The Full Montalbano

WD-50

2011-03-30T17:59:00.000-07:00

Long on my list of restaurants to visit has been WD-50. A recent tax return made the meal possible, so the GF and I made an impromptu visit one dreary Wednesday evening. The experience was overall very nice, however there were some hiccups along the way. I think 4 stars is a fair rating.

The first thing I will mention is that the website describes the restaurant as having "two walk-in tables in the bar area". Be aware that this is misleading on two counts:

1) The "tables" are in fact a single small bar counter running parallel to the large bay windows capable of sitting up to 2 people on each side. The restaurant-side of the counter is equipped with two rather wobbly bar stools, and the window-side of the counter's seat appears to be a two person bench. I say "appears to be" because the bench is in fact a radiator with a cushion on top. The hostess was very kind about asking if it was too hot, but I found it a bit off-putting to expect guests to sit on top of a radiator.

2) The counter isn't exactly in what I would consider to be the "bar area". It's not even so much that it is not in the bar area, but more that it IS in the "door/host stand/coat check area". One side of the counter faces the windows, one side faces the door, one side faces the host stand/coat check, and the final side is open to the restaurant, where guests waiting for their tables stand or walk past. I just felt it was a bit out in the open. Next time if I were to do a walk-in I would prefer sitting at the bar itself.

The servers were all warm, but not overly informal, as well as being very professional and knowledgeable - I thought the service was great overall.

The GF and I excitedly ordered the tasting menu, with the wine pairing for me. She mentioned her unfortunate shellfish allergy to the servers, and they were happy to accommodate. Here's my rundown of the courses. Keep in mind I am doing much of this from memory, so there are quite a few things I am fuzzy on in retrospect:

Hamachi Sashimi - my least favorite thing the whole night. The fish was nice, but the rest of the dish was bland, except for a few nicely pungent capers. There was a warm foamy white sauce that was a bit of a turnoff with the cold fish, and there was a dollop of brown sauce that appeared like it would be flavorful but was also bland. I was a bit disappointed because the menu said I would be getting Razor Clams, which I would have very much preferred. Strangely, they described this course as an "amuse bouche", though it counted as one of the actual menu courses (which should not have made it an amuse bouche). Also strange was that they gave the GF a different dish, though there was no shellfish in the one I received.

Everything Bagel, Smoked Salmon Threads, Crispy Cream Cheese - another disappointing course, which I very much wanted to like due to its creativity. The frozen "bagel" mousse was very bland, as was the cream cheese. The salmon threads were tasty, but for me they had the uncomfortable texture of what I imagine chewing insulation might be like. Contrarily, the GF loved this course and noted all the flavors that I felt I was missing.

Foie Gras, Passionfruit, Chinese Celery - things started getting much better here. The foie gras was as good as any I've had, and the passionfruit center was tangy and very complimentary to the liver. I will say I found the passionfruit to overwhelm a bit though - I think maybe half the amount would have been perfect. The celery came in (I believe) two forms - a fine julienne on top of the foie gras and a crunchy dehydrated crumble on the plate (the first of many crunch crumbles, all having a pleasingly similar texture to the black crunchies in ice cream cake).

Poached Egg & The Shell, Caesar Dressing, Pumpernickel, Lily Bulb - a great blend of flavor and creativity. The egg was perfectly runny, and mixed greatly with the tangy Caesar dressing. The crunchy pumpernickel stripes were salty and delicious, and the edible shell was a fun if relatively flavorless component. For me the star of the dish was the sweet but sour lily bulb, almost like a caramelized shallot.

King Oyster "Udon", Sweetbreads, Banana-Molasses, Pickled Ginger - one of my favorite courses. Crispy, creamy sweetbreads, chewy mushroom "noodles", and the great little studs of ginger. I missed the banana-molasses a bit, but a winner none the less.

Scallops, Bone Marrow, Parsnip, Black Sesame - another favorite, though the grated frozen bone marrow was missing in flavor a bit. The sweet scallops were amazing along with the rich parsnip mousse and caramelized parsnips, and the crunchy black sesame nuggets added great texture.

Beef & Bearnaise - my absolute favorite (and apparently our server's too). A killer beef consumme, hot, rich, and just a tiny bit iron-y. Floating in it were three creamy balls of solid Bearnaise sauce topped with a julienne of crunchy snow peas. Worth coming back just for this exquisite masterpiece.

Squab Breast, Cheese Pumpkin, Corn Bread, Pickled Cranberries - this dish was pretty good, but not the best, especially when compared to the three homeruns that preceded it. The squab was nice, if a bit unmemorable. The cheese pumpkin was basically a pumpkin and cheese puree, which was very tasty but again not that memorable. The corn bread was very nice, with the pickled cranberries actually being folded inside the bread.

Buttermilk Ice Cream, Kumquat, Orange Blossom, Cumin - not the most memorable dish, but again it was still pretty tasty. I remember the ice cream and kumquat being really great, but not much else about the dish. I thought it was a bit of a miss to give us three desserts in a row that essentially consisted of 'canelle of ice cream, mousse-y thing, and unusual additional element'. I thought given the creativity and level of quality of the restaurant, an original cheese course should have substituted this dessert.

Grapefruit Curd, Campari, Hibiscus, Sorrel - this was a nice and refreshing course. Everything was very tasty together, with the herbaceous sorrel adding a pleasant touch.

Soft Chocolate, Beets, Long Pepper, Ricotta Ice Cream - here was the star of the desserts. The soft chocolate mousse was amazing - you did not get immediate flavor from the pepper and beets, but they did sneak up on you in a very fun and delicious way.

Cocoa Packets, Rice Krispy Treats - sheer fun. The packets were made of a leathery, unmelting chocolate that was somehow still tender and easy to chew. Inside hid a rich cocoa powder. Next to the packet sat a bon-bon sized ball of crushed rice krispy's, surrounding a cold ice cream. Delicious!

Overall I found the consistency of the dishes a bit lacking, with some standing out greatly and others falling a bit flat in comparison. Some of them were heavenly in flavor, others were downright bland. Some were inspiringly imaginative, others were rather straightforward. In the end I did enjoy the meal very much, and would love to come back using my previous experience to make some specific choices. More than anything, WD-50 is a restaurant worth a trip.

Momofuku Ko

2011-01-25T16:06:00.000-08:00

To check out my more formal review of Momofuku Ko on Yelp, please navigate to:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/momofuku-ko-new-york#hrid:scRfPety2oYciYeMYSQ34Q

What I did not do in my Yelp review was post the menu, which is what I wanted to do here for anyone interested. I believe the below items cover everything we ate. They aren't in exactly the correct order we received them in, but I think I got it pretty close.

Amuse

Potato Souffle - a tiny, crispy, paper-thin fried potato shell filled with potato mousse and hackleback caviar. Served chilled.

Grapefruit gelee with chamomile.

Fish belly - a small bite, not sure if it was fried or roasted but it was crisp on the outside and very meaty and nicely chewy. It sort of kept releasing flavor as you chewed on it.

Oyster - a tiny but plump oyster with purple sweet potato vinegar.

Crudo Plate - the first real course was a tasting of four different fish. One was topped with very finely minced chive, and one with toasted rice. There was a Spanish mackerel with beet, and a scallop with a spicy creamy sauce.

Soup - the broth was an oxtail consumme. In it floated several little open faced "tortellini" made out of daikon. The "tortellini" were filled with a paste of caramelized onion and topped with fresh herbs and mung beans.

Surf & Turf - the "surf" was an mazing piece of Uni sitting atop braised mustard greens. The "turf" was a piece of Wagyu beef with almost a very finely minced ratatouille on top.

