Tasty for Less: Red Rooster Harlem

Entrees ranging from $20-40

Okay. So I failed to take a picture. Again. I know. I will stamp it into my palm: "Take a picture before you stuff your face." Okay, so Red Rooster was not cheap. It wasn't my most expensive dinner but it wasn't the cheapest either. Hubby and I splurged a little for our anniversary Wednesday night. Comparatively speaking I don't spend a lot on dinners out when you look at the rest of NYC's twenty somethings but I eat out frequently. Most times, I find the best little known inexpensive gems for a nice dinner for any occasion, but sometimes the value is not in spending as little as possible but in having the best possible experience for what you do spend. When I received the recommendation to try Red Rooster, I didn't know what to expect but I found it was a good deal and I can definitively tell you that it was DELICIOUS. I can also tell you that the good service for the price we paid was enough to qualify this as an excellent value.

I started my meal with the creole grits side as an appetizer and it was a real mixed bag, chock full of tender shrimp and sausage and topped with a delicious toasted cheese cracker that I (shamefully) gobbled up too quickly to get a good look at. It was a whole new take on grits that hadn't experienced before. I Loved it.
In addition to the grits, we had the corn bread which in a world full of Jiffy, cake- like, too dry to swallow, diabetes-inducing corn bread, was a heavenly delight. I think the whole restaurant moved in slow motions and classical music played when I sank my teeth into it. It had a nice kick and was moist and buttery throughout. NO. Not just buttered on top. It was almost like it was infused with buttery cornbread juices. I'm still trying to understand how to make moist cornbread. I honestly don't think I've experienced it before, so this was an real "pause and savor" moment for me.

Our main course was the salmon, which we devoured. Hubby and I were like two sharks on a school of two innocent little salmon at our table (perhaps not quite, but my imaginations remembers it just like that) lol. You know what I mean. It got quiet at the table and we were momentarily only focused on our plates. The salmon was delicately cooked to my desired tenderness but the competition between the dual spicy and sweet flavors led to an overbearing flavor explosion that was a bit much for my taste. Individually both are orgasmicly delicious, but together, it seemed like both flavors were competing for which would be strongest, which lead to the overshadowing of the delicate, buttery flavor of salmon that I prefer. Boring? Ehh, sue me. Sometimes the simple things work for me.

Our shared side dish was the rice and peas entree, which was an aromatic, eclectic mixture that was bursting with flavor you could taste before it even hit your palette. It really was delicious and so fragrant. I loved it.
I think that  attentive service, friendly and kind staff and nice ambiance usually wins me over far and beyond the food at any restaurant. Am I breaking all of the foodie rules by putting those first? Probably. Lol. That being said, Red Rooster was a winner for having good service, but I guess the delicious food helps too.

Overall 4/5 stars: I'll definitely be back.

I'd love to know if you've tried it and what you thought.

Lots of love,

Jessy

Tasty for Less: The Speakeasy

I have got to get better at taking a picture of my plate before I dive in!

Here's the quick breakdown on the new restaurant Hubby and I tried last night via a Groupon deal: $29 for dinner for two including two appetizers, entrees and desserts, The Speakeasy.

The restaurant which appeared to seat maybe 30-40 guests, with an addition ten to twenty at the bar, was... E M P T Y. Okay- not completely empty, but We were the only people seated at the tables with five people at the bar. It was 9 PM on a Thursday night, and I didn't expect it to be that quite. Nonetheless, there's always the benefit of fast seating right? Part of the enjoyment of eating out for me is the people watching but last night I didn't have much to watch.

We were seated near the front window by our kind and attentive waiter/bartender/host (a man with many hats). Our corner booth was comfy, although it was quite chilly. Enough about the temperature though-- on to the food! We dined on the fried calamari and cesar salad appetizers, both of which were delicious. My calamari was way more flavorful than the garden variety bland Italian or Thai restaurant style I've been finding lately. It had quite a bit of kick, which was awesome. The caesar salad was delicious, by Hubby's account. He gobbled it up before I could ask to try a bite. He is a tough critic who only eats what he knows and praises very few dishes. He praised that salad, which was shocking, coming from him. We both then enjoyed the steak with garlic mashed potatoes. The steak had good flavor and was cooked to a tender perfection. The mashed potatoes were buttery and creamy. We were both pleased with the taste but not the amount of fat that was left on the steak. We finished off our meal with the peach and blueberry cobbler. It left me wanting something more. Something about it screamed "massed produced", "previously frozen", and "possibly not made on-site". It didn't taste bad but I didn't think it matched the rest of the meal.

Overall, I enjoyed the meal. I would come back just for the calamari alone but I would get it to go. It was far two quiet in there for us to speak above a whisper without interrupting everyone else's conversations. Maybe I'll pass by on another night and see if its more lively.

BlueprintLuxe Score: 3/5 stars :-)