Armani Lasagnetta

I loved my evening spent at Armani/Risorante Fifth Avenue when I reviewed it and am even more pleased to be able to make this recipe at home!

LASAGNETTA CROCCANTE

Con Funghetti di Stagione e Speck dell’Alto Adige DOP

Eggplant, Tomato and Scamorza Cheese-Layered Lasagna over Parmesan Fondue

Yields 4 Portions

Ingredients:

Dough:

½ lb double-zero, pizza, or all-purpose flour

8oz egg yolks

Filling:

4 medium-size Italian eggplants

4 medium-size beefsteak tomatoes

1 cup reduced tomato sauce

12 oz smoked Scamorza or Provola cheese, roughly grated (divide into 16 portions)

1 cup bechamel sauce

2 cup Parmigiano cheese, grated (divide into 4 portions).

6 basil leaves, julienned

¼ cup dried oregano

¼ cup dried thyme

½ cup garlic-infused olive oil

Sauce Ingredients:

1 cup heavy cream

4 Tbsp Parmigiano cheese, grated

Preparation:

Dough:

1)                  Mix together flour and egg yolks and knead into a dough. Leave to rest in the refrigerator.

Filling:

2)                  Peel and slice eggplant into ¼-inch rounds

3)                  Peel, slice, and remove seeds from tomato, slice into ¼-inch rounds

4)                  Place eggplant and tomato on separate parchment papered baking sheets, brush with garlic     oil and season with salt and pepper, thyme leaves.

5)                  Bake separately: bake eggplant at 350*F until golden brown (approximately 20 minutes), and eggplant at 210*F until slightly dried (approximately 2 hours)

6)                  Roll out very thin sheets (1/16-inch thick) of dough, use a mold to cut sixteen 4-inch rounds of dough. (4 per lasagnetta x 4 portions = 16).

7)                  Quickly blanch rounds of dough in salted boiling water (approximately 10 seconds), then cool in iced water to stop the cooking process. Place them on a paper towel to dry.

8)                  Once dry. Place four rounds on a oiled baking pan. Begin layering tomato, eggplant, a spoonful of tomato sauce, grated scamorza cheese, julienned basil, a pinch of dried oregano, and a teaspoon of beschamel sauce. Repeat three times, (to make a total of four layers on each lasagnetta), topping the final round of dough with grated parmigiano cheese. 

9)                  Bake in oven at 350*F for approximately 15 minutes.

Sauce/Plating:

10)              Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: boil heavy cream until reduced by half, then add the remaining parmigiano cheese, stirring continuously until dissolved.

11)              Divide and spoon the sauce evenly on the center of 4 pre-heated flat plates.

12)              Remove lasagnetta from the oven, using a spatula, move each lasagnetta to the center of the plate, in the center of the sauce.

13)             Serve immediately while hot.

Le Baratin Restaurant

Good French food with a side of grammar at a  great, cozy French bistro in le coeur of Greenwich Village that feels like it has been around forever!

Le Baratin

26 Greenwich Ave

212-933-1080 (btwn Charles/W 10^th Sts)

LeBaratinNYC.com

A rudimentary lesson in French was certainly unexpected when we went to Le Beratin. With our waiter we discussed the etymology of bouillabaisse which when broken down from bouillir à la baisse translates to “boil and reduce.” We further went into the difference between riz (rice) and ris (brains). All of this food talk certainly perked up our appetites! I never did get around to asking what Le Baratin actually meant, although I suppose I could have asked any number of the French speaking patrons surrounding us for the translation. The little place that used to be home to the Lafayette French Pastry bakery feels like it has been around for years and is charmingly thrown together with ragtag bric-a-brac making companions with artist Mark Sehl’s fine sketches scattered about to enhance the proceedings. Just the kind of spot to secure a seat at the bar and mull over the menu with a few comfortable glasses of wine.

As we sat down at our simple table, colored by red and white checkerboard napkins, we readily acclimated to this new venture with a fizzy Kir Royal comprised of Champagne and Crème de Cassis, the blackcurrant liqueur—it was a pleasant diversion, and although we probably hadn’t had one since the 80’s, we sipped it with delight just the same. We moved on to a bottle of a crisply dry, French Sancerre that tasted wonderfully green, like draping, enveloping vines and duly suited us through the rest of our meal.

Onion soup was a rather obvious choice and didn’t disappoint, full-flavored and naturally, served in an earthenware crock cloaked with browned cheese. Chewy Escargots Persillade (that’s snails with parsley to you and me, bub) were steaming hot, garlicky and buttery delicious with a flutter of chopped parsley strewn about the little vessel. The pan-seared foie gras was only fair, a little undercooked for me and not overly flavorful. We did enjoy however the accompanying caramelized compote with Granny Smith apples and mangoes dressed in a balsamic drizzle. Fine hand-chopped steak tartare was chunky, fresh and deeply rosy pink, enlivened by minced white onions, parsley and a bracing stream of red pepper aioli.

We took to the crispy sweetbreads (thalamus glands, or the ris in question) readily enough and they were decent, surrounded by cubed carrots, squash, zucchini and peas and a smattering of thyme. We considered the Côte de Boeuf, a grass-fed rib-eye meant for two, but we found our main meat elsewhere. Medium-rare duck was a winner, served with charming bundles of verdant haricots verts wrapped in bacon! A zesty orange gastrique was a clever touch and we enjoyed the mashed potatoes with grainy Dijon mustard in an a l’ancien preparation, similar to Lyonnaise potatoes.

It was hardly a matter of much consideration to order the chilled chocolate mousse! In the midst of the creaminess, pieces of dark chocolate filled the ramekin that was outfitted with dollops of whipped cream. We did share it though, to leave our dignity somewhat intact, even as we considered ordering another one over our thoughts of returning to Le Baratin posthaste.

First published in part in Next magazine.
Photo credit: Gustavo Monroy

Book Signing Party-The Murdery Delicious Hamwich Gumm Mystery

What it means to read with Pete! What a wonderful night--thanks to the folks at Bea and Next magazine!

The Murdery Delicious Hamwich Gumm Mystery is available now on amazon.com and bn.com. 

Photo credit: Gustavo Monroy

Tavola

An Italian feast awaits in the lower circle of Hell’s Kitchen!

Tavola

488 9^th Ave (btwn 37^th/38^th Sts)

New York, NY

212-273-1181

We entered Tavola to the warming wafts of pizzas briskly baked in the 7,000 pound wood-burning oven delivered all the way from Naples! The bustling, garrulous crowd seated around the center sharing table was cheerful while other lone wolves hovered over the capacious bar, content to fiddle with their blue-lit i-Phones. Owner Nick Accardi (Cola’s, Rocco’s) smoothly operates the former Manganaro’s space under a tin ceiling and lazily spinning fans as if it were his own personal dining room at home—and I suppose it is, as he convivially translates the titular Tavola to a most welcoming “table” via influences of Puglia, Sicily, Rome and Sardinia and fully explains the rustic cuisine to his guests.

