chewbie's Profile
NY Chowhounder visiting Redwood City for 2 nights
Thanks everyone. I have a reservation for Manresa and will figure out the rest on the fly.
NY Chowhounder visiting Redwood City for 2 nights
Hey Everyone,
I'm going to be staying in Redwood City for 2 nights but will have access to transportation and would be willing to travel up to 45 minutes for quality food. I'll be dining alone so anyplace with a bar is fine, but have no problem dining alone at a fine dining establishment. No budgetary limitations and my only veto would be a steakhouse as we have those in abundance here in NY. I have an adventurous palate and am open to trying any ethnic foods, but would really love to sample places that are unique to the bay area whether because of cooking style or ingredients.
Any suggestions would be appreciated and I will certainly report back on my experiences. Thanks in advance.
- chewbie
Buddakan?
I think Buddakan is a great venue for this. The room is attractive in a trendy, borderline gaudy way. But probably fun and lively enough for a 16 year old's bday dinner. The dishes are good for sharing and without alcohol you can probably accommodate your budget. My job had a holiday dinner there for a group of 15 and we all had a great time.
Jungsik - Run don't walk
I truly hope that you enjoy it as much as we did and happy birthday!
Jungsik - Run don't walk
Last night, my wife and I celebrated her birthday at Jungsik. From start to finish, our expectations were exceeded despite all of the high praise that this restaurant has received. I will go through our meal in detail but wanted to point out one observation: the place was empty at 7:30pm. We were 1 of 4 tables that were occupied in the entire restaurant. While this made for a lovely, intimate evening where we felt like we got special attention, I would encourage those of you interested in a great meal to support this establishment.
On to our dining experience, we were seated in a lovely corner booth with a great view of the room. The decor is modern and warm with a large center table that is used by the waitstaff for water, bread, etc.
Our waiter was friendly, knowledgeable and engaging without being intrusive. He explained to us that there is a 3 or 5 course option, as well as the chef's 5 course tasting menu from which you could choose items for your own customized menu. My wife and I decided to each do the 5 course with different items so we could get the greatest breadth of experience. Before our items arrived, we were treated to a series of amuses, most of which were served at once. These included a soy paste rolled in tofu, a sweet potato bite, a foamy cheese item, a korean fried chicken bite and a bulgoki slider. The fried chicken bite was beautifully crisp on the outside while juicy on the inside. It was served on a small skewer that sat in a tangy sauce that gave it some kick. Very nicely done and tasty. All of the other amuses were very good although I'm not a cheese or sweet potato guy so those were less enjoyable for me. The last amuse was a smoked potato soup poured over brioche and prosciutto. We both found this dish to be very successful.
For our appetizer course my wife ordered the Bibim - basically a deconstructed caprese salad with a basil sorbet. I'd heard great things about this dish but it was easily my least favorite of the night. The sorbet was sweet for my taste and (I know this sounds a little silly) cold. It took away from the flavor of the other items that were in the bibim which I probably needed to balance out the sweetness. I had the poached egg with mushroom in dashi broth and loved it. Savory, wintery and overall delicious. The egg is mixed with the broth for a rich and creamy base that complemented the earthiness of the mushrooms. Another very successful dish.
For the rice / noodle course, my wife had the Champs Elysee (foie gras and kimchi with rice) and I ordered the spicy kalguksu (clams and noodles in garlicy broth) - both were excellent. The Champs Elysee was rich and the spicy kalguksu was in a green garlicy / spicy (but not too spicy) broth that I could have eaten a gallon of. As a birthday surprise, my wife was served the birthday meal. I'm not totally sure what was in it, but it was damn good. Rice-based dish that had seafood chunks with traditional Korean flavors that were familiar to me but seemed raised to another level. A very nice surprise for sure.
Our seafood dishes were the butter poached lobster with raspberry sauce and Korean mustard and the crispy snapper. While the lobster was perfectly cooked and deliciously sweet, it felt out of place on a menu that so far had so many bold flavors. The crispy snapper, however, was wildly successful. Served in a green tom yum broth that had a beautiful scent, the skin was cooked with the scales on while the meat side of the filet was perfectly moist. Amazing technique and wonderful taste. The crispy snapper also included tofu, mushroom and bok choy - all of which gave the dish the texture and complexity to send it over the top. One of my favorite dishes of the night.
For our meat course, my wife had the Galbi (short rib) and I ordered the Five Senses Pork Belly. The Galbi was very good although I don't usually get too excited over short rib dishes. Came with rice balls that added a unique and interesting flavor and texture to the dish. The pork belly was an absolute stunner. Beautiful cut of meat, fatty and tender underneath and crisp on top. Served with kimchi and pickled cucumber and sitting in a soy foam (I think). I would order this dish every single time.
