Visiting a Beautiful County

Lovely Food, Cocktails and Dessert!

Ingrid and I went for a lovely girl date last Saturday! There is nothing better than catching up with a close friend over delicious food and cocktails! Before we headed to a comedy show at The Stand, we had dinner at County (http://countynyc.com/).

Interior of the Restaurant

The seating is family style. We went at 6pm so THANK GOD we did not need to sit by other people.

Fresh Cut Flowers Added a Touch

We each started with a cocktail. I chose the Lavender Diamond, made with Gin, Crème de Violette, Dry Vermouth, Hibiscus Flower, Orange Bitters and Rose Water. I'd compare it to a floral martini.

Lavender Diamond

The cocktail was well balanced but a bit strong. I did like it but it was definitely a sipping drink...not a chugging a drink! Ingrid went with the Hudson Swizzle, made with Vodka, Fresh Blueberry & Lemon, Ginger, Pomegranate, and Orange Blossom Water.

Hudson Swizzle

We decided to split an appetizer based on Yelp! reviews. The Salmon Tartare was made with Crispy Sushi Rice, Herb Crème Fraiche, Fresh Grated Horseradish and Lemon Zest and Sesame Garlic Topping. This was SO GOOD! The sauces really complemented the salmon - so tasty!

Salmon Tartare

Ingrid ordered the Pan Roasted Chicken. The dish featured organic chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, braised collard greens and pan drippings.

Pan Roasted Chicken

The chicken was very tender! I was a bit jealous of what she ordered when I saw it! She is a good friend though, so she let me try some. She also ordered a side of Garlic Herb Parmesan Fries. She said we could "share" it - I clearly ate more than my part, but we cannot let fries go to waste!

Garlic Herb Parmesan Fries

I read rave reviews about the House Cavatelli, made with Pork Ragu, Fresh Ricotta, Braised Kale, Lemon Breadcrumbs, and Pecorino Pepato.

House Cavatelli

The pasta and the pork were great however the lemon breadcrumbs were a bit excessive. It would have been ok if there was only a dusting of breadcrumbs and not a blizzard.

After I finished my first drink, I ordered the Candied Ginger Old Fashioned, made with Bourbon, Ramazzotti, Candied Ginger, Angostura and Orange Bitters.

Candied Ginger Old Fashioned

I loved this drink! For me, it was much more smooth than the first cocktail. I never really upload photos of me enjoying my cocktails, so here is one for your viewing pleasure! :)

Cheers from Personalitini!

Ingrid and I are both big fans of dessert (because we are humans), so we decided to split one. We went with the bread pudding, topped with a bourbon glaze.

Bread Pudding

This was delicious! Overall, a solid restaurant with a strong cocktail list, delicious entrees and great service. I would recommend getting the Salmon Tartare appetizer and the Bread Pudding for sure!

Cheers,

Liz

 

A Dinner in a Snow Storm!

A Delightful Meal at Craftbar!

Last week, there was a bit of a snow storm! Did it stop me from meeting Ingrid and her friend Ashley (up from sunny Bermuda) for dinner? Of course not! Ingrid lives in Flatiron and suggested Craftbar (http://www.craftrestaurantsinc.com/craftbar-new-york/). I wanted to go to that spot for a while. Also, the snow didn't stop the train from running, so I bundled up and met her!

In order to cope with the snow, we ordered a bottle of Montepulciano (I have to thank my friend Melissa for opening my eyes to this wonderful red varietal!). The bottle was reasonably priced around $30.

An Affordable Bottle of Red that is ALSO delicious? Happiness!

We decided to split two appetizers. The Pickle Jar and the Pecorino Arancini, served with spicy tomato sauce. The pickles, including other vegetables like cauliflower, were a bit to sour. Some of the vegetables were too porous and absorbed too much of the pickling liquid.

Pickle Jar

The Arancini, or rather the yummy balls of risotto and cheese, were so tasty! Much better than the pickles. For our entrees, Ingrid and Ashley both ordered the Veal Ricotta Meatballs & Capellini, served with Basil and San Marzano Tomato. Ingrid didn't finish her meatballs so I gave her a hand and tasted them. They were delicious!

Veal Ricotta Meatballs & Capellini

I chose the Skate, served with Brussels Sprouts, Apple, Brown Butter, Crème Fraiche and Horseradish. SO TASTY! I love Skate and the preparation really complemented the character of the fish.

SKATE!

To round out the meal, we split a dessert: The Flourless Chocolate Cake, served with Passion Fruit Caramel and Coconut Ice Cream.

Lovely Presentation

The dessert was a wonderful conclusion to an all-around outstanding meal. The food and service are both top-notch. I look forward to coming back!

Cheers,

Liz