Just Another Tuesday Night

It was a random Tuesday night and Mr. Broad was out of town and I was working late. A coworker who I am going to refer to Nikki was in town and we decided to do dinner.

Let's go somewhere fun! New Yorkian! Cool! Good food! oh and Fun!

It was Tuesday night so we went a walkin'. Because it was a Tuesday night afterall we could eat wherever! Right? WRONG. Oh I love New York....

Up first, DBGB. Time: 8:30pm

Me: Hello-- Table for 2?

Hostess: Okay, what's your name? We have an hour and 45 minute wait.

me: [maintaining uber coolness and hipness as if this was expected]: Thank you, can you write our name down?

We strut away in shock.

Next: Balthazar. Time: 8:45pm

Me: Hello, Table for 2?

Hostess: Alright we're looking at about an hour wait. Would you like to stay?

Me: [checking out the patrons to see if they are famous] thank you can you write our name down?

We walk away defeated (on both the restaurant and celeb spotting). on a TUESDAY NIGHT.

It was almost time to resort to Gray's Papaya (hot dogs) when Nikki comes up with a novel idea.

Seriously this was getting intense. And stressful.

Mercer Kitchen

99 Prince Street

Time: 8:50pm

Table for 2?

hostess: where would you like to sit?

Aah bless you Mercer Kitchen. We sit at their "communal table" right near the kitchen. The kitchen is open and you can see the hustle and beauty of their cooking. Yet at the same time (was it the lighting??) it was incredibly peaceful.

Sweet Pea Soup with Vegetables and Croutons.

Presentation was really pretty here. Ya know when they have the soup portion in a beaker and show you all of the "dry" ingredients in the bowl before it gets swallowed by the soup that they pour on top.

Tomato and Sourdough Bread Soup with Olive Oil (or something like that)

This was one where the description sounds better than it is. It wasn't horrible clearly but it was tomato soup with some chunks of soggy bread in it. Uh, the bread was in the soup. Wouldn't it naturally be soggy?? Yes, yes however I was expecting them to recently add the bread in giving it a bit more taste and texture within the soup. Oh and basil. Lots of basil.

Roast chicken with fresh beans, baby carrots and mashed potatoes.

You know that saying, "You can judge the quality of a restaurant by their roast chicken?" No really I think it's a saying. Anyway, this holds true.

Salmon with corn pudding (and probably another adjective)

I mean, clearly you know why I ordered this one. Hellooo corn pudding. Hello indeed. It was soft, creamy, sweet, creamy, buttery, and did I mention creamy? I would try to get just a side of this. Oh and the salmon wasn't half bad either. A bit undercooked but actually how I prefer it. What can I say, Mr. Broad rubs off on me.

And dessert. Because we had to.

Warm Valrhona Chocolate Cake, Cocoa Bena Brittle, Toffee Crunch Ice Cream

Ain't she a beaut?! We admired it a little before we dug in spoon first. The chocolate cake oozed of undercooked molten goodness. The ice cream had sweet but not overpowering toffee pieces with pieces of toffee underneath. And the brittle. Eh. A little too bitter for my liking but it didn't matter.

Review:

So we may have walked a couple more blocks than necessary. Put our names down on more restaurants to just feel cool. But the end result was wonderful. Perfectly yummy. Jean-Georges is the master behind this greatness and other New York favorites like Perry St and Spice Market and some Vegas classics. Actually after doing some research, he has quite a restaurant empire, and even a blog! Not a cheap meal and likely not typical for a Tuesday. But we're in New York. If we are given hour waits at restaurants. Then by damnit I'm ordering dessert. And on that note. I'm definitely coming back. Maybe on a Friday night. But definitely with a reservation.

Rating: 9

Because it isn't all about the food....