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Restaurant Week: David Burke Kitchen

29 Monday Aug 2016

Posted by Monique in Restaurant Review, Uncategorized

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burger, David Burke, David Burke Kitchen, greek yogurt, NYC, Restaurant Review, restaurant week, SoHo

Restaurant week is a seasonal event in NYC where select restaurants offer prefix lunches ($29) and dinners ($42) at a fixed price in the five boroughs. It started nearly 10 years ago and has gotten so popular that the “week” usually lasts about 6 weeks; giving one ample time to get as many deals as possible. 20160731_131220

I personally like experiencing a restaurant that I would normally not visit but I also find that the experience is very different on a regular dining day then during restaurant week. Never the less, my family and I always participate.

One such place where we particularly love Restaurant Week lunches is David Burke Kitchen in Soho. There is only one thing that I actually crave here and luckily, it’s offered during restaurant week so I am one happy lady.

It was very easy to obtain a reservation for 1PM on a rainy Sunday in SoHo. My husband, parents, and I arrived hungry and ready to feast. For $29, we were entitled to an appetizer, an entrée, and a dessert. Not too shabby. We almost all ordered the same exact thing which means no tasting anything new… but when you know what you like, there isn’t really a need for all that.

I had a cup of coffee which was nice and strong- perfect little jolt!

20160731_131904For starters, everyone minus Brent ordered the plain Greek yogurt with house made granola, nuts, berries, and honey. This is no ordinary bowl of yogurt. I cannot explain why this tastes as good as it does but I have a feeling it has to be the full fat yogurt. It was tart and creamy with a hint of sweetness from the honey and berries. We scraped our bowls clean.

20160731_133235As my entrée, I ordered the burger. A huge heavy burger to go on top of the bowl of high protein yogurt I just scarfed. The burger was delicious but I barely finished half. I packed the burger and fries to go (which were perfect later that evening for dinner!).

20160731_141117Dessert was a super-rich chocolate cake. I managed half and had to give up. Being full was a major factor but the richness on top of that was just too much. I left with a lot of leftovers.

But for $29, the prix-fixe is a great bargain.

While the Restaurant Week promotion is over until Winter, the bowl of greek Yogurt at David Burke Kitchen is worth a trek to SoHo when you’re craving it!

 

Juliette

25 Thursday Aug 2016

Posted by Monique in Uncategorized

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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.

20160729_202553Despite 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.

20160729_204332For our entrée, I had the diver scallops over polenta and Brent had a grilled chicken sandwich.

20160729_204336I 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.

20160729_211802For 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.

Hello Bklyn

20 Wednesday Jul 2016

Posted by Monique in brooklyn, burger, burgers, Restaurant Review

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brooklyn, burger, Restaurant Review

Our neighborhood is ever-changing.

This time last year, a Spanish restaurant stood on the very corner I found myself on Sunday evening.

But now, instead of a Spanish restaurant, a burger bar is in its place.

Hello Bklyn sells burgers, hot dogs, and sandwiches with a nice
selection of drinks. Their walls are decorated with all things
Brooklyn and Hip Hop; namely, Biggie Smalls. The music is old school
hip hop and R&B- 80’s babies rejoice!

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The space is rustic with stools and tables; large open windows, and is
in a perfect spot on the corner for a cool breeze in the summer
evening.

We started with some cocktails.
Bourbon. Cider. Deliciousness.

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Great summer cocktail. Don’t even know the name. Just looked at it and said yes.

Sometimes you gotta be impulsive that way.

For our entrees, we each got the Hello Bklyn Burger. A Pat La Frieda
patty cooked to a juicy medium rare with cheddar, bacon, lettuce,
tomato, and red onion on a fluffy toasted brioche bun. The burger is
JUICY and flavorful.

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He opted for a side of fries and I got an order
of crispy onion rings.

It was their most basic burger but it was a wonderful way to start our
love affair with Hello Bklyn. Their menu is not extensive but they
have a nice variety including non-beef options such as salmon burgers
or quinoa burgers.

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We will definitely be back for happy hour and hope to try all the
burgers! Why not? Its only 3 blocks away from home- oh how dangerous
this is!

