Esca (Heaven for a Fish Freak)

Warning: severe restaurant lovefest ahead.

David Pasternack and Mario Batali’s seafood shrine, Esca, is everything a restaurant should be from its stately dining room to its top-notch service and supreme food. This fish freak was in absolute heaven.

David Pasternack was doing crudo at Esca before crudo became cool. Some even credit him as the pioneer of this Italian raw fish trend in America. With a dash of coarse salt and a slather of olive oil, he brings sea creatures to new heights. But Pasternack is no one-trick-pony. His cooked preparations burst with flavor, honoring the fish and delighting diners. Even on a strange corner of 9th Avenue, Esca was packed at 9:45 on a Thursday evening.

As busy as Esca was, no less than three people smiled as we walked in, for no reason other than to welcome new customers. I’m fairly certain it was Pasternack himself, who I saw gazing across the room like a hawk, for any transgressions. First impressions such as this are key indicators of what lies ahead.

We shared three crudo: sea trout with crushed almonds, orata with meyer lemon and pink snapper with black salt. Each was more fresh and unique than the next. My favorite was the snapper while E loved the nuttiness of the trout. Since it was late, they were out of a lot of options. I planned on ordering the whole fish baked in salt but all they had left was the three-person portion of black sea bass. After some deliberation, we decided to go for it.

It arrived, gorgeously crusted in a thick shell of sea salt. They cracked the shell tableside and the sommelier brought the platter for us to gaze at before they filleted the fish. The whole dining room seemed to glance enviously at the presentation. I had a huge grin on my face , so much so, that the tipsy guy next to us was repeating “AWW, LOOK HOW HAPPY SHE IS!” After carefully deboning the bass and separating it into two generous portions, they drizzled a fragrant olive oil on top and served it. Don’t let the concept deceive you, the salt was subtly infused into the meat of the fish, rather than making it salty. We also shared a basic side salad and some sautéed cremini mushrooms along with the bass. We had NO problem finishing the portion for three, though it was plentiful ;) The fish was so fresh, I couldn’t bear to leave it over.

I’ve said enough about my recent trip to Gilt and I don’t want to dwell on the negative. But the treatment we received at Gilt vs. Esca was simply night and day. Every question we had, no matter how nit picky, no matter how detailed, was answered with respect by everyone at Esca from the sommelier, to the waiter and the bread boy. Our waiter went above and beyond, informing E of anything he should avoid be it a shellfish broth or bread possibly made with lard. The fact that he knew all of these details was a wonder in itself. Before visiting, I had read some reports of shaky service in recent years. I found it to be the opposite!

My respect for Batali increases with each restaurant of his that I visit. Esca is another example of why I love him. Unfortunately, he doesn’t love me. But that’s a story for another day.

The fact that Gilt has 2 Michelin stars and Esca now has 0 is an utter tragedy. Who are these loony people? Esca was a phenomenal dining experience that I’d love to repeat for my next special occasion.

Have you been to Esca? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Location: 402 W 43rd and 9th Ave
Food: Excellent
Service: Excellent
Average App/Entrée Price: $17/$32
Value: Very Good
You Gonna Finish That? Every last bite.

Il Buco (Almost There!)

Walking into Il Bulco, you fall in love instantly. There is something about the warm, artisanal, feel of copper pots hung from the ceiling, ingredients-as-decoration, and the wooden communal table and you’re wooed. Maybe it’s the kooky chandeliers which have a story all their own. Maybe it’s just the handsome waiters. Il Buco was once an antique shop until its owners decided to turn their homemade midday meals into a full-on operation. The restaurant is still laden with relics from the past, creating its cutesy charm. They even preserve a bit of history by listing the olive oils, grains and produce they use in the food on the menu– it’s available for purchase.

