09
Jul

Acme – NYC

by ccwynne812   {6:52 am}

ACME – NYC

9 Great Jones Street  New York, NY 10012

Rating: 8.0

Photo Courtesy of: www.platinumpropertiesnyc.com

Acme is characterized as a “downtown brasserie” that currently inhabits the old dingy Cajun spot which occupied the space for over 25 years.  Of the four owners, two are downtown scene vets from classic spots Indochine and BondSt. These guys really knew what they were doing. While they kept the original sign at the entrance, the entire interior was revamped and is now a sexy, rustic space with high ceilings, warm lighting and lively clientele. Downstairs is a jazz bar that has a toned down 1920’s feel to it with cocktails like the Fair Lady which is a refreshing mix of aperol, gin, lemon, St Germain, honey, orange bitters, and champagne. I believe this part of the restaurant is what warrants the doorman at the top of the stairs.

Photo Courtesy of www.ny.eater.com

The main attraction though is really Danish chef Mads Refslund who made his way to Acme via Copenhagen. Along with René ­Redzepi he helped to pioneer “forager cuisine” at the world’s best restaurant Noma which basically means ingredients found on the ground. He mastered the art of creating seasonal dishes out of local Nordic ingredients. His food is refined and sophisticated without being flashy.  Overall I felt that the chef tried to honor the integrity of each ingredient by very lightly if perhaps under-seasoning many of the dishes. This is certainly a type of cuisine that has not really broken into NYC yet so the experience is new and interesting.

We began with an interesting dish of sweet shrimp and bison with bitter lettuce and green almonds. It was served as a tartare and is definitely an unusual mix of proteins. Surprisingly they went quite well together and the shrimp lightened up the texture and gaminess of the bison while adding a hint of sweetness (as one would expect from a sweet shrimp).

Bison & Sweet Shrimp

Next was the country toast which I believe changes regularly but this version was topped with creamy wild mushrooms. The only negative to this was the slightly over-charred toast and it was not the most attractive dish especially when compared to the artful presentation of the rest of the meal.

Country Toast

The pearl barley and clams was one of the best dishes I have had all year a rich broth created with butter, beer, and toasted sunflower seeds. The clams were lightly cooked and the shells filled with the pearl barley making it heartier but not heavy. The broth was light and had a rich flavor without overpowering the main ingredients.

Pearl Barley with Clams

The chicken and eggs I was told was a must order and it absolutely is. The chicken is served without the skin which surprised me but once I took a bite the subtle flavors of the incredibly tender meat really came through as if it had been cooked sous vide in a rich chicken broth. The dish is much more rustic looking, however, shredded chunks of meat are piled high in ceramic pot on top of fingerling potatoes and topped with runny egg which creates a sauce.

Chicken & Eggs

Alongside the chicken we had a special fluke with shaved wild mushrooms and the white asparagus which is doused in hollandaise, lemon and black pepper. While the fluke was incredibly beautiful, the tiny bit of almost flavorless sauce did not help to add much to the already pretty bland fluke and spongy raw mushrooms. Some sort of salt or seasoning would have saved this dish. The white asparagus on the other hand, while also being a fairly bland ingredient in its own right was covered in so much hollandaise that it almost formed a soup. Hollandaise soup? I’ll take it.

Fluke & Wild Mushrooms

White Asparagus

Our last entree was a black bass which was fresh and simply prepared with no fussiness. It was embellished with pretty dandelion greens and violet flowers.

Black Bass

I would highly recommend Acme for a very different take on “bistro” fare and I hope to see more restaurants like this one. It is perfect for a date especially with the lively vibe and accompanying jazz bar downstairs as well as having so many other fun bars in the surrounding Noho area. Acme has also just started serving brunch which I will definitely be checking out.

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06
Jul

Rosemary’s Enoteca – NYC

by ccwynne812   {5:32 pm}

ROSEMARY’S ENOTECA & TRATTORIA – NYC

18 Greenwich Avenue  New York, 10011

Rating: 7.2

Photo Courtesy of: www.ny.eater.com

What is even more local and sustainable than farm to table? Rooftop to table. Rosemary’s just opened in a prime corner location in the West Village. Restaurateur Carlos Suarez of Bobo decided to add another spot to his repertoire. Bobo is one of the popular West Village places to dine in the spring and summer because of their outdoor garden. What many people do not know is that they also have a beehive on their roof. Rosemary’s takes it one step further with their large rooftop garden. Among the produce they grow are zucchinis, tomatoes, radishes, herbs and a variety of lettuces. For ingredients they cannot grow themselves Suarez and the kitchen staff remain close with some local farmers who help supplement the pantry. According to an interview with Business Insider Rosemary’s plans on giving back to the community by inviting local students from P.S. 41 to the rooftop to learn about agriculture and healthy eating and then  help by getting involved in the planting and harvesting of produce.

