Esca

[BryanZ]

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).

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I suppose that's a fair point, as it is close to lots of public transportation. It's just not somewhere I'd ever be hanging out.

And I said that it's nearly in New Jersey because it's literally just steps away from the 42nd St. Park and Lock, used by many a NJ commuter. I live in NJ and have parked there on numerous occasions. I like the cheap rates. We're B&T, what can I say.

[alwang]

I guess I'll answer my own question:

http://www.villagevoice.com/nyclife/0501,l...3,59830,15.html

[Nathan]

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.

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its certainly easily accessible. I think it's more accurate to say that it's in a neighborhood where NY'ers don't really have a reason to go...except to eat at Esca. there's nothing there. so while it's easily accessible for an out of towner...it's not like NY'ers hang out in Times Square.

[ulterior epicure]

Scenario: A lunch on the lighter side (dinner the night before is the full tasting at Le Bernardin, dinner that night will be at Ssam Bar) at Esca.

Looking for must-have dishes. Here is their current menu.

Currently, I'm thinkgint that my friend and I will each get a crudo, a primi and secondi and skip dessert. Any other advice would be helpful.

[Nathan]

Scenario: A lunch on the lighter side (dinner the night before is the full tasting at Le Bernardin, dinner that night will be at Ssam Bar) at Esca. 

Looking for must-have dishes.  Here is their current menu. 

Currently, I'm thinkgint that my friend and I will each get a crudo, a primi and secondi and skip dessert.  Any other advice would be helpful.

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actually, that menu's out of date.

I'd consider a tasting of crudi, definitely a primi and then a secondi for two.

[BryanZ]

The sea urchin primo is pretty killer, if a bit rich.

[dagordon]

Now we know what we've been missing. We'd been meaning to get over to Esca for a while now, but it never worked out. We made it for lunch today and had a great time. The grilled anchovies app is simply outstanding; I defy someone who claims not to like anchovies to dislike this dish. The crudo was delicious, particularly the Maine urchin (you could actually see the individual egg spheres in the urchin, which I at least haven't ever seen before in my uni -- apparently this is because they're about to spawn?). The urchin and crab pasta was outstanding.

What's more, the rest of my party was extremely late to what was already one of Esca's last lunch reservations, and the staff couldn't have been more understanding and accommodating. A pleasure all around.

[heightsgtltd]

We ate here about 1 week ago. The food was pretty good, but the dishes felt a bit dated as did the decor.

Service was good for the most part, but we were asked by one of the captains in the most insincere way possible, "what was the most amazing part of your meal."

[Pan]

We ate here about  1 week ago. The food was pretty good, but the dishes felt a bit dated as did the decor.

Service was good for the most part, but we were asked by one of the captains in the most insincere way possible, "what was the most amazing part of your meal."

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How did you respond?

[heightsgtltd]

We ate here about  1 week ago. The food was pretty good, but the dishes felt a bit dated as did the decor.

Service was good for the most part, but we were asked by one of the captains in the most insincere way possible, "what was the most amazing part of your meal."

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How did you respond?

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I forgot to add that this was on our way out after we had paid the check and left the table.

I gave him a funny look and said "Nothing was amazing, but there were a few things that we really liked."

I then within earshot of both he and another "captain," proclaimed that I really dislike insincerity and if I really didn't like the meal they would have heard something that they weren't bargaining for.

Edited April 7, 2008 by heightsgtltd (log)

[ulterior epicure]

I recently had a lunch here with a few friends. (A more comprehensive review (with pictures) can be found at the ulterior epicure.)

Is Esca as INSANELY good as some claim it is? I don't know, I've only been once. But, based on this one visit, I'd say no. That's not to say that there weren't singular sensations, like the "Spaghetti" primo with chilis, mint and a one-pound lobster and the "Linguine" with Mahongoy clams, hot red pepper and pancetta.

Ever the seasonal chef, Pasternack's menu was chock a block with the treasures of Spring. There were ramps, fiddleheads, soft shell crabs, and shad roe.

Here's what the four of us managed to polish off:

Antipasti

Crudo: bluefish, bonito, and snapper (2 orders)

Porri Selvatici: crostini of ramps and tuna bottarga

Prosciutto d'Oca: House-cured wild goose prosciutto with California asparagus

Fegato di Pescatrice: Seared monkfish liver with dates, wild spring greens and dandelion honey vinaigrette.

Bresaola di Tonno: Tuna prosciutto with a salad of baby arugula

Primi

Linguine: with briny Mahogany clams, hot red pepper, and pancetta

Spaghetti: with chilis, mint and one-pound lobster

Bigoli: house-made whole wheat spaghetti with sardines, walnuts and fennel compote

Maccheroni alla Chittara: House-made guitar-cut spaghetti with sea urchin and crab meat

Secondi

Orata Americana per Uno: whole-grilled local porgy for one (or for two) with salsa verde

Uova di Cheppia: sauteed shad roe with house-pickled vegetables and whole grain mustard vinaigrette

Pesce Sera: local bluefish with asparagus, sugar snap peas, fiddleheads, and mint

Polipo: grilled octopus with giant corona beans, preserved Sorrento lemon, and rosemary vinaigrette

Contorni: beets, baby carrots, spring onions, mushrooms, and green beans

The antipasti were, across the board, the weakest dishes. The low point being the Fegato di Pescatrice (seared monkfish liver). It was off: muddy and fishy. I can understand the temptation to cast it with sweet accompaniments, since it is somewhat similar to foie gras, but the dates and the dandelion honey vinaigrette sent this dish sailing past restrained into cloying territory.

