revuesday - DBGB

Do you ever go out to eat at a fancy restaurant, look at the expensive, foreign menu, and just wish you could order a cheeseburger or a hot dog?  You're not alone.  Apparently there's a whole slew of people just like you meandering downtown wanting more than a dirty water dog from the corner but less than an outta control steak.  And thanks to Daniel Boulud's DBGB, you're all in luck!  His newest NY venture, a swanky gastropub on what was once a skid row of sorts, joins the likes of John Varvatos, The New Museum, and Whole Foods glamming up the formerly dingy underbelly of the city.  The Bowery has changed a lot throughout history, and it's changed an awful lot in the past five years that I moved to the city.  The epic CBGBs shuttered its doors for good (thankfully I was able to catch a few shows before this happened,) restaurants and retail shops started popping up, and even though the Mission and the folks who hang around there still exist, everything seems a bit cleaner and brighter... for good or bad, it's the up and up of a trendy town.

But I digress.  This isn't a post about the good old down and dirty days of punk rockers and junkies; this is  an ode to delicious food and drink.  And delicious food and drink is served up right at DBGB.  Though a bit out of my price range (this is the fancy new Bowery, not your neighborhood dive,) the food is well worth it, especially when your pops is treating you to welcome you back to the big bad city that landed you in crutches.  Like many of my restaurant choices these days this spot is not very well suited to the non-meat eaters out there but can you blame me - I need the protein to keep my out of work muscles alive!  So if you're into upscale, kinda pricey meats off the grill, this is the place for you.

yankee burger with fries

While the rest of the table indulged in beer and cocktails, I chose to have my beer in the form of a batter covering perfectly fresh and light calamari served alongside a thai-style lime cream sauce.  My only complaint about the calamari is that there were none of those spindly little pieces that look like tiny squid - those are my favorite pieces.  After bickering over the last few pieces of tasty calamari and being served a second round, our entrees arrived.  For mom and dad, yankee cheeseburgers with really yummy crispy french fries on the side.  The burgers were cooked perfectly medium rare and had that awesome charcoaled taste with all the fixins sandwiched in between two warm and soft buns.  Carolyn chose the Thai sausage flavored with curry and lemongrass served alongside a basil fried rice topped with a fried quail egg.  For a heavy meat and starch meal, the Thai style flavors made this dish taste light and healthy.  After a heated debate inside my brain about whether I wanted the DBGB dog or the Louisane, I settled on something out of my norm and went with the restaurant's take on a traditional New Orleans style supper.  In a small cast iron crock, I was served a garlic and spicy pepper Andouille sausage atop a crayfish and ham gumbo with little bits of fried okra.  Thankfully they put a basket of toasty delicious bread on the table so I could sop up every last bit of that flavorful gumbo.  Seriously, I don't know too much about Creole and Cajun cuisine, but if it's anything like the perfect plate I was served, I can't wait to haul ass down to New Orleans and stuff myself full of tastiness.  The dessert menu was unbelievably tempting with

thai saucisses

house made ice creams, sundaes and cakes but since my folks needed to get back to the Jerz, I just got a little something to go... and when I say little, I mean little.  Though the black forest cake was delicious and moist, it was itty bitty like the cakes I used to pull out of my Easy Bake Oven.  And when your shelling out the kind of loot for dessert that these folks are charging, I want a full slice of cake!  And even though I got it too go, I felt totally duped that I didn't get the side of chocolate ice cream that the dessert special advertised.  I guess every meal can't be perfect.

But if you're in the mood for some swanky bbq grub, head on down to the Bowery and embrace the modern world at DBGB.  The dim lighting and super soft leather banquets make this an awesome date spot.  It's a bit cavernous so it can get noisy which might be good for a first date if it's going poorly.  Check it out, but go someplace else for dessert.

* Again, I find myself camera-less and had to swipe these photos from New York's review of the joint

mildly amuzed hour

Lately, I'm afraid to drink booze.  I'm not taking any medicine beyond a few ibuprofen to get me through the day that would make drinking dangerous, but I'm nervous about how my body would react to alcohol.  I haven't had more than a few sips of wine since my accident and though there have been moments when I could have really gone for a strong Manhattan (my drink of choice,) I've resisted and instead sought the comfort of hot tea or club soda.  I guess what scares me the most is the fact that I already feel so unstable on my crutches while I attempt maneuver the crowded streets in search of ice cream and donuts.  That nervousness combined with a couple of cocktails and I can just imagine the disastrous aftermath - bumps, bruises, more broken bones.  Yikes!

