I Love Musubis

hawaiigurlinct:

Saturday was for stuffing my face with 30 different chowders from Fairfield county restaurants at the Annual Chowdafest in Westport. I don’t remember ever hearing about a past Chowdafest but at some point in time I had written a note to myself to check out this February event. And who am I to argue with myself, after all? Turns out, I was not disappointed. Chowdafest 2012 was amazing!

(photo via The Daily Westport)

In a nut shell, 30 or so restaurants donate their time and their soup(s) to serve thousands of hungry fest-gatherers. Chowder loving people pay $6 for a ballot and a spoon in order to sample all the chowders and vote for their favorites. And all of that admission money goes to the Connecticut Food Bank. Pretty awesome… all the way around. But contributing to a good cause is not all you get if you are a winning restaurant. You also get the coveted chowdafesttrophy football helmet.

While almost all the chowders were extremely good, there were three that stuck out in my mind as the best of the best: Clam Chowder from Rory’s in Darien (already really good straight out of the soup vat but made infinitely better with a dab of sherry offered), and the Crab Chowder and Lobster Bisque, both from Stamford. Clearly I’m going to need to visit Rory’s this weekend to have an entire cup-full. And I’m going to have to start adding soups to my list of reasons to hit up the Crab Shell. I go there a lot during the summer, but it’s usually for the music and the beer.

And because I’m nothing if not service-y, here’s a couple of things I’ve learned to help you enjoy Chowdafest 2013 - because you really should go to it:

1. Go hungry starving. Each serving was only a couple of tablespoons so I figured a professional stomach like mine was up to the challenge. But those tiny sampler cups are bigger than they look. I had to be rolled out of there when it was all over.
2. Go early. We got there with 2 hours to spare but already missed out on some that looked like they’d be sure winners in my book – especially an Oyster and Pork Belly Chowder from Nicholas Roberts Gourmet Bistro.
3. Go with lots of time to spare. We were nervous about getting to try everything before they ran out (see #2) so there was a lot of burned tongues. Or just mine. But still.
4. If you are lactose intolerant, plan accordingly. This is probably a pretty obvious one to everyone, but I don’t know what I was thinking. I have a pretty mild case of it – pop a pill before eating a bowl of cereal and no party foul. But somehow I didn’t put together that a) chowder has cream in it and b) I would be consuming A LOT of chowder (see #1).

Now don’t let a little thing like being lactose intolerant stop you. I subscribe to the Anthony Bourdain school of thought:

“Good food and good eating are about risk. Every once in a while an oyster, for instance, will make you sick to your stomanch. Does this mean you should stop eating oysters? No way.”

I can’t wait for next year.

caseyculture:

Last night I spent 3+ hours at Aria Wine Bar, perhaps my favorite little whole in the wall in the city.

Darkly lit Aria serves fairly inexpensive wine in full-to-the-brim glasses and a huge variety mix of Venetian small plates and pastas on communal tables and a kitchen island-esque bar, creating a very, very intimate atmosphere. I’d recommend:

• Burratta and Prosciutto
• Meatballs
• Mini Lamb Chops

The illuminated sidewalk view is also a great addition. Now that the weather is finally feeling like winter, Aria may very well be the perfect place to hide away and stay warm.

*Bottom image via Urban Daddy

bobbybigwheel:

I was six away from getting all 38 of the Eater 38.  Moreover, two of the eateries that I had not yet patronized (Sripraphai and Le Bilboquet) were either closed or on the verge of closing.  Really, I was four away.  So I didn’t mind when, the night before the new 38 was released, I had to cancel my Chin Chin reservations.  Hell, maybe I could even pad my total when the new list came out when Eater would add places I’d already been to.

No.  It didn’t work like that.  Instead, I got chaos.

Eater decided to blow up the 38, keeping one third of the entries.  One half would be totally new to the list, and the remainder were returnees.  A breakdown follows, with ones I have been to bolded:

Stayed On The 38  (13/13)

Locanda Verde, Torrisi, Balthazar, Lure, Spotted Pig, Casa Mono,ABC Kitchen, Keens, Esca, Danji, Salumeria Rosi, Red Rooster,Roberta’s

Returned To The 38 (1/6)

Blue Ribbon (fuck yeah!), Ippudo, Marea, Frankies 457, Lucali, Vinegar Hill House

New To The 38 (4/19 )

Barbarini Alimentari, 456 Restaurant, Rubirosa, I Sodi, Takashi, Kin Shop, Momofuku Noodle Bar, Maialino, John Dory Oyster Bar, Hill Country Barbecue, Benoit, Bar Room at The Modern, Donguri, Bamonte’s, The Good Fork

Oof!  And wait till you hear how I knocked out some of the new entries.

Rubirosa

Little did I know that, when I grabbed a slice of their vodka pie after buying a vintage t-shirt next door, I would be knocking out a future member of the Eater 38.  Also, I thought the slice was kind of meh.  But hey, here we are.

I Sodi

I actually had a real meal at this one!  I went here on Valentine’s Day with GF3 (awwww).  That night we decided we’d be exclusive (awwwwwwww).  That’s right, ladyreaders, I’m highly dateable.  Anyway, Rubirosa had a nice homey rabbit pasta, but there was a bone in it.  Learning my lesson from Gramercy Tavern, I parlayed that into some free prosecco for me and GF3 (awwwww).  

 Hill Country Barbecue

I never ate here.  No, I went here to watch the 2010 BCS Championship Game with a bunch of UT fans.  I told everyone I went to Westlake High in Austin because that’s where my college roommate went.  I got pretty drunk off their Pearl beer, WHICH IS FROM TEXAS. So, I think that counts, right?

The Bar Room at the Modern

I ate at The Modern when I was a summer associate, not just the bar room.  Since the Bar Room is a low-cost alternative to actually eating at The Modern, I’m counting this as accomplished.  Besides, I actually ate at a privately catered event after a private tour of the MOMA. I drank $200 wine with partners, ate a fantastic raspberry tort dessert and experienced what being part of the 1% is like.  Being a summer is the best, you guys.

OK, so I had to get 20 notches in my belt instead of 6.  But that’s still achievable.  In fact, I was able to knock out two entries in one day.

456 Restaurant

I invited a bunch of my friends here for dim sum last Saturday.  We ate late so they were out of some of their signature dishes, including one named Fried Tiny Balls, but their remaining offerings were still excellent, especially their yellow fish fried in tofu.  Seriously, it sounds weird but it works.  Still, I need to go back for Fried Tiny Balls

Sushi of Gari

I went here with GF4.  Since she’s a vegetarian she had to watch me eat omakase while she slurped up soba noodles.  It was my first omakase and holy shit omakase is awesome.  Their black cod made me rethink my stance on black cod.  They had sesame oil that kind of tasted like peanut butter.  They had tofu cream that looked gross but tasted divine. 

Anyway, GF4 and I are no more (don’t worry, it was as mutual as humanly possible).  And now I can audition out whoever GF5 will be at Barbarini Alimentari, Takashi, Kin Shop, Momofuku Noodle, Ippudo, Maialino, John Dory, Benoit, Marea, Boulud Sud, Donguri, Bamonte’s, Frankies 457, Lucali, Franny’s, The Good Fork, Vinegar Hill House and Jackson Diner.  And whenever I go to such a place, I’ll recap it in this space.  Hopefully in more detail than “I ate a slice after buying a t-shirt.” 

Anyway, I hope that’s better than Top Chef recaps.  Because I’d rather be out on Wednesday night.  Ideally at one of those restaurants.