My previous time at Blue Ribbon I had their chicken wings appetizer ($9.50) which I loved as well. It actually came with a mini grill where you could grill the wings more if you wished, to get them a little more burnt. I loved this playful addition that I have never encountered before, and it makes dining fun, especially if you are drunk late at night!
The prices at Blue Ribbon are not cheap, but the menu has a wide array of choices. From a raw bar to steak, they really have something for everyone.
So, for a great meal at a late hour in NYC, Blue Ribbon is my top choice.
Blue Ribbon
97 Sullivan Street (bet. Spring and Prince)
New York, NY 10012
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( 2.8 / 11 )On a warm April day my sister and I decided to go for a walk and spontaneously ended up walking over the Williamsburg Bridge to Brooklyn. We decided to check out a restaurant I have heard a lot about; Dressler.
Dressler has a cool vibe to it. It is a mix of formal and hip, casual and chic. You would feel comfortable wearing a suit there or wearing a t-shirt and jeans, as I was in. This is Brooklyn Chic.
We started with half a dozen fresh oysters that were really good. My sister had a tasty special duck appetizer. I started with a braised Berkshire pork belly appetizer that was out of this world! It was amazingly seasoned, crispy and tender. It reminded me of the great pork belly dish at the restaurant Tailor, and could easily give it a run for it's money.
We shared the Roasted Free Range Chicken entree which came with Swiss chard, potato dumplings, white pearls, baby artichokes, and asparagus. Now, I normally never order chicken at a restaurant, but the waitress recommended it, so we pressed our luck. Let me tell you- it was the best chicken dish I have ever encountered. The skin was crispy, the meat was juicy and moist, and the vegetables were fresh and went well with the chicken. I had fantasies about that chicken dish for weeks after, and actually I still think about it.
For dessert we shared the Bittersweet Chocolate Cream with English toffee, chocolate shortbread, and salted caramel ice cream. I loved the balance between sweet and salt in this dish. It was a fantastic dessert!
I rarely head to Brooklyn, not because there aren't any good restaurants there, because there are, but because there are so many in Manhattan that I still need to try. I must tell say that I am so glad we made that spontaneous journey across the bridge, for we not only found a great Brooklyn restaurant, we found a great New York restaurant. It's worth the trip.
Dressler
149 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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( 3.1 / 54 )Last night I went to Anita Lo's (Annisa) new (3 days old) restaurant Bar Q in the West Village. I walked in with no reservation at 10:30pm and the hostess asked if I had a reservation, I said, "No." and she said, "I can seat you." Of course she could seat me, the place was nearly empty, and anyways I'm Josh Beckerman, superstar Foodie/Magician.
The place is very white and modern, separated into two rooms. The first room is the bar area/lounge with a few tables where you can grab a drink and a bite. The second room is the dining room with tables and circular booths where you can have a more formal or leisurely dinner. I like the layout of this restaurant a lot for if you need to wait for a table and want to grab a drink, or if you just want to grab a drink, there is plenty of room and lots of space, unlike many new restaurants where it can get cramped while waiting for a table. Also, there is an outdoor patio reminiscent of a greenhouse which will soon be open which I can forsee being very popular come Spring and Summer.
The cuisine is Asian/BBQ which I am a fan of, and after perusing the menu I was more excited because all the dishes were right up my alley. After questioning my waiter Paul on his favorite dishes (he likes them all) I went with a starter of Spit Roasted Pork Belly and and entree of Stuffed Spareribs. Also had a nice Victory Pilsner with the meal.
The Spit Roasted Pork Belly ($13) came with kimchee, takuan, and steamed buns, with a side of scallion tofu. The plate came with all the ingredients separated and basically it was a "do-it-yourself" sandwich. At first I thought it was lazy, like why are you making me do this myself, but after I put all the ingredients together, my mind changed. First off, this dish 100% reminded me of David Chang's famous Pork Buns he serves at Momofuku (they put it together for you there) but with different side ingredients. So, I put one of the two pieces of pork belly in one bun, added some takuan (pickled daikon) and some kimchee, then added the scallion tofu and had my first bite. This was an outstanding appetizer. I loved the crispiness of the skin of the pork belly, the crunch of the takuan, the spiciness of the kimchee, and the uniqueness of the scallion tofu. It all worked well together. I could not stop eating this bun, it was totally addictive. David Chang finally has some competition in the Pork Bun world. I never had scallion tofu before, but I thought it was a nice addition and worked well with everything in the bun. This is definitely one of my favorite appetizers of the year and I can't wait to come back for more!
My entree of Stuffed Spareribs ($23) came with lemongrass bbq, peanuts and thai basil. The dish came out and looked more like a piece of meatloaf then a sparerib. I'm not sure why they have it pluralized either, for it seemed just like one rib to me, but there was a lot of meat, so I could be wrong. I did enjoy the dish though. The sauce was sweet with just a little hit of spiciness. I'm pretty much a fan of any dish that utilizes peanuts with sauces, but I would say that I think there was too much sauce on the dish and the peanut sauce was way too heavy. I think they should definitely lighten up on the sauce so the flavor of the meat can come through more, for the dish seemed to be overwelmed by the sauce.
I definitely plan on coming back to Bar Q to try all the other dishes. So for unique Asian BBQ cuisine in a great space, Bar Q is the perfect West Village spot.
Bar Q
308 Bleeker St. (bet. Grove and 7th ave.)
New York, NY 10014
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( 3.1 / 82 )Tuesday night I was in the Lower East Side and stumbled upon a new Vietnamese restaurant called Slurp. I thought the name was cool so I stopped in for a bite.