Bento Box - this course was composed of four small plates: a delicious meatball cooked in cherry sauce, a small bowl of clam broth with a single clam floating at the bottom, a little pile of fried Brussels sprouts with some sort of fishy flavoring (probably anchovy or fish sauce), and a warm rice ball with salt and melted pork fat.

Fish - skate crusted with almond. Served over roasted cauliflower with an almond froth on top.

Egg - a single delicate "puffed" egg (the egg looked like it had been scrambled and then puffed up with air while it was cooked). Served in a bacon consumme with konbu.

Pasta - handmade orecchiette in a sharp white cheddar sauce. Dollops of broccoli puree dotted the plate, and there were slices of crisp broccoli stem mixed in. Topped with truffle and dehydrated ham.

Charcuterie - offal heart sausage, some sort of meat block with grain mustard, and a thin slice of what they called "pig face" with citrus dressing.

Poultry - sous-vide squab breast, roast squab leg, peeled grapes, and something crispy - I think it was potato?

Cheese - a small bowl of Gruyère broth (note that it was most definitely a light broth, not a thick cheese soup) with a brioche crouton. On top of the crouton was a very fine dice of something I forget - I think it was akin to the Wagyu beef in the earlier course.

Foie Gras - shaved Hudson valley foie gras over Riesling gelee. Again I know there was something crisp in the dish but can't remember what it was.

Dessert 1 - diced apple, caramel sauce, oatmeal ice cream, dehydrated sponge cake

Dessert 2 - cannelle of chocolate pudding with rice pearls.

To take home we were each given a homemade rice ball stuffed with kimchi.

Esca

2010-12-06T16:37:00.001-08:00

It's been a long time, but last Saturday night I finally returned to Esca, prompted by a $50 off coupon.

We ordered the tasting menu, which was largely superb.

To start we received 6 flights of Crudo (raw or nearly raw fish), which included a perfectly briny oyster, a piece of fluke with sea bean and radish, about 4-5 tiny ruby red shrimp (similar to the Japanese melt-in-your-mouth ama ebi), a branzino with fish skin cracklin's, a nameless white fish I can't remember with pumpkin seeds, and finally an ethereal sea urchin.

The next course was a large piece of seared monkfish liver, sitting atop a salad of bitter greens, and paired with a cranberry hazelnut relish. Though good, it was the weakest course of the night. The monkfish felt a bit dry and overcooked, and I found the cranberry relish to be a bit too strong and one note.

Our third course was a beautiful plate of creamy polenta topped with two large grilled head-on prawns. The prawns were outrageously rich and were so perfect atop the silky polenta. They were messy to eat, as they required removal from their shells, but so worth it. The innards from the heads were especially great.

For the fourth plate, we received the house signature maccheroni alla chittarra. This was the one repeat from the last time I was at Esca, but it was a very welcome site, as it is probably one of the best things on the menu. The spaghetti is perfectly textured, and the sauce is velvety and luxurious, made from uni and crab meat. The element that ties the whole thing together is a wafer thin shaving of crunchy scallion on top.

Fifth came a roast (I think) striped bass with mushrooms and cardoons. I could not get over the juicy, steak-yness of the fish, which was really transformed from how I would normally expect it to be texture-wise. The mushrooms and cardoons were super rich and buttery - totally delicious.

A tiny cheese course was served prior to dessert. A super-simple little scoop of ricotta di bufula sitting atop a drizzle of honey. Every bite was pure bliss.

Dessert was also a hit - three scoops of gelato (vanilla with crushed nuts, rich chocolate fudge, and coconut) sitting atop a crisp wafer with a drizzle of honey in the middle for me, and a perfectly tangy square of Italian cheesecake with candied orange and pomegranate seeds for the lady. We rounded out the meal with some complimentary Italian cookies and an espresso for me. A delicious evening, truly.

Led Zeppole

2010-05-11T18:45:00.000-07:00

After the earlier outing at Momofuku Noodle Bar, we vowed to hit a highly reputed little gut buster of a window shop known as Led Zeppole. As if the name weren't enough to draw you in, the menu makes such offerings as deep fried Oreos and a waffle ice cream sandwich, as well as traditional items like funnel cake, cannoli, and the namesake zeppole.

Though feeling too fat from all the pork at Momofuku, we did manage to squeeze room for an order of zeppole (a three count) and one hell of a messy cream puff. I found the dough on both to be a bit more dense than I am used to - it gave the bites an "old" feeling despite having come straight from the fryer. Still, it's hard to argue with fried dough swimming in powdered sugar.

One note to add - to the deeply-cleavaged spunky stand attendant: you made our experience far more enjoyable than the food alone could have, especially when you let us spin the wheel for a potential free zeppole (way to fail, Leah) and also when you spilled our order of zeppole, covering yourself and the floor in powdered sugar. You rock. We can party anytime.

Momofuku Noodle Bar

2010-05-11T18:12:00.000-07:00

After about 3 years of overlooking the rapidly expanding Momofuku wave, I finally made it to the flagship Momofuku Noodle Bar earlier this evening. After tonight's meal, I feel I've been a fool for passing on this superb restaurant for so long.

The interior itself is cute - a little bit chic, a little bit homey, it's modern New York Japanese but much less pretentious than I expected based on my skewed knowledge of the cozy eatery. The counter stretches a significant length of the restaurant, with the close end seating patrons on both sides. Sitting down, we spied four churning machines behind the counter containing various soju slushies. I tried the "Yuzu Palmer", which was delicious, though I could have done with a bit more soju.

Our server behind the counter was super-friendly and seemed quite knowledgeable of her craft despite her young age.

The menu is brief and eclectic, and for a noodle bar there is a rather limited selection of noodles (a scant three). But as the adage goes, quality over quantity. To start we ordered two small items. First came the roast pork buns, which quite literally oozed porky goodness. Sorry, Ippudo, but Momofuku has your buns spanked. The fatty meat was of a melt-in-your-mouth consistency, and a welcome textural component included thin slices of cucumber.

Next to be served were roast pig tails. As the server described, they possessed a rib quality, only in smaller bites (riblets?). The meat was crispy on the outside, stringy and tender inside, dripping with flavor. Accompanying the morsels was a pickled Asian pear salad which was just heavenly. As first time pig tail eaters, we were a bit turned off by the tiny vertebrae bones, but for the flavor that's something I am perfectly willing to overlook.

Our noodle dishes came next: Chilled Spicy Noodles for me and Momofuku Ramen for my date. We each sampled the others' entree - the ramen was great, packed with a very heady piggy essence and more dissolvingly tender pork belly. My noodles, as the server warned, were searingly spicy, almost beyond my personal ability to tolerate, and let's face it - if you are reading this blog you know that is saying something. Overall I feel a bit perplexed by my dish. It felt a bit like a lazy night's dinner at home - "hmm what to eat? How about I throw some of this spicy sauce on those leftover noodles? What else...oooh there's some leftover sausage, and I need something healthy so I'll toss in this bag of baby spinach. Oh and I've been meaning to eat these candied cashews. What the hell, everyone in the pool!" Make no mistake, I liked it, but it was just confusing. Next time I would probably opt for the ramen, or one of the non-noodle mains, which sounded interesting. They also offer a 4 course prix fixe for $30, which is totally acceptable in my book.

I must return here for the fried chicken feast...

Clinton Street Bakery

2010-05-03T19:21:00.000-07:00

Heaven, also known as Clinton Street Bakery, is located at 4 Clinton Street in the East Village. This little jewel is the winner of many a "Best In NYC" award for such notable delectables as pancakes, muffins, and biscuits. On my first trip there recently I was more than impressed by virtually every piece of food on my plate.

Ambiance-wise, the place is cute. It's part bakery, part diner. The end. On to the food.

