Esca

[Sneakeater]

Another place I won't be able to go to anymore.

[Nathan]

ha! in that location they'll never be overwhelmed...except maybe on the weekends.

[slkinsey]

Excellent!  They really deserve a re-review.  It's interesting to me that Pasternack doesn't seem to get the credit he deserves for more or less "inventing" crudo (aka, Italian-style sashimi).

fwiw, the Grimes review credits him with it.

You mean this review? Doesn't seem that way to me. If he gives anyone credit, it seems to be Bastianich and Batali, but other than implying that he doesn't fully believe their schtick that "their way with raw fish is a venerable Italian tradition, indulged by humble fishermen up north along the Adriatic coast and down south from Naples to Sicily" he doesn't say much about who came up with the idea.

And, to a certain extent, how could he have known when writing that review that crudo -- as executed and largely popularized by Pasternack at Esca -- would come to be such a popular culinary meme?

Edited April 17, 2007 by slkinsey (log)

[Nathan]

with the reference to the "Sicilian Lifeguard calamari" next to it...it certainly implies that crudo is fictional.

[rich]

per Eater, Bruni is reviewing Esca tomorrow.  Grimes gave Esca two stars (noting major inconsistencies), but if Bruni is bothering to re-review it I would imagine that he's going to bump it up to three.

so, this may be the most underrated restaurant in the city no more.

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I don't think he's allowed to give a Batali place less than three. It's in his contract.

[Sethro]

Three stars as predicted.

Noteable to me: the desserts were not even afforded the standard three sentences this time around. One third of one sentence did the trick.

[rich]

...and the NY Times chief restaurant critic once again fulfills his contractual obligations.

Wish I could have made a bet on this one - I could have retired.

[oakapple]

Wish I could have made a bet on this one - I could have retired.

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This is where I really take issue with Eater's odds sometimes. He had 3-1 odds on three stars. It should really have been more like 1-5 (i.e., a $0.20 payoff on a $1 bet). Edited April 18, 2007 by oakapple (log)

[weinoo]

...and the NY Times chief restaurant critic once again fulfills his contractual obligations.

Wish I could have made a bet on this one - I could have retired.

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Oh, it's easy to bet after the results are in!!

And as Rich can tell you, oakapple, not all 1-5 faves win...

Anyway, nice to see the kudos Pasternack got.

[oakapple]

And as Rich can tell you, oakapple, not all 1-5 faves win...

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That is true, of course, but 3–1 is about the lowest odds Eater ever quotes, and if an actual casino offered those odds every time, they'd go bankrupt.

[Sneakeater]

I would like to second Bruni's observation that the current configuration of the bar at Esca is MUCH too small.

[tommy]

I would like to second Bruni's observation that the current configuration of the bar at Esca is MUCH too small.

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it killed me when they took out that beautiful and energetic bar and turned the space into a boring room with a few four-tops and what is essentially a service bar.

it's one of the only (THE only?) batali-bastianich restaurants where bar dining is not encouraged. that's a shame as i had many great last-minute/casual meals at the bar.

Edited April 19, 2007 by tommy (log)

[Nathan]

they don't discourage bar dining...there's just not very many seats.

[tommy]

not sure if you're referring to my comment, but i didn't say they discourage it. to my mind it's not encouraged, given the size, set-up, logistics, and comfort of the current bar, especially in relation to the old bar. other batali-bastianich restaurants are clearly set up for bar dining. from the comfort to the number of bartenders to the vibe.

it's certainly not a place that i stop by to grab a meal at a bar. in fact, i haven't since they changed over, whereas i had several meals at the old bar.

[Sneakeater]

I still eat at the bar, but (a) it's cramped and uncomfortable and (b) for all the talk of Esca's "remote" location, there's rarely any assurance you'll be able to get a seat, at least during anything approaching prime dining hours.

[Sneakeater]

I stopped in here moderately late for dinner last night (don't quite remember the time). No need to talk in depth about the food; just want to discuss availability. (Just so you don't think I'm a review whore, the last time I ate here was two weeks ago.)

The bar was packed. But the hostess sort of recognized me, and Vic the Bartender definitely recognized me, and they knew I was gonna eat and probably eat a lot, so they pulled a seat out of the coat check (I hope not the one the checker sits on -- although I'm afraid it was) and shoved it into whatever space could be found at the bar.

Vic has got to be one of the nicest bartenders in New York.

(OK OK the food. I had the snow crab -- mixed up with Ritz crackers, no less -- a very seasonal dish that's not long for the menu. Try it while you can. Then the classic bucatini with octopus, which was exactly what I was in the mood for. Then some grilled sturgeon. Someone in the kitchen there really knows how to cook fish.)

Edited April 20, 2007 by Sneakeater (log)

[rich]

I stopped in here moderately late for dinner last night (don't quite remember the time).  No need to talk in depth about the food; just want to discuss availability.  (Just so you don't think I'm a review whore, the last time I ate here was two weeks ago.)

The bar was packed.  But the hostess sort of recognized me, and Vic the Bartender definitely recognized me, and they knew I was gonna eat and probably eat a lot, so they pulled a seat out of the coat check (I hope not the one the checker sits on -- although I'm afraid it was) and shoved it into whatever space could be found at the bar.

Vic has got to be one of the nicest bartenders in New York.

(OK OK the food.  I had the snow crab -- mixed up with Ritz crackers, no less -- a very seasonal dish that's not long for the menu.  Try it while you can.  Then the classic bucatini with octopus, which was exactly what I was in the mood for.  Then some grilled sturgeon.  Someone in the kitchen there really knows how to cook fish.)

