La Barraca

Occasion: Dinner with Winnie
Location: La Barraca, Reina 29 in Madrid, Spain
Edibles: salad with tuna and anchovies; sautéed mushrooms; seafood paella

Musings: At 10:00, we headed out to dinner. When we arrived, the restaurant was three-quarters empty, as it had been when we'd gone the night before. So why all the rigamarole with the reservations? I find it hard to believe that the restaurant was completely packed between the hours of 8:00 and 10:00, but just happened to be deserted when we were there. I don't know - maybe they were temporarily short-staffed and could only take limited resos?

Anyway... Winnie got the salad and I got the mushrooms to start. Both apps were good.

The feature of the night was, of course, the massive skillet of seafood paella.

The menu calls this a serving for two, but I think it's really enough food for four people. They served us each a gigantic plate...

... and there was still more rice for seconds!

While perfectly fine and workmanlike, the paella didn't rock my world or anything. I think it looked better than it tasted. And yes, my palate was somewhat compromised (more below), but Winnie mostly agreed. (Though, for Winnie, I'm not sure any paella could compete with the memory of the magical squid ink one she had in Barcelona.)

[Postscript: Little did I know, this was to be my last real meal in Spain. By the time this meal started, my system was already out of whack. First, I wasn't the least bit hungry. Which was strange, because I'd spent about three hours that afternoon perambulating around the Prado. Second, I had a low-level headache. I picked at the food and just generally felt listless. By the end of dinner, I could hardly hold my head up and felt really wretched and nauseous. Winnie helped me stagger back to the hotel, and I threw up about five times that night. Ugh. I spent the entire next day in bed, slowly sipping flat, room temperature ginger ale and sleeping a lot. I missed the chance to see Picasso's Guernica, and a return visit to the Mercado de San Miguel. Sniff sniff. By dinnertime on Monday, I felt good enough to nibble on a few things from room service. By dinnertime on Tuesday, I had mostly recovered and we were able to eat out again.]

Taberna Los Huevos de Lucio

Occasion: We'll call it lunch.
Location: Taberna Los Huevos de Lucio, Cava Baja 30 in Madrid, Spain
Edibles: tomato and avocado salad; battered, deep-fried shrimp; callos Madrileña (stewed tripe)

Musings: This place has the distinction for serving us the first mediocre meal of the trip. The tomatoes in the salad were hard and underripe, and there was way too much dressing and cheese. [Postscript: Unlike the fabulous tomatoes in France and Italy, the tomatoes in Spain are about as bad as they are in the US. I base this assertion on three separate instances of tomato consumption.]

The shrimp were okay, but you could hardly taste them under all the breading and sauce. This dish struck me as clumsy, and very American.

The tripe was, frankly, terrible. It's supposed to be a local specialty, and Mario Batali certainly seemed to enjoy it when he was in Spain. But I could only force down a few bites. The different tripes were all variations on the theme of mushy, squishy, and gummy. Kudos to Winnie for eating a good third of that dish so we wouldn't look quite so wasteful.

Total damage was about 30€.

Apparently, what we should have gotten was the soggy fries with fried eggs. Seriously, it was on every table. What is it with the Spanish and soggy fries?

Villa del Pescadito

Occasion: Afternoon snack?
Location: Villa del Pescadito, Toledo 26 in Madrid, Spain
Edibles: fried sardines, fried shrimp, bread and ham

Musings: OK, so maybe sardines are not the most natural follow-up to chocolate con churros. But going to a sardine bar was pretty much my only to-do for this entire Madrid trip. So off we went. [Postscript: And wait until you see what came next!]

On our way there, we found ourselves in the middle of what we first thought was a parade, but turned out to be a labor protest. With all the unrest in north Africa, this made us a little nervous. But we ducked into Villa del Pescadito to wait it out, and the protest eventually moved on peacefully.

Villa del Pescadito is a tiny, narrow little bar with a number of seafood small plates on offer. We got my sardines - scooped out of a tub, raw, and floured and flash-fried by the proprietor's wife. We also got a plate of small head-on shrimp, likewise flash-fried. And, since it was a bar, some Mahou draft beers. (With every beer, you get a small round of bread with a sliver of ham.)

