04
Jan

Tremont – NYC

by ccwynne812   {6:41 pm}

TREMONT- New York

51 Bank St. (nr. W. 4th St) New York, NY 10014

Date Dined: 11.9.11

Tremont is a very charming little west village nook of a restaurant that has sort of a best-friend’s-kitchen feel to it. With room for just 45 guests, most of the tables are set up for two people with the dark wood tables and floor contrasting nicely with the high clean white walls and big windows. It was the perfect fall night to experience their seasonal menu. My friend and I ordered two appetizers to share and each our own entrée.

To start, Housemade Pappardelle with Beef Cheek Ragout. The hearty pappardelle was served in a small bowl with the ragu piled on top. This is not your traditional pappardelle. The noodles were so thick that it had more of a lasagna feel and they are cooked perfectly al dente. The meaty ragu was tender and delicious but maybe a bit too fatty and very light on the tomato flavor. I almost could have stopped there…

Housemade Pappardelle

Polenta Croutons Porcini Mushrooms, with Parmesan & Herbs came next. The steaming hot polenta croutons were served scattered on a plate with tiny sautéed baby bellas and sprinkled with green herbs and salty parmesan cheese.  Each crispy cube must have been deep fried about 8 times because they were so crunchy on the outside but still so tender on the inside (and did I say piping hot?). I wasn’t really sure how to eat everything together because the mushrooms didn’t really fit on the fork with the polenta but it all tasted just fine separately.

Polenta Croutons

For my entrée I ordered the Braised Lamb Shank with Cous Cous, Sweet Peppers, Harissa. The lamb was recommended to me by several others so I gravitated towards that on the selectively small menu. The shank itself was very tender but much too large for one person alone. Harissa, which is a Tunisian spicy chili sauce commonly found in North African cuisine, danced in a playful ribbon across the top of the meat but gave a little kick to every bite.

Braised Lamb Shank

The peppers, which thankfully were large enough not to mix in with anything else, I pushed aside (politely) because I had neglected to omit them from my order. No harm done there.

Tremont is a great spot for anything from a cozy fall dinner to a light and relaxed spring brunch.

Filed Under: Brunch, Date Spot Tags: , , , Leave a comment
04
Jan

JG Melon – NYC

by ccwynne812   {6:13 am}

JG MELON

1291 3rd Avenue  New York, NY 10021

Date Dined: 11.11.11

JG Melon has been a New York staple since its opening in 1972. Obviously they are doing something right if they have been serving the same burger and fries since then. I am a huge fan of burgers and try to convince myself every time I eat one that they’re not thattttt bad for you- protein plus a few vegetables thrown on a light bun. The naughty part is the French fries- but I’ve never been one to turn down a potato of any kind. I’ll keep lying to myself.

JG Melon’s burger is a classic, simple burger. The meat (medium-rare of course) is juicy and dressed with a few slices of red onion, a few dill pickle chips and a slice of cheese (I went with cheddar). The ratio of lightly toasted bun to burger is just right and I like a little pickle and onion to freshen up a burger.

Yet, something didn’t quite add up. Despite all these seemingly good qualities, this burger did not stand out to me from a culinary point-of-view. The meat, while juicy, came slightly overcooked and lacked the real meaty flavor one looks for in a burger. The bun really added nothing to the party. It was just sort of there holding everything together. I found myself slathering on various condiments which I never do with a really good burger.

Classic Cheeseburger

Alongside the burger, Melon’s is known for their Cottage Fried Potatoes which are basically a thicker version of a potato chip. They’re ok. I’ll probably stick my regular fries next time.

So my verdict here is- absolutely make the trip for one of the quintessential NY burger experiences but don’t expect the food to blow you away (sorry to all you Melon’s loyalists…).

Yup, this bottle was full when we sat down...

