Category Archives: Reviews

Asador’s New Menu Items

Ok, y’all … it’s no mystery that I have a pretty serious obsession with Asador.  (Evident here, here, … and here.)  I was lucky enough to be invited in to try some of their new menu items from their Executive Chef, Brad Phillips.  They update their menu so often (like … sometimes daily) that they’ve decided to print their menus in-house so they don’t have to wait for a printer.

Some things are always amazing and can’t be missed, like their cocktails which are mixed using infused liquors inspired by the ever-awesome Tyler. (P.S. she’s a lady and she’s awesome.)  One of my contributors, Laura, joined me for the meal and swore that she’d be back as soon as should could be … it was that good.

To start … cocktails … oh, the cocktails.  I started with the Mellow Honey (Honeydew and cucumber-infused gin, fresh lemon juice, and prosecco), and it is, no doubt, the perfect light cocktail for spring.  The infused gin was so delicate without letting the other flavors mask it–truly amazing.

We enjoyed the Farm Salad to start that will be different every time you order it.  They go for fresh, so they only put the best stuff in there.  The “croutons” on this were absolutely craveable. The Pork Belly served with sunny side-up quail eggs were perfectly crisp and incredibly flavorful and the kimchi BBQ sauce made it just to die for.  This is a bacon and egg combo that I can seriously get behind.  These seriously can’t be missed.  The PEI Mussels with ginger, cilantro, lemongrass in sambal broth were so good that I nearly asked for a straw for the broth.  We actually did ask for more bread to soak it up–and that’s no crime.  They paired the mussels with a crisp glass of white wine that really hit the spot.

Stop in and try some of the new options that they’re slinging from the bar and the kitchen … I promise you’ll be impressed.

ASADOR
asadorrestaurant.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
2222 N Stemmons Fwy (in the Renaissance Hotel), Dallas
(214)631-2222

C’Viche

There’s a new chico in town … and his name is C’Viche.  Get your ass into this play ASAP, because it’s f**king delicious.

Their cocktails pack a punch and are a perfect complement to their Mexican and South American food.  They have an extensive full bar with some more exotic options, so you can get traditional margaritas or get a little crazy with Pisco drinks.  Check out some details of my visit below.

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We started with their complimentary chips & salsa while we poured over their menu.  Their food options are limited in the most perfect way–they don’t do all that much, but what they do, they do really damn well.  Their menu is literally five simple sections … ceviches (obvi.)and crudos, specialties, quesadillas, “snacks”, and tacos.

In the meantime, we ordered a couple drinks with the help of the owner and chef, Randall–Jackie* went with their mojito and I opted for a Pisco Sour … because Pisco.  Jackie hadn’t tried Pisco, so we were given small tastes to sip.  If you want to know more about Pisco, check out #SDDContributor Brian’s review or mine from ages ago!

Their bar is pretty extensive, offering “100% agave Mexican tequilas & mezcal, Caribbean rums, Brazilian cachaça and Argentinian Pisco”. You can also opt for their local or Mexican & South American beers on tap or some wine.  But, when in C’Viche …

Their food is unexpectedly good.   Though, they’re owned by the same guy as Clark Food & Wine Company, so I should have known better … because that place is legit.)  The food is inspired by Mexican and South American cuisine and makes the food its own in a special and delicious way.

My absolute favorite food item we tried was the Tuna Crudo “Poke Style” (tuna crudo, tamari, ginger, and scallions).  Jackie and I had a little fork fight over who got the last piece … I kid you not.  We also got into some serious queso business along with their Street Style Corn and Avocado Fries.  Not to be missed is their fresh fish, which you can choose which fish you prefer, chopped (ceviche) or sashimi style (crudo), which style you’d like (Baja, Peruvian, island, or Asian), and you can even have them make it into a salad for just $2.

The atmosphere is decided casual thanks to the nice natural light it lets in, red metal bar stools, industrial lights, and cement floors.  The music keeps it light and the staff lights to kid around … which just makes things a little more fun.

