Category Archives: American

May 7, 2013 · 6:21 pm

Montmartre: kicking off Chelsea’s fine food expansion

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When I pulled up to the busy thoroughfare of 8th Ave and 18th in Chelsea, I have to admit I was not excited to be there. To me, the few blocks north of my workplace represent quick service chain restaurants, pizza shops, and my cheap manicure salon -– not stand out cuisine. And while the Montmartre space itself is narrow, the bar is not very spacious (like all Joseph Leonard team restaurants), and it’s not a spot for those hard of hearing (I was yelling for most of the dinner), the food was some of the best I’ve had in a while at a new NYC restaurant.

We started with the chicken liver, which came generously spread atop a thick piece of country bread. The liver mousse was just the right texture – not too smooth, just enough roughness to make it interesting. The white asparagus salad totally reminded me of something that would come out of SPQR in SF, and came as one thick poached asparagus on top of a delicious puree topped with salty crispy ham. I’m usually skeptical to order raw fish when I’m trying to branch out, but the Hamachi here is unique in preparation and flavor – thick slices wrapped around a tartar topped with diced apple and a delicate vinaigrette.

hamachi (photo from SeriousEats.com)

hamachi (photo from SeriousEats.com)

There was a ton on the menu I would have loved to try for my main course, but I chose the smoked and roasted chicken because it sounded so intriguing with such a bare bones description. It may have been one of the most interesting chicken dishes I’ve had. And, the kitchen was even nice enough to plate a half order of the ricotta gnocchi with morels and hazelnuts that I just couldn’t resist, which ended up tasting like little clouds of heaven.

amazing ricotta gnocchi

amazing ricotta gnocchi

smoked and roasted chicken

smoked and roasted chicken

This place is very reminiscent of some of the inventive ingredient-focused restaurants that cover San Francisco (SPQR, Heirloom, Rich Table), and I absolutely love it. It could actually be one of my favorites for unique food in a familiar setting. So maybe middle of Chelsea isn’t so bad afterall. And maybe, since it’s not in the haven of wonder that is the West Village, it will be more amenable to walk-ins.

Grade: A
Location: 158 Eighth Ave., nr. W. 18th St
Website: (which I love)

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April 17, 2013 · 6:00 am

Catch: global seafood in trendy meatpacking

catch

I spent my first years as a restaurant-goer in NYC dining where I could most easily imagine myself as a cast member of Sex in the City. Straight out of college, I wasn’t looking for cute hole-in-the-walls — I got the biggest thrill wearing heels and strutting into exclusive spaces pumping dance music, offering $15 specialty cocktails, and turning tables like clockwork. Buddakan and Stanton Social were my locations of choice. Fortunately I’ve now moved on to less trendy pastures as a more seasoned New Yorker, but every now and then I’m dragged into the high concept restaurant chains of my past.

Catch last week was one such occurrence, but it helped me remember why I like menus intended for broad audiences. I admittedly went into it with low expectations, but I left impressed with the service, the food, the drinks and the experience overall. As a seafood lover with menu anxiety (it’s difficult to narrow down to one item after eating a Google buffet for the last five years), Catch’s food selection is perfect for me. They offer a small delectable sushi rolls, a raw bar, a ton of hot specials, family style platters, or a variety of fish simply prepared for those not as adventurous. Think of this place as the steakhouse for fish. It keeps that well-known, roomy corporate feel, but maintains a relaxed, light-hearted vibe with light colored furniture, good lighting, dance music, and fun cocktails. Waiters aren’t as formal, but the service is spot on.

