Restaurant Review: Momofuku Nishi

After randomly checking the Momofuku reservations website every single day, I finally snagged a normal dinner time reservation at Nishi for 4! Generally, you are lucky to get the 10:30pm Monday night spot, so I considered this a big win. I had read mixed reviews - mainly saying that the food is great, but the restaurant needed work from an operations and business stand point. I don’t know about the inner workings of a restaurant or how to run a kitchen, but I can say that I only had a pleasant experience from a service perspective. It is also important to note that this was my first restaurant (in America) that had gratuity included, and I was happy to see it did not impact the server’s attitude or dedication to our table.

One critic was confused by the atmosphere and layout of the space considering the menu and elevated offerings (aka expensive dishes). This I will have to agree with. It was very loud and it struck me as a bit odd to see long, communal-esk tables paired with backless chairs. It looked like a ramen place rather than an upscale Asian-inspired Italian restaurant. The vibe is certainly not stiff and I appreciated the playfulness of the menu. Not just in the creative dishes, but also the footnotes on the menu adding suggestions and additional info.

Ok, so now let’s focus on the good stuff – the food! Based on reviews, we chose a number of dishes to share in an attempt to create a well-rounded meal.

First up was the beef crudo. This arrived as a bright pink plate of thinly sliced beef (basically carpaccio) laid out with watermelon radish and dashi ponzu. There were scallions and tiny onion crisps scattered on top. The beef was tender and the additional ingredients added that necessary crunch. We all enjoyed this one, and it was a decent portion.

Beef Crudo

Next was the shaved winter vegetable. Green apple and radish were sliced paper thin and folded into a flower-like display sitting in a pickled beef broth with horseradish. This was ordered last, purely as an attempt to add some greens and health to the table. Not worth it. It wasn’t bad, in fact it was crisp and refreshing, but it just did not hit the spot nor add anything to the meal.

Shaved Winter Vegetable

Next came the diver scallops. The menu says this is served with tiger’s milk and shio kombu. Since I had to look up what both of those things are, I will describe this dish as 10 small, tender scallops topped with salted seaweed and served in a bright green bath of acidic citrus goodness. This is a light dish and a great inclusion when building a multi-course meal.

Diver Scallops

Now for the heartier dishes. The chicken and dumplings were the ultimate comfort food. It reminded us of a deconstructed chicken pot pie but with flat, square noodles (“dumplings”) instead of crust. The sauce was creamy and savory and filled with the noodles, chicken, smoked shiitake mushrooms (that even Jeremy ate), and some other vegetables. The chili oil on top added the perfect amount of kick and flavor.

Chicken and Dumplings

The ceci e pepe seems to be the poster dish of Nishi, and I can see why. This was by far our favorite dish of the evening and we even contemplated ordering another one. The dish is not huge, but it is super rich, creamy, and absolutely divine. Noodles come in a small pile smothered in a creamy chickpea hozon sauce and seasoned generously with black pepper. Apparently there is NO dairy in this sauce, which is crazy yet fascinating. A must try!

Ceci e Pepe

The chitarra squid dish was not as we expected it. I wouldn’t say it was bad, but the squid rings were a bit fishy for my liking and the pasta sauce was extremely spicy. It contained XO sauce (spicy seafood sauce) and fresh and fermented chili. I couldn’t eat more than a few bites of this, and it was our least favorite of the evening.

Chitarra

Lastly, we ordered the roast pork entrée. It came as 2 large pieces covered with about a dozen roasted asparagus spears. Once you cut away the massive layer of fat, the pork was super tasty. I was disappointed though by how much of it I had to cut away. I would probably skip this next time and focus on more appetizers or pasta dishes.

Roast Pork

Unfortunately, we did not have any room for dessert. Maybe next time! I would definitely recommend Nishi to any foodie or Momofuku fan, but I wouldn’t send a picky eater. It was a good experience overall and we enjoyed our meal, but the menu is unique and there isn’t quite “something for everyone.”

