Stuzzichini Misti (selection of five appetizers)
by Celia Cheng
August 30th, 2007
It doesn’t seem to matter whether it’s blazing hot or abnormally cold; the weather this month has not affected my appetite in the least bit. It’s been another full month of non-stop eating. I’ve had the chance to try a dozen restaurants, old and new, that have been on my list. Here are three more quick highlights for August:
Bar Stuzzichini
928 Broadway
(21st & 22nd St)
212-780-5100
The stuzzichini (small plate appetizers) at this new Flat Iron district Italian restaurant are actually quite good, but the size of the restaurant can be distracting and the service consistently sloppy. It feels more like a dining hall than a nice restaurant. Sitting at the marble-topped dining bar could’ve been just as delightful as the dining bar at Bellavitae, but, unfortunately, Bar Stuzzichini lacks the intimacy and comfort, and the large restaurant atmosphere sadly detracts from the otherwise perfectly good stuzzichinis. The pastas are descent but not exceptional and desserts not too interesting. My recommendation is to sit at the bar and have the stuzzichini misti — one of each from the five categories: fritti (fried), verdure (vegetables), pesce (seafood), formaggi (cheeses), and salumi (cured meats). Ordered individually, each appetizer ranges from $5 to $10, but the misti is a bargain at $22. The arancini (fried rice balls) are wonderfully crunchy on the outside and gooey inside, and the scamorza alla brace (grilled scamorza cheese — a type of dried and cured mozzarella) is scrumptious. It seems to me that happy hour at Bar Stuzzichini for some snacks may be the way to go.
Rose Water
787 Union St
(5th & 6th Ave)
Park Slope, Brooklyn
718-783-3800
website
Rose Water is a foodie haven in Park Slope. The seasonal menu focuses on quality ingredients, the service is always pleasant, and the prices are fair. At a recent dinner, the sweet corn risotto with oyster mushrooms, zucchini, pickled onions and herbs stood out as an extremely savory combination. The weekend prix-fixe brunch at $13 is also very worthwhile and includes an entrée and a drink. It’s an unbeatable deal. This past weekend, I was happy as a clam after having the poached eggs on flat grilled corn cakes, served with plum sauce and accompanied by a feta, spinach and grilled cherry tomato salad — a special so it was $15 instead of $13 — and a glass of fresh watermelon peach juice. Rose Water is yet another great Park Slope neighborhood restaurant.
Sfoglia
1402 Lexington Ave
@ 92nd St
212-831-1402
website
Trying to get a dinner reservation at Sfoglia is a real challenge, as they seem to be booked six-weeks in advance. It’s no wonder, since Sfoglia is small, with only ten tables and a bar, and the food is simple and good. If your schedule is flexible, though, there is the option of lunch, which is rather quiet. Several of the regulars eating alone at the bar treat Sfolgia like a neighborhood café, bringing reading or writing material and leisurely enjoying their meals. The homemade bread is served fresh and warm! It’s like country bread with a dash of sea salt seasoning; the outer crust is crunchy but not too hard or thick, and the bread inside is white and fluffy. The frittata of the day (fennel, cipollini onions and parmesan on the day of my lunch) seemed a popular choice amongst the bar diners, so I tried it and decided that on my next visit that would be all I’d need for lunch. Naturally I couldn’t pass up the scialatelli (a thicker version of spaghetti), roasted cherry tomatoes, bottarga di muggine (dried grey mullet fish roe), parsley and garlic. The scialatelli is a meatier pasta and worked well with the sweet roasted cherry tomatoes and bottarga. The pappardelle alla Bolognese sounded great with ground pork, veal and chicken liver and fresh hand-cut sheets of papparadelle, but alas the dish was over-salted and thus disappointing. Nevertheless, Sfoglia is a rustic gem, a sliver of a restaurant on the UES that I will happily return to for lunch. It’s a place where you can relax and find peace of mind, if you can take the time.
Posted in American , Appetizer , Brunch , Flat Iron District , Italian , Park Slope , Small Plates , UES
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Obanzai (daily special side dishes)
by Celia Cheng
August 24th, 2007
HIBINO
333 Henry St
@ Pacific St
Cobble Hill, Brooklyn
718-260-8052
Hibino is a sweet little Japanese restaurant on the corner of Henry and Pacific Streets in Cobble Hill. They don’t accept reservations, so on a Friday night, my companions and I waited for a good hour before being seated at this bustling, minimalist (it’s truly clean and simple, as opposed to designed to look clean and simple) neighborhood restaurant.
