To Food With Love

I typically like to switch up my cuisines - sushi one night, Mexican the next. But the theme of this weekend was Italian, and I'm not complaining. Maybe I'm biased because of my Italian roots, but I don't think I could ever get sick of Italian food, even after an entire weekend full of it...

It started with dinner at Il Bagatto in the East Village on Friday night. Hidden on 2nd Street between Avenues A & B, Il Bagatto is old school, no frills, authentic Italian food. After the waiter spewed off a looong list of specials (completely by memorization, too!), I decided on two specials: grilled calamari to start and fettuccine with shrimp, grape tomatoes and pesto. Though simple, the calamari was perfectly tender, not rubbery at all, and very light. The pasta was also not too heavy, yet nicely satisfying for a hot summer evening. Afterwards and very apropos, we saw Woody Allen's To Rome With Love, which I highly recommend for anyone who has a love affair for all things European, like me! 

Continuing the trend, Saturday I spent at an Italian cooking class at The Blue Burner in Midtown. Another Groupon purchase and having taken a cookie baking class there a few months ago that was somewhat unfulfilling, I was a little weary for this one. But we were pleasantly surprised, as this class was much more hands-on and involved. During the 3 hour class, we made a white wine risotto, a red wine risotto, pesto, and chicken cacciatore. It was quite the indulgent meal for a Saturday afternoon, but also made for the perfect excuse to take a long nap after. 

To cap it all off, Sunday's excursion was to L & B Spumoni Gardens in the depths of Brooklyn. I've read about Spumoni Gardens on several "best pizza" round-ups from other food blogs, so it was about time I saw what the buzz was all about. And the buzz is 100% deserved. Also a very old school, no frills place, you order your pizza by the slice or pie at a window and then devour it on several red picnic tables out front. (There's also a sit-down restaurant attached to the pizza window). Spumoni's signature is a tomato pie, which has a thick crust, a little bit of cheese and topped with tomato sauce. A departure from your typical New York slice, this was the best Sicilian style pizza I've ever had. And though it's a bit of a trek into Brooklyn, I'm not one to pass on quality food for the sake of time. 

Brunch Bunch

One of my most favorite things about New York City is Sunday brunch. Sure, you can get brunch anywhere in the country, but no where is it quite the same as in New York. New York City brunches are an institution: people wait hours for a table at hot spots (yes, hours. I have spent several hours of my life waiting for a table at brunch), which thrive with people hoping to cure their hangover with massive amounts of food and more alcohol. I also love that brunch menus in New York City are available until 5 or 6 pm at most places. Not that I would go out for brunch this late, but for night owls who party until 5 am, it only makes sense to stroll in at 5 pm on a Sunday.

Last summer in New York, my friend Elana and I made a weekend ritual of trying several brunch spots. Some of my favorites: Clinton Street Baking Company (the BEST pancakes I have EVER had), Sarabeth's (an institution in its own right), and Norma's (brunch for the classier set). We literally waited up to two hours for a table at some of these places. By the time we got a table, we were so hungry that our stomachs felt like they were going to eat themselves, and we quickly felt a warm buzz from drinking our mimosas on such empty tummies. But the painful wait and starvation was always worth it in the end. We stuffed our faces until we were ready to crawl back into bed and sleep through our wonderful food comas.

Now that we are both back in New York, it was about time that we resumed this beloved tradition. This past Sunday, we brunched at the hoppin' Buttermilk Channel in Brooklyn. The buzz about Buttermilk Channel started last summer and its popularity has only grown since. Dana Cowin, the editor of Food & Wine magazine, just listed Buttermilk Channel as one of her recent food expeditions in the September issue. Needless to say, it was an easy decision when searching on our brunch premiere for the season.

One would hope that the buttermilk pancakes at a restaurant with the word "buttermilk" in its name would be spectacular. The pancakes here were so delicious that you will be surprised to learn that the restaurant actually gets its name not from the beloved breakfast dish, but from the nearby tidal strait separating Governor's Island and Brooklyn. Dairy farmers used to cross this strait to sell their milk in Manhattan, hence the Buttermilk Channel, which the restaurant is named after. Body of water or not, Buttermilk Channel--the restaurant--is all about the buttermilk pancakes. These pancakes will leave you swearing off Bisquick for good. So light and fluffy, without being too cakey, Buttermilk's homemade pancakes are better than any pancake that comes out of a box. And the best part? The short stack is only $5, which includes a mimosa, bellini, or sparkling wine. (Although I must admit, Clinton Street Baking Co. still has the best pancakes I've ever tasted).

