Rhinebeck, a small village by the Hudson, boasts a disproportionate amount of gourmet delights. The Culinary Institute of America has a campus nearby, and some of the alumni stick around to feed the lucky natives. The influence of the school, combined with the wealth of local orchards and farms, ensures a delicious experience for miles around.
My companion took a one-day culinary survey of the town this past Saturday. We began at Terrapin Restaurant (37 Montgomery St., 845-876-3330), which is known for its inventive tapas and extensive wine selection. The creamy roasted garlic soup was zesty and soothing, and I greatly enjoyed a Fontina and onion quesadilla -its crisp flour tortilla oozed with cheese and was topped with a spoonful of salsa. (We felt that the macadamia-crusted calamari were somewhat less successful; the batter was reminiscent of what you would find around an onion ring, and the squid were chewy instead of tender.) We finished with a grilled Nutella sandwich and banana ice cream.
Next it was on to the Olde Hudson (6423 Montgomery St., 845-876-3933), a delightful little gourmet shop with barrels of olives and a variety of chocolates including those made by Jake Novick-Finder, a 14-year-old who trained in Paris and at NYC's own Chanterelle. The Jakery is the name of this precocious teen's truffle company (845-406-2796).
I was deeply impressed by Rhinebeck Health Foods (24 Garden St. 845-876-2005), which is not just for health nuts! In addition to bulk spices, organic pasta, and produce, the store features a wonderful imported cheese section (Mimolette, Fromage D'Affinois, etc.) and organic London Broil. The shop's casual Garden Street Cafe serves up a menu of soups, salads and wraps.
I imagine that no trip to Rhinebeck would be complete without a chewy white chocolate chip/dried apricot cookie at Samuel's of Rhinebeck, Inc. (42 East Market St., 888-726-8351). In addition to coffee and tea, Samuel's sells chocolate-covered plums, Sarabeth's preserves, and an enticing "Hot Fudge Sundae Cone" mix. Just open the "cone," heat up some cream with the chocolate powder, add to your favorite ice cream and sprinkle with the included chocolate chips and marshmallows.
The highlight of our day was a 4-course prix fixe dinner (at $55, a steal) in the Belvedere Mansion. CIA-trained chef Robert Mayerat presides over the French-inspired, constantly changing menu. We loved the shredded duck crostini served with a Brie souffle, the Stilton-crumbled arugula-frisee salad, the Alaskan salmon with shavings of black truffle and horseradish mashed potatoes, and especially the warm chocolate ganache cake accompanied by chocolate ice cream and crisp spun sugar.
If you'd like to experience your own day of deliciousness in Rhinebeck, the annual Taste of Rhinebeck will be held on Monday, March 20th! Call 845-871-3505 for more information.
Monday, February 27, 2006
Monday, February 20, 2006
5 Ninth
The Meatpacking District was uncharacteristically deserted on a chilly Monday night. As I sat down at 5 Ninth's rustic bar to wait for a friend, the bartender remarked that we'd have no problem finding a table. Indeed, for the first 30 minutes of our meal, we had the intimate, votive-lit restaurant all to ourselves. Then, the room slowly filled with regulars and excited initiates. (Next to us was a couple so enthralled with the menu that they ordered enough appetizers for 4 people.)
5 Ninth's Asian-influenced menu makes much use of pork. There are entrees of pork ribs and pork shoulder, two roast pork sandwiches, and a Berkshire pork belly appetizer. The menu also emphasizes sweet flavors such as Szechuan caramel, palm sugar chili paste and Vietnamese mint. We were also to discover a penchant for spice. The Italian bread was accompanied by chili dipping oil. Slices of green chilis fired up my yellowtail sashimi appetizer, and a whole red chili arrived with the Berkshire pork belly. The sweet-glazed, luscious slabs of pork lay atop a pile of garlicky, spicy long beans. The waiter advised us to punctuate a bite of pork with a bite of chili, and to then cool down the palate with a sticky rice cake.
Hot spices have an amazing ability to stimulate the appetite, so we were quite ready for the butter-and-sriracha-braised Jamison Farm lamb in chili lamb jus with gingered Chinese broccoli and crispy fried rice cakes, and the seared bass with pickled garlic, Japanese mushrooms and greens. The bass's skin was nicely crisp, but the portion was a bit small for me, so I needed to order a side of jasmine rice. (Sticky rice is also available.) Actually, I would've liked a whole order of the delectable rice cakes!
