Recette – “Recipe” for a Cozy Dinner

There are so many people in my life that have eating issues – whether it be by allergy, imagination, or choice. I try as hard as I possibly can to not let them get in my way, but there is nothing like a dining companion that has no bullshit holding them back at the dinner table. My current BF has always been at the top of my list of favorite people to eat with. History aside (and it’s a long one), we have always managed to speak when there was a new restaurant or experience we were itching to try just because the company and eating compatibility remains unmatched.

On a typical Wednesday night, I felt like eating somewhere new. People are always telling me to stay home and relax, but I will always try to lure someone out with me before I resort to staying in on my couch where I peruse SeamlessWeb for a good 40 minutes before ordering something standard. It didn’t take much more than me telling BF dinner was on me to get him to meet at Recette, which is also conveniently located around the corner from his apartment.

Recette (which means “recipe” in French) was recently reviewed by Sifton, and upon revisiting the menu I had turned down a few times before, it didn’t seem as unappealing as I remembered. Recette is a great fall/winter spot because it is cozy, casual, and exudes a warm feel to it as you enter the door. After ordering a drink I didn’t love and BF did, we were seated and quickly had a problem deciding what to eat – not only because so many things sounded interesting, but also because the menu is crafted into a small plate/big plate selection (which I am sure every new guest requires guidance from a server to order).

We decided to start with cod fritters with a veal sausage ragu (with the help of Mr. Sifton’s review) and a heirloom tomato salad with mozzarella and crab. The salad was delicious – fresh, summery, and the crab was the perfect addition to the more traditional preparation. The fritters were tasty, but the lamb sausage ragu really packed the extra punch to the standard saltiness of the fritter.

For our main “plates,”  I had a lovely halibut with lobster mushrooms, white bean purée, chorizo, basil and BF got – gulp – sweetbreads. Now sometimes one has to be careful what they wish for, because there’s a difference between eating with someone that eats everything, and eating with someone that eats EVERYTHING. In this case, it meant sweetbreads. Scary, a little, but I am a soldier, who – thanks to growing up in a family of foodies – is game (pun intended) to try everything. And as every child has heard at one misleading point in their lives, these crispy sweetbreads really did taste like chicken. I don’t think I would ever order them for myself, but if you are someone that enjoys sweetbreads, then definitely get them here.

We didn’t have room for dessert, but from what I have read, they are supposed to be top notch. I have also heard that brunch is delicious, and I love me some brunch, so definitely stay tuned!