A light at the end of the tunnel

The food at Zenkichi takes a back seat to the actual seats within in this zen labyrinth hidden in plain site on North 6th Street in Williamsburg. And unless you've been to this windowless Japanese fun-house before it's easy to walk right by the unassuming door-front. But once you find your way in, you will be led through a venerable maze of dark wood, candle-lit shadows, oddly placed mirrors and bamboo curtains concealing private dinning booths and culinary secrets. Once seated in your cozy booth you can only begin to imagine what devious acts are taking place merely feet away from you. You struggle to make out the face of another patron amid the dark lighting and optical allusion created by the setting. You hear voices in the distance only to find no person connected to them. It's fun and romantic and unlike most restaurants in NY.

Ring the table top silent buzzer and a waitress appears and lifts the curtain to take your order. While the a la cart menu has many appealing dishes the $65, 8-course tasting is the way to go. Cover all your bases and give into the labyrinth. The menu changes seasonally but you can likely count on fresh sashimi, seasonable vegetables, a tempura dish and my favorite, the Zenkichi Salad (a simple dish of greens, homemade soft tofu, peanuts and a light sesame dressing). Other standouts off the tasting menu were the flaky and sweet Miso Cod and the Yellowtail Donburi (delicious tuna over perfectly seasoned rice). Several choices for desserts which the table should share and I recommend a scoop of Walnut Chocolate Pudding goes really well with a sliver of Black Sesame Mouse all cut by the Milk Tofu. A few bottles of sake and you may not want to (or be able to) find your way out of the maze. And while I'm not running back so quickly for the food, I found my evening within this Japanese labyrinth to be a very Zen one.

Zenkichi
77 North 6th Street, Williamsburg, Bkyln

The Crossroads of Gwynnett St.

Call it good timing or right place at the right time or even fate but no matter what you call it something was drawing us towards Gwynnett St. last night. A little over a month ago that something compelled me to make a reservation on a random Thursday at a random new Brooklyn restaurant. I don't recall what sparked my interest but I knew I should make that reservation. Fast forward to 3 days before our approaching reservation and Pete Wells assigns it two stars in The Times and the buzz surrounding this new establishment reached a fever pitch. The evening of our dinner arrived and not moments after we are seated in the darkened brick and wood room do I see one of the founders of Immaculate Infatuation (an established site that I admire) is seated not 6 feet away from me, yet another sign of good timing!

Gwynnett St. itself represents an intangible culinary crossroad, paying homage to the once real street which connected different Brooklyn neighborhoods, now Gwynnett St. has brought together some great culinary minds. The present day crossroads that brought the team together was Esca and WD-50, the temple to modern cuisine. And while there are echos of modern technique in Gwynnett St.'s cuisine it is more reminiscent of traditional and comfort food with contemporary influences. The technique isn't what I first noticed upon sampling the dishes but instead the rich and dense flavors nestled within artful presentations. And while not all the flavors fell within my palate I must admit they were very well conceived and well executed.

Among the noteworthy dishes; the surprisingly hearty Bok Choy with cauliflower, grapefruit and whipped feta was plate-lickingly good; the slow poached egg "soup" with pork and peas which I found slightly under-conceived but basically delicious; the sunflower seed tofu with artichokes reminded me of a rich halavah and unfortunately I felt some of the flavors were lost; I particularly enjoyed the scallops with delicate black trumpet mushroom, celery root and meyer lemon however something in this dish screamed fois gras to me and it weighed the dish down a bit. The cashew, apricot meringue was an effervescent and refreshing way to end the meal. I found the staff eager and very friendly despite working to overcome some new "it" restaurant kinks. Overall I think our experience was excellent but warrants a repeat visit to sample some other offerings.

My instincts which pulled us toward Gwynnett St. last night were correct. Any place where great culinary minds congregate is a place I want to be. From the ambiance, food, staff and clientele, it is clear that a lot of good paths are crossing at Gwynnett St.

