Flex Mussels

I don't eat mussels.  I like most seafood but mussels aren't on my list.  You may be asking why I would go to Flex Mussels if I don't eat mussels (simple answer: Mitch loves mussels).  But most restaurants offer more than just what they are known for so we headed to Flex Mussels to celebrate Mitch's fish tank surviving Hurricane Sandy's power outage (the irony, I know).

Flex Mussels' uptown restaurant features a bar and counter area with about two dozen seats for walk ins.  The staff attempting to deliver food to the bar/counter patrons didn't mind those waiting for a seat clogging up their space (when I apologized for being in the way to several servers, all responded "no need to apologize").  The cocktail list is a bit limited but the wine list, by the bottle and glass, is inspiring and focuses on blends to compliment the seafood centric menu.

With dozens of mussel preparation options, Flex Mussels' is a mussel lover's paradise.  I found many appetizing sauces, such as the Bruschetta, featuring tomatoes, a bit of lobster, basil, etc...Out of curiosity, I asked our server if instead of mussels, I could have any other form of seafood (fish, scallops, shrimp, calamari, etc..).  He said he would need to check with the kitchen.  After a few minutes, he returned and informed me that a different seafood could be substituted and asked for my preference.  I went with shrimp and happily buzzed in my seat about my good fortunate.  About 5 minutes later, the server returned to inform me that instead of 25 mussels, I would receive 2 medium sized shrimp.  2!  I thought he was joking at first.  How could the kitchen serve an entree with 2 shrimp and expect a patron to be (1) happy and/or (2) full.  This was incredibly disappointing and a more than a bit ridiculous.  I ended up ordering the whole grilled fish instead.  I did not expect Flex Mussels to accommodate my request in the first place but they should have never agreed to do so by exchanging a pot full of mussels for 2 shrimp.  Instead, a simple "no" would work better.

As you will read further below, go light on the apps/entrees so you can go heavy on the desserts.  Unsurprisingly, the non-mussel dishes (desserts aside) are average so if you are not a mussels person, Flex Mussels isn't for you (unless you are going for wine and dessert, if you are, let me know, I'm in!).

What to Eat:

Order a side of truffle fries.  They offer regular fries as well but what's the point.  When you can have parmesan covered, truffle oil coated fries, there really is no other viable option.  The fries had the perfect balance of crispy to softer fry ratio.  The overflowing fries in the cone container managed to disappear (into our stomachs) instantaneously.

From the discussions with our neighbors, it seems like any of the mussels options are delectable.  Mitch chose the Chowder, which consisted of a rich butter, bacon, cream broth.  The large lobster chunks, which had been mixed in with the mussels, soaked up the flavor of the bacon flavored, creamy broth.

SAVE ROOM FOR DESSERT.  This was the standout of the night.  Both desserts we ordered were exceptional and so save room to order both of them.  

We ordered the donuts, which are piped with various flavors, such as salted caramel, chocolate, etc...You can pick four different flavors from about one dozen choices.  Get the Smores (the donut prominently displayed in the pic).  I would actually get two of the Smores because the marshmellowy, chocolate center of the doughy fried sphere was nothing short of heaven.  Literally.  The donuts include a side of rich vanilla bean dipping sauce which goes well with the simpler donuts, like the cinnamon sugar donuts.

The other outstanding dessert was the Whoopie Pie.  Sadly this picture does not do it justice, I wish I took another shot once we cut it in half (but was too busy devouring it, surprise!).  The whoopie pie consists of layers of moist dark chocolate cake and cream cheese frosting.  It is then fried (which I think is unnecessary but it was easy to separate the fried outside shell from the rest of the dessert) and placed next to a scoop of espresso bean ice cream.  The moist chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting was nothing short of perfection.

Readers, you don't have to choose, order both!

