GASTRONORMOUS

I was 20 minutes early (me! early!) meeting the Hubs in Park Slope recently, so I took that opportunity to stop into The Chocolate Room, which I had longingly passed so many times before without stopping in.

I knew I just wanted a hot chocolate, but I happy to see a selection of different types. I could choose between milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or spicy-chile dark chocolate. I must admit that I prefer milk chocolate. I think it tastes better; I just enjoy it more. I once read an interview with the head pastry chef at Momofoku Milk Bar, which is on the cutting edge of dessert fare (which is a ridiculous statement), and she said she preferred milk chocolate too, which perhaps why I feel emboldened enough to admit my preference here, subjecting myself to the ire of people who are “serious” about chocolate. In any case, I digress. After some waiter-annoyingly lengthy deliberation, I ended up choosing the spicy dark chocolate, because I decided my love of chile overrides my preference for milk chocolate. Whipped cream, marshmallow? Why, yes please! Oh. I have to choose one. Whipped cream.

An adorable little amuse bouche arrived on my table before my chocolate did. It was a perfect little cube of cake. It didn’t taste very good. It wasn’t bad, just sort of nondescript. So much so that I have no recollection of what it was except that it wasn’t chocolate. I am not going to complain about a freebie, but I always question the wisdom of giving free samples of something totally mediocre. Like those poor kids they make stand outside the chain cafes, handing out little samples of really sad muffins. A silver tray doesn’t make it taste good, and it certainly doesn’t make me want to pay actual money for a full sized version of the snack. I digress again.

Luckily, the chocolate arrived quickly, taking the heavy load of the widespread lack of good business planning off my mind. I was surprised to see how small the cup of chocolate was. I was expecting a big, steaming mug to wrap my  hands around, and this was a dainty little cup of the type one must grasp using only the index finger and thumb–pinky up! (It was bigger than an espresso cup, smaller than a coffee cup. I suppose it was a true chocolate cup.) But it turns out I probably wouldn’t have been able to finish a larger mug anyway as it was so rich, not that I wouldn’t have wanted to! It was really delicious. Luscious, thick, sweet, and with just the precisely right kick of spice at the end of each sip. The whipped cream cut the sweetness the perfect amount and added a softer creamy component to complement the sharpness of the rest of the flavors. (It was a little overwhipped, but I assume that was on purpose, so it would hold up to chocolate better?)

I would definitely return for hot chocolate again, and wouldn’t balk a ordering a cake or other confection either, though I might stick to the chocolate options.

Chocolate Room
86 5th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11217
718-783-2900

Picture this: a month ago (before the gestational diabetes diagnosis), the Hubs and I were at IKEA in Red Hook, Brooklyn, when I had a sudden, irresistible craving for nachos. There was no denying it. Nachos must happen. I remembered that the Predicate had once mentioned a new Mexican place not far from her apartment, and as luck would have it, she lives not far from IKEA. The rules of triangulation meant that said Mexican restaurant must be nearby.

A call to the Predicate, an iPhone search, and thirty minutes later, the three of us (Predicate joined us) were sitting in the tiny, spare dining room of Viva. But for a table of two sitting outside, the restaurant was empty (it was sort of a strange hour for eating–about 2pm; the waiter mentioned later that they are packed at dinner time). We ordered nachos (of course), fried calamari, and avocado fries, the latter because they sounded too bizarre to pass up. Have you ever heard of avocado fries? I thought not. Do you want to try them now that you know of their existence? I thought so. We also ordered two flamingo pink guava Jarritos, and a beer for the Hubs.

After we ordered, out came the obligatory chips and salsa. The salsa was expected, but its unique flavor was not. It was pumpkin-orange in color, rather than the usual red with flecks of green chili and onion, and had a really unusual, but uncommonly delicious flavor. None of us could place the flavors. Tomatoes? Yes. Cilantro. It seemed so. Onion. Definitely. But what else? What was that flavor? It was a truly exceptional dip. When the waiter next came by, I asked him what was in the salsa. He smiled Cheshire-cat-like, and refused to tell me, explaining that many, many people asked, but the recipe was a secret. On this he would not budge, even after pleading, promises not to tell, and puppy dog eyes galore.