Our desserts were the pumpkin panna cotta and the rasperry cremeux. I'm generally not a dessert person but absolutely loved the panna cotta. The cremeux was good but not great. Again, not necessarily a reflection of the dish but as a non-dessert eater it really has to be special to be memorable for me.
I should add that I asked the sommelier to pair wines with a few courses for me. He was pleasant and knowledgeable and I thought he did a fine job. My wife opted for a cocktail that included vodka and some kind of pear. She absolutely loved it and I did too from the taste I had.
Overall, we came away very happy with our experience at Jungsik. The vibe is fine dining without being stuffy. The hostess was very pleasant, had a good sense of humor and added levity to the mood. Our server was great. But the food is the highlight here. It's up there with many of the elite restaurants in NYC and I hope that it gets the proper support so that I can go back after replenishing my savings. Overall, the meal came out to around $400 with tip and tax but was well worth it when compared to other meals I've had at top caliber restaurants.
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Jung Sik
2 Harrison St, New York, NY 10013
Great new restaurants in Brooklyn?
There are a few new and noteworthy places that have opened up in the Clinton Hill / Bed Stuy area.
Do or Dine: Very good food in a casual, hip environment. I hesitate to classify it as high quality stoner food but that's basically the influence. The chef / owner came up in reputable establishments in NYC and decided to open a place with his own spin. Great addition to the neighborhood and recently has gotten lots of positive press.
Speedy Romeo: new place on corner of Greene and Classon. Wood fired oven puts out very good pizzas and steaks / chops. Reasonable prices and good wine list.
Celestino: seafood-focused offshoot of Saraghina (my go-to pizza spot)
Saraghina: my go-to pizza spot. On an emerging corner in Bed Stuy and transports you to a rustic little Italian resto with excellent pizzas and a menu that changes daily based on ingredients.
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Saraghina
435 Halsey St, Brooklyn, NY 11233
Do or Dine
1108 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11216
Celestino
562 Halsey St, Brooklyn, NY 11233
Speedy Romeo
376 Classon Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238
Williamsburg birthday dinner
I love 1 or 8 but don't think they take reservations. If the OP can do an early dinner, should be OK to walk in.
A casual option is Rye, which I've always had great experiences with. El Almacen is my go-to Argentinian steakhouse place. Sometimes a bit crowded and noisy, but a party of 2 can usually get seated within 30 minutes and the wait isn't bad if you enjoy a sangria at the bar.
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El Almacen
557 Driggs Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Rye
247 S 1st St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Best Burger in Park slope?
This is in Prospect Heights but I really love the burger at James. Always cooked perfectly, high quality meat that isn't over-packed and tasty brioche bun. Good fries too.
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James
605 Carlton Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238
Brooklyn Fare
I'm really happy to read this as BF is one of my favorite places and I've been plotting a return visit. Just had the chance to visit ko this past weekend and would put them on par with one another. Where BF is very seafood / raw focused, ko leans more toward cooked non seafood / meat dishes. This may be a differentiator for some. On the subject of price, my wife and I did lunch and had a total of 3 glasses of wine for a total (incl tip) of about 550. Excellent meal!
Momofuku Ko with a Pregnant Wife?
i forgot there was also a course of winter vegetables: fried cauliflower (one of the best bites of the day), grilled squash and roasted sweet potato
Momofuku Ko with a Pregnant Wife?
Great experience at Ko for lunch today. If I don't write down what I remember now, then it won't ever happen. So here goes.
Ambiance: Anyone who goes here expecting a typical white linen tablecloth and artwork should be prepared. That's not what this place is. The decor is minimalist with primarily wood trim and a long L-shaped counter where all of the diners sit for an up close view of the chefs at work. It's a unique and interactive dining experience not unlike Brooklyn Fare or Degustation.
Service: Informal but warm and inviting. The servers here have an easy job because your menu is pretty much set and the chefs present the dishes as they come out. Has to be one of the less stressful places to work as a server
Food: Overall exceptional. Some of the standouts in no particular order(and pardon my loose descriptions):
- raw oyster with jalapeno vinegarette
- oxtail meatball in oxtail consomme (best single bite / gulp of the day)
- crispy potato souffle with sour cream and caviar
- bacon flavored fried donut with green apple slice
- mushroom ravioli accompanied by a mushroom tea with french toast
- wild mushroom salad
- assorted sashimi: there was a scallop with jalapeno gelee that was mind-blowing and the others were great as well
- elysian lamb loin with braised salsify with burned onion powder accompanied by a small dutch pot of lamb cassoulet made with lamb belly (best of the "heavy" courses)
- roasted monkfish with lobster stew - one of the few dishes that somewhat underwhelmed
- puffed egg with bacon dashi - very good
- charcuterie plate with lamb bacon, chicken pate and mortadella made from pig's head - the bacon was amazing, the rest forgettable
- bento box: grilled sushi rice roll infused with pork fat + fish broth w/ garlic oil + shredded brussel sprouts + braised boneless sparerib topped with a sauce that tasted like it had tamarind. - also one of our favorites of the day
- shaved foie over lychee and peanut brittle - heart-stoppingly good
- homemade root beer float with pineapple ice cream
- ice cream cone w/ white miso ice cream with crisped black rice over thai sticky rice
- goat cheese ice cream
I hate to sound redundant but anything that didn't blow us away is noted above. There was standout after standout dish. Only thing that didn't wow me were the desserts but I'm not a dessert person anyway. The chefs were friendly and engaging and were happy to answer any questions about what they had prepared.
