Chef Pierre's reviews of new NYC restaurants

Sneak Preview of JFK Terminal Five Restaurants

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 22:04:25 GMT

Mayor Bloomberg welcomed hundreds of invited guests and JetBlue staff to the new Terminal 5 at JFK this afternoon, and our primary interest was to examine all these new restaurants and innovative dining options that make Terminal 5 the United States' most advanced airline terminal for dining: We wanted to have a quick chat with the star chefs prior to the hundreds of people arriving for tastings, and we first caught up with Alexandra Raij of Piquillo; Lee Hanson of Brasserie La Vie; and Roberto Santibañez of Revolucion: Prior to showing you photographs of these forthcoming restaurants, we want to underscore the properties are not yet completed. Thus, you will see additional tweaks and furnishings when the terminal opens in October. Now on to the food. Obviously you would expect a superior Spanish ham from Piquillo: Chef Hanson of La Vie has a really attractive Brasserie: Chef Santibañez of Revolucion had Mexican specialties prepared: JetBlue fans already know Deep Blue Sushi from Terminal 6: Also, don't miss the stylish trattoria Aeronuova from well-known Del Posto chef Mark Ladner: We were impressed with the 51 tv screens and 48 beers on tap at New York Sports Grill: At this point, we know you really want to see how the Re:Vive experience works—ordering food right at your gate. You'll find a number of terminals and pleasant countertops with seating for your delivery meal: Sandwich, anyone? Are you additionally drooling over all those power outlets at your countertop? Here's how it works—just touch what interests you: Let's try the Artisanal Cheese Plate: Seems we'll be getting gorgonzola, aged cheddar, Danish brie with spice nuts and grilled flat bread. Also the beer suggestion seems quite appropriate: Though we would prefer a Sam Adams to the Heineken Light, and it's no problem to order it: And it seems our order will be delivered in just 12 minutes: Do we want to tip 15% for that delivery or 20%? There's our total—and we'll just swipe our test credit card into the terminal: The terminal offers other food options in smaller stores such as the Cibo Express: Not to mention numerous shopping possibilities, including one of our favorites, Muji: Finally the hundreds of eager guests and JetBlue employees were admitted: So it was time for us to depart via antique TWA aircraft: Just kidding—we wanted you to see the completely brand-new baggage claim prior to our departure: We had a Leo DeCaprio moment on our way out, staring as we did at the old TWA Terminal: Our thanks to OTG Management, JetBlue, Dan Klores Communications—and the all participating star chefs who await you in October. All photographs copyright © NYC.com.

Tags: aeronuova, alexandra raij, brasserie la vie, deep blue sushi, jetblue, lee hanson, mark ladner, mayor bloomberg, muji, new york sports grill, piquillo, revive, revolucion, roberto santibanez, terminal 5, twa

Mixology Review: Apotheke

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 14:42:30 GMT

While attending the Vintner's Harvest last week, our colleague reminded us that "Absinthe make the heart grow fonder." Thus, we headed down to Doyers street this past weekend to investigate the why the lao wei are all aflutter over Chinatown's newest cocktail den, one that has created possibly the most buzz south of Canal Street since Cab Calloway's Smokey Joe took Minnie the Moocher down to "kick the gong" in Chinatown. Star chef Eric Ripert was walking out as we entered, and we joked about the economy, that we soon would all become sharecroppers on vegetable farms. But I digress. In truth, Austrian-born Albert Trummer has hit all the right notes with his Apotheke, perhaps the natural evolution and vast improvement on the former Barmacy theme that proved so successful on East 14th Street. Think mad scientist meets mixologist meets opium dispensary, full of fancy laboratory gear to emphasize the medicinal qualities of Trummer's nine types of cocktails: Health and Beauty Stress Relievers Pain Killers Stimulants Aphrodisiacs Pharmaceuticals Euphoric Enhancers Therapeutic Treatments House Remedies With "over 250 house cocktails and 500 bottles of liquor from around the world," this is indeed impressive. Just bear in mind that unfortunately today's Absinthe likely won't make you insane, though perhaps the price of cocktails here might. Nevertheless, at roughly $15 each we find the cocktails a fair value as their ingredients are carefully sourced, and mixing the various decoctions and concotions is done with great art and skill. Our favorite recipes are for the James Bond as well as a few we invented on the fly—we asked our mixologist to create one drink including three kinds of ginger, one drink using two kinds of anise and fennel, and another one we simply declared should be the "Chinatown Special". They were all superb. After enjoying about a dozen marvelous creations, we finally called it quits. Our advice: do not hesitate to simply declare what ingredients/flavors you might like in your drinks. Before you become completely blotto, however, do ensure you stumble around Doyers Street, the crookedest street in Manhattan. Over one hundred years ago in 1907, the New York Times reported that "In all New York City, there is not a more disreputable street than Pell Street nor a more forbidding cow-path than Doyers Street." Together, these lanes were "cesspools of immorality vile enough to bring a curse upon the entire community."

