Loring Place

[2 visits]

• Grandma pizza is fantastic
• Burger is delicious.
• But as to be expected via Dan Kluger, the vegetable dishes are the best part of each meal. I had this broccoli salad that I'll be attempting to create and recreate at home.
• Hummus and radishes are lovely. Actually the radishes were the highlight.

Loring Place is comfortable restaurant for anyone loving creative vegetable dishes OR taking a group of risk-averse eaters out for dinner.

Mu Ramen

[I no longer try to make time for proper reviews. Just bullets now.]

• Unnecessarily loud
• Bright with voluminous incandescent light bulbs that heat up the restaurant
• Spicy Miso Ramen - Everything about the dish was excellent. Addition of corn was great.

Bottom line: Mu Ramen is nice ramen if you happen to be at PS 1. This is not worth traveling for.

Annicka

What a funny story! We were set to see Diane Krall at the Capitol Theater in Portchester on a cold, drizzly February evening. I inquired about dinner with two frients (clients that turned to friends) residing in some proximity to the theater. One paused significantly and then recommended a place 15 miles west and out of the way. The other scoffed at the idea we would leave Brooklyn to eat in Westchester. He recommended finding something delicious in Queens en route. Well, that concept got me thinking about places I desire visiting near the BQE. Selecting dinner options via highway proximity feels foreign and returns to days' of great old journals like The Michelin Guide and The Green Book. So we selected Annicka and it was delightful.

From the setting to the service to the food, all facets were nearly perfect. The image shows our dishes. I won’t detail all of them, just the charred cauliflower. It was such a revelation. The florets were charred just shy of burnt and then sprinkled with a seasoning that was salty and lemony. Those florets then sat in a lovely beet and cauliflower stem sauce. This sauce was closer to pesto texture than a puree. Annicka is worth going to, no matter your current location. As delightful a meal as we’ve had in some time. Maybe not quite as impressive as Semilla yet in that direction. Long live Annicka!

Atla

Consistency in concept. As a few weeks pass since my lunchtime visit, that phrase best describes Atla. It feels like a casual offshoot of Cosmé. And I actively disliked it as much as I dislike Cosmé. Now, nothing is wrong with the food. I didn’t get sick. The service is fine. Nobody insulted me. The space is airy and clean. It all feels like a television set. Like at any moment a series of Haddad trucks could double-park on Lafayette and break down Atla in 2 hours. Future passerbys would ask did it really even happen? Did I even eat at Atla? And if you did, the food quality would not be the reason you’d remember it. On my visit I had the ranchero eggs with avocado. It was fine except not aligned with the service. I asked the waitress to help me select a dish (something spicy and not messy; note: I was in a suit). She struggled so mightily that I selected the ranchero to put her out of the misery I induced. What a messy dish. Large pieces of torn of tortilla covered in a nice sauce held two poached eggs. Stale tortillas don’t cut easily. The eggs will make the sauce messier. I asked myself how am I going to eat this mess? I tried and succeeded in staying clean though after 50% I stopped trying. It wasn’t worth the potential risk. I ordered an agua fresca to accompany my lunch. The drink is served in lovely glassware with a dozen small ice cubes (perfect cubes). Each time I lifted the drink to my mouth, the ice cubes came tumbling towards me. And this agua fresca was purple! What a potential mess. I asked for a straw and the check, finished my beverage, paid the bill and wondered: did that really happen?

2018 Restaurant Wish List

Each year, I aspire to visit 12-15 New York City restaurants and somehow only manage to enjoy 8 or so. So 2018's list has some carryover from 2017 (sadly, even from 2016).

1. Annicka - Farm-to-restaurant? Can't wait to see how the beverage service works.
2. Atla - I have some apprehension here. That stems from my (incorrect) correlation of all-day restaurants with mediocre everything. People love Atla though.
3. Bamonte's - In 2017, I took the kids to Queen. We had so much fun even if the food was adequate. The old man was in his element: lovely suit, seating customers and checking in on his regulars. So let's continue visiting the legendary places (I'm still mad at myself for missing Gage and Tollner).
4. Chez Ma Tante - Reviews abound and all say: fantastic. Sounds like a place where I could learn a bit of technique.
5. Chumley's - I remember loving it in the late 90s for a drink so now that the reboot's newness recedes, hopefully I can enjoy a meal and drinks.
6. Dirt Candy - Nobody wants to come with me to Dirt Candy. I agree with their slogan: anyone can cook a hamburger, leave the vegetables to professionals. So I'm going alone in 2018!
7. Freek's Mill - My favorite wine shop proclaims a favorable wine list that matches the food beautifully. Why do I expect to see a lot of freekeh on the menu?
8. Hanoi House - My pho game is pathetic. I aspire-expect to have great pho here and ask a lot of questions.
9. Lilia - A 2018 home cooking goal: to master classic pastas. So I hope to go on an evening when the dishes are simple and I can observe the art of saucing effectively.
10. Mike's - All these years and still never a trip to Arthur Avenue. That ends this year!
11. Metta - I know this block pretty well and so have an impression of a highly inviting and comforting place to share small plates. 
12. Mu Ramen - I haven't had a beef-based ramen broth. Ever. So that and a chance to learn more about LIC; please!
13. Okonomi - How I swoon for a donburi or Japanese set lunch! What exactly is ichiju-sansai? I don't know and will not learn ahead of time. Surprise me, please.
14. Roll-N-Roaster - Ok, late night PAC12 football games come with some strange commercials. I eat so little roast beef but can sing this damn jingle.
15. Superiority Burger - Can the sandwich be as good as people proclaim? And anybody can cook a beef hamburger, what about a meatless option.
16. Tokyo Record Bar - This concept is genuinely foreign to me but sounds so fun.

