Featured Dish: Berliner Brat Burger

GutterGourmet — February 08, 2010

Clockwise from top: Berliner Brat Burger, Freakin Deal, and a Bratwurst.

Rolf Babiel has been missed since he passed last October, but thankfully, his brother Wolfgang carries on the Hallo Berlin cart tradition. I spent many a day on the corner of Fifth and 54th, waiting for my order to be ready— one of the great combination specials, often the ‘Dr. Atkins,’ or the ‘Churchill.’ Then there’s the ‘Freakin Deal,’ a wurst with onions, potato salad, and a warm crusty roll— a freakin’ deal indeed for $4.00. I loved to eat from an overflowing paper tray at one of the little folding counters on either side of the cart while watching Rolf slice the wursts and throw fresh ones on the grill.

But it’s a little cold for standing around outside, so lately I’ve taken to visiting Hallo Berlin Express on 9th Ave and 50th St. It has given me occasion to enjoy a sandwich that has not been given enough attention— the Triple B.

The Berliner Brat Burger is served on toasted bread with horseradish mustard and a pickle ($5.00). As the name suggests, it’s actually not so much a burger, as it is a salty, porky sausage in burger form. The one problem you encounter is that the bread doesn’t hold up to the juicy patty and its other toppings: rotwein, sauerkraut, and sautéed onions. But that won’t matter much when you down it while quaffing one of the German drafts they have on hand.

AlwaysInformed: Poseidon Bakery

GutterGourmet — December 07, 2009

An array of pastries from Poseidon Bakery. Bottom right, co-owner Lili Fable.

Poseidon may be the Lord of the Sea, but in Hell’s’ Kitchen, Poseidon Bakery has been the lord of Greek pastries since 1923. The best start to a meal here is to begin with a vegetable-the Spanakopita. It’s the Platonic ideal of the pastry in a flaky phyllo crust that shatters as you bite into it.

Click Here for Pictures of the Pastries at Poseidon Bakery >>

AlwaysFresh: 57th Street Market (11/18/09)

Michelle Kiefer — November 18, 2009

Garlic from Morgiewicz Produce.

The AlwaysHungryNY.com Crew is hitting the streets and heading to farmers’ markets throughout the city to scope out the fresh, seasonal ingredients that are inspiring the culinary genius of locavore chefs and amateur gourmets alike.

This week, we were at the 57th Street Market (W. 57th St and Ninth Avenue, Wed and Sat, 8am-6pm). Click on the thumbnails below for pictures from our farmers’ market tour in Midtown. Remember, you can always use AlwaysHungryNY.com’s Seasonal Calendar Page to find out what is currently in season.

AlwaysInformed: Aureole’s Grilled Burger

AlwaysHungry — November 11, 2009

In today’s Dining Section, Sam Sifton wrote that the food at the new Aureole is “meh,” that is, except for the “extremely good” Aureole Grilled Burger. We totally agree. Below is AlwaysHungryNY.com’s post of July 21, 2009, lauding Chef Christopher Lee’s recommended dish-worthy burger:

Aureole Grilled Burger with Onion Rings.

There is no denying that New York Magazine assembled an epic slideshow of New York’s 82 Most Notable Burgers. While their round-up was ridiculously thorough, there may be a few burgers worth noting that have popped up since the list was finalized. Case in point, #83: Aureole’s Grilled Burger.

That Charlie Palmer’s Aureole (view) even has a hamburger on the menu shows how it has evolved from its stuffy, Upper East Side past. The “Aureole” Grilled Burger ($19) is available at lunch, and à la carte as a “bar room snack,” at dinner. It’s topped with Smoked Bacon, Vermont White Cheddar and Pickled Ramp Dressing.

Click Here to Read More About Aureole's Grilled Burger >>

Featured Dessert: Kyotofu’s Sweet Potato Cake

The Gluttoness — November 05, 2009

Warm Sweet Potato Cake w/Satsumaimo, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Sweet Potato Caramel & Pecan Tuile.

Slashfood recently penned a piece about the obscurity of Sweet Potato Cake. They’re right, sweet potato pie is probably the first dessert to come to mind when people think about sweet applications of this ingredient, but the creative minds at Kyotofu (view) are doing something to throw the spotlight on this lesser-known sweet potato treat. Kyotofu’s tofu-centric dessert bar is known for delicately blending eclectic Asian ingredients with classic French pastry techniques, and their Warm Sweet Potato Cake ($10.00) follows suit.

