chow mein looking noodles, constructed in white chocolate, were reminiscent of eating condensed milk straight from the can. One companion was just offended in general, “it smells like Bengay.”
SUCKLING PIG
spite of a crusty high heat blister; the halibut has gently bronzed edges and a ringlet of squash center stage. Both are ideal examples of how wonderful it is when fish and seafood benefit from a less is more philosophy. However, some dishes do seem to ascribe to a more is more approach, wintery dishes… substantial in nature. A long ingot of suckling pig is served with nests of skinny burdock root and radish on either side, giving it the appearance of a messy, but gorgeous, savory canoli. A dark purple and brown pile of mushrooms and duck sausage gets a surprising layer of sweetness from charred fig. Spigarello (that’s what would happen if broccoli and kale had a baby) offers up a little bitter contrast to what otherwise would be an extremely heavy, possibly overwhelming bowl of rigatoni. Sadly the main attraction on Piora’s dessert menu failed to live up to its’ multicultural promise; a deconstructed earl grey cake was unpopular from the get go. Scattered pomegranate seeds seemed out of place among the rough-hewn edges of brittle sponge cake, and sadly, the strong taste of shiso did not match up well. Long crunchy
Wines by the glass run the gamut in terms of price point, offering a nice range of reds and whites from the Finger Lakes to Burgundy (starting at $9 for a dry Riesling, going up to $25 for Emblem’s Napa Cab from 2010). We loved the powerful Cornas, but couldn’t ante up for more than one glass at the cost of $22, although the 2007 is not a bottle that’s so easy to find locally. Specialty cocktails are priced at $15 across the board. We couldn’t resist an aperitif, the Victor Laszlo, if less for the sparkly meets maraschino mix and more because, well, Casablanca’s still the movie bomb. Is it French? Is it Italian? Is that gochujang (Korean fermented hot pepper paste) we’re tasting? It’s best not to dig too deep. Everything here is pretty. You don’t know what it is exactly, but you want to eat it as soon as you see it. We like that, and we will definitely be back for more.
Where Else We’re Eating... The Musket Room
Nolita, NY Chef Matt Lambert is a New Zealand native and the menu here reflects his interpretation on homeland favorites. Although ingredients seem straightforward, there is clearly a lot 17