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Entries tagged with 'Food'
Posted May. 7, 2008,
Restaurant of the Week: Pomme de Terre
By Erica Cerulo
A new French bistro is rarely cause for celebration, especially one that looks like a poor man's Pastis with its wine bottles-as-decor accents. But what makes Pomme de Terre stand out is not only its food pedigree -- the latest project from the duo behind nearby The Farm on Adderley (Gary Jonas and Allison McDowell) and Jimmy Mamary, the owner of Patois -- but also the location. The Ditmas Park space was previously home to a grungy bodega and in February, a crime scene (two men shot at each other but neither died). Now it's a place where butter is churned in house, and the meat (for that classic steak frites, $19) is dry-aged on site. The quintessential French dishes are the most impressive, like a charcuterie plate piled high with four types of cured meat and country paté ($8), and a perfectly crisped, whole-roasted branzino ($17). The more creative stuff is less worth a 45-minute trip from Manhattan. The pastry-crusted ratatouille ($13) more closely resembles a burrito than anything to inspire a Pixar movie. Roasted tomatoes mask the duck in the smoked duck sandwich ($9). This is a place that's meant to breathe some new life into its 'hood, but don't expect the crowd to be as cool as the waitstaff just yet. 1301 Newkirk Ave., Ditmas Park, (718) 284-0005.
Posted May. 2, 2008,
Venetian Dinner Courtesy of Gigi Vianello Tonight at Four Seasons
By Julie Besonen
If there's a more stunning restaurant in New York than the Four Seasons, you tell me what it is. It may be a forbidding, corporate monolith from the outside, but once you mount those stairs to the sweeping, Philip Johnson-designed playpen of the rich and powerful, it's magic. Open since 1959, there's nothing old about it -- except that it's old school in the best sense. The classy Julian Niccolini, one of the owners, extends a warm welcome to celebrities and nobodies (as long as you're wearing a jacket). While it's booked day and night, more kids (that means you under-40 people) should take the financial leap, and not just because you're jumping into history. The food is great, and will be something even more special tonight. Niccolini has flown in Gigi Vianello, the madcap, unofficial mayor of Venice and genius behind the restaurant Al Mascaron. Yesterday I got to partake of Gigi's Venetian menu, featuring his renditions of granseola (crab salad), canestrelli (ultrafresh bay scallops with tomato), risotto with asparagus, and fegato alla Veneziana (calf's liver with onions). Spectacular Italian wines matched each course, including one of the most distinctive Italian sauvignon blanc's I've ever tried, Terlano Quarz from Alto Adige. Just don't get the Four Seasons confused with the hotel. The two have nothing in common. The Four Seasons Restaurant, 99 E. 52nd St., (212) 754-9494. Tonight's Venetian dinner is $200.
Posted Apr. 30, 2008,
Restaurant of the Week: The JakeWalk
By Julie Besonen
Boozehounds of yore risked contracting a peculiar affliction called "jake leg" after getting high on toxic Jamaica ginger extract, also known as "jake." This was during Prohibition, when no laws were in place to monitor spirits (other than making their manufacture a criminal offense). The poor, eternally poisoned bums' legs turned to rubber. Some lost the ability to walk altogether. And thus, for those who could still hobble, the "jake walk" was born, as was a song, "The Jake Walk Blues." Today, The JakeWalk has a sunnier connotation, if we consider the new wine, cheese and meat emporium on Smith Street in Carroll Gardens. Owners Michele Pravda and Patrick Watson (a charming, clever couple soon expecting their first child) are also the brains behind Smith & Vine, a wine shop nearby, and Stinky Bklyn, stocked with artisanal cheeses, charcuterie and chocolate. At the JakeWalk it all comes together. First of all, you can sit down, that is, if you can get a table in the dark, good-looking, perpetually packed hangout. But can wine, cheese and cured meats constitute dinner? In my case, that's a resounding yes. Especially since fondue ($14), one of my favorite food groups, is on the menu. The pungent melted cheese lava changes nightly. I scooped up every last thread of it with crusty bread. Bread was also the foundation for my thinly sliced prosciutto and speck (a reddish, cured ham). All told there are 20 types of cured meats ($5 each), 40 kinds of cheese ($4 per piece) and more wine than you can count, much of it pocket-friendly. The JakeWalk's potent cocktails ($7-$9) may make you feel a little rubbery, though not permanently. 282 Smith St., (347) 599-0294
Photo from New York Times
Posted Apr. 24, 2008,
Restaurant of the Week: Rustik Tavern
By Alia Akkam
Other than getting a cup of joe at Tiny Cup, there's a dearth of cool hangouts in the once shady now budding Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood adjacent to Clinton Hill. Local lawyer Frantz Metellus felt it was time these deprived residents got a proper nighttime joint, so he opened his own place in an old grocery store. Rustik Tavern is exactly as its name suggests, warm and convivial, with brick walls, wooden benches and a fireplace. The cozy rear may as well be a living room with its vintage piano and collectibles like an old Commodores album. On an evening just after they opened, the flat-screen was tuned to election coverage, the bar was buzzing with hipsters laughing over pints of IPA, and a young mom navigating a stroller popped in for a bite to eat. The menu, with predictable must-have nachos and wings, features a few standouts. Daily-changing fish and chips ($10) featured a juicy tilapia on our visit, crisp without a speck of grease, and paired with wedge-like steak fries. A bowl of spicy turkey chili ($7) also hit the spot, loaded with black beans and served with a nicely charred but modest slice of garlic bread. The health-conscious should be sated with the salad ($8) teeming with apples, feta and red peppers; exactly the kind of refreshing dish you'd want to savor on a mild evening out in the sexy garden. 471 DeKalb Ave., (347) 406-9700
Posted Apr. 17, 2008,
Restaurant of the Week: La Zarza
By Whitney Spaner
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At La Zarza, an enchanting den of dark wood, candlelight and exposed brick, you'll find pretty people exploring the latest in Argentine/Spanish cuisine. Add a downstairs lounge, a DJ who plays global, techno sounds, and sangria in flavors like guava, strawberry and peach, and you've got a fun, intimate new East Village option. Doe-eyed twosomes and groups of friends filled up every single wooden plank table on a recent Friday night. From Jorge Rodriguez's extensive menu we were happiest with sweetly battered calamari ($8), bacon wrapped dates stuffed with almonds ($8) and beef empanadas ($6). The grilled skirt steak with chimichurri sauce ($20) was tangy and juicy and devoured quickly. Other choices disappointed, like soggy, not-hot-enough goat cheese croquettes ($5). Scallop ceviche ($8) was oddly paired with popcorn. Short ribs ($8) were overly drenched in sauce. For dessert, the panqueques ($7) -- caramelized dulce de leche crepes -- were so rich I didn't go back after one bite. Despite these few culinary setbacks, La Zarza is a good spot to grab a light bite and a few yummy Spanish-inspired drinks before hitting the town hard for a night. Or if you are anything like the model at the bar we spotted making out with the band Elefant's sexy Argentine lead singer, Diego Garcia, it's a good place to end it. La Zarza, 166 First Ave., (212) 477-1111
Posted Apr. 15, 2008,
Palmes d'Or + Alain Ducasse, a Cure for a Case of the Monday's
By Carol Lee
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Remember when champagne was sidestepped by sancerre, then rosé was the new sancerre, and then lambrusco became the new rosé? Well, guess what, champagne is now the new champagne -- vintage champagne to be precise. As a lover of champers, it didn't require hardly any arm-twisting for me to be convinced of this sparkling revelation, but my first ever vertical tasting of Palmes d'Or (or anything) sealed the deal. Nicolas Feuillatte hosted a marvelously bubblicious luncheon with the winemaker Jean-Pierre Vincent at the chic adour by Alain Ducasse at St. Regis last week. David Hershkovits, my boss who invited me to this event, and I were only too happy to be there -- a three-hour champagne lunch on a Monday is hard to beat! According to Wikipedia, vertical tasting means sampling different vintages of the same wine type from the same winery. I didn't know this before. Yes, work can be so fun sometimes.
