Cabana

Tonight I went to Cabana on Austin Street with Jill.  We had a vodka and club soda (hers) and a Mojito (mine) at the bar before we sat down.  We shared mariscados (clams, shrimp, mussels, scallops and salmon in a light tomato broth) and empanadas (1 chicken and 2 shrimp).  Both came with black beans and yellow rice and both dishes were delicious.  If you haven't been to Cabana in a while, go back and check it out. The dinner and the company were worth it!

Photo is Missing

When I posted about Ray's Candy Store I included a photo of the funniest beignet.  It looked like a penis :) but now it's gone from the blog. Not sure why. Sorry you missed it.

Last Week

Last Sunday we went to the Gandiello's house for dinner.  Glenn, Eileen and Sarah were also there :) Debbie made ravioli, sauce, turkey meatballs, chicken parm and salad.  Everything was yummy!
Tuesday night I made chicken cutlets, spinach with garlic and oil and (finally) farro with onions, garlic and carrots.

At this point you may be wondering exactly what farro is. According to Garzanti's Italian-English dictionary it's spelt, but Luciano Migliolli, author of Il Farro e le sue Ricette (Farro and its recipes), says that though it looks rather like spelt they're not the same. Farro must be soaked, whereas spelt can be boiled straight off. Also, cooked farro has a firm chewy texture, whereas spelt softens and becomes mushy.

Last night I went to see Jackie's new apartment in Astoria with Barbara.  It is great!  Two bedrooms, full bath with a nice deep tub, eat in kitchen, long entry hallway with closets and a living room.  After the tour we walked to 30th Avenue and spied many restaurants.  We decided on Sugar Freak (www.sugarfreak.com).  They serve "Louisiana homestyle cookin' & spirits."  The decor is great!  We had:  Abita Haze Purple BBQ shrimp, Fried oyster Po'Boy, Crawfish Etouffee and a Turkey burger.  Everything was really good.  Service is good, they certainly do not rush you out the door.  The bathrooms are cute and we would all go back.

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: 

75th Birthday party for Chris

If any of you remember, last year we had a 75th birthday dinner for my mother in law Chris.  Except she was only 74.  So we did it again this year for her 75th.  Invited were her closest friends, us (of course) and Margo, Mike, Chrysalis and Ryan.  I spent most of the night in the kitchen, which was fine with me :)

We had:  Crudite with blue cheese dip; Ciao Angelo and French feta cheeses; parsley garlic olives; tomato-garlic dopping sauce from Ithaca Bakery; Rosemary foccacia; onion baguette; pepperdews, roasted peppers and bocconcini.

Then we had:  Smoked salmon on brown bread with caper-dill sauce; Chicken dumplings; Crab cakes and Rosemary Frenched baby lamb chops.

Dessert was fruit and a beautiful chocolate Ribbon cake from Baked to Perfection in Port Washington.  Wine, soda, coffee and cordials too.

In Ithaca...

Jesse and I drove up to Ithaca on Wednesday.  It was a nice ride.  I have been staying at Margo and Mike's and Jesse has been coming and going between here and his apartment in Cortland.

I cooked dinner one night:  Teriyaki steak; roasted potatoes and beets; collard greens.  Yummy.  Margo made:  Chicken stew with basmati rice.  Even though I picked out the chicken meat, it was really good.  Last night Chrysalis and I made pseudo-burritos with refried beans, leftover steak, fresh guacamole, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese and sour cream.  Better than I expected.  One night Ryan and I ate spaghetti (from a box) and sauce (from a jar).  Very easy.

Who knows what Sunday and Monday will hold?  I am leaving on Tuesday with Ryan when he drives back to Purchase.  Michael is picking me up from there.  Yeah!!!

Alice's Teacup

This is what happens when true New Yorkers try to make a reservation for a girls brunch on a Sunday at Alice's Teacup: 

Ok so the reservationist called me back, to let me know that if we want the reservation we should be aware we are REQUIRED to use the Mad Hatter Tea Service, which is for two people and is $37 each - meaning that since we have an uneven number one person will just have to have this tier that's meant for 2 people. Also, they wanted me to leave a credit card number over the phone, I assume there would be a charge if we didn't show up.


I hate to do this to you guys last minute, but I am not going to go. I am so offended by how difficult they make everything, and I don't believe I should need to follow this many rules just to get a scone. Who do they think they are? I may never go there again, but DEFINITELY never on a weekend. If you guys would still like to go, you can because you would still have 8 without me. The reservationist's number is 734-4832, her name is Gabriella, and if the reservation still exists (I just old her I'd have to call her back and hung up on her) it would be under the name Nina.

How fucked up is that?  Imagine how tourists are treated? I am surprised that there are three locations open for business in the city with this behavior.  By the way, this debacle occurred after trying to make prior reservations when we we were told we didn't have enough people for a reservation, then the reservationist was not there and a message would be left, then we could only be accommodated at 81st Street.  As my sister in law said "What're they on mushrooms or something?"