Featured Cocktail: The Wonky Moskin
Arthur Bovino — September 02, 2010
The Wonky Moskin, a cocktail at Bar Pleiades.
Frank Bruni isn’t the only Times reporter with a cocktail named for him. His colleague at the Dining Section, Julia Moskin, was the inspiration for a drink at Bar Pleiades. And unlike the BruniBerry, The Wonky Moskin wasn’t a DIY affair, but one created by bartender, Cameron Bogue.
How To: Bar Pleiades’ Lemongrass Distillate
Arthur Bovino — September 02, 2010
The homemade distillation apparatus created by Bar Pleiades’ head bartender, Cameron Bogue.
A boiling flask filled with reddish bubbling liquid, a biomass flask filled with stalks and steam, a slow trickle of clear liquid, it may at first appear to be the work of a mad scientist. But Bar Pleiades’ head bartender, Cameron Bogue, explains that this homemade apparatus is really just a “simple steam distillation,” a setup he uses to create the various distillates that bring extra aroma to some cocktails at Daniel Boulud’s Bar Pleiades at The Surrey Hotel on the Upper East Side.
Cameron perfected his process of creating various distillates during the course of several years. One of his references was Suzanne Catty’s Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy. “But it doesn’t tell you so much how to make it,” he explained, “It was a lot of trial and error. I made a lot of bad stuff. When I wanted to do something for the restaurant I had to be really careful.”
Kaffir Lime Leaf worked. So too, black teas. Marigold? Not so much. “Things that were a little bit harder worked better,” he explained. “Things that became soft, you tasted that mush.”
Round-Up: August
September 02, 2010
We ate Kesté‘s Insalata Pizza Sandwich, tasted Po’ boys at Cheeky Sandwiches, and revisited The 5 and Diamond before it lost chef David Santos. There was Balkan food at Djerdan, a Pretzel Burger at Friendly’s, and D’Artagnan’s Mangalitsa Ham. Yup, Always Hungry featured some great food and drink in August. In case you missed any, check out this round-up.
From Smoked Pickled Sausages at Vandaag (left) to Fried Chicken Livers at Seersucker, and RUB BBQ’s Donut Burger, to New York’s hangover dishes, Always Hungry has been all over your New York food radar. Here are August’s top five most popular stories.
1. First Look: Dinner at Vandaag
2. Featured Dish: RUB BBQ’s Donut Burger
3. Featured Brunch: New York’s Hangover Dishes
4. AlwaysStrong: Pretzel Burger and Lobster Roll at Friendly’s
5. Featured Brunch: Seersucker
AlwaysInformed: August’s Best RUB Burger
Arthur Bovino — September 01, 2010
The Donut Burger, a special Monday night burger at RUB BBQ (August 2nd).
Those who know, eat RUB BBQ’s special Monday night burger. Those who don’t, rhapsodize about Five Guys. Seriously, don’t take our word for it, as weekly Monday night burger regulars, Jonathan Burr and Andrew “Goose” Gussman will tell you, Scott Smith and Andrew Fischel’s weekly special is more than a shtick. The afternoon announcement is a great what’s-the-special-gonna-be-today moment almost powerful enough to make you think Monday’s closer to Friday than it is. Rather than a weekly update, here’s a month’s roundup of the Monday burgers, including our pick for August’s blue ribbon winner.
Featured Dessert: Treats from Blue Smoke Bake Shop
Arthur Bovino — August 31, 2010
Left, Blue Smoke Bakery Shop’s Chocolate Layer Cake. Right: Banana Cream Pie and Key Lime Pie.
It may not be fair to new cupcake shops opening nationally in the wake of the New York trend, say Georgetown Cupcake, or Crave Cupcakes in Houston, but after several years it’s difficult to get excited about dry cake and buttercream. Still, when new shops open there’s the matter of due diligence. Case in point, Blue Smoke Bake Shop, a little booth by the entrance to Danny Meyer’s Flatiron barbeque joint.
But, even the most devout cupcake-trend hater has to give it up to pastry chef Jenn Giblin. The display may not be as big as the one at the other Flatiron BBQ joint, Hill Country, and the staple flavors aren’t as creative, but all in all, they may be better— at least the double chocolate. And there’s other good stuff. As Grub Street reported, the Bake Shop sells cookies, breads, cakes and pies from 11:30am till 9pm.
