Starting Off the Week Right

An inevitable part of living in New York is the constant coming and going of friends. Most of my friends have been going lately (though I myself have come and gone once). Today, another good friend of mine marched out of Manhattan. For one last hurrah, myself and other ex-bankers convened for lunch in midtown.

Lunch has always been my favorite meal and midtown has dozens of options for those intrepid enough to venture away from the desk for an hour (or two, or in today's case, three). I perused Opentable options quickly this morning and alas, there it was: Jean Georges, 12:00 PM.

Jean Georges is a 3-star Michelin, 4-star New York Times restaurant in Columbus Circle. I had been to Nougatine, the more casual restaurant in front of JG, in the springtime and that was delicious on it's own (another lunch for a departing friend). Normally this meal would start around $100 for food only, but they are known for their amazing lunch menu, which is $28 for 2 courses (year-round, not a restaurant week special). I've been wanting eat here from the moment I heard about it (the mid 00s) and unexpectedly, today was the day.

First off, I loved the space. The room was much more intimate than I had imagined. It was decorated in light grey and white and was nestled up against the Central Park West / Broadway wedge of Columbus Circle. The menu was broad. Many different protein options across two courses. My friends and I ordered across the spectrum of the menu: myself, I went for foie gras brulee (pictured, upper) with strawberry and panko crusted rabbit (pictured, lower).

As expected, amuses arrived at the table. There were three: a sliver of madai, some sort of corn fritter in spicy alioli, and clarified gazpacho. All three were homeruns. If you forced me to choose a favorite, I'd go with the gazpacho, which despite looking like apple juice, had an awesome flavor that one would never associate with something lillet-colored. The corn fritter exploded corn once you bit into it (and I mean that in the best way possible). The madai was a light morsel of delicious fish that was less bold than its bouche brethren, but a nice way to start the plate.

The meal was paced like a dinner rather than lunch, so the time between courses was sizable, though we were easily able to fill it with conversation about the group's recent travels. The first courses arrived. My foie gras brulee instantly ranked among my top 5 courses of 2009. This may sound like a strange comparison, but it tasted like toast and strawberry jam that I used to eat as a child. But imagine the best bread and best strawberry jam ever. Add to it luscious foie gras. It did not have the whimsy of Ko's foie gras shavings but the flavors were spot on. It had something caramelized on top that added a nice crunch as well.

Onto the main courses. I elected the rabbit, something I started eating frequently in Spain. This rabbit had the consistency of chicken--a preparation I'd never quite seen before. It was white meat, free of all the minuscule bones of the garden beast (the main drawback of rabbit). The flavor was subtle--too subtle. The panko crusting was nice, but it did not adhere to the meat enough. I liked this dish, but the texture of the crusting was reminiscent of a soggy chicken cutlet. The saving graces were the garbanzo beans and saffron that accompanied the rabbit. These added huge flavors to the dish that compensated for the sad texture.

Dessert was an additional $8. The menu was split into four "notions" of dessert: Summer, Cherry, Chocolate, and Strawberry. Our table went 3x chocolate and 1 cherry. I opted for the chocolate. According to NY food lore, Jean Georges is the restaurant responsible for creating the molten chocolate cake. This is the same cake that Domino's pizza is now peddling. This is indicative of the impact a single dessert at a fine restaurant can have on the entire nation's culinary landscape. The molten chocolate cake was probably the best one I have eaten--it had shell like exterior and once you cracked it, it oozed. It was accompanied by an unconventional chocolate and peppermint dish with chocolate noodles. This portion of the dessert was more interesting than delicious. The chocolate noodles were certainly a unique taste and I had envisioned the peppermint tasting more like a candy cane and less like toothpaste than it did.

Would I go back to JG for lunch? Certainly. Would I for dinner? Certainly, if someone else was paying. All in all, I'd say my expectations were met (not exceeded) but for a spontaneous Monday lunch, you'd be hard pressed do much better.

6 or 11?