The crudo, for which Pasternack is best known, was very fresh. But, at this point in our world's culinary development, quite boring. Perhaps ten or fifteen years ago, this trio of raw fish, slightly marinated with olive oil and a touch of citrus, might have been revolutionary. Now, it just seems like raw fish slightly marinated with olive oil and a touch of citrus. This is not to understate the freshness and simplicity (see the theme here?) of the three squares of meat; the bluefish and bonito, especially, had excellent flavor and texture. I've just realized that I prefer my raw fish left alone, or draped over vinegary rice.

The primi were the strongest dishes. The Linguine and Spaghetti were my favorites, each for their own reasons. The Bigoli was fantastic as well. Despite the lusty mix of sardines, walnuts and fennel compote, the texture of the thicker whole wheat pasta is what really what woo'ed me.

I think everyone at our table agreed (surprisingly) that the Maccheroni alla Chitarra was the least interesting primo. What's the point of mixing sea urchin in with (a lot of) butter? I want my sea urchin up front and center. The crab meat was nice.

The secondi were all very good, but paled slightly in comparison to the primi. The bluefish was outstanding, even without the side of fiddleheads, sugar snaps, and asparagus. The fillet of fish was exceedingly fresh and buttery, not trace of oily fishiness.

The grilled (whole) porgy was also rewarding, especially the salsa verde that came as a condiment. Polipo, coils of octopus tentacles atop a mound of giant corona beans, was typical of a Batali enterprise: impossibly soft and tender with charred, almost crispy, edges.

I don't think that there was a more impressive dish than the sauteed shad roe. The inside was perfectly done; a consistency not unlike thick, warm grits: sturdy, textured, but creamy. The side of pickled vegetables really helped cut the richness.

The table of octogenarians next to ours ordered the last (five) orders of the soft shell crabs done 2 ways (pan-fried and deep-fried). *Fist shakes*

A note on service: It was attentive and polite, if not unnecessarily placating at points (maybe the theater district crowd expects the theatrics?). There was a noticeably long wait between primi and secondi.

I wasn't doing cartwheels out of the restaurant. But, I don't think this type of food is supposed to prompt such a response. (After antipasti, primi, and secondi with contorni, such a reaction might actually be dangerous, if possible at all.) Esca's food is very fresh, it's properly-treated, well-executed, and it speaks for itself. For that, I'd happily return - especially for the price. The most expensive item we ordered (by $5) was the "Spaghetti," which given that it included a one-pound lobster, was very reasonable at $30.

Again, you can find a much more comprehensive review (with pictures) at the ulterior epicure

Edited May 18, 2008 by ulterior epicure (log)

[slkinsey]

Nice review of your meal. Some thoughts below...

I recently had a lunch here with a few friends.  (A more comprehensive review (with pictures) can be found at the ulterior epicure.)

Is Esca as INSANELY good as some claim it is?  I don't know, I've only been once.  But, based on this one visit, I'd say no.

As a general observation, I'd say that fish restaurants, and especially Italian-style fish restaurants, aren't likely to blow you out of the water. As you've noticed, most of the creativity and novelty will be found in the primi, with the secondi generally consisting of fairly simply treatments. I've heard of a number of people not being particularly blown away by Le Bernardin for similar reasons -- although Ripert's treatments tent to be more transformative than one would find in the Italian aesthetic, there is only so far you can go with fish before the dish loses its essential "fish-ness." All of which is to say that, unless one is likely to be blown away by perfectly cooked, super fresh bluefish (and neither perfectly cooked not super fresh is easy to achieve with the notoriously cranky bluefish), the sedondi at a place like Esca are unlikely to provoke raptures. For my taste, it's as good as any other fish place in the city.

The crudo, for which Pasternack is best known, was very fresh. But, at this point in our world's culinary development, quite boring. Perhaps ten or fifteen years ago, this trio of raw fish, slightly marinated with olive oil and a touch of citrus, might have been revolutionary. Now, it just seems like raw fish slightly marinated with olive oil and a touch of citrus. This is not to understate the freshness and simplicity (see the theme here?) of the three squares of meat; the bluefish and bonito, especially, had excellent flavor and texture. I've just realized that I prefer my raw fish left alone, or draped over vinegary rice.

More to the point, Pasternack, for all intents and purposes, "invented" crudo. Needless to say, this culinary meme has been widely imitated in the years since Esca opened. But I don't think it's a mark down that Esca continues to serve these crudi any more than it is for Vongerichten to continue serving his famous molten chocolate cake (which has also become overdone through widespread imitation). That said, while I can understand why they continue to serve them, I can also understand that it's not exactly exciting ground for people who have experienced countless derivatives in NYC restaurants over the last dozen years. I do think it's interesting to see the original, however, and in general I find Esca's iterations the strongest.