Stop into C’Viche soon and get you some of their tuna crudo to accompany their new happy hour specials.
C’VICHE & TEQUILA BAR
www.cvicheandtequila.com
1922 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 238-3509

*Jackie is my new friend who happens to be a fellow blogger … check her our at Pretty Petals! You’ll hear about her again.

Lobby Lounge at the Mandarin Oriental (New York City)

My sister and I remembered the amazing experience we had more than eight years ago at this bar.  We were there with friends and were absolutely floored by the view overlooking Central Park from the southwest corner in the Time Warner building.

The service is impeccable and the drinks are well-mixed.  Order a drink and a couple of their tapas-style appetizers and watch the sun set over the park.  It really is one of the best places to do it in the city.  Just make sure to get a spot by the window!

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Lobby Lounge at the Mandarin Oriental
MandarinOriental.com
80 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10023
(212) 805-8800

HOURS:
9am – 1am (Sun – Thu)
9am – 2am (Fri & Sat)

TEA: 2:30 – 4:30pm (Daily)

 

The Chester (New York City)

I don’t know who Chester is, but I really like that dude.  I was lucky enough to try out The Chester while in NYC this past April and have been haunted by some of the delicious dishes I had since.  The Chester is an unassuming little restaurant in Midtown (with another location in The Meatpacking District in the Gansevoort) with traditional American fare … with a twist.

We hit The Chester up for brunch because we couldn’t have a big a dinner since we were running a half marathon the next morning.  (Seriously.  We’re nuts.)  So we opted for a not-too-late brunch and hit it hard.  Because … carbs are important.  But, their dinner menu sounds absolutely amazing–I mean Orange-fennel Salad, Squid Ink Tagliarini, Eggplant Toast, Pork Belly … ugh, why didn’t we go for dinner?!

Their brunch menu has some of the more traditional options, but who needs traditional when you can have Breakfast Eggrolls!?  They were packed with scrambled eggs and veggies and were fried to a perfect crisp.  We also opted for the Blistered Shishito Peppers (lemon zest, fried garlic, and maldon sea salt).  My sister said that, without a doubt, they were the best shishito peppers she’d ever had. I’d really have to agree.  The garlic added a bunch of flavor and the best little hint of texture.  I went with The Sawdust (Rosemary-infused Ketel One, Moet, lemon juice, and agave) to start light and it was a great choice.

The cocktail menu offered some classic options but mostly slightly remixed options.  The West Side, Roosevelt, and Hellfire were all tempting!

Entrees were a challenge.  I mean … how do you choose between Eggs Benedict on a cheddar scone topped with chorizo hash and Banana Pancakes with rum-caramelized bananas and salted caramel?!  I mean … my mouth is watering and I’m about to look at flights to head back up there right now.  Luckily, someone had recommended their Fried Chicken (sweet tea brined chicken served with blistered shishito peppers and Thai dressing), so I at least had a hint.  The sweet tea brine gave it a subtle sweetness that was irresistible.  When the waitress came to clear our plates, I actually said to her “Don’t look at me … I’m hideous” because I’d gotten so into the chicken that I, quite literally, had it all over my hands and face.

My sister went with The Burger (hanger steak, pimento cheese, and miso-Russian dressing served on a homemade buns with steak fries) and really enjoyed it.  (I actually don’t know if I’ve ever seen her eat as much as I did that day.  No judgement.)

If I had ANY room left, I’d have opted for some of their fresh oysters. They offer a selection of East Coast and West Coast oysters.  (Which look amazing.)