Restaurant Review: Dirty French

Only after diligently signing in to OpenTable exactly 1 month out from my birthday was I able to score a prime time (read: normal dinner time) table to celebrate with my husband at Dirty French in the Ludlow Hotel. The restaurant opened over a year ago, but it was added to my never ending hit list and I decided now would be a good time to try this place out. Knowing it is part of Major Food Group (Torrisi/Carbone), I had high expectations for an overall top notch experience. I would say that mostly happened, but not completely. Here is why…

We arrived early on purpose so we could get a drink at the bar. We both really enjoyed our cocktails from a high-end cocktail menu with all fresh ingredients.

Left: Pigalle - bourbon, ancho chile, bitter aperitif, fresh orange and lemon juices
Right: Belmondo - blanco tequila pear eau de vie, ginger, gentian, fresh lemon juice

The entire atmosphere is really cool with unique/interesting décor and dim lighting to really set that trendy mood. [DISCLAIMER – this is why my pictures are so awful! Sorry!] The bar is no exception and would recommend it even if you are in the area and just wanted a fancy drink. All of the staff was super nice, accommodating, and not stuffy in the slightest. My only complaint, and I would say it is a pretty big deal, is that the music was SO incredibly loud. I could barely hear my husband across the tiny 2 top or the waitress standing directly next to the table answering our questions on the menu. The music was all 80s – on theme with their Dirty Dancing-inspired logo – so that was cool and even a refreshing change in playlist choice... I just didn’t need Bruce screaming in my ear while I enjoyed my (mostly) delicious meal.

We tried to structure a well-rounded meal with some help from the waitress. We started with 2 items from the “hors d’oeuvres” section – and only realized once they arrived that we actually ordered 2 different types of thinly sliced, cured meats. Both were light to start, yet offered significant portions.

The first one, Carpaccio, was thinly sliced lamb covering the plate and topped with shishito peppers and dollops of labneh. The lamb was so tender and flavorful and the toppings added extra flavor and some creaminess.

Carpaccio

The second one was the Salmon Maison – thinly sliced cured lox spread out across a layer of creamy pommes chemel and then topped with crisp and fresh chives and fermented radish. The dish had great textural balance and the salmon was unreal.

Salmon Maison

The second course was the endive salad which had 5 Cajun shrimp on top. The Dijon vinaigrette that topped the endive salad was good and balanced the usual bitterness, but those shrimp were just terrible. I’m sorry, but there was something just off-putting about the flavor from the shrimp. They looked appetizing with a blackened exterior, but the seasoning was just way off and the shrimp itself had a weird metallic taste. We did not get very far on this dish and I would NOT recommend it.

Endive salad

Next came the main course and a side dish we threw in last minute. For our entrée, we split the Duck a l’Orange (I believe it is their signature dish). A decent piece of breast came on top of a flavorful sauce and seasoned with a ras el hanout spice blend and then garnished with preserved oranges. The duck itself was very decadent and really showcased the French inspiration of the restaurant. I often find that duck is fatty, but this piece featured a beautifully cooked section of meat that was super tender and extremely enjoyable.

Duck a l'Orange

Our side dish was the pommes frites, of course, because I am obsessed with French fries. However, these were not French fries, rather very large, thick, and deep fried slices of potato. There was so much salt on it, which was amazing at first and then you realized you had to drink 3 glasses of water to counter it. There was also a creamy dipping sauce that paired nicely with the extremely crispy potatoes.

Pommes Frites

We couldn’t end a birthday meal without dessert, so we decided to cap off dinner with their most popular dish - beignets. Now, I was recently in New Orleans enjoying the famous and official Café Du Monde beignets, so I was worried these might not hold up. However, they were pretty damn good and served with chicory caramel sauce (which was the biggest selling point for me). A basket of 3 airy, fluffy, crispy-not-greasy fritters showed up, and we devoured them while dodging falling powdered sugar left and right.

Beignets

Overall, I was happy to have celebrated my special evening at Dirty French. Aside from the sound issues and the endive/shrimp salad, we had a really nice experience. I would recommend it to anyone that can withstand conversation for 2 hours with a raised voice, or that wants a great meal in a sceney spot. 

Restaurant Review: The Breslin

The Breslin has always been on my list but never found a time to check it out. My sister was in town for work and staying nearby so I figured this was the perfect opportunity. It's located in the Ace Hotel and fits the dark, cool, low key atmosphere of the hotel. The service was very on point as we had multiple waiters and runners filling our waters, clearing our plates, asking if we wanted more wine or needed anything additional. Very attentive.

