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!)

Sake And Cherry Blossoms

Although I'm a New Yorker by nature, I was born in Washington, DC. I only feel nostalgic in early spring, when I used to visit the 3,000 cherry blossom trees. (This year, they're blooming April 1-April 12.)

Since I can't get down to DC and don't see a trip to Tokyo in the near future, I have something else in mind: the Cherry Blossom Festival at Sakagura! Starting April 10, my favorite NYC Japanese restaurant will be decorated with fresh cherry blossoms, and there will be a seasonal sake tasting on April 23. For more information, please call 212-953-SAKE (7253).

The Tasting Room NYC

I wanted to give an oenophile friend the perfect birthday dinner. After mulling (no pun intended) over the excellent Veritas and I Trulli, I instead brought her to The Tasting Room NYC, which features a visible wine cellar. What a wonderful choice this turned out to be!

We sat at a cork table in one of the large back rooms. Although there was an intriguing cocktail menu with exotic ingredients like Ceylon cinnamon, we each ordered a glass of wine. My friend ordered a woodsy Flying Vine red and I went with a glass of Gruet.

The menu at the Tasting Room is somewhat misleading; portions are available in both "tastes" and "shares," but a "shared" entree is really only enough for one person. We were quite hungry and knew that we'd each need both an appetizer and a large entree! I chose the creamy, rich Jerusalem artichoke soup with a small floating island of green garlic. In between bites, I poached from my friend's lemony mache salad, which included the fanciful addition of popcorn.

Our entrees were creative and comforting at the same time. My crispy-skinned ivory salmon arrived atop a bed of fluffy barley in an almond sauce. Although I couldn't taste much of the almond and initially thought the sauce was some sort of root vegetable puree, there was definitely butter in there - and I can never have too much butter!

My friend ordered the sturgeon, which was served in a bacon-accented broth of lentils de Puy and green lentil sprouts. The hefty slab of sturgeon was luscious and moist, and the green sprouts added crunch and lightness to the dish.

On the phone, I'd alerted the hostess to the fact that our table was a "birthday table." However, when we arrived at the restaurant, I neglected to tell her which one of us was the birthday girl! So, when the waitress came by with the dessert menus, I mouthed "birthday" as discreetly as I could, hoping she'd realize that the surprise was meant for my friend. Fortunately, everything went perfectly; a festive candle adorned my friend's warm chocolate cake with dulce de leche ice cream. Once again, I poached from her selection; my jar of chocolate-topped butterscotch pot de creme was excellent, but what I was thinking, not ordering the warm chocolate cake?!

The Tasting Room NYC: 264 Elizabeth St., (212) 358-7831. (NOTE: This location is closed as of June 2008. The original wine bar at 72 East 1st St. will stay open.)

Hummus Place

I had no idea that hummus and pita could be such a sensual experience. Today, I was on the Upper West Side debating whether I should pop into Fairway. I went one block over to Amsterdam, where I enjoyed an incredibly satisfying lunch special at Hummus Place: shakshuka accompanied by mint lemonade, puffy, hot fresh pitas and a hummus as sinful as peanut butter. Silky, warm, dusted with paprika, drizzled with olive oil and topped with a little heap of chick peas, the hummus was simply amazing!

The shakshuka was quite nice as well: two eggs over easy in a stew of tomatoes and green peppers, with sesame seeds and oregano liberally sprinkled. I ordered mine with the addition of salty halloumi cheese... I can't get enough of this stuff and would have appreciated even more of it!

How on earth did I miss this place?

Hummus Place: 305 Amsterdam Ave., (212) 799-3335 (Two Village locations as well).

Random Snacks

Here are a few items I always seem to be craving these days (no, not for any particular reason!):

• Newtree Chocolate Napolitains: I especially love the "Young" cherry dark chocolates. There's been a sale on them at Really Cool Foods (3rd Ave. @ 63rd St., 212-605-0900), the gourmet shop which is a cross between Whole Foods and a public prep kitchen.


• Kyotofu's Miso Chokos: These were touted in NY Mag's Best Of New York issue, which neglected to focus on what I believe is the most unique thing about these fudgy little cupcakes: the miso! If you've ever enjoyed a drizzle of balsamic vinegar on your strawberries or your panna cotta, you'll enjoy the same slight astringence that miso brings to this chocolate treat.


