Buvette

A spontaneous lunch at Buvette on Wednesday was a nice change from the ordinary workday.

Springtime Brunch in Gramercy

Spring has sprung! And what better way to enjoy the warm weather than with good friends and delicious food. Jake and Silka recently relocated to the Berkshires to pursue their agricultural and culinary endeavors, yet returned this past weekend to hold a brunch for a few friends. It was bittersweet, as it reminded us of what we are already missing without the Butcher & the Baker living around the corner. We miss our neighbors and good friends, the spontaneous get-togethers and of course, their incredible leftovers. We are thrilled to see what Jake & Silka cook up in their new home and hope they'll make room for two more at their table 'cause we're coming to visit!

Haven's Kitchen

Cheers!

We celebrated Ron's launch on CNBC's "Trading the Globe" at Imperial No. Nine located in the Mondrian SoHo Hotel. Lucky for us, our friend Leah is the head hostess there. She greeted our party as if we had arrived at her own home and escorted us to a low-lit corner, away from the bustle, but still in the heart of the ambiance.

The space is warm and enchanting, and fully enclosed under a glass roof. Leah told us that the décor was inspired by Jean Coucteau’s 1946 film La Belle et la Bête. She didn't have to tell us who runs the kitchen. We already know that: Sam Talbot of season 2's Top Chef. Even though we didn't see him, we had the chance to taste his much talked about dishes. Our favorite dish was the Cauliflower Fritters made with ricotta, sunflower seed-olive brittle and white balsamic. They literally pop in your mouth. Leah really outdid herself when she had the waitress bring us a selection of desserts-- on the house! How sweet! Spoons were passed around, glasses were clinked and smiles exchanged. The energy that evening was truly celebratory.

On Tour

Our good friends Silka and Jake, aka the Butcher & the Baker, do almost all their shopping at the Union Square Farmers Market. I admire their knowledge of seasonal produce and dedication to supporting local farmers. While I know my way around the market when it comes to buying plants, vegetables and fruits, I often pass by the meat, fish and dairy vendors. It's not that I'm not interested, but the prices tend to be higher and less items are on display, allowing a pile of jewel-like radishes to grab my attention instead.

I'd like to learn more about these vendors so today I shadowed Silka and Jake on their weekend shopping trip. They gave me a run down of their favorite places to buy meat and dairy, and let me in on their favorite selections from each.

I came home with a pint of half & half from Milk Thistle Farm, a bouquet of zinnias, homemade cider donuts, and seckel pears-- still no meat. I've decided that I'll go back this week more prepared with a recipe in mind and list in hand.

Café Colette

"Babe, I'm gonna take you out!" Words that I love to hear. On tonight's adventure, Sara decided to take me to Café Colette, which is just across the river in Williamsburg. As soon as we rolled down Berry Street, I discovered my new found love for Brooklyn.

We arrived at Café Colette and the vintage charms won us over right away. With its green bead board walls, globe light fixtures, large mirrors and checkerboard tile, we felt welcomed back to an older era.

The drinks were well planned. I had a tequila based cocktail infused with pepper syrup, which was small, but outstanding. For starters, we ordered the fried corn (YES), which was covered in lime aioli, cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese, resembling Mexican street food. After thoroughly licking our fingers we started on the grilled sardines, which was the knockout dish of the evening. The sardines were marinated in lemon and salt, char-grilled, and coupled with the roasted vegetables. For the main course, we shared the brick chicken set on top of chorizo hash and potatoes. Needless to say, it was slamming. We finished the meal with peach crumble à la mode, which was large enough for us to share. Overall, an incredible experience, and one we would like to repeat again soon.

Keep on Stallin'

The Madison Square Park bi-annual food stalls have become a regular stomping ground of ours. The standout at this Fall's stalls is Roberta's Pizza, straight outta Bushwick! Delicious personal pies. We also tried the Wafels & Dinges (first time for me), and ended our visit with a truffled mozzerella crêpe from Bar Suzette, which we ate on our bench just across the street.

