Ensalada De Jicama (jicama-avocado “ravioli”)
by Celia Cheng
April 28th, 2008
TOLOACHE
251 W 50th St
(B’way & 8th Ave)
212-581-1818
$$
I love avocado, and Chef/owner Julian Medina of Toloache definitely has a way with it, whether it’s in his three different flavors of guacamole — traditional, frutas and rojo — or his out-of-this-world jicama-avocado “ravioli.” The skins of the ravioli are thin slices of jicama, wrapped around pieces of avocado. They are light and delicate, making a wonderful starter salad with mixed greens, orange, radish and almonds dressed with tamarind vinaigrette. Paired with a margarita, this refreshing dish is the ideal start to an excellent Mexican meal.
Posted in Mexican , Midtown West , Salad , Vegetables
Halloumi Dust
by Celia Cheng
March 31st, 2008
ANTHOS
36 W 52nd St
(5th & 6th Ave)
212-582-6900
$$$
They say, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” so for my halloumi dust dessert craving from Anthos, I will let the photo of this dessert speak for itself! These are dried halloumi shavings, which pair perfectly with the accompanying dash of chocolate, hazelnut in pulled sugar, caramelized paximathia (biscotti) and grapefruit candy. You’ve got to love that savory-sweet action and commend Michael Psilakis for coming up with a truly original work of art!
Posted in Cheese , Dessert , Greek , Midtown West
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Menchanko (noodles)
by Celia Cheng
October 26th, 2007
MENCHANKO-TEI
43-45 W 55th St
(5th & 6th Ave)
212-247-1585
131 E 45th St
(Lexington & 3rd Ave)
212-986-6805
$
I had almost forgotten how comforting the food at Menchanko-tei is, particularly the dish for which the restaurant was named, menchanko — their original noodle recipe, individually cooked in a cast iron bowl with thick ramen noodles in a rich soy broth. Chicken, shrimp, salmon ball, tofu, rice cake and vegetables make it a pretty hearty meal. But one of my absolute favorite things about it is adding Menchanko-tei’s homemade citron pepper (yuzu kosho), which looks like a regular red pepper paste, but the yuzu (Japanese citrus fruit) flavor is so refreshing, while the paste itself is quite spicy. The menchanko is a great comfort food for the wintertime or for nursing a cold, and the citron pepper is perfect for clearing up that stuffy nose.
Posted in Japanese , Midtown East , Midtown West , Noodles
Speculoos Cookies
by Celia Cheng
September 19th, 2007
LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN
100 Grand St
(Mercer & Greene St)
212-625-9009
more locations
$$
The Belgian bakery-café chain Le Pain Quotidien seems to be continuously opening new stores around the globe, with thirteen locations in New York City alone. In my book, LPQ’s speculoos cookies — Belgian spice cookies — are reason enough for world domination. I love these smooth, flat cookies with sliced almonds because the subtle hint of cinnamon and fresh lemon linger on your palate long after the cookies are gone. The texture of the cookie is hard but refined as it’s made with pastry flour. Each bite starts with a light, crisp crunch, and ends with your hand reaching for another.
Posted in Belgian , Chelsea , Cookies , Midtown West , SoHo , Sweets , UES , Union Square , UWS , West Village
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Roasted Garlic Gnocchi
by Celia Cheng
February 27th, 2007
BAR ROOM AT THE MODERN
9 W 53rd St
(5th & 6th Ave)
212-333-1220
$$$
The roasted garlic gnocchi with wild mushrooms, sage and crispy sweetbreads at the Bar Room at The Modern is simply divine! While it may sound heavy, the flavors of each ingredient are subtle and balanced. Much like the restaurant itself, each participant knows its role precisely so as to not over or under perform. I wish all things in life and in food could be as elegant and on-target as this perfect gnocchi.
Posted in Alsatian , American , Midtown West , Pasta
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