it's a CELEBRATION : Flea Street Cafe

RER 8.24.14

We decided it was my “birthday,” so we ate like it was a celebration and devoured the seasonal menu at Flea Street Café in Menlo Park, California.

Heirloom Tomato and Peach Salad

Surprisingly enough, the title of the dish didn’t include sexy burrata (burrata makes everything better…or is that bacon?). This summer seasonal salad was light, buoyant and delicious. The pecan pesto made vibrant with sea salt added a little heartiness to combat the sweet and tangy fruits and the silky creamy burrata.

RER 8.24.14

Corn and Mushroom Agnolotti

The flavors were delicate, but at the same time pungent enough to hold their own. The sweet corn played to the fresh eggy pasta and the creamy, chewy mushrooms. Even the cheese brought punch, livening up the mellow moments.

RER 8.24.14

Ricotta and Chive Gnocchi

The dense gnocchi dotted with green chives, swam in a mess of delicious chaos, served with a canopy of a thin crispy round of pancetta. Silky chanterelle mushrooms mellowed the tomato sofrito, which was more intense and tangy.

RER 8.24.14

McFarland House-Smoked Trout

Pretty seasoned waffle potato chips were the perfect base for a flaky forkful of the smoky pink trout and a balanced pinch of the potato salad. The smoky bacon echoed the smoke in the trout bringing out the meatiness in the fish, while the salad –soft potatoes, salty bacon, pleasantly bitter frisee, and horseradish crème fraiche vinaigrette— added a complexity of flavors.

RER 8.24.14

Lamb and Buckwheat Crepes

The layers of flavor and expertise were exhibited in this second course. The lamb was meaty and tender, meeting perfectly with the nuttiness of the doughy buckwheat crepes. The sweet roasted beets played to the sweetness of both the meat and the crepes, while the little crown of bitter frisee added complexity and recalled the earthiness of each element.

RER 8.24.14

Which Came First?

This chicken entrée sounded complex complete with a poached egg and pork belly, but in the end felt like two separate dishes. One was comprised of sweet corn puree, smooth lobster mushrooms, mealy fava beans, salty pork belly, and the almost runny poached egg. The other was the filled rounds of chicken with crispy skin. It was a mishmash of freshness that encapsulated the season, but could have united more seamlessly.

RER 8.24.14

Meyer Lemon Beignets

The tiny filled beignets were extremely tart, banishing all saccharine and greasy effects. The crunchy granules of sugar that coated their exterior and the crunchies beneath the cream were welcomed and necessary. The seasonal huckleberry compote added more tang and shifted the balance even further to an uncomfortable tartness.

 RER

8.24.14

RER 8.24.14

NYCRW: fig & olive

RER 8.6.14

It was warm and the sun was still shining so they sat outside. An early dinner. They lounged at a table hugging the exterior wall of Fig & Olive Downtown, enjoying slow sips and silent laughter. The pair indulged in time while perusing the Restaurant Week menu. But, in reality, they were hungry.

JAR 8.6.14

RER 8.6.14

Being simultaneously presented with amuse-bouche focaccia paired with three varieties of olive oil (light-, medium- bodied and peppery) and two colorful plates, left them flustered and hungrier than ever. Both appetizers were gorgeous, vibrant with colors aching to be devoured.

The seductive burrata arrived on top of orange rings of cantaloupe, bruised red wedges of heirloom tomatoes and a bright green basil oil. Its creamy center oozed, merging with the sweet fragrant cantaloupe. The tangy tomato brought its own sweetness and mimicked the texture of the other fruit, mildly more firm. The herbaceous emulsion added a savory feeling forging a rounder dish— fresh, light and luxurious.

RER 8.6.14

He handed her his spoon, an invitation to try his blisteringly bright lobster bisque. The bold red broth was briny and smooth, saltwater and sunshine. Dense pimenton chive mascarpone floated in the shallow pool, accompanied by partially submerged lobster pieces and a pretty crouton. Layers of lobster were highlighted by taste, texture and easy comfort.

Before she could even soak up the lingering delicate wet strands of burrata from her plate, darker hued entrees arrived, a striking contrast.

RER 8.6.14

The little rosemary lamb chops were served with herbed goat cheese gnocchi. The gnocchi were dense and shocking, luscious accents elevated to the level of the fancy gamey chops. Slabs of grilled eggplant added smoke and bitter notes as relief of richness. It was a decadent mix of familiar and flavors.

RER 8.6.14

He eyed the pretty set up of steeped oils and almond slivers, a pathway to a small bowl of her spiced couscous, perfect to soak up the deep juices of the chicken tajine entrée. Chicken pieces, dark with spices and buttery with time and seasoning, were placed on top of stewed carrots, zucchini and cippolini onions, plump figs and briny green olives. An aromatic dish, which tempted the senses. 

Even after eating their fill, they still craved something sweet, something to complete the circle.  Desserts, however, were less layered but the minimalist aesthetic resembled still life.

RER 8.6.14

A chocolat pot de crème was lined with a lose blanket of white cream hiding a thick chocolate pudding. Its sensuous bitter acquired taste diminished with every bite, blooming to smooth memories. While the dessert crostini were gorgeous—ripe red strawberries resting on a crunchy shortbread rimmed with sugar, smeared with sweet lusty mascarpone, and drizzled with dark balsamic. Both desserts featured expected connections and contrasting textures.