The highlights of the many dishes we tried were the MrC roll with tuna, tempura shrimp and ponzu butter, the soft shell crab roll, the crispiest crispy rock shrimp I’ve ever had, and the tuna tartare crispy rice cakes. These dishes aren’t necessarily unique to Catch (find similar variations at Koi, Bond Street, Nobu, etc), but they’re done exceptionally well. The showstopper visually was the crispy whole snapper that comes out deep fried with an asian style saute, positioned as if it’s about to swim away. The sauce was definitely needed to add flavor. Chinese food lovers would die over the salty cantonese lobster tails; I’m just not a fan for thick brown sauces. The overly buttered mushroom pasta was the only disappointment, but that came as no surprise given it was one of the only pasta dishes on the menu.

warm pretzel rolls with mustard butter

warm pretzel rolls with mustard butter

crispy shrimp

hot, buttery crispy shrimp

hamachi tartare

hamachi tartare

salmon belly carpaccio - yes we did get all of this.

salmon belly carpaccio – yes we did get all of this.

scallop dumplings

scallop dumplings

fried whole snapper

fried whole snapper

cantonese lobster - photo from Zagat.com

cantonese lobster – photo from Zagat.com

banana brulee spli

banana brulee split

Dessert at Catch and its sister restaurants are remarkable, and that goes a long way for someone like me. The strawberry shortcake with a large buttery biscuit brought me straight back to my childhood. The banana brulee split was beautifully prepared, but given the tiny scoops of ice cream and difficulty of scooping up all the ingredients off the flat dish for an ideal bite, I would have preferred a less stylized version.

Despite the hiccups in food, I left hoping to plan my next work event or dad’s visit to town at Catch. It’s a crowd-pleasing special occasion restaurant that sets you up well for a night out – there’s not surprisingly a club upstairs, and it’s situated smack dab in the center of the Meatpacking.

Grade: A-
Location: 21 9th Ave above Sephora, entrance on 13th street. Also one in Miami.
Website

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March 17, 2013 · 1:29 pm

Chelsea Market Adventures: Amy’s Bread ham & cheddar biscuit

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Yes, I just went grocery shopping, and yes, I work across the street from Chelsea Market, but I trekked there today anyway for a little get-out-of-bed Sunday adventure. I awoke this morning with my stomach grumbling for a savory breakfast, so I headed straight to the Market’s Amy’s Bread where the sandwich selection is right up my alley – pre-mades with a variety of breads, cheeses, and meats in all shapes (from rolls to skinny baguettes) and sizes (from mini to massive). I generally go for the hummus veggie on wheat or the mozzarella and tomato on olive bread, but today I pointed right to the ham and cheese biscuit enticingly glistening in the display case. The second the server relinquished control, I took it out of the bag and chomped right into it. The verdict? Thick-cut ham sandwiched between two slices of sharp cheddar and a cheddar-speckled biscuit feels like a brick in my stomach, but is pretty hard to beat on a day that launches in hunger. The biscuit is perfectly doughy, warm and crisp on the outside, and the little nugget of a sandwich is thankfully easy to eat. It may just be my new favorite.

grilled biscuit

grilled biscuit

Grade: A+
Location: Multiple
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March 9, 2013 · 8:09 pm

Featured City Post: San Francisco’s Rich Table, elevated comfort food in farm-like rusticity

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Whenever I visit San Francisco for work, I try to maximize the productivity of my trip by squeezing in a visit to a new and noteworthy restaurant. Last week, it was Rich Table, a bustling Hayes Valley hot-spot that the man at the bar called “the hottest table in town.” Though we scored a last minute reservation for 7:15pm, my friend and I decided to give up our spot at the communal table (separated by planters, the reservationist assured us) to sit at the bar for a better view of the open kitchen and admittedly, the very attractive chefs.

Sitting at the bar always warrants a stiff drink to start the night, and since San Francisco is really one-upping New York in the specialty cocktail department, I knew I had to try one. The bartender’s gin and ginger concoction of course came in an old fashioned champagne coupe and went down like a refreshing glass of water. They also have a great selection of wines by the carafe that are conveniently grouped by price; the gruner veltliner I’ve decided is now my favorite.

