there before. When we replied “no”, he explained that they serve brunch dim sum style. That means when you read about all the food we ate at this meal, don't jump to the conclusion that we're disgusting gluttons with drool hanging from our jowls. They were smallish plates meant to be shared. Which isn't to say we didn't gorge ourselves, we totally did, just not as badly as it would seem initially.

Pretzel Pork and Chive Dumplings

Annie and I started with Pretzel Pork and Chive Dumplings with a Chinese Hot Mustard Dipping Sauce. I loved these. Crispy and flavorful and I love hot mustard. I could easily eat a dozen of these while watching the game. Lobster Bao, an Asian version of a lobster roll. Only instead of a potato roll it's served on a steamed bun. Very fresh and tasty. They didn't last 10 seconds. Char Sui Smoked Pork Shoulder, these are boneless spare ribs in disguise. Wonderful wonderful boneless spare ribs. The Wilbur that gave his hooves and snout for these fantastic pieces of charred flesh was a hero. The Breakfast Ramen soup was a strange thing. It was sausage, a 6-minute egg and ramen noodles in a buttered toast broth. The broth was actually too buttery, it was pretty overwhelming. Then we added some sriracha and all was good with the world. I'm excited that someone heeded my earlier call for a breakfast soup.

Char Siu Pork Shoulder AKA Boneless Spare Ribs

After finishing all of that up we ordered some more. Why not, it's only dim sum. We tried Shrimp Toast with Chinese Sausage Gravy. The toast was OK, not great but OK. Much shrimpier than normal shrimp toast from a take-out place is. Which I liked, but the dish really wasn't anything special. The gravy was really good. Shiitake Mushroom and Scallion Chang Fun, which were basically veggie stuffed crepe wraps. These had good, bright flavors. I liked them a lot. I had to get Tater Tots just because they came with sriracha ketchup and I can't get enough sriracha. As it turned out I added more sriracha to the ketchup and the tater tots were hot and crispy and good. They were good in the sausage gravy too. As we finished up, Annie switched to a Bellini which was very fruity and loaded. At Talde they do not skimp on the booze.

On a separate note; at the table behind me was a couple sitting on the same side of the table. I really can't stand same-side sitters. You look like tools. You really don't need to cuddle through a meal. If you really can't stand to not be touching each other, order in and then you can eat, fuck, then eat some more. And you don't even have to get out of bed.

After a couple of hours of eating and drinking, Talde had beaten Annie and I into submission. That was definitely an excellent meal. Great service, excellent food and the price wasn't too bad at all. I'd say if you want a different experience for your next Sunday brunch adventure, hit this place up.

Talde

369 7^th Avenue

347-916-0031

www.taldebrooklyn.com

I Can Do Refined Cooking Too!

Scallop Mac N Cheese
1 lb. elbow pasta
4 cups milk
1 lb. bay scallops (or if using sea scallops cut into quarters)
4 or 5 large cremini mushrooms, diced
1 shallot, minced
10 oz. + 2 oz. gruyere, shredded
10 oz. + 2 oz. cheddar, shredded
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup A.P. flour
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp red pepper flake
1/2 cup panko
1 sprig rosemary

1.  Cook pasta to al dente.  Strain
2.  Melt butter in a large sauce pan over low heat.  When it's all melted and just starting to foam add the shallot and mushrooms.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook until softened.  Keep the heat low, you don't want to saute this stuff.  Just sweat it.  4 minutes or so.  Stir in the flour.  Keep stirring the flour around until you get a nice, bready smell and a light brown color.  Pour in the milk and stir to incorporate all the flour.  Increase to medium heat.  Add the nutmeg, red pepper flake, salt, pepper and rosemary sprig whole and bring to a simmer.
3.  Once the milk is to a simmer bring the heat back down to very low or remove from the heat entirely.  Remove the rosemary.  Fold in the 10 oz of gruyere and cheddar a handful at a time.  Making sure it's melted before adding the next handful.  When it's all melted, check for seasoning, add salt and pepper if necessary   Fold in the scallops and the cooked pasta.
4.  Melt the 1 tbsp of butter in a saute pan.  Add the panko and toss to coat.
5.  Pour the mac and cheese mixture into a baking dish.  Sprinkle the remaining 2 oz of each cheese on top.  Then put the buttered panko on top of that.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 - 30 minutes.
6.  Remove from oven and put in the broiler for 1 minute to get some color on the top.
7.  Eat this shit...it's really fucking good!

Pan Seared Swordfish with Roasted Potatoes and Apples

Seems today was the day to mosh around in my kitchen my tasty vittles.  Tonight we came up with swordfish and roasted potatoes.

For the swordfish I just seasoned the fish with salt and pepper.  Then rubbed it with a garlic clove and dusted it with Parmesan cheese.  Melted a tbsp of butter in a tbsp of olive oil until it started foaming, then added the fish.  Cook about 3-4 minutes per side.  About halfway through cooking on the 2nd side I added 1/4 cup of white wine, 1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar and some capers.

