Perry St
176 Perry Street at West Side Highway
New York, NY 10014
212.352.1900
Subway: 1 to Christopher Street
Bus: M20 to the closest stop to Perry Street

Perry Street, part of the Jean-Georges Vongerichten empire, is touted as a casual “neighborhood” restaurant. Yet, besides the Richard Meier building where the restaurant is housed (and its twin building next door), the neighborhood seems pretty sparse (there's certainly no public transportation and one entire side of both buildings is flanked by the highway).

Its décor doesn’t give a “neighborhood” vibe either. The all-glass walls of windows make for a spectacular view of the Hudson River; however, the dining room is angular, modern and cold. In fact, everything in the restaurant is square or rectangular, down to the dishes and even the teacups. I wouldn’t have been surprised if the spoon were square. However, none of this wreaks coziness or "neighborhood". I must also add that everytime I have been to Perry St (weekday or weekend), there’s barely anyone there, which may bolster my “lack of neighborhood” theory.

I have only been to Perry St for lunch because they have one of the best deals on the planet: 2 small plates plus dessert for $24.00 (each additional plate is $12). They even begin your meal with an amuse-bouche (a refreshing watermelon gazpacho on every visit so far). And the deal is offered every day, all-year round! To be able to indulge in Jean-Georges’ creative, delicious fare for a relatively piddly amount (how many of you spend more than $10, even $15, on a less-than-mediocre lunch?) is just genius.

The chef de cuisine is Justin Bazdarich, a graduate of the French Culinary Institute in SoHo, and an incredibly talented and nice guy. I’ve known him and his interest in food since he was a student, and he’s worked his way up from the kitchen first at Jean-Georges to chef de cuisine at Perry St where, at lunchtime, he whips up a menu of approximately 10 dishes, which showcases seasonal ingredients.

The peekytoe crab salad with edible flowers, radishes and cucumbers was a hit on each occasion. My husband devoured the fresh mozzarella with sun-dried pineapple and Thai basil so quickly that not a bite remained (for me) on the plate. I didn’t understand the foam “sauce” that topped the asparagus with herbed risotto; the dish was delicious and delicate but the foam texture reminded me of poached egg whites. It began to sicken me by the time I completed the dish. The grilled salmon with cockles and fingerling potatoes made me a salmon convert on my first visit, with its crispy skin and moist, flavorful, perfectly-cooked center; however, on other tries, its meat was drier, its skin less crisp. I longed for my first time again. Hanger steak with creamed basil, fava beans and topped with a single onion ring was a crowd pleaser, although a bit overspiced in my opinion. The onion ring is probably one of the best you’ll ever taste, and it’s almost wrong to only serve one since it just leaves everyone wanting more.

Of the breakfast genre foods, who knew how amazing pancakes could be; my companions claim to be pancake aficionados (I would never try to boast that title), and they agreed that these were the best pancakes ever tried. Same with the omelet offered; light and fluffy – eggs were taken to a new level.

I’m not a dessert person, but the two choices will never disappoint. One is a chocolate concoction, a layer of moist chocolate cake topped with a layer of rich, dense chocolate pudding topped with a light-as-air whipped cream. The cheesecake was amazing; the poached fruit was boring but still tasty. Go with a friend, get one of each and share.

Although I’ll never feel at home at Perry St (perhaps because I will never be able to make one of the pricy Richard Meier lofts my home -- if you haven’t heard, the buildings boasts a celeb-studded tenant list), I advise one and all to trek here for lunch (every day if you can); it is beyond worth it and unbeatable.

The Grocery
New American
288 Smith Street between Union and Sackett Streets
Brooklyn, NY 11231
(718) 596 3335
F, G at Carroll Street

Dinner at The Grocery is the perfect reason to make a trip out to Brooklyn.

I was at The Grocery on Tuesday this week with a friend. We took a taxi from the East Village across the Brooklyn Bridge to Hoyt Street. Warning: if you take a taxi out to Carroll Gardens, Smith Street is a long, one-way street. You may be better off riding down Hoyt Street and then walking the small block to Smith Street. Tip: the building numbers on Hoyt almost perfectly correlate with the ones on Smith Street. You can also take the subway which lets you out on Smith Street quite close to The Grocery (we were running late, so that option was not really an option at all).

