Williamsburg–  229 South 4th St, Brooklyn, NY

Front Entrance EQUALS pig with a cut out heart through it…how compelling of a story.  I love pig. Pig loves me.  Who knew we were going to eat the hell out of pork that night…! I did my homework kids.  This has been on the list of bookmarks since I want on a loony bin frantic about not getting enough of my offal fix…. (Thanks Del).  But really, what we literally ordered was a boat load of pork… and that divine sweetbread.  Now I’ve got everybody hooked.  This place is charming… yet misleading.  There is an “outdoor patio” area but it’s closed off… The best view you will see is a brick wall and some grass/greenery.  Not literally an outdoor patio………but still tucked in and intimately charming.  We didn’t mind.

To Prix-fixe or not to prix-fixe…that was the question to the beginning ending of our night.  Sorry, but as I have mentioned before… I did my homework and my ‘mind’ was already pre-set and predetermined to order exactly what I/we wanted.  Since the waitress recommended 8-10 dishes total, we each got to pick 2…with me “finalizing” our ridiculous list.  Some dishes were vetted out..and some were vetted in.  In the end, teamwork was a success because we were blessed with an incredible, beautiful meal, for dirt cheap … like you couldn’t believe.  Also, my first experience with a Rose that came from Austria…. VERY tasty.  I’m straying away from the norm and I kinda like it!

a medley of a fig salad with tons candied walnuts & cheese… great way to start the meal.

Pork belly…. with corn, tomatoes & peas.  Flavorful, a bit on the fatty side…but like I said…flavorful.  Not a fan of peas, so didn’t really understand it…but loved the touch of corn.

chicken liver mousse.  Rich, delectable, bits of actual liver pieces on top of toast dressed in balsamic. We liked this very much.

Foie gras terrine style.  with tons of berries… a bit of sweet & savory.  Definitely need toast for this even extra richness.

Tuna Tartare atop tempura eggplant.  There is a lot going on here…. Good, but not as good as the other dishes we ordered.

Strawberry cinnamon glazed pork ribs.  Looking amazing doesn’t it? It was good…but I think we all expected it to fall more off the bone?  According to my friend at least.  I’m not an expert on ribs or anything, but I think the meat could have been juicier…. BUT the glaze was sweet & fantastic.  Just a bit underwhelming.

Risottow/ mushrooms, corn & peas… oh didn’t we see this combination before?  Risotto was cooked just right… not too hard and overall, very creamy.

Sweetbreads sauteed with artichokes followed by what seems to be more peas & tomatoes.  Got a bit of tang to it due to the artichokes, but otherwise, I generally don’t say no to sweetbreads.

Bacon donuts.  Enough said.  Enough said…

Traif is the place to go for all things meaty (their specialty is pork after all), simple & clean flavors…. and small & big plates can be found, which makes family style that much more fun.  Prices are super reasonable (ok, I’m from Manhattan, I’ll be honest, it seemed dirt cheap to me!).  And we all agreed how much we enjoyed our meal and how absolutely the trip out to Williamsburg was TOTALLY worth this restaurant.  It’s quirky, fun and quickly holds a special warm spot in my heart … keep it up!

Noho– 57 Great Jones Street, New York, NY

the best of the “secret” underground eateries. Though let’s face it… it’s not exactly that secret.  Especially if you are a foodie and especially if you just love good food.  When there is a way, there is a will.  Though their address may be published, it is a little bit hidden, and you can easily walk right by it without knowing…that because you have to walk past the butcher shop in a narrow hallway to get to bohemian and upon entrance, you must ring the doorbell.  Their phone number is unpublished, therefore, it takes a little bit of work to “find” it and “use” it to “make” reservations…once you skip all the hassle, everything else becomes much more enjoyable.  (Or if you are anything UNLIKE me…you may enjoy the process.  I have ZERO patience).   Luckily, I have wonderful friends who didn’t have to endure this kind of thing…. so thank Miss Wong’s concierge for their exceptional services…building will remain anonymous of course.

if you love Japanese…this place is great.  It’s authentic, but not so much in the traditional sense.  I love that there are only a handful of tables…and it’s never crowded.  It’s intimately nested, so very ideal for dates or small gatherings.  The decoration is pretty but minimal and the entire atmosphere is very surreal and serene at the same time.  (I kind of feel like I traveled to another country/city…. like Japan).  You can opt for the tasting menu or go a la carte.  It’s been said multiple times that going the a la carte route is best.  We ended up doing the tasting menu plus ordering the soba noodles with foies gras because we just couldn’t resist.  The tasting menu would have been sufficient….and I think next time, I will go a la carte.  For the most part, I got to try everything that I wanted (minus that damned miso black cod).  Here’s a sneak peak of all the goodies below.

