Gramercy
June 22, 2008
Serving up ecumenical barbecue in Gramercy Park
Address: 225 Park Ave. South, at 18th St., (212) 533-2500
Hours: Mon.-Thurs., 11:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 11:30 a.m.-12:30 a.m.; Sat., noon-midnight; Sun., noon-11 p.m.
Cuisine: Regional barbecue
Vibe: Big-city barn
Occasion: Festive occasion; group dining.
Don't Miss Dish: Barbecue burger; Texas smoked brisket; carrot cake.
Price: Appetizers, $5-$9.50; entrées, $9.95-$28.95; dessert, $7.
Reservation: Recommended
If you want barbecue in New York City these days, you have to ask yourself what kind you're craving. You can get down & dirty barbecue - sauce on your T-shirt - at Dinosaur BBQ. You can get artisanal barbecue - sauce on your business suit - at Blue Smoke. But if you want breezy barbeque - sauce on your white leather banquette - you should try Wildwood BBQ, a few blocks from Blue Smoke in Gramercy Park.
Eating at Wildwood is like eating at a theme park called Barbecue Land - big faux barn, dish towel-size napkins, jam jar glasses, firewood stacked against the wall. Over the youthful roar at the bar, you can hear George Thorogood singing "Bad to the Bone." Servers wearing T-shirts that say "Wingman" or "Get Sauced" squeeze between tables, carrying tequila shots, pitchers of beer and cowboy margaritas.
What Steven Hanson did with Mexican at Dos Caminos and Asian at Ruby Foo's, he's doing with American barbecue at Wildwood. He's not alone in this because when barbecue comes to New York, it tends to be ecumenical.
At Wildwood, there's Carolina pulled pork, Memphis-style baby back ribs, and Texas smoked brisket "hand rubbed by Big Lou." Big Lou Elrose is the pit master, a retired cop who's 6-feet-4 and took up competitive barbecue three years ago. His own barbecue sauce sits in a basket at every table.
So what works at Wildwood? Brisket. Anything with brisket. The kitchen tosses burnt ends of brisket into the kettle-cooked baked beans. It dices brisket into the Texas jailhouse chili, topped with cheddar, onions and sour cream. The Texas smoked brisket - crusty edges spiced with pepper, cumin and paprika - comes hand-sliced on a butcher board. Best of all is Big Lou's barbecue burger - 90% brisket (10% chuck) - piled high with caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, Monterey Jack cheese and sturdy bacon.
I'd come back to Wildwood just for the burger and the homemade salt and vinegar chips that come with it. But be sure to tear open a few Handi Wipes before you tear into your burger.
Unfortunately, the "fallin'-off-the-bone" short rib refused to fall off the bone. It was also salty enough to chap your lips. The kitchen seemed to have left the flavor and the vinegar mopping sauce off the Carolina pulled pork.
Wildwood likes to use a chipotle-raspberry barbecue sauce. On chicken wings, the ingredients get along fine, but they bicker on baby back ribs. The cornbread is dry as Wyoming grassland. We had to pry it out of the cast iron skillet it was baked in.
Saving room at a barbecue joint is downright impossible. But you need to at Wildwood.
Elizabeth Katz, who used to work at Fiamma - a much more upscale restaurant - oversees desserts here. The eight-layer chocolate cake and the six-layer carrot cake are so comically oversized that you can't believe they're any good. They almost look like diner cakes. But they're not. They may be huge, but you won't want to share them.
And don't forget the fluffernutter s'more - the love child of a peanut butter cup and a campfire s'more.
Wildwood is a survey course in American barbecue -Barbecue 101 - until you get dessert.
Then it's an advanced seminar.
June 22, 2008
A spectacular reinvention.
11 Madison Ave. at 24th St.
Phone: (212) 889-0905
Dinner: Sun.-Thurs. 5:30-10 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. 5:30-10:30 p.m.
Lunch: Mon.-Fri. 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Brunch: Sat. & Sun. 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Not many restaurateurs are as skilled at pulling off a top-notch $4.75 burger (Shake Shack) as they are a $145 haute French tasting menu (Eleven Madison Park). But Danny Meyer has built an enviable empire of 11 winning lowbrow and high-end restaurants.
On a recent evening, the famed Shake Shack burger drew a line that spanned the length of an entire city block. I was en route to Eleven Madison Park, the most opulent feather in Meyer's cap, when the sight of cheese fries and custard at the pickup window nearly lured me off course.
Had I caved, I would've missed one of the most spectacular meals in recent memory.
New Yorkers should be pitching tents outside Eleven Madison Park for executive chef Daniel Humm's cooking. Taste his brilliantly complex foie gras terrine; it arrives draped in a tart dicing of rhubarb, celery and pickled ramps with a crusty foil of Indonesian pepper brioche. He completes this with a luscious accompaniment of rhubarb foam atop foie gras mousse.
Though Eleven Madison Park has been an attractive fixture on Manhattan's upscale dining circuit for nine years, it has undergone a masterful transformation that began two years ago when Humm and sommelier John Ragan were recruited from the Campton Place in San Francisco. Since their installment, this restaurant has slowly been reborn into a stellar temple of haute French cuisine.
Humm's foams, reductions and drizzles have huge payoffs. An intoxicating Bordelaise sauce that's poured tableside uplifts a moist tenderloin and braised beef cheek. A simple drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar works wonders to sharpen every distinguished flavor in an appetizer of gnocchi mingled with shrimp, calamari and a triumphant accent of candied Meyer lemon.
The menu's bursting with sensational dishes: a peerless suckling pig confit capped off with a crackly strip of skin; a tuna tartare paved with a scene-stealing avocado cream, and a roasted loin of lamb with crispy wisps of artichoke.
As far as big-ticket dinners go, the chef's tasting menu is a decadent splurge that's worth every penny. It's a thrilling procession of 11 courses, one more successful than the next: a glistening halibut with a curl of sweet crayfish, followed by a succulent pork belly crowned with mint leaves.
Having also trained in pastry, Humm demonstrates remarkable versatility, conceiving a strong selection of desserts. The most memorable were a fluffy quark cheese soufflé and a "chocolate peanut butter palette" that looked and tasted like a sophisticated riff on a crunchy candy bar.
Meyer has assembled an all-star team. Sommelier Ragan has amassed a 2,000-bottle wine collection with affordable offerings. Beverage director Sam Lipp recently launched a rigorous cocktail program that competes with the city's best cocktail bars.
The lavish dining room is elegantly appointed with soaring ceilings, marble floors and a sweeping view of Madison Square Park.
And somewhere in the kitchen, an ambitious young chef makes waves with faultless cooking that reminds you why classic institutions like these thrived in the first place.
September 18, 2007
The dressed-up Chinese at Wakiya gets lost in translation.
2 Lexington Ave., at 21st St. (Gramercy Park Hotel) (212) 995-1330
Dinner: Mon.-Sat., 5:45 p.m.-11 p.m, Sunday, 5:45 p.m.-10 p.m.
Cuisine: Contemporary regional Chinese
Vibe: Moody Asian den
Occasion: Swanky night out
Don’t Miss Dish: Shanghai soup dumplings
Drink Specialty: Cucumber martini
Price: Appetizers, $6-$34; Entrees, $13-$38; Desserts, $9-$14.
Reservations: Highly recommended
Designer-clad servers amble down a red carpet that streams through Wakiya's glossy dining room, flourished with floor-to-ceiling red tassels and dark wood tables. "It'slike a catwalk," Richie Notar, a managing partner of both Wakiya and Nobu restaurants, enthusiastically notes over the phone. "Women love it."
On one visit, I spied Anna Wintour dining front row center. I nearly expected she might pull out a pad and jot down her impressions of Wakiya's fall food collection. As fashionable as the scenery, every dish arrives well-groomed.
