Where did I go..?

I'm really not sure. Was kind of into trying to blog my food thoughts then I fell out of being into it. Maybe soon. I will say I love the new Eataly Store! To add I've had a lot going on in my personal life. Family stuff and such. And have not been to any new good or bad places. Been more cooking and such. Anyhoo, this Sunday I am doing the Bo Ssam Pork dinner. I will post that!

Paradou

So last Sunday I was taken out to dinner by an old friend to a small rustic french bistro called Paradou. Located on Little West 12th St. Also known as the Meat Packing District. A area I use to enjoy a lot and now find myself hating what it has become. But there are still a few places that are worth the area and Paradou is one of them. I've been there before and what I like is that the food is always good and the service also good. I would say they are know for Chef Kfir Ben-Ari's Foie Gras Creations.

We tried all five:

FOIE "GRAVLAX": Cured with sugarcane, sea salt, sugar cane, ricard fennel leaves and spices. Served with candied fennel & red wine reduction

FOIE GRAS en TORCHON: Cooked mi-cuit with pistachio at the center. Blanched in red wine, air dried overnight and rolled in pistachio dust. Served with cherry tomato & coriander confiture

FOIE GRAS "BRULEE": Fresh Hudson Valley Foie Gras sprinkled with light brown sugar & caraway seeds, then bruleed. Served with warm roasted macadamia nuts soaked in Lillet

TERRINE de FOIE GRAS: Marinated in port wine & cognac, accented with alea Hawaiian red salt. Served with onion & chestnut marmalade

FOIE GRAS FLAN: A foie gras custard topped with red wine caramel. Served with lavender honey-glazed almonds and fennel pollen

And we also had grilled sardines. I must say this dish is my new favorite

It was a perfect dinner and night. I just wish they had A/C it was so freak'in hot. But I would still go back.

Peking Duck House (Mott St.)

So this past weekend I went to The Peking Duck House this time to the location downtown on Mott St. They also have a location on the UES in the 50's. I was at the UES location two Christmases ago with a good friend who also had nothing to do that day. We had a great dinner. I have not been to the Chinatown location since I was a small lad.

At both locations the duck is very good. Maybe Mott St location is a little better. Funny it's a little cheaper.

Anyhoo, I was fine ordering just the duck and a vegi side. I picked sauteed spinach and garlic. Both were great. Also ordered at the table was, Shrimp in lobster sauce, Moo, Shu (whatever?) they were not good. But I'd think they would not be. But that is my thoughts. The duck was great. the company fun. I can do that again...

here is a photo from their web site.





Yep it pretty much looked that good.

I want more!

Cheers,
Evan

Foodie vs. Gourmand

I am tired of the word "foodie" and I don't really like being called one. If I need a title let it be Gourmand.

From Websters;

Main Entry: gour·mand
-- one who is heartily interested in good food and drink and it's preparation.

Dovetail

So last Monday I went to Dovetail (owned by Chef John Fraser) for their Monday Vegetarian Menu tasting (click for menu). I was taken there last July for my birthday for what I would say one was one of the best meals I have had. It was a amazing sampling of fish, pork (baby suckling pig), and vegetables. Since then they have taken over the space next to them and expanded. Adding a bar area and more tables. The place still looks great. I will say that it sounds a little loud in there now.

On February 20th 2008, then New York Times Food Critic Frank Bruni gave Dovetail a glowing 3 star review.

Back to Monday. So on Monday's they offer a 3 course menu for $38. There is a three glass wine pairing for an additional $28. The wines are all from NY State.

Here is what I had:

1) Escarole (haricot verts, chickpeas, anchovy vinaigrette)

2) fennel confit (bonito flakes, eggplant miso puree, kimchi)

3) gnocchi (basil, green garlic pesto, artichokes)


The food was great and the service very good. Dovetail is a gem of a place anywhere. But on the UWS is stands out.

Check it out!

Cheers,

Del Posto

After years of wanting to go and hearing about Del Posto I have gone. This is the VERY high end Italian Restaurant by Joe Bastianich, Lidia Bastianich and Mario Batali. I can see why the New York Times gave it Three Stars in 2006.

When you walk in the first thing I thought was... WOW! This place looks amazing. The marble and mahogany decor is amazing. It feels very open. Because it is! The tables are very large and are spaced apart. I really like that. The service is amazing. The wine list goes on and on and on. With one bottle of Prosecco ($40) and each person getting a appetizer and entree + desert it will run you about $100/pp+tip.
I will say it is worth it. The food is very good. Is it the best? No. It's more then just about the food.

I think Del Posto is a place that should be on your list.
It is a event. Like going to Eleven Madison Park or Gramercy Tavern as far as wow factor not as far as food.

The bar area is also great. It's open and the service there is just as good.

Cheers,
E

Perbacco

So the other night I went to Perbacco located at 234 East 4th St. From the moment you talk to the waiter you can tell that they love what they do and the food. The way they explain it makes your mouth water.
The menu is great. Well priced and there are 2 great tasting menus. The food is as fresh as it can be. It is cooked perfectly and is presented with style.
They wine list is full of great wines and the by-the-glass list is strong. I really don't like weak by-the-glass lists. No worries here!

This is a great date place and a great place to meet friends and talk. You don't feel rushed. You feel like you are at a friends house.

