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battersbybrooklyn · 3 years ago

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The 10 Best Tasting Menus In NYC Under $100

Tasting menus are experiences often reserved for special occasions since prices can start at several hundred dollars per person. New York City fortunately offers some great options to experience this kind of high-end dining without waiting until your next birthday or anniversary.

RoundTable is an online restaurant guide built by a community of local experts who know where to eat. James Beard award-winning chefs, internationally acclaimed sommeliers and popular food writers curate lists of the best places to dine and drink in New York City and beyond.

Here, some of those experts share what they think are the best tasting menus around NYC for under $100.

1. Contra

"Contra is value of the best kind. An extraordinary dining experience with unanticipated culinary creations that change almost daily, dinner at Contra provides no dull moments. The tasting menu is $67 for 7 courses, 2 (read: two!) of which are dessert. Believe me you'll be begging for a 3rd. This is a place where you only take the ones you care about."

-Sagan Schultz, Sommelier at Terroir Wine Bar

2. The Musket Room

"Beautiful platings and delicate food are coming out of the kitchen at The Musket Room from Chef Matt Lambert (AKA Musket Matt). The dining room is a perfect cozy getaway from busy Elizabeth Street in SoHo. They are serving up Matt's interpretation of New Zealand fare and their $75 6-course tasting menu is the best way to sample highlights from his menu. They have a wine list comprised almost entirely of New Zealand wine, a spectacular cocktail program and you can even add a few more courses for just $15 each. Enjoy this feel good spot and don't miss any rendition of his foie gras torchon!"

-Tom Favorule, Service Manager at La Sirena

3. Pig & Khao

"Pig and Khao is the LES restaurant of Top Chef alum Leah Cohen. She draws on heavy Thai and Filipino influences for her Southeastern Asia inspired menu. During the week (and sometimes on a slow Sunday) she offers a $45, 5-course tasting menu. Items that can't be missed include the 'Sizzling Sisig,' a kind of pig's head hash served in a blazing hot cast iron plate and topped with a whole egg for you to break and stir in at the table, and the 'Singaporean Skate Wing,' a succulent skate wing steamed to perfection inside of a banana leaf and served with a sambal and kalamansi sauce. Her menu changes with the seasons, though there are some favorites that remain constant. The chicharrons are a must and go great with a pork slap beer, indicative of the well-assembled, eclectic beer and cocktail selection. They offer seating on the outdoor patio during the warmer weather, and I highly recommend a seat at the chef's counter if it's available."

-Jared Radas, Sous Chef at Marea

4. Hearth

"Hearth is one of New York's most consistently excellent restaurants. The tasting menu is only $78 bucks for six courses out of Chef Marco Canora's traditional Italian kitchen. The food is always thoughtful and the ingredients top-notch. While he doesn't lean on any particular region out of the Italian cannon, you are also not eating the this-came-from-nowhere style of Italian-American cooking that passes at so many of America's red sauce joints. There will be no baked ziti or chicken parm here. And even if there is a dish that resembles those, it'll be better than anything you've ever tasted. There are few other dining experiences that offer better dollars-in to satisfaction-out in New York. Service is relaxed and casual, but relatively precise."

-Morgan Harris, Sommelier at Aureole Restaurant

5. Babu Ji

"Babu Ji opened last June in Alphabet City and offers playful Indian street food with a modern twist. The classic flavors of indian curries and spice are all there yet those spices are mixed with underlying tones that you can't quite pinpoint. Babu Ji is a fun way to experience Indian cuisine. Try the Colonel Tso's Cauliflower, the Butter Chicken and Babu's Daal. A word of warning though, the place is ALWAYS busy with excruciating wait times. Try making a reservation online for the $62 tasting menu."

-Ida Rae Zapanta, Restaurant Consultant and former Sommelier at Le Bernardin

6. Mission Chinese Food

"Any place that serves delicious pizza and Chinese food is bound to be a mecca for those seeking comfort foods. The standouts here are their tasting menus where one is offered for $69 and the other at $99. I highly suggest the latter since it comes with a "cocktail cart." Yes, it is as magical as it seems. The hip restaurant is all the rage these days and the dinner set allows you to try a lot of what makes them so great without having to think. And any place that includes alcohol in a tasting menu is ok in my book. They're also open relatively late which is great for us industry folk keen on a late-night bite such as their green papaya and banana blossom salad."

-Victoria James, Wine Director at Piora

7. Meadowsweet

"Meadowsweet, in my opinion, is not just one of the most underrated restaurants in Brooklyn but in NYC in general. They have a great mix of ambiance and food. The music, drinks, vibe are always on point and the food is killer. They have some delicious pastas (think truffles) and a must-try artichoke salad! If you go there Sunday through Thursday, they have 5-course Chef's tasting menu for $75. I've always had A+ meals there."

-David Berson, VP at Peter Luger Steak House

8. Semilla

I am confident to say that the best dining experience I had in all of 2015 was my birthday dinner at Semilla. They offer a tasting menu for $85. The chefs and servers all shared their food with genuine joy making us feel like extended family as they delivered one breathtaking dish after another. The night turned into an endless blur of 'food moments', like when you take a bite of something unknown and don't know what to expect but the experience really moves you. It was like being whisked away. The diners do not receive menus; instead you are taken through an unexpected journey of flavors and textures. The bread course was so amazing I begged for seconds and they were happy to oblige and make our meal more special. I highly recommend this comfortable and unassuming spot the next time you're looking for a meal that makes you really feel something special."