I knew I had to try Hibino when I learned that they serve obanzai ryori (Kyoto home-style daily side dishes). Having lived in Kyoto for a year, I am always nostalgic for the poetic delicacies that come from the ancient Japanese capital (hence Omen being one of my favorite Japanese restaurants in town). The “obanzai” at Hibino, however, is not traditional Kyoto-style but rather the name used to describe the restaurant’s own daily home-style side dishes. Today the specials were pork kakuni (a thick cut of pork belly stewed in a mixture of soy sauce; mirin, a rice-based Japanese cooking wine; sugar and sake), takoyaki (octopus balls), and a nimono (foods simmered in a seasoned broth) of sliced eringi mushrooms (a type of oyster mushroom) with renkon (lotus root). While these are not considered traditional obanzai, all three dishes were excellent and delicately prepared.
The kakuni, served with a dab of Chinese mustard, was the best I’ve tasted in New York. Not only did the fatty part melt in my mouth, but the lean was also tender. My friend, Jennie, is not fond of fat, so we had decided that she would eat the lean, which I often find overcooked, and I would take care of the fat. Of course, that is not the ideal way to eat kakuni. You should have a bit of both because it’s the combination that makes the dish special. We ended up splitting it evenly because, after tasting it, Jennie didn’t mind the fat and I found the lean to be wonderfully juicy and the perfect complement to the fatty part of the pork. Bravo!
You might be familiar with octopus balls as they’re sold at Otafuku on 9th Street across from Sobaya (I don’t recommend them though). The octopus balls at Hibino, however, are the most refined I’ve tasted. A street food popularized in the Kansai (Western) region of Japan, octopus balls are baked batter with pieces of octopus, tenkasu (tempura batter balls), pickled ginger and leeks. The cooked balls are usually dressed with okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, bonito flakes, and aonori (green laver). The takoyaki at Hibino came undressed, which I preferred as all the sauces and spices generally overpower what they are supposed to complement. In addition, rather than being baked in the traditional cast iron griddles lined with holes to make perfectly round balls, these smaller than usual balls were deep-fried like croquettes, so the layer of skin is thicker, and the octopus is in a mashed potato purée inside.
Hibino’s menu is rather varied; in addition to the obanzai specials, the regular menu offers a number of appetizers, entrées and sushi. Another highlight of the evening was the homemade tofu (tofu is a key player in obanzai cuisine), served either hot or cold. We tried the cold, which was adorably served in a miniature glass milk jar with Hibino’s logo. We scooped out individual servings of tofu with little spoons and poured the accompanying soy sauce over it. It was like eating a delicate dessert. The tofu was delicious! Many Japanese restaurants in New York City now make their own tofu, and it’s wonderful to see so many doing it well. This was a real treat. Although next time I think I’ll get a portion just for myself.
I have to give the sushi a mixed review. The regular onigiri sushi was not good, mainly because the fish literally lacked luster. There was no glimmer or sheen on any of the pieces of fish and they tasted dull, too — not as fresh as sushi needs to be. However, Hibino also prepares hakozushi, pressed sushi, the Kansai specialty in which vinegar rice, fish, and other desired ingredients are placed in a rectangular wooden box, pressed with the lid to secure the form, and then cut into pieces. We tried the Kyoto hako sushi — pressed sushi with grilled yellow tail, shiitake and shiso. While I had reservations about ordering cooked yellow tail (a nontraditional hakozushi ingredient, and also like scallops, generally better raw), the flavors all worked and the presentation was beautiful.
For dessert, we shared some green tea azuki (red bean) ice cream, green tea ice cream and the soy milk pudding. The green tea ice cream was a pastel green so light that it almost looked white. I wouldn’t usually care what color the ice cream is, but I do when it tastes as weak and washed out as its hue. The green tea azuki is green tea ice cream with azuki beans — also rather unspectacular. One of my pet peeves is green tea ice cream that doesn’t have the deep, rich taste of real matcha (green tea). It was a good thing we ended the meal with the soy milk pudding, also served in the signature Hibino milk jar. It was actually more like a mousse. The consistency was fluffy, rather than smooth like pudding, but, like the homemade tofu, it was delicious.
