Peasant
194 Elizabeth Street between Prince and Spring Streets (NoLIta)
New York, NY 10012
(212) 965-9511
Subway: 6 to Spring Street; N/R to Prince Street; B/D/F/V to Broadway-Lafayette Streets; J/M/Z to Bowery
Bus: M1/103 to Spring Street


After attending a birthday dinner here last month, Peasant has been fresh on our mind, so when it came time to have dinner with my husband’s friends before he leaves for the West Coast, Peasant was at the top of the list.

Coincidentally, I lived above Peasant for two years back when NoLIta was just beginning its surge in popularity. Although we had dined there once before and enjoyed it, it was slightly out of my budget for everyday eating. We would, however, enjoy drinks at the bar (and the delicious bread and fresh ricotta cheese from DiPalo’s) as regularly as we could afford. The vibe was always good, and the dimly-lit, sexy restaurant still brings in the same trendy beautiful people that is perfect for people-watching.

On our last visit, we fell in love with this inexpensive ($35) bottle of sparkling red wine (Ermete Medici Solo Lambrusco 2004), and I enjoyed it so much, that I was unable to write my review based on that meal because I wasn’t sure if it was me, or the Lambrusco, talking. We actually had the same waiter on our 2nd night there (Costantino from Australia), and after ordering two bottles of the Lambrusco, he immediately recognized me from our recent visit.

The menu is in Italian and requires a translator (aka the waiter). Do not hesitate to ask many questions or have them repeat selections. Also, everything is cooked in the wood-fire oven (basically the only electricity is the lights and music) so it takes time.

Bocconcini (mozzarella bites wrapped in prosciutto, then baked in the wood-fire oven), brought oohs and aahs to the table during translation and tasted just as good (although not mind-blowing) when ordered. Polpi in Purgatorio, octopus in a spicy red-chile, garlic oil was amazing with each perfectly-cooked tender delicious tentacle. The sardine appetizer is loved by many, just not me; three sardines cooked whole were just too bony for me to enjoy without getting my hands dirty. The black chickpea soup (zuppa di ceci nero or something like that), a special of the evening, piqued my interest, but enough food had been ordered so unfortunately, I was denied.

The pizza margherita, which we ordered for the table, had amazing crust and sauce, but there wasn’t enough mozzarella to balance the crust and sauce. Next time I will try the one I wanted: pizza speck e rucola (pizza with speck & arugula), but Costa thought it best that we try the margherita if we hadn’t tried their pizzas before.

My husband had a special for the evening, a sugar pumpkin risotto, which was perfectly cooked, but tasted nothing of pumpkin. A delicious chicken broth-flavor resounded deeply, and hints of the nutty grated Parmagiano-Reggiano cheese were obvious, but pumpkin was lacking.

As usual, I couldn’t decide (I really wanted the lamb served over polenta (agnello con polenta), but after discussing with the waiter, I chose to have the suckling pig again (porchetta arrosto). He was right: if I didn’t have the pig again, I would continue to fantasize about the dish until I had it again. Fortunately, it delivered again; it really was as good as I remembered. Under the crispy skin was deliciously juicy meat, slightly gamy, in a good way, served with creamy tender potatoes. Since I don’t feel comfortable enough with my husband’s friends to share, I was only able to try one other dish, the gnocchi, which was light, but gummy.

Peasant isn’t going anywhere, considering the high-end clientele they entertain. On our previous visit we saw Andy Rooney from 60 Minutes and Elijah Wood (he’ll always be known to me as “Frodo”). Someone thought the guy from Chumbawumba was there, although it was debated whether it was him or the guy from Smashmouth. So many dishes on the menu sound wonderful: the lamb, the arugula & speck pizza, the pasta with clams, the grilled orata… and if nothing else, the chewy bread with DiPalo’s ricotta and olive oil will bring me back to Peasant.

Pearl Oyster Bar
18 Cornelia Street between Bleecker and W. 4th Streets (West Village)
New York, NY 10014
(212) 691-8211
http://www.pearloysterbar.com/
Subway: A/C/E/B/D/F/Q to W. 4th Street; 1 to Christopher Street
Bus: M5/6/20 to Bleecker Street; M8 to 6th Avenue


On the last night my friend from Dubai was in town, we decided to gather our friends together again for a farewell dinner. We discussed options, and it came down to pizza or lobster rolls. And what made the decision was while you can get decent pizza wherever you are in the world, the lobster roll as good as Pearl Oyster Bar's is few and far between.

