foodie nyc

2006 Best and Worst NYC Restaurant Trends

I'm going to be doing a series of posts over the next few weeks featuring my Best and Worst lists of the year, covering a range of food related topics.  Sure, this is a cliched idea but I hope you find the content fresh.  I have a few fun topics I plan to cover, but for now, I'll focus on highlighting key NYC restaurant related trends that I've personally found interesting over the past year or so. 

The Best Stuff

Bigger Isn’t Better

With the launch of Del Posto, Morimoto and Buddahkan, I began to worry that the American perception of ‘bigger is better’ would begin to build momentum for new and future restaurants in the city. Thankfully, this trend seems to be short lived.  I understand that space is luxury, but I favor intimacy and the personality that comes out in the smaller to medium sized restaurants we have. To me, a restaurant is a brand. It’s hard to establish a connection with your consumers if you feel like just another person in a sea of tables.

The Rise of Spain

Tapas have given reason for people to enter the country’s cuisine, but only on a broad level. In the past year, authentic Spanish tapas restaurants like Tia Pol continue to expose people to traditional renditions of Spanish cuisine. Hopefully, this trend will continue to grow even further. I personally rank Spain as one of the best cuisines and wine countries in the world and there are many Spanish regions and traditional cuisines yet to be explored.

Welcome Back, 11 Madison Park

11 Madison had been such an underachieving restaurant to me, almost from its inception. I found it such a shame – excellent space, excellent location, excellent service, great wine list. But the food had always been very uninspired to me. Enter Chef Daniel Humm from the West Coast, who in my opinion has quickly become one of the top 5 chefs in the city who are actually in the kitchen most nights of the week. Humm’s cuisine is creative, approachable, complex yet simple. These contradictions make dining fun at 11 Madison again.

BLT Empire Expansion

I think BLT Fish, Prime, Steak and Burger are all winners and while I’m hoping the formula doesn’t stretch itself to thin, the BLT franchise is making a welcomed impact on the cuisine of the city.

Bloggers as Restaurant Consumer Advocates

While I can’t bring myself to take pictures in the dining room, I appreciate those who do. The detailed pictures and accounts of restaurant menus and experiences are always previewed on a variety of sites like eGullet, Restaurant Girl, Augieland and Amateur Gourmet. While I recognize they are only one person’s opinion, I enjoy reading numerous entries about the same restaurant on sites across the web to note trends or themes that help form my decisions about where I want to eat next.

Bringing the Farmer to the Table

We’ve gone from highlighting the source of meats, fish and vegetables on the menu to entire restaurants based on the concept of featuring local farmed ingredients (Cookshop, Blue Hill Stones Barns). Restaurants like Applewood are bringing in farmers to meet the consumer, another great step in the right direction. Now when will the next step come to life - like restaurants that only feature sustainable foods? This can be pretty exciting for all of us.

The Worst Stuff

Parity

There is a clear formula for success right now in terms of opening a new restaurant. As we all know, the trick lies in execution, of course. But the formula is growing tired for me and has led to the opening of an explosion of ‘me-too’ restaurants in 2006. The formula bores the living shit out of me. Sexy interior, trendy bar scene, dim lights, electronic generic tracks, large menus with different price points (something for everyone), pretty good food that’s generally forgettable a week later. A PR machine that starts with constant Eater buzzing, receives a 1 star review from Bruni and is a non-factor a year later. I tend to monitor but stay away from the fray. Do I really care about The Waverly Inn’s secret phone number, all in an effort for a pot pie I can get anywhere else? Does it really deserve constant buzzing? These are ‘me-too’ restaurants that will attract lots of buzz and will fade into oblivion. You can detect passion and originality in the cooking, menu and personality in the ownership or staff of a truly great restaurant. Sure, they need all of the other factors in the formula to thrive as well, but these principles are what make them special. In fact, many of my favorites tend to stray from the formula in small, quirky and sometimes dramatic ways.

The Everything Menu

The menus continue to expand. Five little bites to start the meal. The raw bar. Sushi. Ten small plates. Five salads. Ten appetizers. Ten entrees. Five sides. I can’t wait until this trend reverses itself and we get back to the small, focused menus that restaurants know with certainly they can executed to their utmost potential. I may be on my own on this one, but I appreciate focus and consistency vs. range.

Mexican

Zero progress on one of the most misunderstood and untapped cuisines in NYC.

