Babbo, NYC

On Tuesday night Alan and I met up with Patty and Allison for dinner at the much anticipated, very hard reservation to get, Babbo. This West Village, Mario Batali & Joe Bastianiche establishment has been around for a while (1998) and has garnered pretty rave reviews from people we know who have been and basically everyone on Zagat.

Our reservation was for 6pm and per our typical, Alan and I went down early to have a drink at the bar. We arrived at 5pm on the dot and were surprised that not only hadn't they opened the doors yet, there was a line of people waiting to get in. This seemed to be driven by the five little tables up front and two seats at the bar that are reserved for walk ins. After a little wait the doors opened and we claimed seats at the far end of the bar. We ordered drinks (sparkling wine for me, Gimlet for Alan) and settled in to observe the goings-on.

The restaurant is pretty small with fourteen tables (seating up to six) downstairs and a large center staircase leading up to a skylight-lit second floor with another dozen or so more tables. We were taken to our table upstairs where the combination of light and layout made for a pretty nice ambiance. Low music playing in the background, woods of light tan and beige mixed well with the white table clothes and central floral display.

Perusing the menu and noticing the attractively priced tasting menus, we decided immediately to ask if we could order two of the pasta tastings and two of the chef's tastings since they were the same number of courses. Our waiter came over and with a resounding NO, informed us that they don't do that. Everyone would have to have the same tasting menu or none at all. And while at first thrown back by the vehement of this statement and waiting for him to crack a smile and say just kidding, it dawned on me that this was not going to be anything like a high end French dining experience and I'd better lower my expectations. So we asked for more time to scan the menu, ordered a bottle of Gatinois Brut Rose NV champagne and pondered his scowl, huff and hasty retreat from our table.

The menu is pretty large so it took us a while to figure out a plan of attack; basically appetizers, pasta and then entree. Patty asked for recommendations and our put-out waiter told her the rabbit and quail were two of the best dishes along with the chops. We placed our order...

I realize I have been apologizing a lot for this lately - yes I once again forgot to take pictures until we were halfway through our first course. Forgive me...hopefully these give some idea. After a small plate of chickpea brioche from the kitchen (eh, not great), the appetizers were served.

Patty ordered grilled octopus with "Borlotti Marinati" and spicy limoncello vinaigrette. This dish was very nice. The pieces of octopus were thick but prepared without any chewiness to them. The vinaigrette had flavor but wasn't spicy.

Alan selected the warm tripe "alla parmigiana". The portion size was huge! It was really too big for an appetizer serving and while enjoying it, there was no way to even come close to finishing the dish. Also, the tripe was swimming in the ragu making it pleasant but hard to discern any real flavor from the tripe itself.

Allison went with an roasted artichoke hearts, goat cheese and toastini. This dish was blah. Nothing noteworthy from the dull color and presentation to the flavor balance. There wasn't anything wrong with it, but it didn't tell a story either.

I chose the asparagus with parmigiana and poached duck egg. The asparagus shoots were super thick and sweet; the parmigiana was shaved all over the plate like tiny shards of snow and the egg was perfect - runny but with definition and fantastic flavor. Great dish.

Next up were the pasta dishes. We took alot of time selecting pastas much to the dismay of our surly waiter. There were so many that sounded so good it was hard to pick. Here's where we netted out:

Patty got the Chianti stained papperdelle with wild boar ragu. The picture isn't showing the odd color of this dish. It came out looking like someone shaved raw tongue on the plate - a dull beet hue to it. While the color wasn't appealing, the taste was fabulous. I thought with was the dish of the night with the boar being so rich and tender and without any gaminess to it. I was impressed by the favor profile here.

Alan tried the beef cheek ravioli with squashed quail liver and black truffles. It was pretty good but the sauce came off a bit sweet which wasn't what I was thinking it would be when I tried it. The texture was on the soft side overall so the dish didn't impress.

