The Birthday Dinner. The Second One

Ya know everyone has a comment on me taking pictures when we go out to dinner... until I actually write it up. And then goes from "Are you going to take a picture of everything" to "When are you putting it up?" Because oh I know, SO many people read this blog wondering whatever did Mrs. Broad eat today!?

Anyway, since the birthday continues onto the actual weekend, I went out to dinner with Mr. Broad, my good friend Talking with Hands, and Brother. We decided on Spice Market- a true New York scene.

Spice Market
403 West 13th Street, at 9th Ave

We walked in and were transported right to southeast Asia- with artifacts everywhere, it felt a bit like Asia more than Thailand did when Mr. Broad and I went. Honestly though, anything that has actual napkins on the table is not Southeast Asia (they really do portion out their paper products/napkins slowly). After studying the menu the Tasting menu caught our eye. 10 items for $48 PER PERSON. Many of the dishes they served were for sharing
And it included several of the items we were eyeing off the regular menu. We were game.
Because it's been awhile, you're going to have to deal with me trying to remember what each item was. But you'll get the idea.

Salmon Sashimi and some other stuff. Very good. Served on ice gave it that fresh feeling. But not that Top Chef reminiscent of frozen fish feeling. (Stefan- I'm looking at you!)

Avocado and Radish Salad Chinese Mustard, Tempura Onions- and I don't even LIKE mustard. Who knew.

Beef Satay, Pickled Vegetables- cause what's an Asian dish without a little satay. A bit predictable if I do say so myself.

Spiced Chicken Samosas Cilantro Yogurt- the dish my brother was waiting for didn't disappoint.

Char Grilled Chicken Kumquat Lemongrass Dressing- Okay. Kumquats may be replacing my love for the Brussel Sprouts. Well not yet, but good to make sure I'm mixing up the rotation a bit more. Plus they are fun to say. And provide the pretty color that your plate needs. (Thanks Trainer Bob from Biggest Loser!)

Steamed Red Snapper, Shiitake Mushrooms, Ginger, Scallion and Tarragon. I almost didn't go with the tasting menu because of this dish. I don't do the fungi. Luckily below is a picture of my "naked" fish without the shrooms. I think it was okay? Maybe if you liked shrooms and had the full flavor it'd be better?

Shrimp Cakes? I think? I remember enjoying this one. I think? Ugh I really have to blog faster.

Coconut Sticky Rice Steamed in Banana Leaf. Okay. Consulting the menu this was either the coconut sticy rice or the ginger rice. Sad I don't remember cause this was one of my favorite dishes.

Thai Jewels and Fruits with Crushed Coconut Ice- Whoa texture. Ever stick gummy worms in a sweet milk filled with ice wonder what it tasted like? Yeah, me neither. Unexpectantly, good. Sweet, but good.

Ovaltine® Kulfi Caramelized Banana and Spiced Milk Chocolate Sauce- I think this is what it was? Nice, smooth, and well. Chocolate. I remember liking it. Being full but not minding...Isn't Ovaltine like an outdated chocolate milk? More Ovaltine Please?

Review:
The trendy place to be seen and heard. Oh Spice Market. Satay! Samosas! Peanut dipping sauce! Buddas! The atmosphere possibly took away from the food though since I think I was more concerned with seeing Sarah Jessica or any C-list celebrity who may qualify. Come ON! It WAS my birthday dinner after all. Part two. The food was good, and the tasting was a cheaper way to do the menu when the waiter tells you, "you're supposed to order a lot of dishes here." Overall, I had a great birthday filled with friends, good food, and wannabe Asian props.
Rating: 7

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The Birthday Dinner. Well One of them.

So the big actual BIRTHDAY came and the 100 facebook shout outs, several phone calls, and one birthday e-greeting (Thanks Pops!) all made my day.

And by the way, I love posting this over a week later cause it really extends the birthday out. I'm just saying.

Mr. Broad took me to a new hotspot in NYC because being 30 is the new 26.5 as one friend told me.

10 Downing
10 Downing (in West Village)

I think this is a very NYC thing. You are blanking on a name for your restaurant and so you just go with the ADDRESS that it's located on. It works here. I think this would be a problem in the planned community hometown I grew up in though. "I'm going to eat at 15119 Raccoon Ridge Court" or "Who wants to go to 7934 Sunrise Valley Drive".

Again. I'm just sayin'

This is a restaurant that recently got reviewed by the New York mag and received the critically acclaimed red check mark/critic's pick. Ooh la la! You know that restaurant when you step in and you just know it's going to be a good meal? Yeah. That's this.

Low brow Top Chef celeb spotting- Check!
Table that isn't on top of our neighbors - Check!
Mr. Broad calling ahead without me knowing to secure that table- Double Check!

We started with lots of different items.