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SE - You went from 7th & Waverly to 42nd and 10th - that's a long walk.

[Nathan]

whenever sturgeon is on the menu (which isn't often)...grab it. sturgeon usually sucks anywhere you have it. Pasternack knows what he's doing.

that bucatini with octopus is one of my top 10 favorite dishes in NY.

[Sneakeater]

SE - You went from 7th & Waverly to 42nd and 10th - that's a long walk.

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To tell you the truth, I walked from midtown down to 7th & Waverly -- a longer walk -- but then deigned to take the subway back uptown when Morandi didn't pan out.

Edited April 20, 2007 by Sneakeater (log)

[rich]

SE - You went from 7th & Waverly to 42nd and 10th - that's a long walk.

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To tell you the truth, I walked from midtown down to 7th & Waverly -- a longer walk -- but then deigned to take the subway back uptown when Morandi didn't pan out.

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Hey, walking is good. It's let's you eat a little more without it showing.

[Sneakeater]

That's the theory, anyway.

[Nathan]

Excellent!  They really deserve a re-review.  It's interesting to me that Pasternack doesn't seem to get the credit he deserves for more or less "inventing" crudo (aka, Italian-style sashimi).

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fwiw...I just came across info that the Osteria de Pesci on the Campo d'Fiori serves crudo platters. I doubt they learned it from Pasternack (but maybe the other way around?)...

[BryanZ]

Had a really strong meal at Esca this past Sunday. Although I'm not of the opinion that this is a three-star restaurant, I can see how and why this food speaks to Bruni. Esca has done a good job at carving out a niche for itself--I can't think of other Italian seafood restaurants--in cuisine, price, and quality. The location really is in the middle of nowhere, and if it wasn't for tunnel the restaurant might as well be located in New Jersey. It's just a stone's throw from the 42nd St. Park and Lock as you exit the Lincoln Tunnel.

My dining companions and I decided on the tasting menu. At $75, this was $10 more than what was listed on the website, but still a pretty fair value. The food is here simply prepared but the flavor profiles are unique. In few other restaurants are assertive charred, salty, briny, and bitter flavors so thoroughly incorporated across the breadth of the menu.

We started with a bruschetta with rough puree white beans and cured fish. A nice, more mature take on the chickpea bruschetta that's been served at Babbo since, like, forever. Our server also guided helped us select three sufficiently different quartinos of wine that ran the gamut from floral and herbaceous to tight and spicy.

First course was a selection of crudo, a different one for each of the four of us. We made one special request for geoduck that was duly granted. The others we sampled were all really noteworthy for their use of fruit and spice to heighten the fish. Scallop with citrus and pink peppercorn and the amazingly buttery albacore were particularly memorable.

Next was a mezze plate of charred bread topped with eggplant puree topped with a single white anchovy. Also on the plate was a grape leaf stuffed with house-cured blue fin tuna. Again salty, bitter flavors dominated the dish in a pleasant sense.

At this point in the meal we were supposed be served crispy eel, but without telling us the kitchen had run out. Instead we were served a nice grilled calamari dish with a salad of arugula, parsley, and chili oil. Although this was a good dish, we were kind of disappointed that we didn't receive the eels, especially since we weren't told beforehand. This would've been a somewhat significant faux pas, but was handled admirably by our server later in the meal.

The pasta course for the evening was totally ridiculous. The sea urchin and crab pasta we were served was incredibly creamy with none of the somewhat metallic tang that one often associates with cooked urchin dishes. Shredded green onion gave the dish a slight and welcome alium bite. I could eat this dish again and again.

The main course was subject to something of an awkward wait. In general I felt the pacing of the courses was a bit slow, but this course took forever to get out. Nevertheless, when it finally did arrive I was quite pleased with the dish. Nothing groundbreaking here, just a small piece of crispy black bass with grilled eggplant, heirloom tomato, and balsamic. A light finish after the heavy pasta course.

We were then served a simple cheese course of ricotta and honey. This was a nice extra.

Desserts followed the same pattern as the crudo, with a different option for each diner. The highlight of the four was a layered cookie-espresso creation. This dish was the surprise of the night.

At this point our server came over and apologized for not telling us that the kitchen ran out of eel and would be subbing in the calamari. To make up for this oversight he poured us each a glass of moscato d'asti. This was a generous service recovery and was genuinely appreciated. Along with coffee and various biscotti, this was a fitting end to a very solid meal.

Personally, I still haven't fully bought into the Italian-food-is-best-when-it's-rustic mantra, but this was a meal that was far removed from most of my recent dining experiences. I also appreciate how Chef Pasternack really sticks to the seafood focus and makes it his own.

[oakapple]

The g/f and I have reservations this Saturday, so thanks for the timely review.

The location really is in the middle of nowhere, and if it wasn't for tunnel the restaurant might as well be located in New Jersey.

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That really is an exaggeration. It's one block from the 42nd Street–Times Square subway complex (albeit the west end of that complex). That means there's 9 transit lines that can get you to within one long block of the place after you exit the subway. No address in New Jersey can say that.

I always worry about misleading non-NYC readers. Esca is in a perfectly fine location, and a lot easier to reach by mass transit than many extremely popular places that no one thinks twice about going to. It used to be that anyplace west of Eighth Avenue was considered "the middle of nowhere" (and Eighth Avenue itself was a bit dodgy), but that kind of thinking has been obsolete for about a decade.

[alwang]

The pasta course for the evening was totally ridiculous.  The sea urchin and crab pasta we were served was incredibly creamy with none of the somewhat metallic tang that one often associates with cooked urchin dishes.

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Is it possible the urchin was not cooked, and was just blended in raw at the end? That sounds pretty tasty.