AlwaysStrong: Lola (Great Neck, Long Island)
GutterGourmet — June 18, 2010
Lola Duck à la Yuzu Orange, the signature dish at Lola in Great Neck.
Restaurant: Lola
Location: 13 Middle Neck Road, Great Neck
Contact: (516)466-5666
Hours: Tue-Fri, Lunch, 12:00pm-3:00pm; Bar Specials, 5:00pm-6:30pm; Dinner, 5:30pm-10pm. Thur-Sat, Dinner, 5:30pm-11:00pm. Sun, dinner, 4:00pm-10:00pm.
Grade: A-
Recommended Dishes: Whole Lola Duck.
“Well I’m not dumb but I can’t understand
Why she walked like a woman and talked like a man
Oh my Lola lo-lo-lo-lo Lola lo-lo-lo-lo Lola.”
— Lola, The Kinks
Looks can be deceiving. So it is with Lola on Long Island. You’d never expect to find a restaurant of such quality with these ingredients, and a chef of this stature on Middle Neck Road in the heart of Great Neck. But, we shouldn’t be surprised by Lola’s chef and owner, Michael Ginor. After all, he is not only the author of my all-time favorite cookbook, “Foie Gras: A Passion,” he is also the founder and owner of Hudson Valley Foie Gras, the upstate producer and purveyor of foie gras.
Featured Dish: Triomphe’s Scallops in Foie Gras Butter
GutterGourmet — May 12, 2010
Scallops with Porcini Mushroom and Foie Gras Butter.
Though overshadowed by its neighbor, DB Bistro Moderne and its infamous $32.00, foie gras-stuffed Original db Burger, Triomphe, the French restaurant tucked into the Iroquois Hotel, has a similarly luxe signature dish: Chef Steven Zobel’s Scallops with Porcini Mushrooms and Foie Gras Butter.
Always Learning: Artisanal Cheese School
GutterGourmet — November 20, 2009
Ariane Daguin, the Skål/Skoal project, [www.cookingissues.wordpress.com/skoal/, image].
Sometimes, I lie awake at night thinking about Ariane Daguin’s French Kisses (I’ll explain). I had them at Artisanal Cheese Center’s (site) class, “Exquisite Champagne, Foie Gras & Artisanal Cheese,” which was hosted by the D’Artagnan (site) founder.
Each student received four glasses of champagne, two from France and two from California. In keeping with the France vs. USA theme, there were six cheeses, three French (Brillat-Savarin, Valençay and Mimolette) and three American (Nettle Meadow Kunik, Crème de Chèvre and Tarentaise). Interspersed between the cheeses were D’Artagnan products. In orgasmic order: Duck Mousse Basquaise (not foie gras) with port wine and red peppers; Mousse de Foie Gras made with Sauternes; and Medallion of Foie Gras with Sauternes and black truffles, terrine of pure foie gras, the yellow fat of which began to oozingly melt on the plate discoloring the pale white goat cheese. Last, but not least— one of Ariane’s French Kisses, an Armagnac soaked prune filled with mousse de foie gras.
But as good as the food was, it was what Ariane said that stayed with me. Some classic quotes:
“Everyone in Gascogne is descended from D’Artagnan (the musketeer), he was quite active, you know.”
“There is no low-fat cheese in my refrigerator.”
“A happy duck is a tasty duck.”
“You are more likely to get hit by a car than get salmonella.”
“Rabbit does not taste like chicken, it tastes like rabbit.”
“Eat foie gras, drink wine and surround yourself with people you love.”
I have nothing more to learn.
Maintaining the Grade: Momofuku Ko
Arthur Bovino & The Hungry Goat — September 09, 2009
We lucked out and scored a coveted reservation for dinner last night at Momofuku Ko (restaurant page). Taking pictures of composed plates is still banned so we annotated the meal with grades in the Dish by Dish style of two AlwaysHungryNY.com meals there in February.
AlwaysTraveling: O Ya (Boston, MA)
Zach Aarons — August 21, 2009
Bottom left, Hamachi Nigiri with Spicy Banana Pepper Mousse. Right, Warm Eel with Thai Basil, Kabayaki, and Fresh Kyoto Sansho.
Restaurant: O Ya (view site)
Address: 9 East Street, Boston, MA, 02111 (view map)
AlwaysHungry Grade: A+
AlwaysHungry Recommends: Foie Gras Nigiri, Fried Kumamoto Oyster Nigiri, La Ratte Potato Chip Nigiri, House Smoked Wagyu Nigiri
In 2008, The New York Times’ restaurant critic, Frank Bruni, put O Ya at the top of his list of the “country’s best new restaurants.” The following year, Boston Magazine named it “Best of Boston 2009, General Excellence.” More accolades followed. Most importantly though, Jeff suggested that I go there, so I recently visited to see if O Ya could dispel my skepticism about Boston’s culinary scene.
