Posts from — September 2009

Fried Sweet Plaintains

Ever since reading Dave Cook’s compelling description of the patacón sandwich in the $25 and under section of the NYT, El Cocotero had been on my list. An enormous Venezualan flag adorns the entrance of this otherwise unassuming little establishment where  reggaeton plays loudly and lighting is so dim that diners must resort to casting light from various digital devices in order to read the disproportionately extensive menu.

Besides a stunning array of sandwiches such as the Pabellon (Shredded beef with Black Beans and Sweet Plantains), made with crispy fried plantains instead of bread, there are also a variety of arepas (corn tortillas) with myriad fillings as well as numerous delicious-sounding main meals options suhc as the Camarone Cocotero (Sauteed Shrimp in Cilantro Pesto, Crispy Green Plantains and Salad). As you have probably noticed, plantain in all its glorious permuations are what this restaurant does best. Again and again, I can’t help but feel amazed at the stunning amount of severely underrated RGF available within walking distance of my West Village apartment! This proximity combined with a nostalgic longing for a childhood favorite, goreng pisang (moist, warm banana enveloped in a delicate flaky crust of fried batter), will ensure my frequent return.

Details: 228 W 18th St # 1 New York, NY 10011-4529 (+1-212-206-8930)

Panini with Proscuitto and Brie

If all establishments on the Upper East side have similarly uninspiring menus and abstemious portions, it is not surprising that the many inhabits remain unhealthily svelte.

Details: 1000 Madison Ave (bet 77th & 78th) New York, NY‎ (+1-212-570-2211‎)

Wiener Schnitzel with Lingonberries

While Wallsé appeared inviting, its rarified atmosphere did not sit well with the Austrian cuisine that I am accustomed to associate with boistrous beer halls and rowdy group dining. Though themed restaurants such as London’s Tiroler Hut play up on cliché, at least they succeed in achieving the end goal, a really good time had by all. If I were in the mood to dine in a place where other patrons’ outfits are more memorable than the food, I would go to a gastropub or better yet, a gastroclub.

Details: 344 W 11th St (at Washington St) New York, NY‎ (+1-212-352-2300‎)

Morimoto-style Chirashi (10-12 Different Fish and Vegetables) 

On what was a particularly dark and stormy night, I ventured out from my West Village abode with one goal in mind, to consume a steaming hot bowl of Morimoto’s “Iron Chef” Chicken Noodle Soup. It was an afterthought to order sushi (when in Rome…). Since starting to write about food I’ve tried very hard to become familiar with the vocabulary of menus, so having been completely wrong did make me feel a bit sheepish;  the Chirashi dish sounded like a safe sampler of chef’s choice sashimi. Yet, as you can see from the picture, the overflowing bounty of the bowl placed on my table was a surprise magnificent enough to outweigh any embarassment.

Chirashizushi, literal translation “scattered sushi,” is basically a chef’s choice of sashimi and vegetables over a bowl of sushi rice. My eternally pessimistic mother immediately concluded, “this is where they dump all the leftovers.” Perhaps this is a plausible explanation for the origins of the dish, but  definitely not the one I would apply to a restaurant of this calibre. From the maguro’s ethereal freshness to the tamago’s simple, supple sweetness, every ingredient was of the absolute highest quality. Wielding my chopsticks cautiously, I prospected for favored ingredients; turgid salmon eggs remained miraculously intact during their hurried ascept to my lips, tamago was savored and scoured for even after the last piece had been greedily devoured. Indeed, the entire dining experience is akin to that of digging for buried treasure of the extremely fragile variety; thrillingly gratifying and frighteningly addictive. If all mistakes lead to such rewards then I don’t ever want to be right.

Once again, I have been incredibly impressed with the excellence exhibited at a Stephen Starr restaurant. Can’t wait to find some time to travel out to Philadelphia to visit his offerings on home turf! 

Details: 88 10th Ave (at 16th St) New York, NY 10011-4721 (+1-212-989-8883)

Menchanko (Handmade Ramen Noodles in a Rich Soy Broth Individually Cooked in a Cast Iron Bowl with Chicken, Shrimp, Salmon Ball, Tofu, Rice Cake and Vegetables)

While Ippudo, Momofuku Noodle Bar, and Setagaya Ramen are the undisputed titans of the NYC ramen scene, if you find yourself in mid-town, stop in to sample the eponymous Menchanko dish. Besides the various ramen combinations, I recommend trying some of the oden offerings, with my own personal favorite being Satsumaage (Fried Fish Cake served in a Kelp Broth). As the weather grows colder, you could be grateful to know of such a secret hideaway where waitlists do not exist and handmade noodles may be slurped in relative tranquility. 

Details: 43 W 55th S (between 5th Ave & 6th) New York, NY 10019
(+1-212-247-1585)

Waffles with Seasonal Berries

For an escape from the mad Sunday brunch rush, set aside your aversion to ostentation and for a special treat (you deserve it!), for just one hour or perhaps even two, allow The Four Seaons to transport you to an oasis of calm where weekends are meant to be leisurely and you are allowed to request that second piece of cranberry walnut rainbread. 

