11.28.09
Posted in Asian, Japanese, New York City Neighborhoods, New York City Reviews, Upper West Side, rated 6 to 6.5 at 16:51 by Dominique
311 Amsterdam Ave. & 75th St., 212-877-9300
great for: decent sushi on the UWS, cocktails
My friends D & A love the guacamole with spicy tuna and wasabi chips here. Unfortunately, they didn’t tell me that was the key dish before I came, so I was left to my own devices trying to pick the best things on the menu. I might return to try that with them, but the rest of the food was just decent. This is an upscale, trendy, sort-of-Asian place; if that’s your thing, you’ll like it. Otherwise, it’s overpriced and not bad for the Upper West Side, but I wouldn’t make the trek from downtown just for this. (There was a party nearby.)
Our two duck spring rolls to start were pretty good. So was my sashimi Fusha – not as amazing as I’d like, but certainly serviceable. The Dynamite, Lady Lobster, California and Volcano rolls were all good as well. My favorite part of the meal was the drinks. I was tired after a long day of auditioning and indulged in an espresso martini – I am not drinking for a while to lose weight, but I figure caffeine counteracts alcohol (shut up, it’s true if I believe it) – and the Strawberry Fields cocktail is a nice tall glass of yummy. Literally.
We had slightly befuddled service but everything worked itself out in the end. It’s a good place to bring people before going out, and certainly if you want a decent meal in a fun atmosphere in a bit of a frat boy/stodgy area.
Rating: 6 / 10
Our cost: $150ish for 3 people eating, 4 people drinking
Noise level: fairly noisy
Chance of walking in: decent.
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09.25.09
Posted in New York City Neighborhoods, New York City Reviews, Upper West Side, rated 4 to 5.5 at 06:47 by Dominique
505 Columbus Ave. & 84/85 Sts., 212-873-0200
Great for: really, not much
I love Anthos and it seems like everyone is always raving about Kefi, so I was super excited to try it out at long last with the obliging Ex. And was immediately disappointed. I really don’t know what all those people are talking about. Or what Michael Psilakis is thinking! It made me very sad.
I thought, after having such a lovely experience with them at Apiary, that sweetbreads with spinach, crispy shallots and garlic would be a good idea. Here the sauce was too vinegary or lemony though the sweetbreads themselves were nice. The dish was quite large and could be better. It was very clear that I was eating organs, which I really did not want to be reminded of. The Ex’s Greek salad was just ok too. We deemed it “not a good melding of flavors.”
For a main I had the special lamb chops. I am sorry to say the accompanying rice with vegetables was the nicest part of the whole meal. The lamb chops were very greasy, though better than my app. I felt compelled to finish them anyway because I was so hungry and the four of them were so small. His burger was good but big and soggy. The feta spread is too strong-tasting after a few bites. Overall the sandwich was too heavy. Ironically, his decent glass of red wine wasn’t quite heavy enough.
Shockingly, the restaurant did not have fresh pepper. I don’t know how this is possible. At least our waiter was very nice about it and everything else. I also did not enjoy the trashy, loud, b&t table next to us. The Ex and I had some mean-spirited fun making outrageous guesses about them so we wouldn’t stab them with our cutlery. Or gag them, which would have been more helpful I suppose. I feel terrible for restaurants when people are louts. The staff can’t do much unless others complain, and even then they’ll definitely be abused by both sides and nothing will actually improve. When’s the last time you asked a stranger to shush and they said “Oh, I’m sorry, I certainly will!” Anyway. Somewhat tolerable yet expensive food means I won’t be back.
Rating: 5.5 / 10
Our cost: $80 (1 glass of red wine, 1 bottle sparkling water)
Noise level: kind of loud
Chance of walking in: not great. But then, why would you want to after reading this.
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01.30.09
Posted in French, New York City Neighborhoods, New York City Reviews, Upper West Side, rated 6 to 6.5 at 04:55 by Dominique
102 W.86th St. & Columbus, 212-496-0458
Great for: the specials, singer/waitress, old world service
One evening, the Boyfriend’s father was kind enough to take us out to dinner. I like eating on the UWS; it reminds me of the childhood I should have had (well, maybe that’s more the UES, but this ex-Pennsylvania hick won’t split hairs). And both B and Mr. G are so smart. It’s nice to enjoy spirited intellectual conversations along with my food.
B and I got special appetizers of sea scallops wrapped in bacon on chopped leeks with tiny tomatoes and a stripe of raspberry coulis. It was delicious and I really liked the leeks. The scallops were a little on the small side, perhaps, but not gritty or too chewy as sometimes happens. Mr. G had his usual steamed artichoke with a delightful lemony sauce (aïoli, perhaps).
B’s shell steak au poivre with thin-cut fries and veggies was a bit overcooked but nice when drenched in sauce. It was very large and not too fatty. Mr. G’s special entrée of halibut on spinach and red pepper coulis with vegetables could have been softer but I think that was partly the kind of fish. I was glad I picked the sole meuniére. The two thin filets of tender fish with a touch of breading outside were so yummy. I liked the sauce a lot too.
I couldn’t resist the dessert special, mille-feuille with a sugary coating and custard inside. It wasn’t too tall as such pastries sometimes are, and was lovely and perfectly flaky. The crème caramel was pleasant too.