O Ya is pleasant and unpretentious. The menu is divided into two sections. The front features nigiri and sashimi, while the back includes vegetables, meats, salads, soups, and several interestingly named categories: ‘truffles & eggs,’ ‘other stuff,’ and ‘something crunchy in it.’
We ordered omakase, which focused on the nigiri and sashimi. It began with oysters— one of two prominent appearances of this ingredient that seemed strategically timed. Though both dishes featured Kumamoto oysters, they could not have been more different. The first was a summery dish that opened up the palate with bright, delightful flavors: Fresh Kumamoto Oyster coupled with Watermelon pearls and Cucumber Mignonette.
At the meal’s midpoint, just as the memory of the fresh oyster began to fade, the evening’s best dish arrived, Fried Kumamoto Oyster with Yuzu Kosho Aioli and Squid Ink Bubbles. The fried oyster was light and fluffy, but possessed dark, savory flavors. Its squid ink bubbles paired elements of traditional Japanese cooking, avant-garde gastronomic technique, and good old New England-style seafood. The oyster was a masterpiece that melted away mellifluously. It was unlike any oyster I have ever tasted.
AlwaysInformed: Burger Poppin’
The Gluttoness — August 17, 2009
Champagne bottles from the ‘Quarter’ to the ‘Balthazar’ (courtesy nicks.com.au) & burger counterparts.
A recent nightclub outing brought us face-to-face with the Methuselah, an awesome and incredibly heavy bottle of champagne, equivalent to eight ordinary bottles. Bottles larger than magnums are generally filled with champagne that has been fermented in standard bottles or magnums, and are named after biblical figures. In terms of these epically-sized bottles, the Methuselah, a biblical patriarch said to have lived to the age of 969, only ranks as the seventh largest.
It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact reason why champagne bottles are named thusly. There is speculation that the names were selected “to evoke importance and even a certain extravagance.” One site, uncork.biz, claims the earliest recorded use of these names is 1725 when Bordeaux winemakers were using the name Jeroboam for the four-bottle size, “It’s presumed they selected Jeroboam, the biblical founder of Israel…because he is referred to as ‘a man of great worth.’” There are larger sizes: Melchior (24 bottles), Solomon (33 bottles), Primat (36 bottles), and the Melchizedek (40 bottles), but as you might imagine, seeing one of these is a pretty rare occasion.
In order to best comprehend the disparity between the smallest bottle, the ‘Quarter,’ and the granddaddy, the Nebuchadnezzar (a 20 bottle monster, not pictured above), we thought it best to relate the increase in bottle sizes to one of the things AlwaysHungryNY.com knows best: burgers. In this case, as with the bottles of champagne, the larger and more extravagant the hamburger, the higher the price-tag The beef and bun Nebuchadnezzar is as monumental and seldom-ordered as its bubbly brother.
36 Dishes in Boston, MA
Arthur Bovino — August 10, 2009
In The New York Times weekly column, 36 Hours, a weekend-long itinerary is given for different cities. AlwaysHungryNY.com, is taking a more culinary-focused, food-challenge approach to weekend travel with a new, occasional feature, 36 Dishes. The goal? To eat and drink a combination of 36 memorable dishes and beverages from significant places in a city during one weekend.
Left, Boston from Top of the Hub bar in the Prudential Building. Right, the Tall Ships in Boston Harbor
Today’s feature is a recap of 36 Dishes eaten in Boston over the weekend of July 10-12, when AlwaysHungryNY.com ate everywhere from the South End to Harvard Square. Our weekend of eating began on Friday night at 10:50pm, ten minutes before the Radius kitchen closes.
AlwaysPartying: Scharffen Berger Chocolate Luncheon
Michelle Kiefer — July 28, 2009
from left: Chef Jacques Pépin; Sharffen Berger Chocolates; John Scharffenberger
Julia Child once called Scharffen Berger, “America’s finest dark chocolate,” recalled John Sharffenberger during yesterday’s Scharffen Berger Chocolate Luncheon at the French Culinary Institute in SoHo, an event honoring the soon-to-be-released film, Julie & Julia (Aug. 7).
