My favorite “frills” new restaurant of the year was Elettaria. Chef Nawab is just doing such interesting things on the plate and the space is truly stunning. I don’t know if this restaurant has staying power, or if the chef will run out of ideas, but it is truly inspired cuisine.
My favorite “a little frilly” new restaurant is Naka Naka. It isn’t very new, but it’s very good. It’s a small Japanese restaurant in Chelsea; very quiet, very romantic.
The “no-frills” newbie that takes the cake is Miss Favela, the Brazilian place under the Williamsburg bridge that cranks fun music and flavor-packed food out all night.
My favorite outdoor dining/I would like to have a private dinner party in their garden restaurant is BoBo. The townhouse resto was doomed with a bad chef but then got a really, really great chef. Everything we tasted was delicious and the space is so lovely. Sit outside for sure.
My favorite Brooklyn restaurant is not a new one, but it’s outstanding. Go to Savoia, in Carroll Gardens, for the artichoke and calamari fritter and for the eggplant caponata with shrimp. These dishes should be in the 1000 Things To Do Before You Die book.
The most decadent dessert I had was a caramel chocolate tart at Marlow and Sons. It was a solid wedge of the two title ingredients held up by a graham/shortbread crust and dusted with salt. Brilliant.
My favorite little piece of perfection was the “spices” truffle from MarieBelle. I have no idea what was going on with it, but it was heaven.
As far as dining in, the crab cakes that my boyfriend makes are probably the very best food of that type that I’ve tasted. He learned while working as a restaurant in Charleston and has since perfected them. I gave the recipe in a spring DISH and I suggest that every guy learn to make this recipe. Every girl, too.
When I have cooked this year, I have found myself going back to the Honga’s Lotus Petal Cookbook. Honga’s Lotus Petal is my family’s favorite restaurant in Telluride, Colorado. Since we have been patrons (18 years!), Honga has had to move her restaurant to a larger location three times because she keeps getting more and more popular every year! This year, she and I swapped cookbooks and I have used her recipes as many times as I’ve cooked the recipes in my own.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
No Nonsense
Inevitably, there are always a few restaurants that you go to again and again that aren’t anything special, but then again, they just are.
My favorite no-nonsense restaurant that I tried for the first time this year is an old place on my block called La Locanda. Here, the Italian owner makes the fusilli and cavatelli each day. The single room is stark but the tantalizing smells and friendly neighborhood atmosphere compensate for it.
Besides homemade pastas, bread too is made in-house, calamari comes with a tasty spicy sauce, a plate of marinated mushrooms will last a week, and mozzarella en carozza is fried to a golden brown. Don’t miss asking for your pasta arrabiata, they do this spicy rendition here perfectly.
2nd Anniversary Dish!
This issue marks the closing of the DISH’s second year! Every week for 104 weeks on end, the DISH has been here to feed you tasty morsels of information about New York’s ever-evolving dining scene. We’ve eaten healthy, unhealthy, in dives, and in four-star restaurants. We’ve also tested recipes, talked to chefs, and shared home-cooking secrets.
Starting with Volume 3, the DISH will be enhancing its format by shifting to a monthly newsletter instead of weekly. YES, it will still come on Tuesdays; however, only the first Tuesday of each month.
With this new format, we will be expanding our focus to encompass not just the five boroughs of New York, but instead, every nook and cranny of the globe! From Nicaragua to Nigeria to the Netherlands, the sky’s the limit to this new year of tasting! With the new worldly content, we hope to expand your palates, your curiosity, and your imagination!
Starting with Volume 3, the DISH will be enhancing its format by shifting to a monthly newsletter instead of weekly. YES, it will still come on Tuesdays; however, only the first Tuesday of each month.
