Hakkasan - new luxury Chinese restaurant in Midtown

My point with OG was to counter the "New Yorkers think all Chinese food has to be cheap" argument - obviously, Oriental Garden isn't cheap. It may not be HK style, but it IS high-end.

Must a high-end Chinese restaurant be HK style? I'm sure there are many styles of high-end places in China. Limiting it such, it's a bit like suggesting that all Western high-end places should be French style.

As for abalone, shark fin, etc - there are a number of places that serve those. The setting might not be as fancy as some HK places, but the menu items are there to be found. (Also, Westerners are more sensitive about the horrors of harvesting shark fins it seems, as far as that one ingredient goes...)

I think what New Yorkers would support - if the right one opened - would be a place that used Chinese flavors, techniques, etc, in a more creative fashion than we're used to - it's not just about throwing expensive luxury ingredients around. Susur Lee attempted something with Shang, but the food wasn't adventurous (or just plain good) enough.

sgordon in Manhattan

Hakkasan - new luxury Chinese restaurant in Midtown

I don't think the problem is that NYCers aren't willing to support a high-end Chinese restaurant - I think the problem is, there haven't been any as of yet worth supporting.

That said, dinner at Oriental Garden sure as heck ain't "cheap eats" - I think the fact that one isn't spending a lot on wine keeps the bill down, but there are any number of $30+ entrees there, one could easily have a high-end meal there, price-wise (lord knows I certainly have...)

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GIETOST (brown goat cheese)

Looks like it's made with Lefse bread. Seems simple enough from the picture - just layer the two and slice into blocks. Were there any other elements to the dish?

(or, even easier - just serve some lefse and gjetost and let people do the shmearing themselves...)

sgordon in Home Cooking

Upcoming NYC Trip

Well, the amazing duck lunch at Momofuku Ssam Bar would be a good replacement for The Modern if you're not sold on them. One of the best lunch options to pop up in years, you'll find no lack of love for the duck-over-rice - more than one has said it's the second-best duck (next to EMP's, of course) in the city. It's the suckling pig of fowl. Also, the veggies with smoked bluefish vinagrette is a great side / foil for the rich duck.

I'm not as big a fan of The Dutch's fried chicken as some others are - while the crisp:moist ratio was good, I found it underseasoned. That said, I'll aver to the majority who'll no doubt sing its praises.

Otherwise, sounds like a good week. Bring your Lipitor, sounds like you're gonna need it from the menu you have planned...

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Elk, Boar, Kangaroo and Antelope Seven Spring Food and Wine

I'm always disappointed when I hear a place has game meats, and it turns out they're only burgers. It suggests to me the chef didn't know what to do with whole cuts, and is only carrying them for the novelty value.

Unless it's specifically a burger joint - a la Bareburger - I'm just not down with that.

Also, Kobe should never - EVER - be ground. The exquisite quality of Kobe has nothing to do with taste - it's about texture, the gorgeous marbling of the meat. Sure you can use the leftover scraps for grind - but ground it doesn't even cook well. It's actually inferior to a normal burger. "Kobe Burgers" are one of my top five menu red flags.

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Noah's Ark and Bialys, a bit of history still found on the Lower East Side

Best breakfast sandwiches I've come across in town - often involving bacon (or some pork product) egg and cheese are at Made Fresh Daily, on Front Street down by the Seaport. A cute little hidden out-of-the-way gem, great for weekend brunch. Grab a sandwich and then go wander the New Amsterdam market on the weekend...

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Kaiseki not to exceed roughly $150 per person for 4

Kyo Ya is the bomb, and they've a lovely private room. Of course, since their three-star from the NYT, rezzies may be difficult - but worth a try.

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Kutsher's "upscale jewish food" in Tribeca

It's only a matter of time before Dean & Deluca starts selling them as "Hen Caviar" at $20 a pop.

