Happy New Year!

2008 will mark the 6th year of the existence of Salli Vates' NY Food Page. I may plan some sort of party... details will be forthcoming!

In the meantime, my companion and I will celebrate the New Year with toshikoshi (passing year) soba. Since the Edo period, people in Japan have eaten these long, thin noodles to promote long life and prosperity.

Naturally, I'm not going to make these noodles myself. I reserved them at Soba-Ya! (If you're still scrambling around wondering what you are going to eat tonight, you have until 7 p.m. to pick up a box of fresh soba for two people, including wasabi, broth, chopped scallions and soba-boiling instructions.)

Soba-Ya: 229 East 9th St., (212) 533-6966.

Del Posto

My companion and I both have birthdays close to Christmas, so our holiday season is extra indulgent. This year, we celebrated my special day at opulent Del Posto, the perfect place for holiday excess. Unabashedly hedonistic, it offers $120 plates of tagliarini topped with 10 oz. of shaved white truffle, chocolate souffles with hot chocolate sauce pooling on the bottom... and is there any other restaurant in Manhattan that actually serves lard with the Italian bread?

We toasted with a glass of pinot nero, relaxed to the sounds of Christmas carols as played by an excellent pianist, and set to work on the amuses bouche... spiedini, miniature zeppole and ditalini soup with a touch of cocoa (yes, cocoa!). Although the people next to us were enjoying the aforementioned tagliarini, we decided to be slightly less hedonistic, ordering a couple of pasta dishes which both had a touch of spice. The spaghetti with Dungeness crab was spiked with jalapeno, and my sheep's milk gnudi were dusted with Tellicherry pepper. The incredibly rich dumplings, served on a velvety swirl of pumpkin puree, melted in my mouth. (I think I finally found something to trump the gnocchi at Hearth.)

Next came the main courses. The portions were deceptively moderate, as there must have been a stick of butter in the cauliflower ragu underneath my seared striped bass! (The dish also sported black truffles.) My companion's three large chunks of rare pink tuna were delicately crowned with thin slices of crimson air-dried beef. The waiter brought by a little bonus of olive-oil-preserved tuna for my companion... but when he saw my expectant face, he saved some for me.

Although I had also eaten more of the Italian bread (and the beautiful little olive rolls) than I care to remember, I could not forgo dessert on a birthday. Chocolate souffle it was! (My companion finished off the panna cotta with spiced pears, meringue and red wine gelee.) Then there were tiny cookies and a box of chocolates. I think my New Year's resolution should be to go on a diet. (After tonight's visit to Quality Meats, anyway.)

Del Posto: 85 Tenth Ave., (212) 497-8090.

Ciao For Now

No, I'm not going on vacation (until sometime in 2008, anyway); this post refers to a really delightful East Village bakery. If you favor savory baked goods as well as sweet ones, you'll really appreciate the offerings here: potato puffs filled with goat cheese and red pepper, bacon cheddar biscuits, and "not-frittatas" with egg, Swiss, spinach, potato and caramelized onions. And of course there's something for those of you who begin the day with something sweet: polenta muffins with a lemon lavender glaze, apple turnovers, and apple oat scones glazed with maple and vanilla. There are also various sandwiches and cookies.

(By the way, if you don't want to attend a Christmas party empty-handed, ask for the special holiday cookie box - you get 30 cookies for only $20.)

Ciao For Now: 504 East 12th St., (212) 677-2616.

L'Impero

Walking to L'Impero on a winter night has to be one of the most romantic experiences in NYC. You look up at the black-branched trees, ascend an old stone staircase, and find yourself in the hushed world of Tudor City. This past Sunday, the little journey increased our excitement at finally visiting this well-known Italian restaurant.

Surprisingly, once we sat down, service was a bit sketchy. (It was the weekend, people were gone for the holidays, and someone apparently injured himself in the kitchen.) However, the sommelier placated our party with a bottle of wine! (Always a simple solution.) We had no complaints with the food or value... the special Sunday four-course prix fixe is only $42.

First, we were served two kinds of thickly-sliced Italian bread and a plate of salami, chunks of Parmesan, and citrus-spiked olives. (We ended up pleading for a couple more of these plates; we were hungry!) Then came a hearty bean soup flavored with pancetta and garlicky crostini topped with a healthy helping of salt cod mashed with potatoes. For pasta, we chose the egg tortelli oozing with rich, creamy buffalo ricotta, spaghetti in a tomato-onion-pancetta sauce and the breadcrumbed cauliflower pappardelle.

The main courses, which arrived two hours after we sat down, were worth the wait! My selection was the fried haddock with a luscious caper-mayonnaise "salmoriglio" dipping sauce. Others at the table indulged in the traditional pork meatballs. We ended with chai-spiced panna cotta,a brownielike warm chocolate cake, espresso, and that romantic walk.

L'Impero: 45 Tudor City Place, (212) 599-5045. (6/15/08 NOTE: This restaurant will be closing and reopening under a different name.)

Brunch at Ditch Plains

I am still thinking about the smoked mozzarella ricotta fritters at Ditch Plains. There were six of them. I picked one up and bit into the crisp and browned exterior, but was in no way prepared for the gooey deliciousness inside. A layer of light eggy batter contained an onslaught of hot melted cheese... the spicy tomato sauce on the side was a nice touch but not really necessary!

I think I scared the no-nonsense waitress with my giddiness. (I'm sure she's not reading this, but on the off chance that she is, and remembers a slightly wacky table of four this past Sunday, we really meant no harm. And we weren't drunk. We were just giddy over the prospect of the fritters.)

We also ordered clam chowder (two kinds, Manhattan and New England), fried eggs with satisfyingly greasy hash browns and a side of thickly cut bacon, and gargantuan spinach-goat cheese omelettes that were enough for two. But after all of this, I was still thinking about those smoked mozzarella ricotta fritters.

Ditch Plains: 29 Bedford St. (212) 633-0202

Now This Is What I Call Customer Service!

I'm a great lover of convenience; this is what led me to discard my much-loved Vienna Saeco Deluxe coffee machine (and my Bialetti Mukka Express, which had an unfortunate habit of leaking coffee all over the stovetop) in favor of the Nespresso D290, one of the "pod" machines. (I know that coffee purists will probably look askance at me for this!)

Anyway, I came home yesterday and there was an unexpected package from Nespresso waiting for me. I know it's the holiday season, but the only person I know who would send me a Nespresso package would be my mother, and she apparently didn't send it. So, I opened the box and saw this message: "We greatly appreciate your loyalty to Nespresso. To express our gratitude, we are pleased to offer you a selection of dark and milk chocolate squares."

The airline industry could sure learn something from Nespresso!

Holiday Shopping 2007

Frightened away by the hordes, I have resorted to online shopping this year. And as you can probably imagine, most of the gifts are food-related!

To start, I sent my mother a gingerbread house from Cookie Outlet, which offers small, medium, large, and even blue-iced Chanukah versions. (Cookie Outlet also sends Junior's cheesecakes to nostalgic ex-New Yorkers around the country.)

Then, I looked at the Meduri World Delights Website. This Oregon-based company specializes in dried fruits which have been prepared in such a way as to maintain most of their moisture. But the prospect of dried fruit wasn't quite decadent enough, so I ordered a box of chocolate-and-fruit truffle delights for my companion. (OK, I'll make an admission. I have an awful habit of deciding that we'll open just one present prematurely. And this year, it happened to be this box of chocolate-and-fruit truffles. So I can tell you that the white chocolate strawberry tastes just like strawberry shortcake.) If you want to support a local fruit vendor instead, you can visit Manhattan Fruitier, which also sells some adorable chocolate penguins.

I've been extolling the virtues of my Nespresso Aeroccino to anyone who will listen, so this item went on my gift list too. Basically, I'm one of those people who can't make decent cappuccino foam, no matter how hard I try. I've done everything they've told me; I've held the nozzle in the bottom of the cup, the top of the cup, I've chilled the milk, I've used skim milk, and still, my foam is the consistency of, well, hot milk. Enter this amazing, foolproof machine: one simple touch of a button and my foam was the envy of any barista!

Naturally, this handy item is selling out (Nespresso is back-ordered till late December) but as of this writing, er, typing, it's still available at Williams-Sonoma. And if you're looking for coffee to enclose with this gift, I'm excited to inform you that you can now order Spanish sugar-roasted Torrefacto coffee at Tienda.com. (After my last visit to Spain, which was eons ago, I craved this coffee and could find it nowhere online.)

Right now, I'm not dreaming of a white Christmas, but rather a cup of Torrefacto coffee topped with perfect Aeroccino-ed foam, accompanied by a hefty helping of the peach cobbler in Alice Waters' The Art Of Simple Food, which also makes an excellent gift.

Pio Maya (CLOSED as of 7/08)

I did something I'm not proud of tonight. I may have offended everyone around me. What did I do?

I... ate on the subway. (A while ago, the MTA was considering fines for this, but apparently, it's still legal. Still, some people equate such an action with eating in a public restroom.)

But I simply could not help myself. After picking up a to-go order at Pio Maya, I'd tightly closed the bag. But as I waited for an F train, my hand crept into the containers of thick, unsalted warm tortilla chips and the super-fresh, chunky green guacamole. The train arrived, I looked around for a two-seater in an unoccupied part of the car and hurriedly sat down. (The woman behind me glared at me; she'd obviously coveted the same seat. I don't know why, as she wasn't going to eat anything. However, she did stretch out her legs and put her feet on the seat in front of her.)

Casting a furtive glance around me, I took out the shrimp taco. Lots of grilled shrimp and spicy pico de gallo were nestled inside doubled corn tortillas, a nice touch. Still, the whole thing was a mess; lettuce and tomato and shrimp spilled out. I hoped no one was watching. It didn't take me very long to polish everything off.

The next time I go to Pio Maya, I intend to eat in. The place has been renovated; the prep kitchen is now hidden, and black leather banquettes have been installed. So, just in case you were on my F train tonight, what can I say - I'm sorry, it won't happen again.

Pio Maya: 40 West 8th St., (212) 254-2277.

The Sunburnt Cow

Here's something to sweeten the start of the workweek. On Mondays, cocktails are only $5 at The Sunburnt Cow, a four-year-old Aussie restaurant/bar. The whimsical, tropical drinks are enough to brighten the most severe Monday funk. (They are also strong enough to make you forget how much you are eating!)

