Monday, April 30

RW Week: Colicchio & Sons

yes, this is mad late. but better late than never? i'd previously mentioned that i made a substantial killing during this year's Winter Restaurant Week. and i wrote about 1 of those experiences, and then got tired and didn't write about any others.


but in my attempt to follow-through more on my intentions, i'm writing about my experience at the Tap Room at Colicchio & Sons.  the Tap Room is the informal dining experience of Colicchio & Sons. it's menu is less extensive and the seating area is the area right in the front of the restaurant. the way i remember it is that it was pretty brightly lit (considering it was evening) so any romantic atmosphere is sort of moot, but it's not a bad place to go, perhaps for some friendly dinners.* which was exactly what i was doing on that particular night.

the only reservation time available had been 8:00 p.m., which isn't that bad of a time. considering i'd made the reservation almost 3 wks in advance was a little (o_O) but hey, i'm not complaining. especially if the food is as good as it's rumored to be. even better was that an impromptu work happy hour happened that day, so i was downing gratis Jamesons on the rocks before i showed up to meet Bubby and Kiks for dinner.


it's always hard to walk away from gratis anything, particularly drinks, so of course i left my work happy hour at the last possible second and ended up having to hop a cab to make my 8 pm reservation. and i kept getting messages from Kiks advising me they would only hold the table for 5 mins after the reservation time. luckily i had a very sympathetic cabbie who, once i advised him of my dilemma, made good time in getting me to the restaurant. he was rewarded with a handsome tip.


so upon barely making it to our table, we spent some time perusing the menu. the RW menu for the Tap Room is a little bit different than most in that it offers a lot of options for the appetizer, entree, and dessert. which is daebak. 

i had already decided on the Roasted Bone Marrow (salse verde & boquerones), Bubby opted for the Housemade Liverwurst (pickles & petite salade), and Kiks chose the Braised Pork Belly (pickles, fennel & yogurt). 


it was my first time eating bone marrow, although i've heard it lauded and revered in the same way foie gras and truffles are spoken about amongst foodies, so i was pretty excited to experience what the buzz was all about. what a let down. not  that it wasn't good, and i can definitely understand why people say it's so decadent, but, honestly, for me it was just "meh." but then again i'm no culinary genius. i mean just look at my previous post where i laud the deliciousness of Popeye's over more artisan fried chickens.


the Braised Pork Belly was also good, but nothing i hadn't had before. it was appropriately tender and flavorful, but wasn't very memorable (i'm having a hard time remembering it right now). the hands down winner of the appetizers was Bubby's liverwurst. but then again, i actually really like liverwurst, so to have it housemade was treat. it's just a great earthy and robust flavor.

for mains, i opted for the Roasted Beef Flatiron (confit potato, cipollini onion, and gremolata). i convinced Kiks to order the Ricotta Cavatelli (short rib & roasted mushrooms) and Bubby ordered the Crispy Veal Breast (braised market vegetables). the beef was good, and cooked as requested (medium rare), but otherwise, nothing memorable. it had a wannabe steak feel to it.


the cavatelli was pretty good, with a dollop of fresh ricotta on top. however, as some other reviews have noted, the pasta was a little overcooked, resulting in it being a little too soft for my taste (and i'm asian. we usually prefer our pasta little softer- maybe because tiny people=tiny teeth?). again, the real winner was Bubby with the veal. it was really good, even if it wasn't exactly crispy. it was cooked to the right amount of tender with earthy flavors that matched the winter.

for dessert, we all shared the Milk Chocolate Praline Custard (hazelnut brittle & passion fruit sherbert), Zeppole (vanilla ice cream & apple butter), and the Meyer Lemon Steamed Pudding (pistachio fennel biscotti & cocoa nib granita). everything was fine, but nothing spectacular that made me want to give up my firstborn so i could continue eating more.


maybe i was expecting too much because of my love for Top Chef, or maybe it was over-hyped, but the only thing i feel about my experience is: been there, done that. 

*i've been perusing pictures from other diners and most of them show that the restaurant is actually pretty dimly lit. maybe my memory was clouded by the 2-3 jamesons i had before i showed up to dinner...