Not a mussel lover?  Stick to the wine and dessert,

Your foodie friend

Neta

One of my favorite foodies came to town and since he was avoiding red meat, we thought we'd check out the West Village's new Japanese restaurant, Neta.  "Neta" is a Japanese word that translates to "fresh ingredients of sushi."  The chefs, formerly in charge of the kitchen at Masa, deliver fresh, inventive, delicious Japanese food.

Neta's lack of decor is actually a clever way to highlight the bustling open kitchen and the beautiful presentation of each dish.  The restaurant only holds a handful of tables but also offers about two dozen counter seats.  This is a terrific restaurant for an out of towner (or local, for that matter) dining alone.  The action in the open kitchen is more exciting than at least half the dates I went on before I met my husband.

Neta's entire menu is based on small plates so the restaurant recommends ordering 3-5 dishes per person.  Another option is the Omakase menu, which translates to "chef's choice."  The chef will choose 5 dishes based on seasonal ingredients (taking into consideration each diner's food allergies).  Each diner at the table, however, must order the Omakase menu.

Instead of restricting ourselves to trying 5 dishes, we opted to order a large portion of the menu and dine family style.  I recommend ordering family style instead of the Omakase menu at Neta because you can easily find more than 5 things you'll want to try (and acknowledging that I am somewhat of a control freak, I am a bit hesitant to relinquish my entire dining experience to a chef that does not know my personal food preferences).

Neta offers high end sake at affordable prices.  The sommelier is very knowledgeable and unless you have your heart set on an option, I would recommend consulting with him first.  The wine by the glass, while a bit less affordable, turned out to be a good value because the sommelier was heavy handed with each pour.

Our server was attentive and cheery, albeit a bit aggressive on pushing drinks (AND she "inadvertently" absconded my glass of Sancerre before I had finished it).  She did accurately guide us to the right amount of dishes for our party, which seems to be more of an art than a science.  I enjoyed the pace of the meal from the kitchen, which was impressively spread out despite how many plates we ordered (I find sometimes when you order small plates, the servers aggressively place the dishes on your table, resulting in rushed meal).  At Neta, there was never more than three dishes on the table.

What to Eat:

If they have it on the menu, order the Spicy Lobster, which was a special.  This dish is hot!  Despite my attempt to ask for it mild, it still came out HOT HOT HOT.  The lobster, served in the lobster claws, was wok fried with onions, asparagus, and green chiles.  If you like spicy food, this is a must.  I would consider ordering more than one for the table.

Also make sure to order the Duck & Foie, which will help reduce the level of heat from the spicy lobster.  The tender, braised duck strips and foie gras slices are mixed together in a hoisin sauce and then packed inside a crispy, celery shoot  (there is a fourth celery shoot missing from the picture because someone (you know who you are) jumped the gun when he saw hoisin sauce). 


Do not expect a large, round scoop of fried rice when you order Neta's Duck Rice (not pictured).  Neta's duck rice is presented as strips of braised duck, mixed with hoisen sauce and then piled high on top of white rice.  The beautiful presentation came second only to the savory taste of the dish.

The surprise hit of the night for me was the Schezuan Spiced Salmon, which was a creamy, salmon mixture piled onto a bed of white rice and then topped with crispy Bonita flakes.  This simple, cool temperatured dish is a nice change from the warmer dishes on the menu.

Because Neta is a Japanese restaurant with tons of fresh seafood option, order at least one sushi dish.  I would recommend only ordering one per person, however, so that you can enjoy all of the unique, cooked options on the menu.  My favorite sushi roll at Neta was the Dungeness Crab and Avocado Roll.  Despite the simplicity of this roll, it was the perfect way to end the meal.  The sweet crab meat did not contain any unnecessary filler, like mayonnaise or tempura.  The smooth and savory avocado was all that was needed to compliment the sweet shellfish.

Wondering which West Village hot spot will show up next?  Keep reading, the West Village is back on my radar,

Your foodie friend

Bell Book and Candle

For people into the organic food movement, I found your new favorite restaurant: Bell Book and Candle.  NYC has been battered by an early winter but I can promise you that everything about Bell Book and Candle will warm you up.  This West Village spot has a garden on its roof to grow many of its ingredients.  Bell Book and Candle's menu is high end comfort food and each dish we ordered was perfectly executed. 

One of the things I liked the most about the Bell Book and Candle was each staff member's refreshingly friendly attitude.  We showed up a bit late, "no problem", our party size changed, "no problem".  Each staff member (the hostess, server and busboy) was welcoming and engaging, which is somewhat rare in the West Village.  The entire meal was leisurely paced and after we paid our bill, the staff allowed us to linger at our table until we decided it was time to call it a night. 

The patrons in the bar area loudly clamor for the mixologist's attention because Bell Book and Candle features a fun cocktail menu.  That, and the restaurant is located in the basement and suffers from low ceilings. But what Bell Book and Candle lacks in height it more than makes up for in charm, food quality and service.

This is now one of my top 3 favorites in the West Village. I recommend securing a reservation to avoid feeling cramped in the bar area.

What to Eat:

Start with the House-Made Burrata.  Burrata (thankfully) has become more common on NYC menus.  Bell Book and Candle's burrata, however, is exceptional.  The creamy, gooey center of the large burrata "ball" happily explodes when cut in two halves and is surrounded by ripe, blistered tomatoes grown on the roof and picked earlier in the day.  Bell Book and Candle's burratta appetizer rivals any top NYC Italian restaurant's burrata.

For an entree, go with the Striped Bass.  The pan seared bass is placed on a bed of pureed sweet potato, mixed with carrots and peas.  Our server kindly swapped out the spinach for hericot verts which created a "raft" for the bass.  Despite numerous ingredients and spices on the plate, they all complemented each other.  The bass was a nice, lighter compliment to the heavier burrata appetizer (but if you want something heavier, try the short ribs).

Organic, locavore or neither and just in need of great eats?  Check out Bell Book and Candle for a date or a night out with friends,

Your foodie friend

Insider tip: if you are a party of 5 or less, ask for the semi-private room behind the bar.  There is a window so you can peer into the bar (and get the bartender's attention when you need it).  Despite being tucked away, the server (Bell Book and Candle's bartender) and the busboy stopped by frequently to check on us.  Also, because the room is somewhat sectioned off, it is a bit quieter than the rest of the restaurant.

Pera

As I mentioned earlier this year, the area around Grand Central has tons of restaurants, but very few good restaurants.  After happily devouring lunch at Pera a few times (opt for the ground lamb wrap with seasoned fries, the wraps are only available at lunch), I decided to return for dinner.

Let's start with the good:

The hostess was incredibly kind and let me charge my phone (and check it frequently) at her station.  The rest of the staff (understaffed as a result of post Sandy transportation issues) was friendly and as attentive as possible given their ratio of staff to patrons.

Also, I like the ambiance and decor.  The modern decor is largely devoid of Turkish influences but the open kitchen in the back of the dining room is fun to watch.  The lounge area in the front of the dining room is lined with comfy couches that allow you to melt into while escaping a chilly winter night with much needed wine (a 2 hour drive to Spanish Harlem to get battery powered oxygen thingys, no power and no water=excuse to guzzle wine). 

Finally, Pera features an eclectic wine menu with tasty wine by the glass from all over the world.  The bartender (patiently) allowed us to sample a few wines before making our decisions, which we enjoyed and requested seconds. 

Now to the bad:

The food.  It's just not very good.  Which is surprising because I LOVED their lunch wraps.

When the best dish of the night is the side of fries, it is probably an indication that the restaurant isn't up to snuff.  The short ribs were tough and tasted like tri tip.  The fish didn't smell or taste very fresh.

Pera considers itself a high end restaurant and charges its patrons accordingly.  Unfortunately, there is nothing high end about the food quality or taste.

Pera works for lunch if you stick to the wraps and fries and it also works for after work drinks but don't subject your palate (or wallet) to the food around dinner time.

