Yesterday we decided to go out on the spur of the moment, and ended up at Elizabeth Street, between Prince and Spring, and home to Public, one of my favorite spots in the city. No calls ahead to the chef, we managed to get a table just as they opened at six.

Chef Brad Farmerie was doing a photo shoot in the main dining room, so we started in Public’s wine tasting annex called “The Monday Room”, popping a bottle of Malbec and some treats of popped corn flavored with a dusting  of porcini, parmesan and truffle oil. Then brought to a table, our waiter asked if we wanted to order off the menu or would we like to try the Chef’s special tasting menu. Apparently, Brad recognized me. Thanks, Chef.  Who wouldn’t go for the chef’s special treatment?  With so many good offerings on the menu, it’s so hard to pick from this chock full of goodies, why not just indulge?

Here is just some of the food we sampled.

Grilled scallops with sweet chili sauce, crème fraiche and green plantain crisps

Marinated white anchovies on quinoa croquettes with spicy saffron aioli

Fried Barron Point oysters with shiso, sansho pepper, and wasabi-yuzu dipping sauce

Our main course was a venison, though I was hoping for the pork belly, but I was just as happy with the perfectly cooked meat with a salsa verde and goat cheese polenta disk, it’s more then likely that I will be back for that pork belly dish!(mark my words!)

Desserts were  just as good, an all time favorite  sticky toffee pudding and a really interesting play on “old school” flavors with new, apple crumble with cheddar soy ice cream, spot on!

I didn’t take one picture of my meal. I was too busy eating!