anthos

as I was lying around this morning, debating the precise moment to pull myself out of bed, I started thinking about michael psilakis.
not thinking about him thinking about him, though he does appeal…

i was remembering yesterday’s lunch at anthos, with allison. ( is the lamb burger different now that he’s no longer a partner? i have no point of reference–I have to go back to kefi…maybe I should read “how to roast a lamb…”  what is it about greek food, it really is so…fresh and bright and good, like sunshine…) and then i thought about all the really good greek places that i’ve been to: avra, ithaka, snack taverna, uncle nick’s…
you see how this can go on and on.

i eventually came to a notion that greek food might be the comforting, rustic, exact opposite of the food I grew up on:
both use root vegetables, but greek roots–beets, for example– have more water, crunch; filipinos use starchy cassava, maybe some taro, and a lot of purple yam (which I have never even seen in it’s raw form, only as a dehydrated powder or a robust, un-real purple “jam” –which is actually a paste made with grated yam, butter and condensed milk).
they dress with olive oil, citrus; filipinos season with highly fermented, intensely salted pastes and sauces (salted shrimp fry, fish sauce, soy…)
they roast a lamb; we roast a big pig.
they use yogurts and fresh cheese; our pasteurized cheese comes from a can or as sliced singles, wrapped in cellophane, or “queso de bolla” (a big ball of gouda, encased in red wax)…

maybe i was on to something? but then it was time to get up.

anyway. ANTHOS.

***

elegance is in the air at anthos. light and the city filter in through full- frontal windows. the light, when you first enter and stare out from the bar is cool; it warms up as you proceed back to the dining area. it was a full house yesterday.

and there was full menu (including a tempting “raw” meze first course) , a 3-course prix fixe for $28, and a 3-course menu hold-over from restaurant week, for $24. there was no question for me–i was going with the lamb burger, the $28 deal. allison opted for the restaurant week specials.

these sheep milk ricotta dumplings must have been lovingly coddled in micro-batches–it’s impossible to imagine how they could otherwise turn out perfect bites that have such body and substance under the fork but fall to pudding in the mouth? delicately salty, they are well-matched with leeks and contrasted with crispy fried onions and snappy fresh peas.

this is allison’s dish: notice something missing? did they run out of peas, or does the restaurant week version exclude them?

and this is it, what i came for: the lamb burger. i ordered it medium rare, and it arrived medium. but it was still juicy and well-seasoned. in an interview on eater last year, psilakis mentioned that his lamb burger had feta and spicy pepper hktipi and was wrapped in caul fat. i had to look up “caul fat.” i noticed red specks in the burger–safe to assume the recipe is the same? also that the red pepper puree is also the base of the sauce that dressed the bun? in any case, it was top-rate. (and: no ketchup required)

dessert options for me were an ice cream sandwich cookie (which i jumped at, at first) and goat cheese panna cotta. but how often do i have the opportunity to try a goat cheese panna cotta? that was obviously the real way to go.

when our server brought this out, i believe my exact words were “everything here is so cute. can i take home that jar?” which i retracted right away (but still hoped he’d say, ok). it’s a charming presentation, yes?

but the eating is a little challenging, jamming the little jam spoon in there, and fishing out a little bit of fruit and a little bit of panna cotta. it requires a lot of patience for a few little bites. i don’t see many of my guy friends enjoying this exercise…
but the goat cheese panna cotta was very nice: strong notes of vanilla, and the light tang you enjoy from a fresh greek yogurt.

last, not least: a little cookie with a powerful lemon curd.

***

anthos (donatella arpaia’s anthos) is located at 32 W 52, between 5th and 6th aves, in nyc.

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all photos © anita aguilar

miami: michael’s genuine food & drink

michael’s genuine food & drink in miami has been on my radar for quite some time. it won the james beard award for best chef: south, frank bruni of the new york times named it one of the top ten new restaurants in the country, and quite frankly, when he fawned over the thick cut potato chips with pan-fried onion dip, i was ready to book a flight to miami. luckily, my friends and i had a trip to florida planned and we all agreed that michael’s was definitely a stop we needed to make.

located in the quieter, calmer design district of miami, michael’s is a bustling restaurant that knows what its crowd wants. the menu is things we all dream of (think: deviled eggs, wood oven pizza, homeade linguine, grilled local pork chops) executed to perfection and beyond.

our dinner started with the ricotta & apricot mostarda crostini, deviled eggs, and thick cut potato chips with pan-fried onion dip. each one was better than the next. the deviled eggs were the best i’ve ever had – not too mayo-y, with some distinct flavor and a texture so smooth and so creamy. the crostini were nice and crunchy with a sweet and tart topping of the freshest apricot preserves. and the potato chips were beyond my most delicious imagination! the dip was warm and decadent, filled with tons of caramelized onions. i knew we were off to a good start.