Tags: absinthe, albert trummer, apotheke, doyers st

Notes From the 19th Annual Vintners' Harvest

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 18:20:51 GMT

The death of New York State wine legend Mark Miller last week at age 89 cast a shadow over the 19th Annual Vintners' Harvest New York City as well as yesterday's Edible Manhattan launch party featuring several Long Island vintners. Miller received the first winery license in this state, and the remarkable success of today's Finger Lakes, Hudson Valley and Long Island growers would not be possible without his decades-long perseverance. Thus we greeted an old friend, Roman Roth, who had us sample some splendid wines from Wölffer of Long Island's North Fork as well as his private-label Grapes of Roth. Roth reminded us of his 91 and 92 scores awarded by Robert Parker for his 2001 and 2002 Grapes of Roth Merlot. We've been big fans of Wölffer for years, some of which you can pick up at Vintage New York in SoHo. We took a detour from Long Island by way of Niigata, Japan, to sample some extraordinary sake selections from Ichishima Sake Brewery. Thanks to the tremendous efforts of devoted sake importer Michael John Simkin, we tasted the Ichishima Brewery's Daiginjo, Honjozo and Silk Deluxe Junmai. Mr. Simkin reminds us sake can be expertly paired with a number of types of cuisine, and his event at TriBeCa's Thalassa this past June, Sake meets the Mediterranean proved exactly that. We returned from Japan by way of Sonoma, California's Dry Creek Valley. Stopping first to sample two splendid varietals from Michel Schlumberger, we first enjoyed a Cabernet Sauvignon blend aged 16 months in French oak, followed by a splendid Syrah. This Cab consists of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot, 5% Malbec, and 1% Carmenere. On to Napa, we enjoyed the Cloud View 2005 from Pritchard Hill, a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon and 42% Merlot. This retails for around $65 in New York. On to Europe, we focused on lesser-known German and Austrian wines, sampling a number of wines of which the Gesellmann 2006 Blaufränkisch with its marked bouquet and intense flavor stood out the most. A crisp Riesling we tasted from Kespelher Wine Shippers stood out, but the true gem was the 2007 Kreuznacher Kronenberg Riesling Auslese from Nahe, imported by Boston Wine Co Ltd. Our journey continued to the Caribbean. If what you typically drink for rum emanates from the island of Puerto Rico, nudge your mental map south-southeast to the one of the tinier islands in the Caribbean, the island of Martinique, and taste fermented sugarcane like you've never had before, Rhum J.M. This marvelous brand of rum is made from sugarcane stalks grown on 28-degree vertical slopes in rich volcanic soil at the foot of Mount Pelée in the northern part of this sunny French territorial island. Harvested by hand the sugarcane grown here is transported down the mountain and distilled at the smallest estate property on Martinique. Rhum J.M. comes in four distinct colors and flavors, the clear white being the strongest with 50% alcohol and a fresh sweet tropical fruit aroma. It is so smooth, there's really no need to mix it at all. You can pour it over a couple ice cubes and sip it like it's fine scotch. The gold version is aged for a minimum of twelve months in small Limousine barrels and bears hints of chocolate and Martinique spices on the palate. Next in line is a J.M. blend of four and five year-old rums that have a coppery amber color with a dashes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and caramel, and an intense creamy finish. Last but not least is the company's cask strength rum, which has darker amber color, a rich, nutty, creamy taste with a velvety long, lingering finish. We also sampled Plantation Rum from the house of Cognac Ferrand, which features a number of barrel-aged rums including the Guyana 1990, Venezuela 1992, Trinidad 1993 and Barbados 1993. Heading back to California, with a slightly thickened tongue, we caught up with Absinthe. The obvious turn of phrase for this banished spirit by Hangar One in northern California might be "Absinthe make the heart grow fonder." Indeed, the terrible beauty is back, but this time she's no illegal immigrant, but a fully government-approved brand that is now distilled and available in the US market due to a relaxation of the US ban at the end of 2007 by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). In order to pass TTB testing, the Hangar One rep explained, a product must be measured to have less than 10 parts per milliliter of thujone, the active ingredient long believed to have been the reason for absinthe's purported hallucinogenic effects. While you might try any number of Absinthe concoctions at the recently-opened Apotheke on Doyers Street, we for now might stick to Hangar One's brilliantly-distilled vodkas, the brainchild of Jorg Rupf, which contain fascinating botanicals ranging from citron Buddha's Hand to Kaffir Lime. Also from the Bay Area, we sampled the marvelous Junipero Gin from Anchor Distilling, better known for its top-notch Anchor beers. It seemed quite fitting we jumped around from place to place and from wine to spirits; we hope Mark Miller would have approved.

