By pastry chef Ellen Mirsky
(Serves 6)

For the yuzu cheesecake:

• 1/2 lbs soft cream cheese
• 1 tbs  yuzu
• ½  tsp vanilla
• 2 ¼  oz sugar 
• 2 oz crème fraiche
• 3 oz heavy cream
• 1 3/4 sheets gelatin (bloomed)

Directions:

1. In a mixer (such as Kitchen Aid), whisk the cream cheese, yuzu, vanilla, sugar, and crème fraiche together till it is soft and creamy.
2. In another mixer bowl, whisk the heavy cream to soft peak and place the bowl in the  refrigerator till ready to use.
3. Place a small pot of water on a high flame and bring to a boil. Put the gelatin in a small bowl, reduce the heat to a simmer and place the bowl on top of the heat. Stir constantly till the gelatin dissolves.
4. Slowly temper the gelatin into the cream mixture.
5. Fold in the whipped cream a little at a time till all of the cream is incorporated. Pour the mixture into a piping bag and pipe into flexi molds and freeze. After the cheesecakes are frozen, pop them out of the molds and place on a parchment lined sheet pan and put in the refrigerator to thaw out.

For the macadamia nut crust:

• 8oz macadamia nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly toast the nuts for about 7 minutes till golden brown. Cool, chop roughly and set aside.

• For the coconut tuilles:
• 2 oz desiccated coconut
• 2 ½ oz sugar
• ½ oz all purpose flour
• 2 egg whites
• ¾ oz melted butter
   

1.    Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2.    Mix together in a bowl the coconut, sugar, and flour.
3.    Slowly stir in the egg whites till the mixture is all combined.
4.    Stir in, a little at a time, the cooled melted butter.
5.    Let stand in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
6.    Cut an oblong shaped template out of plastic approx. 6’’ long by 1’’ wide and spread the tuille batter thinly over the template on a sprayed silpat. Bake approx. 3-4 minutes till golden brown.

For the blackberry sauce:

• 8oz blackberry pure
• touch of a lime juiced
• ½ oz simple syrup
• ¼ oz water
   

Combine all in a bowl, mix together and strain through a chinois. Chill.

For the basil seeds:

• ½  tsp basil seeds
• 3 ½ oz warm water
   

Combine water with basil seeds and let bloom –about 5- 10 minutes.

To plate:

• Raspberries

Make a design of lines on the bottom of the plate. Take the chopped macadamia nuts and place at different spots around the cheesecake. Place the tuilles in the top of the cake at angles. Put some raspberries on the plate over the sauce, and place some basil seeds over the berries falling onto the plate.

Phone:(212)343-7011
Address: 210 Elizabeth St., nr. Prince St.

Until we eat again,
Restaurant Girl
**Don't forget to subscribe for Restaurant Girl's Weekly Newsletter**

Pommes Frites
123 2nd Avenue
Btwn.  7th Street and St Mark’s Place
(212) 674-1234
http://www.pommesfrites.ws/ 
Piled in paper cones, these twice-fried potatoes serve as the foundation for twenty-five different sauces, ranging from Vietnamese Pineapple Mayo to Irish Curry.  Leave your calorie counter at the door and indulge in the frites with poutine. Topped with Canadian-cured cheddar and doused in rich chicken gravy, it requires a fork and a brave soul to down an order in one sitting. 

Rare Bar & Grill
303 Lexington Avenue
Btwn. 37th & 38th  Streets
(212) 481-1999
www.rarebarandgrill.com 
Though this Murray Hill restaurant is better known for its burgers and steaks, take advantage of their $10 basket of fries with dipping sauces. Shoestring fries come in a crispy tangle, alongside thick and round cottage fries (with the skin on of course,) but it’s the pencil-thin sweet potato fries with their honey maple dipping sauce that really steal the show here.

JG Melon
1291 74th Street at 3rd Avenue
(212) 650-1310
This UES burger fixture is praised by New Yorkers for its decidedly classic approach to the cheeseburger. The cottage fried potatoes are a must. Pillowy and crisp, they have the ridged appearance of bread and butter pickles and a salty bite, ideally washed down with a pint of beer.

La Goulue
746 Madison Avenue
Btwn. 64th and 65th Street
(212) 988-8169
http://www.lagouluerestaurant.com/home_ie.htm
This Madison Avenue bistro manages to elevate the french fry to a haute cuisine.  Its extraordinarily crispy, homemade frites are a signature "garniture" amongst a menu of roasted duck, steak tartar and souffle aux fromages. We advise a leisurely Sunday brunch -- for $36.95, diners can ease into the day with a Kir Royal, morning pastries, a steak with bernaise sauce and, of course, a pile of their delicious fries.

Jackson Hole
3501 Bell Boulevard
Bayside, Queens
(718) 281-0330
www.jacksonholeburgers.com 
This neighborhood greasy spoon offers a consistently thick, juicy burger and unusually thick fries.   Don’t mind the sometimes, gruff service.  Instead, focus your attention on the fries, which accompany virtually every dish — these golden wedges are a meal unto themselves, and well worth the long walk back to the Long Island Railroad station. 

Resto
111 East 29th Street
Btwn. 3rd and Lexington Avenues
(212) 685-5585
www.restonyc.com 
The “frites,” served in  at this authentic Belgian restaurant are thick, crisp and served with a variety of unique dips.  Mayo, sweet chili, and lime pickle are frequent choices, but go for the gribiche, an oil and vinegar concoction made with piquant capers, pickle, shallots and parsley.  They’re best eaten with Resto’s seasonal “Brentwood” cocktail, a biting blend of Plymouth gin, chartreuse, and kaffir lime.

Nice Matin
201 West 79th Street
At Amsterdam Avenue
(212) 873-6423  
www.nicematinnyc.com 
Nearly anything you order from Nice Matin’s bistro menu commands a side of steak frites with mayo; their light, delicate texture makes for an addictive accompaniment to this French spot’s hearty fare. Try a Nice Royale cocktail to wash them down.  Made with peach, gin, champagne, sage and lemon, it’s a clean and crisp counterpart to the salty, grease-free fries.

Ship of Fools
1590 2nd Avenue
Btwn. 82ndand 83rd Streets
(212) 570-2651
Patrons don’t seem to mind taking their eyes off of the game to give their attention to the fries at this Upper East Side sports bar.  The double-dipped batter coating endows each fry with a hot crispy outer layer, while still maintaining the rich potato interior. Though they also offer sweet potato and cottage versions, stick with tradition for the finest fry experience.

Brasserie
100 East 53rd Street
Btwn. Lexington and Park Ave.
(212) 751-4840
http://www.rapatina.com/brasserie/  
The fries at this refined, modern French bistro are given crunch and flavor from the generous amount of fleur de sel sprinkled on top, all the while retaining a light, airy consistency that pairs well with everything from their bacon oyster mushroom cheeseburger to a filet mignon with béarnaise sauce.

F&B Gudt Food
269 W 23rd St
Btwn. 7th Ave & 8th Ave.
(646) 486-4441
www.gudtfood.com
This small European import offers an impressive list of hot dogs, wursts, Swedish meatballs and beignets, but the real find here are the battered sweet potato fries. Served in a white paper cup with a fork, their bright orange hue is highlighted by bits of potato skin.  They’re best devoured with a glass of lemonade.