Fresh veggies w/ cheese fondue

Uni with warm mushroom croquette – One of my faves for the night.  The croquette was piping hot and so tasty.  The uni was just the icing on the cake.

Washu short rib sashimi w/ pickled veggies on the side.  Mix the wasabi and eat with the beef. You don’t even need soy sauce as there is already a bit of sea salt on top. This was another stellar dish that requires just the freshest source of ingredients and very little prep work.

Branzini w/ seasonal vegetables.  Amazing.  Fish was so flavorful and the vegetables just enhanced this dish tenfold.  The bulb of roasted garlic was also an extra nice touch.  Crispy, juicy & delicious!

your choice of slider or rice bowl… my friend opted for the slider.

i chose the rice bowl…LOVE salmon roe!  Rice was OK… this wasn’t anything too special…but still good.

how could i have missed the foie gras soba noodles?? Also, a top favorite.  soba noodles were so fresh and frickin’ good and add it with foies gras?  Not part of the tasting menu but also not to be missed…. the broth was amazing as well.

almond panna cotta with boba.  I had one bite and was done…. not a big fan of panna cotta and was too stuffed to finish at this point.

This is a gold of a hidden gem, tucked away and nearly secret.  It’s got a special charm and a sophisticated hip vibe…and the food is a standout.  Adding this to the list of enjoyable eats.

]]> http://palatethis.com/?feed=rss2&p=2314 1 http://palatethis.com/?p=2272 http://palatethis.com/?p=2272#comments Tue, 14 Aug 2012 02:48:56 +0000 Brittany Ho http://palatethis.com/?p=2272 Proprietors/Executive Chef: Gabriel Stulman/Michael Toscano

Greenwich Village – 24 Minetta Lane, New York, NY

perla means pearl…not very original in Manhattan….and also not to be confused with lingerie ok? How many pearl something restaurants do you know in the city?

Newly restaurant that has opened in Greenwich Village, by none other than Michael Toscano (former Chef at Babbo & Manzo)… makes his debut as head chef at Perla.  Warmly welcomed, this restaurant offers bar seating, chef’s table seating in the back by the kitchen and regular tables, with large comfortable and luscious cognac leather seats/booth in the bigger tables meant for parties of 4 or more.  We had the luxury to choose bar seats or chef’s table seats…and we immediately grabbed chef’s table seats.  Not for a tasting menu, but bar seats adjacent by the kitchen and wood fire oven… The kitchen was in our adjacent line of view and a prep chef was preparing fresh fish at the bar in front of us.  It was exciting to get them to prepare all the food in front of you and after he prepared most of the fish and the meats in the wood fire oven….

Don’t miss out on the foie gras trezzamine…. it’s not on the menu, but on their chalk board along with other specials of the day.  Foie gras terrine spread on white toast with rasberry jam and pistachio butter… ultimate heaven.  Thought it would be rich, but the foie gras was thinly layered and sitting next to the pistachio butter & jam… sweet and delicate.  My only criticism was that I wish the bread was toasted… I hate un-toasted bread…. so it tasted a bit on the drier side.  But considering how wonderful all the other ingredients are, this is easily forgivable and I am able to overlook this.  The menu is broken out by appetizers, pastas (primis), main entrees (secondis) and items from the wood burning oven (mainly sharable by two people).