I know what you're thinking - wrong time of day. And it was. This is the type of snack you should really get at happy hour. But we had limited time in Madrid, and already had plans for the evening (the Prado + paella) so we went for it.

Food was tasty; it was fun. The place definitely had a neighborhood bar kind of feel. When we were there, the other patrons were some taciturn old guys - who were undoubtedly wondering what the hell those Asian chicks were up to.

[Postscript: The sardines are the likely culprit for my later bout of violent food poisoning. Which makes me sad, because I really did have a good time there. And also mad because, DAMMIT, I NEVER GET SICK when I travel. I had to miss out on three whole meals in Madrid! And I didn't really get my usual appetite back until almost a week later. What a waste!]

Chocolatería San Ginés

Occasion: We'll call it breakfast.

Location: Chocolatería San Ginés, Pasadizo de San Ginés 5 in Madrid, Spain. It's basically in an alley in the triangle bordered by Calle Mayor, Calle del Arenal and Calle de Bordadores. Between metro stops Sol and Opera.
Edibles: chocolate con churros

Musings: Despite my somewhat vague directions above, this place is actually quite easy to find. (Winnie and I found it on the first try, anyway.) They have indoor and outdoor seating.

Wow, they sure don't mess around when it comes to their hot chocolate. The "drink" is so thick that a churro will stand upright in it. It's magnificent, though - bittersweet, velvety and unctuous. Pretty much liquid sin in a cup. I managed a few super-dense sips, but neither Winnie nor I finished our cups. If you don't have a sweet tooth, one order is probably enough for two to share. (But, I mean, don't be cheap - the other person should order coffee or something if you're taking up a table.)

We were contentedly munching away when we saw a nearby table get these giant churros. Of course, I had to get some too. There were a few anxious minutes when it wasn't clear that we were able to properly communicate our order to the grumpy waiter.... but then they arrived. I spontaneously let out a loud cheer, much to the amusement of neighboring tables.

I'm sad to report that the giant churros are not as tasty as the little ones. They're sort of doughy and oily. Not that I let that stop me from eating a whole one. (It's basically a you tiao if you think about it...)

Fortified by sugar and grease, Winnie and I meandered our way to our next goal...

[Note: Thanks to Ana for the rec!]

Mercado de la Reina

Occasion: Dinner with Winnie
Location: Mercado de la Reina, Gran Vía 12 in Madrid, Spain (mercadodelareina.es)
Edibles: prix fixe dinner - details below

Musings: This place was across the street from the paella place we had intended to visit. (They were full up, so we made a reservation for the next day.)

I was actually pretty happy about our detour. There was something about Mercado de la Reina that just *looked* right: it was modern and trendy but not obnoxiously so, bustling and, most importantly, not full of tourists. I had a feeling we'd eat well. And I was right.

Despite how crowded it was, we were seated within a few minutes at the bar in front of the kitchen. A prime view of the action! They've a small kitchen, but it looked well-organized and efficient. Another good sign.

As we were only able to half-decipher the menu, we went with the prix fixe. I tried to order different dishes for us for each course (you know, to hedge our bets) and was successful for two out of three courses. Don't know what happened with the first; fortunately, it was a great dish and we both loved it. But I'm getting ahead of myself. First, there was the amuse bouche, a crostini with a sort of tomato and anchovy sauce and a bit of melted brie:

A good start. The bread was nice - soft but chewy - and the fish in the sauce was an unexpected surprise.

For the first course, we were both served baby broad beans, sautéed with jamón Ibérico (Iberian dry-cured ham) topped with two sunny-side-up eggs. You break the yolks and let them run over the beans, and yum.... heaven. This dish would be a really superlative hangover breakfast. Bourdain would love it.

For our mains, I got the cod with peppers and squid ink sauce. A really nice piece of fish, with a good hard sear on the skin. I don't think the squid ink sauce added much but Winnie liked it. (Turns out she loves all things squid ink - go figure.) I did like the stewed peppers; I think they really brought out the sweetness of the fish, besides being a somewhat unusual vegetable side for it.

