Midnights in Williamsburg

Tags

brooklyn, date, date night, dinner, Williamsburg

Wow!
End of October already???
I mean, when I last posted I was gearing up for the busiest season at my office. I work in Tax so the days were long and days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and here we are.
With the change of the season I am experiencing Migraines. Lots and lots of migraines. If anyone has any remedies to bring relief, please reach out. Coffee, Excedrin, and Vicks Vapor Rub are my go-to methods but am open to trying something new.
SO, where were we?
Ah, that time my husband and I ended up at an adorable little bistro because the original place had lost our reservation. Right.
Sometime in the warmer months, hubby and I gussied up for dinner just because. We made reservations for a chef tasting that needed to be made in advance. When we arrived at the restaurant, they had no idea we were there for a tasting and sat us a at a table for 4 with another couple already there… can you say awkward???
One of my biggest pet peeves is dining with strangers. NYers are no strangers to crowded places but the act of dining should be somewhat intimate- it’s bad enough tables are 2 inches apart from each other but I need those two inches separating me from another set of diners.
I digress. They lost our reservation. We went to another restaurant. We contacted the people that lost our reservation and they invited us back to make up for the error.
It was probably one of the hottest days in the summer. Hubby and I dressed down so we could be comfortable. It was a 5 course tasting so comfort was definitely on the list of priorities. This time around, our visit was great! Not only was our reservation saved, but they remembered I preferred to dine semi-privately so we had a table in a corner booth all to ourselves. That alone was worth the entire “ordeal”.
We started with a chilled corn and crab soup. The portions for this tasting were… on the heavier side. We arrived hungry but, spoiler alert, we were STUFFED afterwards.

The Chilled corn soup was velvety and sweet with hearty chunks of lump crab meat. They paired it with a crisp chilled white wine.
We also had a salad course that I forgot to click… but you don’t win friends with salad. Amiright?
Next up, we had a trout dish with veggies. Wasn’t a huge fan of the trout as this particular presentation was very bony and if you take big bites like me… you’ll surely choke. Lol. Ain’t I a classy one?

The chef, feeling bad for what had happened to us the first time we got here, offered us an additional course to make up for the error. A buccatini dish that was probably the best thing we ate all night. It was incredible!

At this point of the night, we were running out of precious stomach room…but we had to press on.
Lordt!
Help us.
Short Rib. With a butternut squash puree and sautéed bok boy.
Delicious, indeed.
The big finale was a delicious warm chocolate sauce poured over a chocolate shell that melted to reveal a scoop of ice cream. It was a shared dessert. It was difficult to get through.
Once we finished our meal, we graciously thanked our host and chef for the memorable meal. They had more than made up for the previous error and their service will bring us back for more of everything!

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Juliette

Tags

bistro, brooklyn, dinner, Juliette, Restaurant Review, Williamsburg

Brent and I got dressed up for a night on the town.  We find that taking some time to have a cute little date keeps us sane and there’s nothing like a romantic dinner every now and then; amirite?

We were getting stopped by our neighbors. “Are you going to a wedding?” “You guys look fancy!”.

I mean, your girl was feeling herself for a minute.

Then it all began.

The uber we ordered was “5” minutes away but took forever to actually arrive. He was going in circles before he arrived 2 blocks away from us. He called to yell about the difficulty he had in getting to our building and that we had to come to him or he was going to cancel. We were trying to make it in time for an 8 PM reservation. It was 7:45. We had the driver meet us halfway and we waited patiently in the car to arrive at our destination.

A new restaurant not too far from our neighborhood that was offering a chef’s tasting with an advanced reservation. The restaurant was new and trendy which worried me since the new trendy places we have tried as of late have been small and tables were right on top of each other leaving us to share a meal with complete strangers. Not romantic.

I had arranged with the restaurant via email to have our tasting and we were all set.

