everything has its reason: the FINCH

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Stepping into The Finch is kind of like walking into your own kitchen, only it’s cooler. The lines are cleaner, the painted white brick is brighter—it’s just better.

And then passing the very open bar and the even more open kitchen, you step through a doorway, and you are transported to somewhere else. Wherever it is, it’s just as cool, just not as clean. This dining room has a formula, just as the front space does, it’s just not the same equation. Its exposed brick brings Brooklyn in and the classic furniture ties it to the front.

You sit down, and you want to explore. Your eyes wander, catching the mortar between the bricks, the different textures on display, the changing light coming in, and the many shades of green of plants. It’s intimate back here too, but it feels airy and open, almost outdoors.

The different spaces echo the streamlined menu and beautiful dishes; it’s apparent each is created, tested and perfected, but here too, there’s a formula. Everything’s there for a reason, even if you don’t want to believe it—like that unfinished back wall. Ingredients seem a little haphazard and unconnected at first, but you want to try everything, you want to see how it all works out.

And somehow, it does.

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Your appetizer is split gracefully into two large shallow dishes, one for each of you. Its arrangement is artful, crafted like sculpture, elements hidden and exposed. The sweet beets are roasted and red, soft and perfect, while the toasted traviso is bitter and smoky, cooled by creamy salted burrata. A savory brittle made with pine nuts crunches and plays to the sweet strengths of the beets and the mature savory moments of the traviso, while all unites with the mild and sensuous cheese. 

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Pork two ways makes for a whimsical dish, imaginative and sensible, hearty and delicate. A crunchy pork croquette, perfect and stringy, rests on a bed of soft cabbage and sunchokes studded with large pearls of mustard seeds. Every element melds to combat the delicious fattiness of the fried item, while a smooth apple puree marries pink centered slices of pork. There is no redundancy and yet a brilliant continuity is achieved.

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Your scallop entrée is a sexy surf and turf, bringing together sea and land seamlessly. The dish is a texture playground, where multiple feelings are playing tug of war. Stalemate. The soft, succulent scallops counter the rubbery, meaty snails that, too, have its own tenderness. There is heat and wonder written in slinky slender mushrooms and kernels of chewy Einkorn. Green things and grains bring in earthy tones and brilliant color, but you can swim in the richness and the decadence without getting lost…

Each bite and memory is meticulously constructed, precise and crafted, but also delectable and indulgent. You almost forget where you are and that your kitchen is nowhere as cool.

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4.9.15

RER 4.9.15

HudsonRW: Satis Bistro

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Entering Satis Bistro, in the quiet neighborhood of Paulus Hook, Jersey City, is like entering a portal that shifts time and transports to somewhere else. The space is a maze of minute details, like a museum, but it is still breathing, alive with the movement of time, people and food. There are pictures in frames hung purposefully on a small wall, and a tall communal table under a giant chalk board with latin scrawled in a rainbow of colors, and there are green hanging plants seated in the high windows, drawing the eye up to the very tall ceilings and eventually to a second lofted dining area. Even the powder room felt aged and lived in. But a visible kitchen, where some appetizers and cheese plates are prepared, is its own space, completely different than the rest, and thrown further back in time, underlined by rustic touches of benches for seating and rough pillows throughout the venue. 

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The restaurant has a definite atmosphere, a kind of allure like the scent of fatty short ribs, gnocchi pillows, and red wine vibrato. Somehow there is a swirling of place and time, until neither is quite distinguishable, but the flavors reign and solid technique soars. Either through the super chilled avocado vichyssoise, with almost enough charred corn, summer tomatoes and watercress coulis, floating just so in the middle of the creamy and rich soup. Or the cheese plate appetizer with its haphazard elegance of apricot chutney, hot with mustard seeds, or the red ribbon of prosciutto and fat, and crusty bread.

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Even what seems as straightforward as meat and potatoes or simple pasta, was elevated to something luxurious and comfortable at the same time. The short ribs, tender with time and seasoning, were fatty and surrounded by a bold peppery sauce, which balanced the richness, and enlivened the starch of the tangy goat cheese mashed potatoes. An addition of tiny cubes of chorizo, pushed the dish further. The mixture of  varied textures created a pieced together harmony, much like the décor of the restaurant.

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This play on the expected and the unexpected puzzle continued with the surprising gnocchi. There were not the little dots of doughy dumplings that are asssumed; but these were like little biscuits, pillows of ricotta with the essence of citrus and browned. The six fluffy dumplings were highlighted by a creamy sauce, gently wilted escarole, firm white beans and sweet roasted garlic. The dish was rich and reminiscent of home, comfort and familiarity, but the quality and technique equated refinement.

