Memories Are Made of This

Thought about titling this one "Five Bites" but there were also five sips to savor as well. So, in standard lazy or creative fashion, I'm resorting to my other passion for inspiration. 

So this past weekend, I was a real glutton. Visited my old faves and encountered new ones thanks to a kindred spirit and appetite for consumption. (Too cheesy? I'm a little rusty).

DC. I want for nothing. Memories are made of this:

Devour:

Appetizer special, sounds insane but this new kid on the block just made my top 5:
Vol-au-vent with crispy pig ears, escargots, fennel, shallots, Aperol cream sauce
BLT Steak

Veal schnitzel, house-made mozzarella, arugula, charred lemon vinaigrette
Brasserie Beck

Fried-chicken oysters
Marvin
 
Wood-oven roasted marrow bones with rhubarb butter and pepper crust
Blue Duck Tavern

12-hour roasted suckling pig, baby vegetables, pork jus
Blue Duck Tavern

Empty:

Zinfandel: Thomas George Estates, "The Torrente Vineyard", Dry Creek Valley, California 2008
Blue Duck Tavern or your local liquor/wine shop

French 75, gin, lillet blanc, lemon, champagne
Blue Duck Tavern or check the blog, I must have a recipe though literally it is 3 ingredients

Scotch: 15-year Balvenie
51st State if you don't mind outdoor seating at a dive bar and a jukebox (heaven)

Poste Seasonal G&T, Botanist gin, housemade strawberry and thyme tonic
Poste

And bourbon of choice these days is Bulleit, apparently pronounced "Bull-lay" according to a bartender who corrected me. Trust DC to have bourbon police. Hasn't happened once in three years in New York. Thoughts?

Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ - Redefining Happy Hour

If anyone has bragging rights to the best happy hour in town, it ought to be Gyu-Kaku. We're not only talking about fab specials on their extensive drink list ($2 sake shots, $3 Sapporo & Kirin drafts, $5 sake, wines AND cocktails), Gyu-Kaku also offers an amazing array of $5 food items and 50% off their BBQ (Kobe, NY Strip, Bone-in Kalbi, etc). And by "food items", they mean the freshest yuzu snapper carpaccio, ahi tuna poke, sake steamed mussels, as well as plenty of tasty rice, noodles and salad options. The midtown east restaurant is beautifully decorated with spacious dark wood booths and tables with built-in "do-it-yourself" grills but the expert and gracious staff will serve you well. What I also love about Gyu-Kaku Midtown is that their happy hour also extends to weekend lunch - truly one of the best deals in town. I went a few months ago for Sunday lunch, we ordered too many items to remember, hopefully the photo above does some justice. I did not try their cocktails that time but plan to soon and will report back. Kanpai!

Official Gyu-Kaku Website: http://www.gyu-kaku.com/

Gyu-Kaku Midtown:
805 3rd Ave., 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10022
(212) 702-8816

Happy Hour Schedule:
Mon-Fri: 2-6PM
Mon-Thu: 9:30PM-Closing
Sat&Sun: 12-3PM

Gyu-Kaku East Village:
34 Cooper Square
New York, NY 10003
(212) 475-2989

Happy Hour Schedule:
Daily 3PM—6PM
Mon—Thu 9:30PM—Closing

Also has locations in California, Chicago, Hawaii, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia.

WTSO.com

A good friend and fellow gourmand told me about this amazing wine online discount store, WTSO (Wines That Sell Out), which features Robert Parker/Wine Spectator reviewed wines of usually 85 points or higher for discounts from 30-70% off. In addition, they offer free shipping if you purchase the minimum amount which is usually 2 or 4 bottles. It's super convenient and fun to buy smaller quantities so you can try out different kinds. It's also a fair selling scheme in that no one person can order a case even though you may want to considering today's deal was a fantastic Tempranillo for just $8.99. Sign up for their daily deals so you don't miss out on any wines...that sell out.