It's the type of menu where you want one of everything. While I told myself that I absolutely had to order their famous blueberry pancakes, as soon as I looked at the menu I found I had a craving for potato pancakes with lox, dill, and lemon creme fraiche. But I stuck to my guns and ordered the requisite pancakes, as well as biscuits, fried green tomatoes, and twice smoked bacon.

Firstly, the biscuits. At $2.50 each, I thought to myself "ok NY prices..." When the biscuits arrived my jaw literally dropped. Or at least opened noticeably. Each flaky, golden, buttery, crumbly, delicate, delight could not have measured less than 6 inches in diameter and 3 inches in height. They were served with a tin of raspberry jam, which was quite honestly the best raspberry anything that I have ever consumed. I could eat this jam on these biscuits every day for the rest of my life, and I am not a raspberry person (though I am a biscuit person). The only thing that could have improved the biscuit-devouring experience would be some nice thick honey to drizzle on. Oh well, I settled for bacon.

The twice smoked bacon was very good. It really had a strong bacon flavor, though it could have been a bit more crispy and a bit less chewy. I would be interested in trying the sugar cured bacon next time.

Fried green tomatoes are a real fav of mine and these did not disappoint, though at 7 bucks for four slices they were probably the only thing we ate that I would actually consider overpriced. They were everything a fried green tomato should be, with the addition of a really fine tangy sauce, which I'm reasonably certain was the same lemon creme fraiche offered on the potato pancakes & lox. Yum.

Let's talk about pancakes. I don't much care for pancakes from restaurants. I only eat pancakes that are made by the following list of people:

- my mother

- my father

- me

While I prefer pancakes that are thinner and a little bit crisp about the edge, invariably this is not what is served when dining out. Rather you receive a thick, spongy, often dry cake that crumbles when you cut into it and forms a sort of mush when the crumbs from the center of the cake mix with the syrup. Ew. Not to mention the countless places that serve Aunt Jemima under the inappropriate handle of "Maple Syrup".

So please understand that I felt a certain amount of trepidation in ordering even the "Best Pancakes in NYC" rather than more savory dishes like the potato pancakes or truffle fried eggs with asparagus. But no, my inner willpower persevered and I forced myself to order a stack of Maine blueberry pancakes. What fortitude, right?

While they were not the best pancakes I have ever had in my life (yes that title is still held by my folks and I), they were absolutely the best pancakes I have ever been served in a restaurant. They were quite thick and fluffy, though they did have that delicate crispness I so enjoy. The blueberries were astoundingly delicious, both in the cakes themselves and also in the form of a rich sauce atop the stack. And to top it all off, a warm cup of whipped maple butter (a thick mixture of maple syrup and butter). Had it been my last meal ever I would have been pretty satisfied I think. Next time I am getting the buttermilk biscuit sandwich for sure - scrambled eggs, melted cheddar, and homemade tomato jam.

How a chump like Bobby Flay managed to beat these guys in a pancake throwdown is utterly beyond my comprehension.

Le Bernardin

2010-04-17T08:49:00.000-07:00

After months of procrastination, I present to you my extremely overdue review of Le Bernardin.

Al and I decided to aim high this year for our annual dinner. The experience was mostly great, though it included a couple kinks that unfortunately made it less than perfect. The main issue came not with the food at all, but began when I made the reservation online through Open Table. Some time after securing our table I received a call from the restaurant's reservationist to confirm our table for 5:30 PM. Toward the end of our conversation she said to me, "...and just so you're aware, your table has been appropriated by another party at 8:00 PM." Not even quite registering what she was telling me I hesitated, then asked her to please repeat, which she did in calm, clear fashion. Befuddled, I hung up. It wasn't until later on that the inappropriateness of what she said to me registered. At one of NYC's top restaurants I would expect better than to be told, essentially, that there was a time limit to my dinner. Now, I am under no illusions that such time allowances do exist during each and every dinner service, but this is not something that should ever be revealed to the customers. Absolutely never.

Al and I decided to bring this to the attention of a manager upon our arrival. The manager said, "Oh of course you will not be rushed or asked to leave, please enjoy your dinner". Ok, but I found his response rather more slick than I would have cared for. It had the air more that we were silly for even thinking that might happen, rather than simply apologizing for the reservationist's rudeness. As Al and I were seated we decided that we would take our time with our meal and keep a close eye on the service to see if it suffered around the 8:00 PM mark.

The restaurant itself is beautiful. A combination of warm wood panels reminiscent of Japanese architecture and vibrant colors emanating from the many European (Dutch?) paintings lining the walls. A very nice balance between comfort and elegance.

On to the food! With Al uninterested in the Le Bernardin tasting menu, and myself with the standard a la carte selections, we agreed to go big and do the 8 course Chef's Tasting Menu. A very charming and knowledgeable sommelier was sent to service our wine selection. She and Al hit it off rather wonderfully, and the resulting wines they picked together were superb.

First - Tuna

Smoked Yellowfin Tuna "Prosciutto"; Japanese Pickled Vegetables and Crispy Kombu

The meal began with a slightly rocky start. There was absolutely nothing wrong with this dish - it was interesting and tasty, especially the smokey kombu, however Al and I both felt that it didn't set a very impressive tone for the rest of the meal. It was quite simply too plain, falling even beyond the overused and zombie-ish "simple, clean, fresh" mantra littering cooking currently. Were it not for the spectacular Amuse preceeding this first course, we would have been a bit worried.

Second - Egg-Caviar

Poached Pastured Egg; Osetra Caviar; Mariniere Broth and English Muffin

Any reservations we had after the mediocre first course were blown away. Quite simply the best egg I've ever eaten in my life, this may have been my favorite dish of the evening. Everything about it - from the voluptuous texture of the egg, the buttery taste of the broth, the subtle saltiness of the caviar, and the delicate crisp and chewiness of the bread - were simply a work of art.

Third - Langoustine

Seared Langoustine, Mache, Wild Mushroom Salad; Shaved Foie Gras; White Balsamic Vinaigrette

This was a wonderful salad course. The langoustine was plumpand juicy, and all the other elements supported it very nicely. The star here was truly the vinaigrette - just a little bit sweet and a little bit sour, but totally unique and complimentary to the food elements. The white wine Al selected paired especially well with this dish, which I believe was Al's favorite.

Fourth - Monkfish

Pan Roasted Monkfish; Hon Shimeji Mushrooms; Turnip - Ginger Emulsion; Sake Broth

I'm a big fan of monkfish, and this offering did not disappoint. The plating was rather interesting - the sake broth poured first around the fish, and the thicker ginger emulsion being spooned in dollops into the broth. The fish was fantastic, and it was a nice touch of personal decision-making in being able to control the level of intake on the two wildly different but matching sauces.

Fifth - Black Bass

Crispy Black Bass; Braised Celery and Parsnip Custard; Iberico Ham - Green Peppercorn Sauce

For those Top Chef fans out there, this dish made an appearance in season 5, in which the contestants were treated to lunch at Le Bernardin and then had to recreate one of the dishes they ate. Jamie, who made no attempt at hiding her contempt for the cooking of the restaurant, was assigned this Black Bass dish. She complained the whole way and then failed miserably in her execution of the dish, getting booted from the show in just fashion. It was my pleasure to try this course myself, and I was very happy to be able to say that the dish is absolutely delicious and that any aspiring chef unimpressed by its subtle complexities is not in the right field.

The whole presentation was simply oozing flavor - the celery so gentle but acting as a sponge for the complex sauce. The fish was elevated so much by these elements, and the parsnip custard (topped with a parsnip foam and parsnip chip) was a wonderful sharp yet rich cutting component. A very close contender for favorite dish, rivaled only by the egg.

Sixth - Lobster

Baked Lobster on a Bed of Truffled Foie Gras Stuffing; Brandy Red Wine Sauce

Unfortunately by this point I was a bit worn out of the standard presentation of food, that being 1) Base element, 2) Fish on top of base element, 3) Sauce spooned into plate surrounding fish. While this dish on its own was really quite delicious, it was simply one too many similar concepts and felt a bit unnecessary in the meal as a whole.

