Everything at Santina was delish as evident by my food baby the following morning. Seriously I got up...looked down...and thought...really? Did I really eat that much? Followed by a sigh and a thought....maybe I'll juice today? Followed by another thought...but silly, you have leftovers!
First things first...after walking circles around Meatpacking in my stilettos (on cobblestone no less!) I was much relieved when I finally found the place and saw my friend Dan who I hadn't seen in 4 years sitting at the bar. He had a beard...he looked so grown and happy! Such an occasion deserved a celebratory drink, one served in a pineapple…as in a fake ceramic pineapple w/ a hole for your straw. It's one of their most popular cocktails, the Manganelli punch: tequila, banana, pineapple, and cinnamon… I don't like bananas but I sure liked everything I was sipping out of this pineapple. It tasted like vacation and immediately brought me back to my recent trip to Thailand. When the waiter tried to take it away I asked if I could keep it on the table because looking at it made me smile :)
Eventually he did take it away because dish upon delicious dish kept arriving. There were 3 of us…our friend Kitt eventually joined…but I kid you not we ordered for 10. We confused yet impressed the table next to us.
This is what happened:
Cecina: Lamb Tartare...highly recommend. I don't really like lamb especially not raw but this was a totally good surprise for my palette! Cecina: Avocado Trapanese...spread this and the lamb tartare on the Tuscan chickpea crepe its served with…giddy laughter will ensue! Crudité...bigger than my head!!! I love veggies and I'm a sucker for sauce and this came with 3! Fritto Misto...we saved some for Kitt and she finished the rest of it quite happily
Octopus...a few short minutes later we look into the dish and there's only eggplant left. SO yummo! A bowl of Artichokes and another bowl of Garlic Broccoli also yummo in the tummo!
Whew! We were stuffed. Then this exchange happened.
Dan: Now we have the entrees!
Kitt: Are you being funny?
Listed in order of yumminess:
Whole Grilled Porgy
Shrimp Zingara
Spaghetti Blue Crab
I mean. I thought I had died and gone to food heaven! This was overload but we weren't done yet. Dessert is the exclamation point to every great meal and how could we not end the night with !!!!! Lime Meringa & Hazlenut Orange Cake – yes yes yes!
There were more cocktails of course. I'm a big fan of the Recco Rose - I ordered 2 and upon tasting my drink Kitt ordered one for herself! Other recommendations: The Basil Bellini (peach, basil, prosecco) and Fiori (gin, chamomile, Campari).
Whew...are you full yet?! I just got full again while reminiscing about this meal!
