Sunday, January 31, 2010

Canceled Dos Caminos

We canceled our reservations for Dos Caminos on 2/13. Heard lousy review from Jill ("average food, over priced and the margaritas are not great"). So we decided to introduce Dina and Dmitry to My Moon in Williamsburg. I KNOW this will be good.

xo and good night.

Suprise dinner with friends

Michael and I were looking around for a place to eat last night. We went to Dani's (one of our favorite and most frequented spots) but didn't feel like waiting for 1/2 an hour for a table. So we drove past Dee's (another regular of ours), but it seemed crowded.

Michael called Joe to ask about a pizza place he thought we went to about 5 years ago. It seems we never actually ate there and neither here nor there :) we ended up going out to dinner with Joe and Denise. Joe's brand new car died near the movies, so they walked home and were looking for a place to eat as well.

We ended up at La Vigna, on Metropolitan, where we have all been before. It was very hot, and then very cold inside, an acquaintance sent over a bottle of wine (very nice), we had fried calamari, portobello salad and mozzarella and tomato. I ordered minestrone soup (was lukewarm and boring) for dinner. Denise's pasta had good flavor, but was also lukewarm. Joe and Michael each had the scarpariello. Apple cake dessert was good.

I feel I would be remiss in not mentioning where we went for dessert the other night in Brooklyn after My Moon. Judy found The Chocolate Room in Park Slope. It was SO crowded that a table was not even a thought, so we took out. The hot fudge sundae was what you would expect it to be, I didn't try anything else except Jill's Hot Chocolate, which was creamy and chocolaty. Sorry not to be more excited about it, but chocolate is not the be all and end all to me.

Back to food shopping and cooking this week...Yea!

Recipe thoughts for this week: Baked manicotti, Shrimp, tomato and rice (Greek style), Mediterranean Chicken, Steak with lemon potatoes.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Did you see the Moon last night?

It was the closest to the earth it will be this year...additionally....we ate at My Moon last night too.

My Moon is my new favorite spot in Williamsburg. There was absolutely nothing negative to say about it, except that we had to eventually stop eating and leave.

Michael and I went there with our very good friends Jill , Lenny, and Judy.

I ordered all the appetizers (because I don't usually order an entree). We had: Shepherd salad (chopped cucs, tomatoes, red onion and parsley-we added feta. Tuna tartare (odd for a Turkish restaurant I will agree, but delicious all the same), it came piled on avocado and home made potato chips on the side. Steamed artichoke (as Lenny says "It might choke Artie but it won't choke Stymie") with beurre blanc on the side to dip (way yummy). Mixed olives, Humus, Caciki (Turkish tszatziki), Giant fava beans with tomato (my favorite) and phyllo wrapped around feta.

Dinner....was: Grilled salmon, chicken fricasse, braised pork belly and iskander kabob (beef and lamb). Everything was shared, everything was great.

The service was good, waiter (Sergio) was very friendly and knowledgeable (except they ran out of Turkish wine...strange).

The space is AMAZING and AWESOME. High ceilings, mixed media art work (for sale), wood tables, wood floors, brick walls, candle light, beautiful bar along the back wall, curved banquet seating made from reclaimed ship steel (including rivets). (Cool restrooms as well).

I CANNOT wait to go back.

They have the most beautiful outdoor seating area. CANNOT wait for the 1st of June (Judy's idea to go back and grab a table outside).

mymoonnyc.com

check it out.

xo

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Oh Rice Balls

Yes, I ventured into La Cucina (a.k.a. THE BOOK) and made my first recipe yesterday.
Rice Balls from Sicily. I adulterated the recipe to my own culinary limitations, but all together I think it went well. Jesse and Michael both liked them. With the leftover meat, peas, cheese combination, I added a can of crushed tomatoes and made meat sauce. Michael liked it :)

As for restaurants, in the near future we are going to Dos Caminos (on Third Ave) with our very good friends Dina and Dmitry. A review will follow.

As for Forest Hills, the Little League crew seem to be drawn to Manor Oktoberfest of Forest Hills, which is located where PJ's Steakhouse used to be, next to Fast Break. They've been a few times and Lenny likes the appetizers and they all like the drinks. Not sure I'd go (German beer and wiener schnitzel are not my favorites). (Really)!

Jesse has off from school this week due to Regent's exams. He has only one tomorrow (US Government), please cross all your toes and fingers. He's not been home for dinner most nights, just out and about as usual. But tonight he'll be home and he wants his favorite, Penne ala Vodka like only his mama can make. I will oblige.....

