This Little Piggy celebrates Cinco de Mayo!

I'm not quite sure why, but I was in a FANTASTIC mood yesterday.  I literally think I laughed more yesterday than I have in the past couple years combined.  It was as if someone gave me laughing pills.  It was pretty amazing.  Additionally, it was Cinco de Mayo, which I decided was one of the best holidays ever.  Mind you I thought I was Mexican for about 1/2 my life, I mean, I grew up in San Diego... what do you expect?!  Anyways, a small group of family and friends decided we would celebrate at Meade's in the South Street Seaport.  I know, I know... you're probably thinking this is one of those tourist joints that sits out on the pier selling frozen/fried crab cake sandwiches and watered-down margaritas.  You'd be wrong.

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Meade's is a quaint little joint on the corner of Peck Slip and Water Street.  Definitely what you would call a "neighborhood bar".  I usually go there for brunch on Saturdays because they A. allow dogs inside, and B. have a drink special.  They also have a bunch of board games and Jenga, which is pretty exciting!  Did I mention that the people who work there rock as well?!  I am by no means saying the food is something to travel downtown for, but some of their items, mainly the quesadilla and guacamole, are pretty darn delicious.  Last night they had a fiesta with a bunch of Mexican items that are typically not on the menu.  They sold out of the taquitos within hours, though they saved me a plate (see above, apologies for the quality, my fabulous friend Felicia too it from her iphone).  They were incredible and reminded me of home.


Until next year... Feliz Cinco de Mayo!  (ay ay ay!)

This Little Piggy likes Pacific Northwest Wines

During a vacation to the Pacific Northwest last October, I had the opportunity to go wine tasting at some excellent vineyards in the Willamette Valley in Oregon.  I had never had a Pinot Blanc before, and the one I tried at Four Graces was incredible.  I quickly fell in love with the amazing wines the region was producing.

I was really excited to hear that the Down Town Association would be hosting a wine tasting focused on the Pacific Northwest.  It was a great event and while I didn't try all eight of the featured wines, I tried some I really enjoyed and others I cared less for.  I found the Adelsheim Pinot Gris (2007) to be a very refreshing white.  It had a medium dryness with a higher degree of acidity.  It smelled of fruits, mainly citrus, rather than berry, and was medium bodied. 

I was slightly less impressed with the L'Ecole No. 41 Chenin Blanc (2009) from Washington, though I believe they may have been serving it too cold and this may have affected its flavor.  Lastly, I was not nearly as impressed with the WillaKenzie Pinot Noir (2007), also from Oregon.  The region is known for producing excellent Pinots and I thought this probably would have stood out to me, but alas, it didn't.  I did, however, enjoy the Mission Hill Winery Oculus (2004) from British Columbia.  I am looking forward to trying more wines from Washington and Oregon and will report back accordingly.

Featured Wines

Whites

- Adelsheim Pinot Gris 2007, Oregon
- L'Ecole No. 41 Chenin Blanc 2009 (Columbia Valley), Washington
- Mission Hill Winery Chardonnay 2006, B.C.
- Snoqualmie Vineyards Riesling Naked 2008, Washington




Reds

- WillaKenzie Estate Pinot Noir 2007 (Willamette Valley), Oregon
- Ex Libris Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Washington
- Chataeu Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington
- Mission Hill Winery Oculus 2005, B.C.

1834 Bar & Burger: VIP Grand Opening

Two great things just happened (actually 3... I forgot its Friday and 6 o'clock and I'm about to leave work). Great thing No. 1: I just found a cool blog, sociallysuperlative, that has info regarding lots of great events coming up. Great thing No. 2: They informed me about what I hope will be an awesome new sports bar in the FiDi and their Grand Opening event happening on March 16th!

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the Mac & Cheese Burger...Disgusting or Amazing?

Did anyone else see this yesterday in UrbanDaddy (picture from UD as well) and feel slightly obese for wanting to try it immediately?  Yes, I'm talking about a Mac & Cheese Burger. Not only is the burger topped with a delicious mac & cheese blend of cheddar, American, pecorino and Gruyère cheeses, but it is also stuffed with the cheesy mix.  To top (literally) things off, they then sprinkle homemade Gruyère bread crumby goodness on top along with a spoonful of homemade cheese sauce.  Heart attack?  Definitely, possible, though maybe worth the risk.  I will be sharing this with my brother this weekend.  Oink!

ps.  Did I mention this is found in the FiDi? (yet one more reason to pay my neighborhood a visit)

열려있지 않음 아직도 죤에 봉 (Bon Chon on John... still NOT open)

