BryanZ
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Posts posted by BryanZ
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Generally I prefer the old room too--minus the worn carpet--but this week it looked particularly nice.
According to the online menu: Gently Smoked Squab, Butter Braised Romaine, and Aleppo Pepper. So not the dish you had. It was also topped with a truffle vinaigrette.
There was a sumac portion in the rhubarb dessert, but I honestly can't recall it with particular clarity.
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Was at lunch at JG on Tuesday later in the afternoon. It was an absolutely beautiful day and the room really benefited for it. I've always been a bit skeptical of the new decor since the first photos were released but the room really seemed warmer in the bright light.
As usual, things were excellent, though I think I will concede that reports of an excess of citrus in many of the dishes are not entirely unfounded. I don't think this is simply an instance of an information cascade, as I'm quite sure there were simply more dishes on the menu that featured citrus, particularly lime, than on my past visits. I don't think this hurt the dining experience, but I will admit some items read similarly on the menu.
Amuse of mango champagne cube, grilled shrimp on a skewer, and an edamame soup. The soup was not my favorite of JG's quintessential shooters, but it tasted amazingly healthy and had this wheatgrass-type thing going on.
Foie brulee is now being served with a citrus compote. Awesome as usual. Goat cheese gnocchi were very interesting and also quite acidic. I'm not sure how they made them, but I almost thought of the plate like an appetizer cheese course. Garnished with some very good olive oil and baby artichokes that ranged in texture from crispy to tender.
Midcourse of char with ginger-champagne sabayon was a winner. The sauce was killer and tasted distinctly Asian but not, one of the things JG is best known for. Bacon-wrapped shrimp with avocado and papaya mustard was perfectly executed and a full of huge flavors. A nice foil to the more subtle char dish.
Mains were the smoked squab--I think my favorite JG squab prep yet even if it is very smoky and remains a bit hard to eat--and the sweetbreads. The sweetbreads had both a citrus foam and a citrus gel. These, on their own, were overkill but mixed with the right amount of sweetbread it was spot on. I did feel there was too much gel on the plate, however, necessitating that some be left on the plate for the best possible experience. Still, I really like how JG goes for the untraditional accompaniments with the sweetbreads in every rendition I've had.
Shared a rhubarb dessert. It was exactly what I expected. Nice little mini rhubarb tart-thing, but I still think I like the shortcake at Ssam better.
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Showed up at Ippudo shortly after 9 pm on Friday evening. Wait was quoted at 30-40 minutes but was actually more like 45. Not really a problem, but we got there at one of the worst times given the ebb and flow of the tables. We were one of the first parties to sit down as they turned a good percentage of their tables so those who showed up at, say, 9:30 were seated not long after us. If you're averse to waiting, think strategically and go early or go late.
The space feels overdesigned to me and the set up of the room is such that it lacks clear sight lines. There are lots of random pillars, mirrors and obstructions that don't exactly lend an aura of calm. I think service suffers a bit for this as it can be difficult to flag down one of the (very busy) servers.
But, let's be honest, this place is really all about the ramen. We ordered some other items but they were be no means the star of the show. The best was the kakuni, a solid rendition if not near the best I've had. The pickles were also nice and light--fresh vegetables, nicely balanced brine--but perhaps overpriced at $7. The Ippudo roll was a strange item we simply had to order. Stewed pork, cabbage and Japanese seasonings rolled into not-very-good sushi rice. Interesting but not something I'd order again.
We ordered a bowl of the shiromaru and the akamaru. While we generally preferred the latter we found that, by the end, the broth was out of balance. The extra sauce and sesame make the last few spoons of broth a bit bracing. The shiromaru may as well be noodles in pork gravy. It's almost like eating essence of barbecue minus a bit of the smoke. This was extremely rich, but, I felt, a bit underseasoned. I thought the additions in the akamaru (at the onset) really balanced the bowl and added complexity.
The noodles, meh. They were fine; I'm not too into the the thinner style. Cooked well, nice chew, but not enough elasticity for me. The pork loin in the shiromaru was tasty if a bit tough. Quite liked the belly in the akamaru.
All in all, I really liked this place and will go back at off-hours for their lunch deal. With that said, this ramen isn't radically different from what you can get at most decent ramen shops. An order of magnitude better? Probably, but Santouka is a viable substitute for me. Although I haven't been to Setagaya for several months (a revisit is certainly in order) I find that broth, the sharp salinity of it in particular, to be more distinctive if not explicitly better.
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Gone indeed. I, too, was shut out again.
