a UNION of flavors: Union Bar & Kitchen Opens in West SoHo

RER 5.20.14

Smoky sounds emanated from the accordion glass doors, opened wide to the SoHo street, letting the first breezes of summer into Union Bar & Kitchen. The low sunlight of the early evening reflected on the mirror just above the bar and antique mirrors wrapping the walls, played on the white subway tile and danced on the high ceilings.

Another glance up led to the elaborate paintings, transporting diners to another era depicting old time streets, jazzy feasts, and live music complete with a chanteuse. Artist, Clifford Bailey, brings forward the roaring twenties and a kind of liberation that hums to the tune of Owner, Executive Chef, and General Manager, Jonathan Renert’s vision— a union of flavors in a comfortable setting, a restaurant bar to get lost in time in and enjoy the present tense.

Newly open, UBK presents a lively mix of New American cuisine with global influences including Mexican, Asian and French twists. Dinner offers classics—  daily selection of oysters, clam chowder and moules mariniere to west coast cioppino rubbed rotisserie chicken. Lunch brings taquitos, fish tacos, and pulled chicken sandwiches. The bar menu puts a spin on the bar food cliché with smoked trout devilled eggs and Three Little Pig pork belly sliders. A clean drinks menu proposes diverse cocktails, a variety of draft and bottled beers, and a wide range of wines.

RER 5.20.14

Smooth and creamy bright green guacamole with a radiant note of lemon came paired with crunchy triangle chips. Each fresh and full, while the jalapeño cornbread spoke volumes of comfort and warmth at home.

RER 5.20.14

RER 5.20.14

Delicate strands of spicy red pepper threaded through the Hamachi Tartare, while cubed yellow tail played with the tiny beads of sesame and poppy seeds. Even the briny capers sang, bringing studs of salt and firmness. A crispy crust led to the succulent oyster at the heart of the fried oysters, drizzled with the heat of chili  tonkatsu sauce and cooled with tangy tarter sauce underneath— a blending of feelings.

RER 5.20.14

RER 5.20.14

Perfectly cooked hanger steak marinated for 24 hours produced a gamey essence and rhythm, but stumped. While the creamed spinach was cozy, dotted with soft carrots and celery. Hot French fries boasted herbal melodies of rosemary and earthy chords of potatoes and spice. A chili avocado slaw decorated the crunchy tilapia nestled deep in warmed flour tortillas, pulling together a harmonious taste of somewhere else in the popular fish tacos. Clear and straightforward dishes were elevated with quality, depth and details.

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JAR 5.20.14

Cubes of chocolate brownie dusted with powdered sugar spoke secrets of raspberry compote and ancho chili adding crunch and heat to the sweet ending, which made the chocolate deeper and more sophisticated. Peanut butter also got an elevated treatment, warm and salty mixed with the crunch of fried tortilla in this dessert take on chimichangas, pretty with a boule of vanilla ice cream.

UBK’s curated menu contains memories of the familiar while twists introduce international accents. The assemblage offers moments of here and there that illustrates the background of Renert, emphasized in the timeless décor, vibing art and unpretentious ambiance.

RER

5.20.14

RER 5.20.14

Union Bar & Kitchen

300 Spring Street
New York City, NY 10013

Tel: (646) 791-0005

elevate your GAME DAY snacks

The Super Bowl is the pinnacle of the football season, the be all end all for the NFL. The pressure is intense for the players, but it doesn’t have to be for the host throwing a Super Bowl party. Preparing a delectable spread does not have to be as painful as a helmet to the gut. The prospect should be exciting and utterly delicious.

You could resort to the time-honored Super Bowl party standbys— dull tortilla chips, skunky beer, the same old pizza or 7 Layer Dip. Been there, done that. Maybe it’s time to try something new.

You’re not a frat boy or a college cheerleader anymore. It’s time to grow up and join the big leagues. Your friends don’t want lame chips and dip, store-bought guac or even those frozen “wings” anymore, not when there are delicious and easy to prepare alternatives.