For starters we had the appetizer, one pasta to share & the 24 hour steak, cheek & tongue to share between two people.  More than enough food…with dessert to top it all off.. Nothing tasted too heavy, portions are moderate.  Execution was just about flawless… nothing was too salty or empowering… all in all, one of those almost perfect meals I had in a long time, where I go a little fun taste of everything.  (foie gras steak & pasta).  Will want to try the seafood next time for sure and the duck everybody keeps raving about.  So far, this Italian restaurant sits pretty high up on my list…next to Scarpetta.

Foies Gras trezzamine w/ cherry jam & pistachio butter.  this was gold.  i wished the butter was toasted…but we don’t always get what we want.

Garganelli pasta w/ tripe, guanciale, tomato & chile.  Tripe is not empowering at all, but you can faintly taste it.  The tomato, chile & guanciale blend beautifully, for a faint, smokey, tasty sauce.  Loved this dish.

24 hour steak.. tender, buttery pieces of filet that just melt…barely had to chew.  the beef tongue was interesting… definitely was marinaded and mixed in with something else, because it tasted like spam (in an unusual, good way…)both in taste & texture.  Definitely wasn’t expecting that.  The best was the beef cheek… it flaked with a touch of the fork.  Everything was seasoned pretty well, minus the mushrooms…. The hand was a bit heavy with the salt..but luckily the meat offsets and balances the flavors quite well.  I loved this dish. I am usually not a filet person, but that night, I sure was.

key lime pudding with blackberries & polenta cake.  I really wanted chocolate…but my counterpart wanted panna cotta.  Happy Medium?  This delectable dessert that was worth all the calories.  The proportion of polenta to key lime pudding was not nearly enough.  Pudding was tart & light, while the polenta was savory and thick and helped to offset the textures…and the blackberries was the happy bridge b/t both parts.  It was truly an amazing dessert… and glad we opted for something new for a change.  Perfect for summer.

Beautiful restaurant…. would make a great first date impression without being so grandeur in gesture.  And the food is just outstanding.  I am also a sucker for any restaurant that has an open kitchen and a chef’s table.  I love casual eats at the bar…whether the ambiance is fine dining or not.

]]> http://palatethis.com/?feed=rss2&p=2272 0 http://palatethis.com/?p=2316 http://palatethis.com/?p=2316#comments Thu, 09 Aug 2012 01:45:48 +0000 Brittany Ho http://palatethis.com/?p=2316 Proprietors/Executive Chef: Sara Simmons/Paul Qui

Nolita– 38 Prince Street, New York, NY

City Grit ROCKS! Yes, it was my first city grit event….owner Sara Simmons came up with the concept of a “culinary salon”, “a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, held partly to amuse one another and partly to refine taste”.  Another fancy way of saying supper club.  When my friend forwarded me the email that said Paul Qui would be cooking for City Grit for one week July 30th – August 4th, I quickly jumped at the chance to grab seats.  We booked it for August 4th, the last day Paul would be in NYC to test out his concepts.

HOLY HELL IMPRESSIVE… i can throw out a bunch of expletives here, because it’s innate for me to do so..but bottom line is…that all of us… as a group was highly impressed.  Having been at his previous restaurant (Uchiko) I already had very much high expectations and Paul Qui surpassed them all.  Paul is all about mixing all various components together to create not only that visually stunning palette of a plate, but combines all those layers of complexity of happiness on your palate.  As confirmed by Eater.com, Paul Qui is expected to open up 3 new shops in Austin. http://eater.com/archives/2012/08/06/paul-qui-interview-august-2012.php

I’m really bummed he’s staying…but I can easily see why.  There is a lot of cultural food influences in Austin…lots of diversity, food trucks, overall REALLY good food and Paul is going to just tip the iceberg just a bit.  Just when you’re wondering what’s next, he shakes innovation to the ultimate core… and you are not surprised in the least bit.  Good food speaks volumes obviously.  And Paul owns two very important traits… his ability to be open-minded always and to stay humble.  I hope this tradition carries on for many years to come as I plan and jet set my next trip to Austin.

Tuna Jamon – lardo, olive oil, melon.

The little specks you see are crystalline soy with olive oil powder somewhere on this plate.  And the tuna is wrapped in lardo… i know, people get turned off when they hear “lard”.  I only began to embrace lard about two years ago.  It’s so bad for you, but something about lard just turns me on.  That’s your warning sign!  Only to be eaten in moderation.  We’re off to a good start kids.