-Sydney Wilcox, Culinary Manager at The Brooklyn Kitchen

9. Delaware and Hudson

"I don't often leave Manhattan but for Patti Jackson it's worth the trip. She does amazing work with unique ingredients from local suppliers. This isn't a fancy restaurant, and I appreciate the casual yet hip vibe. It's only $54 per person, and has a selection of great beers and ciders with very reasonable pricing. Be sure to try the buttermilk spaetzle, it's so good!

-Tali Dalbaha, Sommelier at Jean-Georges

10. Battersby

"Battersby offers a 5-course tasting for $75 and a 7-course tasting for $95. It's "improvised" and you will usually receive several courses that are not listed on the menu. Every time we're here the menu is consistently delicious and creative. It's an excellent night out without the pretentiousness that comes along with a lot of Michelin-starred places. You can actually relax and enjoy yourself and your company while still being served in quality fashion."

-Regina Myers Magazini, Owner/operator of Black Mountain Wine House, Bar San Miguel and more

Source: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/post_11627_b_9672770

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battersbybrooklyn · 3 years ago

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Battersby Is Poised, for the New Brooklyn

IT is elbow to elbow at Battersby on a Saturday night, at tables barely wide enough for a game of checkers. “How am I supposed to talk to you?” a flummoxed swain whispers. Couples cleave to a wall; latecomers hunch at the bar. Outside it is Smith Street in Cobble Hill, a formerly insalubrious strip (weren’t they all?) that is now just a Marc Jacobs away from becoming Brooklyn’s Bleecker.

Much of the restaurant was built by hand by the young owners, Joseph Ogrodnek and Walker Stern, who chummily share duties as executive chefs in the claustrophobic galley kitchen. There are the obligatory exposed-brick walls and plank floors. You think you have heard this story before: the new Brooklyn!

And then the food arrives, and you are under a chandelier at Gramercy Tavern.

Well, almost. There are limits to what can be achieved by just three men — Mr. Ogrodnek and Mr. Stern, who worked together at Alain Ducasse at the Essex House and Anella, and their sous-chef, Michael Sowa — in a closet of a kitchen. But at its best, the food at Battersby is thoughtful, poised, occasionally revelatory.

Behold the lamb, presented three ways as part of a tasting menu: shoulder, seared and carmine, tasting of pure animal; shank, slow-braised into soft focus; and rib, pomegranate-glazed, with sweet and sour in a dead heat. This is a biography of lamb, intimate in its details. You sense that the person who cooked it broke down the animal himself. You do not coo over such a plate; you bow your head, in grace.

Kale, the current breakout vegetable, plays the seducer in a salad that tumbles together the raw and the cooked, all showered with a spine-tingling dressing of bird chiles, palm sugar and fish sauce ($12). Octopus and chorizo, that love affair of opposites, is garlanded by meaty chickpeas and brightened by a sun ray of lemon ($15). Branzino shows up with an entourage of braised fennel, tomatoes shriveled and collapsed in their own juices, and Taggiasca olives, buttery and mellow ($26). Everything on the plate is there for a reason.

But spaghetti with sea urchin is a mirage, the creature’s glorious brine lost in the muddy broth ($19). A lucid consommé cannot redeem chewy duck and leaden foie gras tortellini ($28). And then there is the promisingly labeled “pastured hen egg”: an almost-soup of chunky mushrooms and spinach leaves, beneath mushroom froth and a wobbly yolk ($12). It looks so pretty. Why does it taste of nothing at all?

The menu, about a dozen dishes, changes as often as three times a week. From the laconic descriptions, it is difficult to predict mediocrity or transcendence. Better to submit to the five- or seven-course tasting, which the chefs improvise on the spot, for half ($65 and $85) of what you might pay across the river.

One night the tasting began with whimsy (doll-size crudités of baby carrots and radishes, stems still on) and built leisurely from ethereal to earthy, including a bracing parfait of chilled crab, celery,cucumber and green apple; ricotta gnudi invigorated by lemon confit; cod with spring vegetables and aioli, an elevation of a folksy Provençal staple; and that astonishing lamb. It was a passage through late spring’s guises, with the yellow-green of chive blossoms a winking motif.

Did I mention that the chefs do their own baking, too? Each meal opens with a fluffy rosemary flatbread, wafting heat. And the desserts ($7 each) are noble efforts: fennel panna cotta in a rocks glass, a banana tart delightfully soused with lime and underpinned by dulce de leche.

Despite the tightness of the quarters, the waitresses manage, even at full tilt, to glide. The towels in the meticulously tidy bathroom are cloth. Battersby is grown-up, even earnest. This is fine dining in hipster’s clothing: the new new Brooklyn, perhaps.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/20/dining/reviews/battersby-restaurant-thrives-on-smith-street-in-cobble-hill-brooklyn-hungry-city.html

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battersbybrooklyn · 3 years ago

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The 20 Best New NYC Restaurants of 2012

But buzz doesn’t necessarily translate to food you want to go back and eat again and again. Here, the First We Feast teams celebrates the places that we just couldn’t get out of our heads in 2012.

From neighborhood spots to ambitious modernist kitchens, and easy comforts like fried chicken to obscure regional flavors from China, there’s a lot to dig into. All the spots selected (and listed in no particular order) are ones we think should be in your rotation even when the next wave of newcomers starts flooding the scene in 2013.

