New York Archives - Page 3 of 4

Le Bernardin: the finest gastronomic take on seafood in New York

Triumphing all dining doyens of one of the most vibrant cities in the world, Zagat’s monitors, the participating diners themselves, plucked Le Bernardin as “The Best and Most Popular Restaurant in New York” throughout recent years. By receiving 29 points, only step away from the summit of 30, Le Bernardin became the only constant bearer flagging the “extraordinary to perfection” esteem in New York since 1996. The Michelin Guide sealed the seriousness of its business with three stars honours for a decade now. Le Bernardin picks the accolades like cherries in June, the restaurant ranks within top 20 on the San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Its global culinary star gleams on the skies over Manhattan.

Conscious of all these flattering achievements one enters the restaurant fuming with extraordinary expectations, challenging Le Bernardin’s impeccable team in keeping them sufficiently fired up. My first, self-gratifying, encounter at the restaurant’s first-come, first-sit bar, left me gasping for almost three years of scoring the coveted reservation at the main dining room.
The bar, although offering a limited menu is surely a better deal, since the a la carte dishes at the main restaurant are very expensive (Prix-Fixe starts at $135 for four-courses and climbs with tasting menus that must be ordered by the entire table; a three-course lunch for set price $76 gives you a taste of the culinary riches there if your work schedule allows hours-lasting midday gourmandising).
It is worth the splurge, and if you like seafood, make a dinner at Le Bernardin your birthday wish. My recent otherworldly hedonistic pleasures from the chef’s tasting menu confirmed that neither* Annisa (overhyped or we just fought a bad night & ultra slow service), Bouley (very disappointing dinner this summer), Daniel (well-past its prime), Gotham Bar & Grill (ultra-accommodating service yet food lacks in consistency) could not win the battle of knives facing the French-born chef Eric Ripert.

Ripert has an unparalleled experience at Paris’ best dining establishments. First conceived in the “City of Lights”, Le Bernardin was the first purely seafood restaurant ever being awarded three Michelin stars. There, he worked closely with its founder and chef Gilbert Le Coze, the legend of the French seas. After the Le Coze’s death, Ripert continued to uphold the highest standards of Le Bernardin in Paris for years, but the success of the Le Bernardin’s expansion to the US was sawn on his chef’s white jacket. His knowledge of fish and seafood owes to his early experience on the Mediterranean shores of Antibes, South of France, that laid solid foundations to his culinary expertise.
The atmosphere at the scantly lit bar is slightly more lively and convivial as the bar chairs left you sitting next to strangers and the small closely set low tables, but the best to-be-seen crowd sits beyond in the brighter and comfortably arranged dining room. Dress up smart elegant if you ant to fit in or wear a sculpture on your head as one in her mind youthful lady did, drawing attention from all corners of the expansive restaurant. The ultimate eye catcher though is a giant photograph of ocean waves on the back wall. Drawing you in as if you were a surfer captivated by the water
Take your board and enjoy the ride through the chef’s tasting menu rooted mostly in the French cooking techniques. The chef captured his culinary spirit saying:

Everything we do in the kitchen—using subtle textures and flavors, seeking out the freshest ingredients—has the same goal: to enhance and elevate the fish.

No frills diners can start with oysters or caviar. Although sourced from the best purveyors and undoubtedly a luxurious catch, these do not test the chef’s skills. For more show in your shells, try the Chilled Beausoleil oysters; sea grape and pickled shallot, “seaweed water” gelée.
It all starts with the bread though and the French roots of the chef show their full potential with a wide and creative, perfectly warm selection from the bread basket. A shiny cover is lifted and ‘Voilà‘ butter, of course!
At the bar, we ordered the Peruvian Style Scallop Ceviche with our glass of champagne. Since Peruvian food preparation has been in the spotlight of recent years, Ripert could hardly escape the enchantment of the savory whims of this Latin-American culinary style.
In the line with his elevating philosophy, the scallops were utmost tender, melting softly like a scoop of gelato almost without using your teeth. Gently refreshed with the spicy lime juice, they were bathing modestly submerged so their tender skin remained unaffected. Unlike in Peru, where the sauce pops out and twists your tongue in an anxious move from the acid attack, in New York, they received delicate treatment from the sensitive chef.
Currently, the Kanpachi Tartare covered by a layer of wasabi tobiko ginger and embalmed in a coriander emulsion is not anymore on the menu. It was superbly balanced as is now the Wild striped bass tartare; jicama salad, champagne-mango emulsion with a bit of sweet fruity twist.
The Yellowfin Tuna carpaccio; Iberico ham “chutney,” sea beans, lemon and extra virgin olive oil from the restaurant’s menu has been in revised preparations served at the restaurant for years. The paper-thin slices of sublime tuna are layered and dressed to impress your taste buds.
From the warm snacks at the bar the Warm Lobster and Truffle “en Brioche” was perhaps the richest seasonal offering. The fluffy Brioche was filled with boiled tender lobster and black truffle shavings. Aromatic, intense yet still retaining harmony.

Our Chef’s tasting menu at the restaurant included:
Yellowfin Tuna carpaccio (above)

Warm King Fish “Sashimi;” Osetra Caviar Light Marinière Broth – out of this world perfection!
Pan Roasted Langoustine; Foie Gras Soubise Aged Sherry-Verjus Vinaigrette
Lacquered Lobster Tail; Herb Spring Roll, Lemongrass Consommé
Pan Roasted Monkfish; Baked Portobellos, Pearl Onions à la Crème Paprika Sauce
Grilled Escolar and Seared Wagyu Beef; Fresh Kimchi Asian Pear, Soy-Citrus Emulsion
Matcha Green Tea Custard, Preserved Lychee Jasmine Ice Cream
Marinated “Golden Blueberries,” Frozen Sweet Corn Meringue

The chef keeps the rise in vegetarianism in check, currently offering Warm artichoke panaché; vegetable risotto, lemon emulsion and the Mesclun Salad of the day’s market herbs and vegetables with balsamic-shallot vinaigrette.
Ripert simply covers it all. Interestingly in his signature tasting menu, one of the courses was an unusual fish meets meet course of White Tuna-Kobe Beef served with fresh kimchi, Asian pear, soy-citrus emulsion. More purely meat dishes like duck, lamb and fillet mignon can be served upon request if the land call rings louder to your taste. Yet, what I savoured with the most pleasure in by the sea and Maine lobster gifted country was the trio served before:
Warm King Fish “Sashimi;” Osetra Caviar Light Marinière Broth, the utmost treat and perhaps the best dish I had this year, but I also enjoyed the Asian flavours harnessing Lacquered Lobster Tail; Herb Spring Roll, Lemongrass Consommé and finally the Pan Roasted Monkfish; Baked Portobellos, Pearl Onions à la Crème Paprika Sauce. Impossible to make these better!

The desserts are outstanding jewels on their own. Gluten intolerant foodies with a sweet tooth and chocolate affection will delight in the Hazelnut Praline: Flourless Hazelnut Cake, Gianduja Mousse, Orange Curd, Praline Ice Cream. Our voracious appetites did not have enough after two desserts from our tasting so we split one before the chocolates and other mignardises arrived with our tea.
In the afternoon, you can come to the bar and savor the french style with the “Café Gourmand”. In this dressed down French version of the afternoon tea, you will get a tasting of a trio of mini sweets with a cup of top quality coffee.