A friend and I visited the Cow last night, and it was impossible not to fall in love with the straight-out-of-Cavemen decor, the jovial staff and the $16 three-course "counter menu."

We started with drinks (of course)...mango-infused vodka with pineapple and the signature Sunburnt - fresh strawberries blended with passionfruit tequila. The effects started to kick in after a salad of greens, red onions, cherry tomatoes and blackberries, and a bowl of calamari sprinkled with diced kiwi (yes, kiwi) and jalapeno dip. (The dip was rather mild; I like to be stung! but the calamari were nice and tender.)

My friend had initially decided upon the roo bangers and mash (yes, real kangaroo!) but changed her mind when Karen, our delightful server, recommmended the mutton stew. This hearty dish ended up being our favorite of the evening. It contained carrots so sweet and soft we thought they were yams, caramelized onions, cubed potatoes, a rich, meaty sauce enhanced with red wine, and mutton that melted in one's mouth like butter... the perfect comforting winter stew.

Unfortunately for me, I was getting rather sloshed -it doesn't take much. But I still enjoyed my fish burger - a white-fleshed barramundi filet, moist inside its thick coating of beer batter - and a pile of hand-cut fries. (There are other burgers too...chicken schnitzel, lamb, veggie, and a sky-high beef burger topped with bacon, cheese, egg, pineapple and beetroot.)

The dessert menu contained three items: pavlova, sticky date pudding and "Lamingtons" coconut chocolate sponge cake cubes. We ordered the latter two. The warm date pudding was like eating pure caramel, and it was great with the strong coffee. (The coffee! I wasn't expecting such good coffee. "Coffee is a big thing in Melbourne and Sydney," explained Karen.) We thought the other dessert was reminiscent of a Mounds bar. I had to take the remainder home for my companion, whose sweet tooth actually exceeds mine.

Although I am feeling the results of my Monday excess on this Tuesday morning, there's always Wednesday...

The Sunburnt Cow: 137 Avenue C, (212) 529-0005. Check the Website for upcoming events, including a wild, two-restaurant party with a bus shuttling between The Sunburnt Cow and sister establishment Bondi Road on November 29.

Sake Bar Hagi

You've gotta love a sake bar that sells "chopstick helpers" and pre-bender hangover prevention supplements. I needed neither tonight, as I'm adept with chopsticks and was interested in eating instead of drinking. (Next time for sake and shochu!) But there were plenty of goodies for me to capture in my chopsticks, and non-alcoholic beverages like iced oolong tea.

I had no idea what to order. Spicy cod roe dumplings? Hokke (a Japanese fish)? Sea urchin sashimi? And those were just the specials. The main menu included lots of grilled items, appetizers and salads. First I decided on the Japanese eggplant... grilled till creamy and topped with a healthy portion of smoky shredded bonito flakes. I garnished each piece with a bit of soy sauce and minced ginger.

The special sea eel tempura came with the most addictive yuzu salt. I could eat this salt with anything, or even by itself. The citrus flavor went perfectly with the rich, lightly fried fish, of which there were a half dozen slabs.

Then... (when you can't decide, just order more!) a large pile of "mentaiko cream," or spicy cod roe spaghetti in cream sauce, arrived under a pile of shredded nori. This dish was the only one that I didn't completely adore, as there was a large amount of mayonnaise in the sauce.

Dessert was taiyaki, or a fried sweet pancake in the shape of a fish, stuffed with hot, sweet red beans ("Have you tried taiyaki?" asked the waiter, hesitantly. "Have I ever!" I replied). This version was accompanied by black sesame ice cream and whipped cream with sliced strawberries. Delicious!

I can't wait to return to Hagi.

(A tip... ever since Anthony Bourdain discovered this place, it's been mobbed almost every night. But if you come in on a Sunday, preferably before 7 p.m., you'll find ample room at the bar and several empty tables.)

Sake Bar Hagi: 152 West 49th St., (212) 764-8549.

Sweets News

• If you're a foodie, then you might find the West 30s around 7th Avenue rather desolate. But an unlikely little oasis opened today at 36th and 7th: MacarOn (no, that's not a typO). Tomorrow (Friday), owner Arnaud Cannone will serve up chocolate, strawberry and pistachio macarons for the first time. (Today, he was baking them.) (MacarOn: 485 7th Ave., 646-573-5048.)


• I'm not an Amex cardholder, but if you are, there's something SWEET in store for you tomorrow! American Express is holding a "SWEET" event from 9 pm–1 am at 269 11th Ave (btw 27th & 28th). More info at nycwineandfoodfestival.com.

Sushi Yasu

"We couldn't believe it when people started calling and asking for reservations," said Yuki as she poured our green tea. "We were just a fish market with three chairs!"

Now, Sushi Yasu has 12 or so chairs. And every day, native Okinawan Yasuji Hirashiki travels to Hunts Point to choose the perfect fish for the occupants of these chairs. Last night, there were sweet dayboat scallops in my sushi deluxe.

(There wasn't any natto (fermented soybeans). "Natto?!" exclaimed Yasuji. "That would clear the place out! Natto to most Americans is like blue cheese to many Japanese." "I like natto and blue cheese!" I replied.)

There were plenty of other goodies. Toro, sea urchin, salmon roe, and for those who eschew raw fish, the "Yellowstone Roll" (tempura fish in spicy sauce). My companion and I were thrilled to have happened upon such an excellent sushi dinner on an unexpected street.

So, for those Forest Hillsers who mourn the loss of Mickey's, and Astorians who miss Shima and are willing to travel, here's a great Queens sushi option for you. (Just don't take my chair!)

Sushi Yasu: 71-45 Yellowstone Blvd., Forest Hills, (718) 544-0942.

Sweets News: Cupcakes!

• So, you work on Wall Street. When you have a chocolate craving, you run to Christopher Norman or Leonidas. You frequent Financier Patisserie when you hanker for a madeleine. But up until now, you haven't been able to find a decent cupcake. Well, that will change on Tuesday, Nov. 13: Crumbs Bake Shop will open a new location at 87 Beaver Street! Even better, on Friday, Nov. 16, the bakery is treating the first 1,000 customers to a complimentary cupcake. (I wonder, would they recognize me if I came back in multiple disguises?)
  


• In other cupcake news, you can now order Kyotofu's award-winning Valrhona chocolate souffle cupcakes online; the bakery has launched an online retail product store. Buy two dozen cupcakes and get two free!

The 10th Annual Chocolate Show

The Chocolate Show is somewhat scaled back from last year, but there's still plenty to see and sample. The chocolates' origins range from the outer boroughs to the farthest reaches of the globe.

Among the local offerings are Rhinebeck's Oliver Kita chocolates and our beloved Jacques Torres. I regret to inform you that Jacques Torres is not serving the famous hot chocolate this year. You will have to console yourself with a chocolate-chip cookie. The cookie boasts a dark chocolate chunk in every bite, but I do hope the hot chocolate will be reinstated in the future.

Sweetbliss is selling strike-proof NYC cabs made of chocolate, and Chocolat Moderne, which is located on West 20th St., is offering unique Greek (kalamata olive, walnut baklava) and Japanese-inspired (shiso, soy-miso) chocolates. The West Village's Peanut Butter & Co. is selling brand-new dark chocolate peanut butter cups for the first time... they're not even available in the store yet! The newest local chocolate company has to be Brooklyn Fudge, which just incorporated on October 31. Their fudge comes in exotic flavors like dark wasabi pecan. And you can't get much more local than Mad Mac NYC. This company will deliver chocolate-orange macarons to your door!

Now to some of the foreign highlights. Coppeneur of Germany (now available at your local Food Emporium) is featuring chili pepper cocoa beans and chocolate bars in such exotic flavors as mango lassi. Mary's Chocolate of Japan has introduced a new line of chocolates with Japanese ingredients: purple sweet potato, soybean flour, Japanese plum, azuki bean, green tea, and black sesame ganache. Comptoir du Cacao is here from France with delicate praline feuillete. (The Comptoir du Cacao stand is cash-only! Make sure to visit the ATM before you arrive at the Chocolate Show... not only do many vendors not accept credit cards, but the admission is payable only in cash.)

In the unlikely event that you have dragged a health nut to the Chocolate Show, take her to Dina's Organic Chocolate on the way out. Dina's Chocolate is 100% organic, dairy-free, and almost devoid of sugar. But if neither of you are health nuts, go over to Luv's Brownies for a hot heart-shaped brownie with loads of little chocolate chips.

(Finally, if you're a thirsty bird, bring a bottle of water with you, as it'll cost you more after you enter the show - just like at the airport).

Happy chocolate-eating!

The 10th Annual Chocolate Show, Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 West 18th St., November 9-11.

Amai Tea & Bake House (CLOSED AS OF 4/19/09)

I have a free-floating scone obsession. It first attached itself to the oat scones at Balthazar Bakery. Then, it was transferred to the buttered walnut scone at Cheeks. (That scone is lovely with an apple slice and a bit of cheddar.) After that, there was the sugarless fruit scone at Joe Coffee. My obsession briefly morphed into a muffin obsession, which was satisfied only by the diminutive maple muffins at Kyotofu. But today, in full force, it returned to its original manifestation when I entered the new Amai Tea & Bake House.

I had been watching the space for ages, ever since I first caught sight of the owner's popular Lovescool blog, which announced the impending opening of the cafe. Finally I went in tonight, and became starry-eyed with scones! Earl Grey currant? Greenmarket cheddar with pepper? Vanilla bean? I thought I would go insane. And then there was the lavender butter...

(... and dark chocolate brownies, and quince chocolate brownies, and green tea cupcakes with nice big swirls of green buttercream on top, and butternut squash tarts adorned with pumpkin seeds, and chocolate espresso tarts...)

Did I mention they serve tea?

Amai Tea & Bake House: 171 3rd Ave., (212) 863-9630.

Taste of New York 2007

"What do you mean, there's another room?"

I looked at my friends HungryMan and Nosher in amazement. I could barely get my mind around all that was going on in the room we were standing in. Wylie Dufresne of WD-50 was dishing out popcorn soup, the 9-week-old Los Dados Restaurant was frying up churros and dipping them in dulce de leche and chocolate, Morimoto was passing out yellowtail pastrami, Buddakan was offering miniature red-pepper-spiced bigeye tuna spring rolls with scallions and chives. The folks at Allen & Delancey had just explained to us that a "puree soubise" was made of sweet white onions (it tasted lovely with the salmon-roe and pickled lemon-topped onion knishes). We'd also eaten oxtail croquettes, grape leaves, buttery pumpkin tortelli with sage and amaretti, goat cheese custard, leg of lamb smothered with Romesco sauce, watercress dumplings from Chinatown Brasserie, a "Manhattan" cocktail of shrimp, squid and vermouth... and there was another room? (This wasn't counting the vast amount of alcohol being served. I was trying to abstain in order to use my calories for food instead of drink.)