For the veg, I took 2 medium sweet potatoes, 3 medium size red potatoes, 2 honey crisp apples, 1 red onion and 4 baby portabella mushrooms and cut them into roughly 1"x1" pieces.  Tossed it in olive oil and then added fresh rosemary, salt and pepper.  Roasted on a sheet pan for about 45 minutes at 400 degrees.  Check after 25 minutes or so to make sure it's not sticking.

That was definitely some good eating.  Give it a shot boys and girls.  Don't fear the swordfish.  He's dead, he can't duel you.

Sometimes Grilled Cheese Needs A Little Love

Sometimes when you make grilled cheese you've got to go all out.  So in today's iteration of melty masterpiece theater we used

Mushroom Ciabatta Bread
Capicola
Baby Portabellas
Roasted Red Peppers
Provolone
Fresh Mozzarella
A little oregano and red pepper flake

Now That's A Happy Thanksgiving

One day I'm going to make one of these.  I don't know what day that's going to be.  But you can believe there will be pictures.

BuzzFeed shows you how to make Turducken!

Apparently Guy's American Isn't Very Good

This might be one of the harshest restaurant reviews I've ever read.  NY Times writer Pete Wells completely skewers Guy Fieri's new Times Square joint like a kebab.  I almost want to try this place just to see if it's as bad as Wells says it is.

Check the review out at the NY Times here.

Rooster Sauce

I know I'm not the only addict of Rooster Sauce.  Oh, you better believe I'll be trying this.

D.I.Y. Sriracha...

It Sounds Like A Pregnancy Craving

I just read this article in the NY Times.  I'm not really sure what I think about this idea.  But I'm willing to try it.
Peanut Butter and Pickle Sandwich

Something Nouveau On 3rd Avenue

     When a beautiful, pregnant woman says we're going out to dinner for her birthday. The only appropriate response is “Yes ma'am. Where do I need to be and when do I need to be there?” The when was 8:30pm and the where was the new joint on 3^rd Avenue, Nouveau.

The first thing I noticed about Nouveau is that it's unlike any other place in Bay Ridge. This restaurant could've been plucked out of upper midtown Manhattan and dropped onto 3^rd Avenue. The decor is very white and modern. Sleek might be the right word. White, shiny and clean. It really is a beautiful room. When we sat down Gina and I were wondering just how awful it would be if people spilled stuff on the tables or chairs. Then we spent the next 5 minutes feeling everything around us. Everything seems very wipeable (I'm not sure that's really a word, but you get my drift.)...very smart. John said it reminded of him of something out of Dexter. I'm not sure if I can pinpoint what exactly it is, but he's right.

The people working there are all very nice and as helpful as they can be. The hostess and waiters were all very young and seemed a little nervous. I must be getting old because I kept thinking that the young ladies working should have an inch or two added to their dresses. But it seems to me that the difference of two inches is sometimes the difference between elegant and a $3000-a-night Governor Spitzer prostitute. These girls straddled that line. I wasn't sure if I was being a bit stodgy in my thinking, so I got a lesson on proper female dress from Gina. She says you either show your ass or your boobs...not both. They were certainly showing both. I feel better about my thinking knowing it was validated by her. Our waiter was very personable though and sort of made his nervousness work for him. In a lot of places it takes forever for your waiter to notice you need a drink and forever and a day for them to bring you a new one once they do notice. That was certainly not the case here. Our guy was very attentive and kept John and I well refreshed with excellent lychee martinis. Being that we were dining with a pregnant lady, the $150 drink tab was all us. Another nice touch was that around 10pm the house music started up and got pretty loud. We clearly weren't thrilled with it. It kind of shatters your ability to converse with the people you're sharing a meal with. Not long after it got started though the DJ came over and asked us if it was too loud. He quickly lowered the volume. That was very considerate. John says they noticed me jotting something in the little notebook I keep when checking out a new restaurant and that's why he came over. I don't know if it's true...but I appreciate the effort regardless.

All that being said, the real reason you go to a restaurant is the food, so let's get to it. For the most part everything was at least good. Some things were excellent and a couple of things I had minor problems with. If the menu lists a soup of the day, you should have one...they did not tonight. For appetizers we had the plantain sampler which was very tasty. But one of the fried plantains had shrimp in it and that should be on the menu. A lot of people are allergic to seafood, so that's dangerous. We also had the excellent shrimp ceviche, which had some really nice heat to it. And the octopus salad, which was better than OK but less than great. The flavors were a little muddled and not as clean as those in the ceviche. We really liked that the ceviche and the octopus came in martini glasses...it's just a cute, little touch.

