July 24, 2006
Into the evermore-complex SoHo world of precious gastronomy comes some useful transparency with Murray Moss' Centovini, yet another Manhattan Italian name evocative like so many others of what one might stand to receive. Chelsea has its insipid Lasagna Ristorante, the West Village has its yawning Trattoria Spaghetto, and now SoHo has Centovini, its purveyor of 100 wines, with an attractive glassed-in shop adjacent to the dining room.
As you might expect, every detail appears to have received thorough vetting with that resilient Moss "determination to transform the public perception of industrial product design." In other words, if you admire the gorgeous lighting (think colorful glass), or the sedate gray tables with industrial chairs or the plush white bar stools, you might ask if purchase can be arranged. With waitstaff clad in those characteristic Moss t-shirts, a certain casual air is immediately established; in fact, service can be described as discrete or indifferent, depending on your point of view. On repeated visits both early and late, we found that however busy Centovini might be, the service remained consistently aloof except at the bar, where pleasant banter about the wines on offer makes for a charming atmosphere. And then there is the ladder which conveniently swings up and down the bar so that bottles high atop can be fetched. Form over function: Red wine at high restaurant altitude plus hot temperatures equals corked bottles in winter.
Although portions are rather modest, even by Italian standards, we found no flaws with the food. A charming calamari starter was prepared to perfection, and Salumi plate of prosciutto, rosette and speck we sampled was robust and at perfect temperature. In place of a meat or cheese platter, you might perhaps choose a salad or pasta dishes such as raviolini alla ortiche. Fish dishes were quite pleasing, a dish of roast pork with broccoli rabe was tender and succulent, though perhaps a tad salty. Veal cheeks with cannellini puree and baby carrots was superb, achieving all the right hamonious balances.
But given this level of informality, the prices seem a trifle too high, especially the decidely-pedestrian desserts. Instead you would be wise to head to Will Goldfarb's nearby Room 4 Dessert, where for the same price you can receive a platter of utterly dazzling and truly extraordinary confections. Of course, locally-sourced ingredients as well as all those Italian fixtures do cost good money, but it seems SoHo exuberance has translated into an overpriced menu. Tip: the young and trendy tend to sample several wines by the glass at the bar; their older counterparts gravitate more towards the tables and a full meal.
One unfulfilled desire: Were the oversized Centovini logos plastered on the attractive glass windows along Houston Street a trifle smaller, it might be possible to actually look out on this wonderful stretch of New York and watch the world pass by while enjoying those terrific Italian wines.
Tags:
centovini, murray moss, room 4 dessert, will goldfarb
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Posted on 7/24/2006
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July 21, 2006
Lower East Side casual meets Italian-American from Brooklyn, and the result is impressive. Defying the current trend of supersize and overpriced restaurants, Frankies Spuntino has a modest 26 seats and barely any elbow room. Yet the charming dining room enhances the deceptively simply yet glorious menu. The service is very Clinton Street: neither intrusive nor effusive, you feel welcome to eat and drink as you see fit. And on a hot summer evening the clever wine list—conveniently divided by region of Italy (north, central, south, islands)—puts you in the mood. Whether you choose the cured meats à la carte or an antipasto, buffalo mozzarella, or crostini for starters, you get an immediate sense of warmth and intimacy. This is the cooking that made Frankies well-known in Brooklyn, and now poised for Manhattan success.
While we repeatedly skipped the soups, we found the salads crisp and refreshing, whether watercress with fig purée or a nice roasted beet with avocado, or a delightful assortment of roasted vegetables. While there are sandwiches on fine Sullivan Street Bakery bread, we continue to opt for the great Italian classics such as pork braciola, in a zesty red sauce (though a little too much sauce, perhaps). House-made tagliatelle with a lamb ragu is both piquant and complex, whereas the gnocchi and cavatelli are deceptively simple yet truly satisfying. Side dishes of roasted vegetables round out the entrees, and a terrific selection of cheeses to accompany your meal prepares you well for the desserts. One night we could actually smell the crème brûlée en route from the kitchen, and even our waiter was overwhelmed by its exquisiteness. The tiramisu as well has all the classic elements and right balance of flavors. End with espressi and you might just think Clinton Street is the newest provincia of Italy.