The food was very good, but my one big caveat is the very high sodium content of every dish we had. It was all savory and tasty, but I must have drank 4 or 5 glasses of water throughout the meal just to re-hydrate!

We started with the heirloom tomato fattoush. Chunks of red heirlooms, cucumbers, smoked eggplant and currants were mixed with a labaneh yogurt sauce and sprinkled with fresh herbs- definitely some mint. There were also a few pita chip croutons in there that were the perfect crunchy buried treasure.

Heirloom tomato fattoush

For entrees we split the chargrilled lamb burger and the milk-braised Berkshire pork shoulder. The burger came recommended and apparently it's their hot item because we must have seen at least 20 come out of the kitchen (which we were sitting near). It was in fact quite tasty! The waitress let us know upfront "medium" was pink and bloody it was! It didn't bother me because it was juicy and delicious, but I probably could have left it on another minute. The bread was superb- crunchy crust and soft inside, and it was topped with feta and some red onion. It was served on a cutting board with thick crispy seasoned fries ("thrice cooked chips") and a cumin mayo dipping sauce. I loved everything about this.

Lamb burger

The pork shoulder came as a very nice portion and was so tender. It fell apart with just the fork and had a savory flavor. It was served over Tuscan kale that was crunchy and some crispy sage that added a nice textural contrast. The meat and greens sat in a pool of some kind of jus that was a little greasy, but to be expected with the hunk of pork we were served.

Berkshire pork shoulder

We added a side of cauliflower for good measure. It was roasted until the perfect crunch and highly seasoned, but was actually green and didn't look like any cauliflower I have ever seen... Not sure what that was about, but I was down with it.

Cauliflower

In sum, we had a lovely evening of good service, good food, good vibes. While a little on the high-end for price, I would recommend it to anyone in the NoMad area!

Restaurant Review: Upland

I had been hearing all about Upland lately from many friends, and one of them was gracious enough to give Jeremy and me her reservation that she ended up not using. It seems to be very hard to get a reservation here, so a table on Saturday night was much appreciated (thanks Hil)! We had a bunch of recommendations to choose from, and ultimately decided to try one item from each section - Pizza, Vegetables, One, Two, Three.

First they came out with an adorable mini loaf of bread that was fan-freaking-tastic. It was golden brown with a crisp, flaky crust and had large chunks of sea salt baked into the top. It was so fluffy inside that it collapsed once you cut into it. The bread tasted buttery- croissant-like. That didn't stop us from trying the butter they served with it too, which was creamy and topped with herbs and lemon zest.

We were discussing at length how much we were enjoying the bread when a random waiter came out of nowhere and gave us a new one before we even finished the first one. Perhaps we were exclaiming our delight loudly, but hey, it paid off.

Fresh baked bread

Our first selection was the sausage and kale pizza, with pecorino, stracciatella, and parmesan. It was quite sizable and very enjoyable. The dough was thick and chewy in a good way, and slightly charred on the bottom. On top there was a nice balance of cheese and other toppings. The sausage was crumbled, which I personally prefer over slices or chunks, and flavorful. I do want to emphasize that this pizza is pretty substantial for two people. Our waiter did not indicate that when we asked about it, so this is my warning!

Sausage and kale pizza

The brussels sprouts were a last minute add on. We definitely didn't need them, especially with the unexpected size of the pizza, but the waiter suggested we add a vegetable. They were seared and mixed with red onions, oregano, chili, and Meyer lemon. I liked the flavors, but I would rather the sprouts be roasted and crispy. These were soft and very greasy. There was at least a tablespoon of oil leftover in the bowl.

Brussels sprouts

From the "one" section, we went with the beef tartare. Presented well, but once you mixed everything together (as instructed) it kind of looked like dog food. That aside, the beef itself was great, mixed with trumpet mushrooms, anchovies, egg yolk, and a number of seasonings. However, there was puffed farro on top that was mixed in. I think this element was included to add a new texture - a crunch - however the flavor really overpowered the dish and tasted like cereal.