Our food arrived. The nachos were a little skimpy on the beans, but otherwise everything nachos should be: crispy, cheesy, gooey with sour cream, and a generous glob of guacamole. The avocado fries were something to behold. Slices of avocado were breaded and deep fried, then arranged around a dish of chipotle dipping sauce in a seriously gigantic margarita glass. We laughed at the tacky presentation until we tasted the fries, which is when we fell into a thoughtful state of gastronomical bliss. Delicious. The calamari were what you might expect from a Mexican restaurant in an industrial area of Brooklyn: probably frozen, not fresh, battered and deep fried. It was quickly decided that the calamari tasted better with the chipotle dipping sauce from the avocado fries than it did with the sauce it came with.

With my nacho craving sated, we were ready to leave. The waiter seemed truly forlorn that we didn’t order more. If he had offered up the ingredients of the salsa, I might have considered it. But as it stands, I will have to just return (hopefully often) to try it again.

Viva
116 Sullivan St
(between Conover St and Van Brunt St)
Brooklyn, NY 11231
(718) 852-4192

After visiting the Flea in search of antiques (by which I mean I went just to eat and if I happened to peruse some vintage merch, so be it), and being terribly disappointed to not find the Kumquat Cupcakery booth in operation that day, my friend Em and I left in search of cupcakes on the outside. We quickly came across Tillie’s, where we ordered cappucinos and I, a lemon-lime cupcake. I didn’t realize until after I purchased the confection that it was in fact a vegan cupcake from Red Bamboo, the neighborhood’s go-to spot for vegetarian Caribbean, soul, and junk food. I must admit that I then approached the cupcake with trepidation. I am picky about my buttercream, and I abhor the (what I assume to be) whipped crisco and sugar that passes for buttercream at many a bakery. Since there is obviously no real butter in a vegan cupcake, how good this one possibly be?

It turns out that is it possible for a vegan cupcake to be impossibly good. The buttercream frosting was, well, buttercreamy, and the cake was moist and flavorful. The flecks of lemon and lime zest throughout the cake and frosting only added to the scrumptiousness. Incredibly, I didn’t miss the dairy at all.

So, I am delighted to report that my first, accidental, foray into vegan baked goods was a rousing success! Nest stop, Babycakes!

Olea is a little Mediterranean/tapas restaurant in Fort Greene that we had managed to go to for brunch a few times (which I would recommend if you are in the neighborhood, say for the Flea, a block away), but hadn’t tried it for dinner until this recent meal there. [photo courtesy Brownstoner]

There were no tables immediately available indoors, so the Hubs and I accepted an outdoor table, though it was borderline too chilly to sit out there (we were limited on time as we had a movie at BAM to get to). The inside of the restaurant is very Mediterranean: very cozy, rustic, and tile-y. The outdoor seating consists of some simple tables and chairs pushed up against the facade of the building, but it is a quiet street, so the lack of a partitioned outdoor dining space wasn’t a problem.

Our affable waiter took our orders promptly, tell us about the specials and warning us of what was not available from the menu that evening (which I appreciate–one of my pet peeves is when you order something and then the waiter tells you they are out). Though they had an enticing array of tapas, we decided to go with two apps and two entrees.

To start, we had the falafel-crusted artichokes, served with some marinated vegetables. The artichokes were crispy and had good flavor, but were drastically under seasoned. The cold marinated vegetables that came with it, though, were divine. I could have eaten a bowl of those with some crusty bread and been really happy.  The slaw, made with oil-curved olives and citrus was also really good: fresh, crisp, and well-seasoned.

