Happy St. Patrick's Day...and...Pionta Guinness, le do thoil (a pint of Guiness, please)!

• Cuisine: Italian
• Occasion: 1x1/small groups, hidden gem, extensive Italian beer list (make sure to try the chestnut brew), great date spot, wonderful/convenient location
• Price: all items on Lusso's dinner menu are under $30
  
• Phone: (212) 431-0131
• Website: www.lussonyc.com
• Location: 331 W. Broadway (at Grand Street )

Aside from the fact that "Little Italy" is merely a stone's throw away, the Soho neighborhood of Manhattan is liberally dotted with Italian restaurants.  So, how does one decipher which venues are worth their time and money, when the options seem infinite?

After learning of Lusso’s proclamation in having “the most extensive Italian beer selection” in all of the five boroughs, Matt and I were eager to make the trip downtown.  We arranged to meet at Lusso around 8:30pm last Friday, which also happened to be day-one (of three) of the region’s most belligerent and violent rain storms.  As fate would have it, Matt was running approximately 30 minutes behind, while I arrived five-minutes shy of 8:30pm.  After making my way through Lusso’s entrance, I was warmly greeted by Michael, the owner, who led me to our table.  As I waited for Matt to arrive, Michael kept me company.  We chatted about the restaurant industry, Michael’s prior background in construction, the crappy weather, etc.  I was shocked to learn that Lusso opened its doors to the public in January of 2009, the epicenter of the financial crisis.  What surprised me even more was the fact that, despite Friday’s grim weather forecast, the restaurant was approximately three-fourth’s of the way full.  I was impressed by this knowledge and eager to taste, sip and experience Lusso for myself.

Matt appeared just before 9pm, making a mad dash to our table with a drenched umbrella and a ravenous appetite.  Luckily, a basket of freshly-sliced artisanal white bread, a side of whipped butter, and two glasses of chilled water promptly arrived.   

Lusso: Freshly sliced bread and whipped butterI had a tough time deciding which was more attractive: Matt, my adorable dinner date, or Lusso’s dark, sexy space.

Lusso: interior spaceLusso: interior spacePer Michael's (the owner) suggestion, Matt and I chose to forego ordering from the traditional a-la-carte (menu) selections, and opted instead for the chef's tasting menu + Italian beer pairings.  *Note: while I'm not a "beer drinker," per se, the Italian brews that were paired with each of our 7-courses were truly unique and worthy of conversion

The first course we received was two perfectly seared, golden-brown-encrusted scallops that were plated atop a fragrant puree of truffle and artichoke; finished with crispy artichoke chips.  This dish was perfect in every regard, from the intense range of flavors to the bountiful melange of textures.  When I close my eyes to go to sleep at night, Lusso's scallops are one of the last things on my mind before I drift off in to oblivion.

Lusso: two scallops served atop a truffle-artichoke puree - finished with crispy artichoke chipsLusso's scallops: love at first bite - recently added to my hypothetical list of "if you were on death row, what would you request for your final meal?"The second course we were served was a Seafood Salad: bite-sized pieces of shrimp, calamari and sweet green olives were tossed in a light citrus vinaigrette; the plate was finished with crisp endive leaves and small dollops of black olive tapenade.  While I'm not a fan of calamari, I enjoyed every other component of this salad.

Lusso: seafood salad (shrimp & calamari)The third course we received was the Gnocchi: each potato dumpling had a crisp, golden-brown crust which led me to believe that the pasta had been pan-sauteed with its harmonious ingredients - pancetta, green peas and "hen of the woods" mushrooms.  Shavings of rich parmesan cheese crowned the the gnocchi.

Lusso: gnocchi with pancetta, green peas and "hen of the woods" mushroomsThe fourth course we were served was the grilled Branzino (sea bass: delicate & flaky white flesh), which was topped with an intensely flavorful bouquet of roasted pine nuts, radicchio, fennel and Cerignola olives; finished with slices of grilled lemon.  Of all the larger plates we tasted, this dish was my absolute favorite.  I would return to Lusso solely for this incredibly prepared Branzino.  

Lusso: grilled branzino (fish) topped with pine nuts, green olives, capers, radicchio and fennelThe fifth course we were served was the (biggest piece of) apple and marscapone-glazed Pork Belly, which was plated atop a garden of pan-seared Brussels sprout leaves.  

