catch up (no, not THAT kind!)

happy new year (yes i know it's summer) food lovers!!


i've traveled far & beyond, so the next few posts will be the best recollections of culinary adventures and velvetly nights out.


recently, i had a mouth stuffing night of fantastic moroccan food. on a saturday of entirely too much sun, too much walking around in that sun & too many things on the 'to do' list to even whip up a salad, the man & i went just around the corner in brooklyn 2 a place i'd once had brunch. babouche on fifth avenue in brooklyn did not disappoint. careful not to order too much food, as we normally do, we opted to stick close to the moroccan fare, rather than order 'french' leaning dishes and in this fashion, were determined to only have wines from tunisia or algeria. sadly, the wine from tunisia wasnt available, the rose from morocco was also not to be had, so we settled on a red from algeria that was so light it could have been chilled to further explore it's juiciness as we waited for our appetizer.


in classic french fashion, we were offered bits of baguette (both white and with a bit of caraway seed mixed in to some loaves) with moroccan olive oil, heavy with fruit and pepper. we both swooned at the delicious fragrant oil (again, we were exhausted and starving, making any sustenance all the better) while waiting for our zaalouk to arrive. the succulent, chilled eggplant was rich with harissa and peppers and tomato and the perfect amount of garlic to not be overwhelming to the spices in the harissa and the saltiness of the few fantastic olives which were rained in. we snapped up the entire order with pita bread which was sadly only lukewarm and were sated until our next course.


the couscous aux legume was fragrant with tender chickpeas, carrots, bits of cabbage and plump raisins. each pearl was perfect and separate, filling the mouth with a warm comfort, even on a 90 degree night. the garnish of a few slivers of the resplendent perseved lemon accentuated how creamy and lush the simple couscous was.


the brouchette de crevette were 4 baked shrimp, amply seasoned and herbacious and cooked just to the point that they were velvetly and meltingly tender, not an easy task, as often the shrimp are undercooked for fear of the dreaded tough, tasteless result or just plain blasted so that nothing saline or tender remains. chopped sweet garlic and cilantro dressed the shrimp so much that i was inclinded to 'suck the head' as they do back in panama city, but i resigned myself to be a lady & kept with the fork & knife. the kebab dish was served without it's traditional spear, over a lovely mixed mesclun salad, with enough of that delectable perseved lemon to drive the tastebuds mad. alongside were a salad of rich, ripe olives, cured and salted just so as to provide a balance to the dish.


desert was the crown jewel on this beautiful night. layers of pastry dough, almost like that left over from a b'stilla were dusted with chopped toasted almonds (delicious) and a bit of rosewater scented cream (creme anglaise? - EGGS? the HORROR!)and sliced strawberries (unnecessary as the rosewater cream could stand on it's own). the desert was accompanied by the quintessential mint tea, flush with sugar and infused with rosehips, giving only a hint of their existence behind the freshness of the mint.


we sat back and sipped our tea out of glasses so small they were more like moroccan shot glasses and took in the atmosphere once more. the lighting was perfect, with beautiful wooden lanterns let light thru star patterns and henna lanterns illuminated the smooth cream colored walls so that everything appeared candlelit and mysterious. the only complaint we could come up with (and we absolutely were too tired to be bothered by ANYTHING this evening with such delicious fare) was that the music kept moving away from authentic arab music to techno or neo-soul or something other than african. this was remedied by a quick chat with our host, who immediately revamped a playlist on an ipod to something more our liking. the beautiful decor did nothing but lend itself to an atmosphere of relaxation, smiles and enjoyment. it's pretty enough to just have a sit down at babouche and not even experience how fantastic the food is.

we gave babouche 4 our of 5 stars for a wonderfully tasty experience and will definitely go back for more and more and more...

ayza wine bar, cafe fuego updates, holy basil

down the street from the ballroom studio is a smallish wine bar, very sleek & super modern. i'd passed it everyday for the last 6 weeks between auditions, meetings and training and scoffed at the elegant, but pretentiously priced menu. $11 for hummus? we were still in a part of new york that wasnt so clean & elegant, so why the big ticket price on a small appetizer? needless to say i walked past, turned up my nose everytime & didnt give ayza a chance... until i saw that i needed a big beautiful bowl filled with red wine one day that the rain came down incessantly and that there was a $8.95 prix fixe lunch! the offerings included a fantastic coffee cup of soup, either arugula creme or butternut squash and a selection of really fresh and tasty panini, toasted perfectly. the smoked chicken breast was lean, succulent and the cranberry mayo was a perfect complement to the irish cheddar slice on the small sandwich. the teensy salad that accompanied it was dressed with a delicate truffle infused oil and perhaps a sherry or champagne vinegar, with toasted almonds or walnuts (depending on the day) , moroccan olives and tiny pear tomato. the portion was small and perfect, just enough 4 a meal not to be stuffed. the wine selection by both the glass and the bottle was impressive, but the super nice staff & management havent quite learned all the p's and q's of customer service.
when 4 girls all order the prix fixe lunch, but each orders a different glass of wine, it's not for us to 'sort out' the overcharge the waiter made *we ARE guilty of having separate checks!* and not be taken care of when we bring still MORE people into your establishment. they get a C+ for the oversight & inability to make the correct adjustment. www.ayzanyc.com