Next came the scallops (a special), served with gigantes (large white beans), greens, and crispy carrot chips. The bivalves were perfectly cooked, and well complemented by the tasty beans and greens. Though Hubs thought the carrot crisps were too much like Terra Chips dumped on top of his meal, I must say I was a fan. The wheat pasta with spring vegetables was another winner–for the most part. The delicate flavors of pasta, vegetables, cream, lemon zest, and crispy almonds were perfectly balanced, but like the artichokes, could have used some salt. Ok, a lot of salt. Another odd thing about the pasta. The tough skin around the fava beans wasn’t removed! I had to slip each bean out of the skin before I ate it. It wasn’t a big deal to do, but really, that is the kitchen’s job, isn’t it? At the Hub’s urging, I called the waiter over to politely point out the problem. I felt bad because he seemed a little flustered and embarrassed about it, but I thought the kitchen should be told, lest a customer less pleasant than me complain about it.

Overall, with a few shakes of table salt, I enjoyed the meal. I would definitely recommend Olea if you are in need of a good meal in the neighborhood. I look forward to returning for tapas some evening soon.

Olea
171 Lafayette Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11238
(718) 643-7003

For Christmas (yes, Christmas–over four months ago!), the Hubs and I received as a gift from my cousin and cousin-in-law, a crisp $100 bill. After reading a long ago post recounting a search for brunch, they had looked at the website for Buttermilk Channel, which I lamented not being able to go to for brunch on account of the fact that they were not open for brunch at the time (they are now, by the way, but only on Sundays), and so impressed were they by their menu that they indicated that the c-note was to be redeemed at Buttermilk Channel. Of course they would have been happy with me spending it at another restaurant, or, I imagine, on a crate of crazy straws. But, wanting to remain true to the spirit of the gift, I tucked the bill away into a drawer for safekeeping until we had a chance to go to the Carroll Gardens restaurant. Here is a picture of the Benjamin in question.

That chance arrived weekend before last, when we were finally able to commit a group of five people (this is a key number when it comes to Buttermilk Channel–with fewer people it is not possible to make a reservation, and the waits are more or less interminable without one). The restaurant is so popular that we had to make a reservation for 6:00pm, which might count as a late repast in Boca, but in a town where dinner at 10:00pm isn’t unusual, it seemed almost embarrassingly early. But, never mind, the light was great for my photos, so I didn’t complain.

We were seated promptly upon arriving. Our waitress was polite and attentive. In addition, there was a guy that seemed to be a manager of sorts, stopping at people’s tables occasionally. At least one of us must have looked perplexed for some reason, as he stopped by our table to ask if he could clear up anything for us. We asked a few questions about the menu, which he gamely answered. The waitress poured water and took our drink orders promptly, helping some of us with wine recommendations. Being pregnant, I softly whimpered into my water while others enjoyed vino from a great list of wines by the glass (their list by the bottle is more extensive).

After drinks came some complimentary popovers, which were light and popover-y, and drizzled with honey. Next came some house-made pickles (both sour and bread-and-butter style) and some sweet potato and goat cheese croquettes (photo above). The pickles were great, and the croquettes were addictively good–perfectly crisp on the outside, creamy and delicious on the inside. they were well seasoned, and lacked added sugar, something that ruins many sweet potato dishes in my opinion. I wish we had asked for two orders, so we each would have had one for ourselves. It seemed a shame to cut them in half. But there many other good things to come…

Next we had spring dandelion greens salad with red onion, chopped egg and buttermilk dressing, which was delicious, if a little over-oniony. I think there was something about the seriously pungent bitterness of the greens that would have been better paired with something less sharp than raw red onions, like maybe some marinated shallots. But, the creamy dressing helped mellow out the flavors a bit. A better starter was the butternut squash tart. Made with house-made buttermilk(!) ricotta, brown butter, and served with organic greens, it was huge winner. It was a perfectly balanced dish of sweet butternut squash (sliced and roasted squash, not mashed as you might expect in a tart), creamy ricotta, and flaky puff pastry crust. The Hubs raved that it was both “out-of-this-world” and “amazing.” The app was full of flavor that was much more than the sum of its parts.

