Daniel

This weekend we made strawberry/ passion fruit margaritas for close to 25 people.. We then had all this left over strawberry juice .. So last night we made strawberry marscapone tarts. With the tarts we took vanilla ice cream and blended with the left over strawberry juice.. It was pretty amazing..

Really well done.. Amazing photos as always. This was your one days schedule.. 1:00 pm - eat 2:00 pm - eat 2:30 pm - eat 4:00 pm - eat 5:00 pm - eat 6:00 pm - eat 7:30 pm - eat 9:00 pm - eat 10:30pm - eat Haha.. Pretty damn impressive.

Had a party at my house the other day for Miss K.. Cooking was our house keeper and her Aunt, both from Mexico.. Started with guacamole and black beans cooked with this green herb.. I don't remember the name but it added a ton of flavor.. It wasnt epazote but, it looked like it.. Long flavorful dried out leaves.. Homemade chips and queso fresco. Chicken enchiladas.. Chicken boiled in saltwater, tortilla dipped in sauce and rolled.. Covered with cabbage, raddish, crema, and queso fresca.. This was like one of 4 of these dishes.. Spicy chilaquiles.. Cactus salad.. There is some jalapeno in there Boiled pigs feet in an aromatic broth.. Served with pickled peppers and carrots giving it a wonderful vinegar burst.. Tamales with pineapple sauce.. Whenever you here a soft patting sound coming out of a Mexican kitchen, its a very good thing.. Here are Gordita Boats being made.. Cecina or air dried salted beef gorditas.. Porkbelly sandwiches..

1)Microgreens with poached egg, crostini with thinly sliced lardo.. 2)Ramp and ricotta ravioli, brown butter, parm, and guanciale. 3)Coffee crusted venison loin, sunchoke puree, wine and mushroom reduction. 4)Cheese from Greenmarket.. Was not a fan of two out of the three selected.. Stinging nettle cheese was interesting though/ 5)Strawberry marscapone tart with strawberry milkshake shot..

The place is literally around the corner from me as you know.. And after spending 80 dollars at French Roast the other day for two cheeseburgers and a couple of beers, all bets are off.. I meant to say it seemed 80's or 90's but not in a negative way.. I kind of enjoyed the retro feel..

I live around the corner from this place and for some reason had a mental block.. I have gone to this restaurant perhaps 3 times in the last 6 years.. Though, it is steps from my place.. A main reason is the fact that the windows are dark and the first thing you see when you look inm is a small crowded bar area .. Past the bar, is a long narrow hallway where the dining room is not visible.. So I just assumed this place was completely packed all the time.. After walking past the restaurant the other day and seeing such a wonderful menu, I made a commitment to eat there more often.. So, being home early from work, I made an early rezi and they were happy to accommodate me.. The food is upscale comfort food.. Very heavy, pretty expensive, with the style a tad outdated. I only say outdated because it seems very 80's early 90's to me.. Large over sized plates, with the plating style of an almost neuvo stacking design.. Certainly not reaching for the ceiling type presentation, but it is like an 80's hairdo with not as much hairspray.. Our table started with an 1)endive and blue cheese salad, 2)gnocci with short ribs and a herbed ricotta, and 3)cauliflower flan with lobster, mushrooms, in a lobster bisque.. All of these things were freaking fantastic.. I have been eating heavy lately so I was really looking forward to a green salad.. The salad was simple, it was maybe 7 or 8 endives that were just chopped in large pieces.. A wonderful creamy blue cheese dressing was placed over the endives.. The endive was bitter and crisp and just perfect.. Tom Valenti is a braising master.. I have read his cook books and seen his recipes.. The man goes above and beyond what normal restaurants do.. The thing that takes food to the next level is stocks.. And he certainly knows that.. The braised short ribs were the best I have ever had.. But this is why people go to restaurants.. I dont have time to make my own Veal Stock, my own beef stock, and chicken stock, solely for one dish at my house.. But that's what he does to his short ribs.. In it goes, veal and beef stock, red and white wines, and a host of herbs. The gnocci were perfect little pillows of air, the meat was perfectly tender, and the remaining sauce on the plate was get extra bread and clean the bowl good.. The cauliflower custard with the lobster, mushrooms and lobster bisque was equally amazing.. Again, its all about the stock.. And this was one of the best lobster bisques, if not the best I have ever tasted.. A remarkable dish.. For entrees I order a grilled pork loin wrapped in bacon, served with grilled ribs and some corn cakes.. For me it was just ok.. They server said we suggest you order the tenderloin medium rare.. I happily accepted but then received a tenderloin the was medium.. Though it was good, it was a bit boring after awhile.. Though most main courses tend to lose my interest.. The ribs were wonderfully fall of the bone and well glazed at the end.. However, I really missed the smoke component I expect when eating ribs.. Someone else at the table got the short ribs for an entree.. Just more of an amazing thing.. Served with a horseraddish spaetzle that really took the dish to the next level.. Really, if you like shortribs, or want to try the best in town, this is the place to go.. Or if you want to make your own veal stock and beef stock and buy his cookbook, you can always do that.. Desserts were really good.. I had a coffee sunday served in an old school sunday glass.. Like a parfait with layers of coffee ice cream, heavy whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and caramel.. All with chunks of espressos crunch placed through out the dish.. A pannacotta with passion fruit sauce was equally good.. I wonder how the menu changes for the summer or if it does.. This seems like a perfect winter restaurant. Though, with food this good, I would eat this during the summer too.. I am writing this review so I can remember that I need to come here at least once a month..

