Neglect

Oh, blog, how I've neglected you. But, fair readers, you would have had no interest in my mediocre late-night meal at the uptown 'inoteca in the middle of last week. The panini (proscuitto, goat cheese, tapenade) was good, as was the antipasto platter (olives, an overdone and cold fritatta, sopressata, a mild cheese similar to provelone, some kind of squash, pickled fennel/carrots/cippolini onions), but the arugula and pickled onion salad was over acidified, despite calming fresh shaved parmesan. Oh, well.

On Saturday, we went back to Dell'Anima to see the chef and overordered. Bruschetta came with virtually an entire loaf of bread--and we finished it all. Our spreads--rapini with pine nuts, caramelized onions, chick peas--probably would have been enough for dinner. But then came tender grilled octopus (vastly oversalted) with chorizo, and quail served over grains with fresh cucumber and mint. My favorite course was the pasta, toothsome orichette with a lamb ragu and some kind of bean. Complimentary risotto was also oversalted, probably a result of more chorizo.

Striped bass came pan-seared and with the skin on, garnished with a spring garlic puree. I haven't had such a beautiful piece of fish in a long time. Chef also sent out a skirt steak with his own version of chimichurri sauce, but upon its arrival we realized we were much too full and brought it home for happy leftovers.

Last night, finding ourselves in Murray Hill, we went to Artisanal for snacks. I never realized Artisanal was so expensive. A duck and foie gras rillette with apricot marmelade came with an unlikely dose of cornichon. Onion soup was delicious but completely ordinary. Steak tartare had all the usual suspects. The macaroni and cheese (I felt obligated to order something cheesy, given Artisanal's dedication to dairy) came with penne, and I will admit that I just hate macaroni and cheese made with penne. It never seems to hold the cheese the proper way. The bill was a whopping $100 for our snacks and wine tastes (a boring list, for those interested). I won't be going back.

We're planning for Chinese food in Sunset Park today, provided we actually motivate and make it. I'm vowing to be less remiss in my posting in the coming week.

*
Artisanal
2 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10016
212.725.8585

Bar Seats

At Dell'Anima, the downtown late-night hot spot that everyone keeps telling me to visit, the worsening economy has not reared its ugly heads.  We entered a fairly empty dining room a little past one in the morning and sat at the kitchen bar.  That is, the line of seats directly in front of the chef.  You can watch the grill and pasta stations as you eat.  

The chef, a friend of my dining companion, informed us that the restaurant had served a staggering 200 people.  On a Sunday night.  In March.  Few restaurants have the loyal following of this one.  No ornery disposition followed us into our late-night meal.  I appreciated that.  All too often, I've been the server on the opposite side, livid at the nerve of the diner before me eating well after normal human hours. 

We ordered four dishes, ate six.  Grilled sweetbreads arrived amidst a fennel marmalade and parsley root puree.  The sweetbreads, unadorned by the familiar trappings of batter and oil, were soft, clean, and delicate. 

Next came Brussels sprouts and a farm egg with lardon.  The egg was runny and bled gooey innards over tender sprouts.  I hated sprouts until last year.  I don't know what took me so long to come around.  

Paper-thin ravioli stuffed with a blood-red beet puree.  Poppy seeds.  Brown butter.  

Homemade tagliatelle (flour-free diet be damned!) with bolognese.  Pliable, toothsome pasta, yolk yellow.  Perfect. 

Gnocchi with oxtail ragu, mirepoix, perfect celery leaves.  

Finally, the most perfect dish of all: skin-on orata (seabream) cooked en papillote with green and black olives, fresh thyme, fingerling potatoes, and lemon.  

They charged us for our lambrusco and amaro.  Where had the food disappeared?  The six-course meal, in all its delicacy and impeccable execution, had been sent out to us for free.  

But I would have paid, and been happy to do so.  And I'll definitely be back. 

*

Dell'Anima

38 8th Avenue 

New York, NY 10014