I’ve been spoiled lately on the likes of Brazilian festivities, a private townhouse dinner, …lovely Minneapolis. Ok, ok; I haven’t actually been to Brazil or gone to any friend of mine’s townhouse this week, but my dining experiences have been such that I’ve really been delving into truly immersive experiences.
On a whim last week, I went to BoBo, a restaurant situated in a townhouse in the heart of the West Village, but that, oddly, has managed to fly under the radar since it’s opening in September. Sure, there is no sign out front, and their opening chef garnered so not so good reviews, but this—now with a new chef—is exactly the type of place New Yorkers love: quaint and lovely yet invokes the feeling that there could be some tabloid worthy couples lurking, food spectacular and delicate without being overly fussy or too designed on each plate. The place has character to say the least; each room feels like the room of someone’s eccentric West Village place.
The best part of the house is surely the terraced backyard, where I sat for an early dinner on a Friday night. Shockingly, the place—both indoors and outdoors—was less than a quarter full. Summer cocktails like Pimm’s Royale made with no. 1 and Spicy Cucumber Margherita’s are must-tries if you are in the mood for drinking. If wine is more your speed, there are plenty of very reasonably priced bottles—a nice comfort in what could have been a pretentious endeavor.
Food changes each night, depending of what (new) Chef Jared Stafford-Hill—formerly of Hearth—finds at the market. Scallops served crudo-style with beet wedges and baby asparagus tasted of spring. Equally as satisfying was the seared tuna served with a stack of white beans and arugula. A delicious piece of local Halibut was perfectly golden and crispy on the top, flaky and moist within. It came smathered in tapenade and rested upon springtime leeks and other first-of-the-season vegetables. The mushrooms, which came as a side dish were phenomenal. Salty and buttery, cooked but crispy, it was a fight to hold the little Staub cocotte in which the medley of chanterelles and buttons and oysters came.
Dessert was a chocolate soufflé for two, plus the still not packed terrace where we lingered for another hour or so. Go soon!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Twinspirations
I spent last week in Minneapolis on some business and was pleasantly inspired by a delectable steakhouse treat when I arrived and was taken to the legendary Manny’s.
What caught me off guard were not the carts of huge slabs of meat so garishly wheeled from table to table from which diners could make their Lipitor-inducing dinner selections, but the portabella fries special appetizer. Enormous mushrooms were cut in thick strips, rolled in a chili flake-enhanced breading and deep-fried to a dark brown. The mushrooms were plump, encased in the thick blanket of crusty breading. I had to cut them with fork and knife because biting directly into them would result in the ‘shroom juices escaping down my chin. Needless to say, I didn’t care if I was full for the main course—these were heaven.
What caught me off guard were not the carts of huge slabs of meat so garishly wheeled from table to table from which diners could make their Lipitor-inducing dinner selections, but the portabella fries special appetizer. Enormous mushrooms were cut in thick strips, rolled in a chili flake-enhanced breading and deep-fried to a dark brown. The mushrooms were plump, encased in the thick blanket of crusty breading. I had to cut them with fork and knife because biting directly into them would result in the ‘shroom juices escaping down my chin. Needless to say, I didn’t care if I was full for the main course—these were heaven.
Miss Favela
When Miss Favela, a new Brazilian restaurant located practically beneath the Williamsburg bridge, popped up out of no where on a running route recently, I knew that I had to try out the brightly painted spot. Every thing about this place is saturated in Brazil from the hanging flag to the colorful flower-pattern cinder block, to the blaring music, to the açai cocktails.
The food is fantastic and all-about-Brazil as well. Cod fritters arrive in a no frills red plastic basket as does a shareable portion of fried yucca. Sautéed shrimp in a saucy soup of coconut milk, red peppers, onion, and garlic is ideal in which to dip those yucca sticks. Other enticing options were various types of meat (steaks and ribs) and vegetarian options of Brazilian rice and beans and vegetables.
The wait staff is eager to please, if a little green. However, sit outside and after a few drinks made with Brazilian cachaça, it doesn’t make any difference.
The food is fantastic and all-about-Brazil as well. Cod fritters arrive in a no frills red plastic basket as does a shareable portion of fried yucca. Sautéed shrimp in a saucy soup of coconut milk, red peppers, onion, and garlic is ideal in which to dip those yucca sticks. Other enticing options were various types of meat (steaks and ribs) and vegetarian options of Brazilian rice and beans and vegetables.
