The Gist: Located in the Doubletree by Hilton and close to the airport this would seem a strange choice to most, but as the first stop on an eight day trek taking us from Toledo to Montreal and back by way of Toronto and Ottawa the west Toronto location was not only convenient but I had on good word of mouth from a trusted palate well experienced with Chinese cuisine that the food was quite good as well.
The Why: As above, plus some more “Americanized” options for my mother and aunt who are generally not tremendously adventurous when it comes to authentic ethnic cuisines. Certainly meant to appeal to both Asians living in the Toronto area and clientele staying at the hotel the diversity of the menu was impressive and unlike many similar restaurants a good website assured my family that there would be choices for them as well.
The Reservation: As we were entering Canada via the nearly impossible to predict Ambassador Bridge no reservation was made and given the location both outside of town and in a hotel we arrived to find the restaurant 3/4 empty.
The Space: While I am no expert on Chinese cuisine, the room seemed rather typical from my limited experience with tables and chairs covered in flowing materials, the carpet an ornate floral pattern, and fish tanks in back displaying live fish available to be cooked to order. Music was light woodwinds and chimes and with the central dining area slightly raised on a spiral ramp a small bar with top shelf alcohol sat near the hostess podium where a few businessmen were enjoying cocktails while browsing their laptops. Interestingly, to those who take note of such things, I will additionally note that restrooms were spotless and with the kitchen largely visible through open doors the entirety of the restaurant was much cleaner than any of the places we visited in BC.
The Service: From our check-in at the hostess station to the end of the meal service was professional – smiling even – and with half the items ordered from the dim sum portion of the menu while the rest were ordered from the main menu there was never “too much” at once on the table. As an added bonus, both water and tea were refilled frequently throughout the meal and plates were cleared as they were finished to make room for more.
The Food: 5 dim sum options, 3 plates, tea, and water.
Tea: Although I neglected to take a picture, tea arrived before the meal even began (along with two sauces, mustard and plum) and with jasmine tea starting things off while a dark black tea arrived later in the meal I found both to be fragrant and slightly sweet without needing any additional sugar or sweetner. At $2 per person it was well worth it.
Crunchy Garlic Shrimp Roll: Mom’s choice and although good, certainly the weakest of the dim sum options as the shrimp, while flavorful, were simply too few to overcome the amount of crunchy shell and ample use of garlic. Served along with pepper spears and pairing nicely with the plum sauce my mother enjoyed them, so I guess that is good enough since it was her order.
Baked Diced Cod Fish Pastry in Thousand Layer: Fairing far better than the shrimp rolls, this was perhaps the best dim sum selection to date as each of the three multi-layered pockets shattered on mastication giving way to juicy chunks of fish seasoned with pepper and herbs. Impressively crunchy and without a hint of grease due to baking rather than frying this was on bar with some of the best cod ‘fritters’ I’ve ever tasted – a stark contrast to the sometimes greasy brandade versions popularized at French (or Italian) bistros.
Deluxe Steamed Barbecue Pork Bun: When asked what made these “deluxe” the waiter explained to us that it was the use of abalone sauce as opposed to Barbecue and while I at first hesitated I will have to admit that this was inspired. Starting first with the tender bready dumplings and moving right on to the large chunks of supple swine there was no skimping on the ingredient quality here and with the focus of the sauce leaning more towards the savory than the sweet the end effect was really quite lovely, a sort of soy and spice flavor with just a touch of funk overlying the pork.
Pan Fried Bun with Minced Chicken and Pumpkin in Black Bean Garlic Sauce: Having fallen head over heels for the use of pumpkin in Chinese cuisine during my visit to British Columbia this was a must order and while not my favorite of the afternoon it was hard to argue with the quality as each of the three tender buns was lightly cooked on the exterior but still pillow soft within and topped with shredded taro root I loved the balance of bitter and savory, pungent and sweet, and most of all the tender chunks of chicken.
Freshly Baked Egg Tart in a Puff Pastry Shell Dusted with Swallow’s Nest: My first experience with Swallow’s nest, though honestly it was not at all the reason I ordered this dish; in reality I simply love egg tarts and despite being served on a flimsy plastic carrier these were incredible. Served warm, bordering on hot, with the pastry golden and flaky but not ‘crisp’ while the custard was still jiggly but not runny each sweet bite simply melted on the palate with creamy sweetness and a light tinge of salt and butter on the finish…without a doubt a must order.
Chicken Lo Mein: Yes, my aunt is the least adventurous eater I know, but to be honest this was actually some really excellent Lo Mein, and an enormous plate given the $12 price tag. Beginning first with the noodles, crisp and crunchy despite a hefty ladle of shoots, green beans, carrots, and bok choy in a light sauce part sweet and part savory without being over-salted (or worse, over MSG’d) each bite of this dish maintained a nice textural interplay while the all white meat chicken was thinly pounded and nicely prepared, also served in a sizable portion.
House Special Golden Fried Half Chicken: Definitely not the Colonel’s fried chicken, this half bird arrived split at the breast, golden brown, and resting atop a bed of fluffy white rice topped with at least half a cup of salted cashews. Juicy and aromatic with the flesh itself lightly marinated in garlic, pepper, and what I believe was ginger the star of this dish was without a doubt the crispy skin, lightly kissed with corn starch, soy, and more garlic with a texture not unlike that of Peking duck with substantially less fat. My mother’s choice, this too was deemed “great” despite not being exactly what she’d expected.
Deep Fried Duckling Stuffed with Shrimp Mousse and Almond: My ‘main course’ of the afternoon, and more along the lines of what my mother was expecting when she ordered “fried chicken” this was a truly unexpected and exciting dish where the kitchen had taken the liberty to pound crisp confited duck flat before matching it with creamy shrimp paste, and quickly deep frying it in batter studded with sliced almonds. Something like a fried pate or rillet in texture and rested across young green asparagus sliced lengthwise this was a dish I’ve never seen before on any menu anywhere and all-in-all utterly delicious.
The Verdict: A resounding win for everyone involved with each of us walking away impressed by not only the food – never oily, low on salt and MSG, and full of flavor – but the room and the service. While obviously not the most authentic, cheapest, or convenient to those residing in the greater Toronto area this was the sort of place where “something for everyone” did not mean compromising quality, but instead that the restaurant executed each dish with great ingredients and attention to detail. I would definitely go back and probably will on my next trip to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
The Gist: Achatz and Beran paying tribute to Adria at what is undoubtedly the most anticipated restaurant “opening” of 2012; 29 dishes taken from the El Bulli repertoire stretching from 1987 to 2010 and focusing on the growth and development of both the restaurant and the man behind it.
The Why: The reasons are myriad. For one, I really like Achatz and have enjoyed three stunning meals at Alinea plus two prior visits to Next. Secondly, with my upcoming cross country move it is likely that my visits to Chicago will become far less frequent in the years to come. Third, and most importantly, I am likely one of a very small handful of people who passed on a chance to visit the real El Bulli prior to its closing and although it was never “#1” on my list, it was definitely on “the list” and I had faith that if anyone could pull off an homage to Adria it was Achatz and his team.
The Reservation: If you don’t know about the Next Ticket system I’m not sure how you found this blog, but suffice it to say that while I respect the concept I do not particularly like its implementation, particularly as it relates to the forced season tickets in order to experience this menu. With regard to how I myself ended up at Next “El Bulli” on 3/18, I was at work when tickets went on sale and failed to obtain them myself, but was lucky enough to have someone reach out to me with a spare when his brother could not attend; he also used his privileges to make a reservation for myself and Rich at The Aviary on 3/17 after our dinner at EL Ideas. Thanks Jon.
The Space: Fulton Market is not Roses, but each table was indeed adorned with a single Rose hanging overhead and for those of us lucky enough to get an early seating our arrival was greeted with the sound of waves lapping on the shore via overhead speakers. As always tables are nicely spaced, overhead lighting is clearly designed to focus on the food and to encourage photographs, and although the noise level this time was the loudest I’ve experienced at Next it was never overbearing or unpleasant.
The Service: Stellar, as always. Professional, whimsical, clever, informative, and with no second seating to worry about also very laid back this time around allowing diners to truly enjoy the experience at their own pace. Each course was presented beginning with the date of origin followed by a complete description of constituents, techniques, its significance to El Bulli’s development, and finally why it was included in the tribute menu. Drinks, likewise, were presented with ample descriptions and pours were copious with refills offered to those who desired.
The Food: 29-courses, alcoholic pairings for some and non-alcoholic pairings for others. $456 with tax and tip. Additionally, two drinks and a number of El Bulli themed bites from Aviary the prior night.
Nitro Caipirinha with Tarragon Concentrate: Liquid nitrogen frozen riff on the Brazilian cocktail of cachaca, sugar, and lime with a heady topnote of tarragon concentrate. Sweet meets savory and intensely herbal this was an ideal opening volley readying the palate for pretty much any flavor to follow.
Alcoholic Beverage 1, Jané Ventura “Brut Nature” Cava reserva, Péndes 2008: Dry, slightly bitter, and intense this was the “morphing” beverage of the evening with vials of Pineau des Charentes and Farigoule adding punchy herbal notes and a dropper of Pineau, Farigoule, Malaga Moscatel and Reagans’s Orange Bitters enhancing the potency of the alcohol on the palate but providing a sweet finish on the tongue.
Hot/Cold Trout Roe Tempura: From the year 2000 this bite seemed rather commonplace today, as a matter of fact I had something quite similar at Yusho the previous evening, but with the piping hot and crunchy tempura shell giving way to the cool, briny pop of the roe the importance of this dish was realizing that Adria was doing this over a decade ago.
Spherical Olives: Perhaps Adria’s most ‘famous’ dish and one replicated in various flavors by 100s of chef’s since there really is not much to be said about this bite that hasn’t already been uttered – a bit of alginate, a whole lot of olive flavor, one bite and an intense gush of flavor.
Non-Alcoholic Beverage 1, Coconut Lychee Lime: Smooth, sweet, and just a touch sour on the finish. One of my favorites of the evening and an inspired choice for the snacks portion of the menu.
Coca of avocado pear, anchovies, and green onion: From 1991 and prior to the wizardry this was a nicely balanced bite focusing on balanced textures and flavors with the overall effect a crunchy gives way to smooth bite rife with both brine and sweetness. Shockingly, perhaps, this would be one of the most raved dishes of the evening by my tablemates.
Iberico Sandwich: Like the spherical olives this was a dish I’d experienced before at the hand of Jose Andres and although it was perhaps the most ‘simple’ presentation of the night it is hard to argue with high quality ham served over crispy bread, especially served alongside the coca as a sort of 1-2 punch on classic Catalonian flavors.
Golden Egg: From 2001 this dish would be declared a dud by the rest of my group, but given my predilection to egg dishes I personally enjoyed the concept; a liquid quail egg inside of a crunchy golden shell providing a mild flavor reminiscent of salty caramel with unctuous undertones.
Non-Alcoholic Beverage 2, Saffron and Celery Infusion: Another interesting drink pairing and one particularly fitting my palate this was the sort of beverage that served a two-fold purpose not only pairing well with the subsequent dishes, but also acting as an herbal palate cleanser between dishes.
Black Sesame Sponge Cake with Miso: From 2007 and potentially my favorite dish of the night this was a nearly fist sized piece of cake delivered on a metal service piece that we were instructed to eat in one bite – a seemingly impossible task until one picked up the cake and realized it weighed next to nothing and could be easily compressed to the size of a golfball. With the black sesame intense and nutty while the miso added plenty of umami this was a great dish – rich without being heavy and the first in a number of texture focused dishes that would deftly show Ferran’s influence on the way we experience food.
Chicken Liquid Croquettes: From 1998 and another dish oft imitated by chefs around the world this crunchy bite featured crisp batter on the exterior and a thickened stock on the interior harkening the very essence of roast chicken; not only was it delicious, but placed in the context of
Smoke Foam – Food for Thought: In a word, weird, yet true to its name a thoroughly thought provoking dish. A sort of thin gelatin foam rife with notes of a bonfire I’m not sure I actually ‘liked’ this dish, but taking into account its 1997 birth date it certainly gave me pause to realize that I was still in high school when Adria was reinventing food.
Carrot Air with Coconut Milk: A visual stunner and an example of how foams can still wow when used in the right context. Neon orange, top notes of carrots dissipating into a Taiwanese inspired coconut curry finish, and all at the cost of essentially zero stomach capacity while serving to cleanse the palate for what arrived next.
Cuttlefish and coconut ravioli with soy, ginger, mint: Another dish from 1997 and following the flavor profile of its predecessor this dish featured a technique I’d seen no more than a few weeks prior at wd~50 – namely using a shellfish to form the ‘noodle’ of a ravioli. Chewy and smooth, sweet yet balanced, and highlighted through the aromatic spices this was another favorite from the evening.
Non-Alcoholic Beverage 3, Rose tea, Rosemary Honey, Peach Puree: Generally not a fan of florals unless they are subdued by bitters this was without a doubt my least favorite beverage of the evening; far too sweet and far too ‘rosy’ this drink found much more success with a tablemate who enjoys rose tea and while I appreciated the idea as it related to the dishes it was meant to compliment it simply did not match my palate.
Savory tomato ice with oregano and almond milk pudding: Perhaps an effect of the beverage or perhaps a failure of the dish itself this cocktail from 1992 would prove to be my least favorite dish of the evening. While I certainly understand its inclusion in a retrospective of the Adria brothers’ canon the tomato was simply too salty and the milk pudding too bland. To my palate, it was almost inedible.
Hot crab aspic with mini corn cous-cous: Rallying back after the tomato this two-part composition was another delicious presentation featuring pseudo-cous-cous formed with nothing more than finely chopped corn, olive oil, and herbs at one side and soft, warm gelatin studded with tender crab at the other. Like many of my other favorites of the evening this was another dish that did not contain much ‘mg’ but rather presented quality ingredients manipulated subtlety to maximize their impact on the senses.
Non-Alcoholic Beverage 4, Roasted Golden Beet, Black Mustard Seeds, and Apple: One of my favorite pairings of the evening, this glass featured sweet and savory tones existing in a subtle balance and by using flavor extraction to add a slight hint of mustard the flavors dissipated on the palate with a decidedly earthy tone befitting both of the following plates. Equally successful, I requested a small pour of the 2007 Cider of heirloom apples and wild yeast that also complimented the dishes well (though in my opinion, less so.)
Cauliflower couscous with solid aromatic herb sauce: Essentially the mid-point of the meal and again a reconceptualization of cous-cous this dish from 2000 featured finely chopped cauliflower seamlessly substituting for the nutty starch with notes of gingerbread, apple, pear, opal basil, fennel, saffron, almond, muscovado sugar, and a light touch of lamb jus forcing the diner to contemplate everything from texture and flavor to the literal difference between ‘sauce’ and ‘solid.’
Suquet of prawns: From the earliest years of El Bulli course fifteen gave the diner a glimpse of the early years in Roses; a rather straight forward and elegant Spanish shrimp stew devoid of butter and simply presenting exemplary seafood prepared in olive oil with potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, and herbal aromatics carried by a light froth rendered from the cooking liquids; it was a dish showing Adria’s roots and despite being served originally in 1988 it would not have been out of place on the menu at any fine dining restaurant in 2012.
Non-Alcoholic Beverage 5, Blis Sherry Vinegar, fig juice, pomegranate, barley, black walnut leaf: Another impressive exercise in balancing seemingly disparate flavors this pairing was served in place of the house Sanguis Beer (which sells for $15 should you desire to take one home, as I did for my sister) and although it was only intended to pair with one dish it did an admirable job in that respect while also impressing with a potent sweet top-note giving way to an almost ‘beery’ bitterness that lingered on the palate.
Potato Torta by Marc Singla: From 1998, the year I graduated high school, this admixture of caramelized onion, egg yolk sabayon, and potato foam was named after its inventor – one of Adria’s many students and sous-chefs – and again challenging perceptions of texture this foamy broth tasted precisely like a a Spanish breakfast dish with the rich yolk mellowing the intensity of the onions admirably while the flavors of the tuber were largely relegated to an essence on swallowing.
Non-Alcoholic Beverage 6, Fortified watermelon and red pepper, tarragon, with beef boullion: I’ll use the word ‘interesting’ for this one largely because I can’t say I actually ‘liked’ it, yet at the same time I also couldn’t stop sipping it with each dish that followed since each ‘worked’ surprisingly well with the glass’ flavor profile. At first sweet, then intensely savory to the point of almost being ‘briny’ my favorite aspect of his pairing was the red pepper as it was the prominent smell but nearly undetectable in the mouth.
Trumpet carpaccio: A breathtaking dish from 1989 featuring trumpet and multiple other varieties of mushroom thinly sliced and arranged from the center of the plate radiating out. Described as being Adria’s first foray into utilizing vegetables as a central component with meat as only a garnish the flavors were intense, the textures compelling, and the five small rounds of lamb intriguing in their indistinguishable texture from some of the mushrooms but intentionally contrasting flavor.
Red mullet gaudi: Course 18 would show Beran and Achatz taking some liberties with Adria’s cuisine by first delivering a warm, clear plastic bag filled with water and shells and then placing atop it a glass plank covered with Red Mullet, white anchovy, shallots, pimento pepper, tomatoes, and more. The earliest dish on the menu and a tribute to Antoni Gaudi’s mosaics the most impressive aspect of this course aside from the presentation was just how mild the usually intense mullet was and how well it balanced with the vegetal components; a reminder that before he also became a culinary wizard, Adria was already a highly talented chef.
Nasturtium with eel, bone marrow, cucumber: Three bites on a slate – the first unctuous eel with a slight sweetness topped with smooth marrow, the second a bitter flower of nasturtium, and last a compressed cucumber. Instructed to eat from left to right the intrigue of this dish lied in the way each bite arrived separately but built on those preceding touching on all of the primary flavors sequentially without much overlap but creating something greater than the sum of its parts.
Civet of rabbit with hot apple jelly: The ‘main course’ if you will, this presentation from 2000 looked like many plates one sees in ‘modernist’ kitchens today – small protein, plenty of streaks, smears, dusts, and compressions – and marrying lean rabbit braised in juniper and red wine with apple jelly, muscavado sugar, cocoa powder, and blis vinegar the flavors were decidedly sweet but at the same time nicely mellowed by the addition of foie gras sauce. Like many of the dishes on the evening this dish did not seem all that ‘special’ until you took into account its birth date, but it was delicious either way.
Gorgonzola balloon: From 2009 and shattered tableside by one of our servers before adding grated nutmeg this frozen cheese course can be summed up with one word – Intense. Cold and pungent with only a touch of levity lent by the nutmeg this was the one course of the evening where the portion size was certainly too much and especially in the setting of my tablemates abstaining after only a couple bites much of the balloon went to waste, the texture becoming fairly unpalatable as the cheese melted.
Foie gras caramel Custard: Again rallying after a weak dish, at least for myself, this ‘crème caramel’ from 1999 imbued with the rich sapor of foie gras was everything one would assume from its title and having experienced foie gras in the form of crème brule but never as a flan before I was more than happy to eat my own and help out when one of my tablemates opted to forgo the rest of hers after a single bite.
Spice Plate: Dish 23 was great not because it was particularly delicious, but because it showed Adria’s sense of whimsy and invited the table to play along as a shallow ramekin with a thin green apple gel and twelve different spices was delivered with a pen and instructions; instructions to taste each of the dozen flavors and draw lines on the card connecting the flavor to the position on a clock. Clever and fun my gestalt is that my victory was based on the fact that I was the only one not indulging in the copious pairings, but I won and that is all that really matters…okay, I kid…kinda.
Non-Alcoholic Beverage 7, White tea, tangerine, verjus: Similar to pairing three with an admixture of tea, pureed fruit, and a touch of sweetness from the verjus but substantially less cloying due to the lack of florals while also more complex. While I can’t say I particularly understood how this drink ‘paired’ with the two dishes that followed it was quite delicious.
Mint Pond: I have an “annoying” habit (or perhaps more than one depending on who you ask) – I chew ice. No I’m not anemic, I just like the temperature and the texture, and with that said I was actually amused by a dish that many others have criticized, the 2009 “Mint Pond.” Quite simply a layer of ice on a frosted bowl topped tableside with matcha, peppermint, and brown sugar the guest is invited to ‘break the ice’ and spooning each chilly bite into the mouth brings forth notes of bitter, earthy, and mint to fully revitalize the palate.
Chocolate in textures: The night’s ‘proper’ dessert, an Albert Adria classic, this dish from 1997 was certainly the most complex dessert of the evening and with five textures of cocoa ranging from crisp milk chocolate paper to a thin line of bitter dark chocolate drizzled with a touch of boozy sweetness plus dense chocolate pudding and others in between this plate was yet another “hey, I’ve seen this before” moment that made the diner stop, pause, and realize that what Adria was doing 15 years ago is still being served as ‘haute cuisine’ on menus today.
Non-Alcoholic Beverage 8, White chocolate, black cherry, blackberry: An alternative to the Sangre y Trabajadero Sherry which I also tasted, and a very successful small glass of room-temperature liquid white chocolate infused with pureed black cherry and blackberry jam. Smooth, thick, and creamy it went very well with…
Chocolate donuts, Crème flute, Puff pastry web: Courses 26, 27, and 28 arrived together as the mignardises of the evening and with the donuts bitter and black as night on the exterior with cool, creamy coconut within they were certainly the highlight of the troika while the flutes and webs simply seemed to be another exploration of form and texture, the flavors really nothing more than that of a butter cookie.
Non-Alcoholic Beverage 9, Coffee (with Pedro Ximinez Sherry and Tequila cube): A small frothy espresso with deep caramel tones and notes of stone fruits plus a demitasse spoon alongside holding a gelee rife with notes of Sherry and Tequila. Instructed to either take the bite solo or to mix it into the coffee I opted for the former in order to prevent fowling the coffee and it proved a good choice as the cube was intensely bitter and I generally enjoy my coffee to stand on its own.
Passionfruit Marshmallow – The Farewell: A clever presentation of three metal bowls with rounded bottoms topped off by inflated rubber gloves intended to ‘wave bye-bye’ this veritable shell game asked the diner to guess which bowl contained the marshmallows and after the hands had finished bidding us farewell we discovered the last treat of the evening – small ‘marshmallows’ more consistent in texture with an after dinner mint and featuring the intense flavor of passionfruit.
Additional items from The El Bulli Menu at Aviary:
Pina colada, the disappearing barbarpapa (Cotton Candy, Pineapple juice, Exploding Rum Spheres):
Morphings (Meringue with Pineapple soaked in Maraschino liquor, Raspberry with Balsamic Vinegar Foam, Dark Chocolate with puffed Rice, Orange Pate a Fruit in fennel pollen, Melted sugar with Star anise and Mandarin orange, Yogurt lollipop with Raspberry):
Bacon and date, Toasted corn croquant with guacamole, Huckleberry marshmallow, Passionfruit Diamond:
The Verdict: 29 courses and nearly 4.5 hours later my dining companions were both stuffed and likely a bit drunk while I was sated and amused. A genius like no other, all in all I was glad to have experienced Beran and Achatz’s retrospective of the life Adria and El Bulli, yet at the same time I was also a bit let down – particularly at the hefty asking price for a meal that although “good” certainly was not great and food that while interesting both in texture and technique as well as time and place was certainly not as wowing as I’m sure it would have been in the appropriate context in Roses. Like a remastered greatest hits record the end effect was fine, but in reality the meal itself would not even break into my top five thus far in 2012 and contrary to what every Next fanboy will tell you, this certainly was not the best meal I’ve had at Next – a title that still goes to Childhood where Beran and Achatz were allowed to truly flex their creative muscle rather than riffing from notes of the past.
The Gist: Beer focused tavern in the Fulton Market area from Paul Kahan with lots of oysters, vegetables, fish, pork, offal, and most recently a number of cured meats and terrines from Publican Quality Meats next door. According to Kahan, “pristine product, simply prepared,” and a spot that had long been on my ‘to-do’ list in the Windy City.
The Why: Being honest, Publican almost ‘missed the cut’ again on this trip because as much as I like the brunch menu, I always felt like the restaurant would be better experienced as a dinner with a few other people in order to share around the hefty farm-to-table fare. The reason myself and Rich landed here on Sunday was because Nightwood’s menu for the day was dull and the best items sold out. That said, having had nothing but outstanding experiences at Blackbird and Avec, Publican was an easy choice (and all the more so as I’d spent a lot of time checking out PQM, tasting charcuterie, and chatting with the butchers during the previous days.)
The Reservation: Brunch is offered until 2:00pm according to the website. We arrived at 1:45pm, put our name on the list, and were told it would be ~30-45 minutes. Taking this time to wander over to PQM we returned to Publican in about twenty minutes and were allowed to stand at one of the high-tops inside while we waited. Theoretically we could have ordered food and eaten it right there, but we were in no rush so Rich ordered a cocktail as we waited for a table to open up.
The Space: Know this going in – Publican is loud, an effect of the high ceilinged design harkening a European beer hall and the fact that the place is filled to capacity with people drinking both European and domestic beers. With simple lines clearly the focus both for form and function and a large glass parlor up front I personally really enjoy the space because despite being crowded and heavily wooded the large windows (on our day open to the mild Chicago weather) and high ceilings convey an airy sense of openness.
With communal tables including an enormous banquet at the center of the room, standing cocktail tables as a waiting (or eating) option near the bar, and clever stalls with swinging doors against the back of the room Rich and I were sat at a nice two-top near the window, partially isolated from the noise and able to dine nearly al fresco with sun and breeze at our side. With silverware and plates cleverly reminiscent of days past, the room is completed with a partially open kitchen in the back while walls decorated with several large hogs surround a rectangle of 50+ glowing orbs suspended from the ceiling.
The Service: Like all Kahan restaurants the service is cool but not ‘too cool,’ present without being overbearing, plus friendly, efficient, and knowledgeable. For our meal, the man embodying all of the above qualities was named Kial and although working at least ten tables our water and my coffee never neared empty.
The Food (and rarely drink): A La Carte, 2 appetizers, 2 mains, 1 dessert.
Coffee: Roasted by Intelligentsia and sold at PQM next door in whole bean form this is a very smooth blend that pairs beautifully with both the savory plates and the sweets. Low notes are cocoa laden, the finish is slightly spicy, and the body is thick – particularly at home via French Press.
