Dinner with the Girls

Chicken paillard topped by a frisee salad and fried shallots from Pastis--which last night I called "Chocolate paillard" to the server for some odd reason--Chocolate on the brain? Max Brenner flashbacks?

Last night The Girls were my mother's girls [her white bracelet barely in the shot behind the fries] and I was the happy tagalong because Pastis is a fav. dinner spot.

One of the things about having food allergies is that when I find a resto that doesn't kill me, I add it to my mental list and I go back again and again [barring a serious menu or chef change, of course. Which if that happens, it gets crossed off and the search begins anew].

One of those safe places is for me is Pastis. Actually, the whole McNally group is great.

Be forewarned and forearmed: THEY USE PEANUT OIL. But generally their servers are great and knowledgeable about allergies and they accommodate you when possible.

And their fries [which are fried in said oil] are some of THE BEST in the city. See them in the background, overflowing with fried goodness?

My favorite meal out is generally brunch: eggs and homefries don't usually have nutty issues. Pastis in particular is always a party however totally overrun by tourists, as is Balthazar. Schiller's is their newest addition, by what three years maybe? And is still mostly New Yorky and yummy.
Enjoy!