Sure, you could throw some pigs in a blanket on a serving dish and call it quits. But why not create a different kind of atmosphere? Opt for cocktail party over tailgate party, where your mouth-watering bites could be more entertaining than the halftime show. Why not try warm appetizers that will make your guests cheer for the ‘home team,’ a.k.a your team.

Not saying you have to leave all the traditionals behind, just bring your dips to a new level of delicious, your pizza to its full potential, and let your hearty soups speak for themselves. Kick it up a notch and totally score a touchdown. Create some new staples that guests will be expecting for Super Bowl XLIX.

Instead of Dip try Elegant Apps

Stop putting out plastic containers of store bought dip on the coffee table during the game. Class up cheese with Arancini rice balls or by filling little puff pastries with roasted beets and honeyed goat cheese topped with candied walnut and basil.

Instead of 7 Layer Dip try Creative Dip Recipes

Amp up dip options with homemade dips that will score creative points. Heighten the flavor profile of your game day snacks with Capital Crack Dip or add some seafood sophistication with Mom’s Super Bowl Clam dip  or even a healthier edge with white bean and olive dip.

Instead of store-bought guacamole try Garnished Guacamole

Step up your guac game with homemade guacamole. Don’t stop there, elevate that fresh goodness with crabmeat, shrimp, or even blue cheese. And how about bacon guacamole?  Toppings can bring out the best of your buttery avocados and add complexity. Mango guacamole could lend sweetness.

Instead of plain chips try Fancy Flavored Chips

Sometimes there is no way to avoid dips at your Super Bowl rager, and what goes with dips better than chips? Fancy flavored chips, of course. The Better Chip makes a variety of corn chips using fresh ingredients like jalapeño, spinach and kale. Kettle Brand Chips  too produces intensely flavored chips ranging from sea salt to fiery sriracha.

Instead of plain chips try Making Your Own Chips

Impress your guests by making your own chips for dipping or just plain munching. Classic fresh potato chips can give your party fare a distinguished touch while Tuscan kale chips add adult flare.

 Instead of spicy wings try Wings with Complex Flavors

Wings can be so much more than what comes from Dominoes. Bring out the big guns for the occasion. Cajun hot wings  have the heat we want on game day, while avocado chipotle wings and Tequila lime wings feature unexpected ingredients and crispy parmesan wings add a different dimension of flavors. Or you could always make Korean Style Ribs, which are just as delicious

Instead of ordering pizza try Building Your Own Pizzas

Skip the usual pepperoni and plain pies, and opt for something more creative, more artisanal like homemade pies. Create a salad pizza with arugula, parmesan, fresh tomatoes, and a tangy vinaigrette or top your crust with roasted sweet potatoes, caramelized red onion and fresh mozz with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.  Try a sweet ricotta pear pizza or a veggie heavy kale and onion pie.

Instead of beer try Hard Apple Cider

It’s time to put ciders in the game, and let beer sit this one out.  Stella Artois Cidre and Hornsby’s Hard Cider are classic, a touch of sweet with a buzz. Angry Orchard produces a variety of flavors, from the seasonal cinnamon to a spicy ginger apple. Finnriver Cidery offers hard ciders and other fruit wines for something a little different.

Instead of mixed drinks try Punches

Rather than just throwing rum and coke in a cup, prepare ahead and create big-batch punches. For rum lovers, Martha Washington’s Rum Punch and Bajan Rum Punch  will do the trick, while whiskey drinkers can get into Monkey Punch. Or try out a gin mojito to be cool and festive.

Instead of chili try Hearty Soups

You always have chili at your game day parties, but it is time for a change. Hearty soups like bison and barley soup and Italian wedding soup have no shortage of meat, while Tuscan soup  and corn chowder do not fall short on heft.

Instead of nachos try a Cheese Plate

Nachos are so played out, but cheese is essential. Swap out the heavy nachos for a fancy cheese plate. Load up your cheese plate with cheeses of different textures, ingredients and flavors like brie, cheddar, gouda, etc. Bring together accoutrements like fig preserves, prosciutto, fresh pears, nuts, and even pate to allow for endless combinations for your party guest.