next stop: burrata heirloom tomato, paradise farms basil tops, extra virgin olive oil, fleur de sel, homemade linguine slow roasted duck, leeks, cippolini, roasted tomato, parmesan, chives

then came the entrees. we had the crispy sweet & spicy pork belly, the BLT salad, the duck confit and the linguine. each was equally fantastic. the pork belly was the best i have ever had. it was indeed sweet and spicy, with with kimchi, crushed peanuts and paradise farms pea shoots. the BLT salad had the perfect bite, with crispy bacon, frisee and blue cheese. the duck confit was succulent, melt-in-your-mouth delicious with savory creamed corn and cherry mostarda. last, the homeade linguine carbonara with pecorino was surprisingly a little lighter than i imagined, which was a terrific surprise because we needed room for our three desserts.

for dessert, we had the chocolate peanut butter bar, which was featured on the food network’s ”the best thing i ever ate,” and that it was. it came with buttered popcorn ice cream and crunchy peanuts that contrasted the smooth and creamy texture of the rest of the dessert. we also had the sampler platter, which came with tons of small cookise and gelees (my favorite was the peanut butter cookie). and lastly, we had the daily selection of ice cream and sorbet (raspberry and chocolate sorbet) and they were both divine. long story short (and full): if you’re in miami, this is a place not to miss.

brooklyn bowl

besides being a great place to have some drinks, listen to music and bowl until your heart’s content, brooklyn bowl in williamsburg is a destination with food that’s hard to turn down.

a large group of us went there recently for a birthday party (see: picture of mike with the a brownie a la mode below) and we were all in the mood to indulge! we ordered the fried chicken, ”the greek” french bread pizza , mac and cheese baked with bread crumbs, and the rock n’roll fries.

the fried chicken, served with honey and two pieces of white bread, was simply spectacular. juicy, succulent and a slight kick to differentiate it from the expected, was simply excellent. “the greek” french bread pizza with iceberg, tomato, red onion, feta, & olives was also a hit. it was served warm, with a nice contrasting cold, crisp salad on top. the mac and cheese was the runaway hit of the night for me. it was oozing with what tasted to be cheddar, parmesan and gruyere and the crust on top was baked to crispy perfection. i am still craving it. lastly, the rock n’roll fries (not pictured) were the perfect compliments to a night of bowling and drinking. piping hot, crisp, and loaded with cheese and gravy that didn’t seem to make them soggy.

and there was no way we weren’t getting dessert! becca’s brownies a la mode with hot fudge and vanilla ice cream was to die for. the brownie was soft and perfectly warm, with the creamiest il laboratorio del gelato vanilla ice cream and indulgent hot fudge on top. the berry sundae with strawberry ice cream, strawberry sauce, whipped cream and berries (which i got on another night) was also good, but it all kind of mushed together too fast (and there wasn’t quite enough ice cream), which i don’t love. lastly, the the bourbon milkshake with nutella (also not pictured) was one of the best flavored and best textured milkshakes i’ve ever tasted, but i may be biased since i love hazelnut so much. whether you’re in the mood to bowl or not, brooklyn bowl is definitely a place to chow down.

luke’s lobster

i didn’t grow up on the maine coast, a new england fishing town, or anywhere that would even make me nostalgic for seafood, but i think of lobster rolls and i melt. they are one of the only dishes that, no matter the circumstances, will take me feel like life is good.

luke’s lobster popped up a couple months ago on east 7th st. in the east village, and created quite the fuss, as it seems to be one of the only spots in new york that serves lobster rolls for under $20. the place is small, very small, with only a few bar stools and small high tables and kitschy fishing/boat/seafood props on the walls.

we ordered the seafood schooner, which consisted of one lobster roll, miss vickys chips and a birch beer for $16. the lobster roll was definitely solid. toasted, buttered bun with a very decent portion of fresh maine lobster (no mayo) with some hot butter and seasoning on top. not the best i’ve ever had, but a steal at the price.

we also ordered a crab roll ($9) and the clam chowder ($7.50). both of these were not quite as memorable. the crab roll paled in comparison to the lobster roll, and the clam chowder was decent, but luke-warm (no pun intented) and a little too thick to be enjoyable. all in all, luke’s lobster is a fantastic spot for a little (and affordable) piece of maine in this big city.