Winnie ended up with these tiny lamb chops with french fries. This dish was a complete wild card - I couldn't identify any of the words in the description. The lamb itself was fantastic, crispy and brown and well-seasoned. I could have eaten piles of them, no problem. But they really could have done better than those anemic french fries as a side.

The two desserts were a cream mousse with flambéed pineapple, and a Cantabrian-style caramelized cheese flan with raspberry sauce. I'm not a big fan of flan in general so I thought the mousse was the better one. Of all the courses, I think dessert was the weakest overall.

But bottom line, I was really happy with our meal. Including some table wine, it was all done for 35€ (or about $50). Mercado de la Reina is a restaurant that 1) I wish was located in New York, and 2) I think could do really well in New York. And you know that's my ultimate compliment!

Along with our earlier adventures in Mercado de San Miguel, it really has been an A+ food day, far surpassing my expectations.

Mercado de San Miguel

Occasion: The inaugural meal of the trip!
Location: Mercado de San Miguel, in the Plaza San Miguel, Madrid, Spain
Edibles: we hit several different stalls - more details below

Musings: Foodie heaven!! Winnie and I absolutely gorged ourselves on all kinds of fantastic seafood, snacks and pastries, washed down with wonderfully crisp local white wine. Divine!!

After a quick pass-through to look at the options, we settled on a seafood stall for the first course. We got a plate of octopus with olive oil and paprika, nuked for a minute, then spritzed with lemon juice. Cooked perfectly - really tender, but with just enough chew to it.

We also had oysters on the half shell. These were bigger than I usually like them, but tasty nonetheless.

The real standouts of the day were the langoustines. They were simply prepared - boiled, with a sprinkling of coarse salt and some lemon wedges. But! They had roe! Something new for me. I've had shrimp with roe a few times, but never langoustines. As with the shrimp (or even fish with roe), the meat is a little mealy and not the best. But it's a worthy tradeoff because the roe is wonderful. Be patient - take the time to glean every little bit. And of course, you have the head to slurp! Langoustines are spinier and more heavily armored than shrimp, so it's a bit hazardous, but HOLY MOLEY does it taste amazing. I think my eyes rolled back in my head.

Finally, I had some fresh surf clams. Fantastic.

The stall also served wine in little plastic Dixie cups. Despite the humble presentation, the wine was awesomely delicious: crisp and bracing and the perfect accompaniment to the seafood.

Onward! We hit a little bakery cart for some empanadas. I got one each of the bacalao and the chorizo, and both were excellent.

Next! A cone of olive oil potato chips from this cart. Yummy. (The other half of the case is deep-fried jamón. I tried one, but it was sort of underwhelming. I know.... what a letdown.)

Finally, dessert. Europe is pretty much the only place I can order apple pastries, because they don't always pair apples with cinnamon. This tart was exactly what I was looking for. (Hey, I'm running out of adjectives here!)

So there it is - a truly epic meal. And not a single bobble by any of the vendors we tried. Mercado de San Miguel.... I'm beyond impressed. Bravo!

Hofbrau Bierhaus

Occasion: Another random food shenanigan with Yining
Location: Hofbrau Bierhaus on 3rd Ave between 44th and 45th, above the OTB (that detail is particularly delightful) (bierhausnyc.com)
Edibles: beet salad; sauerbraten; schnitzel with mushroom sauce; apple struedel

Musings: I think this place really has Hall of Fame potential. From the random location to the massive communal benches, the uber-cheesy waitress uniforms, the fried foods, the beer boots - I'm tickled by it all.

As it was a school night, I restrained myself and just got a 1L stein. Yining, showing even more restraint (or what a less generous soul might call wimpiness), got the half stein. See below - the big and the little. (Sort of like Mike and Gerald. Hee!)

I was more than happy with the food. The schnitzel was outstanding. Don't know if you need the mushroom sauce. The sides were also excellent and noteworthy - purple cabbage with just enough bite, a nice mellow cucumber salad, and a scoop of German potato salad.

