Back in college my friend, J, who went to Syracuse would rave about this magical cookie place that one could go and fetch warm, just out of the oven at Grandma's house cookies. Take a moment to let your mouth begin to salivate. Whilst J's sister and I were out at Amber last week we, as normal sweet seeking women were in search of dessert after our sushi filled dinner. As we ambled up through Murray Hill we suddenly both stopped, looked up at the sign and without a word to each other raced to beat each other into Insomnia Cookies. K had the peanut butter chocolate chip cookie and I indulged in the s'more cookie. Both the deluxe edition of the cookies. Let's just say people gave us looks as we attempted to land the cookie from the wax bag, all warm and gooey, into our mouths.
A few months ago a co-worker was lucky enough to get Insomnia Cookies for their birthday and Ronnybrook Farm Milk. A divine combination if you ever pick up a bottle at Chelsea Market and make your way to Murray Hill for a cookie.
5 out of 5
Monday, November 21, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Back in the City
DBGB
Now back from traveling to Colorado I am able to focus all of my eating energies back on NYC. This past week a group of us traveled to DBGB Kitchen and & Bar of Chef Daniel Boulud. As a group of 7 this meal was destined to take many hours to complete. In preparation of this jaunt I donned a dress with no elastic around the belly so that I could dine in comfort. Nothing is worse that sitting there, stomach expanding, threatening to take over the table and you haven't had your main yet. No! I would not succumb to this! Here is my menu for the evening:
Drink(s): WHITE COSMO (vodka, st. germain elderflower liqueur, white cranberry, lime). An attempt was made with the PEAR SIDECAR (old weller bourbon, pear liqueur, lemon, rhubarb bitters) but the bourbon was a little to pungent to continue drink that. My cohort gladly took over finishing it for me.
First: BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP spaghetti squash, pumpernickel croutons caraway cream, pumpkin seed oil.
Sausages (shared, listed in order of favorite): (1) ANGLAISE pork banger with sage & white pepper yorkshire pudding, english peas a la francaise , (2) THAI pork, lemongrass and red curry links, green papaya, basil fried rice, chili sauce, quail egg, (3) LOUISIANE new orleans-style garlic & pepper andouille crayfish & ham gumbo, fried okra
Main: HOUSE-MADE GNOCCHI "PARISIENNE" apple cider braised veal breast, parsnip puree
pearl onions, mushrooms, gingerbread crumbs brussels sprouts. When the waiter presented me with the dish I challenged him and said, no I ordered the Gnocchi. This reaction was caused by the fact that French Gnocchi is a different shape then Italian Gnocchi. My first thought of the French Gnocchi was that they resembled mozzarella sticks. But oh, were they creamy and delicious.
Dessert: CHOCOLATE-MALT malted meringue, cookie dough, brownies chocolate fudge & whipped cream. It looked enticing but I did not need this dessert. Nor did I love it. Turns out I am not a malt fan. Don't tell me co-eaters but I only ate the cookie dough and brownies - definitely a childish move but it was necessary.
I do hope to return to this location to sit at the bar and people watch. We arrived early so we could see the parades of people walking in and the intense raise in volume and our voice levels. The bathrooms were clean. Our waiter was knowledgeable and friendly.
4 out of 5
Amber
LivingSocial coupon! My friend and I each printed out the deal for Amber. You may think, hey she has already been to Amber, this is breaking one of her rules of going to the same restaurant multiple times! Alas my friends I thought I was going to the same Amber. As I was on the subway K texted me saying she would see me at the 27th street location. Good thing because I was headed up to 80th. So yes it's the same restaurant, but a different location. We had to sit on the ground floor underneath a loud speaker. Lucky for us we are loud talkers and easily yell at each other. Our table was barely big enough to fit our 'Sushi For 2' platter but we made it work. K sipped on a Red Samurai martini while I had a Mango Martini praying that I would not break out in rashes as I did last time a mango entered my body. The Sushi for 2 was the perfect amount of food for the two of us and included some of my favorites including eel which I can never tire of. Some of the fish tasted a little too 'fishy'. Don't give me and eye roll. It did. With the coupon we only paid about $23 each.