Posted Apr. 11, 2008,
Restaurant of the Week: bobo
By Julie Besonen
Want to eat in your crazy old uncle’s brownstone? Imagine he’s throwing a dinner party that’s gotten a little out of hand and you’ve got the essence of bobo. There’s no signage at this West Village corner so you feel like you’re entering someone’s home through the half-hidden basement door. First you’ll find an upright piano and a rollicking bar scene -- the rec room, in a sense. Upstairs things get more serious, with antique waterfall chandeliers that look like glimmering aliens, and additional light provided by long tapered candles held in silver candlesticks. There are long red curtains draping the windows and the walls support a willy-nilly assortment of vintage framed photos, books and knickknacks. The crowd looks more swanky Upper East Side than West Village -- think dressed-up dates and tables of bachelorettes with freshly blown-out hair, their BlackBerrys and cell phones at the ready on white linen tablecloths. The place had a rough opening a few months back, with chef changes and negative blogging but now it seems on firm footing. The kitchen got on its feet with new chef Jared Stafford-Hill, formerly of Hearth. His food is billed as seasonal European but the night of our visit it was leaning more towards Spain than anywhere else. Potato saffron soup with squid and chorizo ($11) was luscious. A tangy salad of bitter greens was laced with Serrano ham, sharp manchego cheese and a sweet touch of apricots ($12). Codfish with soft leeks and tapenade ($26) tasted like a bacalao dish straight out of Barcelona. Berkshire pork with cabbage and potatoes in a pinot gris sauce ($26) tasted closer to home, hearty and rich. I would be remiss not to mention the great cocktails created by Yana Volson from Freeman’s, such as a sidecar made with apple brandy and Cointreau and a bubbly champagne mojito. If they weren’t $15 it would be easy to drink several. Desserts are also accomplished, like a caramelized pear upside down cake and chocolate pot de crème ($8). Luckily, owner Carlos Suarez was able to make enough changes to resurrect bobo and keep it from the boneyard of failed restaurants. 181 W. 10th St., (212) 488-2626
Posted Mar. 20, 2008,
Restaurant of the Week (Don't Forget Edition): One if by Land, Two if by Sea
By Kathleen Squires
Sometimes you want to impress a date the old-fashioned way. Take her to a spot adorned with fresh flowers instead of fresh-out-of-college club kids, for example. A place where the soundtrack involves the tinkling of ivories instead of the thump of a DJ. With chandeliers, fireplaces and antique Village charm instead of halogen lights, plasma screens and trendy lounge trimmings. Long known as the place for getting-down-on-one-knee or meeting-the-parents, One if by Land, Two if by Sea has always been a great wooing site because of those classic frills. But what if you don’t want your date to get the wrong idea by strapping into a pricey meal amid such trappings? Talented new chef Craig Hopson comes to the rescue with a terrific menu of sophisticated, sharable bar bites. Florida frog legs beignets ($12) entice with delicate, crisp battering and a pleasant saltiness; a cumin-flavored crust wakens blocks of salmon, drizzled with a soothing preserved lemon yogurt ($15). Shaved foie gras with mustard-raisin jam atop brioche ($12) exudes luxury in each bite. Cocktails like the bleu cheese martini ($15) or the maple Manhattan ($15) mingle nicely with everything. Since chances are a stop here will ensure you get lucky, keep the new $20 brunch in mind for the morning after, too. 17 Barrow St., (212) 255-8649
Posted Mar. 17, 2008,
Elletaria Is Yummy, Mario-Batali-Approved
By Kim Hastreiter
I was walking my dog Thursday night when I ran into my friend and neighbor Mario Batali on Eighth Street who was just coming from dinner with his son Leo. He told me that he'd just had a fantastic meal in our neighborhood at a new restaurant on Eighth Street called Elettaria (right near MacDougal). In case you were wondering, Elettaria is a type of cardamom seed, which makes sense, as the chef Akhtar Nawab serves up the most amazing Indian inspired fusion cuisine. (like the most aromatic foie gras Ive ever had and a divine cumin scented bavette) And how excited we should be to have such a great addition to our nabe. I trust Mario implicitly (he's my favorite chef in the world!) and so I called immediately, reserved a table for dinner and he was right. This place is really, really great with a kind of cozy atmosphere and cute, nice staff. It's hip (but not trendy), and you can watch Akhtar cooking super, amazingly delicious food in his open kitchen while his partner Noel runs around trying to keep the packed spot on track. It only opened two weeks ago but word is travelling fast and now it's kind of hard to get a table unless it's at 11 at night. But trust me (and Mario) -- this place is really, really good.