• Brookfarm Snacmacs: Oven-roasted macadamias dusted with Kashmiri chili and sea salt. Available at Citarella!
(I got mine at the 424 Ave. of the Americas location.)

And finally...


• A stroke of absolute genius: the sea-salt espresso cookies at Cheeks Bakery (378 Metropolitan Ave., Brooklyn, 718-599-3583). If you appreciate fleur de sel caramels, you'll just eat these up.

Happy munching!

Brunch At Baci & Abbracci

Get me near a plate of complimentary biscotti, a brick oven, perfectly grilled seafood, and homemade torta della nonna, and I can't stay away. This weekend, a friend and I fell in love with a restaurant which fulfilled all of the above characteristics: Baci & Abbracci. (We also fell in love with Paolo.)

A wealth of possibilities lay before us as we sat down in the backyard patio this afternoon: sweet (omelette stuffed with Brie and apricot jam!), savory, brunch or lunch? We couldn't just choose one thing, so we started with butternut squash soup with two plump grilled shrimp and a salad with white beans, grilled scallops, calamari and shrimp with sweet red peppers. We also enjoyed slightly warmed walnut raisin rolls with apricot jam ("Great! Now I don't miss the apricot jam," said my friend, who had agonized over whether to try the aforementioned sweet omelette.)

We diverged in our entrees; I went with lunch: chewy, toothsome little beet gnocchi with sprigs of arugula in an intensely rich, creamy cheese sauce. My friend delighted in the asparagus frittata, served with large potato wedges and a small salad.

Now it was starting to grow chilly outside, so we retreated inside near the oven, where tiny chocolate coconut cookies were coming into existence. Naturally, we were compelled to order dessert. Paolo brought us over a plate of complimentary biscotti and cookies, but we also indulged in a healthy slice of custardy, pistachio-laden torta della nonna which was cross-hatched with chocolate cream. Yum!

Baci & Abbracci: 204 Grand St., Brooklyn, (718) 599-6599. Open for brunch on Saturday as well as Sunday.

Curly's Vegetarian Lunch: Chocolate-Chip Cookies Made To Order

Have you ever wanted to bake a batch of chocolate-chip cookies, but you couldn't stop yourself from eating all the dough? Or maybe you knew you were going to eat all the dough anyway, so you didn't even let yourself get as far as mixing the ingredients together. If you're not a raw dough fan, maybe you stopped yourself from making the cookies because you worried you'd eat them all.

Well, here's your perfect solution. The next time you have a craving for freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, but you just can't bring yourself to prepare them, go over to Curly's Vegetarian Lunch in the East Village. Curly's will bake you a minibatch of three cookies, so you don't have to feel guilty, and what's even better, you'll be served a small bowl of cookie dough while you're waiting for the finished product. (Vegans rejoice: if you don't want your cookie made with butter and eggs, just tell the server, and Curly's will happily make you a vegan cookie served with vanilla soy ice cream.)

Curly's Vegetarian Lunch: 328 East 14th St., (212) 598-9998.

Free Goodies!

Tonight, you can support Brooklyn's independent business community while enjoying treats from Williamsburg's own Cheeks Bakery and Baci & Abbracci! Where? At a free-admission party thrown by the UNSCENE Urban Navigator, held at 213 N. 8th @ Driggs from 8-midnight. (This should be fun; there will be Brooklyn Brewery beverages!)

Flatbush Farm

Farms are taking over Brooklyn! The Farm On Adderley, and now Flatbush Farm... a friend and I recently enjoyed a hearty meal at the latter. I'd missed St. Mark's Bistro, which formerly occupied the space, so I was happy to see a thriving restaurant once again.

We truly enjoyed our rich, hearty meal, but we felt that the dessert course was the least successful part. (How strange this is!) We began with a kuri (and curried) squash soup and an earthy chestnut soup with celery root and tender soft chestnuts. Then we were presented with a very rich preparation of striped bass, served with a sage cream sauce and buttery parsnips, and a delightful lamb stew with nicely browned potatoes and turnips.

