09.12.11
Posted in Gramercy, Midtown Central, Midtown West, Murray Hill, New York City, New York City Reviews, Northern European, rated 9 to 10, small plates at 03:03 by Dominique
16 West 29th St. & Broadway/5th Avenue, 212-679-1939
Great for: basically everything on the food and cocktail menus
After hearing so much about April Bloomfield I was delighted to finally try her food for myself. It certainly lived up to the hyperbole!
The sausage roll is a very large pig in a wonderfully soft blanket. They make the sausage in-house with actual meat. It was so good I wanted to cuddle with it. (I know, that doesn’t really make sense.) I would wake up a hell of a lot earlier if I had one of these waiting for me every morning! The seafood sausage with beurre blanc and chives is a large, perfectly-spiced sculpture composed of nice big chunks of shellfish arranged in a vaguely sausage-y shape. It’s a “sausage” the way a Ferrari is a car.
The thrice-cooked chips (fries) with mustard might be the best ever. They were an impeccable balance of crispy outside with soft insides. Even their accompanying pickle wedges were delightful. The almonds are spicy and terrific too. If I liked marrow vegetables I would like the baby squash with parmesan. I think it could have used more spices but I didn’t eat that much of it.
The service was nice, though I haven’t eaten in the dining room yet. On the other hand, having drunk the entire cocktail menu (in two visits, it’s short), I can say with certainty that all the drinks are strong and tasty. This is a great place for meeting friends, making new ones, and generally having a grand old time in an otherwise semi-desolate area. The lobby bar is fun when you get tired of sitting, too.
Rating: 9 / 10
Our cost: $75
Noise level: very noisy
Chance of walking in: you can’t reserve, just go and have drinks until you don’t care how long you’ve been waiting.
Permalink
12.29.10
Posted in Asian, fusion, Latin, Midtown East, Murray Hill, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 9 to 10 at 04:58 by Dominique
622 3rd Ave. & 40th St., 212-808-8110
Great for: large parties, dates, fusion made wonderful, eating healthy
I didn’t know what to expect from Zengo. When the Pool Champion and I pulled up, though, I realized I’d been to the two restaurants that had been in this space before. This one is definitely the best of the three.
On the recommendations of our terrific, pretty waitress, we got a bunch of starters and one main dish. I honestly cannot tell you which was the best, they were all so good. The rainbow ceviche of tuna, salmon, fluke, vegetables, puffed rice and ponzu was lovely and not too sour. We loved the fresh fish in nice even chunks. I even liked the accompanying plantain chips. The steamed buns al pastor, filled with braised pork belly, pickled pineapple, avocado and chile Fresno were really interesting and delicious.
The wagyu tiradito is also unique and awesome. It basically looks like a scallion and asparagus roll with beef laid on top. It’s spicy with miso mustard and sort of creamy, accompanied by a truffle ponzu sauce which rocks. We also got salted edamame.
We made our one entrée count with the grilled Colorado lamb loin with edamame, corn, cherry tomato and pearl onion in hoisin-adobo sauce. I tasted ginger too. It was so tender, juicy and well-flavored. The only imperfection was that the roasted corn is sometimes a little burnt.
Of course we had to try their tequila snow cones I’d read about in UrbanDaddy. You get three different ones per order – we had strawberry, tamarind and hibiscus. I’m not sure why they put them in flimsy paper, but I guess that is why you have to slurp them fast. The strawberry is best, the hibiscus is fine. Don’t bother with the tamarind.
PC persuaded me to have a cocktail with him. I can heartily recommend the Mekhong pina and the cucumber mojito. They have many more cocktails which I would like to try when I am officially drinking again.
They have this adorable and clever taco-holding contraption that you should check out just for geek points. The décor is Alhambra meets upscale S&M party with a unique chandelier. It’s a cavernous space, sexy and not too dim. Early on it seems to be a corporate after-work spot (we are in midtown, after all) though with a naughty feel, and the crowd gets younger and hipper as the night goes on. The bar looks like a lot of fun too.
Latin-Japanese fusion is a great idea, more restaurants should do it – they both use lots of fresh seafood and spices, it totally matches! I am coming back soon.
Rating: 9 / 10
Our cost: $140 before Blackboard Eats discount (4 small, 1 main, 1 dessert, 3 drinks)
Noise level: Noisy but not too bad. We could hear each other over the table even when leaning back.
Chance of walking in: The place is enormous but on the other hand so popular I would err on the safe side and reserve ahead.
