balaboosta: love her two times

my second trip to balaboosta — again with the lovely ms. rachel– was a brunch time affair.

i love everything about the place, top to middle to toe. i mean it, from the wood plank ceilings to the service to the dessert wines. but i am glad that my first taste came at dinner, simply because some of their most memorable and intriguing–and sexiest sounding–dishes live on that menu. meats and veggies with chirchi sauce, harissa oils, nigella seeds and silan (that’s date syrup. who wouldn’t want some date syrup?)

maybe i’m also a little less hungry at 11am, than at 8pm?

still though, brunch was very good…

the mediterranean sampler, mostly done. and rachel’s choice: green eggs, with potato-yam rusti and feta salad.

i wasn’t sure the lamb burger would be on the brunch menu– i practically cheered that it was. stuffed with herbed goat cheese and topped with caramelized onions, the lamb itself was cooked a few minutes past  what i’d consider ideal, but the voluptuous aioli redeemed everything.

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balaboosta, on 214 mulberry st (off spring) is open for brunch on saturdays and sundays, from 11am-3:30.

parties of 6 or more can secure a reservation; the rest can enjoy the bar ambience while waiting for a table (or be an early bird).

paris: part 1 (street eats and pretty food)

some of the tastiest (and prettiest) goodies in all of paris are sitting in little markets, streetside stands, and small storefronts that could easily be missed. although we probably couldn’t see or taste all of the streetside food wonders of the city if we had a whole year there, here are some highlights from our three-day excursion.

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the almond croissants (our first morning stop) on rue rivoli in le marais

six types of greens at the market on rue montorgueil

beautiful radishes bathing in the warm sun, also on rue montorgueil

richard, about to take a bite of l’as du falafel. this falafel joint is a must-stop spot with a cult following in le marais. so flavorful, such fresh toppings, and such a bargain!

the full bin of ripe oranges at rose bakery, in le marais

the fresh fruit crumble (raspberries, rhubarb, and strawberries) from rose bakery, in le marais

where else? elsewhere

on wednesday evening, sister and i met for an impromptu dinner.

we both wanted something “good” and on the light side. it was about 9pm, and we were a couple of block south of times square, across the street from a “whopper bar.” i wasn’t encouraged.

first instinct: walk north and west.

we passed a well-jammed, flashy new shake shack and, across the street, smith’s bar (its neon sign seeming subdued, its retro fonts, cooler relative to its new neighbor’s)  and as we edged the hell’s kitchen neighborhood, don giovanni’s (whose “bella mia” – fried egg, artichoke, pepperoni, mushrooms– makes my list of favorite ny pizza pies, even though i only had it once about 15 years ago), and the fancy marseille…

then we remembered ELSEWHERE.

the thought was inspired; the meal was genius.

here are the photos:

menage a trois:dates stuffed with roaring forties blue cheese, pancetta, and fresh orange marmalade…

according to our server, chris, this was the newest addition to the starters section of the menu, and one of his favorites. it turns out chris is very, very trustworthy– this was the first of a few good tips.

i love dates in any form. (in fact, i am right now typing this without the use of my right thumb and index finger, as they bear the sticky, sweet traces of a fancy medjool date, a healthful at-home “dessert.” i digress.)

this appetizer is perfect: the sweet paste of a med-jewel, plumped with a mild blue cheese. pancetta bits are a crisp flourish. the difference maker here? the fresh orange marmalade and the magic carpet orange slice it all lays on. at first, i wasn’t sure we were supposed to eat it? the bitter rind had been mellowed, probably poached, but still provided an effective contrast.

mussels with a beautiful butter and white wine sauce…i spooned the sauce like soup. my question: is bread no longer compulsory at fine dining establishments these days? this is another instance where i would have made good use of a spongy loaf…

bay scallops with celery root puree and  i think a little dried sage?

i don’t love scallops–in fact, i ordered these as a test of whether or not i really liked them. (i do.) they were given a nice, golden crust. i liked that they were petite.

but below is the showstopper:

chicken liver pâté toast with apple butter.

my sister ordered this (chris gave a hearty endorsement).

she had high but realistic hopes, i.e. good pate on a few dainty toasts.

this was a pate orgy.

two big baguette toast slices, blanketed in faintly minerally liver puree. a thick stripe of homemade apple butter, a little runnier and a lot sweeter, was a perfect touch. the thyme sparkled on plate and palate. creme fraiche, with cute little pink peppercorns, is served on the side.

if you like liver of any kind, this super-sized chicken liver pate toast appetizer should not be missed.

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as to the desserts…

on my first visit to elsewhere, i wasn’t enthralled by the sweet selection. but wednesday night’s dessert menu was almost entirely different. chris raved about the encyclopedic dessert repertoire of leigh friend, the dessert maven at both elsewhere and casellula cheese & wine cafe. i was mightily tempted by a couple of items this time, including the bourbon chocolate ice box cake… but we opted for ice cream:

2 scoops red velvet ice cream and a swing marshmallow chocolate crunch (as suggested by new best mate, chris)

red velvet ice cream? i expected a vanilla or cream cheese based ice cream with bits of red velvet cake. but ms. friend, my friend, is much more thoughtful. it was icier than a regular ice cream, i could discern bits of refreshing cream cheese, a hint of cocoa. chris confirmed that there was no cake in the mix, but all of the “red velvet cake” flavors here (down to the touch of food dye) make it an authentic and truly interesting interpretation.

the marshmallow chocolate crunch was more traditional: creamier and sweeter. i loved the chewy marshmallow pieces and the airy, crunchy, chocolate balls…

DELIGHTFUL, DELICIOUS and DUNZO.

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elsewhere is in the theater district/lower hell’s kitchen.

