I started with a popular Greek drink called Ouzo. It's basically like sambuca, which tastes like licorice. A glass with ice was brought with the ouzo which was about one and a half shots worth ($10). My first sip was smoothe, but it definitely needed some ice. After adding some ice, the drink got cloudy, and it was much better, and very nice.
We started with three Mezedes, which are family style appetizers meant to be shared.
The Crispy Pork with pistachio, roasted beets, and honey was very tasty although a bit too lukewarm for me.
The Crab Spanakopita, which is a Greek spinach pie was very nice too, but I tasted absolutley zero crab, which was very disappointing.
The standout of the Mezedes was the Grilled Octopus with black eyed peas and scallions. The octopus was grilled perfectly and had a wonderful flavor to it.
For my entree I had the Braised Lamb Shank with potato gnocchi and orange zest. The lamb was perfectly cooked, the meat fell right off the bone. The Orange zest broth was very good and soothing as well. Unfortunately the gnocchi was overcooked and rubbery, and was a disappointment.
My dining companions ordered the Hanger steak with greek fries and one of the fish dishes. I tried a little of both. They were both presented very clean and cooked well. The steak was tender and the greek fries were crispy. I enjoyed the addition of rosemary to them as well. The fish dish was fine, but quite boring. In fact none of the dishes truly blew me away, (which is fine.)Well, until we got to dessert.
For dessert we ordered the Greek donut holes with honey and sage tea. The donut holes were warm and sweet and came with a sweet dipping sauce we dipped them into. What truly blew my mind was the sage tea though. It perfectly complimented the donut holes and I thought it was ingenious. It was the perfect ending to a clean-cut, satisfying meal, with few surprises.
So, if you are in the Flatiron district of Manhattan and in the mood for some modern Greek cuisine, Parea would be a satisfying choice.
Parea
36 E. 20th Street (between Broadway and Park Avenue South)
New York, NY 10003
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( 3 / 545 )Sunday night I went with a gal to Falai. Falai is an Italian restaurant in the Lower East side I had heard great things about and have been wanting to go for a while. The chef/owner Iacopo Falai used to be the pastry chef at Le Cirque.
Falai is very white inside, in a charming manner, and not fancy at all. It felt very pleasant. The wine list has all Italian bottles, nothing less than $48. My dining companion and I shared a $60 bottle of wine from some part of Italy that was superb.
They gave us a salted square foccacia to start with, which seemed pretzel-like. It wasn't warm but it was nice. During the dinner there was also a guy walking around with various types of bread. We tried a few and all were very nice.
Our meal started with a fantastic amuse bouche of a curried ricotta ball with a squash soup poured over it. It was small, simple, and simply splendid. The perfect way to start the meal.
For an appetizer we shared Falai's take on a mushroom salad. It was three different types of mushrooms, all flavored differently and all delicately plated with different sauces underneath. It was such a unique dish. I was astonished how each mushroom not only tasted different, but their textures were all different as well. I truly loved this dish.
For entrees we shared the gnudi and venison loin. One great aspect I'd like to point out about Falai is that they split the entrees for two. So, instead of giving one bowl of the gnudi to me and a plate of venison to my companion, making us reach over and try each other's dishes; we both got a bowl of gnudi and we both got a plate of venison. I loved it.
Now, back to that gnudi. They were two green balls made of baby spinach and ricotta served in a butter and sage sauce. The gnudi were soft, fluffy, and purely delicate. The butter and sage at the bottom of the bowl was soothing. This was an amazing dish.
The venison loin came with a root vegetable called Salsify and a beet jam. It was perfectly cooked medium rare, tender and juicy. I liked it a lot.
For dessert we shared the passion fruit souffle. It had a crusty top with some powdered sugar, and our waiter pierced a hole in the middle with a spoon and poured the passion fruit sauce inside. The souffle was airy, and wasn't too heavy at all, which I truly enjoyed. The passion fruit wasn't too sweet and tasted great. The dish was orgasmic and unbelievable!
Too be honest, this was one of the great dining experiences of my life. It was all very delicate and precise, and I enjoyed every part of the meal. The service was nice as well. I think the superb wine helped a bit too, I cannot lie. I definitely plan on going back to Falai to indulge in another amazing experience. Or at least have another go with that souffle. You should too.
Falai
68 Clinton St. (at Rivington St.)
New York, NY 10002
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( 3.1 / 590 )Last Wednesday I had a meal at Izakaya Ten, a new Japanese small plates restaurant that recently opened on 23rd Street and 10th Ave. It inhabits what was previously the Korean-French restaurant D'or Ahn, which happened to have been one of my favorite restaurants in NYC. I was sad to see it had closed, but intrigued to see what filled it's space.
The interior is almost the same- except it looks much worse. There is a bar up front and tables in the back. But, what was once sleek and modern, now looks worn and thrown together. The lighting was dim, and I was not impressed with the lack of decor or mood the place now had.