I ordered the Grilled Pork Bun ($15) which came with grilled pork, rice vermicelli, celery, cilantro, cucumber, crushed peanuts and a side of fish sauce. I thought the dish was ok. It definitely needed some more flavor, in fact I had to ask for another sauce (sweet and spicy) after I finished the sweet fish sauce. I have had this dish at other Vietnamese restaurants in Chinatown which tasted similar, but for half the price.
I think this restaurant could be a welcome to the neighborhood, but the whole time I was there perusing the menu, I kept on being reminded about all those great authentic chinatown Vietnamese spots, with better food for a cheaper price. So, I guess if you are in the neighborhood and craving Vietnamese this could give you a decent fix, but for a better bang for your buck, I'd head downtown a little further to Chinatown.
Slurp
84 Stanton St. (at Orchard St.)
New York, NY 10002
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( 3 / 82 )Last Friday night I had the pleasure and honor of being invited for a tasting at a new Midtown Japanese restaurant called Omido. Next door to the Ed Sullivan Theater where they film The Late Show with David Letterman isn't a location I'd consider a dining destination, but Friday night I uncovered a rare gem near Times Square. Brought to us by chef Eiji Takase (he was referred to me as Chef Taka) from the popular Sushi Samba restaurants, and a design by the hip AvroKO team, this is one of the top Japanese restaurants in NYC I have encountered.
I walked in to a nearly empty restaurant at 6pm, which by the end of my meal I thought should have been more full due the high quality of the experience. The restaurant is an all dark wood square room, with a semi-hidden dining area in the back, and with a square sushi bar in the center. I actually like the layout of this restaurant a lot, for from any seat you can view the action going on at the sushi bar, so it truly is dinner and a show. The lighting is dark, and is highlighted by the typical AvroKO use of Edison light bulbs. This sleek environment set the mood as an escape from the busy and touristy outside Times Square area.
Before my tasting menu began I tried the Shiso leaf Mojito, recommended to me by my knowledgable waitress Karen. Now, I am not a huge fan of the shiso leaf for it's flavor is just peculiar to me, but its addition actually worked really well in the mojito and it was a great start to the meal that was about to come.
The first dish that came out was the Organic Mushroom Salad ($9.50). It came with citrus soy and butter, and was topped with some green seaweed to give it some color. I really enjoyed this appetizer. The mushrooms were fresh and the citrus soy and butter broth was very soothing. The use of citrus soy gave it just the touch of acidity it needed. This dish was a great way to open up my palate.
(I should mention with this dish and with all the others, Omido's gracious host Christina paired for me sakes and wines that I actually did not write down, but all were perfectly paired with each dish and added to the overall amazing experience.)
My next course was the "Madai" and Pink Grapefruit Sunomono ($14) which came with Japanese snapper and ume grapefruit vinaigrette. I loved the freshness of the snapper, and I thought the use of grapefruit was ingenious, for like the previous dish, the balance of acidity was perfect. Not only was this dish deliciously refreshing but there was so much color on the plate that it was truly a work of art.
My next course was the Yellowtail with Shishito Pepper and yuzu garlic soy ($14.50). This was another winning appetizer. The yuzu garlic soy was simple and delicate, and a great compliment to the freshness of the pink yellowtail. Once again, Chef Taka not only plays with the flavors, but the balance of colors on the plate were extremely artistic.
Next came the Temari roll ($19.50), one of Omido's "Signature Rolls" which consisted of a piece of tuna, salmon, and yellowtail sushi topped with fois gras on a plate with a red mirin soy. These three beautiful pieces of sushi took decadence to the next level. It was some of the richest and meatiest pieces of sushi I have had.
An entree of Kakuni ($14) was served next which is braised short ribs with karashi mustard. Short ribs are common in many NYC restaurants and I have had my fair share of them, but I would have to say that these were the best I have ever encountered. They were extremely tender, juicy, and delicious, and they sat on a sweet sauce that was really tasty. The dish was topped with a little green cabbage that gave a nice crunch to it. On the side of the plate was a little of that karashi mustard for dipping which gave the ribs the perfect kick to it. This dish blew my mind.
Next was the overly popular Japanese dish of Black Cod Miso ($15) served with a pink pickled ginger stick. The fish was fresh and the dish was simple. This was probably my least favorite dish of the night, for I thought it was pretty boring, although I thought the addition of that pickled ginger was a unique touch.
And the food kept on coming. I was given a sample plate of Omido's assorted pieces of sushi and rolls. All was very fresh and some of the best sushi I have ever had. If I was just craving sushi I would not hesitate to come here for sushi alone.
Finally came my last course which was the Mango Parfait dessert ($10), which came with a sake marscapone, fresh mango, cashews, and peanut candy. This was an amazing dessert. It was refreshing, had the perfect amount of sweetness, all sorts of plays with texture, and there was such a unique combination of flavors that I have never encountered. This dish blew my mind. It was the perfect ending to this transporting experience.
Many tourists ask me where to dine when they visit the Times Square area, or before they see a show, and I would of course recommend Omido for some exhilerating Japanese food. But, I would also recommend Omido for anyone who lives in any part of NYC, for I believe Omido is not only a great Times Square restaurant, but it is a great NYC destination, warranting a trip to Midtown from wherever you are. So, for colorful, unique Japanese cuisine, Omido is one gem that sparkles.
Omido
1695 Broadway (bet. 53rd and 54th St.)
New York, NY 10019
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