Birrrreria

Okay, maybe it wasn't so birrrr yet, but it was getting there. The entire summer had passed and as we approached the end of September, Sara and I decided to try Birreria -- Eataly's rooftop beer garden.

A color palette of red for the chairs; deep mahogany brown for the wooden trim, and dark metallic grey for the framework of the space. The ceiling seemed to be retractable, but we weren't quite sure. The space, indeed, was very impressive. Surrounded on all sides by NYC landmarks, from the MetLife clock tower to the Empire State (prompting our usual question about what the colors represent that night).

The beer was also impressive. The space was adorned with cask barrels for brewing their own beer, right on the rooftop. The drink selection outside of beer was also vast, and ranged from an elaborate wine list to my favorite-- grappa.

The food, much like many of Eataly's other mall-like outposts, was well conceived and constructed, but relatively uninspired .... and expensive. We enjoyed a cheese plate to start and crispy chicken thighs served over sweet corn, though felt a little "jip'd" by the grilled portobello dish. On the upside we sat next to some SNL alums. All in all, you visit Birreria for the beer and the views, and in that regard, it doesn't disappoint.

Sakagura

Our impromtu dinner at the elusive Sakagura, which is located on the basement level on an indiscriminate office building in mid-town.

Talking Shop

The opening of the High Line in 2009 coincided with the early days of our dating history, and so it made for a great after-work date. We walked from Gansevoort Street to 20th St, enjoying the balmy air and working up our appetites. When we descended at 20th St & 10th Ave, we stumbled across Cookshop which seemed like an ideal place to satiate our hunger... Or so it would have been had we had reservations.

This past weekend, two years later, we finally returned to Cookshop to celebrate our 2-year anniversary and reminisce on those first shared moments.

Here's what we had on this special night:

Kumamoto Oysters

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Montauk squid, pickled shishito peppers, yukon gold potatoes, parsley & harissa aioli
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Spinach, crispy onions, soft farm egg, bacon & sherry vinaigrette
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Golden Wreckfish, wilted escarole, black olives, lemon, anchovy, toasted almond sauce
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Idaho Potato Gnocchi artichokes, spinach, braised leeks, royal trumpet mushrooms & ricotta
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Caramelized banana bread pudding with bourbon ice cream

Italianese

There's a moment of confusion for people who step into Basta Pasta without knowing the restaurant's concept. Here Japanese and Italian cuisine cross-pollinate, creating a unique menu: Linguine with fresh sea urchin & basil in pink sauce... Spaghetti with tobiko (flying fish roe) and shiso (japanese basil)... Unlikely combinations that make it hard to get a table any night of the week.

We had the Spaghetti with parmigiano reggiano & prosciutto, served table-side from a half wheel of parmesan cheese (!) and Cavatappi with Shrimp in a spicy tomato sauce. Two dishes that were Italian in flavor but undoubtedly Japanese in presentation.

When it Raines, it Pours

We must have passed Raines Law Room hundreds of times, but we didn't notice this subterranean speakeasy until our friends Max & Joanna pointed it out to us. It's a place you'd expect to come with an attitude, but we experienced nothing close to pretension.

After ringing the unmarked doorbell, the host quietly greeted us and ushered us to a semi-private alcove which we had reserved. The waitress told us she would remain scarce so as not to interrupt our conversation, but if we needed service to pull the chain on the wall. How utterly civilized. Even the menu was something to treasure-- a worn red leather album with gold photo corners and vintage type. I sipped on the French Affair while Ronak enjoyed the somewhat stronger Philadelphia Story.

Worth the Wait

For as long as Ron and I have lived in New York, we've each known about One if by Land, Two if by Sea. It has a reputation for being one of the city's most romantic restaurants, but also one of the priciest. NYC's Restaurant Week gave us the opportunity to eat here and enjoy their prix-fixe menu at a reasonable rate.

