Tag: Upper East Side restaurants

Art & Eating in Manhattan

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CURRENT MUSEUM EXHIBITS

Surrealism Beyond Borders

One of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s current exhibitions brings together Surrealism works of art from around the globe from Egypt to Mexico to Europe.  Most of the artists I did not know.  I also don’t know that I liked these paintings and objects but they are different, often provocative, and sometimes chilling.  

Body Snatcher in Switzerland by Enrico Baj

At least one, Salvador Dali’s black telephone, has some whimsy.

Lobster on Telephone by Salvador Dali, 1938

Jasper Johns: Mind/Mirror

The Whitney Museum of American Art and the Philadelphia Museum of Art are jointly presenting the largest retrospective ever of Jasper Johns’ work.  Prolific since the 1950’s, he is 91 and still producing.  There are many rooms of paintings on display at the Whitney.  I agree with the critic who stated that the Whitney might have showed two-thirds of what is here.  

Flag above White with Collage

Lots of American flags in different color combinations; several maps of the U.S., some multi-colored, some black or gray; and various paintings including real objects (tableware, used paint cans) or string and pieces of wood.  I especially liked the colorful version of the United States, the placement of tableware along a frame, and the fifteen monotypes of a Savarin coffee can filled with paint brushes.

Map, 1961
Frame detail, Dancers on a Plane, 1979
Savarin, 1982, one in a series

Seeing gallery after gallery, one appreciates Johns’ recurring themes and recognizes the repetition of certain elements. I wish we’d been in Philadelphia long enough to see the other half of this massive exhibit!

EATING AROUND

Marwin Thai

A nice addition to the Upper East Side, Marwin has about five tables and offers on site or takeout dining for lunch and dinner.  We enjoyed a satisfying and modestly priced meal from the special lunch menu.  Between us, we had Thai dumplings and spring rolls to start.  The Chief Penguin tried pad Thai while I sampled the green curry with chicken.  His pad Thai was good and my curry very satisfying.  It’s a brothier curry with less coconut milk and lots of green peppers, bamboo shoots and basil.  And since Happy Hour runs from 11:30 to 7:00 pm, we decided on beer—Singha and Stella d’Artois—$5.00 apiece.  

Canyon Road

Occasionally, I have a yen for some good Mexican food and prefer to patronize a restaurant that isn’t part of a chain.  Canyon Road on the Upper East Side fit the bill for a recent casual dinner.  It’s decorated with colorful square flags and strings of little white lights and has a comfortable feel.  

We ordered the requisite original margaritas and the house guacamole.  Both were very good, and the guacamole had a lively kick.  I tried the chicken tacos (three small corn tortillas on a board and plenty of food).  The Chief Penguin, who’s a fan of quesadillas, had the shrimp and jalapeno one which came with salsa, sour cream, and a bit of guacamole.  We went early so there were only a few other diners.  Service was excellent.  It’s now on our yes, return list.

Note: All photos by JWFarrington. Header images is Squash with Pan de Muerto by Maria Izyquierdo, 1947.

Manhattan Meals: Eating Around

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Italian cuisine dominates the dining scene today, but here and there you can locate a good French bistro. I’ve also discovered that many folks on the Upper East Side eat early.  By 6:30, tables at small restaurants will all be taken. Here’s a selection of Manhattan restaurants we’ve enjoyed this past month, most that I haven’t previously covered.

Brasserie Cognac

This is a small French restaurant that was always full when we would walk by. Over the Memorial Day weekend, it was practically empty enabling us to easily book a table. We weren’t in the mood for a big meal and found the appetizer section of the menu much to our liking. My goat cheese and tomato tart on puff pastry was scrumptious while the Chief Penguin ordered and liked their famous tuna tart.

Sample of goat cheese and tomato tart

He followed his tart with the salmon croque monsieur which was rich and mouth-filling. I opted for the spinach, pine nut and parmesan salad which was enhanced by a generous number of avocado slices. With these two smaller dishes, delicate gougeres, and some wonderful holey olive bread, we were very content!

Jean Claude 2

This cozy French bistro is popular and we were pleased that we arrived a bit ahead of our 7 pm reservation.  The Chief Penguin ordered the beet and endive salad graced with a few walnut halves which was both very pretty and very tasty.  He then had the skate which was on the dry side, while I sampled the roasted cod over vegetable risotto and a yellow pepper puree, a yummy combination.  Bread pudding is his one weakness (to quote a TV character who had many “one weaknesses”) and this rendition was appropriately satisfying.

