Weekend Eats Edit No. 5
Ft. Canto, Caffè Panna, The Mermaid Inn, & Café D'Alsace
Catherine, my roommate from college, was visiting me in NYC this weekend, and we went to Canto on Thursday night. Everyone around me has been going, so I felt like I needed to try it.
It started out fine with the frozen Aperol Spritzes (not nearly as good as the one at Cafe Maud on UES), but we both ended up so underwhelmed and unimpressed. You should have seen the sad, pathetic excuse of a tomato they served us in our Caprese salad. Seriously unacceptable.
Then we each got a ravioli dish, Lobster, and Mushroom of some sort, and they lacked flavor and freshness. I would definitely not go back for food. I suppose I would go back to try their infamous frozen espresso martinis, but the vibe was lackluster. I am not being dramatic when I say this was the worst Italian food I’ve had in NYC to date. Here is a deceivingly good looking photo of the sad Lobster raviolis.
To make up for that meal, Catherine, my roommate, Hannah, and I decided to sample all six flavors of the Caffè Panna ice cream that my best friend Haley bought me for my birthday. Here’s my ranking.
Caffe Bianco Stracciatella (Cold-steeped coffee bean ice cream, fruity Amanochocolate shards) - My favorite
Cookies & Coffee ( Oreo infused ice cream swirled with coffee ice cream) - Catherine’s favorite
Mint Chocolate Chip - (Mint ice cream with Callebaut chocolate chunks) Hannah’s favorite
Cookies ‘N Panna (Oreo infused ice cream, housemade Oreo brittle)
Aud’s Dream (Vanilla sweet cream, thick peanut butter swirl)
Red Flag (Sweet cream ice cream, strawberry swirl, homemade buttery graham crunch) - My mom’s favorite
Before my mom and I went to see Mamma Mia on Broadway Saturday night (the show was so fun and fabulous), we went to an early dinner on the UWS at The Mermaid Inn and sat outside. It was the perfect evening for dinner outside, and everything we ordered was delicious: Lobster Knuckles, “escargot style” (this is a unique dish I’ve never seen before), Salmon Tartare, Kale Caesar Salad, Key Lime Tart, and Espresso.
Café d’Alsace never disappoints for Sunday Brunch. It actually never disappoints. The croissants are hot and flaky, the cold brew is strong and flavorful, and the omelettes are fresh and French.
This has been one of my go-to spots on UES since I moved here almost six years ago. They have the best Rosé Cremant, bread, French onion soup, and crème brûlée.