Pearl does not take reservations, and for our party of 10, I arrived around 7pm and put our name in for 8:15pm. We grabbed a drink down the street and waited for our perpetually-late friends to arrive. By 8:30pm, our group was complete, and we were seated just after 8:45pm. Pearl is a cozy restaurant, despite their expansion into the space next door. My favorite place to sit is at the bar, close to the open kitchen. Actually, I’d be willing to sit anywhere that isn’t the counter opposite the bar where there isn’t ample legroom which makes it quite uncomfortable.

The ambiance at Pearl feels beachy minus the squawking seagulls and lapping ocean waves. The menu is short but sweet, and I do not recommend Pearl to non-fish/seafood eaters. On the other hand, if you like seafood/fish, I recommend practically everything on the menu. Most of us had been here before, so we knew what would be good (lobster rolls, the chowder, salt-crusted shrimp, and anything from the raw bar), but there were things we had not tried. We've always considered the bouillabaisse or the crabcake; this time, we decided to go for it. The crabcake with huge chunks of lump crabmeat was really incredible, especially with the accompanying crunchy slaw. In fact, I prefer it to the highly-acclaimed salt-crusted shrimp. The bouillabaisse was also a pleasant surprise, although I can’t imagine ever ordering it instead of the lobster roll. Sharing it as a starter was an excellent idea. The lobster rolls were just as wonderful as remembered… a large meaty helping of mayo-based lobster salad served in a perfectly tender hot dog bun with a generous serving of shoestring fries. Another delicious surprise was the fried oyster roll (not on the dinner menu, but available by request) with approximately 12 fried oysters miraculously crammed into a small hot dog roll. My only change would be to request the tartar sauce on the side unless you really like tartar sauce; a large dollop is plopped atop the oyster roll which doesn't allow for even tartar sauce with each bite.

Although none of us were hungry, dessert is a given at a group dinner. The butterscotch praline parfait and Callebaut chocolate mousse were ravished by our group of 10, as well as an apple pie which was served to us by accident. It was a perfect finish to a perfect meal.

Pearl Oyster Bar is one of those places that can’t do no wrong.

Murray Hill Diner
222 Lexington Avenue at E. 33rd Street (Murray Hill)
New York, NY 10016
(212) 686-6667
Subway: 6 to 33rd Street
Bus: M1/101/102/103 to 34th Street


Everyone should have a neighborhood spot that you can rely on. On the weekends when we are tired (read: hungover), we like to order in breakfast. My husband likes blueberry muffins and bagels with butter or cream cheese from Austin’s Café, but I like to try different places. Whoever wins the argument that morning chooses where we order from.

Since I’m constantly losing the “where to order from” argument, I haven’t yet found the perfect spot. I frequently walk by the Murray Hill Diner, and it looks cute, and it always looks crowded.

I am generally indecisive, but when I’m hungry and hungover, this problem is magnified. This morning, I went with a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich; pancakes; a side of corned beef hash; and a side of French fries. Although this sounds like a lot of food, this was for both of us, and I usually just pick at each.

We waited. And waited. I called 30 minutes after placing the order, and they told me the delivery was about to leave the restaurant. We continued to wait. I called after another 15 minutes. The man told me the delivery was on its way. We waited some more. After another 15 minutes, I had my husband call (he’s sterner than I am). They told him the food had just left. I hate liars.

We received our delivery 73 minutes after placing the order. The fries were terrible: soggy, unsalted, almost uncooked. The pancakes were no better: tasteless and gritty. The corned beef hash was sour. Even the bacon, egg and cheese sandwich was piss-poor. The roll was slightly stale and there was barely an egg in the sandwich. Now how does a restaurant screw up a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich?

Some mornings are just lazy, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But if you are looking for a reliable, quick breakfast, do not order from here.

Keens Steakhouse
72 West 36th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues (Garment District)
New York, NY 10018
(212) 947-3636
Subway: B/D/F/Q/W/N/R to 34th Street
Bus: M2/3/4/5/6/7, Q32 to 34th Street


I have a friend who currently resides in Dubai, but formerly lived in Manhattan, and when he comes for a visit, I always organize a “welcome back” dinner with a large group of our friends. The restaurant we choose is almost as important as the people we invite, and for this visit, we chose Keens. Established in 1885, Keens is curiously an oft-overlooked steakhouse on the edge of the Garment District that oozes classic New York. Perhaps because it is less mainstream than a Luger’s or Smith & Wollensky, it was easy to make a reservation on OpenTable (http://www.opentable.com/), and when I called the restaurant directly to change the time and increase the number in our party from eight to 14, the hostess was incredibly accommodating (as an added bonus, I still received my 100 OpenTable points). I recommend arriving before dinner to enjoy an aperitif in their adjoined bar which boasts three trivia questions daily.

The rich history of Keens remains in and on the walls, and while the restaurant’s ceilings are low, this gives you the opportunity to wonder and amaze at the many churchwarden pipes decorating the ceiling. The lore of these pipes is that Keens had previously been the Pipe Club and housed the pipes of historical celebrities the likes of J.P. Morgan, Teddy Roosevelt, General MacArthur, Albert Einstein and Babe Ruth.

A group of 14 can be unruly and unmanageable, especially with 10 bottles of wine plus drinks at the bar beforehand, but there is one perk: many dishes are ordered, and I’m not shy about asking to taste. The lobster cocktail was a perfectly cooked half a lobster tail, claw and knuckle served with a bland Green Goddess-like dressing. My husband’s lobster bisque (a special of the evening) was delicate yet rich with hints of Cognac and sherry. The Maryland lump crabcakes were full of crabmeat with very little filler – exactly how they should be. The New Orleans oysters Rockefeller (I have never tried the original at Antoine’s, http://www.antoines.com/) were different – I was expecting an oyster-version of clams Casino (baked with a golden crusty bacon topping), but these were less golden and crusty and more herby and dense, and the oysters were just barely cooked underneath. They were fine, but when you expect to taste one thing and then taste another… it always tastes strange.

Now if you've heard of Keens, you should know that their signature dish is the mutton chop. On December 14, 2005, Frank Bruni, food critic for the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/), reviewed Keens Steakhouse and discovered that the mutton chop is actually mature lamb rather than more than one-year-old sheep. Despite our knowledge of this truth, nine of 14 of our diners ordered the famed mutton chop. The mutton chop is a daunting cut, 26 ounces, as thick as my fist and wrapped with a "tail" of thoroughly-crisped fat, yet plates were practically licked clean and enjoyed by all nine. The porterhouse for two, which my husband and I shared, was delicious. Atypical of most New York steakhouses, this porterhouse was served on a normal restaurant dish rather than a sizzling metal plate. Yet, the dry-aged steak was perfectly cooked (like every other piece of meat we ordered) and tender, with amazing taste and texture. My favorite entrée from Keens, which I did not order on this occasion, is the prime rib; it is ginormous (a bit reminiscent of a Medieval Times event) and delectable, especially with horseradish.

Our side dishes were the usual: hash browns (crusty and wonderful), mashed potatoes (unmemorable), French fries (the first to go), creamed spinach (typical steakhouse), sautéed wild mushrooms (woodsy but salty) and green beans (my favorite green). In addition we also had a request for the carrots with brown butter, which, I was told, were the best carrots ever had by a carrot-lover at our table. Personally, I felt they were a little sweet, but I’m anti-dishes like sweet potato marshmallow casserole, which many people enjoy and love.

The wine list was typical steakhouse, full of many big reds from all over (primarily France, California, Italy), and we chose two from France: a Pomerol and a Margaux in the $60-75 range. Both were fair choices, although the Margaux was preferred by the serious red wine drinkers. The Pomerol really needed to breathe.

Although there wasn’t much room left for dessert, we still ordered a few for the table (listed from bad to better): a terrible crème brulee, an average Lady M chocolate cake and a pretty good New York cheesecake. Most were not finished. I wish we had ordered the bread pudding, one of my general favorite desserts. My advice: fill up on meat and pass on dessert. I chose to pass on my own dessert and enjoy a very good port which a friend recommended.

As usual, everything was as delicious and reliably prepared as expected; the only unreliable shocker of the night was the higher than usual price tag: $145 per person including tax and tip. But with all that wine and a happy stomach, who’s counting?

Foreign Cinema
(Californian, Mediterranean)
2534 Mission Street between 21st and 22nd Sts. (Mission)
San Francisco, CA 941
415 648 7600
BART to 24th Street

Foreign Cinema seems to always creep into conversations with friends as the kind of place you have to go to at least once (film classics projected onto the wall during dinner, part outdoor-part indoor space, etc.), so I figured I’d give it a try for brunch this past Sunday while in San Francisco for the weekend.

To my surprise, there wasn’t a wait for a table for two for brunch at 12:30pm. A friend and I sat down immediately at a table inside, tucked into an area adjacent to the fireplace which is centrally located in Foreign Cinema. The menu is extensive for brunch, including an impressive raw bar with a wide selection of oysters. There are plenty of egg options, as well as heartier lunch-type options, like chicken or even carpaccio. And, they even have the light eater’s fruit options.

To start, we ordered a half dozen Kumamoto oysters and a red endive and little gem salad with buttermilk-herb dressing. The oysters were as good as the average good Kumamoto, and the salad, albeit tiny, was delicious. It was fresh, tasty, tiny, and surprisingly over $8. The dressing is lightly-tossed so if you like a zestier salad, be sure to ask for additional dressing on the side.

Afterwards, my friend enjoyed a Croque Monsieur with cornichon and salad, and I had Dungeness crab from the raw bar. The sandwich was everything a Croque Monsieur should be, nothing further, but nonetheless, a good sandwich. A Croque Monsieur is what I like to call grilled cheese with ham in my non-fancy lingo. It was a large sandwich considering what I was expecting. The salad accompanying the sandwich was obviously the younger sibling of my salad. It was basic and tasty like my own but about the size of the cornichon sitting besides it.

The Dungeness crab, I warn you, is served as-is. You crack, you search, you find your own food for this 20+ minutes of eating. If I had known that the restaurant wasn’t doing any helpful cracking beforehand, I would not have ordered such a messy and intense dish (intense = focused = no conversation with friend for all 20 minutes). Basically, it was like eating all the tiny legs of a lobster without the satisfaction of a claw or a tail. A piece of meat about the size of my pinky nail was grounds for rejoice.

Alongside our meal, we had fresh-squeezed lemonade and pink grapefruit juice. The pink grapefruit juice was stellar and the lemonade would have been, too, if it were not for the seltzer added to dumb down the tartness of the drink. The bread basket is generous and with great fortune since the bread was delicious and the portions were smaller than I had anticipated.

Overall, Foreign Cinema met my expectations. It was a reliable brunch, the menu had great options for even the fussy diner in your party, and it was a pleasant venue. Be warned: the price tag isn’t pretty for an I’m-hungry-in-an-hour brunch.

The Ethiopian Restaurant
1582 York Avenue between 83rd and 84th Streets (Upper East Side)
NY, NY 10028
(212) 717 7311
4/5/6 trains to 86th Street, Bus M15 to 86th Street

Would you like to hear a sentence that sounds more like a contradiction? The Ethiopian Restaurant serves good ethnic food on the Upper East Side.

Finding good food on the Upper East Side has been a challenge. Food is more likely to be described as overpriced, just okay, or reliable (when an expletive is not used, that is). Finding good ethnic food has been a challenge squared. So, when I found The Ethiopian Restaurant, an unpretentious gem in Yorkville, imagine my glee.

A group of friends and I went on a recent Friday night. We made a reservation ahead of time which was unnecessary. At around 8:00pm, the restaurant was about half full – young couples occupied most of the tables. The dining room upon entering is about 8 tables and there is an additional room in the back which wasn’t being used that night. The service is laid back but not in a bad way – just don’t expect a waitress doting on you because it will not happen. The décor is minimalist.

We ordered Tibs Wot (strips of beef cooked in a brown sauce in traditional spices), Yebeg Alecha (chunky lamb stew seasoned with garlic, turmeric, and ginger), and the Ethiopian vegetarian combo. The combo consisted of Shiro (chick peas in a spicy sauce), Misr Wot (lentils stewed in red pepper sauce), Yater Kik Alecha (split peas mildly flavored with garlic, ginger, and turmeric), Yabesh Gomen (collard greens cooked with green pepper and garlic), and Fossolia (string beans and carrots cooked with onion and garlic). All was presented atop injera bread (unleavened sourdough bread that is communally shared with the table).

