Orchideä, Revisited

One of the delights of the Chanuka holiday is that it’s not complicated by Shabbat like restrictions, making travel and friendly get-togethers all the more versatile, recreational and enjoyable. Since I miss most of the regular Rosh Chodesh gatherings with friends, I especially welcome this warm chilled time of year to visit with friends and family.

Towards the end of Chanuka,  CS and I had brunch at Orchideä (4815 12th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11219 — Telephone: 718-686-7500) with our dear intimate friend, gourmet extraordinaire, Lévana. The tables were packed with clients; a confluence of Amit women, tables filled with young families, friends and business associates. Lévana and I had been to an Orchideä brunch a while back, when she made several suggestions to Mazal, an Orchideä partner with Ofer Cohen, which were happily implemented.

The Salad Bar got restocked twice while we were there...

We enjoyed an expanded salad bar and sushi assortment.

The Sushi Boat, in between refills

Hot main dishes included veggie and cheese stuffed manicotti (perfectly, deliciously, done!!), teriyaki salmon, herbed fish-balls, sautéed vegetables and ziti with vegetables.

CS' salad choice...

Lévana commented: “The yardstick of a good restaurant is good soup, good coffee and good salad”. On this particular visit, the soup was not up where we expected it to be and the coffee started out a bit weak, everything else – however – looked and tasted fresh and delighfully flavorsome. After voicing our concerns, Mazal, most generously served us a round of cappuccinos that were far improved.

Beautifully presented, supremely tasty!

Then we partook of an incredible delicacy… a lovely delicious dish of skewered striped bass teriyaki on a bed of shredded beets and carrots accented with baked garlic; a most chromatic artistic presentation. Like a welcoming crackling fireside hearth kinking out winter’s chill, our conversations were dear, cozy and hard to leave. But, with its beautiful decor, its aromas, its great food, its good service and attentiveness to customer’s suggestions Orchideä is always hard to leave!

SYR

Pardes Restaurant

Pardes Restaurant‘s Chef/Owner, Moshe Wendel, opened this new eatery on October the 24th (497 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11217; Tel: 718.797.3880), barely three weeks ago. Chef Moshe’s culinary talents and passion for food, along with the friendly enthusiasm of his tight-knit staff result in a successful venture. Through the years, he carefully and methodically honed his skills. Starting out as a dishwasher at age 16, he climbed through the ranks through various prestigious establishments such as Philadelphia’s celebrated Django restaurant. Moshe and his wife Shana became ba’alei tshuvah, and rushed back east to cook for Mosaica and Mike’s Bistro. He opened Basil as Executive Chef, stayed there for a short while, and is now fulfilling his own dream of owning a top kosher restaurant.

Small, warm, very welcoming

Moshe had a clear vision for Pardes. Located in an area filled with art galleries, bookstores, fashion shops and assorted eateries featuring every kind of cuisine, Pardes became an extension of the chic, upscale, urban cool mix. My companion (SYR could not make it this time) and I got there at around 3:00pm,  Lunch to Dinner transition time…

I ordered the Home Made Bouquerones [house cured white anchovies], with Red Pepper, Caper Berries, Arugula, Lemon Dressing.

Home Made Bouquerones with Arugula

With a hint of spiciness and ample richness of flavor, the well appointed dish was a perfect intro to the rest of the meal.

My companion chose the Tuna Crudo, with Porcini Popcorn,  Arugula and Corn Coulis. She found it beautiful to look at and extremely flavorful.

Nile Perch, Poached in Hazelnut Garlic Broth, “Risotto” of White Asparagus, Granny Smith Salad was my next choice. Again… the unusual mix of seasonal flavors were refreshing & delightful! My companion opted for the Saffron Linguine, Mojama, Almonds & Chiles. A spicey delectable mix of flavors, nicely presented.

Next we both had their Spicey-Smokey Chicken “Wings”, Red Pepper Saffron Vinaigrette, Tomato salad with Herbs, Preserved Lemon, Green olive and Jalapeno…

Close-up of one of the Spicy-Smoked Chicken "Wings" With red Pepper-Saffron Vinaigrette

Check this out!  A real treat for the taste buds!  We were instructed to place the meat into our mouths and then press the spice filled pipette releasing the wonderful burst of flavours… Pretty outrageous!