Gwynnett St.
312 Graham Avenue btw Devoe and Ainslie

Lombardi's and Totonno's and Di Fara...oh my

When hubby and I first met Scott Wiener of Scott's Pizza Tour we were stuck on a Brooklyn bound A train on our way to Brooklyn Fare. I was anxiously awaiting the greatest meal that was yet to come but we immediately noticed Scott who was wearing a pizza championship t-shirt, reading an 1000 page history of Italian cuisine and had a red pizza delivery bag rigged into a backpack. Suffice to say, we decided to engage Scott. "You must love pizza," hubby began, more of a statement than a question posed to a stranger on the subway. We didn't know the half of it. Scott has been treating tourists, pizza lovers and culinarily adventurous New Yorkers to an education about the art of pizza in all its forms for several years. And Scott's Pizza Tour is not only a fun activity for a hungry group of friends, it's also clearly a labor of love for its proprietor.

It took us several months but we finally signed up to join our friend Scott for one of his famous half day Sunday tours. Little did we know what a special day we were in for. Scott is the foremost expert of all things pizza; so ingratiated to the staffs who run these NY establishments that he's practically family and he's definitely famous among them. Afterall he is curating a history and celebrating their Italian food heritage. In fact, he's so welcomed into the inner sanctums of their coal, wood & brick ovens that when Lombardi's on Spring Street had to remove the floor tiles of their secret dinning room above the coal oven for maintenance, they called Scott so he could crawl in and take a look.

So it was fitting that we began our expedition at Lombardi's by touring the kitchen and tasting the first pie out of the oven. While Lombardi's famous pizza and restaurant was an excellent start, it would later pale in comparison to what was to come that afternoon. After a slice we hopped on our mini yellow school bus and we were off to Coney Island for another NY legend: Totonno's, where Scott and our group were invited to chat with the pie maker as he lovingly crafted our half margarita, half white pie -- the former consisting of crushed tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and olive oil; the later comprised of mozzarella, fresh garlic and olive oil. Unbelievable. Cheesier than Lombardi's with slightly lighter crust; we ate and listened to Scott explain how the gas in the dough is distributed as it's kneaded which makes those crunchy yummy charred bubbles. We then got our own personal Bill Nye the Science Guy type explanation of why New York City water, with its low chlorine and PH levels, contributes to the clean fresh flavor and consistency of the dough which cannot be replicated outside the city.

After an exceptional slice or two at Totonno's we were back on the bus and towards the main event...Di Fara Pizza in Midwood. A rare treat for the tour, Scott has asked me to note the extenuating circumstances of our tour which allowed the group to go to the mythical Di Fara's; the stars were aligned, the sun was shining, the gods were smiling and we were an unusually small group. And thus Di Fara was fated to be. We arrived. We watched as the one, the only, the 75 year old Dom DeMarco gingerly kneaded the pie, placed hand crushed whole plump ripe tomatoes, heaped on two types of decadent cheese, poured copious amounts of Vanita Olive Oil, baked until bubbling and then cut fresh bright Israeli basil on top. This was. The. Best. Pizza. Ever. We simply had to have two slices of the nutty, buttery delicacy.

There were a few other stops and bites to follow but throughout them all we were treated to Scott's mini dissertations about any and all subjects you could possibly imagine related to pizza. And I got the impression that the knowledge Scott was imparting as we asked question after question was just the tip of the iceberg of what he knows. The man could and should teach a PhD course at Harvard on the nuances, history and love of this technique that came over from Naples and has branched into so many facets of our collective New York and American culture. I definitely learned something and found a new love for the humble slice. Thanks Scott!

Scott's Pizza Tour

Top 5: Uni

For many people Uni (sea urchin) is an acquired taste. But for me it is the ultimate taste. It is my favorite treat, my turning point for becoming a true food-lover and my most sought after dinning experience. So when I sat down to think about my greatest experiences with the delicacy five came to mind.

#1: Live uni at 15 East -- After the Thursday delivery, when Chef Masato brings you that fresh Uni having been wiggling only moments earlier and you take the first bite, you will understand what it feels like to hold the sweet side of the ocean in your mouth.





#2: Uni Carbonara at Tocqueville (interestingly has the same owners as 15 east) -- One bite of this decadent, creamy, fresh angel hair & uni pasta and it will haunt your dreams.