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The sundaes, however, were an easy way out, strikingly contrasting the effort put into every other detail. There were not the careful and pristine elements constructed into the melty moments of chocolate and vanilla ice cream drenched in caramel and dashed in toasted coconut and meaty nuts, or the round balls of unnatural strawberry and vanilla disguising a dense sweet corn pound cake, as in other facets of the restaurant.  They were easy and effortless though, like the amalgamation of flavors and the mixed aesthetic. The sundaes did not transport across sea and continent, but rather, back in time to childhood and midnight concoctions.

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Every element of Satis is orchestrated, creating an experience that does not stop at the food— it is an atmosphere, a transformation of a small space into an anonymous bistro in another part of the world. Its European roots are demonstrated through charcuterie, pastas, meats and fishes, a blend of the old and new and near and far.

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8.6.13

RER 8.6.13

BREAKING boundaries: Beacon Bar

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The Beacon Bar is chic and polished, but almost cold when quiet, however the light food and specialty drinks give the new uptown bar warmth and comfort. Since April, the latest piece of the Beacon empire has settled in, nestled between the legendary Beacon Theatre and Hotel Beacon. The bar lounge proves that it is more than just a hotel bar and it can be a neighborhood hangout. It stands apart with its curated drink menu and a list of light bites and appetizers that evoke home, carving out a reputation for regulars, hotel guests and theatre-goers alike.

 

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The menu rallies elevated comfort food with twists on the recognizable while familiarizing the obscure. With choices like a chilled vegetable platter or a Mexican shrimp cocktail, along with other light bites like a portabella burger or pulled pork sliders or the more imaginative French dip sliders and toast with warm goat cheese, there is a dish for every discerning taste. Even the staple cheesecake is offered for pairing with exquisite handcrafted drinks. Each item appears straightforward on the menu, but comes with a surprise of complexity and visual appeal.

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The jumbo lump crabcake light bite is a multifaceted play of decadence and brightness. Each small cake is rich with lumps of crabmeat large enough to be tangible and savored, wanting the breaded filler present in many lesser crabcakes. A pale wasabi mayo accompanies the cakes, adding heat and heaviness. The fennel salad bathed in citrus makes the cakes shine, brightening the dense cakes. The details of the fresh lemon and orange zest to the finely shaved fennel and spicy red onions down to the flourish of chives, echo the careful creation of the drinks and aesthetics.

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Though the macaroni gratin mirrors the classic, it is the refined relative of the mac and cheese of childhood, grown up with the sophistication of gruyere and parmesan. The crumb top of the baked curved pasta casserole adds another dimension of maturity. But somehow the disguised green peas and salty ham revive past memories. The sweetness of the peas breaks the heavy creaminess of the cheeses, hot and almost smooth, but the ham spikes the monotony with salt and texture. 

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Even the pulled pork sliders have transformed from messy summer barbeque to something more distinguished through flavorful accoutrements: a fancy bun, spicy slaw, and vegetable chips. The hot slaw, dotted with tomatoes carrots cabbage and jalapeños, ignites a balance with the cloying sweetness of the sauce mixed with the tender stringy pork. Served with a riot of color from starch and vegetable chips, which supply sweet earthiness and a crunch, the pulled pork sliders suggest outdoor gatherings, contradicting the mystique of Beacon Bar’s interior.

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Each dish brings forth bright colors sharply contrasting the cool hued theme written in the lux dark cobalt leather booths or the sharp lines of the tiled wall or even the infinity of circles on the fabrics. The icy blue and grey scale decor exudes contemporary sophistication and muted elegance, while the flourishes of ingredients and garnishes are enlivening and fresh. The plates demonstrate effortless balance and expertly layered flavor profiles, none too pretentious to break the mold of upscale bar food.

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See what my first time at the Beacon Bar was like here and here.

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7.16.13

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hurry up and WAIT: ME Casa

RER 3.9.13

So we went to ME Casa in Jersey City, a small Puerto Rican spot, boasting great yelp reviews and word of mouth. The tiny subterranean restaurant was most definitely small and almost every table was full that Saturday night. It is a sweet, little set up, dark with candles and white table clothes, music in Spanish just under being too loud. I could not help but notice that despite its small size, two staff members were not enough for the mildly busy Saturday night.

We were not the only couple waiting for a table, but we were the couple that ended up waiting much longer than the host/waiter/owner said initially. Unfortunately, he looked frazzled, overwhelmed, and perhaps in too deep. It was apparent that he was trying to be in too many places at once; behind the front counter to greet the crowd, serving dishes to a loud party of girls, answering the phone and being overall attentive.  Also during our long wait, we were able to notice, that as well as some of the new enough restaurant’s surface shortcomings.