Seventh - Chevre

Creamy Goat Cheese Spheres, Concord Grape, Candied Walnut, Black Pepper

A polarizing dish - like the lobster course it was tasty on its own, but seemed a little out of place in terms of the larger menu. The cheese capsules were quite fun to eat, popping in your mouth as you bit into them, and the tiny concord grapes added a great texture component. It was just disappointing to see the magnificent cheese cart being wheeled around, and instead receive a more concept-oriented sweet cheese course. Al and I both would have preferred a simple sampling of 3 or so cheeses from the cart rather than this relatively high frill, more dessert style dish.

Eighth - Corn-Praline

Caramelized Corn Custard, Hazelnut Praline, Brown Butter Ice Cream, Popcorn Tuile

Dessert somehow always feels less elegant than the savory courses. Not so here - the custard was served inside the crispy praline shell, with the ice cream and tuile on the opposite side of the plate. Each component was perfect on its own, but still combined to become more than the sum of their parts. The popcorn tuile was truly heroic here.

Overall the food was pretty superb. It was not perfect - there were some hiccups along the way, but absolutely nothing was "bad", only less spectacular than others. The highs came in the form of the egg, the langoustine salad, and the black bass. What stuck with me the most about the food can be found in the words I used repeatedly to describe it: "delicate, subtle, complimentary". This was not a meal that attempted to hit the flavors out of the ballpark. It did not go for big, huge flavors, but it did not do "simple, clean, fresh" either (well except maybe for the first course). The cooking was very intricate and very purposeful. Every element that was on the plate, or not on the plate, was an intelligent, well-thought out choice. It was extraordinarily complex in its subtlety - a true example of food that only seems simple but is in fact layered with dynamism.

One interesting side note was that Eric Ripert did make the rounds of the dining room twice throughout the evening. He greeted many of the guests, and it was impressive to see him there on an evening where most chefs of his fame would not set foot in their own restaurant. My understanding is that he still runs the kitchen nearly every night. Al noticed that each time he was present in the dining room, service stopped completely. Not a single dish left the kitchen while he was away from it, leading us to believe that he may have been personally overseeing the end of the line on every dish. Very classy.

Sadly, we did notice the service become very rushed toward the end of our meal. No sooner after we set our forks down at the end of the cheese course did the servers pick up our plates and set down the next course in one motion. The same occurred after finishing the desert - immediately our plates were gone and we were being asked if we would like anything else. Al had to ask for the after dinner drink menu (something that absolutely should have been offered to us without asking), and we decided to each enjoy a nice, long, slow glass of scotch. We spent about another 30 minutes enjoying that scotch, finally walking out a little bit after 9:00.

Ippudo

2010-01-02T07:23:00.000-08:00

It's been far too long since I posted. So here we go, a string of updates starting with the lusty temptress known as Ippudo.

Located downtown at 65 4th Avenue, Ippudo is a Japanese restaurant that takes the humblest of Japanese dishes and elevates it to upscale pop culture star status. The dark but glitzy interior entry room houses a hostess stand and small bar where one can order 2 for 1 pints of Kirin or Sapporo for $6 Monday-Thursday. Speaking of weeknights, don't expect to come to Ippudo on a weekend without a potentially multi-hour wait. For that matter, try to get there before 6:00 even on weeknights, and even if your party is small. The icy hostesses won't help matters much if your dining situation is less than set in stone. With forced smiles they decree that restaurant policy is to A) Not seat parties that aren't all present (an increasingly common dining rule, but one I wholeheartedly disagree with), and B) Add-ons are not allowed. Wait, what? So when my party of 5 was seated at a table that could have accommodated 7 or 8, apparently were we to have another guest show up later they would not have allowed them a seat.

Fortunately, the inadequacies in service are limited to the hostesses, acting almost as the restaurant bouncers who may more may not allow you entry past the red velvet curtain into the dining room proper. Once inside things are a different story. Newcomers may be startled at first to hear an entire restaurant's worth of chefs, hosts, and servers shouting at them when they enter the dining room. In (mostly) traditional Japanese form, the entire staff greets each guest with a hearty "Irasshaimase!" (welcome!) upon entry. The decor itself is sleek but warm, with a sit down bar lining the L-shaped exposed kitchen area. Adorning the back wall is a list of names spelled in Hiragana depicting the business's staff, starting with the founder in the top left corner. But enough small talk. Guests flock to Ippudo for one thing and one thing only: Ramen.

Well they don't really just do Ramen. There is an entire menu of hot and cold appetizers, including their famous pork buns, which must be tried to be believed. These juicy little morsels are pricey - about $8 for two buns - but well worth the investment. Served as a sort of sandwich rather than the traditional enclosed bun, the pillowy dough wraps slices of sticky sweet pork topped with a crisp leaf of iceberg lettuce and a dollop of Japanese mayo. Upon first biting into one of these heavenly little guys, I recalled a vague taste memory...what was it these flavor grenades reminded me of? Then it hit me: the pork buns at Ippudo taste exactly like a Wendy's Junior Bacon Cheeseburger. And I mean that with the utmost respect and adoration.

Ramen. It's delicious, and contrary to some tradition-bound naysayers, Ippudo does it REALLY well. The menu consists of 5 different ramens, plus one nightly special. Choices include a fairly catch-all traditional model, a savory and salty soy based affair, a light and fragrant herbal infusion, a nutty concoction rich with roast sesame flavors, and finally the senses and convention shattering Akamaru Modern - a rich blend of pork based soup with Ippudo's spicy "special sauce", red miso paste, and, floating atop this magnificent elixir, a fragrant layer of garlic oil. Each ramen includes several of a variety of toppings, most of which can be ordered as add-ins, similar to the manner in which you would get a pizza with pepperoni, sausage, and jalapenos (at least you would if you were as awesome as me). For example, the Akamaru Modern includes slices of simmered Berkshire pork, cabbage, onions, scallions, and kikurage (wood ear mushrooms). However I have yet to order ramen without the mandatory addition of incredibly sexy kakuni (braised pork belly), and usually a seasoned hard boiled egg or bamboo shoots.

Of course it wouldn't be ramen without the noodles. Ippudo's are a delight - perfectly cooked every time to be slightly toothsome and chewy, but by no means al dente. The best part is that for $2 extra, one may ask for "kae dama" - provided you've left a generous enough amount of soup in your bowl but finished all your noodles, the servers will bring you another portion of noodles to add to your bowl.

Having dined at Ippudo with a Japanese friend of mine, I realized that I am indeed a statistic: apparently something like 80% of the customers who go their first time and order Akamaru Modern return within the same week for a second time. Well having ordered Akamaru Modern, I actually returned twice in the same week. A word of warning however: eating at this ridiculously decadent noodle and broth juggernaut three times in a week leaves one's insides dry and crying for moisture (MSG OD anyone?).

In this eater's opinion, a small price to pay for such bowl shaped bliss.

Dinner at Noel and Laura's

2009-09-20T10:50:00.001-07:00

My cousin Noel is really a fantastic cook. I've reflected since last night on what deeper meaning I can find in that statement. I don't think it can be considered a coincidence that this many members of my family all share a passion for food, cooking, and dining. I'm also not certain that this is strictly a matter of being exposed to food through my family, though that must certainly be a contributing factor. I believe it to be something inexorably passed on through my family's blood, and through many family's bloodlines. I believe that passion for food is a perfect combination of genetic and cultural heritage. Not nature vs. nurture, but more nature + nurture, where the sum is greater than the individual parts.

