Recipe : Lemon Dijon Chicken with Chinese Five Spice

For the next two weeks I am helping out some friends by staying with their two kids while they celebrate their 15 year anniversary in Bali.  In return they are providing a more convenient place for me to stay while my house is in its final stages of construction.  Luckily both the kids eat a lot of different foods and aren't too picky so I've been doing a bit of cooking on their professional range and taking advantage of an extra couple of guinea pigs at my disposal. No complaints thus far I must add.

Tonight I made this recipe which they loved so much that my son asked me to write it down so I don't forget and can make it again.  You see I'm notorious for making up recipes and then never remembering them and he has now figured this out.  The house really did smell amazing and my friends' six year daughter even commented on the smell when she entered the house while the food was cooking.  Every plate was wiped clean at dinner and the boys even took second servings.

I hope you try this. It is quick, easy and delicious.

 

 

Ingredients

2 Lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

2 Tsps Kosher salt
1 Tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp Five Spice powder
¼ Cup Canola or Vegetable oil
4 – 5 cloves garlic – minced
1 medium onion – finely diced
3 carrots – peeled and cut into small dice
3 stalks celery – cut into small dice
2 sprigs fresh Rosemary
Grated zest of one lemon
2 cups chicken broth
Juice of one lemon
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 can (15 oz) chick peas or garbanzos
Salt & pepper to taste
Fresh Italian parsley to garnish (optional)

Recipe

Rinse and thoroughly dry the chicken pieces.  In a bowl combine the salt, pepper and five spice powder.  Season all the chicken pieces on all sides with the spice mix.  Heat a large braising pan on high heat and add the oil.  When the oil is very hot, sear the chicken on both sides until browned (about 2 minutes per side).  Brown the chicken in batches so as not to crowd the chicken keeping pieces in one layer.  Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.  Once all the chicken has been seared, reduce heat to medium high and add the garlic and lemon zest.  Quickly stir and immediately add the mirepoix (onion, celery & carrots) and stir so as not to burn the garlic and zest.  Add the rosemary sprigs and allow the vegetables to become soft while stirring occasionally.  You may add a touch of salt to draw out some of the moisture.  After about 5 – 6 minutes, add the chick peas and heat through about 2 minutes.  Add the chicken broth and lemon juice and Dijon mustard and stir well.  Now add back the chicken pieces making sure they are mostly submerged in the liquid and bring back to a boil.  Cover and cook on simmer for 20 – 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked and tender.  Season as needed. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve over steamed rice. 

Summer in the City : Part 3 : Portland Maine

With my home under construction this summer, I have not been able to travel as much as I’d like.  Last week I had to pick up my son from camp in Portland Maine and decided to take advantage of the opportunity to rent an apartment for the week prior, and work from a different city instead of my mother’s kitchen table which has been my temporary office for the past few months.  There are advantages and disadvantages to working from home.  Being able to move my office to varied locations is certainly a wonderful perk. 

I started early from home and was prepared for my six hour drive.  Unfortunately I didn’t realize the extent of the traffic from Connecticut to Maine which is only exacerbated on the first day of August as it is the day that the monthly rentals turnover.  By 3pm I had barely crawled into New Hampshire with only one quick bathroom break and a growling stomach.  As I came upon the exit for Portsmouth, NH I saw the completely stopped traffic heading to the Maine border and decided I’d had enough.  I took the exit and went on a mission to find some food.  I wanted to sit outside since it was a beautiful day and wound up at Martingale Wharf on Bow Street.  Though they didn’t have any seating available outside, their bar was open to the outside and looked like a good place to hang my hat while the traffic subsided.  I ordered a salad with grilled chicken and a light beer and hung out for an hour or two chatting with some other tourists and the bartenders.  After walking around a bit, I grabbed a coffee to go and hit the road.  Traffic gone by now, I arrived in Portland within two hours.

My apartment was quite nice but was a third floor walkup so by the time I had unloaded my car, I had gotten enough exercise to make up for the car sitting I had done all day.  After getting myself organized and unpacked, I headed to Trader Joe’s and Hannaford’s to pick up some necessities including a frozen pack of Chicken Tikka Masala (how great is Trader Joe’s?) for dinner that evening.  I was too tired to go hunt down a restaurant. 