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Yunnan Kitchen

I would be the other reviewer - I've been meaning to pop back in and give it another chance. I didn't really want to file an opinion after one meal, but it came up in the context of another thread so I offered my take.

I didn't really pick up any "modern" similarities with Wong, Momo, etc. The food seemed pretty straightforward, a few ingredients per plate, prepped simply, and nothing unexpected to my palate at least. Not that there's anything wrong with that - there's nothing unexpected at, say, Balthazar or Katz's or Charles' Pan-Fried Chicken or Oriental Garden (to bring it back to Chinese food) either, and they're all great for what they are.

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Best Steak Tartare in city

For classic French style, Balthazar is always solid. Also, Les Halles is generally decent, and they do the whole mix-it-to-your-liking thing. And surprisingly The Lamb's Club made an excellent one, though it's just an app on the prix fixe - and staggeringly overpriced ($26 for an app!) if you get it a la carte at the bar.

That said, I've become preferential to the Korean style - Yook Hwe. The beef isn't ground, but cut in thin strips (kind of a matchstick cut) which I find infinitely more pleasurable than the French way of doing it. Usually tossed with asian pear & sesame oil, smong other things. Provides more mouthfeel than even hand-cut French tartares, which are usually cut too small for my taste. Whenever I make it at home, even if I spice it French-style, I always cut it Korean-style.

Gahm Mi Oak makes a good one, worth checking out.

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Porchetta Hog E. 5th St.

Always be wary of first-time posters filing on new restaurants, claiming they're the best or most authentic anything...

I'm not even a big fan of Porchetta, but I feel compelled to defend Jenkins nonetheless. The new place - regardless what a court might say, if Jenkins decides to pursue it - was pretty obviously trying to cash in on the name of her restaurant, and confuse customers. They could very easily have gone with 1,000 other names, but the went with one that was nearly identical to a place two blocks away that serves a very similar product. Legal or not, as it may turn out, they're still shootin' dirty pool, and pretty brazenly at that. Lame.

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First date (technically, 1.5, I guess) recommendations please! Great food + beer options!

Rezzies shouldn't be too hard then. But as with anything, book sooner rather than later - you can always cancel if you change your mind. Is it soon? This week / next? Acme might only have reserved seats for early / late - like, 6:30 or 10:00. Hard to say.

sgordon in Manhattan

First date (technically, 1.5, I guess) recommendations please! Great food + beer options!

They're of similar quality, I'd say - just different. There are standout dishes at both - the uni with sea beans and harissa foam I could eat a bucket of at Recette, as I could the "Barley & Clams" at Acme. Acme is heartier, more seasonally focused, a bit more rustic (but no less refined) - Recette a little more playful. They're both great restaurants. I'd say - for your needs - Acme, if only because of the location. But Recette as second choice, as there's a good chance Acme will be booked, anyway.

There were service hiccups at Acme at first, but they were very conscious of them and very nice about them. They've gotten better. The only thing I'd say is, if you're to go to Acme, they have have one "odd" table kind of like Recette's corner one. In Acme's case, it's a two-top that overlaps the dining room and bar area. Kind of weird placement - you wind up with a lot of foot traffic constantly on either side of you, and behind you for whichever one of you has their back to the bar area. Ask if you can have any table BUT that one. They might have gotten rid of it, though - I'm not the only person who's complained about it, I know. I think they just rushed to put as many tables as they could in the space at first...

What night is your date? Weeknight vs. weekend could make a big difference... On a weeknight, you could -probably- do a walk-in at Acme if you're cool with dining at the bar (I'm a big fan of bar dining, personally...)

sgordon in Manhattan

First date (technically, 1.5, I guess) recommendations please! Great food + beer options!

Ha! strangely, every time we've been to Recette as a deuce, we've had that exact table. We started jokingly calling it "our table" - but yeah, it is a little cramped, and the other deuces are right on top of each other, so that's the only one that's good for a date, really. I'm 6'3", though, so other's mileage at the corner table may vary...

sgordon in Manhattan

First date (technically, 1.5, I guess) recommendations please! Great food + beer options!