Drinking well at Le Bernardin

The best sommelier in town, Aldo Sohm, secures intriguing wines by the glass and extraordinary bottles. From the white mineral Burgundy-like (imagine a Puligny-Montrachet) Domaine Aubert‘s Chardonnay of the Sonoma provenance to red Greek wine from the Domaine Economou of Crete, one can stretch the global wine boundaries during one meal. After 7 years of ageing at the winery, the blackberry and spice scented Greek beauty is ready to drink when it is released to the market. The local red grape varietals Liatiko (80%) is blended with 20% of Mandilaria. The mature flavours humming with plum, spices, blackberries, jam, raisin and prune flavours, unveil complexity, supple tannins and long-lasting aftertaste. By-the-glass – you must try it! There are plenty of older vintages of anything from Europe through the New World riches. The team of sommeliers, each proudly wearing their tastevin, swiftly cruise between the tables seeking your attention, so capture one of them and enjoy the wine talk. It is a special meal out, and if you spent five hours dining at Le Bernardin, you won’t be the only table who did so!
🕗 Lunch: Mon– Fri: 12 pm – 2:30 pm
Dinner: Mon – Thurs: 5:15 pm – 10:30 pm; Fri– Sat: 5:15 pm – 11 pm
✉ 155 West 51st Street, Mid-Town New York 10019
☏ +(1) 212 554 1515

I have not secured a table at Eleven Maddison Park yet, and it has been years since I dined at Jean-Georges French flagship, therefore, cannot include these two top-ranking restaurants in my comparison.

Blue Hill restaurant in New York: grow nature and encourage more of it

Straight from the farm an eco-conscious chef, Dan Barber, with his forward looking team of farmers, growers, cooks, as well as the backer of the project, David Rockefeller, together bring food’s future to the plates in New York. Supported by the efforts at Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture the produce from the Stone Barns farm in the fertile Hudson Valley of the New York State arrives daily to Blue Hill restaurant in Manhattan. To the metropolis the ingredients travel mere 20 miles, where they shine on the plates inside the chic dining room. The team’s quest for a sustainable future returns to the past, when cooking, pursuit of the ingredients and farming were in sync with nature.

The Blue Hill is an older sister of the restaurant at Stone Barns, where various natural experiments are being conducted to increase taste but also to benefit the soil. Sourcing most of the ingredients from this farm and other nearby farms, Barber sowed the seeds for the blossoming interest of chefs seeking direct relationships with the produce they use. Although increasingly chefs grow their herbs and veggies in their kitchens or on the roofs, not many are blessed with growing and raising their staples on a farm where they can control the output. Imagine chickens and turkeys chasing each other on the rooftops in the Greenwich Village. Fun, but not an ideal solution for dining in a large city.
The chef is the heard leader as he encourages other colleagues to embrace sustainability. In March 2015 his pop-up project at his cosy neighbourhood restaurant used otherwise wasted ingredients to create a truly sustainable menu. This project titled WASTED was repeated in London in 2017 when a rotating shift of chefs cooked from the usual kitchen scraps at Selfridges, the fashion mecca of London’s consumerism.
Dan Barber is an outspoken activist chef, patron of the two distinctive restaurants (the first in Manhattan, then came Blue Hill at the Stone Barns), supporter of environmentally-conscious small farmers, good flavours, and the author of numerous books on sustainability. In the latest of his publications, The Third Plate, he explores environmentally sound possibilities for the future of our food system. He writes: “For most of human history, we foraged and then, out of sheer necessity, transformed what we found into something more digestible and storable, with better nutrition and flavor.” I reviewed this eyes-opening oeuvre at La Muse Blue in detail, so you can learn more about his in person direct experience findings on its pages. The plates at the restaurant will not shock with steaks liquified into a plastic tube or have-it-all with super nutrients boosted salad bowls. You may fathom these highly processed edible substances in the sci-fi literature and movies, but the current distrust in the over-manufactured food and the popular wave of locavorism hint better towards what you find at the Blue Hill.

One late winter snowy evening, I was wrestling my steak knife into the superb vegetarian BLACK DIRT CARROT CUTLET with smoked apple, yogurt, spinach and adirondack red potatoes, delicious! Meanwhile, a cavalry of muscular men successively trawling through the dining rooms was carrying large sacks of vegetables, grains and boxes of butchered meat and fresh seafood. The veggies and grains, needless to say, outnumbered the flesh. Barber preaches sustainability, and reducing our consumption of the environmentally demanding animals (beef) and fish, particularly high on the ocean’s food chain, join his efforts to reduce food waste. The freshness shouts from the six-course tasting Farmer’s Feast ($98), where THIS MORNING’S FARM EGG is served. The recipe for the egg changes so you can have it with curried potatoes and potato chip broth in March as I had it or in a different preparation. A smaller four-course menu is also available.

Ultimately dining out is about taste and the atmosphere, and while some have reservations to certain dishes on Barber’s menu, it is always a question of personal preferences. As with any other above-average priced restaurant, its adversaries may find the portions too small and the ingredients too humble (BLACK DIRT CARROT CUTLET anyone?). The dishes change seasonally, sometimes weekly, and if a specific tasty grain, plant or animal breed fascinates the cooks, then even daily. The carrot steak had some variations. Lately it was served as CHICKEN FRIED CARROT STEAK with potatoes and beet ketchup. You can better appreciate Barber’s understanding and connection to the soil when you try the food and find that it tastes very good. I have dined at the Blue Hill in the Greenwich Village in various seasons and even under the most challenging circumstances when most of New York was snowed deeply in, so it was a heroic task to deliver the produce from the upstate farm. Corn was probably in of the deliveries since the luscious dessert made with the EIGHT ROW FLINT CORN of corn cream, pickled cherries and the incredible popcorn ice cream graced the menu.

Seasonal touches on the menu at Blue Hill

Some of the dishes are inspired by a crop rotation. A complex blend of twelve local grains goes into the ROTATION RISOTTO bursting with more flavours and nutrition than its typical Italian version made with highly polished, fibre stripped, white rice. Adding legumes and seeds made for a wholesome, healthful dish. The chef likes to experiment with tastes “not based on convention, but because they fit together to support the environment that produced them”. Being inspired by the world’s best cuisines and their glamorous past he nods to nose-to-tail eating. Not only the Chinese, the French, but also the British and Spanish incorporated the “lesser” cuts of meat and fish into their iconic dishes. From the French pot-au-feu, though Spanish morcilla (pig’s blood sausage) to Chinese chicken feet and fish head, they are all edible libations. Barber may offer GRASS FED LAMB NECH AND BELLY with salsify and kale kalettes, but who knows perhaps the feet will find their place in one of his plates soon! VENISON IN LEAVES may be served in winter, while the Barber bread from specially bred perennial wheat accompanies every meal.
For a conventional diner the menu may seem off-putting. As daunting as it may sound, the food at the Blue Hill is much more than what you would be able to cook yourself at home. In tune with many world’s best chefs including the French multi-Michelin stared Alain Ducasse, Blue Hill also elevates veggies to the forefront. Culinary trends entered the chefs’ consciousness. Recently in the cauliflower “pizza” crust craze spirit, I had a POTATO “PIZZA” with broccoli, kale and melted and foamed cheddar cheese. It was interesting but more like a slice of potato gratin with vegetables than a pizza.

Blue Hill is an elegant and dimly lit restaurant in one of the hippest Lower Manhattan districts. A well-trained staff eagerly explains what each dish is about and happily advises if you cannot place the bet on one plate. The sommelier picks very interesting artisanal bottles as well as wines by the glass. We had a rare red wine from Santorini, the Greek island that had been flooded with the white Assyrtiko recently because of its immense popularity. Last time we had the Italian deep coloured and tannic Sagrantino red varietal in Rosso de Veo by natural winemaker Paolo Bea in Umbria. Only 7200 bottles were made, while its 15% of alcohol rendered us quite early light headed so we will not crave this bottle any time soon.
The cooking at the Blue Hill is “Like all great cuisines, it [is] constantly in flux, evolving to reflect the best of what nature can offer”. The seasonal approach not only to the ingredients themselves, but also to appropriate cooking techniques, defines the interconnectivity of the web of the food chain served proudly at the restaurant. Dan Barber is lucky though that he can “grow nature and encourage more of it” mainly because of the generosity of his affluent donors. I wish that more wealthy individuals invested in projects that benefit our land, our taste and ultimately bettering our and our children’s lifestyles.
75 Washington Pl, New York, NY 10011
+ 1 212 539 1776
Daily for dinner from 5pm-11pm

