Summer Eats NYC

In the heat of the summer, I have a hard time working up much of an appetite for anything but ice cream and fruity cocktails- healthy, right?? but seriously, something fresh and cool made from the best of the summer fruits and vegetables is right in line with what I'm craving this time of year, and its fun to eat what is in season and available at one of the many farmer's markets that have popped up across the country in honor of the summer bounty.

On a recent last minute jaunt to New York I tried a new restaurant worth mentioning that makes the most of the season's vegetables. Rouge Tomate serves up healthy and fresh fare in midtown Manhattan without leaving you wanting, like some healthy fare often does. Fresh and seasonal is made gourmet and exciting in this mod dining spot, while the fresh juice bar and artisan cocktails keep you hydrated and, well... lubricated (as we say of a good cocktail). I would think even a meat and potatoes kind of gal could enjoy this menu without realizing she was eating lighter.

The place has been open a while, so this is no newcomer to the scene, but its new to me since I usually stick to my standbys when dining in NYC- or at least, my standby neighborhoods. It was nice to try something in a part of town that I usually feel is a good-food desert!

The chef, who worked under some of my favorite chefs, including Daniel Boulud, collaborated on the menu with an in-house nutritionist to develop food that has "a social and environmental consciousness" and follows "a balanced approach to sourcing and preparing food". If it sounds complicated, don't worry. The menu and the meal are straightforward and simply delicious!

eating your way through spain...

Family members are in Madrid at present for some good food and the last days of the Feria de San Isidro, the best of the best bullfights at the Plaza de Toros on Madrid. Tomorrow’s spectacle features bulls from El Ventorillo, and no doubt plenty of wine will be flowing from leather wine bags shared amongst strangers. Shouts fall down on the bullfighters from the stands, cheers of approval or shouts of dismay at their performance.  It is a spectacle.

The vibrant colors of the bullfighters from the Feria de San Isidro inspired this collection of Cerulean must-haves. Bright fuchsia from the Matadors stockings, the red, orange and yellow of the capes, the gold trim of their elaborate costumes. The leather and fabrics and fanfare is all represented below.

Gold Medallion Earrings - Tapestry Belts - Cerulean Julie Dresses - Enamel Petal Necklace - Orange Embroidered Clutch - Gold Sandal - Gold Tassel Necklace - Matta Pom Pom Dupatta Scarf - Gold Bead Bracelet - Coral Paisley Scarf

I also asked these family members for their “must-eat” list when in Madrid (some of the travelers make Madrid a regular stop every year, so I trust their opinions on this).  Here are the tops:

O'pazo

http://www.pescaderiascorunesas.es/gran_cocina/restaurante/?id=3

Owned by a famous Spanish fishing company called Pescaderias Corunesas, O'pazo is the epitome of farm- erg, boat - to table.  A beautifully modern, minimal restaurant with just a touch of seaside décor to soften the look, the service is impeccable and the food divine. Visit their fishmonger in town if you are staying in a place where you can cook your own meal, or just stop by to see the spectacle of it all. They’ve shared the recipe for their house specialty with us- Rodaballo al Horno- a flat fish that seems a lot like flounder that is pan sautéed, finished in the oven, and topped with a garlic vinaigrette before bringing the entire fish to the table. Recipe follows (with my translation skills at work here, so be forgiving).

Recipe for Rodaballo al horno (serves four)

Ingredients

1- 4.5 lb rodaballa (flounder or turbot) (2kg)

10 ounces olive oil

2 cloves of garlic

6 ounces red wine vinegar

salt

flour

Heat olive oil in an oven proof skillet or saute pan.  Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

While the oil is heating, lightly dredge  both sides of the fish in flour. Once the oil is very hot, put in the fish white side down (bottom of the fish down) and cook 2-3 minutes until the white skin has browned. Turn the fish over and put the pan in the oven for 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a serving platter. Finely chop the garlic and combine with the vinegar in a small mixing bowl or jar. Add the oil and dripping juice leftover in the sauté pan. Mix well and pour over the fish. Serve immediately.

Asador Donastiarra

http://www.asadordonostiarra.com/

You juts need to know one thing- go for the meat (asador means grill).

El Sobrino de Botin

http://www.botin.es/web/?q=en
Affectionately referred to as just  ‘Botin’, the oldest restaurant in the world (founded 1725) serves up relevant and tasty fare behind the Plaza Mayor. Try the suckling pig- their specialty.

Check out this video of one of their chefs preparing the suckling pig. Squeamish stomachs need not apply. But you get a good sense of the place and a view of the original oven built when the restaurant first opened its doors 285 years ago…

windy city...

Just spent an amazing few days in (a surprisingly warm) Chicago with friends. The sun was shining, the food was to die for, and the shopping was killer, literally. We hit every shop and tea spot from Michigan Avenue to Bucktown and Lincoln Park, and most of what was in between. Nursing a cold, but determined to enjoy everything the windy city has to offer (at least, everything that can be enjoyed in only a few days) we made our way along the river, dyed an abnormal green for St Paddys Day.