Given the tiny size of the restaurant, reservations are not accepted. So arrive early!
Tags:
frankies spuntino, sullivan street bakery
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Posted on 7/21/2006
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July 14, 2006
To the legendary India House building comes executive chef Patrick Vaccariello of Maloney & Porcelli fame with a stunning menu in both the café and adjacent steakhouse. Given the immense population growth of Financial District residents in recent years, Harry's has immediately drawn in both the Wall Street crowd and these new lower Manhattan hipsters. With an attractively redesigned bar area along with semicircular nook that provides a glassed-in view of the café, Wall Streeters flock to the handsome bar for its wide variety of spirits, wines and beers on tap. The café, while sedate and informal, has that Wall Street air of authority about it. The wide range of dishes sit well with any crowd, whether selecting shellfish by the piece, classic appetizers such as crispy oysters and shrimp bisque or clever innovations like lobster spring rolls and Hibachi-style kabobs of chiptole shrimp and dry-aged sirloin. A variety of salads and sandwiches caught our eye—in particular, a lump crab, avocado and tomato salad, a lobster club, and clever Kobe Hot Dog. The café's main courses feature several signature dishes, such as curried lamb stew, crackling pork shank and dry-aged strip steak on the bone. In addition, the organic four-egg omelette, a filet mignon stroganoff and several fish dishes vied for our attention.
For those seeking a slightly more formal or serene dining experience, the 75-seat steakhouse offers elegant service and fine dining that make's Harry's the new steakhouse to watch. For you'll find all the steakhouse classics you would expect in addition to some sensational innovations. Whether roasted clams with pancetta crumbs, house made Canadian bacon, or a filet mignon carpaccio, the steakhouse appetizers sizzle. One is struck how the new Harry's pays homage to the Harry's of yesteryear; the wine list has a tremendous selection for any budget, including a great variety of California reds as well as an impressive selection of European, Australian and South American wines as well as Champagne. Obviously a list with so many American magnums as well as fine French selections speaks to the current joyously ebullient mood on Wall Street, yet the vast array of choices prepares you for the terrific main courses. A generous Kobe beef burger, a fine dry-aged rib steak, a grilled triple-cut Berkshire pork chop stand out, as do the splendid dry aged porterhouse for two, the double American lamb chops and jumbo Maine lobster. Seafood dishes round out the steakhouse menu, along with great sides that range from the classic hash browns and salt crusted baked potato to the splendid Harry's peas and bacon and sautéed escarole with white beans and prosciutto. One of the Financial District's best-kept secrets is the semi-private dining at Harry's Steak, where a number of small tables off the main dining room create a truly intimate setting suitable both for power business deals as well as a romantic meal. As you would expect, these are the most requested seats in the house. Finally, do not omit pastry chef Eric Bedoucha's innovative desserts and pastries, which are well-paired with the terrific selection of Port and Sauternes, whether by the bottle or glass.
The new Harry's obviously caters to a well-heeled crowd that demands a high level of sophistication, and the servers are absolutely eager to please. Of all the recent arrivals in the crowded steakhouse category, Harry's gets our highest marks.
Tags:
harrys cafe, harrys steak, india house, maloney and porcelli, patrick vaccariello
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Posted on 7/14/2006
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July 11, 2006
The Strip House offers a luxurious setting for their luxurious steaks: siren-red wallpaper with silhouettes of nymphettes, framed celebrity photographs, white-jacket waiter service, and some of the finest steaks you'll find in New York. Appetizers are all-around great, in particular the lobster bisque with red pepper ravioli, crisp Caesar salad, Clams Casino, vine-ripened tomato salad or a delightful shared seafood plateau for the table. Steaks are cooked to perfection, in particular the New York Strip, the bone-in Rib Eye, and (when available) the stupendous Porterhouse for two, carved at the table. Artfully served with a medley of grilled vegetables such as leeks, fennel, and a half-head of garlic, the Porterhouse in particular is perhaps the best in New York, not to be missed. The side dishes complement a fine steak or lobster, and we especially enjoy the creamed spinach and truly superb crisp goose fat potatoes. The wine list is well-organized, and offers a great selection for a variety of budgets, and the management is always eager to help make an ideal selection to match your palates and food order. We also don't mind the absence of attitude that seems to permeate other top steakhouses; even when dressed in your less spectacular attire, you will be treated like royalty at the Strip House.