Lusso: pork belly served atop Brussels sprout leaves The sixth, and final, savory course we were served was an amply-sized veal chop - plated atop sliced radicchio leaves and a shallow pool of jus - that was stuffed with lardo (lard), fresh mozzarella cheese and minced herbs.  Though the veal was cooked slightly more than what I personally prefer, I found this dish to be very well-executed.  I had never seen, or, if I had (and did not recall), thought to order a stuffed veal chop prior to my supper at Lusso.      

Lusso: stuffed veal chop

Dessert course: strawberry cheesecake, homemade tiramisu

Both of these house-made treats were worth every last calorie and whatever tiny amount of room that was left in my overly-stuffed stomach.

Lusso: homemade strawberry-topped cheesecakeLusso: homemade tiramisu, recipe courtesy of Chef's grandmotherLusso: a closer look at both desserts, strawberry cheesecake & tiramisuOh, what a sweet meal it was!  Matt and I spent our entire evening being royally served by Lusso's gracious staff and outstanding cuisine.  I highly recommend that you make your way to this Soho gem before (even more of) the proverbial "word" gets out.   

• Cuisine: South American
• Occasion: 1x1/small groups, hidden gem, live entertainment, outdoor dining, sexy scene at night
  
• Phone: (212) 505-6559
• Website: www.esperantony.com
• Location: 145 Avenue C. (at 9th Street )

With it's painfully out-of-reach location (on the outskirts of Alphabet City), I often forget to think of/mention Esperanto when trying to decide where to eat in the East Village, or while recommending a restaurant to others.  Once there, however, I am pleasantly reminded of the hidden jewel that lurks on the corner of 9th Street and Avenue C.

Jean and I met at Esperanto around 7pm on Wednesday evening and were seated immediately.  We were promptly served glasses of ice water and a basket of sliced bread with dipping oil (infused with black and pink pepper-corns, cumin, garlic, red chili seeds, salt, and a bouquet of other spices), before being told about two of the evening's special cocktails: passion-fruit margarita and a strawberry-basil mojito.  Knowing that we each wanted to taste both of these beverages, Jean ordered the mojito and I chose the margarita.

Esperanto: an interior shotA cozy booth that was just to our left

Slice of bread schmeared with Esperanto's homemade infused dipping oilPassion-fruit margarita on-the-rocks: perfect balance of sweet, tang and punchWhile sipping on our tropical cocktails, Jean and I perused the dinner menu and came to a couple of mutual decisions (as mutual as could be...Jean is a pescatarian).  For appetizers, we decided to split: roasted corn, pao de queijo, and the Crab En Banana Leaf. 

For some reason, I imagined that the roasted corn appetizer would be similar to the giant-sized kernels that I enjoyed so much while traveling through Peru and Ecuador (click *here* for a visual).  What we were actually served was a halved roasted corn cob that was plated atop a shallow pool of basil vinaigrette.  Although this is not what I had envisioned, I found that I enjoyed the unfamiliar combination of the smoky, roasted corn kernels and the tangy vinaigrette.

Roasted corn Pao de Queijo, which is Portuguese for "cheese bread," gets its soft, unique, and doughy texture  from cassava flour (instead of being made with wheat flour).  The only other ingredients that make up this special bread are: cheese, eggs, oil and milk.

Pao de Queijo: note how moist and doughy the interior is. Yum!The Crab en Banana Leaf was my least favorite of our three appetizers.  While the presentation was beautiful, I was ultimately underwhelmed by this dish.  A large plate arrived containing: a halved lime, banana leaf-wrapped "purse," and a small bowl filled with plantain chips.  Jean carefully unwrapped the leaves, which divulged a tamale-shaped mound of lump crab meat that had been cooked with peppers, tomatoes and coconut milk.  Had the meat been more fresh (was it canned?), I am confident that this dish would have tasted just as exotic and fantastic as it looked.

Crab en Banana LeafCrab en Banana Leaf: what lurks beneath the leafBy this point in the meal, I was neither disappointed nor wowed by the food that we had been served thus far; everything, aside from the pao de queijo and my margarita, was just "OK."

