tribeca is so lucky!

i had a delicious meal last night at locanda verde. kudos to andrew carmellini who i think is super talented... everything was pretty perfect: bustling scene on a tuesday night, a beautiful bar (with great lighting), amazing food, and good service. i even liked the women's restroom!

i discovered last weekend that my favorite bartender, naren young, left bobo and has since taken over the entire cocktail program at locanda verde... what luck! so we started with cocktails which were all amazing. i even continued with cocktails through dinner, which is generally my preference when i know the drinks will be good.

our server gave us a rundown of the family-style menu, and we ordered a fair amount of food... we definitely wanted a sampling. we started with the lamb meatballs that had yummy pickles and were juicy, perfect. then two cicchetti, which she described as 4-5 bite servings, the blue crab crostini and cotechino sausage crostini. even my S.O., who doesn't like seafood generally, enjoyed the blue crab crostini! it was definitely a standout.

our next course included the burrata, a cheese that i ADORE, and the autumn salad which was my favorite type of salad full of radicchio, endive, hazelnuts and fatty pieces of speck, mmmm. my S.O. doesn't do veggies really, but i passed him some of the speck, which he appreciated.

for pastas, we only ordered 2 originally, but after we finished we needed to order another because they were so good. my grandmother's ravioli - stuffed with veal, pork and beef - was deemed by my S.O. as the best ravioli he's ever had. the tomato sauce was perfectly flavored - it was well-balanced and although i haven't had the red sauce at scarpetta, i bet locanda verde's would hold its own. the stracci with wild boar ragu was like thick shorter pappardelle, and even my S.O. went in for seconds and commented on how delish it was. i noted a blue cheese aftertaste that worked well with the dish, but i don't know if i'd order it again. our 3rd, last-minute pasta was the pumpkin agnolotti with a brown butter sage sauce... how can you go wrong? it was seasonal and so tasty, and we used the leftover bread to sop up the sauce. (note: the bread was just ok.)

for our secondi, we went with the highly lauded garlic chicken for 2 and the veal cheeks. i don't even like chicken, and i thought it was super flavorful. i only ate the drumsticks because i'm a dark meat girl, but i had the leftover white meat chicken today, and although a touch dry, as chicken breasts tend to be, the flavor was intensely garlic. but the real standout were the veal cheeks - i love the tender meat, over a perfect risotto milanese... another dish that i licked clean. a side of roasted brussels sprouts with chunks of pancetta and grated pecorino rounded out our vegetable-less meal; i love brussels sprouts, and these were no exception.

we even went for dessert because all of the dishes were so successful, i couldn't stop myself. i loved everything - the affogato, which is my favorite italian dessert, but the mascarpone gelato was a perfect twist; i was blown away by the pistachio brown butter cake with huckleberries; and the 3 flavors of gelati - rice custard, brown butter and caramel were all yummy. my S.O. is an ice cream guy, so we had to try them all.

overall, one of the better meals i've had in quite a while! for sure i'll be returning for cocktails AND food.

locanda verde
377 greenwich street at north moore
new york, ny 10013
212/925-3797

what happened to country? (restaurant now closed)

i'm bad at blogging. i check email, facebook, weather everyday, but blogging hasn't become part of my routine. and when i actually think to post something, i can't access my blog (china). i know i should just jot things down somewhere, but i don't.

facebook has/had this application 'My Restaurants' that i really liked. it said it was shutting down, but i'm not sure if it has. i don't really use facebook apps all that much, besides posting photos. but i liked 'My Restaurants'. in fear of losing all my posts, i copied them, and i'll add them periodically on my blog. like now, when i haven't posted in ages, but don't have time to write anything.

june 21, 2009
after country had just opened, my S.O. & i visited the main dining room with gary danko and met doug psaltis (chef de cuisine) and geoffrey zakarian. since then, we've wanted to dine in the formal dining room. when we finally had an occasion to check it out, we made a reservation, and it turns out the formal dining room has been shut down, and the cafe downstairs has become the only restaurant. the restaurant was pretty empty when we arrived (7pm, summer saturday), and the acoustics were so poor that even though only one table was occupied, it sounded like the restaurant was jam-packed full. i couldn't decide between the prix fixe menu or ordering a la carte, but when our server (who enunciated every single word, it was so irritating) highly recommended the spicy tuna tartare and the seared scallops, i opted to go a la carte with her recos. BAD IDEA. the tuna tartare was flavorless (certainly not spicy), the cepes in the scallops were mushy, and the scallops were a touch overcooked.

we also ordered chicken wings from the bar menu, and for $12, you'd think 5 wings would be phenomenal, but even the blue cheese dipper was bland. although my S.O.'s sweet corn soup starter was quite, his delicious lobster ravioli was ok - at least there were lobster pieces - that said, the lobster meat was stringy and not tender nor succulent. the thai broth was average, not like gary danko's thai seafood curry, which is phenomenal, but at least there was a hint of thai flavor. the french fries, measly as they were, were crispy and good, but for $9 for maybe 25 french fries, i was disappointed. finally, dessert: we went with the banana crisp, and there was nothing crisp about it. plus the chocolate sauce was burnt.

i really like the space. i love the bar in the center of the restaurant, and i'd love to throw a party there, but i'd also like to have it catered. by anyone else. [note: someone else had the same idea, because according to my sister, there was a line out the door late-night that same night.]

i also need to wire the server's mouth shut. she obviously has no taste in food. she didn't know the cocktails on the menu. she had to review the wine list to look for a bottle of rose (because when i couldn't find one, i asked if there was one, and she was like, 'there must be,' and then came back with the one bottle they serve by the glass that's not included on their wine list). basically a worthless server. when she asked if we wanted coffee, we said no, but she continued to list the entire starbucks coffee menu - cappucino, latte, americano, macchiato, et al.

while the kentucky cocktail and the tequila cocktail were tasty, even the bread was stale. and the butter was hard & cold.

we're never going back.