I definitely plan to go back and next time will be for dinner as I understand that most of the menu is different. Purely from a food standpoint, I don't rate Ko on the level of Per Se but have it right there with Brooklyn Fare. Depending on what style (formal vs informal) suits your tastes, you can't go wrong with either as the food is amazing.
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Per Se
10 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10019
Momofuku Ko with a Pregnant Wife?
I'm revisiting this thread from January because, many months and one baby later, my wife and I are finally going to get to try Ko. We ended up canceling our reservation back in Feb because we felt that her dietary limitations wouldn't allow her to enjoy the full experience. So here we are in November and we're going next Saturday for lunch and I'm wondering if anyone who has been recently may be able to give me a glimpse of what we're in for. Thanks!
Alaskan Black Cod a/k/a Sablefish
Fresh Direct carries it assuming they deliver in your area.
In Bed Stuy for a week
Saraghina - great pizza and a really good Italian menu that changes daily. Also has a unique vibe with a nice outdoor space.
Do or Dine - not to be presumptuous about your age, but this place has a young, hip hop vibe. From the music to the stoner food menu to the servers. But the food is really good and the influences are a fun representation of the owners and the neighborhood.
Rustik - this is a basic bar with some exceptional wings. Order them plain (without sauce) and double fried.
Peaches - people like it for the soul food brunch. I think it's good, not exceptional.
Lots more options if you venture into Clinton Hill and Fort Greene. All of which are well documented on this site. Enjoy and welcome home.
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Peaches
393 Lewis Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11233
Rustik Tavern
471 DeKalb Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205
Saraghina
435 Halsey St, Brooklyn, NY 11233
Do or Dine
1108 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11216
New in Bed Stuy: Do or Dine
My wife and I went last night. We live a short walk away and have been meaning to try it out since first hearing about it. First interaction with the staff was warm and friendly. This is not a formal place - casually dressed staff (think baseball caps and tees), disco ball and uncensored hip hop music playing. We brought our own bottle of wine and they immediately offered to uncork (no corkage fee). Our waiter knew the menu cold and struck the right balance of providing his candid opinion when asked and remaining balanced. He was also pretty funny and made us feel like we were friends visiting someone's house for dinner. I didn't experience any of the spotty service that others have mentioned. It's just not formal. But our water and wine glasses remained full and there was an appropriate amount of making sure everything was to our liking.
We decided to start with the pork & shumai dumplings and the lamb belly. The shumai were crispy with tender and flavorful minced pork inside and a burst of wasabi flavor. I'm not typically a huge fan of wasabi or anything that is extremely spicy, but this was very good. It was also served on top of a very light soy (type) sauce with scallion in it. 8/10
The lamb belly was crispy on the outside and deliciously fatty and tender inside. Beautifully seasoned with cumin. My favorite dish of the night. 9.5/10
For entrees, we shared the whole sea bass and fries (A Fish & Some Chips) and the duck. The fish was nicely prepared although just slightly dry for my taste. However, nicely seasoned with some raw onion and yuzu sauce. The fries were also very good. 8.25/10
The duck was cooked to a perfect medium rare but I found it just slightly under-seasoned. The kiwi and accompanying sauce was complementary and added a nice touch. 8/10
Overall, I really liked this place. As a kid of the hip hop generation, the casual and friendly, yet slightly edgy ambiance is up my alley although I can understand how it may not suit everyone. The staff clearly positions itself as offering creative, well-prepared stoner food with prime ingredients and diverse cultural touches.
I like that it's unexpected but that kind of novelty usually wears off eventually. What doesn't wear off is putting out really good food and Do or Dine delivers on that front. I may be biased because they are a wonderful addition to my neighborhood and seem to employ folks from the area, but tried to keep my views on the food pretty objective. Really happy to have this place nearby and while I hope that everyone discovers it and helps it to thrive, I don't want it to become a tourist attractive that creates 2 hour waits.
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Do or Dine
1108 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11216
Dinner at Eleven Madison Park - Impressive, Sometimes Spectucular, Ultimately Disappointing
The OP said that she didn't want to create a negative environment for what was supposed to be a special occasion. Based on the progression of events, it seems like the criticism would have been difficult to voice in real-time.
