NOBU
Please excuse the delay, Phil and I have been having a lot of fun... And, yes, he realizes he may be responsible for the redesign of my blog--soon to be strictly menus, minus men. Friday of that week (was it 2 weeks ago?) we went to a special restaurant opening, which I am not at liberty to blog about since it was exclusively for family and friends.

The following day I left for the Hamptons, and upon my return Phil and I went to Nobu. Nobu makes a big production out of sushi. And the cliche holds true, bigger isn't always better. It's the silver platter, see-and-be-seen sushi place. It's a cross between che che and touristy, between work appropriate and it's-too-early-to-go-out. A large expanse of tables, high ceilings and oversized Japanese objects make you feel small. It's not a cozy place.

Steer against the hype because, the fact is, there's better sushi in Manhattan. BUT if you order the right items, you can have a dining experience that rivals other sushi bars. We started with Fresh Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalepeño--excellent because the spiciness of jalepeño nicely complements the tanginess of the ponzu. We followed this up by a surprise--OFF the menu (gasp!) Foie Gras and Kobe Beef Dumplings, each neatly folded into an origami-like shape and charred along its flat side. Every night, Nobu makes only a small batch of these. Unlike other items, when you place your order for these dumplings, you must ask if there are any left.

We ordered the Japanese equivalent of "Pimientos de Padron"--blistered green peppers. With the occasional spicy one, the peppers were fresh, crunchy, and expertly prepared.

We ordered a cold, dry sake. And several pieces of sashimi--maguro toro and hamachi toro. The maguro toro was sashimi-grade tuna. The hamachi toro begged to be cooked. It was unsatisfactory yellowtail by any sushi standards, particularly of the Nobu I've known. We ordered more maguro.

One item everyone gets at Nobu until he/she is totally bored of it--because it is as good as your favorite song on replay--the Chilean Sea Bass with Black Bean Sauce. The sea bass is a flaky, white fish with high oil content. And the sauce it sits in is similar to a plum sauce mixed with soy--sweet and salty. It's a noble choice for those who don't like sushi...and even those of us who do.

For dessert we ordered (my favorite) a variety of flavored mochi ice cream. Mochi is a gelatin that when wrapped around ice cream creates a bon-bon-like dessert.

Great meal, low on "wow" factor...But typical of what you'd expect from a conglomerate restaurant enterprise. People should stop being impressed by Nobu, and direct their attention to smaller, more quality-conscious sushi bars around town.

On our way out, we passed a large table. One person from that table looked up at Phil and I passing. That person: Jennifer Aniston. I hadn't noticed she was there until we made eye contact. Why did she look up at us? I asked Phil. His answer, "We used to date." Interesting...I processed that for a moment, until he revealed his humor. Nevertheless, she did take notice of us, which made me think we must have looked nice as a couple.


I will end this post with an addendum: My previous experience at Nobu--was better. Perhaps this is what irks me most about Nobu, its inconsistency. The previous time I was with my friends and Marco, another Monaco native I was talking to before I met Phil.

Marco is very cultured, a business man who loved spending every free moment with me. He took us all to Nobu. My friends ordered a variety of cooked dishes, including the Filet of Salmon in Teriyaki Sauce, Lobster Salad with Spicy Lemon Dressing. They ordered salmon sushi. I focused on sashimi, and was not disappointed. 12 pieces otoro, and 12 pieces hamachi toro (in 2-plate increments).

We ordered several desserts to try, including the Bento Box (warm valrhona chocolate souffle cake, shiso syrup, white chocolate sauce and green tea ice cream), the House-Made Sorbet, Assorted Mochi, Banana Soy Toban (shoyu caramelized bananas, roasted pecans and malaga ice cream), and Zen (green tea mousse, almond sponge, chocolate praline crunch, green tea cremoso and adzuki bean).

LE COLONIAL

I went on my 7th (and last) date with Ben, smart guy from Monaco. He's a rigid personality, a perfectionist. Hair molded into a specific shape, button-up tucked in. He graduated from Columbia Business School, and now runs a hedge fund. 40 years old. We met in the French Ambassador's home, and had been going on dates since...