It was a wonderful week with near perfect weather.  I spent Sunday biking around Portland with a group to visit five lighthouses, and took Monday off to visit Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park where I hiked the carriage roads.  I walked the Back Cove Trail every morning before starting my work day which is a 3.5 mile walking trail around a beautiful cove.  I walked into the port area every evening either for dinner or just to have a glass of wine if I planned to cook dinner in.  I even managed to catch up to a work colleague from Boston for a business lunch in Kittery, MA with a stop in Kennebunkport on the way back.  Of course the week consisted of some wonderful food and here are some of the culinary & other highlights.

Within Portland

Summer Feet Cycling – 5 Lighthouse Bicycle tour

I found this company on Trip Advisor and booked in advance.  This was such a well-organized and fun way to get to know the city.  The lighthouses were very interesting and something that I’m fascinated by as I’m not sure how much longer many will be in existence.  Our guides, Norman and Mike, were friendly & knowledgeable and made the day a lot of fun.  Summer Feet also does tours in Canada and Europe and I would definitely book another bicycle tour with them in the future.

Bite into Maine – Fort Williams Park

One of the stops along the bike tour was Fort Williams Park where we ate our tour provided lunch which was touted to be “the best lobster roll”.  I can’t say that I’ve had very many to compare.  In fact I’ve only had one other lobster roll in Boston and I didn’t like it.  I’m not really a fan of lobster anyway, but the roll in Boston had way too much mayonnaise and not much flavor.  But I didn’t want to leave Maine without giving this local staple another chance.  I chose the Picnic Roll which was a butter-toasted frankfurter roll, spread with a bit of cole slaw at the bottom and then piled high with fresh steamed lobster.  A drizzle of melted butter topped the whole mound.  All I can say is that this was the best lobster roll I’ve ever had – the lobster was sweet and perfectly cooked, the cole slaw added a nice crunch, the roll itself was buttery and crispy and how could you possibly go wrong with melted butter?  I didn’t dare try another that week and so it will hold the status as “the best” for me.  They also have options with mayo or wasabi mayo or just butter.  The line of people waiting to get one is likely a good indication of its ranking in the lobster roll wars.

Standard Baking Company – Commercial Street

All I have to say is awesome Molasses cookies!!  The bike tour served them for our dessert after the lobster roll and I loved them so much that I went and bought more to take home.  I rarely eat cookies but these are soft and chewy and spicy and perfect with an afternoon cup of tea.  The Bakery also has amazing breads, tarts and croissants which my son had later in the week after I picked him up.

Vena’s Fizz House – Soda shop with Mocktails & Cocktails – Fore Street

I spent a few hours one afternoon working from here as they had wifi available for me.  What was great was that I could drink non-alcoholic beverages and eat some small bites while I was working and then switch to the most special gin & tonic I’ve ever had after 6pm.  While I sat I chatted with other visitors and tourists which is always a lot of fun and a great learning experience.  I also had some great conversations with Steven, who co-owns and operates Vena’s with his wife.  A former school teacher who was a victim of budget cuts, he now specializes in mixing cocktails and mocktails using the 150+ types of bitters, shrubs and syrups he stocks and sells from the front store.  The mocktail I had was called a Kundalini-tini made with Raspberry shrub (normally made with a raspberry syrup but since I wanted something not too sweet, it was switched to a shrub), blood orange, ginger & ghost chili bitter.  It was refreshing and tart with just a hint of heat at the end from the ghost chili.  A shrub, by the way is equal parts vinegar, fruit juice and sugar whereas a syrup would not have vinegar.  To make a gin & tonic, Steven uses Back River Gin from Maine which can only be purchased in that state, elderflower tonic syrup, lavender/hibiscus bitters, lime juice and a bit of seltzer.  This really brings out the true taste of the gin and the tonic rather than the overly sweet taste one gets from commercial tonic waters.  The other flavors only enhance the experience of this wonderful summer cocktail.

Note: If you go across the street to Sweetgrass Distillery, you can do a tasting of Back River Gin along with some other spirits including a fine sipping vermouth which makes a killer martini when combined with the gin.  The vermouth has just a hint of cardamom flavor which I found very unique. 