Chef Wade Moises, previously of Mario Batali’s Eataly and Babbo runs the kitchen at Rosemary’s. The cuisine is Italian with a clear focus on the quality of the ingredients. Everything on the menu is relatively reasonably priced with a wine list that puts every bottle at $40.

The space has a very open-air feel to it with two sides that can be completely opened to the outside. With brick walls and wooden furniture the space feels very rustic but also very clean.

I read lots of negative reviews about the service but given that we walked in at 10:30 on a Monday night in the summer there wasn’t too much competition for seating or the waiter’s attention. They did run out of one or two dishes which I had also read about but we’ll chalk that up to being so new. Frankly the most annoying thing that happened was a few other rude patrons at a few points throughout dinner decided to exit the restaurant via our partially outdoor table seating rather than using the door and knocking things on our table. Besides that everything was quite pleasant.

My friend and I decided to share a few things on the menu. To start we had the “rooftop salad” which was mixed greens and some thinly sliced radishes. The salad was nicely seasoned with a lemon vinaigrette.

Rooftop Salad

We also had a few of the small plates from the verdure and frutti di mare sections of the menu.

The beets with dandelion and hazelnut were delicious. The baby vegetables were very tender and did not have a harsh dirt flavor that beets can sometimes have. They were lightly marinated and the toasted hazelnuts were a nice complement. The eggplant caponata was ok but not really a traditional take on a caponata. The bite-sized chunks of eggplant were strangely spongey but had a pretty good tangy-acidic flavor with some salty olives. The tuna was quite good and was marinated but still rare on the inside and served with olives, capers, parsley, and ceci fritti (fried chick peas).

Beets, Tuna, Eggplant

As our mains we shared the special salmon which was served over a variety of small roasted tomatoes and snap peas. The salmon was good but maybe a bit more well done than I generally prefer.

Seared Salmon

The lamb was delicious. The leg was cooked perfectly -rare in the center with the outside seared into a salty crust. In the center was a lamb ragu which was smoother than your normal chunky ragu and formed sort of a sauce for the vegetables. I love heirloom vegetables so I enjoyed the mix of purple carrots and mini asparagus with pearl onions and snap peas.

Lamb Two Ways

I would absolutely recommend Rosemary’s for a healthy and incredibly fresh summer meal- and I really hope they start serving brunch because this would be an ideal brunch location as well.

Photo Courtesy of: www.businessinsider.com

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05
Jul

The Standard Grill – NYC

by ccwynne812   {10:58 pm}

THE STANDARD GRILL – NYC

848 Washington Street New York, NY 10014

Rating: 7.0

Photo Courtesy of: www.newyork.grubstreet.com

I have been to the Standard Grill countless times for brunch, dinner, snacks, drinks …you name it and I have had it. The one thing I had not had at the Standard was their giant champagne punch bowls. On a sweltering evening in late June I thought this would be the perfect thing to cool off with a big group to celebrate a friend’s homecoming from a long trip.

What is fantastic about the Standard in Meatpacking is that they are continuously evolving. After the André Balazs hotel opened a few years ago they added on the Standard Biergarten which is easily one of the most popular outdoor drinking establishments in the city. In the fall and winter the hote cleverly closes it off and adds heat lamps to keep it operational year-round. The bars up at the top of the hotel, Boom Boom Room and Le Bain, offer some of the best views of the city and are a chic place to have a sunset cocktail or when things pick up late night to have a fun dance party. Two winters ago the hotel cleared out their outdoor tables to create room for a full functional skating rink that was so popular they brought it back this past winter. Their most recent development was to add a romantic arbor covered in vines and white lights outside. All that with Sunday night bingo, ping pong, a huge raw bar and a prime location atop the High Line, the Standard Hotel is really more like the Standard Playground for adults.

