by Dorothy Cascerceri
I recently began a diet. It doesn't exclude Hershey's kisses, pepperoni pizza or my mom-mom's signature cavatelli in homemade gravy. But it does involve eating less than usual, otherwise known as portion control. It's not to stay thin (although that's an added incentive), but it is to stay healthy.
So imagine my dilemma when I went to dinner at Cabana Nuevo Latino on Third Avenue between 61st and 62nd streets the other night for my friend, Jill's, birthday dinner.
The portions were huge and we redefined the term "doggy bag" when we left there.
As much as I had to resist scarfing everything, I am not complaining. The food was amazing and the menu had so many delicious dishes made from an eclectic combination of ingredients that I will definitely be back to try the things I had my eye on.
We started out by sharing an order of the Arepas con Queso, or corn meal cakes with queso blanco. They tasted like a crunchy cornbread with cheese on top and were delicious when combined with a black bean dipping sauce.
We also shared the ensalada La Playa, which included big plump juicy grilled shrimp, sea scallops, avacados, plum tomatoes, onion, and bell peppers tossed with a ginger citrus mojo dressing over field greens. It was fresh and light and the dressing was a perfect complement to the seafood components.
By the time we were done with the first two dishes, we were already having a hard time figuring out where to fit anything else. And when the main dishes arrived, we realized it was an impossible feat to walk out of the restaurant empty handed. The main entrees were even bigger than we figured.
I decided on the grilled salmon special, which was dressed with tangerine glaze and accompanied by rice with exotic fruits in it...mangos, papayas and pineapples. It was light, tasty and my lunch and dinner the next day.
My friend, Michelle, ordered the traditional Churrasco, which is Latin American style skirt steak marinated in garlic and fresh herbs. It was the thinnest, juiciest piece of steak I had seen in a long time.
And Jill settled on another traditional dish: paella marinera, which included shrimp, octopus, calamares, scallops, clams, mussels and spanish chorizo. It was served in a caldera of valencia rice that was large enough to feed at least two people, maybe three, even after the waitress dished Jill her dinner.
Aside from the food, including a coconut brownie dessert (my favorite ingredient combo), the restaurant had a nice "away on vacation" feel to it. With mostly Spanish music playing, including Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie," and bright tropical colored walls and artwork, I felt like I was in the Carribean or maybe even South America.
And it was a nice feeling to be out of New York City by only walking a few blocks away from my apartment, even If if the oversized portions ruined my diet for the week.
In this case, it was worth it!