Written by Chris Schonberger (@cschonberger), Sophie Brickman (@sbrickman), Hannah Norwick (@HannahNorwick), Shanté Cosme (@ShanteCosme), Erin Mosbaugh (@JayBlague), DJ Dieselboy (@DJDieselboy), Kristen Tauer (@ktauer), and Elyse Inamine (@elyseinamine)

It’s been another year of memorable, waistband-expanding eating in the hyperactive restaurant capital that is New York City. When we reflect on the year’s openings, some major benchmarks stand out: The splashy arrival of the NoMad, for example, where the team behind Eleven Madison Park resurrected the tradition of the grand hotel dining room, or the influx of trendy New Nordic influences at spots like Acme and the short-lived Frej. But buzz doesn’t necessarily translate to food you want to go back and eat again and again. Here, the First We Feast teams celebrates the places that we just couldn't get out of our heads in 2012. From neighborhood spots to ambitious modernist kitchens, and easy comforts like fried chicken to obscure regional flavors from China, there’s a lot to dig into. All the spots selected (and listed in no particular order) are ones we think should be in your rotation even when the next wave of newcomers starts flooding the scene in 2013. Written by Chris Schonberger (@cschonberger), Sophie Brickman (@sbrickman), Hannah Norwick (@HannahNorwick), Shanté Cosme (@ShanteCosme), Erin Mosbaugh (@JayBlague), DJ Dieselboy (@DJDieselboy), Kristen Tauer (@ktauer), and Elyse Inamine (@elyseinamine)

Perla

Neighborhood: West Village Address and phone: 24 Minetta Ln. (212-933-1824) Website: perlanyc.com Restaurateur Gabe Stulman has demonstrated his Midas touch time and again, colonizing a small swath of the West Village—dubbed ‘Lil Wisco in honor of his Midwestern roots—with perpetually mobbed dining rooms like Joseph Leonard and Jeffrey’s Grocery. But while his scene-making talent has never been in question, Perla may have be the first truly great restaurant in his oeuvre. Sure, the Italian grub served here is slightly easier to love than the Quebecois party food of Fedora (another of his white-hot joints), but nothing should be taken away from chef Michael Toscano, the former Batali-Bastianich lieutenant who heads the show. Lusty and bold pasta dishes include pappardelle laced with foie gras and duck, and garganelli in a chili-inflected sauce of tripe, tomato, and guanciale. Toscano is also a master with meats, whether balancing rich slices of lamb saddle with yogurt and salsa verde, or braising beef tongue to tender perfection. Add in a crackling scene and excellent cocktails (try to the Sazerac riff with Twizzler bitters), and Perla is the type of place you’d love to be a regular, if only you could afford it.—Chris Schonberger

Neta

Neighborhood: West Village Address and phone: 61 W 8th St (212-505-2610) Website: netanyc.com When eating at a pricey sushi bar, anything beyond flawless nigiri and sashimi can seem superfluous. Yet Neta succeeds in respecting tradition while incorporating its own creative take on things. If you can afford to splurge, go for the $95 or $135 omakase, a multicourse tasting of mostly raw fish, like a just-warmed scallop served in its shell with dots of briny sea urchin. One of the head chefs was previously in charge of fish buying at Bar Masa, so it makes sense when buttery toro, served in its purest form atop vinegary rice, is revelatory. Equally as memorable are the cocktails, like the Owl of the Woods, made with liquor distilled from Hitachino Nest White Ale, then infused with maitake mushrooms and mixed with buckwheat tea. It’s savory and earthy rather than herbaceous, botanical, or sweet—just another way in which Neta defies expectation.—Erin Mosbaugh

Empellón Cocina

Neighborhood: East Village Address and phone: 105 First Ave (212-780-0999) Website: empellon.com If there was one spot that every seeker of new and exciting food in NYC needed to visit this year, it would probably be Alex Stupak’s Empellón Cocina. The backstory has been rehashed countless times: Crazy-talented pastry chef from wd~50 and Alinea opens a (not-your-average) taco spot, then follows-up with a more ambitious, taco-less Mexican restaurant. But what’s great about the place is that you don’t need to intellectualize it to enjoy it—the flavors are delicious and playful without slapping you in the face with their cleverness. Wavy homemade masa cakes twist between pink shrimp and uni cream, guacamole is rocketed into another stratosphere with the addition of pistachios, and sensational desserts come courtesy of the chef’s wife, Lauren Resler. Dishes are fired at will, with the kitchen taking full control of how plates arrive. The whole experience is a daze of mezcal and combinations of flavors and textures that tend to stick with you, even if you aren’t paying too much attention in the moment.—Hannah Norwick

Rosemary’s

Neighborhood: West Village Address and phone: 18 Greenwich Ave (212-647-1818) Website: rosemarysnyc.com There are a lot of easy reasons to discount Rosemary’s at first glance: If the gaggles of rich girls flitting in and out don’t get your hater muscle twitching, the bouncer at the door who quotes you a two hour wait (on a Wednesday no less) probably will. But that feeling subsides as soon as you sit down, sip an aperitif, and thing, Why can’t every Italian restaurant in New York should be more like this? The prices are shockingly reasonable, with simple yet satisfying pastas—orecchiette with crumbly sausage and braised greens, linguini with chilis and just the right amount of acid—all hovering in the $12 to $14 range. The ingredients, some of which are grown on a rooftop garden, are exceedingly fresh, a fact which turns a soup as humdrum as minestrone into something vibrant and exciting. And let’s face it—the clientele is sexy as hell. Our advice: Take that chip off your shoulder and just enjoy the scene.—Chris Schonberger