Rolling the reservation dice is a game I find myself playing too often. When I first moved to New York, Babbo was the spot. Every day for a week, at 10:00 AM sharp, I went dialed my office phone furiously, hit a busy signal, hit re-dial, until you heard that melodious ringing. It is very similar to trying to win a radio contest. One day, I was the right number caller, and a reservationist took down my details. Huzzah.

I think with the opening of the Waverly Inn, something changed. It now was no longer enough to have the fortitude to spend a week hitting redial, it was about who you were. I fundamentally have a problem with this mentality. If are looking to create an exclusive environment, call it a club and charge dues. Restaurants are for everyone and everyone should have an (relatively) equal shot of getting in.

This is precisely the reason why I am a strong advocate of David Chang's Momofuku reservation system. It's all run via the Internet (meaning instant gratification) and there is no way to tell a VIP from a "regular" person. Rumor has it, Chang subjected his parents to his reservation system. It creates an equal playing field for diners and eliminates the high school cafeteria mentality of fretting about which table the staff deigned to seat you at.

Unfortunately, the Waverly has been a successful venture, so alas, Graydon created Monkey Bar, a similar type establishment in its exclusivity in midtown. Reviews are pretty tepid on the place, but the most interesting thing I read about the restaurant was how it judges its patrons based on how they are seated. The "pretty, young people" are seated in the worst tables in the "pit". These people are essentially typical diners around the city. The rest of the spots are saved for self-gratifying Conde Nast employees and celebs.

My last rant is reserved for the restaurant I'm most interested in trying: Minetta Tavern. I have tried on more than several occasions to get a reservation at what Bruni deemed the best steakhouse in New York. I approach it like Babbo but when I call in, at 9:00 AM sharp, I'm only offered tables at 6 or 11. This simply cannot be true based on the information that is given out to the public. Now reservationists seem to hold prime tables during prime time for VIP. To me, this is most aggravating at all. The Waverly owns the fact they are clannish, Minetta does not. I frankly would not care about the Minetta Tavern were it not such a food destination. At this point, I may just brave the horror of dining at 6 or 11.

Look, I like the Waverly and I was lucky enough to be gifted the clandestine e-mail to secure a table there. If I had carte blanche access to all these restaurants, this post probably would not even be written. New York has plenty of exclusive and clubby institutions, we do not need our restaurant's to adopt the same mentality.

August Lull

One of the pleasures of being in NY during late August is that restaurants that normally require a couple weeks foresight to book magically open up. With a sizeable portion of the city's food cognoscenti out east, I was able to secure a reservation at Aldea, an Iberian restaurant in the Flatiron on 24 hours notice. Another benefactor of positive reviews, Aldea has been open for a few months now. If you don't know, having lived in Spain, I have an automatic bias toward anything remotely Spanish (though Aldea is a mix between both Spain and Portugal), so this was a treat.

A foodie friend of mine and I met at 7 sharp and had a wonderful meal. While perusing the wine list, I noticed bottles of wine starting at $25! This is practically unheard of at finer establishments in New York, but this is indicative of restaurateurs being mindful of the more frugal diner in the face of the "recession." We ended up splitting a Bordeaux blend and ordered the foie, shrimp, arroz de pato, and scallops.

The atmosphere of Aldea struck me as a little strange. The restaurant itself is very nicely apportioned and I found the noise level perfect (i.e. between library quiet and 27th street club deafening). The space was rather narrow and it sort of felt as if I was dining in a wide hallway. That being said, it had a lovely open kitchen which added nice theatrics to those diners seated nearby.

We started with the foie terrine and the shrimp alhinho. I found the foie to be a little on the bland side. It came with cocoa nibs and a fig sorbet. The sorbet complemented the foie well but I still did not get enough of the richness I would expect from the PETA-maligned delicacy. The shrimp alhinho was lovely. It had a smokiness and taste that took me right back to Spain. It reminded me of the pulpo I used to eat from tapas bars near Puerta del Angel. It was cooked perfectly and was a perfect opening course. My friend actually preferred the foie to the shrimp, so on the appetizers it was a tossup.

