Restaurant Review.... Restaurant week @ Red Rooster Harlem

When I finally made the decision to move back to NY last year, I promised to make the most of the time that I had in the city. I was going to culinary school, so it’s a given that my “make the most of my time in NYC” statement would include eating as much great food as possible. I figured that this wouldn’t be so hard because, after all, New York is home to many of the world’s culinary superheroes, and the ease of accessibility to amazing restaurants in New York is indisputable. Except for when you want to eat at the city’s top restaurants AND you’re on a student’s budget.

One of the top restaurants that I wanted to explore was Red Rooster in Harlem. The owner is Marcus Samuelsson, a world renowned chef who has been awarded some of the culinary world’s top honors including a James Beard Foundation award (and who happens to be a brother), and the location was in Harlem. Check and mate. I needed to be there… like now. Here came the reality check: It was the summer and near impossible to get reservations and well… I was broke womp, womp.

Fast-forward 6 months to Restaurant Week 2012. After a lecture from Chef Jay (one of my teachers) about it being our duty as future chefs to attend as many restaurant week events as we could, I knew that my chance had arrived. A 3 course prix fixe lunch menu for $24.07 at one of the hot spots in the city, and the chance to cross something off of my NYC bucket list – to quote my homegirl Monet “You can’t beat that with a stick.” I made reservations for 3 that night.


Red Rooster did not disappoint. When my mom and I stepped into the restaurant – we must have looked beyond excited b/c the Maitre d’ ask us where we visiting from; to which my mom very coolly replied “The Bronx”. Hahaha... I guess the Bronx is like another world. Immediately, someone asked to put our coats in coat check. We were then offered a bar seat to wait at until Faith, one of sister’s BFFs arrived.

From the bar I drank up all the sights. The beautifully funky artwork, the wide array of people, the scents of the food, the hot bartender erm…. I meant the hot Glogg simmering in a pot behind the bar lol. “Glogg”, said the hot (and knowledgeable) bartender Virgil is “A Swedish hot spiced wine punch.” I'm sure he said more, but I was too busy staring at him to follow what he was saying. Anyway, the glugg at Red Rooster reminded me of German gluhwein. It’s like a snug blankie in a mug, it was all cinnamony and warm. The perfect start to our food adventure.

Here’s a photo of mom enjoying her glogg:



Faith sitting pretty:






After Faith met us at the bar, we were off to our seats. We tried EVERYTHING. Because there were 3 of us we were able to try everything off of the Restaurant week including a few additional goodies.




Here is what we ate:

Corn Bread with Honey Butter, Tomato Jam



Check that texture :-)






Mac & Greens with Gouda, NY Cheddar, Comté






Market Green Salad with King Oyster Mushrooms, Cauliflower, Radishes, Sherry Vinaigrette




Peanut Soup with Avocado, Tomato, Chicken Broth





Blackened Catfish with Black Eyed Peas, Collard Greens



Yours truly...






Fried Yard Bird Dark Meat, with White Mace Gravy, Mashed Potatoes



Mom..




Warm Apple Crumb Tart with Buttermilk Ice Cream, Raisin Cider Sauce




Close up... Are you hungry yet????





Pecan Pie with Bourbon Ice Cream and Milk Chocolate






I tried everything with the exception of the fried yard bird and it was all sooooo delicious. Everything had a good balance of flavor and spice without the over reliance on salt. The waitress was attentive, and this is a big thing for me: we never had to reuse our utensils. After each course a new fork and knife appeared. Overall, I give Red Rooster in Harlem the thumbs up. The vibes are really chill and the food was great. I really can't wait to go back – this time probably on a Monday night so that I can get my art on and enjoy their live house band. Who's coming with me???

Red Rooster's Website: http://redroosterharlem.com/

Lentil Stew ( For Brigitte and my other amazing friends)

Lentil Stew.
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min to 1 hour ( mostly non active)

This is a really quick and easy meal that I picked up while I was dating the vegan this summer ( may that relationship rest in peace :-P). It literally costs about $3.00 to make, takes 10 minutes to prepare and will feed you for about a week if ur flying dolo like me or a about 4 meals if ur feeding a family. I tend to freestyle this recipe depending on what I have in my cabinets, but here are the basics.
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Tools needed: ( I'm an OT and I like to break things down into lists... forgive me)

-Pot with a top
-large wooden spoon
-Stove
-Knife ( I prefer my chef's knife)
-Cutting board
-Measuring cup
-Measuring spoons

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Ingredients

- 1 16 0z bag of lentils, rinsed and drained( get organic if you can, but steer clear of the store brand I've found that they are of cheaper quality)

- 1 medium onion

- 2- 3 cloves of garlic

- 2 tbs of Extra virgin olive oil

- about 5 cups of H20 or low sodium vegetable stock

***** You could add carrots and celery to this stew for added flavor ********


Spices:
Oregano ( 1.5 tsp)
Paprika ( 1.5 tsp)
Curry (1 tsp)
Celery seeds (1 tsp)
Cayenne Pepper (1/2 tsp... I'm a punk)
Thyme (1 tsp)
2 -3 shakes of black pepper

Sea salt ( approx a tablespoon) and then salt to taste one cooked.
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Steps:

1. Get your mise en place together. Culinary term for get your stuff ready to get into the pot.

1. Coarsely chop onion and place in a bowl on the side

2. Peel and coarsely chop garlic cloves. Place in bowl and put to the side.

3. Measure out all of your spices and put them into a bowl (make sure it looks all pretty and colorful, I swear this step make the soup taste better :-))

4. Measure out at least 1 cup of your water or stock

5. Pour 2 tbs of olive oil into your pot and place over medium heat

6. Once your oil is ready add your beautifully chopped onion, and cook until transparent, about 2 - 3 min

7. Add your garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 min)

8. Toss in all of those pretty spices and a little more oil if you feel like your spices look dry. Saute spices in the onion, oil and garlic mixture for another minute or two. Your kitchen will smell like heaven, but be careful not to burn the spices.

9. Add your rinsed and drained lentils and stir in mixture for about a minute

10. Add 3 cups of water and your tbs of salt. Give it a quick stir, and cover for 10 min.

11. Once the water is boiling, recover and lower flame to a simmer. Cook for 45 min or until lentils are tender. I tend to check the water level of the stew every 15 min and add a cup when the water level gets low ( after a 1/2 hour or so).

12. After the stew is finished, add additional salt and spices if necessary and a squeeze of lemon and enjoy!!!!

**** Side note this is a very thick, almost meaty stew, so I tend to eat it with a salad loaded with carrots, celery, red peppers, cucumbers and chickpeas. To keep the meal really clean, I sprinkle the salad with a little salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice rather than use salad dressing. Add an avocado, and BAM! you've got yourself a satisfying meal.

Cost of the entire meal: Approx $10.