Almayass

Neighborhood: Gramercy Address and phone: 24 E 21st (212-473-3100) Website: almayassnyc.com Why should white-table cloth dining be reserved for European fare? This Lebanese import—an offshoot of the famous Beirut original—is a worthy special occasion destination for those with a taste for Middle Eastern specialties like kibbe (rough-cut raw beef mixed with bulgur) and silky hummus, probably the best we've had anywhere in the city. The deep menu, mostly made up of shareable meze plates, warrants exploration on repeat visits. So far, we’ve discovered standouts such as soujuk flambée (a spicy salami, flamed tableside for dramatic effect); mini yogurt-soaked meat dumplings called manti; and top-notch eggplant dolma. End with the showstopping ossmalieh, a traditional dessert that’s something like sesame cotton candy laced with shards of pastry and sweet custard.—Chris Schonberger

Forager’s City Table

Neighborhood: Chelsea Address and phone: 300 W 22nd St (212-243-8888) Website: foragerscitygrocer.com Foragers Market is a great stop for any urban gourmand looking to stock up on artisanal goodies like Empire Mayo, P&H Soda Co. syrups, and Blue Marble ice cream. But really, it’s the sit-down restaurant in the back of the Chelsea location that caught our attention this year, with its easygoing vibe and intriguing menu that weds pan-Asian flavors with sustainable ingredients in a way that brings to mind Momofuku, minus the loud music and long waits. Highlights include succulent seven-spice chicken wings, lamb-belly adobo, and pork crepinettes. The latter are mini patties of house-butchered pork sausage, wrapped up in a delicate layer of caul fat that sears beautifully; wrap them up in Bibb lettuce, then dress them with Vietnamese-style accoutrement like mint sprigs, fresh chilies, and sweet-and-funky nuoc cham dipping sauce.—Chris Schonberger

Maysville

Neighborhood: Flatiron Address and phone: 17 W 26th St (646-490-8240) Website: maysvillenyc.com Drinking wine with dinner is so 2 B.C. How about we kick it up a notch and pair our crispy pig's ears, oysters, and smoked trout with whisky? Enter Maysville, the brand-new Flatiron joint named after a Kentucky port town that just so happens to be the birthplace of bourbon. Chef Kyle Knall, formerly of Gramercy Tavern and the great state of Alabama, brings a refined hand to creative southern eats—arctic char is marinated with bourbon then served with golden beets and boiled peanuts, and duck confit with grits is nothing like the bistro standard you’re used to. All of this is complimented by an awe-inspiring selection of domestic brown spirits, which you can taste straight-up, on the rocks, or in well-made classics like Old-Fashioneds and Manhattans.—Sophie Brickman

Bobwhite Lunch and Supper Counter

Neighborhood: Alphabet City Address: 94 Ave. C (212-228-2972) Website: bobwhitecounter.com Fried chicken—Southern-style, Korean-style, even Questlove-style—is in no need of extra exposure in this town. Yet out on Avenue C, a little spot called Bobwhite managed to overcome fried-fowl ennui and make a name for itself this year. The key is simplicity: Virginia native Keedick Coulter marinates his bird in sweet tea then pops it into the pressure cooker to achieve light, crackling golden crust and impeccably moist, slightly sweet flesh within. It’s damn near perfect, and reason enough to visit the friendly, white-walled dining room. But if you bring an appetite, you’ll also want to get busy with the delicious pork-chop sandwich, seared and topped with a sweet-and-spicy chow-chow relish. Word to the wise: There’s a great bar—ABC Beer Co.—right next door for pre- or post-meal brews.—Elyse Inamine

Mission Chinese Food

Neighborhood: Lower East Side Address and phone: 154 Orchard St (212-529-8800) Website: missionchinesefood.com/ny/ Vast pools of ink have already been spilled over this San Francisco import, and it seems like barely 24 hours can pass without some big-name influencer—Andrew Zimmern, Martha Stewart, Rick Bayless—hopping onto the Twitter machine to declare their love for the place. Part of the appeal is its complete lack of pretension: Prices are low (and some of the money even goes to charity), the decor includes cheeky back-lit photos of take-out dishes, and those who brave the inevitable waits cram together in the entryway drinking from a free keg of crappy beer. But it’s the grub on the plate—dubbed “Americanized Oriental” by the insanely likeable chef, Danny Bowien—that has really hit a nerve in post-fusion New York, where loud music and multicultural cooking represent the Holy Grail. What Bowien does so convincingly is produce food that transcends arguments about authenticity by having a voice and personality of its own. It also happens to be damn tasty—fill your table with kung-pao pastrami, salt-cod fried rice, mapo tofu, and basically anything else for that matter, then strap in for the tongue-numbing, sweat-inducing adventure.—Elyse Inamine

Gwynnett St.

Neighborhood: Williamsburg, Brooklyn Address and phone: 312 Graham Ave (347-889-7002) Website: gwynnettst.com This ambitious newcomer is the neighborhood restaurant redefined. Justin Hilbert—former pastry chef of modernist temple wd~50—tries his hand at savory, and the results are stunning. With an ever-changing menu of thoughtful dishes—think mushroom "steak" draped with lardo, chicken served with a hay-ash purée, and a pistachio tofu dish that straight up kills—Gwynnett St. is one of the restaurants pushing Williamburg’s dining scene into new terrain. Even the simplest opener on the menu, whiskey bread with cultured butter, is a knockout. But perhaps not surprisingly, the dessert menu steals the spotlight, with amazing creations that wouldn’t be out of place at the likes of Alinea. Believe the hype—Gwynnett St. is destination dining.—DJ Dieselboy

