French Connection

Maybe NYC has always been awash in French restaurants; maybe we just never frequented the right neighborhoods; maybe they were out of what I considered our price range for a non-occasion dinner; or maybe they were just too friggin' snooty for my black jeans and black T-shirt wearing self.  Whatever it was, it seems the tide has turned, and that "reasonably priced" (of which there's no such thing any more in Manhattan) Italian trattoria that was opening on every other block (oh, how I long for the early days of 'ino, 'inoteca, Lupa with Ladner not mario, etc. etc.) has morphed into that more casual French bistro, and ain't that dandy? I mean, Italian food cooked at home is just so much better than the dreck served up at lousy Italian restaurants dotting the city (I'm currently looking at you, Serafina), that I'm happy to be donning my Francophile hat now, when Significant Eater and I head out for dinner.

Don't get me wrong - these won't necessarily be inexpensive nights out; but if you choose your drink(s) wisely, very nice dinners may be had without breaking the bank. Three additions to the French scene have opened recently (though you might have to hurry to one of them), in addition to the openings over the past few years of Le Coucou, Mimi, Le Coq Rico, Le Turtle, and Rebelle (sadly, closed). The latest batch includes La Mercerie, helmed by Marie-Aude Rose, and reviewed here by my friend Danny B.; Frenchette, in Tribeca, which opened at the beginning of April; and though it's not new, Racines, where they've brought in chef Paul Liebrandt, late of The Elm and Corton, for a residency expected to last through the end of May.  And having tried all 3 of this latest batch, I'm happy to report that the French bistro is alive and well here in NYC.

La Mercerie you read about by following that link above; certainly delicious food, but I think better for a nice lunch than dinner out. And certainly great if you've got $23,000 burning a hole in your pocket for that couch you must have!

Next up, Racines, where the short-term residency of chef Paul Liebrandt had us smacking our lips in anticipation. Racines (in my opinion) has always had an identity problem; is it a wine bar with restaurant style food, or is it a restaurant with a great wine list? Right now, with Paul, it's certainly a fancier restaurant with a great wine list. This is far from casual bistro fare, however. And it's got, to my taste, a lot of elements from both Japanese and Nordic cooking happening - Japanordica? For instance...

Kampachi at Racines via Paul Liebrandt

A first course of not so simple kampachi, with smoked yogurt and ossetra caviar, of a 5-course tasting menu, which included a crab/foie dish, turbot with Comté gnocchi, aged duck, and a fine chocolate dessert.  Serious Paul Liebrandt food, gorgeous plating, no punches pulled, for $90...a veritable bargain in our city today.  As I mentioned, the wine list is deep, and loaded with value.  Those who know way more about wine than me will study this list, and surely find something amazing. We were happy with a bottle of a 2010 Alsatian riesling blend at barely above retail, followed by a 2014 Janin Moulin-a-Vent, which went nicely with the duck (and chocolate), and also was bargain priced.  Here's the catch: if you want to eat food from a Michelin starred chef - go soon...he may be gone in the blink of an eye.

But then there'll always (we can hope) be Frenchette, perhaps my favorite of all the openings; certainly of the current crop, though it's hard to get Le Coucou off my mind. If you don't know the story of chef partners Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr, read a little about it here. And from the welcome at the front door by a few of the industry's finest vets, to the casual yet pro service in the dining room, to the wine list "curated" by Jorge Riera (profiled recently in The Times), it's all good food & fun. The room rocks, and not with music that's too loud. I've been 3 times already, and can't get enough; other than the Italian food I cook at home, this stuff hits my sweet spot.

So, for instance, start (as I did on my first vist) at the bar with pig's foot croquettes, served atop a beautiful sauce gribiche. The roast chicken for 2 is no slouch either, all crispy skin and juicy meat, with a pile of pommes puree that's either half cream or half butter...or both. Try eating that at the bar (we did), and watch your neighbors covet your plates.  Last night, in the dining room, we more sedately started with a rare treat...

Goose neck barnacles at Frenchette

Percebes, or goose neck barnacles, all saline and finger-licking good, with a sauce meant to be sopped up with the excellent (FREE!) bread. You can't come here and not order the scrambled eggs...

Brouillade at Frenchette

No, I mean the brouillade, scrambled eggs so soft and creamy, you'll wonder why you don't make these at home (hint - they're a pain in the ass). Currently, they're topped with a taste of snails, but it's really all about the eggs, and brunch may never be the same. Now, it being spring, I must have lamb...

Spring Lamb Stew at Frenchette

In the form of a delicious lamb stew, with a sauce to die for. At home, I make lamb stew with lamb neck; here, I believe they're using leg, and I'm gonna give that a try the next time. Perfectly sweet peas, asparagus, baby turnips, carrot, and potato made this dish seem positively healthy. 

Dessert last night was a merely delicious mille-feuille...

Mille-feuille at Frenchette

Made all the better by its tri-star strawberries, from where I don't know.  But - does it really matter?