Until we eat again,
Restaurant Girl
**Don't forget to subscribe for Restaurant Girl's Weekly Newsletter**

By Chef Nikki Cascone of 24 Prince/Top Chef Chicago
(For 4 chops or small loins)

“Now that the warmer weather is upon us and grilling can become a regular routine in our menu options, here are some easy tips for success.  I love grilling pork; the flavor and texture from the grill only accentuates its sweet flavors.  Using lean and organic cuts can be very healthful as well. There are great pork farmers that can be easily accessed at places like Whole Foods and these days most local supermarkets stock them, as well. I recommend Berkshire Farms, one of my favorites. 
I always prepare my pork in a quick brine so that the meat, especially the leaner cuts, stay moist and keep the flavor when cooking. As there is very little fat, the meat can get dry otherwise. 

Here is a simple brine which can also be used for poultry if you prefer. I suggest brushing some fresh peaches with olive oil and grilling them with a few springs of rosemary to serve right along side your Pork.” 

Ingredients:

• 5 garlic cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 1 cup water

Put all herbs together in a small sauce pot and heat to release flavor. Let cool to room temperature.

Mix together:

• 5 cups room temperature water
• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup salt

When herb mixture is cooled add both together and add meat.  Refrigerate. It is very important that the water and mixture are no warmer than room temperature when adding the meat.

Phone: (212)226-8624
Address: 24 Prince St., btwn. MOtt & Elizabeth Sts.

Chocolate molten cake with sea salt and pistachios and vanilla crème brulee made with Madagascar vanilla beans may sound like avant-garde desserts served in an upscale restaurant, but both sell for five dollars out of a truck parked on St. Mark’s Place. The DessertTruck is the brainchild of former Le Cirque pastry sous chef, Jerome Chang, who graduated from The French Culinary Institute.   Chang creates restaurant-style sweets that have earned the attention of publications, like Food & Wine as well as the New York Times.  With summer in full swing, Jerome helps customers cool off with a chilled milk chocolate and peanut butter mousse topped with caramel popcorn as well as a more unusual concoction of coconut tapioca with pineapple, cilantro “pearls,” and mojito granita.

 

Single/married/divorced?
I am in a committed relationship with a beautiful chocolatier.

What did you want to be when you grew up?
First, I don’t think I’ve grown up yet (believe me, I’m trying to), and up until I decided to enroll at FCI several years ago, I had no clue what I wanted to be. I ended up practicing law for one year so I guess I was like a drifter in a suit for a while.

What was your first job in food?
My very first job was a very brief stint in the pastry kitchen of The River Café but I left in order to learn under my mentor, Michael Zebrowski, at the Westin Governor Morris.  

What inspired you to create the concept of gourmet desserts from a truck?
Chris Chen, co-founder of DessertTruck, and I really got a kick out of discovering amazing food on the streets of Taiwan so we were always kicking around ideas for great street food in NYC ranging from yakitori to burgers to papaya milkshakes.  But the idea that really stuck was having a truck sell top-notch desserts.  It didn’t hurt that I knew something about pastry.  Additionally, we were and continue to be very passionate about changing the notion that cheap desserts only include brownies, cookies and sundaes.   

The truck used to be parked on University Place and 8th Street. What inspired the move to St. Mark’s Place?
Once the NYU summer session began, there wasn’t enough foot traffic at the old location, and some complained that it was too far from the subway, too far removed from the bars or too difficult to find.  We came to agree - it’s a bit of a no-man’s land over there…not quite West Village, not quite East Village.

Your most popular desserts are the warm chocolate bread pudding and the molten chocolate cake.  What have you added with the advent of summer?
We’ve included two homemade sodas, rhubarb and spiced pineapple.  We’ve also included a pavlova with fresh berries and thyme pastry cream, rhubarb soup with crème fraiche, goat cheese cake with rosemary caramel, a chilled and crunchy dark chocolate parfait with cocoa nibs.  Some of those items are already off the menu since we’re always trying new things.  We only have three staples: chocolate bread pudding, molten chocolate cake, and crème brulee.

You use “econtainers” for many of your desserts - are there any other eco-friendly aspects to Dessert Truck?
We take the steps that most restaurants take to be eco-friendly – recycling and minimizing waste are the biggest ones.  

What are the pros and cons to working out of a truck as opposed to a small restaurant?...

134 Reade St., between Hudson & Greenwich Aves. (212) 941-9401
Tue.-Sun., 5 p.m.-11 p.m.

CUISINE Modern American
VIBE Wintry Tribeca haunt
OCCASION Casual date; group dinner
DON'T MISS DISH Kampachi tartare; fettuccine "carbonara"
PRICE Appetizers, $12-$18; entrees, $26-$34; dessert, $9-$11
RESERVATIONS Recommended

Larry Forgione is often called the "godfather of American cooking." His restaurant in St. Louis, An American Place, is a tribute to our country's rich culinary history, a place where home-cooking standards like mac and cheese go to get refurbished.

For Marc Forgione, Larry's 29-year-old son, that's a tough act to follow. But after working beside his father for a couple of years, he has opened an American place of his own, Forge, in Tribeca. The windows have been flung open onto the overheated streets. Customers have come in a summery mood, wearing sundresses and sandals. And yet, it feels like winter inside this dimly lit cocoon.

Forge is a dressed-up, down-home restaurant that serves dressed-up, down-home cooking. But don't let looks fool you.  Potato salad can be a splendid thing. At Per Se, Thomas Keller lifts it into a state of transcendence. At Forge- not so transcendent. The amuse bouche is a simple spoonful of potato salad topped with caviar. It tastes like a picnic gone awry, a muddle of flavors that even caviar can't redeem.

Or take the chicken "nuggets." To my companion's disappointment, they aren't fast-food size. Or fast-food priced. They cost $14, and they're the size of chicken handballs, served, as handballs should be, with onion remoulade plagued by much too much mayonnaise. Not everything is American at Forge. And not everything at Forge is unsuccessful.

The fettuccine "carbonara" - not my quotations marks - is really good: supple ribbons of pasta painted with cream sauce and specked with crispy chunks of bacon, peas and oyster mushrooms. It's a do-it-yourself carbonara, crowned with a sunny yellow yolk.

But the kampachi tartare is even better - fresh, sweet shreds of baby yellowtail sprinkled with pine nuts, radish, and avocado.

Most dishes seem to be missing one pivotal player. It's a slightly tragic but recurring theme that unfolds over a succession of dinners. The coco bean "risotto" ends up tasting like overcooked white beans, a listless landscape for sliced medallions of lamb that deserve something brighter than a whisper of lemon. There is a duck entrée that comes with its own cloying swamp of cherry reduction as well as a virtually tasteless snapper "en croute."

Come dessert, do the American thing and order the summer berry pie. It arrives in a teacup, but the ripeness of the berries could easily engulf a pie of extravagant dimensions. It comes with a crème fraiche ice cream. Or try the chocolate bread pudding with kirsch-steeped cherries and pistachio ice cream. Whatever you do, Forge on to dessert. No pun intended, of course.

Doughnut Plant
379 Grand Street
Btwn. Essex and Grand St.
(212) 505-3700
The “Blackout” doughnut is a tasting experience that I liken to a chocolate-induced state of Nirvana.  Imagine an exceedingly rich chocolate doughnut oozing with smooth chocolate pudding.  It's not only in a chocolate crumb-spackled glaze.  It’s devious and messy, but completely worth the sugar rush.

