Marta at the Martha Washington Hotel
February 5, 2015 § 1 Comment
Had a great dinner at Danny Meyer’s new pizza-focused place, Marta, a couple weeks ago with Caitlin, Tommy and Cindy and it seems like everything that man touches turns to gold (or in the case of the Shake Shack IPO, about $155 million). Located in the Martha Washington Hotel in Murray Hill, the restaurant has high ceilings and a good amount of space between tables so patrons don’t feel like they’re on top of one another. And as expected, the service is warm and friendly without being overly hover-y. Started off with a various assortment of wines and cocktails, including a glass of Brachetto, a wine I’d never heard of before but turned out to be quite delicate and floral.
We ordered the green risotto croquettes with mozzarella and mixed herbs as well as the rabbit meatballs with black olives and meatballs for our starters. Both were amazing. The croquettes were perfectly crispy on the outside, followed by a layer of well-seasoned creamy rice (hate bland arancini) and gooey melted cheese on the inside. And I don’t usually even like olives but really enjoyed the meatballs, which were very tender and an interesting twist on the classic pork and beef classic.
The pizzas, however, were the highlight of our meal and we actually eschewed ordering any mains. Of the red varieties, we had the amatriciana (pecorino, guanciale, onion and chili) and then of the whites, the funghi (fontina, hen of the woods mushrooms, chanterelles, red onion and thyme) and the patate alla carbonara (potatoes, more guanciale, black pepper, pecorino and egg). So. Frikkin’. Delicious. The crusts of these pizzas are cracker-thin, making them taste a lot crispier than your garden variety pizza. I think the only similar versions I’ve had are the ones at Spunto or maybe Mario Batali’s OTTO by Washington Square Park. One notable benefit of the thinness of these pizzas is that you can eat considerably more without feeling like you need to be wheel-barrowed out the door at the end of your meal…
I had a really hard time deciding on a favorite between our three choices, especially since they were all quite different. The amatriciana is pretty classic and the red sauce hit a good balance between tart and sweet. On the other hand, I’ve never really had anything like the carbonara version anywhere else, which was super indulgent with all that creamy yolkiness, guanciale and pecorino. But the mushroom pizza also proved to be standout and tasted quite meaty despite being completely vegetarian. I also seriously loved our side dish of sunchokes (our feeble attempt at incorporating at least some vegetables into our meal), which were super sweet and creamy on the inside.
With all the great hype this place has been getting lately, I think it’s becoming harder and harder to get a reservation during prime dinner hours, but if you can manage to snag a spot at the bar or go late at night, I’d definitely recommend doing so.
Check out that amazing spread (and the cute Italian grandma-style dinnerware)
Recently…
January 25, 2015 § Leave a comment
A full-on late night meal at Empellon Taqueria after cocktails at Wilfie & Nell – spicy cucumber margaritas, guacamole and seven salsas (one of which almost burned my face off), gooey queso fundido with shishito peppers and a trio of tacos (lamb barbacoa, beer braised pork tongue with potatoes and fish tempura)
Afterwards, a stop at Bar Sardine, where I had Cape May Salts for the first time (wish the bartender, who was clearly new, did a better job of shucking though) and we stupidly decided to order a magnum of wine because it was more “economical”
Brie, honey and black pepper croutons at Les Halles in Midtown during Friday night dinner with co-workers – two orders of these would be a great dinner
A lunch of roasted asparagus and broccoli with parmesan to make up for all the week’s indulging
Lunch at Charlie Bird and a Nebbiolo tasting
January 14, 2015 § Leave a comment
Started an Italy-centric Sunday at Charlie Bird, conveniently just down the street from my apartment, for lunch with Cindy. Both of us had only ever been there for dinner, when it’s usually packed, bumping with old school hip hop and you have to wait around 30 minutes to get a seat at the bar, but the restaurant was pretty calm when we arrived around 1 pm. We both ordered a Bloody Mary, which unfortunately wasn’t as strong and spicy as I would’ve liked.