Every date was fun, but time didn't just flow. Interesting and smart, I enjoyed getting to know him--but he wasn't very natural. I started to lose interest on the 6th date when he insisted that we see the worst movie ever, Woody Allen's indie "Midnight in Paris." I gave the film a solid 40 minutes before I fell into a deep slumber. It was that bad.

Until then, I hadn't taken issue with some other things that bothered me about him: I didn't like that he always seemed to be lecturing me.
His favorite topic was: "Developing your Interests." He could have taught a course on that. He thought that I should take photography classes. Over the course of 7 dates, he gave an unsolicited 4 lectures on why it would be good for me to take photography classes.

He also had a weird issue with tourists. Anytime I suggested a place, his response would be: "Well as long as it's not full of tourists." It was insulting. I've been here long enough to consider myself a New Yorker. Now why would I suggest a tourist attraction for a date? The irony, he didn't come off as someone capable of choosing any really hip, local spots.

Surprisingly enough, he said had an excellent "non-touristic" place for us. Though his previous choice was a total flop, I felt like giving him another chance. Le Colonial. It's a little gem at 57th, just east of Lex. It's a slice of downtown, uptown. Chill vibe, great atmosphere. Interesting drink selection, amazing French/Vietnamese ethnic cuisine. With a formal dining room downstairs and a lounge upstairs, it felt like Casa Roma in Mexico City. I was floored that he knew of such a winning place.

Anything with Asian flare makes me think of lychee. Fortunately, they had not just 1 but 3(!) lychee drinks-- 1) Lychee Bellini, 2) Lychee Mojito, and 3) Lychee Martini. Because I've had many a lychee martini (my favs at Mr. Chow) I ordered numero uno y dos.

By way of a long history lesson, Ben explained to me why French and Vietnamese fusion made sense. Conclusion: There was some war that resulted in many Vietnamese ending up in France.

It was strange to me that there existed a Vietnamese restaurant that wasn't a hole-in-the-hall, pho-to-go type place. I was so confused, and pleased with the place. It threw me off a bit. Not your typical Vietnamese restaurant.


To start I ordered the Goi Cuon: Summer Spring Rolls with shrimp, bean sprouts, rice vermicelli, mint, and peanuts...served with a berry hoisin sauce. Good and healthy (read: boring)...nothing different from the traditional spring roll.

Conversation started awkwardly between us, I felt like we were at the point I needed to tell him: I was talking with someone else I liked more. I had just been on an excellent date with Phil and had another date planned with Phil for the following day (we went to an amazing new restaurant...top secret!)


What wow'ed me was the entree Ca Hap: Steamed Chilean Sea Bass wrapped in banana leaves, with glass noodles, roma tomatoes, shiitake and oyster mushrooms, and ginger soy sauce. The fish was flaky with high oil content, as chilean sea bass should be. The flavors melded together to create a warm, satisfying dish of exotic flavors. The vegetables were fresh. And the noodles gave the dish a distinct Vietnamese flare. A heavenly packet of goodness. Inventive presentation. A world-class dish served in an unassuming place.

Ben began lecturing me on some topic. And then he started to insult me. He said that he never learned anything from me. And that I needed to be more informative. What am I, the 6 o'clock news? He said that I needed to become more informative because, and I quote, "You are smart...but not the smartest. You are attractive...but not the most attractive." Now I can take a certain degree of constructive criticism, but this was straight out bashing.

I excused myself to use the restroom. When I returned, our dessert was waiting. I silently enjoyed the dessert of Banana Roll, deep fried, served warm with ice cream. And then I told him basically that he needed to buzz off... And that this wasn't working for me.

Nice guy, but just a little awkward with women. Glad it's over. Now I can focus on Phil. We'll have to go to Le Colonial together soon. He would love it there.

LE MARAIS

Often touted the "best steak" by my kosher-abiding friends, Le Marais is the most popular kosher steakhouse in the heart of Manhattan. Chasidic Jews make the trek from Flatbush in Brooklyn for a steak here. The owner of the restaurant is French, my friend David (also French) knows him.

David is the owner of a major art and lifestyle magazine, and he just returned from Venice Biennale--the creme de la creme of art events. He wanted his first meal back in the city to be with friends at Le Marais. It was David, 2 French friends (1 girl, 1 guy...I knew the girl), and me. David keeps kosher.