The Cafe at Country
90 madison ave, SW corner of 29th st
new york, ny 10016
212/889.7100

sushi yasuda v. kuruma zushi

since i sprained my ankle in china, my mom and i had to cancel our new mexican mother's day golf holiday, and instead, she made an impromptu trip to NYC. it was a busy nine days... you see, my mom is a total MOM: she's very smothering and caring, and she's more concerned for your welfare than her own. in many rights, it's amazing. but in a small new york apartment, it can get a little cramped with someone like my mom.

my favorite restaurant in manhattan is sushi yasuda, so i always take her there for the magical experience. but after we had dinner there tuesday, i found myself looking for a lunch meal later that week. for lunch we usually go to sasabune on the UES or shimizu in hell's kitchen, but i thought this time we'd switch it up. i've been meaning to try kuruma zushi for some time, but had never had the occasion (as a yasuda devotee, i inevitably ended up there). finally, i found one.

we sat at the sushi bar for friday lunch. it's a small venue with 2 sushi chefs and an apprentice behind the bar. i imagine the chef we dealt with was chef uezu, although no introductions were made. we did an omakase - my mom started with sashimi; i went full boar beginning with sushi.

i can't tell you everything we ate, but i can tell you for sure: sushi yasuda is overall better. first, chef uezu may cut the fish (sometimes), but he has an apprentice who forms the rice. second, the slices of fish may be larger than yasuda, but the price is double (at least). third, the size of the fish didn't seem balanced to the amount of rice. fourth, the rice was undercooked. fifth, some of the fish was too cold. and FINALLY, there are many more options at yasuda. in terms of quality, there were only a few pieces that were of the same level or perhaps a tad better than yasuda; however, the kinmedai at kuruma was definitely noticeably better.

our lunch for two came to $482 (!!!) with tax & tip. no alcohol. and i didn't think we ate that much. we ate as much, if not more, at yasuda a few nights before, and total for two was $320 with tax & tip (also no alcohol).

i never thought i'd call sushi yasuda a bargain, but it's all relative.
winner, hands-down, sushi yasuda.

a very new york tasting menu

i eat a lot. but sometimes, i eat more than even i usually eat. it's usually a combination of worn-out, sleep-depraven and hungover.

before i leave for china, i like to eat an array of the foods i might not have access to while i'm there. i usually do it over a week. instead, i did this over a day. and i really got a taste of new york.

lunch... i thought i'd check out the new outpost of sandwich shop, defonte's of brooklyn. it has a great location on the corner of 21st and 3rd avenue. the doors open up to the sidewalk, which is good, because the space is narrow once you add the tables, people, etc. since it was my first time, i went classic with the nicky special (#1) - ham, provolone cheese, fried eggplant, marinated mushrooms, hot salad, zucchini, O&V, seeded italian bread. i thought it was great - a little spicy, i absolutely loved the fried eggplant. i think it's large enough for 1.5 normal eaters. when i ordered the same thing as the guy in line in front of me, he turned to me and asked me if i wanted to split the sandwich. i laughed at him.

dinner... the boyfriend of one of my besties was moving back to sydney (australia!), and he totally enjoys fine dining. what could be finer than eleven madison park? but this was an odd meal... the last 2x i had been, eleven madison park was wowing, completely spot-on, and just phenomenal. this time... i was less impressed. here's why:

1) service - previously i've been blown away by the almost overly attentive service; however, this night (a friday), it felt like amateur night. i asked twice for the purse hook, an amenity i totally appreciate at EMP and is generally offered, not asked for, and i was only remembered after one was brought for my girlfriend. we waited a painstakingly long time between 1st and 2nd courses. at one point, they'd brought our meal out, but had forgotten to replace the silverware they'd taken. our waiter suggested more bread to my S.O. but then never brought it out. we ordered cocktails, and we had to ask two different people about them after we didn't receive them for a noticeable period. and they'd obviously been sitting around because the ice had melted.

2) food - we did 2 spring tasting menus and 2 pork tasting menus with 1wine pairing for each.
spring menu
amuse bouche - cucumber smoked salmon; tart; foie gras terrine; fried sweetbread pouch
sabayon - creamy soup with sturgeon
asparagus - white asparagus and green pencil asparagus with asparagus ice cream, parmagiano reggiano and jamon iberico - outstanding, loved the ice cream
atlantic turbot - slow-cooked with spring peas, lemon thyme and olive oil - salty, overly fragrant
nova scotia lobster - poached with spring carrots and citrus sabayon - perfectly tender but unremarkable, very rich
milk fed veal - glazed with ris de veau, morel panna cotta and fava beans - unbelievable, super tender tenderloin, delicious flavor
"strawberry cheesecake" - two bubbles one with liquid cheesecake, one with strawberry, amazing - burst with flavor in your mouth
mint chocolate chip - ice cream sandwich with araguani chocolate - gross, ice cream wasnt good, the chocolate wafers had little flavor, the fresh mint was overwhelming for the subtle chocolate
mignardises - meringue cookies in 8 flavors, black sesame, black olive & white chocolate, chocolate, PB&J, lavender & chocolate, brown butter & banana - i don't remember all of them, but the olive/white chocolate combo and brown butter/banana and PB&J were my faves.