For entrees John got Nouveau Noodles with Pineapple Chicken (Big surprise that John gets a chicken dish). This was very tasty but the chicken was a bit on the dry side. At least the piece of it that I tasted was. The balance between chicken and noodles was somewhat lopsided towards noodles too. But, in traditional Asian food, that's generally how it goes unlike our Americanized versions where we go protein heavy. I had the Barcelona NY Strip with roasted fingerling potatoes and chorizo gazpacho. The gazpacho was more like a chorizo succotash, not that that's a bad thing. Almost anything with chorizo is a good thing. The potatoes were kind of bland though. The needed to be seasoned. The strip steak was just a touch overcooked but was obviously a good piece of meat. I ordered it medium and it was likely just about medium well. It was still a decent steak, just not a great one. Gina got the Bone-In Rib Eye and that was excellent. It was perfectly cooked. Buttery and wonderful. The mushroom rum cream sauce that came with it was splendid. She was upset that there was no more room in her to finish it. When she offered it to me to finish I was upset that I had no more room in me to do so. We did get a couple of sides too. We got Broccoli in Coconut Butter, I had reservations about this. It just doesn't sound right to my ear. It turned out to be pretty good though. We had sautéed corn which was good. And Parmesan Truffle Fries which were very good but they were more fancy potato chips then they were fries.

We even managed to do dessert. We had an Oreo cake that was good but entirely too rich for me. I couldn't eat much more than the bite I had of that. A snickers pie that was kind of pedestrian. And tartufo...I love tartufo, it's old reliable. There wasn't anything special about it, but it was good.

All in all it was a very good experience. I'll more than likely be going back to try some other things I saw on the menu like the duck spring rolls and the lobster tacos. You can expect to spend somewhere between $85 - $120 apiece if you're drinking and it's more or less a shoes and a button down shirt kind of joint so don't show up in cargo shorts and sneakers. I say give the place a shot, you won't be disappointed.

Nouveau

8214 3^rd Avenue

Brooklyn, NY, 11209

347-497-5121

www.nouveaubk.com/

Tortellini and Spinach Soup

Tortellini and Spinach Soup

2 tbsp olive oil

4 cups spinach

1 yellow onion, diced

1 zucchini, cut into 1/4” pieces

1 kielbasa, cut into 1/4” pieces

5 garlic cloves, minced

10 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp red pepper flake
1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp sriracha (optional)

1 lb of tortellini (I used a combination of tri-colored and meat-filled. If I can find them I want to use pumpkin tortellini to give this soup more of an Autumn feel.)

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot (I used a cast iron dutch oven) heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and zucchini, cook 2 minutes. Add Italian seasoning and red pepper flake, stir. Add garlic and kielbasa and cook everything until fragrant and softened, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the chicken broth (pour it in slowly, splashing sucks to clean up.) Bring to a boil and add the tortellini (do this slowly because splashing boiling chicken broth on yourself IS NOT FUN). Cook until tortellini is al dente, about 4 minutes or so. Stir in the sriracha if you're using it. Add the spinach and cook another 4 minutes or so until it's all wilted.  Add the nutmeg and stir.

Ladle into a bowl and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Serve with crusty Italian bread.

I'm thinking of tempering in an egg to give the broth a fuller feel.

Piggy Piggy Goodness!

My friend Fyfe posted this and it just made me long for piggy goodness.  I flat-out NEED to go to Fatty Cue and try the deep fried bacon.  I did not say "want"...I said "NEED".  Just look at it and swoon like I am right now.

Check out the rest of the bacon wonders that are to be had all over NY.  And if you try them before I do...tell me about 'em.  Zagat Blog, The Ultimate Bacon Guide: 19 Pig-Tastic Dishes, Drinks and Desserts

There's A Reason This Is An Old Standby

Spaghetti, broccoli, shrimp, garlic and oil.  There's a reason this dish is an old standby.  Because when done right, it rocks.  The key is getting a little heat in there and cooking the broccoli at the last minute so it stays crisp..  Dust the shrimp with a little ancho chili powder before sauteing them and add some red pepper flake to the olive oil.  Those little touches make all the difference.  I don't really need to say to make sure the pasta is al dente, right?  You already knew that.

Mmmmm...meaty!

     I've been trying for a week or so to find the motivation to walk down to 78^th Street to try this new meat place. Life has been doing it's best to make sure I just don't have the time to do it. After spending a Saturday morning cleaning my bathroom and vacuuming the rugs I decided that a good corned beef sandwich would make for an excellent reward.

David's Brisket House is supposedly a relatively well known place to get a samitch down on Nostrand Avenue in Bed Stuy. They've just opened up a location on 5^th Avenue between 77^th and 78^th Street. And if there's a new place to get meaty goodness in Bay Ridge you best believe I'm going to get over there right quick.

I got myself a corned beef sandwich and a brisket sandwich, both on rye. I got both in a medium size. And the medium size is plenty stuffed. The thought of one bigger than these is a little intimidating. The corned beef was excellent. Didn't even really need any mustard. The brisket wasn't quite as good as the corned beef but still plenty good. The mustard brought more to the party on this sandwich. Half of each sandwich was plenty. Actually, half of each sandwich was just a touch too much for me. Of course, I also had some cole slaw and potato salad. Both were really tasty. I don't know if it was homemade but it was damned good. And it certainly tasted fresh. The cabbage was crispy and the dressing slightly tart in the cole slaw. The potato salad just had a great taste. I could gladly eat a pound of that. I initially wanted fries but they don't have a Fryolater just yet. That was a happy thing though as I'm glad to have gotten the slaw and potato salad instead.