This stylized interpretation features two different textural implementations of sweet potato. The cake is moist and spongy. Warm slices are presented on a creamy purée of satsumaimo (a purple-skinned, Japanese sweet potato) and topped with a sticky, sweet potato-infused caramel. A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream offers a cool contrast and pecan tuile brings a nutty crunch.

AlwaysInvestigating: Agua Dulce

The Gluttoness — October 27, 2009

“Laughing Bird” Shrimp Ceviche with Charred Tomato and Habanero.

I love a man with balls, so I respect Agua Dulce’s (view) chef, Ulrich Sterling. He wrote a response on the message board of Time Out New York’s anonymous takedown of his Pan-Latin cuisine, calling it out for misinformation, misrepresentation and misspelling. I stand by my review of Fat Hippo and the F AlwaysHungryNY.com bestowed it, but I would have respected a point-by-point response by its chef. TONY published a “corrected version” of the Agua Dulce review and apologized for the errors. If you missed it, Grub Street noted that TONY called the food: “as inauthentic as it is spread geographically thin” and went on to complain about poor seasoning, bland flavors, and poorly conceived desserts before ending with “At least the mojitos are right.”

The controversy made me curious to see for myself what is going on now at Agua Dulce. For the record, it was packed on a Wednesday night and there was definitely no waterfall. But let’s get to the food.

Click Here to Read More About the Food at Agua Dulce >>

AlwaysInformed: Market in Front, Taqueria in Back

The Gluttoness — October 20, 2009

Pollo ($2.50) and Al Pastor Tacos ($2.75/each).

Sometimes, you forget that the classics are there. You overlook little restaurant tidbits you’ve always known, not because you don’t remember or love them, but because you get distracted by shiny new things. So it is with the tacos in Midtown at Tehuitzingo (view).

Named after a small town in Mexico about 130 miles west of Veracruz, the awning for this unassuming hole-in-the-wall reads “Deli & Grocery,” and in case you’ve forgotten it, the neon “Mexican Food” sign doesn’t refer to the shelves full of mole and tortilla shells, but rather the legit taqueria in the tiny area in the rear with bar stools, a serious selection of hot sauces for the spice-inclined, and some of the best tacos in town.

Each of the cilantro and onion topped tacos gets the multiple tortilla treatment, which is handy when the juices start dripping after the first bite. In case you haven’t been or haven’t been in a while, none cost more than $3.00, and you can’t go wrong with safe bets like chicken, goat and roast pork. But of course there are also all the great sizzling offal options: Lengua (beef tongue), Sangre (goat tripe), Chicharron En Salsa Verde (Pork Skin), Suadero (Beef Belly), Oreja (Pork Ear) and Tripa (Pork Tripe).

And if the recent Times article got you interested in sugary, glass-bottled Mexican Coke, then the tacos aren’t the only reason to venture to this quiet stretch of 10th Avenue, the bebidas Mexicana are calling.

Featured Restaurant: Anthos

The Gluttoness — October 05, 2009

Whole Grilled Loup de Mer with a Medley of Market Vegetables.

At Anthos, Michael Psilakis’ Greek cuisine is often dominated by French execution. Even the Greek Salad isn’t inherently Greek, rather it’s riddled with “farmhouse vegetables,” such as peas, asparagus, broccoli and beets. So if you’re looking for a simply grilled fish you’re better off at Milos or Taverna Kyclades. A Whole Grilled Loup de Mer (shown above) at Anthos may sound like a light, simple order, yet the segmented fish, deboned from within, is stuffed with herb lemon butter and breadcrumbs. The filling infuses the fish with herbs and provides a gritty texture to compliment its soft flesh.

Sure, Anthos’ kitchen may be the exception to the chef’s mantra, “Butter doesn’t belong in a Mediterranean kitchen,” but that’s not to say that some of the dishes aren’t remarkably light. Take for example, the Day Boat Cod over which a thin, but robustly flavored smoked tomato broth is poured tableside. Or the slightly seared Yellowfin Tuna set atop yogurt vinaigrette. Still, the Smoked Octopus is pan-fried for unparalleled crispness. Psilakis’ heralded Ricotta Dumplings are given a creamy finish. Adorned with sweet jumbo lump crab, grilled leeks and wilted spinach, a salty touch of feta subdues the richness. Desserts follow suit, with Greek sweets like halva and pasteli being used to accompany a sinful Chocolate Torta rather than served by their lonesome.