Spicy Pork Rinds: Think Cheetos but lighter, more crispy, and imbued with the sapor of swine plus a touch of smoke and a bit of heat from a dusting of esplette. They’re as delicious as the rumors and the portion filling a paper cone is generous to say the least.
Pecan Sticky Bun: When the weakest course of brunch is one of the better sticky buns you’ve had in recent memory I think you can rest assured that you just ate a damned fine meal. Thick and buttery brioche, ample use of caramelized pecans and cinnamon, swirls of cinnamon and a touch of sea salt – definitely a dish to be shared and a perfect sweet to pair with the must-order porkrinds.
Bucatini alla carbonara – pork belly, egg, parmesan: Rich’s order of the afternoon and an excellent take on the classic dish subsituting fresh bucatini for spaghetti and supple pork belly with crisp skin for bacon. Bearing in mind the restaurant’s moto this was perhaps the most ‘simple’ dish of the afternoon and as expected the ingredients were all impeccable.
Maple glazed pork shoulder, sunny side up egg, polenta, braised kale, pickled corn: Like everything that preceded it there were no surprises in this dish; no gimmicks, no ‘modernist technique,’ no foams or spheres, just exemplary ingredients perfectly prepared and garnished simply with scallions, salt, and pepper. Crispy pork with a touch of sweetness, toothsome polenta with a touch of cheese, crispy kale with a hint of smoke, a bit of acid to cut the fat, and an egg to meld it all together…the only thing lacking was bread or a sauce spoon to mop up the rest of the yolk.
Waffle – Raspberry Jam and Honey Butter: Highly recommended by a number of people as the ‘must order’ of the breakfast menu and a signature of the restaurant’s dinner dessert menu Rich and I decided to split one as a capper to a heavy meal and while I’m generally a pancake or French toast over waffles sort of guy I must admit this is as good as waffles get in my personal experience; crispy and crunchy – nearly caramelized – on the exterior, yet fluffy and yeasty on the interior and topped with smooth slightly salted butter plus an ample helping of house made raspberry jam plus bourbon barrel aged maple syrup.
The Verdict: Like Blackbird and Avec before it I give Publican my highest marks for its genre and while some may be put off by the loud ‘gastropub’ feel of the space I would come back in a heartbeat, particularly as there is now a Saturday brunch that is entirely different from the Sunday brunch plus a dinner menu that looks even more inspired than either of the daytime offers. With great food, great service, and the addition of Publican Quality Meats to the family it is only a matter of time before Chef Kahan takes home a Beard Award for best restaurateur and there is little doubt that I’ll continue to visit each new spot as the empire grows.
The Gist: A local-seasonal restaurant near DePaul restaurant featuring the cuisine of Dale Levitski, a locally grown chef with significant accolades ranging from time at Trio and Blackbird to Top Chef appearances and Beard Award Nominations.
The Why: Sprout’s brunch menu had always appealed to me, but unfortunately the vast majority of my trips to The Windy City included driving or flying home early Sunday morning. This time with late dinner plans and the intention to drive home on Monday it seemed a perfect opportunity to check out Levitski’s highly acclaimed and often sold out brunch.
The Reservation: The website claims brunch reservations are recommended, but my gestalt is that they mean after noon reservations are recommended. I booked through Opentable but the space was never more than 1/4 full during my visit.
The Space: Sprout is a large restaurant, both in terms of surface area and in terms of the feeling conveyed by the high ceilings, open floor plan, and large windows. With a bar dominating one side of the room and banquets on the other dark woods, beige walls, and cloth chairs dominate the interior while decorations are mostly organic forms such as branches and vines. With light music playing overhead it should be noted that despite the comfortable and homey appearance, right down to the brown paper overlying the white tablecloths, this space gets quite loud even at low capacity given the close spacing of chairs.
The Service: When I arrived I was the only person in the restaurant. It was 10:30am and the hostess opted to seat me at the far end of the room, which was fine. Seated for ~5 minutes before my server, Jeremiah arrived with menus for both food and cocktails water was filled and I was left to peruse my options. I asked for coffee at this point, but the request elicited no response and when Jeremiah returned I had to ask again, to which he suggested “oh, I thought you would want a cocktail first” before disappearing and eventually returning to fill my coffee and take my order. Bearing in mind that I arrived at 10:30 and it took nearly 15 minutes to order coffee I would still leave the restaurant before 11:15 – and that is considering the fact that I ordered three plates which Jeremiah took the liberty of condensing to two courses…I guess that is what happens when you attend only to the two elderly females ordering mimosas, leave the responsibility of dropping off plates to your back servers, and never check in on the solo all the way in the back whose coffee sat empty for far longer than it would even at Denny’s.
The Food: 3 dishes A La Carte, Plus Coffee.
Coffee: It came from a pot. It was hot. There were appropriate sugars and sweeteners. It was refilled once during my visit and it was entirely unmemorable for $3.50. I did like the squared off mug though.
Peach Poppyseed Turnover $6: Served as the warm half of an opening duo that I’d expected to be two separate courses this dish was listed as a Blackberry turnover on the menu but, in his one showing of actually being more than an automated server-bot, Jeremiah informed me that since peaches were seasonal they were being used instead. Fair enough, I thought – peaches are one of my favorite fruits. What he neglected to tell me was that the chef had apparently only received one peach for the day and as such the pair of turnovers would contain no more than 1 ounce of peaches total and only slightly more pastry. Conspicuously small but served with a copious amount of citrus butter and poppyseed cream I hoped that what these pastries lacked in size they’d make up for in flavor, but alas they did not; the pastry buttery but lacking layers and the peaches rather bland while neither accoutrement really did much to help.
Foie Gras, Green Eggs, and Smoked Duck $12: Part two of my opening duet and served chilled, when yo take three of my five favorite foods and put them in a single dish there is no way you can fail, right? Wrong. Served as five halved deviled eggs, two with what seemed to be a sort of pea infused mayonnaise and sprinkle of what I assume was the smoked duck and three with a shockingly flavorless foie gras mousse this dish was simply a tragedy – everything lacking flavor save for the semi-sweet mayo and the eggs overcooked to the point of being rubbery, and really so bad that the obvious question of where the other half of the third egg went became irrelevant…it wouldn’t have been worth eating anyhow.
Apple Crepe – Fig, Root Beer, Bacon, Vanilla Mascarpone $12: At this point coffeeless and bored despite only sitting down twenty-five minutes prior it was no more than five minutes after I finished the last egg when my ‘main course’ arrived, along with a requested coffee refill. Faring better than the previous two dishes and actually quite good in its composition save for a crepe that was too much egg and too little flour, where both of the previous courses had lacked in flavor this dish had it in spades; the apples finely diced with skin on and pleasantly tart, the mascarpone light and sweet, the bacon lightly applied for a savory touch, and the fig/root-beer compote something like a sticky toffee pudding in flavor and actually the highlight of the meal by a substantial margin.
The Verdict: Considering the quality (or lack thereof) of service a sub-10% tip was left, rounding the bill off to $40. $40 for food that was largely underportioned, underflavored, and certainly no better than the average diner breakfast in any way save for perhaps the ingredients. In a city I consider to be the premier brunch city in America, housing personal favorites 2 Sparrows, Southport Grocery Café, M.Henry/Henrietta, Bongo Room, and more I cannot think of a single reason to return to Sprout…except maybe to ask what they do with that other half of an egg.
The Gist: “Elevated Ideas,” a dining concept from the least likely of chefs – Phillip Foss, a man who didn’t even think to take up cooking until after high school, yet oddly a man who has cooked not only in multiple highly regarded restaurants but also on multiple continents in a career that can only be described as random – from fine dining in Tel Aviv to private chef gigs in Florida and at least half a dozen stops in between, the most recent of which included a meatball food truck in a city where food trucks are frowned upon.
The Why: Because passion always seems like a good reason to visit a restaurant, and without even considering the favorable reviews it would be impossible to say EL Ideas lacks passion and in a city where some of the hottest tickets in town are entirely formulaic, turning out the same menu for months at a time with scripted service to boot there was something about EL Ideas that struck me as being both original and authentic.
The Reservation: Much has been made of the reservation policy at EL Ideas in the past, a sort of e-mail lottery system that didn’t make much sense to anyone, but just prior to our visit this system underwent a change and although still a tough reservation, the process is now simplified to making a call or sending an e-mail a month or so in advance listing your party size and desired date – reportedly they’ll get back to you in under 24 hours but for myself it was more like 24 minutes.
The Space: The restaurant is in the ghetto and according to my friend not entirely easy to get to via public transportation – even the website describes it as being in a back alley – and as such it is probably best accessed by car, particularly considering the free parking (a rarity in Chicago.) That noted, once you get inside things take a considerable turn for the best, a 16 seat gem of a dining on the verge of a kitchen with nothing to hide – ingredients, utensils, chefs, and even the business side and stock rooms openly visible throughout.
With dinners all starting at a set time, I’ll note that arriving early is a good bet as tables are offered first come, first serve and though there isn’t a bad seat in the house, some offer better lighting while others allow more focus on the kitchen and myself opting for the best lit table of the group I sat down to white tablecloths, sturdy chairs and tables, and quality serviceware appropriate for the high detail of plating as well as the BYOB aspect of the restaurant necessitating a variety of glasses. With the brick walls decorated with a single painting plus a chalkboard of drawings from Aqua Teen Hungerforce plus cork curtains on the windows the scene is decidedly minimalistic, and music is provided by an eclectic Ipod playlist ranging from Phil Collins to Hip Hop.
The Service: Perhaps the most interesting (and awesome) aspect of a meal at EL Ideas besides the food – there aren’t really any servers. There is a maitre d’/host who deals with water, wine, and clearing plates but each dish is presented by the chefs themselves followed by the music being turned down so the chef responsible can describe the dish, its inspiration, and any other salient notes. Often delivered with biting wit, especially those from Chef Foss, I particularly loved how all tables received the dishes at the same time thus keeping the surprise factor high.
In addition to the above, a bonus aspect of a meal at EL Ideas is that the diner is not only welcomed to the kitchen, but invited to be there at any time, and additionally encouraged to help with plating and serving his/her course. Truly an outside the box idea, it was literally a chance to be ‘in the kitchen’ and all three chefs were cordial, conversational, and happy to describe ingredients, techniques, and any other random bit of trivia (related to food or not) while busily plating 16 dishes and preparing aspects of multiple other courses as well.
The Food: $135 Tasting Menu. 12 Savories, 2 Sweets. House filtered water, Coffee/Tea included. BYOB.
Gin and Juice – Oyster/Cucumber/Botanicals: Presented in a glass along with a spoon by Chef Foss and reportedly inspired by “one of the great poets of our generation – Snoop Dogg,” the first dish would set the tone for the evening in terms of the degree of complexity we were about to experience. Featuring a briny Kumamato Oyster on top of a pickled cucumber swimming in a gin and crème de violet cocktail infused with cucumber juice the first flavors of this dish were bitter and brine, but adding substantial complexity both in terms of flavor and texture the addition of a candy stripe beet marinated in champagne vinegar, citrus blossoms, coriander blossoms, cucumber blossoms, viola, and finally a pink peppercorn candy gave the dish a sort of vegetal tinge that on swallowing dissipated into a cool floral essence. Complex to be certain, though certainly not my favorite dish of the night my only bicker would be that I think it would have been better served as a single shot as my last bite was largely just alcohol and cucumber.
Roe – Katsuobushi/Tapioca/Coconut: Our second plate of the night was again from Chef Foss and, well, it came with a surprise. Consisting of briny char roe, dried and cured smoked Bonito, tapioca pearls cooked down with coconut milk, and garnishes of radishes marinated in yuzu and ponzu, soy pudding, plus wasabi leaves this course was delivered with no flatware, but instead a promise – a promise that we would want to (and have to) lick it off the plate. Again a complicated plate with the roe and bonito flake nicely balanced by the sticky milky notes of the tapioca I particularly enjoyed the use of yuzu and aged soy to bring up the sweetness level a touch while the wasabi added the slightest hint of heat and while some may have found the whole licking aspect off-putting I personally thought it hilarious, one of the many times that evening I found myself smiling and laughing not at, but with a serious restaurant that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Black Bass – Black Rice/Black Garlic/Black Radish: The first dish presented by someone other than Foss and featuring a very obvious theme of black plus “Kumquats…um…because they’re delicious!” this plate would prove to be one of many stunning classic-technique driven dishes of the night with the bass itself supple and moist with crispy scales adding contrast while a bed of tender forbidden rice seasoned lightly with olive oil and black salt provided a toothsome and nutty flavor well balanced by razor thin slices of radish and kumquat plus a smear of black garlic.
Cauliflower – Botarga/Anchovy/Potato: Dish four, at least to myself, seemed to be the least inspiring of the evening and when it landed in front of me my feelings didn’t really change…until a took a bite. Presented by Foss and described at length, what seemed to me like it would be overly briny and fishy actually turned out to be not only bold, but balanced and interesting. Beginning at its base with cauliflower florets cooked sous vide in lemon and olive oil and subsequently topped with a slightly acidic and pleasantly sweet “cauliflower Bolognese” seasoned with chopped anchovies the cauliflower component of this dish simply sang while the addition of crunchy croutons, boiled potatoes, an anise hyssop blossom, sliced white anchovies, and a large piece of briny cured tuna roe all harmonized nicely. Strongly vegetable focused and using proteins as garnish it reminded me of things I saw at Eleven Madison Park only weeks earlier…a compliment to be sure.
Brussels Sprouts – Grits/Kale/Horseradish: Another vegetal dish, this one from Kevin, would arrive on the heels of Cauliflower and like its predecessor here too we would see animal as a garnish. Like the bass a much less elaborate preparation than the dishes from Foss, “Brussels Sprouts” again focused on texture with two forms of sprouts – sous vide and caramelized, two forms of Kale – flash fried and raw, plus pork cracklins, creamy grits, and a dash of horseradish to bring it all together.
Apple – Peanut/Bacon/Thyme: Plate six, a dish “based on my favorite snack of apples and peanut butter…plus bacon, because why the f$%k not” would arrive next from Phillip Foss and in a meal filled with inspired combinations this was perhaps the most notable as the chef opted to serve up his snack in the form of a ball of sour Granny Smith sorbet over top of peanut butter spiked with bourbon barrel aged soy sauce, crumbled peanut brittle, parsnip marmalade with julienned apples, thyme leaves, and crispy bacon. Cold and sour, creamy and savory, a bit of crunch, and a well placed shock to the palate transitioning us to the heavier courses that would follow.
French Onion – Upside Down: Another Kevin dish, and a serious wallop of flavor this dish took the concept of a French Onion Soup and literally turned it on its head by making the soup itself of Emmentaler cheese infused with a smoky notes and subsequently adding caramelized onions, nutmeg, soft nuggets of brioche, and finally a crispy brioche crouton at the center. Rich and dense, it was only a hint of what the next five courses would bring (…note, don’t go to Yusho or anywhere else for ‘snacks’ before visiting EL Ideas.)
St. Patrick’s Day Special – Green Eggs and Ham: An impromptu dish served to commemorate the day of our meal this course featured a single egg poached in arugula juice served over a pickled ramp, a thick slice of boiled Benton’s Ham over creamed sunchokes, and candied blackberries as well as blackberry sauce plus fresh arugula in three small piles on the plate. Described not only as being related to the holiday but also as a sort of ‘breakfast for dinner’ concept by Chef Foss both Rich and I (and later the Chef himself on LTHForum) admitted that this course needed more work because although the ingredients were all things I enjoy, they simply did not ‘go together’ outside the theme and even then the blackberries seemed out of place. Baring in mind my comments above, this was also a sizable portion – the ham easily a couple of ounces, and again quite rich with progressively heavier dishes to follow.
Foie Gras – Celeriac/Meyer Lemon/Mustard: One of the more unique aspects of serving all plates simultaneously to a group of 16 was the ability to present foie gras in whole roasted form and using nearly two pounds of Hudson Valley bird the portion we received was generous and exquisitely creamy. Obviously not stopping at just the liver, this plate which was again from Chef Foss, balanced the unctuous liver with celery root in four styles of preparation – crisps, puree, julienned, and compressed – plus celery leaves, lentil salad, Meyer lemon confiture, white verjus gelee, plus black and yellow mustard vinaigrette. Clearly a very complicated plate with myriad tastes and textures traversing the plate I’ll note that while I could have done without the mustard, the bitter celeriac components playing point/counterpoint with the verjus and meyer lemon was splendid.
Kohlrabi – Sweetbreads/Lobster/Black Trumpets: From Kevin, course ten was another soup and at the same time another dish where vegetables took center stage while two inimitable proteins lent a supporting role. Served in a temperature sensitive manner with the steaming hot and foamy cream of kohlrabi cappuccino at the center we were instructed to push the accoutrements in, stir, and then enjoy – a procedure that created one of the most memorable courses of the evening – an aromatic masterpiece with the slight sweetness of the kohlrabi smoothly enhancing the flavors of mushrooms, shallots, steamed Maine lobster, and pan fried crispy sweetbreads while bits of crispy kohlrabi leaves added a slight bitter note on the tongue that dissipated on swallowing leaving behind the sweetness of the proteins.
Duck – Bok Choy/Shishito/Oyster Sauce: If you’ve already served me lobster, foie gras, sweetbreads, and a stellar egg dish the last step to making me swoon is probably to put a piece of duck on my plate and with the penultimate savory Kevin did just that with a piece of roasted duck breast served simply over top of sous-vide Bok Choy, Black Pepper Oyster Sauce, and Pickled Shishito peppers. Crisp on the outside with a minimal ribbon of fat juxtaposing supple flesh the duck was delicious while the mild peppers and poignant oyster sauce worked well to place the dish in an Asian frame of reference further reinforced by the tender bok choy.
Steak – Components of Bernaise: From the brain of Foss and one more step in my realization that when done right I can enjoy beef, our final savory of the evening presented a round of tenderAustralian Wagyu strip loin resting on a bed of pearl onions with a sort of deconstructed and manipulated sauce Bernaise spread across the plate including clarified butter powder, slow cooked egg yolk, lemon pudding, reduction of tarragon reduction and a touch of Dijon mustard. Imaginative and rich this was a great dish and while beef will never win my ‘best of the meal’ award, this was very nicely done.
Movie Snacks – Popcorn/Twizzlers/Raisinets: Another dish taken from Chef Foss’ favorite things, this dessert was all over the place and all the better for it. Featuring Black Popcorn, crumbled homemade Whompers and pretzels, and vine-ripened Raisinets, as the sweet and savory base and then topping it off with Twizzlers Ice Cream and Coca-Cola Foam this was not an elegant or subtle dessert by any means – just a sweet and delicious one, particularly the oddly delicious ice cream which sparked memories of those tasty red sticks after hockey games as a child and the intensely malty whompers.
Milk n’ Cookies – Chocolate/Capsule/Oreos: A far more refined dish than the first dessert, the last course of the evening was a lot of fun and having had the chance to watch Kevin put it together in the kitchen provided another degree of appreciation for the flavors and textures at hand. Beginning first at its base, the dessert started with a pair of cookie crumbles, half from house-made dark chocolate cookies and half from actual Oreos. Added next, two dollops of ‘sweet milk’ pudding from condensed milk were set to flank a sort of reverse Oreo truffle with a white chocolate shell overlying liquid chocolate on the inside. Last but not least, added just before delivery, was chocolate cookie ice cream and much like the dish beforehand this was a dessert evocative of memories from my childhood yet at the same time significantly more complex than sitting with a handful of Oreos and a glass of 2%.
Rare Tea Cellar and Ipsento Guatemala Monte Cristo Blend: With desserts finished and the soundtrack slowing down we were all invited to the kitchen to chat with the chefs once more and to help ourselves to coffee or tea, a collection of three options from Rare Tea Cellar, Decaf from Intelligentsia, or a French Press of Ipsento Guatemala Monte Cristo Blend – a bold and nutty roast from a local company I’d not heard of, but a solid cup of coffee with deep cocoa notes that worked well in the context of the final dessert.
The Verdict: One of my friends, a well traveled gourmand, says that the most important aspect of finding a dining partner is sharing the same ‘mouth’ – essentially that if you like the same things as your friend you’ll end up enjoying the same places. With that in mind, I can only say that while my life has been nothing like that of Chef Foss, if this meal is any indication there is no doubt that we share a similar palate and while not every course was flawless the majority were exemplary and many stoked memories, feelings, and emotions of happiness unlike all too many fine dining experiences. Adding in the bargain pricing, unequaled access to the kitchen, whit, and camaraderie of the evening I can’t wait to go back…to me EL Ideas is the most exciting restaurant in Chicago right now.
The Gist: Matthias Merges, the Executive Chef of Charlie Trotter’s from 1996-2010 and the man responsible for my one excellent meal there reinterprets Japanese Street Food in the up and coming Logan Square area.
The Why: To be fair, I hadn’t planned to go to Yusho – not until the man who invited me to Next – El Bulli suggested it. Sure I’d heard good things from people I trust, but I already had reservations at EL Ideas that evening…but then again, when has that stopped me – particularly under the guise of ‘sharing a few plates’ with someone who not only likes Japanese cuisine but also has spent time in Japan and thus knows far more about it than I?
The Reservation: Accepted via the phone or through the restaurant’s own proprietary online system. As we were dining at 5:00pm on a Saturday the reservation was easily secured and although only the tasting menu is usually the only offering at the chef’s counter a simple request to sit there and order a la carte was honored as no one else had booked it during that time.
The Space: Prior to this visit I’d not spent much time in Logan Square and as I arrived nearly thirty minutes early for dinner I now know why – I walked around for the full thirty minutes and found nothing but older, relatively well maintained homes and a school. The restaurant itself sits on a street corner with simple signage, but once you get inside the décor is actually quite impressive with the space long and narrow with booths and a low bar with stools up front, tables in a larger dining room in back, plus a chef’s counter with high backed stools overlooking the entirety of the preparation area in between. Lighting is mostly soft overhead spotlights and hanging lamps of varied colors and bulb styles, plus large windows up front flooding the area with light during our meal. Music is light and nondescript, kitchen noise is minimal, and the use of reclaimed wood, concrete, brick, and exposed ceilings gives the room a comfortable minimalistic feel while colors and textures prevent it from being another nondescript ‘Japanese’ restaurant.
The Service: Competent, pleasant, and efficient with our primary server, Yolanda, handling the vast majority of the process including presenting the menus and daily specials, making recommendations, delivering dishes with excellent descriptions, and clearing plates. Admittedly there are some limitations to being served from behind as we were sitting at the bar and perhaps this could have been circumvented if we’d had ordered the tasting/omakase thereby allowing the chefs to serve us directly, but either way the service was everything one could want and the pace of the meal was leisurely with dishes arriving one or two at a time, always appropriate in temperature, and with good spacing so that we never felt rushed or bored.
The Food: A la carte. Two cocktails, Seven Savories, One Sweet.
With the menu quite extensive we started with a cocktail each while making decisions. For myself, Cate’s Esters – Lemon Hart Demerara Rum, Lime, Cane Sugar, Orange, Myrrh Bitters would prove to be just my style with quite a bit of sweetness, the smooth basenotes of rum, and the interesting use of an aromatic I most identify with incense that rose to the palate and sinuses but was virtually undetectable on smelling the drink.
Chicken Skin – Japanese Mustard, Garlic, Togarashi: Jon’s first choice as he was familiar with similar dishes from his visits to Japan. According to him, not quite traditional in that those overseas are more meaty I have to admit that for a dish I wasn’t sure I would like since I don’t fancy mustard or significant heat I actually really enjoyed the one skin I tasted – crisp and salty with the heat and garlic acting to level out the mustard.
2x Fried Chicken – Kanzuri, Matcha, Lime: Another choice of Jon’s, served up on a Japanese newspaper, and a very logical follow-up to the skin both in terms of the animal and in terms of the flavor. Featuring two breasts, split and fried not once but twice, to call this chicken ‘extra crispy’ would be an understatement as the crunchy coating rife with spices gave way to moist, tender flesh that was almost ‘soft’ in comparison, though in reality perfectly brined, cooked, and full of flavor. With a light tinge of flavor from both the acid in the lime and the bitter matcha, the real wallop of bonus flavor was the Kanzuri, a sauce I’d never experienced before that Yolanda explained was ‘hot and sour’ – an understatement to be sure as a little went a long way.
Grilled Hama-Hama Oyster with Cider, Yuzu, Sake: One of the daily specials, this was ordered by Jon and although I was offered a bite I declined. Reportedly very good I will note that I’ve never seen an oyster quite so large and considering the events of December 30th 2011 I remain a bit guarded about raw or lightly cooked oysters served on the half shell.
Salmon Roe Takoyaki, Chile, Bonito, Scallions: Perhaps Yusho’s most talked about dish, and the start of a quartet of fantastic plates that epitomized the concept of umami this plate featured four golf ball sized pockets of flour packed with briny salmon eggs that literally burst with flavor on each bite. Texturally not dissimilar from a hushpuppy with the crispy golden exterior and toothsome yet creamy insides the flavor profile of the dish was only enhanced by the briny shaved mackerel while scallions and chili oil added another dimension of flavor depth. Apparently more commonly made with octopus as opposed to the roe I’ll definitely seek the authentic version in the future, but all things being equal I find it hard to believe it can compare to such a stunning dish.
Cod Chawanmushi, Ginkgo Nuts, Shiitake: Arriving simultaneously with the eel as we continued to swoon over the Tokayaki, this dish would be the first of the evening where the form was quite different from what I’d expected, and yet it would still prove to be stunning as the crisp pieces of tempura-fried cod cheek were suspended via skewer over sweet custard flecked with crunchy toasted ginkgo nuts and fibrous shiitake mushrooms. Ever a fan of custards and puddings I personally felt this to be one of the strongest dishes of the evening and amongst the best Chawanmushi preparations I’ve experienced.
Eel Brandade, Hominy, Wasabi Mustard: The second of a dynamic duo, my second salt cod preparation of the day, and again vastly different than I’d expected in a very welcome way with the supple and sweet eel sliced into thin strips and rested over fried balls of creamy brandade that burst with a savory cream not dissimilar to the Takoyaki. Clearly not satisfied with a pairing that was already delicious, Merges instead upped the ante on this dish with the addition of griddled hominy at the base plus a dash of intensely spiced mustard (which was thankfully applied sparingly) creating a bowl of contrasts in flavor, texture, and spice that all came together masterfully in the mouth.
