gone FISHIN': Bait & Hook Re-Launch

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RER 5.28.14

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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RER 5.28.14

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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RER 5.28.14

-->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.

JAR 5.28.14

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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

RER

6.6.14

home is where the HEART is : La Nonna Ristorante & Bar

RER 4.23.14

Initially, the high ceilings are dark, even intimidating, but the host's welcoming greeting from just beyond the bar creates an immediate sense of comfort and community. Light streams through the large monogrammed windows, casting brilliance onto the earth tones and rustic details, as well as the clean table settings.  

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La Nonna Ristorante and Bar is the second Brooklyn restaurant run by Chef Morena and wife Anna-- a step up from the quick pizzas and pastas of La Nonna Pizzeria Trattoria Paninoteca. The evolving menu consists of antipasti and salads, embellished housemade pastas, hearty carne and pesce second courses, and daily specials and variations, alongside a well-rounded wine list. La Nonna mixes traditional Italian, which demonstrates Morena’s simple roots, with intricate flavors displaying his innovation. The diversity, breadth and charm of the menu makes everyone feel at home.

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As a popular appetizer from its sister restaurant, the tower of fried breaded eggplant layered with plump tomatoes and fresh mozzarella is tested at La Nonna. It is topped with spicy arugula, salty parmesan and a drizzle of sweet balsamic. The crunchy eggplant pairs with the cheese and earthy arugula and tomato for classic flavors and feelings.

Three beautiful and vibrant Blue Point oysters line the slender plate, brimming with creamy spinach, crunchy breadcrumbs and parmesan. Each bring salty and earthy flavors and moments of texture from the chewy oyster to the crisp crumbs and smooth spinach, encapsulating comfort.

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Negative space enhances the aesthetics of the solitary line of the delicate octopus appetizer. Purple octopus and its bed of sliced fennel, red onion, and plump golden tomatoes divide the plate, only surrounded by dark dots of balsamic. The warm octopus is tender with a charred smoky afterthought, while the other cooler elements feel fresh and the herbs make it like a summer breeze.

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Pillowy gnocchi float in just enough familiar red sauce, chunky with tomatoes, onions and garlic. The sauce is readable, its roots apparent. It is soft and buttery, smooth playing to the consistency of the polenta dumplings. Salty mozzarella bonds with the sauce, stretching and sticking to each gnocchi while the green arugula adds bite.

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The six sachetti, draped in a rich brandy cream sauce, are filled with pureed chestnut and mascarpone. Bright cilantro and jeweled pomegranate seeds flirt with the heaviness of the sauce and intensity of the studded filling. Ambitious layering of flavors and textures reveal a complexity different from other dishes, showing Morena’s inventive spirit.

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The homemade multilayer dessert looks to the decadence of nutella, coffee, and chocolate and the lightness of lady fingers and whipped cream. A mixture of tiramisu, dry chocolaty Italian cookies, nutty nutella and a sweet whipped cream with just enough of each consistency and taste to blend to sumptuous sweetness.  The lusted after pistachio crème brulee is a bright green custard, smooth and sweet, with the bite of caramelized sugar from the crunchy shell and meaty roasted pistachios-- a twist on the beloved classic.

La Nonna is a little bit of home, a meeting of regulars and new comers, where everyone is treated with warmth and respect. Even with the high ceilings, pristine tables and refined rustic décor, the large space is cozy and welcoming, just like the luscious foods and wines brought to the table. Chef Morena's delicious offerings warm from the inside and Anna's hospitality recalls those intimate meals cooked by Grandma—La Nonna.

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4.23.14

JAR 4.23.14

La Nonna Ristorante & Bar

184 Kent Avenue

Williamsburg, Brooklyn 11249

ph 718.302.1100

COURT Street Revisited

RER 3.17.14

It felt like an emergency; no one could think of anything for dinner, and we were running out of time before the hangry came out. Court Street was the first idea, but having my reservations, I sought other options. After getting progressively hungrier studying menus, we settled on Court Street anyway. Never have been a huge fan, but I was hoping this time would convert me.

After waiting in the front bar, which was rowdy because of St. Patrick’s, we were sat at a table in the dinning room. The menu is sleek on the outside, but the inside feels clunky, more rushed. For the holiday, our breadbasket included some Irish soda bread, a sweet pleasant surprise to our famished bellies. After deliberation and eating the olive tapenade with a fork (ok, maybe that was just me), we ordered just mains.

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My father had the Beef Burgundy, which was served on a bed of yellow egg noodles. The stew looked pretty non-descript, with similar colored meat chunks, carrots and other dull veggies. The portion was heaping and the sauce hot. No complaints from my dad.

For my mother, the penne with seared scallops, artichoke hearts, tomato, and basil, coated in a little garlicky olive oil, which was one of the specials. The plate was attractive, but just looked like pasta. The plump scallops had a nice sear, and the garlic and tomatoes played up their sweetness. Each penne was al dente, a nice textural counter point to the succulence of the scallops and the acidic tomatoes.

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The chicken Francaise that my sister had was tasty, but dull. It was something that would have tasted just as good if made at home. The mashed potatoes were the same. The battered chicken, drowned in a lemon butter sauce was not totally dry, but flavorless. It would do for the extreme hunger situation.

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I took a leap and ordered the panko-encrusted tuna dish— sushi grade tuna, seared but a perfect rare on the inside. That is what I got, but it too lacked flavor and excitement. For some reason the fish was quite lemony and the panko crust almost overwhelming. The sauces on the side (a thin, wet spicy wasabi dressing, and a thick sesame aioli) made up for the missing flavor in the fish. The wasabi addition was super hot and almost uncomfortable.

In the end, once again, the best things seemed to be sides and garnish. First of all, the olive tapenade served with the bread is super amazing, briny, creamy, chunky and delicious. The vegetable of the evening, sautéed green beans, were salty, buttery, tasty and addictive. And that puree garnish, sitting pretty on the plate, was sweet and savory, like carrots.

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A quick look at the dessert menu told us everything we needed to know. There was nothing remotely tempting or different for dessert, so quite unlike us, we skipped it.

All this being said, Court Street is like a family place. Eating there is almost like sitting down to dinner at home and digging into home-cooked food. There is nothing extraordinary about the food, the menu or the place, but that is not what it’s supposed to be. Court Street has stood the test of time with a focus on traditional food and that warm atmosphere. It is not about the avant-garde or innovative, but the classics that people can rely on. If only those classics were taken up a notch.

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3.17.14

RER 3.17.14