Cute as it may be, the Il Buco operation is ambitious. The regular menu changes daily, though Il Buco’s strength is a list of tried and true, seasonal appetizers. The star of the list was a luscious beef carpaccio with crunchy, fried chickpeas, though a chicken liver crostini didn’t fall far behind. Not everything shines though, as fried zucchini blossoms filled with ricotta and anchovies were uneven, with a bland oozy center and a salty tip.

It’s likely that Il Buco’s popularity isn’t in the pasta. Torn pasta with chanterelle mushrooms and lasagne with pork ragout had frail flavors. A hint of salt, a crunch of green, a splash of sauce or a sprinkling of parmesan would have done wonders for these lovely noodles, but none of that was offered. These dishes weren’t bad, but SO CLOSE to being wonderful, it was a tragedy. It made me wonder why celebrity chefs Alain Ducasse and Eric Ripert, are regulars.

It was finally evident in our last course: a juicy swordfish steak with cool yogurt, mint and cucumber and a zesty tomato farro salad on the side. Had we stuck to appetizers and seafood, the meal would have been consistently excellent.

It’s not easy to create a new menu every day. Perhaps what Il Buco lacks is the luxury of practice. They would do better to tame the ambition and change the menu to weekly, giving them time to perfect each dish. Luckily, our Terre del Barolo 2004 consistently delivered for the whole meal.

Il Buco: 47 Bond Street
Food: Good
Service: Very Good
Average App/Entree Price: $15/$26
Value: Poor
You Gonna Finish That? Every last bite.

Quick Bites: Centro Vinoteca

The Basics: There’s a lot to be excited about at Centro Vinoteca, aside from the great people-watching along downtown 7th Avenue. Neat leather banquettes and zenlike brown and white tones setup a serious affair though the friendly service and a lively crowd keep things down-to-earth. But Centro is better than your run-of-the-mill cheese and charcuterie Italian. Try thoughtful dishes like english pea ravioli with parmigiano broth and black truffles or potato-wrapped striped bass with morels. The chef is Top chef alum, Leah Cohen, famous for smooching the champion Hosea Rosenberg.

*Update, just received word that Leah Cohen is leaving Centro Vinoteca  (9/18/2009)
Food: Very Good
Service: Very Good
Average App/Entree Price: $14/$20
Value: Very Good
Word to the Wise: Centro Vinoteca offers a 3-course prixe fixe brunch, lunch and dinner for $16.95/$19.95/$35, one of the best deals in town
You Gonna Finish That? Every last bite.

Quick Bites: Bar Stuzzichini

The Basics: Stuzzichini is a paradise for the peckish with little plates of Italian crostini, cheeses, grilled seafood, affordable pastas and more. Nothing revolutionary here, but it satisfies. I can’t figure out why people complain about the spacious, Brasserie-esque ambiance, it seemed fine to me!
Best Dish: Ricotta with saffron-honey crostini, Mixed wild mushrooms with ricotta and Orechiette con Cavolfiore (“little ears” with cauliflower and bread crumbs in a butter sauce)
Food: Good
Service: Good
Value: Very Good
Average App/Entree Price: $6-$10 for Stuzzichini, $20 for Entree
Wines: Order by the glass, quarto or bottle, they have selections that span Italy and Sicily from $29-$165
Location: 928 Broadway (at 22nd)
Word to the Wise: If you want to try a lot, the “Stuzzichini Misti” allows you to select a choice of three and enough to feed the # of people that you’re with. It’s a great deal.
You Gonna Finish That? Every last bite.

‘Inoteca e Liquori Bar (3rd Avenue)

Like its sister locations, ‘Inoteca 3rd Avenue is a warm space with high ceilings and blonde wooden tables, churning out big Italian flavors on small plates. Even on a Monday night it was a boisterous scene, proving the decision to convert idle Bar Milano, was a good one. The wine list offers fewer by-the-glass selections than expected for a wine bar (12-14 red and white), though it is made up for in a vast cocktail menu. The wines offered are thoughtful, with unique selections like Aglianico, an Italian Syrah and the often under-appreciated, Dolcetto.