Allison ordered the black spaghetti with rock shrimp, spicy salami calabrese and green chilis. This dish was really good. I loved the pasta cooked al dente with that little bit of crunch to it and combination of flavors from the shrimp and salami. I didn't get any chili on the palate so there was no heat to speak of.

I opted for the gnocchi with braised oxtail. The gnocchi was well prepared - light and creamy without making you feel like you just ate a loaf of bread. The oxtail was tender but overwhelmed by the tomato ragu. This one was just okay.

By this time our bottle of 2007 Fattoria Viticcio Monile Toscana IGT was delivered by our now downright hostile waiter who proceeded to spill an alarming amount out and around Allison's glass without acknowledgement or apology. The main courses arrived after a brief but nice interlude of time.

Patty took the waiter's (we should have known better) recommendation and tried the trio of rabbit (front leg, back leg and loin) with brussel sprouts, parsnips, pancetta and carrot vinaigrette. Patty didn't like this dish. When I tried it I remember commenting that the rabbit itself was nicely prepared - tender and moist with good flavor and no game. It was the rest of the dish that didn't seem to compliment the meat.

Alan went with the waiter's second recommendation of grilled guinea hen with pumpkin fregula and black truffle vinaigrette. I know I tried Alan's entree and thinking it was pretty good but I can't remember any of the flavor palette or texture.

Allison tried the grilled lamb chops. Prepared medium rare and attractive on the plate, I wasn't a fan of the lamb chop. I got too much of a mint, rosemary combination and not enough experience of the lamb itself. I'm also not usually a fan of lamb so I could be biased.

I ordered the special grilled veal chop with roasted porcini mushrooms and black truffle vinaigrette. I don't know if I've ever ordered veal in a restaurant before this and have no idea what possessed me to do so other than always enjoying the stolen bites from Alan when he orders it. I was thrilled with this chop. Other than being big enough that I knew there was no way it was getting finished, I really enjoyed the simple preparation and taste. It was nicely cooked and moist, tender and pink. I thought the accompaniment of mushrooms was a perfect choice and really would have finished every last bite if I weren't already past the point of full.

A few other notes about our evening at Babbo. At some point during our pasta course the lite, pleasant background music became an out-of-place, loud selection of alternative & classic rock that made it hard to hold a conversation. While the rest of our service crew were very pleasant, our waiter was downright rude, inattentive and pissy. He put a damper on the evening that is impossible to overlook.

The food was hit and miss with a third of the dishes being great, a third okay and a third being not appealing. Not a good showing at all ~ especially to have so many of them recommended to us and then still not living up.

Overall I was disappointed. A bright note and one that influenced my rating was that the bill was downright cheap for a dinner of this supposed caliber in New York City. I think it was $150 a person for the three courses and two bottles of wine. That explains the rather young crowd and overall popularity.

Ratings:
Zagat: 27-22-24
Michelin: no stars
Jenn: 84

Blue Ribbon Bakery Kitchen Wine Dinner

Various times throughout any given year we attend wine dinners. Sometimes they are showcasing a particular varietal; sometimes a specific winery and in the case of our dinner earlier this week, an individual wine maker. Alan, Susan, Rich and I jumped on the opportunity to spend an evening in the city with a wine expert we've come to all like and respect very much, Celia Welch. Named Wine Maker of the Year in 2008 by Food & Wine, Celia owns her own label, Corra Wines (www.corrawines.com), as well as consults to or is the winemaker of record for a number of small producer labels in Napa Valley. We've had the pleasure of drinking our way through the majority (if not all) of the wines in her portfolio and collectively consider her one of our favorites! 

This year the wine dinner featuring Celia and her wines was being held at a tiny establishment on Downing Street in New York City's West Village called Blue Ribbon Bakery Kitchen. The Blue Ribbon family of restaurants was new to the four of us so our expectations weren't predetermined.