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As previously mentioned, there was not enough staff to meet the needs of the visiting patrons. Sometimes, small spaces and table capacity does not require too many people working, but on a Saturday night with a steady stream of people, more could be beneficial. There is nothing worse than leaving a bad impression because of a simple service problem that could be fixed.

This was underlined even further during our meal, as we had the perfect view to watch a lady who ordered for take out fight for the attention of the staff. I saw her frustration and felt it too, just in our wait and seeing the disorganization. It almost looked as if they were ignoring her, treating other patrons as if they were more important.

This was also reflected in our meal. It was really really slow. Some times that can be equated with precision and quality, but in this case it seemed like an overrun kitchen. Looking around, it seemed like many of the people were waiting for food. It was rare that many of the tables had their food at the same time. Sometimes it felt quiet, silence from hunger and frustration and modified patience.

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I was too hungry for the food to be slow. My date and I spent much more time there than we thought. There was plenty of time between the ordering of the appetizers, the food coming out and our entrees took a while too. It was very slow moving, even when it looked like the servers were whizzing around.

Not only did the food take a while to come out, but it was not practical or very attractive. I noticed so many people taking home leftovers. The portions of the entrees felt really large, because with each entrée you are offered the option of any of the sides. This is a way that restaurants lose money, especially if the menu items have low price points (two meals for the price of one…good for us but not for them). The presentation of the dishes were not really visually appealing, even when the ingredients and the kind of traditional cuisine could have been presented in a much more inspiring way.

I ordered the shrimp mofongo, mostly because of the rave reviews on yelp. It was pretty delicious, but the mashed green plantains overwhelmed the meaty shrimp. There could have been more shrimp to balance all the starch and the flavorful red sauce. I enjoyed the texture of the plantains and their heaviness, but it was too much. The shrimp were well cooked and large and meaty, but there were too few. My date had the tilapia with mango salsa. This dish was very straightforward but also a lot of food; large pieces of fish lightly breaded smothered with a pico de gallo spattered with fresh sweet mango. It was delicious, but really easy and dependent on cilantro.

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Even though the food tasted good, it was heavy in unnecessary ways. We were given grease drenched garlic toast, delicious and tempting, but mildly difficult to eat. Also the cod cakes, flat contrary to some we have had in the past, were heavy with grease from being fried. We both reasoned that there could have been a way to eliminate some of the excess to make them more enjoyable.

ME Casa is a relatively new establishment testing its boundaries and the lay of the land, from patrons to portions, and adjusting to the demands. Maybe it was just that one Saturday night that threw them for a loop, not the typical order of things, but the disorganization and the grueling waiting did not give me a great first impression. The close and cozy atmosphere is inviting enough to return to, and the food and the prices are just fine for an easy night out. I really hope that ME Casa is able to iron out the wrinkles in service and efficiency to make it a truly successful and welcomed addition to the community.

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3.10.13

RER 3.9.13

 

photo op: new year CHEER

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Yes, cheer comes by way of food too! Duuh.

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Happy New Year! Mmmm, I have a feeling 2013 is going to be a tasty one...

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1.2.13

MangiaMore: DEAD velvet cupcakes

 

RER 10.26.12

And the last contender of the Halloween Cupcake Wars (it may as well be Halloween 2013 at this point, sorry for the delay) is the illustrious, Dead Velvet. Dark red, haunting, mysterious and a southern classic.

You got it, this bloody red velvet cupcake was armed and ready for a fierce flavor battle with its two other competitors. As always, when baking red velvet (or blue velvet, depending on who my patron is), I turned to the queen of southern favorites, Paula Deen. There is no way to go wrong with this recipe of hers. I think it is simple and straightforward, with just enough room for interpretation and creativity. I have made the recipe what feels like a dozen times, and on each occasion the cake is moist and just flavorful enough to combat the strength of the tangy sweet cream cheese frosting.

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As the theme of this long, drawn-out battle, was Halloween, I decided to continue on with a dead motif, echoing the Graveyard cupcakes also in the running. To top the dark, bloody red cake, I imagined a black frosting to provide a stark contrast. To my amazement, the ease of finding black food coloring was astonishing at this spooky time of year (I had never even looked for black food coloring before, as blue or red were my top choices). Unfortunately, after adding drop after drop on top of drops of black food coloring, my creamy cream cheese frosting only became a dark slate grey. It was not the heavy black I was looking for, but the dark grey inspired the images of gravestones. Of course then, that was the direction I headed toward. Using the incorrect frosting tip on (ssshhhh) bought decorating frosting, I was able to scribble some haunting R.I.Ps, initials, and scary looking (in a funny, not a terrifying way) creatures.

