Monday, May 17, 2010

Sidecar Bar and Grill

Sidecar is located in the heart of Little Italy, and it is again another great restaurant suggestion from my friend Cindy. Honestly, she should really be the one blogging about food because she recommended close to 90% of the restaurants I blog about. Anyway, she told me about this great prix fixe menu that Sidecar regularly offers from Sundays-Wednesdays, which is a 3-course meal for $25. What a steal, right?


So after work on a Tuesday, we met up at Sidecar. We didn't make any reservations since we thought it's only Tuesday, so should be OK right? WRONG. Tables were all booked up, the only tables available were at the back patio. Thank goodness the weather was beautiful that day, so we had no problem sitting at the back courtyard. 


This is my view of the patio (Cindy wasn't there yet). My table is the last table in the patio; there's a four-person table on my right and a two-person table on my left. The entrance to the restaurant is straight ahead beside the two heat lamps. As you can tell I'm trying to give you a rough idea of the size of the patio =)


Since this is the patio at the back of the restaurant, there's not much of a view - it's basically all fenced in, but I think it is still a nice space; the greenery, the neat wooden tables and chairs, and a few giant heaters scattered here and there makes it all very cozy and warm (literally).

When Cindy came, we were anxious to get some cocktails after a long day of work.


I got the Painless Brazilian. This was so yummy and refreshing. I love fruity drinks!


Cindy got the Badass Mojito. 


And here's the prix fixe menu. 


Bread to start.


I had the Hearts of Romaine Salad - Double Smoked Bacon, Caesar Dressing, Ricotta Crostini.


Cindy had the Sidecar Salad - Chopped Vegetables, Feta Cheese, Creamy Oregano Dressing.


Both salads were really good.

Cindy ordered the Crispy Oven Roasted Chicken for her main course, which comes with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus, and red vinaigrette. Doesn't it look so pretty? There's actually two pieces of chicken there, one on top of the other, big pieces too. Cindy was so stuffed afterwards but she said it was really delicious. 


I had the Steak Frites - 8 oz Sirloin, Fries, Red Wine Compound Butter, Smoked Pepper Mayo. I ordered it rare, and to my surprise, it actually came out rare and it was oh-so-good. The steak was marinated perfectly; I didn't need any salt or pepper or sauce with it. The fries were crispy and fresh, and the smoked pepper mayo....LOVE! I wish I can dip everything in it.


For dessert, chef's choice that night was chocolate cake (I forgot the actual name of it). This was really rich and chocolatey. I had no problem finishing mine (I love chocolate), and since Cindy couldn't finish hers I had some of hers too =)


I can't wait to go back to Sidecar to have their prix fixe menu again. And you know how I say sometimes that I want to go back to a restaurant to try their other menu items? Well for now, with Sidecar, I really just want to go back and have their Steak Frites again, I mean, it's such a great deal! As a friend pointed out to me, it's rare for steak frites to be on a restaurant's prix fixe menu (usually they save it for their regular menu). Maybe after my second time there I will venture into their other mains, but for now, it's the prix fixe steak frites I want again...nothing else.

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