 

Filed Under: Cheap Eats, Drinks Tags: , , , 1 Comment
30
Dec

Osteria Morini – NYC

by ccwynne812   {1:58 pm}

OSTERIA MORINI

218 Lafayette Street  New York, NY 10012

Date Dined: 11.14.11

Michael White is one of my favorite chefs of the moment. To date, every dish I have had in one of his restaurants has been impeccable. Osteria Morini is more casual than most of White’s other restaurants but the quality of the food was by no means sacrificed.

Osteria Morini is a very warm, rustic, inviting restaurant located in my favorite intersection in Nolita. The ambience is like a more upscale version of your grandmother’s kitchen.  The menu is best approached family-style which I of course like because that means that I am allowed to taste everything without feeling like I am encroaching on someone’s plate.

The Meal:

We started with the Mare – an Adriatic style seafood salad, with olives, lemon, and capers. I was really happy that we got this dish because it was very fresh and light in comparison to the other dishes we ordered. The seafood had a very clean flavor that was highlighted by the bright lemon and olives. Finely shredded celery topped the dish giving it a bit of a crunch.

Mare

Next up we had the Gnudi which were ricotta and spinach dumplings, with sage, and parmigiano. These gnudi were large and more like a ricotta meatball than a gnocci.  Each one was very crispy on the outside with a hot fluffy interior and lightly painted with a brown glaze. Flash fried sage leaves on top made a crisp tasty garnish.

Gnudi

For our pasta course we had the Cappelleti- truffled ricotta ravioli, melted butter, prosciutto. It was probably a bit redundant to get these ravioli after just having the gnudi but our server insisted they were delicious. We were not disappointed. The fresh little pastas were the perfect texture with the right amount of creamy filling and just a hint of truffle so as not to be overpowering.

Cappelleti

Our main course was the Porchetta- a spit roasted Hampshire pork, with sage and rosemary. I had read that this was one of the best porcettas in the city so I had to see for myself.  The pork itself was tender with the right amount of fat to seal in all the juices. The outer skin formed a delicious crispy bark around the meat.  The dish was completed by a few traditional Italian, simply roasted vegetables- radicchio, fennel and cherry tomatoes.

Porchetta

We ordered Wild Arugala for good measure to add some greenery to our meal of meats and pastas but the baby leaves were incredibly zesty, fresh and peppery and definitely made us feel a bit better about eating all the other dishes.

Morini may have just taken the lead as my favorite Italian spot in the City.

Filed Under: Brunch, Date Spot, Groups Tags: , , 4 Comments
30
Dec

The Bazaar – L.A.

by ccwynne812   {1:16 pm}

THE BAZAAR – Los Angeles

465 South La Cienega Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90048

The Bazaar is ranked 85th on the San Pellegrino World’s 100 Best Restaurants list (2011) so I definitely consider myself lucky to have dined there. Acclaimed chef José Andrés (chef/owner ThinkFoodGroup) also has restaurants in Washington D.C. and Las Vegas and was named “Outstanding Chef” by the James Beard Foundation in 2011.

The Bazaar is located is the SLS Hotel in Los Angeles. The scene is bustling and energetic and the sprawling space is very modern mixed with rustic wooden furniture which compliments the cuisine which contrasts avant-garde and traditional spanish cooking. It is divided into sections and diners are invited to move around between them. Dinner is served in one section (Rojo y Blanca) where there is an open kitchen. The bar (Bar Centro) is located in the center  with dessert served in another area (Patisserie) that is a whimsical interpretation of a European bakery decorated with colorful confections.

The menu at Rojo y Blanca is comprised of small plates that are meant to be shared. We decided to let the kitchen select the dishes that would be most representative of the restaurant so each course was a little surprise. We enjoyed a beautiful, full-bodied Spanish Rioja that balanced the bold and colorful flavors of our meal.

The Meal:

We began with the Olives Modern and Traditional which was the perfect juxtaposition of old and new ways of thinking about food. Each of the modern bites was a jiggly burst of salty olive-ness that was almost like eating a dirty martini. Interestingly, I found these to be actually less salty than the traditional olives which required a sip of water after each one.