Permalink
12.04.10
Posted in Asian, eclectic, Midtown Central, Midtown West, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 9 to 10, Southeast Asian, Steak at 00:59 by Dominique
Chambers Hotel 15 W. 56th St. & 5th/6th Aves., 212-757-5878
Great for: greedy carnivores, a downtown-feeling restaurant in upper midtown
Getting a Momofuku reservation is harder than it seems. It’s not just a matter of clicking at the exact right time, which requires a fast internet connection and technological competence. You also have to corral enough people for a res who are a) all free on the same range of nights or willing to make it happen and b) not going to flake at the last minute. (You know who you are. Stop it!) When you click through, you’re confronted with a week’s worth of choices and you have a few seconds to swoop on one. This time I confirmed options with two other people I knew would deeply appreciate it all, Average Wonderwoman and R, and then trusted that between us we could find three more carnivores. It all worked out in the end, though we ended up sans sixth person.
It was worth every bit of stress when we walked in and saw the beautiful menu. Our starter of tongue salad with basil in plum vinaigrette, sprinkled with peanuts, was lovely with a good balance between vegetables and meat. I wasn’t sure what to expect from my first tasting of tongue; I needn’t have feared. The meat reminded me of the paper-thin slices that come in beef pho, except this was all very good. I really liked the vinaigrette and the mint leaves were a nice touch. Tongue is just meat like anything else and I was amazed how much I liked it.
The seared Wagyu with radish in ginger scallion sauce is amazing. I could have eaten a whole plate of small delightful morsels myself. I don’t know how raw meat can be so tender – maybe it’s the marinade. The Momofuku cookbook isn’t holding anything back, at least not about ginger scallion sauce, because it tasted just like when I make it at home.
We next had the pleasure of côte de boeuf, which was sliced ribeye roasted in thyme and garlic. It was nutty, soft and just fantastic. There was none of that stringy thing that often happens with beef. I had to keep reminding myself to cut ladylike pieces and not just stuff whole slices in my mouth.
My favorite might have been the lemongrass and Thai basil saucisson. It’s hard to decide between so many amazing things. The sausage was incredibly juicy and rich, and when wrapped in a leaf with pickled stuff and fried garlic and shallots it was a substantial packet of joy. It is extremely rich and does become a little much after you’ve had a lot, which is another reason to load it with veggies. Plus, there are still three courses to go. You don’t want to fill up yet.
After my bad experience at Emporio, I was nervous about the oxtail, but I actually liked it here braised in soy and sherry with scallions. Fat lovers will rejoice – fat pickers like me will have fun teasing out meat morsels. We initially confused the braised shank in crab paste and chilies with a brontosaurus bone that had somehow survived, tender and tasty, for the last sixty-five million years.
It was a bit difficult to do it justice at the end of the meal but we all made valiant efforts. Between the shank meat, which was easily plucked off with the tongs, and the oxtails nestled around it, a die-hard carnivore could not be happier.
For a digestif we had a very refreshing short rib consommé, which seemed to be spiced like pho. It was a perfect last course for a perfect meal. And I’m sure our stomachs were thankful.
Service is pretty friendly, much more so than at most of the other Momofukus. The chairs are a little more comfortable, though still wooden, and it’s the biggest of all his restaurants. There is a funny giant X of tables in the center of the room, maybe to make logistics easier for the beef feasters. I definitely have to come back to try the rest of the menu, although writing this has got me salivating for the whole beef extravaganza all over again. Maybe when I’m off my diet I can celebrate…
Be careful of the dangerous Milk Bar outpost upstairs. Not content with eating an entire cow, I also took home a slice of crack pie, and wow does it live up to its name. Good thing I don’t live close to either dealer, I mean store. In any case, this feast is a must for any New Yorker. And if you get a reservation and have an extra seat, let me know.
Rating: 9 / 10
Our cost: $115 per person (including some drinks) – they argued, but eventually let us pay the $85 prix fixe for the 5 people we had instead of the 6 we thought we would. The rest of the menu is pretty expensive too.
Noise level: it’s kind of echoey with high ceilings
Chance of walking in: probably difficult.
Permalink
08.23.09
Posted in American, eclectic, Lower East Side, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 9 to 10 at 01:22 by Dominique
120 Essex St. Stall 16 & Delancey (enter from door on corner, next to cheese shop), 212-924-5160
Great for: quirky but delicious food, interesting conversation, après-shopping eats
I was terrified of eating here, as I’ve heard about Kenny’s legendary temper and read firsthand accounts of people being cursed or chucked out. But as a fledgling restaurant critic it’s my duty to go and review food… so I plucked up my courage and ventured in one sunny day. I’m not sure if I was wearing my sling (from the shoulder-shattering incident) – in fact, I don’t think I was – but Kenny and his son were lovely to me. I even committed the idiotic faux pas of asking for suggestions from the bewilderingly enormous menu in 10-point font on double-sided legal paper and they scolded “WHAT?!” but laughed and said cute girls are allowed to ask questions. I don’t know why I forgot you’re not supposed to. I was so nervous I even dropped my phone. Anyway, they quickly put me at ease and we chatted away for the next hour.