With this new format, we will be expanding our focus to encompass not just the five boroughs of New York, but instead, every nook and cranny of the globe! From Nicaragua to Nigeria to the Netherlands, the sky’s the limit to this new year of tasting! With the new worldly content, we hope to expand your palates, your curiosity, and your imagination!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Jordan’s Lobster Dock
A couple of weeks back, I got the urge to check out Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. This is a part of Brooklyn located North East of Brighton Beach and Coney Island, and for some reason, it kept popping up on my radar. A year ago a friend’s friend had mentioned his family’s business out there, then my uncle had been to a car dealership around the area, and then TimeOutNY had mentioned a must-try (which we did not try) restaurant in the neighborhood. With all of that, I decided it was day trip time.
We started out in Coney Island and walked up from there along the boardwalk, dipping into the interior when we got to Brighton Beach to check out the various foodstuffs in which the neighborhood specializes. We then walked up to Emmons Avenue, essentially the main strip along the bay (the Sheepshead Bay).
It was altogether otherworldly; at least, non-New Yorky (err Manhattan-y?). There were mini cruise ships lined up along the dock advertising sea bass tours. The people were urban in terms of diversity, but the shops were set up in a series of small strip malls interspersed with yacht clubs. We walked the entire bay until finally, we came to Jordan’s Lobster Dock, set back just one street from the bay, but still at the head of the Atlantic Ocean. It was my friend’s family business! The bare bones seafood shack was perfect—one of those places you’re sure doesn’t exist anymore in New York. But this place was hopping—no table service resulted in brisk dining and no-frills cashiers yelling numbers for patrons to come pick up their various seafood platters. We saw fish and chips, battered shrimp, and thick cut steak fries go by on treys before we made a decision.
We went for a classic lobster roll, which came with sweet potato fries. The roll was comprised of first a toasted hot dog bun, then a crisp piece of lettuce, and then a heaping—I mean supersize-it heaping—mound of straight up lobster. A few packets of mayo plus a lemon wedge came alongside it so that we could individually doctor our roll. With the delicate fries, it was plenty to feed two people, but we wanted one more thing and so went for the crab cake, of which lately I’ve eaten a ton. This one is professional—a little small, but very professional.
After lunch, we walked outside to the distinct smell of movie popcorn. Following our noses, we walked right into an afternoon matinee: one more reason to make the trek to this wonderful and authentic part of town!
We started out in Coney Island and walked up from there along the boardwalk, dipping into the interior when we got to Brighton Beach to check out the various foodstuffs in which the neighborhood specializes. We then walked up to Emmons Avenue, essentially the main strip along the bay (the Sheepshead Bay).
It was altogether otherworldly; at least, non-New Yorky (err Manhattan-y?). There were mini cruise ships lined up along the dock advertising sea bass tours. The people were urban in terms of diversity, but the shops were set up in a series of small strip malls interspersed with yacht clubs. We walked the entire bay until finally, we came to Jordan’s Lobster Dock, set back just one street from the bay, but still at the head of the Atlantic Ocean. It was my friend’s family business! The bare bones seafood shack was perfect—one of those places you’re sure doesn’t exist anymore in New York. But this place was hopping—no table service resulted in brisk dining and no-frills cashiers yelling numbers for patrons to come pick up their various seafood platters. We saw fish and chips, battered shrimp, and thick cut steak fries go by on treys before we made a decision.
We went for a classic lobster roll, which came with sweet potato fries. The roll was comprised of first a toasted hot dog bun, then a crisp piece of lettuce, and then a heaping—I mean supersize-it heaping—mound of straight up lobster. A few packets of mayo plus a lemon wedge came alongside it so that we could individually doctor our roll. With the delicate fries, it was plenty to feed two people, but we wanted one more thing and so went for the crab cake, of which lately I’ve eaten a ton. This one is professional—a little small, but very professional.
After lunch, we walked outside to the distinct smell of movie popcorn. Following our noses, we walked right into an afternoon matinee: one more reason to make the trek to this wonderful and authentic part of town!
Ear Fare
As far as late night bar food goes, I think I can confirm the sneaking suspicion I’ve had for about two years now. The Ear Inn’s food is really the best.