This was totally worth the 12 block walk. And now I'll have another half and half sandwich for lunch tomorrow while I'm watching football. I'll let you all know how the pastrami is when I get around to trying it sometime in the future. For now I'll just say it's about time there was a place in Bay Ridge where you can get some excellent slow-cooked sammies. I'm a happy fella and I'll be going back.

David's Brisket House

7721 5^th Avenue

718-333-5662

http://www.davidsbriskethouseinc.com/

I Wish I Could Put an A/C in the Kitchen

Spent the whole day cooking.  Juggling two separate dishes isn't easy.  Especially when it's this damn hot in there.  I think I may have worked harder in the kitchen today then I did all last week at work.  And I worked pretty hard last week.  I really need to remember to wear gloves when playing with jalapenos.  Fingers covered in capsaicin make any part of your sweaty body really really burn.

The menu for the week is going to be cider vinegar braised chicken thighs with black beans, sofrito, carrots and potatoes.  Roasted eggplant and potatoes with pickles and homemade hummus in warm pitas.  Both came out really good.  Got to eat somewhat healthy since I'll be going to a macaroni and cheese cook-off on Sunday.

International Bacon Day!!!

Go get yourself a tasty piece of sizzling pork goodness.  It's the only proper way to celebrate International Bacon Day.

Chicken Breast with Zucchini, Mushrooms and Grapes

I find I really like cooking with grapes.  And they seem to lend themselves to dishes with a Mediterranean bent.  So I sauteed a cup of chopped porcini mushrooms in olive oil for 2 minutes, then added a chopped zucchini for 3 more minutes, then about a cup of halved red globe seedless grapes and 3 cloves of garlic, minced and sauteed that for another 3 minutes.  Seasoning with salt and pepper with each new ingredient going into the pot.  Then I added a chopped up chicken breast (Next time I'd use 2) and season with salt, pepper, marjoram, oregano and some red pepper flake.  After cooking for about 4 minutes...tossing to be sure the chicken is cooked through, I added a tablespoon of red wine vinegar and cooked for another 2 minutes or so.  Really tasty stuff.  This will be going into regular rotation I think.

Sign Me Up For Southern Living

My first attempt at shrimp and grits.  Not bad at all.  Not that I've ever had grits before now.  But it all came out really good.  I didn't realize grits were so labor intensive.  You can't just leave them alone.  You're standing there stirring every few minutes for like 25 minutes.  The shrimp and sausage were tossed in a bourbon/hot sauce/chipotle butter sauce...tasty stuff.

Shrimp and Faux Scallops in Bourbon/Peanut Butter Sauce

10-12 shrimp (31-40 size)
1 banana (cut into 1/2-inch slices...these will be your faux scallops)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp ginger, minced
1oz bourbon (I use Bulliet, you don't have to use that but use something you'd drink.)
1 heaping tsp peanut butter
2 tbsp butter
1tbsp olive oil.
1tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp sriracha
1 1/2 tbsp five spice powder

1.  Dust the shrimp and the banana slices in five spice powder.  
2.  Heat a non-stick pan to medium heat.  Melt 1 tbsp butter in a pan.  Add shrimp and cook 1 1/2 minutes per side.  Remove from pan and set aside.  Add bananas gently and cook about 45 seconds per side.  Be careful not to crush the bananas as they're meant to look like seared scallops.  Remove pan from heat and carefully add bourbon.  Toss and allow to cook for about 30 seconds.  Until bourbon is mostly evaporated.  Remove bananas.
3.  Return pan to burner and add 1 tbsp butter to pan.  Raise heat to medium.  Once butter is melted add olive oil.  When the oil is shimmering add the garlic and ginger, cook until fragrant.  About 2 minutes.  Add vinegar and peanut butter, stir to incorporate.  Then add the sriracha and stir more.  Allow to cook another minute then add shrimp and bananas.  Toss to coat and cook another 30-45 seconds.
4.  Serve with some steamed broccoli or snow peas and rice noodles.

A Dinosaur From the Past

This is from a visit in March of '07 to Dinosaur BBQ in Harlem.  I've since had better BBQ but never in a sit down place.  The only place I've had better BBQ in NY has been at the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party.  Sadly, I haven't made it back to Dinosaur since.  Being a 2 hour train ride away makes it a bit of a pain in the ass.  But I'm thinking a return engagement may be necessary.  That's kind of the benefit of going through some of these old reviews...it's making me want to revisit some places.  I have heard a rumor that Dinosaur is opening a location on Union Street in Park Slope in the near future.  That would be fantastic.

When Good Carnivores Die, Heaven is Dinosaur BBQ

For the first restaurant review of ’07 do we ever have a doozy. I think it might be the best place overall that we’ve been to. I’ll have to remember to ask my other companions for their opinion. Get a lil best of list going. Maybe get some comments on what places anyone else thinks we should hit that might make our list. We’re always up for some good food. Well, off we go to the first review of the year.