Pok Pok Ny

Neighborhood: Red Hook, Brooklyn Address and phone: 255 Smith St (718-852-8321) Website: pokpokny.com Everyone knew Pok Pok Ny was going to good before it arrived—chef Andy Ricker had already conquered Portland with his faithful renditions of dishes he encountered in Thailand, and he made no indication that he would stray from the script in Brooklyn. Yet still suspicious gastronauts made the pilgrimage out to Red Hook to make sure it wasn’t all hype, and almost all left as converts to the cult of Pok Pok. Papaya salads are pleasantly funky with fish sauce, and the now-famous chicken wings—a Vietnamese-style preparation—are as addictive as anything the Colonel ever created. But the menu, equipped with encyclopedic entries on each dish, will also introduce you to less familiar items, like coriander-rubbed pork neck served with a side of bitter mustard greens on ice—use them to wrap up the warm slabs of meat, then dunk each handful into spicy garlic sauce.—Hannah Norwick

Swine

Neighborhood: West Village Address and phone: 531 Hudson St (212-255-7675) Website: swinenyc.com Chef Phil Conlon, formerly of West Village brunch destination Café Cluny, harnesses the not-so-secret pleasures of pork in novel ways at this new venture in the same ’hood. There's a happy dissonance between Swine's barbaric name, its decor (think upscale dive), and the polished comfort food emerging from the kitchen. Homemade potato chips covered in silky cheese sauce, jalapeños, and pork belly are a worthy and inventive addition to the nacho canon. The charcuterie boards, which are the main focus of the menu, arrive laden with shareable housemade creations like duck rillettes and tongue pastrami, plus various locally made condiments. But it’s actually the burger that has the most star power—an indulgent mix of brisket, bone marrow, and beef that’s every bit as excessive as it sounds, and even more delicious.—Shanté Cosme

Gran Electrica

Neighborhood: Dumbo, Brooklyn Address and phone: 5 Front St (718-852-2789) Website: granelectrica.com People often talk about the Brooklyn dining scene becoming watered down, and Gran Electrica certainly took some shots from the ’hood’s detractors, particularly those who had problems with a bunch of white dudes preparing traditional Mexican food. But the whole enterprise exudes thoughtfulness, as the team behind hot spots Colonie and Governor seeks to combine real-deal South of the Border cooking with local ingredients fresh from the farmers market. So we say, haters be damned. Carnitas and lengua tacos are swaddled in hand-pressed tortillas; the torta ahogada is drenched in so much spicy sauce that diners rock plastic gloves to eat it; and the pozole, a rich stew of pork and hominy, gets added dimensions from tomatillo and pumpkin-seed broth. Add in some of the best margaritas in the borough, and we’d say they’ve got a hit on their hands.—Hannah Norwick

Boukiés

Neighborhood: East Village Address and phone: 29 E 2nd St (212-777-2502) Website: boukiesrestaurant.com When Christos Valtzoglou’s Heartbreak closed just two days before receiving a Michelin star, many thought the location had been cursed by restaurant gods once and for all. But this new endeavor from the same owner is one helluva comeback. The focus is on “Greek meze cuisine,” which translates to a smattering small plates plucked from different parts of the peninsula. Go with a group so that you can sample as widely as possible, fighting over standouts like smoky shrimp toasts with cauliflower cream, fried saganaki elevated by squirts of lemon, and eggplant dolmas stuffed with cinnamon-tinged ground lamb. Glasses of hard-to-pronounce whites round out the whole experience, which might not warrant a Michelin star, but will hopefully outlive its predecessor.—Hannah Norwick

The Pines

Neighborhood: Gowanus, Brooklyn Address and phone: 284 3rd Ave. (718-596-6560) Website: thepinesbrooklyn.com Beyond the swamp that is the Gowanus canal, and two doors down from his first hit, Littleneck, chef Angelo Romano has struck again with the Pines. The place is unapologetically Brooklyn, with Ghostface Killah on the speakers and an explicit neon painting on the wall. But we’re more concerned with the unexpected combinations happening on our plate: Apples dressed in sheep’s milk, a rich brisket agnolotti that manages to be delicate, and lamb’s neck swimming in mascarpone that satisfies a deep need you didn’t know you had. Yes, this all happens in Gowanus, but get over it already. While you hesitate, we’ll be sitting at the bar, scarfing down whatever chef Romano whips up next.—Shanté Cosme

L’Apicio

Neighborhood: East Village Address and phone: 13 East 1st St (212-533-7400) Website: lapicio.com Joe Campanale, one of the forces behind L’Artusi and dell'anima, has another bonafide hit on his hands, this time across town in the East Village. L’Apicio came onto the scene late into 2012, but it has hit the ground running with top-notch Italian comfort food—soul-enriching stuff like gnocchi with chicken ragu, cavatelli with wild boar, and pork-meatball polenta. Simply put, the restaurant makes food that you want to eat, drunk or sober. The fish and meat offerings run deep, appetizers and sides are as delicious and they are varied, and the wine and cocktail list is on point. Even in a city overrun with Italian joints, L'apicio stands out.—DJ Dieselboy