The primi were the strongest dishes.

I've long held that the primi are the primary vehicle for creativity in the Italian restaurant tradition. Since the dish is primarily about the pasta, the chef has quite a bit of leeway as to condiments, whereas the secondi are primarily about simple treatment of the protein. This is especially true when it comes to fish. In general, I have found that American diners both here and as visitors in Italy are more enthused about the primi than the secondi, which can seem a bit too much like "just a nice piece of grilled fish." This isn't really a judgment, but rather a reflection of the fact that we tend to value innovation and big, bold flavors.

I think everyone at our table agreed (surprisingly) that the Maccheroni alla Chitarra was the least interesting primo.  What's the point of mixing sea urchin in with (a lot of) butter?

I've had sea urchin pasta there that blew me away, but I'm not sure it was this same dish. I have definitely felt that some of their pasta dishes had too much butter, though.

Thanks for the write-up. It reminds me that I need to get back there.

[ulterior epicure]

slkinsey, thanks for the much more articulate observations than mine. I concur on all fronts.

It's not incoincidental that the dinner the night before my lunch at Esca was at Le Bernardin. My thoughts on that will be shared shortly.

I am the type who can be very impressed by a piece of perfectly-cooked and very fresh piece of bluefish; but, maybe not blown away. As you and I both agree, it's exciting for what it is.

FYI, the sea urchin and crabmeat primo (with maccheroni alla chitarra) is the same as the one in Pasternack's book, if you have it. I have no idea what other sea urchin pastas Esca has served in the past.

Edited May 19, 2008 by ulterior epicure (log)

[ulterior epicure]

There are two things that I failed to mention (or remember) in my earlier post about my lunch at Esca:

1. There were sizable pieces of lobster coral throughout my Spaghetti. Most of my companions didn't care for it; more for me.

2. All three crudi were marinated in olive oil and (I venture) some form of acid:

Snapper - dusted with black salt

Bonito - citrus and topped with citrus zest

Bluefish - topped with sliver of jalepeno

[Nathan]

considering how hard it is to get (and cook) good bluefish....that to me is one of the best recommendations of Pasternack's kitchen. he's really really good with that sort of thing.

[Sneakeater]

Right. Just about ANY fish that's hard to get right, they do, consistently. That's why I think they're (or he's) so good.

[Nathan]

More to the point, Pasternack, for all intents and purposes, "invented" crudo. 

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unless crudo has somehow been backward imported to Italy from NY (not likely based upon the Italians I know), this simply isn't true.

[ulterior epicure]

More to the point, Pasternack, for all intents and purposes, "invented" crudo. 

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unless crudo has somehow been backward imported to Italy from NY (not likely based upon the Italians I know), this simply isn't true.

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I "think" that slkinsey's quotes make this point clear.

[Nathan]

not sure I understand you.

Pasternack may well have first introduced it to America...

but I'm sure that these good folks would be surprised to hear that crudo is not originally Italian.

http://www.crudoroma.it/home.html

[ulterior epicure]

not sure I understand you.

Pasternack may well have first introduced it to America...

but I'm sure that these good folks would be surprised to hear that crudo is not originally Italian.

http://www.crudoroma.it/home.html

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Not sure that I understand you.

The link you provide goes to a restaurant apparently specializing in crudi, in Italy.

Sure, I will concede that other cultures have forms of marinated raw seafood.

[slkinsey]

Just surfed back to this thread.

In case it was not already clear as a result of the context of the discussion and the American "crudi trend" that grew out of NYC: I'm not suggesting that Pasternack and Batali invented the tradition of "Italian style raw seafood." They were quite upfront from the beginning that it was a tradition they had encountered in Italy and were introducing to America in their restaurant, Esca. What I am suggesting is that the American "crudi trend" grew out of NYC, and specifically out of Esca. Thus, for all intents and purposes, Pasternack "invented" crudo for the United States.

[ulterior epicure]

Just surfed back to this thread.

In case it was not already clear as a result of the context of the discussion and the American "crudi trend" that grew out of NYC:  I'm not suggesting that Pasternack and Batali invented the tradition of "Italian style raw seafood."  They were quite upfront from the beginning that it was a tradition they had encountered in Italy and were introducing to America in their restaurant, Esca.  What I am suggesting is that the American "crudi trend" grew out of NYC, and specifically out of Esca.  Thus, for all intents and purposes, Pasternack "invented" crudo for the United States.

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Right. I'm on the same page as you are.

[Nathan]

after stopping in on Saturday night again, I'm tending to agree that there's not much point to the crudi. too many of the salts and oils overwhelm the fish...for example, the char by the pink peppercorns (the bluefin tuna did stand up to the capprezetta oil though).

the polipo/beans prep is nice.

the whole pompano with salse verde as well...and unlike u.e., I'm a fan of the maccheroni alla chitarra.

sardines/anchovies three-ways was too much of a good thing.