The wait staff is eager to please, if a little green. However, sit outside and after a few drinks made with Brazilian cachaça, it doesn’t make any difference.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Welcome Commerce
I finally ate at Commerce with a great buddy last week. When we arrived, the place was hopping and we instantly fell into the good spirits. Having not seen him in a while, my friend and I spent a long time after being seated to catch up—chatting and laughing—without a single glance at the menu. Instead of our waiter getting frustrating or giving up on us, he remained patient until we ordered and courteous throughout the meal. We even remarked at the end of our meal how pleasant the waiter was—helpful but not hawking, enthusiastic but not overly gushy, an overall excellent balance.
This balance was not in our food. No. We were the ones who overly gushed. We loved our food. We effervesced and ooh-ed and ahh-ed when the waiter came to ask how everything was.
We couldn’t get enough from the start, with just the bread: a warm basket of homemade mini soft pretzels, olive rolls, sesame sweet buns, ciabatta, and sourdough. We could care less if we disobeyed parents across the country and filled up on bread.
To be fair, we were lucky that we didn’t, because our appetizers were
perfection. Roasted sweet potato tortelloni with hazelnuts, pomegranates and beurre noisette were rich while remaining light. The potato puree inside the homemade pasta was a velvety texture that was irresistible. Fluke sashimi was also irresistible. Served in a wide bowl with lime, lemon, jalapeño, and slivered radishes, the grapefruit-section-like slicesof fish carried excellent flavor. We couldn’t decide which starter was better. I also saw two dishes of oysters that I vowed to get next time.
Entrees didn’t slow the pace of deliciousness. I smiled with every bite of a soft shell crab nightly special while my friend was busy cherishing each morsel of braised beef, bone marrow, and sirloin steak as if he were dining at grandma’s house. The meaty dish came on a bed of cauliflower mash, which helped to sop up the jus of the cuts of beef. When the waiter asked how things were, we practically jumped up to kiss him—but then we would have had to put down our forks.
Dessert capped off the meal in the form of a delicate, creamy,cakeycoffee something or other. By that time, we didn’t know what call anything except outstanding.
This balance was not in our food. No. We were the ones who overly gushed. We loved our food. We effervesced and ooh-ed and ahh-ed when the waiter came to ask how everything was.
We couldn’t get enough from the start, with just the bread: a warm basket of homemade mini soft pretzels, olive rolls, sesame sweet buns, ciabatta, and sourdough. We could care less if we disobeyed parents across the country and filled up on bread.
To be fair, we were lucky that we didn’t, because our appetizers were
perfection. Roasted sweet potato tortelloni with hazelnuts, pomegranates and beurre noisette were rich while remaining light. The potato puree inside the homemade pasta was a velvety texture that was irresistible. Fluke sashimi was also irresistible. Served in a wide bowl with lime, lemon, jalapeño, and slivered radishes, the grapefruit-section-like slicesof fish carried excellent flavor. We couldn’t decide which starter was better. I also saw two dishes of oysters that I vowed to get next time.
Entrees didn’t slow the pace of deliciousness. I smiled with every bite of a soft shell crab nightly special while my friend was busy cherishing each morsel of braised beef, bone marrow, and sirloin steak as if he were dining at grandma’s house. The meaty dish came on a bed of cauliflower mash, which helped to sop up the jus of the cuts of beef. When the waiter asked how things were, we practically jumped up to kiss him—but then we would have had to put down our forks.
Dessert capped off the meal in the form of a delicate, creamy,cakeycoffee something or other. By that time, we didn’t know what call anything except outstanding.
Little Giant
With a little time to kill on Saturday night, I popped in to Little Giant to say hello to Tasha and Julie, LG’s chef-owners and all around babes of the restaurant industry. Having worked there as an original waitress, I feel a special kinship to the place, and everytime I stop in, I am never disappointed.
This time, it was a recommendation from the bartender about a certain Belgian beer called Dupont Saison Farmhouse that was outrageously good. It had a citrusy zest that was refreshing, while also carrying a richer note of vanilla and spice to balance out a slight lemony bitterness. It is a perfect, crisp beer for summertime. The bubbly-factor on the finish would pair up well with clams fresh off the grill or with scallops lightly seared in brown butter.
This time, it was a recommendation from the bartender about a certain Belgian beer called Dupont Saison Farmhouse that was outrageously good. It had a citrusy zest that was refreshing, while also carrying a richer note of vanilla and spice to balance out a slight lemony bitterness. It is a perfect, crisp beer for summertime. The bubbly-factor on the finish would pair up well with clams fresh off the grill or with scallops lightly seared in brown butter.