I used to live a few blocks from this wonderful watering hole and my former roommate used to always mention, modestly, how extremely decent he thought the food was at Ear. There was also the added bonus of it being opened quite late, making it a great nocturnal option.
I finally found myself simultaneously there and hungry; I ordered the shrimp and crab cake platter thinking it would be one of the more compromised things on the menu. To my luck and astonishment, I was pleasantly surprised with a delicious plate of two piping hot and very meaty cakes plus herbed buttery rice and boiled carrots. Dish approved!
I used to live a few blocks from this wonderful watering hole and my former roommate used to always mention, modestly, how extremely decent he thought the food was at Ear. There was also the added bonus of it being opened quite late, making it a great nocturnal option.
I finally found myself simultaneously there and hungry; I ordered the shrimp and crab cake platter thinking it would be one of the more compromised things on the menu. To my luck and astonishment, I was pleasantly surprised with a delicious plate of two piping hot and very meaty cakes plus herbed buttery rice and boiled carrots. Dish approved!
Batch of Unusual Sweets
I stopped into Batch, Pichet Ong’s P*Ong bakery follow-up on tenth street, and found some unusual treats last week. The least curious, but by no means dull, were two cupcakes. There was a Chocolate Devil’s Food variation, which was chocolate cake/chocolate frosting but surprised with a caramel layer within. There was also a Carrot/Salted Caramel delight in which the cake was carrot and the frosting was caramel with a salty sprinkle on top. It had a lime fill that gave the cupcake an extra thrill.
The other two goodies were shots in the dark that turned out to be successes. A passion fruit rice pudding was mellow and creamy while the Muscat grape crumb cake was spicy and sweet all at once. I found out later that the rice pudding was somehow dairy-free, which was perhaps the most remarkable thing of all!
The other two goodies were shots in the dark that turned out to be successes. A passion fruit rice pudding was mellow and creamy while the Muscat grape crumb cake was spicy and sweet all at once. I found out later that the rice pudding was somehow dairy-free, which was perhaps the most remarkable thing of all!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Madecasse Interview (part II)
TM: The idea came from our joint Peace Corps experiences, but also our private sector experiences (Brett's was in Madagascar): Kind of an appreciation and realization that we could use capitalism creatively to change some things in Madagascar.
Dish: I see. And did the Malagache government invest or help you with your venture? Or did Peace Corps? It seems daunting to start a company that exports out of one of the poorest countries in the world. How did you get started with it?
TM: No assistance from government or Peace Corps. Brett's last 2 years in Mada were spent exporting seaweed. The same company also exports vanilla and he got hooked up with them. Challenging, yes. Daunting, sometimes. It helps knowing the language and how things are on the ground, but there are a number of challenges we face simply because we operate in Madagascar (communications, infrastructure, etc).
Dish: I hear ya loud and clear. Writing my Madagascar cookbook was a similar uphill, but very fun and eye-opening battle! So, how did you decide what products to export? Your product line. I LOVE that you are doing a chocolate—soup to nuts—IN Madagascar. What’s that one they have there? Jacques or something? I always loved that.
TM: Right. The ONE they have there is Robert. We're working with the manufacturer of Robert to create our new line, coming out in the fall. The idea with our business model is to partner with local manufacturers that already have the capacity (i.e.equipment) but don't have the market knowledge/access to the U.S. The economic benefit of doing everything in Madagascar is that chocolate is worth roughly 4x the amount as the cocoa required to make it.
Madagascar has some of the best cocoa in the world, but until this project they have never exported actual chocolate to the U.S. market. In terms of the product line, it took a couple of wrong turns to get where we are today. But the starting points are the areas where Madagascar has a global, sustainable competitive advantage - vanilla and cocoa.
Dish: Right on. That sounds like an extremely viable and logical way of going about things. We're about out of space, but could you tell our readers where they can find the delicious chocolate and various Madecasse spices in New York?