Tomato Water – mussel, celery, basil

Probably the table favorite.  Something about that tomato water got us all hooked.  Liquid gold.  Literally.  Our waitress told us that she had to be careful with this dish and not spill any tomato juice, because the heirloom tomatoes were so damn expensive.  Spilling any drop would’ve been like wasting a $100… Not literally, but you get the effects.  Oh, I suppose the mussels were good too…but not nearly amazing as the lemony basil, tomato water mixture with celery & mint.  Pure genius Paul.  My only regret was not eating another bowl more!  OK, let’s not be greedy here…

Sunchoke Dashi – uni, squash, creme fraiche.

One of my top favorites.  The sunchoke dashi was the most amazing part… coupled it with thinly sliced and rolled up cucumber, summer squash, squash blossoms, carrots, and thin petals of red mullet bottarga on top of a lightly striped sweep of creme fraiche that looks like it’s just painted on for decoration.  It lays delicately next to the ball of uni that has been dehydrated and shaved with a microplane into bits of pepper flakes.

Smoked Trout – brown butter, preserved lemon, verjus

Yes, it rather looks like salmon doesn’t it?  This dish had savory, a little bit of creaminess, acidic citrus and a bit of a crunch due to the cucumber in it…topped with pickled onions on top of the brown butter verjus foam… that was simply killer.  Laced it with crack underneath, would be the preserved lemon dashi puree.  It had body, but also a good tang to it.  Are you noticing a pattern?  Most of the dishes had dashi in it, in one form or the other.

Quail – beer, miso, strawberry.

I am crazy about quail, like i’m crazy about sweetbreads. What’s crazy,  is that I love the strawberries in this dish more.  Umeboshi like strawberries to be exact, that give it that super plush, tart yet sweet taste.  Don’t forget the roasted maitake mushrooms.  Amazing nice texture with a slight bit of a crunch to it as well.  This dish was a standout that has all the components of salty, sweet tang, little bits of crunchy that reminded me of tograshi spice and tempura bits rolled and mixed (but really it’s pumpernickel and nori….CLOSE!)  and even faintness of sweet bitterness … More savory than sweet of course.  Oh, this one actually had NO dashi in it.

Pork Jowl – corn, coriander, black lime

HOLY HELL.  Really rich.  Really good.  So who cares? The raw corn adds a touch of sweetness and crumbled cheese just adds to the richness.  The pork jowl was marinaded in fish sauce…I saw pics from earlier in the week, and it looked like he started off with pork belly and either got ADD or ran out of pork belly and used pork jowl instead.  Either way, kinda glad we got the pork jowl… it was pretty good…and I don’t eat jowl much, so it was a pretty unique experience for me.  All other elements were basically the same.  The black lime salt was amazing….They had to dehydrate the limes and pick out the membranes with a tweezer….Black lime is very strong in flavor…very citrus-y, with a lot of body, minus the sweetness…which I adore.  I love all things sour & tart.

Rice Milk – coconut, pandan, parsnip

This was prob my least favorite dish.  His desserts are a bit too light for my liking.  Lacked the “wow” factor, but simplistic in form and taste.  Paul Qui even said it…he is NOT a pastry chef…but only tries to combine all the flavors to hit all those notes… “sweet, salty, acidic”.  It’s ok.. I am probably the only person who didn’t like it or enjoyed it as much….

I know, this post is way too long.  But I’m a Top Chef fanatic…and even after the season has ended, I have been and always will be a Paul Qui fanatic.  (Note: Only as long as he never compromises and forgets who he is… )   I don’t like sellouts.  Just continue to make good food and everybody will continue to be happy.

P.P.S.  Nobody cares that he’s a lambda, except Lambdas.

The END.

