the fridge is still broken...
The last couple weeks have been a blur. My fridge is still not fixed and after a diagnosis from the Appliance Doctor–all signs are pointing towards scrapping it and buying a new one. But it will likely take me another week or so to get a photo of the model number and start the search. Fuck it, I’m in no rush–the city is bustling and I have plenty of spots to check in or check out.
As ya’ll probably know by now–I love a long lunch: I think it's one of life’s great pleasures. Long dinners are fun too; but there’s something irresponsibly thrilling about putting your phone on silent & getting lost in a meal while everyone else is at work. I couldn’t be too reckless; so I only opted for one long lunch and it was at one of my favorites: Marea.
We wanted to walk around Central Park before lunch; but the rain was too intense so we waited till after when we were nice and buzzy. The power lunch might not be what it once was with many CEOs trading their three martinis for thirty minutes at Soul Cycle; but the city still has a few (The Grill, Torrisi, Le Bernadin) and none better than Marea.
We’re seated at a corner table overlooking the entire dining room; but tucked into our own space. We’re greeted with a smile and the promise that –this lunch was a great idea. We were spoiled with caviar and krug upon arrival; our waiter assured us that it was foolish to make any decisions on an empty stomach. He recognized we were in it and slowed everything down–a sign of experienced hospitality.
She picked the food and I picked the wine: two bottles seemed proper.
We left right before dinner service and headed to the newly renovated Waldorf to check out the bar. We were completely drenched from our puddle jumping detour in the park, but a martini warmed us up. Halfway through our $40 cocktail we dipped and got a cab downtown to Clemente Bar; which was more our vibe. The entrance to the bar, shared with Eleven Madison Park, seemed a bit chaotic; but once you got upstairs it proved to be one of New York’s best bars. The night ended with a pint at the Dead Rabbit.
I had some other delightful lunches —just not all day affairs. Crown Shy, which just reopened for lunch and the sky-high Manhatta are my go-tos in the hood–especially when thinking wine. My Chinatown rotation (Maxi’s, Tasty Handpulled Noodles, and Great NY Noodletown) is key this time of year as the weather drops.
Besides that–big shoutout to the ladies at King on their cookbook. They really know how to throw a party! I remember having a glass of Ulysse Colin in one hand and chocolate cake in the other: now thats good living.
Afterwards–we hit up Wild Cherry for dinner and I'm still thinking about those thighs and fries. The room was buzzing; but you wouldn’t expect anything else from those guys. Had a lovely dinner at Sunn’s. It’s been on the list forever, so it was time to check it out and it didn’t disappoint. We drank a beautiful bottle of 2019 Fonte Canale from Cristiana Tiberio alongside some tasty banchan. Another notable dinner was at Spark’s–all old time favorite. The meal wasn’t as seamless as usual; but it still has that big Sparks energy.
Snuck into Strange Delight for some drinks & snacks before heading over to Crown Club. A work thing put me in a shitty mood; but a pristine bottle of 2010 Les Cras (Roumier) helped big time. Tame Impala concert was cool; but it was too damn loud (yes–old man status over here) so we bounced after an hour –hitting the Long Island Bar on our way home. It was a two burger week as I had the pinnacle Red Hook Tavern burger earlier that week. Phil opened a bottle of Batardiere & Phelan Farms; which paired well with our feast: oysters, shrimp, fish & chips, and that smoked pork chop. Other Red Hook musings include a beer at Ice House and sandwich at Defontes.
This week started with two stellar dinners; Babbo and Smithereens. It’s crazy to think of Babbo’s history from opening in 1998, getting a James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in 1999, and ultimately its downfall following the controversies of Batali–it’s chef/partner. Babbo kind of reinvented dining in New York City–serving fine dining with energy. They blasted rock n roll while turning out some of the city’s best Italian food. They ran one of the best wine programs in the country and service was tight. It was the place to be; but that all changed once all the allegations of sexual misconduct started to surface. Batali left Babbo awhile back; but his partner Joe Bastianich kept the restaurant running until Stephen Starr bought it earlier this year. He tapped Mark Ladner (former Del Posto chef) to run the kitchen & I’m glad he did because we need more restaurants that focus on pasta. Sure, Babbo’s menu is big and has plenty on offer; but it’s the primi section that gets me giddy. I was worried about the wine list because I thought they had sold most of the cellar; but there was still plenty to drink. We drank Burlotto Langhe Nebbiolo 2013 and a bottle of Le Boncie Trame 2016–both singing. The pricing was fair and the list had some vintage depth; so I’m guessing I’ll be back soon.
Another standout meal was at Smithereens where Nick Tamburo teamed up with his old pal Sean Gray. They cooked together at Momofuku Ko so it was good to see them reunited back in the kitchen. We drank a bottle of Helicon, which was delightful. And guess what–haven’t thought of my fridge once.
My November/December hit list // need to go:
Adda
Houseman
Kiko
Cesar
Muku
Le Chene