Barbaresco

This is one of the many Italian restaurants around.  Brick side walls and a sea of white linens on small tables make for a charming ambience.  Service is old style male waiters who recite the specials with dramatic briskness.  Listen carefully or you’ll need a repeat.  We shared a Caesar salad which was just right.  I then ordered the special swordfish entrée, Livorno style or bathed in a tomato-based sauce with capers and black olives.  It came with a vegetable medley and some roast potatoes. The Chief Penguin tried their veal saltimbocca which was good, but not the equal of the version we get in Maine. In addition to meat and fish entrees, there’s a good selection of pasta dishes.  This is another very popular eatery and one will visit again.

Tony’s Di Napoli

This red gravy+ Italian restaurant is a locus for family groups.  We dined here the night before Mother’s Day and thought that was the reason for all the tables with families with small children.  Apparently, not; this is a regular occurrence.  It’s a boisterous dining experience so avoid it if you were looking for a quiet meal. That said, the service was pleasant and efficient and our food very good.

Most dishes are offered in half and full portions with full designed to serve 2-3.  Believe the menu, they are large and will!  We ordered the full Caesar salad and would have been equally happy with a half portion.  It’s prepared table side and the dressing was a lovely balance between piquant and mellow and not over garlicky.  We then ordered half portions of veal saltimbocca (Chief Penguin), which here was topped with some sautéed spinach, and the veal piccata.  The latter was lovely with just the right tang of lemon in the sauce.  

The crusty bread was perfect with the veal dishes, but if you wanted potatoes or a veggie, then you had to order a side.  They have a full bar (one Old Fashioned coming up!) and wines by the glass. In the interest of full disclosure, it was good enough that we returned the next night (it was raining and the restaurant close by) for another dinner, and this time asked to sit upstairs which was a less frenetic scene.

The Beach Café

We had no dinner plans and decided to just stroll and see what might tickle our fancy.  Almost a misnomer with its dark wood interior, dark bar and tables, Beach Café on Second Avenue feels cozy and perfect for a cold winter’s day.  But they have outside tables and a whale on the wall that evokes Nantucket or some other east coast beach.  We opted for inside and were most pleased with the service from waiter Nick, a poised young man with a welcome beyond his years.  My pan roasted salmon with broccoli and mashed potatoes was perfectly prepared.  Even the broccoli was just the right amount of doneness.  The Chief Penguin’s chicken compagna platter could have easily fed a lobsterman and came with a side of spaghetti with a slightly spicy and smoky sauce.  

A.O.C.

This West Village French bistro is a longtime favorite of ours and never fails to please. We like it so much, we often order the same entrees time and again. This time I tried the roast chicken rather than the chicken paillard and substituted mixed vegetables for the french fries. The chicken was perfectly done with nicely crisped skin, and the vegetable medley of carrot cubes, spinach leaves, asparagus tips and green beans was healthy and flavorful. The Chief Penguin again opted for the merguez sausages with fries and enjoyed them as much as on previous visits. We don’t care for mussels, but if you do, they are one of their specialities.

Via Carota

I have enthused and enthused about this favorite of ours so suffice it to say, we returned for a third meal and were once again delighted! Alas for us, it has been discovered and wait times are long—-unless you deign to dine at unfashionable times, which we do.

Note: Contents and photos ©JWFarrington.

Manhattan Dining: From Low to Haute

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DINING OUT IN MANHATTAN

We ran the gamut on our recent visit to Manhattan from lunches at diners to meals at moderate and splurge-worthy restaurants.

We were initially dismayed to see that the Lenox Grill on Lexington had closed.  While it wasn’t the best diner in the world, it was reliably good, convenient to where we wanted to be, and never so crowded you couldn’t get a table.

Here are some notes on where we did eat most recently.

DINER LUNCHES (Upper East Side) 

E & J Luncheonette

This old-fashioned diner on 3rd Avenue is probably the best one we tried.  We’d eaten here in the spring and it was very popular.  They serve a satisfyingly good grilled bacon and cheese, with the usual cole slaw and optional French fries.

Nectar Café

This cozy, I’d call it snug, little place operates on a cash only basis and you wonder where they’ve tucked away the kitchen!  But, if you don’t mind being cheek by jowl, then the food is very good and the service friendly.  I liked my tuna salad sandwich on multi-grain toast.

Gracie’s Corner Diner

Don’t bother.  This large diner on E. 86th Street has an extensive menu, and perhaps it was because I was tired of sandwich and so-so salad fare, but I was decidedly underwhelmed. Like so many diners, quantity was the byword here, bypassing true quality.  I ordered a green salad with grilled chicken on top, huge with a strange house dressing on the side and lots of chicken, but with little flavor.  The corn beef Reuben was open face and smothered with a thick layer of cheese and, frankly, didn’t look that appetizing.  The CP didn’t eat much of it either.