Russ and Daughters
179 East Houston Street
Btwn. 2nd Ave. and Chrystie Street
(212) 475-4880
This classic Lower East Side shop has been serving smoked fish and other Kosher specialties for several decades, nearly perfecting the bagel sandwich in the process.  Our favorite combination is lox with the caviar cream cheese.  This lush cream cheese with bursts of black caviar plays the perfect complement to the lox.

Buon Pane
Union Square Greenmarket, nr. the corner of 15th St.
Every Monday at the Union Square Greenmarket, this stand offers a multitude of confections, the best being the focaccia and stuffed breads.  We like the goat cheese and cranberry round at breakfast time.  Topped with the crispy, melted cheese, the sweet dough is riddled with juicy cranberries and exceptionally chewy.  It's a perfect treat to eat while taking in the rest of the greenmarket goods. 

Balthazar
80 Spring Street (btwn. Broadway and Crosby Street)
(212) 965-1414
If you have time to spare for a leisurely breakfast, stop in to Balthazar around 8 AM and order the famous Le Painier, which, for $16, is filled with an decadent supply of delectable pastries.  Served with butter and jam, there are nine pieces of delicious baked goods, particularly the almond-topped fruit focaccia and the two pieces of fluffy chocolate bread. 

Norma’s
118 West 57th Street
at Le Parker Meridian Hotel
(212) 708-7460
Norma’s is famous for its show-stopping breakfast dishes, including the very berry brioche (pictured above) and caramelized chocolate banana waffle napoleon.  But our favorite find is the wonderfully moist banana loaf, hidden in the bread basket.  It's perfect paired with a complementary shot of the daily smoothie.

Tai Pan Bakery
37-25 Main Street
Flushing, Queens 11354
(718) 888-1111
If you're craving something sweet and gooey, you’d be wise to visit this popular Flushing bakery for what the bakery calls their “yummy toast.”  Listed in the hot snacks section, this sandwich is made of two pillows of slightly browned white bread, which envelope a dangerous combination of smooth peanut butter and sweetened condensed milk.  Wash it down with a cup of refreshing iced ginseng tea.

Almondine Bakery
85 Water Street
Brooklyn, NY
(718) 797-5026
www.almondinebakery.com
This Waterfront bakery is perhaps most famous for its almond croissant, a viennoisiere classic, completely covered in sliced almonds and powdered sugar.  This flaky pastry has a wonderfully moist almond filling.  But seeing as they often and sadly sell out at lightning speed, the chocolate croissants are a worthy concilation prize.  Not to mention that they're often touted as some of the best croissants in Brooklyn.

By Chef & Owner Scott Conant

Ingredients:

• 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced lengthwise
• Kosher salt
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 to 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, plus more for a garnish
• 1 teaspoon fresh chopped parsley, plus more for a garnish
• 2 slices bacon, preferably thick cut, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick lardons
• 1 cup very thinly sliced asparagus (from about 10 asparagus)
• 1 cup very thinly sliced green beans (from about 25 green beans) 
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallion (from 2 large or 3 medium shallots)
• 1/2 cup finely diced carrot (from about 1 medium carrot)
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon paprika,
• Freshly ground black pepper
• About 2 cups soy oil or peanut oil for pan frying
• 4 soft shell crabs, cleaned
  

Preparation:
Make a pea puree: In a small saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot, season with a generous pinch of salt, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add half of the peas and the chicken broth. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook the peas until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the parsley and the tarragon. Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor (or use a hand blender right in the pot) and puree it. (You can make the pea puree ahead and refrigerate it; rewarm it before serving.)

Crisp the bacon: In a sauté pan, cook the bacon lardons until crispy. Remove them from the pan, reserve them in a warm place, and wipe the pan clean.

Cook the vegetables...

This handy summer gadget is a mobile beach party.  The Collapsible Rolling Musicooler has its own portable radio, CD player and plugs to hook up your own MP3 player and can hold 54 twelve ounce cans to boot.  Don't you just hate it when your speakers get covered in sand?  Finally an excuse to spend hours making your next playlist...

Collapsible Rolling Musicooler

Care to share your favorite kitchen gizmo? Email Us.

Jacques Torres doesn’t just love chocolate, he lives it.  Beginning his career at France’s Hotel Negresco, Jacques has traveled the world to perfect his craft, a chocolate passion that has led to numerous cookbooks, television shows, and the coveted title of top pastry chef for France’s prestigious Meilleur Ouvrier competition.  Despite all of his experience, Jacques has only increased his desire for learning and discovery, incorporating fresh and seasonal flavors into a line of innovative chocolates that is straight out of Willy Wonka.  At any of his three New York locations, customers can cool down this summer with a smooth, dark iced chocolate, huge chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches, or the "Love Bug," a white chocolate truffle with a key lime center.

Single/married/divorced?
Married for less than a year.

What did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a diver, a carpenter, and I ended up being a pastry chef. That was quite unexpected because I wanted to be a savory chef like my brother.

What was your first job in food?
I was a waiter at a restaurant. I was 13 or 14, and during the summer on my days off I would work. That’s how I discovered the world of food.

Which kitchen tool do you always keep on hand?
It is difficult to say. Kitchen tools are like fingers-no one is more important than the other. Every tool is important. But I would say good knives are a must. 

Many countries are famous for their chocolate- which country’s chocolate do you love the most?
Today we travel all around the world-it used to actually be exotic to travel to Europe. Now the countries don’t have the boundaries we used to have. What I love about America is that there is a lot of innovation-right now I think Vosges is doing something with chocolate and bacon. Only in America will you find that.

What did you learn while working as the pastry chef at Le Cirque?
I learned a lot about people. I learned how to communicate with the customer. I cooked for the pope, celebrities, presidents…there was a group of people out there who knew a lot about food who came to Le Cirque. I also learned about public relations, press, and really making a name for yourself. It’s important to make the customer aware that you exist.

What compelled you to open up a chocolate shop in DUMBO?
The least expensive and closest place to Manhattan, and that was DUMBO. I was very lucky because three years later DUMBO became very expensive. I had one of the best deals.

What characteristics should one look for in perfectly tempered chocolate?
Shiny, smooth, and the texture is hard and crunchy. THAT is tempered chocolate.

What aspects of chocolate have prompted you to share your passion with others in both your cookbooks and your television shows, Dessert Circus and Chocolate with Jacques Torres?
Chocolate is a magic product. It used to be the food of the gods. Chocolate used to be the beverage you drank when you spent the first night with your wife. Chocolate was the drink before you went to war to give you courage. Chocolate today is a mystic product. When you’re in an elevator, and you have to say one word that will capture everyone’s attention-young and old – say “chocolate” and I guarantee everyone will stop what they’re doing to look at you. It’s a universally loved product. At the time I started, there was really no chocolate in New York. So I thought, “I’ll have no competition” and I’ll be the Mr. Chocolate of New York. 

You’ve received many awards, including the prestigious Meilleur Ouvrier de France Patissier competition of which you were the youngest to ever win. How have these achievements affected your passion as a chocolatier?
I was 26, and at 26 you need to keep learning. But with that title, you can’t take any courses. That’s why I decided to get out of France and attack another challenge, not just live off of my title. And that’s why I came to America.

In 1980, you began working under Chef Jacques Maximin at France’s Hotel Negresco, and have been able to travel around the world as a result. How have you incorporated your international experiences into your current chocolates?
Traveling is one of the most important parts of my chocolate making. A lot of my research, a lot of inspiration, comes from traveling. When I travel, I love to go to Europe and see what’s going on. I went to Oaxaca, Mexico to try spices and I was immediately hooked. In Germany and Switzerland I would look at new equipment and try even more products.