To think at the beginning of this little adventure Adrienne thought it might not be worth it to take such a long trip uptown. Silly, silly girl. As we now know any trip to Dinosaur BBQ will be well-rewarded. The train ride to 131^st street was so worth it I just don’t have the words to tell you how worth it, it was. I met Doreen, Adrienne and newcomer Phil for a railroad journey into Harlem to eat what turned out to be the best damned BBQ I’ve ever had pass through my lips. Before I get to the food, lemme tell you this place was PACKED! The amount of people just standing around waiting for a table was insane. Don’t even waste your time going there without a reservation. You ain’t getting’ a table any other way. But once you do get a table there is all kinds of cool stuff to look at. Everything inside is worn brick and weathered wood. The food comes on blue plastic plates with little separation-y things kind of like upper class TV dinner trays. So not only do you get this amazing food but it’s kind of like eating it in someone’s backyard. When it’s warm out it seems that they just open all the windows and that must really add to the atmosphere. Even the music was good…a lot of bluesy jazz type staff. Now, on to the grub.

There was nothing that our waitress Sheena brought to our table that disappointed. We’ll start with the fried green tomatoes because that’s what we started with. The sauce they came with was really the tastiest bit of that. The breading was good and a lil tangy but there really was no taste of tomato. I don’t know if that’s how it always tastes because I’ve never had fried green tomatoes before. They were good but nothing exciting. The ribs were what sex would taste like if it came on a bone (no pun intended). They were so tender that I have no doubt that if Age wanted she could’ve stuck the whole rib in her mouth and sucked all the meat off in one shot just like in a cartoon. After the 3 ribs I had I was already getting close to full. And I still have pulled pork, potato salad, baked beans and a piece of cornbread to get through. The pulled pork was awesome. The brisket, which I snagged from Doreen, was fantastic. I had a side of potato salad that was just a touch spicy, just to remind you that it said Creole on the menu, sooooooo good. The macaroni and cheese, that I didn’t have the foresight to order but I also snagged from Doreen (she’s good for sharing food…usually) was the reason we breathe. God put us on this earth to eat food that tasted this good. The worst thing we got was the BBQ beans and they were excellent. If you could’ve seen the looks on Doreen’s and Age’s faces when we were finished eating it would’ve told the whole story. There was total satisfaction and the desire to keep eating despite the risk of exploding. The prices weren’t really bad at all. I think it came to about $23 a person. You can’t go wrong being that kind of full for less than $25. Next time I’m definitely trying the drunken shrimp boil though. I’d say it’s certainly safe to say we’re going to make a repeat visit…and I can’t wait for it.

Dinosaur BBQ NYC

700 West 125th Street

NY, NY, 10027

212-694-1777

That's A Pretty Plate...Sort Of

 Whipped up some tasty grub tonight.  Bowtie pasta with spinach/garlic chicken sausage, grape tomatoes and oyster mushrooms tossed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.  I like all the purty colors.

GOOOOOOOD STUFF!

Oh Yeah, Grilled Sammies Rock!

Grilled ham and provolone on jalapeno/cheddar sourdough bread.  Grilled in honey/chipotle butter.  Oh hell yes!

Burger Bistro Makes My Tummy Smile

Last night I met my friend Jessica for dinner at Burger Bistro. It had been a little while since I'd been there and I was reminded why I like the place so much. It's always comfortable and relaxed. The back patio is an excellent place to sit outside with a burger and a beer. The staff are always very friendly and very helpful. And it's always fun to mark up a menu with a grease pencil. Interactivity rocks.

Bacon Cheeseburger Rice Ball

Every weekend there's usually something creative on the menu. Last night we had bacon cheeseburger rice balls which were really good.  I had a shrimp burger that came with sriracha mayo...everything sriracha is good. The shrimp burger came with a french green bean salad, which was good. But I needed tater tots too. Gotta have my tots.

I've had everything from a normal beef cheeseburger to a kangaroo burger at Burger Bistro. I've had elk, lamb, turkey, roo. Hell, I've even had the veggie burgers and they're quite excellent. Every weekend I wait for the specials to be put on Facebook. They're always interesting. From the aforementioned kangaroo burger to the Elvis to the osso buco burger. These are just the ones that jump to the top of my head as I write this. Don't let me forget that they have great ice cream sandwiches for dessert. How can you go wrong with an ice cream sandwich? The answer to that question is “You can't”.

Bottom line is if you find yourself craving comfort and creative vittles check out Burger Bistro. You might find me there on the patio eating one of the specialty burgers and washing it down with a Sam Adams Summer Ale.

I'm Slightly Disturbed

This is just twisted.

A mashed potato vending machine...really?

Keens Steakhouse Is a Carnivore's Nirvana

I was lucky enough to make a return visit to Keens Steakhouse last night. It's one of the most fantastic places I've ever had the pleasure of dining in. I get a little giddy whenever I know I'm going there. It turns out that I'm kind of an old-fashioned fellow. Great company, great whiskey and great meat makes me a happy camper. Keens always provides great meat and whiskey and I'm lucky enough to be able to provide great company. So in honor of my latest visit to Keens I figured I'd post what I had to say about my very first experience back in '09.

Keens famous 26oz Mutton Chop

Let’s make one thing perfectly clear. When I die I don’t want to go to heaven. I want no part of sitting at the lord’s side singing praises or whatever other crap goes on up there. When I die I want to go to Keens Steakhouse. This place has stormed its way into the pantheon of restaurants where I would never ever decline an invitation. And if I couldn’t afford to go that particular time I’d hock a kidney to pay for it.

