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 Gift of Great Gelato

Europe has sent New Yorkers the gift of Amorino Gelato. A delicious treat unlike most things our Americanized palates have experienced, this wonderful dessert and the shop that purveys it have a goal to create a high quality European-type pleasure. Their objective is to make the superb product without artificial ingredients and in a time where we struggle to find transparency within the food industry it is a pleasure to indulge in a natural and delicious treat.

Get on line in this cozy shop on University and you're suddenly in Paris. Watch the artisan craftsman create your cone as it literally sprouts petals and becomes a flower before your eyes. You have unlimited flavor combinations to choose from but I recommend against your instincts to try them all at once (for fear you appear as an unfettered child in a literal candy shop). Instead choose your complimentary flavors carefully and create an elevated dessert experience. Why not try a mature and rich combination of Stracciatella, Dark Chocolate and Coffee? Or perhaps sweet Strawberry and Passion Fruit with a dollop of lemon will tickle your taste-buds? With endless combinations you would be hard pressed to make a bad decisions. And with such a plethora of ways to enjoy this wholesome Gelato you can treat yourself to this gift again and again.

Amorino
60 University Place

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

Uruguayan Utopia

I can't say what was more pleasantly distracting; the sweet smell of salt water, the dolphins breaching in the near distance or the warm sun streaming through the straw roof as we sipped ice-cold beer. Whatever contributed, our New York worries ceased to exist and nothing mattered as we soaked in the scenery in Cabo Palonia, Uruguay. We found ourselves within this beach oasis after several hours of driving through the Uruguayan countryside, patiently waiting for a transfer we thought might never come and then taking an 8 kilometer open truck ride over sand dunes and through the wilderness. But a farther trek would have been worthwhile to sit, even for a moment, within this paradisaical enclave.

A home to hippies and a backpackers delight, this remote village is populated by friendly recluses, clapboard houses and homespun businesses. Here, electricity and plumbing are scarce but it's made up for in natural beauty and tranquility. We meditated in the surroundings, drank in the experience and enjoyed the best beer ever at the local inn and bar, La Perla del Cabo. And while we were only there for a short time, one of the locals explained that a short time in Cabo Palonia was all it took to be changed forever.

Our road trip back to Punta del Este led us to the small town of Manantiales which felt like a cross between St. Barths, the Hamptons and the middle of no-where. I gather it's quite a scene "in season" but since we found it during "slightly off season" it was spectacular. We dined at the Manantiales Fish Market and after a day of driving and South American sun it could not have been more satisfying. Fresh sashimi and ceviche, luscious gazpacho, moist grilled Brotola fish and the house specialty of lomo (sirloin) grilled sandwich were gobbled up with many oohs and ahhs. Several glasses of wine and a few second orders and we were a truly happy bunch.

I think it was the the altitude, the sea air and the remote setting that helped us find ourselves while we sat sipping wine and taking in the crisp night air. My emotions were heightened as we reminisced about our Cabo Palonia adventure and feasted on local Manantiales' delicacies, and I knew that in that moment, Uruguay was my own personal utopia.