Gina Americana

This little hole-in-the-wall burger joint boasts a row of American flag posters in frames and other flags around its walls.  Bypassing all the varieties of burger meat and toppings, we opted for items from the Mexican Connection section of the menu.  The guacamole was excellent and the chicken quesadilla and the chicken taco very good—the only surprise was the lack of any salsa or hot sauce whatsoever!  Lime wedges came with the taco and the guacamole.

 

MODERATE DINNER FARE  (Upper East Side unless noted)

Island

Embracing a New England nautical flair, Island is a very popular spot for locals and the occasional hotel guest from down the block.  They cater nicely to folks of all ages, even kids.  We dined here two nights and found the chicken paillard, chopped Cobb salad, and fried calamari all to our liking!  The calamari was all rings and perfectly cooked.  The Cobb salad was not the usual mass of large pieces of lettuce and great gobs of avocado and chicken, but rather a nice melange of chopped greens with the chicken, avocado, bacon and blue cheese in appropriately sized small pieces.  The sum was definitely greater than the parts!

Little Frog

Very friendly French place and reliably good.  We like the charming and urbane maître d’ (who think is also the owner).  The cheese fritters were a wonderful starter, the salads are good, and the braised short ribs were sublime!  Perfect for a chilly evening.

 Table d’Hote

Snug little restaurant on the Upper East Side about the size of a tearoom and very popular.  We enjoyed lunch here so much we returned for the perfectly executed comfort food dinner!  Little gem romaine salad with an oregano vinaigrette and then roast organic chicken served with silky puréed potatoes and some mini carrots all in tarragon jus.

Jing Fong  (Upper West Side)

This Chinese restaurant on Amsterdam sports dim sum on its sign, but the night we were there there were no carts, just what was on the menu.  To be fair, the menu includes a wide variety of dumplings, a number of which our large group sampled.  They were good.  We also ordered a chicken and vegetable dish, beef and onions, steamed buns, and for the two kids, several orders of soup dumplings.  Very busy on a Friday night so best to make a reservation.

Via Carota  (West Village)

I consider this a very special place even though it isn’t at all fancy.  In fact, it’s almost rustic with its wooden floor and wooden tables and chairs with the menus rolled up in a back pocket.  We eat here at least once every time we come to New York and dig into several must-have dishes:  grilled artichokes, and either Meyer lemon risotto or the chicken with lemon.  All the pastas are delectable, the salad is a perfectly tangy mound of greens, and it’s hard to go amiss with any dish you order.  They don’t take reservations so we often arrive unfashionably early, whether lunch or dinner.

Pascalou

Disappointing. We really wanted to like this French restaurant as the menu was very appealing.  Our waiter had a twinkle, our table upstairs was quiet, and everything was going fine.  The first courses, salad for me and pate for him, were acceptable, but then the service deteriorated.  It was almost an hour between courses and one entrée had clearly been cooked the day before, and the other wasn’t quite done the way I had requested.  The place was full so I hope others had a better experience.

 

SPLURGES

Paola’s

A traditional white tablecloth Italian restaurant serving both lunch and dinner.  It’s another popular Upper East Side dining venue and reservations, at least for dinner, are essential.  Salads are fresh and tasty and the pastas and veal shine.  I’m especially fond of the veal-stuffed agnolotti dusted with black truffle.

 Boulud Sud 

This is Chef Daniel’s (as in Boulud) Mediterranean restaurant and it’s an elegantly simple dining room offering impeccable service.  We’ve had lunches here in the more distant past, and this trip went for the prix fixe dinner before going across the street to Lincoln Center.  Everything was delicious from my saffron linguini with lemon and bottarga to the grilled dorade on a red pepper emulsion to the  light chocolate gateau with an oval of sorbet.

Cosme

Superb Mexican-influenced cuisine on 21st Street.  The dining room is what I’d call chic industrial with high ceilings, exposed metal, and light wood tables and finishes.  Most of the dishes on the menu are not familiar so you, like us, might need some translations.

We tucked into the herb guacamole (chunky style with an aromatic bunch of herb leaves) to go with the slightly astringent margaritas.  We then followed with branzino that was light and delectable and the house specialty, duck carnitas, basically a whole duck deconstructed and then put back together under the skin and served with two sauces and blue corn tortillas.  For dessert, we ordered the meringue filled with corn mousse (very different, but quite tasty) and a combo of a pastry ball and a ball of orange sorbet.  This restaurant is definitely pricy so be prepared to spend a lot, but it’s definitely worth it!

 Note:  All photos by JWFarrington except for header photo of an E&J sandwich from foursquare.com

Manhattan Notes: Dining et al

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UNEXPECTED EXHIBIT

The exhibit was titled, “Los Alamos” and mentioned to us by a good friend.  She has visited Los Alamos a number of times and was interested, but couldn’t get to the museum before the exhibit closed.  We were also interested and so went to the Metropolitan Museum  to see it.  It’s an exhibit of photos by American photographer William Eggleston.  

