Yea, I know, I know. So much for New Years Resolutions and all that crap. But I've really been ridiculously busy, and traveling, and sick, and other stuff, and more other stuff. And so now, I finally sit down to write something and realize that I'm drawing a total blank on half the things I ate. (Which speaks less about the quality of the food than the quantity of the food... and maybe wine. Whatever).
But there are a few awesome meals that stand out, a few exemplary dishes, and several with awesome company. Without further ado...
Gramercy Tavern ... why did it take me so long to get here? This was my birthday dinner, and it was exquisite. There were three of us, so we ordered two Winter Tastings and one Vegetarian Tasting for the table. It was one of the best meals I've had in a long time, paired with a bottle of Movia.
Papillon is one of those great bar-slash-bistros that serves lovely food and has a mind-boggling selection of scotches and awesome Irish bartenders who have those adorably lilting brogues. Tasted a 1987 Glenmorangie Margaux Cask Finish that was, for lack of a better word ethereal. The stuff goes for $500 a bottle. One pour was $50, and utterly worth it.
No visit to Manhattan is complete without the ubiquitous old-school-Italian restaurant, and on this visit it was to be a meal at Il Tinello on the upper East Side. Truly and honestly the best Caesar salad I've ever eaten, Zuni be damned. Prepared tableside with whole anchovies, an egg yolk, olive oil, vinegar, fresh Parmeggiano, and other good things... awesome.
Also had a great meal with a very special someone's very special sister at Prune. I love these itty bitty restaurants in NYC - maybe 10 tables, most of which are 2-tops (there must be hundreds of them) - though I haven't quite figured out how they stay in business. We had a milk-bathed dish of chestnuts that is perhaps the sexiest, warmest thing I've eaten in months - the food equivalent of cuddling with your lover in front of a raging fireplace.
Oh, and there was that incredible steak tartare at The Odeon. All future versions of this dish will be held to Odeon's standard. Sadly, the rest of the meal was generally lackluster. But oh, that richly silken beef, cut with the acid of mustard and capers and all kinds of deliciousness.
And finally, FINALLY, I made it to Serendipity. Yea, it's a tourist trap, for sure. But even on a cold night, I sucked down that frozen hot chocolate like it was sweltering outside. Deeeeelish. The people-watching didn't suck, either, nor did the fun novelties up front.
So, yea. My travel that week didn't suck at all. But you see, I literally haven't been home on a weekday since I left for that trip.
If I can get my act together, I'll really try to pull together a couple of good reviews -- one of Perbacco in San Francisco and another of CityZen in Washington DC, which was exceptionally good.
Thanks for sticking with me, guys!
Tags: Food, Food and Wine, Restaurants, New York, Manhattan, San Francisco, Blogs, Blogging