2017 Restaurants on My List

So I'll try a different tactic this year and list 20-ish restaurants with hopes to try 50%. Any 50%.

1. Dirt Candy
2. Eastwind Snack Shop
3. Emmy Squared
4. Freek's Mill
5. Le Coq Rico
6. Le Cou Cou
7. Lilia
8. Loring Place
9. Madam Zhu's Kitchen
10. MaLa Project
11. M. Wells Steakhouse
12. Okonomi
13. Paowalla
14. The Pines
15. SriPraPhai
16. Sushi Katsuei
17. Superiority Burger
18. Take Root
19. Wildair

So that's 11 in Brooklyn, 7 in Manhattan, and 2 in Queens.

Dinner #4 of 2014 - Purple Yam

Last week, we ate on Courtelyou with Dance & Stretch (last time out with them was Tanoreen) at Purple Yam. We had a great meal in a tweener setting. Tweener? Purple Yam doesn't have the atmosphere or Franny's (aromatic), La Vara (comfortable), or Hibino (elegant and hushed). It also doesn't feel like a restaurant in Chinatown or Curry Hill either. It's in-between.

Yet the food was terrific. We ordered and enjoyed six different dishes and loved them all, including a whole fried dorade. The chicken adobo came with a sauce equal parts tangy, rich with coconut, and full of garlic) but weirdly included chicken breast. So stewed breast is going to be dry and the breast meat was dry.

The only dish we didn't like was the Pincit Bihon. This is a stir-fried noodle dish that was bland.

The meal ended with a very exceptional dessert. We had this mango pancake (forgot the name) with a scoop of mango ice cream. None of us were hungry so we politely ordered one to share. Next time we'll ask if it's a special that day and if so, we'll order two fewer entrees.

Dinner #3 of 214 - La Vara

In June, I was fortunate to dine at La Vara on a quiet Wednesday evening with a client. My overall impression is that La Vara is a tremendous neighborhood restaurant, perhaps not worth traveling from faraway neighborhoods, unless you are looking for a highly-specific Spanish dish. I was looking for a specific dish, found and loved it. So I'll return soon.

On this evening, we started with the Garbanzos Fritos. Simply put, this is a bowl of perfectly fried chic peas. I've actually made it at home a few times since (similar to the chic peas in a pasta dish from Franny's). It's a great snack as you review the menu and consider the specials.

Just as the chic peas were nearing completion our Coca De Cebes arrived. This is torn pieces of flatbread tossed with vegetables and a healthy amount of sherry vinegar (I think). Lovely if not very memorable.

So the highly-specific dish: Fideua. I've read about this multiple times but never seen it on a menu. Simply put, this dish is a paella using narrow noodles instead of rice. Fantastic. The noodles are uniform and expertly al dente. Each one has taken on the broth's flavor and this rendition had nicely cooked clams (better than mine).

For dessert, I had the Natillas de Arroz con Leche. Rice pudding cooked so nicely that the rice has all but disintegrated into the custard with enough rose and cinnamon to make their presence known without overpowering the milk's natural flavor.

The staff helped us pick a fantastic Rioja. It was a little meaty and chewy for our dishes. Nonetheless, I drank half and had no headache the next morning. 

I didn't enjoy La Vara as much as Hibino (practically neighbors) but will be happy to return.

Dover - a whole new world of chicken

Genuinely, I can't remember the last time we ordered chicken in any form besides eggs. The chicken entrée is usually the safest, most bland option. And I make spectacular roast chicken twenty-five times each year. Why do I need to order chicken?

Everything is changed because of Dover. Dover has a (nice) senior center cafeteria décor to go along with our favorite (thus far) meal of 2014. Located on a visible corner of Court Street, the staff is friendly, attentive and accessible. Now, nearly a month later, I still think everything we ate was outstanding. But the whole chicken for two stole the show. Dover serves it in two preparations and without stealing the excitement, I'll just say, if you go, order it.

Two things to consider:

1. Dover is pretty French. You receive lovely gougere at the onset. There's amuse bouche. The bread is served piece-by-piece by backstaff using two spoons elegantly.
2. This is an expensive outing (see attached)

Anyhow, I'm not going to provide a blow-by-blow. At a $100pp (tax and drink inclusive), it's not a bad value for the quality and originality.

Dinner for 4

Dinner #2 of 2014 - Hanjan

In early February, a former colleague (in town from DC) and I made it to Hanjan. On a random Monday night, the place was packed. And it was a nice crowd with a comfortable layout. Overall, we were happy with the meal, though it wasn't good enough to seek out again. Hanjan is has a better environment, but remains in the The Kin Shop strata for me: happy to go again, not great enough to make a point to go back.