Foie Gras – Kabocha Squash, Kombu, Honey: Obviously if there was foie gras on the menu I was going to order it and as is usually the case, it proved to be the highlight of the meal as a surprisingly large slice of liver arrived crisp and caramelized on the exterior, supple and unctuous within, and flanked with an inspired composition of tender squash, crispy seaweed, and a liberal drizzle of honey plus bee pollen. Again an exploration of textures and flavors but here excelling to even higher highs in terms of sweet/savory balance it was the best foie gras of the trip by a substantial margin.
Logan Poser Ramen – Crispy Pigs Tail, Hen Egg, Cucumber, Thai Chile: Seeing that we were sharing all of our items the chef asked if we’d prefer this dish portioned out for two and thankful for the suggestion (plus the extra egg) we watched the dish being composed as we enjoyed the foie gras – a slow and careful process to be sure but one well worth the wait as both bowls arrived piping hot with the broth rife with the flavors of pork and the sea. Again utilizing a skewer to support the crisply fried deboned pig tail above the broth and balancing the brine with the creamy egg, crunchy cucumbers, and masked heat of the Thai chili this was a bit hearty so later in the meal, but delicious just the same.
Black Sesame, Coffee Sauce, Crunchy Business: Having been told by my friend Rich (who I’d be seeing in less than an hour at EL Ideas) that I “must” order this dish, well, I had to order this dish…and in the end I was very glad I did as the rich Black Sesame soft serve topped with salty caramel infused with Arabic coffee and a thin waffle described sesame brittle was far more than your typical boring ice cream. Beginning first with the ice cream – think sweetened soy sauce with a sort of cocoa undertone brought to a peak by the bitter/sweet balance of the coffee sauce – it was outstanding and far more impressive than that at Brushstroke only a few weeks prior. Next, adding texture, was the ‘crunchy business’ – a combination of the shattering waffle tuille, ground white and black sesame seeds, and house made sixlets. Generally not one to be wowed by Japanese desserts, Rich was right – if you go, you must order this.
The Verdict: You should go…you should probably go with another person…you probably should not have dinner plans afterwards…and you should slide up to that bar and either place yourself in the chef’s hands or order everything on the menu that sounds good because between a gourmand with minimal experience with Japanese cuisine and one with plenty we both left Yusho happy, sated, and impressed for $65/pp including drinks making Yusho a lock for Michelin’s Bib Gourmand, but with food, service, and setting certainly qualifying for at least a single star in the Red Guide.
The Gist: Described as an Italian neighborhood pizzeria and bar by Chef Tony Mantuano with 20+ varieties of pizza, a mozzarella bar, gelato, an espresso bar, Roman-style fritti, Italian beers, aperitivi and wine.
The Why: New spot with a strong menu and positive word of mouth. While I very much disliked my experience at Spiaggia due to service issues, I loved Café Spiaggia and Mantuano’s style of Italian Cuisine. Great location just off North Michigan Avenue, small plates, and open constitutively from lunch to late night.
The Reservation: Reservations accepted but certainly not required. Showed up, was seated immediately, and watched Godfather on the Television at the bar while waiting for my friend to arrive.
The Space: A front patio with shaded seating and tables in the sun gives way to an atrium where the hostess stand resides in front of a pastry and espresso counter with a gelateria off to the left. Certainly a loud space towards the front, but substantially more peaceful towards the back where an open kitchen and tile pizza oven are flanked by two dining areas with both booths and tables. Extensive use of sturdy light woods in the tables and décor while padded seating features shades of grey and red beneath soft overhead lighting.
The Service: Competent, friendly, and knowledgeable. Offered suggestions without being overbearing and seemed to genuinely enjoy the job while assuring good pacing throughout the meal. Accommodating to requests and quick to refill water, deliver dishes, and clear emptied plates despite the restaurant being quite busy.
The Food: 4 plates, 1 pizza, 1 dessert served in four courses.
Hand Rolled & Stuffed Mozzarella with San Marzano tomatoes, basil: wanting to sample something from the Mozzarella bar but unwilling to commit the stomach space to one of the large tastings Rich and I opted for this choice based on Stephen’s recommendation and arriving only a few minutes after we placed our order the four sliced rounds could not have been better – the cheese creamy, the tomatoes bright and sweet, the basil fresh and aromatic, and a drizzle of olive oil actually adding to meld everything together while adding a glossy finish.
Baccala – House-cured cod, lemon: I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t part of the reason I decided to visit Bar Toma in the first place and served piping hot in a sealed jar it was definitely worth the price of admission. Slightly thicker than some versions of the whipped potato and salt cod amalgam I actually found this to be an interesting textural variant and while not quite as mesmerizing as the brandade at Minetta Tavern the addition of lemon was a refreshing twist, particularly when spread across the buttered and toasted baguette which was replenished with a simple request.
Crudo black bass, pistachio, satsuma mandarin, controne pepper: Another ‘fish in a jar,’ and this time served cold with crisp sesame puffs. My friend ordered this and enjoyed it but for me it was quite like eating acid and fire with a touch of crunch from the pistachios. Admittedly not one to order crudo or to prefer citrus I’m sure the dish was good for what it was since I trust my friend’s opinion, but it simply was not for me; a couple bites were plenty.
Modenese – Guanciale wrapped sweetbreads with Sage: An obvious choice from the grilled menu and an excellent one at that. Featuring three creamy sweetbreads bisected and divided amongst two skewers at the core and crispy house-cured pork jowl on the outside there really is not much to be said about this dish that you would not guess from the ingredients. Smoky and aromatic but at the same time slightly sweet I additionally loved the fact that the team opted to serve the skewers over a plate of sage and spinach, a bitter salad that wilted under the heat while soaking up much of the savory drippings.
Lorenzo – Mozzarella, Fresh tomatoes, Crispy pancetta, Basil: With so much to-do about the pizza at Bar Toma it was decided that we should go the simple route, but knowing that Mantuano cures most of his pork in house a simple Margherita seemed somewhat less inspiring than one with pancetta and to some extent this turned out to be true, even if the pizza itself was only average.
Fancying myself as a ‘crust first’ sort of pizza fan, I’ll start out by saying that from this standpoint the pie was superfluous – nicely leavened, full of flavor, thin and crisp but with a touch of chew and only slightly charred at the edges. Moving next to the house made items, the briny pork and the creamy mozzarella, they too were of good quality and amply applied yet not so heavy as to make the crust soggy or limp. Moving finally to the vegetables – this unfortunately is where the pie fell flat…very flat…with tomatoes that simply lacked sweetness and basil of questionable freshness thrown haphazardly onto one half of the pie and contributing minimal flavor. Perhaps an effect of the Midwest in the winter, but inexcusable considering what we tasted the day before at Nellcote (or in a city where I’ve had some of the best pizzas of my life.)
Amaretto Bread Pudding, Caramel Sauce, Riso Gelato: Heavily promoting the house made gelato – available in 14 flavors to-go on a cone or in a cup – there was no doubt I’d be ordering dessert before leaving Bar Toma, but with the sweets not posted online or in-store until we’d finished the plan received a substantial update the moment I saw the menu. Served as a thick rectangle swimming in bubbling caramel this bread pudding was clearly pre-made but also exemplary, a dense cake rife with boozy tones competently balanced by the intensely sweet sauce and served in a double-handled Staub baking dish the rustic presentation was also a welcome sight. Certainly not wanting to skip the gelato, an added bonus was Stephen’s willingness to replace the suggested vanilla with rice-pudding flavored gelato, an ample scoop a slight savory tone and rich cinnamon tone that for my dollar trumped local-favorite Black Dog for texture and quality.
The Verdict: Overall a hit and miss experience. On one hand I really like the layout, the fact that you can walk-in without reservations, and the style of the menu. Highs were high with the dessert, mozzarella, baccala, and sweetbreads quite impressive but the quality of vegetables on the highly-raved pizza a major failure. Service was efficient and friendly and prices are actually quite good for the quality considering the location just steps away from Chicago’s most notable shopping area. On the whole I’d consider going back to try some of the more dishes or to grab a gelato, but I’d be hesitant to recommend the pizza considering the fact that there are much better pies to be found in the Windy City.
The Gist: Upscale breakfast and brunch spot in the Lincoln Park area helmed by a former Charlie Trotter’s Chef and Dining Room Manager.
The Why: My fascination with kitschy breakfasts, dessert-like pancakes and French toast, and good coffee – plus foie gras poptarts and bacon donuts.
The Reservation: Not taken, walk in only, can get crowded on weekends. In Lincoln Park so parking is at a premium.
The Space: Upscale but cozy with a hostess stand near the door, dining areas to the back left of an open kitchen and up front near the floor-to-ceiling windows with great people watching on the day of my visit, St. Patrick’s Day. Sleek wooden tables and chairs with an industrial interior of metal and reclaimed wood, cement floors, and hand blown red-orange glass chandeliers. Plenty of space between tables and a light indie rock soundtrack plus sounds from the open kitchen, but not loud by any means.
The Service: Pleasant, efficient, and hip without being over the top. Coffee and water were refilled copiously and all the workers seemed to really enjoy their job, as well as the restaurant’s concept. My server, Jackie, was particularly entertaining and chatty, almost always a plus when dining solo.
The Food: Four Plates served in Three Courses, A La Carte.
Coffee – Considering my caffeine addiction, free refills are always a plus, but when those free refills are a single origin Ecuadorian bean roasted by Metropolis for $5 you pretty much had me at hello. Rich, velvety, and surprisingly well extracted coming from a pot as opposed to a press this is probably the best bean I’ve ever had with free refills and at a $1 upgrade from the $4 blend (also from Metropolis) which I asked to taste later on it was every bit worth it.
Maple and Bacon Doughnut –Without a doubt the best savory donut I’ve tasted, and by a decent margin. Yeast raised but at the same time more dense than that at Doughnut Vault (or Dunkin’) with a good sponge not dissimilar from the Baba the night before at Nellcote. Slathered with a smoky pork imbued maple glaze and further complimented by the addition of supple thick cut bacon this is a must order and all the better as it is served warm.
Foie Gras and Cherry Preserves Pop Tart – Having grown up (and grown fat) as a youth on frosted cherry Pop-Tarts each and every morning this was clearly a must order item and although my tastes and habits have clearly changed over the years there was such a degree of nostalgia to this that I do not even think I can judge it fairly. From the flaky butter pastry baked to a golden brown to the intense filling, half house-made black cherry preserves and half creamy duck liver, my only critique would be that the fillings weren’t exactly evenly dispersed leaving some bites as sweet as the treat of my childhood and some unctuous like a torchon on brioche… if only all of life’s problems were so enjoyable.
Belly Sandwich: My main course, featuring a fluffy buttermilk biscuit, perfectly cooked pork belly with crispy skin giving way to supple meet, a sunny side egg, and perhaps most interestingly a pile of lightly brined sweet pickled onion proving an ample foil to the otherwise rich flavors. Served alongside, “tots” and fresh housemade ketchup, the later sweet with notes of garlic and paprika while the tots were more like hashbrowns formed into nuggets and fried crisp with just a touch of salt.
Cherry Bread Pudding with Sour Cherry Caramel Sauce and Honey Mascarpone: First off, I did not mean to order this. I swear. I didn’t even know there was a dessert menu until I finished the sandwich and Jackie asked if I wanted to see the menu. At first I said no, but then I decided it wouldn’t hurt to look…and then there was this…the best fruit based bread pudding I have ever had, bar none. Beginning first with the bread, a thick cut brioche soaked overnight to form a custard-like consistency on the interior and then baked and finished in a skillet to caramelize the edges, it was perfect on its own and only better studded with fresh cherries. Moving next to the sauces – tart and salty caramel plus lightly sweetened whipped cheese – a deft balancing act in texture and flavor gilding the proverbial lily.
The Verdict: Best breakfast ever. Period. Perhaps Griddle Café has more absurd options and a better ‘scene,’ perhaps Southport Grocery Café has a whole store and bakery plus amazing food, and perhaps Bouchon at the Venetian is more ‘upscale’ but none of them put together the total package of amazing and unique food, great service, a hip but pleasant setting, and stellar coffee with refills the way 2 Sparrows does…besides, foie gras and bread pudding for breakfast. I’ll be back.
Having mentioned that the planning for this trip to Chicago was a bit last minute, it was also a trip during which I didn’t particularly want to ‘break the bank’ as I was just returning from an over-the-top visit to New York and would be leaving for a ten day family trip to Canada two weeks later…besides, Next El Bulli was going to cost enough. Thankfully fortunate to be in a position where ‘break the bank’ is relative and also visiting a city where the mid-range dining scene is quite robust there were obviously many contenders, but for the first night of my visit the decision was made to visit Nellcôte with my friend Rich (windyfoodie.com).
A relative newcomer in the bourgeoning Fulton Market, and opening to somewhat mixed reviews only weeks before my arrival, Nellcôte is the creation of Jared Van Camp – a young chef but a veteran of Chicago’s food scene as well as one of its strongest proponents of the Locavore/Farm to Table movement, a concept quite prominent on the small plates menu. Reportedly a multi-million dollar renovation of the space previously housing Marche and at least according to early reports money well spent plus a menu featuring a number of enticing dishes a reservation was made for 5:15pm – strikingly one of only two open slots on their stuffed reservations list (the other at 11:00pm.)
Still not particularly hungry given my breakfast and lunch but having spent the better part of 2 hours walking the streets of Chicago my arrival at Nellcôte would precede their opening the doors and waiting for my friend I saw multiple folks walking in and out the back with bags of vegetables, meats, and an enormous block of cheese. With workers arriving and the first patrons walking through the doors just after 5:00 it would not be long before my friend arrived and with greetings exchanged we entered through the revolving front door to a space just as brilliant as I’d expected, a literal wall of lavender greeting us.
Progressing further into the space and subsequently greeted by a pair of hostesses at an iron gate it would be mere seconds before we were escorted to a high top in the middle of the room and asking if perhaps a seat by the window could be accommodated instead we were promptly moved to the front of the room, at this point bathed in light and showing off the dramatic ceilings, ornate candelabras, and copious smattering of chandeliers. Obviously a space meant to impress the best comparison I could come up with was a modernized and stylized Versailles’ Hall of Mirrors – not a bad place to be compared to, and complete with mirrors for a crowd that would later consist of pretty people trying very hard to look pretty while dining.
Noting the atmosphere, one clearly focused on style and ‘scene’ (open until 2am, with a DJ coming on later in the evening,) I will say that even before sitting down I had wondered just how much substance would be delivered by the front of the house but after warm welcome we were handed off to a pleasant young woman named Ruth who would initially put my mind at ease despite utilizing much of the verbiage I’ve come to expect from a ‘hip’ spot – clever and witty, everything ‘sooo good’ or ‘my favorite,’ and plenty of adjectives delivered with a big smile. Having heard some initial reviews claim that service was not up to snuff I think it bears mention here that both Rich and I found Ruth to be a very good server throughout the evening, making recommendations both on the Nellcôte menu and other local favorites all while serving what seemed to be at least fifteen tables.
With the menu having undergone some changes from the online opening-week version we were left to our decisions for a few moments before Ruth would return with what she described as the night’s amuse – a selection of crisp crudités with garlic aioli; all organic, all fresh and snappy, and an interesting choice I’d have not expected but clearly suggesting Van Camp’s vision for the menu. With decisions on food not yet made we instead opted to order a cocktail each and with this order delivered to the bar Ruth would head to another table as the room went from nearly empty to nearly full within forty-five minutes of opening.
With the suggestion of 2-3 sharable plates per person and orders placed it would not be long before our cocktails would arrive, and with Ruth attending to other tables it was here that service issues began. Having myself ordered a lovely and aromatic cocktail named “Rum – Bacardi 8, Fresh Pineapple, Lime, Apricot Liqueur” while my dining partner opted for another cocktail focused on house-made preserves the two cocktails were delivered without a word and literally placed at the center of the table as though we were to guess which was which – something we did successfully, but seemingly an odd choice that would unfortunately recur throughout the night as not one dish was presented with a single detail by the back waiters while Ruth was busily working at other tables.
Sipping our beverages and catching up it would not be long before plates started to arrive from the kitchen and having been told that items would be “brought in waves like a tapas restaurant’ we weren’t surprised when the first pair was delivered, both dishes featuring the much discussed house ground flour…but we were caught a bit off guard when the second pair arrived thirty seconds later literally filling our table with food.
For the first of these items, the $3 bread basket (or plate, as it were,) we were presented with a baguette, a pull-apart brioche, and a focaccia along with lightly salted whipped cultured butter and on taking half of each warm sample…yep, it was bread, good bread even – but certainly not as interesting as that at Girl and the Goat (who also charges) or many other places who serve their bread for free. Perhaps I was expecting ‘too much’ given the big to-do about their flour, but if nothing else I guess the $3 charge prevented me from ‘filling up’ on bread.
Moving next to the second starch while Rich worked on another dish for fear of plates suffering as they cooled, “Radiatore – Duck Leg, Hen of Woods, Romano Beans, Cracklings” would immediately lend credence to the kitchen from my standpoint with the house made pasta springy, the light ‘sauce’ of pan jus from the mushrooms and duck savory and aromatic, and the admixture of savory confit and crispy skin adding a well orchestrated textural variety to the plate.
While I worked on my part of the pasta my dining companion began to portion out the “Lamb – Grilled Loin, Braised Neck, Gnocchi, Olive Marmalade, Manchego, Sofritto,” and while the loin itself was nicely prepared to a rosy medium-rare, the biggest surprise was the generous portion for a mere $12, particularly when accounting for the accoutrements. Assuredly a dish I would not have ordered on my own, this was perhaps the course of the evening in terms of showing off Van Camp’s skills as it took a number of intense ingredients including briny olives, rich cheese, and garlicky tomatoes and balanced them seamlessly with the supple meat and pillowy gnocchi to form something rustic in flavor but visually striking on the plate.
Having mentioned the ‘tapas’ concept and still working on our warm dishes while the fourth chilled plate sat awaiting our attention it was no more than fifteen minutes after the first four plates arrived that the next three appeared tableside – and to my ire, the servers actually thought they could ‘make room’ on the table…something that most certainly wasn’t going to happen, particularly as all three plates were hot, one was the most skill dependent of the evening, and one was a whole pizza.
With servers dismissed and ostensibly returning the food to the kitchen for the team, dogs, or garbage disposal as I made it clear I did not want the food simply kept warm or reheated it was finally here that Ruth would return and having heard what happened an apology was uttered, stating that the kitchen was still working on timing, and letting bygones be bygones we fished the warm selections and moved on to the $9 “Foie Gras Torchon – Brioche, Marasca Cherries, Pickled Pistachios.” Featuring another excellent portion for the price, particularly in the setting of a restaurant that charges for bread, this dish presented an approximately 2-2.5oz round of creamy liver rolled in lightly pickled nuts along with four hemisected candied cherries and rich buttery brioche. Obviously as a fan of foie gras this was a dish I was happy to see on the menu and having heard others say in the past that they’ve never tried duck or goose liver because of the price and the fact that they ‘weren’t sure if they would like it,’ this also doubles as a great way to try it without breaking the bank…sort of like “gateway foie,” if you will.
With our first round now finished and Ruth personally attending to our table at this point, a single dish arrived next and although conceptually a good idea, the $9 “Alaskan Halibut – Soft Scrambled Eggs, Piperade, Sturgeon Caviar” fell a little flat for the both of us, yet in different ways. Beginning first with the fish, roasted before a pan sear to finish, I personally felt it was nicely prepared in the context of the dish well flavored while Rich felt it overcooked and a bit dry. Moving next to the sauces, pleural, generally not a fan of intense red pepper I actually found the piperade to be the better of the who if only because ‘soft scrambled eggs’ did not seem to me like it would be a buttery custard sauce that although tasty in the way that butter, eggs, and cream generally mostly served to mute the subpar roe.
Having sent the previous attempts at our next two savories back, there would be a welcomed delay as we worked on the Halibut but with the kitchen clearly working at a very rapid pace and the restaurant necessarily wanting to turn tables given their fully booked reservations our last two savories would arrive just after 6:15 – an hour after we’d sat down. Beginning first with an $8 plate of “Saffron Risotto – Fava Beans, Bone Marrow, Pecorino, Gold Leaf,” suffice it to say that sending this plate back was probably the best idea of the night because what returned was on par with the best risotto I have ever had. Thick and rich, salty and aromatic, and toothsome yet smooth with the fava beans and marrow presenting a bold textural point/counterpoint…it was so good I didn’t even mind the superfluous gold leaf.
With the aforementioned pizza our final savory and, perhaps, ‘main course’ it was decided early on that the best way to see how well the oven treated the house-milled flour with the most simplistic pie on the menu – the “Buffalo Mozzarella Pizza – Tomato Sauce, Basil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil.” A Margherita by any other name and utilizing house made sauce from local tomatoes, fresh basil, and puddles of American Buffalo Mozz at the bargain price of $10 this dish was yet another example of the fine quality of ingredients on display at Nellcôte while the blistered and bubbly edges blistered and medium-wet center walked the fine line between crunch and chew, smoke and sweet.
Sated at this point with Rich leaving a single slice of pizza and myself declining to finish it as it had cooled and I was looking forward to the sweets, Ruth would again stop by with the nightly menu and after chatting with us a bit about a few local spots she really enjoyed two selections were made, although all six sounded quite good, and after a short time the duo would arrive. Beginning first with a $4 trio of house made ice creams, seemingly an uncharacteristic order for myself until you looked at the flavors – Salted Caramel, Stracciatella, and La Colombe – what arrived in that small metal bowl can only be described as slightly melted perfection at a price substantially smaller than the norm. Beginning first with creamy vanilla flecked with dark chocolate and moving next to the brine meets butter sweetness of the caramel and then finally to my favorite blend in perhaps its ideal form each quenelle was better than the last, my only complaint being that I wish they would been served colder or brought from the kitchn more quickly.
For our final taste of the evening, the Baba Au Rhum with Bachelor’s Jam and Crème Chantilly arrived alongside the trio of ice creams and noting right away that this was much more in the style of the Italian Bakery Baba than the thick French version popularized by Ducasse I was excited. Again featuring the house blend flour, this time in a sort of mushroom shaped popover with a buttery golden shell overlying an open spongy crumb my half of the baba went very quickly, each warm bite as good as the last with the dense cream and thick jam of dehydrated raisins and stone fruits proving a fine balance to the syrupy liquid filling the sponge. Probably a little more impressed by this dish than my friend I will note that while there is clearly rum present, this is a very sweet dessert and for those expecting a big wallop of booze you should probably look elsewhere.
My friend now full and myself nearing the same as we worked slowly on dessert and discussed our other dining plans for the weekend Ruth would return to check on us just after 7:00pm and stating that she could bring the check whenever she liked it would not be long before she returned, again apologizing for the timing issues of early on, and thanking us for coming in – a nice gesture and well deserving of a good tip considering how many tables she was covering and how inefficient the ancillary staff, particularly as the total bill came out to less than $60 per person for nine plates and two drinks, a veritable bargain and hopefully enough when combined with the bar scene to allow time for kinks to be worked out since much of the cuisine already matches the restaurant’s seemingly lofty ambitions.
With the donut showdown barely over the first proper meal on my Chicago agenda was at GT Fish & Oyster, a restaurant that had gotten rave reviews since the day it opened and given the diverse seafood-centric menu focused on ‘small plates/big taste’ it seemed a great choice after all the sugar and starch at breakfast, and all the more so in the setting of uncharacteristically beautiful weather. Admittedly having never visited any of the other BOKA restaurant group locations, an added bonus of the 1:00pm reservation was the chance to see what Giuseppe Tentori’s cuisine was all about.
Located on North Wells and often full throughout lunch according to my friend, particularly on a Friday, I arrived to GTF&O minutes prior to my confirmed reservation and with both the patio and the dining room busy but not jammed packed I was greeted by the hostess and quickly led to a table on the cusp on the patio but out of the sun – a prime spot save for the fact that waiters seemed incapable of avoiding my chair as they carried plates in and out the door and after sitting for a few moments one of these servers approached – a man named Kevin who quite liked the phrases ‘my friend’ and ‘bro’ when addressing both my table and the one next to me. With the menu already present on the table before Kevin arrived he asked if I would like a cocktail and on declining he persisted in suggesting I take a look at the list to see if anything changed my mind…which it did not.
Left to my decisions for the better part of fifteen minutes despite knowing what I wanted within a couple I spent some time perusing the scene – a vivacious bar crowd even at lunch indulging in a large platter of iced oysters, dark wood floors, ivory wood walls plus obvious nautical influences largely dominating my view then and later replaced by a large party of eight at the banquet next to me. A pleasant space overall and bathed in natural light I have to admit I was surprised that the restaurant was rather quiet, but seeing it at only half-capacity I imagine the nighttime scene is quite different.
When Kevin finally returned I inquired about a couple of items failing to list the specific fish utilized and with the explanation that this changes depending on what is fresh I made my choices – 3 savories and a sweet – while sticking with water as my beverage of choice, and with no bread service it would be perhaps fifteen to twenty minutes before the Clam Chowder with Neuske’s Bacon and House Made Oyster Crackers arrived in a flip-top jar. Certainly not GT’s most adventurous option but amongst the most celebrated I quickly took a bite and despite it being a bit too hot I was impressed, the creamy potage wowing with a smooth and buttery body, tender clams balanced by ample potatoes, and a smoky note that perfumed the palate. Generally not one to use crackers in soup but intrigued by the “house made” connotation I’ll additionally note that while I’d have simply preferred some table bread to go with the soup the rosemary tinged brioche nuggets were quite good, though really unnecessary as the soup was quite textural even without.
At this point with an empty water glass as back-waiters seemed clueless and Kevin had disappeared my empty bowl was collected after perhaps ten minutes and with my water then refilled I would wait…and wait…and wait for nearly thirty minutes before I flagged down a young lady and asked what was going on – an answer I never received, but to my best guess was either a computer or service glitch that led to my subsequent dishes never being prepared; a situation that was rectified with only a “sorry about that” after a nearly forty-five minute gap between appetizer and my 2-dish main course that the kitchen felt compelled to serve simultaneously despite both dishes being warm.
