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Casa Restaurant

Jul 23, ’06 11:36 PM

72 Bedford and Commerce Streets
212/366.9410
about $125 for two, with two drinks, without tip

Whenever I am in the West Village, I always stop by Casa and look in. I tell myself that I should get Brazilian food next time. One Saturday night, all the surrounding restaurants had an hour-long wait so we ended there and were seated promptly.

With our caipirinhas, we started with four appetizers to share. The beef carpaccio with watercress and hearts of palm was pretty good but I prefer my parmesan shaved rather than grated. The lightly breaded squid was overcooked and extra chewy so we barely finished it. We also shared the salada completa which convinced us that the hearts of palm was from a can. The greens needed a healthy drizzle of good olive oil to be resuscitated.

Our one consolation was the Brazilian sausage with sautéed onions. It was spicy and salty but finally hit the spot. I had high hopes for Casa but how can I ever order from the main courses when they can’t even get the most simple appetizers right?

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Charlie’s Southern Style Kitchen

Jul 20, ’06 4:55 PM

2841 Eighth Avenue between 151st and 152nd Streets
212/926.4313
about $15 for two, with two drinks, without tip

It’s hard to find the best fried chicken place in Harlem because there are plenty of places you can choose from. I have to admit, I didn’t even give Charlie’s a chance until I saw a New York Times clipping on their window. But if the Times can make it uptown, there was just no reason why I shouldn’t be eating there, too.

And I’m glad I did. I walked in after 4pm and paid for an all-you-can-eat buffet plate plus a drink for $11.99. Visit before 4pm and the price is $9.99 because it’s not dinner time although I’m pretty sure the food I was paying $2 more for was the same choices from earlier in the day. The fried chicken might not have been freshly fried but it was still delicious. The collard greens and the sweet potatoes were among my favorites. Next door is their take-away store where three fried chicken legs and two sides plus a cornbread cost me $9 another night. If you’re in a hurry, it’s the way to go.

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Crispy Okra Salad

Jul 17, ’06 10:59 AM

Adapted from Chef Suvir Saran

Ingredients:
1 pound young okra, halved lengthwise and julienned
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tomato, cored, seeds removed, sliced into thin strips
a handful cilantro, coarsely chopped
2 tsps garam masala
lemon juice
salt
oil for frying

1. In a deep skillet, heat some oil and working in batches, fry okra strips while stirring until golden and crispy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer each fried batch to a plate lined with paper towel. Sprinkle with garam masala and salt.
2. In a large bowl, gently toss the fried okra with the rest of the ingredients.

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Wonton Crackers

Jul 17, ’06 10:58 AM

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Ingredients:
12 pieces wonton wrappers
1 egg
a splash of heavy cream
3 tbsps ginger powder
1/4 cup sugar
a handful of sesame seeds
a handful of mustard seeds
salt
equipment: cookie cutters

1. Preheat oven to 350º and place racks in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, ginger and salt. In a separate bowl whisk the egg and cream together.
3. Cut the wonton wrappers into various shapes using cookie cutters. Place them on the baking sheet and brush with a thin glaze of the egg mixture. Sprinkle each with seeds and then a generous dusting of the sugar and ginger.
4. Bake until the wontons are golden and crisp, about 5 to 8 minutes. Be vigilant and don’t let them burn!

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