four-story hill suckling pig seasonal 5-course tasting menu
same amuse bouche
sabayon - creamy soup with ham
tete de cochon - terrine made with different parts of pig head - very yummy
pork a la francaise - braised pork belly - amazing
crispy suckling pig - same prep as their menu item in winter
rack of pork - good
same desserts, same mignardises

next time i would do the pork menu. it was really quite good, but very rich and heavy. or else i would just do the 3-course. although i'm dying to do the gourmand (chef's selection of 11 courses $175).

3) other - it was disappointing that the chef, daniel humm, didn't do the meet & greet in the dining room this time. maybe that's only a weeknight thing?
one of my favorite indulgences that eleven madison provides are the two types of butter: salted goat's milk and unsalted sheep's milk offered with fleur de sel on the side.

4) bevvies - the wine pairings were good, and i loved that they served a not-sweet sherry at the beginning of the meal. we also LOVED the riedel glass they used to pair with the veal. it really helped capture the nose of the wine.
i generally enjoy the cocktails here (fine, everywhere). i started with the rosita before dinner. then a sloe & steady. and finally, stuck with the silhouette (which my S.O. also loved, so we shared most of the time). my girlfriend drank the cumulunimbus pretty much the entire time.

5) cost - the bill was pretty expensive, but we were there to indulge. between their engagement (they're getting married in december!), the farewell dinner and my departure for china, there were a lot of finals.

after-dinner snack... halal truck:
on the way home from eleven madison park, i couldn't help myself... i love the halal truck on madison btwn 27th/28th. the aroma tempts you from far, far away. there are always cabbies stopped there (good sign!). plus the guys who work there at night are so friendly. i always get a platter of lamb, chicken and/or kofta (i usually do a combo - when i'm hammered, i call it the "whole shebang") which comes with fries, rice and salad. be sure you ask for the white sauce AND hot sauce. last night i asked for it less spicy, and it's not as good.

defonte's of brooklyn
261 3rd ave at 21st street
new york, ny 10010
212/614.1500

eleven madison park
11 madison ave at 24th street
new york, ny 10010
212/889.0905

i could eat here every day

sushi yasuda is an ethereal experience that all sushi lovers should experience at least once (and i hope not only once) in their lives.

last night i indulged at sushi yasuda with two friends who, like me, enjoy their food, especially sushi. as always, we sat at the sushi counter and put our fate in the hands of the talented chef yasuda. i can't go through everything we ate; it would be impossible to remember.

when you sit down with chef yasuda, he is welcoming and friendly. if he recognizes you, he is even more warm, and since he knows your tastes, he just confirms your plan. before he knows you, he'll talk to you. he'll teach you, if you're interested in learning. he'll joke with you (he's very funny). he's a character, and he understands and reads people.

then the meal begins. first let's talk rice. his rice is perfect. he doesn't use too much. if he knows you'll be eating a lot (which i always do), he'll try to balance the amount of rice so you don't fill up too quickly. it's perfectly seasoned (not too sweet or vinegary) and perfectly sticky.

as for fish, he'll begin with what's freshest. last night happened to be a good evening for the yellowtail family. warasa, shimaaji... spectacular. and the kanpachi, which he told us came from a 7+lb fish, rather than approximately 4.5lbs (the usual weight) - it was divine.

his eel is fantastic. he'll use different preparations for various cuts of the same and different eels, and then you'll do an eel flight going from most delicate to most strong. your tastebuds sing.

the uni - oh the uni - yasuda only gets the best uni. last night we had two different unis - the usual from santa barbara and another, less common, from maine. the maine uni was lighter, more delicate, but clean. the santa barbara was sweeter, stronger, but delicious.

the mirugai and its himo - two parts of the giant clam, both so tasty, but such contrasting flavors and textures - it's amazing how one clam can produce both pieces.

yasuda only uses one type of oyster: peace passage oysters. from washington state, they have a slight briny flavor like east coast oysters, but are rounded out by a creaminess that's known with west coast oysters. and they're big. yum.

we only had one piece of toro last night, which was disappointing, but this was because it wasn't the best fish of the night.

we had other fish (coho salmon, white king salmon, sumi squid legs, octopus - love his octopus, a clam from korea - toregai, i think, hotate, hotate himo - mmmm, jack mackerel, sayori, kinmedai... i'm sure there was more), and every bite was delightful.

we finished with two hand rolls - uni and ikura. the seaweed, two different kinds, were both unbelievable. yasuda uses the best grade seaweed available, and as he prepares them, the aroma of the toasted seaweed wafts to your nostrils and excites your palate for what's to come. next time i need to remember to ask how yasuda prepares his ikura. it was the perfect end to the perfect meal.



the most astonishing part is that yasuda remembers everything you've had that night. and when you've finished your meal, he ticks it off on a piece of paper and gives it to the waitress.