Blue Duck Tavern in Georgetown

25 Sunday Oct 2015

Posted by Monique in brunch

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brunch, DC, Restaurant Review

During B and I’s last weekend in DC, we decided to treat ourselves to a nice brunch. Right across the street from our hotel; the Blue Duck Cafe.

It was a very balmy and hot day but the promise of a sorbet sangria seemed refreshing and perfect.

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We both sipped cocktails in the shade of an umbrella in the scenic backyard. Blue Duck Café has a perimeter of green surrounding their outdoor dining area. Upon close inspection, we were pleasantly surprised to see this green was actually herbs and vegetables. Occasionally, someone would come from the kitchen to snip herbs for whatever they were preparing.

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Since the occasion was “Treat [our]self” we decided to start our brunch with an appetizer. One of our favorite things in Bone Marrow. Gross to some, this delicacy is rich and delicious but definitely not for every enjoyment.

This particular bone marrow came with crisp baguette slices as the vehicle to smear the marrow all over with a honkin bulb of caramelized garlic. The marrow was seasoned with everything- like an everything bagel.

We devoured this. It was absolutely amazing and quite possibly the best bone marrow we have ever had. Our waiter came by to check on us and agreed the marrow was their most popular dish; even said some well-known chefs come to Blue Duck Café JUST to have some of their bone marrow.

Strong words.

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For B’s entrée he went with the short rib hash. A huge and rib sticking portion of short ribs, potatoes, and caramelized onions topped with a perfectly fried egg. As Brent was diggin’ in, our waiter came to recommend B dip his bread into the hash. And then B’s life changed.

I’m definitely over-selling the moment but the combination was very good! However, having annihilated a plate of Bone Marrow, we were feeling a little full.

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I, on the other hand, enjoyed the Blue Duck’s take on shrimp and grits. The portion was smaller than B’s hash but after indulging on all that marrow, I had just enough room to enjoy my entrée…

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…before our waiter convinced us to get dessert. It was the strangest, most delicious combination for dessert. Popcorn. Marshmallows. Panna Cotta. Caramel. I cannot explain this concept at all but it played on sweet/salty and creamy/crunchy combos. It was great.

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The sun was moving and our beloved shade had shifted, leaving us to bake in the hot sun. We got some cold brew iced coffee to go with our dessert.

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…and before we knew it, it was over.

We were STUFFED.

It was a fantastic brunch! We will definitely be back [for that bone marrow]!

Nando’s Peri Peri

25 Friday Sep 2015

Posted by Monique in Uncategorized

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chicken, DC, Nando's, Nando's Peri Peri, Restaurant Review

And we’re off!

To help Brent look for an apartment and to have one last hurrah before school started, I went with Brent to DC. We booked an early morning Amtrak from NY to DC and planned our weekend.

B and I have both been to DC before but never together so this was an experience.  Our hotel room was ready when we arrived which was fantabulous. Not really knowing the lay of the land meant lots of Ubers. Our first Uber ride from WAS to the hotel was quite memorable as our driver exited her mini-van in her bathrobe, slippers, and rollers to remove the car seat from the back seat- she was super friendly and her car smelled like candy. But having a driver in her pjs was def a first.

After a quick siesta in the hotel room (traveling is exhausting) we needed some Grub. B knew of a place that he visited as a kid and since I had never been before, our first DC experience together was Nando’s Peri Peri.

Nando’s specialty is Chicken. Flame grilled chicken. Flame grilled delicious chicken.

When you walk into Nando’s you are greeted by a host or hostess who escort you to the ordering line. The Brazilian music playing throughout the restaurant is interesting and even catchy.

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Once you make your way to the counter you order your meal. They do have other options aside from Chicken but when in Rome… I ordered my size chicken (half), and selected my spice level (mild), then I ordered my two sides (roasted corn and Rice)

You receive a ticket and depending if you are dining here or to go you get a number. We picked a spot and brought our number with us. They serve alcohol so I ordered a sangria (meh).

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The chicken was tender and delicious. They offer hot sauces on the side if you want to challenge your palette. I toyed with the medium and realized that level of spicy was out of my league. Gimme sriracha any day!

It is highly recommended you clean your teeth after this meal. I had char in my teeth for a while and i was wishing i had a pocket toothbrush.

We took our time enjoying our chicken at Nando’s and decided to see a movie after. With it being so humid in DC we took a long slow walk to the movie theatre and saw Inside Out which was adorable beyond words.

