TASTE of Tribeca II

Aaaand there's more. Of course there's more. These were the rest of the delicious things we tasted at Taste of Tribeca, ranging from cookies to lamb to sushi. Also take a look at my event recap for Miss A, with more of the charity goodies.

RER 5.18.13

Taste 7

Crab Cake and Assorted Sarabeth Cookies— Sarabeth’s Tribeca

This tiny crab cake on a brioche bun quickly became a favorite. The crab cake was whole, meaty, and contained plump fresh pieces of crab. There was nothing fake or skimpy about it, just jumbo lump crabmeat. There was not a ton of mustard and breadcrumb filler that places try to use to disguise sub-par crab. This was the real deal. A thin layer of well-blended almost imperceptible tartar sauce was smeared on top of the crab cake, just tangy enough to know that it was there. Even though it was nearly impossible to taste the tartar sauce through the meatiness of the crab cake and the eggy sweet bread, we knew that it morphed the feeling of the small slider. This came with a choice of cookie, and both times we opted for the sugar-dusted shortbread (yes, both).

RER 5.18.13

Taste 8

Spring Lamb Dish— Marc Forgione

The lamb rib was spicy, fatty, served with a pickled cabbage, for brightness. My pieces was mostly fat, but the meat was gamey and rich, decadent. The presentation was refined,and simple, but the spices were surprising.  The picked cabbage was tangy, and broke up the heaviness of the lamb and fat, rounding out the spices as well. Even with just a rib, the flavor profile tickled different parts of the mouth. Although this was just a taste, I feel like greens would help bring the dish to spring.

RER 5.18.13

Taste 9

Mini Cupcakes, Brownies, Cookies— Billy’s Bakery

Billy’s Bakery offered us a plate of tiny sweets; a mini red velvet cupcake, a rich chocolate brownie, and a mixed bar. The red velvet cupcake was short and sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. The cream cheese frosting was light and fluffy, but the cake was almost flavorless, somewhere in between chocolate and not. The brownie was nothing special, close to the boxed variety. And the last bar had far too many accoutrements, like nuts, butterscotch chips, amongst what felt like other things. I was mildly disappointed.

RER 5.18.13

Taste 10

Cheesesteak on Pretzelbread— The Palm

This refined version of cheesesteak comfort food, was presented on tiny pretzel bread. The filling was cheesy and adult, with thick pieces of steak, mixed in with caramelized onions and luxurious melted cheese. It tasted like butter, salt, and the stringy translucent onions, rich and warm. Fault lay in the bread, which was dense and thick, and most of all cold. If the pretzel bread, dark on the outside dotted with salt and light and fluffy in the inside, had been warm, this would have been a completely different taste. The side of the plate was filled with beautiful waffle potato chips, delicate and each unique. They added a crunch were the sandwich was lacking, but if they had been dusted with more salt the combination would have been almost perfect and addictive.

RER 5.18.13

Taste 11

Rhubarb Apple Brown Betty— Bubby’s Pie & Co

The plate was just a mound of the loose Betty, with a spiral of not so sweet fresh whipped cream. The crumble on top was not very textured, it was soft with time and sweetness. The taste was a bit monotonous, until an encounter with a piece of stewed green apple. The apple brought a little tanginess to the formless scoop, but not enough life.

RER 5.18.13

Taste 12

Two Kinds of Special Hand Roll Sushi— Takahachi 

Earlier in the day, Takahachi was bustling and the line was very long, but after the rain almost stopped, it was a quick trip to get the two hand rolls. The first was a crab roll, pretty and conical, with long strips of cucumber and a spoonful of rice. The other special hand roll was filled with eel. This one was meaty and textured, different and full. Takahachi rolls were good and everything tasted fresh enough, but you know there is nothing like your usual sushi.

RER 5.18.13

Taste 13

Gourmet Pancakes and Crepes— The Cosmopolitan Café

The thin pancake was filled with honey almond ricotta cheese, drenched in a sweet cherry syrup and dotted with full red and white cherries. The fresh cherries spoke of summertime and picnics, sweet with just enough tang and meat to contrast the chewy pancake and textured filling. The crepe was not too sweet until the cherry compote mixed in, because the filling was almost savory, and the pancake was not sugary either. In the end I felt that the crepe might have been a little heavy in contrast to the lightness that cherries invoke.