A full-bodied Super Tuscan red hinted at leather and cherry notes while a white Falanghina was light and slightly frizzante. Our puffy pizza was served with a crisped crust and a soft center, Neapolitan style—what’s amazing is that in the highly heated oven, the whole baking process takes only about a shocking 90 seconds! Once the “leoparding” is achieved, creating the flourishing brown spots on the dough, the pizza is appropriately done. Cubed, braised pancetta and Brussels sprouts danced upon melted mozzarella, pungent Pecorino Toscano and whole peppercorns that relented from the heat. The steaming pie was further finished with an emerald green olive oil from Sicily, and it arrived more than ready to be devoured, although we patiently allowed it to acclimate to something more coolly mouth-ready. We asked our waiter to leave it on the table as we kept going back to it, bite by bite!

Greens were found in our Caesar salad, with crisp romaine and Parmesan Reggiano, with intermingling flavors of anchovy, lemon and parsley in the basil-infused dressing. We ventured forth with more vegetables, namely lush and salty fired-up artichokes with arugula and shavings of pointed, aged Grana cheese.

Our pick for pasta was creamy folds of pappardelle, tossed with a fit of cremini mushrooms in a rapturous veal and wild boar ragu. It would have been enough to just spend an evening alone with a huge bowl of the stuff! Brussels sprouts with pancetta and more of the Pecorino Toscano cheese were a divine torment. Brasciola was akin to a refined Italian meatloaf of sorts, stuffed with cubes of Peccorino Romano cheese and a simmering side of brown lentils that had been slowly stewed in chicken stock with a mirepoix mixture of chopped carrots, onions and celery. We playfully fought with our forks to see who would have the last bite. A thick breast of chicken alla Romana was tender and lemony delicious with the fine flavor of a grill. Sides of roasted potatoes and thick shards of artichokes were the perfect pairing.

We were, at best, ill-prepared for the outrageous handmade cannolis with shells flown in from Italy that were fried in pork fat from Italian pigs! Such a real treat with Sicilian pistachios (the most expensive in the world, but still the dessert was moderately priced at $7.50) and candied bits of oranges. Enchanting chestnuts followed, having been roasted on a seasonally suitable open fire, of course. 

First published in part in Next magazine. 

Next Magazine - Bea

Le Madeleine may be gone, but fortunately Bea forges on. Such a satisfying conclusion for the year!

Bea

403 W 43^rd St @ 9^th Ave

212-602-1910

BeaNYC.com

Short Order: Exquisite cocktails and great food at sound prices make Bea the place to be.

Peter’s Picks: chicken livers; macaroni and cheese; kale salad; salumi/cheese platter

Peter’s Pans: The loss of Le Madeleine

Prices: Appetizers: $7-$12; Entrees: $14-$20; Alcohol: wine, beer, full bar, specialty cocktails

How fondly I think upon candlelit dinners and careless, sunlit brunches spent in the atrium at Le Madeleine. Perhaps I’m waxing Proustian, but those are times past that I do quite remember. Now that Bea has taken over, my sense of despair has been readily remedied. The space has been updated and brushed over with a fresh coat of whitewash covering the exposed brick, on which, incidentally, muted classic movies play, such as A Streetcar Named Desire serving as moving wallpaper. The feel of an old bistro may be somewhat lost but there is much else to be found at the lovely Bea (pronounced Be-a, named after owner Sotir Zonea’s grandmother). It’s a small-ish menu, but still manages to cover a range of cuisines from Asian-inspired pork dumplings, Indian-influenced lamb meatballs to Italian-flavored pizzas and pastas as well as good old American macaroni and cheese.

The cocktails were devastatingly good. The Boulevardier was like a negroni but with Old Forester bourbon instead, along with Campari and distinguished Noilly Prat sweet vermouth. A curl of orange was tucked in, with fragrant, faint sprays of its oils glittering on the surface. A wonderful Smoked Side Car steered by Lapsang Souchong tea-infused brandy with a scoche of Cointreau and lemon juice had the nose of a recently fired pistol. A mix up at the bar turned into quite a happy accident with this cocktail—instead of a sugar rim, we were given a smoky salted rim, which resulted in something akin to a smoky tequila that we much preferred! We also thought of the Thyme & Tonic, with thyme-infused Oxley gin, the Classic Mai Tai and the Bitter Duchess with Scorpion Silver Mezcal but we further thought it was better just to leave things well alone.

Chicken liver tartine was appropriately iron-rich, simple and unfussy, with caramelized onions, a hint of balsamic vinegar and a flutter of chives on thick slices of toast. A Caesar comprised of a lovely pile of ruffled kale with lively vinegar and Parmesan was peppery and perfect. The warm asparagus salad was more subdued, topped with a poached egg and a fistful of pistachios, amply dressed with a subtle miso vinaigrette.

While not overly exciting, we still ate the gooey, chewy, ripe taleggio cheesy pizza with a stiff crust, gently roasted maitake mushrooms and caramelized shallots. An excellent bowl of softened buttery macaroni and rich, fully-flavored cheeses with a crisp topping followed. But we weren’t done with our glut of cheese yet! The next round involved a platter with puffs of pillowy fried bread that were merely decent but the accompanying cheeses, meats and other assortments knocked us out. Sumptuous, spicy, briny olives tickled braised pickles and fennel amid wedges of dainty bleu cheese, an absolutely transporting ricotta salata froth and smoked gouda that tangoed with plump blackberries. A fabulous salumi combo of nutty mortadella, fragrant as a forest, carefully cured prosciutto and handsome ham rounded out the considerable presentation.

Against our careful judgment, we tossed consideration thoroughly into the wind and ordered the dark chocolate mousse with whipped cream to finish up. We sidled up to another cocktail and lingered, delighted to be at Bea. 

First published in part in Next magazine. 

Next Magazine - The Year of Living Deliciously

The Year of Living Deliciously

This year revealed many classics, both new and old with some unexpected treasures—in other words, just what you’d expect from old New York. So, here is a taste of what we found to be most tempting and divine as we dined around town!

We luxuriated for hours over the sprawling 15-course tasting menu at Eleven Madison Park (11 Madison Ave, 212-889-0905, ElevenMadisonPark.com). The entire experience was pure theater, involving a misty morning Maine “clambake” as well as glittering striped bass and pink roasted duck. An enchanting beach-ready picnic basket was loaded up with pretzels, a Mason jar of mustard and a couple of chilly beers.