3 out of 5
Earl's Beer & Cheese
Here's an embarrassing fact: I went to the Quidditch World Cup on Saturday. It was hilarious. Even if you are not a HP fan it is quite entertaining. Between the improv announcers who commentate on the people rather then the game, the shirts being sold that read 'Occupy Gringots', and the snitches dressed in all gold spandex running around the pitches it is a funny event. As the evening faded to dark and we turned and appreciated the beautiful view of the skyline from Randall's Island and realized, we were hungry! And cold - my plaid, fur lined, elmer fudd hat only kept me so warm. E (not E from Entourage, I wish though) suggested we go to Earl's Beer & Cheese as she described ' the hip new cheap place in nyc'.
As I would trust her with my life, I trusted her with this decision. We took the water taxi to Manhattan and ventured up to 97th and Park. With no sign I had to ask the patrons in the front if this was Earl's. After they said yes we four ventured in. I approached the small bar in the back and asked if there was a list and was told that it was first come, first sit. We ended up splitting up two at the bar and two at the wall rail. E and I split the Beer-Cheese which had NY State Cheddar, House Lager, Fresh Garlic With Toast and the NY State Cheddar with Pork Belly, Kimchi, Fried Egg on Sourdough. With no menu to look upon we relied on the chalk board and the good word of other patrons in this packed shoebox. I literally did not know what was on the Grilled Cheese sandwich until later when I looked a stray menu sitting at the bar. I don't know if I would have indulged in the Grilled Cheese knowing there was Kimchi on it and on Sourdough. Turns out it was amazing.
E departed and L and P and I were left at the bar. If I hadn't had enough carbs I thought, why not get the bread pudding? Ha.Ha.Ha. Thank the Lord on High that I did. I asked our bar woman/wench how was the bread pudding. It was loud. So I thought she said apples, bread, and topped with cotton candy. Alas when the dish arrived many minutes later it WAS cotton candy. And because everything was still very hot it disintegrated into the bread and apples which then proceeded to burn my tongue as per usual. I drank a Pale Ale with my meal. This place reminded me of London as you order at the bar, pay, and are done. If you want more you can get more, if not you don't sit around waiting for the check to arrive, you can just leave. Very enjoyable experience.
4 out of 5
I think there is a holiday approaching that involves a lot of eating? Oh wait, that's right, my dad and I have already started menu planning for Thanksgiving. I worry about us sometimes.
Now back from traveling to Colorado I am able to focus all of my eating energies back on NYC. This past week a group of us traveled to DBGB Kitchen and & Bar of Chef Daniel Boulud. As a group of 7 this meal was destined to take many hours to complete. In preparation of this jaunt I donned a dress with no elastic around the belly so that I could dine in comfort. Nothing is worse that sitting there, stomach expanding, threatening to take over the table and you haven't had your main yet. No! I would not succumb to this! Here is my menu for the evening:
Drink(s): WHITE COSMO (vodka, st. germain elderflower liqueur, white cranberry, lime). An attempt was made with the PEAR SIDECAR (old weller bourbon, pear liqueur, lemon, rhubarb bitters) but the bourbon was a little to pungent to continue drink that. My cohort gladly took over finishing it for me.
First: BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP spaghetti squash, pumpernickel croutons caraway cream, pumpkin seed oil.
Sausages (shared, listed in order of favorite): (1) ANGLAISE pork banger with sage & white pepper yorkshire pudding, english peas a la francaise , (2) THAI pork, lemongrass and red curry links, green papaya, basil fried rice, chili sauce, quail egg, (3) LOUISIANE new orleans-style garlic & pepper andouille crayfish & ham gumbo, fried okra
Main: HOUSE-MADE GNOCCHI "PARISIENNE" apple cider braised veal breast, parsnip puree
pearl onions, mushrooms, gingerbread crumbs brussels sprouts. When the waiter presented me with the dish I challenged him and said, no I ordered the Gnocchi. This reaction was caused by the fact that French Gnocchi is a different shape then Italian Gnocchi. My first thought of the French Gnocchi was that they resembled mozzarella sticks. But oh, were they creamy and delicious.
