lunch for 2: no. 7 sub at the ace hotel

fridays are great enough, without added bonus of an exciting lunch. but a recent sunny summer friday allowed me to take a break from my normal boring lunches and head down to no. 7 sub in the ace hotel.

the menu sounded spectacular. these subs were way more exciting than their sub-family peers. no turkey, lettuce and tomato here. how about general tso’s tofu? or what about the fried clams with pickled strawberries, roasted leek mayo and frisee. i really wanted to try every single on the menu, but since my stomach and wallet wouldn’t allow that, we settled on two: the zucchini parmesan and the short rib with coconut mayo.

the zucchini parmesan was my favorite (but only by a hair). the crusty, warm bread was packed with fried zucchini, melted fontina cheese and topped with pickled jalepenos (that gave the sandwich a great kick) and bbq chips.

next up was the short rib with coconut mayo. this sub wasn’t hot, and i have to say, if it was it may have won the winner award for the best sub. braised short rib sat upon a fresh roll with a daikon salad and an ample amount of delicious coconut mayo. 

you can probably tell by this photo, but these subs did not sit around for long, nor did we leave any crumbs behind. they were devoured in about 5 minutes, and as i sit here writing this, i am already planning my next visit. move over subway, no.7 sub is here.

no.7 sub is located in the ace hotel on broadway and 29th st.

pappa al pomodoro

i love soup. i could eat it all of the time, except, sometimes i find that i am hungry about an hour after i eat it. i’m always looking for more filling soup recipes. something hearty and relatively healthy,  something comforting and something that will hold me over until my next meal. enter: pappa pomodoro.

ina garten’s recipe is really simple to make, and it makes about 8 servings, so it’s perfect for a crowd (or in my case, for lunch for the next week). it’s also a great use for a somewhat stale loaf of bread! note: i omitted the pancetta in the topping, and the soup was still very flavorful.

pappa al pomodoro

serves 6 to 8

recipe courtesy ina garten’s back to basics

ingredients:

• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• 2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 onions)
• 1 cup medium-diced carrots, unpeeled (3 carrots)
• 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and medium-diced (1 1/2 cups)
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
• 3 cups (1-inch) diced ciabatta cubes, crusts removed
• 2 (28-ounce) cans good italian plum tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan

for the topping:

• 3 cups (1-inch) diced ciabatta cubes
• 2 ounces thickly sliced pancetta, chopped
• 24 to 30 whole fresh basil leaves
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil, plus more for serving
• Salt and pepper

heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. add the onions,

carrots, fennel, and garlic and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until tender. add the ciabatta cubes and cook for 5 more minutes. place the tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process just until coarsely chopped. add the tomatoes to the pot along with the chicken stock, red wine, basil, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and allow to simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes.

meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

for the topping, place the ciabatta cubes, pancetta, and basil on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss well. cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, until all the ingredients are crisp. the basil leaves will turn dark and crisp, which is perfectly fine. reheat the soup, if necessary, beat with a wire whisk until the bread is broken up. stir in the parmesan and taste for seasoning. serve hot sprinkled with the topping and drizzled with additional olive oil.

new thai, pure thai

hat tip to the tasting table for inspiring a ride on the n train for a pure thai lunch, with allison last week. billed as a shophouse — imagine, though, a thai roadside stand on a dwr budget– pure thai is a wonderful stop for a light, inexpensive lunch, especially on a sunny, temperate afternoon when sunshine and a cool breeze allow you to pretend you’re somewhere else ( not thailand exactly, but also not quite new york). from a pure value perspective, with the prices at roughly half-off the dinner menu , it might just be the best lunch deal around, even with the metrocard fare…

for a little flavor, here are the photos:

allison and i loved that they specified “perdue” chicken. not a lot of cache behind that  name, but at least they are honest.

i have a hard time resisting hibiscus –especially in tea or margaritas. i was warned that this drink was neither a tea nor a juice but it still wasn’t what i expected. it was exceedingly sugary– a hibiscus fruit drink. others might enjoy the almost syrupy sweetness, but i would have preferred this mixed with seltzer, or watered down with a lot of ice. OR as a topping for shaved ice.

