Early Friday evening, the Jazz Den Mother and I had just about an hour to grab a bite before going to see “My Name is Albert Ayler” at the Film Archives. After a quick phone call to her son the DJ for a recommendation, we headed for Elephant, where the host greeted us like old friends, though we’d never been there before.
The Thai-influenced menu had many appealing choices, with plenty of vegetarian options. After some discussion we chose three small plates (Thai cucumber salad, sautéed garlic broccoli and cold noodles with veg) and a vegetarian entrée (Bamboo Chili "Chicken" in Red Curry Base with Lime Leaves & Basil, served with jasmine rice).
The food came out fast. The entrée was good. The small plates were outstanding. The first bite of broccoli, with luscious caramelized garlic and a touch of sesame oil, was sublime. The crisp cucumber was cut in wedges, seasoned with a slightly spicy dressing, a nice contrast in flavors and textures. The servings were generous, prices were reasonable.
The welcoming atmosphere deserves special mention. The Jazz Den Mother’s son the DJ dropped in with three of his friends, got a beer from the bar, sat down to chat, wandered outside to eat some food they’d picked up on the way over, wandered back in again, nibbled off our dishes, it was a nice, casual hang. We left them there, finishing up our leftovers.
As we hurried off to see the movie, we discussed our ordering strategy for next time: we’re going to skip the entrée and choose more small plates, including a yummy sounding crab cake.
The movie was pretty amazing.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Leo's Steak Shop - Philly
Last Saturday, Libra Zebra and I were taken by long-time Philadelphia friends to a small take-out cheesesteak restaurant called "Leo's Steak Shop". Technically Leo’s is not in Philadelphia, it's at 1403 Chester Pike in suburban Folcroft, (Sharon Hill area), but it's all down there to me.
I had a small (18”!!) Cheesesteak Hoagie, which had lettuce and fried onions on it, and the Zebra had a mushroom cheesesteak. It was hot, fresh and cheap and not too greasy, unlike the disgusting bags of grease served to tourists at Gino's, Pat's and Jim's.
The large sandwich would be impossible to eat, as it's longer than my arm (don't eat anything longer than your arm?). The one complaint our Philly friends have about Leo’s: too much meat. The meat is piled on high.
Now we’ve got to go back to Dalessandro's Steaks (Henry Av & Wendover St., Roxborough, Philadelphia (215)-482-5407), and see if it’s still the best in our mind, although I’m still an Oscar’s fan.
Leo’s Steak House - 1403 Chester Pike, Folcroft, PA 610-586-1199
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Pier View, Yonkers
Relaxing and noshing with a couple of fellow FoodSouls on a sunny afternoon, gazing down the twinkling Hudson at the GW bridge and the Manhattan skyline...it's easy to believe life doesn't get any better than this. But it does, when a Pier View staffer pops open the French windows, allowing the fresh early spring breeze to waft in. Ah ...
Al fresco dining season is right around the corner and Pier View would be a good venue for it. Come summer, the free concerts in the mini-amphitheater on the waterfront may be close enough to provide a live sound track for the excellent people watching, which was already in swing on a lazy Saturday in April.
Oh, yes, the food. I'd almost forgotten about that. There's nothing too exciting on the menu, but what I tasted was good. The soup du jour, New England clam chowder, is easy to get wrong. Pier View's version was nicely prepared, with tender clams, a bit of thyme, and a light, barely thickened broth. The crispy cheese quesadilla was served with an abundance of fresh, cool guacamole, snappy salsa, and sour cream. I also enjoyed the fries and olives I swiped from the other FoodSouls.
Overall, the prices are reasonable, though some of the pricing seemed odd. How can fish and chips cost more than grilled shrimp? And the Cobb salad with a ton of toppings including chicken, eggs, bacon, cheese and avocado, is just a buck or two more than the modest garden variety.
The service was friendly, and we felt welcome to linger. Which brings me to a word of warning: the parking patrol keeps a close eye on the lot at the end of the block, so be sure to feed the meter. We all got tickets, including one written just two minutes past the expiration time. Kind of a letdown, after such a nice afternoon.
Al fresco dining season is right around the corner and Pier View would be a good venue for it. Come summer, the free concerts in the mini-amphitheater on the waterfront may be close enough to provide a live sound track for the excellent people watching, which was already in swing on a lazy Saturday in April.
Oh, yes, the food. I'd almost forgotten about that. There's nothing too exciting on the menu, but what I tasted was good. The soup du jour, New England clam chowder, is easy to get wrong. Pier View's version was nicely prepared, with tender clams, a bit of thyme, and a light, barely thickened broth. The crispy cheese quesadilla was served with an abundance of fresh, cool guacamole, snappy salsa, and sour cream. I also enjoyed the fries and olives I swiped from the other FoodSouls.