Photo from Eater
Posted Mar. 11, 2008,
Restaurant of the Week: dell' anima
By Alia Akkam
With just one taste of the heavenly handmade pappardelle alla bolognese ($17) at dell' anima, you might expect an Italian grandmother with a tomato sauce-splattered apron manning the stove. Instead, a glimpse into the open kitchen, preferably from your choice perch at the chef's counter, proves that Gabriel Thompson, a Del Posto and Le Bernardin alum, is running the show. On a recent Monday night, the lively crowd at this West Village hotspot was as big as Corner Bistro's down the street. Italian plaster walls and a granite bar dispensing Dale DeGroff's Italian-inspired cocktails lend as much simplified charm as the rustic menu. Begin the meal with do-it-yourself bruschetta ($10 for 3), with toppings like lily confit: a blend of pearl onions, shallots, cipollini onions, garlic and chili. Save room for the spicy chicken al diavolo ($19), a big, juicy breast splayed on top of grilled delicata squash. Wash it all down with one of the wines hand-selected by co-owner and GM Joe Campanale, the astoundingly sharp 23-year old who got his Italian grape intensive as Babbo's sommelier. A simple dessert, like fudgey chocolate terrine studded with black walnuts and amarena cherries ($7) is a delightful ending. But the real treat is Campanale's after-dinner libation -- a graceful little glass of homespun apple-infused grappa. 38 Eighth Ave., (212) 366-6633
Photo from NY Times
Posted Feb. 26, 2008,
Restaurant of the Week: Allen & Delancey
By Julie Besonen
If only Edith Wharton were alive to see Allen & Delancey. It looks like a set piece from The Age of Innocence -- elegant, clandestine and bookish, but too dark for reading unless candles are all you require. Downtown up-and-comers and up-to-the-minute Uptowners meet at this Lower East Side bus stop corner for modern American food via British chef Neil Ferguson. He proves, unlike the novel's message, that the passion of an individual can conquer the power of a hypercritical group. It's hard to find fault with
sea scallops in celery root cream with braised cipollini onions ($16). Leeks vinaigrette with truffled fingerling potatoes and prosciutto shavings ($12) are just as pleasing. Ferguson worked in France and survived many years working for the tetchy Gordon Ramsay in London. From such training, you know that his cabbage, beef and onions ($29) will be a sumptuous, whimsical affair, not your archetypal pub food. Slow roasted porkbelly with pickled pear and fenugreek syrup ($22) is rich and comforting. Cod filet with artichokes and peppers ($24) is good if you're in the mood for fish, but not astonishing in any event. I was dazzled, however, by the cheese plate ($15) from Saxelby Cheesemongers in the Essex Street Market. If you're economizing, stop in at the enchanting bar for a vintage cocktail or glass of old world wine. It's a destination that makes you feel as if you've arrived.115 Allen St., (212) 253-5400.
Posted Feb. 19, 2008,
Restaurant of the Week: Shorty's.32
By Matthew Schneier
Don't puzzle too long over the name of Josh Eden's debut restaurant, which seems, abstractly, as if it might refer to a gangster's handgun in a hard-boiled detective story. The truth is much simpler: diminutive Eden's diminutive new space has a mere 32 seats (decimal point notwithstanding). Name aside, simplicity is the theme at Shorty's, where Eden serves up food so tried-and-true that a critic may find himself at a loss. The result is a cozy spot that serves as a welcome corrective to fussier kitchens, as well as an opportunity lost. In a day where virtuosity reigns, it is a relief to find a chicken ($19) so simply and aptly roasted in a crunchy, salty skin, and saddled with a dollop of creamy mashed potatoes. Fads don't rear their heads and if there's local sourcing, it isn't mentioned. At the risk of offending the locavores, I didn't miss it. In the same breath, however, the give-the-people-what-they-want ethos sometimes comes up short. An appetizer of grilled shrimp ($14) was garnished but not enlivened by a dull bacon jus. A pan-seared sea bass ($24) tastes just like what Mom might make -- if Mom wasn't especially gifted with sea bass. In sum, Shorty's strives to be a neighborhood haunt in a neighborhood replete with them. It's a simple gambit well executed, but couldn't Eden -- whose resume boasts stints in the ambitious kitchens of no less than Jean-Georges Vongerichten -- give us just a little bit more? 199 Prince St., (212) 375-8275
Photo from eater.com
Posted Jan. 9, 2008,
Restaurant of the Week: Tailor
By Jonathan Durbin
For a certain segment of the population (read: Internet restaurant critics), the opening of Tailor was the sort of news event that, if it were political- instead of dinner-based, would have surely entailed a special prosecutor, a book deal and a one-hour Larry King special. So hotly anticipated was the debut of tattooed chef Sam Mason’s SoHo eatery, it almost seemed to unman the city’s foodies, leaving them shuffling about in a daze, muttering, “The Waverly what? Per Se -- pour quoi?” As of yet, however, the restaurant has not lived up to the hype. Although many of the dishes are fascinating delectations of oddly paired ingredients, the overall effect is so fussy it undermines the chef’s intentions. Among the best were the passion-fruit–poached char with lime pickle and coconut ($17) and the foie gras with peanut butter, cocoa and pear ($17). Mason divides his menu into “salty” (the former items belonged to that category) and “sweet,” which includes a Meyer lemon curd with blackberry and basil meringue ($11), which makes olive oil ice cream seem like a curiosity on the order of chocolate fudge. But Tailor’s cocktail menu, designed by noted mixologist Eben Freeman, is delicious. In particular, the Waylon (bourbon, preserved lemon, smoked Coke, $12) tastes like nothing so much as a barbecue in the dog days of August. You’re unlikely to enjoy a drink this original anywhere else in the city, regardless of whether you leave hungry. 525 Broome St., (212) 334-5182.
Posted Jan. 2, 2008,
Restaurant of the Week: Graffiti
By Julie Besonen
Graffiti cuts across all cltures, both as street art and as a new East Village spot that feels smaller than a subway car. Chef/owner Jehangir Mehta was smart to insist on stemless wine glasses; the space is so limited it’s easy to imagine crashes. On a recent Thursday night, diners were asked to double up at tables to stanch the overflow. It made for an intimate experience as we leaned in to pluck at cubes of fragrant green mango paneer ($7) and thinly carved pickled-ginger scallops with a hot dab of candied red chili ($12). Mehta, originally from India and one of the most gracious hosts you’ll ever meet, is famous as a pastry chef (Aix, Jean Georges) but his global bistro is decidedly savory. It takes a daring man to put one pizza on the menu with toppings of anchovy, sweet-sour tamarind and a pile of shredded seaweed ($12). I enjoyed the play of flavors. The rich, tender pork bun in a pillowy white wrapper is brightened by apricot chutney ($15) and carries more mass appeal. Braised figs with black-pepper ice cream ($6) and halva with mascarpone date cream ($6) may sound odd, but are comforting and unforgettable once you taste them. Both the food and the wine list are organized by price; headings are “Seven,” “Twelve,” “Fifteen” and “Six” instead of “Appetizers,” “mains,” etc. The entire wine list is $8 a glass and $25 a bottle. Mehta has developed an artistic signature all his own. 224 E. 10th St., (212) 677-0695.