For the mains we shared both the Pizza of Beef Tongue Confi, With 24 Hour Roasted Tomato and Fresh Basil….

Pizza Beef Tongue Confi

…and the Short Ribs & Broccoli Rabe Lasagne.  The meat Pizza tasted sinfully delicious; the thin crust and beef tongue confi made the cheese topped pizzas, I’m used to, almost irrelevant. The Short Ribs Lasagne, was unusually tasty but had a rather limp presentation compared to the other dishes we sampled.

For dessert, we had the (“Manna” Bee Pollen Dusted Angel Food, Quince, Honey Ice Cream, Sugared Almonds and Olive Oil Cake, Chocolate Flan, Espresso Flavored Marron Glaces) all quite tasty – even gifted – although presentation was lack-luster. All in all, we were treated to an outstanding meal and each of us gave it two big thumbs up! In a lesser restaurant we might even have praised the minor negatives we encountered here.

Next time I’ll order from their ample beer selection, as well.

I was very gratified to see our favorite Chef, Lévana, shares our overall view after going to Pardes the evening after we did.

CS

Saddle-up for Some Fine Fixins’ at Smokey Joe’s!

You don’t have to be a Texas long-horn to enjoy this round-up of superbly smoked and southern rustic Tex Mex cuisine at Smokey Joe’s (494 Cedar Lane; Teaneck, NJ. 07666; Telephone: 201.836.7427).  Décor is sun-burnt orange against ranch-rawhide woodsy panels; Marlboro manly man and stallion photos adorning the walls. Brown butcher block paper covers tables set with colorful southwestern china (don’t forget to ask Joe for doodling crayons).

A partial view of the dining area

Joe, the owner, looked for a unique niche in the market and not only found one, but honed it like an art form till it yielded a product that fills the house on a regular basis. Joe, or Yossi to his chevra, told us “Food is life; food is kodesh.” “It’s about craft and high quality. You’ve got to give it the time and attention it takes to develop.” And indeed Joe has done so. His 74” smoker (which he lovingly dubbed Dimona-2) is the nucleus of his operation, but just as important is his approach to food and business. “You’re not producing a widget or stereo; my personal commitment to making great food is a life-time journey!” “It’s also about having a good sense of hospitality when Jews come calling at your restaurant. It’s a little different than the hachnassas orchim (welcoming guests) we do at home.” Joe certainly shared that hospitality with us.

...it was hard to keep myself from reaching into that smoker... I confess...

Joe served up vittles Stephen J. Austin or Sam Houston would raise armies to fight for! The table started to fill up with outstanding home made cornbread with onion jam spread (you got to taste ‘em together to understand how awesome those flavors are together), refreshing iced tea and fresh squeezed lemon-ade and home made. Still warm tortilla chip (seriously, dangerously, addictive!) with freshly made guacamole for starters.

We were then treated to an assortment of Smokey Joe’s favorites. The Joe Dawg, the lamb merguez sausages, were marvelous; superbly smoked and flavored.

Lamb Merguez Joe Dawg

They’ve got six types to choose from, it wasn’t easy deciding which to try…

We then demolished their Beef Brisket (well… really… CS did, he kindly let me have one forkful before it was gone!) – smoked for up to 14 hours. The smoked taste did not overpower the brisket taste which was rich, marvelous. In a very uncharacteristic (well you saw the pictures of those ribs, how can you blame me?) uninhibited Flinstonian way, I dug into their long ribs which had been basted in a secret BBQ rub and smoked for around 5 hours in Dimona-2. (Surely, not first date action, unless you want to provide an instant inhibitions dissolver, right from the get-go) They were meaty, packed with flavor and delicious. I literally felt the spices coming through my pores. Quite unexpectedly, my favorite smoked entrée was the chicken.

Brisket, Grilled Chicken and Sweet Potato... mmm, mmm!