japantown: cool japan festival

when i accepted my sister’s invitation to check out the japantown “cool japan festival”, i knew i’d be in for an afternoon full of cuteness (and photo ops).

i only wish i’d anticipated there’d be so much fun food to try– i would have made a point to arrive on not-so-full a stomach.

here are a few photos…

i was able to squeeze in a bite or two of this “japanese soul food” — okonomiyaki. this has a comfort food/bar food richness that’s highly appealing though i can’t tell you exactly what was thrown in there.
typically, okonomiyaki is made with cabbage, squid, shrimp, pork, or beef and topped with a special mayonnaise-y sauce.

i tried to get the chef to break this one down for me, but he said it’s hard to explain: it’s a pancake with whatever “i” want thrown in there. they’ve taken to calling it “teriyaki pizza” –at least at the festival–to make it easier for folks to comprehend. but it reminded me of nachos, made with phyllo dough. a name change might be in order.

i’m always up for a bit more soul (and beef swaddled in pancakes and mayo sauce). i’ve also heard the octopus balls (takoyaki!) are authentic, not to be missed. so i’ll be heading down to otafuku (insert bawdy pronunciation here), 236 E. 9th street, near second avenue sometime soon.

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koji hagihara of hakata tonton on grove street, grilled pork (obviously)…

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shaved ice is all the rage this season: of course, there was a cool, colorful presence at the karaoke shout table.

condensed milk over ice is pretty tempting, but i was in a smoother mood:

black sesame ice cream. exotic, but decidedly un-trendy.

we enjoyed these cute little servings, courtesy of cafe zaiya…

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it really isn’t enough, is it? a few bites of a pancake and some sweet ice cream?

the good news is we have two more chances to fully enjoy a japantown food fest:

the healthy food and green festival: sunday, august 22, 2010 at madison avenue (between 43-45th streets)

the soul food festival: sunday, september 26, 2010 on lexington avenue (between 93-96th streets)

no word yet on who’ll be participating, but if i receive an update, i’ll pass it along.

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all photos © anita aguilar

corn chowder

i crave a good corn chowder every now and then, especially in peak summer corn season. but in this 90 degree heat, i felt like something a little lighter than the usual super buttery/creamy version.

enter mark bittman. i used his recipe base for basic corn chowder, and adapted it along the way. the result: a light, fresh and filling corn chowder with just enough room for some honey ricotta toasts! here’s the link to mark bittman’s recipe:

http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/01/recipe-of-the-day-basic-corn-chowder/

and my adaptation is below:

Ingredients

• 4 to 6 ears of corn (I used 3 cups of frozen corn)
• 2 tablespoons butter or neutral oil, like canola or grapeseed
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tomato, cored and chopped
• 1 cup whole or low-fat milk
• 1/2 cup chopped basil
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 3 diced radishes

Instructions:

1. Shuck corn, and use a paring knife to strip kernels into a bowl. Put cobs in a pot with 4 cups water; bring to a boil, cover and simmer while you continue.  (If using frozen corn, put 3 cups into 4 cups boiling water).

2. Put butter or oil in a saucepan, and turn heat to medium-high. When butter melts or oil is hot, add onion and potatoes, along with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, about 5 minutes; add tomato and cook, stirring, for another minute or two.

3. After corncobs (or frozen corn) have cooked at least 10 minutes, strain liquid into onion-potato mixture; bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. When potatoes are tender, add corn kernels, milk and cheese, and heat through. Taste, and adjust seasonings. Garnish with the basil, diced radishes (for crunch), and serve.

Honey Ricotta Toasts:

• 1 baguette
• 1/2 lb. ricotta cheese
• juice of one lemon
• 3 tbs. honey

Toast the bread in the oven and cut in half, lengthwise. Mix all other ingredients together, spread on top and enjoy!

prime meats

 i was wrong! after reading a couple of (good) reviews, i discovered prime meats was a german restaurant,  situated on beautiful court street in cobble hill.

we went with a large group, so our ordering was abundant! we began with the smoked trout salad, the vesper brett, and the pretzel. the smoked trout salad was up my alley. mounds of smoked trout (some thought perhaps to mayo-y) piled on top of a savory spelt crepe, with a nicely complementing green salad. the vesper brett tasting board was a steal at $14, with enough meat to go around our table of five. the highlight was the farmer’s sausage and the house-cured bacon. although i try to be adventurous, i do admit i was a little skeeved by the texture of the tongue. and the pretzels were fantastic! doughy in parts, crispy in parts, and the perfect salt-to-dough ratio. on top of that, the dipping mustard was out of this world. it had the perfect tang-meets-sweet flavor, and a great texture.