As to entrees, let’s just get this out of the way, everything was good to great–there were no complaints. The duck meat loaf (left) was served atop a bed of creamed spinach and a pool of duck jus. That enormous bun-looking thing on top of it is in fact a single, perfectly fried onion ring. The plate was the smallest portion of all of the dishes, but was so exquisitely rich that it was perfectly filling. The buttermilk fried chicken was the most generously sized entree, with two enormous pieces of chicken served with cheddar waffles and coleslaw. It wasn’t the healthiest dish on the menu, but was really very tasty home cookin’. The chicken was tender, crispy, and flavorful to the bone. The coleslaw was made with savoy cabbage and carrots, and was delicious–not your standard throwaway side of slaw. The waffle was a yummy alternative to biscuits, and an unexpected southern touch in a place run by true Yankees. A vegetarian entree (no longer on the menu) featured the same waffle as the main attraction on the plate, along with some incredible mustard greens with mustard sauce (it possessed layers of delicious flavors you wouldn’t expect from that redundant-sounding description), roasted mushrooms (earthy and yummy), and the savoy slaw.

The bacon-wrapped trout, served with mustard greens and fingerling potatoes, was also good. How they managed to get the bacon crispy without overcooking the trout is a mystery to me, but one I wont question. The dish was deemed delicious, and every bite was finished. The Nantucket tilefish was served with black mussels, zucchini “noodles,” and basil broth. This was yet another great dish. The fish was perfectly cooked: flaky on the inside and well browned on the outside. Considering the mussels were a supporting player, they were top quality and very fresh. Also fresh were the herbs with which the dish was redolent. The portion was generous without being excessive.

After dinner, we were not so full that we weren’t tempted by the dessert menu. But, we had dessert from Veniero’s and some rum fresh from Panama (though for me, again, water!) waiting for us back at the Predicate’s apartment, so we departed without sampling the delicious-sounding sweets. I will be back, if only to sit at the bar and eat the pecan pie sundae (or perhaps the chocolate chip bread pudding with butterscotch sauce).

I would wholeheartedly recommend Buttermilk Channel. (Just try to get a group to go, and make reservations in advance!) The fact that they have a separate vegetarian and kid’s menu available, makes it a friendly place for a large demographic. No matter the menu you choose, the atmosphere, food, drinks, and service are all exceptional–I see multiple visits there in my future. And thank you, cousins, for giving us the one-hundred-dollar impetus to go!

Buttermilk Channel
524 Court Street
Brooklyn, NY
718-852-8490

On our second day up in the Hudson River Valley, we spent the day up in Hyde Park, where the homes of Franklin D. and Eleanor Roosevelt are located. After that culturally-enriching day (and a predictably forgettable quick lunch from the visitors center cafe), we headed over to nearby Poughkeepsie for dinner.

Guided by Internet recommendations, we ended up at The Artist’s Palate, located on an area of Main Street that is clearly going through a renewal process.  The restaurant serves “seasonal” food that transcends regionalism. I usually don’t like menus on which one can find ravioli and stir-fry, but if it is done well, then why quibble with that? The space itself is simple and stylish, with soaring ceilings, white-tableclothed tables, an old wooden bar at the front, and contemporary art (all for sale) on the walls.  We were seated almost immediately, which was a good thing as we were starving.

After ordering we were served a basket of various breads and a homemade “pesto” spread made with tomato rather than basil as a base ingredient. It was garlicky and delicious. We shared the deep-fried tofu as an appetizer. It was unlike any other incarnation of this dish I have had, the tofu being lightly battered and deep-fried, a technique that caused the outside to be crispy, but the tofu itself to be greaseless. I wish more asian restaurants would serve deep-fried tofu this way–it was really tasty.

For entrees, we had the penne pomodoro, which was good, but not great. There is really nothing more to report on the basic pasta. The tortilla-crusted scallops, on the other hand were a standout. The scallops were rolled in flaked tortilla and fried until perfectly cooked (this preparation sounds like a white-trashification of scallops, but I swear, it was elegant) and served with a truly delicious, perfectly seasoned and dressed, black bean and avocado salad. The only complaint was that three small (diver-, not sea-) scallops was a bit ungenerous for the price (~$20). We also had a very seasonal side of sauteed ramps, served with a half of lemon, which was unusual. They were simply prepared, as ramps should be, so their oniony-garlicky-earthy flavor shined through.

