Anything but generic at Acme

Ever since El Bulli closed and Noma took its position as the number 1 restaurant in the world, New Yorkers have been clamoring for a seat at one of the New Nordic Noma-like establishments that have recently opened in NY. And I was no exception. So when we finally got ourselves a 6:45 table at the forager hotspot, Acme, I jumped. After all, when one of the founding members of a discipline opens an outpost in your neighborhood, you get on line.

Walking up to Acme, which inhabits the former southern restaurant of the same name and facade, I realized that I didn't quite know what to expect.  As a young foodie I repeatedly and unsuccessfully tried to get a coveted seat at El Bulli for years but Noma has remained a bit of an enigma to me.  And while I did try to reach out to a friend from my semester abroad who currently is a line cook at Noma, my interests remained at arms length from the Copenhagen establishment.  New Nordic or forager cuisine is in contrast to the Modern gastronomy of El Bulli, WD~50 and others because it is a return to basics.  Instead of using newfangled scientific breakthroughs to turn an ingredient into a dry-iced, liquified. reconstituted, aerated version of its former self New Nordic cuisine is a return to simple, local and often raw foods.

And even with this knowledge I still wasn't sure what Chef Mads Refslund's creations would be.  But I soon learned that this obsession with local, seasonal ingredients foraged from the landscape around us would make for elegantly simple preparations of amazingly fresh food.  By returning to traditional techniques like drying, smoking, pickling and curing and applying them to ingredients so fresh that eating them raw is a pleasure in and of itself, Chef Refslund is reminding us that there is beauty in what's found around us.

We began the evening with Sweet Shrimp and raw Bison atop butter lettuce and salty green almonds.  The dish was salty but not overwhelmingly so, and the raw shrimp and bison coupled with the fresh crisp lettuce was delightfully light and fresh. The Farmer's Egg came as a frothy mix of cauliflower and aged Parmesan; each heavenly spoonful was airy and hearty at the same time.  The slices of decadently delicious Country Toast covered in sweet caramelized onions, brie and honey were here one minute and gone the next.

With such delicious food, arranged under the simply alluring categories such as Raw, Cooked, Soil and Sea/Land, I can see why diners are desperate to get a seat (and return for seconds).  We ended the meal with the lace like chocolate crisps which protruded from ganache all accompanied by coffee ice cream.  And like the rest of the meal, I had no idea what to expect from dessert but it delivered a perfect ending to a meal that was anything but ordinary.

Acme
9 Great Jones Street
NYC

Thrilling times at Yopparai

Last night one of the most thrilling things happened to me, and it wasn't just the delectable Sea Eel and fluffed egg casserole with Burdock root.  Last night while dining at the three month old Yopparai Sake Bar & Restaurant a photographer from the New York Times was there capturing the sights, sounds and people(!) indulging at this soon to be hot spot.  And the fact that the dinning room is about as wide as a king size bed means that the photog got really close to the action (and me!).   

Up a flight of stairs into a LES apartment lies Yopparai.  In the former Sushi UO space this hidden Izayaka is serving drinks and hearty snacks.  Literally translated yopparai means drunkard and with a bar that runs the length of the entire room it's plain to see where the focus lies.  The cozy setting and friendly staff encourage patrons to settle in and enjoy delicious food paired with lots and lots of sake.  And after a few hours of drinking and dining we were jovially chatting up the owner and chef; they were so hospitable that upon hearing about our upcoming trip to Japan the chef quickly gave me the business card (in Japanese with hand written English translation) for his father's restaurant in Tokyo.

Often at Izayakas I feel that each dish is like its own little gift and that every plate demands attention to its own unique details.  The Uni Sashimi came four pieces to an order and was accompanied by a jewelry box filled with fresh nori (seaweed) allowing each bite to be delicately crafted at your seat.  The mixed Japanese mushrooms with (fermented) sake lees, miso, and butter were tangy and refined.  The grilled clams came with their own pyrotechnical accompaniment; I wasn't sure if we'd eat them or just get lost staring at the mini flame. 

The extensive menu lends itself to repeat visits and I'd recommend you hurry up and get there...because once the Times publishes whatever photographs were being taken, it may be even harder to get a seat at this thrilling bar & restaurant.


Yopparai
151 Rivington St. btw Suffolk & Clinton

Post script:  I see the Times and I weren't the only bigwigs at Yopparai last night!

Smooth as Silk

I haven't had many facials in my life. And up until the most recent one I wouldn't say I exactly enjoyed them either.  I remember my first facial felt like something out of a spooky Stepford wife science experiment complete with warm gases, florescent lights and poking.  The next felt like I had been snuck under Iron Curtain Russia where my esthetician gained some sick pleasure from keeping me guessing and alert.  But recently I was treated to the finest, most relaxing facial at Silk Day Spa.

Silk is the subterranean and exclusive spa hidden around the corner on 13th & 6th Avenue. After a decent massage I was drowsily led deeper into their underground utopia and into a cozy and warm facial room. There I met my soft-handed and low-voiced facialist, Soyoung. We began the 60 minute session and I expected a semi-rude awakening but au contraire. As soon as I laid back I was ensconced in warm blankets and my face felt bathed in silk. No harsh pinches, no extended periods of waiting for some cream to take effect or for my skin to reach some optimal temperature. Start to finish Soyoung treated my skin like a rare Michelangelo sculpture being gingerly restored to its original glory.

I suppose it would be worth noting that the services at Silk are not cheap. The facials range from $130-$250 a session. But I say ditch the seasonal facial you're getting and opt for a better one less often. I know that's what I'll be doing at Silk.

Silk Day Spa

47 West 13th Street

Love for Locanda Verde...just don't call it brunch.

I'm not a fan of brunch. In fact, I just don't understand the appeal of the whole thing. Wake up early, presumably hung over, go battle with other equally bleary eyed and hungry crankies only to wait an hour for a table that was supposed to be ready 20 minutes ago, and once seated sip watered down, high calorie cocktails while the chef grits his teeth because he presumably had to get up even earlier and probably even more hung over. Whoa. I just worked myself up quite a bit. And over what? A meal that is trying to find it's place between breakfast and lunch. I'm sorry. Brunch can be great...

And when I do find my self up-and-at-em before noon on a Sunday the first place I want to find myself is Locanda Verde. Fact is I'd be happy to find myself there for any meal but they seem to be doing something extra special for 'brunch' and who am I to argue with excellence.

I recommend beginning with an order of the Sheep’s Milk Ricotta for the table; the creamy and light cheese is sweetly complimented by truffle honey and rosemary atop sweet and crunchy burnt orange toast. Yum. For the brunch-inclined the roasted Zucchini Frittata with tomato, goat cheese and basil is the best version of a brunch frittata I've had. The light and airy lemon Ricotta Pancakes with

blueberries and meyer lemon curd are fluffy and delicately sweet. For the ones amongst us who really don't like brunch any of the more traditional menu items like Steak Tartare with hazelnuts, truffles and crispy guanciale or one of the sophisticated and hearty pastas or sandwiches should do the trick.

The vibe at LV feels like rustic country house meets Tribecca artist loft. The tall windows, high ceilings and immaculate open kitchen invites you in, wakes you up and welcomes you to the day. The friendly staff, variety of pastries and milk types (I always appreciate a restaurant that caters to the skim, soy, and other type of milk drinkers) and the excellent food could turn even the staunchest anti-bruncher among us into a believer. And dare I say, it may have gotten to me. Because after a few brunches at Locanda Verde, I think I'll be getting up bright eyed to be there at noon next week.

Locanda Verde
377 Greenwich St
(corner of N.Moore and Greenwich)