The Good, the Bad, and the Forgotten
I’m not sure haute cuisine excites me anymore. Not that I’ve outgrown it or anything, but there’s a certain predictable quality about eating at an expensive place that makes it seem so tiresome - the well-made bread that comes warmed with luxuriously silky butter, the extensive wine list for which you need to enlist the help of a peppy sommelier, the subtle-yet-elegant decor, the on-target service, the menu of French-influenced dishes featuring various birds, fish, and mammals that is usually preceded by a foie gras terrine as appetizer (careful! it’s got as much fat as a Big Mac), topped off with a lengthy dessert menu specially designed by the pastry chef that sounds too good to pass up even on a very full stomach. And of course, the hefty bill with a tip amount that could’ve bought you a decent meal (or three) all by itself. The last place I felt this way? Gotham Bar & Grill (12 E 12th St b/w 5th Ave. and Univ. Pl.) - a nice place to dine fancy and not feel too bad about dropping $100+ per person, but at the same time a forgettable place that offered nothing new to my (rather short) list of haute dining experiences.
In the last month, I did have the opportunity to try some very good places. I finally tried SriPraPhai in Woodside (64-13 39th Ave., Queens), the famed Thai restaurant that supposedly has no equal in New York, even in Manhattan. Although I found their crispy pork to be too fatty, I really loved their spicy curry noodle soup. The prices are fairly cheap, and the menu is very extensive. I was a bit disappointed with their catfish salad (the catfish is a salty, dried version, not meaty as the menu states), but after a few bites, found it to be very flavorful and a good complement to the entrees. Ed’s Lobster Bar in SoHo (222 Lafayette Street), opened by a former sous chef of Pearl Oyster Bar in West Village, is almost an exact carbon copy. The main attraction is the lobster roll, which tastes very similar and also has generous chunks of lobster meat stuffed neatly into a roll. The fries are a bit thicker and the quarters feel a bit more cramped. Their grilled fish may be worth a try - I took a few bites of the sea bass, and it was juicy and flavorful. It’s not every day that I crave a $26 sandwich, but when I do, it’s nice to know there’s another reliable place to go for my fix.
Kyotofu (705 Ninth Ave.) was a disappointment. For all the hype it garnered in the press and among weight-conscious twenty-something girls, I was thoroughly dissatisfied by the dishes served up at this ultra-chic tofu-centric establishment. Presentation and trendiness aside, the stuff you get for the money you pay just does not add up. Tofu, in the end, is just tofu, no matter how silky it may seem in its perfectly domed shape. The tofu cheesecake was especially short of expectations, with its blandness and airy taste. Perhaps I was too hopeful about tofu’s potential. Tofu is best served in soondubu jigae, not a fancy high-concept dessert.
Other notables and not-so-notables in the past few weeks:
Menchanko-Tei (West 55th Street b/w 5th and 6th Aves.) can always be relied on for solid ramen noodles. I just wish they didn’t charge extra for the kimchi.
Landmarc in Time Warner Center is supposedly excellent for brunch. I went for lunch and wasn’t impressed. Their shrimp risotto was good, though.
Although I may be the farthest thing from a vegetarian, I’ve always enjoyed trying vegetarian joints (Zen Palate, Gobo). Angelica Kitchen (300 East 12th Street) was a great place to drop in for a quick lunch. This is what I had:
A very satisfying meal that had me feeling good about my body and my wallet ($10 with mashed potatoes).Hot Open Face Tempeh Sandwich - slices of sourdough baguette topped with lightly marinated and baked tempeh, napped with savory mushroom gravy. Served on a bed of raw spinach, garnished with ruby kraut.
It’s incredible how quickly a month goes by - and how many places you end up trying without really thinking about it.