the service is, as expected, perfect. the meal is mouth-watering, even when you're full.

now here are the yasuda rules: 1) do not be late for your reservation. if you're more than 10 minutes late, you lose it. no exceptions. 2) your seating is 1.5 hours. you can linger if the next party has not arrived, but if they have, they will kick you out. 3) do not dip his perfectly seasoned rice in soy sauce. yasuda seasons each piece with sauce so that you don't require any additional wasabi or soy sauce. but if you do, do not disrespect his rice with soy sauce.

and that's it... the most amazing meal in new york. if i ever win the mega million lottery (note this meal is NOT recession friendly), i'll eat here every day that i'm in new york and yasuda's working. that's a promise.


sushi yasuda
204 east 43rd street btwn 2nd/3rd aves
new york, ny 10017
212/972.1001

an average burger

after 2+ weeks in china for work, i come home with hankerings. i always want artisanal for a cheese-filled meal (no one eats cheese in china), amazing new york-style pizza and a delicious juicy burger.

so when a friend returned from his three-week jaunt through tokyo, hong kong, beijing and shanghai, i asked him what he craved while he was gone. maybe he's not as food-driven as i am because he didn't seem to crave anything, but when i mentioned my usual cravings, he seemed quite keen for a burger.

we headed to black iron burger shop, a new-ish (august 2008) bare-bones burger spot that he frequents. they griddle-fry their burgers rather than flame-grill, and although it doesn't look green, they minimize waste, only serve keg beer and even their griddle is energy-efficient. decor is minimal - wooden tables/floor, many ketchup bottles surrounding you and a mirrored board with beer specials. acoustics might be less than stellar; it was loud for a wednesday night, but it wasn't busy.

the burgers are thin patties, not like my favorite shake shack juicy hockey puck, and it didn't ooze with flavor. i had mine with horseradish cheddar, and it was fine, but it didn't burst with horseradish, cheddary, meaty goodness.

the onion rings were a little sad as well, limp and less than crispy. there was more fried batter on the dish than on the onions. and i don't really drink beer, so mine, the house brew, tasted like miller lite, which was fine by me. my friend's smelled yummy and tasted nice, but i couldn't drink an entire glass... it was a board special, i wish i could remember the name.

really their biggest problem was the service: the waitress just couldn't get it right. first she forgot the lettuce, tomato and onion. then she completely ordered the wrong burger for my friend. she cleared his dish but not mine. she was just off. i still tipped her 20% ($41 total including tip); it is a recession.


black iron burger shop
540 east 5th street btwn aves a/b
new york, ny 10009
212/677.6067

now i know why it's called death & co.

i planned to share my first experience at death & co. yesterday, but i spent the better part of my day recovering from the delicious concoctions that i imbibed tuesday evening.

since i'm still celebrating the return of brown booze, i began my tuesday night cocktail evening with the manhattan transfer. this alcohol-forward cocktail is made with rittenhouse rye, dry vermouth, rarnazzotti and orange bitters. it's normally served up, but i had it on the rocks (generally my preference)... and in this case, on the rock would be more appropriate - this one was served over one giant ice cube. it might compete for best manhattan ever.

joaquim was our barman for the night, and he was really in tune with what we needed. my tequila cocktails - the oaxaca old fashioned and the spicy yet-to-be-named one - were both complex and delicious. the spicy one had fresh pepper puree, and every time he opened the bottle of puree, the aroma of pepper oil struck me and had me craving food with peppers.

my gin cocktail - the joy division - was good, but it left the strong unmistakable flavor of absinthe in my mouth... even the next day.

i'm sure i had others, but the reason why i woke up wednesday morning feeling like death & co. is that i overconsumed. which i can imagine is quite simple when you have a talented barman making creative and tasty delights full of booze.

i tried to buffer the booze with some nibbles - the maple pork belly (tasty, but a little stringy) and the oysters rock a fella (delish, but the creamed spinach was too rich, even for me) - but they were no match for my love of cocktails.

death & co. has a great vibe, speakeasy-like... dark, comfortable yet sexy. it would be great for a date, but there are no reservations. there's no standing at the bar. it's built on the milk & honey model, but less strict. and with food.

yes, we should return soon.


death & co.
433 east 6th street btwn Ave A/1st
new york, ny 10009
212/388.0882

i deserve a perfect week

my family has been in town for the easter long weekend. let me specify when i say family: my older sister, her husband and their two children (5-year old nephew and 3-year old niece). and it's been a nightmare since they walked in the door. i've been some combination of host, babysitter, slave, concierge and personal chef... maybe throw in a little bit of an aunt. birth control: these children are the best form. my niece cracked the screen on my laptop. she peed in her pants in my hallway/guest bedroom. my nephew threw multiple evil-fueled tantrums per day, running around threatening to kill his wrongdoers (i was the subject of one at some point). they're gone now. i still have a lingering headache.

but at least easter has passed. which means i can drink brown booze again. when the clock struck midnight on saturday night, i did a shot of jameson. and then another. i wanted delicious brown booze cocktails, but milk & honey closed shop a bit earlier than usual on easter eve. but sam, their ultra-skilled bartender, opened its doors to me. all the fresh juices had been put away, but he offered me a shot of rye whiskey to celebrate the end of my sacrifice.

i leave for china in a week. i may not look forward to the 12 travel days, but i do look forward to the week before. this week in particular. i'm unwinding tonight, but tomorrow starts the perfect week.

