Brunch @ Mojave

HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!!!

2O1O . . . time for bigger & better things . . . and definitely more food experiences!!!

What better way to end the year by having an awesome last brunch of 2009 at Mojave. A slightly upscale Mexican restaurant tucked away in Astoria. Warm, colorful & cozy decor. Amazing service with friendly and sociable staff. Good food, with amazing drinks!

Seated immediately, we were also told the option of adding an additional $12 for UNLIMITED SANGRIAS, SANGUITAS ( sangria w. a blast of frozen margarita) my first ever! and you must must must try it, mimosas! This has become one of my favorite places for brunch.

The famous Sangria Frozen Margarita

Blood Orange Margarita

- Sweet, tangy, refreshing margarita

Queso Fundido
with artichoke hearts, chiles, piquillo peppers and gulf
shrimp, warm blue corn toastadas

- A little dip of heaven! Warm flavorful with a slight kick.
- There just wasn't enough to go around!


Texas Gulf Blue Crab

And spinach poached egg popovers with
Green chile hollandaise

- Eggs were poached to perfection and not wet and soggy
- It's been ages since I've had popovers, warm, fluffy buttery goodness!
- The green chile hollandaise was mild but perfect amount of spice as it didn't overpower the egg yolks.


Poached Eggs on Toasted Brioche
with smoked salmon, fresh spinach
and hollandaise

Huevos Rancheros
with blue corn tortillas, beef & pork chili
and a golden fried egg

- Delicious chili and guac

Hand Hacked Three Beef Hash- 8.95
pastrami, roast beef, corn beef
with poached eggs

- Generous hearty chunks of pastrami, all well seasoned
- Potatoes were also chunky and rustic, with a lovely blend of spices.

All in all a great way to end the year. More visits to Mojave in 2010!!!
with unlimited Mimosas of course!

Rayuela

Romantic . . .

contemporary. . .

cozy . . .

simply delicious . . .

Rayuela . . . a contemporary twist to the traditional Latin American and Spanish Cuisine....


Would be a few words to describe my experience at Rayuela for the BF's birthday dinner.

Requesting a quiet table for my BF's birthday on Opentable, we got exactly what I had asked for and more. We were greeted immediately by the super friendly hostess wishing him a very Happy Birthday. We were taken to a table right by the gorgeous tree that grows inside the restaurant.

The waitress was just as friendly and chatty, recommending us the appetizer special to start:

Jumbo Lump Crab Guacamole

- One of the best guacamoles I've ever had, so fresh and the perfect balance of acid
- Chips were crispy but not oily!
- A heaping amount of guacamole, of course you pay the price of $20. . .
- I probably would not have ordered this if I knew the price beforehand, but it was so good!

Caipirinha

limes, sugar, Leblon Cachaca.

- One of the best Caipirinhas I've ever had! Usually it's either too much lime or too much rum and Rayuela's bartender has got it down!


Yucca Rolls

w. a Oaxaca cheese filling

- I admit it, I'm a carb lover, there's nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread that just triggers the taste buds in your mouth, you feel at home and all you can think about is the soft, buttery bite that you can smell a mile away.
- I've never had a Yucca Roll before, but I was hooked! This cute little roll slightly filled with Oaxaca cheese was so heavenly, it was probably on of the highlights of my meal!


Vieras con Huitlacoche

grilled scallops with huitlacoche valencia rice with crabmeat corn salad and a truffle poblano sauce

- Scallops grilled to perfection, I love seeing perfect grill marks on my proteins. Deeeelicious!
- The huitlacoche (corn truffle) made this valencia rice a savory treat with every bite
- Crabmeat corn salad was refreshing note to this dish
- The truffle poblano sauce was my least favorite part, this was so bland that I wouldnt' have noticed it if it were not there, especially compared to the savory rice.

Bass Chileno

grilled chilean seabass with manchego yuca mangu and a chorizo-salsa verde salad

- There's nothing like crispy chilean seabass skin and a moist interior sitting atop delicious manchego yuca!

There was nothing I didnt' like to this evening. Friendly and outstanding service, lovely decor and ambiance. As always I'm much more of an ice cream fan than other sweets. We decided not to get dessert ( yes, a shocker!)

BUT, our waitress came out with :

Chocolate Cortazar

white, bittersweet and milk chocolate mousse,
with mate ice cream garnished with chocolate and macadamia sauce

- Not a fan of the mate ice cream, was described as green tea like. Give me green tea ice cream instead please!
- Not being a chocolate fan, I didn't really care for the dessert BUT the BF ate every bite of it!

Happy Birthday again babe!

A fantastic end to a great birthday dinner! I would highly recommend Rayuella to anyone thats looking to celebrate or to have a romantic evening. This place would be great just to stop by for a few drinks!

Robataya

Simply superb grilled Japanese cuisine . . .

It took a bit to find the place since Sobaya's entrance looks exactly the same. . . BUT. . .

You walk in . . . and you feel as if you've been teleported to another place . . . a huge wooden bar awaits you . . . waiters and chefs cheerfully giving you a traditional Japanese welcome . . .