Beginning first with the Rock Fish Tacos with Garlic Marinade, Chipotle Aioli, and Chicharron I was served two of Tentori’s house made hot sauces – smolder and (wait for it…) burn – which Kevin suggested I add a ‘dash’ of if the tacos weren’t spicy enough. Generally not a fan of too much heat and wanting to taste the tacos at face value first I picked up one of the doubled soft corn tortillas and, well, generally not being a fan of bland-but-briny I ended up with more than a dash of sauce on each subsequent bite which helped to smooth out the salinity of the chicharron but did little to help the under-portioned dry fish.
Faring better than the tacos, another dish that has become sort of a GTF&O signature was the “GT Lobster Mac and Cheese with English Peas,” a shallow but indulgent bowl of tender orechiette loaded with buttery nuggets of lobster and a twist of lime bathed in breadcrumbs and a blend of well balanced cheeses. An excellent dish already I’m rather uncertain as to what inspired Tentori and team to add the tender early season peas to the dish, but adding a splash of color and a touch of sweet it was a lovely choice.
At this point quite full and a tad miffed at the lackluster service but committed to trying dessert as the menu contained one of my very favorite options I was offered coffee, which I declined, and nearly 115 minutes after walking through the doors the “Date Cake with Rum Toffee Sauce, Pecans, and Crème Fraiche” arrived to slightly mixed feelings. Beginning first with the good – if you like sticky toffee pudding or sweet desserts in general there is no denying that this steamed round was exemplary; a lovely sponge rife with fibrous dates and saturated with boozy toffee sauce as the crunchy pecans served as both a textural foil and a slightly bitter balance. Moving on to the not so good – just look at the quenelle of Crème Fraiche…far too sour, far too dense, and far too much even in the setting of such a sweet dessert.
With the bar area slowing down but the tables now mostly occupied it would not be long before Kevin would return, while I was till eating my dessert, and drop of the check with a “whenever you’re ready” and modeling his substandard approach to service I paid the tab with a substandard tip before standing up and making my way outside nearly $60 lighter in my wallet for food that ranged from decent to very good and service that was far less so. Call me a dissenter but I guess I just don’t get the hype, not in a city with so many other similar restaurants serving equal or better food with much better service. Having always wanted to check out Tentori’s cuisine at Boka I must say that my experience at GT Fish & Oyster did not exactly move it up on my list, though I anticipate service gaffs would be attenuated in a finer dining establishment.
I was standing in front of Brushstroke in New York City after a 6-stop Pizza Crawl when my phone buzzed to alert me of an e-mail. Early to the restaurant I opened the mail and started to read – an invitation to the El Bulli menu at Next in Chicago in a little over three weeks…could I make it?…And with that a plan was set into motion, numerous family and friends (old and new) were contacted, and travel were arrangements made. Admittedly somewhat convenient as I was already slated to drive two hours west for my sister’s MFA Thesis show that weekend yet in part quite untimely due to work, travel, planning, and finances what would follow was not exactly my typical systematic planning but instead a more truncated version – and one that would see me visit eighteen stops in under 72 hours.
Having noted my sister’s thesis already, my trip to Chicago would start from Oxford, essentially the middle of nowhere save for a college well known for rich parents, wild parties, and (at least according to the internet) the hottest co-eds in the Midwest and having been unable to sleep well I rose early and after a nearly 8 mile run (3:30am – me jogging, frat boys and drunk girls stumbling home) I showered and hit the road arriving in Chicago just after 7:00am when accounting for my speeding, time change, and a road devoid of traffic as I opted to enter the city at an angle avoiding the morning rush.
Noting now that much of my planning for this trip was accomplished in a seven day window, the first of my many meals would be a donut showdown that fortuitously came together when a reader of my blog noted she would be in town for Spring Break that weekend and another local messaged me on lthforum suggesting that she too would be interested – the original plan was Do-Rite versus Doughnut Vault, but given my early morning arrival a third contender joined the group, the oft raved “Old Fashioned Donuts” in South Chicago – home to what many consider the best Apple Fritter in the city (and maybe anywhere.)
With the sun just starting to rise in the east as I parked my car at the not-yet-engaged meters I walked into OFD to not surprisingly find two things – a line, and the smell of baked good – and as the only representative of my race in the building I admittedly got a few strange looks from the twenty or so folks there, one of whom was a pastor who gave me a big smile and asked me “first time here?” quickly followed by “You gotta get the Fritter” before shouting to the lady at the register “Get this man a hot fritter” when I returned the smile and said yes.
Waiting patient in the line as the each patron collected his or her bag of, box of, or single donut before making my way to the register I decided that given the variety my best bet would be a half dozen and asking the fatigued and slightly surly lady behind the counter what she recommended I was given the aforementioned Apple Fritter and a Strawberry glazed which were both still hot and a Buttermilk, Plain Glazed, Caramel, Vanilla (dyed green for St. Patrick’s Day,) and Dark Chocolate – a total of $8.50 including a tip and 25 cents for a box – before making my way to the seating area for a taste before our meet-up.
Noting now that the majority of these donuts would be tasted during the showdown, there was simply no way I was passing up a chance to check out the warm options and beginning first with the Strawberry, my childhood favorite from Dunkin, I can say without a doubt that Old Fashioned Donuts are best eaten warm as the yeasty dough was a veritable pillow of sweetness and butter in the fresh state but substantially less memorable at room temperature later on. Moving on to the glaze, both in the warm state and cooled down this was definitely old school frosting, the glazed crisp and sugary, the caramel thick and buttery, and the vanilla and strawberry both sugar-laden textbook examples of their respective flavors. With four yeasted donuts and the other two old-fashioned cake-style I additionally found these dense selections to be textbook examples of their respective genre with a dense crumb and plenty of flavor. While not quite as sublime as the G.O.A.T. buttermilk from Doughnut Vault, a close second and leagues better than Do-Rite in the showdown.
Moving next to the infamous Apple Fritter, quite literally the size of an adult human head and cool enough to hold yet still hot enough to scorch the roof of my mouth due to the molten cinnamon apple interior there really is not much to be said about it that has not already been said – it is sweet and crunchy on the outside, soft and dense on the inside, loaded with both cinnamon and apples, and enough to easily serve a group…or in our case to serve as the best part of a tasting including twenty other deep fried treats and still have enough for leftovers (and to share with a vagrant who clearly figured we had more donuts than was healthy for a trio.)
For the second of our competitors, and for our meeting place, Do-Rite Donuts was selected due to the strong word-of-mouth recommendations and central location…not to mention the LEYE backing and former L2o pastry chef responsible for the shop’s interesting repertoire of small batch deep-fried treats. A small shop – literally a counter, a coffee machine, and three linear racks with fifteen donuts my arrival would precede my companions by perhaps twenty minutes and after stepping in to see the daily choices I opted to wait outside as a steady stream of folks entered and exited with everything from a single donut to several dozen (all the while holding my box from Old Fashioned and thus incurring no less than twenty inquiries as to where I had gotten them, if they were selling them nearby, and in two cases whether I’d be willing to sell them the rest of the already partially eaten fritter.)
With the weather mild and the street busy it would not be long before my colleagues arrived and with introductions made we entered the small shop again and after much debate decided on a half dozen…and then two more plus a couple cups of Dark Matter Coffee because I simply couldn’t pass up the opportunity not knowing when or if I would be back. With prices on average more than two-fold the costs of Old Fashioned but ingredients and presentation clearly more important to Do-Rite I will note that true to their word the donuts are baked in small batches and given the heavy traffic it would be a nearly fifteen minute wait before a fresh batch of Buttermilk would be readied to go.
At this point carrying five boxes and a bag of donuts between our group of three and making our way to someplace to indulge it would not be long before we sat down and began our tasting, starting first (logically) with the still-warm Buttermilk Old Fashioned from Do-Rite – a donut that I’d heard much about but found to be less inspiring than the rumors as it was too oily, too sweet, and yet not very ‘toothsome.” It would be the worst old fashioned of the day; a disappointment to be sure. Faring better, the second taste of Do-Rite would be another of their raved selections – the Maple and Bacon which featured a light and textural cruller topped with intensely smoky pork and lightly maple tinged frosting. Having heard some say that they would prefer more maple and less smoke I certainly understand this complaint and to them would suggest a visit to 2 Sparrows, but overall I liked this donut as a savory kick in an otherwise saccharine morning. Moving last to the third unfilled option, Valrhona Chocolate Glazed, I’ll simply say that if you want dessert and you are near Do-Rite (or if you really love dark chocolate) this donut is for you – light, airy, and wispy in the crumb with at least 2oz of dense chocolate ganache atop…even for myself, even when paired with coffee, this was pretty damned decadent as a breakfast item.
For the remaining five options from Do-Rite we would find ourselves confronted with filled options and while the previous three donuts ranged from sub-par to truly decadent this quintet would prove universally impressive, beginning first with the Toasted Coconut Custard (of which I was admittedly skeptical) featuring an impressive amount of rich savory filling and then the slightly less stuffed Boston Cream with Toasted Almond, a rectangular masterpiece with rich cream filling that tasted slightly of frangipane, a pillowy layer of dough, and a far more manageable layer of Valrhona chocolate than the prior option.
Rounding out the order, and in my opinion the three best of the Do-Rite octet, the Peanut Butter and Jelly Bullseye featured an airy glazed circle with a strawberry jam core overlying lightly peanut tinged cream – far lighter than expected it was without a doubt the best PB&J themed baked good I’ve ever had. Next delving into the Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting – spot on. Period. Rife with carrots, ginger, and cinnamon. A perfect amount of slightly sour frosting, and a touch of crumbled walnuts. If you like carrot cake just imagine it deep fried and try not to make the Homer Simpson drooling-donut sound. Rounding out the group and a definite case of ‘last but not least’…the St. Patrick’s Day Special Dark Chocolate Donut with a Chocolate Pudding Center, Mint Glaze, and Thin Mint Crumble…just when you thought the Valrhona wasn’t rich enough, yet far more complex in terms of flavor and texture, particularly with regard to the rich pudding – a completely different texture from the custard or the cream and yet another piece of evidence of the considerable skill and creativity on display at Do-Rite.
Moving next to the final contestant in our donut throwdown, Doughnut Vault would make its presence felt and all things being equal the reigning champion would emerge unscathed – the buttermilk old fashioned, Gingerbread Stack, and Vanilla as good as I remembered while the updated chocolate was even more intense than prior replacing the light vanilla glaze with a chocolate one and then gilding the proverbial lily with another layer of chocolate and chocolate sprinkles. Light and airy, nearly melting in the mouth but with just enough resistance to know there is more than just sugar, and loaded with cocoa notes without being too rich – everything you could want from a yeast donut…or at least so I thought…
With my love of both the old-fashioned and the glazed at Doughnut Vault well noted (and promoted) from my prior visit, the final two choices of the morning were two ‘new’ options – one new to me and the other yet another St. Patrick’s Day special – the Chestnut Raised & Glazed and the Bailey’s Irish Cream Old Fashioned, respectively. Starting first with the Chestnut, unavailable during my previous visit because Italian Chestnuts were out of season (yes, really) and replaced with a lovely Pistachio version at that time which had ranked as the best doughnut I’d ever tasted to date I will simply say that much as I prefer the flavor of chestnuts to pistachios I also appreciated them more in donut form – a slight smokiness and savory notes saturating the crisp glaze over an incomparably light and yeasty circle.
Moving finally to the last of day one’s donuts, the Bailey’s Old Fashioned would prove a polarizing choice amongst our group – while my two companions admitted that the texture was every bit as lovely as the ‘standard’ old fashioned cake doughnut they did not like the glaze. For myself – not one who imbibes often but a big fan of sweet coffee, particularly ones spiked with Bailey’s in the right setting – this selection was divine, pairing the subtle notes of the liquor with the sugary glaze over that perfect donut…in the end it was a tough choice for me whether I liked this or the chestnut glazed better, but either way the end result of our tasting could best be summarized as “I don’t always eat donuts, but when I do I prefer Doughnut Vault.”
With the doughnut showdown and two more meals in the rearview I woke up as early as usual on St. Patrick’s Day again with baked goods on my mind and with plans to see the river turn green plus another full eating agenda I breezed through a ten mile run and entered the city from the west en route for Baker and Nosh – a pre-breakfast treat that had recently gotten rave reviews – and with ample parking I grabbed a spot and entered the small bakery just moments after opening to already find a small line and a smell even the most devout Francophile would find enticing, plus a plainly visible kitchen hard at work turning out everything from large loaves of bread to tiny rolls and muffins.
Admittedly quite hungry at this point but with breakfast plans to follow I spent a few moments browsing a collection of locally sourced jams, coffees, and other artisan foods (think Publican Quality Meats or Trotter’s to Go) before making my way to the counter where, unfortunately (or perhaps thankfully) only ten or so breakfast selections were offered, and with at least half savory I spent a few minutes weighing my options before selecting three, handing over $10, and making my way to the car.
Largely eschewing the savory options given my predilection to sweets, my tasting of Baker and Nosh’s wares would be the Butter Croissant – a choice made to weight the standard of the bakery since my usual choice of an almond croissant was not available – and unfortunately while the bakery smelled as good as Paris the croissant wouldn’t have stood up to the version served at an upscale US hotel breakfast buffet – the exterior golden but certainly not shattering to bite and the inside doughy with notes of butter but not much else. It was a tremendous disappointment and unfortunately a sign of things to come as I moved on to the pale Pecan Sticky Bun, a squared off version with nice notes of cinnamon and not overly sweet, but so moist that it almost seemed undercooked – a sort of buttery sponge with occasionally textural variance from the nuts.
Faring better than either the croissant or the sticky bun, my final choice (recommended by the clerk) of a Peach Clafoutis was actually not just good but great with golden edges and a just-set pudding soft center rife with natural sweetness from the peaches and just a touch of butter. Crunchy over creamy and sweet without being overtly so this was the sort of pastry I’d hoped for when I decided to visit Baker and Nosh and paired with a bottle of La Colombe Pure Black it nearly reprieved what was an otherwise sub-par experience and having heard since that the breads and savory items are vastly superior to the sweets I’d consider going back if I lived locally but certainly would not go out of my way to find out as a visitor.
With the Pure Black perhaps the biggest highlight of Baker and Nosh (okay, maybe a tie with the Clafoutis) but ringing in at $3+ for the 12oz bottle I would surprisingly see the 16oz slip tops on sale at both Trotter’s to Go and Publican Quality Meats before our server at Nellcote made me aware that there was now a La Colombe in Chicago – literally just a few blocks from Nellcote – and with the slip top bottles of smooth and chocolatey Corsica tallying only $2.50 with tax my visits would be daily…and once, twice in the same day…with a half dozen to take home, along with a few pounds of Lyon as well.
Admittedly a fan for the better part two years, ever since I first walked in the door of their Philadelphia location in 2010, this La Colombe locations featured a unique design, intelligent and diligent employees, a soundtrack of mild indie rock, and zero pretense. Sure I wish that their cafes had free Wi-Fi but all things being equal I understand why they do not and provided they keep up the high standard I’ve grown to love I hope their expansion continues…besides, if you have a good laptop you can steal an internet signal from the Starbucks across the street.
Getting back to bakeries, against my better judgment a post-breakfast stop on day three would take me back to Floriole, a spot whose hype seemed to outstrip its quality on my first visit even if they were the only space in town to serve a Canele and a place I fully anticipated would wow even less given some of the French pastries I’ve had since – an assumption I was willing to set aside only due to the fact that the Kouign Amann was their pastry of the month.
Arriving early but finding the place jammed packed and sold out of much (including their admittedly good-but-not-great Almond Cream Croissant) I was happy to see that they still had a few of the Breton butter cake left and after dealing with a decidedly rude server who snorted at me “I wouldn’t count on it – you have to get here early” when I asked if any more of the Almond Croissants were due up I made my way to the street to wander DePaul and enjoy…or, as it turns out, to instead try to determine how they figured what I was served to be a proper Kouign Amann as it had minimal layering and little butter flavor but instead just an ample amount of sugar used to caramelize the shell something no more interesting than a hamburger bun. Sure the canele is good and the almond croissant may be the best in Chicago, but given the poor selection, worse customer service, and lack of skill with other French pastry I’ll just exercise my better judgment and stick to doughnuts and cupcakes in the Windy City from now on.
Another donut stop on this visit would prove somewhat impromptu…somewhat in that we had planned to enjoy brunch at Nightwood but given the ever changing nature of the menu, long lines, and pleasant weather they had already sold out of nearly half of the choices when we arrived at 1pm and the other half was simply not the sort of items I go out for breakfast for…aside from the oft raved fresh made donuts…and with my brunch buddy running a bit late en route for our new destination, Publican, I decided to see how the fried-to-order carbs stacked up to the other five stops on the trip; a choice that entailed me taking a seat amongst the hipsters at the bar while I waited patiently to be greeted by one of the unvaryingly busy bartenders.
With the steady stream of beer, fresh squeezed juices, and elaborate mixed drinks finally letting up long enough for the bar staff to catch their breath I was greeted perhaps five minutes after sitting down and explaining that I just wanted two doughnuts to go the bartender almost looked relieved that I didn’t want anything to drink and telling me it would be “about ten minutes – it has been crazy busy this morning” he offered me a coffee while I waited – an offer I accepted but was not charged for and a very nice gesture considering the quality of the brew, a smooth locally roasted Ethiopian Yirgacheffe – a nicety very much unexpected given the attitude of service at sister restaurant Lula Café.
With donuts in hand and bill paid after one cup of coffee and fifteen minutes at the bar I emerged from Nightwood into the sunny Chicago weather and opting to indulge while the donuts were still warm I started with the $4 Bacon Butterscotch option, a choice I’d heard much about and all things being equal a good option with a nice yeasty rise and ample coating with sweet butterscotch plus smoky bacon but in my opinion a bit too oily – a problem not suffered by the delicious cinnamon sugar doughnut holes included with the order.
Moving next to an even more pricey option, the $5 seasonal “Shamrock shake” option, my fourth St. Patrick’s Day Special of the trip and the most pricey doughnut I’ve ever purchased; in a word it was awesome and in two words, really awesome. Appearing first to be a round yeast donut with copious frosting closer inspection actually revealed it to be a filled doughnut, the interior a light Bailey’s and Peppermint cream, while the topping was actually an amalgam of melted dark Ghirardelli chocolate and Andes mints. Served warm and with a trio of doughnut holes I’d be hard pressed to decide if it was better or worse than the holiday special at Doughnut Vault as they were quite different, but in my opinion in trumped the one at Do-Rite though admittedly at twice the cost and certainly makes me curious as to how the rest of the brunch menu stacks up; something that will require investigation on a later date (at an earlier time.)
For my final bites of Chicago, the decision was made to exit the city in the same way I entered; a long morning run followed by a drive to the south side just as the sun was rising to visit a bakery, this time one called Abundance – a tiny storefront that even with my GPS I drove right past before realizing my error and a place that was surprisingly unheard of by every single one of my local epicurean friends despite its 20+ year history turning out baked goods, sandwiches, soups, and beverages six days a week.
Originally pointed to Abundance by a blog while doing my research on Old Fashioned Donuts my arrival to the small shop would again find me in a less than ideal area but unlike my first destination this one was devoid of customers save for myself. Entering the small shop to the familiar smell of baked goods a set of jingle bells on the door seemed to startle the elderly gentleman behind the counter who was arranging fresh baked donuts and with a big smile he introduced himself as Bill and welcomed me to ‘his’ store – something I would have figured out shortly as there we newspaper clippings featuring his face and his goods decorating the small amount of available wall space not consumed by the pastry cases. A pleasant man who seemed quite interested in why I had a camera and more so how I’d heard about his store we spent a few minutes chatting before he asked me “so, what can I get ya?” and deferring to his recommendations plus a few personal favorites I emerged from the small shop with five items weighing well over a pound for less than $10.
With each item save for one still hot from the oven my tasting would start with the two lightest choices in a pair of yeast raised donuts, one simply glazed and the other chocolate, and much like those from Old Fashioned these were exactly what you would expect from an old-school bakery with a good rise, sugary frosting, and yeasty notes punctuated by a bit of butter. It isn’t reinventing the wheel and it isn’t trying to.
Moving next to a dish heavily promoted by a few bloggers as well as by Bill himself, much like Old Fashioned Donuts, Abundance serves a pretty damned big Apple Fritter and while Bill wouldn’t say it when I jokingly asked (“they’re different”) I’ll tell you right now that I actually preferred the version at Abundance, a half-skateboard length oblong disc chock-full of soft apple chunks and teaming with cinnamon. Served hot but with the lacquer of glaze well set over the golden pastry and heavy without being oily I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that this was even a lot of sugar and fat for my gluttonous vacationing self, but with a nearly six hour drive home it was gone before I hit the Ohio border – and leading to a lovely sugar-crash induced nap perhaps thirty minutes after I walked through my door.
Having mentioned five items, another warm indulgence that I ate half of while standing outside the bakery (saving the rest for a post-nap dinner) was the Walnut Apple Bread Pudding, a dense concoction that Bill told me is soaked for nearly 12 hours before being baked in the morning and falling somewhere between pound cake, bread pudding, and a sort of pull-apart quick bread I will simply note that while there was nothing ‘designer’ about this item it was quite perfect in a rustic way – the sort of bread pudding you could just as easily make at home but never do…and probably for the best as (if you’re anything like me) you’d end up eating the whole pan within 48 hours.
With the first four selections sufficiently sweet and uniformly good-to-great, my final selection from Abundance very well may have been the most memorable take-out pastry of the trip; an item titled “Upside down Caramel Cupcake” that came in a plastic clamshell container with a spoon – and for good reason as this was most certainly not your average cupcake. Beginning first with the upside down presentation, my best guess for this delivery was to prevent the cake from tipping over and to facilitate easy application of the glaze, a thick homemade melted caramel that was as buttery as it was sweet and just saline enough to keep it from being overwhelming. Moving next to the cake itself, again atypical for a cupcake and all the better for it, imagine a dense pound cake with even more butter…or for those who’ve been to Maestro’s Steakhouse simply imagine their buttercake served chilled with caramel instead of warm with ice cream – it was good enough that if you really wanted to call it a cupcake it would rank in my top five all time and when placed in the context of everything else at Abundance it really makes me wonder why the tiny shop doesn’t get more attention because as a complete package inclusive of customer service, selection, price, and execution Abundance is an absolute diamond in the rough.
It seems to me that there are few restaurants in New York City more polarizing than Minetta Tavern – even amongst people I know and respect some of them love it, some of them hate it, and some refuse to go because of the ‘scene.’ Described as “Parisian steakhouse meets classic New York City tavern” and owned and operated by the same folks behind Balthazar I knew it was only a matter of time before curiosity got the best of me and as it turned out, on this trip it was not only curiosity but convenience that led me to the doors of the classic spot on MacDougal Street.
Sparring you the details of what happens when one of my overcrowded trips undergoes a last second change in plans, suffice it to say that after lunch at EMP I had nowhere to be but LaGuardia Airport at 4am the next morning for my 5:45am flight home and deciding it senseless to deal with the logistics of early morning travel and risk being late I decided to carry my bags with me for the day and stay out all night – a plan not exactly practical anywhere but a place like Manhattan – but a plan perfect for a midnight dinner at a place where dinner reservations any earlier aren’t exactly easy to come by unless you are someone special.
Shopping, galleries, a movie, and plenty of walking separating me from lunch my arrival to Minetta Tavern was just prior to 11:30pm and yet even at such a time on a Tuesday I reached the door to find a small line. Making my way to the hostess stand I inquired if a party of one could be accommodated and with a quick once-over and a smile from the hostess she would “see what she could do” – or, to be blunt – she would ask two men at the bar to slide left thus creating a space only slightly larger than my shoulder width. Asking if the accommodations would suffice and assuring her that they should my bags were collected and transported to another room as I cozied up to the bar.
Seated for mere moments – and admiring the ample collection of booze in front of me, the eye candy in a red dress to the right of me, and the wall of New York memorabilia to my left while trying to ignore the two…we’ll call them ‘bros’…who had been moved to create my seat – I was soon greeted by Frank and on asking me whether I was there for food or drink I said ‘probably both’ to which he retorted “good choice” before handing me a stack of three menus. Noting now that Frank was not only a server but also a bartender, cashier, and busboy throughout the evening I will simply say that the young man more than earns whatever he is paid plus his tips because during the two hours I was there I don’t think I ever saw him stop moving or working while still managing to be efficient, friendly, and conversational.
Having a relatively good idea of what I was going to order before I even entered the restaurant but with my mind changed slightly by the list of daily specials it would not be long before Frank would return and after inquiring about the portion of the duck special (“huge, big enough for two”) I decided the better part of valor was to sample a greater variety and placed my order for four courses plus a cocktail, The Sucker Punch – a terrible film but an excellent drink consisting of sweet and savory in a pleasant balance featuring light rum, ginger syrup, pineapple, and fresh squeezed lemon juice.
With the restaurant packed and loud as Dean and Frank sang overhead I sipped my cocktail slowly while dodging drinks being passed to and from the bartenders to the patrons behind me and with the hour just past midnight and seemingly even more people pressing at my back the first course of the evening arrived in the form of the $18 nightly special “Pate de Foie with Huckleberry Compote” along with a plate of grilled Levain from Blathazar and on a trip filled with a number of great foie gras dishes this was amongst the top three. Large in portion – approximately 3-4oz of creamy liver – and served with a gelee of huckleberry atop and the aforementioned compote encircling the salted terrine plus just a bit of (unnecessary) greenery, presumably for texture, this was precisely the sort of dish I’d expect to see in a French Brasserie…and as an added bonus, more warm bread arrived before I even had to ask.
With the knowledge that I likely could have easily ordered the duck here and been perfectly happy with my two favorite foods back-to-back, a large part of the reason I originally made the decision to visit Minetta Tavern was my second course, a still-sizzling bowl of Brandade de Morue, and without exaggerating I can say it was worth the trip; the best brandade I’ve ever had. Starting out smooth and creamy with the potatoes rendered to a Robuchonesque consistency and a light drizzle of olive oil carrying briny forth the brininess of the fish, where this dish stepped ahead of the competition was first in the buttery crostini facilitating its delivery and then in the addition of chives and winter truffles; non-traditional for sure, but an aromatic note it would be hard to deny makes almost any dish better.
