June 2003
New York RestaurantsA sign on the window outside 'Ross & Daughters', an immaculate smoked fish emporium on the lower East side, New York summed it up: "New Yorkers are obsessed with what they eat. It's always gotta be just the right place for just the right thing."
It also helps if it's just opened - the latest on the block - and it's hard to keep up with the latest because a new eatery opens every day in this large bustling metropolis. A copy of the current weekly edition of "Time Out New York" ($US2.99) is a useful guide - their incisive pocket reviews give the low-down on what's new, what's good, what's in, what's out.
The "Zagat NYC Restaurant 2003" ($US12.95) is also handy because it canvasses views and opinions from people who've eaten in the various outlets. At present the one-word restaurant (Otto, Salt, Suba, Peep, Vong) is in as are well-known high-end places like Le Cirque, Four Seasons and Jean-Georges. Eating at the bar is also "in" at places like Esca, Babbo, Picholine, Gramercy Tavern and Veritas.
Comfort food (braised lamb shanks, veal cheeks, spare ribs) is also in, understandable given the current state of global recession and uncertainty. So is eating in bars and restaurants attached to hotels (Blue Fin, W Hotel, Times Square; Mercer Kitchen, Mercer Hotel, SoHo) - because many people don't want to roam far and like the feeling of being "residential" - or in-house.
Authentic flavours - be they Shanghainese (66 in Tribeca), Mexican (Dos Caminos, Park Ave) or Neapolitan pizzas (Otto on 5th Ave at 8th) are back. Deconstruction of the American menu is also in - ordering several entrees and sharing them with fellow diners has become very fashionable and is actively encouraged at some restaurants (like Craft).
These are some of the current trends but the reality is that the choice is so vast it can be overwhelming trying to figure out where to go. I'd been given a few recommendations (Babbo, Balthazar, Esca, Union Square Café) and managed to get to two outstanding ones (Veritas and Fleur de Sel), but I also took myself off to grungy delis like Katz's in SoHo (where the pastrami sandwiches are 8cm high!), funky little joints like Café Habana in Nolita and an exquisite Japanese tea room called Toraya (East 71st).
The latter is just around from The Frick Museum (and not far from The Met) and is a peaceful light-filled haven perfect for a light lunch or afternoon tea, especially when you need a break from tramping the galleries. Renowned for its green tea, you'll also find delicious sandwiches, miso soups and Japanese cakes there. Café Habana, by contrast, is a small trendy nuevo-Cuban diner in NoLita. Sit at the bar and try the delicious grilled corn on the cob, sprinkled with cheese and served with a wedge of lime. It'll set you back just $US3.50 and you might even get to see Susan Sarandon or Leonardo Di Caprio come in.
Speaking of diners, there's a fabulous classic American diner in Chelsea which is worth checking out for its Art Deco décor alone (Bette Davis apparently declared it her favourite diner). Sit on one of the silver and black stools or in one of the booths and order a steakburger ($US9.95) or hot fudge sundae ($US6.25). Sunday brunch here is very popular and you'll be entertained by the antics of the gay scene.
Also downtown is Suba, worth checking out for its tapas bar (at street level) and subterranean dining room surrounded by a moat lit from below. The food here is nuevo-Spanish (ceviche, pollo asado, cannelloni rellenos) - but it's the interior design which really is of note. Don't miss the subterranean basement - it was at Suba that New Yorkers were first introduced to the concept of "dining in the dark". Further uptown at Fleur de Sel on 20th street (Flatiron district), it is the food which is seriously of note. French-born chef Cyril Renaud creates exquisite dishes based on seasonal ingredients at this elegant old-worldly neighbourhood restaurant.
I was fortunate to be present at a 'degustation' of about ten dishes so will just mention those which I found most outstanding. A light, fluffy parsnip emulsion with white truffle chestnut ravioli and diced lobster was delicate yet packed with flavour. A swirl of lobster oil added at the last minute lent both depth and artistry. "This is nectar," commented one of my companions - and I agreed.