Posted Dec. 19, 2007,
Restaurant of the Week: Market Table
By Whitney Spaner
Photo from nymag.com
Posted Dec. 10, 2007,
Restaurant of the Week: Kingswood
By Matthew Schneier
The seven-foot-long peacock peeking out from the ceiling-high glass cabinet of curiosities at Kingswood may have the most pressing claim on your attention at first, but once your eyes adjust to the room’s glow, it’s the smaller peacocks (at six-foot) sipping cocktails that will stay with you. A glance around the space -- more terrarium than restaurant -- reveals a fair selection of some very rare species: monarch butterflies on the ceiling, nibbling runway models at the next table. A venture from the folks behind Ruby’s on Mulberry Street, with investors that include denim darlings Ksubi, Kingswood is as fashionable as you would expect, and -- for large stretches, at least -- as tasty as you might hope. Herb-encrusted rack of lamb ($25) was gummy and uninviting, but more modest fare, like the straight-from-Ruby’s Bronte burger with sweet chili sauce ($15) is winning. The menu suffers a bit from trendy, overused indulgences -- roast peaches, fried squash blossoms, truffle fries unforgivably light on the truffle -- but a trip off the beaten path can be rewarding. A Goan monkfish curry ($21), which arrived greenish and soupy, a style icon in neither color nor shape, proved unexpectedly delicious. It’s not, one imagines, a frequent order for the Kingswood crowd, who subsist, to judge from their waistlines, on weaker broth. Their loss, this reviewer’s gain. 121 W. 10th St., (212) 645-0044.
Photo from New York Magazine
Posted Nov. 14, 2007,
Restaurant of the Week: BarFry
By Julie Besonen
BarFry is one of the most perfectly named restaurants I can think of. Bars and fried food are two of my favorite pursuits and I don’t feel remorse about either, just like Mickey Rourke’s unrepentant drinking in the film Barfly. I could sit at BarFry all night long and down one tempura after another until stumbling out at closing time. Josh DeChellis, formerly of Sumile, makes tempura so light and nuanced that it’s obvious he’s spent time studying the batter-and-frying process in Japan. The clean West Village space is pure Americana, however, with white ceramic-tiled walls, mirrors, chalkboard specials, a stainless-steel bar and about 20 tables. In addition to tempura fish, beef, pork and vegetables ($3-$10), there are po’boy sandwiches ($11-$15) and palate-cleansing pea pods with fresh wasabi ($7). The miso soup ($6) is a cut above any other this side of Japan. My top picks for tempura are silky scallops, oysters and sweet-tinged beef beignets. You won’t find better onion rings, and the cod was meltingly tender. Pork cutlet tempura has a more chewy texture. The only ‘eh’ moment was the shitake mushroom tempura. The four sauces we tried -- red chili citrus, jalapeño soy, sweet miso and wasabi remoulade -- were mostly unnecessary, so delicious was the tempura on its own. Green tea cupcakes ($5) and sorbet flavors like black sesame and bay leaf ($9) are delicious for dessert, although I would have been happy bingeing on more fried stuff. 50 Carmine St., (212) 929-5050.
Photo by Pierce Jackson
Posted Nov. 7, 2007,
Restaurant of the Week: Little Piggy (Market)
By Alia Akkam
“It’s slow food. Sloooow food,” Craig Samuel jokes to a customer waiting for her lovingly prepared sandwich at his Fort Greene café-cum-general store, Little Piggy (Market). After the customer finally sank her teeth into it though, she was probably glad she stuck around. Samuel and partner Ben Grossman, owners of popular barbecue hangout the Smoke Joint next door, have now expanded from wings and coleslaw into broader all-Americana territory. “The Pig,” as loyalists are now starting to refer to the place, has loaves of rustic bread, books (naturally, Peter Kaminsky’s Pig Perfect is on the shelf) and retro Charms candy on display. Pay no attention to the goods scrawled on the chalkboard—there might be grilled catfish, there might not be. Better to peer inside the glass and see which inventive dishes are up for grabs that day. On our visit we shared tasty squash-fritters loaded with corn kernels. The nutrient-rich kale and goat cheese sandwich ($6) might be the best grilled cheese you’ll ever eat, while the chunky chicken salad ($6) heaped onto a baguette makes you wonder why anyone ruins this simple treat with an overload of mayo. Buttermilk cupcakes ($2) squatting in aluminum tins may be a tad sour for some tastes, but we’re still dreaming about the chocolate frosting from the fudge brownie ($2). Grab one for dessert along with a fair-trade coffee and perch in front of the windows for some good Brooklyn people-watching. There’s no better ending, say, after ribs. 64 Lafayette Ave., Fort Greene, (718) 797-1011.
Photo from The New York Post
Posted Oct. 24, 2007,
Restaurant of the Week (Don't Forget Edition): Prune
By Whitney Spaner
Nestled on a cute and quirky East Village block, Prune, with its large, open windows, is the perfect place to sit and enjoy a bottle of wine (or two) from a European-heavy wine list and watch the world go by. Since 1999, Prune has been a go-to place for the Bohemian wild-child of NYC, but now it has evolved into a haven for the grown-up intellectual counterpart who craves a little better food and a little less scene. (The night we were there we were seated next to a Times theater critic arguing with friends about the upcoming production of Xanadu.) The look and feel of Prune is very simple -- a small, warmly lit bistro with a tiny bar. Owner and chef Gabrielle Hamilton prepares her dishes with fresh, eclectic ingredients, from the crisp, flavorful grilled quail with rhubarb, mint and cucumber ($26) to a pork shoulder stewed in salsa verde ($24). The meat soaked with tangy cilantro literally fell apart as my fork hit it. And from the bar menu, the ridiculously creamy deviled eggs ($4) are a must. For dessert we had a light lemon panna cotta with blueberries ($9), regretting the decision to share as we stared each other down for the last bite. Prune serves an infamous weekend brunch but given the invariably lengthy wait for a table, it may be smart to dip in on a weekday to try their lunch menu (added last year) for an equally delicious experience. 54 E. 1st St., (212) 677-6221.