cafe fuego has become our new after danceclass favorite on saturdays, but the restaurant has a few inconsistencies. pinchos arent ever the same. sometimes lacking salt, sometimes with a delicious flavor as if they were cooked over oak, sometimes just tender & perfect. same with the gambas al aljillo. our first order came out perfect, swimming in garlic infused oil with beautiful flecks of red pepper, but the second order came out bland, as if the chef had suddenly decided that sunflower oil was better. while the service & fantastic salsa, gypsy & cuban music make up for the inconsistencies in the kitchen, we still havent stopped being a slave to the place or it's fantastic truffle and porcini macaroni and cheese... B

holy basil in the east village has elevated the thai food in the area far above what it was 5 years ago when i was there. the flavors are fresh, the heat is well placed on the palate and there is a wide offering of tasty dishes for a place with plastic coated menus. the decor appears to have been moved from middle of the road asian to authentic, buddhist inspired and really, the only thing that inhibits a really intimate dining experience is the unfortunate placement of the bar and the decibels diners are speaking at. B+

the black duck, cafe fuego & artepasta

it'd been recommended to me time after time, and on friday, on a date (gasp!), i had dinner at the black duck! it was a perfect setting on a really cold autumn night. we stumbled in without a reservation, at peak time, and were able to snuggle up to the cozy fireplace and hold hands while we waited the few minutes for our table.
service was quick, the wine list was thorough and the dishes were simple and presented without fanfare. my date ordered the blackfish special, which was a perfectly seared white, flaky filet with crispy skin over a bed of fluffy, traditional mashed potato (no skin, no garlic, no truffles, no fuss) and haricot vert. the vegetable was a really young bean, tender & delicate and we shared bites in between kisses (gasp!!). my first course was a beautiful pumpkin soup, with crème fraîche and it warmed me after walking blocks in the cold, deciding on a restaurant. it was creamy without being overpowering and sweet without crossing over into cloying. as a main course, i ordered the chicken, something i wouldnt normally do, but i was baited by the promise of porcini mushroom risotto, and as someone who hates cold weather, risotto is one of the things i look forward to once the mercury drops. a half chicken arrived, perfumed with thyme tucked beneath the crispy skin, and the flesh was juicy and succulent. the portion was too much for little ole me to finish, but my date enjoyed the boneless thigh (th chicken's, not mine) and the rest that i wasnt able to eat. for dessert, we were presented with a tart-like pumpkin pie. the pastry surrounding the filling was too thick, too dense and wasnt flaky in the way pastry should be. once we cut thru the bits too cumbersome to eat, the pie was delicious. nutmeg-y, creamy, not too much like custard & garnished with toasted pecans and delicately spiced whipped cream. although i didnt realise the black duck was a sister to one of my favorite south beach restaurants, it still gets high marks for making a first date a really special one.

after weeks of watching halle, making plans to go over to what i'm calling 'gabriel's place' (cafe fuego), i'm happy to report that armangac and truffles has finally had the opportunity to check it out! three girlfriends & i popped in for lunch, ready for the cuban specialties of ropa vieja, pernil & of course, beans & rice. the atmosphere was exacty as we'd been told, with lots of dark wood, candles (even in broad daylight) and were surprised to find that the menu is no longer cuban, but now 'world tapas'. to the restaurant's credit, the website does clearly state - world tapas - but we were prepared from reading reviews, for cuban! we settled in on a bottle of bone-dry malbec from the Broquel vineyards in argentina, which worked well with all the different dishes we ordered, but probably would have been too harsh a finish to drink on it's own.

