One if by Land, Two if by Sea

One if by Land, Two if by Sea
17 Barrow Street - Map
Between West 4th Street and Bleecker St
New York
American Continental

Another one of New York City's more notable fine dining establishments - One if by Land, Two if by Sea gives you everything you expect to get: decent gourmet cuisine that's not too adventurous, and an impeccable dining environment.

Through my years of eating at dining establishments during Restaurant Week - I've learned a few things. First, if it's a relatively new restaurant, chances are the service and quality of the dishes will still be good. Secondly, make it your business to order some kind of alcohol since the higher-end restaurants generally don't make as much over the prix fixe menu (and consequently, your servers are less likely to give you good service since the tip will be smaller), so the prospect of a higher tip due to the purchase of alcoholic beverages increases your chances of better service.

That said, service at One if by Land could have been MUCH better than it was. First of all, it took them a very very long time to take our orders. In fact, our server took our wine order first, and had it served, and we still waited a while before ordering our meal. In fact, we had finished the bottle of wine between us before any of our dishes arrived. I was also perturbed at the server's attitude when I asked him what he would recommend as a wine pairing to the dishes we were ordering. He seemed annoyed that I would ask him, and he seemed marginally reluctant to help. Either it was because he didn't know crap about wine, or he was just being snooty. If it was the former, then just tell me you don't know and recommend I ask the sommelier, and if it's the latter, then you're not doing much for a good tip. Lastly, even once we placed our orders, it took a particularly long time before any of us received our entrées (hence the fact that we finished the bottle of wine before our food arrived). For an establishment that has such a long-standing and very positive reputation that preceeds it, the experience we had was more than disappointing.

Anyway, on to the cuisine at hand. The restaurant week menu selection was actually quite pleasant with three options for an appetizer, three options for the entrée, and three options for dessert. I ordered their Seared Gulf Prawns, the Thai Marinated Roast Free Range Chicken, and for dessert the Peach Parfait. Of the three, I most thoroughly enjoyed the Seared Gulf Prawns as it was served in a small nest of linguini in a lusciously light tomato broth. I thoroughly enjoyed the married flavors of the prawn and the tomato sauce - distinctly of prawn with the light hint of sweet aroma, then the velvetty acidity of the tomato sauce. I particularly loved the textural play of the linguini.

The following entrée, was also very good. I actually enjoyed the sesame-whipped potatoes and the sweet corn and bok choy more so than the chicken, although that was very good too. The chicken breast was served cooked to perfection; not dry at all, and quite moist. It was crusted nicely with spice rub, of which the most notable flavor was the coriander, which added a really nice kick and texture.

Dessert, not my favorite course, was still a pleasant palate cleanser for the savory dishes that preceeded it, but of no personal particular note. I enjoyed the flavors of the peach parfait, and it's presentation was adequate and on-par for the venue.

I would like, for the moment, to at least discuss One if by Land's strongest quality - its décor and ambiance. One if by Land is most noted as being famous for wedding proposals. Many a gent plan a whole romantic evening to culminate in a fine-dining experience in a locale that fosters a lush and romantic environment (in fact, a couple sitting adjacent to our table had just gotten engaged minutes prior to our arrival). The interior is beautifully decorated with old-style wrought-iron candle-lamps as light fixtures situated above the bar immediately to the left as you enter the restaurant. The low-level lighting and the general low-level lull of talk in the room all the more increase the sense of intimacy and refinery. Upon being seated, the server lights the two candles perched on two tall candle-sticks accompanied by a small rose arrangement in the center. All in all, a very pleasant and pretentious experience.

In conclusion - One if by Land, Two if by Sea was a pleasant enough experience. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have bothered to write a review, but the reputation of the restaurant merited a small write-up. As a foodie, would I go to One if by Land on my own? Probably not, but if you're looking for a nice, intimate dining experience, then One if by Land, Two if by Sea should definitely be at the top of your list!

The Good Fork

The Good Fork
391 Van Brunt St - Map
Between Coffrey Street and Van Dyke St
Red Hook, Brooklyn
(718) 643-6636
Contemporary American

On this one particular evening, three of my recently acquired chef friends (because we graduated culinary school - sorry, I had to plug that in!!) decided to get together and maintain our contact with one another. We figured - what better way to do that then to go out to dinner together and flex our new muscles of culinary knowledge. All week long we were savoring the day where we'd wreak havoc on a dining establishment with our overly critical palates! The (un)lucky winner was The Good Fork, a relatively new restaurant to open in the very up-and-coming Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn (within walking distance of the new Fairway).

We were only able to make a reservation for 9:15 and so we decided to occupy our time at the liquor store across the street, Le Nell's, of which I highly recommend visiting, for a brief tequila tasting and to purchase a bottle of wine. After being graciously educated on the refined varieties of tequila, we opted for a nice bottle of red and decided that we'd enjoy it along the pier as the sun was setting.

