Brunching uptown at The District

When it comes to the Upper East Side, especially above 82nd Street, I couldn't tell you much in terms of restaurants (south of Spanish Harlem, of course).  Or bars.  Or anything, for that matter... 

Sure, my friend, Brette, and Cousin Larry live up there, but we typically meet downtown.  That was, until last Sunday, when Larry insisted upon brunch/lunch at his neighborhood's newest gastropub, The District, which hugs the corner of 94th Street/3rd Avenue.  Having met in front of the restaurant promptly at 11am, I was we were disappointed to learn that it didn't actually open until noon.  To kill time, we walked over to Asphalt Green so I that could check out the Olympic-sized indoor pool.   

The Olympic-sized indoor pool at Asphalt GreenWe arrived at The District just before noon and were seated immediately.  

The DistrictIn terms of the aesthetic interior space, The District knocks it out of the park:  High, antique mirrored-ceilings, exposed brick walls, floor-to-ceiling paned windows, and gothic/cathedral-inspired decor. 

*During brunch service, one Bloody Mary or Mimosa is included with your meal.*  Since Larry instead opted for Diet Coke, I downed both my and his Mimosas.  Coming in to the meal, there wasn't really a question as to what I would order.  Larry had preached and swore up and down that The District was home to the city's *best* burger.  And I wanted to see if he knew what he was talking about... 

The District: le menuThe District: cheeseburger & friesIt's as sexy as a cheeseburger could look - or sound - on a plate:  Shredded romaine lettuce, a thick tomato slice, a ground brisket-patty encased in melted American cheese, caramelized onions, and a schmear of homemade garlic aioli were sandwiched between toasted brioche bun-halves.  

For a moment, I hesitated after telling the waitress that I'd like my burger cooked "medium."  I just assumed that it would be served as I had requested.  Alas...my patty was well-done.  Sigh.

The District: Grey meat = well done.Larry was also surprised to see that his patty was not cooked "medium rare."  However, after one bite turned in to three, I decided that it would be too late to send my burger back to the kitchen.  Plus, I had already eaten about half of my serving of, quite possibly, the best French fries this side of Pommes Frites.  And the garlic aioli?  Dynamite.   

While I was disappointed that both my and Larry's patties were cooked incorrectly, I would definitely return to The District to a) give the burger another chance (it has *major* potential if cooked properly), and b) to check out the after-work scene.  Apparently, it's the place to be uptown!  Even Urban Daddy says so!

The District - 1679 Third Avenue (at 94th Street) - NYC

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Until we eat again,

The Lunch Belle

When the moon hits your eye...

Poor Larry.  It must have been at least a year of nagging before he finally got me to accompany him to Nunzio's where, he claimed, I would taste "the best pizza in the city.  No, make that the country!"  It's not that I didn't believe him, it was the fact that Nunzio's was located in Staten Island.  And I knew that, door to door, the round trip would be 4+ hours.  So, understandably, a weeknight was out of the question.  And, on many weekends, I'm either out of town - too hungover - or just not in the mood to do much else besides eat takeout and press the buttons on my television's remote control. 

We met at the Staten Island Ferry terminal on Sunday at 10:45am.  "Boats leave on the hour, and I think that noon would be too late," Larry stated.  I agreed.  An 11am departure sounded fine 'n dandy...prior to my epic 4am night.  After a pleasant 20-minute boat ride to the 'Island, we hopped aboard the S51 bus enroute to Nunzio's (from the Staten Island ferry terminal, take the S51 bus towards "GRANT CITY via BAY ST," and get off at Hylan Bl-Midland Av.).  Due to a horrible hangover bout - which led to a near-vomit episode from bus-induced motion sickness - I would have much preferred taking the subway.  Unfortunately, trains were not running on Sunday.  Fortunately, I did not puke...

Hugging the busy corner of Hylan Blvd. and Midland Ave., Nunzio's houses both a takeaway/quick-service area and a full-service restaurant.  After our long-ish journey, we opted for the latter.  

Casual/no-frills and friendly, Nunzio's dining room is an ideal setting for any occasion - unless you're looking for a lil' romance...

Nunzio's: le menuDespite the ample Italian menu, there was no question what we were there to order:  Pizza pie!

Nunzio's house pieOne of the first things I noticed about Nunzio's whole pie was how large each slice was cut.  And I *like* that!  Not only did the crust look like it was homemade, it had that extra flour-y, slightly gummy texture, which mass-production can seamlessly amend.  While I loved the sweet sauce, chock-full of tomato nibs - and the ample amount of it - I found the mozzarella cheese to be a bit rubber-y.  That, I can say, was definitely not homemade.

