Brunch in Chelsea

I’ve read that the new chef at Amuse (108-110 West 18th St. bw 6th & 7th Ave.) makes this old fashioned dish called carpetbaggers steak. It’s a steak with a pocket cut into it filled with raw shellfish. His version packed oysters in a Guinness brown sugar sauce. Sounds interesting. But brunch is a decidedly more traditional affair. Since it’s Chelsea, expect $15 eggs, but they are delicious $15 eggs. Focaccia was the freebie bread. I had regular old eggs, sunny side up, with a chicken breast that had been lightly battered and perfectly fried. It’s a nice alternative to the standard steak and eggs breakfast. It came with home fries and a screwdriver. The homefries were browned just right. Ted had the salmon eggs benedict with home fries and a Bloody Mary. In all, a pretty straight forward meal. Not sure we’d go back, but it’s nice enough if you’re in the area and are looking for a sit-down brunch. They open at 11, and it gets loud quickly, so go early. The best part of the meal was leaving to pick up my new bike at the flea market just down the street.

Meat Coma

Pylos (128 E 7th St. 1st Ave & Ave A) has been around for a couple of years now, but it used to be called, "It’s Greek to Me." Peeking through the glass front, it seemed to be a casual neighborhood place. Well, no more. It’s now part of the whole East Village gentrification thing. Destination dining. It’s fancier and pricier, but not outrageous. Good place to go on a date or to take your folks. Parties of 6 or more require reservations. Couples have to duke it out around 5pm after they open. It’s a fair fight because the food is quite good. Atmosphere is nice, too. I dig the pottery hanging from the ceiling, though I had to wonder if a pot would fall on my head and knock me out. But on to the food: My litmus test for Greek restaurants is the taramasalata. If it’s good, then you’re starting off on the right foot. Maybe we didn’t need to order the 3 dips because of the complimentary roasted chick pea dip, but we are hedonists (and gluttons). The name of the 3 dips was really long, so I can’t remember the title, but the taramasalata was great. Creamy and rich with the delicious flavor of fish roe—fishy in the best possible way. The eggplant was Ted’s favorite, sweet and yummy. The cucumber yogurt raita was cool yet pungent with the taste of onions. The servings looked small at first, but we had to get an extra order of pita. The table of four next to us had no problems polishing them off, however. For main dishes, Ted ordered the lamb shank with egg noodles and marinara, and I had the double thick, pork chop with prune and leek stuffing with mashed potatoes. Ted’s lamb was perfectly cooked and fell off the bone. The pork chop’s white meat was a bit dry, but fine with the leeks. The dark meat section was succulent. Again, perfect mashed potatoes, but they differed from 26 Seats in that the potato, not the ratio of ingredients, was the star. Perhaps they use milk and olive oil instead of cream and butter, I don’t know. But the texture was light and the taste was pure potato goodness. The red wine had a long name and we think it had narcotics in it because both of us fell into a coma after dinner. No room for dessert.

Simplicity at 26 Seats

I’ve wanted to eat at 26 Seats (168 Ave. B bw 10 & 11th) for a long time, but I always forgot that it existed. What a mistake. 26 Seats is unforgettable because it serves simple, hearty French dishes at reasonable prices. You have to make a reservation because it’s a tiny space – literally 26 seats. We started off with the free hot bread and then ordered delicious steamed mussels with garlic, cooked just right and served in a bowl. We used the bread to soak up the remaining juice, which was like a light garlic butter soup with a hint of the sea. I ordered the duck confit with mash potatoes, and Ted had the sea bass with corn cake. Nothing fancy, just simple staples you’d find on most bistro menus. But 26 Seats does them so well. The duck was cooked until fork tender, no gaminess or greasiness in sight, served with perfect mash potatoes. The ratio of potato to cream to butter was well, perfect. Ted’s fish was great as well, flaky, but not dry, light and delicious, and served over a bed of fresh greens. My one tiny complaint – and it’s not really a complaint, more a comment (maybe I shouldn’t even mention it) – was that our food and plates were really, really hot. But at least the food wasn’t overcooked because of it. They must keep the food in the warmer until ready to serve, then they throw the greens on before it goes out. We were in a kung fu hustle to get to the movies, so we grabbed dessert at Something Sweet (1st Ave and 10th Street). Almond sticks and a puff pastry with cream and apple. Total cost $2. It was a perfect ending to a perfect meal.

