Table for Sue blog #1
Dedicated to my GAYS! I am forever grateful for the love, acceptance, vulnerability, honesty, uproarious laughter, and raw sorrow I have been blessed to share, learn from, grow in, fight for.... with every one of you from the time I was just a little girl. (Special shout out to my sweet, uncle Pat, may you Rest In Peace, Chef!)
(Exhale) I'm so excited! Will you feel my utter joy for great ingredients because you know that feeling too? This like deep appreciation for the food out there that people pour their hearts into? And the fun of giving back in that way in your own home; from your own kitchen? Food, food, food, I guess!
I will offer you my "Ohhhhh Myyyyyy Goshhhhh'S, you have to try this place OR I want to share my experience here OR here is the recipe, you gotta try this!!! But mostly, I am going to share my "home cook perspective" reviews on the GEM JOINTS I have had the great fortune of trying all around the world.
Drumroll....... Table for Sue's first blog on this 17th day of May, 2022 is.....
M. Wells, Long Island City Queens, New York, New York
Go ahead - peek at the pictures for a bit and come back....
So these photos were taken in 2015. I am just so sad to say that it has been 7 years!!!!! since I have visited my gay husband, Brian, in New York City! Life. In fact, I think these pictures were taken the summer before in 2014. I am choosing M. Wells because with all of the Michelin Star and James Beard winning kitchen's I have been graced with experiencing, M. Wells is still at the top of my list for the most memorable, restaurant meals.
All of the stars were aligned that evening. Brian may recall what we had done before, but I know that we were both walking. A lot of blocks. That's NYC!! It was late, but I was still schvints'ing from here to high heaven because it was July! in Long Island City, Queens. And I am voluptuous! Okay, so we're walking and laughing because we laugh hard together. That's gotta be a top ingredient for long lasting relationships, yes? Brian loves M. Wells. It's in his neighborhood. It was fairly new in 2014. They weren't aggressive with advertising and if your face is often stuck in a screen, you would miss it if you walked by. Oh I love it! Their venue is an old taxi garage! Very Bohemia vibe. Dress all the way up or within reason down - it's cool.
The stars continue to align - we get two killer seats at the bar. The bartender is like off the chain, sizzling, hot and we both have to have our moment to discuss privately just how hot. After we both shared what we thought was hottest about him, we laughed ridiculously comparing him to the brownstone we just reveled at on our walk that neither on of us would ever be able to have. So the bartender's name then became, "Brownstone," and still is to this day when we reminisce about this evening.
Brian orders a vodka gimlet. I am like super lame with my cocktail knowledge. I ask him what that is and he knows me so he just rolled his eyes and asked "Brownstone" for two vodka gimlet's. Brian tells me he loves them here because they only use fresh lime. I took a sip and I am not kidding, it was the best drink I have ever had to this date. I have never been able to get a vodka gimlet like this one I had here since. Ya, I'm probably not ordering them enough. I'll try to fix that. We had this cocktail with these oysters, freshly shucked right in front of us. The mignonette sauce was slurrrrppp fresh, delicious paired with these ocean-kissed, plump oysters!
Hold on to your whatever - because I decided to order an appetizer and a salad for my entree. I am not sure if I have others out there who do this, but I really LOVE ordering two smaller things (or three or four), over one big thing sometimes. That's what I do like about "Chef Courses" joints - that can be fun. Anyway - you guys!!!!!!! I ordered FOIE GNOCCHI!!!! and their WEDGE WITH STILTON!!!!! and like I said earlier, most memorable meal of my life to this day! Which will likely and justifiably bum my date out because he has taken me to some indescribable places. Sorry lover! M. Wells is just #1 memorable for me, but there are others that are right behind them.
Back to these two dishes - what if you go there and they don't have one or the other on their menu? I would ask if they could make it anyway. And I would ask if "Brownstone could make me a vodka gimlet..." I am a deeply in love with animals person, so I wasn't comfortable with what I have heard about foie gras. Since my partner, Lars, is highly intelligent & very well-read, he explains certain things to me about sourcing ingredients in a way that won't crush my soul. So I decided to try them. This was one of two times in my life trying foie gras. This was the best, most delicious version of gnocchi! Just two, large gnocchi, soft and livery. with bright herbs. And this wedge should be how all places measure their wedge to be! Crunchy iceberg, the right amount of seasoning and the perfect amount of dressing with exceptional, simple ingredients. Gosh that was the best bleu cheese dressing of my life! Whew!
I can't wait to blog again when I finally get a reunion at M. Wells! Brian tells me it's still fabulous. I don't have the heart to ask him if the gnocchi is still on the menu.
5 kisses to M. Wells! I heart NY!
Me & Brian NYC 2014
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