TM: Sure. They're available at all Garden of Eden locations, all Amish Market locations, Zabar's, West Side Market, Grace's Market, The Chocolate Room (Brooklyn), Blue Apron (Brooklyn) and a number of others.
Dish: Fantastic. I'll be looking out for it.
Dish: I see. And did the Malagache government invest or help you with your venture? Or did Peace Corps? It seems daunting to start a company that exports out of one of the poorest countries in the world. How did you get started with it?
TM: No assistance from government or Peace Corps. Brett's last 2 years in Mada were spent exporting seaweed. The same company also exports vanilla and he got hooked up with them. Challenging, yes. Daunting, sometimes. It helps knowing the language and how things are on the ground, but there are a number of challenges we face simply because we operate in Madagascar (communications, infrastructure, etc).
Dish: I hear ya loud and clear. Writing my Madagascar cookbook was a similar uphill, but very fun and eye-opening battle! So, how did you decide what products to export? Your product line. I LOVE that you are doing a chocolate—soup to nuts—IN Madagascar. What’s that one they have there? Jacques or something? I always loved that.
TM: Right. The ONE they have there is Robert. We're working with the manufacturer of Robert to create our new line, coming out in the fall. The idea with our business model is to partner with local manufacturers that already have the capacity (i.e.equipment) but don't have the market knowledge/access to the U.S. The economic benefit of doing everything in Madagascar is that chocolate is worth roughly 4x the amount as the cocoa required to make it.
Madagascar has some of the best cocoa in the world, but until this project they have never exported actual chocolate to the U.S. market. In terms of the product line, it took a couple of wrong turns to get where we are today. But the starting points are the areas where Madagascar has a global, sustainable competitive advantage - vanilla and cocoa.
Dish: Right on. That sounds like an extremely viable and logical way of going about things. We're about out of space, but could you tell our readers where they can find the delicious chocolate and various Madecasse spices in New York?
TM: Sure. They're available at all Garden of Eden locations, all Amish Market locations, Zabar's, West Side Market, Grace's Market, The Chocolate Room (Brooklyn), Blue Apron (Brooklyn) and a number of others.
Dish: Fantastic. I'll be looking out for it.
Madecasse
After living in Madagascar several years ago, I have been unable to get it out of my system. Thus, when I bumped into Madecasse , a new company dedicated to producing high-end exports like chocolate and vanilla from Madagascar, my eyes popped out of my head and my jaw hit the ground.
Started by a former Peace Corps member who spent time on the Red Island after college, Madecasse is very dedicated to improving Madagascar’s economic conditions. In an interview with one of the founding members, I was pleased to discover that the Madecasse business model is one that promotes Madagascar, as opposed to takes advantage of its resources.
Look for Madecasse chocolates and spices all over town! And see the interview to the right.
Started by a former Peace Corps member who spent time on the Red Island after college, Madecasse is very dedicated to improving Madagascar’s economic conditions. In an interview with one of the founding members, I was pleased to discover that the Madecasse business model is one that promotes Madagascar, as opposed to takes advantage of its resources.
Look for Madecasse chocolates and spices all over town! And see the interview to the right.
Madecasse Interview (part I)
Dish: So, when did you go to Madagascar for Peace Corps, and what were you doing?
Tim McCollum: I left in August of 1999, a couple of months after college graduation.
Dish: And how long did you spend there/what were you doing?
TM: I was there for two years. My primary project was teaching English at Lycée (High School) and C.E.G (Elem. School). I also did a couple of secondary projects - built a library, coordinated mentorship programs, polio vaccines, etc.
Dish: That is fantastic! So did you have the idea to start Madecasse while you were there or once you returned to the US?
TM: After I returned I spent 6 years with American Express. About 2 years ago my business partner (Brett) and fellow PeaceCorps volunteer returned to the U.S. and we started this together.
Tim McCollum: I left in August of 1999, a couple of months after college graduation.