]]> http://palatethis.com/?feed=rss2&p=2316 1 http://palatethis.com/?p=2228 http://palatethis.com/?p=2228#comments Tue, 07 Aug 2012 22:50:58 +0000 Brittany Ho http://palatethis.com/?p=2228 Proprietors/Executive Chef: Rosario Procino

Greenwich Village – 271 Bleecker Street, New York, NY

Bright Lights…was my first impression of Keste.  Really bright and narrow…and all the  familiar furniture and wood oven fire everybody is used to seeing in a humble, yet authentic pizza restaurant.  Not big by any means, and seats will quickly fill up before 9pm.  Decor is uninspiring to say the least.. it definitely looks like your typical, average pizza joint.  But the food is absolutely good….so don’t let the decor fool you.  Additionally, for those that are gluten intolerant, they definitely have an impressive listing of gluten-free and vegan pizzas…. but if you are not intolerant to gluten, WHY in the world would you order gluten-free pizza?  I’m sure it taste just as good.  Obviously, I have opted for their regular dough.  Think Old School… there is nothing modern about this place whatsoever… Don’t get me wrong, sometimes old school is nice and relaxing.

Nothing like a good Neapolitan… margherita pizza w/ salami & fig & prosciutto.  perfectly individual sized, with a crust that is nicely charred and a bit on the “fluffy” side.  Love that they make most of their own cheese (burrata & mozzarella).  The menu is so extensive and inspiring, you will have such a hard time choosing one you’d like…. Since i judge a pizza by it’s classic margherita, it made sense to pick a staple here (we couldn’t resist adding salami on top)….and for the second option, we went a little risque and chose a special for the night, fig & prosciutto.  Both were VERY different, yet very tasty

margherita w/ salami

Fig & Prosciutto

Tiramisu

Not recommended for a first date, but great place to catch up with an old friend or lover you are beyond comfortable with…but if you don’t care for all of the above, go just to try great food.  It’s a favorite classic and a staple in the heart of Greenwich Village.

]]> http://palatethis.com/?feed=rss2&p=2228 0 http://palatethis.com/?p=2232 http://palatethis.com/?p=2232#comments Wed, 01 Aug 2012 03:02:43 +0000 Brittany Ho http://palatethis.com/?p=2232 Proprietors/Executive Chef: James Gersten & Derek Sanders/Akhtar Nawab

Soho– 114 Kenmare Street, New York, NY

the best of the east coast. let’s face it… Mexican food reigns supreme in the west coast.  No comparison.  For the closest version on the East Coast without all the frills, La Esquina does come close… it’s not a fancy, upscale place or anything…so don’t go expecting such.  It’s a little run down, which gives it an authenticated charm that you may be getting the real deal.  Sometimes simplicity is key.  There is almost always a long wait here…so either get here early or be prepared for it.  I think we waited a little over an hour…. hungry and impatience does not suit anybody well.  And for the brasserie downstairs that requires reservation only (3 weeks in advance).  HELL no, I don’t have the patience for that, let alone for a Mexican restaurant.  Sorry, I’ll take my chances for a walk in for their Cafe Menu.  One of these days…. last time I was there, there was some serious partying going downstairs…so I am almost positive they turn it into some speakeasy club after hours…. the music is super loud and people stumble up and down to the bathroom in their drunken stupor.  MAJOR PICK UP SCENE!

SO, there is apparently three kinds of menu…taqueria, cafe & brasserie… Brasserie takes reservations 21 days in advance, and has a more extensive menu than the other two. Taqueria is the most casual menu, where you can order take out or pick up (please note NO ALCOHOL is served).  The cafe sits pretty in the middle…it doesn’t require reservation, and you can walk in and have a nice meal just about any day of the week for brunch or dinner, (WITH alcohol served).  Apparently, that’s what we did.

CHILE PIQUIN GRILLED CALAMARI Smoked chickpeas, roasted cherry tomatoes, lime citronette.

Light, citrus flavors, nice little char on the calamari..not too memorable in the near distance.  What’s up with the chick peas?  Love em’ but they felt out of place.  Maybe pureeing them would have offset the textures a bit better.

TOSTADA DE CANGREJO lump crab meat, mango, tomato, chipotle mayo

Really good.  Probably the one thing I savor when I come back.  Not too heavy on the chipotle mayo…interestingly the mango and tomato round out the acidic and sweetness.  There was plenty of the crab meat.  I was really surprised I liked this…but I did.  The perfect little juicy bite.