This was a good meal, though perhaps a tiny bit over-priced. Also, it would be nice to have some vegetarian choices that equal the inventiveness of some of their meaty options. Still, it was nice to see creative cuisine in such a sleepy corner of New York. It was no Beso, not even close, but if ever you are searching for better-than-average food in the Poughkeepsie area, then I would definitely recommend The Artist’s Palate.

The Artist’s Palate
307 Main St
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
845-483-8074

No, “upstate” is not a euphemism for crazy; I actually traveled upstate, to the beautiful Hudson River Valley over the weekend. I had asked Mother Nature to give us warm weather and spring flowers, but she declined my request, giving us barren trees and cold rain instead. Still, we had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed our long drives through this pretty country.

After arriving at our B&B in Cornwall, NY on Friday evening, we ignored our host’s local suggestions for dinner (old-school with uninteresting menus, all) and instead opted for a 15-minute drive to the charming-sounding hamlet of Newburgh, to a newly opened restaurant called The Wherehouse [sic], which we had seen advertised in a local magazine. Actually, Newburgh is neither a hamlet nor charming. It is a sort of shabby little town that seems a bit down on it luck. But there has been a concerted effort at reviving the historic downtown area there, and part of that revival is the opening of the Wherehouse. We were surprised to find the restaurant was almost directly across the street from George Washington’s headquarters during the Revolutionary War! (Ok, GW had a lot of HQs, but this was the main one.) We hesitated when we saw only one couple eating there, but, well, there weren’t many other options nearby, so we just went for it.

The interior is beautiful: a large room with wood-paneled walls and a gorgeous old wood bar lining one wall look as if they must have been restored original amenities. The restaurant has no liquor license, I assume because it just opened two months ago. The restaurant advertises their cuisine as “cosmic comfort food,” and indeed, the menu was sort of all over the place, which worried me. Fried stuff, BBQ, salads (all variation on the Ceasar), and Indian (!?) food.  The waiter was gregarious, but not in an over-the-top, annoying way. He boasted that the BBQ was really good, the meat smoked right here in their basement. Gulp. Basement-smoked meats, huh? How could we resist? The hubs ordered a Caesar salad to start and BBQ pork sandwich, and I ordered samosas (yep!) and an Indian-ish chick pea dish.

The salad was huge. The flavor was good, but the greens were a but heavily dressed, and the croutons were not fresh. The samosas were surprisingly tasty! Perfectly seasoned and perfectly fried. The thick tamarind sauce they were served with was yummy, too. The waiter came by and offered to wrap up our starters to go, which I thought was funny. When we said no, he gave us a theatrically dejected, hound-dog face. We began to wonder if he was an amateur actor (or perhaps a Revolutionary War reenactor?).

The chick pea stew was less of a success than the samosas, unfortunately. A sour/tart flavor predominated, without any savory/salty or sweet to balance it out. I added a couple spoonfuls of the tamarind sauce, which helped a bit. The chick peas were served over brown rice with a side of ciabatta with a pesto schmear. Weird, yes, but I wasn’t complaining. The bread was good. Also quite good was the pulled pork sandwich. It was juicy enough to drip sauce all over the place, but not so juicy as to soggify the bread. It was very flavorful, though perhaps lacking a bit in strong BBQ sauce flavor. But overall, tender and tasty. I guess shouldn’t have knocked basement smoking. It came with a side of coleslaw, which at most places was is a throwaway, but here really fresh and delicious.

