ALL PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
D1 December 16–22, 2016
www.EpochTaste.com
Sweet, Sweeter,
‘Tis the season to indulge.
Sweetest
Holiday treats abound! (Clockwise from top left) Grandaisy Bakery’s panettone; Breads Bakery’s sufganiyot jelly donuts (in strawberry, dulce de leche, and mascarpone); Leckerlee’s German lebkuchen cookies; Four & Twenty Blackbirds’ salted caramel apple pie; Mah Ze Dahr Bakery’s Finnish nisu bread; a platter of cookies, including (clockwise from top) Mah-Ze-Dahr Dark Chocolate Explosion and butter pecan shortbread cookies, Padoca Bakery’s sufganiyot, and Bien Cuit’s Dutch speculaas cookies.
The more, the merrier, when it comes to NYC’s holiday treats By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff
A
holiday meal is not complete until everyone has had their blissful fill of cookies and cakes. And New York City harbors a wonderland of baked treats from holiday traditions of all sorts. See NYC Treats on D4
Bûches de Noël from Maison Kayser come in (L–R) chestnut, raspberry, and chocolate, as well as yuzu (not pictured).
D2
@EpochTaste
December 16–22, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com COURTESY OF GREAT PERFORMANCES
TIKI-THEMED HOLIDAY POPUP BAR AT BOILERMAKER Three cocktail bars across the country—Boilermaker (NYC), Lost Lake (Chicago), and Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29 (New Orleans)—have joined hands to create tiki-themed holiday cocktails served at a pop-up bar. Called the Sippin’ Santa’s Surf Shack, the bar will serve drinks like Hawaiian Milk Punch, with bourbon, balsam liqueur, cream, and chai syrup; On Christmas Island, with three varieties of rum, housemade ginger syrup, Don’s Spices #2, passionfruit, and lemon; and Chinatown Christmas, with Chinese five spice– infused scotch, plum wine, demerara, and angostura bitters, served on a snowball.
Latke Festival By Annie Wu | Epoch Times Staff
Through Saturday, Dec. 24 Boilermaker 13 First Ave. (at East First Street) BoilermakerNYC.com
Guests at a past Latke Festival.
T
COURTESY OF GREAT PERFORMANCES
he Latke Festival started as just an idea, when founder Liz Neumark wanted a different way to celebrate the holiday season. “Everything about Christmas is so saturated in our culture,” Neumark said. So she thought of celebrating the lowly potato, in the Hanukkah tradition of making potato latkes, or fried potato pancakes. Neumark is the founder of The Sylvia Center, a nonprofit dedicated to teaching youth about nutrition and healthy eating. Each year, about 3,000 young children who live in public housing across the five boroughs participate in the center’s after-school programs. They learn how to prepare healthy meals themselves, from grocery shopping to cooking skills. The center also has a farm in upstate New York where children learn how to grow organic produce. “We’re growing a generation of healthy eaters through cooking,” Neumark said. Proceeds from the Latke Festival benefit the center (tickets $70 per person). What started out as an event with half a dozen participating restaurants has now become a full-scale festival. Chefs around the city will be making their own latke creations. Among Neumark’s favorite latkes are those combining flavors of the East and West. She’s excited to hold the holiday festival—now in its eighth year—at the Brooklyn Museum. This is the first time the festival’s been held at a cultural institution. “The art of food, the art of celebration—we love that connection,” she said.
Monday, Dec. 19 6 p.m.–9 p.m. Brooklyn Museum 200 Eastern Parkway (at Washington Avenue), Brooklyn LatkeFestival.com
Weekend Pick
HESTER STREET FAIR HOLIDAY MARKET The Hester Street Fair has set up a daily holiday market at the South Street Seaport. Sweets from Macaron Parlour, Eat Chic Chocolates, and Stagg Jam and Marmalade will be available for purchase. Every weekend, the fair will also host an outdoor festival with live music and food vendors like Rudy’s Deli (Mexican food), Crepe Refinery, Joey Bats Sweets (Portuguese pastries), and The Awkward Scone. Through Dec. 24 11 a.m.–8 p.m. 117 Beekman St., (between Pearl & Water streets) HesterStreetFair.com
Weekend Pick
COURTESY OF HESTER STREET FAIR
Bustan’s Sweet Potato and Zucchini Latke.
Guests sample macarons at the Hester Street Fair.
SPIKED MUG FEST
You’re invited to
Weekend Pick
Enjoy unlimited tastings of hot cocktails, mulled wines, and winter beers at the Spiked Mug Fest in Queens. Vendors such as Cugini Panini and Ejen (Korean food) will serve street food, while a holiday bazaar will feature wares from local artists and craft shops. $39 to $49 per person.
A Holiday Feast with a Spanish Twist
Saturday, Dec. 17 & Sunday, Dec. 18 The Factory 30-30 47th Ave. (between 30th Place & 31st Street), Long Island City, Queens SpikedMugFest.com
WINTER MENU AT DONGURI This Upper East Side Japanese restaurant is now serving a new winter menu. Dishes include a traditional clear soup of snapper and turnip; grilled pompano fish with yuzu miso; snow crab with tosa vinegar jelly; and Miyazaki Wagyu strip loin. $150 per person. Donguri 309 E. 83rd St. (between First & Second avenues) DonguriNY.com
Fine dining experience inspired by the distinctive culinary-rich regions of Spain.
