Now this is a snazzy type of crab toast!
Lobster, truffles… simply lovely.
Classic, flaky caramelised apple pie.

I always seem to have room for dessert – in the same way that a small child, who insists they are bursting and simply cannot finish their dinner, still seems to find a spot for a scoop of their favourite ice-cream. It is only my conscious attempt to restrict my intake of gluten and sugar that actually stops me from reaching for the edible encore of each meal. This evening I was especially keen to cast my eye over the dessert menu at New York’s ABC Kitchen. My resolve went out the window and into the chilly night air when I spied the warm apple pie with hand churned salted caramel ice-cream. Like the rest of the meal, it didn’t disappoint. 

I chose for starters the sweet, freshly shredded crab intermingled with fragrant herbs expertly piled on top of smokey wood fired sourdough. A perfectly portioned piping of garlic aioli added a bit of bite and with a squeeze of lemon, I cut into the first of many mouthfuls of this textured, tasty dish. Wow! What a way to open the appetite and prepare the tastebuds for the next course. My husband enjoyed a slightly more subtle starter in the way of the tiniest roasted beetroots, heirloom tomatoes and fresh herbs all nestled against a creamy cloud of house made yoghurt. Must try this at home as another way of serving up this vitamin supercharged vegetable.

Now that our tastebuds were well primed, my husband chose for his main meal a whole lobster, neatly split, then grilled and drizzled with a Belgium black truffle dressing along with a side of perfectly just- roasted brussels sprouts with garlic. A great example of how to pair and prepare a common vegetable with a sophisticated type of seafood and heady truffle flavours. I did try some of his dish but it was solely for the purpose of Cabinet of Cookery…of course.

On the recommendation of the knowledgable waitress, I chose a simple fillet of snapper, panfried to achieve that ultimate crispy skin whilst keeping the flesh moist. This was presented in a wide, shallow plate surrounded by a clear, peppery broth with islands of wilted spinach. A wonderful way to make the most of fish in the wintery months.