EAT: SUMMER MENU AT MOUNTAIN BIRD

The first time we tried the fresh Maine crab salad at Mountain Bird on East 110th Street by 2nd Avenue was during the winter time and we made a mental note to order this delicious dish when the weather was a bit warmer. Mountain Bird has their famous standard menu as part of the offerings of the day but the fish selection was the main point of interest for the evening since beach weather is finally here.  Fresh seafood is really a deal breaker if not done right but Chef Tajima is one of the best in the city and the fresh crab was a piece of art accented with the most delightful citrus dressing that one will ever discover. With that said, we had to try more of the new lighter menu that Mountain Bird had for the night.

Our hostess Keiko mentioned that the restaurant had done away with tipping and that the cocktails were really recommended so we ordered the Samba de Cassis.  This juicy cocktail had cachaca, cassis, lavender and pineapple juice with a twist of lime which was particularly more fancy than our usual order. Our preference is usually for something a little dryer but this tropical drink hit the spot and a second serving came about quite quickly before the evening finished up.

Next up was the Branzino Carpaccio special with sea urchin which was just as artfully plated as the previous dish and had delicate petals along with some salmon roe as garnish.  Those who adore sashimi will love this delicate dish that has a bit of punch thanks to the creamy uni added on top. Black Bass was the fish of the day and the beautiful presentation came out on a bed of cauliflower puree, fresh vegetables and a shaving of summer truffles.  Needles to say, everything was of the best quality and we could not have had a more delicious meal uptown (which we say quite often these days).

Desserts are really not our thing but the warm sticky toffee pudding at Mountain Bird is not to be missed.  The pudding itself is not specifically sweet but has a pool of caramel and tangy cream topping to balance it all out.  This probably one of the more unique desserts to be found in Harlem and is worth checking out for any first time diner.  More details and daily updates on Mountain Bird can be found on the official Facebook site: LINK