Ten of us sat down on Friday night at a nice table in the main dining room which is warmly decorated with leather banquettes and copper penny covered floor and I immediately ordered one of each of their giant punch bowls for the table. The drink menu is divided into East Side and West Side varieties so we needed to fairly represent both coasts of Manhattan of course. The Sundowner Cognac, was a lovely concoction of Lemon Juice, White Peach Purée, & Sparkling Apple Cider. This was definitely the sweeter of the two and I actually preferred the West Side’s High Line Fling which was Champagne, Orange Liqueur, Grapefruit, and Lavender. Definitely refreshing.

The chef at the Grill is Dan Silverman and the food is generally solid. I would not say it is amazing but I have never had a bad meal there either. You really go for the lively atmosphere above all else. With three entirely different dining areas they have a lot of tables to cover.

We started our meal with a ton of freshly shucked oysters from the raw bar and an order of king crab legs.

Oysters

King Crab Legs

Next I shared the grilled octopus which was served with sweet potato and the steak tartare a go-go. The octopus was tender and flavorful although did not have the most attractive plating in my opinion. The tartare was finely chopped and nicely seasoned as many can be very over-salted.

Grilled Octopus

Steak Tartare

As my entrée I needed something a little bit lighter so chose the savory root vegetable bread pudding topped with a poached egg and a spring salad. It was sweet and savory from the root vegetables with very little bread which also lightened it up a bit. The salad was nicely dressed and crisp.

Root Vegetable Bread Pudding

A few other dishes of note at the table were the “Million Dollar” roasted chicken. Consensus was that this was good but not the best chicken around. And the fish of the day which was a rainbow trout but looked more like a sea turtle on the plate the way it was filleted was perfectly cooked.

Million Dollar Chicken

I like Turtles

The Standard Grill is a great restaurant for pretty much any occasion and for any meal whether you want to sit indoors or out with a large or small group. Call in advance because wait times can be pretty brutal without a reservation.

East side or West side?

Welcome Home!

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03
Jul

Norwood – NYC

by ccwynne812   {6:38 am}

NORWOOD – NYC

241 West 14th Street, New York NY 10011

Rating: 7.5

Back Garden Lanterns

Norwood is a private club right near the meatpacking district. It is a brownstone building that is converted into a homey space for parties or relaxing in the dining room or one of their three bars. The decor is an eclectic mix of artsy pieces that make every room interesting to sit in.

On Thursday night a bunch of my friends and I got together to celebrate the arrival of our friend’s cousin who is spending the summer working in Manhattan from Milan as well as sending a friend off to Africa on a medical research program. We were kindly hosted in the enclosed back garden which brick-walled, lined with ivy and beautifully decorated with white lanterns and small white lights. Each table is lit by just a single column candle which casts a warm glow and also gives you a bit of a feeling of sitting around a bonfire.

The food is actually very good at Norwood. The menu is a bit of a mix and includes everything from bistro fare of burgers and oysters to pastas to more of-the-moment dishes like quinoa salad.

To start I had half a dozen oysters which were served on a gorgeous oyster plate. Whenever I am served oysters on these vintage-styled plates it feels very “Great Gatsby” to me.

Oysters

As my main course I had the quinoa salad because I am still in my obsessive quinoa phase. What made this dish even more appealing was that it was topped with a few fried squash blossoms and an avocado mousse. Healthy (ish) and delicious.

Quinoa Salad with Fried Zucchini Blossoms

I also snuck a bite of my neighbor’s roasted beet and grapefruit salad which was fresh and colorful.

Beet & Grapefruit Salad

One of our sides was fiddlehead ferns which don’t show up often on menus. They were nicely cooked and tender with a slightly bitter and buttery taste.

Fiddlehead Ferns

Lastly, I had a bite of the short rib ravioli which was truly excellent. The filling was rich and they were topped with a creamy sauce.

Braised Short Rib Ravioli

Norwood is a very nice place to have a fun dinner away from the craziness of the meatpacking district.

Friends

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27
Jun

Extra Virgin – NYC

by ccwynne812   {7:19 pm}

EXTRA VIRGIN – NYC

259 West 4th Street  New York, NY 10014

Rating: 7.7

The true sign of a good dish is when you walk into a restaurant and it is on everyone’s table. This is entirely true of the meatballs at Extra Virgin in the West Village. Extra Virgin is a cute, homey little restaurant that has a few outdoor tables in the front, a cozy bar area and a few small tables in the main area. The lively banter makes it feel very comfortable and inviting and the waitresses leopard uniforms definitely spice things up a bit.

