Song of the Summer

I knew I had to eat at The Dutch after Sam Sifton coined it the "song of the summer" in his two-star review in the New York Times. Critics such as Sifton and New York Magazine's Adam Platt praise Andrew Carmellini's new Soho venture from concept to execution. Carmellini, owner of Locanda Verde, teamed up with Luke Ostrom (co-owner of Locanda Verde) and Josh Pickard (Lure Fishbar/Chinatown Brasserie) to bring his interpretation of elevated American comfort food to the corner of Sullivan and Prince.

My friend Amanda and I were lucky to get last minute reservations at the new Soho hot-spot. Upon arrival, the hostess took us from the bar room through a zig-zagged hallway to our table in the main dining room. Although the dining room had a sexy, elegant feel it was still comfortable and far from stuffy. We were seated at a corner table overlooking the whole dining room--maybe the best table in the house? Books on the windowsill and the fireplace gave a real, homey feel to the restaurant. The service was good. Our server was attentive and knowledgeable, but not overly chatty which is OK with me. I also really liked that he let us sit and finish our wine before presenting our check. He could have easily dropped the check after declining dessert, but he let us stay till our glasses were dry.

Our first impression of the food was one of excitement as we loved the jalapeno cornbread. I've had jalapeno cornbread before, but this might have been my favorite. The bread was served warm with only a little jalapeno kick showed allowing a great balance of sweet and spicy. We skipped the oysters, "snacks", and appetizers and straight for "seconds". We split the scallops entree as our appetizer and I'm so happy that we did. Not only did I get to introduce Amanda to scallops, but Carmellini's interpretation was brilliant. Sweet corn, bacon, and chipotle added great flavor without overtaking the delicate sea scallops. What an awesome start! Next, Amanda got the grilled Swordfish with a summer beans and pine nuts while I got the Pecan Duck, which was accompanied with celery and organic dirty rice. Amanda's swordfish was good, but I was happy with my duck. The duck was perfectly cooked at medium rare and was packed with great flavor. The pecans not only added a nice flavor, but textural component. The duck and Oregon Pinot Noir sang in beautiful harmony as I savored every bite.

As per usual I am was too full to order dessert. I read some food things about their homemade pies, but I couldn't do it and Amanda agreed. Overall, The Dutch was quite a scene and proved to be an awesome time. The food proved Carmellini's genius, the service smooth, and the atmosphere comfortable and exciting. There are so many factors that go into a flawless dinner service, but The Dutch pulled it off and that's why it could be called the "song of the summer".

East Village

After work on Friday I met up with my friends Caitlin and Christa for a much-needed drink. I met them at BUA on St. Marks between 1st and A. The place was pretty packed with a diverse crowd. We sat in the back room on long oak benches and took in the scene. It was quite enjoyable to watch a Russel Brand look-alike try to bring my friend Christa home while I sipped my bourbon. Some in the crowd had a picture of sangria, so that might be a special. We only stayed for a drink before the girls got hungry.

We continued the night at 7A Cafe which is a on the corner of 7th and Avenue A --weird! The only thing this spot had going for them was the 90s hip-hop selection playing in the background. These throwbacks caused a minor dance party within the booth. The food was pretty bad though. Granted my chicken fingers and fries were OK, but how could you mess that up. Something that they did mess up was the grilled cheese Caitlin got even though the server warned us that they took it off the menu because too many people were complaining. But seriously, how can you fuck up grilled cheese? 7A used multigrain bread and one slice of American cheese that was hardly melted. It was painful to see this abomination of an American classic. The mozzarella sticks were decent while the chili dip was a huge failure--who orders chili dip at 4am anyway? Yep, the same chick talking to the Russel Brand weirdo. There are so many late night eats in NYC--skip 7A and head somewhere else.