The dessert of apple chestnut crepes seemed too savory and heavy. But this was the only sour note in an enjoyable meal, and the absence of empty tables indicated that Brooklynites are truly enjoying the harvest at Flatbush Farm.

Flatbush Farm: 76 St. Marks Ave., Brooklyn, (718) 622-3276.

Sweets News

• Mary's Dairy, NYC's wonderful super-premium ice cream store, has just come out with a line of ice cream cakes! And just like everything else at Mary's, the ice cream cakes are made with ingredients of the highest quality: handmade buttercream, Valrhona chocolate pearls, and bittersweet chocolate ganache.


• Speaking of chocolate, you've got to check out the exotic confections of Rhonda Kave, founder of Roni-Sue's Chocolates. You can find these exciting truffles at Jeffrey’s at Essex Street Market (120 Essex Street, 646-269 6812). Try the Mint: Callebaut bittersweet chocolate ganache center blended with mint jam, peppermint powder and oil, Moroccan mint tea and Vandermint liqueur, or the festive Margarita: handmade marzipan blended with fresh lime curd, key lime juice and zest, pure agave tequila, kafir lime leaf and key lime zest, then drizzled with key lime chocolate and coarse sea salt flakes!

Valentine's Day At Sakagura

Although Asiate is at the top of my list for romantic restaurants (what a view!), a cozy, dim nook in the back room of Sakagura is pretty romantic too. And since my companion and I are in love with Sakagura, it was only fitting that we spent Valentine's Day there, enjoying the special prix fixe dinner.

In Japan, Valentine's Day is something of a Sadie Hawkins affair. (White Day, which is celebrated on March 14, was created to balance things out. On Valentine's Day, women give men a gift (usually chocolate); men reciprocate on White Day.) This Valentine's Day, it was almost impossible not to give someone a piece of chocolate... Hershey representatives were out in force around Grand Central Station, handing out free samples from their new Cacao Reserve Collection. (Disclaimer: As a food blogger with Blogads on my page, I was the happy recipient of a large box of complimentary chocolate bars and truffles from this very collection; in a bit of serendipity, I received this box on Valentine's Day. There is no way I can eat all this, so please E-mail me if you'd like to share in the wealth.)

But back to Sakagura! My companion and I sat down to a pink rose petal-strewn table and a sake aperitif in which one rose petal floated. (See? I told you it was romantic.) Instead of opting for a three-flight sake tasting, we ordered the sweet, low-alcohol Himezen sake. Soon we were served a dense, creamy soymilk custard in which bamboo shoots and shiitake slivers were steamed. On top of the custard was a layer of gelatinous shark fin-thickened soy sauce. Scrumptious.

The next plate was a carnival of different tastes, colors and textures: cold, caviar-sprinkled shredded lobster salad with crunchy yam, sea urchin with a spray of Japanese salt, thin slivers of fatty tuna, grilled red snapper served in a giant leaf, and sweet citrus halves stuffed with snow crab and sea urchin.

Sakagura was so crowded that there was a very long wait for the grilled dish, so our apologetic server brought over a plate of cold fried whitefish salad. The entree was a choice of foie-gras-stuffed Kobe beef or Toyama yellowtail teriyaki; we opted for the latter. Just as we were about to start eating the chopsticks, along came the rich marinated yellowtail, decorated with red pickled ginger, Japanese mountain pepper and toothsome miso-dressed taro potatoes.

A pungent shiso sorbet palate-cleanser was next, and then came the bamboo baskets of sushi. We loved the smoked salmon sprinkled with tiny dots of sweet egg, chopped tuna, grilled eel and sardine-like needlefish.

A romantic evening isn't complete without dessert (and other things that are not relevant to this food blog, but that's another matter), and we were delighted by the chocolate-mousse-stuffed mochi, mixed berries and cream on pound cake inside a crisp cookie shell, and rum raisin ice cream.

Sakagura: 211 East 43rd S.t, B1, (212) 953-7253.

The Art Of Coffee

I didn't know coffee could be so beautiful!

(For the record, my favorite cups of java in NYC are: the macchiato at Cafe Grumpy and the "Leftist" espresso blend at Gimme Coffee.)