Instead of pigs in a blanket try Warm Canapés

You can do better than pigs in a blanket. Surprise your guests with warm goodies with a twist. Bacon wrapped scallops (who doesn’t appreciate bacon?!) will make your crowd go wild. Goat cheese and chorizo crostini  and cheese stuffed mortadella bruschetta will surely be winners.

What did you have this #SuperBowl?! Any delicious winners that will make a repeat appearance next big game? 

RER

2.2.14

HudsonRW: Sabores

RER 8.2.13

It was a double date for Hudson Restaurant Week, and we were headed to a place that none of us had ever gone too, so we were excited to try out Sabores for their $30 prix fixe.

RER 8.2.13

Amuse Bouche

Guacamole

The plate of bold green guacamole came decorated with a few colorful tortilla chips and hot red peppers, almost as if they were an indicator. It initially seemed like a lot of guacamole, almost too much for the number of mildly stale colorful chips, but in the end it was devoured. The guacamole was very spicy and flavorful, drowning out the stale after moment of the chips. It was creamy and just enough to hold us over for the coming dishes.

RER 8.2.13

First

Ensalada de Sandia

Watermelon, papaya, tomatillo and cucumber salad

This watermelon salad sounded light and refreshing, delicious and different, but we all ignored something in the item description, the orange-mezcal vinaigrette. And I wish I hadn’t. The appetizer would have been all of those things I wished for, if it hadn’t been for the smokiness of the mezcal that plagued the fresh fruit. It made everything taste like tar and thick, just my palate found it less than appetizing.

RER 8.2.13

Quinoa

The quinoa starter was alive with vegetables and encircled with a cilantro jalapeno salsa, but this too was spicy. The quinoa grains were smaller and wetter than I was used to, and the serving was just a sampling, but it was pretty good, hearty and a nice start.

RER 8.2.13

Gazpacho de Nopal

Unlike the gazpacho I am used to, this appetizer was green and served in a fancy drink glass. The summer soup was made with cactus, tomatillo cucumber, bell peppers and a beautiful dash of color, with the cherry tomato. The surface of the thick cold soup was dotted with oil and two halves of cherry tomatoes. It was pretty to look at, but thick and viscous, kind of salty in a soy sauce kind of way, but definitely edible.

Second

Pescado

Fish tacos

Now the fish tacos were not a part of the prix fixe menu, but they were absolutely delicious. The ratios were just right; a thick piece of seasoned and lightly fried fish nestled in double corn tortillas, topped with a bright pico de gallo. The flavors married well, the spicy, and sweet, and the almost dry tortilla.

RER 8.2.13

Lomo de Cerdo

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Two of our party got the lomo, and unfortunately that was a moment where we saw inconsistency in the pretty new restaurant. One of the thin pieces of pork was far more well done than the other, resulting in a completely different experience. The sweet potato puree and honey chipotle glaze played to the affinity pork has for sweetness, adding moisture and texture, while the seasonal veggies almost blended in with the other elements, colorful but forgettable.

RER 8.2.13

Costillas en cacao

Short ribs

The plump piece of  short rib sat on a little bed of mashed potatoes and was surrounded by a dark meaty cacao demi glaze, and nestled by a  patch of dressed salad greens. The meat was super tender, decadent and delicious, everything you really want in the texture of a short rib, though the flavor was kind of muted, and dulled further by the dense, startchy potatoes. The greens not only made the plate look more balanced, but it lightened the dish, and added a little brightness.

RER 8.2.13

Third

Nieve de Horchata

Horchata sorbet with spicy pecans

The rice milk based drink, Horchata, was transformed into an icy and almost watery sorbet, encapsulating spicy cinnamon and warmth. The flavor was really nice of the sorbet, arousing almost contradicting memories of spicy fall and refreshing summer. It was super light, but the texture was a little chalky, and almost dense, missing a smoothness to unite the taste.