"Oh no," I said. "I don't know how much more I'm going to be able to eat." HungryMan and Nosher didn't seem at all perturbed. They swept me into a much larger room which was filled with even more food and much more alcohol. I relented and accepted a bottle of Champagne Nicholas Feuillate.

"How are we going to do this?" I asked. There were four giant rows of food. We decided to walk around counterclockwise. At this point, my appetite was really falling off, but I managed to down spicy shrimp bruschetta from Devi, a milk chocolate with salted caramel treat from Payard (how could you skip that), and some pumpkin spice gelato from Ciao Bella. HungryMan was savoring a braised lamb sandwich on brioche. "OK, I think I"m finished," I said.

But then we walked over to the Blue Hill stand, where Dan Barber's offering was an amazing homemade V-8 and buttermilk panna cotta concoction topped with a cracker and baby greens... it was sweet, salty, crunchy, creamy, custardy and vinegary. "One of the best tastes of the evening," we agreed. And then there was Jacques Torres with his seasonal pumpkin, candy cane and gingerbread truffles (I hid them in my bag, there was no way I could eat them at this point), and smoked sirloin with truffled fingerlings from Craftsteak, and... and...

"OK, just one of these little corn avocado things from Zarela and some fluke with crispy garlic from Anthos and Tocqueville's coddled egg truffled grits with cured veal strip. That's enough. Enough!" I was serious this time.

But then I saw Pichet Ong, master of the sweet-and-savory dessert. Chevre cheesecake with huckleberries and small green pools of basil oil... I was a goner.

For the rest of the night, I tried to maintain some kind of coherent conversation with HungryMan, Nosher, a gentleman from Zagat and the famed Amateur Gourmet. But I don't think I did a very good job, as I was pretty delirious by then. Nosher remarked that he was wondering how he was going to be able to go to work the next day.

For anyone who hasn't been to this annual event, I implore you to go next year... you will come away with two months' worth of dining experiences in just one night.

New York Magazine's Taste of New York, Puck Building (293 Lafayette).

A Delicious Week!

Could this week get any more exciting? First we have the annual Taste of New York tonight at the Puck Building (293 Lafayette). If you attend, you'll be in good company - chefs Tom Colicchio, Zak Pelaccio, Dan Barber, Wylie Dufresne and Masaharu Morimoto will be there. (Incidentally, I have Morimoto's amazing new cookbook right in front of me... it features his signature Angry Chicken and inventive dishes like Crab Naan with Bagna Cauda, mozzarella sushi, a bouillabaise made with Korean chili paste and red miso, grilled scallop-stuffed sweet onions, crispy duck with port wine reduction and red miso sauce... are you hungry yet?) Esteemed chocolatier Jacques Torres will also be there, which leads me to....

(drumroll please)

THE 10TH ANNUAL CHOCOLATE SHOW! (Even the Website is excited about this, as it plays happy music when you click on the page.) Apparently, for the first time, an entire week has been dubbed "Chocolate Week," although the show is being held for just three days: November 9-11. See you there!

Yakitori Torys (CLOSED)

411 can be the darndest thing. Sometimes I call and the operator is halfway across the country, and she has no record of the listing I am requesting. That's exactly what happened this weekend. I was on the West Side with my companion, trying to take a cab to Yakitori Totto, and according to the operator, the restaurant didn't exist.

Fortunately, she did have a listing for Yakitori Torys on the East Side. (FYI: Yakitori Totto, as of this writing, does indeed exist.) Torys happens to be related to Totto, so it was all good. And how good it was!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this grilled chicken heaven, the chefs skewer everything but the squawk -the heart, the gizzards, something called the "oyster" that is cut from the thigh. But there's a lot more, for more conservative eaters and even for those who don't prefer chicken.

My companion and I ordered some plum wine and proceeded to look through the multitude of dishes (portions are appetizer-size, so we recommend that you order a million of them). First we tried the shutou, tiny white bites of mozzarella painted with salty tuna liver (yes, we thought this sounded a little strange). Then came an arugula salad with crunchy dried baby sardines and a dressing of organic poached egg, poured on at the last minute. We also ordered a pot of cook-as-you-watch tofu, which would not be ready for 25 minutes.

Grill time! These selections were our favorites: juicy miso-marinated chicken breast, grilled garlic, jumbo skin-on shrimp, skewers holding five luscious shishito peppers with miso jam, and natto kinchaku (crispy tofu pockets filled with hot soybeans). Everything was piping hot.

By now, our fresh tofu was finally ready. We dipped the hot soybean custard in soy sauce and deliberated over dessert, which would be - more tofu! We chose the apricot kernel tofu dessert, and just in case we grew tired of tofu, iced bananas in sweet coconut milk. (Actually, I liked the apricot tofu the most.)

Yakitori Torys: 248 East 52nd St., (212) 813-1800. This information should be accessible via 411!

Sweets News

If you picked up this week's New Yorker, you probably found the Extreme Chocolate article quite interesting! (If you didn't purchase the magazine, you can still see an online slideshow of an artisanal chocolate plantation in Brazil.)

The article got me thinking about chocophile Clay Gordon, who is truly one of the world's most enthusiastic devotees of the cacao bean. Clay has just written a new book, Discover Chocolate: The Ultimate Guide to Buying, Tasting, and Enjoying Fine Chocolate, which he'll be signing at Alice's Tea Cup (156 East 64th St.) on November 7th from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Pan Chan Paradise: Kunjip Restaurant

I can think of few activities as satisfying as dredging up the crunchy bits of rice at the bottom of the heated stone pot that gobdol bibimbob is served in. But one such activity is feasting on pan chan: the assortment of complimentary cold vegetable dishes one is served at a Korean restaurant. Today, my companion and I enjoyed both activities at Kunjip!

They were very generous with the pan chan, and there was a nice balance of mild and spicy. The milder dishes included garlic zucchini and potato salad, while the spicy ones included green beans in a sweet barbecue sauce, kimchi, and some type of leafy green in red pepper soy sauce.

The edge was now taken off my hunger, but I dove into the appetizer: a squid, scallion and scallop stuffed pancake that managed to be glutinous and crispy at once. Scallion soy sauce was perfect for dipping. I think this was my favorite dish of the meal.

Next came the gobdol bibimbob: stone bowls of rice with various toppings and red pepper paste. My companion ordered the ground beef bowl, while I ordered the vegetarian version. I was a bit disappointed that it didn't come with a raw egg on top, as I love to watch it cook and mix in the yolk. But the waiter noted my evident disappointment and brought me a bowl of steamed egg. It wasn't quite the same, but I appreciated the gesture. My dish did contain an ample amount of zucchini, spinach and shreds of shiitake. (My companion would have preferred more beef.)

But with all of those wonderful pan chan, it's really splitting hairs to complain.

Kunjip Restaurant: 9 West 32nd St., (212) 216-9487.

Trattoria L'Incontro

I was all set to order the fettucini with shrimp, mascarpone and leeks, when along came the waiter.

"Wanna hear our specials? We have fifty of them." Fifty!? I thought I'd heard wrong, but the waiter began to recite a list so long that if there were such a thing as the Waiter Olympics, he would've won. The specials included polpette: cheese-egg meatless "meatballs" in a tomato sauce, grilled sardines, a salad of thinly sliced beets with greens in a truffle vinaigrette, a quartered ball of fresh buffalo mozzarella, shrimp mango salad, lobster salad, venison, spinach ravioli, branzino, short ribs, chicken paillard under a tomato-avocado dice, Dover sole in lemon butter, sea bass livornese with mussels, grouper stuffed with spinach and mascarpone. I could have sworn I heard the word "ostrich" in there somewhere, but I can't remember.

I ended up with the very light polpette, and the whole branzino, which I generally prefer to fillet myself; I love the slightly charred skin. This particular specimen was stuffed with fragrant herbs and grilled to perfection. I wasn't a fan of the the side, a stew of mushrooms, tomatoes and peppers, but I didn't need it anyway after I finished poaching from my friends' sole, bass and chicken. The richly sauced sole was presented in a very interesting way: the spine fenced off each half. Maybe this deterred me from taking too much of my friend's entree!

Because we were stuffed beyond all reason at this point, our dessert choices were light: lemon ricotta cheesecake and tangy lemon sorbet. We ended with double espresso.

Although I haven't yet been to Manducatis, as of now, Trattoria L'Incontro is easily the best Italian food I've eaten in Queens.

Trattoria L'Incontro: 21-76 31st St., Astoria, (718) 721-3532.

The Perfect Autumn Cookie

It's autumn, and I'm craving warm flavors - cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin and maple syrup. Fortunately, I've found the perfect treat for this craving: Dancing Deer maple butter leaf and gingerbread acorn cookies. They're available online, at various gourmet markets around the city, and for some reason, at Crate and Barrel. That's where I found them today. I was looking for a wedding present for a friend, but became so distracted by the sight of these cookies that I could hardly continue shopping.

Gazala's Place

That flour-dusted rolling pin in the window of Gazala's Place isn't there just for show. Gazala Halabi, the Israeli owner-chef of this week-old Mediterranean eatery, is constantly rolling out crepe-thin, whole wheat pita. She's a woman with a very important mission: to show us exactly how delicious homemade Druze-Israeli cuisine can be! Judging from my meal today, she's accomplishing her goal.

Her menu features appetizers like cegar (a rolled pita shell stuffed with spiced mashed potatoes or meat), homemade grape leaves, olive oil goat cheese spread, hummus, cucumber soup, and several salads and sandwiches. There are meat, cheese and spinach pies, and for those craving a heartier meal, there are chicken and lamb kebab platters.

Since I hadn't eaten yet, I decided to go with the brunch special: a glass of rosewater tamarind drink, fluffy scrambled eggs, a mound of nutty hummus indented with a little pool of olive oil, the aforementioned whole wheat pita ("Can I have some more?" I asked), green olives, and green salad topped with tabouli and ripe red tomatoes. While I polished this off, I discussed dessert with Gazala. Date-stuffed semolina cakes? Kenafi? She packed me up a bag of cakes and some osh al-saraia ("It's halfway between sweetened cheese and cream," she explained).

