Fantaxia - Fixed price, Family-style dinner - Toronto

As we mentioned while preparing for our Creole Christmas in Canada, we appreciate getting together with family and friends in lieu of gifts.  We love catching up over a good meal and happily, when we were in Toronto, my brother and his girlfriend treated my parents and us to a very filling 7 course meal at Fantaxia.  With no one cooking or doing the dishes, it was a wonderful way to relax and chat with our family.

We started off with a soup filled with beef, scallops, mushrooms, and more.  Like clowns exiting a small car, it was fun watching how much food and soup came out of the seemingly small container.  The broth itself was savory and very comforting. 

Taro yam was shredded and fried to make this beautiful and crispy nest.  It was filled with crunchy snow peas, onions, and shrimp.  The best part?  The nest was surrounded by bacon-wrapped shrimp. 

We had to hurry to get this shot of the papaya boat filled with scallops before our server quickly chopped it up into little pieces.  The scallops on top were soft and meaty.

Not only was the chicken de-boned for easy eating, it was stuffed with sticky rice. 

And, just to make ourselves feel healthier, a large bowl of steamed bok choy.

Fried plump oysters were lightly seasoned with lemongrass.  They came with subtly sweet pieces of bread and laid out on a bed of thin, flaky, crispy spinach. 

Finally, to end our meal, we enjoyed this deceptively plain-looking dessert soup.  It was warm and very flavorful with a surprisingly sharp ginger taste.

Special thanks to my brother and especially to his girlfriend who called ahead of time and organized the meal for us.  

Fantaxia is located 3555 Don Mills Road, Unit 5 in Toronto, ON, Canada. 

Otafuku: Takoyaki (Octopus Balls) in the East Village

We love showing visiting friends around NYC because inevitably, the sight-seeing turns into a food tour!  A few weeks ago, when the weather was a tad warmer and snow was not on the radar, we took a visiting friend over to the East Village.  While we were checking out Sunrise Mart, one of our favorite Japanese grocery stores, we mentioned a nearby place that makes Octopus balls.

She was intrigued, so we made our way to Otafuku - a tiny, narrow spot that could easily be missed if it weren't for the flags (and oftentimes, a small crowd waiting for their order).

Takoyaki (6 for $5):  The dish was topped with special Otafuko sauce, Japanese mayo, seaweed flakes, and a large pile of katsuobushi or bonito shavings (dried fish) that we tried to keep from blowing away (and landing on other people).

The Takoyaki is piping hot because our batch was freshly made.  It's delicious street food - crispy and salty on the outside, with a soft, pancake-like batter on the inside.  And of course, the octopus itself, which was warm and delicious.

What did our friend think?  The combination of a hole-in-the-wall gem, tasty snack, and an experience that cannot be duplicated back home, she loved this New York food spot.  When you come to New York, we would definitely encourage you to try Otafuku for its Takoyaki (and their Okonomiyaki - a savory pancake with lots of ingredients)

Otafuku is located at 236 E 9th St (btwn 2nd & 3rd Ave)

Recipe - Cozy Country Meal in the Big City

Though we would love to get away to Blue Hill at Stone Barns every chance we get, the distance and our wallets unfortunately get in the way.

So we were overjoyed when the country came to us with the opening of tiny (only seats 26) new restaurant Recipe in our neighborhood.  Its concept is using fresh, local ingredients to create a "chef's table" experience for the diner.

The owners also run Land, the nearby Thai restaurant that also happens to be our favorite on the Upper West Side.  Suffice it to say, we were expecting a good meal and came away with a a wonderful experience.

 

Hands down, this was the nicest bottle of tap water we've ever been served!

We started off with a couple of drinks. The first drink ($5) was the Gonzo Imperial Porter from Flying Dog Brewery.

It's a dark, rich, malty beer that we thought would stand up well to the rich, earthy food we were about to enjoy.













Next was a beautiful cocktail ($12) made with pear puree, simple syrup, and gin.  It was fresh and bright with that wonderful seasonal pear fruit flavor.

 

We could not resist getting the $9 pate.  The Foie Gras Terrine had black mission figs and apricots in it and came with cornichons and toast.  How could you not like foie gras in a jar like this!