All in all?  Nunzio's makes a damn good pie.

Nunzio's: note the textural imperfections on the crust - that's a tell-tale sign that it's homemade! And, to me, that's a *good* thing!"So, do you think Nunzio's was worth the trip to Staten Island?"  Larry asked.  For this pizza, alone?  Absolutely not.  I can get a good pie in my own 'hood.  However, for pizza and some time to explore the 'Island?  Without a doubt!  Aside from the fact that one of my favorite 'guilty pleasure' television shows, Mob Wives, takes place on Staten Island, it's a borough that I've regretfully not spent much time on...but would like to!

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Until we eat again,

The Lunch Belle

A culinary crawl though Moldova, by way of corporate America

Say what you will about the Aramark or Restaurant Associates-run cafeteria in your office building.  And, while I wholeheartedly agree that the monthly soup rotation (that mimics itself, all over again, the following month) and same-thing-everyday salad bar gets tired, those are, for the most part, my only two complaints.  Having recently moved from a building whose cafeteria contract was cancelled in 2009, I cannot tell you what a welcome relief it is to be able to quickly run down to the dining hall and grab something when I'm pinched for time or, worse, when the weather is particularly nasty.  Which is *very* often in NYC.  

Every Tuesday, like clockwork, there's a "Mexican table," where diners can make their own tacos, etc.  And I can always count on my favorite rotisserie chicken at the hot station, as well as the soft-serve frozen yogurt that boasts an impressive array of toppings.  But, best of all, every Wednesday and Thursday, Restaurant Associates hires a local restaurant/food truck to serve their specialties to hungry diners.  At a kiosk-type space within the cafeteria.  Cool, right?  Think:  Chinese Mirch, Mexico Blvd., Food Freaks...and this week's guest, Moldova Restaurant. 

I'll be the first to admit that I had no idea what the word "Moldova" meant/was in reference to - the name of the chef's mother, perhaps?  Unbeknownst to me, Moldova is a small, landlocked country that located between Romania and the Ukraine.  A bit geographically challenged, it took a quick visual on Google maps for me to understand that, based on Moldova's location, the cuisine is influenced by its Eastern European neighbors, in addition to Turkey and Greece.

For a mere $9.95, I chose the "sampler" option, so that I could taste as many savory dishes as possible:

Moldova Restaurant: "Sampler" lunch plateI will describe my meal in a clockwise fashion, beginning with the magenta-hued beet/potato salad:  Cubed beets and potatoes, along with peas, made up a chilled, vinegar-based salad that proved incredibly compatible with its neighboring, predominately starch-based plate mates. 

Instead of kasha, I chose rice.  I can only assume that its lovely flavor was the result of having been boiled in chicken stock.

Coltunasi "Fat Frumos," a.k.a. dumplings:  I chose to sample both the homemade meat (pork and veal) and potato dumplings, which were topped with melted butter and fried onions (optional).  In a gluttonous effort to consume as many calories as possible, I dipped each bite in sour cream.  :)  

"Ursuleti," a.k.a. fried mamaliga (similar to polenta) balls stuffed with feta cheese, pork belly, and sour cream.

Moldova Restaurant: UrsuletiThe "urselti" balls were firm on the outside, and gave way to a moist, polenta-like, savory interior that was dotted with nibs of fatty pork belly.  Absolutely heavenly.

"Sarmale ca la Mama," a.k.a. pork and rice-stuffed grape leaves.

Moldova Restaurant: Sarmale ca la MamaThe ground pork and rice were enveloped by a briny grape leaf that created a fantastic, salty kick.  I really enjoyed this particular item!

Chicken blintz (similar to a crepe)

Moldova Restaurant: Chicken blintzWhile I grew up eating sweet, cheese-based blintzes, I've never had a savory version.  Normally, I shy away from anything-chicken, but the friendly employee urged me to try this blintz.  And I'm really glad I did.  The crepe, itself, was the slightest bit sweet, and the chicken filling was bound with buttery, fried onions.  Is there anything that fried onions couldn't make delicious? 

And, for dessert...a Russian sour-cherry pastry

Moldova Restaurant: Russian sour-cherry pastryIf I only had a scoop of vanilla or salted-caramel ice cream!  Encased by flaky pastry was the most generous amount of plump, sour cherries.  There wasn't some gloppy, corn syrup-based binder - just a plethora of the sweet, tangy fruit. 

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I really enjoyed my Moldovan lunch - at my desk - without having to venture to the Coney Island restaurant.  Or Eastern Europe, for that matter!  And, since the food was on the richer side, I'm eating leftovers for lunch today!  It's the gift that keeps giving.  And I can hardly wait...!