Posted Oct. 17, 2007,
Restaurant of the Week: Aurora SoHo
By Matthew Schneier
Every self-professed gourmand worth his sel has his secret favorites, tucked away and generally unbeloved. Such haunts aren't bad -- in fact, they are terrific -- but for whatever reason, they have floated just under the radar of widespread acclaim. Such a place was Williamsburg's Aurora Ristorante, with its impeccable rustic Italian fare, its beautiful outdoor garden and unfussy attire. It was therefore with some trepidation that I ventured to the second outpost of Aurora, a raucous SoHo establishment: the city cousin to my country favorite. There is nothing secret about Aurora SoHo, which is both good and bad -- food as good as Chef Riccardo Buitoni's should not be hidden away. Certainly this is true of black pepper pappardelle with sumptuous melting braised-veal cheeks and asparagus ($16), and a wonderful entrée of Colorado lamb chops with an addictive homemade lamb sausage ($25). But the screaming din of the young cosmopolitans and the unnecessary addition of trendy or simply uninspired dishes (yet more burrata cheese, an appetizer of rubbery grilled octopus) made me long for the quieter days. I'd never advise anyone away from Aurora SoHo; it's too good for that. But I will, now more than ever, shepherd any and all to my Williamsburg hideaway. I never could keep a secret. 510 Broome St., (212) 334-9020.
Posted Oct. 10, 2007,
Restaurant of the Week: Borough Food and Drink
By Andrea Strong
To most people, eating local means anything that's grown or produced within 100 miles of the city. Not so to Zak Pelaccio, the chef who's partnered with Kobe Club's Jeffrey Chodorow to open Borough Food and Drink, a restaurant dedicated to ingredients reached by subway, not car. Borough feels like some chic combination of general store and Wild West saloon (pantry shelves stocked with local products, walls lined with planks of rough, raw wood). An attractive crowd is in the lounge sipping kitschy (but very well-made) cocktails with names like the "Staten Island Sparkler" (a sort of margarita topped with sparkling wine, $13) and in the dining room celebrating the return of the Long Island Iced Tea, this one a mix of Ketel One, gin, rum, tequila, pink lemonade, splash of sour-mix and Pepsi, named "Strawng Island" ($10). While the vibe is lively, the food is uneven. It seems Pelaccio, who became a sensation from stints at Chickenbone Café, 5 Ninth and Fatty Crab, is not paying enough attention. I wish I could be more enthusiastic about the frisée salad ($12), but it was rather watery and forgettable. I wish I could rave about the Salumeria Beillese guanciale and DiPalo's ricotta flatbread, but it wasn't hot, the crust was underdone, and it was too salty. Other dishes do deserve some love. Clams on the half-shell ($12) are terrific, the Russ & Daughters herring plate with toasted black bread ($14) was flawless, the Bobo Farms fried chicken was worthy of a big smile and the fat dumplings from Allen Street, stuffed with spicy pork and served with a chili-oil-and-black-vinegar dipping sauce ($12), were delicious. Sadly, the Little Pie Company's apple pie ($8) was stale. But the cookie plate was terrific-a selection of ethnic pastries (almond horns, baklava, biscotti) from around the city. Maybe Borough is a little like the city. Some days it's great, some days it just leaves you shaking your head. 12 E. 22nd St., (212) 260-0103.
Photo from nymag.com
Posted Oct. 3, 2007,
Restaurant of the Week: Morandi
By Jonathan Durbin
Keith McNally's West Village Italian was another one of 2007's high-profile restaurant openings -- an eatery whose relative merits (or lack thereof) fueled heated foodie debates, at least until the Waverly Inn hung out its shingle and started admitting civilians. Even if its dinner and lunch menus are unexceptional, Morandi now distinguishes itself by offering breakfast during the week, too. Sure, it's an extravagance to set the alarm for 6 a.m., haul yourself to the shower and then dash off to a restaurant, but the offerings here almost make it worthwhile: The fennel sausage ($5) is a delightfully musky way to start the day, especially when matched with the uova affogate ($11), poached eggs with peas, fava beans and artichokes. It's a homey pairing that warms the soul and soothes any early morning jitters over how profligate dining out for breakfast actually is. Less successful is the asparagi alla milanese ($12), a sunny-side-up egg served over asparagus and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese; simultaneously salty and bland, the dish detracted from the freshly squeezed orange juice ($6, served with ice) and espresso ($3.50). But the restaurant's outdoor tables and West Village vista make up for it. It's fun to people-watch, especially when you're watching people with wet hair and puffy eyes frantically try to hail cabs on Seventh Avenue without spraining an ankle or breaking a heel. On the morning in question, however, a furniture truck that spent 20 minutes trying to park before giving up and driving away blocked the view. Ah, New York. 211 Waverly Place, (212) 627-7575.
Posted Sep. 26, 2007,
Restaurant of the Week: Gemma
By Jonathan Durbin
Few restaurants have a higher profile than this Italian eatery snugly situated in the ground floor of the Bowery Hotel. Gemma is the work of hoteliers and restaurateurs Sean MacPherson and Eric Goode (The Maritime Hotel, Bowery Bar, Waverly Inn), two men who are enjoying a very party-pages sort of year. They enlisted Freeman's owner Taavo Somer to design the space, who went with a rustic Tuscan kitchen sort of vibe (rustic Tuscan kitchens being the natural habitat of models, celebrities and magazine editors, at least in 2007). The restaurant's executive chef is Chris D'Amico, who comes from the Maritime Hotel's Italian restaurant La Bottega. Gemma doesn't take reservations, employs at least one host with a waxed mustache, and is so faux-aged (dripping candelabras, iron chandeliers, countrified bric-a-brac) that just nabbing a table feels inauthentic, like an experience that happened to someone else that you read about somewhere, like maybe in, oh, Vanity Fair. So yes: The scene, at least at the moment, is the reason to drop by. But the service is impeccable and the food is decent. Starters like flori di zucca (lightly battered zucchini flowers with ricotta cheese, $10) and pomodorini e basilico (grape tomatoes and basil, $4) whet the appetite for competent mains like bistecca alla fiorentina (grilled porterhouse with roasted potatoes, $36) and the branzino al forno (sea bass served up with broccoli rabe, $19). The gelatina di prugna (plum cobbler with olive oil gelato, $8) is a nice way to finish. The food's nothing remarkable (although certainly priced like it is), but then, Gemma isn't about eating anyway. The Bowery Hotel, 335 Bowery, (212) 505-9100.
