Mexico in Buenos Aires...tsk tsk.

When I think of American food I think of, well, Mexican.  Burritos, fajitas, quesadillas, anything smothered in sour cream, cheese, and salsa.  Between the endless chains and small "authentic" Mexican restaurants (I am not including Taco Bell in this category), I think American's could teach Mexican's a thing or two about their own cuisine.  Ok, not really, but we could definitely teach those in Argentina what (our) Mexican food is all about.  

(guiaoleo.com.ar)

I went to El Salto de las Ranas (The Frogs' Leap) here in Buenos Aires last night and I was completely underwhelmed.  There was a 5 peso silverware fee on top of the ridiculous prices.  I ordered the quesadilla con hongos (mixed mushroom quesadilla) and it came out as two little soft taco type things the size of my palm.  With no sour cream, no salsa, nada.  They tasted well enough, but cost 10 pesos and were gone in 10 seconds.  I also got a cazuela de guacamole (guacamole in a terra cotta pot).  The guacamole was average, leaning on the side of pretty decent.  But it came with a spoon.  I have always thought of guacamole as a dip instead of a soup.  Guacamole soup (?) 12 pesos.  

Now, I may sound cheap when I say that this was expensive but to be fair the portions were just too small and strange.  And the service was slow and unfriendly.  To be fair, the place itself was dramatic and colorful and had a chandelier made of corn stalks.  Perhaps I ordered incorrectly, but most other items on the menu were in the 50 peso price range.  If you would like to find out for yourself and (hopefully) prove me wrong: Rodriguez Peña 1164 - Ciudad de Buenos Aires Tel: 4811-2635

Cold Sooooup

Is it me or does cold soup get a bad rap?  Yes, I know, it is not the season to be defending anything cold, but I am a loyal lover of cold soup year round.  Many times the ingredients are raw and therefore quite healthy, and a lot of times the soups tend to not be as heavy as those cream based chowders.  After all, as the winter months linger, we all tend to put on a few pounds.  This way, you can eat soup and have a taste of summer, too. . . 

(image from the perfectpantry.com)

GAZPACHO (yes, it deserves to be in all caps) is typically a tomato based summer soup as it is served cold and requires fresh and ripe ingredients.  There are, however, other kinds of gazpacho, depending on the country.  For instance, Spain has a white gazpacho which is cucumber based, and much creamier. Here is my take on the traditional recipe:

Ingredients:

8 ripe tomatoes, chopped


1/2 purple onion, finely chopped


1 cucumber, peeled, chopped


1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped



2 tablespoons olive oil


1 clove garlic

2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice


2 teaspoons sugar


Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste


6 or more drops of Tabasco sauce to taste


1 ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

4 cups tomato juice, V8, or even Clamato if you're into that sort of thing..

Optional garnishes: dollop of sour cream, avocado cubes, croutons, cut up fresh mozzarella.

Method:

Combine all ingredients and blend slightly (I prefer a blender to a food processor, personally).  Place in a non-reactive storage container, cover, and refrigerate for several hours so the flavors blend.  You will probably find that the longer you wait to eat it, the stronger the flavors will become.  When you are ready to eat, add garnishes.  

As a side note, I recommend cutting everything pretty coursely, and not being too careful about peeling and taking out the seeds.  I prefer gazpacho to be a little bit chunky, rustic if you will, while others prefer a smoother consistency.  But no matter how you cut your veggies or how long you blend, make sure your gazpacho is never thin.  The worst thing that could happen is for it to come out watery.  Trust me. 

Cold Curried Yogurt Soup 

Ingredients:

1/3 cup water

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 cup fat free half and half

3 cups plain nonfat yogurt

1 cucumber, chopped and seeded

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

salt to taste

 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Garnishes:

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped 

1 tablespoon dill, chopped 

Method:

Dissolve the curry in water. In a large bowl mix the curry water, the yogurt, half and half, and all ingredients except for the garnishes. Stir well until combined.  Chill for a few hours.  Add garnishes. 

Cantaloupe Soup (I know, I know, just listen..)

Ingredients:

2 large cantaloupes, seeded and chopped

5 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 cups sour cream

4 tablespoons chopped fresh mint 

1/3 cup whatever white wine you have sitting around

1/2 teaspoon orange peel, grated

1/2 teaspoon lemon peel, grated

Garnish:

mint leaves

Method:

Blend the cantaloupe, sugar, and mint until even.  Stir in the remaining ingredients and chill for a few hours.  Add garnish.   For a cute touch, you can serve the soup in a seeded cantaloupe.  