One important thing to note as a bread-lover – it’s delicious, but it’s a $4 sacrifice. Come prepared to spend it, because it’s definitely a must- these 1-inch thick slices of fennel sourdough are toasted to order and served with house-churned butter. The rest of the meal, however, did not match up to the bright energy of the place. The crab cioppino was a mess of over-oiled, over-salted crab meat with a pathetic sprinkling of dried artichoke chips, and the chicken lasagna evoked memories of chow mein with it’s large pieces of chicken and long green onions. The small popped corn sprinkled on top was random and seem disconnected from the rest of the dish. We hoped to be saved by the vegetarian entree, roasted potatoes with arugula salsa verde, but for $19, I would have rather eaten 10 bags of McDonald’s french fries. Small potatoes sprinkled with salsa was probably a poor order choice in the first place, but the flavors didn’t match up to the saltiness to the rest of the meal.

fennel bread

fennel bread

chicken lasagna

chicken lasagna

Unfortunately, the performance was not enough to encourage us to stay for dessert; we walked a block up for a pot de creme and wine at Absinthe to ensure a satisfying end to the meal. But Rich Table is an interesting place that combines thoughtfully plated, interesting food in casual comfort. The chefs obviously care about what they’re doing here, and they’re taking a risk to do something different. So, I’d definitely like to go back and try a few other dishes – I’m not writing this off as a goodbye just yet.

Grade: B
Location: corner of Oak and Gough

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November 21, 2012 · 11:44 pm

Lure Fishbar: solid seafood in adult fashion

Given my freakish seafood-obsession, I can’t comprehend why it’s taken me four years to try Soho’s well-known Lure Fish Bar - essentially my favorite type of food in my favorite New York City neighborhood. Yes, the restaurant is a little scene-y & corporate, its nautical theme is a little tired and its clientele is a tad too New York housewives, but the menu has a plethora of creative seafood options and sushi that is nothing short of tasty. The place resembles the old-timers Atlantic Grill and Blue Water Grill further uptown in that it’s fish and sushi focused in a family friendly environment, but given the address it’s a little more amenable to a weekend GNO (Girls’ Night Out).

My two girlfriends and I shared the Crispy Calamari and Tempura Shrimp to start. The calamari, served as large pieces of crisp but lightly fried mini squid with lime glaze, made me realize the impurity of the heavily breaded piles I normally down at bars. I’ve had better breaded shrimp (Koi‘s is to die for), but this rendition was still good enough to keep my fork launching across the table for more. I decided on a special for my main, mainly because of the sides: Roasted Sea Bass with gnocchi, beets, and asparagus, but unfortunately the charred gnocchi was the best part of the dish. Dessert is really the standout – it’s rare that I struggle with choosing what to order, but with almost every item incorporating ice cream in some way, I had a mini panic attack. I narrowed it down to the Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie. Given it came with a fat chocolate dipped pretzel and peanut brittle ice cream, I was pretty much in salty sweet heaven.

crispy calamari

rock shrimp with a little too much sauce

chocolate peanut butter pie

Lure Fishbar has got it going on for its wide range of seafood, good cocktails and last but NEVER least, dessert. Think ice cream galore. Try it for your next business dinner or night out with parents.

Grade: A-
Location: 142 Mercer Street @ Prince Street

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November 18, 2012 · 9:00 pm

Isabella’s: hotel fare in an uptown setting

So after a few weeks of being absent due to hurricane-induced homelessness, I’m back in the game and feeling anxious about the dozens of restaurant experiences I have to report. The only remote “light” in the storm of Sandy was the fact that hiding out uptown for two weeks left me no choice but to try restaurants outside of my downtown-comfort zone, so here begins my attempt to cover my most memorable and atypical meals out in the last few weeks (in separate entries for search optimization, of course).

After two long, wine and snack food-heavy nights cooped up in my boyfriend’s apartment, I took the much needed walk to Isabella’s in the seventies, one of the few places open for dinner service. Like the other few restaurants operating, it was completely packed with people, who like me, were desperate to escape the house for human interaction and normalcy. Given my lengthy and ever-changing list of must-try spots, it pains me to stumble upon a corporate , evidently BR Guest restaurant that I never intended to try, but given the circumstances I had little chance of finding a better option.

Isabella’s is just what I’d imagine a classic upper west side restaurant to be – comforting and frills-free. A green fabric awning with the restaurant’s name in cursive covers an entryway that leads to a spacious, well-lit, two-story restaurant with white families eating bread rolls while perusing leather menus. With the straight-forward, pasta and chicken-covered menu, Isabella’s feels like a cross between a country club, a hotel, and the typical family-friendly Manhattan establishment.