Hotelier Ian Schrager had his heart set on upscale Chinese from the inception of the newly posh Gramercy Park Hotel. After scouring the globe and sifting through three potential candidates, he imported chef Yuji Wakiya from Tokyo along with much of the menu - a fusion of Szechuan, Shanghai and Cantonese traditions. This is Chinese food seen through Japanese eyes, and, though the plating is artful, it comes at the pivotal expense of flavor.
There is something to be said for a feisty General Tso's chicken or a succulent Peking duck carved at the table. Sadly, the Peking duck here turns up disassembled, a skimpy stockpile of dried-out meat and rubbery skin. I couldn't resist the temptation of a side-by-side comparison with the "Vegetarian Peking duck."
Tightly wound layers of yuba - as bland as baby food - laced with shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots and yoji berries, had me longing for a $1 Chinatown scallion pancake. A dainty spicy beef salad and cloying muck of Tong Tsu (sweet & sour) sea bass failed to live up to their signature, gutsy flavor profiles.
As I attempted to maneuver around the intricacies of the menu, I felt as if I had fallen down Schrager's rabbit hole into an Asian Wonderland. Like the potions that tempt Alice, Wakiya's plates come replete with an exhaustive set of warnings: "Don't touch the steaming kettle," our server urged. "Don't eat the chouten peppers."
The "fiery pepper hunt" was a futile search for buried treasure beneath the hot chouten peppers, which unearthed only a few dull nibbles of miso-battered chicken and lobster. "Be careful not to touch the rocks," our waitress instructed, as she poured a fragrant oolong tea over the stones below a bamboo basket. Our listless medley of steamed shrimp and vegetables wore a whopping $38 price tag.
But I would happily suffer again through the belabored explanation accompanying the Shanghai soup dumplings - satiny purses that release a savory pork broth over the tongue. Wakiya and his entourage of chefs manage to achieve excellence with fresh shrimp and chive dumplings, as well as corpulent crab dumplings. With a Sunday dim sum menu on the horizon, Wakiya may actually emerge an attractive - albeit expensive - dim sum brunch alternative.
Do plant yourself in the upfront lounge and hover over an expertly concocted cocktail menu. An exotic cucumber martini, composed of litchi juice, vodka and cucumber (seeds and all) was beyond refreshing, as was the basil-specked watermelon cooler.
Wakiya is impeccably serviced, which comes as no surprise, considering the Nobu management group is seasoned at catering to the whims of their elite clientele. This is also the reason, as Richie Notar indicates, that the windows are cloaked in beige and red silk. While there is no view of Gramercy's lush park, the privacy of the glitzy patrons is secured.
Still, the kitchen struggles to evoke character from innately dynamic ingredients. Perhaps it would all taste better in a Chinese takeout box, eaten while curled up on the couch with a TV remote in hand.
May 11, 2007
There's no end in sight to the continuous barrage of burger joints, designer steaks and kobe clubs. It's a carnivore's dilemma...and no, I'm not speaking of ethics. Oh no. I've had many a fling with foie gras and my way with veal, so I'm most certainly game for another chop shop.
First things first: Angelo & Maxie's has taken over the kitchen store next door with plans for a July, Angelo & Maxie's Grill. Of course, this means August. Not unlike Smith & Wollensky's Grill, the menu will offer burgers & a host of other casual, less expensive grub. But the real coup, will be the endless procession of flat screens and late-night hours. Might there finally be a sports bar with decent food - why has this concept not caught on yet? But wait, there's more...
The Scotto posse, who've been feeding the business lunch set at their midtown Fresco by Scotto and Fresco on the Go, have set their sights on the Financial District: 10 Hanover Square to be exact. Anthony Scotto tells us come November, the family will open another Fresco by Scotto outlet, this one a whopping 8,000 square foot space with more modern decor than their Tuscan-designed flagship.