Dining as Status

Restaurant gossip sites have tapped into our need to know the latest and greatest about the NYC dining scene. But in my opinion, they’ve gone way too far. NYC is always going to be about the last and greatest, but the daily posts hyping the secret phone number of Waverly Inn, the minute by minute liquor license status of E.U. or launch parties at Gordon Ramsay is very much the equivalent of People magazine or US Weekly to me. What’s next – a Mario Batali sex tape? Make. It. Stop.

Lack of Trust in Food Journalism

There’s always John Mariani and The Danny Meyer Blue Smoke revelation. Add to that my continued belief that reviewers and writers have relationships with chefs and restaurateurs that cloud their reviews, judgment and in many cases are the inspirations for the pieces they write. There’s also the line that I can’t seem to understand between PR and journalism. I’m pretty skeptical about much of what I read in 2006, both online and in print and unfortunately, I don’t see this changing. What the NYC restaurant consumer needs is an advocate and trusted voice for the consumer – someone who will remove themselves from the PR and special agenda buzz machines and give it to the people like it is - sans bullshit.

Truffle Scams

I would say that of the 7 out of 10 times I spring for the fresh truffles on a menu, they are a let down. Not fresh, not vibrant, not worth the price. Restaurants that invest in the whole fresh truffle intend to sell every last shaving, even when they are not at their prime or are well past. They wouldn’t do this with any other ingredient, so why would they with the most expensive they offer? At Cru recently, after asking how fresh the white truffles were, the server actually brought a huge truffle out for us to smell. It wasn’t as pungent or special as expected but no doubt it would be shaved for the next month for $100 a plate.

The Downslide of Gramercy Tavern

I personally think Gramercy and 11 Madison have switched positions in the NYC restaurant chain. Even though Tom Colicchio and team were doing homey, comfort cooking, it was done with creativity and perfection. I think what is being dished out at Gramercy right now is good but not great – this is based on two experiences I’ve had there in 2006. Gramercy should be knocking the socks off of people. Currently, I believe this special restaurant is just coasting. I think GT needs a major shake up in the kitchen and hope 2007 brings much needed inspiration.

Clams, Mussels, Caramelized Cauliflower, Mushroom Broth

Well, I wish I could tell you these were happier times for me.  I'm going through some personal issues that have left me feeling very vulnerable and, well, just shitty.  I know this is not the forum for this, so I won't write about the details here - I've been pretty good about keeping my personal life off this site, despite my occasional need to heal myself by writing.  If you are interested in the details, send me a note.  I'm an open book.

In honor of my gloom, I'll post a dish that I made recently that would cheer anyone up on a cold night.  I love aromatic, infused and simple broths that come with steamed mussels.  I remember my first garlic, white wine and parsley broth that came with a pot of mussels and a side of frites in France.  I thought I'd make a simple dish on a cold winter night that creatively incorporated the principles of the French classic.  I had a mushroom stock on hand in my fridge.  Actually, it wasn't stock but just the strained juices from rehydrated dried porcini mushrooms.  I added some garlic and rosemary to the broth and let it simmer briefly until about to boil.  I added a touch of white wine and then a handful of clams and covered to steam.  Finally, after a few minutes (depending on the size of the clams), I added the mussels, a nugget of butter and some chopped parsley for a final minute or so of steaming. 

I had been looking for a starchy side dish to take the place of fries, so I caramelized some cauliflower before making the mussels and clams.  I loved the addition of cauliflower to this dish - it was a pleasure to dunk into the rich mushroom juices.

Anyhow, maybe some frequent posting on this blog will be a form of healing for me.   Look forward to more frequent postings over the next few weeks (this week might be light due to the holidays, however).

Tuna and Beet Ceviche

I'm always looking for a way to serve lighter foods during the cold fall and winter months. It can be a challenge for me, especially when I crave a warm, home cooked meal.  Ceviches feel very summery to me, but they don't have to be.  In fact, ceviches are a great way to experiment with flavor and texture combinations within any of the four seasons.

An example of this would be a recent tuna and beet ceviche.  I thought the earthy sweetness of a beet would be a nice pairing with tuna.  I peeled and roasted whole beets wrapped in foil for a while (approx 45 minutes) and let them cool.  I simply cubed them and the sushi grade tuna into small bite sized pieces, then combined them in a bowl with some chopped chive, lemon and lime zest, a splash of olive oil, and finally a squeeze of lemon and lime juices and salt just before serving.  There are so many ways you could go with this combination - you could add a variety of herbs (mint) or even a spicy note (jalapeno).  As you can see, I served this ceviche as a small amuse, but this can be presented as a great looking appetizer as well.  A small stack of tuna and beet rings layered upon each other would surely make for a good looking and tasty dish. 

