meal

Homewood, Dallas, 5/7/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_6717.jpeg
exterior

Homewood is Matt McCallister’s newest venture following the closure of his successful FT33.  It is more centrally located and has a more casual feel.  When we first visited he had only been open a couple weeks.  It is a bright and modern spot with large windows looking out on the patio and the busy street beside it.   Wood and tile are the surfaces and the open ceiling has painted wood rafter joists with acoustic tiles.  A low counter bar is the bar but also a place for walk-ins to have dinner.  It is appointed with stuffed chairs.  There is also a high counter bar where you can get a reservation as well as the many small, closely set tables around the room.  A few larger booths are along the windows that look out on Oak Lawn Ave. and some booths for 2 people face the low bar area.  A short wall separates the 2 sections of dining tables.  The section that also houses the higher bar is open to the kitchen.  McCallister can be seen in the kitchen as well as coming out to visit with guests and friends.  They have valet parking if you want to be in the lot adjacent to the  building.  Service was efficient, friendly and directive.  The menu changes regularly and features many locally sourced items as well as those that have been preserved, pickled, etc. by the restaurant staff.  They are happy to have you share things. Continue reading →

Raymonds (re-visit), St. John’s, NL, Canada, 6/29/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
inteiror
interior

The second time we went to Raymonds we went for the smallest tasting menu, the 3 course.  This one you get more a la carte sized servings.  My impression of the place was even better the second time around.  It was earlier in the evening so it was still light outside and that changed the room and really brightened things.  Music still played in the background and I think we got the same table but it was different to see the harbor outside and have a shorter meal experience.  For each of the 3 courses you have 3 options to pick from.   We also opted for our own bottle of wine this visit.   Continue reading →

The Adelaide Oyster House, St. John’s, NL, Canada, 6/29/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

The Adelaide Oyster House is a small place on a main street of town that opened in 2014.  They have one large picnic table in the window and lots of stools around the long bar and small, closely set tables backing up to the wall.  They offer lots of locally brewed tap beers as well as a full bar.  Loud, older rock music plays in the background, exposed ductwork runs across the ceiling, the walls are a combination of wood and brick and one end of the place houses the small open kitchen.  On weekends they serve brunch all day.  It’s a friendly and welcoming place but the server was not overly directive in how much or suggestions to order.  Plates are easily split which we did so we could try a number of things. Continue reading →

Seto Kitchen and Bar, St. John’s, NL, Canada, 6/28/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

Seto is in an historic house, that predates the Great Fire of Newfoundland,  with 2 rooms set up for dining.  They seat just 36 people with 5 tables in front and 6 in the back.  The old wood tables are set with padded armless chairs and large paper napkins.  New age music plays in the background and the lighting is low with some also provided by candles.  The small menu has lots of dishes suitable for sharing and one special of the evening was introduced by the server.  This is the 4th year they have been open and they also operate a food truck.  Service was super friendly and helpful.   In a really small kitchen Chef Ken Pittman creates all the dishes, many inspired by his grandfather who was among the first Chinese immigrants to Newfoundland.  He uses fresh, local ingredients that are native to the province while adding an Asian twist to the dishes.  It was a fabulous meal and I urge you to try it if you can. Continue reading →

Chinched, St. John’s, NL, Canada, 6/28/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

Chinched is Newfoundland slang for being full and the tiny restaurant Chinched is good for that.  It is in an old house that has a small number of counter seats and a couple tables for about 8 people in the window that faces the street.  They do their own in-house chacuterie and make their own crackers and bread.  The small menu at lunch is mostly sandwiches and snacks with lots of beer choices.  At dinner they have a larger menu and also offer a happy hour menu.  Later in the day they have additional seating upstairs.  They also offer wine and a bar.  There is seating on a small patio out back when weather permits.   The super friendly staff were helpful in advising what and how much to order.  We way over ordered, but we wanted to try a number of their things.  Music plays in the background and there are a ton of pigs decorating the place.  It felt casual and cozy.   Continue reading →

Mallard Cottage, St. John’s, NL, Canada, 6/27/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
other side
side