How has your chocolate factory changed and developed since opening in 2001?
We reflect what people want. I discovered that you can’t do what you want, but you have to do what the customer wants, though you can still play a little bit. Every day we look at what our top five most popular items are. Cookies are always there-I would never expect that cookies would go in front of chocolate. Still, I but the cookies next to the cash register because that’s what the public wants.

How do you go about choosing new flavors to add to your chocolate collection?
Traveling is one of the most important things. You can’t change your line of products every month; with inventory it’s impossible. You have your standards and then you have one or two things that you can play with. Taking a seasonal approach is very important too.

What is your favorite chocolate on the menu at Jacques Torres Chocolate Haven?
It’s a question I get a lot and a question I cannot answer. If I go behind the counter and try something, only to not like it, I’ll remove it. Every one of them has a reason to be on the menu. What I can tell you is that we work with a lot of fruit and alcohol and plenty of butter. No compound, no flavoring. Only fresh raspberries, lemon, coffee – everything is real. When chefs are young and just starting out, they think creativity is putting a lot of stuff together – it’s very complicated. The more experienced you get, the more simple things are, but with higher quality. Therefore, I’ve been “cleaning” and “trimming” my recipes for a long time to perfect them.

What is your least favorite (and yes, you must pick one)?
I discovered you need to learn to fail more, to try more. I remember falling in love with the scent of this particular tobacco – a mixture of leather and hay. So years later, I bought the tobacco and decided to make an ice cream with it. That thing was…disgusting. That was so bad; your throat was burning and you could get sick off of it. If it doesn’t work, you have to be honest with yourself.   

What culinary trends do you embrace?
Don’t try to stay French, don’t try to stay American. I like it when chefs embrace the flavors of the world, not just the flavors of their country. I love it in fact.

What culinary trend do you wish would just die already?
I love history. You need to know what happened yesterday in order to feed the knowledge of tomorrow. You can always take something from yesterday. I don’t mind anything as long as it embraces history. Then, there’s a group of people that hates this new form of micro-cooking. But I love it. If it’s good, why not?

What is your favorite junk food?
It’s funny but, like my cooking I’m eating cleaner and cleaner. Now if it’s in a bag, I rarely eat it. I used to be able to eat burgers, French fries, six cookies… if I’m going to eat something with a lot of calories, it’d better be good. But really, I try to eat better.

Do you consider chocolate a junk food?
Chocolate? No, no. Nice, dark, 70 or 80% chocolate is good for you and tastes good. I would compare it to pleasure. I read a joke last night: What is the difference between men and chocolate? And the answer was, chocolate brings you pleasure every time. Bad for men but good for chocolate.

Any new projects on the horizon? Spill the beans…
I’m looking to extend to Vegas or to a place like Dubai where things are moving fast. In New York City, another two stores. I don’t know when, I don’t know how, or where, but definitely two stores. I don’t want to reveal too much.

Flagship Location
Address: 350 Hudson St., at King St.
Phone: (212)414-2462
www.mrchocolate.com

Until we eat again,
Restaurant Girl
**Don't forget to subscribe for Restaurant Girl's Weekly Newsletter**

Going to the Hamptons used to mean grilling at home. One good reason was local produce, local fish and local meats. But it was also nearly impossible to get a reservation at the best restaurants in the area.

Now everything's changed. Suddenly there are a lot of restaurants worth leaving home for. Some of them will become fixtures (with impossible reservations) before long. These restaurants share a real pride in what Long Island grows - fresh sweet corn from the farm stand just down the street, flounder straight from the dock, rosé from a neighboring vineyard, sweet strawberries hiding under their leaves in a nearby field.

For young chefs here, it's a perfect opportunity. There's a captive audience of diners who are accustomed to eating in the best restaurants in Manhattan and around the world.

Read more:

• Classic Hamptons restaurants still going strong
• Restaurant Girl's personal faves

There's also a wealth of wonderful ingredients that redefine the idea of local, which in the Hamptons means really local. In Manhattan, that often means within a 200-mile radius, but here local often means within 10 miles.

The Hamptons are now a culinary destination themselves, which is something no one would've said five or 10 years ago. Here are the very best new restaurants at the beach.

KOBE BEACH CLUB

If you're in the mood for a $375 plate of meat - and who isn't ? - stop by Kobe Beach Club, a Hamptons outpost of the Kobe Club in midtown Manhattan. The room has the feel of an eclectic nightclub - creamy leather banquettes, subway-tile walls and chandeliers that look like samurai-sword wind chimes. One way to over-look the prices is to order a $15 glass of the P.I.N.K. punch. Or you can opt for a bowl of it for $150, made of muddled strawberries, vodka, lime and rosé Champagne. Only at Kobe by the beach can you get a summer steak salad with any cut of beef you want, including the wagyu.

I ordered the American-raised wagyu, which had a clean minerality and was excellent when paired with ripe chunks of apples and gorgon-zola. 44 Three Mile Harbor Road, East Hampton, (631) 604-2610

ALMONCELLO

Once upon a time - last year, that is - Almoncello was an average Mexican restaurant called Almondito. But the owners have been spending a lot of time in Northern Italy. They not only brought back a taste for Bolognese cooking, they also brought back a real respect for the house-made culture of Italian food. The charcuterie platter at Almoncello is piled with fatty ribbons of duck prosciutto, hearty fennel sausage and a melting globe of house-spun mozzarella. The wild shrimp cavatelli comes with sweet shrimp sausage and even homemade breadcrumbs sprinkled on top. By all means don't miss the scallop carpaccio, scattered with black-and-white sea salt. Afterward, try the nutella ganache, a disassembled cannoli made of mascarpone mousse sandwiched between crunchy hazelnut cookies. 290 Montauk Highway, East Hampton, (631) 329-6700

OSO

For the last 10 years, Peter Dunlop has been the chef at Sag Harbor's American Hotel. Now he's in the kitchen at Oso in Southampton, an American restaurant that's proud of its steaks. The $39 porterhouse could easily feed four adults, and there's a porterhouse for two that would fill up a CroMagnon family. Two inches thick and charred just right, it's accompanied by a hand-mashed beet puree. I ordered a wonderful blue claw crab cake speckled with peppers. The porcini ravioli was extremely simple - mushroom slivers bound in thick, doughy casings and spooned with a pungent Parmesan sauce. The only real disappointment was the room itself, which is indistinctive. 91 Hill St., Southampton, (631) 283-1166

SEN SPICE

In every way, Sen Spice defies the beach. It's dark, moody, urban, industrial. It's also Indian - freshly baked naan, brightly colored chutneys and pyramids of basmati rice on nearly every table. I started with a Mamizu cocktail, a clean, summery drink made of muddled cucumbers, lime juice and a green sake-based liqueur called Ty Ku. Anything from the tandoor oven is worth ordering, especially the lamb kebab and an appetizer of chicken wings. The naans are all bubbly, charred and fragrant. My favorite, the Peshawari Naan, studded with raisins, cashews and coconut, might even belong on the dessert menu. Don't miss the succulent prawns with five types of mango, including mango chutney and mango sea salt. 29 Main St., Sag Harbor, (631) 725-0101