I got way too much food. The sliders with cheese and pickles would have been enough by themselves, but then I wouldn’t have experienced the ecstasy that is the fried potato salad. You know when meat is marinated and juicy and tender and you just want to keep on biting into it? That’s how the burgers were, with a great contrast in the pickles. I got mozzarella with the fried potato salad instead of the regular blue cheese and it was just wonderful. The potato chunks were small enough that I didn’t tire of eating them, and crispy and flavorful to boot. I ate sooo much.
I only wish I could eat there more often! It’s a bit expensive, but definitely worth the money. All the dishes are quite large, as well. Most sandwiches are about $15 and the skillets are over $20. It’s not a very big place (though I like how it feels like a homey kitchen), they stop accepting new orders around 2, and are only open weekdays and Saturdays, so it takes some determination to get there unless you’re technically jobless like me. Plus, if you act fake or snobby or are ridiculously picky about food (vegans seem to be especially reviled) or annoy Kenny in some way, he’ll probably refuse to serve you. So be real. And nice-looking apparently helps.
Rating: 9 / 10
Cost: $20 (this is not a cheapie lunch place)
Noise level: however loud Kenny has to yell to the kitchen
Chance of walking in: might be ok after the lunch rush – they don’t do dinner any more.
Permalink
03.04.09
Posted in Italian, Lower East Side, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 9 to 10 at 03:56 by Dominique
100 Forsyth & Broome/Grand, 212-625-3444
Great for: dates, specials, upscale Italian, live jazz, ambience
Every day when I walked home from the train I passed this place. I’d say to myself, I really ought to try that hideaway, but somehow I never remembered to put it on my list. Finally one night, the Boyfriend and I walked past it and I thought to go in. I am so glad. That week we went twice more, it was so good. It’s nowhere near as cheap as the dumpling places surrounding it but if you’ve got the money, it’s totally worth it. And you can always stick to the cheap pastas, appetizers and burger if money’s tight.
It’s always a good idea to try the specials, although everything I had from the menu was fantastic too. Of the apps, the carpaccio may have been my favorite, because it didn’t have anything I hate, but the other apps made me willing and happy to try tomatoes and and octopus. The lovely scamorza was a slick of melted smoked mozzarella with a strip of prosciutto next to garlic bruschetta and very fresh large tomatoes, to be assembled as you see fit. There was a generous amount of everything, too. The crostini are three bruschetta; one with mushrooms and red pepper, one with prosciutto and scallions, and the best with smoked mozzarella and marinara. They were fantastic texture and taste combinations. The prosciutto one could have used some sauce to help with the bread, though. I was brave one night and got the special grilled octopus with arugula, fingerling potatoes and sundried tomato aïoli in lemon vinaigrette. I wish it didn’t look so scary because the tender yet firm octopus was amazing. But the tentacles were longer than my (admittedly tiny) pinky! I loved the sauce and potato slices too. I just couldn’t forget that I was eating intelligent octopi – I almost tried blindfolding myself, it was that yummy. The caprese di bufala is not quite as stellar as the scamorza though the cheese is light and fluffy and the tomato wedges are smaller. The paper-thin slices of carpaccio are accompanied by arugula, capers, fried shallors, lemon-olive oil and love, or something equally magical, because I just can’t have enough of them.
The shrimp risotto had creamy, firm, chopped-up shrimp over al dente rice with just a hint of sourness for balance. The dainty quail risotto with asparagus is also great. I’ve twice had the tonnarelli alla carbonara with crumbles of pancetta, egg, cream and Parmesan and not been able to finish it either time, but it is a lot of fun trying. It’s quite heavy with creamy, cheesy sauce everywhere and a moat of grated Parm.
The burger, a steal at $15, comes with terrific fries and amazing chipotle mayo. It’s one of the few burgers I’ve had whose meat is tasty all on its own – they clearly do the marinating part well. And the mayo is addictive. You don’t need ketchup for the fries, you’ll be scraping the bottom of the little sauce bowl. The marinated NY strip steak topped with herb-tomato insalata was deliciously soft and it even made me like the very large accompanying tomato chunks. There were veins of fat on the sides but they were easily cut away. The lovely oven-roasted herb-infused halibut with fingerling potatoes, asparagus, and tomato in a lemon aïoli was a nice balance of flavors. The Berkshire black pork cutlet over roasted apples and mashed sweet potatoes in a red wine reduction was very sweet, which I normally hate, except it was so good. The onions alone are worth the price of admission.