I was prepared to refuse dessert, but the Hubs couldn’t resist the cheesecake kebabs. Yes, kebabs. I wasn’t as enthusiastic. I am not a huge fan of cheesecake in general, and I didn’t see how putting it on a stick would make it any more pleasurable for me.  Well, what appeared before us was a shock and surprise. The dish consisted of two skewers of deep-fried cheesecake cubes resting in a bed of caramel-drizzled whipped cream. They were like cheesecake doughnuts! Crazy! If you like cheesecake and love doughnuts, this is the dessert for you. I happen not to be a huge fan of either (I don’t dislike either, but I’d rather spend the calories on a scoop of good ice cream), so the dessert was just ok for me. But the Hubs was very pleased. As an aside, the waiter seemed just as surprised by what the kebabs consisted of as we were. It was pretty funny. He said nobody had ordered them before so he didn’t know what they were (that isn’t an excuse is it? I think he must’ve been new to waiting, the first commandment of which is “know thy menu.”)

Overall the restaurant was pretty good. I would give them the benefit of the doubt as they are new. I think their menu could use more non-meat options, the waitstaff needs a bit more training, and a liquor license would help, too. But if you love meat and don’t demand a Jim Beam on the rocks with your BBQ, then the Wherehouse is a good place to stop when you are in the area.

P.S. Sorry for the blurry picture. It was taken with the Hub’s cell phone; my camera died moments after arriving upstate, so there will be no pictures for any of the trip.

Next: A delightful meal in Poughkeepsie (seriously).

The Wherehouse
119 Liberty Street
Newburgh, NY 12550
(845) 561-7240

We had been meaning to try Bati for some time. In fact, we actually went there one evening a month ago, but our growling stomachs couldn’t handle the hour long wait for a table. We were actually heartened by that experience, because we assumed that meant the place was good, plus we are happy to locally owned businesses do well. We went again last week, on the earlyish side to increase our chances of getting a table, and we were happy to see precisely one table for two ready and waiting for us.

The dining room is sparely, but tastefully, decorated. The space is warm and homey–all dark wood and candlelight. I couldn’t help but notice the great windows that are hinged so that they can be completely opened–this will be great when the weather turns nice.

We decided to order a combination plate, as this, as at most Ethiopian restaurants, is the best deal. For $15 you can sample four dishes that cost $11-12 as an entree on its own. When the waitress came around I ordered a combination plate for two. We deferred to the kitchen as to which of the dishes to give us. I thought it was strange she didn’t offer beverages, but then I realized that, as of now anyway, Bati is B.Y.O.B. So, water it was for us!

The large plate came out quickly, with Butischa (chick peas), Missir Wett (lentils), Gomen (collard greens), and Fasolia (a green bean-carrot dish), all atop a large disc of spongy/tangy injera (with another piece of injera folded on the side). Both the chick peas and lentils were mashed and flavored with berbere, but also with enough distinct spices so that they didn’t taste identical. The chick peas tasted a bit burnt, but I don’t know if that is just how the dish supposed to taste, or if the bottom of the pot actually scorched. That was my least favorite dish. Everything else was great. The lentils were richly spiced and a little bit spicy. The collard greens were perfectly cooked–not at all bitter. The carrots and green beans were also well cooked–not mushy as they often are in a dish like this. All were well seasoned, bright, and flavorful. I did take a photo of our plate, but it was so dark it didn’t turn out well. But, anyone who has eaten Ethiopian knows, delicious as it is, it just isn’t the most photogenic of foods (picture piles of mush on a purpley-tan flatbread. See?), so I hope you will forgive me.

My only complaint (besides the burnt-tasting chick peas) at the time was that it really didn’t seem like a lot of food. I kept remarking, that, gee, this really didn’t seem like much for two people. Of course, by the time we scarfed down all the filling injera we were sated well enough, but still, I thought there should have been more of the good stuff on top of it.

When we got the bill, the Hubs opened up the leatherette envelope, his eyes widened, and he chuckled. “What?” I asked. No words being necessary, he flipped the bill around. The total bill was $15!! It seemed like too little food because it was a serving for one! Casting my mind back to the ordering process, I realized my semantic error. I should have ordered “two combination plates” rather than “a combination plate for two!” Of course! The waitress was incredibly pleasant to us, considering how miserly she must have thought we were!! I imagine also that if I had ordered two combination plates, we would have recieved eight dishes, which would have been welcome.