Digging once again at the low end (price wise) of the wine list, we opted to open with an Alsatian riesling, this one from Julien Meyer, and barely double the retail price (if you can find it).  We followed that up with another 2014 Beaujolais, this one a Fleurie from Marcel Joubert, and also priced to sell. In case you're thinking Sig Eater and I always down 2 bottles of wine at dinner, be good - there were 3 of us!

If we're entering into an era of moderately priced, French bistro-style restaurants (bistronomy?) here in NYC, I'm all for it. If these are places where sharing isn't "recommended" by the kitchen, and where the food comes out on normal plates when it is supposed to, then I'm all for it. After all, isn't it about time we all learned how to dine like grown-ups? Or, more to the point - let's make that French Connection.

Bronx Tales

Every now and then, in my continuing quest to explore "the boroughs" (and no, I haven't gotten to Staten Island yet, other than multiple trips to a friend's house for great dinners), I decide to head north and that borough up there, known colloquially as: da Bronx.

Not the largest borough (Queens), and not the most populous borough (Brooklyn), the Bronx might just be the most fun borough to visit. (And sorry if I forgot to explain what a borough is; essentially, in New York, the boroughs are counties...but not exactly.)  There's the Bronx Zoo. There's the New York Botanical Gardens.  There are Van Cortlandt and Pelham Bay Parks. There are beaches. Rivers. You get the picture, right? And oh yeah - there's food.

Take Sammy's Fish Box, for example...

Sammy's Fish Box

Located on City Island (yeah, there are also islands in the Bronx), the food is pretty good if you stick with the tried and true, and it's served in what may only be called brobdignagian proportions. It's old school, so everyone gets bread and "crudités." And if soft-shell crabs are in season - they'll probably be as delicious as these...

Soft-shell crabs at Sammy's

But men and women do not live by seafood alone. So when you're in the mood for something a little different, head over to the Pelham Bay section of the Bronx, where you'll find the great...

Louie & Ernie's

The pies rank right up there with our favorites anywhere. In nice weather, you can sit in the backyard and enjoy your pie. The sausage is sourced in the Bronx (where else?), and it's delicious...

Louie & Ernie's Half Sausage Pie

If seafood doesn't move you, and you're not in the mood for pizza, how about Cuban food, at one of the 2 locations of Havana Cafe? 

Havana Cafe

I've only been to the one pictured above on East Tremont Avenue, and only for lunch, but the ropa vieja I enjoyed was sure worthy of another trip for Significant Eater and me in the near future. I'll bet the bar scene there is hopping on a weekend night!

Arthur Avenue, which many call the "real Little Italy" in New York (though that's debatable at this point), is still worthy of a visit and probably another blog post. There are a few great butchers on the Avenue and the fresh mozzarella at Casa Della Mozzarella is superb, but you need to pick and choose your spots, as a lot of what's on offer in the neighborhood is touristy junk.

Up in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, a couple (literally 2) of old-skool Jewish delis still hold out. Liebman's and Loeser's are the big names, though Sig Eater and I have only visited Liebman's so far. It's certainly good enough for a pastrami sandwich, a bissel of this and a schitckel of that, but it won't stop us from continuing our quest for the best. Here's a 2011 story from Back in the Bronx magazine about the remaining delis, with some excellent pictures.

Anything else? Oh, the Yankees, a great Etruscan Museum at Fordham University, Orchard Beach, and lots more to explore in the largest of our 5 boroughs. Me - I'm still looking for the "bodega" called Stubie's that my grandmother used to send me to in order to buy some farmer's cheese. One of these days... 

Zadie's Oyster Room

Zadie's Oyster Room is the latest incarnation of Chef Marco Canora's tiny restaurant space on E. 12th St.  Previously, it was Fifty Paces, due to its location 50 paces from his much larger flagship up the block - Hearth. Before Fifty Paces it was Terroir, a much-liked wine bar, with some good snack-y food to go along; but that was ages ago in restaurant years. And now it's Zadie's. And now it's damn good.

Marco opened Zadie's as a tribute to the great oyster bars that once dotted lower Manhattan as Starbucks does today. As he explained in an interview with local blog Bedford and Bowery:

“I always had it in my mind to make a turn-of-the-century grand oyster bar,” he explained. “I would go to the New York Public Library and did a boatload of research and gathered old menus from that era,” he said, describing his fascination with the oyster industry that thrived in the city’s harbors in the late 19th and early 20th century. During his research, he was struck by their sheer proliferation of oyster bars in Manhattan. “They called them oyster rooms, oyster cellars – because a lot of them were underground, oyster saloons… there was all this verbiage around oyster bars, there were a lot of words for oyster rooms,” he said.

Marco's research also pointed out to him how oysters at those grand oyster bars were served in a variety of cooked styles, and that's exactly what's on the menu at Zadie's. Oysters at Zadie's can be ordered baked, broiled, steamed, fried, pickled, poached, and raw. Each prep is slightly different from another, but they all contain a special ingredient (shhhh - it's seaweed), as Chef likes the way seaweed punches up the flavor of the bivalve.