The only dessert we ever had room for was the apple beignet with vanilla gelato. They were basically good apple pancakes with fantastic gelato. The cocktails are all very speakeasy and tasty. The Boyfriend, who barely drinks, ordered two hot toddys every time we came in: they pack quite a punch in the mouth, what with the Calvados, bourbon, allspice liqueur, and honey garnished with lemon (though the menu says orange) and cinnamon sticks. They’re perfect for the current weather or just for getting hammered without realizing it. I also enjoyed the Canton ginger smash, New York sour, lampone basilico and St. Gemainita. They were all interesting and not too sweet.
The first three times I sat at the same table served by the same pretty, friendly waitress. (Hi, Slavica!) Everyone else is very sociable as well, and though the drinks sometimes take a while, when you get them you’ll see they were worth the wait. It’s a really cool little grotto with lots of flowers and simple, tasteful décor. You can sit in what I call the date section or the noisier side with the live band on weekends. I’m shocked that this place has been open for four years and I never knew about it. But I’m making amends – I was just there yesterday again.
2010 update: it’s still terrific. They’ve changed the cocktail menu to equally tasty new concoctions.
Rating: 9 / 10
Our cost: the entrées are quite expensive, but you’ll want so many of the other things that it might end up being pricey even if you just get pasta and apps, which average around $15 each. Cocktails are $10-11, secondi $15 (burger) – $32.
Noise level: sometimes live jazz, usually quietly romantic
Chance of walking in: not bad especially on weekdays.
Permalink
01.01.09
Posted in French, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 9 to 10, TriBeCa at 18:13 by Dominique
241 W. Broadway & Walker/White Sts., 212-226-6252
Great for: wonderful food in Tribeca for not much money, dates, private parties
The Boyfriend and I had just made our four-day relationship official the night before, so we left my friend’s birthday party at Bubble Lounge early to smooch. (I like commitment. Amazingly, so does he.) It was a bitterly cold night. Fortunately the best place around was right across the street. I came here when it opened about three years ago and thought it very good; if anything, it’s improved since then.
I got two appetizers in lieu of a main. The soupe du jour in a delightful little skillet was a delectable split pea with puréed bacon and shrimp and cream on top. I had a hard time sharing it with B. My lovely large crab cake tarte over salad and endive with creamy dill sauce was similarly fantastic. Crisp outside, the cake was soft and flaky inside with just the right amount of vegetables.
His mignon of Berkshire pork wrapped in applewood bacon with Calvados cream sauce and vegetables was amazing, with hints of sugar and wonderfulness. It almost felt wrong that something could be so good. That didn’t stop us from devouring it and B sopping up all the sauce with bread, of course.
We had attentive, nice service without hovering. The waiter made sure we had everything we needed and left us alone to snuggle as much as possible, which we very much appreciated. I liked the fun art and atmosphere; there was a noisy private party in the bar up front but the restaurant is big enough that they didn’t bother us, and it was actually fun for a Saturday night. My only regret is that I haven’t come here more often.
Rating: 9 / 10
Our cost: $60 (2 apps, 1 entrée, no drinks)
Noise level: convivial hum
Chance of walking in: decent - it’s rather out of the way for most people and the space is large.
Permalink
05.26.08
Posted in American, Asian, East Village, eclectic, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 9 to 10 at 05:01 by Dominique
163 1st Ave. & 10th St., http://www.momofuku.com/ko/
Great for: impressing the hell out of a foodie, foie gras ecstasy, orgasmic food, oenophiles
As you may know, I managed to charm Mr. Ko into choosing me as his Saturday night date. It was a pretty tense few days for me – I met him Tuesday for a drink and waited until Thursday night to find out he’d picked me. I was so excited I was jumping up and down telling everyone within earshot. In April I tried every day for three weeks to get a reservation. I stopped a month ago because the Boyfriend and I broke up and I had no one to go with. Mr. Ko came along just in time.
Ko has this crazy Moorish prison look. It’s in the old Noodle Bar spot, covered entirely in grating. If the Alhambra only took up a storefront about five feet across and had some very dangerous prisoners, it might appear something like this. Yes, those are bars across every bit of glass except over the peach. It’s a very East Village-appropriate departure from the “welcome customers” school of restaurant design.
We were a little nervous going in, afraid we’d be told our reservation was canceled like the infamous Tom’s. Everything was fine, though, and a pretty hostess seated us; Mr. Ko, his friends J and S, and me. She put Moleskine notebooks in front of each of us, which turned out to contain a wine list glued to the first 15 pages or so. Bewildered – well, I was; the others are more advanced in matters oenological – I opted for the $50 wine pairing. Mr. Ko and J got the $85, and S splurged on the $150. Every course came with four plates. When there were two different dishes, we were given two of each to portion out amongst ourselves.
