Drinks at Grand Central Terminal

Although I'm an LA native, I recently returned from a trip to the East Coast, so you will see a few non-Los Angeles based posts pop up here and there.

The single best thing about New York is the fact that you can live in the city for years and still find something that you haven't done before.  During my three years living in Manhattan, I rarely ventured into the Midtown-East/Murray Hill section of the city.  And I have only been in Grand Central Terminal a handful of times.  So on my recent trip, I decided to play tourist in the city I use to call home.

I traveled to Grand Central Terminal to test out The Whispering Gallery (more information on the gallery at http://grandcentralterminal.com/info/walkingtour.cfm).  Although the experiment was fruitless, the trip to the terminal was not all lost.  Before leaving, my mom and I decided we should make a pitstop.  A very classy pitstop.

Cipriani Dolci, a Manhattan limb of the Cipriani restaurant group, is a great location to spend a rainy afternoon.  The space, located just above the Main Concourse, is surprisingly roomy and the decor is simple and clean.  No reason to detract from the historical architecture dating back to the late 19th century.  And while the terminal is a main tourist destination, Cipriani Dolci is definitely a local, after work favorite.

Although we only stopped by for a drink, the experience remained a highlight of our time in the city.  Now, I can't imagine visiting the New York landmark without carving out time for a drink.  I mean, who could resist a glass of wine served with its own little caraft?

For more information on Cipriani Dolci and their numerous locations, visit: http://www.cipriani.com/ciprianinew/locations/new-york/restaurants/dolci.php

(As a side note, while gathering some information for this post, I fell in love with the little Cipriani bartender icon at the top left corner of their web page.  If only he could actually serve the drink he's shaking up!)

Empanadas at the Farmers Market

I don't know much about empanadas.  I tried a few during a visit to Argentina in March of 2008, but overall the experience was unmemorable.  I can't seem to pinpoint what filling I tried or what the dough tasted like, which leads me to believe that they were nothing special.

I felt I needed to give empanadas a second chance when I watched Anthony Bourdain's experience with them in the Argentina episode of "No Reservations".  At first he simply and, of course, sarcastically describes empanadas as, "meat, chicken or other filling wrapped in a fairly rudimentary pastry dough and baked".  He later retracts his statement when he realizes that not only is the filling delicious, but the dough is rather sophisticated.

This is the whole reason I started my food blog.  To step out of my food bubble and learn to appreciate a well made pastry.  No matter how many empanadas I have to eat.

Luckily, I only had to eat one.

The Empanadas Argentinas stand, stationed at the Old Town Calabasas farmers market, serves a large variety of empanadas to local shoppers on Saturday mornings.

Although I was already stuffed from eating a breakfast burrito the size of my head only about 20 minutes earlier, I decided to test the empanada waters again.  I asked the man taking my order which empanada was the best, he apathetically answered, "chicken".  Alright that's pretty standard I guess.  Chicken it is.  At least I would pick a safe filling so that I could really concentrate on the dough.

But within seconds of placing my order, I was already

surprised.  Unlike most food stands at the market, my little snack was not sitting in some warmer but prepared immediately after I placed my order.  Alright, this was not going to be a run of the mill empanada.

I watched him prep the dough and filling, then quickly, but artistically wrap up the two.  Then he placed my lonely empanada in the pan.  I already wished I had ordered more.  Obviously by this time I've forgotten about the burrito in my already full stomach.

As I enjoyed my order, I realized that the empanada is all about the dough.  As I guessed, the filling was pretty standard.  The chicken was shredded and cooked with a polite amount of spices.  Not too little, not too much.  But ultimately, the same filling could be served in a variety of preparations.  Its all about the warm, flaky, slightly browned dough, that wraps up and transports the filling to anyone who wants to enjoy the Argentine tradition.

The only thing left to do... pass the Quilmes.

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For information on the Old Town Calabasas Farmers Market, visit  http://www.ccfm.com/site/index.php