And that's all folks! I am so glad that I was able to go, support the food and support the cause. Now, I need to make my way to Tribeca to try out some of the restaurants that were featured in the event. You will deffo see some of these names in future foodie ventures...

 RER

5.20.13

RER 5.18.13

TASTE of Tribeca I

 

JAR 5.18.13

The foodie fantasy, Taste of Tribeca, took place on not-so-dry Saturday, tempting the crowd with tiny bites (sometimes not so tiny) and tastes from renowned restaurants of the Tribeca area. Let me just tell you, the rain deterred some but it did not stop me from tasting as much as I could. The best part about getting a plus one may be getting double the food. When there are over 70 high quality and high caliber restaurants and each ticket is allotted only six tastes, coming with a partner in crime is definitely a plus. Take a look at my recap article for Miss A here. 

RER 5.18.13

Taste 1

Rillette of Home Smoked Salmon on Rye bread, Pork Pate with Pickled Vegetables—Ammanns-Copenhagen

The salmon rillette automatically made us think of bagels; you know, hefty amounts of smoked lox and a thick smear of cream cheese. It was reminiscent of a spread, like pate, a mousse or a cream cheese, but it was speckled with dill, like a sandwich salad, and topped with a thin slice of radish. The salmon was light compared to the dense seedy rye bread, populated with most any seed found.  The pork pate on the other hand was dense and heavy, rich and meaty, only to be broken by the bright beet that rested on top. It was completely luxurious (and delicious) in comparison to the typical dry rye bread.

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Taste 2

Salted Cod Brandade with Tomato Compote Crustine— Cercle Rouge

This bite was crunchy, smooth, and almost creamy at the same time. The crisp buttery crouton served as a base for the spreadable salt cod and olive oil emulsion. It was topped by a bright red dollop of tomato compote that was surprisingly acidic, and overwhelmed the other more subtle elements. However, at the finish, the cod flavor peeked out, ending on a salty and mildly fishy note. The mix of the textures was a fun play and invited the mouth to wander.

RER 5.18.13

Taste 3

Chef’s Surprise— Blaue Gans

As it turns out the “chef’s surprise,” was around sausage filled dumpling resting on a bed of wet and tangy sauerkraut. The dumpling was doughy  and rich, but balance was achieved with the tang and sweetness of the pickled sauerkraut. Inside the soft round dumpling  was a filling of sausage, reminiscent of fancy hot dogs and spices. The micro greens were beautiful in decorating the dumpling, but were too earthy for the rich dish.

RER 5.18.13

Taste 4

Buttermilk Dipped Chicken Fingers— Dirty Bird To Go

The lady asked barbeque sauce or honey mustard… and I thought, why do I have to chose? We landed on honey mustard. These plump white meat chicken tenders were absolutely juicy and delicious. They were hot and near perfect. There was not too much breading, but it was well seasoned and almost crisp. The honey mustard was thin and runny, sweet with a little warmth. I was not a fan of the honey mustard, but somehow those tenders needed it.

RER 5.18.13

Taste 5

Bacon Wrapped Scallop with Strawberry Serrano Relish— The Hideaway

There was a choice at the Hideaway’s stall, between glorified pigs and a blanket and a bacon wrapped scallop. No contest. The scallop was alone on the paper plate, lonely but oddly vibrant. The strawberry Serrano relish that was draped over the seared scallop and translucent like bacon, was bright and hot. It was sweet with the fruit of the strawberry, but it was also spicy and tropical. Its heat was balanced by the sweetness of the succulent scallop, although cold was just right, while the saltiness of the bacon melded each part to make a whole. The heat of the strawberry relish broke up the richness and offered a forceful kick at the finish.