I urge you to step out of your personal culinary comfort zone and try something new!  Even if it's as small as ordering a different preparation of your favorite meat.

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Until we eat again,

The Lunch Belle

Lunch at Tortilleria Nixtamal

While I wouldn't return for the cheese enchiladas with mole sauce, per se, I would certainly make the journey back to Tortilleria Nixtamal for a plethora of other menu items.

Being that TN (Tortilleria Nixtamal) supplies NYC's best Mexican restaurants with their handmade tortillas and masa, I was thrilled to learn that they also operate a restaurant onsite.  So, on Saturday, the NY Mexican Food Lovers and I headed over to the Corona section of Queens in our monthly quest for the best comida Mexicana in the five boroughs. 

Expecting a party of approximately 6-8, I wanted to be the first to arrive at the restaurant.  After all, it's not like I had made a prior table reservation - I just assumed that TN wasn't the type of place that took pre-bookings.  Upon arrival, I wasn't sure what to expect in terms of wait time for a table, especially after revealing the size of my group.  However, I was pleasantly surprised by how accommodating the staff was - they even sat me at a makeshift eight-top before anyone else in my party arrived!

Daily menu specialsInside Tortilleria Nixtamal's small, onsite restaurantAs I waited a few more minutes for my fellow NY Mexican Food Lovers members to arrive, I ordered a refreshing - and rather legit - glass of red sangria.  TN serves sangria, beer, and pulque cocktails.

Red sangria: Sweet and balanced with the perfect amount of wine, the sangria came topped with a melange of chopped winter fruits.A bowl of freshly-fried tortilla chips encircled a mound of chunky pico-de-gallo.  While the fragrant dip was flavorful, I preferred the red and green salsa duo that was already on our table.  To be honest, I find pico-de-gallo to be a bit high maintenance in terms of keeping its loosely-bound ingredients on a chip. 

Chips & pico de galloSalsas rojo y verdeWhile some of the specials sounded great - ahem, the Adobo de Puerco (pork with chile guahillo and puya sauce, served with rice, beans, and tortillas) - I ultimately chose to go with my Mexican standby, the cheese enchiladas.  With mole sauce, for a change. 

Cheese enchiladas with mole sauce, rice, and beansBeing a total rice and beans snob, I must say that I was very impressed with TN's version of both.  The refritos (refried beans) had a whipped consistency, which pleasantly reminded me of my beloved home.  The rice kernels were ideally small (unlike the long-grained crap that most restaurants use), and the fluffy, moist mound evoked a familiar essence of garlic, saffron, and cumin.  Screeeeeeeeeeeeeech!  The music stops.  Sadly, this is where my love affair ended.  The white cheese inside of each enchilada was barely melted, and the corn tortillas surrounding it were hard/stale.  Meaning that the tortillas, themselves, were either old, which I doubt, or not fried.  The mole sauce was lukewarm and, flavor-wise, mediocre, at best.  The straw that broke the camel's back?  The enchiladas were finished with an offensive amount of sliced white onions.  And that's coming from an onion-lover!  Sigh.

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Overall?  I really enjoyed my meal and experience at TN, despite the enchilada fail.  Next time - and there will be a next time - I will order tamales, tacos, or one of the daily specials. 

I would definitely recommend checking out TN if you're looking for a unique and off-the-beaten-path dining adventure.  Plus, the neighborhood is ripe with Mexican and other Latin American bodegas stocking hard-to-find ingredients and produce.  I, for one, loaded up on fresh guayabas and De La Rosa candies!

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Until we eat again,

The Lunch Belle

Revelatory ramen and transcendent pork buns. Obviously, at Ippudo...

I couldn't tell you a whole hell of a lot about ramen noodles, other than the fact that I really love the packaged, chicken-flavored variety that you can buy pretty much anywhere.  Many times, for about 50 cents a pop.

But, when you live in NYC, there's no excuse not to venture out for "real" ramen.  So, when I saw the look of horror on Stacey's face after having told her that "I've never been to Ippudo," she insisted upon being the first one to introduce me.  ASAP.

While I was excited about my Ippudo date with Stacey, I was very trepidatious about the rumors that had haunted me about folks having to wait upwards of 2-hours on line just to be seated!  Ain't *nobody* got time for that!  I mean, come on, how good could a bowl of noodles be?