The East Village is better for beer, absolutely - probably the best neighborhood in the city, what with Jimmy's, d.b.a, Burp Castle... I'm not a fan of DBGB, I find them seriously overpriced, even if the selection is excellent. I did a little study when they first opened, using beermenus.com - every single beer on their list that was also available elsewhere, they had the highest price in the city. I don't know if that's changed.

I've also been underwhelmed by DBGB's bar eats - the burgers, sausages, etc - and found them very expensive for what they were. I did like the restaurant proper in back, though. Good hearty French country fare, and oddly - given that everything in the front room was overpriced - very reasonable on the wallet for what they were serving.

Near Recette is 675 Bar, which has a few decent selections in the suds, and has a fun ambience. Neat room, too, in a basement with lots of little nooks and crannies. Mostly they're good for cocktails, though.

---

Regarding Vandaag: they've had some hiccups for sure, They were fantastic under the original chef, took a bit of a dip under his replacement, and then a new guy took over who - after taking a bit of time to find his groove - has been doing pretty well. It's not quite as exciting as their early days, when the food rivalled (and was often better than) Aquavit at practically half the price. No one expected the new guy to be particularly interesting, given his resume - touristy crap like Sweetiepie - and the rumors that the owners wanted to "dumb down" the menu, but he's been delivering, and solidly for their price point. He's more creative than I'd expected, and shows an affinity for Scandinavian flavors.

But bringing up Vandaag makes me think of - and how could I have overlooked it? - Acme. Spectacular food, decent price point, and easy walk to all the great East Village beer bars. Probably didn't think of it initially because it's so hard to get a rezzie, just puts it out of mind - but depending which night you're going, say if it's a weeknight, you might get lucky. And you'll look oh so cool and cosmopolitan for getting a rez at the current "it" resto. At least until the next "it" resto comes along (which, oddly, is probably going to be Demi-Monde, the new place from Phillip Kirschen Clark... the original chef at Vandaag. Already booked solid for the next two months...)

sgordon in Manhattan

First date (technically, 1.5, I guess) recommendations please! Great food + beer options!

Recette is actually a great suggestion. Surprised it slipped my mind. As to them vs. MF - depends what you want your meal to be like. Recette will be small plates, MF more a regular three-course. Both would add up about the same.

I wouldn't do The Modern - or anything in Midtown - for a first date. Nothing to do after dinner. Go anywhere you can wander, barhop, get to know each other, the streets are lively. Midtown's a snooze.

sgordon in Manhattan

Best Thing I Ever Ate (Well some of them)

WD-50:
Scallops in Spice Bread Consomme with Cranberry Fruit Leather
Pork Belly in Swiss Cheese Consomme with Rye Spaetzle
Ricotta, Capers, Frozen Honey (pre-dessert)
"Blueberry Cheesecake"

Aquavit:
Duck Liver Crusted Tuna with Coconut Curry sauce (Samuellson era)
Dry-aged Red Deer Carpaccio with Black Truffles (Jernmark era)

Henry's End:
Duckling w/ Seasonal Fruit
Elk Chops

Public:
Various brunch options: Venison Burger, Tea-smoked Salmon w/ Yuzu Hollandaise, Blood Pudding Waffles w/ Foie Gras Butter

Babbo:
Pastas - Beef Cheek Ravioli, Goose Liver Ravioli, Goat Cheese Tortellini
Other - Octopus w/ Limoncello Vinaigrette, Lamb's Tongue Vinaigrette w/ 3-minute egg

Marea:
Fusilli w/ Octopus & Bone Marrow
Lobster w/ Burrata

Falai (RIP):
Deconstructed Rabbit
Pici w/ Wild Boar Ragu
Raspberry Souffle w/ Black Truffle Gelato