 

Emelitsa – Congress St – Upscale Greek Cuisine

I almost did not eat here due to the snubbed service I witnessed (see note at end) when I walked in to make my reservation.  I’m glad I opted to overlook the typical New England aloofness from wait staff and enjoyed a really delicious meal here.  I ordered their lamb sliders, some whipped goat cheese with grilled pita and an asparagus salad.  To accompany I had a crisp glass of Moschofilero. I’ve had a few friends traveling to Greece this summer and seeing their photos on Facebook had me reminiscing of my own travels there, but mostly just craving the amazing food of the Greek Isles.  This restaurant came as close as it could to transport me for a few hours.  The actual service was a bit better and the owner, who stopped by all the tables, is very friendly.  He even thought I was Greek.

MJ’s Wine Bar – Free Street

This is a great place to go hang out after work for happy hour or even later in the evening to just relax.  They have a nice selection of wines by the glass along with cheese plates and other small bites.  Many evenings they have live music and host wine tastings.  It’s clearly a friendly neighborhood wine bar as I noticed many of the patrons appeared to know each other and the owner.  This was the only place in Portland I went to more than once….but then again it IS a wine bar.

 

Sebago Brewery & Pub - Fore Street 

We stopped here for an afternoon snack and drinks because we had just walked out of Central Provisions where the service was non-existent and we were left waiting for over 15 minutes with no attention, menus or even a smile.  I wanted to sit outside and have someone friendly take care of me for a change and Sebago was just the right place.  Our server was great and very personable.  I ordered a flight of four beers to try while my son had an Arnold Palmer which has now become his drink of choice.  We also ordered beer battered halibut bites and a lobster & brie flatbread.  I wasn’t so sure about the flatbread but it was quite good.  We had the energy we needed to go explore more of the city for the rest of the day.

Timber Steakhouse – Exchange Street

My son’s camp had him biking from Boston to Bar Harbor in a period of three weeks.  He carried all his own gear, shopped & cooked for his own food and camped at campsites each night.  With no refrigeration options, the food was limited and for someone with a palate like my son’s I’m amazed he survived.  When I asked what he wanted to eat for dinner the day I picked him up, his first response was “Indian food” but knowing that wasn’t going to be very possible till we went home, he immediately said “steak”.  Our waiter at the Sebago Brewery Pub recommended Timber to us.  While not inexpensive, the food and service here are very good.  I had a steak tip salad while my son had the full plate of steak tips with the works and dove right in when the plate arrived.  He actually wanted a filet but it was quite a large portion at 10oz. and so the tips were a good compromise.

Outside Portland

Jack Russell’s Steakhouse – Bar Harbor

This is a nice little local, off the main drag, restaurant that I walked to from my hotel.  Most notable items I had were the hand cut fries (and I rarely eat fries much less finish them) and the excellent Manhattan that Michelle behind the bar made for me.

Robert’s Maine Grill & Bob’s Clam Hut – Kittery ME

Robert’s Maine Grill isn’t anything special and the mussels I ordered came half inedible as they had not opened but they do have a nice deck upstairs and when the weather is nice and you have good company, it’s ok to overlook the food once in a while.  My colleague’s lobster roll was apparently quite good.  If you like fried clams, go to Bob’s clam hut.  They are perfectly cooked, crispy and not greasy with lots of flavor.  I stopped there before I left Kittery (still hungry after only eating half my mussels) and got a small order upon the recommendation of a contributor on a food group I belong to on Facebook.  Thanks Rajeev!!

Rococo Artisan Ice Cream – Kennebunkport ME

Much like lobster and cookies, I don’t eat a lot of ice cream.  Let’s face it, the older you get, these foods go directly to the gut and so I’m careful and only indulge when it’s truly worth it.  This ice cream was truly worth it and I made it a point to do a second lap of the Back Cove Trail that evening to burn it off. I tasted all of their interesting and unique flavors and settled on half guava and half avocado/cayenne on a sugar cone.  I can’t eat ice cream in a cup.  There’s something about the messiness of it dripping down my hand in the hot sun that just signifies summer for me.  I ate this so fast that there were no drips and no time for photos.  I didn’t care for the touristy town of Kennebunkport but a detour to Rococo is definitely worth it if you are in this area.

Some restaurants I wanted to try in Portland but didn’t get to:  Boda Thai, Fore Street, Back Bay Grill, Duckfat, Ono and Little Tap House.