Upon entering the restaurant, you can't help notice that the decor of the entire place is reminiscent of being inside the galley of a boat, with tables alongside either wall, and a narrow walkway down the center toward the back where there is a bar in front of the VERY small kitchen. However, there is additional seating in their back dining room - where we were seated - which also leads outside to an outdoor seating area which was consequently open and heated through heat lamps.

We were pleasantly surprised to learn that the executive chef and wife of the owner, Ben, is actually an alumna of the Institute of Culinary Education - the rival school to our own alma mater, the French Culinary Institute - but we let bygones be bygones and decided to just enjoy our wonderful evening together.

We decided on 5 different starters: the cornmeal crusted osyters, the dumplings, the crab cake, the diver sea scallops, and their special for the evening chicken liver mousse paté crostini. We thoroughly enjoyed all the starters, although we felt that the diver sea scallops tasted to strongly of the bacon, and less so than scallops, but they were cooked to absolute perfection, or as the French say à point. They had a wonderfully brown crust on either side, and the center was perfectly plump and succulent and not rubbery in the least. The accompanying grilled asparagus dressed in a balsamic reduction was deliciously smoky and sweet, and really lovely pairing to the texture of the scallops and their bacony flavor.

The crab cake was also worthy of special note. The cakes were made from fresh crab and the flavor was both delicate and bold. The texture was perfect, while holding together in nice clumps, but brittle enough to fall apart from the larger portion of the cake. The freshness of the crab meat was clear from before the dish entered my mouth - with the distinct aroma of the sea and of crab tickling my nose and dancing a perfected ballet on my palate.

Not wanting to do injustice to the other starters, the cornmeal crusted oysters had a wonderful texture and an even more delicious flavor, wonderfully briny and the crumbly cornmeal brushing against my tongue. While I found the texture of the chicken liver mousse paté somewhat disappointing, with it being more runny than I would expect from a mousse paté, the flavor more than made up for it, and since I'm a huge fan of liver, I was not disappointed.

We were disappointed however, with the amount of time it took to serve the entrée once the starters were cleared from the table. We easily waited at least 20 minutes, but since we were all drinking something or other and enjoying each other's company we didn't mind as much as we would have had we not been drinking.

Finally our entrées arrived. I ordered the seared duck breast served with soba noodles, assorted vegetables, peanuts, and okonomi sauce. The breast was prepared to medium-rare, exactly how I like it. The skin was seared to perfect crispness which of course added torrents of flavor. The soba noodles were also particularly plump and al dente, topped with a few crushed peanuts. The okonomi sauce was both tart and savory at the same time, and went wonderfully well with the meaty duck. I was very pleased with this dish.

I also ordered a side of their shrimp scallion pancakes. These were really nicely prepared, cut into triangle wedges, and served with a teriyaki dipping sauce with toasted sesame seeds. The pancakes did not taste too strongly of scallion, and the baby shrimp added a fun texture and nice delicate flavor.

Overall, I did enjoy this eating establishment very much. I'm excited that they utilize seasonal ingredients, maintaining good quality and delicious food. With the exception of the timing of the dishes, everything else was very good, and overall a pleasant experience. Definitely worth checking out if you're not far from the neighborhood!

Fig & Olive: Meatpacking District

Fig & Olive
420 West 13th St - Map
Between 9th Ave and Washington St
New York
(212) 924-1200
Mediterranean Chic

Fresh ingredients, flavorful palate punches, inviting open-space ambiance.....the list goes on. Fig & Olive couldn't have found a better location than the Meat Packing District by taking advantage of all the wide-open spaces: tall ceilings, full-length windows, open kitchen, warm and light color palette, and fun wicker-covered hanging light fixtures (I particularly loved the wrought-iron olive branch candle-sconces along one wall, opposite a white wall with potted green plants - great touch!). What better venue to truly embrace the feel of the open Mediterranean sun on your face, and expecting light and flavorful food?!

Well, on this particularly beautiful and sunny Saturday afternoon, after our hibernation through the NYC winter, a friend and I decided to brunch at this much-talked-about restaurant. Being partial to the Mediterranean palate and spices, I was eager to see how Executive Chef Pascal Lorange was going to coax out some of the more subtle flavors of this prominent cuisine.

Upon entering the restaurant, we were greeted by the hostess, behind whom were white shelves lined with various bottles of olive oil. We were immediately seated and allowed to peruse the brunch menu as well as their regular one.

