kasiav's Profile
Restaurant Week tomorrow - Chifa, Zahav, Amada or El Vez?
i completely agree that most restaurants 'dumb down' their RW menu, but what i particularly like about zahav is the fact that they DO offer their regular menu. you are getting the tasting for a few dollars less than a normal night, but they also present you with a coupon for each diner with the check, good for $10 the next time you return to zahav, as well as $10 off your next visit at each of the other solomonov properties. when he still owned xochitl, this amounted to a total $30 food credit, almost paying for your RW dinner in its entirety.
Sunday brunch near 8th and Lombard
good to know they are now on opentable - thanks for the heads up!
Sunday brunch near 8th and Lombard
i heartily second kanella. i've also enjoyed mixto's brunch.
Best recs for CC Restaurant Week
i had a great RW meal over the summer at pumpkin that left me impressed and would recommend for RW again in the future. no skimp on portions, dummied down RW menu, or quality of execution. if it matters at all to you, they told us their RW menu is compiled of diner's favorites from the season's rotating menu.
i did RW at supper a few years ago and haven't been back. food was fine, except for a very tough piece of meat (can't remember what specifically) and left disappointed in the overall RW experience. that was a while ago, though.
Ela
grabbed a quick last minute dinner a few saturdays ago. place was full (i had checked opentable about an hour before to see about reservations. at 6pm they were booked till 8:15 for a 2 top) but you can get the full menu at the bar. for some reason there were 3 formally dressed managers/front of house(s)? weird.
bf and i split a medium plate which was definitely a lunch or appetizer sized portion (gnocchi with cauliflower and hen of the woods mushrooms) and a large plate (braised shortrib with sweetbreads, pumpkin, and something sweet, i forget what). absolutely loved the dipping oil that came with the bread that i think was just basil and garlic but the taste was so fresh and full of flavor all i have been able to think about is infusing my own olive oil. the food was good, but this oil was my favorite part of the meal.
the cocktails were all super interesting, and all $11. bf had one with ginger beer, smoked blackstrap molasses, rum, and vanilla (over ice in a normal sized glass) and i had a gin/burnt sugar/absinthe/citrus concoction that was made with a foamer (not mentioned on the menu) served in a vintage martini glass. mine was absolutely delicious and complex in a way that was unexpected, but i felt a little gypped because the drink was probably only about 2 shots worth of liquid and the rest was this foam. it was really good but come on. bf was super into his house-made giant piece of candied ginger garnish, and the bartender mentioned they want to start brewing their own ginger beer, making their own bitters, and even down the line doing their own spiced rum.
Restaurant Week - what was your experience
i've been meaning to hit up Pumpkin for something like a year now and finally made for restaurant week. the food was excellent, plating A+ and the sauces in particular were interesting, complex, and perfectly seasoned. they put together their RW menu based on best selling favorites of the seasonal summer menu so you really got a feel for what the restaurant is all about. would definitely go back for restaurant week or a regular night. only negative was the vibrant noise level.
we had:
amuse of cauliflower veloute with capers and an olive something (emulsion?)
bread served with olive oil/roasted garlic
apps:
north carolina shrimp with morcilla sausage, pickled tomato, and a side of grits w/a coddled egg
the largest escargot i've ever seen w/garlic, cucumber, some kind of foam
mains:
pork loin/belly duo with black garlic, pea shoots, summer root veggies
sweet corn and leek risotto
dessert:
goat cheese cheesecake with apricot sorbet, coffee gelee and some some kind of florally berry coulis
molten chocolate cake with black sesame sponge and cassis sorbet
we got 2 packets of roasted pumpkin seeds w/the check which was nice but there were three of us.
i also did zahav, which is an old favorite, and also does RW week 'right'
Baguette that actually tastes authentic
+2 artisan boulanger, plus its a mere $2 for a 2 foot loaf
Philly recs - casual?
i would also echo the paesano's and khyber pass pub recommendations. the weekend tourist crowd might be something to consider re: reading terminal market on a saturday, at lunch.
Vetri
i believe the wine pairing was like another $125 on top of the tasting or some number that seemed really high at the time. you can still also do by the glass, by the bottle, or a carafe (which was a very nice option that we utilized during a visit last month). below is a list of what we had between two people, most of the courses are actually different plates for each person so you get to taste quite a bit more that way.
