ABC Kitchen

Last night, my boyfriend Joe Wickes and I were treated by our friend, event designer Mark Rose, to dinner at the brand new ABC Kitchen (Executive Chef, Dan Kluger), the new Jean-Georges hot spot committed to organic and local meat and produce. It was a total knockout!

We began with interesting and homespun cocktails like ginger margarita and basil daiquirires, while taking in the decor. White square tables with white, round-backed Grandma chairs — occasionally a long wooden farm table for large parties — and antiqued light bulbs suspended from the ceiling. Everything is warm and dim. The back wall of the large space offers a peek into ABC Carpet and Home (that’s where all the furnishings came from) and a great shot into the kitchen. Since a little of this rustic thing goes a long way, the homey feel of the design is balanced by the waitstaff — all in thrift-store plaid shirts and jeans — attending to customers in a formal and very attentive manner.

Appetizers started with an amazing Peekytoe crabtoast, which was basically a crabby bruschetta; hearty toast topped with chunks of crab and a smooth aioli. The ramp toast with goat cheese, a special, makes you think there just has to be more than ramp spread, cheese, and a dandelion on that bread…gold, perhaps? The chicken liver toast, cooked with pancetta, was so subtle and flavorful, that even a pate’ hater (my boyfriend) had to admire it. Pretzel dusted calamari was an irresistible crunchy version of a favorite.

We shared the pea soup, which immediately impressed with an unusually bright color. It was an electric green broth with whole peas, but mint and lime zest gave it an interesting heat. I admit this was one dish that didn’t blow me away; it was a very inventive and economical use of flavors, which is a theme to ABC’s entire menu.

For the entrées, simplicity was the name of the game. A Flying Pigs pork t-bone in an apple-meyer lemon sauce was complimented beautifully with sautéed swiss chard. A side of asparagus with jalapeno and sliced mushrooms was a salty delight. But stealing the show, decidedly, was a special entree, a cavatelli with spring vegetables. This demanded a call to the waiter to explain every detail. As expected, not many: small slices of asparagus, fava beans, cooked together in the pasta water. But the lemon and dill infused in the dish brought it all home. This was the winner, and I wish I could recommend it, but it’s not a part of the regular menu…not yet, that is. Indeed, Jean George said the menu will change frequently.

The desert selection reminded me of the cocktail menu with its country-kitchen tone. A brown butter, chocolate ganache and hazelnut tart took my breath away. But we couldn’t help asking for a favor: we just wanted one scoop of the salted caramel-peanut ice cream from the sundae dish, and you can only imagine…

The surprise of the night was when we were finishing out cookie plate, and a diminutive man in a white chef’s coat appeared right outside the kitchen talking to a staff member. It was, of course, Jean-Georges himself, who gamely stopped at our table so we could babble about how wonderful everything was. He took it in good humor, but didn’t want to steal the glory from our neighboring diner, the woman who designed the handmade bowls and plates. Very gracious, and what a thrill.

Reservations are becoming impossible, so run! This is a lovely date spot, too.

I’m Not a Vegan but

 …there are so many delicious vegan products nowadays!!  Case in point: Stōgo Gourmet Ice Cream in the West Village, an organic vegan ice cream—that’s right, a no cream “ice cream”—that rivals any variety of Häagen Dazs!  (Those lucky NYU undergrads get all the good stuff.) 

 

Now, I repeat my previous statement, I by no means consider myself a vegan.  However, there are definite health (and taste!) benefits to substituting some common cuisine for vegan products.  Stōgo is a perfect example.  Just take a look at the difference in calories, fat, sugars, and cholesterol!  

 

 Whether or not you’re a practicing vegan, I definitely recommend checking out this health conscious and satisfying alternative to the mainstream calorie-laden variety.  And while you’re there deciding which of the 31 flavors to try, take a peek at their homemade truffles.  Delish!!

 

Stōgo Gourmet Ice Cream

159 2nd Avenue

New York, NY 10003

212 677 2301

http://stogonyc.com

Alices Tea Cup

I know I’ve blogged about Alice’s Tea Cup before but I have to do it again. That’s how much I love coming here.

Is it the food? Kinda. Is it the atmosphere? Maybe. To be honest, I’m not sure why I love it here so much. One things for certain: I love scones and the people here make pretty damn good ones. Although the scone lineup changes daily, they almost always have my personal favorite: pumpkin. Now I know you’ve probably had pumpkin scones before. Just about every bakery makes them when the leaves begin to fall. Why is this one so different? Because it is MORE than just a dry scone. It’s a bakery wonder. Circular instead of the traditional triangle, it has the consistancy of a moist pumpkin loaf with the added bonus of a thin sheet of caramel glaze ontop. When its warm, there is no better accompaniment to a cup of ginger tea.

Speaking of tea, lets talk about the kinds of tea they have here. Well, they 100’s. At least it seems that way. They’ve got all your typical tea types: black, green, red, white, herbal, tisane, organic, and decaf. Each category has about 20 different flavors with all the standards like ginger, chai, chamomile, french vervain, peppermint, vanilla bourbon, jasmine, rose, and genmaicha. Along with some other outstanding teas such as Hawaiian Paradise (apples, berries, apricot, orange peel, rosehips, and hibiscus), Mango Mate, and Herbal Detox (alfalfa, dandelion, nettle bush, and mint). They basically have a tea for every palate and they are all delicious.

So if you are in the neighborhood come on over to Alices for a pot of tea and a blt…unless it’s a national holiday and kids are off from school…then be prepared to wait in a sea of 5 year olf girls.

The Best of the Coffee Drink World

Coffee and I have always had a rocky relationship. We hang out everyday for months, spend way too much time together, then I get physically sick and we go our separate ways for a short period of time…but I cant stay away too long. Seriously, if I make a 6 cup pot of coffee – I’ll drink all 6 cups of it. The aftermath is disgusting but I just can’t help myself! This is why I’ve recently turned to coffee drinks – if I buy one, I drink one and have a much harder time overdosing. Here’s my review on the drinks I’ve tasted so far.

The Stars

The Chocolately One:
Nescafe Mocha – this is serious mocha ladies and gentlemen. It’s brew is strong, the liquid itself is thicker than most (but not unpleasant at all), and the chocolate taste is delightful. It’s not sugary chocolate mind you - this is semi-sweet cocoa. Mmmmmmm….

 I really like this drink but I’ve only seen it in Eastern European markets around my neighborhood. Am I wrong? Does anyone else see this in their local supermarket?

 
The Creamy One:
Starbucks Double Shot – this is cream central. It’s also one of the most caloric given the small dosage. However, if I want something small and super creamy I reach for one of these.

Another plus? It’s in just about EVERY supermarket and bodega. Thats what you get when Starbucks and Pepsi work on a joint venture.

 

 
The Perfect Combo:
Café Bustelo Café Con Leche – this is my favorite coffee drink by far. It’s not as watery as the Starbucks Iced Americano but its not heavy either. Known as the ‘poor mans gourmet coffee’, its’ creamy without being too milky and has a hint of sweetness. Who doesn’t love a nice café con leche??

 I find these in local bodegas in my neighborhood but that might be becuase Cafe Bustelo was started in NYC in the 20s.

 
The No-Frills One:
UCC Coffee - this one is light, sweet, and delicious. It’s a fantastic alternative to regular coffee because it doesn’t have any extras. No mocha, no heavy cream, no super sugary aftertaste: just a delicious iced coffee.

The only problem is this isn’t as easy to find - unless you’ve got a large Japanese population in your area. If you do - these will be everywhere!

 

 
The Organic One:
Adina Coffee Drinks – these are the organic green version of Starbucks Frappucinos – except without the cloying sugary aftertaste StarB tends to give you. They are all pretty delicious but the caramel is too sweet for my tastebuds…in fact, it doesn’t even taste like caramel. I suggest a do-over on that flavor Adina, think about it.

These are very popular in the organic market. Go to your local health food store

 

The Rest…

Dydo’s Demitasse: this drink has a pretty dark brew but it’s not half as pleasing as the Nescafe Mocha. In fact, one could say its super watery. Watery, dark, not milky, and not too sweet. Blech.

Then there’s the Starbucks Frappucino line, a total miss in my opinion. They dont even remotely resemble coffee.  Am I alone on this? Does anyone actually like these?

Coca -Cola is doing their best to compete with Pepsi’s Starbucks in 2 ventures: Caribou Coffee and Illy. Caribou’s iced drinks have been out for a while and are ok…but I rarely pick them up when I’m out buying. They are too dark for me with a real bitter aftertaste.

The latest partnership with Illy had better results - but then again they were working with Illy. The Illy Issimo coffee drinks have a much smooter aftertaste. The cappucino one has a delightful hint of chocolate but I have to admit I wanted more from an Illy canned coffee line which is why I cant put these in my ’stars’ category. Its like they arent even really trying here. C’mon Illy!

I love Moscato d’Asti

This is just about the best brunch wine you could ever have. Its light, its sparkling, its sweet (without being too sweet), and its not too expensive. Sometimes it can bee tricky to find a good one so here are a few of my favorites.

1 - La Spinetta, 2008, Moscato D’Asti Vigneto Biancospino

This is a Piedmont sparkling wine that has yellow/light green reflections. Its sweet without being ’sticky’ and contains grapefruit/peach undertones. It also has a very low alcohol content (5.5%) so you can literally drink the entire bottle without getting a headache.

 Average Price: $19.99

 

2 - Bricco del Sole, 2008 Moscato d’Asti

Another Piedmont, the Morando family has been making wine since the beginning of the 19th century. Since 70% of their production is Moscato you KNOW it’s gonna be good. I find this to be slightly sweeter than the La Spinetta but its not hheavy at all. Still really light. Also they are ORGANIC!! Honest  - its the truth. One of the best organic wines out there.

Average Price: $15.99

 

3 - Saracco, 2008 Moscato d’Asti

Golden in color, this wine’s flavor has been compared more to pears instead of the typical ‘peach’ taste. It also can have a jasmine fragrance and a little after tingle of candied fruits.

Average Price: $ 16.99

 

Whats the difference between Asti Spumante and Moscato d’Asti??

Asti Spumante is a straightforward  fully sparkling wine with sweet/fruity flavors. Its usually just enjoyable as a dessert wine.

Moscato d’Asti is a low-alohol, semi-sparkling wine with about half the carbonation of a typical sparkling wine, and is released very soon after the vintage to preserve its uniquely fresh character. It’s not as sweet, has a very complex perfume, and a vibrant acidity. Its low alcohol level and fresh/sweetness makes it perfect as a brunch wine or simply a ’sitting-by-the-pool’ wine.

NOTE: Moscato d’Asti’s are best within 2 years of the vintage in order to keep the ‘freshness’ alive.