crispy shrimp sesame crepe is a nice savory starter–it offers the opportunity to experience the flavor of lime in a new way. it’s bolder and more aromatic here. a must-have for lime lovers.

wok cashew nuts with shrimp: cashew nut, scallion sugar snap peas, chili tamarind sauce

allison and i ordered dishes that were variations on the same theme–sauteed shrimp served with white rice. i love tamarind, and while i wished the sour notes of the tamarind were more prominent, this was also nicely sweet.

we ogled the noodle soups pretty hard on the way out–that’s what we’ll get the next time.
***
pure thai is 766 ninth ave. (between 51st and 52nd sts.); phone is 212-581-0999.

there is a communal table in the back that could reasonably seat 6-8, and a slim counter that runs along the side–you’d have your back to the prep counter/kitchen– and a couple of seats that are front and center to that same counter/kitchen, and a table for 4 in the front…basically, it’s a cozy, 35-seater. once word gets out, you may have to wait for dinner…

sweet, sweet, sweet potato biscuits

i think in another life i had a southern grandmother. the intensity with which i love home-cooked southern comfort food (and the idea of it) is really unwarranted, being that i have no nostalgic ties to anywhere that could even be classified as “almost the south,” and i didn’t ever have anyone cooking me memorable southern meals as a child.

however, when i think of things like  biscuits (especially sweet potato ones like these), i just picture myself sitting on a worn-in chair on a grandmother’s porch in a house in charleston, sipping sweet tea and laughing with her, as we munch on warm sweet potato, ham and honey biscuits.

these biscuits, although delicious, were consumed in new jersey, not charleston, and i ate them with my parents with our easter ham. maybe when i look back, i’ll embellish the story and say that we at least ate them on a porch while drinking sweet tea. the recipe is below.

mixing the sweet potato mixture in with all of the other ingredients

the dough, flattened and rolled out

the biscuits as they enter the oven…

the finished product, topped with a thin slice of ham and a teaspoon of honey, just like my fake southern grandmother used to make!

recipe: sweet, sweet, sweet potato biscuits

makes 12

roast sweet potato until inside is tender. scoop out flesh.

preheat oven to 400°F. butter bottom of a baking sheet.

mix all of the dry ingredients together. add cubed butter to flour mixture; toss to coat and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. whisk mashed sweet potatoes and buttermilk in medium bowl. add to dry ingredients; toss with fork. gather mixture in bowl, kneading until dough comes together. roll dough to 1 1/2 inch circle. using 11/2-inch round biscuit cutter or the top of a glass, cut out biscuits.

arrange biscuits side by side in on baking sheet. bake until slightly golden on top and tester inserted into center biscuit comes out clean, about 15 minutes. cool and remove from baking sheet. slice in half if you like, and spread honey and ham on top.

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….

cafe select: more, please!

cafe select has been on my hit list for quite some time, and when stephanie suggested we go there for dinner (she had been just one week ago and was still raving, so i knew it had to be good), i jumped at the chance. i studied the swiss/international menu during the day, and had already decided what i wanted for dinner. i knew, just knew, we need to have the highly recommended (and confirmed delicious from steph) ricotta fritters and butternut squash risotto. luckily, my dining companion was on board.

the restaurant is small, cute, somewhat dark, and incredibly charming (the staff? not so much). as plates breezed by as before we ordered, my list of “wants” expanded.  was i craving zurich veal? did i need roasted figs wrapped in speck and stuff with goat cheese? (yes, we did, but they were out of them.)

we went with our original plan and started with the ricotta fritters with speck, which were served with a drizzle of infused olive oil, tomato compote and some greens on top. they were surprisingly light and fluffy, and melted wonderfully in my mouth. i could have eaten these all night.

next came our entrees, one of which was the hanger steak “select” ($21), served with crispy fingerling potatoes, watercress salad, and beef jus. the steak was by far, one of the juciest i’ve ever tasted and definitely one of the most flavorful. the juiciness of our medium-well remained consistent throughout the entity of the steak; sometimes the outside of a steak is so jam-packed with flavor, and the inside is dry and bland. this was not the case.

