Dinner at Hearth

I finally got the pictures from our dinner at Hearth (from when my parents were visiting me in NYC), so here is a long overdue post.

After eating WAY too much vegan chocolate double cake throughout my work shift, I wasn’t exactly starving as I entered Marco Canoro’s restaurant.  Still, with the numerous awards and praise that Hearth has received, I was willing to overlook my lack of appetite.  Plus, this place is within minutes of the hospital and I’ve been wanting to try it for a while. 

Dining at another award winning spot with my parents…rough life, huh!

The staff was kind enough to check my hideous backpack, my coat, and my cake, too.  The atmosphere was cozy, without seeming cramped or loud.  It had brick walls which I LOVE, and yet the restaurant oozed warmth and vibrancy.  We were seated right next to the kitchen (if you can call it that).  It was one of those open cooking areas where you could see and hear all the action.  FUN!  It wasn’t noisy though, instead it added a feeling of excitement.

I stuck to H20, but my popsicle got a very hippie appropriate beer.

Flower Power :)  Now you see where I get it?

First things first, bread.  Sesame seed crusted bread, that is.

Mmmm…the seedy crust was so tasty – it tasted like tahini bread!!  I had to limit myself to two slices (trying to save room for dinner!), which was very hard given the fact that the waiter was continuously unceasingly replenishing my bread-free plate.  I can’t decide if I like when restaurants do this or not.  Just because I finish the piece doesn’t mean I immediately need another right away.  There’s attentive, and then there’s pushy.  I had to shoo him away once he served me a third slice.  I think I may prefer getting a basket for the table…that way I can control how many pieces I serve myself. 

Anyways, for dinner, I started with the AUTUMN SALAD.

It had radish, sunchokes, and beets, with a red wine vinaigrette.  Normally I’m not a huge lover of radish, but these were the most thinly sliced pieces I have ever seen, and they actually added a nice punch to the salad.  I need to make more things with new ingredients.

For my dinner, I had two vegetables sides: the Hen of the Woods Mushrooms and Sautéed Greens. 

So tasty.  The mushrooms were may favorite part.  After this meal and the previous Del Posto dinner, I’m even more determined to learn how to prepare different types of mushrooms.  I tend to stick to the mainstream varieties when I’m grocery shopping, but I don’t know why…these and the porcini ones from the other day were some of the most flavorful, meaty, delicious mushrooms I have ever had!!  Of course that could have more to do with the fantastic preparation by the world class chefs than the actual ‘shrooms, but whatever…

Check out Kyle’s dessert!  Decadent much?

 

The rest of us sipped on decaf coffees.  How cute are these coasters!  Hippie love.