AlwaysInvestigating: Citi Field’s Acela Club

The Gluttoness — May 12, 2009

The view from the Acela Club at Citi Field.

It’s tough to pass up Blue Smoke, Shake Shack, and El Verano Taqueria on field-level at Citi Field, but the sacrifice is worth a meal in the Acela Club, the New York Mets’ Amtrak-branded attempt at fine dining catered by Restaurateur of the Year, Drew Nieporent. While there are flat-screens everywhere inside, you may as well pay the extra $10.00 to sit in the best of the club’s 350 seats (outdoor tables or seats with unobstructed field views in the tiered levels) to better see the game.

At first, the $48.00 prix-fixe may seem high compared to a $4.75 Nathan’s Hot Dog, but there’s quite a spread, even before the high-quality entrées arrive. An Italian-themed buffet, called “Market Table Selections,” features: a collection of cheeses, charcuterie, antipasti, salads, pastas, flatbreads (baked in a wood-burning oven), and Al Forno Dishes.

 

Selections from the Market Table and Butcher’s Block sections at Citi Field.

The “Butcher’s Block” section features artisanal meats and cheeses: stinky blues, and chunks of sharp Parmesan next to Prosciutto di San Daniele, spiced Calabrese Salami, Cured Pork Loin and Saucisson Sec—displayed on butcher blocks. Some highlights of the “Antipasti” include: Tuscan Beans with Rock Shrimp, Braised Artichokes with Lemon & Thyme, Grilled Vegetable Caponata and Buffalo Mozzarella with Confit Tomatoes.

 

From left: TriBeCa Caesar, and the Chopped Vegetable and Blue Cheese Salad.

Part of the beauty of the Acela Club is that you can build a meal to your tastes. For instance, those looking for lighter fare might choose one of the above dishes on a bed of mixed greens. It’s up to you to get your money’s worth. Other salads have more going on— take the TriBeCa Caesar with White Anchovies, and the Chopped Vegetable and Blue Cheese Salad. Both are delicious.

 

From left: White Cheddar “Macaroni & Cheese, and Baked Garganelle with Short Rib Bolognese.

The buffet’s real stars are the Al Forno dishes, specifically the pastas, baked in ceramic pots using an open fire. When the White Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese with Pancetta emerges bubbling, the cheese and pancetta command you to dig in. I couldn’t decide between it and the Baked Garganelle with Short Rib Bolognese so I mixed them together: a mishmash of “Amazin’ness.”

 

Clockwise from top: Crab Cakes, Lemon and Herb Chicken, Skirt Steak, and Grilled Swordfish.

The quality buffet makes it difficult to save room, but larger plates are worth attention. Options range from simpler American classics like the Miracle Mets Burger, and the Smoked BBQ Ribs with Cornbread, to fancier dishes like Grilled Skirt Steak, and Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes. The steak was perfectly-cooked, and an accompanying Salsa Verde was as good on the beef as it was as a dipping sauce for the crispy, sweet potato fries. Crab cakes with tomato, caper and cauliflower chutney were unexpectedly (ballpark crab cakes?) good. An overflowing plate of Spit-Roasted Lemon and Herb Chicken included a warmed mound of lemon-scented arugula, and the Grilled Swordfish with Basil Pesto abounds with clean, fresh flavors, natural juices and braised artichokes.

We planned to skip the $8.00 desserts (Tiramisu, Éclair, Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse Cake) for a chocolate-covered cannoli at Mama’s of Corona at field-level. But the complimentary French Macarons (in Mets’ colors) were satisfying enough. We didn’t have the ideal baseball weather, but the Acela Club was comfortable and the food was beyond satisfying. With better weather, it’s difficult to imagine something nicer than sitting outside on the restaurant’s patio. You can eat until it hurts while enjoying the sunshine, the ballpark and, of course, the game.