The beet salad was massive - more than enough to share - and very tasty. If there was a weak link, it was the sauerbraten. The meat was tender enough, but it needed a few fat pinches of salt for flavor.

And who would walk away without some strudel? Not us. It was decent, but too cinnamon-y for me to really get into.

The homemade pretzels also looked good. (They're why all the tables are covered with salt.)

I'm definitely going to be back - that 2L boot and I have a date with destiny.

Chai

Occasion: Pre-theatre (Arcadia) dinner with Winnie and Erin
Location: Chai on 55th and 8th (chai-restaurants.com)
Edibles: duck salad; beef stir-fry; cold glass noodles

Musings: We tried this place reluctantly, having not budgeted enough wait time to get seated at Yakitori Totto. The theatre district is infamous for having dismal dining options, and unfortunately Chai is a place that proves the rule.

It's a tiny space, and they really crammed the tables in. The table next to ours was pretty much inaccessible. The waitress had to reach over our heads to serve them, and couldn't even fill water glasses without the diners passing them to her. If the owners were really so desperate for extra seats, they should have foregone the large water fountain behind our table. Which is quite poorly situated anyway - I kept worrying I'd knock my purse or my coat into it accidentally.

When it came time to order, they didn't have any of the three dishes Erin wanted to try. I also heard them tell another table that they only had two of their desserts available, one of them being just ice-cream. My guess is that they were too ambitious with the menu when they started out, and have since trimmed it drastically to keep food waste down.

Of the dishes we ordered, the beef was the only decent one. The cubes of beef were surprisingly tender and the dish overall was pretty flavorful. The glass noodles were completely waterlogged, like they hadn't drained the noodles properly before dressing them. The duck salad the worst - the pieces of duck were totally dessicated and tasted like nothing so much as balsa wood.

In any other NYC neighborhood, this place wouldn't last three months. But with a steady stream of clueless theatre-going tourists, who knows? Do yourself a favor at least, and give Chai a wide berth.

Cafe Orlin

Occasion: Post-movie (Battle LA - absolutely execrable) brunch
Location: Cafe Orlin on St Marks between 1st and 2nd (cafeorlin.com)
Edibles: salmon omelet with dill, cream cheese, cucumber and red onions - came with salad, home fries and toast

Musings. In short - long wait; close quarters; exotic menu; great coffee.

My omelet had WAY too many onions, but it was fine after I removed them. In retrospect, I should have ordered something more adventurous. I'm sure there's something amazing on the menu that they don't serve anywhere else. Like maybe the Middle Eastern Eggs? The Tunisian Eggs? It's worth a few more exploratory visits.

[Side story: Josh brought me some layered marzipan squares from his favorite bakery. I gamely tried one, even though sweets like that aren't really my thing. I should probably have been more diplomatic - still, he seemed to take it pretty well when I told him I thought it tasted like toothpaste. Something like 30 seconds later, he had inhaled the three remaining pieces in the box - and those things were not small. It was very cute. I don't think I've ever met anyone who likes marzipan quite so much.]

Grimaldi's

Occasion: Post speed-dating debrief dinner with Mamie and Sheila
Location: Grimaldi's on Old Fulton St in Brooklyn (grimaldis.com)
Edibles: pizza, natch - one with mushroom and pepperoni; one with sausage and roasted peppers

Musings: OK, y'all, I know this place is supposed to be legendary... but I walked out feeling like it's kind of overrated. I mean, they make some good pizza, but it's not good enough by itself to get me out into the hinterlands, a.k.a. the outer boroughs.

The dough for the crust is really nice and chewy - this is a pie where I'd actually eat the crusts. But the slice itself is soggy and limp. The sauce was bland and watery. And you certainly don't go to Grimaldi's for the ambiance. So what's the big deal, exactly?

