our time : Maritime Parc

It was the last date night before all hell broke loose. I exaggerate… just a little. But it was the last time we would sit down, peaceful and calm, happy and hungry, before the storm. It was the storm of parent-teacher-student conferences and a frenetic work schedule that seemed limitless.

This was our time.  

We held hands in the hushed restaurant and laughed with the backdrop of crisp contemporary and the winking sky-line.

We spent too much time examining the Maritime Parc menus that we were faintly familiar with, weighing the options as if these were our last choices. To do the prix fixe or not do the prix fixe? To do the wine pairing or not do the wine pairing? We mixed and matched. We indulged.

We oohed and awwhed at the refined array of appetizers like the intensely savory French onion soup mussels, salty with bacon and briny with the sea. Or the decadent lobster gnudi that slid on the tongue like exotic silk and cream seeped with luxury, studded with sweet squash and crisp, bitter Brussels sprout leaves.

We wanted to taste every entrée offered, struggling to imagine each flavor and dish without proof. But we couldn’t. We wouldn’t. We made up our minds and clung to old favorites, specialties that we could not escape, nor did we want to. We plunged our forks deep into lemon scented spiraled strigoli pasta with plentiful seafood gem obstacles.  We reveled in the succulent scallops, using the sides of our forks cute our prizes and shift earthy bright green peas and clear corn to create tiny voluptuous bites.

We chatted and chuckled. We observed soon-to-be-married couples, exploring tasting menus and venue perks, and sipping pretty colored cocktails that danced in the mood lighting. And we devoured dessert, despite our satiety from our lounging dinner.  We noted the sweet, the spice, the cold, the warm.

We relished. We enjoyed. We slowed down and savored all of the morsels and washed down all the delicious memories with bubbling prosecco. We lived this meal.

This was our time.

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2.4.16

passport to PARIS: Pirouette

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There was something almost chronological about the three-course meal at Pirouette. Each dish grew on the one presented before and served as a foundation for the dish following it. Even the colors swelled and fell as the meal progressed, introducing a wave of feelings and connotations.

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The cold corn soup was sweet and summery, silky and creamy with floating basil oil and succulent chunks of lobster. Pretty bright green nasturtium leaves enlivened the golden yellow soup, bringing summer to life with the most vivid of hues. Every element was soft and stringy, smooth and luxurious, but light enough for warm weather.

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A sculpture of freshness interwoven with snappy pea shoots, crunchy gomasio wings and crisp fried onions grew from a base of a fat dull red-orange tomato. Tiny wild strawberries dotted the vertical salad, bringing sweetness to the mix, while the creamy mascarpone cooled and heightened refreshment. The combination was inimitable, a chorus of closely monitored textures and bold flavors that melded into one.

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Although, embellished with greenery continuing in the season vein, the veal main sang a heartier note, laden with chickpea panisse and earthy swiss chard. The meat remained tender and juicy, but it submitted to the grainy fried panisse, which crumbled and mystified. Bitter tart lemon confit brightened and balanced, bringing the dish full circle.

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Even heavier and darker, the Neapolitan of duck and foie gras, succumbed to decadence. The fatty duck, chewy and meaty, countered the buttery and velvety foie gras, creating a tug of war on the palate with seemingly compatible playmates. Black garlic richened the sumptuousness of the dish, while the dark cherries added a necessary sweet tanginess and acidity for balance.

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Dessert had recognizable moments, but further twists crafted something different. The rice pudding was reminiscent of home, creamy, sweet and soft, while the ribbons of salted caramel and the imperceptible caramelized hazelnuts added dimension. White peach pieces and dark blackberries danced under a boule of spicy rich clove ice cream, while sweet meringue and fragrant speculoos gave crunch to the varied dessert.

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Less warm and more hip, Pirouette brings together seasonal, high-end and quality ingredients  to create a building harmonious meal which is hearty and satisfying.

