Mayahuel [Click the photo above to go to Mayahuel’s website]
340 East 6th Street (between 1st and 2nd Avenue), New York, NY 10003
Thirsty Thursday! I had dinner plans at Mayahuel last night. Resies (reservations) were at 9:30 so that meant I could squeeze the gym in, woohoo! KILLED IT, but I have a little cough, so I had to retire after my cough went a little wacky on the bike. Peace gymmy.
Ordered 2 miso soups (30 cals eachhhhh) and some sushi pieces so I wasn’t cray cray before drinks. 9:30, pshh, a snack/dinner was inevitable.
Emailed myself the address to Mayahuel and then I hit the road. The restaurant is a weird black building with some sort of Spanish architecture so I figured that was the place.
I told the taxi driver the address and when he pulled up he said “yeah I think that’s it. It’s a bar.”
I actually really liked him. We talked about the weather…but he was eating the WORST smelling sandwich. Sir, c’mon. Turkey. Go with turkey next time.
Some weird bouncer/skinny man is standing outside and I asked him, “what is the name of this place?”
“Mayahuel”
“Oh ok great”
“Do you have a reservation?”
“I’m not sure. I think so I think it’s under my friend’s name.” I then give his name.
“Oh, ok just let me see your ID” (makes me feel young again)
When I walk in my friend is wearing a leather jacket so thank G-d I last minute vetoed mine otherwise we would have looked like Grease Lightning up in this joint. One leather jacket is fine…two is a statement.
Menu looks like a small book from Colonial times, so I was a little overwhelmed. We decided to just ask the waiter what he recommended. And he was a ridiculous human if I’ve ever seen one. He looked like he was trying too hard to be casual, like ”I’m not really your waiter, but I’ll take your order” sorta deal…shaggy hair, a cartilage piercing (im sorry what? this isn’t in the 90s…where is your hemp necklace?) and he gave crazy descriptions of the drinks…stop playing with your hair and recommend a drink dude.
I ordered the “hit or miss,” and I swear I originally thought the waiter was saying the “hit or miss” was either a hit or a miss…and I was just like why the eff would I want a drink that’s usually a hit or a miss? It ended up being really good…I had 3. That’s completely reasonable right? They were spicy, which I always give a fab rating for.
“You have a great smile.” GUILTY AS CHARGED.
“Should we order something? You do have a food blog.” (this blog is really working out)
Ordered the fried stuffed plantains. There were 6 (in my head of course: so three for me and three for him. That’s reasonable. G-d forbid I ate four and he ate two. Blasphemy.)
YUM! Tried to eat like a lady, but I might have finished my portion before him.
“I read your blog.”
“You did? Did you think it was funny? Did you laugh out loud? Too girly?” (I am completely secure with my writing style)
“I read the Employees Only one.”
“Oh, because you were in it?”
Yep, let’s talk about how I portrayed you in my blog. I don’t feel weird at all about it. How can I type a story for the blog if all I talk about is the blog? I’m gonna talk about the process of me writing the blog on the blog…that’s boring.
A few drinks in and nature was calling. As I got up to use the restroom I knocked into our table and the people next to us stared at me…they actually stared at us the entire meal, and I really wanted to just be like, “MIND YA BUSINESS” (instead I pretended it wasn’t a big deal that I wasn’t skinny enough to fit between the tables and sauntered to the bano.)
I got back from the bathroom at the perfect time…it was time for dessert. CHURROS…o’lay. Fried dough, cinnamon, in a chocolate and caramel dipping sauce. HOW DISGUSTING? NOT.
The cinnamon was starting to aggravate my cough, and I kept digging into my bag like an 85 year old woman for cough drops.
“Are you sick?”
Nope, just a weirdo who digs for candy between sips of alcohol and bites of food.
Time to leave before my cough causes the restaurant to be quarantined.
“Do you want to walk?”
UH…I wore some sort of a heel, and my hair doesn’t just dry like this, it’s also misting out. Are.you.kidding?