Juice Press: organic fast food for healthy Manhattan's future

Juice Press is bold, braver than most food and beverage companies out there. Like some of their millennial competitors born in the US, also often nicknamed ‘the fast food nation’, Juice Press unlocked the first aid box, for too long shelved idly behind the ultra-sized bags of chips, sugary sodas and other highly processed ‘cool foods’ stored abundantly in every American’s pantry.
Healthy Manhattan and once perhaps the entire ‘known universe’ seems to be the ultimate goal of its founders, who challenge the established dietary habits of the modern Western society. Combining supplements, miraculous formulae offering solutions to anything from longevity, weight loss to glowing skin, and mostly great, high-profile (sweet and satisfying) taste, is their participation in the juice revolution. They help to redefine how we can consume and enjoy nutrients without taxing our digestive system too much. This is achieved by keeping all of their food and beverages raw (not exposed to heat above 40°C), organic, unprocessed, free from gluten, GMOs, hormones, pesticides, and all the modern ‘junk’ that today’s consumers blame for every headache and imaginable illness.
Sipping a Tight Butt and Ripped, I am dreaming of having my perfect, 20-something model body back. Effortless, and full of flavours imbibing from the BPA-free bottles of this raw, unpasteurized magic fix is highly enjoyable. Bye morning pilates, and intense yoga sessions … wait, is this for real? The promises on their bottles seem a bit too lofty, thus unrealistic, and worthy of a more scrutinised investigation.
Juice Press is the equivalent to LA’s Kreation Organic concept. Both are cleanse (or ‘kleanse’) focused, 100% organic, vegan, and functional food focused businesses that include some non-raw items like soups, hot brewed coffee and cappuccino (with a house-made almond or coconut milk of course) in their super-healthy repertoires.

Healthy and delicious points for a fast-paced life

Juice Press is not a restaurant or café, but more a take-away with a couple of chairs (depending on a location) to munch on your nutritionally dense vegan and organic dishes. I have rarely seen someone sitting there and just drinking the cold pressed juices, that are easily slurped on-the-go, at your office or at home, and also their highest selling tickets.
I just cannot imagine a family dinner consisting solely of juices. This is one problem with liquid diets like these, they are unsociable. They might be more conducive towards mindfulness as a serious fast is, but they still distract. [disclosure: I have never done a liquid cleanse myself, but interviewed some people who did]
Many of their liquid treats are indulgent, rich and creamy, and high in calories, while with nutrients packed tasty meals and desserts like chia pudding, matcha bowl, and others require a spoon or fork to consume so the social aspect of eating is catered to if you do not mind eating from a plastic bowl or a cup. Here, look for calories since a coconut oil is high in fat and coconut nectar, honey or agave are sweetening many of the delicacies, and when disregarding the natural buzz, broken down they are still sugar, comma. Calling calories “delicious points” is a smart twist on marketing and ignoring their primary role in weight gain is not scientifically correct. Yet there is a grain of truth in that “raw food calories matter less than processed food calories” since at least your body gets vitamins and minerals it needs. Further, your organs like liver and gut are not that much strained through detoxification if your diet consists mostly of the organic produce. Nut allergy sufferers should avoid any of these vegan juicers, since contact with nuts is always possible even if you get just a pure, veggies based smoothie. Causing an allergic reaction would beat against their efforts to prevent a disease-causing inflammation.
Anti-inflamatory diet is being supported by many doctors as the healthiest way to feed our bodies and this is achieved by including more alkaline, pH balancing substances often present in plants.

A liquid day

Starting your day with a liquid breakfast packed with protein, brain-fueling fats, slow-energy releasing carbohydrates and filling fibre in the delicious JP Black Chia boosted with omega-rich coconut oil readies you for another wild and busy day in New York City. If you do not have time to sit at your dining table and prepare a balanced breakfast, this is a good fuel starting the engine of your body.
Some beverages taste like a Chinese medicine though. You can start your day with a laxative Herbal Cleanse made of Dr. Mission’s herbal tea brew that has no calories. Even the label admits that this is an “awful tasting tea laxative designed to clean you out. gentle to some, freight train to others”, so it is your call.
There are also some that just taste like filtered water despite being enriched with aloe fractionally distilled from the plant’s leaves. Should be good for your digestive system and comes with zero calories, so sip on it instead of regular water if you have a $2.50 to spare for your hydration. This is also one of the cheapest products sold at the juiceries. Most of their plant based blended beverages are quite expensive, adding local tax more than $10 reward you with two glasses of their nourishing potions. The pure Watermelon and Cucumber juices are refreshing in summer.
For a green fix, the Romanian blend enhanced with plant-based “proviotic” tastes very grassy and is not for everyone, while the OMMM! with green apple and ginger is more approachable and balanced. My favorites though are indeed OMG! my favorite juice, Doctor Earth and the libido increasing (people say) and Carrot & Co that has a energizing potion of maca in it.
All the bottles and packaging are BPAfree, and since most of the beverages are raw so better to “keep [them] cold and shake well”. Compared to most US sizes, the Juice Press offers much smaller volumes – as little as 9oz (266ml), encouraging consumption of nutritionally dense, but not overwhelming amounts. The Sweet Wheatgrass blend of pineapple, wheatgrass and ginger supplies you with as much 90% of your daily recommend dose of Vitamin C.

Raw plant-based food at Juice Press

The enzymes living in raw, unprocessed, foods help with digestion, and the high fibre content, although great for your bowel movement might make you feel full for long time.
My favourite take-outs include the Ravioli as they are light and refreshing, but unless you are a bird portion eater, better have them with something else like the Kelp Me! Summer Noodles with spicy jalapeño sauce on the side. Half sizes of some raw dishes are available ideal to explore the creative nutrition-driven Juice Press pantry.
The Kale Ceasar was created as a “tribute to the Eagle” of the fallen Roman Empire, and illustrates the designers’ humour on the labels. The not only to health related claims on all of Juice Press’s products are bold and stir controversy. Shunning processed food, with spiking confidence announcing as being “perhaps the best juice bar in the known universe”, but also compulsory warnings highlighting the danger of unpasteurized foods in which bacteria can thrive if not stored properly. Tastier for me though is For the Love of Kale salad with quinoa. To their credit though they supplement most of their juices and even snacks like the hummus with beneficial probiotic (vegan probiotic) bacteria and their delivery system is extremely mindful of temperature control. It will be likely your fault if you carry your juice while trailing the avenues of Manhattan or hiking on a hot day.
As more people are attracted to juicing and eating healthier food, Juice Press has been increasing its presence on Manhattan and well beyond with new branches constantly popping out. Now the summer vacationers in the Hamptons can also get their daily juice fix, and hopefully cold pressed organic juices will be available at most towns, not just big cities, so the entire world can savour the liquid joy as a healthful treat.

Beyond Sushi: fish-free vegan sushi rock'n rolls Manhattan

A slice of cucumber on sushi rice would not excite most foodies, but there is much more plant-based bounty that can chase your taste buds in vegan sushi. The idea of vegan sushi may electrify our conventional view of the Japanese seafood and rice bun slipped decadently in one mouthful deep into our bellies filled with desire. Most sushi lovers’ knees crumble at the sushi counter just looking at a lusciously fat slice of o-toro or a shimmering morsel of Spanish mackerel on a moist rice bun. That spicy tuna on a crispy rice what an idea! But, we cannot eat fish daily. There is a limit to what the oceans can provide.
In an accelerated pace the global waters are being depleted. With more fish almost extinct, responsively, we should lower the gears of our too frequent indulgence. For the sake of sustainability and health we must limit our consumption of seafood. The alert chimes loud today and we should be concerned about the fish bodies being polluted with heavy metals like mercury.