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Beautiful Brazilian Barmaids were not sighted at my meal at Benoit this evening but otherwise I came away with a relatively favorable impression. It's not raising the bar for bistro cooking in NYC as was portrayed in the opening weeks nor is it headed for disaster as more recent blog and message board reports have suggested. It's a very solid spot but with some inconsistency across the menu. Some items are truly great, others a bit perplexing, and still others disappointing.
My meal began with a cocktail in the bar, a French Mojito. This was a rather sweet drink with rum, lime, mint, and grape syrup but fine for the occasion. The bartender wasn't particularly friendly or engaging, and the restaurant wasn't even close to full--we were having an early dinner so I showed up at around 5:45. In general I find the bar for the staff here to be set quite low. What little interaction we had with management types was more encouraging--enthusiasm, friendliness--but everyone else was simply doing their job, no more.
Bread service is fine; the mini-baguettes at Atelier are analogous but much better. Gougeres were appreciated; we asked for a second tray and received one shortly. For starters, the much discussed charcuterie for two and the lobster bisque. Both of these items were pretty killer. I'd go back and share these two items with a friend, add a dessert, and call it dinner, not even thinking about mains.
The charcuterie platter was well-made and extremely delicious. Weakest part was the too cold, too thick proscuitto. There was just too much of it. Some people have complained about the cooked ham; it was fine as a salty, familiar palate cleanser of sorts between assorted gamey and livery bites. The pate en croute, foie gras terrine, and langue de veau were all awesome.
Lobster bisque was the only dish of the evening that received a bit of table side flourish. Four plump nuggets of lobster sat beneath a garnish of creme fraiche. The bisque was then poured over by a food runner. Really nice soup, neither too rich, salty and bracing nor too thin and watery. We ordered this because we didn't really feel like escargot--the only other viable option to us--and were pleasantly surprised.
Mains were a half-step down. All three items--halibut with asparagus and champagne sabayon, duck a l'orange, and cassoulet--were better than good, but each plate showed some weakness that kept them from being unequivocally very good.
The asparagus and sabayon were the stars of the fish plate, especially the latter; the halibut itself was fine but overcooked and a bit dry. Also, our piece had a decent bit of the blood line running through it.
The duck was good if a bit boring. I realize this is a classic dish but the duck itself wasn't particularly memorable. Perhaps it needed to be a bit more tender or the skin a bit more crispy. The condiments, the sauce served on the side and the orange marmalade, gave the dish some more excitement.
Finally, the cassoulet was quite successful and a huge portion, too. I liked what to me seemed like a cinnamon- or five spice-esque quality. Only disappointment here was that it was served with pork loin instead of pork belly as I'm used to. Oh well. I would've probably loved this dish two months ago when it was a bit chillier, at least I got in there before Memorial Day.
Weakest point of the evening, without question, the fries. I guess I should've trusted people but I wanted to see what the big fuss was about. Technically speaking, these were not good, and the portion appears to have shrunk dramatically. Our portion was hardly a heaping tangle but rather a small mound that barely crested the ring meant to act as its base. As others have said, not crispy enough, too thin, not even in size. They were surprisingly useful for soaking up all the tasty sauces left on the plates but weak as stand alone items.
Desserts were surprisingly good. The nougat glace much more complex than I imagined with a great interplay between passion fruit and pistachio. I've had better baba rum-cakes deals at other fine-dining restaurants but I thought this version was serviceable. Weakest part was the cake. Slosh enough rum and whipped cream on there and you're golden.
So, all in all, a low two stars. I'd go back but only if I had a discrete craving for bistro food and happened to be in the area or if I really wanted langue de veau. Compared to my meal at Ssam last week where we spent about $20 less per person, it's a fine value but not a great one.
ETA: No specials, steak rossini or otherwise. Sadness.
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But SHOULD that exclusivity affect our impressions and subsequent evaluations of a restaurant? Marc, I believe, is saying they shouldn't, or don't for him. I'm saying I wish they wouldn't but probably do.
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I don't place any value on exclusivity. Although Ko is a very good restaurant, it doesn't become better just because it's harder to get in. One may feel psychologically predisposed towards enjoying the experience, after one has expended so much effort to score a reservation.Indeed, and I think an even more apt fine-dining comparison is EMP. I still haven't been so I can't speak to the value from experience. It does seem, however, that at the end of the night (with beverages included) Ko may not be as great a deal as some might have initially espoused, it is still entirely reasonable. And if one places any value on exclusivity, then that takes up the value proposition significantly.Again, speaking rationally, I'm leery of placing value on exclusivity when, as a food and restaurant lover, all I should care about is the food and service.