“We’re like 30 blocks away…” (ok 20 whose counting)
“I like to walk.”
(silence)
“Ok, lets hail a cab”
Mayahuel (fried plantains stuffed with cheese)
I didn’t think I’d love this as much as I did. savory sweet combo, and then I dipped it in the spicy sauce…unreal.
Mayahuel (churros in a chocolate and caramel sauce)
DELICIOUS. Sugary dessert probably doesn’t go amaze with a spicy drink, but I mean you can suck it up.
Mayahuel (“hit or miss” is the one closest to the front, and I forgot the other one…sorry!)
YUMMY. I’ll say it once, I’ll say it twice, spicy drinks are the best!
Caliente Cab [Click the photo above to go to Caliente Cab’s website]
488 3rd Avenue (on the corner of 33rd Street), New York, NY 10016
I planned to go to dinner with two friends at Yuca Bar, for their Loco Tuesday special…half off all tapas wooooohhh. It seemed so easy at first! I had been salivating at pictures of their dishes for days…it was like food porn.
But Friend # 1 is some sort of social worker that works with foster children (vomit..kidding), and she had to cover for someone who is away in Nigeria last minute SO we couldn’t go at 6:30 to make this Loco Tuesday special and all hell broke loose, because rescheduling was just not an option, and we’re girls, so I mean how easy could we possibly be? WE WILL FIGURE THIS OUT!
It was more stressful than going on a date with a boy. Going out with newish girl friends is so hard. You don’t want to be too difficult, you want to make sure everyone’s happy, you don’t want to be too bossy, bc you’re not good enough friends yet to let your(my) freak flag fly.
Typing a text, deleting a text, do I send an emoticon?? IDK!
I spent the last hour of work yelping, googling, gchatting, texting trying to figure this out (whatever). I can’t go any other time this week unless we go on the weekend, and it’s St Patrick’s Day on Saturday so it doesn’t really work etc etc etc.
“How about here?”
“Do they take reservations?”
“I don’t know about the menu.”
“Is it hh??”
“What is hh?”
“HAPPY HOUR!”
“Maybe I can get out earlier.”
“I want to cry.”
“I am filled with emotions.” (that was me)
So everyone is scrambling left and right to pick a time. Friend 2 gets out at 5. I get out at 5:30. Who knows when Miss Fostercare gets out (Friend 1 has now been renamed). The Loco Tuesday only goes until 8. Fostercare has to park her car, but it’s hard to park downtown. Lets go more local. A;lfkjaslfjsfl;kj
So I’m frantically trying to find an outdoor space (b/c it was SO nice out), but there aren’t THAT many spots with outdoor seating, good food, and alcoholic beverages.
“Rio Grande?”
“Eh”
Ummmmm I’m drawing a blank here.
I know this place called The Cannibal has outdoor seating and beer, but Fostercare is a vegetarian and they specialize in unusual meats…great, think harder!
I call The Cannibal to see if they can work around a vegetarian and they say fine, but turns out Friend # 2 doesn’t really want to eat there.
So Friend #2 meets me after work, and we walk to my apartment to turn ourselves into human specimens as opposed to what one looks like when they leave work at the end of the day (at my apt I was like “what do you want to watch? Do you like this show? I can change it…Who am I? Being so accomidating?) And then we walk to the Cannibal to look at the menu, while Fostercare parks. As we know, I will eat just about anything, but I don’t want to pick a place no one likes etc etc. so Friend #2 doesn’t want to go there (I get it. They serve pig’s ear as a dish…I’ve tried it before though…judge away) so we start aimlessly walking around the city.
“How about here?”
“Hmm.”
“I’m fine with anything.” (my neutral response to every place, because honestly I’ll eat anywhere as long it looks worth the money. Thank G-d I had an iced coffee otherwise my hunger would have overridden any form of social etiquette or sanity).
On the walk to my apt, Friend #2 walked by Caliente Cab and said, “oooh that place looks cute,” and it’s Mexican which goes sort of with the Yuca Bar theme in that they both serve quesadillas, and you can sit outside.