 

My husband...spreading it on thick!

We also got a glass of red wine - a glass of Costieres de Nimes ($9).  It's a Rhone blend that generally pairs well with food.

The wine had a little too warming with a tad too much alcohol, but it was nice that it was not too fruity.

Overall, though the beverage list is small, the selection was well edited and the prices were fairly affordable.

 

Oven Roasted Halibut ($20):  The fish was flaky and buttery while the mixture of eggplant, melted leek, green olives, tomato confit, and baby brocollini made for a nice hearty vegetable medley.

 

Seared Hudson Valley Duck Breast ($20):  The duck was cooked medium-rare (on the rarer side) just as we like our meats so it was soft and tender.  The sauce was savory without being too salty and the vegetables (wild mushrooms and baby turnips) gave the dish warm, rustic flavors.  The blackberries added a light tang to slightly offset the richness of the entree.

 

Chocolate Pignoli Tart ($7):  We love desserts that mix sweet and salty flavors as well as creamy and crunchy textures.  Here we indulged in a decadent molten chocolate tart with creamy caramel, sea salt, and mascarpone gelato.  It was a perfect way to end a relaxing meal.

Recipe is located at 452 Amsterdam Ave (btwn 81st and 82nd Sts) in NYC.

Flor de Mayo - One of Our Go-To Neighborhood Cheap Eats

Since moving to NYC, we've noticed a lot of Asian fusion combination we've never seen before.  One of them is Asian/Peruvian cuisine.  We've had the high-end version at Nobu (which mixes Japanese and Peruvian cuisines), but when it comes to neighborhood cheap eats, we end up at Chinese/Peruvian restaurant Flor de Mayo on the Upper West Side. 

Though there is a large cocktail and beverage list, we always order the Peruvian beer, Cristal ($3.25).

It's a crisp, easy-to-drink and inexpensive beer - even cheaper than the domestic beer on the menu.

 

Whole Peruvian Chicken ($10.75):  This large dish was more than enough for two.  It's well-seasoned and always provides us with leftovers for lunch the next day.

 

Cilantro rice (included with our entrees):  We love cilantro so we find this rice incredibly addictive.  Though it's strange when the server tells you your rice options are white, brown, or green rice, we always go for the green.  You'll never want to order the plain rice after having this (unless you don't like cilantro).

 

Kung Po Pork ($12.45): We ordered it as spicy as it comes, but it still could have used some more heat.  Some more peppers would have been nice (we like our spicy foods on the fiery side), but overall enjoyed all of the crunchy vegetables included with our entree.

 

 Flor de Mayo is located at 484 Amsterdam Ave (btwn W 83rd and W 84th St.) in NYC.

Tarry Lodge - Enjoying Batali in the Suburbs

Mario Batali - the chef with the orange clogs, along with the Bastianich family both sure know how to open restaurants!  We have been fortunate to dine at their NYC restaurants Esca (fresh seafood), Babbo (haute Italian), and Otto (creative pizzas) and have never been disappointed.  

So when we were just north of the city visiting some family, we were happy to find another Batali & Bastianich restaurant to add to the list:  Tarry Lodge.  After all, with Batali and his business partner Joseph Bastianich (Lydia's son!) as owners and Chef Andy Nusser (formerly of Babbo) at the helm in the kitchen, we knew we would be in for a great meal.

Our beverages of choice included brews from nearby Westchester brewery Captain Lawrence and wines from the Bastianich cellar, including a 2008 Tocai Fruilano and a 2007 Langhe Rosso by the glass.

Grilled Octopus with Baby Potatoes ($8):  How can something so simple be so good?  With only a simple preparation of extra virgin olive oil, this dish of grilled octopus and baby potatoes was full of natural flavor. 

 

Gorgonzola and Walnut salad ($11):  We loved the color and textures of this salad.  The frisee was peppery, the walnuts crunchy, and the gorgonzola rich and earthy. 

 

Sausage with Stracchino cheese and roasted Shiitake pizza ($13):  We love the rustic flavors on this brick oven baked pizza.  The crust was toasted and flavorful on its own. 

