Dinner
Union Square Café was recommended to me by my friend Jen, who works with Topher. A New York native, Jen declares that she's never had a bad meal at USC, and after my experience there, I believe it: the meal and the service were close to impeccable.
USC gets a lot of its produce and meats from the Union Square Greenmarket, a huge open-air farmers' market (open 8am-6pm on Mon, Wed, Fri and Sat) that's just around the corner from the restaurant. Many of the menu items feature the name of the farm that supplied the ingredients: Eckerton Hill Heirloom Tomatoes, Sycamore Farms Sweet Corn, 3-Corner Fields Feta, Anson Mills Polenta, Four Story Hill Farm Rib-Eye ...
Anne has a gluten allergy, so I called ahead to confirm that they could accommodate her. Sure enough, upon being seated we were brought a basket of gluten-free wafers instead of bread, and our waitress was prepared to answer all of Anne's questions about the menu - what dishes she could have, and what dishes could be altered to be gluten-free. Yay!
What We Ate:
- My appetizer: "Savory" Kabocha squash bread pudding topped with bacon ice cream, sliced apple, frisee salad, & sherry vinaigrette - This is one of the best dishes I have ever tasted! My entree was good, but for me, this dish (shown above) was the real stand-out of the evening. I never wanted it to end ...
- Anne's appetizer: Black Pearl Salmon Crudo with Cucumber Gazpacho, Crème Fraîche and Steelhead Trout Roe - Anne let me taste this, and it was one of the best pieces of salmon I've ever put in my mouth. The freshness of the cucumber gazpacho perfectly balanced the raw fish. (Check out pictures of this dish and USC's other summer specials here.)
- My entree: Grilled Lamb Chops Scotta Dita, Norwich Meadows Swiss Chard and Potato-Gruyère Gratin
- Anne's entree: Pan-Crisped Duck Confit, Yukon Gold Potatoes, Mission Figs, Chanterelle Mushrooms and Chicory
- My cocktail: USC Cooler (San Pellegrino orange-flavored Aranciata, Campari, fresh lime juice, and an orange slice)
- Anne's cocktail: I can't remember :(
- Our wine: half bottle of 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Ladera, Napa Valley
The Scoop:
Union Square Café is located at 21 East 16th Street, NYC 10003. They're open for lunch every day, noon-2pm; dinner is served Sun-Thurs 5:30-10pm and Fri-Sat 5:30-11pm. Reservations (highly recommended) can be made online or by calling 212-243-4020.
*****
The show we saw - "Promises, Promises" starring Kristin Chenoweth (Wicked) and Sean Hayes (Will & Grace) - is based on the same story as "The Apartment," the 1960 movie starring Shirley MacLaine & Jack Lemmon. Like most musicals, it was a bit cheesy but a lot of fun. And, as much as I like Kristin Chenoweth, this was definitely Sean Hayes' show!
Drinks
Afterwards we went back to down to Chelsea/Gramercy for cocktails at Flatiron Lounge, a swanky but unpretentious place that Topher & I visited last fall with our friends Adam & Meredith. On that trip we went before dinner, closer to opening time, so it was quiet and not very busy. This time Anne & I arrived a little after 11pm, and it was much more crowded/noisy. But the service was still good, and we were able to get a table. I liked their version of a mint julep so much last time that I ordered it again; but their menu is full of unique, culinarily-inspired concoctions. I'd definitely like to visit again!
- My first drink: Mint Jules - Makers Mark bourbon with muddled mint and smashed limes
- Anne's first drink: King Rose - gin, strawberries, & lime, garnished with a large basil leaf
- My second drink: A Bird in the Heart - raspberry jam, smoky aged rum and egg white foam - the flavors come in stages, so it's a little strong at first with more fruit at the end
- Anne's second drink: Miss Lynn - vodka, cucumber, Pimm's, and Chartreuse
Flatiron Lounge is located at 37 West 19th Street (between 5th & 6th Avenues), NYC 10011. They're open Sun-Wed 5pm-2am and Thurs-Sat 5pm-4am. You can reach them at 212-727-7741.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment