Cafe el Presidente

Usually places serving tiny and authentic tacos are tiny themselves.  Not Cafe el Presidente.  The Flatiron space feels more open than just about anything in NYC.  It's enough room to house a juice bar that I thought was for show until I tried the spiked sandia cocktail - fresh watermelon juice with tequila.  Que fresca!  (Did I use that right?  I only pretend to know espanol.)  Albert went with the spiked horchata cocktail and enjoyed it so much he had three of them, which is a lot for a guy who almost exclusively drinks beer.  It tasted like Christmas in a glass but it was thin like a caramel macchiato and served on ice so it still felt appropriate in the summer.

We tried the carne asada and the carnitas tacos.  Carnitas was my preferred taco, but when they're this small you really can order several different types and try them all which is why I recommend going with a group.  Whether it's a group dinner or date night (and we saw plenty of both), my biggest recommendation is to order the esquites.  Grilled corn with chipotle mayo and cotija cheese is a hugely popular side dish at taco restaurants but I am just not a fan of getting corn in my teeth and mayonnaise on my cheeks.  Not sexy.  This was the first time I've seen this type of corn cut off the cob and served in a cup.  You still get all the same toppings and the corn got a really spectacular char.  At $3.95 this is by far your best bet on the menu.

Guac with Plantain Chips

I went to a restaurant once that served their guacamole with plantain chips instead of tortilla chips. I loved the starchiness of the chip and because they are less salty than tortilla chips, the guacamole really stands out. Leave it to Trader Joe's to stock plantain chips on the cheap. I grabbed a bag and waited for the long weekend to make some guacamole.

I didn't want to just buy guacamole. It's so much better when you make it yourself because you can keep the avocado a little chunkier and spice to your liking. It's really simple to make so there's no excuse if you can get your hands on a ripe avocado. I made the simplest guac possible: two avocados, one small tomato, half a small onion, half a small jalapeño, and some salt. Mash. 

For your next party, put out some plantain chips with the guac. Your guests won't know what hit em. 

Rayuela

And now for my third brunch post in a row I'll tell you all about Rayuela.  This one is another bottomless brunch spot.  For just $15 you can have sangria added to your entree (which will only set you back about $13 in itself).  You can switch off between sangria flavors, but I started with the passionfruit and liked it so much I never made it to the guava or regular red.

The nuevo latino menu was also enjoyed by all.  I did my job of checking, and all twelve plates at our long table were clean.  I thought my plate of huevos partidos looked small, but I was full for hours.  At first it looks like your basic eggs, potatoes, and sausage.  But then you realize those aren't potatoes, they're pieces of fried yuca.  And it's not regular sausage, it's chorizo, which is just chor-ific.

Bottomless brunch deals like this usually come in smaller, more...rustic restaurants.  But Rayuela is two stories of breezy space.  It really puts the oasis in Sangria Oasis, which, incidentally, is what they call their weekend brunch.

Carnitas Tacos

This year was the first year I had trick or treaters.  Ever.  When I was younger, I was always the one going door to door for candy and once I was old enough to stay home and answer the door, my family had moved to a house that stood all by itself.  No neighborhood means no trick or treaters.  After college, I lived in walk up buildings for five years so there was no opportunity to pass out candy.  When I moved into my current building, equipped with doorman, elevator, and all owned apartments, I thought last year would be my chance.  But no, Halloween was cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy.  I was devastated.  Thankfully I had about 15 pounds of leftover candy to ease the pain.  You'd think I was a pedophile based on how badly I want to hand out candy to children.

But this year was the year.  I was so excited to finally have costumed children knock on my door that I wanted to make a little event out of it.  I invited Albert over and we had taco night.  He brought chips, queso, and Mexican beers while I made carnitas (pulled pork) in the slow cooker.  I used this recipe as a base and made a few small tweaks like adding chopped onions and the juice of a lime.  It really did fall off the bone in the most delicious way.  It was the perfect recipe to cook because the crock pot did it's magic while I was at work so I didn't need to be in the kitchen when the kiddies came a knockin'.  All I had to do when I got home was prep the fixins.  For the side dish I threw some rice in the rice cooker and warmed up a can of black beans on the stove (adding salt, pepper, and my Mom's secret, dried oregano).  Then I filled lots of little bowls with taco toppers.  Avocado, tomato, sour cream, hot sauce - those are all standard.  There are a few more I highly recommend throwing out there to have a supreme taco bar: queso fresco (the white crumbly Mexican cheese), cilantro, and sliced radishes.  If you serve those ingredients with mini corn tortillas, your tacos will seem way more authentic.  Trust.

One parent taking her children around asked what we were cooking and told us three times how good it smelled.  I really thought I was going to have to set another place at the table.  If she thought it smelled good, it tasted that much better.  The meat was super flavorful but didn't require any ingredients uncommon to my pantry.  It's also a really cheap cut of meat so you can make this whole meal to serve four people for about $5/person.  The kids got candy, but this meal was a treat for us adults.  I use the term adult loosely.

Agave

Here's another one to add to your drunk brunch list, folks: Agave.  $25 gets you an entree plus bottomless mimosas, wine, or frozen margaritas.  Bazinga!

I ordered the Southwestern eggs benedict and thought it was a great twist on the traditional.  The English muffins were topped with firm tomato, avocado slices, poached egg, and a chipotle hollandaise sauce.  It's not spicy (I actually added some hot sauce to mine), but it was a nice switch up to the regular eggs benny.  Avocado is a nice switch up to any dish.  Basically, if you ever want to make people fall in love with a normal boring dish, just add avocado to it.  Everyone cleaned their plate - and not just because their taste buds were masked by the ever-flowing booze; the food was just tasty.  The flavors aren't hardcore Southwestern so even pickier palates will find plenty on the menu to enjoy.

  

Julia's Empanada's

After a long bus ride, I was starving by the time I got to DC.  I needed food and I needed it immediately.  Thankfully, Liz lives in the bustling Adam's Morgan area so even though it was 12:30 AM, there was plenty of drunk food to be eaten.  Even completely sober Julia's Empandas were delicious.  I couldn't decide which to try so I ordered two: the Jamaican (Liz's recommendation) and the chorizo (which became my favorite with its curry seasoning).  You really only need one to fill you up since they are larger than typical empanadas so two put me over the edge but I didn't care.  They weren't too doughy and they were each filled with enough meat that the dough threatened to tear under the pressure.  One could definitely serve as a full meal for $3.59.  I only regret not trying one of the fruit filled ones.  I guess I'll just have to schedule another trip to DC.  Bummer.

 

Cuban Sandwiches

I am a major supporter of sandwiches.  Like Secretary of their fan club type of supporter.  So when I found out last week was National Sandwich Week, a celebration was non-negotiable.  But what type of sandwich should I make?  Sure there was plenty of inspiration on the Pinterest board I devoted entirely to sandwiches, but the right sandwich was simple and commonplace enough that it had not even been pinned: The Cuban.

Though it is a sandwich I've had many a time, it's not one I've ever made myself.  Most of this sandwich requires nothing more than a trip to the deli counter: ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard.  But then there is the one ingredient that makes it distinctly Cuban: roast pork.  This is when it gets tricky.  You can't just buy roast pork.  You have to make it yourself which takes this sandwich out of the "on-the-fly" category.  You have to actually do some pre-planning.

So pre-plan I did.  Roast pork is actually easy to make if you set aside a couple hours.  First, whip up a quick marinade of half a cup of olive oil, diced onion (1/4 of the onion should work), 4 cloves of garlic, the juice of 1-2 limes, and oregano (fresh or dried - I used dried).  That should do you for about 4 pounds of bone-in pork shoulder.  Let it marinate for 2-3 hours then stick it in the oven at 325 for about an hour and a half to two hours.  I'm still figuring out the timing on this so just cut into it til it looks right.

Once the pork is cooked and sliced, start assembling your sandwiches.  If I ever use mustard (rare) it's the dijon or stone ground kind, but plain old yellow works best here so slap some on the top half of a portugese roll.  Then start building: pork, ham, dill pickles, and Swiss cheese.  At that point, I know your sandwich will look and smell delicious but if you try to eat it, I will slap your hand away.  Seriously, don't even try to take a bite - it's so much better once it's pressed, so heat up the grill pan and get something heavy (like a skillet topped with a can of beans) to press down the sandwiches.  The result: Miami without the plane ticket.

Cafe de la Esquina

I've never been to La Esquina, but I am now one step closer having been to Cafe de la Esquina.  It may not be in Manhattan, but a quick subway ride to Williamsburg affords you a restaurant in a cool old school dining car (a hipster's take on the 50s) and a big outdoor area with lights strung through the tree branches.  It's true: a tree does grow in Brooklyn.

The weather was perfect for margaritas outside so Matt, Jen, and I sipped away while Avery washed her hair with a lime wedge.  She ended up with a great "There's Something About Mary" look that attracted all the waiters' attention.  After our drinks, we decided to order a few tacos to share.  We tried the grilled fish with chipotle mayo and salsa (you'd be a fool if you didn't use the plate's garnish of pickled red onion on this one), the steak with onions, and the carnitas.  All were good but I may have liked the fish the best, followed by the carnitas.

The tacos were only about $4 and came two per order.  Even better, our happy hour margaritas were only $5 apiece which makes this meal a steal and a half.  Basically, you're getting the same amazing La Esquina food but with a gorgeous outdoor area where you can stretch your legs.  And we all know margaritas taste better when you can lounge while you drink.

Diablo Royale Este

I've been to both Diablo Royale locations plenty of times for the bar, but this is the first time I've eaten there.  Looks like they're more than just micheladas - they make a pretty serious taco.  Since I was still a little full from lunch and was already stuffing myself with chips and salsa, I went with the two tacos for $16 (vs. three for $19).

It's not hard to find a plain chicken taco so I wanted to try two of the more interesting tortilla pockets.  On the left you'll see the Al Pastor, which is chili and pineapple marinated pork with pineapple salsa and crema.  The pork was tender but although it sounds like this would be packed with pineapple flavor, it could have used a little more of a citrus punch.  On the right is the fried oyster taco, topped with lemon cumin aioli, cilantro, and sweet canela plantains.  I really enjoyed this one.  There were plenty of large oysters and the cumin in the aioli gave it a little more substance than the traditional lemon you're used to seeing with oysters.  The taste wasn't the only reason I liked this one.  As I sunk into my second big bite, my chompers landed on something hard - not what you want to feel when most ingredients are on the soft side.  Turns out I found a pearl.  That has to be some sort of lucky sign.  If only I could find about 50 more for a bracelet...

There were two downsides to the meal.  First, they asked if we wanted heat in our guacamole appetizer and we responded with an enthusiastic "yes."  However, our guac was about as mild as it gets.  It would have been fine if they hadn't asked, but once they gave us the option they needed to come to the table, especially when it's $9 for a pretty small bowl.  The next meal setback came as Matt was about two bites into his fajitas.  Through no fault of the restaurant something went down the wrong pipe and he was choking.  For real choking.  He and Karina needed to leave early, leaving Brad and I to decide whether or not it was appropriate to eat the extra two meals.  After a bite or two of their food, we just felt weird and left for another bar with more positive energy.

Freaky choking aside, I was happy with Diablo's tacos.  I think there may be other (perhaps better) places to get good Mexican/tacos, but if you're already going for the bar scene, pull out a chair and grab yourself an oyster taco.  If nothing else, you'll expand your jewelry collection.

Surfs Up

I've been pretty slack with the posting in the last week, but that's only because I thought I had nothing to say.  But then I realized I completely forgot to blog about the going away party I helped throw for Greg and Susan.  I'll admit, this party was thrown begrudgingly on my part since I really don't want them to leave.  Greg was one of the two people I knew when moving to New York.  He let me sleep on his couch for weeks while I was interviewing and getting settled, and when I wasn't sure this small town girl could handle the big city, he convinced me it was the right move to make.  I have spent almost my entire life within walking distance from the boy I refer to as Bosephus, so the fact that he's moving all the way across the country is not something that makes me happy.  I am, however, happy that he landed a spectacular job.  Greg is quite the advertising genius.  He is the man behind those great American Express ads and was nominated for an Emmy for the Conan O'Brien spot that I've included at the bottom of this post.  I'm not the only one who recognized his great work.  Apparently the guys over at TBWA took note, hunted him down to work on the Apple account out in LA, and made him an offer he simply couldn't refuse.  Am I sad?  Incredibly.  But friends like these deserve a nice sendoff, and since they're moving to the land of blondes, beaches, and boobs, we decided it was only fitting to throw them a California Beach Party.

