I would like to come here more often, probably by myself during the not-so-busy days on campus.  It’s pretty close to Columbia (on 86th and 5th ave.), has the best chocolate cake ever, and has what must be the most beautiful piece of cheesecake in the world (both pictured above).  Cafe Sabarsky is also famous for its authentic, truly very delicious coffee (and its interior design & live music @ night).  The entrees I’ve had however are just okay…perhaps it’s just not my type?  It’s very Austrian/German.  It’s kinda pricey but considering that it’s housed inside a gallery, it’s not that bad…  Great for tourists and for people watching!

Cafe Sabarsky
1048 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10028 40.781449 -73.960498
nr. 86th St.

I had a lurvely summer filled with yummy dishes and pretty much zero cookery…a huge change from last summer which I spent studying for various standardized tests.  Some lessons I learned: DC restaurant week is highly recommended.  I need 3 lactaids in order to be able to consume my pizzas in peace.  And I have a very unhealthy love for Dunkin Donuts coffee and glazed munchkins.

Clockwise: Cookie monster & a gorilla in Times Sq.  A cute dog I saw @ Citibank.  Delicious sour cream ice cream w/ Anna.  Quesadillas?

1 – Otto: I took my family here post-graduation ceremony (during which I was drenched and from which I caught a cold…), convinced that Michelle would love it here.  Sadly, everything was over salted, poorly presented, and just not nearly as good as I remembered it…  I also found it funny how the waitress immediately removed the wine glasses from me and my sister…

Otto
One Fifth Ave.

2 – Peasant: My first time at Peasant, I loved the rabbit gnocchi but hated the pretentious Italian-only menu that needed to be translated by the waitress.   The second time around … I was super excited to come again as I had become a huge fan of Jonathan Waxman (owner) while following this season’s Top Chef Masters.  I liked Dan’s smokey pork dish a lot but my rabbit gnocchi didn’t live up to my memories.  But on the plus side, we got a nice view of the wood burning oven, and they finally decided to provide translations on the menu.

Peasant
194 Elizabeth St.

3 – Spice Market: Of the three, this restaurant fared best in my book.  Rather than order apps and two entrees, we decided to order a bunch of appetizers and one entree for my bday.  I loved the coconut tea and appetizers (minus the lobster roll) but I found the short rib entree to be “meh…Alex can make better at home”.  The chicken samosas though were particularly outstanding as were the beef skewers and the wings!  I’ll definitely be back…maybe next year during Malaysian Restaurant Week (apparently, yes there is such a thing – June 14-20 2010).

Spice Market
403 W. 13th St.

Instead of beef, I used shredded roast chicken from Westside Market as well as firm tofu for the vegetarian/vegan option.  I would highly recommend beef instead of chicken.  The entire time I was eating this, I was thinking “something is missing”…it was the taste of beef.

The recipe isn’t written out on the Bravo site but they do have a Hulu video with Kevin from last season’s Top Chef making the dish….which apparently I can’t embed.  Carla would have been so much more fun to watch in these instructional videos…

Today, it’s a full fledged restaurant on the corner of 12th and Greenwich with TWO stars from the NYTimes.  It’s amazing that these two chefs and their partners have been able to realize their dreams of owning their own restaurant.  I liked the interior and the staff a lot; there are more servers and waiters than you would expect for a relatively small restaurant (think Little Owl size) and so the service ends up being very prompt and attentive.  The cocktail and wine selections were great as was the food.  I think if I had to come up with one word to sum of the meal, it was balance.  Every dish we tried (from the diner menu) was carefully thought out and clearly balanced.  The saltiness of the caviar and mussel vinagrette atop the tuna crudo was carefully and perfectly balanced out by the caramelized, refreshing oranges on top of each piece of tuna.  The sweetness of the berkshire pork belly (it was glazed with sherry caramel) was undercut by the salty and spicy side of romesco.

I would definitely go back to Recette but perhaps when I have a fuller wallet.  Dinner there was pricey…especially when you take into consideration the portions…which are very very small.  It’s meant to be more of a tapas sharing type situation I think…  I was treating Alex to a b-day dinner that day…which also happened to be Mother’s Day and they had a Mother’s Day tasting menu for around $50; I think that actually would have been a better bet (and similar in cost).  Their tasting menus feature 4 courses with larger portions…

Recette
328 West 12th St.
New York, NY 10014

But despite the many dishes in the sink, it’s worthwhile and the sauces (of which you’ll have a TON left over) work well in so many other dishes.  Over the past few days, we’ve used it as a glaze on baby back pork ribs and as a sauce for chicken breast and applewood smoked bacon sandwiches.  Yum!  Perhaps next up will be some baked meatballs to go on a sub?

In other news…tmrw I take my last final of college.  I’m so sad…despite being rather lazy and hermity in college, I will miss being a Columbia undergrad.  I know I’ll be coming back next year but it won’t be the same w/ more responsibility!  Am I being insane?  Probably.  Recipe after the jump.

Recipe
Yucatan Chicken:

* 1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
* 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
* 2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
* 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
* 6 chicken thighs
* 2 tablespoons canola oil
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* Peanut-Red Chile BBQ Sauce, recipe follows

Directions

Whisk together orange and lime juices, chili and garlic in a shallow baking dish, add the chicken thighs, turn to coat and marinate 1 to 4 hours in the refrigerator.