I left with a full stomach, a bag full of desserts and a full heart! Lovingly prepared food has that effect.

Go visit Gazala at Gazala's Place: 709 9th Ave. (212) 245-0709.

Salli Vates' Second Anniversary: L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon

When my companion and I visited Paris this summer, we had wanted to dine at Joël Robuchon's restaurant. (As it was booked solid, we indulged instead at Dominique Bouchet. Heaven help that man if he ever decides to open a restaurant in New York, because with his initials, he'll step right into the DB controversy.)

Although we just missed M. Robuchon, who was in NYC last week for his seasonal reimagining of the menu, we were able to secure a reservation at L'Atelier tonight. The occasion was our second anniversary, which we celebrated with a sublime late summer meal. (I say "late summer" because although it's October, the autumn menu doesn't start till next week.) As we oohed and aahed at each successive course, I felt like a child on Christmas Day... what colorful present would arrive next?

After toasting with glasses of Amancaya Cabernet, we began with a layered foie gras Parmesan foam. Light yellow mini-bubbles mixed with a layer of unctuous, rich crimson. Then came our four chosen small plates (we'd elected to choose our own tasting rather than go with the 8-course). Frog's legs were tiny, delicate fried drumsticks served with dollops of garlic cream and basil pesto. Sugar-sweet langoustine was nestled inside a thin twist wonton skin. Coriander-spiced eggplant rolled with tuna was topped with Parmesan, tiny onion rings, and long strips of chive. A sculpture of buffalo mozzarella and grilled vegetables was also accented with basil pesto, and the zucchini and sundried tomatoes were powerfully flavorful.

(It was difficult not to fill up on the rosemary focaccia and little baguettes. The butter was French Echire.)

While we waited for the main course, our charming server, Opu, indulged us in food and Four Seasons-related trivia. Apparently, a perk for some Four Seasons employees is a free stay in any Four Seasons Hotel! But before we had a chance to ask for a job application, our amadai and rouget arrived. What is amadai? A fish which only swims in Japan. (Ours also swam in a tangy yuzu broth, complimented by fried leeks and lotus root.)

My two red-skinned rouget fillets were surrounded by a little festival of vegetables... browned cauliflower, bright green favas and snow peas, pale artichokes, fennel. My companion's portion looked rather small in comparison, so I made sure to share.

When I saw the dessert menu, I exclaimed, "No chocolate?" Opu explained, "The summer dessert menu does not include a chocolate selection, but don't worry... the pre-dessert is a chocolate cream with milk foam, and the selection of tartelettes includes chocolate ganache and chocolate peanut as well as apple and cinnamon." So, I ordered the feather-light, eggy almond souffle with almond ice cream, almond brittle and poached pears, and stole bites of chocolate ganache from my companion's plate. (Only fair, I thought, as I'd been so generous with my main course!)

Finally, we were presented with a surprise: a plate of miniature chocolate macarons with the words "Bon Anniversaire" drizzled in chocolate. We did get our chocolate fix after all!

L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon: Four Seasons Hotel, 57 East 57th St., (212) 350-6658.

Sweets News

Attention chocophiles! Some of the best chocolate in France is now available for trans-Atlantic delivery. Click here to order your very own box of luscious Jean-Paul Hevin chocolates. I can't get enough of the 76% cocoa pastilles.

(Unfortunately, the famous chocolate macarons are still reserved for lucky Parisians... and Tokyoites.)

Dieci: Small Room, Small Menu, Big Flavors

At first, I wondered if dieci (the Italian word for ten), referred to the number of seats in this tiny Italian restaurant with a chef from Japan (Jun Ohta). Then, of course I realized that it was the street number. Fortunately, my friend and I arrived early and snagged one of the few tables.

The menu featured a small number of appetizers like bruschetta with chicken livers or cherry tomatoes, Italian cured meats, and salads. The special was a wonderful plate of three piping hot, pan-fried sardines, served whole with a side of peppered endive in a light vinaigrette. I have a thing about not being able to eat the heads, but I finished every bite from jaw to tail. "That's the perfect temperature for a strong-tasting fish," noted my friend. She had craved the cherry tomato bruschetta, but as they were unavailable, she ordered a salad with peach halves, crunchy toasted pecans, greens and feta. Peaches with feta... what a marvelous idea!

Mains included fried organic chicken and hanger steak, but we were in the mood for pasta. My friend ordered the lamb bolognese over shells. The ground lamb was tender and not at all gamy, and it was accented with a lot of pecorino (always good in my book). My pasta was an ode to summer: fresh fettucini with sweet corn in an intense tomato sauce with garlic slivers. The portion was moderate - I was glad I'd ordered an appetizer, and later became *extremely* glad for dessert!

There was no more gelato, but there was a mixed berries millefeuille to continue the celebration of late summer. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and a good bit of not-overly-sweet vanilla custard were sandwiched between sugar-dusted crunchy dough. We left sated but not stuffed. The bill, including two glasses of Pinot Grigio and one cup of coffee, was only $60 (not including tax and tip). So we'll be able to visit dieci more times!

228E East 10th St., (212) 397-9545.

Sweets News

Yesterday, I was over at Kyotofu for my weekly maple muffin fix. Suddenly, co-owner Nicole came out with a fluffy green cookie in the shape of a six-petaled flower. "Try this," she said, "it's made with Tafu matcha, which is the best matcha I've ever had. This cookie is one of the treats we'll be baking for the new Tafu tea shop on 51st and Lexington. The shop opens on September 21st."

I don't know about you, but I'm super-excited about this! (Note: Sadly, the Tafu shop closed in Spring 2009. It will be missed.)

Fiorini: An Instant Classic

Fiorini, a ten-day-old Italian restaurant, is already a Midtown institution. This is due to the talents of renowned restaurateur Lello Arpaia, who brings years of experience and a deep love of traditional Italian food to the airy, wood-ceilinged space. Arpaia has installed Chef Ermino Conte, a native of Taranto, Italy, from his popular Cellini restaurant.

Conte turns out everything from risotto to tiramisu, and his cuisine is both delicate and hearty. He makes the lightest baba you're likely to try ("You can barely even find this in Naples anymore, it's always like lead," says Arpaia). His little saffron-accented arancini melt in one's mouth. Tonight, as I raked my spoon across the vestiges of a citrusy mascarpone mousse, I wished I could start again from the beginning...

which beginning consisted of: three breadcrumbed, grilled cones of calamari; balsamic-drizzled tuna carpaccio; two silky burrata domes on butter lettuce with halved cherry tomatoes; rich, creamy porcini risotto with a touch of truffle and white wine ("I've been making risotto for twenty years," Conte later informed us); a salad with slices of crunchy raw artichoke; and grilled octopus. All of this was accompanied by oniony foccaccia and a bottle of 2000 Ferrari-Carano Tresor Reserve.

But as everything was quite light, we had ample room for all that was to follow. Two of us ordered the pesce spada livornese: a thick piece of moist, baked swordfish topped with a tangy stew of capers, tomatoes and olives, served with broccoli rape and a small slice of potato. Others enjoyed the pan-seared tuna with caramelized pearl onions, spinach, golden raisins and red peppers, the grilled salmon with apple mustard and a nice-sized portion of veal milanese.

At this point, the lights suddenly went out. I wondered if there had been an electrical short, but then a procession of waiters began to sing "Happy Birthday." The lights flickered on and off, and a dessert was ceremoniously delivered to a nearby table.

With a little less ceremony, we then received our desserts, which included the aforementioned light-as-air baba (a must), ricotta cheesecake, strawberry Cabernet sorbet, and a pyramid of Sicilian mascarpone mousse (this looked like a birthday cake in itself, with its lemon and lime zest and red and blue coulis). As we sipped our cappuccinos, someone in our party reminisced with Arpaia about his beloved Lello and Scarlatti eateries, which closed down in the early '90s. I never had the opportunity to dine at either, but I'm certainly glad to have dined at Fiorini.

Fiorini: 209 East 56th St., (212) 308-0830. Get there while you can still get in!

The US Open 2007

I always feel rather guilty at the US Open. Yet another summer has passed without my joining a gym. The young and vigorous run around the tennis court while my stomach growls for lunch. Could I possibly be burning any calories following the ball with my eyes?

At least this year, I can drown my guilt in the mojitos at the perfectly serviceable Mojito Bar & Restaurant (open until Sunday). The Caribbean-influenced food at this temporary restaurant is surprisingly good, especially for the Open. (In the past, I've just filled up on dried-out waffle fries from the outdoor vendors.)

Yesterday, my table ordered the giant yucca fries topped with shredded anejo cheese, perfectly seared salmon served with a corn husk in which nestled corn and crabmeat salad, and a lobster quesadilla filled with big pieces of lobster and decorated with diced mango. Also on the menu were chorizo fritters and a "churrasco" steak sandwich.

Later, I was to regret this big lunch, as I ended up at Bice (7 East 54th St., 212-688-1999) which is a favorite for many players during the Open. Last year, Roger Federer was said to order the four-cheese gnocchi every night. This year, Mardy Fish and Justin Gimelstob have been spotted, but I don't know what they order.

I had the linguini al pesto with string beans and julienned potatoes. Although tennis is just a spectator sport for me, I share one thing in common with the athletes: I carbo-load!

US Open: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows, Queens.

Treats For The Armchair Traveler

The weak dollar discouraged many an American in Paris this summer. If your wallet won out over your wanderlust, take heart (and stomach): you can enjoy some of Europe's most famous treats without leaving your apartment! (That is, if you're willing to shell out for shipping.)

• Vienna's most famous chocolate cake, the apricot-jam-filled sacher torte, can be yours in just a few mouseclicks. Although you can't order the 8-foot-wide version that made it into the Guinness Book of World Records in 1998, there are four (much smaller) sizes available. (I have a dark-chocolate-coated "Size 1" cake sitting right next to my computer right now.)


• I have no idea why these ultra-buttery cookies are called "punishments" (if these are punishments, what is the reward?), but world-famous bakery Poilane will ship you two boxes for... 74 euros. (Hey, it's less than the price of a hotel room!) They don't ship their lovely apple tarts, but you can order currant bread, rye bread, delectable hearty walnut-studded boules, and sourdough so tasty it needs no butter. And if all you want is a half-loaf of Poilane sourdough, you can find it much closer to home at Agata & Valentina (1505 First Ave., 212-452-0690).