Featured Restaurant: Le Gigot
GutterGourmet — August 30, 2010
Gigot d’Agneau aux Flageolet and Crème Brûlée at Le Gigot.
Enter Le Gigot. Içi Paris. The only things missing are the French accordion music and the mimes. Pick one of the 10 tiny bistro tables and you’ve abandoned Cornelia Street for the Left Bank
Featured Brunch: DBGB
Arthur Bovino — August 27, 2010
Mussels “Poulette” and Pommes Mousseline at DBGB Kitchen & Bar.
When you think DBGB, seafood isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But, if it’s still not cool enough for Jim’s Matzoh Ball Soup, and you need something lighter than the brunch menu’s burgers, brats, or more traditional French toast and waffle fare, there’s a do-it-yourself seafood brunch combination that’s satisfying. (And filling if you supplement it with the restaurant’s great potatoes.)
Featured Cocktail: The Highlands’ Blackberry Tartan
Maryse Chevrière — August 26, 2010
The Blackberry Tartan at The Highlands.
By now, scotch fiends have found a home in West Village gastropub, The Highlands. There’s a serious selection of malts and scotches for the straight up drinker, and a menu of carefully-crafted cocktails too. In the latter category is the Blackberry Tartan, an ideal summer-switch-to-fall concoction.
It’s late August now, September is creeping in, and you’re in a weird place— you want to hold on to the fruits of summer, but you are primed to dive in to the bounty of the new season. The Blackberry Tartan ($13) solves this dilemma, offering the tart berry in combination with maple syrup, Appleton Estate Rum Reserve, and anCnoc 12 year scotch.
The Tartan is frothy on the top and viscous throughout with real body from the fruit pulp. Maple syrup adds to the cocktail’s steady hint of sweetness—never overwhelming—well-matched against the scotch, which maintains its identity. You finish faster than you expect and think, “I want to try more of what this place has to offer.” Mission accomplished.
Featured Restaurant: ilili
Maryse Chevrière — August 25, 2010
Lamb Chops, seared with Za’atar Salsa Verde and Herb Roasted Tomatoes.
With the impending opening of game-changing, market-restaurant hybrid, Eataly, at the end of this month, a lot of attention has been devoted to the great things being planned by Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich. But the focus on the neighborhood’s dining options reminded us of another Flatiron joint that deserves mention: ilili, Phillippe Massoud’s still-swank Mediterranean venture.
To start, there’s Hommus, of course, and Labne, a tangy strained yogurt— textbook examples of whipped and silky smooth, respectively. Tear a piece of the thin, warm puffed pita and attack unabashedly between sips of the signature Not-So Bloody Martini (or for something more floral, the From Manhattan to Beirut). The Mouhamara, a vibrant, nutty-textured mixture made from sun-dried pepper, walnuts, and pomegranate molasses comes highly recommended. With it you should order the leafy, parsley-heavy burghul Tabbouleh to add to the mix. All together it makes for wonderful grazing.
Featured Dessert: Tabla Cart’s Kulfi Pop
Maryse Chevrière — August 24, 2010
Milk Chocolate and Almond Kulfi Pop from Tabla’s seasonal cart.
Here’s a Flatiron dessert option that not only hits the popsicle trend, but also presents a nearby ice cream alternative for those who have already cycled through Shake Shack’s custard calendar: Tabla cart’s Milk Chocolate and Almond Kulfi Pop.
For those unfamiliar with it, kulfi is a type of flavored, milk-based frozen dessert originally from India. At Tabla’s seasonal cart you can have it sandwiched between chocolate chip cookies ($3), or on a stick as a “pop” ($3) that has been dipped in milk chocolate and covered with slivers of raw almond.
First Look: US Open Eats
Arthur Bovino — August 23, 2010
From left: Moon ‘n Doggies Shrimp Hot Dog, Char-grilled Ahi Tuna with Pickled Ginger and Mango Salsa, and Prime Rib Sandwich with White Cheddar and Horseradish Cream.
The US Open qualifying starts tomorrow through Friday, August 27th, before the main draw on Sunday. Courtesy of a tasting preview earlier today we have a first look at the food in the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center that will be served through September 12th.
Michael Lockard has returned for a fourth year as the Open’s executive chef. But, several other well-known chefs are participating. Masaharu Morimoto’s sushi will be being served, and the new South Plaza Master Chef Café will feature food by: Tony Mantuano (Spiaggia), Susan Feniger (Street), Carmen Gonzalez, Rick Moonen (RM Seafood), and Jonathan Waxman (Barbuto).
