Saturday Splurge: Barbes (Manhattan, New York)

Image courtesy of yelp.com

I'm a gypsy in the worst way. I've lived in... (let me count)... 12 different places in 4 years! That's enough to make anyone tired. In the place before last (yes, I think that's the one), I resided on the corner of 36th Street and Madison Avenue in a very charming building just steps away from the Empire State Building, Grand Central, Herald Square... and dangerously close to the Korean fried chicken place in Koreatown (it's probably for the best that I moved).

Also very close to me, across the street to be exact, was Barbes. I was so close to this restaurant that I'm fairly certain their diners could see straight into my bedroom window. While most people would find this unsettling, I felt nothing but affection for this place. Every single time I'd been there in the past, I was treated like a queen... they greeted me with smiles, took my coat, even pulled my seat out for me! Now that will make a girl feel special!

Recently it hit me that I hadn't been to Barbes in FOREVER and that was just unacceptable. Is this how you treat your friends, Lauren? Really?!? So after (not breaking any bones) ice skating at Bryant Park with Adam, we concluded date night at Barbes. 

It was P-E-R-F-E-C-T. My favorite waiter was there. We were seated immediately. The lighting was just right. The space was as cozy as I remember. And let me tell you, the food was unforgettable. 

Barbes is a Moroccan-French restaurant, but manages to fuse the two together beautifully. We started with a nice (and reasonably-priced) bottle of Malbec. The intention was to warm up my toes after ice skating. 

...I'm happy to report that it worked.

For my entree, I chose to forgo my normal fare of brochette de merguez and try the kefta tagine instead. And I must tell you, a fine choice it was, as the tagine was just what I wanted - ground lamb balls, French green peas and Moroccan spices in a light tomato sauce. Sometimes I have to throw my vegetarian tendencies to the wind and really indulge. The lamb balls were not a waste of my splurge.

Adam went for the lamb as well, though he ordered his in the form of a shank, with onions, raisins and cinnamon over orzo. If I had to pick one dish that embodied the coming winter season, it would be this dish - such bold flavors coming together to create a true masterpiece. I had more than a few bites. 

Listen, maybe I'm partial. They've always been good to me, so good actually that they served us two glasses of wine and two glasses of champagne on the house just because 'it was the holidays' (or so he said).

Really though, Barbes = Love. Stop by if you're in the neighborhood!

BARBES

19-21 East 36th Street (between 5th and Madison)

New York, NY 10016

212.684.0215

http://www.barbesrestaurantnyc.com/

Saturday Splurge: Great Jones Cafe (Manhattan, NY)

I don't know about you, but I work in an office flanked with fluorescent lighting. There's nothing I despise more in the world than fluorescent lighting. Let me tell you...between that and staring at the computer screen all day, I leave work aching to crawl into a dark hole - somewhere cozy and comfortable. Somewhere nondescript where I can sip a beer in peace and put the day's cares behind me.

Great Jones Cafe is that place for me.

There's nothing fancy about it, other than it's posh location in NoHo. It's barely even noticeable from the sidewalk. The outside is painted orange and there's an old screen door, reminiscent of the one my grandparent's had in Georgia. When you walk through the screen door, you find yourself in a room not much larger than your living room. There's a bar and a sprinkling of tables, and if you don't time it right, you just might be standing for your meal.

There's one menu for the whole establishment and you'll find it on the chalkboard on the back wall. The blackened catfish usually calls my name, but they have something for everybody, including Cajun staples such as jambalaya, gumbo and po'boys. Oh... and the wings! How could I forget the Creole wings?!! These things are hands down my absolute favorite wings in all of New York City, maybe in all the country. I'm not joking. They're the perfect mix of sweet and spicy. It's a heart attack on a plate, but if I've gotta go eventually, I'd prefer to go while chowing down on the best.

(These would also be my last meal request in prison, should I ever go, God forbid).

Great Jones Cafe is a staple in the city. It's been around as long as I have actually - since 1983! If you're in need of some comfort food, somewhere nondescript where you can enjoy your post-work freedom, Great Jones Cafe is your spot!

The place even has a jukebox. How can you say no to that?

GREAT JONES CAFE
54 Great Jones Street (between Lafayette and Bowery)
New York, NY 10012
212.674.9304
www.greatjones.com

Advice from the Experts: Eating Good in the 'Hood

Arionna (bottom left) managing to make this shaky pyramid look glamorous. How does she do it?