We arrived downtown a little early to meet for drinks across the street at Blue Ribbon Downing Street Bar. A teeny, tiny little place with great ambiance and neighborhood feel, this establishment was originally opened as a holding place for guests waiting for their reservations across the street. It's grown to have a following all it's own.

After a glass of libations we scooted over to the bakery for dinner. My first impression walking in was how small the restaurant seemed (and pretty empty at 6:30pm). But we were warmly greeted immediately with a glass of 2010 Keever Saugivnon Blanc and within minutes escorted downstairs to a private section of the restaurant near the namesake, 135 year old brick oven. My spirits rose instantly! Quaint and intimate, this felt like a wonderful space to focus on great wines and hopefully, good food.

Unlike other wine dinners we've been to, tonight's had staggered seating times. We weren't sure how this would play out. Pleasantly surprised, it gave the evening a sense of relaxation with the kitchen being able to prepare and serve the courses at their pace as opposed to having to serve dozens of plates at the same time, usually to the detriment of the food. When we arrived there were two tables of the eight or so filled.

Settled in and ready to go, our first course appeared. And please forgive me, half the time I was so excited with the evening and chatting with great friends that I forgot to take pictures before we'd all torn into the dishes. If they don't look beautifully plated, it's my fault for not capturing them ahead of the flying forks!

This starter course was served family style in the middle of the table. Brandt Family Reserve Bavette with watercress, Japanese sea salt and Feather Ridge Farm Egg, it was paired with the 2009 Keever Cabernet Sauvignon. Along about the time we were discussing at length how FREAKISHLY AWESOME it was to be given an appetizer of MEAT, an engaging young man came by to see how we were doing. Turns out he's Sean, the general manager. He kept us informed throughout the night, answering random questions we had. Starting with, what is bavette? Turns out, it's also referred to as flap steak.

To help explain, from the web site: http://menuinprogress.com/2008/11/uncommon-cuts-bavette-steak.html:

One huge advantage of purchasing meat from an independent, full-service butcher or local beef producer is the availability of less common cuts. We are lucky to have a couple of excellent sources in Siesel's Old Fashioned Meat & Deli and Brandt Beef. Brandt sells their beef at our local farmers market, and lately our favorite offering of theirs is Bavette Steak. Also known as "flap", it is a small cut from the bottom part of the sirloin that has a character much like flank or skirt steak. Given a quick, hot sear and then sliced across the grain, it has an intense meaty flavor and a surprisingly delicate texture. So, the next time you are in the mood for a steak, don't settle for that tired old chunk of filet from the supermarket - look around and I'm sure you'll be able to find more interesting options.

This dish was out of control fantastic. There's nothing like perfectly prepared steak, right? Right up to the point in time you serve it with fresh farm egg that is. Absolutely decadent and melt-in-your-mouth tender. What a great, great dish. Paired so nicely with the young Keever Cab, there was nothing left but memories within minutes of this being served.

The second course up was Beef Marrow and Oxtail Marmalade with toasted Challa Bread and accompanied by a 2008 Kelly Fleming Cabernet.

Oh my, what new heaven is this?!? Scooping out the marrow, spreading it across the toast points with the marmalade all on top was ethereal, to say the least. I loved, loved, love this course. It was not filling from a portion perspective but boy did it satisfy.

Next up on the menu was the Braised Beef Tongue and Veal Cheek served with perigourdine style grits. Yes, I needed it explained to me that perigourdine means basically, "with truffle".

Definition From Epicurious:

French for "as prepared in the style of Périgord," referring to dishes garnished or flavored with TRUFFLES as well as those served with PÉRIGUEUX SAUCE. The term is derived from France's Périgord region, which is famous for its black truffles.

This was another hit. The cheek had the consistency and fullness of favor of a braised short rib and the tongue was chewy in a pleasant, pork belly sort of way. The Kelly Fleming cab showed really well against this dish. Being a rather feminine style wine, I thought it held it's own against the richness of this dish without either one being compromised.

