New York 2009: The Perfect Pint

Still many months behind on my posts, I forgot to take notes on a casual dinner tonight, and thus, back in my hotel room, I feel compelled to recordthis occurrence before memory of it slips away.

I ventured to meet two gentlemen at The Perfect Pint, a relatively new outpost of the original spot at 45th and 6th. It was staffed with seemingly authentic young lasses from Ireland, who pointed out with an efficient brusqeness (which seemed very Irish) the best food and drink on their "New York Irish" menu. The "30 beers on tap" is a little misleading, as the excellent Innis & Gunn is only available (as it is everywhere else) in bottles - but both that bottle and the Guiness were well poured and tasty.

I opted for the traditional fish & chips, which were good. Nothing to write Galway about, but ok. In fact, the "New York Irish" cuisine included some great buffalo wings ("Neo Classical Chicken Wings") that were just the right spice and meaty.

Overall, this short post should tell you one thing - The Perfect Pint is a good place for a casual pint (or 10) with some good bar noshes. A nice addition to the fast food and fancy steak in the Midtown East zip code.

New York 2008: iCi

On an unseasonably warm winter morning in early December, I walked across DeKalb Avenue in the Fort Greene area of Brooklyn with two locals to grab brunch at iCi. Meaning "here" in English, iCi is a charming, crowded French bistro style restaurant on the garden floor of a building just a few blocks from the park, and it feels almost a bit foreign and out of place...the format, interior and, importantly, food, exuded a true sense of Europe (they even eschew credit cards at brunch, a poor European trait).

iCi focuses on local, organic and farm-fresh ingredients to create its largely French Country menu. After a nice mug of decaf (not very European), I tried a glass of Rhone which turned out to be quite nice. My dining partners had the more traditional bloody mary start to their Sunday, which I understand were also quite tasty.

The menu is simple and fairly limited - a few egg dishes, a few bread dishes and some sides. This is a good thing, as the short description of each dish made me very indecisive. I finally opted for the poached eggs with truffled grits and cheddar. The large bowl was stuffed with the aforementioned ingredients, and very flavorful. I would note, however, that the thick mixture of grits and eggs with rich truffle and cheese notes was lukewarm; the dish would benefit from a bit more prompt service once out of the various pots and pans. That said, the chef has designed a dish that echoed both French and American comfort food. Particularly when paired with the "Bacon with Fat" side dish - thick, fat pieces of bacon almost as succulent as pork belly. A must have.

My companions had the french toast (with apple and pear compote), shirred eggs (which I had never heard of) with collard greens, and a side of chicken sausage. The french toast was well-done with a thick brioche and steeped in sweet syrup. The shirred eggs took the gold medal though. In addition to the described collard greens, the bowl (same serving as my eggs and grits, but piping hot!) was overflowing with a bechamel sauce and chunks of the "Bacon with Fat" mixed into the eggs. I had a one forkful and was certain of what I order on my next trip.

I applaud the efforts the owners are making to support local, fresh ingredients and the eclectic, tasty dishes they have developed (at least on the brunch menu). A few tweaks to the service (to adjust the temperatures, of course) and a more rational credit card policy (they do take credit cards at dinner, just not brunch) would make this a perfect breakfast spot - an old world menu, new world ingredients, and a hip location in burgeoning Fort Greene. Give it a try, and don't miss the bacon.

New York 2008: Chinatown Brasserie

The onset of Winter always brings memories of family feasts; heavy, aromatic meals and comforting food in an atmosphere of close relatives and friends. I made my first trip of the cold season to New York this week, and had a hankering for Chinese food.

Chicago doesn't have good Chinese food outside of the small Chinatown on the South Side. To be clear, there are many good *Asian* dining opportunities, and I would be remiss if I didn't note that the Peninsula's Shanghai Terrace has a excellent Chinese cuisine. But for some reason, New York is just different - the pure Chinese restaurant (no Pad Thai, no pan-Asian noodle dishes, no sushi) is an art form. Outside of Asia, I know no better Peking Duck and Dim Sum than inside the borough of Manhattan.

So, yearning for some real Chinese cuisine, I called up a few friends and had a nice Chinese banquet at the downtown Chinatown Brasserie. CB is one of the better Chinese places in New York. I prefer Shun Lee for Peking Duck, but this is a great place to explore all the variations of Dim Sum.

The lush interior evokes the feel of a real formal Asian dining experience, the service is somewhat slow, but adequate. The menu is varied but not too voluminous as some Chinese eateries seem to be.

One of my friends who frequents CB did the ordering; we had all of the major food groups - Pork, Chicken, Shrimp, Beef, and, of course, the Peking Duck.