Beef tartare

From the "two" section we chose the estrella pasta dish with chicken liver. The pasta was homemade into a tubular shape and cut into about 3" pieces. The chicken liver, which was quite mild, was sort of crumbled and mixed in, and the dish was made with sherry, rosemary, and sage and topped with shaved parmesan cheese. I was craving some sort of sauce for this dish and thought while the flavors came together nicely, it was kind of dry. Though, Jeremy really liked this one and thought it was fine as is.

Estrella pasta with chicken liver

From "three," we ordered the Upland cioppino which came with clams, red shrimp, mussels, striped bass, Jonah crab, and gochujang (fermented Korean sauce). All of the seafood was in a spicy red broth that had a big punch of flavor. I thought there was a good amount of seafood there, and it was served with two thick slices of charred bread brushed with oil. You definitely wanted to use that to sop up that broth!

Cioppino

Overall, we enjoyed the experience for the atmosphere and service. The restaurant itself is spacious, busy (but not overwhelming), and had interesting/trendy decor. Our waiter was very attentive and knowledgeable and explained each dish to us as it came out. The food was a bit hit or miss. Everything was "fine," but I had higher expectations and hoped to be more wow-ed. If I ever went back, I would definitely get another pizza, keeping in mind how large it is, and try more of their seafood options based on the cioppino.

Restaurant Review: Le Bernardin

As a very special birthday present this year, Jeremy took me to Eric Ripert's top-rated and famous Le Bernardin. There are a few dining options to choose from - 2 different tasting menus and a prix-fixe. We decided to go with the 8-course Chef's Tasting Menu and it was glorious.

The atmosphere felt very high-end and fancy - jackets are required for men after all. The decor was mostly fitting to this, except for a massive painting of ocean waves. I don't know why, but something was weird about this, though I get the connection with it being a seafood restaurant.

As you might expect, the service is impeccable from the moment you walk in. The staff is on their toes at all times and ready to please. They do look pretty stiff in their uniforms, but it also creates an accurate depiction of their attentiveness and knowledge of everything they are putting in front of you.

After we notified our waiter of our meal selection, the bread guy came over with a 2-foot basket full of at least 8 different types of bread. We tried a sundried tomato roll and a slice of olive and rosemary bread. Both soft, moist and homemade (so much so, that we grabbed a few more pieces when the guy came back around later on).

First came the amuse-bouche, which set the tone of excellence for the rest of the meal. On the left was a mini roll of goat cheese and some kind of basil cream. The basil was insanely fresh and potent. In the middle was a mini tuna tartare taco in a tortilla shell. On the right was a cauliflower cream soup shooter with foam and topped with a Parmesan crisp.

Amuse-bouche

The first course was a cluster of Nantucket bay scallops marinated with Granny Smith Meyer lemon vinaigrette and topped with sea urchin. The scallops were raw, tender and small, and the vinaigrette was light and fruity which complimented the dish. The sea urchin was creamy with the usual ocean flavor, and paired well with the both the scallops and vinaigrette.

Bay scallops and sea urchin

The second course was strips of King fish sashimi topped with caviar. The dish was served with just the fish and then the server poured the mariniere broth around the 3 pieces of fish as he explained what we were about to eat. The caviar really gave life to the fish and the seafood broth provided a buttery contrast.

King fish and caviar

The third course was sauteed langoustine (type of lobster) over frisee with truffle and aged balsamic vinaigrette. The langoustine looks and tastes very much like shrimp, but the only thing I was focusing on was the massive piece of black truffle that was shaved on top. The vinaigrette also had truffle in it, so naturally that pretty much overpowered the dish. This was very good, but not the most memorable of the courses.

Langoustine

The fourth course was lobster "lasagna" with truffle butter sauce. I love lobster so of course I enjoyed this generous portion of it. This wasn't typical lasagna as it was not baked and the pasta layers were homemade and soft. The truffle butter sauce was just that - extremely truffley and buttery (starting the sense a theme?).

Lobster "lasagna"

The fifth course was more of an entree dish. The pan roasted monkfish was served on top of a perfect square of some kind of potato puree and sauteed cepes mushrooms. The server poured the lemon-paprika sauce around the edges and dotted the dish with a few pearl onions that were soaked in sherry and finished with creme fraiche. The fish had a perfect crust on the outer edge and the center was soft and flaked apart. And those onions were amazing. They were like little pockets of tang tucked away in the smokey paprika sauce.

