Showing posts with label weekend. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weekend. Show all posts
Saturday, May 16, 2015
A Food Lovers Weekend In New York Part II
From there, it was a quick 5-minute walk to Washington Square Park. It was a gorgeous Spring afternoon – blue skies and temperatures in the 70s – so people were out in full force to sunbathe, enjoy picnics, people watch…and walk their dogs. The cherry blossoms and tulips were in bloom, so the park was full of vibrant color.
We spent about 30 minutes snapping pictures and soaking in the gorgeous weather. We even met this little fellow…who was pretty much the cutest hot dog we’ve ever seen!
We spent about 30 minutes snapping pictures and soaking in the gorgeous weather. We even met this little fellow…who was pretty much the cutest hot dog we’ve ever seen!
After resting in the park for a bit, we headed to our hotel in The Library Hotel Collection, the very lovely Hotel Elysee. This historic hotel is located in Midtown East, between Madison and Park Avenues. The location makes it perfect for those who are planning to do a little shopping, and the ambiance makes it perfect for couples looking for a little romance. The Elysee was built in the 1920s, and it has a very colorful history. Before it was a hotel, it was a residence. Some of its famous tenants included baseball player Joe DiMaggio and playwright Tennessee Williams. The elegance of the 1920s era was apparent from the moment we walked in the door. Our guest room was located right next to the elevator, which made us feel like it was our own private elevator! The room was decorated in soothing shades of cream and blue, which we found very relaxing. The Elysee is considered one of the most romantic hotels in the city, and I couldnt agree more! 
Like all hotels in The Library Collection, we were offered a wide range of amenities: free in-room WiFi, bottled water, an afternoon wine and cheese reception and morning continental breakfast. The Elysee is also home to the famous Monkey Bar, a piano bar located just off the lobby. We had another great date night planned, and this hotel set the romantic mood perfectly! On our way out, we stopped by the evening wine and cheese reception to start our date night.
Michael chose the Salad "Le Cirque." It was colorful and artfully presented, tossed with a refreshing truffle vinaigrette. I opted for the Tempura Shrimp, which were perfectly fried and not the least bit greasy. The portion size was quite generous as well. We both went with seafood for our entrees. Michael chose the Lobster Risotto, which was creamy and indulgent and full of chunks of lobster. I opted for the seared Scottish Salmon. It was cooked perfectly, and the refreshing citrus sauce worked really well with the rich salmon. It was a memorable meal, served in an upscale -- yet casual -- environment. It was the perfect prelude to our show that evening.
After the Philharmonic performance was over, we made our way back outside. We both admired the beauty of the Lincoln Center fountain at night, with the Metropolitan Opera House in the background. Then we headed a few steps around the corner to Lincoln Ristorante for dessert and coffee. This sleek, modern restaurant is conveniently located right on the Lincoln Center grounds. This makes it a perfect spot for a bite either before or after a performance at one of the Lincoln Center venues. Lincoln Ristorante offers Italian food, including fantastic desserts from pastry chef Richard Capizzi. We ordered coffee and selected two desserts: a rich chocolate cake and a dessert that featured plums in two different ways. Both desserts were creative and expertly prepared. We paired them with a shared sorbetti trio. The sorbetti was rich and creamy, and the flavors paired very nicely with our desserts. Of the three flavors, the chocolate-rosemary was our favorite. The earthy flavor of the rosemary stood up very nicely to the deep dark chocolate. It was unique and delicious! 
We woke up the next day and got ready to have Sunday Brunch at David Burke Townhouse, located in a beautiful Upper East Side townhouse decorated in shades of red. Their brunch has been voted one of the Top 25 in the city, so we were excited to try it. We arrived and were warmly greeted by the hostess. While we were selecting an eye-opener from the cocktail menu, Chef Burke came out from the kitchen to introduce himself and let us know he was going to include a few extra items from the dinner menu to our tasting that morning. We loosened our belts and settled in for a fabulous, over-the-top brunch experience. As we sipped our cocktails and munched on warm-from-the-oven popovers, we looked over the menu.
Everything we tried was expertly prepared and full of flavor. I loved how Chef Burke took familiar food items and added his own creative, modern spin on them. Case in point: this Sea Scallop "Benedict" from the dinner menu. Its comprised of layers of quail egg, potato cake, chorizo, lobster foam, and caviar. It was an amazing combination of flavors and textures! We cut it in half and had one bite each; as soon as we tasted this appetizer, we knew we were in for one amazing meal.