My friend doesn't have much of a sweet tooth, so she abstained from dessert, instead ordering a glass of Anton Bauer Gruner Veltliner. (My sweet tooth is enough for two, anyway.) Desserts included banana spring rolls and carrot spice cake; I chose the fresh doughnuts with hot chocolate and coconut sorbet. The four sugar-sprinkled, golden-brown doughnuts were heaped into a small white bowl. I rolled the hot fried globes around with my fork to catch all the excess sugar. Although the waiter recommended that I dip the doughnuts in the hot chocolate, I really preferred them on their own!
A small boy ran upstairs into the dining room. (I wanted to offer him a doughnut.) "Hudson, come here," called his mother. Has the Meatpacking District has become so trendy that people are naming their kids after its streets?
5 Ninth: 5 Ninth Ave., (surprised?) (212) 929-9460.
5 Ninth's Asian-influenced menu makes much use of pork. There are entrees of pork ribs and pork shoulder, two roast pork sandwiches, and a Berkshire pork belly appetizer. The menu also emphasizes sweet flavors such as Szechuan caramel, palm sugar chili paste and Vietnamese mint. We were also to discover a penchant for spice. The Italian bread was accompanied by chili dipping oil. Slices of green chilis fired up my yellowtail sashimi appetizer, and a whole red chili arrived with the Berkshire pork belly. The sweet-glazed, luscious slabs of pork lay atop a pile of garlicky, spicy long beans. The waiter advised us to punctuate a bite of pork with a bite of chili, and to then cool down the palate with a sticky rice cake.
Hot spices have an amazing ability to stimulate the appetite, so we were quite ready for the butter-and-sriracha-braised Jamison Farm lamb in chili lamb jus with gingered Chinese broccoli and crispy fried rice cakes, and the seared bass with pickled garlic, Japanese mushrooms and greens. The bass's skin was nicely crisp, but the portion was a bit small for me, so I needed to order a side of jasmine rice. (Sticky rice is also available.) Actually, I would've liked a whole order of the delectable rice cakes!
My friend doesn't have much of a sweet tooth, so she abstained from dessert, instead ordering a glass of Anton Bauer Gruner Veltliner. (My sweet tooth is enough for two, anyway.) Desserts included banana spring rolls and carrot spice cake; I chose the fresh doughnuts with hot chocolate and coconut sorbet. The four sugar-sprinkled, golden-brown doughnuts were heaped into a small white bowl. I rolled the hot fried globes around with my fork to catch all the excess sugar. Although the waiter recommended that I dip the doughnuts in the hot chocolate, I really preferred them on their own!
A small boy ran upstairs into the dining room. (I wanted to offer him a doughnut.) "Hudson, come here," called his mother. Has the Meatpacking District has become so trendy that people are naming their kids after its streets?
5 Ninth: 5 Ninth Ave., (surprised?) (212) 929-9460.
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Pizza Freebies
Walking down a Williamsburg street, I caught sight of a large sign advertising free pizza. It turns out that although there is a catch, it's quite a small one! A pizza enthusiast has only to purchase one alcoholic beverage at Capone's Bar and he will be plied with an entire pie. What a deal!
I haven't yet been to Capone's, but I'm a huge fan of Waldy's Wood Fired Pizza & Penne, which offers its own unique freebie: complimentary anchovies. I'm aware that the appeal of anchovies is not universal, but who can resist a sweet and hot sausage pie with roasted peppers?
Capone's Bar: 221 North 9th St., Williamsburg, (718) 599-4044. Waldy's Wood Fired Pizza & Penne, 800 Sixth Ave., (212) 213-5081.
I haven't yet been to Capone's, but I'm a huge fan of Waldy's Wood Fired Pizza & Penne, which offers its own unique freebie: complimentary anchovies. I'm aware that the appeal of anchovies is not universal, but who can resist a sweet and hot sausage pie with roasted peppers?
Capone's Bar: 221 North 9th St., Williamsburg, (718) 599-4044. Waldy's Wood Fired Pizza & Penne, 800 Sixth Ave., (212) 213-5081.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Supercore Cafe
After hearing the ominous weather forecast, I calculated how much time I had left before the estimated arrival of the snowstorm and headed out for one last restaurant fix. I just wanted a simple lunch, but I craved a hot drink - cider, or a cappuccino, or a hot chocolate.
