What do chandeliers, octopus and white stallions have in common?
Our final and perfectly lovely evening in New York City of course!
The evening began with dinner at Michael White's Marea, whose menu reads like a study of the sea. This high-end Italian restaurant features the regional food of Italy influenced heavily by ingredients drawn from the four bodies of water that surround the boot. The fish, sourced from both the Mediterranean and waters worldwide, stays true to this Mediterranean flavor profile contributing to the authenticity of the restaurant.
We were impressed on all levels: Superb cuisine, seamless service, and stylish ambiance. Every single bite of our four course experience was a special memory, but don't worry, I'll only share two: my pasta course and Jim's dessert - for the simple reason I found pictures of them both:-).
I savored every last morsel of the Fusilli with Red Wine Braised Octopus & Bone Marrow. This dish is Chef White's homage to American surf and turf – though it requires purely Italian cooking techniques. The dish glistens with the velvety smooth sauce, and each bite is unexpectedly complex despite looking so simple. The sweetness of the octopus compliments the tart red wine and tomato sauce made rich and smooth by the emulsified marrow. The home-made fusilli are tender yet al dente and the whole thing is topped with a crunch of breadcrumbs. Wow!
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Marea's (NYC) Fusilli with Red Wine Braised Octopus & Bone Marrow (Photo by UrbanSpoon)
Three courses later, Jim devoured the Panna Cotta with Pink Peppercorn & Thyme. (He's becoming rather an expert on Panna Cotta as he orders it at every opportunity!) And, since we share everything, I can attest to it's fabulousness!
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Marea's (NYC) Panna Cotta with Pink Peppercorn & Thyme (Photo by UrbanSpoon)
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During dessert, we happened to get to know the two lovely ladies to our left when they inquired about my chandelier earrings. I promised Karen I'd post them here with a link to where I'd purchased them; Anthropologie. I apologize that it took me a couple weeks Karen! I'm behind posting this week because I've been immersed in the oil painting portrait of two beautiful children– their mama will be surprising her husband with it on his birthday so I can't fall behind:-) I've posted two pairs of my favorite chandelier earrings from Anthropologie below. (I wore the first that night)
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Glass Beaded Chandelier Earrings by Anthropologie
Glass Beaded Chandelier Earrings by Anthropologie
And that brings us to white stallions…
We enjoyed the most serene and lovely horse-drawn carriage ride through Central Park after dinner. It was a crisp, spring evening. Every now and then we'd pass someone jogging or walking their dog in the moonlight, a fellow carriage rider in the distance beyond the beautiful, old, gnarly trees. We had the park and the city all to ourselves, bundled up under our blanket, cherry blossoms perfuming the night… all under a backdrop of sparkling city lights.
The perfect finale.
Our carriage picked us up right outside Marea! The carriages happened to be lined up along the street just steps away:-)
Carriage Rides through NYC's Central Park after Dinner make a Romantic Evening
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