ORSO

My husband is amazing. 

I'm currently working about 6 days a week, 12 hours a day - not as bad as it could/will be, but still a darn long time to sit in one chair and stare at one computer.  And deal with multiple fires in need of de-flaming.

Through this period of 12 plus hour days my apartment has managed to pack itself! 

That's a lie.

My aforementioned amazing husband has in fact been spending his days packing our apartment with little to zero help from me.  It is true that he is currently unemployed, but a more douchey guy would still expect his wife to help at least a little.  Not my guy.  He has taken on the challenge & is obliterating it.  We are almost completely packed and I've yet to tape a single box. 

This kind of amazingness deserves a good dinner out with friends.  And so on Sunday we had dinner with Chef Andre Marrero & his wife Erica at the esteemed midtown restaurant ORSO, where they coincidentally met and fell in love years ago.

Chef Andre is no joke.  He is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute and has cooked for such chefs as Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Thomas Keller and Joel Robuchon.  He won the Food Network competition show CHOPPED.  He is currently the Executive Chef of the Culinary Theatre at the French Culinary Institute and will be cooking the meal for the James Beard House New Years Eve Party this year.  Like I said, he's no joke.  He's really funny, but no joke.

The food at ORSO was equal in amazingness to both my husband and Chef Andre.  Erica brilliantly ordered the meal family style so everyone got a little of everything. 

We started with their "pizza bread," a flat crispy bread, reminiscent of Indian papadum, covered with rosemary, garlic & olive oil.  Yum.

Next came sea scallops in a mildly spicy red sauce, a vibrant tuna tar tar, and one of the most incredible plates of insalata caprese ever to grace my tastebuds.  Buffalo mozzarella really is a miracle cheese.  Regular fresh cow's milk mozzeralla is rockin', but the buffalo milk makes the cheese even more creamy, more complex, ever so much more delicious.

We also had an outstanding pizza, topped with figs, gorgonzola, mozzarella, arugula & prosciutto.  There are no words for it's deliciousness.  Salty, sweet, crispy, meaty.  I could eat it every single day.

The center of our meal was the roast suckling pig, acccompanied by rigatoni in meat sauce and broccoli rabe.  Holy crispy, milky pig Batman!  Seriously.  I've never.  My mouth is still happy from the meat.

The finale was an almond cookie panino filled with lemon gelato and drizzled with a fresh rasberry sauce.  It was reminiscent of lemon meringue pie in flavor and an ice cream sandwich in texture.  It was light while being rich, and a perfect end to our hardcore dining experience.

While the food was outstanding, the company was even better.  Spending time with such wonderful people is the best part of life.  I got a little sad as I realized we wouldn't be seeing these folks for about a year while we're touring with HAIR.  But we had Our Last Supper together, and the memories of that pizza & pig will last at least the year, if not a lifetime.