Something a little different

I know I usually write about food, as that is what this is all about, but I thought I would share a different experience with you:

Nare Café- (602 Seneca Ave.- 347-294-4739)$, Great for Groups, BYO Wine:

For months I had been wondering when or if there would be nightlife in my neighborhood of Ridgewood, Queens.  Happily, I report that slowly but surely one is emerging.  I went to the tiny but cozy Nare Café, a dark and heady hookah and tea bar that was previously in Manhattan but shut down due to underage drinking.  What I found was mood lighting, loud music, and fantastic service. I went with friends and we asked for two hookahs - one mango and one cantaloupe, out of the 20 flavors to choose from.   The hookahs, which seemed never-ending and are the unbeatable price of $7, appeared with a teacup filled with soapy water and a bubble wand.  Sam, our server, showed us how to create gigantic smoke-filled bubbles.  They were the nights greatest hit.   Our server constantly came and replaced our coals while making small talk about the area and their new location.  We had brought our own wine and he opened it for us for free, though said that after the first time there is a $10 corking fee.   As the night and the smoke seemed to be ending, Sam reached our table with one more hookah, on the house.  We chose coconut, my favorite of the evening, and settled back into our carved wooden benches for more conversation, exhalation, and bubbles.   M-R 4 pm to 2 am.  F-Sun 4 pm to 4 am.

Olea Mediterranean Tavern

(image from flikr.com)

First, let me start out by saying that I love tapas.  I am one of those people that usually ends up with food envy.  I look at the menu and there are (usually) three things that I can't choose between.  I used to ask the server to just pick between those three and surprise me, but the (not so surprising) result was always the most expensive dish.  Enter: tapas.  A little bit of everything that I want to try, without the depressing emptying of my wallet or my rolling on home.  A few tapas, a little wine, and I couldn't be happier.  So without further ado, I introduce to you Olea.  

Olea Mediterranean Tavern (171 Lafayette Ave in Fort Green, 718-643-7003, oleabrooklyn.com) $$- I went the first time with a few friends that had recently fallen in love with the place.  I, the converted, loved it so much I took my boyfriend there for his birthday.  It is warm, romantic, and small enough to feel personal without being cramped.  In other words, we could hear each other speaking.  The service was very much above average the first time, and average leaning towards good the second.  

I (in between both visits and sharing) tried the oysters (East and West coast), falafel-crusted artichoke hearts with eggplant, grilled baby octopus, lamb meatballs with feta and tomato sauce, asparagus, sirloin steak, crusted salted cod, swiss chard, and orange creme brulee for dessert.  The artichoke hearts, lamb meatballs, and the swiss chard were my favorites, though I recommend everything I tried.  The baby octopus was a bit bland but fine, and the salted cod needed to be kept in better company than olives which made it just too salty, but overall everything was sauced well, flavorful, and perfectly portioned.  The wine list is not particularly inspired, and they did not have the wine I ordered either time, but the beer list had my boyfriend downing one so he could try another.

The atmosphere itself is reason enough to go.  Try and go either for an early or late dinner, because there are no reservations for parties of less than five, and as the place is small it tends to fill up quickly.  Or go for brunch.  I think the best way to go is checking it out during "Happy Happy Happy Hour" where mostly everything is about half off (tapas are $3-$7 otherwise).  Look on their website for more details about special and regular events, like Spanish Fridays.  

Lamb on a Budget

 

Dill Lamb Chops with Sweet Fall Squash

 

Sautéed Lamb Chops:

4 lamb chops

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes (or black pepper)

1 clove garlic, peeled and diced

3 tablespoons olive oil (or enough to cover bottom of large pan).

-Combine dill, salt, pepper, and garlic in a medium size bowl.  Place one lamp chop at a time in the mixture and make sure to cover both sides with a healthy amount.  Rub in. 

-Heat up oil in large pan over high heat.  When oil is warm, put lamb chops on. Cover for 5 minutes, then flip. Lower heat to medium.  Let rest. Sautéing  should take no more than 15 minutes

 

Tzatziki:

4 ounces thick Greek yogurt

4 ounces sour cream

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced

¼ lemon, juiced

1 teaspoon olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1 clove garlic, peeled and diced.

 

-Combine Greek yogurt and sour cream in a medium size bowl.

-In a food processor, combine and blend lemon juice, olive oil, cucumber, and dill until smooth.

-Fold in blended ingredients into the creamy mixture and slowly blend. – do not mix too much or the yogurt will become runny.

-Add salt and pepper to taste.

-Put in refrigerator to chill for one hour.

-Pour over lamb chops or serve on side. 

 

Sweet Fall Squash:

 ½ acorn squash, peeled, seeded, and diced into one inch cubes

½ stick butter, softened

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon honey.

 

-Preheat oven to 420 degrees. 