Tags: anchor distilling, Cloud View 2005, edible manhattan, Gesellmann, Hangar One, hudson valley, Ichishima Sake Brewery, long island, mark miller, Michel Schlumberger, Plantation Rum, rhum jm, roman roth, vintage new york, wolffer

Introducing Edible Manhattan

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 16:20:09 GMT

We greeted the long-awaited release of the first issue of Edible Manhattan with great joy, for this handsome magazine reveals many of the food world's best-kept secrets: who grows great local produce, where to find top-quality ingredients, how to source terrific foods, and what trends are up-and-coming. Given that this publication springs in part from some of the great minds at the French Culinary Institute, we were naturally curious to see what sort of topics would be covered in the premiere issue:
Real Wasabi
Heirloom Tomatoes
Breakfast Sandwiches and Sticky Buns
Kitchen Arts & Letters
The Pickle Festival
In the Kitchen with Isaac Mizrahi
Little Giant
Wölffer Estate Wines
Mark Isreal's Doughnut Plant
Plus a dozen other terrific stories, including a lengthy article on New York City's superior tap water and solid information about New York State wines, can be found in this issue. With a cover price of $7.00 and a subscription price of just $35 annually, Edible Manhattan clearly captures the growing trend for local ingredients, growers, and the businesses that celebrate New York's astounding food culture.

Tags: doughnut plant, edible manhattan, french culinary institute, isaac mizrahi, little giant