Widen your appetite and open your taste buds to new flavours

Luckily, there are other superb and wholesome fish-free options creatively brought to perfection by Beyond Sushi in New York . Creating a truly satisfying and tasty “green roll” was a tremendous success for the founding husband and wife duo Guy and Tali Vaknin, the chef and director of Beyond Sushi with Moroccan-Israeli roots.
Leading a highly successful catering business, the team was encouraged by savvy clients to expand to a real brick business. The first Beyond Sushi branch opened in July 2012 in Manhattan.
Prior to trying their rolls and nigiris my experience with fish or seafood-free sushi lead to questions like – why bother? Some over crafted contemporary sushis with cream cheese, marinated cucumber or egg omelette, pander rather to unsophisticated palates, not to someone who has eaten at best sushi bars in Tokyo.
The Vaknins stroke the golden vein when digging into the potential of plant-based sushi, saying: “We were looking for an innovative way to incorporate a vegetarian option to our sushi station that was more ground-breaking than the standard white rice, cucumber and avocado rolls.”

Most of us foodies, who love sushi, adore the premium ingredients used in its preparation, whether atop a nigiri or rolled inside a maki roll or wrapped in a cone of crispy seaweed. Aware of these expectations, this concept stretches far “beyond sushi” – offering a variety of healthier whole-grain rice options and seasonally changing vegan toppings, fillings and sides.
Most of the ingredients are sourced locally from the Union Square farmers market and sustainable New York Growers. Tali wrote me that they look for “vendors and farmers that strive to maintain a healthy ecosystem”. The farmers produce is the focal inspiration for the recipes and the seasonal specials rotate as the veggies and mushrooms grow on the farms, in the fields and forests in the region. The Roll and the Piece of the Month are reflections of these changing clocks of nature. In March, I had cauliflower with red beet sauce nigiri, in the fall sweet potato or pumpkin grace the vegan sushi.
Tali suggests: “Try our entire menu at some point. Everyone has a different palate and therefore may enjoy a different piece.”
My taste buds revelled in the enoki, shiitake, tofu and micro arugula wrapped in a customised whole-grain rice blend in their Mighty Mushroom Roll. They recommend their six grain rice for it. The colourful blend of red, short grain brown and black rice, nutritionally enhanced with rye berries and pearl barley is high in fiber and protein along with iron and a rainbow of B-Vitamins. These rolls are more nutritionally dense than the typical Japanese sushi. Their other rice option – the Forbidden black rice contains 18 amino acids, is loaded with anthocyanins, antioxidants, zinc, iron and carotene. The flavours mesmerise with freshness and deep forest richness of the side sauce of creamy teriyaki shiitake served with the Mighty Mushroom Roll.

The Spicy Mango Roll has been a best seller ever since the launch. As I munched through it I realised how the roll perfectly balances the sweet, savoury, zingy and spicy flavours in one bite. The avocado adds creamy texture, mango sweetness, cucumber juiciness and freshness and the spicy chopped veggies atop the roll zesty fire. If you want more heat, add the toasted cayenne sauce served on the side and I bet your mouth will be on a fire roll.
Another popular order is the Nutty Buddy Rice Paper Wrap and the wild assemble of the Spicy Shroom with buckwheat noodles, enoki, teriyaki braised shiitake, grilled portobello mushrooms, romaine lettuce, pickled ginger and cashews in a spicy sauce. Again served with a side of the luscious shiitake teriyaki sauce. The rice paper wraps can be served in two sizes – either as a small snack or a bigger main course.

The Rice Bed salads – Citrus, Zen and Verde, supplemented with chili, mango and carrot ginger sauces – are the most substantial orders at Beyond Sushi.
Sides and a home-made Miso soup complement the overwhelmingly rice-based vegan sushi menu. I like the house kimchi that is just spicy enough, but doesn’t burn your gut.
To drink, the freshly made juices like Strawberry Kiwi Yuzu quench the thirst while supplementing vitamins, lemonades cool you off during summer and tea warms you during the New York winter blizzards.
So far there are three locations across Manhattan, but expanding to the West Coast of the US is being considered. Beyond America, we will have to wait for some culinary sage being inspired by their health and environmentally sound business model as well as insanely tasty recipes for vegan sushi.
Locations: Union Square, Chelsea Market, Midtown West

Souen: in harmony with nature and ourselves through macrobiotic lifestyle

Souen is Manhattan’s pioneer of Japanese macrobiotic dining. The first location in Soho has been open since 1971, which was later extended to another two distinctive branches, each with its own focus. Sushi takes the main stage at the Union Square location, while in the East Village ramen steam from the kitchen. The latest opening does not stop at serving just its organic ramen (nourishing wheat noodle soup) as it offers plenty of choices from naturally synced plates.

At Souen the founders are serious about your nutritional and lifestyle education. They run regular courses onsite, but also virtually on their website, where anything related to macrobiotics is explained. Since “macrobiotics is a means to live comfortably in harmony with nature“, and was termed millennia ago by Hippocrates, the Greek father of medicine, as “large, long life“, it leads to a sustainable lifestyle, mindful of the interconnectivity of the natural elements. Eating a balanced diet constructed from locally grown, seasonal whole foods such as grains, vegetables with their skins and stems, some fish and seafood, while avoiding anything processed, excessively chemically treated, all that opposes to living, organic foods, shapes the tree of life for macrobiotics follower.
Adhering to such lifestyle is not just about what you eat, since an inseparable aspect of macrobiotic lifestyle is how you eat – each mouthful should be chewed at least 30times in order to appreciate the flavors mindfully in their entirety.
Not a trend monkey, jumping from one fad to another, Souen has been faithful to its naturalist path from its opening on Manhattan. The Japanese-run canteen roots for a conscious diet, yet in a truly American way, the menus are very extensive, making the choice harder. Allergens as well as other ‘sensitive’ ingredients (gluten, soy, fish) are thoughtfully highlighted inside the menu so any concerned eaters will not need to cross-examine the waiter.
The Union Square location makes sushi rolls from brown rice, while in the East Village they serve whole wheat udon noodles or gluten free buckwheat soba and rice noodles. Gluten-free choices include their home-made Corn Bread served with apple or tahini butter. They even state on their menu: “All menu items are gluten free with the exception of: Seitan, Soba, Udon, Baked tofu and Anything Fried”. Simplified, so you know what you are eating.
Most ingredients are organic and locally sourced. In particular the ‘dirty dozen’ including soybean miso paste, brown rice, beans, tofu and some fruits and vegetables. Simple preparations are the soul of macrobiotic food. Further, the macrobiotic plate doesn’t work if we are constantly restricting, thus stressing, ourselves. Having plenty of simple choices at Souen caters to these aspects of macrobiotics. The choice from three original home-made dressings of either Carrot, Sesame Vinaigrette and Tahini Dill for each salad inspired me to order the last, most popular one, with our Seaweed salad on the side. Almost everything can be customized to your liking from the way a fish is cooked, through your side dish to sauce. The fish is either caught wild or organic.

Unlike at most Japanese sushi counters where they are proud of serving their own style of roll, here you can select your fillings from vegetables, proteins and seafood. There are some interesting vegetarian rolls like the Inari roll made with fried bean curd skin marinated in sweet soy sauce, stuffed with sushi rice and watercress or the US style, salmon-based Alaskan roll, freshened with asparagus, carrot and cucumber with tahini dill on top, that might tempt you to let the choice on the chef. Nevertheless, most of the seafood are typically Japanese choices: steamed shrimp, eel, tuna, hamachi, mackerel, cod.
Fermented foods are proven to boost our immunity through the beneficial live bacteria that these foods contain. Miso is one of them but also pickled vegetables, mushrooms and roots like in Souen’s homemade side dish of pickles. Starting with a refreshing cold plate of Tataki Gobo marinated burdock in organic soybean miso paste we got our immunity running. The richness of the marinade and crunchy burdock root were in perfect harmony not just with nature but also taste-wise.
Another vegetarian small plate of Yuba steamed tofu “skin” marinated in kombu-shiitake broth is not for everyone. It is an acquired taste, and I remember accidentally buying it at a market in Kyoto, thinking it was a soy yoghurt. As I dipped my spoon into the milky broth and with raised eyebrows pulled the noodle-like streaks of yuba, I thought, fun, something new, and as I slowly chewed, my pace decreased and my mouth pulled itself from aside to side, up and down, unwilling to swallow the weird, chewy and gloopy stuff. Finally, I did, but could not force myself to give it another chance. It was only later, when I inquired with an English speaking Japanese native, that I learned that its drier version is easier to appreciate. At Souen they make this later version just perfect, plus the marinade helps. You can also have it in a vegetable soup, but we went for the more classical bowl of soy-bean-paste-based miso soup after adventuring with the cold yuba.
Mains are vegetable based. Very flexible and available at all three locations is the balanced Macro Plate of steamed greens, vegetables, brown rice, hijiki seaweed, beans and home made dressing. We tried the popular set plate of Broccoli Tofu, an ultra nourishing combo of broccoli sautéed with carrot, onion and crushed tofu in carrot sauce. A naughty option is Parmigiana Sandwich, a deep-fried cutlet with whole wheat-crust cooked in beet marinara sauce. It is still a healthier version of the Italian Veal Milanese. Fried foods are, health-wise, perhaps the only questionable fixtures at Souen. Tempura offered at the Union Square branch is tasty though.