Both meat dishes were great. If you like a seasoned, stewed meat, you will love the lamb and beef. The lentils were awesome – spicy and delicious. Although the Shiro is sold as Ethiopian hummus gone spicy, it really takes nothing like hummus. It is much more ground up and much spicier. The restaurant’s version was very good. The string beans were good but not nearly as good as the string beans at Meskerem (I’ve been to both Bleecker Street and W. 47th Street Meskerems and the food is quite good). Injera is always delicious although this time it was flimsier than I am used to. But, if you love Injera like I do (and crave it like I do), you will settle for the semi-translucent type that the restaurant was serving.

We ordered a bottle of Shiraz off the minimal wine list. It was $30 and a decent bottle.

As a huge fan of Meskerem, I will say that the food at The Ethiopian Restaurant is not as delicious, but a very deserving option on a night where you are on the Upper East Side and just don’t feel like trekking to one of Meskerem’s three Manhattan locations (the third one is on W. 67th and Amsterdam) or on a night you just want to try someone else’s take on Ethiopian.

I am very excited I found this place. You can bet I’ll be back there soon. Like I said, I have cravings for injera...

franny’s
(Pizza/Italian)
295 Flatbush Avenue between St. Mark’s Avenue and Prospect Place
Brooklyn, NY 11217
(718) 230-0221

http://www.frannysbrooklyn.com/
Subway: B/Q to 7th Avenue; 2/3 Bergen Street


My husband is moving to the Bay Area at the end of this month, so we’ve decided we’re finally going to do all of the things in NYC that we always talk about doing. After going to the Bodies exhibition in South Street Seaport, our plan was to go to Grimaldi’s (http://www.grimaldis.com/) in Brooklyn for what some claim is the best pizza in New York City; however, when we drove by the restaurant, the line was down the block (they say this is normal) and the wait was over an hour. Unfortunately, we were too hungry for this.

Plan B. I have been dying to try this other pizza restaurant in Brooklyn, franny’s, for a long time. The owners, Andrew Feinberg and Francine Stephens, met at Savoy and fell in love. And the product of their love story is franny’s.

To make matters better, on March 9, 2005, in the Dining section of the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/), Andrew Feinberg was the featured in “The Chef” section in which he made a Meyer lemon-ricotta ravioli that sounded amazing (I still have the article and recipe archived at home!). And even though they no longer serve pasta at franny’s, this was really when franny’s was added to my must-try list.

There was a 40-minute wait on a Saturday night when we got there, but fortuitously, as soon as we arrived, a group of three got up from the bar, where they also serve dinner, so we sat immediately. The bar area of the restaurant looks like a wine bar, yet the welcoming and friendly bartender made us feel like the bar is a part of the restaurant, which is adorable, cozy with an open kitchen, not too loud and well laid out.

Everything on the menu sounded delicious and as others at the bar were served their dishes, we watched, salivating. It was a difficult decision, but we began with the heirloom tomato salad with burrata, a super rich and creamy mozzarella-style cheese; house-cured cacciatorini, finnochiona and coppa; crostini with warm Tuscan kale, garlic and pecorino Rossellino; and crostini with preserved San Marzano tomatoes with olio verde. The bread they use for the crostini and as the base of the heirloom tomato salad is amazing… crusty, with a soft and chewy center, and a slightly doughy, fresh taste, which balances the unbelievable crostini – everything was so good. I think the most amazing part was the burrata, which also paired well with the delicious house-cured meats.

For the stars of the show, we chose the pizza with buffalo mozzarella, ricotta, garlic and oregano; tomato, provolone piccante and wood-roasted onions; and tomato with buffalo mozzarella, anchovies and chilies (I really wanted the clam pizza, but they had just made their last one when I placed my order). The crust was thin and crisp, and each pizza was the perfect size for one. The white pizza came out burnt in spots from their powerful wood-fired brick oven, which was disappointing. I loved the garlic slices on the pizza, but my husband found them to be overpowering and tried to pick them off as best he could. The provolone and onion pizza was delicious, with large caramelized onion slices scattered over the entire pizza, which were a perfect balance with the sharp provolone. Finally the anchovy pizza… I love anchovies, but these anchovies were too strong for the delicate mozzarella and tomato pizza.

What I really love about franny's (besides EVERYTHING... except the anchovies) is their dedication to using locally grown, seasonal ingredients, an incredibly laudable task especially in the NYC area. I’m already hoping to go back soon, even though it is in Brooklyn, and I have a hard time motivating to the boroughs; next time I’ll go earlier in the evening so I can be sure to taste their clam pie, enjoy a Negroni (my new favorite drink of Campari, gin and sweet vermouth) and bask in the love story that created franny’s.

