My First Artist's Date

It was during that freak blizzard last month -- well, one of the freak blizzards -- that I decided to start implementing the Artist's Date into my life. I took the day off work to do a daylong creative writing class, and a few tricks to creativity was taken straight from Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way. The idea of the Artist's Date is to go somewhere by yourself to take in the experience through your own personal filter. None of this experience can be influenced by your friends' opinions or undermined by conversation. That afternoon, in an old Chelsea building with a winter scene out the window, I made a promise to myself to go out to eat alone, fixate on flavors, and try not to be self conscious about my lonesome status.

My first Artist's Date happened to take place in Philadelphia, at a cute tapas-style spot by Rittenhouse Square called a.kitchen. As a one-time resident of Philly about ten years ago (yikes), it was the perfect spot to spend time time in an old familiar place, viewing it through my adult-ish eyes. Ten years ago I was happy to escape campus for dinner at Johnny Rockets on South Street. This time I was set on finding a place conducive to solo dining.

a.kitchen was a great choice. I got to sit at the bar overlooking the kitchen, away from the crowded bar with the Center City drinkers. The dishes were small, so I had the opportunity to try a few things. And since i was already going to be judged for sitting alone, and drinking wine alone, being judged for overindulging seemed like an afterthought.

I started with the scallops with butternut squash and apple cider. This was the start of a trend I noticed -- the persistent mix of sweet ingredients in savory dishes. Plus, beautiful plating. Scallops are a favorite of mine, and its fun to order them in creative places. They're such versatile little creatures.

 
It was probably around this time that the chef noticed my enthusiasm and sent over this pork dish with lentils. It was not on the menu. It had some kind of maple flavors and two beautiful sauces. After I gestured that I was grateful and very much enjoying the dish, he came by and started chatting with me about how they bought this pig from New Jersey and how they found it and what they were planning to do with it. It felt a little bit like I was in a scene from Portlandia. But I enjoyed the conversation. I didn't let that hamper anything. I didn't judge myself for it. Hey. Artist's Date.

Then the mother of the sweet/salty dishes -- a duck breast on top a freakin' CIDER DONUT. It sounds weird but it worked. It worked really well. I was excited about the generous portion of warm sliced duck breast, with a spiced syrup that brought the meat and pastry together. The chef came over to explain that he wanted to call it Duck 'n' Donut on the menu but was shot down. The name reminded me of Duck Donuts in the Outer Banks. That's when I knew for sure I really liked this place. And I liked the way this guy thinks.

Being done with my Artist's Dinner but feeling ready for my Artist's Dessert, I called over my new friend and asked if I wanted cheese or something sweet. I already had the donut, so did I really need another dessert? I wasn't sure, but I let him talk me into a perfect compromise, the goat cheesecake with Riesling sorbet. It was lighter than I expected. The sorbet melted as the chef and I talked about how Philly has changed in the past ten years and what the food scene is like now.Which places have closed down and which landmarks remain. I was feeling a strange sort of nostalgia. He asked if I'd consider moving back and I said no, I think I want to leave the city just like it is. Special and mostly untouched save for the occasional visit. 

I slipped out and went for a walk. I circled Rittenhouse Square and remembered how I was hellbent on finding an apartment there one day. I went into a Barnes and Noble and checked out the literary magazines I heard about in my creative writing class. I tried not to laugh out loud when I remembered that I applied for a job at the Starbucks upstairs from there. I headed back north and circled the Franklin Museum, the library, a beautiful church, my mind balanced on memories that may have been real or smushed with other memories. Then I checked back into my hotel suite and took in the air on my borrowed balcony.

Best Artist's Date yet.

a.kitchen

135 South 18th Street
Philadelphia, PA

Tasting Menus in Cobblestone Alleys: Cava in Portsmouth

Portsmouth, New Hampshire has always been my favorite place to get away from the city. Every once in awhile we need that fresh snap of chilly air, a beer flight at the brewery, quiet sleepy nights and tugboats on deep blue water to wake up to. We do a little shopping at Market Basket and prep most of our own meals when we can. But Portsmouth has so many great restaurants and it'd be a shame not to make the most of it. Our favorite spot is a little tapas place down a small cobblestone alley. Cava serves up fantastic Spanish dishes and amazingly, it's completely affordable. On our last visit with friends, two of us ordered the $30 chef's tasting menu, which includes four plates, and we got a few other plates to share. Sidenote -- everything on the chef's menu is doubled, since it was intended for two of us to share.

First on the tasting menu was a crudo. I think this was the yellow tail tuna. Fresh and pretty.

There was beef sirloin with brussel sprouts and a little something extra we couldn't be certain about. The texture reminded us of chestnuts, but were they really? They don't look or taste like what we have at Christmas every year, but the waiter assured us that we were actually correct. 

Then a creamy soup, poured tableside.

There was this. I don't remember what it was. Was it the oxtail chorizo meatball? Maybe.