With two large portions of slightly updated (and considerably heavy) French classics beneath my belt Frank stopped in to check on with me after dropping off a Black Label Burger on each side and told me my main course would be up next. Joking with him and asking what percentage of people come in and order that burger he chuckled and said “I think you’re the only person at the bar who didn’t order it.” …And less than five minutes later when “Pasta Za Za” I remained happy that I had not. Described on the menu in simple terms as “fresh pasta with pancetta, sage, parmesan, and a fried egg” and consisting of little more than this plus a bit of butter and a lot of black pepper there really is not much I can say about the dish than what you would guess from the ingredients – each in nice balance with the silky fettuccini and all melded together with the ruptured egg yolk to form a sort of rustic DIY carbonara; It was simple and it was delicious.
With my cocktail now gone and the pasta near finished Frank returned to offer me another drink and deferring I inquired about coffee – an “Ethiopian one” roasted by Stumptown that was smooth and nutty but clearly not a priority in the bar setting (IE, it took more time to prepare than a soufflé and a refill ended up leaving with me because it arrived nearly twenty minutes after the first cup was consumed.)
Having already mentioned my dessert above, many of you will realize that Minetta Tavern lists their soufflé as being “for two” and offered in both Chocolate and Gran Marnier I opted for the former – a cocoa cloud that I guess could have been enough for a pair, but I was happy to polish off myself. Like everything else I experienced on the Minetta menu there was really nothing ‘special’ about this soufflé – no edible paint, no glitter, no ice cream or sauce, just a dusting of powdered sugar over a lovely rise and barely set center rife with dark chocolate notes that would rival even Payard’s infamous flourless chocolate cookie.
With the hour now pushing 1am on 2/29 and my plane due to leave in less than five hours Frank stopped by, the bar finally slowing down, and commending my appetite asked if I’d like anything else. Requesting only the tab and that my coffee be transferred to a “to-go” cup I received both, plus an apology for the long delay on my coffee, and thanking Frank for the great service I collected my bag and made my way to the street – still bustling – outside. Full and happy but also glad to be somewhere not so crowded and loud as I walked towards the subway en route for 125th and the M60 I can say without hesitation that Minetta Tavern was exactly what I expected from the numerous reports and while I can understand those who love it and those who do not I absolutely fall in the former group and recommend those who haven’t been at least give it a chance as the food and service both justify the ‘hassle.’
My final day in New York would take me back to Eleven Madison Park for the third time. Rarely one to revisit restaurants it says a lot about my feelings for a place when I do so, let alone more than once, and in the case of Eleven Madison Park it speaks of trust – a restaurant I trusted on my first visit, a restaurant I sent one of my best friends to on her honeymoon, and a restaurant I recommend unequivocally to anyone who asks. In a world where some restaurants come and go before you ever knew they existed and other restaurants never seem to change Eleven Madison Park does nothing but evolve – from Danny Meyer’s tenure to the current ownership of Daniel Humm and Will Guidara there seems to be a restlessness, a thought that no matter how good they are or how many awards they claim, that they can always improve; and thus far they have.
Sparring you the details of the restaurant as the majority of changes since my last visit relate to the sale of the restaurant from Meyer to Humm/Guidara, the baking of breads in house, the release of a cookbook (okay, picture book with recipes,) and minor staff changes as relates to the upcoming Nomad project (not yet opened when during this visit) everything about my arrival to Eleven Madison Park was the same as my previous two visits – the revolving door, the welcoming smiles, the gratuitous hellos, the brilliant sunlight and fresh flowers, and this time even the table and the friends seated at it with me.
With the room bright and many diners already engaged in food and drink it would not be long before our server arrived, a man named Kevin who would prove to be just as pleasant, knowledgeable, and conversant as those in the past and with napkins unfolded, water filled, and a few beverages to begin the only thing left to decide was the menu – a decision made easily after looking at the grid and inquiring about preparations; the tasting menu, with a few specific requests.
Settling in for the seven-course feast but obviously well aware (as any who’ve dined at Eleven Madison Park are) that there would be much more to the afternoon than that it would not be long before one of the back servers arrived, though this time not with the expected gougeres, but instead with warm moist towels to wash our hands and a white box tied with a string and a card with “Black and White Cookies” written in bold – my mind instantly flashed to Jerry Seinfeld, and with a laugh we plucked the card from the box and began to untie.
With text stating “The quintessential New York treats found in old-School bakeries and 24-hour diners throughout the city. Thought to have originated in upstate New York in the early 1900’s. They were originally made with leftover cake batter and are glazed on one side with chocolate frosting and on the other with vanilla” it was explained to us that these cookies were not traditional at all, but rather a savory, and with the box opened you could tell from three feet what was contained as the air of truffle washed over the table. The first of many ‘shout outs’ to the city of New York and yet another step in EMP’s evolution all that can be said about this sandwich cookie is told in the ingredients – crème fraiche, black and white truffles, and foie-gras filling…if they were sold like Oreo’s I’d eat them by the sleeve.
With the first of the wine pairings arriving for one of my friends and a creamy concoction mimicking the classic “Orange Julius” ordered by the other (a drink so perfectly reminiscent of my childhood that I’d be forced to order one of my own later on) my cocktail for the afternoon was the “Heart of Stone,” a brilliant drink whipped up by the house mixologist consisting of Haitian Rum, Amontillado Sherry, Apricot Liqueur, Allspice Dram, Cane Syrup, Lemon Juice – all the flavors blending nicely to accent the smooth notes of the rum and dry sherry but adding a substantial degree of sugar and savory that sang to my personal tastes for sweeter drinks.
Cookies still lingering on the palate the next in Humm’s parade of canapés was “Apple – Tea with Quail Egg and Bacon,” a two part dish with savory herbal infused apple consommé served in a glass and a small cracker topped with a sunny-side quail egg, savory bacon, and a touch of aged cheese. Meant to be taken as a single bite I enjoyed the interplay of the savory and the sweet, a theme the next set of canapés would build on.
Moving quickly as the canapés often do, “Yogurt and Chick Peas” arrived next with a trio of yogurt lollipops dusted with curry and fried lentils plus another trio of warm panisse with yogurt. Beginning first with the lollipop – cool but not cold, spicy but not ‘hot,’ and with a nice crunch from the lentils within it was a very dynamic bite and also a perfect setup for its partner, warm and starchy with just a bit of bite…a perfect point/counterpoint to the lollipop in terms of texture and temperature yet delivering a somewhat similar flavor profile.
With the taste of curry still on my lips and palate now fully awake the final amuse to arrive would be a familiar one, but one I could enjoy time and again – “Smoked Sturgeon – Sabayon with Chive Oil.” Served piping hot, smooth as satin, and light as air with the smoky notes of the fish at top and basenotes of butter there really is no way to describe this dish other than perfect and with just a touch of chive oil floating at its top it remains one of my many favorite dishes delivered in an egg shell – every bit as memorable as those at L’Arpege, Manresa, or Providence and just a touch less spellbinding than Keller’s Truffled Egg.
Professing at this point to what I would personally consider to be the “amuse bouche,” though in reality perhaps better described as five canapés served simultaneously the first of many “tableside” dishes arrived in the form of “Clambake – with Chorizo, Apple, and Potato.” Ostensibly an upscale reinterpretation of a New England clam bake with the centerpiece a frothy chowder rife with cream, butter, and lemon at the top gently giving rise to the brininess of the clams and what I’m rather sure was an element of pork what truly made this dish was the accompanying bites – two ‘clams,’ a baked bite, and a fried one.
Beginning first with the ‘clams,’ one was indeed a bivalve, specifically a manila clam with apple and melon juice that was fine but nothing to write home about, while the second was instead a creamy mousse of trout roe, corn puree, and a touch of chorizo – a sweet and savory amalgam with just a bit of spice that led nicely into the next bites – a remarkable Madeline made with corn and chorizo that might as well have been the best cornbread ever served at a clam bake, and a lobster croquette featuring a crisp shell giving way to a buttery burst of lobster. Having never been to a clam bake but quite familiar with the concept I must say this was one of the most clever dishes I’ve seen in some time and with the hot stone and seawater tableside presentation it struck me as yet another evolution in what Humm and team are doing at the restaurant.
With canapés and amuses having whet the palate and now almost an hour into the meal we would next get a glimpse of our main course in its raw form before an I would at last see my only ‘gripe’ about EMP finally addressed in the form of their oft raved new ‘bread program’ – a change implemented shortly after my visit one year prior. Admittedly having enjoyed the olive baton but having never understood why Humm and team did not make their own bread considering their Beard Award winning pastry department and the high quality of both their signature cow and goat milk butters it was with great expectations that the housemade butter rolls would arrive – a warm trio in a cloth bag, and plucking one from the pack and taking a bite I was impressed, somewhat. Sure the roll was tasty, a crisp shell giving way to a dainty yeast-raised crumb with plenty of butter…it reminded me of Thanksgiving dinner, but at the same time it also felt sort of ‘standard’ and the intrinsic buttery notes unfortunately subdued the varying flavor profiles of the two supplemental choices, though I still favored the texture of the goat. Perhaps an artifact of too much hype, or perhaps a fault of my penchant for carbs, in the end there was a part of me wishing they still had the olive baton, at least for the sake of variety, and when it took greater than twenty minutes to bring me a second piece because they had to bake more this desire only grew. The butter roll is a nice start, but in terms of a “program” Bouley, Keller, Boulud, White, and Batali are still turning out equally good choices with far more variety at multiple outposts.
Moving now to the first proper course of the afternoon, “Cauliflower” with Tabbouli Salad, Olives and Orange would arrive and almost immediately the tone was set for the rest of the meal…in short, what Daniel Humm is doing with vegetables right now must be experienced. Served as a sort of cous-cous at the center of the plate with the cauliflower literally broken down to individual grains and subsequently topped with grated orange, dehydrated and crushed olives, plus a veritable cooked wheat ‘snow’ each bite of the dish presented us with something new – at times brine, at times citrus, and finally an herbal note added by parsley cream at the center of the pile; truly an inspired dish.
Finding it hard to believe that I’d been so enthralled by cauliflower my expectations raised by about five notches when I saw the next course was my favorite food – “Foie Gras.” Admittedly expected given the fact that we were each asked if we would prefer a hot or cold preparation when we ordered the tasting the first version served to the lady of the table was hot, a seared lobe from Hudson Valley Farms measuring approximately 2-3oz in size and paired with Granny Smith apples, oat streusel, sorrel, melted leek puree, and sweet foie gras jus. A beautiful preparation, caramelized on the exterior and creamy within, this dish again shined in its vegetal aspects as the mild sour of the apples proved a perfect foil to the savory leeks and sorrel while the oats added texture.
Moving next to the terrine, expectations again high as Humm’s previous two attempts had both wowed, I must say that my first thought was one of envy; to put it lightly, the terrine was tiny, particularly when compared to the seared liver to my left. Moving on, however, with my gluttony acknowledged the terrine was also excellent, not only in its own ethereal texture but more so in what it did for its plate mates. Beginning first with the most abundant flavor, winter black truffles, the plate featured these in a shredded form first and then in both a foie gras vinaigrette and a purple Peruvian potato puree – the essence perfuming the palate with each bit and carried admirably by the unctuous liver. Again showing a deft hand with vegetables and textures, additional rounds of the sweet potatoes were added along with locally foraged greens and finally a rye crisp adding a slight bitterness well matched by the vinaigrette.
Having already noted that much of this meal would be about the vegetation involved we were all excited to see that our third course was the much raved “Sunchoke” specifically requested by my dining partners. Already a fan of the vegetable but rarely seeing it ‘featured’ outside of soups I was curious to see what the praise was about and when it was not until I took a bite that I truly understood – this was not just a dish made with a sunchoke, but rather an homage to it and featuring it in no less than six forms including sous vided, dehydrated, pureed, roasted, and fried accented by notes of lemon, watercress, horseradish, and pickled mustard seeds. Likely a dish that I would have never ordered, particularly given my general distaste for the later two ingredients, this is simply a plate that needs to be experienced to be appreciated and much like the cauliflower a dish that showed me the kitchen thinking on a different wavelength than prior.
With course four a protein would finally be presented in the form of “Lobster,” and much like the foie terrine the portion was petit while the impact was profound. Described at length by Kevin (with further details provided later on) this bold and decidedly dark dish featured the aforementioned snappy, sweet, and butter poached but mostly obscured from vision on arrival instead choosing to focus the diner’s gaze on a background of army green and ink black – the results of charred leeks, burnt bay leaves, scallions cooked in squid ink, and black garlic shellfish bisque. Beautiful, intense, and equal parts cream and crunch with just a hint of Meyer Lemon acting as acid meld the flavors this was my favorite course of the meal, and one of the best of the trip as well.
With the previous mention of getting a look at our main course in its unprepared form just after the clambake, “Beef” would arrive next – another dish I’d not have ordered from the grid, but given past favorable experiences with aged meats at Roberta’s and Saison one I was willing to trust from Humm and team. Described as rare roasted 55-day dry-aged ribeye prepared simply with cracked black pepper and sea salt the beef itself was supple and tender with just a touch of funk – good, but honestly a bit more fatty and tough than I’d have expected based on prior experience. Moving next to the accoutrements, an composition of wood sorrel puree, pickled white beach mushrooms, baby marbled potatoes, and ‘Bordelaise’ beef jus infused with marrow – it probably goes without saying at this point that they were exemplary.
At this point sipping my Orange Julius while watching with a touch of jealousy as the table across the way was presented Eleven Madison Park’s signature duck the sixth course of our tasting was introduced tableside before plating – a cheese course entitled “Triple Crème” that not only literally presented a triple crème cheese, but also a clever play on words as three varieties of the cheese were presented. Described only as a 30-day aged cow’s cheese from Champlain Valley Dairy and featuring a mild taste with a bloomy rind the alternative interpretations of this cheese were first a version that had been aged while wrapped in an apple-brandy soaked apple leaf and second a version that Murray’s on Bleecker had imbued with house made pumpkin butter center. Interesting on their own, particularly the apple-brandy aged version, and generally not impressed by composed cheese plates the accoutrements here were hit or miss – the pumpkin seed gastrique and apple cream pleasant but the ‘apple mustard’ and horseradish spread far too potent for my tastes.
Cheeses completed but lot of bits and pieces left on the plate another tableside presentation would follow and, while I hate to admit it, the New York Classic Egg Cream was a first for me. Obviously an old time favorite of my friends (both the soda fountain staple and the version at EMP) I watched with interest as Kevin prepared the concoction with great vigor and although I really was not sure what to expect…IE, I thought an egg was involved…the combination of milk, seltzer, and cocoa nibs with light citrus notes was quite tasty – a great palate cleanser after the cheeses.
Continuing the New York theme, the pre-dessert of the afternoon would feature another staple in the form of “Cheesecake,” but quite unlike the version popularized by Juniors and others this was not your dense cream cheese pie in a buttery crust, but instead a light goat cheese meringue and airy snow served over creamy panna cotta with a layer of blood orange gelee and a quenelle of blood orange ice cream. Light and smooth, sweet and tangy, and complicated both in texture and temperature this was a beautiful dessert and gave me hope for more to follow.
With the coffee and digestif menu presented and the Siphon ordered to coincide with dessert Chef Humm would visit the dining room and after visiting with a number of tables including ours Kevin would next lead us to the kitchen – my first visit – where a special treat awaited.
Having heard impressive things about the kitchen at Eleven Madison Park I was not particularly surprised to find it spotless, polished, and operating with quiet poise and great speed at each station; what I was surprised by, however, was the alcove and standing bar where we were led for a nearly twenty minute conversation with multiple members of the staff and an on-the-spot complementary cocktail described as a “Jack Rose” featuring a Grenadine and brandy base, Liquid nitrogen apple puree sorbet, and topped with Pomegranate purée submerged into liquid nitrogen. Sweet but boozy, cool and creamy, fructose laden but balanced it was every bit as good as what Achatz and Co. are doing at Aviary in Chicago and served with a warm smile instead of a smug grin.
Returning to the table where napkins had been replaced and the dining room had mostly emptied Kevin returned with yet another cart – this one carrying the Siphon system – and presenting the beans for our approval he began the long process of preparing a pot of Yirgacheffe Ethiopia by Ecco Caffe as our desserts were delivered. A robust blend with a slight flowery note over a deep base of cocoa and honey the extraction was as good as anticipated and although not quite as memorable as the brew served the previous year still the most impressive restaurant coffee program I’ve experienced.
With an excellent pre-dessert and a lot of fluid constituting the last hour of the meal dessert almost seemed like a surprise when it arrived…and unfortunately, at least for myself, “Chocolate” was not the good kind. Described at length as Milk Chocolate Sorbet with Bergamot Creme and Caramelized Cocoa Puff Pastry Crumble the concept of the dessert honestly seemed like a sound one, but in terms of the execution there was just something off – the chocolate too mild, the bergamot too potent, and the additional McEvoy Olive Oil and Maldon Sea Salt simply adding to the confusion by producing a strange saline note. Texturally unique I guess I appreciate Chef Pinkerton’s willingness to take chances, but from a Beard Award Winning Chef I simply found this dessert to be a disaster.
With a second cup of coffee helping to quell my disappointment Kevin would soon return with a box similar to that which welcomed us and on untying the box we were again greeted with a trio of Black and White Cookies – this time sweet, with chocolate vanilla frosting and yuzu filling. Again untraditional, but again delicious and reminding me of the savory/sweet opening and closing to my meal at Manresa.
With the afternoon winding down but a few tables lingering in addition to ours the check would arrive along with copies of the menu, a jar of the house made granola, and a trio of glasses plus a bottle of Cognac and sparkling cider to enjoy as we liked – a lovely touch, even for a restaurant like Eleven Madison Park – and after a short while of sipping and lingering ourselves as the dinner team began to prepare the dining room for the second service we took our leave and said our goodbyes with a great string of meals behind us and more plans for the future.
…and so, despite a strong start in the end I honestly was not as ‘blown away’ walking away from Eleven Madison Park on this visit as I was in the past, yet having said that the meal was still impressive on the whole and really, even an average meal from Humm and team is the sort of thing that most restaurants can only aspire to. As expected, service was without flaw, the savories were genuine pieces of culinary art, and the atmosphere was second to none. Certainly the later part of the meal tailed off substantially for me and I still question the composition of both the cheese plate and the chocolate, but at the same time I realize it was not for lack of trying – merely for lack of match to my palate, something that could change on the menu as soon as tomorrow and given their tireless pursuit of perfection something that will undoubtedly have changed when (not if, as there is no question) I return…really, at this point I just can’t imagine trip to New York City without Eleven Madison Park just like I cannot imagine Eleven Madison Park without New York City.
…three years ago when I was raving about Nancy Olsen’s bread pudding at Gramercy Tavern a friend of mine told me best version of the dish they’d ever had was at Anita Lo’s Annisa – a chef and restaurant I’d never heard of at the time but one that went onto “the list,” almost making the cut at one point only to (literally) burn down and subsequently fall off my radar until late 2011 when I ate at Corey Lee’s benu in San Francisco and heard Lo’s name and her restaurant spoken of very fondly by not only my waiter and captain, but one of the sous-chefs as well. Admittedly not enthralled by the broad concept of “fusion” in general but intrigued by the positive things I’d heard from people I trust and subsequently the things I’d read about Anita’s skills and dedication the restaurant went back on “the list” and when planning began for this trip to New York it was one of the first reservations I made – a Monday night with two old friends, and two new.
Having spent the better part of my day walking, shopping, and most of all eating my arrival at Annisa would predictably be early – it always is – and with two of my guests on time and two late I spent some time beforehand wandering Greenwich before entering the restaurant. Having heard prior to arrival that Annisa was small, dark, an somewhat loud from others I guess I did not realize just how correct these terms were until I entered the door to find the hostess stand literally inches from me, the stairs to the dining room perhaps a foot away, and the bar less than an arm’s length to my right. Giving the hostess my name our reservation was confirmed, however as my friends were still en route I was offered a seat at the bar since our table was ‘not yet ready.’
Settled at the bar and greeted by the bartender who was busying himself polishing glasses I declined a cocktail but requested a water which was filled promptly and making small talk as I waited I grabbed the display copy of Lo’s book and thumbed through it noting many of her signature items bookmarked along the way. With the room lighted mostly with soft bulbs overhead and candles on the table I was honestly surprised how small the building itself was – perhaps 15 tables if I had to guess – and when I walked back to the restroom I was even more surprised at the tiny kitchen where Lo was visibly overseeing a member of team at the pastry station.
With the arrival of my friends we all exchanged pleasantries and table ready we were led through the rather loud room with light music playing overhead to a table that would have sat four at a larger restaurant but was quite adequate for the five of us even though there was seemingly a dearth of space between plates and glasses, and shortly thereafter we were greeted by John, our server for the evening. Welcoming us first and then proceeding to confirm water choices, explain the menu, and leave us to our decisions I will simply say that overall the service at Annisa was much better than I’d expected based on comments from others as John would prove not only personable and knowledgeable, but also humorous and whimsical both joking with our table and in being harassed by us with a few nit-picky requests despite ordering what was intended to be a “chef’s whim” tasting menu.
With decisions made that we would all engage in the tasting and ‘allergies and intolerances’ confirmed, it would not be long before the evening would begin with the chef’s amuse bouche of Salmon Mousse Tartlettes, a quintet of buttery pastries filled with creamy and smoky mousse topped with chives and lemongrass – a single bite each and then gone, the flavor something like the salmon cones at Spago. Joining the amuses, the house made yeast roll with curls of locally sourced butter also arrived and while I would have personally preferred them to have been served warm, this was a small gripe as the flavor was quite good and the crumb quite light.
Beginning the tasting menu proper, a seven course progression, our first bite would prove not much larger than the amuse but certainly more complex as we were delivered “Bay Scallop Crudo with Crispy Caviar, Bottarga and Uni,” a three slice progressive tasting of sweet and succulent scallops topped with each of the aforementioned components. Working through flavors ranging from intensely smoky to briny and finally to the ethereal urchin and lightly touched with olive oil, meyer lemon jus, and a touch of chive oil this was a very well composed crudo with exemplary ingredients that would be a sign of things to come.
With courses arriving approximately 15 minutes after completing the preceding course and wines being poured for a few members of our table it our second course would arrive with a substitution for one member of our table while the rest of us received one of the requested dishes – the “Unagi and Taro Chawan Mushi,” by far and away my favorite dish of the evening. Starting first with a tender piece of eel only lightly kissed with barbeque sauce and rife with its characteristic oily texture the juices from the eel are then used to make a steamed custard full of eggy notes but also lightly sweet. Smooth and creamy with sweet and smoke in balance, chef Lo finally topped the dish with raw sliced taro root and crunchy fried taro root strips for texture. It was superb.
Not to be outdone by the Chawan Mushi, the “alternative” course was actually one of Chef Lo’s signature dishes – the “Cauliflower Gnocco with Hazelnuts and Sheep’s Cheese” and featuring a crispy-gives-way-to-creamy sheep’s milk ricotta gnocco resting atop roasted cauliflower puree the dish started out with great texture and flavor components only improved with the addition of Romanesco and cauliflower florets atop plus a drizzle of sweet brown butter hazelnut sauce.
For course number three, perhaps Annisa’s most famous dish would arrive, complete with instructions. Dubbed “Seared Foie Gras with Soup Dumplings and Jicama” this Frenchified Chinese dish was delivered on a flat plate along with chopsticks, fork, and knife with instructions to place the dumpling on the spoon, bite off the end, sip the juice, then eat the noodle – instructions that when followed provided the intense sapor of liver, the crunch of jicama, and savory notes from the use of Black Chinese Vinegar. Creamy and unctuous but well balanced by the acid this certainly wasn’t your run of the mill soup dumpling, but my one critique would be that the pasta was not quite thin enough, particularly when compared to Corey Lee’s transparent wrapper at benu.
With conversation flowing and service always in the right place without hovering or being intrusive even as the room began to empty and quiet down the menu next moved to the expected fish course and with a menu descriptor of “Duo of Arctic Char with Savoy Cabbage, Pine Nuts and Dill” the degree of complexity would far outdo these simple words. Beginning first with a filet, broiled and then grilled in brown butter to crisp the skin, the fish itself was impeccable and served over a light dill sauce with pine nuts and shredded cabbage the herbs and pungency helped to tame the fattiness of the fish admirably. Moving next to the other half of the duo, a creamy mousse similar to that in the amuse was wrapped in a savoy cabbage leaf flanked by Greek lemon sauce and sultana raisins, the sweet/sour balance pleasant and unexpected.
For our main course a surprisingly large portion of protein was delivered in the form of “Lamb Tenderloins with Puntarelle, Capers and Anchovy” and much like the Char it was presented as a duo. Beginning first with the loin of lamb, I’d be hard pressed to call it anything but perfect as the medium rare flesh was juicy, flavorful, and well matched with the lamb jus, puntarelle bulb, and saline anchovy sauce. Moving counterclockwise, an equally well prepared lamb tartare with puntarelle greens on top was gamy but smooth. Finally, at the top of the plate, sautéed puntarelle leaves with a touch of caramelized sweetness to the bitter woodsy notes were also quite nicely done.
At this point entirely pleased with the day and the evening, a cheese course would arrive to make things even better and described by John as Chef Lo’s “favorite thing in the world” the cheeses were all purchased earlier that day from Murray’s and served in surprisingly nice portions along with raisins on the vine and bread crisps we received an unnamed Austrian raw sheep’s milk cheese, Petit Bichon, Salva Cremasco Italian, Manchego, Tellagio, Grayson Meadow Creek, and Rogue River Smoky Blue – the later two both American cheeses and actually the two most impressive of the night from my standpoint, particularly the blue from Oregon that was pungent but creamy with a unique buttery note that I don’t generally associate with blue cheese.
With coffee offered and some taking espresso while I opted for copiously refilled black coffee from a fair trade group out of South America it would not be long before John returned and having requested the bread pudding for myself (he later claimed, jokingly, that I threatened him…which I may have if he’d said no) we soon learned that we would each receive a different dessert – the entirety of the night’s collection – and with each dish quite ample in portion much sharing was to be done, beginning first with the only item I failed to photograph; Pecan and Salted Butterscotch Beignets with Bourbon Ice Milk. Neglecting to taste the ice milk as it is not particularly a sharable item but gifted one of the quintet of fried dough I can only say that while more reminiscent of a doughnut hole or a hushpuppy in texture than an actual beignet (a la café du monde) the flavor was outstanding, a sweet meets salty gush of flavor beneath a golden crust that was not oily at all.
