This is going to be a great day! Things get off to a great start when I wake up to the smell of freshly-brewed coffee.
Bill and Kathy are hard at work whipping up a wonderful breakfast...Bill's famous "Migas" (scrambled eggs with onions, peppers, hot sauce, cheese and crumbled Doritos) and Kathy's French Toast with apples and cranberries. Soon, Roger and Gretchen arrive, and we are enjoying a Bloody Mary (or two). This breakfast is the best...all the more so enjoyed in the company of four of my closest friends.
We have been spared the worst of "Snowmageddon" here in Plainsboro, NJ...only about 4"...but it's still cold and blustery outside. The light snowfall bodes well for Roger and Gretchen as they are heading back to Strongsville, Ohio today. By 10:00AM or so, they are out the door and on their way.
Ah...but the day is just getting started. By 10:45AM or so, bill, Kathy and I are bundled up and head out the door to the Princeton Junction Train Station. And, around 11:30, we're on a train for the one hour and fifteen minute trip to New York City. So much snow flies around the outside of the train as we speed toward the city that I expect to see "Strelnikov" at any minute.
Before you know it, we're at Penn Station and hopping in a cab for the thirty block or so ride to...Momofuku Noodle Bar! Last year's Summer Picnic ("Casual Asian") was base, in large part, on recipes from this restaurant. It's the hottest, hippest and coolest place in New York. As soon as we walk in the door, we can tell that this is a great place...it's packed and all of the customers look happy as they eat away. We've got both a waiter as well as a waitress, and they are very nice and friendly. I'm a big fan of this restaurant, and the staff enjoys talking about different recipes. Bill and split a large Okinawan beer and a carafe of cold sake as we all go over the menu...it all looks good! Then...we're ready to order...an order of the famous pork buns and and a duck confit salad for appetizers...cold spicy noodles for Kathy and I...and a braised pork (head meat) salad for Bill. Everything is superb...an intriguing combination of flavors, textures and colors.
For dessert, our waitress suggests a short walk to another place in the Momofuku chain of restaurants...Momofuku Milk Bar. Another great place with loads of cool desserts! Kathy gets a "compost" cookie (pretzels, cereal and other cool stuff baked into a large cookie)...Bill opts for the "Crack Pie" (almost pure sugar, it looks a lot like what they call "Chess Pie")...and I order a huge slice of Malted Chocolate Layer Cake (outstanding!!).
Now thoroughly stuffed, we head back out into the cold in search of a friendly tavern. After a few "misses", we finally hit on a small local place called the "International Bar" for a glass of wine/beer/etc.
Then, we're back in a cab on our way to Penn Station for a train home. We're in luck as we walk through the station, out to the tracks and right on to a Princeton-bound train. An hour and fifteen minutes later, we're back at Bill and Kathy's.
Now...if you were to think that this day has finally come to an end...you would be WRONG. There's still one last adventure left ahead. At 7:30PM, we're back on the road to Trenton, NJ for dinner at the Spanish restaurant, Malaga. Empanadas and Mussels in Green Sauce for appetizers...Bacon-wrapped Scallops and Grilled Filet for Kathy...A Seafood Casserole for Bill...and Grilled Baby Lamb Chops for me. Throw in two pitchers of Red Sangria and a couple of glasses of Spanish Rioja...and it's an excellent meal. I barely have room for a piece of Banana Coconut Cake.
Then, it's back to Bill and Kathy's. We watch a little TV, but we are all pretty whipped after a full day...a GREAT day! Off to bed!
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