QUESADILLA DE HUITLACOCHE mexican truffle, roasted corn, epazote, mushrooms, queso oaxaca

Never mind what the mushrooms tasted like, with truffle and cheese mixed in there….you can mask anything!  No seriously, pretty tasty.  Roasted corn gives it a nice, varying sweet texture..so it’s just not truffle and cheese…. which is about every other f*ing restaurant in NYC.  I’m a hater… I still love it…but truffles ARE highly overrated in my opinion.

ELOTES CALLEJEROS grilled local corn

Can you f*ck up on corn?  Sure if it was soggy & way too much mayo.  For simplicity sake, I prefer without mayo, and tons of parmesan cheese.  Even I’ll admit, this was good.  But seriously, my version is better.  If you’re thinkin’ where’s my invite?  Yeah, reserving for special people only.

PESCADO grilled skewered market fish, shredded cabbage, red onions, salsa verde

My least favorite item on the menu.  Good, but not great and by any means memorable.  To strongly reiterate the point to dear friends and family, I can make better fish tacos at home using fresh ingredients.  The key is all in the ingredients and making sure it’s finely chopped up.  I really don’t understand the concept of putting cabbage and mixing it with fish. I want cilantro, parsley, FRESH HERBS and jumping jalepenos! Maybe it’ll burn your mouth!  Add some pico de gallo! Avocado!  Liven that taco up! With all exceptions, and I do have one…is Rockaway Tacos…So moral of the story is… STICK to the carne tacos folks (aka pulled pork and other fine meats).

Food For Thought…Shoulda, coulda, would’ve…. gotten the ceviche…but was silly stuffed.  And while I may be a “hater” of Mexican food, I do crave a good fish taco, grilled corn, Et cetera more recently than ever… so I suppose I have warmed up to the concept of it… It only took me 4 years since I moved from DC to NYC.  And even then, I bet you, it could only be love if I ever moved South/West.  I have spoken…yes, giving myself hints, that I will come back to La Esquina… or another eatery like Empellon and order weird sh*t like veal tongue tacos.  Facial expression?  *YUM!

East Village – 111 First Ave, New York, NY

Quite Homey & Cozy..yeah sure, I think I’ll take my shoes off.  Nothing fancy here…but that’s all part of the charm.  There’s something so comfortable that brings immediate nostalgic memories of your dad sitting in the living room, with those old school TVs before the plasma days…and the remote control still wrapped in plastic.  YES, plastic.  I’m talking about THOSE days.  Those days are not forgotten.  the space is a bit on the tighter side…and for that, my preference would be bar seating.  Absolutely bar seating.  The bartender was so nice and off the rocker, I thought he would almost jump off a cliff for us.  Generous and big-hearted.  You can tell the type.  He was excited to describe all the goodies that came out…and you can tell there is some serious passion there.

if you haven’t guessed…it’s Filipino food. pure and authentic.  I have tried a few in the city, and this is the BEST yet.  I haven’t tried kuma inn yet… but I don’t know.  maharlika is sitting pretty top notch for me.  i need to explore more to prove to me otherwise.  The menu is pretty meat intensive, from appetizers to main entrees…so . As a side, we got what seems to be an eggplant dip.  So for all you vegetarians,  there is a plentiful list of vegetable side dishes that can compliment the fried rice.  Filipino food in particular is very heavy & rich… with native dishes like the sizzling sisig dish, combining 3 pig part of ears, snout & belly, grilled and sauteed.  Unfortunately, they ran out that day?????  So we settled for another pork dish, Tapsilog.

Puqui Puqui.  Roasted, puréed eggplant, tomato, sibuyas

It’s that simple.  I heart eggplant. It felt naked without any pita bread though.  And eating it with rice, is just plain strange.

Tapsilog. 7-up cured pork tenderloin w/ garlic fried rice & egg on top

Good…but the pork was quite salty, so wish the rice to meat ratio would be 3:1

Kare Kare. Oxtails braised in peanut butter with long beans, bok choy, eggplant

Simply divine. More so if you like peanut butter, because the sauce itself is killer over rice.  The oxtail was braised long enough to be super tender.  Very thick & rich.  Highly encouraged to eat it with white rice.