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After the movie we walked around some more and watched some kids feeding the ducks overlooking the Potomac.

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It was really starting to sink in that this will be the most difficult trip I have ever taken.

Benoit NYC

21 Monday Sep 2015

Posted by Monique in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

cassoulet, escargot, French, NYC, pate, profiteroles, Restaurant Review

During our countdown to Brent’s departure, we set out for dinner in honor of our 6 month wedding anniversary and restaurant week! I let B take the lead on dinner reservations and he totally outdid himself. We went to the very charming and very old school Benoit in Midtown.

Nothing says romance like French cuisine, though, when I think of French cuisine I am reminded of the episode of Sex and the City where Harry and Charlotte have a romantic night out at a French restaurant. They overindulged and spent the entire evening taking turns in the bathroom.

Thankfully that wasn’t the case for us but I can see how Charlotte and Harry did themselves in. French food is RICH and should be enjoyed in moderation.

We had every intention of being modest by ordering off the pre fixe menu but B thought we were selling ourselves short and suggested we go for the glory and get whatever we wanted.

So we did.

First things first. Bubbles. Not just because of the 6 month anniversary but when we dine out (which has significantly decreased in frequency) we treat ourselves to a sparkling wine or champagne. It goes down easier and we usually have zero negative effects in the AM.

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For B’s starter, he went with the pate of foie gras and I went with the escargot. The last time I tried escargot was when B and I took our first vacation together; this time was much more positive and much more delicious. I shared with my mother that I had escargot and she was genuinely curious about what it tasted like. Upon first glance, it looks like green moss. But after a whiff, it’s very garlicky in a beautiful way. Once you scoop it into your mouth it tastes like a stuffed mushroom- so if you like stuffed mushrooms, there is a good chance you will like escargot.20150731_184122

There are two main dishes that I can never say no to: Beouf Bourguignon and Cassoulet. Very heavy and hearty dishes. The latter was available so I went in. Brent ordered the roasted chicken which was delicious.

The Cassoulet, which is essentially a white bean stew with sausage and duck confit was rich and totally did me after 5 bites. No matter though. I packed up the leftovers and enjoyed them the following morning with a poached egg- my fave way to enjoy leftovers.

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When the dessert menu rolled around I was beyond stuffed but was somehow convinced to order profiteroles. Delightfully airy cream puffs with a rich chocolate sauce for dipping. And washed it down with a creamy cappuccino and some ice cream.20150731_195829

Talk about Indulgence! The great thing about NYC is the ability to WALK after heavy meal and our train was several long blocks away.

Benoit was a great choice. We got to enjoy a wonderful meal and check another great NY restaurant off the list.

Aurora Ristorante

10 Tuesday Jun 2014

Posted by Monique in Restaurant Review

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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.

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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.

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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!!

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

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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.

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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.

Lamb Cooking Demo and Wine tasting at Fairway Cafe!!

27 Monday Jan 2014

Posted by Monique in Recipes, Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

events, lamb, recipes, Restaurant Review

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On Wednesday night, despite a freshly fallen snow and single digit temperatures, I found myself on the Upper West Side of Manhattan at Fairway’s flagship New York location observing the talented Chef Vincent Olivieri prepare an amazing lamb dinner. This benefit-type style of a dinner donated all of its proceeds to the New York Common Pantry, which is New York City’s largest community-based food pantry; designed to meet the needs of families by providing culturally-appropriate and nutritiously-balanced food. Aside from a delicious dinner, cooking lesson and the charitable donation, we were also given 7 generous pours of some of the tastiest Australian wine I have had in a long time!033-1024x768Thanks to all the snow, commuting from Upper East Side to Upper West Side via bus was all kinds of awful- not to mention my penchant for motion sickness. Jumping off the bus at my destination and feeling the frigid air on my face did wonders for my queasiness and once I checked into the event and received a glass of sparking white wine, the rest of the night was a huge triumph.    20140122_194215

I walked in midway through Chef Olivieri’s tutorial on cooking rack of lamb. The aromas were out of sight. I watched hungrily as my mouth watered and waited with great anticipation. The presentation not only touched on the proper cooking techniques when preparing lamb, but also made note of the importance of using quality ingredients- AHEM- Fairway’s top quality products. After having tasted all the amazing elements of a well-made dinner, I can say with full conviction that the quality of fairways olive oil and mustard are worth a trip to the market some time in my near future.

