NYC Tastes

We began our 2nd wedding anniversary this week with a few drinks over at Eleven Madison Park.  As I perused the beer list I almost went right past this beer.  I only knew of the Local 1 and 2 so when I saw the 11 I assumed it was a typo.  Lucky for me Mr. T looked it up and found out this is a special beer brewed just for the restaurant ...good thing I married this guy:) Brooklyn Brewery put their regular Local 2 beer into 20 year old Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrels for 3 months, then re-fermented them with a little Champagne yeast.  The result is a truly wonderful beer with big flavors of vanilla and chestnut with a little boozy kick from the bourbon barrels.  Happy 2nd to us! Brooklyn Brewery Eleven Madison Park

I tend to overlook Republic in Union Square but when I need a cheap, easy meal in no time flat, it's a solid option.  They have a happy hour Monday-Friday with $5 wine and $7 cocktails like this Raspberry Caipirinha. My Vietnamese Chicken Salad was loaded with a ton of shredded chicken, cabbage, peanuts and basil with a delicious sweet and sour ginger dressing.  It's listed under the Small Plates section but easily large enough to be an entree on its' own. And talk about no time flat...my drink and dish arrived 4 minutes after I placed my order. It's not cuisine that's going to blow you away.  This is my "I have 20 minutes before my movie starts" place...and its a great option. Republic

It's been a crazy few weeks of openings, closing and renovations here in my neighborhood   Let's start with renovations...Parea has gone from complete Greek to meat with a whole new steakhouse menu.  Now called Parea Prime you can enjoy steaks and chops along with your saganaki plus a full raw bar.  Go between 4-7 for their 6 for 6 happy hour where $6 buys 6 oysters or 6 clams. Parea Prime Right next door to Parea Prime is a brand new restaurant County. The menu boasts small plates such as Waygu Beef sliders and Smoked Chicken Breast.  The decor looks really homey from the outside and every night it's been pretty packed with lots of cocktail drinkers...I'll have to stop by soon and check out the food. County Speaking of cocktails the new Milk and Honey is now open on 23rd Street.  While reservations are no longer mandatory you can still make one through their website if you want to ensure a seat in the ti...

I really enjoy Jean-George restaurants.  That man knows how to create a wonderful dining space, and Spice Market certainly fits that bill.  The inside is absolutely stunning with gorgeous wall carvings, porcelain bar stools and a Southeast Asia vibe that is so sexy and transporting you might forget you're still in the city if you stay long enough.  I was seated on the top level by the windows and began with an order of Pork Belly Steamed Buns with Tamarind Herb Sauce. I loved the presentation of the buns, tucked away inside a little bamboo steamer.  They both had a big piece of meat along with a big hunk of fat, lots of cilantro and some spicy jalapeno.  I liked the spicy, sweet flavor of the buns but was surprised how much "sweet" there actually was inside. Luckily I had some big crispy chips with a spicy chili sauce to cleanse my palate before my entree arrived. My Chicken Pad...

Mr. T and I enjoyed a quiet meal at the bar last Monday and began with some lovely baked Long Island Clams.   The clams are chopped, mixed with white wine and breadcrumbs then baked in the shell resulting in a buttery, rich clam experience. The Fluke Tartare wasn't as successful...everything was diced the same exact size and while the orange gave it some nice citrus, I lost the taste of the fish.  Luckily I could focus all of my taste buds on the Butternut Squash Lasagna. Layers of pasta were stuffed with hearty bites of squash, kale and mushroom with a creamy ricotta cheese sauce and a flurry of toasted pine nuts.  I'm still thinking about this dish and it's been over a week...so wonderful. Mr. T's Crispy Duck Leg with Grilled Endive, Lentils and Chicory was fantastic as well.  The skin had a nice garlic crunch and the meat inside was tender without being too fatty.  Onto dessert Mr. T ...

And Mr. T and I got off to an early start last night with a trip down to One Mile House for a special keg of Hill Farmstead Everett. Hill Farmstead is a small brewery up in Vermont that consistently churns out wonderful, elegant beers that are almost impossible to find here in NYC due to their small production and high demand.  The Everett was a real treat....malty flavors of chocolate, coffee and vanilla dominated this incredibly smooth Porter, just perfect for sipping on a cold blustery day. One Mile House is hosting a special Local Beer event tonight where some great NY breweries will be taking over the taps. You can stop in and try a flight of some great locals like Captain Lawrence, Barrier and Kelso to name a few. But don't stop there...the city is filled with a ton of beer events this week at some of my favorite bar and restaurants in the city like Gramercy Tavern, Mugs Ale House and Birreria.  You can check out all th...

Last week I was invited to Astor Center for an evening of sake.  There were multiple exhibitors and I was surprised to find so many different variations in flavor.  I tried Ginkoubai Hannya Tou which started out sweet on my tongue but quickly melded into a hot pepper spice on the finish and a Kahori Mikan which blended local mandarin oranges and junmai sake together to create more of an aperitif.  I truly enjoyed everything I tried but these two really stood out as my favorites, from Kitaya Co. the KANSANSUI and AI NO HIME BENI. The KANSANSUI on the left was fruity up front but incredibly soft and refined...the grainy texture from the rice almost nonexistent.  The AI NO HIME BENI on the right was similar in smooth mouthfeel but was actually a sparkling sake, so light and sweet I could see anyone enjoying it- sake lover or not. Mixologists from Angels Share were creating savory sake cocktails ...