Let's be frank here: how many restaurant meals do you find to be truly excellent from start to finish?  I'm serious, think about it.  If you have random/quirky standards that are set to an astronomically high level like I do, then I'm willing to bet that your answer is "not too many restaurant meals are truly excellent from start to finish." 

Now, with that being said, I wanted to share four recent (within the past 2 months) restaurant experiences that I found to be nothing short of fabulous, from start to finish.  So for all of you fellow nit-picky critics out there, take note!

A blissful prix-fixe meal paired with Portuguese wines, Macao Trading Co.

*All of the photos from this meal can be viewed on Flickr

In honor of Ceci's birthday - and our, then, upcoming trip to Hong Kong/Macao - I decided that it was only fitting that I treat her to a celebratory dinner at Macao Trading Co.  For those of you who do not know, Macao is a small island - about an hour ferry's ride away from Hong Kong - that was colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century.  In December 1999, the Portuguese Republic transferred sovereignty of Macao to the People's Republic of China. 

Macanese fare is a hearty blend of Cantonese and Portuguese cuisines.

Prior to our dining experience, I had always assumed that MTC (Macao Trading Co.) was just another trendy, ornately-decorated restaurant with mediocre food and a bar scene mobbed with models, wannabe actors, and young investment bankers.  Boy, was I wrong - at least in terms of the food/drink.  The demographic, on the other hand, was spot-on.

Sky-high ceilings, dim lighting and twinkling votive candles, exposed brick walls, ornately carved and etched honey-colored wood, and Macanese souvenirs authentically grace the interior of the restaurant.  The aura evokes sensuality and flirtation.

On the evening that we dined at MTC, a $65/person multi-course prix-fixe menu with Portuguese wine pairings was offered, in addition to the restaurant's daily a-la-carte items.  Ceci and I simply could not pass up this incredible value! 

Please enjoy my chronological photo tour of a meal that, I'm pleased to report, exceeded any and every expectation, from start to finish.  The only negative aspect of our experience at MTC?  The fact that the local Macanese cuisine *in Macao* had nothing on MCT. 

*Descriptions can be found as captions below each picture.

A taste of the South by way of Brooklyn, Egg

Egg.  Since last December, I swear, anytime I heard that one-syllable word, I no longer visualized an omelette or an egg-salad sandwich - no, I thought of, in Danielle's-and Ceci's-and Dara's words, "the most awesome brunch ever."  

And while it's taken me almost a year to get over to Egg, I'm pleased to report that my cousin, Shelley, and I made the trek to Williamsburg (Brooklyn) to do what was deemed necessary: try "the most awesome brunch ever."

In my opinion, some of my most favorite meals are those that are simple and comforting.  By that, I mean recipes that aren't made with hundreds of ingredients and dishes that are somewhat familiar.  That being said, it's hard to find a restaurant that does "simple" right.  If I'm going to spend my money for brunch at a restaurant, I'll be damned if I can't get a decent plate of scrambled eggs and bacon - there's nothing worse than making the realization that I could probably whip up a better version at home.  Egg, however, successfully executes "simple" with precision.

From the kitchen's use of local, high quality ingredients to its wallet-friendly, cash-only menu, Egg proved to be a delicious and nostalgic taste of home.

Homemade pies and garden-fresh salads served with a side of super model, L'asso

At L'asso, it's all about the brick-oven pizzas and really damn good salads - oh, and the delicious eye candy that comes in the form of models and trust fund babies who claim to be "artists."  The atmosphere - while perfectly comfortable and somewhat spacious (by Soho standards) - definitely takes a back seat to the fantastic, reasonably priced fare.

Baja delivered, Choza Taqueria

This past June, I spent the better part of 1.5 weeks serving as a juror on a criminal trial.  Since the judge gave us more-than-a-leisurely amount of time for lunch everyday, I was able to explore the culinary territory that surrounded the courthouse.  Set amidst the various judicial buildings was an outdoor dining area that included a burger shack, a pizza joint, and a taqueria.  With the latter being my obvious choice of the three, I was disappointed to find that, of the week that I was downtown, Choza Taqueria was not open.  Story of my life!

My luck turned around when I read that Choza had opened a location in to my neck of the woods (27th/28th Streets & Madison Avenue).  While the menu read akin to that of a Q'doba or Chipotle, I was anxious to sample similar food items from a quick-Mex concept that was not a chain.

The verdict: two thumbs up.  Choza doesn't cut corners when it comes to the use of fresh, high-quality, local ingredients (the tortillas come from Tortilleria Nixtamal in Queens!).  This practice results in quick-Mex that is surprisingly healthy and incredibly delicious.  Are you ready for the proverbial "cherry on top?"  Choza's owner hails from Southern California, which means he knows his Mexican food.  Win win.

…

Until we eat again,

Lindsay, The Lunch Belle