WD-50 (August 17, 2014)
November 8, 2014 § Leave a comment
A summer visit to one of my favorite restaurants in New York City, WD-50, which is sadly closing November 30. Love that the atmosphere and service is always friendly and super casual (if you drunkenly ask for a kitchen tour at the end of the meal, they’re usually nice and polite enough to say yes) and the food manages to be sophisticated and comfortingly familiar at the same time.
Highlights of this particular meal were the first two dishes – an oyster in its “shell” and a super rich, flavorful potato ravioli paired with caviar, both paired with a lovely champagne, an updated version of shrimp and grits, which is one of my favorite Southern dishes to begin with, the pork collar course and the verbena mousse with buckwheat (which oddly reminded me of Carvel ice cream cake and seemed to amuse the waiter when I told him so).
This was also the first time I decided to opt for the wine pairing…and thanks to that and the additional bottle of sake we ordered towards the end of the meal (because the oat meringue dessert didn’t come with a pairing and someone at our table apparently would not let that stand), yours truly had a massive hangover the next morning. Worth it though…
Oyster in its “shell,” preserved lemon, snow pea, hazelnut with Pinot Meunier Champagne “Brut Blanc de Meunier” Millesime 2007 Jean Michel from Champagne, France
Egg yolk-mashed potato ravioli, caviar, cucumber with Pinot Meunier Champagne
Avocado-pea soup, smoked crab, pistachio with Riesling “Vandenberg” Tatomer 2010 from Santa Barbara County, California, USA
Cuttlefish, carrot, chamomile, schmaltz with Sauvignon Blanc Bluxome Street Winery 2012 from Russian River Valle, California, USA
Charred chicken liver, szechuan, injera, melon with Viognier “Antoine Creek” Grammery Cellars 2013 from Walla Walla, WA, USA
Shrimp grits, pickled jalapeno with Grenache, Zinfindel, Mourvedre Rose “Old Hill Ranch” Bucklin 2013 from Sonoma Valley, CA, USA
Hamachi, turnip, shiso, blood sausage with Hoyo Sawayaka Junmai Uchigasaki Brewery from Miyagi Prefecture, Japan
Pork collar, poppy seed, red bell pepper, tamarind with Bourgogne Rouge Camille Giroud 2011 from Burgundy, France
Cured duck breast, curds-n-whey, sweet potato, rice noodles with Malvasia Nera “Medos” Castello Monaci 2011 from Salento, Italy
Oat meringue, banana, strawberry, yeast
Verbena mousse, rhubarb, buckwheat, camelina oil with Sparkling Apple Cider ‘La Transparente” Cidrerie du Vulcain from Fribourg, Switzerland
Ovaltine cake, marcona almond, cardamom, sheep’s milk with Tawny Porto Quinta do Infantado “10 years old” from Douro, Portugal
Cookie dough ice cream with sarsaparilla jelly
The pass at the end of service
Betony and Alder
August 16, 2014 § 1 Comment
Two very different meals, spanning seven months. One of my first splurge meals after moving back to NYC was at Betony, helmed by Eleven Madison Park alums and executed to perfection. Unfortunately, since this meal took place so long ago, I don’t really remember the specific components of each dish but just that the overall experience – food, service, ambiance – was very much worth the money. The standouts were definitely chicken liver mousse, super smooth and served with bits of fried chicken skin and green apple, the roasted chicken and the grilled short rib.
The second meal was in late spring at Wylie Dufresne’s Alder in the East Village, which focuses on bar food with a modern twist. Though I didn’t think it could compare to his flagship (WD-50, which is sadly closing this coming fall), it is a way to sample some of Dufresne’s food without paying a pretty penny. The best dishes were the “pigs in a blanket” (Chinese sausage, Japanese mustard, sweet chili sauce) and the French onion soup rings with beef gravy and gruyere but I do wish the portions had been a little bit more generous.
Momofuku whole rotisserie duck
August 4, 2014 § Leave a comment
Three months later…another large format meal at Momofuku Ssam (I swear that I eat at places other than Momofuku).