The drinks at The Chester were all unique, yet classic.  Since we had a big race to run the next day*, I followed-up the meal with The Cobblestone (Tanqueray, mint, cucumber, rhubarb bitters) instead of dessert.  It was all I could do to resist the Sweet Ginger (Jameson, mont, honey-ginger syrup, and lemon)

The Cobblestone

The Cobblestone

The restaurant itself was HUGE–especially for a New York City space.  There were two full bars offering both liquor and a selection of local beers–one in front with windows that allowed an open facade for beautiful spring days and one in the back of the restaurant … for less pleasant days.  The Meatpacking space looks a bit brighter and offers a large, wood patio.

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I’ll be hitting up the Meatpacking location on my next visit to The City, so stay tuned for another report!  (Apparently they have a club, The Arthur, hidden inside.*  That’s happening.)

 

THE CHESTER
TheChesterNYC.com
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Midtown
45 East 33rd Street, NYC 10016
(212)201-1228

Gansevoort Meatpacking
18 Ninth Avenue, NYC 10014
(646) 253-2284

*The Arthur: Reservations required after 11 p.m. Contact: info@paigegroupny.com.

Kin Kin Urban Thai- Fort Worth

Chef Eddy Thretipthuangsin (most just call him Chef Eddy), of Bite City Grill, has done it again. He has recently opened Kin Kin Urban Thai in the West 7th development in Fort Worth. The space, previously MK Sushi, has been completely transformed into a modern, clean, comfortable restaurant.

Kin Kin means “eat, eat” or “let’s eat”. Chef Eddy has created a menu of traditional Thai dishes along with American favorites with a Thai twist. Kin Kin has been a way for Chef Eddy to pay homage to his mother as well as the country of Thailand. His mother, Pat, helped create many of the menu items … she used to cook for the Thai royal family and Eddy began his culinary career by learning from her. He spent a month traveling Thailand to help shape the menu at Kin Kin. He says, “Bangkok is one of the most vibrant culinary cities.” So thankfully, he is sharing that with Fort Worth (and soon Dallas).

It was very difficult to choose what to order first because of the great selection, so my strategy was … what would be a great bar snack? (I know you are reading this to find out about the drinks – duh.) If you’re coming to Kin Kin in to hang out and have a drink, order the shrimp chip for a snack. They are this glorious, airy chip that remind me of Cheetos. Who wouldn’t like upscale Cheetos? The pork and shrimp dumplings were delicious, and are served in a traditional bamboo basket with green cabbage and soy sauce. I’m pretty sure I will have this as my meal next time I am there. My other favorite bar snack was the Bangkok shrimp (crispy shrimp, garlic, cilantro, sweet plum sauce). I don’t think you could go wrong with anything on the menu and I give everything I sampled two thumbs up.

Chef Eddy’s brother, Chris, is the mastermind behind the drink menu. The difference between the drinks at Bite City Grill and Kin Kin is the complexity. If you go back and read about the Bite drinks, you will see that they are on the elaborate side and you’re given bitters to control taste. The drinks at Kin Kin are simple and to the point. My favorite cocktail was the Lychee Margarita (tequila, Soho Lychee, fresh lime). Crisp and refreshing, I have admit that my glass was empty before I knew it. If you have never had lychee before, it has a similar taste to a pear or grape and it’s a great combination with the lime of the margarita. I’d say that this is a go-to “summer tasting” drink. The Tom Yum Bloody Mary (lemongrass infused vodka, bloody mary mix, Sriracha) is flavor roller coaster. It’s a fusion of Tom Yum soup and a Bloody Mary.

Kin Kin also did a great job of choosing their beer and whiskey options. The two categories are “Far East” (imported Pacific Asian options) and “Down the Road” (local Texas options) for each list. (P.S. Did you know that Japan is doing some seriously awesome things with whiskey? Yeah … it’s happening.)

The service was amazing from the moment I walked into the front door; everyone was very hospitable and the service was prompt. Parking is easy and convenient and Kin Kin Urban Thai is located right next to the garage entrance (which has free parking – just don’t forget to get your ticket validated before you leave).