Yin and Yang foods

Souen’s food approach (also macrobiotics) is rooted in the yin and yang foods as was documented by Traditional Chinese Medicine. These are considered according to their cooling or heating properties also in most Eastern diets. Undercover even the Indian ayurveda draws from these principles. The holistic Traditional Chinese Medicine coined these terms, and the Japanese acquired them together with chopsticks, ceramics also some of the other for millennia-held health views.
The theory is centered around the nervous system, that is divided to parasympathetic nervous system (yang) and sympathetic nervous system (yin). Good health results from the balance between the two systems.
Four factors that determine whether a food is yin or yang:*
• How the food grows (including speed and direction)
• Where the food was grown (in northern or southern climates)
• The sodium-potassium content
• And the effect the food has on the body (hot or cold effects)
You should eat “cool” foods when it is hot, and “hot” foods when it is cold. Additionally to this, in ayurveda and traditional Thai folk medicine also the natural elements must be balanced (earth, fire, water, air-wind). For a Westerner it may sound complicated, but at Souen they are willing to advise and school you during the regular lifestyle courses on weekends. Check http://souen.net/latestnews.html for current happenings.

‘Macro’ drinks and sweet treats

One of the most popular teas for macrobiotic lifestyle followers in Japan is Kuki-cha. The lightly brown infusion is based on the tea plant’s stems, the twig tree, that are lightly caffeinated while rich in calcium and vitamin C.
Wonderfully tasting is the Mu 16 Tea. Despite its strange name, this blend of 16 mountain grown herbs including licorice, ginseng, ginger, peony root, cinnamon and other lesser known plants grown in Japan, is a perfect balancing tonic created by George Ohsawa, the father of Macrobiotics. It strengthens mainly the stomach and reproductive organs.
No caffeine is found as well as in barley and rye ‘coffee‘, an ideal alternative to overtly acidic coffee that can be savored all day long.
Organic fruits and vegetable juices are being extracted by Norwalk juicer, with the promise of “not destroying all the nutrients and enzymes, containing three to five times more nutritional value than conventional juicers“.
Souen also offers take-away including its delicious pastries, cookies and other sweet treats. The Blueberry Scone was out of this world! Baked with spelt and brown rice flour, maple and rice syrup, almonds, sesame seeds and dried yet lush berries, it was moist inside while keeping the crumbly crust typical for great scones.

At the Union Square branch, upstairs the seating is less busy and better for a more relaxing evening meal, while the ground level is where all the buzz happens, although, arguably, the Latino chefs in the kitchen singing into the tunes of their bouncy music hidden from your sight only by a monkey-faced curtain underground steal the show for the most entertaining band. The newest East Village spot is nicest in terms of design and ideal for a healthy date out.
Although New York and other metropolitan cities have been swayed in the health, detox and organic taxonomy, Souen is not about trends and fashionable ingredients that leave the spotlight as soon as the season passes and chefs and food writers get bored of it. Macrobiotics is not just about what to eat, but it is an entire lifestyle that should be followed long-term if not for life, so its health benefits are maximized.
Addresses on Manhattan:
UNION SQUARE: 28 East 13th Street
Between University Pl & 5th Ave
Tel: +(1) 212-627-7150
Monday – Saturday: 11am – 10:30pm
Sunday: 11am – 10pm
EAST VILLAGE: 326 E 6th St, New York, NYC;
Between 1st & 2nd Avenue
Tel: +(1) 212-388-1155
Monday – Saturday: 12pm – 11pm
Sunday: 12pm – 10pm
SOHO: 210 6th Ave & Prince St. NYC
Tel: +(1) 212-807-7421
Monday – Friday: 11:30am – 10:30pm
Saturday: 11am – 10:30pm
Sunday: 11am – 10pm
*Information obtained from Souen.

Dirt Candy: veggies in sweet leading role

Dirt Candy, as its raunchy name evokes, is once again back on Manhattan to provoke. Teasing carnivores with its vegie-centric menu has swirled over the years of its existence into a serious dining institution, now seducing even steakhouse devotees. Delicious food prepared without meat enlightens their faith towards eating more plants.
What used to be an outlier, is now the trendiest and most creative vegetarian restaurant in New York. Its Canadian chef and founder Amanda Cohen was the first vegetarian chef to challenge the title of the American Iron Chef. Her weapon in the contest was a humble cruciferous broccoli. Facing the extremely popular and highly motivated Hiroshima-born Japanese chef Masaharu Morimoto, she did not win, but captured attention of the intrigued American public.

The original 18-seat vegetarian restaurant had to close down after six years of operation for high demand and reopen at the beginning of 2015 as a substantially larger space to accommodate soaring reservations. With the entire New York food reviewing scene excited about its revamp, it was a miracle that I managed to get in. On the very first day, when the reservation lines opened, I secured a seat for two at 5:30 pm (probably the earliest dinner I have had to date).
It was a messy, rainy late afternoon as we arrived at the hip, East Village situated restaurant. Some early walk-ins were snacking and imbibing on fashionable superfoods-juiced cocktails at the bar, the ready-to-race staff was lined up on the starting line, so far outnumbering the diners (from the original staff of eight at the old place, it expanded to 32). The action fired off about an hour later as the garden-walled and comfortably decorated bright room with ecolitious plant paintings was rupturing with beehive hum. There was not a single table left even at the bar, that is generally welcoming to casual walk-ins.
No wonder, since Dirt Candy not just challenges the established fish or meat-focused gastronomic dining, pleasantly surprises, but also satisfies your taste buds as well as appetite. All that without the fuss of a typical haughty Michelin-stared establishment. Its cool and modern outfit is buttoned up by the waiters’ knowhow of the animal-friendly assemblage on your plate. The honesty and slight rebelliousness shows in their sourcing. When asking about where the ingredients come from I was responded: “Our dry goods are organic, but we don’t go out of our way to do the local and organic dance.” Fair and practical approach.

The sweet and Earth-bound name of the restaurant allusively reflects the chef’s philosophy of creating her meals. Using vegetables whenever possible and showing them in their full seasonal bloom in mostly unconventional plates like desserts, is like the stem of a flower at Dirt Candy, essential. The “Dirt” is for the vegetables growing from the dirty Earth, while “Candy” implies the almost revolutionary use of vegetables as the leading actor, even in sweet dishes.
Unlike the typical gluten-rich carrot cake, based mainly on flour and eggs, Cohen’s desserts are assembled to showcase and maximize the content of the featured vegetable. The chef relishes in shocking its diners, garnishing some desserts with a bunch of refreshing greens or dehydrated carrots.
The Dirt Candy’s desserts are all made with vegetables. Not entirely, and some are not vegan, containing milk, but the roots, leafs and bulbs form the spine of each sweet dish. First, the sound of it might not appeal to your taste buts, but trying one does not kill anyone (although sugar is used in most of them so diabetics should inquire about other options). Just looking at the pictures or neighbors’ plates will make you salivate. You can also spot them in the chef’s comic cookbook, Dirt Candy: A Cookbook, that is the first graphic novel cookbook to be published in North America. The Celery Cheesecake and Carrot Merringue are fascinating, and on their own a tempting reason to dine at Dirt Candy.