Saturday, April 28

Slashing through my List

although my stomach and waist line might not be so happy about it, i have been slashing through my list of places to eat with a furor since i moved into the city. with just enough friends and some culinary adventurers, i've made more progress in the last 3 months than i did in the last 3 years. 

with Kiddo, i've been able to cross of some of the local Brooklyn Heights restaurants, since i'll stop in for a drink at the Brazen Head (where he bartends) after work, and then, when he gets off, we'll head out to dinner together. Kiddo is my perfect eating partner, in that he is very flexible when it comes to ordering. so whenever i'm waffling between a couple of choices (which is always), Kiddo lets me order both options and we just split them. to date, he's never said "no" to any of my suggestions. it's pretty awesome.

so with Kiddo's assistance i've finally eaten at Van Horn Sandwich Shop and Buttermilk Channel.

1.Van Horn's Sandwich Shop

it was pretty late on a weekday night by the time we got to Van Horn's, but since Kiddo and i were looking for a simple dinner, it seemed like a good choice.  we were the only people sitting at a table, although there might have been 1 person sitting at the bar. 


i opted for the Fish ($11) [lightly battered domestic catfish, coleslaw, homemade tartar, pickle] in an attempt to trick myself into thinking that i'm eating healthy and light. plus, fish is one of those food items i cook very infrequently since i find it so hard to do it well e.g. eliminate the fishy taste/smell.  Van Horn wasn't lying when they said the fish was "lightly battered," as it didn't have a greasy feel to it, and the catfish filet was surprisingly moist and tender, if a little bland. but a generous slathering of the homemade tartar will remedy that.


Kiddo, as expected, ordered the Chicken ($12) [fried chicken breast, zesty coleslaw, pickle]. what they don't mention on the menu is the side of searing tongue-numbing hot sauce they serve with the sandwich. that sauce is epic and delicious. unfortunately, it's there because without it, the sandwich can be a little dry, which i guess isn't surprising since it's chicken breast vs. a darker, juicier, (and unhealthier) chicken piece.


however, what was completely unforgivable was the side order of brussel sprouts ($5) we got. in our attempt to eat healthy and light, we got a veggie side from their "specials" menu. while we waited for our orders to arrive, Kiddo and i discussed our love of brussel sprouts. i think i pretty much changed his life when i told him that it was brussel sprouts season and you could buy them by the pound super cheap and easily make them at home with a simple oven roasting or saute. 


and then our side order came out: unseasoned, over boiled brussel sprouts. blech. i often read reviews where people say something was "inedible" and i usually roll my eyes a little, because i've been served some food where it's been a little salty, or a little underseasoned, but nothing's ever been "inedible." and while this side order wasn't exactly "inedible," it wasn't really "edible" either. Kiddo and i each took a bite and then left the remainder on the table.

while the prices weren't outrageous, i don't think i'd make a special trip back to Van Horn, even if it's close to my apartment. Popeye's is even closer to my apartment and is significantly cheaper and pretty damn delicious.


2. Buttermilk Channel


approximately 1 week (or was it a few days?) after my Van Horn experience, Kiddo convinced me that Buttermilk Channel wasn't too far away to go for a bite on a weekday 9 pm dinner.  so off we went. it was farther than Kiddo had thought, and by the time we got there, i wondered, even if the food is epic, if i would bother to make the trek again. 


maybe, if the weather is really nice, and probably only for brunch. daytime/afternoon walking always feels less like a journey than nighttime walking.


perhaps the stars were aligned, but we got there at time when there was no wait. we opted to sit outside since the weather was still pretty warm, which might have helped in the "no-waiting" circumstances. Kiddo (no surprise here) ordered the Buttermilk Fried Chicken ($20) [cheddar waffles & savoy cabbage slaw] while i opted for the Duck Meatloaf ($24)  [parsnip-ginger puree, onion ring & star anise-duck jus]. there had been a Kale Salad on the menu that i tried to coax Kiddo into ordering, but he didn't seem to be in a kale mood, so instead we got an order of French Fries ($6) instead.


overall, the meal was good. the Duck Meatloaf was well cooked, if a little small in portion size. and when i say small, i mean that-looks-small-because-i'm-used-to-Big-Mac-Cheesecake-Factory-portions-but actually i-was-satisfactorily-full-when-i-finished-this-meal. a review i'd previously read on the dish had mentioned that the duck jus seemed a little out of place in the dish, and i have to agree. while it kept everything moist, i'm not sure that's what i want floating underneath my parsnip-ginger puree (which had the texture of mashed potatoes, and is what i would've taken them for if the menu hadn't advised me otherwise).


i'm glad i finally got to check this restaurant out, but probably won't be back for dinner, although everything was good. what i really want to do now is go here for brunch. hello?! 4 types of bloodies? pecan pie french toast? short rib hash? fried pork chop & cheddar waffles? ok, this last one seems a little too heavy for brunch, even to me.

