NYC Tastes

I've been obsessing about the apple butter at Maysville since my last visit so I returned for another brunch, this time with Mr. T along for the ride.  He enjoyed the mini muffin and creamy apple starter, but didn't quite reach my level of excitement (he usually doesn't).  He was much more into his entree the Crispy Grits with smoked ham, caramelized onions, brussels sprout and sauce mornay. When the menu listed the grits as "crispy" I wasn't expecting what actually arrived.  They came in a big square, sliced like a thick polenta cake with the sprouts and ham layered on top.  This was a bit too heavy for me but Mr. T loved the smoky flavors going on.   As you can see my Kale Salad wasn't exactly a "lighter" choice. It was chock full of crispy fried chicken, squash, pecans, cheddar and a creamy maple buttermilk dressing.  It's basically everything a salad really should be in my opinion. The dark meat chicken had an excellent ...

A serious craving for southern food was the perfect excuse for brunch at Maysville Saturday morning.  The big windows up front were perfect for watching the snow as we perused the menu.  Everything sounded delicious... ...Quiche with kale, squash and ricotta and Thick Cut Brioche with collard greens and gravy were big contenders, but in the end the plain old Biscuit Sandwich with soft scrambled eggs won. Loaded with a mound of tender vinegar braised pork the sandwich was really quite tasty, although the eggs were a far cry from being " soft ."   The fluffy biscuit soaked up all the braising juices after just a few bites making this definitely a knife and fork kind of sandwich.   The simply dressed salad was a nice accompaniment to the meat, although I much preferred the mini cornbread muffin they gave us.  It was buttery and crisp on top, dotted with sliced apples inside and just perfect for slathering with one of my favorite things in th...

It was the 8th year for the Star Chef's International Congress and a big one, as the four day event moved to a new space at Pier 57 and introduced a hard core theme: Guts and Glory, Leaving It All on the Line. The buzz in the building was incredible.  There was so much to see and do...check out the main stage where chefs like Francois Payard and Bryan Voltaggio were presenting, peek in on a round of the pastry competition and Somm Slam or maybe have a private tasting at one of the various pop up sessions.  I did a little bit of everything over the course of the event...let's check out some of the best of the savory dishes. This was an international event but I have to say some of my favorites food on display were from NYC like this Smoked Yukon Potato Puree with Brussels Sprout, Carrots and Country Ham from Maysville... ...and the decadent Poutine from Mile End draped in some of the best gravy I've ever had in my life. Another favorite was from Leah ...