Fresco by Scotto
10 Hanover Square
November opening
Angelo & Maxie's Steakhouse
233 Park Ave., at 19th St.
212.220.9200
website
Until we eat again,
Restaurant Girl
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February 18, 2007
121 East 17th St., btwn. Park & Irving Place
212-353-2121
TYPE: Continental grab bag
VIBE: Charmed townhouse
OCCASION:
BASEMENT DINING
I don't recommend it. Dining on this floor is like eating in a basement kitchen. We were sat directly next to the server station, where waiters came and went with orders. It's usually the norm for chefs to work inside the kitchen, but consulting chef Sean Olnowich (Wild Thyme in the Hamptons) stood on the outside passively inspecting plated dishes as they made their way to the dining room. I attempted to distract myself from the bustle with the wine list; an eclectic and happily inspired 150-bottle selection, featuring 15 quartinos and 25 half-bottles. I settled upon a ambrosial red - Agamium 2004 from Piedmont - which for only $38, was the very definition of a "bang for your buck" bottle.
The seared branzino was an unremarkable fish served atop an unpleasantly cold and bland white bean salad with yellow beets. I didn't want to eat at the restaurant and not indulge in their signature, "The House" Lasagna. A slice of lasagna arrived unravelled: a warm mess of tomato sauce was studded with a flavorful wild boar and undetectable pancetta. It was good, not great.
The House offers a daily selection of Blackhound's baked goods, Il Laboratorio del Gelato ice cream and Steve's key lime tart, which begs the question: who is Steve? Apparently Red Hook's key lime connoisseur, it was indeed nicely tart and smooth. But if I want to eat store-bought desserts, I'll make a City Bakery run and adjourn to my apartment.
Until we eat again,
Restaurant Girl
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July 24, 2006
TYPE: Contemporary Japanese & sushi
VIBE: Feng shui sleek
OCCASION: Entertaining
QUICK CHEAT SHEET:
Drink - Wine by the bottle (the best bang for your buck)
Start with - Baked king crab nigiri
Eat - Wagyu brisket ravioli
Finish with - Chocolate indulgence
In a city being systematically swallowed by gargantuan Japanese eateries, the newest attack, this one mostly by sea, has set its sights on Gramercy Park's restaurant row. Having already succeeded in becoming a prominent fixture on Chicago's culinary map, Japonais takes an 11,000 square foot stab at NYC and refreshingly manages not to make a scene about it. The stylish space is divided into numerous intimate nooks, including an outdoor veranda, main dining room, upstairs & downstairs lounge (equipped with a DJ) - all outfitted with walnut, red & golden hues.
While I was tempted to linger in a sexy banquette-filled lounge, already brimming with a trendy crowd, I chose to dine centerstage, sinking into a cushy
Though the menu seems somewhat intimidating and lengthy, it's simple to navigate if you start with sushi, but focus your efforts (and money) on the cooked "Hot Kitchen Specialties". I began with an inside-out spicy octopus roll, topped with a tuna tartare so fiery even the sweet eel sauce couldn't offset the heat, practically rendering my tastebuds useless for the rest of the meal. Luckily, my tongue recovered just in time for a fantastic Kani Nigiri, a tangy tangle of spicy baked king crab wrapped in seaweed. My last stop in the sushi section was a Tuna Tuna Salmon roll: generous slabs of silky and fresh ahi tuna arrived draped over a dried-out baked salmon roll (I would've preferred the ahi tuna solo).
But it was smooth sailing once I hit the cooked dishes. Wagyu brisket raviolis were nearly perfect: tender and sumptuous pillows of wagyu simmering in a sweet sea of mirin & beer broth so delicious that I had to be physically restrained from picking up the bowl and lapping up the rest of the addictive broth. Then came "The Rock", a kitschy & tasty do-it-yourself signature steak dish, that should be required eating by every table. Marinated in a sweet soy sauce, slivers of paper-thin New York strip are cooked any way you like it - just throw a sliver on your personal hot rock (but don't touch the rock).
Come dessert, I spent time with the Chocolate Indulgence, an unmemorable trio of decadent sweets. I tried not to pick favorites, but the chocolate truffle beignets - warm and fluffy bite-sized donuts - stashed an unusually rich, dark chocolate ooze that gloriously spilled out when bitten.