I’m excited that there are many interesting, modern Japanese restaurants opening in Brooklyn. Like Zenkichi of Williamsburg, though, I wish Hibino were in my neighborhood — Greenwich Village. But then again, if not in Cobble Hill, Hibino probably wouldn’t be as laid back, hip and charming. For local Brooklynites, Hibino is a good destination for Japanese comfort food. If I lived in the neighborhood, I’d probably visit at least once a week for their delectable specials.
Posted in Cobble Hill , Japanese , Small Plates
Kyotofu Original Tofu
by Celia Cheng
March 16th, 2007
KYOTOFU
705 9th Ave
(48th & 49th St)
212-974-6012
Kyotofu is a darling little hide-away in Hell’s Kitchen. This very modern restaurant is predominantly white, inside and out, and doesn’t have any loud signage, which actually makes it stand out amongst its neighbors — it’s noticeable precisely because it is trying to be quiet.
The restaurant is small and seats around thirty, but the space is beautifully designed. The kitchen and bar space are open in plain view upon entering Kyotofu. The counter space at the bar and by the window are good hang outs, but the main seating area is through the corridor formed by the bar and kitchen: two rows of seats on each side of the wall in the back room.
Kyotofu is a dessert bar, but they also have savory bites on the menu and a fun drink list with sake, shochu and cocktails. Being the savory girl that I am, I’ve tried everything on the list other than the cheese plate: daily selection of otsumami appetizer plate, Kyotofu original tofu, black edamame, tofu chicken _tsukune _meatballs, mini onigiri rice balls. These are all small plates so even with two people you could sample all of the savory dishes on the list.
The tofu chicken tsukune is nice because the addition of tofu mixed with minced chicken meatballs made the texture softer and tender. But the real knockout of the lot is the Kyotofu original tofu.
This original tofu is served with two dipping sauces, one sweet and one savory. The sweet one is kuromitsu, a Japanese black sugar syrup, and the savory a white soy sauce. The natural association is that the darker sauce should be the savory soy, and the white a sugar syrup, but here it’s actually the reverse. The tofu is like Chinese dou hua, extremely fine silken tofu that is served as dessert but can also be served as a savory depending on the sauce. But I’ve actually never had dou hua with a texture as fine as Kyotofu’s original tofu. It’s fresh and warm and as good as tofu gets. Some people have the misconception that tofu is disgusting, either too mushy or too stiff, but soy products are actually one of the most versatile, ranging from yuba, tofu skin, silken tofu, to medium firmness that can be deep-fried, or harder ones used for stinky-tofu; there’s just endless possibilities for taste and texture! This rendition is just exquisite! It’s a fine piece of art both to look at and to taste!
As part of the otsumami plate was a tsukune gratin. Tsukune, as mentioned before is chicken meatballs, but this version is in a little dish that is baked and topped with a slice of renkon, lotus root, and it’s an interesting way to serve tsukune, which is usually served on skewers, and rather successful.
I am a big onigiri, rice ball, fanatic, and while the aojiso, pickled shiso, mini onigiris looked tasty, the rice was too firm and the accompanying tsukemono, pickled vegetables, a bit generic and lackluster.
For dessert, the black sesame sweet tofu is lovely, with the pairing of hojicha tea syrup. Hojicha is a stronger barky tasting tea that is often served after a meal. Creating syrup from this rooty tasting tea is a fun idea that works and pairs well with the gritty sweetness of black sesame. The sansho pepper tofu cheese cake is rather interesting and not at all what I expected. The sansho flavor is more for accent and subtle, which is probably good since a larger dose may numb your mouth, but the tofu cheese cake’s sourness threw me off a bit. The texture was more refined and less dense than that of traditional cheesecakes. I’m still not sure how I feel about this one.
