Category: Restaurants

Manhattan Moments: Screen, Page & Plate

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DC SOCIAL SCENE ON SCREEN

Georgetown (Amazon Prime)

Elsa and Mot (nytimes.com)

Georgetown, a movie offering from Prime, is inspired by shocking real events.  Mot, an immigrant to the U.S., aspires to grand adventures and a role in the diplomatic world.  Charming and debonair, he meets a grand dame socialite and former journalist, invites her to lunch and flatters her.  When Elsa’s husband dies, he re-establishes contact and then marries her.  She is several decades his senior, but he is not above using her connections to host Washington notables at elegant dinner parties.  

From there, with her smarts, he parlays his way into advising and counseling heads of state and other eminent individuals.  When Elsa dies, the manner of her death raises questions, and Mot’s behavior gets a thorough examination.  

The narrative arc is shallow and the ending predictable but watching Mot maneuver makes for good entertainment.  And the cast includes notables Vanessa Redgrave and Annette Bening.

RISING TO THE TOP IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT

Lessons from the Edge by Marie Yovanovitch

Former ambassador Yovanovitch (theguardian.com)

Foreign Service Officer Yovanovitch gained fame and notoriety when then President Trump fired her from her position as ambassador to Ukraine.  Her testimony during Trump’s first impeachment trial was riveting.  Her memoir is a fascinating account of the political climate after the Cold War and the end of the communist state in the USSR.  Of Russian heritage and an immigrant to the United States herself, Yovanovitch was very interested in serving in Moscow and the former Soviet countries.  

During the 1980’s and early 90’s, the Foreign Service Office was a male bastion; the very few women there were routinely either ignored or discriminated against.  Ms. Yovanovitch details both her professional struggles and her personal insecurities in her climb up the diplomatic ladder.  

I’m about a third of the way into her memoir and find it an informative look at the U.S. diplomatic efforts in Somalia, Moscow, and Ukraine.  She is candid to the point of rawness and does not stint on criticism of herself and some of her superiors, while praising those who listened to her and gave her opportunities.  

ETHIC DINING

One of the pleasures of being in Manhattan is the wide range of ethnic restaurants.  As has been the case for a while, Italian cuisine predominates, but there are good Chinese, Indian, and Turkish restaurants too.  Here are a couple we enjoyed recently.

Wa Jeal

Chicken broccoli and Shrimp with peppers

This Upper East Side Sichuan restaurant interior is light and attractive.  We had lunch here and were delighted with the warm welcome from our waitress and with the clean flavors of the dishes we ordered.  The scallion pan cakes and the Sichuan pork dumplings were excellent.  Sliced chicken with broccoli and the sauteed shrimp and green peppers in a hot pepper sauce were equally delicious.  Pair those offerings with white rice and a Tsing Tao beer, and you have a fortifying meal!  Take out and several delivery options are also available.

Agora Turkish Restaurant

Interior of Agora

We like A La Turka restaurant on 2nd Avenue but decided to venture farther up that avenue to Agora for lunch.  Paintings adorning the walls and Turkish oil lamps on each table give this restaurant a charming Old-World feel.  We liked our waiter and ordered hummus to start followed by chicken shish and lamb adana.  Each entrée was accompanied by rice, onion salad, red cabbage, and tomatoes and green pepper.  

The chicken seemed a bit dry, but the Chief Penguin found the lamb very tasty.  Another place to add to our list of regulars!

Note: Unattributed photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved).

Manhattan: Cooking & Dining Around

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MOMENTOUS MOMENT

This has been a dramatic week with the leak of the Supreme Court’s draft opinion upending Roe v. Wade.  For many of us who were of age in 1973, contemplating a return to when abortion is no longer a legal right/option is positively medieval. It feels so very wrong.  Pro-choice protests erupted in cities near and far.  This one we noted in Union Square.

Union Square protesters

FUN WITH KIDS IN THE KITCHEN

Our granddaughters have both developed an interest in cooking and baking.  After school one afternoon, the 6-year-old and I, at her request, made mini-muffin pancake bites from the latest issue of Highlights High Five.  F knew where all the necessary ingredients were along with the essential mixing bowl, measuring cups, and muffin tin.  She scurried around to assemble them and kept a close eye on the oven gauge as it proceeded to preheat to 350.  

As we began the mixing process, she reported every few minutes, “It’s at 350 Fahrenheit, Grandma,” and then, “It’s still at 350 Fahrenheit,” always precisely including the word Fahrenheit.  The mini muffins use pancake mix as the base with the addition of the requisite milk and eggs and then some cut up blueberries and strawberries.  Once baked, they were served with maple syrup for dipping.  A sweet success!