For starters, we asked chef-owner Sharon Pachter for assistance with picking out a bottle of red wine. We knew what we were interested in eating, seafood and duck, but we didn’t know many of the wines on the 35-bottle (or fewer) list. Sharon picked out the wines herself and surprisingly, she put a lot of heart into recommending a bottle for us. We chose a Las Terrases, a Spanish red, with fruitiness (a distinct “jammy” taste) and less body to complement the seafood and particularly the duck. It was a delicious wine; upon the first sip, I told my friend that I could drink the entire bottle before the meal came out. Alas, I am not an alcoholic, so I refrained.

The amuse bouche consisted of potato leek soup (served in an industrial-looking yet cute metal jigger) and potato croquettes. The soup tasted like pea soup with slightly more personality. The croquettes were petite and delicious. Any larger of a croquette would have been decadent.

We started with the lobster tart with potato and leek and mache salad and the roasted, stuffed squid with black risotto, chick peas, and spinach. The tart was buttery and flaky, and surprisingly fabulous. The tart perfectly showcased the lobster and the flaky crust as equal players. The squid was more rustic tasting because of the spinach and chick peas. I would have expected something richer and more predictable with this dish, but I wasn’t disappointed. And beware: a squirt of squid ink is not pretty so be careful.

For our entrees, we shared the monkfish (I believe monkfish. It’s not a good sign when someone who dreams in food cannot remember a meal) and the slow rendered duck breast. The duck breast was recommended on almost every food site I consulted before my journey (namely the New York Times and New York Magazine). Although it was indeed crispy and well-prepared, it was not earth-shattering in any way whatsoever. Obviously, the fish was forgettable, so I will leave it at that.

The dessert menu was a pleasure to choose from. It was an easy choice though: hazelnut panna cotta (which replaced the Tahitian vanilla panna cotta for the night) and the gingerbread steamed pudding. The pudding was delicious for a few bites but much too syrupy and sweet at the center for even my own sweet tooth to endure. It may be one of the only desserts that I’ve tried that is quite good but unfinishable. That may not be a word, but I believe you know what I speak of. The hazelnut panna cotta, on the other hand, was hands-down the best part of our meal. Smooth, delicious, and should never be changed one bit. Both desserts came pleasantly decorated with thin slices of seedless, red grapes. A new touch that surprisingly went well with both desserts.

Perhaps it is because we ate at the less crowded hour of 9pm on a Tuesday night, but our service was phenomenal. The recommendations were completely on-par (and the staff was happy to recommend) and there was not a hint of pressure on us to leave even though we were the last ones seated at the restaurant. There’s also a beautiful back garden that is open in the summertime. It is not heated with lamps, so you want to make sure it is warm enough for you before you choose to be seated back there. Finally, there is a tasting menu for $75 and $100 with wine pairing. We did not opt for that because the menu was not extensive and we found dishes we immediately knew we wanted, but $100 for a tasting menu with wine pairing is a steal (especially compared to Manhattan), no?

If you are headed to The Grocery, go for the whole experience. Walk down Smith Street on your way there, enjoy the hominess of the restaurant and an ambitious and satisfying meal with personalized service (our waitress even called my friend “forlorned” while looking at the menu; unfortunately, no such word exists, but we understood her point. Also, chef-owner Sharon, at the start of our meal, shimmied her way under our neighbor’s tablecloth to fix an unsettled table.). And be sure to enjoy a after-dinner drink in beautiful Carroll Gardens at a neighborhood bar before you head back on the subway or taxi, or make your way home however you choose to.

Don’t go expecting a top-rated Zagat showdown at The Grocery. Rather, go to taste ambition with every bite.