I love shochu, Japanese distilled liquor, kind of like Japanese vodka. I usually drink it Japanese old man style with hot water and a pickled plum, though that kills the essence of the liquor. Shochu can be made from rice, wheat, potato, or other grains or starches. Kyotofu serves a shochu from the producer Beniotme in Fukuoka that’s made from white sesame. Drinking this on the rocks is really fabulous as you get the aftertaste and sweet aroma of the white sesame. I don’t mean to say that the drink is sweet, as it is a rather stiff hard liquor, but the lingering essence of the white sesame gives it a rich flavorful sweetness.
For an education on how good tofu can be, I would definitely rush to Kyotofu to try their original tofu. It’s a fun and comfortable place to hang out, although given its limited seating, it gets rather crowded so go early or late.
Posted in Dessert , Drinks , Japanese , Small Plates
Pork Kakuni
by Celia Cheng
March 10th, 2007
ZENKICHI
77 N 6th St
@ Wythe Ave
718-388-8985
True, it’s the year of the pig and I also just dedicated a feature to the lovable creature but I swear that I am not purposely choosing porky dishes. It’s just that, for some reason, what catches my fancy lately has been skewed towards all things porcine.
Zenkichi is one of the latest izakayas (Japanese pubs) to open to a lot of fanfare. It’s in Williamsburg, and is a welcome authentic ethnic addition to the hipster neighborhood. For those who are hesitant to travel outside of Manhattan, you’ll be glad to know that Zenkichi is literally three blocks away from the Bedford subway stop — for me, coming from Union Square, it was faster than getting to Kefi — which I tried the same week — on the Upper West Side!
The atmosphere is very true to hip, Japanese izakayas. I can easily imagine myself in Aoyama or Omotesando. The interior is very dark and jazz plays in the background. It’s the ideal setting for a relaxing meal.
The enormous restaurant occupies the entire three stories of a building but is deliberately segregated into little cubicles to give each party the illusion of privacy. Blinds divide the “rooms.” You can only faintly see the people next to you, but you do hear them. Also, you are hidden from the wait-staff and must use buttons on the table and walls to call for service — a gimmick I’m not particularly fond of. The buzzers look loud and obnoxious in contrast to the demure feel of the restaurant. It’s probably to the Zenkichi staff’s dismay that customers can buzz to their hearts desire whenever they need something — and the staff is not exactly prompt in responding!
I like the atmosphere at Zenkichi. I would love it even more if there was a bar area just for drinks and hanging out. The first time I tried Zenkichi with my sister, we were sitting in lover’s lane. We were across from all the real lovers who reveled in their little two-seater cubicles, blinds separating them from the rest of the world. Naturally, we felt a little out of place.
Enough about the atmosphere, let’s move on to food. Zenkichi’s food is pretty yummy, but not amazing. It’s better than mediocre and some dishes are better than others, but after two tries, I still have trouble pinpointing what’s not working.
I think the issue is the selection. It’s hard to pair complementary dishes at Zenkichi, and some ingredients repeat themselves too often. Of course, at izakayas or any small-dish restaurant, the point is to sample many things. But two of the salads we ordered were very similar, and three dishes were deep-fried. It became hard to distinguish which was the cream cheese and anago tempura, and which was the shrimp and camembert tempura. Cream cheese and tofu seemed to appear in almost every dish we ordered. While the two are very different, the textures were similar. And after a while, I got tired of both.
Apparently, the most popular dish for gaijin (foreigners) is the cream cheese and anago tempura — which I enjoyed very much — and the most popular dish for Japanese is the kakuni — pork belly. It never occurred to me that people might be afraid of the fat on the pork belly, but a friend said she got to eat all of the kakuni because her dinner-mates wouldn’t touch it. Lucky her!
Slow-cooked fatty meats like kakuni, which is actually a Chinese dish well loved by the Japanese, are actually not that fattening because the slow process of cooking melts off the grease. The remaining fat just tastes good as it glides across your tongue and down the hatch. Don’t forget to put a little Chinese mustard on the meat for a subtle but pungent extra kick.
I’m pretty confident that Zenkichi will get their game together soon. They need to tweak or expand the menu but overall the place is charming and the food is good. I think they would do better business if they were located in Manhattan, but the atmosphere of the restaurant matches the atmosphere of the neighborhood — quirky and urban chic — so I guess it works.
Posted in Japanese , Pork , Small Plates , Williamsburg
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