Each night of the week Extra Virgin offers a special Mediterranean inspired comfort food whether it is paella, spicy lamb tagine or Sunday night’s spaghetti and meatballs. Needless to say my roommate and I were hungry so we ordered up two full orders. This is my kind of dish. I love pasta but really don’t need that much of it and while the pasta is not homemade, the sauce most certainly is. Meatballs on the other hand I could eat all day. These balls probably weighed one pound each meaning that there is no way any one person can eat the two that come in a serving at once (that was for you Schwetty SNL fans out there!) The meat was slightly spicy I think because it was a mix of different meats and spicy sausage. The sauce was delicious and I was very happy they were served in their own little bathtub of tomatoes and cheese.

Enormous Meatballs

Spaghetti and Sauce

Going backwards here- luckily we were smart enough to start our meal with a couple of lighter salads because the main was so heavy. We had an artichoke salad with a poached egg and crispy pancetta chunks with some arugula and shaved Parmesan.

Artichoke Salad

We also had a light arugula salad with avocado and red onion.

Arugula Salad

To wash it all down we had a couple of the restaurant’s signature watermelon martinis. Now I understand that most men might feel squeamish about a pink drink out of a “girly” glass but all shame is thrown by the wayside here and literally everyone drinks them. What makes them so delicious is that they are a simple combination of fresh watermelon juice and vodka. A perfect summer cocktail.

Extra Virgin is perfect for a casual meal in a homey yet lively setting.

 

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07
Jun

The Little Owl – NYC

by ccwynne812   {11:05 pm}

THE LITTLE OWL – NYC

90 Bedford St. (at Grove St.) New York, NY 10014

Rating: 7.2

Photo courtesy of www.ny.eater.com

The Little Owl is an adorable little restaurant surrounded by brownstones and tree-lined streets in the heart of the West Village. Peering down at your from the rooftop across the street is in fact a ceramic little owl. With just 10 tables / 28 seats and no reservations during the lunch hours, the unpretentious spot can be VERY difficult to get into.  Luckily for you if you happen to be waiting for one of these tables there is a very interesting elevated waiting area (ladder required) inside the restaurant perfectly suited for one couple to observe as other patrons enjoy their meals.

The Little Owl!!

I went over Memorial day weekend with a group of friends which was really the perfect time to go because that is when almost all of NYC flees the city and heads to the beach. One friend was kind enough to go in advance and put our names down so that the normally 2+ hour wait for a table was more like 15 minutes.

We started off on the right foot with the gravy meatballs- pork, veal, beef and pecorino soaked in a rich red gravy on a perfectly sized mini bun that absorbs just enough of the sauce without getting soggy. Utterly divine.

Meatball Sliders

Next was the “breakfast” part of brunch- the beignettes. Mini suggary fried dough balls drizzled with raspberry and placed on a plate slathered with nutella. Not much was left on that plate either.

Beignettes

I have had the Little Owl burger on my list for some time and was very anxious to try this illustrious treat which is only served at lunchtime. To my great dismay I am reporting that while the burger was created out of fresh, high quality ingredients, it just didn’t do it for me and will not be making my Top 10 Burger list. It was almost as if the flavor had been sucked out and all that remained was a shell of a burger. The meat was nicely cooked but not seasoned nearly enough and topped with bacon (fine) onion (fine) American cheese (bland) a halfheartedly pickled cucumber that kept trying to jump ship and a piece of lettuce (obviously flavorless). Ugh! Majorly disappointing.

Burger

Cross Section

I will not, however, give up on Little Owl just yet and will be sure to return on another occasion for the famous pork chop hopefully reporting back with better news. Until then, I am sticking with the sliders.

Sparkling Rose


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03
Jun

Gramercy Terrace – NYC

by ccwynne812   {11:14 pm}

GRAMERCY TERRACE – NYC

Gramercy Park Hotel, 2 Lexington Avenue, New York NY 10010

Rating: 8.2

Beautiful Day

On a gorgeous sunny day like today the best places to have brunch in the city are outdoor terraces and rooftops. Danny Meyer’s newly revamped Gramercy Terrace just opened on May 19th and is a great addition to the outdoor dining scene. We did not have much trouble getting a reservation this weekend but I have a feeling that this is going to be one of the most popular brunch spots of the summer very soon. For right now though, the small space is calm, intimate and sophisticated.