The big guns came out for the entrees. The arroz con pato (duck rice, top pic) was simply awesome. First off, duck confit is basically a kryptonite for me. I'll eat it at any occasion. Sidetracking, when Duke lost to UNC in 2006, my friends and I commiserated at L'Express. I'm pretty certain I took to duck confit to console myself over this embarrasing defeat. The rice comes with duck confit, duck crackling, and chorizo (!). The rice itself is worth mentioning given its expert preparation. It was crunchy in the best possible way, but still tender and full of flavor. The chorizo married well with the duck and the drops of sauce off to the side added a soft flavor to counter the proteins. My only quip, and my companion agreed, is that this dish is not best suited to a warm August night, but rather a chilly November evening, when winter is fast approaching.

The scallops, which I did not adore as much as the arroz, were the more seasonal option, and still pretty delicious. The scallops were seared nicely, though a tad gritty. From watching plenty of Top Chef, I have learned that cooking scallops well is something I should not take for granted. What really made this a standout dish for me was the faro that the scallops rested on. I first took note of faro during a dinner at Al Di La in Park Slope last December. Faro is certainly more unique than rice, couscous, or even quinoa and trickier to execute. I once made the mistake of taking a faro salad from a cold buffet at midtown restaurant and suffice to say it was like eating stale jelly beans. Anyway, this faro was nice and aldente and flavored ever so softly with orange. By the time entrees were cleared, Aldea had won me over.

Dessert menus were brought. One of the items I gravitated toward was the Strawberry Tasting (bottom pic). Some may decry strawberries as pedestrian, but I still adore the fruit. It essentially was Aldea's take on strawberry shortcake (the quintessential summer dessert). The semifreddo was smooth and light and had a familiar taste which I unfortunately could not place. Also on the plate was a biscuit sheathed in strawberry hibiscus jam. Both items were very unusual in flavor but both positively refreshing. My friend ordered the sonhos (aka donuts) which came with three delightful saucing options: spiced chocolate, apricot with paprika, and hazelnut. It is hard to mess up donuts, so no surprise that these were a hit. The sauces added more complexity to the dish, elevating them from ordinary to delectable.

When the check arrived, I was not surprised by the total, but needless to say, it was steep for a Wednesday night. That being said, we ordered a significant amount of food and a nice bottle of red, so I'd say the restaurant was fairly valued. Splitting an appetizer, getting two entrees, and splitting a dessert, no alcohol, and you could escape for about $40 / pp (with tax and tip). All and all, Aldea met my somewhat lofty expectations. The arroz con pato wins the gold medal but I think there are plenty of other interesting and savory options on this menu across the spectrum of courses.

Let me count the ways

The eatery I frequent most in New York, asides from the faceless, nondescript midtown venues I lunch at most weekdays, is Num Pang.

For background, Num Pang is an offshoot of a Cambodian restaurant on the LES called Kampuchea. I've never been the the mother restaurant but it's offspring certainly makes me wonder whether a trip is worthwhile.

So here is a list of why Num Pang has changed my life.

1. Pulled Pork Sandwich. Having been educated in North Carolina, pulled pork has a dear place in my heart. While I would never benchmark this sandwich against any Carolina sandwich, this is a special sandwich. The pork is tender and is slightly sweet. The sandwich (as all their sandwiches are) is dressed with chili mayo, cilantro, carrots, and cucumber and with a little sriracha, the sandwich is simply the best in the city. It's messy, rich, a little spicy, a little sweet. I could go on...

2. All the other sandwiches. A plethora of other sandwiches round out Num Pang nicely. The Catfish is my second in command: it is lighter, nicely grilled and marinated in soy sauce. It does not hold up as well to the sriracha as the pulled pork, so use with caution. The coconut shrimp is another go-to. The coconut shrimp is not caked and deep fried in batter like so many are these days, so you get the nice flavor of the shrimp and the coconut. The meatball sandwich is also a standout, but I tend to order this less frequently for health reasons. I have it on good authority the vegetarian option is also pretty delicious.