They started us off with two amuse-bouches. The house-made chicharrón, a crispy pork skin, with togerashi and salt was feather-light, odd and good. If Chef Chang ever wants to start a junk food line he could just package those and sell them as potato chip alternatives. The English muffin with whipped pork fat, bay leaf and chives was ridiculously tasty. It was a little bigger than a poker chip. I wish I could have one every morning. In fact, I wish I could eat them all day. Wine: rosé champagne.
Next up, a sliced diver scallop with pickled crosnes (a tuber, pronounced krones), chive oil, freeze-dried soy sauce and chive blossoms. It was the first time I’ve liked raw scallop. The whole combination was delicious. The Long Island fluke over buttermilk, white soy, chive and poppy seeds was even better. The slight tang of the buttermilk showcased the fish nicely. And chives just make everything better. Wine: sauvignon blanc.
The Georgia sweet pea soup with Louisiana crawfish and stewed morels wrapped in yuba (tofu skin) tasted strongly of peas, but the salty crawfish balanced that out. I liked it a lot, although it wasn’t a huge hit with the others. Mr. Ko made fun of me so I was brave and tried the morels, which were much less bad than I expected. I hate mushrooms and people are always making me try them again and I never like them any better. These were on the top 5 most tolerable list, though. We were united in our high opinion of the kimchi consommé, with two raw oysters, two slices of Berkshire pork belly and cabbage leaf. The broth is from pork stock and tastes smoky and amazing. The pork was life-changing. I avoid fat, for professional reasons, but I actually put the whole slice in my mouth. And I loved it. I can see I’ll have to step up my efforts at the gym. Wine: sake.
One of the best dishes was the lightly smoked hen egg over onion soubise, potato chips and hackleback caviar. I almost wanted to fake an orgasm like in When Harry Met Sally. Somehow the egg was “like its own hollandaise sauce,” as Mr. Ko said. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it. I loved the flavor combinations in the chawanmushi, a kind of egg custard, with asparagus, ramp juice, braised cashews, more hackelback caviar and argan oil. It was subtle and light. I wish I knew how to make it myself. Wine: sauvignon blanc.
Next there was a very filling spring lasagna stuffed with mushroom, burgundy, escargot, ramps and garlic, sprinkled with broccoli rabe flowers and ricotta salata, along with some other stuff that I couldn’t type in fast enough. There were so many delicious flavors and textures, it was like a mouth orgy. It’s quite salty, I think from the ricotta. The escargot is a surprising addition that somehow works with everything else and wasn’t too chewy. Mr. Ko thought it too salty at first but grew to like it as he ate more of it. Wine: pinot noir.
The trout in caper brine and bacon purée with toasted almonds and yuzu-marinated breakfast radishes was love at first bite. The crunchy nuts contrasted very well with the flaky fish. I thought the sauce was interestingly tasty, especially the bacon notes. The sourpuss radishes are better eaten with everything else. We were not that impressed with the halibut in pepperoncini purée topped with diced radishes, bok choy and burnt onion. The fish was a bit tough and/or overcooked and the radishes didn’t taste so great. Neither was the startling bitterness of the pepperoncini masked by the other things. Usually when we tried a bit of every component of a dish all together we understood why Chef Chang did it that way, but this one was just weird. J and S said theirs was really good – unfortunately, they’d devoured it all before Mr. Ko and I had a chance to compare. Wine: spiced white ale. I never drink beer, so it was a high compliment that I tried this one and didn’t hate it. Although that may have had something to do with the five little glasses of wine I’d already had.
The next course was the high point of the entire meal. It may have been the high point of my life as a foodie. It was, of course, the torchon of foie gras on riesling gelée, pine nuts, peanut (?) brittle and lychee. They freeze the liver using liquid nitrogen into a small log, which they then abuse with a grater until the dish is covered in a foiedrift. It comes in an aptly gorgeous wave bowl. The teeth-sticking brittle, whatever it’s made of, is a touch of genius. I’d have to give it at least 12 out of 10, for sure – all of us wanted to start licking the bowls when we couldn’t get another drop with our spoons. It was so orgasmic, J and S went outside for cigarettes afterward. Wine: dessert sake Kamoizume Komekome.
Somehow the “main” course kept the meal at the same high pitch. The deep fried Montana Legend short ribs with pickled daikon, mustard seeds, pickled baby carrots and scallion was nothing short of incredible. I don’t know how they managed to get the outside of the ribs crispy while the insides were like “short rib pudding” (Mr. Ko again). Maybe it was sous vide first before deep frying? The weirdly good vegetables were a perfect tart contrast to the richness of the meat and sauce. The morel-stuffed chicken poulard with ramps, swiss chard, kolhrabi purée and greens was also fantastic. Somehow the chicken was tender and chewy at the same time with an outside skin like Peking duck. J, who’s a chef, said they probably cooked the meat separately and then wrapped it back up in the skin. Both dishes were so good I forgot to drink for quite a while. Wine: Domaine de Poujol rosé, a combination of sancerre and grenache.