Initially when you sit down they present you with the menu which is divided up into three or four sections (i can confirm when i get home tomorrow) of something like appetizers, from the soil, from the sea, and dessert. they ask if you have any dietary restrictions or allergies, noting you can make your menu pescatarian, vegetarian, or pasta heavy if you would prefer. then they ask you to review the menu and let them know if there's anything you don't particularly like, or if there is something that is a standout dish for you that they will make sure to include in the tasting (nice touch). the menu doesn't list specific dishes, just major components/ingredients.
we had (divided by course, pasted from an email with some notes):
complimentary glasses of prosecco
crudite plate + charcuterie plate
bread + olives
poached foie in fennel broth (x2)
soft shell crab w/green beans and fregola, sweet onion crepe with white truffle (basically deconstructed french onion soup - A+)
spinach gnocchi w/brown butter, almond tortellini w/truffle sauce (this was amazing, and a little sweet - amaretti cookies maybe?)
rigatoni bolognese (x2)
mesquite smoked braised baby goat w/polenta, dry aged ribeye with roasted pepper & corn and scorched tomato salad (this goat was awesome. not gamey at all and the crispy meat on the tiny little ribs was like GOAT BACON)
'pre dessert' of strawberry ice cream (x2)
cheese plate (small gripe: this was $10 extra, and the way it was presented by the server was 'would you like your dessert course or a cheese course or the cheese course and dessert as well' no mention of the extra price and also not disclosed on the written menu. still delicious though)
molten center pistachio cake w/white choc gelato (stunning.), sicilian cherry cake w/cherry gelato
petit fours which we had to wrap due to fullness: cappuccino and raspberry macarons, elderflower marshmallow, 2 pieces of fudge.
oh and they sent us home w/2 zucchini muffins.
In town next week - need recs for casual near Penns View Hotel
i'd second khyber (really enjoyed their oyster po' boy and pulled pork) and han dynasty for casual dinner, and for coffee recommend Old City Coffee (221 Church Street). Southwark makes excellent cocktails and is about a 15 -20 minute walk from your hotel but its through one of the prettier neighborhoods in the city (note: they are closed monday)
Walking distance of Shubin Theater...
shubin is essentially my backyard, you have tons of options as mentioned. I definitely agree with everything buckethead posted. but if you want a little more casual, walk 5 mins down passunk to royal tavern for some good beer and excellent casual bar food. They have my favorite burger in town and is a great low key spot for brunch lunch or dinner.
Lunch near Loews Hotel (12th & Market), but not at Reading Terminal?
not fancy, but directly across from the marriott on 12th next to the bus station is Dim Sum Garden - a true hole in the wall but the best soup dumplings i've had in philly (pork or pork and crab juicy buns). I also recommend the spiced beef noodle (dry, not soup style). inexpensive but super flavorful lunch.
monkfish liver in philly?
thanks guys... I was hoping that there would be more neighborhood/less pricey places than Morimoto, so hopefully zama and zento might come through. When in season it seemed fairly readily available at more nondescript sushi places when I've eaten out in Brooklyn or Minneapolis, so I had hoped Philly wouldn't be much different.
monkfish liver in philly?
anyone know any sushi restaurants that offer monkfish liver either on or off menu? it's in season and I've been missing it since I moved here almost 2 years ago.
Lunetta - telling it like it is
I think I detailed quite specifically the poor service that was experienced above. Hopefully 9 months later they've gotten their act together. We most likely will not be back to give them another shot - the price vs portions plus service plus the fact that Brooklyn is so lucky to have so many amazing restaurants is enough to keep us away.
ISO a (good) recipe site for searching by multiple ingredients
seconded. my go to site to search by ingredients.
Free Cupcakes this Friday
Just got back, there is a bit of a line but it is moving very fast and efficiently. I'm not usually into the cupcake craze but this red velvet cupcake was delicious and insanely moist.
