Secretly Unstable

I have been told I am crazy, funny, a good cook, and a decent blogger. These are the expectations I am trying to live up to. Thank you.

Monday, January 25, 2010

That is more like it....

I haven't written a blog about fine dining in a long time - two reasons - 1. No money to go out to fine dine. And I am not even talking about my money, (which is little) but the money of the media vendors that used to take me out for fancy dinners and lunch all of the time. I used to live it up, on someone else's dine. Not I just eat at my desk. Sad. 2. No time to fine dine. Even if I had the money personally, few are the nights that I can go out for 4 hours to indulge in a 4-course affair of the taste buds. It just does not happen.

Last Thursday I had the priveledge of going out to Convivo, in Tudor City, New York. I went with some amazing friends, one of whom knew the entire staff because she is a talented and charming restaurant professional. (She is so impressive, and I can say I knew her when...) It was so much fun. We were treated so well and I think we ate at least 80% of the menu.

Foodies come and gather around. Here is what we were lucky enough to eat:

SFIZI course - small bowls of what I describe below:
Funghi - grilled mushrooms, vin cotto
Olive - marinated castelvetano olives - Outstanding olives, totally different, yet wonderfully olive
Stracciatellea - fresh cheese curd, pomodoro - Serves with toast, amazing, could dip in this forever!
Salame Piccante - spicy salami - Is what it is, but it was still better than anything else I have had.

ANTIPASTI - appetizer portions (1st official course)
Testa - house made pork terrine, fried egg, parmigiano - I think  I am going to dream about this dish, it was beautiful. The consistency and flavors, the egg, the creamy sauce - I was sad that I had to share.
Fegatini - rustic chicken liver crostini, marsala onions - How do they make chicken liver so damn good?!
Polipo - grilled octopus, chickpea panissa, olives, red peppers - Probably my less favorite of the three, but the charred taste of the octopus, and the huge portion was great.

PRIMI - pasta course
Cicatelli al Forno - baked ricotta dumplings, red wine braised veal osso buco, fresh mozzarella - SICK, is a GREAT way! You knew it had to be good based on the menu description, and it did not disappoint.
Maccheroni all Carbonara - pancetta, pecorino, scallion, egg, black pepper - This is pure comfort food. Pasta is not just pasta after you taste this.
Cuscini - braised oxtail filled ravioli, chicory, pecorino sarda - Light and perfect pasta, with amazing filling, again a generous portion.

SECONDI - choices of fish or meat main course
Scoottadito di Agnello - grilled lamb chops, salsa verde, escarole
tomato, beans. - Rich and full of flavor.
Anatra - crispy long island duck breast, swiss chard alla romana spaghetti squahs, vin santo - Perfectly prepared duck, best I have ever had.
Maiale - roasted hampshire pork chop, wild mushrooms, brocolli rabe, marsala - HUGE chop - my least favorite of the three, but it was wonderfully prepared and cooked perfectly.

SIDES - all three of these were amazing, how they make such simple things taste so good is a mystery to me.
Fried cauliflower
Pecorino potatoes
Bruxelle - fried brussels sprouts

DESSERT - my favorite was the affogato, but each dessert was unique and notable. It was the perfect ending to a great meal.
Panna Cotta - vanilla panna cotta, fresh local strawberries, lemon sorbet
Budino - warm dark chocolate, hazelnut gelato, candied hazelnuts  
Affogato al Caffé - "super punch" amaro gelato, freshly-brewed espresso
Crostata di Mela - spiced apples, walnut crumble, caramel gelato

We also had wine parings with each course. Some things that I have never had before in my life, and cannot wait to drink again. Here is a list of what we drank, now this is just a copy and paste from what my wonderful friend sent to me, I will go armed with a post it note to a wine shop and try to buy the $30 version of each. I really really love the La Stoppa. It is a white wine where the skins are left on the grapes. Like nothing I ever drank before:


Extra Brut Fidèle  Vouette et Sorbée  NV (Champagne)

Ageno  La Stoppa  2005 Malvasia Aromatico/Ortrugo (Emilia-Romagna) 
Gattinara  Antoniolo  2003 Nebbiolo (Piemonte, Italia) 
Taurasi Fatica Contadina  Terredora di Paolo  1999 Aglianico (Campania)



I will ride the HIGH that is this meal for a long time. One thing that is good about hardly doing the fine dining thing is really appreciating it when you do. I am a lucky foodie girl, indeed.