Pio Pio with Pop

DJ's dad had to come into Manhattan to drop off a few things with Hana, and Mel had to work all day at a conference.  So a Father/Son day it was!  The pair headed over to Pio Pio thinking they'd just have a quick bite before seeing Hana.  But the food was so good as usual that they wound up enjoying a feast!  Good ol' Pio Pio - never disappoints.  :)

Local Dinner: ABV

Whenever we would come out of the 96th Street train stop at night, we would see a glowing neon sign in the distance.  Like a foodie Bat Signal, it piqued our curiosity.  So finally one night we gathered the Conde Crew to try ABV.

We did do a bit of research beforehand and discovered that it's a wine bar with tapas and has gotten rave reviews.  Once we arrived, we discovered that there wasn't as much seating as we thought so there was a bit of a wait.  But they very kindly had someone take our drink orders while we stood by the bar, so we had a chance to sample the beer and wine while working up an appetite.

Our group was the perfect size for trying lots of things from the menu - the best way to do tapas.  

Feast your eyes:

 Lamb Meatballs and Marinated Olives

Super Fries (with dik dik sauce)

Fish Tacos

Short Rib Gnocchi

Pot de Creme 

(burnt marshmallow on top of chocolate mousse)

In the end, the Super Fries were a huge hit (we almost ate the paper underneath) as were the Short Rib Gnocchi.  But everything was definitely tasty.  We wouldn't hesitate to return on a lazy afternoon wandering around the neighborhood.

LPC 25th Anniversary Gala at Loeb Boathouse

Mel's sorority is celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year, so we had the pleasure of attending the gala at Central Park's Loeb Boathouse.  We had heard that this place is a very nice venue for events, so we were excited to check it out.

It's definitely a beautiful space, the service extremely attentive, and the food delicious!

 

 

It was lovely to be able to enjoy a fabulous meal and catch up with sorority sisters from all over. 

Dining with Deep

One of our favorite Brits was in town briefly for a wedding, so we got to have some lovely meals with Deep while catching up on updates from across the pond.

First food adventure:  Mighty Quinn's BBQ.  This place just opened a few months ago, and hit the ground running with amazing reviews from The New York Times almost immediately.  So, as always, the reviews prove to be a blessing and a curse.  Business is booming, but so is the wait time for a table.  To their credit, Mighty Quinn's has a great way of organizing their cafeteria-style seating.  Unlike Fette Sau (where you just get there and save spots for friends and experience flashbacks of junior high lunches), at Mighty Quinn's you give your name to a hostess.  She very efficiently keeps track of all the tables, and as soon as one opens up she tells you to get on line for your food and holds the table for you until you get back.  Tough job, but very helpful!

 

And the food proved to be worth the wait!  Between everyone in the group, we wound up trying the brisket (DJ deemed it the best he's had in NY), sausage (a little chewy), pork ribs (a bit dry), and the Brontosaurus Rib (amazingly tender beef).  They're still working on their side dish menu, but for now they offer sweet potatoes, burnt end beans (worth going back just for those) and edamame salad (tasty!).  We're hoping that as their menu evolves it will include some BBQ staples like cornbread and soggy greens.  We shall see!

Deep with the Brontosaurus bone

Second food adventure with Deep: Blue Water Grill with newlyweds Rachel and Mark!  Its location couldn't be better (right in Union Square), and the decor is very Old New York with booths that look like Frank Sinatra may have sat in them.  The seafood was all wonderfully fresh, and the service was very attentive. 

 oysters

 tasty Union Square roll and Vegetarian roll

 boiled lobster with crab

 crab BLT

 Eggs Benedict

Our only complaint is that they were a little sneaky and upsold Mark.  They asked if he wanted crab or beef with his lobster, so he requested crab.  However, they failed to mention that the addition was not actually included in the price.  So there was a bit of a surprise when the bill came, which we feel is in poor form on their part.  But the brunch menu is quite expansive, its centrally located, and they take reservations.  So we may return at some point if we have to organize a group brunch outing.  We will just be sure to utilize our defensive ordering skills.  :)

Smorgasburg and Coppelia

Excited about one of the first weekends of spring, the Conde Crew decided to head out to Dumbo to check out Smorgasburg - a Brooklyn Flea Food Market.  Smorgasburg started out in Williamsburg (hence the clever name) and became so popular that they decided to do a second one in Dumbo within the ruins of an old factory by the bridge.  

Some of the best restaurants in the city take part in this fun event each week, giving foodies a chance to sample some delectable treats.  

Unfortunately, two things were not in our favor: time and weather.  We heard the vendors would be there until 6pm, but by the time we arrived in late afternoon a lot of them had run out of food and were packing up.  Lesson learned: get there super early.  At first we were determined to make the most of it and try samples from the places that were left, but the first weekend of spring proved to feel more like yet another weekend of winter.  After trying a few pork buns from Bite Size Kitchen (tasty!), we decided to pack it in and come back on a warmer day.

Our Plan B was to head to Bubby's right down the block.  But lo and behold - the Dumbo Bubby's CLOSED!!  :(  We really used to love that place (as you will see if you search "Bubby's" on this blog), so we needed a minute to mourn the loss.  We couldn't wallow for long though, because we were getting pretty hungry.  So after a few minutes of meandering around looking for a good brunch spot in the area, Brandon suggested we head back to Manhattan and try one of his favorite spots: Coppelia.  Brilliant!

Coppelia is a 24/7 Cuban diner in Chelsea.  Though it outwardly appears to be like any other diner in the city, the food and drinks are absolutely top notch.  Truly comparable to any fancy, white-tablecloth establishment but for a fraction of the price.  AWESOME!

 chips & guac (awesome smoky flavor) & mac and cheese (delectable!)

 fish tacos 

 Cubano sandwich

 empanadas

 Korean tacos

So even though Coppelia wasn't our original plan for the day, it turned out to be the perfect way to warm up on an unexpectedly chilly "spring" Sunday. 

Local Dinner: Moustache

It was a rainy Friday night, and we didn't feel like cooking or going out.  Time to explore a new local take-out option!  DJ passed a falafel cart on the way home, and an idea was born.  After searching for the best Mediterranean spot in our neighborhood, we discovered that Moustache had rave reviews.

Though Moustache is known mainly for its awesome pitzas, we decided to try the babaganough, fresh baked pita, and falafel.  Delivery took a while (we heard they only have one delivery person), but it was worth the wait.  Everything was fresh and delicious!  We will definitely remember this place when we're in the mood for some healthier fare.