My summer of salads continues.
While the wise Homer Simpson once pointed out, "you don’t win friends with salad," I believe this one might be the exception. And not just because there's no lettuce required.
This southwestern-style salad features some of the summer's best ingredients, such as fresh corn and heirloom tomatoes, enlivened by lime, jalapeno, and a touch of cilantro. Plus, it's a little bad: avocado and creamy cotija cheese add a dose of fat for those sharing the Simpson sentiment.
On a comfortable Friday in July with the sun setting behind us, my friends and I enjoyed dinner with a view.
The JCC in Manhattan's Shabbat in the Sky program invites local twenties and thirties to host our own rooftop dinners on select Fridays this summer. Given the tight quarters in most apartments, including my own, the opportunity to plan a personalized dinner party outside of one's living constraints is a novel one. With five girlfriends in tow, I checked it out for myself.
With the birth of his Lafayette Street restaurant, Gato, Bobby Flay returns to New York City, and does so in the way an original gangster of the celebrity chef world should - with confidence and food that screams.
On a never-busier Nolita block, Gato emerged in a 100-year-old industrial building, with regal high ceilings and warm lighting that reflect its origins but are mindful of its reincarnation as a fine restaurant. Despite the space’s vast height, the acoustics in the dining room allow for a surprisingly intimate meal with friends, and the windowed open kitchen often reveals Flay himself, working to better the Mediterranean dishes that represent a shift in cuisine from his offerings at Bar Americain and the late Mesa Grill.
But the same Flay, known for his bold, unflinching flavors, appears in even the smallest of plates. The bar snacks, arriving three for $17, are complex, yet approachable. Our favorites included an artichoke heart, topped with delicate quail egg and uni, and an ice cream scoop’s worth of raw beef crudo, cubed with pickled chiles. Larger appetizers compete for their own attention, such as the tender octopus, smoky with bacon and tart with citrus. The three spreads – yogurt, chickpea, and white bean – are enjoyable for the table to share.
I know what you're thinking, but remove those dirty thoughts from your mind.
Then, you may ask, "Why Wednesday?"
Well, this dish in the Fat Noodle repertoire leans a little heavy on the carbohydrates. It’s meant for those mid-week nights when you’ve been on the straight-and-narrow all week, going to the gym and eating right, but then after a rough work day, you need some comfort to help you over the hump. This one-pan dish requires little time and preparation, and it makes satisfying leftovers that can be enjoyed into the early weekend.
No fruit screams “summer” more than watermelon, and nothing screams “independence” more than our right to do whatever we damn please with that watermelon. Such liberties include: infusing an entire bottle of Stoli into a watermelon; chucking a watermelon off a balcony, presuming the landing zone has been secured; or making an artisanal bitter-and-sweet summer salad with – you guessed it – watermelon.
It's difficult to figure out where Philadelphia fits in for me. I spent the first eighteen years of my life within eighteen minutes of the Ben Franklin Bridge. Yet, I drove straight from college to New York City, where I believe, in the context of making pivotal life decisions, I truly "grew up." Ever since, I have felt compelled to make constant comparisons between the two cities; always resolving in favor of New York, of course, as this is where I chose to hang my proverbial plaque. On a recent summer weekend, however, I ate—no, stuffed—myself full of humble pie.