After a considerable amount of time had passed since finishing our appetizers, the entrees finally arrived.  I ordered the Carne Asada skirt steak, cooked medium-rare.  The beef was accompanied by white rice, black beans, a pico-de-gallo-style of salsa called "chimayo," and guacamole.  In addition, I requested a side of Chimichurri sauce that I had planned to pour over the steak.

(My god, I'm literally drooling as I write this!)  Crappy appetizers be damned!  My Carne Asada skirt steak was the best piece of beef I've had in recent memory: perfectly charred on the outside, giving way to a rich, pink interior - cooked to a pristine medium-rare, which was made even more flavorful and delicious with the subtle addition of Chimichurri sauce.  The meat was so tender and relaxed - almost as if it had been massaged - that I was able to cut individual bites of the Carne Asada with my fork.  While I didn't focus too heavily on the accompanying rice and beans, the guacamole was some of the most robust and hearty that I've had in all of my six years in NYC.

Carne Asada skirt steak plate: beef, white rice, black beans, guacamole, chimayo salsaCarne Asada skirt steak plate: a close-up, topped with Chimichurri sauceI'm not sure how we managed, but Jean and I didn't even think twice about not ordering desserts.  While the Coconut Flan got her attention, I was instantly drawn to the Passion-fruit Mousse.  Served in a bowl similar to a creme brulee ramekin (or even a French onion soup crock) the dull, peach-colored mousse was silky, tangy, bursting with passion-fruit flavor, and pudding-like in smoothness/lemon curd-like in texture. 

Just as we were midway through our desserts, a sexy live band began to play in the front room.  I was just as happy and relaxed as those people in the Corona commercials on TV; everything about Esperanto was truly transporting - a tropical escape - if only for a couple of hours.    

Passion-fruit MousseIn conclusion: Esperanto, though located in Bumble-Fcuk, is, without a doubt, a destination-worthy South American restaurant.  I hate to say it, but I blame Jean, my adorable little pescatarian dinner date, for our less-than-stellar appetizers (I can't tell you HOW BAD I wanted those beef empanadas, or the Chayotte Salad that our waitress recommended!).  Aside from this, and a couple of slow-service glitches, our meal was absolutely fantastic and definitely one of the best, most affordable dinners that I've had in this New Year.  My advice to you?  Put Esperanto on your map; trust me, you'll be very glad you did.

This just in...!

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• Cuisine: Mexican
• Occasion: 1x1/small groups, cheap eats, casual, authentic
  
• Phone: (212) 996-1739
• Website: www.elpasotaqueria.com
• Location: 64 E. 97th Street (btwn Park & Madison Avenues)

Located in the middle of a quiet, unassuming block on Manhattan's far Upper Eastside stands El Paso Taqueria.  Although I had heard of, but never been to, the restaurant before Sunday, this under-the-radar jewel has always held a special place in my heart, as it bears the same name of the beloved Texas town where I grew up.

Dara and I had arranged to meet for brunch/lunch at EPT (El Paso Taqueria, for short) on Sunday at noon.  Given the wacky weekend subway service, I actually arrived at the restaurant around 11:40am, much earlier than expected.  Although my party was incomplete, I was told that I was free to sit wherever I liked; plus, there were only a couple of other patrons in the restaurant when I arrived.  I plopped in to the comfortable banquette-side of a two-top table before being handed a menu and glass of ice water.  In anticipation of Dara's arrival, I asked our server for a glass of horchata and some chips and salsa.

The cool, sweet and spicy (cinnamon) rice-based beverage left a silky film on my tongue and a nutty aftertaste in my mouth.  The warm chips and freshly-made, robust salsa proved to be the perfect intermission as I waited for my guest.

HorchataTostados y salsaUpon Dara's arrival, we decided to whet our appetites with an order of guacamole, plus a bowl of queso fundido con rajas (Monterrey Jack + muenster cheeses melted with sliced green chile and onions, accompanied by warm corn tortillas).  While the guacamole was lovely to look at - perfectly ripe avocados, chunks of fresh tomato - it was flavorless, due to a lack of salt.  Fortunately, this was an easy problem to fix, as I have been known to have quite the heavy hand with a salt shaker.  The queso fundido, however, packed a devilishly addictive punch.  Because the cheese was so dense, Dara and I chose to forgo dipping our thin chips in to the queso - they would just break in half - instead opting to make mini-burritos using the corn tortillas.  Each bite yielded slightly-crunchy bits of poblano pepper that was suffocated by the rich blend of Monterrey Jack and muenster cheeses.  Before rolling up my filled tortilla, I topped the queso with a dollop of guacamole and salsa, followed by a dash of salt.  Heaven.  