Posted Sep. 19, 2007,
Restaurant of the Week: Resto
By Julie Besonen
Here is what you may endure for the first-rate Belgian food at Resto: a 45-minute wait for a table, since no reservations are taken for parties under six; a two-deep crowd at the bar (some of whom fall under the category of office workers gone wild); and perhaps a party of eight nearby fashioning their napkins for I Dream of Jeannie impersonations, playing patty-cake and staging a sing-along that reverberates off the pressed-tin ceiling. In between yelling “What? What did you say?” we still managed to note a soundtrack ranging from David Bowie’s "Ziggy Stardust" to Aerosmith’s "Toys in the Attic." We were also still able to appreciate bar food like rich bitter ballen ($9)—fried balls of veal, pork and Gruyère dabbed with mustard. Deviled eggs atop squares of pork jowl toast ($8) were even richer. I liked how the pork toasts were served on a plank of tongue-and-groove floorboard, a good use of leftovers from the wood floor. Resto is economical in design (about 50 seats) and in menu choices, except for the long list of Belgian beers. These nuanced brews go well with housemade sausage ($6), cauldrons of sweet mussels ($18) and luscious beef cheeks cooked in beer ($19). Finger-thick frites come with nearly every dish. A selection of Belgian chocolates ($10-$23) is advised for dessert. I will want this food again, maybe when the late-night menu (starting at 11 p.m.) is in effect and the party crowd has moved on. 111 E. 29th St., (212) 685-5585
Posted Sep. 5, 2007,
Restaurant of the Week: Perilla
By Julie Besonen
Stars of reality shows don’t always do well in reality. Look at Rocco DiSpirito, ignominiously booted from The Restaurant. The first winner of Survivor, Richard Hatch, got sent to the pokey for tax evasion. And let’s not even get into certain bombshell blondes. But the fate of Harold Dieterle, the victor of Bravo’s first Top Chef season, looks sunny. His winnings helped finance culinary travels, as well as Perilla, the new West Village restaurant he opened with partner Alicia Nosenzo. The bistrolike space feels timeless, with a snappy bar, zebra-striped wood tables and a series of half-moon red booths. Other nice touches emerge, like lovely glassware, tiny bowls of sea salt and oatmeal-tamarind cookies sweetening the check presentation. The seasonal American menu wows without being flashy. A quivering quail egg nestles atop spicy duck meatballs the size of cocktail olives ($12). Bay scallops on the half shell get a zip of freshness from cucumber slivers ($11). Black-bean-glazed black cod is a glorious, fatty hunk of fish shrouding a mound of spaghetti squash and toasted almonds ($25). Nothing boring about crisp-roasted organic chicken, either, with peeled asparagus, hazelnuts and apricot ($21). The global wine and beer list -- which even features a porter from Finland! -- is inspired. And so are the desserts by Seth Caro -- ruby strawberries with ricotta cheesecake and a hint of tarragon ($9). I missed the first season of Top Chef but it’s not hard to see why Harold Dieterle won. 9 Jones St., (212) 929-6868.
Posted Aug. 29, 2007,
Restaurant of the Week: P*ONG
By Julie Besonen
P*ONG is a sexy, experimental idea factory devoted to the cult of idiosyncratic desserts, small-plate food and cocktails -- although not one dish or drink is anything you’d want to try at home. Consider the potent rhubarb caipirinha shaken up with cachaça, housemade rhubarb juice and precious first-harvest Japanese wasanbon sugar (a clue to why it costs $14). Or the shrimp and mango ceviche vibrantly spiked with Thai chili, cilantro and cachaça-lemongrass mist ($12). Pichet Ong, the former pastry chef at Spice Market, among other hotspots, is the owner and resident wizard at this sleek, pocket-sized West Village boîte. He and his crackerjack team are on view behind the bar, meticulously assembling (not cooking -- there is no stove) their curiously delectable combinations. Sweet Maine crab fuses beautifully with lemon, tarragon, chives and green-apple mousse ($15). If you have to make a choice between the walnut-crusted Stilton soufflé with basil-arugula ice cream ($14) and chevre cheesecake croquette with walnut, pineapple and chocolate-coffee fudge ($10), go for the latter. There is a fine line between appetizers and dessert here, with pinches of artisanal salt sharpening flavors in each category. On meats and fish you’ll taste smoked, bacon-y volcanic salt from Japan. On desserts like the fabulous malted chocolate tart with caramelized banana and Ovaltine ice cream ($12), you’ll feel the crunch of flaky English Maldon sea salt. Grazing is taken to a new level here, but it doesn’t come cheaply. 150 W. 10th St., (212) 929-0898.
Posted Aug. 23, 2007,
I Love My New Farmer's Market!
By Carol Lee
I'm in love with the new farmer's market in my neighborhood. (I live in the nether region wedged between the boozy Lower East Side and crazy Chinatown.) It sort of sprang out of nowhere and parked itself on Grand St. between Essex and Norfolk one Sunday and now it's my weekend ritual. There are only four to five stands on any given Sunday and the vendors usually sell honey, berries, greens, herbs, cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes, etc. from Upstate or Jersey. Because it's so small and my neighborhood is so un-gentrified, it just feels like an old-world outdoor market. I say more farmer's markets everywhere!!
Posted Aug. 22, 2007,
Restaurant of the Week: Cacio e Vino
By Julie Besonen
Lately, my travels have taught me that there’s a culinary love affair going on between Italy and Japan. Authentic Italian restaurants are all the rage in Tokyo, and in Rome the mania for sushi keeps growing. The East Village has a bundle of both cuisines, but Sicilian food -- bona fide Sicilian food -- is scarce. The new, dark and inviting Cacio e Vino is filling the gap. Italians sit to the right of me, and Japanese to my left: a sign that we’ve come to the right place. The chef and menu are pure Island of the Sun. Grassy Sicilian olive oil and sea salt add a glossy, crunchy finish to a pretty plate of grilled eggplant, zucchini and carrots ($9). A salad of fava beans, Sicilian Pecorino and mint ($10) is another tasty, zingy way to get your vegetables. Sicilian pasta classics are embodied in such dishes as the easy-to-love rigatoni alla Norma ($15) with tomato sauce, eggplant and ricotta salata. Juicy, sweet-salty bucatini comes with sardines, wild fennel, raisins, pine nuts and bread crumbs ($14). Both go well with the delicious and earthy Nero d’Avola ($9 per glass). At the back is a brightly tiled, blazing beehive oven, turning out lightly charred pizzas, crackling thin flatbreads and luscious calzone ($7-$8). Cacio e Vino is short-staffed by a manly team of waiters, who dash from table to table and hug friends, and sometimes notice you waving, sometimes don’t. Both the Italians and Japanese appear familiar with Sicilian ways: In no particular hurry and fine to linger until the 2 a.m. closing time. 80 Second Ave., (212) 228-3269.