Mallard Cottage was built around 1830 as a one and half story home for the Mallard family in the Quidi Vidi area (rows of brightly colored houses); a house typical of the immigrants coming in from southeast Ireland.  We got to sit in one of the original rooms with the low ceiling but they’ve added on a larger high ceiling room that could seat way more people.  The old wood floors are set with new bare wood pedestal tables, wood uncushioned chairs and large paper napkins. In the larger room, that also housed a bar and stools, the music was quite loud whereas in the older rooms it was quieter.  Lots of quaint decorations give the place character.  Service was friendly but pacing was super quick and portions good sized.  The menu is small but they also offer a ‘family style’ option where they pick the appetizers and main courses for your table.  Wine pairings are available.  We chose the family style option but ordered our own wine.   Continue reading →

Get Stuffed, St. John’s, NL, Canada, 6/27/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

Get Stuffed is a good sized place with several rooms on 2 stories of an historic house.  The small, closely set tables are covered with black cloths  and maroon or beige napkins that match the bench seat and cushions that lines the wall.  There are a few stools at the service counter across from the bench and then there are rooms upstairs with tables and bay windows.  Music is in the background and the windows on the front of the building look out over a park and its statues as well as the harbour down the hill.  It’s on an interesting street that is filled with funky shops good for browsing.  Service was very friendly, helpful but pacing was a little slow.   Continue reading →

Raymonds, St. John’s, NL, Canada, 6/26/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
from the front
from the front

Raymonds is one large rectangular room filled with large, well-spaced tables appointed with padded armless chairs, white tableclothes and large white napkins.  Three wrapped chandeliers and real candles provide the lighting when the sun goes down and the 3 sides of windows no longer let in light.  The windows looks out over St. John’s harbour and passing boats.  The floor is carpeted and the high ceiling is decorated with heavy crown molding.  The room feels elegant and the crowd is more dressed up, many celebrating special occasions.  However it is noisy when the room fills up.  The building dates back to 1915 and previously was home to a cable company.   They opened 9 years ago after a couple years of extensive remodeling.  The menu offers 3 tasting menus (3, 5 and 7 courses)  with the 3 course one having a la carte size portions and the others appropriately scaled.  All  the menus had optional wine pairings available and the server said they would accommodate allergies or aversions.  We chose the 7 course tasting with the wine pairings. Continue reading →

The Merchant Tavern, St. John’s, NL, Canada, 6/26/19

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
exterior
exterior

The Merchant Tavern is a large place with a combination of high top and regular size tables, a few stools by the kitchen counter and a huge u-shaped bar with seating in the middle.  Windows to the street are on one wall and the back wall is all open kitchen.   The tables are closely set with marble tops, exposed ductwork is in the ceiling and there are lots of hanging lights.  Wood and some art decorate the walls.   It is a more casual option offered by the group that owns the more upscale Raymonds.  The menu was all a la carte and had a couple specials offered.  It features seasonal, local foods.  The place was crowded, casual and noisy.  Service was friendly and helpful.  They did not have a business card but with a search to the name and place you will find their website for the place on 291 Water St., St. John’s NL. Continue reading →

Oliver’s Restaurant, St. John’s, NL, Canada, 6/25/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

Oliver’s is a small place with mostly padded and tufted booth seating.  The dining room has bare wood tables, low lighting, music in the background, art on the walls and windows to the street.  One wall mostly holds wine and above the racks are huge piles of corks.  The wine selection is limited but they have lots of cocktails available.  The menu has a number of local seafood offerings as well as some seafood shipped into the area.  There were several nightly specials.  Service was efficient, super friendly and happy to have us share things and bring them in courses. Continue reading →

Providence (update), Los Angeles, 6/1/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior
exterior

It’s been 3 years since we visited Providence.  Since that time Michelin has issued a new California guide that reinstated the previous rank of Providence as a 2 Michelin star restaurant.  Also the restaurant has redone the dining space.  The new gray walls are in place of the patterned ones but are still decorated with the white flowers and the ‘netting material’ continues to cover the ceiling.  They retained an elegance in the room with a double white table cloth covering the large tables that are moderately spaced.  The bench seating is now covered with leather and dark velvet mated on the other side with comfortable chairs. Music plays in the background and service is friendly and very attentive.  They offer 3 tasting menus with optional pairings, additional options (oysters, caviar, uni, and spot prawns) and a full bar.  We chose the Chef’s tasting menu and ordered our own wines.  It was an excellent meal – full of wonderful flavors and textures.    This place gets 2 strong thumbs up from me.  Pacing started rapidly and then slowed down a bit.  Portion control was great. Continue reading →