HOLIDAY ‘HYGGE’ ACTIVITIES AT GREAT NORTHERN FOOD HALL
Top-quality ingredients expanding on the rich, healthy profiles of the Mediterranean diet.
Trust the Nordics to know how to ring in the holiday season. To survive the long, brutal winter, the Scandinavians celebrate with “hygge,” a Danish word meaning warmth and coziness in the presence of loved ones. The Great Northern Food Hall is hosting a line-up of festive activities with this theme, all free to the public. Children can learn to make Scandinavian paper ornaments, while arts-and-crafts enthusiasts can bring their yarn and knit with the
Seasonal menu reflecting the bounty of fresh, local ingredients. Exciting selection of Spanish wines, cavas, and cocktails.
Reserve your table today!
mother-in-law of Food Hall owner Claus Meyers. Food experts will also give seminars for foodies. Coffee roaster Omar Maagaard will talk about sustainable coffee beans, while chef Gunnar Gislason of Agern will demonstrate how to smoke lamb in the Icelandic style. Chef Ronny Emborg of Atera will teach a seminar on how to capture the flavors of winter in your cooking, and Meyers himself will explain how to make Danish-style red cabbage.
Through Friday, Dec. 23 Great Northern Food Hall at Grand Central Terminal 89 E. 42nd St. GreatNorthernFood.com COURTESY OF GREAT NORTHERN FOOD HALL
212-370-1866
246 E. 44th Street AlcalaRestaurant.com • (212) 370-1866
The Great Northern Food Hall at Grand Central Terminal.
D3
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December 16–22, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
Holiday Dining The New COURTESY OF INDIAN ACCENT
GREEN FIG As Hanukkah and Christmas fall on the same weekend this year, Israeli restaurant Green Fig is hosting a “Chrismukkah” brunch. Dishes include Pumpkin Shakshuka with cured lemon, carrots, goat cheese, and turmeric; Pastilla, a savory-sweet Moroccan meat pie with pulled turkey meat, poached egg, and sweet potato purée seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg; and the Jewish Benedict, latkes topped with poached eggs, smoked salmon, leeks, and labne cheese. Each entree is $18 and comes with a complimentary holiday cocktail. For dinner, the restaurant is serving Mediterranean-inflected dishes like Bar-vaz Duck with carrot purée, curry peanut crumble, wild mushrooms, nutmeg, and cinnamon; Lamb Chops with freekeh risotto, almond-rosemary cream, and pickled cauliflower; and Pumpkin Spice Crème Brûlée with candied pumpkin purée, almonds, and chestnut crumble. $36 per person.
Christmas and Hanukkah fall on the same weekend this year.
Start at Lincoln Center End with UNFORGETTABLE at
GABRIEL’S
Saturday, Dec. 24 & Sunday, Dec. 25 Green Fig at the Yotel 570 10th Ave. (near 42nd Street), Fourth Floor GreenFigNYC.com
Sweet potato papdi chaat, a savory snack dish.
INDIAN ACCENT TUOME
Enjoy an Indian twist on your holiday dinner. The meal includes roast beef tenderloin in a black pepper kurma (braised meat and vegetables in yogurt sauce); tamarind Brussels sprouts; honey-glazed ham and nut pulao (Indian rice pilaf); and kulcha (flatbread) stuffed with wild mushrooms, or with chicken in a butter and tomato gravy. $95 per person.
Celebrating 25 years
The modern Chinese restaurant Tuome is serving dim sum for Christmas, with small bites like duck pho soup dumplings and oxtail croquettes. For Christmas dinner, chef Thomas Chen has prepared dishes like uni-shumai, stuffed quail with squash and cranberry jus, bouillabaisse with cured pork, and chestnut mousse tart with quince and candied chestnuts.
Saturday, Dec. 24 Indian Accent 123 W. 56th St. (between Sixth & Seventh avenues) IndianAccent.com
on the Upper West Side
“
Saturday, Dec. 24 & Sunday, Dec. 25 Tuome 536 E. Fifth St. (between Avenue A & Avenue B) TuomeNYC.com
NOAH FECKS
At chef-restaurateur Michael White’s French and Italian Riviera–inspired restaurant Ai Fiori, guests can choose between a multicourse tasting menu or a meal inspired by the traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes meal. The Christmas Day tasting menu includes dishes like Mediterranean sardines with fennel, honey crisp apples, and trout roe; garganelli pasta with Alba white truffle; and milk chocolate mousse with hazelnut gelato, hazelnut sponge cake, and caramel. $250 per person. The Feast of the Seven Fishes meal features dushes incuding octopus “alla piastra” (cooked on a griddle) with sweet potato caponata, brown butter, and pine nuts; a Ligurian ragù with seppia (cuttlefish), scallops, and spiced mollica (bread crumbs); and Atlantic halibut with soubise (onion sauce), beluga lentils, and chorizo. $175 per person from Dec. 19 to Dec. 24. $250 on Christmas Day. Ai Fiori 400 Fifth Ave. (between 36th & 37th streets) Second Floor AiFioriNYC.com
At Gabriel’s, it’s all in the family! We’re family owned and operated, so you know that our commitment to detail is unparalleled. Our menu focuses on traditional Italian fare, all hand-made in house, from the bread to the sorbet.