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KIN KIN URBAN THAI
www.kinkinurbanthai.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
2801 West 7th Street, Fort Worth, TX 76107
817-984-1363

Opening Summer 2015: 11661 Preston Road, Dallas, TX 75230
Opening April 2015: 3211 Oak Lawn Ave, Dallas, TX 75219

Unfortunately, Kin Kin does not have any happy hour specials yet. As the restaurant takes root, that might be an addition for the future. Currently, the only special is for take out ($1 off the price of each item in your order).

 

Amaro Lucano: She’s a Bitter Lady

I always enjoying expanding my horizons; particularly when those horizons just so happen to be sippable … and intoxicating. After all, variety is the spice of life, no? That is why I carpe’d that diem when I was presented with the opportunity to sample Amaro Lucano, a traditional Italian liqueur in the amaro category.

I am going to have to go ahead and admit that I felt inclined to do a little digging to find out what exactly, constitutes an amaro. In case you’re as clueless as I was, an amaro is a bittersweet Italian digestif, frequently served neat, chilled, or over ice. Here’s a well-written piece by Food and Wine, characterizing amaro in lovely detail that I won’t go into here.

Amaro Lucano dates back to 1894, where it was dreamt up in the back room of a cookie bakery. The secret recipe contains more than 30 herbs, most notably: Roman absinthe and absinthe woodworm. (Seriously, I want to visit this bakery…) But don’t worry, Amaro Lucano has an ABV of just 28%, so fortunately (?), that pesky green fairy won’t be accompanying your after-dinner nightcap. The good folks at Amaro Lucano recommend sipping this libation neat, chilled, over ice, or with orange zest … but also advise that Amaro Lucano makes a perfect base for cocktails.

Before I started dabbling in any cocktail creations, I decided we should probably try the Amaro Lucano neat, as an after-dinner tipple, because it’s just so damn continental. Since I consider myself a terribly sophisticated lady (hehehehe), I knew this was the drink for me. My first impression of the Amaro Lucano was that I couldn’t even think of anything to compare it to. The alcoholic powers that be aren’t kidding when they characterize amaros as bitter. The Amaro Lucano is unapologetically bitter, bold, and spicy. It would be difficult to describe the complexity of the flavor with mere words, but “peppery” and “minty” are two that come to mind. I believe this family of liqueurs is probably falls into the category of “acquired tastes,” and I believe I will require a few more trials before I can say I have officially “acquired” said taste.

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That being said, I decided it was time to embrace my uncouth American roots and try the Amaro Lucano in a cocktail.

Enter the…

Lucano Cobbler
1.5 oz Amaro Lucano
3 oz red wine
0.5 oz tonic water
0.5 oz sugar syrup

Mix the drink directly in the glass and serve with a slice of lemon and orange, a sprig of mint, fruits of the forest and ice.

I’m going to go ahead and suggest that, if you are new to amaros, you consider starting here. Let me be clear: the Lucano Cobbler still packs a boldly spicy, bitter punch, as cocktails go, but from a newbie’s perspective, the red wine and simple syrup transition this experience from one you aren’t sure if you’re enjoying, to one that becomes increasingly enjoyable as you continue to sip. The blend of sweet and spicy is rich and heady, and lends itself to being an interesting digestif that doesn’t totally knock your socks off with a bitter assault.

Here are some additional dessert cocktails you might consider sampling, if you are an amaro rookie, like me:

Lucano Ice Cream
3 white sugar cubes
0.5 oz of still water
2 scoops of cream flavour ice cream
3 bar spoons of Amaro Lucano

Put the sugar cubes in the shaker and add 25 ml of still water, add two scoops of cream flavour ice cream. Then add three bar spoons of Amaro Lucano and shake. 

Espresso Lucano
1 long espresso
0.5 oz liquid sugar
1 oz Amaro Lucano

Pour ingredients into a glass. Mix and serve.

*Amaro Lucano generously provided me with a bottle of Amaro Lucano to taste and test.

