The Frozen Tundra & Spring Natural Kitchen

This past Tuesday it snowed in NYC...again. Unlike last time, when I got a snow day, I had to trudge through the cold to get to work. 

I decided I wasn't going to let below zero temperatures and snow keep me down. I texted a few girlfriends to meet for dinner and I was so excited when they agreed! We all live on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, so B recommended we go somewhere new. I suggested Spring Natural Kitchen. I have eaten here once, but was dying to return again. 

Spring Natural Kitchen is the sister restaurant to Spring Street Natural in Soho. The philosophy behind the restaurant is to serve wholesome, unprocessed, all-natural food made from scratch.

The inside decor is  clean, fresh, and natural. Brick walls, rustic wood floor, and pops of color in the chairs, dried flowers, and accent paintings gave it a sophisticated ambiance. They explain the space to have an American style that is both traditional and modern. 

The menu boast a variety of cuisines from around the world. They even serve entree salads and have a Vegan section. They have a selection of 4 different types of burgers as well. The menu is vegetable and fish heavy, but also has a number of interesting meat options like oxtail, baby-back ribs, and hanger steak. I promise there is something for every type of foodie on this menu.

Our small intimate dinner for 3 ended up becoming dinner for 8, but in the end the more the merrier.

They sell wine by the ounce so you have a choice of 9oz or 12oz which I love! They also have a variety of affordable wines by the bottle. I got the Chardonnay (my fav and go to vino) and N got a Malbec.

Once everyone arrived conversation was a buzz. It came to a halt when THIS burger was placed on the table. 

Do you see that!? I don't know how you are supposed to fit that in your mouth. Four people ordered some variation of a burger and they were all equally massive.  M ordered this beautiful Fresh Black Linguini with Seafood. It was packed with lump crab, jumbo shrimp, sea scallops, clams, calamari, zucchini and tomatoes. 

I can't resist seared Ahi-Tuna steak when it is on a menu. This was done perfectly. The tuna was not fishy and was complemented by sauteed baby bok choy, crispy golden leeks, wasabi mashed potatoes, and a yuzu tamari reduction that I definitely licked up with a piece of bread (no shame)

I may or may not have sneaked a few of these sweet potatoes fries...

Bellies full we prepared ourselves to go back out into the NYC tundra. I find it incredibly difficult to be fashionable when it is this cold out. Somehow, though, my friends managed to do so.

Stay Warm.

d.eileen

Bourgeois Bob & Chateau Montelena

After chatting with my Dad earlier this week, the invisible lightbulb went off over our heads at the same time. It alerted us to the brilliant idea of having him write guest posts for my Blog. When my dad and I chat, we often talk about what we have eaten and the wine we've drank over the last couple of days. We are definitely a foodie fmaily. I honestly have learned everything I know about food and wine from my father, so there is no one else who could teach us all about posh food culture better than him. I hope you read, learn, enjoy, laugh a bit and walk away with a more refined palate. 

Me and my Daddio sailing in FL

OK don't get too used to this.

Dee suggested that I (her Father) contribute to her Blog. OMG.

I was very impressed that she initiated this, as she has plenty of creative ideas on her own, but with due respect, anything she learned about wine and food…well...

Earlier this week, Dee and I had our semi-weekly check in phone call. All was good in the World, and I was in heaven. Down in Florida, we had just roasted a 2 lb rib-eye accompanied by a 2005 Chateau Montelena Cabernet. Nums. Needless to say, I was sold on the idea of making a guest appearance on Dee's blog. After buttering me up a bit on my extensive knowledge and expertise, we decided I would focus on one of my favorite topics...wine.  So here we go...

Chateau Montelena is a lovely vineyard at the north end of Napa (that's in California). It's a bit outside the funky (is that still a word?) town of Calistoga; a great place with a spa that dates back to the early 1900s. I am still picking mud out of some orifices from my last visit. Of all the memories I have from the visit to Montelena, none will replace its charm and the memory of this lovely black swan that tried to bite me.

Chateau Montelena's Cabernet Sauvignon is an aromatic, rich, bold & full bodied red. It usually has berry notes with some cedar and spice, but the details will change depending on the year. These wines age well, so there is no harm keeping for many years before opening, just make sure they are stored properly. It pairs well with most food but best with beef and  lamb. 

Side note...I sent a bottle of Chateau Montelena back with Dee after one of her visits. Her and the NYC family opened the bottle for a Family Dinner and she reports it was out of this world.

In the future, we will explore dishes and wines that I have come to know and love. For example, the other night, I paired a beautiful coquilles St-Jacques (Gratineed Scallops) with a 2006 Louis Latour Montrachet. It was magnifique! I also hope to enlighten you to the fact that there is more to Chicken than you think. My hope is you will refine your palettes and expand your knowledge of the finer things in life. 

To wrap things up, my interesting wine fact for this post...we live in Southwest Florida and this weekend is one of the 10 top wine charity affairs in the USA, the Naples Winter Wine Festival. This event has raised more than $110 million for the Naples Children Education Foundation. See...stuff does happen in southwest FL besides retirement and bad drivers. 

Until next time...

As Sheldon says, "live long and prosper". 

As Alexis Lichine said, "Life is too short to drink bad wine."

Bourgeois Bob aka Dee's Dad

Thanks Dad.
d.eileen

Sunday Funday

On Sundays, I spend most of my day at church. Sometimes people find this strange, but for me, I couldn't imagine Sundays any other way. The people I go to church with have become my NYC family. I have made some of the best friends a girl could ask for and I'm convinced that my life is fuller and more blessed because of my faith in Jesus. One of the awesome things about my church is it is filled with incredibly stylish and beautiful people (inside and out). Sunday Funday posts will feature snapshots from Sundays so you can get an insight to how fabulous being a Christian in NYC is. You might also get some fashion inspiration for your next Sunday Funday!

This Sunday I met a few lovely ladies for lunch at Terallucci E Vino off Union Square.

It was cold so I went for the fur on fur look.

Um, do you see this scarf? AMAZING. It's a scarf-sweater piece for those extra cold days. A perfect transitional piece for outdoor to indoor wear.

I got this new jacket at the Piperlime Store in Soho. It is by Tinley Road, they have a beautiful line of vegan leather products. It was a steal and I'm in love with the peplum back. 

Terallucci's Brioche French Toast is melt in your mouth delicious. It's not too big so that you get a headache from the sugar, and the dollop of mascarpone is too good to resist. If you want something more savory go for an egg dish. I got poached eggs over polenta with prosciutto. They lightly covered it with a delicious Parmesan sauce that I licked up with bread.

E is sporting some Ascot & Hart apparel. I just ordered their Trust Your Guys Tee and I'm in love with those red Dandy boots. 

Happy Sunday Funday!

d. eileen