How (Not) To Throw a Chateauneuf Party

I buy my fair share of wine.

Most of it, however, rarely exceeds $25 a bottle.  I've been starting to pick up a few $45 bottles, but those are few and far between.  I exceed the $45 range for special occasions, mostly around the holidays.  (This does not count the ridiculous amount of money I spend on wine in restaurants, which fluctuates daily).  I hope to reverse that trend moving forward. But for now, I can only store twenty four bottles due to NYC apartment life realities, so I tend to drink what I own. 

I decided that a Chateauneuf dinner with friends could be rationalized as a wine holiday, so we went for it.  But the pressure was on...such an investment in your wines means that the stakes have been raised.  This isn't a Rachel Ray $10 a Day wine holiday.  We must do it well.

I had an idea in mind about the proper way to conduct such a tasting.  I thought about how Robert Parker, Jr. might organize such a night with friends at home. 

We then did the exact opposite.

Choosing The Wines

Robert Parker would want to personally select a few bottles carefully tucked away in his cellar from years past.  The kind he shrewdly purchased upon release and appreciates in value and flavor over the years.  Parker selects all of his favorites - he remembers the aroma of the barrel tasting of his best Chat Du Pap and remembers the '95 could be starting to show.  He makes wise choices, and chuckles modestly as his guests laud him for his remarkable cellar.

We received an email blast from Acker Merrall with some aged Chat Du Pape for sale.  We scoured the list for the best vintages, producers and values. We called and had them delivered to us when we needed them, not a day before.  A 2000 Charvin, a '98 Pegau and a '95 Beaucastel were our choices. We sat back and tasted, hoping they'd be ready to drink and lived up to expectations.  That they did - particularly the '98 Pegau which was excellent. 

Advanced Planning

A week or maybe even a few days before the tasting, Robert Parker, Jr. would have a general plan for a menu and details such as when guests would arrive.   He would sit on his cracked leather sofa about a week before the tasting and, while sipping an aperitif, would plan his traditional French menu well in advance.  He'd call his truffle jockey days ahead to procure a fresh basket of the truffles just  picked by his friend Jean Luc in France.   He'd ensure his standing caviar order was en route. 

I would leave the menu up in the air until two days before the tasting, until I tried a chocolate pasta with braised lamb at Falai.  I would definitely make a version of that, as chocolate + beef + Du Pape = a great match.  I would then go to Kitchen Arts & Letters the day before the dinner to find some inspiration.  I picked up Michel Richard's new book, but that deserves its own post.  The night before the dinner, I finally sketch out a menu that had nothing to do with France but all about matching the flavors of the Chateauneuf. 

Keep It Simple, Keep It French

When the truffle jockey arrives with the truffles, he has the nerve to ask Mr. Parker if he would be making a pasta or risotto with the truffles for his Chat Du Pap dinner.  Parker signs in disbelief, adjusts his beret, then begins to ramble about his trip to his friend Jean Luc's estate in the Rhone, where he wistfully remembers bathing in '64 Beaucastel while enjoying a traditional cassoulet that was the only pairing with wine from the Rhone.

I would think briefly about making a French focused menu, but I'd quickly change directions.   

I'd caramelize cauliflower and serve it on a cauliflower puree, sprinkled with toasted pine nuts and  currents. I had to do a version of Falai's pasta.  I made thick strands of cocoa infused pasta with braised short ribs and a reduction of the short rib braising juices.  The most well-received dish I am making these days is my mushroom curry crusted pork, which was a nice pairing for the wines.  I made a  creamy chocolate, curry, mint ice cream that I imagined enjoying with our final glasses of the Pap.

Table Conversation, Etc

Overheard at Robert Parker's table:

RP Friend:  "This wine is a blockbuster.  A hedonistic, full bodied bombshell with aromas of tobacco, smoked hickory and a finish of leather, cow hide and freshly picked baby chanterelles in the mourning dew. This wine is just opening now, but could easily be better in 20 years."

RP: "98."

Overheard at our Table:

Erin: "This wine smells like poopy."

Whitney: "Doody!"

Erin and Whitney:  [insert girlish giggling around the words poopy and doody here].

