M. Wells is a diner. But just on the outside. Here, instead of gum-snapping waitresses and stale coffee, you’ll find pickled pig tongue with housemade soda crackers. Served warm.
You’ll also find bone marrow and escargot, oozing with a butter-garlic sauce and crunchy with breadcrumbs:
And a fun, funky atmosphere that encourages much laughter.
Come see our meal.
There’s been a lot of buzz about Osteria Morini, the casual “farmhouse chic” (really) trattoria in SoHo where Michael White — chef of Marea, Convivio and a bunch of other well-regarded Italian restaurants — is in the kitchen. The menu focuses on Emilia-Romagna, in the north of Italy, and that means a lot of richness with pork fat, cream and butter. So we expected a lot of flavor. We got that in the appetizers, but in the pastas? Not so much.
For our final dinner during our city weekend, we decided to stay close to home. (Hmm. Could it have been the late-night drinks at Mayahuel that had something to do with this?) We went to a hidden gem of a Japanese restaurant: Sakagura. You really have to know what you’re looking for — it’s in the basement of an office building (and the light can be harsh in that hallway after a couple of sakes, let me tell you). But once you settle into your table and peruse the menu a moment, you realize it was worth the effort.
Especially because this is not Japanese food you might be used to eating. No sushi bar. Hardly any sushi, really. The restaurant is a style called izakaya, or a Japanese pub. (And frankly, it’s an upscale one at that.) Though, to me, it’s even more like Japanese tapas. Lots of little dishes, some of which come out in a flurry, others of which — mostly the heavier ones or the noodles — are held back til then end. And yes, you can pair sake with it all. We tried just two seasonal sakes. They came in a beautiful box. And they paired perfectly with almost everything, especially my favorite dish, the fantastical Onsen Tamago, a soft-boiled egg topped with sea urchin and salmon roe in a cold soup:
Recette is a charming little corner bistro in the West Village where the artful presentation of the food belies the simple, comfortable space. The chef, Jesse Schenker, is talented indeed.
Here, the Berkshire Pork Belly, Rock Shrimp, Turnips, Romesco, Sherry Caramel:
The Breslin is a saloon. Except it’s not. It’s got lots of dark wood and feels old. But it also has terrific, modern food and a great wine list and nice cocktails and a fun atmosphere. I mean, you’re not going to see horse carriages and hoop skirts when you go. But you might feel like they are lurking. At least until you try the lamb burger. The juice drips down your wrists when you eat it. And then there’s the sharp feta. And the sting from the onion. Yeah, it’s good.
After some errands Saturday morning in Westchester, Greg and I decided to hit Aberdeen, the Chinese restaurant in White Plains that does dim sum every day.
We’re always looking for new places to try before the theater, so when a new-old spot popped up on the Sifty Fifty — a list of New York Times restaurant critic Sam Sifton’s favorite New York City restaurants at the moment — I thought it good to give it a shot. Boo said: “If this is good, I’ll never have to think about going out in this area again. I hate thinking about going out in this area.”
Well, I don’t know if it’s never again. You might want to mix it up a little and try some different spots. Chez Napoleon is rather stuck in a time warp. And this is a good thing, when you’re wanting a dependable, cute cafe that serves French cuisine like your grandmere used to make.
For our final meal of the trip, we tried to go to Fore Street. But since we were on a boat, we weren’t able to get there in time to get on the list. So we went to what was our second choice, but should have been our first choice all along: the wonderful, fabulous, delicious Hugo’s, which had some of the best food on the trip. Plus we had a great time at the bar with the bartender and our dining neighbors. Here is the soft-shell lobster with cauliflower:
I’d already been to J’s Oyster on my 2007 trip to Maine with Boo. But this was one I didn’t want Greg to miss. We hit the bar and waited for a big bucket of steamers:
There are things to like about Five Fifty-Five in Portland, like dollar-fify-five oysters on Thursdays; welcoming and friendly bartenders; and the blueberry salad, a wonderfully balanced dish with peppery arugula and crunchy pistachios. Then there are things not to like, like long waits from the wine cellar; a heavy hand with French-style sauces; and the suckling pig cracklin’s that come with the “three little pigs” dish, which are so hard and crunchy that Greg thought he was eating glass.
Weeks before we got to Maine, I had an email from Cousin Theresa: “Some friends of ours are buzzing about Nebo Lodge on North Haven. I’m not sure if that is still in your plans but thought you might want to check it out.” She was pleased when we told her we’d already planned a visit. Then, Jan and Suzanne, some friend’s we met at Rory and Chris’ wedding, also recommended Nebo — and especially the lamb chops, which Jan couldn’t stop raving about. So by the time we sat down for drinks and dinner, we were primed for a good meal indeed — and Nebo did not disappoint. If only it weren’t an 8-hour drive and 1 1/2-hour ferry ride away, we’d be there all the time.
We happened up on the Rockport Diner quite by accident. We left in time to have lunch before our ferry ride to North Haven Island, but then got an idea that we’d head up to the winery to buy some local gin as gifts instead.
Then we remembered what Theresa and Jeff told us. In Rockport and Camden, rush hour is lunch hour. Traffic is at its worst between noon and 2 p.m. — just when we were heading out. Plus, it was raining. So on our way to find the winery, we bailed and pulled over to get our bearings. We had pulled over here in this parking lot, and we decided, what the heck? Why not have lunch here?
After our lovely day exploring Camden, we went back to Camden for dinner — to one of Jeff and Theresa’s favorite places, Francine. These were the most unusual and delicious mussels I think I’ve ever had.
