Thank You, Bobby Flay!

Last fall my husband and his friend Adam planned a surprise weekend getaway to New York City for me and Adam's wife Meredith. No reason, no special occasion - they just wanted to do something nice for us. Aren't they awesome? :)

We flew to NYC early on Saturday morning, stopped at the Bleeker Street Magnolia Bakery for a breakfast banana nut bread cupcake, and spent most of the day walking and shopping in SoHo. That evening we went out for drinks at the Flatiron Lounge (they make a mean mint julep) before the big event: dinner at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill.

What I Ate:

• Shrimp & roasted garlic corn tamale with fresh corn & cilantro sauce - I like cilantro
• Spiced rubbed bison filet with corn & ancho chile sauces, and crispy red onion - I never knew bison was so delicious!
• Mashed potatoes with cilantro pesto - did I mention that I like cilantro?
• Churros dusted with cinnamon sugar & star anise with dark chocolate dipping sauce

I would be remiss if I didn't mention my husband's entrée here:

• New Mexican spice-rubbed pork tenderloin with bourbon-ancho chile sauce

It's been the inspiration for many a meal at our house since this trip -- lucky me!

The recipe for the bourbon-ancho chile sauce is featured in Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill Cookbook. Step one: reduce two cups of bourbon completely into chopped red onions.

The Scoop:
Mesa Grill (www.mesagrill.com) is located at 102 5th Avenue, New York City, NY. Reservations are available by calling (212)807-7400. Note: You must call on the day of your reservation to re-confirm!



On Sunday morning we had brunch at the Belgian brassiere Markt (Meredith: "Have you ever had a Belgian beer with your Belgian waffle? I have!") before heading to the MoMA. Picasso, Warhol, and Pollack, oh my! I especially liked their sculpture garden (photo above). That evening we flew home to Hampton Roads, back to regular life.