An Egg to Perk Things Up
Asparagus has been at the Greenmarket for a while so when I made it for dinner of Sunday, I decided to perk things up a little. The addition of an egg to the tall, skinny trees isn’t anything new, but I’d read somewhere that Dan Barber was frying a soft-boiled one in panko as a new rendition. I gave it a try to spectacular results.
**Grill one bunch of asparagus, then follow directions below.
First, soft-boil one egg. Cool and peel the egg very gently. Then, set up three dipping bowls: one with a little flour, one with a beaten egg, and the last with panko. Roll the egg in the flour, then beaten egg, and then panko.
Heat enough oil in a pan to cover the robed egg for frying. When oil is very hot, slowly dunk the egg, frying for 2-3 minutes. When it is browned, remove and place it atop the grilled asparagus. Before serving, cut crispy egg in half to allow yolk to run out.
**Grill one bunch of asparagus, then follow directions below.
First, soft-boil one egg. Cool and peel the egg very gently. Then, set up three dipping bowls: one with a little flour, one with a beaten egg, and the last with panko. Roll the egg in the flour, then beaten egg, and then panko.
Heat enough oil in a pan to cover the robed egg for frying. When oil is very hot, slowly dunk the egg, frying for 2-3 minutes. When it is browned, remove and place it atop the grilled asparagus. Before serving, cut crispy egg in half to allow yolk to run out.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
(k)Not Rusty Food
What was supposed to be a drink with a best buddy of mine quickly became a full-on feeding frenzy by the time we’d finished reading the menu at Rusty Knot, the newest venture to be churned out by veterans of The Spotted Pig. This new, yet designed-to-be-a-dive bar is located along the West Side Highway on the corner of West Eleventh. It instantly feels tacky and out-of-touch upon walking in… but kind of in a good way. The so-bad-it’s-good thing is in its highest form here—it’s your grandma’s basement.
The fare also takes from that era (or before); however, there is no hint of mothballs as far as the experience of the kitchen is concerned. In a way, the food offered is World’s Fair food—things I imagine you’d find among the food carts at one of these 19th century events, and everything is top-notch.
Pickles, oysters, meat pies, and mussels all surface on the menu—the sort of old New York staples that have become so posh in this day and age. Everything here, however, is made with much more precision and years of culinary school than the dishes by which they were inspired.
Mussels are prepared with bacon and breadcrumbs. Each in individually assembled and then served back in their shell. Peel and Eat Shrimp are a fantastic burst of the sea. Simply prepared and halfway shelled, I ended up ordering two baskets of them, which are messy to eat but clearly worth it.
The Chicken Liver and Bacon Sandwich, though I was hesitant to take a bite turned out to be spectacular. Served on a crusty but soft loaf, I enjoyed this immensely. I can also imagine that it would be ideal drunk- food, which might be an ulterior motive. $3 Meat Pies were also winners in that sense, as I can imagine myself sitting at the bar popping them back in between beers all night.
And speaking of the bar, specialty drinks and excellent variety of scotch and bourbon will keep you happy that you trekked all the way to the western most hot spot in Manhattan. Have a glass of Four Roses Bourbon, also a grandma-era throwback since it took a 45-year hiatus of availability in our town until it resurfaced only last year. If that’s too strong, get the Rusty Knot—a rum and sour mix drink—or a Dark and Stormy, also made with rum but this time cut with ginger beer and served in a tall silly tiki glass.
The fare also takes from that era (or before); however, there is no hint of mothballs as far as the experience of the kitchen is concerned. In a way, the food offered is World’s Fair food—things I imagine you’d find among the food carts at one of these 19th century events, and everything is top-notch.
Pickles, oysters, meat pies, and mussels all surface on the menu—the sort of old New York staples that have become so posh in this day and age. Everything here, however, is made with much more precision and years of culinary school than the dishes by which they were inspired.
Mussels are prepared with bacon and breadcrumbs. Each in individually assembled and then served back in their shell. Peel and Eat Shrimp are a fantastic burst of the sea. Simply prepared and halfway shelled, I ended up ordering two baskets of them, which are messy to eat but clearly worth it.
The Chicken Liver and Bacon Sandwich, though I was hesitant to take a bite turned out to be spectacular. Served on a crusty but soft loaf, I enjoyed this immensely. I can also imagine that it would be ideal drunk- food, which might be an ulterior motive. $3 Meat Pies were also winners in that sense, as I can imagine myself sitting at the bar popping them back in between beers all night.