tuesday - cocktails at death & co.
wednesday - TBD
thursday - dinner at sushi yasuda.
friday - dinner at eleven madison park.
saturday - dinner at falai then bend show at arlene's grocery then cocktails at milk & honey.
sunday - cocktails in the park (weather-permitting)

i deserve it. screw the recession.

a benefit and woe of the recession

thursday night was the american museum of natural history's annual museum dance, and 2009's theme was GREEN. it was a beautiful, well-attended event with well-groomed couples and throngs of singles (men & women) dressed in typical NYC-style: individually fashionable yet sometimes strange. i'm marking my calendar for 2010's AMNH event.

i love benefits. i love the dresses (i wore green!), i love the energy, and i particularly love the silent auctions! but this year, benefits haven't been the same. and i'm sure it's because of the recession. but i dislike that word immensely... recession. so i'll be referring to the current times as a down-market.

in this down-market, no one bids on silent auction items! thursday's event had, in addition to amazing other prizes, an entire judith ripka jewelry bar, full of gorgeous baubles, and close to nothing had received bids. if you're unaware, starting bids at silent auctions are usually well under actual retail value. in this down-market, wouldn't people be vying for deals?! but the looming fear makes no one want to buy - even at 1/2 price (except me, i "won" a stunning, 18k-gold, diamond-crusted bracelet... i'm serious when i say i LOVE silent auctions).

in juxtaposition, last night, we went to dinner at marfa, this new-ish inexpensive texas/mexican-themed restaurant. originally, i had a reservation at l'atelier de joel robuchon (talk about juxtaposition), but i was rebuked by my dining companions for not being "recession-friendly" (can you see why i dislike this word?).

marfa was not busy for a friday night. decor-wise, it's very bare: white adobe walls, wooden tables, votive candles in paper bags - no frills. we were seated promptly, and i immediately requested their signature "marfarita" to begin; for a cocktail spiked with serrano chile, i was very underwhelmed - it was overly sweet and had zero tequila punch. please go to bobo and try the "stealth margarita" - it blows this cocktail away.

i'm a piglet, and i can factually say that my dining companions last night are actual pigs. for 5 of us, we ordered the largest marfa APPETIZER platter: the big texan platter for 3 (dry-rub baby back ribs, chipotle chicken wings, red chile, veggie chile, corn dogs, guacamole, BBQ shrimp, and pulled pork tostadas). the menu also says it includes a shot of house-infused flavored tequila, but we never received this (strike 1). in addition, from the marfa BITES, we ordered the fish tacos and the nogales steak tacos, which covered the entire marfa BITES category besides the salads (and who really needs salad?). for our main course, we chose 2 orders of chicken-fried steak, fried catfish and fried chicken plus a double-order of mac & cheese and a basket of biscuits & cornbread.

here's how it went. we received the basket of cornbread (they were out of biscuits). the cornbread was terrible: dry, flavorless, crumbly and COLD. the accompanying honey chipotle butter couldn't resuscitate this bread. (i would HIGHLY advise they remove the cornbread from the menu, or improve the recipe).

but then the confusing part: we received EVERYTHING ELSE ALL AT ONCE (strike 2). our waitress must be the most daft, retarded server on the planet. we received platters upon platters of food on a relatively small table. you'd think someone would help consolidate the food or at least be vigilant about removing plates as i consolidated the food (which was so copious, it had to spill onto ANOTHER table). no... nothing.

i stacked empty plates under full plates; i left large empty platters at the edge of the table; i threw soiled and practically shredded paper napkins and rib/chicken bones onto plates that needed to be removed... not an iota of attention from the waitstaff.

i also ordered another bad "marfarita" - i was hoping for an improved version. i waited. and waited. and waited. i saw it already made sitting at the bar for 10 minutes or so; the ice was melting. i also saw the waitress chatting merrily with someone at the bar, with no intention of bringing my drink over. i marched over to the bar and grabbed it. it was already self-bussing; now it had become SELF-SERVE (strike 3).

finally, after we'd finished, requested the check, etc., i made it quite obvious our meal was complete (again, used napkins thrown atop dishes, completely licked-clean plates, etc.). our friend was telling a story of his recent spain adventures. the busboy finally appears, but instead of just taking the debris from our table, he interrupts for EVERY PLATE and asks, "are you finished with this, are you finished with this?" i couldn't take it anymore; i turned to him and said, "we are finished with EVERYTHING, and we've already asked for the check. in case this isn't clear enough, please take all of the plates."

sadly, the food was quite good (best chicken-fried steak i've had in NYC - but not nearly as good as the one i had in dallas, tx (see photo); good mac & cheese; really delicious fried catfish; yummy corn dogs); i'd consider take-out when my blood stops boiling at the thought of marfa. but i'll never return again. i was appalled that during this DOWN-MARKET, when restaurants are clamoring for paying customers, this restaurant could be so inattentive to its service. i abhor bad service.

and we only ate here because of the recession. i hate that word.


marfa
101 east 2nd street near 1st ave
new york, ny 10009
212/673.8908
reservations available on opentable

commerce

merriam webster defines com•merce as 1 : social intercourse : interchange of ideas, opinions, or sentiments; 2 : the exchange or buying and selling of commodities on a large scale involving transportation from place to place.

