(i wanna be with you) elsewhere

one of my favorite, early memories of my cousin jason reaches back to when he was probably 4 or 5 years old. he arrived at our house for a weekend visit–and i don’t know what was cooking or baking on that day–i just remember his eyes (extra-round), his little neck stretched and craned as he wandered  through the room, really following his nose. and then he asked in his most innocent, high-pitched drawl, is that butter?

butter? i was a teenager at the time, and while i knew what smells were conjured by different whole dishes (the vinegar and garlic from adobo; the meaty, sweetness of spaghetti sauce; the mustiness of my mom’s awful, awful chicken curry), my food senses were not so evolved. i was fascinated that this little guy could be so attuned to a single note. he continued to develop a keen palate. our family thought we had a future chef on our hands. (instead, we have a wonderful gourmand…)

a couple of weeks ago, he sent  a link to elsewhere restaurant’s menu to my sister and me. it’s a butter hit parade: bacon butter popcorn, biscuits with brown butter and crushed black pepper, salt-baked fingerling potatoes with bacon butter and anchovy mayo… there was no question he’d found the perfect place for us to celebrate his 30th birthday. i only wondered how elsewhere had eluded me to that moment.

elsewhere opened in december of last year, and apart from a modest mention in florence fabricant’s diner’s journal, there seemed to have been little buzz. but this is the second enterprise undertaken by brian keyser and megan johnson of casellula,  a wine and cheese and tapas utopia in hell’s kitchen. so while their devotion to cheese is duly-noted here (hooray, the shushan snow!), elsewhere gives them the opportunity to flaunt a little more with mains. though with so many dishes to tempt, you’ll likely still be inspired to share the big plates, too.

as is true of some of new york’s best new restaurants, elsewhere keeps to local, sustainable, seasonal food; herbs from their back garden are front and center in these very fine dishes.

this is the best sangria i have had in new york.

i like mine juicy and strong, but balanced. hibiscus is the surprise charm here.

my sister was driving that night, so she “settled” for a their special hot chocolate with just a splash of bourbon. you like how she rolls?

bacon butter popcorn.

bacon.

butter.

popcorn.

smoked caviar, puffed rice and herb crème fraîche. jason surprised me by making this choice, but like i said, he’s got a good palate.

this is really a “snap crackle and pop” dish:

the snap of chopped green beans, the crackle of puffed rice, and the pop of salty caviar bubbles.

luscious crème fraîche and bright chives don’t hurt the cause one bit.

5 SPOKE TUMBLEWEED POUTINE, you made me love you. i didn’t want to do it. i didn’t want do it.

(actually, i did. and you will too.) i had no earthly idea what a “5 spoke tumbleweed” was–it’s a cheese. and it melts perfectly, with gravy and fries.

a nice grapefruit-glazed cod with escarole and chorizo–the second lightest dish at our table, after the caviar.

i wasn’t sure what a chorizo-crusted pork chop was going to look like. bits of sausage cobbled around a big slab? but actually the chorizo is sort of minced and mixed with a panko crust. less intimidating than in my imagination, but still seriously hearty and good.

this was my favorite of the entrees. they try to fool you with ho-hum description: braised rabbit, spinach, olives and mushrooms. maybe the kitchen wants there to be leftovers for themselves? I wouldn’t blame them. you’re looking at 2 kinds of rabbit meat, the sweet white and dense dark. the mushrooms, spinach, and olives laze in a reduction that is pert and salty. this dish is properly dressed–they don’t skimp or drown in sauce. i would make someone order this, next time too.

in my opinion, the desserts comprise the weakest section of the menu overall; 1 fruit, 1 chocolate, 1 custard, a selection of ice creams and sorbets and a cheese course. with the front and middle sections being so heavy, it’s probably prudent on their part? but to trouble things a little more, this is also where the most exotic combinations exist–rose snow, pistachio, kumquat, lime custard, anyone?  i felt a little like i was about to “settle” rather than go out on a real high note?

i opted for the palate cleansing sorbet:  pineapple pink peppercorn.

this is george michael circa 1992 –just too funky for me.  pineapple, like lemon, can be too intense to the point of bitterness, or just too aromatic. that’s what happens here. and the crunch of the peppercorn wasn’t as interesting as i thought it would be. the experience was rather like eating potpourri…

but the sweet potato cake with brown sugar sour cream, buttered pecan ice cream was perfect–this is the nfl meets dancing with the stars. thick-bodied, but still so light on its toes.

opt for that, or the cheese plate, and you won’t be sorry.