The Stanton Social
99 Stanton Street between Orchard and Ludlow Streets (Lower East Side)
NY, NY 10002
(212) 995 0099
http://www.thestantonsocial.com/

My New Year’s resolution for New York City restaurants is, “Please someone, feed me.” I always thought New York City was the trendsetter city of all restaurant cities in America. How come the small plates concept has been hot for two years in San Francisco, but it’s now catching on in New York City? Who, besides restaurant owners trying to make money, ever thought conning diners into getting tons of small plates instead of two to three decently sized plates was acceptable? Actually, I have a new, New Year’s resolution for New York City restaurants, “Please leave small plates for tapas.”

It was a Wednesday evening and yet another large dinner with friends on the Lower East Side. It was ten of us on the second floor of the restaurant, next to the bar, and the place was only half-crowded. Since The Stanton Social is a small plates restaurant, we decided to split the table in half, five and five, so that each could get a reasonable portion of each plate. The restaurant also creatively allows you to order additional pieces in a plate, which we found out after ordering unfortunately, but we implemented our new knowledge during our second round of orders.

We started with the edamame with spicy miso and ginger which someone at the table (who had dined at the restaurant previously) exclamed was excellent. The grilled edamame comes topped with a thick sauce that is tasty albeit salty. Overall, though, it was much too messy for a food that is shared by a group of people and shared by numerous hands. The chicken and waffles was unpleasant although no one else at the table agreed or disagreed. It tasted burnt and the syrup, which came on the side, didn’t add much flavor or moisture. Two friends didn’t even see the syrup it came with. I tried it with and without syrup. Both were serious let-downs. You can’t name something chicken and waffles and do that to me, c’mon! The wood grilled pizzetta was simple and good, yet uninventive. It’s a fun addition to the meal considering there’s so little food on each plate, you need to carbo load somehow. Which brings me to the french fries. They were yummy but the servings were even smaller than Core 191 (could things actually get smaller than Core 191?). As a result, the fries don’t help you in your grand scheme to carbo load. Shucks.

The hanger steak was unremarkable, which at that point, didn’t surprise me much. The meatballs and manicotti were fine – again, unremarkable. The best additions to our table were pierogies that were not outstanding but tasty and easy to eat, share, and enjoy and the charred squid lettuce wraps. The lettuce wraps were very good, fun, and interesting. They were, by far, the best dish we had ordered.

For dessert, we shared a chocolate tasting which came with ice cream – too spicy, pudding – delicious, raspberry chocolate cake – decent but dry, and peppermint patties – a cheap addition to the dessert that we only ate out of sheer hunger.

The ambience of the The Stanton Social made up for what the food lacked. Sound level and lighting were well managed on the 2nd level (however, who’s to say what the other floors are like). In addition, the restaurant catered to a group of 10 quite well. Overall, the food was not earth-shattering but was dependably fine. A couple of decent dishes amongst some real snoozers. Perhaps next time, I’ll go to The Stanton Social (to order the lettuce wraps) after eating at Bereket.

The Stanton Social

99 Stanton Street between Ludlow and Orchard Streets (Lower East Side)

New York, NY 10002

(212) 995-0099

Subway: F/V to 2nd Avenue; J/M/Z to Essex Street

Bus: M14A/15 to Houston Street; M21 to Allen or Essex Streets

I love to plan dinners with friends, and with the new year upon us, I thought it would be a fortuitous 2007 to begin the year with a close-friend dinner. I chose The Stanton Social because I had heard good things, I love sharing and tasting, and I figured it may not be too expensive for a group. Also, the reservation was easy to get for a group of 8 on a Wednesday at 7pm (using OpenTable).

Although I arrived 15 minutes late, I was still the first one there, but my dining companions followed soon after. The restaurant was also incredibly accommodating when my table of 8 became 10. A modern loungey entrance greets you as you enter on the main floor of the restaurant with comfortable banquette-like seating on your right, although this sleek look was hampered by a makeshift coat check and coat rack on this cool January night. We were seated on the second floor where a full bar sat in the center surrounded by a dining room. When side-by-side, the chairs at our table, although incredibly comfortable and inviting, didn't allow space for one to be seated at the table without pulling the entire chair out and letting everyone on that side in; I found this annoying and therefore, didn't want to get up the entire meal in order to avoid disturbing my fellow diners.