and commerce restaurant, a newish spot in the west village definitely fulfills its first definition. there's a lot of chatter, and i absolutely loved walking in to the frenetic energy that filled the room; however, they're somewhat lackluster on the 2nd definition... they don't seem to get that buying/selling involves being SEATED.

our reservation was 815pm, but we weren't seated until 910pm. they bought us a round of drinks, but only because we nagged. we ordered quickly, and other than bread (which wasn't memorable at all, except the pretzel), our first dish came out at 940pm.

fortunately, i had the pleasure of seeing my favorite friend/bartender at bobo before dinner, who let me test drive some of bobo's soon-to-be-released spring cocktail menu items, so my patience level for commerce's misgivings was quite high. however, i can't say the same for my dining companions, who grumbled and grumbled some more all through the meal (our hostess didn't exactly make you feel warm and fuzzy - her looks and coldness actually reminded me of "Cutthroat Bitch" aka Amber from House).

despite the cocktails, i might've been affected had the food not been so EXCELLENT. the hamachi ceviche was spicy and tart - quite delicious; the duck and foie gras rillettes were good, although not as creamy as i usually like; and the winter vegetable fricassee (which our server highly recommended) was tasty, although i wouldn't get it again.

i loved both pasta dishes, the ragu of other things (some name like that) with homemade orecchiette and the spaghetti carbonara. i think lupa's carbonara is better, but fatty pasta is yummy (note: i don't generally eat pasta, so i'm easy to please in this category).

we ordered the roast chicken for 2, and we were warned that it took 35 minutes. instead, they brought out a strange 1/2 order of the chicken - the meat was very moist and tasty and the skin crispy, and it was served with a homemade spaetzle-like pasta... but it was no foie gras bread dressing! she put the order for the roast chicken in after she realized her mistake, but it was too late... it just prolonged our already LOOOONG meal.

i was thoroughly impressed with the braised beef, bone marrow and sliced fillet - beef dishes are usually boring when you're not at a steakhouse, but this one was jam-packed full with flavors. by the time the roast chicken was ready, we were already stuffed, so we requested that it be split in half so we could take it home. i still haven't tried it (i can't eat so indulgently every night!), but it's in the frig, waiting to be eaten.

on a final note, let's talk cocktails and wine... although the cocktail list isn't impressive, the one drink i did order, the nor'easter, was so tasty, that i couldn't help to order another. we also had a couple bottles of wine, a priorat and a st. emilion (both in the $80-100 range), and the latter was DELICIOUS. perfect with our meal, perfect on its own. and all in all, dinner was quite a bargain (but not nearly a recession special) at about $120pp.

commerce
50 commerce street
new york, ny 10014
212/524-2301

the UES isn't that bad...

usually thinking about heading to the upper east side makes me grimace: there's always traffic due to the number of cars slowly hunting for street parking (is the UES the densest neighborhood in manhattan??), it's far (always more than a $10 cab) and it's generic (have you been the to restaurant pudding stones - spots like that are what make the UES so horrific). plus considering the diverse group that lives there (from super rich to 20-somethings sharing a 1-bedroom amongst 3), it lacks a relative number of good restaurants and bars. everything east of lexington ave (i wanted to say park, but i remembered lex bar & books) is pretty much Frat Party USA (one could say the same about my neighborhood, murray hill - but i live west of park ave).

yet, i spend an inordinate amount of time up there.

fine, two of my favorite people live there, but in order for me to continue traveling north, i had to find some redeeming factors about the UES (and obviously they're all drink... and food).

accademia di vino - the food is good, it's casual and cute, they have great wine and it's not expensive. my kind of restaurant.

gael pub tuesday night trivia - dave the quizmaster is quick-witted, the questions are actually hard, and the bartenders on tuesday night (shane & finn) are pretty attractive. note: the food is terrible.

the nook at dylan murphy's - dylan murphy's is a good bar, but the bar they created downstairs (called "the nook") is GREAT - it's cozy and has personality. plus they introduced me to the double espresso - delish. the owners (jack/blake) are the best.

trinity pub - it's a total irish pub dive, they redid it and now there's less standing room, and i hate their cocktail glasses, but for some reason, it's comforting (gavin's the best bartender - it used to be terry, but he's no longer with them).


accademia di vino
1081 third avenue at 64th street
new york, ny 10021
212/888.6333

the gael pub
1465 third avenue between 82/83rd streets
new york, ny 10028
212/517.4141

dylan murphy's
1453 third avenue between 82/83rd streets
new york, ny 10028
212/988.9431

trinity pub
299 east 84th street between 2/3rd avenues
new york, ny 10028
212/327.4450

momofuku ko

sometimes i try to think of creative titles for my posts, but i think it's better to go straightforward with this one. i FINALLY got a reservation at ko (note, it was sunday of labor day weekeend). i was overwhelmed with excitement, but i made one mistake: i went out too late the night beforehand and was properly hungover and tired that day.

that said, the meal was really quite amazing. because i was hungover, i fully admit, my memory is not perfectly clear. but here's the general gist: inventive, creative, interesting and uncomfortable.

our first course, which i remember fondly, was a mini-english muffin topped with whipped pork fat and side of chicharron (pork rind). we did the premium wine tasting, and this was accompanied by a rose champagne. the english muffin... i could eat that every day of my life. it was moist and buttery, without, obviously, the butter. the chicharron was slightly stale. i've had non-stale pork rinds before so that was disappointing.