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one of my favorite things about elsewhere is the actual dining experience. the food is of-the-moment and eclectic, but it’s not a trendy scene. the room is wide and welcoming, with a dining garden (home to a 30 year old ficus tree), and the spirit of the service is the same. they let us linger over this meal, allowed us to feel really at home.

for a lovely occasion–or none at all– you’ll find elsewhere is just the right place to be.

(and yes, i’m referencing a fleetwood mac song in the post title)

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elsewhere is at 403 w. 43rd st., new york (between 9th and 10th avenues)

you can call (212) 315-2121 or reserve via open table

porsena: carry me home

i don’t have an italian grandmother (which always sounded really fun to me, beacuse then i would get to eat some of the ravioli, pasta and lasagna grandkids of the always-cherished italian grandmothers rave about), but if i did, i imagine her food would be something like the food i ate at porsena. opened not too long ago by chef sara jenkins of porchetta, this intimate (but very sparsely decorated) italian restaurant features amazing traditional italian dishes with personal touches on each one. meals like this make you want to finish your plate (which we did), even though you’re probably incredibly stuffed and ready to be carried home.

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we began our meal with the mussels ($9) and the green bean salad ($9). the mussels slept in a delicate broth of saffron, white wine and butter, which we sopped up greedily with the garlic toasts served alongside them. the excellent green bean salad was creatively integrated with fennel, celery, toasted almonds and pickled red onions. this dish (the lightest dish we ate all night) was a surprising star. the dressing

cannolichie con una marea di formaggi ($17), which means pasta with many cheeses. i really loved the type of pasta used in this dish. it was not too thick, round and curly, but different and more hearty then the fusilli i’m used to. the sauce was slightly thin for my taste, and although i loved the flavor of the sauce initially, it become a little overwhelmed by the blue cheese toward the end.

the lasanga al forno ($18) was absolutely, no questions asked, fantastic. extremely thin layers of pasta were rolled out and placed between layers of meat ragu and bechamel sauce, topped with cheese, and baked in a terra cotta dish in the oven. crispy, bubbly, saucy, creamy – this dish had it all.

we ended the night with a walk home. even though it was freezing cold, i needed to walk off some of that pasta. but by lunchtime the next day, i would be lying if i said i wasn’t craving it again.

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porsena: 21 E 7th St, new york 10003 (between 2nd and 3rd ave), phone: (212) 228-4923

way out…west? octavia’s porch

whenever i think of ethnic food, i imagine dishes that are earthy and intense, with distinctive flavors that by sight and smell and taste remind someone, somewhere abroad, of “home.” when i think of korean, indian, filipino, japanese, italian, i can think of 1, 2, 3 flavors at least that mark the meal as a sensory experience, and it doesn’t have to be pleasing to everyone (kimchi is my kryptonite). perhaps it is an affinity for most strange or stinky or the most intolerably fishy or salty thing that separates the natives from the rest?

so, i went to octavia’s porch, a restaurant that celebrates global jewish cuisine–as they describe it, encompassing eastern europe, south africa, morocco, spain, portugal, italy– with some expectations: a punch of lemon, rich and thick tahini and beans, nut and olive and dried fruit accents, and dill. i expected smoky preparations and pickled sides. but i suppose more than anything, i expected the fare to be good and hearty. the culture references were wide, and the thoughtful menu presented one deliciously hard choice after another.

but as much as i enjoyed the selections my friend rachel and i made during our first visit, the modern, fresh, but lightly flavored fare reminded me of only one place: california.

