I'm finally home from New York and if I tried to write a blog about every place I ate and everything I loved, I'd have to live on ramen noodles for the next six months. Since that would be a shame (It is Miami Spice time after all), I'm just going to give a quick run down of a few dishes that shine out from the bunch:
Green papaya salad and crispy tofu at Kin Khao
Pan-seared artichoke hearts and Parmesan cheese at Westville
Fancy whiskey drinks at the Algonquin
Lemony-peppery arugula salad at Bread
Bacon-wrapped scallops and sweet potato puree at Les Enfants Terribles
Health Sandwich at Cafe Continental
Frozen Hot Chocolate and Texas Chili at Serendipity 3
Giant pastrami reuben at Katz's Delicatessen
Warm Passion Fruit Souffle at the French Culinary Institute
Mango on a stick from a vendor off of Union Square
Vegan Lemon poppy seed cupcake at Babycakes Bakery (amazing!)
Linguine with clams and pesto at Caffe Falai
MMMMmmmmmMMMMMmmmmm... I love New York!
Showing posts with label dining. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dining. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Hampton Chutney Co.: Sidetrack Sensation
My adventures in New York continue as I had back to MCR for another PB and B before heading out for a night on the town with Catherine and Jorge, or so I thought. As I walked down Prince Street in SoHo, a funky-lettered sign announcing "Hampton Chutney Co." temporarily distracted me. Chutney from the Hamptons? While I pondered this conundrum a patron nearly walked into me as he stepped out the glass door. Noting my indecision, he smiled the smile of a man with a happy stomach and said, "It's really good." With that reccomendation, I made my decision, Hampton Chutney for dinner.
While offering a substantial menu of sandwiches, fresh juices, teas and desserts, Hampton Chutney specializes in South Indian fusion cuisine, particularly dosas and uttapams, which are pancakes made of rice and lentil flour and stuffed with a variety of vegan and omnivorous fillings. The helpful waitress explained the difference between a dosa and an uttapam: a dosa is a thin pancake rolled around a meat or veggie filling and an uttapam is a thicker pancake with the filling on top.
I ordered a chicken curry dosa with arugula and caramelized onions with a side of cilantro chutney, then sat down at one of the bar height copper tables to wait. My dosa arrived on a paper lined cafeteria tray, crispy and delicious, and about 12-14 inches long. The crunchy pancake paired perfectly with poached chicken curry and the cilantro chutney added just the right amount of heat. This may have been my first dosa, but it certainly won't be my last.
While offering a substantial menu of sandwiches, fresh juices, teas and desserts, Hampton Chutney specializes in South Indian fusion cuisine, particularly dosas and uttapams, which are pancakes made of rice and lentil flour and stuffed with a variety of vegan and omnivorous fillings. The helpful waitress explained the difference between a dosa and an uttapam: a dosa is a thin pancake rolled around a meat or veggie filling and an uttapam is a thicker pancake with the filling on top.
I ordered a chicken curry dosa with arugula and caramelized onions with a side of cilantro chutney, then sat down at one of the bar height copper tables to wait. My dosa arrived on a paper lined cafeteria tray, crispy and delicious, and about 12-14 inches long. The crunchy pancake paired perfectly with poached chicken curry and the cilantro chutney added just the right amount of heat. This may have been my first dosa, but it certainly won't be my last.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Trendy Mexican? Yes, please!
When I hear the words trendy and Mexican used together to describe a restaurant, I usually run in the other direction. Trendy usually means fancy and overpriced, and Mexican food, which can be served elegantly, shouldn't be fooled with for the sake of hipness. La Esquina/ The Corner (106 Kenmare, NY, NY 10012) puts trendy and Mexican together in a surprisingly affordable way--if you know what to order.
For lunch, stay away from the ceviche acapulco (too much avocado and not enough fish, though well seasoned) and satisfy your hunger and palate with a torta, described on the menu as a Mexican street sandwich. To make the torta, cooks at La Esquina butterfly a generous piece of a crunchy french baguette and spread cilantro-lime mayo on both sides before packing the bread full of savory chicken rostizado, avocado and queso fresco, or roasted pork. Lettuce and tomato round out the flavors by adding a crisp coolness to the warm meats or creamy avocado. These hearty sandwiches are accompanied by a mesclun salad with balsamic vinaigrette and a pile of salty homemade potato chips. At under $10.00 each , La Esquina will leave you wanting more trendy Mexican food and the plata to do it.
The restaurant has two faces: the diner-lunch cart look of the ground level and the Gothic-underground lounge of the dining room/ bar in the basement. Make sure you have a reservation as you step through the bouncer-guarded-employees-only door to step through the pristine kitchen into the hopping bar below.
For lunch, stay away from the ceviche acapulco (too much avocado and not enough fish, though well seasoned) and satisfy your hunger and palate with a torta, described on the menu as a Mexican street sandwich. To make the torta, cooks at La Esquina butterfly a generous piece of a crunchy french baguette and spread cilantro-lime mayo on both sides before packing the bread full of savory chicken rostizado, avocado and queso fresco, or roasted pork. Lettuce and tomato round out the flavors by adding a crisp coolness to the warm meats or creamy avocado. These hearty sandwiches are accompanied by a mesclun salad with balsamic vinaigrette and a pile of salty homemade potato chips. At under $10.00 each , La Esquina will leave you wanting more trendy Mexican food and the plata to do it.
The restaurant has two faces: the diner-lunch cart look of the ground level and the Gothic-underground lounge of the dining room/ bar in the basement. Make sure you have a reservation as you step through the bouncer-guarded-employees-only door to step through the pristine kitchen into the hopping bar below.
Important Info: Phone Number: 646-613-7100
Hours: Taqueria: 24 hours Cafe: 12pm-12am Brasserie: 6pm-2am
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)