I just loved the way the subtle smokey flavor worked its way into the soft flesh of the chicken resulting in a fabulous taste. We had no room for their burgers and chocolate mole sauce, which we heard are outstanding. We’ll have to come back and try those as well as some of their other popular dishes.

A great homey place to come with family and friends to chill an’ enjoy southern smokin’ Jewish hospitality.

SYR

Basil – Pizza & Wine Bar

At the edge of Crown Height’s Jewish neighborhood, we walked through the tall glass paned doors of Basil Pizza and Wine Bar (270 Kingston Ave; Brooklyn, NY 11213; Telephone: 718.285.8777). We were greeted by the lovely homey smells coming from their large wood oven, clearly center staged by design, partnered with an open bar and cooking area. Soft relaxing Latin music permeated a high vaulted room adorned with 13 honey jar shaped glass lanterns hanging at variegated heights back-dropped by a glass fronted honey comb wine casement.  Marble top tables and dark rustic wooden chairs filled the room commodiously, seating 45 comfortably.

Partial view of Basil. Clara Perez, the Manager, taking a breather in one of those rare low traffic moments.

The pizza and wine bar opened its doors in late February of this year. Just a few months in, with an extensive gourmet dairy menu created by his predecessor, Chef Adam  (who started his culinary training in Italy’s Costa D’Amalfi – then the restaurant’s sous-chef – was suddenly asked to take the helm as chef de cuisine.  Like the young Luciano Pavoratti in February 1965 – who was asked to replace the regular tenor – in an evening’s fateful  performance (Donizzetti’s Lucia de Lamermoor) at the Greater Miami Opera, young Chef Adam stepped up to the plate prevailing successfully without missing a single high note apparently, for he served up dish after dish of consistently delicious Basil favorites.

We began this, our latest restaurant adventure, with their Wild Mushroom Pizza made with Goat Cheese, Mozzarella and Truffle Oil, we took a side dish of their signature Basil Fries, sprinkled with Fresh Parmesan aside a  Garlic-Truffle Mayo Dip- clearly – not for the faint hearted.  Both were delicious.  The thin crusted pizza dough (made with imported Italian flour) was terrific, as were the wild mushrooms and goat cheese topping. CS predictably downed a respectable number of fries, loving the crispy strips dipped in truffle mayo. We both opted for Tishbi’s Chenin Blanc to accompany our meal. It was perfect for the table fare and the balmy summer afternoon. I had a respectable Arugula and Beets Salad topped with medallions of warm goat cheese sprinkled with pine nuts and a truffle vinaigrette.

CS, gnocchi Gnostic that he is, couldn’t help but devour the Goat Cheese Gnocchi Gratin rich with Tomatoes, Spinach and Parmesan Bread Crumbs. He found it flavorful, authentic Italian Campagna, done to perfection! We sampled three more mains; spinach ricotta dumplings, striped bass, and a saffron risotto.  I went for their Striped Bass, with Charred Fennel, Pea Risotto and Meyer Lemon Cream. Presentation was outstanding as you can see from the pictures below (we had a very, very tough time settling on only three photos of the dishes!).  The charred fennel was set like a sail atop a perfectly cooked striped bass a sea in a gustable green pea risotto. The Spinach and Ricotta Dumplings with Melted Mozzarella were ambrosial- especially with the enfolded Tomatoes  Roasted for 24 hours in Balsamic Vinegar, fennel seeds and just the right touch of chili flakes. Basil buys mozzarella curd and stretches it on location, enhancing the flavor that much more.  The Saffron Risotto with Forest Mushrooms, Grilled White Asparagus, was quite aromatic. The forest mushrooms and white asparagus were savory & toothsome, though at this point we were quite full.

