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RER

5.20.15

truffle TAKEOVER: STK Meatpacking

RER 10.3.13

Dinner was more of a dance party than anything. STK wants to be an experience. Instead, it was just a place where some old masters mates could eat and be merry. Bumping music, red wine, and overblown food induced the desired merriment.

I was almost not hungry it was so late. But I was with foodies familiar with the menu, so decisions were swift and assertive. Only the starters seemed interesting, so my close friend and I greedily decided to share four. In the end, there was a lot of plate passing and seated gyrations.

The two plump scallops were perfect— seared, succulent and lovely. The heat was a welcomed unexpected contrast. The lemon ­­preserve, however, was unappealing. Its bitterness overwhelmed the delicate sweetness of the scallop, casting a dingy shadow on the appetizer.

The two wagyu beef sliders of the downsized Lil’ Burgers appetizer were a three bite take on comfort food. But the truffle oil doused bun did the sliders no favors. It was strong and felt forced, like a mask for the simple favorite to become something elevated.

Topped with moot frisee, served with forgotten crackers and bathed in black truffle aioli, the beef tartar was luxurious but also dirtily addictive. The raw meat flavors were lost in the combative aroma of truffles. Only the chewy texture remained, hinting at what it was meant to be. Though the tuna tartar was lighter, the soy honey emulsion had a similar cloaking effect as the truffle.

We didn’t really want to share the decadent foie gras French toast with our long lost colleagues, but sharing is caring. Sweet, savory, buttery, meaty, rich; the appetizer was a whimsical play on pan prepared foie gras with plain toast points. The airy almond brioche drizzled with sherry gastrique housed a thin slab of foie gras topped with soft tart green apples. The different supple textures echoed the luxurious flavors and the spike of tangy apple.

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The shape of the pasta in the lobster mac and cheese was reminiscent of the elbows of memories past, but the mature addition of lobster sweetened the cheesy dish. As many adult mac and cheeses use real cheese (not the bright orange variety from a pouch), this too had a grainy texture that baffled the mouth while the flavors seduced it.

The soufflé-like corn pudding was shockingly appetizing, sweet and pillowy, with a dark decadence that sided with the savory. It tasted like heavenly warm ice cream, interrupted with terrestrial golden corn kernels.

After consuming far too much liver, fancy beef, raw items and truffle (and wine for that matter), we indulged further with the requisite dessert. Each dessert was a playful rendition of a staple or a memory. Like the doughnuts coated in white sugar with white and milk chocolate sauces, served from a paper bag like at a fair with a trendy twist.

Or the birthday cake,  a dessert only a princess could imagine. It was a pretty column; a white fondant encased base topped with a spiral of baby pink frosting and crowned with clear candy and floating sprinkles. Beneath the buttery sweet parapet was a thick layer of dense almond cake, which rested on a cylinder of cookie dough ice cream. Sugary like childhood dreams and fairytales, in the end, was just too much.

 Many aspects of the Meatpacking eatery were just that, excessive. From the incessant and detrimental use of truffles, to the superfluous layers of flavors and ingredients, even to the heart-pounding music and slinky decor, it was hard to fully enjoy the meal. STK did succeed in creating an “experience.”

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10.3.13

RER 10.3.13

photo op: HOBOKEN Bar & Grill

RER 8.9.13

It was one of those TGIF moments. It had been a long week; a lot of good and a lot not so easy. So we went out to celebrate the end of the week, our ups and downs, accomplishments and failures, and it was happy hour, our happiest hour. Plus Jack and cokes were, one of our old favorites, were on special for $5. It was still too early for dinner, but our stomachs were talking louder than we were, so we indulged in a small snack at the bar at Hoboken Bar and Grill. We got some itty-bitty sliders— pulled pork, sweet, soft and stringy; cheeseburger, savory, salty and melty; and buffalo chicken, tart, tangy, and crunchy with a blue cheese soaked green apple. Each was a tiny bite, just a second to taste and get the essence of the vision of the bar food. To top off our in between meal we got the totally addictive mozzarella sticks. It was a good time, a prelude to the rest of our evening.

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Check out another time we visited Hoboken Bar and Grill for a more substantial meal. Hope you like foodie ventures on Facebook, or follow along on twitter or even instagram.

RER

8.9.13

RER 8.9.13

 

BREAKING boundaries: Beacon Bar

RER 7.16.13

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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photo op: BEACON bar

RER 6.25.13

Last week I had the opportunity to check out the newly opened Beacon Bar, filling out the Beacon Block, in the Upper West Side. The Beacon Bar is in the company of the legendary Beacon Theatre (where I have seen Adele and the Civil Wars), and the theater's official hotel, Hotel Beacon. The area brings tourists and people from the neighborhood alike to witness excellent life performances, hang out and explore, making the location perfect for a new chic bar and lounge. Take a peak at my article for Miss A, and feast (or drink) with your eyes some of the tastes from the Beacon Bar.

Beacon Big Apple RER 6.25.13

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Giulio Cesare RER 6.25.13

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Oaxaca Smokeout RER 6.25.13

Do you have any bar recommendations for a nice night out, with good food and better drinks? Leave me some food for thought, so I can try new places out. Can't wait to hear from you!

RER

6.28.13

RER 6.25.13