Last Saturday night Stanley and I celebrated his birthday at the Crimson Sparrow.  We have been there several times, the last being exactly one year ago, also to celebrate his birthday.  They’ve changed the tasting menu format slightly, for the better I think.  Last year, there were an amuse-bouche and 5 courses for $55, with the option of adding a foie gras course (with a glass of sweet wine). They also brought out an extra course for us. Dessert was extra, and we did not order one.  The new menu offers an amuse plus 7 courses, foie gras and dessert included, but no glass of wine, for $75. Pricey, but very much worth it.  Portions are not stingy, either.  We had an excellent bottle of 2011 Minervois for $39,

I can’t remember the details of every dish, but some highlights were fresh peas with cod and chorizo, squid cut into spaghetti-like strands and lightly cooked, New York strip steak, black bass, and chicken, egg and kimchi.  The flavors in each dish were intricate and worked perfectly together.  The chefs are extremely creative, and we felt the food quality had risen to a new level.

The beautiful garden is filled on a first-come, first-served basis, but we were able to move there from the dining room after the first course, and enjoyed sitting at the counter facing the glass-enclosed kitchen.  Service is close to perfect, and the serving of the dishes is very carefully timed, not too fast, not too slow.

All in all, a spectacular meal.

Website: http://thecrimsonsparrow.com/

This past Saturday, we did our semiannual drive from Claverack to Poughkeepsie to stock up on wine and beer (Arlington Wines and Liquors and Half Time, both great stores!).  I had read about Queen City Bistro on Chowhound, so we figured this would be a perfect opportunity to try something new, and the first time we have had lunch in Poughkeepsie.  Located on Main St., a couple of blocks from Route 9 and the train station, this fairly new place serves small plates, and is both creative and moderately priced.  It was a gorgeous day, so we sat in their lovely garden.  Photos below are of the interior spaces.

In addition to a brunch menu, the full dinner menu was available. We started with 2 plates to share, fried calamari and artichokes, and grilled duck breast with an arugula, fennel and pistachio salad.  The duck was done medium rare as requested, and the calamari were just to the point of being cooked, tender as can be.  We then each had a slider, one pulled pork and the other a salmon and crab cake.  Each was served with perfect French fries dusted with parmesan, with an aioli on the side.  We both had a Fire Island Brewery Sunken Ferry Stout from the well-conceived beer list.  There is also a wine list and a wide selection of interesting-looking cocktails.

Service was excellent, and the restaurant will reimburse you for public parking.  Definitely worth a detour.

http://www.queencitybistro.com/

Gato is a tough reservation to get if you want to eat at prime time, so I reserved far in advance and kept my fingers crossed that we would be able to make it.  So it was that we arrived for our 8:45 reservation to be told they were running “a bit late”, with the usual suggestion that we have a drink at the bar, which we had no desire to do.  We were finally seated at 9:10, after I made it clear that they should have a better handle on how long diners remain at tables and schedule reservations accordingly.

To their credit, they immediately brought out a platter of pita bread with 3 spreads for us to nibble while perusing the menu. The pita was obviously freshly baked and the spreads were excellent.  We ordered beers and then chose the octopus, the pizza with lamb sausage, the rabbit and the halibut.  All were delicious, with the octopus and rabbit being the standouts.  For dessert we shared a cake topped with sliced peaches and blueberry ice cream, very good.  They also gave us some really good biscotti and a glass of sherry.  Our server was very conscientious, attentive but not intrusive, just right.  Being seated directly opposite the bar, we did find the noise level high.  In future I would try to be farther back.

Despite his fame, Bobby Flay clearly cares about his restaurants and takes pride in the food.  Gato should be around for a long time.

Website: http://gatonyc.com/

The city of Hudson, New York has come a long way in the 24 years since we bought our house in Columbia County.  Beginning in the late 1980’s, it went from down-and-out to a center for the antiques trade, which filled many previously empty storefronts.  Each upturn and downturn in the economy resulted in the opening and closing of businesses, and over the years a more diverse group of  boutiques, galleries, restaurants, bars and cafes have joined the remaining antique shops, resulting today in a thriving downtown, a frenzied real estate market, and increasing cultural and recreational options.  One of these is the revival of ferries and sightseeing boats on the river, where we took a wonderful scenic cruise last weekend.

Since only beverages and snacks are served on the boat, we met our friends John and Andrew for a quick lunch in the beautiful garden at Ca’Mea, which opens at noon, giving us just enough time for panini and salad before heading down the street to the dock.

Leaving from the riverfront park in Hudson, we traveled South to Catskill, along the Catskill Creek, then back out to the river and North to Hudson. It takes just under two hours. Here is the website for Hudson Cruises:

Home

They also offer a ferry between Hudson and Athens, and other events such as a Poughkeepsie to Hudson cruise, and lighthouse tours.

This is a great way to see a beautiful part of the Hudson Valley.

The boat, Spirit On Hudson

The riverfront park in Hudson

The Hudson-Athens Lighthouse

Approaching the Rip Van Winkle Bridge

Catskill Point.  The building at right is where the Hudson Valley Dance Festival was held last October, and will return this year.

