Scarpetta: Italian Food for Non-Italian Food lovers

I realize that I am somewhat of an oddity because I don't love love love Italian food. And I know that for many people a heaping plate of pasta, a nice glass of chianti and lots and lots of bread dipped in olive oil is all they need for a happy night. But while that isn't my idea of a particularly exciting or fully satisfying meal it doesn't mean I can't appreciate an incredible Italian experience when it's upon me...and having eaten at Scarpetta several times now I can say this is the place to enjoy Italian food.

Scarpetta is an incredible blend of elegant, chic comfort and freshly perfected Italian craftsmanship. And that sensibility shines through in every dish. They worship fresh ingredients and treat those ingredients with the respect and attention needed. Dishes are not over-seasoned; you can look at the plate and practically see every ingredient in the dish. And that is what makes them perfect in their simplicity.

To begin, the Raw Yellowtail drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with flaked pink sea salt is so fresh and sweet and good you might wonder why every meal isn't this uncomplicated and delicious. If only every Italian restaurant would stop wasting ingredients and resolve to serve basic, high quality food; letting their fresh flavors shine through.

Next comes the Pièce de résistance or as my mother refers to it "the dish that Jay-Z and Beyonce eat when they come here"...anyway, it is quite possibly the simplest of all the dishes on the menu: Spaghetti, tomato & basil. That's it. Three ingredients. End of story, goodnight.

Just kidding. The Spaghetti at Scarpetta is just so damn good. And it is only three ingredients. But those ingredients are the best versions of themselves and proportioned in a way that bite after bite you will find yourself ascending an ethereal food coma. If I'm not overstating it enough--simplicity is near perfection! And Scarpetta is the closest I've come to a perfect Italian meal. Goodnight (for real).

Scarpetta
355 West 14th Street @ 9th Ave
New York, NY

In the mood for Mexican?

It's a rare occasion when I find myself really in the mood for Mexican. It's not that I don't enjoy a good margarita with guac & chips, it's just that the cuisine itself doesn't often leave me that satisfied...culinarily.

But when the mood does strike me (as I'd say it does strongly about thrice a year) there are a few places that meet my high standards for quality Mexican. Recently I had the opportunity to visit two of said establishments.

Mercadito is a great East Village spot--seemingly very small from the street but enter the back room and you'll feel like you've been transported to a Mexican Hacienda smack in the middle of the city. Mercadito has an impressive selection of adorable, little, fun-for-sharing tacos with ingredients such as ancho rubbed pork with grilled pineapple, sauteed tilapia with grilled corn & manchego or chicken with sweet plantains. And who could forget the excellent variety of the guacamole (chunky with fruit or freshly smoked, yum!). But my personal favorite are the ceviches and wouldn't you know it you can order a "sampler" and get 3 at once! The tiny scallops with strawberries, key lime-habanero broth and mint! The mahi-mahi with avacado, tomato and orange-chile! The octopus, shrimp, jicama and orange! Yum Yum Yum! The ceviches are so good they have me rethinking my 3 times a year Mexican fix.

For the times I find myself wandering the West Village and the Mexican food craving hits, I really enjoy the new hot spot, Empellon. Empellon is the love child of Alex Stupak, former pastry chef from WD~50 and Alinea, who apparently is equally adept at making tacos as he is making avant garde desserts. In this setting you'll find the crowd is a little fancier and so is the food. The guacamole is creamy not chunky and the cocktails have fancy oak aged Reposado tequila. But the tacos, oh the tacos. My personal favorite is the sweet Scallops with cauliflower, capers and raisins. The Skirt Steak with olive oil, lime and toasted garlic was a hit at the table too. And who could forget the sides--the Refried Black Beans with a spicy habanero kick and the Sweet Plantains were delicious.

After dining at these two fantastic Mexican restaurants I think my cravings are gonna be coming a little more frequently...

Uptown at the Four Seasons

You've probably guessed by now that I live downtown. And it must seem like I rarely go above 14th street unless a paycheck is involved but about once a year my family ventures uptown (and back in time) to the original old school fancy pants eatery...the Four Seasons. Pool side of course.

I like to begin an evening at the 4S by letting the waiter know I've been there before by proudly ordering the souffle before he can offer it (it takes a while to prepare so they insist you order it with cocktails but we'll get to desserts later).

The food at the 4S is consistently good and elegant but it's not mindblowing. The real thrill of being there is the experience of being there itself. The waitstaff that's been on salary for a quarter century and probably make more than your CEO. The shimmery window coverings that look like an elegant copper gown. And then there actually is the clientele at the next table wearing an elegant copper gown and dripping with more diamonds than 47th street herself. It's a fun place to people watch and to aimlessly stare at the Picasso tapestry and Rothko Reds on the wall. Notice yet again that the food isn't the focus. And while the food is excellent it wouldn't be the same without the setting.