Our pre-dessert was two sorbets; lychee on sesame sand, and kiwi on apricot purée with olive oil. The kiwi was pretty tangy and not on the level of the amazing lychee sorbet, which was refreshing and light and somehow perked me up from my impending food coma as though I’d had an espresso. Wine: none in my pairing, though I helped the others finish off their cava.
The long hedonistic journey came to an end with poached rhubarb over pea soil and peas accompanied by yellow cake ice cream over a bit of chocolate cake. The ice cream was incredible, the rhubarb tart but tasty and creative, and we all could have done without the peas. We forgot about them when we combined everything in one spoonful though. The cereal (grapenut soaked) panna cotta with chocolate slab, cornflakes and avocado was a sweet and savory delight. The chef who served us the course came over and replaced my chocolate because I didn’t eat it right away and it was starting to melt. She was almost scolding me so I obediently started hacking away at it. I was again blown away at Chef Chang’s inventiveness – who would think to steep panna cotta in grapenuts? Or put avocado under it? And it worked, which was the truly crazy part. Wine: muscatel.
We found the wine pairings thoughtful and complementary. I liked each one except the ale, and I was on the verge of not disliking that. If you’ve got the extra cash, definitely go for the $150 – the others are good too, but that one had some transcendental wines. (S was kind enough to pass her glasses around.) Initially I was worried about getting the pairing, because the last time I did that – Fleur de Sel – I was almost wasted when we left. I needn’t have worried. They pour about half glasses, and the hostess said no one’s ever stumbled out blind drunk. She was great. Really knowledgeable about wine and like a ray of sunshine compared to the very focused, busy chefs.
They’ve stopped saying that “for the lady/gentleman” thing that people were complaining about. However, they still put all the lighter dishes in front of me instead of Mr. Ko, and it is annoying. I know they are just giving us both options so there’s no reason to consciously make that choice every time. The four chefs were kind of friendly at first. They got surly toward the end, especially when we started asking questions and the restaurant filled up. Some of them explained the dishes super fast while glaring at me. I guess I could have typed under the table but I thought they’d be used to all the food bloggers coming in. They were great about giving us a leisurely meal, though – J asked them to try to slow it down, and the hostess said we had some time before the next 4-top so she’d tell the chefs. We ended up eating for 3.5 hours!
A meal of 10 courses here is comparatively cheap at $85 $100 (as of 6/07/2008). For instance, the 8-course tasting menu at Bar Milano is $85, while the 6 courses at Fleur de Sel and 7 courses at Tabla are both $89. And Ko is a much better restaurant, at least food-wise. So basically you get more courses and better food while sacrificing only service, ease of access and $15. A worthy trade-off, I’d say.
This was one of the most amazing meals of my life. I’m really happy that Mr. Ko picked me, and of course it’s always exciting to meet a good guy. (I mean, I’m hoping he’s a good guy. It’s only been two dates.) It was 10 courses of incredible creativity, and although a couple things didn’t work, the rest of the 18 dishes were a parade of “Mmmmm!”s. I ate so much I had a little Ko baby for about an hour afterward. Good thing I was wearing a deceptive black dress. If I can ever get a reservation in a few months when I’ve lost the weight I’ll be back in a heartbeat.
Rating: 9.5 / 10
Our cost: $940 (4 people with $85 food prix fixe: 2 $85 wine pairings, 1 each of $50 & $150)
Noise level: very quiet. Conducive to private foodie arguments.
Chance of walking in: if you try the reservation site every day at 10am Momofuku time, maybe you’ll get lucky. Or more likely not and you’ll curse the “Sorry someone nabbed this spot” screen and say “well momo, fuk u too.” Er – that might just be me.
Permalink
Posted in Italian, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 9 to 10, West Village at 00:05 by Dominique
38 8th Ave. & Jane St., 212-366-6633
Great for: sweetbreads, grilled dishes, oenophiles, creative cocktails
My friend S is something of a foodie too. I know whenever he raves about a restaurant, it must be pretty damn good. Dell’anima is his new favorite. Apparently it’s the joint effort of an ex-Babbo sommelier and a former Del Posto chef. It certainly lives up to its potential.
I was lucky S has been here several times, so he could tell me the best things to order. He steered me away from the bruschetta, which he said is just fancy toasted bread, and the pasta, apparently on the brick side of al dente. My starter of quail with farro, beets, lime, chilies, mint, yogurt and tomatoes was a bit burnt in a great way, wonderfully spiced and juicy. The farro had a perfect texture halfway between firm and soft. The accompanying vegetables were an interesting contrast to the quail. S’s sweetbreads with parsnip puree, lemon and capers were fantastic. If I hadn’t known, I would have thought I was eating exceptionally tender chicken, which helped me get past the fact that it’s not and savor each bite. S had a glass of unfiltered white Collio to go with it, which matched really well.