Everyone at the table was starving, so we decided to order three dishes for every two people; we could always order more as needed. When I asked our server what he recommended, he told me that the French onion soup dumplings were the most popular item on the menu. This annoyed me. I didn't ask for the most popular item; I wanted to know what HE recommended. Strike one against the waiter. (Aside: one of my friends there had tried the French onion soup dumplings before and didn't feel they were worth ordering again.)

We divided the table in half to make ordering and sharing easier. Our side of the table decided on red snapper tacos with mango & avocado salsa, duck confit empanadas, "old school" meatballs with herbed ricotta crepe manicotti, charred squid lettuce wraps with three sauces, braised short rib soft tacos with refried white beans, manchego and tomato relish and finally the dry-aged grilled hanger steak served with pillows of blue cheese. Dishes were served as they were ready and were slightly difficult to share amongst five people, but each person was more considerate of the next, and we made do. What the waiter did not explain was that it's possible to make each dish to serve the number of people you're with (strike two) -- so if the dish generally serves 3, you can ask for a serving for 5 at an additional cost.

We received the red snapper tacos and duck confit empanadas immediately, and I thought the tacos were fresh, flavorful and delicious especially with a squeeze of lime which added a brightness. The empanadas were dry, including the filling, which was disappointing. This could have been remedied, or at least helped, by the blood orange sauce that accompanied it, but one of the busboys took the dipper away before I was able to decide either way.

The charred squid were wonderful, a touch spicy, tender, not chewy or rubbery at all, and had been seasoned and marinated well. Each of the sauces that came with the lettuce wraps added a lovely accent that piqued our tastebuds, and had us wondering what each flavor was (without peeking back at the menu). When we were out of lettuce, I was happy to just munch on the remaining squid. The short rib soft tacos was more filling than we expected, and it was a perfect dish to share amongst our group. I enjoyed the "mini-taco bar" feel that the accompaniments gave to the dish. The short-ribs had been braised well, so that the meat was tender and had the depth of flavor that you would expect.

Our final dishes, the meatballs and hanger steak, came out together. The meatballs were soft and quite good in a bold tomato sauce that almost hid the manicotti which it all sat atop. The manicotti were good, but I prefer manicotti in a more structured tube than the soft crepe that this one had. The hanger steak was also good, cooked medium-rare as requested; however, the blue-cheese pillows that were found in the dish threw off the entire flavor of the meal (and I like blue cheese!), and I wasn't able to get rid of it from that point on. Everything else that I nibbled on the rest of the evening was plagued with the lingering flavor of that rancid cheese.

Although we were all pretty stuffed by the end of it, we decided to try the cookie sampler, which was a disappointing end to a decent meal. The waiter did not indicate which cookies were which, and it was basically trial and error as we went through the plate... mostly errors.

We had some problems with our bill, where our server overcharged us, but he rectified the situation as soon as I said something. Service was slow, and a bit bumbly, but this seems to be the vibe that The Stanton Social tries to achieve. I never felt hurried by the staff; in fact, I felt that I needed to hurry the waiter a bit.

The Stanton Social definitely has things going for it: cool owners, some good dishes, a well-decorated great space (I loved the antique hand mirrors on the walls that gave a vintage twist to the modern look)... and most importantly, a rather inexpensive tab, food-wise: only $35 per person. Keep in mind, we did not drink (I had a raucous evening involving too much Jameson the night before), and there was no raw bar on this occasion, but if you're looking for a fun place to go with a group, definitely keep The Stanton Social in mind.