One note on restaurant service in Maine that I posted on Facebook is that it is generally aloof and cold.  There are some places like Vena’s, Timber and Sebago that are exceptions but for the most part I found that I needed to practically beg to be noticed.  No one smiles when you walk in, if you sit at the bar  you have to send up smoke signals to get the attention of the bartender and some places like Central Provisions are just plain rude.  They act as if they’re doing you a favor by providing what little attention they muster up.  The hostess at Emelitsa’s rudely turned away an older couple at 5pm telling them that they were booked for the evening despite many open tables.  She also told them that they didn’t serve food at the bar though when I returned for my dinner later that evening, the bar was packed with diners.  All I can say is this may be the way in New England but in comparing to the Portland on the west coast, which I frequent, I’d rather have a smile and good service any day of the week.  It was the single thing that put a slight damper on the whole week, but I still made sure I had a good time.  It was too beautiful not to.

I cooked two meals while I was in Portland – a fusion fried rice with chicken and vegetables and a lobster and preserved lemon fettucine for lunch the day I picked up my son.  I had carried the preserved lemon with me from a jar I recently made.  I will post these recipes for you in the coming days as both were delicious if I do say so myself.

I would really enjoy going back and spending more time in Bar Harbor and do more hiking at Acadia National Park.  

Summer in the City - Part 2 : Lancaster PA

I originally planned this series to reflect only New York City but have since changed my mind after realizing that I would be traveling to quite a few surrounding cities this summer also.  

This weekend we traveled to visit friends in Lancaster, PA.  The trip had been planned for a while and had a twofold purpose – take my son to visit Gettysburg National Park and hold an Indian food cooking lesson for my friend, H, who is a huge foodie.  Since this is a food blog, I will focus on the latter rather than provide any history lessons.

The planning started with a trip to an Indian Grocery store in Edison, NJ (I went to Patel Bros) to buy packets of all the common spices and ingredients that we would need not only for the dinner, but also for my friend’s pantry since they’re not readily available to them.  I also prepped and marinated cubes of beef round to make a vindaloo.  I opted for beef since they preferred not to have lamb which would be the normal choice of meat.  I sent my friend a list of things to get that wouldn’t travel well and we were set with a menu:

Appetizer : Maharastrian style spicy Shrimp with Puff Parathas & Papadum

Dinner : Beef Vindaloo, Sauteed Ivy Gourd (aka Tindora or Tondlee), Cucumber Raita & Basmati Rice

Dessert : Gulab Jamun (cheated on these and bought canned)

Ivy Gourd, Beef Vindaloo & Basmati Rice

We got a later than anticipated start on Friday afternoon and spent some time in traffic before arriving in Lancaster three plus hours later.  It was late but since all were in agreement we proceeded with the cooking lesson.  It was so much fun as I unpacked all the spices and explained their use over a glass of Lillium Pinot Noir.  I got started on the papadum to quiet the hungry stomachs and then continued on with the remainder of the meal.  When finished we had a delicious dinner and a lot of laughs.

The Star of the Show

Lancaster Central Market

We awoke early on Saturday and made a trip to the Lancaster Central Market which is the oldest and longest running market in the U.S.  I loved walking through the aisles drooling over all the local produce and other foods.  We made a few purchases and walked around the downtown area for a bit before returning to watch the Wimbledon match.  The remainder of the day was spent at Gettysburg National Park with my son which was a very interesting and moving experience.  If you haven’t been there recently, I highly recommend it.

Slabs of bacon at Central Market

When we returned, my friends had prepared for us a wonderful dinner of grilled bone-in pork chops (bought at the market earlier) simply seasoned with salt, pepper & Italian seasoning, asparagus sautéed with garlic, lemon zest & parmesan cheese. My student had also decided to attempt to make the shrimp appetizer learned from the evening prior which turned out equally delicious. She even elevated it a bit by using cookie cutters to make smaller parathas and placed one shrimp with a bit of sauce on each.  Tired after a long day, we all turned in early with satisfied stomachs.

It had been a memorable weekend of wonderful food shared with friends.  After another Wimbledon match on Sunday, we said our goodbyes and headed to Frenchtown, NJ for a bike ride along the Delaware-Raritan Canal Towpath to burn off some of the calories.