He's also offering an oyster-friendly wine list, with lots of bubblies, including a half dozen half bottles, as half bottles are a favorite of mine. So Significant Eater and I started off with this...

Cremant de Bourgogne

A fine, dry sparkler that went perfectly with our eats. And oh - the eats.  We began with crab cake sliders, 2 to an order; nice, generously crabby crab cakes, served with a textbook aioli and cucumber for a little crunch.  We also tried the shrimp cocktail, with beautifully poached shrimp and a nice, tangy cocktail sauce...turns out I'm not the only one who can cook shrimp properly.

But - it's an oyster room, so save room for the oysters. I've never seen so many offerings of oysters in different states of recently deceased...

Baked oysters and shrimp cocktail

Starting with the baked oysters (and obviously the shrimp cocktail), which were practically perfect. Oysters topped with prosciutto cotto, seaweed butter, egg, and leeks per the menu, and why can't I get a baked clam prepared as deliciously as this oyster is? Just one please.

See that picture? There are 3 baked oysters ; the cooked oyster dishes are served in 3s ($9.75) or 5s ($16.50) - and it's an arbitration process for Sig Eater and me at this point to see who gets the extra.

Moving on to a couple of glasses of wine to have with fried oysters, which were awesome atop their fennel slaw; we were advised to eat all in one bite with fingers; one delicious, crunchy, messy bite. The fried oysters are a must. The poached oysters, well -  I didn't love as much - though I think Sig Eater qvelled.

There's so much we missed. Broiled oysters, Pickled oysters. Steamed oysters. Smoked whitefish paté. Anchovy butter with brown bread. Even a classic Caesar, which I'm guessing Marco does right. Raw - of course there's happy hour Mon - Fri, with some oysters at half price. We'll be back soon, for a nice, casual, fun meal. If you're oyster fans like we are, head on over - you'll be happy you did.

Zadie's Oyster Room - 413 E. 12th St., NYC

Crazy for Le Coucou

Le Coucou is the new restaurant (opened for reals last week) collaboration between restaurateur Stephen Starr and Chef Daniel Rose of Spring, an acclaimed restaurant located in Paris. That backstory need not be explained here; suffice to say that Significant Eater and I have had the pleasure of dining at both the tiny Spring 1 (once), and the more ambitious Spring 2 (a number of times), and it was always a fun and delicious time.

Plenty of restaurants open in New York City; often they come with lots and lots of hype. Le Coucou is certainly one of them, as the PR bandwagon got rolling a while ago. And normally we like to give restaurants at least a little while to get their footing, but with this one we just couldn't wait, so off we were to Lafayette Street - on night two of service. I didn't even know if we'd get a table, since we were sans ressies, but we figured we could just grab a cocktail, even if we couldn't have dinner. But arriving early, we were offered a table by the charming Maître D' and lovely hostesses and hosts, though we did have a drink first, in their rather intimate lounge area.

Now, I'd introduced myself and Sig Eater to Daniel at Spring years ago, as a friend of a friend. And again, when we were lucky enough to dine at the new Spring. But here, even before I was seated, Daniel (who had zero idea we were coming to have dinner) was by our side, greeting me by name and with hugs and cheek kisses - you know, that lovely French way. And even though he looked like he wanted nothing more than to pass out on the extremely comfortable banquette, he returned to our table any number of time during our meal, to make sure we were enjoying our dinner, to see if there was anything we'd like him to "whip up." Basically the consummate host.

French has been seeing a serious revival in NYC over the past couple of years, and that makes us happy, as we love French cooking.  I mean, one need look no further than Rebelle, or Racines, or MIMI, or Chevalier, or...well, you get the picture. And here, with classic French technique executed almost flawlessly, we were in heaven. One of our favorite dishes is a simple Poireaux, poached leeks served in a bracing vinaigrette. Here, chef adds a little something extra, topping the leeks with sweet, roasted hazelnuts. What about fried Delaware eel? Normally, my eel exposure is limited to sushi bars, where the earthy eel get a sweetish topping. At Le Coucou, the Anguilles frites au sarassin are as light as a feather, the eel's buckwheat batter playing well with curried vinaigrette and a subtle brunoise of citrus.

Mimolette is a French cheese that as recently as a few years ago had its import halted by the food police, aka the FDA. It's back, and here it graces Asperges au vinaigre de bois. It's a simple lightly-roasted asparagus salad, made special by a smoked wood vinegar sourced somewhere in the wilds of Canada.

Asparagus salad

One of the dishes chef sent to our table was a knockout - a whole sea bream stuffed with lobster - and my guess is the menu is changing daily, because as I look while writing this, it's not on the online menu now. But here's a picture anyway.

Lobster stuffed sea bream

 A classic of the French culinary canon is Quenelle de brochet. As Julia says in Mastering the Art I, "A quenelle, for those who are not familiar with this delicate triumph of French cooking, is pâte à choux with a purée of raw fish...formed into ovals or cylinders and poached in a seasoned liquid. Served hot in good sauce, quenelles make a distinguished first course. A good quenelle is light as a soufflé..."