As one of the premier restauranteurs in the world, I'm sure that Mr. Meyer would want to know when his flagship restaurant fails to meet expectations. My experiences at EMP have always been positive and I appreciate that they go to great lengths to make it so. Doesn't seem to me like well thought out, constructive feedback equals seeking a comp'd meal, but rather giving the owners an opportunity to maintain the high standards that it has set for itself. If a comp'd meal comes out of it, then that's their call.
Lunch at Ko Tomorrow
Not that I don't like surprises, but I'm going to lunch at Ko tomorrow and it'll be my first time there. I'd be interested in hearing about any recent experiences there. Thanks very much!
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Momofuku Ko
163 1st Ave, New York, NY 10003
Annisa or Ai Fiore?
Haven't been to Ai Fiori, but highly recommend Annisa for all of the reasons mentioned here. Food was some of the best I've had recently and the ambiance is perfectly suited for an anniversary celebration. Now that you mention it, mine is coming up next month so I may make a reservation there. Either way, Happy Anniversary and enjoy!
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Annisa
13 Barrow Street, New York, NY 10014
Ai Fiori
400 5th Ave, New York, NY 10018
thoughts on the new St. Anselm
Love this place. Had a lot of the same stuff you did, but my wife had the pork chop and one of our friends had the lamb. I tasted both and they are delicious. Love the truffle fried mashed potatoes and the wine-braised octopus is probably my favorite thing there. If I had to nitpick, my only gripe would be the very limited selection of wines by the glass.
Roberta's: No country for old men
co-sign you and Daniel76 on Saraghina. I've eaten at both and actually prefer Saraghina's pizza and rustic decor. Plus, the non-pizza menu at Saraghina changes daily and they have some wonderful items including a great grilled octopus salad and grilled mayan shrimp with fava beans. Saraghina is my standby place.
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Saraghina
435 Halsey St, Brooklyn, NY 11233
7 nights in Brooklyn
A few "nice" dinner options:
Brooklyn Fare
Dressler
Saul
Possible additions:
Rye (strongly recommend)
Saraghina (cash only)
Taro (pricey but you can manage based on what you order)
Traif
El Coyoacan
Sel de Mer
Good Fork
Red Hook Lobster Pound
Also, I live in Clinton Hill and there are a few places that you can afford to miss around here:
Habana Outpost - cool watering hole on a nice day but food is not the real draw
I would do EITHER Aqualis or Olea or do Olea for brunch
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Saul
140 Smith St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Dressler
149 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Olea
171 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238
Taro Sushi
244 Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217
The Good Fork
391 Van Brunt St, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Habana Outpost
757 Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Rye
247 S 1st St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Brooklyn Fare
200 Schermerhorn St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Red Hook Lobster Pound
284 Van Brunt St, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Sel de Mer
374 Graham Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Saraghina
435 Halsey St, Brooklyn, NY 11233
Mesa Coyoacan
372 Graham Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Aqualis Grill
773 Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Traif
229 S 4th St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Spanish Tapas
I ate at Txikito last weekend and really enjoyed it. We had a large group and tried: ribeye (special), croquetas, salted basque cod, lamb meatballs, frisee salad, crab gratin. I loved everything except the crab dish which I think was under-flavored, but can't be totally sure since it burned the skin off of the roof of my mouth. I'm also not sure that Txikito is truly "authentic" as there were a number of staples missing when compared to my trips to Spain. That said, it's a great spot with very good sangria and more than worth a visit.
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Txikito
240 9th Ave, New York, NY 10001
What are the most worthwhile Brooklyn restaurant splurges?
tried super wings yesterday and it was good. so are the plain fried wings at rustik. both inexpensive.
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Rustik Tavern
471 DeKalb Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205
Super Wings
1218 Union St, Brooklyn, NY 11225
Brooklyn - one diiner - how do I decide
cosign. the steak with kimchi fried rice is awesome.
Brooklyn - one diiner - how do I decide
sorry i didn't catch this in time. i love the octopus app and agree with Miss Needle on the oxtail ragout w/ pasta. Also loved their mushroom ravioli, duck breast, pork chop. I've been going there for several years and can't recall having a meal that wasn't, at the least, very good. They switch their menu up periodically so not sure what they're serving at the moment but hope you enjoyed it.
Corton or Brooklyn Fare for Birthday dinner
Thanks for the update. I haven't been since late 2010 and obviously did not have the most current info. I stand corrected.
Brooklyn - one diiner - how do I decide
i would throw dressler into the mix and at that point it's a toss up b/t dressler and saul. both are excellent and pricey. BF is an altogether different animal and among my favorite dining experiences in NY.
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Dressler
149 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY 11211
