ulterior epicure

I've remembered ever since you pointed it out on our little crawl through the lower west side ISO Montasio cheese.

Thanks, LPSHanet. Just one clarification - Masato Shimizu - not to be confused with another Shimizu who is the chef at "Shimizu" sushi, right?

I wouldn't hurry to Bouchon Bakery for these puppies, but they were good. Personally, I would have liked a stronger pesto flavor. It tasted just like a croissant swirled with pesto - buttery and airy on the inside, slightly "skinned" outside. The best thing about this croissant, in my opinion, are the pine-nuts studded throughout. Oh, did I mention the entire thing is dusted with grated Parmesan cheese? (It's apparent from the pictures).

I dropped in a couple of weeks ago for a quick breakfast. My sister and I shared a new savory pastry they have: the "Pesto Croissant." It's not crescent-shaped, but it's flaky and buttery. It's more like three puff pastry rolls clumped together. The inside is swirled with basil and whole pinenuts. See pictures here. No more carrot cake macarons, I'm afraid...

I can see why, weinoo, more than two years later, the food's still good and the prices (I can't imagine they've gone up that much since your posting) are decent. I dropped in a couple of Sunday mornings ago with a friend for a quick pre-brunch snack (well, it was his brunch, but I was meeting friends immediately after for more food across the street at Blue Ribbon Bakery Cafe). Truffled egg toast was simple, but really good. It's something that I could easily replicate at home (kathryn actually sent me the recipe from the 'ino cookbook). The bruschetta were all nice - I only tried two, the white anchovy (special for the day) and the roasted garlic, which I liked better. Those are some fat little cloves. I got my serving of leafy greens for the day with a rucola salad with fennel and goat cheese. It was nice to see more than a couple of strands of fennel on my salad, for once. The place is small, but we went early - so we were really the only people. I can see how, given a crowd, the place can be quite cozy... and loud. Next time, when I have a bigger appetite, I'll have to return for their panini. You can see all the pictures here, on my flicker account.

