Casa Mono…Brava

Joe Bastianich and Mario Batali have scores of restaurants scattered around NYC but this one is a tad bit different from their others. Instead of focusing on regional Italian cuisine, Casa Mono takes us to Spain with their delicious tiny tapas plates and delectable wines. Don’t be held back by the idea of ’small plates’ here  - you WILL leave full.

My husband and I were debating where to eat the other night and I suggested Casa Mono since I wasnt in the mood for a huge dinner and was dressed in a t-shirt and jeans. Thank goodness for the huge yellow and orange ‘CASA MONO’ sign ontop of the restaurant, because the place is a shoebox. I mean, its not the smallest restaurant I’ve ever been too but I didnt expect it to be so cramped. Maybe the cramped feeling had more to do with how busy it was then anything else? I dont know.

We opted to sit at the bar instead of waiting for a seat and ordered 3 plates to share since we saw they were tiny: Foie Gras with Cinco Cebollas, Sweetbreads with Fennel al Mono, and the Bone Marrow with Radishes. We also asked for some Jamon Iberico to start with since the pig leg was STARING us in the face. The jamon was obviously delicious but the crusty bread and olives they gave as an obligatory snack was lacking. I’ll rephrase that: the crusty bread was lacking - very hard and kinda tasteless. But at least it was the only ‘BOOO’ factor for the entire meal.

The bone marrow came out first and it was magical.  Silky, salty, and meaty - the texture of the bone marrow can only be described as etheral. Served on chewy, crusty, buttery bread it was positively perfect. The foie gras was combined with different types of onions and it was utterly delicious. In fact, my husband thought it was the best thing her had ever eaten. The sweetbreads were crunchy and juicy - but they werent the best sweetbreads I’ve ever eaten (where were the best sweetbreads? MAZE).

 In summation: eat here. I know I’ll be back.

My One on One with Jacques Torres

Ok - maybe the title is a bit misleading. I did meet Jacques Torres - in fact I’ve met him twice - but I’ve never really sat down and talked to him. No one on one interview…as of yet. This brief blog is about the best hot chocolate I have ever had in my entire life.

I was getting an emergency passport (again) since I had lost mine and was about 10 days away from  flying to Montreal on business. The stress of taking a day off to get my passport and the possibility of leaving the country in less than a fortnight without one was working me up, so I decided to hit up the Jacques Torres Chocolate place on 350 Hudson (conveniently around the corner from the NY Passport Agency) to soothe my aggravated soul. It was 9:30am so I couldnt indulge too much. I have a strick policy of no truffles before noon - once you start down that path it’ll only end up with you eating a bag of a potato chips, 1/2 lb of prosciutto, and a cup of ice cream for dinner.

Anyway, I walked in and did my typical look around the store. It was completely empty — then again it was 9:30am on a Tuesday. I ordered my wicked hot chocolate to the guy behind the counter without really looking at him. It wasn’t until I heard in a French accent “Of course miss….brisk out today isn’t it??” did I realize it was Jacques Torres MAKING MY hot chocolate. Needless to say it was a perfectly balanced cocoa with a hint of spice…just how I like it. I have a lot of respect for a man who still works his stores by his lonesome at 9:30am even after all his success. Kudos Jacques!!

So next time your in the neighborhood (either DUMBO or Hudson) stop on into his place. Who knows, he might just be the one making your hot chocolate.

Location:
350 Hudson at King Street (1 block South of Houston)

Store hours:
Mon - Sat 9:00am - 7:00pm
Sunday 10:00am - 6:00pm

DBGB’s Menu! Yes…

I can’t wait, I can’t wait, I can’t wait…

I needed something to look forward to this June and Daniel Bouluds DBGB is going to have to be it. I don’t know why - but I’m pretty hyped about this menu. A total change from his typical fare! Evoking the Bowery’s kitchen supply era he’s going totally industrial with copper pots and stained ash shelves, etc

From what I hear, he’s even getting a full service ice cream cart  that will walk up and down the will banquettes filled with homemade sundae goodies (just perfect for my summer diet!). Its set to open THIS WEEK so I will keep all you Daniel Boulud foodies posted.

The Menu:
To Start:
Cold:
Butter Lettuce & Chive - $7
Iceburg & Blue - $9
Cucumber Soup - $8
Chop Chop Salad - $8
With Lobster - $16

Hot:
Asparagus & Fried Egg - $13
Jim’s Matzoh Ball Soup - $8
Tomato Bisque - $9
Oysters Parisienne - $15
Grilled Octopus - $12
Red Curry Mussels - $10/$17
Spicy Crab Cake - $15
Escargot - $14
Duo Of Mackerel

Plateau Fruits de Mer to Share:
Petite - $30
Grand - $60
Royale - $90

Oysters - $3 each

Charcuterie de Gilles Verot:
Rilletes de jambon provencal - $7
Jambon de Paris - $9
Saucisson Sec de Lyon - $8
Pate Campangnard -$7

To Continue
Links, Bangers, Saucisses, Weiners:

Sausages (descriptions are from press materials)
Toulouse - $12
Boudin Basque - $14
Beaujolais - $13
Parisienne - $15
Chipolata - $13
Viennoise - $13
Munichoise - $12
Anglaise - $13
Tunisienne $13
Espanole - $13
Vermont – $15
Polonaise - $11
Tuscane - $12
DB Dog - $18

Burgers
The Yankee - $11
5 oz. beef with lettuce, tomato, onion, on sesame bun with New York pickle
The Piggie - $16
5 oz. beef patty topped with Daisy May’s pulled pork, jalapeno mayo, lettuce, on a cheddar-cornbread bun with mustard vinegar slaw
The Frenchie - $14
w/ crispy pork belly, caramelized onion, arugula, with cornichon and mustard
The Monster – any burger with double stacked - add $5
Menage a Trois – all three with the works - $45
Fries - $6

Tete au pied:
Fromage de tete - $10
Veal tongue sauce gribiche - $12
Roasted bone marrow - $11
Tablier de sapeur - $9
Pig trotters - $12
Ris de veau forestiere - $18

To Carry On
Mer
Saumon a l’oseille - $19
Paprika and sage crusted monkfish - $23
Skate Pistou - $20
Fish & Chips - $18

Terre
Steak Frites - $29
Lemon and Rosemary Roasted Chicken - $19
Roasted leg of lamb - $22
Duck & Cherries - $23
Handmade Strozzapretti Pizza - $16
Paleron Carbonnade - $18

Sides
French Fries
Buttered Mashed Potatoes
Carrots “Vichy”
$6

Crispy Artichokes
Ratatouille Provencale
Super-Green Spinach
$8

To Top it Off
Ice Cream Cart:
Small - $5
Medium - $8
Jumbo - $12

Toppings – 50 cents
Sauce - 50 centrs

Sugar Fix:
Baba au Rhum - $9
Coffee Almond Cake - $8
Tatre Au Fruit - $10
Gateau Russe - $9

Souffle Chaud - $9
Crepe Farcie - $9

Cheese
Choice of 3 – $9
Choice of 5 - $15