The best things come from playing.. Looks great Johnny.

Hey Tupac! I havent seen you in over a year.. Hope all is well.. Really pretty looking dish.. Can you tell me a little about your Quatre épices..

Whoops, I didnt mean Dick's, I meant: Nellie's Cafe 1226 W Hadley Ave, Las Cruces, NM 88005

Nothing new to add besides saying that Dick’s Cafe has one of the better burgers I have ever had.. Green Chile Cheese Burgers are just so damn good..

Has this been spoken about? I am not an avid watcher but, two episodes ago The Second City Show, they flashed a disclaimer.. Producers and judges pick the person to go home.. And that it might not depend on the contest.. That really turned me off to the competitive side of the show..

You can buy 4 gallons of cheap blue dressing for 30 dollars.. Which equals around 500 servings.. Now divide 30 dollars by 500 hundred servings and you get 6 cents worth of dressing.. Do the same with the lettuce and you have yourself a cheap salad.. Now how much does a local blue cheese cost? Most local blue cheese I have come across whether its in Maine or NYC or whatever, we are talking about big money.. Local greens? I made me a six serving salad with mixed greens the other day that cost me at wholesale, 17 bucks for just the lettuce.. You are jumping from 30, 40, 50 cents a plate to 5-7 dollars to make.. Before employees and everything else.. I hear what you are saying but the the cost difference is ridiculous.. But like you say, the restaurant shouldnt be the most expensive restaurant in town then..

Yeh, thank you.. I did a review of it up thread... I so many photos to still go through.. I only wrote up a few meals out of a two week trip..

Fearing the wine folk might think its a little gauche, I figure I can post my question here.. Plus it has brandy! I usually just do a mixture of brandy, cheap rioja, fresh orange juice, apples, sugar, oranges, and call it a day.. Anyone have anything that is particularly outstanding or interesting.. Having a party later today for about 20 people.. In addition to beer and fresh juice margaritas, we would like to make a bunch of sangria.. Thanks..

The pork had wonderful marbling to it.. It was really juicy, a little sweeter then normal pork.. It was some of the best quality pork I have ever had.. Needless to say, I just took a few pieces of pork and plated it like this for a photo.. Everyone got a whole chop.. Also, I feel bad about the photo because the top piece was an end.. But hey, the fact that I got a photo off was pretty impressive.. Haha.. The greens are from Wynngate farms at the greenmarket in Manhattan.. I am embarassed to say how much that costs at retail.. One of the more memorable salads I have had however. Also, in terms of bluefish ceviche.. Bluefish and Monk are my two favorites to cevicherize.. They hold up texturally really well..