a round of beef tenderloin pinchos were ordered by two of us. we expected a skewer or two of the succulent meat, but no less than four per order arrived with a different sort of chimichurri that i was really pleased with and made up for the fact that these were almost under seasoned, or lacking salt. the jury is out on which is the case... the goat cheese & beet 'chiva' was fresh & crisp, the tuna tartar was well received with a beautiful chipotle and ginger cream complementing the avocado, and my friend who ordered the skirt steak never said a word until she was done, so it must have been fantastic! the yuca fries were greasy and delicious, but not to be outdone by the greaseless tostones (two orders QUICKLY disappeared between us four) and the mojo de ajo which accompanied them was fresh, bright & perfectly garlicky. i ordered my tapas staple of gambas in garlic & olive oil. the tureen of shrimp were almost undersalted, but the generous amount of garlic and red pepper flake that perfumed the olive oil they were swimming in made up for it. the small dish was served with pita bread triangles (whole wheat ones rather than white could have been the only improvement) and all was deliciously devoured!

on sunday, i met a distressed friend (hi lisa janel!) for an early supper at an italian we'd yet to try. artepasta's website boasts huge portions (not necessarily our style) and a family atmosphere. we arrived at the end of brunch, but were still treated to the unlimited mimosas/champagne and were able to order from the dinner menu. to start, we selected the 'toasted' ricotta ravioli, which were actually fried, but were SO good that we couldnt complain, instead we both made sure we tried to get the lion's share! we both ordered the shrimp scampi, which was accompanied by a small serving of broccoli (still crispy!) and capellini. the scampi dish was unremarkable, especially considering the spoils of our staple down the street at gusto, but it did the trick, and the ravioli & the friendly service really made the difference. we'll definitely head back to artepasta for casual ravioli bites...

lucy of gramercy

this restaurant used to be called lucy latin kitchen, but the upgrades and changes are brand new, and the flavors are the most innovative, most delicious of a latin restaurant in a very long time in new york. the ideas are fresh without being 'fusion-y'. chef carmen gonzalez arrived from miami with a menu of innovative but simple puertorican specialties, and a friendliness that allows her to breeze in & out of the kitchen to give a hello & recipe tip to interested diners.

as this establishment is downstairs from the dance studio, we decided in having a post-class bite there this past weekend & found that the changes to the menu (lucy latin kitchen to lucy of gramercy) will be nothing, if not well received. we ordered a small smattering of tapas, the alcapurrias, filled with white meat chicken, yuca fries with fresh garlic mayonnaise, and the finest, most perfectly seasoned garlic spinach ever. the baby spinach leaves were so delicately prepared, it was more like a salad, with toasted garlic, sea salt, simple black pepper and lemon juice. chef carmen proves here that simplicity is they key to everything. although we initially ordered one side of this beautifully dressed green, we ordered one more immediately after grazing as ladylike as we could on the first & nearly fought for the second as it arrived.

the bar is equipped with a know-it-all bartender, a wonderfully friendly mixologist, some of the best homemade potato chips ever fried and chifles to munch while you ponder the drink menu. the bottles of wine are well priced, tasting of the juicy cocktails is permitted in teensy little glasses and everyone has a sense of humor and wants to get to know your name at this place. the staff is friendly, good looking, the music is upbeat and swinging, and the food, the real star is inspired and filling, even in tapas portions. this could be the place that makes us show up more & more 4 dance class, just so we have an excuse for albariño and alcapurrias!

catch up

ok. so it's been a while since i've reviewed a place! i've been busy eating, and walking all over this glorious city that new york transforms into when summertime is upon us. SORRY! i've been eating all over the place, with more to come, so i'll do a quick recap with some good ones and some not so good ones!

tea and sympathy: sounds simple enough. the problem here is the owner, her nasty way (even the shopboys next door in the market will tell you she's a wacko) and the general shoddy food. yes, yes, no one told me that the brits have good food, but $12 for a pot of tea that i could just buy a BOX of at whole foods for around $4 is absurd. i'm supposing the extra $8 is for eggy (not in a good way) whole wheat bread, sub-par buscuits and smelly attitude...?

202: a lovely restaurant discovered after a gallery showing. the menu had so many things that all us girls had a hard time choosing. the fish was impeccable (an obvious result of the fish market in the adjacent chelsea market) and waitstaff super friendly & helpful with choices. the one thing i wasnt happy with was the carrot soup, a bit too curried for the sweetness of the carrot. other than that, fantastic wines, perfectly seared filets & beautifully wilted greens. good stuff all around.

