When your team makes it to the Super Bowl, and that Super Bowl is in New York City… you go. Or at least you give it the old college try. It's so fun to see the energy a city gains when their sports teams do well. Denver was on fire for a couple of weeks, unfortunately just not the week it mattered the most. Oh well, we had an action packed weekend full of energy and delicious food in NYC (again with a cold, and 7.5 months pregnant). It went a little something like this…
Thanks to Voodoo Donuts' voodoo Brady donuts, Denver properly shellacked the Patriots in the AFC championship game.
I was fortunate enough to have a front row seat (er… no seat, but stand) in the sunshine.
After going down multiple paths, and trying multiple sources, we finally made the ticket purchase and were on our way to NYC. Of course hotel, flights, and restaurants were booked (a la Matt) before the Broncos even won the game. Who's surprised?
We went to Buddakan the night we landed. It was worth going just to see the restaurant. Huge, diverse, gorgeous, and the food was awesome too.
A little dim sum variety to get the party started
Lobster something or another fabulousness
The best dessert we've had in NYC, and trust me… that's saying something.
Of course we had to visit the Doughnut Plant again for a little taste of something sweet and fried.
Okay, this is a little out of order… but "conveniently" there was a major UFC bout in New Jersey the night before the Super Bowl. Being the fan Matt is, we went to that too. It was clearly a weekend of food and sports.
Broncos gear, check… we started the journey to the stadium.
Too bad he doesn't have any muscles.
The hugeness and large scale production of it all made it so fun… regardless of the outcome. At this point we were still optimistic, unaware of what was about to hit us.
These LED hats were awesome, they went off at different times making all kinds of patterns in the stands.
Bruno Mars and Red Hot Chili Peppers put on an incredible halftime show.
Too bad the confetti was the wrong color…
The meals are out of order, but we ate some of the best, most extensive, most elaborate meals of our lives over this little weekend. The meal that starts above and continues below was Eric Ripert's Le Bernadin. It was worth the hype.
tuna tartare over toast and fois gras
I already can't remember all of the ingredients, but know it was a scallop in a shell, with an amazing broth.
Lobster lasagna with caviar on top
salmon with some mushrooms and other ingredients which I also can't remember…. sorry. This was a really earthy dish. They're all tiny, so you can eat them all, but you definitely leave quite full.
white fish with a port reduction over a quinoa cake, and tropical fruits on top
I'm not doing any of this food justice… but there are like 30 processes in this little plate pictured above. some meringue, some demi glaze, some dehydrated oil, etc…
Matt in his required "jacket" and super bowl bracelet which he wore for at least two weeks after we got home.
chocolatey, nutty, caramely, fudgy, creamy dessert
Second desserts… because they HAD to congratulate the pregnant lady.
The view from our second world renowned restaurant… Thomas Keller's Per Se
This meal was even more elaborate than Le Bernadin. The classy part, I was sick and had to keep blowing my nose and using the potty because baby Jones loves sitting on my bladder and all.
When the staff brought out the different menu items, they would tell you where each of the products were purchased from, etc…
"Oysters and pearls" dish that Thomas Keller serves at his other flagship restaurant The French Laundry in San Fran. It was truly out of this world.
Passion Fruit mousse… the first of at least 5 desserts. Seriously.
Because two desserts just weren't enough - we were then served truffles, french macaroons, and toffees/nougats.
Next layer of dessert… Matt carefully choosing which fine chocolates he'd like to try.
When I said five desserts, I think I meant 7.
This had a cappuccino flavored ice cream in it. It was a never ending display of gluttonous, beautiful sugar. AND they sent us home with a box of treats for "later".
The central part of NYC was bonkers. There were people everywhere. Some people were watching live broadcasts, some were trying out their kicking legs - trying to make field goals in the center of Times Square. There were a ton of festivities.
And the day we left… it snowed. Adieu NYC until we meet again.