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Our first course was a mustard crusted rack of lamb with fig chutney; paired with Paringa Sparkling Shiraz.

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My good friend Phil, as well as BR were in attendance. Not sure if it was the hunger pangs or the sheer deliciousness of the food but NOT ONE PEEP was said while we ate our rack of lamb with fig chutney.

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I had a hot date for the evening. 🙂 BR and I aren’t big drinkers so thank goodness for all the protein to soak up the booze. That smile is most likely, a boozy smile 🙂

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Classic Caesar salad paired with two whites; Yalumba Y Series Viogner and Punt Road Chardonnay.

The salad course was great. I have a love hate relationship with already dressed salad and this Caesar was perfectly dressed in a creamy dressing that didn’t saturate the lettuce and didn’t overpower each bite. And I normally forgo croutons but these were too good to pass up.

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Did I mention the pours were generous???

As I imbibed freely, I made a mental note that a cab ride home would be a MUST.

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After a brief run down of the reds we were drinking, the strong aroma of lamb wafted into the dining area as serves carrying armfuls of entrees walked through the room. Whole leg of lamb with Parsnip and Turnip mash and Roasted Brussels Sprouts cooked with slab bacon and roasted chestnuts. Paired with Stone Dweller Pinot Noir and Yalumba “The scribbler” Cabernet shiraz.

The leg of lamb was incredibly tender. Phil said its texture reminded him of prime rib-I would have to agree. The lamb was not overly gamely but was full of flavor and simply dressed with an herb marinade. The turnip and parsnip smash was also really good and after a sprinkling of sea salt was even better. The thing I still can’t get out of my mind were those brussels sprouts. The thick slab of pork belly in the brussels sprouts as well as the plump and chewy chestnuts gave such a pleasant texture to the side that I am determined to recreate it at home!

20140122_213313Just when I thought dinner was complete, these beautiful desserts were placed in front of us. Warm Apple tart with Vanilla ice cream paired with Yalumba “Museum” muscat NV. I had reached my full level of tipsiness and could not finish the dessert wine paired with this dessert. The wine was thick and syrupy and had a delightful maple aroma to it. But with the little room left in my belly, it was either the booze of the buttery, flaky warm apple tart…

The tart wins. And boy was it delicious. Dare I say it, but I finished BR’s tart when he couldn’t.

What an amazing event! Prior to this event, I had never visited a Fairway before, let alone the fairway cafe. Its close enough to the train station for me to make another  trip to the upper west side.

Big thanks to Fairway for hosting this great event and providing all the delicious foods along with the Australian Wine ambassadors for all the generous pours. Another big thank you to Phil for letting me steal borrow some of his photos. (Be sure to check out his recap here)

Want recipes to any of the dishes featured above? Leave a comment below with the recipe you want and i will add it in the comments.

[UPDATE]

Here are the recipes that were requested:

Parsnip Turnip Mash (Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

3 large turnips, peeled and chopped

6 large parsnips, peeled and chopped

3 yellow carrots, peeled and chopped

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 tsp honey

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp white pepper

Directions:

Place the turnips, parsnips, and carrots in a large sauce pot completely submerged in water. Season water with pinch of salt. Bring water to a boil. Allow vegetables to boil for 10 minutes or until fork tender. Strain vegetables and place in a large mixing bowl. Add butter to vegetables while they are hot, and then add honey, salt and pepper. Mash with a potato masher until you reach a smooth consistency.

Whole Roasted Leg of Lamb (Serves 6-8)

Ingredients:

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

5-6 sprigs of fresh thyme

5-6 sprigs of fresh oregano

5-6 sprigs of fresh chives

1 Tbsp minced garlic

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 Tbsp grainy mustard

4-5 lb boneless leg of lamb

1 Tbsp sea salt

1 tsp coarse black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450*. Chop all the herbs. Mix herbs with olive oil, lemon juice, and mustard to make herb marinade. Set marinade aside. Season lamb with salt and pepper. Use ½ of the herb marinade and rube evenly over the lamb. Allow the lamb to marinate for at least 30 minutes. Remove all the visible herbs from the lamb to prevent burning and place in roasting pan. Roast lamb for 30 minutes at 450*. Decrease oven temperature to 350 and continue to cook for an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour for a medium rare center. Remove lamb from the oven and while still hot, pour on the remaining herb marinade. Let lamb rest for 15 minutes before carving and serving.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts (Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