The Menu

Calamari a la Plancha, roasted vegetables, red peppers, capers, basil
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Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, cranberry coulis, pecans
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Grilled Bavette Steak swiss chard, pearl barley, roasted cipollini onion, beef jus
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Gianduja Mousse caramel compressed bananas, banana bread, banana bread ice cream
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Crème Fraiche Panna Cotta sable breton, citrus medley, blood orange caviar, tangerine sorbet

EN Again

New Devotees

Bhakti, the Sanskrit word for "devotion", is a fitting word to describe our experience this night.

Friendship is all about devotion. And our friend Kristen pretty much sums it all up. A devoted runner, spiritualist, yogi, and all around amazing friend...

Her invitation to dessert at Bhakti Cafe was our entrance back to India. Full of colorful Hindu portraits and a warm vibe, Bhakti was a solace from the frigid temperatures outside.

The cupcakes we had were outstanding. Orange infused with a smooth & creamy icing... so good we had a hard time believing they were vegan.

Kem Cho, Kimchi?

Reva and Samir introduced us to Kunjip, a Korean restaurant in the heart of K-Town, on 32nd between Broadway and Fifth.

Crowded. Warm. Chopsticks. Real authentic.

Tons of little plates arrived at the table instantly - spicy pickled vegetables. Followed by the seafood scallion cake. Then, we got the highlight.... Korean BBQ. A NYC classic and a new favorite for us.

Green Day

Friday afternoon at the Union Square Farmer's Market.

The Beat

To me, life's best relationships have always carried a rhythm. The hum of your favorite teacher. The sound of your mother fiddling around the house. Flipping the pages of an exciting book. Well, the rhythm of our relationship has always been food... and on this special night, we were enchanted by the BEAT of the Tabla. (Tabla is the word for Indian drum)

Tabla is a Danny Meyer-owned restaurant just a block from our apartment, with the brilliant Floyd Cardoz as chef. The waitress characterized the meal as seasonal ingredients using Indian spices and French cooking techniques. A perfect fit for me and Sara.

This was a truly notable meal. We shared everything, starting with the Five Onion Soup, a tangy broth with a delicious light spice to whet the palate. For the main course, we had the Fawa Crispy Skate with Peekytoe Crab Biryani (!!) and the Goan Beet Salad. The skate was perfectly prepared with a Fawa breading that gave it great texture and glimmer. The beet salad had crispy bacalao chips (salted cod) with an intense saltiness that heightened all the flavors. For dessert, we ordered the Mango Ice Cream Sundae, which is something I will never forget. Topped with mascarpone, meringue 'kisses', hazelnuts and crumble, the mango ice cream was perfectly creamy and not too sweet.

As we were leaving the the restaurant, we noted that the 80's decor seemed a bit out of place. It was then that Sara noticed a bin full of huge pomegranates and joked about swiping one... when the busboy told us "its all yours, go ahead and take it! We are closing in a month anyway."

.... and so we left this amazing meal with a bittersweet ending. Another new favorite soon to be gone... yet, we are so glad we had our chance to experience it and will try to go one more time before its gone, even if just for dessert.

JULiETTE

This past Sunday we went to Williamsburg to see Kristen run in the NYC Marathon. We cheered her on from Bedford Avenue, and spotting her among the thousands of runners felt like an accomplishment in and of itself. As she approached us there were mutual squeals of excitement, and even after she continued on, we couldn't shake the pride we felt from her amazing achievement.


All that cheering made us hungry so we decided to eat lunch in the neighborhood. We happened upon JULiETTE, a quintessential french bistro filled with red flea market chairs, vintage metal signs and Ricard Pernod bottles. How could we resist? There was a bit of a wait, but after one sip of their deliciously spicy Bloody Mary we were pacified. We ordered the Banana Stuffed French toast, and while it was good, it just couldn't stand up to our favorite recipe. We also had the Omelette of the Day, filled with kale & jack cheese. The crispy potatoes cooked in extra virgin olive oil were the highlight of that dish... Oh and another highlight, they served Stumptown coffee.