For my main, I stuck with the classic crisply roasted half chicken and herb salad. The portion is always very generous; if you’re a fan of family-style, which I am, you could probably order a pasta dish, this and a side or two to share with another person) and though you can’t see it in the photo, the juicy chicken, which by the way has the most insanely crispy skin ever, is perched atop a huge shmear of rich and creamy chicken liver pate and accompanied by an herb salad that I just forked around for a bit.
Cindy ordered the poached egg with polenta, charred onions and a duck crackling crumble (!) and we also shared a side of the Roman-style artichokes, nicely seasoned and crispy with a romesco sauce.
After Charlie Bird, I tried to work off lunch by doing some window shopping in Soho but most of the time was spent fetching things for the evening, a Nebbiolo tasting at Artemis’. Each of us brought a bottle of either Barbaresco or Barolo (nothing younger than 2010) and we went from the youngest wines (which included some surprisingly smooth Barbarescos) to the oldest, including a standout 1985 Ceretto that Chris generously shared with all of us. What started out as a fairly civilized affair eventually devolved, per usual, into a wine-cheese-salumi-pizza 6-hour eating and drinking marathon that ended with us all pretty tipsy and dreading work the next day (compare photo directly below with the last one). A super fun, gluttonous night with a great group of people that led to a somewhat painful Monday morning, especially since yours truly had wisely decided to sign up for a juice cleanse that day. C’est la vie…
Brunch at Tertulia
December 27, 2014 § Leave a comment
An impromptu brunch with Cindy at Seamus Mullen’s Tertulia on 6th Avenue in the West Village, one of my go-t0 casual spots in the city. Our conversation earlier that day (which resembles about 80% of our conversations period) basically went: “Have you eaten yet?” “No” “Brunch?” “Meet you at Tertulia at 1pm” “OK, yayyyy.”
Tertulia is known for its traditional and modern tapas, and the interior does make you feel like your inside a bar in Barcelona. I’d only ever visited for dinner and didn’t really know what to expect for brunch. As it turns out, our meal, though enormous and probably difficult to finish for two much larger-sized males, admittedly didn’t include your typical brunch fare, but it was perfect for someone like me who isn’t big on sweets. The nuestras patatas – crispy potatoes with pimenton and garlicky aioli – were spud crack. So addictive that I kept going back until the large pan was empty. I’m also always a sucker for fried shishito peppers (you’ll see that fried is a theme here, despite it being a veg-heavy meal), sprinkled with sea salt at the last second before serving. Although the tortilla espagnola (eggs, potato, onion and olive oil cooked in a small skillet) was delicious, it wasn’t as exciting as the other dishes.
Probably the best dish were our brussels sprouts (again, fried to crispy) with smoked sobresada, pork belly and sheep’s milk yogurt. I had this the first time I ever went to Tertulia a few years ago and went bonkers over it, but since then, I never saw it on the menu during subsequent visits and figured it was a seasonal item. Super savory, with fatty chunks of pork belly and a creamy yogurt dressing, it’s a dish I would order at the bar with some red wine on a solo visit (if I ever actually did that kind of thing).
Our last dish – a seasonal dish consisting of grilled broccoli, lamb bacon, olive oil fried egg and some peppers – though good, paled in comparison to the potatoes and the sprouts. The broccoli was a bit raw for my taste and the dish overall seemed a bit dry to me and could’ve used some kind of sauce or dressing. All in all, however, a really satisfying, fry-tastic not-really-brunch that reminded me why Tertulia is one of my favorite restaurants in New York City.
Last Call at WD-50
December 6, 2014 § Leave a comment
After eleven years, on November 29, WD-50 had its last night of service at 50 Clinton Street and thanks to Wes who managed to snag tickets, some of us were lucky enough to experience Wylie’s Dufresne’s last 12 course tasting menu of his greatest hits with wine pairings. Having been here two times prior, this final meal was definitely the best of the three and I was also surprised by how much I loved the white wine pairings with certain dishes.