When we arrived, I gave the hostess our name and she brought us to the back yard and seated us at a picnic table that already had a couple dining… considering the intimacy of our pre-planned dinner, I was not comfortable sitting with another couple I didn’t even know. So, I asked the hostess if there was some mistake since we were scheduled to have a chef tasting.

She said I wasn’t on the list for a tasting but she changed our table and asked the chef if he would be willing to fit us in.

He wasn’t.

There was no AC as it was and we were starting to sweat.

The manager came over and apologized and denied our reservation.

Not wanting to challenge anyone that would potentially prepare my meal, my husband and I got up and left in search of a Plan B.

We walked a few blocks and found ourselves in front of this very charming bistro, Juliette. I have always wanted to try this place but never got around to it. There was no time like the present. So we walked in and proceeded to have the most adorable dinner ever and losing our chef tasting didn’t even matter anymore.

We started with some bubbles because we love bubbles.

Despite the humidity, we opted to start with the French onion soup. Probably the best French Onion soup I have had to date- super cheesy, very flavorful and the alcohol was cooked down completely- so no boozy aftertaste.

For our entrée, I had the diver scallops over polenta and Brent had a grilled chicken sandwich.

I love me a good sandwich and I may have had slight dinner envy because his sandwich was delicious. Great bread. Homemade mayo. Juicy chicken breast. Thick cut bacon. And ripe roma tomatoes. And of course, crispy fries!

My sea scallops were cooked to perfection- nice sear on the outside and supple texture. The polenta was creamy with a nice bit of sharpness to it. I would definitely order again.

For dessert, we shared a crème brulee. Very hard to screw up but still very good!

Our night had turned around for the better! We were rubbing out full bellies as it started to pour so we hailed an uber that came immediately and we hopped in to seek shelter from the rain and the damn car REEKED of cigarettes. Longest 8 minutes of my life!

That’s just how it be’s sometimes.

Red Snapper with Marinara over Angel Hair

Tags

dinner, fish, healthy, marinara sauce, quick, recipe, recipes, red snapper, spaghetti

One of my hard to break bad habits these days is ordering take out when I get home late and am too hungry to cook.

The freezer is well stocked with steaks, chicken breasts, and fish but to defrost it and cook it can be time-consuming. I was determined yesterday morning to cook no matter what time I got home and put two frozen red snapper fillets in the fridge to thaw. I had a freezer stash of marinara sauce too so I was going to have red snapper with marinara sauce over angel hair.

Of course as I sat in the office at 6:15, about an hour after I was scheduled to leave I had to mentally prepare myself to run home, walk the dog and prepare dinner- stomach growling or not!

I am writing because dinner was ready in under 25 minutes. It was healthy, hearty, and “Brilliant!” (Brent’s words).

Here’s what you need to feed two:

2 red snapper fillets (8-10 ounces) be sure to remove bones/scales

3 – 4 cups of marinara sauce (depends on how saucy you like it)

½ box thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta

Directions:

Set up a large pot of water to boil.

In a large frying pan, heat 1 cup of marinara sauce. Place red snapper skin side down. Add ½ cup more sauce to the pan to cover the red snapper slightly. Cover and allow to simmer on low for 20 minutes.

When 8 minutes of cook time remain for the fish, place the pasta in boiling water. Cook for 6-8 minutes, or according to box/preference. Drain reserving 1 – 2 tbsp of starchy water.

Remove the fish from the pan with a large spatula. The fish will be tender- be careful when transferring to a plate. Place drained pasta in the pan with the leftover sauce adding a little more sauce and the starchy water to coat the pasta. When the pasta is coated, transfer to plate- top with snapper.

We sprinkled some parm cheese and red pepper flakes on to this.

It was so good. The red snapper really holds up well to marinara sauce. It’s not fishy at all, either! I highly recommend for anyone trying to get more fish in their diet and those that want something quick for dinner.

Sausage, Cannelini, and Tomato Ragout over Rosemary Polenta

Tags

bolognese, cannelini, comfort food, dinner, hearty, lunch, polenta, sausage, tomato

Now that hubby and I are back from Negril (and can’t wait to go back) we are trying to get back into the swing of things. The wedding is over. The honeymoon is over. And the gorging on take-out is definitely over.