Morimoto:
Oysters Foie Gras
Yellowtail Pastrami
Seafood Toban Yaki

Marc Forgione:
Chili Lobster
BBQ Oysters
Halibut w/ Sauce Proposal

Momofuku:
Pork Buns
Duck Over Rice (Ssam Bar)
Uni with Whipped Tofu (Ssam Bar)
Frozen Foie Gras (Ko)

Ping's Seafood:
Jicama Siu-Chow

Oriental Garden:
Oysters w/ Ginger and Scallion
Country-Style Lobster

Fuleen:
Geoduck Two Ways
Spinach w/ Preserved Bean Curd
Salted Fish & Diced Chicken w/ Eggplant
Preserved Duck w/ Taro Casserole

Xi'an Famous Foods:
Mt. Qi Pork Noodles
Pork and Lamb Burgers

Zabb Elee:
Som Tom Muazuar
Any Larb - Duck and Catfish are probably my favorites, though

Anything w/ Uni @ Soto
Bone Marrow w/ Oxtail Marmalade @ Blue RIbbon
Clambake @ EMP
Smoked/Pickled Onion Rings @ Brooklyn Star
Grapefruit Sorbet @ Cones
Pizza @ Totonno's, Grimaldi's, Patsy's East Harlem, John's
Lox, Herring, etc @ Russ & Daughters
Pastrami, Corned Beef and/or Tongue @ Katz's
Sylteflesk @ Nordic Delicacies
Cubanos, Mofungo @ Cibao

etc, etc etc... I could be here all day...

sgordon in Manhattan

Noah's Ark and Bialys, a bit of history still found on the Lower East Side

I had one of the most horrifying eating experiences of my life at Noah's Ark. Sadly, I couldn't recommend them to a starving homeless person. I wouldn't even call it a place for history buffs - I mean, a kosher "deli" serving pasta and fajitas? Not terribly old-school.

I wrote a review of it here some time ago, in the "Steer Clear" thread - but I'll copy & paste excerpts:

"It was VILE. And I don't use that word lightly. When we sat down, there were still remnants of other long gone patron's meals on the two tables next to us. A half-drank soda, a few pickles and some cole slaw. When we left an hour later, that stuff was STILL there. No one had cleaned it up."

"I decided to embrace my heritage to the fullest and go for the pastrami / chopped liver sandwich, and it was the worst chopped liver I'd ever had. To the point where I wasn't sure I'd be able to eat any liver ever again, lest it remind me of this experience. For the next week if I'd been offered foie gras I'd have to politely pass. It had the texture of cat food, and there was more liver than pastrami on the sandwich, so much it was oozing out the sides. The pastrami was tender, I'll give it that, but virtually flavorless."

"Worse still was her plate - a "Combo Platter" with stuffed cabbage, kishke, and latkes. Awful, all three. Kishke is usually flavorful, but here it was just a pile of mush, cracker meal soaked in bland chicken stock and formed into a puck. No spices, no seasoning. The stuffed cabbage was more of the the same - meat inside was dry, overcooked, and flavorless, the sauce nothing more than watered-down-ketchup. And the "latkes" - I use that term loosely, as they weren't like any latkes I've ever seen - were basically just deep-fried patties of mashed potato. A McDonald's Hash Brown was closer to a latke than this thing."

etc, etc, etc. Full review was here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/787839#6579806

-----

...on the other hand, Kossar's make a solid Bialy, no doubt.

sgordon in Manhattan

Molecular gastronoy restaurant in NY

WD is the only place I think of as full-on "molecular" - though chefs hate that term - but there are a few places that have a similar playful outlook, and do manipulative stuff with their ingredients even if they don't advertise it.

Momofuku Ssam Bar (or Ko, if you could get in) does fun things with their food. And they've got the "molecular" bar next door now, Booker & Dax, for before/after your meal.

EMP, of course - of the four-starrers they're certainly the most playful. Though the odds of getting a table on a Friday night are pretty slim.