Secret to a moist cupcake?
just bookmarked this recipe for trying - while I personally can't attest, the post seems like it might be just what you are looking for
http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/recipe-review/chocolate-vanilla-two-perfectly-foolproof-cupcake-recipes-recipe-reviews-094037
ISO: Farm to purchase whole pig from
A friend of mine lives out on the Cape and is looking for a farm in Eastern Mass he can purchase a whole pig from, preferably butchered. Any suggestions?
restaurant near any of the Capogiros
I always loved Lolita, across the street and about a block north of the 13th st Capogiro. It's a cozy upscale latin-mex fusion place, but cash only and BYOT (tequila). If you want to make sure you actually have room for the gelato, I'd say either each have an appetizer and split their guacamole with plantain and root veggie chips, or skip the apps and just order mains since their portion sizes are decent. They don't take reservations on the weekend, but if you are going tonight you should be able to reserve a table (prob a good idea).
www.lolitabyob.com
Drying Fresh Homemade Pasta
Have you thought of freezing it? I have done this using a sheet pan and making sure it is floured well between 'layers' of the clumps of pasta ribbons. When ready to cook, just dump straight from the freezer into your boiling water. Regarding your pasta sticking together when not dried enough - if you add a bit of olive oil to your boiling water you should avoid this problem. Good luck!
Gramercy Tavern
Acidity - I think it is definitely good to have the negative reviews as well as the positive in order to give people the most realistic view possible. That being said, I think perspective is equally as important, as the menu, as well as people's tastes, may vary. Can you tell us (if you remember) the dishes you tried?
Depending on the palate, I can see how some of the heavier meat dishes may not appeal to all (the ones on the menu in March were quite hearty and still very wintery). When I look at these reviews it helps me decide if I am on the same page as the writer so the more info to back the author's view, the better.
Also, this would be the OPs first time at the restaurant. If you were going for the first time, would you brand GT as old and tired? If so, out of curiosity, what restaurants would you recommend instead?
Gramercy Tavern
ha - actually the time mostly flew by, but that was mostly due to the company I was with. Many people were at the bar (read: crowded) but we just chatted in the small waiting area. The Gramercy staff actually apologized for our wait and offered a round of drinks which really surprised me, as everyone waiting knows that the tavern room does not accept reservations, so a wait is somewhat expected. 630 - 7pm seems to be prime time for restaurants in NYC on a weeknight, I doubt your wait would be as long if you arrived by 6pm or after 8:30pm.
Personally Gramercy is a favorite of mine for its excellent seasonal food without pretense, so the wait was worth it. Another example is Al Di La in brooklyn, which though not even remotely on the same level as GT is popular and has a no res policy - I have waited just as long for during prime time seating.
food in istanbul
cba - during my trip to istanbul last year what surprised me most was the mezes. this is a great way to try a bunch of different dishes for dinner without breaking the bank, and honestly I felt the flavor profiles were way more interesting than the meat dishes. Also leaves you feeling a little less bloaty.
One thing you MUST try is the stuffed mussels from the street vendors up in Beyoğlu. Sounds sketchy but I had no prob, and found it so delicious I went back and made a meal of it on more than one occasion. Large 4" mussels are over stuffed with a savory rice and nut mixture and stacked on the street vendor's tray. You tell him how many you want (I believe they amounted to about a quarter each) and squeeze some fresh lemon over them - they are served cold and you eat them standing up at a cafe table next to the vendor. You can find the most reputable (freshest) vendors in the alleyway on the south side of Flower (Çiçek) Passage on the main walking drag Istiklal Caddesi.
This and the baklava (of course) were the two best things I ate while visiting. I would also recommend wandering down any of the sidestreets off Istiklal Caddesi for restaurants with an assortment of mezes... skip the more touristy places down by the mosques and take the short tram ride up here. While still a little touristy (accessible), many Turks do eat in the area (per my friend). I will also second Ciya for sit down dining, though its a bit of a trip - you'll have to take the ferry across - but it makes for a lovely afternoon exploring that side of the city.
Gramercy Tavern
Hi - I just ate at the tavern for the first time last month (previously I've only done the dining room). I was immensely impressed. Definitely no difference in the quality of food OR the service, which is pretty commendable. The main differences are the formality, wait, and noise level. Our party of 4 showed up at 6:45pm on a Thurs and waited an hour and a half for a table... in my opinion it was worth it, and our fault since we showed up at prime time. Trust me, you will not be 'settling' and to be honest, I think I prefer the a la carte, as the tasting menu leaves me almost too full. I keep meaning to post a review, but I just haven't had time lately. If you can, I would recommend going early or late to have a shorter wait.