True, its the middle of December so sun and sand is not something you think you'd find in the middle of New York, but Jen found just that.  In Williamsburg, immediately off the L, is a little place called Brooklyn Surf Bar.  This restaurant/bar is tiki heaven.  The entire floor is covered with a thick layer of sand and there are surf boards adorning the walls.  You'd think you were in Hawaii, but one look at all the skinny jeans, thick glasses, and ironic Members Only jackets and you'd realize you were in Brooklyn.  Since we took over the bar at 2 PM on a Saturday in December, there was no need to make a reservation and we were able to have the entire back room to ourselves.  We got several orders of the plantains and yuca for the guests to enjoy (and enjoy we did - they were perfectly fried and came with a spicy tomato-based sauce) and then it was every man for himself when it came to the drinks, which included some fun beach cocktails.  We also brought in a cake and the bar was kind enough to waive the cutting fee - in fact they were nice about pretty much everything.  A cake from a real bakery serves 8 and costs $40.  I decided to pick up a $15 sheet cake from D'Agostino's, have them write a cute message on it, and put on my own swedish fish.  It may not have tasted as amazing as the Momofuku cakes our family buys each other on bdays, but it was dirt cheap, served more people, and matched the party theme.

I'm already planning a California visit - I'll miss you, Greg and Susan!    

Crock-o Taco

It's getting cold out, which means it's crock pot season and Sundays seem to be the official day of the crock.  Slow cookers usually evoke thoughts of cozy Winter stews; but nowadays, there's a crock pot recipe for everything.  This past Sunday, I decided I was ready to try one of those new, non-stew recipes and went with tacos.

Into the crock went stew meat, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, cayenne, chile powder, lime juice, and pineapple juice.  After about 3.5 hours, the beef was nice and shred-able, so I scooped it into tortillas and topped with avocado and fresh tropical salsa (that I bought from Whole Foods because it was a lazy Sunday, after all).  The meat was nice and spicy, but the fruit salsa instantly cooled it off.  In addition to being tasty, it was a little healthier than my usual tacos since they were flavorful enough without cheese or sour cream.

Unfortunately, crock pot season may be cut short since I dropped my pot's lid on the floor during clean up and broke off the handle.  Who am I kidding, I'll probably head to Bed Bath and Beyond next weekend for a new one.  These tacos were too good and too easy not to be repeated.

Havana in Hoboken

On Friday night, Marcy and I headed to Hoboken to have a little girls night with Steph.  We were all exhausted from our respective long weeks so we weren't looking for a super wild night, but we were definitely in search of good food and gossip.  We found just that at Havana Cafe, a new restaurant in Hoboken.  Beyond being in a super convenient location just off the path, the food was quite tasty - good news for me since I love Cuban food and there aren't too many Cuban restaurants lying around.

I missed the complementary cheese and olives because I got caught up at work, but Steph and Marcy assured me it was a great way to start the meal.  I arrived just in time to bite into the two appetizers they ordered while I was on the subway, shrimp tartlets and yuca fries.  I liked the flavor of the shrimp app, but there was a little too much crust for my taste.  The yuca fries were a perfect light golden and came with a garlic dip that would have made me wary of meeting any boys had that been a possibility.  Since I knew there were no gentleman callers on the horizon, I dunked away.  The entrees all run $15-$18 and come with your choice of two sides.  Steph got the red snapper while Marcy and I both got the lechon asado.  My suckling pig was so tender it just fell apart.  On the other hand, the black beans and rice I got as a side dish were a little dry but still enjoyable.  My other side dish was maduros (sweet plantains) and they were prepared perfectly.

I was impressed by the list of mojitos.  They were all made with fresh ingredients and tasted like a summer vacation.  Unfortunately, it seemed to be a non-alcoholic vacation because the drinks - though tasty - weren't very strong.  I wasn't looking to get wasted, so I was happy just to have the fun flavors.

