Tag Archives: meyer lemon

Crimson & Rye

Posted on by

0

IMG_5067

I don’t normally find myself in Midtown East, but I heard about a new place that just opened up, so, I had to check it out. I was off to Crimson & Rye.

IMG_5076

Upon entering, you get the feel of walking into a grand, hotel lobby bar. The space is open, and spread out, allowing you to decompress and relax without feeling breathed on by tables on top of one another. They have bar seating, wrapping around the bar, rustically mis-matched plush leather seats and couches spread out around the restaurant, and some large, inviting booths as well. 

IMG_5068

They’re on the bandwagon movement of bringing wine barrels/kegs into play, and they offer a happy hour on those beers and wines, so, I went for a glass of Pinot Grigio from the keg. I really liked it, it was crisp, not too sweet, not too dry, with a light taste. 

IMG_5069

For dinner, I ordered the Niçoise Salad (seared tuna, green beans, olives, baby tomato, crispy shallot, eight minute egg, confit potato, white anchovy, meyer lemon vinaigrette). This was a really delicious salad. The crisp, fresh greens are lightly dressed in this slightly citrusy vinaigrette, adding a nice balance from some of the starchy and saltier components. I especially loved the seared tuna, crusted in a pepper rub and perfectly rare. 

The Shorts:
Name: Crimson & Rye
Location: 198 East 54th Street, NYC
The Long and Short: Would I go back? Yes, there’s a really nice, sophisticated vibe, with a great view from the wrap-around windows facing the city street. 
Would I recommend it? Yes. Whether you’re there for a little power lunch, a post work drink, or some delicious dinner, the environment is warm and spacious with great service. 

Advertisement

The Farm House

Posted on by

0

image_7

When in Nashville, you can expect to find lots of Southern cooking. But, when you can also find farm to table, locally sourced food in a restaurant decorated and furnished with handmade accents and re-purposed barn wood, well, that’s a bonus. And, you can find it all at The Farm House in the SoBro district in Nashville. 

photo (16)

Everything on the menu sounded great, and I had to start with a drink while I decided on the food portion. I ordered their Casey Jones Spring Train Ride (American Born Sweet Tea Shine, smoked blackberries, simple, soda). I had a similar sounding drink at The Southern in Nashville, but, the two drinks were pretty different. I really enjoyed both, but this one was great since the sweetness of the drink was really subtle, basically coming from the blackberries themselves. You can also really taste hints of smokiness from the blackberries too, which is a really interesting and nice combination. 

image_8

Then, for the table we ordered a couple snacks to start. First, was Pickled Egg Whites (smoked trout filling, alfalfa sprouts). This was really great. Served like a deviled egg, the white of the egg is delicately pickled, giving a nice, slight, salty and acidic flavor, balanced out by the smooth, smokey, creaminess of the trout, replacing the traditional egg yolk. 

image_9

Next, I had Skillet Cornbread with porkbutter. Holy buttery, corn skillet goodness. This was awesome, and definitely a great thing for a table to get to share to start. The cornbread had the perfect balance of sweet and savory, served hot in the skillet, crusting the outsides just enough and keeping the center soft. Put a dab, or a slab, of the whipped porkbutter on top, and it melts right in. I think I could hear Paula Dean squealing somewhere in the distance. 

image_10

For my entree, I had the Pan Seared Grouper (Meyer Lemon grits, braised pistachios, braised white raisins). I really loved this. This fish was tender, flavorful, and set atop of the creamy grits. I’ve never had citrusy grits, and I really liked them. The flavor cuts some of the richness and almost keeps it on the lighter side. The braised pistachios and raisins add a really nice, sweetened, crunch and texture contrast to the delicate fish and creaminess of the grits. 

The Shorts:
Name: The Farm House
Location: 210 Almond Street, Nashville 
The Long and Short: Would I go back? Definitely. Everything was delicious, the service was great, and the aesthetic is really nice as well. 
Would I recommend it? Absolutely, it’s a great, casual restaurant with a chic sophistication. And don’t forget to order the cornbread.