It was definitely a bittersweet night…Wylie was walking around talking to customers and our server was nice enough to arrange a kitchen tour and photo with the man himself. WD-50 was actually the first place where I ever ordered the tasting menu and I’ve always loved it for its refined, oftentimes whimsical take on classic dishes and flavor combination, served in a super casual and friendly LES setting with exemplar service.
Now, to the courses…
Pu-pu platter / Salad, beef tongue, cold fried chicken, saffron-coconut ice cream sandwich with Champagne, Billecart-Salmon NV
Small bites with bubbles. Favorites were the beef tongue that was skewered with a ball of deep-fried mayonnaise (yes, you read that right) and the cold fried chicken that came with a tiny scoop of caviar and some fried chicken skin.
Shrimp noodles, tomato and basil with Champagne
A comforting bowl of pasta, except the noodles here are made of shrimp instead of typical flour, eggs and water. Classic Wylie.
Foie gras in the round with Dewazakura “Omachi” Ginjo from Japan
One of the most popular dishes of the night…tiny little pearls of foie gras with chocolate covered crispies and a film of vinegar on the bottom to balance out the richness of the foie.
Scrambled egg ravioli, charred avocado and hamachi with Torrontes “Don David” Michel Torino 2012 from Salta, Argentina
Ingenious “ravioli” where they used egg yolk as the pasta to encase the fluffiest scrambled eggs after. Also loved the tiny tiny crispy potatoes and super-fresh hamachi.
Sake lees bowties, clams and kimchee crisps with Ilias IGP “Kallisto” Mercouri Estate 2013 from Peleponnese, Greece
One of my favorite dishes of the evening – pasta in a briny broth thanks to the clams, topped with these insane crispy kimchee chips that I found myself wishing WD would just mass manufacture so I could buy bags and bags of them. The wine pairing for this course was also ridiculously good and smelled very similar to white peaches.
Bay scallops, sea beans, smoked sable and daikon radish with Lazio Bianco “Fiorano” Alessandrojacopo Boncompagni-Ludocivi 2011 from Lazio, Italy
Another standout – small, perfectly cooked scallops with a smoky sauce from the sable fish. We were all trying our hardest to scrape every last bit of that sauce out of our bowls.
Beef & bearnaise with Pinot Noir “Le Bon Climat” La Fenetre 2008 from Santa Maria, California
A very playful dish and totally unexpected when thinking a classic steak with bearnaise sauce – three fluffy, kinda cute looking bearnaise gnocchi in a very rich beef consomme bath.
Lamb loin, black garlic romesco, pickled ramp, dried soybean with Merlot “Los Carneros” Sinskey from Napa, California
Probably the most traditionally prepared dish of the evening but a still amazingly delicious lamb with a really savory, umami-bomb black garlic romesco.
Vanilla ice cream, balsamic, raspberry
At this point in the evening, things start to get a little fuzzy from all the cocktails and wine pairings, but I definitely remembering busting into this marshmallow-looking, raspberry powder encrusted scoop of ice cream only to find a gorgeously dark and syrupy balsamic vinegar oozing out. Everyone freaked at this dish, which looked so simple from its presentation.
Jasmine custard, chartreuse, cucumber and smoked cashew with Sparkling Apple Cider “La Transparente” Cidrerie du Vulcain NV from Fribourg, Switzerland
I had this dessert the first time at WD-50 and it was probably one of the most memorable courses from that meal because it was so refreshing and new. A layer of cucumber ice on top with this almost bacon-y cashew crumble and once you cracked through the top, a dreamy custard below.
French toast with St. John Commanderia NV from Cyprus, Greece
“French toast” that was black-out good. Super crusty and crispy on the outside and almost custardy in the middle paired with a raisiny and not-too-sweet dessert wine.