Meat Sweats

Last Saturday I attended one of the greatest festivals I've ever been to--Meatopia! Creator Josh Ozersky created Meatopia which was dubbed the "Woodstock of Edible Animals". The meat-fest showcased the talent of over 45 chefs from around the nation while giving guests a great variety of tastings from whole roasted pigs to grilled goat. Tickets were kind of pricey, but it was totally worth it. Tickets allowed you 4 hours of eating not to mention picturesque views of Manhattan from Brooklyn Bridge Park and live entertainment. The lines were short and most stands still had plenty of food by 7:30 when Fields and I got there. Tasting portions were big, almost too big. its probably a good idea to share and go back to some of your favorites. I think I was full after 7 stands or so. We got our second wind and tasted some more awesome food before we decided to head out around 9:30. An awesome way to spend a Saturday in NYC. Good company, music, meat, and beer--enough said. Learn more about Meatopia at www.meatopia.org

Sundays on Stone Street

Just like last Sunday, I ended the weekend at Ulysses on Stone Street. This cobble stone street is an awesome place to sit outside and cap off the weekend. Not only is it nice to sit outside, but its even better when your drinking beer and eating crabs. Ulysses offers a crab bucket for $20 bucks on Sundays; which comes with a bunch of crabs, corn on the cob, and red potatoes. You could beast a bucket by yourself or share with a friend! Either way you're in for a treat. Stone Street Sundays is where its at!

Is Restaurant Week Worth It?

Restaurant Week is a win-win for both guest and restaurant if done right but, If done wrong--it could be the exact opposite. Three-course lunches for $24.07 and dinner for $35 allow New Yorkers to try new restaurants for a great price. Although not all restaurants around the city participate, you're more than likely to find a restaurant you've wanted to try. Over 250 restaurants around the city participate in the biannual event, which lasts 2 weeks; but is sometimes extended on an individual basis. Restaurant week is a great deal for guests who want to try a restaurant that might normally be out of their price range or maybe a restaurant that they weren't aware of. For restaurants, this is a great marketing opportunity to get people in and create regulars. So in a perfect world, a guest will have an amazing meal during restaurant week and will visit that restaurant on a consistent basis. But we don't live in a perfect world, so this doesn't always happen. Restaurants create restaurant week dishes to cut down on food costs, portions are minuscule, and the service is compromised due to the "turn and burn" mentality. Do some research, because its an awesome promotion if you find the right restaurant.

Unfortunately, I only made it out once during restaurant week; but fortunately I had a great experience. A rather spontaneous lunch with Ms. Fields--not the cookie lady but a coworker. We decided on Tocqueville, a restaurant right outside Union Square that focuses on seasonal ingredients from the Greenmarket. The food was American, but there was a strong European emphasis. Arriving a little early, the hostess invited me to sit in the vestibule while I waited for Fields. Upon her arrival we walked through a lounge-bar area and into the dining room. The space tried to be grand with silk drapes, but it fell short. It was classy and elegant, but a bit stuffy for my taste. The service was good, although it felt a little fake. Our waiter provided prompt, attentive, and knowledgeable service; but there was something off. It was almost like he was putting on a show--given a script of what his boss wanted him to say. Either way, the service was fine! The food was better and for some thats all that matters.

For appetizers we got the heirloom tomato salad with a lemon verbena consomme and olive oil ice cream. This dish was paired with a 2010 Sauvignon de Touraine from the Loire. Our other appetizer was white and green asparagus with a black truffle vinaigrette paired with a 2009 Cote De Rhone. Both appetizers were equally impressive and got us ready for our next course. For our entree, we got the soft shell crab and the quail. The soft shell crab sat atop a watercress and hearts of palm salad. This crispy treat was paired with a rose from the Languedoc-Rousillon part of France. The quail was a bit small, but had some great flavor and was cooked beautifully. A side of quinoa mixed with cherries and almonds accompanied the grilled quail. A light red (2009 Vin de Pays) paired well with quail as it was strong enough to stand up to, yet not overbearing. So far, so good! Dessert were tastey, but didn't stand out. Maybe its because we were rushing or maybe its because our appetizers and entrees set a high expectations. I did really enjoy the non-vintage Mavrodaphne of Patras from Greece that paired with my bitter chocolate millfeuille. The Ricotta mousse came with a rhubarb compote and strawberry granita, which was a nice contrast to our chocolate dessert. A German ice wine paired well with this rich treat.

Overall, Tocqueville provided a great experience. The food, wine, and service were all good, but nothing blew me away. The best part of the meal was the company. Although I had a great time here, I'm not sure if I'll be rushing back. Its definitely a good place to check out if you never been, but there's so many restaurants to try! Tocqueville does a Greenmarket tasting menu, so it doesn't have to be restaurant week to stop by and taste seasonal, fresh cuisine thoughtfully prepared.