Upland

Upland is Justin Smillie's take of Italian food with a Northern California twist.  The Northern Californianess (I know that's not a real word) is comforting this time of year. And because it is freezing outside (at least for me), I find myself drawn to pasta and pizza, my favorite comfort foods.  The few block walk is also a plus as I have grown (relatively) lazy with the chill in the air.

Because we didn't get to try everything I wanted the first time, I waited to do this review until I went back the second time.  Both experiences were impressively consistent.  First, the staff delivers impeccable service, something that has become few and far between in NYC.  The server and maitre di checked on us several times.  The food arrived at a nice pace.  Even the hostess on the way out asked if we enjoyed our meal.  Even though Upland is a few months old, each staff member is extremely well vetted and trained.  It must be the Californianess in the restaurant ;)

Upland sends out a freshly baked potato brioche loaf shortly after you order.  Your server and busboy will continue to deliver this warm bread at your request (without judgment or hesitation).  The buttery and slightly salted, doughy heaven in the shape of a loaf is addictive.

While we enjoyed several dishes, there are definitely a few misses (one of which is no longer on the menu).  The House Made Ricotta doesn't work.  The consistency of the cheese was spot on but the lemon taste was confusing and the cucumbers and anchovies didn't belong.  Also, the much hyped short rib was good but not the stand out I was expecting.

The wine menu was solid, although nothing terribly exciting.  I went with the Pinot Noir by the glass on my first trip there and was impressed by the quality of the wine served by the glass.

What to Eat:

To start, order the 'Nudja Pizza.  The restaurant is willing to do the tomato sauce without pork.  The bubbly dough is coated with tangy marinara sauce and fresh buffalo mozzarella.  It is likely that all the pizzas at Upland are terrific but this one, while simple, is delicious.

The surprise hit of the night was the Slow Roasted Celeriac.  While this root vegetable is similar to a potato, there is something more compelling about the celeriac.  This may be attributable to the generous helping of black truffle butter melted on top.

For pasta, go with the Pappardelle with spicy sausage ragu, kale and Parmesan.  The home made noodles taste like they were made a few hours earlier.  The savory, salty sausage sauce was a huge hit at our table. 

Since the dessert menu was a bit underwhelming, we went elsewhere for dessert.

While I enjoyed my experiences at Upland (dish misses aside), I wonder if it will resonate in NYC.  It just doesn't feel like it belongs here.

That said, looking for upscale, trendy pizza and pasta?  Upland gets the job done.

Your foodie friend

Florian

The old Wildwood BBQ restaurant just north of Union Square has been traded in for Florian, a swanky Italian restaurant.  By the end of the meal, it was tough for us to decide which was better, the excellent food or the terrific service.  A good "problem" for a restaurant to have.  Despite dining at Florian only a few days after it had opened, the entire experience was flawless.

I marveled at the antipasta and burrata bar at the front of the restaurant, featuring both traditional offerings and a few unusual options.  The antipasta barista (is it fair to call him that??) greeted us warmly and showed us around his impressive spread.

We arrived 15 minutes before our reservations and instead of being reminded that we were early and guided to the bar, we were promptly seated.  The server greeted us shortly thereafter and answered our 20 questions with a genuine smile and patience.

The tall ceilings at Florian helped to ensure that the packed dining room didn't result in a shouting match to hear your dining companion.  And it true Italian style, the meal was paced long and leisurely.

Focaccia is delivered upon request (MAKE THE REQUEST).  The bread basket offers slices of a dense multigrain bread topped with a medley of seeds (featured) and more traditional focaccia (underneath the multigrain bread), both of which were doughy and freshly baked.

The Italian centric wine menu at Florian is a breath of fresh air.  I was pleased to see reds at price points that all diners could afford.  If we ordered the steak for two, which I plan on going back for, I would have gone for a heavier wine but for our fish and pasta, we opted for Colutta, a Riposso from Fruili, which was spicy, light, and delicious.

