NYC Day 3

On Sunday, Lucy and I went to brunch with Courtney, my friend from Charleston who moved up to the city a couple years ago. As of couple months ago, Courtney and her husband are Vegan, as is Lucy. Courtney found us a cute little Vegan brunch spot called Blossom. For being strictly Vegan, they had a menu full of delicious sounding meals. I opted for the French Toast with fresh fruit and tempeh bacon.

The French toast was crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside. I was nervous to try the tempeh bacon, but I ended up liking it.

Both Lucy and Courtney had the Tofu Scramble  with sautéed onion, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, and soy sausage.

I wish we had more Vegan restaurants in Charleston. There were a lot of menu items I’d like to try and ultimately experiment with in my kitchen. Maybe I’ll use the menu as inspiration. Thanks, Courtney, for picking out a great spot and meeting us! :)

We also took Courtney’s recommendation to walk through Chelsea Market and pick up a cherry cream scone at Amy’s Bread.

I had just eaten breakfast, but couldn’t resist digging into this soft, buttery scone. It was incredible. Scones aren’t my typical go-to baked good, but I’m so glad I listened to Courtney. The girl is smart. I want to make these at home, too!

Sunday evening, Ben and I had a really fun dinner at Mario Batali’s restaurant, Casa Mono. First, while waiting for a table, we had a glass of wine at Bar Jamon, which is adjacent to Casa Mono. We both had the Nita, a blend of Cariñena, Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. I liked it a lot.

Dinner was so exciting. We sat at the bar that overlooked the kitchen. Watching the chefs prepare everyone’s food was quite a show. They were quick, yet so particular about plating, and it showed in each dish.

Casa Mono is a Spanish tapas restaurant so we ordered several different plates.

Round 1:

Bacalao Croquetas with Orange Alioli

Razor Clams a la Plancha

Sepia with Salsa Verde

Of these three, I liked the croquetas best. They were glorified fish sticks – so light and the orange zest really added to it. The razor clams were garlicky and in a delicious olive oil. The sepia, a cuttlefish, had a chewy texture but were great.

Round 2:

Mussels with Cava and Chorizo - $15

Lobster with Spicy Sweet Potato and Agua de Coco

Seared scallops with a cherry parsnip puree

Each of these plates were amazing. I avoided the chorizo in the mussels and, even without it, the broth had so much flavor. The cherry parsnip puree with the scallops was one of the best flavors I’ve had in a while. I really enjoyed the fruit + seafood pairing. This was definitely a memorable dinner, both for the incredible food and the entertainment. I so badly wanted to jump over the counter into the kitchen with the chefs. Casa Mono is a must for your (and my!) next visit to NYC.

Dinner would not be complete without dessert. Both of us were in the mood for cookies, so we headed over to Momofuku Milk Bar. They have some crazy desserts, including cookies, pies, ice cream, truffles, milkshakes and more. We stuck with cookies and brought home 3 types:

• the famous Compost Cookie (pretzels, potato chips, coffee, oats, butterscotch, chocolate chips)
• Peanut Butter
• Blueberry & Cream (dried blueberries, milk crumbs, white chocolate)

The PB cookie was pretty standard, and while the Compost Cookie was good, it wasn’t as earth-shaking as the reviews I’d previously read. There weren’t any pretzels in it and it mostly tasted like coffee! I really liked, no loved, the Blueberry & Cream cookie.

What’s your favorite type of baked good?

Do you like tapas style restaurants?

The Rice Market

Last Tuesday, I finally got a chance to check out the Rice Market downtown. Using a combination of local product and international delicacies, the menu contains elements from from Mediterranean, Cajun, the Far East, and Lowcountry cuisine. With such a diverse menu, there is something for everyone!

The first thing I must say about this restaurant is that it is absolutely gorgeous inside. Upon entering, you will notice an outdoor eating area that will be perfect come Summer. The inside of the restaurant is largely open but with dim lighting. To the right, you have the bar.There is also a rice wine bar.Back to the left, you will find the regular seating area that includes a couple lounge tables. This beautifully decorated room towards the back would be perfect for a private party or birthday.
The restaurant’s vibe definitely made for a great eating experience.

While looking over the menu, we started with Zipang sparkling sake. It was lightly sweet with just a little bubble.
 
For an appetizer, I tried the The Stone – soy & sake marinated hanger steak sliced thin for you to cook at the table. The stone arrives at your table steaming hot. You lay the steak on the stone and cook it to your preference. Interactive eating is fun! Both sauces accompanying the steak were delicious. Another (unpictured) appetizer that we tried was Satays: cardamom duck, crispy shrimp, and chipotle grilled beef. You get two satays of each meat served with a soy dipping sauce and mustard aioli. The duck satay with mustard aioli was definitely my favorite.

Once we had decided what to order, we each chose a glass of wine: Kim Crawford Chardonnay and Vina Nora albariño for me.

One of the entrées we had was Paella: Spanish rice, mussels, clams, shrimp, calamari,
stewed tomatoes, black garlic aioli. This was incredible. Full of so many flavors and different types of seafood, this is such a satisfying meal. I couldn’t get over how much flavor was in the broth and how perfectly tender the rice was.

We also had the (unpictured) Wood Grilled Salmon with coconut jasmine rice, sugar snap peas, caramelized pineapple. I rarely order salmon at restaurants because I just don’t think it ever lives up to my expectation. It was highly recommended by our server, so I went with it. I was very happy I did. I was served a large piece of salmon that was cooked to my preference. The pineapple and coconut flavored rice paired really well with the fish. I would definitely suggest this dish for any salmon lovers.

There are many other items on the menu that I’d like to try, so I will soon return to the Rice Market. The service was excellent and although our food was served in a timely manner, I never felt rushed. Should you find yourself looking for a new place to eat, make your way down to East Bay treat. You will not be disappointed. Huge thanks to T for the wonderful meal and letting me take 2095872985 photos.


And now, the winner of the Yoplait Smoothie giveaway…
Congratulations, Jessica!!