Niu Noodle House

Neighborhood: West Village Address and phone: 15 Greenwich Ave (212-488-9888) Website: niunoodleny.com We had to reserve at least one spot on this list for an outlier, and Niu Noodle House definitely fits in the category of sleeper hit. Due in part to some weirdly corporate branding, a crappy TV-lit front bar area greeting customers, and a rocky opening after the chef was sent home to China to sort out visa issues, it lacks the buzz that means so much to a West Village restaurant. But we just chuckle when people pass it by, knowing that they are missing out on what is essentially an ingenious mashup of a ramen joint and dim sum parlor. The owners are from Hong Kong, and their take on ramen (originally a Chinese invention) is built with not-too-heavy meat broths, outstanding handmade egg and rice noodles, and toppings like grilled flank steak and braised duck breast. The dim sum is handmade too—some traditional (plump steamed shrimp dumplings), some new-school (pan-fried steak and cheese dumplings), all delicious. And to seal the deal, Niu has one of the most insane interiors in the city, designed as an homage to the surrounding area, with a mural of a Washington Square Arch and stairs to the bathroom made to look like you’re descending into the West 4th subway station.—Chris Schonberger

Battersby

Neighborhood: Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Address and phone: 127 Columbia St (718-923-9322) Website: battersbybrooklyn.com The daily-changing menu and early hype at this intimate Brooklyn spot translated quickly into waits of over two hours for dinner, even on weeknights. But thus far, we're believers. Meals from chefs Joseph Ogrodnek and Walker Stern—alums of Alain Ducasse at the Essex House—begin with floral, rosemary-sprinkled foccacia and housemade ricotta, as well as clever amuse-bouche. As the meal progresses, the tiny open kitchen, on full display to the diners/spectators lucky enough to get a seat, turns out ambitious plates that are difficult to pin down geographically—some feel Italian, other Germanic, but all are executed with unmistakeable French technique. Past favorites have included a part-cooked, part-raw kale salad blanketed in a sweet dressing of bird chilies, sugar, and fish sauce; a thick-noodled pasta with hearty meat ragu and sofrito of herbs and vegetables; and beautifully cooked proteins like branzino to lamb. All the dishes are intriguing, with flavors that are pleasing even when they are hard to place.—Hannah Norwick

Yunnan Kitchen

Neighborhood: Lower East Side Address and phone: 79 Clinton St Website: yunnankitchen.com New York’s infatuation with Chinese food has traditionally revolved around Cantonese fare, with Szechuan and Hunan cuisines also making their mark in Flushing, Chinatown, and other pockets of the city. But this year brought an influx of novel flavors from Yunnan, a southern province known for its delicate, lighter dishes that make frequent use of wild flowers, spices, and herbs. Former Standard Grill manager Erika Chou and chef Travis Post (previously of Franny’s) have created the most exciting shrine to the region thus far, delivering brightly acidic, sometimes spicy dishes in categories of cold, hot, shao kao (grilled skewers), and rice and noodles. Salads are elevated by bright mint, chili flakes, and woody mushrooms, while lamb meatballs are full of cumin and spice. Head-on shrimp should be consumed from head to tail, with fried lime leaves to accentuate the sweetness of the flesh. The place has the comfortable feel of a neighborhood joint, but the food is unfamiliar and exciting.—Hannah Norwick

M. Wells Dinette

Neighborhood: Long Island City, Queens Address and phone: 22-25 Jackson Ave (at MoMA PS1) Website: momaps1.org/about/mwells Unknowing visitors might enter M. Wells Dinette—on the first floor of contemporary art museum MoMA PS1—and think that they've wandered into yet another avant-garde art installation. The dining room, set up in the style of a classroom, pays homage to the space's former life as a public school—rows of desks serve as communal tables and the menu is written on a large wall chalkboard, next to a listing of (mostly French) wine options. Following the brief but hugely successful tenure of M. Wells diner nearby, chef Hugue Dufour brings his decadent French-Canadian cooking back to Long Island City with this new project. Some signature dishes have been resurrected, including balls-out Québécois creations like bone marrow covered in escargot. Other items mash up Asian and Western influences to glorious effect: The "Bi Bim Wells" is a fresh take on the Korean staple bibimbap, built with oysters, poached egg, and bonito flakes. And you shouldn’t hesitate to pop in for sweets and coffee: Banana-cream crème brûlée, set in a pillow of whipped cream, is a reminder of how dessert should be: utterly indulgent.—Kristen Tauer

Source: https://firstwefeast.com/eat/2012/12/the-20-best-new-nyc-restaurants-of-2012/

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battersbybrooklyn · 3 years ago

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The 13 Best Tasting Menus In NYC

New York City is home to some of the world's most celebrated restaurants, with the most celebrated dishes — and that can get a little overwhelming. That's why we have tasting menus.

The Infatuation helped us compile a list of the best tasting menus in NYC, spread throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan.

Battersby

255 Smith St., Brooklyn

The Infatuation calls Battersby, located in Cobble Hill, an "under-the-radar gem." The food is "minimalist" but full of flavor and chefs pay close attention to detail. The seven-course tasting menu costs $85, but it's worth the price (and the trip out to Brooklyn).

Read The Infatuation's full Battersby review here

Betony

41 W. 57th St., Manhattan

Betony takes a relaxed, creative approach to fine dining and the people there don't take themselves too seriously.

"Great restaurants shouldn’t only be designed for rich people who love Bordeaux and struggle with gout," wrote The Infatuation's Chris Stang.

The menu is set up like a traditional tasting menu with three courses, but you order everything individually. It ranges from about $63-$108. Don't forget to try out their top-notch cocktails.

Read The Infatuation's full Betony review here

Brooklyn Fare

200 Schermerhorn St., Brooklyn

Brooklyn Fare has just one chef's table — and it has a world-class tasting menu. The entrees, according to The Infatuation, are a "demonstration in not only creativity, but perfect balance."