Out brunch appetizers were both seafood based. I chose the crispy and unique Pretzel Crusted Crabcake, which was served with a duo of complimentary sauces. Michael chose Chef Burkes creative pastrami-spiced salmon. It was served with bite-sized watercress blini and a horseradish creme fraiche. These little bites were so fun to assemble and eat. Both appetizers were expertly prepared and featured a beautiful presentation on the plate.
Next up were two "bonus" courses: a crab scramble from the brunch menu and spicy lobster from the dinner menu. The crab scramble was served in a large ostrich egg shell, and it was amazingly creamy. The lump crab and truffle mouseline were decadent touches. Surprisingly, this dish wasnt overly rich. The lobster was a revelation: sweet lobster combined with fiery seasonings. The combination of lemon, basil and chili oil reminded me of a Thai flavor profile. Yes, it was a bit messy to eat -- but it was downright addictive.
Next came our brunch entrees. Michael ordered the steak and egg, which was stacked with sauteed mushrooms, a potato hash and a touch of bearnaise. The steak was perfectly cooked, and the dish was artfully presented. I was getting a bit full by then, so I opted for a light Spring salad with grilled chicken and shrimp. The addition of goat cheese, walnuts, sliced pears and bacon made it filling...but not overly so.
Our amazing brunch ended with Chef Burkes signature dessert, the Cheesecake Lollipop Tree. Bite-sized cheesecakes are served on a stick. They are accompanied by bubblegum-flavored whipped cream and fresh berries. This dessert is whimsical and delicious, and perfect for sharing.
Before we knew it, our hour was up and we were back to the entrance at Central Park South. We made our way over to Columbus Circle to snap a few pictures and enjoy a little bit of people watching. New York is perfect for people watching! Before we knew it, it was time for our afternoon tea reservation at The Mandarin Oriental Hotel. The final installment of this travelogue will tell you all about our amazing tea-time experience, as well the rest of our New York adventures. Make sure you come back to read all about it!
Sunday, May 10, 2015
A Food Lovers Weekend in New Orleans Part 2
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| How nice to wake up to pastries and fruit at The Audubon Cottages each morning! |
When I left off on Part 1 of this article, we had enjoyed a wonderful dessert at Restaurant Stella! and drifted off to sleep with very full bellies. We woke up on Saturday morning to the sound of...pouring buckets of rain! But did we let this dampen our fun? Nope...our friend Roderick left us Audubon Cottage logo umbrellas to use, and we were good to go. We found a lovely continental breakfast spread on the table and had a small bite to get us going. Our first stop was a New Orleans institution...and one of the best bargains you’ll find in the city: Cafe du Monde for beignets and chicory coffee. An order of three puffy beignets will only set you back $2-and-change. It was warm and humid that morning, but we didn’t mind...we quickly found a seat and ordered. If you’ve never had beignets, they’re a French version of a doughnut...minus the hole...coated with a thick layer of powdered sugar. Heaven! Cafe du Monde is open 24-7 and only closes on Christmas. That’s a LOT of beignets, friends!
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| Fresh, hot beignets getting a generous dusting of powdered sugar at Cafe du Monde. |
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| Perfection: hot, crispy beignets coated with a generous helping of powdered sugar...what a way to start the day! |
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| A New Orleans institution...serving Cajun food in the French Quarter since 1979. |
From there, we headed to have what we thought would be a quick bite of gumbo at K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen. Instead, we were greeted by Brenda Prudhomme and escorted to a large table in the back of the restaurant, just outside the kitchen. Brenda is the restaurant’s Accounting Manager, as well as the niece of owner/chef Paul Prudhomme. She’s also married to K-Pauls Executive Chef Paul Miller. They both greeted us warmly and proceeded to serve us most of the items from the days lunch menu. For the next two hours, we ate some amazing food, including chicken and andouille sausage gumbo, shrimp po boys, shrimp and corn macque choux, and chicken and waffles. We also enjoyed lively conversation with Ms. Brenda and Chef Miller. For now, I’ll leave you with this picture of them...and the spread. To hear all the details of this amazing meal, come back next week when I feature K-Pauls in this month’s special edition of The Weekend Gourmet Dines Out.