The dishes are of the Michelin caliber, very creative, using top quality produce and artfully presented, each as a composition of complex flavors. As the colorful bouquet of bread was served before our order, we were like kids curious about the flavor of each bun – should I pick the green, the purple or the bronzed yellow? Each white-flour-based ‘balloon’ of the “Monkey Bread” was flavored with a different vegetable, a truly engaging take off!
Starting with the “Mushroom” appetizer of portobello mushroom mousse with sautéed Asian pears, cherries and a truffle toast we were tuning smoothly toward Dirt Candy’s bring-the-world-of-flavors-all-together creative station. Then came the Indian-styled “Cauliflower” in a Curry with Green Pea Paneer (Sheep’s cheese), Papaya Chutney and crunchy Pappadam bread. It was a nice dish, yet the weakest from all what we tried there. I know many Indian chefs making better vegetarian curries. It is a tough contest with the country’s entire culinary culture based on vegetarian meals.
The “Carrot” was pulled, pickled and jerked, then served with peanut mole sauce atop carrot waffles. Not a light dish, but delicious and satisfying.

Sharing the famous “Brussels Sprouts” still joyfully roasting themselves when served in front of you on a hot lava stone, not just created a “wow!” effect on our table, but they indeed are also supremely delicious. The sizzling sprouts were accompanied by Tex-Mex inspired condiments of homemade smoked avocado, pickled red onion, salsa verde, jalapeños, sliced radishes, lime, cream and tortilla strips, and lettuce wrappers. As you wrap the “tacos” yourself, it also becomes more fun. Even meat lovers, like my husband, that would rarely go to a vegetarian restaurant for dinner, was happily munching on these novelties and eager to come back. Ms. Cohen, this is what I call success! Since, for all of us, eating less meat is better not just for our health, but also for the animals’ welfare.

Natural wines in the spotlight

Along with some non-alcoholic blended options and a limited selection of teas, a small but focused wine list as well as classic cocktails such as G&T are offered for a more indulgent evening out.
The wine card features interesting global pickings of organic and natural wines from out-of-the-radar places like my native Czech Republic (Jaroslav Osicka and his blend of Chardonnay with Pinot Gris was the most pleasant wine-by-the-glass I tried there).
Natural (without any additives and with a minimum intervention of the winemaker – meaning low or zero added sulfur, unfiltered, unfined), organic and biodynamic wines can, when manipulated incorrectly, sour your mood if you are not used to some of their sensitive “natural” characteristics such as slight fizz and unusual yeasty aromas. There are some that are excellent though!
Knowing the quirks of natural wines, I asked for a taste of each before firmly ordering. Since most of the wines on the list are served by the glass and even a half-glass, it is very practical for any consumer, in particular in the generously pouring style in America. There was even a non-alcoholic German “wine” on the menu, so go for it if you are driving in the traffic wildness of Manhattan!
Dirt Candy strikes a perfect balance for the serious gourmets, vegetarian or carnivores. The restaurant stirs your curiosity, pleases your palate and is refined enough that only a very experienced chef could have created it so perfectly at home. Vegans, allergy sufferers and diners with other dietary requirements are encouraged to mention their restrictions. So far the restaurant has been open only for dinner, but lunch and brunch are on the horizon.
Check their website for updates.
Contact: +1 212 228 7732
Address: 86 Allen Street, New York, NY 10002
Opening hours: Tue-Sat: 5:30 pm – until when the last table for 11pm reservation leaves.

Estiatorio Milos: best Mediterranean fish in New York and Miami

Montreal, Canada is where the Greek adventure started for the Milos restaurant empire. Manhattan was the next destination after the Canadian success for the Milos’ owner Costas Spiliadis. Named after an island in the Aegean sea about half-way between Athens and Crete, Milos migrated into the power lunch of the influential in Midtown, New York. The luxurious Greek restaurant is synonymous to its dedication to quality, excellent service and simplicity. Milos has so far expanded to Miami Beach, Las Vegas, London and its culinary alma-matter, the Greek capital of Athens. Dress well and do not look at the bill, if you can.

Giant ancient amphoras used for millennia to store wine in the Mediterranean now call up the Greek connection at Milos in New York. The more contemporary look of Estiatorio Milos by Costas Spiliadis in Miami feels like flying on a cloud over the Greek shores. The freshness and friendly, mainly Greek staff reminded me of my recent trip to Athens and Halkidiki. It is remarkable that the high standard from its New York branch was transferred smoothly to its casual, bright Miami vibe. That is the reason why the latest opening in London shocked me. Everything from the staff’s attitude to the food was bland. The stratospheric prices cannot afford such a slip, since the abyss of connoisseurship is unforgiving.

In New York the atmosphere is lively and mainly business-oriented during the week, but more relaxed on weekends. The refreshing ambiance and comfortable seating transfer you far away from the urban starchiness to silky softness. Like an embrace of the Mediterranean. Ties, shirts and high-heeled polished ladies, next to families with leather jacket clad teenagers, Asian nouveau riche in sneakers, they all flood in to eat at Milos. The dress code was a natural evolution rooted in its business crowd – smart casual, but this is America, so if you can pay your bill anything goes.
On Miami Beach, the trendy buzz hives in the entire week and less serious than on Manhattan or London.
Finding the best ingredients has always been Milos’ main focus. You are eating nature at its best. No heavy sauces, nothing covering the quality of the fish, seafood and the crunchy vegetables. The ingredients simply shine. You must start with the MILOS SPECIAL. Ideal for sharing, the towering plate of breaded, thinly shaved aubergine and zucchini with lightly fried saganaki cheese centred around the voluptuous garlicky tzaziki. Not oily, just right. Their strained Greek yogurt dip is perfect and accompanies other vegetable plates such as the GRILLED ORGANIC BEETS.

MEDITERRANEAN OCTOPUS is charcoal broiled and sliced into thin, yet meaty slivers of joy. From the sea also try GRILLED CALAMARI stuffed with Cretan Anthotiro, feta, and manouri cheeses and chopped fresh mint. Served with fava beans and saffron, calling for a sip of an oaky, intense white wine or a juicy, smooth red in the style of Agyortiko. Grilled HOLLAND PEPPERS served with a generous pour of an olive oil vinaigrette and roasted garlic are also delicious.
From the seafood bar pick seasonal grilled Carabineros, clams, boiled Florida snow crab or raw Maine sea urchin (very light tasting in contrast to the Santa Barbara caramel-rich uni). I prefer dining at Milos in larger groups like in Greece so one can sample a bit of everything with no leftovers.

The main course is a straight catch. Walk to the ice-covered “market counter” where you choose from the large variety of fish from the shores of Greece, Spain and Portugal. Depending on the season, Lavraki, Balada, Pagri, St-Pierre, Dover Sole, Solettes, Lithrini, Red Snapper, Black Sea Bass, Tsipoura, and other less-known sustainably line-caught fish is grilled or baked in a salt crust. Perfectly prepared, the fish is served with a drizzle of olive oil, capers and lemon, dot. As an extra side, the TOMATO SALAD of vine-ripened tomatoes, onions, peppers, cucumber and genuine, moist feta cheese. Perfectly boiled GREEN ASPARAGUS with sweet white onion can also healthily accompany the fish. There is meat like lamb on the menu, but from my point of view it would be a wasted opportunity not to order fish at the best, simple seafood serving restaurant in Manhattan. For more gastronomic, three Michelin star fish creations head to Le Bernardin nearby.