This time, we had the whole rotisserie duck stuffed with duck and pork sausage (and served with chive pancakes, bibb lettuce and four flavorful sauces) with the broccoli salad (smoked bluefish vinaigrette and crisped duck skin), spicy rice cakes and sausage (because it’s too good to not order), pork belly buns (for the Momofuku virgins), and crispy fingerling potatoes (with crab mayo and chili).
Yet again, so much food for the five of us (the maximum allowed is six), even with multiple rounds of eating, but we still managed to knock back a few Blood Mary’s (which had country ham in them) and dig very deep when it came to the dessert of Concord grape sorbet with black sesame and peanut crumble (in other words, the best iteration of the PB&J ever) and mint julep truffles (which were a little too dense and sweet for my taste).
Afterwards, I wanted to pass out so badly but amazingly, an iced coffee from Third Rail and a 45 minute walk all the way downtown managed to keep me upright for the rest of the day.
Momofuku Bo Ssam
April 8, 2014 § 1 Comment
Had a pork-tastic dinner this past weekend consisting of Momofuku Ssam Bar’s pork belly buns and bo ssam. Totally worth the meat sweats and food coma afterwards, although it’ll be a while before I can eat any pork again.
Hot Doug’s
October 3, 2013 § 1 Comment
Hot Doug’s – first on the “where to eat” list of so many travel guides, shows, and blogs and a must for the food-obsessed’s first visit to Chicago. We got there relatively early in the day since we’d heard about long wait times but the line was barely out the door when we arrived. Menu choices ran the gamut from the classic Chicago dog to the famed foie gras and Sauternes duck sausage with truffle aioli, foie gras mousse, and fleur de sel, so we ordered a variety (plus the duck fat fries which are only available on Friday and Saturday) and tucked in. Big hits were the Chicago dog (it’s classic for a reason), the Texas smoked link, and the wild rice and Asiago bison sausage, which wasn’t as gamey as I thought it’d be. I actually wasn’t floored by the duck fat fries but they did the job of lending some crispiness to all the meat and starch. In the end, Hot Doug’s is definitely worthy of all the acclaim and fandom, a casual place where Doug himself still mans the counter and takes orders, the staff are super efficient at getting customers their food as quickly as possible despite the long lines, and the food is just frikkin’ delicious.
Hot Doug’s
Menu
Well said
Smoked Texas hot link with Coca-cola BBQ sauce and habanero-jack sauce
Cheddar Jack-stuffed atomic bomb with ancho-chipotle aioli and cheese-stuffed hot peppers
Wild rice and Asiago bison sausage with chilli aioli and smoked Provolone cheese
Classic with everything
Cognac-infused pheasant sausage with fresh herb mustard, double creme brie cheese, and duck confit
Duck fat fries
Spread
Hot Doug’s
3324 North California
Chicago, IL 60618
773.279.9550
GT Fish & Oyster
October 1, 2013 § 2 Comments
From a trip in May – upscale seafood at GT Fish & Oyster in downtown Chicago. The mussels, which came in a large cast-iron skillet with crusty grilled bread, were the hands down favorite dish of an all together great lunch.
Assorted oysters with ponzu mignonette and GT cocktail sauce
Fish and chips with dill pickle remoulade and house malt vinegar
GT lobster mac and cheese with English peas
PEI mussels with roasted tomato, basil and ciabatta
GT Fish & Oyster
531 N. Wells Street
Chicago, IL
312.929.3501
Branching out at Ssam Bar
January 26, 2013 § Leave a comment
Photos from Esther and my summer meal at Momofuku Ssam Bar, which is still one of my favorite places to eat in the East Village.
A seasonal cocktail and the Penicillin – scotch, lemon, honey and ginger…all my favorite ingredients in one beverage with a giant ice cube.
The famous steamed pork belly buns with hoisin, cucumber, and scallions. Still so good that I could make a full meal out of these babies.
A new addition to the menu since my last visit – bbq buns with crispy pork belly, coleslaw, and smoked mayo. Maybe it was the novelty of the dish, but I think I actually preferred this version to the original, and Esther and I seriously contemplated ordering more.