A few highlights of the trip…

The Art Institute- As an art fanatic (art major and I have worked for an Art Museum for the last four years) I was in heaven. But my (less artistically inclined) spouse was just as amazed at their permanent collection as I was. Everywhere you turn is another Monet or Picasso, Cindy Sherman, or El Greco. It was almost laughable the big names gracing their walls! We missed a Matisse exhibition by only a few days (poor planning on my part) but I hope some of you go see it for me! The American Art from 1960 was the best…

111 South Michigan Avenue
Winslow Homer, American, 1836-1910, The Water Fan, 1898/99

Chicago deep dish pizza- This deep dish pizza hit the spot after a few hours exploring the streets. Tomato sauce on top of the cheese works perfectly for me (so I can swiftly remove it from my pie- personal preference). My friend Jennifer says you can order the deep dish and have it overnight-delivered anywhere in the country, but without the deep dish pans or the perfect ovens, it isn’t quite the same when cooked at home.

Tea at the Peninsula Hotel- Scones, tea sandwiches, a huge list of teas and impeccable service. This was the perfect respite from a tiring day of shopping. Life is hard.

108 E Superior St
Red Light- A Chicago favorite for pan-Asian fare in a funky atmosphere. Wrinkled green beans and Lychee martinis are a must. I ate too much, as usual.

820 W. Randolph

Hugo’s Frog Bar and Fish House- Enormous portions of fresh fish, oysters, lobsters and shrimp, foot tall key lime pie, and an Irish Bagpipe band to boot? We had a good time, especially since it was the night before St. Paddy’s day!

1024 North Rush Street


One I hated to miss...
Hot Chocolate
I had plans to visit Hot Chocolate, a cozy little place on Damen run by three-time James Beard nominee Mindy Segal. Just the mention of the term Gastropub gets me salivating like Pavlov’s dog. The menu promised Mussels with bacon, shallots, garlic, PBR, and local chiles. YUM! House-made, beer-poached soft pretzels with Taleggio fondue- ahh! To-die-for Mac and Cheese, Burgers, and Entrees, but the piece de résistance are the desserts. Mindy is a pastry chef, after all. It is on the top of my list for my next trip to Chicago.

1747 North Damen Avenue

eating your way through nyc...

As promised, we tried some new and notable restaurants while in New York City last week amidst the most intense cold snap imaginable. We also, unfortunately, tried some not-so-notable places, but the good out-weighed the bad on this trip. Here are two stand outs…

Company is a pizza place right next to… nothing… on 9th avenue and 26th street. While you probably won’t ever be in the neighborhood, its worth a trip for the thin pizza pies on a soft crust with fabulous toppings. Most notable were the “Popeye” which had fresh spinach, toasted until crisp in the giant pizza ovens over gobs of melted gruyere and buffalo mozzarella, and the "Flambe" (reminiscent of the Alsatian Tarte Flambee) with caramelized onions, lardons and béchamel. Don’t let the faux fireplace blazing on a big screen tv fool you- the food is authentic and delicious. They don't take reservations and tables are communal, but it kind of adds to the fun.
230 Ninth Avenue, New York, www.co-pane.com

History and contemporary sensibilities collide at Commerce, housed in the newly restored Grange Hall in Greenwich Village, once a Depression-era speakeasy (and formerly The Blue Mill Tavern). Tiny and bustling and tucked away on one of those streets you would miss if you blinked, the cocktails are divine and the food is too. I dined on roasted sweet potato tortelloni with hazelnuts, pomegranate and a buerre noisette, as well as sazeracs and champagne cocktails with house-made grenadine. It was a fabulous evening staying warm and catching up with old friends in a bistro-style café on a back street on a cold night.
50 Commerce Street, New York, www.commercerestaurant.com

Of course we hit some tried and true favorites that can’t be missed when in New York- Pastis for a brunch of oysters, croque monsieur, pomme frites and café au lait, and Le Pain Quotidian for flaky croissants, steel cut oatmeal and herb teas. If I hadn’t walked about a thousands miles while there, I know I would have come home twice my original size. But that is the beauty of Yew York- eat divine food and then walk it off through Central Park!

cuba by way of nolita…

We at Cerulean travel the world looking for the newest, most unique, or most exquisite items possible for the pages of our catalog and website. These travels often lead us to New York, epicenter of design and fashion for the US. When in NYC, there is only one restaurant we can not pass up. Every trip, without fail, rain or shine, regardless of the long line or any other deterrent, we hit Café Habana.

