The Value of a Customer

I recently discovered a new lunch option in NYC. The food is decent, the prices are reasonable and the staff is always friendly and accommodating. Having been there a few times, I recommended it to some co-workers and a few days ago brought 4 people with me.

Since the cafe is on my path to work in the mornings, the last time I was there I asked the man behind the counter how much they charge for a cup of coffee. He replied with "75 Cents but we're known for our cappuccinos and lattes. We make the best." "Good to know," I said, thinking that the price seemed worth giving it a shot.

This morning I decided to give the 75 cent coffee a test run. I shouldn't have been surprised to see the same worker there but I was. He remembered me, even asking how I liked my soup the last time I was there. (The Hungarian Mushroom soup was light in texture with lots of good flavor - slightly creamy with chunks of mushroom and carrots and the subtle but distinct flavor of dill.) I was impressed that he not only remembered me but also remembered what I'd ordered.

As I handed over my dollar bill, he gently pushed it back towards me. "This one's on me. Let me know how you think tomorrow."

While the food (and coffee) may not be the best, it just goes to prove the age old knowledge in the restaurant world that if your service is stellar, your customers will keep coming back, even if your food is mediocre. His simple gesture of a free cup of coffee let me know that he values my business.

I'll be back tomorrow. And I'll gladly pay 75 cents for my cup of coffee.

It's Too Expensive to Eat Healthy

People are always talking about how eating healthy is just too expensive. I've always tried to stress that you don't need to buy the fancy organic food. It's a combination of fresh food and smart choices.

A little experiment that included two lunches purchased in New York City:

Lunch #1 included a salad of fresh baby spinach, chickpeas, sundried tomatoes (NOT in oil), black olives, a palmful of Parmesan cheese, sliced mushrooms with fresh lemon juice and pepper as the dressing.
Cost = $6.00

Lunch #2 included McDonald's single cheeseburger, small french fries, small strawberry shake.
Cost = $6.25.

Your heart, gut and wallet thank you.

Lesson Learned: Trusting Your Purveyor

One of the first lessons in any restaurant management class is to Trust Your Purveyor. I can't stress the importance of this. Even as a seasoned cook, I relearned the lesson recently.

As with any dish, the quality of the ingredients will become the deciding factor of a good or bad dish. Even more than the skill of the chef.

I've been craving one of my favorite tried and true dishes lately - Ahi Poke. It's a simple Hawaiian dish of marinated raw tuna in a mixture of soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, scallions and spices. Not a complicated dish or difficult to make. What makes this dish delicious is the quality of the tuna.

I've had a tough time finding a good purveyor of sashimi grade tuna. Every so often Whole Foods gets in a shipment, flash frozen. While buying it frozen is not my favorite thing to do, I've had good luck at other Whole Foods stores in other cities. This weekend, I was in luck! Even at $24 per pound, I was so excited just to have found it that I trusted the fishmonger and let him wrap it up without inspecting the fish myself.

As I cut it into cubes for the Ahi Poke, I noticed the color of the fish was paler than normal. It wasn't too stringy or fatty so I thought it was maybe just a different type of tuna than I'm used to. Another mistake I made at the store - I didn't ask what exactly the fish was or where it came from.

Finally, the dish was ready to eat. My other half takes a bite and I wait for the reaction. There was none. Huh?? he should be saying "Yum! This is good!" I ask if there's anything wrong with it. he said, "No. It's fine." FINE??? Ahi Poke is FINE?

I take a bite and see what he's talking about. While not spoiled and without a bad stench, the tuna is just "eh." Somehow, this $24 per pound tuna has NO flavor! It was so disappointing, neither of us had seconds and I actually threw away the leftovers. Something that would normally evoke reactions of rage or tears.

*Sigh* Lesson Learned.

Below is my beloved recipe for Ahi Poke.

2lb Sashimi grade tuna, cut into 1/4" - 1/2" dice
1 cup Soy Sauce (low sodium is preferable)
3/4 c. chopped green onion, white and light green parts only
2 Tbs. Toasted Sesame Oil*
1 tsp. Toasted sesame seeds
1 Tbs Crushed Red Pepper
2 tsp Wasabi powder (or to taste)

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, stir again and serve.

* Toasted Sesame Oil is different from regular Sesame Oil and the flavor of the Toasted oil is much richer and tastier in this dish.

Serving suggestions:
Sushi Rice - let cool slightly before serving with tuna.
Sesame crisps - made by brushing a VERY light coating of Toasted Sesame Oil on store-bought, packaged Wonton wrappers, toasting in a 350 degree oven for approximately 5 minutes until golden. Take care not to let them burn.
Edamame Puree - shelled edamame, cooked for 5 minutes, pureed in a blender with lemon juice, a Tablespoon of vegetable oil, a pinch of salt, a teaspoon (or to taste) of Wasabi powder and a few Tablespoons of water, until the mixture is a paste texture.
Extra prepared Wasabi and/or Crushed Red Pepper

Dream Recipe - Shrimp Pesto Pasta

I was cooking in my sleep again.

This time it was a cold or room temperature pasta dish with Orchiette (the little ear-shaped pasta), shrimp, pesto, cherry tomatoes cut in half, toasted pine nuts and some sort of cheese shaved on top.

I don't remember what the cheese was, but since it was shaved (there were wide, thick ribbons as if made by a cheese slicer or vegetable peeler, not grated or shredded) I'm guessing it was a Parmesan or Asiago.

I think I'll have to make this soon.

Let me know if you make it first!

Autumn Lamb Dinner

One of my favorite autumn comfort food dinners.

Rack of lamb, Roasted brussel sprouts, mashed golden potatoes

Mashed Golden Potatoes:
* 4 medium sized Golden potatoes, cut into 2" pieces, skin on.
* Place in heavy pot, cover with water.
* Bring to a boil - cook for 15-20 minutes or until a knife pierces through the potato with no resistance.

Rack of Lamb:
* 1 rack of lamb, frenched
* Spread prepared Dijon mustard over the fat side of the rack.
* Press seasoned Panko breadcrumbs into the mustard.
* Place rack on a parchment lined sheet pan, in a pre-heated 450 degree oven.
* cook 20 minutes for rare, 25 minutes for medium rare. Remove from oven, tent with foil and let rest for 10-15 minutes. Cut into chops.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts:
* Trim ends of the sprouts and cut into 1/2 or 1/4, depending on how large the sprouts, keeping the end result uniform size.
* Toss with olive oil and generously sprinkle kosher salt.
* Place on parchment lined sheet pan.
* Place in the oven with the rack of lamb, but check after 5 minutes. Shouldn't take more than 8 - remove when browned but take care not to burn.

Don't be intimidated that these aren't exact recipes. This is a menu you can impress your friends with but isn't difficult at all. In fact, this entire meal can be made in well under an hour, even for the slow choppers!

You can buy a Frenched rack of lamb in grocery stores, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Costco or better yet, a butcher.

Enjoy!