Goat Cheese Gnocchi Gratin

Stiped Bass, with Charred Fennel, Pea Risotto and Meyer Lemon Cream

Saffron Risotto, with Forest Mushrooms, Grilled White Asparagus, Peas and Parmesan

We’ll have to come back and meet their pastry chef, Ehud Ezra; word on the street is that he is an amazing talent.  A graduate of the Institute for Culinary Education, he trained at Oceana in Manhattan and was Pastry Chef for several years at Whole Foods (among other prestigious establishments), before coming to Basil, we tasted his Meyer Lemon Ricotta Cheese Cake served with Turkish Fig Puree and Melon. He’s there at 5:00 am preparing his croissants and other pastries, opening for breakfast service at 7:30 am. Chef Adam also treated us to a tasting of his home-made colorful Sorbet Trio and Basil Ice Cream (made from basil, you read it right!). Yummmm!

Sitting on the cusp of this Lubavitch neighborhood, Basil stands at the edge of new cuisine and ambiance territory.  The reluctant humble yet flight worthy fledgling chef and his team run a successful operation with the help of their warm friendly manager Clara Perez, whose respect and reverie for the Lubavitch community is admirable. The convergence of crossed cultures amongst their staff and the harmonious blend of clientele dining together with Basil’s good food its nucleus, is nothing short of chevlei mashiach amazing. The obstacles were many; it shouldn’t work but it does, remarkably so! Some places are just plain blessed that way.

SYR

Savor It!

Savor (2925 Avenue P; Brooklyn, NY 11229; Telephone: 718.338.1353), a newly opened dairy restaurant is off to a running start with a superb menu. It features Mediterranean and Asian dishes, each made in authentic, exacting manner without compromise.

A partial view...

SYR and I had the pleasure of eating here, mid-afternoon today. Lior Saiag, the Chef/owner graduated from the New York Restaurant School in 2000 and has since worked at some of the most prestigious eateries in town, under very demanding famous chefs in the city.

Savor represents sort of a coming home, where Chef Lior can provide the frum community with the exacting cuisine standards which, while de rigueur in the non-Jewish world, have not always been present in kosher restaurants. With a more sophisticated consumer, with a clientele no longer content with the standard fare of the past, Chef Lior family is bringing to Savor a rich and wholesome menu.

We started our meal with the in-house made bread and butter.

A light focaccia served on an oak board

SYR followed with Salmon Stuffed with Spinach and Feta, it comes with herbed orzo and a cherry tomato salad.

Salmon Stuffed with Spinach and Feta

The subtle blend of flavors was perfect match. While SYR, never cared for Feta cheese, combining it with with the salmon and the spinach helped her discover a savory dimension she never before experienced.

I had their Chilli Rubbed Grilled Tuna.

Chilli Rubbed Grilled Tuna

It came with buttery mashed potatoes and lemon scented steamed broccoli. The tuna tasted amazingly like a beef steak. As a potato lover, I found the mashed potatoes incredibly delicious and even the broccoli was delectable (my mother would never have imagined I could ever say such a thing about broccoli!).

A great meal at a restaurant with a very nice Mediteranean décor. The attention to detail in the presentation, in the cooking and in the appearance of the restaurant, make it quite obvious that this establishment represents a labor of love, a chef’s dream come true even as it constantly evolves.

CS

Glatt a La Carte

So, I’ve got to admit, I showed up to Glatt A La Carte (5123 18th Avenue; Brooklyn, NY 11204; Telephone: 718.438.6675) in Boro Park bearing preconceived notions of uber chulent-fresser waiters in bowties serving upscale Jewish chic, featuring ptcha in arbes parsley pesto and liver pâté in matzo taco shells, with huge mains of brisket and mashed potatoes in a pomegranate reduction sauce.

Nothing could be further from the truth! This restaurant was understated chic and welcoming. There were inconspicuous screen separators between some of the tables giving a sense of privacy and intimacy and tall lean white winter branches warmly lit from below against the back wall.  The waiters, detail oriented and attentive, gave an exemplary dinner service.  Chef Mark Green, a 10 year veteran of Glatt A La Carte, personally brought us the courses that unequivocally proved his superb talents and artistry of taste. It all further demonstrated, the coordinated organic time-lapse frame of a restaurant which, through the patient masterful guidance of owner Binem Naiman and Chef Mark combined,  has grown from the ordinary to the extraordinary, incorporating the traditional with  the contemporary.