Follow us @gabrielsnyc
11 W 60th St. • New York • 212-956-4600 www.gabrielsnyc.com Walking distance from Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
LE COQ RICO Chef Antoine Westermann’s poultry-focused French restaurant will feature the Emden heritage goose on its Christmas menu. The Emden goose is a rare 13th-century breed hailing from Germany’s North Sea region and now pasture-raised in South Dakota. The goose will be prepared Alsatian-style: roasted with pork loin stuffing and accompanied by potato gnocchi, sour cream, and apple-cinnamon red cabbage. Other dishes include oysters baked with truffle butter and chicken broth, and the Ice Cream Yule Log with chestnut ice cream, meringue, and passion fruit sorbet. $95 per person. Saturday, Dec. 24 & Sunday, Dec. 25 Le Coq Rico 30 E. 20th St. (between Broadway & Park Avenue South) LeCoqRicoNYC.com
THE LITTLE OWL For a dinner of American fare updated with seasonal ingredients, head to The Little Owl, where chef Joey Campanaro prepares dishes like Kale and Cranberry Salad with toasted quinoa, citrus supremes, and curried leeks; Sesame Green Beans with chili, mint, cilantro, and oyster sauce; Crispy Chicken with Brussel sprout home fries, lemon, sherry, and dijon; and American Lamb Chops with fontina fonduta. The menu is a la carte. Saturday, Dec. 24 & Sunday, Dec. 25 The Little Owl 90 Bedford St. (at Grove Street) TheLittleOwlNYC.com
Compiled by Annie Wu/Epoch Times Staff
Taste the beauty of artful Thai cuisine
THE NUAA
LAUNCHING A (212) 888-2899 1122 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10065 www.thenuaa.com
-New York Magazine
GABRIEL’S BAR & RESTAURANT
Holiday Dining The Classics
AI FIORI
Upscale Upper West Side dining with high standards and no ‘attitude.’
BRAND NEW MENU
Authentic Japanese GMO FREE
When you taste the Japanese food at Momokawa you will know it is the real thing. Each ingredient and every detail ensures the most authentic experience.
Momokawa Prix Fixe Menu Small Course (service for two or more) • Appetizer • 2 kinds of Sashimi • Choice of Sukiyaki or Shabu-Shabu (Sauté meals cooked at the table)
• Dessert
$48/per person A L SO AVA IL A BLE: DA ILY LUNCH SPECI A L S (12 P.M.-4 P.M.)
Momokawa 157 East 28th Street | 1466 1st Ave (btwn 76 and 77) (212) 684-7830 | momokawanyc.com
2nd Location
D4
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December 16–22, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
SO FRESH! WE NOW DELIVER!
Authentic & Delicious Tacos Huaraches Chile Relleno Chilaquile Rojos Made to order
Come enjoy cuisine from the most savory region in Mexico...Puebla! 60 E. Third St. (between First & Second avenues) 646-692-9268 • eldiablitotaqueria.com
Sweet, Sweeter,
An Authentic Bit of Tokyo in Midtown West
Sweetest
Find us in the Washington Jefferson Hotel •
The freshest sushi made the traditional, simple way by master chef Shimizu • Shochu & sake • Exceptional value
Grandaisy’s panettone is studded with zesty citron and candied orange peel.
Shimizu Sushi & Shochu Bar • ShimizuSushiNY.com 318 W. 51st St. (btw. 8th & 9th avenues) • (212) 581-1581
NYC Treats continued from D1
I’ve chosen pastries that span the sweetness spectrum, so you can find the perfect one to match your taste, from least to most sweet. Pick one, or a dozen. It’s the time of year to be merry, after all.
Hold the Sugar (Mostly) Il Buco Alimentari
Colin Hagendorf, a New York native, sampled every slice of pizza in Manhattan for his blog. All 375 of them.
The East Village Italian hot spot has a new head baker, Sheena Otto, who previously worked at Bien Cuit and Atera. She has prepared two holiday loaves based off recipes that she makes for her family. The Chocolate Cherry Hazelnut bread is a regular holiday treat that Otto tweaks each year ($17). The bread has a pillowy, fluffy texture, studded with delicious nuts and tart cherries. The Walnut Ginger loaf is Otto’s alternative for people who don’t like chocolate ($15). The combination of candied ginger and warm spices evokes the feeling of sitting by the fireplace. This is a great substitute for dinner rolls—butter ‘em up! Available until Jan. 8. Order in advance at the store or by phone. IlBucoVineria.com
Pizza Suprema was voted the best. *
AS SEEN ON: The Rachael Ray Show, The Today Show, The Wall Street Journal, and Daily News. Come and try for yourself. We are just beside Madison Square Garden. Since 1964.