Desserts like Yogurt With Honey sound more like a breakfast, yet the dense strained Greek yogurt is a great digestive with a big dinner. The active enzymes in the artisan yogurt work their magic, while the antibacterial thyme honey from Kythera adds sweet, satisfying quality of a dessert. Also available as a take-away alongside some salads and dips from the nearby Milos Cafe. The real, full-fat (around 10%) and creamy yoghurt is an ocean apart from the commercial “Greek yoghurts” in American supermarkets. To sin, succumb to sweet temptations with Karidopita, the walnut-based cake served with ice-cream. The Baklava from Northern Greece is influenced by its neighbour Turkey. The phyllo pastry wraps around ground nuts (pistachios or walnuts) with a generous pinch of cinnamon, sweetened only with honey. A plate of Fresh seasonal fruit is the most Mediterranean choice from the dessert menu at Milos.
The wine list is very good. Greek wines are interesting. The whites are most fit for the food at Milos. From the Greek family, the Chardonnay by Domaine Gerovassilliou 2009 is a full bodied, oaky style, while Domaine Katsaros style is more crisp. A blend of Gerovassilliou’s characterful Malagousia and Assyrtico is an ideal middle ground, providing fruit but also a floral freshness. The Vidiano-Plyto blend from Crete is bright, perfect with the raw seafood and vegetable starters.
I dined at Milos in New York for over a decade, between 2009-2018, and the quality has always remained superb.
Lunch and dinner daily.
125 West 55th Street, New York, NY 10019
South Beach Miami: 730 1st St, Miami Beach, FL 33139
New York: +1 212 245 7400; Miami: + 1 305 604 6800

Kee’s chocolate New York: high-roller of Manhattan chocolatiers

At the beginning there was a box, a sand-coloured paper container tightly wrapped with a straw string and a simply typed sticker whispering Kee’s Chocolates. Nothing more, no superfluous marketing, just treasures hidden inside.

Removing the chastity belt and entering the mysterious chest, like from a woman’s corset over a century ago, hand-crafted rare gems of an eye-popping beauty teeter inside. Each of them seated deeply in a dark-hued paper nest. These browny sleek shapes all glowingly call my hoggish fingers into action. It is a tough decision, which one shall I pick fist? Tap tap, while my mouth begins to salivate.

They look too pretty to be eaten hastily. Rolling an imaginary dice in my head, my fingers shiver as the chosen morsel finds its way into my longing mouth. The first bite unveils the inner treasure – is it a creamy, smooth or rather a nutty coarse filling? The second becomes irresistible and is devoured in its entirety. Indeed, tasting chocolate truffles and bonbons from Kee’s chocolates is a delicious expedition for taste buds.

Clean taste profiles, no fussiness, just pure smooth and not too sweet pleasure – that is perfection in confectionery and especially chocolate making. One can sell lots of sugar-loaded candy bars with a dust of cocoa, yet this is not what the top European chocolatiers normally do with what they called chocolate. Refinement is a much higher level of appreciation rated highly by the most distinguished taste judges. Not many mass-market fed by enormous doses of sugar and salt confused palates can capture this perfected beauty. Many of the devoted fans of Hershey or Godiva might be disappointed or the opposite – they may discover the art of a small batch additive-free tasting chocolate.

The finest ingredients from around the world are the inspiration for Kee’s chocolates. The purple pinkish rose petals adorning the surface of the Black Rose Dark Chocolate Truffle treasures inside black tea infused with rose petals. Mysterious, unique and exotic, it cannot sound more seductive. Just bite in and travel East. My favorite cream tea spot (Debutea on Thompson, ironically the very street where Kee opened her first branch) downtown offers a liquid version of it – rose, cream over black tea.
Kee’s bee comb shaped dark chocolate filled with Crème brûlée is legendary and undoubtedly delicious. Do not hesitate to put the entire nugget into your mouth, no need to bite, as its thin chocolate shell pops with easy under the inner mouth pressure. Then, an orgasmic volcano of pleasure erupts covering your taste receptors with an intense yet airy textured crème brûlée richness. The New York Times, Financial Times and the Food Network along with many online reviewers and global magazines confirm that this is “the best chocolate I have ever had” for many of these who tried.

Jasmine tea filled dark chocolate truffle was rather subtle, similar to green tea with dark chocolate where the tea’s delicate aroma gets slightly lost in the power of cocoa. But, I could still sense the touch of jasmine flowers in this truffle and enjoy its subtleness.
Thompson was inspired by the workshop’s original location on that trendy street in SoHo. It is made from three layers of
“Whipped cream over milk or dark chocolate, smothered with a milk or dark coating”.
Tiramisu looks quite simple and it indeed is just the world-famous
“Dark chocolate truffle coated with cocoa powder”, yet of superb quality, melting smoothly and leaving a lasting aftertaste.
Crystalized Almond is crumbling under the teeth’s bites smoothened by creamy dark ganache.
Mint Mocha surprises with a dollop of whipped cream inside the tiny bean crowning the top, while its refreshing minty infusion inside the ganache adds a tasty kick.

The Macao-born owner Kee Ling Tong is very friendly in the typical Asian manner. She smiles, helps you to choose and gives tasting samples of her exquisite morsels [politely buying some after tasting comes naturally thanks to their quality]. Her story is inspiring. She left her dull corporate job to do something more rewarding and she dipped herself deeply into chocolate. Inside her brick-walled small choco-lab she crafts her sweets with the help of only a few workers. Kee’s is truly a boutique operation.

Exotic Asian flavours could not escape Kee’s mood-board. I tried one of them, the Thai Chilli Chocolate. At first the spice was hiding, as the rich smooth chocolate prevailed on the palate, but later you get a nice thai chilli punch. Kaffir Lime is in a similar mood. The “Fresh Thai lime is infused with dark chocolate”, while Keylime Milk or Dark Chocolate ganache filled with fresh-squeezed keylime celebrates the southern Florida coast. There are also some seasonal flavours like Yuzu and Pineapple lychee, that fill your sweet lips with anticipation.
Not only chocolate-based bites are made by Kee’s staff, but also macarons, glorified by many adorers of this crunchy French buns glued together with a creamy sticky spread, cookies and a small range of milk and dark chocolate bars.
The Kee’s chocolates milk chocolate bars are made with 35% cocoa content in a growing garden of flavours: Cranberry pistachio, Hazelnut, Almond, Latte, Lemon, Orange, Ginger salt, Salt figs.
The Kee’s chocolates dark chocolate bars contain 64% cocoa base in manifold incarnations: Chili sesame, Plain sesame, Coconut almond, Cranberry pistachio, Ghost pepper, Espresso, Sea salt, Ginger salt, Almond, Bergamot, Jasmine, Lemon, Orange, Salt figs.
For a chocolate buff like me, the Hibiscus dark chocolate bar sounded the most different from all I have tried so far. Kee’s love for flowers intuited that this might be an interesting choice. The balance of cocoa, sugar and the distinct hibiscus aroma was just right. I meditated over the profound floral fragrance that felt soothing like being in a peaceful garden.

Keep all your freshly made truffles refrigerated and consume within one week of purchase. In case of some, like the legendary Crème brûlée, slurping the morsel whole within two days is highly advised.
The prices are very reasonable, the high quality ingredients and hand-made production on Manhattan needed to be included in the price.
Each bonbon and truffle piece is about $2.85 (tax incl.), while the macarons are $ 3 each.

Upper West Side: 228 Columbus Ave, New York, NY 10023

Boutique open: Wednesday through Sunday, 12pm to 5pm
Phone: +1 917 965-2216

Pearl & Ash: contemporary concept in New York's Soho CLOSED

Atmosphere: Modern, fresh feeling very comfortable and welcome. The service is friendly and attentive. Dress code is casual in the SoHo mood. It is a great spot just for a drink at the long bar at the front, but it is worth trying the flavor-rich dishes on the restaurant’s card.