Upcoming Pig Festival at Il Buco on Bond Street

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:22:38 GMT

The fifth annual Sagra del Maiale, an outdoor Pig roast and festival, will be held at Il Buco on Monday, September 22. Commemorating the Fall equinox, this festive celebration take places on Bond Street outside Il Buco from 1 to 6 pm. At six o'clock, the festival moves inside, and will continue until midnight. Il Buco will be taking reservations after 8:30pm for the dinner portion of the event. Executive Chef Ignacio Mattos will offer all items from the daytime pig roast, along with a special à la carte menu. It is worth reminding readers that the sight of a whole roast pig in NoHo is most unusual. The event's casual and festive setting has a terrific neighborhood spirit, where neighbors and strangers commingle together, and eat, drink and enjoy the outdoors—as they would in Italy. Many of Il Buco's local farm producers will be at the event. Now, about that pig: the chef will roast a 200-pound Ossabaw infernillo-style (literally: "little hell"), meaning slow roasting between two large iron griddles with an intense wood fire above and below. This method ensures moist, succulent pork. While most of Il Buco's products are local, the Ossabaw swine is a direct descendent of the Pata Negra (black-footed pig) beloved for its flavorful meat. This particular Ossabaw hails from the open woods of North Carolina, where it feeds on acorns and peanuts, both extremely high in oleic acid, those same fats that make olive oil so healthy. The afternoon menu is as follows: • Whole Infernillo Slow-Roasted North Carolina Farmers Cross-Ossabaw Heritage Pig • Flying Pigs Farm Porchetta Panini on Ciabatta with Blueberry Balsamic Mostarda • House-made Flying Pigs Farm Pig, Apple and Peperoncino Sausage • Farmer's Market Panzanella • Julie's Wild Arugula with Lemon, Red Onion and Pecorino • Apple Ricotta Fritters with Saba • House-made Lemonade and Iced Tea • Tickets will be available on-site for $20 per plate including house-made Lemonade and Iced Tea. • Alcoholic beverages including wines, Prosecco, Lambrusco, and Wolffer Estates Apple Wine at $10 per glass, and beer for $6. Select menu items (in addition to the above) from 6pm to midnight: • House-made imported olives marinated in wild fennel flowers and fresh rosemary • Salumi, jamon Serrano, house-made coppa and lardo • Assorted Cheeses • Polenta with roasted squash, mascarpone, marjoram and parmesan • Pasta con salsa de noci (walnut pesto) • Panna cotta • Seasonal Fruit Tart • Menu pricing will be a la carte

Tags: bond street, Ignacio Mattos, il buco, Ossabaw, sagra del maiale

Dining Review: Allegretti

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:22:22 GMT

In recent years, the cuisine of la France has not fared so well in our city, given the preponderance of Asian-fusion and Italian restaurants. Alain Allegretti, formerly of Le Cirque 2000 and Atelier, has fortunately opened a charming new French restaurant in the Flatiron district. Stripped of the usual artifice and serving top-quality meals at reasonable prices in this difficult economy, Allegretti features a small bar area and modest dining room. Its charms are many, from the modest artwork and discrete decor to the cordial but unstilted staff. The wine list offers a superb selection of fairly-priced vintages, with a nod to some more unusual varietals from Languedoc, Jura, and points farther afield. The dining room is neither hushed nor noisy, allowing for a tranquil and unhurried meal of several courses. While focusing on the cuisine of Provence, Allegretti also tips the hat to the lighter fare of the Italian coast. An attractive Mediterranean Ceviche has a nice hint of citrus, whereas the classic Provençale Fish Soup is neither overwhelming nor massive. Served with classic rouille and croutons, it has the well-focused balances of flavors that evoke the fresh catches on the southern coast of France. All the appetizers as well as pasta courses offer a nice selection of vegetables, thus negating the constant concerns one hears in New York these days about the evil of carbohydrates. For example, the Carnaroli Risotto is harmoniously flavored with a charming variety of green summer vegetables whereas the delicate Niçois Ravioli, gentle pillows of braised oxtail with chard, pignoli and beef jus, are light and immensely flavorful. One hears much of late from chefs about costs for raw ingredients spiraling out of control; given the rapid inflation of the past year, it comes as no surprise that the average price of an entree has accordingly increased. Yet the fine selection of main courses—several fish and meats—are artfully served at Allegretti, with portions fortunately on the smallish side. It would be indecorous to suggest that one way of keeping prices reasonable is to trim portion sizes; instead, we find Allegretti has dedicated himself to serving proper portion sizes as you would find in Europe (as opposed to those supersized American plates so frequently seen). This comes as a welcome relief to the reviewer who wishes to preserve his waistline after four courses and several glasses of wine, who notes that Allegretti has most assuredly not skimped on proper table service. When a diner opted out of a first course, he nonetheless received a handsome plate, fork and knife—promptly whisked away after his dining companions finished their course, only to be replated with fresh cutlery. Such service in New York is seen less frequently these days, and is a welcome reminder that excellent table service still does exist. For main courses, Allegretti keeps the offerings deceptively simple. Flavorful Noix of Colorado Lamb are nicely arrayed with a selection of seasonal vegetables, though perhaps some a tad overcooked. A fine Duck Magret, pan-seared, features a most intriguing vinaigrette, whereas perfectly-cooked Diver Sea Scallops come with an intriguing Provençale-style selection of fennel, Niçoise olives and tomato-basil broth. We opted out of a number of intriguing accompaniments, which range from Panisses Niçoise to Wild Mushroom Trifolati to Zucchini Provençale. As you would expect from an alumnus of Cirque, the creative desserts we sampled, a Licorice Panna Cotta with modest slices of sautéed Ananas as well as a Chocolate Fondant, were a fascinating combination of diverse yet not-too-sweet flavors. Accompanied by a modest yet subtle selection of after-dinner Port and liqueurs, we find Allegretti a welcome addition to the haute cuisine offerings this season.

