Epicurean adventure: 24 hours in Manhattan

What would you do if you had just twenty-four hours in Manhattan? I was faced with this difficult question s few months ago when, on a whim, I flew to Manhattan to meet up with my boyfriend David. When an email offer of a super cheap plane ticket fell into my inbox, and with knowledge that I would not have to pay for a hotel, I quickly made dog-sitting arrangements and off I flew, no plan in hand. I knew two things going out: I wanted to eat a hotdog on the street, and I wanted to explore Eataly.

I jumped on a flight so early that I was the first person in line for security, TSA wasn’t even open yet. Tip for travelers: TSA screeners are pretty friendly at 5am. I landed just in time for brunch at L’Express. Some deliciously strong lattes and Eggs Benedict later, and we were ready for a short nap before exploring. Yes, a nap—you try getting up at 3am for a flight.

After our nap, we headed down to the Museum of Art & Design for the Dead or Alive exhibition. The exhibition was a fascinating exploration of art using death. There were sculptures made of bones, skulls made from spices by Helen Altman (at right), and a motorcycle made from the skeleton of a steer. All this made me suddenly get hungry. Luckily reentry was not an issue at the museum, so we left and found the requisite food cart in Columbus Circle. I had a New York style hotdog: cooked onions and spicy mustard; David had a chicken skewer sandwich. We sat and watched the bicycle tour guides trying to reel in anyone who passed them. We watched the traffic around the square, and the crazy pedestrians jolting out in front of cars. Ahhh, this is a New York lunch. We returned to the museum and viewed the rest of the exhibition. I think my favorite piece was a led light, bronze and dandelion installation by Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta that was beautiful and delicate. Each dandelion seed was hand placed into the piece.

Next, it was time to discover Eataly. Eataly was not that far removed from a museum. We walked in and our jaws dropped in awe at the beauty around us. It is the creation of Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich, Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Farinetti. And in fact, as we perused the aisles,

we passed Lidia, who seemed to be keeping a mother's watchful eye over everyone. The 50,000 sq. ft. space is a wondrous adventure through Italian food delights. I nearly melted in the cheese aisle. And, then there were vegetables of colors and varieties I had never seen before. Fresh pastas and pizzas made while you watch. A cafe, a restaurant, and even a gadget shop. It was amazing, adventurous, and a little overwhelming.

After our adventure at Eataly, it was time to return to our friend's place, get dressed up and prepare to head out for the evening adventures. Our first stop of the evening was for drinks at a well-hidden magical mixology room, Raine's Law Room. The bar is one of the quintessential Manhattan spots, no signage, a stairwell that leads below the sidewalk ... you knock on the door, and a man menacingly peers out the door and simply asks what you want. With the mention of the right name, we were permitted into a dark room that was reminiscent of long-ago speakeasy. Groups relaxed in booths and whispered gently while sipping extravagant mixed cocktails. In the back room, we watched the bartenders expertly muddling, mixing, and shaking. And, if you venture past that room, there is a quiet outside area. One of those little few and far between delights of Manhattan, a spot to stare at the stars, and hide from the noise of the streets. Our favorite cocktails for the evening were the South Side Rickey, a combination of Beefeater gin, lime juice, simple syrup, fresh mint, and club soda, shaken and served down; and, the McHenry, which combined Plymouth gin, Dolin dry vermouth, and Marie Brizard apry, stirred and served up.

Our final adventure in Manhattan turned out to be quite a surprise. ABC Kitchen, by Jean-Georges Vongerichten was named Restaurant of the Year by Esquire magazine shortly after our visit. We knew that we were in for a treat, but we had no idea how wonderful our timing was, as it would soon be nearly impossible to obtain a reservation at the restaurant. ABC specializes in serving local and organic foods, and has a rooftop garden that supplies its greens and herbs. The food is prepared in such a seemingly simplistic way, that you immediately know there is a genius at work. The Peekytoe crab toast was light and citrusy. Radishes with butter: does it get any simpler or light? The fluke sashimi was irresistible. I could have eaten it all night. It was ever so delicately prepared with a dash of olive oil, tarragon, sea salt, pepper, and garnished with little grapes. Sauteed corn with manchego, jalapenos, and lime was delightfully spicy and covered in cheese. The sauteed arctic char swam in a bowl of summer beans, lime, and spicy corn broth. The roasted squash was comforting, and yet had a hint of spice. And, of course I could not pass up the pomme frittes with truffle and parmesan.

We departed ABC sometime after midnight, and there were still guests arriving to eat dinner. New York truly doesn't sleep. But, one thing they do well is eat. Whew, what a whirlwind of fun.

When I returned to Miami, one of the first things I did was try to recreate the squash dish. I actually stopped by the market on the way home from the airport and sought out beautiful squash. Following is the recipe I created in trying to copy Jean-George.

Roasted Summer Squash

yellow crookneck squash

zucchini squash

olive oil

salt

fresh ground black pepper

red chili flakes

cayenne

parmesan

lemon

Cut squash into even size pieces. Place in a mixing bowl and drizzle with olive oil, a dash of salt, pepper, cayenne, and red chili flakes. Mix gently to cover squash. Place in a baking dish and bake uncovered at 350 until edges start to brown (about 20-30 minutes). Remove from oven and grate parmesan over it. Return to oven for about ten minutes, or until cheese is browning. Remove, plate, and sprinkle with lemon juice.