Author: cia

Aquavit

13 West 54th Street
212/307.7311
about $300 for three, with a few drinks, without tip
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Updated, 2006: Aquavit has moved down the block at 65 East 55th Street between Park and Madison Avenues, 212/593.0287

I had one of the most surreal dining experiences at Aquavit with two of my friends. It was herring week in New York City and we were seated at the best table in the house, facing their cascading waterfalls, at the right time. The service was extraordinary; two waiters were looking after our needs and another one always made sure we were having a good time. Our reservation was at 8pm, which is prime dining time, but we were never rushed. We stayed until 11:30pm.

The chef and co-owner, Marcus Samuelsson, is the youngest chef ever to receive a three-star restaurant review from food critic Ruth Reichl. The James Beard Foundation has also awarded him “Rising Star Chef” in 1999 and “Best New Chef in New York City” in 2003. I was so impressed that he used kalamansi to make sorbet because it’s the Filipino version of limes. The trio of sweetbreads, pork sausages and lobster was an odd combination but it spelled decadence all over. Just like his eclectic food creations for this Scandinavian-owned restaurant, he also has a very interesting background. He’s Ethiopian and was adopted by a Swedish couple and has apprenticed in Sweden, Switzerland and Austria.

With a bottle of Gigondas, we each went for the three-course prix fixe. Between the three of us tasting each other’s food, it was like having nine courses, plus the three complementary tasting plates the chef sent up. Here’s a run-down of our meal:

1. Lobster roll with pistachio and lemon yogurt, salmon roe and homemade ginger ale

2. Herring Plate served with Aquavit and Carlsberg beer

3. Squab with potato purée and pearl onions

4. Konbu cured duck and braised leg with nut salad, kasha, bok choy, water chestnuts and coconut-red beet sauce

5. Smoked dry-aged New York Strip with Kobe tongue, lily bulb salad and Japanese potato in bone marrow emulsion

6. Trio: sweetbreads, pork sausage and lobster

7. Peanut butter parfait, sautéed banana and kalamansi sorbet

8. Arctic Circle: goat cheese parfait, blueberry sorbet and honey tuile

9. Warm chocolate with orange creamsicle and citrus salad

Artisanal

2 Park Avenue at 32nd Street
212/725.8585
about $125 for two, with two drinks, without tip
♥ ♥

Known for its cheese selections, I took advantage of Restaurant Week and was greatly disappointed with the Artisanal discounted menu. Who wants to be tied down with a choice of either hanger steak or salmon? Four of us ended up ordering from the regular menu anyway and spending $70 each. The crispy skate wing was really good, served with blood orange a la Grenobloise and cauliflower. I regretted not picking one of the seafood choices because my lamb cassoulet with white beans wasn’t the best version I’ve tasted. My friends’ cod special and wild mushroom risotto with butternut squash seemed like more interesting. At least my frisée salad provided me with some comfort. Though we all enjoyed the ritual involved in our prosciutto and cheese fondue, I will most likely stick with the cheese flight without any dipping involved next time. I like my French bistro food, but I can name a handful of other places in the city that would have a more robust selection.

Seared Scallops

In Vermont, we were able to use someone else’s backyard equipped with a grill. We invited some of the boy’s friends over for a last-minute barbeque party. We served grilled fish and grilled corn and vegetables with these seared scallops.

Ingredients:
1 pound of fresh scallops
chili powder
dried thyme leaves
salt, pepper, olive oil

1. Heat a nonstick pan and add olive oil. When oil is hot enough, sear each side of the scallops until lightly brown while sprinkling a touch of salt, pepper, chili powder and thyme.

Bourgeois Coleslaw

The boy likes his coleslaw but I can’t stand mayonnaise. I wanted to make a batch for him without going the KFC route. I used two kinds of cabbages for color. The purple cabbage, also known as red cabbage, looked very pretty against the yellow bell pepper. A sprinkle of scallions provided some green and the tomatoes a burst of orange. I just used a dollop of light mayonnaise here to keep me from being grossed out. If you don’t want to splurge on truffled vinegar, you can use cider vinegar instead.

Ingredients:
a quarter head of green cabbage, shredded
a quarter head of purple cabbage, shredded
1 yellow bell pepper, julienned
3 stalks to scallions, chopped
half a pint of grape tomatoes, halved
fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp of light mayonnaise
a jig of truffled vinegar,
salt, pepper

1. In a bowl, sprinkle salt over shredded cabbage. Set aside for about an hour. Squeeze cabbage with paper towel to remove water.
2. Toss cabbage with the remaining vegetables.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk mayo with vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Pour over salad.

Related post/s:
Dare to serve this coleslaw with fried chicken?

Spinach and Tomato Frittata

I like the ritual of meeting friends for a weekend brunch but I’m usually disappointed with the menu selections. Unless I’m meeting something at Barney Greengrass in New York City, I’d rather cook my own brunch feast.

Ingredients:
5 large eggs
1 large tomato, sliced thinly
1 bunch baby spinach, thoroughly washed, coarsely chopped
1 medium red onion, diced
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt, pepper, olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400º. In the meantime, heat olive oil in a large nonstick and oven-proof skillet and sauté onions and thyme. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs with milk and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour over the vegetables, gently lifting them to let egg mixture coat the bottom of the skillet. Arrange tomatoes on top. Cook until the sides are a little toasted but the top still runny.
3. Tranfer to oven and cook until the center is firm and tomatoes are browned, about 15 minutes. To serve, loosen with a heatproof spatula.