Where Did I Ever Eat B4?

Fresh Vegetables Served Up in the East Village

I caught up with my best friend's (WARREN!!) sister-in-law Tammi last night for dinner! She was visiting the city from Philadelphia with some of her girlfriends. As the resident local, I knew I needed to recommend an awesome spot for dinner that was very New York! Two friends, Lauren and Elizabeth, recently raved about B4 (http://www.b4nyc.com/), a New American restaurant that serves up reinvented comfort food in the East Village.

While we were looking over the menu, we were enjoying the delicious bread. There is a toasted garlic-bread and a fluffier focaccia style bread. I was glad they were generous with the refills! I ordered a glass of the Cabernet Sauvignon. Serving it in a mason jar was on theme for the restaurant but I prefer a wine glass. My grandma heavily influenced me into believing that the glassware changes the taste of the wine. I'm sure it's in my head, but it does change my perception.

Bottoms up!

We ate our meal family style and shared all of the courses. The first course was a bit tricky - Butternut Squash SOUP! The dish was fantastic so we got over sharing from the same bowl.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

The flavor of the soup tasted like the butternut squash had been prepared with apple juice, onions and a hearty broth. Like a traditional casserole, it was dotted with marshmallows. This sweetness brought out the flavor. It also had a sherry-infused cream drizzle.

Roasted Pear & Arugula Salad

The sweetness of the pears and the sharpness of the Gorgonzola balanced the peppery bite of the arugula. It was topped with a honey chili vinaigrette and spiked pumpkin seeds. Loved it! 

Winter Kale Salad

Kale is still super popular, which is great for me because it is yummy! This salad was served with an herb buttermilk dressing, cucumbers (HUGE slices), pickled red onions (gave great flavor and color) and cornbread croutons.

Pork Chop

This meat was delicious and moist!!! The pan seared heritage pork chop was served with an apple bourbon reduction and a warm fennel-cabbage-red onion slaw. The combo of the slaw and the sauce were scrumptious!

Pumpkin Ravioli with Duck Confit

This dish was my least favorite. The raviolis were served in a sage brown butter sauce. The filling wasn't that flavorful or that plentiful - they could have been a bit more stuffed. Also, the duck confit seemed a bit overdone - I think it was potentially over fried. It was still good, but compared to all the other knock-out dishes, it didn't stand a chance.

Salmon

I loved this dish! The butter poached salmon had a mustard glaze, shitakes, red peppers and an INSANELY awesome butternut squash wild rice salad. I could eat that salad by the bucket! The salmon was also the perfect temperature - medium/medium rare and so tender.

General Tso's Duck

If you come here, YOU MUST GET THIS DISH! By far the star of the night. A pan-seared Moulard Duck Breast is prepared in a General Tso's style. It is served on top of a ginger carrot puree with haricots verts (fancy Fresh green beans). I wish I just ordered this for myself so I wouldn't have to share it, it was THAT good!

Check out the awesome vibe of the spot - so relaxed and welcoming.

Don't you just want to come on in?

A unique way to chill beverages

This is a wonderful restaurant. It has outstanding food and an inviting atmosphere. I look forward to coming here again and trying more dishes.

Cheers,

Liz

 

Back to Back Forty!

A Dinner Out with a New Friend!

Last week, I planned a fun evening out with Aish, a lovely lady I met in one of my classes at Stern. She is HILARIOUS and I knew I had to impressive her with my knowledge of restaurants and cocktails. I knew Back Forty (http://backfortynyc.com/) would be a solid option for dinner. Although Aish is a gluten-free vegetarian she does not suck as a person. She was flexible in my restaurant choices and knew that I could find something suitable for her particular dietary needs. I instantly knew we would be best friends.

During my internship, we had a dinner at Back Forty and it was yummy! Fantastic cocktails and entrees. I really wanted to order the corn bread so naturally it was no longer on the menu - a "seasonal" issue. I was "upset" but managed to find something else on the menu. We each started with their signature cocktail, The Back Forty. It is made with George Dickel #12, Maple and Lemon. Each cocktail is $11; there is also an option for a large format carafe for $55.

The Back Forty

While I was sipping on this delicious cocktail, I selected the Crispy Duck Confit, served with Fregola Sarda (a style of semolina pasta from Sardinia, Italy), Turnips, and a Citrus Marmalade. It was absolutely delicious. I love duck and this one was prepared perfectly. I highly recommend it.

Crispy Duck Confit

Aish ordered the Housemade Pappardelle, served with a broccoli pistou, winter vegetables and Toussaint Cow's Cheese. It didn't look that pretty so I forgot to take a photo. What it lacked in looks, it made up for in taste, at least according to Aish and her gluten-free vegetarian palate.

Back Forty has great desserts but it was the first stop of our evening, so we wanted to have room. The donuts are yummy!

Cheers,

Liz

 

Ramen is Only 3 Hours, I mean 1.5 Hours, I mean 30 Minutes Away!

When You Need a Fix, Hit Minca!

One of my good friends, Meredith, visited me from California this past weekend. We met up with some of her friends for dinner. Originally, we wanted to conquer Ippudo. I've lived in the city for over a year and I still haven't gone. There really is no excuse since it is so close to Stern. I haven't wanted to wait. This past Friday was no exception! The wait (at the no reservation restaurant) was over 3 hours! So, we decided to walk over to Momofuku Noodle Bar (which also does not take reservations) which had a 1.5 hour wait.

One of Meredith's friends suggested going to Minca (http://www.newyorkramen.com/) instead, where the wait was *only* 30 minutes for the five of us! We walked over (by this point we had quite an appetite after searching for ramen!) and waited for our table. I have not gone to many ramen spots, so I wasn't sure what to order. The waitress suggested their most popular option: the spicy miso ramen. It was delicious!

The broth had a fantastic flavor, the pork was perfectly fatty without being gross and the noodles were perfectly tender. This meal was for sure a "cheat meal" as I've been doing Atkins for the past month and a half with great success. Sometimes, you need to live on the edge, even if that includes eating carbs. 

Spicy Miso Ramen!

I'm not a ramen expert, so I may not be the best judge. I really loved what I ordered. It was a big bowl and I left very satisfied having only spent $13 on the entree. Also, because this isn't as much of a tourist trap as Ippudo, you likely won't have to wait as long. I only have a sample size of 1 (my own experience) so I cannot guarantee a timely meal. Put your name down and grab a drink across the street at Ace!

Check it out!

Nom,

Liz

 

Back (Forty) to Visit Alphabet City

Mid-Summer Intern Celebration!  

I have heard good things about Back Forty (http://backfortynyc.com/) and was pleased to see we were having our dinner there! I have been meaning to spend more time in Alphabet City, so this is great way to do that! In order to celebrate our brands, I ordered the Back Forty. It is made with George Dickel #12, maple and lemon. I absolutely loved it! I'm trying to get more into whisky and this was a non-intimidating introduction.

After I enjoyed my cocktail for a bit, the food (and there was plenty!) started to come out. I didn't snap pictures, but the cornbread and fried chicken were delicious!! Really brought me back to Charlotte and Price's Chicken Coop. Below is a shot of the pork shoulder, slaw and bread (some sort of pita). Really good. We just ate obscene amounts of food, typical.

Also, there were DOUGHNUTS! So good! Check out this spot!

After, we went to Pouring Ribbons which is right down the street. A super exclusive, swanky cocktail spot. I wouldn't rank it as high as some of the other "list-only" places I've gone (Raines Law Room is much better), but I do like the atmosphere. If you're going to pay $15+ for a cocktail, I like to have service and a seat! It is worth a visit.

Cheers,

Liz