La Rural
Upper West Side
Happy birthday J! We celebrated at La Rural, an Argentinian joint that specializes in grilled meats a la parilla. DJKung and I arrived early, so we grabbed a malbec for him (Septimere '07) and a varietal for me (Dona Flor '05: merlot/shiraz). Both worked very well with the food.
La Rural does look a like a Buenos Aires parilla joint, with the grill visible as you walk in. I especially liked the rough-hewn wooden tables.
For apps, DJKung ordered the grilled sweetbreads and the cheese sampler. The bread was really wonderful slathered with a very garlicky pesto (chimichurri?) that was next to the salt and pepper on the table.
Grilled sweetbreads. DJKung liked it; it had the rich texture of liver. 
Cheese platter. Let me see. Clockwise, from top left: manchego, cabrales, dried figs, tetilla, apple slices, brie, strawberry slices. Green and red grapes in the middle. We really like the manchego--- very creamy and nutty. The rest weren't anything standout, but it was nice to try some new cheeses. The cabrales was a superfunky blue cheese. At home, Chibby eyed it with suspicion, but Babams ate it with his customary gusto.
Birthday libations: sangria!
For our mains, DJKung was game to try the day's special, osso bucco. I was already getting full from the apps, so I got me some corn empanadas.
Osso buco. DJKung said it was a little dry, but falling-off-the -bone (?). He really liked the yellow marrow. The sauce was tomato-based, on the bland side. Side of long grain rice, cooked al dente, and delicately seasoned. Very hearty!
Empanadas de choclo (corn empanadas). They were on the small side, and fried perfectly. The filling had creamy corn and pimiento and was very yummy. A couple of friends ordered the grilled meats assortment. The consensus was that the meats definitely had that free-range taste.
Morcilla (blood sausage) from the parilla selection. DJKung felt that the texture was too soft for his taste. The casing was tough, but I think this was from the grilling. On the right, the garlic french fries. They were crispy, salty and heavenly with ketchup.We were going to order mate, the national Argentinian drink, but the kitchen had run out of it already. We ordered pio-pio instead.
Pio-pio. From top: dulce de leche ice cream, which was divine--- creamy dulce cut with salt. Middle: strawberry slices, on the tart side but full of flavor. Bottom: sponge roll with more scrummy dulce filling. The roll was a bit dry and overly sweet... I liked the ice cream waaay better by itself.
Crepe with strawberries and ice cream. 
Birthday flan. 
Of course, Ozzie Wan and The Faschiester got the tiramisu.La Rural has a very cozy and festive vibe, ideal for either a couples date or for a large birthday group such as ours. Bring your appetite, as the meats are hearty! On a side note, the lights flickered throughout the meal, which was a little weird.