I started the meal with a Butternut Squash Ravioli, the sauce consisted of roasted butternut squash, apple sauce, onions and winter sage. The ravioli were freshly made, the combination of spices gave an out of the ordinary perfect taste, rich in flavor and pleasing to the eyes.

Butternut Squash Ravioli

CS had a Spicy Tuna Tartar with a special avocado wrap.

Spicy Tuna Tartar

I followed with a Beef Brisket Spring Roll, served with red cabbage confetti slaw (red cabbage, finely sliced orange and yellow pepper and red onion) in a hickory BBQ sauce. It was the best brisket spring roll I ever tasted. I liked the hickory/honey sauce was on the side as it the well seasoned brisket stand alone on flavor. The bright colored confetti slaw was festive and tangy, a perfect partner to the brisket!

CS opted for the Grilled Veal Sweetbreads, served with rustic chimichurri sauce and parsley with home made garlic bread sticks and olive oil. The presentation was enticing, the flavor all conquering.

Next I had a Reserve Steak.

Reserve Steak

It was a rib eye steak, served with grilled onion and a tarragon béarnaise sauce. It was what every rib eye I ever consumed should have been, exploding with flavor, an exquisitely traditional ta’am.

CS had a Bone-in-Roast Prime Rib with the Columbian Rub (blend of fresh ground coffee and spices), served with Bourbon Aju and topped with crispy seasoned fried onions. It was super tender, juicy and flavorful. The coffee rub, brought out some unusual flavors (my mouth is watering as I write). It cut like butter. I don’t think I can rave enough about either of the steaks!

For dessert CS ordered a Plum Carpaccio.

Plum Carpaccio

This dessert came topped with mango and raspberry sorbet, it was served with molasses and honey… colorful and delicious!

But… I had the best of all. I ordered the homemade Angel Food Pinwheel, it was topped – in front of us – with a luscious, warm blueberry sauce. The cake came filled with whipped creme, decadently succulent! Perfect ending to a perfect dinner…

During the meal we enjoyed a very nice 2005 Segal’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. We accompanied our desserts with a glass each of 2008 Baron Herzog Late Harvest Chenin Blanc. Excellent choices both!

SYR

Dial M for Mouthwatering

M Restaurant (1625 Coney Island Avenue; Brooklyn, NY 11230; Telephone: 718.376.6485), is one of the rare breed of eateries combining moderate prices with mouthwatering dishes.

M Restaurant's middle floor

I started the meal with their Eggplant Tower. Subtle, with a hint of a citrus or – perhaps – a gastrique, tender and delicate – a great opening for what was to be a memorable meal.

Eggplant Tower

I followed it with a true work of gastronomic and visual art combined, I had the Pinwheel. This dish consists of slivers of salmon and tilapia rolled into a wheel shape, topped with greens in a home sauce. There was no “fishy” taste at all, just a delicate flavor that could only be topped by the incredible buttery tasting  potatoes the pinwheel rested on.

Pinwheel

After washing it down with some Perrier, I continued the meal with a new dish, which the restaurant has not yet formally introduced into the menu. I had Lamb  Roolatini. It consists of ground lamb rolled into beef with a sweet and sour sauce. The lamb’s tastiness was brought out to perfection! The delicate balance between the strong lamb’s dominating flavor and the sweet sour sauce gave it a hint of spiciness… ah, a masterpiece! I have no doubt this dish will become one of the restaurant’s most ordered items.

The meal continued with La Surprise steak. Unbelievably juicy and tender, with a slight smoked taste, it comes with a very tasty peppercorn sauce. and a salad. M Restaurant‘s La Surprise most definitely ranks high among New York’s best kosher steaks.

La Surprise

All in all, it was a pleasant evening with great food, nicely sized portions and friendly service.

CS

Young and Classy

Humbly cloistered in the heart of Boro Park, is a secret exclusive grotto of fine dining.