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re.CAP: YELP's for lovers & friends

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The Yelp Elite Event, Yelp’s for Lovers & Friends, was absolutely delectable. The beautiful restaurant, Maritime Parc, made for a perfect venue for the Valentine’s Day inspired event. The place is gorgeous with incredible views, contemporary décor and a knack for the delicious.

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Beautifully orchestrated bites were passed around to the yelp elites and their guests. Each taste underlined and highlighted the aesthetic and the culinary vision of the restaurant.

A singular seared scallop rested on a tangy sauce with a delicate moment of micro greens, lush, elegant, and faultless.

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Rounded mounds of briny and succulent lobster risotto floated on wooden spoons, chewy and luxurious and studded with fatty chorizo.

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Oyster shells served as the ideal vessel for meaty grilled oysters drowning in cream with creamy leeks and salty bacon.

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Each slider with a buttery bun, caramelized onions, quality beef and special sauce was like sinking into something solid and familiar.

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Fat crab dumplings swam in pretty teacups, doused in sweet and spicy broth and floating goodies with an exotic flare, similar to the braised pork belly “Kung Bao” style.

The bar offered mixed drinks that were fresh and tropical, boasting pineapple and tequila, gin and sunshine, and rum with a red wine float. These cocktails spoke to the curated seafood landscape of the menu.

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The exquisite tasting was rounded off with sultry desserts. Bite-sized hot fried dough rounds filled generously with blueberries and ricotta cheese, brought on sophisticated sweetness, while the sticky toffee pudding with nuts and fruit evoked strange comfort.

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We were so lucky to get another taste of Maritime Parc and chat with other Yelpers and their guests. The event only made me want to visit the eatery again for a proper Valentine’s Day date night.

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ripple EFFECT : Amanda's

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There were five of them and it was almost too late to eat, but they knew they needed to, so they did. They had been there before, many times, but this time something felt a little different. There had been a small shift, like a timid constant daring for a change, only it makes changes so miniscule, they are almost imperceptible, just enough to ripple the surface and make people think.

The change was not in the service or the quality of ingredients. Amanda’s has always been one of the most consistent restaurants in Hoboken, never wavering from its high standards and the freshest, most seasonal ingredients.

Nor was it in the décor. The dining rooms still felt like the formal dining rooms of homes you might have been to. It remains timeless and comfortable, and just elevated enough to feel excellence.

Maybe it was the menu. Amanda’s does a few things very well, each dish may shift with the seasons, but these items are to be anticipated on the menu. This evening, some of those were indeed listed, but morphed to a recognizable unfamiliarity.

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As always, a polenta starter is featured on the menu.  This time it was the base for a spicy sausage ragu topped with pretty mache and salty strands of parmesan. The polenta was creamy and warm, as expected, but the ragu was multifaceted and distinct.

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The entrees too, were in typical form— a tower of starch, vegetable and protein—but mixed up and embellished. The flaky pink grilled salmon sat atop a thick slab of lobster mashed potatoes, flanked by buttery green beans. A slight adjustment to the potatoes inspired curiosity and resulted in creamy luxury.

Similarly the seabass precariously perched on a round of garlicky sautéed spinach and a quinoa risotto, played with the same model, but creativity came with the base. Instead of the classic risotto or even a grain, Amanda’s new vision offered an inventive twist.

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The duck dish, complete with maple-roasted butternut squash, bacon lardons and wilted mustard greens, read like an old dish but instead brought excitement. The maple surfaced the earthy sweetness of the butternut squash, which accented the earthiness of the dark greens. But the salt of the lardoons and the fattiness of the meat made everything sparkle.

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Even dessert brought something uncharacteristic to the table. A banana cake with caramel ice cream felt like bananas fosters on the tongue, classic and simple but recreated. And a butterscotch pudding, layered all the dreams of sweetness into a perfect little package, presented in a jar. The chocolate molten cake is an old standby, unbroken by new imaginings.

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Sometimes the key to consistency is a kind of monotony and paucity of innovation. This flatness was at times present at Amanda’s—not that the food wasn’t good, it was, just predictable and safe. The new turns have created a more exciting experience, while replicating the high standards and quality. 