SURF SHACK

Every year, it seems, there's a new restaurant in this no-frills roadhouse on Montauk Highway. This summer it's the Surf Shack, and I hope it will be next year, too. It's flip-flop food - lobster rolls and buckets of mussels, shrimps and clams, or (before 7 p.m.) a $12.95 steamed lobster with fresh corn on the cob. I asked for grilled fish in the fish tacos, not fried, and it was the right choice - a soft taco stuffed with fresh, flaky codfish, guacamole, tomatoes, lettuce and a splendid lime crème fraîche. The crème fraîche is a sign that there's a 23-year-old in the kitchen. So is the candied lime zest on the calamari salad. The chef, who worked the line at Oceana, Gramercy Tavern and Eleven Madison Park, is Matthew Purcell. His cooking is as playful in spirit as the surf post-ers lining the walls. Save room for the fresh-cooked Belgian waffles and cupcake or apple pie ice cream. 2095 Montauk Highway, Amagansett, (631) 267-6980

THE SURF LODGE

Let's forget that Sam Talbot was a "Top Chef" contender. Let's remember instead what he's doing at the Surf Lodge right now. He's passionately committed to local ingredients. And because he cooks at the tip of Montauk, he's able to use the very freshest fish. The flounder makes a very short trip from Gosman's dock to your plate, but the transformation it undergoes as it passes through the kitchen is amazing. It's fried whole, topped with vinegar-soaked cherries and accented with homemade curry oil. Talbot takes an unexpected turn in every dish. There are some surprising combinations here - like a crab ceviche tossed with popcorn, juicy blueberries, ginger and pickled onions. Or consider the coffee-rubbed filet mignon or the charred scallops - rare in the center - resting on a pedestal of pickled watermelon and seasoned with mint, smoked sea salt, chimichurri and ricotta salata. Eat outside, if you can, overlooking the pond. 183 Edgemere St., Montauk, (631) 238-5190

TUTTO IL GIORNO

Last year Scott Conant was the chef here. When he left to open Scarpetta in Manhattan, the owners redesigned the restaurant - a country house - to look exactly the way it should have last year, with white wood beams overhead, a long communal farm table and a fireplace painted the same weathered gray as the rest of the room. Now the chef is Maurizio Marfoglia, who was the executive chef at Barolo in SoHo. To my surprise, the menu isn't really missing Conant. There is a phenomenal ricotta ravioli with bits of raw and cooked Granny Smith apples, and lamb ragu braised in a red wine and cocoa reduction. I also recommend the veal paillard - served on the bone and crowned with spicy broccoli rabe - and the grilled Montauk swordfish, with minted cauliflower - purple, green and white. And then, to cap off the meal, a marvelous saffron soup with blackberries, strawberries and raspberries. 5 Bay St., Sag Harbor, (631) 725-7009

BABETTE'S Marvelous breakfast. Get the whole grain pancakes. 66 Newton Lane, East Hampton, (631) 329-5377

BLUE DUCK BAKERY & CAFE French baguettes and sunflower bread. 30 Hampton Road, Southampton, (631) 204-1701

BRIDGEHAMPTON CANDY KITCHEN Old-school soda fountain with great milk shakes, malts and lime rickeys. Main St., Bridgehampton, (631) 537-9885

DURYEA LOBSTER DECK Best barefoot outdoor dining on clams and lobsters. 65 Tuthill Road, Montauk, (631) 668-2410

DAVE'S BAR & GRILL Locals want to keep the wonderfully fresh fish here all to themselves. 468 West Lake Drive, (631) 668-9190

GOSMAN'S Chefs buy their seafood here. Enough said. 500 West Lake Drive, Montauk, (631) 668-5645

LUNCH A dynamite lobster roll. 1980 Montauk Highway on Napeague, (631) 267-3740

ROUND SWAMP FARM Fantastic fresh-baked blueberry and strawberry rhubarb crumble pies. 184 Three Mile Harbor, East Hampton, (631) 324-4438

WOLFFER ESTATE VINEYARD Wonderful vineyard sunset and rosé. 139 Sagg Road, Sagaponack, (631) 537-5106

VICKI'S VEGGIES I love this farm stand with a free, cut-your-own herb garden. 596 Montauk Highway, Amangansett, (631) 267-8272

THE VILLAGE CHEESE SHOP An extensive selection of more than 120 cheeses. 11 S. Main St., Southampton, (631) 283-6949

DELLA FEMINA As much about the guests as its fine American cooking. Cuisine: Modern American. Don't-miss dish: Maine Day halibut with local asparagus; Strawberry shortcake. 99 North Main St., East Hampton, (631) 329-6666

EAST HAMPTON POINT A terrific view of the harbor matched by a terrific raw bar. Cuisine: New American. Don't-miss dish: Gazpacho oyster shooters; milk chocolate Ovaltine semifreddo. 295 Three Mile Harbor Road, East Hampton, (631) 329-2800

FRESNO A romantic garden with excellent wine list. Cuisine: American. Don't-miss dish: Calamari with coriander-chipotle aioli; grilled pork chop. 8 Fresno Place, East Hampton, (631) 324-8700

LA PARMIGIANA Families flock to this Southampton spot for its pastas and pizzas. Cuisine: Casual Italian. Don't-miss dish: Spaghetti with frutta di mare; baked lasagna. 48 Hampton Road, Southampton, (631) 283-8030

MIRKO'S This cozy, husband and wife-run spot has been open for 25 years and is still going strong. Cuisine: Eclectic. Don't-miss dish: Sweetand-sour stuffed cabbage; rigatoni Bolognese. 670 Montauk Highway, Watermill, (631) 726-4444

NICK & TONI'S The hardest reservation in town. Cuisine: Mediterranean. Don't-miss dish: Zucchini chips; wood-roasted pork chop; polenta cake. 136 North Main St., East Hampton, (631) 324-3550

PALM (at the Huntting Inn) This is the best Palm there is. Cuisine: Steak-house. Don't-miss dish: East Coast Gigi salad; New York strip steak; hash browns. 94 Main St., East Hampton, (631) 324-0411

SAM'S A casual pizza joint with bubbly, thin-crust pies. Cuisine: Italian. Don't miss dish: Five-cheese pizza; rigatoni a la Sam's. 36 Newton Lane, East Hampton, (631) 324-5900

SANT AMBROEUS An NYC transplant with outstanding gelato and Milanese food. Cuisine: Upscale Italian. Don't-miss dish: Vitello tonnato; ravioli de la casa; hazelnut gelato. 30 Main St., Southampton, (631) 283-1233

SUNSET BEACH Saint-Tropez meets the Hamptons. Always a party here. Cuisine: French. Don't-miss dish: Crispy calamari salad; moules frites marinieres; steak frites. 35 Shore Road, Shelter Island, (631) 749-2001

A block north of Bedford Ave. in Williamsburg, old women sit in lawn chairs along the sidewalk, fanning themselves with the crossword puzzle. Kids play catch in the middle of the street. A cyclist stops to high-five a friend through the large open window of a restaurant.

It's a new spot, open only since December, but already it seems to belong to the old neighborhood. It's called Miranda. Inside, the tables are set with dishtowel napkins and grandmother china.

Most nights, the co-owner, Mauricio Miranda, greets you at the door. And if he's not there to greet you, you might want to come back another night. That's how much difference his presence makes. The other co-owner is Miranda's fiancée, Sasha Rodriguez, who is the chef. She and Miranda met at Verbena, a defunct Italian restaurant near Gramercy Park. He was a server and she was a line cook. Together, at Miranda, they make a perfect marriage of Mexican and Italian food.

It's interesting to see how naturally the ingredients of those two cuisines can be wedded. Instead of risotto, there's Mexican rice, as wonderfully glutinous but flavored with tomato and cumin.