REDD
6480 Washington Street at Oak Circle (Napa Valley)
Yountville, CA 94599
(707) 944-2222


One beautiful Saturday, the husband and I decided to take a road trip up the coast with my mom. We decided to change the route on the way back into the city and drive through Napa with a few pitstops at some vineyards. Since it was getting late, we decided to grab some dinner in the adorable town of Yountville. OK, fine, I had the entire day planned, and I specifically planned our final vineyard to be in or near Yountville so that I could check out Thomas Keller's temporary new restaurant, Ad Hoc, before it was gone. Fortunately, Ad Hoc had a cancellation at 7:30pm. Unfortunately, it was 5pm, and we were ready to eat. I had researched no backup plans, since I believed at 5pm, we'd have no trouble getting into Ad Hoc. We drove from restaurant to restaurant, and fortunately stumbled upon REDD.

There were no tables available in the dining room, but we were seated at a perfectly comfortable table in the bar. Simple decor creates clean lines throughout the restaurant, from tables, to bar to restaurant dividers. After being seated, we were served delicious bread and even more delicious local butter.

As we perused the menu, practically every dish on the menu sounded delicious. It was difficult to make a decision, especially after hearing the even more delightful specials. To begin, we chose the sashimi of hamachi with sticky rice and edamame in a lime ginger sauce; Carnaroli risotto with Maine lobster, lemon confit and white truffle oil; and a special appetizer of Nantucket Bay scallops with potato gnocchi over a butternut squash puree. Amazingly, each of the dishes was amazing. The hamachi was above and beyond fresh and the lime-ginger sauce brightened the entire dish, giving it more personality than a typical sashimi appetizer. The Nantucket Bay scallops were sweet and tender, perfectly cooked and caramelized, making them almost indistinguishable from the similar-sized potato gnocchi, light fluffy pillows of potato without any gummy or mushy texture. It was perfectly balanced with the slightly sweet butternut squash puree. The risotto was also delicious with sweet chunks of lobster with each al dente bite complemented by tangy lemon confit. The waft of white truffle oil delighted the nose before each bite.

Entrees were also quite good, although not as exceptional as the appetizers. To get a full idea of what REDD had to offer, we went with the New York steak (medium rare) and shortribs served with creamy spinach, fingerling potatoes and bacon; a special of veal and ricotta meatballs with homemade fettucine; and an appetizer special as an entree of crispy sweetbreads with olive oil mashed potatoes in a cornichon sauce. The steak, served sliced, was perfectly cooked and delicious. It was evident that the meat was an excellent cut, well-aged and flavorful. The braised shortribs, however, were less than stellar. Braised, Korean kalbi-style, the shortribs were fatty and could have used more time braising for the fat to have melted away and for the meat to be more tender and flavored. The sweetbreads were delicious, but the accompanying potatoes were too heavy to balance the dish. The cornichon sauce overpowered the components of the dish; perhaps they spooned too much on the plate? Finally, the actual veal and ricotta meatballs were excellent; however, despite my love for white truffle oil, the white truffle oil overpowered the entire dish, and it was hard to distinguish the flavors of the rest of the pasta.

Service was fantastic; our server was incredibly attentive and knowledgeable. We never felt lacking in water, wine or food. She wasn't obtrusive nor obnoxious as you sometimes find in nice restaurants.

Overall, the meal was professional and well-done. My mom was impressed with not just the food, but the service. REDD's excellent food, sleek and modern look is definitely an interesting addition to quaint Yountville.

per se
(French)
Time Warner Center, 10 Columbus Circle at W. 60th Street, 4th Floor (Lincoln Center)
New York, NY 10019
(212) 823-9335
Subway: A/B/C/D/1 to 59th Street-Columbus Circle
Bus: M7/10/11/20/31/57/104 to Columbus Circle


It’s a daunting experience as you approach per se, walking towards the grand blue door, knowing that you’re about to partake in the Thomas Keller experience. Thomas Keller has long been heralded as one of the greatest chefs in the world, and certainly, the greatest chef in America, and as I walked towards per se, my heart started to beat a little faster. Interestingly, the large blue door doesn’t open, and instead, sliding doors on either side of the blue door let you into the sleek, modern entryway. The hostess offered a warm and gracious greeting as we entered and immediately took our coats and ushered us to a sitting area to wait for our dining companions. Our sofa had a spectacular view, overlooking Central Park South and the bustle of Columbus Circle. While waiting for our table, we were offered a tome (their wine list) to peruse.

