Still haven't decided what to serve the guests tonight at your New Year's Eve bash? Well, you have about 30 minutes to run over to The Ravioli Store in SoHo. Their seasonal raviolis (Yukon potato truffle in chive pasta, butternut squash and sweet potato in sweet potato pasta, and duck confit in egg pasta) are sure to be the life of the party.
The Ravioli Store: 75 Sullivan St., (212) 925-1737. Open till 5 p.m. today unless there is a great rush of customers, in which case they plan to stay open later.
Friday, December 31, 2004
Thursday, December 30, 2004
EN Japanese Brasserie
TriBeCa is becoming the mecca for innovative Japanese cuisine, first with Nobu, now Megu and EN Japanese Brasserie. My companion and I had wanted to dine at EN ever since reading about their housemade tofu, produced on a movie-like schedule every night (6, 7:30, 9, 10:30 and 11:30 p.m.).
We were led to a communal table around a sand garden lit with votives. (There are also private rooms, a sushi bar, large tables and a separate bar and lounge area.) After bathing our hands in hot towels, we proceeded to be completely overwhelmed by the menu, which was divided into: tofu/yuba appetizers, small cold plates, small hot plates, large grill and kitchen plates, rice and noodles, and sushi/sashimi. The drink selection was equally overwhelming, including alcoholic beverages made from barley, sweet potato, sugar cane, buckwheat and rice in addition to wine and sake. (We settled on the non-alcoholic barley tea, Japanese peach juice and aloe juice.)
There were so many intriguing-sounding dishes... garlic shiso fried rice, miso-grilled black cod... that we gave up on trying to decide between them and ordered the 7-course omakase for two. The waiter informed us that although each course would be chosen especially by the chef, any dishes that we were particularly attached to could be included. I knew we would want the seared belly of tuna, but that was the only decision I made.
Our first course was a trio of cold appetizers: gelatinous green konnyaku in a bracing miso vinaigrette, creamy fresh tofu custard which we splashed with ginger soy sauce, and thin slices of Kyoto-style yuba "sashimi". The yuba, which is the byproduct of making soymilk, had the chewy consistency of part-skim mozzarella and a mild milk taste.
After this refreshing course, we were served a bowl of mugwort wheat gnocchi in a daikon radish and ginger broth. Then, we received what was perhaps the highlight of my night: the chu-toro course! Five seared slabs of fatty belly tuna were hot pink rainbows of pure pleasure. Slightly charred on the outside, on the inside they were meaty and meltingly tender.
The next item on the agenda was oyster teriyaki: a plump oyster, chosen for its extra-large liver, sat atop a dense potato-like daikon cylinder.
By this time we were already full, but there were still three courses left! The two courses before dessert were a grill-your-own Wagyu beef and a sushi course. It was fun to grill the tender pieces of marbled Wagyu on a hot stone for 5 seconds on each side, and the accompanying matsutake mushrooms (apparently prized as an aphrodisiac!) were unique and flavorful.
The sushi course, which arrived with a bowl of crab miso soup, was a meal in itself. There were five pieces of sushi, including creamy, sweet sea urchin, fresh-water eel, tuna, snapper and yellowtail, and a few pieces of cucumber eel maki. Each piece of fish was sparklingly fresh.
Finally, it was time for the generous dessert: soba tea pudding. The rich milk custard was faintly nutty with the taste of buckwheat. On another occasion, I might have enjoyed something more elaborate such as wagashi (multi-colored Japanese pastries), but this epic meal was best ended with simplicity.
EN Japanese Brasserie: 435 Hudson St., (212) 647-9196.
We were led to a communal table around a sand garden lit with votives. (There are also private rooms, a sushi bar, large tables and a separate bar and lounge area.) After bathing our hands in hot towels, we proceeded to be completely overwhelmed by the menu, which was divided into: tofu/yuba appetizers, small cold plates, small hot plates, large grill and kitchen plates, rice and noodles, and sushi/sashimi. The drink selection was equally overwhelming, including alcoholic beverages made from barley, sweet potato, sugar cane, buckwheat and rice in addition to wine and sake. (We settled on the non-alcoholic barley tea, Japanese peach juice and aloe juice.)