our other entree, butternut squash risotto ($18), was the real show-stopper. dare i say it was the best risotto i’ve ever tasted? fragrant with sage and a hint of ginger and topped with toasted pumpkin seeds and some grated parmesan cheese, this risotto was so decadent and creamy, and almost too good to be true. it was perfect to split, as it was definitely not a light dish, but it was enough to warrant a second (or third, or fourth trip).

we ended the meal with the warm apple strudel and vanilla gelato with caramel sauce. the strudel pastry was flaky, buttery and nicely layered, but there seemed to be an absence of apples in this “only ok” dessert. next time, i think i’d try the toblerone mousse or chocolate bread pudding.

would i visit again? absolutely. and if i go at lunch, i know i would be able to resist that wonderful sounding croque monsieur or rosti swiss hash browns staring me down on my on-screen menu..

*************************

cafe select:  212 Lafayette St, New York 10012

phone: (212) 925-9322

spoon: (still) ga ga ga ga ga

this is getting to be a habit with me…
started the week off with another trip to spoon, this time with allison…

allison and i almost never order the same items so that we can do the “taste and trade.” but we couldn’t resist the leek and mushroom tartlettes and the shiitake mushroom potato pancakes with smoked salmon & watercress. and while the specials are reasonably priced, these were too small–and good– not to have a serving all to ourselves.

…which left room for dessert–we split a slice of chocolate croissant bread pudding.

sound like you’ll need your stretchy pants for this one? think again. flaky croissant, with rich bits of thick chocolate, even the “eggy” pudding parts were a touch sweet, but the lightness of this will surprise you. if you see it on the menu, don’t pass it up…

***

who wants to meet me on tuesday for a slice of king cake?!

the c’mon get happy meal: telepan

the thought of restaurant week lunch is enough to make me cheery throughout my entire workday. instead of sitting at my desk, cramming down a boring sandwich, i get to indulge in a three-course sit-down lunch at a nice place that is probably outside of my normal lunch budget. so when anita and i were choosing our annual restaurant week lunch this winter, we decided on telepan, a locally and seasonally driven restaurant from chef bill telepan, on the upper west side.

the walk to the restaurant was freezing, but i knew it would all be worth it once we were feasting on the winter’s goodies. the restaurant’s interior was simple and clean, but not overly designed. anita and i sat at a corner table and quickly chose our meals, knowing, of course that we would share everything. also, i should note that anita will be adding her comments to this post, so keep an eye out!

we started with house-smoked brook trout and chickpea pancakes. the trout was served over a buckwheat potato blini with black radish sour cream and was simply divine. i have never had better trout in my life. the smoky flavor lingered in my mouth long after my bite was over, and was perfectly complemented with the buckwheat blini. the chickpea pancakes were paired with spicy carrots, root vegetables, spinach and a carrot puree. they were definitely the more simple of the two dishes, but perfectly executed nonetheless.

anita’s note: i had been having a terrible, stressful week and arrived at lunch without much of an appetite–which was even more distressing as allison and i had been trying to make it to telepan for months. was i going to miss this chance?

but after one bite of this trout, i understood this meal was going to be special. it was going to be my “c’mon get happy” meal. my senses snapped to attention.  this trout glistened, piled prettily and high — you could have mistaken it for dessert. it was exquisite...

of "the sea": house smoked brook trout, buckwheat-potato blini, black radish sour cream

chickpea pancakes, spicy carrots, black kale & oregano

next up, the entrees. i ordered the wild striped bass with artichokes, farro, shell beans and arugula. the generous serving of bass was seared, slightly crispy and cooked beautifully and the shell beans still had a bite to them, which i love.

anita ordered the kobacha squash pierogi with aged balsamic and walnuts. usually, my family pigs out on endless amounts of potato cheese pierogies on christmas, but let me tell you, these were ages beyond your normal pierogi. they were so delicate, sweet, and indulgent, without being too heavy. the balsamic countered the sweetness of the squash and the walnuts added a crunch to the otherwise smooth texture of the dish.

wild striped bass, artichokes, farro, shell beans and arugula

of the earth: kobacha squash pierogi, aged balsamic, & walnuts

anita’s note: the kobacha squash pierogi were earthbound, but no less delightful. emphasis on light. and the firm walnuts were a terrific contrast.

