maison premiere

maison premiere

maison premiere; oyster house and cocktail den. doesn't that just sound like fun? it most definitely is! it's situated right on bedford avenue but once you step inside, you'll feel like you've transported to another place and time. waitresses sport pin-curled hairstyles and you'll find the boys pants are cuffed with suspenders holding them up and warm smiles on all their faces. the worn wood floors and rich color of the bar make the space feel deliciously comfortable and the design details make you feel like you've slipped into the french-quarter. there are plenty of industrial feeling architectural elements and dimly lit sconces that dot the walls. i can only imagine the search the interior designer went on to make this space feel as authentic as it does.

the front bar offers plenty of seating but make sure you get there early to actually snag one. this place fills up fast! you'll love the cocktail menu and take note of the absinthe varieties as well.  maison definitely gets my vote for best cocktails in the neighborhood.

the menu is quite impressive as well. with over 30 kinds of oysters, seafood lovers will be in heaven. the raw bar offering is quite impressive and they've also added a number of options to the dinner menu including crudo and small plates. 

i stopped in with friends this past sunday afternoon and we were seated in a cute little nook out back in the garden. we just did cocktails and a few snacks but thoroughly enjoyed the pleasant surroundings and interesting menus.

  

rabbit hole

rabbit hole

had brunch at the cutest spot this morning. i'd passed by rabbit hole quite a few times but had never eaten there. my girlfriend, gina, recommended we give it a shot so we made our way over to the south side at noon today. from the street, you'd never guess that there's a full bar, adorably decorated vintage dining space and garden tucked inside. i saw tattooed servers, lots of fun cursive graphics and fell in love : )

the menu's french inspired so i went with an omelet with mushrooms, morbier cheese and fresh thyme. the omelet was good but what i really enjoyed were the crispy potatoes that went alongside. i'm a firm believer that fresh herbs can make a dish and these potatoes were loaded up with them. gina did a frittata with brioche toast and it looked equally as good. bubbly on the inside with a nice, crispy edge, the cast iron skillet made for quite a presentation.  

the pastries here are supposed to be delicious as well and the dinner menu looks dangerously good. i'll definitely be making my way back to rabbit hole soon!

reynards

 

 

 

 

reynards

i'm sorry my photography doesn't do reynards justice but know that the dim ambiance and candlelit tabletops are part of the charm of this hip restaurant in the wythe hotel. normally i'd just use my flash to get a proper shot but given the vibe at reynards, i really didn't want to be the foodie dork in the corner snapping pics of my food...  read on though-

we'd been to the roofdeck for drinks at the wythe but were dying to try the restaurant. we're not so good about making reservations so we'd popped in a few times with no luck of getting a table but thursday was our lucky night! we sat in the bar area of the restaurant but loved it because it feels incredibly grandiose. they managed to keep the industrial lofted ceilings and exposed brick walls but softened the space with white carerra marble tabletops and warm dropped pendant lighting. i would have been happy having dinner at the bar but we were lucky enough to snag a romantic table tucked near a window.

two thumbs up for service here. we've been to plenty of new restaurants in the hood where the waitstaff can be a little snooty but that wasn't the case at reynards. a full pouted, very friendly girl in an adorable flowered shift dress waited on us and she genuinely seemed passionate about the food and cocktails. we noticed that the menu seemed a bit limited but once we heard the specials, there was no question what we were going to order. we started with warm olives and beef carpaccio (served with an interesting and delicious mix of fresh herbs). then jack did an albacore dish for his main and i ordered the halibut off the list of specials. oh, it was heavenly. served with clams, roasted potatoes and these crusty croutons that had been soaking in the dish's juices... wow, thank you mr. chef, i thoroughly enjoyed it!

we had just a bit of a sweet tooth leftover after we'd eaten so we decided to try the mast brother's chocolate sorbet. it just took a bite of the rich, coffee-like sorbet to satiate our appetite. 

looking forward to planning ahead and having dinner in the main dining room soon.  until then though, i'd definitely recommend you check reynards out for yourself~

just passing through mystic

oyster club

on a recent trip to rhode island, we stopped in mystic, connecticut, to grab a bite and found ourselves licking our plates and savoring our last few bites when we had finished.  it was late on a friday night and we were hoping for a few oysters and some white wine but found the menu at oyster club entirely too interesting to not venture out and try a few of the other dishes. more details on the travel page~

fada

fada

diggin' this cozy little spot on driggs and north 8th.  we stopped in on labor day and clearly everyone was still driving back from their last few precious days of summer; we just about had the place to ourselves... we had been in vacation mode the whole weekend as well so we were looking for something light and refreshing. 

from the outside, fada looks a bit like a french cafe. warm, soft lighting with lots of vintage mirrors and small marble topped tables. we were intrigued and were further drawn in when we noticed the sign outside that said, 'garden is open.' garden with a kale salad special? done.

we were greeted by a friendly server who showed us to the garden in the back. it's very quaint and intimate, perfect for a romantic date. the menu had a mix of classic french dishes and seafood staples. we settled on tuna tartare for our appetizer, then i did the kale salad special and jack had a roasted beet and goat cheese salad. my kale salad was very lightly dressed with an unassuming Caesar (just the way i like it) and was topped with big, crusty croutons. we'll definitely go back when we have more of an appetite and try some of the heartier dishes.  the prices were fair and the atmosphere was very laid back and relaxed, definitely worth a try!

crispy parmesan chicken w/ fresh jersey herbs

crispy parmesan chicken w/ fresh jersey herbs

this is one of martha's weeknight recipes but you can vary the flavor by incorporating fresh herbs of your choice.  i added the last of mine brought back from the beach to give an earthy flavor. i chopped up thyme, rosemary, a little mint and some oregano. the parmesan and panko crisped up nicely and i just roasted some mushrooms and brussels sprouts to round out the meal~

five leaves

five leaves

we checked out five leaves last night and thoroughly enjoyed the brasserie type hipster cafe. we got there a little before 8 and had about a half hour wait ahead of us.  no biggie, we just went up to the bar and ordered a few warsaw mule's. the artisinal cocktails definitely have a place here. ours was similar to a moscow mule but just a little lighter and more refreshing. we were off to a good start-

petite white marble tables line the perimeter of the restaurant  and make it feel nice and cozy. we sat just a few inches from our neighbors but the old school soulful tunes spinning on the record player thumped in the background and served as perfect white noise.  after taking in the vibe for a bit, we ordered a few glasses of rose and started with mussels, truffle fries and a house made ricotta. holy truffle goodness! i thought i'd be able to exercise a little self restraint and just have a few but i failed miserably.  the fries were perfectly crispy and even more tasty when dunked in the saffron-coconut mussel broth. we loved the ricotta too. it had a lemony zest and was infused with figs and fresh thyme. 

we could have stopped after the starters but shortly after we cleared our plates our mains arrived. i had done the diver scallop special and jack had the five leaves signature burger. the combination of ingredients was genius. they topped the grass fed beef with a fried pineapple ring, house pickled beets, harissa mayo and an organic sunny up egg. 

over the course of our dinner the tatted up crowd ebbed and flowed and the tunes kept smiles on faces and heads bobbing. everything that made its way out of the kitchen smelled incredible and after having dinner here you know why there's a constant crowd hanging on the corner of bedford and lorimer waiting for a table. they don't take reservations so be sure to get there early!