There were so many intriguing-sounding dishes... garlic shiso fried rice, miso-grilled black cod... that we gave up on trying to decide between them and ordered the 7-course omakase for two. The waiter informed us that although each course would be chosen especially by the chef, any dishes that we were particularly attached to could be included. I knew we would want the seared belly of tuna, but that was the only decision I made.
Our first course was a trio of cold appetizers: gelatinous green konnyaku in a bracing miso vinaigrette, creamy fresh tofu custard which we splashed with ginger soy sauce, and thin slices of Kyoto-style yuba "sashimi". The yuba, which is the byproduct of making soymilk, had the chewy consistency of part-skim mozzarella and a mild milk taste.
After this refreshing course, we were served a bowl of mugwort wheat gnocchi in a daikon radish and ginger broth. Then, we received what was perhaps the highlight of my night: the chu-toro course! Five seared slabs of fatty belly tuna were hot pink rainbows of pure pleasure. Slightly charred on the outside, on the inside they were meaty and meltingly tender.
The next item on the agenda was oyster teriyaki: a plump oyster, chosen for its extra-large liver, sat atop a dense potato-like daikon cylinder.
By this time we were already full, but there were still three courses left! The two courses before dessert were a grill-your-own Wagyu beef and a sushi course. It was fun to grill the tender pieces of marbled Wagyu on a hot stone for 5 seconds on each side, and the accompanying matsutake mushrooms (apparently prized as an aphrodisiac!) were unique and flavorful.
The sushi course, which arrived with a bowl of crab miso soup, was a meal in itself. There were five pieces of sushi, including creamy, sweet sea urchin, fresh-water eel, tuna, snapper and yellowtail, and a few pieces of cucumber eel maki. Each piece of fish was sparklingly fresh.
Finally, it was time for the generous dessert: soba tea pudding. The rich milk custard was faintly nutty with the taste of buckwheat. On another occasion, I might have enjoyed something more elaborate such as wagashi (multi-colored Japanese pastries), but this epic meal was best ended with simplicity.
EN Japanese Brasserie: 435 Hudson St., (212) 647-9196.
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
Battle of the Brunches (Part 2): Arepas
Note: It's been quite a while since I conducted an informal battle of the brunches. I hope to do this with increasing frequency.
I'm a big fan of anything made with cornmeal: polenta, tortillas, cornbread, grits, pupusas, and, of course, the delightful Venezuelan arepa. This white cornmeal cake is not only a sturdy pocket for various fillings such as cheese or roast meat, but it's also tasty with just a pat of butter. This week, I compared the arepa breakfasts at two Venezuelan cafes in the East Village: Flor's Kitchen and Caracas Arepa Bar.
At Caracas Arepa Bar, I ordered the Desayuno Criollo ($9.95) and received a large plate of huevos pericos, or eggs scrambled with peppers, onions and tomatoes, a healthy portion of black beans (shredded beef is also an option), a small salad with tomatoes and hearts of palm, a tropical juice (I chose guava) and a plain arepa. The scrambled eggs were fluffy and the guava juice was thick and sweet. However, the arepa was a disappointment: small and hard, it was rather more like a biscuit.
I had the exact opposite experience at Flor's Kitchen (which recently opened up a new location in the West Village due to its extreme popularity - NOTE: 1st Ave. location closed in 2007). I again ordered the huevos pericos ($6.50, with fried plantains instead of beans and salad) and a guava juice. The juice was iced and tart instead of sweet, and the scrambled eggs were unappealingly watery. But the arepa: what a revelation! Moist, light, buttery and piping hot, it was everything the ideal cornmeal cake should be. In the future, I guess I'll just have to make an afternoon of my arepas and brunch at both restaurants on the same day.
Caracas Arepa Bar: 91 East 7th St., (212) 228-5062. Flor's Kitchen: 149 1st Ave., (212) 387-8949.