I was very happy with my meal and thought the prices were reasonable.  If you live in Manhattan, I wouldn't necessarily rush there since you could potentially find something similar in the city (though I'm still searching for a good Cuban dinner place that isn't too pricey so if you know of it, please let me know).  However, if you live in Hoboken, I would definitely stop by.

Yum Yum at Pio Pio

Since my parents were exhausted after a full day of travel and apartment hunting, we decided to stay close to their hotel for dinner on Friday night.  Lucky for me, a branch of Pio Pio, a chainlet of Peruvian restaurants was just around the corner.  I had never been there but had heard enough raves about the chicken that I felt confident in recommending it.

We started with the ceviche mixto that included sizable chunks of whitefish, octopus, shrimp, and calamari, tossed with lime juice, cilantro, and red onion.  It was a great ceviche, but I particularly liked the corn nuts that were served on the side.  For the main course, we got the Matador Combo, which was the chicken pio (a whole, Peruvian spiced chicken, much like really good rotisserie chicken), tostones (fried plantains), avocado salad, salchipapa (sausages and fries), and rice and beans.  It was all good but made even better when dipped in the green sauce they place on the table before the meal.  The Matador Combo was easily enough food for four people (I have the leftovers in my fridge to prove it) and only cost $34.  We washed that sweet deal down with one of the best pitchers of sangria I've had in a while.

With access to food like this, I can see why the Incan empire was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America.  With two locations on the East side and another two on the West, it should be easy for you to check it out for yourself.      

Seconds at Socarrat

My parents don't usually like to visit a place twice when they come to New York.  They figure there is so much great food to try, why miss out on a new restaurant by going back to the food you've already experienced.  They made an exception, however, for Socarrat Paella, a restaurant I've blogged about before.  Since it was Father's Day weekend, this reservation was made particularly with my Daddy in mind (though I am not complaining because it happens to be my favorite restaurant).  And yes, you read that right - Socarrat Paella now takes reservations in their second location (in Nolita), which makes life much easier.  The food is just as good and the space is roomier.

I would actually go as far as to say that my meal was better this time than any other time I have eaten there.  The paella itself was as tasty as always (we got the pescado y mariscos again), but this time we got some new apps.  Our first two appetizers were good (croquetas and garlicy sizzling shrimp) and staples for this cuisine, but the other two were fantastic.

The second I picked up the menu, the scallop carpaccio jumped out at me.  I told (not asked) my parents that we would be ordering it.  I had never had scallop carpaccio (it was prepared ceviche style, I believe), but I liked it - a nice break from tuna tartar.  It was fresh with a nice zing from the flecks of sea salt and a drizzle of paprika oil to bring it back to earth.  All over a bed of avocado.  Everyone at the table agreed it was near perfect.  We were wowed yet again by a braised pork shoulder recommended by the waiter.  After he raved about it for a solid five minutes, we were worried we would disappoint him if we didn't order it.  He was right.  Crispy on the top, falling apart underneath - it was cooked impeccably.  It was a special for the evening, but the waiter said it's being requested so often that it is making its way onto the specials list most nights.  As if the paella wasn't amazing enough, those two apps merited Socarrat Paella its second blog mention.  This may have been a Father's Day dinner, but I can confirm that the daughter was beyond pleased.

Cool Cuban

While I was at home blogging, Steph g-chatted me to see what my big birthday plans were.  When I told her I didn't have anything on the books (after all, the big celebration was Saturday night), she was downright appalled.  She was having none of it.  Next thing I knew, I had dinner plans at Coppelia, a new restaurant that conveniently enough was both on my list and right by the PATH for Steph.

Coppelia may look like a normal diner at first glance, but look closer and you'll see Cuban touches like stained glass and an aqua ceiling.  If you do your research, you'll learn Coppelia is run by the guys behind one of my faves, Yerba Buena, which should peak your interest.  After the waiter lists off all the available hard-to-find drinks (Mexican Coke, juices, etc.), your interests should be more than peaked.