I regret that my Grandfather succumbed to Alzheimer's Disease when I was young. I remember little about him before he began fading. The majority of my spotty recollections are filled in with stories recounted by my Mother. I can picture the things he did, but I cannot remember them. When I think back to my time with him I think of the disease first, and that makes me very sad. I wish he were alive and in a healthy enough mental state to participate in the passionate, yet casually meandering evening of food I experienced last night with my family.

Adam & Cheryl's Engagement Celebration Dinner

2009-08-13T18:18:00.000-07:00

July 25th, 2009

Amuse
Tuna Ball, Crystallized Ginger
Spiced Valencia Orange Segment, Aged Balsamic
Homemade Ginger Ale

First
Striped Bass Sashimi with Soy Syrup & Chili Oil

Second
Asian Gazpacho, Cilantro-Jicama Cream

Third
Spaghetti with Crab, Lemon & Jalapeño

Main
Swordfish Paillard with Leeks & White Grapefruit

Dessert
Peaches in Apricot-Brandy Sauce
White Wine Granité

Zenkichi

2009-06-29T18:41:00.000-07:00

Another fantastic night at Zenkichi! We were invited to a special preview of the summer Omakase being served at a discounted price during restaurant week. Our third trip to Zenkichi, I think this was the best.

We were escorted upstairs and sat in a small corner booth. I can't describe the level of my enjoyment of Japanese architecture. The seating at Zenkichi really reflected all the little details I love - it is the perfect balance between feeling cozy/enclosed/secluded and not feeling cramped/confined/restricted. The booths lend a welcome degree of privacy, but virtually instant service is at your fingertipes in the form of a call button on each table that summons the waitstaff.

Grated Salmon with Soybeans
A nice little taste, compliments of the house.

Chilled Edamame Soup
What a spectacular dish. One of the most refreshing and unique tastes I've eaten in a very long time. The perfect thing to sip on a hot summer day. This is one of those foods that one feels as if he could eat it forever and never lose interest. A slight smoky flavor underlined the soup, most likely from a stock made with a bacon base.

Raw Tasting Plate
Hiramasa Amberjack sashimi, Unagi and Japanese cucumber in dashi, and Maguro carpaccio with green yuzu dressing. Three great preparations, very light and summery.

Kobe Beef Tataki Salad
This was good, but probably my least favorite of the night. The beef was almost raw and was of melt-in-your-mouth consistency, but I would have liked something a little more interesting in the way of the greens, which were basically just a spring mix. The sweet potato chips were nice though.

Blue Shrimp Tempura
A single large shrimp and snow pea pod. Perfectly cooked and straight out of the fryer, the shrimp was virtually a mousse inside. Just wonderful, and served with the great green tea salt that we enjoyed at our previous visit!

Berkshire Pork & Summer Vegetables
Thinly sliced shabu-shabu style Berkshire pork loin lightly boiled and served with sesame dressing. Lightly peanuty in flavor, this was quite good.

Salmon in Saikyo Miso
I just love the sweet, sticky flavor of miso-glazed fish. The salmon was particularly good this way, though not quite as juicy as the black cod that had undergone a similar preparation the last time we dined here.

Madai Donburi
Sea Bream Sashimi served over sushi rice. It was nice to finish the meal with the slight heaviness of the rice.

Dessert
This was probably the best course (although the Edamame Soup was very close). We ordered a Frozen Black Sesame Mousse that was silky, rich, and just absolutely terrific, and a Banana Bavaroit, layered with dark chocolate and pistachios. As if that weren't enough we were treated to a complimentary Grapefruit Gelee, favorite dessert of the owner. The Gelee was accompanied by a sweet glass of dessert sake, on the house.

Montalbano's Marvelous Mojo

2009-05-12T17:57:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all the organizers, competitors, and judges who made the 2009 Marvel Chili Cook-Off a fantastic time! Below is the recipe for my 1st Place and People's Choice award-winning chili - Montalbano's Marvelous Mojo!

Base
4 lbs Ground Chuck (preferably organic and freshly ground)
1 lb Bacon, finely diced (preferably organic/preservative free)
1 Green Bell Pepper, finely diced
1 Large Yellow Onion, finely diced
6 Cloves Garlic, minced
2 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo, finely diced + 2 Tb of the Adobo Sauce
18 oz (2+ Cups) Low-Sodium Beef Broth
12 oz (1 1/2 Cups) Medium Ale (I used Rogue Dead Guy)
16 oz (2 Cups) Tomato Sauce (homemade preferred, or substitute a good brand of canned, crushed plum tomatoes)

Drop 1
2 Tb Onion Powder
2 Tb Garlic Powder
2 Tb Chili Powder
4 Bay Leaves

Drop 2
3 Tb Light Chili Powder
4 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Black Pepper
2 Tb Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 Cube Beef Bullion
1 Cube Chicken Bullion
2 Tb Dark Brown Sugar

Drop 3
2 tsp Cumin
Juice of 2 Limes
Salt to taste
Hot Sauce (optional depending on spice preference - it will already be fairly spicy from the Cayenne and Chipotles. I additionally used a single drop of Blair's Mega Death)

In a heavy 8 quart pot, render the bacon over low heat until it is cooked through, but not totally crispy. Remove the bacon, drain on paper towels, and set aside (this will be added back in later on, or you could optionally reserve it to be used as a condiment during serving). Add the Green Pepper, Onion, Garlic, and Chipotles and cook over low heat in the bacon fat until translucent. Remove the vegetables and set aside. Add the Ground Chuck and brown in the remaining fat (add Olive Oil if not enough fat remains). Season lightly with Salt and Pepper.

Add the bacon and vegetables back to the pot and stir to combine. Drain any excess fat, then add the Ale, Beef Broth, and Tomato Sauce. Bring to a boil, then add the first Drop. Stir, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1 hour. Check and stir occasionally to make sure your heat is not too high.

Add the second Drop, stir, cover the pot again and continue simmering for 30 minutes.

Add the third Drop, stir and continue simmering for 15 minutes, uncovered. Check for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Serve the chili simply by itself or with your favorite condiments. I prefer some finely grated sharp white Vermont cheddar.

Becco

2009-05-04T17:27:00.000-07:00

One of the great Italian restaurants of the immortal Lidia Bastianich, Becco is a fantastic place to hit on a moment's notice to get some great pasta on a reasonably low budget. The always packed juggernaut of Italian food is conveniently located in the pre/post theater district on 46th St between 8th and 9th Aves.

Best known for their nightly special, the "Sinfonia Di Pasta", Becco offers a huge selection of Italian classics. Their trademark dish is an immense Osso Bucco, however the Sinfonia is the way to go if you want to gorge for a low price. It begins with a choice between Casear Salad or a sampling of various Antipasti, including marinated vegetables, cheese, and fish. Then you receive unlimited tableside service of three daily rotating pastas. On this particular evening I enjoyed Spaghetti with Tomato and Basil, Rigatoni alla Bolognese with Fresh Peas, and Spinach Ravioli with Butter and Marjoram. Fantastic! The key is to have them completely fill your plate up at the end of the meal even if you're full, so you can take the leftovers home.

Normally the above would be more than enough, but tonight they were offering an appetizer special of Burrata! Of course I had to jump at the chance to enjoy this rare Italian specialty. Burrata is quite simply a pouch of fresh mozzarella stuffed with additional shreds of cream-soaked mozzarella. The pouch is tied at the top and the interior oozes out when cut. It must be eaten within 24-48 hours, so this delicacy is quite rare indeed, and if found in the U.S. it is typically an overnight import from Italy. Well, needless to say it was insanely delicious, served atop a piece of garlic toast and sauteed broccoli rabe.

One final note that makes Becco more than worth while is the $25 per bottle assortment of great wines. Also, despite the sardine-can-like degree of crowdedness, I have never had to wait more than a few minutes for a table.