You think to yourself. . . well I hope it's not going to be like a Benihana experience . . . and Robataya certainly goes out of their way to prove that they indeed give you a genuine Japanese cuisine experience . . .

Although we did not get to sit and enjoy the exciting and entertaining at the bar . . . we had a great time in the back room where you can dine without the chaos.

UNI KOBU YAKI
Grilled Sea Urchin, Sprinkled w. Salted Konbu Seaweed

- Sea urchin, you either like it or you don't.
- If you don't like it, it's probably because it wasn't fresh like this!!!
- Sweet and oh so fresh, the salted Konbu seaweed had a little bite to it and paired so perfectly with the sea urchin!

Hirame Carpaccio
Thinly sliced Fluke Sashimi w. Salted Seaweed & Japanese Sudachi

- Hirame was very fresh and again I loved the salted seaweed
- The UZU SHIO, premium sea salt from the Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan enhanced the flavor of the Hirame. I usually am not a fan of Hirame.


Okra w. Salt

- Sounds simple dosent it??? Simply delicious that is!!!
- The okra was grilled perfectly and the sea salt they used certainly enhanced the Okra in a way I've never had before.
- Slightly crunchy on the outside, and a burst of okra-goodness on the inside.

We also ordered the Eryngi Mushroom and Enoki Mushroom with soy sauce

- Sadly, it was so good we ate it before I rmembered to take a picture.
- Probably the best dish there, the Eryngi!!! Would be the definition of umami!
- Executed perfectly, the rich meaty flavors run through your tastebuds
- Reminded me of fresh abalone.

KAMAMESHI

Rice cooked served in Earthenware pot
w. Salmon & Salmon Roe
Preparation: 30 min

- Was this worth the 30 min wait??? Hell yes!!!
- I've broken up with salmon recently, we've seen each other way too much the past few months.
- The feelings came back after this dish. I love any rice thats cooked in stone-like bowl, you get the toasty hard rice on the bottom!
- The salmon roe was fresh and the salmon was so delicately flavored! I'm usually of salmon after a few bites because it's just too oily and fatty, but this dish was simple and bought out the light flavors of salmon.
- My friends found that they needed to season the dish a little but it was perfect for me!

It may seem pricey and the portions may be small. But, hey that's the portion size you should be eating to be able to sample what Robataya has to offer! All in all, I would love to come back here and sit at the bar and enjoy the atmosphere with some good sake!

Chef Mehta's Graffiti for the Big 25!

The BIG 2 - 5 !!!

That's a whole Quarter Century old!

Almost feels like any other day, except I have no class and just the whole day to enjoy!

Special K with Silk Vanilla Soymilk . . . followed by my weekly Pilates Class... followed by sushi lunch with Mom . . .

The grand finale . . . MY BIRTHDAY DINNER @ Graffiti!!!

The boyfriend and I have been watching The Next Iron Chef religiously every Sunday night at 9pm. Sadly, the show has ended with Chef Jose Garces as The Next Iron Chef. We were both rooting for the very funny, creative Chef Mehta. The boyfriend decided to take me to his restaurant in the East Village for my birthday dinner.

Calling the night before to make reservations, the restaurant was closed. Several hours later, Chef Mehta himself calls and leaves him a voicemail to confirm our reservations. It's interesting to hear someone you've been watching on TV for weeks to call you!

We were the first ones to arrive. I've been told Graffiti is extremely small, but boy it was smaller than I thought.

BUT it was so warm and cozy and Chef Mehta himself greeted and seated us with such hospitality. The decor just makes you feel at home.

I loved the newspaper as placemats, the wooden tables and seats and the big buddha sitting atop a rustic wooden bookcase. I actually liked walking through their 400 square feet kitchen to reach the bathroom where its so small you have to reach over the toilet for the sink.




We started off the night with a bottle of wine. Chef Mehta was happy to explain each bottle of wine to see which better suited our tastes. We chose a bottle of HI, GRENACHE, SPAIN, 2006. Delicious! I love the full bodied spicy notes and the lingering taste.

The prices are also exceptional. The menu is broken down to 3 groups of prices at $12 you get a choice of 6 dishes... $15 a choice of 7 dishes.. it's quite a bargain! Every bottle of wine is also priced at $25.

CHILI PORK DUMPLINGS, GRAPEFRUIT CONFIT

- Dumpling skin was perfect! Not too thin, nor too thick and bready
- The chili pork filling was amazing, just the right amount of spice and filling
- Enough for 3-4 people to share
- Grapefruit confit gave it the perfect crunchy texture


GREEN CHILI SHRIMP, MIRIN DAIKON MOONG SALSA

- Wow, I am not a fan of bean sprouts, but the Mirin Daikon Salsa went so well together
- I was a bit nervous about eating the shrimp since it looked a little bland, but wow the shrimp definetely packed flavor! So flavorful, mildy spicy and cooked perfectly! I hate overcooked shrimp!