‘Inoteca is a fun place to go with a few people because you can order many small plates and sample a lot, which is exactly what we did! One of my favorites was an insalata di verdure di radice, a heaping pile of roasted root vegetables (brussel sprouts, squash, carrots) cooked in a grainy mustard with crisp carrot chips on top. Our waiter had dissuaded me from ordering it, but I typically go with my own instinct and it sounded great to me. I could have eaten two bowls of these awesome vegetables.

We also had an assortment of Italian cheese including Robiola, Taleggio, and a goat cheese that the waiter recommended (I took his advice on that one). A panini with layers of spinach, gooey fontina and truffle oil was another favorite. The whole restaurant smelled like truffle oil actually, which I warmly welcome. If you like bruschette, ‘Inoteca offers a variety of spreads in assortments of one, three, or five pieces and we had ricotta, tapenade, pesto and broccoli rabe, though their flavor was eclipsed by other dishes. Aside from salads and antipasto, ‘Inoteca also offers spiedini which are skewers of various meat or seafood. My cousin had huge, fresh scallop spiedini and my sister had some juicy quail spiedini served on a bed of barley.

Though the food was great I did have some issues with the service which felt rushed at times. At one point I had a bite of bread in my hand and my plate was removed from beneath my hand. The waiter disappeared and reemerged a few times throughout the meal and he forgot to bring (or write down?) a tagliatelle we had ordered, though we were amply satisfied without it.

In any case, ‘Inoteca is a great addition to a neighborhood which has been starving for a noteworthy opening.

‘Inoteca e Liquori Bar: 323 3rd Avenue
Cuisine: Italian, Small Plates, Wine Bar
Average Appetizer/Entree Price: $8/$15
Food: Very Good
Service: Poor
Value: Very Good
You Gonna Finish That? Every last bite.

Scarpetta

I’m still dreaming about my Burrata with marinated eggplant appetizer from Scarpetta last Friday. Burrata is a soft Italian cheese, similar in texture and flavor to mozzarella but with a little more of a bite. It’s a combination of mozzarella and cream, which oozes out of the cheese as it’s cut. With slivers of eggplant atop a slice of crusty bread, it was heaven, and I knew from the first course that our meal at Scarpetta would be a treat.

Despite its trendy meatpacking district location, Scarpetta holds its head high above the restaurant transplants that boast the thickest cuts of kobe beef or the largest Buddha in town. Its decor is refined with soaring ceilings that open to a retractable glass roof for the summertime. Brick- colored banquettes line the walls and mirrors are adorned with orange buckle straps. It makes for an elegant, masculine dining room.

Our waitress Samantha was charming and seemed to love talking about the food. We ordered appetizers, a pasta course, and entrees. My one complaint on service is a long lag between our pasta and entree course. When you’re eating three full courses in one sitting it’s easy to feel full after two if there is a long pause, the momentum should be consistent.

Aside from my incredible Burrata, my Dad and sister had scallop tartare with baby greens and avocado which had a sultry, creamy texture, elevated by the acidic bite of a citrus salad with chives. Mom had a beet and la tur (a cheese from Piedmont) salad, a bit more basic than some other dishes. Basic isn’t necessarily bad though, as demonstrated by a simple spaghetti with sweet tomato and basil. Pastas are made fresh in-house and are the real stars at Scarpetta. A more decadent agnolotti dal plin was another favorite, awesome little morsels filled with mixed meat, melted fontina, mushrooms, and parmesan.

When our entrees arrived we were in trouble but managed to squeeze a bit of room for tender, roasted capretto (goat) and sweet black cod with concentrated tomatoes and caramelized fennel. One dissapointment though was a new addition to the menu, a white fish that my sister ordered (cannot remember the name) served with eggplant that tasted fishy in a bad way. She wasn’t upset at being full before the dish arrived.