Tags: Alain Allegretti, flatiron, le cirque, mediterranean, provence

A Brewmaster Dinner with Garrett Oliver at Tribeca Grill

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:20:04 GMT

Last night's festive Bastille Day celebration at the Tribeca Grill included not a drop of wine or Champagne, for the legendary brewmaster Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewery hosted an unforgettable evening pairing his special selections with Chef Stephen Lewandowski's renowned cuisine. After passed hors d'oeuvres with Brooklyn Summer Ale, Oliver began the evening's program by reminding us that we have only recently "dug ourselves out of the hole" with beer and food in the United States. Most of the prepared food items we see in the supermarket, he reminded us, are made of neither fresh nor pure ingredients. "A loaf of bread does not stay fresh in a bag for two weeks. It does not look like bread, or taste like bread," Oliver continued. Speaking of a certain well-known bakery item commonly referred to as "bread," he asked the audience: "So what is this thing that has 40 ingredients? A chemical sponge, a food facsimile. This thing has almost no bread attributes." Oliver went on to remind us that artisanal bakers, who largely disappeared after World War II in this country, were not the only victims of industrialization and convenience. "The same thing happened in this country with cheese. What these things technically are is edible plastic; the first edible plastic was Crisco. The mass market American beer is an amazing technological product. The same thing is true of bread," Oliver went on to remind us. "You cannot make a loaf of Wonder Bread at home." We admired Oliver's self-restraint in not discussing the mega-merger of the day, the sale of Anheuser-Busch to Belgian InBev, creating a distribution network of gargantuan proportions. While InBev said it will keep all 12 of Anheuser-Busch's North American breweries open, previous mega-mergers in the wine, beer and spirits industries have not portended well for salaried employees. Nor, one might add, for the consumer. I had the pleasure of first interviewing Oliver some 15 years ago when he was brewmaster of the now-defunct Manhattan Brewery on Broome Street, and have followed his career with great admiration. He is a top authority on the traditions of brewing in the United States, and he serves both as authority and historian in his many public appearances. Last night he reminded the audience of the unfortunate demise of the American craft of brewing in the 1920s: "We used to have 4000 beers in this country," Oliver mentioned. "We had Prohibition, then consolidation, and then 'progress'; people thought this was really cool. This same thing happened to beer; rather than buying expensive stuff out of which to make it," large breweries went on to "spend all the money on advertising." (One only need think of Miller and Budweiser here.) "It's only now we are getting our culture back," he reminded the audience. "At Brooklyn Brewery we're trying to get older flavors back. A Belgian guy phoned me to today to do a story to see why Americans are so interested in Belgian beers." Fortuitously, Oliver then introduced his Local 1, a marvelous 100% full-bottled fermentation. This product is filtered, and then bottled flat, whereupon it goes into the brewery's warm rooms for two weeks. Moreover, a raw demerara sugar from Mauritius goes into it, ensuring the final product has very low sugar and tastes very dry. Oliver went on to