There were so many varied dishes that it is hard to recount them all, but the highlights of the meal included the soup dumplings (tender pork and crab mixture filled with broth in a perfectly cooked dumpling), the turnip tofu with spicy sauce, and the chicken with crispy fried spinach.

The Peking Duck has less meat than crispy fried skin, but was solid.

Overall, a nice way to start the Wintery season, a solid meal for anyone craving Chinese after a long respite.

New York 2008: Blue Hill at Stone Barns (Tarrytown)

Tucked into the beautiful preserve of the Rockefeller Estate in Westchester County, Stone Barns is a working farm in a carefully manicured setting. When arriving at the Blue Hill restaurant, which occupies one side of the sprawling stone barn compound, your mood is set by the sight, sound and smell of this largely organic cornucopia of natural ingredients from which chef Dan Barber picks his nightly menu.

Blue Hill is wildly popular not only with the denizens of the wealthy Manhattan suburbs in which it resides, but also legions of young, hipster foodies who trek to the rural setting of Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills (just outside Tarrytown) to sample the fresh and unique tasting menus.

So, be prepared to make a reservation far in advance and wait a bit for your seating. That said, strolling the grounds and absorbing the natural scents of the farm, or retiring to the cozy bar area set with rustic furniture just outside the converted dairy barn which is the main restaurant to enjoy with a signature cocktail helps alleviate any stress born of the frenzy of the host stand. The one major complaint I had about the evening, however, was the achingly slow service in the bar area; inattentive servers made waiting for one of the bartender's inventive seasonal fruit and herb based cocktails a tad uncomfortable.

This was, happily diametrically, opposed to the service in the modernized barn that we were led to shortly after our appointed time. Greeted by an efficient waitstaff, each with an area of speciality, our journey into a rather unique tasting menu began. The creative menu layout (no courses proffered in the two tasting menus, just a broad list of farm-fresh ingredients) allows one to specify things that might be off-limits (for example, our party had a woman infected with that pregnancy thing that seems to be going around, so several of the more adventurous fish and cheese ingredients were no-nos). Of more importance and unique to this dining experience versus other "tasting menu" spots, they asked which of the ingredients listed that we might like better than others. Kind of a tasting menu that is completely customized to the customer. Finally, after guidance is solicited to help the chef create a perfect tasting for you, there are two other courses that can be added to the five or eight course menu - a charcuterie and a cheese course. Both were excellent and true to the organic, local farm spirit of the menu.

In addition to the novel take on a tasting menu, Blue Hill has a solid wine list, including a few unique and older wines. The sommelier is very knowledgeable (but prone to peacocking, he needs direction or will give you the full history of every wine, vintner and vintage on the list with equal enthusiasm) and the list is clearly his creation and the wines on it are sacrosanct. We enjoyed a very nice White Burgundy to begin, a 2004 Domaine JM Boillot (Puligny-Montrachet) which had a light, mineraly taste with just a scent of grass, followed by a truly special 1976 Rioja from Vina Bosconia Cosecha, which could have passed for a Grand Cru Burgundy or even a light, well-aged Bordeaux.

In addition to the rather unique menu concept of personalization of fresh ingredients, the dishes themselves further informed the talent of the chef and the connection to the land.

We began our march with a few well concocted amuse courses, including a tomato and cherry water gazpacho served with fresh peas (in the pod); asparagus "pops" with pancetta and fried sesame: and spring pea "burgers" w/ light mint mashed into a sweet mini bun. The final amuse was a razor-thin disc of "pork face" bacon, crisp and served standing on edge in a slotted wooden board.

The breads (of which I consumed far too much) were simple but perfected; country-style bread slices served with a farm-made butter and little dishes of salts (celery, asparagus) to self season.

The aforementioned charcuterie plate was a great mix of fine meats, well done toasted bread. Truly craft copa, bologna and pate were a great harbinger of the meal to come.

The dishes that followed did not disappoint: delicate Bonita sashimi with pickled rhubrab; an unspellable (by me right now) Chinese vegetable that was a combination of Bok Choy and something more leafy with a hint of pepper in the stalks, wilted with morels and a soft-boiled egg; Blue Hills Pork (Belly, Boudin Blanc and Loin), with fava beans (just a bit undercooked on belly, but a tremendously flavorful Loin). The (unanimously voted) star of the evening, however, was the Ricotta Ravioli. The house-made Ricotta was of the perfect consistency, temperature and flavor: sweet and salty at once on the tongue. Ensconced in a hand-prepared, al dente ravioli shell, and served with nettles (they really are edible), peas and royal trumpet mushrooms. I have to mention further the peas - they were so fresh and well (lightly) cooked that they were reminiscent of caviar "popping" on the palate, a truly well put together dish.