Pan roasted monkfish

The sixth course was really the main event. A little surf and turf action in the classiest of ways. On the right was white tuna (or escolar) that was lightly grilled and topped with a soy-lemon emulsion and sticks of Asian pear. In the middle was kimchi topped with a piece of baby bok choy. On the left was seared Wagyu Kobe beef (the real authentic kind) with a homemade barbecue sauce drizzled on top.

The escolar was out of this world. It was soft inside and flaked apart, and really just melted in your mouth. The outside was so lightly and perfectly grilled, and the sauce was light and mild (finally no butter!), plus the pear added a refreshing crunch. The kimchi/bok choy was spicy and kind of random, but it added some spunk to the dish. The Wagyu Kobe beef was the most amazing piece of beef I have ever had. It was only about 1.5 sq inches, but I cut off little pieces to try and savor each bite as much as possible. Inside it was the most perfect pink and the outside was crisp and savory. I have never tasted beef so flavorful before.

White tuna and Wagyu Kobe Beef

The seventh course was the first of the two desserts. They called this a "palate cleanser" since it was cold and refreshing. It had roasted Bosc pear with vanilla ice cream and topped with Bartlett pear olive oil. There was some kind of "pear ice" as well that was very interesting.

Pear and vanilla ice cream

The eighth and final course was the maple candy dessert. There were 3 cubes of maple candy cap cremeux (French pudding) with maple and huckleberry confit. There were chocolate and caramel (I think) cubes that were fluffy and mousse-like with a strong maple flavor. There were some sort of caramel crisps stuck in the cubes that gave the dish a nice presentation. The huckleberries were tasty and a nice contrast to the rich cremuex cubes.

Maple dessert

To wrap up the meal, every table gets a little cookie plate that we rook advantage of. We also ordered cappuccinos that were so excellent, I didn't even need to add sugar to (which is quite rare).

Cookie plate

Overall, we had such a special evening. We got dressed up, were waited on hand and foot, and ate spectacular food. My takeaways from the experience are that the French really like butter, truffles, and decadence (and are not overly generous with the portion sizes), but Le Bernardin are truly the masters at preparing, handling, and cooking seafood and can really put on show.

Restaurant Review: Cosme

After a bit of a lull in date nights, Jeremy and I decided to spend Halloween checking out a new place in Flatiron, Cosme. The vibe is modern, cool and trendy, and I really appreciated the low volume level (a.k.a. great date spot).

We waited at the bar (for at least 20 minutes after our reservation time) and were slightly snubbed by the bartender, though he did make us some excellent cocktails. I went for the Scoville Sour, made with tequila, lemon juice, agave, and garnished with spicy cucumber. This flavor combo was right up my alley. Jeremy went with an Old Fashion made with Bulleit and was very pleased.

Left: Scoville Sour
Right: Bulleit Old Fashion

Once our table was ready, the service for the rest of the night was fantastic. Our waiter took the time to explain the menu, point out his favorites, and answer our several questions. The menu is designed for sharing and there are 3 sections - seafood, vegetables, and warm entree dishes. They suggest 3-5 for 2 people, so we felt safe going with 4.

First they bring out complimentary housemade tostadas served with some kind of spread that is made by cooking tomatoes, onions, and pumpkin seeds until they burn and then mush them up into a paste and add some chiles. It had a unique flavor... just something to pick at while you waited.

For our meal, we started with scallop aguachile with jicama, wasabi, cucumber and lime. It was probably only one scallop in total, but sliced very thin and layered among round jicama slices so it almost blended (until you stuck your fork in it and felt the different textures). The scallop was raw and the jicama was crisp, and I loved the super light and fresh citrus flavor of this dish. However, I would have appreciated a bit more scallop as the dish is made for sharing.

Scallop aguachile

Next we had cobia al pastor served with a pineapple puree. Cobia fish is similar to swordfish in its meatiness, and it was served in small, thickly cut chunks topped with crisp pickled onions and jalapenos. The pineapple puree was the best thing all night. It was the perfect amount of sweetness with the smallest kick from the jalapenos. They served this with tortillas to give you the option to make it into a taco - which we absolutely did. This dish had more substance since more fish was served allowing us to make 2 tacos each. We both spread the sweet pineapple goodness first and then loaded on the fish and onions for crunch. They were SO good. I would go back just to get this again.