Pizza Suprema 413 8th Ave. New York, NY 10001 (212) 594-8939
Grandaisy Bakery
Grandaisy (locations in Tribeca and Upper West Side) makes fresh batches of panettone for the holiday season, peppered with citron and candied orange peel for an intensely zesty pastry ($25). Available through Jan. 1. Order online or by phone. GrandaisyBakery.com
Awarded One of the 10
BEST PIZZAS IN NYC
Diagonally across from Madison Square Garden and Penn Station. *Slice Harvester 2011, selected for the plain slice.
CASTILIAN SPANISH CUISINE
at el Pote
Classic Margherita Pizza
Chef’s Favorites Sweet Sangria Rich Paella Valenciana
Juicy Lamb Chops
Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery
Investment banker-turned-pastry-chef Umber Ahmad grew up in a neighborhood in northern Michigan with a heavy Finnish and Swedish presence. Maybe that’s why her nisu bread—a traditional Finnish pastry commonly eaten during the Christmas season—is so enchanting ($12). Tasting it is like having cardamom pods cracked right under your nose—it’s that aromatic. Her Dark Chocolate Explosion Cookies are a delight: Their soft chewiness is akin to a brownie, but they’re not cloying ($12 for six). A layer of powdered sugar makes them look appropriately winter-themed. The Butter Pecan Shortbread cookies are also a sure holiday favorite ($15 for 12). A fine balance of nutty and buttery, they make for addictive pre-meal snacks. Purchase at the West Village bakery or online at MahZeDahrBakery.com
Bien Cuit
Holiday flavors are expertly captured in Boerum Hill’s Bien Cuit’s cookies. Chef-owner Zachary Golper’s Dutch-style speculaas cookies are like the best gingersnaps you’ve ever tasted, chewy and crispy with just the right amount of spicy and sweet ($6). They are seasoned with molasses, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, and ground fennel seeds. The Chocolate Mint Brownie Cookies, meanwhile, taste like peppermint wrapped in dark chocolate ($5). Golper also sizes down bûches de Noël into mini-cakes. The Chocolate and Chestnut has an unexpected savory edge, with a brown butter and Lapsang souchong tea buttercream filling, while the Blood Orange adds a dose of sunshine ($8 each). For a treat that’s on the mild side, get the stollen, a German holiday bread studded with nuts and dried fruit. Its denseness makes it great for dunking into tea. Available through Dec. 31. Preordering is encouraged. BienCuit.com
Four & Twenty Blackbirds
Hearty, Wholesome Food from Old Spain
Fresh Lobster Bisque
For the Temperate Palate
Arugula, Garlic & Sunny Side Eggs Pizza
“the pizza is super thin-crust, crispy and delicious. you can smell the wood burning stove a block away...” ZAGAT USER
This Gowanus pie shop made its name on its salted honey and salted caramel apple pies ($40). The former has a luscious custard filling and a salt-inflected crust, while the latter sings the virtues of the humble but scrumptious fruit. Available through Dec. 23. Order online or pick up (on Dec. 23 only) at Manhattan retail shops, Little Owl the Venue (93 Greenwich St.) and Saxelby Cheesemongers (120 Essex St.). BirdsBlack.com
Roasted Eggplant, Zucchini & Olives Pizza
“The wood fired oven along with the homemade cheese just can’t be beat. ” PM
“Love it. Thin crust, very good choice of topping. Unbeatable Beer pitcher price.” CB
PIZZA LOVE 718 2nd Ave @ 38th St. www.elPote.com 212.889.6680
Cut fresh herbs onto your amazing wood fired oven pizza. Made in just 5–7 minutes.
800 6th Ave (btwn 27th & 28th St) (212) 213-5042
WaldysPizza.com
Leckerlee’s lebkuchen are made in the Nuremberg style, with plenty of nuts in the batter.
D5
@EpochTaste
December 16–22, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com ALL PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
A Perfect Fusion of East & West
Our take on Southeast Asian inspired dishes, bursting with flavor. A perfect place to bring a date and try one of our boozy bubble teas!
Shangri La 208 7th Ave.
Il Buco Alimentari’s Chocolate Cherry Hazelnut and Walnut Ginger loaves.
Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery’s nisu bread is filled with the aromatic scent of cardamom.
Breads’s rugelach is made with babka dough rolled superthin.
(btw. 7th & 8th avenues)
(212) 807-9872 • shangrilanyc.wix.com/the-lounge
Breads Bakery’s chocolate rugelach.
There are the restaurants you go to, and
Epoch Taste Favorites
The Restaurant You Go Back to.
(And yes, we’re the “sweet tooth’” type.)
I
Two Little Red Hens’ Lemon Gingerbread Cake Leckerlee’s lebkuchen Mah-Ze-Dahr’s Dark Chocolate Explosion Cookies
n 1944, Pasquale Scognamillo, known to all as Patsy, began serving the food-loving public earthy, authentic Neapolitan recipes. Today his son Joe, and grandsons Sal and Frank continue the tradition for their regular longtime local guests, out-of-towners
and the many celebrities who consider Patsy’s Italian Restaurant their Manhattan dining room. Open seven days for lunch and dinner. Also available, pre-fixe luncheon menu noon till 3 p.m. ($35) and pre-theatre menu 3 p.m. till 7 p.m. ($59).