RER 8.2.13

Natilla de Maracuya

Passion fruit crème brulee

This crème brulee looked like any other, yellowish custard in a ramekin, browned and crisp on the top, and even the decorative strawberries recalled other crème brulees. This time, however, the smooth and creamy custard was infused with tangy sweet passion fruit. There were no pieces of the fruit throughout the custard, which maintained the expected texture, with the surprising flavor.

RER 8.2.13

Overall, there were delicious moments to our dinner, mainly with our mains. The portions were not too large which made three courses easier, but in the end it may not have been enough. The service was a little slow, especially in getting the bill and paying (oddly enough), and the atmosphere got to be a little draining with loud music and bad acoustics. I would go again, but maybe on taco Tuesday.

RER

8.2.13

RER 8.2.13

HudsonRW: Las Olas

RER 8.1.13

It was about 7/7:30 on Thursday during Hudson Restaurant Week, and Las Olas was not that busy. Most of the occupants were sitting at the bar, chatting and eating and drinking there, next to the neon glow of the enormous fish tanks. I went to sit further in the restaurant, passed the squeezed space of the bar, where a fuller sitting area was.  And it gave me a perfect view of the fish tanks, colorful and exotic. 
 

RER 8.1.13

RER 8.1.13

Our server was super nice, and gave my fickle mind suggestions as to what to eat on the $35 prix fixe menu, and I went with almost everything she suggested, except for the flan. We each ordered one drink, though all were tempting and with fun names and alcohol. I got the pineapple cilantro margarita, which only tasted like tang and tequila until the bottom where the pineapple chunks and sprigs of green cilantro were hiding. My friend ordered the bright pink strawberry jalapeno margarita, which was hot and sweet at the same time, just like summer.

RER 8.1.13

My friend opted out of the prix fixe, but indulged in guacamole three ways; each way was a tiny bowl of bright green and mild guac, topped with seasoned shrimp, salty bacon, or strong gorgonzola. The guacamole was just chunky enough to feel authentic, and the toppings made the avocado come alive.

RER 8.1.13

She also went for the spicy tuna dumplings, recommended highly and frequently by one of her friends. Each dumpling was a wanton stuffed with spicy tuna (like the sushi roll), fried and served on a bed of guacamole, garnished with a little samba sauce. These badboys were surprisingly delicious, with a wild variety of textures, hot and cold temperatures, and a range of flavors. Each dumpling was one and a half bites of fun and surprise.

RER 8.1.13

RER 8.1.13

For my first course, on the recommendation of our lovely server, I got the salmon kani poppers in lieu of the asian style wings and the guacamole starter. These bites consisted of kani salad wrapped in salmon sashimi and finished with a hot hot wasabi yusu sauce. The textures were raw and unsettling in a way, kind of slimy and wet, but that is what raw fish generally feels like. It was light and fresh, and most certainly, delicious. 

RER 8.1.13

RER 8.1.13

Despite the rave reviews of the fish tacos from friends and reviews alike, I sided with my server and got the tiger roll, which is soy bean paper filled with spicy crab, shrimp tempura and avocado, topped with a little chipotle sauce. The rice was cooked nicely, tender and almost buttery, and each grain felt separate. The crab, shrimp tempura, and avocado each offered a different texture— stringy, crunchy and smooth and creamy— while the chipotle brought a smoky flavor to the sushi roll.

RER 8.1.13

For dessert I had the mochi, the ambiguous and mildly contradicting ice cream wrapped in rice paper dessert. I got strawberry flavored mochi, and my plate was an abstract play of strawberry and chocolate syrup, three tiny balls of mochi, and far too much whipped cream. But it was delightful. These mochi were fresh; the rice paper was like thin stretchy dough, sweet and chewy, preventing the melting ice cream from becoming a giant mess on the plate.

RER 8.1.13

The food was pretty good and the service was prompt and friendly, but unfortunately, I do not feel that the dinner prix fixe was the best deal. My only regret was going for dinner instead of lunch, as the menus were exactly the same according to the website, but lunch was half expensive. I also did not leave as satiated as I wanted to. It was nice to have a light meal, but the price was not right.

RER 8.1.13

I will be back, though, to try the fish tacos everyone is talking about.

 RER

8.1.13

RER 8.1.13