CUMIN EGGPLANT BUNS, THYME FENNEL RELISH

- I don't like cumin (bad experiences in class) and I don't like eggplant.
- After eating this dish, I absolutely crave it!
- The cumin with the eggplant was amazing, it bought out a flavor I've never had. I usually hate adding any cumin in my dishes. A little too much ruins the entire dish.
- The thyme fennel relish gave it a sweet tangy taste to it
- The bun was so soft and moist. These are the buns they usually use for Peking Duck, but this was the best bun I've had.


PROSECCO LYCHEE MARTINI

- We had to get the signature Prosecco Lychee Martini made with Lychee Sorbet
- By far the best Lychee Martini I've ever had. I've never had a Lychee Martini that had Lychee sorbet floating in it.
- Not only was it refreshing, but it was a terrific palate cleanser
- At $7, this was in a huge glass that felt neverending

HAZELNUT CHOCOLATE CAVIAR CUPCAKE, CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE CREAM

- The boyfriend told the chef I liked chocolate, well I dont really, he does.. the greedy bastard. - I'm glad he said I did though!
The cupcake was sooooo sooo moist, the hazelnut cupcake was fantastic!
The best was the Chocolate caviar crunch on top, Mmmm so good, I want one right now!
- The ice cream was yummy, I wish there was a bigger scoop!


WARM TRUFFLE ALMOND STRAWBERRIES, PEPPER ICE CREAM

- People have been raving about this all over Yelp.
- They were right, this is a very unique dessert.
- The warm truffle oil enhanced the strawberries and almonds, I've never tasted anything like this.
- The pepper ice cream, gives you a slight kick at the end.
- So many different flavors, its just a party in your mouth.


What a cute creative way to present the check!




Thanks babe for a wonderful delicious evening!!!

I will definately need to go back to Graffiti. Awesome food, awesome service, awesome prices!!! What more can you ask for???

Every dish was carefully explained to us, by either Chef Mehta himself or his wonderful staff. The one thing that I loved was Chef Mehta's close attention to detail and thoughfulness. He noticed that my boyfriend had gone to the bathroom, he took the time to bring me a book from his collection to keep me occupied till he got back. That was a great gesture. He is an all around nice guy that serves great food! I recommend everyone trying Grafitti!

Mini Bánh mì Adventures & more!

Sundays, are one of my favorite days. . .

They're the day to catch up on some ZzZzZ's. . .

You wake up, spread your arms and legs snow angel style and let out a loud satisfying sigh . . .

That's how my Sundays usually start. . . (unless it was a long night, and you wake up feeling quite the opposite)

The past Sunday, was incredibly warm and felt like spring! ( I'm not sure if this is actually good for us, but hey you cherish the last days of warmth as much as you can)

The BF and I decide to embark on a spontaneous city adventure.

Hop in the car and moments later we arrive in the Lower East Side.

I was craving a Bánh mì sandwich! The closest one was actually Kampuchea Restaurant. I've always wanted to try this little joint on the corner. Sure, it was Cambodian, but they had my Bánh mì sandwiches!

Duroc Pork Garlic glazed with honey dried chili $10

- Bread, crunchy not the best baguette I've ever had
- Duroc pork, yummy- loved the honey chili glaze on it
- Very stingy with the pork considering they're charging $10
- Too much chili mayo! It was dripping all over the place!


Sweet Pulled Oxtail Spicy tamarind basil sauce $14

- Was so excited and looking forward to my first bite, only to be quite disappointed!!!
- This "Tamarind basil sauce" was pure sugar, did not taste the tamarind or basil, nor was it spicy. I actually started feeling sick from eating it after a few bites.
- The worst oxtail experience I've ever had, and at $14, what a rip off!
- Way way too much chili mayo sauce again! That was all I could taste besides sugar!

Time for dessert!! Where?!?!? Gelato of course!!!

Pompelmo Campari (Grapefruit with Campari) & Panna Cotta
Sesame & Dulce de Leche

- Grapefruit - so sour!!!
- Panna Cotta - creamy, delicious but not the best gelato!
- Sesame - a bit too much sesame, was a bit sickening after 2 bites
- Dulce de leche - best of all 4 flavors, but wasn't anything to rave about

- All in all I think this L'Arte Del Gelato place is way overated!

A walk to Chelsea Market and we're hungry again!!!

We stop by St. Marks, one of my fav places for hole in the wall food!

Another Bánh mì sandwich? Why not?!?

We head to Baoguette

BAOGUETTE (Classic)

Pork, Terine, Pate, Fresh Herbs.

- $5 ?!?! yea, I would say that's much better than the $10 we spent earlier!

- Bread was crispy, perfect!

- Cilantro, carrots, cucumber were all very fresh

- Perfect balance of chili mayo to pork, terrine, and pate

Pho Noodles!!

- Feeling a little sick, I was in the mood for the Pho, to my surprise the broth was actually quite tasty. Not as good as Pho restaurants I've been to in Queens or Chinatown, but comparable.

- Surprisingly tons of meat! They've gotten a lot cheaper with their meat portions in many of the Pho restaurants.

- My only complaint, the menu said there were tendons in this dish. After searching and searching with my chopsticks and soup spoon through oodles of noodles, there were none to be found!

That concludes our Sunday Foodie Adventures!