Moving next to the only dessert that failed to get high praise, the “Lemon Posset with Elderflower and Shiso” featured a semi-firm panna cotta at its base beneath a watery layer of pear poached in elderflower syrup topped with a dehydrated pear skin. Served (without prompting) to someone I know enjoys citrus desserts the single bite I tasted of this dish was okay, but in the end I had to agree that the textures were off even as the flavors were quite well balanced.
Perhaps the most visually impressive of the desserts, “Tower of Caramelized Banana and Peanut Butter with Coconut Sauce” thankfully did not fail to wow and served as a sort of Napoleon with two shortbread cookies sandwiching mousses of coconut milk and peanut butter with caramelized bananas atop and within the flavors were all quite prominent, particularly the fructose sweetness of the banana that was tamed by the creamy coconut.
Taking a page from Bouley’s signature dessert, the fourth selection was titled “Tasting of Chocolate and Malted Desserts” and while not quite as sharable as others, this decadent plate consisting of a steamed chocolate biscuit, Polverone, malted milk chocolate mousse, and a malted milkshake with crème de cacao pearls was deemed a success by those who tasted it – myself particularly enjoying the Mexican wedding cookie’s heavy malted flavor and the richness of the biscuit, a flavor and texture quite similar to Thomas Keller’s chocolate Bouchons.
Obviously saving the object of my desire until last I must say I approached the Poppyseed Bread and Butter Pudding with Meyer Lemon Curd with a bit of trepidation as I generally do not favor citrus desserts, but on taking my first bite my skepticism quickly abated because although the lemon is certainly there, the butter, cream, sugar, and savory poppy seeds render it far less prominent. Nearly custard soft on the interior and golden brown atop, piping hot and full of flavor I can’t say it was the best bread pudding I’ve ever had largely because of my predilection towards chocolate versions or the boozy versions in New Orleans but all things being equal this was stellar and without a doubt the best fruit based version I’ve yet to encounter.
With the clock pushing 11pm and everyone seemingly quite happy with the experience John would stop by to ask if there was anything else we would like and with one last refill of coffee for myself the table was cleared and the check delivered along with a tray of three types of Mignardises – candied ginger, frozen chocolate mint truffles, and papaya pineapple popsicles, all nicely done but none particularly memorable in the setting of such a fine meal with great people.
With the bill paid and the restaurant now nearly empty we spent perhaps another twenty minutes chatting about our dining adventures before standing up and on collecting our coats and bags as well as a requested copy of the menu we stepped out onto the streets of Greenwich village to go our respective ways – myself with a new found appreciation for “fusion” when done well, and yet another restaurant on the long list of places I’d gladly return in New York City. Sure the room is small, crowded, and loud but compared to other Michelin starred restaurants in the city it is comparatively calm and while prices are not ‘cheap’ they are matched by the quality of the cuisine, many dishes which were on par with those being put out by more highly rated (and highly priced) restaurants.
With two days left in New York and still a number of spots left on my list of places to be visited Monday would start the same as any other; with a long run, breakfast, and plenty of walking intertwined with shopping, galleries, and (of course) food. Having left the day open for exploration aside from 7:30pm reservations at Annisa I’d be lying if I said there was not a loose framework in play, but compared to my typically tight schedule this was my free day to wander without worrying about being ‘on time’ – an especially fitting plan when the spots on the list either do not take or do not require reservations.
With the weather once again sunny and getting an even earlier start than usual so I could walk across another of New York’s historic bridges I would find myself in Soho just as many of the galleries and stores were opening their doors and after picking up a few small things and noting others for the following day as I did not want to carry bags all afternoon I turned my attention back to dining and made my way to Andrew Carmellini’s “The Dutch” with one thing in mind – the fried chicken.
Having been largely unimpressed with my previous Carmellini experience at Locanda Verde but hearing from multiple sources that both the chicken and the desserts at The Dutch were worth the effort I arrived at the restaurant just as they opened the doors and as the first person to enter was greeted by a team of five as I stepped through the doors. Requesting a table for one I was offered a seat at the bar or in the dining room and opting for the dining room I was led through the surprisingly large space, past the well adorned bar, and seated at a wooden booth with a full view of both the brick, wood, and tile dining room as well as the sunny street outside.
Greeted shortly after seating by my server, a pleasant young lady named Courtney, my water was filled and a menu was provided before she returned to the front to assist with seating other guests, a large flood of patrons that would have the rear dining room more than 2/3 full before noon – many solos, some small groups, and everything from well-dressed businessmen with their laptops to small children to an older woman with a novel seated next to me who introduced herself as Evelyn as I fiddled with my phone.
Having now been seated for perhaps fifteen minutes before Courtney returned I received an unnecessary apology for the wait and after deferring a cocktail I placed my order – one that Evelyn said was a “great choice, but so much food,” evoking a smile from both me and my server. At this point amused by my neighbor and with nothing better to do I asked her if she was going to order the chicken as well and while the details are now sketchy in my mind the next thing I knew we had agreed to share the chicken and that in exchange she would pay for dessert – an arrangement that did not seem to bother Courtney in the least even if we were taking up two separate tables.
Told that the chicken would take “about 20 minutes” I sat and chatted with my new friend for a while – a widower, born and raised in Manhattan, who’d planned to come and have ‘a salad and a piece of pie – plus the wonderful corn bread,’ corn bread that would arrive as a whole loaf for each of us less than five minutes later and much to my delight proved to be nearly as good as billed, though not quite as sweet and moist as that at Red Rooster or Bouley, instead choosing to focus on the savory with a touch of jalapeno dotting the crumbly interior.
With more than half of my cornbread gone and slightly less than half my life’s story told Courtney would return with “Hot Fried Chicken, Honey Butter Biscuits” almost exactly twenty minutes later and while appetite has never been an issue for me, I have to admit I did not anticipate a half of a chicken, two biscuits, and slaw – overall I was glad to share not because I didn’t have room, but because all I really wanted to do was see if it lived up to the hype, something two pieces would easily accomplish.
Opting first to taste the slaw as it is generally not something I fancy while Evelyn stated she loved it my one bite was sufficient – crisp, creamy, a touch of sweet and a bit of acid…just as expected, but essentially just filler. Moving next to the chicken – okay, I’ll admit, it was pretty excellent; golden brown, crunchy coating giving way to juicy meat, and just a touch of salt and spice to make it memorable. It was as good as any Amish fried chicken I’ve ever tasted, though perhaps not quite as lovely as the version at Central Michel Richard…a side by side taste test would be necessary to decide. Rounding out the plate, and thankfully deemed “too much bread” by my friend, the honey butter biscuits needed no side-by-side at all. Dense, buttery, flaky, and sweet I can’t think of any that I’ve tasted that can compare. They were the best non-pastry bread I had on this trip to New York, Per Se and EMP included.
“Impressed” by my appetite as she requested the thigh, half of her cornbread, and part of the slaw to be boxed up it was now time for dessert, an easy choice for Evelyn who selected the signature apple pie but a more disappointing one for myself as I’d had my eye set on some of Chef Kierin Baldwin’s more elaborate desserts apparently only available during dinner. With apologies from Courtney again offered but unnecessary I spent a few moments debating the three options but eventually succumbed to Evelyn’s suggestion that I too should select the Dutch Apple Pie – a choice I paired with multiple refills of a nutty and earthy brew from Stumptown Roasters.
At this point (sort of…but not really…as you will see) over my disappointment about the desserts and enjoying the coffee and conversation it would not be long before our plates would arrive and while I certainly do not claim to be a pie maven and fully admit that 99 times out of 100 I will order cake, pudding, ice cream, or otherwise instead this Dutch Apple Pie was pretty damned good. Beginning first with the apples – cooked but still snappy, sweet but balanced by the sour cream, warm and loaded with cinnamon – they were quite good, but where this dish really shined was the crust; a crisp, buttery, and flaky shell beyond reproach topped off with cinnamon crumble and paired with creamy buttered walnut ice cream and candied walnuts…it was a dish that made me think that just maybe I should consider pie more often…maybe.
Offering the other half of my cornbread to Evelyn to take home and receiving another cup of coffee as I enjoyed the pie a glance at the clock would show that we had only actually been seated for just over an hour and with the restaurant now nearly full our server stopped by to ask if we’d like anything else and after my new friend saying she couldn’t possibly eat another bite and me joking that I’d like to try those evening desserts we were brought the check – chicken and coffee for myself, pie and pie for Evelyn – a veritable bargain in terms of both price and capacity that I was not about to overlook and on settling the tab we bid each other and our server farewell with Courtney thanking us both for coming in and suggesting we come back any time for dinner or dessert…
Exiting The Dutch and making my way up Broadway for some more shopping around Union Square with a smile on my face it would not be long before it occurred to me that what I’d just eaten was a snack at best and an appetizer at worst – certainly not enough to constitute a full meal – and after picking up a particularly excellent Duchamp Tie at Nordstrom Rack I consulted my list and my watch to decide “what else” – perhaps one of the many spots in Eataly? Or maybe give the Donut Plant a second chance at its new outlet? Of course LA Burdick was closer and I did enjoy the one in Boston…or, hey, why not take my friend Roz’s advice and check out Junoon! (…and there is your answer to “what was he thinking,” just in case you were wondering later.)
Considered by many to be the best Indian restaurant in New York City and a winner of 2 Stars from The Times and 1 Star from Michelin, I had honestly not heard much about Junoon until my friend mentioned a great meal there, thus putting it on my “backup” list. Admittedly still a novice when it comes to Indian food but wanting to experience more of the cuisine and having sought out experiences at DC’s Rasika and Vancouver’s Vij’s with good results, what interested me the most about Junoon was it’s under-the-radar status despite a celebrity chef in Vikas Khanna, a seemingly prime location, and a lunch menu that read almost as impressively as that at dinner (something that cannot be said for Tulsi – the other contender for best upscale Indian Cuisine in the city.)
With the decision rather spur of the moment and without reservations it was just prior to 2pm when I walked through the doors of 27 West 24th Street and with the area undergoing a significant amount of construction I can imagine one could have easily overlooked the restaurant despite the large, elegant exterior. Greeted by a young woman at the hostess podium I was asked if I had a reservation and replying in the negative my coat and bags were taken before I was led through the decidedly ornate interior to a table in an a room that, aside from a couple of servers dressed in traditional outfit, was entirely empty.
Having been to a number of restaurants, both good and not so good, but never the only guest in the entire place I at first wondered if I’d shown up ‘between’ services, but moments later as a strange brand of Indian pop music played overhead Mohammed, my captain, approached with the full lunch menu including the prix fixe, tasting, and a la carte plus a list of wines and cocktails. With white tablecloths, quality flatware, and comfortable seating in such a well ordained environment I couldn’t help but wonder why the place was so empty, but undeterred I browsed the options and when Mohammed and another young man returned I opted for the three course tasting menu (not to be confused with the cheaper prix fixe with more limited options.)
With two other couples thankfully arriving as I sipped my water and continued to look over the unique menu featuring a diverse cooking repertoire from Tandoor and Tawa to Handi and Pathar Mohammad returned and talking professionally but pleasantly he asked if it was my first visit and then proceeded to explain to me the restaurant’s concept, sourcing, and principles – a nice touch I generally don’t anticipate at Indian restaurants (even Rasika and Vij’s) and he also suggested I go check out the “spice room” while I waited – a large space in the basement visible behind a glass window where no less than 100 spice were visible in glass jars as a young sous-chef worked off to the side with a scale, knife, mortar, and pestle.
Returning to my table an taking a seat it would not be long before my first course would arrive and although I’m sure the kitchen was less than pleased to have to prepare a small portion of five different appetizers, the supplement for the “Gold Plate” seemed well worth it instead of focusing on just one single appetizer in larger quantity. Delivered as a single plate (incidentally not gold) with the five items arranged in a cross-pattern I’ll start off by admitting that due to my limited knowledge of Indian cuisine and spices it is difficult for me to assess authenticity or quality compared to what is ‘the norm,’ but from start to finish each of the selections was well balanced, well textured, warm, and loaded with complex flavors.
Amongst the tasting, the first bite as suggested by my server was the Pakora, a fritter of sorts willed with portabellas, shitakes, and earthy aromatic spices within topped with a sauce made of coconut, mint, cilantro, yogurt, and ajwain – not spicy in the least this was a nice way to open and also led nicely into the second bite, Lahsooni Gobi with crispy (perhaps raw?) cauliflower seasoned with chili, sweet garlic tomato chutney, and micro cilantro…to my palate it almost tasted Italian, but with a touch of heat and substantially more aromatic on the palate.
With the vegetable options gone the following trio of bites would increase the heat and degree of complexity beginning with Piri Piri Shrimp in Goan Chili Sauce with ginger, garlic, avocado, and jicama, a good bite but perhaps “too much” for the mild shrimp which was there mostly in texture and a touch of sweet. Faring better, the Duck Gushtaba, a meatball with spicy green chilies, a touch of mint, and aromatic almond saffron sauce was outstanding as the chili/saffron combination was beautiful on the palate in enhancing the supple duck. Finally, rounding out the platter, the Patthar Ka Gosht was described as the chef’s favorite dish featuring house ground garam masala, tandori roasted onion and pineapple chutney, and nutmeg weaving beneath a sausage made by using lamb that had been ground five times over into a creamy pate…it was truly remarkable, though admittedly a bit hot for my mild Midwestern tongue.
Conversing with my servers after my appetizer plate was cleared I was glad that the platter had contained only essentially ten bites total when I saw my main course emerge from the kitchen being carried with two hands on a large service tray by one of the back waiters – thankfully much of it was for show – and sauce. Delivered tableside along with tender pulao rice and a basket of Naan with a portion doled out onto my (ironically) gold-rimmed plate, Duck with Tellicherry Peppercorn, curry leaves, tamarind pulp, and coconut milk would once again show off the restaurant’s quality of sourcing and preparation as the Long Island duck breast was roasted to a perfect medium with crisp skin and its characteristic flavor in delicate balance with the smoky, sweet, and slightly tart sauce. Generally not one to eat rice a few bites proved the grains to be well cooked and slightly pan crisped with notes of saffron and generally one to love bread I devoured the pillowy Naan but deferred a second basket in a rare showing of restraint.
Deferring coffee largely because I’d had quite enough at breakfast, dessert would come next and as expected, it was superb. Titled simply Coconut Rice Pudding and featuring a thick dollop of basmati rice cooked down with coconut milk and shredded coconut plus sugar I’d not be lying if I said I’d have been happy with a whole bowl of this, but gilding the proverbial lily the team at Junoon upped the ante by topping the pudding with a quenelle of creamy ginger ice cream and a scoop of candied almonds while bruleed bananas, dates, and rum glaze completed the plate. Intensely sweet but otherwise a lovely balance of textures I’d put this quite high on the ‘best rice pudding’ list.
Quite sated at this point Mohammed would return and ask if there was anything else I would like and on declining I was presented the bill as well as a pair of mignardises – a nicely textured White Chocolate Macaron and a butter caramel flecked with sesame seeds, a nice touch I’d not expected, yet fitting Junoon’s fine dining concept – a also born out in the design of the room, the service, and the sourcing/quality of the food. Once again admitting that I cannot properly judge Indian food as authentic due to limited experience, I do feel that I can judge fine dining and in that regard I’d say Junoon stacks up very favorably to the rest of New York’s Michelin Stars – Indian or otherwise.
With the paired lunch carving out little more than three hours of my day the afternoon was still young and the weather still lovely on emerging from Junoon and as good luck would have it I received a text from one of my friends stating he would be in town for work during the afternoon and wondered if I’d like to get together for drinks or a quick bite later on. Having already noted my plans for Annisa with four others slated for 7:30 I replied that as long as I’d make it to dinner on time that sounded great – we’d meet at the High Line around 5:00 and go from there…and where we would go? His suggestion – “The Dutch” – based largely on the whisky list and oyster sliders.
Amused by the suggestion and knowing its implications I agreed (his other suggestion was Minetta Tavern, where I was heading the following day anyhow) and arriving at 5:45 we entered to find the restaurant much different than prior – dark, candle lit, and quite loud as the bar area was packed. Greeted by different hosts/hostesses we were asked if we would prefer stand at the bar or have a table and selecting the later we were led to a table three down from where I’d eaten lunch and when our server, Titi, arrived I was glad to see that my experience at lunch was not an anomaly as she too was personable, pleasant, and professional.
Not a whisky drinker and with plans for dinner that may or may not include a drink I explained to my friend that I’d not be imbibing and after a quick browse of the menu he selected two varieties of bourbon as well as steamed clams and a trio of the oyster sandwiches. For myself, much to the amusement of both my friend and my server, I asked for coffee – and a duo of desserts (I also eventually explained the story of lunch to Titi who went so far as to tell Chef Baldwin, thus prompting a short tableside visit and copious thanks.)
With my friend eating bivalves and myself drinking coffee as we caught up on the last ~8 months it would not be long before the two desserts would arrive and beginning first with the warm option my dessert at Junoon quickly fell down a spot on the list as “Forbidden Rice Pudding” climbed to a spot just behind the rice pudding at Chez L’Ami Jean for best all time. Featuring black rice and its expected savory notes cooked to texture just short of creamy at its base and topped in rum-tinged syrup before being finished with shredded coconut and chopped pineapple, mango, and passion fruit plus crushed macadamia nuts there really wasn’t a single bite of this dish that tasted the same as the last and adding in the coconut sorbet to smooth the substantially sweet fruits was a beautiful touch. Even as someone who generally does not order fruit based desserts I found myself raving and not-so-secretly sort of glad when my friend deferred an offered taste.
Moving on to the second dessert, and perhaps the restaurant’s most well known, the “Devil’s Food Cake” would sit waiting while I finished the warm rice pudding and with my friend quite willing to give this one a taste or three we were both impressed, though for myself certainly less so than with the rice pudding. Featuring a dark, dense chocolate cake topped with black pepper icing, fudge sauce, and layers of chocolate mousse and ganache between the three cake layers the cake itself would prove a perfect match for the coffee while the light peppery hint was just detectable on the lips. Served alongside and atop a pile of chocolate crumbles – white Russian ice cream…delicious, boozy, and creamy as the namesake drink…the dude would definitely abide and having said what I did earlier about considering pie more often, sure, provided there is no cake or rice pudding.
…molecular gastronomy, modernist cuisine, deconstructivist cooking – no matter what you call it, it is here to stay – and I’m glad. Sure there are times when spherification, centrifugation, foams, transglutaminase, and hydrocolloids are overused to the benefit of nothing but perhaps a camera, but in the right hands these progressive techniques can take something delicious and additionally make it visually and texturally incredible…or, in the wrong hands, inedible. To say the least dining at a ‘molecular’ restaurant is a risk with high highs and low lows, and it was with that in mind that I’d waited so long to visit wd~50.
Having dined at most of the United States molecular temples from Adres’ Bazaar in Los Angeles to Voltaggio’s VOLT in Fredericksburg and any number of places in between (Achatz and his disciples, mostly) part of my reluctance to visit wd~50 was based on earlier reports that Chef Wylie Dufresne was more Cantu than Achatz – the sort of chef who let form and function get in the way of flavor – and in a city where I never seemed to make a dent in an ever growing list of places to visit it just didn’t seem worth the risk until a steady stream of positive reviews began to appear that perhaps Dufresne had matured, his food become more flavorful while still maintaining the fun, and with three friends willing to investigate these rumors with me a reservation was made.
Arriving at wd~50 mere moments early for our reservation and hot on the heels of an impromptu visit to DBGB I would actually encounter two of my co-diners as I browed the posted menu and entered the deceivingly large restaurant we were greeted graciously, coats taken, and offered a seat at the table or the bar until the final member of our party arrived. Opting to check out the bar and elaborate cocktail menu while we waited I immediately felt at home in the long room as the slate floors, modern chairs, and light woods all glowed under spotlights clearly intended to put the focus on the food while Radiohead’s OK Computer played overhead.
With the menu undergoing little change from that which was listed on the website and our party now completed it was mere moments later that we were led to our table, a spacious four-top with views of the kitchen from two seats and of the dining room from the others, and greeted by our server – a young man named Andrew R who exuded so much enthusiasm for the restaurant and the food that it was almost contagious (without ever once crossing over to fake or annoying ) – we were welcomed, menus were formally presented, and water was poured.
Surrounded by good people, good sounds, and already with a good feel for the space and the staff I decided that a cocktail would be a fine way to start off and while the Chardonnay and Dargo enjoyed by one of my co-diners were reportedly very good I can’t imagine either was on par with the “Fountain of Youth” – a blend of Oaked Cream Soda, Venezuelan Rum, and Fino Sherry that I’d rank amongst the best cocktails I’ve ever had, and one of many ‘sweet’ cocktails on the menu that would place wd~50 high on a short list of places I would actually consider going ‘just for drinks,’ as the saying goes (though given my track record food would inevitably get involved.)
Deciding on three savory courses each as opposed to the tasting menu Andrew took the liberty of deciding on the order for each of us in order to form a logical progression and confirming that this would be okay the meal began with the restaurants version of a bread basket – a signature sesame flatbread something like Indian Papadum but perhaps a bit thicker, more buttery, and entirely addictive without being ‘filling’ in the least.
With wines presented and poured by Andrew, one to accompany the appetizers and one to accompany the main, and 5 different appetizers ordered between the four of us the first and second courses would arrive in two waves and amongst the options selected the only question was which was best, beginning with the a strong contender in the form of “Aerated Foie – Pickled Beet, Mashed Plum, Brioche.” Ordered by the 3 lovers of liver at the table and formed by taking a frozen and shattered terrine and placing it in a cryovac the only way to describe the texture of the dish is to call it a foie sponge, yet at the same time it is also something like a mousse – melting on the palate with the expected gossamer finish. Served in three large balls alongside rolled beets filled with plum gel and crisps of brioche this was yet another memorable foie gras dish in a city filled with them.
With duck on the menu, obviously someone was going to order it and although it was not the person I’d have expected, the choice of “Corned Duck – Rye Crisp, Purple Mustard, Horseradish Cream” was another good one despite containing two ingredients I don’t tend to flock to. Again served as a trio, these small rolls of house cured duck really did taste like a fowl version of the beef namesake and resting atop crunchy crackers with a light layer of both mustard and horseradish within the spice was cut just a bit with a simple garnish of microgreens. Not especially ‘molecular,’ just a play on tradition and executed very well.
Next up, a soup selection arrived in the form of “Sweet Potato Soup – Scallop Ravioli, Kalamansi, Hazelnut” and although deceptively simple in its appearance aside from using compressed scallop to form the ‘pasta’ around the buttery scallop puree, this would prove to be perhaps the most shocking of the appetizers in terms of its flavor profile. Seemingly a riff on butternut squash soup and potato soup at the same time, the potage itself was creamy, rich, and smooth with the taste of the tuber in full effect, but there in the background was this nutty essence and right up front a veritable ‘twist of lime.’ Knowing Wylie’s considerable skills in the world of chemicals and foams this was just pairing the right ingredients in the right manner to reinvent something ostensibly familiar.
For the last two appetizers we could not pass up two of Dufresne’s classics, the first his “Eggs Benedict” a dish once on the ever changing tasting menu but now a staple of the a la carte and perhaps the dish most associated with wd~50. Beginning first with the “eggs” – essentially just yolks with a bit of salt and pepper cooked sous vide the texture is that of a hard boiled egg-white while the flavor is all yolk. Moving next to the “hollandaise” – in this case deep-fried and no doubt using gelatin plus a binding agent along with the eggs, butter, and lemon to achieve a runny consistency it really does taste like hollandaise sauce in a cube – deconstructivism at its finest. Moving last to the ‘ham’ – here a dehydrated pancetta…and there you have it, deconstructed and reinvented Eggs Benedict, more interesting as a sort of piece of the “mg” canon than anything more tasty than a good take on the classic and inspired without a doubt.
For our last appetizer, two orders of the nearly equally famous “Cold Fried Chicken – Buttermilk-Ricotta, Tabasco, Caviar” were served up and where I compare the Benedict to Adria’s Spherical Olives in terms of being a novelty if nothing ‘new’ in terms of flavor, this riff on Buffalo Wings was superb as the compressed sous-vide terrine of both light and dark meat was subsequently coated with crispy fried chicken skin to form what is essentially a far more dense chicken tender and then topped with briny sturgeon caviar, dollops of ricotta laced with tangy buttermilk, and finally tobacco infused honey and chervil to finish. Sweet and hot, briny yet balanced, if only this existed during 50 cent wings night at the local sports bar.
At this point quite impressed by nearly every aspect of the evening so far, Andrew would stop by to chat while our main courses were being prepared and proving to be not only a great waiter but also a fount of knowledge about the workings of the kitchen, the sourcing of the ingredients, and the New York food scene in general it would not be long before he would briefly disappear only to return with our main courses, four in total, with the first (not photographed by myself) entitled “Smoked Char – Bearnaise Spaetzle, Broccoli Rabe, Pork Sausage.” Sourced from Canada and served along with the aforementioned accoutrements plus crumbled tarragon cake and rolls of Swiss chard I really don’t remember much about this dish and I may not have even tasted it, but to the best of my knowledge it was enjoyed by those who did.
Moving next to a dish I’d have definitely not had the opportunity to taste were I dining with the majority of my friends and family, the gentleman of the table ordered the “Wagyu Chuck Steak – Black-eyed Peas, Fig, Rutabaga” and arriving just shy of medium in a sizable portion unexpected from a ‘molecular’ restaurant this dish was another outstanding and relatively simple preparation focused much more on quality products and preparation than ‘tricks.’ Beginning first with the Wagyu, Australian sourced and prepared sous-vide before being seared, I was surprised at how tender the meat was – a bit ‘steaky’ for my palate but still quite good. Moving on to the rest of the plate, the most interesting aspect was the use of each listed ingredient in two forms – the chickpeas both simply boiled and candied, the fig in the form of a puree and used to sweeten the beef jus, and the rutabaga a rich puree with a few thin slices of the stems to garnish.
