Casa Mono - A Catalan Oasis

As we've mentioned quite often, we love tapas.  Another tapas place we heard great things about is Casa Mono so we made a bee-line for their bar seats on one of DJ's summer Fridays off from work.  We didn't take pictures that day, but we enjoyed it so much that we returned with Toats and his friend Barry to share the delicious experience of this Catalan oasis in the midst of Union Square.

Jamón Iberico being sliced from its window seat

The seating area of Casa Mono is very small, but you do not need a reservation to sit at the bar.  So both times we went, we arrived as soon as the doors opened so we could guarantee a spot.  Over the course of our two visits, we tried a variety of the dishes including:

Hudson Valley Pork Charcuterie and Terrine Board, Spanish Cheese, House Pickles

(This platter included headcheese, a first for both of us although we've heard a lot about it on food shows.  Mel was not a fan; DJ didn't mind it, but wouldn't particularly seek it out again.)

Sardinas Fritas with Endive Salad

Fried Green Tomatoes with goat cheese

Rabbit with Habanero Cuajada and Mono Kimchee

Every bite of every dish in this place is phenomenal, though this is not a place to go if you're on any sort of diet.  The menu is very keen on rich cheeses, meats, and fats.  But if you're in the mood for indulgence, Casa Mono should rise to the top of your list.

One thing we did learn is that the menu changes frequently.  As this is being written, it appears that the fried green tomatoes are not offered on a regular basis.  And the first time we went, the rabbit dish was actually rabbit prepared three ways and included the heart (which DJ seriously LOVED!).  The second time (pictured above), the serving was much smaller and prepared in such a different way that DJ isn't sure he'd order it again in the future.  So we now know not to get too attached to any one thing that we try there, but that will definitely not deter us from going back. 

GRK - Fresh Greek To Go

DJ's cousin is officially a Manhattanite now (woo!), and he stayed with us briefly while looking for a place to live.  During his visit, we decided to check out DJ's new office and grab lunch.

After giving DJ an impromptu desk-warming...

 and invading our buddy Brandon's desk space...

we headed out to grab food from GRK.  GRK features great fresh Greek food for the on-the-go lunch crowd.  There's a simple menu on the wall, you place your order, and wait for your number to be called to come grab your food.  Pretty much Chipotle for Greek food.

Mel went for a classic chicken pita...

while the guys got lamb platters.

We were all quite pleased with our meals, and surprised at how fresh the meat tasted from what is essentially a take-out chain.  We think their secret is that their meat is prepared on a rotisserie and they slice off fresh chunks for each order.  Hooray for a great lunch option near the job!

Salted Almond Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Mel is a big fan of her former co-worker's blog, Newlyfed.  Donna shares great recipes that are healthy and often easy to prepare.  When Mel saw a post that combined two of her favorite things - almond butter and chocolate - she knew she had to try it.

The recipe for Salted Almond Butter Chocolate Chunk cookies is so easy to follow that a toddler could do it!  

You simply mix all the ingredients together in a bowl
(leave about 1/3 of the chocolate chunks for sprinkling on top of the cookies):

• 1 Cup all-natural creamy almond butter
• 1/3 Cup pure maple syrup
• 1 Egg
• ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
• ½ Teaspoon Sea Salt and a dash of sea salt for sprinkling
• 3.5 Oz. Dark Chocolate Bar, chopped into chunks
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

Then arrange dollops of the batter on a cookie sheet, and sprinkle a bit of sea salt and the few extra chocolate chunks on top.

They bake quickly (about 10-12 minutes with the oven at 350 F), and the end result is a batch of cookies that have a perfect mix of sweet and salty.  And any guilt you feel about eating cookies can be assuaged by reminding yourself that dark chocolate has some health benefits, and almond butter is a good source of protein (and healthier than regular cookie batter).

Our cookies came out a little flatter than the one's shown on Newlyfed, so next time we might make our dollops on the baking sheet smaller and maybe add a little more almond butter to the mix.  But overall, we will most certainly keep these cookies on our list for somewhat healthy indulgences!

