DB Bistro and Broadway Bloversary

It had been a while since we had a proper date to celebrate our bloversary (the 22nd of the month), so this month we splurged on a Broadway show and fabulous dinner at DB Bistro.

First we went to see Stick Fly - a new show produced by Alicia Keys and featuring Condola Rashad (the daughter of Phylicia Rashad [a.k.a. Claire Huxtable]) in her Broadway debut.  It was DJ's first Broadway experience, so we were hoping it'd be a good one.  Overall the play is entertaining, but the first act is not quite as strong as the second.  Condola Rashad's performance was really the highlight, which is impressive since there are much more seasoned actors on the stage with her.

Afterward we headed just a few blocks away to try one of Daniel Boulud's restaurants, DB Bistro Moderne.  This place is fabulous!  The decor is very laid back yet stylish, and everyone we encountered was extremely friendly.  We were going to skip on an appetizer, but our waiter encouraged us to try a house specialty - Oliviers Alsatian Tarte Flambee with fromage blanc, bacon, and onions.  We're glad he convinced us because it was delightful!

Then DJ dove into THE ORIGINAL db BURGER  (Sirloin Burger Filled with Braised Short Ribs
Foie Gras and Black Truffle, Served on a Parmesan Bun).  AMAZING!  (Though DJ still thinks he prefers the burgers at Rare.)

Mel went with a classic coq au vin, which did not disappoint.

We were going to skip dessert, but then Mel spotted "warm madeleine cookies" on the menu and couldn't resist!!!

 Hooray for a lovely bloversary date!

Kaz an Nou? Kaz an No

After hearing rave reviews from Mel's co-workers, we ventured to Park Slope to try out the French Caribbean restaurant Kaz an Nou.  Everyone had said how amazing the ambiance, food, and service are at this place, but we have to be honest - we weren't impressed.  :-/

It's extremely small, so unless you get there early on during the dinner rush you may be waiting a long time for a seat.  Fortunately, we got a table right away but then had quite a long wait for our food.  The couple next to us (who had arrived after us) complained about the wait and wound up getting their food first.  Another annoying case of the squeaky wheel getting the grease.  

As for the food, the menu is pretty limited.  We decided to be adventurous and try the stuffed avocado for an appetizer.  Little did we know that it would be served hot in the shell with cheese melted on top.  The shell blocked us from the sauce at the bottom of the plate, and the cheese overpowered the taste of the avocado.  And if you're as skeptical about hot avocado as we were - you're right.  Avocado - like revenge - is a dish best served cold.

For our entrees, Mel tried the duck...

 

and DJ tried the lamb lasagna.

 

Both were tasty, but we suspect that the duck (which was supposed to have a very unique Caribbean sauce) was covered in the same tomato paste used in the lasagna.  In the end, nothing to write home about.

We decided that next time we have a hankering for Caribbean food, we'll head 400 feet across the street from Kaz an Nou and chow down at Sugarcane instead.  

2011 Tastebuds vs. Tummies

It was quite a decadent holiday season!  Join us as we recount the  

2011 Tastebuds vs. Tummies Battle.

We kicked things off with a quick jaunt down to DR to finalize plans for our wedding.  We tried some of the restaurants we hadn't tried the first time around (so we could give guests good suggestions), and of course enjoyed our daily dose of rum-based drinks.

Tastebuds: 1  ;  Tummies:  0

Upon our return, we got to visit Connecticut for Christmas Eve and enjoy some home-cooked Ethiopian food.  Then we headed back to Brooklyn to host the Bernardins for a Christmas lunch of ribs, chicken, fish, mashed potatoes, carrots and string beans.  That was followed by a zip into Jersey to spend time with the extended family at the Rabineses' new apartment filled with dessert.

Tastebuds:  2  ;  Tummies:  0

Just when we thought the season couldn't get any more jolly, we had a fun post-Christmas week of lunches and dinners with friends who wanted to catch up.

One morning we met up with Carole for a tasty brunch at Cafe Un Deux Trois in Midtown.  Carole and DJ enjoyed the savory crepes and Mel was delighted by the Quiche Lorraine.  The service was great and the decor reminded us of a true French cafe.  We would definitely stop by this place again if in the neighborhood.

Tastebuds:  3  ;  Tummies:  0

Then we caught up with Vanitha and Anita for an Italian feast at Crispo.  Deep had mentioned this place when he was visiting, and we were psyched to finally check it out.  We HIGHLY recommend it.  It seems very small and unassuming when you first enter (by pulling on a huge fork doorhandle), but once you pass the bar, it opens up to a huge back seating area with an awesome rustic decor.  They have an entire wall made of antique meat slicers, and a gurgling fountain that seriously adds to the ambiance.  And then, of course, there's the food!  Two-thumbs up.  

DJ had the fried calamari (nicely prepared with a crisp, light batter),

 

and followed it up with a spaghetti dish with prosciutto and bits of bacon.  The pasta and sauce were awesome, but he regrets getting two salty meats - next time he'd like to try something a tad less savory.

 

Mel tried the butternut squash soup (shown next to calamari above) and octopus salad - both superb.

Tastebuds:  4  ;  Tummies:  0

Think we're done yet?  Au contraire, mon frere!  Next up:  Elim's Birthday!  We returned to our favorite local sushi spot: Kumo.  The waitress was very kind and offered Elim a bit of fried ice cream in honor of her birthday.  Yay for being able to sing to her!  :)

Tastebuds:  5  ;  Tummies:  0

Finally, for New Year's Eve DJ happily broke out two awesome steaks he had set aside in the freezer and grilled them to perfection to ring in 2012 properly.  :)  And on New Year's Day, our friend Dipali had folks over for a brunch of vegetarian pad thai and steamed veggies - a wonderful hangover antidote.

Tastebuds:  6  ;  Tummies:  0

Sooooo,  as you can see - our tummies are not faring very well at this point but our tastebuds are thanking their lucky stars for holiday indulgence.  Once you add in the meals of leftovers and the drinks that accompanied all these meals, the final score is something like:

Tastebuds:  10  ;  Tummies:  0

Today we're having a lot of water, bran cereal, and fiber bars.

Tastebuds:  10  ;  Tummies: 1

 Hooray for tons of Happy Food Dance memories in 2011!  

And cheers to tons more in 2012!