But Buttermilk Channel doesn't stop at just buttermilk pancakes. Oh no, buttermilk is a star ingredient in other popular dishes, such as buttermilk fried chicken with cheddar waffles and buttermilk biscuits. Fried chicken doesn't sound too appetizing to me for brunch, but the buttermilk biscuits were unbelievable. So insanely buttery and flaky, I would have been satisfied with eating just a basket of these.

Who am I kidding...me, only eating biscuits for a meal? Get real. It wouldn't be brunch without a little protein too...so Elana and I also shared the scrambled eggs with spinach, mushrooms and goat cheese. Like the pancakes, the eggs were perfectly light and fluffy. We both agreed that the goat cheese added a nice tang and elegance, without being too overpowering or heavy. The eggs also came with hash browns, which were more like a thick potato latke. Crispy and moist!

In the end we were extremely satisfied. The food was delicious, the service was friendly, it was a beautiful, warm day outside in New York, and the bill only came to $15!! I'm not sure what I was more thankful for: that the meal was so surprisingly cheap, or the whole concept of New York City brunch itself.

Not in Kansas Anymore: Dinner at Fatty 'Cue

Me in Brooklyn is like Dorothy in the Land of Oz: completely lost and clueless in a foreign land. Navigating Manhattan is a piece of cake, but put me anywhere outside of the grid and I am completely helpless. Last night, my cousin and I were to meet at Fatty 'Cue in Williamsburg for dinner. After getting off the L on Bedford Ave., I walked to 91 N. 6th Street, where I realized the restaurant was on S. 6th Street. So I walked for about 5 minutes in what I thought was the right direction, until I noticed the streets ascended from S. 8th to S. 9th, etc. Again, I turned around and finally headed in the right direction. Driven by my insatiable appetite (and Google Maps on my phone), I arrived at Fatty 'Cue at 8:30 (30 minutes after we planned to meet). But I wasn't the only Dorothy in Oz; my cousin also got lost on her way to the place!

We both revived our spirits and tired feet with one of Fatty 'Cue's signature cocktails. I had The 'Cue: rum, smoked pineapple, citrus, Tabasco and Pernod. Sppiiiccy!! But definitely a fun and different drink. Alyssa, my cousin, had the South 6th: gin, cucumber, Thai basil, ginger ale and lemon. Much more refreshing and cooling than mine.

The place itself definitely fit in with the hipster vibe of Williamsburg. Menus on mini clipboards. Dark lighting. Waiters in plaid flannel and thick-rimmed glasses. Sitting there in my Banana Republic outfit and pearls I realized, I was not in Kansas anymore.

As much as our physical journey to Fatty 'Cue was a trip to unknown lands, so was the food. Offering a menu of American BBQ food with Southeast Asian flavors, the food is definitely funky, new, and like nothing you've ever tasted.

Our waiter informed us that the best way to order was to get several plates to share. So we started with the Smoked Eggplant Nam Prik: an eggplant dip that came with scallions, bok choy, pork rinds, and green mango to dip. The dip itself had a great smokey flavor. The pork rinds were extremely salty, but good with the eggplant.

Next came the cucumbers with smoked chili, brown rice vinegar and toasted sesame seeds. The cucumbers were a nice break from the bold flavors of our other dishes, but did seem a little plain in comparison. Our bowl of noodles in a meat broth with chili and scallions was excellent. The noodles had a great, springy texture, and a meaty, smokey flavor from the meat juices.

The star of the meal, and both our favorite dish, was the beef brisket with aioli, chili jam and steamed bao (steamed buns). The bao were like little, fluffy pillows. The brisket was very tender and especially tasty sandwiched in the bao with aioli.

Our dessert was much more traditional and familiar: s'mores pie. A graham cracker crust with fudgy chocolate and toasted marshmallow. Yummmyyy! Not sure that s'mores pie fits in with the whole Southeast Asian flavor theme, but when it comes to dessert, good ol' American pie is fine with me!

