Date Day!: Savion Glover and Panca

Mel has been a fan of tap dancing since her youth and has always tried to catch Savion Glover shows when they pop up in the area.  He's back at The Joyce Theater for a limited run this summer in a show titled Stepz. 

DJ had never seen a tap performance before, so it was really exciting for Mel to share the experience with him.  He really enjoyed it, and Mel was floored by the innovative combo of music and choreography.  Such a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

Afterward, we went for a linner (late lunch/early dinner) down the road at Panca.  We checked out Panca briefly once before, but didn't commit to a whole meal at the time.  So this was a great opportunity to see what their menu has to offer.

We started off trying cocktails featuring pisco, a unique liquor from Peru.  So tasty! 

When it came time to decide on what food to get, DJ went for the hangar steak which was cooked beautifully and had great sauce.

Mel went back and forth on a few choices, and in the last moment wound up picking something completely different than she had in mind initially.  Never a good idea.  :-/  Initially she was going to get something involving steak - either a dish like DJ's or beef tacos.  But when the waitress came by, Mel spotted a dish that had a combination of fish including (she thought) some fried.  Unfortunately, when the dish arrived she discovered it was all fried.  Oops.  She's not the hugest fan of mounds of fried food, so she didn't eat a tremendous amount of it.  But it was not at all the restaurant's fault.  They did a great job delivering what the menu promised in a delicious way.  Mel just needs to remember to read more carefully when in a hungry state.  :)

Overall, we really enjoyed Panca.  Totally laid-back vibe, nice outdoor seating, good food, great drinks, and friendly service.  We'd certainly return when in the neighborhood again.

Ravenous at Ravagh

Toots and Toto were coming into the city for an appointment, and as luck would have it DJ had a Summer Friday off.  So we had a perfect opportunity to meet up for lunch!  Originally we were planning to bring them back to our neighborhood to finally try Cafe D'Alsace.  But by the time the appointment was done we were all quite hungry and it didn't seem to make sense to move the car.  DJ did a quick Google search and found a potentially yummy spot right around the corner, and we moved to Plan B:  Ravagh Persian Grill.  

Though it's a small hole-in-the-wall, Ravagh was clearly quite popular with folks who work in the area.  There were very few tables available the whole time we were there!  And the rave reviews online were quite accurate; their specialty of grilled meat was quite tasty.  The menu includes a variety of kebabs (along with many other items), and we all wound up ordering different ones so we had a great sampling.

lentil soup or salad were the appetizer options with each meal; the lentil soup was delicious - clearly homemade

chicken kebab

lamb kebab

salmon kebab

chicken and beef sirloin kebab

Ravagh is a great deal for the area.  You get a tremendous amount of food for your money (we had so much leftover to take home!), and the meat is grilled nicely.  Definitely a good option to keep in mind if you're looking for something beyond a slice of pizza or a bagel in that neighborhood.

Chickpea Curry with Roasted Cauliflower and Tomatoes

The Summer of Vegetarian Cooking continues!  Today's recipe from Martha Stewart's Meatless:  Chickpea Curry with Roasted Cauliflower and Tomatoes.

 We've been making an effort to avoid canned foods, so Mel sought out dried chickpeas instead.  She'd never worked with them before, so she was curious about how complicated they would be to cook.  Turns out - not complicated at all.  You soak them overnight, then boil them for 2 hours (or less) until tender.  It's that easy!

Once that was done, she followed the relatively easy steps for making a tasty curry sauce from scratch.  She only went a little rogue and added some turmeric.  But otherwise, Martha's words were followed to the letter and led to great results!

Paired with mashed sweet potatoes, it was a filling yet light meal chock full of meat-free protein and fiber.  Gotta love it!

Shrimp and "Grits" in a New Pan

Weeks ago we mentioned to DJ's mom that we have burnt many pans because they were such bad quality.  Well lo and behold, she thoughtfully gifted us an awesome state-of-the-art non-stick pan when she came to visit.  It felt like Christmas!

To christen our favorite new pan, we decided to change up our weeknight dinner routine with a bit of shellfish.  We tossed shrimp and zucchini with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, chili powder and paprika (we love red spices) and let them sizzle to perfection.  WE LOVE THIS PAN!

Then, instead of plain grits we got a bit creative and made baked polenta "fries" from Mel's new cookbook: Meatless by Martha Stewart.

A tasty treat to kick of Mel's summer vacation.  Hurray for relaxation!

Semi-Vegetarian Dinner: Zizza!

Mel has been super pumped to try lots of vegetarian recipes lately.  (Stay tuned for tons of summer posts as she makes her way through a vegan cookbook!)  While surfing the net, she spotted this fun idea:  zucchini pizza.

It's so simple, it's brilliant!  She followed the recipe pretty much to the letter, and added on turkey pepperoni and red pepper flakes for some zing.  The result: just like the picture!

Served with a side of escarole salad (tossed with sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, lemon, salt, and pepper), this dish tasted so much like real pizza but without the heaviness of the bread.  We shall henceforth call it: ZIZZA!  (And next time might try digging out a bit of the middle of the zucchini to allow for deeper wells of yummy cheese.)

Enticed by Enthaice

DJ's parents came by to visit us one lovely Sunday.  Our original plan was to take them to Kaia to sample the South African flavors, but our fav wine bar was closed for a private event.  But then we looked up the block and were enticed by the sign for our favorite take-out Thai place: Enthaice.   We always love what we order from them, but we had never actually sat down to eat in the restaurant.  Our guests were in the mood for some Asian flavors, so the choice was clear.  :)

Though their physical space is small, they really make the most of it.  Cozy tables, artsy walls, and tons of light made it feel very open.  We started out with some duck rolls (tasty!) and refreshing drinks: mango juice, lychee iced teas, and a Thai iced tea.  Such lovely presentation!