Surprisingly, good old New York was just what I craved after a few days in disarray, so in going against my normal grain, I ordered Isabella’s Chopped Salad, Maryland Crab Cakes, Hay & Straw Linguine with chicken, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and herbs, and of course, a Warm Brownie Sundae with salted caramel ice cream that I obviously couldn’t resist. An overdressed salad and buttery pasta were fortunately redeemed by the rest of the meal. While in my normal state of mind I would have never ordered such a boring sequence of food, something about a good old crispy crab cake and a creamy pasta made me feel like I was young again with my grandparents at their Jewish Country Club, where all I had to worry about was looking pretty and keeping my elbows off the table. Oh how times have changed, but that’s a story for an entirely different blog.

chopped salad

linguine

Is Isabella’s memorable? Aside from having comfy boothes, warm bread rolls, large scoops of ice cream and overly friendly service, Isabella’s doesn’t at all stand out in my mind. That said, there’s always a purpose for reliable, uninventive, family-friendly fare, and when that need arises this place is a solid option for those in the area.

Grade: B
Location: 359 Columbus Ave at 77th St

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October 21, 2012 · 5:58 pm

Mary’s Fish Camp: unadulterated seafood and a barely-legal ice cream sundae

I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve lived in the West Village for four years and have never been to Mary’s Fish Camp. What is wrong with me? I love seafood, love my hood, love casual restaurants, love bar seating – I can’t believe I never considered it. Fortunately, it’s my man’s ultimate destination for fried clams and wine in water glasses, so we decided to swing by last night for an impromptu seafood fest.

Our hour-long wait for a seat brought to life the many reports of unbearable wait times for one of the restaurant’s few seats. Still, given our prime waiting spot that allowed us to witness each disappointed, shock and awed, or frustrated facial expression of those who entered hoping for immediate seating, the time flew by. Tables moved quickly and we finally got 2 great seats at the bar with the tiny kitchen and our waitress front and center. As a fish lover, I found it heart wrenching to narrow my options. There are a ton of whole fish options (fried or grilled), a lobster roll, fried fish sandwich, tacos, bouillabaisse, scallops – all my favorites, but we decided on exactly what we were in the mood for: fried oysters and clams, steamed clams, raw brussel sprout salad, raw oysters, and the special entree of pan sauteed tile fish with farrotto, raisins, and pine nuts. Everything was delicious. The fried clams and oysters came out hot and crispy with an incredible pink-colored, pickle-heavy tartare sauce. The oysters were briney, plump, and creamy. Even the tile fish was a standout in its simplicity. I was happy as a clam (ha!) sitting at the bar with my glass of prosecco and the most ideal seafood feast I could ask for. I looked left, I looked right – every patron couldn’t have been more excited with the food before them. It’s the type of place that reminds you of the beauty and value of simple, fuss-free food.

kitchen view

fried clams and oysters

Who knew I could be even more happiness-inflated after I was pressured into ordering the hot fudge sundae off the chalkboard menu. As I watched a chef scoop not one, not two, but three scoops of vanilla Laboratorio Del Gelato ice cream, add two-ladles full of hot fudge off the stove and a huge spoon full of fresh whipped cream, I knew doomsday approached. All feelings of fullness were forgotten and I immediately dug my long spoon right at the core of the beautiful creation. Now THAT’s what a hot fudge sundae should taste like. After so many disappointments by ice cream sundae claims on New York menus, downing this puppy felt like a breath of fresh air, until I had to limp home due to over indulgence.

this could be my life partner if all else fails

Mary’s Fish Camp, as cliche as it sounds, you are my new favorite place. If anyone asks me where to go in NYC, you are top of the list. People, it’s worth the hour wait and they’ll call you get a drink nearby.