Guests were treated to a clip of the title character, Julie Powell (Amy Adams) being inspired by Scharffen Berger chocolate, a chocolate-tasting led by John Scharffenberger, cooking demos by Chef Jacques Pépin, and a three-course lunch consisting of chocolate-inspired dishes. The tasting involved three dark chocolate varieties (82%, 70%, 60% cacao) and one milk chocolate . Unlike single-origin chocolates, Sharffen Berger sources cacao blends from multiple origins that change each year depending on which beans are deemed “extraordinary” at the time. Mr. Sharffenberger described this blend as a “symphony” in contrast to the “beauty of a flute solo.” It’s an approach that corresponds with his description of “flavor as a time lapse.”
Lunch was prepared by Chef Jacques Pépin with help from FCI students. The appetizer, Pâté de Faux Gràs a Ma Façon, featured a buttery crostini spread with rich, savory chicken foie gras, sprinkled with cacao nibs and chopped pistachio. The entrée was a perfectly tender Tri Tip Roast with Cacao Nib Rub. Some audience members were the lucky beneficiares of one of Chef Pépin’s cooking demonstrations: crepes with grated chocolate. The grand finale was a dessert trio: Warm Chocolate Cake with Apricot-Cognac Sauce, Chocolate Raspberry Gratin, and Chocolate Rochers with Hazelnut and Cornflakes. Each dish emphasized the simplicity of its ingredients.
Sharing one of his favorite quotes, Pépin asked, “What is patriotism but the tastes of the dishes you had as a child?” This link between food and memory was present throughout the afternoon as he shared memories of his family as they related to the chocolate dishes he prepared, as well as his favorite anecdotes of Julia Child, the woman who made French cooking accessible to the masses.
Pâté de Faux Gras a Ma Façon
Tri Tip Roast with Cacao Nib Rub
Warm Chocolate Cake w/Apricot-Cognac Sauce; Chocolate Rasperry Gratin; Chocolate Rochers w/Hazelnut & Cornflakes
AlwaysInformed: Shanks for the Memories
GutterGourmet — July 24, 2009
.jpg)
Cabrito’s A Pata de Cerdo
There is no question that Au Pied de Cochon in Montreal is one of North America’s greatest restaurants. As its name indicates, there are a lot of piggy amputees limping around Canada who have sacrificed limbs for our dining pleasure. The chef/owner of that restaurant is a lunatic named Martin Picard whose pig, duck and foie gras induced creations are gorgeously illustrated in the Au pied de Cochon Album Cookbook, which I highly recommend (spring for the hardcover with DVD so you don’t miss Picard and his cronies dining naked at the restaurant and their drunken attempts to reassemble an entire pig by placing the preparations of its various anatomical parts on a feasting table).
David Schuttenberg, the chef at Cabrito (formerly of Fatty Crab, which also owns Cabrito), admitted to me that he has never been to Au Pied de Cochon, but he was so inspired by the album’s recipe for Foie Gras Stuffed Pigs’ Feet that he had to adapt it to Mexican cuisine.
The original recipe is an involved process. First, the shank portion of an entire trotter is partially deboned with a hacksaw. The shank meat is browned with mushrooms and onions to make a stuffing, which is packed into the deboned shank and threaded shut. The whole trotter is then slowly cooked sous vide over several hours. Next, the cooked, stuffed trotter is brushed with egg and mustard, coated with breadcrumbs and cooked in a buttered skillet. Picard then throws layers of seared foie gras on top (as he tends to do with everything) for effect.
_thumb.jpg)
_thumb.jpg)
Cabrito’s plated “A Pata de Cerdo” and cross-section
Schuttenberg said he was faithful to Picard’s recipe and preparation (down to the hacksaw), but to bring the dish south of the border and make it “A Pata de Cerdo,” he added housemade chorizo to the stuffing. Sautéed chorizo and cubed leg meat are cooked separately with onion, garlic and Serrano peppers, then mixed with almonds, cilantro, chipotle chilies, panko breadcrumbs and mescal-soaked raisins. The stuffed trotter is braised in stock for 12 hours, refrigerated for 12 hours to set, then breaded, fried, baked and plated on shredded lettuce with tortillas and a side of cotija-topped Soupy Beans. Instead of foie gras, Schuttenberg piles on housemade pickled jalapeños, which cut the dish’s unctuous fattiness.
I recommend you get to Cabrito fast. The dish is a special this Saturday but they only serve four a night (unless they can find a hog bred with more than four legs). By the way, Cabrito (restaurant page) has some great happy hour deals on booze and tacos: “The Fatty Fix” (beer and bourbon, $12) got me in the proper frame of mind and the Taco Lengua ($3) blew away its counterpart at my standby, Tehuitzingo in Hell’s Kitchen. The eponymous Goat Belly Taco ($3), however, was the evening’s only disappointment.