Mignardise
Our last course at WD-50 (though we really, really didn’t want it to end) – an assortment of mignardises, including these little balls of gjetost, a Scandinavian whey cheese covered with a layer of white chocolate, that I had at my first time at WD-50, mini churros and something like a pate de fruit. We were all definitely kind of depressed to realize we’d never be back in this particular space, eating this kind of food. To cope, we hilariously (and very drunkenly) decided to drown our sorrows in some Disney-focused karaoke at nearby Karaoke Boho. A super hi-low and perfect kind of night.
Thanks so much to Wylie and the entire team at WD-50 for treating us so well over the years and consistently delivering course after course of amazing food…it was truly one of, if not the most delicious meals I’ve ever had and I can’t wait to see what you do next!
Recent food snaps
November 23, 2014 § 1 Comment
Dinner at Drew Nieporent’s Batard in Tribeca – at 4 courses for $75, one of the best deals in NYC
Tete de cochon
Octopus “pastrami” with pommery mustard and new potatoes
Pork belly with onion and baby vegetables
Caramelized milk bread with blueberries and brown butter ice cream
The fried chicken large format lunch at Momofuku Noodle Bar – 1/2 Southern style, 1/2 Korean style with fixings and baby vegetables
After a long day of work, a dry Riesling and free oysters at Lelabar, which is slowly becoming my second, more booze-filled home
Brunch with old high school friends at home…a rare chance to cook up a storm, including this classic broccoli salad with bacon, slivered almonds, cheddar and grape tomatoes
Brunch at All’Onda near Union Square, with a small-portioned but highly flavorful spaghetti carbonara
Bordeaux Under One Roof event for City Harvest – a before and after (when people starting putting half-finished bottles in their bags)
A 2007 Etna Rosso (from the year I graduated high school) at Lelabar with their triple cheese panini, possibly my favorite grilled cheese in the city.
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.
Summer RW meals at Nougatine and Colicchio and Sons
May 14, 2013 § Leave a comment
Better late than never, right?
The last week of work, Alice, Komal and I had a lovely dinner at Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Nougatine at Columbus Circle. Beautiful interiors, great service, and delicious and surprisingly light food. I really loved the tomato and avocado gazpacho (even though I don’t tend to like cold soups) and the salmon entree I had.
A bottle of Morgon 2010
Corn cucumber shooter
Tomato and avocado gazpacho
Roasted salmon, greens and sweet chili vinaigrette
Roast chicken dish
Summer dessert and poached fruit
The classic Jean-Georges molten chocolate cake
Cindy, Beth, and I also snuck out of the office during one of the last couple days of work to have a long, leisurely lunch at the Tap Room at Colicchio & Sons. Again, a great cold, corn vichyssoise, a wonderful meaty entree, and heavenly beignets to top off the meal. If only work life could always be like this.
Inside the Tap Room
Cold corn vichyssoise
Steak tartare and chips
Panzanella with burrata cheese
Steak with bone marrow butter, greens, and horseradish cream
Chicken with farro and mushrooms
Heavenly beignets
Think that finally might be the last of the summer 2012 posts. Now to get through Winter and Spring 2013!
Nougatine
Trump Hotel Central Park
1 Central Park West
New York, NY 10023
212.299.3900
Colicchio & Sons
85 Tenth Avenue
New York, NY 10011
212.400.6699
Murray’s Melts
February 23, 2013 § Leave a comment
I’ve always loved Murray’s Cheese Shop in Greenwich Village (such an amazing selection of cheeses, cured meats, and other gourmet items and super-friendly staff), but it took me a whole summer of living literally right down the street to discover their Murray’s Melts. Probably for the best; otherwise I would’ve been there all the time and eventually unable to fit through the door. The owners also just recently opened Murray’s Cheese Bar, which I’ve heard great things about, but this is probably a better idea if you want something quick and on-the-go.
Below is a “Da Bomb” sandwich that’s unfortunately no longer on the menu – short ribs, Murray’s secret cheese blend, caramelized onions, and fresh arugula on Pullman bread – but you really can’t go wrong with any of their melts. The current ‘Shroom Melt (brie, mushrooms, truffle-pesto aioli) and the Mayflower (smoked gouda, turkey, bacon, cranberry chutney, and a “stuffing” aioli) sound especially delicious.