@Nine (592 9^th Ave, 212-265-4499, AtNineNYC.com) was a step beyond many of the other Thai joints in gay HK. While sipping refreshing Fresh & Young cocktails, we delighted in gently fried Crab Ragoon and bright, tangy beef salad. Vegetable pad see ew arrived in a beautifully crafted, crisped cellophane noodle bowl.

If only we could have stayed overnight at Juni (12 E 31^st St, 212-995-8599, JuniNYC.com) to continue our feasting! A spectacular, elegant and seasonal menu offered foie gras with pert apple relish and warm brioche, rich kale soup with simmered pork neck, creamy blankets of salsify agnolotti and sumptuous duck, all served in an intimate, social atmosphere.

Le Périgord (405 E 52^nd St, 212-755-6244, LePerigord.com) was such an old-world experience; a sophisticated, secluded French restaurant on the Upper East Side. Greeted by a lined-up arsenal of waiters, we were led into the dining room full of bloomed roses quietly gracing the tables. We gladly supped on mushroom-stuffed fat quail with black truffle sauce and roasted lobster tails. Sheer heaven.

We dined on caviar with blini, borscht and stroganoff at The Russian Tea Room (150 W 57^th St, 212-581-7100, RussianTeaRoomNYC.com), where the storied opulence has grandly returned with much of the restored, historical elements intact. Contemporary items such as sliders and brined pork chops now share the menu as gracious gentlemen handsomely attired in Russian military jackets wait on you hand and foot.

In a breezy environment evocative of the sand-tanned Hamptons, Greenwich Project (47 W 8^th St, 212-253-9333) presented us with the keenly matched Odd Couple, a pairing of sautéed sweetbreads, salty cubes of bacon and sea-worthy snails, laced with a garlic froth. The halibut with brioche crust was extraordinary! We finished with red velvet cake, of course.

Pennsylvania 6 (132 W 31^st St, 212-727-3666, Pennsylvania6NYC.com) in the Penn station ’hood was surprisingly wonderful. While combating the transient, boisterous commuters flooding the bar, we quite enjoyed embarking on oysters from both the East and West coasts. Blue crab mac followed, lushly robed in a fontina cream sauce. The bone-in pork chop was enlivened by a spicy maple glaze and mashed sweet potatoes.

Joe Allen (326 W 46^th St, 212-581-6464, JoeAllenRestaurant.com) is the lullaby of Broadway on Restaurant Row. Although hardly our first visit, we still started with the aromatic, buttery steak tartare and Caesar salad before moving on to a juicy burger. The chocolate pudding cake and banana cream pie are keepers. Keep an eye out for the fabulous Joan Rivers, a frequent visitor!

Beautifully lurking in the Meatpacking district, Manon (407 W 14^th St, 212-596-7255, Manon-NYC.com) has a revolving menu that rises up like the spring, ladling out vibrant pea soup, sweet corn tortellini, bursting Amish chicken breasts and outrageous smoked butter mashed potatoes.

The winner of the most gorgeous place we encountered this year is…Villard Michel Richard (455 Madison Ave, 212-891-8100, VillardMichelRichard.com) in the legendary New York Palace hotel. We were spirited by our negroni cocktails, lobster bisque, côte de boeuf au poivre, fried chicken and a puff pastry Napoleon piped with ridiculously good cream.

Do enjoy!

Shown above, clockwise: Greenwich Project, The Russian Tea Room, Manon, Le Perigord.

First published in part in Next magazine. 

Next Magazine - Villard Michel Richard

The legendary New York Palace is still going strong, with Villard Michel Richard to bolster it! 

Villard Michel Richard
455 Madison Ave (btwn 50th/51st Sts)
212-891-8100
VillardMichelRichard.com

SHORT ORDER: An exquisite experience helmed by master chef Michel Richard, and extraordinarily designed by the divine Jeffrey Beers.
PETER’S PICKS: Negroni; lobster bisque; perfect steak; fried chicken; Napoleon
PETER’S PANS: We didn’t experience an ectoplasmic visitation from the long-departed Leona Helmsley. Also, I’ve run out of superlatives.

Having recently visited the extraordinary Villard Michel Richard helmed by the gentleman himself, master chef Michel Richard, in the legendary New York Palace hotel, I can confidently assert that even former proprietress Leona Helmsley would be proud. Interior designer Jeffrey Beers has created an exquisite, remarkably ornate experience that must be seen to be believed—seriously, there’s enough gorgeous grandeur and intricate pomp that, were circumstances somewhat different, Marie Antoinette herself would lose her head. Illumined golden curls blaze upward on the sconces that flank the marble finishes and original paintings lining the walls and all the while, an outrageous temperature-controlled chamber known as the “wine cube” is stocked with 1,000 bottles and anchors the sprawling dining room.
Cocktails crafted from age-old recipes border on the mystical and are taken quite seriously at Villard Michel Richard. The few rounds my friends and I encountered while we lingered were devastatingly good, but certainly not for the uninitiated, and should be sipped slowly. Alongside a basket of petite gougères (fancy French cheese puffs), an evenly balanced sidecar rattled forth, straight up in an elegantly etched coupe that lent a feminine touch to the otherwise masculine tables. My Negroni was on the rocks, however, in a brew of G’Vine gin, Campari, sweet vermouth and a conspiring orange zest.
Cubes of tuna tartare tangoed with watermelon; at once a wonderful chewy crunch left to dance on the palate with a suggestion of sesame oil. We shared spoonfuls of superb, steaming sherried French onion soup with luscious violin strings of cheese, and also leaned toward rich, sumptuous lobster bisque poured over chopped lobster meat and onions that all came to full flavor as the bowl rested near to room temperature. The sole crab cake was bedded by finely shredded leeks bathing in a bright drizzle of chive oil. Mushroom feuilleté delighted—we devoured the luxuriously plump shiitake mushrooms neatly sandwiched between layers of puff pastry.
Mushroom risotto outfitted with pearls of pasta and topped with a crumbled Parmesan tuille was a delicious interim course that we also shared, before launching into mains. Seared salmon was served fairly rare with just enough salt. Tender, tiny lentils, carrots, and shallots accompanied. A gargantuan slab of medium rare côte de boeuf au poivre was prime perfection. Served with French fries and a side of haricots verts tossed with crispy shallots, it readily warranted the $59 price tag (and is the most expensive item on the menu). Michel’s fried chicken was beyond. Start taking notes: the breast and legs are first wrapped with chicken mousse and shaken with bits of country bread before being fried. The end result: tender, mouth-watering pieces of chicken resting upon absolutely dreamy mashed potatoes.
We easily succumbed to the banana split topped with cubes of pineapple and served with plots of vanilla and chocolate ice cream as well as strawberry sorbet with sugar-browned Rice Crispies. The Napoleon featured more puff pastry, lighter than air, filled with a ridiculously delicious cream.  

Prices: Appetizers: $12–$20; Entrées: $24–$59; Alcohol: wine, beer, signature cocktails, full bar

First published in part in Next magazine.

Next Magazine - '21' Club's Fatal Mistakes

Having long been a fan of the '21' Club, I was delighted to discover a cocktail inspired by the prohibition era series Boardwalk Empire at their recently installed bar. Now, this booze-fueled concoction really packs some heat! Do enjoy--but responsibly! 

21 Club's Fatal Mistakes

Ingredients: 

1 ½ oz Canadian Club

1 oz Applejack brandy (a.k.a. Jersey Lightning, from the oldest licensed distillery in the U.S.)
1 oz maraschino liquor
1/2 oz dry vermouth
3 dashes Fee Brothers bitters

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice and stir. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Rim and garnish with a lemon twist.

21 Club is located at 21 W 52nd St (btwn Fifth/Sixth Aves). Visit 21Club.com for more info. 

First published in part in Next magazine. 

Joe Allen Review - Next Magazine

 

Joe Allen
326 W 46th St (btwn Eighth/Ninth Aves)
212-581-6464
JoeAllenRestaurant.com

SHORT ORDER: The straightforward, consistent Restaurant Row joint is a New York classic that is pretty hard to beat. 

PETER’S PICKS: Joe Allen! Meeting Joan Rivers! 

PETER’S PANS: The “flop wall” featuring posters of panned Broadway shows that suffered at the hand of theater critics and indifferent audiences. 

Joe Allen, the fabulous, storied, classic New York joint on Restaurant Row has been a favorite for me ever since I first experienced it over 20 years ago. With all that goes on in this ever-changing borough, Joe Allen is a constant, and we sat comfortably with a soothing soundtrack in the background by Ella, Billie and Bing. We pretty much had the place to ourselves, as the 7pm theatergoers had already left, and were excited to learn that we were seated at Joan Rivers’ favorite table. Later, much to our jaw-dropping surprise, she actually walked into the restaurant! Since we were lingering over cocktails, having already finished dinner, we gladly offered her our table, but the grand lady graciously declined after talking to us for a while and sat instead at her “second favorite table” with entourage in tow—and yes, she looked gorgeous. 

When it comes to cocktails, I can’t think of anything else to order at Joe Allen but a brisk martini, and Belvedere vodka made the grade this time. My fella conservatively slugged back some sparkling water. For starters, a huge portion of aromatic steak tartare was buttery, flavored with strong mustard; sharp, pungent onions and tangy capers plated with a glistening arugula side salad. Toast points provided a fine conveyance. Escargots were tender and not chewy at all, as they so often are. This dish was done right, with fresh herbs, garlic and simmering oil. A small, fantastic Caesar salad was certainly enough for two to share and was exactly what it should have been—fresh, crunchy romaine perfectly coated with a creamy dressing, composed of pert lemon and pungent garlic. It’s a simple preparation that so many restaurants mess up all the time.

About here we stepped up to an Austrian Grüner Veltliner, which was crisp like a lively autumn day with creamy, resonant green and floral notes. I do find the Joe Allen hamburger to be one of the best in the city (for years it was never even listed on the menu), but we turned our thoughts elsewhere and ordered the shrimp and grits as a sort of pasta course. We loved it, just like a country breakfast with andouille sausage and jumbo shrimp in a lobster consommé with a fried egg on top and a peppery finish. 

Thinly sliced sautéed calf’s liver served medium rare was a rapture with grilled onions, a delicious torrent of whipped potatoes and wondrous, diaphanous slivers of bacon love notes. The moist, bone-in pork chop had a great sear, served with Jersey peach chutney. It was surely sent courtesy of Henry VIII—it was a huge, gluttonous piece of meat that we could only eat half of! Accompanying roasted Brussels sprouts were wonderful and further fit the bill. 

The chocolate pudding cake with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge has always  been a delight, but having been alerted to Ms. Rivers’ favorite, we ordered the banana cream pie instead, such a light, elegant finish to an extraordinary evening!       

Prices: Appetizers:  $7-$17; Entrées:  $13-$33; Alcohol:  wine, beer, full bar, specialty cocktails

First published in part in Next magazine. 

Derby 2013

Derby may have left the gates and galloped past this year, but I do believe the memories will linger, at least for me. We had a real humdinger of a party--and behold the beautiful lilacs in the waning afternoon light!

And no, my horses didn't win. Orb ran fleetingly by Falling Sky and Slim Shady. 

Of course, there were mint juleps! We actually froze them this year and served them right out of the blender and they were marvelous. Equal parts bourbon and simple syrup (2:1 water and sugar boiled with lemon wedges and cooled). A fistful of mint went into the blender filled with ice and we topped each individual icy pour with dark rum. Biscuits and tomatoes along with Benedictine cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches were sampled shortly thereafter, once our guests were duly situated. I took advantage of seasonal ramps and shallots this year, substituting both for yellow onions, to quite good effect. The more traditional recipe is here and the picture is below, our Pepperidge Farm thin white bread having been shorn of its crust, stuffed, sliced and stacked on a vintage cake stand.

The annual shrimp and peppers served over grits made their annual appearance, courtesy of Martha Stewart's Menus for Entertaining.

Grasshopper Mousse for dessert, laden with creme de menthe, was right out of a 70's dinner party. I wrested the recipe from the Leah Tinari, the owner of Fatta Cuckoo in Manhattan. Her mother was kind enough to pass on her secret. Our friend was kind enough to make it and bring it over. She said it's so easy and everybody loved it--and the recipe makes a ton! She also made Crack Pie, that is similar to Chess Pie, and served at Momofuku Milk Bar in our fair city. It was beyond. But that's a different post entirely.

Grasshopper Mousse
Ingredients
2 large boxes of vanilla pudding mix
6 cups heavy cream
3/4 cups creme de menthe
1/2 cup creme de cacao
Package of Oreo cookies

Method
Whip pudding and heavy cream together and gradually add both liqueurs. Whip until mousse-like and desired consistency is reached. Give it a taste and add a tblsp or two more of liquor for a stronger flavor. Place in a container and chill. Crush Oreo cookies in food processor.

Assemble
Place some cookies crumbs in bottom of martini glass. Add grasshopper mousse, top with whipped cream and sprinkle on more cookie crumbs.

Our rosy centerpiece for the table!

Soundtrack: XTC, Skylarking; Sippie Wallace, Sippie; Atlantic Blues: Piano; Antonio Carlos Jobim, Sun Sea and Sand Favourites

Next Magazine - L'Amant Review

L’Amant
235 W 12th St (btwn W Fourth St/Greenwich Ave), 646-476-8731, LAmantNYC.com

 

Should I one day create a list of my favorite things, pagodas from the Far East and barrels of mischievous monkeys would surely be on it. So imagine my delight when I found both on the pattern of the linen wallpaper at L’Amant. The spot is a tiny wedge stuck into a corner just off of Greenwich Avenue where we eased into our comfy club chairs like we were in an illicit club car on the Orient Express. We enjoyed the tinkling piano and enchanting vocalist from the jazzy trio as we relaxed watching the curling flames from the faux fireplace underneath a looming decorative crimson fan sprayed with cranes and apparent flora. And in case you were wondering, L’Amant refers to French author Marguerite Duras’ novel set in French colonial Indochina, The Lover.

