STIR THE POTS

The Dutch

For some time I've wanted to try Chef Andrew Carmellini's  Soho restaurant, "The Dutch." Described on the website as "a neighborhood restaurant serving American food," that proved accurate but somewhat understated. It's a lot more. While simple, it's the simplicity that is the distillation of brilliant expertise, something I'd love to find in my neighborhood local "spots," or for that matter in most restaurants.

Though I tried and wanted to snap photo's, the lights were dim. Besides, I was too busy tearing apart crawfish tails, sipping wine, devouring my meal, all the while trying to follow my mom's advice to "chew slowly" and "savor." It was easy to savor, but difficult to slow down. Everything was so good!

Monsieur Carmellini, a thanks and bow in your general direction, and hope that I can eat at all your venues, only to be blown away again, and again!

Blue Hill

For awhile now, I've been curious to try Dan Barber's farm-to-table food at Blue Hill. When my wife made reservations, it was time to finally get the experience once and for all. Impression on first entering? Quaint Greenwich Village brownstone that feels more like a home than a restaurant. But after we passed the buzzing kitchen to a quiet back room set up for dining, I was pleased that we were away from the busy dining area in the front.

Service was really good. And when the wait staff didn't know how to answer a query on wine, the brought the beverage director to help me out. Not till after eating and snapping photos throughout my meal did I look at the menu's fine print where it read; "no cell phones." Sorry, Mister Barber. So here is what we had and excuse the fuzziness at the end. The lights were dim, but the food was local and bright.

The John Dory Oyster Bar

This Valentine's Day weekend I tried The John Dory Oyster Bar, a bustling restaurant run by English Chef April Bloomfields. I've been to April's other venue, The Spotted Pig, which she partnered with Ken Friedman. It was New York's first "Gastropub," which I've frequented a few times, but often find rather overcrowded, due to cramped seating. I wanted to see what else April could offer.

John Dory was a bit more spacious and a lot more interesting so far as choice. The focus is, of course, on fish. Its menu gives nods to other renknowned kitchens in England, and there's good service. There were a few slight kitchen gafs; octopus served with a touch too much salt and vinegar, lobster that was a bit overcooked. But overall it was good, and I hope to go back again soon. Here is what I had and saw.

 

St. John Restaurant

On my last leg of August vacation which led me to London, I made a b-line for Fergus Henderson's St. John Restaurant. I'd been once for breakfast to St. John Bread and Wine on my last visit before heading to Bethesdabakin. This time,  instead of the breakfast and bacon sandwich, I ate a proper meal. The whole menu was interesting and making a choice was difficult. The food is nose to tail, paired down in British straightforwardness of flavors with some resemblances to French terroir.

Granger &Co.

While doing a long walk around London's huge roads and parks, I got hungry. My wife's friend suggested Granger & Co., a Notting Hill neighborhood favorite. Chef Bill Granger, who also writes cookbooks, creates a distinctively Australian flavor to his casual food. We tried some fantastic hard apple cider, was so good I got another bottle. The beet dip and crudite were particularly good, with notes of cumin and a dollop of yogurt. I'd come back for dinner as the menu looks just as good, and chatting with the cooks in the back was a treat.

 

Le Comptoir

Anthony Bourdain first made me aware of Le Comptoir and its chef owner Yve's Camborde on his Paris "No Reservations" episode. Visiting France, I decided to get into this extremely popular twenty seater, having failed to make it for dinner one earlier evening, getting seats the next day with a friend. 

Great simple, classic French fare similar to the terroir cooking I had been helping produce with my former boss Jean Michel Bergounoux back in the 90's, only with a lighter touch and without foam or meat glue. This is the kind of comfort French food I like and recognized.