Included for your pre, post, rain delay, and inter-match eating, is a preview of the café and restaurant dishes as well as the menus of for the kiosks in the Food Village. For more food details from the US Open check out the official venue descriptions.
AlwaysInvestigating: Cheeky Sandwiches
GutterGourmet — August 23, 2010
A half shrimp & Half oyster Po’ boy, and “Ben-Yay’s” at Cheeky’s Sandwiches on Orchard Street,
Calvin Trillin used to joke when asked where to find the best po’ boy in New York that you have to go to Queens then take a plane from LaGuardia directly to New Orleans. I agreed until I wandered into Cheeky Sandwiches on Orchard and ordered a half shrimp, half oyster po’ boy, fully dressed, of course.
In Philly, only hoagies or cheesesteaks made with Sarcone’s Bakery bread are the real McCoy. In Miami the only bread worthy of a Cubano is Cuban lard bread. So it is with the bread for Cheeky’s po’ boy. Cheeky gets its bread from John Gendusa Bakery, which, in 1929, created the New Orleans French bread without which po’ boys would be naked rather than fully dressed.
AlwaysInformed: Coming up on the Calendar (8/23/10)
August 23, 2010
Always Hungry’s Calendar keeps you informed about food events taking place around the city and the country. Here’s a list of some of this week’s significant events:
- 8/25 Enjoy a seafood feast at the Beard House prepared by chef Mike Stollenwerk of Fish in Philadelphia.
- 8/25 Bid summer farewell with Finger on the Pulse’s last BBQ Blowout featuring food from Frankies Spuntino, and live music.
- 8/26 Meet the country’s top tennis players while enjoying stellar food from New York chefs at the Taste of Tennis.
- 8/28-29 Travel to Long Island for the Maritime Museum’s Seafood Festival.
- 8/29 Head to Brooklyn for Sunday Best’s dinner and dance party.
Click here to view Always Hungry’s full calendar.
Featured Brunch: New York’s Hangover Dishes
Arthur Bovino — August 20, 2010
Hangover Pasta at Resto.
Hangovers cures are like hiccup cures— everyone has a theory about what works best. If you read the online, ah-hem, literature about what constitutes the best hangover cures you find all kinds of baloney:
Eat bananas. Peanut butter! No, prickly pear juice! Coconut water. Drink coffee. Don’t drink coffee! If you do drink coffee, drink a lot of water! Eat fried foods! But only before, not after. Have a little hair of the dog. Try a Prairie Oyster. Stop, drinking again is the worst thing to do— it causes alcohol dependency. Eat burned toast. No, drink sports drinks! Take Advil. Don’t take Advil! It will explode your liver. Take aspirin. B-6. B-12. Rosiglitazone. No, Berocca. Hey, I heard that American Indians claim that eating six raw almonds before imbibing helps prevent intoxication. Really? My friend said that eating peanut butter beforehand is an African remedy. Exercise. Sex. Sleep. No, don’t sleep!
Sshhh. Don’t scream— makes it worse. Some of these ‘cures’ sounds like torture. Exercise? Burned toast? Not sure about the last time you went on a bender, but likely you weren’t planning enough to eat almonds, or have Rosiglitazone. Recovery is about water, and what works for you.
For many, food is the best cure— something to make you feel better, placebo or not. So, it’s no surprise there are more than 40 dishes on New York brunch menus that include ‘hangover’ in name or description. There are boring ones— juices, egg platters— but intriguing ones too. Given that the last thing you want to do hungover is read gobs of text, here’s a list of interesting hangover brunch dishes.
Featured Cocktail: Maialino
Maryse Chevrière — August 19, 2010
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From left, Pig and Pepe, and the Farewell to Arms.
Mention cocktails and Maialino in the same breath and chances are conversation is going to lead to the Pig and Pepe. It makes perfect sense— this is, after all, the cocktail made with tequila that has been washed with fat from the restaurant’s signature suckling pig.
Set your fears aside, the Pig and Pepe doesn’t taste like drinking pork. It’s light and tart, like a margarita— best with a bit of the smoky chili powder rim. But this is a bar you want to linger at (if you can angle a seat)— great for people-watching. Finish the Pig ($12) and explore other drinks.
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