Product Review: Limoncello di Capri

written by Jim Hargreaves*

Limoncello is a difficult spirit to review … much like the glass it is often served in, it has an inherently narrow profile. Take some fruit, steep in ethanol, add sugar, and limoncello is born. However, it is exactly this singular focus — the lemon — which makes this liqueur such a challenge to create without revealing subtle flaws, and likewise, so brilliantly delicious to imbibe when made right

Limoncello di Capri is crafted using organic lemons strictly harvested from the Italian islands of Capri and Sorrento, using a cold infusion process, without artificial colors or additives. Long story short … it’s the real deal. In fact, the brand was the first to patent the term “limoncello”, using a recipe that was handed down from the drink’s original creator, Vincenza Canale. Canale, an innkeeper on the isle of Capri, first served the elixir to her guests in the early 1900s.

While the packaging appears generic compared to other premium spirits, the vessel belies the quality of the liquid contained within. Limoncello di Capri pours a milky, pale yellow, rich color, though not as brilliant as others. It’s a hue deserving of a hot summer day, though, quite frankly, drinking a good limoncello is just as enjoyable in the depth of winter. (Hey, you can’t sit around waiting for the weather to change to write a review!) The aroma is bright and fragrant, with a clear hint of alcohol.  Keep in mind, limoncello is often upwards of 60+ proof — a wolf in really delicious sheep’s clothing. There is a distinctly sharp citrus character in the nose, though the scent of sweet sugar and lemon oil found in some of the best examples is rather subdued. All in all, breathing in the vapor certainly entices one to take a healthy sip.

The taste, obviously of lemon, is lighter and crisper than many lesser brands, washing away cleanly and quickly prompting the next swig. A boozy burn comes through quickly as the spirit meanders down the throat. The flavor is long and lasting, with a noticeable bite and a slightly dry finish. Above all, there is the fruit, clean and striking and strong in a way as to make your cheeks salivate. Simple yet delicious. If you could squeeze a yellow sun until it dripped with nectar, one might imagine it to taste of good limoncello.

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For those seeking an entry into world of this famed Italian spirit, Limoncello di Capri is a more than a suitable offering. A bit bold, and lacking some of the subtleties of more balanced makes like Villa Massa, it is nevertheless mouthwatering, and like any good limoncello, unapologetically focused. Find a patio, some friends, and try a sip … and presto (as the Italians would say).

Serving Suggestion: Store in the freezer and serve cold, straight, in a cordial glass or small champagne flute

For recipes, visit www.limoncello.com/en/ricette_cocktail.html.

LIMONCELLO DI CAPRI
www.limoncello.com/en/
Ask for Limoncello di Capri at your local liquor store as it has only recently been imported in to the US.
*NOTE FROM SUSIE: Jim is my cousin who also designed my amazing logo.  Check out his other amazing work at www.hhargreaves.com!

Bahn ME

Bonnaroo.  Bon bons.  Bonfires.  The Autobahn.  There are a lot of awesome “bahn” things, but one of Dallas’ newer Vietnamese restaurants, BÁNH SHOP, is really “bon”.  (Good … in French.  Unfortunately, “good” in Vietnamese is tốt.)

Their food was deliciously flavorful and most of the portions were large enough to have a bit left for lunch the next day.  (At least for me … I don’t know your life.)  Get a couple items and share, because there are so many awesome items on the menu that you’ll probably not even be able to decide on one.

Check out their frozen cocktails–Ginger Margaritas and Passion Fruit Coladas–that are pretty dang strong.  (So much so that they’ll sneak up on you … I learned that the hard way halfway through a musical after eating here.)  They offer a practically full bar, draft and bottled beers, and some wines.

Eat there (order at the register and they deliver to your table) or order take-out.  They even have dedicated parking in their lot for their take-out customers, so take advantage of that!

Bánh Shop
banhshop.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
5629 SMU Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 890-9776