And speaking of the bar, specialty drinks and excellent variety of scotch and bourbon will keep you happy that you trekked all the way to the western most hot spot in Manhattan. Have a glass of Four Roses Bourbon, also a grandma-era throwback since it took a 45-year hiatus of availability in our town until it resurfaced only last year. If that’s too strong, get the Rusty Knot—a rum and sour mix drink—or a Dark and Stormy, also made with rum but this time cut with ginger beer and served in a tall silly tiki glass.
Weelicious
A friend of mine told me about Weelicious; and, though I don’t have a baby of my own, I cannot help but visit this website at least once a week. A new mother who lives in LA and is devoted to coming up with new and exciting purees for her fourteenth-month-old baby boy posts the content.
This ambitious mommy whips up little dishes like avocado and cherimoya mousse and Hawaiian Snapper. Her recipes are mostly purees, as is driven by the age of her child; however things like cilantr’os have recently snuck in to the blog—she makes a cilantro-olive oil sauce, mixes it with O-shaped pasta, and tops the mix-up with cottage cheese to add tang and protein (I’m jealous!).
These are great ideas if you’re looking for new ideas or hoping to turn your tikes into gourmands!
This ambitious mommy whips up little dishes like avocado and cherimoya mousse and Hawaiian Snapper. Her recipes are mostly purees, as is driven by the age of her child; however things like cilantr’os have recently snuck in to the blog—she makes a cilantro-olive oil sauce, mixes it with O-shaped pasta, and tops the mix-up with cottage cheese to add tang and protein (I’m jealous!).
These are great ideas if you’re looking for new ideas or hoping to turn your tikes into gourmands!
Napa Style Shrimp Pizza
In Napa, known for its vineyards and what imbibing comes with those expansive fields of grape vines, I was caught off guard when I found myself inhaling a seafood pizza instead of the aromas of a cabernet. Said pizza was an interesting combination of toppings that included sweet shrimp, red onions, cilantro, chives, and mozzarella cheese. The shrimp-cheese combo was what threw me off; however, after one bite, I seized all qualms. The gooey mozzarella, instead of overpowering the pink and white curls of shrimp that dotted the pie, enhanced their sweetness. The textures worked off of one another as harmoniously as their flavors—while the cheese was a melt-y mess, the shrimp had an ebullient spring in each bite that uplifted the cheese. This combination was boosted even more by the onions, which after baking were oh-so-sweet, and by the cilantro and chives, which gave the pizza an herbal freshness and kick.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Resounding Flavors at Elettaria
First impressions and last impressions at Aktar Nawab’s Elettaria are what are most memorable although the entire dinner certainly gets a standing ovation for its theatre-spectacle like qualities that truly shaped our evening.
Running late for a 9:45 reservation on Friday night, our 10:10 arrival didn’t miff the hostess one bit. We were received with a warmth and friendliness that don’t surface too often, especially in a hot-off-the-presses restaurant owned by a locally famed, slightly presumptuous chef.
The dining room is set up in three rows of tables with the kitchen situated in the back of the restaurant, open for all to see as five or six chefs work the line with Aktar front and center. Aktar’s passion is clearly in pairing interesting flavor profiles that might seem bizarre until first bite.
On the menu, he lists the star components of each dish like the fried quail with pomegranate molasses, bacon, and a fried quail egg. This appetizer—wow; four chicken mcnuggets on crack. The flavor is outrageous in the best way—tangy, sweet, and meaty—and the texture follows suit with a moist, crispy, almost melt-y quality. The cured kanpachi is also an appetizer not to be missed. It is delicately presented with flecks of fried garlic, honshimeji mushrooms, and hearts of palm.
Our main courses were the weakest aspect of the meal, but they were satisfying nonetheless. Wild striped bass atop a heaping mound of fantastically flavored fried white rice with saffron, cippollini onions, and poppy seeds was expertly prepared. Mattar Paneer, traditionally an Indian dish of a sort-of farmer’s cheese and peas in a sweet, red sauce gets the royal treatment of ricotta cheese dumplings, baby carrots in addition to the peas, and a comforting red curry sauce.
The meal crescendo-ed with dessert: two golf ball sized fried milk doughnuts made (presumably) with sweetened condensed milk and served with rose water, ginger custard and chai gelato. Spectacular. Encore!