Dinner at Fatty 'Cue was an adventure not only out of the Manhattan bubble, but also a culinary excursion to uncharted territory. The hipster vibe and funky menu may be intimidating at first, but Fatty 'Cue serves up some great food that won't leave you wishing "There's no place like home".

Note: The only picture I took was of my drink for 2 reasons:

1. It was too dark to take a good picture on my phone.

2. I feared the hipsters would have chastised me for taking pictures in the middle of their sacred grounds.

Down Home Eatin'

With cuisines from all over the world on every corner in New York City, the possibilities are endless. Thai, Ethiopian, French, Argentinian. There isn’t a country not represented on the food scene in New York. But with so many international options, it can be easy to forget about good ol’ American cooking. Whatever happened to mom’s homemade mashed potatoes and meatloaf? After a recent dining experience at Peter’s Since 1969 in Brooklyn, I made a nostalgic and delicious journey back to some real, down-home American comfort food.

Located on Bedford Ave. in Brooklyn, Behind the Burner sent me to Peter's to do a "media meal". Media meals are no doubt the coolest and yummiest jobs I've ever been able to do at an internship. Tons of restaurants contact Behind the Burner offering us a free meal if we write something about them on our website. Free PR for them, free food for us. It is an ideal win-win situation. So I was lucky enough not only to get a free dinner, but also to enjoy a wonderful evening at Peter's Since 1969.

The meal started off with a bit of a blip. My friend Elana and I arrived at the restaurant in Brooklyn. I introduced myself as from Behind the Burner, but the Irish girl working behind the counter had no idea what I was talking about. Tara (we became quite friendly with her by the end of the night) called Arnon, the owner, who was at the other location in Manhattan (Peter's just recently opened another restaurant on 9th Ave.). Arnon graciously offered to meet us in Brooklyn and instructed Tara to make us comfortable. While we waited we enjoyed some top-notch sangria and corn muffins. The corn muffins were the real deal--super moist and flaky, with actual corn kernels inside.

Nibbling on our muffins gave us ample time to admire the scene of the restaurant. Set in an old butcher shop, the tiled walls, metal racks, and hardwood floors are all authentic. The enamel door to the once-refrigerator still remains and forms the entrance to the kitchen. At Peter's, guests order from a standard menu (1 main dish and 2 sides), receive their food, and seat themselves. It is very casual, but also very cozy. Red Le Creuset pots warm all of the food, so it feels as if your own mother is dishing out dinner from the stovetop. Beer is served in mason jars, and sangria in copper tin mugs. All these little accents created a unique dining atmosphere. Unlike fast food places with no personality, Peter's manages to serve up great food in a casual yet characteristic way.

Once Arnon arrived, he ordered us a sample of everything on the menu...literally EVERYTHING! So our feast consisted of...

Rotisserie chicken, short ribs, meatloaf, slow cooked pork, kielbasa AND mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, mac and cheese, green beans, collards greens, sauteed okra AND bread. Phew! I wish I brought some stretchy pants to get through this meal! (à la Joey's maternity pants at Thanksgiving in and episode of "Friends")

Each and every food that we tried was so undeniably good that I kept going back and forth between which was my favorite. I would take a bite of the short ribs and think to myself "Mmm, this is it". But then I'd follow that with a bite of meatloaf and was convinced that was my new favorite. Then I'd have some pork or chicken, and the same pattern continued until I'd eaten so much I didn't think I could fit another bite of food into my body.

But this feeling of fullness only lasted until it was time for dessert: chocolate fudge cake, apple pie, and coconut flan. It was much easier to pick a favorite for dessert; and of course that was the chocolate cake. It was very simple, no frosting or anything, just a lone slice of chocolate cake; but it surely did not need anything to add to its decadence. So fudgy and moist, it was almost like a brownie cake.

On my train ride back to Hastings, I had to fight not to pass out in a food coma and miss my stop. So when I finally got home and into bed, I was lulled to sleep by calming thoughts of comfort food, home, and family meals. For me, a successful meal isn't just about taste and flavors; it's about creating a whole experience that can evoke emotions and memories. For me, food isn't just sustenance; food is love. So any meal that makes me feel like I'm home, sharing a meal with loved ones is a sure success. And the authentic atmosphere and comforting food of Peter's Since 1969 managed to do just that.

Photo credits: Bayer Public Relations