Quenelle de brochet, sauce américaine

Yes it is. And indeed it was. Our main course, which we shared because we wanted to save room for cheeses, was Bourride, a Provencal fish stew that might be known in places like Nice as bouillabaisse. Here, the fabulous fish fumet is stocked with halibut, mussels, clams, and Santa Barbara spot prawns. Served alongside, a thick slice of toasted baguette, slathered with aïoli. Suck the head of those prawns, dip the bread, and pretend you're somewhere other than Chinatown - it's easy enough, once inside, because this is a lovely space.

Our 3-cheese selection (all American) was swoon-worthy to Significant Eater, and served alongside was an accompaniment of 3 different beverages, which I don't really know if everyone gets - or if Daniel was just being extra nice to us.

Speaking of nice, the service staff is super. There was a horde of people working on both the floor and in the kitchen. The front of house people were professional, yet casual. There have a been a few notable restaurant openings this year, where service has been a bit "clumsy." Not here, where everyone is on the same page, and that enhances the experience greatly.

What else can I write? Well, I am sad we didn't get to enjoy dessert - we just ate too damn much, but next time! And while we were unexpectedly treated like old friends, with 3 comped dishes from the kitchen and a couple of glasses of champagne when we sat down at our table, I looked around the restaurant any number of times, and everyone sure looked happy. The wine list is extensive - maybe that's part of the reason? There are tablecloths on the tables. There are comfortable chairs. Reservations are taken. All grown-up stuff. But most of all, once you taste this cooking, I think you're going to be happy as well.

Le Coucou

Kosher Ish

Every once in a while (make that every once in a great while), I get the urge to eat some real kosher deli. Of course, I could just walk up to Katz's Deli, or head up to the 2nd Avenue Deli, but Katz's isn't really kosher and the 2nd Avenue Deli isn't really on 2nd Avenue (in either of its damn locations), so that knocks them out.

For a number of years I'd heard and read about a couple of far-flung kosher delis in the Bronx - though we'd never been to any of them. So this past weekend Significant Eater and I took a road trip; there were 2 delis I had in mind, located within 10 minutes of one another - Loeser's Old Fashioned Kosher Deli and Liebman's Delicatessen.

Now I'm not gonna get into a whole discussion about kosher and the laws which govern kashruth - it would take a few battling rabbis and other scholarly types, with way more knowledge than this lapsed Jew, to do that discussion justice. Suffice to say that I was surprised, when checking out the two Bronx delis for their hours of operation, that both are open on Saturday...the Jewish day of rest. Evidently, pastrami and corned beef rest for no man, though Loeser's is closed on Sundays - go figure. So, we ended up here...

Liebman's Menu

At any real Jewish deli, your waitperson will always bring to your table (if it's not already on your table) a little snack. An antipasto or hors d'oeuvre, if you will. And Liebman's doesn't skimp on those...

Cole Slaw and Pickles

The pickles were just fine, nice and sour. The cole slaw you shouldn't know from (look at that barely wilted cabbage) - let's just say my cole slaw kicks its ass.

But our goal was to try some other dishes from the Jewish deli canon; in this case, we ordered kishka (aka stuffed derma) with gravy, because it you tried to eat this stuff without gravy, they'd have to perform the Heimlich maneuver on you. Even with gravy, we're talking some ummmmm, heavy, dry food - the stuff that my ancestors existed on - when they weren't being raped by Cossacks. Then there was the latke (aka potato pancake), which didn't measure up to mine or my Bronx grandmother's; grandma could make a boatload of delicious latkes in her small kitchen, without any food processor bullshit - one of the few things she cooked while we'd actually stand around the stove (otherwise, you wanted to be as far out of her reach as possible).

But truth be told, we were really here for the meat. While I'm a fan of all the potential meats in a Jewish deli, including tongue, Significant Eater turns up her, well, nose, at tongue. So we decided on the 2-meat combo - pastrami and corned beef, on rye...

Half Sandwich

And how did it stack up? The pastrami had nice flavor (milder than what I enjoy, but Sig Eater liked the spice), and was too lean for my liking; when I go to Katz's, I generally order "moist" pastrami; in the case of pastrami, moist means fatty, the deckle portion of the cut. And the corned beef, to be honest, was a little bland and dry. But hey, the rye bread was nice and fresh, so the sandwich had that going for it.

Am I glad we went? Yeah, sure. Will we head back to the Bronx for more pastrami? Perhaps - but next time to try Loeser's.

Oh - a few week ago I was out in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn...

My Brisket House Pastrami Sandwich

Where I got to try the pastrami at My Brisket House. Nothing kosher about this joint at all, but guess what? The pastrami was better than Liebman's. And the rye bread - feh.