The restaurant received a coveted “Excellent” from Frank Bruni, which is no small feat. I find that I often agree with the Brunmeister though he is usually pretty tough and it’s rare that a restaurants receives an Excellent. Scarpetta is an Italian slang term used to describe sopping up sauce with your bread and it’s appropriate here. Though bursting at the seams, we still savored every bite.

Scarpetta: 355 W 14th Street and 9th Ave
Cuisine: Southern Italian
Average App/Entree Price: $15/$26
Food: Very Good
Service: Very Good
Value: Very Good
You Gonna Finish That? Every last bite.
Word to the Wise: Scarpetta has a roomy bar area with some extra tables in the front for a more casual meal. Chef Scott Conant also opened Alto and L’Impero, other Italian restaurants in the city, though he is no longer there.

Insieme

At Insieme, the menu is separated into “traditional” and “contemporary” Italian dishes, and they offer a “pasta tasting menu” as well. Insieme means “together” in Italian, so it’s a fusion of old and new, with a focus on fresh ingredients as chef Marco Canora learned from Tom Colicchio. But in light of its recent Michelin star gain, Frank Bruni’s coveted “very good” review, and praises sung by my family members (who are hard to please), my expectations were as high as could be before my visit. With these high hopes, I couldn’t help noticing the strange service.

The oddities began at the very beginning, when our waitress warned that there were only 2 left of the special pork appetizer, despite the empty restaurant and the wee hour of 5:30PM we were dining at. I guess the lunch crew really loves their pork? A friend of mine said she had a similar experience when they were nearly out of the lasagne on her visit. I get that it’s possible for a restaurant to “run out” of things, and dishes are not made completely fresh for each meal, but having it be a point of discussion was off-putting and seemed out of place in a fine restaurant. In addition, our waitress was uncomfortable with the menu and rather cold toward us. My Mom inquired about the lamb preparation and the response was that it was a loin and a shank. She then had to pry for more information. Is this the “warm hospitality” that Insieme prides itself in?

This, coupled with my Dad’s extreme difficulty in finding somebody to help select a Gruner Veltliner, started the meal on bad footing. Our waitress was missing so a bus boy tried to assist, followed by the manager, despite pleas for help from somebody familiar with the list. Eventually the beverage director assisted us.

The food itself, was really nice. I’m still dreaming about my sweetbreads with lemon, capers and parsley and a perfectly cooked papardelle with smoked lamb neck. A branzino “saltimbocca” wrapped in paper thin slices of prosciutto was delicately seasoned and accented by a lemon puree. I was still envious of my sister’s tender, rich duck breast with foie gras and hazelnuts though. The beverage director helped us select a cheese assortment that fit my “super stinky” requirement and brought some Madeira to close the meal. He truly salvaged the meal from our frigid waitress, hand-picking wines for each course including the Gruner Veltliner, a Garnacha, and an ‘03 Brunello.

In perspective, my complaints are not major, but worth noting. I love Hearth and Terroir, Grieco/Canora’s, other spots and I think they’re better than this. I hope that if you visit Insieme you order the papardelle, and a different waitress.

Insieme: 777 7th Avenue @51st Street
Cuisine: Italian
Average Entree Price: $20-$36
Food: Very Good
Service: Good
Value: Very Good
You Gonna Finish That? Every last bite

Bocca di Bacco

This newby Italian wine bar in Hell’s Kitchen had both hits and misses with OK food and struggling service. I wanted to love Bocca di Bacco with its vast menu of wines by the glass and a long elegant bar at the front with an impressive Enomatic system. At Bocca di Bacco one can order a $28 glass of Brunello or a $7 glass of Tocai Friulano, the country’s many wine regions are well-represented. On our first visit we sat at the bar, sampled some decadent cheeses (the names of which I forget) and a couple of glasses. We left very pleased and eager to return for a complete dinner.