I'm a big fan of anything made with cornmeal: polenta, tortillas, cornbread, grits, pupusas, and, of course, the delightful Venezuelan arepa. This white cornmeal cake is not only a sturdy pocket for various fillings such as cheese or roast meat, but it's also tasty with just a pat of butter. This week, I compared the arepa breakfasts at two Venezuelan cafes in the East Village: Flor's Kitchen and Caracas Arepa Bar.
At Caracas Arepa Bar, I ordered the Desayuno Criollo ($9.95) and received a large plate of huevos pericos, or eggs scrambled with peppers, onions and tomatoes, a healthy portion of black beans (shredded beef is also an option), a small salad with tomatoes and hearts of palm, a tropical juice (I chose guava) and a plain arepa. The scrambled eggs were fluffy and the guava juice was thick and sweet. However, the arepa was a disappointment: small and hard, it was rather more like a biscuit.
I had the exact opposite experience at Flor's Kitchen (which recently opened up a new location in the West Village due to its extreme popularity - NOTE: 1st Ave. location closed in 2007). I again ordered the huevos pericos ($6.50, with fried plantains instead of beans and salad) and a guava juice. The juice was iced and tart instead of sweet, and the scrambled eggs were unappealingly watery. But the arepa: what a revelation! Moist, light, buttery and piping hot, it was everything the ideal cornmeal cake should be. In the future, I guess I'll just have to make an afternoon of my arepas and brunch at both restaurants on the same day.
Caracas Arepa Bar: 91 East 7th St., (212) 228-5062. Flor's Kitchen: 149 1st Ave., (212) 387-8949.
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Podunk
On my way to check out Jewel Bako Robatayaki (which, contrary to media reports, has not yet opened), I became aware of the charming existence of Podunk, a tiny tea room that would fit right into a small New England town.
Along with a homey atmosphere, Podunk offers an impressive, ever-changing assortment of home-baked goods. There are both sweet and savory scones (today: cranberry, strawberry, spinach feta and Andouille sausage), tarts, herbed foccaccias, and brownies with that sticky, caramel chewiness that results from a generous hand with the butter. (I was also very taken with the flaky, buttery scones.)
Podunk: 231 East 5th St., (212) 677-7722.
Along with a homey atmosphere, Podunk offers an impressive, ever-changing assortment of home-baked goods. There are both sweet and savory scones (today: cranberry, strawberry, spinach feta and Andouille sausage), tarts, herbed foccaccias, and brownies with that sticky, caramel chewiness that results from a generous hand with the butter. (I was also very taken with the flaky, buttery scones.)
Podunk: 231 East 5th St., (212) 677-7722.
Monday, December 20, 2004
The Perfect Coffeemaker For New Yorkers
If you're like most New Yorkers, you have no time and even less kitchen space. You needed a cup of strong coffee this morning, but in your haste to get home last night, you forgot to buy filters for the machine.
I had solved my filter dilemma by making coffee with the filterless Saeco Vienna Deluxe. Every morning, I would fill the machine with Sumatran coffee beans and watch the grinding and tamping with admiration. However, the Deluxe was quite messy to clean, as I had to open it up, withdraw several different compartments, and scrub off layers of coffee grounds. The machine also claimed a lot of precious counter space.
Enter the amazing Nespresso coffeemaker. Tiny in comparison to my Saeco Deluxe, it uses capsules of ground coffee to produce astonishingly good coffee. You can make a large or small cup, and there are 10 different strengths available. I was very skeptical at first; how could a capsule compare to freshly ground beans? But my Arpeggio coffee was smooth, rich and topped with a fine layer of crema.
Best of all, the machine requires almost no cleaning; you just empty the capsule compartment!
I had solved my filter dilemma by making coffee with the filterless Saeco Vienna Deluxe. Every morning, I would fill the machine with Sumatran coffee beans and watch the grinding and tamping with admiration. However, the Deluxe was quite messy to clean, as I had to open it up, withdraw several different compartments, and scrub off layers of coffee grounds. The machine also claimed a lot of precious counter space.