My friend, in his overly cautious attitude toward food, chose their scrambled eggs from their brunch menu. I, however, brought some adventure to the table, and ordered 6 of their crostini, and their Yellow Fin Tuna Carpaccio. The friendly waitress was very informative and was efficient at filling our glasses with water and our mugs with the sought-after coffee.

The scrambled eggs were brought on a beautiful plate, inside a bread nest, served with a side salad. The crostini I ordered for the table were as follows:

• Grilled Vegetables, Olive Tapenade
• Eggplant Caviar, Red Bell Pepper
• Manchego, Fig Spread, Almond
• Prosciutto, Ricotta, Fig & Olive & Walnut Tapenade
• Bresaola, Goat Cheese, Olive
• Shrimp, Ricotta, Cilantro, Tomato

Allow me to describe in detail the play of flavor. First of all, each of the crostinis themselves were toasted to perfection; toasted rim, and soft inner bread.

The grilled vegetables were nice, still maintaining their shape and flavor, and releasing their smokey grilled flavors, textures of eggplant and zucchini teasing the palate.

The eggplant caviar was most interesting, with distinct eggplant flavors, and the subtle caviar undertone to buffet the eggplant - interesting synergy that surprisingly goes well together.

The manchego and fig spread was amusing, with the play of salty and savory-sweet figs. The almonds added an enveloping warmth and delicious crunch to the crostini, and the fig spread while primarily sweet, wisped your palate of a savory deliciousness at the end.

I particularly liked the prosciutto crostini. The deep purple of the prosciutto contrasting with the stark white ricotta was very appealing. The meat had a subtle flavor that meshed well with the soft ricotta, all tied together like string with the tapenade reacting differently and wonderfully with both the prosciutto and ricotta. Wonderful textural and flavorful play.

The bresaola and goat cheese was also magnificent in its simplicity. In conrast to the prosciutto, the bresaola had a lot more meaty flavor, and what better cheese to pair it with than a bold goat cheese? The flavors melded perfectly together.

Last, but certainly not least, and probably my most favorite was the shrimp crostini. The light sea flavor and defining texture of the shrimp atop the creamy avocado was superb. This crostini took me back to Greece, sitting on a beach, enjoying the warmth of the sun on my face, and the deep and clear turquoise waters at my feet atop blindingly white sparkly sand. The flavors simply washed over me in waves, and I was sad when I took the last bite.

Next came the tuna carpaccio. I have to say, I was impressed with this dish. Carpaccio is usually a raw and very thinly sliced meat, typically served with arugala and parmesan and sometimes olive oil. The yellow fin tuna was dressed in balsamic vinegar, lemon and sesame oil, and served with cilantro, arugala and marcona almonds. I loved that they were able to maintain the beautiful shape of the tuna fillet that was sliced to paper-thinness, with it's ruby hue in some places, and dark purple in others. I particularly loved how the subtle flavor of the tuna was not lost underneath the power-players of sesame oil - as subtle as it may be, balsamic vinegar - bold, but tempered to a hint of sweetness, and the lemon juice - perking up the hidden flavors of the arugala and tuna and emphasizing the cilantro tang. The marcona almonds were a pleasant textural play against the fragile tuna and the crispy arugala - and played nicely off the peppery flavors.

Overall, I had a wonderful experience at Fig & Olive. I didn't feel rushed and felt comfortable taking my time with the food and laying back occassionally to sip at my coffee. Fig & Olive truly embraces and adopts the Mediterranean cuisine and attitude, and I couldn't have thought of a better place to have this experience on the dawning of Spring in NYC.

Firebird Russian Restaurant

Firebird Russian Restaurant
365 West 46th Street - Map
Between 8th and 9th Avenues
New York
(212) 586-0244
Pre-Revolution Russian Cuisine

Winter Restaurant Week in NYC again. Another opportunity to smuggle myself in to one of the more expensive culinary venues in our great city. This time around, Firebird Russian Restaurant - the love-child of J. William Holt and wife Irina von der Launitz (who is apparently the granddaughter of the late Vladimir von der Launitz, former mayor of St. Petersburg), is housed in a townhouse whose entrance spans two-stories.

Judging by the embellished and pretentious lobby, with green marble-like columns flanking doorways, rich colors, and Fabergé eggs showcased in glass cases, one would expect a mighty fine dining experience. Immediately past the lobby, there's a small waiting area by the bar, with a live pianist playing on the piano, and the bar was heavily stocked with a variety of vodkas from all over the world. The drink menu was particularly impressive with 4 pages listing various vodkas by country. The wine list was also impressive. Firebird was not afraid to show a bit of a whimsical side with a section of the menu devoted to special cocktail drinks with names like Flirtini - vodka mixed with chambord, grapefruit juice, and topped with champagne.

