Tuesday Night Dinner, described on Thursday

I admit; I'm behind. It was one of those things of having my camera, the cable to download and my computer all in the same place at once. Not as easy as you may think. The first picture is of limited interested and primarily for Stephanie. This is the corner of 87th and Lexington -- for a number of years, there was a place there called Mangia, and I think Fran and I ate there once, maybe Barbara and I as well.
I hadn't been there in a while, but I remember two things about it; if you look at the pedestrian crossing sign, you can see there's a table inside the restaurant that was almost like sitting on the sidewalk. It's a busy intersection due to the subway at 86th Street so it is a great vantage point for people watching.

The other thing is not so pleasant. Restrooms in NYC restaurants are often tiny, in the basement, hard to find, down a flight or two of stairs. In this place, there is/was a unisex restroom that was like a closet built into the main dining room. It was like soneone took an old fashioned phone booth and stuck it against a wall -- it protruded into the dining room. So when you're sitting on the pot, you are about 3 feet away from diners. It is a bit embarrassing as you want to be really, really quiet when you're in there. Then the giant flush and you walk out with a big grin on your face.

The former Mangia, now Bocado Cafe




This was Barbara's and my last summer dinner before we go back to our fall schedule of lunches. We went back to Nonna which is the place where I had the cocktail of the day which I enjoyed so much. All day I was thinking (and yearning for) that cocktail. Right before I left to meet Barbara, I got a voice mail from Mac who called to chat. I emailed him saying I was leaving for an early dinner and craving a cocktail of the day and I'd call him the next day. The cocktail of the day was a "blood orange martini" and I knew Mac would be asking me, and I knew he would disapprove of such a wussy martini. So I ordered a Grey Goose Gimlet on the rocks. Oh heavens, it was so bracing and refreshing.

But sure enough, the next day I talked to Mac, told him that I avoided the Blood Orange Martini which I knew he would disapprove of and sure enough he goes into a rant about "people drop a turd in a martini..." and we both finished "and call it a turdatini" so I made the right call.  Of course, I'd be more than willing to defend my cocktail choice, but I'm sort of on the same page as Mac. I'm bored with all the iterations of martinis and this one struck me as an expensive Screwdriver.

 


This is my meal -- "pasta trio" -- the special for Tuesday. It was delicious. And great for indecisive people who want a taste of several different things. The pasta was cooked so perfectly that I remembered how wonderful al dente pasta is. Firm, just firm, and holding its shape. The one on the left in the front is my favorite -- wide, flat pasta with veal and mushrooms. But even the ziti one was good when the ziti isn't falling apart having had the last ounce of life boiled and baked out of it.




And this is Barbara's dinner -- I can't remember the proper, full name, but she always orders this... it's "brick chicken" and the menu claims they cook this chicken breast under bricks to flatten it out and it's full of spices and comes with the arugula salad. I might have to try it someday, but I so love the parpardelle (the flat thick pasta) with veal ragu and mushrooms, which was one of the pasta trio so I always want to get that.




This is our garlic bread which we love.



Barbara had another glass of wine and I had dessert -- this is "winter citrus pannacotta" with fresh strawberries. I don't think I have had pannacotta -- the waiter said it's his favorite dessert -- and it's like custard, like flan, but 10 times lighter.... just like a puffy, airy flan. Really wonderful with a very light citrus taste and the wonderful fresh ripe strawberries. A perfect light ending to a great dinner.