Enter the amazing Nespresso coffeemaker. Tiny in comparison to my Saeco Deluxe, it uses capsules of ground coffee to produce astonishingly good coffee. You can make a large or small cup, and there are 10 different strengths available. I was very skeptical at first; how could a capsule compare to freshly ground beans? But my Arpeggio coffee was smooth, rich and topped with a fine layer of crema.
Best of all, the machine requires almost no cleaning; you just empty the capsule compartment!
Hearth
I'd been dying to visit Hearth ever since I saw that the restaurant had won a Best Desserts of 2004 award. After weeks of trying, I was finally able to secure a reservation for my birthday!
The weather was especially frigid last night, and Hearth's spiced masala chocolate, buttered rum, greenmarket cider, and mulled wine sounded like the perfect antidote. However, unbeknownst to me, my mother (who lives in Florida) had called the restaurant beforehand and ordered us a bottle of champagne. (I don't know how she got the number, because I don't even remember telling her where we were going!)
This warm gesture set the mood for a lovely evening. Our waitress brought by the amuse-bouche, a small glass of creamy parsnip soup. After a salad of baby lettuce and beets in a shallot-red wine vinaigrette, we anxiously awaited the red snapper crudo appetizer. What a luxurious dish it was! The paper-thin slices of pristine pink fish were accented with fried rosemary leaves, grains of sea salt and preserved lemon. Each slice of snapper was served atop a small mound of minced fish to mimic a sushi preparation.
The gnocchi were divine. I instantly forgot all of those regrettable potato gumdrops I'd consumed in the past. These were light as air and melted in my mouth in a puff of butter, pepper and Parmesan.
We then indulged in the roasted striped bass in black truffle vinaigrette on a parsley root puree, which was served with sweet-as-honey parsnips, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower, and a plate of roasted dry-aged sirloin and braised shortribs au jus with mustard greens, turnips, and baby beets. By now we were quite full, but no birthday dinner should lack dessert! So, we ordered the tangy goat-milk panna cotta and the moist olive oil cake, which came with a scoop of burnt-sugar ice cream and spiced roasted pears. A bit of sea salt brought out the sweetness in the cake. (Charmingly, the pastry chef had iced "Happy Birthday" on the edges of the plate.)
We finished with some Guatemala Antigua rich coffee, but there was yet one more surprise. The waitress, instead of bringing over the bill, informed us that my mother had decided to pick up the check. (Thanks, Mom!)
Hearth: 403 East 12th St., (646) 602-1300.
The weather was especially frigid last night, and Hearth's spiced masala chocolate, buttered rum, greenmarket cider, and mulled wine sounded like the perfect antidote. However, unbeknownst to me, my mother (who lives in Florida) had called the restaurant beforehand and ordered us a bottle of champagne. (I don't know how she got the number, because I don't even remember telling her where we were going!)
This warm gesture set the mood for a lovely evening. Our waitress brought by the amuse-bouche, a small glass of creamy parsnip soup. After a salad of baby lettuce and beets in a shallot-red wine vinaigrette, we anxiously awaited the red snapper crudo appetizer. What a luxurious dish it was! The paper-thin slices of pristine pink fish were accented with fried rosemary leaves, grains of sea salt and preserved lemon. Each slice of snapper was served atop a small mound of minced fish to mimic a sushi preparation.
The gnocchi were divine. I instantly forgot all of those regrettable potato gumdrops I'd consumed in the past. These were light as air and melted in my mouth in a puff of butter, pepper and Parmesan.
We then indulged in the roasted striped bass in black truffle vinaigrette on a parsley root puree, which was served with sweet-as-honey parsnips, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower, and a plate of roasted dry-aged sirloin and braised shortribs au jus with mustard greens, turnips, and baby beets. By now we were quite full, but no birthday dinner should lack dessert! So, we ordered the tangy goat-milk panna cotta and the moist olive oil cake, which came with a scoop of burnt-sugar ice cream and spiced roasted pears. A bit of sea salt brought out the sweetness in the cake. (Charmingly, the pastry chef had iced "Happy Birthday" on the edges of the plate.)