Bayview Lobster is a cute little place with a simple seafood menu. Lobster rolls and the like. Perfect for our afternoon pick-me-up.
Our motto in Maine is “Oysters Everyday.” Today’s fix comes from a cute little restaurant on the Rockland harbor called The Boathouse.
The chef at Primo is Melissa Kelly. We’ve never eaten her food before, but had always meant to when she was cooking a lot closer to us at the restaurant at Old Chatham Sheepherding Company in the Hudson Valley. She left there to opened Primo with pastry chef and co-owner Price Kushner. (Since then, she’s won a James Beard Award for Best Chef, Northeast.) So not only were we looking forward to dinner because Theresa and Jeff were raving, but also because we felt like we were finally getting to do something we’d been wanting to for a very long time. You know how sometimes when you anticipate how good something will be, and then your hopes are dashed once you are in the throws of it? This was absolutely not the case at Primo. Everything was delightful and delicious. We had a ball, too.
Here’s the local halibut with risotto:
We had an adventurous time getting to our next destination, taking the blue roads along the coast to check out two small towns: Wiscasset and Damariscotta. Both are known for having excellent seafood. At Wiscasset, it’s the lobster roll at Red’s Eats. Inn Damariscotta, it’s the oysters. They are said to be terrific just about anywhere you order them in town: they come from the oyster beds in the Daramiscotta River. But Jan, a friend we made at the wedding, said “There’s nothing like sitting down to a plate of oysters at King Eider’s Pub.” She was so right. There’s nothing like it in the world. The oysters were so fresh, so briny, so magical. They made our throats tingle. We had one taste and it took about half a second for us to look at each other and know. These were the best oysters of our lives.
More about the oysters, Red’s, and our trip to Rockland, after the jump.
While Greg slept off his scolding, I slipped out of the hotel for an early breakfast. I had heard from the Boston friends we met at the Black Trumpet Bistro that the place to go was the Friendly Toast.
Apparently, a lot of other people agree! Luckily, I got there before the lines. My breakfast and the interior, after the jump.
We chose the Black Trumpet Bistro for dinner because the chef-owner cooks with local — sometimes even foraged — ingredients, and we wanted to taste New England. Plus, there’s a wine bar.
After lunch and a matinee of the Broadway show “Promises, Promises” with Kristen Chenoweth, Mom and I met Boo for a drink at Ma Peche. Mom popped out after one drink, and left Boo and I to grab a quick bite before the rest of the evening: another Broadway show. But first, those sips and snacks, and visit from Craig, too.
Mom and I had a girls’ day in the city: lunch and a show. For lunch, we went to Anthos, the fancy Greek restaurant in midtown. They have a crazy-good deal for lunch: $28 for a three-course prix fixe. Plus, little did we know, it was also Reataurant Week, so there was another three-course prix fixe for even less. I can’t remember which ones we ordered, but I do know we were very, very happy with our lunches.
I don’t say this about too many restaurants, but I walked out the door of my meal at North last week plotting my immediate return. This is not a real review — the restaurant had only been open 6 days when I went, and I’ve gotten to know chef-owner Eric Gabrynowicz over the years, so it’s hard to be impartial — but my first impressions of this new farm-to-table restaurant are this: North could quickly become a dining destination for people all around the Lower Hudson Valley and the region. The food and the wine are that good.
We’d been to Love Lane Kitchen once before — and adored it. Now was our chance to go for dinner. With Lettie, who’d become a regular since moving out to the North Fork last October. It’s a homey, comfortable place with great food and wine. Although they allow Lettie to bring her own. As long as she shares.
After drinks at the Red Hat, we walked around the corner for supper at the Day Boat Cafe, a new seafood restaurant in Irvington. The ceiling is lined with red oars.
Our fish dinner, after the jump.
It’s just so easy for us to go to Barcel. It’s four blocks away, we love the food, and it’s not that expensive. I guess that’s why we go so often. This time, we went for brunch!
Even the toast and eggs are great. More, after the jump.
El Faro has been around a very long time. Since 1927, according to the sign out front. Yeah. We’re talking old school. There’s a worn wooden bar, a drop ceiling and a terrazzo cement floor that’s so worn down that the step down into the back dining room is soft and rounded. The dining room is decorated with red leather banquettes and murals of senoras in shawls and ruffled red skirts.
Our dishes, and more photos of the old wooden bar, after the jump.
I’m reporting for a story on The Ultimate Tapas Run for Arrive — and that’s how Boo and I found ourselves with a lovely plate of Lamb Meatballs with spiced butternut squash foam, toasted sesame seeds and lebne while sitting at the bar at Alta in the West Village:
We had a lovely evening in the city Friday, starting with drinks and snacks on the roof at Boo’s, and ending with lots of laughs at El Parador, the classic Mexican restaurant. And yes, we got to meet Craig, center:
When I was reporting for the recent story on waterfront dining in Westchester, Rockland and Putnam, I had the chance to try the new menu at Striped Bass in Tarrytown. The food certainly fits the bill for a waterfront spot: lobsters, chowders, fried fish. And that view! It’s so much fun watching the boats sail in!
SCF fans will remember Christian Petroni, the former chef at Peniche in White Plains. Well last September, he went to a new place called Barcelona, just over the border in Connecticut. I’d been meaning to visit ever since. And then, when I saw him take home the $10,000 prize on “Chopped” earlier this season, I knew I had to go. It had been too long!
Along for the ride were Karen, my friend from work, and Tasha, from next door (no photos of Tash, though!). We started with some olives. Simple, but delicious, with herbs and orange zest:
