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La Barrita was sensational, not in just the food (both taste and quality) but in it's presence itself. I'm not sure how to explain it, but it was the sense of home. I'm not Argentinean or grew up on that style of cuisine but you could feel the positive energy and love from the owner, the chef and the staff that gives you the feeling of comfort and ease that consumes you when you go home. The passion of the cuisine and the love of honoring the ingredients used was present in every dish served. Although it's a steakhouse they did have numerous dishes for the vegetarians too. In fact one of my favorites from the night was the Polenta Del Bosque served in a rich mushroom cream sauce...I've never been too crazy about polenta and this one change my mind about it entirely. My favorite meat dish was the Costilla Entera (grass fed rib steak): it was oh so tender, juicy, perfectly cooked and just to take it up a notch they carved it table side to causing you to drool. Take a look at my pictures from what I refer to as my second Thanksgiving and see some of the many delicious meals you could be eating too! La Barrita is in the picturesque area of Brooklyn Heights grab a bite and take a stroll around...you won't be sorry! Oh and fear not wine lovers, they also carry precious Malbecs from Argentina and they will excellently pair with your meal of choice.
Polenta Del Bosque (Homemade With Wild Mushrooms Sauce)
Quinoa Gusto (Organic Quinoa, Plum Tomatoes, Fresh Avocado And Balsamic Reduction)
Pulpo (Wild Cut Grilled Octopus, Natural Potatoes, Cherry Tomatoes & Red Peppers)
Morcilla (Argentinian Blood Sausage) & Chorizo (Argentinian Sausage)
Matambre (Grass-Fed 10 Oz Veal Breast Pre Seasoned)
Empanadas Trio (Carne Cortada A Cuchillo: Grass -Fed Prime Steak) (Pollo: Cage Free Chicken) (Espinaca: Spinach, Fresh Ricota Cheese, Corn And Mushrooms)
After being carved table side & dressing with a flavorful sauce!
More About La Barrita
La Barrita’s menu showcases fresh ingredients, prime cuts, house-made sausages and sauces,
salads and seafood. La Barrita’s head chef, Marcelo Lazzarin, hails from Argentina, which was key for Cardona as he wanted a cook who was raised eating the same traditional food as he did. For more than 20 years, Lazzarin has worked for distinguished establishments coast to coast.
Wine at La Barrita is carefully curated by Cardona, who personally offers his sommelier-like
pairings per entrée for each patron. The restaurant features a rare collection of Argentinean
Malbecs from some of the best small producers.
Open seven days a week, La Barrita is located in the heart of Brooklyn Heights at 132 Montague
Street. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner Mon-Thurs from 12 pm to 11
pm, Fri & Sat from 12 pm to 12 am & Sun from 12 pm to 11 pm. Happy Hour is
all day, every day at the bar only: $5 beer, $8 well drinks, $9 wine and $10 sangria.
About Sebastian Cardona
Sebastian Cardona is the manager and creator of La Barrita steakhouse restaurant and wine bar.
came to New York City in 2010 by way of Miami where he lived for 13 years supporting the
openings of and managing restaurants like Osteria Romana in Miami Beach and Toscana Divino,
one of the best Italian restaurants in Brickell. Born to an Italian father from Milan and
Argentinean mother in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Cardona grew up fishing, hunting and cooking
with his grandmother. If it were not for her, he would not be the accomplished home cook that he is today. Before managing La Barrita, Sebastian worked at Masseria Dei Vini in Manhattan.
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Not to brag….but Ole Smoky Moonshine Master Distiller Justin King and Outback Steakhouse invited me to their exclusive first taste of Outback's new Moonshine BBQ menu and cocktails earlier this month! Everyone knows I love testing out new menu dishes and the fact that it was barbecue made it that much better! Living in NYC its hard to have access or the space to grill, so why not let Outback do all the hard work. This press preview included 4 new dishes and 1 dessert. Each item was so delicious, if I had to pick a favorite it would have to be the Moonshine BBQ Ribs! The meat was so tender and juicy, the best part was that it practically fell off the bone! The runner up for food would have to be the Moonshine BBQ Bacon Wrapped Shrimp, I still daydream about both of them! And the Skillet Apple Pie was scrumptious due to the ample crunch from the crust and the topping! As for my favorite of the 3 cocktails, I loved the Just Peachee! Its made with Georgia Moon Peach Mooneshine, Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey and peach puree mixed with apple and orange juices with a cinnamon sugar rim (Yum)!