I came home to a STACK of my favorite magazines. Cooking Light. Food and Wine. Bon Apetit.

My schedule has been a little crazy but once I had a moment, I sat down with my post-it tabs and got to tabbing. While tabbing away, I came across a recipe that reminded me of my favorite comfort dish and the fact that I haven’t made it in FOREVER.

Bolognese over polenta. Really, anything with a marinara sauce and a sharp creamy polenta is heaven to me. It’s simple but so filling and really good! Inspired by this recipe, I tore apart my pantry and freeze and found everything I needed to make this dish- plus a few tweaks.

Sausage, cannelini and tomato Ragout

6 ounces bulk hot Italian sausage (6 sausage links with casings removed)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon unsalted tomato paste

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup dry red wine

3/4 cup unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Dash of crushed red pepper

1 (14.5-ounce) can unsalted diced tomatoes, undrained (I used Fire Roasted for more heat)

1 (15-ounce) can unsalted cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano

Directions:

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add sausage to pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring to crumble.

Remove sausage from pan.

Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.

Add wine chicken broth; cook 1 minute, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in stock and next 5 ingredients (through beans); reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 8 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Stir in cooked sausage and oregano.

Rosemary Polenta
Ingredients
1 cup ground corn meal
1 cup cold water
2 cups boiling water
1 tsp salt
4 ounces non-fat Greek yogurt
4 Tbsp reduced fat parmesan cheese
1 tbsp dried rosemary

Directions
Combine cornmeal and cold water. Place in medium pot. Place over medium low heat. Add boiling water and stir. Lower the heat and allow to bubble. Add yogurt, cheese, salt, and rosemary. Allow to simmer for 5 or 8 minutes.

Serve polenta with sausage and bean sauce on top. Sprinkle with parm cheese. Enjoy!

This dish didn’t take long to make but it made SO many servings. I had polenta and ragout for days! I love it with lots of grated parmesan!

The Palm Tribeca- Lobstah!

Tags

anniversary, dinner, lobster, NYC, tribeca

Well, look who decided to share.

I will admit that in the last few months, when B and I are about to sit down to a dinner at a nice restaurant, he sighs with the “you’re not really going to take photos of your food here, are you?” face and I quickly snap shut my phone case like I was only checking the time. It’s not just B, though. There are restaurants that outright ban photo taking. And as a blogger for fun, stopping for a second to actually eat my meal without remembering the photo op, has been fun as well. I have even noticed service has changed- I never stopped to think of how my constant photo taking effected the folks serving me my dinner.

I won’t completely stop taking photos all together but when the photos come, they will be more specialer (that’s a word because I say so).

Back when I worked in Lower Manhattan, I had a hankering for lobster. I was on the internet searching and searching for a place to have a lobster dinner that wasn’t a shack or bar. It was, after all, my 2 year anniversary with B- our last anniversary before we become Mr. and Mrs. While complaining about the lack of lobster establishments to choose from (other than Red Lobster), my mother had suggested I go to the Palm.

The Palm, which has several locations in NY and several more all over the country, was having a special at the time. A 4 lb lobster, 2 appetizers and a side for $99; to make it a 5lber, add $20. We went to the Palm Tribeca which was in a convenient location for the both of us to get to. We got there at 6pm on a Friday and dinner service was definitely starting to pick up.

We both decided that we were greedy bastards and the 4 lb lobster to share just wouldn’t be enough… so we got the 5 lb. And a 3rd appetizer. And a bottle of champagne.

 

We aren’t wealthy by any means but we do enjoy going on a dinner to splurge or treat ourselves. It’s our monthly ritual. So when we chatted up our server about champagnes (because anniversary!) he talked us into getting the more expensive bottle that was on sale if we joined their club.

So we joined.