Any interest in restaurant review posts from my travels?  Let me know and if there is enough interest, I will start covering restaurants from all over (starting with LA!),

Your foodie friend

Boukies

Pylos, previously reviewed (http://forthefoodieinallofus.blogspot.com/2012/07/pylos.html), recently opened a trendy sister restaurant on the Lower East Side called Boukies.   My fellow Greek food lovers decided to check it out to celebrate Fara's birthday.

Like most sisters, there are similarities and differences between the two restaurants.  Boukies is a fun place to start your night (and gives you a solid base so that you aren't drinking on an empty stomach the rest of the night) while Pylos is better suited for a dinner date or a quiet night to catch up with a friend.   The food at Boukies, however, is just as good.  While the menus differ slightly, many of the Greek staples remain.

Similar to Pylos, Boukies' wine menu only features Greek wine.  Since I am wholly unfamiliar with Greek wine, I told the server what I liked and placed my fate in his hands. The server did a terrific job matching our wine preferences, and we happily depleted the bottle.  Boukies' wine list featured dozens of Greek reds and whites, several under $50.

While we had a hiccup or two during our meal, overall Boukies is worth a return visit.  I loved everything we ordered and there were several additional dishes I would go back to try.  The only two disappointments of the night were relatively minor.  Boukies offers a dip (white bean, eggplant, a mixture perhaps?) that I found disappointing.  The flavor was off and whatever the concoction was made of needs to be revamped so that it is identifiable.  Also, it was served with a French bread.  French bread? At a Greek restaurant?  Diners are at Greek restaurants for pita.

Also, a large party was seated immediately behind us shortly after we ordered our dinner, which resulted in a 45 minute gap between our appetizer and entree.  Our server came by after awhile to assure us the food would arrive soon and it didn't, so we asked again and received the same refrain.  The maitre d' had been walking around the restaurant earlier in the night and asked how things were going while we were enjoying our appetizers. When I found him later in the evening, I told him we were still waiting for our entrees.  He simply blamed it on the large party behind us.  And that was it.  He should have sent over a round of drinks or an app that could come out of the kitchen quickly.  It made me question his earlier "interest" in our evening.  It apparently was a cursory question, backed up with no follow up, which defeated the purpose of asking the question.  His pretending to care was disappointing and disingenuous.

Putting these hiccups aside, we thoroughly enjoyed the food, wine, and ambiance.   I would recommend ordering family style because you will want to try several appetizers and can easier share an entree.

The dessert menu at Boukies is very limited so we planned on going somewhere else for dessert but our server surprised us with a dessert on our way out to apologize for the delay (I had told the hostess that it was Fara's birthday in case we ordered a dessert).  It was a nice gesture, but the better move would have been to address the problem when it occurred.

What to Eat:

Start with the Spanakopeda.  This traditional triangular Greek appetizer was happily piled on a plate for us to devour.  The four fried triangles of phylo dough are packed with spinach and feta cheese.  The Greek delicacy wasn't greasy and is dangerously addictive. 












Also, order the Shrimp Saganaki.  The three jumbo shrimp (with heads!) are tossed in a slightly creamy feta, oregano, and tomato sauce.   I would love this dish as an entree with a side of orzo.

For your last app, go with the Braised Lamb Sandwich.  We were debating whether to get this, and if we didn't, we would have missed the best dish of the night.  This is essentially an osso buco sandwich, filled with tender, marinated lamb in warm, fresh, soft Italian bread.   There are two small sandwiches so plan on one order for every two people (although I would have happily finished it myself).

For an entree, opt for one of Boukies fresh, grilled whole fish.  With all of the cheese and heavier dishes earlier in the night, the fish is a nice, lighter contrast.  Boukies typically orders several fish (snapper, branzino, etc...) each evening.  We went with the Branzino and happily received sauteed green beans instead of broccoli rabe.  The dish was also accompanied by slices of lemon potatoes, another Greek staple.

Looking to start your night out with a Greek smorgasbord?  Boukies is the perfect new group birthday dinner spot,

Your foodie friend