We finished with some Guatemala Antigua rich coffee, but there was yet one more surprise. The waitress, instead of bringing over the bill, informed us that my mother had decided to pick up the check. (Thanks, Mom!)
Hearth: 403 East 12th St., (646) 602-1300.
Friday, December 17, 2004
Nice Matin
Open since April 2003, Nice Matin has lost none of its buzz; the restaurant was absolutely packed last night. And after just one bite of the fava bean tortelloni, I could see why. Our food was so appealing that even the picky eater among us forgot to be picky.
I chose Nice Matin because I was charmed to see a "Five-Napkin Burger" on the otherwise Provencal menu. This would be just the thing for our beloved picky eater, while I could order the grilled sea bass with olive-oil stewed artichokes.
The menu listed both hors d'oeuvres, like sardines and panisses, and larger appetizers. I knew that everyone would enjoy the panisses (chick-pea fritters cut in French-fry-like rectangles and served with garlic mayonnaise), but I had no idea how fast they would disappear! People who had never seen a garbanzo bean inhaled them, and soon it was time to order seconds.
The experience was repeated with the tortelloni. The plump pouches of noodle, each stuffed with a bit of green fava, were generously buttered and soon devoured. (This time, the picky eater ordered another round.) We also enjoyed a white bean and bacon soup, and a refreshing frisee, pear, orange and almond salad.
By now, I was half-stuffed, but it was time for our crowd-pleasing entrees: the aforementioned burger (sans Comte cheese), the classic steak frites (a giant piece of meat), and my delectable grilled sea bass, which was served on a bed of rich pureed potatoes and surrounded by olive oil-bathed artichokes.
No sooner had I finished the last bite that the dessert menu arrived. There were several flavors of homemade ice creams and sorbets, such as cinnamon and green apple. But I had my heart set on a more substantial dessert and mustered up my little remaining appetite to enjoy the gingerbread trifle and mascarpone mousse. It arrived in a lovely little parfait glass, which was soon emptied by... the picky eater.
Nice Matin: 201 West 79th St., (212) 873-6423.
I chose Nice Matin because I was charmed to see a "Five-Napkin Burger" on the otherwise Provencal menu. This would be just the thing for our beloved picky eater, while I could order the grilled sea bass with olive-oil stewed artichokes.
The menu listed both hors d'oeuvres, like sardines and panisses, and larger appetizers. I knew that everyone would enjoy the panisses (chick-pea fritters cut in French-fry-like rectangles and served with garlic mayonnaise), but I had no idea how fast they would disappear! People who had never seen a garbanzo bean inhaled them, and soon it was time to order seconds.
The experience was repeated with the tortelloni. The plump pouches of noodle, each stuffed with a bit of green fava, were generously buttered and soon devoured. (This time, the picky eater ordered another round.) We also enjoyed a white bean and bacon soup, and a refreshing frisee, pear, orange and almond salad.
By now, I was half-stuffed, but it was time for our crowd-pleasing entrees: the aforementioned burger (sans Comte cheese), the classic steak frites (a giant piece of meat), and my delectable grilled sea bass, which was served on a bed of rich pureed potatoes and surrounded by olive oil-bathed artichokes.
No sooner had I finished the last bite that the dessert menu arrived. There were several flavors of homemade ice creams and sorbets, such as cinnamon and green apple. But I had my heart set on a more substantial dessert and mustered up my little remaining appetite to enjoy the gingerbread trifle and mascarpone mousse. It arrived in a lovely little parfait glass, which was soon emptied by... the picky eater.
Nice Matin: 201 West 79th St., (212) 873-6423.
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
Sweets News
NYC is a city of every imaginable dessert, from chocolates to cream puffs to brownies. Up until now, however, our city hasn't been known for its beignets. That could change with the opening of The Bourgeois Pig, a cozy New Orleans-style cafe which specializes in the sugar-dusted fritters. Order a plain or a chocolate-filled beignet with a mug of strong coffee, and you'll be instantly transported to the French Quarter without even having to leave Manhattan.
