Mediterranean Cuisines
Q & A with Kat & Theo’s Executive Chef, Paras Shah
The industry is full of up-and-coming chefs looking to take the short path to success nowadays; hoping to leap from reality TV show competitions to immediately owning and running their own restaurant. But Paras Shah has gone the traditional, slow and steady route, earning his degree, followed by an externship at Per Se, a stint at Momofuku Noodle Bar even working at the world-renowned El Bulli…
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Tessa – Review
Tessa had the unfortunate luck of opening with scaffolding over the entrance. I hate that for them. I mean, how do you have a fighting chance if no one even knows you’re there? That’s what I was thinking, anyway, as I headed toward the door on a recent summer night. Guess I was wrong (this time) because Tessa and its whopping, 75-seat dining room was packed, not a seat left in the house, except at the bar. So that’s where my husband and I ended up eating on a recent Tuesday night…
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Amali’s Dreamy Vegetables
I have to admit that I get pretty excited when a good restaurant opens anywhere north of 30th street. Sure, we have a few great ones uptown (Dovetail, Boulud Sud, and Marea), but we could always use a few more. I always a had a thing for Periyali, so I was happy to learn that the same owners had opened another civilized and sophisticated (code for pricey) Greek joint on the Upper East Side last year. It was called Persephone and it didn’t last long. The cooking and the space just didn’t have the same warmth or soulful appeal that Periyali does. I forgot all about the space until I read Adam Platt’s review of Amali in New York Magazine the other day. Amali is the owners’ second attempt, a do over of sorts, this time with a Mediterranean menu and an...
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Market Table
Market Table fits right in with the vibe of the West Village: It’s airy, comfortable, and chic. But the menu finds its inspiration from chef Mikey Price’s childhood on his family farm. With a love of creating simple dishes, he focuses on infusing as much flavor into each plate as possible. We love what he’s done with one of his seemingly straightforward sides, the Charred Corn Off the Cob. Chef Price first cuts the kernels off the cob before grilling them. That way each nub gets equal access to the heat and an equal share of the chili powder, Parmesan cheese, and freshly squeezed lime juice mixture that he tosses on top. The Parmesan doesn’t mask the corn, allowing the focal point of this seasonal dish to be the pile of blackened sweet...
Read MoreCivetta
New Nolita Italian spot Civetta makes disappointing debut Cuisine: Italian-centric Mediterranean Vibe: Inviting downtown kitchen Occasion: Group dinner; drink date downstairs Don’t Miss: Rigatoni alla Bolognese, lamb goat cheese polpettine, lamb sausage with drunken raisins Price: Appetizers, $13; entrees, $28; desserts, $7 Reservations: Recommended Phone: (212) 966-9440 Location: 98 Kenmare St. between Mulberry St. and Cleveland Pl. If a restaurant could have a midlife crisis, Sfoglia is having one. Sfoglia is an irresistible Italian spot on the upper East Side with wonderful food and tons of charm. Judging from the reservation book, everyone else thinks it’s irresistible, too. Sfoglia is run by Colleen and Ron Suhanosky, a husband-and-wife team who work alongside each other in the kitchen. But maybe they needed a little space, because they have just built a bigger kitchen in a much bigger restaurant way downtown....
Read MoreAldea
Cuisine: Mediterranean Vibe: Civilized Occasion: Intimate date; business dinner; chef’s counter. Don’t Miss: Sea urchin toast; calamari with squid ink and herb purée; escolar; arroz de pato. Price: Appetizers, $9; entrées, $23; desserts, $9. Reservations: Recommended Phone: (212) 675-7223 Location: 31 W. 17th St., btwn. Fifth & Sixth Aves. There’s not much to look at in Aldea, a restaurant that recently opened in the Flatiron District. There’s no artwork on the walls, no flashy furniture, just a scattering of blond wood tables and muted blue banquettes. It’s a long, narrow space with an open kitchen in the back and a staircase leading to the upstairs dining room. The only prominent flourish is a large cluster of acrylic tubes that dangle over a six-seat chef’s counter right in front of the kitchen. I highly suggest you sit at the counter...
Read MoreVutera
Cuisine: Mediterranean Vibe: Subterranean sanctuary. Occasion: Romantic date, group dinner, preconcert bites. Don’t Miss: Roasted poussin, braised lamb shank Price: Appetizers, $8; entrees, $16; dessert; $5. Reservations: Accepted Phone: (718) 599-0069 Location: 345 Grand St. between Marcy & Havemeyer Aves, Brooklyn. I’m not big on atmosphere. I’m the type who prefers phenomenal food to phenomenal décor. I’d take a great steak over a great scene any day. But even I was put off by the grungy entryway to Vutera, a restaurant that opened in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, a few months ago. Open the door, and you’re standing in a dark hallway with a whole mess of concert posters taped to the walls. Just ahead, there’s another door with two hand-scrawled signs in light boxes hanging over it. The sign with the arrow pointing right reads: “For Drinks or Music.” That...
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