Mejor Taco Research Trip

Basically there is just one type of food that I do not like and it is Fancy Mexican food.  I do not need my tacos dressed up, I do not need my enchiladas exotic.  I do not need to eat my food in a restaurant done up like a cantina.  I do not believe this prejudice comes from any snobbish insistance on authenticity, but a very strong Not Broke, Don't Fix it attitude . . . or, better said, if the Ride's not busted, it doesn't need to be Pimped.  But April Bloomfield of the Spotted Pig, the Breslin and the John Dory, three unimpeachably excellent establishments just opened up a Mexican spot in the East 30's and I had to see what she was up to over there.  It is not often you get to have Great British Mexican food in New York City.

I forgot to say the place is called Salvation Taco.

Right now they're only serving lunch and, dipping in around 4 on a Friday afternoon, the establishment was quite non-bustly.

The menu.  I was on a solo research mission, so I ordered all the tacos and one torta.  Snacks, maybe we'll meet some other time.

The tacos were small, which is how I prefer them, but single-tortilla'd.  Oh well.  But they were good. The skirt steak with pecan and chipotle was on point and the cauliflower with curried crema very nice. 

The lamb breast on naan taco.  Not a Mexican thing about it, of course, but I'm not mad.  It was very tasty.  All three tacos were very fine, but three of these tacos won't get me anywhere near full.

So good thing I ordered a torta.  Although I quizzed my server on all the tortas, when I saw they had a salchicha torta, I knew that's what I would be getting.  I remember vividly some 16 years ago having my first hot dog torta, one of my very first tortas, really.  I didn't know yet that Mexicans cooked with hot dogs like they were any other type of meat . . . in fact, one of my very last meals in Mexico City was a hot dog casserole.  The sandwich arrived wrapped in paper, bisected and bowled.  At the very sight of it, with mayo, avocado and black beans visibly generous, I knew we were in business.

And let me shoot straight with you: This sandwich was perfect.  The Platonic ideal of what hot dog torta should be and certainly the best torta I've eaten in this city south of 116th street.  Consider me impressed, consider me craving another.  I'll need to come back and try the rest of the selection, perhaps ordering them two at a time to make quick work of it.  While the cost/value/deliciousness of the tacos is a bit off at $3, all the tortas come in between $7 and 9 a piece and that price is pretty nice.  A bit more than a torta at La Casa, but also 70 blocks closer to my apartment.  Fair trade.  I wish I had been around when the cooks figured these sandwiches out.  Wonder what the research was like, you know?

But a definite complaint: Total lack of salsas.  Would have tossed a splash of something spicy on everything I ate.  And I don't mean from a bottle of Tapatio.  Like a little bowl of something.  That's what I mean.

Misc. decorations:

Signage being painted while I ate.

Dinner is coming sometime to Salvation Taco and I've read of things like a whole roast pig taco pulling dinner and such.  Consider me quite interested.

Best I Am Totally Pro-Hobbit

Well aware of its surprisingly mixed reviews and feeling uneasy of this splitting of the book into three movies, I went to the Hobbit Saturday morning in an unenthused mood.  But guess what?  I totally thought it was great.  Let me break down my Hobbit thoughts as bullet points:

• I like the Bilbo/Frodo framing device.  It makes the movie cozy.  
• Martin Freeman is so perfectly cast as young Bilbo and young Bilbo is such a perfect Hobbit.  A personality mingling Samwise with Merry and Pippen and hardly a drop of prissy Frodo.
• I think LoTR enthusiasts that complain about this movie's runtime and the expansion of the book into something that will run nearly 9 hours just love to hear themselves opine.  I was worried about the length, I already said that, but if you had told me the movie was only an hour and a half I would have believed you and every embellishment—the backstory on the dwarves, the backstory on Moria, the meeting with Saruman—worked for me.  If, in the end, we have bloated, lousy movies then we've got something to complain about.  But as long as we've got great adventure-filled adventures, what's the problem?
• Now I haven't read the Hobbit for a long while, so I'm not positive what was made up for or added to the story, but there were things that the movie helped me understand about the tale better than before.  Like why Gandalf wanted to help the dwarves and get rid of Smaug.  That's the main thing.
• When Gandalf was having that meeting with Saruman, was Saruman already bad?  That's my number one question from the movie.
• The Brown wizard was goofy, sure, but I liked his rabbits.  And I liked that he said "Ungoliant" for spider-monster.  And that he was as confident in his rabbits' speed as Han Solo was of the Millenium Falcon's.
• I liked how the boss of the Goblins talked like a sophisticate.  Relatively.  You can really see how he got to be in charge of the goblins.
• At the very end, when they can see the Lonely Mountain in the distance, and they're like "Well, looks like the hard part's behind us" . . . they do realize they still have to kill a dragon, right?
• . . . or the Dwarves all think Gandalf is going to do that?  And that it's not going to be any problem for him?  Is that the plan.
• I like how it ended just like Breaking Dawn pt. 1
• I saw the movie in normal old 2D.  And not even in stadium seating.  But I plan strongly to see it High Frame Rate 3D over Christmas weekend.  To get the full on experience.

In short, I liked the Lord of the Rings movies, but if you think of your friend that likes those movies the most of all your friends . . . well, I don't like them as much as he does.  But the Hobbit was grand and Pt. 2 cannot come quickly enough!  I'm glad Pt. 3 isn't going to be a full year after Hobbit 2.  That's good planning.