Animal Restaurant, Los Angeles, 6/1/19

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
exterior
exterior

Animal is a medium sized place that serves lots of plates made for sharing.  It is the first restaurant of the group that also owns Jon and Vinny which is across the street down a couple lots.  The menu adds brunch items on weekends but the regular menu is still available.  They have been open 10 years and the menu was originally known for its interesting meat cuts but now mostly features meaty, hearty food.  The dishes were well flavored and fun, so I’d put this one on your list if you’re in town.  Rock music plays in the background but is dampened by the sound tiles in the ceiling.  Plain white walls host just a couple paintings and windows to the street are at one end of the place.  The opposite end is a counter with seats that face the bar and a small window into the kitchen.  The bare wood tables are set with large cloth napkins and ceiling skylights add additional light for daytime dining.  Service was super friendly and helpful.   Continue reading →

Somni, Los Angeles, 5/31/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
seating counter
seating counter

Somni means “dream” in Catalan and this place is the dream of Chef Aitor Zabala and Chef José Andrés’ ThinkFoodGroup.  It is inside the SLS Hotel Beverly Hills and offers a surprise tasting menu of about 20 courses.  The menu changes with the seasons and mostly as an individual item at a time and they did have a printed version of the tasting for you when you finished.  They received a 2 star Michelin rating in the new California Michelin Guide.  You entered into the hotel lobby, which felt more like a mini department store, where you waited to be ushered into the dining room.  The dining room is a lovely light wood curved counter with plush chairs for 10 people.  The large group of chefs work at the several counters in front of you and also in a back area that is less visible.  The white surfaces look pristine with the light woods and marble and small spotlights hang over every seat so you can enjoy the artistry of the dishes.  Some art is on the back walls but the real art is in the kitchen in front of you.  It felt elegant and serene.  Service was amazing along with questions easily answered by any of the chefs that served you.  It was a totally delightful and delicious experience.  I suspect that this is the work of manager Eric Jeffay (who we met at D.C.’s Minibar) and is well versed in providing the finest service.  I encourage you to go if you get the chance the food is gorgeous, as is the room, and explodes with flavor.   Continue reading →

Jon & Vinny’s Restaurant, Los Angeles, 5/31/19

~ hsnixon ~ 6 Comments
IMG_2616
building

Jon & Vinny’s is a medium sized place with bare blond wood tables for 2 and some booth seating.  The kitchen is on the left as you  enter and you can see the pizza baking and food being prepared.  There are some stools at the counter for eating too.  The two-tops had hinges that looked like they could be expanded for bigger parties.   All the tables are  set with paper napkins and a selection of paper placemats and there is older rock music in the background.   There are windows to the busy street at the front but no seats nearby.  However between those windows and the skylights there is plenty of light in the place.  Helen’s Wines is attached to the back of the dining area and you can go in to select your wine or do it from the list and they’ll bring it out.  Afterwards you can go and buy more of it or something else to take with you.  Service was efficient and friendly and pacing was fairly rapid.  They were happy for us to share everything and willing to bring it out in stages for us to eat but they did overlap sometimes which could make it tight on the small table.  The place was constantly full, especially with lots of young people, with tables turning several times. Stopped into the wine shop afterwards and they were extremely friendly too.   Continue reading →

La Carniceria, Buenos Aires, 5/25/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
building
building

La Carniceria is a small place with about 10 small bare wood tables and a few counter stools.  Tables are placed fairly close together and a mural of hanging meat fills the back wall.  Opposite that is the cooking area behind the bar.   The chairs are a comfortable wire mesh and the floor is a lovely terrazzo.  Music plays in the background and windows look out onto the street.  It looks relatively new and is a comfortable ambiance.  It filled up quickly and the noise level rose with that, but it workable.  Our server was helpful and friendly and spoke great English. The menu is small and is heavy on the grilled meat.  Portions are generous and the food is simple and straightforward but seriously delicious.  Doing something simple really well can often dwarf the frilly, less flavorful options.  This place is highly recommended by me to visit. Continue reading →

Tegui, Buenos Aires, 5/24/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
entrance
entrance

Tegui is a medium sized place that is a surprise inside as its building is covered with graffiti and the entrance is marked only on the door.  The well spaced tables are set with nice white tableclothes and huge napkins.  A bench seat provides the seating along one wall for the smaller tables where as the 4-tops are next to large windows looking out to an area of lighted plants.  One end of the room is a wall of glassed in wine bottles and the other the open kitchen, highlighted by a huge stainless steel bull head on the end of the vent hood.  The lighting was mostly provided by candles and pop music played in the background.  The ceiling was a shiny black wood and the wood floor was painted gray.  They have been here 10 years.  The staff was all friendly, helpful and conversant in English.  They only offer a tasting menu, for which the course listing was at the table, and wine pairings are available, however we chose to order our own wines.  They featured a number of local items in their dishes. Continue reading →