Eggleston was an early pioneer in the use of dye transfer photography with saturated intense colors, and this collection of his work is a recent gift to the museum.  But, although he named the collection, “Los Alamos,” it has nothing to do with that site.  Rather it is photos taken in the south and southwest, Memphis, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Las Vegas, and Georgia, in 1965-68 and from 1971-74.  They are a mix of stark urban landscapes and portraits of careworn individuals.  These galleries evoke a different era, but not Los Alamos.  While in the museum, we took a gander at some other art, hard not to, such as this Klimt of a 9-year old girl!

 

 

 

 

 

 

DINING DELIGHTS

Bistro Vendome

We like this comfortable French restaurant so much, we’ve dined there three times.  Our most recent meal began with oven-roasted bone marrow, not a dish we’d normally order.  But the maître d’ was so persuasive (his French accent and charm didn’t hurt) about how delicious and delectable it was that the Chief Penguin surrendered.  Said marrow was presented on a bed of wilted greens with a piece of toast on the side and for tools, a tiny fork and spoon. The idea was to scrape a bit of the marrow onto a bit of toast.  It was actually quite good!  

Following that starter, I sampled the grilled large shrimp served with a spinach flan on a puddle of lobster sauce.  The shrimp were excellent and the sauce rich while the flan would have benefited from a tad more nutmeg.  The C.P. indulged in hanger steak with fries and a tangle of arugula. The steak was tender and tasty, the fried the perfect thickness and crispness.  A lovely meal!

El Porron

This Spanish tapas restaurant has become another favorite.  It’s an attractive space and the staff are always most welcoming.  You can order full size entrees, but we’ve stuck to the tapas and been sated and satisfied.  The Serrano ham is lovely, the white asparagus a treat, the sea scallop treatment something different, and the patatas bravas (spicy potatoes) a must for the Chief Penguin.

Imli Urban Indian Food

If you have vegetarian tendencies or vegetarian friends, this contemporary space, which never seems to be crowded, is a great find.  We went on our own and then again with visiting family.  The samosas are some of the best I’ve ever had (the right ratio of flaky dough to filling), the saag paneer (spinach and that Indian cheese) silky and tasty, the potato stuffed peppers spicy, and the chicken curry, comfort food at its most soothing.   Lots of choices on this menu from small plate tapas to entrees.

EJ’s Luncheonette

This is a 1940’s style diner on the Upper East Side.  Formica tables, booths, and classic posters on the wall.  Service is friendly and there are daily blackboard specials like the meatloaf sandwich that the C.P. dug into!  

It came with truffle fries, very au courant, while my open face tuna melt included tomato slices; smothered with melted cheddar, it brought back memories of tuna melts of yore.  I think this restaurant rivals the Lenox Hill Grill and I’d be happy to return!

Bar Room at The Modern

For elegant dining and special occasions, The Modern offers exquisite cuisine.  You can dine in the restaurant proper, but we have usually opted for the Bar Room.  Both are pricy, but the restaurant is pricier.  The Bar Room is so popular, it is always full, and I have to admit, very loud at night.  There is an actual marble bar, and then bar seating adjacent to it which generates some of the buzz, but the floor is bare, the surfaces hard, and there is no fabric to dampen voices.

However, the food is marvelous!  We came this time for a belated birthday celebration and re-appreciated the quality. The lobster en croute with spinach and the chicken with foie gras tortellini were both delectable as was a starter of fennel and smoked salmon whimsically topped with chips.

ON THE SMALL SCREEN

Striking Out (Acorn)

We binge watched this Irish legal series.  Tara Rafferty leaves the Dunbar law firm after she finds Eric Dunbar, her fiancé, in a compromising situation, and strikes out on her own.  Her first office is the back area of a coffee shop.  When that becomes untenable, she shares office space with George, a brusque, opinionated female lawyer.  Although not her specialty, Tara takes up family law and finds herself in court, often opposing one of her former colleagues.

Figuring in the series are her mother, a former legal secretary; her father a judge; Ray, a petty criminal turned office manager for Tara; Richard Dunbar, Eric’s father and head of the firm, and Meg, a private investigator who doesn’t hesitate to work one side against the other.  Set in Dublin, it’s an absorbing look at the law on the other side of the Atlantic, complete with romantic entanglements.  Amy Huberman, who plays Tara, is likable and tougher than one might first think.  There are only two seasons thus far and Season 2 ends with a cliffhanger during Tara’s good friend Vincent’s big corruption case.  We want more!

 Note:  All photos by JWFarrington.  Header photo is Medallion quilt (1960) by Loretta Pettway in the Metropolitan Museum.