Bocca di Bacco began to miss the mark on our second visit. Our waitress was inconsistent, disappearing for long periods of time, and returning confused, unaware of what course we were on or what we might need. A gooey wild mushroom funghi bruschetta with melted cheese on top and (I think?) truffle oil was rich and earthy though a scallop entree that we shared as an app tasted far too much like the sea to be fresh. Pastas like gnocchi in osso bucco sauce and a Bolognese were passable though textures were often over-cooked and under-seasoned.

Bocca di Bacco is owned by the same proprietors as Roberto Passon, a wildly successful neighborhood joint nearby. Unfortunately it seems like a lot of the talent was lost in the transfer. If you want a nice glass of vino and a cheese plate, go to Bocca di Bacco, but eat dinner elsewhere.

Bocca di Bacco: 828 Ninth Avenue @54th Street
Cuisine: Italian
Average Entree Price: $15-$20
Food: Good
Service: Poor
Value: Very Good
You Gonna Finish That? Meh,  you can taste the side.

Del Posto

My continuous Batali talk has no end, as I was invited to dinner at Del Posto last night and happily accepted. It was an absolute marathon of a meal- four hours and ten courses with highs and lows at various points. Some dishes were sublime while others nearly tasteless. I can understand why Del Posto often lives in the shadow of the acclaimed, Babbo.

The dining rooms at Del Posto are elegant and sophisticated with chocolate leather seats, ornate marble floors and dramatic oversized light fixtures which create a soft glow. The restaurant has two floors and features a split staircase that creeps up to the mezzanine in the center of the main dining room. I found the restaurant to be really beautiful, reminiscent of some old, charming New Orleans restaurants that I frequented at school.

We opted for the seven course tasting menu then added in some additional pasta and dessert courses (as if it wasn’t enough!). Wines were paired with each course and though I questioned a few of the choices, the sommelier was very knowledgeable and reassured me of the thought process behind each. The service was impeccable: courses were timed well, silverware and stemware replacements were perfectly orchestrated in advance of each course.

I apologize in advance for the excrutiating detail which I’m about to go into, but I think my dining buddies will appreciate it ;)

The meal began with an amuse-bouche of a roasted red pepper and tomato cold soup, potato croquettes, bites of olive and butter tartlets and some chopped zucchini in an egg yolk sauce. These were forgettable. On to the tasting menu:

The first course was an insalata di scampi which consisted of a langoustine tail with an heirloom tomato salad. The presentation was beautiful with the head of the langoustine at the top of the plate and the bits of meat lined up to create the body. A nice, light start to the meal, complemented well by an unoaked Piemontese Chardonnay. The second course was a sturgeon filet with caviar. I found it to be lackluster and out of place, nothing to write home about. What the course lacked in food, it made up for in champagne, a killer Grand Cuvee Krug. The third course was an addition: agnolotti (akin to a mini gnocchi) stuffed with veal and boar with a Parmigiano-Reggiano butter. It was subdued, needed more sauce or spice to bring the flavors forward. We move on to the fourth course, a porcini lasagnette which was pretty dry and boring with tiny specks of porcini, paired with a Barbaresco. From there, things started to vastly improve. We had another addition, orechiette with lamb neck sausage and squash blossom ragu. It was a great choice- had a nice al dente texture and married well with the slightly spicy lamb sausage. Number six was a duck course consisting of sliced breast of duck with a toast point of foie gras and tender lettuces. The duck was rich and smoky, delightful with a Brunello di Montalcino. We finished the savory dishes with the king of all meats, a kobe beef deckle which was thin squares of kobe served with young arugula and Parmigiano-Reggiano. The kobe was melt-in-your-mouth tender, salty and rich- everyone’s favorite dish by far. We had requested an Amarone which they unfortunately did not carry so the sommelier swapped it for a Valpolicella made in an Amarone style. It was certainly Amarone- reminiscent and made for a great exchange.