Our memorable evening ended with the cheese plate (a nice selection from organic farms around the country), a cherry and elderflower sorbet, and strawberries and cream merengue with goat cheese ice cream.

In summary, the dishes were uniformly well-executed and presented; the waitstaff was helpful and knowledgeable but not intrusive; the venue is truly special. A very worthwhile trek to suburbia, even for those who frequent the best the Big Apple has to offer - and perhaps, upon reflection, why the bar service mimicks a New York hotspot's practiced ignoring of the guests - to help ease big city folk into this little slice of gourmet in the country.

The experience ranks this restaurant in the Cress_Travel top 10. I must thank my suburban friends for dragging me to this amazing spot late on a summer's eve.

New York 2008 - Moco Global Dining

Sitting in the last meeting of a terribly long week I was disgusted to receive an email telling me my flight back to Chicago was cancelled, there were no bookings available on later flights (and those were likely to be cancelled too, given the "Chicago weather"); I would need to spend my Friday evening in New York. Whilst I was run down from a series of back to back meetings and flights, it could have been much worse. I could have been stuck in my prior night's destination of rural Pennsylvania. Despair became opportunity.

I rang my good college friend and his very pregnant wife, who, bereft of social opportunities other than waiting patiently for their soon-to-be-indeterminate-sex-offspring, finally conceded to join me at a new, "experimental" restaurant in the otherwise "post-college professional" Murray Hill neighborhood.

I had heard of Moco Global Dining (no website) from a number of "what's new" reviewers in April; the chef of this small, understated establishment, Joe Kurauchi, had apparently trained at El Bulli, the Fat Duck and Stella Maris, among others. I was intrigued to see if his cuisine would be the next generation of the inventive, rich and savory dishes I have come to love at those establishments.

Upon entry I was . . . nervous. A sparsely populated bar, completely empty dining room (Friday 7pm) in an otherwise bustling block did not bode well. I had expected a line out the door (my hotel concierge had made me the reservation, I presumed 'pulling some strings' given the last minute nature). Unfortunately, it was not my "clout" that had gotten me in. They merely had no early reservations. A few younger folks were in the bar area, but when three waitstaff swarmed me as I moved toward the back dining section I grew even more uneasy - had I, a bona fide foodie, been fooled by some hype and now had dragged my poor friend and his nearly immobile wife many blocks out of their neighborhood for a second class show?

I was seated (another scary thing in a NY restaurant - seated without "the entire party"), a lone diner in a small (typical New York) dining room, at a lovely banquette. Very comfortable. The tables already looked quite worn (3 weeks post-opening: query - budget-style or budget?) and the waitress arrived promptly with water.

The drink menu was extensive (3 pages) and filled with ShoChu and Sake options; I was again dismayed by the bad english translations "Croudy" instead of "Cloudy" Sake, etc. However, when I ordered a glass of Ginjo sake I was pleasantly surprised - a real artistic presentation that was a harbinger of the food to come - a fine crystal class in a glass carafe, filled with shaved ice surrounded by a banana leaf. Very high quality presentation gave me a renewed sense of hope.

My friends arrive (I hope the expectant mother doesn't take offense to my earlier jokes, she is glowing, mobile and athletic despite being close to her delivery date) and sit at out booth. We are still the only diners, and they look suspicious, being denizens of this fickle food city. We order some appetizers and some more sake (of course none for the responsible mother-to-be, she was all seltzer and cranberry) as the crowd started to trickle into the dining room.

The appetizers arrived: squid-ink, jet-black calamari; steamed edamame; nya-nya chicken wings and a fusion bruschetta. All excellent. The calamari particularly show the chef's potential - crispy yet succulent center, despite the black coloring which evokes naturally a "burnt" vibe.

The pace of the dinner was very casual; waitstaff did not crowd us or hurry our ordering, but as soon as one looked up, they appeared to serve (I would note that our female dining companion, in more discomfort due to her biological situation, was less impressed with the speed of service than I). As we choose our main courses and sake was refilled, I was feeling somewhat redeemed in my choice of venue.

The entrees were excellent - an inventive green gnocchi with a butter sauce; soba noodles in a rich curry broth; several sushi rolls with varying levels of creativity and success (the spicy tuna was some of the best I have had; the "blue california roll" was interesting, but heavy-handed on the namesake blue cheese ingredient; the roll with salmon and eel a bit too smoky). All in all, an honorable meal with great style and flavor. A true glimmer of what this chef could do with, perhaps, some more coaching and a better venue.