Olives, Modern and Traditional

Our second course was a Fermin Platter which was a tasting of all three of the Jamones the restaurant offers. First the Jamón Serrano Fermin which is a dry cured ham. Second is a Jamón Ibérico Fermin which is a dry cured, free-range Ibérico ham and last is my favorite Jamón Ibérico de bellota Fermin which is an acorn-fed, free-range Ibérico ham. The meats were served with Catalan style toasted bread with warm tomato spread across the top. Its amazing how something so simple can be so flavorful.

Jamón Assortment

The next dish was a little mound of sizzling sautéed shrimp with garlic and guindilla pepper making it fairly spicy.

Shrimp

The next dish was another example of Andrés’ creativity in the kitchen. This reinterpretation of the traditional Caprésé included all of the expected ingredients but the surprise here were the little pockets of liquid mozzarella. The components were small enough to have one of each on the fork forming the ideal bite- sweet tomato and basil pesto, creamy mozarella and a little crunch from the airy crouton.

"Not Your Everyday Caprésé"

The Tuna Ceviche and Avocado Roll with jicama, micro cilantro and coconut dressing was like a spanish version of your typical Japanese sushi roll.

Tuna Ceviche

Next we had the Croquetas de pollo which were chicken béchamel fritters that were crispy on the outside and rich and creamy from the  béchamel sauce on the inside.

Croquetas de Pollo

Next arrived a beautifully composed dish of Lemon Artichokes with Black olive tapenade and dandelion micro greens. While the artichokes were tasty, the amount of olive tapenade combined with capers made this another very salty dish that we couldn’t actually finish.

Lemon Artichokes

Some relief from the salt came with little purses of Jicama Wrapped Guacamolé with Micro cilantro and bits of corn chips.

Jicama Wrapped Guacamolé

My favorite dish of the meal was the “Philly cheesesteak” that was made out of an Air bread filled with creamy cheddar sauce and topped with rich, tender slices of Wagyu beef.

Philly Cheesesteak

Another artfully plated dish arrived with Smoked Yellowtail and Crispy Rice Yoghurt garnished with grapes, capers and crisp radish slices.

Smoked Yellowtail

Our final dish was a Japanese Taco filled with grilled eel, shiso, cucumber, wasabi, and chicharron. A light refreshing way to end the adventurous and indulging meal.

Japanese Taco

 

 

 

 


Filed Under: Date Spot, Drinks, Groups, Travel Tags: , , , , 4 Comments
29
Dec

Sasabune – East vs. West

by ccwynne812   {9:30 pm}

SASABUNE– East Coast vs. West Coast

LOS ANGELES

12400 Wilshire Blvd. (Centinela Ave.) Los Angeles, CA 90025

“Trust Me” is the tagline of Sasabune restaurant in LA. Yes, I would probably trust the chef with just about anything after being served the meal that we had. We walked into the restaurant very early for a “snack” and then just simply couldn’t stop requesting additional plates of the chef’s divine creations. What makes Sasabune so incredible is the freshness of every ingredient. Each mouthful transports you to some fishing boat drifting off the coast of “the island” (aka Hawaii) in crystal blue waters. Each of the sauces the chef uses is house made daily and the only direction you are given is “soy sauce yes/ soy sauce no”. What also makes this sushi so distinctive is their use of warm rice. I am very partial to this technique as I believe it highlights the flavors of the fish.

The Lineup:

The Omakase begins with two plates of sashimi one is a baby blue fin tuna and the other is an albacore served in a tangy ponzu sauce. I am tempted to pick up the plates and drink the remainder of the sauce but refrain for the sake of my dinner partner who I am sure is already embarrassed by the fact that I am photographing everything in sight.

First was the Hawaiian marinated tuna. Two types of tuna- yellowfin and bluefin- each in their own ponzu-type sauce.

Hawaiian Marinated Tuna

The tuna dishes were followed by two more pieces of nigiri tuna- Maguro and Toro- only one of which required soy sauce.

Tuna Nigiri

The next two pieced of nigiri were Tai with bit of shizo leaf and special sauce and Hamachi.