But with that philosophical principle said, I do feel as though many people, possibly myself included, get added value from exclusivity. For instance, if one was served a meal with identical food and service at the same price in similarly outfitted dining rooms where one seats 100 and one seats 5, I think that most people would value the latter experience more highly. From Rao's to L'Astrance, I think there are many examples of restaurants that are considered "better" than they actually are because they are difficult to get into. Hell, even Babbo and Per Se fit into this mold if you ask me to rate the objectively.
And of course, this is to say nothing of what Nathan calls the "Urban Daddy/Daily Candy Crowd" who likely value exclusivity more than the food itself.
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I know it's probably considered old hat to discuss one's woes with the Ko reso system, but I think the reason some people find it so offensive is that it's so completely impersonal.
Rationally, I totally understand that the time I spend each morning (when I manage to get up in time) is minimal. No more than five minutes. Yet one's hopes get so high upon seeing a screen full of green checks only to have them turn red only seconds later.
By staying on the phone for an hour with Babbo or Per Se or wherever one at least feels that there's a chance. A chance to score a table at an off hour (pretty much de facto at both places), the chance to schmooze with the reservationist, some kind of interaction. At Ko, due to its size and reso system, this is simply impossible.
I was able to make "practice" reservations in the early days but always canceled them immediately because I was still down at school. Now I've been trying to get in for the past couple of weeks intermitently to no avail. Although I've probably wasted more time overall trying to get reservations at the two aforementioned restaurants and ones in Europe, Ko somehow feels the most frustrating or challenging.
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Indeed, and I think an even more apt fine-dining comparison is EMP. I still haven't been so I can't speak to the value from experience. It does seem, however, that at the end of the night (with beverages included) Ko may not be as great a deal as some might have initially espoused, it is still entirely reasonable. And if one places any value on exclusivity, then that takes up the value proposition significantly.
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But in absolute terms they may be tipping less, simply due to the fact that the meal at Ko costs less than (what seem to be) meals of comparable quality.
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Friends of mine live right by here so I stopped here after a rather large meal at Ssam.
Too full already, I was convinced to share an otsumami platter of 4 savory items and order an entire kaiseki for myself. After Shake Shack, Ssam, and Kyotofu, I was rather stuffed. Oh well, at least it was all enjoyable.
The otsumami platter was serviceable but not all that great. Fine if you want a few savory items before dessert but not worth going to the restaurant for these items alone. Some of them just seemed strangely conceived and could be done better with the same ingredient just combined differently.
The dessert program has not strayed from its very Japanese roots. At least in the kaiseki, every single item tastes in some way Japanese. There are analogs to other pastry in the city--Tabla's kulfi, the ubiquitous warm chocolate cake, savory ice creams--but the flavor profiles here are unique. I suppose it's refreshing to see a place stay true to its concept and not necessarily dumb itself down the way Chikalicious kind of dead, but this is not dessert for everyone.
Tables remain very tightly spaced, service was fine. Worth stopping by if you're in the area and are into the whole Asian sweets thing.
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Oh man, great meal at MSB last night. Perhaps it was because I went my mother and sister and therefore could order whatever I wanted without having to pay for it, but everything seemed especially tasty and on point.
As for all that talk about declining quality and/or service. Whatever. Everything seemed smooth sailing to me, with the same level of MSB confidence/pretentiousness that is alternatively exciting or grating that I've come to expect. It was the first time my companions had eaten here and they found the restaurant entirely in the former category. They agreed in that it is one of the most dynamic and exciting places to eat in the city.
Between the three of us we sampled numerous dishes. Unfortunately in my rush to try everything, I forgot to inquire about any specials or off-menu items that have been discussed here. Now that I'm around full time I imagine this oversight will be rectified shortly and with some frequency.
Some observations.
The uni dish seems to have grown in the portion of actual uni that is served with the dish. This time, however, I did feel that the uni was not quite as fresh and clean tasting as on the many other times I've had this dish. Nevertheless, I still absolutely adore this dish.
After that, pork buns. Portion also seemed larger with regards to the thickness of the slices.
Chawanmushi with jus and snails. Awesome, so rich, perfect texture.
Banh mi. Awesome, though not as Kewpie-y as on previous visits. I love Kewpie.
Sichuan beef tendon. Think a cross between a Thai and Sichuan noodle dish where the noodles are actually tendons. Would've liked it spicier but at least we got a very clear Sichuan peppercorn numbness going on. I know this dish pisses some people off since Chang is charging $16 for effectively scraps, but it's prepared so well and is so tasty and refreshing that I can't see the validity in that complaint.