For information about the performance, visit the website:

https://www.dradance.org/_events–tickets/dra-hudson-valley-dance-festival-2014

Amtrak train leaving Hudson.

View of the village of Athens.

The captain carried on a stream of lively and informative banter, covering the history of the river and explaining the former economy and the many ruins along the shore.  He also gave shameless plugs for various businesses, including his own.  As we disembarked, one of the crew members encouraged us to come back during the Fall “foilage”  season.

The newest location of MQ at 75 Greenwich Ave. is practically across the street from us, so we decided to give it a try when we needed a late dinner last week. We have walked past the East Village location many times on the way to other restaurants, but we are not barbeque afficionados, and as the clientele looked to us like a lot of doofuses, we never gave it a thought. We normally think of dining out as a leisurely meal with table service, so this sort of casual fast food format wasn’t something we could see going out of our way for.

Well, now that we have one closer to home, we could find out what we were missing. The food is exceptional, and cheap to boot! If there is a wait for a table, we could just take the food home, so this will be a great option when we just want something quick and delicious.

I had the smoked sausage, which was excellent, but the brisket that Stanley had was to die for. I can see why it gets so much praise. The barbeque sauce was a nice enhancement. The pickled cucumbers and the cole slaw were also just right, and I liked the sweet potato casserole even though I am usually not a fan of sweet potatoes, or potatoes in general for that matter. We liked the selection of beers on tap. The Founders Dirty Bastard Ale was a great choice.

Website: http://mightyquinnsbbq.com/

Here is a perfect recipe for a Summer lunch.  It is made in 3 parts, a tomato, herb and vegetable mixture, a yogurt and mayonnaise sauce with shrimp, and the pasta, all being combined just before serving.  It is wonderfully light and refreshing, with a complex blend of flavors.  This came from an old Martha Stewart recipe, which I have adapted.  In the 25 or so years I have been making this dish, it has always been a hit.

Keep in mind that the measurements listed are approximate.  I don’t measure the ingredients exactly.

To serve 6 people:

For the vegetable mixture:

2 cups celery, sliced thin

1 cup scallions, sliced thin

1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 cup chopped basil leaves

6 cloves garlic, minced

grated zest of 2 lemons

juice of 2 lemons

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

4 to 6 tomatoes, preferably heirloom or home-grown, cut into chunks

Put the cut-up tomatoes in a bowl and sprinkle liberally with salt, mix and let sit while preparing the other ingredients.  Combine ingredients in a large serving bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir to combine.  Drain excess liquid from the tomatoes and add them to the mixture.

For the shrimp sauce:

1 1/2 to 2 lbs. large shrimp, peeled and deveined

3/4 cup plain yogurt

3/4 cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade (see my recipe below for green peppercorn/caper aioli)

grated zest of 2 oranges

juice of 2 oranges

3 or 4 dashes of  Tabasco or similar hot pepper sauce

Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and add the shrimp.  Cook for 2 minutes, turn off heat and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.  Drain and rinse several times with cold water until cooled.   Combine mayonnaise, yogurt, orange and Tabasco in a bowl.  Add the shrimp and stir.

For the pasta:

1 lb. angel hair (I prefer DeCecco)

Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and add the pasta.  Reduce to simmer and cook for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes.  Be careful not to overcook.  Drain the pasta and immediately add it to the vegetable mixture.  The hot pasta will “cook” the mixture slightly.  Stir until well-mixed and add the shrimp sauce.  Stir again and serve.

Recipe for green peppercorn/caper aioli:

1 large egg

2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tbsp. capers, drained

1 tbsp. green peppercorns in brine, drained

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 1/4 cups oil (I use 3/4 cup corn oil and 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil)

Combine all ingredients except lemon juice and oil in a food processor, and process until smooth.  Add the lemon juice and pulse to blend. With the food processor running, gradually add the oil.  The mayonnaise should be fairly thick.  Test with your finger.  If it drips off easily it is too thin, so add a bit more corn oil and pulse, then test again.

Bon appetit!

The second quarter of 2014 was defined by a continuing reduction of inventory in the Manhattan and Brooklyn housing markets, with the resulting strong increase in sale prices. Sustained low interest rates contributed to buyers’ ability and willingness to pay whatever was necessary to get the properties they desired. In this quarter, we saw the highest number of listings selling at or above their asking prices compared to any quarter in the past several years.

Here are the major trends I am seeing in the marketplace:

• Price appreciation has averaged about 10% above the end of 2013, with the most desirable listings and those in the best condition seeing increases of 15% and more, meeting and exceeding our predictions. Prices have now surpassed those of the peak years of 2007 and 2008, often by as much as 15-25%.
• The market in the under $2,000,000 range is extremely strong, often leading to multiple bids, particularly for units with two or more bedrooms. Bidding on studios and one-bedrooms was less intense but still active.
• Properties in the $3,000,000 to $7,000,000 range usually receive activity within weeks if they were priced correctly from the beginning.
• Properties above $10,000,000 often remain on the market for months or longer, due to the smaller pool of buyers in this price category.
• The Brooklyn market is still very hot, with just about any property bringing multiple offers, particularly in the areas from the Heights South and East to Bedford-Stuyvesant and beyond. There is not enough supply to meet the demand, and prices are up almost tenfold from 4 years ago.
• New development condominiums continue to have very strong sales, often to foreign buyers, who developers are targeting by offering hotel-type services. For existing units, we are seeing more interest in coops rather than condos due to their greater affordability. We are still seeing sellers with unrealistic expectations that the soaring prices of new development will carry over to existing condos and coops.
• Coop buyers are committed New Yorkers establishing roots and staying for the duration.
• Condition, location and proper pricing remain the major criteria in achieving a speedy sale.