Then, per our suggestion of our favorite item on the menu, we all wound up with different variations of pad kee mow (spicy flat noodles):  two with seafood, one with duck, one with veggies, and all with tons of flavor!

After making our tastebuds extremely happy, we went for a stroll along the promenade to enjoy the nice weather.  Cheers to a picturesque weekend!

Dipali's Bridal Shower: An Exquisite Rooftop Party

Our dear friend Dipali will soon be taking off for London to kick off the adventure of wedded bliss!  To send her off in style, two of her closest friends organized a lovely rooftop garden party in her honor.

Upon arrival, the setting looked like something out of a magazine! Our gracious hosts, Ruth and Shirmila, pulled out all the stops:  quaint place settings, watercolor menus, fragrant peony bouquets and candles.  We all felt like we were in a quintessential NYC movie.  

We were also completely bowled over by the fact that Shirmila made every single morsel herself!  She said she found the entire menu suggestion in a Martha Stewart book, and we all agreed that she took it to a whole other level that would make Martha proud/jealous.  And she did it all without seeming the least bit stressed! She inspired many of us to embrace the fun of hosting a dinner party.

 

Between Ruth's fantastic collection of dinnerware and Shirmila's culinary talent, they might very well have a potential catering business on their hands!  But in the meantime, it's wonderful that their combined efforts resulted in a beautiful night for a beautiful friend.

We'll miss you, Dipali!  So glad we could celebrate you and your love before you head back home.

Libertador for the Long Islanders

Toots and Toto had to come into the city on a weekday afternoon.  Rather than dealing with the endless rush hour traffic to get home, they met up with Mel to grab dinner and let the roads clear a bit.  We decided to head to Libertador so the Bernardins could sample the wonderfully prepared meat dishes.  (DJ had a work event, so we had to text him food photos so he could live vicariously.)

Toots had been pumped about trying the burger that Almaz had the last time we went.  Unfortunately, the burgers are only offered on the brunch menu.  So we went to Plan B: ordering the Parrillada Para Dos (mixed grill chef's selection with short ribs, prime skirt steak, New York strip steak, chicken breast, and chorizo; served with organic mesclun salad and your choice of homemade mashed potatoes or our famous french fries provenzal).

Though this dish is supposed to be para dos, it was actually perfect para tres.  We all had more than enough to sample, and there was plenty left to take home!  Such a tasty way to dine family-style from the grill.

Baked Tomatoes

Mel wanted to have some vegetarian dinner options in the fridge, so she tracked down a recipe for Baked Tomatoes.  The original recipe sounds awesome, but it also seemed awesome to save a bit of money.   So instead of using the ingredients the recipe recommended, she broke out the leftover lentil and herb mix we'd frozen after making Mexican lasagna recently.  It was a perfect fit with the tomatoes and a sprinkling of pepper jack cheese.  (And for Meat Man DJ, we sauteed up some chicken sausage and spinach as a side.)

Lobster Rolls and Grasshoppers

It was one of the hottest days of the year so far, and we decided staying indoors would just be ridiculous.  So we gave Brandon (our Conde buddy/UES neighbor) a call and met up for a fun day of meandering on this side of town.

We started out at the promenade by Gracie Mansion and did some people-watching.  Apparently this weather brings a lot of bikini-clad gals with big puppies (literal and figurative) out to the waterfront.  The heat of the peak sun started to negate the breeze, so we headed over to Luke's Lobster for a quick bite and some refreshing air conditioning.

Brandon went with the classic lobster roll while DJ tried the crab roll.  A little pricey, but both delicious.  They don't skimp on the filling like some places do, and they have a great selection of natural sodas.  We may not go here constantly, but will definitely keep it in mind for the occasional "taste of Maine."

Feeling rejuvenated, we headed over to Central Park for a bit more people-watching by the little lake where they rent out remote-control boats.  So relaxing!  On a bench under a tree, the breezes were plentiful and the flowery smells of summer wafted by.

On our way home, it was nearly dinner time so we decided to stop at the Toloache on the UES.  We had tried the one on the West Side long ago and weren't huge fans, but Brandon said we wouldn't be disappointed so we trusted him.  And lo and behold, he was right.  We hung out at the bar, and our bartender Alex was quite welcoming and chatty.  Before we knew it, we were ordering snacks we'd never heard of and drinks you don't often find in these parts.

fresh fruit margaritas

grasshopper tacos 

(Verdict:  When they are deep-fried and seasoned with lemon juice and salt, they're kind of like potato chips!  Except for the potential of finding a leg in your teeth later.  Don't knock it till you try it!)

 

(yes, really; don't believe us?  look at the menu)

 Toloache also has a HUGE selection of mezcal, a very strong liquor made with agave.  Alex the Bartender was kind enough to give us a brief explanation of how it's made - a very slow process of smoking wild agave and then sometimes aging it in oak.  He told us that often the best ones are made by hand deep in Mexico.  This particular bottle caught Mel's eye (for obvious reasons):

Indeed that is a real scorpion at the bottom!  Alex the Bartender said he ate one once, and that it pretty much tasted like the mezcal.  Though someone else at the bar dared Mel to eat one, we opted for trying a cocktail made with it instead:  Mexcalita de Pina.

The smokiness of the mezcal coupled with the smokiness of the grilled pineapple make for a delicious combination!  Paired with fried avocado, we had quite a unique evening treat!

We are so glad we gave the Toloache on the UES a chance!  Granted, we didn't actually have dinner so it's not a direct comparison with our experience at the one on the UWS.  But when we're in the mood for a casual hang out with some very distinctive menu choices, we shall definitely return!