I will definitely go back to Bati again, though I may script my order before hand to make sure I get it right!

Bati
747 Fulton Street
Brooklyn 11217

[photo via A Fork in the Road]

The Hubs and I stole away from the family events in California to have a quiet meal together just before his early departure to Alaska for work. Several restaurants in the Walnut Creek/Lafayette area were recommended to us, but we decided on Chow, mostly because it involved no driving to get to there from our starting point, but also because I went to the Chow in San Francisco once, years and years ago, and remembered really enjoying the food. The Lafayette branch is known for being a family-friendly place with more sophisticated food than your average “family” restaurant.

There was a long wait for a table at this popular place. As we stood outside debating whether we even wanted to eat in the clamorous interior, let alone wait for table there, we realized that a couple patrons seemed to be getting service at one of the outdoor tables, where there were more than enough heating lamps to ward off the chill (indeed, the people eating out there were in their shirt sleeves). After asking the hostess, she cheerily informed me that it was no problem to eat outside. And so that we did, in quiet, warm contentment.

We started off with the roasted Brussels sprouts appetizer, which was especially recommended by my brother. Boy, he couldn’t have been more right-on in his advice. It was prepared with roasted apples, which added a nice sweet foil to the sulfurous sprouts. The dish looks really greasy in the photo (actually, all the food in these pics do—it must have been the lighting), but it didn’t taste it. It was an interesting and delicious combination of flavors. The beet salad, featuring red and golden beets, along with mixed greens (though the menu stated endive), orange, hazelnuts, a simple vinaigrette, and a couple slices of toasted schmeared with goat cheese was also quite tasty. Not more remarkable than many a beet salad I have had, but tasty.

When I was taking this picture of this pizza, a patron was walking by; she looked at what I was doing, paused, opened her mouth, hesitated, then asked, “Why are you taking pictures of your food?” Oh! Those charming Californians, so unused to the food-blogging so commonplace in New York. It isn’t unusual for me to see someone else taking pictures of their food at a restaurant I am reviewing, so plentiful we are in number here. But in Lafayette food blogs seem to be a novelty. How refreshing! In any case, the wild mushroom pizza with red onions, and of course cheese and tomato sauce, was also quite good, though a bit underseasoned for my taste (but I have a salt-loving palate). The toppings were nice and gooey and the crust was crackery and thin enough to satisfy even a true New Yorker (as I understand, after living here nearly fifteen years, I can now be considered.)

All in all it was good meal. The service was pleasant, the prices were right, and the ambiance, well outdoors, anyway, was quiet, comfortable, and relaxing. Chow is definitely worth a visit if you happen to be in Lafayette, CA some day.

Chow
53 Lafayette Circle
Lafayette, CA 94549
925-962-2469

Sorry for the lack of posts, peeps. I have found myself spending every free minute searching for Christmas gifts rather than thinking and writing about food!

A quick restaurant review, though:

Today I attended a conference at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and during the lunch break, my coworker and I skipped out to eat at the nearby renowned vegetarian restaurant Candle 79 (the upscale sibling of Candle Cafe, also located on the Upper East Side on Manhattan).

I had a black bean burger, which was served with polenta fries, greens, and some avocado. My dining companion had a BBQ seitan sandwich served with the same polenta fries. I have to say, that the polenta fries were the standout of the afternoon. The black bean burger wasn’t bad, but was pretty under-seasoned, and the bun was way to big–it threw off the burger-to-bun ratio, a delicate one especially when you are talking about veggie burgers. The CW said his BBQ seitan was good, but not the best he has ever had. At $15, though, it really should be the best seitan sandwich he has ever had, ya know? I must reiterate that the polenta fries were outstanding—super crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. Yum!

Overall, I am not sure I would recommend it. While the ambiance is really nice, and the service is good enough, I think the food is a little pricey for what it is: uninspired, passably good vegetarian food.

Candle 79
154 East 79th St.
(between 3rd Ave & Lexington Ave)
New York, NY 10021
(212) 537-7179