The Mermaid Inn UWS

Happy New Year everyone! On New Year's Eve, B and I went to dinner at The Mermaid Inn on the Upper West Side. They had a $45 prix fixe menu that included an amuse-bouche, choice of appetizer, choice of entree, and dessert. Although the intimate lighting was a bit too low for my camera, I tried my best to capture my meal. The Canon G10 is generally awesome, but it's not so great at taking low-light shots without a lot of noise.

The amuse was a creamy lobster bisque containing a sizable amount of actual lobster meat. For the appetizer, I had the orecchiette w/ braised duck, rapini, chili, and parmesan. B ordered the spicy snapper ceviche w/ ginger and sweet potato. Both were quite nice together, since the acid from the ceviche could cut through the thickness of the braised duck.

Next, I had the grilled sea scallops with cauliflower puree, sultanas, pine nuts, and capers. Each bite of the tender and succulent scallop was delicious. The plump scallops were deeply branded on top with sear marks of expertise. I really liked the combination of the cauliflower, sultanas, and pine nuts together. The flavor was a harmonious blend of sweet, semi-bitter and earthy.

For dessert, we were each served a small bowl of fresh berries and whipped cream along with a red velvet cupcake. Since I was already stuffed from the rest of the meal, this simple and light dessert was much welcomed.

Overall, I had a nice time at The Mermaid Inn. Sometime in the near future, I'd like to check out their blue plate special ($20 for a lobster sandwich, old bay fries, and a fire island ale) and also their new Oyster Bar in the village!