We couldn’t resist. They said something about a free lobster on your birthday!!!

 

Our new thing, or should I say Brent’s new thing is Caesar salads before the main course. We ordered our Caesar salads but he added an order of calamari because we were so hungry and its calamari! Both were delicious. The dressing on the Caesar, just thinking about it, makes my mouth water. So creamy and tangy. The calamari was crisp and delicious.

 

The server came over shortly after our appetizer plates were cleared to drape lobster bibs over us. Such service! And when the MONSTER lobster came out in pieces, they shelled that bad boy right in front of us. A little awkward, I will admit BUT the young man assisting us was quite the conversationalist once we started to pull some teeth (Where are you from? How do you like working here?) Once our lobster was completely shelled, we went in.

In hinsdsight, the 4lb lobster was MORE than enough especially after all the starters and the heavy goat cheese and chive mashed potatoes (omg SOOO good), and even as we spooned the last of the mashed potatoes into our mouths and swallowed the last drops of the champagne I couldn’t believe my ears when we both agreed to order dessert.

One dessert. The coffee and donuts special. A brown paper bag filled with cinnamon sugar dusted donut holes with a chocolate and raspberry dipping sauce. And a cup of coffee

Fat assness. We ate all of it and considered walking home. We walked for 20 minutes after. We still were disgustingly full.

Now that we are members, I can’t wait to go back! I’d definitely skip the salad though.

Just kidding. I’d do it all over again! (but maybe skip lunch?)

Aurora Ristorante

Tags

brooklyn, dinner, Restaurant Review, Williamsburg

As I write this, Brent and I have officially found a wedding venue. It’s been a very long month but at least we don’t have to worry about moving and searching for a new place. Once the shock of ReBar settled in, I started to feel hopeful again. Every time I did research on off-beat weddings in New York, I would find more and more leads. Some ridiculously expensive, but leads none the less. I’m not ready to disclose just yet on where we are planning to wed, but we visited a place worthy of a blog post.

For some background, Brent and I never really saw ourselves having a traditional banquet hall style wedding. So, when we went to visit these places, we thought they were nice but they didn’t feel right to us. Also, we both want to look back on our wedding day and be glad we didn’t settle.

Aurora Ristorante is a gorgeous garden-esque restaurant in Williamsburg Brooklyn. When a friend recommended them for their delicious food, the main photo on their website of their garden dining area made my stomach flutter in excitement. Part of this venue search includes the warm and fuzzies. Of course we want good food, but we ALSO want to walk into a place and FEEL like we are actually getting married there. Like dating, there has to be a spark. I felt this spark over the internet… I got there and my heart sank.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was too small.

Granted, the entire space could accommodate my guest list, the down side is that half of my guests would be in one room and the other would be in the garden. We filed this space away for an intimate party for a birthday or something involving 50 people or less.

Since we made the trek over there and it was dinner time, we decided to sit down for a nice dinner in the garden. While this place didn’t make the cut for the wedding venue, this is a fantastic spot for a romantic dinner with your boo or a beautiful garden-esque place to dine on delicious eats.

When we were seated, we ordered some beverages. A vodka tonic for me and a hard cider for the boy. To get the full experience, we ordered an appetizer, two entrees and split a dessert.

Just then a basket of warm bread and a small dish of olive oil appears on the table. Sweet Carb heaven. Warm. Crusty bread with rich olive oil. I had to limit myself to two small squares of bread.

As I have mentioned on many occasions, the boy loves his pizza. The special piazetta on the menu was a medley of wild foraged mushrooms, grilled radicchio, goat cheese, a touch of truffle oil and paper thin sheets of prosciutto on a buttery focaccia. We went in with our fingers but quickly opted for utensils as it was a little messy but what a combination!!

I ordered the special of the day. Halibut filet over a sweet corn puree and sautéed kale.

Brent had the roasted chicken with sautéed chickory and roasted sunchokes. That was so good chicken!