 

We could hardly wait to dive into the cocktails of the house, patiently crafted with a resurrected air from a glamorous era and exotic locales. Truffled popcorn, perfectly popped, was a fun enticement as we perused the list curated by a wonderfully obsessed mixologist. The Black Snake would have made Hemingway proud, with Earl Grey-infused gin, Pear William Purkhart and beguiling bergamot juice coiled around a sturdy orb of ice. At least, it warranted another round. The Mekong River, with apple-and-ginger-infused Wodka vodka, welcomed spring with presiding flavors of mint and cucumber—and had stronger currents than we first thought! (See recipe on p.44) The China Man, with Buffalo Trace bourbon, sherry, bitters and lemon, felt imprudent, so we decided we’d have to return another time for that. 

 

It didn’t take much prodding for me to order a tray of fat Blue Point oysters with good old New England cocktail sauce and a ginger and scallion mignonette in delicious contrast. A bowl of mussels met our mollusks at the table, too, perfumed with ginger and bathed in a rich broth subtly enhanced by cream. 

 

A gorgeous and judicious amount of mock Caesar dressing clung to the stiff frills of kale in the Halong Bay salad—and we noted that these greens provided a healthy dose of protein and vitamins, too. Thin-skinned vegetable dumplings—served with a scallion-soy sauce and a Heinz-worthy chili sauce—were delicious. 

 

We slid past the beef sliders, which might have been a mistake, opting instead for dry, flavorless duck in the steaming shepherd’s pie that sounded so good on paper. While we appreciated the fact that it was served in a cast-iron skillet, the dish was a disappointment and the purported inclusion of foie gras was unnoticeable. However, the browned mashed potatoes on top were divine and we readily forgave any transgressions. We loved the sublime elbow macaroni and Parmesan cheese with a hint of truffles and a crispy top; indeed, mixing our mac and cheese with the mashed potatoes from the shepherd’s pie was a tremendously inspired idea. 

 

There were desserts— such as warm chocolate cake and a trio of mochi confections (green tea, red bean and mango)—but we narrowly escaped, preferring instead to linger over the flavor of the scrumptious mac and cheese. Climb aboard L’Amant, drink wisely and enjoy the ride!

 

Short Order: Serious cocktails and simple fare makes for a great trip East. 

Peter's Picks: The Black Snake cocktail; truffle mac and cheese; kale Caesar salad; the mashed potatoes on top of the shepherd’s pie

Peter's Pans: The bland duck on the bottom of the shepherd’s pie

 

Prices: Appetizers:  $5-$15; Entrée:  $14-$16; Alcohol:  wine, beer, full bar, specialty cocktails.

 

First published in part in Next magazine.  

Photo credit: Gustavo Monroy

Blue Cheese Martini

Dive into this elegant martini served at elmo in Manhattan. It's fraught with reserved blue cheese-stuffed olives. A few of these cocktails could also serve as dinner. Now, this cocktail recipe is designed for your own personal taste, so assemble the ingredients as you will, and then—away we go!

Blue Cheese Martini
Ingredients
Dry vermouth

Vodka

Olive brine

Fresh cucumber (in thinly sliced rounds)

Queen pitted olives

Maytag blue cheese 

Wooden skewers

Directions

Stuff two pitted olives with blue cheese by hand and set aside. Pour a small amount of dry vermouth in a chilled martini glass, swirl to coat glass and toss out excess. Break up a piece of cucumber and place in a shaker full of ice. Add vodka and olive brine to taste (lightly perhaps) and shake vigorously. Strain into chilled vermouth-coated glass. Spike several blue cheese olives on a wooden skewer and lay across the rim of the glass. Crown with a round of cucumber if you wish. Note: The amount of vodka used will depend on the size of the martini glass—but as we always say, the bigger the better!

elmo is located at 156 Seventh Ave (btwn 19th/20th Sts). Visit elmoRestaurant.com for more info.

First published in part in Next magazine. 

Shrimp Fried Rice

I do seem to be in a shrimpy mood this week! So to further our fishy friends, here's a recipe for Shrimp Fried Rice to elevate as well as celebrate the Chinese New Year, courtesy of Jo's in Nolita delivered by chef Andrew Pressler--where else would you wish to be?

Shrimp Fried Rice

Serves Four

Ingredients:

4 cups Jasmine rice, cooked

4 oz vegetable oil

2 Tbsp ginger, minced

2 Tbsp garlic, minced

½ Tbsp Thai chili, sliced thin

2 Tbsp scallion whites, sliced thin

¼ cup carrots, finely shredded

1/8 cup red Chinese finger chilies

¼ cup Chinese long beans, sliced thin

2 oz sweet soy

2 oz dark soy

8 oz medium shrimp, chopped

2 whole eggs, beaten

Salt

Procedure:

1. Lay cooked rice to dry on a cookie sheet the day before. Leave uncovered in refrigerator overnight.

2. Remove dried rice from refrigerator and crumble between your hands to break up the larger chunks.

3. Heat wok on high heat and add vegetable oil. When the oil smokes, add minced ginger, garlic, scallion whites and Thai chili.

4. Stir and cook the aromatics until fragrant.

5. Add the Chinese finger chilies, carrots and long bean. Cook until they just begin to soften and add your rice and shrimp.

6. Toss wok repeatedly to heat the rice and cook the shrimp.

7. Add the egg by drizzling on the upper sides of the wok and then stirring into the rice.

8. Add the two soy sauces and salt if needed. Scoop into bowls and garnish with scallion greens. Now eat!

Jo’s is located at 264 Elizabeth St (btwn Prince/Houston Sts). Visit JosNYC.com for more info. 

First published in part in Next magazine.

Next Magazine - Hudson Lodge Review

Hudson Lodge 

356 W 58th St, btwn Eighth/Ninth Aves, 212-554-6217, Hudson Lodge

Though the weather outside is…well, indecisive at best, one thing is certain: it snows every night promptly at 8 o’clock in Hudson Lodge, the seasonal pop-up at the glorious Hudson Hotel’s outdoor park. Gusts of artificial snowflakes propelled from several strategically placed snow blowers gently float down to make a miracle on 58th Street. Under a thumping DJ beat, garden vines extend from the grand lobby to discover roughly paneled wood planks on the walls and trophy animals, both real and imagined, filling them—heads of gazelles, boars, stags and wildebeests look on with fanciful ceramic deer for neighbors. Vintage sporting goods such as toboggans, snowshoes and ski boots thrown about add to the wintry whimsy. Should you not wish to participate in the après-ski atmosphere, you may leave your earmuffs, mufflers and mittens at the door; this lodge is tented and heated.

