372 Graham Avenue

I think most of us grew up on Americanized versions of ethnic cuisines. Not to say that what many of us think of as “Mexican” is necessarily a bad thing (I still sneak away to Taco Bell now and then) but it takes restaurants like Mesa Coyoacan to open ones eyes to a whole other side of authentic flavors. Chef/owner Ivan Garcia grew up in Mexico City and says he’s brought the recipes of his grandparents with him.

I started my first visit with beef and avocado tacos and sampled Jim’s smoked pork chop tacos. Both were truly excellent and worth ordering again, though with a menu that offers so many intriguing options, I’ll probably prefer to try them all first. They offered a refreshing Jamaica agua fresca, which I was just introduced to last week but the special jalapeno infused margarita was screaming out for me (the baby in my belly won out though and I stuck to the juice).

It was too dim to take any decent photos, which is a shame because they would have made your mouth water. It’s worth noting that this will cost you more than your average Mexican joint (though with good reason) and the exterior is a little off putting but don’t be discouraged.

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Posted on July 25, 2010

1760 Main St Quechee, VT and 61 Central St. Woodstock, VT

Who knew Woodstock, Vermont was home to such esteemed, delicious food? You’d never guess it if you just stumbled into the most prominent main street eatery, Bentley’s (a pub food spot that doesn’t deserve scorn, but is not worth writing home about either) but nearby are two varieties of high end cooking: the romantic, waterfall view Simon Pearce (technically a few miles east in Quechee), and the dimly lit hidden Italian gem, Osteria Pane e Salute.

Simon Pearce is the epitome of established upscale dining. Waitstaff  in pressed white collared shirts, a heavenly view  – in this case a rushing waterfall located right under your seats, a seasonal menu of dishes that come to the table with considerable haute cuisine panache, and a crowd of oldsters lining up from the minute the dinner hour begins (advanced reservations recommended). While for normal day to day eating a place like this might be stuffy for Jim and I, Simon Pearce seems more custom fit for special occasions. Plus it’s in Vermont, where even stuffiness is a bit more laid back.

Natural stunning ambiance and crisp whites are grand, but I’d hardly be spending my time telling you much about them if the food weren’t great. We shared a tempura shrimp appetizer as well as a crab cake that was easily the single most tasty dish we had all vacation. Both followed by substantial main dishes, mine a flavorful roasted chicken over handmade pasta, Jim’s a hearty cod with gourmet mashed potatoes. We ended the meal on an equally decadent and high note with a walnut meringue dessert.

While Pearce is a fancy pants feast in the established traditional sense of the past few decades, Osteria Pane e Salute is the back to roots, modern version of the same idea. Instead of stuffy, you find warm and cozy, a locavore menu that tells you exactly where the ingredients come from, a mix tape that includes Serge Gainsbourg, dim lights and limited seating (definitely, definitely need reservations for this one). All in all, a place that both in style and food quality would feel right at home in Brooklyn, receiving rave reviews from Adam Platt. That it’s nestled in the upstairs of an old white building off Main Street only makes it more charming and special.

Dining here has options for many budgets, which is nice. A long list of excellent sounding thin crust pizzas fill the back of the menu while a $42 dollar four course meal pre fixe is listed on the front (the items from which can also be ordered a la carte). Since we were in vacation mode, we of course opted for the pre fixe and were thrilled with the results: buttery proscuitto and fresh handmade mozzarella, a decadent liver pate crostini, seafood pasta with a lovely rich sauce, calamari grilled to tender perfection, and last but not least, a homemade vanilla gelato dusted with licorice sea salt. The meal, to our surprise took over two hours, and we enjoyed every second.

If you’re in the area, or even a drive away, consider these spots for a nice meal out, depending on your mood. Neither will disappoint. Lots of photos after the jump- oh and the last is of a marshmallow sundae I had at the quaint and ultra friendly Mountain Creamery – great for a less fancy sugar fix.