So we decide to go there. Is it amazing fair? No, but there’s outdoor seating, margaritas and guacamole, and I don’t have to take public transportation (yeah, right) or a cab. Fine.
Waiter walks by..
“Can we get an order of guacamole?”
“Mild, medium or spicy?”
Ah, decision to be made.
I like spicy (picante), but it’s rude to order dishes with extra heat if other people can’t eat them, so I wait:
Friend #2: mild to medium
Fostercare: medium
Me: We’ll have medium.
Friend #2: what did you want? (busted for being too agreeable!)
Me: well, I like spicy, but I can still eat medium or mild. Some people just can’t eat that. (should I have lied?)
After 2 margaritas I felt a little better.
AND WHEN I GOT HOME…MY NEW SNEAKERS HAD BEEN DELIVERED WHAT WHAT! Caliente Cab ended up being the best choice for the night (outdoors with alcohol, food was meh) but I still want to go to Loco Tuesday for some legit food 😦
Caliente Cab (tacos al carbon)
For under $10 it’s hard to complain.
Caliente Cab (quesadilla: vegetales frescos)
I didn’t try them, but it looks pretty good. The vegetarian ordered this. It is surprisingly easy to order dishes without any meat at a Mexican restaurant (if you ever go with a vegetarian or a vegetarian yourself).
Caliente Cab (healthy burrito)
Here is my disharoo. It tasted healthy, so you be the judge of that statement. I didn’t feel guilty for eating it, but it needed a little something, maybe more beans.
Caliente Cab (guacamole)
Hard to mess up gauc, but they brought the guac without chips at first…you have two hands…bring the chips.
Caliente Cab (strawberry margarita)
A little syrupy, and the waiter was kind of sucky in that he took forever to bring us a second round, and oh yeah, he brought me the wrong margarita.
I get it was crowded, but no.
Giving everyone the heads up…tomorrow is National Pi Day. Get it? March 14th? Pi is 3.14? Since it’s just missing the letter E, celebrate National Pi Day with a pie.
Little Italy Pizza
2 E 33rd Street New York, NY 10016
I decided to go to a happy hour the other night with my friends to support another friend’s charity www.lustgarten.org/helpblairrun (help a sister out) at Galway Hooker on 36th between 5th and Madison. I had just gotten a haircut, and it seemed appropriate to show it off. I met my friends there, and I kept texting them to see if they were there as I waited awkwardly at the bar. Turns out they were there the whole time and just weren’t answering their phones…awesome.
I lasted approximately 2 beers in. That allowed for 1 conversation about whether or not my friend will be moving in with her boyfriend, another conversation about my friend’s shoes, and about 5 mentions of how hungry I was to my friends until they got the hint. My other friend was flirting with a new man, and gave us the “leave without me” eyes, which we eventually learned were the “meet me outside” eyes (I couldn’t tell the difference).
Where should we go? It’s 9:00, we’re hungry, but we’re not looking to sit for a long time. All of us whipped out our iphones and pulled up: AroundMe, Yelp, Urbanspoon, and Foodspotting.
“What do you want to eat?”
“I don’t care I’m just hungry.”
“Totally up to you.”
“The app says there are like 10 Asian restaurants nearby”
“I don’t want Asian”
“There is a pizza place too”
“I could do pizza.”
“Lets do pizza.”
Ok, pizza it is. The app said it was on 31st and 5th so like 5 blocks away whatever. One dummy wore heels to the happy hour (sorry I said it, it was dumb) so every 5 seconds I would a hear a little whimper of “how about here?” The answer is no, we are not going to Pret a Manger, and we are NOT going to McDonalds. I didn’t drink THAT much to be ok with that choice.
Then as we are 2 blocks away we walk by “Papaya King” and “Little Italy Pizza” on 33rd and 5th.