We were stuffed but my experience was not over. The dessert menu touted Italian classics like panna cotta and tiramisu but there was no time like the present to try something new.

The Salted Caramel Budino.

A velvety smooth salted caramel pudding atop a rich chocolaty cookie and garnished with chocolate cookie crumbles; complete with a healthy dollop of crème fraiche. At first bite, it was just okay but as I continued to dig in with rich, almost coffee flavored chocolate cookie with the buttery caramel pudding and tart crème fraiche, I became addicted. It is hands down my new favorite dessert.

A bit of a bummer that this delicious place couldn’t be my wedding venue but mom turns 60 in six years… might have to keep this place in the back of my mind for a garden party for my queen.

Seared Ribeye with arugula salad and Plantains

Tags

dinner, healthy, low carb, paleo, plantains, ribeye, Steak

I have become a HUGE fan of steak. I have always liked steaks but before Paleo didn’t really have a method for preparing it. Once I figured out my method, I ventured out into all the different steak house cuts that known to be expensive when dining out, but making at home saves tons of money and really allows you to do just about whatever you like with it.

While dining out the other day at a steakhouse with BR, a woman at a table seated next to us ordered a filet mignon and asked for it to be cooked “super well done”. While everyone is entitled to their preferred temperatures, choosing a filet mignon at a restaurant and having the chef cook every ounce of moisture out of it, is a total waste of good meat and good money! Want a well done steak? No Problem- make one at home!

BR and I prefer our steaks medium. So, if you are going to make this recipe and you like your steaks a little more done, just leave the steaks in the oven for a little longer.

For this particular dinner, i had taken these ribeyes out of the freezer and had a green plantain. I had just run out of sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts. Then i remembered, my CSA dropped off a beautiful bag of arugula. Arugula can be very bitter, so i always dress it in an acidic dressing to balance out the bitterness.

Ingredients: for 2

2  6-8 oz rib eyes

1 TBSP of your favorite steak seasoning (i use a blend of salt, garlic, onion, and cayenne pepper)

1 tsp oil

Method:

Preheat oven to 450*.

Season ribeye on both sides.

Heat an 8 or 9 inch cast iron skillet or heavy bottom frying pan with oil over a medium high heat for about 2 minutes.

Once the pan is screaming hot, carefully add the two ribeyes and allow them to cook undisturbed for 6 minutes. After 6 minutes is up, turn over and allow to cook for 3 minutes.

transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 10 minutes. (if you want it well done, leave it in the oven for 15 minutes). Once the pan is removed from the oven, allow to rest undisturbed for 10 minutes.

Serve atop an arugula salad. I dressed my salad with lemon juice and a touch of olive oil.

And a side of plantains!

P.S.

PALEO!

 

Balsamic Chicken and Mushrooms over Creamy Polenta

Tags

chicken, dinner, low carb, mushrooms

 

 

The problem with having a queue of photos to blog about is sometimes you see a photo of something you ate and think “what the H is that?”. I take notes and menu plan but once the week is over, the source of the menu plan disappears. With water stains or even food stains, the piece of paper just never makes it. So, as I am about to upload a whole new slew of photos, i recall this recipe that Lauren from Healthy-Delicious inspired.

For anyone watching their refined carbs, this hearty dish sits atop some creamy and hearty polenta. 

 

 

Lauren jokes that this dish is nothing to look at…while its no masterpiece, its certainly delicious. And i should note, hers looks MUCH better than mine.

I made some changes based on what i had available but I kept to the her instructions for the most part.

Ingredients:

2 thin chicken breasts

2 tsp flour

1 Tbsp olive oil

6 ounces white button mushrooms

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup chicken broth

 

But please check out Lauren’s recipe here for further instructions and her stunning photography!