Steph and I split an appetizer of Pizza Cubana, which was basically a cuban sandwich on crispy flatbread with pickled onions and spicy mayo.  We also got two sandwiches and split them: the grilled cheese (cheddar, tomato, bacon, and jalapeno) and the cuban (recommended by the waiter).  We made the cuban sandwich a deluxe so we could have some yucca fries.  The food was dang good (pork was nice and juicy) and very reasonably priced (the cuban was huge and only $8).  There are few Cuban restaurants in the city and even fewer that are relatively inexpensive so I think these guys hit it out of the park.

We were extremely disappointed when we got the dessert menu.  We were too full to eat anything but the menu by Pichet Ong was mouthwatering and more extensive and inventive than the typical Cuban choices.  We now know we need to save room next time.  And there will definitely be a next time.

Based on this birthday, I'm thinking 26 is going to be a good year.  Between the party and the food, it has gotten off to a terrific start.  I am so happy to have such amazing friends who pull me away from the blog so I can continue the celebration - just giving me more material to blog about.

I'll Go Back to Brooklyn

I am so happy the Brooklyn Flea decided to make Williamsburg its new home for the Sunday flea market.  I love a good adventure, but I love it even more when it's an easy subway ride away.  There were so many great vendors - food and otherwise.  I stayed until I ran out of cash, which brings me to my next point: Rachael Ray can suck it.

As some of you may recall, Rachael Ray used to have a show on Food Network called $40 A Day, where she would travel to some city and show you all the fun you could have with just forty bucks.  I walked into the flea with two 20s in my pocket, and I'm pretty sure I did more with it than that E.V.O.O.-loving gal could have ever done.

I started by browsing the non-food vendors while I worked up an appetite.  I walked away with a switchplate cover made out of a record and a cameo ring.  That took up exactly half of my funds.  That would have been a meal and a half for Rach and I'll have these trinkets forever.  Round one goes to me.

Once I had my new home decor and jewelry, it was time to eat.  There were a ton of food vendors so I had to make some tough decisions.  There was a huge line for Red Hook Lobster Pound and their $15, good but tiny lobster rolls.  Amateurs.  I decided to start with a pupusa from Solber Pupusas.  Pupusas are stuffed, grilled tortillas (I chose pork and cheese) that are served with pickled cabbage, jalapenos, sour cream, and salsa ($4, with a discount for combos).  This was the first time I had heard of the El Salvadorian street food and I loved it, particularly all the fixins.  I can already tell you I'll be dragging my brother to the Brooklyn Flea next time he visits just so he can taste this because I know it would be right up his alley.

There was a long line for Asia Dog, one of this season's breakout stars, but I was holding on to my pupusa so I didn't want to wait in a line.  I know I'll have to try Asia Dog soon, but I'm not a major hot dog girl anyway [gasp!] so I wasn't devastated that Sunday wasn't the day.  I think sausages are hot dogs that have grown into themselves, so when I saw Brooklyn Bangers - a vendor I had never heard of - I decided to make it course number two.  I got the seasonal rampwurst ($8) and could tell it was a very well made sausage; however, I wish it had a little more spice.  I know not all sausages are supposed to be spicy, but that's how I like them.  

I needed a little dessert, and although Dough (purveyor of uniquely flavored doughnuts) was calling my name, they were too big for me.  Even though they were only $2 each, I decided to resist until I can share one with someone.  Instead, I found the Liddabit Sweets stand.  They had homemade candy bars in all sorts of flavors, jellies, and various caramels.  Everything looked good, especially the King candy bar and beer-pretzel caramels, but I decided to go with sea salt caramels because that's one treat that's just too darn hard for me to pass up.  I got six caramels for $5.25, ate one as my dessert and brought the rest home.  Well, I brought the rest on the subway and finished them off before I made it back to my apartment.

If you're keeping track, I had spent $17.25 on food, which meant there was only $2.75 left in my pocket and I was thirsty.  Why settle for a coke when you can quench your thirst with something even more fun?  The popsicles from People's Pops may be $3.50, but the shaved to order ice is only $2.50.  Their flavors are somewhat uncommon and always refreshing.  I went with bartlett pear.  It was the perfect end to my meal and I slurped it up North 6th while thinking about how much better I am at spending $40 than Rachael Ray.

Make It Macondo

Last night was time to celebrate Greg's 29th birthday with dinner and some bar fun.  A few of us met at Macondo for dinner before meeting the rest of the crew at the bar.  I've heard Macondo has a great drunk brunch so I still plan on returning for that, but dinner was a good introduction to the restaurant.