½ lb thick sliced bacon

1.5 lbs Brussels sprouts

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 shallots

6 oz roasted chestnuts

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*. Cook bacon on a cookie sheet until crispy, about 10-15 minutes. Remove bacon from oven and reserve fat drippings. Chop bacon into ¼ inch pieces and set aside. Raise oven temperature to 400*. Clean Brussels sprouts by cutting off the stem and outer leaves. Do not discard outer leaves. Set aside and toss with half of the olive oil. Place leaves on a sheet tray and roast in the oven for 10 minutes until they are brown and crispy. Set the leaves aside. Once Brussels are cleaned, slice them thinly. Slice the shallots thinly as well. Combine shallots, Brussels sprouts, bacon drippings, chestnuts and remaining olive oil with salt and pepper. Place on a sheet tray and spread out evenly. Roast at 400* for 15 minutes until nicely browned. Once removed from oven, toss together with the crispy bacon pieces. Garnish each portion with the crispy leaves.

Mustard Crusted Rack of Lamb with Easy Fig Chutney

Ingredients:

1 rack of lamb, trimmed (about 1.5 lb)

Sea Salt and Black Pepper

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp grainy mustard

2 tsp minced garlic

¼ cup seasoned panko bread crumbs

1 Tbsp grated parmesan

Directions:

Season rack of lamb with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over high heat. When hot, add olive oil. When oil is smoking add rack of lamb and brown well on each side; about 3 minutes per side.  Set aside and let cool. Preheat oven to 450*. Mix together mustard and garlic. In a separate container mix together the panko and parmesan cheese. Spread mustard mixture onto the lamb making sure to coat evenly on all sides. Pat breadcrumb mixture tight on all sides of the lamb. Place rack of lamb on baking sheet and roast for 12-15 minutes; or until desire doneness. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before cutting into chops. Serve with fig chutney.

Easy Fig Chutney

Ingredients:

1 lb Fresh figs, diced

3 Tbsp onion marmalade

4 Tbsp fig balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp fig preserves

(fairway carries ALL of these items)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

Blue Smoke

23 Monday Dec 2013

Posted by Monique in Restaurant Review

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Tags

bbq, Blue Smoke, dessert, dinner, mac and cheese, Restaurant Review, ribs

Restaurant Week is amazing. I have been a long time fan of Restaurant Week and can even remember the first meal I sat down to at the formerly known Planet Thailand in Williamsburg 10 years ago- grilled swordfish. If your local neighborhood hosts a restaurant week, I highly recommend it. Its a great way to check out whats around- while it may not give you the entire experience the restaurant would normally provide, its still a nice sneak peak. And for me, it gives me an opportunity to dine somewhere I might not normally dine at for a fraction of the cost.

For the final stretch of the most recent Restaurant Week, I rounded up some coworkers and friends for a 3 course dinner at Blue Smoke in the Tribeca area. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much- its BBQ style cuisine. But months have passed since my last time at Blue Smoke and I still think about how much I enjoyed dinner there.  IMAG1609

We made reservations at Blue Smoke after work on a Friday. It was pretty busy- a true testament to how good the food is. It smelled strongly of smoked meats- so if thats not your thing, you have been warned.

I was armed with a group of eaters so we all agreed to get different things and share them all. Except for BR. He went off the RW menu and ordered a rack of ribs. That was what he wanted and that was what he got. IMAG1610

For appetizers we all got chicken wings and fried ravioli. There was a salad option but who has time for salad?? i kid.

The wings were pretty standard. A sticky and  spicy bbq sauce. We all enjoyed them but we really loved the fried ravioli. IMAG1611

For our entrees we ordered the ribs and the smoked chicken. The smoked chicken was just okay. Definitely cant compete with a half rack of ribs. IMAG1612

The ribs were amazing. Great smoky flavor and incredibly tender meat. IMAG1614

We decided to order a few side dishes just in case the ribs werent enough. Just an FYI, the ribs ARE enough!