I ended up with a perfect green tea latte at Supercore Cafe. Supercore is a comfy cafe/bar where you can linger over a book, surf the Web or share drinks and tapas. The decor is typical '70s Williamsburg with a bit of Japan thrown in. The cuisine lies somewhere at the intersect between Japanese homestyle and gourmet diner. Olives, goat cheese, edamame and dried squid are advertised on the tapas blackboard.
Supercore's reasonably-priced menu includes panini, beef curry, donburi, baked creamy parmesan penne, egg salad on a croissant, meatballs and pasta, and nikujaga. You can accompany your meal with either focaccia and salad, or rice and spinach. I ordered the marinated ginger-and-radish-topped mackerel ($6.50), of which there were three moist slabs. My spinach was smothered in sesame sauce, and there was a nice portion of seaweed-sprinkled white rice. And the latte was terrific. The sweet, creamy drink came in a cavernous mug which I could lift with both hands. When I took a sip, I was surprised by earthy, grassy green tea instead of the sharp taste of coffee.
I meant to order a warm chocolate cake, but when I looked out the window, I saw the first snowflakes begin to fall. And there was the bus: perfect timing.
Supercore Cafe: 305 Bedford Ave., Williamsburg, (718) 302-1629.
I ended up with a perfect green tea latte at Supercore Cafe. Supercore is a comfy cafe/bar where you can linger over a book, surf the Web or share drinks and tapas. The decor is typical '70s Williamsburg with a bit of Japan thrown in. The cuisine lies somewhere at the intersect between Japanese homestyle and gourmet diner. Olives, goat cheese, edamame and dried squid are advertised on the tapas blackboard.
Supercore's reasonably-priced menu includes panini, beef curry, donburi, baked creamy parmesan penne, egg salad on a croissant, meatballs and pasta, and nikujaga. You can accompany your meal with either focaccia and salad, or rice and spinach. I ordered the marinated ginger-and-radish-topped mackerel ($6.50), of which there were three moist slabs. My spinach was smothered in sesame sauce, and there was a nice portion of seaweed-sprinkled white rice. And the latte was terrific. The sweet, creamy drink came in a cavernous mug which I could lift with both hands. When I took a sip, I was surprised by earthy, grassy green tea instead of the sharp taste of coffee.
I meant to order a warm chocolate cake, but when I looked out the window, I saw the first snowflakes begin to fall. And there was the bus: perfect timing.
Supercore Cafe: 305 Bedford Ave., Williamsburg, (718) 302-1629.
Friday, February 10, 2006
A New Definition For "Blind Date"
Here's a way to make sure your Valentine's date isn't checking out the competition: blindfold him! Where can you do this without attracting the attention of everyone in the room? At CAMAJE Bistro, which is hosting a 4-course Valentine's Day meal with mandatory blindfolds for all diners. According to the bistro's publicist, this concept originated in Germany, where there apparently exists a pitch-black restaurant. Is this a case of the blind feeding the blind?
CAMAJE Bistro: 85 MacDougal St., (212) 673-8184.
CAMAJE Bistro: 85 MacDougal St., (212) 673-8184.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Organic Ecuadorian Arriba Cocoa Nib Brownies
I have a secret. Within the recesses of my refrigerator, there is a box of Arriba Nib brownies from Vosges Haut-Chocolat. Apparently, the cocoa nibs are redolent of jasmine and orange blossoms. I bought this box of brownies as a Valentine's Day gift, and it's going to be a very long six days until February 14 - how can I restrain myself from opening the box? Vosges was sold out of the individual brownies, so I couldn't buy one to try for myself.
Vosges Haut-Chocolat: 132 Spring St., (212) 625.2929.
Vosges Haut-Chocolat: 132 Spring St., (212) 625.2929.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
An Out-Of-Season Craving, Satisfied
It may be the middle of winter, but you can still sink your teeth into a popular summer specialty: zucchini blossoms. Novita's Marco Fregonese religiously imports the little green gems from Israel, and then stuffs them with creamy bufala ricotta. The rich, slightly warmed cheese oozes out when you fork apart one of the lightly fried blossoms, which are served on a slice of prosciutto and a salad dressed with mustard vinaigrette.
Novita: 102 East 22nd St., (212) 677-2222.
Novita: 102 East 22nd St., (212) 677-2222.
Via Quadronno
Via Quadronno is one of my favorite cafes in the city. During the summertime, I often avail myself of the outdoor gelato cart; on a rainy day, I'll sit in the window with a cappuccino. Today, I decided to introduce my Italian-food-loving (well, all-food-loving) grandmother to Via Quadronno. (One of the great things about dining with her is that she always wants me to try what she orders.)