Lonesome Dove Western Bistro
(Southwestern)
29 West 21st Street between 5th and 6th Avenue (Flatiron)
New York, NY 10010
(212) 414-3139
http://www.lonesomedovebistro.com/
Subway: N/R/W/F/V to 23rd Street
Bus: M2/3/4/5/6/7 to 23rd Street


When we were in Dallas recently, we had dinner with my husband’s brother and sister-in-law. They live in Fort Worth and told us that an amazing Fort Worth restaurant was opening a NYC outpost. They said it was their favorite and raved about its chef Tim Love and the restaurant for quite a while. I had completely forgotten about it, until I received my local Daily Candy (http://www.dailycandy.com/) a couple weeks ago which featured Lonesome Dove. With my 11-month anniversary rapidly approaching, I thought it was a perfect excuse to make a reservation.

A bearskin rug lies on the sidewalk in front of Lonesome Dove, a dimly lit, casual restaurant in the Flatiron district. As you enter, a long bar encompasses the entire front half of the restaurant, making the entrance narrow while heading into the dining area. Although the restaurant was fairly empty at 7:30pm on a Friday evening, we were seated at a small uncomfortable table right next to a vertical beam. Within minutes, a table of four was seated right beside us, so close that I was practically cheek-to-cheek with one of the diners.

The wine list wasn’t very familiar to me, so we asked for the sommelier, who suggested only one wine which, at $75, ran higher than average. I personally think it’s the sommelier’s duty to request a price range, but this one didn’t. We were, however, pleased with the suggestion: J. Wilkes Bien Nacinto Vineyards Hillside Pinot Noir 2004.

Upon reviewing the menu, I found it interesting and quite different with a lot of sweet, fruity additions like huckleberry, raspberry, wild cherry and even candied jalapenos to spicy savory dishes. The attention-grabbing main course was the entrée for two: a Tomahawk chop, lobster tails, scallops and mashed potatoes carved and served tableside by the chef for market price (that night, $125, which was more than I had in mind). We decided on two appetizers, two entrees and two side dishes and waited in anticipation.

After ordering, bread was finally served to us; it tasted fine, nothing spectacular, but I’m not sure exactly what it had to do with Urban Western food – it was similar to Middle Eastern flatbread or pita bread. The softened butter was a highlight that I appreciated.

When our appetizers arrived, I was surprised at the lack of presentation. Both the buffalo corn dogs (3 for $12) and rabbit & manchego empanadas (4 for $9, I think) were served on the same white oversized dinner plate, the corn dogs separated by being placed in a concession-stand-esque red & white paper food basket. The corn dogs were very greasy, and the State Fair sauce that accompanied them tasted like mayo mixed with relish juice which I’m still not sure is a good combination. The empanadas had potential especially when when paired with the accompanying sauce; however, barely enough sauce for one was drizzled on the plate.

After an unsuccessful round of appetizers, we hoped that entrees would have better luck. My husband’s hand-cut beef tenderloin (medium-rare, $3.40 per ounce) with Serrano-lime butter was a tasty piece of meat, but was overly seasoned with very coarse black pepper. As my husband describes it, “It was like eating a hunk of black pepper with meat.” My grilled veal chop (medium-rare, $34) was similar where the quality of the meat was actually quite good, but it was so overseasoned and salty that some pieces were impossible to eat. Also, none of the fat seemed to be trimmed and the overseasoning and oversalting extended to the sauce to the point that I was unable to eat the grilled forest mushrooms or the crispy ricotta dumplings that came with it. I actually like salty food, so for it to be salty for me, it had to be VERY SALTY. The side dishes were unremarkable: $6 French fries were limp and not crispy; $12 white truffle mac & cheese used orzo rather than standard elbow macaroni and wasn't very cheesy (although it was creamy and white truffley). That said, the mac & cheese was the only passable part of the main course. Other dishes did look interesting: the seared monkfish and spicy posole stew with fried lobster bacon, garlic-stuffed beef tenderloin and, of course, the Tomahawk chop.

To round-out our meal, we ordered the ice cream sandwich for dessert, a simple dessert of vanilla ice cream between two chocolate chip cookies, but even the simple was poorly executed: the cookies were overcooked (burnt on the bottoms) and so hard that we couldn’t even dent them with a spoon, which was a bad match for softened ice cream, because if you tried to pick up the sandwich to take a bite, the ice cream smushed right out while trying to bite into the hard-as-a-rock cookies.