Bar Plaza Dorrego, Buenos Aires, 5/24/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
IMG_1589
building

Bar Plaza Dorrego is good sized and right across from the plaza where tango dancers perform and vendors sell trinkets.  It has been around a long time – I found one photograph dated 1904 – and the walls and furnishings look like they have not been replaced in a long while.  It is full of character.  The large u-shaped bar is the centerpiece of the room and the tables wrap around the walls.  Windows are on a couple sides as the building as it’s on a corner.  Photos line the wall and the bar is stocked with liquors and coffee.  The staff were friendly and welcoming.  We only stopped for coffee but it came with a little bowl of delicious amaretto cookies to snack on.  They do offer sandwiches, steaks and pastires, but most people were just drinking.  It felt like history surrounded us and was a wonderful place to pass a few restful moments. Continue reading →

Elena Restaurante, Buenos Aires, 5/24/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
door sign
door sign

Elena is a huge restaurant located in the Four Seasons Hotel.  Even with all the space, the small wood tables are placed closed together.  They are set with small square leather placemats and napkins embossed with their logo.  Bench seating lines several walls and there were a couple rounded booths on one side.  There was a staircase in the room and windows to rooms upstairs but I saw no one eating up there.  However there was a dumb waiter in the room that seemed to be carrying things up and down.  It is a striking room with a black and white tile floor, tons of wood and tile on the walls with metal accents.  A large open kitchen is on one end of the room across from the glassed in cabinets of meat. You could see the flames from the gas grill around the meats that were cooking.  A large domed skylight is in the center of the room and provided a ton of light during the day.  There was music in the background.  The menu was in Spanish and English and they did offer a lunch special.  Service was poor with long waits between server check-ins and they forgot to bring the potatoes with our meat.  I finally was able to flag down a manager type, as the server was not to be found, and she got them out asap.  However she also managed to splatter the wine when she poured it  and tried to charge more for the wine than was printed.   There seemed to be as many locals as tourists there but the ambiance was weird and the food average at best. Continue reading →

CHILA – Relais & Chateaux, Buenos Aires, 5/23/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
entrance
entrance

CHILA is a larger place that offers only a tasting menu, but they do have a vegetarian option for it.  The night we were there they also offered an additional caviar option. Wine pairings (8 glasses for about 15 courses) are available and we opted for them this evening.  Pacing of the meal was fairly quick and portion control was good.  The staff were all very friendly.  It is a place with a modern look, bare wood tables set with huge linen napkins and comfortable stuffed arm chairs, and lowered lighting.  There is a wonderful view of the city through their windows. Continue reading →

Roux Resto, Buenos Aires, 5/23/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
entrance
entrance

Roux is casual medium sized place with white clothes and napkins.  There is a bar at one end of the room with a pass through window to the kitchen but no seating at the bar.  The small tables are fairly closely set and windows to the street are on two sides of the room.  The other walls are painted and decorated with art and mirrors;  the floor is a natural wood.  At lunch is was a light and airy feeling room.  American music plays in the background but sound tiles in the ceiling keep the noise level good.  The day we were there they offered a special Anniversary tasting menu but normally the menu is all a la carte.  Chef Martin Rebaudino was in the house and came out to visit with his guests.   All the staff were attentive and friendly although some had limited ability to speak English.  The portions were generous and the pacing good.  I did see an amuse bouche being served to other tables but it missed us. Continue reading →

El Baqueano – Cocina Autóctona Contemporánea, Buenos Aires, 5/22/19

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
building
building

El Baqueano is a small place with about 6 tables, 8 seats at the counter and an open kitchen.  They have been open 11 years.  You must ring the bell to have them confirm your reservation through the grating before you gain entry.  Windows to the street are on 2 walls as it sits on a corner and comfortable armchairs are at the tables set with elegant clothes and napkins.  Instrumental music played in the background and the overall lighting was low, but each table had a spot light.  An enclosed wall of wine separated the main dining room from a room with a larger table.  Everyone is served the same tasting menu and no printed version is available.  It was an odd meal, made odder in that the place was empty except for us and one other table.  Pacing was really fast and portions too large for a tasting.  With little information about the upcoming food we chose to try their wine pairings with the meal.  They served many local items which the server had difficulty translating for us.  Continue reading →