Wu's Wonton King

Wu's Wonton King stands where Wing Shoon once was (East Broadway and Rutgers streets). Before Wing Shoon, there was Wing Shing. Before that, the Garden Cafeteria.

We went back (Significant Eater was hoping for the ghost of Trotsky) to Wu's Wonton King for lunch yesterday; what we had was pretty tasty.  Good enough roast meats; by now I've tried the roast pig, the roast pork, the duck and the soy sauce chicken.  The surprise was a bowl of what they call "Bone Soup Noodle," in their "Special Noodle" category.  It's a different prep of broth, made with actual bones (beef, pork, and chicken) allegedly (per our nice waiter) cooked for a long time, as opposed to the 95% salt and MSG broth used in their "HK Style Noodle Soup." And the noodles are quite ramen-y, so they have a nice bite to them (though they will let you select another style of noodle). The soup is cloudy (once again, think ramen) and extremely tasty, without being overly salty.

A giant platter of gai lan ($11, with about 6 cloves of minced garlic) was properly cooked - and evenly sliced, so we didn't have to wrestle with long spears of this almost-bitter-enough vegetable.

Nice to have them in the neighborhood, and there is plenty more to try on the menu, including dishes like Rack of Lamb (at $21!) and the ubiquitous Butt G So White (at $29), which I might have to try just to figure out what the hell it is.

Oh - for those who wonder (and for those who take pictures) - the inside of the place is bright - think dining on the surface of the sun, and you've got the right idea.

Wu's Wonton King - 165 EAST BROADWAY, NYC

Provincetown - The "Outer" Cape and Wellfleet Too

There's an old Woody Allen line, from his stand-up days, which goes something like this:  "I'm a little fair-skinned. When I go to the beach, I don't tan - I stroke." Which pretty much describes how I feel about a day at the beach, or just in the sun.

So, you ask, what the hell am I doing up on the Cape, (excuse me - the outer Cape) in Provincetown, in June? Fortunately, the weather was what some might consider miserable - cold, windy, damp, drizzly - in other words, perfect for me! 

And last year, Rebecca and Sean (hmmm - let's see - Rebecca is Sig Eater's niece, which means she's my niece too. Sean is her husband which means he's our nephew, right?) took their 5 or so years of Brooklyn food experience up to Provincetown, and bore this child (their parents are very proud)...

Pop+Dutch

Pop + Dutch is a general store/sandwich shop, in what used to be, ummmm, a general store and sandwich shop (I think). Lots of sweat labor went into making the place as lovely as it is now. Of course I'm biased, but we tried at least 6 different sandwiches and 2 salads, and I only wish I could get a sandwich as fresh and tasty down here in my neighborhood. Anything that can be prepared in-house is. They roast the beef; the turkey; the chicken for their chicken salad and mighty club sandwich (though it's called a "505" instead of a "212" - when you go in, they'll explain). They bake muffins and biscuits. They bake pies and cookies. They go through dozens of eggs for breakfast sandwiches and egg salad. And if you're a cooking geek, you should know that this gets a big work out...

C-Vap

In addition to the seriously delicious prepared foods, Pop + Dutch carries a bunch of unique grocery products. Duke's mayonnaise. Zapp's potato chips. Mr. Q Cumber soda - which happens to mix very nicely with gin, thank you. Mallo Cups and Whatchamacallits. Wiffle Bats and Balls. Milk, eggs, and fresh produce, too. This year, they are hooking up directly with some farmers, like a CSA kinda thing. Basically, everything you need for a day, week or month in Provincetown. And no bagels!

Go? Of course - it's in the "west end" of Provincetown, a bit away from the insane tourist part of the strip -   you'll be glad you stopped by.

Of course, heading up to Provincetown to visit the mishpucha didn't preclude us from various other endeavors. And since we arrived on a Sunday afternoon, it meant we actually got to spend some time with the kin. During the season, P+D is open daily, and they have no time for anything or anyone. But pre-season, they were closed on Tuesday, and with early-ish closing times on Sunday and Monday, we were able to sample some of Ptown's (and Wellfleet's) finest. 

Our first stop, on the drive up, was at Mac's Seafood On The Pier, in Wellfleet...

Mac's Lunch

The fried scallops, clam chowder and lobster rolls hit the spot after a 6-hour car ride, though I think there's a bit too much mayo in the lobster and oy vey with the lettuce on my lobster roll.

Checking in at the Red Inn, here's the view we enjoyed, right from our gorgeous room, for the next 3 days...

Provincetown Bay

We enjoyed that view and relaxed for a while, while our erstwhile hosts closed up shop. Since their apartment is literally across the street from the Red Inn, we met there for cocktails - gin and Mr. Q Cumbers all around! Looking for a nice, local, relaxed dinner, Rebecca and Sean suggested Devons Food Bar, and we were soon ensconced at the bar, enjoying some nice wines and beers by the glass, bar snacks and a small plates-y dinner. But not just any bar snacks - salt cod fritters, excellent linguica with figs, a fine littleneck clam ceviche, and my favorite - the crispy fried pig ear strips - oh yeah. Then my small-plate main really knocked me out; a butterflied quail, buttermilk basted and deep fried - one of the best versions of this dish I've had in a while.  Everyone else enjoyed their mains as well, though i have no idea what anyone else had. Oh - before we left their apartment, I was able to snap a quick shot...

