molly yeh

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the breslin



since when did everybody in the world become vegetarians?
did i miss the memo that you're not supposed to eat dead anymore? 
why do i feel like i just denounced gay marriage when i take out my turkey sandwich for lunch?

raise your hand if you take bacon in your mac and cheese,
if you can't have pancakes without them being rolled around sausages,
and if you go to baseball games just for the hot dogs.
*raises hand*

i'm so happy to have found
the breslin
to renew my faith in carnivores.

and to remind me that, no, meat eating is not dead.
{no pun intended....}

...

 unaware of what being attached to the ACE hotel really meant,
i expected white table cloths and cordial waiters in all black,
but was pleasantly shocked to find a quirky, two story, vintage-y establishment
run by kool kids in tight t-shirts and jeans.

the moments where i
[a] opened the menu, and
[b] dropped my jaw
were simultaneous.

"i know, it's like porn ! " said my new best friend, the waitress.

the amuse bouche was caramel corn.
I KNOW!
not like those balls of cardboard you got on halloween.
this was freshly popped,
with homemade caramel,
and roasted nuts.
...light, crunchy, melt-in-your-mouth heaven.
cracker jacks on crack, if you will.

but,  nothing could prepare me for what was about to happen next...

the appetizer.
{i'm hoping that adding a period after the word makes it sound all a bit more grand and intimidating}

cotechino
with lentils and a terragon and shallot dressing

a house made pork sausage,
herbed uniquely and to PERFECTION...
 piping hot, 
fried
 meaty goodness. 
you could linger on one bite forever.
this honestly has to be one of the best things i've ever eaten.
the main course
came close though...
house made sausage
with polenta and parmesan


&


taglietelle
with pork ragu and rosemary


{pictured is the former}


i almost bit the pops' head off when he tried ordering the halibut.
i told him if he didn't get the sausage, i'd disown him as a father 
{i had already decided on the taglietelle}
and, luckily, ms. waitress was on my side {YES!}
because the sausage was {and pops soon agreed}
amazing.
ok the sausage itself was fine,
but a perfect forkfull of just the right proportions of it and it's friend, the polenta, was just 
deliciously comforting. 
the tanginess of the parmesan meshed so well with the sweet polenta. 
i needed one of those four foot long forks to keep reaching across the table to pops.


the taglietelle 
was very very good. 
i can't say much about it,
because by the time i had finished it
 {in all of two bites :-(...}
i had forgotten to think about it.
oops. 


it was an almost offensively small portion.
but
that's ok
because it gave the pops and i reason to order the
thrice baked chips
served with cumin mayo and spicy pickles
that yelled from the menu,
"eeeeat me!!!"
they were quite tasty.
similar to pommes frites,
but a bit crunchier.


i tasted one of the pickles that came with it.
{i've never had a pickle}
it was fine.
sorta weird.
kinda pointless?
what's the point of a pickle?


whatever, it's time for
dessert
donuts!
ciabatta donuts with navan and banana ice cream
{banana ice cream on the SIDE thank heavens... bananas give me the heeby geebies}


&


chocolate stout syllabub
 with bubbled caramel and crème fraiche 




donuts! can we talk about donuts?!
in 6th grade i once ate an ENTIRE box of krispy kremes in once sitting.
and well, THESE WERE BETTER!
april, these ciabatta donuts are just genius!
they're chewy! sooo chewy! 
and not too sweet, so i could go on and on eating them.


... "syllabub"
is like a fancy word for mousse?
that, too was über tasty. 
the caramel was a bit salty,
and the crème fraiche light,
and the chocolate pearls on top hilarious and charming.


both of the desserts were way satisfying.


actually,




the whole meal was wayyy satisfying. 
i give it like seven thumbs up.
it was so creative. 
not in an out sort of way,
but in a.. this makes so much sense sort of way.


next time i have carnivorous friends visit from out of town,
i'm taking them here.


i mean,
those brits, they just know.


xoxo




yeh






the breslin bar and dining room is on west 29th street, just east of broadway