March 2015 Addendum:  We have made this recipe several times now and learned that fresh ground almond butter makes the cookies much chunkier and fluffier.  Perhaps it's because jarred almond butter tends to have oil that settles at the top and can be hard to mix perfectly.  But if you can find a store with the nut grinding machine (like Whole Foods), the fresh ground almonds really are ideal for a delightful cookie!

Father's Day 2014

Father's Day 2014 brought lots of fun foodie times with both the Bernardin family and the Haile-Mariam family!

On Saturday, we invited the Bernardin crew to Toloache so Mr. B could be convinced to try the grasshopper tacos.  Unfortunately, if you can believe this, they were ALL OUT OF GRASSHOPPERS!!!???!!!  Despite that element of surprise being gone, we still enjoyed our meals.

Most of us got hamburgers, which were really well-prepared and came with great thin french fries.

And DJ decided to test out their chilaquiles, which were quite good.  He said the sauce could have been spicier, but the beef was prepared absolutely perfectly.

 Then we headed back to our apartment for a healthy dessert of homemade carrot cake.  Mel got the recipe from her co-worker's blog, and was quite pleased with the fact that it contained so many healthy ingredients yet still satisfied a sweet craving.

The process is quite simple:

shred the carrots (super easy with a food processor);

mix the dry ingredients;

add the wet ingredients;

flatten in pan and bake!

This was the perfect dessert to offer Mr. B since he tends to like things that just have a hint of sweetness.  We will definitely make this again!

*   *   *   *   *

The next day (actual Father's Day) provided another opportunity for trying new recipes.  

We had the Haile-Mariam crew over, and offered a menu of jerk BBQ chicken, baked sweet plantains, spinach salad, and Jamie Oliver's "Best Pasta Salad."  The whole meal was a crowd-pleaser, and the salads proved to be a perfect lunch item for a hot summer day.

For dessert, we gave the carrot cake a make-over with icing and sprinkles...

and served some fruit as well to keep things healthy and refreshing.  :)

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Uva for Brunch

Various friends kept telling us great things about Uva, so finally one spring Sunday we went to see what all the hype was about.

Uva is known as a wine-bar restaurant, so perhaps choosing to go for brunch wasn't going to give us a most representative sample of the menu.  But folks had told us that the brunch fare was better than dinner, so we took their advice.  The setting is quaint; very old-world decor with a covered garden seating area in the back.  All the staff we encountered were quite friendly and prompt, and the place had attracted a good crowd for a Sunday afternoon (we had reservations).  

We started off with a bruschette of sundried tomato puree, pine nuts and pesto.  Mel couldn't get enough of it because she loves pine nuts.  DJ enjoyed it as well, but he also enjoyed the fresh bread that came with the polpettine di vitello (veal meatballs)!  The meatballs were so tender and juicy, and their sauce nearly had us licking the pan.  Either way we sliced it, we were pleased with our appetizers.

For the main course, Mel was in the mood for a typical brunch so she got the Ortolana frittate.  The vegetable combination was great, and the frittate itself was nice and fluffy.  But the portion is pretty hefty, so if you've just filled up on appetizers you might wind up only eating a fraction of it (as Mel did).  Nothing particularly unique about it, but then again it's very hard to come up with anything new in the realm of eggs.  Great dish if you're in the mood for it.

DJ tried the gnocchi di ricotta to get a taste of Uva's more savory fare.  Also a great dish, though nothing in particular to write home about.

We enjoyed Uva's overall vibe, and the food was tasty.  But we weren't quite sure why so many friends had gone out of their way to recommend it.  We will definitely have to go back to sample the dinner menu at some point to see what might have made it stand out to others.

Boqueria - Tapas for Two

One of our favorite ways to enjoy a lazy Saturday is to check out a tapas restaurant.  We love the fact that the drinks are usually good, and the dishes are tasty yet small so you can snack on a little bit of this and a little bit of that without feeling stuffed.

Boqueria has a few locations, and we had spotted the one in the Flatiron area a few times so we ventured over there one day to check it out.

The space is quaint: narrow entryway with bar seating as well as a booth along the wall with small tables to allow for people watching while eating.  The back of the restaurant opens up a bit with tables for larger groups.  But since it was just the two of us, we opted for the booth near the entryway so we could see all the action.

