Category: Eating

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Drinking Eating Food The Chef

Post V-Day Treats

I tend never to celebrate Valentine’s Day on the actual day, what with impossible reservations, overpriced flowers, and the simple fact that it usually falls on a week day.
Better to plan the day before or after, or some other specified, uneventful day such as a Monday, where you can basically walk into any open joint without all the pomp and circumstance associated with just about any other night. This is a good stategy for chocolate buying too, as chocolate runs out quite often even at the exorbitant prices.

Last Monday my Thanksgiving evening centered around Spring Street, far west though, past Hudson St. A stop at the Ear bar for some drinks, est. 1817, with loads of charm and fun, and then dinner at Giorgione, an Italian restaurant that serves a healthy dose of comfort, style, and great food at great prices. The staff was excellent, and the food was spot-on. We were able to sample wines by the quartino, keeping our food cost down, and slurped some fab oysters, yummy pizza, and nice cheesecake. There was an adjacent bar playing old school hip hop and Cana across the street, so that the jitterbug could be exercised if need be.

Going out is such a luxury these days, that I cherish the experience more than in the past, and am more easily disappointed than not. One trip to Georgine’s, however, has restored my faith substantially.

As for chocolates, I have three recommendations. Just buy truffles at La Maison du Chocolate on the upper east side. Six or seven will do. They are divine. For out of sight hot chocolate, try Marie Belle’s in Soho. I know this is blasphemy to some fans, but I feel her hot choco is the best in the city, even better than (dare I say it) the inimitable City Bakery. My friend Jacques Torres also puts outs a fine box of chocolates. Any choice will make your love feel special.

If it’s too late to plan this Valentine’s in this way, be not afeared, there is always room for one day of special love next year.

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Eating The Chef

Bon Bon

The name sounds like candy, but this Korean fried chicken fast food chain should inspire similar cravings. The no nonsense approach to ordering one thing that is delicious is executed to a tee here. The environment is sterile and almost cartoon-like, but all is forgiven with an order of the spicy wings and drumsticks. It’s not going to supplant Charles Southern Style anytime soon, but as a downtown alternative these wings are excellent, lightly battered and crunchy to the taste. The spice is moderate and causes more of a tickle, but the addiction is quite clear. Each order comes with a semi-sweet bun and cole slaw, but the chicken is the star here. I would order a batch and pop some nice cava, prosecco, or even champagne for a special meal/occasion. Somehow a magnum of Grand Cuvee Krug comes to mind…

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Eating Experiences Food

Ssam Bar Redux

On a recent visit to Degustation, Chef Wesley apprised me of Ssam Bar’s late nite menu  and nibbles.  From Wednesday thru Saturday, Chef David Chang can be spotted creating delectable delights for the industry weary, and lord knows we always need a great late night spot to hang out and nosh in.  You won’t find ramen here, but replace that with warm veal head terrine and spicy honeycombe tripe.   Sounds a bit off the wall?  Then try the fresh Spanish Mackerel Tataki, grilled squid salad or house staple, steamed buns.  There is an homage to artisanal country hams.  I particularly enjoyed Benton’s smoky Mountain from Tennessee.  There are salads with crispy pork jowl and fried cauliflower in fish sauce, so you can see just how out there Chef Chang is willing to go.

The best late night snack is still available (oysters), and there is a fab cheese selection that will make you forget altogether about the bizarre mochi ice cream sampler.  The menu changes quite often, and chefs and their staffs can be spotted near every night.  All this makes for happy times and a tip of the hat to the man with the vision.

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Eating Recipes The Chef

Turkey Some More

The word leftover doesn’t inspire any great enthusiasm to me. It sounds like a castaway meal. The concept of leftovers has always been foreign to me and my family, as we usually begin the Thanksgiving meal at noon, invite as many guests as possible, and continue to eat throughout the day and night. Naturally, there are no leftovers. I imagine the rationale behind leftovers is that the food may possibly improve in flavor overnight like a duck ragu, choucoutre, or cassoulet. This theory doesn’t hold well for turkey, which tends to dry out over time.

If you subscribe to leftovers, then here’s a tip to ensure that the turkey stays as moist as it should. Set aside a portion for the next day right after you carve the turkey for serving. If you leave it on the bone for several hours during the repast, the meat will dry out more quickly. Then, place the meat in a plastic container and cover with gravy. If you don’t have enough gravy, mix some with fresh stock and drippings. The turkey slices will stay moist overnight, and reheating the next day will be short and sweet. Then you can make turkey sandwiches, turkey tacos, or even recreate a shorter version of the main event.

Use the carcass for a great turkey stock.  Just simmer for a long time (at least 12 hours).  Add your mirepoix and water and behold a cure for the winter blues.

For a quick fire marinade, I whisk three cups of chicken stock with a teaspoon of achiote, a tablespoon of olive oil, four ounces of tomato paste, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add a cup of white or red wine. That should do the trick. The rest is up to the bird.

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Eating

Waco my Taco

One of the hidden pearls of any city is its street food. In an ethnically diverse city such as New York, we should be exposed to many more culinary treats. And while the trend for successful chefs now is to open burger joints and street stands, there simply aren’t that many unless you travel to Queens.

I’m partial to the Dominican trucks which can be found in Washington Heights and Inwood, offering late-nite fried foods from my childhood, such as tostones (fried green plantains) and a chimichurri (flat, burger-like steak) sandwich. One good alternative to hot dog and kebab stands are the taco trucks, which offer real street food at real value. Most items are under four dollars. Take the Tacos El Idolo II truck that occupies the northeast corner of 14th street and 8th avenue. Party-goers from the nearby meatpacking district line up at night for a satisfying $2 taco. Even the B & T crowd knows what’s up.

The foundation of the tacos are two lightly heated corn tortillas with your choice of filling, from steak, chorizo, chicken, and pork, to pig’s ears, cow’s tongue and goat. The meat is ground up and grilled with onions and other toppings like radish and pickled veggies. The picante is there as the condiment. The tacos are toothsome and addicting, and are a post-drinking session’s antidote. This particular truck offers quesadillas and gorditas too, all to be washed down with a flavored Jarrito, Mexican soda pop at its best.

If you are concerned about the health issues which do exist from eating from street vendors, just add hot sauce and drink a beer. This will counteract some of the bacteria present. In this day and age even our spinach isn’t safe. Having eaten from these trucks for many years, you will figure out who to trust, and which operations practice cleaner cooking habits. Have a taco, a mandarin Jarrito, and a puffy cheeks smile.