***

“a schmear” – white bean, lemon and chive dip, with an assortment of homemade breads.

i love white bean dip, but think it needs one dominant flavor added to it, to bring it to life. my sister makes a family favorite that’s heavy on garlic and rosemary. this one could have used more lemon, more chive –and maybe a dollop or two of tahini to give it a richer note. and a bit of sea salt.

duck and sweet potato hash: i had high hopes for this one, because it’s rarely a bad combination. the problem here is that it’s not a hash. these finely prepared components were mixed, but not married. and they were barely salted.

red quinoa salad green beans, pumpkin seeds and citrus: this is perfect. a must have,  again and again.

here you have nutty grains, crunchy green beans,  juicy fruit, mingling with a perky reduction–i think balsamic.

salmon & scrambled eggs on rye with lime creme fraiche, cinnamon-honey roasted tomatoes.

call this one the beauty queen: pretty, stacked…not much else…

here’s where we realize a pattern: as with the other dishes, there is imagination and hints of technique here, but a really weak instinct for seasoning. the salmon is gently poached,  but the skin wasn’t crisp or salty;  the eggs tender, but also wan. i was principally sold on this dish for the cinnamon-honey roasted tomatoes, but i think i missed the sweet spices entirely? the creme fraiche was plain wrong:  it was too limey, too sweet (it reminded me of cheesecake) and too thick to spread. what was i supposed to spread this on anyway? the rye toast was to delicate and dry to handle it. this assemblage badly needs something to unify it, to make all these elements become one dish.

but: there is a big finish, in the form of banana challah bread pudding. it is beautifully realized. the slices of fresh banana that live inside this loaf, and are caramelized on top, give a clean flavor.  i prefer this to other banana bread puddings made out of, well, banana bread. the fresh fruit does the work of amping all the flavors here. in the pudding itself there is lightness–and it’s a surprise here, too. but it’s a right one. love the slivers of fresh mint, too.

i feel a little bad writing some of this now– i had a lovely time with rachel and we cooed about the meal as it was happening, talked enthusiastically about coming back… only in retrospect did i realize what was missing, for me. sure, the dishes we had lacked the strength and depth to “transport,” but there are still good things at octavia’s porch. and with so many other intriguing dishes on the menu, i still think it’s worth booking a return.

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octavia’s porch is at 40 avenue b, new york 10009 (bet 3rd & 4th st)

cafe select: more, please!

cafe select has been on my hit list for quite some time, and when stephanie suggested we go there for dinner (she had been just one week ago and was still raving, so i knew it had to be good), i jumped at the chance. i studied the swiss/international menu during the day, and had already decided what i wanted for dinner. i knew, just knew, we need to have the highly recommended (and confirmed delicious from steph) ricotta fritters and butternut squash risotto. luckily, my dining companion was on board.

the restaurant is small, cute, somewhat dark, and incredibly charming (the staff? not so much). as plates breezed by as before we ordered, my list of “wants” expanded.  was i craving zurich veal? did i need roasted figs wrapped in speck and stuff with goat cheese? (yes, we did, but they were out of them.)

we went with our original plan and started with the ricotta fritters with speck, which were served with a drizzle of infused olive oil, tomato compote and some greens on top. they were surprisingly light and fluffy, and melted wonderfully in my mouth. i could have eaten these all night.

next came our entrees, one of which was the hanger steak “select” ($21), served with crispy fingerling potatoes, watercress salad, and beef jus. the steak was by far, one of the juciest i’ve ever tasted and definitely one of the most flavorful. the juiciness of our medium-well remained consistent throughout the entity of the steak; sometimes the outside of a steak is so jam-packed with flavor, and the inside is dry and bland. this was not the case.

our other entree, butternut squash risotto ($18), was the real show-stopper. dare i say it was the best risotto i’ve ever tasted? fragrant with sage and a hint of ginger and topped with toasted pumpkin seeds and some grated parmesan cheese, this risotto was so decadent and creamy, and almost too good to be true. it was perfect to split, as it was definitely not a light dish, but it was enough to warrant a second (or third, or fourth trip).

we ended the meal with the warm apple strudel and vanilla gelato with caramel sauce. the strudel pastry was flaky, buttery and nicely layered, but there seemed to be an absence of apples in this “only ok” dessert. next time, i think i’d try the toblerone mousse or chocolate bread pudding.

would i visit again? absolutely. and if i go at lunch, i know i would be able to resist that wonderful sounding croque monsieur or rosti swiss hash browns staring me down on my on-screen menu..

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cafe select:  212 Lafayette St, New York 10012

phone: (212) 925-9322

spoon: (still) ga ga ga ga ga

this is getting to be a habit with me…
started the week off with another trip to spoon, this time with allison…

allison and i almost never order the same items so that we can do the “taste and trade.” but we couldn’t resist the leek and mushroom tartlettes and the shiitake mushroom potato pancakes with smoked salmon & watercress. and while the specials are reasonably priced, these were too small–and good– not to have a serving all to ourselves.