Tags:
steakhouse, the strip house
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Posted on 7/11/2006
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July 05, 2006
The genius of Turkish cuisine meets Tribeca in a tastefully-apportioned yet relatively noisy dining room, replete with sedate furnishings and the requisite framed artwork of, for example, a romantic view of the Hagia Sophia. Service is enchanting at Turks & Frogs Tribeca, and the Mediterranean charm can be seductive. Start with the formidable selection of cold mezze appetizers brought tableside on a large platter for your perusal and selection. But definitely add a number of hot appetizers that stand out: Mucver, zucchini pancakes drizzled with homemade yogurt sauce have a distinctive flavor and appeal, though could be somewhat crisper. Sigara Boregi, wonderful phyllo scrolls filled with Feta, have the requisite crispness and a delightful taste, neither greasy nor overwhelmed by the pastry. Kalamar Izgara char-grilled calamari really stands out, a fine preparation of generous proportions with a kiss of mint, nothing like the generally bland, overcooked, spongy stuff you get breaded in so many New York establishments. Speaking of salads, we're quite enamored of the Ahtapot Salatasi, tender grilled octopus. Even for those apprehensive of octopus in this big city, Turks & Frogs' preparation results in succulent bite-size morsels served atop a generous bed of mixed greens.
But the show stoppers come with the entrees, in particular that beloved fish served aflame, five of which we observed served forth on a recent evening. Wrapped in grape leaves, the whole fish is baked en croute, then presented with great gusto on a metal platter to oohing guests. The waiter deftly extinguishes the flames, then prods at the crust with various tools while the patrons watch agape as the fish is transferred to a serving platter strewn with colorful accompaniments. While restaurants and table service have become so much more casual in the new millennium, this sort of spectacle is exactly what New York diners relish, for it unleashes our Promethean desire to harness fire. Well more exactly, to have the waiter quench the flames, break open the hidden surprise to reveal a succulent fruit de mer. This is a whirling dervish moment, not to be missed. Meanwhile, roasted lamb called Tandir is also impressive, thinly sliced and served with oregano along with a traditional pilaf of rice. Barbunya Tava, red mullets, appear with gusto and are quite flavorful, as are other fish dishes such as the grilled Levrek (sea bass). Desserts are also served tableside for inspection, and the usual suspects include Baklava and a few others. We were also thrilled to see a perfect espresso, the preparatory art of which still eludes many finer restaurants. However, we did miss the traditional Turk chai (Turkish-style red tea, usually served in glasses.) Alas, this is not Istanbul.
We were most impressed with the service, not least since we were served two bottles of red wine that had somehow been rendered into vinegar. Usually when this happens with a bottle of red wine, a waiter demurs and suggests a second bottle, not infrequently pricier than the first. We accepted his suggestion, and then were startled when bottle number two was equally undrinkable, for even the most jaded Manhattan diner is almost never confronted with such a situation. What to do? We waited for our tardy taste-tester to arrive (who subsequently pronounced it undrinkable), and all stuck with Belgian and Turkish beers for the rest of the evening. In such New York moments, service can frequently become hostile, but if anything our experience was the reverse: we were treated with diligent and attentive service, and continued a wonderful nearly three-hour meal unhurried and unworried that a bizarre gaffe had occurred.
As tables in the center of the restaurant are rather cramped, we would recommend reserving a table along the walls, but for true Mediterranean hospitality, Turks & Frogs Tribeca can't be beat. In particular, you might choose to hold your next event in the subterranean private dining room / wine cellar, which offers particular tranquility. Just imagine a few of those flaming fish and you'll already feel like the next Aga.
Tags:
Mediterranean, tribeca, turkish, turksnfrogs
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Posted on 7/5/2006
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