our next course was a long island fluke sashimi in some sort of poppy-seed buttermilk sauce. the fluke was amazing, but it does happen to be one of my favorite fish raw.

now it all gets jumbled for me, so i'll just list out for you what we had:
-sliced matsutake mushrooms in a bacon dashi broth - paired with a jinmai sake -- this was unbelievable, so many flavors exploded in your mouth!
-poached chicken egg, with caviar and pickled onions - i don't like egg, so this was just 'eh' to me.
-sweet corn ravioli - 3 little pillows - great flavor, but a little sweet.
-pan-seared halibut - perfectly undercooked, quite good.
-2 styles of duck - breast with crispy skin and the leg, cooked sous-vide.
-foie gras torchon (i asked if it was sawdust!) - i thought this was just WOW, but i love foie gras, with lychees and pine nut brittle. it melted in my mouth.
-kiwi sorbet as a palate cleanser
-yellow cake ice cream with peanut butter shavings and strawberries - paired with ximienez 1927 sherry -- a dessert i never would've thought i liked, but absolutely loved.

really, everything was very good, but i thought it would be more mind-blowing, and i was expecting more pork fat!! i'd like to go again (if i can ever get another reservation!), now that i know it's not mind-blowing, but interesting and delicious. also, fall and winter bring more hearty, savory foods, which is more my style.

my least favorite part was the seating. my butt HURT and legs were sore after the meal. the music was a little loud (they adjusted multiple times), and the AC was blowing intensely from under me. i was cold. the server/hostess - the one who poured our wines and took our dishes, was absolutely adorable and informative... and fun. she helped round out the meal. the chefs were not chatty at all. maybe it's just me?

momofuku ko
163 First Ave btwn 10/11th Sts
New York, NY 10003
no phone - reservations online only.

steak club #1

there are so many steakhouses in NYC that i've tried and haven't tried, and my S.O. and i always have this argument as to which steakhouse is best. so we've decided to eat at every steakhouse in NYC (even the boroughs!) until we have a definitive winner. we call it "steak club".

we had our first steak club dinner on friday with four of our friends at Old Homestead Steakhouse, which makes sense, since Old Homestead is supposedly the oldest steakhouse in NYC. (i'm not planning to eat at the 2nd oldest steakhouse next.) i actually chose Old Homestead because i see it all the time, i've heard so many mixed reviews (mostly less than stellar) and we've actually takeout from Old Homestead while working across the street, but it was sorta eh.

so i went with less than the highest expectations on the food... and Old Homestead definitely surprised us. the crabcake was full of large, tender chunks of jumbo lump crabmeat. the manhattan clam chowder (soup of the day) was clammy and flavorful. even the chef's special bread appetizer (toasted garlic bread with a parmesan sauce) was different but yummy (suggestion: try dipping the onion bread in the parmesan sauce - mmmm). a plain old tomato and mozzarella salad had seasonal and juicy tomatoes, although the mozzarella was unmemorable. the biggest disappointments were the salads: the signature salad was barely chopped, tossed or good; and the iceberg wedge was blanketed with dressing.

the steaks also blew us away. one of my fellow diners thought the gotham ribsteak was one of the best he'd ever had. my prime rib had that delicious aged aroma. i didn't like the whole peppercorns crusting the prime rib; i'm not a fan, and i wish i had some warning. we aren't generally fans of filet mignon (it's just so lean - fat is flavor!), but Old Homestead's filet mignon on the bone actually had flavor and fat; that bone really makes the difference. and everything was perfectly cooked.

the one entree we didn't like was the american kobe burger. at $41, it was dry (REALLY DRY), crumbly and tasteless. the accompanying sauces were no addition. the entire thing was unfortunate.

of the side dishes, we loved the creamed spinach (really creamy, really spinachy, no competing flavors) and the super crispy hash browns. the steak fries made me sad - there were so few, and they weren't even good. we also had asparagus with hollandaise, which was fine.

they had a very varied and interesting wine list, which has been awarded a Wine Spectator award of approval. we went with an inexpensive malbec as well as a portuguese red (double the price of the malbec, but not as drinkable). i liked that the options were available.

if you have room for dessert, which we really didn't, the cheesecake is good and so was the key lime pie, but really, who needs those calories???

finally, the service and room... it was loud (it may have had something to do with the table next to ours that continuously toasted something or other throughout their entire dinner) and i didn't really care for the layout (or location - meatpacking district, ugh) of the restaurant. plus, they tried to seat us at a table right next to the waiters' station (i asked for a different table; it's so difficult to enjoy a meal in the midst of the thoroughfare). the service, considering the number of waitstaff - which was almost 1:1 with the number of diners, was pretty crappy. there was a lot of running around, and not so much actual serving.

overall, the food, particularly the meat, was excellent, but the experience was only good. i would think the oldest steakhouse in NYC would have gotten rid of the kinks by now.