RER 5.18.13

Taste 6

Pulled Pork Sandwich— Walker’s

There is nothing like a classic pulled pork sandwich, served with a hearty scoop of rough chopped slaw, and a sliver of watermelon. Walker’s more than taste, reminded us what summer means on that grey Saturday. There was nothing astonishing about any of the elements; the pork was tender, but not as assertively seasoned and sauced as I would have liked and the coleslaw was tangy and rushed. But the trifecta created a feeling, stirred memories of summers past, and made us eager for summers in the future.

Stay tuned for more of our Taste of Tribeca adventure, it's a whole lot to wrap your mouth around.

RER

5.20.13

RER 5.18.13

bold BITES: LAVO

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RER 5.14.13

The Young Professionals Party (take a peek at my recap article for Miss A), a fundraising benefit for Silver Hill Hospital, took place at the lavish LAVO in midtown Manhattan. LAVO is a trendy eatery and lounge that caters to the young and affluent. In reviews of the nightclub, there were mentions of it being a place to see and be seen or a stop on a tourist’s must list. There is also a LAVO in Las Vegas, where my friend ate and gave rave reviews. But lunch and dinner would not come cheap, as appetizers start at $16, entrees range from $21 for the most basic pasta to expensive $95 specialty steaks, and even the trimmings ring in at $11. 

Well, at this charity event, I was able to get a little preview of what LAVO restaurant has to offer, other than the beautiful staff, luxurious décor, and the brand.

RER 5.14.13

The passed hors d’oeuvres ranged from the shrimp cocktail on a wooden skewer to the more substantial kobe beef meatball mini sliders. The little sliders were a single tiny meatball placed on just as tiny ciabatta like bun, topped with a flourish of parmesan. They looked refined, an upgrade on comfort, but in the end, not as delicious as hoped. The tuna tartar on a crunchy crostini was fresh and light. Its taste did not linger, and proved to be a fine display of technique. LAVO also served up single butternut squash ravioli on a darling plastic Japanese soup spoon. The filled pasta was fresh and felt homemade, but also invoked fall feelings and flavors, with a little zing from the sauce that the parcel was nestled in. Various brick oven pizzas cut into polite squares swung around the bar, just as quickly as the champagne and white wine. My favorite bold bite was the upscale take on Caesar salad. The crunchy crouton was layered with a small amount of the restaurant’s well-known Caesar salad, and then topped with a thin, but substantial slice of rare steak. The steak was tender and not over cooked, seasoned just enough to go with the creamy garlicky flavors of the salad. The balance of the different textures was impeccable and left me wanting more (especially from the other appetizers).

RER 5.14.13

Dessert also came out in full force. As a self-proclaimed sweet tooth, I took it upon myself to at least see every dessert the beautiful staff was serving. There were baby cannoli dusted with crushed walnuts and creamy filling dotted with chocolate chips, though they were not as heavy or rich as typical cannoli. The inner filling in the crunchy shell, was more akin to whipped cream than dense spiced sweet ricotta. Adorable tiramisu cups also made their way around the nightclub; tiny plastic cups filled with a moment of mild cream, studded with mini chocolate chips and topped with a cookie. Even the coconut macaroons crowned with rainbow sprinkles were a shade short of the homemade variety. The tiny cubes of the restaurant’s raspberry panna cotta cheesecake were light and not as sweet as expected, more of a savory creamy feeling with a small drizzle of tangy raspberry. I also saw mini profiterole looking pastries, filled with chocolate creams or custards, delicate and meditated. The only dessert I saw, and now regret not tasting was the messy oreo zeppole. It’s presentation and probability for sticky disaster made it a non-contender for me, even though it is unique and appealing, just perhaps inappropriate to be passed around at an event like this.

JAR 5.14.13

All in all, the passed appetizers and mini desserts looked much prettier than they tasted. Each bite was well crafted with aesthetics, balance and subtle sophistication, but somehow flavor was lost. The quality of the party nosh was apparent, as each taste was luxurious and refined, but perhaps the moment, setting and mass-produced element, limited the wow factor of the food. I was far more impressed with the beauty of the staff than the petit hors d’oeuvres. 

P.S. Come check out my foodie ventures facebook page! Follow the things I read and look at about food, day in and day out. I hope you like it!

RER

5.16.13

RER 5.14.13