A classic – spicy pork sausage and rice cakes. I always tell myself that I won’t order these again, but something about the crispy starch mixed with the crunchy Chinese broccoli and spicy meatiness of the sausage just keeps calling me back.
Silky Santa Barbara uni with some melon ice and a strange but tasty gelee (I vaguely remember a porky, ham flavor) with summer tomatoes.
Beef, two ways, with bulgur, fava beans and soubise. I think this may have been the first time I’d had bulgur actually and it was totally great – nutty flavor and a toothsome texture. The meat, as you can see, was also perfectly cooked. Just goes to show that while it may be easy to fall into the same great dishes again and again, it’s definitely worth your while to try new dishes at places where you’ve eaten many times in the past.
Recette
September 26, 2012 § Leave a comment
One of the most memorable, delicious meals of the summer took place at Jesse Schenker’s Recette in Greenwich Village. The place had been strongly recommended to me by the same co-worker, Artemis, who said I had to visit Fatty ‘Cue, so after that meal, I knew to trust her completely. Laura had just finished a grueling exam for her summer engineering?architecture? class and we decided to take our time at dinner, ordering a number of small and large plates and 2 desserts…
The meal started with a cocktail, the J’ardin d’Eden – Hendrick’s gin, cucumber, basil, and ginger syrup – perfect for the summer and so refreshing when paired with all the rich, flavorful food we were about to dig into. Plus, anyone who has had drinks with me knows how much I love the gin and cucumber pairing.
For our “snack” plates, we ordered the salt cod fritters with lamb sausage ragu and curry aioli, the “buffalo” sweetbreads with pickled celery and blu di bufala dip, and the foie gras terrine. Each dish was so different yet all of them tasted amazing…The sweetbreads were cooked just right, with a crispy exterior and creaminess inside and the slightest offal flavor to remind you that you weren’t simply eating fried “stuff.” I, being the comfort food obsessive that I am, also really loved the genius riff on the classic wings and blue cheese combo. The cod fritters (which I usually associate with Spanish tapas) sounded the most interesting of the three, mainly because they’d been paired with lamb and curry of all things, and somehow, all the elements came together to create yet another fried food that I find myself craving at the most random times. The star, by far, however, was the foie gras terrine. It looked absolutely gorgeous on the plate, with this crazy gloss and tiny flakes of sea salt, and tasted even better…everything that foie gras is supposed to be – smooth in texture and uber-rich in flavor…drool.
Our next three plates (yes, we went a bit overboard) were the fresh cut spaghetti with sweet shrimp, stewed tomato, chili, and sea urchin, a duck breast with confit leg, spring peas, and arugula (I think?), and the Berkshire pork belly with rock shrimp, turnips, romesco and sherry caramel. It really was a meal where every, single effin’ dish blew our minds…and we managed to really slow down and take our time savoring every bite. The pasta was sweet from the tomato and incredibly luxurious due to the sea urchin, the duck breast (my favorite of the three), had the required crispy skin over a thin layer of fat and the meat was cooked medium-rare – it really didn’t even need all the other garnishes and accompaniments in my opinion because it was so flavorful, and the pork belly may have been the best of many, many pork belly dishes in the city.
But amazingly, we weren’t done yet. I think our waiter must’ve been a bit shocked by how dedicated we were to this dinner. For dessert, we ordered the “s’mores” – graham cracker ice cream, toasted marshmallow, and hot chocolate ganache – and another dish that’s unfortunately no longer on the menu but included passionfruit creme with pastry, diced mango, and orange (?) sorbet…this took place so long ago that my memory’s a bit foggy. Anyway…as much as I tend to like savory food more than sweet, these were both excellent and perfect conclusions to our long, super-indulgent meal.
Recette
328 W. 12th Street
New York, NY 10014
Fatty ‘Cue
September 14, 2012 § 1 Comment
Damn, just saw that these photos were taken on June 28…boy, am I behind.
Anyway, this was a meat-centric dinner with Laura and Katie at the amazing Fatty ‘Cue in West Village (just a couple blocks from my summertime apartment), one of Zak Pelaccio’s many awesome restaurants. By the way, I liked this a lot better than Fatty Crab, which was still pretty good in itself. Lament the lack of greens and fiber all you want, but at the time, we were in the mood for juicy, Asian-influenced barbecue and little else.