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Here are some of the recipes we made:

Maharashtrian Style Spicy Shrimp

Ingredients:

1 lb extra large shrimp – peeled and deveined

¼ tsp turmeric

¼ tsp red chili powder

2 cloves garlic – finely chopped

½ tsp salt

½ tsp fresh ground black pepper

¼ cup tamarind pulp (see below)

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

5 or 6 kefir lime (curry) leaves – cut into strips

1 medium onion – finely chopped

½ cup diced tomatoes (recommend grape tomatoes if you can’t find ripe Romas)

Small bunch cilantro - chopped

Recipe:

Place shrimp in a non-reactive bowl (stainless or glass).  Add turmeric, chili powder, garlic, salt & black pepper and mix to coat evenly with all the spices.  Allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Heat a skillet or fry pan over medium high heat.  While pan is heating, add 1 Tbsp of the tamarind pulp to the shrimp and stir to coat.  Once pan is hot, add the olive oil and allow to heat for a few seconds.  Once hot, use tongs to add shrimp to the pan one at a time.  Sear on each side for no more than 20 seconds, remove onto a plate and set aside.  Do this in batches if cooking more than 1 lb of shrimp so that each one touches the pan bottom.

Keeping the pan on the heat, add the canola oil and the mustard seeds.  Once the mustard seeds start to sizzle and pop, add the kefir lime leaves and quickly step back as they will splatter.  When they stop splattering, add the onion and stir fry for 1 – 2 minutes until it is soft and translucent.  Add the tomatoes and stir for another 30 seconds.  Add the remaining tamarind pulp and stir.  If the result appears too dry, you can add a bit of water one Tbsp at a time to get to a thick gravy consistency.  Reduce heat to a simmer and add the shrimp.  Cook for another 1 – 2 minutes until shrimp are cooked through.  Do not overcook as shrimp will get tough.  Garnish with cilantro.

Serve with parathas, French bread or nothing at all. We served ours with Puff Parathas that were frozen and cooked over skillet.  The brand I buy is Mirch Masala.  You can also serve this as a main course over rice.

Note: For added heat to this dish, you may add 1 or 2 finely chopped Thai green chilies with the kefir lime leaves.

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Tamarind Pulp – Dried tamarind can be bought in blocks about the size of a deck of cards.  For this recipe, I took a quarter of the block and put in a bowl of boiling hot water and let it sit for 30 – 45 minutes until very soft.  Then I passed it through a sieve/strainer to remove all the pod solids with the paste as an end result.  Leftovers can be used to marinate other meats or fish before grilling.  Tamarind is high in acid and a great tenderizer.  It flavors seafood like nothing else adding a sweet & sour punch.

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Basic Cucumber Raita

Ingredients:

1 large English cucumber – grated (I don’t peel mine)

1 garlic clove – mashed into a paste

1 Tsp salt

Pinch of sugar

½ tsp ground black pepper

¼ tsp cumin powder

¼ tsp coriander powder

1 Cup yogurt – if using Greek yogurt, you may need to thin it out with water

7 – 8 sprigs cilantro finely chopped

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and chill until ready to serve. Adjust seasoning to taste.

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Beef Vindaloo

This recipe is similar to my CKP Style Lamb recipe which has been previously posted.  The only thing different is the marinade for the beef.  For 2.5 pounds of beef round cubes, I used the following proportions for the marinade:

3 Tbsp white vinegar

2 Tbsp red wine (use any leftover drinking quality wine)

1 tsp red chili powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 tsp Sriracha sauce

Combine everything in a large Ziploc bag, seal and mix to coat beef thoroughly.  The rest of the recipe is the same as the lamb recipe including the garam masala which I made fresh. 

Recipe : Mango Cole Slaw

I came up with this recipe about seven years ago when I hosted a BBQ at my house for 80 people.  It was a hot day and I needed to make sides that would hold up without spoiling in the heat over a period of five or six hours.  I really enjoy cole slaw with BBQ but it's often too gloppy and is most certainly not heat friendly when made with mayonnaise.  A good cole slaw must be crisp, fresh and dressed just right, but does not necessarily need mayonnaise.   And so I remembered an Indian cabbage salad (koshimbir) that my mom sometimes makes and decided to use that as my base.  The result was a big hit and I've made it for many summer parties since then to equally rave reviews.  