The atmosphere was warm and cozy - like a country inn.  The food was a nice mix of fresh local produce made with an Italian .  There were so many more pizzas we wanted to try (including Guanciale and Black Truffle with a Sunny-side up egg pizza and the Clams, Garlic and Oregano pizza).  We will definitely return.

Tarry Lodge is located at 18 Mill Street in Port Chester, NY.

Shake Shack: Apple Cider and Our Own Custom Concrete

Wanting a sweet treat, we went to our go-to quick (and affordable) dessert spot: Shake Shack UWS.

We got to the front of the line, scanned the menu, and spotted the Doughnut Concrete with vanilla custard and bits of Doughnut Plant doughnuts. How could we resist?

So we ordered it - only to be told that it was sold out and just taken off the menu.

We did end up getting a special concrete...one that we think might have been better than the original!

 

We ordered the hot Apple Cider combo with Doughnut Plant donut holes ($3.95) with the November Friday custard, Apple Cider ($3.50)  and mentioned to our cashier that we'll probably combine everything together to make our own concrete.  He offered to use Shake Shack's concrete blender to mix our Apple Cider custard with the Doughnut Plant donut holes .  

The donut holes were a first for Doughnut Plant and we found them incredibly addictive.  We loved their cakey texture with a glaze tasting like cinnamon, caramel, and apple. They went well with our Apple Cider custard which had similar flavors.  We loved our specially-made Apple Cider concrete.

The hot Apple Cider was like liquid apple pie.

With notes of cinnamon and fresh apple from the orchard taste, this hot mulled drink was perfect for a chilly Autumn's night. 

This seasonal drink was a first for Shake Shack and we hope they keep bringing it back!

 

So if you are in the mood for apple-three-ways (ice cream, doughnuts and apple cider), save some room after Thanksgiving dinner and stop by Shake Shack on Black Friday (the last Friday in November).

High/Low's Bi-Coastal Celebrity Chef adventures

When High/Low recently went bi-coastal for a weekend, we each had our own celebrity chef adventure.

I was in San Francisco enjoying an Anthony Bourdain-inspired culinary adventure, while my husband was in New York meeting one of the greatest chefs of all time, Thomas Keller!

Join us as we take you through each of our adventures.

I met with Mardi at R&G Lounge for their famous Salt and Pepper Dungeness Crab and Lychee martinis (yes, even Anthony Bourdain drank one!)  This restaurant is also a favorite of Michael Mina's.

I love lychee martinis (This one was $10).  I'm not sure how this version was made, but here is my recipe that has been very popular amongst my friends:

Lychee Martini

Ingredients:

1 can of lychee fruit

 Soho lychee liqueur

vodka

Directions:

In a martini shaker, add 1 oz Soho, 1 oz vodka, 2 oz syrup from the can of lychee fruit, and ice.  Shake well.  Pour the drink into a martini glass.  Add a couple of lychee fruit from the can and serve.

Our meal was very photogenic!

The crab ($35) was fantastic - meaty, crunchy, and simply seasoned with salt and pepper.

The next day, Mardi met me again, this time at Bourdain's favorite quick bite at the Ferry Plaza Marketplace:  Primavera.

I had the breakfast ($9) of eggs, beans, salsa, and tortillas.

Mardi had the tomales ($9), which were also Bourdain's choice.  One had mushroom and the other had pork - both very filling, but delicious. 

With so much fresh and substantial dishes, it's no wonder Alice Waters counts herself one of Primavera's many fans.

Lastly, I passed by San Francisco's (and California's) oldest establishment, Tadich Grill, where Bourdain went to grab a drink.  I peeked inside, and with its dark, glossy wood-panelling and cozy, enclosed booths, it looks like San Francisco preserved in time.

My lucky husband got to meet (and take a photo with) one of our idols, Thomas Keller!

Keller was signing his new cookbook, ad hoc, at a nearby Williams Sonoma store.

 While waiting in line, my husband got this Cauliflower Soup sample (which was not a recipe in the book)...

 

...and this Chocolate Chip cookie from the ad hoc cookbook.

Though I wished I could have been there, I'm glad we got this keepsake!

Bourdain's SF Adventure:

R&G Lounge is located at 631 Kearny St
 Primavera is found on Saturday mornings at the the Ferry Plaza Marketplace.
Tadich Grill is located at 240 California St.