These combinations completely transform familiar dishes. You order the garganelli, and out comes a dish that looks like baked ziti. It's every bit as fulfilling but a hundred times better. What makes the difference is tangy chunks of longaniza sausage.

Or take the arancini. You expect it to be made with ground veal or beef, but instead it's studded with spheres of chorizo and served over a garlicky tomato fonduta.

Eat a few of these dishes and you begin to realize how close the connection between Italian and Mexican cuisine really is. Sometimes, there's only one ingredient of separation.

The food here is neighborhood food, comfort food, every-night food - but with a twist. A perfect example is the chicken soup. It gets a spicy kick of habanero chili and a nudge of lime. The pork tenderloin feels almost pleasingly wintry, except for the mole verde sauce, which is really a bright taste of summer. A special of fluke, baked in parchment paper, is a delicate fillet balanced on a sticky mound of Mexican rice, julienned zucchini and a beet leaf that tastes unmistakably of the earth.

When Mauricio stops by the table, he is usually brimming with excitement. Sometimes, he's showing off a bottle from his interesting collection of wines, many from small or organic producers. (I liked the Torrontes 2006 and the Alentex rosé.)

Sometimes, he's proudly presenting his small mounds of hibiscus leaves - jamaica (ha-MIKE-uh) - from his grandmother's garden in southern Mexico. It appears in a drink called Kika - a blend of homemade jamaica syrup, port and prosecco that looks and tastes like a fizzy Kool-Aid cocktail.

Imagine a restaurant on a quaint, tree-lined street. Nearby, a few lonely restaurants attract just enough attention to survive. But this one is haunted - haunted by the ghosts of restaurants past.

Perhaps you've eaten in a place like this, where yesterday seems as vivid as the present. You go to the door you've always gone to, only to find it's moved 40 feet north. A young female hostess greets you, and yet you can't help expecting to see the gruff, French maitre d' who stood at a different door for 20 years. A grandfather clock - junked long ago - stands stubbornly in the corner sounding the stroke of midnight. And the newly gray walls suddenly fade to dingy green.

You open the menu and it's a palimpsest - traces of the old menu visible behind the new one. Bouillabaisse instead of a burger. French onion soup and steak frites instead of corned beef tongue and mixed market lettuces.

The street is MacDougal, the restaurant is Hundred Acres, and the ghost is Provence.

We all hunger for the past. So did Marc Meyer and Vicki Freeman - husband and wife - when they tried to resuscitate the original Provence just last year.

They gave it a sunny yellow coat of paint, installed a white marble bar and tweaked the Provence menu. But it didn't quite live up to the original Provence.

So they started over. They painted the walls gray, hung farm photos on the walls and scattered potted plants throughout the back garden. You can eat in the back garden, which feels like a greenhouse. Or at the communal table or up front by the windows, where you feel like part of the sidewalk life.

At a Hundred Acres, the menu changes daily. The soft-shell crab sandwich has already been replaced by a pike sandwich. The fried green asparagus has been replaced by fried green tomatoes. So don't get attached to any one dish.

But it's worth getting attached to the trio of toast, which tastes better than its name suggests. Two of the trio linger in my memory - a rubble of diced beets over a confited rabbit, generously spread on a thick crostini. And a luscious, salty whitefish topped with dill.

The kitchen does a really good job with Maine sea scallops, nicely charred and skewered with Tokyo baby turnips poised in a tangy yogurt-mint sauce. There's a gratifying riff on macaroni & cheese made with Westfield Farms goat cheese and specked with morel mushroom and English peas.

But there are too many disappointments. Even though the Southern fried rabbit is excellent, the Southern fried chicken is downright ordinary. The pretty pea-paved halibut is nicer to look at than to eat. The grits were swamped by too much olive oil. And speaking of swamped, the dandelion salad should probably be served with a life preserver.

Perhaps the best way to forget about Provence is to order from the dessert menu - perhaps a wonderfully fresh slice of blueberry pie or a moist chocolate layer cake with intense chocolate ice cream.

Nothing says 4th of July weekend like a big bbq on the beach.  The Chill and Grill Outdoor Kit just might be Gizmo Girl's favorite gizmo - it combines functionality with its built-in grill as well as convenience with its adjoined cooler.  And with a strap like a tote bag, hauling the goods never seemed so easy.  Have a happy 4th of July and a mean BBQ.

Chill and Grill Outdoor Kit

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This week's gizmo takes full advantage of our summer grilling possibilities: the Grill Tray conducts and retains heat from your charcoals, allowing for your cheeses to melt on your nacho chips and chicken fajitas to reach that perfect char.  Made from aluminum alloy, this gizmo even comes with a little family history - they're handmade at a Pennsylvania family's foundry dating back to 1892.  Now that's what we call an heirloom. 

Grill Tray

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Forget knife skills - the Professional Multi-Chopper can chop your way through any onion, cucumber, tomato and potato.  With three different pushers and four interchangeable stainless-steel blades, the chopping options are endless. No more tears in cutting onions, and frozen French fries are an item of the past.  And it's compact size makes for easy storage.

Professional Multi-Chopper 

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By Executive Chef & Owner Kurt Gutenbrunner
(Serves 4)

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 Filets of Halibut
• 2 Onions
• 1 Bunch Dill, Washed and Stems Removed
• 1 Cup Olive Oil
• 2 Cucumbers
• 1 lb. Chanterelles
• 3 T. Shallots, finely chopped
• 2 T. Thyme, finely chopped
• Canola Oil for cooking
• Wondra Flour for cooking
• 2 T. Butter
• 1 Lemon, Juiced

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375.  Coarsely chop Onions, place into a shallow baking dish, brush with Canola oil, and cover with foil.  Bake until Onions are soft,
approximately 30 minutes.  Cool and puree the onion using a blender.  Reserve the Onion Puree until ready to use.

2. Blend Olive Oil and Dill until smooth.  Chill the Dill Oil until ready to
use.
3. Seed and dice 1 Cucumber (Save the seeds and do not peel).  Reserve until ready to use.
4. Peel and coarsely chop the remaining Cucumber.  Blend this Cucumber, along with the saved seeds, until smooth.  Strain through a fine sieve and
cheesecloth.  Reserve the Cucumber Water until ready to use.
5. Slice Chanterelles.  Heat a sauté pan and add Canola Oil.  When pan is hot
add Chanterelles.  Sauté until most of the liquid had evaporated.  Add 1T.
Shallots, 1T. Thyme, Salt and Pepper.  Toss and reserve.
6. Combine diced Cucumber, 8 T. Cucumber water, 8 T. Onion Puree, Salt and Pepper in a small sauce pan. (Overly season the cucumbers)
7. Heat an ovenproof sauté pan and add 2 T. Olive Oil.  Season the Halibut and sprinkle with Wondra.  Place Halibut in pan.  When it is golden brown, turn and place into oven for  3 - 4 minutes.
8. While the Halibut is in the oven, heat the Cucumber mixture.  Once it is
heated, add 4 T. of the Dill Oil and Lemon Juice to taste.  Add Salt and Pepper if necessary.  Reheat the Chanterelles.
9. Remove the Halibut from the oven and return it to the stove.  Baste the
Halibut with Butter, 2 T. Shallots, and 1 T. Thyme.
10. Divide Cucumbers among 4 warm bowls.  Place Filets atop of the cucumbers, and top with Chanterelles.

Photo Credit: Maike Paul

Phone:(212)352-2300
Address: 344 West 11St., at Washington St.