Has some friends over last night for dinner.. We picked up some stuff from the green market yesterday and were excited to cook with them.. Funny enough, the guys from Ottomanelli's were given a bunch of bluefish from someone who works there.. So when I went to go in to pick up the newly arrived peanut fed pork chops, they also handed me this 4.5 pound bluefish.. We started with blue fish ceviche.. Just like the recipe I had made the prior night.. Spicy with garlic, a solid dish.. The bluefish being caught at 4 o clock that morning helped.. Paired this with a really wonderful Sake.. This is how it ended up. Next up was a salad made with a collection of microgreens.. There was corn shoots and all sorts of things.. I think like 10 different things.. I loved the salad.. Served with these chicken eggs we bought there.. Very small blue shells? Light dressing of this Spanish Olive oil and sherry vinegar. But when the egg ran, it just became amazing.. The yolk was frothy... Think I am some sort of animale and am not going to show the runny yolk.. Bought this homemade style pasta.. Cooked with ramps, guanciale, and parm.. Peanut Fed Berkshire Pork.. Served with the chickpea, squid, and chorico spicy paprika stew I had the prior night for dinner.. Pretty outstanding.. A pretty nice looking Murrays Cheese plate served with PX '79 For dessert we had a maple marscapone cheese cake.. Will add photo later if I can pull it out of my phone.. I came home from work last night at 630 and we were ready for dinner by 8:00 Tonight, I am having a salad...

I dont think I criticized the food at all till the last comment.. I did say however that I dont like Marcus's cooking in the restaurants I have gone to, or his TV show., I said its shady that he didnt show up to the opening of his restaurant... But I dont believe there is anything I said that indicates I had gone to the restaurant or tried any of his food.. I was pretty clear about my problems with the place.. But did not once say the restaurant is bad, or that the food is bad..

Have YOU eaten there, Daniel? ← I have not and will not eat there.. I think its pretty clear how I feel about the restaurant.. I dont need to drop 2 bills on some shitty drinks and some African Tuna Tartare to know this place sucks.. I went to Riingo when it opened.. I paid my dues..

You going back?

Go to 116th for African..

Run of the mill NYC Food? I thought it was a place to grease up your hair, throw on too much cologne and head through the tunnel to Manhattan...

I really think it was a statement.. Like a big F.U to the owners or his partners or something.. The only reason this place received the attention it did was because of Marcus..

It has been stated before that Marcus isnt even an owner of Merkato 55.. I dont know for sure if he is or isnt.. But for an owner to not show up at the opening of his new restaurant is a Big Deal. I am assuming Marcus used this as a vehicle to sell his book, got paid a ton of dough to attach his name to the project but, didnt get paid enough to be at the opening? How could he not show up at the opening, or have it in his contract that he was required to show up at the opening.. You see Paris Hitlon claiming income in the millions of dollars for just showing up to various clubs for a few nights.. I think him not showing up at the opening says a lot.. None of it positive.

Last night made red snapper and shrimp ceviche.. Ceviche consisted of lime,cream,horseradish, garlic, red onion, a shot of Mexican crema, red onion and cilantro... It was loosely stolen from something I ate at Douglas Rodriguez's place.. Next up was chickpea, squid, and smoked Portuguese Chorico, in a spicy paprika broth.. For the broth started with garlic, added Italian Red Pepper Paste, then a few cups of fish stock and a ton of sweet paprika.. Added the chickpea....Added the grilled chorico and the squid.. It was a wonderful dish.. Cheese course of 4 cheeses, homemade raspberry tart with ice cream and a 79' Pedro Ximenez to end..

Also a half a block east of Sullivan on the southern side of 47th, there is a Mexican Deli.. I would suggest you get an egg, chorizo, and jalapeno sandwich for breakfast.. It is crazy hot..