Ferrara's and Shanghai Cafe

Yesterday afternoon I picked up Michael from work and we went to Ferrara's to get Easter bread.  It's our usual before-Easter run.  They make the best egg bread (think Challah) with whole eggs-in the shell-baked right in.  We bought a round seven egg bread to bring the Creutz' for Easter and three 3 egg breads-one for Denise, one for Barbara and one for Chris.  Other than the fact that the place was FULL of tourists and the line moves like a snail, it's always fun to be there.  Their pastries are beautiful!

After getting the bread, we walked to Shanghai Cafe at 100 Mott Street.  Our new place for soup dumplings.  So we had...soup dumplings, scallion pancakes, moo shu pork and veggie fried rice.  Next time no fried rice, too much food, and no scallion pancakes, almost no taste.  But those dumplings are yummy! $25 for dinner for 2!

We went to the Deluxe Meat Market after dinner at 79 Elizabeth Street.  They sell meat (really) and bags and trays of dumplings and mini buns and all sorts of everything Chinese.  They have bins of swimming eels, hopping frogs and other such delicacies (vomit). But I am sure there is a market for them...Stopped for decaf espresso and drove home.  Good day!!

Note:  Last weeks boring food:  Cutlets and salad turned into chicken francese and beet/goat cheese salad; and turkey something became turkey/sundried tomato meatloaf.  I discovered tubes of condiments from Amore in the back of my fridge and used them all:  Garlic paste, tomato paste and herb paste.  They were great additions. If I only remember I have them next time...

Happy Easter and Happy Passover!

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y Night

Tonight Michael and I went into Chinatown.  I was hoping to catch a little Chinese New Year spirit, but there were no parades only a few drum beats down the street.  We ate dinner at Shanghai Cafe (100 Mott Street between Hester and Canal).  We specifically went there for their soup dumplings to be able to compare them with the ones at Joe's Shanghai.  And the verdict is...not so dissimilar from each other, but if I had to pick a winner it would be Shanghai Cafe.  The rest of the food was so-so:  Shanghai pan fried noodles with chicken, shrimp, pork and vegetables and also eggplant in garlic sauce with pork.  They do refill your water glasses without asking and I really liked their hot tea. 

Afterward we went to Ray's Candy Store (113 Avenue A) for beignets (think zeppoles).  They were hot and yummy and dusted with confectioner's sugar.  Here is the most special one of the bunch: