The Spotted Pig

314 W. 11th Street, New York

The Spotted Pig is one of those places in NYC that I've been meaning to visit for a long time and last night I finally decided to go, bringing along 2 coworkers of mine.
The SP is one of those places that comes with a lot of hype, especially with its list of high profile investors and I was hoping it would not disappoint.

I started off with the Chicken Liver Toast, which was delightful. The pate had a nice creamy texture with a very gentle liver taste. It defiantly wasn't one of those 'in your face' liver pates. I was even comfortable enough offering it to a coworker, who actually enjoyed it. It was what any good appetizer should do, provide some foreplay to the main event.

Everyone talks about how good the burger is at Spotted Pig and if I learned anything from my visit to Interim, it is to start with what the restaurant is known for.



I had my burger medium rare, which I'm happy to say came to me at a perfect medium rare. The beef was tender and flavorful. The Roquefort cheese was the perfect complement as did the toasted brioche bun that held its own, with all the juices of the beef patty.

The shoestring fries, with rosemary and garlic chips, were the perfect side. Unlike their heftier cousins, they didn't fill you up. They didn't steal the show, no matter how you wanted them to. The consummate wingman.

April Bloomfield and Ken Friedman have done a great job putting together the loungey gastropub. Hopefully I'll have a chance to go back again and try other items on the menu and visit their other child, The John Dory.

Interim Restaurant & Bar

5040 Sanderlin Avenue, Memphis

My trip last week to Memphis will probably be one of my last. The work I was doing there is, for the most part, finished and as much as I've learned to enjoy Memphis, its not a destination I plan on seeking out.

Since I was only spending one night, I decided to forgo my usual trip to Gus's and instead head to Interim Restaurant & Bar. Chef Jackson Kramer is a 2009 James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Rising Star Chef of the Year. I could not pass up the chance to eat his food, especially since I probably would never have the chance to again.

I sat at the bar and while perusing the menu ordered a sazerac, which was smooth and crisp. A great start to the meal, along with the warm crusty break with freshly whipped butter. I was already starting to like the place.

To start, I had the Macaroni & Cheese Casserole. The herb and parmesan crust blended in great with the macaroni. The entire dish was cheesy,light, and buttery. The Tripp country ham added just the right amount of saltiness. Overall, its probably one of the best Mac & Cheese dishes I've had. The entire composition worked so well.

For the main event, I had the Roasted Colorado Lamb. The lamb was cooked beautifully and; the merguez sausage was a crispy & salty bit of perfection; the grits were nice and creamy but with an odd after taste; the asparagus was salty and a bit overdone. The overall dish didn't gel together well.

My biggest issue was that the flavors of the lamb did not come through in the dish. Quite frankly, you could have substituted it with a filet mignon and I wouldn't have noticed. Come to think of it, the dish would have been better with a NY Strip. At least the cow would have held its own in the dish.

The real star of the dish was the merguez sausage. I could not get enough of it. It worked great with all the components. Too bad it wasn't meant to be the main component.

Would I go back? Yes. Just for the mac and cheese. I'd probably try the burger or the duck breast next time. Too bad they aren't in NYC or Boston so I'd have the opportunity to give them another try. Interim is a nice break from the usual dinner fare I get in Memphis, but at the end of the day I made sure to hit up Interstate BBQ in the airport before I left.

Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken

310 S. Front St, Memphis

The best thing about traveling for work is that it allows me to go to places I would never willingly visit and sample some of the best food in the area. In my initial search for good eats in Memphis, the reoccuring theme was that Gus's was a can't miss. Ed Levine was actually miffed on how Bon Appétit could leave Gus'off of its list of top 3 fried chicken places back in 2007.



Now, I have to be honest here, this is my second trip to Memphis and my second visit it Gus's. My first visit to Gus's was slightly disappointing. I found the batter a bit salty but well flavored and perfectly crisp. Unlike most fried chicken's you find your sort of forgot that it had ever sat in a vat of boiling oil. Even though it was over salted, what impressed me was the marriage between the flavor of the batter and the chicken. Each made the other taste better, It never hurts when the meat is perfectly cooked. Even the breast was tender and moist.

This time around, I made it a point to revisit Gus's, hoping that the salt issues were a one off. I was well rewarded. Gone was the saltiness and boy did that make a difference. What it revealed was a complexity of seasonings, most notably a slight spicyness that was previously undetectable. Although I will have to remember to open the styrofoam container the next time I order to go in order to prevent the slight loss of crispyness that I encounterd.



This time around I also grabbed an order of fried green tomatoes which I found light and crispy and very appetizing. The acidity from the tomatoes brought out an underlying sweetness that I did not expect. I found them pleasently addicting.

Overall? Exremely satisfying.

Green Street Grill

280 Green Street, Cambridge MA

Green Street is one of those local haunts that most people just pass by. But for those in the know, its a great place to get a good meal. Its one of those homey places I have yet to find in NYC. There is generally never a wait for a table, even when our parties grow to 6-8 people. The food is outstanding. The menu changes seasonally and the quality is always up to standard.

The girlfriend and I decided to head over there for an impromptu Valentine's Day dinner. Even without calling ahead (which we did), there were plenty of tables available.

Our orders for the night:
Potato Leek Soup; chives, truffle butter & oil
Duck & Foie Gras Sasuage; crushed almonds, dates
Sage Gnocchi; king oyster mushrooms, parmesan-reggiano & garlic
Spicy Clam Stew; wellfleet clams, house-made fennel sausage, grilled bread white beans & spinach

I do have to preface our experience with the fact that the girlfriend has been feeling a bit under the weather, which affected her ordering and senses a bit.