describe how refermentation gives it depth, and the méthode champenoise is remarkably similar. Given that it was Bastille Day, Oliver pronounced his technique as méthode brooklynaise. Like most accomplished brewmasters, Oliver is also big fan of wine. On a day-to-day basis, he declares, beer is at least as good an accompaniment as wine: "Beer covers so many flavors wine does not," and thus it seemed appropriate to pair with his Local 1 Gulf Shrimp. Given its 9% alcohol content, he suggested that "If you're a wine person, think of it almost as an Alsatian Gewürztraminer." Whether or not one agrees with that assessment, the chef's creative Gulf Shrimp & Lump Crab ‘Corn Dog’ served with Charred Corn, Yuzu & Scallion Relish was impressive and the flavors most harmonious. For the connoisseur of great beers, assuredly Oliver's Brooklyn Dark Matter was one of the most extraordinary I have ever tasted. The lucky assembled worthies were told that Brooklyn Brewery hasn't designed a label for it yet; indeed, most employees at the brewery haven't even tasted it yet. Dark Matter is the stunning result of Brooklyn Brown Ale aged nine months in barrels, then refermented and filtered. It has a vastly different aroma due to the aging in Bourbon barrels, with a little more vanilla flavor coming through. Paired beautifully with Tamarind Glazed Pork Belly served with Caramelized Onion Pierogi and Choucroute, the tamarind of the pork belly nicely offset the oak flavor. (Not to mention that an Alsatian Bastille Day wouldn't be complete without Choucroute.) As for the Brooklyn Brown Ale, Oliver noted that "in the old days, they would make sure no wood flavor wound up in beer. These days, it's to get the flavor in the beer." While his Dark Matter was indeed a "slightly hard act to follow," Oliver thought it would be interesting to pair the next course of Grilled Skirt Steak with Fingerling Potatoes & Chimichurri Sauce as his Brown Ale would work well with the Chimichurri. Oliver discussed here the caramelization process in beer, noting it "can grab on to essetial flavor in the steak to get the flavor of the char." Since we humans are evolutionarily predisposed to enjoy the flavor of fire, ("caramelization is built in to our bones"), Oliver calls this a "flavor hook." Stated differently, the brew can both offer contrast and harmony at the same time, a point the audience immediately absorbed through osmosis while devouring both the Brown Ale and Skirt Steak. Then followed the Chef’s Selection of Artisinal Cheese paired with Brooklyn Grand Cru, of which a mere 350 kegs are produced by the Brewery. "After 6 or 7 weeks it is gone," said a wistful Oliver, reminding the audience of the fleeting nature of seasonal products. Based on a Belgian style wheat beer (with 30% raw wheat), Brooklyn Brewery uses ingredients both sweet and bitter, ranging from orange peel to Indian coriander, whole flower chamomile, honey from an Upstate apiary to achieve its sensational balance of citrus and honey overtones. "Beer has much greater affinity for cheese than wine," said Oliver, and it did not go unnoticed that the Chimay cheese we enjoyed comes from the same source as the legendary source of Trappist Chimay beer. Two other cheeses were equally well-suited for the Grand Cru, a sheep cheese (Zamorano), plus a charming Gouda-style aged cow milk cheese (Roomano). The evening closed with Chocolate Samosas and Cherry Crème Glacée nicely augmented by the delightful Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout.

