Union Square Cafe

Union Square Cafe is an unpretentious gem with wonderful food.  We came here on a Saturday night without a reservation and were seated without hesitation.  We even got a celebrity sighting, as Alicia Silverstone was seated at a table nearby. 

I was able to try bottarga, an Italian delicacy, dried caviar made from tuna or gray mullet.  Here, it was served as a snack on toast with chili.  The bottarga taste was light, cut by the chili. 

For dinner, we split three pastas: 

a favorite of mine, the ricotta gnocchi;

the butternut squash tortelli with cranberries, balsamic and sage brown butter;

and a calamari pasta (for Christmas Eve).

Did you notice the size of the butternut squash photo?  Yes, it’s larger for a reason–to showcase its deliciousness.  It was a surprise dish.  I was suspect at first, cranberries and pasta?  But this works so well together and is the pasta dish of the season!

For dessert, we got the USC banana tart with macadamia brittle, honey-vanilla ice cream

and spiced ginger cake with roasted pears and cardamom ice cream. 

Both were yummy endings to a satisfying meal.

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