As dinner came to a close, I reflected upon what makes a great meal. While I was not "wowed" by the restaurant, I had an excellent meal that married exotic tastes in a casual environment, resulting in a very fine experience with some good friends. While I think this chef's next incarnation may improve greatly with some marginal tweaking of location, style of venue and precision in menu, all in all a worthwhile endeavor. Someone to keep your eye on.

New York 2008 - Country

For many years, I have felt like a star-crossed lover as I tried to visit Country, Geoffrey Zakarian's Midtown dining room in the historic Seville hotel. I had reservations no less than five times, only to be stymied by bad weather, bad timing or bad friends.

As I trekked back to Manhattan on a snowy Winter night, having been rebuffed by the gods who control the LGA-ORD corridor and sentenced to another night in NYC, a last minute call to a friend yielded a "yes, would love to have dinner, but needs to be near my office - how about Country".

Splendid, I thought; my friend is a regular to the cafe given his proximity to work, but we enjoyed a prix fixe in the formal dining room just 30 minutes later.

A delectable set of dishes awaited us; Ouefs Au Plat - sunny side up, crab meat, simmered fish broth and crostini, rich yet light; a Duck Torte - filled with organ meat, rich and tasty; a savory Bison Wellington - perfect for the weather outside; a serviceable (although highly recommended not great) poached pear dessert.

The biggest surprise was that despite a fantastic venue and solid food throughout with a bit of flair, the place was empty - - it may have been the weather, but I blame the service. I would not return to the dining room for only service-related reasons. A sommelier who pushed wine he wanted to get rid of - two $250 bottles that were not ready to drink, despite protestations, and invisible servers when something was needed.

My advice to Monsieur Zakarian: the food is right, get the staff in line.

New York 2008 - Pinkberry

Following a nice, earthy dinner on a global-warming influenced 60-degree January evening in NYC, a quest was laid before me without my knowing.

"Have you ever had Pinkberry?"


I didn't, a bit ashamedly being a lover of food, even know what a Pinkberry was; I was soon to learn it wasn't a thing but a place - a new, exciting answer to the ubiquitous Tasty D-Lites that drape the NYC dessert scene.

After some considerable time trying to locate one in the area we were in (two calls and many blackberry searches led us disappointingly to several "Swirling Soon" Pinkberries), we happened upon a popular location in Koreatown , with a 30 minute wait to get inside.

The inside was also packed along small tables next to the line with a young, eclectic crowd spooning delicious looking mixtures in large groups. The hip interior in light wood, whitewash and funky lanterns lead us to a cash register, where we under significant time pressure (for my novice self) to order as the line continued to pile up behind us and around the block.

Pinkberry offers two flavors, Original and Green Tea. The Green Tea is not the light, scented green tea sweetness that one often finds in a green tea-based dessert, but a heavy, smack you in the throat deep steeped (not even sweet) green tea flavored yogurt. The Original is a sweet version of frozen plain yogurt; a bit tart but delectable, with a lightness not found in the oversweetened fro-yo parlors one typically finds across the country. For toppings, a range of "trendy" fruits (think pomegranate seeds, blueberries and kiwi) are mixed with a few staple toppings (chocolate chips and shaved coconut) as well as some childhood delights (Cap'n Crunch, Fruity Pebbles).

Had I to do it over again (which I am sure I will) I will be more thoughtful about my choice of toppings (3 standard with a normal size), as blueberry and Cap'n Crunch struck me later as a bit peculiar, but definitely delicious. So, line up for your shot at the newest dessert place in NYC, and look out for Swirling Soon in your neighborhood.

New York 2008 - Irving Mill

Tucked away on 16th street between Park & Irving is an inventive New American in the old Candela space. Although I commented to my fellow diners that the rustic decor and waitstaff outfits looked a bit "theme park" (Old America meets Bavaria), the service and food are true to the interesting decor. A solid approach to traditional dishes, including much seafood and game (no beef here), is very well-executed.

The appetizers include several seafood dishes and some salads / vegetarian options, as well as a terrific grilled quail married with cheese grits. All well-prepared and quite tasty. For entrees, most of my party opted for seafood options, and everyone was delighted. The Monkfish (whilst a bit small on portion size), Cod and Artic Char were all excellent. The Duck was seasoned with some spicey-ness, and cooked perfectly. In particular, the Artic Char was some of the best I have had, prepared medium rare at the chef's recommendation. Side dishes are recommended (even though each entree comes with its own small sides, they are small).

The global wine list has limited old world (read: french) selections of note, but has a solid selection of excellent pinot noirs that pair well with the entire menu. The prices across the wine list are also very reasonable for a high-quality NYC establishment.

To sum it up, I would quote a dining companion who noted "adventurous, limited menus require great execution - and they nailed it".