NY Nights: Bistro Cassis + Madame Butterfly + Junior's

Last Friday, Greeshma and I had one of those perfect New York nights. 

We met for dinner at Bistro Cassis, a charming French bistro on the Upper West Side that is tres romantique at night, with candlelit tables.  

Greeshma, at Bistro Cassis, with opera bow in her hair!

Our perfect dinner included the following cast of characters:

Warm French baguettes.  I ate about ten of these that night after befriending the patient bread server.

Escargots a la Bourguignonne (snails with garlic herb butter sauce)

Moules a la Creme de Pernod (Mussels sauteed in garlic and oil with a touch of Pernod and cream)

Haricots Verts (string beans)

Greeshma delighted with the culinary performance thus far. 

Everything was so-so-so-so delicious!

The escargot were cooked perfectly, not rubbery in the least.  After you finish eating the escargot, you then dip your bread into the dish and collect all the herb goodness left behind!

 

This is how I ate at least five pieces of bread.

  

 

I ate the next five pieces of bread by dunking them into the cream sauce served with the mussels.

 

The mussels were fresh and super plump.  I could eat a million of them.

The haricots verts were also sooo delicious for being just skinny string beans.  Very crisp and flavorful.  They totally inspired me to buy a bag of frozen haricots verts from Trader Joe's recently. Mine will not be as flavorful, but I will just think about Bistro Cassis as I eat them and reminisce.

After eating copious amounts of bread and sauce, we walked over to catch NYC Opera's production of Madame Butterfly.  I know very little about opera, so I had no idea whatsoever of the tragedy that would ensue three hours later, but I found the crazy plot a bit shocking to say the least. 

  

 

Cast at final bow, with the conductor

Meanwhile, during the performance, the salt imbued in our dinner had made Greeshma and I crazy-thirsty for some desserts, so not knowing many stellar late-night dessert spots, we directed our cab driver to take us to Junior's!

Junior's is a bit of a hokey spot in that it is smack dab in the middle of Times Square and has a huge sign boasting the best cheesecake in the entire world.  It's tourist central.  But it is also super-delicious-cheesecake central.  Sometimes, tourist spots are not too bad.  Especially when you have a craving for sweets at 11 p.m.!

My favorite: The Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake.  Every strawberry shortcake should have an entire wedge of strawberry cheesecake tucked inside.

 

Mmm.  Gotta get a bit of everything.

 

What is this wall of chocolate chips?

 

Why, it's Greeshma's chocolate mousse pie with a side of cheesecake!  This hefty slice is good for at least three whole servings!

 

Greeshma, wondering if she is in heaven (because heaven will totally look like this!)

  

And that was our entire night!  French fare, Italian opera and good ol' fashioned American cheesecake!

 Bistro Cassis

225 Columbus Ave

New York, NY 10023

212.579.3966

Junior's

1515 Broadway

New York, NY