Details: Four Seasons Hotel, 57 East 57th Street, New York, NY 10022 (+1-212-758-5700)

Scrambled Eggs with a Caviar Garnish

I wondered why my erstwhile party-animal friend Peng had picked a Soviet-inspired basement bar to celebrate his birthday. Then I caught sight of the menu and recognized the characteristic touch of restaurant mogul Keith McNally. Caviar after midnight is a party all by itself.

Details: 281 Lafayette St (bet Prince and E. Houston New York, NY 10012 (+1-212-226-4696)

Left: Grilled Chicken Necks with Yuzu Marmalade and Delfino by Wylie Dufresne of WD-50 

Right: Bo Ssäm by David Chang of Momofuku 

My life as an eater reached a stunning plateau last weekend when I attended Le Fooding d’amour and was able to meet two of my chef-heroes, WD-50′s Wylie Dufresne and Momofuku’s David Chang.

Having expended considerable effort to obtain tickets to Le Cliquot d’amour, what was supposed to be “an exclusive Champagne preview for the first 150 foodies…where they will be the first to sample the six exclusive recipes created by six premier chefs from New York and Paris,” I arrived promptly at the 6 pm start time elated and with an appetite. Perhaps the intention was to engender a visceral reminder of the cause of the event’s beneficiary, Action Against  Hunger, but to be kept waiting a full thirty minutes while delicious flavors wafted over the walls of P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center bordered on outright cruelty.

As the various marinated meats on the menu sizzled on Broil King Imperial BBQs and sent up the heady aromas of beef, chicken, and best of all, pork , I got a free lesson in Manhattanite outrage. “Isn’t there another VIP entrance somwhere?” a statuesque woman inquired. “VIP my a**. I am going to call up Amex to block the charge,” an iPhone-weilding man proclaimed.  Hell hath no fury like the disgruntlement of the entitled.

Yet, as my friend Allison and I realized shortly after the floodgates were opened and we dashed delightedly through a maze of weird architectural formations draped in burlap, we really were extremely privileged; there were chefs afoot. For me, one of the event’s main draws had been the chance to finally sample Momofuku’s Bo Ssäm, a dish that serves 6-10 people, and when served at Momofuku Ssäm Bar, must ordinarily be ordered in advance. I had no idea that chef-owner David Chang himself would be rolling up his sleeves and serving lettuce-wrapped pork butt personally! 

Shyly, we approached the Momofuku stand, where assistant chefs were hard at work grilling and plating. Even more shyly, we introduced ourselves. “Ming and I actually met at one of your restaurants,” Allison revealed. Embarassed by the lightning storm of flashes emanating from my point-and-shoot, I had turned to the diners seated on the high bar stools next to me apologetically. Yet, in the next second I was being told about LookWhatWeAte.com, Allison’s own food blog. Food has a way of bringing people together like that.

Yes, Chang’s Bo Ssäm was divine, and yes, Dufresne’s grilled chicken necks did not disappoint, but to be honest my recollection of the event is entirely overpowered by the personalities of these two food luminaries. I will confess an embarassing and all-encompassing giddiness, but will also say that sometimes it is necessary to be reminded that behind every good restaurant is a person who really loves food. To consume glorious, decadent foods is to have pleasure, but to do so in great company is to truly make a memory.

Details: P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, 22-25 Jackson Ave Long Island City, NY 11101-4309 (+1 718-784-2084)

Burger (Medium) with with Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Sliced Pickles, Mustard, Ketchup, and Mayo

Behind a crimson-curtained passageway in the upscale Parker Meridien hotel lies a not-so-well-kept secret. The line of t-shirt clad pilgrims was a signal beacon even brighter than the twisted tubes of the multicolored neon sign. Ensconced within this ivory tower of business travel, home to Norma’s, citadel of the power breakfast, lies the no-frills Burger Joint. Playing into the current craze for speakeasies, perhaps it is this very incongruity that adds charm.

Menu options are “Hamburger,” “Cheeseburger,” and for vegetarians, “Grilled Cheese.” I was refreshed to read the disclaimer, “If you don’t see it, we don’t have it.” Take that finicky Manhattanite eaters! Although finding enough seats for my group of ten colleagues posed quite a challenge, staff were not shy about making a good-natured plea on our behalf. Settled into a booth with a strawberry milkshake, a greasepaper-wrapped cheeseburger, and a brown paper bag brimming with crisp, thinly-cut fries, I was in after-work nirvana. The burger itself may not have been on par with Brooklyn’s DuMont, but for a Tuesday evening in midtown Manhattan, it certainly hit the spot.

Details: Le Parker Meridien, 118 W 57th St New York, NY 10019-3391 (+1-212-765-4579)

 American Sturgeon Caviar

If you’ve just been to one of those dinner parties where portions are small and the waist sizes of female guests smaller, retreat to Blue Ribbon Brasserie for a real meal.  Although the bone marrow is exalted at length in Phoebe Damrosch’s Service Included, and in my opinion is the best in the city, the raw bar offerings are also well worth trying. Open until 4am, the tables in this dimly-lit bistro are often occupied by the after-hours restauranteur crowd, so unless you have a party over 6 and can make a reservation, be prepared for a wait.

Details: 119 Sullivan St New York, NY 10012 (+1-212-274-0404)