The interesting modern decor of the Gramercy Park Hotel extends to the top floor of the building and the interior drawing rooms display incredible artistic works by the likes of Warhol and Damien Hirst. The main interior room opens up onto the terrace and has a beautiful ceiling that is covered completely with light bulbs. Very dramatic. The terrace itself is a simply decorated with ivy wrapped beams and white lights.

I was the first to arrive and was pleasantly surprised to find a coffee bar where guests can help themselves and relax until their tables are ready. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that I had some friends who were already seated at another table so was able to catch up with them while the rest of my party arrived.

The menu at Gramercy Terrace is somewhat limited but everything looked very good. We started with a summer heirloom tomato salad with red onions and goat cheese that was light and refreshing.

Heirloom Tomatoes

We also had the fried oysters with an okra and corn hash. These were a bit spicy with the addition of some jalapeno.

Fried Oysters

As our mains everyone but one of us had the lobster roll which was very good. The tender lobster chunks were perfectly cooked and seasoned. Watermelon radishes and celery added some texture.

Lobster Roll

Old bay fries of course are the necessary complement to a summery lobster roll.

Old Bay Fries

Our other friend had the biscuit sandwich which actually looked amazing. A homemade buttery biscuit with homemade breakfast sausage, a fried egg and cheese.

Biscuit Sandwich

I have no doubt that Gramercy Terrace is going to be a wild success and would advise anyone to start their day with good food and good friends in this beautiful setting.

Drawing Room

 

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03
Jun

Lobby Lounge – NYC

by ccwynne812   {9:42 pm}

MANDARIN ORIENTAL LOBBY LOUNGE – NYC

Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 80 Columbus Circle  Manhattan, NY 10023

Rating: 6.5

Columbus Circle

Towering high above Columbus Circle in the Mandarin Oriental is the Lobby Lounge which has some of the best views of Central Park in the city. As an Asian-themed hotel group, naturally they feature Asian inspired fare in their bar and restaurant menus. The Mandarin of course is a wonderful place to bring out of town visitors for a drink but it is not overwhelmed by tourists making it attractive to native New Yorkers as well.

One day in March after a good workout up town with a friend, we decided to share a couple of dishes and take in the view.

First we had the Mandarin chicken salad – grilled chicken, napa cabbage, mandarin oranges and cashews. This refreshing salad was fresh and crisp although I thought it could have used a little more dressing.

Chicken Salad

Next we had the kobe beef sliders with cheddar, tomato, lettuce and served with a side of parmesan fries. The meat was tasty but the sliders were just a touch overcooked. The fries were hot and crisp with some tasty sauces to dip in.

Sliders

We also had the banh mi sandwich. I would consider this sandwich sort of a South East Asian play on a meatloaf sandwich – a combination of country pâté and char su pork with pickled daikon on french bread. The sandwich was flavorful, but again it was a little dry with the meat, vegetables, bread and very little sauce.

Banh Mi

We were fortuante enough to be friendly with the manager of the hotel, so he kindly sent us a beautiful duo of desserts to top off the meal. A lovely treat after a tiring morning.

Dessert

I would recommend the Lobby Lounge for a drink or quick snack to anyone with a guest from out of town or any New Yorker looking to enjoy the views of Central Park.

Central Park

 

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30
May

Taverna Kyclades – Astoria

by ccwynne812   {8:04 pm}

TAVERNA KYCLADES – ASTORIA

33- 07 Ditmars Blvd, Queens NY, 11105

Rating: 7.1

Photo courtesy of: http://offthebroiler.wordpress.com

I don’t often venture very far outside of the city, or even very far above 14th street for that matter, but dinner at Taverna Kyclades was well worth the adventure. A friend of mine who just so happens to be Greek and very proud of his heritage made it his mission to introduce a large group of his friends to some of the best Greek food available in New York. Astoria has a huge Greek population so there is no shortage of Greek restaurants, but this Taverna is supposedly the best and most authentic “Psaro-taverna” which basically means seafood grill.

After work one Thursday evening I hesitantly boarded the subway and made my way to the last stop in Queens. Before I knew it I was being greeted by a rowdy crew and had a glass of wine in hand in the entrance of the restaurant. Thanks to our gracious host I did not even see a menu at any point during the meal and received detailed explanations of everything that we were served. All the dishes were served family style and I learned that lemon must be spritzed on EVERYTHING.

We began, of course, with a Greek salad of beautifully ripe tomatoes, salty feta, olives and cucumbers.