Perhaps they should change the name of the place to “A Pata de Cerdo.”
FirstLook: SHO Shaun Hergatt
The Gluttoness — June 08, 2009
It’s rare that I’m speechless, but last Thursday night’s preview dinner at SHO Shaun Hergatt stunned me into my first satisfied oblivion of 2009. Executive Chef Sean Hergatt has spent two years turning the concrete canvas within The Setai New York into a modern Asian masterpiece with simple elegance and ruby red accents. An expansive glass wall separates diners from the theatrics of the grand kitchen and many of the tables face Hergatt’s “stage” where he commands his dutiful “players.” You witness meticulousness then taste it.
The striking décor is matched by the drama of SHO’s impeccable food, which the chef described as “Asian-accented, modern French cuisine.” Hergatt is a brawny Australian with a sweet smile—the unexpected artist behind brilliantly feminine dishes that are as artistically inclined as they are sophisticated in flavor. There’s a continual dance between delicacy and decadence. Riveting taste always wins, but it’s the manner in which it’s achieved that is so interesting.
Duo of Canapes: Crêpe w/ Tobiko & Sour Cream over Lime & Sesame Seed Tuille w/ Whitefish Tartare
Two velvety crêpes were filled with tobiko and sour cream, then tied in purses, served over thin slices of lime and topped with gold leaf. Two sesame seed tuilles were rolled like cigars and stuffed with whitefish tartare. There was an impressive equilibrium between the rich insides and the subtle exteriors.
Click here for AlwaysHungry's full First Look at Sho Shaun Hergatt >>
AlwaysInvestigating: About Giada’s Meatball Madness…
GutterGourmet — May 21, 2009
Now that Dish du Jour’s “Meatball Melée of the Boroughs” is behind us, and Nicky’s Famous Meatballs, a dark horse, deep-fried meatball by Bello Giardino’s, has taken the title, Best Meatballs in the Borough, it’s time to look forward to the next great meatball competition. This fall’s return of the Food Network’s New York City Wine and Food Festival (presented October 8-11 by Food&Wine and Travel+Leisure) is rumored to be featuring an entirely new event hosted by Giada De Laurentiis: Meatball Madness. It would have been a close call to choose between getting up close to Giada or the city’s best meatballs, thankfully we won’t have to. And who better than Giada to judge the best balls?
The event has inspired some intense thought about the competition’s potential participants and possible categories. For the approval of the powers that be, we submit the following:
The Traditional Italian/American Category
1) Lazzara’s gargantuan Meatball Parmigiana Hero (now at 2 locations: 38th Street and the new offshoot in Hell’s Kitchen on 9th Ave.).
2) Papa Perrone’s (best Midtown pizza truck) for meatball sandwiches and meatball pizza.
3) Manganaro’s Grosseria (no, not their archrival relatives next door, Manganaro’s Hero Boy).
4) John’s of 12th Street for spaghetti and meatballs in a Tony Soprano atmosphere circa 1908.
Click here for more suggested "Meatball Madness" categories >>
Dish by Dish: L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon
Jeff Zalaznick — May 18, 2009
Les Burgers
Beef & Foie Gras Burgers with Caramelized Bell Peppers
It seemed as if I had missed the work of Chef Joël Robuchon when he closed, Jamin, his small, three Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris. I had never been. The food became something that I dreamed about, his famous mashed potatoes, purée de pommes de terre, haunted me in my sleep. Lucky enough, my prayers were answered, and six years after retiring, Robuchon’s L’Ateliers began popping up. First in Tokyo, then Paris, Las Vegas, and finally at the Four Seasons Hotel in New York City.
They could not have found a better home for L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon. The bar at the Four Seasons has always been a power drinking scene, but it had never really had the food to go with it. A Michelin-rated restaurant where one can order Asian and French influenced cuisine from one of the world’s most renowned French chefs seemed to fit the bill. As the location will reinforce though, this restaurant blurs the distinction between bar and restaurant, just as it does between bar food and fancy french. Over half of the menu is offered as small plates, including a game-changing rendition of sliders topped with seared foie gras (pictured above). This dish could be interpreted as a symbol for the restaurant as a whole.
