murray's cheese bar

this saturday we brunched with friends at murray's cheese bar, 

the restaurant associated with the iconic new york fromagerie, murray's cheese shop.

they already sold us with the cheese flights, then officially won our hearts and stomachs with stumptown coffee, some kind of creamy crack sauce, perfectly poached eggs, and left hand milk stout.

murray's cheese bar

rogue etiquette - entertaining

the high season of cocktail hours and dinner parties is rapidly approaching. we take advantage of any excuse to entertain year-round, but the fall months feel a little less spontaneous and a bit more formal. not stuffy or uptight, just a little more involved.

a few guidelines for entertaining...

china . linens . flatware

beth kirby - local milk

just discovered beth kirby's cooking blog, local milk.

her photos are gorgeously mouth-watering, and her way of looking at food is pretty perfect.

the leadbelly

we recently enjoyed cocktails, oysters, and happy hour specials at the leadbelly.
this establishment, owned by the same team behind the fat radish, boasts live music every night, 
a chill atmosphere, a cool crowd, and some killer seafood.

chili cheese bread and dates with a pig

perfect for watching the big game with friends.

the Breslin at the Ace Hotel . New York, NY

we recently celebrated a friend's birthday at the chef's table at the Breslin,

enjoying a whole suckling pig and an assortment of gin and beer cocktails.

the breslin

Elysian Cafe in Hoboken, NJ

There's nothing quite like some chevre, pommes frites, and a few bellinis on a sunny, warm Easter Sunday morning.

Old Taylor Grocery in Oxford, Mississippi

Nestled in the outskirts of Oxford, this restaurant is the ultimate in laid back southern authenticity. Fried catfish and hushpuppies. Mason jars. Unpayed and unscheduled musicians that just show up to play. A wooden front porch (likely as old as the building itself - previously home to a 19th century general store) and a front door held open by an old whiskey jug. BYOB. A slogan of "eat or we both starve." Need we say more?

http://www.taylorgrocery.com/

Mint in Madison, Mississippi

We kicked off the first day of our affectionately nicknamed "tour of eating" with Mint - a new restaurant to the area known for a unique and creative take on traditional Southern food.  The interior is modeled after a historic New Orleans brothel, and we thought the red chandelier was the piece de la resistance. The menu was incredible, including a fantastic beef tenderloin carpaccio, mint julep chicken and waffles, and white truffle mac and cheese, just to name a few.

mintherestaurant.com