Dish: And how long did you spend there/what were you doing?
TM: I was there for two years. My primary project was teaching English at Lycée (High School) and C.E.G (Elem. School). I also did a couple of secondary projects - built a library, coordinated mentorship programs, polio vaccines, etc.
Dish: That is fantastic! So did you have the idea to start Madecasse while you were there or once you returned to the US?
TM: After I returned I spent 6 years with American Express. About 2 years ago my business partner (Brett) and fellow PeaceCorps volunteer returned to the U.S. and we started this together.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Bittman Picnic
Mark Bittman gave quite a few picnic ideas in Wednesday’s New York Times. I couldn’t get through the article without being utterly overwhelmed. Finally, I paired down my perfect picnic via Bittman.
I’d start with the Thai Gazpacho—that quick blended soup of tomatoes and cucumbers in which the author most expertly adds stalks of lemongrass and cilantro. Then I’d go for an intermezzo of tomatoes and peaches, an inspired combination. Following that, I’d get heavy with the olive and caper couscous. And I’d mix those assorted mushrooms right in. Then I’ll take one of those cornbread cubes. I know I’d enjoy the canned tuna and anchovy mashup, though I maybe in the minority. I am full, but yes please I’ll have one lamb meatball. And I must have dessert: angel food cake!
I’d start with the Thai Gazpacho—that quick blended soup of tomatoes and cucumbers in which the author most expertly adds stalks of lemongrass and cilantro. Then I’d go for an intermezzo of tomatoes and peaches, an inspired combination. Following that, I’d get heavy with the olive and caper couscous. And I’d mix those assorted mushrooms right in. Then I’ll take one of those cornbread cubes. I know I’d enjoy the canned tuna and anchovy mashup, though I maybe in the minority. I am full, but yes please I’ll have one lamb meatball. And I must have dessert: angel food cake!
Ceviche della Máma
Ceviche is a funny thing. Raw fish gets marinated in citrus—be it lime, lemon, grapefruit, or orange—and is then safe to eat, since the citric acid “cooks” the fish. Depending on which citrus you use to cure your fish of choice determines which type of ceviche you are making—Ecuadorian, Peruvian, Chilean, etc. Moreover, these regions have specific types of fish that they use more typically as well as their particular types of spices and herbs.
My mom made a mean ceviche last weekend. While perhaps more commonly eaten as an appetizer in small portions, my mother knew how much I would love it and that I’d most likely want it as my full meal (which I did) so she doubled the recipe. Have I mentioned lately how great a chef she is? This is her recipe. She got it from Departures Magazine and then doctored it up to be Donenfeld-perfect. Use it and be prepared for people to start lining up at your door.
My Mom’s Sea Bass Ceviche
3/4 lb very fresh sea bass, cut into 1/2 " cubes
3/4 lb very fresh halibut, cut into 1/2 " cubes
1/2 lb very fresh scallops, quartered
12 limes for juicing
2 jalapeños, seeded and finely diced
1 large red pepper, seeded, deveined and finely diced
1 large yellow pepper, seeded, deveined and finely diced
1 avocado, pitted and sliced into chunks
1 small red onion, finely diced
11/2 cups chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper
1. Place the fish in a bowl and marinate with juice of five limes, season with salt and pepper. Marinate for 3 hours or set a small plate on fish for one hour to speed the curing process.
2. Place vegetables in separate bowl and repeat steps above.
3. Using fine mesh strainer, drain excess liquid from bowls.
4. Combine fish and vegetables and add chopped cilantro.
5. Adjust seasonings and stir in the juice of two more limes. Serve with chips and crackers.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
My mom made a mean ceviche last weekend. While perhaps more commonly eaten as an appetizer in small portions, my mother knew how much I would love it and that I’d most likely want it as my full meal (which I did) so she doubled the recipe. Have I mentioned lately how great a chef she is? This is her recipe. She got it from Departures Magazine and then doctored it up to be Donenfeld-perfect. Use it and be prepared for people to start lining up at your door.