3. The corn on the cob. Covered in chili mayo, topped with coconuts, and grilled, this corn on the cob is a perfect companion to the sandwiches. This kind of preparation is not particularly novel for NY--you can generally find it at any street fair in the summer--but Num Pang's is executed perfectly.

4. I'm lazy. The place is one block from my apartment.

5. Pricing. Ok, so it is not dirt cheap--but for $8.15 you get a delightfully, delicious, and portable sandwich.

6. Special menu. I've yet to partake any special, but someday I will, and I know it will be delicious.

It's gotten so out of hand that I have eaten at Num Pang thrice a week, for several weeks in a row. Certainly check it out next time you are in the village. You can bring it over to my house to eat, so long as your bring a sandwich for me.

Green with envy

One of the more exciting aspects of living in New York is the buzz that comes with a new restaurant. This is a double-edged sword, because with excitement comes the inevitable struggle to secure a table at the hotspot du jour.

A major impetus for restaurant buzz is the NY Times food review. The debate over the relevance of food critics in the age of blogging is a separate topic, but I still believe that the review carries major weight. When the erstwhile food critic Frank Bruni decreed two-stars on Locanda Verde, a new Italian spot in TriBeCa, it certainly cemented this restaurants status as a destination for at least the next few months.

A friend and I decided to brave the buzz and attempt a walk-in this past Friday. Fate smiled upon us, when after being quoted a wait time of an hour, the host seated us after about 15 minutes. It boded well for what would be a great Friday night meal.

The space is open and fairly sizable by Manhattan standards. The noise level was approaching din at times and the bar was three people deep, but this can be chalked up to the aforementioned buzz. It is dimly lit and decorated in warm reds.

The menu was expansive and divided into the usual sections you'd expect to find. My friend and I decided to let the server espouse her favorite items. She suggested two crostini: ricotta and blue crab, the rabbit terrine, lamb sliders, octopus, and the grandmother's ravioli. We took all those suggestions and a bottle of red. Right of the bat, the wine list impressed me. I am far from an oenophile, but I do enjoy my wine. I was please to see bottles starting at $30, a rare find in New York. Our server was well-versed on the wine list and gave good advice.

The crostini arrived swiftly and were exceptional. I was skeptical of ricotta crostini, but was floored by the smoothness of the cheese and the spice blend that covered it. The blue crab was fresh and bright, a cool dish for a steamy evening. Impressed so far.

Following the crostini, the lamb sliders, octopus, and rabbit terrine arrived. The lamb sliders came as a couple, I would have preferred a foursome. They were sandwiched between a fluffy roll and were juicy in the best way possible. Lamb is not a favorite protein of mine but in a slider form, my heart can be swayed. The octopus was good, not great. It was cooked very well, but the flavors were not as bold as I would have wanted. It did have a nice char though. My favorite appetizer was the rabbit terrine and frankly, this was the greatest surprise of the evening. Terrine is a dish I feel compelled to like, but it rarely inspires me to order it again. I find the congealed texture very unappealing but this terrine was rich, smooth, and the rabbit was tender.

Round three was the grandmother's ravioli, which Frank Bruni noted as making him wanting to swap ancestors with restaurant's proprietor came with high expectations. It fell short for me. The pasta was expertly cooked and had a soft, yet firm texture but I did not get a ton of flavor from the ravioli. The sauce was lovely and had a nice acidic taste that I wish I could jar and take home. Perhaps too much buzz is a bad thing.

For dessert, we followed our server's request again. She suggested the corn budino (a cousin of panna cotta) and the pistachio cake. Again, her recommendations were spot on. The pistachio cake was moist and had a nutty taste that reminded me of desserts I ate while in Spain or Italy. The edges of the slice were slightly overcooked and chewy, but the inner segments were delightful.

