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