Fall Fare

Last week Jennie and I took Barbara out for her birthday. I won't say which one it was, but next year is BIG.

We went to Bamboo Ya on Queens Boulevard.  We have been here before and we sat at the same tatami table with our shoes off.  We had many cups of hot sake and we shared a bunch of small plates:  Cigar spring rolls, salmon skin roll, sweet potato roll, chicken yakitori and vegetable gyoza. We also shared a piece of fried cheesecake for dessert.  Their desserts leave much to be desired, but the menu is good, the food is good and the service is good. And not expensive either :)

Happy Birthday Gracie!

We also went out with Jill, Lenny, Karen, Vince and Patty to Dinosaur BBQ after Jill finished her Avon breast cancer walk.  It has become a yearly ritual.  Mostly beer all around, I had 2 bloody Mary's; garlic chipotle wings and fried green tomatoes for the table.  Then chicken, pork, brisket and a portobello mushroom (with a bit pf pulled pork) for me.  Chocolate ice box cake for dessert and I almost fell asleep on the way to the car. Yummy and great company!

Last week I made lasagna with my own homemade pork sausage.  I made the sausage a week or so ago and froze it.  I ground up country pork boneless spare ribs with fennel seed, fresh garlic, parsley and Parmesan cheese (salt and pepper too).  I have been babysitting Jill's Kitchen Aid mixer (goody for me) and I bought the meat grinder attachment for it.  Works very well, cleans up easily and I am sure there will be more grinding in my future.

Saturday night was our Polikoff Party.  We haven't had one in years.  Forest Hills crowd mainly from Little League.  Wine, beer, Michael's amazing margaritas, Old Bay chicken wings, crudite, cheese, crackers, olives and the rest was frozen appetizers from Costco.  So much dessert-I am cookied out.  And that's not a bad thing.  But since we are visiting Ithaca this weekend, the cookies are going too :)

Bamboo Ya, El Quijote and Brouwerij Lane

How's that for eclectic varied ethnic eating and drinking?

Friday night Barbara and I took Jennie out for her "29th" birthday.  We went to a new Japanese restaurant on Queens Boulevard called Bamboo Ya.  They have a cool bar area, four tatami tables (take off your shoes and climb in) and regular tables in the back.  Hot sake all around...then vegetable gyoza, cajun salmon carpaccio (seared in chipotle spice rub, sliced thin with wasabi mayo on a bed of greens), roast duck nachos (roasted duck meat on crispy wonton skins with wasabi creme fraiche), garden salad, sexy salmon roll (spicy salmon and cucumber with crunchies on the inside and fresh salmon and mango on the outside topped with spicy mayo, sweet wasabi and eel sauce), chicken teriyaki and hamachi kama (grilled yellowtail collar).  Everything was really good.  Service was consistent, water glasses filled, sake replenished and the company was great! Thanks ladies!

Saturday night, Michael and I went to El Quijote on 23rd Street.  Of course we started with a small pitcher of red sangria at the bar, then we moved to our table (a booth up front-my favorite) and had garlic soup (holy crap-it's fabulous) and salad (with their blue cheese and vinaigrette dressings). Michael had arroz con pollo and I had a 1 1/4 pound broiled lobster.  String beans and broccoli and we were stuffed.  Such a favorite place of ours and never a disappointment.

Michael was looking for coffee stout and so after dinner we drove to Greenpoint to Brouwerij Lane (probably pronounced like brewery).  It's a small slightly hipster (sorry) joint which specializes in beer.  On tap and by the bottle.  Very cool, very beery.

Sunday we ate take out tex-mex.

This week is another week of Wisners :)  We are having:  turkey lasagna with string beans and garlic bread; arroz con pollo with chorizo and peas (planned before Saturday) with mesclun salad; rigatoni marinara with broccoli and Greek salad; balsamic chicken breasts roasted with peppers and olives with a side of spinach.  I also made brownies for tonight, just for Brett :)