Review: Ruben's Empanadas

505 Broome St (at Fulton) (but it looked like it was on the corner of Fulton and Gold st)

Very tasty empanadas, lots of variety of fillings. Sweet Air conditioning, few tables. While the empanadas are premade and warmed in the oven for you, they are inexpensive and filling.

What I had: spicy chicken empanada and luke warm tap water

Review: Little Dishes
434 7th Avenue(btwn 14th & 15th Sts)
Park Slope

Sometimes it is fun to get a little dressed up for a nice night out on the town. If you plan to extend your evening past dinner, I suggest NOT ordering the sour cherry bombs (one of the house specialty drinks) which quickly went to our heads and left me too sleepy after dinner for the planned city walk and jazz tunes.
But I do recommend pretty much anything else at this place (and to be fair, the drinks are stellar, I think thats why they are so lethal).
Its not quite tapas, but a little bit bigger dishes as "little dishes" and then other options too. TS and I split 4 little dishes, and 1 dessert and it was plenty of food. I must say it was a bit loud, but the service was very attentive and the mild decor was inviting. Sadly, I must admit negative points for the state of the WC, but all and all a cute place to have nearby.

What I had: sour cherry bomb, cheese plate (with fig/almond cake that TS couldnt get enough of), melon/procutto salad, mussels in wine/cream/garlic sauce, paprika pork but with pickled cabbage, and lemon/fig ricotta cake (and decaf coffee . . . perhaps I should have stuck with regular)

Recipe: Faujitos (officially known as lime and mint daquiries)

1/2 c ice cubes
1 c frozen limeade concentrate
3/4 c vodka
1/3 c mint leaves
spare mint leaves and lime slices as garnish

Blend the first 4 ingredients in the blender. Pour into a cup, add garnish and enjoy!

notes:
*this is not that slushy, so I actually pour this over a glass of ice.
*since true mojitos are made with light rum, you could probably substitute the vodka for rum
*if you let it sit, the mint will float to the top, so stir before serving, but trust me, they wont last long once you take your first sip!

Recipe: Summer corn salad
adapted from a "Williams-Sonoma outdoor living" recipe
I made this for the Canada day celebration, everyone loved it.

~6 ears corn
~20 cherry tomatos (these are a bit larger than grape tomatoes, but smaller than plum tomatoes)
1 yellow tomatoe
~15 basil leaves
1T EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1T red wine vinegar
salt and peppa

Boil a big pot of water, add shucked corn ears. cook ~15 minutes or until tender when pierced by fork (better to over cook than under, as my Dad says). Drain, let corn cool. Once cool, use a knife to cut off kernals (like you did when you had braces).
Quarter the cherry tomatoes and cut the yellow tomatoe into 1" chuncks. slice the Basil into thin slivers.
Add corn, tomatoes, basil into a big bowl, mix well. Add remaining ingredients, stir, adjust to taste. enjoy!
(good to make ahead of time, but not necessary)