Traditional Greek cuisine has it merits, but Anthos delivers a more sophisticated dining experience, with artistic, thoughtfully composed dishes that you won’t find anywhere else. The prices are definitely high, but an amuse, complimentary assortment of mezzes, petit fours and the always awesome cotton candy make the meal worth every penny. It’s definitely not your average Greek restaurant, but that is why Anthos is so remarkably above average.

See new pictures of food at Anthos on its restaurant page here.

AlwaysInvestigating: New Buns on the Block

The Gluttoness — September 09, 2009

Until now, your best bet for pork buns (not counting Chinatown) was below 14th Street, the Goliaths being, Momofuku Ssäm and Noodle Bar. During the past few months Midtown has sprouted new restaurants that serve Chinese steamed pork buns (char siu bao).

Mantou Chinese Sandwiches, on the East Side (view site), is a sliver of a restaurant specializing in sandwiches on “sesame seed-studded, steamed mantou—a traditional Chinese steamed bread …a staple of Northern Chinese cuisine.” On the West Side is Xie Xie (restaurant page), which is Mandarin for “Thank you.” Xie Xie’s five-item Asian sandwich concept is helmed by Chef Angelo Sosa, who was executive sous-chef at Jean Georges for four years. Both places have a counter for ordering and seating, but these interpretations showcase two styles.

Mantou serves two buns, Spicy Pork or Braised Pork (each costs $3.95). Instead of buying them individually you can opt for the $9.95 Combo Box which includes any two sandwiches with a side salad and shrimp chips. The buns look like Big Mac’s but are soft and luscious like fluffy English muffins.

Mantou’s Braised Pork Bun.

Mantou’s spongy bun envelops thick, tender slices of braised fatty pork. It’s dressed with crunchy slivers of cucumber, cilantro, and hoisin, which ensure fresh well-rounded flavors and juicy sweetness that balance the rich flavor of the salty pork. The first taste (with a little Sambal) was the best. Unfortunately, the next bite included the chewy end of the roast.

Continue Reading >>

AlwaysInvestigating: Aureole’s Grilled Burger

The Gluttoness — July 21, 2009

There is no denying that New York Magazine assembled an epic slideshow of New York’s 82 Most Notable Burgers. While their round-up was ridiculously thorough, there may be a few burgers worth noting that have popped up since the list was finalized. Case in point, #83: Aureole’s Grilled Burger.

That Charlie Palmer’s Aureole (restaurant page) even has a hamburger on the menu shows how it has evolved from its stuffy, Upper East Side past. The “Aureole” Grilled Burger ($19) is available at lunch, and à la carte as a “bar room snack,” at dinner. It’s topped with Smoked Bacon, Vermont White Cheddar and Pickled Ramp Dressing.

A patty of Debragga chuck-sirloin blend was cooked to a perfect medium-rare and served on a house-made toasted brioche bun spotted with black and white sesame seeds. While this mighty burger could easily stand on its own, it was served with a side of three thick tempura-battered onion rings.

The brioche soaked up the burger’s substantial juices, but kept its integrity through the last bite. Crispy bacon was more of a textural compliment than added taste— its the juicy patty that commandeers this flavor profile. The burger patty was topped with slivers of raw red onion and butter lettuce leaves then dressed with a creamy, tangy pickled ramp dressing that was like a high-class version of the special sauce found on a McDonald’s Big Mac. A mild, melted layer of Vermont white cheddar played a supporting role, it’s subtle sharpness occasionally shining through.

Aureole’s Grilled Burger is as painstakingly assembled as Grub Street’s list of #82 burgers, good enough to make us wonder why New York Magazine didn’t go all the way to #100.

Making the Grade: Marea

The Gluttoness — June 30, 2009

The Fussili with Baby Octopus, Bone Marrow & Tomato is poetry in pasta, a union of two rarely matched ingredients brought together not only on the basis of exquisite taste but for the sake of sound technicality. It’s practical molecular gastronomy. The natural gelatin of the octopus melds with the acidity of the tomato to create a base, an emulsifying canvas which allows the bone marrow to thicken the sauce without leaving an unpalatable greasiness. The result is a profile that is not only unctuous, but also manages to maintain the integral flavor of the individual elements.

CLICK HERE FOR THE ALWAYSHUNGRYNY.COM’S MAREA REVIEW