Grade: A+
Location: 64 Charles Street off of West 4th
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· 4:57 pm

Hearth: high priced, elevated comfort food

I had a whirlwind work week in San Francisco but the second I landed, I shot over to just-opened, paper-covered-windowed Jeepney for an apaerol and guava cocktail before joining my friends Michelle and Ashley on one of Ashley’s “last weeks in NYC food tour” meals across the street at Hearth. Though everyone in passing boasts about the food here,  I can’t say much about their marketing – the website needs a serious cosmetic uplift (cheesy images – see below, confused theme description, and even the font of the name bothers me), and I don’t recall reading much about it in my daily publications. Still, after hearing stories of their decadent pastas, I was super excited to have a relaxed Friday night over a good meal with friends.

After getting a 15 minute rundown on cider from our overly eager and frantic waitress (definitely a starving stage actress), we placed our order and downed a shot of delicious, body-warming roasted vegetable puree, compliments of the chef. We then launched into the lettuces and vegetables salad with an assortment of cucumbers, tomatoes, roasted carrots, beets and a crunchy, nutritious puffed quinoa, and the smoked Spanish mackerel with grilled radicchio and golden raisins. The salad perfectly combined interesting and simple with local ingredients and multiple textures. The fish itself was earthy, smokey and perfectly soft; I only wish the chef had preserved the bitterness and bite that I traditionally love about radicchio.

“lettuces and vegetables”

smoked spanish mackeral

For our mains, we unanimously agreed on the Spatchcock Roasted Poulet Rouge Chicken and the Veal and Ricotta Meatballs with spinach cannelloni. Apparently, “poulet rouge” is an older breed, free-range bird that is commonly known for its flavorful meat. The chicken was indeed flavorful, juicy, well seasoned, and simple – just as a roast chicken should be, though I always prefer the skin a little crispier. The mini-saucepan of hot, creamy polenta was really what caught my attention. The main character of the pasta dish didn’t wow me either – the meatballs, though large, were too dense and overly salted, but I loved the beautiful pasta-wrapped spinach on the side.

meatballs & chicken

Our chocolate peanut butter sundae unfortunately was the most disappointing. What seemed like a dream come true turned out to be a melted mess of what was pitched as ice cream but turned out to be chocolate pudding (I swear it) with a small dollop of peanut butter nestled at the bottom. This type of dessert has the potential to be incredible – chefs should not mess with the simplicity of  a delicious ice cream sundae – but our waitress was nice enough to take it off the bill after we expressed our confusion. Apple sauce donuts were none other than delicious, so that helped make up for it.

apple sauce donuts

peanut butter sundae

I love the atmosphere of Hearth. Everything about it screams Fall: the amber lighting, the brick and red walls, the candles, the open kitchen, the long cider menu, even the name . But when reviewing the dishes, despite the focus on local, high-quality ingredients, I just can’t ignore the prices that are over the top for the area – it would probably soar as a restaurant in midtown. Pastas are north of $29 and our chicken, the same sized portion as the “poulet rouge” roast chicken at Barbuto, was $60 – tough to stomach when $15 pastas at Lil Frankies are just down the street.  Price aside, Hearth is a great place for a date with well thought out yet approachable, comforting food – just make sure you’re with someone who’s paying or who’s worth spending a few extra dollars.

Grade: B+
Location: 403 East 12th @ 1st Ave
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October 5, 2012 · 4:22 am

ABC Kitchen

I’ve been to the holy ABC Kitchen a few times but every New Yorker knows that it’s next to impossible to get a reservation at a decent hour, or essentially anything after 5:30pm. I don’t generally mind an early bird special but given my work schedule, like most people I simply can’t make this happen. Well, last Monday, I was ecstatic when I found out that my date scored an 8pm reservation. After a year since my last visit with my friend Sonia, I couldn’t wait to try all of the new fresh things on this brilliant, gorgeously designed menu.

Half of ABC Kitchen’s appeal is the feeling I get when I enter, which is the aggregate effect of the restaurant’s every intricate detail. The delicate white china, the white lacquered tables, the graceful font on the menus, the dim lighting and votive candles, the background music, the wide open dining room, and the efficient but unobtrusive service collectively create an atmosphere that you don’t want to leave. It’s the perfect mix of casual California and sceney New York. But the scene is replicated no where else…just a little more refined than Barbuto, a little more casual than Mas Farmhouse…and it hits just the right note for me when I want to have a memorable meal out any day of the week.