6 weeks ago, David and I tried transforming our friendship into a relationship. It was an interesting experiment, changing the state of something that had always existed with certain properties. Like turning an ice cube being into water, you either have to apply heat or pressure. In our case, there was more pressure applied to turn us into a fluid relationship. It didn't really come naturally based on each of our properties/personalities. Before leaving for Venice 2 weeks ago, he and I decided to remain friends, and we still are (clearly, to be included in his first dinner back).

Le Marais looks like a traditional French bistro you might find in Paris. With wooden details, and framed posters, it has a certain ambiance. The place is filled with Jewish people, and the occasional table of tourists who clearly had no idea what they were getting themselves into. Some tables have Torahs on top. Most people wear kippot.

Eating in the kosher-carnivore manner at Le Marais is like eating on a restrictive diet anywhere, say a vegetarian in a non-kosher steakhouse. You are eating according to the guidelines, and at Le Marais the kosher guidelines pertain to all persons dining. The result: Everything tastes half-good. Every dish is a little off. Every bite is a few beats from its non-kosher competition.

For the table, I ordered the Croquettes de Saumon: pan-fried salmon cakes with fingerling potato parsely salad. And the Merguez Couscous: spicy lamb sausages with couscous. The salmon cakes were just like crab cakes (not kosher) but with salmon inside. These were good. I could have eaten 2 or 3 of them. The breading was just right, of a crunchy but not overly fried consistency. It was a creative rendition of a crab cake...minus the crab. The Merguez Couscous, however, was a total disappointment--particularly after the waiter and the manager had raved about it. If I could guess what dog food tasted like, this would be it. The sausage "meat" was a ground paté of mush warped into a sausage-like object. It kind of reminded me of the fake meats (made of gluten, whey protein, tofu, etc) I used to eat as a vegetarian. The only redeeming quality of the sausage was that it was actually spicy as the menu had advertised. But spicy layered over marginally-edible is not the best combo. Note to self: Don't order sausage at a kosher restaurant.

For an entree, everyone at my table ordered some variation of steak. David and Alex got the Steak au Poivre (black pepper-crusted steak), Julie got the Onglet a l'Echalote (hanger steak with shallot sauce), and I got the Tournedos "Le Marais."

We ordered a bottle of Cabernet. I typically don't like kosher wines. This one was easy to drink, not too tannic.

During the course of dinner, I learned about David's time in Venice. He attended art gallery after gallery, party after party, hob-knobbing with the likes of Selma Hayek, it sounded amazing.

Also during dinner, I received texts from Ari, asking what I was doing. Ari is Israeli, we've been on 2 dates. He looks like a model. I told him I was at Le Marais with friends, and he responded he would come. Before I could respond, my phone powered down.

Being from Texas, I know my meats. Being raised in a Jewish family that doesn't keep kosher, I've tried every major-name steakhouse out there--And I'm talking excellent steaks, prime cuts, cooked and seasoned to perfection. As a kid, our family used to go to Brenner's Steakhouse--a little cottage in Houston where you find Food & Wine worthy steaks. I've been to Peter Luger's in Brooklyn with my sister (check out her food blog: Cooking for Presto), and we've split a heavenly porterhouse for 2. Drenched in butter, that steak sizzles its whole path from the kitchen to your table.

Those restaurants treat their meats like spoiled children--pampered and cultivated over time. Compare this to a steak with my Rabbi's blessing? With all due respect, my Rabbi doesn't know a good steak.

One entree that flew past our table to our neighbor's was the Coute de Boeuf. It looked great. I wonder if it was good. I've had the Coute de Boeuf at Minetta Tavern, and it was pretty good (if only I liked fatty meats). Though I can appreciate that Minetta's Coute de Boeuf was good, I'm more of a fan of lean meats, fillets.

At Le Marais, I wanted a Filet Mignon. Afterall, I was at a steakhouse and that's what I usually order. I didn't understand the French menu, so I asked the waiter "Which is a Filet Mignon?" Perhaps thinking I didn't know my steaks, the waiter promptly affirmed that the Tournedos was the same as a fillet. Wrong. Tough and dry, this mound of meat had me wishing I had ordered fish. An utter disappointment. I scraped some of David's black pepper off his steak, in a dire attempt to add flavor to mine. One favorable comment I can say: I asked for a Medium and it was a true Medium. But really, who cares when the meat could just as well be water, flavorless.