As I’m jotting down notes for this blog on the little notepad they leave on the table, seemingly as though the wait staff knew I was coming, I’m listening to Blake contentedly sigh like a lion just after a kill. Blake, Paula, Doreen and I are sitting here in post-carnivorous ecstasy after devouring some of the best food ever served to us. While sitting here blissfully satisfied it was decided that it was necessary for me to write an ode to this wonder of culinary satisfaction.

Keens has been in business for about 123 years. The history of the place is all over the walls and even the ceilings. There are autographed pipes covering the ceiling of every room in the place. The waiter we had was amazingly helpful…he told me how to have my mutton cooked and picked out the desert for both myself and Paula. The lil water guy filled those glasses every 20 minutes or so. And the atmosphere in the restaurant was classy without being pretentious or stuck up. In essence, by the time the meal was over, we were in love.

Okay, let’s start with appetizers. We had a shrimp cocktail with some seriously monstrous shrimp and an awesome horseradishy cocktail sauce. We had an excellent crab cocktail that I really want to eat again. We had the best oysters Rockefeller I’ve ever eaten and lobster bisque (which was the only thing I didn’t get to sample. Blake inhaled it as thought it was water and he’d just come back from a 40 day trek through the Sahara.)

The brontosaurus sized
28oz Prime Rib

For a main course Dor demolished most of an amazing prime rib. There was no reason to even chew it as it just melted in your mouth. It was like meat flavored butter. Just outstanding! I had the “legendary” mutton chop. Apparently Keens is famous for their mutton chop and there’s a very good reason for that…it is ridiculous. I didn’t know what mutton even was until 2 days ago when Blake told me it was an older lamb. I’ll never eat regular lamb again and be quite as satisfied. This beastly chop of mature lamb meat was so tender that I wanted to weep with every bite. The scattered greens they put on the plate at first seemed pointless until I discovered something world shattering. The best salad dressing in the world is mutton juice. Blake and Paula shared the porterhouse for 2. That is a wonderful monument to meaty goodness. Even the sides we got were outstanding. The creamed spinach was perfect and the sautéed mushrooms were great. The hash brown was pretty damn good too.

Somehow after all that dinner-like carnage we found the will to get dessert. I should say the waiter subtly coerced us into dessert by placing menus in front of us. Dor seemed pretty thrilled with her dark chocolate mousse. Blake attacked his bananas foster with the fervor of a wolverine. Paula and I were guided into some kind of sundae with awesome butterscotch sauce. Even the friggin’ coffee was really good.

Basically what I’m saying is I can’t wait to go back there. And next time I go I won’t be dehydrated from drinking craft beers the night before this way I can try some of the hundreds of whiskeys they have to offer. You couldn’t have asked for a better Sunday dinner than great fucking meat and good people to share a meal with.

The before picture

Keens Steakhouse

72 West 36th Street

NY, NY, 10018

212-947-3636

http://www.keens.com/

As a postscript to this I did have a couple of excellent Manhattans last night, so I indeed did get to sample some good booze.  On another occasion I had the good fortune to try a 21-year-old Scotch that may have been the most amazing thing ever to pass my lips.  Just thought I should share that.

The after picture

The Most Iconic Dishes In NY?

The good folks at Eater.com compiled a list of what they consider the 20 most iconic dishes to be had in NY.  I've tried 4 so far.  Another mission that needs to be undertaken.  16 more to go.

NY's 20 Most Iconic Dishes

Skimming Through Some Old Stuff (Blue Ribbon '06)

I was going through some of the old posts I've made about food here and there over the last handful of years.  I've done A LOT of eating.  Reading this one from '06 is made me really want to make another trip to Blue Ribbon.  That's got to happen sometime in the near future.  On to the show...

Lucky me, the weekend dinners have begun again. And the return of Adrienne to the eating ranks made me happy. This week was a Brooklyn joint called Blue Ribbon in Park Slope. Before I even get started here let me say this...I loved this place. My favorite place we've tried so far. The decor was kind of subdued and it was loud enough in the dining room so you knew it was casual but not so loud that you had to scream at each other. When Adrienne asked the waiter if they had mojitos, the waiter's answer was that they didn't make specialty drinks because blenders and such make too much noise. From there on, I knew this was the place for me. Then he recommended a different drink to go with her meal. She didn't really like the drink, I did, but she didn't. So the waiter took it back and performed a lil surgery on it and brought back an improved version for her. The waiter was very attentive and not annoying while he did it, I was very appreciative.