I decided to order three small plates from the specials menu. The first was raw octopus marinated in wasabi ($5). The dish was slimey but I enjoyed the kick the wasabi gave it. It was definitely a peculiar dish, and I'm always a fan of exploring and experimenting.
The next dish I tried was the Japanese sausage ($5). The plate came with three sausages and some mustard on the side. The sausages were juicy and tasty. The skin was just slightly crispy. They reminded me of a mix between a hot dog and kielbase. They definitely made for a nice snack.
The last dish I had was the marinated kimchee with pork belly ($8). The dish was very good. The kimchee was perfectly cooked, the pork belly was slightly over cooked, but when I mixed the two, the combination was perfect. Just the right amount of flavor and tenderness.
Izakaya Ten is definitely no D'or Ahn. But, it's a nice little neighborhood spot to get some decent Japanese small plates for a not a lot of money. I'd definitely go back and try other dishes. I'm always a fan of getting the most bang for your buck.
Izakaya Ten
207 10th Avenue (at 23rd Street)
New York, NY 10011
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( 3 / 527 )Tuesday night I decided to go to a new Japanese restuarant that opened on up on Restaurant Row (46th street bet. 8th and 9th) called Sushi of Gari 46. There is a Gari on the Upper East Side and Upper West Side and I had heard great things, so I was very excited to hear one had opened up down the block from my apartment.
The restaurant is modern and a touch sleek. I sat at the sushi bar. The lighting at the sushi bar area is very bright, and unromantic, I'd guess to highlight the art being produced at the bar.
The first thing the waitress asked me when she approached me was if I were going to order the Chef's Omakase Special ($75). I felt she was trying to push this on me and it was a total turn-off.
I always order sushi deluxes when I eat sushi. It's the best way to taste a restaurant's sushi because it comes with assorted pieces of different sushi. I ordered the deluxe here which came with 9 pieces of sushi and one roll. I also got an appetizer of monkfish liver in ponzu sauce.
The monkfish liver, which I had never had before, was good. The ponzu sauce was tangy and was the perfect complement to the interesting textured liver. I even slurped all the sauce after I had eaten the entire liver. It was a unique dish, which I enjoyed.
Then my sushi deluxe ($30) arrived. It was sublime. All the fish was fresh, great, and excellent. Some of the best sushi I have ever encountered. I will admit it is a tad pricier then your average sushi spot, but, it's also better. You definitely get what you pay for.
I would love to come back to Sushi of Gari 46 and try their other dishes and even their Omakase special- on my own terms.
Sushi of Gari 46
347 W 46th Street (bet. 8th and 9th ave.)
New York, NY 10036
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( 2.9 / 521 )Friday night I decided to go to a new tapas spot that opened up in the Flatiron district called Boqueria. I walked in to a packed house which I expected. There is a nice looking bar up front with various cheeses enclosed by glass. Some small bar tables along the wall, and then a room in back with a long communal table in the middle. This was one of the draws of the restaurant that drew me. I envisioned myself eating at this long table and striking up a conversation with the neighboring diners. Alas, when I told the hostess it was just me she pointed to the bar area, where she said I could eat. All the seats were taken so I took up the only spot available; standing in the corner by the entrance in front of the gal in charge of the cheese. It was very uncomfortable but I didn't mind as long as I could try some food.
I started my meal with a $9 glass of Spanish wine. The wine was good, but the bartender, (who by the way needed to smile more-he seemed nice but I wished for a more positive vibe) I feel underpoured the glass. He finished what was left in the bottle, and I thought he might come back to add some more-he didn't. I struck up a conversation with the "cheese" gal, and asked her for some recommendations. Her being the "cheese" gal she started talking to me with her Spanish accent about the various cheeses they had. I didn't really understand her, so I just nodded and told her to give me three of her recommendations. The cheeses came with three pieces of toasted rasin bread. I honestly have no idea what I type of cheese I was eating, but can tell you all were good. I liked how they were all different from each other, in texture as well as taste. This was definitely a nice start to a meal, and at $4 per cheese, I found it to be a great deal. This is definitely a nice spot for a date.
After fifteen minutes some seats opened up for me at the bar next to me, so I got to sit. I decided to order another glass of wine and some tapas. Alas, my wine was poured to the same amount. I'm either not experienced enough in proper pourage or I was being ripped off, either way, the wine still tasted nice. I decided to order the three creamy croquetas and the grilled lamb tapas.
The croquetas came with serrano ham, chicken and mushrooms. They were very creamy and tasted nice. Although there was much more cream flavor then chicken or ham, I still enjoyed them.
The grilled lamb was marinated in lemon and cumin and came on two skewers on two pieces of small toasted baguettes. The lamb was tender and tasty and the lemon and cumin gave the flavor a nice kick.
That is all I ordered. I just wanted to get my first look into this new tapas joint. I think I'll come back with some more people and order some more of their bigger dishes. But I'll make sure, before we go, to drink one or two bottles of wine first.
Boqueria
53 W. 19th Street (bet. 5th and 6th Ave.)
New York, NY 10011
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