Brunch at Goblin Market (CLOSED as of September 2007)

With its strategically exposed brick wall and pounded-copper bar, Goblin Market feels like it's been around for much longer than four months. Today, I was on my way to Grandaisy Bakery to pick up some pizza patate when I decided to stop over at Goblin. I'm so glad I did!

As I sat drinking strong coffee, I watched the plates piling up on neighboring tables: a thick Angus burger, a foot-long rolled tomato, mozzarella basil omelette, lemon buttermilk pancakes. Fortunately, my dish (creme-fraiche-rich eggs scrambled with smoked salmon, topped with a small spray of domestic caviar and served with slightly browned, parsleyed potatoes) was not long in arriving.

The dinner menu looked great too... you can have your steak marinated in miso or Mediterranean-style.

Goblin Market: 199 Prince St., (212) 375-8275.

A Valentine To Make Them Swoon

I can't think of a better way to express one's love than to take that special someone to the Valentine's Day three-course dessert and wine tasting at The Chocolate Room. Lucky couples can linger over a plate of double-dipped strawberries, and they can feed each other homemade Graham-cracker smores. I say "lucky" because two of the three seatings are already completely sold out, so interested chocolate-loving lovers must hurry if they want to reserve a table!

The Chocolate Room Brooklyn: 86 5th Ave, Brooklyn, (718) 783-2900.

Restaurant Week at Riingo

My friend, her fiance and I deliberated for quite some time between the regular lunch menu and the Restaurant Week meal at Riingo today. The prospect of dark chocolate mousse and green-tea donuts was the deciding factor, and we all ordered the special $24.07, three-course lunch. "Can I please have some of your green-tea donuts if I order the chocolate mousse?" I pleaded.

"Well, we're not going to have to try each other's entrees," my friend said wryly. She, her fiance and I were all equally interested in the miso-glazed mahi-mahi. At least we'd all ordered different appetizers! Her fiance ordered the bacon-accented potato soup ("Tastes just like a rich, creamy mashed potato," I opined), she went for the salmon avocado roll, and I chose the walnut-sprinkled and caramelized pear frisee salad with Roquefort crumbles. I couldn't resist ordering a few pieces of sushi - salmon roe with a hint of citrus, and a slab of pearly pink yellowtail.

We're so accustomed to the sweet miso black cod served at so many establishments that it took us a minute to get our palates around the soy-flavored mahi-mahi. Once we did, we appreciated the meaty fish with its sides of smoky gingered bulgur and steamed greens.

I groaned. "I wish I hadn't eaten so much of the garlic edamame spread that came with the rolls." (I hope someone decides to mass-produce this spread... it's better than any hummus I've ever eaten.) My groaning was short-lived, as the green-tea-marmalade, sugar-sprinkled donut holes arrived, as well as my star anise ice cream with chocolate mousse: a cylinder of dark chocolate enveloping three layers of ganache, mousse and cake.

As I was taking my last sip of roasted rice green tea, the waitress brought by three gift certificates for $24.07! Try to get into Riingo by Friday (the last day of Restaurant Week) and you'll also be treated to a complimentary future meal.

Riingo: 205 East 45th St., (212) 867-4200. East 45th Street, which also boasts Sakagura and Sushi Yasuda as well as Riingo, is now so tempting that I almost can't handle it anymore.

Hasaki

Since 1984, simple, casual Hasaki has delighted lovers of traditional Japanese cuisine. And now that Takino is a thing of the past, Hasaki is one of the few places where you can order tempura-by-the-piece: gingko nuts, shishito peppers and much more. A rock shrimp/mitsuba tempura is often on the daily special menu, and it's highly recommended. Also delicious is the unsauced fried white eel.

One of my favorite ways to enjoy Hasaki is the $20 "twilight dinner," which is only served until 6:30. Last night, I was about to order the grilled salmon in miso-basil sauce, but I also craved the excellent tempura. The twilight dinner was the perfect solution! This very filling meal included: rich red miso soup with tiny tofu cubes, a mesclun/frisee salad with creamy miso dressing, cold grilled eggplant, sliced crunchy lotus root, hijiki tofu salad, a luscious square of rich, fatty, salt-crusted grilled salmon, delicately sliced salmon, tuna and whitefish sashimi, and a healthy portion of tempura - two jumbo shrimp, a shrimp ball, shishito peppers, eggplant and carrot! And to top all of this off, there was a beautiful dessert plate of intricately sliced melon, orange and kiwi.

