Archive for June, 2009

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Gastronauts: Exploring New Food Frontiers In and Around the City

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

Sick of the same ho-hum fare you find at your favorite haunts? If you want to shake your routine up, or you just enjoy culinary explorations, you’ll definitely want to check out foodie group Gastronauts.

Free to join, Gastronauts promises adventures and full menus at outer-borough ethnic joints. Recently, the group ventured to Himalayan Yak in Jackson Heights to sample (what else?) yak. Next week (July 7, to be exact), the brave explorers will catch the ferry to Staten Island (an uncharted food wilderness if we ever saw one) to try out Sri Lankan food at San Rasa. For every outing, Gastronauts organizers contact the restaurant to arrange a prix fixe menu and members pay the pre-set price. July’s menu includes lamb black curry, beef liver, ox tongue, and, the star of the evening, baby goat, personally slaughtered and cooked up by the restaurant’s owner.

Spots are filling up fast so be sure to reserve your spot in the outing. For full details and to join, check out the Gastronauts’ Web site.

Posted by: Nicole Price Fasig
www.gastronauts.net

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Otto: Feast Like Royalty, Even on a Serf’s Wages

Monday, June 29th, 2009

Otto

If the prices at Babbo, Del Posto, and Lupa have forced you to come to terms with the impossibility of enjoying a Mario Batali meal in the city, worry not, for this famed Italian restauranteur has you in mind just as much as his more thick-walleted patrons. Otto is his restaurant fleet’s casual pizzeria, but don’t let the blue jeans and gaggle of children in the dining room fool you - they’re cooking up high-quality, creative cuisine in here, and its greatness lies in its deceptive simplicity.

Our meal started with the 7-cheese plate ($18). We chose a couple that we knew we liked, and the waitress offered to choose the rest for us. She did a superb job; we ended up with a succession of sheep, cow, and goat cheeses that were each distinctive and delicious in their own way. The board also came with yummy house-made cherry and apricot compotes, and the real treat, truffled honey. Once the cheese was gone, there were hand-fights among many of us who were trying to use bread to soak up the rest of the honey. In addition to cheese, Otto also offers antipasti tastings of meats, vegetables, and fish.

As for entrées, surprisingly enough, most of us sprung for one of the $9 pastas. These arrive in a no-frills fashion, on a plain white plate with nothing added other than what is listed on the menu. The point here, we gathered, was to highlight the few ingredients in each dish so they could be fully appreciated, rather than clouded by too many additions. I chose the rigatoni with sweet Italian sausage and escarole, which was expertly flavored despite its simplicity and had a bit of a kick to it. A friend went with the waitress’s recommendation of the spaghetti alla carbonara, which is served with pancetta, scallions, black pepper, and egg. This carbonara was by far the best version of this dish I’ve tasted, and at a fraction of what it might cost elsewhere. The pizzas ($7-14) were also a hit. I especially liked the Margherita D.O.P., a version of the classic with about equal parts sauce and fresh mozzarella, topped with basil leaves. Again, very simple, and yet the few flavors incorporated had the chance to really sing.

Intrigued? You ain’t seen nothin’ yet! Check out pictures and our incredible desserts after the jump.

Posted by: Kim Partrick
Order: 7-cheese plate, rigatoni, olive oil coppetta, black & white
Price: $
Location: 1 5th Avenue (at 8th Street)
Type of Food: Italian
Veggie Friendly? Y
www.ottopizzeria.com

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Pinto: Thai With a Twist

Monday, June 29th, 2009

Pinto coconut crab fried rice

There is no denying that New York is a city of options, but amid the overwhelming number of eateries in this city, I have miraculously found a favorite: the West Village’s Pinto. I originally stumbled upon this hole-in-the-wall Thai restaurant six months ago while looking for a new and inexpensive place to eat in the West Village. The restaurant is small and intimate (it only seats about 24 people), with a few tables in the front by the window, and more in the low-lit interior beyond the dark wood-paneled bar.

