Bison Steak

One might recall our bison tibs debacle.  Well... Fresh Direct had a sale on bison again, and Grill Master DJ was feeling brave.  But this time instead of getting the steak pieces (which were so small they became tough), we opted for prime rib cuts.

We didn't marinate the meat at all.  Rather, DJ seasoned it very simply with salt and pepper.  

 

Our Emeril stovetop grill was put to the test with first grilling the steaks on the range and then briefly popping them in the broiler.  The whole process was very carefully timed, though the exact seconds for each stage are a secret of the Grill Master.

The end result was a rousing success!  The meat was tender, juicy, and quite flavorful.  A bit sweeter than beef.  

 

Our faith in bison as a miracle meat has been restored, and we shall definitely make it again soon.  Victory!!

ABC Cocina

We set out on a sunny but chilly Saturday afternoon to check out Eataly for some soul-warming pasta.  Alas, Eataly on a weekend is as frenetic as Grand Central Station or Macy's on Christmas Eve... in a fraction of the space.  After fighting our way through the crowd only to find out that the wait for a seat at the pasta station would be an hour, we decided to go to Plan B and visit Eataly on a quieter day.  (There's so much to enjoy there, it'd be a waste to try to get the full experience with constant jostling.)

Plan B:  Mel remembered that her coworkers had been raving about ABC Cocina (not to be confused with ABC Kitchen) just a few blocks away.  We had been to this Jean-Georges masterpiece before, but just for cocktails.  So it was nice to be able to try some of their famous tapas.

The decor alone is worth experiencing, with artsy funky chandeliers hanging over minimalist iron tables and chairs.  

The entire staff is extremely attentive to details - arranging each place setting to perfection and moving with efficient grace through the crowded dining area.

We decided to share a few small plates to have a tasty tapas experience. 

We started with the jamon iberico de bellota, which brought our tastebuds back to our time in Spain.

Then came the chipotle chicken tacos with grilled jalapeno salsa (divine!!! - chicken prepared perfectly).

Then the baby calamari stuffed with chorizo (tasty, though we wished the tomatoes had also been warm).

Next, the fried fish tacos: a most delightful sauce, and slivers of tart apple that were a flavor revelation - we will definitely try adding fresh apples next time we have fried fish at home!

Since it was a splurge day, we decided to cool down the savory flavors with a bit of dessert.  

Our server said the passionfruit sundae is like being transported to Hawaii, so that was a no-brainer.  And it was quite refreshing!

And the tres leches cake is one of the best we've ever tried.  Would definitely recommend it.

Though it is a bit pricey (we didn't even touch cocktails because 8 ounces of liquid would have run us at least $15 a pop!), ABC Cocina is a lovely overall dining experience.  When we're in the mood for a low-key afternoon splurge, it will be on our go-to list.

Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew

After our epic steak meal at BLT Prime, we felt it would be prudent to go a bit vegetarian this week and help our arteries recover.  Our Meatless cookbook came to the rescue once more with this delicious Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew.

The recipe couldn't have been easier to follow, and the whole thing cooks relatively quickly.  We had a bit of leftover rotisserie chicken so we added that for a bit of extra flavor.  Subsequently, we thought using chicken broth instead of water would boost the flavors - which it did.  (Next time, we might try adding bacon instead of chicken bits to really bring out the savory.)

When all was said and done, we couldn't get enough of this stew!  Absolutely perfect for the chilly autumn nights that are upon us.

Ippudo

It was almost time for Deep to head back to England, so we definitely had to grab a lunch before he hopped on the plane.  We'd been hearing great things about Ippudo so we headed there for a bite.

Ippudo has a very unassuming exterior, but is very warm and welcoming upon entering.  

 

Everyone greets you as you walk past the main food bar in the middle to get a table.  

 

The servers are extremely attentive and the food delivered promptly.  DJ's friends had been raving about the pork buns, so he got an order of those along with a sampling of beer-battered fried chicken.  He liked the pork buns, but wouldn't go back just for them.  And the fried chicken was enjoyable - one can definitely taste the essence of the beer in the batter - but could have used a bit more seasoning.

Ippudo is known for their ramen, so both Deep and Mel opted for a bowl of warm, savory noodle goodness.  Mel has been searching for a ramen as good as the one we loved from Kumo in our old neighborhood, and this indeed might be the winner!

Next time we need some heart-warming ramen, we know where to go.  Thanks, Ippudo!

BLT Prime

Rachel and Mark are fellow meat-lovers, so we decided our next double date should involve some steak.  Mark and Rachel are particularly knowledgeable about a lot of the steak houses in NYC, but neither they nor we had tried BLT Prime yet.  And away we went!

The setting of BLT Prime is quite cool - modern rustic with dim lighting and cool booths.  We particularly enjoyed the backs of the menus featuring a "meat map" of sorts.  We wished we could take it with us!

While we waited for our orders, we were offered delicious popovers.  We all were trying to be good and not spoil our appetites, but once you take a bite of one of these things it is very hard to stop.

 (photo courtesy of BLT Prime website)

And then both couples decided to try the Porterhouse for 2.  Hearty and prepared exactly to our specifications (DJ & Mel = medium rare; Mark & Rachel = Rare +).