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| Two of the nicest people youll ever meet...Brenda Prudhomme and her husband, K-Pauls Executive Chef Paul Miller. |
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| The atmosphere at The Irish House is warm and inviting. |
Before we knew it, it was time to head up St. Charles Avenue into the Garden District to visit Chef Matt Murphy at The Irish House. This authentic Irish pub and restaurant is fairly new on the NOLA dining scene, but it’s quickly making a name for itself. Once we visited, it wasn’t hard to see why. Chef Matt is a fabulous host...and a really wonderful chef. He recently appeared on Food Network’s Chopped...which he won! His food is what I would best term upscale pub food...familiar enough to be comfortable, with some gourmet twists. Over the course of three hours, we sampled lots of items from the menu...along with pints of Guinness. Not a bad way to spend a rainy weekend afternoon! We enjoyed all the dishes, but the beer-batter fish and chips was a true standout: crispy and not at all greasy...and the tartar sauce was perfection!
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| Perfect fish and chips: light-as-air beer batter, tender fish, and amazing tarter sauce! |
Some of the other dishes we tried included an authentic Irish Breakfast Sampler, Fig and Brie Stuffed Duck Breast with Celeriac Puree and Sour Cherry Brandy Sauce, and Cider Braised Pork Cheeks Honey Clove Jus. The pork cheeks were a standout: fork tender, and the honey clove sauce was rich and fragrant.
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| A traditional Irish breakfast: eggs, hash browns, baked beans, grilled tomato, three kinds of sausage, and bacon. |
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| Duck breast stuffed with savory brie and sweet figs, served over celeriac puree with yellow squash and zucchini. |
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| This was our first time to try pork cheeks, but they were amazing...succulent and fork-tender! The sweet and savory honey-clove sauce paired perfectly with the savory pork. |
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| The perfect ending to a wonderful meal: a dessert duo featuring Guinness and Baileys Irish Cream! |
We took our time enjoying each course, visiting with Chef Matt and his friendly staff in between...while we digested and made room for more. We were getting pretty stuffed when out came dessert: Guinness Chocolate Trifle...served in a miniature Guinness glass...and creamy Baileys Cheesecake. Anybody who knows me can attest that I always have thismuch room left for something sweet at the end of a meal! Both desserts were rich and decadent. They were the perfect ending to a wonderful afternoon of sampling Chef Matts delicious food. Before we left, the entire Weekend Gourmet gang took a picture with Chef Matt. As you can see, hes a great host...with a great smile!
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| The Weekend Gourmet gang with Chef Matt Murphy after a fabulous afternoon at The Irish House. |
We waddled out of The Irish House and quickly realized there was no way we’d be hungry in time for our 800 dinner reservation at Jacques-Imos. I called to move our visit to an hour later...and we promptly took naps back in the sanctuary of The Audubon Cottages. After a nap and a shower, we were ready for dinner. Jacques-Imos is a restaurant weve wanted to eat at for ages, but we never had luck getting a table on our past trips. Thats how popular this restaurant is with its loyal fans! Jacques-Imos is a one-of-a-kind experience: funky ambiance and some amazing Cajun food. The restaurant is located Uptown, which is accessible via the St. Charles streetcar or a 15-minute drive from the French Quarter. We were seated and served some of their signature items family style. That was perfect, because it allowed the four of us to sample everything without getting too full.
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| A trio of appetizers: gumbo, fried green tomatoes with shrimp remoulade, and shrimp and alligator sausage cheesecake. |
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| Jacques-Imos has some of the best fried chicken youll ever eat: crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Perfectly seasoned and not the least bit greasy! |
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| Blackened redfish served with a spicy cream sauce. Seared and spicy on the outside...moist on the inside. |
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| From the moment you arrive at Jacques-Imos, you know youre in for a good time! |
By the time our meal was over, it had been a full day of eating...literally from sun up to way past sun down! We made our way back to our cottage, changed into our pj’s, and were asleep almost immediately. We needed plenty of time to digest...because we still had one more foodie adventure on the agenda before we left New Orleans: Sunday Jazz Brunch at the legendary Commander’s Palace. To hear all about that -- and learn about some of the best sweet treats NOLA has to offer -- come back here on Monday.
Disclosure: The New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau hosted our trip to New Orleans, arranging all of the complimentary meals eaten to facilitate this article. All photographs were taken by my husband, Michael K. Garcia. They are copyrighted and may not be reproduced or copied without express written permission.
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