Eat Cetera: "Small Animals" Feast, New Chef At Mary Queen of Scots, Candle Cafe's Vegan Frozen Dinner
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<strong>Small Animal Feast:</strong> Chef Joe Dobiasâwhose tiny East Village restaurant JoeDoe most definitely <a href="http://gothamist.com/2011/05/22/still_got_it_joedoe.php">still has it</a>âonly sources his non-beef meat from one local farmer. John Fazio's duck, chicken and rabbit farm in Modena, 80 miles outside of the city, has gotten <a href="http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2010/02/video-john-fazios-duck-farm-in-modena-new-york.html">much foodie love</a>, but Dobias really wants you to know just how good his product is. So on Thursday night he's hosting a "small animal" feast in his small restaurant. <br/><br/>With Fazio on hand Dobias will be serving up three courses of small animal fare including a twist on crispy duck leg, a coconut-braised rabbit and fried chicken skin. They swear the experience will make you forget all about beef. <em>(Garth Johnston)</em><br/><br/><em>45 East 1st Street // Thursday, July 14th, 7:30 p.m. // $50 per person for three courses, $75 with wine, beer and spirit pairings // Reservations required (call soon, there are only a few spots left), 212-780-0262</em>
<strong>Mary Queen of Scots:</strong> After chewing up and spitting out a number of chefs, the moody and seductive restaurant <a href="http://gothamist.com/2009/04/20/plated_allen_delanceys_bar_menu_2.php#photo-1">Allen and Delancey</a> finally folded back in 2010, and was replaced by the somewhat Scottish gourmet gastropub <a href="http://gothamist.com/2010/11/04/new_restaurant_and_bar_radar_28.php#photo-3">Mary Queen of Scots</a>...which has recently brought in a new chef. The joint is still seductive but the layout makes more sense now; the bar area is in the back, under a mirrored honeycombed ceiling meant to evoke Maryâs bed chambers at Hollyrood Palace Edinburgh. All the decor, as a matter of fact, is chosen to tell the story of Mary Stuart, the onetime queen of Scotland and queen of France; graffiti in the back nods to Maryâs obsession with the symbol of the Phoenix, the wallpaper is custom made by a Scottish design firm, and the late Alexander McQueen's tartan designs line the booths.<br/><br/> <a href="http://maryqueenofscotsnyc.com/">The new menu</a> from Chef Christopher Rendell (formerly of Double Crown and PUBLIC) emphasizes modern interpretations of British Isles food. Specialties include a traditional house-smoked Highlands Smoked Salmon appetizer, and a British Empire-inspired Lamb Desi alongside King Prawn Fish and Chips. Rendell is from Australia, so his menu isn't as Scottish/haggis oriented as you might expect from a place named after a Scottish queen. But the wide selection of over 100 types of Scotch is true to form (the owners also run the Highlands in the West Village), and <a href="http://newyork.metromix.com/restaurants/essay_photo_gallery/best-of-metromix-new/2472402/photo/2480357">Metromix named the place</a> the best new bar of the year. We'd highly recommend The Phoenix ($12), made with Rye Whiskey, Applejack, Maple Syrup, Orange Bitters, Champagne, which, improbably, pairs quite nicely with Seared Scallops served with Pea Puree, Crispy Black Pudding, Shaved Fennel ($14). The best time to visit the Queen may be between 6-8 p.m., when all the cocktails, beer, and wine are half price (the happy hour starts at 5:30 on Thursday-Sunday).<br/><br/><em>115 Allen Street, (212) 460-0915</em>
<strong>Vegan Frozen Dinner: </strong>The popular upscale-yet-casual vegetarian restaurant <a href="http://www.candlecafe.com">Candle Cafe</a> has gotten into the frozen dinner game, with a new line of products endorsed by Farm Sanctuary. Each one costs $5.99 for a 9 oz. serving, with the restaurantâs signature dishes frozen and reproduced for at-home consumption (preferably in the den watching your favorite episodes of <em>Planet Earth</em>). Current options include the Seitan Piccata with Lemon Caper Sauce, Ginger Miso Stir-Fry, Tofu Spinach Ravioli, and Mac & Vegan Cheese. <br/><br/>âThe frozen food aisle has traditionally been a pretty chilly place for farm animals,â says Candle Cafe founder Bart Potenza. âWe wanted to prove that not a single animal needs to suffer for you to enjoy the decadence of a gourmet meal and the convenience of a frozen dinner.â Part of the proceeds go to benefit <a href="http://www.farmsanctuary.org/mediacenter/2011/pr_candle_cafe.html">Farm Sanctuary</a>. They're available at Whole Foods and other supermarkets, and if you're curious about how they taste, blogger Quarry Girl describes the seitan entree as "FANTASTIC! it was healthy tooâ¦it weighed in at around 200 calories with 3 grams of fat." Her only complaint is that at 9 oz, itâs not enough for a full dinner. So keep a couple hamburgers in the freezer as a snack.