I later learned that an American kosher restaurant is incapable of achieving a fillet mignon. The fillet comes from an area of the cow that in the U.S. cannot be cut in a way that abides by guidelines of Kashrut. I specify in the U.S. because in Israel they can cut a fillet in a way that does not interfere with kosher laws. Many Israeli have a loose interpretation of their religion, so I am not surprised they can achieve a kosher fillet.

Last up, dessert. I entered this part of the meal with low expectations. Nothing to lose. What stood out to me was the Poirs Belle Helene (poached pears, vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce). Poached pears! At home we used to have a chef, and his favorite healthy dessert to make for us was poached pears. I didn't care about the chocolate sauce, I simply wanted my long-lost poached pear. Go to Le Marais for poached pears (not for meat)! Delicious poached pear, soaked in cider and chilled, the flavor profile bringing me back to winter months.

I have to give a concession to Le Marais: A kosher steakhouse can never really be compared to a non-kosher steakhouse. Therefore, in light of the guidelines and obstacles, maybe this is one of the better kosher restaurants out there.

I've had kosher meats elsewhere, including an excellent kosher steak at Prime Grill, and of course I've had kosher meats at my Aunt's, and at my ex-boyfriends' families' houses. Still, I wonder--do kosher restaurants get better than this? Is there such a thing as a kosher foodie? Or do the laws of Kahrut preclude observant Jews from being true foodies? Henry Stimler and Menachem Senderowicz are opening a new kosher restaurant in Soho. It's quite possible that they will be responsible for changing the standards for quality kosher restaurant food. For the sake of all Manhattan Jews who keep kosher, I sure hope so.

When the bill came, David insisted that he pay. Nice--but confusing--since we had gone back to being friends and he's not the sort to pay for friends (unless he's a changed man after Venice). Did he consider this a date, or was it a friendly gesture? I threw in a 20 for good measure.

Ari hadn't showed up so I figured my phone-dead lack of response had dissuaded him from his original declaration that he'd meet me at Le Marais.

But as we exited the restaurant, there came Ari--pulling up on his new, red Ducati.

Was I supposed to brush Ari off? He had come to meet up (though he was late and now couldn't join us at the dinner table).

I tried my best to salvage what was admittedly a very awkward situation. David and I said bye to Julie and Alex, and then crossed the street to Ari's motorcyle.

Me: David, Ari. Ari, David.
David: Oh yes, we met at the Shabbat dinner. (I forgot, they met where I met Ari, at David's friend's place)
Ari: How's it going, man? How was dinner?
David: Good to see you. It was good.
Me: It was ok. I don't usually eat kosher.

Somehow, 1 hour ensued as the 3 of us stood and talked, out by the bike on the open street. Mostly I listened, as they talked motorcycles and finance.

The time for parting arrived. Ari had an extra helmet. Do I say bye to Ari and get a ride home in a cab with David? Or, do I say bye to David and jump on the motorcycle with Ari?

I asked David, "What are you going to do?" He was tired from traveling, going straight home, i.e. not going to drop me off. So, the options became: getting my own cab or getting a ride on a motorcycle. I chose the latter.

It was my first time riding through the streets of Manhattan via motorcycle. And it was exhilarating.

MOMOFUKU

Momofuku is one of the mainstays of the Manhattan dining scene. I have Momofuku cravings from time to time. Momofuku craving, noun: A hunger pang which can only be satisfied by Momofuku--Momofuku only, nothing else will suffice. There is no suitable substitute for Momofuku.

It's a restaurant whose concept is so unique, hip, and fresh...that it's a breed of its own. It's a place where Asian cuisine meets American/Latin (pork kimchi tamales), where chic complements comfort (gourmet rice bowls), where novelty flirts with the familiar (cereal milk ice cream). And it's set the trend in NYC for grungy gourmet--excellent food in a chill setting. Afterall, food enthusiasts (myself included) don't want to always have to get dressed up to dine out.