I am already planning my next visit, when I plan on drinking the 8th wonder (my favorite bourbon, Buffalo Trace, gets infused with cardamom and mixed with lemon and vermouth) and dining on the bavette with kohlrabi and king oyster mushrooms.
Running late for a 9:45 reservation on Friday night, our 10:10 arrival didn’t miff the hostess one bit. We were received with a warmth and friendliness that don’t surface too often, especially in a hot-off-the-presses restaurant owned by a locally famed, slightly presumptuous chef.
The dining room is set up in three rows of tables with the kitchen situated in the back of the restaurant, open for all to see as five or six chefs work the line with Aktar front and center. Aktar’s passion is clearly in pairing interesting flavor profiles that might seem bizarre until first bite.
On the menu, he lists the star components of each dish like the fried quail with pomegranate molasses, bacon, and a fried quail egg. This appetizer—wow; four chicken mcnuggets on crack. The flavor is outrageous in the best way—tangy, sweet, and meaty—and the texture follows suit with a moist, crispy, almost melt-y quality. The cured kanpachi is also an appetizer not to be missed. It is delicately presented with flecks of fried garlic, honshimeji mushrooms, and hearts of palm.
Our main courses were the weakest aspect of the meal, but they were satisfying nonetheless. Wild striped bass atop a heaping mound of fantastically flavored fried white rice with saffron, cippollini onions, and poppy seeds was expertly prepared. Mattar Paneer, traditionally an Indian dish of a sort-of farmer’s cheese and peas in a sweet, red sauce gets the royal treatment of ricotta cheese dumplings, baby carrots in addition to the peas, and a comforting red curry sauce.
The meal crescendo-ed with dessert: two golf ball sized fried milk doughnuts made (presumably) with sweetened condensed milk and served with rose water, ginger custard and chai gelato. Spectacular. Encore!
I am already planning my next visit, when I plan on drinking the 8th wonder (my favorite bourbon, Buffalo Trace, gets infused with cardamom and mixed with lemon and vermouth) and dining on the bavette with kohlrabi and king oyster mushrooms.
27th St Rec
I highly recommend the sweet potato fries at Blue Smoke on 27th Street. Holy Cow! The side dish is a basket of very thick-cut wedges of steak fries. They get some sort of maple syrup treatment before slow roasting to gooey perfection on the inside-crispy crunch on the outside.
They also come with a maple dipping sauce, which works as a cooling counterpart to the piping hot orange batons. We ordered a portion for the table, and while it was a good move so as to sample the goods, to me, they trumped everything else (which was also very good) and I’ll certainly be hoarding my own next time around. I could make a meal out of them.
After vowing my allegiance, my commitment was confirmed by Gridskipper, as these fries were voted the best of!
They also come with a maple dipping sauce, which works as a cooling counterpart to the piping hot orange batons. We ordered a portion for the table, and while it was a good move so as to sample the goods, to me, they trumped everything else (which was also very good) and I’ll certainly be hoarding my own next time around. I could make a meal out of them.
After vowing my allegiance, my commitment was confirmed by Gridskipper, as these fries were voted the best of!
Aktareference Glossaria
The menu at Elettaria is sure tasty. However, I can’t shake the feeling that chef Aktar might be trying to snub us. I give his restaurant kudos for being exploratory and delicious, but a glossary of terms and ingredients would certainly be helpful. Here are a few things I wish I’d known before I’d dined (and, for the record, it was too noisy to ask the waitress about any of this):
Resala:A mild preparation of something cooked with ground and fresh herbs/spices, sometimes fruits and fresh cream.
Lugaw:Filipino rice porridge—rice porridge is, confusingly listed in the subtext beneath the dish; not style the rest of the menu follows.
Soubise: A cream sauce thickened with pureed onions.
Keema: Southeast Asian term for a type of mince meat.
Fenugreek:A plant commonly used in curries in leaf form and as a ground spice.
Rasmali: A cheese dessert often made with ricotta.
Resala:A mild preparation of something cooked with ground and fresh herbs/spices, sometimes fruits and fresh cream.
Lugaw:Filipino rice porridge—rice porridge is, confusingly listed in the subtext beneath the dish; not style the rest of the menu follows.
Soubise: A cream sauce thickened with pureed onions.
Keema: Southeast Asian term for a type of mince meat.
Fenugreek:A plant commonly used in curries in leaf form and as a ground spice.
Rasmali: A cheese dessert often made with ricotta.
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