Friday Night Eats: Brasserie 292

    Ahhh it has been a while since a, Friday Night Lights Eats post hasn't it? For those of you who are unfamiliar to how this segment works, allow me to give a quick refresher course to cleanse the palate. Every Friday night a few friends and I go out to dinner to a different place to get a taste of Hudson Valley. The night is usually spent over a few cocktails (all in moderation of course...mother), some good food, recapping the week of class, our Chef, rumors about upcoming classes--who's good who's bad, raunchy jokes, etc etc. Generally, hoopla is involved. For the record, I love that word, hoopla--"bustling excitement or activity; commotion; hullabaloo". Have you ever noticed that really awesome words also happen to have equally as awesome definitions? I sense I'm venturing off topic here...
    Right, so basically Friday night "family meal" if you will is a way to relax and have a good time before we go out (if we go out, I'm getting too old for this shit). We've been going to B292 for a while now so I figured it was about time I write about it. Usually we have a larger group so we get to sit in the back room; I like to think of it as the V.I.P. lounge. The place is decorated with old school brasserie black and white tiles and the back room is a quiet getaway from the otherwise crowded and vivacious dining room. Plus we get to laugh and talk about inappropriate things as loud as we want...try being a fly on that wall.

Our VIP lounge

      Last night I had an Old Fashioned and ordered seared diver scallops. The scallops were seared perfectly on the top but not on the bottom, which I love. Usually with steaks an such you sear both sides but since scallops are only so big its nice to only have the top seared. It allows you to appreciate the soft velvety texture of the scallop. The last time we were there, six of us said the hell with this menu and went for the giant raw tower--a 3-tiered tower of raw clams, mussels, cocktail shrimp, oysters, cheviche, and crab salad. Every time we go to B292 I am thoroughly impressed with the food. The place has this swagger about it that I cannot really describe in words. It almost feels out of place (I wouldn't leave your car in that neighborhood too long if you know what I mean) like it would be better suited in Manhattan or something. Yet it is always chalk full of regulars, hip college students, and Hyde Park socialites (I donno if Hyde Park really has "socialites" but for the sake of argument lets roll with it). It just feels right every time I go there. Its a place I can easily see becoming my go to restaurant.

    Speaking of Friday night eats, I am currently in the process of writing about the holy grail of restaurants: Eleven Madison Park, so look for a lengthy next edition of Friday Night Lights Eats.