Tonight's Specials at Tastebuds American Bistro

Hubby and I enjoyed some lovely awesomeness at Tastebuds American Bistro last night. All of the dishes we consumed were part of the weekend specials. The specials are also available this evening. Go enjoy! Remember, you can make reservations on Open Table.

Here was our line up:

Blackberry Bourbon Smash - Larceny bourbon, blackberry cordial, lemon, and fresh sage.  A great start to the evening.  Andrew features a special cocktail and local draft beers every weekend.

Crab Fritters with Pequillo Pepper Remoulade. A wonderful balance of crab and hushpuppies.

Veal Schnitzel with Red Cabbage and Roasted Potatoes. We so enjoy the veal specials at Tastebuds. Last night's schnitzel was particularly tasty. The veal was so tender it melted in the mouth. The roasted potatoes were seasoned just right with salt and pepper (and all of the potatoes were done - sometimes restaurants overlook this important aspect when it comes to roasting potatoes). The red cabbage came out steaming hot and added a touch of winter sweetness to the meal.

Poached Bosc Pear with Whipped Goat Cheese and Fig and Brandy Reduction. Admittedly, dinner was plentiful, but at times dessert can be irresistible. The poached pear was a nice light choice. The pear was still a bit firm, but all of the graininess had disappeared and the pear was not very sweet (which I appreciated). The sweetness came from the goat cheese and the fig and brandy reduction. An elegant end to a wonderful meal.

So happy this place decided to land in my neighborhood!

Pleasant Weeknight Pairing

This week past week after a hectic day at work we decided to visit Cafe Rustica. It had been forever since we last ate here. Both of us were extremely pleased to find Schweineschnitzel still on the menu accompanied by red cabbage and pan-fried spaetzle. Yummy! I so enjoy schnitzel and the spaetzle is fantastic. I love the flavor the pan frying gives this little German dumpling. And the the pork was large enough to take half of it home and scarf up as leftovers the next evening.

Then, we came to dessert - Grilled pound cake with lemon curd. Simple, yet so satisfying. The grilling of the cake caramelizes the sugar in the pound cake. Delicious!

Thank you Cafe Rustica for a delightful evening!

 

Jewish Food Festival

Last Sunday as the snowflakes began their furious descent, we visited the Jewish Food Festival at Keneseth Beth Israel on Patterson Ave.

First of all, the place was CROWDED! and a bit chaotic. Everyone had turned out for this celebration of food and tradition. A band was warming up, but the overwhelming presence of humanity distracted me from the music.

One purchased tickets and exchanged them for food. Tickets were $1 each and any unused tickets would be refunded. I liked the offer of a refund. We acquired a menu and tried to keep out of the way as we decided what to eat.

We shared 5 items:

Salt and Pepper Kugel - Noodle Casserole

Chicken Schnitzel - Tender with a good crust

Cholent - A delicious stew with beans, barley, potatoes, and meat

Matzah Ball Soup - A first for me! Very flavorful!

Potato Latkes - My favorite dish!

We would have considered trying more, but the crowded conditions proved to be too stressful for us. We definitely want to return next year. The food was fabulous. We might have to consider take-out, however.

Veal Schnitzel

Veal Schnitzel a photo by pjpink on Flickr.

Tastebuds American Bistro is featuring Veal Schnitzel with apple-cranberry cabbage and roasted potatoes this weekend. Yummy.

They also have added a 2006 Beronia Rioja Riserva to their red wine line up. Lots of complexity and very tasty.

And if you have room for dessert try the lavender and black pepper ice cream. Floral with a hint of heat.