I gazed around the angular room in awe and wonder and thought about how lucky we were to be there. Normally, reservations are taken two months from the date of call, and when our friend offered to take us to per se, he received the same two-month response from the reservationist, that the first available reservation was December 14, 2006. This was obviously not good enough for me, especially since I could not even imagine when the next time would be that someone would offer to take us to per se. I called in a favor with a friend who works with Restaurant Gary Danko in San Francisco who somehow finagled a reservation for us for that Sunday evening.

When our friends did arrive, we were seated quickly at a window-side table overlooking the same amazing view as before. While we glanced through the different menus (I studied and memorized), we received Thomas Keller’s signature amuse-bouche: a canapé of salmon tartare with red onion crème fraiche in a savory tuile that looks just like a tiny ice cream cone, an idea inspired by a trip to Baskin-Robbins. The combination of flavors worked beautifully, and I knew it was a testament to the chef when my husband, who doesn’t like fish, particularly raw fish, gobbled the entire thing right up.

For the same price ($210 including gratuity), per se offers three different menus: the chef’s nine-course tasting menu, a nine-course vegetarian tasting menu or a seven-course menu. We all chose the chef’s nine-course tasting menu to really savor and enjoy our first Keller experience.

The first dish to appear was another Keller original “Oysters and Pearls”. This was my favorite: Island Creek oysters with Sterling white sturgeon caviar in a pearl tapioca sabayon (custard). The oysters were just barely cooked and creamy, and the caviar had that pop not common of farmed caviar. Luckily, my husband did not enjoy this dish, so it just meant more for me.

The second course gave us an option between a foie gras terrine or a Hawaiian hearts of peach palm salad. We all chose the terrine of Hudson Valley Moulard duck served with Bartlett pear marmalade, a pear chip and a balsamic glaze with frisee lettuce and toasted brioche (which my husband called Texan toast). The entire dish together was delicious, although I was surprised that a $30 supplement was charged for the foie gras. I was rather curious about the other option, because I’ve actually read amazing things about Thomas Keller’s hearts of palm source.

The third course that evening was a crispy skin fillet of barramundi served with a confit of globe artichokes, California crosnes (aka Chinese artichoke or chorogi) and piquillo peppers with a basil vinaigrette. The whitefish was delicate and light and well-balanced against the vegetables. My husband finished his before I did, and again, the chef impresses me when my husband will eat fish.

The fourth course was a sweet butter-poached Nova Scotia lobster served with a pumpkin puree, braised Cipollini onion and a toasted pumpkin seed persillade with a curry emulsion. This was my 2nd favorite dish as the lobster was succulent and tender, and I had never thought to pair lobster with a mild curry sauce, which worked incredibly well.

For our fifth course, we received a sautéed breast of quail from Cavendish Farm with a “jambonnette en crepinette” (basically a sausage shaped like a quail leg) with a fig compote, mizuna greens and red pepper-quail sauce. This was probably my least favorite dish, partly because I have never been a big fan of quail, but also because it wasn’t that interesting besides the jambonette, which I did enjoy with its burst of flavor with each bite surprising me.

The sixth course offered a choice between a beef and a veal. Despite the $75 supplement, I chose the Blackmore Ranch Australian Wagyu beef sirloin served with a small square of Wagyu beef brisket, potato-mushroom mille-feuille, carrots and bordelaise sauce. The beef was delicious, but I do not believe the taste warranted a supplement. In fact, I thought the small beef brisket served alongside the steak was better than the centerpiece itself. My husband thought the beef was phenomenal (as a Texan, he claims to know beef). The veal, on the other hand, was a masterpiece to me. A rib-eye of March Farm’s veal was the most delicious, milky, tender veal I’ve certainly ever tasted.

The seventh course was a cheese course, which was a Meadow Creek Grayson cheese, which I’d never heard of. It was not memorable at all.