What to Eat:

The Vegetable Antipasta.  There are over a dozen options so I picked the first three that jumped out at me: Sweet Carrots with Fennel, TriColored Cauliflower with Currants and Green Beans.  I don't like fennel but the sweet carrots were so good I kind of forgot about my hate on fennel.  The Cauliflower was roasted, generously doused with EVOO and then mixed with currants.  The Cauliflower was so good (and generously covered in EVOO) that Mitch actually ate the cauliflower happily (Mitch doesn't eat vegetables, or rather, his idea of vegetables is creamed spinach).

The Lasagna Osso Bucco.  I wasn't sure what to expect because I've never had osso bucco in my lasagna before but since I like osso bucco and and I like lasagna, I figured, why not?  As you can see from the picture, the restaurant goes for a round shape instead of square serving, which was aesthetically interesting.  Each bite of the homemade pasta had the right amount of gooey cheese and sweet tomato sauce.  While enjoyable, I think the dish could use a bit more osso bucco.

Because we had show tickets that evening, we ran out of time for dessert but I plan on returning to try the steak for 2 (which looked insane and was raved about by nearby diners) and the dessert (I will probably need to order a few, as it will be difficult to choose between the homemade chocolate mousse, chocolate pizza, etc...).

Need a dinner reservation this weekend?  The food, wine and fantastic service at Florian should warm and fill you up.

Your foodie friend

Crave Fishbar

My husband's best friend recommended Crave shortly after my blogging hiatus.  Since it has become my go to restaurant in NYC, I thought it earned the right to be my 100th post!  Crave's best entrees highlight two of my favorites food groups, seafood and pasta.  While the seafood offerings change seasonally, the flavor combinations are consistently novel, surprising and delicious.  I make it here about once a month, sometimes (ok, usually) more.  I am always impressed that they remember my name and greet me warmly (keep in mind readers, these guys had no idea I wrote a food blog).  In the 11 years I've lived in NYC, I've dined regularly at several places but Crave is one of the only restaurants in NYC that has gone out of its way to make me feel at home.

Crave's decor plays up a nautical theme, with thick ship ropes, jelly fish tentacled wallpaper, round mirrors that emulate portholes and strategically placed ship captain portraits.  The restaurant now offers two floors, with outdoor seating on both floors.  If the weather is nice, dining outside is my first choice.  Now that it is winter, however, I request the seating upstairs.  Upstairs is a bit more quiet and spacious, perfect for a low key Friday night after a long work week.  That said, if you are up for a more lively crowd/evening, downstairs features a long bar and high tops.

In addition to hostesses and maitre d's that warmly acknowledge repeat guests, the wait staff is excellent.  The servers are attentive from their initial greeting to check delivery and the busboys never leave water glasses empty or empty plates lingering on the table.

What to Eat:

Crave changes its menu seasonally, which means right now you can still order the Blue Crab and Baby Heirloom Tomato salad.  The fresh jumbo lump crab is generously piled on top of a layer of sweet baby heirloom tomatoes and then drizzled with EVOO.  With heavier entrees on my horizon, this was the perfect light start to the meal.

For a heartier appetizer (and something that will likely appear through the winter months), pick the Rice Dusted Point Judith Calamari, a new addition to the menu.  The lightly battered calamari is tossed in a Thai miso sauce along with aleppo chile and bean sprouts.  The chile is not very spicy for those that can't handle the heat.  The calamari strikes the perfect consistency, not too chewy, not to hard.  And by some miracle, it is practically grease free.

My favorite summer/fall entree on the Crave menu is the Scallops with corn, queso fresca and avocado salsa.  It is always sad to see it go in the winter (party because I miss the dish and partly because it signifies winter's arrival, to the bane of my existence).  The medium sized scallops are perfectly seasoned and sauteed.  I find the avocado salsa an interesting pairing that surprisingly works for the scallops (I am actually prone to putting avocado on everything so why not scallops too?).   