Patsy’s Italian Restaurant @PatsysItalRest @PatsysItalianRestaurant
236 West 56th Street Our Only (212) 247-3491 Location! www.Patsys.com
Breads Bakery’s chocolate rugelach Bien Cuit’s speculaas cookies Bien Cuit’s holiday treats run the gamut of traditions, from Dutch speculaas cookies to German stollen and small French bûches de Noël.
For the Sweet Tooth
by phone. Maison-Kayser-USA.com
Breads Bakery
Padoca Bakery
For Hanukkah classics, get Breads Bakery’s sufganiyot (jelly-filled donuts) and knockout rugelach. The donuts have an irresistible bouncy texture that lend more heft (and thankfully, less grease) than typical American yeast donuts ($30 for 12). They are filled with jammy strawberry, decadent dulce de leche, or a lovely mascarpone, oozing from the inside (see recipe on D8). The buttery rugelach come in marzipan or chocolate flavors, drenched in sugar ($18 for a dozen). Breads also makes a spiced pear cake fit for afternoon coffee ($29). Though the cake is quite rich, it is seasoned evenhandedly and not too sweet. Sufganiyot and spiced pear cake available through Dec. 31. Preordering is encouraged. Rugelach available all year. Purchase at the Union Square location or by phone. BreadsBakery.com
Maison Kayser
Maison Kayser makes extravagant versions of bûche de Noël, the French yule log. The chocolate version will satisfy chocoholics with its smooth, pudding-like mousse filling. Meanwhile, the raspberry bûche and yuzu bûche— brilliant in their race car–like sheen—tease the taste buds with tanginess. A bûche with chocolate and chestnut purée—a very French ingredient—round out the offerings ($42 each). A layer of hazelnut biscuit underneath gives a fun textural contrast. Multiple locations. Available through Dec. 26. Order online or
Padoca Bakery’s pear gingerbread and poundcake-like sufganiyot.
This Upper East Side bakery makes a homey pear gingerbread loaf that tastes like a gingersnap cookie embellished with bits of fruit ($16). Pastry chef Rachel Binder, who grew up in Israel, also creates Hanukkah goodies. Padoca’s sufganiyot resemble little bites of pound cake—much different from the donuts we’re used to. Raspberry, strawberry, and dulce de leche are among the flavors, but the bakery will also sell a different surprise flavor during each day of Hanukkah ($18 for box of six, $34 for 12). Gingerbread loaf available through February. Sufganiyot available through Jan. 1. Preorder at the store or by phone. Padoca Bakery.com
Two Little Red Hens
SET SAIL TO SAGAPONACK
This gingerbread cake will win over the sweet tooth and the sweet skeptic alike. There’s a dark, slightly bitter spiciness to the gingerbread, but mixed with the creamy lemon frosting, it’s a winning combination of flavors ($36 for six-inch, $49 for eight-inch). Available for pickup in store on the Upper East Side through Dec. 24. TwoLittleRedHens.com
For the Incurable Sugarholic Leckerlee
After staying in Berlin for two years, baker Sandy Lee fell in love with lebkuchen (pronounced leyb-koo-hen), those chewy, spicy German holiday cookies, and made it her mission to develop the perfect recipe. Lee says that Nuremberg-style lebkuchen are of the best quality, because they are baked with more nuts than wheat flour, lending potent flavor. Nuremberg was also where monks in the Middle Ages first began making these cookies. After researching old trade manuals, chatting with bakers in Germany, and lots of experimentation, Lee finally got the recipe down. Lee lavishes warm spices, ginger, nuts, orange peel, and citron on her lebkuchen— leaving you with a toasty feeling ($25 to $152, depending on amount, in regular, mini, and chocolate-covered varieties). Available at Union Square, Columbus Circle, and Brooklyn Flea holiday markets through Dec. 24. Available online through the month of January. Leckerlee.com Julia Huang contributed to this report.
The shrimp are plump and juicy, the clams have that justbeen-picked out of the ocean brininess, and the scallops boast a lovely sweetness. Many dishes at Sagaponack are perfect vehicles to showcase quality Long Island seafood.
4 W. 22nd St. (btw. 5th & 6th avenues) 212-229-2226
sagaponacknyc.com
D6
@EpochTaste
December 16–22, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com Openings around NYC LESLEY UNRUH
Chef Dan Kluger.
Dan Kluger Debuts Solo Restaurant Loring Place Experience Firsthand the Romance of the Korean Dynasty South Korean top chef Sunkyu Lee cooks authentic Korean royal court cuisine Totally different and distinctive cuisines and interior designs on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors.