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Before I forget....

So we went to Barosa for my mother-in-laws birthday, and as I have said before, we have never had a bad meal there...until now. So, of course, we had 2 bad meals. Jesse had Penne ala Vodka (hard to screw up). It was congealed, semi cold, nearly no taste and pasty. I had eggplant parmagiana (also hard to ruin). It was piled high, breaded to the nines, loaded with packaged cheese. We sent both back (they were removed from the check). On the other hand (to coin a phrase) the calamari barosa was great, the chopped salad is my favorite, the potato croquet that came with Michael's scarpariello was perfect.

What can you do? I said to my mother-in-law when we came in that we'd not had a bad meal there.

How do you say Kunahorah in Italian?

My friend's sister's blog

I was just introduced to my friend's sister's blog and I am crazy about the way she writes. I have similar thoughts and feelings but CANNOT get them out of my head the way she does. Maybe practice here will improve my skills. (Not sure I have many of those however).

Our son is going to begin college this September. I cannot understand how I feel as if he were just born yesterday and now he's almost 18, or how I could possibly still be 19 and have an 18 year old son. Funny how that happens....

Heard an odd (maybe shocking is the better word) story the other day. There is an 18 year old girl in my son's high school who works at a "massage parlor". I am sure I am naive in thinking this is unbelievable, but I can't stop thinking about it.

Obviously a day of non sequiturs, my thoughts are random, but I do remember that this blog started because of food, so I will let you in on the name of THE BOOK that will hold a large place in my life for the unknowable future: La Cucina, The Regional Cooking of Italy. The Essential Source with 2,000 Authentic Recipes, contributed by the Accademia Italiana Della Cucina.

"Almost 60 years ago in Milan, a group of people came together with a bold idea: to preserve the culinary heritage of their country...Visiting villages in every province...interrupted grandmothers...farmers...carefully taking down notes and techniques."

THE BOOK is the size of an old paper Queens County phone book (for those of you who remember actual phone books, not superpages.com). And I love it! There are several recipes for rice balls, from various regions and I will make them all (eventually). I am currently on page 49 and THE BOOK has 891 pages.

Journey with me if you'd like :)

Friday, January 22, 2010

Let Bygones be Bygones

Let's concentrate on other places to eat. There are so many in Queens and Brooklyn, that Jade need not be discussed again.

Tonight I am volunteering at FHHS to sell water and snacks, etc...It is their Snow Ball Dance. Gym is decorated similarly to a gym in suburbia, with hanging lights and balloons. It's very heartwarming to see such an event in the City.

Tomorrow night we are going to Barosa on Woodhaven for dinner. I will regale you with the yummy details afterwards.

xo,
jan

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Cockroach as Diet?

You bet your ass it is! Especially when you find one in your soup at lunch!

Denise and I met at Jade Eatery & Lounge in Forest Hills today for lunch. We ordered 2 glasses of cabernet, a spicy tuna roll, soup (yes, that was mine), salad, beef something (not mine) and pad thai.

I noticed something unidentifiable in my soup and upon further inspection, realized it was a roach. Lost my appetite immediately. Gave the spoon with the bug and the bowl with the soup to the waiter. He took the wine and all my food off the check (nice of him....). I watched Denise eat the rest of her lunch and we left.

Total time of new diet: 35 minutes.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Home from Vegas

Back to the usual now, however, a few notes from Vegas: Tender is the name of the steakhouse at the Luxor. Jan ate there, you ask? Yes and Jill too. Sounds strange? Well, this is what we had: A trio of soups (mushroom, lobster bisque and kobe chili), an arugala salad with candied walnuts and dried apricots and a cheese board with a piece of honeycomb that came on a slate board. Syrah on the side, black leather bar stools, great waitress, casino view.

We also at at Tao and Spago. Spago has the best chopped salad!

About the Luxor: Beds are HARD AS ROCKS and if you don't call for maid service, they don't make up your room. But, I didn't pay for the room, so who's complaining :)

These are my thoughts on Vegas: It's a Disney World for adults, which is not such a good thing. If you have little or no self control, this is not the town for you. Gambling, drinking, smoking, prostitution....all legal. Crazy, but true!

I loved spending time with my friend Jill, loved my massage and the spa, loved the no cleaning, shopping, schlepping thing. But give me a beach and the sun ANY DAY!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Wednesday in Vegas

Had sushi again last night, this time at TAO in Caesar's. Sushi was great, sake great, waiter scraping gum from underside of tables all around us with a razor and small flashlight...not so great!