Lounge 47

Lounge 47, a Long Island City neighborhood favorite, pleases everyone from the hard drinker to the health nut. $3 draughts draw the happy-hour crowd, while the menu offers such diverse options as burgers and vegan wheat-free strawberry shortcake. The decor is reminiscent of what you find in Williamsburg - mustard and olive-colored chairs and a backyard patio adorned with logoed parasols.

The bar food is sophisticated. There are samosas, onion pakoras, fish 'n' chips, cod puttanesca, Carolina pulled pork sandwiches, and a curry - chicken or vegetable - served with your choice of rice or fries. (How often do you get to order fries with your curry?) Today's special was Sicilian eggplant layered with ground beef and tomatoes, but I decided to order the "grown-up" macaroni and cheese. Although I usually prefer it browned, bubbly, and super-cheesy, I did enjoy Lounge 147's subtle, creamy version; tender elbows were sprinkled with breadcrumbs and rosemary, and the sauce was lightly cheddary with a hint of onion. According to the waitress, there was goat cheese in there too, but I couldn't detect it. I also ordered the fried calamari (I can never order just one thing), which were terrific: the ample portion was cornmeal-crusted and greaseless, and came with chipotle mayo and hot marinara sauce.

Then it was time for dessert, of course! While I sipped my French press coffee, I debated between the "cheesecake-tiramisu" (what is that?) and the fruit crumble. Finally I decided on that vegan, gluten-free strawberry shortcake. The waitress warned me that it might have a unique texture, and it was a slice of cake, not the usual strawberries and cream in a biscuit. Still, it was full of berries, and I don't know how they made the layer of icing, but it was convincing!

Lounge 47: 4710 Vernon Blvd., Long Island City, (718) 937-2044.

Kurumazushi

Enter the narrow corridor and walk past the security guard. Cram into the tiny elevator, take it to the second floor, and turn around, as the opposite door will open... into the deceptively unassuming surroundings of Kurumazushi. You're now in a Michelin-starred sushi bar which will thrill you, the sushi purist, to the bone.

Last night, I arrived there early, and sat right in front of Chef Toshihiro Uezu. It was a delight to watch him slash and score the various fish (and obviously even more of a delight to consume it). I requested a sashimi and sushi omakase, and Mr. Uezu said he would start with sashimi. Two pieces of rosy pink fish appeared on my plate. "O-toro," he announced. I couldn't help myself and ate them in about half a second. "Finished already?"

Feeling slightly guilty, as this was an experience to be savored, I resolved to slow down! Mr. Uezu's next offering was a selection of cream-colored belly of yellowjack, lean yellowtail and rich yellowtail. Then there were two glistening pieces of red-edged bream, anointed with sudachi (Japanese lime) juice. "Marvelous!" was my reaction. "There's only sushi here," explained Mr. Uezu. "Some other places that serve sushi also serve tempura, noodles..."

My ceramic plates were changed up, and the second act - sushi - began. Larger pieces of o-toro, oh my! Silver-edged Spanish mackerel melted in my mouth on contact. Kimedai, an iridescent pink fish which I'd never eaten before, came next, and then there were two mini-sculptures of white fluke topped with green scallion and orange spicy radish.

"Anything else?" (I knew this was code for "You've reached what should be the limit for your appetite and your finances," but I just had to keep going.) "Uni?" I pleaded. "Very good!" said Mr. Uezu, obviously excited about his stock of sea urchin. He piled my seaweed-rice cylinders high with the soft orange creature. It was so creamy, cold and sweet. I was approaching fullness now, but since I'd mostly consumed fish, I wanted the various textures and tastes of shellfish. "OK," said Mr. Uezu, "I'll end with scallop, giant clam, and this special baby white shrimp from Japan." The orange giant clam was surprisingly tender. Shiro-ebi, white shrimp, were another novelty for me. They were tiny, almost transparent, and delicately sweet in flavor.

When the waiter, in a small concession to American tastes, asked if I'd like fruit or ice cream for dessert, I declined, as I didn't want to disturb the purity and beauty of these tastes.

(Of course, after I got home, I reached into my handbag and pulled out the green-tea cakes I'd bought at nearby Minamoto Kitchoan, the Japanese bakery.)

Kurumazushi: 7 East 47th St., 2nd Floor, (212) 317-2802.

Madeleine Patisserie

La famille Goupil is here from France to delight us with a rainbow of macarons at their month-old Madeleine Patisserie. These light, flaky buttercream cookie sandwiches are not to be confused with the super-sweet, leaden coconut pucks known as macaroons!

When I arrived at the bakery today, I was under the mistaken impression that the selections were limited. I saw a few berry tarts, a jar of chocolate-chip madeleines and some baskets of croissants. But in a few minutes, trays full of the brightly-colored macarons started to appear. "What is that bright purple one!" I asked. "Cassis." "Oh, and that one!" "Those are hot chocolate with coffee, pistachio, lemon chocolate..." Lemon chocolate? To me, that combination sounded unorthodox, but it was surprisingly good... smooth, tangy chocolate buttercream filling and cocoa-dusted yellow cookie. "Those pink ones with sesame, those are strawberry? Just give me 12 different flavors," I sputtered. Now either they thought I was insane and wanted me to leave, or they appreciated my interest, because they gave me an extra box of macarons - for free.

Madeleine Patisserie: 128 West 23rd St., (212) 243-2757.

Sasabune

I think I ate an entire aquarium at Sasabune, a "fish-and-nothing-but-the-fish" sushi bar. Overwhelmed with omakase, I kept asking, "This is the last plate, right?" "No, not yet," was the repeated answer.

I only had one (fish)bone to pick, and it was with the opener. The plate of albacore slices suffered from a surplus of vinegary ponzu sauce. However, everything else was extraordinary, well-presented and sparkling fresh. Most plates arrived with two complementary (alas, not complimentary) pieces of sushi, coordinated by color and taste. After the albacore, I was served the most unbelievable raw oysters, their milky flesh tender, sweet and dabbed with hot spicy radish. "Kumamotos have been inconsistent this year," remarked the server, "so these are from Canada." Now I finally see why oysters are considered an aphrodisiac.

What came next: bigeye and fatty tuna; yuzu-salted New Zealand red snapper and fluke, rich wild salmon and yellowtail; light pink live scallop and giant clam; cooked butterfish and mirin-marinated yellowtail scallion maki with nice crackly nori; ice-cold salmon roe and custardy sea urchin; vinegared kanpachi and horse mackerel; a large blue crab maki, its sweet crabmeat mixed with a bit of mayo ("Many customers come just for this," said my server, "It's like they're addicted"); and finally ("Are we there yet," I wondered) richly sauced freshwater eel. In all of these dishes, there was a great fish-to-rice ratio, and the server had a charming habit of telling me exactly which fish were to be dipped in soy sauce and which should be left alone.

After this giant repast, I was actually asked if I wanted to order anything else, but there was just no way! I smiled at the chef and staggered out the door.

Sasabune: 401 East 73rd St., (212) 249-8583.

La Bergamote

Are you tired of packing your picnic basket with PBJs? One way to liven up your lunch is to avail yourself of the sandwich selection at La Bergamote, a French bakery in Chelsea. All varieties come on a large baguette, and there's way more than the typical ham and brie! Try the garlic sausage, duck rillettes, smoked trout, chicken mousse with Blue cheese and walnuts, or the pheasant with cognac! Of course, there's always the chance that you won't be able to get past the display of pastries like Paris Brest and baba au rhum, but I can't vouch for their ability to withstand the hot August sun.

La Bergamote: 169 9th Ave., (212) 627-9010.

Egg

Egg, a fabulous brunch spot, has a weekend routine of placing complimentary sugar-and-cinnamon-dusted doughnut holes on each table. I thought this was marvelous - so marvelous that I got up from my table, went to the back of the restaurant and raved about the practice. "Oh, we have a lot of extra today," a server remarked, and she packed me a whole paper bag full of them!

Not that I needed anything else! I'd just torn through a flaky buttermilk biscuit with raspberry jam, a velvety soft omelette with sharp, tangy cheddar mixing with the slightly runny interior and oozing out, a fried ball of potato, and broiled tomatoes with a faint kick to them. But that's the way it is at Egg. Even after you've finished your novel-thick French toast, your caramelized grapefruit with mint, your rasher of Dine's Farm bacon, or your Anson Mills cheese grits, you always have room for more. So don't be intimidated by the line out the door; the wait is worth it!

Egg: 135 North 5th St., Williamsburg, Brooklyn, (718) 302-5151.

Wine, And A Trip To Paris

I'm getting ready to go to Paris, so I have wine on the brain. Serendipitously, these two wine-related items just showed up in my inbox:

• Italian Wine Merchants (108 East 16th St., 212-473-2323) is hosting a tasting event Saturday, July 21, from 1-3 PM which will feature the wines of Italian female winemakers. Regional foods will be included! Call for reservations, or register online at www.italianwinemerchantstore.com/tastings.


• In other wine news, here's a free, online tool which offers 360,000 (gasp!) food and wine pairings. Check out sommelier Natalie MacLean's Website.

I'll be back soon! And if I can tear myself away from my pain au chocolat, there will be updates on my Paris trip at Salli Vates' Traveling Food Page.

Ronnybrook Milk Bar

I half expected to see a cow lumber into Ronnybrook Milk Bar - that's how fresh the milk is. And it's not just milk; it's ice cream, baked macaroni and cheese, milkshakes, yogurt, and sandwiches made with fresh dill farmer's cheese. Not for the lactose intolerant, but an indescribable pleasure for everyone else!

Today was the milk bar's eighth day of operation, and the place was already swarmed with people hellbent on ice cream. Ronnybrook serves cones, sundaes, and ice cream stuffed into cookie sandwiches and doughnut bowls. Ice cream is just about the only thing I didn't try today.

I sprung for the macaroni and cheese, asparagus soup, chocolate-covered strawberry milkshake and warm cookies. I also got to try the lavender milk and the "apple pie a la mode" drink, which was a milkshake of homemade apple compote, milk, vanilla ice cream and apple cider, dusted with cinnamon.

The macaroni and cheese was a ramekin of little elbows smothered in cheddar and topped with ultra-buttery, crisp breadcrumbs. Cheese melted and pooled in the bottom of the dish and I scraped it off with my fork. I looked at my bowl of soup with guilt; how on earth would I finish this bright green puree, its dollop of creme fraiche sporting a sprinkling of chives?