Of course, no matter how good the ambiance and the service are, the true measure of a restaurant is the food. No disappointment there at all. I can't wait to go back and eat more of the menu. First we had appetizers because we're slobs and have to do it. Doreen had fried oysters that were yummy. Age had a chilled half lobster that she seemed to enjoy as she ripped it meat from shell like a savage...it was great to watch. I had grilled shrimp remoulade which was tasty and came with a bunch of fried zucchini laces...I love me some zucchini. For dinner we were all pretty damned impressed, at least I was, and I ate a lil bit of everything that was on the table. I had some of Doreen's grilled waboo (some kind of fish) that was seriously good. I had some of Age's paella (one of 3 different one's they had to offer) which was really excellent. And there was a ton of it. Usually when I get paella everything is OK but the chicken. That's just annoying, overcooked and in the way. I just want to get to the good stuff like the shrimp, mussels and clams. I tried the chicken in this...it was GOOD! I had a spicy grilled flank steak that was absolutely perfect. It came with mashed potatoes, fried onions, and apples and cabbage that were seared in something sweet and yummy. We even managed to get to dessert where we split 2 orders of chocolate bruno (a flourless chocolate mousse on graham crackers with ice cream on the sides). Age and Dor split one and I almost got through one on my own. This thing was just sooooo rich. It was really, really, really, really good but a bit too much for me. Next time I get the banana split or the root beer float...and oh yes, there will be a next time. Just writing all this stuff is making me hungry...I can't wait to go back.

Blue Ribbon Brooklyn

280 5^th Avenue

Brooklyn, NY, 11215

718-840-0404

Blue Ribbon Brooklyn

Ask and Ye Shall Receive.

Chef Moi

I couldn't remember which recipes I was asked for.  So I'm giving you these 3 hoping at least one of them was the one that was requested.

Honey Chipotle Compound Butter
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 chipotle pepper, and just a little bit of the adobo sauce the chipotle is packed in
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp salt

Combine everything in a food processor until it's nice and smooth.  This butter is fantastic for everything you'd normally use butter for.  I cook eggs in it.  Cook grilled cheese in it, that was amazing.  Especially if the cheese you use is the pimento cheese below.

Pimento Cheese
1/2 lb grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 lb grated pepper jack cheese
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 cup lite mayo
1 jalapeno, diced
A squirt or two of Sriracha, if you're so inclined.  (I was)

Combine everything in a bowl and chill for an hour or so.

Hummus
15 oz can of chickpeas, drained reserve liquid
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup tahini
juice from 1 lemon
2 tbsp liquid from chickpeas can
1/2 tsp red pepper flake
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp olive oil

I generally put the chickpeas in the food processor with the olive oil first and pulse it a few times.  Then I start adding the other ingredients one at a time, pulsing until incorporated.  Throw a chipotle pepper in there for a nice kick.  A couple of kalamata olive are good.  Roasted red pepper.  Toasted pine nuts. A tbsp or Parmesan cheese might be kind of good too but that idea just popped into my head and I haven't tried it yet.

Good eating folks!!!

Laughter Before Libations

I went my friend Amy to see “Ted”, which was flat-out hysterical. I don't think I've laughed that hard at a movie since “The Hangover”. After the flick was over Amy and I went looking for a bar so we could catch up over a couple of libations. Amy's on the perennial search for free shit (you can check out her blog about her hunt free stuff at Free Is Not a Four Letter Word), so she knew of some deal from some website for a free drink at a place called Little Town NYC. 

The I Love NY Platter

 I liked the place. Lots of dark wood.  A very pleasant bartender.  Quick service.  Easy view of the TV's to watch the All-Star Game on.  All good things if you're going to get me to come back to your bar.  

Little Town has quite an extensive beer menu, which is always a plus. I'm not exactly a beer “connisseur” but it's nice to have options. I wound up going with the Brooklyn Brown Ale.  Amy drank something that came in a giant bottle.  I don't really know what it was.  They also have a pretty good food menu. There's something called the “garbage plate” that had both Amy and I quite intrigued. It consisted of a burger, sliced sausage, baked beans, macaroni and cheese and fried onions served over tater tots. I can't tell you how tempted I was. But I voted it down because Amy's a lil lady and I knew I'd wind up eating the majority of that behemoth myself. And there's no way that can be good for you. Instead we got some garlic fries that were tasty but I wish were of a thicker variety. We also got the “I Love NY” platter. Which was knishes, pigs in blankets and pretzel nuggets served with melted cheese and mustard. The knishes were just slightly oily in the corners, which are the best parts of knishes, but still very good.

In all, I liked Little Town. If I find myself near Union Square and I'm in need of grazing I'll definitely stop there for it. And if anyone beats me to trying that “garbage plate” let me know how it is. It's definitely on my agenda.

Little Town NYC

118 East 15^th Street

212-677-6300

http://unionsq.littletown.com/index.php

National Chocolate Day

Today's National Chocolate Day.  This is how I intend to celebrate.  I'm hoping I don't melt in this 100 degree heat before my ice does.

National Fried Chicken Day

Happy National Fried Chicken Day, Folks.  Go out and celebrate.

Top 38 Essential Places to Eat in NY

Eater.com's Top 38 Essential Places to Eat in NY

I would love to get a group of say 5 or 6 together and try all of these places.