The eighth and ninth courses were two dessert courses, first, a mango sorbet which acted partly as a palate cleanser to prepare the mouth for the "Snickers" dessert that followed. The Snickers dessert was a nougat ice cream with milk chocolate cream, salted caramel gelatin and a peanut nougatine, which I didn’t enjoy at all. This was the only dish that I did not finish because it didn’t work well together, particularly the salted caramel gelatin.

We thought the meal was over besides the tray of petits-fours (or mignardises... tray of small sweets) that is generally brought out at most nice restaurants, but suddenly they set another spoon in front of each of us. ANOTHER dessert course which was not on the menu was served; one was a Madagascar vanilla bean creme brulee that I thought was too sweet despite its powerful vanilla taste; the other was a yogurt, apricot and honey pot de crème that I think may have been the best dessert I have ever had in my life. It was tangy and light yet rich and exploding with flavor. It gave dessert a new meaning to me.

At this point, we had to leave because we had been sitting there for over four hours, and the couple we were with had to return to their babysitter. We were sent home with flavored meringues and interestingly-spiced chocolates.

I also have to note that we were offered four types of bread: the usual French baguette, a ciabatta roll, a wonderful pretzel bread and a potato sourdough roll; the latter two were so good and refreshing compared to the other restaurant standards. It was also a treat to receive two kinds of butters: a salted Vermont butter and an organic sweet butter.

This dinner was spectacular; however, I must note some points of contention. (1) During the entire dinner, I felt that the staff was rushing us. As my plate from one course was being cleared, I felt that the next course was already being served. Although a nine-course dinner imaginably runs long, considering the cost and experience, I was disappointed that I had the “rushed” feeling the entire night. (2) Perhaps it was because we dined on a Sunday night, but the service and staff was less than spectacular. One waiter poured the second wine into a partially-full glass of wine from the first bottle. Another described our Snickers dessert as the S’mores dessert. And she never even realized she made the mistake. These are just a couple examples, but I never felt catered to, as I should during a meal of this caliber.

As we exited per se, I was very full with an overly satiated belly and a mind full of glee; however, I can’t help but hope that Keller’s staff be more proud to work at and with an amazing restaurant like per se and truly exemplify the craftsmanship of this man.

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.

Mijita Cocina Mexicana
One Ferry Building (Embarcadero at Market Street), #44
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 399-0814
http://www.mijitasf.com/
Muni: N Judah to Embarcadero Station


If you love food, restaurants and chefs like I do, the name Traci des Jardins (best known for her San Francisco restaurant Jardiniere) is as familiar as the name Mickey Mantle is to someone who loves baseball (or, for that matter, the general population). So when we made a stop at the Ferry Building while visiting my family in San Francisco, it was a no-brainer to grab a bite at her brightly colored nook in the Ferry Building called Mijita.

The ambience at Mijita is casual and perfectly represents its location as well as its menu. Des Jardins has developed sustainable Mexican recipes reflecting her roots and her California upbringing.

Since I was with a few people, we ordered a fair number of menu items in order to get an across-the-board taste of her creations: off of the regular menu, fish taco, quesadilla Mijita, queso fundido, a side of frijoles, guacamole & chips, plus the bean burrito for my 2-year-old nephew. Off of the specials menu: carnitas sandwich and chicken taquitos. After our cashier rang up our order, I noticed that although the menu may be authentic, the prices certainly were not (about $55 including tax but not beverages).

Portions were small, but tasty. Chicken is my least favorite meat, but the taquitos were delicious – light, crispy, with no greasy taste. The fish taco was similarly tasty: flaky Mahi Mahi, lightly battered and deep-fried until perfectly golden, inside a warm corn tortilla. But the all-star of the bunch was the queso fundido – melted cheese (described as “Mexican cheese” on Mijita’s website) mixed with chorizo served with warm flour tortillas. Simple as it is, it was delicious on its own, or as an addition to each of the items we ordered, particularly the very plain bean burrito (children’s menu item), which I didn’t expect would be spectacular, but at least more interesting than Taco Bell (it wasn’t).