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

What happens in Vegas.....

Is going to be read about here! Got in yesterday via JetBlue with Jill. No problems there. Other than a $9 turkey sandwich in the airport.....and on the plane, they can now tell you when you can and cannot use the bathroom. A little invasive I think. We are at the Luxor, Jill is here for a trade show and I am hanging around. Massage today was great. Steam room is a piece of heaven! Lost all of my $3 in the casino last night. Such a big spender I am. Had dinner at Misyuna (I think that's the name) at Mandalay Bay. Sushi, sashimi and Sake. What could be wrong with that. The Starbucks here stink No yogurt, no blueberry muffins, only 2 sandwich choices. They really need to upgrade. Tonight we are going to Caesar's. Jill is seeing Bette Midler (too pricey for me), but we will have dinner and rinks before and maybe after the show together, and I will be perfectly content to shop and maybe lose another $3 over there. Till tomorrow.....

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Our New Year's Eve (really)

So here's the story of our new year's eve 2009 (really):

Michael and I met our very good friends Joe and Denise at an Italian restaurant in Astoria called Piccola Venezia. We had artichokes and fried calamari and wine, we had sea bass and chicken and risotto, we had coffee, cappuccino and apple strudel. Denise and I wore black feather boas that Michael gave us. We took some photos, we hugged and wished each other a happy new year and went our separate ways. sounds good so far huh?!

Michael and I then drove out to our very good friends house, Glenn and Eileen, for a party with Eileen's family (who we love and see so rarely), and a bunch of their/our other good friends. We had wine and dessert and played pictionary (even though I couldn't see the chart paper and I draw like crap; thanks Leslie for knowing it was flipper!). Midnight came and we all wore party hats and necklaces (light up and not), had noise makers, etc.. Everyone hugged and wished each other a happy new year. Still sounds okay, right?!

Then, Michael and I drove home, or so i thought. Half way there, we called our very good friends, Kim and Andy, who were also having a party and we decided to stop by there as well. We had wine (maybe it was just me) and spoke to friends we haven't seen in a while, and wished everyone a happy new year. So far so good. Then we drove home, yes it was rainy and whatnot, but Michael is a great driver and we made all of our journeys in safety.

About 10 minutes from home, we get a call from Jesse, and lo and behold, a small emergency. He had caught his left pinky finger in a slammed door and his fingernail was ripped off (oh boy) and his nail bed was lacerated. So now where do we go? We (maybe it was just me) took off our uncomfortable shoes and walked across the street to the emergency room. We got in quickly, saw the nurse quickly, saw the ONLY doctor in the whole damn place not so quickly. Did I mention that this began about 2:30am? Anywho, by the time the hand surgeon came, and stitched and went, we finally got home at 8:30am. Not so auspicious a beginning to 2010, but it could have been worse and we'll take it.

Wishing you all a very happy and HEALTHY 2010.

Love, Jan

What it's about

I decided to start a blog mainly in response to a request from a friend of mine to write about all the cool restaurants we go to. I thought I'd also add recipes of my own (or those I have adulterated) as well as any interesting experiences along the way.

This will be a new journey for me, as I've always liked to write but didn't know what to write about (other than the four children's picture books I've written but can't seem to find an agent for).

Back to the restaurant idea, we (husband and friends) dine out quite a bit, which is interesting since I cook dinner at home Sundays through Thursdays (on the table at 7pm). We've found great places to eat and drink in Queens and Brooklyn and I'll be sharing my opinions of those with you.

For starters, Sanford's in Astoria is GREAT! It's open 24 hours, if you've the urge to eat at 3am (I am old and asleep at that time). Tuna tartare is out of this world. Wine list is great, try a Malbec. Sandwiches, main dishes and desserts are all fantastic. We've been here 3 times and never a disappointment. Next time we go, I'll bring back more specific details.

Lastly today, for my first entry, try this at home: Simmer a jar of peeled fresh garlic (or a peeled head or two) in extra virgin olive oil, just enough to cover. When a knife goes through the cloves easily, turn off the heat and let sit till cool. Put cloves in a container and keep in the fridge to add to absolutely anything and everything (pizzas, sandwiches, veggies, meat marinades and rubs...) and keep the cooked oil in a glass bottle with a pour spout to use when sauteing absolutely anything and everything.

xo,
Jan