Nestled on a quiet corner in the Nolita neighborhood, Café Habana has been serving up home-style Latin food with unique Cuban and Central Mexican accents for two decades now, and it is unforgettable. Modeled after the famous Mexico City diner with the same name, this family-run home-style hangout features a sleek metal diner-style façade and a retro interior. Sip on Mandarina Jarritas or Horchatas while you wait for the luscious grilled corn with cheese and spices, the huevos rancheros, or the tortas (sandwiches) with chorizo and beans. The atmosphere is enticing, the clientele perfect for people watching, and the ceiling glows a bit, thought we can’t figure out why. Maybe it’s from the energy of the place???

Speaking of energy, you can feel good about your carbon footprint when eating at Café Habana or its sister outpost in Brooklyn. Owner Sean Meenan strives to make his restaurants Eco-Eateries- restaurants that use earth-friendly practices in their design, construction, and day-to-day operations. This jewel box of a restaurant is packed day and night, but its worth the wait every time.

lyon, france...

Traveling through France at the moment, in Lyon meeting with a 100-year old silk manufacturing company- pure heaven. Working in an old Renaissance-era building surrounded by meters and meters of vibrant, luscious silks is my idea of a hard days work. While there, I cant help but think that the “new part” of Lyon, and many cities across Europe, was built before the United States even existed!

The metro system in Lyon is clean, modern and efficient, but today I found myself standing at the bicycle kiosk, wanting to join the ranks of local Lyonaisse riding the town on free city bicycles. (This incredibly successful program is also done in Paris- hundreds of bicycles are kept at kiosks across the city, and for pennies you can take a bike, use as needed, and return to any other part of the city. And on the whole, the people use the program correctly and respectfully!) After too much time attempting to translate the details of the program with my less-than-poor French, I gave up, unable to discover if or when I would get my rather large deposit back. I decided to save the bike riding for another day just as a chic you girl- unfussy but elegant in a way only the French women can accomplish- locked her bike back into its spot.

As a traveler, as a rule, I try to appear as far from a tourist as possible. This visit, however, I couldn’t help but be drawn to those typical clichés of an American in France, and be completely amazed by it all. The beautiful rows of baguettes for sale in straw baskets, the stacks of meringues two feet high in the windows of every patisserie, the endless unique flavors of the French chocolates, the wine. Oh, the wine!

I was headed to dinner at a traditional bouchon- think the birthplace of French cooking, but with an emphasis on strange cuts of meat- and wouldn’t you know it! It begins to rain. No shops were open and not an umbrella man in sight! You know those mysterious men in New York City who seem to stalk the Weather Channel reports, and then pop out at just the right moment, umbrellas in hand, on every street corner. They price gauge their wares to relieved tourists and locals caught unawares. Well… where were they? None to be found in Lyon, I’m afraid, nor any cabs. After a drenching jog over the Saone River to the vieux ville, or old town, I tucked into a salad Lyonnais with warm, soft poached egg over fresh lettuces with warm lardon. Heavenly and rustic. I found myself eating alone (traveling alone), but was thrilled to be out of the rain and enjoying the Lyonnais cuisine. Directly across from my solitary seat was a large portrait of an early Renaissance man in full, white pleated collar looking directly at me from the sides of his eyes, smiling, and toasting me with his glass of wine. I lifted my glass of cote du Rhône (being in the Rhône valley, of course) and toasted my dining partner back. Bon appétit!

daily bread...

I’ve been back and forth to New York TWICE! in about as many weeks- so much has happened! So much time spent in airports, taxis, and cafes mulling over what fantastic things to bring to the pages of Cerulean for Fall. And as frequent traveler, I have a singular mission when away from home- make every meal count. There is nothing more tragic than to waste an opportunity to experience local cuisine when traveling somewhere exotic, or somewhere that simply has a lot of amazing food to offer! Like the time I visited Costa Rica, only to see Americans lined up at a KFC… don't even get me started.

While I try to fully live this mission every time I travel to New York City, making sure to hit my favorite restaurants and cafés, or to try a new place or sample some ethnic fare, work often keeps me from lingering over meals or traveling to far flung neighborhoods for that certain bite to eat. But now this problem is solved in the form of Le Pain Quotidien. I can guarantee even meals on the go are worthwhile when spent here.

A chain (I know… but trust me) of bakery/ eateries originating in Brussels has come to the US and now has outposts in most every NYC neighborhood. No matter what part of town I may be in, I am surely within walking distance of a Le Pain Quotidien, or if not, its worth the walk.
The original idea was simplicity itself- simple and inspirational food based around bread with only three ingredients (water, flour and salt). Le Pain Quotidien offers great tasting food, prepared naturally and organically in a European café setting where each restaurant has a communal table. As they say, it is sharing of time and space with other people in the restaurant that adds to the experience (although there are individual tables for the squeamish). Sit next to locals or travelers from afar while you sip your tea with rich organic honey or enjoy a tartine (French open face sandwich), wine or coffee. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you are never far away from a worthwhile meal. One the go or whiling the day away, I feel like I have made the meal count when at Le pain Quotidien.

Le Pain Quotidien has locations all over the world- click here to find the closest one to you!

http://www.lepainquotidien.com/storelocator.htm