Tai and Hamachi

Next was a fresh oyster with ponzu sauce (did not catch the origin) and a baked new Zealand mussel broiled with creamy mayonnaise.

Oyster and Mussel

Next was a buttery pairing of yellowtail and salmon with sesame seeds.

Yellowtail and Salmon

The next two items were a tender scallop (Boston) and Golden Eye Snapper

Scallop and Snapper

is the hot butter fish – I am not sure what a butter fish is but amazed that this fish is still in existence considering how delicious it is.

Hot Butter Fish

The last of the normal Omakase meal ends with the creamy, briny Blue crab hand roll. A perfect combination of textures with warm rice and crisp nori.

Blue Crab Hand Roll

But of course everything was just so delicious that we kept going with some “dessert sushi”.

Uni from close to “the Island”- again, the chef makes it sound as if he just went out the back door and plucked this immaculate sea creature from sun kissed waters just for us. The creamy, earthy flavor was so clean it was unlike any other uni I have ever tasted.

Uni

The last two bites of our sensational meal were Toro ice cream and Spanish Mackerel.

Toro Ice cream?? I have absolutely never had anything like this in my life. You expect the fish to be like a tartare but as soon as it hits the heat of your mouth it begins to melt as smoothly as ice cream does. Incredible. The grand finale to our meal.

Toro Ice Cream and Spanish Mackerel

 

VS. NEW YORK

401 E. 73rd St., nr. First Ave. New York, NY 10021

I couldn’t help but try to do a comparison here. I had heard that Sasabune in New York was one of the top sushi restaurants in the entire city since I moved here a few years ago but never had a chance to make the trek uptown to the tiny ~30 seat restaurant.

While the Omakase menus appear very similar (with variations depending on what is available daily at the fish markets) the main difference between the two is the freshness of the fish. While the seafood in LA is mostly flown in directly from the crystal clear waters of Hawaii the fish served in the New York Location probably comes from all over and there is definitely a difference. The other slight variance between the two was the amount of sushi in the Omakase. In L.A. the typical meal includes 11 pieces whereas in New York they serve about 16 which is boarderline too much. However, the meal in New York was still outstanding and I would recommend it to any foodie.

The Lineup:

Just as the meal is opened at the L.A. location, a dish of  Albacore with a Ponzu sauce was placed in front of us. In terms of presentation NY was a bit sloppier in comparison to the beautifully fanned-out slices in L.A. A pile of minced fish rested in the center of slices that were randomly arranged on the plate.

Albacore and Mackerel

Alongside the Albacore was a minced Mackerel with separate dipping sauce that also tasted like a variation of a ponzu.

My dinner partner was a bit turned off by the next dish of warm Monkfish Liver. I must admit that the “fois gras from the sea” might be a bit adventurous but it did, in fact, taste much like a goose or duck liver.

Monk Fish Liver

The next plate included two oysters a Kusshi (which comes from the Japanese word for “ultimate”) and a Kumamoto as well as two rings of raw squid stuffed with creamy Blue Crab and dressed with a bit of eel sauce and sesame seeds.

Squid with Blue Crab and Oysters

Next beautiful Yellowfin and Bluefin Tuna nigiri.

Yellowfin and Bluefin Tuna

A duo of Snappers was next- a Red Snapper and Black Snapper with Fluke. This was my first experience with Black Snapper and it was a firm, clean tasting white fish.

Snappers and Fluke

The next trio was Spanish Mackerel, Striped Bass and Uni from California. The Uni was delicious but still had slight tinge of metallic flavor that is often characteristic of uni.

Spanish Mackerel, Uni and Striped Bass

Some warm sushi followed with hot butterfish and eel as well as a piece of melty Toro.

Butterfish, Toro, Eel

Back to the cool fish, we were served a silky Scallop, Scottish Salmon and Salmon Roe. The Roe were all perfectly distinct and separated, a sign that other eggs have not ruptured in the batch and they are truly fresh.