Best Let's Finish Up With Thanksgiving

Blog post title=Blog post premise, so let's get moving.

Wednesday night, my family has arrived in New York.  They go straight from EWR to the UWS to check out the balloon inflating.  I don't arrive in time to get in, that's okay. I'll wait for them outside the fences.

While waiting for the family, this recently unemployed-fellow shows up, looking no worse for the wear.  With this kind of attitude, I think he's going to be okay.

Family assembled, we dash downtown for a late dinner at Parm.  It's tricky, but we're seated and we eat well.

Then Thursday, post-parade, a Thanksgiving dinner at Frankies in Brooklyn.  They provided us with quite the fine meal.

For starters, there's that great Grandaisy bread they serve.

Then we had the choice of Squash Soup or

Red Cabbage Salad with pomegranate, walnut, apple and bacon vinaigrette (my choice)

Also on the table?  Frankies' lovely shaved Brussels sprouts salad

Main course: Roast Turkey Breast with Confit Turkey Leg & Pretzel Dumbling Stuffing (that's the block in the front and it was awesome) along with spiced sweet potatoes, roasted vegetables and cranberry sauce. 

Time to dig in! (Notice meatballs in the foreground.  Because there needed to be meatballs)

Also to be found on the table: Ricotta Gnocchi 

Dessert?  Apple Strudel

Chocolate tort.  or tart?

There was also pumpkin pie and it was all great.

After dinner he had a laugh about the name "J-J-James"

Riding back to town, tummies full.

That night we headed up to Rockefeller Center for something . . . I'll tell you what soon . . . but there's the tree, getting decorated. 

And look at this Anthropologie window display.  A bunny on a beaver on a boar on a buck on a bear. I figured you out, Anthro!

Ok, here's why we were there: To see the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular!

My thoughts?  Just cuz something's corny doesn't mean it isn't good.  I can't believe they had real camels!  And I didn't care for the video game part.

After the show, a late night dinner for a few of us at Great NY Noodletown.  Had their famous salt baked shrimp for the first time.  Now I understand why I see them on every table.

Next morning, before heading upstate (just the tiniest bit) I had the "Perfect Egg Sandwich" at Dominique Ansel.  This thing is crazy, I ate it and still don't really understand it.

Look at this rock n roll pigeon.

One thing that happened while we were in Terrytown is that we were looking all over for a bathroom.  Even in the laundromat.

Okay, you tell me, which one of these homemade local business signs is weirder?

We went to the Old Dutch Church for a one man performance of a Christmas Carol.

This is the one man that performed the One Man Christmas Carol.  It was nice and old timey.

Before the show there was a guy that sang songs and played the guitar, he asked for requests, someone requested Feliz Navidad.  So we all sang Feliz Navidad in the old timey super old church.

And after that . . . Dinner at Blue Hill!  That's another post.  Surprise!  One more Thanksgiving post after all.

Saturday night, after working in the Rockaways all day, we went to Carnegie Hall to see Arlo Guthrie with Pete Seeger and the Guthrie Family Musicians.

And then . . . Pinkberry for some, Rice to Riches for others.

Sunday, after church, Go Go Curry.  Because it's so good.

And then I saw my dear family off at Penn Station.  

No comment.  Except "Ha"

Best Thanksgiving Time Field Trip

While my family was in town we did not just confine ourselves to Manhattan and Brooklyn.  No.  On Friday we rented a minivan (I got to drive!) and headed up to Terrytown and environs.

But first, a little Manhattan . . .

I took the family to Dominque Ansel for breakfast.  I expected it to be enjoyed, but it turned out to be a monster hit.

Then we headed to the Meatpacking District and walked the Highline.

Hess.  Who do you think you're foolin?

And THEN we picked up our van and went to Sunnyside to see Washington Irving's house.

They said No Pictures inside the house, but what about pictures taken from the doorstep of people inside the house, huh?

It wasn't really built in 1656.  Irving wanted it to seem like it had been there forever.

THEN we went to the old Sleepy Hollow graveyard to see Washington Irving's grave.

It's quite difficult to find out or figure out which bridge it was that the Headless Horseman threw his pumpkin at.

On our way to our next stop we came across this little unassuming chapel with Chagal and Matisse windows.  Who knew?!  $5 to go inside and see them, no pictures.  Obvs.

And our next stop?  Exploring the grounds at Stone Barns Farm, home of Blue Hill Stone Barns, where we'd be eating that night.

Nearly everything they serve comes from their farm.  We looked at vegetables and vegetables and vegetables.

And then we looked at animals!  That's a sheepdog.  Don't worry!  They don't serve sheepdog.  But they do serve lamb.

Piglets!

Big pig!

I saw this sign and I was like, "There's MORE pigs?!"

Then I saw this sign and I was like, "Don't tell ME where I can bring my pet" and I taught it a lesson.

Piglet chow time!

Piglets chowing!

Family, probably another 3 hours before we get to chow ourselves.

We found where the geese hang out.  Question: Has anyone ever actually eaten goose?  Duck, sure.  Goose?  Only in Dickens.

Visited where the restaurant is.  Was quite lively.  So many people enjoying a day at the Stone Barns.

Will I keep posting about Thanksgiving?  Will I post about my second dinner at Blue Hill?  Who knows?  You have to keep coming back here to find out!