My fella and I met up with a few friends for cocktails and nibbles. Hudson Lodge is self-service, so we found our selections from the charming bar and food stands attended by men clad in patterned sweaters and knitted caps. Although it sounded fun, we thought better of bottle service, with Belvedere frozen in a block of ice for $150 bucks--Veuve Clicquot in a drift of SnoPowder over a bucket of ice was a better bargain at $65, but we went for cocktails instead. The Snow Cone with shaved ice was an easy decision for me. It was definitely drinkable but was so flooded with lemon juice that the elements of clementine, grapefruit and apricot juices with chamomile were difficult to discern. The Winter Holiday Cooler with pisco and bitters had exciting inclusions of fig jam and maple syrup, but was dominated by the flavor of ginger beer. On the warmer side of things, the Chocolate Bonbon looked quite a treat. It was a great sensation to discover—underneath the delicious cold cream topping the mug—tequila, Grand Marnier and hot chocolate hibernating below! Ultimately we decided a simple order of Bulleit bourbon whiskey was the best answer to the cold.

The menu is limited, with savory and sweet options. And there are no plates, just napkins—chalet style. We dipped lots of olive oil-slathered slivers of toasted country bread into a steaming tub of fondue with its pervasive hint of green chilis licking the gooey strings of Gruyère, Comté and Appenzeller cheeses as well as Brooklyn Lager, burnt garlic and chunks of well-braised pork. Wonderful chili served in red-and-white plaid cardboard snack trays was their version of a classic Frito pie, I supposed, with chipotle brisket, white cheddar cheese, onions, a dollop of sour cream and of course, Fritos.

Balk and question as you may, the S’more Grilled Cheese with ricotta, Gruyère, and cheddar cheeses laced with Nutella was a wondrous melding of flavors. I don’t know how it worked or why, but spread out between two slices of pressed, grilled bread, it was heaven. 

Homemade cookies with chocolate, peanut butter, caramel and cinnamon were made to order and shockingly good—they were still warm when they came to the table! A light dusting of crushed rock salt brought out the balance of flavors even further. Whatever the weather outside may be, inside the Hudson Lodge it’s so delightful. Let it snow!

Short Order: Pots of fondue and hot toddies are among the tasties on the tiny après-ski menu at this urban lodge. 

Peter's Picks: Chocolate Bonbon cocktail; green chili fondue; grilled cheese; made-to-order cookie

Peter's Pans: The idiotic woman who complained about the blasts of fake snow.

Prices: Appetizers:  $9-$20; Alcohol:  wine, beer, full bar, specialty cocktails.

First published in part in Next magazine. 

Next Magazine - Le Perigord Review

Le Périgord
405 E 52nd St @ First Ave, 212-755-6244, LePerigord.com

Filled with the spirit of the holidays, we whisked ourselves away to Le Périgord, situated in a comfortable, quiet nook just northwest of Beekman Place. There, we encountered a warm welcome from the gracious maître of the manor and an arsenal of waiters sporting starched white jackets with napkins draped over their regimented forearms. Plump roses in full bloom quietly graced the tables as we were seated at our banquette. What a way to come in from the cold! From there we watched longtime patrons  from the neighborhood sweep in, mostly women of a certain age bathed in black sable, and the host greet every one of them with a firm handshake and an air of recognition.
I toyed with a Grey Goose martini and my fella relaxed into a full-bodied red Gigondas while we slathered butter on civilized slices of brioche, anticipating the cuisine of longstanding chef Joel Benjamin, whose impressive résumé includes time at legendary restaurants Lutèce and La Côte Basque.

However, my ears soon pricked up like a rabid pinscher and my mood swiftly changed at the piercing death rattle of a confused, brittle fussbudget who apparently was contemplating strychnine over selections from the prix-fixe menu. We moved tables straightaway (which is something I never do), far across the room, as assisted by our equally aggrieved server. It hardly mattered anyway as we ended up dining with a better view of the moneyed complacency in attendance; what Tom Wolfe coined, in part, as “social x-rays.”

Frogs’ legs were game little leapers accompanied by a perfectly delicate risotto flavored with aromatics. Roasted lobster claws topped the hefty, buttery-soft lobster tail with pale strands of enoki mushrooms. It was surrounded by a medley of sautéed zucchini, carrots and yellow squash in a coriander lobster broth—which bordered more on a subtle bisque.

Sizeable seared quail was stuffed with minced wild forest mushrooms, which helped keep the bird moist, and black truffle sauce served to suit our fancy. Softened, shaved celeriac was a keen and serviceable side. We considered the Dover sole that we saw rolled out in hammered copper chafing dishes to tables nearby, but opted instead for something that went more along the ways of winter: we summoned the hearty, beating breast of the hunter and ordered medium rare, mildly musky venison cloaked in venison jus with a soupçon of black truffles. Melted cranberries in sugar, wilted red cabbage and peppery Brussels sprouts that were just fork-tender were ideal accompaniments.

I doubt anyone loves the idea of a dessert trolley more than I do, and on this mode of transportation we found at least a few treats that we had to try. Armed with wicked, generous pours of Armagnac (which we sipped on, in a slow revel) we picked from said trolley an offering of oeufs à la neige, the meringue confection, with an apparently Pollack-inspired spray of caramel lightly spattered on top of it. More meringue followed with the lemon tart and a fun layer of toasted marshmallows. Pear tart tartine arrived with a vanilla butter crust and an amiable resolution that, after lingering for more than three  hours, we should probably go home.

Short Order: An elegant, classic French restaurant in a secluded spot on the Upper East Side.

Peter’s Picks: mushroom-stuffed fat quail with black truffle sauce; buttery roasted lobster tail.

Peter’s Pans:
We moved to another table because of the decrepit, shrieking woman with dietary restrictions that was seated at a banquette all too near to us.

Prices: $65 Prix Fixe; Alcohol: wine, full bar.

First published in part in Next magazine.

Next Magazine - The Year in Dining

My top restaurant picks for 2012!

(Clockwise from top left; Alison Eighteen, Armani, Angolo Soho, Sushi Masaru.)

These dining rooms are as diverse in cuisine as they are in location, spread all over town and filling both intimate and soaring spaces. Our favorites were found in grand hotels, a designer emporium on Fifth Avenue, pauses through the Flatiron District and a little place on the Lower East Side.

