Birthday celebration #2
romaine, walnut bagna cauda
diver scallops, ship kombu, tiger’s milk, cucumber
raw beef, watermelon radish, dashi ponzu
bbq ribs, sweet & sour pork
flat noodle, spicy beef, mint, crispy shallots
Marea
So many years later still a standby and one of my favorite midtown lunch stops. It is a bit scary to think about how much of the fusilli I have eaten in my lifetime!
polipo – grilled octopus, smoked potatoes, pickled red onion, radish, chilies, tonnato
fusilli – durum wheat pasta, red wine braised octopus, bone marrow
sorbet
Momofuku Nishi
If only I could now transport Nishi to my new neighborhood on the west coast. It quickly became one of my favorites in NYC. Service has often been spotty and on this particular visit it took me an entire course to get our server’s attention to order another drink. But the food somehow always trumps the less than perfect service and I continue to return. Plus finding a penicillin on a cocktail list is reason enough to visit.
penicillin
diver scallops – shio kombu, tiger’s milk, cucumber
romaine – walnut bagna cauda
beets & avocado – shiro shoya, quinoa, chia seeds
squash pancake & onion vinegar
roasted pork – brussels sprouts, barley miso
pound cake
If only it was easier to find the Penicillin in bars. It is one of my absolute favorite cocktails and is so hard to find that I have made them at home several times (but once I make a batch of ginger syrup I feel obligated to drink them exclusively). So when there is a Penicillin on the menu the evening is off to a perfect start.
Everything we had I could eat with great regularity. In fact at a subsequent visit it was difficult to force myself to order different things. Looking at these photos I am having cravings for the romaine salad and am going to have to go back asap.
Diver scallops – shio kombu, tiger’s milk, cucumber
Raw beef – watermelon radish, dashi ponzu
Romaine – walnut bagna cauda
Butter noodle – chickpea hozon, black pepper
Fried potato & smoked yolk
Jajangmyeon – pork sausage, chili pan mee, fried egg
Bunt cake
While I agree with many points in the recent Nishi reviews, despite the flaws I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner there and will be back as soon as I land another reservation (although in spring having to wait is much more tolerable). I am still thinking about the Chitarra pasta and that rarely happens to me. I’m looking forward to seeing how this place grows in the next six months as already off to a very good start.
Alsatian – amer, vermouth, cider
Beef Crudo – watermelon radish, dashi ponzu
Romaine & Walnut Bagna Cauda
Chitarra – squid, xo, fresh & fermented chili
pistachio bunt cake