Click here for the rest of Woodstock VT: Simon Pearce and Osteria Pane Salute

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Posted on July 11, 2010

434 7th Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn

Fonda boasts a pleasant back yard and an even more pleasant menu to enjoy in these perfect summer days. From overstuffed sweet vanilla french toast to spicy chilequeles, the brunch menu offers a little something for every taste (so long as you like flavorful true Mexican cuisine) but having already partaken in some homemade breakfast tacos earlier in the day, I decided to pull a few items from the regular menu: a chunky jicama, carrot, orange, and cucumber salad with spiced sugar for dipping, a completely refreshing chilled chayote soup with apples and chives which I highly recommend if nothing else, and a white fish salad with corn tortillas that was flavorful and light. If Fonda were in my neighborhood I’d be no stranger to their deliciousness repeatedly, in fact, right now I am wanting another bowl of that soup.

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Posted on June 20, 2010

124 Meserole Ave. Greenpoint, Brooklyn

I feel bad – Our neighbors, Greenpoint’s Eat Cafe,  deserves a much better representation than this grainy, dim iphone images, but my camera batteries were dead and Shaun came to my rescue with his phone, so please forgive me. It’s a particular shame considering how lovely a picture the dishes would make. Fresh vegetables, flowering greens, and other delights adorn the plates of Jordan Colon, owner chef and part time farmer.

Rustic and laid back, the one time record shop has an informal feel. The space is unfettered with a soundtrack, warmly dim, and sparse. There is no wait staff, just an order window with the ever changing locavore menu posted on chalkboard next to it. We opted for the suggestion of splitting the entire menu: a yogurt beet soup that was my favorite of the night – I wish I had a bucket in my freezer, a homemade wheat focaccia with a strong melted cheese and garlicky greens, a green spelt salad, potato gnocchi with asparagus and a wonderfully maple slathered apple tart with a bunch of cute and sweet fresh garden strawberries atop. It fed the two of us well. I also recommend an iced tea to wash it all down, or take advantage of the byob policy.

The menu will definitely quench the taste of the healthier crowd and even with a small list of items, has plenty (actually all during this visit) of options for veggies.

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Posted on May 31, 2010

91 South 6th St. Brooklyn

Well, it’s about time that the Times recognized my friends and I for all the trying out new eating spots – yes – that’s us at Fatty Cue, doesn’t Jim look handsome? So moment of semi fame aside, how was the restaurant? Was it truly “packed with people in beards or vintage dresses” well, yes if you count Jim and I, was it true that “To eat at Fatty Crew’s new restaurant is to experience the very essence of nowness. No one else is cooking like this anywhere.” also as the Times articles states? Sure! Our meal, which was rambling and exciting was delicious. We started with a great cucumber salad with a nice kick, as well as the intriguing sounding Dragon Pullman Toast with side of master fat – essentially a fat stack of pillowy toast with a bacony dipping sauce (it was awesome). One of my favorites of the night though, was perhaps the most subtle, the pork loin smoked on the bone, sliced thin with green peppercorn aioli and herb salad. Topped with crunchy bits and an excellent sauce (the place is swimming in excellent sauces), it was surprisingly complex in the way that the best Asian flavor combinations can be.

For larger plates to share (we shared everything) we opted for the Mediterranean lamb (very good but not quite as stand out as the rest for me personally), the curry duck (wow flavors, but a tad too fatty for my taste to order again, though friends raved), beef brisket with steamed buns to accompany (tender and flavorful was the meat, the buns – which we got extras of were perfect for soaking up all that aforementioned sauce both definitely worth ordering again), and the creme de resistance the Ikan Bakar: whole mackerel, turmeric salt, smoked and seared in a banana leaf, chili-garlic-lime sauce. Not only was this fresh tasting and delicious as it came to us, where we picked it down to the bones  – we then ate the bones! Seriously, the waiter (who was incredibly sweet and friendly) offered to deep fry the bones so of course we said yes, and the resulting crunchy snack was the best part of the whole meal. Why this isn’t done more often more places, I’ll never know.

Dessert was a yummy smores pie, but admittedly, not exactly what we were craving after the salty, flavor impact of the meal. Perhaps an unusual sorbet would have hit the spot better and felt less heavy after so much indulgence. Of course, we ate every last morsel of the pie, so my complaint is a minor one. It was certainly over all a dramatic dining affair in a noisy, comforting environment. I have always been a huge fan of Fatty Crab but rarely make it to the neighborhood in time to snag a table, but with an option so close by, I’ll definitely keep it in mind of any special nights. It’s pricier than one might expect for the portions and the comparisons to Malaysian joints in say, Elmhurst, but definitely worth it for the unique culinary experience.

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Posted on May 16, 2010