Mini-muffin bites

Her older sister, E is becoming an accomplished cook.  Her current bible is Melissa Clark’s Kid in the Kitchen, and she has already tried several recipes.  The other evening, she boiled the pasta and made a sauce of cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and slivers of garlic.  After adding the sauce to the pasta, it was topped with dollops of ricotta cheese along with fresh basil and mint.  Delectable and a pretty dish besides!  The Chief Penguin and I were eager tasters for both creations!

Fusilli with cherry tomato sauce & fresh basil and mint

DINING AROUND—MOSTLY FISH

Seamore’s

Seamore’s on the Upper East Side is the newest location of a local restaurant chain.  It’s an airy, two-level space with white walls and light wood tables.  A blackboard on one wall outlines the shape and characteristics of some of the fish they serve.  Once we were seated at a fine table (we rejected the hostess’ initial attempt to seat us in the back next to the restrooms), we were pleased with our friendly waitress and the very good service.  

Since we’d had a large lunch, we stuck to the smaller items on the menu.  Between us ordered the fried cauliflower appetizer, clam chowder, and the shrimp tacos on corn tortillas. A place to return to with an appetite!

Avra Madison Estiatorio

Friends introduced us to this upscale Greek seafood and fish restaurant.  It has one of the most beautiful outside dining areas.  Inside is an expansive two-level space with lots of activity and noise on the main bar level.  Fortunately, we were seated downstairs where the tables were set apart, and we could easily converse.  

Whole fish is their specialty, and the prices reflect that.  We shared a bunch of appetizers: zucchini chips, spreads, and hummus, and we all ordered the fish of the day which was fillets of dorade accompanied by roasted Brussels sprouts.  Everything was delicious.  This is a great place for special occasions and expense account dining!

Disappointing Reprise

Tue Thai Food used to be a favorite West Village spot for an inexpensive lunch.  We hadn’t been back since pre-Covid and were desirous of the same good food.  This time the curries were thin and watery and somewhat bland, while the whole ambience was shabbier than we remembered.  We wonder if they have a new chef or if a lack of business has made them lax.  

Granddaughters, Fun & Food

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GOOD TIMES WITH OUR GRANDDAUGHTERS

Our granddaughters, Eleanor and Frances, had not been to Florida since February 2020 just before Covid. That year we celebrated Frances’ March birthday (she would turn 4) super early with a heart-shaped, pink-frosted cake.  The Chief Penguin, aka Grandpa, is the resident baker and works his wonders to create memorable birthday desserts.

This year, the weather was lovely and sunny all but one day, and the girls frolicked for hours, and hours, in the pool. They became quite good swimmers last summer and refreshed their water skills while having oodles of fun.  F dove for rings and swam underwater. Using a pink (what other color is there!) noodle, she created a mini zipline effect on the pool stairs railing.  E jumped in the deep end, swam across the pool, and had timed races with her dad to see how fast she could swim.  

Besides the appeal of the water, there was the matter of food.  F loves strawberries and cherry tomatoes!  She devoured a couple of pints of each.  E, an increasingly accomplished baker and cook, loves all kinds of cheese, and helped with meal preparations and making pancakes, all with the occasional assist from Frances.  It not being Maine, these pancakes were made special with the addition of mini chocolate chips.  

The entire family likes pasta, so noodles and penne were featured in several dinners along with turkey chili, Italian Sunday sauce, and sauteed shrimp.  Going to Tide Tables Restaurant, a cozy spot on the water with inside and outside dining, is a tradition so, one day we braved the crowds to arrive for an early dinner.  Despite what was a packed parking lot, the elapsed time between arriving there, parking, waiting with drinks, and being escorted to a table was just 30 minutes!  The staff deserve credit for efficiently organizing the whole process.  

This is a family all of whom love clams.  Lunch at the Cortez Clam Factory on Saturday fit the bill.  A cousin visiting from Colorado joined us, and we were able to sit outside on the patio.  While only one person ordered clams, the brisket Reuben, Cuban sandwich, shrimp, and fried haddock were very tasty.  A true success!

On the home front, there were several opportunities for tennis, the girls and I kicked around a soccer ball, we did a fish puzzle, and we read books together and silently.  The girls also played with a favorite dollhouse plus blocks, Legos, and Calico Critters.  And we made time for going to Sarasota with a look at the boats in the marina and visits to two shops.

Reading on the stairs
Enjoying a book of jokes!

For the finale, we celebrated Frances’ upcoming 6th birthday with a unicorn-themed cake and cupcakes made by you know who.  It was a magical visit, full of fun for all of us!

Special birthday cake and cupcakes

SARASOTA TREATS

Most of my regular readers know that I am passionate about two stores in downtown Sarasota.  One is Artisan Cheese Company located in the Rosemary District and source of an array of cheddar, Swiss, Camembert, and other delectable cheeses from here and abroad.  The shop also sells distinctive butters and crackers, chocolates, Rancho Gordo beans, and unusual condiments plus homemade soups and delicate feta from Lesbos, Greece.  

