It is a Caesar Salad that will spoil you.
I cannot go back to eating a "regular" Caesar Salad after my appetizer this past Sunday at Aroma Kitchen and Wine Bar in the East Village.
The salad was part of their Sunday Evening Prix Fixe menu that my best friend discovered (I cannot take credit for the restaurant pick) and decided that this is where we should have our annual holiday dinner on our annual New York City "Holi-day" (for approximately 16 years we have gone to the city together during December to see the tree, see windows, and see that we fill ourselves up with some good eats).
On top of the greens were fresh anchovies that were sliced perfectly and glistened next to the best part of the salad: the poached egg. Most of the time, Casear Salads are prepared with the egg already incorporated into the dressing, but not so for the "aroma" version. Cracking the bright yellow yolk and swirling the oozing goodness into the greens and then tasting was the second best part of the meal for me (the company was the best part, of course). I got to taste my friend's salad choice of mesclun, beets, radishes, ricotta, basil, and mint that was also delicious.
I love making bolognese sauce and have a staple recipe that is just about a decade old that I use, so I was curious about their bolognese. I had the fettucine verdi with the bolognese ragu and was impressed, but still think mine could be a contender along side Aroma's. That prompted my best friend to officially call a recipe throw down this spring: mine vs. hers vs. her dad's bolognese sauces! Our friend Tea and her mom will be the blind judges - stay tuned! I plan to win! My best friend had the "Sunday Lasagne" which was rich, hearty, and came right out of the oven in a small ramekin and I would definitely get the next time I go there on a Sunday evening.
Dessert came and I chose a scoop of spiced pear sorbet and white chocolate gelato that were delicately placed on mini tart-shaped cookies. I tasted my best friend's gianduija panna cotta, which was smooth and creamy, tasting of hazelnuts. Think Nutella and multiply its goondess times ten.
As you can see from the photos, we pretty much had the place to ourselves despite the communal tables in the downstairs seating area known as the "Farmhouse Room." We had to walk through a small alleyway outside and I almost tripped because it was so narrow, but it would have been well worth breaking something for breaking that yolk into the romaine. The restroom was straight through the kitchen, so I lingered on the long walk back to the table to peruse the huge bags of flour and industrial sized bowls and utensils cluttering up the entire space.
Since my best friend ordered the half bottle of wine and I was already in quite a state after two champagne cocktails, I do not remember what she ordered...but oh it was lovely! If you live in New York City, this is especially a must try for a cold winter's night. If you are planning to visit and want some authentic Italian food and good wine, I would recommend dining here.
This is my first true restaurant review. Hopefully I sounded more like a Ruth Reichl and less like a Frank Bruni!
Cheers!
There is nothing quite like brunch in New York City on Sunday. Today was our first spell of spring weather on a weekend, so everyone was out and about. I had the most blissful brunch with my best friend, J.S., on the Lower East Side at a small and sweet spot called Little Giant. I have had amazing meals in my life with family and friends, but the best meals of my life are always with my best friend. Little Giant seemed rather apropos. Though she and I are both around 5 feet in height, we make up for stature in the depths of our friendship. 
Sitting in the corner of the petite restaurant, we felt the breeze of the warm day flow into the open windows in front of us. No coffee is served here, just americano, so she had an espresso and I a cappuccino since we are both caffeine addicts. Getting that out of the way, we then looked at the brunch cocktail menu. We toasted to spring this afternoon, she with a perfectly peppery Bloody Mary and I with a perfectly peachy bellini. 
Brunch was absolutely delicious and we both finished our entire plates! J.S. ordered Pig in a Poke: Crock of creamy stone ground grits topped with two poached eggs & andouille sausage. I I ordered the Biscuits and Gravy: Buttermilk-chive biscuits, two poached eggs, speck, and roasted garlic herb gravy. I enjoyed my dish immensely and the eggs were cooked perfectly. The speck was delicious and on the lighter side. The biscuits and gravy were, by far, the star of the plate. The biscuit was light and buttery and the gravy was thick with rich garlic notes. I tasted J.S.'s dish and the andouille sausage was spicy and delicious and really paired well with the creaminess of the grits. The prices are extremely reasonable and the service friendly. I would recommend brunch here anytime, and its a great place even if you are from out of town. There is al fresco dining available in the warm months as well!
After a leisurely brunch we walked into Soho and meandered in and out of shops. My heart stopped when I saw the storefront to the Miniature Stuffed Cupcakes baked by Melissa. J.S. said she had them before when they first opened and were giving away free samples. I had to try, despite being on a weight loss regiment! 3 for $3 is not exactly cheap, but popping these in your mouth is a priceless experience.
We had the mint chocolate chip, peanut butter and jelly, and the peanut butter cup!
After more walking and leisurely browsing stores (including Sur La Table), we ended up having a late afternoon refreshment in the winter garden at La Lanterna di Vittorio. Our view included a fountain situated right next to our cafe table. We sipped a lovely rose together and toasted once more to a beautiful day...
