Noi Due Carne Revisited

This past Tuesday, we went once again to Noi Due Carne (141 W. 69th St, New York, NY 10023 – Tel: 212.712.2223). Knowing Golan Chetrit, the owner of both this eatery and the dairy one downstairs (Noi Due), knowing his commitment, his dedication, his passion for the business, I had no doubt this too would be a superb experience – and like every time before it – I was not disappointed. 

While waiting I sipped the House Punch, a delightful combination of rum, port wine, tea, lemon, and nutmeg.

Soon our Black Angus Beef Carpaccio arrived…

Black Angus Beef Carpaccio: mustard vinaigrette, balsamic reduction, baby arugula, and crispy sweet potato.

 

The combination of flavors, the symphony of tastes, was truly a masterpiece!

We followed with a Lebanese Fattoush Salad…

Lebanese Fattoush Salad: Romaine, cucumber, heirloom tomato, radish, red onion, mint, kalamata olives, za’atar pita chips, and sumac red wine vinaigrette.

This salad because of the perfect mix of ingredient and superlative taste represented the deliciousness, the healthiness, the very best of the Mediterranean cuisine.

We segued with a Smoked Italian Eggplant Carpaccio…

Smoked Italian Eggplant Carpaccio, with lemon, tahini, pomegranate, pistachio, and silan.

The eggplant combination and the garlic bread together made this also a memorable dish. I never imagined that eggplant and pomegranate could make such a succulent combination!

We then went for the Crispy Roman Style Baby Artichokes. By taking the traditional recipe for Carcioffi alla Giudia – one of the jewels of Roman cuisine – and adding a few modern touches, Chef Beau Hauck has elevated this dish into a contemporary classic, crispy and full of flavor.

Next, we had the Spaghetti and Meatballs, with slow-cooked San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, and basil. The aroma, the meatballs, the al dente spaghetti made this also a special experience for our senses.

We were now ready for the 14oz. USDA Prime Ribeye, with sea salt, olive oil and roasted plum tomato with an additional side of perfectly seasoned potato puree served in its own ramekin. Having grown up in Montevideo, Uruguay, I learned early on what meat should taste like and this ribeye met every expectation.

Throughout the meal, we enjoyed sample quantities of their most popular cocktails…

From Left to right: West Side (scotch, elderflower, blackberries and lemon), Golden Apple (botanical gin, fresh ginger, apple cinnamon, and soda), Jalapeno Business (vodka, Fresh strawberries, lime and a jalapeno pepper), Bourbon Coolata (bourbon, coconut milk, pineapple juice, orgeat, and housemade grenadine).

For dessert – and in keeping with the season – we had a big slice of an incredible Pecan Pie…

A hot slice of Pecan Pie, with parve vanilla ice cream drizzled in caramel sauce.

We finished with a Mint Tea. Truly a memorable evening of food and drink! Hope to meet you there soon, gentle reader!

CS 

Grill 212

Recently, I had the pleasure of having lunch with Lévana (of the late, lamented, Lévana’s Restaurant fame) at Grill 212 (212 W. 80th Street; New York, NY 47455 – Tel: 212.724.7455) – a quaint little restaurant, with only 14 seats – in the Upper West Side. We started the meal with my favorite soup… Yemenite Beef Soup…

It came with Kubana bread and Hilba Schug. The soup was flavorful, with lots of beef, the Kubana bread – straight from the oven – moist and buttery in taste, the Schug was the perfect spicy complement to it all. We followed it with a juicy, all around perfect, Hamburger and Fries…

We segued into a Falafel, Moroccan Cigars and Fries…

Again, a complex amalgam of flavors came trough making this platter truly unforgettable. The fries were just crispy enough, the cigars and falafel balls revealed subtle nuances I had never experienced in American eateries. But the pièce de résistance was about to come…

Molten Chocolate Coke, oozing with all the goodness and sweetness of that superb, melting, burnt amber substance. There were more desserts ranging from chocolate cake to baklava and more; each unforgettable, each a tribute to a king’s palate!

I went back for lunch, this past Tuesday. I ordered their Lamb Shish Kebob and the Kubana, while Lévana ordered Pargiot;  the portions were large enough not only to fill me up, but I took home enough leftovers to feel filled up at dinnertime. And the Elephant cookies – that I took home – were undescribable delicious, of course!

The place is small and unpretentious, the presentation could use a few pointers, but the taste…  ahhh, the taste… more than makes up for those perceived shortcomings.

I guess I’ll just have to keep going back again and again…

CS