Last night I was pressed for time and was asked to bring a side to a BBQ and made it again. This time I decided to finally write down and publish the recipe since several at the table asked me for it.

Ingredients:

1 head Cabbage
1/4 head Purple Cabbage
2 Carrots thickly grated
1 large Mango - peeled, cored and cut into small dice
1/4 cup Champage wine vinegar (sometimes I will use Verjus instead)
2 Tbsp Lime juice
1/2 Tsp Sugar
1 Tsp Sea salt (or to taste)
Freshly ground Black Pepper
1/4 Cup Extra virgin olive oil
1 Tsp Cumin seeds
1 Tsp Black Mustard seeds
1 Thai green chili - finely chopped
15 - 20 Kefir Lime leaves or Curry leave (if leaves are large, chiffonade them)
1/4 Cup Cilantro - chopped

Recipe:

Remove outer leaves of cabbage and cut into quarters with core at the base. Remove the core from each piece and halve each again vertically.  Thinly slice each piece with a sharp knife into a fine shred.  Repeat with purple cabbage.  You may do this in the food processor but I often find that the shred is too fine resulting in a mushy rather than crisply slaw.  If you're really pressed for time, many markets sell a bagged cole slaw mix.  It's not quite as fresh but will do in a pinch.  Combine shredded cabbage into a collander and thorough rince under cold water and leave aside to drain while grating carrots.  In a large bowl combine green and red cabbage & carrots.  Add the Champagne wine vinegar, lime, sugar, sea salt & pepper and mix thoroughly (generally easier with your hands).  Place a small skillet over medium high heat and add olive oil, cumin seeds and mustard seeds.  When the seeds start to sizzle & pop, add the chillies.  Once the chillies stop sizzling (about 10 seconds), add the kefir lime leaves all at once and quickly and immediately step back as they will pop & splatter vehemently for about a second.  Once the popping stops, pour the hot oil over the cabbage mixture and mix thoroughly (if using hands, be careful of the pockets of hot oil).  Add mango & cilantro and mix again.  Allow to sit at room temperature for an hour mixing occasionally until the cabbage has "cooked" in the marinade.  

Serve chilled or at room temperature.  Enjoy!!

Note : You can add more heat to this by using one more Thai chili or reduce the heat by using a seeded serrano or jalapeno.  For anyone who may want to eliminate the salt, I do recommend adding at least some.  Not only to bring out the flavor but also because it helps to cure and cook the cabbage along with the acids.  Kefir Lime leaves or Curry leaves as they are often called can be found at most Indian markets.  There really is no substitute for these in this dish.  You can try adding lime zest but the taste will not be the same.  Some day I'll have to blog about the word "Curry" which is so misunderstood, misused and completely butchered by most, including prominent chefs.  

Summer in the City - Part 1 - New York, NY

I have recently embarked on a project that is very exciting and daunting at the same time.  It is, perhaps, my biggest undertaking ever – ok maybe having a child was a bit bigger. For the past several years I have been planning to finally put in the kitchen of my dreams in my house.  What started out as just a kitchen renovation, quickly turned into something that involved excavation and gutting most of my home which meant that I had to dial down some of my kitchen dreams to shift the budget to other necessities like bathrooms. I moved out of my home several weeks ago and construction began two weeks ago.

My old kitchen

How it looks today

Given the extent (and expense) of this project, there are no major travel plans in my immediate future and most certainly not for this summer.  So I’ve decided to take the time to go on some adventures in and around New York City and take you along with me. The plan is to try and find some new things to do that I have not done before.  The City is always changing with new neighborhoods, restaurants and things to do cropping up all the time and so I thought it would be fun to do a little exploring.

Despite the gloomy weather yesterday, my son and I decided to head to NYC right after his morning tennis lesson.  We headed in just around lunch time and took the PATH train from Jersey City to Christopher Street.  We walked up Hudson St trying to decide where to eat.  There are many well known restaurants in that area like The Spotted Pig or Barbutos, but I like to go to some of the more neighborhood type places instead of what’s rated on Zagat as many of the popular places tend to also be touristy.

