Prime Time in Carroll Gardens

Before you and your Italian neighbor know it, the gents behind Frankies 457 will have converted the entire block into a foodie mecca, replete with rustic Italian, courtyard dining, housemade olive oil, traditional homespun cocktails, and simple Bavarian – which takes form in their newest venture, the resto-saloon, Prime Meats….

Rarely early for dining occasions, I took the opportunity to stake out a front booth alongside the window looking out onto a mellow section of Court St. I received a warm and contented welcome from the staff, one which nearly verged on the reception I might expect upon arriving on a blistery night to a guest haus in the Alps. I indulged in it, taking my time perusing the cocktail list and appreciating moments of nostalgia before ordering up a Loganberry Scramble – reposado tequila, loganberry liqueur, lemon juice, agave. The drink is typically served on the rocks, but the barman obliged to make it for me up, as I have a fondness for tequila, chilled, neat. It did not disappoint. Round, with a hint of smokiness from the reposado, and balanced with the tart and juicy flavors from loganberry and lemon.

Loganberry Scramble (served up)

Bibb Lettuce with Pumpkin Seeds, Radish & Pumpkin Seed Oil

The food menu and wine and beer list delves deeper into the German-Austro country-style theme with some great selections; the spaetzle some of the best in the boroughs – creamy, cheesy and finished with fine herbs – and the hunters sausage – classic, gamey and hearty. Pictured above is a beautiful composed salad of delicate market bibb lettuce, lightly drizzled with pumpkin seed oil which lifted the salad out of its typical preparation, offering forth a nutty, citrus flavor profile.  All that’s needed now is a few rows of grape vines in the backyard and a small farm and the restaurants could be fully self-sustainable!

Rebirth of Cool

Walking down the narrow stretch of Cleveland Place where Kenmare and Lafayette intersect and form a triangle – which will hopefully one day morph into a miniature park – it would be quite easy to walk right past Veloce Club. Its neighbor, Eileen’s Cheesecake, speaks loudly while Veloce Club remains suave and cool, a modest and decidedly fresh welcoming in an otherwise barren desert, save from what Serge Becker’s team serves up cold at La Esquina and Select. As those who’ve watched the metamorphosis of this space over the past five years can attest, it has had a wealth of personalities: a wine bar, a crudo bar, a sushi joint, and a dessert bar. In its latest incarnation its identity has been realized (for now) and it finally feels comfortable in its own skin. The sophisticated, classic and relaxed atmosphere of the King Cole or Bemelmans is ever present, though the drinks and the trademark Veloce panini and tramezzini don’t come at uptown prices, and there are the tell-tale reminders of downtown edge, namely the vintage Vespa parked inside and modern art painting of George Washington.  The cocktails are classic favorites: the Negroni, the Manhattan and the Whiskey Sour to name a few, and are perfectly correct and delicious and a harbinger to hours of conversation in the soft leather booths. Veloce Club reminds us that as the evening cocktail hour beckons why overthink what has been tried and tested over the years and has come out winning: time-honored cocktail recipes, jazz, cheese sandwiches and tailored service. Bellissimo.

City Winery takes Manhattan

Image courtesy of City Winery

Part crush pad, restaurant, music venue and private event space, the only thing City Winery is missing is a lot full of vines. First of its kind in NYC, this venue, monstrous in overall scale, not only brings a fantastic selection of winemakers into its doors for events but also a diverse range of musical acts unto its stage. No surprise as its owner is Michael Dorf of Knitting Factory fame. The downstairs private room (pictured above) is adjacent to the cellar and you can scope out the barrels of newly made wine aging steadily through the glassed-in windows. But perhaps my favorite is the idea of a wine tasting in the actual winery amidst steel tanks and that lovable smell of fermenting juice…how fortunate that Murray’s Cheese has set up a cheese bar as well just outside the winery’s doors to make for a perfect pairing.

Real-life Fairytale

Soft pastels and snowy white hues lend a dreamy tone to a whimsical fairyland meets enchanted forest themed dinner party at a private residence. Flowers by Flower Girl, Denise Porcaro.

Beet Lollipops rolled in Candied Almonds and Roasted Thumbelina Carrots with Hijiki Salad and Cumin canapes begin the evening alongside Sparkling Elderflower-Lemongrass Cocktails. Catering by Silkstone Events.

Hudson Terrace

Image courtesy of Hudson Terrace

On the edge of west side midtown Manhattan, this dual floor venue boasts an exclusive modern space with all-season indoor and outdoor use suitable for a multitude of private events. On the second floor, The Salon mimics the design of a nightclub with a hint of old-world opulence, decked with a DJ booth, low slung leather couches, a built-in bar and an adjacent dimly lit terrace. The sprawling, breezy rooftop terrace on the third floor resembles a hip hotel with fantastic wrap-around views of the Hudson, heated floors for year-round events and a cabana like haven where falling back into the garden lounge chairs while sipping a sunset cocktail could induce sheer city bliss – and the best thing is, it’s all yours.

oohhh Babbo…..