-Grease medium pan with ½ of the half stick of butter.  Place diced squash into pan and cover with the rest of the butter and brown sugar.  Drizzle the honey over the squash.  Cover with foil and roast in oven for 45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Be Bold, Order Strangely

Sushi Yasuda $$$(204 E 43rd St- Tel (212)972-1001)- Yesterday, a friend and I decided to catch up over sushi. We chose Sushi Yasuda because I had been hearing great things (freshest fish ever, melt in your mouth sushi, etc) and luckily for me, my friend loves sushi as much as I do.  If nothing else, the constant dare by reviewers of "Sushi Yasuda is not for sushi amateurs" was, for me, reason enough to go.  

I called for a reservation and after much confusion and difficulties because of the language barrier, I was able to get a reservation from 7:30 to 9 at the sushi bar. My interest immediately grew as I have never been given a time limit at a restaurant and definitely not at the bar.  

I arrived and was impressed and intimidated by the decor.  Huge light wood panels cover the entire room and little bright lights keep the room elegantly but well lit.  Sushi Yasuda is nothing but clean in atmosphere and presentation.  I have read reviews that say dress casually.  I think they mean business casual as most people were in suits.  This is definitely the type of place to recommend to your boss.

My friend and I both ordered the prix fixe sushi menu which came with salad or miso soup, 5 pieces of sushi, and 2 rolls (everything is picked from the prix fixe menu and therefore some of your favorite choices may not be an option) for $22.50 or a few dollars more with dessert.

We started off with drinks, he drinking a Pinot Grigio (the only option) and I drank plum wine.  He got the salad and I got the miso soup.  I recommend the salad, the soup was a bit bland.  Then it was time for the sushi.  My five pieces were salmon, squid fin, sea scallop (not Himo), cherrystone-clam, and striped-bass.  His included rainbow trout and orange-clam (his sushi pieces pictured above).  The sushi comes with a thin layer of soy sauce painted on and any more soy sauce would have overwhelmed the taste of the fish (a lesson my friend quickly learned).  Everyone was right.  The fish is incredibly fresh, does melt in your mouth, and is not for beginners.  

The rolls were slightly less exciting to my Americanized tongue.  With rolls, and I'm sure that this is the stuff of amateurs, I expect more, well, stuff.  A little roe here, a chunk of avocado there.  The rolls at Sushi Yasuda, like everything else in their establishment, are no-frills and all about quality.  Each roll comes as traditional fish, rice, and seaweed, with a dab of wasabi.  My friend and I each ordered two rolls but the sushi chef had the fun idea of splitting them up so we could try a little bit of everything.  Had we known this beforehand, we wouldn't have chosen so similarly.  The white king salmon roll was a personal favorite.  

Sushi Yasuda is not for the timid.  Be bold, order strangely.  If you do not go for the prix-fixe menu, try the chef's red penned selections of the day.  They are the freshest.  Expect attentive service (if not a bit difficult to understand), and be sure to ask your chef what it is that you are eating.  

Peru in Brooklyn

(image from nycgo.com)

Chimu (482 Union Ave- (718)349-1208)$$- Next to Union Pool, the rowdy Williamsburg bar, is a small but not so hidden gem: Chimu.  After much argument about price vs. atmosphere vs. type of food, my boyfriend and I finally agreed upon eating Peruvian, more so out of frustration than anything else.  He wanted to eat something warm and heavy in a relaxed setting and did not want to pay very much.  I immediately picture Friday's.  No.  To Chimu we went.  

We arrived around 7 and the place was nearly deserted.   The lights were low, the candles were plentiful, and the fun Peruvian music was just soft enough.  The service was attentive without being overbearing, and continued to be so even after 8 when Chimu became instantly packed.  

I ordered a glass of house red (it was fine) and he ordered a Pisco Sour which was frothy and much larger than expected.  

I ate the ceviche mixto which was piled high calamari, shrimp, white fish, mussels, onions, cilantro, and even a small crab.  It came with Peruvian corn, sweet potato, and a regular potato.  Additionally, I ordered a side of maduros (fried sweet plantains).  Everything was fresh, well seasoned, and thoughtfully planned out.  Well, everything but the corn which was bland and unnecessary.  

My boyfriend had the Chupe de Camarones, a gigantic creamy soup with large pieces of shrimp and vegetables floating around.  It had a ton of queso fresco, which was not mentioned on the menu but was a happy surprise.  The soup was much bigger than expected and we saw a table next to us splitting it (a wise decision).  He also had a chicken empanada which was very crunchy but kind of greasy, nothing special.  Do not order the soup if your stomach is sensitive.  While it was definitely tasty and very filling, it was perhaps too much cream and cheese (I never thought I would say that) for one recipe.  Perhaps splitting it would be less harsh on the belly.  

Go to Chimu.  Go very, very hungry.  We went hungry and came home with leftovers.  Try everything mentioned above (minus the empanada), the Aji de Gallina, or the Jalea.  Finish it all off with a dulce de leche crepe and I promise you will be wanting to go back very soon after.