Merguez with Hummus & Salad

Our walk led us to Meme (pronounced May May), a small Mediterranean restaurant with outdoor seating on Hudson Street just north of 11^th.  The menu had brunch items like Shakshuka, Melawach along with some small plates and salads also.  Everything looked and sounded delicious and we had some trouble deciding.  My son opted for the spiced lamb burger and I ordered the merguez which came with hummus and a salad.  The lamb burger was flavorful & juicy and served on a firm baguette instead of roll.  It came with grilled onions & tomato, a small side salad & fries and was topped with feta cheese.  My son said it was so good that he didn’t even need to add ketchup.  My merguez was equally delicious with great flavor and just the right amount of heat.  With the crisp salad, dressed only with lemon juice, and the smooth hummus, it more than satisfied my hungry stomach.

Lamb Burger w/ Fries

With our stomachs full and the sky starting to throw down a little drizzle, we started walking towards our one planned destination for the day – The Whitney Museum of American Art.  The Whitney, as it’s often called, has recently moved back downtown to the Meatpacking district on Gansevoort St.  The building, designed by Renzo Piano, is quite interesting and certainly depicts the theme of this museum which is contemporary art.  I had acquired passes for us in advance which allowed us to skip the rather long line in front to get tickets.  Honestly, I’m not sure I would have bothered otherwise. 

Outdoor Space at The Whitney

We perused through all the floors of art work, each devoted to different periods throughout the twentienth century.  I can’t say I understood or appreciated much of it, but we certainly found it entertaining.  Like the artist who had cut a square of old wallpaper and framed it to look nice, or another who had stuck a whole bunch of “VIA AIR MAIL” stickers on a canvas board.  I’m not sure how either is art but hey I subscribe more to the notion of “Art for art’s sake” than “Art is in the eye of the beholder”.  Maybe I just don’t get it.  Either way, we enjoyed the outdoor sculptures and making up stories about them, and taking photos from the outdoor areas on the upper floors which has some great vistas around NYC.

A View of the High Line from The Whitney

After the museum, my son devoured a crepe with Nutella & bananas from a street cart before we headed off to walk on the High Line for a little bit in the still drizzly weather.  How that kid can eat so much and yet remain so thin is a mystery to me.  From the High Line we made our way to Chelsea Market on 9^th Ave to see what we could scramble up for dinner.  The market has gotten far too popular now and I’m not sure I like it as a tourist attraction.  There are great food options and one can find some wonderful fish and meat there, but the prices now reflect the tourist trap feel and the crowds are unmanageble and off putting.

The sky threatened stronger storms and so we decided to make our way back to the PATH station and head home to hunker down in our temporary home with some bread, cheese and a movie.  But not before stopping at Eleni’s for some Butterscotch Cookies – my child was hungry again!!

Restaurant Review : Pier 701 Restaurant & Bar

Does a beautiful view and outdoor seating make up for mediocre food?  I say not.  Recently I was meeting friends from out of town for dinner and Piermont NY was a good central location since we were each in three different directions.  I've been to a few restaurants in Piermont which I liked, but chose to try a new one as I thought it would be nice to give the out of towners a view of the Hudson and the Tappan Zee Bridge.  With this in mind I made a reservation at Pier 701.  I was feeling optimistic for a nice day so we could sit outside, but unfortunately it was not to be.  We had a long, cold winter and spring seems to want to linger on this year.  And so we were seated indoor which was fine.

We ordered our drinks and a bowl of mussels arrabiatta to start.  The cocktails were good except that the bartender felt it was ok to substitute a wedge of lemon for lime in my friend’s drink and couldn’t understand why it made a difference.  Really?  She changed it upon our insistence.  We were all quite hungry after a long day of work, and so when our mussels arrived, we dug in.  The mussels themselves were just ok and quite small with too many shells empty, but the arrabiatta sauce was delicious with just the right amount of heat.  We would have been happy with a bowl of sauce and bread and would rather have skipped the mussels. If I were the chef, I would take the mussels off the menu rather than serve sub-par quality ones to my guests.

For our meal, we all ordered the special entrée which was a fillet of sea bream described as served on a bed of coconut jasmine rice with a curried carrot puree and spring vegetables.  When I order the special in a restaurant, I expect it to be a standout dish.  After all, the chef has decided to present it more prominently than the usual menu which implies that this is something that he/she paid extra attention to developing for that evening.  I couldn’t have been more disappointed.  The puree was more like a soup and essentially covered everything in the bowl including half of the fish.  The taste of curry powder overpowered the “soup” and essentially everything else in the bowl, the rice was buried underneath and the vegetables had gone to mush.  The fish itself was good and fresh but under-seasoned.

