Tag Archives: short ribs

Restaurant Week – Winter 2015: all’onda

6 Apr

I somehow forgot to post this during Restaurant Week (I blame baby brain), but I couldn’t leave out our fantastic dinner at all’onda! We had gone to all’onda once before right when it opened and loved it, and I’ve recommended it ever since.  While I kept saying we had to go back, their participation in Restaurant Week inspired me to make that reservation first.

Here was the Restaurant Week Winter 2015 Menu:

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And the regular menu that night:

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I was impressed that the Restaurant Week menu listed both the Short Ribs (for 2) and the Bucatini with smoked uni.  Though both had an up charge, since both dishes are some of the best on the restaurant’s menu, it’s great to see there was the option to include them in a Restaurant Week tasting and the total cost was still a bargain.

We started off the menu and split the arancini. These were different from the squid ink ones we had last time, and instead came with black truffle and parmesan.

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Very good, but not quite as original as the squid ink ones. (Nor as beautiful)

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Back to the Restaurant Week menu, Mike went for the kale salad, which I thought was an odd choice from the other delicious things on the menu, but he enjoyed it.

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One of our friends went for the scallop crudo which was fresh and delicious.  Great combination of flavors.

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I got the grilled treviso with kobocha squash and aged balsamic.  (Looked it up: Treviso is a red radicchio)

It was packed with flavor and tasted just like the end of winter.

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Our meal was quite the spread when it all came out.

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We made fun of Mike for his entree choice as well… he got… the chicken. Now I love me a good chicken, but with all the amazing things on the menu, who gets the chicken?  He seemed very satisfied with his selection and the skin was quite crispy and it was well flavored (sorry for picking on you, honey!)

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Our friends split the short rib for two.

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Which could not have been more perfectly cooked. It was so tender on the inside with a great, slow cooked flavor and nicely charred outside.  A fantastic short rib.

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I got the skate, which was awesome.  Cooked so the ends were crispy, the inside tender, and the light sauce brightening.

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We added some sides we loved last time to split for the table, including the brussels sprouts.  The flavor of these sprouts is just fantastic.  All the right sweet, savory, and crunchiness.  Probably some of my favorite brussels in the city.

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And then the polenta with miso cured egg yolk and wild mushrooms. Every bite was sensational and it was hard to not dip back in for more and more.

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If the meal above was by itself, it would already be fantastic, but add on our favorite dish from the last time, the bucatini with smoked uni, and it rose itself back to star quality.  This dish is just so fantastic.  We got it without the spicy breadcrumbs and no one missed them.  The uni with the exquisitely cooked pasta and the sauce… it’s just one of the best flavor combinations ever.  I love this dish.

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We were full… but never too full for dessert.

The olive oil cake with lemon and basil was moist and scrumptious.

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But most of the table chose the hazelnut mousse with chocolate crumble and candied orange.  A perfect way to end the meal with a bit of sweet and excellent execution.

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all’onda was one of our favorite meals in 2014 (#4 on the list to be exact) and we left this meal equally, if not more impressed.  If they participate in Restaurant Week in Summer 2015, make this your first reservation!  And if you’re looking for a great restaurant to have a really great meal, you can’t go wrong here.

Total Nom Points: 8.5 out of 10

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Edi and the Wolf

5 Feb

I have been meaning to try Edi and the Wolf for a long time now, but it’s just in a very inconvenient spot in the city for where I usually spend a lot of time.  It’s on Avenue C and 7th Street.  A great area for new restaurants, a bad area if you live in the Bronx.

My husband and a couple male friends (including my sister’s fiance) have formed “Pepper Club” as a chance for the boys to get together and eat peppers (which both my sister and I are allergic to).  When they got out, us girls pick another place and enjoy a girl’s night out.  So Edi & the Wolf was my pick.

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The menu has some intriguing options, and I especially liked the entire section for “Schnitzel & Co.”

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I also enjoyed that they have a special line to encourage #foodporn on instagram. (Though, sadly, the restaurant was very dark, making porn pictures a bit harder)

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We began with a flatbread with candied onions, pickled mushroom, mozzarella and speck.  The candied onion were fantastic on this and there was a great balance of flavor with the sweet onion, salty pickled mushrooms, creamy mozzarella, and bitter greens.

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We tried the braised short rib with pearl onion, delicata squash, trumpet mushroom, and carrot.  This was a hearty, winter dish with all the right flavors.

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We also tried the spätzle with wild mushroom, zucchini, and poached egg.  I heard this was a “must try” and I cannot disagree. Spaetzle is one of my favorite foods and this was an exceptional version.

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We got a side of the brussels sprouts with bacon, apple, and toasted almonds.  This was a GREAT brussels side.  The sweetness of the apples with the salty and the char.  It was all very, very good together.

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For dessert we decided to split a piece of a chocolate torte.  This was rich but not too rich and we savored every bite.

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We really enjoyed our meal at Edi and the Wolf and I’m very glad I finally got to try it.  It was worth the schlep to Avenue C and I would go back in a heartbeat.

Total Nom Points: 7.5 out of 10

Total Nom Points: 7.5 out of 10

 

Gramercy Tavern for New Year’s Eve

29 Jan

I was more than happy to plan a New Year’s Eve that included not much more than my couch, my husband, and my cats… but friends of ours were visiting from London and were passionate about having a nice meal out, especially at Gramercy Tavern. So 30 days before 12/31, we were online and calling to snag a reservation. And we got one.

And I’m glad she motivated me to get off my butt to enjoy a nice meal on New Year’s Eve.  Because it was a really lovely way to spend the holiday, without having to deal with any of the craziness that is NYE in NYC.

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The Dining Room menu is typically a 3-course menu where you can choose from an app, entree, and dessert for $92 or a Seasonal Tasting Menu (~6 courses) for $120.  New Year’s Eve was no different.  (Which I think is important, because I hate price gouging on holidays)

We were at a table with 2 other couples, some of whom were not the foodie activists we are, so when the waiter said it would be hard to have some of the table do the 3-course and the others do the Tasting Menu, we sadly went with the 3-course.

But I longed for that Seasonal Tasting Menu.  There were so many dishes on that menu that had my name all over them.  I used every kindness I had and asked the waiter if I could choose some things off the Seasonal Tasting Menu, even if they came with a supplement.  He checked with the chef and agreed. OH HAPPY DAY!

We started with an amuse bouche, and I got a special one with pickled veggies, which was a very nice start.

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One of the items that tickled my fancy off the Tasting Menu was the lobster with squash.  This was fantastic.  Sweet lobster, cooked just right, complimented by a perfectly roasted squash, squash seeds, and a delightful sauce.

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Some other dishes around the table looked equally delicious.

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But the other dish off the tasting menu I needed was the short ribs.  These were cooked perfectly and in a fantastic sauce with bright, beautiful veggies.

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We then got an intermezzo of shaved ice that was a really refreshing transition into dessert.

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All of the desserts were lovely, including the cheese tasting.

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And we ended the meal with beautiful chocolate fudge and salted caramels.

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And they sent us home with homemade banana bread and chocolate hazelnut spread to enjoy the next morning (and oh boy did we).

This was a great meal, and a great way to end a great year with great friends.  They were so kind to let me order a custom meal and get the things I so wanted, and for that bit of hospitality I cannot help but love them even more.  We already had one great meal at Gramercy Tavern, and I can’t wait to go back for another one. It’s such a classic New York City restaurant that always impresses.

Total Nom Points: 8 out of 10

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