Posted Aug. 15, 2007,
Restaurant of the Week: The Monday Room
By Charlotte Kaiser Weinberg
The Monday Room is neither a wine bar, restaurant nor lounge, and yet somehow manages to be all three. Located within PUBLIC, chef Brad Farmerie’s noted Nolita restaurant, the Monday Room shares not just a space but the same inventive decor thanks to the stylish flair of trendsetting design firm AvroKO, co-owner of both establishments. Though a la carte options are available, drinkers and diners will do best to leave themselves in the hands of Farmerie and resident wine guru Ruben Sanz Ramiro, a charming mustachioed Spaniard. Three-course flights of wine -- available in red and white, regular and deluxe -- range from $19 to $40. A five flight with food pairings will set you back $75, but the experience is definitely worthwhile. Among the standouts at a recent, four-hour sitting: silky, raw Tasmanian sea trout with piccalilli (chopped pickled vegetables) and shichimi (Japanese spice mixture), paired with a 2005 Valdeorras As Sortes, a light-gold hued Spanish wine made from 100% Godello grapes; and crispy Dukkah (Egyptian spice blend) crusted sweetbreads with celeriac and green-apple slaw served alongside Blaufrankisch, a medium-bodied 2004 red from Austrian producer Weingut Glatzer. The space has a mere 25 seats, so reservations are a must for this true oeno-gastro experience. 210 Elizabeth St., (212) 343-7011.
Posted Aug. 8, 2007,
Restaurant of the Week: Zipper Tavern
By Matthew Schneier
The sausage is much like the law in that you wouldn’t want to watch either being made, Otto von Bismarck once famously remarked. Chancellor Bismarck, perhaps preoccupied by affairs of state, forgot one important addition: That, at least so far as the sausage is concerned, you wouldn’t always want to watch it being served, either. This last bit of wisdom would be welcome at the Zipper Tavern, where an excess of visibility threatens an otherwise wholly agreeable exercise in pub grub. Zipper’s sausages -- in a selection of flavors from kielbasa to a crumbly anise-laced pork -- are all delicious, lovingly smoked in chef Larry Kolar’s Long Island backyard and served on a vinegary pile of house-made sauerkraut (three varieties for $17). But the cavernous dining room, which also features balcony seating and a raised stage, overwhelms what should be an intimate little haunt, an out-of-the-way place where you can give yourself bad breath in peace. Zipper would do well to eliminate some of its pomp and circumstance (stagey spotlights trained on some tables, for example, and the wide array of generally undistinguished appetizers and sandwiches, including a beef brisket appearing quite similar to pulled pork, $12 each) and focus on what it does so very well. As Zipper is an offshoot of the popular Zipper Theater right next door, its overacted antics are understandable but shouldn’t be encouraged. Go now -- and tell them you want your sausage, your beer and a table in the back. 336 W. 37th St., (212) 695-4600.
Photo from New York Magazine
Posted Aug. 1, 2007,
Restaurant of the Week (Don't Forget Edition): Lucky Strike
By Jonathan Durbin
Back when Keith McNally and Edward Youkilis opened this French bistro in 1989, SoHo wasn’t the upper-crust playground it is today -- all West Broadway soccer freaks and those who prefer their $9,000 Maarten Baas chair charred (hiya, Murray Moss!). But that doesn’t matter: Lucky Strike’s low-key, arts-friendly vibe survived the ’90s, two Internet booms and the daily infestation of hungry Barneys Co-Op shoppers. A new chef, Wen Chen (formerly of Odeon, among others), recently took over the kitchen, keeping the beloved menu items but adding his deft touch, and the food has rarely been better. The delicate sea bass ($23) with ginger and scallion is a dish that will satisfy even the strictest carnivores, and the classic steak au poivre ($25) arrives with a delightfully crisp stack of fries -- so hot and savory they’re like an endorsement for a continuing-ed class in French. Not that you need your French to enjoy appetizers like the grilled shrimp and tabouli salad ($11.50), or a soft-shelled crab special with succotash and curry oil ($12). More encouragement comes from the relatively inexpensive wines served by the glass, carafe and bottle, but for mixed-drink fans, the bar’s popular vanilla shanti (Stoli vanilla, Cointreau, fresh lime and lemon juice, pineapple juice and sugar; $9.50) is like a vacation in a martini glass. The space’s aged mirrors, model-esque clientele and Antonioni poster all work together beautifully, almost as though they’re advertising Europe. It’s enough to make you wonder if they’ve got a reciprocal arrangement with Air France. 59 Grand St., (212) 941-0772.
Posted Jul. 25, 2007,
Restaurant of the Week: Mercat
By Julie Besonen
Mercat is for the adventurous. The sexy, spirited Catalan-inspired restaurant (mercat means “market” in Catalan) spotlights curiosities like guinea hen, pork belly, snails, razor clams, sweetbreads and freshly-sliced jamon varieties, like llonganissa, xoric and fuet. The 90-seat space is industrial and rustic, with an open kitchen and an iron catwalk lined with wine bottles. The Spanish wine list is supplemented by a porron -- a glass watering can with a narrow spout used to pour wine down your throat while trying not to splash it on your face -- passed from table to table. The guys at the table next to us were particularly nimble at swallowing this fountain of alcohol, which regrettably inspired their dates to hoot and clap like hysterical cheerleaders. Were we at a frat party? This was a Tuesday night. What’s it like on the weekends? At any rate, many of the tapas plates are compelling enough to shut out the racket, especially the patatas bravas ($9), a bowl of crisp potatoes topped with hot squiggles of tomato-mayo-cayenne sauce. Moist and crunchy salt-cod fritters ($10), plump and juicy grilled sardines with salsa verde ($12) and spoon-tender pork belly with asparagus and water chestnuts ($17) were worth the cheerleading. However, a spiny, salty artichoke ($8) and a humdrum tangle of mushrooms and potato sticks sealed with a fried egg ($12) was not. Churros -- ridged, sugary pastry fingers ($6) -- were more my kind of party, especially when dipped in warm chocolate. 45 Bond St., (212) 529-8600.
Photo from www.eater.com
Posted Jul. 24, 2007,
Reality Bites: Top Chef's Camille Becerra
By Jon Boschetto
Welcome to Reality Bites, our new blog feature in which we'll be checking in and catching up with some of our favorite stars of the reality television circus. For this first installment, PAPERMAG roving correspondent Jon Boschetto interviewed Top Chef's Camille Becerra. Bon appétit!
Camille Becerra, one of this season's recently eliminated contestants on Bravo's Top Chef, is one tall glass of water. A tall glass of pretty, cool, and sometimes tart hibiscus-scented water. The Elizabeth, NJ, bred chef-entrepreneur fumbled this season with a bite-sized pineapple upside-down cake, but lucky for us denizens of New York's outer boroughs, Camille is back in the kitchen at her urban American boîte Paloma in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Camille took a few minutes from her busy schedule to dish out some goodies to PAPERMAG about her time in Miami, what she's up to now, and her take on the Brooklyn scene.