On Sunday, I had a Momofuku craving. No one was around at the moment the craving hit. So I went solo. Eating solo turns into somewhat of a social exercise when restaurants have counters and bar stools...most sushi bars have this seating option--Momofuku does too.

I started with the staple Momofuku starter: Pork Buns. Momofuku has these puppies down to a science. They start with a thick cut of pork belly (ultra fatty), roast it in a miso glaze, set it inside a Chinese pastry bun, and finish it with plum sauce and thinly sliced cucumbers. One bite and you're transcended to Heaven...(unless you're Jewish, in which case you're transcended to Hell).

Mid-way through the pork buns, I noticed something special on the chalkboard menu daily specials--Pork Kimchi Tamales. So different. During my time living in Mexico I developed an appreciation for tamales, but none of them featured kimchi...this was a Momofuku-centric move. I had to get one. I asked the waitress if they were good before I placed my order. She said "Yes, but I like the Chicken Mole Verde better." So I ordered 1 of each. Her taste buds need to be tuned. The Pork Kimchi Tamale, perfection-- an explosion of flavors and spiciness, with moist pulled pork. The Chicken Mole Verde Tamale, ordinary--bland, with dried shredded chicken.

All this food had me somewhat dehydrated...So I was thinking about the lychee soju slushie that I love. I requested a taste of it--but only a taste (because its alcoholic and I don't enjoy drinking solo). The mere taste of lychee makes me smile.

Then I heard the woman beside me request a ginger beer. Ginger beer, as we all know, is non-alcoholic...and satisfying in taste and refreshment. I followed suit--1 ginger beer.

Next up, the vegetarian version of the brisket rice bowl I used to order--which they've now discontinued. I have mourned this dish's passing on more than 1 occasion. I've even pleaded with Momofuku's manager to bring it back...on more than 1 occasion. Nevertheless, the Ginger Scallion Rice Bowl is essentially how the brisket rice bowl used to be minus the brisket. The rice is the best rice I've ever tasted. Flavor levels cranked to MAX. The rice is infused with a ginger/scallion flavor, and cooked with some of the rice crackled for texture variation. It's served with pickled shiitakes, cucumber, cabbage, and a square sheet of nori (seaweed) that's a useful means of transport bowl -> mouth.

Delicious and unique. A favorite spot worth visiting as soon as you can.

ABC KITCHEN

ABC Kitchen was the destination last night with Phil (who I met at the brunch where Bono appeared). He strikes me as a genuinely nice person, which I'm not typically attracted to, but I am really attracted to him. He's tall, with brown curly hair, greenish eyes, and I finally figured out which actor he looks like...it's Tom Hanks! He's 38, passionate about food, a golfer, down to earth, ambitious, a good communicator, never before married, no kids (actually I will double check that), and Jewish like myself. It was a delicious meal complemented by great company.

ABC Kitchen is called ABC because it is located inside the enormous, gorgeous store ABC Home (Flatiron District). It's a green restaurant, specializing in produce from organic/local farms, and meats from humanely-treated livestock. It's a restaurant that is somewhat known for its difficult reservations. A Jean Georges restaurant, along with the name comes waits. Fortunately, Phil got us a res, so we didn't have to wait but a few minutes.

We ordered drinks at the bar while we awaited our table. Rather than following Phil's lead of ordering a lime/basil mojito, I preferred to go with wine. I wanted to go with a red but, because there was no grape varietal I was particularly fond of, I asked for a taste. I had just been chewing Orbitz Spearmint so the taste was distorted. I passed on the Cab, the Pinot, and then settled on the Tempranillo (if 3rd isn't a charm, you have to go with it or risk nasty looks from the bartender).

When relocated to our table, we entered a dining room of grand proportions, eons larger than I had expected from the entry. I felt momentarily transported outside Manhattan. With wooden beams strategically spanning wooden ceilings, the space had a cabin-like, countryside feel. Its hip exposed lightbulbs (all the new rave) seemed to foretell the no-frills nature of the restaurant. It felt like I was in someone's house (with tons of impostors).

From a quote on the menu, I was immediately alerted that this was a unique place: "Passionately committed to offering the freshest organic and local ingredients possible, presenting a changing menu that is locally sourced and globally artistic, rooted in cultivating a safe relationship with the environment and our table."

