cia – Page 151 – Writing With My Mouth Full

fresh.

105 Reade Street between Church and Broadway
212/406.1900
about $55 for one, with two drinks, without tip
♥

For a $28 lunch prix fixe, my shellfish crepe with spinach was very satisfying. It included a scallop, small pieces of lobster and crab plus shrimps sandwiched in a soft crepe swimming in crab broth. I would have been happy without the crepe because it got soggy at the end, but that El Bulli-inspired foam is always interesting to look at. The gazpacho with shrimps had a nice spicy kick to it that I liked. They ran out of the octopus and squid salad and this cold soup was the right choice for a summer starter. I had room for dessert and I thought I made a good choice with the strawberry almond shortcake with sorbet. To me, something tart is always a good ending to a good meal.

The busboy brought bread to the table three times while we waited for our food. Maybe the small flies buzzing around made him nervous because he was keen on spilling water whenever he would give us a refill. One of the flies–a really, really tiny one–dove into one of our wine glasses. To make up for it, the manager brought us an extra bottle of wine–a service totally unnecessary but very much appreciated by our entire group. Sometimes, attentive service makes up for everything else, even small insects. Sometimes.

Bond St

6 Bond Street between Broadway and Lafayette
212/777.2500
$155 for two, with four drinks, with tip
♥ ♥

Several years ago, you would have caught a glimpse of Leonardo DiCaprio dining at Bond St. Today, the bouncer in all-black suit is still standing outside and all the beautiful people are still inside, but instead of Leo’s posse, you’ll see the suits and the loud groups of bankers eating on, most likely, company money. Ah, the life. We went one Wednesday night at 8:30pm without reservations. As soon as we asked for a spot for two, they led us to the sushi counter! Ah, the life of those without expense accounts!

It gets loud in Bond St but the energy is intoxicating. The sushi chefs scream a greeting when diners walk in and a goodbye when someone leaves. We opted for the sushi and sashimi omakase with a bonito-crusted scallop appetizer to start. From what I can remember, we had the pike eel, the otoro, the shrimp topped with caviar and the uni. While nothing is sublime that made me swoon and roll my eyes back, the fish is still sushi-grade. They still melt like butter and they still taste insanely fresh.

Several years ago, Leonardo DiCaprio switched to Moomba after he got tired of Bond St. For normal people like me, Bond St is still a pretty good Japanese place.

Vintage Wine Bar

2492 Broadway corner of 93rd Street
212/721.9999
about $60 for two hungry people, with tip
â™¥

Before:

After the Cia and Cameron hurricane hit:

Le Baobab Restaurant

120 West 116th Street between Lenox and 7th Avenue
212/864.4700
$25 for two, without drinks, without tip
♥

Named after the “upside-down tree” native to Madagascar, this Senagalese restaurant is one of the many African restaurants in Harlem serving whole fried fish for less than $12. We ordered one with a bowl of lamb curry and Senegalese couscous. The lamb curry had a nutty taste to it instead of the coconut milk I’m used to and it was made better by the white rice that came with the fish. The couscous had such an overwhelming texture I couldn’t really eat it with a thick sauce so I ate it with the fried fish and the hot salsa they gave us.

We walked in looking forward to eating a simple dinner but we came out with a whole new view of Harlem. A stream of people–women wearing exquisite fabrics, brilliant swatches of cloth knotted in bandanas and men in lose tunics–stopped by to talk, laugh and argue with the other patrons while we ate. We felt like we were in someone’s house in Africa but no one treated us as if we didn’t belong in there.

Sigiri

91 First Avenue between 5th and 6th Streets
212/614.9333
$60 for two, BYOB, without tip
♥

Because it’s the only Sri Lankan restaurant in Manhattan, Sigiri is a gem. It’s on the same block as the East 6th Indian restaurants, so if you blink–or if the red lights make you squint–you might just miss it. But try not to miss the dhal vade or lentil patties, the fish and potato cutlets and the vegetable and fish spring rolls, all breaded and deep-fried with traditional Sri Lankan spices. You can get each as an appetizer portion for about $5 or get the sampler for $8.50. The beef curry was a bit boring because the meat was dry inside, but the coconut milk curry covered its blandness and made the dish edible. We loved the yellow basmati rice cooked in saffron with cashew nuts and golden raisins. It was so hearty I could have eaten it without anything else. The best thing about Sigiri, though, is their BYOB policy. Dowel Quality Products, the deli downstairs, sells every beer imaginable.