Fette Sau

2009-04-29T15:12:00.000-07:00

After literally years of being told I must visit this former auto-garage-turned-BBQ joint, I finally made it to Fette Sau. The place is fun, with a nice service gimmick - that being the whole "food served directly on the tray" thing. I can see seating being a nightmare on the more lovely spring and summer days (the majority of seats being picknick tables outside in the alley), though after the incomparable amount of time I've spent waiting for tables at Dinosaur, I have to say FS was quite nice.

The food was pretty good overall - in comparison to Dinosaur, I'd say it was a mixed bag. Some things I liked better, others I did not.

Ribs - these were good, but not great. I like Dinosaur's better, which tend to be juicier and are cooked with BBQ sauce. The version at FS were a little too charred on the outside (I like a good bark, but this was overcooked) and a bit dry on the inside.

Pork Shoulder - fantastic! Juicy and delicious through and through. Needed no sauce whatsoever.

Pork Belly - an interesting one. Being the fan of pork belly that I am, I immediately knew I must try BBQd belly, though the results were a bit mixed for me. Honestly it was the single most delicious thing on my plate (err, tray), but when you're paying by the lb, I don't know if choosing something that's 80% fat is the best way to go. I have to say though, those extra pieces of fat went great on the rolls, which were perfectly soft and airy.

Sausage Links - not totally sure what meat they used in these (my guess is it was pork), but they were good. Fairly juicy, a little spicy, and a light snap when you bit into them.

Potato Salad - this was a more German-style potato salad, meaning it was vinegar based as opposed to mayonnaise based. I really enjoyed it - tons of flavor from all the oil, vinegar, and whole grain mustard.

Burnt End Baked Beans - deep red in color, a touch spicy, and filled with flavor. The addition of bay leaves and the burnt ends were very nice, however I tend to enjoy a slightly less al dente texture to my baked beans. I suppose it's a good thing that they weren't "mushy", but it made the dish feel a bit raw to me.

Half-Sour Pickles - I have no idea if the restaurant makes these themselves or if they simply buy them. At first taste I enjoyed them quite a bit, as I love a good half-sour (my favorite pickle). But after a while I did notice how overly salty these were. I do know that Dinosaur makes their own pickles, and I do quite prefer those.

Overall I enjoyed the place quite a bit - the rotating menu of meats is a major reason to go back. Can't wait for a return visit!

Del Post - Collezione Grand Tasting Menu

2009-04-02T17:10:00.000-07:00

There are some things that can only be experienced on such a rare occasion as one's annual company bonus. I will probably not be able to afford a meal like Del Posto's Collezione menu again for at least another year, but that is fine. After all, one can only handle such an event in spare doses.

This evening was quite perfect - service, food, atmosphere...all the things that make Del Posto my favorite "fancy" restaurant. The concept for this "Collection" menu was a vast array of small plates, meant to be enjoyed in any order or combination that the diner wished. Each course represented a variety of tastes of Italian cuisine, both traditional and modern.

Assaggi
Orzetto - a single shot of smooth vegetable soup with drops of liquid dark chocolate on top
Candied Corn - small crispy candied corn ball
Il Panino - tiny sliver of panini: crisp, buttery bread and ham

Suppli Di Marchesi - toasted rice ball
Truffled Tuna - ball of tuna carpaccio with white and black truffle crust
Palla Di Fegato - foie gras ball surrounded by a layer of fig marmalade, mascarpone cheese, and a crunchy nut crust

De Bartoli "Vecchio Samperi," NV Marsala

Antipasti
Smoked Testa Tortino - disc of crispy pork cheek meat
Sardine Beccaficco - whole fresh sardine with crisp breadcrumbs and candied citrus
Terrina Di Rapini - terrine of broccoli rabe
Mozzarella with Ossetra Caviar - freshly made mozzarella with a generous scoop of caviar
Chilled Tomato Marmellata - tomato marmalade: begins in frozen form and melts as the course progresses, creating alternating textures to enjoy with the other items

Krug Grand Cuvee MV Champagne

Primi
Capsule Di Tortellini Alla Francescana - an "inside-out" tortellini: looked like an egg yolk, and rolled around the serving bowl like a large drop of yellow mercury - instructed to shoot it, the capsule breaks in the diner's mouth and releases a piece of pasta contained inside
Vacca Rossa Risotto With Black Truffle - served in the same bowl once the Capsule is downed, a fragrant and heady truffle risotto (my single favorite dish of the night)
Linguine Alla Vongole - linguine with imported Italian clams: a single dried hot pepper was also served, allowing the diner to crush between their fingers and add the desired amount of heat

Planeta Chardonnay 2005 Sicilia

Raviolini Velati - two tiny bitter red cabbage-stuffed ravioli served with a pork reduction and piece of the pork from the sauce

Borgogno Barolo Chinato Piemonte

Pesce
Dungeness Crab Gratinato, Trippa Di Merluzzo, & Cesare's Tomato Brodetto - the diner is served a shallow bowl containing several pieces of crispy cod tripe - into this bowl, meat from a whole dungeness crab is served tableside, followed by a pouring of spicy tomato broth to create an "Italian Bouillabaiss"
Baccala Mantecato with Perilla - a creamy piece of salt cod, topped with Asian basil
Zenzero Elisir - a small shot of sweet ginger elixir

Bastianich "Tocai Plus" 2005 Friuli

Carne
Short Seared Short Rib, Polpettina Di Osso Buco, Crochetta Di Patate - a seared short rib carved tableside, plated with a single osso buco meatball topped with gremolatta, and several crisp and wafer-thin potato croquettes
Brisket Fiocco - jerky made from dried brisket
Insalata Misticanza - a simple mixed salad of greens, thinly sliced mushrooms and potatos
Horseradish Semifreddo - semi-frozen horseradish custard
Joe's Spicy Ketchup - Joe Bastianich's own recipe

Feudi Di San Gregorio Serpico 2003 Campania

Formaggi
Baked La Tur, Pumpkin Crostata, Chocolate Affumicato, Nuts & Beans - a mixture of cow, sheep, and goat cheese baked in fig leaves, served tableside atop bitter chocolate sauce, with a slice of crispy pumpkin tart, and topped with a sprinkling of nuts & beans
Apple Zuppetta - a tall shot of sweet apple and celery tonic

Niedermayr "Aureus" 2005 Alto Adige

Dolce
Blood Orange Bellini - blood orange sorbet molded within a grapefruit rind, served atop a bowl of edible liqueur-infused ice shavings
Zabaglione Frutta Secca - single mouthful of dried fruits, drizzled with a zabaglione sauce prepared personally by the pastry chef at the restaurant's serving station
Chocolate Croccantino, Salsa Di Carota - flourless chocolate cake served tableside atop a sweet carrot sauce, plated with two liquid-center chocolate truffles

D'Oliveira Boal Madeira 1968 Portugal

Post-Dessert
Fregolatta, Insalate Di Erbe - almond cookie served personally by the pastry chef - the chef breaks the cookie in the center of the table with the back of a spoon - as per Italian tradition, the further the cookie pieces fall across the table, the better the diners' luck - the cookie pieces are then sprinkled with a shower of fresh herbs and edible flower petals - the pastry chef suggests the diners eat a bite of cookie with a bite of herbs, claiming the combination "will taste like the best Fruity Pebbles you've ever eaten" (not so sure about that, but it was still fun...) - an additionally fun element involved one of the head waiters mentioning that he enjoyed seeing diners actually eating the cookie off the table (as they are meant to), as opposed to the more typical stuffy clientele who only touch the cookie pieces that stay on the plate

Digestivi - three progressively more complex tastings of grappa

* A final treat comes in the form of gift bags, including a "light lunch" for the next day made from different items the diners enjoyed that evening - a small panini filled with the brisket jerky, fresh mozzarella, and broccoli rabe, a small almond cake, and a little bottle of bitter Italian citrus soda

Peanut Event

2009-03-16T19:19:00.000-07:00

What a night! Another great evening of food sampling, this time courtesy of the National Peanut Board. The event was set up in great gallery space in lower Manhattan. Several different stations showcased different chef's peanut-themed culinary inventions. Additionally, there was bar service and trays of hors'douvres going around.