 

Paleo Asian Beef Lettuce Wraps

Tags

beef, diet, dinner, Gluten free, healthy, low carb, paleo

When Brent and i first started our Paleo journey, a long time friend sent me some emeals, Emeals is a weekly meal planner that you can customize based your dietary needs. No meat? No Problem. No Grains? thats okay too! Looking at her emeals, the recipes were listed with directions and a shopping list was attached. 7 meals per week sent right to my inbox. I decided to subscribe for a little inspiration since I felt like our diet was in a bit of a rut.

I loved having an idea of what to prepare. Since Brent and I bring lunch to work on most days of the week, i opted for the family size meal plans to have extra.

One of the first recipes I used with emeals was this Asian Beef Lettuce Wrap recipe. It was simple to follow and there was plenty of room for me to tweak this to make it more my own preferred style. I just really enjoy the inspiration. 

 

Asian Beef Lettuc Wraps (serves 4)

1 lb lean ground beef

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 carrots, peeled and shredded

2 cloves garlic, minced

16 oz package sliced fresh mushrooms

2 cups shredded green cabbage

¼ cup coconut aminos (or substitute soy sauce)

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 heads Bibb or butter lettuce, leaves separated

Method:

Cook beef in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat 8 minutes or until   browned; drain and set aside. Heat oil in skillet; add onion, carrots and garlic. Cook 5 minutes or until tender. Add mushrooms; cook 8 minutes or until browned. Add cabbage, and cook 3 minutes or slightly wilted. Add coconut aminos, stirring to combine. Return beef to skillet, and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Spoon beef mixture onto lettuce leaves; roll up and devour!

I nearly ran out of room in my largest frying pan for all the meaty veggie goodness. The dish was really tasty and filling. Also who doesnt love faux tacos! Also, if lettuce wraps arent your thing, you can totally use regular tortilla wraps or eat this over rice. Its a jack of all trades dish.

wanna try emeals??? Click the banner below  🙂

Asian Marinaded Chicken Thighs with Asparagus bundles

Tags

asparagus, bacon, chicken, dinner, Gluten free, healthy, low carb, paleo, sides

 

 

 

One of my go to, easy put together dinners is this asian marinated chicken. This chicken dish is super quick to put together, not to mention delicious. 

 

Ingredients (serves 4, or two really greedy hungry people)

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1/2 cup coconut aminos, or soy sauce

2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp sesame oil

1/4 cup raw honey (regular honey is ok too)

1 tsp fresh grated ginger (1/2 tsp if using powdered ginger)

2 cloves of garlic, minced (or 1 tsp powdered garlic)

1 bunch of scallions, sliced (optional)

 

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together coconut aminos, rice wine vinegar, garlic, ginger, honey and sesame oil. Pour mixture over boneless chicken breasts, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

While the chicken marinates, I prep my side dishes. Since Brent and I follow a low carb diet on a more regular basis these days, I made some bacon asparagus bundles. We found a great hardwood smoked organic bacon, sliced to order with our local grocer that doesn’t run cheap but we find we cant stay away from it! Its so good. 

 

Bacon Asparagus Bundles

1 bunch of asparagus

6 slices of bacon

a sprinkle of natural sea salt

Preheat an oven to 450*. Arrange a baking sheet with parchment paper or non stick foil.

Trim asparagus of woody ends.

Wrap several stalks of asparagus with bacon. Some prefer to tie the bacon in a knot but i prefer the spiral method for more bacon coverage.

Sprinkle the asparagus lightly with sea salt. Roast in the oven for 10 -12 minutes, depending on how you like your asparagus. I like mine with a little char/crunch. 

 

Back to the chicken.

Heat a large grill pan or non stick skillet over a medium high heat. Allow the pan to fully heat to get the desired effect with the chicken. If the pan sizzles wildly after a sprinkle of water hits the pan, place the chicken on the pan and allow to cook undisturbed for 6 minutes. Turn over and cook for an additional 6 minutes or until the center is no longer pink.

Allow the chicken to rest and while resting, garnish with chopped scallions.

 

This is, hands down, our favorite chicken dish. I added a bit of sauteed fennel to the dish.

The leftovers are great for lunch!! (if there are even any leftovers)