Tags: brooklyn brewery, garrett oliver, myriad restaurant group, tribeca grill

Specialties of Lombardy: Confagricoltura Lombardia at Bar Stuzzichini

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:29:31 GMT

Once again old world met new last night with the splendid products of Northern Italy featured at a Seminario Del Gusto, or tasting dinner, hosted by Francesco Bettoni, president of Confagricoltura Lombardia at the Flatiron District's Bar Stuzzichini. With four courses prepared by Chef Paul Di Bari, some intriguing D.O.C. wines from Franciacorta and Oltrepo'Pavese were presented by noted wine expert David Lynch. Obviously no Lombardy event would be possible without enormous wheels of Grana Padano, which was served with Crostini di Bresaola and a refreshing Cá del Bosco Franciacorta DOCG Brut NV. With 75% Chardonnay grapes, this Cá del Bosco has undergone a dramatic transformation, perhaps due in large part to its repackaging as well as the rebranding of its distributor over a year ago from Paterno to Terlato Wines International. The Cá del Bosco is well-paired with summer appetizers such as Bruschetta con Crema di Ceci (chickpea cream) or a heavy grilled polenta with melted DOP Gorgonzola. (More on the Gorgonzola later.) Here we spotted our old friend Lou of Di Palo Fine Foods, a tireless champion of Italian products and a stalwart presence in Little Italy. Lou informs us he will be expanding his store and feature Italian wines in a brand-new shop next door later this summer. A first course of Risotto di Carnaroli DOP with Zucchini Flowers reminded us that the Pinot noir of Italy, much of which is unavailable in the United States, deserves closer attention. Lynch noted that 4000 hectares of Pinot noir can be found in Italy, and the Oltrepo'Pavese, approximately 30 miles south of Milan, is the third most productive DOC in Italy. Lynch does not exaggerate when he calls the Oltrepo'Pavese "one of the best Pinot noirs in Italy"; they have been a major player in the United States for quite some time, underscored by the fact that their export number is 19. This Frecciarossa Oltrepo'Pavese DOC Pinot Noir "Giorgio Odero" 2005 had a good body and enticing bouquet. More impressive was the Vercesi Castellazzo Oltrepo'Pavese DOC Barbera "Clá" 2005, an excellent accompaniment to a somewhat rubbery Veal Involtini stuffed with DOP Provolone and simmered in DOC Franciacorta Wine. More unusual for the jaded New York crowd was a white Pinot Noir paired with a rather impossible cheese platter of Gorgonzola, Taleggio and Grana Padano drizzled with honey. Lynch answered a concern as to how this Pinot noir could be white, reminding the fascinated oenophile that any wine can be white if you vinify it off its skins. Indeed, it matched the two soft cheese nicely, but did not stand up to the 12-month-old Grana Padano. You can sample these cheeses today from noon to 4 pm at DiPalo as well as Fairway on the Upper West Side. Finally, a Panna Cotta with a Salsa di Fruitti di Bosco (wild fruit sauce) rounded out the evening's program, matched with a Bonarda in the vivace style, a sparkling Vercesi del Castellazzo Oltrepo'Pavese DOC "luogo della Milla" 2006 that brought back many warm and boozy summer nights in the Ticino, with local wines that weren't necessarily eminently drinkable but nevertheless enjoyable.

Tags: bar stuzzichini, di palo fine foods, fairway

Dining Review: Setagaya Ramen

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 14:33:40 GMT

Since the demise of Honmura an, our noodle forays have mainly focused on the East Village, generally Sobaya, Soba-koh, and Minca. Yet this new contender, Setagaya, deserves particular praise for both its intriguing broth and classic style. While hot August nights might not be the most auspicious to slurp ramen, Setagaya surprises the ramen aficionado with its distinctive and authentic flavor. You won't find gyoza or much else aside from ramen on the menu here, though a starter of Edamame or nicely-pickled Oshinko are possibilities. Setagaya is all business, and here you will not spend hours contemplating your bowl or tarrying; instead, think authentic working-class luncheonette: eat it and beat it, because the line of hungry souls milling about only grows longer with every bite you take. At Setagaya the possibilities boil down to having your California-made noodles served Tsuke-men (aside) or within your soup. In these dog days of summer, Tsuke-men seems a wise choice, for the lukewarm and fascinatingly-complex broth relies on a combination of mollusks, meat bones, Rishiri seaweed, and a distinctive Vietnamese salt plus a cooking process right out of the cult-classic movie Tampopo. Chunks of char-grilled pork float in your bowl, and dipping the cool noodles in this broth allows you to reach a certain mental state just short of nirvana. Several well-known Japanese beers are (when available) augmented by lesser-known brews, and for entertainment a flat-screen television monitor further evokes Tampopo with its continuous broadcast of Setagaya chef Maejima engaged in ramen-cooking competitions. photos Copyright © 2007 NewYorkCity.com