Cobia al pastor

Next we went for some veggies. I somehow convinced Jeremy (who hates mushrooms) to let me order the mushroom and squash dish, by recommendation of the waiter. This came with large pieces of high quality mushrooms and chunks of squash in a smokey flavored sauce. I thought the sauce was a really strong, unique flavor that I liked, but the dish itself was nothing super memorable.

Mushroom and squash

Last came the lobster pibil with chorizo and black bean puree. This came with a pretty decent portion of lobster that was perfectly cooked. The bean puree was probably the most elegant version of beans I have ever eaten, however I just don't think the two things go very well together. It is just ingredients from two different worlds, and opposites don't necessarily attract. I still enjoyed the food, I just wouldn't order it again. I also don't recall the chorizo, but maybe it was in there somewhere.

Lobster pibil

Overall I enjoyed my experience here. I appreciated how Chef Enrique Olvera found interesting ways to put a Mexican spin on other culture's dishes. He also gave everything a little kick, but not too much, which was good. Because they opened very recently, I heard that menu will continue to evolve as they figure out what works and what doesn't. I would come back if not only for the cobia al pastor, but to try a few other dishes I was eyeing on the menu and see what else he comes up with.

Restaurant Review: Vinegar Hill House

Jeremy had been wanting to try out this place in DUMBO, Vinegar Hill House, for awhile now. It is pretty hard to get a reservation, so we finally made the trek about a month after securing our table. I had read that there is a really lovely outdoor patio area, so we requested to sit out there and got lucky with the weather that evening. Aside from us, the only other party outside was a large group that was strangely quiet. We decided it must be a work outing, otherwise there would be must more chatter (and drinking). So while the garden was really pleasant, it was a slightly awkward setting. Also to note, they have cute tables and chairs that really bring out the garden feel, but unfortunately the chairs were extremely uncomfortable. Jeremy barely fit so we almost moved inside, but he decided to suck it up. Though, this became a bit of a damper on the meal as he kept complaining and shifting around trying to get comfortable.

Vinegar Hill House back patio

We started with a few drinks. The waitress was extremely knowledgeable about the wine selection. I told her I like a full-bodied red, and she proceeded to explain each red on the menu in great detail. I settled on a tempranillo and it was right up my alley (also a pretty solid pour). Jeremy went classic style with the Vinegar Hill cocktail, made with Rittenhouse rye, Cocchi vermouth, Dolin genepy, and hopped grapefruit bitters. He seemed to thoroughly enjoy this.

Red wine and Vinegar Hill cocktail

For a starter, we selected the chicken liver mousse. It was served in a jar and topped with pistachios, and I love the way the whole dish was plated. The jar came on a wooden board with caramelized vinegar onions, a small frisee salad with dijon mustard dressing, and a few pieces of sourdough bread. The chicken liver was divine. It definitely tops the chicken liver list for us (yes, there really is a list). Because it was a mousse, the texture was airy and creamy. The pistachios added that crunch it needed, along with a complementary nutty flavor. The bread was also amazing. It was basically blackened on the outside, but the inside was soft and fluffy, making the perfect vehicle for the mousse. The vinegar onions added a little tang to the bite when piled all together. They were also just delicious on their own, so we were sure to finish those off even after we had scraped the jar of mousse clean. The frisee added some color and freshness, but I ate it really for the zesty dressing.

Chicken Liver Mousse

Our "pre-entree" selection was the pasta special - housemade fettuccine with chanterelle mushrooms in duck confit. No doubt this fettuccine was housemade. It was the right amount al dente, and the duck confit glistened on the noodles. I don't think I have ever had chanterelle mushrooms, but I really enjoyed them. Not at all earthy or spongy, and they picked up the savory flavor of the confit. There were also pieces of pickled turnip on top that provided a slightly sour taste (in a good way) and added a little crunch.