Mr. G thought a bottle of Perrier-Jouët would accompany our dinner very well, and it did. He goes to the restaurant quite often so the French owner and waiters came and said hello to us a lot and were very sweet. They seemed generally friendly anyhow. There is an adorable little upstairs area, but Mr. G said the service is a bit slower up there. All in all, deservedly an Upper West Side staple, especially if you stick with the specials or the sole.
Rating: 6.5 / 10
Our cost: $230 + 70 tip (3 dinners, bottle of Perrier-Jouët, 2 cappuccinos, 1 Frangelico)
Noise level: loud murmur and occasional mellifluous singing
Chance of walking in: not too bad.
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05.02.08
Posted in French, New York City Neighborhoods, New York City Reviews, Upper West Side, rated 7 to 7.5 at 01:46 by Dominique
75 W. 68th St. & Columbus/Central Park West, 212-874-2705
Great for: fast and well-executed pre-theatre French
I was taking the Boyfriend to his first opera, Madama Butterfly, and we both managed to get out of work quickly enough to make 7 o’clock reservations at this nearby bistro. The three-course prix fixe is very reasonably set at $36, in terms of price, quality of food and speed of service.
The bread to start was great. My sausage of duck (I think, not sure) with lentils, carrots, onions, tomatoes and chives was tasty. I found the accompanying mustard a bit harsh, but very much enjoyed the way the other flavors melded together. His carrot celery soup was great, just the thing for a nippy early March night.
I also liked my cod fish with roasted onions, julienned carrots and zucchini with garlic mashed potatoes. The fish was fresh and subtly flavored, and the sauce was delicious. His veal scaloppini in mushroom cognac sauce with the same carrots, zucchini and potatoes was similarly well done. I would recommend it for a mushroom lover, and even for someone who hates mushrooms as I do. The sauce was a bit strong for my taste, though. Our vegetables were great. I found myself actually liking the zucchini, which rarely happens. We both loved the mashed potatoes as well.
The ricotta cheesecake with strawberries and frozen praline mousse were a lovely finish to a good meal. We found them light and a nice sweet contrast to the savory courses before them. After a precautionary espresso each, we were on our way. We made it to our seats just before the curtain – in and out of the restaurant in 50 minutes. Quite impressive.
The waitstaff were a bit rushed, understandably so since it was pre-theatre time, but were courteous and friendly and did their best to be attentive. It’s a cute little basement place; definitely a good alternative to the always-busy Café Fiorello across from Lincoln Square.
Rating: 7.5 / 10
Our cost: $105 (teetotaling)
Noise level: pre-theatre hum
Chance of walking in: low to medium before a show.
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04.04.08
Posted in Haute Cuisine, Italian, Midtown West, New York City Neighborhoods, New York City Reviews, Upper West Side, rated 8 to 8.5 at 12:10 by Dominique
240 Central Park South & 7th Ave., 212-265-5959
Great for: simply wonderful food, grown-up dining
I was not having a good day, but some of San Domenico’s great food and service cheered me right up. We were late for our 8:15 reservation and they were so friendly about it while we waited for another table to open up, I was almost sorry to sit down. The dining room is gorgeous, understated and elegant.
We weren’t quite sure what to make of the canister of fresh raw vegetables waiting for us on the table – they were giant and included fennel. They reminded me of those Bunnicula children’s books, about the vampire bunny who sucked all the color out of vegetables in the dead of night. Bunnicula probably would have enjoyed these ones very much. The Boyfriend nibbled a bit on the carrot, which was good, and I attempted to make headway with the celery, although I didn’t get very far as it was almost the size of my forearm. Fortunately our first course arrived soon and delivered us from our perplexity.
In the interests of trying more than one appetizer, I got the Prince Edward Island mussels and cannellini beans in parsley broth, which was very bean-y but pretty good. I would probably have enjoyed it more if I liked beans and mussels. It is a testament to how well they cooked the dish that I quite liked it anyway. The Boyfriend got to have most of the homemade soft egg yolk-filled raviolo with truffled butter. Later I discovered that that’s their signature dish, so it was very cool of them to put it on the Restaurant Week menu. They are justifiably proud of it – it was fantastic. Every aspect of the dish was beautifully executed and delicious.
Next, the Boyfriend was very happy with his seared scallops and braised endive in lemon parsley veal sauce. It started out sweet and got even better as we ate more of it. It was interestingly tasty. My veal fillet alla bergese in light pancetta-cream sauce with braised endive and cippolini onions was also great; I think the sauce was my favorite part. Everything we ate was just so good. I’m excited to come back and try the regular menu.
For dessert we had warm polenta, hazelnut and dark chocolate soufflé over white chocolate sauce with crème fraîche on top. We were surprised to find it wonderfully light and refreshing, especially the crème fraîche. I was also pleasantly surprised at how nice everyone in the restaurant was. I’ve had Restaurant Week experiences where I was treated with disdain for ordering off the cheap menu, and I am very glad to note that here, they were just as attentive and courteous to us as to the next table ordering bottles of Perrier-Jouet. We are definitely coming back soon.
Rating: 8.5 / 10
Our cost: $105 (1 cocktail each plus espresso)
Noise level: happy hum
Chance of walking in: low.
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