I bet Hasaki will be around for another 23 years!

Hasaki: 210 East 9th St., (212) 473-3327.

Pala Pizza Romana

A regular hangout for patrons and musicians from nearby Rockwood Music Hall, Pala bustles with activity. As the hours go by, you'll see many a guitar and bass come through the front door. But you'll probably be more focused on the luscious appetizers, pizza and dessert!

After catching a few shows at Rockwood (there's a new band every hour, starting at 6 p.m.), I walked into Pala with three friends. We were overwhelmed with the display of innovative pizzas (fior di latte mozzarella with leeks, pork sausage, sundried tomatoes and hot pepper; pumpkin-pancetta, Gorgonzola with asparagus, fior di latte mozzarella and tomato sauce).

Each oval pizza contained four slices, so we decided to order two pizzas and three appetizers. Appetizers were divided into fritti and salads. Crispy calamari and four plump zucchini blossoms stuffed with buffalo mozzarella and anchovies were our choices. "What are these!" exclaimed a newly-converted zucchini blossom addict. The blossoms were more heavily battered than the ones at Novita and Five Points, but still very tasty, with a hint of saltiness from the anchovies inside. We also ordered the slightly charred artichoke salad with large shavings of parmigiano, and eagerly scooped up every last bite with focaccia squares.

Soon the magnificent pizzas arrived. First was the buffalo mozzarella with intense cherry tomato sauce and fresh basil (there's nothing like melting fresh mozzarella) and then we enjoyed the Gorgonzola with asparagus. The asparagus was a bit limp, but the combination of melting Gorgonzola with that mozzarella was almost too pleasurable to describe! Both pizzas had a satisfyingly chewy crust, and the slices were so large that we were each satisfied with two pieces.

Of course, that satisfaction did not replace the need for dessert. Homemade tiramisu and a dense flourless chocolate cake were a lovely end to our lively evening!

Pala Pizza Romana: 198 Allen Street, (212) 614-7252.

Stand Burger

Here's some stiff competition for Better Burger NYC! Stand, a trans-fat-free burger joint which recently opened on East 12th Street, serves up juicy 7-ouncers (try the decadent bacon & egg cheeseburger), Atlantic sea-salt sprinkled hand-cut fries, fresh blackberry soda, and ricotta-pistachio milkshakes. Top it all off with a melted brownie and bowl of Il Laboratorio Del Gelato sorbet.

Although prices are more Midtown than NYU, I predict that the owner's plans to franchise will be successful. (My first New Year's prediction! I hope it lasts longer than my resolutions.)

Stand: 24 East 12th St., (212) 488-5900.

Painter Girl Chocolates

2006 flew by as fast as a cheetah, and a cheetah is what I'm munching on as I contemplate the beginning of the new year. Well, not an actual wildcat, but "The Cheetah" chocolate bar conceived by the wonderfully creative Painter Girl Chocolates. For my birthday this year, a friend bought me The Cheetah, The Wild Pony, The Snow Leopard and The Zebra, all animal-print bars made from Belgian chocolate.

My New Year's resolution is to try to appreciate each moment a little more. I think I can start by slowly savoring a rich chocolate bar.

Happy New Year!

Boqueria

Walking into Boqueria, an authentic tapas bar, I thought the only details missing were cigarette smoke and paper strewn all over the floor. "We can't do that," joked Yann, the owner. But there was an inviting counter full of wheels of Spanish cheese and plates of white anchovy toasts, and a few businessmen sat there sipping beer and cafe con leche. I cast a glance over the packed dining area and decided to sit in the more casual section at the front of the room.

Boqueria's menu, organized by portion size, consists of tapas, embutidos (cured meats such as the beloved Serrano ham and paprika sausage), media raciones, raciones and para compartir (to share). Although there are many traditional items such as gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp) and paella, there's a whimsical touch (there are lychees in the arroz cremoso).