A New Go-To Place for Me to Order Sushi From in Bay Ridge

Found a new sushi place in Bay Ridge recently.  Annie and I went to Shobu Sushi on 94th Street and 5th Avenue last week and were very surprised.  Everything was fresh and tasty.  I'm terrible at remembering which rolls are which so I couldn't tell you which were the best.  I can say that we tried 4 of the special rolls and really liked all 4.  We also really liked the Japanese pizza, the Dragon Ball (which is some lobster salad hidden in a cool little beehive looking thing made out of avocado) and I really liked the Crab Tartar.  The only bad thing I have to say about the place is that there are mosquitoes everywhere out on the patio, so don't sit outside.  If they have some candles going or something that might have helped.

I ordered from there tonight to see if the food held up for delivery.  OK, that's not really why I ordered from there.  It was because I'm absolutely wiped out and couldn't deal with the thought of a hot kitchen.  But seeing if the food held up was a happy bonus.    The tako su (octopus) was tasty as was the Ninja Roll.  They were here in about 30 minutes from when I placed the order on GrubHub.  So far I'm impressed.  I'll definitely be using Shobu Sushi on a regular basis.

Shobu Sushi
9427 5th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY, 11209
718-833-8345

http://www.shobusushiny.com/ 

Something For My Veg-Heads

Made myself a roasted veggie and hummus sandwich tonight.  Came out pretty damn tasty if I do say so myself.  I tossed some zucchini, yellow squash, portabello mushrooms, red onions and asparagus in olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano and marjoram.  Then roasted them for awhile.  Toasted some good Italian bread with a little of my honey/chipotle compound butter and then slathered on a nice layer of homemade chipotle hummus.  Sprinkled a bit of Parmesan cheese over the veg and stuffed my face.

Henry's End II - The Search For More Food

Henry's End II – The Search For More Food

I'd been to Henry's End in December for my birthday and had a fantastic time. It was a great meal with great company in a very comfortable setting. But sometimes I'm a lazy ass and it wasn't until May or so that I finally got around to writing about my experience there. I wasn't really thrilled with how the review came out. I felt like I short-changed the place a little. (I posted that older review yesterday for anyone interested.) When an invitation to join my friend Blake and his lady Paula for dinner there I jumped at the chance. I knew I'd be in great company, Blake is one of those 3 favorite eating companions I've mentioned in an earlier post and Paula is always fantastic to be out with. I knew I'd have an excellent meal. And hopefully I'd turn out a better review of this restaurant.

Let me start by saying there's nothing pretentious at all here. There's just a very homey vibe. I could've worn shorts to dinner with no problem, I think. But Paula overruled me and we all listen to Paula. There should be a “Henry's End” in every neighborhood. A place to have some excellent, soulful food and drink. The staff are all friendly, happy and very helpful. There's a pleasant buzz all around the dining room. Every set of diners seems to be engaged in conversation but it's never so loud that it distracts from your own. Something I noticed was that I didn't see anyone messing with their phones rather than actually being present with whomever they were with. I really liked that.

To start with we ordered the Corn Crab Cakes which were pretty good with a nice bite from the cayenne. Shrimp with Andouille sausage, the Creole mustard sauce was excellent but the shrimp themselves were a touch bland. The West Indian BBQ Shrimp were fantastic. The shrimp were cooked perfectly and seasoned with cumin, curry and cayenne and the BBQ sauce was magnificent. I'd have gladly licked it off the table, though Paula would likely have had me executed if I did. We also had the Viennese Liver Pate, very tasty, especially on the hearty bread they provided for the table and dipped in the Creole mustard sauce.

For entrees Paula had Sole Citron. Very fresh and light but I thought the fish was slightly eggy from the breading. Blake went with Blackened Lamb Sirloin. I've never seen that on a menu before and was quite curious. The piece I had was excellent. Succulent and tender and a perfect medium rare. Apparently at Henry's End they know how to rock out the BBQ sauces because this one was fabulous too. Hints of cinnamon, cumin and nutmeg gave it a great “island” flair. I'll be having that sometime soon. I had the Southern Fried Chicken and was completely blown away by how good it was. This is a completely unfamiliar familiar dish. The breading was crunchy and immensely flavorful with much the same flavors as the BBQ sauce from the lamb. The chicken itself was moist and tender from thigh to breast. If I could bread my hands in that mixture and smother them in the BBQ sauce I'd gladly gnaw them off to the wrists. We also shared a couple of orders of Sautéed Brussel Sprouts with Pancetta. Do I really need to tell you this was good? It had pancetta, of course it was good. Diced shoe leather would be good with pancetta and Brussel sprouts are better than shoe leather so this was pretty damn tasty.

Despite our kingly feast we managed to get to dessert. I'd had both desserts that Paula and Blake had the last time I was here. The Persian Lime Pie is tart and fresh. Chocolate Confusion is an evil brownie/bread pudding combination. Rich and delicious and probably illegal in 7 states because it's just that decadent. This time around I tried the Apple Strudel. It was very good but it didn't make me jump up and say “wow”.

I'm really looking forward to making another visit to Henry's End to see what else from that menu makes me smile from mouth to stomach. I'm going to have a hard time ordering anything but that amazing fried chicken. But I'll be strong for you all and keep trying new things instead. Maybe I'll just get the chicken to go next time. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Henry's End

44 Henry Street

Brooklyn, NY, 11201

718-834-1776

http://www.henrysend.com/