LAMB TAKEDOWN

The Lamb Takedown was on Sunday. I love any type of competition, anytime, anywhere, but I was kind of tired on Sunday. I wanted to just sit at home and do nothing. But I had already paid $15 for my ticket and there were goody bags. I love goody bags second to competitions so I headed to the Highline Ballroom on Manhattan's West Side and I am happy I went.

They gave out awesome "I Love Lamb" fake tattoos!
There were 20 competitors, chefs who were given 15 lbs of lamb meat from the American Lamb Board (thanks y'all) and they created delicious bite sized lamb dishes. There would be 2 first prize winners, one judged by "the experts" and another judged by the audience. Host Matt Timms was so hilarious. He kept everyone amped on lamb the whole day.
For $15 bucks I ate a whole lot of lamb. Three giant plates to be exact. It was so worth it. Stand outs to me were the sexy lamb stew, the lamb tacos and the vietnamese lamb sandwiches. Don't ask me who? what? or when?

After a while everything started to kind of meld into one lamb taste, but not in a bad way. There were so many different dishes I just couldn't keep track. For a more thorough analysis visit Underground Dining. Yvonne kept really good track of everything and took great photos. I was just like, "Lamb? Where? More lamb? Yay!"

This chef topped his lamb dish off with a fig and some yummy creamy sweet sauce.

This chef made the sexy lamb stew I liked and said something about lamb being a major aphrodisiac. Whatever takes you there.

Visit THE TAKEDOWN to see who won.

I LOVE A GOOD FIGHT

Its today! More info and to buy tickets...

OYSTERS AND BEER AT JIMMY'S NO. 43

    God I'm glad I started loving oysters. All I can say is mmm salty slimy goodness. So apparently this guy Henry Hudson was named after this river or something and its like the 400th anniversary or something. All I heard was oysters and beer. 

   Oyster Night at Jimmy's No. 43 was to support Slow Food NYC with $4 plates of 3 Oysters and $5 Ommegang (those are Dutch) beers. We got a brochure from Sea Grant that explained shellfish aren't only good for your taste buds because (I am plagiarizing this is right from their brochure): as filter feeders they improve water quality and species diversity and shellfish aquaculture is sustainable and good for the environment. Read more here.

   I like Jimmy's No. 43, it was dark and underground with a warm feel and antlers everywhere. The good intentioned wait staff was not prepared for the oyster craziness, and they ran out of the fixins, cocktail sauce and lemons, but these Peconic Bay Oysters were good just like that.

   I tried a bacon wrapped oyster. What a waste. I might as well have just eaten bacon straight, not a problem, because I didn't taste any of that oyster inside.

   We got a really yummy soft goat cheese with apple and peach salsa and not enough delicious bread.

   And a mild radish salad. We get these insane radishes from Sergio the CSA farmer and these just were not up to par for me at least in the spicy department.

   For dessert, a warm bread salad, nice flavor but on the dry side, with cold creamy dipping sauce that needed to be warm in my opinion.

   We were there for oysters and beer and we got some delicious oysters and beer then went and got more beer. Good night.