All Columns in Alphabetical Order


Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Peachy Picks Bistro Nora

When it's cold out, sometimes you just want some warm bistro comfort food!
And the atmosphere matches it with its lovely chandeliers and iconic New York photography...
Bistro Nora is just that-a place of comfort in the cold mess we're in.
They were first featured in Terrific Takeout:
& graduated to Tasty Tidbits:
Today they join the ranks of Peachy's Picks.
Peachy began with the Taquitos stuffed with Grilled Chicken, Cheddar, Monterey Jack and topped with sour cream, tomato salsa and guacamole.
Simply fantastic, they are a flavorful starter that will totally warm you up!
Bistro Nora has some great wines with value and we tried the Ray's Station Cabernet and the Kim Crawford (ooh you remember they sponsored a fashion week last year!) Sauvignon Blanc.
The service was spot-on and server Kelly Baker was a superstar in both the attention-to-detail and friendly elements.
For dinner Peachy tried a bistro staple: NY Sirloin Steak. She was totally in love with the mashed Yukon gold potatoes, and the broccolini was fresh and crispy. What a creative and different vegetable! A slice of carrot cake with divine whipped cream was the perfect end to an evening punctuated by prompt visits by owner Alan.
Our esteemed panelist adds:
We all need a little bistro in our lives. A safe haven to run to for the winter blah's, and a bit of chicken. Or soup and a salad. Or a glass of wine, on a lazy pre-movie evening. Bistro Nora's is just such a place, and the roasted chicken was the perfect first of the New Year. Redolent with rosemary and so moist, it was like homemade. 
 
A generous portion of broccolini accompanied this succulent piece of poultry, with potatoes roasted in duck fat. If it sounds wonderful, it's because it is! The meal started with convivial repartee about what to order as a starter. The decision fell upon the Mini Crab Cake Balls, with a garlic aioli sauce that was a perfect balance to the crispy outside of the crab cakes. 
 
 The flavor of the crab was delicate, and the Reisling chosen did its part. This was an Atenkuch, Graus Chufer Trocken, from Rheingau, Germany, a 2008. The wine selection, by the way, is short, but intriguing. So intriguing that for the chicken, I chose a Malbec Simonassi "1922", from Mendoza, Argentina, 2008. We were told that all wines go through a tasting panel, for variety in price, as well as in flavor. 
Dessert was an easy choice: Chocolate Polenta Tart, with a smooth interesting texture and a great and wonderful bittersweet chocolate finish.
Definitely a place to return again and again, and if I lived in the neighborhood, their take-out delivery person would already know me by name!
Just an aside, but I love the mini-chandeliers over the bar. The crystal give off a welcoming glow, and adds a touch of the bohemian.
Peachy Picks Bistro Nora


Back to TOP