Ham, jam, butter and bread
Toasty pretzel rolls served with rosy, fatty ham, a condiment called cincalok made with itty bitty fermented shrimps, and dry-fish-dusted butter. So many funky elements in one starter…
1/2 pound deep-fried bacon with sweet and spicy salsa verde
Yes, you read that right, and it was bleeping delicious. Slightly charred pork belly with layers of fat and lean meat, paired with a picante, acidic sauce to balance everything out.
Heritage pork ribs with Indonesian long pepper, fish sauce, and palm sugar
Incredibly tender and running-down-your-arm juicy…Pelaccio emphasizes palm sugar, fish sauce, and lime juice as the holy trinity of Southeast Asian cooking and it comes across the most in this simple-looking dish. The best part was tearing meat off the rib with our sticky fingers and dragging it through that sweet, sweet jus.
Fermented sausage with asparagus, ginger, chili, toast and poached egg – more funk (in a totally good way)
Lamb shoulder with yogurt dip and grilled pita
For a primer on Southeast Asian cooking with Zak Pelaccio, Bon Appetit has a pretty cool feature which you can find here
Fatty ‘Cue
50 Carmine Street
New York, NY 10014
212.929.5050
Craftbar
August 29, 2012 § Leave a comment
For my mom’s birthday in June, our whole family gathered in New York City for a dinner at Craftbar, Tom Colicchio’s restaurant known for its shared plates (large and small) concept. The menu changes pretty regularly, so I’m not sure what’s still available and what’s no longer in season, but it was a memorable food-filled meal and made me really appreciate how wonderful it is to have family so close by, making it easy for everyone to come together to celebrate special occasions such as this.
Funny note: two days later, some of us from work went to an AALDEF reception at a nearby lounge called Crimson and without intending to do so, I found myself eating another huge dinner at Craftbar within three days. On the plus side, eating there once before meant I already knew which dishes were standouts and which we could pass up.
Cocktails to start, one of which I remember being called a Flying Unicorn and the other I recall being shockingly citrusy (in a good way)
Pecorino Fonduta – Acacia honey, pepperoncini, pine nuts, and crostini
Everyone loved this dish – melted cheese, sweet and floral honey, and crunchy pine nuts are kind of a no-brainer.
Salt cod croquettes + piperade (a Basque-influenced mixture of peppers, onions, tomatoes, and spices)
These, like the arancini, had the perfect contrast between a crunchy, fried exterior and creaminess within. My mom was a huge fan of the vinegary, spicy peppers underneath and scraped every last bit off the plate.
Pecorino arancini with spicy tomato
Scotch quail eggs with mustard – something I thought I’d love due to their fried state but there actually wasn’t much flavor aside from the mustard
Spring asparagus, crostini, poached farm egg, and cheese
Sheep’s milk ricotta ravioli with spring vegetables – this dish, though delicious sounding, was for some reason incredibly sweet
Duck hearts and dumplings – duck egg, pearl onions, smoked bacon and black garlic
Atlantic halibut with summer squash and some kind of reduction (the menu has since changed)
A veritable pork-apalooza for 2 – roasted chops, pig’s feet roulade, loin, and, of course, chicharron with fingerling potatoes, baby onions, and carrots. Absolutely coma-inducing but totally worth it.
Our spread
Birthday lady
Cheesecake with sour cherry sorbet and pistachio brittle
Sweet pea semifreddo, lemon confit, and an ice cream flavor I don’t remember (honey maybe?)
In the end, Craftbar was a great choice – really friendly and helpful service, a casual and relaxed atmosphere, and excellent food for the most part. I think it’s particularly suited for larger groups, where you can order a bunch of different dishes and try as many things as possible. Another plus is its close proximity to Madison Square Park, where you can then (attempt to) walk off some of your dinner. Or, as my sisters did, get frozen custard from Shake Shack. Girls will be girls.
Craftbar
900 Broadway
New York, NY 10003
212.461.4300
Notes on Food 