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I must say, these monsters were pretty delicious. This time I added a smidge more cocoa powder than the legend prescribed, mostly because I wanted a touch more flavor to stand up to the bold frosting. And I also put in a little bit of almond extract, as well as just a little less of the vanilla extract. A happy accident (or lack of ingredient) caused an instantaneous attachment to almond extract in red velvet cake batter. The addition adds a nuttiness, which embellishes the chocolate flavors, while creating a harmonious contrast to the tangy cream cheese. With the welcomed modifications, I found a balance and my Dead Velvet cupcakes were a success (to taste, though aesthetically, not so much… must work on cake decorating skills).

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So now the moment of truth…. 

And the truth is… All three of the cupcakes were delicious, and disappeared like vampires when the sun comes out. Each was completely different and mildly surprising. The Candy Corn cupcake featured the spices and flavors we all attach to fall, while the Graveyard goodies had a moist surprise in the middle and strong edible decorative elements, and the Dead Velvet transformed a classic into something eerily delightful. They are all winners in my book, and tasted even better in the dark (thanks, Sandy). But with Thanksgiving just around the corner, looks like I will be giving those pumpkin cupcakes another shot.

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10.29.12 

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Liberty State Park After DARK : Liberty House Restaurant

RER 10.12.12

RER 10.12.12

Who: The Birthday Girl and her Super Great Boyfriend

What: Birthday Dinner, take two

Where: Liberty House Restaurant, Jersey City, New Jersey

When: Friday, October 12, 2012: 9 pm

How: This is how…..

It was late and they were getting hungry. Too much fun made them forget about their responsibilities to their stomachs. A quick call made faces fall, but despite grumbling bellies they waited, moderately patiently. The woman said nine or nine thirty... Only an hour and a half(ish) away.

Finally the time came and they drove away in his little car, ready for her birthday dinner.

The night sky was vivid and dark, making each light on every building seem brighter and more beautiful. The road to the restaurant was cobbled, and not particularly kind to the suspension on his car, but the trip, with the view and laughter, was worth it. Even from the parking lot, the loud booming of music could be heard, breaking the silence of the closed Liberty State Park. The restaurant was bright, like a beacon, standing out competing with the New York City skyline.

They held hands, hesitant because of the loud party music and the late hour, but they were both ready to celebrate with food. The walk through the parking lot was cold, but not too long, and with bated breath they entered the Liberty House Restaurant.

Little did they know that the Liberty House was home to several event spaces and that night there was more than one event, loud events. One of these events was her birthday.

Seated quickly with just a drink menu, they were allotted time to absorb the sights; the interior as well as just outside the large glass windows close to their table. The décor lacked the class that they were both expecting. Being mostly glass, beautiful from the outside like a floating greenhouse by the Hudson River, they anticipated the same kind of elegance on the inside. But instead, they were confronted by mass produced patterns, cheap feeling décor. It was lacking the white table clothes and subtle romance, but indulged in the tackiness of a chain eatery. Despite all that, they were comfortable and ready to eat.

She was dreaming of a birthday filled with indulgence in food, to taste and to smell things that felt familiar and exotic all at the same time. Just the night before, she and her party gave into five different preparations of foie gras, just for her. Tonight was hers too, as her boyfriend reminded her. So, the two set for celebration, combed through the menu, asked several questions and chatted with the server.

In their almost agonizing wait at home, the two spent time with the restaurant's menu online, and basically picked out their entire meal. But they quickly apprehended that the menu was different; different variants of the same proteins, as well as ingredients more suitable to the fall season that had just befallen. The waiter explained that was the first night of the new menu, so everything was new and different, but fresh and exciting.

They had to reorganize their plan and start mostly from scratch, beginning with the appetizers.

The couple ordered a half order of the papardelle with pork ragout, giving in to her constant yen for fancy pasta. The wide pasta however did not feel homemade. This was just the first fall. She was craving, as usual, fresh pasta, its decadence and special effort. But, unfortunately, that was not the feeling the pair got while hastily consuming it. The sauce was too loose to even cling to the pasta. It was just wet tomatoes, with a few ingredients requisite of a ragout floating in it. The sauce was not hearty as the term ragout often incites. The ground pork was still juicy but did not hold its pork flavor, the mushrooms added interest. The sauce though, was lacking flavor.