Bravery sometimes comes at a cost…That day, I was not brave enough to try their balut (fertilized duck egg).  Which is fine by me…. at $4 a pop, I think they should be paying customers to task them the challenge to finish it in its entirety.  Growing up, my mom LOVES eating fertilized duck eggs with Vietnamese Coriander (rau ram), which we call hot vit lon.  My mother, being the sweetheart that she is (half sarcastically smiling) would always give me the yolk … the actual half of the egg that has been incubated….The other half, (embryo) can vary anywhere between 16-20 days.  So if you’re lucky to get an older egg, you will see a beak, some feathers and bones really developed….OH, my line of vision can’t handle it…much less my stomach…   I think the only reason why I eat this is for the Vietnamese Coriander dipped in salt and pepper.  Such were the simple days…  Maybe one day, courage will strike and find me again.

Flatiron – 35 East 18th Street, New York, NY

Farm to table concept…this is not new by any means…and it’s become quite the trend in the city. do you know what’s on YOUR plate lately?  I’ve become a huge supporter of all things organic, as long as the end product taste fresh. ABC Kitchen does just that.  Since I have been here for lunch, brunch AND dinner, I think it’s about my time to do my due diligence… and give this place a proper review.  Two thumbs up Mr. Vongerichten.  Well done.  One of Jean-Georges better restaurants in the city…. for SURE.  Well, aside from Jean-Georges…obviously.  ABC Kitchen is extraordinary in space and overall, designed with simplistic beauty in mind.  I love it.  And also the restaurant’s commitment to providing organic and locally sourced ingredients is also very admirable.

first things first… for lunch there is a reasonable prix-fixe for $32, which is what we precisely did one lovely afternoon. Otherwise, it’s a la carte for everything else.  The menu is split up into various sections: market table, appetizers, pastas & whole wheat pizzas & entrees.  (For brunch, you will get options for salad & sandwiches and dinner will have a more extensive listing for pasta & pizza options).   There is a ton of variety, so you are not just limited to full entrees.  I like the idea of being able to share the appetizers and market table (small plates).

• Beets w/ homemade yogurt.  Fan-flipping-tastic.  I love beets…and the yogurt had a refreshing acidic smoothness.  I opted for the
• grilled portobello sandwich with arugula, Parmesan & lemon mayo
• Tomato, mozzarella & basil wheat pizza
• Chicken Liver Toast
• Crab Toast
• Arctic Char
• Akaushi Cheeseburger

Their pizza is good, but too healthy…so nothing special.  Brunch and lunch were my favorite.  Highly recommend the toasts… you can’t go wrong.   Dinner was also good…but I should have ordered something else aside from the arctic char.  The more I order arctic char, the more I begin to realize how much I just don’t like this type of fish.  I hate cooked salmon and not a fan of trout, and arctic char resembles each fish.  I was in the mood for fish, and unfortunately I think this was the only viable option.  On the flip side, the akaushi burger was good though, mounds of cheese on top!  My only criticism?  You got it… some of the items (smoked salmon) were indeed a bit salty.  Better watch that hand sous chefs….Overall, impressed with the variety of fresh ingredients used… simple, clean flavors that beautifully meld together.  This place is worth coming to and if only

smoked salmon w/ potato roesti, creme fraiche & grated horseradish

chicken liver toast

crab toast w/ lemon aioli

South Village – 131 Sullivan Street, New York, NY

it’s not really in the name… it’s not a Dutch restaurant…on the contrary, it’s quite Modern American and so is Andrew Carmellini.  Though, based on his website, he claims to be into French & Italian (hence the birth of Locanda Verde).  I don’t know if you can do justice by cooking all three different types of food equally, but I guess it takes a man like Carmellini to at least want to try.  Am I hating?  Absolutely NOT!  Just an observation, and I know for a fact I’m probably not the only person thinkin’ it.  The man has been genius so far in all of his endeavors.