Don Julio, Buenos Aires, 5/22/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
building
building

Don Julio is a good sized place with additonal seating on a second level and outdoor tables also available.  The small tables are fairly close but nicely covered with white clothes with brown runners and white napkins.  Small service tables help with overflow on the smaller tables.  Wine bottles consumed from their cellar of over 14,000 bottles are signed by their drinkers and displayed on the walls.  The ceiling is made of bricks and old tile decorates the floor.  The open grill area is filled with grilling meats as several cooks man the fire and grill.  Windows to the street and patio area are on two sides as the building sits on a street corner. The place was packed with people but noise did not seems to be a problem at lunch.  It is a very well known place so reservations are a must but for those who have to wait for a table they offer champagne and empanadas to make the wait easier.  They offer a large menu but this place is about beef.  The cozy feel of the place is helped by the excellent, welcoming staff.  When they found we were “foodies” they offered us a tour of the kitchen and wine cellars.  This is significant in that the kitchen is down the street and the manager walked down with us to meet the chef and see some of the preparations of the kitchen that makes everything served – from charcuterie to bread to vinegars and they age their own meat.  The wine cellar was impressive with its huge collection of bottles and also had a table for special parties there.  Plates are filled with generous portions and sharing is fine. Continue reading →

Aramburu, Buenos Aires, 5/21/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
entry
entry

Aramburu was a medium sized modern looking place that had been in this location just 3 weeks when we ate there.  The bare tables are of stone or wood and accompanied by different chairs.  The large open kitchen takes up one long side of the room which is opposite windows, to the alley/street, that were covered with blinds.  The painted walls are topped with a brick ceiling and hanging light fixtures.  The light fixtures are minimal as the place is fairly dark.  It has a casual feel but you have to ring the bell to get inside.  There are just 12 tables and some music plays in the background.  The staff were super friendly and welcoming and spoke great English.  They serve only a tasting menu and wine pairings are available.  There is no printed version of the menu handed out, however they volunteer to email it and they actually did.  Pacing started out quite rapid but then allowed more time between courses and portion control was good.  We ordered our own wines from the recommendations by the excellent sommelier. Continue reading →

Parrilla Peña, Buenos Aires, 5/21/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
building
building

Parrilla Peña is a small place with closely spaced small tables covered with white clothes and napkins.  Windows look out on to the street but have drapes to partially cover them.  The menu is large and most plates are enough for two.  It accepts only VISA or cash.  The staff are friendly and helpful but the English is limited.  Wines line the upper parts of the walls and they have a long pole to grab yours and bring it down.  You enter into an area that separates the kitchen by a low bar and looks like a takeout area.  The other end of the kitchen is open to the back part of the dining room.  It lent a small amount of noise to the dining room but mostly it was banter of the regular customers.  This place felt “old school” serving simple but real local flavors, in huge portions.  It is not creative or the best but a perfect example of what you might eat on a regular basis if you lived here.  It was good, satisfying and an overall fun experience. Continue reading →

Delta Diner (update), Delta, 7/13/19

~ hsnixon ~ 5 Comments
exterior
exterior

It’s been 3 years since Frankie and I wrote up some visits to the Delta Diner in the “middle of nowhere” Delta, Wisconsin.  The Chequamegon National Forest is another draw for this area but the Diner, a real draw, can commonly have a wait for seating in the summer months. Now you have an alternate dining option with The Tin Taphouse and the Chicken Shack – a bit of Jamaica in the middle of the Northwoods.  It’s only open on weekends and probably will close in October, as it is open air and it starts to get cold up there about that time.  But during the warmer months there could be no better way to enjoy the weather than at one of the picnic tables in the back (overlooking the White River) or on one of the stools at the bar enjoying the fun people manning the taps for locally brewed Earth Rider beers.  The place is composed from two railroad containers joined with an arch of metal.  Bright murals are painted on the outside walls and lots of plants bring the essence of a lush island setting.  Owners of the Delta Diner, Todd and Nina Bucher, are grilling up the jerk chicken and making the sides that will help absorb the quantities of beer you’ll want to consume.   There’s lots of parking and then you can walk into Island time.  For additional details check their website <deltadiner.com>. Continue reading →

