DineOut Making Love in the Kitchen In putting together their unusual mixture of world cuisines, Farrago’s owner-chefs have created a Valentine to the sensual art of cooking by E.J. Arnell

Please watch the movie Like Water for Chocolate sometime. I was reminded of one of its theme of food-as-sensual-expression after I met the chefs at Farrago, Midtown’s latest eatery. Todd Stevens and his wife Kelly Stevens are definitely making love in the kitchen. I don’t mean on the countertops. I mean the love they generously put into the food and the passion that created the recipes. It’s so obvious and so wonderful to meet lovers.

Todd Stevens is the executive chef. Kelly Stevens is the pastry chef. Together–along with Chuck Russell, former owner of Solero Restaurant–they give you Farrago World Cuisine, which opened June 1 last year, nestled in the corner of a townhouse complex in the Midtown area. The name, translated from several Latin-based languages, means an "unusual mixture." They’re not kidding.

You won’t find pig’s knuckles and licorice, but there are some interesting combinations that should pique the curiosity of my fellow adventurous diners–such as the curried mussels, which are cooked in a tangy Thai coconut-lime curry with hints of lemon grass. The fresh herbs, basil and cilantro, are tossed in as the dish exits the kitchen, and the result is ripe garden flavor on luscious mussels.

’Tis the month for oysters, n’est pas? Take your lover to enjoy the zany but brilliant combination of ingredients that top these fried aphrodisiacs. The oysters are breaded with a variety of seasonings including wasabi powder and cayenne and then they are dunked into the deep fryer for a crispness that doesn’t come out of a pan. They are then placed on a pool of spicy orange vinaigrette and drizzled with more wasabi sauce. They’re not as hot as all these fiery words make them sound, but they do have a nice kick and I love crunching through the coating to get to the plump and juicy meat.

Other appetizers to try are the spring rolls and calamari, both of which seem to be Asian-Italian fusion. As is the way in this state, the portions are enormous and too large for one person to eat before an entree, so share.

Of the entrees that were tasted by a highly skilled test market (the staff of this magazine), the grilled salmon won the yummy award, hands down. The perfectly cooked fish comes with a fairly spicy mango and sundried tomato salsa, which is fun to stick on the same forkful as the salmon. To cool your mouth down, jump into the sweet potato purée or the fresh greens topped with light jerk sauce.

Barley risotto is something I’ve never seen before. But, hey Todd, good idea! It’s a nuttier, chewier version of the more common smaller grain risotto. It’s a vegetarian’s delight, topped with grilled yellow zucchini, red peppers, large beautiful slices of portobello mushrooms, roasted corn, manchego cheese, and a tomato cream sauce.

We also really enjoyed the crawfish pasta, but suggest that you stay clear of the cilantro-encrusted seabass–boring!

Another Farrago downfall is the cranky waitstaff that don’t seem to care as much as the chefs–but as long as they manage to bring the right order, their sour pusses are easy to ignore as you enjoy your food and the otherwise relaxing environment.

Remember the movie that I mentioned? Well, have you seen it yet? Now is the time. Order your dessert to go so that you can enjoy it noisily in the privacy of your own home. There’s lots to moan about. Espresso Neapolitan has a light and flaky pastry, layered with cool espresso mousse. The flourless chocolate cake is fluffier than most versions, and high on chocolate content. Caramel pumpkin cheese cake is superb–it’s all in the crust, which is made with ginger-snap cookies, a fantastic base for the rich filling and sugared pecans. Cinnamon apple cobbler is probably not a good take-out option as it’s served warmed with ice cream, and, because it tastes like something from Mom, one tends not to moan.

Maybe you would rather try Farrago for a romantic Sunday brunch–it’s a civilized option to La Strada, with better food but still bottomless mimosas. They serve the standard fare with exciting little twists. Like their Cajun Benedict, which substitutes a homemade fluffy biscuit for the English muffin, blackened Canadian bacon for the ham, and a wonderful crawfish cream sauce for the hollandaise. It’s served with crispy brown potatoes.

In addition to the egg dishes, there are a couple of lunch items on the brunch menu, including a variety of pizzas. I tried the Jerked Pizza, which is a huge improvement upon the standard Hawaiian pizza, familiar to most Americans. Farrago’s is topped with jerk spice Canadian bacon (am I a jerk or is "jerk spice" supposed to be spicy?–well, this isn’t), pineapple, mango mozzarella, and manchego cheese. It’s a sweet smoky pizza that I really liked.

My pal wasn’t too excited about his huevos rancheros, and he is quite an authority on the subject. He didn’t fancy the polenta. In fact the whole dish was somewhat soupy, although flavorful. The pancakes and muffins are great. This is because Kelly whips love into the eggs. The blueberry muffins are cake-like in flavor with their sugar sprinkles, but light in texture–when smothered in butter, they make a sinful start or finish. The pancakes are served either as a sidedish, or as their own meal with bacon or sausage, blueberries, and pure maple syrup. They are so good that we had to know their secret. Happy Valentine’s Day–here is the recipe that has been passed through Kelly’s family and was given to her by her grandmother.

Lela Geiser’s Buttermilk Pancakes

1 quart buttermilk

4 eggs– whip until frothy while thinking happy loving thoughts

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 tablespoons melted butter

2 cups of flour

Just barely mix the flour into the other ingredients leaving small lumps that will cook out.

Farrago World Cuisine, 318 Gray (at Bagby), 713/523-6404. Hours are Tue. & Wed. 11 a.m.—10 p.m.; Thu. & Fri. 11 a.m.—11 p.m.; Saturdays 6—11 p.m.; Sundays 11 a.m.—3 p.m.; closed on Mondays. Tuesday through Saturday the bar stays open "until everyone gets tired," usually around midnight. Pizzas are served while the bar is open. There is free parking in the building, accessible from Bagby.