Preheat grill to high or grill pan over high heat. Remove thighs from the marinade and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until just cooked through. Brush with some of the peanut sauce during the last few minutes of grilling.

Place tacos, chicken, peanut-red chili sauce, red cabbage slaw and relish in bowls and on serving platters and serve.

Mesa BBQ Sauce:

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 large Spanish onion, coarsely chopped

5 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

3 cups canned plum tomatoes and juices, pureed

1 cup water

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup molasses

3 tablespoons ancho chili powder

3 tablespoons pasilla chili powder

2 tablespoons pureed chipotle chiles in adobo, pureed

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Add the onions and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for an additional 30 to 40 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally.

Transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth, season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool at room temperature. Sauce will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator stored in a tightly sealed container.

Peanut-Red Chile BBQ Sauce

1 tablespoon canola oil

2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1 1/2 cups Mesa BBQ Sauce

2 cups homemade chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 cup peanut butter

Salt and pepper

Heat the oil in medium saucepan over medium heat; add the ginger and cook until soft. Increase heat to high, add the BBQ sauce and chicken stock and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half.

Whisk in the soy sauce and peanut butter and cook for 5 to 7 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper.

Red Cabbage Slaw:

1/2 head red cabbage, finely shredded

1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/2 cup freshly squeeze orange juice

1/4 cup canola oil

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves

Place cabbage and onion in a large bowl. Whisk together the vinegar, orange juice, oil and honey and pour over the cabbage. Add the cilantro and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with mint. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.

Peanut-Cilantro Relish:

1/2 finely chopped roasted peanuts

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro leaves

Salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl just before serving.

Puffy Tacos:

Recipe courtesy Diana Barrios

3 cups corn masa mix

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 1/4 cups warm water

Vegetable oil, for frying

Shredded chicken, guacamole, beans and cheese or your favorite filling

Combine the masa mix, salt and warm water in a large bowl and mix until a smooth dough forms. Pull off pieces of dough and roll them into balls about the size of a ping pong ball.

Cut a quart size resealable plastic bag open down both sides, to form a rectangle. Use the bag to line the tortilla press as you shape the tortillas so they do not stick: Lay 1 side of the plastic over the bottom of the press. Place a ball of dough in the center, and fold the other side of the plastic over the dough. Shut the top of the tortilla and press firmly down on the dough to shape the tortilla.

Meanwhile, pour 2 inches of vegetable oil into a large deep pot and heat to 350 degrees F.

Drop a tortilla into the hot oil and, using a metal spatula, repeatedly douse the tortilla with the hot oil until it begins to puff up. Flip it over and, using the spatula, make an indentation in the center of the tortilla to form a taco shape. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Fill each taco with 2 tablespoons of shredded chicken, guacamole, beans and cheese or your favorite filling.

Fish Tacos, as inspired by Daily Candy:
<Serves 4>
+Flour tortillas
+Two limes for garnish, one for the sauce
+3 Tbsps mayo, 5 Tbsps regular yogurt
+Store bought salsa
+1 tomato, diced
+1/2 red cabbage

+1/3 cup red vinegar, or to taste
+3 tilapia filets
+cheddar to taste

For the fish: season generously with black pepper & kosher salt.  Cook well on frying pan.  Cut in cubes.
For the sauce: mix the yogurt and mayo with juice of one lime (or more, depending on taste).  Add black pepper and 1/2 of a clove of garlic finely minced (or more, depending on taste).  Let sit for a bit.
For the red cabbage: julienne cut, mix with red vinegar (1/3 c or to taste) plus black pepper; let sit for 20-30 minutes.

Next time, I really want to use jalapenos also!!

Recipe:
-Toasted country bread slices (or sourdough would work just as great)
-Pan fried, thinly sliced chicken breasts
-Oven cooked applewood bacon
-Red onion slices
-Mayo with lime juice, fresh pepper, and half a large garlic clove finely minced

I wanted to link to m y interview with her for Gobbl but Gobbl has disappeared from the internets, how sad!!!  She was one of the most pleasant and generous people I interviewed that summer.  I visited the patisserie in Carrol Gardens and can’t wait to go back when the weather is warm; it’s complete with a really beautiful backyard type area where people can read and just chill.

I decided to stay on-campus for break to get some work done.  I didn’t get any done, and now I regret not going anywhere this year :[  But we did eat pretty well.

I made (from L to R, row 1 then 2):

• Tad’s Roast Potatoes from Food52 (crispy, easy, and outta this world good)
• David Lebovitz’s Roast Chicken w/ Carmelized Shallots (good, very tender but I would prefer a more aggressively seasoned version, also pretty quick)
• Food52′s Merrill’s Weekenight Ragu (it’s so good and so easy; it’s become a staple in my weekday menus)
• Parchment Paper Fish (my own concoction: olives, lemons, and white wine; i really wanted to use up all my olives.  it was good and very tender)
• Macarons for Macaron Day from Silver Moon Bakery (they had run out of a lot of varieties by then)
• David Lebovitz’s Hot Chocolate (yummy!  but if you’re craving hot chocolate, go to cafe sabarsky – so delicious!)