Birthdays are always difficult, especially for friends. What to buy? How much to spend? Do they already have one? Will they hate it? To resolve this annual questioning, my very dear friend and I, both avid food lovers, decided on an eternal compromise, a pact, a mutual exchange - a birthday quid pro quo. For each other's birthdays, we take the other out for a meal at a location of their choice (although, this is usually agreed upon after a short round of negotiation).
This year my friend suggested Bar Idda - I don't get to East Brunswick as much as it warrants so any time I get there I know I'm in for a treat. The last time I was there for a meal was a special occasion at Rumi (a great middle eastern restaurant), which following its relocation down the road had been replaced at #132 by Bar Idda, so I was in familiar territory. The place had old Italian rustic charm, the service was friendly and attentive and the food, exceptional (generally).
My friend and I often struggle with eating out because we come from European backgrounds where food is flavoursome, hearty, serves are sumptuous and small tapas-style share plates are frowned upon, in addition to having some outstanding home-grown family chefs. So there have been past Birthday dinners where we have left unsatisfied (both quantity and quality), mentally noting to ensure we choose somewhere where we are guaranteed to leave full (see the list of Birthday meals below to understand the evolution).
At Bar Idda we did not have a problem - the food was homely but delicate and substantial. I started with a great Sardinian beer called Ichinusa, which went well with the Cazzilli (potato and fennel seed croquettes) and the Pan fried ricotta gnocchi with new season mushrooms and autumn green, which were soft and delicious albeit heavily over-salted.
For main we shared Mulinciani (layered eggplant with tomato, basil and pecorino) and Madonie style braised lamb shoulder. Both were exceptional - the Mulinciani comprised generous layers of eggplant topped with sharp pecorino whilst the lamb shoulder was beautifully tender. We also had a delicious side Pepperonata Siciliana (burnt peppers with white anchovy, capers, caramelised onion, mollica and mint). Combined with a beautiful house red (half litre for $12 or $20 for a litre - very economic), it was an incredible Sicilian feast that left us both, for the first time, avoiding the desert menu.
The history of the Birthday Quid Pro Quo (so far):
2009 - Her Birthday - Seamstress (3/10)
2009 - My Birthday - Coda (6/10)
2010 - Her Birthday - Guiseppe Arnaldo & Sons (7/10)
2010 - My Birthday - The European (7.5/10)
2011 - Her Birthday - Bar Idda (8/10)
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