Food: The chef Richard Kuo is Taiwanese by origin, but he was raised in Australia and later moved to New York so he brings a truly global twist to his menu. His food is much more creative than a slab of meat and a marinade. Bringing unconventional ingredients together is a particularly intriguing skill, but making it all taste very good and not too over-combined is an enviable manoeuvre, that many other adventurous chefs in New York can only dream about. Richard Kuo marries the innovation with taste very well. Further, the mostly small dishes are divided into raw, small, fish, meat, vegetables, sugar and cheese groups, making it easy to navigate and decide on which ingredient you are in the mood for at the given moment.

Starting with the Hearts of artichoke pealed on a plate in a daisy shaped work of art, we slurped the veggie purée with mouthfuls of steely fresh Riesling, preparing ourselves for a discernible feast.

Raw slices of Fluke, tossed with pomegranate seeds, sunchoke in a kaffir lime juice naturally followed the light kick-off. The tender thin fish was fresh and invigorating – perfect to finish our glass of Riesling. The Tea cured salmon with fresh goat cheese, tamarind and seaweed is another raw fish option that delights even those usually wary of raw fish. Salmon is more easy to enjoy raw.
Warm creamy grilled Brussels sprouts with sweet pearl onions were a step up in terms of depth and richness, so it was time to switch wine. Fresh red Pinot Noir from Oregon showed to be the perfect fit balancing the creamy dressing embalming the sizzling hot brussels sprouts.

Bread served unconventionally with chicken butter and maple syrup might sound as a trip to a mad house, but it is revelatory how a chicken butter can taste great with dense and sweet maple sirup. It is not for all, only real food adventurers might find a common ground in this somewhat inconceivable combination.

There are even more exotic flavours in some of the sides. The toasted Potatoes are covered with a porcini mushroom flavoured mayonnaise and chorizo, which not only sounds naughty but it tastes like a devil’s irresistible temptation. The crisp potatoes are not oily, cooked just right and the mayonnaise is so addictive that you might order a number of rounds of this sinful side dish.
The Long beans tossed with chili in a uni cream are neither more grounded. Uni has a particular taste that many Western palates need to become acquired to, yet at Pearl&Ash it is incorporated into the bean and chilli so well that almost anyone can really enjoy its distinct taste. We all simply loved it and did not find it too spicy either.

From the real meat plates the Rabbit sausage proved to taste better than most of rabbit meals that I often find quite boring. The Hanger Steak is a carnivores’ dream come true and pairs well with a richer Cabernets or Zinfandels from California.
Cuisine: Contemporary
Visit: September 2013
Price: Medium level for Manhattan (small dishes around $6-10; bigger meals around $15-20).
Drinks: From more obscure regions such as the French Jura, Brazil or the US Arizona state, to more staple Burgundy and California (old vintages – 1950s, 1980s, … inclusive), the wine list at Pearl & Ash is intriguing and hard to resist despite the original selection from house-made cocktails. Top notch Bordeaux and Burgundy are among the strong muscles of the wine menu, yet better value might be a bottle from the New World. The Laurene Pinot Noir from Oregon’s Dundee Hills fashioned not just the same name as a friend of mine, who selected it, but also this deep purple red was made by a well-known Burgundy house – the Domaine Drouhin, thus a safe bet. The prices are reasonable for a bar and restaurant on Manhattan, since the Pearl&Ash wine director relishes wines and keeps the margins quite low.
Opening hours: Daily for dinner only: 5:30pm-12:00am
Address: 220 Bowery, New York NY (Between Prince St. and Spring St.)
Contact: +1 212 837 2370

CLOSED Neta: sourcing fish locally for innovative small plates and sushi in New York’s Greenwich Village

The casual vibe with funky music playing in the background at Neta is rather atypical for a Japanese sushi restaurant, but in New York it is becoming the new normal. Neta is quite sizeable for a sushi restaurant, but the 20 seats along the counter are the most fun to spy on the chefs’ knife skills. Wear anything from jeans to your work suit as as the interior is very laid back.

Now the executive chef Sungchul Shim brings in his Korean background, American schooling (CIA) and training from Le Bernardin and Per Se three Michelin stared kitchens to the Neta’s innovative plates.
Its former founding two head chefs Nick Kim and Jimmy Lau gathered their sushi skills from the master chef Masa Takayama (Masa – 3 stars Michelin), yet they unexpectedly packed their knives and opened another, smaller and more trendy upscale sushi bar a couple of blocks away. They named it Shuko, which has omakase or kaiseki menu only, and this funky venue was faring very well until my last meal there in March 2017. After dining there regularly we were disappointed and rumours whisper explanation that some of the staff has left and the chefs struggle to keep it going consistently. Neta has been faring well since their departure though as the impeccably trained staff was up to the task of creating innovative small plates and sushi from locally sourced seafood and meat. Hudson Valley provides foie gras, Snake River Farms Kobe beef and the Atlantic the fish.

Richness defines the food menu at Neta. The Toro Tartar & Caviar served in a tall martini glass is reference to founding chefs’ past work at Masa. Spread the rich, almost creamy, tuna belly and the popping sturgeon roe on the accompanying lightly toasted bread, and enjoy the symphony of texture and flavours in your mouth. Add uni, and this tiny cocktail of succulent hedonism will cost you $59! Along with the tender melting Grilled Diver Scallop Uni, garlic soy butter, wild mushrooms and lime and the Uni Porridge with Mochi sticky rice and mitsuba these are the stars from the small bites menu. Well, the Grilled Snow Crab Legs with Chili sumiso tofu glaze and pickled enoki mushrooms are also excellent when in season.

On the other side of the taste spectrum is the piquant and refreshing Kanpachi Sashimi Salad served with daikon radish, red shiso leaf, black garlic powder, and roasted garlic chili sauce. The Szechuan Spiced Salmon sprinkled with smoky bonito flakes, daikon pickles on a bed of crispy rice is remarkable, yet not as refined and refreshing as the seasonal seabream Tai & Truffle wrapping the crisp Mizuna greens in yuzu-balsamic juice (I hope it will come back soon).

The vegetarians are welcomed at Neta, not for the omakase, but a la carte selection of meat-less and fish-less rolls that taste great and are not boring, except perhaps for the shiitake sushi. The Miso Tofu Avocado roll is exquisite, tender and rich. The umami bomb melts softly alongside the perfectly cooked grains of rice.
Seasonally changing sashimi, sushi and rolls rotate on the a la carte options, with A5 grade wagyu and the unsustainable bluefin tuna often included. The Salmon roll with dried hair of bonito is superb. Originally presented and looking like a blonde scientist in a white coat of rice that has just explored the electricity plug with his/her wet fingers.

Neta sushi and salmon roll with bonito hair

The omakase is a good value for money at Neta, as it usually includes most of the à la carte options. My favourite creative omakase in New York still remains the Sushi of Gari for its unique and exciting, regularly changing toppings on the rice.
From the rotating ice cream selection we tried the rich and creamy Peanut butter ice cream reminding me of a frozen snickers bar. Unfortunately, the intriguing Truffle flavour was not available.

An intriguing wine list with a passionate sommelier are always a great combo and Neta scooped it. We went for a bottle of a pre-phyloxera relative of Chardonnay from the Romorantin garden by Domaine de la Charmoise 2010 “Provignage” from the Loire Valley. Highly acidic and suitable for the fatty and rich dishes dominating the menu. A unique finding and rare on wine lists anywhere in the world. More enjoyable and pronounced was the slightly oaky California Chardonnay from the Staglin Family Vineyard. The Salus 2010 vintage expressed vanilla, crème brûlée and its long finish also called for more intense dishes.
Price: Very high – top quality ingredients start with the $110 omakase menu soaring up to $230 per head for even finer cuts and meats. Daily at 1pm lunch seating you can do a more affordable 10-course omakase tasting for $99. Whole table must go for the omakase otherwise you must go a la carte, which if you eat a lot can cost you much more.
Daily for lunch: 12noon-2pm; dinner SUN-THU: 5PM – 10:30PM & FRI-SAT: 5PM – 11:30 PM
61 West 8th St., New York, NY 10011, USA
Near the corner of West 8th Street and 6th Avenue.
+1 212 505 2610

1 234