#3: Open faced Uni Sandwich at Aldea -- Thank you Chef Mendes for figuring out that sea urchin, tomatoes & shiso on lightly toasted bread would make such a divine combination.






#4: Uni shooter at Bond St. Miami -- Somehow this cocktail of vodka, uni, caviar and magic leads to repeat orders. Lots of repeat orders.








#5: Santa Barbara Uni Brioche at Brooklyn Fare -- Delicate uni atop pillow like brioche with truffles. Yes, yes and yes please.

I found my happy place at Brooklyn Fare.

I'll find any excuse to celebrate. So when I needed an excuse for us to be excessive at Brooklyn Fare I decided that the fact that I even got a reservation (for 7:45pm on a Saturday) was reason enough to throw a party. But then, just after I received our email confirmation, the accolades started rolling in-- Three Michelin stars! 29 in Zagats! Three stars in the NYTimes! Praise from almost every food writer in the tri-state. I knew that us going there was meant to be. Especially after our dining neighbors told us they called over 100 times to get their coveted seat. And all it took was me patiently calling their reservation line at 10:29am on the dot on a Monday morning 6 weeks prior. The phone rang, they answered, and we were in. (Editors note: my hapless but well intentioned husband tried for weeks to get a reservation, I suppose it takes a woman's touch.)

When we arrived at the 18 seat sanctuary I was actually nervous with excitement. There I was fidgeting as we stared awkwardly at the other patrons across the table who were part way through the earlier seating. But then I began to watch as César Ramirez's kitchen worked its magic...military precision, silence, artistry. It was beautiful. And everything in the place was minimally elegant and had a clear purpose. And then the food began...

We started the evening with a large shot glass of warm butternut squash soup topped with thick, cool greek yogurt foam. Perfection. It was clear we were in for an adventure. The meal is designed with 18 consecutive one bite dishes followed by 5 larger dishes and 2 desserts. The one bites are meant to be just that and their compositions are like mini masterpieces, each small component deliberately chosen to accentuate a flavor, smell or sense. (By the way, photos, phones and note taking are strictly discouraged so I just have to go with what sticks out in my memory) there was the thimble of salmon, creme, roe over celery & dill compote, the sardine weaved into a homemade potato chip, the fluke with pickled daikon, the oyster in a gelle of its own brine, the mini custard with dashi sauce, urchin, fois gras and truffle. Or my personal favorite of the small bites; the San Diego sea urchin on pillow like brioche with black truffle. Each taste was like a sweet and rich little gift.

On to the main courses which were somehow less impressive than the one bites but nonetheless delicious. Namely the pumpkin ravioli in mushroom sauce topped with a thinly shaved black truffle, the simple waygu beef, the lobster bite with veal ravioli and foie gras, the perfectly cooked duck breast and so on. We finished the evening with a sweet and refreshing lingonberry, frozen yogurt with gold leaf followed by a cinnamon apple cake with sweet salted oatmeal crumble. These descriptions don't do them justice.

I was practically catatonic I was so elated and overcome with beautiful sensory experience. But I guess that's to be expected when you enter your happy place.

Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare
200 Schermerhorn Street
Brooklyn, NY

Peter Lugers: Bring Your Dad

Considering this city is home to the original meat packing district it's not surprising that one of the best steaks is just over the Williamsburg bridge. Peter Luger is a steakhouse's steakhouse...one of the originals. And even though it often feels overrun with tourists it's still great fun and definitely a place to bring your dad. Now I personally like my steak so rare it's almost bleeding but Luger's can even bring a well done piece and I would blissfully enjoy every bite. The staff is old school (rude) but that's all part of the charm and if your dad is an old school New Yorker he'll love being reminded of his parents generation and a simpler time before we knew that bone marrow clogs your arteries.

Go with a big group and eat everything (including salad & sides) with Luger's sauce. Also, don't forget your cash...Luger's credit card is the only accepted.

Luger's is not elegant so if you're looking for your steak with white linens try Wolfgangs, BLT Prime, Quality Meats or my personal favorite Minetta Tavern (and yes the $26 burger is worth it).

Peter Luger's
178 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY