Gastro Porn

Smith & Wollensky

The holidays bringeth feasts fit for Kings (and in my case) Queens!

Last week we had our company holiday party at Buddakan and this week the brokers invited my group to a steak dinner at Smith & Wollensky - compliments of one of the many funds they trade.

If you’re a meat lover and appreciate big slabs of beef then this place is for you.  Smith & Wollensky is a big-time steak house that serves huge manly portions of succulent steak for the carnivores dining on the company’s dime.

We had various appetizers: Creamed Spinach, Hashed Browns, Wild Mushrooms, Fried Calamari, Roasted Cauliflower.  Some of the other starters are below.

Seafood Platter, fresh crab, shrimp and lobster!

Each of us had a plate with the following condiments for our appetizers from the sea.

Onion Rings

And drum roll, please…..

 ♩ ♪  ♬ ♫  ♪ ♫ ♪ ♪ ♫  ♪  ♩ ♬ 

Rib Eye Steak medium rare…. just the way I like it!

My meat… after the killing.

The dinner table.

The dessert cart

I managed to take a picture of the kitchen, where the magic happens.

A great time was had talking shop, talking shit, and eating like refined savages.

The 4pm hustle

The 4pm hustle happens Monday through Friday right before leaving work to go home.  Well… it isn’t really a hustle but more or less the moment where I gather suggestions and feedback from coworkers, search the interwebs and make my final decision on what to cook/eat for dinner.  I’m pretty indecisive when it comes to matters of the tummy.  There’s just so much out there that my stomach craves… I need the guidance, really!

Usually, if I make a meal at home during the work week, I’ll whip up something quick and easy.  I reserve the more ambitious dinners for the weekend.   

For this evening’s dinner, I initially had in mind a poached egg atop a smoked salmon sandwich with goat cheese.  But after receiving snub remarks from one particular coworker (who thinks I have an egg addiction) I opted not to.  Instead I decided to cook an easy Tuna linguine pasta.  I used whole grain pasta as suggested by another coworker- good thing, too, because I don’t need the extra love handles!

• Whole Grain Linguine
• Canned Genova Tonno Tuna
• Shallots
• Oyster Mushrooms
• Mustard Greens
• Olive Oil
• Lots of Cracked Pepper!

Working from home…

Because of the aftermath or lack there of from Hurricane Irene, commuting conditions have forced me to work from home.  Not that I have a problem with that ;-)  But it allows me to have a more flexible work day.  For instance, I worked out at the gym in the morning to no crowd, had lunch at Marlow & Sons with a couple of friends and now I’m working in the A/C’ed apartment of my friend who’s making me coffee as I type.

Now… mind you, it’s not just fun and games.  I am, in fact, working.  Cranking out those production reports so brokers can see their numbers.  However, I’m mixing things up… multi-tasking, if you will.  I definitely have the talents for that!

Anyhow… earlier last week my boss gave me 2 of these plating books: 

Food Presentation Secrets: Styling Techniques of Professionals

and…

Working the plate

I was pretty surprised that I received these books, wasn’t expecting them at all.  I guess my boss was tired of seeing my food pics in the same arrangement and thought I needed to step it up a bit in the creative plating department.  

I don’t mind… they’re definitely a great gift to peruse through.