refill please

But like I said, the stress of trying to move around this crowded and oblivious city makes a girl crave some spirits.  Until I'm off the crutches though, I'll just have to pretend that my chai is a hot toddy and get my kicks by following the hilariously awesome series My Drunk Kitchen.  There aren't too many people who get to see me in action in the delirious kitchen but the few that have can attest to the fact that I am very much like Ms. Hannah Hart when I cook... and a little like Julia Child, too - wine for me, wine for the food, wine for me.  My meals are usually a bit more successful that Hannah's, but the pre-food prep is really quite similar.  But drunken cooking can be very risky so it's best to stay out of the kitchen unless you're a trained professional.  And since I'm so wobbly on my feet foot, I should be extra cautious in the kitchen and maybe stick to watching Funny or  Die's Drunk History series.  Learning about history has never been more fun and since it doesn't require any open flames it is always safe!  And when you mix that kind of education with booze, it's awesome and hysterical.  Many thanks to Sarah O for turning me on to these riotous videos!

Unfortunately, all that giggling at drunk people kind of makes me want a drink for myself.  You know, peer/beer pressure?  For times when those cravings kick in, I'm thankful for Ken Burns' new PBS series on Prohibition.  It's been very informative and I kind of can't wait for the next installment.  So far the documentary has been pretty good at reminding me about the bad side of boozing... let's see if everything I learned last night can help me get through happy hour with the ladies tonight!

the importance of calcium

Since my misfortunate accident I've become really aware of my calcium intake.  But uhoh, I forgot my calcium pills back at my apartment.  And with as many broken bones as I've got right now, it's really important that I help them grown back strong with loads of vitamins.  Unfortunately, vitamins are super expensive and, since I'm out of work because of my leg, I can't afford to go buy a whole new bottle.  No worries though because I have found another source of calcium that seems to be doing the trick just fine - plus it makes me super happy and we all know that happiness helps the healing process.  Are you wondering what this magical source of calcium that's cheaper than vitamins is?  Are you trying to guess?  Well, it's not milk, yogurt or cheese (though I have been loading up on those, too but that's nothing out of the ordinary for me.)  It's ice cream.

The other night I realized that among the few groceries that I had stocked up for my home away from home stay, ice cream was not among them.  And other than frozen yogurt spots, I wasn't aware of any spots to buy tasty frozen desserts within hobbling distance of the apartment and, let's face it, frozen yogurt never cuts it.  Seriously, no matter how many fresh fruit toppings you put on it it's still just really cold yogurt.  With the help of the internet I was able to locate three locations for ice cream within crutching distance of the apartment.  Yesterday before the rain came, I mustered up the courage to venture out on my own in search of these three ice cream locations.  But the first two locations seem to be secretive speakeasy types or nonexistent because I could not find them... and trust me, it's not like I'm moving so fast that I would have gone right past them; I notice absolutely everything because I move so slowly these days.

Thankfully, the third spot was right where it was supposed to be and after a bit of difficulty with the door and step at the entrance, I made it inside.  I was a little nervous about this spot because it definitely wasn't really ice cream but looked more like an ice cream gelato hybrid.  Then I tasted my first sample spoon and my fears were instantly quelled because this is neither ice cream nor gelato - it's Stellina and it is amazeballs!  Serving up what they refer to as a "cross breed of funky chunky American ice cream and traditional Italian gelato" in a pretty wide variety of flavors plus sorbets, baked goods and espresso, this Lower East Side sweet spot is a welcome chilly breeze in an ice cream-less desert.

After pondering with the lovely young man at the counter over what flavor to walk out with, sampling a few and changing my mind nearly half a dozen times, I settled on two flavors.  First I chose the La Strada, a milk chocolate gelato with chopped peanuts, brownie bits and homemade marshmallows.  It's kind of like a fancier, grownup version of Rocky Road ice cream, like the road is still rocky but you don't notice it so much because your luxury car has brand new shocks and your driver is really great (and probably British) so the ride is always smooth.  This one definitely had a more ice cream texture and taste and was out of control delicious.  Plus, it inspired me to learn how to make my own marshmallows (more on that to come!)  Okay, so the second flavor I got was right up my alley being that it's sweet and salty, love it!  As soon as the scooper guy told me what was in it, I was sold - it's a salted caramel gelato with a chocolate fudge swirl and chunks of crushed chocolate covered pretzels.  This one definitely had a smoother texture like a traditional gelato but the chunks of chocolate covered pretzels were for sure all-American.  Though these two containers are definitely a bit more costly than your typical bodega pints of ice cream they're certainly worth the splurge when you desire a special treat, or some supplemental calcium.  And since it's right around the corner from my temporary digs, I might just have to go back for some more... after what I've been through I think I deserve it and since their flavor of the month is Chocolate Covered Cherry (dark chocolate gelato with fresh market cherries) I might have to swing in for a cup and a shot of espresso.  This might just be one of the best discoveries I've made in awhile.  Go there and be amazed.

at least it's half veggie, right?