So we're on a roll now when out comes...Brandt Family Reserve Prime Strip with wild mushrooms (morels, in this case) and foie gras. Served with the 2009 Corra Cabernet.

Served family style, I about dropped off my chair from sheer happiness when this dish was presented. Seriously?!? MORE MEAT? Yum, yum, yum. This was another case where I completely forgot to take a picture when first served so you're seeing a hastily put together representation on my plate. So good that I've run out of ways of describing these dishes. The meat was so well prepared that I'm thinking this is the best meat I've had outside of our home or the Lahey home that there's no reason to eat steak anywhere else. It was that good.

And there's no doubt that Corra is my favorite when it comes to this line up of unique, small producer wines. The terrior of the three vineyards making up this 100% Cabernet wine must be some marriage made in heaven. Showing was I consider the best of California, this is wine that's big and fruity but elegant and drinkable. I appreciate that it has a softer side that can be paired with food or just consummed by itself. What a great way to finish up...happy to linger over the last drops in my glass.

Finally, to wrap up our meal, I appreciated no sicky-sweet dessert that I just won't enjoy. Instead this well thought out menu concluded with Misty Mountain Camembert with fig compote, bread and 1999 Casa de Santa Eufemia Port. This course was fine - not fabulous ending to an overall spectacular meal.

I can't wait to go back and try just ordering off the menu at this lovely little Village restaurant to see if the magic holds up on any random Tuesday night. Until then...cheers!

Roasted Shrimp Salad, Barefoot Contessa

One more from Dawn's collection of favorite recipes to share:

Roasted Shrimp Salad
Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 pounds of shrimp (12 to 15 count)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon orange zest (2 oranges)
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup minced, fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 2 tablespoons small diced red onion

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Peel & devein shrimp. Place them on a sheet pan with the olive oil, one teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss together to coat. Spread shrimp out in one layer and roast for 6 to 8 minutes until just pink, firm and cooked through. Allow to cool for 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a large bowl whisk together the mayo, orange zest, orange juice, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper. When the shrimp is cooled, add them to the sauce and toss to coat. Add the dill, capers and red onion. Toss well.

The flavors will improve if you allow the salad to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Otherwise chill and serve at room temperature.

Dawn's Notes:
I had this at a friend’s party and it knocked my socks off.  Definitely use fresh herbs. I used her notes and I adjust and combine citrus flavors to suit what I have in the house. Instead of all mayo use 1/2 cup mayo and 1/2 cup greek yogurt or I sometimes use kefir (my go-to breakfast routine). Can use lemon zest in lieu of orange. I thought of you as this is perfect for those days when you have company by the pool and want to have something refreshing.  I love this in lettuce wraps.  It’s springtime/summer goodness – the orange slices added to the sauce are a perfect compliment.  This you can make ahead that morning so it’s terrific for relaxing in the afternoon poolside.

Nobu's Black Cod with Miso

Shared by Dawn, adapted from Nobu: The Cookbook...

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons mirin
• 3 tablespoons sake
• 1/2 cup white miso paste
• 1/3 cup sugar
• Six skinless black cod fillets (6-7 oz each); about 1 and 1/2 inches thick
• Vegetable oil
• Pickled ginger for serving

Directions:
In small saucepan, bring the mirin and sake to a boil. Whisk in the miso until dissolved. Add sugar and cook over moderate heat, whisking until just dissolved. Transfer the marinade to a large baking dish and let cool. Add the fish, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 400. Heat a grill pan on high and oil it. Scape the marinade off the fish. Add fish to grill pan, cooking until brown, about 2 minutes. Flip the fish onto heavy rimmed baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes until flaky. Transfer to plates and serve with pickled ginger.