Dessert: CHOCOLATE-MALT malted meringue, cookie dough, brownies chocolate fudge & whipped cream. It looked enticing but I did not need this dessert. Nor did I love it. Turns out I am not a malt fan. Don't tell me co-eaters but I only ate the cookie dough and brownies - definitely a childish move but it was necessary.
I do hope to return to this location to sit at the bar and people watch. We arrived early so we could see the parades of people walking in and the intense raise in volume and our voice levels. The bathrooms were clean. Our waiter was knowledgeable and friendly.
4 out of 5
Amber
LivingSocial coupon! My friend and I each printed out the deal for Amber. You may think, hey she has already been to Amber, this is breaking one of her rules of going to the same restaurant multiple times! Alas my friends I thought I was going to the same Amber. As I was on the subway K texted me saying she would see me at the 27th street location. Good thing because I was headed up to 80th. So yes it's the same restaurant, but a different location. We had to sit on the ground floor underneath a loud speaker. Lucky for us we are loud talkers and easily yell at each other. Our table was barely big enough to fit our 'Sushi For 2' platter but we made it work. K sipped on a Red Samurai martini while I had a Mango Martini praying that I would not break out in rashes as I did last time a mango entered my body. The Sushi for 2 was the perfect amount of food for the two of us and included some of my favorites including eel which I can never tire of. Some of the fish tasted a little too 'fishy'. Don't give me and eye roll. It did. With the coupon we only paid about $23 each.
3 out of 5
Earl's Beer & Cheese
Here's an embarrassing fact: I went to the Quidditch World Cup on Saturday. It was hilarious. Even if you are not a HP fan it is quite entertaining. Between the improv announcers who commentate on the people rather then the game, the shirts being sold that read 'Occupy Gringots', and the snitches dressed in all gold spandex running around the pitches it is a funny event. As the evening faded to dark and we turned and appreciated the beautiful view of the skyline from Randall's Island and realized, we were hungry! And cold - my plaid, fur lined, elmer fudd hat only kept me so warm. E (not E from Entourage, I wish though) suggested we go to Earl's Beer & Cheese as she described ' the hip new cheap place in nyc'.
As I would trust her with my life, I trusted her with this decision. We took the water taxi to Manhattan and ventured up to 97th and Park. With no sign I had to ask the patrons in the front if this was Earl's. After they said yes we four ventured in. I approached the small bar in the back and asked if there was a list and was told that it was first come, first sit. We ended up splitting up two at the bar and two at the wall rail. E and I split the Beer-Cheese which had NY State Cheddar, House Lager, Fresh Garlic With Toast and the NY State Cheddar with Pork Belly, Kimchi, Fried Egg on Sourdough. With no menu to look upon we relied on the chalk board and the good word of other patrons in this packed shoebox. I literally did not know what was on the Grilled Cheese sandwich until later when I looked a stray menu sitting at the bar. I don't know if I would have indulged in the Grilled Cheese knowing there was Kimchi on it and on Sourdough. Turns out it was amazing.
E departed and L and P and I were left at the bar. If I hadn't had enough carbs I thought, why not get the bread pudding? Ha.Ha.Ha. Thank the Lord on High that I did. I asked our bar woman/wench how was the bread pudding. It was loud. So I thought she said apples, bread, and topped with cotton candy. Alas when the dish arrived many minutes later it WAS cotton candy. And because everything was still very hot it disintegrated into the bread and apples which then proceeded to burn my tongue as per usual. I drank a Pale Ale with my meal. This place reminded me of London as you order at the bar, pay, and are done. If you want more you can get more, if not you don't sit around waiting for the check to arrive, you can just leave. Very enjoyable experience.
4 out of 5
I think there is a holiday approaching that involves a lot of eating? Oh wait, that's right, my dad and I have already started menu planning for Thanksgiving. I worry about us sometimes.
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