Dear Bon Chon,

You are such a tease!  You sit there across the street from my apartment for months with a "Coming Soon" sign plastered in the window.  You slide menus under my door so that when I wake up at 6 am for a glass of water, I see a delicious list of all the items that will be two steps from my building.  And then... like a present under the tree on Christmas, a tiny Bon Chon box miraculously appears in my fridge (my mom actually put it there) with a beautiful, crispy piece of fried chicken inside.  What a way to start my Friday.  I took a bite.  It was fantastic.  The flavor was incredible, sweet and salty, meaty... I needed more.  Immediately.  I quickly threw on my clothes for work (I was running late as usual) and rushed outside, excited to see what I hoped would be a "Now Open" sign in the store front of this fried chicken haven.  There was no such sign.  You're still not open.  You got my hopes up and now I'm sitting here at my cubicle crushed, dreaming of the day when you will finally open your doors.

Please, please open soon! Tx!

- Little Piggy

This Little Piggy went to the New Amsterdam Market

I was excited to go to the New Amsterdam Market this past Sunday, especially since I had enjoyed October's market so much.  I was a little worried that the snow would deter some shoppers and mainly vendors, particularly those coming in from out of town.  Fortunately for us, that was not the case.  For those who don't know, the New Amsterdam Market is a monthly farmers market that has been held in the South Street Seaport (shout out for FiDi) over the past few years and more regularly since September.  Their website states,

"Reinvented for our present time and needs, New Amsterdam Market will incubate a new growing business sector: purveyors who source food directly from farmers and producers whom they trust to be good stewards of our land and water."

We arrived a little late in the game at about 3:15, though luckily there was still enough time to take a look around.  Among many wonderful items present at the market were really tasty cider, kimchi, smokra (smoked, pickled okra), mead, and cheese.  The Market was also very festive, providing the vendors with bells, which they rang in order to spark holiday cheer.  Expect more to come on individual items purchased while shopping and many more posts when they re-open in Spring 2010.

Danny Meyer Considering Plaza Food Kiosks in FiDi

As I mentioned last Friday, for as dead as everyone claims the Financial District to be (and it can't be that bad since I live down there),  they certainly seem to be opening, or at least contemplating, many new restaurant endeavors in the area.  As seen yesterday on Eater,   Danny Meyer Considering Plaza Food Kiosks in FiDi.  All these new places is about enough to make me reconsider my move at the end of January.  Hopefully 2010 will be a rebirth for FiDi... We shall see.  Oink Oink!

Get your Wall Street Burger!: The Open Door is now, um, open on John Street

For as dead as everyone says the Financial District is (I'm not disagreeing entirely), there are certainly a lot of new places opening down there.  Within the last month I can think of at least three.  First the Vintry, then a couple weeks later Goodburger and now right across the street from me, Open Door.  And coming soon (who knows when?!), Bon Chon will also open a few doors down.  All of this just two months before my lease runs out and I move farther uptown... I guess you can't win 'em all.  Luckily, my brother will still be in the area.  Anyway, more to come on the above mentioned locals in the next couple of week.  Have a good weekend!

Prime Bites at The Palm

Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, stuck in NY with nothing to do. Lucky for me, my brother lives a block away and is never one to turn down going out to dinner. We decided we'd try The Palm Tribeca, a member of the chain steakhouse whose downtown location has been open for almost a year.

We sat at the bar and were pleased when the bartender suggested we try the New Prime Bites Menu, a select bar menu costing a mere $3.50 per dish after 9:00 pm. At first we couldn't believe it, anything costing less than $20 at The Palm?!, and I mean, who really eats before nine o'clock in New York anyway, but sure enough... every appetizer was only $3.50. Our choices were as follows : Filet Mignon Capri Sandwiches, "Ultimate" Chicken Strips, Mini Broiled Crab Cakes, Veal Parmigiana Sliders, "Point Judith" Calimari Fritti and Prime Cheese Steak. Additionally, oysters were $1 and jumbo shrimp $2. We chose half a dozen oysters, which came with a dipping vinagrette, the calamri and the cheese steaks, both which came with a pile of cross-cut potato chips. The cheese steak sandwiches (3 per order) came on a delicious bun that definitely made this the favorite of the meal. Unfortunately, the calamri was fairly bland and the cocktail sauce that accompanied it did nothing to help. The potato chips, which looked delicious, were disappointing lacking flavor almost entirely. Hopefully in the future they will add something as simple as a Lawry's Seasoned Salt to the chips to spice them up.

The discount menu, which is also available from 4:30-6:30 pm, does not include drink specials, although the palm belgian wheat ale is a tasty compliment to their wine selection.

While the food did not blow me away, the price was unbeatable and I will likely be back in the near future (at least for a beer and oysters).