Eddie V's, NOSH, and Tei-An, Oh My

I recently met a new foodie friend, L. Like me, L will eat just about anything and loves trying out new restaurants. And she's also a really nice person so yeah!

We met at Eddie V's for a drink. The bar was relatively busy but, alas, not one age appropriate single boy to flirt with. God I wish this bar was more of a 30/40 something scene. They make a mean manhattan, I love manhattans and I love to get my flirt after a few. But, no worries, we were only here from one and L and I got to know each other a bit better. I found out that not only is she a fellow foodie but a scotch lover as well. Oh, this will be fun.

We then headed over to NOSH, which was recently converted from the old Aurora space. I had been to Aurora. It was very quiet and pretty, in soft muted tones. The food was good and very fancy and very, very expensive. NOSH is a very different restaurant from Aurora. Gone were the soft, muted tones. Now, a Blue Dog painting is hanging on the wall. There's a smallish wooden bar where a flat screen TV shows a live feed from the kitchen. And, there were people there. Lots, and lots of people. It was bustling on this Friday night. Very glad we made reservations.

We looked over the menu, trying to figure out what to order. We each had multiple appetizers we wanted to try so, we decided to have an appetizer dinner. I tried to write about all the appetizers we had, but it was just too much. So here's what we ate, which reads like a foodie wish list: foie gras, miso glazed port ribs, escargot classic, falafel, crispy oysters with spinach, tarragon cream, and sherry vinegar, and ahi tartare. All very good, especially the falafel and foie gras.

Service was good, not great. Felt as if he wasn't 100% confident in the wine menu. He definitely did not want us to try the beef cigars which we inquired about multiple times and he always suggested something else instead. Wonder if Leslie Brenner's recent review where she called them "underseasoned" had them reworking them. In Brenner's review, she mentioned her feeling that at Aurora Chef Avner had "Avs" and "Av-Nots". Well, apparently the table behind us was an Av because I saw the Chef fawning over them multiple times. Us, Not so much, or at all actually. But that's okay. I don't need to be fawned over to like a place. I'm here for the food and it was good enough to make me want to come back again. Should probably check out a few entrees and need to check out there lunch since it's down the street ffrom the office.

At some point during our appetizer tour, I heard the unmistakeable sound of glass breaking. I looked down and saw L's wine glass on the floor in pieces and her red wine covering a Gucci purse. Then I hear L say, "you knocked my wine glass off the table with your purse." Apparently, the woman joining the table next to us had done just that. Now, if I had done that (and I have) my response would have been (while on my hands and knees mopping up the wine from the floor), "OMG, OMG, OMG. I'm so very, very sorry. I'm such a klutz. Please, please, please let me buy you a glass of wine to make up for my bull in a china shop behavior. I'm so so sorry. Please, can I buy you a dessert? I'm so mortified. Please forgive me. What can I do to make this up to you?" Instead, a blank stare and not even a single "sorry". In fact, she barely seemed concerned that her cloth Gucci was now covered in red wine or that she was wearing a completely ivory outfit and there was potential for red wine stains. Maybe all the filler and botox in her face made her physically unable to express any emotion about her party foul, maybe her Gucci is scotchguarded, maybe, unlike me, she can wear an ivory outfit and not get stuff on it. Who knows. But where I come from (you know, planet Earth), I apologize if I knock over someone's wine glass, especially when it is completely my fault. It was odd and rude.

The restaurant didn't handle it much better either. I saw our server frantically pull his manager aside and ask what to do. L's broken glass was quickly removed from the floow and a new glass was quickly put on our table and filled again from our bottle. And that was it, no mention of the incident, as if it didn't happen. Fiddle lee dee. Again, odd.

We got out of there, with all of those appetizers and a bottle of wine for about $60 each. Could never do that at Aurora. Of course, next time, I'll avoid the woman with the Gucci purse.

We finished up about 9 and weren't quite ready to go home so we decided to head to Tei-An for just one last dish. I haven't eaten at Tei-An before so I was happy to check it out. We split a bowl of ramen and I am so going back there. It was just so good. So warm and flavorful, perfect for a cold night. Now that winter is finally coming upon us, I see myself trying out a lot of dishes there.

Great night with a great new foodie friend. Can't wait for our next adventure, especially if there's scotch involved.

Cheers!