The other half of the draw is of course, the insane offering of local, organic food (and drink -. No need for lengthy descriptions – you’re served exactly what the few words on the menu say you’ll be served. Who knew that something so straight forward as heirloom tomato toast could be as sensuous and flavorful as it is here? Thinly sliced bright red tomato, salt, pepper, and olive oil on a perfectly toasted rustic bread happened to be my heaven that night. Just as delicious but a step up on uniqueness was the delicata squash with maple syrup and grated goat cheese, which was shaped and lusciously fried like a crispy creme donut. Like the fried bananas my mom loves at Filipino restaurants, it was crispy on the outside and soft and sweet on the inside, and made complete by the dusted salty parmesan. The ricotta cavatelli came with an overload of pan seared shrimp that was absolutely perfect, soft, delicate, and easy to chew (sorry but just admit that shrimp is painful to chew sometimes), and the pork sausage on the fennel sausage pizza made every bite taste sinfully fatty and earthy. Every single dish did the job it set out to do – highlight each of its awesome, local components. The only disappointment was the boring shredded kale salad that I simply couldn’t bother eating because of all of the better options distracting me. 

heirloom tomato toast (photo from NY Post)

crispy squash

kale salad

scallop ceviche

I love dessert here. It took me everything to bypass the caramel ice cream sundae with popcorn and go for the cookie plate with chocolate-covered marshmallow cookies, but a side of caramel ice cream did the trick. Hard to be impressed with a plate of tiny cookies. The concord grape tart is something I never would have ordered myself but was actually interesting and delicious.

After four years of blogging, I’m starting to crack the recipe for my all time favorite restaurants. It must be casual but tasteful in setting. It must create the feeling of coziness even if it’s not cozy in space terms. It has to feel intimate. The menu is heavy on vegetables, seafood and sharable plates. It generally has a flatbread or a pizza. The cocktails are awesome. ABC Kitchen fulfills all of these requirements – I just wish I could go without fear of an hour long wait!

Grade: A
Location: 35 east 18th street (between broadway & park avenue)
Website 

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Filed under American, Brunch, Californian Cuisine, Erin's Favorites, Fun Group Dinner, Parents in Town, Romantic Date, Union Square

October 1, 2012 · 5:48 pm

Marc Forgione

Yesterday I decided to incorporate a walk around Tribeca during my morning exercise to check out the new All Good Things market in the area. The place looks like a very tiny version of Grand Central Market with good lighting, display cases, and signs of vendors catching the attention of customers strolling down the walk-way. But after a thorough review of the few prepared foods available, I knew I needed to go elsewhere to fill my Sunday mid morning belly. I wanted something delicious but low key. So, my companion suggested Forgione – a restaurant he claimed was casual, but that I always remembered as super duper fancy. We walked in, and despite the bright sun shining outside, it felt like it was 8pm on a Saturday night. We sat at the bar and had a cherry mimosa (a little too sweet but tasty), complimentary warm, honey-chive biscuits served with some kind of delicious whipped butter, and a roasted vegetable omelette with goat cheese. Now, I came to this place looking for something simple so maybe I had false expectations, but how inventive can you imagine getting with an omelette? This “omelette” came out as a flat pancake-shaped egg resting on a pile of small chopped up roasted vegetables and goat cheese. What happened to egg and filling integration?

glistening honey biscuit

I think my expectations of casual and straight-forward were incorrect, but I should have known given what I’ve heard about the dinners at this place. Still, I confidently profess that in no scenario is an “elevated” omelette better than a standard one. An omelette is an omelette, so please give me what I ordered. That said, I know there is real skill in the kitchen because damn those biscuits were crispy and delightful! I might return for dinner…but considering I’m typically looking for brightly-lit, happy-go-lucky, stick to your bones brunch spots, this did not win a spot on my Sunday morning grub list.

Grade: B
Location: 134 Reade Street
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