The corn budino was another story completely. This dessert was flat out delicious. It had a light texture that was airy and refreshing for a summer day. The main constituent of the dish was sweet corn and the seasonal splendor of this ingredient really shone through. The dish was unique and wonderful.

Consider me a believe in Locanda Verde. The major drawback of the meal came when the check arrived at the table. Locanda has been touted for it's shrewd menu in the face of the recession but I still managed to rack up quite a tab. Yes, I ordered a fair amount of food and split a bottle of wine, but still was sticker shocked. The service, food, and atmosphere certainly warrant the cost, but I would not go into Locanda with a "recession-friendly" mindset as I did.

All and all, worth the trip and worth braving the walk in.

My milkshake brings...

I'm not really sure how I stumbled across Stand. My sandwich obsession, Num Pang, sits adjacent to it on E 12 St. and one day while waiting in line for a delicious pulled pork sandwich, I noticed Stand for the first time. I made a mental note to check it out and did not do much since.

Whilst on twitter one day, the incomparable Gail Simmons highlighted Stand's toasted marshmallow milkshake. This immediately got my attention, as marshmallows are one of my favorite confections. One night, desperate for dessert options, and sorely disappointed by Williamsburg's choices, my partners in crime and I hopped back on the L, destined for Stand.

Milkshakes are without a doubt my favorite libation. I have managed to limit my consumption over the years but that does not mean I love them any less. Stand's toasted marshmallow milkshake is one of the most unique milkshakes I have ever encountered. The milkshake itself is thick and creamy, in the best possible way, but still not viscous enough to require a spoon. The shake comes topped with whipped cream and two perfectly browned marshmallows. The marshmallows are toasted as if being filmed for a s'more commercial. The milkshake has a lingering aftertaste of burnt marshmallows, something that draws me back to those rare moments in my youth, when I did in fact, toast marshmallows. I have had this shake twice, and my latest dining companion was appalled by how into the milkshake I was.

That is not to say Stand is only good for milkshakes. The food press on Stand has been mixed, but I am definitely a fan. Given its proximity to my apartment, I do order takeout from Stand on occasion. One of my favorite options, is the salmon burger. Fish based burgers can be extremely inconsistent but they do carry the advantage of being more nutritionally dense than their bovine counterparts. Some tend to be dry and mealy, others are made from too many sea creatures which ultimately confuse my palate. The salmon burger at Stand is moist, flavorful, and comes on a great sesame seed bun. It is topped it tartar sauce, which I recommend on the side, should you be averse to over-saucing (a major problem for many NY restaurants). It is a great midweek option--healthy, flavorful, quick, and inexpensive.

Aside from the salmon burger, the straight up Stand Burger is certainly above average. The meat is mixed with parsely, chopped onions, and worcestershire sauce which gives it a more unique flavor, though it was more subtle than I would prefer. I did not love the special sauce it came with but all and all, it was a delicious burger that hit the spot. The fries, both regular and sweet potato, complement the burgers well. They are crispy, but not overly crunchy and are nicely salted. I would have preferred them to be slightly longer in length and think the sweet potato are the better choice, but this is more a matter of preference.

In summary, Stand is a solid option and worth a trip alone for the milkshakes. The fact it is a block for my apartment makes it a dangerous option for me. Oh yeah, and they are open until 4:00 AM (Only on Friday night's though).

Welcome and Why Now?

After 26 years of eating in New York, London, Durham, Farmington, Spain, and everywhere in between, I have decided to officially start blogging about it. This blog is for my friends, any random people who stumble across it, and for myself. Too many good meals have been eaten that deserve more attention than my usual hyperbole and this blog serves as way to crystallize these thoughts.

As New York is my current home, the content of this blog will be mostly devoted to the food scene in my favorite town, but that is not to say other cities won't receive attention. Also, on occasion, other posts may stray off course should the zeitgeist warrant it. Rest assured, there will never be a shortage of content: as the title suggests, PJ eats a lot.