Pop + Dutch People Sean and Rebecca

The next morning we awoke to a bit of a chill and breeze. But no matter what, Sig Eater was getting in her deck time...

Hanging on the Deck

It got a little sunny and Monday turned out to be perfect for checking out some of the other stuff Ptown is known for: you know - the Cape light, landscape, beaches, wildlife - all that stuff I can take or leave. (It happened to be quite beautiful)...

Race Point Lighthouse

Nature - AKA A Fox

One of the beaches. It's all beaches.

After all that outside stuff for Significant Eater and me, Sean drove us down to Wellfleet for dinner - lobsters - at PJ's Family Restaurant. It's...well...a family restaurant, so buy your beer next door at the gas station, or bring it from home. Bring a flask, too, if you feel like it. Sig Eater went for the clambake, including a pound of steamers...

Clambake Dinner

Bigger lobster

While I opted for the simple 2-pounder, since I've never been a huge steamer fan. Stan, my dear old dad, loved steamers - me, I never really got a taste for those sort of slimy, sort of sandy, sort of like swallowing a mouthful of funky beachwater piss clams. That said, my lobster was perfectly cooked. Thomas Keller can butter poach all the lobster he wants; me - gimme a few people who've been cooking lobster all their lives to prep mine, and I know it'll be okay...juicy, sweet, briny, luscious and messy. As it was. Early lobster-dinner means you get to head back into Ptown in time for a few drinks. And while a few drinks can be had most anywhere in Ptown, for a real, honest-to-goodness cocktail (both my on-menu and off-menu drinks were great), head to the Nor' East Beer Garden, right smack dab in the middle of the action on Commercial St. Oh - one little thing - don't go if it's raining. There's no roof on the place, and they evidently are only open "weather permitting." Fortunately, it was "permitting" the night we went.

Tuesday morning we woke to a slightly different view...

Provincetown Bay Low Tide

Tide's out - which evidently happens 2x a day - but even I remember that from my science class in 5th grade or so. That big, tall thing in the background is called Pilgrim Monument Provincetown Museum.  It's on a a hill. It's like 250 feet up after you get up the hill. You can climb to the top via stairs and ramps. Even on a day when the winds were about 50 mph up there, we did - though I'm still trying to figure out why. Other than the view, I guess...

Provincetown Harbor

There's a fantastic museum at the base of the monument. Both worth an hour or two of your time. So we spent an hour or two of our time there, did a little more sightseeing and ended up back at the Inn for a nice, lazy afternoon looking at the water...

Niece/Aunt

It also gave us time to get ready for the fanciest dinner of our trip, a 7-course tasting menu at Ceraldi, in Wellfleet. Chef Michael Ceraldi's restaurant is basically his ode to the Cape and its ingredients (including, of course, some locally foraged stuff) in the same sorta way that Sean Brock's is to low-country cuisine and its ingredients. It's good. It's raison d'être is good. Chef does his plating right in the middle of the big, comfortable U-shaped bar...

Chef Plates Oyster

We started off with a single smoked Wellfleet oyster, and moved into a fabulous escarole soup with tiny meatballs. Wild milkweed tempura came next, and we were off and running. Lobster and scallop sauced Michael's fine gnocchi, and the halibut course, accompanied by wild rice and local greens, showed a great hand with fish - and that's what a Cape Cod cook should have. Dessert was a textbook perfect panna cotta finished with honey-roasted nuts and rhubarb syrup.  There are some excellent wines to be had by the glass or bottle. If I remember correctly, there are 2 possible pairings, but we chose some stuff on our own. That 7-course meal - $70 (before wine, tip, etc.).

In my mind, chef's time at places like Metamorfosi in Rome, Felidia and Del Posto in NYC, and, most importantly, in his mom's kitchen that he grew up in, really serves him well...bringing those experiences to develop his own philosophy and using excellent ingredients and letting them shine. Nice job.

When we got back to the Red Inn, we spent an hour or so enjoying the night time sights from our room...

Provincetown Night

Heading back out of town the next morning, on our way back to the big city, our final stop was at -  you guessed it - Pop + Dutch. After all, we wanted two more sandwiches for the ride home - and the iced coffee was great too!

Pop + Dutch on Facebook

Pop + Dutch Instagram

Rebelle - A Touch of Paris on The Bowery

You know, if it weren't for the Bowery Mission directly across the street, or the traffic heading to and from the Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges, or the fact that Significant Eater and I walked to the brand-spanking new Rebelle in under 15 minutes, we could've sworn we were in Paris. I mean, not on the Boulevard Saint-Germain or anything, but maybe, just maybe, somewhere in Paris.