Who would have guessed that a whole event could be based around peanuts? Well truth be told it didn't totally work...peanuts were an after thought in many of the dishes which, for the most part, were good regardless, just not peanut-y. I'm going to pretend this is Top Chef and do 3 winners and 3 losers for the night:

Winners
- Jicama Rolls with Peanuts and Fresh Basil
- Shrimp and Peanut Chowder
- Chiles Rellenos con Salpicon
For my money, the Chiles Rellenos were the unquestionable best. I loved that they were very spicy, not 'crowd-pleasing' spicy. They were rich and cheesy, and the peanuts really enhanced everything. I think I went back for sevenths...

Losers
- Lemon Rice
- Magic Bar
- Peanut Lemonade
What crap. 'Lemon Rice' was just rice with a couple peanuts thrown in. And it was dry to boot. The magic bar (made by the same crappy Indian chef as the awful Rice) was dry and tasted like sawdust. If I were eliminating a single chef, it would be that guy...but truly the worst thing of the night was the Peanut Lemonade. They were using Lemongrass as the Lemon flavor in this, but it was really just gross. The gritty texture from the (not so) peanut puree was really unappetizing. There was another drink called a Peanut Toritio but the Lemonade was enough to scare us away from any further Peanut themed alcoholic beverages...

Jean Georges

2009-01-02T16:01:00.000-08:00

For those that don't know, my best friend since pre-school, Alex Tall, and I have engaged in a gourmet meal together every winter for the past several years. This year we decided to go straight to the top (or close to the top anyway), dining at Jean Georges, prestigious winner of countless culinary awards. The key to affording this exquisite meal was in skipping dinner service and instead going for lunch, where, for a relatively paltry $14 a plate, one can enjoy a variety of tastes and come away quite satisfied but not with totally empty pockets. After four courses, plus dessert, a glass of wine, a martini, tax, and tip, I was set back only $115, which is really very reasonable when considering the experience and quality of dining.

Amouse Bouche
A small trio of starters was served complimentary, including a shot of rich white soup, a piece of raw salmon wrapped around crisp vegetables with a creamy sauce, and a slighly spiced mandarin orange segment.

Bread
I need to make a special note to say how delicious the bread was. Served with delicious sweet butter and an extravegant sea salt.

Entrees

Darren
Japanese Snapper Carpaccio - Crystalized Ginger, White Radish, Olive Oil
Skate - Chateau Chalon Sauce
Pan Roasted Sweetbreads - Licorice, Grilled Pear, Lemon
Soy Glazed Beef Shortribs - Apple-Jalapeno Puree, Rosemary Crumbs

Alex
Kanpachi Sashimi - Sherry Vinaigrette, Toasted Pecans
Roasted Brussel Sprouts - Avocado, Pistachios, Mustard Vinaigrette
Arctic Char - Roasted Cremini Mushrooms, Jalapeno, Garlic
Pan Roasted Sweetbreads - Licorice, Grilled Pear, Lemon
Dessert

Darren
Chocolate:
Jean Georges Chocolate Cake - Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Warm Chocolate Gnocchi - Grapefruit, Gianduja, Basil

Alex
Caramel:
Chocolate Pop - Coffee-Cardamom Ice Cream
Caramel Curd - Dehydrated Sponge Cake, Roasted Pineapple

Post-Dessert
Complimentary chocolates, French macaroons, and homemade marshmallows were served tableside.

My dishes were all excellent. The crystalized ginger on the snapper was totally amazing, perfectly crunchy and delicate. The skate was super light and moist (I laughed a bit that they gave me a knife with it) and the chateau chalon sauce was rich, buttery, and nutty. A great preparation of sweetbreads and additionally fun to chew on the licorice wood for more flavor. The short rib was quite simply perfect...dark and crusty outside, pink and tender inside. I loved the chocolate dessert - nice that they paired a classic chocolate dish with a modern one.

Al didn't fare quite as well, but he was still overall very happy. His kanpachi was lacking in flavor a bit and he simply did not feel that it worked, though he was very pleased with his other dishes. The other big failure was the dessert, which I agreed was a bit of a mess. Though the chocolate pop redeemed it a bit, the caramel curd was displeasing to pretty much every sense. The real disappointment was the dehydrated sponge cake, which basically had the taste and texture of dried cardboard or stale cereal.

The post-dessert made up for it though - the chocolates, macaroons, and marshmallows were all out of this world. Frankly, the regular dessert prior to this wasn't all that necessary, but at only $8 it was hard to pass up.

Ultimately I would highly recommend coming here for lunch. You still get to sit in the beautiful formal dining room, and the prices for dishes are a fraction of the same thing during dinner service. There were a couple stumbles along the way, but the vast majority of our meal was incredible. I am already thinking of going back!

Xunta

2009-01-02T15:41:00.000-08:00

Xunta is a Catalunan tapas-style restaurant in downtown Manhattan. This is the third time I've been there, and though it wasn't bad, it wasn't as good as my other visits. The food was fine, but one and a half waiters (one seemed like more of a bus boy) couldn't really handle the crowd that well and the dishes came out a bit too slowly, especially for tapas, which you really want to come one after another, not 15 minutes between tiny plates.

The food is pretty good, but the prices tend to add up quickly. The plates we enjoyed included...

- Datiles a Plancha con Toucino - Grilled Dates wrapped in Bacon
- Patacas Bravas - Spicy Crispy Potatoes
- Gambon a Plancha - Grilled Jumbo Shrimp with Head on
- Guicho de Rape a Plancha - Grilled Skewers of Monkfish over Rice
- Croquetas - Fried Bechamelle and Breadcrumb Croquettes
- Sardinas Asadas - Grilled whole Sardines
- Aceitonas Recheas - Green Olives Stuffed with Anchovy
- Queixo Manchego - Manchego Cheese

Out of all the above, the real winners are the Dates and the Sardines. I think I could eat bacon wrapped dates every day for the rest of my life. The sardines are crispy, hot, and served whole so you get the real taste of the sea. The Manchego cheese is also pretty great, as were the croquettes. The spicy items (patacas bravas and the monkfish) were good, but frankly I would expect a Catalunan restaurant to make their own hot sauce, not use Frank's Red Hot straight out of the bottle, which I am 99% sure is what they did. I wouldn't go back for the shrimp, which were tasty, but a bit overcooked and were prepared in such a way that didn't give you access to the brains in the head, which is the whole point of leaving the head on. I expected to be able to suck out the head juices, and was disappointed that I was not able to.

Ultimately I would recommend coming here, but not that often. I'm sure there are better tapas places out there, but I do like this place and once in a while it really hits the spot.

Perilla

2008-12-29T08:17:00.000-08:00

Perilla is a cozy neighborhood restaurant in the village, located at 9 Jones Street. Most well-known for taking home the win on the first season of Bravo's Top Chef, Harold Dieterle cooks up a variety of creative and satisfying seasonal American dishes. The menu is brief and to the point, with little waste, but still something for all tastes.

I love this place - I keep finding reasons to come back. The decor is classy, but intimate and warm. Service is very good, better than than the prices would dictate. And the food...one of the rare restaurants where everything on the menu sounds incredible (and usually is). Came here for dinner with Leah last Friday night, and it did not disappoint. Portion sizes are substantial and I always feel that the management could be charging significantly more for the quality and quantity you receive.