The remarkable presentations, ingredients and flavors of Chef Joël Robuchon’s cuisine consistently impress, and since they opened in 2006, there is no question that L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon is one of New York’s best restaurants. It is what it’s supposed to be—excellent— and it does what it’s supposed to do: fine dining with out the fancy. It could be that you can sit at one of the twenty bar seats and watch Robuchon-protegé and genius in his own right, Yosuke Suga at work, or it might be that you can order an entire meal as tapas, but either way it is incredibly successful at making you feel comfortable eating foie gras in your jeans. And everyone is served a dish of mashed potatoes alongside the meal.
The world has gained more Ateliers (London and Hong Kong) since, and there is another one planned to open in Philadelphia in 2010. If you have one in your city, and enough money in your wallet, go there now.
Signature Small Plates: Les Burgers (Sliders), L’Anguille (Caramelized Eel Layered with Smoked Foie Gras), Le Calamar (Sautéed Squid with Violet Artichokes & Chorizo in Tomato Water)
AlwaysInvestigating: The Creamy Side of Eel
May 08, 2009
What are the chances that two CORE (Council of Real Eaters) members would eat two particularly decadent, creamy, unexpected eel dishes on one night?
Very slim, which is why that we just couldn’t keep to ourselves:
1) L’Atelier de Robuchon in the Four Seasons Hotel, serves L’Anguille: Caramelized Eel Layered with Smoked Foie Gras.
CORE Founder, Jeff Zalaznick:
“I had forgotten how incredible this dish was. It truly showcases a high-level of pure French and Japanese fusion. The terrine-like composition combines Japanese-style eel with French-style foie gras. This decadent dish is characteristically Robuchon in its sophistication of both presentation and flavor— flawless execution of sweet caramelization, smoky and savory.”
2) Poke, a sushi restaurant on the Upper East Side, has a Dancing Roll: Eel and Avocado on the outside and Cream Cheese and Avocado inside.
CORE Member, Arthur Bovino:
“I don’t normally enjoy eel or cream cheese in my sushi, but I was honestly delighted. It wasn’t overly sweet and the mix of texture and taste with the soft, warm rice made for a winning combination. The avocado furthered the creaminess, but was incidental to the eel/cream cheese combination.”
That’s right, two creamy eel compositions on one stormy night. That’s how the CORE gets down.
SEARCH: Hidden Gem, Lower East Side, Hipster First Date?
April 01, 2009
Use our very advanced search engine to always find the perfect place. Do you need a Hidden Gem on the Lower East Side for a Hipster First Date? Here’s what’s AlwaysHungry Approved:
Ápizz 60 Clinton Street
Recommended Dishes: Apizz Margherita & Lasagna Cinghiale
Azul Bistro 152 Stanton Street
Recommended Dishes: Empanadas & Argentinean Marinated Sirloin
Barrio Chino 253 Broome Street
Recommended Dishes: Enchiladas Mole & Churros
Falai 68 Clinton Street
Recommended Dishes: Foie Gras Trio, Ricotta Gnudi with Brown Butter & Pici with Italian Sausage
Frankie’s Spuntino 17 Clinton Street 17 Clinton Street
Recommended Dishes: Meatball Parmigiana Sandwich & Linguine Cacio e Pepe
Kuma Inn 113 Ludlow Street
Recommended Dishes: Kuma Bolognese, Deep-Fried Pork Belly & Thai Sticky Rice
Little Giant 85 Orchard Street
Recommended Dishes: Biscuit & Gravy, Sausage & Onions & Sticky Toffee Pudding
Sachiko’s on Clinton 25 Clinton Street
Recommended Dishes: Kushiage, White Tuna & Jalapeño & Specialty Rolls
AlwaysPartying: Fiamma Las Vegas Preview
The Hungry Goat — March 26, 2009
.jpg)
The New York dining scene may have lost Fiamma and the much-praised cuisine of Chef Fabio Trabocchi to the economic climate, but Steve Hanson wants us to know that the chips are still rolling in to Fiamma at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Executive Chef Carlos Buscaglia was in town yesterday to whet the media’s appetite with a preview of the restaurant’s upcoming spring menu. Held at the former Fiamma location on Spring Street, which now operates as a B.R. Guest event space, Chef Buscaglia impressed with a host of delectable, beautifully-presented tastes. Most impressive were the signature handmade gnocchi with Maine lobster and black truffle crema, a luscious foie gras mousse drizzled with honey, and a perfectly seared diver scallop over fava bean purée.
<< Back to Thought For Food
"Unleash Your Inner Fat Kid."
Whet your appetite with a daily dose of AlwaysHungry's Thought for Food. We provide content that will improve your knowledge of food, and that will enhance your experiences with food. We do not write industry gossip.
Always Hungry Newsletter