While Crave is known for its seafood, I think their homemade Cavatelli with whipped ricotta, tomato ragu and basil puree is one of the better pasta dishes in NYC.  The delicate yet dense hand crafted noodles are mixed with a tangy tomato sauce, and then topped with a large portion of garlicky pesto and freshly whipped ricotta cheese (there's a hot pepper on top too for those interested).  Mix the ingredients together before serving to ensure that that all of the flavors make it into each bite.

Looking to shed a few lbs from your Turkey dinner?  Crave's seafood should do the trick.

Your foodie friend

Insider tip: Check out the Mussel Monday special, $17 for 2lbs of mussels and a side of crispy fries, and Dollar Oysters from 5-7pm for happy hour daily.  Also, the Cauliflower Soup on the dinner menu is TO DIE FOR.  

Cafe Mogador

Cafe Mogador has been around forever. After 30 years, at 7pm on a Sunday night, this place doesn't have an empty table, and usually has small gatherings of people waiting outside.  Despite issues with "hostesses" (if you could call them that because they rarely greet you) and occasionally surly servers (one night our server was downright rude while later that week, the server could not have been more attentive, checking to see if the soup had dairy and making sure we enjoyed our meal), this place has stuck around for two simple reasons: (1) fabulous food and (2) reasonable (if not inexpensive for NYC) prices.

As I mentioned earlier this fall, Mogador's tagines are delicious and a steal at under $20.  The sidewalk seating at Mogador makes an attempt to resemble a cafe from Morocco with wrought iron and blue tiled sidewalk tables.  But you don't go to Mogador for the aesthetics, you go for one of the best tagines in town.

What to Eat:

Start with the dips.  I'm a hummus person and Mogador's are traditional and tasty.  But the reason the dips at Mogador are so important is that they provide a conduit to one of the best things in the restaurant: the pita. The freshly baked, pillowy, warm pita arrives at your table in four slices.  Note: you will want to ask for more pita before you finish your pita plate because you may be able to journey across the Arabian desert faster than you will be able to secure another pita plate.  The night we had the surly server, after I asked for more pita, she had the audacity to question if I really wanted another order, noting that I had already had two.  Sorry lady, some of us still eat carbs.

I failed to take a picture of the special Roasted Cauliflower appetizer but it was incredible and I hope it becomes a menu fixture.  The tiny cauliflower florets are roasted and seasoned, then tossed with a zesty preserved lemon dressing and spelt berries, and finally laid on top of a bed of sheep's yogurt.  For people that are vegetable phobes (readers, you know who you are....), there are so many different flavors and textures in this appetizer that you will forget it is vegetable based.

For an entree, you will have a tough time picking between the Chicken Tagine and the Lamb Tagine.  If you are lucky, you will go with a diner that will let you order both and share.  The chicken and the lamb both fall off the bone.  The chicken is moist and well seasoned while the lamb is tender and hearty.  Mogador allows you to pick how your Tagine will be prepared.  I usually opt for the Casablanca, with raisins, chickpeas and caramelized onions because I prefer something sweeter but there are savory options as well.

The Tagines also come with a generous portion of rice or couscous.  I recommend the couscous.  I usually find couscous too dry and bland but not at Mogador.  Theirs is light and buttery, a bit reminiscent of polenta.

Looking for food that will warm your soul (even though the servers might not ;))?  Order the Tagines at Cafe Mogador.

Your foodie friend

Insider tip: Mogador takes reservations Sunday through Thursday, so make one!

Claudette

Alright readers.  I'm back!  After an inspiring trip to France, I thought my first post of 2014 should be Claudette, the hot new French restaurant from the same owners as Rosemary's.  It looks like French food is trending in NYC, finally knocking Gastopubs off the food du jour [insert sigh of relief here].

The owners of Claudette completely transformed the space previously occupied by Cru.  Claudette's dining room is breezy, largely a result of the white walls and several large French doors cast wide open.  Walking into Claudette made me wish my flight back from Nice was cancelled during the pilot strike. The only thing missing from Claudette's wicker chairs and cushioned benches is a beach within walking distance.  While the tables at Claudette are as cramped as Rosemary's, Claudette accepts reservations, a huge improvement for people that aren't interested in waiting over a half an hour for a table.   