We arrived just before the noon lunch rush, which was lucky - a line of people soon stretched down the length of the restaurant. As we settled in our well-cushioned wooden banquettes, I began reading the menu to my grandmother, because she refuses to wear glasses. Via Quadronno specializes in Italian sandwiches: single-ingredient (mortadella, pancetta, salame) on French bread, open-faced tartines on thinly sliced brioche toast (white truffles and Fontina, bottarga, tuna and artichoke), and special Milanese panini with up to six ingredients. There are also many types of bruschetta and crostini (this place is bread heaven!), as well as salads, carpaccio, meat lasagna and a daily risotto and pasta.
I decided that the tartini would be just perfect for my grandmother, as they are rather small. She would've been overwhelmed by the smoked ham, goat, Camembert, fontina tomato, tabasco sandwich. Her choice was the open-faced jumbo lump crabmeat, and I went for the salmon roe. However, I knew I needed something in addition, and debated for a while over the swordfish carpaccio and the minestrone. The waiter made my decision: soup of the day. I munched on garlic bread and dipped it in the rich vegetable puree while my grandmother told stories about the much-missed 2nd Avenue Deli - a sandwich heaven of a quite different ilk.
Although the tartini were small, they did not skimp on sweet crabmeat or a blanket of sparkling fresh salmon roe. "Try mine!" urged my grandmother. I obliged.
Soon it was time for dessert and a fabulous Antica Tostatura Triestina cappuccino. "How's the tiramisu?" I asked the waiter. "It's the BEST in the CITY!" Once again, he made my decision.
Generally, I tend to be rather particular about tiramisu. I'm suspicious of parfait presentations, or tiramisu in a pie. I'm not fond of extraneous drizzles of raspberry and chocolate syrup. And nothing causes my heart to sink like the presence of whipped cream rather than mascarpone. But I knew we were in good hands here.
And indeed the dessert was perfection. A nicely freeform square of tiramisu was plush with lightly sweetened, creamy mascarpone. Its layers of ladyfingers were neither sodden nor too crisp, and there was just a hint of Marsala. I was surprised at how fast my grandmother finished it!
Via Quadronno: 25 East 73rd St., (212) 650-9880.
We arrived just before the noon lunch rush, which was lucky - a line of people soon stretched down the length of the restaurant. As we settled in our well-cushioned wooden banquettes, I began reading the menu to my grandmother, because she refuses to wear glasses. Via Quadronno specializes in Italian sandwiches: single-ingredient (mortadella, pancetta, salame) on French bread, open-faced tartines on thinly sliced brioche toast (white truffles and Fontina, bottarga, tuna and artichoke), and special Milanese panini with up to six ingredients. There are also many types of bruschetta and crostini (this place is bread heaven!), as well as salads, carpaccio, meat lasagna and a daily risotto and pasta.
I decided that the tartini would be just perfect for my grandmother, as they are rather small. She would've been overwhelmed by the smoked ham, goat, Camembert, fontina tomato, tabasco sandwich. Her choice was the open-faced jumbo lump crabmeat, and I went for the salmon roe. However, I knew I needed something in addition, and debated for a while over the swordfish carpaccio and the minestrone. The waiter made my decision: soup of the day. I munched on garlic bread and dipped it in the rich vegetable puree while my grandmother told stories about the much-missed 2nd Avenue Deli - a sandwich heaven of a quite different ilk.
Although the tartini were small, they did not skimp on sweet crabmeat or a blanket of sparkling fresh salmon roe. "Try mine!" urged my grandmother. I obliged.
Soon it was time for dessert and a fabulous Antica Tostatura Triestina cappuccino. "How's the tiramisu?" I asked the waiter. "It's the BEST in the CITY!" Once again, he made my decision.
Generally, I tend to be rather particular about tiramisu. I'm suspicious of parfait presentations, or tiramisu in a pie. I'm not fond of extraneous drizzles of raspberry and chocolate syrup. And nothing causes my heart to sink like the presence of whipped cream rather than mascarpone. But I knew we were in good hands here.
And indeed the dessert was perfection. A nicely freeform square of tiramisu was plush with lightly sweetened, creamy mascarpone. Its layers of ladyfingers were neither sodden nor too crisp, and there was just a hint of Marsala. I was surprised at how fast my grandmother finished it!
Via Quadronno: 25 East 73rd St., (212) 650-9880.
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