This thread has been asleep for a year now, and I think I understand why. As some of you might have read, a few weeks ago, I had planned on having a fabulous omakase with Hideo-san at Ushiwakamaru. Two days before my reservation, the restaurant called to inform me that the Dept. of Health had closed it down and would not plan on re-opening for the foreseeable future. (Click here for the Ushiwaka maru thread to read more). Craving sushi, I considered the following: Karumazushi, Sushi Seki, and Jewel Bako. I have been to Sushi Yasuda twice before; I've had such stellar experiences there that it was hard for me to resist another visit. However, I had promised myself to try a new sushi place. Two days advanced notice is not a lot of time to secure a spot at a sought after sushi bar. Jewel Bako had an opening, and I took it. I actually wanted to visit this restaurant, despite the negative reviews posted here and elsewhere. I had heard good things about chef Yoshi-san from others and decided to give it a shot. You can see all the pictures from my dinner and read the commentary, if you wish on my flickr account. Here's a high-level summary: Atmosphere: The space is incredibly claustrophobic. We sat at the bar in front of Yoshi-san. I have NO CLUE how the people in the two matchbox-sized dining rooms could stand it in there. It's dark, extremely tight ("packed liked sardines" personified) - when the dining room was full, it seemed impossible to thread through the middle aisle. At the bar, there was so little space behind the diners (between the diner's back and the wall) that I felt shoved up against the bar for fear of pinning one of the many servers who shuttled back and forth constantly to the wall. There was a lot of commotion and it felt frenetic the entire evening. While I'd like to say that I block out all of this during my meal, neither the food nor other factors were able to captivate me more. I was constantly aware of, and a little edgy in, my surroundings. Also, I don't exactly get how the name might remotely be appropriate. "Box," sure, but "Jewel?" It's unique, but not particularly a "gem." Food: The sashimi platter (first "course") was strong. The fish selection was interesting and well assembled. There are two reasons why I particularly liked the sashimi: (1) the fish had been allowed to "age" for a proper amount of time - allowing the proteins to break down and the natural flavors to develop and intensify, and (2) for the most part, the sashimi pieces were served unadorned and simply on their own. The nigiri (we had a progression of about 16 after the sashimi plate), overall, was disappointing. (1) I'm a sushi purist, and Yoshi-san is one of what I call a "modernista sushi chef." Almost everything came with some kind of garnish or extraneous embellishment - be it yuzu paste, lime foam, or some butane torch treatment. There's nothing wrong with any of that, per se, if it works (there was one in particular - giant clam with a lime and salt garnish - that was actually better, I think with the garnish than without). But for the most part, the additions tended to mask/distract from the natural flavors/textures, etc. of the fish. The hotate (scallop) had citrus on it... which changed the surface texture and disarmed the one thing I love most about scallops - the natural briney sweetness. (2) The rice here, in my book, is really substandard. I noticed that the rice crock was not covered, which probably explains why it was cold and dry. In fact on one of my early nigiri pieces (I think it was the second one), the rice stuck to the inside of my cheek in a wad if dry clay - I had use my tongue to get it loose. I don't make this statement to be sensationalistic - but it truly was a disappointing moment in the meal, one that set the tone for the rest of the pieces I tried that night. We never noticed him change the rice (or replenish from the back) through the night, and indeed, the rice got drier and drier throughout the meal. I will say, however, that one of my dining companions did like the rice, making a point of it after I had shared my thoughts. (3) The fish here is served just below my ideal nigiri temperature level. While the sashimi platter was fine (everything was room temperature - I think this is because they plated a number of sashimi courses at once and so the plates had been sitting out a little longer), most of the nigiri cuts we got were almost straight from the chill cases. Not only did this affect the texture of the fish (making the flesh stiffer), but it also numbed the flavor (or rather, it numbed my mouth to the flavor). The fact that the sushi rice was room temperature (which in my book, is "cold"), didn't help. (4) Torching ranks high on showmanship, but, I'm not so sure it added much to my overall experiences. For instance, the butane was used on the uni - which did little except char the top. I had half expected it to intensify the natural sweetness of the roe, which it might have, but Yoshi-san paints a soy sauce-based glaze (I'm guessing there's mirin in the sauce) over the top and torches it a second time. The soy sauce-based glaze (not being particularly high in sugar) chars, leaving the top with a slightly burnt, bitter taste. Likewise, he torched the eel between two banana leaves. The eel meat had no contact with the flame. While the eel went gelatinously soft (a good thing), it became heavily perfumed with the scent of banana - which I found really distracting. Some may like that banana leaf flavor; I don't. I prefer my eel simply charred on a robata over bright hot binchotan. The only torch treatment I actually enjoyed was the barracuda nigiri - he scorched the scaled skin on the outside, which gave the skin a nice smoky flavor and interest texture (it wasn't quite crispy - more rubbery, but in a good way). Service: Nothing particularly good or bad. We were serviced appropriately and courteously. Sushi-ya aren't really known for their service, in particularly, and Jewel Bako isn't really different in this regard. I will say that liquids were refilled to a touch and all other aspects of the staff, other than their frenetic shuttling about, was seamless. I really wasn't in want of anything. One thing that I will note about courtesy: When my guests and I sat down at the bar, there was a high-roller and his family seated next to us (think: self sushi ego massager) who hogged a good deal of Yoshi-san's time. We probably didn't get any nigiri until at least an hour after we'd been seated. At the close of service, Yoshi-san apologized to my guests and me profusely for the delay and thanked us for our patience, which was nice to hear. One star Michelin? I don't get that. A decent sushi-ya for the "nouveau"-minded, trend-set Nipponophile - sure - but of little interest to me.

I thought I had posted about my dinner at Cafe Beautiful, but I guess I did it on another forum.You can see and read about my dinner there a few months ago by clicking here.

That's great to hear, Nathan.Just curious, was that peekytoe crab salad served with tomato confit, by any chance???