After working for some of the city’s top restaurateurs, including Danny Meyer, Tom Colicchio, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten, chef Dan Kluger is finally opening a solo restaurant, Loring Place, in Greenwich Village. The restaurant is named after the street in the Bronx where his father, Arthur, who passed away this year, grew up. The menu is market-driven and highlights ingredients from the farmers and purveyors that Kluger has gotten to know over the last two decades working for Union Square Cafe, Tabla, The Core Club, ABC Kitchen, and ABC Cocina. “I became enamored by the seasons of New York City and the bounty of the market. Walking from stand to stand and putting my hands on three or four great ingredients, using that as the inspiration for a dish, quickly became the way I liked to cook,” Kluger said of his time working under chef Michael Romano at Union Square Cafe, in a press release. The dishes are meant to be shared, from vegetable-centric plates such as crispy spiced cauliflower with Meyer lemon jam and chilies, or wood-grilled broccoli with orange, kohlrabi, and pistachio-mint dressing; to handmade pastas; to pizzas made with house-milled flour; to locally sourced proteins off the woodburning grill (such as lamb chops with sweet-and-spicy tomato compote, broccoli leaves, and spicy bread crumbs). The Loring Place Cheeseburger is a blend of Niman Ranch short rib, brisket, and chuck, topped with house-cured and
smoked bacon, Duroc pork belly, Cato Corner vivace cheese, and pickled pepper aioli, on a Bien Cuit pain au lait bun. Sommelier Natalie Johnson curates a wine list with a strong focus on classic European regions and small producers. The list also emphasizes sparkling wines and New York state winemakers. Cocktails make use of local spirits and seasonal ingredients from the Union Square Greenmarket whenever possible. Open for dinner, Tuesday through Sunday. Lunch and brunch to follow.
Loring Place
21 W. Eigth St. (between Fifth & Sixth avenues), Greenwich Village 212-388-1831 LoringPlaceNYC.com
ALIZA ELIAZAROV
Massoni, an ‘Italian-ish’ Spot When you open an Italian restaurant, as a restaurateur or chef, your dishes are bound to get compared to classics by your guests’ Italian nonnas. But as chef Dale Talde will tell you, “I don’t have an Italian nonna,” and what he cooks at the new Massoni, which opened recently at the Arlo NoMad hotel, is “Italian-ish.” He said a lady had critical words for him for putting nori on top of Caesar. But guess what? That bit of briny umami on top of finely shredded romaine and fine Parmesan breadcrumbs makes one delicious dish that’s even better alongside the pizza pies. Or if you want to do as Talde does it, put the nori right on top of any red-sauced pizzas. Talde and his partners paid a visit to the owners of Willamsburg’s pizzeria Emmy COURTESY OF MASSONI
212-594-4963
Squared before coming up with their own Detroit-style, square deep dish. Versions include a pie with charred Brussels sprouts, ricotta salata, and pistachio pesto; a mustget spicy pie with buffalo chicken and blue cheese; and a super mushroomy pie topped not only with mushrooms, but also French onion mascarpone and smoked mozzarella. The entrees are also “inauthentic Italian” (in the words of partner David Massoni), including pastas and meat and fish dishes. Noticing a symmetry between Cantonese and Italian, Talde designed a dish of whole steamed orata—thoughtfully served deboned—with Marcona almonds, a caperginger relish, and a hot olive oil-soy sauce. “It’s like your Cantonese wife grew up in Sicily,” he said. In addition to the full-service restaurant, Massoni also includes a bar on the second floor, and, opening this spring, an outdoor bar called The Heights. The bar has not only dramatic views of the Empire State Building, but also a reinforced glass floor that will make you feel like you’re floating 30 floors in the air. Open daily for breakfast and dinner, with lunch and brunch to come. Lunch service to come.
Massoni
10 W. 32 St., New York, NY 10001 www.misskoreaBBQ.com Open 24 hours Whole Steamed Orata.
At Arlo NoMad 11 E. 31st St. (between Fifth & Madison avenues), NoMad 212-806-7000 MassoniNYC.com
D7
@EpochTaste
December 16–22, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com
Union Square Cafe Reopens at New Location, With Daily Provisions Next Door Union Square Hospitality’s Union Square Cafe is now open at its new location, at the corner of Park Avenue South and 19th Street. It is double the size of the original location, with a dining room accommodating 95 guests and two private dining rooms that altogether seat 40. “We’ve so missed being able to welcome guests and longtime friends to Union Square Cafe over this past year, and I can’t overstate how soul-satisfying it will be to open our doors and bring Union Square Cafe back into our lives,” said Danny Meyer, CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group, according to a press release. Executive chef Carmen Quagliata continues at the helm. He has made updates to the menu, which is seasonal with influences from Italy, France, and Northern California. Union Square Cafe follows the hospitality group’s practice of eliminating tipping across all 13 of its New York restaurants.
Next door, the hospitality group is also opening Daily Provisions, a casual eatery that will carry breads made on-site, coffee from Joe Coffee, tea from In Pursuit of Tea, sandwiches, and salads. Growlers (of beer or coffee) will be available for guests to fill up. Union Square Cafe is open daily for lunch and dinner. Daily Provisions to be open daily for breakfast and lunch.