can you get back on topic please? oh right, the Dutch.  it’s one of the buzzing, trendy “it” restaurants in the city at the moment and a good friend of mine (Jason) is the executive Chef there.  Without being completely bias, I have been here on two occasions, once for dinner and once for brunch.  I can tell you that I enjoyed BRUNCH ten times as much as I did dinner…and here’s why.  For dinner … I should have gotten the little oyster sandwiches as everybody and their mothers have been raving about them.  More reasons to come back… but I wanted to keep it simple and chose the branzino.  the jalapeno corn bread is a nice touch/choice for a bread basket.  Genius.  The fish was perfectly cooked, but it was overly salty.  Salt has apparently been my nightmare.   Rule of thumb…you can salvage an under seasoned dish…but once you’ve over salted the food, it’s completely destroyed.  I didn’t want to hate it…but it was just so salty.  Otherwise, all the flavors were beautifully melded together.  Too bad Chef Jason wasn’t there for me to bitch at him… because I would have respectfully and courteously done right by him.

Brunch on the flip side was a much more memorable experience.  3 Keys to my heart?  Sweetbreads, beef tongue & tripe.  These are the same three things I don’t eat nearly enough in my every day life.   Good mix of brunch options from sweet to savory.  Or, go the seafood route.  They use Stumptown coffee which is a plus… hearty & bold.  And to top the icing on the cake… we also ended it with two amazing desserts.  (Yes, I said two… don’t judge, I JUST came from YOGA OK?!).  Not just a solid meal, but over the top.  The Dutch exceeded my expectations and so much more.  I am really glad I was able to give it another chance… now I can’t wait to come back!

Two eggs with hominy grits & chorizo.

My gf ordered her two eggs with grits & chorizo… sorry, not nearly as wonderful, full of flavor and overall tasty as mine.  The grits were good though.

Barrio Tripe w/ fried egg & pico de gallo

You can imagine my excitement when I saw Barrio Tripe w/ fried egg & pico de gallo on the menu.  Best f*ing thing on the menu…. EVER…and after having found out that they braised the tripe for over 6 hours…. AH, my delight cannot be contained!  You thought YOU had problems…

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie w/ pistachios

Peanut Butter Ice Box.  Serious deliciousness.

]]> http://palatethis.com/?feed=rss2&p=2155 0 http://palatethis.com/?p=2207 http://palatethis.com/?p=2207#comments Sat, 21 Jul 2012 15:17:30 +0000 Brittany Ho http://palatethis.com/?p=2207 Proprietors/Executive Chef: AvroKO Group/Brad Farmerie

Nolita – 210 Elizabeth Street, New York, NY

The Brad Farmerie kick…while Saxon + Parole is the latest and greatest… let’s not forget about the beloved Public.  On the flip side, I dined here during brunch time, and it was an overall pleasant experience.  Big open space, wooden decor, it’s quite breathtaking actually.  Big enough to host (small) private events in either location.  The restaurant is still able to retain that cozy feel, though it was loud & bustling that wonderful Saturday afternoon when we attended. Public has got an eclectic charm to it, that I can’t quite put my finger on it… whatever it is… I’m hooked.  It’s a fun environment, great for small and big groups.

Gamey menu…while the menu at saxon is more focused on meats & seafood…. the menu here is quite eclectic and primarily focused on gamey meats as their specialty.  For brunch, we started off with a bloody mary that has got a good kick to it.  Refreshing & not too thick (which I prefer), but still good and full of citrus.  The two dishes that caught our eyes are the tea smoked salmon & venison burger.  Venison, being the healthier, leaner choice than red meat… as if this was enough reason you should feel the need to eat healthier…Uh, no.  It actually tasted pretty good, though you can definitely tell it’s a lean meat.  I am even more excited to come back and try dinner.  Every Sundays they are running a special supper $50 prix-fixe for 5 courses…which is a pretty sweet deal.  So why haven’t I taken advantage yet?  Any takers?!?!

Tea-smoked salmon, spinach and poached eggs on toasted sourdough with yuzu hollandaise

Everything was perfectly portioned, but there was just a bit too much bread.  Loved that it was toasted.  Yuzu hollandaise sauce was light, smooth and delicious!

Grilled venison burger on a miso bun with tomato chili jam and cassava chips