Clay

Now that the world is slowly returning to normal (we hope), Leah and I decided it was time to have a nice meal out at a local restaurant. We had been to Clay once a couple years back and really enjoyed it, so we decided to visit again on Memorial Day weekend for a nice night out. The food and service were great, and it was wonderful to treat ourselves to a bit of luxury. 

Clay

553 Manhattan Ave

claynyc.com

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.