Pork sausage and rice cakes. Actually the first time I've had this dish. I don't why I waited so long to get this. Perfect for a cold and rainy day. Probably the dark horse hit of the evening.
Poussin. Oh man, this was ridiculous. Pea-lambic puree. Awesome. The chicken was literally perfect. With just a bit more refinement in presentation and perhaps a touch of acidity this is unquestionably a four-star dish. Definitely the best chicken dish I've had in recent memory.
Rhubarb shortcake. While not as AMAZING as perhaps it has been made out to be, this was really, really good. More restrained than I thought it would be, as they really toned down the tartness. The butteriness shortcake was also quite pleasant.
Pistachio. Still very tasty, but a step down from the rhubarb. The portion here was actually a bit small and haphazardly presented. The flavors were on, think kind of like rustic, crunchier gianduja but I'd rather order two of the rhubarb desserts instead.
So yeah, this place continues to be the sweetness. If only I could get into Ko now.
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I suppose I'm a creature of habit. Whenever I have business/people to see between midtown and downtown, Shake Shack is effectively a required stop. Yesterday's incessant rain meant no lines at about 2:45, and with the temporary tent set up in the park my eating experience was actually quite pleasurable.
Still nice to see they're doing a solid job here. I really like the food, though I can see why this place is polarizing. It is expensive and not quite revolutionary but they do what they do very well.
Had a Double Stack, a 'shroom burger and a normal patty, and a red velvet cake custard. Thoroughly enjoyed both, especially the firm pieces of cake in the custard that provided both flavor and texture (novel concept, I know), and went on my way.
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Any mention of how often they run that special?
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Sick. I like it. Perhaps you missed PDT or D&Co. but those require a bit more planning. Great eating day.
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Fantastic posts. And quite timely for me too. I recently went on my own 'cue adventure just earlier this week.
Anyway, I posted this elsewhere, but I figure it's relevant, as we hit some of the same spots.
As I'll be leaving the South for good in a matter of days and don't have finals during exam week it seemed necessary to hit some of the 'cue places I'd heard about but never got around to visiting. Naturally, I'd have to eat at all of them in one day. Mayhem ensued.
So, six stops, six trays, all solo, over 4.5 hours. It was intense. I'm in pain. But I think it was worth it.
Starting in Durham, I ventured to Chapel Hill to visit Allen & Son. Then to Mebane to eat at A&M Grill, then Graham for Hursey's, then Greensboro for Stamey's, then finally to Lexington for Barbecue Center and Lexington Barbecue.
My rankings and brief comments follow.
1) Stamey's - Perhaps the surprise winner, the outside brown, sliced was near perfect. A great balance of smoke and salt and just enough contrast between chewy exterior and firm yet still tender interior. Service here was also great. Super fast and super friendly. I also like that they serve pretty much only 'cue and no fried chicken, fish, etc. The Brunswick stew was an unnecessary, but surprisingly tasty addition to my fourth meal of the day.
2) Lexington Barbecue - A great product and really nice balance between smoke and texture. I actually thought the sauce was too overpowering for the meat and preferred the rendition of Lexington-style sauce at Barbecue Center. I ordered soft outside brown, coarsely chopped and it was really very nice. Had I not been so surprised with the quality and experience at Stamey's, Lexington Barbecue would've taken the prize. I could see craving either depending on the day. Also, despite the fact that this was my sixth meal and I was in terrible pain, I NEEDED to order the basket of hot, fried pork skin. These were super-duper porky. Like porkiness verging on gaminess. Best in small quantities or crumbled atop one's 'cue.
3) Barbecue Center - I really "got" Lexington-style 'cue here. The sauce was still NC-style, but the addition of tomato gave the sauce a freshness that worked well with the acidity and pepper. Here, I had outside brown, chopped. A really solid spot, no complaints at all.
4) Allen & Son - I had been to Allen & Son once before and sampled much of the menu with a large group. It was my standard bearer of NC barbecue until today. Allen & Son really ups the smoke, which I quite like, but at the expense of porkiness. The former three find a great balance between rub/seasoning, smoke, and natural flavor of the meat, not to mention texture/moistness. Allen & Son puts out a great and unique product, but I found it too one-dimensional today. Too smokey, too dry. I enjoyed eating it, sure, but it wasn't new heights. At first I thought it was because I had ordered outside brown, chopped, but my experiences at the other restaurants proved that the balance I was looking for could be achieved.