and can i even begin to tell you about the desserts without drooling over my keyboard? we shared the apple fritters with vanilla gelato and caramel sauce and the dark chocolate bread pudding with malted chocolate cream, and black & white ice cream. each was excellent; the fritters were crispy with succulent pieces of apple inside and the bread pudding was gooey, crusty and oozing with dark chocolate flavor. these certainly satiated our need for both a fruit-based and chocolate-based treat.

apple fritters, vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce

of the heavens: dark chocolate bread pudding, malted chocolate cream, and black and white ice cream

black and white ice cream--is that a fancy way of saying "milk chocolate" ice cream"? love the chocolate top hat.

these sweetsaltythings would 100% revisit the upper west side gem.

note from anita: i definitely want to go back with allison. she is a gem. between her company and the exceptional fare, i left telepan happy, indeed…

reservations can be made through opentable

location: 72 west 69th st. between columbus and central park west

***

all photos © anita aguilar

recipe: migas

this is probably an inauthentic recipe for migas, which i’ve been dreaming about and drooling over since my trip to austin in fall, but this version is easy, pretty healthy, and is equally as absolutely drool-worthy.

recipe for migas (serves 2)

• 1 small tomato, chopped
• 2-3 scallions, chopped
• 1/4 cup of grated cheese (any kind, really, but cheddar and monterey jack work best)
• 2 corn (or flour) tortillas
• 4 large eggs
• 3 tbsp. milk
• 1 tbsp. of butter or olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper

preheat the oven to 350 degrees. cut the corn tortillas (this is really easy if you just stack them on top of each other) into 1/4- 1/2 inch strips and lay them on a baking sheet. toast until they’re slightly crispy, about 20 minutes (this can be done ahead of time).

break the four eggs into a bowl, add the milk, salt and pepper and whisk. then, add the chopped tomatoes and chopped scallions and mix.

heat a skillet over medium-low heat. when hot, add the butter or olive oil and wait 30 seconds. then, pour the egg/vegetable mixture into the hot the pan. add the tortillas on top, and mix all of the ingredients around in the pan. stir about every minute. when the eggs are almost done cooking, add the grated cheese on top and give one final stir. you’re done! serve on plates, with hot sauce if you like. enjoy.

the chopped tomatoes, scallions and grated cheese

the chopped and toasted tortilla strips

the eggs, salt and pepper

all of the eggs and veggies in the pan, with the toasted tortilla strips on top

the final product. hot, cheesy, chewy and slightly spicy (thanks to some hot sauce) – the perfect mexican breakfast

friedman’s lunch

every time i go to chelsea market i end up wandering around aimlessly, salivating thinking about how much i want to eat and drink everything in those long hallways. bakeries? amy’s bread. fat witch. eleni’s. jaques torres. coffee? ninth street espresso. seafood? the lobster place. ice cream? l’arte del gelato. i could eat every meal in chelsea market for the next seven days and still have more to try. but where to go for lunch? i had never been to friedman’s lunch before, and the menu looked like the perfect (and relatively budget friendly) antidote to a cold winter day. soups, sandwiches, salads, full plates (fried chicken!), desserts and sides (homemade potato chips!) were knocking at my door, so i went in.

first came the lentil soup ($3). really hearty, filling and more flavorful than many i’ve tried. i couldn’t put my name on the exact spice (cumin, perhaps?) but something made the soup really smokey and deep. i really loved it.

next was the chicken salad sandwich with lettuce & tomato on whole wheat bread, with a side of greens ($9.50). the chicken was cut into 1/2-inch squares and lightly coated with good mayo and tarragon. i would have actually preferred a slightly softer bread, but all in all, this sandwich was a keeper.

finally, we had the meatloaf sandwich special ($12) with provolone cheese, caramelized onions and meatloaf on a fresh portuguese roll. this sandwich was by far, the best meatloaf sandwich i have ever had. the meatloaf was exceptionally moist and soft, and the gooey cheese melted with the caramelized onions to create the perfect medley of flavors.

i’m definitely going to take another trip back for the fried chicken, mac and cheese and homemade potato chips. and maybe after, i’ll treat myself to a fat witch brownie!

friedman’s lunch is located at 75 9th avenue in chelsea market