“I love Little Italy Pizza!” My friend screams. Place looks like a dump, but I haven’t had great pizza in a while, so let’s do this thing. Why didn’t our dumb Iphone apps advise of this place OR Papaya King? Thank goodness you all have me.
I point to a slice, “what’s that?” I ask.
“I don’t know” the pizza guy responds.
“Great, I’ll have that and a ‘shroom slice.” It was actually a chicken parm slice with ricotta cheese.
We all order and awkwardly pace until our pizza comes out of the oven. I am a two beer queer, so I am not sure if I am giving an accurate review here, but there were no complaints. I finished my slices, and my friends liked theirs.
“Who uses oregano?”
“I brought it to the table” (guilty)
“Oh, I don’t like herbs.”
Miss Heels opted out saying she would eat a Lean Cuisine later.
“What are you anorexic?” my friend screams.
Peer pressure, she got a slice.
“I have to pee”
“Me too.”
“You go first and tell me how it is.” (guilty, that was me…selfish)
…
It wasn’t a nice bathroom, but the pizza hit the spot.
“Hey, you should put this on your blog!”
“Ok.”
Little Italy Pizza (buffalo chicken pizza)
This is without ricotta cheese, but something that fattening is hard to be bad: breaded chicken, cheese, sauce…
Little Italy Pizza (Sicilian slice)
I did not personally taste this pizza, but my friend dies for Sicilian slices, and she ate it right up.
Little Italy Pizza (mushroom slice)
The shrooms were a little cold, but I covered it in crushed red pepper so I didn’t notice. I love when pizza is so big it doesn’t fit on the plate (is that just me?).
Josie’s [Click the photo above to go to Josie’s website]
565 Third Ave at 37th Street, New York, NY 10016
I had an emergency friend-tervention this afternoon, which gave me a great excuse to try a new restaurant (“let’s meet in the middle at this place I walk by…”) . Hey Josie. A self proclaimed “health conscious diner,” I’d have to agree with them. I met my friend at the restaurant and our journey began.
The lunch conversation jumped from boys to food, from food to boys.
“Should we drink at lunch?”
“Do you want to drink at lunch?”
“We probably shouldn’t.”
I went for the mango lemonade. I’m usually a water girl for lunch so I was really living on the wild side with this one. My friend got the same, and we immediately agreed that it could use a little, what do you call it? Alcohol. This should be my new mixer.
“I don’t think you guys should talk anymore.”
“Me either. Do you think he’ll text me?”
“You shouldn’t answer if he does. What if he drunk dials you?”
The waiter brought over bread, but instead of butter, they served us some sweet potato number for dipping. I dropped some of it on the table by accident, but I persevered.
“What should we get?”
I should preface that my friend and I used to order appetizers with lunch every day a few summers ago. Hey, we were in college. We were young. We were dumb. We were not in shape. We were drinking and hungry.
So to take it back old school we split a dumpling app (I call them dumps). They were steamed and came with a tomato sauce instead of a sodium filled soy sauce (ever notice how health places dowse everything in tomatoes for “acid” and “flavor?” I’m on to you guys. Cat is out of the bag). They were good, but I was full from the bread and sweet potato dip-a-roo.
Then our turkey burritos arrived (lean beef, whole wheat, beans, IT’S FINE). We both ordered the same thing (reassuring that neither of us could have the better dish, no winner and loser, catch my drift?).
“I went to the gym this morning!”
“Me too!”
“You look skinny.”
“Stop it, go on.”
I only ate half (YES!), and it was really good. I think it was also because I ate the bread (boo), and I was so into my conversation. Josie’s ended up being way better than I expected. GirlyFoodie + Josie = BFF.
Josie’s (sweet potato puree)
The new butter.
Josie’s (turkey burrito)
Really delic! Dipped it in some guac, and props to no use of sour cream.
Josie’s (steamed potato and broccoli dumplings)
Solid dumps, they tasted healthy, and mostly of broc.