Here is what I tried:

Antipasto Emiliano

18 months aged Parmigiano Reggiano, 24 months aged Prosciutto di Parma, deep fried gnocco bread, fried pastry cream and stewed onion jelly ravioli in 6 yrs old Balsamic Vinegar.

Insalata Spinaci Freschi con Uvetta e Pinoli

Sautéed fresh spinach, gold raisins, toasted pine nuts, warm gorgonzola dressing (on the side).

Costolette d'Agnello con Funghi e Cipollotti

Seared Colorado lamb chops with whole Shitake mushroom and chopped scallion served with red wine sauce.

http://www.perbacconyc.com

Executive Chef ~ Simone Bonelli

Cheers,
E

Why am I doing this?

I'm not sure???

I have an amazing love for great food and for the people that make it happen. I enjoy cooking but never wanted to do it for a living. I have had friends and know people that do. People are always asking me for a recommendation for a certain type of place for dinner and have said I should blog or something. I'm not sure I am into this. So far I have told no one about this blog. I think of it more as a diary. I'm not a writer, I'm sure you can tell. I don't want to monetize this. I'm just here.

So if you stumble across this there it is. Now, what is it?

-e

Five Napkin Burger

Greetings all. This will be a short post. So on Saturday I went to have lunch at the new Five Napkin Burger on B'way and 84th St. I've walk by this place many times and it's always packed. I sat at the bar and had two dbl. espresso's and then I ordered the cheddar/bacon burger. I asked for it medium rare.


I think it's me but burgers just don't do it for me anymore. I will say I like the Shake Shack dbl. stack and I do want to try the burger at Minetta Tavern.

Moving on, I would not call what I got Med. Rare. It was more like medium. It tasted fine but did not move me so I can take it or leave it.

Cheers

Colicchio & Sons

OK, left The Standard Grill (see post below) and walked over early to Colicchio & Sons (85 Teth Ave/15th St.) I got there early to check out the bar area. Let's re-cap that this places just opened 3-4 months ago. Most of the on-line blogs have been luke warm and yet Sam Sifton of The New York Times gave it 3 stars (review here).
There has been some buzz about how much Sam Sifton is giving away in his Twitter posts and how well known his face is vs. the amount of effort he puts in to hide that.

FYI, I like to call them twats.

And then there was this post on Twitter from Tom Colicchio reported to be on a night Twisfton was there "@SamSifton after eating curry all day I would hate to be the restaurant you are visiting tonight."

Who know about all this crap. Here is what I had and thought.

The bar was great. I'd like to see more wine by the glass but what they had was good. And a large & interesting beer selection.
There were no Douche bags. They all must have been at The Standard Grill.
The places looks great and the service is good. Not sure if 3 star good, yet. Yes I feel service needs to be part a 3 or 4 star review. The food was very good. Still not sure if 3 stars. I think since it has only been open 3-4 months that it needs time to settle in.

here is what I had:

• SEA URCHIN & CRAB FONDUE
• BUTTER-POACHED OYSTERS
  WITH CELERY ROOT "TAGLIATELLE" & AMERICAN CAVIAR
• WHITE BEAN AGNOLOTTI
  WITH CHORIZO, PORK BELLY & OCTOPUS
• PANCETTA-WRAPPED MONKFISH
  WITH BRAISED RED CABBAGE & BLACK TRUFFLE VINAIGRETTE

I would recommend going here and I want to really try it again in a few months.

I will say I'm a fan of T.C.

Going there reminded me that I need to try Del Posto on the same block. I hear that place is great.


Cheers

The Standarg Grill

Last night I had some time before I was going over to Colicchio & Sons and decided to check out The Standard Grill at 848 Washington St. I was just in the bar area. Where they have a small selection of oysters and some meats.

I got a dozen mix of oysters and a martini. You will learn that I do enjoy this combination a lot. Anyhoo, the service was good and the oysters are great. And yes the martini was good also. It seems the decor of the inside of the restaurant is better for my tastes then the bar area. It also did not help that the bar area had a good mix of Euro-Trash and NYC-Doushe Trash. So kind of a turn off for me. I do want to go back for a dinner. The meats are prices very good for the quality. Or so it seems. We will find out sometime soon.

So I have not decided if being a Food Ronin means I should take my photo's in secret..?

Cheers,

Company Pizza

I have always said that Lucali's Pizza in Carroll Gardens Brooklyn to be my favorite and I will still say that. But I must say that Jim Lahey's Company Pizza at 230 Ninth Ave (24th St) was great. I see why he is called a Master Of Bread.

I had two types there.

First the "Pizza Bianca" w/coarse sea salt, olive oil & Ricotta.
*This was amazing.
Sorry no photo of the ricotta. I'm new to this blog shit.
I would like to have this pizza and great espresso in the morning when I wake up in Italy.


The second one was the Meatball Pizza w/tomato, buffalo mozzarella, veal meatballs, caramelized onions, olives, aged pecorino, oregano
*Also excellent!


This places is about flavor not let's see how much shit we can put on a pie. It's got a simple way about it and the flavors are full. You will and should enjoy!!!


All the ingredients are fresh, the service was great. for the most part it is long communal tables to sit at and talk with strangers or not. The pies are 4-5 slices. It's great to share. For those that don't like to share I don't know what to say to you.

Tonight I'm going to Collicchio & Sons. Boy has this places gotten a strange mix of reviews. And last week Sam Sifton of NYT's gave it 3 stars! Here is a link
I will tell you what I think soon.