Duck Proscuitto
It's like Duck but Proscuitto cut? I guess? Didn't matter it was awesome. This came as a "must order" through on the blog world... and I can see why.


Duck Meatball Cassoulet
Aaah, I do enjoy my duck...The cassoulet came consisted of beans and other things I don't remember because well, we were too busy eating it.


Ocean Trout Tartar pine nuts, pickled mustard seeds, chorizo oil & quail egg
Shout out to Mr. Broad for seeing beyond the pickled mustard seeds that I was wary about and ordering this. While my meatballs were mighty tasty, the tartar was very fresh and suited my palette.



Arctic Char parsley mussels broth, bacon and artichokes
Artic char turns out is really just a fancy term for salmon. It was awesome. The fish had some mussels around it (out of the shell) and an ever so little piece of bacon on top! Not sure what the green color was from but my guess is on the parsley broth.


Grilled Lamb Loin And Chop provencal herbs, chickpea panisses and feta

Hello lamb tenderness! Oooh and those were chickpeas!? Ya know, they should really leave the menu with you afterwards cause Mr. Broad and I thought they were little potatoes with a bit of tang to them. Either way, they were great.



Chocolate cake souffle, malted milk ice cream with salted caramel
And obviously what's a birthday without a dessert. This came with the requisite candle (Check!yay Mr. Broad!). The souffle unleashed a rich lava of chocolatey goodness... And whomever thought of throwing on some salt with caramel- big high five.

and the inside... yum

Review
10 Downing is where it's at. Located in hip West Village, it has a loud vibe that doesn't sound too pretentious or overboard. There are several round tables that aren't on top of your neighbors but I believe you need to call up in advance and start begging. The service was impeccable and we had a great waitor that really completed our experience. It can be costly depending on what you are getting but it was my BIRTHDAY! And the bottle of wine didn't help... They do not have a liquor license but the wine and beer list is pretty intense and well makes up for it. But that's besides the point. The food is where it's at. The menu listed numerous items that you would keep coming back for with specials that change out daily. And next time for dessert. Perhaps the upscale PB&J? Peanut butter gelato, concord grape jam and challah anyone?
Rating: 9

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Back to the Basics

Last week was the big one. Or the big 3-0 I should say. As planned, my birthday turned into a birth(five)day celebration because why not!?

As I parlayed into my new generation I had some foodie destinations lined up. So get ready.
First up:

S'mac
345 East 12th Street

Recently Mr. Broad guest blogged and told you about his favorite comfort food. Shocker, it was Thai food.

Myself on the other hand, I've got much simpler eyes. Good ol' fashioned macaroni and cheese.

And truth be told I enjoy it in all forms. The breadcrumb variety, the ones with additives like bacon and a roux, to the uber traditional nuclear yellow blue box variety Kraft classic. It's not something I eat often mainly because being married to a once-former-Asian man, mac and cheese isn't adventurous enough and oh yeah, the caloric intake usually exceeds your allotted daily value. Right.

However. When I had moved to NYC, I had heard rumblings of this place. A place that only serves (what?!) macaroni and cheese. And different varieties?! WHY didn't I THINK OF THAT?! This then started several entrepreneurship conversations by Mr. Broad and myself.

"OMG We have to open a store that only serves different types salsa! How cool would that be?!"

Mrs. Cardinal was in town for her monthly visit (coordinated around my birthday I'm sure!) and we had both eagerly anticipated this place for weeks.

After studying the extensive menu (Does Cheeseburger mac 'n cheese sound like a classy version of Hamburger Helper to you?) we decided to get two different kinds.

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese: Cheddar and American cheeses with boneless chicken pieces and buffalo wing sauce. Topped with crumbled blue cheese.

Mediterranean: Goat cheese, sauteed spinach, kalamata olives, and roasted garlic.

Rating:

Sigh. This just breaks my heart. While Mr. Broad may be a bit of an err, nose up in the air type of guy about his Thai food; I like to think that I have open arms for all types of macaroni and cheese. Especially stores that build a whole concept around this stuff. But I must say, Mrs. Cardinal and I were disappointed. Highly upset. The macaroni and cheese had an oily like texture and all of the flavors were seriously overwhelmed by the ingredients in it. I thought I just ate some hot wings with the buffalo chicken one. And the Mediterranean one was way overpowered by all of the olives. Both completely lost resemblance to mac and cheese. And took on casserole like dishes. Ugh.

At this point, it's been discussed that we should just stick to the tried and true. The regular mac and cheese. Hmm, I wonder if they serve the blue box variety...?

Rating: 5

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Sausage Fest 2009

A diversion. If you will.
While this blog generally focuses on restaurants and the many different cuisines we partake in; this particular Saturday of cookin' was too good to not blog about.