May 30, 2006
250 Park Avenue South (at 20th St.)
(212)995-0242
TYPE: Mediterranean
Where the food might seem an accessory to the trendy scene (the music's just a tad too loud), Barbounia delivers a unexpectedly satisfying eating experience. The menu highlights meze (small plates), souvlaki (skewers), and entrees as well as a stand-out whole fish selection: baked, grilled, or broiled. First, my night began with an "olympia" cocktail, a seductive (not too sweet) elixir of champagne, pear, Beefeater and fresh lemon juice. Next, I sampled an exceptionally tender and sweet charred octopus, gently tossed with lemon zest, plump grape yellow tomatoes and fava beans with the perfect kick of sherry vinaigrette. The lamb gouvetsi was a tasty stew of savory minced lamb, tomato ragu and risotto, but much too rich a dish to order as an appetizer (I dare suggest it be relocated to the entree section).
Think fish when it comes to your main course. I tried a delicate yet crispy-skinned red snapper sharply accented by artichoke hearts, olives and sweet red peppers. The branzino (I got it grilled) was expertly prepared, a fresh, flaky meat with a touch of lemon and olive oil. While the desserts stumbled, I decided to cap off my visit with a brandied apricot cocktail, a toothsome end to my Barbounia vacation.
Until we eat again,
Restaurant Girl
March 9, 2006
So maybe I was that annoying girl in junior high who ran to the front of the line at recess, and I may have crossed the starting line before the official even blew the whistle, and just maybe, I ate at Andrew Carmellini's A Voce on opening night. A restaurant girl never tells.
Of course, I've been warned by countless critics to wait until after a restaurant had fine-tuned the food and ironed out all the wrinkles, but I was, well, I was hungry. By the dark of night, I scurried down to Andrew Carmellini's new pad on Madison & 26th, a practical culinary wasteland except for Alex Urena's new digs only blocks away. You might want to sit because what I discovered may astound you.
As if he'd moved in months ago, he seemed surprisingly at home in this serenely modern new space. From the waitstaff to the plates, everything seemed to be in place. If I had to find fault, A Voce had a little too much help, but who could hold being overstaffed against anyone. After all, he was doing it all to impress me.
From the eclectic wine list to the refreshingly simple menu, he did his best to wine and dine me. First there was vegetable antipasti, pasta e fagioli soup with a goat cheese spin and how could I not at least consider the prospect of grilled octopus. What to order, what to order? I happily settled on the duck meatballs antipasto basking in a heavenly dried cherry mostarda (simply--a cherry sauce).
Moved by the intense foie gras center of each tender bite, I was instantly taken with him.
(DUCK MEATBALLS)
Even the winter insalata, ripe with green apple, marcona almonds and watercress managed to be perfectly memorable.
(WINTER INSALATA)
He didn't stop there. Rigatoni, pumpkin, lamb shank ravioli, he was eager to fulfill my every whim. Sadly, I wasn't as intrigued with a tasteless white tuna dressed in citrus, atop an even less memorable cloud of parsnip puree.
(GRILLED TUNA BIANCO)
I still longed for something sweet. Could he finish what he started or would I need to see someone on the side to satisfy my darkest cravings? He sealed the deal with a chocolate panna cotta laced with sour cherries, worth every naughty bite. It was then I knew A Voce was no passing fling. No, I’d be back for more...
(CHOCOLATE PANNA COTTA:)
RESTAURANT GIRL RANKS--
A VOCE -- "WORD OF MOUTH" IN ITALIAN
NEW GUY ON THE BLOCK: ANDREW CARMELLINI (OF CAFE BOULUD STATUS)
THE TYPE: MODERN REGIONAL ITALIAN
DON'T MISS DISH: THE DUCK MEATBALLS
DON'T BOTHER: NOTHING (YET, BUT I'LL BE BACK;)
WAIT: NONE, BUT GRAB A RESERVATION QUICK BEFORE A VOCE'S THE WORD IN EVERYBODY'S MOUTH
1-10: 6.5
$: ON THE PRICEY SIDE
FINAL WORD: WORTH A VISIT
41 Madison Ave. (at 26th Street) (212)545-8555
Until next thyme...;)
Danyelle