For starters, we enjoyed a salad of foie gras with haricot vert, artichoke hearts and vinaigrette. Sublime, and just deliciously tickling the tongue and senses. Next a beouf braise aux carrotte (beef braised with carrots and macaroni!), and a wonderful Hachis parmentier of lamb,(shepards pie). Dessert, well it was hot, and I didn't fancy coffee after a nice demi-carafe of Bandol rosé, so  a granité of coffee with a layer of coffee custard to guild the lilly.

Just right with the Paris sun blaring overhead and easily digested after a filling lunch.

Red Rooster

My wife just took me out to dinner at Harlem's Red Rooster, Marcus Samuelsson's revived Harlem restaurant. It offers a slice of Americana with brilliant updated soul food. The staples are here; grits, yard bird (fried chicken) and corn bread, cow peas, buttermilk mashed potatoes,and collard greens, but there are also snacks like cured tostadas with salmon, nuts, and cured meats.

It had its downsides. Temperture issues (my collar greens were a bit cool), not enough bread and butter pickles with my yard bird, and no shallots or black pepper in the mignonette sauce served for oysters. That said, I still enjoyed our dinner. The staff is well trained, not only knowledgeable about the food but well versed in the restaurant's large wine list. Red Rooster gets crowded, but if you like good music and lounge food, downstairs you'll find a slightly different menu along with live bands. Upstairs is worth the wait, with excellent service, a great vibe and often great food. 

Osteria Venti

This recent MemoriaI day weekend, I returned to Montreal to visit my friend Michele Forgione at his restaurant Osteria Venti. He serves Italian food at its simplest; no fussy garnishes or spiraling towers. Taste is the key to the regional food here.

Michele and I met the same time last year at a dinner he hosted with Chef Sarah Jenkins of Porsena and Porchetta. This visit I spent more time in Montreal's kitchens, eating and observing.

Grazie Fratello!

 

Le St. Urbain

Last year, I met Montreal Chef Marc-André Royal on Twitter, where his passion for small urban bakeries grabbed my attention. So on a recent trip to Montreal, I visited  his bakery; La Bête à pain, as well as his restaurant Le St. Urbain. 

Marc Andre Royal is a driven chef. His strategy of serving local foods in a suburban setting could seem odd. But it works. There is a vibrant energy running through his two ventures, with what seem like endless imagination along with capabilities generating something very impressive. Sadly I barely was able to keep up with him to take enough photos,while he gave us a tour of the very bustling bakery and busy restaurant.

It's a boulangerie so small, but so well tuned like a motor. Even if his levains overnight had been the victim of a broken down refrigerator compressor failing, Marc-André was able to corral his troops and bang out sufficient bread with commercial yeast till the overproofed levains could be refreshed.The lines were already out the door when we arrived.

Marc-André designed and built his petit kitchen like a chef/engineer....all the movements and organization to fit his huge menu for a forty seat restaurant! Still he seemed stoked at the idea of doing multiple seating and degustations with a full house, "it's fun", he said...  I'll be back for a dinner reservation next time!

Make Mine Bevo (Pizzaaa!!!!!)

 

Visiting Montreal, among my stops was Bevo Bar + Pizza, where Chef Giovanni Vella is making waves as well as pies. 

"Madonna," I said and crossed myself, wondering if I could fit anymore in my mouth after my earlier food trip around the city. Our purpose was simply to see the oven and meet Giovanni. But he immediatley started playing with the dough, and we just couldn't refuse his offer of a pizza.

Giovanni's  hand ballet in shaping his dough was genuine pizzaoila, delicately dressing it in sauce, cheese and Calabrian salame.

 

 

Giovanni  hinted, but would not divulge any secrets regarding dough hydration and pre-ferments, but he continued to demonstrate his finesse, baking us several delicious pies.  

 

Salame, Ham. "Capriciosa" with egg and other toppings.  

At the end, he dished out a plate of arrancini, a risotto ball usually stuffed with some meat or cheese and fried. Giovanni's version somehow managed to bring lightness to an intrinsically heavy dish, perhaps by smothering it  in pork ragu rather then stuffed! Troppo! Basta!