Pinto’s cuisine is mostly Thai, including traditional staples, such as Pad Thai and curry dishes. However, the menu shows a number of other influences including American and other Asian styles. In my most recent Pinto dinner (yes, there have been many), my friend Dan and I started with the shrimp dumplings and the chicken lettuce wraps. After trying most of the appetizer options, I can definitely say that the dumplings are the true gem of the first half of the menu. Comprised of shrimp and herbs bundled in homemade noodles and drizzled with truffle-infused soy sauce, they are like no other dumplings I’ve tasted.

In addition to our delicious appetizers, we ordered two of Pinto’s excellent (and strong!) cocktails. I ordered the Ginger Zinger, which comes with a fresh slab of ginger in it, while Dan ordered the Strawberry Mojito, complete with freshly crushed fruit and mint.

For our main courses, I chose the coconut crab fried rice (my personal favorite!) and Dan decided upon the garlic shrimp curry. My dish was a somewhat typical fried rice recipe with lots of real crab, scrambled egg, and light seasoning mixed in with the jasmine rice. However, the best part is that it’s baked and served in a young coconut! We highly recommend this dish, the garlic shrimp, or the panang curry.

All in all, Pinto is a winner. It has a great atmosphere, very attentive service, and fantastic food and drinks. Plus, their food is very reasonably priced, ranging between $5-$8 for appetizers and $10-$20 for entrees. So next time you’re in the West Village and in the mood for an excellent Thai meal, give Pinto a try. It just might become your favorite too.

More photos from our delectable meal at Pinto are after the jump!

Posted by: Stephanie Bowen
Photos by: Dan Malinowski
Price: $
Location: 118 Christopher Street (between Bleecker and Bedford)
Type of Food: Thai
Veggie friendly? Y
www.pintonyc.com

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La Cense Beef Burger Truck: Take a Big Bite of the Hype

Friday, June 26th, 2009

La Cense Beef Truck
via Serious Eats New York

Decided what you’re having for lunch yet?

The blogs have been abuzz for weeks about the imminent opening of La Cense Beef’s foray into the food truck craze, a grill on wheels offering burgers made of their famous, grass-fed, Montana-raised Angus beef for just $7.

Well, the dream became reality as the truck opened its back doors for the first time yesterday at 48th and Park. Reviews so far are mixed, and the general consensus is that the patties should come off the grill a bit earlier to truly highlight the quality of the beef, but that isn’t to say this wouldn’t be worth a try. Hey, hopefully they’ve read Grub Street, too, and today’s burgers will atone for the sins of yesterday’s!

Posted by: Kim Partrick
Price: $
Location: For daily updates, follow the truck on Twitter.
Veggie Friendly? N
www.lacensebeef.com

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Knife + Fork: For Those Who Thought They’d Never Afford a Tasting Menu

Thursday, June 25th, 2009

Like any self-respecting foodie, my ideal meal is a nice, long, dragged-out tasting menu with carefully chosen wine pairings. It’s a chance to taste the chef’s most innovative offerings, what he or she is most proud of, in multiple small plates. However, with the vast majority going for upwards of $100 (not to mention the exorbitant supplement for the wine pairings), it’s a luxury all too rarely enjoyed by most of us.

East Village wine bar Knife + Fork has our backs. Every night of the week, Chef Damien Brassel’s 6-course tasting menu will run you just $45, or $85 with wine pairings. (And since this is a wine bar, you can expect those pairings to be exquisite.) With such bar snacks ($8) as “saddle wood farm lamb with fennel and rosemary potato gratin, garlic escargot, montrachet goat cheese infused with truffle sundried tomato tapenade,” the imagination whirls at the possibilities for what awaits in the tasting menu.

It’s a splurge, for sure, but one for which you’ll be getting more than your money’s worth.