Starters
Crispy Berkshire Pork Belly
apple kimchi, pickled watermelon radish, & carob molasses
- how can you go wrong with pork belly? This take is delicious and the accompaniments allow the pork to shine.

Spicy Duck Meatballs
mint cavatelli, water spinach, quail egg
- One of Harold's dishes that were featured on Top Chef. Absolutely delicious, and always fun to mix the raw quail egg into the sauce for added richness.

Mains
Braised Elk Osso Bucco
celery root puree, baby carrots & ginger-sassafras sauce
- When I see uncommon game on the menu I usually have to order it. The elk did not disappoint - it was rich and flavorfull and as with any traditional osso bucco, the chef allowed access to the marrow inside the bones. What flavor!

Black Trumpet & Sheep's Milk Ricotta Cannelloni
deep fried egg, leeks & white truffle-cardoon sauce
- Rich and satisfying, even to a non-mushroom lover like Leah. I thought doing one large cannelloni was a fun and unusual take.

Cheese
Rivers Edge 'Up in Smoke', Oregon
semi-soft, pasteurized goat, maple & smokey chevre

Five Spoke Creamery 'Tumbleweed', Pennsylvania
semi-hard, raw cow, aged, sour & fruity cheddar

Penterman Farm 'Marieke Aged Gouda', Wisconsin
hard, raw cow, crunchy, rich & sweet like molasses

- Nice to enjoy a small cheese course prior to dessert. I think we selected well - everything was complimentary and quite nice on the palette after our rich meal.

Dessert
Frozen Banana Parfait
candied peanuts & caramelized banana caramel sauce
- Quite spectacular, this one. The whole thing was stacked as almost an ice cream sandwich. A little tricky to eat actually, but this was exactly what I want in a dessert flavor-wise.

Dessert Special
- I wish I could remember what was in the dessert special Leah ordered. It was a similar ice cream, crispy wafer, stacked affair and really fantastic.

Zenkichi

2008-11-20T18:57:00.000-08:00

Food
Zenkichi describes itself as "a modern Japanese brasserie with an authentic dining experience of popular Tokyo establishments." Contrary to what most Americans believe Japanese cuisine to be, Zenkichi offers little to no sushi. Rather, the cuisine is presented in the form of Tokyo-style small plates, made specifically with the idea of sake-pairing. Ingredients are seasonal and the Omakase menu changes every five weeks.

Decorum
A nice change from the typically flashy ultra-modern New York hot spots, Zenkichi is rather subdued and intimate. Stepping inside the unadorned doorway, one immediately feels as if they've left the streets of the city. The stone walkways, wood-paneled walls, and bamboo decorations could easily make this place feel like a glorified theme-restaurant. Thankfully, the taste with which the restaurant was designed puts any of these initial fears to rest. The addition of quiet jazz was a nice touch, as opposed to the possibly stereotypical use of traditional Japanese music. The newly opened Winter Garden was a treat to dine in.

Service
The staff appears to be highly trained and waits on diners in the manner of most formal Japanese restaurants. They all seem very knowledgeable and happy to explain some of the more challenging items on the menu. A nice touch includes a button on each table that can be pressed to call the waiter. This helps further the notion of privacy and intimacy that this style of restaurant promotes.

Experience
After a very enjoyable first time here, wherein we were treated to hors d'oeuvres and sake, the accomodating and down-to-earth owner Shaul invited us back for Omakase. After being seated, Shaul made an appearance tableside and greeted us warmly, asking quite humbly if we would mind trying some new dishes that would be on the menu in the coming months. Who were we to argue?

Zenkichi Omakase

Sake Flight
A small sampling of three varieties of sake from Zenkichi's extensive list. The progression of flavors from the first to third glasses was very pleasing and grew appropriately in complexity from bold citrus tastes to more subdued and bitter hints. On a personal note, sake is quickly becoming my favorite alcoholic drink - I find it easier to distinguish the notes in flavor far more easily than wine and thus a bit easier for me to dive into.

Miso Soup
An oldie but a goodie. Familiar, yet better than most - the kicker being the rich addition of fried tofu, almost emulating the texture of pork.

Homemade Tofu with Uni
Compliments of the house, this was a very nice surprise. Quite possibly the best tofu I've ever tasted. Silky and creamy, delicate, and slightly sweet. Served in a light bonito broth with a beautiful piece of bright orange uni atop the cloudy white mound.

Sashimi - Maguro Carpaccio, Monkfish Liver, and Sea Bream
Another expertly planned progression of flavors. The tuna was light, sweet, and very flavorful, served over a julienne of vegetables with a light citrus dressing. A real treat to be able to enjoy the monkfish liver, which has a taste very reminiscent of crab, though a texture that resembles fois gras. I was unfamiliar with sea bream, but it was a nice closing taste, being firm and full of texture as well as flavor.

Arugala Salad - Maitake Mushrooms, Roast Organic Free-Range Chicken, and Sesame Dressing
For such a simple salad, this was remarkably flavorful. The chicken was more "chicken-y" than any other I've eaten and a thankfully generous portion of fat was kept untrimmed from the meat.

Tempura - Uni wrapped in Fluke, Tempura Sauce, and Green Tea Salt
As good as the tempura was on its own (perfectly crisp and light, with a chewy, rich center), the real winner for me was the green tea salt, which tasted quite exactly as it is described. The waitress revealed that it's a simple matter of combing instant green tea with regular salt. Who knew?

Grilled Black Cod - Miso Glaze, Shiitake Mushrooms
One of our favorites from the previous trip. A bit of a disappointment on this night, however. The flavor was there, and quite delicious I might add - the sweet and slightly charred outer skin atop juicy flesh is really to die for. The issue (really the only negative comment of the night) arose in the form of about a dozen bones that had not been removed. A real shame, as all I wanted to do was devour this delicious morsel, but alas I was forced to remain patient, careful to chew slowly lest I poke myself.

Pork Kakuni - Slow Braised Pork Belly in Broth
In my humble opinion, the star of the night. It's tough to go wrong with pork belly. This version was served in a clay pot, swimming in a gentle broth that was both sweet and complex, with notes of mustard. Zenkichi describes this item as having been braised for three days.

Mishima Beef Sushi - Garlic/Ginger Sauce
Contrary to the no-sushi motto, we did receive a taste in this great beef dish. A single piece of nigiri each, the beef was lightly seared and almost melted in your mouth. The garlic/ginger sauce was probably the most in-your-face flavor of the night - a nice way to close the main courses.

Dessert - Dark Chocolate Sesame Shochu Cake with Almond/Pistachio Brittle and Yogurt Honey Ice Cream with Yuzu/Honey Syrup
Not the most traditional Japanese desserts, but heavenly nonetheless. The chocolate cake was moist and rich, the brittle acting as a perfect compliment. As much a chocolate fanatic as I am, I equally enjoyed the yogurt ice cream, which was just sour enough and made all the more heavenly by the yuzu/honey syrup. A perfect finish for the meal.

Introduction

2008-11-20T18:02:00.000-08:00

Food is about more than flavor. It is more than the sum of its ingredients. Nothing like it has the power to invigorate, to lift our spirits, to remind us of good times, to inspire, and to comfort. It is perhaps ironic that one of the basic requirements of life can also be one of its utmost pleasures. The activity of preparing food is one of those rare combinations of art and science that transcends both - and how zen that we consume the results! Food is an exeperience wholely unto itself, though it is always best when shared with others. To that end, I share with you my adventures.

A man more knowledgeable than I once said,

"...the real power of food isn't in its ability to thrill or fill or surprise or please. It's in its ability to connect us to ourselves, to each other, to our heritage, to our land, maybe to our future. Food's a road, and it can lead you to a discovery or two if you let it. Ride hard, eat hardy, be thankful."

I couldn't agree more...