Wednesday, April 25

To Write, or Not to Write

i've had this blog for about 7 (HOLY COW-that long?!) years now, and my enthusiasm and my time for it has severely waned since when i began in 2006.  while some of it can probably be attributed to my lack of 7 am nights out and reedonkulous stories, i personally think that most of it is just because i'm lazy.  if i could direct dial a line into my head that transcribed my thoughts onto this blog, then this blog would always be jam-packed with commentary, posts, and events. alas, no one's invented that yet (and probably shouldn't).


so it's with much appreciation and gratitude that i read the blogs listed on the bloglist in my sidebar. these writers post almost every day, and, for the most part, make it interesting.  if you've never written a blog, then you have no idea how hard those 2 tasks are to do simultaneously.

which brings me to present post. should you bother to write about things that are "meh"? for reviews, i actually really love reading that a restaurant or venue or movie was "meh" or worse. it's a clear warning not to go. but to make the effort to write that something's "meh" is actually much harder than to write that something's "yeah." 

i recently had a date at Ardesia on the west side. like FAR west side.* past Tenth Ave west side. but at least on the way over i finally learned where Totto Ramen and Casellula are located. as soon as i walked in the door, i understood why reviews had pegged this as both a "good date" place and a good "catch up with a friend" place.  it's small enough and intimate enough to be date-y while at the same time open and bright enough to be friendly. and during the afternoon, with the wall to ceiling windows, you can imagine how bright and sunny this place is.

Duck Banh Mi
Quail Egg Toast
Roasted Cauliflower
Homemade NY Style Pretzels
the food at Ardesia was fine, although nothing really blew me away and wine by the glass/bottle is a little bit pricey but not overly so. all the reviews on-line had touted their Home NY Style Pretzels ($6) so we got an order to start. meh. it was a little too chewy for me, reminding me of those frozen microwave pretzels you can get at the supermarket. maybe because it had chilled? the dipping sauces of a very spicy mustard and light cheese sauce was good though. similarly the Duck Banh Mi ($14) was also just ok. not bad, just not great. it had all the ingredients for a banh mi, while at the same time being just 2% short of perfect on each ingredient. the best things we ordered were the Quail Egg Toast ($9) and Roasted Cauliflower ($8).  the cauliflower had a tart and smoky flavor from the garlic and lemon and gremolata. the only difficult part about it was trying to be lady-like while picking at the smaller crumbly pieces of cauliflower. the Quail Egg Toast was a perfectly fried quail egg on top of a sliced baguette with bacon and hollandaise. and in this instance, the individual ingredients made a perfect sum of its parts.

i didn't get to see the check, but i'm going to guess it was a pretty penny since aside from the food, we'd also each ordered 3 glasses of wine and then shared a bottle. as to Ardesia, i would probably go back if i lived in the neighborhood, but i wouldn't make a special trip. which, oddly enough, sort of reflects how i felt about my date too. 


then there's a place like Son Ja Jang 손짜장, which i went to a bajillion years ago back when i was still living in NJ. i had gotten off work early and decided i wanted to stop at Face Shop in Pal Park and brought my cosmetic loving cousin along since she had finished classes for the day. we went and looked at crazy face masks and other fun stuff before stopping into Son Ja Jang for some jjajang noodles and sweet and sour pork. they do these amazing half-and-half bowls where you can pick between jjajang noodles, sweet and sour beef and jjambbong. so my cousin ordered the half sweet and sour beef + jjambbong while i ordered the jjajang noodles + sweet and sour beef (both were $10.99 each).


the noodles are all hand made, and there's a window where you can watch the chef making your noodles (and by chef i mean that mexican guy). and korean sweet and sour beef is a very different flavor from chinese sweet and sour beef. in both texture and taste. i really liked my combo, as did cousin, although her spicy seafood noodle soup was really spicy. like melt your face off spicy. and we are not timid spice eaters.


so why wouldn't i write about the delicious food at this place? am i trying to be greedy and keep this place a secret all for myself? no, not really. and although i would definitely travel back here and eat again, it's not some place i would take a guest/friend to as destination dining. this restaurant is literally a hole in the wall in the back of building. it's really small and has absolutely no atmosphere to speak of. but if i lived in Pal Park, i would probably get food here a lot. and based on the frequent take-out customers that kept coming in, i'm guessing they do good business in that respect.