We started with 4 apps. 1) roasted beets with housemade yogurt. 2) line caught tuna sashimi marinated with ginger and mint. 3) sugar snap pea salad with parmesan dressing and herbs. 4) proscuitto and fontina wrapped asparagus.

Most dishes were served in deep bowls--bowls! How often do you eat from a bowl in a restaurant? (Unless it's soup) How often do you eat from a bowl in your kitchen? There's a great deal of satisfaction that comes with eating from a bowl. It's easy...and fun.

From the apps alone, you can see the emphasis on fresh, organic produce. The beets were fresh and juicy. Yogurt isn't a powerful enough mate for a beet. They would have been better paired with goat cheese.

The tuna was fresh, sashimi-grade, no complaints. The mint flavor, however, diverted my attention from the tuna. I usually like a light ponzu or even no-nonsense soy.

The sugar snap pea salad was perfection. Excellent dressing paired with all the freshest arugula and sliced snap peas, their contents strewn atop the salad for easy access separate from the pods.

The asparagus (one of the daily specials) was a flop. Way too salty. Never salt prosciutto! The salt + proscuitto + fontina had my blood pressure at all time highs. We were ready for another glass of wine. Because I hadn't liked the Tempranillo, and because my opinion of the other 2 reds was skewed by my Spearmint gum, Phil suggested I try the Cab again. Now it tasted better.

For our mains, we ordered the Wood Oven Roasted Maine Lobster with an Oregano/Lemon-Chili Vinaigrette, and the Cavatelli with Guanciale, Ramps, Spring Vegetables, and Pecorino.

We originally had ordered the Steamed Halibut with Roasted Maitake, Asparagus, and Spring Onion-chili Vinaigrette...but they were out of halibut, so we threw the lobster into the mix. Phil had wanted the clam pizza, but they had discontinued it (how dare they!)

We split both entrees. I love that Phil knows as much about food as I do. This is a first. Normally I'm schooling guys on food. With Phil, I may have been schooled-- He knew the definition of "ramps" (a variety of onion with a limited growing season). That's actually how we decided on that dish... I said, "Let's go with that because it's in season now." The founders of ABC Kitchen would endorse that reasoning.

The lobster was perfectly seasoned (just barely), leaving room for lemon to be squeezed on top. The consistency was a little tough, but that didn't bother me. I love lobster, even though I very rarely eat it. Lobster is filling, more like meat than like fish.

The cavatelli was served in the deep white bowls, an ABC signature apparently. Cavatelli reminds me of a German noodle called spaetzle. Doughy and dense, in an oval shape. The spring vegetables included the peas I loved from the apps. The pecorino added a kick to the dish. I actually preferred the pasta to the lobster. I wished the halibut and the clam pizza had been available.

The dessert menu came, and Phil asked about their ice cream cake. The waiter said they don't do ice cream cake anymore...2 for 2 :( Of the desserts on the menu, the Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream sounded most tempting... But then I noticed the Rhubarb Almond Crumble Tart with Rhubarb Whipped Cream.

My indecisiveness landed us with both desserts... And then the chef magically produced a slice of ice cream cake... So we wound up with 3 desserts!

My favorite of the 3 was the carrot cake. Simple and good--2 words I'd use to describe ABC Kitchen at large. The cake itself was dense, tasting of freshly minced carrots and plump raisins. I could have consumed the cream cheese buttercream frosting in larger doses than provided on the perimeter of the cake. On top of the frosting were shavings of carrot--requiring such little effort, but careful attention to detail. Carrot cake is my sister's favorite. She will likely be envious at my discovering a new carrot cake worth trying.

My 2nd favorite was the ice cream cake. It was a housemade cake of vanilla ice cream sandwiched between layers of chocolate cake, and the slice of cake was set in a rich banana sauce. My least favorite dessert was, unfortunately, the rhubarb. Funny, as that was the dessert I was gunning for... I've had a fascination with rhubarb since experiencing it at Per Se (will post soon about my experience there).

It was a great experience at ABC Kitchen. It's a place worth promoting and revisiting.

The date was great. I loved Phil's company. He makes me smile. We were doing what we love most, eating, together. So nice to dine with someone who shares my passion for food.

Phil and I have a date on Friday.