My original intention was to try three tapas, but I was full after one and a half! I had a slice of the tortilla espanola, a nicely browned, sliced potato omelette as high as a deep-dish apple pie. (Note to olive-lovers: a small portion of green and black olives accompanies the tortilla.) I guess I was in a potato mood, so I also devoured the salt cod brandade, which arrived with fried herbs and crisp toasts.

The cook at the bar gave me some white anchovy toasts smeared with goat cheese. He was obsessed with Ferran Adria's 825-recipe cookbook, and told me how Adria had autographed it when he visited New York this fall. Although you won't find cocina de vanguardia at Boqueria, I'm sure you will be satisfied with the excellent, thoughtfully prepared Spanish food.

Boqueria: 53 West 19th St., (212) 255-4160. Happily, the restaurant does not close between lunch and dinner, so stop in for an afternoon snack.

wd-50

Has the sight of all those Christmas trees made you hungry? If so, you might want to head over to wd-50, where the current menu features sly hints of the season. This weekend, there were pine needle beans, spruce yogurt and a pine nut casserole. My companion and I celebrated Christmas Eve doing what we love most: dining out. Many others had the same idea, as wd-50 was packed even though chef Wylie Dufresne had the night off.

We almost ordered the 9-course tasting, but instead decided only to go the tasting route for dessert, ordering a la carte for dinner. But the couple next to us ordered the 9-course tasting, and we were quite envious watching all the exciting concoctions they were served! One of their courses was a miso soup served with a little squeeze bottle of... noodles! When they squirted the liquid contents of the squeeze bottle into their bowls, convincingly thick udon-like noodles were formed. The server told us that the broth had to be sufficiently hot for the reaction to take place.

Our amuse-bouche was a little pressed coin of smoked eel, served with tiny white "pine needle beans" and a swirl of tangy cranberry puree. I was going to order the rabbit sausage pine nut cassoulet but instead went for the lighter malted chestnut soup. This bowl of slightly foamy, earthy brown broth was a tableau for an ikebana-like garnish. Tufts of dried, shredded bright-orange salmon were scattered across the soup like blossoms, with green celery root and chestnut chips for leaves. It was almost too pretty to eat! My companion's choice was the cold, refreshing squid noodles with julienned zucchini, tart dehydrated grapefruit sections and sansho sour cream. The squid had the texture of spaghetti.

For entrees, I ended up preferring my companion's succulent pink ocean trout, served with a spray of Middle Eastern spices, cucumber strips which looked raw and green but which were somehow tender, and panelle. My hearty portion of cacao-nib-sprinkled, crispy-skinned bass was somewhat overpowered (to my taste) by its bed of heavy peanut-sauced quinoa. But the cacao nibs provided a delicious kind of deconstructed mole.

The dessert tasting, which ended up including an extra "pre-dessert" course, was shockingly imaginative (and wonderful!). Our waiter said that he could score us the yuzu custard from the 10-course menu, but that everything else would be a surprise.

I love savory elements in desserts, and the dessert tasting was right up my alley. The pre-dessert was a little fantasy of pineapple puree, dried apple strips and apple sorbet. Next was yuzu custard with sour herbal spruce yogurt, Sicilian pistachios and shortbread crumbles, then a plate of black currant pound cake and sorbet with a soft little meringue, a black sesame sprinkle and a swirl of black sesame gelee, and finally the chocolate/avocado dessert: a long strip of soft chocolate cream dotted with light and dark green pools of avocado and lime puree. The dessert was a meal in itself!

wd-50: 50 Clinton St., (212) 477-2900.

Tocqueville Restaurant

Tocqueville is still hot, hot, hot, even though its new incarnation has been open since February. Last night, our party of four had a 9 p.m. reservation, but a table didn't open up until after 10. Fortunately, the gracious host sat us at the bar, plying us with complimentary glasses of Lafitte Rose and all the sparkling water we could drink! Although we weren't able to move to the dining room until our entrees, we certainly appreciated the hospitality. (Service was excellent throughout the night.)

