Saturday, April 15 – It was a gorgeous day – 80 degrees and sunny in NYC. After getting a facial done at Origins – Flatiron Building, my boyfriend, his sister and niece went out to dinner at my favorite brasserie, Cafe Centro at the Met Life Building. My boyfriend ordered his usual – Prince Edward Island Mussels in Garlic and White Wine. I ordered the Sea Bass with White Asparagus and Wine Broth. My boyfriend’s sister had the lobster risotto and her daughter had the Herb-Roasted Chicken. Of course, the “usual” never let us down. Everytime we dine at Cafe Centro, this dish is a must – about 3 lbs of mussels cooked in white wine and garlic in a cast-iron skillet served with pommes frites. My dish was amazing – the sea bass, which was presented atop a row of white asparagus, was cooked perfectly – slightly crispy on the outside with a flavorful, delicate flesh. I paired my meal with a half bottle of California Syrah (which was excellent!) and I was very satisfied. My cravings for mussels, fish, and syrah have been satisfied. The lobster risotto was excellent, although I am not a risotto lover. I didn’t taste the chicken that evening, but I’ve had it before and it is great. We didn’t have time to order dessert so the meal ended within an hour.
Next stop – Chinatown for some bubble tea at Ten Ren – I ordered the Lychee bubble tea, and my boyfriend had the Green Mango – green mango is better… especially since I love green mango.
After spending a couple of hours in the city, we drove back to Westchester and replenished our supply of wine and liquor. I bought a bottle of Syrah (again, I am on a quest to taste the difference between a Petite Syrah and Syrah). We also picked up a bottle of Champagne – a domestic from New Mexico. The salesperson said it was on the crisp side, and me being a novice, thought maybe it is good since was comparable to Perrier Jouet (my favorite so far). The bottle we purchased was Gruet Methode Champenoise, Brut, Non-Vintage. It was definitely crisp. For a bottle under $20, it was good for a domestic champagne made French style. I didn’t get a buzz from it like I normally do with this type of wine. So we paired this drink with olives, prosciutto, melba toast, artichokes and spinach salad, and a selection of cheeses – Gouda Parrano, Gouda Robusto and some cheddar.
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