Dirt Candy

I recently watched Dirt Candy's Amanda Cohen duke it out against my chef idol Morimoto on Iron Chef America. I probably shouldn't have, but I guess it was better to have watched after my meal there than before. Why? Guess you'll have to find out for yourself!!! (Alton Brown captured my feelings so well during the show). What I can tell you is this: the episode's secret ingredient was broccoli! Also, one of Cohen's battle dishes featured a tempura poached egg, which I had experienced at her restaurant a few weeks ago. Like judge Kelly Hu's reaction, I found it to be quite aromatic, but lacking in flavor (guess it needed more salt?) Regardless, my overall meal at Dirt Candy was very delicious. I came away feeling just as satiated as I would have leaving a steakhouse (and now I know why). As Cohen puts it, Dirt Candy is not a vegetarian restaurant. "It's a vegetable restaurant." There is quite a difference, I think.

Matsugen: Summer Special

My sorority big sis, a rising jetsetter powerhouse, comes to New York City every so often for business and pleasure. This time, she had a huge craving for black cod with miso, so we decided to convene at Matsugen in Tribeca—the (nearly identical-in-appearance) successor of Jean-George's 66—for dinner. Their summer promotion was an elegant and indulgent five-course meal, tagged with a Restaurant Week price. More pics and meal details on the next page!

Happy National Oyster Day!

Happy National Oyster Day! To celebrate, I had some delicious Blue Point oysters poached in savory lobster broth, wrapped in braised leeks, and topped with American Sturgeon caviar at The Mermaid Inn UWS. This was one of their special appetizers for the day, only available on the UWS. I loved the crunchiness of the leek against the soft, squishy oyster. When cooked, the oyster's salty taste evolves into a rich, earthy deliciousness. The lobster broth and caviar were like the chocolate syrup and sprinkles on top of the sundae. This totally made my otherwise dreary and muggy day one worth remembering.

Compass: Do's & Don'ts

Compass on the Upper West Side: do try the salmon tartare. Don't go for the lobster. Do have some of their delicious bread. Don't go for non-seafood fare. Do take a date (it's cozy and nice), but don't expect ultra crazy gastronomic fireworks.

Restaurant Week: Yerba Buena Perry

NYC Restaurant Week is here again! To celebrate, Sd and I went out to Yerba Buena Perry in the West Village for dinner. To be honest, I had no idea what this place was going to be about... but those situations often make some of the best dining experiences. Sure enough, I returned home happy, satiated, and glowing (mostly due to the two generous pours of chilled Malbec Rose). More amazing pics on the next page!

Naturally Chic: ABC Kitchen

ABC Kitchen is the antithesis of what to expect from an organic restaurant and also a fine example of what it could be. Last Friday, I enjoyed a fantastic dinner there with my fashionista friends: Hg, Ct, and Aj. As each of us took turns diving into the warm roast carrot & avocado salad and buttery peekytoe crab toast, a continuous chorus of "MMMMmmmMMmmMm's" echoed around the table. Despite our delight with the food and drinks—the ultra refreshing basil lime daiquiri is a must-try—we paid little mind to the real magic behind the kitchen doors. More pics, dinner details and Renegade Craft Fair finds on the next page!

Aquagrill

After the LUCKYRICE Talk & Taste cooking demonstrations, I met up with CT at The Cupping Room and we made a not-so-straightforward walk over to Aquagrill. After waiting for about 15 minutes, we scored a table outside on the elevated dining porch. I ordered six appellations that I haven't tried before and a cherrystone clam just for fun. CT also tried two oysters and had the truffle-crusted cod, which was absolutely amazing. The oyster tasting experience was more pedestrian than what I expected it to be from a place heralded as an "oyster heaven." While Aquagrill proved to be a great destination for seafood, I wish that they put a bit more care into their oyster presentation. More pics and oyster reviews on the next page!