Eataly

Occasion: Dinner with Josh
Location: Pasta / Pizza station at Eataly, on 5th between 23rd and 24th (newyork.eataly.it)
Edibles: Fettucine with oxtail ragu for me; pesto lasagna for Josh; tiramisu and gelato for dessert

Musings: After two failed visits (driven out by the crowds and long waits both times), I finally managed to eat here. The trick is clearly to come early - like, 5 or 6pm - and on a weekday.

As it was a cold and dreary walk over, my first thought was to get me some carbs. Off to the Pasta / Pizza station. We had a short wait for our table, and passed the time by wandering around. There's plenty to browse and drool over, so the wait is not a complete chore. And there are samples to be had! I nibbled on some celery root shavings with olive oil.

Our meal at Pasta / Pizza was pretty good overall. To start, I was pleased that they do a generous pour on the wine, and that there were lots of choices sub-$10.

A small step backward with the antipasto plate. It's not cheap at $13 and the portions of each are miniscule. I'd not get this again.

Really good, fresh, al dente noodles. My fettucine was crying out for some grated cheese, but it was never offered. I also stuck my fork in Josh's plate, and while I liked the flavor of the lasagna, it's pretty heavy with béchamel and a whole plate would have been too much for me.

We left Pasta / Pizza for dessert. I got a scoop of pear and vanilla at the gelato stand - $5 a pop for a small cup. It got a little cloying towards the end, but the flavor is really unique and memorable. Josh's chocolate was nice too, but you can get the same thing at any number of places.

I also got a divine tiramisu cup - just couldn't resist. $6.

Eataly has a casual, marketplace ambiance, but you'll probably end up spending as much as if you went to a proper restaurant. I'd definitely come back to try the seafood place, and the vegetable place. It'd also be good for dessert and coffee, maybe after a Shack burger.

Xi'an Famous Foods, part II

Occasion: More food court explorations with Mom
Location: Xi'an Famous Foods, also in the Flushing Mall food court - 39th Ave off Main St in Flushing, Queens
Edibles: lamb (or possibly goat - it's the same word in Chinese) offal soup; noodles with braised pork and cabbage

Musings: If you're wondering why I'd order such a crazy-sounding soup, let me state for the record that I've had it in Asia and, when done right, it can be awesomely tasty. The key qualifier, however, is "when done right." As it certainly was not, here.

I had one spoonful and that was plenty. All the unpleasant tastes that offal can impart were all there in that one soup - the bitter chemical taste of digestive organs, the iron-blood taste of liver, the general gaminess of lamb. Ugh. My mom had a little more than I did, but eventually even she had to concede that it was just awful. After a few minutes, I actually had to get up and throw it out - even the smell was making me a bit queasy. Epic fail.

The hand-cut noodles with braised pork were better, but also a bit lacking in technique. Some of the noodles were really thin while others were really thick and doughy, and almost all of them were too long to eat in a single bite. The braised pork was yummy, though.

[Note: As unlikely a dish as it is to order in a food court, the steak may be the way to go. A couple sitting nearby had one and it looked great.]

Ay Chung

Occasion: Lunch with my mom
Location: Ay Chung, in the Flushing Mall food court - 39th Ave off Main St in Flushing, Queens
Edibles: cuttlefish soup

Musings: Too hungry to wait patiently for a table at the always-crowded Asian Jewels, we popped across the street to the Flushing Mall food court.

We started with Ay Chung's cuttlefish soup. It's actually pretty good - a cornstarch-thickened bonito broth, lots of cuttlefish dumplings and lots of fresh cilantro. A nice little snack for around $3.

OBao

Occasion: Lunch with my mom before some furniture shopping
Location: Obao on 53rd between 2nd and 3rd (obaonyc.com)
Edibles: fried tofu app to share; I had the pho and Mom had the Singapore-style laksa with spicy coconut broth

Musings: My mom loves Ariyoshi, and that's where we had planned to go, but it turns out they're not open for lunch on weekends. Boo. We walked in to OBao, a new place in the old work 'hood.

First thing I noticed was that the restaurant is very dim, so if your seat faces the windows, the light will hurt your eyes. You will not want to linger. (Which I guess works in the restaurant's favor.)