The "Just Peachee"
Moonshine BBQ Fire Grilled Wings
Moonshine BBQ Ribs
Moonshine BBQ Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
Moonshine BBQ Cobb Salad
Skillet Apple Pie
If you haven't been, Ken & Cook is a perfect spot to for amazing atmosphere, tasty entrees and fun cocktails. You'll leave full and happy. I had the pleasure trying out the new menu with my roomie. We started the night with cocktails of course, I ordered the Nolita tea and my roommate ordered the lady marmalade. Anxiously waiting for our appetizers to arrive we sipped our cocktails and complained about the weather. Both dishes were delicious! The buratta was probably the best fresh mozzarella I've ever had and the salmon tartare was equally tasty even better than the traditional tuna tartar. Next up was my favorite pasta dish, papardelle! Yes, its vegetarian but it was filling and a perfect option for a cold winter night. For entrees we chose the bouillabaisse and the pan roasted duck. the seafood was so fresh and flavorful. The pan roasted duck was cooked perfectly; crispy skin while supple on the inside. Dessert is my favorite part of the meal and I have a chocolate obsession so it was an obvious choice to order the chocolate cake (and it was marvelous)! I'm still day dreaming about this dinner, I can't wait to go back!
Nolita Tea- rum based cocktail, green tea and garnished with a slice of cucumber.
Lady Marmalade with Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon
Burrata - heirloom tomato, arugula, champagne vinaigrette
Salmon Avocado Tartare - cucumber, ginger, vinaigrette
Papardelle - sauteed mushrooms, cipolin onions, parmesan
Bouillabaisse - wild shrimp, mussels, branzino, basmati
Pan Roasted Duck Breast - sweet potato puree, apple, germolata
Chocolate Cake - warm flour less cake, salted caramel, pistachio
Earlier this month I was able to sample Haru's 'Happy Hour' menu where every item (food or cocktail) is between $4-$8! The best part (drum roll please) the 'Happy Hour' menu ALL day on Black Friday (11/29) at all of their six locations throughout Manhattan. I know what you thinking, can you actually get something good for such a low cost and in the city? Yes, you can! Everything that I sampled including appetizers & cocktails off the menu were truly exquisite. My favs were the fish tacos (so fresh & I was surprised at how tasty they were) and the Elderflower-Cucumber Crush (refreshing and delicious)! On or off the happy hour menu I didn't try anything that I wouldn't want to eat or drink more of.
Happy Hour Menu Highlights:
String Bean Tempura (w/ curried salt --$4); Flash-Fried Shishito Peppers ($5); Lobster Gyoza ($8); Short Rib Buns ($8); Chicken Wings (w/ spicy garlic or teriyaki sauce -- $8); Fish Tacos ($7); Chicken Yakitori ($5); Filet Mignon Yakitori ($6); and the Haru Wasabi Roll ($8). Edamame ($4), California Roll ($4), Spicy Tuna Roll ($5), Crunchy Spicy Salmon Roll ($5) and Vegetable Spring Rolls ($5).
Happy Hour’s $8 Cocktail Lineup:
Saketini, Lycheetini, Green Tea Margarita, Elderflower-Cucumber Crush and Premium Mojito.
Happy Haru’s Beverage Menu:
Hitachino White Ale ($6), Ommegang ‘Hennepin’ craft beer ($6), SeaGlass Pinot Noir ($8), Kinsen Plum Wine ($4) and Koshu Masamune Sake ($4).
