There was lots of thunder and lighting and rain after we called it a night on Sunday, and rain was predicted throughout the day on Monday. But while it was mostly overcast, there was nary a drop of rain; it was a perfect day for walking. Our lunch reservation was at Lupa, Mario Batali's gem on the edge of Soho. Lupa is one of our New York favorites; we've been penciling it in for lunch on recent trips. And, once again, our lunch was outstanding.
Lupa was pleasantly crowded on this day; it had been less so when we dined here last October. We sipped the Barbera we had ordered and nibbled at the fresh focaccia and olive oil we were served as we waited for our first courses.
For starters, we had ordered the sardines and the "affetatti piccolo"assortment of meats; when they arrived we could barely fit it all on the table.
Speck, salumi, bresaola, prosciutto di parma, coppa cotta, lingua, testa
Sardines with golden raisins & pinenuts The meats offered a potpourri of spices and were all very good. The sardines were outstanding; they were tender and tangy. I would have ordered another round, but . . . the pastas were yet to come. We keep coming back to Lupa for the pasta. They're all homemade in hidden basement chambers and the quality and preparations are unsurpassed. There's always at least one special pasta, which we usually order, but on this occasion we ordered two on-the-menu offerings which we'd not had before.
Mezze rigatoni with skate & broccoli rabe
Ricotta gnocchi with sausage & fennel The rigatoni was a perfect summer preparation; none of the ingredients overpowered and they blended expertly in the light butter sauce. It was a delicious dish. I seldom order gnocchi; I'm not a fan. After savoring Lupa's "fluffy little pillows" (Marlene's spontaneous exclamation), I'm sure I'll be disappointed if I order them anywhere else. Their light, airy, melt-in-your-mouth consistency cannot be photographed. The sausage and fennel were complimentary ingredients in the sweet tomato sauce; they did not compete with the gnocchi for our palates' attention. An exquisite dish. Yes, I think we'll be returning to Lupa again in the near future. After lunch, we walked a few blocks to Spring and Broadway to Morgenthal Frederics. We usually shop for eyeglasses at the chain's Madison and 63rd store, but we had learned that Mathew, their brand manager whose taste I trust, would be at the Soho location on this day. Did Mathew tempt me with a new pair of specs? Stay tuned.
Our Monday evening dinner reservation was at Anita Lo's Annisa on Barrow Street in the West Village. Yes, we had dined at Annisa on our recent October visit to New York and yes, we will be dining at new venues on this visit. But Annisa is on our growing list of special go-again restaurants; so we went again.
Annisa's inventive menu offers a tasting option, but on this occasion, we opted to order à la carte. Our knowledgeable waiter recommended a red wine (Collioure – Domaine Madeloc ‘Cuvée Serral’ 2008) to compliment our meal. He was right on. We started with the black sea bass sashimi and the barbecued squid, the latter ordered by Marlene because I had ordered it on our last visit and she had been jealous.
Black sea bass sashimi with trout roe, yuzu pearls and shiso
Barbecued squid with Thai basil and fresh peanuts The sashimi was delicate and delicious, with the shiso adding an appropriate kick. Marlene's squid did not disappoint; it was tender and its sauce provided an even greater kick. Both dishes were special. For seconds, we both ordered meat to compliment our starters; Marlene ordered the lamb and I ordered the pork.
Lamb with chickpeas, harissa and black sesame
Grilled Mangalitsa pork ribeye with its crispy ears and dandelion Marlene's lamb was an excellent dish. The loin was tender and tasty; the meatballs (in the small bowl) were nicely spiced. The chickpea cakes tasted like polenta and were fitting bookends. The pork preparation was wonderful. The rich sweet sauce complimented the tasty pork, the ricotta nudi were delightfully rich, and the crispy ears were an unheard of addition. We were more than content with our wonderful meal, and could have and should have stopped there. But the desserts at Annisa are on par with the rest of the menu and we could not resist reprising our October selections. The photographs and descriptions should suffice.
Pecan and salted butterscotch beignets with bourbon milk ice
Poppyseed bread and butter pudding with Meyer lemon curd On our last visit to Annisa, we were tended to by the delightful Simone. Simone, who usually tends bar, was back tending bar on this night, but she still spent a lot of time tending us. Simone is another reason we will definitely return to Annisa.
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