I decided to have it packed up so I could concentrate on my chocolate strawberry drink, a thick shake of fresh strawberries, chocolate milk and strawberry yogurt. It truly tasted like a chocolate-covered strawberry. And then there were the warm chocolate-chip cookies! "Where do you get the chocolate?" I asked, a helpless mess by this point. "It's a secret," the owner replied, cryptically.

Oh well. I guess the important thing is that all the dairy products come from Ronnybrook Farm!

Ronnybrook Milk Bar: Chelsea Market, 75 Ninth Ave., (212) 741-6455.

The 53rd Summer Fancy Food Show

It's very difficult not to drown in the sea of cheese, olive oil, packaged pasta and chocolate that is the Fancy Food Show. After a couple of hours of walking around the Javits Center, the products tend to blur together. Nevertheless, I did come away strongly impressed by a few items today:

• La Rustichella Black Truffle Pate was a knockout. The company also makes white truffle pate, Pecorino with ribbons of black truffle, arugula cream with white truffle, truffled olive oil, and even truffle vinegar.


• Black truffles also found their way into Divine Pasta's truffled Pizza Romana. Also of note was Divine's new Cube line of "artisan foods" such as four-cheese macaroni and kabocha soup.


• Chalmers Ganache. This wonderfully versatile, gooey dark chocolate ganache is completely devoid of high fructose corn syrup, and can be used in everything from chocolatinis to cake to fondue. In flavors like luxe dark, ultra mint and "Mucho Mayan."


• Trois Petit Cochons, which bills itself as the first domestic producer of artisanal charcuterie in the U.S., had a great selection of pates, terrines, and sausages.


• Baldor's "Tondo" Balsamic Vinegar, aged for 12 years, is great on strawberries.


• La Paila, from Argentina, makes a to-die-for dulce de leche. At the Fancy Food Show, they were spooning it onto hot waffles. Mmm...


• New York's own Sarabeth Levine, (who baked my wedding cake), is branching out into Parisian-style hot chocolate! Each tin contains 16 oz. of pure Dutch cocoa.


• Cruscana makes great seafood spreads, and Chilean Geomar produces surprisingly tasty tinned sea conch.


• Bel Gioioso, the Wisconsin purveyor of ciliegini and other Italian-style cheeses, now offers wonderfully spreadable stracchino. (I first sampled this rich treat at Quartino and was instantly hooked.)


• I'd never seen these flowery French macarons before: Mag'M bakes them up in lilac, rose, poppy and jasmine flavors!


• Chalet des Fromages, based out of Boulder (303-494-8000), is an importer of fine French cheese. I couldn't get enough of their garlic fondue "Cancoillotte." Also, I loved the Rocamadour... a simply delicious, pungent goat cheese.


• This year, there was an intriguing selection of African products. Home Food Ghana offered grated, fried cassava root, palm oil, and sweet pepper jelly. There were breadfruit chips, and baobab juice from Mon Petit Benin, wild red hibiscus flower juice from Malian Mam's Cocktail Juices, and of course swoon-worthy chocolate from Divine Chocolate, a pioneering fair trade chocolate company owned in part by Ghanaian farmers.


• I washed all of this down with Ito En's latest offering, an extremely refreshing cold mint green tea.

(I guess I won't be eating dinner tonight.)

Mojo Coffee

Are you feeling dehydrated after a sunny day spent biking along the West Side Highway? Then stop into the 3-month old Mojo Coffee, where Patrick will fill you a glass of homemade limeade or ginger lemonade. He can also offer you organic blueberry scones and apple turnovers, fair-trade Guatemalan coffee, and his special northern Italian espresso. Patrick has plans for a more extensive menu by the end of the summer, but his quiet little cafe with its treetrunk tables is definitely still worth a visit. Oh, and I forgot, there's freshly baked banana bread!

Mojo Coffee: 128 Charles St., (212) 691-MOJO.

A Chocolate Landscape

Here is one of the most appealing NYC maps I've ever seen. (Note: Adobe PDF reader required.)

Caffe Emilia (CLOSED 3/2009, to the best of my knowledge)

Delving my spoon into a thick layer of cool white cream, I wondered if the server hadn't heard my order correctly. I'd asked for a "cappuccino aroma," but my cup seemed to contain some sort of dessert rather than a beverage. "No, this is the cappuccino aroma," he maintained. "That's the consistency of foam a cappuccino is supposed to have. Mallo, the guy who prepared it, was recruited from Italy specifically for his coffee abilities."

It was extraordinary how so much air had been trapped inside the milk. Deep below the foam lay one shot of espresso and a little pool of hazelnut syrup. Later, Mallo was to advise me to try the "espresso nutella," a wondrous concoction served in a parfait glass.

But first I was to enjoy a piadina, thin grilled dough stuffed with tomatoes, arugula and mozzarella served with a lightly-vinaigretted green salad. I'd debated between the chicken milanese on ciabatta (all bread is from Falai), pizza bianca, tuna-onion tramezzini, prosciutto-melon salad, vitello tonnato and fried eggs with black truffle. The amazing thing is that each of the above was under $10. I'm going back for brunch this weekend!

Caffe Emilia: 139 First Ave., (212) 388-1234.

Sublime Strawberries

The strawberries have never been sweeter! You've probably been by the Union Square Greenmarket to pick up a pint or three, but if you haven't, make sure to do so by mid-July. Local bakers have been benefiting mightily from the season's bounty: lemon cornmeal poundcake at Park Slope's Trois Pommes Patisserie (260 Fifth Ave., 718-230-3119) is studded with Greenmarket strawberries, and Williamsburg's Cheeks Bakery has been serving up fresh strawberry cream scones made with Red Jacket strawberries, a Greenmarket favorite. These crumbly, buttery marvels are chock-full of the luscious berries, stained red with the juice and topped with coarse sugar crystals. Call ahead before visiting, because I may have bought them all! (Cheeks Bakery: 378 Metropolitan Ave., 718-599-3583.)

Park Avenue Summer

As of three days ago, the venerable Park Avenue Cafe is now Park Avenue (Insert Season Here), a restaurant which will change its name, decor and menu every season. My companion and I, who dined there last night with another couple, were tickled at the concept ("Will they have to call the phone company every three months to change their name?" I wondered), but the imaginative, pleasingly plated cuisine sold us on the idea.

Upon our arrival, three hostesses in pale sundresses invited us to look at the "ice bar": bottles of vodka with a choose-your-own selection of flavorings like ginger-sugarcane and spearmint. Then we sat down in white faux-snakeskin chairs; it was obvious from the decor that the owners aimed to bring Downtown chic to the staid Upper East Side. (Unfortunately, this ambience included the loud dance music that one finds at many hotspots! This was our only gripe.)

We toasted the new restaurant with glasses of light, sweet Conundrum and got to work on the refreshing amuse bouche: cubes of bright red watermelon (is there anything more summery?) topped with spicy yogurt and basil sprigs. This first taste heralded the beginning of an evening of intriguing sweet-savory combinations.

The specials all featured corn: Kumamoto oysters with corn milk, grits, even corn panna cotta. (Note: for the chic, figure-conscious diner, there were salad options in all courses: appetizers, mains, even desserts. I am not especially chic or figure-conscious, of course, and my menu choices reflected accordingly.)

My appetizer was an interesting take on gazpacho: tangy tomato gelatin was the base for small heaps of peekytoe crab on velvety green dollops of avocado. The other apps were equally refreshing and colorful: red-and-green gingered beet and cucumber salad; yellow and green beans accented with fresh mint and chopped nuts; and paper-thin slices of fluke sashimi dotted with crimson plum paste.

Our appetites whetted, we then proceeded to the mains and sides. Crispy hand-cut French fries, served in a little wooden box with tabasco mayo, the most extraordinary buttered baby carrots and marshmallows (!) and a dish of creamy corn grits and niblets accompanied our entrees: truffled John Dory with a breadcrumb-crusted egg which had somehow maintained its runny yolk; three roulades of rosy, bottom-seared sashimi-grade yellowfin tuna with purple radish sprouts and aioli; a layered salad of lobster and avocado; and two perfectly grilled chunks of filet mignon in "steak sauce butter" with a side salad of arugula, raspberries and shards of Parmesan.

We were excited to see that pastry chef Richard Leach had crafted a sophisticated new dessert menu. I chose the summer raspberries with goat cheese mousse. This was a tall sculpture of round cookies alternating between ripe red berries, sorbet and mousse enveloped in thin sweet wafers. The mousse was reminiscent of a light cheesecake. My companion devoured the sauteed blueberries with lemon semolina cake and lemongrass panna cotta, and our companions ate up every last spoonful of their chocolate-tea and basil gelato! Highly recommended.

Park Avenue Summer: East 63rd St. and Park Ave.,(212) 644-1900.

Bar Stuzzichini

I always seem to be hungry right when restaurants close between lunch and dinner. So I'm delighted that the wonderful new Bar Stuzzichini stays open all day for in-between diners like me! Today, I stopped by right before 5, and the lunch menu was still being served. The old Komegashi space had been transformed with brass-accented leather banquettes and wooden, exposed-bulb chandeliers. I sat down at a round marble table and dipped some bread in the excellent, fruity olive oil.

The menu inspired me to order more than I usually would. I began with one of the stuzzichini (tapas), which were organized into fried items, cured meats, cheese, fish and vegetables. The waitress informed me that there was no more scamorze all brace (a firm, salty cheese served grilled), so I took her fried artichoke recommendation. What marvels these were: six crispy browned florets of artichoke, with salty fried petals as addictive as potato chips surrounding the succulent artichoke hearts. I squeezed lemon all over them.

Next came the bitter greens in anchovy dressing. This refreshing salad was something like a cheeseless Caesar, and it was so much better than the clumpy, overdressed mess one sometimes finds decorated with oversized shards of Parmesan. Assertive chicory leaves were dressed with a milder, creamy dressing that only needed a touch of anchovy.

Although there was a lovely-sounding orecchiette with fresh spring peas, a swordfish and a short ribs pizzaiola, I went for the tagliolini with lemon and pistachios. The portion was deceptively small; the nutty, creamy sauce with a slight crunch of pistachio was very rich (and delicious)!

For dessert, there were several appealing selections: an orange-scented olive oil cake, a chocolate hazelnut confection, gelato in brioche, affogato and my choice: cannoli. The three sugar-dusted tubes full of orange, espresso and classic creamy goodness had just the right amount of sweetness. I would have liked even more of the espresso flavor.