To kathryn's point about the food being different styles - I don't think this is necessarily true. Yes the tavern menu has some casual fare (meatball, pulled pork sandwich) but they also have full dishes (the fish we had was excellent) that feel and taste just as good as what is served in the dining room. I went in expecting the food to be different but based on what we ordered, it simply wasn't true. Also, sometimes the items that sound less impressive end up being the best (for us, the octopus, passionfruit sorbet and esp german chocolate cake come to mind). I can also heartily recommend (if you go soon and the menu hasn't changed) the artic char w/sunchokes and the halibut with cabbage and hazlenut yogurt sauce.
In short - go even if you can't get the reservation in the dining room!
Hearth
Compared to Apiary which I recently dined at, and Hearth has been compared to, I would say that the food (and decor) at Apriary was modern/trendy where Hearth is definitely cozier. Portion size/$ value was slightly better at Hearth for what we ordered.
When we arrived for our 7pm Sat evening reservation the restaurant was half full and we were seated immediately. By the time we left, the restaurant was bustling with most seats full at the bar, so if you are walking in on a weekend, show up on the early side.
Overall, the service was attentive but not stuffy - servers dressed in jeans, and the novel of a wine menu had a lot of tounge in cheek political commentary/top 10 lists (conservatives without a sense of humor may want to stick with water). The food was rustic, wintery (we went mid March), and flavorful with the caveat that the flavors at times seemed a little dated. Wouldn't rush to go back, but a solid choice if looking for something in that neighborhood.
We were very impressed with what a deal the Cucina Povera ('poor man's' price fixe) Hearth offerered for $35. The food was excellent and the ample portions made it almost too much to eat. Check the online menu before you go since it (subtly) changes often. For instance, the fixed menu is offering salad instead of soup to start, which may not be as filling.
One can opt to add the three course wine pairing ($15) to the Cucina Povera menu, however, we felt the wines tasted as cheap as the deal and would skip this next time.
We had:
Amuse - parsnip soup in a shotglass
Grilled Quail with Farro, Tomato and Quail Egg ($14) -
Apparently this is one of the workhorse dishes that has been on the menu forever. The quail was marinaded and very flavorful, nicely smoky from the flame. The well seasoned farro salad was unadorned save the (roasted?) quail egg and tomato on top which was delicious. Weirdly the salad was served cold, while all other components of the dish were warm, not a huge deal, just strange. The dish kind of moved into 1990's territory with a balsamic reduction drizzled everwhere, but other than that, it was very good. If they lose the sauce, the true flavors of the ingredients would shine.
Braised Veal Breast with Sweetbreads and Roast Cauliflower ($28) -
I was psyched for the sweetbreads but disappointed that there were only 2 crispy fried bite sized pieces that I almost mistook for the small cauliflower florettes. The veal was quite tender, and the braising sauce nicely spiced. Again, a well flavored dish, but in my opinion it was totally upstaged by my friends Braised Goat which was a part of the 'poor menu.'
Apple Cider Donuts with maple whipped cream ($11) -
Okay I'm just going to say it - DO NOT GET THESE DONUTS. After poring over reviews, these were apparently the thing to order. One of my friends laughed and said the ones at Union Sq farmers market were prob better (and much cheaper) but I pushed on, assured that stacks of praise for the donuts would not be wrong. Well, they were. (Now, there WAS ONE telltale review from 2004 that did not share the popular opinion. They said 'I don't get it.' I said, 2004 was a long time ago. Oh well.) Folks, don't get the donuts. The two 3.5" diameter cider donuts were on the dry side. The maple whipped cream was good, but a good cider donut does not need to rely on other accoutrements. Totally disappointing! Especially since their dessert menu has more interesting options.
My friend ordered the Cucina Povera Menu ($35) which was a really great deal. Lots of humble food with big flavor.
Ribolita -
served piping hot in a large (normal main course sized) soupbowl, this soup was extremely comforting. Really well seasoned but not too salty.
Braised Goat with Rapini and Canellini Beans -
This was delicious, fall apart tender, musky goaty goodness. Nice large fist sized piece sitting in a pool of rich reduced braising liquid. Great comfort food.
Hazlenut Budino -
A lovely light counterpart to the menu's heavier dishes, this small pudding was not too rich at all. A few roasted hazelnuts on top provided great crunch and texture contrast.
Where to find brunost/gjetost?
please do report back. I too was drawn to the caramel comparison but honestly it did not taste like caramel to me.... I suppose I was expecting something, well, sweeter, which it is not. The taste was not for me - I couldn't even choke the thing down. Probably mostly due to palate shock :)
hope your experience is more pleasant!