Scallop, Scottish Salmon, Salmon Roe

The last two pieces of nigiri were lovely bites of Yellowtail and Amberjack.

Yellowtail and Amberjack

And finally, the meal ended with the traditional Blue Crab Hand Roll but in this case I thought it was a bit saltier than the one I had previously had.

After two incredible meals I had to make a decision.

AND THE WINNER IS: L.A., hands down. Go there.

Filed Under: EPIC PICKS, Travel Tags: , , , 1 Comment
29
Dec

True Food Kitchen – L.A.

by ccwynne812   {5:03 pm}

TRUE FOOD KITCHEN – Los Angeles 

395 Santa Monica Place, Suite 172 Santa Monica, CA 90401

Quinoa Johnny Cakes

True food is a healthy restaurant located in Santa Monica that has a menu based on Dr. Andrew Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Food Pyramid. This may not seem appealing or sexy to some but I have to say I was quite impressed.

I am typically an eggs person at brunch but after having seen pictures of these quinoa Johnny cakes, and given my current obsession with quinoa, I knew there was no other option on the menu that morning.  The two dinner plate- sized cakes were hot and fluffy topped with pure maple syrup and greek yogurt and steamed with the scent of melting bananas and cinnamon. These are healthy? Really? I should eat like this more often.  The hearty pancakes were perfectly balanced by my Red Moon cocktail- a deliciously refreshing elixir of grapefruit, yuzu, agave and soda. What a great start to any morning.

Filed Under: Brunch, Healthy, Outdoor Seating, Travel Tags: , 4 Comments
29
Dec

Lombardi’s Pizza – NYC

by ccwynne812   {6:52 am}

LOMBARDI’S PIZZA

32 Spring St., New York, NY 10012 
nr. Mott St.

Lombardi's Margherita / Pepperoni

I had a friend in town from LA a few weeks ago and his one request was to have good New York Pizza. I think Lombardi’s is very representative of your classic coal oven pie. Although you can great a great slice many places, there is something so much better about having a whole beautiful steaming pie set down in front of you. Of course there is much debate over which of the many NYC pizzerias serves truly the best pizza but Lombardi’s has been around since the beginning (at least so they say) so I chose them as my “taste of New York.”

What makes Lombardi’s pizza so good? A few things. First, it’s beautiful. You eat with your eyes first. You can immediately see that the ingredients are fresh, there isn’t too much of any one thing and each one is evenly distributed. Symmetry is a must on shared items. Second, the super thin crust is perfectly crispy (and stays crispy) all the way to the center. You get a coal oven flavor without any burned bits. Third, the sauce. There is nothing I dislike more than a pizza sauce that is overly sweet or overly seasoned. Lombardi’s sauce actually tastes like fresh tomatoes and there is just the right amount of it. Fourth, the cheese is just enough so that you get some in every bite but it is not overwhelming and it does not make the pizza greasy. Fifth, they have the most perfectly tiny little rings of pepperoni that curl up into little cups holding just a drop of the zesty oil to give your slice a little kick. And last, I love when a few ribbons of fresh basil are tossed on top to give it an herby freshness.

I think everyone was pretty satisfied.

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29
Dec

The Dutch – NYC

by ccwynne812   {1:36 am}

THE DUTCH

131 Sullivan St., New York, NY 10012 
nr. Prince St.

Photo courtesy of www.hauteliving.com

The Dutch was opened in the Soho in early May by Andrew Carmellini, Josh Pickard and Luke Ostrom. Accaimed chef Andrew Carmellini veteran of Le Cirque, Café Boulud and most recently Locanda Verde, heads up the kitchen.

The style of the restaurant is very interesting- kind of part American comfort food part oyster bar with some hints of Asian flair. The décor has a similar feel- spacious yet cozy, part rustic American kitchen, part seafood shack with Chinese lanterns as the main source of lighting.