Rounding out the meal was a cheese course: robiola wrapped in chestnut leaves and served with thin slices of raisin and walnut bread. We enjoyed it with a Marsala and all complimented how well the Marsala picked up the notes of chestnut in the cheese. For dessert we were served a zabaglione which was a custard with berries- very nice with a moscato d’asti. Somehow we pressed on and added a budino di cioccolato, consisting of chocolate pudding, chocolate streusel and whipped cream. A bit rich for my taste, but everyone else seemed to really enjoy it. At the epic conclusion of the meal, the waiter wheeled over a cart filled with a multitude of Italian petits-fours (Italian name for this?) which we, somehow, made room for alongside our espresso.

The moral of the story is, Del Posto can be a wonderful meal if you order properly. If I have the chance to return I’ll focus more on meat dishes and less on pastas. And for anyone else, order wisely and consult with me as I’ve sampled the whole menu ;)

Del Posto: 85 10^th Avenue (betw 15^th and 16^th)
Cuisine: Italian
Average App/Entree Price: $22/$26
Food: Good
Service: Very Good
Value: Poor
You Gonna Finish That? Meh, you can taste the side.

Babbo

Surprise birthday dinner disguised as mother’s day dinner last weekend was simply amazing. Batali’s most loved outpost, Babbo certainly deserves the tremendous reputation that it has developed over the years. I had been dying to check out Babbo for quite some time but it requires a lot of careful planning and a reservation at least a month in advance. I was of course, blown away by the food but the service was impeccable as well.

Babbo is in a charming two-story townhouse in the West Village. The decor is simple and elegant, a calming backdrop to the explosiveness of flavors in the dishes. Batali is well known for his execution of delicacies from inner organs. Adventurous eaters will fare well at Babbo by tasting such dishes as beef tripe (cow stomach), sweetbreads (veal intestines) and testa (figure it out). For the more squeamish, Batali’s pasta dishes are rich, spicy and perfectly al dente.

Upon sitting down we were given some crostini with spiced chickpeas on top which we gladly munched on as we perused the menu. After a lot of careful planning and consulting with the helpful waiter, we made our decisions. Appetizers were: warm lamb’s tongue vinaigrette with morels and a 3-minute egg, grilled octopus with spicy limoncello vinaigrette, pig foot Milanese with rice beans and arugula, and autumn vegetable salad with goat’s milk ricotta and pumpkin seed oil. The lamb’s tongue vinaigrette was the star. Certainly the first time I had lamb’s tongue but it was delicious and married well with the earthy morels. They also gave us a complimentary buffalo mozzarella with some crusty bread.

Following the appetizers we had a pasta course and ordered four pastas for the table to share: garganelli with funghi, mint love letters with spicy lamb sausage, beef cheek ravioli with crushed squab liver and black truffles and black spaghetti with rock shrimp, spicy salami calabrese and green chiles. The mint love letters and beef cheek ravioli are signature dishes but I found the garganelli to be the best dish. The garganelli was packed with flavor without being overwhelming. I thought the mint in the love letters was a bit out of place though I appreciated the creativity.

We rounded out the meal with the whole grilled branzino, the grilled guinea hen with pumpkin and black olive vinaigrette, the fennel dusted sweetbreads and the grilled lamb chops with eggplant and lemon yogurt. Despite being incredibly full at this point we managed to make it through the entrees which were well worth it. I was also impressed with the sommelier who comfortably bantered with my Dad (tough to please) and recommended wines to pair well with every course, without asking what we had ordered. There seemed to be some effort involved in the background to integrate the sommelier and the waiter, something you don’t see often.

I highly recommend Babbo for your next special occasion. Make sure you have a big appetite and an adventurous attitude for the experience.

Babbo: 110 Waverly Place betw 6 Ave and Macdougal
Cuisine: Italian
Food: Excellent
Service: Excellent
Average App/Entree Price: $14/$23
Value: Excellent
You Gonna Finish That? Every last bite.