The charcuterie board was a more interactive appetizer with four kinds of cured meat, ranging from duck to pork, a healthy mound of large grained mustard, giant caperberries, mini gerkins and black and green olives with their pits. It also included two small roasted peppers, one red and the other yellow, and a marinated artichoke heart. The selection was delicious; the meats salty, some heavier and darker than others, fatty, and round. Mixing the mustard with the meats along with bits of each of the different peppers resulted in fun combinations, elevating the meat to something more. The extras were not anything specially, and only served as distraction from the meat, to cut the fat.

The appetizers were the perfect amount to tide over the two hungry diners, but their entrees could not come soon enough. They noted the crowd thinning as it got later, but the music getting louder with the passing time. 

When the entrees arrived, they were not severely impressed by the presentation of the dishes, but they were still eager to try the Cowboy Ribeye and the special Bronzino fish.

The giant cowboy ribeye came with golden beets, kale, and potatoes. The server recommended the entree, after giving a repetitive spiel about the new menu, and the staff had a tasting just the night before. Given his rave reviews, she ordered it, especially after the steak disaster the night before. The steak was well spiced, salty and peppery, enhancing the innate flavors of the meat. The cut was fatty and remained juicy, marbled and delicious. The golden beets gave a note of sweetness to the savory dish, a different chew, softer, lighter, but also firm compared to the meaty medium rare steak. The potatoes also offered another texture, though a similar consistency to the beet. They had a creamier twist and flavor, adding a different kind of sweetness to the steak. The tuscan kale that was underneath the giant steak added an earthiness to the dish, and sopped up all the salty seasoned sauce that marinated the steak

The bronzino fish was deboned, leaving the meat bare and almost boneless on the plate. The meat of the fish was not pretty on the plate, just a heap of white colored meat, speckled with an ochre colored sauce, that was both sweet and spicy, tangy and mild. There was not enough of the sauce to properly flavor the fish, which was a pity, because it was delicious. With the special came the choice of two sides. He chose the lobster macaroni and cheese as well as the wild mushrooms. Part of the appeal of the macaroni was the addition of the lobster, elevating the mundane. However the macaroni and cheese was lacking, and most of all it was lacking the lobster. The side had a béchamel creamy base, and was topped by a few strands of sharper cheddar cheese. There was very little flavor of cheese as the béchamel just tested like a roux, not fully finished or completed. The wild mushrooms were meaty and earthy in flavor, however they chewed like re-hydrated dried mushrooms. The flavor paired nicely with both the fish and added a spike of flavor to the lackluster mac and cheese.

What is a birthday dinner without dessert? Even the dessert menu was new, boasting seasonal flavors and rang of autumn. There were creative combinations and fall plays on traditional desserts. Not knowing what to expect, they chose the first two that really sparked their curiosity. A birthday song to Miss. America, a whisper of flame and an unspoken wish later, it was time for them to taste the desserts.

The desserts were both extremely beautiful, and oddly like night and day, contrasting in color and in tastes. They both appeared like angelic floating vessels, blending the sweet with the savory in a sea of intrigue.

The amaretto cheesecake looked delicate and pristine, each garnish serving a purpose to enhance or morph the thick nutty cheesecake. There were stewed apples, glistening with the sweetness of sautéed fruit, still tart and crisp on the tongue. The plate also donned a large dab of another reduced fruit, that felt grainy like fig, but carried the ultra sweetness of strawberries. The cheesecake itself was set on a graham crust, thin but detectable. The essence of the amaretto pervaded the cheesecake, sweet, creamy and tangy all at the same time. It was topped with almond brittle, almonds swimming in burned candied sugar, topping the dessert like a heavy crown.

The other seasonal dessert was a pumpkin sponge cake with topped by an intense chocolate mousse, the gorgeous darker twin. The plate was sprinkled with candied pumpkin seeds, bringing on another element of savory interest, to combine with the not so sweet meats of the pumpkin and the bitter decadence of the mousse. The thick mousse completely disguised the thin layer of the pumpkin cake, overtaking every taste on the plate. Had the layer of mousse been a third of the size, the balance would have been amazing. The delicate candy fixture atop the dessert felt like citrus angel wings, accented by a sole strawberry and blueberry. The rich colors brought the dessert to a highly aesthetic level. Though they wished that the chocolate was milder and tamer, delicate like the sugar wings.

The night of birthday luxury concluded with dancing in their seats to stolen party music, and the warmth of a full belly and a good time. It was a delicious birthday, surprises and tricks, underwhelming pastas and startlingly beautiful sights.

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10.12.12

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