Posted by: Kim Partrick
Price: $$$$
Location: 108 East 4th Street (between 1st and 2nd Aves.)
Veggie friendly? Y
www.knife-fork-nyc.com

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Egg: Not Just For Breakfast

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

So far, this summer has offered sadly little, if any, ideal barbecue weather. In times like these, we’ve got to make the best with what is given, and the folks at Egg and Hope Lounge are here to help. Tonight marks the next installment in Hope’s series of backyard barbecues, and while there may be a few clouds in the sky, it’s worth the risk of rain to drop in.

Egg’s chefs will be manning (and womaning?) the grills and a plate of the fruits of their labors can be yours for just $5. Since New York Mag named Egg the best breakfast, period, we’re intrigued to find out what kind of magic they can conjure up for dinner. And of course, since this is Williamsburg, PBRs will be on hand for $2. As if all of this weren’t enough to entice you, beats will be provided courtesy of Brooklyn’s own Les Savy Fav. Just pray the rain gods can hold it in until tomorrow!

Posted by: Kim Partrick
Price: $
Location: 10 Hope Street (at Roebling Street), Brooklyn

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Fake it, Make it: Baked Cajun Mac ‘n’ Cheese

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009

Baked Cajun Mac n Cheese

Ever since my first visit to S’MAC, I’ve been obsessed with macaroni and cheese. Their fancy concoctions like Parisienne (brie, roasted figs, shiitake mushrooms, and rosemary) and Alpine (gruyere and slab bacon) put Kraft’s little blue box to shame. Of course, we don’t all have the patience for the hard work involved in fresh mac ‘n’ cheese (hello, cheese grater!), but paying upwards of $7 on a regular basis for this comfort dish is just downright crazy.

I decided to take matters into my own hands and make my own creation at home. You can use any boxed macaroni, but I started with Archer Farms five-cheese macaroni from Target (asiago, cheddar, parmesan, romano, and blue cheese, in case you were curious). This particular variety requires baking anyway, so it was great for the recipe.

It already has some spice, but I wanted to kick my Southern-inspired dish up a notch. S’MAC’s Cajun macaroni and cheese includes cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, andouille sausage, green pepper, onions, celery, garlic, and Cajun seasoning. I went to my local Key Food to pick up Cajun seasoning and discovered that many varieties actually include MSG along with all the yummy spices. I wasn’t having it, so I created my own blend (see ingredients below).

One batch made enough for 6-8 people and the whole operation cost me maybe $20 (as opposed to the $47 party size at S’MAC). If you already have the spices, it will set you back closer to $15.

Here’s what you’ll need:
1 box macaroni & cheese
1 green bell pepper
1 red onion
2 cloves garlic
1 andouille sausage
spices to taste, including salt, paprika, chili powder, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and basil

One quick word of advice: start chopping before you do anything else. Chopping all the ingredients took me quite a while and having them at least half prepped in advance would speed up the process.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees while you boil the water for the macaroni and prep the cheese. I only ended up using half the green pepper and a quarter of the onion, so base your measurements on the size of your macaroni serving and your patience level for chopping.

Add a mix of spices to the cheese mixture to suit your taste. The Archer Farms mix I used already included parsley, paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper, but I also added Emeril’s Southwest spice mix (salt, paprika, chili powder, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper), and basil. The garlic, onion, black pepper, and paprika are really crucial to the flavor combination, so make sure you have those. Add other spices at your discretion.

Once you’ve followed the directions for prepping the mac ‘n’ cheese and finished chopping the remaining ingredients, combine everything in a buttered pan and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake for roughly 20 minutes or until baked through. It’s going to be hot, so let your masterpiece cool for a few minutes and then serve!

Posted by: Nicole Price Fasig

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JoeDoe: “Munches” for the Masses

Monday, June 22nd, 2009

JoeDoe
via Grub Street

JoeDoe’s been on our radar for a while now. With a creative “Aggressively American” menu and open kitchen, it’s a veritable foodie playground. Unfortunately, though, the $19-27 entrees make it a bit difficult for the more frugal set to get in on the action.