Overheard at Parker's Table:

RP Friend: "The cassoulet is phenomenal, Rob.  Really, just fantastic.  And the truffles! It's as if Baby Jesus just blessed me with a gift from the Rhone!"

Overheard at Our Table:

"No more pork? What do you mean, just enough?"

Background Music and Atmosphere:

Robert Parker selects a soft falsetto phenom from his collection.  He once met the vocalist at a fancy dinner in France.  An inspired, quivering voice, she balances finesse and harmony like the '60 Beaucastel Parker remembers savoring when he first graced her presence. [insert puking noise followed by a toilet flush here].

We go for cooking mixes and football.

Conclusions

You deserve a wine holiday as well, do you? Well, dream on. Save up.  Go to Acker Merrall or another reputable wine shop and buy a few excellent bottles that you would not typically purchase for yourself.  Make it known to your wine professional that this is the case and be very excited.  They will like this.   Make the best possible dinner you can.  When planning the menu, add one more course to what you would normally serve.  Considering adding another.    Invite friends over who would appreciate your wine holiday as much as you will (and possibly bring more great wine). 

And think about what Robert Parker would do. 

Then do the opposite.

The Irresistable Cinta Senese

My idea of good eating somehow involves a piece of pork.   I have generally learned to appreciate virtually all cuts and preparations, with the exception of pigs feet.  While in Tuscany and Umbria this summer, I decided I would attempt to O.D. on salumi.  But not just any salumi - I would specifically attempt to O.D. on wild boar salumi and the famed Cinta Senese breed.  I just can't find wild boar salumi that tastes as magnificent as it does in Italy and have never had a piece of Cinta Senese in the U.S.  I'm too lazy to investigate whether the Cinta Senese is allowed for import to the U.S., but considering I've seen it on zero menus or in any markets, I'd bet it's not.

What the hell am I talking about, you ask? The Cinta Senese is a breed of pork from the Siena/Chianti region that had been on its way to extinction, but recently raised back to sustainable levels.  They are known for their characteristic black hair with a white band around the belly. 

While in Montalcino, I ordered a tasting of different salumi preparations from the Cinta Senese.   The prosciutto was pink, slightly orange and very delicate...almost supple (oh, shut it).  Thin slices of lardo were off the charts - velvety, a hint of herbs and exploding with porkiness.  It was an unforgettable experience - one that I wished I could take back home.

A few days later, Bernie and Cristina from Shopping Safaris Tuscany took me to the grandaddy of all salumi shops in Chianti - Macelleria Falorni in Greve.  If this shop were in the U.S., I would quit my job and stand in the store all day, drooling on myself and other customers, quivering for my next dose of Cinta salumi.  The salumi at Falorni is packed in a brilliant manner - about five thin slices are sealed in a small airless envelope, with about five envelopes per package.  This allows unhealthy and undisciplined people like myself the option to enjoy a few pieces of the salumi on-the-go without exposing the rest of the salumi to air.

After purchasing enough salumi to make my arteries hate me, I went about my days saving my salumi stash in the hopes of smuggling the treasures back to NYC.  In fact, I forgot about them until I was on a three hour train heading from Florence to Rome.  I had rushed out of the hotel the morning of my departure, so I didn't have a breakfast before the train ride.  After a few hours watching the beautiful country pass me by, I was attack dog starving. The next thing I knew, as if being guided by the salumi gods, my trembling hand was unzipping my bag and excitedly fumbling around for the Cinta salumi.  I held the pack in my hand, thrilled with my newfound snacking options. 

I tried to open one of the sealed envelopes, but it was impossible.  I looked around the train - there was a young woman sitting across the aisle but she was gazing out the window and seemed unaware of my existence.  So I did what any desperate food obsessed loser with minimal amounts of self respect would do...I tore into the pack and opened it with my teeth.  Desperate times call for desperate measures. I peeled off a slice of the Cinta Senese and stuffed it into my mouth.

I think I may have temporarily blacked out or something, because after a minute or so I came to and found that all of the salumi had disappeared and my mouth was full with what appeared to be the final piece.  My hands were very oily as I did not have a napkin of any sort, and I may very well have been having some sort of foodgasm.  I turned my head to notice the woman across the aisle staring at me, appalled and sympathetic all at the same time.

I would do anything to be back on that train with a pack of Cinta Sienese in my hand.  The stuff is worth embarrassing yourself over, that's for sure.