Loi (208 W 70th St, 212-875-8600, RestaurantLoi.com) is filled with exploratory, fantastic fare in a soothing oasis that summons the Mediterranean. Slurpy spoons of creamy sea urchin are drizzled with fragrant olive oil, moussaka is slowly cooked with minced meat in béchamel sauce, and buttery Dover sole with charred eggplant, yellow peppers and zucchini is utterly captivating.

Dining in the beautiful Isola (9 Crosby St, 212-389-0000, IsolaSoho.com) at the Mondrian Soho hotel is nothing less than enchanting. Executive chef Victor LaPlaca mainly pulls inspiration from the Amalfi coast, serving porcini-stuffed ravioli love notes embraced by a heartbreaking veal ragu and a ravishing sirloin to be slowly savored like an indecent caramel.

Every Japanese dish presented by executive chef Masato Shimizu is a gift at 15 East (15 E 15th St, 212-647-0015, 15EastRestaurant.com). Cold soba noodles float in a rapturous pond of caviar, salmon pearls and sea urchin; sea urchin makes a poignant risotto with sumptuous matsutake mushrooms; foie gras and miso duck terrine borders on the obscene.

As the Olympics played on, we were thrilled to discover that Alison Price Becker returned victorious with Alison Eighteen (15 W 18th St, 212-366-1818, AlisonEighteen.com), offering velvety vichyssoise, lobster salad with citrus and yellow-curry-tinged yogurt sauce, hickory smoked Berkshire pork chops with peach-fig jam and outrageous polenta with wild mushrooms. Alison 18 scores an 18!

Housed in the Iroquois hotel, Triomphe (49 W 44th St, 212-453-4233, Triomphe-NewYork.com) is a classic New York supper club, led by forward-thinking chef Jason Tilmann: plump chicken livers with sherry-braised onions, scallops with melted foie gras butter, and richly red Chateaubriand with mustard laced béarnaise sauce to start; delectable chocolate croissant bread pudding with caramel toffee gelato to finish.

We swooned over the lobster at La Piscine (518 W 27th St, 212-525-0000, Hotel-Americano.com) this summer on the gorgeous rooftop at the Hôtel Americano. The crawling creatures from the grill are done to perfection, with a drizzle of fruity green olive oil. In between dips of hummus, tzatziki, baba ghanoush and taramosalata, take a dip in the pool.

During a torrential downpour, we lingered inside the starkly elegant Armani/Ristorante Fifth Avenue (717 Fifth Ave, 212-207-1902) over several glasses of excellent wine that prefaced tender stalks of white asparagus in silky chervil zabaglione and smoky duck carpaccio; sweet foie gras and duck agnolotti with sage and white butter sauce and olive-crusted lamb loin; ending with pristine orbs of white peach sorbet.

Grilled, moist quail at comfortable Angolo Soho (331 Broadway, 212-203-1722, AngoloSoho.com) certainly suited the fall season, so rich and full of warming spices, perched atop rugged, chewy faro and handsome dates. The pork chop was a meaty beauty, brilliant and of epic proportion, sharing the plate with caramelized fennel and heated cherry peppers.

We flew into Fatta Cuckoo (63 Clinton St, 212-353-0570, FattaCuckoo.com), having rescheduled reservations after Hurricane Sandy. A Pee-Wee’s Playhouse setting meets the Lower East Side with wonton-wrapped seasonal vegetable ravioli, juicy brined and battered fried chicken and a host of scrumptious desserts such as grasshopper mousse, made by owner Leah Tinari’s mother.

Owner and chef Henry Yang helped close out the year, transforming Chelsea’s Alpha into Sushi Masaru (169 Eighth Ave, 212-627-8887, SushiMasaru.com), a civilized dining room with the feel of an art gallery, befitting the beautiful plates of seared scallops with XO cognac and truffle oil, foie gras with supremed oranges, tuna tataki and fluke with seaweed and marinated rice.

First published in part in Next magazine. Photo credit: Gustavo Monroy.

Fatta Cuckoo - Next Magazine Review

I just loved this place!

Fatta Cuckoo
63 Clinton St (btwn Rivington/Stanton Sts), 212-353-0570, FattaCuckoo.com

Upon entering tiny seater Fatta Cuckoo, we felt as if we had jumped into the Magic Screen from Pee-Wee’s Playhouse. As the mere name might imply, the space itself is quirky, whimsical and fun, assembled by proprietress Leah Tinari with her own broadly imagined paintings hanging on the whitewashed-brick walls. The food is a delight, as handled by chef Matias Hernandez. It’s stuff that everybody likes but  doesn’t descend to ordinary comfort food. Tinari glows with passion about her food and art, and it emanates from her as she dotes upon the engaging premises. An amusing, explanatory anecdote: when Tinari was a child, her Italian nonna used to tap her belly with a gentle forefinger after eating an exhausting meal and coo, “Fatta cuckoo!”

Over a groovy soundtrack featuring old-school hits, the cocktail list further inspired our imaginations, particularly the special T-Party cocktail with Espolòn tequila, spiced honey, Lillet and bitters. What could have been a blithely loathsome brunch drink, the St. Rose was actually a very solidly balanced cocktail with vodka, St-Germain liqueur, Aperol, orange bitters and a float of prosecco. We also took more than a few sips of a blood-orange screwdriver with vodka, muddled basil, a breath of lime and a splash of soda water.

We ordered a cream-filled ball of burrata cheese, plucked from Saxelby’s in the nearby Essex Street Market. This beauty was domestically crafted in Philadelphia and the day’s preparation included mint and pistachio pesto with a chiffonade of basil and a touch of olive oil, served with cranberry-walnut crostini. We were curious about the calamari—stuffed with braised short ribs!—but moved on to a plate of ravioli filled with whipped ricotta, shiitake and cremini mushrooms in a mushroom cream sauce tied up with thyme and offered like little presents with wonton skins as wrapping paper.

It took about three seconds of scouring the menu to realize we had to have the fried chicken, which turned out to be incredibly juicy—brined and battered and served with a ladleful of sharp Gorgonzola, celery root purée, house-made hot sauce and a prickly side of carrots and celery, all in homage to classic roadside chicken wings. We paired this up with red Swiss chard sautéed on an amiable plate of frizzled bacon and golden raisins. Seriously crispy pork was furthered by a fanciful blueberry barbecue sauce, an earnest cornbread cake and slivers of slaw. We plundered the mushy potato puffs, or elevated Tater Tots, if you will.

Keeping it in the family, Tinari’s mother lends a hand with Mom’s Desserts, which she actually makes. We’re talking brightly zesty yet delicate Key Lime pie; cream cheese cheesecake with a graham cracker crust that had us at OMG; and a Grasshopper Mousse that screamed for a ’70s dinner party with crème de menthe, a fluff of the freshest whipped cream and a dusting of chocolate sandwich cookie powder. We rolled over all of them, enjoying every bite that we could manage, as we’d been pointing at our bellies for quite some time.