Stacey and I met at Ippudo at about 6:30pm on Monday and were quoted a 1.5 hour wait time.  Yes, 1.5 hours on a Monday night!  "Lindsay, calm down," Stacey said, chuckling.  "Let's grab a couple of drinks at the bar and snack on a few orders of pork buns.  If we end up getting a table, great.  But if not, no biggie."  Fair enough.

Stacey and I each ordered fruity, sake-based cocktails that were really fantastic:  Sweet and tart, with the most precise balance of alcohol to mixer/juice.  I was impressed.  Shortly thereafter, we were presented with two orders of pork buns (two buns/order).

Ippudo: Pork bunsOK, so I like the pork buns over at Momofuku as much as the next guy.  But Ippudo's version, my friends, blows Momofuku's out of the water.  Sandwiched within a standard steamed bun is an abundant amount of charred pork belly slices that have been enveloped by a sweet and tangy BBQ-like sauce.  A crunchy section of iceberg lettuce and a large dollop of mayonnaise (which, by the way, totally reminded me of the McChicken sandwich of yesteryear) completes the most transcendent pork bun that you have/will ever experience. 

Just when we finished licking the sticky BBQ sauce off of our fingers..."Stacey, party of 2" was called.  We got a table, by god!  And it had only been about 45-minutes...

Ippudo: Communal dining tableWe were seated at a communal table, which was actually really fun.  In addition to ordering another round of drinks - plum wine over ice, for me - Stacey and I chose to split a bowl of the 'Akamaru Modern' ramen:  "The original silky "tonkotsu" (pork) soup noodles topped with Ippudo's secret "umami dama" miso paste, pork chashu, cabbage, sesame kikurage mushrooms, scallions, and fragrant garlic oil."

Mmmmm, plum wine!'Akamaru Modern' ramenThe drizzled garlic oil - which finished the dish - added the most intense flavor to the incredibly rich, savory pork broth that was anchored by a mound of long, tangled ramen noodles, slices of pork belly, crunchy scallions and green cabbage, earthy mushrooms, and salty miso paste.  I could not stop myself from eating helping.  After helping.  After helping.  And, once all of the noodles were devoured, I drank the remaining broth in my bowl as if it were a glass of water.  It was that delicious.

And, although our waitress was kind of a bitch, she wasn't nasty enough to leave a bad taste in my mouth.  Ippudo was - and I HATE to say this - worth every minute of our *only 45-minute* wait.  

Oh, I most certainly do!

~~~

Until we eat again,

The Lunch Belle

Tacombi: Heaven for fish taco aficionados

Today is March 19th and, despite the fact that we're ONE day away from "spring," the weather in NYC is anything but.  And, look, if it were just snowing and not sleeting/raining, I wouldn't be in such a foul mood.  But toting this heavy umbrella around town in my fugly rain boots - and parka - and ear muffs - and gloves - is wreaking havoc on my mood.  And my waistline.  Because all I want to do is stay indoors and hibernate with comfort food and highly caloric beverages.  Sorry, El Bloombito.

Speaking of comfort food, I cannot stop thinking about these incredible 'crispy fish' tacos that I had a few weekends ago at Tacombi.  And just how desperately I wish that the restaurant delivered to my office!  Especially on a cold and wet day like today.  Argh.

A life-alteringly-delicious fish tacoThe picture, above, does not do my beloved 'crispy fish' tacos any justice.  Trust me on that.  Served atop a fresh, 3"x3" corn tortilla are two hunks of batter-fried white fish that are drizzled with homemade spicy mayo.  The taco is finished with a small mound of crunchy, pickled red cabbage.  This is, hands down, NYC's best fish taco.  Period.  End of story.

Taco samplerDuring our visit to Tacombi, Robin and I sampled an assortment of other taco varieties, as well - everything from pork belly with chicharrones to corn/poblano/huitlacohe.  But it was the 'crispy fish' that, truly, tugged at our heart strings.

Another item that I thoroughly enjoyed was the ceviche, which was accompanied by house-made tostados.  Served atop a bed of smashed avocado were citrus and heat-flecked chunks of incredibly fresh fish (I believe it was red snapper that day).  Dynamite!

CevicheAnd to wash it all down?  Sangria, of course.  *Tacombi does not have a liquor license.  Just wine and beer for now. 

SangriaI can hardly wait for the warm days to come when I can just bike over to Tacombi for a lunch pickup.  Did I mention that I plan to start biking to work?  In the meantime, I'll just have to get my Tacombi fix on nights or weekends. 

Warehouse chicBut at least the restaurant's actual space is super fun.  And funky.  And enormous.  Plus, I can get out of there with a full belly and a tipsy stagger without breaking the bank.

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Until we eat again,

The Lunch Belle