Over the years I can recall great steaks and excellent Cesar salads and delicate, moist fishes but not one really stands out. It's a good place to go for your parents wedding anniversary or a big birthday. Everyone talks about the famous power lunches that take place in the Grill Room but for me it will always be my big fancy New York dinner in that cold yet rich feeling Pool Room.

Oh yes, the desserts. I said I'd come back to them. Worth noting that the souffles are amazing and we always have two (one for the table and one for me of course). But my sister always lights up when they bring out the heaping mountain of cotton candy which hides a surprise ice cream scoop. The cotton candy isn't on the menu but by now almost every other table is eating one so shoot a sweet smile to the Maitre D' and you're in!

The Four Seasons
99 East 52nd Street btw Park & Lex

Simpler times at Corner Bistro

Ahh...Corner Bistro...brings me back to a simpler time in my life when running around the city until all hours of the night and sustaining myself on burgers and beer seemed a viable existence...cue Barbara Streisand singing "Memories."

The famous burgers and beer watering-hole has long been a cornerstone for students, tourists, and New Yorkers alike. Corner Bistro is less of a restaurant and more of a youthful time and place for me. Are the burgers that much better than the ones from your regular greasy spoon grill down the street? It's debatable. But you can't go to Corner Bistro without magically being transported to a pre-workaday stress life...or maybe it's all the $2.50 beers you consume while being on line for 45 minutes that brings you to a better state of mind.

Either way by the time you get your seat and take a bite into that famous Bistro Burger (with cheese and bacon) you will have a new appreciation for the concept of delayed gratification. The burger and perfectly thin, crispy fries will be exactly what you had hoped they would be after 45 minutes of McSorely's Ales and anticipation.

Corner Bistro
331 West 4th St. at Jane

Why did Robataya take the onion off the menu?

I love Robataya. It feels exactly how I envision a countryside Japanese farmhouse restaurant (and I hope to find out for real this time next year). But my favorite thing on the menu, quite possibly the most simple yet well executed dish--a thick-sliced grilled white onion--has mysteriously been taken off the menu. And I can't figure out why. Surely it wasn't cost prohibitive. Hell I could pick one up for a few pennies at the corner bodega on my way in next time. And every time I've been in recently I make a point to ask in a sweet and surprised voice "where's the onion!?!" --it's my desperate attempt at a passive aggressive protest in hopes that the wait staff will confer and conclude that "gee, people keep asking for the onion! We should bring it back!". Anyway, I still love it there and would recommend it onion or not.

Sitting at the bar is cozy and entertaining at the same time and the ordering possibilities are endless. I always light up like a 5 year old when the grill master literally leaps from his perch surrounded by fresh vegetables, fish and meats in order to pluck a distant mushroom and delicately place it on the grill-top before ultimately delivering it to you via long wooden paddle. It's quite a spectacle and sounds unbelievable but it's really happening at this hidden gem on 9th Street.

I recommend anything from the grilled section--because there isn't anything better than fresh grilled veggies or Japanese meats/fish lightly seasoned with high quality salt. Off the cooked menu we love Kamameshi with Salmon & Salmon Roe (a glorious pot of Japanese rice slow cooked with fish and served family style). If you like Uni (and if you don't, you should) I recommend trying the grilled Uni--it really changes the taste and texture and even if raw is better, grilled is a great food experience to have. It's amazing how simple preparations can be so delicious when done with high quality ingredients and respect for the subject.

Robataya
231 East 9th St. btw 2/3 Ave

Stop what you're doing and go to WD~50.

Downtown on Clinton Street, in an elegantly unassuming storefront is one of the most exciting meals in the city. Recently I had the pleasure of returning to WD~50 and bite after glorious bite I was left thrilled, surprised and just plain happy to be there.

Instead of the pre-set tasting menu, my table opted to create our own and in the end we tasted almost all of the appetizers and half of the entrees. I have good things to say about almost all of them and I'm borderline speechless about some (actually who I am kidding--the words will come).

I usually avoid Foie Gras on all menus due to the 10 million calorie-a-bite price tag that comes along with it but a forkful of Wylie Dufrense's whipped, sponge-like aerated Foie Gras and I felt like I was biting into an exotic chocolate mouse. It lingered in my mouth and floated down my throat and fell like a feather into my stomach. It was a good way to start the evening. I was made equally giddy by the Shrimp Spaghetti which wasn't actually spaghetti at all but beautifully crafted little strings of pressed shrimp masquerading as pasta covered in fresh tomato and basil. For entrees, we ooh-ed and aw-ed over the sweet Halibut floating in a hen o' the woods mushroom jus surrounded by soybean salsa and burnt lemon (the fish was so delicate that all you needed was a spoon to enjoy). We fell back into our cushy seats in ecstasy over the pork neck surrounded by smoked spaetzle with peach and almond. And we damn near fell off those plush seats as we finished the evening with a dessert of extremely light and sweet meringue surrounding spheres of passionfruit.