Our waitress (from Oklahoma) seemed overly enthusiastic about everything at the start, but it was hard for her to access our table throughout the meal since the table next to us was basically on top of us. When we got our bill after this unsatisfying meal, we were surprised at how expensive it was, even though the prices were on the menu. Considering the size of the appetizers, the taste of the entrees and the lack of care in the dessert, prices were high. And then I noticed an error on the bill; rather than charging us $75 (the price on the wine list) for the wine, we were charged $90, which is a bad mistake for a new restaurant. When I pointed it out to our waitress, we barely received an apology; she just changed the price of the wine and returned the bill to us.

Poor execution of interesting ideas may keep this restaurant from being a success. The only saving grace of this dinner was the wine because I’ve found a new wine that I really enjoy.

Chubo
(Eclectic/Global)
6 Clinton Street between Houston and Stanton Streets
New York, NY 10002
(212) 674-6300
http://www.chubo.com
Subway: F/V to 2nd Avenue
Bus: M21 to Avenue B/Clinton Street


When we were invited to a birthday dinner at Chubo, I was surprised because I’ve walked by the restaurant a number of times, and it seemed very small (like most of the restaurants included in the Clinton Street restaurant explosion) which I thought would be difficult for a birthday dinner. Yet, when I arrived, the restaurant appeared very welcoming and cute… little but not tight at all. When only nine of 14 people ended up coming, the waiter (the only staff member I saw in the front of the restaurant) was incredibly accommodating and quickly adjusted our table to feel cozy, even with nine people.

Since I was 45 minutes late (because Clinton Street is not easy to get to, and there were NO taxis to be found when I left), I had to make quick decisions (which is not easy for me). Fortunately, I had read the New York magazine review (http://nymag.com) with their recommended dishes before going, so at least I had an idea. It was a good thing I did, because the menu is very interesting and globally influenced, and I would’ve had a difficult time.

I started with a delicious drink, a plum champagne punch (I love plum and I love champagne). I had eaten a late lunch so I wasn’t as hungry as I would’ve liked, but a foodie friend (whose cholesterol is through the roof, but thinks he can eat anything because he’s on Lipitor - he had just finished a late lunch of brisket and a number of sides at Blue Smoke) was sitting across from me so we decided to share. After divulging New York magazine’s report, we ordered the duck shumai (New York magazine pick) and four kumamoto oysters as our appetizers. The oysters were fine; however, I prefer briny Atlantic oysters to the creamy Pacific types. The duck shumai were STANDOUT. The doughy wrapper were chewy but thin and perfectly cooked. I love dumplings, and I was blown away by these wrappers. The duck confit inside was also good, tender, flavorful – a perfect balance.

Entrees chosen were beef two ways (New York magazine pick) and the seared foie gras appetizer. I also benefited from sitting next to the birthday boy (a good sharer) who ordered the roasted scallops as his entrée. The beef entrée consisted of two parts: (1) hanger steak with a coffee rub and (2) oxtail ravioli served together with steamed asparagus. The oxtail ravioli was amazing. It must have been the same “pasta” as the duck shumai, since it is the same idea. Braised oxtail stuffed in a perfectly cooked doughy yet thin and chewy wrapper. I could’ve eaten an entire plate of these. The hanger steak was fine, not memorable, but tasty enough. The foie gras appetizer consisted of a teeny piece of seared foie gras set atop a disk of corn, maybe? I had a difficult time identifying what was what because it was heavily sauced with a strong fruity component. I quickly passed this off for more oxtail ravioli. The scallops were sliced thin which is a dangerous idea. One bite of scallop was almost tough, chewy and very overcooked whereas the next (a slightly thicker slice) was cooked fine. I heard from others that the sauce on the scallops was delicious, but I had a hard time getting past the loss of the delicate scallop.

Even though we were planning to enjoy birthday cake at the party following dinner, we still indulged in dessert sharing two desserts amongst five people: green tea mousse (New York magazine pick) and the espresso-cardamom soufflé. The green tea mousse failed to deliver; it was rather bland (I was expecting a punchy green tea flavored dessert especially since it was recommended). The soufflé, however, more than made up for the mousse; the cardamom didn’t overpower the dessert like I had thought, adding a mild interesting flavor to the espresso, and the fluffiness of the souffle was perfect.

Overall, Chubo was a hit, and next time, I may try their seasonal ingredient of the day (that night’s was venison, but I didn’t think I could eat four courses). Despite its spotty service as the restaurant filled up – frequently as dinner progressed, I would see our waiter standing by the bar area chatting with people, rather than checking on our water, drinks, etc., and there were only two tables taken (our table and one other four-top) – I would return, even if only for the duck shumai.

Park Avenue Café
(Contemporary American)
100 East 63rd Street at Park Avenue
New York, NY 10021
(212) 644-1900
http://www.parkavenuecafe.com/
Public Transportation: Subway: 4/5/6 to 59th Street, N/R/W to Lexington Avenue, F to Lexington Ave/63rd St; Bus: M1/M2/M3/M4/M5 to 59th Street

Frequently, food lovers also love wine. It doesn’t always go the other way, where wine lovers also love food, but foodies love gluttony, and wine consumption can be gluttony. So transitively, an unlimited wine lunch at Park Avenue Cafe would certainly be gluttony which I love. This is where Wine Week (http://www.nationalwineweek.com/) steps in. One week each year, fifteen of Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group’s restaurants pour 10 (give or take) wines each day with lunch for only $10. Actually, it used to be free (back in the good old days), and there’s talk that it might be obliterated (something political from what I gather), but since it was on this year, and it was only $10, I immediately made a reservation at Park Avenue Café on OpenTable (http://www.opentable.com/) which I'd wanted to try for quite a while back when David Burke was at the helm, and now because he was no longer.

When we arrived for our 1:15pm reservation at 1:10pm, one of the three greeters took our name and directed us to the cute, small bar to wait where another maitre d’-esque person poured us some sparkling wine while we waited. With its cute townhousey feel, simple decor and the sparkling wine, I started to love Park Avenue Cafe immediately. But then a few other groups arrived and were seated immediately. That bothers me. Our glasses were refilled, and we continued to wait. My husband asked about our reservation but was politely shooed back to the bar for additional waiting. My opinon was quickly waning.

We were finally seated just before 2pm at a comfortable table in the back room, and since it was wine week, gentlemen immediately rushed over with four different types of wine. I examined the menu and stared at food being served to other tables while sipping on a delicious Sauvignon Blanc (Spy Valley). As always, I was torn, since everything at nice restaurants always sound delicious, and finally decided on a ½ dozen oysters on the ½ shell and the East Side lobster roll; however, I made a last second change to get a better taste of the chef's style and chose a butternut squash and lobster bisque to start and a black sea bass in a gingered coconut broth over jasmine rice. My husband ordered the signature chopped salad and signature hamburger, which was perfect since I always like to try restaurants' signature dishes.

Imagine our surprise when the SIGNATURE salad was overdressed and wilted (as though it had been prepared and sitting out)... my husband wouldn’t even eat it! The flavors were good, similar to a Greek salad, but I knew it was bad when my husband said that MY Greek salad was crisper, lighter and better than this one. The bisque was good; however, there was little hint of lobster flavor and the lobster meat in the soup was tough. I started to rethink my last minute call... maybe I should have gotten the oysters... or the foie gras.

Entrees were similar. The burger was served with nine hand-cut French fries (yes, 9) and two red pepper catsups (one spicy, one not). We both would have preferred ketchup, and I don’t even like ketchup. The actual meat in the burger was very high-quality and tasty, but for medium, it was overcooked, with not even a tinge of pink in sight. The coconut broth that the waiter poured over my fish was incredibly tasty and exploded with flavors. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough to counterbalance the rice, which immediately absorbed what broth there was, and the fish didn’t have a chance at getting any of that amazing flavor.

For dessert, we split their sundae, a fun dessert which reminded me of a sundae bar from a birthday party from my youth. Accompanied by whipped cream, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, chocolate toffee and a berry compote, it allowed you to make your own creations with your ice cream of choice.

Surprisingly for wine week, we had to hound the servers for wine, and more often than not, the wines poured did not suit our meals. Normally a fan of unlimited wine meals (for example, Cite’s wine dinner), I wouldn’t recommend the hectic wine lunch at Park Avenue Café. In fact, I wouldn’t even recommend lunch at Park Avenue Café; for the price, I could think of a dozen restaurants that I’d prefer.