No Monkey Business at Casa Mono

Casa Mono

I was in Gramercy this afternoon time today with my Dad looking for a place to eat. I knew it was finally time to check out Mario Batali's Casa Mono. It was the awkward time between lunch and dinner, so I thought we wouldn't have a problem finding a table, but to my surprise, the place was packed. We were able to get a couple of seats at the bar, and after a good while, we were finally noticed and brought some bread.

A Window into Ventanas

Ham Croquettes y Empanadas

I walk by Ventanas almost every day and love the decor I can see from the outside, so the second I saw a Bloomspot Voucher I snapped it up to go try it out. Seemed like a good place to try for a girls' night with a girlfriend, so I called her up and arranged a date.

So-Yummy Soccarat - Nolita Edition

Stuffed Dates & Fried Artichokes 

We were meeting up with friends for dinner and one of them suggested Soccarat Nolita. Having enjoyed the Chelsea location of this restaurant, we were interested to see what the Nolita annex is like. First, it's a lot bigger than the Chelsea location, which was good for our group of 8. I also enjoyed the ambience a bit more, which surprised me, since I had assumed they would be similar. But enough about the space, let's get to the food.

We started with a selection of tapas: stuffed dates, fried artichokes, calamari and potatoes. More photos after the jump.

Poll Winner: Tia Pol

Everyone raves about Tia Pol as one of the top Chelsea joints to eat. It's been top of my list of places to try (especially since we live half a block away), so with my parents in town and needing dinner, I dragged them in here. It definitely falls into the typical teeny, cramped NYC dining space camp. But we got a nice table by the bar where we weren't too jostled.

We started with two of our favorites, the shishito peppers and deviled eggs, aka pimientos estilo gernika and huevos rellenos al pimentón de la vera. These are straightforward dishes and did not disappoint. 

Shishito Peppers & Deviled Eggs 

Joining up with Blue Caravan

Chef Mei Chau made a name for herself with Franklin Station Cafe, a Malaysian/French bistro in TriBeCa which closed after 15 years of being a neighborhood favorite in June of 2008 due to soaring rent prices. But now she's back with her new global cuisine restaurant on the Upper West Side Blue Caravan. Some of the favorite dishes from Franklin's can be found on the menu, but she is also taking the opportunity to try out some brand new items. The space is fresh and modern that manages to be casual yet elegant and features photography from Mei's husband Marc. 

Mondays are World Music Nights from 7-10pm with music coordinator Arturo Martinez. On the music menu for tonight was some Brazilian fare, it set the mood and was still soft enough to be able to carry on a conversation. (Tip: Next week is Flameco with a singer and dancer!) They also have a Jazz Brunch on Sundays from 12-3pm with vocalist Kay Mori.

Truffles Mixed Mushroom Bruschetta

Looks good enough to eat...and it was! Unfortunately, my camera battery died at this point, so you'll have to make do with iPhone quality pictures from this point on. 

Small Plates Trio

Foreground right: Porcini and Sweet Pea Arancini with smoked eggplant aioli (in purple flower).
Foreground left: Spicy Chicken Skewer with tamarind peanut sauce (in green flower).
Background: Crispy Calamari with blood orange and soy reduction.

These three small plates worked really well together. The arancini were crispy and smokey, the chicken skewers were tender and moist, and the calamari was crunchy and sweet. The calamari is what really stole the show and this is the dish that I recommend most from the evening. Quite possibly the least rubbery calamari I've ever had and the blood orange and soy reduction was sweet enough to be dessert. I would swear that they were coated in chopped nuts, but according to Chef Mei it's a simple garlic and flour mixture. Amazing.

Salmon & Duck

Foreground: Turmeric Salmon with coconut milk, turmeric ginger, and acar vegetables. My second favorite dish, this one carried over from Franklin's and was immensely popular there. One taste of the sauce and I could easily see why. She could serve this amazing sauce with anything and have a hit on her hands. You definitely will find yourself wanting to sop up the leftovers with some bread...or a spoon.

Background: Pan Seared Magret Duck served over wild rice with a cranberry raisin cherry part glaze. Without meaning to, the above photo is very symbolic. Although this dish was quite good, it was overshadowed by the Turmeric Salmon.

Profiterole & Apple Tart

Finally, for dessert, home-made profiteroles and a slice of apple tart. Amazingly, Mei also does most of her own desserts! The profiteroles are a chocoholic's dream, but surprisingly, the apple tart was my favorite.

I had the pleasure of meeting Mei and Marc and they are clearly passionate and excited about their new endeavor. Having just opened in April, they are still trying new dishes and changing the menu, so it's an exciting time to visit. Also, be sure to stop by the bar and get a drink from Steve, he was our server for this evening and was an absolute delight. They are usually all to be found on site, so be sure to introduce yourselves to them!


*My meal was provided by the restaurant as part of a Press Dinner.

Socarrat, So-yummy

Daily Special Peppers

Tocino

Sangria y Beer

Seafood Paella

Ready for it's close-up

We were in the mood for Paella, so it was finally time for us to try out Chelsea's famous Socarrat Paella Bar. We started with a couple of tapas while we waited for our paella since each pan is made to order. There were some delicious little peppers on the daily special list, lightly seasoned with oil, salt, and lemon- nice and fresh tasting with just the right amount of kick. We also ordered the tocino: braised pork belly served over date puree. The food was so good that we decided it was worth treating ourselves to relax and enjoy some drinks with our main. Finally, our pan of seafood paella full of cod, cuttlefish, shrimp, mussels, squid, cockles, and scallops arrived.  The treat was the socarrat, the crust of overcooked rice that forms at the bottom of the pan.

5 Stars for El Quinto Pino

Horchatas

Noodle Paella

Migas Aragoneses

We have found an amazing hidden gem across the street from our apartment. A teeny, tiny little tapas bar called El Quinto Pino. We went in fully intending to get some wine, but got sidetracked when we saw the frozen Horchata with brandy on the drinks blackboard. So creamy, sweet, and alcoholic!

Then we ordered the Noodle Paella and Migas Aragoneses. These dishes were each amazing in their own ways and we were blown away. This is exactly the type of spin on classic dishes we dream of every time we walk into a nice sit-down restaurant. And here they are in a small alcove barely visible from the street! 

Although we are extremely excited about this new find, we are also a bit nervous since the bartender mentioned that it is usually pretty packed and the only reason we were able to get a seat so easily is because every one is out of town for the holiday weekend.