The Sophisticates

Uova al Forno @ Emporio

CFMcG — Sat, 05 May 2012 15:34:36 +0000

Great balance of flavor and creamy consistency, a real winner!

Beer & Cheddar Soup served w/ a Bacon & Onion Tart

CFMcG — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:45:17 +0000

: Beer & Cheddar Soup with a Bacon & Onion Tart

Some of y’all may have already seen shots of the Turkey I prepared for Thanksgiving this year, but I also wanted to share a fantastic course I pulled together from two great recipes in Food & Wine and Saveur for the holiday.

Both of these dishes alone are absolutely delicious and easy to make ahead of any larger dinner, but together… Whoa! The sweetness of the tart (I used both red & yellow onion instead of the pure recipe) played very well together when I was tasting them for seasoning, so I just re-jiggered the micro greens I’d planned on serving with the tart into a salad w/ mustard vinaigrette. What a hit!

Considering the degree of difficulty here (very low) and the fanstastic reward on flavor, I’ll likely be mixing and matching a whole range of other ingredients into these core recipe ratios throughout the winter – tune in for more, but until then, ENJOY!

PS – Serious thumbs up to Jonathon Erdeljac and his fantastic restaurant by his namesake in Oakcliff.

BV’s Burger – A New Fave in Midtown?

CFMcG — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:32:44 +0000

Bobby Van’s is well established in Manhattan as one of the premier steakhouses, operating multiple locations throughout the city. I’ve dined at several of their locations over the years and have always been pleased with their service and fare. But it was in the summer of 2011 that I came across a wonderful new surprise behind their location on 45th between 6th & 7th avenues. I’m talking about BV’s Burger.

$6 for quality burgers, cooked to order, in midtown Manhattan can’t be beat. Simple and straightforward, with roughly half-pound patties, BV’s turns out what I consider the ideally shaped burger and a great balance of your classic condiments: lettuce, red onion and tomato (for the works). As the former mayor on Foursquare, I fully endorse BV’s as my favorite burger joint in midtown.

But there’s more to the joint than just burgers! The salads are hefty and delicious, along with several of the other sandwiches and chilis. But let’s talk fries and onion rings… These guys don’t mess about. Crisp and flavored with a solid seasoning blend, both the fries and onion rings are fanstastic, with the latter dredged in a light batter that comes out great!

Check out the menu when you get a chance and drop me a line if you’re near and want to grab lunch!

Killer Onion & Duck Bruschetta at Rubirosa

CFMcG — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:08:46 +0000

$3.00… Just three, U.S. dollars for any of the hearty bruschetta choices at Rubirosa. In a word, mind-blowing, especially at this price.
Here we have shredded braised duck, with sweet onions and Parmesan. Totally delicious.
I’m thrilled to try the rest of the Bruschetta choices in this neighborhood spot, named for the famous bull-fighting playboy.
It’s always a hot spot, by the way. It’s only 7 pm here on a Thursday at the bar and the party is already starting up. Swing by, the pizza just so happens to be great too!

Monument Lane gets Porky – Biscuits & Croquettes

CFMcG — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:45:03 +0000

Love me some biscuits!

In the Age of Appetizersruling the culinary world today, it’s become quite the norm for me to fore go an entree and just grab an app or two at the bar. Such was the case ahead of a couple holiday parties last Saturday evening in the Village. Searching for a quick, hearty bite near a friend’s place by Jackson Square.

Monument Lane turned out to be the perfect fix with just enough seating at the bar for a couple friends and good company. Taking a break from my usual light fare of lean proteins and vegetables during the week, I went after two of the pork-based appetizers alongside a Gibson to kick off my night. Here’s a fresh look at Robert Berry’s (Formerly of the Brunch-tastic Cookshop) Mini Ham Bisquits with Molasses Butter, and Pig Croquettes & Spicy Mustard!

First off, the Mini Ham Bisquits with Molasses Butter… What great balance for a starter snack. The airy, golden biscuits offered a delicious savory balance to the sweetness of the molasses & ham. These quick bites are definitely the result of Berry’s extraordinarily successful execution at Cookshop. Well done at 3.75/5 stars!

On to the Pig Croquettes & Spicy Mustard. Two words… Gong show.

Now I’d argue that on pretty much everybody’s initial exposure to fried anything is that they find it delicious. And I’d generally agree. But it’s pretty great to see perfectly fried bites that are cooked all the way through and yet light and devoid of too much oil. The sliced pickle and spicy mustard are great compliments to this tasty app. 4/5 stars!

Croquettes, all night long, croquettes!

Tortas de Queso Blanco y Aguacate @ Cafe Habana

CFMcG — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:00:56 +0000

Habana may be famous for its grilled corn and Cubano Sandwich, you can trust me there, but I’ve started to have quite a time exploring the rest of the menu. After a long night and a surprisingly early morning, I set forth in tackling this veggie behemoth.

The Torta de Queso Blanco y Aguacate is made up of massive chunks of Avocado, Queso Blanco, enormous slices of Tomato, Black Beans, Lettuce, and Chipotle Mayo spread. Pickled Jalapeños come alongside with a heaping portion of fries. In other words, this sandwich is HUGE. Both in size and flavor! Though I traditionally love a great big sandwich bun for tortas, I do have to say I was a little overwhelmed this time and succumbed to finishing off with a knife and fork.

Some of y’all might think this comes along a little pricey at $9.75, but you’ll be full all day – so split one up at the bar the next time you’re in and enjoy!

3.5/5 estrellas (stars for my gringo colleagues)!

Vegetarian Tortas!

That’s a Golden Turkey!

CFMcG — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 03:19:13 +0000

Yeah, I’m just showing off my Mom’s and my skills from Thanksgiving… Arguably one of our best birds ever, thanks to the brilliant Molly Stevens who shared her family recipe in Saveur this year. I think she may catch us repeating next year!

TURKEY!