We munched on gougeres while looking over the seasonal, local menu. (A veal chop in bacon-onion sauce was the special.) Our amuse-bouche was a tiny cup of rich Parmesan lentil soup.

To start, we ordered the sea urchin carbonara (my choice), Cato cheddar salad, house-cured salmon and sturgeon, and sunchoke soup. The Cato cheddar salad was a tall pile of frisee topped with a giant slice of cheddar and a few hazelnuts, served next to some halved roasted pears. A few bay scallops decorated the earthy sunchoke soup. The thinly-sliced salmon and sturgeon was my favorite appetizer - sprinkled with peppery kaiware, it was refreshing and stimulating to the appetite (which is what an appetizer should do!). I felt that my sea urchin carbonara was actually the least appealing selection. Sea urchin is a delicate creature, and in this instance it was lost in a heavy clump of eggy, creamy noodles. (Basta Pasta does a great sea urchin pasta; the pink sauce is much lighter and the urchin is served on top in a heap, rather than being mixed into the pasta and losing its texture.)

My entree was the wild salmon wrapped in Savoy cabbage. It looked like a big California roll, and arrived with a vial of "bagna cauda" (according to the server, the sauce contained tomato, onion, garlic, anchovy, butter and olive oil), tiny Beluga lentils and spicy watercress. This preparation of salmon rendered the fish perfectly moist. Other entrees were the bloody rare "60-Second Steak" with a cake of "24-Hour Shortrib" (did I detect a hint of vanilla in the little Brussels sprouts accompanying the meat?) and our favorite entree, the hibiscus-scented John Dory.

At dessert, I was again more entranced with others' selections than my own. I ordered the toasted sesame pudding, which was something of an underwater dessert. Two cubes of pudding floated atop a lonely little cookie underneath a cold, clear shiso/elderflower broth. I immediately gravitated towards my friend's thick rectangle of chocolate-graham cracker mousseline, apologizing for my indiscretion.

Tocqueville Restaurant: 15 East 15th St., (212) 647-1515.

Salli And The Chocolate Factory

Have you ever wanted to see the inner workings of a chocolate factory? This Wednesday-Friday, you'll be granted a rare glimpse into Vere Chocolates, and best of all, any chocolates you may purchase during the tour will be discounted by 20%! Try the fruit & nut "tile" mosaics or the classic truffles made with cream and butter from grass-fed cows.

Vere Chocolates: 12 West 27th St., 6th Floor, (866) 410-VERE.

A Short Trip To Tokyo

I am presently eating myself into a coma in Tokyo. (Don't worry, I'll soon be back to do the same in New York.) You can read about my experiences at Salli Vates' Traveling Food Page.

The Traveling Palate

I've just discovered the Traveling Palate, a group which holds events highlighting various world cuisines. This month's dinner, which takes place at Kiva Cafe on Thursday, December 7, will showcase the spicy, hearty food of Ethiopia. There will be injera, spiced red lentils, braised chicken with tomatoes, ginger, allspice and cloves, and much more! To RSVP, please call (212) 587-1198.

FIKA

Take a break from the mad 5th Avenue Christmas rush, turn right on 58th Street and stop into FIKA, a contemporary Swedish coffee/sweets/sandwich shop. You'll be able to enjoy juniper-marinated gravlax, a sandwich with roast beef and Vasterbotten cheese, Swedish meatballs on baguette, and a daily soup (the other day, a delectable potato leek topped with homemade croutons). Make sure to try the excellent coffee, and accompany it with delightful sweets like kanelbulle, little cinnamon crullers coated with crystallized sugar, kladdkaka, a very sweet, dense chocolate cake with a dollop of whipped cream, or chocolate-lingonberry truffles. Soon you'll be recharged and ready for your holiday shopping! (I haven't even started...)

FIKA: 41 West 58th St., (212) 832-0028.

Learn to Make Chocolate in Your Own Home

The holiday gift rush has arrived. But if you dread the thought of braving the stampede at Macy's or Bloomie's, I have a solution for you, or at least the chocolate lovers on your gift list. How do you think your favorite chocoholics would react if you presented them with a gift of... homemade chocolate?