I made it through the day without eating any meat in honor and awareness of all the veggie folks.  My day started with cherry yogurt and chai tea.  Later on I enjoyed a banana before venturing out in search of ice cream (more on that later.)  My late lunch consisted of a salad with beets, cheddar cheese, tomato, avocado and a light vinaigrette.  It was all wonderful and totally substantial enough to get me through the day so I totally get where vegetarians are coming from.

Then I started making supper.  The pork belly was already cooked; Lizzie B took care of that with a little s&p and garlic cooked slow and low until it got nice and tender.  It looked really tasty and all I needed to do was toss it with the brussel sprouts.  I love brussel sprouts!  I prepare them lots of different ways but most often I halve them before tossing the sprouts with a little olive oil, some garlic and s&p and just let them roast in the oven until they get tender and crispy.  The oven at my current abode isn't in working order so I ended up sort of steaming the sprouts on top of the stove.  Either way it's a simple and easy recipe that can be served as a side or a main dish.  I hope you all enjoyed being vegetarian for the day and that those of you who went back to meat after a few hours enjoyed every morsel of meaty goodness!

pork belly & brussel sprouts
ingredients
3 c fresh brussel sprouts
1/4 c pork belly, cooked and cubed
salt & pepper
olive oil
1/2 tsp chopped garlic
directions
1. Heat about half a cup of water with garlic in a large fry pan over medium heat until it reaches a simmer.  Trim and halve brussel sprouts and toss with olive oil and s&p so that each piece is lightly coated.  Toss into the simmering water and let cook uncovered about 10 minutes or until lightly browned and tender.
2. Toss in pork belly to warm and crisp with the brussel sprouts.  Serve and enjoy.

*My apologies for the crummy photo; I had to use my phone because my camera remains in Brooklyn.

calling all vegetarians!

As I'm sure you're all well aware at this point, I am not a vegetarian.  Come on, I want to put bacon in my apple pie - do you get much more carnivorous than that?  I haven't always been such a meat eater though.  Once, during my experimental college years, my roomie and I dabbled with vegetarianism.  She's still pretty close to being a vegetarian (I think she eats meat, but not too frequently... she does live in Texas after all,) while I lasted maybe 7 hours before withdrawal set in and I had to haul ass to Frisco Burritos for an overstuffed chicken with trinity - if you're ever in Towson, Maryland you should swing by and get one; they're delicious.  But all of that meat doesn't interfere with my love of vegetables or decrease my admiration for those of you out there who manage to resist the greasy goodness of hamburgers, whatever your reasons for such resistance may be.

I'm not really sure how this happened, but I've somehow ended up with quite a few vegetarian friends.  These relationships have thrown a few hiccups into delirious kitchen prep since my supper clubs and dinner parties are usually centered around a main course of meat or fish, menus where the veggies are merely backup dancers.  But as I perused my wacky new Facebook feed this morning I saw that two of my friends were promoting or liking Vegetarian Awareness Month.  October is known for a lot of things, but vegetarians?!  And today, October 1st, is World Vegetarian Day... who knew?  Apparently, I am unaware.

I kind of already planned on whipping up some brussel sprouts with pork belly for supper tonight, but technically the 'day' will be over by the time I enjoy such a meaty meal, one that doesn't quite fit into the veggie theme of the day.  But until the 6:38 sunset that concludes today, I plan on existing as a vegetarian.  But my venture into vegetarianism doesn't end there.  I've been thinking about it for awhile now and have finally decided to embrace the trend of Meatless Mondays.  I've been attempting to stockpile recipes as I come across them or as they pop into my brain, but I need your help friends!  Though the beautiful pictures and creative cuisines presented at Green Kitchen Stories are inspiring and deliciously tempting, they aren't real to me because I don't have the veggie know-how to decide which ones to try and which ones to leave in the garden.  That's where all you vegetarians come in to play - I need your recommendations for blogs, recipes & restaurants.  I need you to volunteer to be my guinea pigs and guests for Meatless Mondays.  I want you to guest post!  Come on down gang and help this meat-lovin' gal embrace your meatless ways.  Seriously, I need your help so that I can become more aware.  Here's to a fun journey through greener pastures!

Green Kitchen Stories' self-proclaimed World's Greatest Vegetable Lasagna