This Michelin-starred restaurant is not a particularly cheap spot to dine (the current prix fixe is $255), but remember, you get what you pay for.

Oh, and men, don't forget your jacket.

Read The Infatuation's full Brooklyn Fare review here

Contra

138 Orchard St., Manhattan

You'd never guess Contra's five-course menu is only $55. The food is exquisite. But it's a humble, down-to-earth place that you'd expect to find in Brooklyn rather than the Lower East Side. Be sure to try the Kohlrabi, walnut, and radish.

Read The Infatuation's full Contra review here

Delaware & Hudson

135 N 5th St., Brooklyn

The four-course tasting menu at this Williamsburg spot is super reasonable – usually around $48-54. The food is locally-sourced and delicious. You can do beer, wine, or even choose a cider pairing.

Read The Infatuation's full review of Delaware & Hudson here

The Eddy

324 E. 6th St., Manhattan

The Infatuation's Chris Stang says The Eddy has "a ton of New York charm" and describes it as "one of those restaurants that you sit in on a snowy Friday night and order a second bottle of wine."

The wine menu might be impressive, but the Eddy's tasting menu is the real winner. And it's more affordable than most, at $65 for five courses.

Read The Infatuation's full The Eddy review here

Gramercy Tavern

42 E. 20th St., Manhattan

The Infatuation loves Gramercy Tavern – especially its tasting menu ($48 for four courses).

"There aren't many better Fine Dining experiences in this city – or even in the world," wrote Chris Stang.

The seasonal menu features lots of seafood — scallops, oyster chowder, and halibut — as well as a tasty duck breast with bacon. Or try the vegetarian tasting menu with butternut squash and pappardelle.

Read The Infatuation's full Gramercy Tavern review here

Kajitsu

125 E. 39th St., Manhattan

This Murray Hill Japanese restaurant has a Michelin Star. Choose between a four-course ($55) or eight-course ($95) tasting menu, both of which feature vegetarian shojin cuisine.

The setting is pretty cool too. The dining room is on the second floor of a townhouse, decked out in wood panelling and tables "that look like they've been taken from the trunk of some mythical Japanese tree that understands human feelings," according to The Infatuation.

Read The Infatuation's full Kajitsu review here

Luksus at Tørst

615 Manhattan Ave., Brooklyn

Don't be fooled by Luksus' Greenpoint location (and beer menu). This is a high-end dining spot. Luksus is the tiny tasting room at the back of beer bar Tørst.

"The Nordic inspired cuisine certainly gets cute, but doesn’t get lost in translation," wrote The Infatuatin's Andrew Steinthal. He recommends the squab.

The 5-course tasting menu costs $85.

Read The Infatuation's full Luksus review here

Mas (farmhouse)

39 Downing St., Manhattan

Mas (farmhouse) serves elegant New American cuisine, served in modern French style, and made from locally grown and sustainably raised food.

The tasting menu is reasonable ($88) — or you can step it up to a six-course chef's menu for $130. Be sure to try the roasted beet salad with pressed duck leg.

Read The Infatuation's full Mas review here

The Modern

9 W. 53rd St., Manhattan

Located inside the Museum of Modern Art, The Modern serves delicious American fare in an elegant dining room overlooking the museum's garden.

The tasting menu costs $128 for six courses (that's counting caviar, foie gras, and black truffle separately, but not counting their $18 or $28 dollar cheese options).

Read The Infatuation's full review of The Modern here

The Musket Room

265 Elizabeth St., Manhattan

Despite the name, The Musket Room is an unassuming spot. If you get a table in the back room it "feels like you’re in a rich person’s upstate escape house – not Manhattan," wrote The Infatuation's Andrew Steinthal.

Enjoy the tasting menu ($75 for six courses) while overlooking a picturesque garden where many of the greens and herbs are grown.

Read The Infatuation's full The Musket Room review here

Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/the-best-tasting-menus-in-nyc-2015-1

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battersbybrooklyn · 3 years ago

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17 Cozy Restaurants and Bars in Cobble Hill

There isn’t a high volume of restaurants in the mostly residential Cobble Hill, but the small spaces are one of the area’s assets, yielding cozy restaurants with a down-to-earth neighborhood vibe. Italian restaurants reign supreme, though there are other gems, too, including one of Brooklyn’s best natural wine bars and standout Ethiopian food.

1. Henry Public

Outfitted in lots of wood and featuring a fireplace in its dining room, Henry Public has warm, cottagey vibes. It serves standard bar fare like a solid burger and grilled cheese, but it also has some throwback bar snacks such as radishes with butter, juniper pickles, and deviled eggs that give the place a bit of a 1960s feel. For drinks, the martini is a timeless option. Bonus is a happy hour Monday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. with an $8 cocktail of the day and $5 draft beer.

2. Elsa

Three years after closing in the East Village, cocktail bar Elsa was reborn in Cobble Hill. It’s a place for drinks, although a limited menu of snacks including cheese and charcuterie plates are available. Owner Natalka Burian has said she wants the cocktail bar to feel “very feminine,” and as such, the space — co-owned with her husband Jay Schneider — is full of flowers and white marble, and a neon sign depicting a woman hangs out front. Standout cocktails include the “Night Silo,” made with espresso, whiskey, bourbon cream, maple, heavy cream, and absinthe. Bonus: It has a great bathroom for mirror selfies.