I wish we had ordered the carnitas tacos, which is usually my favorite anywhere (especially Mexico), because the carnitas sandwich was mostly bread, and the bread just wasn’t good. I’ve definitely had better guac (Rosa Mexicano, Dos Caminos, my own), and Mijita’s namesake quesadilla left no impression at all.

I’ve read elsewhere that Mijita uses all local, organic ingredients, hence the high price tag on its dishes. I’ve never been one for organic anything, so next time I’m in San Francisco looking for a big name chef, I may save my $55 towards a down payment for dinner at Restaurant Gary Danko.

davidburke & donatella
133 East 61st Street
New York, NY 10021
(212) 813-2121


Last night my husband took me to this charming restaurant housed in a townhouse on 61st Street near Bloomingdale's to celebrate my 30th (ugh) birthday. He made the reservation on OpenTable (http://www.opentable.com/), which was easy AND we earned 100 Dining Points. We were seated immediately (one of the perks of dining in Manhattan on the weekend during the summer) in a nice corner table for two.

Very polished service is what you'd expect from a Zagat ALL-CAPS restaurant so I was surprised when from the beginning, I felt as though the B-team was our serving group. Our waiter/sommelier suggested wines without asking if we had a price range, starting with a $110 bottle of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, then a $375 bottle of Chateau Laville Haut-Brion (pronouncing 'Brion' like the name 'Brian'). Perhaps my shocked face gave away that the price range was a bit high (or that he had butchered the pronunciation). I settled for a $48 bottle of Henri Bourgeois Sancerre. On our chargers was a bi-fold paper that contained the tasting menu and specials of the evening; my husband's was blank.

The amuse-bouche served was a pastry filled with short-rib which was good, but a little dry for a meat that's usually melt-in-your-mouth braised. The wine was served a touch warm. Menus were given, and everything was expensive.

I'd like to preface that I wish I had read Adam Platt's 3/15/2004 review in New York Magazine before arriving, but I hadn't. He has an expense account to try all of this food; we do not.

I began with the seared foie gras which I was looking forward to because I LOVE FOIE GRAS. Some bites were salty, some bites were flavorless, some bites tasted chemically. Even the presentation was unattractive. The husband had the lobster bisque served with a lobster roll (imagine a spring roll with lobster). He wolfed down the lobster roll (if it's deep-fried, he'll eat it), but the lobster bisque was disappointingly brothy, rather than rich and creamy. The bits of lobster in the soup were overcooked and chewy.

Entrees were no better: I had the lobster "steak" with curried shoestring fries. Imagine going to a Chinese restaurant and ordering some lobster dish and pouring duck sauce all over it (and over the HUGE mound of literally "shoestring" fries -- not like McDonald's size, but thinner), then adding strong spices that almost overpower the duck sauce... then you would have this dish. For $44, I was sad. My husband almost always orders steak, so as expected, he had the Black Angus prime rib eye steak, medium rare. It was thin (for $41), slightly overcooked (for $41) and very very very salty (for $41). The one saving grace: four pieces of wilted butter (Boston) lettuce with Caesar dressing that accompanied the steak. The dressing was exactly as a Caesar should be. We each ate about 1/3 of our dishes and then hoped dessert would be better.

As usual, I couldn't decide among the desserts, so I asked the B-team waiter which he would choose. We went with a "dbd Classic": warm apple tart with cider caramel and vanilla ice cream. The apple tart was a classic, with a flaky crust, but it required a knife to cut off a bite (you couldn't just cut off a bit with the edge of your spoon or fork). It was good. But the caramel was inedible -- it was just overdone, which, for caramel, is death. Acidic and burnt, I couldn't believe they would put that on the plate.

All in all, I would go there again, but next time, I would do as Adam Platt suggested and get the crispy and angry lobster appetizer and the Dover sole entree (which was a special that I didn't order because it came with sage gnocchi -- I'm not a huge fan of sage -- and acorn squash, which doesn't seem appropriate in July). I forgot to mention that the chef de cuisine (I think his name in the menu was Eric O'Hare) was hot; he was talking to one of the patrons, and he looks like a younger, skinnier Rocco DiSpirito.