Luckily, our prayers have been answered and the kind souls at JoeDoe recently instituted a happy hour they’ve dubbed “Noshing with the Neighbors.” From 5-7 p.m. on weeknights, patrons can not only enjoy one of Joe’s delicious cocktails or “prepared beers” at half price (normally $10-12), but also a series of “munches” at just $5 each. Past munches include pickled duck eggs, lentil “falafel,” and fried cheese curds. Specials will of course rotate, in the restaurant’s fresh and seasonal tradition.

And that’s not all, folks. A drink plus a munch costs just $8, or you can have yourself three munches for $12. With such cocktails on hand as “pancakes for dinner,” this is a deal too delicious to pass up. I certainly won’t.

Posted by: Kim Partrick
Price: $
Location: 45 East 1st Street (between 1st and 2nd Aves.)
Veggie friendly? Y
www.chefjoedoe.com

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Kids Restaurant Week: Grab a Kid, Get a Great Meal

Friday, June 19th, 2009

Have kids? Know one you can hire to eat a meal with you? Find one, and this could be your week to eat out and avoid the mess of trying to get a highly coveted reservation during Adult Restaurant Week.

Here’s how it works:
From 5-7 p.m. at each participating restaurant, meals for kids 11 and under cost their age and adults pay $29, for a three-course prix fixe menu. But since this is an event for kids, the menus have a bit more kid-friendly whimsy than they do during standard restaurant week. For example, Dos Caminos Park is offering their version of a hot dog (a “perro caliente,” as they call it), which is kobe beef sausage stuffed with chihuahua cheese and rolled in a flour tortilla. Primehouse New York is rolling out “pizza sliders” for the kids, and will even have a special menu for the adults. And of course, pretty much anywhere you choose to go, brownie sundaes can be found on the dessert menu.

The event lasts from June 20-28, so you’ve got 9 whole days to find yourself a youthful companion. Starting…NOW.

Posted by: Kim Partrick
www.kidsrestaurantweek.com

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675 Bar: It’s Like Grandpa’s Den…If Grandpa Served Chocolate-Covered Bacon

Thursday, June 18th, 2009

675 Bar

The recession has brought an end to many things, not the saddest of which is the meatpacking’s Level V, a space that formerly offered only long waits, overpriced drinks, and close quarters with people who may or may not go for an uninvited booty-grab. These days, as 675 Bar, the place caters to the less pretentious, more budget-conscious, though they do so not with sidewalk-chalked marquees or hastily-written fliers behind the bar. Instead, they employ such devices as surprisingly affordable (gasp!) small plates to accompany their $10 cocktails, along with Foosball tables and library alcoves replacing the old champagne buckets and make-out corners. Kidding aside, the design staff has done an admirable job turning this space into a warm, welcoming, and even fun one where the not-so-rich can unwind after work. The experience here is not unlike one you’d have at Tailor, and the atmosphere is certainly livelier. While the food and drink are not quite as exquisite or exciting, both are a few dollars cheaper.

The cocktails, while not necessarily cheap, are certainly creative, and worth a try considering none of the many, varied, and often mildly frightening (in a good way!) “small plates” will run you more than $10. I tried the Rest and Recuperation, which is rye whiskey mixed with rye beer. It’s a strong one, in flavor as much as in alcoholic content, and its strength only makes it better for sipping. But once you’re done agonizing over the cocktail list, your task only gets more difficult when you turn the page to choose one of 675’s intentionally off-the-wall small plates. The menu does offer a great balance between comfort and adventure, and we picked a couple of dishes from each category. Read more and check out the pictures after the jump.

Posted by: Kim Partrick
Order: spinach dip, prosciutto-wrapped hot pockets, mini pastrami sandwiches, rosemary fries, crispy dough, chocolate-covered bacon
Price: $
Location: 675 Hudson Street (at 13th Street)
Veggie Friendly? Y
www.brguestrestaurants.com/restaurants/675_bar

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