5) Hursey's - Taste-wise this was actually my least favorite. It was, however, a very unique product. Not much smoke at all, but the chopped meat--they don't do outside brown here--was unbelievably moist. Not watery, as in sitting in its own juices on the place, but as soon as it hit my mouth it just exploded with porky juiciness. If one could serve a pork roast with this same juiciness you'd have a hit. This was, however, not barbecue to me because the smoke just wasn't there. Think of it like a better version of Bullock's The slaw here was actually not good, perhaps the only objectionable side I had all day.
6) A&M Grill - All in all, not bad, but not that great either. I had the sliced barbecue--no outside brown here either---as the waitress informed me that this would be the best option. This was more like roast pork, also light on the smoke but not so light as Hursey's. It lacked the mouth-filling unctuousness that Hursey's provided and so lacked any defining characteristic that could've helped its standing.
On the drive home I was pretty much drunk off of pork fat. Still, I recommend driving east on 64 as opposed to picking up 85 and 40. A pleasant, farm- and church-filled drive, minus a few strip mall-filled towns. Very Americana.
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You don't need a jacket at JG at lunch but most gentlemen do sport them.
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Can someone explain the fries? How do they get so high and tangly? Are they cooked that way or simply mounded just so?
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You might consider staying further downtown if that's an option. If you were just a young tourist I'd say staying by the Park is fine. You're close to the typical shopping, museums, shows, etc. Since you're culinarily focused, however, a location further downtown might actually save you some money in subways or cabs. Those Metrocard swipes really add up and if you can save maybe $8-$10 per day by walking that can go toward different accommodations or glass of wine. You get my drift.
As usual, recommendations by the standard stable of posters are spot on. Nathan's point on haute lunches during the week is especially applicable to people looking to have a gastro-trip on something of a budget. You'll be getting 2/3 the experience (sometimes more) at less than half the price. A pretty good value prop. if you ask me.
USQ Greenmarket is probably what you had in mind when you asked for a market, but you'll very likely need to supplement that with staples found at a normal grocer like Fairway or the shops in Chelsea.
You also might try some of New York's contemporary Italian restaurants for pasta. As someone who gets a bit bored by Italian cuisine, I find places like A Voce and Insieme quite exciting. Many of the same flavors that you're probably looking for in a more sleek (culinarily speaking) package. Finally, if you're looking to use this trip as a mean to research a place of your own, you'd probably be well-suited by checking out some of the smaller places, wine bars, Italian small plates restaurants, you get the drift. More suited to a first-time restaurateur perhaps.
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It's cheaper at least. I prefer the Hitachino personally.
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I watched both seasons several weeks ago and found them to be the most fascinating cooking show I've ever seen. I'm completely obsessed.
Scanned the recipes from first book into my computer--took a long time with Black Forest Gateau at 7 pages--and look forward to working through them all.
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But it wasn't to be.. I'll be looking forward to what else he can do. But why not do a traditional poach? Is sous vide just over done on this show, or is it me?? If I was the Earth team, I would have had some root vegetables in there. As far as I can recall, they didn't have any.
SV is optimal for this kind of banquet situation. I'm not saying that a traditional poach is a bad idea, just SV could've worked very well. I've served coho CSV and you simply need to cook it at a higher temperature, especially for those unfamiliar with fish CSV. Because coho does have a finer flake than Atlantic farmed salmon or king salmon, it does come across as mushier when undercooked.
Really there's no difference between a poach and CSV, Blais just happened to opt for a lower temperature in the latter method and suffered for it.
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That was a lot of drunk people at the end. Must've been in the stew tank for a while. Oh well. Pointless drunken bitching.
Salmon CSV at <45C (they were cooking at 43.8 in the one shot of the bath) is somewhat strange texturally and not for everyone. I do agree it is a bit mushy and if it's had time to cool a bit kind of congeals unappetizingly. For a banquet like that I would've gone to like 48C, but that's me. They also should've considered taking the skin off before cooking. Blais dodged a bullet there.
No more faux caviar. You did it three times now, stop.
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People should read oakapples assessment of the NYM move on his blog. It's well-stated.
Pegu Club
in New York: Dining
Posted
Visited Pegu for the first time last night. Got one of the last big tables for my party of six shortly before 8 pm. Space is big, more mature than a lot of the other cocktail spots if lacking a bit in distinctive character. Very competent waitress service for my non-cocktailian friends.
Tried a bunch of my friend's drinks. The only I didn't like was actually the Pegu Club cocktail. Favorite was the Pisco Punch, a sweet drink but nice for the summer. On the drier side, really enjoyed the Kill Devil too.
A nice spot whose size probably makes it easier to get into than PDT and D&Co.