Originally, our plan was to walk by Rebelle, see if if was slammed, and continue walking north on the Bowery to another destination. But when we peeked in, we saw two seats open at the bar, and decided to at least stop in for a drink. Once seated (and it's worth mentioning that Rebelle actually has comfortable bar seats), cocktails in hand, our plans changed and I asked one of the très chic hostesses about a table in the dining room; the next thing you know, we're being escorted to a table into the skylit (well, during the day, anyway) back room, sitting and looking at one of the très gorgeous open kitchens I've seen in New York - like...ever.

Rebelle From Their Website

Rebelle's from the team that also runs Pearl & Ash, right next door. Good start. The chef is Daniel Eddy, who was chef de cuisine, at Spring in Paris, for a few years - yep, he really cooked there, as opposed to showing it on his resume, a la every cook and his brother claiming a stage at noma.

So what does a chef, whose been cooking with great ingredients in Paris, do when he or she gets to New York City? Well, how about cooking in that style, but using many of the great ingredients we have available? I'm certainly not one who insists that ingredients have to be local or grown on the roof; that's fairly impossible here over the winter. And now it's spring, so even if the asparagus or leeks are from California or Mexico this month, I want them. And Daniel's way with these vegetables is damn good. The juicy asparagus, served with charred young (okay, spring) onions, fiddlehead ferns, and roasted hazelnuts, are just fine - especially when they've gotten an unexpected hit of sweetness - from maple. And Significant Eater barely let me have my half of this leek dish, a delicious take on a classic (with ash!)...

Rebelle Leeks Vinaigrette

Chef Eddy's fluke (local) dish was fine, but the scallop dish was a real winner in my book. I'm pretty sure these scallops are local (they should be - we have the best), though the uni that sneaks in the dish is probably from, maybe, Maine? Who cares...

Rebelle Scallops With Sea Urchin

Main courses for us were a duck breast, perhaps a play on duck à l'orange, served with endive, orange sauce and smoked almonds. Once again, showing fine cooking chops, my magret was plainly and perfectly cooked...

Rebelle Duck Breast

Significant Eater ordered the "beet bourguignon;" not totally satisfying to two carnivores, but at least we thought it was good for us. Unfortunately, we didn't notice the menu said "beet" instead of "beef" - that's what happens when you start looking at the food menu after cocktails and that first glass of wine - and I think it would be nice if your waitperson mentioned the fact that you've just ordered beets, not beef!

This being Paris New York City, we figured why not have the special cheese course before dessert?  A big plate of sliced Comté was ours - again, it would be nice if they let you know what you're in for with the Comté - that is - $21.

Desserts are the from the hands of Jessica Yang, who has cooked at some fairly heavy-duty spots. Our Paris Brest, a dessert that is not easy to make (if my attempts in cooking school were any indication), was fantastic - and averaging the cost in with the Comté, we're talking under $15 each - you can do the math.

As reported in all the food media, and as to be expected from the Pearl & Ash crew, the wine list is, shall we say, deep. After cocktails, we enjoyed a nice half-bottle of Alsatian Riesling to go with our first course or two, and then a few by-the-glass suggestions to go with the rest of our food. Any wine geeks - this is the place for you. And on my next visit back, I plan on sitting at the bar and having some "snacks." There's a beef dish that's calling my name.

Go? Are you kidding - of course! Beautiful room, great food, great wine list, nice staff - what are you waiting for? In my opinion, Rebelle's already running on all cylinders...it should only get better.

Rebelle

California Dreamin'

Every once in a while, California pops into my mind.  It's not because I lived there for 18 years, back in the go-go days of the 80s and 90s.  Maybe it's because every day I read another article about the coming droughtpocalypse; when I first moved out west, it was to Santa Barbara - then in the midst of a 100-year drought - I think those happen every now and then (in what's basically a desert).   And believe me, when you're standing in downtown Santa Barbara, watching the hills burn, smelling smoke and feeling the heat, it's weird.  So don't get me wrong - I think we're fucking up the earth really badly, but there are already enough people talking about that, and "food" blogs are supposed to be somewhat fun, no?

Where was I?  Oh yeah, California. Specifically, San Francisco and the Bay area. Since I ended up spending a long time in Silicon Valley, after 2 years in Santa Barbara, I like to return to the city by the bay, whenever I get a chance. So we jumped at the opportunity last month, to celebrate Significant Eater's b'day and our belated anniversary, and found ourselves in a rental car at SFO, on a beautiful, sunny Wednesday afternoon.

Here's where we head first - at least when it's dungeness crab season...

Swan

Because there's nothing quite like this...

Crab Louie

Just a big old pile of freshly steamed dungeness crab (maybe my favorite crustacean), topped with what's called Louie dressing,  and a big hunk of sourdough bread...ahhhh. There'll be a line, most likely, but it's worth the wait for Swan's impeccable seafood. They were out of uni this afternoon, but there were still some excellent oysters to be had, and those, along with the above Louie, should help you forget about your early morning flight.