We started with the cold tofu, which was nice but not comparable to Hibino. Then the Korean pancake (call it Pajeon!) was probably the most memorable. I love the crisp exterior with the soft, unctuous interior. Finally, our entrees were fine but completely not memorable. Both the kimchi/beef fried rice and the Bulgogi were fine, but not memorable.

Dinner #1 of 2014 - Uncle Boon's

We visited Uncle Boon's early on a very cold Friday in January (I guess they were all very cold this January) with our former neighbors (we moved, not them.)

For food, Uncle Boon's was fantastic from beginning to end. The least enjoyable dish we ordered - Northern-style golden curry - was style delicious. Dishes like the charcoal-grilled octopus, seared chicken liver, and kabocha squash were fantastic. All the classic thai flavors were strong and pronounced. All the meats were juicy. Everything had great texture and enough sauce to complement.

The cocktails were not good. They were fine. I think if you're charging at or close to Weather Up, Pegu Club, Evelyn, then the drinks should be close. These were not.

We arrived and it was pretty empty (6:00). By the time we left, it was full with a considerable looking crowd.

2014 Restaurants

Three months late but the list exists! The 12 restaurants I'd like to try this year.

1. Han Dynasty
2. Hanjan
3. La Vara
4. Maison Premiere
5. Mission Cantina
6. Mission Chinese (if they reopen this year)
7. Pok Pok
8. Purple Yam (holdover from last year)
9. RedFarm
10. SriPraPhai (holdover from last year)
11. Uncle Boons
12. Xi'An Famous Foods (seems like they're everywhere now - even on the radio)

Eating at Walter's

We walk by Walter's in Fort Greene frequently. And it looks so inviting. Something about the lighting and bar layout make it feel like a neighborhood restaurant that I'd want to make "our place." Last month, we went as a family (I rarely like going out for dinner with the little ones, but that's a different story).

Walter's was great. We had a great time. The food was fantastic - from the spicy, crunchy wings to the shared steak. There wasn't a single dish we didn't enjoy. That steak was something special. Not in a melt-in-your-mouth way. Strangely, I felt like the meat was seasoned from the inside-out. The steak had chew, not tough. I still think about it a month later.

Talde (6 out of this year's 12)

We visited Talde in August and had a fine meal. It was our 6th of 12 restaurants to visit this year. I've been trying to figure out why we didn't love it. Finally, I realized: at this price the service and atmosphere felt too casual. In many ways, Talde has the feel of a poor-man's Blue Dragon (in Boston). That's probably unfair; Ming Tsai's been a restaurateur for 12+ years. And liking a Boston anything over a Brooklyn anything pains me.

You can see what we ordered.


Strangely, I'd say our favorite item was the Chow Fun. It was flavorful and had a great texture capturing crunch and chew. The Kung Pao wings were also delicious - great exterior and moist (slightly bland) meat.

Then the other things were fine, not great and nothing terrible. The BBQ Negroni was much more innovative and interesting than the Navy Grog.

eating at kin shop (2nd of 12)

Last week we took the kids to kin shop. Going out with them often devolves into something like less than ideal. Anyhow we went with an open mind and weren't disappointed (hey, the kids even got along.).

And the food was very good. I think this was my favorite Thai food outside of the three meals at Lotus of Siam in Las Vegas. The restaurant space and design are not great, not even very good. The chair backs are marked up. The bar looks a little dusty. The floors have a cafeteria feel to them. The space and design remind me of a high-end restaurant in Flushing.

The food and service were excellent. We had the following:

1. Miang of fluke - 5 lovely bits of fluke, each on a shiso leaf (do they have shiso in Thailand?)
2. Stir fry of aquatic vegetables - delicious stir fry with a very light touch with the oil and salt
3. Stir fry rice flakes - the most unusual dish, these were wide rice noodles shattered into pieces and stir fried with tremendous shrimp (and I usually dislike shrimp intensely)
4. Massaman: braised goat - the curry was delightful with enough peanut taste (not heavy), great texture and an aroma of, well, everything it seemed (fish sauce, cardamom, star anise...). The goat was bland. I sold the goat pretty hard and the kids ate it saying it "Daddy, isn't it just lamb?" I was hoping for gamy.
5. Crispy roti - I always associate this with Malaysia. We're glad to have seen it. The kids rejoiced in eating it and we ordered a second (nearly a third). It was perfect: crisp, aromatic, slightly oily. 

The cocktails and wine didn't really jump out at us so we stayed with water. And with tax and tip the bill came to ~ $105. We would definitely go back.

12 Restaurants for 2013

Happy New Year. 

It's been a long, slow blogging process. So if anyone reads this, I apologize for the delay. 2013 will be more fertile with posts about drinks out, drinks made, dinners out, and a recipe here or there. The photography will not be great. This blog will not compare to smitten kitchen or lady gouda.

So this year's first post will be the 12 new restaurants we'll visit this year. We made it to 9 of the 12 in 2011.