And finally the crème de la crème ...a tour of the kitchen (which anyone can gain access to with a polite request) and just like the meal it was elegant, sleek and full of chaotic beauty. The sign that hung overhead summed up the entire evening...

WD~50
50 Clinton Street @ Rivington

DONUTS! with Mussels?

Three words: Salted Caramel Donuts!!!!! Oh yeah, they have mussels too. Sounds strange I know but we went to Flex Mussels exclusively to have these incredibly perfect, light little, sweetly flavor-filled, pillowy donuts. I first tried "Just Dessert" Top Chef's Zac Young's donuts when they were at a pop up shop in Grand Central and from the moment I bit into the sugary, cinnamon salty sweet delicacy I knew that once was not going to be enough for a lifetime. So when I learned that the man behind these donuts was the exclusive pastry chef at Flex Mussels I figured "hey, I like mussels and for those donuts I'll do anything." And while the mussels were excellent and they had so many variations, at the end of the day the donuts were the thing!

After rushing our way through the dinner portion of the evening we were on to the main event. We ordered a platter of the delectable fried deliciousness. There were so many flavors to choose from--wild blueberry, meyer lemon, cinnamon sugar, salted caramel, Fluffernutter, PB&J, praline or chocolate--I opted for salted caramel and chocolate. The chocolate donut was like a molten sweet circle of love and the salted caramel donut was the closest I'll ever get to perfect in my mouth.

In case you haven't caught on these donuts are amazing. And i won't be satisfied until everyone I love has tasted one. so what are you waiting for!?! and oh yea since you're there, the mussels are good too.

Flex Mussels
154 West 13th @ 7th Ave
174 East 82nd @ 3rd Ave

A trip to Italy for the best coffee in the world.

The coffee at Piccolo Cafe is another great fight against the watery mud that our palates have all become accustomed to from fast food coffee stores on every corner. Piccolo and its purveyors come directly from Italy and they bring with them a respect for coffee so great it could make you believe that their grandparents lovingly tended and farmed each bean that they hand ground and passionately poured into your cup (I have no idea if their grandparents were involved in this process but I do know it's damn good coffee).

But more than the coffee comes from Italy, the entire vibe in the cafe feels straight from the Italian countryside. I had lunch at Piccolo in midtown today and even though the food isn't anything mind-blowing, it is really fresh and the place was a wonderful respite in an otherwise mundane Thursday. The second I walked in I felt like it was a random summer afternoon and I had nothing to do and no where to go and no desk full of work to come back to. Something about the coffee and the food and wood paneled walls that makes you feel like you've been whisked away to a foreign country and that you are a blissfully meandering tourist instead of a rat racer in heels on a summer afternoon.

This little coffee shop has now expanded to 3 locations (conveniently near my home and office!) and it's a great place for a cup of coffee or if you don't mind a little wait during the lunchtime rush, something more. Either way this little piece of Italy is definitely worth it!


Piccolo Cafe
3rd Ave btw 15/16
Madison Ave btw 37/38
40th St. btw 7/8th Ave

So there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.

If you're anything like me you've been reading all the news, raves, updates and trials about Brushstroke, David Bouley's long in the works, recently opened shrine to the art of Japanese cuisine (wait, you mean you don't wake up every morning and check the press about the new sushi restaurants in the city?). Anyway, I have been excited to try Brushstroke ever since it opened a few months ago and we finally had a special occasion to bring us there.

Unbeknown to us the main dining room, which is the zen minimalist oasis of light wood and clean lines that everyone talks about, is reserved only for tasting menu diners and the dim, afterthought of a bar is where a la carte diners are relegated. We of course opted for the tasting menu main dining room and prepared ourselves for everything a $135-a-head meal would buy us. For starters the room really is lovely and complete with chef's tasting bar where we had a front row seat to the orchestra that is the kitchen staff and sushi bar. We soon learned that when we opted for the tasting menu we were signing on for almost 4 hours and what amounts to 13 courses of amazing, unbelievable, elevated Japanese art cuisine like we've seldom had. And one course was better than the next. There was the succulent duck in miso mustard sauce, the soft boiled egg with uni, truffle oil and nori, the delicately seared wagyu, the pear and pistachio black cod, the sushi course, the sashimi course and all the glorious courses in between. There came a certain point during the evening after the japanese eggplant with summer vegetables but before the cape cod lobster with lobster scallop dumpling when i found myself saying "No more! Please! My stomach can't take much more elevation!" but just as i thought it was ending 3 more small plates arrived at our places. Oi vey.

To say that dining at Brushstroke was one of the best and most memorable meals we've had in a long time would be right on. But now that we've been there and soaked it all in my desire to go back is pretty low...but check back with me in a month...after all they do change the menu :-)

Brushstroke
30 Hudson Street (at Duane)

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