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Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Dining and Sniffing in New York City - Part 1

The first actual NY meal of the day came at lunch. The lovely ladies who organize the Sniffapalooza event, collectively known as "The Karens," had reserved Seppi's, a French restaurant in Le Parker Meridien hotel. For $30, we got a choice of artichoke-onion soup or a green salad with apple and goat cheese; grilled chicken or hanger steak with spinach and potatoes gratin, or pasta primavera; and either a molten chocolate cake or a fruit salad. Non-alcoholic beverages were also included.

Our group packed the dark and cozy restaurant, decorated with lots of posters and a black-painted pressed-tin ceiling. Andree and both chose the salad, steak, and fruit. The salad was a mix of baby greens, topped with a slice of apple which in turn was topped with a medallion of goat cheese. The dressing was a tangy mustardy vinaigrette, applied with a moderate hand.


We asked for our steak to be medium, but it was more medium-rare. That's fine too - as long as it's not cold and bloody inside, I'll eat it. The steak shared the plate with a very generous hunk of potatoes gratin and a rather skimpy portion of perfectly cooked spinach. I would have preferred less potatoes and more spinach, but that's probably a petty quibble. It was all very tasty. The steak was nicely chewy, with good beefy flavor. The potatoes were decadently rich and tender, and the spinach was well seasoned, without that astringent quality that often mars undercooked sauteed spinach.

The fruit salad was the usual unimaginative combination of grapes, strawberries, cantaloupe and honeydew melon, and pineapple, but served in a puddle of citrus juices. I would have gone for the chocolate cake, which looked tantalizing, but I knew we'd have cupcakes waiting for us at the next stop.

Speaking of which...next time. :)