You see, Mr. Broad and Mr. Italianio have been discussing for quite some time now their love of the pig. Their relationship started with a certain Murray's Salumi class. And the conversation evolved from there.

Take us back to a Saturday a couple weekends ago when Sausage Fest commenced.

Mr. Broad went to Meat Market where they sell wholesale meat for restaurants. Obviously. And purchased five pounds of sausage casing through the world wide web. Sausage casing comes in all types of "flavors" but really is a type of intestine for the unfamiliar. Cause who IS familiar with sausage making??

And mind you five pounds of sausage casing produces 120 pounds of sausages. oh. my.

Three different flavors were agreed upon in this very labor intensive process.

Garlic and Red Wine

Brautwurst

Spicy Italian

Oh and a big slab of bacon was made. Why not?

Mr. Italianio came with his sausage stuffer.

Red wine and nice beers in glasses.

Metallica was playing in the background.

Two copies of Marc Ruhlman's Charcuterie book was available.

It really was quite a show.

10 feet of casing needed to get measured out for each batch of sausages. Whoa.

They filled the casing with water to take some of the salt off the casing. You can imagine the jokes with this picture.

Put it in the meat grinder!

This required some wrist technique. Again with the jokes.

Stuff, Stuff, Stuff, and Twist...

Guess what we ate for dinner that night!?

And they were goood.

The anatomy of a sausage

And there they are.

Garlic and Red Wine (back)

Brautwurst (front)

Spicy Italian (right)

Missing- big slab of bacon which needed a week to get cured.

While I was merely an observer and a photographer I can tell you that Mr. Broad and Mr. Italianio will not be making sausages anytime soon. It took a good 7 hours to do all of the stuffin'. And with pounds upon pounds in our freezer weeks later...I think Sausage Fest is going to be more of an annual event.

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Just Not Feeling Any German Food...

Last week Mr. Broad, myself, my Brother and Cousin got to see a private screening of Defiance. And the author spoke to us afterwards. Cause we are ohso in the know. And Jewish.

After the bawling fest followed by a speaker series followed by more inspirational talk and some sidenotes (Daniel Craig is SUCH a hot Jew! I want to name my first born Tuvia!)...it was time to eat.

Mr. Broad and I, with cousin walked around the area to figure out what we were in the mood for. Going a little outside of Mr. Broad's comfort zone we did not have any Zagat guide or NY Times review with us. We went totally by the fly. Living on the edge I say!

La Palapa
359 Sixth Avenue (other locations)

After a little bit of a stroll ("I coulda sworn it was on this street") and a phone call to a restaurant we went for Mexican in Greenwich Village. Because nothing says Sunday night Mexican like $10 pitchers of sangria! Ole!
They serve the typical spicy sauces on the table and then we waited.
Umm.
Do we get chips with that?
$2 extra.
Right. Because everyone is going through hard times. Oh but nice move La Palapa.
Putting the sauces in front of us with no chips.
1 Point: La Palapa
ARG

PLATANOS CON CREMA sweet fried plantains with crema and homemade queso fresco

We ordered plantains because I'm a sucker for plantains. It's kinda like bananas. So they are GOOD for you. Right?? Wrong.

Add on some sour cream like dipping sauce. Yum.

TAMAL DE RAJAS CON QUESO COTIJA AÑEJO y PIPIÁN VERDE corn masa baked with chile poblano, sweet onion, mexican cheese and toasted green pumpkin seed and tomatillo pipián

Mr. Broad got these next two dishes. The pumpkin pumpkin seeds made the tamale unique over a tasty green sauce.

AL PASTOR de PORK Tacos

Also ordered by Mr. Broad, this was actually a lot smaller than the zoomed in picture depics. While the tacos were good he proclaimed, it was $5 a taco. And it's smaller than depicted. And Mr. Broad known to eat his fair share of street meat thought the ones in Jackson Heights were better.

ENCHILADAS DE POLLO VERDES chicken enchiladas in a tomatillo green sauce with homemade queso fresco, mexican crema and sweet vidalia onion

HOT! Spicy! GAAAH!! Must Cool Down Mouth! More Sangria!

My cousin and I ordered this and it was great. Very spicy taste with the tomatillo sauce overpowering the and I was told the leftovers worked very well for Mr. Broad the next day.

Review:
La Palapa is a great place for a Mexican meal. We were all turned off by the $2 chips and putting the salsas in front of us for us to stare at. Really? But yeah, we still fell for it. Overall, the meal was good, I imagine there would be a wait here normally if we didn't go on a Sunday night. Prices were okaay for a dinner in NYC although I imagine the $10 pitcher of Sangria is really just a Sunday night thing. The service was "okay"- nothing special but considering it was a Sunday night with not many people there... HELLO?! We would like to order!? Regardless after a powerful movie like Defiance we could have eaten anywhere and been happy.
Rating: 7

Where are the chips?

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