Bistro 1310, (1310 – 40th Street; Brooklyn, NY 11218; Telephone: 718.483.8792), right off 13th Avenue, has the look and feel of a higher end city eatery.  Its glazed brick walls, warm chestnut and russet colored interior along with the glass waterfall wall and soft music melts the tension of the surrounding outer world, giving one the feeling of sanctuary.

Bistro 1310's ground floor

Bistro 1310’s menu is evolving, a work in progress; as they engage in exacting their culinary coordinates for this new venue. This young eatery presently offers an amalgam of flavors from around the world, offering specially aged grilled meats as well as chicken and fish dishes spiced with Indian and Asian influences.

We sampled two appetizers Tandoori Chicken – thin bread crumb crusted chicken breast pieces with a blend of Indian spices and mayo based curry dipping sauce; tasty! Our second appetizer was a Tuscan Steak Salad served with field greens, red onion, roasted pepper in a lemon vinaigrette; the thinly sliced aged meat was delicious and well appointed.

Tuscan Steak Salad

For our main we ordered two of Bistro 1310 early favorites. Teriyaki Chicken with sautéed vegetables and white rice, and Skirt Steak with mashed potatoes. The chicken was flavorful, the teriyaki sauce a tad sweet for my taste; the white rice was cooked just right, with light lovely seasoning that was delicious. CS by nature is a meat and potatoes kind of guy, so he loved the Yukon Gold mashed potatoes and the very tender Skirt Steak. I sampled a piece, and found it slightly salty.

Skirt Steak

We ended our meal with a Tiramisu boxed in chocolate. The quality of the chocolate was superb and the Tiramisu was very respectable.

Tiramisu

This young chic bistro is a hidden treasure of Boro Park and has a promising future. We will revisit it again as it hones in on its niche in the beau monde of Kosher fine dining.

SYR

Colorful, Tasteful!

Having heard quite a bit, from some friends, about this six months old eatery I felt I had to try it out and taste their fares myself. Earlier this week, SYR and I made our way to Tuscany (547 Kings Highway, corner of 4th Street; Brooklyn, New York 11223; Telephone: 718.339.5200), the ambiance is casual and friendly.

We decided to go for their $44.99 special which consists of one salad, one appetizer, 2 mains and 1 dessert. We started with their Ceasar Salad, fresh, delicious and nicely presented! We followed it with Melanzane Di Rolentini…

Melanzane Di Rolentini

This is a delectable combination of Grilled Eggplant with Ricotta, Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese with mushrooms all rolled and baked in Marinara sauce. It looked great and tasted even better, both SYR and I loved it.

For the main dishes, SYR ordered Atlantic Salmon…

Atlantic Salmon

The grilled salmon came with a teryaki sauce and some vegetables. There was nothing “fishy” about the taste, a masterpiece!

I ordered the Pasta Primavera…

Pasta Primavera

This is a spaghetti pasta with carrots, zucchini, broccoli and mushrooms in a delicate homemade pink sauce, colorful and delicious.

The portions were generous and we certainly felt satisfied, we almost had no room for the desert, except… when we saw it… there was no question we’d have to have it! We got a  Homemade Tiramisu… while every dish, up to now, had been a veritable feast for both eye and palate the dessert was in a class by itself…

Tiramisu

It was a nice, filling, dinner for two with friendly, prompt service; all very reasonably priced. But, there is more! Enticed by the exclamations of delight at the table next to ours, we ordered – in addition – Tuscany‘s signature dish, the sushi Spider Roll. This was outside of the special, but worth it. We  had the rolls right before the Melanzane Di Rolentini, again the taste was superb and quite different from what either of us expected.

Sushi Chef Joe, takes special delight in coming  up with unusual flavor combinations and pleasing presentations. Those who recommended Tuscany to me said the sushi is unequaled. Having tasted the Spider Roll, I wholeheartedly agree. We’ll just have to work our way through the rest of Suchi Chef Joe’s creations. We can’t wait for an encore. Bravo, bravissimo!

CS
[In our upcoming website we’ll have more about this delightful kosher restaurant specializing on fish and dairy, including their menu and MORE!]