I’ve had a crush on you since I moved to NY. And eight years later, you are still winning me over. If it was not the witty and personable barman then, it’s the same youthful spirited (though grown up) barman now.  If it not from the grilled octopus with limoncello vinaigrette or the sweet summer corn “farrotto” then, it’s assuredly from the spicy sausage mint love letters that you are serving me now. If it not a most momentous pairing of braised oxtail ravioli in brown butter paired with sweet Oloroso sherry then, it’s the outstanding, unexpected goose liver ravioli, doused in balsamic vinegar to the tinge of burnt, paired with 2001 Vin Santo now. The cool and understated older brother – handsome, confident, adventurous and unequivocally timeless, you inspire an evening of self-appreciation and worthy indulgence – don’t change a thing.

The Comfort of Classic

On more than several occasions, I have been asked by friends to join for dinner during their mother’s visit to NY. And on more than several occasions the preferred restaurant of choice is Gramercy Tavern. I never hesitate for a moment before confirming it’s a great idea and that their mother (even if I haven’t yet met her) will assuredly like it. On a blistery Sunday eve in December, early eve, this is where I happily found myself, beginning at the bar amongst a vivacious crowd, candied pecans, and a glass of perfectly complex ‘96 Berres, Auslese Riesling from the Mosel.

The immediate environ offered homey comforts and smells, a faint cloud of honey and sauteed shallots reminiscent of  mandatory Sunday night family supper, with a subtle breeze of Manhattan sophistication to perk the senses. If my company wasn’t so delightful, I might have lost myself in the wine list longer, drifting off to Hungary for the Kiralyudvar Tokaji Sec before cruising back stateside to Napa for Sine Qua Non Grenache, but promptly selected a medium-body Northern Italian Lagrein and began feasting my eyes upon the menu with a serious appetite for the hearty and wholesome dishes one only craves in the brisk of winter.

What is to love, amongst many things, is the way each dish reads (and delivers) as an uplifted, inspired classic, a creation beginning from the traditional and further embellished with the most complimentary and essential accessories: parsnip soup with romanesco, calamari and carrot salad with preserved lemon dressing, toasted heirloom cauliflower alongside almonds, capers and lemons. Satiating and healthful, not overly fussed – dishes infact, that Mom would dress the table with family-style, lovingly and proudly. The entrees were the stars of the evening, notably the the arctic char (pictured) cooked to a turn and suggestive of the prettiest and most delicate peach rose, and the house-made smoked kielbasa with sauerkraut and grain mustard, as juicy and flavorful as if hailing from the farm down the road. We all concurred that apple pie would be the most fitting finale for this occasion and my dining partners went as far as to order the hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and served with a cinnamon stick stirrer. When there is no place to go and it feels like home, this is seemingly quite a natural choice.

Williamsburg Rising

Walter Foods, a recently opened restaurant on a stretch of land in Billyburg with not all that many offerings for gastronomic splendor, is exactly what it should be. A neighborhood joint, a pub, a bustling bistro – call it what you’d like – it’s a lesson in aligning simplicity and honesty with food and service in a comfortable and well-dressed space. Blending the warm tones of an English gastropub with a menu of American classics, Walter Foods delivers for a marked NY crowd sans attitude. A cocktail list featuring classics that “Sinatra would so desire after a show,” such as a Tom Collins, Gimlet, and Manhattan debuts at the bar. At the table, dishes that delightfully fulfill comfort cravings such as French Dip (Filet Mignon with horseradish sauce), Pigs in a blanket (seemingly en vogue this Fall on restaurant menus), Fried 1/2 Chicken with spicy honey, and a Lobster Club on Pullman bread (nothing wrong with this at $16) are a must for the table as are the two spoken desserts. On the nights I was there it was a painfully good chocolate banana bread pudding and an apple crisp. The tiny box of a kitchen with Justin Ernsberger at the helm further enhances the charm of the space, and as the local bus tugs along outside on Grand Street and I sink into my forest green leather banquette, there is a distinct impression of old meets new New York.

Pigs in a blanket

Scaling to New Heights

By day, Ramscale Gallery is a working contemporary art gallery and consultancy for the art world housed in an historic landmark NY building. By evening, it functions as a stunning penthouse event venue – city lights popping through the floor-to-ceiling windows and harbor views visible from the adjoining 1000 sq ft sculpture terrace. Its dual function fuses together handsomely and smartly and ensures that each event is one of a kind, offering a blank canvas to stage a spectacular party.

Email info@esse-consulting.com for more info.

Solex Revamp

Come Autumn in New York there are dozens of restaurants opening alongside newly opened restaurants perfecting their role in the culinary landscape.  French wine bar, Solex, in the East Village has recently redesigned its menu to emphasize the role of the “pizzette”. Italian sandwich is to panini what French pizza is to pizzette. And there is noone in the city serving up pies like these from a blazing brick oven. Nestled onto perfectly crisp layers of dough are toppings such as, carmelized onion, (pictured below), escargot-parsley-garlic, tomato, raclette, and mushroom.  Minimalist menu descriptors conceal the intricacies of flavor in each one.

Not to be overlooked are the other small dishes on the menu, especially the golf-ball size gougeres. Popover-like, these doughy, eggy, savory creations encrusted with a baked layer of gruyere are ethereal. The steak tartare, dosed heavy with worcestershire and served alongside frites with a mysterious curry-sugar dust, also comes in strong. The merging of a sharp, sleek space serving humble, comforting plates of sweet and salty creations and terroir-driven wines will capture the hearts of Francophiles and Francophobes alike.