…which left room for dessert–we split a slice of chocolate croissant bread pudding.

sound like you’ll need your stretchy pants for this one? think again. flaky croissant, with rich bits of thick chocolate, even the “eggy” pudding parts were a touch sweet, but the lightness of this will surprise you. if you see it on the menu, don’t pass it up…

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who wants to meet me on tuesday for a slice of king cake?!

spoon: ga ga ga ga ga

blueberry sour cream pie…

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i visited spoon, for the first time last week, during the lunch hour.

at spoon (and tbsp, next door) they tempt you with real goodness–organic foods from mountain dell farm root the menu.  the variety of lunchtime offerings was stunning and for a while, i was stuck: salad (baby spinach and radicchio with grilled chicken, golden raisins, toasted almonds and pecorino) or sandwich (salami, mozzarella, roasted artichoke spread and arugula on herbed focaccia) or panini (olive tapenade, slow roasted tomatoes, goat cheese and olive pate)?

the quandary got more delicious when i spied the mini cannoli cupcake, and next to it, the blueberry sour cream pie. (take the cannoli?) the guy in front of me in line offered an assist: he heard me gasp over the gorgeous pie and he leaned over to assure me, “it’s really good.” a minute or two later, having apparently dived into a slice himself,  he turned toward me again. we locked eyes. “it’s still warm.”

’nuff said.

it’s without question the best blueberry pie i’ve had, all the maine pies included. flaky, thin crust,  a mass of crumbs, fresh fruit…but it’s the sour cream that elevates this above the others. it takes on a new form, somewhere between a whipped cream and the airiest ricotta. i’ve never had it in blueberry pie before, but it makes a lot of sense as a means to balance out a filling that’s too sweet or fruit that’s too tart.

the blueberries in the spoon pie were already perfect, though. so i guess it was  just there to delight.

***

the provencal panini was good, and i’m looking forward to working my way up and down the menu, but it seems to me the most enticing and interesting items are the baked goods. they are kind enough to offer “minis” (muffins, croissants, cupcakes) so you can feel indulgent without regret.

take a peek at the daily menu and the specials. they are open from mon-friday, 7:30am-5:30pm. and they serve brunch on saturday and sunday (10:30 -4pm)

maybe i’ll see you soon, at spoon: 17 West 10th street, between 5th and 5th avenues.

recipe: slow-cooker pulled pork

my history with slow-cookers goes back about one year. i had wanted one for awhile, and thinking that they were expensive, when i saw one at a garage sale for $20 i snatched it up right away. for two reasons, it turns out i got majorly ripped off.  one, slow-cookers are really affordable! you can get a pretty good one in the $20-$40 range almost anywhere. and two, the slow-cooker i so quickly bought at the garage sale didn’t come with….a lid. how did i not notice that?

cut to this christmas, when my boyfriend’s mom gave me a slow-cooker for christmas (thanks, mrs. renzulli)! i was so excited about all of the new hassle-free meals and tender meat i would be cooking in this helpful little gadget.

i knew i wanted to start with pulled pork and this recipe does not disappoint. the pork comes out perfectly, and you feel as though you have slaved over the stove for hours; juicy, incredibly moist and so flavorful. my favorite toppings for this yummy meat served atop a nice fresh bun? coleslaw, caramelized onions and grated cheddar cheese. try it, you will love it!

all of the ingredients placed in the slow-cooker

the finished product (look at all of the juices!)

love these sandwiches so much..and there were leftovers for days!

recipe: slow-cooker pulled pork

serves 6

ingredients:

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup bbq sauce
• 1 tablespoon light-brown sugar
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3-pound boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
• 6 crusty rolls
• toppings of your choice

directions:

in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, stir together ketchup, bbq sauce, brown sugar, garlic, sage, apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cut pork in half lengthwise; add to slow cooker, turning to coat. cover, and cook on low until meat is  falling apart and easy to shred, about 8 hours (or on high for 6 hours).

skim off and discard any fat from the, and with two forks or a pair of tongs, pull the meat apart. place the pork in a serving bowl and serve with rolls and any toppings you like!