Even after the sugar rush subsided, what could we say? We’re cuckoo for…

Short Order: Comforting food for everyone served with a refined side of whimsy in a relaxed, charming atmosphere.
Peter’s Picks: T-Party tequila cocktail; vegetable ravioli; fried chicken; Mom’s Desserts
Peter’s Pans: Venturing to the Lower East Side and then trying to find where on earth the restaurant was!
Prices: Appetizers: $10–$15; Entrées: $16–$21; Alcohol: wine, full bar, specialty cocktails.

First published in part in Next Magazine. 

Photo credit: Gustavo Monroy.

Fettucine Rigate alla Carbonara

Rarely can I pass up a pasta! Angolo Soho executive chef Michael Berardino was kind enough to provide this wonderful recipe, untangling the mystery of his carbonara. His dish is actually rather simple though, done in classic Italian style, without the heavy cream so often used in the Americanized version.

Fettucine Rigate alla Carbonara

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 lb. fettucine
¼ tbsp. ground black pepper (about 90 turns from a pepper mill)
3 oz. pancetta cut into strips 1/2" by 1/4"
2 oz.  Pecorino Romano cheese, grated fine on microplane
4 egg yolks
2 ½ tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Drop the pasta into the water and stir to keep from sticking. 

While the pasta is cooking, place the pancetta in a large saute pan and cook until crisp and rendered. Pour off half of the fat, and add the black pepper. Toast the pepper until aromatic. Add a little butter and 1tsp of EVOO.

Remove the pancetta, reserve on the side, and add some of the pasta cooking water to form an emulsified sauce. 

Once the pasta is cooked, remove from the water, drain well, and add directly to the sauce. 

Add the remaining butter, the pancetta, and the pecorino cheese.  

Mix well to combine and if needed add pasta water to adjust the consistency of the sauce. 

Plate the pasta into 4 bowls, leaving a little well in the center for the egg yolk. 

Finish with the egg yolk, a couple cracks of black pepper and a little grated pecorino.

Angolo Soho is located at 331 W Broadway (@ Grand St). Visit AngoloSoho.com for more info.

First published in part in Next Magazine.
Photo Credit: Gustavo Monroy

Chef's Recipe - James Corona's Fusilli alla Norcina

This sumptuous pasta featuring thick curls of fusilli pasta and sweet and hot sausage in cream is courtesy of Bocca executive chef James Corona. Thank you for the recipe, James!

Bocca
39 E 19th St (btwn Park/Broadway)
BoccaNYC.com 

Fusilli alla Norcina
Recipe Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: 

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp shallot, minced
1 link of sweet sausage
1 link of hot sausage
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup smoked mozzarella, grated
1 lb fusilli pasta
Salt
Pepper

Directions: 

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water till al dente.
2. Drain pasta, reserving a cup of the pasta water for binding.
3. In a large saucepan, brown the sweet and hot sausage.
3. Combine minced garlic, shallots and heavy cream with sausage in saucepan and reduce for about three minutes.
4. Add smoked mozzarella.
5. Toss fusilli into the sauce. If necessary, use reserved pasta water to bind. Serve.

First published in part in Next magazine. 

15 East - Next Magazine Review

15 East
15 E 15th St (btwn Fifth Ave/Union Square West), 212-647-0015, 15EastRestaurant.com

Marco Moreira and Jo-Ann Makovitzky add to their culinary empire with the freshest fish hauled in from Japan by executive sushi chef Masato Shimizu.

My gal pal is simply stark-raving mad for sushi. I don’t know anyone who loves the raw devils more profoundly than she does. So it was my thrill on the evening we hastened to 15 East to have her sample executive chef Masato Shimizu’s fresh fish flown, which is flown in from Japan. We were, in a word, wowed. Everything was a small surprise—we were presented with wonderful gifts, which once opened, so to speak, proved to be utter delights, enlivening our taste buds, enriching our hearts and filling our stomachs.
The husband-and-wife team Marco Moreira and Jo-Ann Makovitzky moved their fabulous Tocqueville to a nearby location and reinvigorated its former address as 15 East with the assistance of architect Richard Bloch. Although we considered the crowded sushi bar in front, we made our way to a more capacious corner banquette in the modest dining room composed in an inviting color scheme of sand and slate with pale, billowy curtains.
Settling into cocktails, the Tokyo Manhattan struck my fancy with a light Japanese single-malt whiskey with a masculine uprising about the bosom that bandied about with sweet vermouth and brandied cherries. The summery caipirinha with passion fruit and lime had a good nose and was decidedly more feminine.
A convenient tray of creamy, buttery Kumamoto oysters started us off with sweet, icy ponzu granite and pickled turnips that held a resonating pine flavor in the final execution. Bluefin tuna was served two ways: as red velvet slices of sashimi and chopped toro tartare in a conspiracy with chive oil and paddlefish caviar.
We moved on to a carafe of a floral, elusive, wondrous chilled Koshi no Kanbai “Muku” sake that further enhanced the flavors of our ensuing dishes, which included a rapturous, benevolent and calm pond of caviar, ikura and uni floating along with cold soba noodles and wasabi paste. More sea urchin found its way into a poignant, soft risotto keenly matched with sumptuous matsutake mushrooms and pink wasabi root to set up our pasta course. We dispensed with our chopsticks, resorting to spoons so we could devour the dish more quickly. Eleven kinds of Japanese sea lettuces, in turns sturdy, woodsy, frilly, oceanic, fruity and sweet, cleansed our palates for the upcoming meat.
A tartare of chopped Kobe beef led the way with a presiding flavor of crisped garlic and a cracked, runny quail egg on top. Foie gras terrine bordered on the obscene with miso duck, raisins and brioche that I unashamedly admit I devoured in one orgiastic bite. Medium-rare smoky duck with shiitake mushrooms, sweet Japanese yams in a veal stock reduction and soy had us quacking with vigor.
Resist as we did at first, desserts were a foregone conclusion. Wavering between indulgences such as flourless chocolate cake, kabocha crème caramel, a watermelon parfait and green tea ice cream with matcha jelly and red beans, the crunchy tempura rice pudding won out with its fully rounded ice cream fashioned from sake. With nothing left to do but hug our gracious co-conspirators, we packed up and left 15 East to head home, back west.

Prices: Appetizers: $12-$29; Entrées: $18-$95; Alcohol:  wine, full bar, specialty cocktails.
Short Order: For aficionados of fish, modern Japanese cuisine off of Union Square proves to be a really great catch.
Peter’s Picks: Tokyo Manhattan cocktail; sea urchin and mushroom risotto; foie gras terrine with duck; caviar, sea urchin and salmon roe soba noodles.
Peter’s Pans: 15 East has not taken residence in my apartment building.

First published in part in Next magazine. 
Photo Credit: Michel Ann O'Malley