vic’s bagel bar

in my carefree youth, i used to patronize “bagels on the square” on carmine street with regularity–and my regular was a toasted cinnamon raisin bagel with raisin walnut cream cheese spread. everything was in proportion: jumbo bagel, generously slathered with sweet cream cheese studded with fat raisins and big walnut pieces.

i don’t eat bagels often these days. when i do, i enjoy them toasted with butter, or with cream cheese and lox or a good lox spread. pretty simple.

but i’ve been interested in a new place that opened up on my neighborhood: vic’s bagel bar. there are now two bagel places on third avenue, about a block apart (daniel’s is the other). i guess murray hill didn’t get the memo about carbs being “bad” –or the ‘hood is way more rebellious than i thought. either way, i sort of love it.

vic’s bagel bar has been described as something of a “cold stone” for bagels: pick your bagel (all the usual suspects, but also gluten-free, low carb varieties, all hand-rolled); pick your spread (“real” and health-conscious cream cheese variations, hummus, nutella, peanut butter…); and, pick your mix-ins (this is where things get interesting–basil, sprinkles (!), maple syrup, kosher bacon bits, wasabi, bbq sauce…).

there are signature sandwiches that sounded inventive but not too strange, like the backyard bbq (corn, cheddar, bbq sauce and red onion, recommended with cream cheese on a poppy bagel), the vermonter (kosher bacon bits, maple syrup and cinnamon, recommended with cream cheese on an egg bagel), and club med (roasted red pepper, olive, zaatar and fresh basil, recommended with hummus on a whole-wheat everything bagel).

the dessert sandwiches are tempting (peanut butter and fluffernutter) but today i wanted a decadent treat along saltier lines. it was a toss up between the tokyo tel aviv express (lox, wasabi, pinch of scallion and edamame, with cream cheese on a plain) or the smashed potato (potato chips, kosher bacon bits and scallions, with cream cheese on an everything) i surrendered to “the barista’s” recommendation: the smashed potato. and even though i am inclined toward all my sandwiches being toasted and warm, i let them prepare it exactly as they deem “best.”

there are some good things about this sandwich: the bagel is fresh, the dough slightly sweet. it’s bigger, but lighter and airier than an h & h or an ess-a-bagel. i could tear through an unadulterated h&h or ess-a-bagel and it would feel like an indulgence; i would have to go back and try a vic’s bagel without the spread or the fixins to see how it matches up.

the particular blend of smashed potato ingredients didn’t seem successful: the bacon bits were too bitty, lost in the sea of fresh cream cheese and scallion. same with the potato chips–i don’t know what brand they use, but this needs a more substantial chip, with crunch and salt, in order to have any sort of point here. the flavor combination is a good idea though; i kept re-imagining this sandwich in layers: cream cheese and scallion spread, piled with a strip or two of real bacon, and topped with a layer of crushed potato chips. that sounds like a winner to me.

i will confess, i de-nuded the sandwich, toasted the bagel, re-spread the fillings and enjoyed it much more.

next time i go, whether i go sweet or savory, i go toasted.

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vic’s bagel bar

544 third ave @ 36th street

ny, ny 10016

212.213.3900

open daily 6:00am - 8:00pm

and, they deliver: from east 26th st to east 46th st, and from park ave to 1st ave

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photos © anita aguilar

zora dora popsicles

yesterday, my friend zovig and i took a trip up to mountainville, ny to visit the storm king art center. it was a perfect summer day for hiking the grounds, but one day wasn’t nearly enough. i’m hoping to go back in the fall, and when i return, i’ll definitely be buying lunch.
(we were unsure of the cafe’s offerings and decided to b.o.o.). there’s a little gourmet cafe hiding under a very unassuming campground canopy and its offerings are sourced from hudson valley’s best purveyors (though they also sell boylan’s beers and sodas and…illy coffee. cheers to the good strong lattes).

sandwiches, sweet and savory scones and cookies were very tempting, but i was transfixed by the zora dora popsicles. the flavors to choose from yesterday included chocolate, coffee, cookies and cream, strawberry mint… tough call, but i couldn’t resist the hibiscus-mango.

this has hefty mango chunks and chewy hibiscus flower, which i loved, but the texture might not be for everyone. our server (a vegan) favored the strawberry mint, but said both are wildly popular. i would eat this every summer day if i could.

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if you’re a resident of the hudson valley, you probably know of  the local stores that carry the line.
for the rest of us will have to settle for it as a special treat when visiting storm king, or charming beacon, ny…

zora dora micro batch ice cream & paletas
201 main street
beacon, ny 12508
646.206.3982

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all photos © anita aguilar