gusto: i discovered this yummy spot for pasta and wine and just a lot of fun after a bookstore show. the best feature of this restaurant (aside from real italians on the staff!) is the beautiful pasta which is made on the premises. i am a slave to the malfatti, listed on the menu as spinach & ricotta ravioli, but are more like the lightest dumplings with sage butter ever created. the entire wine list is italian (hard for me, because i'm a lover of california reds), and the pannacotta is made with almond milk and is light & guiltfree. sit at the bar and watch the owners transform into the playboys they always dreamt they'd be as the prosecco starts to flow.

kittichai: this lovely lovely thai gem deserves it's very own post. the finest in thai food and impeccable service comes along with an elegant atmosphere in downtown new york. everything on the menu is expertly prepared and seasoned, but my favorites are the monkfish and hearts of palm in red curry & sauteed gai lan(a sea vegetable, not unlike tender green onions crossed with broccoli rabe, but without the overpowering pungency or toughness) with ginger & garlic. and anything that cute, gracious chef sends out...

Bar Carrera: New York

yum yum yum! this is a teensy little tapas bar, without tables, but two long bars along the wall, exquisitely stocked ALL spanish wine list, with perfect sherries starting at only $4! it's my new favorite tapas spot!! little perfect, authentic spanish bites from well balanced, salty brined manzanilla olives to gambas al aljillo start at only $3.50, prices that should be the norm for tapas.

the beautiful, clean space was perfumed with garlic & flamenco when i walked in & the little bagettes are seemingly fresh baked, although i'm not sure how they'd do it in the tiny little space. in any case, they were soft and tasty, the olive oil was golden & fragrant and each dish was perfect. a leg of pork was displayed on the back bar, complete with the foot attached, and each slice of jamon was cut to order, ensuring freshness and satisfaction with every plate. the bufullo mozzerella was fresh & creamy and the selection of wines was impressive with bottles from basque and many regions that are relatively unknown to serious wine drinkers. bar carrera offers something on that list for everyone, from glasses to bottles that priced as high as $120. desserts are simple, featuring fresh flavors. my friend ordered the strawberry sangria, rich with cognac & nutmeg, as well as the marscapone & strawberry baguette while i opted for a delicious de la frontera sherry (laced with moroccan spices & orange blossom) and paired it with a smooth goat cheese & membrillo

although i've yet to go 2 spain, i've known spanish food for years. this place is highly spiced, highly authentic & highly full of flavor. considering the price and quality of the food here, this is going to be a very popular summer spot for a nosh. the portions arent skimpy, the food here is just as good as boqueria and for a fraction of the cost. save boqueria for the expense accounts, head to bar carrera for true spanish satisfaction.

chestnut brooklyn

i had dinner last night at this restaurant with great expectations. it was beautifully lit on a great summer's night with my best pal, who'd recently returned from india. we opted for the candlelit garden, hoping it would be quiet enough to catch up on her adventures & mine & enjoy a yummy brooklyn meal.

the restaurant offered a prix fixe for $25 which was quite reasonable considering most of the entrees ranged between $19 & $22. i chose the grilled calamari stuffed with quinoa (my friend & i are still trying 2 decide whether the pronounciation is keen WAH or kiNOwah) and she ordered the gnocci. the fresh shaved hearts of palm were an interesting touch to the calamari, but the dish itself was unremarkable. the gnocchi was perfect, light and pan toasted with a hint of bacon, and trumpet mushrooms leaving the illusion of truffles.

for our main course, we ordered the celeriac root with black lentils and the stuffed pork chop. the vegetable dish arrived with a creamy sauce which was overwhelmingly rich, and my friend finished it with delight. the pork chop told the story as to why this restaurant, as beautiful and quaint as it was, was able to offer meals at such a discount. they dont use ANY seasonings. no salt, no pepper, no garlic, no nothing. this beautiful chop, steakhouse sized came to the table with a creamy mountain of coarse polenta and a bit of a red wine sauce. the meat tasted as if it'd been soaked in dishwater, and had no other taste or smell. disappointed, i tasted it in only about three bites, and left the rest on the plate. fittingly enough, our waitress never once took the initiative to ask whether anything was amiss since my entree went uneaten.

dessert was a bit more creative. i ordered the churros (good choice. how can u go wrong with fried bread, right?) and hot chocolate (entirely too much artificial vanilla flavoring to make up for the lack of seasoning on meats, i suppose?) and my friend ordered the lemon verbena (great!), orange (very good) and vanilla ice creams.

in short, i wasnt thrilled with the food or the service. our waitress wasnt particularly helpful and strangely, i'd try the food here (in appetizer bits ONLY) again, because this place was so beautiful & i really DO want to like it. the hostess-owner was gracious, it was elegant & well priced, but i'm hoping that the lack of salt & pepper were more a fluke, than the normal routine.