On Saturday, December 2 at 9:00 a.m., Jeff Pzena, owner of the CottonTree Lodge, and Clay Gordon, organizer of the Discover Chocolate Meetup, are offering a day-long "Learn To Make Chocolate In Your Own Home" workshop. They will cover all the fundamentals of making chocolate from raw cocoa beans, even including such topics as recipe development. You'll take home a finished 4oz chocolate bar and, hopefully, a lifetime of knowledge!

Join the Chocolate Meetup Group and RSVP.

Thanksgiving Dishes By Astrological Sign

For once, my horoscope was accurate! According to Sabra Ricci's "Thanksgiving Dishes By Astrological Sign," as a Sagittarius, I am extravagant, overindulgent, and fond of macaroni and cheese.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Babbo

Autumn's bounty was all over the menu at Babbo last night, and I'm so glad I was able to enjoy some of it. Around 9:30 p.m., I was hungrily wandering the West Village. I'd been meaning to check out Inside on Jones Street, but the host disappeared into thin air when I walked in. I knew that Babbo would be a long shot, but when I hesitantly opened the door, I actually saw an empty seat at the end of the bar! MINE, I thought triumphantly.

The menu featured lots of white truffles, pumpkin, and butternut squash. Next to me, a man was tearing away at his grilled guinea hen with a side of Brussels sprouts. I wondered if I should order the special duck egg appetizer or perhaps start with an half-portion of pumpkin luna with sage, but instead I ended up with: the trio of goat cheese truffles coated in poppy seeds, hot paprika and fennel, tossed over a tumble of marinated yellow and red pepper strips and served with crostini (rich!), the special bavette with Castelmagno, spicy toasted breadcrumbs and cardoons (I'd never tasted this artichoke-like vegetables) and the awesome, silky golden maple custard served with three light, puffy, sugar-crunchy pumpkin donuts.

I smiled all the way home!

Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca: 110 Waverly Place. (212) 777-0303.

Mamalu Play & Munch Ground: Arepas for the Young and Old

In a sign of the increasingly family-friendly nature of Williamsburg, the first cafe-playroom has arrived next to McCarron Park. Three months ago, Maria Laura and Mariela opened Mamalu, a casual, organic spot with Venezuelan touches. Parents: while you placate your toddler with an organic PBJ and spoon some Earth's Best into your baby's hungry mouth, you can enjoy guasacaca (Venezuelan spicy avocado sauce), reina pepiada (Venezuelan chicken salad), baked eggs, and fresh arepas with cotija cheese (with flaxseed or without). There's also a selection of sandwiches on Pain D'Avignon bread which you can accompany with plaintain chips or a mixed salad. And if you're not in the mood for food, just sip a cup of Oslo Coffee.

When those new condos open on Bayard, you won't be able to get a seat!

Mamalu: 232 North 12th St., Brooklyn, (718) 486-6312.

The 9th Annual Chocolate Show: Insider Tips!

• If you want tons of free truffles, do head to Pierre Gourmet at the very back of the Metropolitan Pavilion. People were coming away with handfuls. (Surprisingly, a few vendors this year offered no free samples at all - maybe someone should speak to John & Kira and Cocoa Locoa!)



• For a free sample of banana dipped in chocolate from a chocolate fountain, go to Chocolat Weiss in the Altman building. Divalicious, in the Metropolitan Pavilion Building, will charge you at least $3 for your sample, and the melted chocolate isn't as warm.



• However, if you want to sip free hot chocolate instead of paying $1 at Chocolat Weiss, go to Schokinag, which is serving up samples of hot chocolate in all kinds of flavors: Triple Chocolate, Dulce De Leche, and Chocolate Mint!

You can also taste a raw cocoa bean from the Ivory Coast, be spritzed with chocolate cologne, buy a prescription bottle of cocoa nibs from Michel Cluizel, and taste an award-winning chocolate-chip cookie by Baking By Design. And on Saturday, don't miss the demonstrations of Alex Urena's chocolate foie gras terrine and Gina DePalma's chocolate polenta crostata!

The 9th Annual Chocolate Show: This Weekend

This weekend, while some people restrict their calories or pretend to eat at virtual restaurants, I'll be happily indulging at the 9th Annual Chocolate Show. You should too!