It was hard to decide what to try, but we went with just a few standards.

Espinacas a la Catalana
(Sautéed spinach, garbanzos, pine nuts, garlic, golden raisins)

Fabulous.  The pine nuts and raisins add a wonderful kick to an ordinary green.

Txipirones
(Squid seared a la plancha, frisée, romesco vinaigrette, tomato confit, crispy scallions)

Great flavors, and the refreshing greens on top helped to balance out the saltiness of the squid.  

Pintxos Morunos 

(Seared Colorado lamb skewers, pickled shallots, salsa verde)

Exquisite.  We wished more of these came on the plate, but taking a bite of the bread after it had soaked up the juices of the meat helped keep the flavor party going.

Patatas Bravas
(Crispy potatoes, salsa brava, roasted garlic allioli)

The salsa and allioli push these up a notch from regular fried potatoes.  But as expected, this dish is quite filling so only order it if you are super hungry or don't plan on getting much else.

We really enjoyed our sampling of Boqueria, and would certainly return.  In fact, Melissa wound up going to the Soho location with her sorority sisters and it proved to be equally good.  They tried the various croquetas (all very rich and decadent) and bombas, along with the spinach and patatas bravas.  The one downside Mel discovered during that second visit, however, is that Boqueria gets pretty pricey if you're with a larger group.  For two people just snacking, you can get a decent amount of food for a decent amount of money.  But in order to have enough to share with a group, you each wind up spending a pretty penny.  Plus, the servings of each dish don't come in quantities that are easy to divide.  At a table of four, the croquetas and bombas came in uneven amounts so Mel and her crew wound up having to cut things strangely to make sure everyone got their share.  Not the end of the world, but if you're going to spend that much money you'd like to think that everyone has a satisfying meal.  

So yes, we do recommend Boqueria overall but personally think it's best to go solo or with one other person.  Beyond that, be prepared to plunk down a good chunk of change to share lots of little bites.

L'Artusi - Italian Done Right

 There are few things better than a plate of well-prepared pasta, so we are always down to try an Italian place with great reviews.  DJ heard great things about L'Artusi so we chose it as our celebration spot on the day we signed the contract for our new home!

Sadly, we did not write down what we ordered, and we think they've changed the menu since then.  We don't want to be inaccurate in titling the photos (integrity in blogging), so we've agreed we'll have to go back to give a more in-depth review.  

But until then, please know that we both agreed it was the best pasta we've had here in NYC.  Let these photos tide you over until we make our return visit.  :)

(This dessert tasted like an amazing deconstructed Ferrero Rocher.  Scrumptious!)

Chick Pea Poppers

In our effort to recover from Austin, we wound up eating a lot of vegetarian dishes for a while.  One new one that we particularly enjoyed was Rachael Ray's Crispy Roasted Chick Peas.

These are so easy to make and so absolutely delicious.  You can use chick peas from the can, but we prefer not to eat canned food so we opt for the dried garbanzos in a bag.  All you have to do is soak and boil them to get them ready to work with.  Then, to create these yummy chick pea poppers you toss them in olive oil, season to your liking, and roast.  

Served with pearled couscous, roasted kale, and roasted grape tomatoes (to add a bit of moisture and sweetness to the beans), this is a nutritious yet light meal that's perfect for those days when you want a break from meat.

Austin, Texas BBQ Binge

Not too long after our trip to Jamaica, DJ had to go to Austin for work.  We figured we'd make a foodie trip out of it since chances are slim we'd ever have reason to go there again with a free room.  We wanted to make the most of the 3 days, so pretty much all we did was eat.  Truth be told, we are still recovering from a no holds barred BBQ binge!

DJ did a lot of research before we left and found that Lambert's Downtown Barbecue had great reviews for their BBQ. 

 

Pretty much the moment we landed and dropped our bags, we headed over there for lunch.  

The meal was kicked off with yummy jalapeno corn muffins.  These alone would make a great meal!

Then we had to decide what to feast on.  You can opt for a one-, two-, or three-meat platter. 