But how could I forget the poutine?

I think this one was an add-on. I can never resist scallops on the menu. Especially when they're sweetened with vanilla. The cauliflower added a salty contrast.

And the staple of tapas, patatas bravas. Comprendas?

The duck breast. Kumquats. Pistachios. This plate's a beauty.

The dessert was fantastic. I believe this was the almond torta with orange, mascarpone and white chocolate.

It has been a year and a half since our last real visit, so everything had that extra special magic feel to it. This meal fit into our weekend perfectly. We vowed that it won't be that long until our next mini road trip to our favorite zen spot. Who wants to come with us next time?

Cava
10 Commercial Alley
Portsmouth, NY

Also -- the chef has a pretty cool blog with the monthly-updated menu. The backlog is my favorite part!

Milk Burger. Milk Shakes.

You know what's pretty awesome? A burger under $10.

You know what's even more awesome? When that same burger comes with bacon, jalapeno relish and melted cheese with a sunnyside up egg that juts out at you like a star. For $7.75. Behold the El Barrio from Milk Burger! It's like Shake Shack without the wait. Only you have to trek up to East Harlem for it.

Fun tip: take the Java shake for the long walk back downtown. Vanilla ice cream spun with Cafe Patron. Makes your afternoon that much better.

Rumor has it they're coming to Williamsburg this summer!

Milk Burger

2051 2nd Ave, NY, NY 10029
Btwn 105th & 106th St
(212) 360-1988

A New Ippudo Favorite

During our obligatory monthly visits to Ippudo in the wintertime, Rob and I give each other those daring looks that say "YOU be the adventurous one." We rarely get the same thing when we dine out so we can try other things, but the Akamaru Modern is the accepted favorite at Ippudo (still as beautiful and bone warming as it was two years ago). That leaves one of us with the obligation to try a different ramen, and then stare longingly at the Akamaru Modern until its offered. Relationships are all about compromise, after all.

At our last visit the other week, I willingly took the risk for one of the specials -- the Kogashi Miso Ramen with a broth made from blackened miso. Pork, cabbage, greens (watercress, maybe?) and oil. Wow. It tasted like magic crack laced with pork. I asked the waiter, what's IN this? Because it can't just be charred miso. I didn't get a straight answer. Or really any answer.

Anyway, I always order with the nitamago added on -- a soft boiled egg that lends extra richness to the already hearty broth. Not a great picture -- I was clearly shaking with anticipation -- but here it is, in all its oily glory.

I think it's still on the menu. I have a feeling neither of us will be ordering the Akamaru next time.

Ippudo NY
65 4th Ave 

Weeknights on Bedford Ave

On the nights during the week where I'm not caught up doing necessities, I have a little ritual with a few key people.

We start at Maison Premier for $1 happy hour oysters. The deal ends at 7pm, so we act quick. Sit at the bar instead of wait for a table, and order a dozen each. Some are briny, some are creamy, some are viscous, some are mild. We've compiled quite the list of favorites and least favorites at this point. Delaware Bay, Chincoteague, East End and Rome Points are agreed-upon favorites. Penn Cove, Sister Point and Fanny Bay are on the do-not-call list. Cuttyhunks go either way.

Now that we're full on oysters but not on actual food, we head across the street to N. 3rd for a taco from the Endless Summer taco truck. I usually stick with a basic pork taco, double wrapped in tortilla and topped with queso fresco, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. We eat it standing or on our way to our next destination.

Which is... the beloved Rosamunde Sausage Grill that we first experienced in San Francisco! Now here in Brooklyn! The first time I went into the new spot right after Hurricane Sandy I stared into the glass display case full of beautifully, fatty encased meats and grinned like a loon. I finally said, "I'm so glad you guys are here!" They must have thought I was special because the response I got was "We're glad you're here, too."

This Rosamunde is even better than San Fran's, because they have a full bar. With growlers! And Dogfish Head! Even picklebacks, if that's your thing. They make their own sodas, too. The cucumber one goes nicely with the spicy sausages.

Ah, the sausages. At this point I've almost tried them all. The duck with figs are my favorite, the lamb with fennel a close second. The beer sausage has those deep spices that remind me of mulled cider on Christmas. The cheddar brat with the oozy center. The positioning of this outpost has been a blessing and a curse.

Then I walk home along the bus route. And since the B62 is definitely cursed, I get a good mile and a half walk home.

It's a pretty awesome ritual.

Maison Premier

298 Bedford Ave (betw. Grand & S. 1st)

Endless Summer Taco Truck

at Bedford & N. 3rd -- USUALLY.

Rosamunde Sausage Grill

285 Bedford Ave ((betw. Grand & S. 1st)

Two Sides to Sushi of Gari's Omakase

Ok, so in short, I don't know what's up with Sushi of Gari. When four of us went for my birthday six months ago and ordered omakase, it was mind-blowing. When four of us went for omakase this past weekend, the only part that was memorable was the check. I can't figure out if it's a seasonal thing, or an off-night thing, or problem with my own too-high expectations. But the more I think about it, the more it really puzzles me.