Josie’s (mango lemonade and bread)
My yummy drink. Add some tequila and you’ve got a real bebida.Ay ay ay ay ay (that’s me speaking Spanish).
Whole Foods [Click the photo above to learn about Whole Foods Wellness Center]
270 Greenwich Street, Manhattan NY 10007
Went to my first food blogging meet-up ever last night, and let me just say: I.am.awkward.
It was hosted by Every Day Health at the Wellness Center at Whole Foods in Tribeca and started at 6. I get out of work at 5:30 so I was plotting my escape route all day. I was heavily debating between taking a cab or the subway. If I take a cab I’ll never learn the city, but the subway gives me anxiety. I’ll call my mom and see what she says, she says take a cab…I’ll take the subway. I’m a grown up! I can do it!
I hate when you walk out of a subway and you’re not sure whether to go right or left, and then you get run over by 20 people, and you know they’re just thinking, “she’s not from here.” I AM, I AM.
After asking 3 people if Greenwich Street was this way with a random flip of my hand, I finally made it to my destination (balling!).I met my homosexual best friend aka my fake boyfriend at the event. He also has his own blog (notabaker.com if you’re interested). He greeted me by rubbing his hairy cheek into my face, which gave my face rug burn. Now I will be meeting strangers with a beet red face (thanks).
My other friend was hosting the event (go Everyday Health), and was greeting everyone at the door. The first thing she asks me, “Do you have a card?”
Me: “No…”
My friend: “You should get a card.”
Me: “Shit, I gotta get a card”
Now that that’s taken care of, where is the food? I want to say my friend and I walked into the event room and were like “we’re here to f*ck shit up,” but it was NOT like that. First off, there was no place to put my coat, and I felt like the lights were burning a hole in my head, so perspiration was inevitable. I filled my plate with some food, and proceeded to judge (p.s. all the food was super healthy. Guilt free, what up).
“This dip is weird”
“Have you tried the sushi? Can I eat more of it, or is there too much on my plate?”
“The sushi is soooo good”
My gay best friend was of absolutely no help in calming my anxiety: “We should talk to people”
“Ok, lets talk to people”
We just stand there.
“Do you think that person wants to talk to us?”
“I think they do”
“I want more sushi. They just refilled the tray.”
“They did! Let’s get a plate and share. I don’t want to look like a fatty.”
“Get your own.” (RUDE, hint this was not me)
It did not help that my bff kept pinching my butt, because “it’s funny.” We’re in public, and you’re gay. People are going to think you’re my boyfriend, and I am a terrible girlfriend for cringing at your touch.
“Ooh, truffles” I grab one, and bite into it.
“No!” My friend yells, “you do NOT bite truffles! What kind of foodie are you?” I don’t know, a hungry one.
I eventually found my footing, but I was NOT ready to rave about my blog: “Oh, I just started it. It’s ok. What do you do?”
I soon realized everyone was just as awkward as me, and I think I stopped sweating a little bit. Then as I was picking my jacket off the floor (I had to get rid of it. I was way too hot, besides I saw someone else do it first) some attractive dude running the event started talking to me (my friend and I already had a heavy debate if he was gay or straight. He said straight. I said his skin was too glowy to be straight).
Anywho I had overheard his shtick while I was picking up more sushi, and I was about to settle into the same conversation everyone else had had with him. Off he went, “have you heard of Jillian Michael’s…” Straight, by the way.
Then he asked me what I did for a living, and I do television ad sales, which is whatever, but he kept using the word aggregate, and guess what? I don’t know what that word means, so I just kept awkwardly nodding, and saying “yeah, kinda.”
Suddenly, everyone was ushered into another room for a presentation, and I was able to escape the vocabulary quiz I was accidentally invited to take.
Overall, good food, learned a few things, and oh, yeah, I need a card.
Whole Foods Wellness Center (kale and balsamic on top of bread)
This looked SO good, and I wanted to love it, but it was sort of bland. It needed salt, but I am team kale so I understand where their head was at.
