Forgetting about my aforementioned jalapeno-peppered Austrian Thanksgiving dinner, got to admit that the holiday week was a real winner when it came to restaurants. Not one, but three restaurants seemed worthy of praise on this site.
I'll start off with Via Emilia which I visited with a couple of gal pals. After a round of overly sweet margaritas at the gaudy Mexican spot Chango across the street, Via Emilia's understated, casual atmosphere was a relief.
We quickly decided to start by splitting the restaurant's Gnocco Fritto. Good choice. A basket full of puffy fritters - not unlike mini-Poori bread - was presented alongside a platter of flavorful cured Italian meats. I was particularly fond of the salumi, but the mortadella was a nice compliment as well.
Then, it was on to not one but two of Via Emilia's rightfully famous tortellino. With Thanksgiving around the corner we had no arguments about ordering the Tortelloni di Zucca, stuffed with pumkin and bathed in sweet butter and sage leaves. We all agreed that it was a bit too sweet for its own good, but the Tortelloni di Spinaci, filled with creamy ricotta and spinach served in a fresh, chunky tomato sauce was perfect.
For a grand finale we went with the Pollo alla Birra - a beer marinated chicken, sitting atop a tangle of sauteed spinach with garlic. To be honest, when the waiter sat the dish down we were all a bit disappointed. The bird looked overcooked and rather sad. But, one bite and we realized that looks aren't everything. Delicious!
The bill you ask? Less than $100 for three including a bottle of vino, tax and tip. Bravo!
Next!
Visited 50 Carmine the next night with my Mom in tow. (Lord knows the woman deserved one good restaurant meal while she was in town!) As with Via Emilia, 50 Carmine was very low-key with an amiable crowd and warm atmosphere. And, as with Via Emilia, I convinced my Mom to split an appetizer, pasta and main course.
We started off by sharing a warm salad of roasted beets, brussel sprouts, nutty farro grains and parsnip. A few stray curls of parmesan topped the combination off beautifully. Then, at our waiter's suggestion, we split the Paparedelle with Wild Boar Ragu.
Years ago at a Thanksgiving dinner at a luxury hotel near Disney World I was foolish enough to order wild boar as my entree. It was so tough that it was inedible. The hotel waiter told me that wild boar is supposed to be extremely chewy. Considering that I was developing lock-jaw, I didn't buy it and switched to the turkey.
Needless to say, past history seared into my memory - if not my jaw muscles, I was nervous about our pasta selection.
With all the praise being heaped on Chef Sara Jenkins for her amazing pasta creations I should have known better. The dish was hearty and lush. And, yes, the meat was buttery tender! (Supposed to be chewy, my foot!)
The next course was a hearty main dish of succulent Lamb with New Potatoes. And, the dinner was capped with Jenkins' surprisingly elegant and lightly sweet Tangerine and Olive Oil Cake. (Much better than the dry, flavorless Rosemary and Olive Oil Cake I attempted to bake the next morning from the Babbo Cookbook. Blech! Shame on you Mario!)
The bill, including the requisite bottle of vino, two coffees, tax and tip was about $100. Huzzah!
And, for the third in my trio, my pal Joy and I hit Itzocan Cafe in the East Village after taking in an early evening showing of "Elf." The movie was delightful and the restaurant was too. Dubbed a "Best Cheap Eats" by New York Magazine, I expected a shabby, small storefront setting. Instead, we were pleased to see that the 14-seat cafe was decorated with Mexican tchotkes and the room was inviting.
Everything on the menu sounded incredible. We finally settled on splitting the Sweet Corn, Huitlacoche Mushrooms Soufleed Cake with Truffle Oil as an appetizer. It was an idyllic combination of earthiness and rich decadence. It was easy to see where the Mexican chef's French bistro training came into play.
Next, I moved onto the Pan Roast Chicken Breast Stuffed with Goat Cheese, sitting on a heap of roasted veggies and surrounded in a complex, lightly spiced red mole sauce. Joy went for the Sauteed Shrimp with Aged Tequila, Lime and Guajillo. This sizeable dish included a gorgeous mix of brown rice and vegetables. Its balance of sweet seafood, nutty rice, citrus, spice, onion and garlic made it a memorable treat.
We were enthralled by the chef's deft mingling of tastes and textures. We had no choice. We had to order dessert.
Mole Chocolate Cake was cut into a generous wedge and served warm atop a just-right portion of drizzled hazelnut sauce. Let's just say, it lived up the rest of the wonderful meal.
The final bill including tax and tip - $45.00.
Can't wait to go back - to all three. So, all in all, I have much to be thankful for on the NYC restaurant front.
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