Overall, the prices are reasonable, though some of the pricing seemed odd. How can fish and chips cost more than grilled shrimp? And the Cobb salad with a ton of toppings including chicken, eggs, bacon, cheese and avocado, is just a buck or two more than the modest garden variety.
The service was friendly, and we felt welcome to linger. Which brings me to a word of warning: the parking patrol keeps a close eye on the lot at the end of the block, so be sure to feed the meter. We all got tickets, including one written just two minutes past the expiration time. Kind of a letdown, after such a nice afternoon.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Sonora Restaurant, Port Chester, NY
There are a lot of elements that make up a fine dining experience. It’s more than just the food. The service is an important element, as is the décor, the tableware, comfortable seating, and general ambiance. One thing that always impresses me is the aroma. If you walk into a restaurant, it should smell like someone’s been cooking an inviting meal. I’ve turned around and left cafes that had either an unappetizing nose when I entered, or no aroma at all.
Chef Rafael Palomino's Nuevo Latino restaurant, Sonora, knocks it out of the park on aroma, and on every other element that makes a fine dining experience. After being turned on to Sonora by Uncle WestFester a few years back, it’s become one of my absolute favorite spots. Palomino can do no wrong in my mind, and Hudson Valley Restaurant Week gave us the opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere and food while spending a little less.
I had the seared free-range chicken stuffed with Colombian chorizo, goat cheese and sweet plantain served over sautéed spinach (shown above), which was boned and perfect. Every course is unusual, Sonora presents Latin specialties from Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, etc., yet seasoned with care.
The decor at Sonora is interesting and soothing, with Southwestern colors and paintings, and you can talk! The service is perfect: always attentive but not too familiar, there when you need it, and gone when you don’t want to be disturbed.
I love saving money, but Sonora is a place for eating at any time of the year.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Route 66 Cafe, New York
The Route 66 Cafe would be a great place to grab a quick bite near Columbus Circle, if only it were quick.
The menu lists standard diner fare, such as wraps, club sandwiches, soups and salads, but the execution is a step up from your average coffee shop cuisine. I was practically split-pea green with envy over the Grumpy Diner's chicken noodle soup, with its rich broth, chunks of white chicken, and fine egg noodles.
However, the service is a comedy of errors. There are plenty of people hovering, asking if everything is ok, and they come over promptly to find out what you want whenever you make eye contact.
But then they do nothing. You can ask three or four people for a soup spoon or mustard or a glass of water and receive none of the above. An even higher level of persistence is necessary to secure the return of your credit card at meal's end.
In the un-diner-like 20 minutes or more that it takes for the daily special to arrive, it's kind of entertaining to see a waiter ask everyone in the room if they ordered 7-Up (no, but someone did want a Coke), and watch the bowls of soup get sent back till they deliver the right kind (third time's the charm!).
On the daily special, maybe you'll get a bowl of soup instead of a cup, and maybe it will have croutons, and maybe it will be served with a basket of bread. Maybe it will show up after your finished eating your wrap, or maybe it will never arrive ...
The cafe seems to aspire to greater things when it grows up: It's the only diner-esque place I've ever been to that has the chef's name on the menu. The food is excellent, the price is right, and you're likely to have enough leftovers for another meal or two. But don't count on a quick in and out.
Do I plan to go back? Yeah, sure.
The menu lists standard diner fare, such as wraps, club sandwiches, soups and salads, but the execution is a step up from your average coffee shop cuisine. I was practically split-pea green with envy over the Grumpy Diner's chicken noodle soup, with its rich broth, chunks of white chicken, and fine egg noodles.
However, the service is a comedy of errors. There are plenty of people hovering, asking if everything is ok, and they come over promptly to find out what you want whenever you make eye contact.
But then they do nothing. You can ask three or four people for a soup spoon or mustard or a glass of water and receive none of the above. An even higher level of persistence is necessary to secure the return of your credit card at meal's end.
In the un-diner-like 20 minutes or more that it takes for the daily special to arrive, it's kind of entertaining to see a waiter ask everyone in the room if they ordered 7-Up (no, but someone did want a Coke), and watch the bowls of soup get sent back till they deliver the right kind (third time's the charm!).
On the daily special, maybe you'll get a bowl of soup instead of a cup, and maybe it will have croutons, and maybe it will be served with a basket of bread. Maybe it will show up after your finished eating your wrap, or maybe it will never arrive ...
The cafe seems to aspire to greater things when it grows up: It's the only diner-esque place I've ever been to that has the chef's name on the menu. The food is excellent, the price is right, and you're likely to have enough leftovers for another meal or two. But don't count on a quick in and out.
Do I plan to go back? Yeah, sure.