Bar Stuzzichini: 928 Broadway, (212) 780-5100.

Dining With Jazz...

Someone recently asked me to recommend both a restaurant and a jazz club where he might bring a date. Fortunately, there are many places around the city which combine the listening and dining experiences. Here are some of my favorites:

• Blue Smoke/Jazz Standard: When I attended this year's Time Out New York Eat Out Awards, I was thrilled to see Mark Maynard-Parisi stand up to accept the award for best barbecue. In my opinion, his restaurant-club also features some of the best jazz in the city. Make sure to reserve a seat when the phenomenal Maria Schneider Big Band is in the house, and don't forget to order a side of super-rich macaroni and cheese with your salt-and-pepper beef ribs. (116 East 27th St., 212-447-7733.)


• I'd be hard-pressed to think of a more gorgeous setting for dinner than The Cloisters, and the New Leaf Cafe is nestled right in the woods. There's live jazz on Thursdays and Saturdays, and you can't go wrong with Iron Chef Scott Campbell's cuisine. Try his homemade mozzarella appetizer and seared tuna entree. (1 Margaret Corbin Dr., Fort Tryon Park, 212-568-5323.)


• Bar Next Door at La Lanterna: Guitarist Peter Mazza both books and performs beautifully focused sets in this dim, cozy basement space. While you enjoy his harmonic intricacies, you can dine on three kinds of lasagna (pesto, bolognese or quattri formaggi), an array of brick-oven pizzas and desserts like tiramisu and even pumpkin pie. (129 MacDougal St., 212-529-5945.)


• Grasso's Restaurant: Yes, Grasso's is a fair distance from Manhattan, but if you miss Zinno's, the old Village restaurant where diners regularly enjoyed the improvisations of such luminaries as Joanne Brackeen, you'll travel the distance to Cold Spring Harbor. Singer Ernie Byrd performs with some of NYC's finest musicians, including pianists Dave Lalama and George Colligan, and bassist Noriko Ueda. The music goes down nice and smooth with a roasted garlic/goat cheese flan, 10-oz. steak and lobster dinner, and warm, cinnamony white chocolate bread pudding. (134 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor, 631-367-6060.)

DB Wine Bar & Kitchen: A Surprisingly Excellent Meal in Forest Hills

I generally have pretty low expectations for Forest Hills eateries, as they tend to be of the tired chain or the good-50-years-ago variety. So, when I heard rumors about the high quality of this year-old restaurant, I just had to see (and eat) for myself!

My companion and I walked over to quiet Metropolitan Avenue and saw that the old Dee's space had been converted into a modern, inviting room that resembled the popular 12th Street Bar & Grill in Park Slope. We sat down to some crusty bread and perused the long wine list and Mediterranean-influenced menu.

Immediately, we realized we were in for something other than the typical Forest Hills experience! There was a charcuterie-and-cheese menu, there were entrees like organic chicken under a brick and sides like hand-cut fries. A gentleman behind us was happily nibbling on some Parmigiano Reggiano.

Our gracious, knowledgeable waitress chose a fruity Pinot Noir for us and soon, we started work on a small plate: a delicious cake of salmon tartare, crowned with a dollop of creme fraiche and served with small toasts. We'd almost gone for the grilled calamari, but the tartare was great for sharing.

Next arrived a big bowl of handmade pappardelle in a hearty roasted tomato sauce, topped with shreds of Parmigiano and arugula leaves. The star of the evening was the monkfish: five hunks of chimichurri-crusted, tender fish with garlicky broccoli rape and a couscous accented with pine nuts and red currants. (We couldn't resist checking out everyone else's entree; the burger and the salmon with bacon and lentils looked great too!)

For dessert, we enjoyed the intense red wine poached pear, which came with a small bowl of ultra-rich gorgonzola dolce and cranberry walnut toasts. Next time, we'll end with the buttermilk panna cotta or sweet crepes... or a cheese plate!

Thank you, Danny Brown, for adding such a delight to Forest Hills.

Update: It appears that this restaurant may have to change its name. But no matter what it's called, by all means, try it!

DB Wine Bar & Kitchen: 104-02 Metropolitan Ave., Forest Hills, Queens, (718) 261-2144.

Sweets News

A city that never sleeps needs a place that makes gourmet crepes till 2 a.m., and now NYC has it: Cecel Cafe Crepe (CLOSED as of 2009)! This brand-new shop prepares all ingredients in-house, even going so far as to roast its own almonds. What's on the menu? Everything from Nutella to red bean cinnamon to mango sponge cake crepes! There's not much space, so grab your crepe and Viennese coffee to go, sit outside and watch the East Village wildlife.

Cecel Cafe Crepe: 135 1st Ave., (212) 460-5102. Open Friday & Saturday till 2 a.m.

15 East: What Delectable Fish!

Walking past the loud, rambunctious Park Bar and a construction site, I almost missed the elegant, Zen-like oasis of 15 East. "I'm sorry, there's no room at the sushi bar tonight," said the hostess, ruefully, when I entered the room. Although I was crestfallen, I accepted the consolation of a table. And how glad I turned out to be!

Although the cooked entrees looked intriguing (BBQ frog legs, anyone?) I decided to go the traditional route and spring for the $75 three-course sushi/sashimi tasting. (It's $120 if you add kitchen items). The bliss began with tomato "tofu": a cube of rosy gelee tasting of ripe tomato and a bit of bonito, decorated with a tiny sprig of green shiso. In short order came the sashimi course: two pieces each of grey-veined fluke, slightly fatty gruntfish, tender clouds of octopus, slivers of red-tinged shima aji yellowtail, wild salmon, melt-in-your-mouth chu-toro and one sweet jumbo head-on shrimp. Mmm!

The soup course was next (interesting order): a bowl of fragrant bonito consomme with a light puff of yellowtail that resembled a matzo ball. Mitsuba leaves and tiny fragments of enoki mushrooms floated in the clear broth; the soup was as beautiful as it was tasty.

My favorite course arrived on a giant ceramic rectangle: seven pristine, healthy-sized pieces of sushi and three pieces of tuna roll. The sushi consisted of sweet, almost custardy freshwater eel, meaty soft chu-toro, scallion and ginger-topped black-striped needlefish, baby yellowtail, bonito, aji tartare (to be eaten next-to-last, advised the waiter), and soy-marinated tuna. I couldn't resist and added a piece of sea urchin. I would go back to 15 East just for the sea urchin; it was that fresh, creamy, sweet and delicious.

As for dessert, I found the cilantro leaves in the passionfruit pudding confusing, but I loved the scoop of coconut lime sorbet on top.

15 East is now my favorite sushi restaurant in the Union Square area. I've always liked Japonica, but you can't argue with true love.

15 East: 15 East 15th St., (212) 647-0015.

P*ong: Plated Perfection! (3/2009 CLOSED. A tragedy!!!)

I first encountered the magic of pastry chef Pichet Ong at the "2005 Ten Best Pastry Chefs in America" awards. Two years later, Ong is presiding over a truly inspired menu of sweets and savories at P*ong. Tonight, a friend and I went over for the three-course dessert tasting, and with each course, our excitement built until we absolutely could not wait to see what would come next. We spent most of the evening looking at each other with incredulity and wordless delight.

The counter prep space was stocked with peppers, genmaicha, cardamom pods and ground vanilla beans. I knew this would be a truly stimulating experience! Even the cocktail menu was intriguing, with ingredients like mint oil and organic green apple juice. Although I was curious about the chocolate mojito, I went with some wild mint tea, and my friend ordered a glass of tempranillo.

Our first course was a Meyer lemon shaved ice sprinkled with smoked salt and pepper over a thick layer of unsweetened Vermont mascarpone. Tiny snips of mint leaves decorated the tart, refreshing ice. The dish took my friend back to her childhood, when she used to drill holes in the Meyer lemons from the trees in her yard and suck out the sweet juice. The smoked salt amplified the sweetness of the lemon.

Our taste buds now awakened, we swooned over the chevre cheesecake croquettes. Rolled in chopped walnuts with somewhat of a graham cracker crust taste, the mounds of sweetened cheese lay atop tiny, vanilla-bean-flecked chunks of pineapple compote and a swirl of bittersweet chocolate coulis. Divine!

Next, we dug into a plate of strawberry tea sorbet atop sliced strawberries punctuated with little bits of sugary wasabi candy, and a block of extraordinary white miso ice cream sandwiched between two slices of light, buttery pound cake. The white miso ice cream was as intense and rich as peanut butter, and was also enhanced with a bit of sea salt. (I need to bring home a pint of this!)

Meanwhile, I looked at the group next to us with envy; they'd had the presence of mind to order the five-course dessert tasting, and were happily lapping up a Stilton souffle and arugula ice cream. But soon, an unexpected fourth course erased everything from my mind except pure, unthinking bliss. A "napoleon" of dark chocolate slices layered with rich, creamy sesame spread came with tangy ricotta-mandarin ice cream over a sprinkle of black and white sesame seeds, and a splash of ponzu vinegar caramel and halved edamame. The napoleon was like the best chocolate truffle I've ever eaten.

All of a sudden, a mysterious fifth course arrived! "Pichet just put this on the menu today," explained the host. A cool, velvety chocolate parfait topped with raspberries and drizzled with exotic rosewater blew our minds. "I think I'm having an out-of-body experience!" my friend raved. "There are no words."

Pichet made our day!

(If you want to you want to take some of Pichet Ong's genius home, you can buy a copy of his fascinating book "The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts." Inside, you'll find recipes for Chinese-American cookies and Grand Marnier tofu cheesecake. He'll even sign the book for you!)

P*ong: 150 West 10th St., (212) 929-0898.

Voila,Tiffin Wallah!

When I'm ravenous, I can think of nothing more appealing than a thali: a variety of tasty Indian dishes served in small bowls on a round tray. The new Tiffin Wallah serves four different kinds: the eponymous Tiffin Wallah, the Gujarathi, the Sapadu (unavailable until the arrival of a new chef, according to the owner) and the South India.

The other day, I ordered the Tiffin Wallah and a friend chose the South India. We had to wait quite a while although the restaurant was almost empty, but we were to find that this wait was due to the utter freshness and loving preparation of the food.