Until we eat again,
Restaurant Girl
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Elettaria, one of the more recent editions to the West Village dining scene, serves an American menu with a spicy Indian twist, courtesy of chef/co-owner Akhtar Nawab’s upbringing.  Born in Louisville, Kentucky, but raised on a myriad of authentic Indian dishes, Akhtar brings his knowledge of both worlds to the table; an impressive list of culinary experiences (most recently the European Union) contributes as well.  Beginning his career at San Francisco’s Bizou, Akhtar continued to work on the West Coast before coming to New York’s Gramercy Tavern, where a growing partnership with owner Tom Colicchio led to the opening of Craft and Craftbar, for which he was the chef de cuisine. With such a wealth of American and European cooking under his belt, chef Akhtar has created a menu with interesting takes on such classics like chicken with asparagus and mushrooms, and seasoning it with the Indian spice fenugreek, while a chocolate peanut butter financier is given a kick with the assistance of curry powder.

Single/Married/Divorced?
Married

What did you want to be when you grew up?
Musician

What was your first job in food?
Dishwasher

You grew up on your moms’ native Indian foods.  Do any of the foods from your childhood show up on Elettaria’s menu in one form or another?
Sure, the keema of duck, the korma of pork. Never pork when I was a kid though.

Did working for Tom Colicchio at Gramercy Tavern, Craft and Craftbar prepare you for what it would be like to run your own restaurant?  Ever wish you could go back to not being the boss?
In some ways yes and in many no.  There is no substitute for experience.  Sometimes I guess, not often.

What does spice-driven mean to you exactly?  What are your favorite Indian spices to weave into dishes (other than the obvious cardamom)?
Spice driven is an application for us. We use spices to try to tie together American ingredients with an Indian mindset.  Szechuan and long peppers, saffron, sun dried lime powder, turmeric. 

With your background being Indian and your partner (Noel Cruz) being from the Philippines, what made you specialize in seasonal American ingredients when opening a restaurant?
We are just trying to use the great ingredients that surround us and include our upbringing in the process.

Cocktails also play in an important part of Elettaria.  Give us some tips on what to pair with which dishes.
Duck with Keema and Stinging Nettles paired with 8th Wonder.  Triggerfish with fried rice and poppy seeds paired with Ginger Rogers.

Were you able to take anything you learned from cooking at The E.U. gastropub and use it at Elettaria?
I think Elettaria is a very different place than The EU but yes.  Some of the things we were doing there we continued to work on here, the malfatti for the paneer, or the doughnuts we did there we also do here, rethought with an Indian sensibility.

Can we expect to find any of the homemade breads you rolled out in your mother’s kitchen at Elettaria one day?
One day, we are working on it.

What's your reaction to the recent battery of Elettaria reviews?
We feel great and very thankful.

What’s your favorite dish on the current summer menu?  Why?
The smoked duck salad with market strawberries and fennel.  I like the way the sweet strawberries work with the vinegar and very aromatic long pepper.  The rich, smoked duck is enhanced by the anise and sweet and sour vinaigrette.

What’s your least favorite dish (and yes, you must pick one)?
Maybe the green salad, but people like it.

What is your junk food of choice?
Captain crunch with crunchberries.

Other than your own, what’s your favorite restaurant in NYC?
Lupa.

What culinary trend do you most embrace?
Good, soulful cooking.

What trend do you wish would die already?
Frozen yogurt chains.

What’s next on the horizon for you?  Any new restaurants or ventures in the works?  Spill the beans.
Hopefully a lot for us. No, just focusing on Elettaria.

Phone:(212)677-3833
Address: 33 West 8th St., nr MacDougal St.

Until we eat again,
Restaurant Girl
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These days New York's finest mixologists seize the fruits of the summer as much as the chefs do...

PDT
113 St. Marks Pl., nr. First Ave.
(212) 614-0386
Short for "please don't tell," the secret's out about this East Village cocktail den.  Connoisseurs collect for Jim Meehan's Hemingway Daiquiri or the High Roller Menu.  But right now, the hot weather drink to order is the East India Cocktail, made from fresh-squeezed pineapple and orange juice with a kick of cognac. Then again, there's always Up-To-Date -- a spicy rye cocktail with hints of citrus and chamomile.

Elettaria
33 W. 8th st., nr. MacDougal St.
(212) 677-3833
The at this funky Village haunt have conceived an imaginative cocktails to complement the Akhtar Nawab's cooking.  The Mai Tai (pictured right) screams summer, but we were just as swayed by the absinthe-spiked Zombie Punch made with three types of rum and fresh-squeezed lime.

Milk & Honey 
134 Eldridge St., nr. Broome St.
unlisted phone number
Good luck making a reservation if you don’t already have the new number at this Lower Eastside speakeasy.  Any of the bartenders will gladly mix you a drink personalized to your tastes. The cucumber and gin-based Eastside Cocktail is perfectly refreshing, but the Pina Colada will transport you straight to a Caribbean-bound cruise ship (minus the lounge singers.)

Pegu Club
77 W. Houston St., 2nd floor
(212) 473-7348

Audrey Saunders, along with an expert team, crafts a fine list of fresh-squeezed potables at this second-floor hideaway.  We're fans of pineapple-infused Pisco Punch as well as the Aperol Sunset, topped with Nasturtium, which adds floral notes to this tequila favorite (pictured right.)

The Rusty Knot
425 West St., nr. 11th St.
(212) 645-5668
Owners Ken Friedman and Taavo Summer have equipped this quirky dive bar with a jukebox, pool table, fish tank, mai tais and tropical tiki drinks.  Summer in the city can come by way of the Zombie, made with guava and passion fruit juice.  But our favorite cocktail is their solid rendition of the Dark & Stormy, which comes in a tiki glass.

Death & Co.
433 East 6th St., nr. Ave. A
(212)388-0822
Death & Co. easily rates among Manhattan's finest cocktail bars.  Owners Dave & Ravi have amassed an impressive list of classics, including the Oaxaca Old-fashioned, Bushwick, and Monongahala Mule. They also serve four versions of the julep -- mint, maple, chamomile and our favorite, the "Not Quite Georgia Julep" made with peach brandy and applejack.

Church Lounge
2 6th ave., nr. White St.
(212) 519-6677
This isn't just another hotel bar.  The drink to get at this Tribeca lounge is the pungent, Strawberry Smash -- a combination of fresh strawberries, Beefeater gin and chopped basil.

Tailor
525 Broome St., nr. Thompson St.
(212) 334-5182
The bartenders at this avant-garde Soho spot don't mess around.  The man behind the madness is Eben Freeman, whose innovative cocktails nicely complement Sam Mason's sweet and savory menu.  Grab a stool and order the kumquat-flavored Caipirinha.  This riff on Brazil's national drink starts of salty - blame the soy caramel - but finishes on a subtly sweet note.

B Flat
277 Church St.,
(212)219-2970
There's no better place to hone your craft than Angel's Share in the East Village.  The former bartenders opened their own swanky bar in Tribeca.  We're partial to the Watermelon Man made with vodka and fresh-squeezed watermelon as well as the Misty - a mix of Chambord, rum, blueberries, calpico, lemon juice, and mint.  It's finished with a splash of champagne. 
   
Craftbar
900 Broadway, nr. 19th St.
(212) 461-4300
It tastes like summer all year round at this Gramercy spot, which serves a fantastic Craftbar margarita, made with fresh-squeezed grapefruit and orange juice.  Ditto the summery Mimosa, made with kumquats.  Of course, we wouldn't expect anything less from Tom Colicchio. 

