We're branching out...

Well it's time to make the blog a little more interactive.
When Mr. Broad and I go out, we go based off of recommendations from favorite sites like New York Times, Chowhound, and fellow food blogs.

But now it's time to hear from you!

I've been getting recommendations from friends and readers to check out what they hear is the new "hotspot" (ie- food network, travel channel, etc.).

SO for once a month (or so) we're going to go to a restaurant that YOU chose.
Criteria:
-Affordable (eh hmm no Per se unless you are funding that and if so I'll send you our address)
-No chain restaurants.
-Preferably nowhere near Times Square although we'll travel to an outer borough given it's quality food.

So come one come all. Where should we go?? Post in comments or email me...

thebroadsnyc@gmail.com

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Since When Did I Become a Museum Person??

It was a rainy day one Saturday so Mr. Broad and I decided to take advantage of it by going to a museum. It's funny because we used to live outside of DC yet I can't tell you the last time we went to a museum. (Spy Museum 2004). And yet here in New York, we became trendy, hipster and cool and went to TWO art museums over two weeks! The New Museum; which definitely had the modern art/took-cues-from-national-geographic-magazine-if-you-get-what-I-am-saying/tribal art display that made even Mr. Broad blush... (uh WHOA!)

and finally, The MoMA. But first up lunch. And then maybe some of the museum because I'm running out of food pics and I want to make this post longer.

Cafe 2: MoMA
11 West 53 Street (2nd street)
*Admission required for entry


Operated by the same restaurant group as our boy Danny Meyer (Wait, I thought David Chang was your boy?!). I don't remember too many museum restaurants. I think most are of the chicken tender and the grey hamburger variety.

But not here.
Welcome to a nice upscale Italian meal where you can get freshly pressed paninis, charcuterie plates, and cheese boards.

Arugula Salad Duck Proschiutto, sekle pear, Humboldt fog goat cheese, candied pecans, sherry vinaigrette
Surprise, surprise not my first time with duck proschiutto. A bit tougher than the normal pig one but still mighty tasty. And give it up for the figs. I created the perfect bite with some goat cheese, a pecan, and a little fig.

Rigatoni Italian Sausage, Tomato, Parmigiano
I think our recent Italian venture turned Mr. Broad onto quality Italian. Um, hello.
Something about the sauce. A creamy, peppery, tomato-ey, cheesy goodness that tasted too good to eat for lunch. Oh and little bits of sausage.




Yeah, yeah. The food was good. We'd def go back and share a cheese board or so. Or maybe hit up the upscale/jacket-tie required (or optional?) Modern restaurant. Or not. But let's go onto the actual museum.

Because I had my camera with me I took some (many) pictures of the art. Mr. Broad questioned my pictures- what are you going to do with all these pictures?! I don't know but I just couldn't stop clicking. SO. Aren't you in luck :) Welcome to the MoMA.


The MoMA is Modern Art.... and let's just say the "Modern" art spans quite a line. First up one of the performance art rooms. You walk into a room and there is a black line all around the room. Until you go closer. And you realize... It a height chart.
Clearly Mr. Broad and I participated. (Spoiler Alert! You'll see a video of it at the bottom)







This was made with cigarettes. If you are going to kick the habit, you might as well... recycle??

See???





Because what's a Modern art museum without a little Andy Warhol.





The poster seen in every college dorm room. But it's the real thing. I was mesmerized.





Modern Art means every now and then you think... wtf?!





Or it makes you ponder. Hmm, what IS art?
I'm so pensive.





Yes, Mom I am still at the museum...





So yes. Apparently Monet's water lillies will be exhibiting there soon. And because Mr. Broad and I spent no less than 4 hours at the MoMA (because when you see one painting with a vagina or one steel aerodymanic chair you do NOT see them all...) we may have to go back.

Perhaps to just find my name on the height chart...

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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....

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