For a main I got the ribeye with grilled fingerling potatoes and Gorgonzola. It was scrumptiously and crisply charred. The potatoes were crackly yet soft inside almost like overgrown French fries. I even liked the cheese, though I’m not usually a fan of that kind. S wasn’t too hungry so he got the octopus appetizer as a second course. It’s charred and served over rice, beans, chorizo and chicory. It was so soft! Not rubbery at all and I really liked it. I think this is the way octopus is supposed to be. His glass of red Alianco complemented it nicely.
The bartender makes some interesting drinks. S’s Negroni was way too bitter for me. I liked the Monte Bianco, a combination of Ketel Citroen, St. Germain and aperol. It was slightly bitter and sweet at the same time. Our waitress Gabriella was cute, friendly and attentive. The busboy, on the other hand, kept trying to take away my appetizer before I was done. He stopped that after I told him three times I was still eating.
The decor is understated and elegant. The lighting is fairly dim, so it’s a good place for a date. It’s quite a small space, although pretty big for the West Village – there’s an interesting counter in the middle at which you can sit and watch the chefs do their magic right in front of you. I’m looking forward to my next visit.
Rating: 9 / 10
Our cost: $180
Noise level: lean-forward-and-cup-your-ear noisy
Chance of walking in: very low.
Permalink
05.14.08
Posted in American, Midtown East, Murray Hill, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 9 to 10, Steak at 17:35 by Dominique
155 E.42nd & Lexington/3rd Ave., 212-953-2000
Great for: business meals, wine, seafood, meat gluttony, padding yourself with fat
I’ve been hearing about this place for years and never managed to go. One random Wednesday we just decided to pay a visit. I’m so glad we did. It’s fantastic. I probably gained 5 pounds, but it was worth it.
We only had to wait about 15 minutes for a table, during which time I enjoyed a delicious Stoli Doly pineapple martini (not as girly as it sounds). They sat us close to the absolutely lovely glass atrium. The food certainly lived up to the beauty of the surroundings. My lobster and crab cakes were great, with huge chunks of lobster and hardly any filler, accompanied by lovely peppery corn salsa to counteract the near-sweetness of the seafood. The tangy horseradish sauce on the sauce rounded out the dish nicely. The Boyfriend’s shrimp cocktail was terrific too.
At our waiter’s suggestion, I got sirloin Oscar, which is steak covered in crab, asparagus and béarnaise sauce. (I’d had very little for lunch.) He had suggested the sirloin as a nice balance between the flavor of ribeye and the tenderness of filet mignon. It was juicy and fantastic. Everything else was incredibly well done, too; the crab was tender and the asparagus crisp without those nasty stringy bits I sometimes find. B’s porcini-rubbed Delmonico with 12-year-old balsamic vinaigrette was a perfectly cooked medium rare. It doesn’t actually have mushrooms in the final dish, and I couldn’t taste them anyway. It was just wonderful.
We tried not to go overboard with the sides, as is so easy to do at steakhouses – we got half portions of two things. The creamed spinach was great, not too creamy; Sam’s mashed potatoes was creamy but with lumps and skin so it still had the texture of potatoes. B said they were his favorite version ever, and he is a mashed potato fanatic.
Finally we couldn’t stuff any more food in, and had time to look around. There were lots of fat old white men and business clientele. Oddly enough, there were deer heads gracing the bar area. The rest of the decor was good though; very corporate but nice. I was impressed by the enormous wine cellar, and also liked the old-fashioned menus as giant as the restaurant. We had a great, attentive, knowledgeable waiter, too. I can’t wait to go back.
Rating: 9/10 (just as good in June 2010)
Our cost: $168 (a cocktail each) + 40 (waiter was great)
Noise level: civilized hum
Chance of walking in: low. Though they have two more Manhattan locations, so your chances might be better.
I came back with a friend in June 2010 and it was still terrific. She tried the seafood cocktail with crab and three giant shrimp; I happily reordered the lobster and crab cake. We both got special steaks. Her bone-in Kona crusted sirloin with shallot butter had amazing flavors, somehow like an au poivre without the pepper. The sauce was a revelation. I got the slightly lighter Fiorentina New York strip, which was also wonderful. It came with a puréed herb sauce and apparently they marinate the meat overnight in olive oil. We loved the enormous, crispy onion rings and the creamed spinach again. And I can’t praise the courtly, old world service enough.