My Mom’s Sea Bass Ceviche
3/4 lb very fresh sea bass, cut into 1/2 " cubes
3/4 lb very fresh halibut, cut into 1/2 " cubes
1/2 lb very fresh scallops, quartered
12 limes for juicing
2 jalapeños, seeded and finely diced
1 large red pepper, seeded, deveined and finely diced
1 large yellow pepper, seeded, deveined and finely diced
1 avocado, pitted and sliced into chunks
1 small red onion, finely diced
11/2 cups chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper
1. Place the fish in a bowl and marinate with juice of five limes, season with salt and pepper. Marinate for 3 hours or set a small plate on fish for one hour to speed the curing process.
2. Place vegetables in separate bowl and repeat steps above.
3. Using fine mesh strainer, drain excess liquid from bowls.
4. Combine fish and vegetables and add chopped cilantro.
5. Adjust seasonings and stir in the juice of two more limes. Serve with chips and crackers.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
William Poll Chip Heaven
Last week at the Fancy Food Show, I tasted a lot of, what seemed at the time, delicious food. However, when doing a recap while brainstorming for this newsletter, there was only one standout product. William Poll Potato Chips—you name the flavor—are spectacular. Garlic, Sesame, Shallot and Pepper, Rosemary, Herbs de Provence…those are just a few of the incredible flavors in which these super crispy, super thin, super flavorful gourmet chips come. As if the taste isn’t
enough to get anyone hooked, these Yukon Golds are baked, not fried, upping the health factor just a nudge.
If the chips aren’t enough for you on their own (or, if you are having guests over and think they will be skeptical if all you serve is chips), try some of the William Poll Dips. The mushroom and the lobster dip are superb and decadent. The sundried tomato will be perfect on a panini. The ginger and garlic will go great with shrimp. Chips and Dip!
enough to get anyone hooked, these Yukon Golds are baked, not fried, upping the health factor just a nudge.
If the chips aren’t enough for you on their own (or, if you are having guests over and think they will be skeptical if all you serve is chips), try some of the William Poll Dips. The mushroom and the lobster dip are superb and decadent. The sundried tomato will be perfect on a panini. The ginger and garlic will go great with shrimp. Chips and Dip!
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Sneaking to Savoia
Savoia is probably my new favorite Italian restaurant. On a tip from my uncle, I went on an impromptu tasting mission to Carroll Gardens on a pleasant Sunday evening not so long ago to give the place a whirl. After one meal, I am a total convert. Of course, it does help that a fifteen minute wait was remedied by a glass of gratis prosecco handed off by a doe-eyed bartender. Ahhh… Italia.
It’s a big deal for me to claim this Italian restaurant as my favorite. If there is anything I have learned since moving out of Manhattan, it’s that Brooklyn is big... And click-y. It’s the neighborhood—Carroll Gardens is not remotely close to my part of Brooklyn. Also, my neighborhood is Italian and just the idea of going to another haunt for pasta and peroni induces a chill down my back, imagining a mobster from two blocks over giving me the axe from disloyalty. But one bite of anything on the menu and you will be sneaking there every weekend.
A plate-sized pancake of pan-fried artichoke and calamari was our fritter starter. Crispy, not greasy batter held chunks of choke and calamari rings, packing the punch with each bite. A tomato salad came out as a heaping mound of too-flavorful-for-the-start-of-the-season slices, augmented by paper-thin ringlets of onion, a heavy hand of oregano and fresh leaves of basil.
Shrimp and eggplant caponata was a hands-down favorite. An ample portion of fresh, flavorful caponata took over a dinner plate only to get crowned with at least six sautéed shrimp. Homemade white and foccacia breads made for excellent scoops for the decadent dip.