Old Homestead Steakhouse
56 9th Ave
New York, NY 10011
212/242.9040

those aussies...

i've probably not mentioned this before, but one of my best friends is australian. she's been in NYC on & off since 2004. it's funny because i didn't know many australians before her. but now it seems australia is taking great strides to be in the spotlight. not only do i have this aussie best friend, but one of my good friends is dating an aussie model. i recently read an article about the culinary explosion in sydney. and saturday night, i had an australian wine that is my favorite wine of right now.

much to my S.O.'s dismay, the bottle is a screw-top, but the wine is outstanding (and inexpensive!!). it's super crispy, light-medium bodied with citrus, green apple and floral flavors and minerally finish that's just yum. i haven't mastered the wine pairing with food, but this went just fine with my artichoke salad (good not great), braised veal breast (loved the mushrooms and sweetbread, veal was good but overly rosemaried) and potato gnocchi side dish (amazingly delicious and light) at hearth. so a shout-out to our waitress who highly recommended it.

ps - we also tried this amazing cheese grayson from virginia - i'll have to find more and try it again. of the desserts - the buttermilk panna cotta was quite tasty (the pink peppercorns really gave it a zing), whereas the mango tarte tatin was left in the dust.

kaesler old vine semillon 2006 (barossa valley, south australia)

hearth
403 east 12th street (at 1st ave)
new york, ny 10009
646/602.1300

staying in the borough (restaurant now closed)

everyone remembers rocco dispirito - the arrogant chef who partnered with legendary restauranteur jeffrey chodorow to open rocco's - aka "the restaurant" from the TV show that documented its building/opening. other than leaving behind the legacy of mama's meatballs (which really are delicious), rocco kinda dwindled away (probably for the best - his boyish good looks couldn't live up to his ginormous ego, and he's short).

since rocco's, the space hasn't garnered much attention. it transitioned to another restaurant, caviar & bananas, i think was the name - whatever marketing person thought of that name should be fired.

more recently, it became borough food & drink. i believe the idea was to serve NYC-style cuisine using local ingredients as well as sell those same favorites. i think it even had a market at some point. i'm not sure if the local ingredients have been a success, or if the restaurant is a success at all, but there's something about it...

let's start with my likes (besides the fact that you can always get a reservation and it's not outrageously expensive):

1. our server was actually passionate about some of the dishes. when the guy we had dinner with ordered the borough steak, our server actually said, "it's just your average strip steak," to dissuade him from ordering it (our dining companion still ordered the steak, and he said it was good). he recommended a salted caramel sundae that was delish.

2. the cocktails on the front page are not that creative (especially in this era of creative cocktails), but they're good.

3. it's bustling without being crowded. and the music is good.

4. the host - he's hipster-dorky (that should say it all).

my dislikes:

1. it took 23 minutes for my passionate server to bring me my cocktail.

2. the pool table area in the back.

3. the hipster-slow service (what is sorta hot in the host is completely unattractive in a server).


but i still would go back. it's close enough to my apartment. the burger is good. it has mac n cheese as a side dish (the first time i had it, it was really good; this time, it needed salt). and i like a server who's really into the dishes... it helps an indecisive person like me.

borough food & drink (CLOSED)
12 east 22nd street btwn broadway/park ave
new york, ny 10010
212/260.0103
note: this restaurant is closed.

why i love chinatown

i needed some fresh veggies because my S.O.'s recent check-up discovered that he MUST shed some pounds, so i headed to chinatown to pick up a few things. i usually do all of my grocery shopping at Stew Leonard's and FreshDirect, but my resolution for 2008 was to be more frugal and what could be more frugal than chinatown?

sometimes i just can't deal with the bustle of mott street - especially on chinese new year's eve! - so i headed to grand street between bowery and chrystie... it's sill pretty crowded, but you can get pretty much everything you need on that little block. there are multiple vegetable/fruit stands, fish markets and even small chinese markets for meat and pantry staples!

but my really huge discovery was Hua Du Dumpling Shop. this little dumpling counter sits immediately inside the entrance of Tan MyMy Market, and they have an assortment of frozen dumplings for sale. i LOVE dumplings, and my absolute favorite are steamed pork & chive dumplings. for a bag of 50, it was $8. this is a little bit more than some of the other dumpling places in the neighborhood, but after cooking some up as soon as i got home, i understand why: these are MUCH BETTER. the skins are thinner and less doughy, and the flavor of the dumpling is delicious, with pronounced pork AND chive flavor. it doesn't taste greasy nor dirty, which some dumplings have a tendency towards. i didn't even need the soy/vinegar dipper! i also purchased pork soup dumplings (50 for $8.50) which i've yet to try, but i hope will be delicious!


Hua Du Dumpling Shop
249 grand street between chrystie and bowery (closer to chrystie, almost on the SW corner of chrystie and grand)
new york, ny 10002
212.965.9663

good times...

so my local bar of right now is galway hooker right around the corner from my apartment. the reasons i like it are many, but first and foremost is the staff. so today i'm giving shout-outs to my favorite people there. gavin & rob, two of the bartenders, are the friendliest guys around. they're engaging and lively and full of spunk; they make you want to stay. it doesn't hurt that they're attractive. and duckey is one of the owners, and he's almost always there in the evenings, and he works the room like nobody's business. if you haven't been, then you should check it out.

and the perfect time to check it out is... for their music night this tuesday (10/30/2007)! they have ANDY CLAYBURN + CAREY SCOPE: The Classical Rockers playing, and these guys are good. they played in august, and i had only stopped in to ask duckey a question about a party i was hosting there thursday, but i ended up staying for the entire show!

galway hooker
7 east 36th street btwn madison/5th avenues
new york, ny 10016?
212.725.2353