The soup was a great start. The smell of the truffles alone was enough to win us over. It was a bit creamy for her in her current state, but I though it had a nice subtle creaminess to it. One of those perfect soups for a mid-February night.

I had to have the duck & Foie Gras sausage, I was a disappointed in the sausage itself, as it lacked much Foie Gras flavor or textures. It also seemed a bit dry when eaten alone. But once, I coupled it with the almonds and dates, everything worked well. It was one of those dishes where the textures won you over. A little crunchiness. A little mushiness. And a little bit of in between. The dates were the stars of the dish. The sweetness brought out the flavors of the sausage and the gooiness gave it the texture that I expect from Foie Gras.

The gnocchi was ok at best. It was a light simple dish that needed a bit of pazaaz. It would have been a lot better with a nice white wine, which she wasn't allowed to have. But even with the wine, I would have wanted something to bring out the delicate flavors in the dish. Especially after the flavorful starters we both had.

The spicy clam stew was the highlight of the night for me. It had one of those spices that came into your mouth as an afterthought, allowing you to taste all of the flavors before you got the heat. Everything was great, especially with grilled bread. Since it was more a watery stew, it was great to just put some clam, white beans, and some broth on the bread and munch. It was one of those interactive dishes packed with flavors that I love so much.

Check out Green Street if you are in the area or from the area. It won't disappoint.

Momofuku Ko

163 First Ave, 31 Lexington Avenue

It was sheer luck that I ever got to eat at David Chang's infamous Momofuku Ko. The girl and I had just been seated by the kitchen at Momofuku. we had just ordered. I could just taste those delicious (but overpriced) pork buns. But as our waitress walked away, the hostess came by and offered us two seats at Ko. We had been the last couple to be seated and were first on her list to fill the just canceled spots over at Ko. I was in shock. I was excited. I was worried about paying for it. There was something I wasn't thinking of. After a quick prodding by the cooks and patrons, and a quick nod from the gf, we accepted and made our way over. It was then I realized that the gf would need to eat meat tonight. The type of meat she wouldn't normally consume. Thank god she's not a strict vegetarian. (I secretly think I can turn her, the same way men think they can change the minds of lesbians)

The rest of the night is pretty much a blur. The girl had the foresight to notate our meal, typing furiously into her blackberry after each course presentation, all that we could remember the chef explaining to us.

There are a few things that stand out in my memory of the meal.

Fresh sea diver scallop, unagi, and something else was so fresh and smooth. The wine pairing was marvelous.

Shaved fois gras, lychee, pine nut brittle, and some sort of jelly. It was a party in my mouth. It hit every part of my tongue. The texture was amazing. I wanted to lick the bowl, but was afraid of all the stares I would be getting. I wanted more.

Basil seeds are sweet and delicious.

Pretzel ice cream? Did he just say pretzel ice cream? Why yes he did and guess what it tastes like? Go figure.

What really came out of the meal was a new found appreciation for the creativity of David Chang and his chef de cuisine Peter Serpico. I was never really fully impressed with Momofuku. I had had better noodles at cheaper prices. The pork buns are the saving grace for me, but the price I needed to pay for a meal for 2 there makes me think twice every time I want to go. But Ko? Pure brilliance. It puts my respect for the brand on another level.

Boi Sandwich

700 Third Avenue, 31 Lexington Avenue

I couldn't stop thinking about Banh Mi today. Things like this happen a lot. I obsess over a certain food and must have it and a lot of it. Instead of walking all the way down to visit Baogette again, I decided to drop in to Boi Sandwich which is much closer to home. Since I haven't had Banh Mi in a while, this would be a great way to compare what I had eaten the night before.

Let's start with the bread. Boi uses a section of a large baguette which makes the sandwich very bready. It's lightly warmed in the oven with the meats and pate so it doesn't have any sort of crispy crust. The pate and terrine have very subtle flavors and their addition of avocado helps with the texture. The cilantro was a little lacking, but the daikon & carrot contained just the right amount of spice. Unfortunately the bread covers up much of the flavors.

If I could, I would combine the Boi veggies with the Baogette meats and bread. That would be a perfect mix.

Also the Banh Mi was a bit expensive at $7.50 plus tax. At that price I would rather take the longer walk from my midtown apartment. Maybe next time I'll try their Pho, since those prices seemed a lot more reasonable at under $6.

Baoguette

31 Lexington Avenue, NYC

Vietnamese subs. I've been wanting one for a while, but have never gotten around to grabbing one for some reason or another. But after reading Ed Levine's review for Baoguette over at Serious Eats, I decided to head over there after work and give it a try.I ordered a classic and catfish .

First things first, the baguettes from Tom Kat Bakery is delicious. It's crisped to perfection and unlike many banh mi shops there's not too much bread in the bread, if you catch my drift.

The pate, terrine, and pork belly from the classic are delicious. It had a great flavor and texture. Fatty and flavorful without being greasy. I did find myself wanting more of the pickled veggies and more jalapenos. Nothing that can't be fixed next time.

The catfish was such a delight. The catfish was flaky. It had just the right amount of spice and fixins. It was the better sub this time around. All the flavors and textures came together perfectly.

For the price, its an amazing value, especially in this economic climate. I can't wait to try the rest of the menu.