We eyed the pizzas and the pastas all around, knowing that we didn’t have much more room in our stomachs. While the pizzas looked fantastic, they looked devastatingly large at that point in the meal. We opted for a fusili which came with sun-dried tomatoes, shrimp, and got robed in a creamy pesto, unlike anything either of us have had before—in New York, the United States, Italy, and elsewhere.
This was the best. I didn’t think I’d be able to eat much, no matter how tasty, but I managed to uphold my half of the entrée, even venturing to the other side for a few last bites.
It’s a big deal for me to claim this Italian restaurant as my favorite. If there is anything I have learned since moving out of Manhattan, it’s that Brooklyn is big... And click-y. It’s the neighborhood—Carroll Gardens is not remotely close to my part of Brooklyn. Also, my neighborhood is Italian and just the idea of going to another haunt for pasta and peroni induces a chill down my back, imagining a mobster from two blocks over giving me the axe from disloyalty. But one bite of anything on the menu and you will be sneaking there every weekend.
A plate-sized pancake of pan-fried artichoke and calamari was our fritter starter. Crispy, not greasy batter held chunks of choke and calamari rings, packing the punch with each bite. A tomato salad came out as a heaping mound of too-flavorful-for-the-start-of-the-season slices, augmented by paper-thin ringlets of onion, a heavy hand of oregano and fresh leaves of basil.
Shrimp and eggplant caponata was a hands-down favorite. An ample portion of fresh, flavorful caponata took over a dinner plate only to get crowned with at least six sautéed shrimp. Homemade white and foccacia breads made for excellent scoops for the decadent dip.
We eyed the pizzas and the pastas all around, knowing that we didn’t have much more room in our stomachs. While the pizzas looked fantastic, they looked devastatingly large at that point in the meal. We opted for a fusili which came with sun-dried tomatoes, shrimp, and got robed in a creamy pesto, unlike anything either of us have had before—in New York, the United States, Italy, and elsewhere.
This was the best. I didn’t think I’d be able to eat much, no matter how tasty, but I managed to uphold my half of the entrée, even venturing to the other side for a few last bites.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Five Front, and Dinner for Four in the Back
Before a St. Ann’s Warehouse play last week, I went to the charming Five Front Restaurant. The garden in the back was lively, as it seemed that several other people had my same idea for a pre-play meal. And, although this put quite a strain on the waitress—there was one for the ten or so tables back there—she was nothing but gracious and apologetic as she tried to keep our dinner moving at the pace we needed to go.
The group dining outside was eclectic to say the least, and seemed to very much reflect DUMBO’s current population. There were a few young couples, a few couples with strollers wheeled up to their tables, several tables of artistic types, and one table of seven—mom, dad, and a whopping five children.
The crowd was not the only feast. To start, we had the fried calamari and shrimp, which came with a fantastic, cooling herbed tartar sauce. The crab cake appetizer also came with a wonderful sauce. A thick, all crab pattyperched on a smear of chipotle aioli. I also had gazpacho, a summertime favorite of mine ever since my mother and I attempted to make some and ended up with what seemed like ten gallons (we kept adding things to get it juuust right!). The Five Front gazpacho was billed as a cucumber gazpacho, but came out a typical tomato-based chilled soup—not that I minded.
Everyone opted for the same entrée, the trout. A long, thin piece encrusted in cornmeal was served over a summer succotash of vegetables. A mound of shoestring cut fried potatoes rounded out the dish. It was bliss to get a little fish, a few veggies, and some toothpick-sized fries on each forkful before taking a bite. Even my grandmother finished her plate—an accomplishment for a woman who stands under five feet and who is known for only being interested in dessert these days.
Speaking of dessert; we did order and finish dessert, despite our small rush. A tiramisu, assembled specifically on our plate, was perfection—one of my favorite desserts. Layers of espresso-stained mascarpone cream divided soft chocolate sponge cake instead of ladyfingers. My hurry-up anxiety instantly left me when the delicacy arrived. It disappeared in one minute, and we didn’t skip a beat getting to the play on time.