Jon Boschetto: Hey Camille, thanks for talking to us!
Camille Becerra: Of course, I love PAPER!
JB: And we love you. And reality TV. I heard that you never watched Top Chef before you were on it. That's crazy!
CB: Yeah, it was a surprise. It was a whirlwind. It started off with just getting a phone call from a friend who works the velvet ropes at Marquee, and he told me all the producers were in the club. And the next day I was talking to the casting directors about food and television, I went to LA for a couple more interviews, did a short film, and then I was in Miami, surrounded by cameras and all the other chefs from Top Chef!
Posted Jul. 18, 2007,
Restaurant of the Week: Fette Sau
By PAPERMAG Editors
I barely had time to slip out of my jacket before the guy sitting next to me at Fette Sau’s communal picnic table offered me a glass of Sixpoint Diesel Stout. “We ordered way too much,” he assured me as he poured my glass. I’m not used to such camaraderie with strangers at restaurants, but after taking a look around, it’s clear Williamsburg’s Fette Sau (meaning “fat pig” in German) isn’t your typical barbecue joint. A faux fire crackles away on a screen, and there is the smell of smoke in the air. Animated conversations carry on over big trays of food. It felt like being at the camp I never went to as a kid. From the owners of the quirky beer bar Spuyten Duyvil across the street, Fette Sau is a charming, no-frills shrine to meat. Walk up to the counter, peer into the glass case and see which cuts of meat they’ve got on hand for the night. Order by the pound and watch it get plopped onto butcher paper (don’t hold your breath for a plate; there aren’t any). Sadly, there was no pork butt on the evening we visited, but we made do with the pork spareribs ($11 per half rack). Although the meat didn’t fall off the bone, we loved biting into the blackened crust. Strips of flank steak ($20 per pound) were surprisingly juicy. Hearty baked beans ($5/$8) are studded with meat. Vegetarian hipsters might lament there’s nothing to keep them sustained here, but if they want to tag along with their carnivorous pals, the bar is a good place to perch for a local brew. 354 Metropolitan Ave., Williamsburg, (718) 963-3404. Alia Akkam
Photo by Pierce Jackson
For more reviews hot 'n' new restaurants around town, click here.
Posted Jul. 11, 2007,
Restaurant of the Week: Dizzy's Club Coca Cola
By PAPERMAG Editors
While dining at the Time Warner Center can be pricey and intimidating, there happens to be an oft overlooked diamond in the rough there, too. Tucked away on the fifth floor is Dizzy's, Jazz at Lincoln Center's coolest venue and a spot where one does not have to sit up straight and know which fork to use. Vast windows overlooking the twinkling lights of Central Park and a curvaceous, oak-toned room set an upscale urban backdrop for multi-culti jazz buffs, including Julliard youngsters and low-key pros (Eric Clapton). Along with the top-tier hepcat acts, the spot serves up casual, surprisingly good Southern-style grub with the help of Great Performances catering (also responsible for the yumminess at the Waverly at IFC). A chorizo and goat-cheese-stuffed poblano pepper ($10) came fried and flanked by a markedly fresh kidney-bean-and-corn salad; a satisfying stack of salami, mortadella, prosciutto and provolone on ciabatta made a fitting facsimile of a muffaletta ($11); and smoky, rice-filled "gumbolaya" ($14/$25) combined for a spicy, tomato-tinged hybrid of shrimp, crab, crawfish, andouille, tasso ham and chicken. Even the sides featured refreshing grace notes, like tender, mustard-touched Brussels sprouts ($5) and sweet-edged collard greens ($5). For a finale, the apple cranberry cobbler ($8) warmed the soul like a smooth sax solo. 10 Columbus Circle, 5th fl., (212) 258-9595. Kathleen Squires
Posted Jul. 4, 2007,
Restaurant of the Week: Ushi Wakamaru
By PAPERMAG Editors
Having irrationally concluded that Manhattan restaurants located on major east-west thoroughfares offer substandard fare, I initially dismissed Ushi Wakamaru as just another takeout joint I might order from once, be immediately disappointed in, then thereafter ignore entirely. The downstairs space has nothing to recommend it, style-wise: Painted institutional green, lit harshly and looking every bit like a discount nail salon, it's outshone by better-designed neighbors Tomoe Sushi, Yama and even Koo Sushi. But Ushi Wakamaru far outclasses all of those restaurants and is on par with the finest Japanese eateries in the city. In fact, chef Hideo Kuribara's food is so good he could be serving it from a hot-dog cart inside a Penn Station barbershop and still earn a loyal following. The menu (which just recently expanded to include English explanations of the Japanese specials) includes plenty of funky fish, which make great raw eating: Among the must-tries are sayori (needlefish), kinme (a fatty sort of red snapper) and the anago (tenderly cooked baby sea eel that here achieves about the same level of wonderful as that dish does at Blue Ribbon Sushi). Appetizers like the herring-roe cake, peeled eggplant soup, and the enoki mushroom and sake-marinated scallops (which arrive Flintstones-style, cooking in a clamshell on top of their own tabletop stone barbecue) look fascinating and taste even better. But stick with the sushi specials, and you'll see what I mean. 136 W. Houston St., (212) 228-4181. Jonathan Durbin
Photo from Food Candy
Posted Jun. 27, 2007,
Restaurant of the Week (Don't Forget Edition): Periyali
By PAPERMAG Editors
If you're a lover of classics, it's time to revisit the Greek gem Periyali in the Flatiron district. There is lust-for-life cause to celebrate -- though not of the plate-breaking, Zorba-dancing kind -- at this serene taverna celebrating 20 years in business. Owners Nicola Kotsoni and Steve Tzolis (also of Il Cantinori) have bestowed Periyali with gorgeous flower bouquets and a new coat of white paint, among other upgrades. James Henderson is the new chef, and while his name doesn't sound very Greek, his street food compilation of spinach pies, cheese pies and zucchini fritters ($10) tastes authentic. Think octopus is rubbery? Not here. I can't remember more tender tentacles, marinated in red wine and giving off a pleasant trace of charcoal ($14). Charcoal grilling also pervades a robust heap of oyster mushrooms ($14) and pink, meaty lamb chops redolent of rosemary ($29). Another standout appetizer is smoked-trout salad dressed with dill, lemon and olive oil ($12). Appropriately, seafood is impeccable, from an herb-flecked red snapper special to whole bra