Saturday, August 15, 2009

Time for some eats

Our first joint post! We had a great time together the last few days with a free concert, dinner at two of our favorite NYC restaurants, and a trip to Cold Spring, NY (which we now know is different from Cold Spring Harbor, NY).

First up was a trip to S'Nice in Manhattan for dinner before the last free Hudson RiverRocks concert with Amazing Baby and Yeasayer, both Brooklyn-based bands. S'Nice specializes in vegan/vegetarian sandwiches and salads and always a delicious-looking display of vegan cupcakes! We both really like the atmosphere and food at S'Nice's Park Slope location and agreed that while the food was just as good at the Manhattan restaurant, the atmosphere is much less inviting. Nicole ordered the vegan panini:



Amanda ordered the smoked tempeh wrap, it was filled with avocado, fresh greens, and a very spicy dressing:


We had a short walk from S'Nice to the Hudson riverfront to get to Pier 54 for the Yeasayer concert. The pier was very narrow, which is what we're blaming the poor sound quality on, though the entire show seemed to be very low-budget. Regardless, it was great to see some local bands for free, and Yeasayer never disappoints with their unique blend of musical styles and rich vocals. Once we realized we'd never get front row spots, we couldn't decide whether it was better to stand as close as possible, engulfed in the crowd, or move to the back and enjoy the music and the space. After a long day at work, we opted for a spot in the back, making picture-taking much more of a challenge.



We spent our Saturday in Cold Spring, NY, about a 70-80 minute train ride upstate from Manhattan. We weren't quite sure what to expect from Cold Spring, but found a quaint town with small stores, coffee houses and restaurants lining the Main st.

The town was surrounded with incredible views and full of beautiful and fragrant flower gardens.
After a few hours of walking around, window shopping, and discovering a few hiking trails it was time to leave small town, USA and head back to the hustle and bustle of the city.

It also meant a trip to Candle 79 for appetizers and wine. We arrived at the restaurant and were quickly seated by the hostess. Amanda started her meal off with a glass of California chardonnay and Nicole had a glass of Australian sparkling rose.

Next up was the chef's signature dish(the chef always provides a small tasting his signature of the day), a chickpea salad tossed in a horseradish dressing:

Amanda could not wait to dig into the dish and was munching away while Nicole snapped a few photos.


When the waitress returned Amanda ordered the Guacamole Timbale. The timbale had a base of black beans and caramelized onions layered with tomato and cucumber salsa and guacamole and topped with thin strips of tortilla chips. Overall, the dish was a great blend of flavors -- nothing too exciting but well presented and satisfying!


Nicole ordered the polenta fries served with a chipotle ketchup and the nightly soup. The fries were nice and crispy on the outside, but warm and soft in the inside. They never let down and definitely a must try!



The nightly soup consisted of a roasted pepper base with bits of zuchinni, corn, and navy beans. The flavors came together nicely and made a nice accompaniment with the polenta fries.


All in all a very satisfying evening. The food came out in record timing and the staff was nothing but pleasant.

Up next: Amanda's last Summerstage concert of the summer







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