The service was a bit of a mixed bag.  The hostess, upon learning that my good friend was 8 1/2 months pregnant, immediately sat me (even before my friend had arrived, a classy move).  Our server, on the other hand, largely ignored us.  After being seated for ten minutes, we had to ask the bus boy if we even had a server.  When the server finally arrived, he relentlessly tried to get us to order drinks, which ultimately resulted in me pointing out that my friend was days away from giving birth so no booze that night, thanks.  We never received the bread basket that was delivered to every other table in the dining room.  And after taking our order, we did not see the server again until he delivered dessert menus.  I had better servers in France.  That said, the busboy was mostly attentive and helpful so perhaps our experience is only an isolated server issue.  

On to the food.  We started with the flat bread with pistou spread (similar to pesto, minus the pine nuts).  The dense flat bread, drawing from Claudette's Moroccan roots, was served in a bread basket with a side of of the pistou spread.  If you are a garlic fan, the pistou spread is an excellent option.  If you are anti-garlic, this spread is not for you.

As a contrast to the heavier flat bread appetizer, we also ordered the Courgette, a vegetable starter.  The Courgette consisted of thinly sliced zucchini mixed with sun dried tomatoes and basil, tossed in a light olive oil dressing.  The Courgette was colorful, light and refreshing.  While it is placed at the top of the menu, insinuating it is a starter, I would recommend ordering this as a side for your entree.

The dish that makes me want to go back to Claudette is the Lamb Shank, which happens to be a commonly featured special.  The tender, braised lamb was flavorful and meaty without being gamey.  I won't bore you with the bland beans and squash that sat in the au jus sauce, looking more like colorful decorations than having much flavor or appeal.

The fries, which taste delicious with the left over pistou and/or au jus sauce, are coated in a North African spice, Ras el Hanout.  I spent a large portion of the meal trying to decide if I liked the Ras el Hanout spice on the fries. Strangely enough, I am still debating this as I write this blog.

Even though we didn't partake in alcohol on this trip to Claudette, I certainly plan on ordering from the French only wine menu next time.  Like Rosemary's, Claudette features affordable (for a NYC restaurant) wines (in addition to more expensive wines).  The wine menu boasts wine from every region in France, including one of my favorite Champagnes, the Billecart-Salmon.

Looking to join the new French food craze?  Claudette's Lamb Shank will make you glad you did.

Your foodie friend

Insider tip: Skip the overly hyped Chicken Tangine. While the chicken is moist, the dish was largely bland and underwhelming.  Cafe Mogador's chicken tangine is twice as good and about half of the price.  Writing this blog post made me realize I have not reviewed Cafe Mogador so stay tuned for the review this winter.

MP Taverna-Astoria

Astoria, I've missed you (food blog readers, missed you too, sorry I've been MIA)!  Astoria's Greek community always makes for a fun night out.  It's only a 30 minute subway ride on the Q or N train from midtown so there's no need to take a cab.

After a few Manhattan hits, the Greek restaurateur, Michael Psilakis, decided to branch out to Astoria with MP Taverna (there are other MP Taverna locations on the Island now as well).  It seems like a somewhat risky venture in that now he is among dozens of other already popular Greek establishments.  But Psilakis pulls it off, with a menu that includes both Greek staples and Greek inspired food adventures.  The food  is truly the star of MP Taverna.  Management will need to fine tune the rest.

Our server was over the top in welcoming us.  What he lacked in competence he made up with in warmth and gusto.  We arrived ravenous (surprised?) and asked for pita bread as soon as he greeted us.  Our server informed us that the restaurant servers pita with dinner but at our request, he would bring us pita right away.  Twenty minutes went by so we asked again, and then again 20 minutes later.  Pita, slightly heated and sliced into triangles, shouldn't take over 45 minutes to arrive at your table.