I had high hopes for this bustling new place given all of the extremely positive press- and especially when accompanied by three of my college roommates. Now, I may have ordered incorrectly but my meal definitely started on a high note and diminished as the courses went on…

 

The Meal:

Every table is served a warm spicy loaf of jalapeño corn bread to begin with sweet whipped butter. Yum.

Jalapeño Corn Bread

Eggplant Dip with Crackers:  The eggplant dip was delicious. I could not actually tell what many of the ingredients were in this creamy dip but it was tangy with a bit of a grilled earthy taste. The cracker I felt had too many herbs and was overpowering.

Mini oyster sliders: These adorable little sandwiches were absolutely perfect. The oysters were fresh and perfectly coated in crispy cornmeal. The bun to oyster ratio was right on. The accoutrements complimented and did not take away from the main event in the center. A must have for sure.

Oyster Sliders

Dressed Crab with Bloody Mary Sauce and “Green Goodness”: Bloody Mary’s happen to be one of my favorite cocktails so I was instantly attracted to this dish. The ice cold crab was served on a long plate surrounded by zesty bloody Mary sauce. The green goodness sauce was mainly avocado and added some smoothness to the dish. It was all topped off with microbasil for the concentrated little burst of freshness that is somehow hidden in those tiny leaves.

Dressed Crab

Black Cod, Smoked Mushrooms, Yuzu Chili Broth: The fish itself was perfectly cooked but it was incredibly bland and sat in a puddle of sauce that did nothing but make me think it was leaching the natural flavors out of the fish.

Black Cod

Papas Bravas: I think it is pretty hard to differentiate among papas bravas but these were well executed. Crispy and flavorful.

Papas Bravas

I have never really been a fan of ice cream cakes that need to be sliced or tartufo and this one did nothing to change my mind.

Ice Cream Cake

The sticky toffee pudding was warm and the gooey sweet bite worth ending to the meal on.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

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28
Dec

Hello World!

by ccwynne812   {10:01 pm}

My name is Chloe Wynne and I live and work in New York City. As a social twenty-something in the city that never sleeps (and neither do I really) with no shortage of incredible restaurants and bars to write about, I have decided to start a blog to share my experiences.

Although born in New York City and raised in Connecticut I am half French and grew up speaking the language of French [Food!]. Growing up I spent a lot of time in the kitchen with my mother, learning her Parisian culinary flair. In no time, I was playing chef at her dinner parties, catering and serving friends and loved ones. To me, one of the greatest satisfactions is the enjoyment of others at the table sharing a meal you have created.

While I love cooking and entertaining, restaurants are my passion. My knack for remembering minute details about hundreds of dishes and cocktails has led me to become the go-to source for many friends, co-workers and acquaintances in need of specific recommendations.

My taste:

There is almost nothing I don’t like. I will taste anything once even if just to say that I have had it.  I generally like bold flavors but for the most part I am happy to try any option on a menu. I try to eat pretty healthy on a regular basis because I love rich food and don’t believe in restricting myself at restaurants- what’s the point?? You will probably see a mix of outrageously rich meals with a few healthy options thrown in for good measure.

One thing though – I have a serious aversion to bell peppers. Don’t ask me why. I know, they’re bland as hell so what’s really that offensive about them? They literally ruin any dish for me so I just won’t try and go there anymore.

Food Fetishes:

Anyone who knows me well knows that I go through crazy food fetishes. These obsessions have been known to last over a year where I simply cannot get enough of some food item. Some of my past fetishes include: English peas, wild mushrooms, risotto, truffle oil, ragu of any kind, fois gras and the list goes on. As I write this I am entering a grains phase (quinoa, wheatberries, farro) delicious and healthy! So, if you notice any trends in my ordering, this is probably why…

THE EPICURIST:

Epicurist is about the restaurant experience- atmosphere, service and vibe, as well as, obviously, amazing food. Though devoted to my beloved New York City, I will do my best to spice things up with reviews from other places I visit because there is nothing better than having a few good recommendations under your belt when traveling.

I hope you enjoy my culinary adventures.

The world is a delicious oyster!

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