NY Restaurant Review: The Northern Spy

I've been missing NYC a lot lately - so I decided to revive some restaurant reviews that I never got around to posting. Last time I was in the big apple was September 2011. It was a brief trip, but so sweet and definitely pulled on my heart strings some. The people, the energy, the chaos, the food - I love it all. I think I'll have to make arrangements to visit more frequently. Pictured above are two lovely women that in many ways, helped shape my love for the city. Wonderful friends from college, Yasemin is on the left and Katie Plat is on the right. You may recognize Katie from her oatmeal pie, knishes, and many more features! Yasemin has appeared in Saustown and the amazing Corner Bistro! On the Friday evening of my visit we went to the Northern Spy, a restaurant in the East Village, that I had walked by frequently but  never made it inside while I was living in NYC. After waiting for just over an hour (sigh...eating out in NYC!) we were seated for a delicious meal and yes...well worth the wait! If there is one thing I had to say about The Northern Spy, it's that each dish really does melt in your mouth.  The restaurant takes their ingredients seriously, the majority are all locally sourced with 'footnotes' throughout the menu sharing the origin of each ingredient. 

Here we go - for a starter we had pickled eggs with a house made aioli and pickled onions for garnish.

 Fun fact about pickled eggs: They are the most popular/frequently purchased snack at gas stations in the North East.

Warm, fluffy, flat bread with caramelized red onion.

A farmstead cheese board with fruit compote and a baguette. The fruit compote on the bottom right is made of pickled green grapes - delicious contrast to the cheeses!

Next we had crispy potato gnocchi with brown butter and sage. These melt in your mouth.

 Glazed baby carrots with brown sugar and parsley...also melts in your mouth.

 Divine Kale salad with delicata squash, cheddar, almonds and pecorino.

 Farro and egg with rye, sunchokes and cured lamb belly.

We actually didn't order dessert, but the folks sitting next to us did and it looked lovely, so I asked to take a picture. Not sure what this is...

This restaurant is best for sharing small plates, so go with adventurous / sharing eaters!

The Northern Spy
http://www.northernspyfoodco.com/
511 East 12th Street
New York, NY
212-228-5100

Food for Thought

Beautiful song by the beautiful Ray LaMontagne

 'our hearts are strong, and our hearts are kind'

Thank you Verve...

'Cause it's a bitter sweet symphony, this life

Try to make ends meet, you're a slave to money then you die

I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down

You know the one with all the places where all the veins meet

Deep Orion over the Canary Islands.

Mango Date Banana Yogurt Smoothie

Smoothies are hard to mess up. Delicious, refreshing, colorful, and each one takes on a completely unique, desired texture and taste. This combination I'm particularly proud of, while it is really think and better had with a spoon - it's delicious and nutritious....(sounds like a Margarine add!)

Mango Data Banana Yogurt Smoothie


Ingredients:
Frozen mango chunks
Dates, pitted
Banana - very ripe
Plain yogurt, Fage is best

Directions:
I think you know what to do here ;)