Dawn's Notes on Recipe:
We had this at Nobu and it reminded me of the Salmon appetizer I had from a texture perspective.  I absolutely love this when my fishmonger gets black cod as it’s not that common to source.  I have also made this with swordfish.  Both melt in your mouth.  It’s a bold flavor so you can adjust and dilute with plum wine, sake or more mirin.  I half the sugar or leave out.  Simple, easy, marinate for min 4 hours.  We decided to only do the black cod in smaller portions – Robert and I found the fish to be so super rich and buttery that it’s a lot for ½ lb each as a main course.  Definitely a wow-crowd pleaser and easy to do for company. Drizzle remaining marinade or pipe into dots on the plate

Chicken or Turkey Scallopini Recipe

Thank you Dawn for sharing this go to & easy recipe for a classic Italian dish.

Scaloppine:

• 1 and 1/2 or 2 pounds of boneless chicken or turkey breast
• 1/4 flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 and 1/2 cups small mushrooms halved
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic, pressed
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon minced parsley

Place chicken breast in freezer for 45 minutes to 1 hour until surface of meat is thoroughly chilled and slightly firm. Cut meat crosswise in 1/4 inch slices.

Mix flour, salt, paprika and white pepper together. Flour chicken, shake off excess. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and oil in large skillet. Add layer of chicken and brown lightly on both sides. As meat is browned, remove and keep warm. Brown remaining slices, adding butter and oil as needed. When all chicken in browned and removed from skillet, add mushrooms and garlic. Saute lightly.

Return browned chicken to skills. In a bowl, combine wine, lemon juice, Italian seasonings and parsley; stir. Pour over the chicken & mushrooms in skillet and simmer rapidly for 5 to 10 minutes until the liquid is reduced and chicken tender.

Dawn's notes on this dish:

(This recipe is) one of my favorite go-to weeknight meals.  I have my butcher pound out the boneless chicken breasts ahead of time into large cutlets. I’m not a big veal or turkey fan but I’m sure it’s just as good.  I use crimini mushrooms.  This gets adjusted all the time based on what’s growing in my garden – Italian seasoning can be oregano, basil, garlic, parsley – whatever you have.  Dried is fine too.

Robert sometimes adds cayenne for a little kick.  I always put extra parsley on top.  The sauce is super yummy and I usually serve with haricot-verts and Israeli couscous or rice pilaf.  Takes less than an hour.  I almost never eat Italian out - I laugh when I see $25+ for an entrée of piccata, scallopine, oreganata, francese.  They are so simple to make and the base is the same for us.  They are our weeknight staples. 

db Bistro Moderne, NYC

One of the best things to come out of LinkedIn and Facebook is that you might actually reconnect with someone you genuinely liked and lost touch with. For me that was the case regarding a co-worker from Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., that I haven't seen for over a decade. And even better, to find out she's a foodie and still lives in the tri-state area! For our get together we decided to meet for lunch at db Bistro Moderne on 44th in Midtown. This is one of Daniel Boulud's and not including his namesake restaurant, my personal favorite.

We caught up with each other last week on one of those incredibly beautiful and warm days. The restaurant opens for lunch at noon, when our reservation was, so we were among the first seated at a nice table in front of the window.

Contemplating the menu, we started with a glass of Billicarte-Salmon, Mareuil-sur-Ay Rose, multi-vintage. We agreed on an appetizer and an entree each. To start I ordered an appetizer portion of the traditional house made Sagnerelli Pasta with Braised Veal Ragoût, Seasonal Vegetables Fricasée and Mascarpone Cheese.

This was a delightful and comforting dish with a mixture of grape tomatoes, fava beans and snow peas. The veal ragout had a richness to it that complimented the creaminess of the pasta. The foam on top was visually appealing and delicate. Yummy!

Dawn started her meal off with the Atlantic salmon tartare with Artichokes Purée, Shaved Celery
Toasted Pumpernickel Bread and Crème Fraiche with lemon dressing. The tartare was pure Spring with the light citrus dressing bringing out the freshness of the fish and showcasing the delicate chives. A great start to the meal.