My other favorite is Bookstore1Sarasota, a marvelous independent bookstore with a great selection and a very helpful staff.  They are now in a new location on Pineapple St. in The Mark, a new condominium building.  The shop is spacious and attractive with big windows and a colorful tropical flower graphic naming the sections.  From Staff Picks to the latest in fiction and nonfiction plus classics and books for kids, it’s fun to browse.  I always find at least one new title to buy!  There’s also have an upstairs area for events which might include a café at some point.  Both stores are worth the trip!

SOPHISTICATED DINING IN BRADENTON

Chateau 13

Chateau 13, in our opinion, still serves the best, most sophisticated cuisine in the area.  At a recent dinner there, the Chief Penguin and I were re-impressed with the caliber of service (the bread plates even came with a bread-and-butter knife, almost unheard of these days!) and the food.  We indulged in historic Champagne cocktails followed by the charcuterie cheese plate for the Chief Penguin and the French Caesar salad for me.  He then had the salmon rillette salad and the stuffed piquillo pepper appetizer while I savored the salmon en croute.  To top it off, we shared an order of truffle fries, but no dessert.  Everything was delicious!    

Note: Photos ©JWFarrington. Header graphic courtesy localjaw.com

The Local Scene: Culture & Food

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CLASSIC THEATER

Our Town

George, Stage Manager, & Emily (heraldtribune.com)

Most everyone of a certain age has been exposed to Thornton Wilder’s Our Town in junior high or high school.  I recall that we read it in English class and may even have acted out a scene or too.  When we were young, many of us (theater folks included) found the whole business dull.  Therefore, I approached the Asolo Theatre production with skepticism.  To my surprise, I enjoyed it much more than I anticipated. 

The staging is spare, and a diverse cast made the residents of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, come alive.  The stage manager describes the layout of the town and introduces us to the main characters, then steps in and out of the drama to move things along or to go back in time.

Yes, the play is dated.  It is set in the early 20th century when milk was still delivered by a horse-drawn wagon, and mothers focused on preparing meals and raising children.  But the themes of love, duty, and death it explores are universal.  The last act, set in the cemetery with the dead talking to one another, delivers a gentle punch to the gut.

Unlike the stilted, formal presentations of this character I remember, Kenn E. Head imbues the stage manager with humor, verve and a bit of sass.  He makes the role, and by extension the play, memorable!  Performances continue through March 26.

BOOK OF THE WEEK

The Rent Collector by Camron Wright

Camron Wright (amazon.com)

I’m currently reading The Rent Collector, a novel for our local book group.  It’s by an author I hadn’t known.  Like the nonfiction work, Beyond the Beautiful Forevers, set in a trash dump near the Mumbai airport, the setting here is also a dump, but in Cambodia.  People live in shacks constructed out of paper and cardboard, and they pick through the trash for items to sell or recycle.  This is a more hopeful work and is also based on real people.  

Sang Ly, the main character is learning to read, and she and her husband Ki Lim and their sickly son Nisay eke out their existence midst this challenging environment.  Winner of several book awards, this is an absorbing and uplifting novel.  (~JWFarrington)

EATING OUT

BOUTIQUE RESTAURANT IN SARASOTA

A Sprig of Thyme

Interior (tripadvisor.com)

This cozy restaurant close to Sarasota Memorial Hospital offers an appealing menu of seafood and meat entrees which should tempt and satisfy any palate.  Friends introduced us, and we were very pleased with our choices.  I ordered Scallops and Shrimp Taulere on a creamy parmesan risotto with a chardonnay wine sauce.  The scallops were large, the shrimp perfectly cooked, and the whole dish saucy in a good way.  The Chief Penguin opted for Saltimbocca of Scallops (sea scallops) being a saltimbocca kind of guy.  

Our friends each ordered the Mediterranean Shipwreck which was a grouper paillard, three jumbo shrimp, and a diver scallop all broiled on a cedar plank.  Most entrees came with asparagus and yellow pepper strips plus a choice of the risotto or mashed potatoes.  Other menu items range from a selection of salads to beef, lamb, duck, veal, and chicken entrees.  Service was both professional and friendly.  We’ll go back!

CASUAL LUNCH FARE IN BRADENTON

Central Café

It was several years ago when we last dined at Central Café.  In the interim, they have expanded their dining room and still serve a great variety of salads, sandwiches, and fries to die for!

Plate of fries (sarasotamagazine.com)

We were there with friends and shared a heap of skinny fries.  Two of us had the Caesar salad with either shrimp or tuna while others ordered the beet salad and the Californication sandwich (made of ahi tuna, bacon, and condiments).  We arrived before noon, and within about fifteen minutes, the place was full!  A perfect place for as much lunch as you’d like.