2nd Quarter Statistics:

• The average price of a coop resale was $1,295,000.
• The average price of a condo resale was $1,985,000.
• The average price of a new development condo was $3,600,000.
• The average price of the overall luxury market was $7,260,000.
• The average sale price per square foot for a coop was $1,020.00.
• The average sale price per square foot for a condominium was $1,465.00.
• The average sale price per square foot for a new development (all of Manhattan) was $1,800.00.
• The average sale price per square foot for the luxury market was $2,614.00.
• The average sale price per townhouse overall was $7.255M; East Side $8.760M; West Side $5.835M;
Downtown $9.200M and Uptown $1.890M.
• The average sale price for the loft market was $2.627M or $1,436.00 per square foot.
• The average sale price for the luxury market (top 10%) was $7.255M or $2,735.00 per square foot.

Visit my web page:

http://www.wohlfarth.com/agent/robert-rems-29.html

Having really enjoyed our first visit to Szechuan Gourmet on 39th St., we were curious to find out how the new one at 98th and Broadway compares, so we tried it on Wednesday.

The space, which formerly housed Hunan Balcony, is huge, and tables are well spaced, much more comfortable than the 39th St. location, and with better service. Of course, since there were only about 6 tables occupied, the staff was not exactly overtaxed. We were surprised to find that they do not have a liquor license yet, but they served free glasses of wine, which was a nice touch.

The food was excellent. We started with ox tongue and tripe, sliced very thin and served cool in a chili soy vinaigrette (spicy and very delicious), and pork dumplings in a spicy chili sauce (far superior to the typical dumpling). For the main course, we had sauteed fish filets with leeks, and kung pao chicken, both nicely spiced and very flavorful.

I hope this place will be a success.

We  arrived mid-afternoon and got ourselves settled, then set off for a scenic drive to Orr’s and Bailey Islands, and back in time for cocktails and a dinner of mussels and lobsters.

The next morning we drove up the coast to Damariscotta, another picture-postcard town, where we had lunch at King Eider’s Pub, including the wonderful Pemaquid oysters, crab cakes, and lobster BLT’s.  Then we took a ride to Pemaquid Point, where we climbed to the top of the lighthouse (featured on the obverse of quarters representing the State of Maine), and to Boothbay Harbor.  Back in Cundy’s Harbor we prepared a delicious dinner with the oysters and halibut we had bought in Damariscotta.

Sunday morning, Rick took us for a ride on his boat, exploring the many islands of this gorgeous area. Then we packed up our stuff so we could leave directly from lunch, and headed over to the Dolphin Marina, where we had another superb lunch of lobster stew, fried clams, and their famous blueberry muffins, while basking in the stunning views all around us. Waiting for our table, we strolled on the lawn running down to the ocean.  A helicopter appeared and landed on the lawn.  The pilot jumped out and ran to the “modern convenience,” returned and took off again, proving that “when you gotta go, you gotta go”.

After lunch, it was time to get in the car and head home, having enjoyed a fabulous weekend in one of the most beautiful places on earth.

FYI, Rick’s house is available for weekly and monthly rentals:

http://www.wohlfarth.com/listing-details/rental-15115.html

Friday morning, we got up bright and early and took the train to Bronxville, where we were picked up by our friends Arthur and Al, and off we went to Maine, our destination being Rick Wohlfarth’s house in Cundy’s Harbor.  On the way, we stopped off in Portland for lunch and a quick tour of downtown and the old port.  This city has come a long way from what I remember in the 1970’s, when it was a rundown backwater.  It has turned into a trendy, vibrant place with lots of cutting-edge restaurants, and a surprising number of new and architecturally interesting hotels.  Since Al is a vegan and would be spending the rest of the weekend watching the rest of us gorge on lobsters, mussels, oysters, crabs, clams and halibut, we decided to treat him to lunch at the Green Elephant (photos above from their website), which I had found in my research to be a highly-regarded vegetarian restaurant with Asian-style dishes, many of which were vegan.  Though I would have preferred some meat or fish in my Thai ginger noodles, the tofu was not bad at all, and the rest of the flavors made it a multi-dimensional dish that I really enjoyed.  It did need some spicing up, so I asked for Sriracha sauce, and it did the trick very nicely.  They had a good beer selection, too.  I liked the Shipyard Old Thumper, a dark amber ale, very much.

After lunch we pressed on to Cundy’s Harbor, a seaside village outside of Brunswick that oozes charm.  Continued in my next post.