Moving on to the only dish I didn’t care for on the evening – surprisingly it was the duck ordered by one of my companions. Denoted on the menu as “Duck Breast – Black Sesame Dumplings, Red Cabbage, Parsnip Consommé” and served in a large, deep bowl I’ll qualify my statement by saying that both the duck itself and the dumplings, packed with black sesame and duck leg confit, were both well prepared, tender, and flavorful – it was the consommé and cabbage that (at least for myself) did not work; too bitter, too earthy, and simply overpowering the rest of the dish.
As my friend favored to fowl I opted for the pig and although I had no idea when we placed the order this turned out to be a very fortuitous circumstance not only because of my feelings about the duck, but also because “Pork Ribs – Hush Puppies, Spaghetti Squash, Red-Eye Gravy” was outstanding – an overhead smash or rich flavors that embraced the dishes southern roots and held nothing back. Starting first with the ‘ribs’ – rich, fatty, and compressed before a trip to the water bath the flavor and texture were something akin to ham and stacked in cubes with the spicy hush puppies atop each bite was briny, bitey, and bold – something the smoky coffee spiked gravy did not attempt to attenuate, instead deferring this responsibility to tender spaghetti squash poached in powdered collard greens.
With the meal mostly exceptional to this point a glitch in the program would arise as we approached dessert; for three of us Malcolm Livingston II’s dessert tasting was an obvious choice but for one this was simply not an acceptable option – a problem as (like many tasting menus) the participation of the whole table was required. Understanding the situation, I give Andrew all the credit in the world for double checking with the kitchen (and for offering his sympathies when he was told an exception would not be made) and even agreeing with my proposed alternative to eat one dessert at the table, settle the tab, and then move to the bar for more, but in the end our fourth member became frustrated, paid her bill, and left…an unfortunate end…and unfortunately her loss as what would follow was an experience I’ll not soon forget. **
Told that the tasting would consist of five courses we were a bit surprised when a “pre-dessert” arrived that was every bit as large as the composed desserts at Per Se or Eleven Madison Park – a dessert described as “Mango – Sake, Vanilla, Lemon Balm” consisting of an capsule of compressed mango resting atop mango mousse and filled with sake spiked caramel. Sweet and salty with the sake laying low the plate could have stopped here and been an inspired palate cleanser, but as we would see going forward Chef Livingston’s inspiration is not nearly that limited – he instead finished off the composition with cashew crumble, lemon sauce, and sheep’s milk yogurt…and unfortunately I’ll never be satisfied with a ball of sorbet again.
Officially beginning the tasting, “Menthol – Ginger, Pomelo, Chamomile” looked like something from a sci-fi film and given the listed ingredients I was a bit perplexed – I’d never mint so early on – but as it turns out, there is a reason I sit at the table and don’t work in the kitchen. Appearing something like styrofoam but with the texture of meringue the menthol bubble was piped full of ginger sorbet with the overall effect something like an effervescent candy. Virtually weightless and resting atop sour frozen/shattered pomelo cells with airy chamomile cake adding just a bit of heft this dish was as much an exploration of textures as it was a blending of seemingly disparate flavors into an almost indescribable essence on the palate.
Course two of the dessert quintet would prove to be my ‘least favorite,’ but like being asked to name the worst member of your favorite band this is hardly a slight – its just that passionfruit is not my thing. Titled “Soft Meringue – Passionfruit, Banana, Star Anise” and featuring a disc approximating the size of hockey puck flanked by two bananas compressed with lime this spongy and moist meringue appeared simple enough at first, but on cutting into it with the spoon a surprise was revealed inside in the form of a passionfruit panna cotta. Light, flavorfful, and well tempered by the anise glaze, a dash of red peppercorn, and the bananas I will admit that this passionfruit was slightly less overwhelming than most, but in the end I’d have liked it much with nearly any other fruit.
Moving rather quickly, though not uncomfortably so, course three would more than make up for the passionfruit and to date it is the best dessert I’ve had in 2012 (having been to Chicago and through Eastern Canada since.) Titled “Warm Spice Cake – Coconut, Tamarind, Coriander, Pineapple” and featuring a tempura coated and fried pound cake loaded with aromatic spices and a coconut mousse center as its base, Malcolm took this already delicious cake to a whole different level with the addition of potent tamarind ice cream, coriander foam, freeze dried coconut powder, freeze dried corn, and finally a micro arugula salad. Featured on the ‘standard’ dessert menu (and still there when I looked today) I’d have never guessed based on the description how much I would love this dish and I likely would have never ordered it a la carte, but from top to bottom, sweet to savory, warm to cold, and crunchy to creamy it touched every aspect of the palate. It blew me away, and that doesn’t happen nearly as often as it should.
Still raving (there were witnesses) about the spice cake, “Chocolate & Beet – Long Pepper, Ricotta” really didn’t stand a fair chance, but admitting an affinity for both the primary constituents this dazzling dish held its own quite admirably. Served on a large plate and falling somewhere between Pollock and “Psycho” in its visual arrangement the flavor focus of the dessert was clearly on the now commonplace Flexible Dark Chocolate Ganache made famous by Voltaggio and Stupak yet serving this constituent furthest from the diner I was intrigued to see the team at wd~50 instead force the rest of the plate into consideration as well; a combination of ricotta sorbet, Longpepper shortbread, frozen beet mousse, candied cocoa nibs, and caramelized granola with the overall effect harkening a deconstructed red velvet cake. Dense, rich, bitter, sweet, crunchy, creamy – like the rest of the evening an exploration of tastes, textures, and techniques that kept things interesting with each bite.
Having started with mint and serving chocolate at course four it was really anyone’s guess as to where Malcolm would go next and with the chef occasionally peaking out around the corner of the kitchen to gauge our progress the final dish to arrive would be quite unlike anything I’ve experienced to date – a dish simply called “Root Beer Float” that arrived as what I can only describe as mountain at the center of the plate. With my co-diners starring at the large mass while Andrew described it at length even I thought this was a substantial amount of food at such a late stage, but on taking my first bite I quickly realized that much of what we were looking at was air – specifically “aerated root beer ice cream.” Taking the idea of a float and literally turning it on its head, what was presented was actually the ethereal ice cream on top, whipped cream and milk foam at its base, and balsamic infused root beer sauce, root beer rehydrated candied cherries, crushed root beer candy, and a sprig micro anise to finish it off – the overall effect sort of like a giant marshmallow but otherwise nearly indescribable.
At this point more than content with nearly every aspect of the evening Andrew would return to our table one last time to drop off a pair of mignardises along with the check – the first a Deep-fried Rice Ball consisting of Fried Rice Pudding filled with Kalmansi Lime cream, and the second a Frozen Rice Crispy Treat with an almond milk center…like everything else they were excellent, particularly the former which could easily be upscaled into a full blown dessert with great success.
Deferring coffee given the late hour (and copious refills at DBGB) Andrew returned again with the tab – a relatively modest amount given the quality and quantity of the food and drink – and with the bill paid we were offered – no, strongly suggested – a visit to the kitchen, a suggestion we gladly accepted largely so I could offer my thanks to Chef Livingston, and although Wylie was not present that evening Chef Bignelli played the role of host quite well showing us the wall of spices, gums, transglutaminases, and more before bidding us farewell. With the kitchen much smaller than expected but everyone humble, smiling, and happy I understood right away why Andrew and all the other servers seemed to be doing the same throughout service and why I’d be doing the same as I rode the subway back to Brooklyn; while certainly a serious restaurant, wd~50 is also a whole lot of fun.
Having waited so long to visit 50 Clinton Street I now look back on my preconceptions with some regrets – part because I missed out on Alex Stupak’s tenure there…a damned shame if his desserts were even more impressive than Malcolm Livingston II’s, but also because I’d had some rather lackluster meals both during this trip and trips prior that could have been spent in a place where the food is good, the desserts are great, and everything about the environment seems directed at making sure the diner has a good time – in my case even coincidentally timing the start of Kid A with our dessert tasting. Everything in it’s Right Place, indeed.
**While one can debate the pros/cons of the ‘all diners must participate’ tasting menu until the proverbial cows come home, I will say here that I have no problem with wd~50’s decision to enforce this rule – particularly as Andrew went out of his way to help us circumvent the issue. In a city where David Chang can charge $175, use an obscure reservations system, and ban photos while forcing you to sit on hard stools listening to NWA and Caesar Ramirez can go so far as to forbid note taking I don’t think a rule embraced by hundreds of restaurants on both coasts (and around the world) is out of line
After another late night led to another early morning run and hopping onto the subway after a quick shower the gameplan for Sunday would be an aggressive one – brunch in Harlem, hockey game in Jersey, post-game eats on the Bowery, and then dinner in the Lower East Side. With four different sets of friends, many miles, and many variables in play this was the day that required the most planning of the whole trip and save for one glitch – an old friend’s car failing him en route to Red Rooster – it went impressively well, my years of training in planning and capacity coming through once again.
Having mentioned Red Rooster I will once again reiterate here that I do not watch Top Chef or any other cooking television, but that I was aware of Chef Marcus Samuelsson due to previously considering a dinner at Aquavit during his tenure. I was also aware that he had made a gutsy move opening up an upscale soul-food spot on Lexington at 125th where I’ve more than once caught the M60 to LaGuardia. What I was unaware of, oddly, was the fact that Samuelsson had ascended to the ranks of superstar celebrity chef and restaurateur while additionally winning Top Chef Masters – something his website, my friend, and even my mother noted as if stating the sky was blue…some ‘foodie,’ I am…but then again perhaps it was best as I would emerge from the Subway and enter the restaurant without any preconceived notions for a 10am reservation for two during the Sunday Gospel Brunch.
With the day bright and sunny but having been underground for the better part of half an hour I was surprised to find the restaurant already busy and bustling on my arrival but on checking in my reservation was confirmed and I was led to a table only to discover five minutes later that I’d missed a call while en route – my friend was stuck only 2 minutes from his home and thirty minutes away thus leaving me on my own, a situation that given the soon-to-be jammed packed dining room led my server to suggest a seat at the bar if I’d be willing – an offer I accepted given the similar style of chairs and closer vantage of the music – and with that my water was filled, menu presented, and coffee ordered.
Having already explored the online menu in the days leading up to the meal and with no changes to be noted it took some time before I could place my order because the computer system is based on seating and there was some sort of glitch, but when my eventual server, Kimberly, arrived everything went smoothly and bearing in mind that I had a train ride to Jersey I told her it was fine if everything arrived at once – a suggestion that made her laugh as I “…ordered a lot” – but one she said was no problem.
With the musicians setting up and tuning up the restaurant went from half full to jammed packed by 10:30am and although the bartenders were not yet allowed to serve alcoholic beverages they were put to work with non-alcoholic cocktails, juices, and concoctions thus leading to my Ethiopian Fair Trade going empty far longer than I’d have liked, but on commenting to the young man before me this was remedied quickly and the cup remained full for the rest of the morning as he personally kept an eye on it since the crowd prevented my server from being able to.
With the time now just before 10:40 and the band starting into some slower Gospel tunes Kimberly would arrive (with backup) to deliver what even I will admit was ‘a lot’ of food largely because each dish came on a platter and all of them included smaller vessels of condiments, accoutrements, and spreads. Individually ordered there were four dishes in total and beginning first with the “main course” of Fried Yard Bird with Dark Meat, White Mace Gravy, Mashed Potatoes largely because it was the only temperature sensitive selection my first impression was a good one – the thigh and leg coated with a golden brown and flaky batter full of pepper and spices, the meat tender and juicy, and the potatoes whipped to just short of smooth. Noting here that I generally prefer white to dark meat and that more gravy would have been preferred, the one flaw of this dish was the fact that there was quite a bit of bone and fat to be reckoned with, but overall everything was well prepared and although perhaps a bit pricey, also quite good.
Not one to eat a big meat dish in a vacuum, bites of the chicken would be divided by a pair of side dishes, both ordered a la carte and portions of both taken with me for a snack during the hockey game. Beginning first with the ‘Breakfast Basket’ featuring Sweet Potato Bread, Walnut Banana Bread, Lingonberry Muffins, Mini Croissant, and Mini Pain au Chocolate I found this concept fascinating as it took roots in both American Southern cuisine, Swedish/Nordic flavors, and French technique – all obviously part of Samuelsson’s repertoire – and pairing the basket with locally sourced honey, whipped butter, and currant jam it was truly a well designed plate with the breads dense and sweet, the croissants airy and light, and the muffins the least impressive as I found them a tad dry – a problem remedied with the honey.
For the second side dish – just order the “Corn Bread, Honey Butter, Tomato Jam.” I don’t care if it is $6 while The Dutch gives it away for free, these thick and buttery slices are absolutely outstanding with just a touch of sweet and plenty of savory augmented nicely by both the butter and the surprisingly addictive tomato jam – a condiment somewhere between ketchup and jelly with a light sweetness and briny finish that worked beautifully with the pork-imbued smokiness of the bread.
Omitting the hearth baked mac n’ greens, French toast, and lamb & potato hash strictly due to capacity concerns (all sounded – and looked – impressive) my final bite of the morning was recommended by the bartender as a “must” – the Devil’s Food Cupcake with Caramel, Pretzels. Noting now my love for cakes and cupcakes in general but that dark chocolate is generally not my first choice, at a cost of $4 (since increased to $5) this small cupcake at first seemed a bit pricey, but after one bite I immediately understood the recommendation because beyond the dense cocoa cake and salty-sweet combination of caramel and pretzel there was a surprise…a Bourbon Cream center that poured forth lending a whole new dimension of flavor and texture to the dish – to date it is on par with Sweet Revenge for best cupcake I’ve ever tasted.
With a slice of corn bread, sweet potato bread, walnut bread, and a couple of muffins boxed up to go and the bill settled as the band moved on to songs that included audience participation, clapping, and even dancing I made my way through the multicultural crowd of all ages and to the restroom before departing and with the bathroom decorated in black and white photos there was one item that stuck out to me – a letter from a young girl that summed up my thoughts on Red Rooster entirely. Sure the food isn’t 100% authentic and of course there is a degree of commercialism that you expect from any celebrity chef, but what Samuelsson is doing at Red Rooster should be commended not only because of where it is but also because of what it is – good food and good service in a great atmosphere where some may have never considered venturing before.
From 125th and Lexington onto the 3 to Penn Station. Penn Station New York to Penn Station Newark by the NJ Coastline. A short walk, a great time with an old friend, a great game and a Devils win. PATH to World Trade Center. 4 to 6 and 6 to Bleecker – a short walk and some browsing at John Varvatos at CBGB before continuing further downtown and there I was at the doors of DBGB with the hour just moments before 5:00…ironic, I thought, as we’d been discussing Chef Boulud’s Bowery bastion of sausages and encased meats during the game…and suddenly there I was standing inside where I was greeted by the host, offered my choice of bar room or dining room, and swiftly ushered to a seat.
Perhaps it is unfair to brush over the previous six hours as I’d had a wonderful time visiting my 18th (now 20th) NHL arena with an old friend, but for the purposes of a website about food it is rather notable that I generally don’t go such a long period of time without eating (or sleeping) when traveling and as such while it may seem a bit odd to sit down for something to eat with only two-or-so hours until dinner I was still excited to be visiting my fourth Boulud restaurant in the ever growing empire. Just a snack, I thought – it seemed like a perfect timing – at least until Megan arrived with the menu.
Now bearing in mind that I’d considered visiting DBGB in the past largely due to their Omelette Norvegienne and my overall enjoyment of Daniel, Café Boulud, and DB Bistro I largely knew what to expect on entering the brasserie and bar; I’d even browsed the menus in weeks prior considering it for lunch, but having never been there before the first thing to strike me was the layout – by far one of the ‘coolest’ restaurant’s I’ve ever seen. With floor to ceiling windows at the front bar and the heavily wooded dining room in back featuring a long kitchen with different stations literally surrounding half of the room it seemed like there was action everywhere; sauté pans and grills behind me, baking and breads to my right, vegetables being chopped, meats being sliced and to top things off a collection of copper cookware from various landmark restaurants on shelves overhead…with Boulud’s standard French-Pop music it was almost sensory in a good way. Pairing this scene with hard wooden tables, candles, nicely padded seats, and service ware – again, very cool but also intimate and comfortable.
Getting back to the menu as my eyes continued to wander I immediately noted all the items I’d seen online but then noted the daily specials – it was as if they’d received a large order of salt cod and duck anticipating my arrival and along with the ‘normal’ menu no less than ten items jumped out at once, an issue under any circumstance but particularly with dinner plans soon following, and as such I settled on three (though it admittedly pained me to pass on the brandade, Vermont cheddar and pork sausage, salsify and duck egg salad, and roasted apple calvados soufflé.)
With the room slowly filling (it would reach near capacity by the time I left) and the noise level increasing it would not be long before my first bites would arrive – a much welcomed but also dreaded bread basket filled with warm house made baguette and whole wheat bread plus a sweet and salty Echire butter from France. Generally one to set no limit on breads I tried to limit myself to one slice of each topped with the creamy butter and succeeded…for a bit…or at least until my savory courses arrived.
Having okayed the arrival of both dishes at once as one was hot and one was cold Megan returned just before 5:30 with two plates, both off the daily specials list, beginning with the Canard Sausage with duck and pork, kasha varnishkes, and duck cracklins. Beginning first with the sausage, surprisingly served as two large links, each was absolutely brimming with the flavor of confit duck and onion while the pork took a back seat providing a bit of brine and smoke. Delicious on their own, what really made this dish shine was the “kasha varnishkes” – something I’d never heard of before but described by my server as a Jewish dish combining buckwheat and noodles, in this case spatzel, with onions…and in this particular version quite a bit of onion along with crispy duck cracklins. All told, things were off to a great start before I even moved to the two dishes I looked forward to most.
For the second savory, there was simply no way I was going to pass up the “Foie Gras Mousse with Port Wine Vanilla Glaze” and much to my delight it proved to be well worth passing up the Brandade. Utilizing whipped liver with just a touch of cream as its base and subsequently topping the nearly 3oz portion with the aforementioned glaze as well as passion fruit roasted red onions and roasted hazelnuts alongside buttery Crostini this was the way I love foie gras the most, the fatty sapor shining on its own but also acting to carry each of the other flavors to the palate. At times sweet, at times pungent – the crostini went quick and although more was offered the rest ended up on bread…pretty much the only thing in the world for which I’d eschew high quality salted butter.
With both savories as good as expected when Megan returned to find me essentially wiping the foie dish clean she smiled and asked if I’d saved room for dessert, the obvious answer being yes and without the need for a menu I made my request – a request to which she asked “you do realize it is for two?” with the only logical response being “well, you can have some if you’d like.” There was also coffee ordered – a bold roast from Fonte that was refilled at least thrice without request. Having mentioned my affinity for the room, if my thoughts on the food haven’t sold you yet then just go for the coffee – if there is a better coffee with free refills in New York I’d love to know where.
And so with the clock pushing 6:15 and on my second cup of coffee Megan returned with the star of the show – the item that originally led me in the doors – and a young man from the kitchen carrying a blow torch to present the “Omelette Norvegienne,” or baked Alaska (for two.) Not as large in portion as I’d suspected from the description, or the size of the savories, but quite the production as it was splashed with chartreuse and set ablaze I sat and watched patiently (along with a shockingly well behaved child no older than 6 who’d turned around from the booth directly in front of me) as the flames subsided and after perhaps thirty seconds Megan took the liberty of cutting a slice of the buttery cake topped with now darkened fresh meringue and plating it for me.
Having experienced chartreuse for the first time only months prior at Chicago’s Aviary my first bite of the cake was precisely what I expected as the potent boozy notes blended nicely with the butter, sugar, and cream to form a complex flavor not unlike that of an Italian rum baba. Moving next to the colored layers inside, first the mildly citrus verbena ice cream, then an almost bourbon tasting vanilla, and finally a dense sorbet rife with notes of raspberry – each layer delicious both solo and when mixed…like the ice cream cake at Parm but even better, and with pyrotechnics to boot.
With the cake originally cut into fourths I plated a second slice for myself just before my waitress returned to again fill my coffee and checking to see “how are you doing” I told her the offer still stood if she wanted some of the Omelette and with a laugh she told me she ‘wasn’t allowed’… probably a good policy because at least for myself I’d gain at least twenty pounds with such convenient access to desserts like that, let alone such a fine collection of savories.
With the room now greater than 3/4 full and the baked Alaska now a happy melting memory lingering in my mouth Megan returned once more to ask if she could get me anything else and with coffee topped off once more she delivered the check joking “between the coffee and the cake I’m not sure if I’d need a nap or if I’d be up all night” to which I just smiled – the answer was obviously neither; I was on my way to wd~50 and if I were to stay up all night I’d not be able to visit all the places on my agenda for Monday.
As I have mentioned in the past, one of my most difficult tasks when dining in New York City is setting the agenda – not only do I now know a number of great people there, but I’ve also dined at enough amazing restaurants that I could easily spend five days simply going to the same places I’ve been before and have an absolutely lovely time…but then of course I’d never experience anything new, and that is part of what dining out is all about. Call it a first world problem, call it an upper class tragedy, call it whatever you like, but it was with that in mind that I opted against a return to The Modern, Corton, Bouley, Lincoln, or so many others on this trip and found myself seated with two of my favorite dining partners at John Fraser’s Dovetail on a Saturday night in February.
Now, having mentioned the other restaurants under consideration it is not really like Dovetail was a consolation prize – Fraser earned his chops under Keller at The French Laundry and later worked at Taillevent before heading to New York and was awarded 1 Star by Michelin and 3 Stars by The Times only a year after opening; clearly the man has skills yet for one reason or another it had always barely missed my short-list until a recent string of positive reviews largely relating to his foray into a more vegetable-centric approach and a tasting menu that looked too good to pass up…a tasting menu that we would only realize had changed substantially once we arrived at the restaurant.
Entering the small foyer where our party was greeted by the dining room manager it was even before our coats were taken that I noticed something peculiar about Dovetail – first that there was a child no older than five wandering between tables and secondly that the restaurant was loud…really loud…like Momofuku or Babbo loud. Thinking this a bit odd considering the subtle décor but largely unaffected as I’ve definitely had good food in such spots before it would be mere moments before we were led to our table towards the back and away from the children, seated at a plush four-top, and greeted our server Natalie who presented the menus for food and wine, explained the tasting menu, poured water, and left us to decide.
With music and background chatter high and lights low it would take a bit of time to navigate the menu as the options had changed so drastically but when Natalie finally returned we decided on the four course prix fixe in order to sample more of a variety (and to avoid some rather unattractive/downright boring options on the tasting) and with orders placed and a request for pairings by one member of our table it would not be long before our first bites would arrive in the form of the nightly bread service including Whole-wheat Flatbread Crackers, White Cheddar Cornbreads, and Truffled Fontina Arancini. Thinking this more a set of canapés than a true “bread course” as it was described I will admit that while the cracker did not do much for me the arancini was quite delicious and as for the cornbread – let’s just say I think cornbread should be in every bread basket and this one was divine with a toothsome crumb, plenty of moistness, and lovely savory notes along with the slightly sweet corn.
Moving quickly as we’d not even finished our bread course, the second item to arrive on our table was the nightly amuse; a dish described as “Grapefruit Panna Cotta, Champagne Gelee, and Hackleback Caviar” by the runner and with each of these constituents plus a cipollini present I was immediately intrigued…it just did not seem like a pairing that would work and yet on taking a bite it did, a briny, pungent, and bracing two bites that undoubtedly achieved its goal in awakening the palate and making me wonder what would follow.
Sitting and chatting as we waited for our first course (and a second round of cornbread for myself) it was perhaps ten minutes after the amuse when things took an odd turn – the sort of turn that can really effect one’s perception of a meal and the sort of thing I won’t soon forget. Having mentioned that one of my partners requested a wine pairing it was here that the sommelier arrived and on presenting the night’s first bottle my friend’s wife requested a picture (something I’ve seen done hundreds of times and in hundreds of blogs) to which the sommelier begrudgingly obliged but given the low light conditions a second request to set the bottle on the table (something I’ve seen done hundreds of times and in hundreds of blogs) drew a blatant sigh of exasperation, hands on the hips, and finally a “I don’t have time for this!” before he stomped away and stood glaring at our table from a distance until the picture was taken a mere twenty to thirty seconds later. With the restaurant less than 75% full and the sommelier visibly not doing anything during this time it was and still remains inexplicable to me what this was all about, but none the less it no doubt colored my impression of much that followed.
With the bottle now removed from the table and discussion ongoing about what precisely had just happened it would not be long before our first courses arrived and delivered by runners with a brief description by our server the meal got back on track with what I felt was the strongest course of the evening, a course much like lunch in that two of us opted for foie gras while the other chose something unexpectedly delicious – the “Lamb Agnolotti, winter vegetable stew, balsamic, and Meyer lemon.” Beginning first with the Agnolotti, I must say I was impressed to see such delicate pasta at a non-Italian restaurant and with each packet stuffed with ground lamb, cumin, and other spices it was equally impressive to see a tender piece of lamb belly in the bowl flavoring the stock. Thin but flavorful and speckled with mushrooms, carrots, peas, and a light touch of balsamic I was also intrigued by the candied Meyer lemon which added some levity to an otherwise wintery dish, sort of mirroring the uncharacteristically mild weather outside.
Having already mentioned the duo of foie, much like the Manzo there would be one cold preparation and one warm, and once again it was hard to decide which was better (though neither were as good as the ones that afternoon, in my opinion.) Beginning first with one of Dovetail’s signatures, the “Sautéed Foie Gras with Graham Crackers, Huckleberries” arrived in a different presentation than previously experienced by my dining partner and replacing the large serving of crumbled cracker was a sort of graham pudding beneath the liver and the poached berries – a stylistic choice that I’d not have made given my love for contrasting textures, but not one that hurt the flavor of the expertly cooked liver and sweet/spicy balance of flavors.
Moving next to my choice, a dish titled “Rabbit & Foie Gras Terrine with Fennel Mostarda, Romaine, Breakfast Radish,” while it was quite delicious with a good balance of lean rabbit and creamy liver, the best compliment I can give is that it was daring – a terrine that touched on the traditional American love for sweetened foie gras but veered towards the savory/bitter route more commonly seen in France through the use of not only radishes and Brussels’ sprout leaves but also a thin layer of romaine lettuce puree that worked point/counterpoint with the sweetened fennel to really show off the subtle nuances of the terrine. Not generally one to intentionally pair food with wine this is the sort of dish that would have gone extremely well with a dry champagne – something I may have considered had it not been for the sommelier’s antics.