All Haru locations throughout Manhattan: Gramercy Park, Sake Bar, Wall Street, Third Ave, Amsterdam and Broadway. Please visit http://www.harusushi.com/ for complete location listings.
Left: Fish Tacos ($7) Right: Spicy Tuna Roll ($5)
Elderflower-Cucumber Crush beefeater 24 gin or don q rum, st-germain elderflower liqueur and fresh cucumber
Short Rib Buns ($8)
Lobster Gyoza ($8)
Komodo Dragon absolut vanilla, cruzan coconut rum, pineapple juice and blue curacao
Strawberry Fin Roll crunchy spicy yellowtail, jalapeño peppers and mango, topped with scallops, wasabi tobiko and fresh strawberries.
Kiss Of Fire Roll super white tuna, salmon, jalapeño peppers and wasabi tobiko, wrapped around crunchy spicy tuna and more jalapeños.
Chicken Katsu
Saketini
A night Jay-Z would be proud of! I enjoyed a lavish industry night with Hakkasan filled with D'USSE cocktails and equally delicious apps. Savory dumplings, calamari and lettuce wraps partnered with specialty cocktails like the Nashi Star, Cognac & Tonic and Bon Vivant's Coupette (see recipes below). Hakkasan is centrally located in Manhattan in Times Square. If you're visiting or are in the area stop in for some creative drink concoctions, complex tasty dishes and exotic decor.
Cognac & Tonic – D’USSE Cognac and Fever-tree tonic water, served with an orange slice
Calamari
Left: Lettuce Wraps Right: Calamari
Bon Vivant’s Coupette – D’USSE Cognac, Satsuma Godai Umeshu, Benedictine, grapefruit bitters and chocolate bitters
Earlier this week I had the pleasure of stopping by Vella for a tapas and cocktail tasting! I love Italian food and being that Vella is actually in my neighborhood; it was a clear win, win! Here in NYC we've been experiencing an Indian summer giving everyone their last push to eat outdoors. Vella has an amazing patio section, perfect for socializing and people watching. For me, good food is just as important as the price! I'm happy to say Vella is 'real person' affordable without losing the class and elegance of a dining out experience!
Now on to the important things…like the food & drinks. My favorite cocktail was the Kissyomama (its spicy & I love a good spicy cocktail). Runner up, the West Egg; its a must try! There wasn't a a dish I didn't enjoy, but were some definite stand outs. The crab cake was delightfully and full of crab. Nothing better than a crabby crab cake! The truffle mac & cheese with or without bacon was insanely good; the bacon just enhances it! The tartars were scrumptious as well, especially the tuna (I'm a seafood person all the way) it was so fresh and perfectly prepared with flavors that harmoniously blended together. Go to Vella's website here or stop by when you're on the upper east side!
Ricotta Lemon Honey & Arugula on Flat Bread
Roasted Wild Mushroom Crostini
Left: Magic Lantern ~ Russian Standard Vodka, Pimm's Cocchi Americano, Muddled Cucumber & Mint, Fresh Leon Juice, Simple Syrup, Topped w/ Ginger Beer & a Strawberry Wedge
Middle: Prosecco ~ Mionetto DOC Venteo, Italy
Right: West Egg ~ Maker's Mark Bourbon, Fresh Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Strawberry, Club Soda
Classic Steak Tartar
Left: Cucumber Mint Lemonade ~ Mint, Cucumber, Fresh Lime Juice, Club Soda, Ginger Beer
Right: East 77th ~ Jasmine Tea Infused Grey Goose Vodka, Fresh Lime Juice, Simple Syrup, Strawberries, 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
Kissyomama
Don Julio Reposada, Domaine de Canton, Mango Puree, Fresh Lime Juice, Simple Syrup, 2 drops El Yucateco Green Hot Sauce, 4 Thai Basil Leaves
Tuna Tartar (with Cucumber, Chive, Apple & Mustard)
Tuscan Caesar Salad (Caciocavallo & Croutons)
Crab Cake with Cabbage, Carrot & Cucumber Slaw
Truffled Mac & Cheese + Bacon
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