Dirt Candy could be an interesting option, if you're willing to go veggie - Chef Cohen takes from the Wylie playbook, if not as extreme.

Public definitely has a lot of fun with their food, especially in terms of flavor pairings and adventurous ingredients.

If you're willing to go to Brooklyn, Gwynnett St is from a WD alum, and putting out very interesting modern stuff.

sgordon in Manhattan

First date (technically, 1.5, I guess) recommendations please! Great food + beer options!

Where did he say he didn't habitually spend that much on meals? I missed that...

$100/pp including tax/tip is a pretty solid starting point, you can do quite a bit for that.

Vandaag has solid and slightly adventurous food, good for foodies and non-foodies alike, their beer list is spectacular (among the best curated in the city, interesting selection of Belgian and Scandinavian brews) and it's a short walk to d.b.a. or Burp Castle if you want to drink more after dinner.

Also in the East Village, Momofuku Ssam Bar could work - you can spend a little time getting to know each other while waiting for seats (if there's a wait) and while the ambience isn't romantic, the food is certainly lusty and inspiring. The eats are top-notch and the setting is much hipper than their near-neighbor, Hearth.

Marc Forgione also has food you could describe as "lusty" - and the ambience, while cozy, is more "neighborhood joint" than overtly romantic. I think the last time my GF and I went the bill came to $250 - but that was with a bottle of decent wine (you'll probably be drinking beer) and an extra app.

Public - adventurous, fun, hip. There's really nothing not to like about Public. And really decently priced for what they serve - it amazes me that their entrees top out at $30 rather than start at $30, given the quality. (Note to Chef Farmerie and the Public team, if any of you read these forums: no, that's not a suggestion you raise prices...)

Finally, since you'd be starting at MSP, maybe something in Eataly? The Birreria takes reservations, you can check availability here: http://eatalyny.com/eat/birreria - maybe start there with bar bites and brews, and move on to one of the restos downstairs if you want more chow?

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Side note to Pan: funny, first date for my GF & I (also my longest relationship) was pho and spring rolls at Pho Grand in '07 - and she paid! So maybe there's something to be said for cheap Vietnamese eats...

(Of course, I think our second date was WD-50, and I wound up with the bill on that one...)

sgordon in Manhattan

Advice - Mains under $30

Getting "comparable" quality to an $89 prix fixe for under-$30 mains isn't really that easy. I mean, it's a cliche, but you get what you pay for. But you can find something equally delicious, if not as refined.

Looking over the openings on opentable.com, I see a few decent options:

The "Tap Room" at Colicchio & Sons has entrees that max out around $23, and I personally prefer the food there to the more expensive main dining room.

Smorgas Chef - it ain't Aquavit or Acme (which might have been perfect for you, but sadly no openings that night), but SC puts out pretty solid seasonally-inspired Scandinavian fare.

In a similar vein, but a bit more creative, Vandaag has been good lately - I had some worries when the new chef took over, but he's proven to be pretty decent.

Apiary is great, does a three-course prix fixe for $35 on Thursdays, and a la carte options are right on point with your price range.

JoeDoe - underrated cozy neighborhood joint, entrees $20 - $28, "Aggressive American" cuisine - playful takes on comfort food.

If you want to go waaaaay downtown, The Bridge Cafe is an out-of-the-way nook in a historic location right under the Brooklyn Bridge with pretty solid food.

At a smidge higher price point than the above (but well worth it) Public could be a good option. The MOST expensive mains are $30 (2 of them) but the rest are all under. That's probably the only place I saw listed that's of "comparable" quality, food-wise, to something like Ai Fiori but at a lower price point.

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Kutsher's "upscale jewish food" in Tribeca

I want to say I last saw them on Grand - either by Chrystie, or a little further East - maybe the place on Grand & Eldridge. I'm sure they're around at a few different markets, though. Deluxe Food Market on Elizabeth has tons of stuff, they're probably worth a look.

