Brinkley's Review

The former Bar Martignetti turns British with a great space and menu makeover. Same ownership, new atmosphere. I have been stalking the new opening as the former had an amazing menu. Having only been open a week or two you can tell they are still tweaking some things.
The food was outstanding. Very British Pub like food takes a deconstructed gourmet approach yet keeping is simple and comforting. Overall dimly lit and great for a date.

No pictures here but a sample of what we ate:

Small Plate: Zucchini Carbonera
The zuchinni strings severed as the "pasta" with a light creame sauce, bacon and a poached egg on top. Creative!

Large Plate: Stilton and Pork Sausage with Bubble & Squeak
First of all, the best sausage I have ever tasted. The stilton is in the sausage!! Bubble and squeak! I love the name. It is cabbage with bacon and potatoes. The dish was very flavorful and a touch spicy. But gooooood.

Desert: Battered Mars Bar with Vanilla Ice Cream
The deep fried candy bar is delish! The batter tastes like funnel cake and the candy bar gets all mushy and warm. The vanilla ice cream definitley has a hint of strawberry. Tastes like strawberry cereal milk. I would go back for this.

The Doughnut Plant!

Last weekend my friends who came into town requested
to visit a place they saw on the Food Network.
Behold The Doughnut Plant.

http://www.doughnutplant.com/

There is some great history here. Mark's (the owner) grandfather was a part of the army bakery in WW1 and owned two bakery's in North Carolina from 1934 to 1965 where he developed and fine tuned his doughnut recipe. Today the Doughnut plant has a wide variety of doughtnut types from sqaure jelly filled (with homemade jam) to cake doughnuts (no yeast) to Churros!! Oh and some really good traditional doughnuts too.

They are on Grand street and Norfolk on the LES.
Open @ 6:30 and close when the doughnuts are sold out.

Jelly filled Square Doughnut

Tres Leches Doughnut

Apple Cinnamon Glazed Doughnut

My Pumpkin Doughnut!! So scrumptious

Pumpkin Bars

Completely in the holiday spirit of fall and festivals and the month of October in general made me want to make pumpkin flavored everything. So I say to myself a pumpkin pie in the form of a bar would be excellent. And of course I find the best recipe from Paula Deen who is fabulous because she is southern and know how to make a great desert!

Try her pumpkin bar recipe here. They were a smash with my co-workers and friends
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/pumpkin-bars-recipe/index.html

Stay tuned for my next pumpkin adventure.....

Gourmet Cupcakes!

A girl in my office had a bridal shower this week and I was a very lucky recipient of a cup cake from her party. I was floored by how gorgeous they were not to mention delicious!!

Damon the artist and chef is making them to order by word of mouth.
The best part is the candy coated rose petals seen here as the dark purple on the cupcake.
So flavorful! These are highly recommended for parties and showers.
Me devouring the cupcake.
Can we talk about how pretty the lattice cupcake holder is!!!

Figs!! and yummy recipes

I am a big fan of Bon Appetite. In the September issue there is are two great recipes that I modified into one. Fig Salad and Lamb Chops with fig. Recipe links below.

Salad:
http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2009/09/fig_salad_with_goats_milk_yogurt_and_pepper_cress

This recipe is great. I was lucky to find some extra soft goat cheese already infused with honey for the dressing. Also I was missing the yogurt and subbed heavy cream for dressing. Also missing watercress. All I'm saying is the figs and dressing make this salad. Don't skip the mint! It is a great pop. But only use small amounts.

Lamb Chops:
http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2009/09/lamb_chops_with_fresh_herbs_and_roasted_figs

Followed this exactly minus the figs and I have to say the cook time is too long! I'm sure it's also dependent on the meat size. I would say seer the meat 3 min each side instead of 5 and reduce the oven time.

The ingredients look so yummy I want to eat them individually!

Get Your Recipe in a Cook Book!

Food52.com

I found this through Daily Candy today. It is an online sight hosting recipe contests. Anyone can enter @ any time! 52 weeks & 52 winners. End up in a Harper's Studio beautifully published cook book at the end of the year! Supper dope. Let's enter!!

Cheers,
K

Pound Cake & Top Chef!

I was on Hiatus! Doing my version of Spring cleaning for Fall. Honestly there haven't been many highlights on my menu since LA. However Mama Gibbs from MI made some ubber delectable pound cake. Am I tasting a hint or orange? and the crust was perfect!

Also I have been glued to Top Chef. Anyone else watching? I am guessing Kevin or Michael will win. I have a soft spot for Kevin because he is southern. :) Any votes?

Cheers,
K