RER 8.6.14

With that, their early dinner was over and the sun was still out. Holding hands, they left, musing about the pretty eats, full flavors, and delectable bites.

RER

8.6.14

RER 8.6.14

SOUTH of the border: TACO trouble

RER 2.8.13

There was no way I could go to Mexico without having tacos. Not only did I have tacos, but I gorged on so many tacos it was amazing. We had meat tacos, and fish tacos, with flour, corn and even cheese tortillas (I know, sounds as awesome as they tasted), gringas with cheese, or just good ol’ meat layered until infinity. I had the wildest array of deliciousness stuffed into a tortilla. It truly was vacation.

Not that the meat ones were not very exciting, because that would be a lie, but they were just pretty traditional. All the meats were perfectly cooked, tender and a great mouthful, but they were straightforward. I had tacos al pastor, heavily spiced and colored pork, bedded with cheesey greatness on a flour tortilla. Delicious, but straight forward and mildly predictable. Then there were pork chop tacos, with cubes of perfect pork chop meat and a loud dose of cheese, or even tacos de costilla (rib) with great texture and chew.

RER 2.12.13

My favorite meat taco was the taco I was most afraid to try, barbacoa lamb. I could honestly say, I am not a giant fan of lamb. Even though I look forward to the traditional (well in my house) Easter meal every year, it is more about the holiday and the family, than the lamb. We were initially going to have pork carnitas for breakfast, but that first choice was closed, and luck was on our side when El Corral Del Carnero was open on the off chance and we were to have barbacoa.  I was skeptical at first, not looking forward to the gamy meaty feeling of lamb in the morning. But I was severely pleasantly surprised. It was the most, tender, delicious meat I have ever tasted, on either side of the border. There was not a single shred of the dreaded heaviness, but instead it was juicy, moist, and light. It was not fatty or dry, but perfectly addictive (I ended up ordering another taco, and paying the restaurant another visit before I left). Throw some chopped onions and a little guacamole on there, and I was set to eat like six.

RER 2.8.13

Now the more vibrant and exciting tacos, were less traditional and less red meat. We went to a hot spot in Merida, called El Pez Gordo, home of the fish tacos and delicious seafood snacks. My friend and host knew the menu inside and out, so that made the daunting choice much much easier. And can I say, everything was so good? I wanted more even when I thought my stomach was going to explode (which was probably the whole trip, but in a good way).

We had four different kinds of amazing fish tacos. The place has carefully chosen toppings and arrangements, but opens up options, like tortilla (flour, corn or cheese!) and protein (fish or shrimp). And somehow, no matter which way you swing it, it was always amazing (went there twice too!).

RER 2.8.13

El grande

The el grande fish taco was a spicy riot of color, violent red from the breading coating the fish, and intense purple radiating from the red cabbage, and a cool green from a dab of guacamole. The fish was coated in a crunchy red spicy delicious breading based and inspired by hot corn chips. It was an extremely creative way to draw different flavors and memories to form the experience of this one taco. It was spicy but both the cabbage and guacamole cooled the mouth to pleasantness, inspiring a great balance.

RER 2.8.13

Gordilocas

This taco was a weird mixture of spicy, and cool, cheesy and smooth. This was more like what we would think of as a quesadilla, meaning there were two tortillas, and all the goodness filled the inside. The bottom tortilla was flour whereas the top was one of the crispy cheese varieties. The inside was smeared with chipotle chilies and their smooth juices, as well as plump shrimp, and a heavy handful of chewy cheese. This, was not my favorite, maybe because it was the last one we tried, but the smokiness of the chipotle and the burned edges of the cheese tortilla created a nice harmony, making the shrimp more meaty rather than sweet.

RER 2.8.13

Crunchi

Like the el grande, crunchi was another colorful taco, boasting the same purple hue, with the addition of specked creamy white colors and perfectly crunchy browns. We chose to get the crunchi with shrimp instead of the tender fish, on top of a cheese tortilla. This was the best decision (ever), three different crunchy textures; cooked cheese of tortilla, coating on the shrimp and the fresh cabbage, which married perfectly. Somehow every flavor was present, the sweet shrimp, the burned resilience of the cheese, and the tempura like crust. The creamy garlic sauce added a mature flavor and dimension.

RER 2.8.13

Choritaco

This of all the tacos probably was the simplest, lacking the spattering of sauces and was more straightforward. It featured a healthy dose of pretty shrimp, and crumbled dark red chorizo (a frequent ingredient on our adventure, appearing here and here). The flour tortilla was also striking with a beautiful thick slice of ripe avocado on top. Its simplicity was refreshing, and the avocado cooled the fatty spiciness of the crisp chorizo, all mellowed by the sweet shrimp.

RER 2.12.13

If I could chose any of the tacos I tried to devour again, it would be a difficult decision (extremely, difficult). With all the different fillings, flavors, twists and techniques, it would prove nearly impossible, because I would eat them all again, and would love to try even more varieties. But if I had to (and I mean absolutely had to, or I would get shot kind of thing…aaand I was allowed more than one) I would pick either (or both, depending on the life or death circumstances) the barbacoa lamb taco, or the crunchi fish taco on that delightful cheese tortilla. Oh wait. I already did eat those twice… 

RER

3.3.13

RER 2.12.13