Fettuccine

The main event (at least for Jeremy) was the entree. Most of the reason we came here was to try the famous Red Wattle Country Chop. This pork chop was served sliced and sitting atop potato-currant salad with dill and pickled pearl onions. The chop was cooked perfectly and had the most delectable outer crust. It is almost hard to describe why it was so good, but it has something to do with the way the rub caramelized on the skin. The inside was perfectly pink and juicy. The "potato salad" was really just large chunks of potato in a mayo-dill dressing. More like a side of potatoes than a salad, but still good and went well with the chop.

Red Wattle Country Chop

My entree was not as delicious, but definitely unique and really just weird. I went with the Brisket Pibil, and was expecting a tender, melt in your mouth piece of meat, maybe BBQ or Jewish mom style. However, I was completely surprised that it was served in the form of Irish corned beef. Two thick pieces of pink brisket arrived on top of chunks of watermelon, with mole sauce and buckwheat roti on the side. The brisket was tough, and had a dark, crispy crust around the edges. That was definitely the best part. The watermelon at first bite was good, I got the whole salty/sweet thing. But what was with the mole sauce? and the roti? How does an Indian bread make any sense here? I was very confused. I just don't understand how Irish-style brisket pairs with Mexican-style mole sauce pairs with Indian-style roti bread. Plus watermelon. Unfortunately, I just could not get into this dish and was pretty disappointed in my selection. I had major food envy towards Jeremy.

Brisket Pibil

As a general review, I would definitely recommend this adorable place off the beaten path and tucked away in DUMBO. The service was great and I appreciated the detail and effort that went into each dish. Aside from my entree, everything was really top notch. I would really love to give it another go and try a different entree, and perhaps hit up their cornbread which I really should have went for in the first place. Til next time!

Restaurant Review: El Porron Part II

Since I had such a nice meal at El Porron last time, we decided to go back on a double date. I got to try a few new dishes, and had another really lovely meal that was full of flavor.

Instead of wine, this time we tried a pitcher of white sangria which was sweet and yummy.

First up was the Queso Manchego. A slice of cave-aged Spanish sheep's milk cheese was served on top of a piece of raisin pecan bread with quince paste. The cheese was mellow yet savory, and overall it was a nice light bite to start with.

Queso Manchego

Next, a few things came out together. The Albondigas de Ternera, veal meatballs, were served in a leek, carrot, celery, and tomato stew and topped with slivered almonds. This was one of our favorite dishes of the night. It came with 4, so unfortunately we each only got one of these super tender, delicate, and flavorful balls of goodness. The slivered almonds added a nice salty crunch, making for a good combination that I had never tried before.

Albondigas de Ternera

Since I liked the Pulpo a la Gallega last time, we ordered it again. The boiled octopus was cooked nicely, though I still prefer a good char. The oil and vinegar and seasonings gave the octopus some zest.

Pulpo a la Gallega

The most adventurous dish of the evening was the Mollejas al Espuma de Cava & Ajo, otherwise known as crispy sauteed sweetbreads. It was served in a garlic and cava wine reduction alongside julienne veggies. They were very tender and juicy inside and the outside stayed crispy atop the savory reduction sauce.

Mollejas al Espuma de Cava & Ajo

There was a request for croquettes at the table, so we went with the Croquetas de Pollo. They were crispy on the outside and filled with creamy chicken on the inside. That might not sound the best, but it was actually really good. The tomato dipping sauce was a tasty compliment as well.

Croquetas de Pollo

Last time I thoroughly enjoyed the skirt steak, so this time we went for the Solomillo de Vaca a la Pimienta Verde...or the filet mignon. The meat was high quality and cooked wonderfully and served in a light herbed green peppercorn sauce atop of julienne veggies and homemade french fries.

Solomillo de Vaca a la Pimienta Verde

The final dish was the paella. We tried a different one than last time, the Valenciana. This one had a bit more variety of land and sea ingredients - chicken, veal, Spanish chorizo, monkfish, mussels, squid, clams, scallops, shrimp and veggies. You could tell everything was cooked together and all of the flavors came through beautifully.

Paella Valenciana

I am glad I went back to try a few new things. The menu is huge so it will definitely take a few more trips to really hit everything. We had a really delicious meal and I would recommend going back with 4 people, maybe 6, so you can drink lots of sangria and try as many things as possible!