After a nice break at our Union Square hotel (The Rex), and a couple of rye old fashioneds in their cute little bar, we were off to find Kin Khao, Pim Techamuanvivit's lauded Thai eatery. Pim is an old web friend from the early days - she posted on some of the first food boards and also Chez Pim; now, she seems to be busy running a restaurant. And a damn good one, too...

Kin Khao

Those chicken wings were great, but the highlight for me was the curry, with rabbit and rabbit meatballs. It's spicy, so be careful.

The next morning, we got an early start, since we were headed to Pescadero for lunch.. But we wanted to make our traditional visit here...

The Gate

Amazingly, I got Significant Eater to walk almost halfway across the bridge. I pretend I'm not scared of heights, so this was a first for both of us, and it goes to prove that it's never too late to try something you never thought you'd do.

Birthday dinner this night was at Chris Cosentino's new place, Cockscomb. We've been Cosentino fans for a while, at least since eating at the now-closed Incanto several years ago. Cockscomb's a big, high-ceilinged space, in a much friendlier location than Noe Valley, at least if you're staying in North Beach/Union Square, etc. It's got a great open kitchen, and chef was working the pass. A nice selection of oysters led into this bruschetta topped with uni and Iberico lardo...

Cockscomb Uni Bruschetta

I could easily eat the quail I had as a main on a weekly basis, and Sig Eater proclaimed her steak to be one of the better ones she'd had in a long time; must be that big, open fire they cook on.

Breakfast the next morning was at another one of our favorites, Plow. Plow's up on Potrero Hill, and if you're sporting a vehicle (it is California, after all), breakfast or lunch here is a must. It can be healthy or not - that's your choice. We usually go half and half; that is, we shared avocado toast (it is California, after all), and also a delicious house-made sausage with eggs, home-fries, and coffee cake to top it off. The service is sweet and earnest, and you'll thank me for this recommend.

We kinda skipped lunch; okay, not really -  lunch became a sandwich and snacks from here...

Ferry Market Building

Which actually was a sort of disappointment, only because I couldn't cook with these...

Morels

Oh well, maybe next time.  For now, these loomed ahead...

Filbert Steps

390 steps up - a good way to burn calories, right? The views are also pretty spectacular as you make the climb. There's the Malloch Building, used by Bogey as a refuge in the classic film noir, Dark Passage...

1360 Montgomery Street

And there's also...

Coit Tower

Bring water for the climb, and if you're lucky, the parrots of Telegraph Hill/ North Beach will be out and about - they often cavort in the trees on and around the Filbert Steps. From the top of Telegraph Hill, we made our way, walking, back to the hotel, first passing this locavore fish seller in Chinatown...

Stockton Street

I guess San Francisco's not that much different from NYC after all. Though I'd sooner eat a fish from the SF bay or ocean than I would one from the East River, but that's just me; YMMV. A shower, a nap, a cocktail - and time for dinner at - The Progress.

The Progress is the sister restaurant (and right next-door) to James Beard winner, State Bird Provisions. They offer a prix-fixe menu in the dining room, and a la carte service at the bar...we chose the bar, because, well, we like bars.   Long-time San Francisco restaurant critic Michael Bauer reviewed The Progress, with much better pictures, back in February. I'll defer to him, but I sure wish we had a place like this (or like State Bird, for that matter), here in New York. We had a fine time, with fabulous people working behind the bar - and great food.

Don't forget coffee; San Francisco is a damn good coffee town. We always hit up one of our favorites, Four Barrel, on Valencia Street in The Mission. Sig Eater will have one of these...

Macchiato at Four Barrel

While I go straight for the double espresso. I also bring home a couple of bags of beans, which I'm just now finishing.

This trip, we discovered a new (to us) great view spot at, you guessed it - Buena Vista Park. We approached from the back side, the entrance at the top of Duboce Avenue; if you're willing to schlep up a bit, and you're lucky, you might see this...

Golden Gate Fog

And what do you know? As we headed to our next stop, look who showed up...

Parrots of Duboce Triangle

The parrots of North Beach now appear to also have spun off a flock in the area of Buena Vista Park. This guy was giving me the eye...

Wary Parrot

Our next stop - a little time enjoying the views from the Marina Green...

Marina Green View

And...

The Rock

Don't forget, even though it's beautiful and sunny out, it may also be...

Sig Eater Enjoying the Weather

Chilly and windy. It's San Francisco, dammnit, but Sig Eater is well prepared...layers are important here.

Our final meal (well, we did have breakfast the next morning) of this whirlwind trip was at Trou Normand, located in the classic 1925 Pacific Telephone building. Trou Normand does the in-house charcuterie thing, butchering whole animals, so along with a nice roasted pork shoulder and a fine Tagliatelle Bolognese, this "small board" hit the spot with our cocktails...

Trou Normand Charcuterie Assortment

On the way back to our hotel, we popped into North Beach fave Comstock Saloon, for a well-made Sazerac. After all, we deserved it, don't you think?
Until next time, San Francisco.