403 w. 43rd st. (off 9th ave), new york, ny 10036

212-315-2121 or reserve via opentable.com

istanbul, turkey part 3: ciya sofresi

ciya sofresi, a restaurant on the asian side of turkey, had some of the most unique and memorable dishes of our entire trip. after a brief (and somewhat tumultous) ferry and cab ride to this little food hotspot, we gorged on plates and “half-portions” of what we would be later wishing we knew how to make.

the walls of this restaurant are crowded with write-ups and excellent reviews (food and wine, travel and leisure, new york times) from media outlets across the globe. we soon learned why. below are some photos (and attempted descriptions) of the food at ciya.

eggplant, chicken and tomato stew

roasted and stuffed portobello mushrooms with yogurt

one of my favorites: wheatberries with herbs, tomatoes and spices

my mom’s favorite: yogurt, saffron and leek soup with lamb

pressed bulgar wheat with yogurt sauce

creamy garlic and dill soup with rice balls

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ciya sofresi must not be missed if you visit istanbul! we were too stuffed for dessert, but rumor has it that the dessert is absolutely outstanding, and completely unique (think semolina cakes with cinnamon and dates or creamy figs with walnuts), as well.

balaboosta: “go and see ‘em some time…”

the translation is “the perfect housewife,” but say the yiddish term “balaboosta” to me (or better yet, “let’s go to balaboosta”)  and the first thing i imagine is that most undomestic of goddesses, mae west, hip-leaning against a doorframe, diamonds all down her décolletage, declaring in her best hollywood-by-way-of-brooklyn delivery, “i got ya ba-la-boos-ta right here…”

is my imagination a little wild?

it’s nothing compared to the dishes coming out of einat admony’s kitchen.

imagine a marriage of the falafel and the meatball. in the wrong hands, it’s “feel awful” to the nth power. but at balaboosta, it’s a savory bonbon. it’s light and a well-proportioned ratio–equal parts grass-fed beef and ground chickpeas. (though perhaps they are smart to offer only three to a plate?) the trio comes to you with a tahini dipping sauce in a deceptively deep bowl. there will be some sauce left over and you’ll be aching for some sort of pita bread to swipe every last lick.

and then imagine grilled pizza, with carrot puree. you might fear the sweetness?  in reality, it’s not unlike the the sweetness of a tomato sauce, but without the acidity. it’s suave, but earthy (like the grilled pizza dough it sits on) with creamy goat cheese to add a spike of salt and the merest tang. caramelized onions are more forwardly sweet, but the right touch.

crispy cauliflower is one of the  best good/bad appetizers i’ve had. it’s a deftly deep-fried affair, rendering the thick stalk more like tender meat–or even clean, freshly fried calamari?  currants, pine nuts and the zing of citrus dressing give this dish the air of a high-toned salad rather than something possibly deeply taboo.  (it’s a small plate, anyway. share it, and enjoy every bite.)

the patatas bravas here are catalan style–served with a garlic aioli. and these potatoes are fierce. don’t skip them.

i will order them next time, for sure, along with the crispy cauliflower (take 2),  fried olives, “mortar and pestle” hummus,  grilled lamb chops (or chicken under a brick), and date-banana bread pudding…

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here are photos from the first visit:

libby: champagne, fresh pineapple, sage

cassava chips

crispy cauliflower with currants & pine nuts

falafel wrapped meatballs with tahini sauce

(second photo, the better to see the pretty tahini)

patatas bravas with za’atar and roasted garlic aïoli

grilled pizza with carrot purée, caramelized onions, goat cheese & cilantro

warm spiced apple crumble with ricotta ice cream and burnt caramel sauce

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the room is airy, with wide windows that offer a buzzed-about view of the open kitchen, as well as the bar and restaurant.

it’s homey, without being square. it’s smart and sophisticated, i’m guessing very much like ms. admony herself.

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special thank you to ms. mollie, for the recommendation. and ms. rachel for the company.

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balaboosta is located at 214 mulberry st, new york, ny 10012-4130

reservations via open table or (212) 966-7366

Open Mon-Thu,Sun 5:30pm-11pm; Fri-Sat 5:30pm-12am

istanbul, turkey: part 2 (on the street)

if there was ever a city for street food, istanbul is it. i thought we here in nyc had it made with carts, trucks and vendors on every block, but istanbul is quite the rival. some of our favorites are below.

sahlep. now that i know i may not be able to have this delicious rice-pudding meets white hot chocolate drink again for awhile, all i can do is think about it.

honey pistachio donuts with rose syrup.

these tasty, airy and honey glazed donuts were a sticky and delicious sweet treat to go with our sahlep. i found a recipe for them that i can’t wait to try!

the spice market!

more turkish delight than one could ever delight in!

durum are burrito-like wraps, wher thin turkish bread surrounds fresh and very well seasoned lamb (or other meat) and other fresh vegetables and pickled onions.

istanbul, turkey: part 1

istanbul is really an amazing city, not only for the sweet people, breathtaking coastal views, and undeniably rich culture, but for the food!  delicious breads, lentils, vegetables and legumes stewed for hours, meat more flavorful than i’ve ever tasted…the list goes on. here are some photos from our eats in istanbul.

below, some of the food from hamdi restaurant:

their famous bread

stewed eggplant and hummus

lamb pizza (pide lahmajun)

lamb over yogurt and tomatoes

below, some food from a small, family style restaurant in beyoglu

warm spinach with cold yogurt sauce

spiced lentils

lamb meatballs

spoon: me and the bean…

(garbanzo beans, deliciously dressed…)

i tend to get hungry very quickly after a meatless meal, but this 1-2 combo was satisfying during and long afterwards…

wheatberry & chickpea salad with baby spinach and celery.

and….