Queso fundido con rajasWhen life gives you queso fundido, make a queso fundido burrito!While Dara chose an egg-based dish for her entree, I ordered my favorite comfort food and Mexican restaurant standby, cheese enchiladas.  The tell-tale sign that I know if a place is authentic or not is by their rice and beans.  Although EPT's beans were black, which is not what I'm familiar with (I grew up eating whole and refried pinto beans), the orange-colored, Veg-All-laced arroz was spot-on: short (white) rice kernels that formed random clumps, subtle garlic and cumin essence, salty, and a mild chicken-broth + tomato aftertaste.  

The first observation I made while cutting in to my cheese enchiladas was that the tortillas did not  appear to have been fried.  This led me to believe that, because the corn tortillas were so fresh, they were able to be rolled without splitting (which is caused by dry tortillas - hence why they're fried in the first place).  None the less, the enchiladas were stuffed with a heaping amount of Monterrey Jack and topped with a thick and smoky red sauce.  Needless to say, I practically licked my plate clean, with the exception of the black beans.

Enchiladas de queso con salsa rojo, arroz y frijoles negrosFrom the friendly and attentive service, delicious and authentic Mexican cuisine, and the relatively inexpensive price, EPT (El Paso Taqueria) is my own little slice of EPT (El Paso, Texas) in the Big Apple. 

I'm not going to lie: I think it's a total cop-out that I'm combining two restaurant reviews in to one post.  However, I don't have a sufficient number of quality pictures for either establishment, and here are my reasons why:

Shopsin's: I didn't take pictures here out of shear respect for the Shopsin's and, to be quite honest, because all of the first-hand accounts that I had heard about Kenny and Zack (Shopsin) scared the shit out of me (i.e. yelling and cussing at customers, etc.). 

Los Feliz: I attempted to snap a few shots of the menu, my margarita and a couple of the items we ordered at Los Feliz.  Unfortunately, after losing my battle to the restaurant's dim lighting, I quickly gave up and put my camera away.

Brunch at Shopsin's:

Located in a stall within the Essex Street Market stands Shopsin's General Store.  At capacity, this small restaurant can comfortably seat approximately 20 diners; five people at the counter overlooking the kitchen, three two-top tables to the left of the counter stools, and three more two-top tables located just behind the stools.  Hence the name, the space resembles an old-fashioned general store, or, dare I say it, a smaller-scale version of the Cracker Barrel: exposed shelves lined with canned veggies, jars of preserves, old tattered cookbooks and knick-knacks, etc.  I almost felt like I was on the set of a movie.

Ceci and I arrived at Shopsin's promptly at 9:55am, only to find ourselves waiting in a line for seats behind three anxious patrons.  Approximately twenty-minutes later, we were seated at a two-top table located to the left of the counter stools.  Our waiter, decked out in a Metalica t-shirt (circa one of their 1990-something tours), was prompt, knowledgeable about the menu and all of its 500 items (that's right, 500 items), and courteous; a far cry from what I had anticipated after reading all of Shopsin's service-related horror stories. 

Ceci and I decided to split an order of the famous Mac n' Cheese Pancakes, in addition to ordering our own entrees.  I chose the Migas, which is a Tex-Mex play on traditional huevos revueltos (scrambled eggs).  A large salad bowl was piled high with a mound of fresh-out-of-the-fryer tortilla strips.  Hovering Mount Crispy were fluffy scrambled eggs, salsa rojo, avocado, grilled green peppers and onions, and fresh sprigs of cilantro.  I did my best to neatly toss all of the ingredients together before showering my breakfast with house-made hot sauce and a dash of salt and pepper.  Although I was overwhelmed by the massive amount of tortilla strips, I was very pleased, both in flavor and texture, with my Migas. 