*do you remember that movie, How High? "you east coast? i FAR east coast."

Friday, April 20

Dirty 30

my 30th birthday was looming over my head for the past 2 weeks, and i honestly could care less. work's been a crazy bundle of deadlines and doc review, i upgraded to a bigger room in my apartment and have been wrangling with what to do in the new (and larger) space, and my body's been on a slow guerilla warfare revolt against me lately making me randomly sick at the most inopportune moments.

clearly, my birthday is at the bottom of my list of concerns. and, if you've read previous birthday posts, you would know how i strongly dislike planning anything for my bday. so when tuesday rolled around, i decided to make no announcement and just let it fly under the radar. my only plans were to catch dinner with Kiddo and Jorts, and that was only because Kiddo asked me on monday night whether i had dinner plans for tuesday (which i did not) although i have a standing appointment with Jorts every tuesday night to watch Savage U at 11 pm. since usually i make dinner for Jorts and i while drinking a bottle of wine, i invited Jorts to dinner as well so we could go straight to my place after dinner to watch the show.


understanding we all have budgetary concerns, i suggested dinner at Malatesta, which was recently added to my on-going list of places i want to try. and since Kiddo has an undying love for Max, i figured Malatesta would be a good way to switch it up, while still offering yummy italian for a reasonable price. so on a beautiful, tuesday evening, i headed over to the West Village to meet up with my friends for dinner.


i arrived first and left my name with the waitress. there was a woman before me, who also left her name for a party of 2 and was advised of a 15-minute wait. so i was a little surprised when i left my name for my party of 3 and was told i could be seated as soon as my party arrived. a little odd? yes. a red-flag? nope. 


so i was very surprised when i saw Kiddo rounding the corner with a little posse consisting of MrsButtersworth, JimmyDean, and BlackSesame. SURPRISE! and a great one at that. i literally couldn't wipe the grin off my face for the rest of the evening.  the best surprises are the ones that are completely unexpected.


plus, with a larger crowd, we could all eat more off the menu. Malatesta doesn't have a crazy long menu, but offers simple italian fare in a refreshing manner and style. on the day we went, it was perfect weather. the whole restaurant was an open space spilling out onto the sidewalk, which made me even more excited for the arrival of summer, when the sidewalk restaurant is available on almost every block of NYC.


we ordered to reasonably-priced bottles of red wine and an Artichoke Salad ($9-special of the day), Funghi di Prato ($10), and Cozze ($10-mussels with white wine and chopped tomato) for starters, although we'd probably also consumed about 4 plates of bread by the time we ordered it. the Artichoke Salad was perfect for a summer day, cold and refreshing although i thought the Funghi di Prato was better since the mushroom was warm with the melted mozzarella and a generous dressing of balsamic vinegar. the mussels were a good option, although i liked the sauce that remained after all the mussels had been eaten, ideal for bread dipping.

for entrees, we all branched out and had something a little different (except MrsButtersworth and Jorts).  the Tagliatelle al Ragu ($14) would be the hands down favorite for that traditional and hearty italian flavor and flare.  and although raviolis usually disappoint me (usually for the limited portion), the Ravioli al Formaggio ($13.50) was a decent sized portion for an average appetite and the pink sauce the raviolis were served with were a winner. JimmyDean opted for the Penne All' Arrabbiata ($11.50) which had a nice kick to it, spicier than i've usually had at other italian restaurants; and Kiddo opted for a nightly special, Seafood Spaghetti ($16), which seemed to comprise of a lot of mussels and a light tomato sauce (i'm sure if he'd known we might've ordered a different appetizer sans mussels).


all the reviews i'd read about Malatesta, and the fact that no one else was ordering it, meant that i ordered the Spinach Gnocchi ($14.50), which ended being a pretty big hit of the night. or at least all the forks that were plucking gnocchi from plate seemed to indicate such. although i'd been worried about the gorgonzola sauce being too thick or cheesy, it ended up being neither. i always want to order creamy pastas but then end up regretting it when, about a quarter of the way through, i become overwhelmed with the heaviness of the dish. but not so with this Spinach Gnocchi. and the serving was pretty generous, since my friends were definitely not shy about stabbing gnocchi for themselves, and yet there was plenty for myself and to be shared.


good friends, great food, a surprise bday dinner. what more could a girl ask for?