The group dining outside was eclectic to say the least, and seemed to very much reflect DUMBO’s current population. There were a few young couples, a few couples with strollers wheeled up to their tables, several tables of artistic types, and one table of seven—mom, dad, and a whopping five children.
The crowd was not the only feast. To start, we had the fried calamari and shrimp, which came with a fantastic, cooling herbed tartar sauce. The crab cake appetizer also came with a wonderful sauce. A thick, all crab pattyperched on a smear of chipotle aioli. I also had gazpacho, a summertime favorite of mine ever since my mother and I attempted to make some and ended up with what seemed like ten gallons (we kept adding things to get it juuust right!). The Five Front gazpacho was billed as a cucumber gazpacho, but came out a typical tomato-based chilled soup—not that I minded.
Everyone opted for the same entrée, the trout. A long, thin piece encrusted in cornmeal was served over a summer succotash of vegetables. A mound of shoestring cut fried potatoes rounded out the dish. It was bliss to get a little fish, a few veggies, and some toothpick-sized fries on each forkful before taking a bite. Even my grandmother finished her plate—an accomplishment for a woman who stands under five feet and who is known for only being interested in dessert these days.
Speaking of dessert; we did order and finish dessert, despite our small rush. A tiramisu, assembled specifically on our plate, was perfection—one of my favorite desserts. Layers of espresso-stained mascarpone cream divided soft chocolate sponge cake instead of ladyfingers. My hurry-up anxiety instantly left me when the delicacy arrived. It disappeared in one minute, and we didn’t skip a beat getting to the play on time.
July 4th Hints
Staying in the city this Friday? Me, too! I suggest stopping off at Lobster Place in Chelsea Market, buying as many lobsters as you can afford, buying a few clams and oysters while you are at it, finding someone with a roof, hauling a Weber grill up there, bringing along lasts weeks New York Magazine in which dissecting a lobster is explained, and instead of boiling the lobster (and sautéing the clams and shucking the oysters), throwing everything on the grill.
The clams and oysters open right up and the lobsters, if you cut them in half, brush them with olive oil and grill them, will be nearly as easy. They’ll get a delicious char-taste and prove to be a satisfying feast as you gave as fire works over the river. Half guests bring cocktail sauces and aiolis to seal the deal.
The clams and oysters open right up and the lobsters, if you cut them in half, brush them with olive oil and grill them, will be nearly as easy. They’ll get a delicious char-taste and prove to be a satisfying feast as you gave as fire works over the river. Half guests bring cocktail sauces and aiolis to seal the deal.
Blue Water Lunch
I hadn’t been to Blue Water Grill—that long-standing BRGuest establishment in Union Square—since my maiden year living in Manhattan. I liked it fine back then, but it always struck me as contrived, and that feeling has stuck with me all this time.
However, after lunch there last week, I must say, that no matter how staged this place is, the food is phenomenal. This is a well-oiled machine to say the least. A lunch with five people in which we ordered variations on the same drink (iced tea! Lemonade! Arnold Palmer!) without the waiter mixing up a single one, was unbelievable. The food—my plate was a marinated seafood salad with two huge shrimp, a massive half of a lobster tail and one claw, a fistful of calamari, and a few mussels—was even more outstanding. Said salad was impeccably dressed and our appetizer oysters were fresh and varied. Other entrees looked delicious but were gobbled up before I could taste. A good sign!
However, after lunch there last week, I must say, that no matter how staged this place is, the food is phenomenal. This is a well-oiled machine to say the least. A lunch with five people in which we ordered variations on the same drink (iced tea! Lemonade! Arnold Palmer!) without the waiter mixing up a single one, was unbelievable. The food—my plate was a marinated seafood salad with two huge shrimp, a massive half of a lobster tail and one claw, a fistful of calamari, and a few mussels—was even more outstanding. Said salad was impeccably dressed and our appetizer oysters were fresh and varied. Other entrees looked delicious but were gobbled up before I could taste. A good sign!
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