Between bites of my eggs, I could not seem to take my eyes off of our order of Mac n' Cheese Pancakes.  Before they arrived in front of me, I had no clue what to expect, and I'm sure that you don't either; so picture this, if you will: as you're hovering over the the skillet waiting for your Bisquick pancakes to brown on one side, you add a dollop of homemade mac n' cheese to the top of the under-cooked side, then flip.  So, what do you get?  A pancake that's half "cake," half crusty, cheesy and salty browned macaroni.  And the best part?  Adding maple syrup to the 'cakes, believe it or not!  Pure, unadulterated genius.      

Ceci and I loved every aspect of our experience at Shopsin's.  From the efficient service to the incredibly delicious and hearty food, Shopsin's ranks high in my book. 

~ ~

Dinner at Los Feliz:

Honestly, after my kick-ass brunch at Shopsin's, I thought that my Saturday (food wise) would just keep getting better from there.  Unfortunately, this is where it ended...

Cathryn, Clint, and I made our way (reservation-less) to Los Feliz at approximately 8:30pm on Saturday evening.  Upon our arrival, I was instantly taken by the restaurant's casual-yet-dramatic, sexy, dimly-lit, gothic-chic interior. 

I found myself pleasantly surprised that the three of us were seated, at a table of our choice, immediately.  A tortilla chip-filled brown paper bag and side of salsa arrived simultaneously with our glasses of ice water.  I chose to begin my evening with a hibiscus margarita; so you can imagine my confusion when I was served a colorless beverage in a salt-rimmed glass.  I overheard the young man at our neighboring table ask our waiter why the lime margarita he ordered was magenta-pink in color.  It was obvious that we were mistakenly served each other's drinks.  Once our orders were corrected, I secretly wished that I had just asked for a god damned bottle of beer: my hibiscus margarita was bland, watered-down, and utterly flavorless.  What a disappointment. 

The three of us were quite hungry, having already plowed half-way through our second bag of tortilla chips and salsa.  Finally, our waiter returned to take our order.  Cathryn, Clint and I decided that we would split three entrees: Chile Relleno Tacos, Chicharron de Pollo Tacos, and the Pollo Quesadillas.  Apparently, after I stepped away from the table to check out the restaurant's space downstairs, Clint asked for another bag of tortilla chips and salsa, only to be scolded and embarrassed.  "Another round of chips and salsa?" Our waiter snarked.  "I've been told by my manager that you need to be cut off."  Was this guy serious?

Downstairs, Los Feliz has several differently-themed cavernous rooms, in addition to yet another "downstairs" below that, which houses a lounge/club.  While I was only there briefly, I will say that the use of the space is quite impressive, clever and dramatic. 

When I returned to our table, I was shocked to hear that we had literally been "cut off" from more chips and salsa.  If that is the policy, then that's fine; if we needed to be charged for additional chips and salsa, no problem; but I find it inexcusable to treat a customer like he's some kind of free-loading punk who's only sipping ice water and not ordering food.  This was reaffirmed when I asked to speak to the manager.  "Sir, is there an issue with us asking for more chips?"  I asked.  "Yes, there is an issue," he responded.  "One or two rounds is fine, but three?"  I suppose he wasn't blatantly trying to be rude about the situation, but he certainly wasn't the poster-child for stellar customer service.  Had he worded things a bit differently, perhaps we would have left Los Feliz with a better taste in our mouths.  Instead, we were made to feel like morbidly obese local yokels. 

It's taken me a long time to come to grips with the fact that most Mexican restaurants in NYC charge patrons for chips and salsa.  I get it and, unfortunately, I have to be OK with it if I want to frequent some of my favorite spots.  However, if you're going to serve me free chips and salsa and then cut me off, explaining yourself in a patronizing and uncompassionate manner that leaves me and my fellow diners feeling like a bunch of free-loading fat asses, then I have a problem.     

And honestly, the food that we ordered was decent, but I'm not in the mood to give Los Feliz any more credit by talking about "how delicious our chicken quesadillas were," etc.  I'm sure we just came on an "off night," or "I'm being too sensitive," or "we just had a bad waiter," or whatever; but it's going to take me a while to get over the fact that we all felt much worse about ourselves post-dinner than we had prior to our arrival.