As for the food, the fried tofu app was a nice big portion, about 15 cubes piled into a little wok. Good to share. Unfortunately, both noodle dishes were mediocre at best. The broth on the pho tasted like it came from a can and was loaded with MSG. The noodles in my mom's laksa were mushy.

Finally, an Asian restaurant charging $4 for tea is nothing short of highway robbery. Just ridiculous.

If I still worked at the Death Star, I'd probably find myself eating lunch here occasionally, if only for variety's sake. But OBao is certainly nothing to go out of your way for.

Burger Joint

Occasion: Dinner with Josh before the Phil (harmonic, that is)
Location: Burger Joint, behind a velvet curtain in the lobby of the Parker Meridien. No joke. Hotel's on 57th between 6th and 7th. (parkermeridien.com/eat4.php)
Edibles: burger and fries, chocolate milkshake

Musings: For its bizarre location and retro ambiance, A+ for sure. For the burgers, B. They don't season their patties, and the bun is generic grocery store stuff. Not as good as my beloved Shake Shack.

Kang Suh

Occasion: Pre-Knicks dinner with Robert, Nimish and Jenny
Location: Kang Suh on 32nd and B'way (kangsuh32.com)
Edibles: japchae (stir-fried glass noodles); seafood scallion pancake; kalbi (bbq short rib); ddeokbokki (cylindrical rice cakes in spicy sauce); bibim bop (rice with fixins'); plus lots of little dishes (complimentary; chef's choice but always includes kimchi)

Musings: I've been coming to Kang Suh for over ten years now. To be brutally honest, the food is solid but the décor is perfunctory, the service is brusque at best, and it's not particularly easy on the wallet.

So what keeps bringing me back? First, consistency. The prices have inched up over the years, but the food still tastes exactly the same as it did when I first ate here. And they never waver - the food just *always* tastes that way, no better and no worse. Given all the staff and supplier changes they must go through, that's pretty amazing.

Its location also works in its favor - just off Herald Square, it's a block away from MSG and surrounded by karaoke places.

You never need reservations. They can get you in and out quickly. My mom loves their spicy tofu pot. And they're open 24 hours a day. That's right - you can get Korean bbq at Kang Suh at 4:00 a.m. if you want.

So while Kang Suh will never make any "best of" lists, I've eaten here an awful lot and will undoubtedly continue to do so as long as I'm in the city.

Oh, and Melo? Welcome home, dude!!

Hatsuhana Park

Occasion: Dinner with Jon
Location: Hatsuhana Park, in the little passageway between Park and Lex, 45th and 46th (hatsuhana.com)
Edibles: Jon got the sushi dinner; I got the Ladies' Set

Musings: It was pretty empty for dinner, but I bet this place is hopping at lunch. (Not that I'm complaining - it was nice to be able to chat without having to shout over ambient noise.)

I got the intriguingly named Ladies' Set. Upon seeing it, I was immediately curious if they would actually refuse to serve a man who ordered this, but Jon didn't put them to the test.

The first course was a trio of pickled okra, a bite of egg omelet and tempura salmon with pickled carrots and daikon. All very nice. Next, I got some broth noodles, and a little sushi plate with four pieces of nigiri and a roll (diner's choice). There was also a little scoop of vanilla ice-cream for dessert. Good value at $18.

While it's nothing spectacular, Hatsuhana serves a nice dinner set - for women, at least. The restaurant and sushi counter were scrupulously clean and the fish was of a decent quality. Our waiter was also funny and personable. All in all, a solid option for a quiet weekday dinner in midtown.

Café Sabarsky

Occasion: Pre-Met (the museum one) brunch
Location: Café Sabarsky, inside the Neue Gallery on 5th and 86th (kg-ny.com)
Edibles: weiner schnitzel, followed by lemon mousse cake for me; goulash and chocolate marzipan cake for Josh

Musings: A restaurant in an art gallery? Love it! How did I not hear about this place until now?!