On this particular evening, my sister and I arrived earlier than the rest of our party, so we of course decided to indulge our senses at the bar. I personally was debating between a Kir Royale or the Flirtini, while my sister settled on a cool glass of their Riesling (which, I have to say, was delicate, and apple-fruity). I settled on the Flirtini (I figured, looks like a cosmo, but should taste different!). It tasted more of the grapefruit juice, but the champagne added a nice texture, and the chambord a nice color - even though I would have preferred more of a balanced flavor. I imagine the vodka was supposed to just add that alcoholic kick, I must not have noticed it over the décor. I would like to mention that the bartender, a giant of a man, was not particularly attentive to his patrons. He looked busy, but after careful observation, he was just moving around a lot, and not paying much attention to either mixing drinks or the clientèle waiting to place an order. After waiting for what seemed like an exasperating amount of time, we were eventually served. Slowly, the rest of my party arrived, and the very friendly host (not in a pretentious, but sincere way) caught my attention so that I may round us all up.

We were escorted into the next room, and one of the servers, bedecked in a starched, white coat, with gilded cuffs and buttons pulled the table out of a large booth, allowing 6 of us to slide in comfortably, and seating 2 of our party at the exposed end of the table. We were distributed their restaurant week 3-course menu, and their wine selection. The wine selection was meager at best. They only offered a handful of wines, by the bottle only ($45). When I asked for the more extensive list, I was given a shady answer to the effect of them relocating their wines to a different cellar and so the wines are not all accessible. I doubt it. I think they were just limiting the selection for restaurant week patrons. Ew. Consequently, we ordered no wine at all, and ordered cocktails instead, c'est la vie.

The menu was not all that exciting, actually. The offering for the first course was either the Soup of the Day, which was a silky a lusciously thick soup of root vegetables, with a distinct zucchini flavor - overall, not bad at all, the Firebird salad, a small amount of fresh goat cheese, topped with a mound of mixed greens, barely dressed with a bland vinaigrette, topped with a very thinly sliced piece of roasted pain de mie, acting as a crouton. The last offering was a pork pierogie. I immediately was drawn to that, since it seemed the most interesting of the 3 appetizers. I was mistaken. Two tiny pieces of puff pastry dough, filled with pork, and served with a small arugala side-salad (which, I might add, was undressed). The dough was overwhelming, and the pork was bland. There wasn't even a sauce to dip into to help soften the bready crust and to possibly add another dimension of flavor to the pork. One other member of our group ordered the same dish, and he too reflected my sentiments.

For the second course, they offered the chicken kiev, a vegetable risotto, salmon in a puff pastry dough, and a beef stroganov. Turns out nobody ordered the beef stroganov, so I cannot comment on its virtues (or vices). I happened to order the chicken kiev, which was served as a whole breast with a manchonéed wing tip, and breaded, atop a small bed of steamed small dice of sweet potato. As soon as I cut into the breast, like a perfectly timed show, the inner compound butter juices, which have melted, oozed out deliciously over the entire plate, "finishing it off," so-t0-speak. This being my first chicken kiev experience, I found the flavors to be delicious. The compound butter was delicious, the chicken breast was perfectly moist but meaty, and the breaded crust added a wonderful contrasting texture. Furthermore, the sweet potato was a nice addition to the savory juices. While I enjoyed this dish, I was not blown away by it. There were no sparks. It was just good.

The other dish that I thought was executed well was the salmon cooked in a thin puff pastry crust, and was stuffed with rice and egg. The salmon was not overcooked, and was still deliciously moist. The beurre blanc sauce was garnished around the fish center-piece. I have to say, this was a VERY good beurre blanc sauce. Not too heavy, not too acidic, a perfect balance of the two, and well seasoned. Again, a very good dish, but I wasn't blown away by it. The risotto was probably the most disappointing dish, actually. I didn't care for the texture, it wasn't as creamy as I would have liked, and I didn't like the taste of it. It wasn't bad, just not to my personal liking.

Finally for dessert, there was no option, we all were served the chocolate-orange tarte. Mine was accompanied by a cup of Earl Grey tea (since I didn't care for the other tea options). The tea was served in a tall glass cup, and placed in an ornate metal base with a handle - very traditional Russian tea accoutrement. I asked for sugar cubes, and they looked at me like it was the oddest request. Apparently, Firebird isn't that authentic. The chocolate tarte was really a chocolate mousse pressed into a small pyramid mold and plated. It tasted chocolaty and creamy, but for a tarte, I was expecting at least a crust. The dessert was ok, and I was hoping for a richer chocolate flavor, but I was sadly disappointed.

While my friends and I had a wonderful time at Firebird Russian Restaurant, it was more because of the pleasant company than due to the venue. The food was ok, but if you're interested in the show, and not so much in the substance, then Firebird is probably the restaurant for you.