For my main course I went with a favorite - the lobster salad with Mesclun, Hearts of Palm, Green Beans and Pesto Dressing. I had this dish once before a few years ago with Alan and remembered it vividly. So nice that it was as great as I hoped it would be again. I took a picture of it but it didn't come out so just take my word for it that the dish was as pretty and elegant as it was delicious. Loaded with perfectly poached lobster claw meat and lovely greens...so perfect.

Dawn choose the Maine Sea Scallops with Glazed White & Green Asparagus, Warm Herb Vinaigrette, Black Trumpet Mushroom and Fumet Emulsion.

Lunch was just delightful ~ great food and great conversation. If you're ever in midtown looking for a place to have a leisurely meal, this should be on your radar.

Zagat's Rating: 25-22-24
Jenn's Rating: 88

La Sirene, French BYO in Manhattan

A BYO in Manhattan? And a French Bistro BYO, no less ~ practically a miracle! But how's the food? Over the weekend, Alan and I met Brian & Molly there for dinner at this tiny little SoHo restaurant. We were seated at the window with an attentive server and a good view of not only the lively patrons inside, but the walking traffic on Broome Street at Varrick.

The menu is a delight unto itself ~ with staff commentary peppered throughout the selections giving the whole thing a bit of an intimate, family feel. I knew ahead of time that I'd need to try one of their four mussel dishes. I was equally tempted by the escargot, foie gras and cassoulet. I mean, it just doesn't get more French than that.

To start I had the steamed mussels with Dijon mustard sauce; Alan had the French Onion soup; Brian & Molly shared an order of the snails and the foie gras tourchon. My mussels were very good with lots of flavor and plenty of juice for mopping up with pieces of bread. But they didn't come close to Thomas Keller's version offered at Bouchon. Alan's onion soup was traditionally prepared with lots and lots of cheese on top and a great onion flavor. He gave it a good review since it wasn't totally dominated by onion pieces - something he doesn't like. Brian & Molly finished off their dishes but I didn't get any comments on the taste or texture.

For our entrees: I ordered the Gratin de Fruits de la Mer (baked seafood) with Calamari, Mussels, Langoustines, Bay Scallops, Sole and shrimp over Mushroom Duxelles in a light Mornay Sauce and bread crumbs au gratin. Alan ordered the special of the evening; black sea bass with assorted wild mushrooms in a mushroom sauce. Molly & Brian shared the Cassoulet Toulouse’s Style; cannellini beans, tomato, garlic duck confit, slab bacon & pork sausage all braised with Noble Duck fat and the Roasted Lamb Leg sliced with white wine Crème de Garlic Confit sauce.

My dish was smaller than I expected but light and wonderfully prepared. I suppose if it had been much bigger I would have quickly become full on the creamy, rich gratin and mornay sauce. Alan's fish was nicely seasoned and the mushrooms were splendid. But for me, the surprise winner of the night was the Cassoulet. Not a dish I usually gravitate towards, not being a fan of cannellini beans but I tried a bite anyway. WOW. The bacon and duck added a succulence; the beans gave it body and a nice texture with the whole thing coming together as you'd image in country homes throughout the Rhone region. Just wonderful!

For dessert we agreed to all split an order of bittersweet (woohoo) chocolate profiterolles (puff pastry, vanilla ice cream all bathing in chocolate sauce) and a selection of three cheeses. The profiterolles were perfection - it was hard to stop eating them long enough to give someone else a fair shot at them. The cheeses however were a bit disappointing. The cheese themselves were pretty good but they were served more or less by themselves with three lone little apple slices as accompaniments. I happen to love to spread my cheeses on toast points, with honey or compote, a few nuts...something to match them up with.

All that being said...we have three fabulous bottles of wine (the best part of a BYO, you know you're going to get to drink get wines); a champagne and two French reds. The total bill per couple was $150. So good food, fabulous company, excellent wines and cheap!! You just can't beat this experience. I look forward to going back in the near future!

Jenn's rating: 85
Zagat: 25-14-23