And if you've no luck... I'm pretty sure Sammy's Roumanian still has the broiled liver & unborn eggs app on the menu. You could always get a fix, at least.

sgordon in Manhattan

Kutsher's "upscale jewish food" in Tribeca

I've seen them in Chinatown frequently, still attached to the Fallopian tubes. Don't know how fresh they are...

sgordon in Manhattan

Brushstroke with an infant?

While taking your kids everywhere may be good in terms of raising the child - it may teach them to behave - it's NOT always fair to the other diners. There are, after all, two sides to the situation. There isn't a little soundproof bubble around your table. Everyone insists their child is well-behaved, but sometimes babies cry for no understandable reason. My brother was in town with his nephew some months ago, and we went to dinner at Aquavit - the kid was quiet all day, happy in his stroller, happy in his high chair with a big plate of Swedish Meatballs. Then, out of the blue... screams that could wake the dead. In the kid's two years on this planet, I think it was the first time I'd ever even heard him cry. (Must have been the Scandinavian design... so many crisp right angles! Very distressing...)

That said, it's generally understood that there are "family blocks" at even the hoitiest-toitiest of restaurants. Early bookings - 5:30 to maybe 7:00, basically the pre-theater hours - are preferred, and other diners should understand that those are times when there might be kids around, and shouldn't be scheduling romantic dates during those hours. Having friends and relatives with kids, I've noticed also they tend to seat you at the table nearest the door, that way if there IS any issue, it's not a long walk out of the dining room.

There are a couple of places that ban kids outright - temples of gastronomy a la Ko or Brooklyn Fare - but otherwise, just ask them if they have high chairs. If they do, obviously they're prepared for it. If not... oh well.

sgordon in Manhattan

He Nan Flavor essentials?

I was not the biggest fan of HF, overall - but of all the dishes I had, the Big Tray Chicken was the one I'd eat again. That said - if you're eating alone, it's more than enough by itself. Maybe get some noodles to dip in the sauce afterwards, but it's a meal for two to begin with.

sgordon in Manhattan

Prune or Marc Forgione?

Just had the two-fer at Babbo a couple weeks ago - solid portions, beautiful char, came with a big ol' pile of sauteed ramps, and the olive oil / balsamic dressing definitely adds a little something to it, though I normally don't take my steak with any dressing or sauce.

I suppose you're right re: the prices, considering Craft & Minetta's - those are arguably the best non-steakhouse steaks in the city (actually, probably including steakhouses) - though on the price:value scale I'll put Babbo up there, especially given that it's half the price of Minetta at this point.

That said, can't really know until you dig into it. I'll give Forge's a chance at some point, he's earned it. I just wish he was more creative with the sides...

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Have $50-$75 to spend on dinner for one. Want something fun/interesting, possibly a tasting menu.

The rabbit is CRAZY overpriced, yeah. But it's probably not FC's fault - There's been a little push for "heritage rabbits" at ludicrous prices of late, I've noticed - my local butcher had whole bunnies for $25/lb - insane! The price of dry-aged steak, for something that's a.) not a dry-aged steak and b.) half the weight is bones. And rabbits are insanely cheap to raise - I mean, they breed like rabbits and all... and the feed cost is next-to-nothing.

So my suspicion is FC is probably overpaying for the bunnies to begin with, and passing the cost on to us... Truth is, I doubt (given the heavy seasoning they use, especially) if even a seasoned rabbit-eater could tell the difference if they used a normal $4/lb rabbit. Maybe they should run some double-blind tastings to find out...

sgordon in Manhattan

Norwegian Constitution Day parties!

Just get the ex-gov to shoot one for you...

sgordon in Manhattan

Norwegian Constitution Day parties!

Actually, it's MUCH cheaper here right now. Restos in Oslo will cost you US$50+ for an entree.

Of course, we can't get whale or moose here in the US... So maybe it's worth the $50 (and the airfare...)

sgordon in Manhattan