Tags: honmura an, ramen, setagaya, sobakoh minca, sobaya

Dining Review: Pomaire

Thu, 21 Jun 2007 15:53:28 GMT

How to celebrate the longest and sometimes hottest day of the year? Five years ago, we were shivering in the freezing rain of beautiful Santiago, Chile, and thought we might celebrate this anniversary by visiting New York's most authentic Chilean restaurant, located in the heart of Midtown's Restaurant Row. The charming owner-host, Denic Catalan, came over to suggest a number of fine Chilean wines to match our food selections, and we decided on a tasting of three reds and three whites to sample a few of his excellent bottles on offer. If you are unfamiliar with the famous Enoteca on the Cerro San Cristóbal high above Santiago, then Pomaire is the place to begin. For the uninitiated, Chilean wines represent not just great values, but also a diverse range of splendid varietals ranging from Pinor Noir to Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. You might start your meal with seafood, for a number of offerings nicely evoke this Pacific nation: piquant ceviche, fried spicy shrimp, broiled sea scallops, Chilean salmon tartar, and steamed Chilean mussels with raw clams. Or perhaps enjoy seafood, cheese or beef empanades, all delicately flavored and baked to the proper golden brown. Avocado stuffed with chicken salad as well as celery with avocado salad are popular items, as are the seasonal vegetable salads that Señor Catalan reminds you are selected from daily trips to the Greenmarket. While our northern hemisphere pre-solstice dinner felt a bit warm for Pomaire's excellent caldillo de congrio (fish soup), we noticed it remains a warm-weather favorite in addition to a number of organic chicken dishes. But repeat trips to South America remind us that big meat dishes are what we crave, and the bistec a lo pobre—which we found throughout Chile—satisfies even the biggest hunger, a huge hangar steak with fried onions, fried eggs and potatoes. Just seeing this steak at Pomaire transports us back to Valparaiso, the historic maritime city with its many funiculares that haul passengers up and down the steep hillsides with winding streets. With a commanding view of the Pacific from our table, we watched an elegant woman of a certain age devour a huge bistec a lo pobre with great gusto. However, we instead opted for the mar y cordillera, the roasted marinated pork tenderloin and mushroom crab cake, an enormous portion with attractively-served chunks of pork cooked to perfection, along with potatoes Provençal, callampas mushrooms in a Port wine sauce. The potatoes were crisp and buttery, the mushrooms utterly divine. In addition, the traditional Pulmay, known otherwise as the feast from Chiloé (the archipelago in southern Chile), was a most festive dish of mussels, clams, potatoes, smoked pork and chicken stewed in broth and white wine. Señor Catalan of course features a number of other hearty traditional plates, including a divine seafood au gratin, the highly-regarded pastel de choclo (meat and corn pie), and a half-dozen other seafood dishes. Or you might opt for the Maipo valley roast beef, nicely seared with a fine Cabernet demi-glaze. Perhaps a lomo al champinon, grilled sirloin with potatoes Provençal and that wonderful Callampas mushroom sauce? And do not overlook the costillar, pork ribs in Chilean spice rub with mixed mashed vegetables charquican with lard and paprika reduction. Little wonder that Pomaire's Prix Fixe menu is consistently ranked one of the top ten deals in the Theater District, which we can easily understand given the high quality of ingredients and generous portion sizes. Moreover, the 60-seat dining room also features a full bar, which offers great cocktails including the ever-popular variations on Pisco, a national drink beloved in both Chile and Peru. Several pasta, vegetarian and side dishes round out the menu, as do a number of typical desserts such as thousand-layer cake and crepes with manjar sauce. But most importantly, it is the compelling charm and irresistible tranquility that make dining at Pomaire such a rewarding experience. With little of the hustle and none of the tourist-trap atmosphere you find at other Restaurant Row venues, Pomaire remains one of Midtown's best-kept secrets. And where else would you find Pablo Neruda's dessert on the menu?

Tags: denic catalan, pomaire, restaurant row, theater district