dish du jour
great dining experiences » by Lois Levine and
William G. Frierson IV
Classy Courgette Courgette (French for zucchini) brings to the Theater District a touch of Parisian bistro, with vintage newspapers at the entranceway and cured prosciutto hanging above the bar. Grab a plush booth, and settle in for a number of standout dishes, including an appetizer of cipollini agrodolce with Humboldt Fog cheese, sweetened with golden raisins. Another must-do is the sunchoke soup with shaved black truffles and Parmesan, but save room for main courses such as black cod and a refreshing dessert of yogurt with fruit (below). It was past curtain time and the place was still buzzing: Courgette is getting well-deserved applause. —L.L. » Courgette, 204 W. 55th St., 212.333.7799
The uptown Fig & Olive restaurant (outposts also in the Meatpacking District and Midtown) has all the modern touches of 21st-century food trends: communal dining counters, zinc-topped tables and wood-framed photos of berries, olives and wheat, suggestive of the current farm-to-table sensibility. Choices on the menu can be mix and match: For example, a variety of vegetables, crostini and carpaccios can make for a pleasing meal of small plates (including a scallops with egg plant caviar starter (above). For a main course, salmon with grilled radicchio is crispy, juxtaposed with a creamy cauliflower mascarpone. A magnificent fig and olive chicken tajine looks deceptively heavy but is surprisingly light, enhanced with deeply fragrant Moroccan spices. If you recently had a tiff with someone and are thinking of extending an olive branch, this just might be the place to do it. —L.L. » Fig & Olive, 808 Lexington Ave., 212.207.4555.
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IN New YORK | july 2013 | innewyork.com
0713_IN_DISH_LO.indd 10
The Making of a Master Good chefs know food. Great chefs live and breathe it. Sezai Celikbas, consulting chef for Pera Soho’s Eastern Mediterranean kitchen, is one of the latter. His culinary education started in his childhood, having helped his father run a grill in Istanbul’s Pera district (the neighborhood after which the NYC restaurant he now serves is named). The experience instructed him more than any degree could: “The school of the kitchen is what I attribute my success to,” he proudly declares. Celikbas’ life story is apparent in the menu he oversees: A must-try dish, Lamb “Adana”—tender ground lamb wrapped sushi-style in warm lavash—is named after the intercoastal Turkish town where he was born. Celikbas’ visits to the U.S., which happen in 3-5 month stints, ensure that Pera Soho’s flavors remain authentic, from feta-stuffed phyllo rolls (left) to smoked eggplant with garlic yogurt. But mired in tradition he is not: “No matter how much experience a chef has,” he says, “he should never say no to new suggestions.” After sampling his fare, however, this foodie doesn’t think he should change a thing. —W.F. » Pera Soho, 54 Thompson St., 212.878.6305
photos : fig and olive, court leve; courgette, courtesy of courgette; pera soho, courtesy of pera soho
Olives and More
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6/7/13 11:53:41 AM