3. Lillo Cucina Italiana

This 17-seat Roman restaurant serves unfussy, carby food like gnocchi, cacio e pepe, and chicken Milanese. Its pastas are saucy and traditional. Chef-owner Giampietro “Lillo” Remia sometimes takes people’s orders himself, lending to the restaurant’s down-to-earth vibe.

4. Yemen Café

The Cobble Hill outpost of this Bay Ridge restaurant serves traditional Yemeni food in a casual setting. The lamb dishes stand out here, along with the slow-roasted chicken over rice. Meals come with a warming bowl of bone broth and the portions are plentiful, so expect to be very satisfied.

5. Shelsky's of Brooklyn: Appetizing & Delicatessen

Shelsky’s is a classic Jewish deli and a staple in the neighborhood when it comes to pastrami, bagels, lox, pickled fish, and delicatessen eats. A Shelsky’s bagel is the ideal start to the day, but don’t sleep on the pickled herring.

6. The Gumbo Bros

Critic Robert Sietsema once declared the Gumbo Bros. destination-worthy in a three-star review of the tiny restaurant. It has a small menu, too: three kinds of gumbos and four kinds of po’ boys, including an excellent fried green tomato version. There are sides and desserts to fill in the gaps. The narrow space with its exposed brick wall gives the restaurant a homey look.

7. La Vara

Alex Raij and Eder Montero have become major players in the Cobble Hill dining scene, and their Spanish tapas restaurant La Vara is a dependable destination for Moorish and Sephardic fare. It’s great for brunch, with big windows in the front looking out onto the very cute Clinton Street. The Gibraltar-style grilled chicken hearts salad and simple, salty anchovy-sesame conserva with charred bread are some standout snacks. Raij and Montero also recently added the international seafood restaurant Saint Julivert Fisherie to the neighborhood.

8. Charlotte Patisserie

This bright and charming French bakery, which also has a full cafe in Greenpoint, serves top-notch cakes and pastries. It also doubles as one of the better options for coffee and espresso drinks in the neighborhood, best enjoyed with a simple chocolate croissant.

9. June

June is a go-to spot for natural wine in Brooklyn, with by-the-glass offerings that change regularly and an extensive bottle list that also includes sparkling oranges. All of its wines are natural, and the staff is very knowledgeable when it comes to recommendations. There’s also a solid menu of seasonal small plates to accompany the wines. In warmer months, opt for the secluded back garden, but the low-lit, dark-wooded interior is cozy, too.

10. Ssam Korean Bistro

The exposed wood beams and hanging lightbulbs of Ssam Korean Bistro give the space a very rustic look, like a casual Korean restaurant set in a barn. There’s a fusiony menu of small plates, including bulgogi nachos and kimchi fries, but go for the bibimbap, which can come topped with the usual ribeye or pork shoulder but also other options like eel, spicy squid, or salmon. The drinks — which include beer, sake, house wine, and simple cocktails — are very affordable, with cocktails topping out at $10.

11. Sam's

Founded in 1930, Sam’s is a longstanding red-sauce Italian icon in the neighborhood. It sports classic red booths and checked tablecloths as part of its old-school charm, which includes very stiff cocktails. In addition to classics like spaghetti and meatballs and cheese ravioli in tomato sauce, it has pizzas made in a brick oven.

12. Awash Brooklyn

Awash serves homey Ethiopian fare in an industrial setting, after the restaurant updated its look in a 2015 remodel. It’s ideal for groups, especially since the best way to order is by choosing one of the combo options, which have vegan and meat variations. There are also cocktails and Ethiopian beers as well as tej, an Ethiopian honey wine.

13. Clover Club

Standout Brooklyn cocktail bar Clover Club has an elegant, throwback look, but it’s just as good for a casual after-work hangout — happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. with excellent $8 cocktails — as it is for an intimate date night. And the food is far from an afterthought, with a reliable menu that includes hanger steak frites, fried chicken with honey and hot sauce, and fry bread with braised rabbit. The kitchen stays open until 12:30 a.m. on weeknights.

14. Leyenda

From the same team behind Clover Club, Leyenda is another stellar food and drink option in the area with a great happy hour: Its rum and tequila-heavy cocktails that usually cost $12 to $14 are just $7 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. The bright space is ideal for brunch, which includes breakfast tacos, a watermelon and cucumber gazpacho topped with Maine crab, and a fried chicken torta.

15. Gersi

This cash-only, casual neighborhood restaurant serves inexpensive northern Italian fare, like a very simple spaghetti al limone and tagliatelle bolognese. At brunch, there are various egg dishes like poached eggs polenta with shaved fennel, prosciutto di parma, and parmigiano. As expected at an Italian restaurant, the wine list is mostly Italian, though there are cocktails, too.

16. Battersby

When it opened in 2012, Battersby became a hot spot in the neighborhood, and while the vibe has chilled out a bit, it’s still a solid dining option. The move is the $75, five-course tasting menu, to which all reservations are defaulted. The menu changes frequently — often multiple times a week — and has tinges of Italian, Spanish, and Mediterranean in dishes such as grilled bacon with sun gold tomatoes, gorgonzola, and celery or bomba rice with duck confit, octopus, chorizo, and piquillos.

17. White Maize

As far as fast-casual goes, White Maize is the top spot in Cobble Hill, serving arepas bursting with fillings like pulled beef and gouda or shrimp, octopus, and calamari. There are a few tables and communal tables, and when the weather allows, the whole front of the restaurant can open up to Smith Street. Don’t skip dessert: The quesillo, or flan, is silky-smooth.

Source: https://ny.eater.com/maps/best-restaurants-bars-cobble-hill-nyc

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