When you go, make sure you're thirsty because they have a great cocktail list.  We tried sangria, the guava and whiskey, and a tequila cocktail - all were delicious.  The best part is that all the drinks can be served in carafes, all the better for sharing and tasting your way through the cocktail menu.  The beverages aren't the only thing that can be shared.  We decided to dine tapas style and ordered our booties off:

• Almondegas: Brazilian meatballs with guava sauce and a ricotta-type cheese.  Lucky for us, it came with some bread for sauce sopping.
• Croquetas de Jamon: ham hush puppies with a horseradish aioli
• Camaron (shrimp) Ceviche: None of that wussy rock shrimp stuff.  These shrimp were nice and meaty and served with pineapple.
• Clam Tiradito: Clam ceviche: You'd think one ceviche would be enough, but this one was spicier and tasted very different from the first so we had to try both.
• Pato Tacos: Duck confit, peaches, caramelized onions
• Pescado Tacos: Tilapia and mango poblano sauce.  This was one of the simpler dishes, but probably my favorite of the evening.
• Mofongo de Pulpo: Octopus with mofongo.  Is mofongo not one of the most fun food words to say?  It means mashed up plantains - a surprisingly delicious mush.
• Carne con Yuca: Skirt steak with chimichurri and massive yuca fries
• Tostada de Huevo: This was like a thick slice of savory brioche french toast with an egg in the middle, ham, and truffle oil.  Love.
• Buenos Aires Coca: Crispy flatbread topped with skirt steak, arugula, jalapenos, onions, and cheese.  I'm a big fan of thin crust pizza, so this was a goody.
• Willianco Arepa: quail, spinach, figs, and manchego.  The quail was good, but it was served on top of a sort of polenta cake, whereas I think of arepas as a corn pocket stuffed with goodies.  This was tasty but didn't seem like an arepa.
• We also got some sort of crispy skinned pork that was good but not as impressive as the other dishes.

We ate everything, which I think is pretty good considering we ordered 12 dishes for 6 people.  I didn't get too many pictures, but you can see the Tostada de Huevo and Willianco Arepa below.  We didn't sample any of the desserts because we brought our own banana cake from Momofuku, my personal favorite cake ever.  As we walked out, I noticed a sign that said they're open until 5 AM on Friday and Saturday nights, which means you can eat this delicious nuevo latino food all night long.

After dinner we headed to Swift for some drinks.  I had never been there before, but they had an impressive beer list on tap and nice long tables for groups in the back, so I have a feeling I'll return.  The crowd had a nice mix of plaid shirted hipsters, almost baldies, and preps, which I see as a little something for everybody.  There's a dj, but he's not spinning too much from the top 40 list, which means it's slightly more laid back and not as many people under 24. Apparently not everyone got that memo, considering we saw a newly graduated girl leave when we did and then vomit just as she got outside.  Her male escort responded by saying "Ugh it's not even 2 AM yet."  Hopefully he learned his lesson.  Time to stop taking out the babies and look toward your own 25 year old age bracket for girls.  Girls like me who have gained wisdom with their 25 years of age...and the ability to hold our liquor.

Book Review: The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao

Uber-nerdy, lovelorn Oscar is not your typical Latino from the ghetto, which immediately set this book apart from others. Author Junot Diaz uses a realistic slang voice that further distinguishes the book from other tales of the working class. (It didn’t feel like a mom trying too hard to be hip with her daughter’s friends.) I think the feisty tone helped me absorb more of the Domincan history woven within the story…though I probably should have brushed up on my Spanish a little more to understand some of the words strewn throughout the book. 

Oscar believes his luckless life is due to his family’s curse. It is heartbreaking to watch this destiny play out, but more importantly you see how – cursed or not – your family’s past plays into your future. Should you even attempt to take destiny into your own hands? By the end of this book, my belief is yes – it’s worth a try in the effort to experience something wonderous, however brief. 