How does one find the words to introduce their very first friend in New York City? There's just so much to say. I met Arionna Shannon-DiPietro (yeah, that's a mouthful!), on the first day at my brand new job in the city. I was enamored by her sense of composure and confidence. She clearly knew what she was doing, maybe more so than our actual boss. She was raised in New York, and she had that NY attitude about her. Maybe 'street smart' would be the appropriate phrase here?

We still laugh about the fact that when we first met, we were polar opposites - very unlikely friends. I'm a chronic apologizer. Someone bumps into me, I apologize. I have no idea why I do this, I just do. But when Ari finds herself in a similar situation, she shoots the offender a look and if they're lucky, she holds her tongue. Our friendship works because when she offends, it feels very natural for me to apologize on her behalf. But on a serious note, she's taught me to stand up for myself, to be vocal about how I feel and to be a firecracker if I have to be - all good things when you live in the heart of New York City and deal with millions of people every single day.

Ari and I in Costa Rica 2010. She came so far to see me!

But beyond the social realm, Ari has taught me a lot about good food. Her family is originally from Sicily. Her grandmother 'Nonna' (who made everything by hand) taught her how to cook, but her skills in the kitchen just come naturally. Ari has the uncanny ability to stop by the farmer's market, pick up a few things on a whim and create a dish that will blow your mind. It's pretty hard to pass up a dinner invitation to her apartment.

I asked Ari to write for you tomorrow because she has a lot to say about food - more specifically, where it comes from. She's a big believer in eating local and supporting sustainable practices. She even has her own blog called Harlem Food Local about cooking and eating in uptown Manhattan. Tomorrow, she's going to give you the inside scoop on a very special place in New York... one of my most favorite places actually!

If you don't live in New York, this still applies to you! Instead of going to the Statue of Liberty or standing in line at the Empire State Building next time you visit, I highly suggest taking a detour and checking out the spot that Ari will reveal tomorrow!

You won't want to miss it!

Saturday Splurge: Petite Abeille (Manhattan)

I'm a bit of a late bloomer when it comes to the 'foodie' thing. For fear of total world wide web embarrassment, I'll refrain from telling you how old I was when I tried sushi for the first time... or Indian food... or anything slightly 'exotic' for that matter. I grew up on hearty, homegrown American fare - meat, potatoes and vegetables - with a side of sweet tea (no meal in Georgia is complete without sweet tea).

Yesterday, I joined my lovely friend Andrea Ryan for brunch at a super cute Belgian restaurant near Union Square, Petite Abeille. The first time I had Belgian food was actually IN Belgium, so the bar is quite high when I go to a Belgian restaurant in the U.S. of A. Petite Abeille did not disappoint.

The charming thing about it was that it's very nondescript from the outside. I can't tell you how many times I've walked down 17th street, completely oblivious to its existence. The front of the restaurant looks like a small coffee or pastry shop, but as you move past the bar, you find yourself in a delightful environment - black and white checkered floors, chalkboards on the wall displaying the day's menu, antique odds and ends scattered throughout (like vintage suitcases), Tintin comic book drawings displayed on the walls and a very lovely and intimate back patio. 

For those of you who don't live in New York, let me explain. It's very rare to sit on a patio in the city. Maybe in Brooklyn, but it'll be a cold day in hell before you find yourself on a back patio in Manhattan. Fall was in the air yesterday, so of course we opted for an open table on the patio. It felt like one of life's small victories. Patio? Hell yeah! We'll take it!

We started brunch with coffee, because honestly, what's a Saturday without coffee? Then, like good friends do, we ordered variations of the exact same thing - omelettes with mesclun salad and stoemp. What is stoemp? you ask. Good question. I had no idea, even as I was eating it. A later visit to Wikipedia informed me that stoemp is a traditional Belgian dish consisting of mashed potatoes and some sort of vegetable (in this case, leeks and onions), seasoned with thyme and laurel. One bite told me that I can get down with some stoemp. For real.

Our brunch at Petite Abeille put me on the fast track to a fantastic day... one of those days where the sun is shining, people are smiling, birds are chirping and you find yourself with a little skip in your step. Yes, it may be hard to see the connection between brunch at a Belgian restaurant and inner peace, but hey... sometimes happiness is found in the most nondescript of places.

PETITE ABEILLE

44 West 17th St.

New York, NY 10011

212.727.2989