Greek Salad

To accompany the salad we had a trio of dips with warm grilled pita-  Skordalia (garlic), tzatziki (yogurt with cucumber), and taramosalata which was by far the best I have ever had. I made sure it stayed close to me throughout the entire meal.

Three Dips

In addition to our carafes of wine we had no shortage of Ouzo which is an anise-flavored aperitif and oddly turns white when poured over ice. This was certainly the making of a traditional Greek meal.

Ouzo

We also had a dish that I have never had before which I would say is basically like a fancy mozzarella stick.  A big slab of tangy fried cheese doused with lemon. Can’t really go wrong there.

Fried Cheese

Next came the plates of grilled sardines and sausages. The sardines were my favorite fish of the meal. Tender whole fish with crispy skin and meat that fell off the bone. The lamb sausages (Loukanikou) were split in half and grilled as well and had a deliciously salty bite.

Sardines

Sausages

The meal kept going with more fishes and meats and vegetables. I actually missed taking a few pictures (calamari for one) and got in late in the game for some of the other pictures (octopus, lamb chops).  Out came the chops which I found to be slightly overcooked. I think fish is more their specialty.

Lamb Chops

The branzino was tender and delicious dressed with lemon and a drizzle of good olive oil.

Branzino

The octopus had a great flavor and was very tender. This picture clearly does not do the dish justice.

Octopus aftermath

The mains were complemented by sides of roasted lemon potatoes and steamed dandelion greens. Both dishes were simple and flavorful.

Dandelion Greens

Lemon Potatoes

It would not be a true Greek family feast without some sort of dessert. Our last dish was a traditional custard-pie called Galaktoboureko. This simple sweet custard was topped with just a bit of cinnamon and was the perfect texture and flavor to end the meal on.

Custard

If you are looking for authentic Greek food at a reasonable price and enjoy a bit of an excursion, Taverna Kyclades is the perfect destination for a spring field trip.

 

 

 

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17
May

Fatty ‘Cue x2 – NYC

by ccwynne812   {7:29 pm}

FATTY ‘CUE – NYC

50 Carmine St. (nr. Bedford St.) New York, NY 10014

Rating: 7.7 

I am writing about Fatty ‘Cue again because I have such a consistently positive experience there each time I have been.

My one major disappointment was that they were out of the deep fried bacon, which I have now tried to order on two separate occasions, and they were out of it BOTH times. WHATTTT?? I may have to call ahead next time. Everything else was delicious and we definitely left satisfied. I also have to give a shoutout to our server because she was really fantastic and friendly. If only I could recall her name…

Repeat Offenders:

Chilies and Cheese: Pretty much the same as last time- warm parker house rolls, creamy cheese and salty-spicy chilies.

Chilies & Cheese

Daily selection of oysters with smoked horseradish &
meyer lemon shaker – always a winner.

Oysters

I am still heavily into my kale phase so naturally the kale salad made a reappearance. The salad is dressed in creamy green peppercorn and cincalok dressing.

Kale Salad

Next was buttermilk pappardelle with smoked goat ragu, capra sarda, roasted pepper, and chilies. This dish was recommended to me every time I have eaten at ‘Cue but this was my first time ordering it. It definitely lived up to its recommendation. The pappardelle was thick cut and al dente with a light, creamy, meaty sauce.

Buttermilk Pappardelle

The Isaan- style duck laab was made of fazio farms duck with sawtooth coriander and served with butter lettuce leaves perfect for making lettuce wraps.

Duck Laab

The heritage pork ribs were enormous and somehow I ended up with the largest one which could have very well replaced my entire forearm. The ribs were tender and juicy seasoned with Indonesian long pepper, fish sauce and sweetened with a little palm sugar.

Pork Ribs

The smoked lamb shoulder dish was a dish that I had had before but actually was executed better this time- less jerkey-like and more tender. The lamb was served with warm house-made pita and spiced goat yogurt.

Lamb Shoulder

And the piece de resistance -our last dish which I thought was insanely good was the buttermilk friend half rabbit. Super crispy tender meat that was a littly bit gamey and served with a salty cincalok marinade and green chili-lemon shaker- this is a must-order. “Ironically” it is served in a rabbit shaped carved wooden dish.

Fried Rabbit

There is always room for dessert. We finished the meal with a  caramel and peanut butter sundae that was served trifle-style in a mason jar with peanut brittle.

Caramel Peanut Butter Sundae



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