Overall, we had a good time, but mostly just because we were in good company. While the food wasn’t awful, it certainly wasn’t something I would go back for.  But it got me wondering if I would have noticed the flaws in the food had it been a beautiful day and we’d been seated outside with a view of the Hudson.  I’m really not sure of the answer to that. So many factors play into a successful dining experience, but for me food is the one that is most important.  I’ll have to think about this some more the next time I go to a restaurant with a great ambiance and see if I can evaluate the food independently.

Dim Sum, Pizza & a Party Cure the Winter Blues

If you live in the Northeast, you know how difficult this winter has been.  Last winter was pretty cold and snowy too so I think having two in a row has proved particularly trying for us.  For me, working from home adds to the doldrums that have set in.  But I am not one to complain (usually) and generally try to find something positive. 

I have been religious about going to the gym every morning because it gets me out of the house at least once.  I have been getting together with friends whenever possible, skiing whenever feasible, and making weekend plans to avoid being cooped up in the house too much.  It’s really not that hard with all the friends and family I have nearby.  This past weekend I made plans with some friends from Lancaster, PA to take a Dim Sum cooking class in Brooklyn and then just spend the day in the city doing whatever came to mind.  I also had a party in the evening that I was invited to and so planned to stay overnight for ease.

I started my day on an early morning train into Penn Station and the train ride alone invigorated me despite the cold temperature outside.  I switched to the subway and took the E train to my hotel to check in and collect my friends.  After a quick breakfast, we headed to the Brooklyn Brainery in Prospect Heights for our Dim Sum class.  It’s located in a neat little neighborhood of Brooklyn near Grand Army Plaza among old brownstones and local businesses.  

The Brainery is a store front that looks like a classroom inside with tables and chairs and a kitchen at the back.  There were about 15 students on this particular morning and our instructor was Diana Kuan, author of “The Chinese Takeout Cookbook”.  We learned much and had fun making Steamed Pork Buns filled with rich roasted pork belly, Shumai filled with ground port and shrimp, and Chinese Broccoli in Oyster Sauce.  We learned about the different sauces and ingredients used in Chinese cooking as well as when to use each one.  I finally know the difference between regular and dark soy sauce.  The best part of course, was that we got to eat what we cooked and it was delicious.

My first Shumai

Our group's Shumai in the Steamer

Chinese Broccoli w/ Oyster Sauce

Pork Buns ready to steam

After class was over, I had planned to get together with friends who live in the area.  If you’re a regular reader, you know that I know people everywhere I go.  So we walked across the farmer’s market in Grand Army Plaza and made our way to their house.  The next two hours were spent sharing stories over some awesome cheese and a great bottle of Burgundy at the kitchen counter, at which point we decided it was time for some pizza and so we all headed off to Franny’s on Flatbush Ave.

Pork Cheek & Beef Tongue on Toast

Franny’s makes the kind of pizza you find in Italy; not the greasy, cheesy, thick crust pies you find on every street corner in New York City (my friend D calls those NY pizza).  Luckily real pizza can be found in more places today than ever before at restaurants like Roberta’s, Pizza Fresca, Motorino, and others, but Franny’s is one of my favorites.  We ordered a bottle of Conti, two pizzas, some salumi and a pork cheek & beef tongue terrine as suggested by D.  Everything was delicious but that terrine, which was served warm, was exceptionally good and if you ever find yourself at Franny’s it is a must order.  We ended our meal with a single cannoli because they looked too good not to at least try one and it did not disappoint. Our stomachs filled and satisfied, we headed back towards our hotel in Manhattan.

Holy Cannoli

We ended the evening at a friend’s 40^th birthday party in the presidential suite of a hotel in the Meatpacking District.  Initially intending to only stop in for a little bit, we ended up having a lot of fun and staying till our feet got tired.

Presidential Suite at Dream Downtown

On my train ride home the next morning, I felt a twinge of guilt for shirking my responsibilities at home, but it was gone as quickly as it came because I knew I had made the right decision to escape for just one day to go out and have a little fun during this long winter season.  It would carry me till the thawing of Spring.