The Bourgeois Pig: 122 East 7th St., (212) 475-2246.
The Bourgeois Pig: 122 East 7th St., (212) 475-2246.
Monday, December 06, 2004
Kitchen Arts & Letters
If you were thinking of (gasp) cooking for the holidays, you'll find plenty of inspiration at the only NYC bookstore completely devoted to the subject of food: Kitchen Arts & Letters. KAL offers an extraordinary variety of cookbooks, but for those of us more inclined to dine out, there's also a great selection of NYC food guides such as New York’s 50+ Best Places to Enjoy Dessert. (You'll find this particular gem right by the cash register.)
Kitchen Arts & Letters: 1435 Lexington Ave., (212) 876-5550.
Kitchen Arts & Letters: 1435 Lexington Ave., (212) 876-5550.
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Pure Food And Wine
Feeling rather sheepish about my Thanksgiving overindulgence, I opted for a healthier meal last night. I invited two friends to Pure Food And Wine, the 8-month-old raw-foods restaurant in Gramercy Park. (It's also the city's only raw-foods restaurant that serves saketinis.)
Our meal ended up being surprisingly hearty, much more so than in previous raw-foods experiences. Although the portions were not large, we were reasonably stuffed after two appetizers, three entrees and two desserts. We began with the cauliflower samosas, served on a square plate and drizzled with banana tamarind sauce, and the young coconut noodles interspersed with julienned radish and papaya in a spicy coriander peanut sauce. Coconut was to feature prominently in the evening's dishes, forming the samosa pockets and providing richness in the desserts.
The entrees were as follows: a zucchini tomato lasagna with pine nut cheese and fresh basil pesto (the tomatoes were summer-ripe), beet ravioli stuffed with a surprisingly ricotta-like cashew cheese (my favorite entrée), and three corn tortillas filled with chunky guacamole and tomato-lime salsa. Although I am not accustomed to food served below 118 degrees, the intense flavors and garden-fresh ingredients made the meal a satisfying one.
Dessert was perhaps the highlight of the evening. The pumpkin pie (a misnomer, as the filling is made from carrots) was a delicious tart on a nut crust with a scoop of ginger ice cream, and dark chocolate ganache cake was surely the richest item on the menu. I wondered how the chef was able to so closely approximate the dense consistency of a flourless chocolate cake; the waiter informed us that the cake contained only cocoa, maple syrup and coconut oil. So much for my ascetic meal!
Pure Food And Wine: 54 Irving Place, (212) 477-1010.
Our meal ended up being surprisingly hearty, much more so than in previous raw-foods experiences. Although the portions were not large, we were reasonably stuffed after two appetizers, three entrees and two desserts. We began with the cauliflower samosas, served on a square plate and drizzled with banana tamarind sauce, and the young coconut noodles interspersed with julienned radish and papaya in a spicy coriander peanut sauce. Coconut was to feature prominently in the evening's dishes, forming the samosa pockets and providing richness in the desserts.
The entrees were as follows: a zucchini tomato lasagna with pine nut cheese and fresh basil pesto (the tomatoes were summer-ripe), beet ravioli stuffed with a surprisingly ricotta-like cashew cheese (my favorite entrée), and three corn tortillas filled with chunky guacamole and tomato-lime salsa. Although I am not accustomed to food served below 118 degrees, the intense flavors and garden-fresh ingredients made the meal a satisfying one.
Dessert was perhaps the highlight of the evening. The pumpkin pie (a misnomer, as the filling is made from carrots) was a delicious tart on a nut crust with a scoop of ginger ice cream, and dark chocolate ganache cake was surely the richest item on the menu. I wondered how the chef was able to so closely approximate the dense consistency of a flourless chocolate cake; the waiter informed us that the cake contained only cocoa, maple syrup and coconut oil. So much for my ascetic meal!
Pure Food And Wine: 54 Irving Place, (212) 477-1010.
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