As you might expect from a restaurant located in the former residence of Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt, it's a fancy, formal place with professional waiters in vests, ties and full-length white aprons. But the prices are not too crazy, considering. My dish was $20, and included a massive, perfectly golden weiner schnitzel, lingonberry preserve and a scoop of tangy German-style potato salad. Yum. I had a bite of the goulash and it was pretty tasty too - great depth of flavor.

By the way, I'd skip the wursts if you go - they come from Schaller & Weber (says so right there on the menu) and you can therefore get them yourself direct from the source.

The desserts, displayed pretty much everywhere you look, were too beautiful to pass up. Mine was inexplicably called a lemon biscuit but was really more of a mousse cake. What I liked about it was that they weren't afraid to let the mousse was be really tart and lemony. I think it's a European thing - their desserts generally aren't laden with sugar like American ones. Josh's cake was okay, if a touch dry. I think he liked it better than I did; I'm not a huge fan of marzipan in general.

Food get an A-; décor gets an A+. I'll be back for sure.

[Note: There was a whole episode of "How I Met Your Mother" about how hard it is for single hetero guys to do fun things like have brunch or go to a Broadway musical. One of the reasons it's nice to be a girl.]

Ben & Jack's Steakhouse

Occasion: Dinner with Josh, after a NYCB Gilbert and Sullivan recital
Location: Ben and Jack's Steakhouse on 44th between 2nd and 3rd (benandjackssteakhouse.com)
Edibles: steak (natch), a side of creamed spinach, and a hot fudge sundae for dessert

Musings: Doofus that I am, I invite a boy out for a casual night of Victorian-era operetta... and then realize after hitting 'send' that it's on Valentine's Day. Josh was a good sport about the awkward date and not only found a found a last-minute reservation, but one involving giant slabs of red meat! Yay! (Hey, I offered to foodcart it, but he insisted.)

As soon as I walked into the place, I knew I was in for a good meal. Ben and Jack's smells like a steakhouse should smell - liked seared cow and high cholesterol. The décor is pretty stodgy and Republican; if you like the look of Sparks or Ivy League alumni clubs, you'll be more than comfortable here.

The steak is presented starkly on a huge plate with no garnishes whatsoever. Doesn't need it, though. The chef got the doneness on mine - the rare side of medium rare - spot on. The beef was juicy and tender and robust. Pure heaven.

The creamed spinach was a nice side; a single order was plenty to share. I think they must make it with chicken broth or bacon or something - it tasted too savoury for a purely vegetarian dish.

The finale was a decadent hot fudge sundae. They'd run out of their famous schlag (whipped cream) by then, but I didn't think the sundae was in any way diminished.

What a meal! Thanks, Josh!

[Postscript: Just so you know, I picked up the check on the next dinner. I'm a modern girl and all.]

Le Grainne Cafe

Occasion: Brunch with Morgan (former Death Star co-worker)

Location: Le Grainne Cafe on 21st and 9th (legrainnecafe.com)
Edibles: I had the croque-madame; Morgan had some poached eggs with a side of fruit salad

Musings: I often find myself meeting people in Chelsea; for my UWS-dwelling friends, it's a nice locational compromise. (Just one direction of travel for each of us - south for them and west for me.) But I'm usually hard-pressed to suggest a place to eat, other than Tia Pol. So Le Grainne is a nice discovery. The brunch was casual and cosy, with solid, comforting food at a decent price. I'd guess they serve a decent dinner too.

Morgan, great catching up! Don't be a stranger.

[Postscript: Went to Billy's after for some yummy baked goods - it's conveniently right across the street.]

Bubby's

Occasion: Dinner with Yining before Nerd Nite
Location: Bubby's on Main Street in Brooklyn, tucked under the Manhattan Bridge (bubbys.com)
Edibles: pulled pork tacos and a milkshake for me; a burger for Yining, with a side of collard greens

Musings: Tonight was actually my second time in this place, the first occasion being Rachel W. and Simon's wedding. The space is actually perfect for a smallish wedding - there's a raised area that works great as dance floor and a nice long bar that wraps around behind it. Tables can be set up alongside the ground floor windows (stunning view!!) and the menu makes for a nice, casual event.