Giorgione

A colorful and nutritious lunch at Giorgione with B. The beets paired well with the citrus and who doesn't love asparagus drenched in butter? I haven't been to Giorgione for awhile, but whenever I do go, I always enjoy it. This may sound crazy, but this was my first "vegetarian" meal in a long time. I should do this more often.

Gari

I felt rather self-conscious when I first stepped into Gari. There were only a few patrons at 6:45PM, so everyone's attention was on us. We were greeted with a sharp "IRASSHAIMASE," which is a customary welcome at Japanese restaurants and businesses. Behind the sushi bar lined a row of five chefs who patiently waited to craft their next masterpiece. I usually like to sit at the bar, but only when the chefs are completely preoccupied and thus would have no time to observe my less-than-perfect table manners. But there was no escaping the unintended exhibitionism here. The giant glass windows and bright lighting insinuated that this place nor its guests had anything to hide.

Restaurant Week: Nice Matin

I've walked past Nice Matin over a hundred times and have always wondered, "why is it so busy?" B and I decided to investigate as to why this neighborhood French bistro was so hot when the world around it was cold. 

Grand Central Oyster Bar

Armed with Rowan Jacobsen's A Geography of Oysters, which is now dog-eared and margin-noted several times, B and I walked into the Grand Central Oyster Bar on early Christmas Eve with eagerness. As our holiday treat, we decided to skip the fancy restaurants and go straight for the gold. Gold being oysters!

Tuesday Night Live at Sushi Uo

UrbanDaddy's Sushi Uo's Tuesday Night Live blurb definitely caught my attention.

Chef David Bouhadana's hard-to-find LES  sushi spot announces "Tuesday Night Live," in which a diverse community of octopus, abalone, pen shell, scallop orange clams and surf clams meet their untimely demise right in front of your eyes, before finding their way to your mouth. Management warns that there may be some twitching.

Three trains from the Upper West Side, a few walking blocks, and a wrong turn into a downstairs bar later, I had finally made it to Sushi Uo. I didn't make a reservation since I wasn't sure when A could get out of work to meet me, but the two best seats in the house (alongside the sushi bar where you can see all of the action) were still open. While I waited for my companion to arrive, I tried the Kurosawa Kimoto Junmai Sake (smooth, tad spicy, served at room temperature) and watched Chef David Bouhadana slam pieces of raw fish into the cutting board. Some of the pieces slightly writhed after impact (and silently screamed), but that was the extent of the drama. There was no tank of live specimen nor creatures that would crawl off of your plate. That was probably a good thing for A's sake.

Landmarc Mussels and Beer Tasting

B and I attended an exclusive Circle of Taste event at Landmarc in Columbus Circle on Thursday evening. I had won the tickets from Wined & Dined via Twitter (it pays to follow them in many ways). "Taste a Holiday by the Sea," hosted by Chef Marc Murphy, served five different possible mussel preparations and your choice of dark or light Belgian beer. Not only did B and I have a great time (essentially counting this as part two of his birthday celebration), but we also left with a sweet goodie bag.

Ristorante Sirena

The Spaghetti Ai Frutti Di Mare (freshly made pasta with an assortment of seafood, cherry tomatoes w/ parsley) at Ristorante Sirena on James Street in London.

Yabbie's Coastal Kitchen

This is exactly how a Warm Octopus Salad should be made. With LOTS of octopus! Dinner at Yabbie's Coastal Kitchen, which is a few blocks away from Maggie's apartment in Russian Hill, San Francisco.

Hog Island Oyster Co.

If you're in San Francisco and happen to love oysters, be sure to check out the Hog Island Oyster Co. It's located in the back of the Ferry Building Marketplace, which is a great to explore in itself. B and I split a platter of 2 dozen oysters, four of six types. The one shown at the top is my favorite out of all of them: the Sand Isle Kumamoto. So plump and sweet, I think that the Kumamoto is an easy  "starter oyster" for those who are new to the delicacy. The second photo shows a bowl of savory steamers with beans and grounded meat.