The mac and cheese was creamy and reminded me of a super cheesy velveeta. I am more partial to the baked mac and cheese that is more cheesy, then saucy. But that doesnt mean we didnt dip the smoked chicken into the mac and cheese sauce… IMAG1615

we also ordered fries. They were crisp on the outside with a mushy center- my favorite! IMAG1617

For dessert, we all decided to order one of each. The chocolate cake, the banana cream pie and the blueberry crumble.

First of all, this chocolate was EVERYTHING. We all sat there with 3 desserts between us and spoons flying everywhere. Each bite better than the last. IMAG1619

The banana cream pie was smooth and creamy- very tasty but in the line up of desserts, it fell in last place. But thats just how good the others were. IMAG1620And while I can go for a slab of that chocolate cake pictured above, the blueberry crumble was my absolute favorite of the evening. It came warm with a crisp topping and a scoop of rich vanilla ice cream.

This was one Helluva meal! One that was not only affordable but one that we all enjoyed tremendously! Looking forward to the next restaurant week- or just a random Friday night when we need some good hearty ribs!

 

One Year

19 Monday Aug 2013

Posted by Monique in Restaurant Review

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Restaurant Review, Steak

One Year.

On August 18, 2012, I stood outside of the movie theatre in Union Square, Manhattan waiting for him. We agreed to meet at 8pm to catch a movie. We were friends at the office so I wasn’t completely nervous but this was obviously a date. A risky date since if it didn’t work out well, the odds of our friendship lasting would be slim… and then the whole working together thing.

As I stood in front of the theatre, I saw him approaching. He was dressed casually with crisply ironed khakis, a denim shirt with just a bit of white t-shirt showing. He walked  so confidently; it made my stomach flutter.  He oozed confidence and coolness… and I stammered and blabbered on nervously.

The date went really well, despite my obvious nerves and as he leaned in to kiss me goodnight on my cheek, he asked when he could take me out again. What followed were a series of amazing dates with a man that truly makes my heart skip a beat. And, here we are, 1 year later – happy and in love. 

To celebrate our first year together, we went to a local family-run steak house, De Stefano’s in Williamsburg. The owner, John, is a wonderful man and has always taken great care of my family. Spending this special occasion here was intimate and low key, but also delicious. (I apologize in advance for the not-so-good pics. I used my cell phone with a low battery)

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I started the evening with a glass of sangria. It was a little on the weak side, and that’s coming from a lightweight.

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We both started with soup as an appetizer. BR had the French Onion Soup that was loaded with cheese and onions. He is normally not a soup guy so I was surprised when he ordered this. Might have to start adding soups to our weekly dinners since I now have proof that he eats it.

My soup was highly recommended by the owner. The soup of the day. Cream of potato and bacon. An extremely delicious, but SO HEAVY soup. The soup was more like the texture of soupy mashed potatoes rather then the smooth and velvety soup I was expecting. Hell, I was expecting soup and this wasn’t soup. I cant knock it because I devoured it in all its bacony, cheesy (oh yeah, there was CHEESE too!) glory!

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Ever the opportunist, BR seized the moment to try the veal chop. I gotta be honest, I have been to several steak houses in my lifetime, and I have never tried anything other than steak (and that one time I had fish). I admire BR for that. Also, I get to try it without forgoing my beloved ribeyes. The veal chop was a behemoth! A giant bone-in chop, cooked to a perfect medium and topped with bacon and mushrooms. A man’s meal if I ever saw one! It was divine.

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I went the more traditional route. Filet mignon in a red wine reduction with whipped garlic mashed potatoes and sauteed string beans. The filet mignon was cooked a perfect medium and was quite big for an 8 oz filet. My sides did not disappoint either!

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When the dessert menu came around, the waitress told me they were out of cheesecake… but I guess that was just to set up the awesome surprise. They presented us with a slice of creamy cheese cake with a sweet message written on the plate.

What a wonderful first anniversary! We had a wonderful dinner and exchanged gifts. I am the proud new owner of a shiny ipod. A much needed gift! Looking forward to many more years and steak dinners Smile

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About me

My name is Monique. I am a mom to a sweet baby girl, a wife, an office dweller, and a passionate home cook/ food lover. I am the owner and operator of this lovely blog and everything you see here is a direct result of my passion... If you wish to contact me please feel free to do so. I can be reached at moniquer83[at]gmail[dot]com.

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