Permalink
05.03.08
Posted in Asian, Chinese, New York City, New York City Reviews, NoHo, rated 9 to 10, small plates at 01:30 by Dominique
380 Lafayette & Great Jones St., 212-533-7000
Great for: best dim sum in the city (so far), sharing lots of food, taking sophisticated parents to lunch
Usually the Boyfriend complains if I try to drag him to dim sum, with good reason. New York has a big Chinatown and at least one Chinese restaurant on every block – I don’t get why the dim sum is so mediocre. Vancouver, Toronto and San Francisco are all better. (I know, I know, Flushing, but it’s over an hour away and outside Manhattan. I don’t like to spend my Sunday trying to avoid mystery puddles and creepy strangers in trains.) Though I haven’t tried every single place here, I’ve been to a good proportion of them, and this upmarket NoHo place beats the rest hands down.
I nearly had a fit when I saw fresh corn and egg soup with crabmeat on the menu. My favorite dish at my favorite restaurant when I was a little girl was a corn, shrimp and crab soup. This one wasn’t quite as mind-blowing, and the crab was actually lobster (no objection), but it was pretty darn good. It’s not like traditional soup filled with cornstarch; it was very clear, and grew on me as I got used to it. I liked the crunchiness of the corn as well. I wasn’t sure, but I thought the modern update of an old classic boded well for the dumplings we had coming. I also knew that Joe Ng, the executive chef, trained in Hong Kong, so I wasn’t terribly worried.
I was right to hope. All the dumplings had really thin skin, which is a sign of a chef who knows what s/he’s doing – it takes artistry to wrap everything up in a perfect little package without much doughy reinforcement. The steamed shrimp dumplings (har gow) were tender, scrumptious bundles of joy. The roast pork buns were small, fluffy and delicious; the crab and pork soup dumplings juicy and fantastic. Resign yourself to losing some soup from the first two despite your best efforts with the lovely soup spoons, as the dumplings are quite cozy in the bamboo steamer. The crispy shrimp and mango rolls with Dijon mayonnaise (a house specialty) were surprisingly good as well. I didn’t think I would like them but I totally did. The spicy sauce that automatically comes for the table, of soy, chili peppers, onions and scallions, was great too. Although you should not eat the chilies if you want to be able to close your mouth in the near future. Fortunately, I made that mistake at the end of the meal.
We were in raptures over the lobster tail tempura on a bed of roast shallots with mild wasabi mayonnaise and hoisin sauce. The claws were pretty good, while the tail was excellent. The Boyfriend loved the tail so much I let him have a bit of my half. It’s best when hot but still very good otherwise. The beef puff pastries and pork potstickers were great despite having some mushroom. The shrimp and snow pea dumplings that looked like small toad Pokémon were tastier than any little monster should be. The only dish we didn’t love was the crispy taro root shrimp “birds.” Each bird had a taro filament-wrapped shrimp and pork body with a funny bread head dipped in honey. Sadly, they had very noticeable mushrooms and I don’t care for taro so it wasn’t really my thing. But we’d had eight excellent plates out of nine and were stuffed too full of dumpling love to care.
Our flutes of Taittinger rosé champagne went surprisingly well with the dim sum. So did the courteous service – in Chinese restaurants I’m used to waiters who are overworked at best and more usually surly and incomprehensible (I speak Mandarin and they all seem more comfortable in Cantonese). Our waitress was absolutely lovely in looks and action. I liked the décor too, which was chinois without being tacky. The place is basically a French brasserie in layout and furniture, with Chinese floors and furnishings. It’s enormous and seems the type of place you could take your visiting parents. Not because it’s stuffy or boring, but because it’s sophisticated yet homey.
I was impressed with the extent of the dim sum selection. They had all the regular ones plus some fusion and high-end variations. The dishes are mainly four of each thing and come out in waves – you get as much as will fit on your table at one time. I thought the prices were pretty reasonable too. Of course it’s not as cheap as Chinatown, but $6 for most of the plates is not bad for such an upscale restaurant. (The price goes up to $8 at dinnertime.) I am so happy I finally found good dim sum in NYC. And I am delighted to take back my former disappointment that “there aren’t more chefs trying to do really good Chinese (not fusion) cuisine.” Chinatown Brasserie is a shining example of terrific, real Chinese food in an upscale setting. Thank you, Mr. Ng!
Rating: 9 / 10
Our cost: $210 (4 glasses of $19 Taittinger)
Noise level: loud-ish music, not too much noise from other tables
Chance of walking in: medium.
Two weeks later we came with four friends and shared the Peking duck as well as lots of dim sum, and the bill was about $35 per person (I think we ate less than last time, though). The duck was great and even our Hong Kong friend thought the dim sum was good. Must think of another occasion to go…
Permalink
« Previous entries Next Page » Next Page »