It’s received literary prizes galore, but my overall rating is 3.5 out of 5 stars. Good but not as fabulous as the hype implied. My mentee (who attends a high-risk school in the South Bronx comprised of mostly Hispanic and African American students) read this book in her English class this year. I think it is a great addition to the required reading list as it is written in a relatable voice that will keep them engaged. It may be pandering, but kids love reading a book that drops the F-bomb, so put it on your list, teachers!

Home Sweet Athens

Ok time for Part Deux of my Atlanta/Athens weekend post:

I can not even begin to tell you how amazing it feels to drive into Athens after a significant period of time away.  Wide eyed, I'm unable to quell the squeals as I recognize all the landmarks I've missed.  Don't get me wrong, Atlanta is great, but I was born and raised in Georgia's low country, so it's not my home.  Athens, on the other hand, was my home for four glorious years and it felt great to return.

I would venture to say the two boys in our carpool to the game were not as giddy as I was since they were a little too hungover to enjoy it.  On Friday night, after pregaming a bit, we headed to Johnny's Hideaway.  The fact that we went to this bar should give you an idea of how drunk we were.  Johnny's Hideaway is known as Atlanta's premiere cougar bar and I was ready to see some of these wild animals in their natural habitat.  It's an interesting scene that I'm pretty sure looks the same as it did when my Daddy used to go there back in the late 70s/early 80s.  I believe everyone should go there at least once, preferably after you've already had a few drinks so you'll have no qualms about joining the cougars on the dance floor with the great tunes.  It was hard to pull ourselves away, but we decided we needed a little rest so we headed home for 3 hours of sleep.  As mentioned, the boys were not feelin so hot on Saturday morning, but Patricia and I have well-trained livers so all we needed was the mandatory stop at Chick-Fil-A for a chicken biscuit and we were ready to hit the road.

It was a noon kickoff, so there wasn't too much time for tailgating but we got in a few early morning beers before walking to the stadium.  It was a must to get to Sanford Stadium early because this was not just any football Saturday; it was Uga VIII's first day on the job and we wanted to watch the passing of the collar ceremony.

New Uga!

I fell right back into all the Uga traditions: "Teenage Wasteland" playing in the stadium as the crowd files in, old footage shown on the jumbotron to the tune of a single trumpet player in the stands, and the alma matter - it was like I'd never been away.  Making it even sweeter was the fact that we beat Vandy in a blowout.  It's no secret that this hasn't been our best season, but I was happy to see we didn't lose to the Commodorks while I was around.

The Konter fam bleeds red and black

After the game we walked around downtown Athens, grabbed a drink at one of my favorite restaurants, East West, did a little shopping, and ran into tons of people.  I have come to the conclusion that I will be incapable of staying away from Athens for more than a year in the future.  That means, I'll be repeating this experience every football season.

I was heading back to Atlanta with my parents but Mark and Allison had to make the four hour drive back to Savannah so we grabbed an early dinner at Calientitos, a phenomenal BYOB Cuban restaurant.  I couldn't decide what to get so I ordered my usual cuban (this time with chorizo instead of chicken) AND a fish taco.  I typically prefer grilled over breaded fish in my tacos; but although this was fried, it was one of the best fish tacos I've had.  The plantains were also perfectly fried.  My parents and I drove back to Atlanta with the intention of going out for dessert or drinks, but by the time we got there, we were so full and tired, we just went to sleep instead.  Some may wag their fingers at me for not rallying, but I say being that tired is the sign of a great weekend.  I'll see you in a year, Athens.

   

VICTORious

My co-workers and I are stupid.  I say this because for years we've been staring at Victor's Cafe and not once had we ventured there for lunch until last Monday.  When I think of all the amazing Cuban food I have missed out on, I am ashamed.

We started with the massive sampler platter.  It had fritters, yuca fries, plantains, and more.  We also ordered extra tostones and maduros.  By the time my entree came, I was already stuffed from all the appetizers, but the sauce that came on my jumbo shrimp and sweet white potato mash was just so good for dipping that I couldn't stop eating.  Next time, I'll have to remember that the appetizers were by far my favorite part.

There are not too many Cuban restaurants in the city so I am very happy that a good one is right next door to the office.  If you just want a cheap Cuban sandwich, this isn't the place; but if you're looking for solid Cuban food with a little extra refinement, this is a good place to go.  I won't make the mistake of overlooking it again.