Whole Foods Wellness Center (vegetable sushi)
SO.GOOD. I’m not usually a fan of Whole Foods sushi, but this was made with something that made it sort of sweet and nutty, and I died for it. They put out soy sauce and a ginger dipping sauce. I practically licked the ginger sauce out of the bowl, but I didn’t because that would have been inapprops.
Whole Food Wellness Center (lentil dip and veggies)
The dip was meh, sorta watery, but the sushi came with a ginger dressing, and I dipped the veggies in that all.night.long
Are you gluten intolerance (is it intolerant in this context? I don’t know!) Or are you just jumping on the gluten-free bandwagon? Either way! Click the photo above to read “Ten Best Gluten-Free Date Restaurants in Manhattan”
Num Pang [Click the photo above to go to Num Pang’s website]
140 East 41st Street (between 3rd and Lexington Ave), New York, NY 10017
21 East 12th Street (between University and 5th Ave), New York, NY 10003
Even though National Sandwich Day is a long way away (November 3…WRITE IT DOWN) it does not mean I still don’t crave a great sandwich. What up Num Pang! My favorite sandwich place in town. I went on Frisky Friday as a carb gift to myself.
I went with my 2 coworkers again as well as a newbie to our lunch crew. The newbie had been to Num Pang before, and I immediately hated him for not allowing me to brag about this sandwich place…”I used to work next door…” Did you? … Did you?? … because now I hate you.
Why couldn’t you let me say my usual monologue when referencing this place, “It’s this great Vietnamese sandwich place. It’s sandwich in Cambodian! I know, isn’t that crazy? It’s really meant for pick-up even though there’s a small area to wait for your sandwich…they give you free water too! All sandwiches come with the same basic ingredients, and there are no substitutions, but it doesn’t matter because it so good!” WHY COULDN’T YOU LET ME SAY THAT!
As we walked I visualized my order at this Vietnamese delight: shrimp, no brisket, should I get the figs? I wonder if I want a side. I want a side.
My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by… “How do you nicely tell someone they should go to the gym?” my male coworker asks.
I’m sorry…what are you getting at?? I need to go to the gym? This walk to the sandwich place is not enough? Walk away right now.
I immediately counter, “Well I already go to the gym, so you don’t have to say it to me” (defensive much?).
“I don’t go to the gym, so he must be talking about me,” said my female friend (must be, because it can’t be me). Shes NOT fat, not even a little, but you know how we get….
We immediately start yelling at my friend to do suicides down 41st street, while we pick up the sandwiches. “Run! Don’t stop!”
I guess that might come across as mean, but it made me laugh hysterically (I’m mean). He clearly was not talking about either of us, because he knows better…at least I think he knows better.
My stroll was turning into a cantor as we made our way closer to the midtown lunch spot. I was soon walking alone, because my friends could not keep up. (Are you confused? We’re going to get lunch! Pick it up people!)
I see a guy walking ahead of me..I instinctively know he’s going to NumPang. He has the look of hunger on his face. I must beat him. Unfortunately my friends did not feel the same way, and I had to slow down so they could catch up to me. I watched as he turned to wait on line…I KNEW IT!
I ordered the tiger shrimp with a side of grilled vegetables. Done and done. None of their sandwiches come with cheese (+1), and they all come with veggies. I opted for shrimp. I made a private oath to myself to eat less red meat (ok it’s not so private) in order to feel healthier and feel like I was having a Frisky Friday and not a Fat Friday (well not TOO fat).
My Lent girl friend ordered the catfish (it’s not my favorite, but I love the whole menu an appropriate amount considering there are no substitutions or changes..That’s because they’re masterpieces…) The newbie copied me with the tiger shrimp (ok I liked him a little more after that), and Mr. “how do you tell someone they’re fat” ordered the chicken. I finished mine first of course, but we all loved our meals, and then we had to go back to the office. Wah!