Chocolate Walnut Cookie

Chocolate Walnut Cookie
Originally uploaded by i_eat_ny.

Later...
It wasn't until much later that I ate the chocolate chip cookie from Levain. (See - I do have self-control.) In my book, if the cookie costs 3 bucks, it better be great. This one didn't disappoint. It was a heavy cookie. It was a thick cookie. The damn thing was at least an inch thick and chock full of chips. When I took it out of the brown bag, it had telltale grease spots, plenty of butter and/or shortening was used. The cookie was soft in the middle, but crunchy on the outside. It entertained me with its flavors as I waited for the intermission of my friend's play to end. I forgot to add that there were nuts in the cookie. I'm usually not a fan of nuts in cookies, but the walnuts added a wonderful third dimension of taste and texture. My nutty friend Sara is in a benefit performance of "The Vagina Monologues." At the performances they sell chocolate vagina lollipops. I'm glad I ate the cookie because I'm not so in touch with milk chocolate vaginas to be licking one on a stick. I prefer dark chocolate. But if you want one go to www.vaginavlog.com or go to the play on Tuesday, all proceeds go to a nonprofit women's group.

Levain

Levain
Originally uploaded by i_eat_ny.

Today I visited my buddy Brittany on the Upper West Side. Britt is going places quickly - she will soon be a famous foodinista. The book she recipe-tested and hand modeled in France, "The Good Cook" by Anne Willan is out in bookstores now. Check it out, it's really great. We had brunch at an average brunch/tapas spot. Nothing to write home about, but the roasted potatoes were pretty good. I needed a little something sweet to end our time together so Britt took me over to Levain (74th& Amsterdam). Levain, which is French for yeast,is known for its bread. Britt said the raisin walnut ($5.50) is awesome. I'll have to take her word for it because I was more interested in their humongous cookies and the baked jelly doughnut ($2). I got both, but I ate the doughnut first. Britt warned me that a lot of people don't like it, but she digs it. She said it reminded her of a brioche without the butter or eggs. I can understand why some folks wouldn't like it. It is indeed doughy, but in a sourdoughy kind of way. The dough has a tartness of flavor that is unexpected. I didn't mind it, but I didn't love it and it didn't satiate the buttery sinfulness that I craved.

Carol's compost

Carol's compost
Originally uploaded by i_eat_ny.

This Saturday, I visited my friend Carol in Connecticut. Whenever I visit Carol, we go to a little take out restaurant, Layla's Falafel (2088 Black Rock Tpke., Fairfield). Dino, the owner, makes fabulous Mediterranean food. The baba ganoush is the best I've tasted. It has a smoky flavor from the roasted eggplant that makes you want to lick the plate. I'd never had kibbie before, which is bulgar wheat around a mix of ground beef and pine nuts then fried into a ball. Until Dino's, I haven't had any better.
Carol's house provides a retreat from the hustle of the city and it's only an hour or so away. We went on a nature walk and stirred her compost heap. I thought that the pile would stink, but it doesn't. I think her compost container helps. It's from Smith and Hawkin. She uses the dirt for planting herbs in a big metal pail. Aren't you impressed with Carol? If you don't have a yard to compost in, remember the Union Square Greenmarket will take your biodegradable food scraps Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 8-6pm. For more information, talk to Christina at the compost center at the Greenmarket or check out this web site: http://www.nyccompost.org/resources/organizations.html. Or better yet, come to the screening of our second show on Monday May 2. It's going to be at the bar on Bowery and 1st St., Slainte. More on this later|.