I echo Melissa's advice. Use a nice thick-cut filet and a heavy weight - I actually just use a skillet weighted with cans or rocks.

CaliPoutine, Yes, I have been in the downstairs dining room once, and service was the only the only flaw in an otherwise nearl-flawless meal. I'm sorry to hear that your experience in the upper Cafe was similarly disappointing. u.e.

Thanks for the advice. Do you mean to say that they will cook off menu for a diner at their request?

CaliPoutine - are those turnip or potato halves with the artichoke hearts?

I love a good flattened chicken (caveat: not the road kill type). Octopus, when it is offered, is also a must-try for me, unless I've been warned otherwise. The name doesn't suggest that it might be. I hadn't until I ran in to Barbara Lynch at a function not too long ago. She had me at sausage sampler.

Despite it's very French name, Chez Henri's menu reads like an international tour: Chicken Breast Pibil with pupusas and Rice-Crusted Tuna with Peruvian octopus salad?? It all sounds great.

Thanks, yes, I don't go for another month or so. If you happen to be taking requests, I'd love to know how the grilled octopus, the spicy fideos, the hake kibbeh, the flattened chicken, and the duck shawarma are. Oh, and if you're a sweet tooth, I'd love to know how the goat's milk ice cream dessert and the house-made ice creams are. u.e.

Ah, pesto... yes, it all makes sense now. I was wondering what might have been incorporated with the ricotta. tupac, I'll let you know when I get all of my notes from my meals in and around New York organized into a coherent form.

I'm a big Oleana fan. It's been my go-to restaurant in Boston for a while, save for Monday nights when it's closed, when I often head to Chez Henri. ← Oh, thanks you two - another great one to consider. I just took a look at the menu and it reads wonderfully!! I would enjoy hearing any/all recent experiences at Oleana, Clio, No. 9 Park, Craigie SB, and Salts (or re-direct to appropriate threads). I think I've narrowed it down to these five. LoL! I think I'll have to make another trip to Boston in the near future.

and *envy!* Can you explain the "Ratattouille" course a little more. Specifically, what is the green "stuff" (for lack of better description) beneath the fried torpedo-shaped object (squash blossom/Robuchon "Langoustine"-looking thing)?

AND??? Dude, Aaron, you canNOT tease and taunt me like this.

Yes, thanks for that link to Salts. Between that and Craigie, it seems like the eats in that area have improved somewhat. In my day, it was The Tasty for their greasy-but-awesome burgers, and then a sundae at Herrell's. But, I suppose, those were different days. *sigh* Does that bank vault still have that awfully kitschy, but almost cute, oceanic "theme?" Kinkead brothers? As in the same Kinkead of Kinkead's in D.C.??

And why, I ask myself, haven't I gone yet? ← Because you fear my corner of Joco? ← You said it, not me.

How funny - I just pulled out my F+W from this year's Chef's Issue and I believe you speak of Gabriel Bremer? What think you of his food at Salts? Another one: Pigalle. Any thoughts, anyone? [Edited for grammar.]

And why, I ask myself, haven't I gone yet? ← u.e. what is wrong? You haven't been to Kaiyo and you haven't been to Justus Drugstore yet. I depend on your words to know where I am going on my next trip up to KC (both K and MO). And that is coming soon, like in the next two weeks. I need to know, sushi or Smithville. ← Alas and alack, I've been playing in New York a little too much. Ate my weight in sushi and other things... I will try my best to get to Kaiyo/Justus Drugstore in the near future... no promises. Have you been to Michael Smith or Krause's (in Lawrence)? I've been to both, and I think that either/both might be worth your while.

And why, I ask myself, haven't I gone yet?

Thanks for the suggestions. I don't need innovative, but I do expect good food. The tasting menu at Clio, presently, is $135 for 12-courses plus 2 desserts. While that's high, if the large majority of the courses fire on all fours, then it'd be worth it. I'm actually not set on No. 9, if someone can persuade me otherwise. In fact, it looks like it's a little far and inaccessible (sans car) from where I'm probably staying.