Num Pang (coconut tiger shrimp)
Num Pang (peppercorn catfish)
Num Pang (grilled vegetables)
Arcane [Click the photo above to go to Arcane’s website]
111 Ave C (between 7th and 8th Street), New York, NY 10009
I don’t know why Thursday nights always seem like the best night to plan a dinner (with alcohol), but for some reason they do. Maybe it’s because I like to pretend I’m in college and convince myself my weekend has started (it didn’t. I have work. Surprise! You’re hung-over eating a bacon egg and cheese in your cubicle)
Anywho! I planned dinner with my cuz (that means cousin) to try Arcane, a French/Caribbean themed restaurant (maybe we’ll feel like we’re in St. Barth’s) on Ave C. She lives in Grammercy, and it was a good excuse to stay relatively nearby. The idea of dragging myself to the other side of town just seemed exhausting ($11 cab? What? I’ll just put it on my credit card and act like it never happened). I picked my cousin up on the way (splitting a cab is the best) and off we went!
We walk in, and we are greeted and seated. Drink menus are on the table so decisions have to be made immediately. Unfortunately the restaurant was pitch black with the exception of teensy weensy candles placed on each table, and a few lamps randomly placed throughout the restaurant (I feel like the electricians were like “Let’s just put it here. They can walk their table over to the light to see). I put the candle up to the menu trying to decipher the shapes on the white piece of paper (I felt like an explorer inside a cave trying to read stories from an indigenous people that were long extinct, but not really at all). It was actually pretty annoying.
I ordered a little number called the “Moulin rouge.” French theme I guess. It had some raspberry/lime thing happening I felt drawn to. My cousin on the other hand had a little bit more trouble deciding… to say the least.
“Fig juice? That sounds delicious, but I don’t like orange juice. Do you think I should ask them what they recommend? Will they get mad at me?”
The waitress unfortunately had a thick accent (I want to say French, but really what do I know?), and she was pretty much impossible to understand. My cousin panicked and picked some mango infused drink, and when the waitress walked away she whispers to me, “I really don’t want the mango in it…” Then that was not a good choice!
Time for the nitty gritty, ordering the meal. I had purposely worn tight jeans so I would not go insane at Arcane (judge away for that one).
“do you want to split appetizers?”
“Ok!”
“I want the papaya salad.”
“I want the shrimp, avocado, and hearts of palm salad”
(so we’re not really splitting. We’re pretty much ordering what we want, but yeah let’s say we’re splitting)
Main dish: we both end up ordering the tuna “From the Grill.” The waitress looks at my cousin and says something that neither of us can understand (and since it’s so dark it’s not like you can even attempt to read lips). My cousin starts laughing like a hyena and goes, “what?”
It’s still unintelligible.
My cousin is now getting uncomfortable and laughing even more, “I’m so sorry! What?”
It still sounds like Chinese to both of us. Now it’s just awkward to say, “what,” again and her next move is to just blindly guess what the waitress is saying, “how do I want my tuna cooked?”
The waitress nods. Thank G-d! We got it right!
“Rare please!” DONE. Mercury poisoning is not real (yes it is).
We also ordered sides…why not right?? Spinach, and a gratin (“we’ll share them,” we say confidently).
We were both really pleased with our salads. Mine was a little spicy, which I like, and my cousin dug for hearts of palm like a deep sea fisherman. Then the tuna comes, and so do another round of drinks. My cousin opted for my Moulin Rouge, and I ordered it again.
By the time dessert rolled around, I was already tipsy and my cousin was up to drink #3.
“Do you want dessert?” the waitress asks. WE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT.
“Yes! Chocolate cake” (what upp)
As we wait for the cake my cousin motions towards her vodka soda “Here have some of my drink!” She goes to hand me some, and she realizes the drink is empty. Nevermind…
With exception to the minimal lighting, the food was really good, and we were in a tropical setting (I mean we drank like we were) in the beginning of March. Go Arcane!
Arcane (Moulin Rouge cocktail)
YUM!