Union Square Cafe
101 E. 19th St. (between Park Avenue South & Irving Place), Union Square 212-243-4020 UnionSquareCafe.com
Daily Provisions
103 E. 19th St. (between Park Avenue South & Irving Place), Union Square DailyProvisionsNYC.com
French Brasserie Boucherie, a Destination for Meat Lovers French brasserie Boucherie (meaning “butcher shop” or “the craft of butchering”) offers meat lovers a new destination in the West Village, with its focus on prime quality meats and an inhouse “Butcher Bar.” There await dishes such as Côtes de Chevreuil (herb-crusted rack of venison) and Chateaubriand pour Deux (dryaged filet mignon). Jerome Dihui, who worked as chef de cuisine at Keith McNally’s Pastis, helms the kitchen at Boucherie, with a menu of French bistro fare, from cassoulet to choucroute garnie. Boeuf bourguignon is another classic, to which he added his own spin by using beef cheeks instead of chuck. The “gelatinous quality gives a new dimension to the dish while staying true to its French roots,” according to Dihui. Dihui is most keen to introduce boudin noir, or blood sausage, to American diners. “The classical pairing of blood sausage with potato
purée and caramelized apples is a French staple not many Americans are familiar with. Hopefully Boucherie will change that,” he said. Designed with belle epoque and art nouveau influences, the restaurant seats 320 in a variety of spaces, from a main dining room, to a more intimate mezzanine space, to the top floor overlooking the rest of the restaurant, with a fireplace. The bar offers cocktails, including some featuring an absinthe component. Boucherie comes from the team behind restaurants Akashi, Dominique Bistro, and Olio e Piú.
Boucherie
99 Seventh Avenue South (between Christopher & Grove streets) West Village 212-837-1616 Boucherie.nyc
Compiled by Channaly Philipp/Epoch Times Staff
Not Sure What Wines Go With What Food? Verve Wine Has Some Answers By Channaly Philipp | Epoch Times Staff There are only 230 master sommeliers in the world, so when one opens a wine shop, you can bet it earns attention. Master somm Dustin Wilson, a former wine director at Eleven Madison Park, has partnered with wine merchant Derrick Mize to open up Verve Wine. They recently opened a brick-and-mortar store in Tribeca, but have also launched a website where you can browse and shop for wines. Put together, Wilson and Mize have about 35 years of experience in the wine industry. On the website, wine aficionados can look under the Collectibles category for bottles recommended by Wilson, but what’s especially interesting about the website is that you can search for wines to pair with different foods. “A very large segment [of wine drinkers] has been forgotten,” said Mize, who is sensitive to those who may be thinking—in his words—“Wine is fun, and I need some food to go with it.” The wine descriptions themselves forgo industry “winespeak” and bottles are divided into simple categories like “jammy and fruity” or “big and bold.” The emphasis is on smaller, familydriven domains, and wines vary across a range of prices. The brick-andmortar location will host tastings and seminars.
Verve Wine
Master Sommelier Dustin Wilson’s Wine Picks for the Holidays Château de Brézé ‘Clos du Midi’ 2015, $18 This is a bright, puckering Chenin blanc from the Saumur area of the Loire Valley in France. Like super-tart baked apples. Pairs well with shellfish, seafood, cranberry sauce, turkey, and pork.
Yann Bertrand Fleurie ‘VVV’ 2014, $32 Glossy, gulpable Gamay from a rising rock star in one of the hotspots of Beaujolais, France. The epitome of delicious. Pairs well with sweet potatoes, butternut squash, turkey, and Chinese takeout.
Arnot-Roberts Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Clajeux’ 2013, $100 Old-school, classic-style Cab. Like hiphop in the early ‘90s. Style and substance. Pairs well with turkey, all your red meats, and chillin’ with grandma.
Giacomo Conterno ‘Monfortino’ 2002, $750 The king of all the Barolo wines. This is where it’s at. Pairs well with your favorite risotto with white truffles shaved all over it.
24 Hubert St. (between Washington & Greenwich streets) Tribeca 212-810-2899 VerveWine.com STEPHAN WERK (WILSON); KUMER OKSANA/SHUTTERSTOCK (WINE)
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@EpochTaste
December 16–22, 2016 www.EpochTaste.com CON POULOS
RECIPE
These are Breads Bakery’s famous filled donuts.
SUFGANIYOT Makes: 25 doughnuts Talk about anticipation! People in Israel and New York City go crazy for the bakeries’ debut of sufganiyot; they’ll wait in long, winding lines outside the stores to get a half dozen of these yeasty, airy fried doughnuts that are a special Chanukkah treat. While doughnuts are a common morning food year-round in the United States, in Israel they are typically sold only for Chanukkah, to celebrate the miracle of the eight days of light. Unlike traditional doughnuts, sufganiyot do not have a hole in the center. They are more like a Boston cream doughnut or a bomboloni, filled from the top with strawberry jam, chocolate, vanilla cream, or other variations, like dulce de leche. I make sure to fill the doughnuts with lots of jam or cream—the goal is to have a little filling with every bite of dough (when there is just a dot of filling, you feel so cheated!). Try making these with your children. You can roll the dough and let them use an upside-down glass to stamp out the rounds; then watch their eyes light up in wonder as you fry them in a pot of oil.