Being The Meat Man (and wanting to make the most of our first BBQ meal), DJ went straight for a three-meat:   brisket, ribs, and chicken.  The waitress's eyebrows raised in impressed surprise, which is when we realized that maybe the three-meat platters were not meant to be eaten by just one person.

       

Initially it seemed like an enormous amount of food, but no meat platter is safe in the presence of our favorite carnivore.  Victory goes to DJ on this one.

All the phenomenal reviews of Lambert's are warranted.  We agreed it was the best BBQ we've ever had.  We also agreed that we were stuffed beyond compare.  But when the waitress brought over a dessert menu, DJ felt it only fair to look at it.  After all, as good bloggers we have to report back on all aspects of the food offered at a restaurant.  We did it for you, really.

We wound up ordering the fried cherry pie thinking that we'd each try a bite and surrender.  But that pie was so amazingly good that after the first bite neither of us could stop eating it.  It got to a point where our spoons were dueling in the bowl to get the best pieces. 

We left feeling more stuffed than turkeys on Thanksgiving and vowing we'd never eat again.  But a few hours later, Brandon arrived and was hungry.  So - you guessed it - we brought him back to Lambert's.  When you find food that good you want to share it. 

Not to worry though - we were good.  DJ didn't eat anything, and Mel just got a salad to add some element of health to the day.  (Even their salads are delectable!)

Brandon ordered sides of broccoli and Brussels sprouts with his meal, which we sampled.  The Brussels sprouts were the best any of us had ever had.  Mel was tempted to ask for the recipe until we realized that their secret was roasting the greens with huge chunks of butter and bacon.  Great for flavor, but definitely not something we'd want to add to our regular diet.  Chances are all the nutritional benefits of the sprouts were totally negated by the cooking process.  But a great splurge for sure!

That evening we wandered around and checked out the Austin night life.  It was a quiet Sunday night, but it was still cool to see the general landscape of the downtown area.  A lot of the bars feature rooftop seating, which is surely awesome on a hot Texas night.  But for some reason it was very chilly while we were there, so jackets were a must. 

The next day while DJ was at the Austin office, Mel wandered the downtown area for a bit.  Due to the chill, it wasn't super comfortable to walk around for long.  It's also not a city with a lot of hustle and bustle, so just walking around without a destination didn't prove to be very entertaining.  But after a great Tex-Mex lunch near the hotel,

she did check out the Texas State Capitol Building...

and visit the historic Driskill Hotel (rumored to have a haunted room!) for tea and scones.

In the evening, we headed out with the Conde co-workers for a decadent dinner at Eddie V's Prime Seafood.  The place was a bit dark, so pictures couldn't capture the beauty of the meal.  But needless to say, the table was covered with every indulgent dish known to man: huge cuts of meat, flaky filets of fish, creamy seafood bisque, sinful truffle macaroni and cheese, vegetables buttered beyond recognition, and artful desserts that were devoured within minutes.  A meal so rich, DJ woke up with meat sweats and Mel (for the second day in a row) vowed she would never eat again.

And yet... and yet... the next day before we headed to the airport, we decided to get lunch with everyone from Conde.  Since we had raved so much about Lambert's, that's exactly where we wound up.  For the third time in a 72-hour period.  We're pretty sure the hostess laughed while seating us.  

Mel tried to keep it light with a chicken salad sandwich, but the copious amounts of mayo (and yes, a side order of mac 'n cheese - don't judge) made it anything but "light."

DJ was still recovering from the meat sweats, but he didn't want to waste his last meal of the trip.  So he got the three-meat platter again - this time all brisket - and vowed that he'd save most of it for the plane ride.  And yet... and yet... he ate all of it.  Mel looked over at his plate at the start of the meal and it was piled high with delicious meat.  She looked over again 10 minutes later, and it was all gone.  Meat Man strikes again!

It took our systems about a week (maybe more) to recover from the Austin binge.  Mel couldn't look at meat for days, and still gets a bit queasy when the word "brisket" is uttered.  But, dare we say it, it was worth every bite.  How often do we get down to Texas for serious BBQ?!  We doubt we'll be headed back there very soon, so we're glad we made the most of it.  

Keep on keepin' it weird, Austin.  Keep it weird... and BBQ.