My thali contained a crisp papadum, a buttery folded flatbread, a huge portion of rice pilaf, a cilantro-y, chickpea stew with lots of tomatoes, a creamy spinach curry with fluffy homemade cubes of paneer, salty mango pickles, spicy rasam soup, cooling raita and some comforting rice pudding. I was in heaven. My friend's South India consisted of a giant dosa filled with browned potatoes, an oniony uttapam that resembled a pizza, fried and steamed lentil cakes, lentil dipping sauce, coconut chutney, and some of the best badam halwah I'd ever tasted. This super-rich, warm dessert is basically just butter, almonds, saffron and sugar. It's the texture of baby food, but somehow this only adds to its appeal. Although I preferred my own thali, finding the South India to be quite starch-heavy, I could have eaten an entire bowl of that badam halwah.

Tiffin Wallah: 127 East 28th St., (212) 685-7301.

A New Option at Yankee Stadium

As if the news about the Rocket's return weren't exciting enough, here's something else for a Yankee fan to celebrate! When you're sitting in nosebleed with the sun beating down, and you thirst for something other than a Coke, the new Salsa On The Go stand will satisfy you with fresh mango, passionfruit and guava drinks. If you're hungry, there are Cuban sandwiches, empanadas, arroz con pollo and sweet plantains. The-e-e.... YANKEES WIN!!!!

Salsa On The Go: Yankee Stadium Food Court, Section 20.

Soto Japanese Restaurant

Note: The below review was controversial. We remind you that it details one particular couple's experience on one night; many diners have had a fabulous experience at Soto (read the Village Voice and Time Out NY reviews). We urge the reader to visit Soto himself and make his own informed decision. We had to disable comments because they got out of hand.

My companion and I really wanted to love Soto. We're always thrilled when a new Japanese restaurant opens, and we were excited to try the innovative cuisine of Chef Sotohiro Kosugi - so excited that we dined at his restaurant just one day after it opened.

Unfortunately, we were to leave Soto with both empty stomachs and empty wallets.

The evening started out promising; we marveled at the transformation of the old Ony Noodle Shop space into an elegant room with stone floors and blond wood. Although the omakase was not yet available, the waitress happily made some recommendations: shima aji carpaccio, dobin mushi, uni sugomori and langoustines.

We were under the mistaken impression that the menu was divided into appetizers and entrees. All portions turned out to be the size of a small appetizer. So, after we were finished with the four recommended dishes, we felt compelled to order four more, as well as some assorted sushi. This was to cost us a pretty penny!

The broiled langoustine, split in two, squeezed with lime and covered with shiitake mayonnaise, was delicious. Dobin mushi was a light, yuzu-laced broth served in a ceramic teapot in which floated a piece of sea bream, a shrimp, a shiitake cap, two bright green gingko nuts and a leaf of mitsuba. We really loved the uni sugomori: bright orange, fresh sea urchin mixed with yellow quail yolk was a rich delight. Chu-toro tartare was topped with a velvety avocado mousse, and gindara sakekasu (black cod marinated in sake lees) was sweet and tasty. The presentation of shima aji carpaccio was beautiful; 12 slices of paper-thin yellowjack tuna were arranged to look like a many-petaled flower, and the fish was drizzled with ginger-truffle soy sauce. Tempura was a delicate (and small) array of Japanese eggplant, shrimp, squash and lotus root. But although this sounds like a lot of food, it wasn't!

Still hungry, we raided the sushi bar, ordering fresh sea eel, seared salmon, salmon roe and a tuna roll. We were surprised at the dyed pink ginger and commercial soy sauce... places like Sushi Yasuda are sticklers for those ingredients.

In conclusion, although we found the dishes artfully presented and inventive, we would have eaten better (and probably spent less) at Jewel Bako, En, Megu or Sushi Yasuda. (And we we miss filling up on big bowls of ramen at Ony!)

Edited to add: I've apparently ruffled a few Atlantans' feathers with this review. I in no way intended to offend, and I wish Mr. Kosugi the best of luck, as he does have an exquisite touch with cooked foods. Obviously, my reference to Ony is somewhat facetious, as I realize Soto is a high-end restaurant. However, if a diner is going to spend $200+ on a meal, he ought not to leave hungry. And if a chef is going to serve sushi at $7 a piece, that piece of sushi deserves undyed ginger and artisanal shoyu. (I am puzzled at the lack of a sushi or sashimi "set" as is customary in many sushi bars.) Finally, I in no way claim to be an expert on Japanese food, but I have spent considerable time in Japan, and have eaten at almost every Japanese restaurant in NYC. It's my favorite cuisine!

Soto: 357 Sixth Ave., (212) 414-3088.

Grom Gelato

"This is the line for gelato?" was the recurring comment people threw in my direction. The line, which I'd been waiting in for an hour and a half, stretched past Big Nick's Burgers, Jubilee, Beard Papa and Lush, to end at Grom, which was celebrating its grand opening in New York by offering free gelato. "Yes, this is the line," I sighed wearily. "Nuts," was the inevitable response.

People coped with the wait in different ways. Some enjoyed the passing spectacle of strollers and dogs. (Some onlookers, taking pity on us, even offered their dogs for petting so that we'd have something to do while we waited.) I was entertained by the creative rantings of a lunatic ("Merry Passover! Merry Passover!" shouted a bearded man. But was he any more insane than people who'd wait 2 hours for a cup of gelato?). I saw some people give up and walk away, and others cut in line.

Finally, after 2 hours of achy feet and various conversations with strangers about Havanese dogs and Hillary's presidential prospects, I reached the end of the line... to find that the extra-dark chocolate was... all gone.

I scratched my head. How could this be? It's not like there weren't other enticing selections; I saw regular chocolate, stracciatella, strawberries and cream, hazelnut, cappuccino, gianduja. There were also a few flavors of sorbetto and Sicilian granita. But ever since I got addicted to Capogiro's cioccolato scuro, I simply must have the deepest, darkest chocolate gelato!

Well, I settled for the regular chocolate with a side of fior di latte. The chocolate was really quite chocolatey, almost like semi-frozen fudge. I dare say it was chocolatey enough even for me. And the milky, silky fior di latte was the most luscious sweet cold cream.

I'll be back to Grom soon; I just hope the line lessens a little!

Grom Gelato: 2165 Broadway, (646) 290-7233.

Maoz Vegetarian

What do you get when you cross a falafel stand with a salad bar? Maoz Vegetarian, the first NYC outpost of a popular European falafel chain. Fill your whole wheat pita with a variety of ultra-fresh veggie salads (pickled baby eggplants, sliced mushrooms and more), sauces and falafel. If falafel's not your thing, you can always go with a feta, hummus or baba ganoush sandwich (only $3.75!). Or, if your vegetarian pal has dragged you kicking and screaming into Maoz when you wanted to eat at brgr, console yourself with some tasty Belgian fries.

Maoz Vegetarian: 38 Union Square East, (212) 260-1988.

Shambhala Cafe

The only sunglasses-and-chocolate store in NYC may have closed, but there's a new alternative for those who like to snack on sweets while shopping for accessories: Shambhala Cafe. This tiny shop is part earrings emporium, part Argentinian pastry heaven. The cafe features tubs of dulce de leche, coconut-sprinkled alfajores, tiny bizcochitos, and for the savory-inclined, a selection of homemade empanadas. The Cuban coffee (prepared by co-owner Luis) is divine, but if you eschew caffeine, you can indulge in a non-alcoholic "morir sonando"... orange juice blended with a bit of sweetened condensed milk.

And the earrings? I'm wearing my new pair right now.

Shambhala Cafe: 655 2nd Ave., (212) 213-2001.

Late Night Snacks at M Shanghai Bistro & Den

"I'm convinced there's something addictive in this sauce," said my friend as she dipped a plump seafood dumpling. "Unfortunately, we always seem to crave it on Mondays, when this place is closed."

All the delectable little bites at M Shanghai (fried chive egg pancakes, juicy pork buns, wontons, sticky rice shumai, dumplings) are served with a quartet of sauce components. The server expertly mixes them; you just indicate your spice tolerance. M Shanghai's appetizers are a perfect solution to the midnight munchies (the kitchen is open till 12 a.m., and delivery requests are accepted until the witching hour).

If you long for something more substantial, you can fill up on shredded beef with chili pepper, salt-and-pepper shrimp, sliced crispy chicken with ginger, noodles with oyster sauce, and much more. Or, you could make a choice from the "specials" menu, which never seems to change! Peel-and-eat ginger shrimp are a favorite.

M Shanghai just celebrated its fifth anniversary with a basement electronica party. The quirky joint was around long before the era of Williamsburg condos and south-of-the-BQE gentrification. So eat up some thin-skinned, juicy dumplings and enjoy one of Williamsburg's most enduring restaurants.

M Shanghai Bistro & Den: 129 Havemeyer St., Brooklyn, (718) 384-9300.

Pour

Maybe your friends are having a barbecue, and you'd like to bring over the perfect wine for grilled meat. Or you might like to know which variety of wine would compliment the Indian take-out you're enjoying at home. Pour, the only wine shop which exclusively focuses on food-wine pairings, is just the place for you! Wines are helpfully categorized into Bubbly, Crisp, Mellow, Plush, Bright, Velvety, Bold, Sweet, and Spirits. Categories include tips on optimal food pairings (oysters need a bubbly like Laurent Perrier Brut) and even food preparations (pan-seared meat goes well with a velvety Charbono "Villa Andriana" Summers red).

Are you still wondering about how to accompany your spicy Indian curry? Try a bold red wine with flavors of fruit, coffee and licorice: the 2003 Condado de Haza.

Pour: Amsterdam at 75th St., (212) 501-POUR.

The Most Chocolatey Gelato Ever

I know it's still 39 degrees outside, but I'm looking forward to summer days spent indulging in gelato. And I think I just found the most chocolatey gelato ever! Billed as "rich, black and serious," Capogiro's Cioccolato Scuro is not for the garden-variety chocoholic. It's for the diehard who wouldn't bat an eye at devouring an entire Valrhona Le Noir Extra Amer 85% chocolate bar.

The first ingredient in Cioccolato Scuro is cocoa. But if all this chocolate in one gelato is too intimidating, Capogiro also offers some lighter chocolate flavors: chocolate hazelnut with pieces of caramelized hazelnuts; chocolate banana; mint chocolate chip; Mexican chocolate with ancho chile, chipotle, cinnamon and bitter almonds; chocolate malt; and plain chocolate.

Where did I find Capogiro? At Whole Foods, which is gradually taking over Manhattan. (I wish the chain would spend some of its energy on neglected Queens!)