• 30 grams (1/4 cup) fresh yeast or 12 grams (2 1/4 teaspoons) active yeast • 30 grams (2 tablespoons) warm water • 500 grams (4 cups), plus extra for kneading and rolling, all-purpose flour (sifted, 11.7 percent) • 65 grams (1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon) granulated sugar • 2 large egg yolks • 1 large egg • 120 grams (1/2 cup) warm whole milk • Pinch grated orange zest • 30 grams (2 tablespoons) fresh orange juice • 15 grams (1 tablespoon) brandy (optional) • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract • 90 grams (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter (at room temperature) • About 1.8 liters (8 cups), or as needed for frying, vegetable oil • 490 grams (1 1/2 cups) strawberry jam • Confectioners’ sugar for finishing
We, at Hatsuhana, realize that it is rare to find a “no gimmicks, no frills” approach to sushi. Sushi is a conceptually simple cuisine. Ironically, its simplicity also makes it complicated. Hatsuhana salutes the centuries-old methods used by prominent sushi restaurants and chefs in Japan. P H O T O S : E DWA R D D A I
Obsessive Attention to Detail T
he single inspiration that lead to the establishment of Hatsuhana was nothing more than the desire to introduce unsurpassed sushi and sashimi to New Yorkers. Since the first day we opened our doors in 1976, we have been a sushi specialty restaurant. This has helped us maintain our focus exclusively on sushi cuisine.
212.355.3345 www.hatsuhana.com 17 East 48th St, New York (btwn. Madison & Fifth Ave.)
Nearly four decades later, our mission remains unchanged. Obsessive attention to detail should be the norm for sushi restaurants, not something to strive for. The complexity associated with creating the ideal sushi rice. The fragrance of freshly ground wasabi. The freshest fish from around the globe. Please come by for lunch or dinner and let us show you what real sushi is like!
DIRECTIONS 1. Make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, use your fingers to dissolve the yeast into the warm water. Stir in 10 grams (1 tablespoon) of the flour and 5 grams (1 tablespoon) of the sugar, and set aside until the mixture is bubbling, about 15 minutes. 2. Add the egg yolks, whole egg, warm milk, orange zest and juice, brandy (if using), salt, vanilla, the remaining sugar, and the flour to the yeast mixture. Attach the dough hook and mix on low speed until the dough comes together, 1 to 2 minutes. 3. With the mixer running on medium speed, gradually add the butter, a pinch at a time. Continue to mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl (add a few spoons of flour if needed), is smooth and shiny, and is beginning to climb up the dough hook. This will take about 4 minutes. 4. Stretch and fold the dough, then let it rise: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and lightly dust the top of the dough with flour. Stretch the top piece of the dough until it tears, then fold it on top of the center. Give the dough a quarter turn and repeat, tearing and folding, adding more flour as needed, until the dough isn’t sticky, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the dough
to a lightly floured bowl, sprinkle the top with flour, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Set it aside in a warm and draft-free spot until the dough has doubled in volume, about 1 hour. 5. Roll and stamp the dough: Set the dough on a lightly floured work surface, and use a rolling pin to roll it into a 1/2-inchthick sheet. Use a 2 1/2-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter to stamp out rounds of dough. Stamp them out as close together as possible to minimize the amount of scraps; after pressing the cutter into the dough, twist it before pulling it out from the sheet of dough (to help strengthen the seal so the doughnut puffs nicely during frying). Gather the scraps; press them together; rest for 5 minutes, covered; and then gently reroll them to stamp out a few more sufganiyot. Discard the remaining bits of scraps. 6. Let the dough proof: Place the dough rounds on a lightly greased (use a little oil) parchment paper–lined sheet pan and cover with a kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a draft-free spot at room temperature until nearly doubled in volume, 40 to 50 minutes. (At this point, after rising, the dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 hours before frying.)
“Breaking Breads: A New World of Israeli Baking” by Uri Scheft, Artisan, 2016, $35. 7. Fry the dough: Fill a large saucepan with enough oil to reach a depth of 4 inches. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reads 350 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Start with one sufganiya and fry, turning it with a slotted spoon or frying spider, until both sides are golden, about 2 minutes. Use the spider or slotted spoon to transfer the doughnut to a paper towel– lined plate or sheet pan. Continue frying the remaining doughnuts in batches, taking care not to crowd the pan; otherwise, the oil will cool and the doughnuts will absorb more oil and become greasy. Let the doughnuts cool completely before filling them. 8. Fill the sufganiyot: Place the jam in a food processor and process until smooth. Scrape the jam into a piping bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round tip and insert the tip into the top of a doughnut. Squeeze jam into the doughnut until the jam begins to ooze out of the hole at the top. Repeat with the remaining sufganiyot. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar before serving. Reprinted from “Breaking Breads” by Uri Scheft. Copyright © 2016. Photography by Con Poulos. Published by Artisan Books.