Today was my birthday. It was also my last night in New York for this trip & the Team & I were off to a delightful Italian restaurant – Isabella’s – on the Upper West Side, just a few blocks from Central Park & Strawberry Fields. That it was my birthday was just a happy coincidence. We were there to hang out & enjoy each other’s company for one last meal. It would be a good 6 weeks before we were all together again.
Isabella’s is part of the restaurant group that own Blue Fin, so I was pretty sure that we were in for some great food, although the style of the restaurant & the food couldn’t have been more different. I had been feeling increasingly unwell since the night before & was feeling ill-er as the day wore on. To be honest, what I really wanted was to be tucked up in bed, but I also wanted to break bread with my team mates one last time, so I sucked it up, put on my game face & headed out. Little did I know what was really going on with my poor body – I should have headed out to the ER & not dinner, but I wouldn’t discover that until the next morning.
The food was beautiful.
Butter Lettuce, Cucumber, Endive, Ficelle Croutons, White Balsamic Vinaigrette
Artichokes Alla Romana / Baby Arugula / Parmasean Cheese / Truffle Brown Butter Vinaigrette
These are pretty poor images…sorry about that :-( I was trying really hard, but it was tough being artistic while in pain. And, to be honest, the whole evening is a bit of a blur, so I am going to break with tradition here by just telling you that the food was really yummy, the service was great & the ambiance was lovely. Smart yet casual. Warm yet elegant.
Here are the rest of the images I managed to capture.
Hay & Straw Linguine Chicken / Wild Mushrooms / Sun Dried Tomatoes / Fresh Herbs
Stuffed Chicken Breast / Wrapped in Prosciutto / Mashed Potato / Asparagus
Filet Mignon / Parmesan Potatoes / Wild Mushrooms / Spinach
Dark Chocolate "Bag" Filled Fresh Raspberry Mousse / Seasonal Berries / Whipped Cream
Homemade Ice Creams
The Team loved it here & we had a fantastic last night together.
Thanks to the staff at Isabella’s for a lovely evening!
willow lafayetteCame across your site when I typed in a google search for Muir Woods Grilled cheese. I too am a food network fan and watched that episode with a “oh my god honey, we have to go there”. You have wrecked my plans for my San Fran trip in October. Just when I thought I had it all mapped out, you go and throw a foodie wrench in it. Now I have to go eat donuts, drink orange juice and have fish and chips, all in one day!! I live in Reno and travel to San Fran about every 2-3 months although usually only there for a day or two. So many foodie adventures, where do you start? Now I know. OJ at 7:30, donut(s) at 9:00, grilled cheese at 2:00 and fish and chips at 9. Keep up the great adventures and I look forward to reading your blog. Ps. Beautiful Picts!!
cbSounds like the perfect day to me! :-) Hope you have a wonderful time eating your way around San Fran!