With first courses cleared the second set of plates arrived rather quickly and with the lights turned down even further at 9:00pm the atmosphere of the room became even more strange – the music, loud conversation, and dimness making it almost a supper-clubby, again something I didn’t expect and with the second wine of the evening, a 2010 Tenuta della Terre Nere presented with far less attitude two of us would receive a dish denoted as “Cured Carrots with Chicken Feed, Soft Boiled Egg.” Bearing in mind my affinity for runny eggs, seeds and grains, and my original interests in Fraser’s vegetable based dishes this dish arrived with high expectations and unfortunately failed to meet almost all of them for any number of reasons – an overcooked egg with a gritty yolk, grains that were texturally sound but flavorless, and finally carrots that were overly briny and dry…each bite as disappointing as the last.
For my other friend (who had originally debated skipping the salad course completely) the eventual decision due to the similar price of 3 courses a la carte versus the 4 course prix fixe was the Turnip Ceviche with Quinoa, Habañero, Sweet Potato and although I’d originally coveted the carrots this plate turned out to be much more successful with the thinly sliced and flavorful seasoned turnips providing the majority of the plate’s flavor while the nutty quinoa added a pleasant textural variation. Utilizing the peppers and potatoes largely as seasoning, heat and sweet respectively, this was the sort of vegetal inspiration I anticipated when I originally made the reservation.
With plates finished and collected by runners no one asked what we thought of the dishes and moments later wine number three arrived by the hand of the same man, this time smiling and pleasant – what changed I’ll never know, but it was welcomed. With wine poured, described, and bottle placed on the table it would then be moments before more runners appeared with our main courses – the server absent and plates left with the descriptions of ‘duck’ for two of us and ‘sweetbreads’ for the other. Beginning first with the duck, an obvious choice described on the menu as “Pistachio Crusted Duck with Sunchokes, Dates” the dish set before us would include the well prepared and surprisingly lean bird in three strips, each coated in a delicious pistachio crust with sunchokes both whole and pureed, dates, and spinach all around. With the duck tender and delicious, even more interesting was a disk, nearly the size of a hockey puck, comprised of a dense terrine I’m rather certain was confit leg, fennel, and onions that added a whole different dimension to the well composed plate.
For the final savory of the evening, “Sweetbreads with Heirloom Potatoes, Bacon, Truffles” was one of two dishes that we ordered which carried a supplement (the other being the seared foie) and while the first was good, this one was superb with at least three whole sweetbreads served hemisected, crispy on the outside and creamy within forming the base. Moving past the slightly gamy glands and serving as no less impressive, the linear composition was rounded out with not only the tender potatoes, crispy smoked bacon, and truffled pan jus as above but additionally by grated cheese, whole walnuts, and small slices of truffle all of which added their characteristic notes. Admittedly a bit salty as noted by one of my dining partners I personally enjoyed that aspect of it as well, particularly as it related to driving home some of the more robust notes such as the aromatics of the truffles and smokiness of the bacon.
Knowing that the restaurant had a cheese trolley – one of my very favorite things – when our primary server finally returned to our table we inquired about this and her response was that we could select 3, 5, or 7 cheeses and deciding to go all in we opted for seven at a cost of $25 – a veritable bargain compared to many – and Natalie walked away, presumably to get the cart, but in reality to simply select seven cheeses for us in a (her words) “dealers choice” fashion…something at this point that I was not willing to accept, and on telling her this I was begrudgingly presented a list of cheeses that would be cut and delivered on a porcelain plate with Fennel Poached apples, Hazelnuts, Honeycomb, and Raisin Bread plus thick white ‘crostini.’ Still failing to understand why they have a wheeled cart or a menu if the cheeses are to be “dealers choice and cut twenty feet away I will say what we received was good, the most notable being an excellent raw cow’s milk Salva Cremasco and a sheep’s milk Pyrennees Brebis, but also Champlain Valley Triple Crème, Chevrot, Pont L’eveque, Podda Classico, and Le Chevre Noir.
Taking our time with the cheeses as the restaurant finally began to clear and quiet (though the unnecessary music remained) it would be shortly after 10:15 when our pre-dessert would arrive – a small but unmemorable 1-2 bit composition of condensed Pineapple, Pink Peppercorn, and Honey that effectively cleared the palate but little more and with coffee offered and accepted we sat and waited while our desserts were prepared, mine likely responsible for the fifteen minute delay during which I sipped on the rather unremarkable coffee (okay, admittedly I’d spent the whole afternoon at the coffee and tea show, so perhaps I was a bit jaded.)
When desserts arrived it would be with a bit of a show for mine, but again with little fanfare or description for the others. Beginning first with the restaurant’s signature, a Bittersweet Chocolate Soufflé with Earl Grey Ice Cream the soufflé itself stool tall and proud with the intriguingly savory ice cream and cookie crumble resting in a small bowl to the side. Topped at the tableside with thick and intense caramel with more to be added as desired I must admit that this was a very good soufflé both on the cakelike exterior and nearly molten core, but what was meant to be achieved with the use of bittersweet chocolate was mostly lost with the addition of the intensely sweet sauce. A good dish, ample in portion, but not as interesting as I’d hoped (nor as good as the one I’d experience a few days later.)
Moving next to the bites I tasted of my dining partners’ desserts I will say for the sake of full disclosure that my memory of each has faded over the intervening months (and meals) but with one featuring “Lemon Meringue Pie – Basil, Cassis Sorbet” and the other a “Chocolate Praline Marquise – Hazelnuts, Banana Ice Cream” the fact that I remember so little of either probably does not bode well. To the best of my knowledge they were enjoyed by those that ordered them, but overall I have to imagine the first was not my cup o’ tea as I rarely (if ever) order citrus desserts while the second seems as though it would have probably been my choice had the soufflé not been on the menu.
With the hour now just before eleven and the restaurant largely emptied out the check arrived along with a trio of mignardises – an Apricot Pate de Fruit, a Peppermint Whoopie Pie, and an Espresso Caramel, all of which I remember well as they were not only some of the best mignardises I’ve had in a while, particularly the pate de fruit which was rife with jammy texture and tasted much like the filling of one of my favorite childhood Hungarian cookies made by my grandmother each Christmas.
Bill divided and paid it would not be long before we made our way to the doors, collected our coats, and made our way to the streets – myself with a long subway ride back to Brooklyn and my friends cabbing it back to their Manhattan apartment. With more dining plans for each day that followed I feel that overall my friends were happier with Dovetail than I, but given time to think about it the experience just was not that great. Sure there were some good dishes – some even great – but the room, the service, and the ‘experience’ just weren’t that special…not when I could have returned to one of my favorites instead. First world tragedy, indeed.
Having mentioned that my original Saturday lunch plan for Torrisi Italian Specialties had changed when the weekly menu failed to live up to my friend’s hopes, the last official reservation secured for this trip to New York wasn’t exactly “last minute,” but it was pretty close and even though I’d gone ahead and visited Torrisi on my own the night prior I was perfectly to do Italian again – this time at Mario Batali’s Manzo, the formal restaurant inside of metropolis that is Eataly. While some seemed to question this decision given the swirling controversy regarding Batali and Company’s business politics, the pending departure of Chef Michael Toscano, and (perhaps most of all) the mess that is Eataly on a weekend I personally was excited – the menu looked great, reservations would make the crowd a non-factor, and all things being equal New York is by far and away my favorite city to dine Italian.
With our reservation set for noon and my day started early as ever with a substantial breakfast at Dominique Ansel already behind me, my arrival to Eataly was nearly half an hour early by design – busy or empty I simply love the store, the selection, and the general absurdity of it all…it’s like Disney World for food (and almost as much fun) – and after about twenty minutes of gazing at house made breads, artisan meats, and hundreds of varieties of vinegar and olive oil I made my way to the restaurant, checked in, and grabbed a seat at the bar until my friends arrived and we were led to a table in the center of the dining room.
Shocked at first with just how well Manzo is secluded from the hustle and bustle of the store and seated on sturdy chairs in front of large tables with white tablecloths that would not have been out of place at Babbo or Mozza it would not be long before our server would arrive and with menus for both food and wine presented we sat weighing our options and chatting about our respective meals the day before until Juan Pablo returned, answered a few questions about the availability of tasting menu items ordered a la carte, and returned to the kitchen where Chef Toscano was plainly visible even on a Saturday afternoon directing his team.
Thinking aloud that Manzo was far more quiet than either of the Mozzas, Babbo, or Otto despite the flurry of activity less than twenty feet away even though the same soundtrack of the Stones, Who, Doors, and White Stripes could be heard closer to the bar it would not be long before the meal started with the delivery of bread – a crusty and warm Italian style Semolina Loaf and thick, rich Focaccia along with a pour of 2008 Vintage Olive Oil and even a round of salted cow’s butter on request. With the breads expectedly good, the olive oil clean and grassy, and even the butter surprisingly good for a restaurant that does not generally serve it things were off to a nice start.
Deciding to go with four courses each our antipasti certainly weren’t the lightest options on the menu – just the best – and with two of us choosing from the main menu and one opting for a selection from the tasting the trio arrived in grand fashion with one waiter delivering each plate and beginning with the Jewel Yam with Trumpet Mushroom, Pancetta & Saba both the flavor and presentation of it and subsequent dish would be quite impressive. For the Yam, while I only had a couple of bites, what I tasted was surprisingly complex as the tuber was presented as a puree, a baked skin, and as crispy straws all working in harmony with the hefty roasted mushroom to balance the brine of the crispy pork and drizzled cooked wine. Sweet and savory, crisp and creamy, it was the least “expected” wow of the afternoon and although I cannot recall the wine served with it, my dining companion enjoyed the pairing quite well.
Dining with a foie gras queen and myself also known to overindulge on the delicacy the other two antipasti would prove every bit as good as expected and with myself opting for the Foie Gras Terrine with Chestnuts, Cranberry Mostarda & Pannetone while the lady chose the Seared Foie Gras with Cotechino, Lentils & Aceto Balsamico it was not only a tossup as to which was better, but also which was a better bargain; to say the least, Manzo doesn’t skimp when it comes to foie. Beginning first with the seared preparation my first thought was that the richness of the sausage would be too much for the liver but in reality the pairing worked well thanks to the nuttiness of the lentils and the sweet acidity of the balsamic, both cutting the fattiness of each item substantially without muting the flavors. Moving next to the terrine – let’s just say it stacked up favorably to the one at Per Se the day before in terms of texture and quality while the creamy chestnuts and cranberries were a lovely wintery touch even as the temperatures outside hovered in the unseasonable mid-60s – and buttered, grilled Pannetone? <sigh>
While I could have easily left Manzo and given it high praise then and there (yes, I could definitely see going in for just the bread, foie, and a glass of prosecco as a perfectly lovely afternoon) the next course was the one I looked forward to most – the primi. Dining with familiar friends and knowing that much sharing was to be done it was with little difficulty that we made our choices and again with a waiter per each large plate the portion sizes would actually prove shocking – easily 2-3x the size of a similar priced course at Babbo or Del Posto – and with suggested cheeses shaved tableside the tasting began with the “Orecchiette with Sausage & Broccoli Rabe Pesto,” the only dry pasta of the group, imported direct from Italy, and perfect al dente with the spicy fennel sausage chopped directly into the robust sauce and notes of bitter and pepper nicely balanced by a mild sweetness, plenty of basil, and a dusting of aged Tellagio.
Moving next to a dish simply called “Agnolotti with Brown Butter & Parmigiano” I was amazed when it arrived with more than a dozen thumb-sized pockets of pasta and after a quick tableside dusting of Parmigiano my impression only improved after taking a bite. House made (and apparently at times sold in the pasta section of the store,) these agnolotti were not the ultra thin ravioli of Babbo but instead a toothsome Piemontese pocket stuffed to bursting with a creamy blend of Fontina, Mozzarella, Veal, Pork, and spices that literally melted in the mouth like a savory pudding. Simply dressed and intensely flavored this was probably my favorite pasta of the afternoon – no small feat considering its competitors.
For the final primi selection I ordered the Spaghetti alla Chitarra with Lobster, Tomato & Basil and finished tableside with Tellagio the dish delivered exactly what was expected of it – tender house made pasta, snappy lobster, plus a bold and bright sauce with acid and sweetness in harmony. It was simple, it was fresh, and it was delicious.
At this point realizing we’d over ordered (especially with dinner plans for Dovetail that night) the main courses began to arrive and while my dining partners had each opted for a robust secondi I let my love of pasta run wild with a second round for my main course, this time the Fusilli with Duck Ragu & Foie Gras, another mountain of carbohydrates but this time fortifying the beautiful San Marzano tomatoes with the smooth sapor of foie gras and adding texture with a combination of duck confit and cracklins- the overall effect like a hearty duck stew and only improved with the tableside addition of 24-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano DOP – a taste so rich that just a little went a long way.
Moving next to something a bit more substantial…and when I say ‘a bit’ I actually mean a daily special from Raven & Boar featuring about twelve ounces of bone-in chop from a whey fed pig along with winter vegetables, kale, leeks, brown butter, and aceto balsamico. Having had Batali’s interpretation of pork more than once in the past I guess it really should have come as no surprise that the supple pig arrived in such plethora, but roasted or not I still fail to comprehend how they manage to cook such a thick chop so well without charring the surface. I also don’t know how much of this went back to my friend’s apartment for a meal (or two) in the subsequent days, but I’m pretty sure it was at least half.
For our final savory it should be obvious by now that we ordered everything that contained duck and to round things out another substantial dish arrived entitled “Glazed Duck with Shiitakes, Charred Scallions, Pancetta & Persimmon” and like everything else about that afternoon the execution was flawless. Beginning first with the Long Island sourced fowl, a large margret was presented with minimal fat overlying the supple, rosy flesh and resting atop a thick bed of woodsy mushrooms, pungent scallions, and sweet persimmon ‘pudding’ the plate was completed with a light touch of local honey and crisp, smoky pancetta. Like the pig this was another dish where all three of us loved it and should have liked to enjoy more but taking into account what had already been eaten and the night to follow this too was another dish to be re-experienced in the following days as leftovers.
With the hour now just prior to 2:00 and myself with plans to attend the barista competition/coffee and tea show before dinner the dessert menus were presented and while all of us were full I simply could not see forgoing dessert – besides, I finished all my plates – and with that noted we placed our orders and waited briefly before the three (thankfully) dainty desserts arrived. Beginning first with a trio of frozen treats, one of my friends ordered the house made gelato and sorbetti consisting of Hazelnut and Stracciatella Gelato plus Coconut Sorbet – each dense, smooth, and expectedly well made but the coconut the true show stopper of the group in its delicacy of texture but impact of taste.
Moving on to a pair of composed desserts (aside from all the lovely ones they sell at the Patisserie in Eataly) my selection for the afternoon was titled “Bonet alla Piemontese” and featuring a sort of mousse meets flan it would definitely prove to be the most interesting of the three in that I’ve really never tasted anything like it. Airy, light, and described as Espresso Custard the texture really still remains hard to define, like a marshmallow but wet or a panna cotta but dry and heavily perfumed with sweetened espresso plus a drizzle of Amaretto, crumbled Amaretti cookies, and Stracciatella Gelato on the side.
For the final dessert, a bit more easy to characterize than the Bonet but just as interesting and delicious, the “Chocolate Crostata” delivered a dense dark Amedei chocolate Tart with a buttery crust, sliced toasted almonds, salty caramel, and both caramelized banana and banana puree to round it out. Intense and bitter with those characteristic fruity notes so prevalent in all Amedei products I loved the manner in which all of the sweet accoutrements held the flavors in check and rounded out with a small quenelle of vanilla gelato the only thing that could have made this dessert better would have been a cup of coffee.
Asked if there was anything else we’d like and subsequently delivering the bill (and telling us the shopping bag of leftovers was waiting with our coats) it should be noted that lunch at Manzo is certainly not “cheap,” but rather quite on par with other fine dining Italian options in the city that are open during such hours (Ai Fiori, Marea, A Voce, Lincoln) but in reality this really does not seem out of line as not only the food and the service but also the setting were every bit as pleasant. Having never had a bad meal in a Mario Batali restaurant but understanding his critics I can only say that whether he is still truly a chef or instead a businessman who can cook really does not matter – the man hires smart people to run his kitchens and while he could have easily mailed it in on Manzo and still packed the place based on location he instead brought in one of his best from Babbo with results no less impressive.
…after the nearly six hour experience that was Per Se I could have certainly gone without dinner, but after a long afternoon of walking, shopping, browsing galleries, and basking in the glow of such a great time I’d surprisingly worked up an appetite. Having predicted the length of the Per Se meal and therefore leaving the night open and without reservations I debated the long list of placed I’d been, places I’d not been, and places I could likely get into without a reservation on a Friday before a comment from earlier that day popped back into my mind; specifically that one of the young chef’s currently completing his stage at Torrisi had just finished a stage at Per Se and that according to our server at Per Se I should “definitely go” (though I’m pretty sure he did not mean I should go that night.)
Having originally pegged Torrisi for a lunch the following day but later cancelling that reservation when the weekly menu was published and did not appeal to my dining partners I questioned my chances of getting into Torrisi but called anyhow, was greeted by a pleasant young receptionist, and after a bit of negotiating found myself a single seat at the “Chef’s counter” for 9:45pm. Happily confirming that the time would work and subsequently busying myself with more shopping and wandering Chelsea and Soho until most of the stores had closed their doors my arrival was timely – 9:30 – and told that my seat was not quite ready I stood outside chatting with a few other diners while watching the line at Parm next door slowly progress.
With the time now 9:44, almost like clockwork, the door opened and the hostess stepped out to welcome me in – the space small, tight, dim, and loud but oddly comfortable and welcoming – like the old world Italian deli it is modeled after. With my coat taken to an undisclosed area downstairs and my chair pulled out at the bar I took my seat and was shortly thereafter welcomed by the very man Chris had mentioned at Per Se who just so happened to be working the prep station upstairs and would provide me with not only a lot of notes about the plates being served but also about the many places he had staged, the oddities of some well known chefs, and his own personal thoughts on any number of things while never missing a step in preparing a seemingly endless flow of small plates to the dining room.
With the menu format well known and cheesy pop music playing overhead the only real decisions of the night were whether I wanted wine (no, else I’d have fallen asleep en route back to Brooklyn) and which main course I would prefer, and with those two decisions made the evening would begin quickly as my plate of Warm Mozzarella with Olive Oil and Grilled Garlic Bread landed in front of me no more than 10 minutes after I sat down – a whole portion, the same amount served to the two people sitting next to me, a situation that at first seemed daunting but proved quite suitable the moment I took a bite because while I realize many consider the hype over Torrisi a bit excessive I’d have paid $15 for this dish alone at any of the Batali restaurants and probably come away less satisfied…warm, creamy, just a touch of salt and the light grassiness of the olive oil – perfect.
With the couple next to me speaking way too loud about ‘Baby Mamas,’ and all sorts of things I’d generally consider inappropriate for dinner conversation (particularly at such volume and in public) while I continued to chat with my server/chef the second of the small plates that night at Torrisi would arrive as a cup of Parsnip consommé with apple cider froth and cinnamon stick – a light concoction made in the style of cappuccino with the peppery parsnip juice only lightly sweetened beneath a layer of cinnamon cider and a stick of sliced parsnip coated in cinnamon and baked added as a stir stick. Clever, tasty, and light – a nice follow-up to the cheese and a good palate cleanser, as well.
The third dish would be the weakest of the evening in my opinion, and a damned shame as John Dory tends to be one of my very favorite fishes. Presented as John Dory Ceviche with lemon lobster butter and cayenne pepper I really could not fault the portion size or the quality of the fish, both were admirable as the thinly sliced Australian coast caught fish was delicate, lean, and smooth on the tongue – where this dish faltered for me was in the flavor, the lemon juice vastly overwhelming both the fish and any semblance of ‘lobster butter’ while the heavy handed cayenne rendered the type of fish a moot point; it could have been horse mackerel and it would have been difficult to tell.
Commenting to the chef that I did not really fancy the ceviche when he asked but admitting I generally don’t like that degree of spice or lemon in general he offered me another shot of the Parsnip consommé to cleanse my palate and thanking him for the offer but not wanting to trouble them as it seemed the group next to me had really enjoyed the dish I instead opted for another slice of warm garlic bread while I waited for my next dish to arrive – a far more successful plate of “Rabbit terrine – hunter style,” served with pickled mushrooms, market greens, carrot marmalade, and grilled bread. Again served in a rather sizable portion beneath a bed of mixed greens topped with foie gras vinaigrette and a multitude of spices this terrine would prove to be quite complex with the lean meat nicely juxtaposed against gamy components rendered from the offal plus hints of smokiness. Tasty on its own but even better on bread with a bit of the sweet carrot marmalade this was the sort of upscaled rustic cuisine I expected from Torrisi and like the Mozzarella, a great value considering the menu price of game terrines elsewhere in Manhattan.
With a slight delay in the evening as the pastas being prepared were behind schedule thanks to Torrisi 2.0 menu I visited the restroom to wash up (it turns out that foie gras vinaigrette does indeed leave a stain) and on my return it would be perhaps ten minutes before Spicy Shells with Seafood would arrive. Clearly not made in house but instead using dried pasta “you can buy at Eataly,” this plate would feature nearly as much shrimp, razor clam, sepia, and mussel as it did pasta and with the former all fresh and snappy while the later was prepared just past al dente the thin but aromatic sauce actually led to an experience somewhere between pasta and stew – a sort of Cioppino with the mussel shells replaced by pasta shells and hefty notes of white wine, basil, oregano, and Calabrian chilies highlighting rather than overwhelming the seafood.
At this point happily not yet full despite the long day of eating, the main course of the evening would arrive and as hoped it would prove to be the best of the evening and exactly what I’d hoped of a dish named to Food and Wine’s top 10 of 2010. Listed simply as “Mulberry Duck” and featuring locally sourced Long Island fowl lacquered in mulberry-mustard oil glaze before being seared to a rosy pink with crackling skin and sesame seeds the duck itself was flawless – the sort of preparation one would expect from the kitchen of Per Se or Daniel. Moving past the duck and nearly as impressive, the plate was completed with Swiss chard in a pork and onion reduction and confit duck heart, a texturally complex combination that brought a bit of pungency, a bit of funk, and a bit of brine to the party acting to balance the sweetness of the mulberry glaze. As good as the duck are Eleven Madison Park? Perhaps not – but not too far off, either.
Knowing that dessert at Torrisi is a bit of an afterthought it was no surprise to me when the Lemon Ice arrived and although a respectable palate cleanser after the meal it was no better and no worse than the lemon ice you can get at any amusement park or zoo – a cute bit of tongue-in-cheek, I guess. Moving next to the tray of cookies, however, I have to say I got more than I expected – much more in fact as I had expected some sort of generic mignardise plate but instead received some very tasty seasonal reinterpretations of classical flavors including an intense Celery Cake with Concord Grape Jam and Peanuts, a creamy square of Butternut Squash gelee atop a Gingersnap Cookie, a Tricolor Marzipan Cookie, a wintergreen Canolli, and a ‘Rum Ball’ instead made with Grappa – all unique, all tasty, and like the terrine a reinvented take on the classics that worked well.
With the upstairs prep kitchen now breaking down and cleaning up as the cookie plates for both Torrisi 1.0 and 2.0 were rolling out I spent a bit more time chatting with the two chefs behind the counter about Torrisi as a restaurant, Torrisi as a concept, and its owners in general and while it is always hard to separate genuine praise from lip service for your employer my feeling is that although the work is hard and the hype is substantial everyone at Torrisi really believes in what they are doing – that it is not just a restaurant about hipsters tweeting their meals and marketing savvy, but a restaurant that wants to make its guests happy – something it definitely achieved for me, and at a very reasonable price point given the portions and quality of the food.
With a cup of coffee now breathing a bit of wind into my sails as I made my way from the still bustling space I emerged onto Mulberry just after 11:30pm and with the weather now a bit chilly I started towards the subway when I realized that the line at Parm had now dissipated but the lights remained on – “should I” I thought…and moments later I was seated at the bar, another cup of bright and balanced coffee that I’m rather certain was Illy in hand, with an order placed for a slice of their oft raved Ice Cream cake.
With the restaurant mostly empty at this point save for a group of 6 in the back plus customers stopping in intermittently to order up items to go I was once again treated to the conversation of my server as I waited and telling her I’d just come from next door she commended my appetite but told me I’d made a wise choice stopping in because the cake was one of her “favorite things in the whole city” – a comment I assumed to be hyperbolic despite the substantial praise from others and after perhaps ten minutes of chat and another cup of coffee it was time to find out as the nearly half-foot tall cake arrived in front of me glowing in the neon lights.
With two styles available but opting for the original with layers of chocolate, strawberry, and pistachio divided by layers of ganache and completed with an chocolate cookie crust, whipped cream frosting, sprinkles, and a cherry all I could do was smile as the cake sat there before me – it looked ridiculous, like something from a child’s birthday that should be delivered by a clown or a giant robotic mouse – and yet at the same time it also looked delicious, and on taking a bite it proved to be just that.
Beginning first with the “ice cream,” what really sets this cake apart is the fact that there is no ice cream involved at all but rather gelato, the combination of lower fat and air allowing for a softer consistency that was perfectly offset by the crunchy cookie and rich ganache. With flavors on point – the strawberry fruity but restrained, the pistachio rich and savory, and the chocolate milky to contrast the bitter-sweet crust the frosting itself really could have been an afterthought but instead it too was well conceived, a sort of meringue meets cool-whip concoction thinly spread over the surface and yet another texture rounding out a dessert far more complex than I would have ever assumed.
Enjoying the cake slowly along with my coffee as the stereo played an odd mix of Motown and Jazz classics I tried to gauge exactly what it is about Torrisi and Parm that worked so well for me when many other “foodies” or “gourmands” seem underwhelmed or at least put off by the hype and as The Four Tops sang ‘Sugar Pie Honey Bunch’ I think I figured it out – it was good food (sometimes great food) that made me happy and food that triggered memories of fun times with fun people, the sort of food I’d have ordered as a youth when dining out with my red sauce loving family but made with better technique and better ingredients. For me, that is enough to justify the hype and at the end of such a wonderful day I really couldn’t think of anything more appropriate than to literally finish with that cherry on top.