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DINNER before the show: The Oak Room Restaurant

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Dark and majestic, The Oak Room in the Westin St. Francis in Union Square, San Francisco, is the kind of place where established people dine before a show at the theatre. The lights are dim, the furniture heavy, and the ceilings high, but there is the kind of refined coziness similar to that hidden in a smoking lounge of an old gentlemen’s club.

It is easy to sink low into one of the couches, graceful with tall backs, or get settled into one of the rigid armed chairs, but the food brings a different kind of comfort. It is familiar but translates elegance and luxury like the decadence of the room.

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Four plump Maine lobster ravioli cuddle in a thick and buttery cognac cream, silky and sweet. Chewy pasta hides smooth succulence of lobster which echoes the sweet of the creamy dark sauce, while micro greens highlight earthy undertones. And toasted bread nestles warmed fresh burrata floating perfectly on a consortium of slow roasted tomatoes, acidic and sweet. The smooth cheese mellows the aggressive tart attributes of the cherry while a chiffonade of basil adds cool refreshment.

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Texture is tossed around in the West Coast Chopped Salad, a rhythm of juicy roasted chicken, smoky salty bacon, wet cucumbers, buttery avocado, smooth egg and pungent blue cheese. The chop of the romaine adds more surface area for toppings and sparkling champagne vinaigrette.

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The braised short rib, perched on a bed of root vegetables, swiss chard and lima beans, redolent of Sunday suppers offers something more hearty. Its tender meat strings and shreds practically melting into the rough hash pile, caressed with meaty liquids and classic flavors.

The dessert menu presents traditional favorites, like tarts, cheesecake and crème brulee, and undoubtedly displaying the same precision and quality of the restaurant’s more savory dishes. But when running late for the theater, there is no time for dessert!

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gone FISHIN': Bait & Hook Re-Launch

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Bait & Hook just celebrated the bar/restaurant’s re-launch—new menu, but same seafood territory. The sea themed bar makes the seafood the star while offering a wide array of beers, wines and specialty cocktails. Under Consulting Chef Dave Martin, Bait & Hook has revamped its menu, taking visitors on a vacation while sitting in the East Village eatery. A trip to Maine to devour the freshest of lobster, or down the shore to enjoy seafood at its peak, oceans as playgrounds. The menu is thick with seafood favorites, infused with genuine passion, flavor and veritable warm weather.

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Vibrant fish tacos, topped with lively cilantro and white onion all nestled in blue corn tortillas, bring the surf while no-nonsense juicy chicken and wagyu sliders bring the turf.

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-->Delicious lobster rolls in butter and aioli varieties add comfortable decadence to the succulent lobster. The rolls are like a trip to the beach where everything tastes better in the briny salt air.

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Oysters and cocktail shrimp left in their purest state, recall summer, sunshine and balmy temperatures, fresh and free. Their impressiveness lies in their naked quality and condition.

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While the hot crab and artichoke dip emanates warmth and coziness even with crunch of the toasted french bread, reminiscent of bond fire memories on a cool summer evening.

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The lobster mac and cheese too brings warmth to mind with its mélange of familiar and luxury. Large lobster chunks come together seamlessly with the mix of cheeses and noodles, the salt of the cheese complements the sweet sweet lobster meat.

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-->Coconut shrimp and Kung Pow calamari give a different twist to the seafood fare, combining flavors and influences to create a layered experience. Plump shrimp are breaded and spiked with the dulcet notes of shredded coconut, and octopus rings are coated in firey hot and sweet sauce with the crunch and earthy feel of peanuts—bringing together land and sea.

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Bait & Hook is not just a bar with TVs and decorated walls, it is a place to enjoy the fruits of the sea while taking a metaphorical day trip outside of the City. With an updated menu and cool sips, Bait & Hook will be a great hang out to escape the oppressive New York City heat.

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Bait & Hook

231 2nd Ave.
New York, NY 10003

ph. 212.260.8015

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