Look at that gooey butteriness… Just this side of too rich for me, the sandwich’s arugula and sweet onions did a good job of complementing all that dairy and meat.
Afterwards, a walk on the beautiful High Line is the best way to work off the cheese bomb you just ate.
Murray’s Melts (at the Murray’s Cheese Greenwich Village location)
254 Bleecker Street
New York, NY 10014
212.243.3289
Eleven Madison Park
January 16, 2013 § Leave a comment
Finally, exactly six months later, I’ve managed to post about Eleven Madison Park. This was without a doubt the longest (by the time Cindy and I finished this most expensive date ever, it was 1:30am), most extravagant, most memorable meal of Summer 2012 and going through the photos felt like I was reliving it over and over again. Apparently, a lot of the menu has changed since we visited – Daniel Humm, the chef, and the kitchen have revamped the menu twice, I believe – but I can’t imagine that the attention to detail, the warm service (unlike my initial impression of extreme fine dining restaurants, EMP’s staff was very friendly, un-pretentious, and patient, given our very late conclusion to the meal), and the exquisite food has gotten anything but better. I’m too lazy to go into detail about every dish, so just believe me when I say that every single course actually felt necessary (if that’s the right word) towards the overall progression of the meal and distinct in its own right, whether it was the concentrated flavors of the tomato tea, the nostalgia of the clambake, or the sheer unique-ness of the whey with curds and gnocchi.
Beautiful arrangement in the dining room
Beginning with savory miniature black and white cookies
A bit of New York City to start
And a lemony, gin cocktail
Tomato tea with parmesan lavash and lemon thyme
Mackerel and Scallop – horseradish and mustard; chip with pickled daikon and sesame
Yogurt lollipops with curry
Chickpea panisse with yogurt
Trout roe marinated with dashi, cantaloupe, zucchini and watermelon snow
The clambake – one of my favorite courses of the evening
Clam with chorizo, corn and zucchini
Pouring the most velvety clam chowder ever
The extra bread course – with goat and cow butters
A gorgeous plate of couscous smoked with tomato, yogurt, and olives
Foie gras marinated with nepitella and blackberry
Our wine for the evening, recommended by the sommelier
Whey with fresh curds, caraway gnocchi, and spring herbs – very different yet still delicious
Lobster poached with zucchini, avocado, and amaranth
Lamb roasted with artichokes, freekah, and lovage – another favorite and eye-opening course of the evening
Chevre meridian with strawberries, pistachio, and garlic
Our server preparing an updated classic tableside
Egg cream – orange, cocoa nib, and seltzer
Cheesecake – goat cheese, chamomile, and raspberry
Chocolate sorbet with lavender, orange and Maldon sea salt – everything I love in a dessert
Cognac, of which we could enjoy as much as we wanted
Additional mini desserts
And the bookend the meal, sweet black and white cookies
An empty dining room, 1:30am
The bar
Entrance
Our menu – July 16, 2012
A gift to take home – literally the best granola I’ve ever had. I’ve already tried making this at home using Humm’s own recipe but it never comes out nearly as good.
There’s been a trend lately for high-end dining chefs to explore rustic, comfort food at a friendlier price point (chalk it up to the recession or whatever you want) but there’s still something to be said about taking the time (and money) to sit down and enjoy a long meal that lets you forget about everything else. It’ll be a while before I get to return to EMP (I’d love to try the duck course that everyone raves about), but I do think that, if you manage to get the hard-won reservation, it’s definitely well worth the splurge. Thank you to Daniel Humm, the EMP kitchen, and the amazing EMP staff for a truly unforgettable meal, and to Cindy for being crazy enough to go with me and spend so much on a single meal.
Eleven Madison Park
11 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10010
212.889.0905
Notes on Food 