For dinner, Bubby's is a bit of a bust. It's never a good sign when you walk into a place on Friday night and it's pretty much empty. I was psyched to try the fried chicken.... before being told that it would take 35 minutes. Why would it take 35 min to make fried chicken? I mean, don't you have a deep fryer up to temp for fries and stuff?

Yining's burger was average; I note that the collard greens were nicely done (I thought I could taste apple cider vinegar). My tacos were okay, but both Móle and the Endless Summer foodtruck are vastly superior.

Oh, and yeah - when your milkshake costs $7? It shouldn't taste like it was made from a powder. Shake Shack's kicks your ass.

Very disappointing, Bubby's.

Pio Pio

Occasion: Strategy session at Kathy's, with special consultants Atticus and Yining
Location: takeout from Pio Pio on 34th between 2nd and 3rd (piopionyc.com)
Edibles: rotisserie chicken, avocado salad and saffron rice

Musings: Pio Pio roasts a kick-ass chicken, full stop. It's seriously some finger-lickin' good stuff. My brother gets takeout from them all the time, and I can always smell those spices as soon as I walk in the door. (Whereupon I follow my nose and confiscate a piece or two. Older sister's prerogative.)

An entire chicken will run you $10, just slightly more than a grocery store rotisserie chicken and leagues better. With two of their generously portioned sides, a meal for four comes in at around $5 a head - which is cheaper than McDonald's. Can't beat that.

Great Jones Cafe

Occasion: Dinner with Sheila, Rachel W. and Simon
Location: Great Jones Cafe on (duh) Great Jones between Lafayette and Bowery (greatjones.com)
Edibles: we shared a plate of creole chicken wings to start; I had the jambalaya, Sheila had the roast chicken, Rachel had the pulled pork sandwich and Simon had the catfish po'boy

Musings: A tiny little place - only about ten tables. Add the fact that the food is good and cheap, and you better believe it fills up fast.

There was something intriguingly zingy about their chicken wings. They were sloppy and greasy, but in a good way. I could've easily eaten an entire order by myself.

Of the mains, I thought Rachel's was the standout. Really succulent and flavorful pork, of the same calibre as Wilfie & Nell's amazing sliders. Very jealous that it wasn't my order. My jambalaya looked quite homely and unappetizing, but after chatting and eating for a while, I looked down at my plate with some amazement to see that I had pretty much hoovered the whole thing without noticing. Very hearty and filling for sure. A lady at a neighboring table had the gumbo, and that looked really good too.

Big thumbs up.

Craftbar

Occasion: Dinner with Rachel W.
Location: Craftbar on Broadway at 20th (craftrestaurant.com)
Edibles: I had hanger steak and brown sugar cake for dessert; Rachel had the sweet potato agnolotti with brussels sprout leaves, bacon and hazelnut butter sauce, and the ricotta fritters for dessert; we also shared two cheeses

Musings: The wines by the glass are pretty expensive, and pretty crappy. I ordered one of the cheapest glasses of red ($11) and it was sour and puckery and awful. However, I will give major props to this place for service. A dude checked in on us about halfway into our meal, and I mentioned the crappy wine (which I had tasted before it was poured, and was fully prepared to finish). He was quick to swap out my wine for another and also silently took it off the bill. Unfortunately, the second wine was no better. Really smoky and charcoal-y, which was pretty much all I could taste. They really need to revisit their wine selections.

Long story short, get a cocktail and avoid the wine, unless you're getting a full bottle.

The food. My steak was a tad chewy, but the potato gratin and the caramelized onions on the side were perfect. Rachel's pasta dish was a work of art. Really luscious, pillowy pasta, perfectly balanced, and so appropriate for the season. (It was so good, in fact, that I had to talk her out of ordering a second one to take home. That kind of dish never travels well, so it's better not to ruin the memory of the original experience.)

Our desserts were both pretty average, lacking in creativity and delicacy. E.g. the poached pear that garnished my cake was still pretty hard and uncooked. I think a little cheese plate and a cup of coffee are the way to go here.

Thanks again for the birthday dinner, Rachel!