The wine menu is Greek heavy, but thankfully includes other options from the rest of the Mediterranean and California.  One of the coolest things about MP Taverna is that every bottle was available by the glass or half bottle.  Brilliant!  I wish more restaurants did this.

We opted for the 2010 Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon because I was enamored with the '09 I had a few months back.  It was pretty disappointing when we noticed after the server poured the bottle into our wine glasses that despite the menu clearly stating the bottle was from 2010, the bottle was actually a 2011.  The wine was too young and the restaurant didn't have decanters (the server didn't even know what a decanter was!).  The bottle was ok, but far from the great bottle we had expected and paid for.

If you are looking for a slightly more intimate dinner, ask to be seated upstairs.  Otherwise, the dining area behind the bar is lively, playing a mix of music aimed at a mid 20's to mid 40's crowd.  This is a great place for a double date, especially if you have friends that will order family style.  The menu (including the specials) is large and narrowing down what to eat was a good problem to have.  The food is well portioned and thus easy to share.  With so many tempting choices, you'd be sad to go it alone.

While everything we had was good, there were definitely a few standouts.

What to Order:

To start, opt for the Bulgar Salad with dates, almonds, pomegranates, pistachio, red onion and olives.  This dish is served cold, tossed in a light dressing, and is packed with color, texture and flavor.  I would have preferred if the dates were chopped (they are too big to be bite sized) but other than that, this salad is an interesting alternative to the standard Greek salad (which is also on the menu).










If the Lamb Risotto is on MP Taverna's list of "Specials", you must order it.  This was hands down the best dish of the night.  MP Taverna's Lamb Risotto should be a permanent fixture on the nightly menu.  The shallow bowl of risotto was mixed with braised lamb shank, Parmesan cheese, a blend of parsley, dill, and chives, shallots, and garlic.  Despite the few service hiccups, the Lamb Risotto at MP Taverna is reason enough to return.  As you can tell from this shot, it was so good, we could barely leave it alone long enough to take a picture.









If you are looking for something light yet satisfying, order the Grilled Branzino.  The portion size, which included a side of your choice, was impressively large (and also attacked upon arrival, which explains the sad state of affair of the fish on the skillet).  The freshly caught fish was dressed with olive oil and oregano, highlighting the quality of the fish.  This dish is a nice balance to the heavier lamb dishes.

Looking for a food adventure minutes outside the city?  Once MP Taverna works out a few service kinks, I know I'll be back,

Your foodie friend

Lafayette (Brunch)

Ok Carmenelli, we are officially through.  No more disappointing brunches or dinners.  No more terrible service.  The only highlights of my brunch at Lafayette were the company and the outdoor seating, neither of which are remotely related to your cooking and service, the essence of your restaurants.

Carmenelli, you have a Patisserie located on the premises of Lafayette so your croissants should be exceptional and fresh.  But my chocolate croissant had a hard, log of chocolate in it.  While the dough was light and flaky, there is no way you can pawn that underwhelming treat off as a freshly made croissant.

Both of our mains were terribly overcooked.  The Brussels style (aka Belgium) Waffle with Nutella was charred in some places.  And the whipped cream on top was flavorless, so the waffle needed much more nutella then was lightly drizzled on the charred waffle.  Also, the Smoked Salmon in the Benedict was thoroughly cooked so it was like eating a cooked piece of salmon (not even cooked to medium rare), not a savory breakfast dish.

The service was worse at brunch than at dinner.  We repeatedly had to ask the server to serve us (e.g. take our order, deliver maple syrup for the waffles, bring us the bill, etc...).  It took asking twice and twenty minutes to bring out the maple syrup, by which time the waffles were cold, which certainly didn't improve its already lackluster taste.

What to Eat:

If you are stuck eating at Lafayette for brunch, the only item that was delicious was the Eggs Lafayette, Lafayette's take on deviled eggs.  The hard boiled egg halves were piled high with a puree of smoked sablefish, and then topped with trout caviar.  I would order at least one of these per person.

Anyone else cross Carmenelli's restaurants off their list?  I know I won't be back,

Your foodie friend