Another dish of large thick sea scallops, seared on top and barely cooked underneath, sitting on a bed of Jerusalem artichoke puree and served with a honey and sherry gastric sauce with fine shreds of sage was superb for its combination of flavours and textures - the garnish of thin slivers of Jerusalem artichoke chips adding an unexpected texture. Veal cheeks, braised for hours in the oven and served with fresh parsley spaetzle, Brussels sprouts and parsley sauce were melt-in-the mouth and had me hankering for more. And then there was the black striped sea bass with fingerling potatoes, broccoli puree and malbec maple wine sauce - a marvelous white-fleshed fish served with a deep red sauce.
But it was the vivid green broccoli puree which left us all gasping - so smooth you could almost drink it! Fleur de Sel is named after the pungent crystals of sea salt farmed in Brittany's salt marshes. "Our trademark is to use fleur de sel in our desserts," says Renaud, "because it enhances the flavours."
Together with pastry chef Ivan Lemoine, Renaud creates superb desserts without the incorporation of much cream and butter. Make sure you try the Chocolate Gaufrettes - chocolate caramel wedges between two Venezualan-chocolate wafers and the Raspberry Feuillette topped with a scoop of white chocolate and caramel ganache.
Nor will you be disappointed in the service which is gracious and attentive but never - as New Yorkers would say - "in your face".
Just along from Fleur de Sel in the same street is Veritas, a very different venture altogether because here it is the wine which is star of the show. With 3000 wines to choose from - and over 60,000 bottles in the cellar - Veritas has become a mecca for wine buffs and I'd suggest you peruse their wine list beforehand on their website at: www.veritas-nyc.com before turning up.
Owned by two major wine collectors (Park Smith and Steve Verlin), who wanted to share their treasures, the cellar is - as you can imagine - idiosyncratic but with a distinctive personality. There are five pages of Aussie reds (including a 1966 Grange for $US1100) - Steve Verlin is particularly fond of our reds which, he told me, are a serious rival to the French reds. You can sit at the bar and taste various wines by the glass or dine comfortably in the small candlelit back room which is lined with brown leather banquettes.
Like Cyril Renaud, Chef Scott Bryan has worked with some of New York's top chefs. His challenge is to create dishes which will stand up to the superb wines and not be overwhelmed by them (and I'd suggest you take advice from sommelier Tim Kopec when choosing which wines to accompany a dish). Bryan is renowned for his braised dishes, especially his melt-in-the-mouth braised short ribs (I was surprised to discover a touch of truffle in the sauce) which I had with a dry Cote Rotie 2000. He is also good at unusual fish dishes. The night I was there I tried the fluke (a flat fish similar to sole) which was encrusted and served with basmati rice, tomato concasse and a peppery oyster veloute. An Auslese, a sweet white wine to offset the spice, complimented this well. For dessert, I found the green apple sorbet very refreshing and cleansing.
There are a lot of excellent restaurants in this neighbourhood and I'd suggest you wander around and check out the menus (and prices) before deciding where to go. I also spent quite a bit of time in Brooklyn and discovered a whole new scene there. Fifth Avenue in the Park Slopes district has become quite trendy of late and you'll find a variety of good neighbourhood restaurants and shops like Bierkraft (which sells over 600 different craft beers plus a wide range of cheeses, including quite a few Aussie varieties), Long Tan (Thai-fusion) and Nana (Pan-Asian) to keep you busy.
New Yorkers on the whole are a friendly bunch and all you need to do is strike up a conversation and you'll be given plenty of advice about where to eat, drink and hang out - especially if you're sitting at a bar, drink in hand!
Fleur de Sel, 5 East 20th Street, Flatiron district,
Ph. 212 460 9100Veritas, 43 E. 20th Street, Gramercy Park district,
Ph. 212 353-3700Mercer Kitchen, 99 Prince Street, SoHo
Ph. 212 966-5454Café Habana, cnr Elizabeth & Prince Sts., SoHo
Ph. 212 - 625 2001Toraya, 17 East 71st St, (between 5th & Madison Aves) Upper East
Ph. 212 861-1700Empire Diner, 210 10th Ave, Chelsea
Ph. 212243 2736