Scenic Drive Resort, Delta, 6/15/19 & 7/13/19

~ hsnixon ~ 4 Comments
Builbing
Building

Scenic Drive Resort is in the Chequamegon National Forest, on Lake Delta.  The owners, Terry and Patty Pajtash, bought the resort in 1990 and built the new lodge building in 2000.   Their two children, Arianna and Wyatt are often seen in the bar helping out.  Terry is the main cook but Patty is equally at home on the charbroil grill.  They have rental cabins in addition to the restaurant in the main lodge building.  It serves food year round as well as having a full bar but in the summer months they offer a Saturday night special of Steak Kabobs, and thus I am putting out this write-up promptly so you have a chance to get up there and have one.  (Another note is that the owners have the place for sale, so we don’t know how long this will go on).  They start serving at 6:00 pm and it’s first come, first served so don’t be late because there are no reservations for kabobs.  There are other things if you come another night that I can vouch for, including Terry’s ribs that are award winning and a good ribeye steak sandwich.  For additional details about the place, they have a website at <scenicdrive.com>. Continue reading →

Good Thyme Restaurant and Catering, Washburn, 6/14/19

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
building
building

Good Thyme Restaurant is in a 100 year old yellow house on Highway 13. It also does catering in the area and is run and staffed by mostly women.  It is a large place with a porch outside equipped with lots of furniture to enjoy the weather.  A fireplace is in the middle of the first floor where you enter and is surrounded by rooms full of copper tables and comfortable seating.  Windows look out on the grounds and the walls are decorated with art, much of which is for sale.  In the back is a copper bar incircling a mountain of liquor bottles.  Some people chose to eat at the bar as well as the many stopping there for a cocktail before dinner.  It was packed with people and reservations are a must.  They are only open for dinner Wednesday through Saturday during the summer.  Service was friendly, helpful and efficient.   It is not a large menu but there is good variety and they do have the Friday Fish Fry which is common in the area.  We were there to try that. Continue reading →

Momofuku Ko (update), New York City, 5/4/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
open kitchen
open kitchen

We visited Ko one year ago and the entrance changed positions but not much else has changed significantly.   The seats at the counter seemed better spaced but the loud music still makes conversation difficult.  They offer 2 seatings in a night and they are staggered slightly so waiting wasn’t a problem.  They offer only the same tasting menu to all and it was surprisingly similar to what we were served a year ago.  They probably offer wine pairings but we chose to order our own wines.  They do have a couple tables for larger groups but everyone else is seated at the wood bar in acceptable but not super comfy seats.  They have purse hooks under the counter but it was so far under you’d never be able to retrieve your purse if you need anything.  Pacing was uneven and portion control was on the light side.  You do receive a menu at the end but many of the things I well recognized from our last visit.  I mentioned this to the chef who was a bit defensive that they’d made changes but they were minor to the diner.  Unfortunately this similarity made the meal less exciting to me. Continue reading →

Frenchette, New York City, 5/4/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
building
building

We visited Frenchette for a Saturday lunch, where they also offer brunch foods.  They opened about a year ago.  You enter into a good sized bar area that is comfortable and friendly and you can also snag a seat there to eat without a reservation.   The large dining room held closely set tables some of which were matched to booth seating along a mid-room dividing wall.  Service was friendly and efficient.  The menu is not large but offers a number of tasty options.  Eclectic music played in the background, the yellowish lights were lowered and the place was packed.  They make their own charcuterie in house as well as pretzel rolls.   Continue reading →

Marea (update), New York City, 5/3/19

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
entry
entry

It’s been 4 years since we ate at Marea, a 2 star Michelin restaurant that specializes in seafood with an Italian influence.  The food here is all very flavorful with out dots or smears – just plain good and fresh.  It is a huge place, elegantly appointed but with closely set tables and some noise issues when it is full.  At lunch it was packed.  There is a lot of art on the walls and windows to the street on two sides of the large dining area.  They also have a long bar area with a beautiful yellow glass wall running behind the bar.  The wood on the walls is polished to a high sheen and you’re likely to spot some bold name people dining with you or in passage from one of the private dining rooms.  (I spotted Michael Douglas as he exited).  At lunch they offer a selection of primi and secondi courses with a fixed price of $63 for the two of your choice, however some selections will have a supplemental charge and a 5 course tasting menu for $99 with optional wine pairings offered.  The tasting includes dessert and although the menu is already set they were willing to make some changes for us and we did not have to get the same things, so that is the deal to get.  We ordered our own bottle of wine and had a cocktail and still beat the cost of buying the pairings, but just barely.  Service was excellent, friendly and efficient.  Put this place on your list if you can. Continue reading →