Co-owner and executive chef Harold Moore has returned to the New York dining scene with Commerce. Moore is a chef whose resume is as impressive as his commitment to his new restaurant.  After spending time in both Daniel Boulud's and Jean-Georges’ kitchens, Moore further developed his classic approach to contemporary American cuisine at Montrachet and March.  At Commerce, his repertoire includes a porterhouse steak with cipollini onions, creamed spinach, and red wine shallot sauce as well as oysters with champagne, potatoes, leeks, and a decadent touch of caviar.

Status: Single/Married/Divorced
Married

What did you want to be when you grew up?
I was always drawn to high-stress occupations that were financially rewarding. I used to think about working on Wall Street or being a lawyer. Clearly, those thoughts didn’t last too long.

What was your first job in food?
I was the very busy “Toast Boy” at a diner in New Jersey. It was my sole job to make the toast during the breakfast and brunch rush. And it was a rough gig. You have no idea how picky people are about the “doneness” of their toast.

Much has been made about the restaurants $100,000 Anthanor oven and range in Commerce’s kitchen. Do brag about it…
I have to say that it’s the best. It’s French, custom-made to my specifications, and it give off perfectly even heat. It’s really a beauty.

What compelled you to take a year off from cooking to work on a tomato farm? Would you recommend the farm experience to all chefs at some point in their careers?
Honestly, I had just left Montrachet and was in between jobs and I wanted to earn some money to buy Springsteen tickets. Looking back it was a great experience though. I gave me some perspective on where the ingredients come from and how much work is put into getting it right. I would recommend that experience of other chefs.

How has the experience of being an owner at Commerce been different then being the chef in your previous restaurant stints?
I’ve always been a little too involved in things other than the kitchen. I would comment on the service sometimes…especially if it affected the food.  As an employee, it got me into trouble sometimes. But as an owner, I have that right now. It’s definitely more stressful being an owner. You think a lot more about money.

You earned your first real recognition at Montrachet where you were able to step out from behind the shadows of chefs like Jean-Georges and Daniel Boulud.  What do you learn from that experience?
I was always shy and at Montrachet I couldn’t be anymore. Drew did a great job urging me out of that and making sure I got out into the dining room to talk about the food and make my personality known.

The restaurants bread basket has gotten quite a bit of acclaim.  Which bread is your favorite?  Do you participate in the 5pm pretzel rolling before service every evening?
My favorite bread is the Roasted Pepper Olive Roll. But I also love the burnt ends of the Epi. I try to get in on the pretzel rolling everyday, but sometime I’m caught up with some other prep. It’s fun though.

You worked for two of the best chefs in the city (and country) in Daniel Boulud and Jean-Georges.  Which chef’s style of cooking would you say is closer to yours?
I think I’m closer in style to Daniel. I really draw on that experience as I was there at a formative time in my career.

What was your intention by the section of the menu devoted to sharing?
That section gives diners a chance to eat in a way they don’t get to at a lot of other restaurants. It’s festive to share and it gives the food a homestyle quality. It’s also fun for my guys in the kitchen to cook in an old fashioned way.

What's your favorite dish on the menu right now, and why?
The Beef Tataki is always my favorite because it reminds me of my Grandmother. She is Japanese and used to cook beef tataki for me as a kid. I could eat it everyday.

What's your least favorite dish (and yes, you must pick one)?
My Salad of 20 herbs sells like crazy. I like the dish, but I don’t really get what all the hype is about.

What is your junk food of choice?
Smartfood Popcorn.

Other than your own, what's your favorite restaurant in NYC?
I really like Babbo. I’ve been there 8 times or so and it’s always consistent, easy and the food is really good.

What culinary trend do you most embrace?
Sous-Vide cooking. There’s nothing like it.

What trend do you wish would die already?
I’m a little sick of hearing about everyone’s meat balls.

What's next on the horizon for you?  Any new ventures or restaurants in the
works?  Spill the beans…
I’m just trying to keep up with service at Commerce…

Address: 50 Commerce St.
Phone: (212) 524-2301

By Executive chef Joe Realmuto

Ingredients:

• 16 very thin slices of Prosciutto (preferably Prosciutto di Parma)
• 4 Black Mission figs cut in quarters
• ¼ Lb. gorgonzola cheese
• ½ cup Balsamic vinegar
• Flat bread optional

Directions:

Place balsamic vinegar in a small sauce pot, and reduce by ½ over medium heat
Once reduced let cool, to allow proper thickness.

Carefully lay the slices of prosciutto on a large serving platter, covering the surface of the platter.

Take the ¼ figs and toss in a stainless steel mixing bowl with a touch of oil and salt and pepper to taste.

Place figs on platter over prosciutto, crumble gorgonzola over the figs and drizzle with balsamic syrup and garnish with Flat Bread.

In celebration of Nick & Toni's 20th Anniversary, the restaurant will be hosting the 2008 Great Chefs Dinner this Sunday, July 13th.  Such distinguished chefs as Eric Ripert, Larry Forgione, and Tom Colicchio will be cooking for the festivities.  All proceeds benefit Hayground School's Jeff’s Kitchen and The Jeff Salaway Scholarship Fund.  For more information, visit www.greatchefs.com.

Phone:(631)324-3550
Address: 136 North Hampton St., East Hampton NY

Photo Credit: Diane DeLucia

By Chef Craig Hopson
(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 20 pieces fresh gulf shrimp, peeled and de-veined
• 1 bunch baby carrots, tops removed and peeled
• ½ pound fresh hearts of palm, cut into rounds ¼ inch thick
• 3 egg yolks
• ¼ cup lime Juice
• 1 cup lime oil (see recipe below)
• 20 leaves of cilantro
  

To make the sabayon:
Add the egg yolks and the lime juice to a metal mixing bowl.  Whisk over a pot of boiling water until the mixture begins to thicken and is light and foamy.  Remove from the heat and incorporate the lime oil very slowly, whisking constantly.  Heat a 10 inch sauté pan over medium heat and add 2 tbsp olive oil.  Add the carrots, season with salt, reduce the heat and cook slowly until tender.  Remove and then add the hearts of palm to the pan, proceed as for the carrots

To Finish:
Heat the same sauté pan over medium heat with 2 tbsp olive oil.  Season the shrimp with salt, slowly cook the shrimp on all sides until just cooked.  Spoon the sabayon in a randomly onto the plate.  Spoon the carrot sauce in the same fashion.  Arrange the carrots and the hearts of palm on to plates and then the shrimp.  Garnish with the cilantro leaves

Carrot Sauce

• 1 /2 cup Carrot Juice
• ¼ tspCorn starch
• 1 piece Lime leaf
• 1 tsp Lime juice
• ¼ tsp Sugar
• ¼ tsp Salt
• 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
  

Bring the carrot juice to the boil with the crushed lime leaf.  Allow to reduce slightly, remove the leaf and transfer to a blender.  With the motor running add the cornstarch and then the oil very slowly.  Add the remaining ingredients and cool.

Lime oil

• ½ cup Vegetable oil
• 5 pieces Lime leaves
• 1 inch piece Ginger
  

Roughly chop the lime leaves and ginger and add to the oil.  Place in a pot and warm but do not boil, keep warm for 20 minutes and strain, cool.

Address: 17 Barrow St., nr. Seventh Ave. South
Phone:(212)255-8649