Sushi of Gari is known for their innovative, decidedly anti-purist approach to sushi. Some signature combinations include common fish with nontraditional toppings, like tuna with a creamy tofu sauce (one of my favorites), red snapper with greens, pine nuts and lotus root (a perfectly respectable sushi blend), and salmon with tomato (not a fan of this one either time I went -- the tomato was too overpowering).  

On my first visit to Sushi of Gari, I didn't bring my camera. I just wanted to experience and enjoy. A wonderful parade of different types of raw fish arrived three at a time until we could stomach no more and had to say please, stop! We had the standard tuna and salmon, but there was also toro, and uni, and foie gras with daikon and balsamic. It was all so rich and decadent and heavenly. The rice was perfect, the fish was flawless, the freshness sang through. The service was wonderful. And it was Saturday night (though I admit, a little early on a Saturday night).

Fast forward to this past Sunday night. We arrive for our reservation on time but our table isn't ready yet. The hostess tells us we'll have to wait. Wait where? She gestures outside. Granted they have one of those winter areas around the door but still! This is a Michelin star rated restaurant, and we're cold and hungry and looking through the glass salivating at everyone's food like hungry orphanage children.

So we finally sit and -- of course -- order omakase for the table. Now when I order omakase and promise we all have no restrictions whatsoever, I expect to see a little bit of flair. A bit of imagination or adventurous sushi. Especially when the waitress asks, are you really okay with everything? Foie gras is okay? Yes, especially foie gras! Okay, and uni? Yes, we LOVE uni! And lobster and eel? Yes, bring all of it!

Friends, we didn't get to see any of these things. No foie, no uni, no lobster, no eel. Now I'd only be kinda peeved about this if she hadn't just spelled out all the things that they offer. But come on!

So not only are we getting a bunch of salmons and tunas and ho hum sushis, but in many cases the pieces we received were seared or cooked in some way. I want sushi, and I want it raw!

For the omakase this go-around we opted for a first course of sashimi. This included seared salmon, yellowtail with minced jalapeno, toro with daikon and ponzu, and an oyster. They were fine, but nothing really mind blowing. I liked the yellowtail best, and had to scrape half the ponzu sauce off the toro so it didn't overpower it too much. I'm not devout sushi purist, but I do need some balance.

Then the sushi. The first course was the aforementioned red snapper with taro, tuna with tofu, seared mackerel with mushrooms and something I don't remember with a plain glaze. Okay, game on. Time to get this omakase going.

Then a seared halibut with a quail egg. Again with the seared fish, but I'm not going to complain too much about this one because I actually really liked it.

Then the final course -- a seared toro, the salmon with tomato, and one or two others. 

 
The end.

I ordered a final round of uni for us all because I felt like I was still hungry and felt like we were just getting started. I had to twist some arms for the uni because everyone was generally unimpressed and ready to be done. We'd spent enough as it was.

The uni add-on arrives and it was okay, but it wasn't the sushi I was expecting, it was a roll. The jarring taste of hard seaweed doesn't set well with the wet, whisperlike uni. We were done.

The check knocked me back pretty hard, and we hadn't even ordered wine, because the list was not only terrible but incredibly overpriced.

I don't know what happened. Everyone says this is the best sushi in the city. Am I just a snob? Was my first experience just a dream? Am I being too hard on them? I don't know. But I do know that I'd head back to Sushi Azabu, Jewel Bako or Kanoyama before I come back to Sushi of Gari. It hurts me to say that, but there's too much out there. 

Maybe Karumazushi next year?


Sushi of Gari

402 E. 78th St

You Want Whoop Crame?

So the response always comes, my sister jokes, when she orders a coffee from the Dunkin' drive-thru. "You want whoop crame?.. Drive up."

She always declines on the whipped cream offer, but I have a stronger affinity for the cloud-like sweet stuff. Especially home whipped, with a little bit of vanilla extract added into the Kitchen Aid. 

But! I'm learning there are more flavors to experiment with, both sweet and salty.

So far my favorite has been the ginger whipped cream, with candied ginger chopped into tiny pieces and mixed in along with the residual sugar. Dollop that puppy on some warm apple pie and it brings on a new flavor dimension. I might add some on the pumpkin bars I made for Thanksgiving, with an awesome buttery hazelnut shortbread base. Check out the recipe here, but be sure to double the ingredients for the shortbread portion of the recipe only. The dough won't stretch enough for a normal 9x13 pan (believe me, I've tried). 

Last night I tried my first savory whipped cream. About a half a cup of heavy cream, two springs of chopped dill, and a generous dash of sea salt. Let it sit in the fridge for an hour or so to merge the flavors, then dollop generously on hot soup. I tried it with a cheesy roasted potato and cauliflower soup -- recipe for both the soup and accompanying whipped cream can be found here.