 (photo courtesy of BLT Prime website)

We ordered a few side dishes to share for the table - mushrooms, truffle mashed potatoes, and asparagus - and discovered that the sides portions are quite small.  Just a handful of mushrooms and a scoop of potatoes to go around.  But the seasonings on them were so rich and dripping with butter, we couldn't actually handle more than a few bites anyway.  lol

Overall, BLT Prime was quite a fun night out for steak fans.  It didn't win us over so much to take the #1 spot on our steakhouse Top 10 list, but we're definitely glad we checked it out.

Thai-Style Pumpkin Curry

A friend posted a photo on Facebook featuring a pumpkin curry dinner made with pumpkins from his garden.  The plate looked so fabulous, we immediately asked for the recipe.  Turns out, it's readily available online and pretty easy to follow!

We've never worked with pumpkin, and Fresh Direct doesn't offer pre-cut chunks (as it does with other veggies).  So we figured it'd be smart to get a few tiny pumpkins - easier to cut through with our non-professional knives.  Well, once the pumpkin peeling/cutting process began, we kept thinking, "There has to be an easier way."  Due to the pumpkins being so small, our large knife was cumbersome to maneuver around the curves, but our small knife was not good enough to cut through the skin.  After a quick Google search, we discovered... there actually isn't more than one way to skin a pumpkin.  No kitchen shortcut tricks.  You just have to be patient.  So, back to the cutting board we went for a tedious process.

Though our inner New Yorkers were grumbling about inefficiency the whole time, it was definitely worth it in the end.  Because once you have your pumpkin chunks the rest of the process is actually very quick and simple.  Excluding the pumpkin peeling time, the whole meal probably took about 20 minutes to actually cook.  We followed the recipe exactly, but used bok choy leaves rather than green beans.  And the taste was fantastic!!  :)  Definitely reminded us of something we'd order at a Thai restaurant.

We will DEFINITELY be making this dish again - such a great vegetarian comfort food.  But next time we might get larger pumpkins that would be less cumbersome to peel.  Or, we might replace the pumpkin with butternut squash - Fresh Direct sells those in pre-cut chunks.  ;)

Hell's KTCHN

Deep is in town for a bit to see his two lovely lady Yankees!  So we headed out to brunch with the Bhaura crew in Hell's Kitchen to a spot aptly named KTCHN.  

The restaurant is attached to a hotel, so it actually has two huge formal rooms off to the back and to the side to allow for late-night revelry.  But for a sunny daytime brunch, the front room offers nice bright decor and light streaming through the front windows.

The food was definitely above-average for brunch.  They offer the typical brunch dishes, but the preparation takes them to another level.  

DJ said the eggs in his Bacon-Cheddar Omelet were possibly the fluffiest he's ever had.  And the potatoes were shredded and then baked into a pie shape, allowing for a lovely "slice of potatoes" served with a dollop of sour cream.

Mel's Grilled Amish Chicken Paillard salad featured arugula in a light, delectable dressing over chicken that had been flattened to the thinness of a pizza crust and grilled.  It was such a fun way to enjoy chicken in a salad, and allowed there to effortlessly be a bite of chicken with every bit of greens.  Brilliant!

And the Bhauras' Eggs Benedicts were poached to perfection and served over scrumptious buttered English muffins.

The only hitch to the morning was that the service was a bit slow and it took us a while to get our beverages.  We found out later it was because the bartender had gotten in late, and then the manager was kind enough to take our beverages off the bill.  He was very gracious, which we really appreciated.  

Overall, KTCHN is a bit off the beaten path (42nd and 10th), but if you ever find yourself in that neighborhood on a weekend it's definitely worth a brunch stop.

Zucchini Lasagna

We love the flavor combinations of lasagna, but don't always enjoy the heavy feeling of pasta.  In our Meatless cookbook, there's a fun recipe for zucchini lasagna - zucchini strips instead of pasta and tofu instead of meat.  We're not huge fans of tofu, so we followed the basic concept of the recipe but used ground turkey instead.

When you think about it, the process of lasagna is pretty simple - layer lots of good stuff and bake it.  So we put tomato sauce at the bottom of the dish, and covered it with layers of zucchini strips, ground turkey mixed with chopped tomato and kale, and dollops of ricotta cheese.  We sprinkled shredded cheese on top and baked 'til brown and bubbly.

Just out of the oven, it was admittedly a bit difficult to cut perfect slices.  The sauce also became a little watery because of the juices from the zucchini.  

 

But after being in the fridge the second day, it was super easy to remove the excess sauce and get straight-edge slices.  Not that it matters much - messy or neat, it still tastes delish!

Olea in BK

We met up with Janna in Fort Greene one sunny afternoon and finally got to try Olea, a place we've heard tons of great things about.

And the reputation is well-deserved.  The decor is very cozy, rustic, and welcoming.  We sat at the bar, and received very attentive service.  The brunch menu offered typical brunch fare along with some very unique tapas, so we tried a bit of a variety.

DJ got the fried oyster sandwich, Janna went for the Eggs Benedict, and Mel mixed up two tapas plates for a savory snack:  bacon-wrapped dates (always a delight)...

 and fried olives (a little salty - no surprise there - but balanced nicely with the yogurt underneath).

Afterward, we checked out the Brooklyn Flea down the block for a bit. So many cool vendors - we definitely need to head back that way soon!