Arcane (mango infused cocktail)
Arcane (bread)
It was great! The oil on the side had garlic and peppers mixed in (YUM). Thank G-d I had those tight pants on otherwise I would have had trouble resisting the urge to eat all of it!
Arcane (papaya salad)
So good! I took a picture of the other salad, but the picture didn’t do it enough justice.
Arcane (gratin)
Crispy goodness with a little bacon. I ain’t mad.
Arcane (chocolate cake)
I started eating, and then realized I should probably take a picture, so a little corner is missing.
Arcane (tuna)
Look how gigantic it is! I also ate 1/4 of it before I took this picture!
Employees Only [Click the photo above to go to Employees Only’s website]
510 Hudson Street (between 10th and Christopher Street), New York, NY 10014
I was meeting a friend at 9pm for drinks in the West Village at Employees Only. I had never been there before, and it was raining so I was immediately fearful that I’d be 20 mins late because 1. I couldn’t get a cab and 2. What if I got lost??
Fear not I was able to grab a cab from a girl getting dropped off at my building, and the restaurant was SUPER easy to find. I also hate awkwardly waiting for people (I hate a lot of things), so I was happy my friend was already there casually waiting in the front by the bar.
Checked coat and we sat (and then we ate). Unforgivable reference…if you haven’t seen it…it’s funny…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dJu1Jj7VTw
First things first. Lets get a drink, it’s 9pm for G-d’s sakes. They had a section called Fancy Drinks which immediately tickled my fancy (I’m sorry I’m not sorry). I like drinks with a little kick, so I asked the waitress what she recommended she said the “Lazy Lover” so I just went with that. The drink was super good, and I gobbled it right up. I ended up ordering three of them, so I was a wittle drunk. Woops.
Then the question of the night came, “are you hungry? We should order stuff.” WHHHHAT. I JUST HAD SALMON TERIYAKI WITH BROWN RICE BEFORE THIS. Oy ok if you insist! So me being the wild eater, I wanted to try the bone marrow (I can’t believe he ok’d this. Most people would have been like, “lets get chicken fingers.”). It wasn’t the best, but I was also full so it’s hard to judge food when you’re not hungry. Feel me? They usually serve bone marrow IN the bone, but this was in a puffy pastry (Employees Only thinking outside the box)
At around drink #2, the next question of the night came, “should we get another dish?” OK!
We went for the cheese plate. NOT the best cheese plate in town. This cheese platter came with tortilla like bread (I like crostinis, but what are you gonna do?). I also like when they give you fruity jellies (do you know what im talking about at all?) on the side, but this restaurant only gave a side of nuts to mix with the cheeses. This obviously didn’t stop me from eating. Alcohol and cheese/carbs were in front of me…I was a goner.
I paired our cheese plate with random conversation one thinks of when they’re a few drinks in:
“Would you ever be a stand-up comedian?”
“No.”
…
“Want to see twenty pictures of my dog on my phone? She’s SO cute.”
“Sure” (you’re going to show me anyway).
My Lazy Lover drink had made me super giddy and enthusiastic, and I gave my friend a kiss on the cheek AND a hug good-bye as if I’d never see them again (alcohol does that!). I would totes go to Employees Only again. It was a cute bar with great drinks, but I think I’d eat before again too.
Employees Only (menu)
It does not say Employees Only on the outside of the restaurant. It just has this symbol (ok fine it’s an “E” and an “O”), and the address number.
Employees Only (Fancy Drink Menu)
I just love that it says Fancy Drinks, so I got fancy with editing the picture (please keep reading my blog after reading that joke). The menu was not blue. I’m fancy huh? (I’M SO SORRY. PLEASE KEEP READING MY BLOG.)
Employees Only (bone marrow poppers)
You have to admit they look good for something called bone marrow poppers. The waitress said they were meant to be eaten in one bite, but I felt like I had an oversized sushi roll in my mouth when I did that.
Employees Only (cheese platter).
See what I mean with the tortilla like bread? And the random nuts? I nibbled on the cheese like a little mouse.
GirlyFoodie 