Clay
553 Manhattan Ave
claynyc.com
Confit Duck Leg
Nine Below Zero
Aquavit, Birch, Rye Bread Infused Aquavit, Maple, Malort, Smoked Sea Salt
I love aquavit cocktails. This one was...a little weird. The rye bread flavor was very prominent and made for a very "dry" drinking experience. I could have used a tiny bit more maple. I was annoyed by the bay leaf garnish, as bay leaves possess virtually no aroma but do possess sharp edges. Overall this drink was "pleasantly weird," but not one which I would order again unless tweaked slightly.
Cheese & Charcuterie
Mustard Seeds, Honey, Pickled Onion, Toast
A nice little meat and cheese platter to start. The cheese was especially delicious, though a bit same-y between the two options.
Chicken Liver Mousse
Preserved Fig, Herbs, Toast
I almost never skip ordering chicken liver when offered on a menu. This version was perfect in texture and flavor.
Pork Belly
Apple, Fermented Cabbage, Mustard Seed, Lardo, Kombu Glaze
Another dish I feel compelled to order every time, and another which didn't disappoint. The belly melted in the mouth and the skin was crisped to shattering perfection. I loved the accompaniments, which made each mouthful eat as a "perfect bite."
Short Fuse
Helles Lager
Threes Brewing
After downing our cocktails (and avoiding being poked in the eyes by our bay leaf garnishes), we ordered a pair of the more interesting-sounding beers from Clay's extensive list.
This can of Short Fuse lasted us through most of our meal. It had a light, high-salinity minerality to it which we enjoyed.
Calamarata
Crab, Fresno Chile, Crispy Garlic, Young Onion
A fantastic seafood pasta which had intense crab flavor in each bite. It was steaming when the plate arrived and had a spicy, warming effect on us, which was perfect on such a cold, rainy day.
Confit Duck Leg
Carrot, Smoked Farro, Collard Greens, Sumac, Gastrique
Another immensely comforting dish. We enjoyed the smoked farro and thought it added a lot to the plate. The duck was ultra crispy and tender on the inside. My one gripe was that the collards, while cooked well, didn't have much flavor (it tasted like maybe they forwent the traditional inclusion of ham hocks).
Mean Old Tom
American Stout
Maine Beer Company
Our server got really excited when we ordered this bottle and insisted that he bring extra glasses so we could each have a glass (instead of sharing from the same glass, which we had planned on doing). He previously worked at a brewery and shared some stories about lining up for the release of Surly Brewing Co.'s Darkness back in MN.
The beer itself was very nice, and had warmed up nicely by the time we reached the end of our meal. It featured a rich, strong vanilla flavor with bitter coffee and smoky cigar notes. Though I love a well-made sweet dessert beer, this was much more balanced than some of the stouts Leah and I had been drinking recently.
Mini Doughnuts
Blood Orange, Ricotta
The blood orange component was actually a cream on the plate under the doughnuts. These were perfectly hot and airy.
Coconut Tart
Dulce de Leche, Dark Chocolate, Ricotta
The wording on the menu for this dessert was a little confusing - we thought we were going to be getting some sort of chocolate/caramel bar, when in fact it was a slice of coconut tart. I love the flavor of coconut but hate the texture (I find it like eating strips of cardboard), so this wasn't really the dessert for me, but Leah enjoyed it thoroughly.
