New York Restaurants

and yeah, some of the ingredients are heated (in order to get certain things to adhere to each other, like the nut-based cheesecake, etc) but nothing has been cooked.

couple friends of mine (non-veg) have told me the desserts at Pure are amazing

no, like lauren said, it's also meat-eaters who can't believe that uncooked food can be so amazing.

-- Tracer Hand, Wednesday, July 18, 2007 7:54 AM (2 hours ago)

what about carnivores who eat uncooked meat?

yeah for real! the raw foodies haven't done nearly enough to incorporate ceviché, steak tartare etc. into their menus. it's because they're all actually dirty hippie vegans, masquerading as rawists.

i would really like to try a good raw restaurant sometime. in fact, the whole idea sounds really appealing and healthy and energizing, but i just like meat too much to be convinced it's worth switching to completely.

yegen v. ripert, child, et al - http://newyork.metromix.com/restaurants/article/and-god-created-orhan/155154/content

btw, the nyt's 'discovery' of kebab cafe was contemporaneous with its post-renovation reopening (i.e. it was news of sorts) and highlighting on bourdaintv - http://astorianyc.blogspot.com/search/label/Kabab%20Cafe

(and an archive search indicates that they previously discovered it 7 times between '98 and '02)

My well-to-do friend ordered Nobu take out three nights in a row while I was there. It was excellent, but I felt like something was missing when I wasn't paying for it.

Has anyone ever tried Blue Hill (the NYC or the Westchester County one)?

Blue Hill is really good (the one in the village). Food is seasonal and not overdone, big vegetable flavors, OK decor, service is brilliant. It's a food-over-scene deal, which I like.

bf has always wanted to go there, the westchester one

food over scene is so nice

Wife and I are going to the Westchester one for our anniversary. I am psyched.

Yeah, food over scene is key. I am not very scene.

I went to Blue Hill in the village six months ago. I plead guilty to it being totally up my ideological alley with the seasonality and big flavors and hushed worship of the solitary baby vegetable and all, but it was the best meal I've had in NYC since Jean-Georges was in the kitchen at JoJo (I haven't been to J-G itself). It wasn't scene-free tho, I thought.

What did Honmura An ever become? I heard J-G took the space over and were gonna do something...

Anyone been to Masa or Bar Masa?

I've been to Masa twice and Ginza Sushi-ko (Masa's old restaurant in LA which is now Urasawa).

oh that'll be a great anniversary spot xp

really enjoyed queens hideaway the other night, even if my seafood gumbo was just okay. shoulda ordered the tongue.

I've been to Masa twice

was it worth it? practically the most expensive place in the city (which is saying something)

I think I would try Per Se before Masa if I was going to drop that kind of $$$

I've heard the Westchester Blue Hill is really good. was supposed to go one time but had to cancel -- my friends went without us and ended up sitting one table away from the whole Clinton fam.

our meal at blue hill was wonderfu, although next time i'd do a cheese course instead of a sweet dessert. they were lovely to look at, but a bit underwhelming after the excellence of the rest of the meal. my big complaint: the beautifully presented, interesting wine list doesn't have a "big, bold" red (their words) for under $50.

Blue Hill was really good. You certainly pay for it, but at least you have a unique food experience. We spent a few hours on the farm, then changed in the restroom and had dinner. We went for the cheapest option - two-course plus dessert, but they gave us a couple of extra tasting dishes on account of our anniversary and we splurged a bit on a bottle of wine. You can't really eat pork and lamb like that many places, regardless of price (or vegetables like that, for that matter), not to mention that it's from animals like the ones you've just spent the day watching in the pastures and pens outside. I thought the deserts were great, actually, except slightly too sweet. I couldn't have even handled a cheese course by the end.

The whole "sustainability" thing is a bit of a marketing gimmick - this is basically aristocracy eating for the capitalist age - high quality, small quantity estate livestock and produce for anyone willing to put up the money.

Had Congee Village for the first time 2nite. Dried scallop congee/clams in black bean sauce/pan fried shrimp noodle all delicious.

blue hill in the village was one of the first real top-notch restaurants i ever went to in new york (the first was patria).

a friend of mine went there once and puked up afterwards because she hadn't eaten in like a day and a half and then went straight for the pork shin once she was there.

Hey, is Wo Hop still there? I forgot to look for it the last couple of times I was in town. I used to love their big bowl of periwinkles.

I don't think Wo Hop will ever die. Last time I was there was maybe 18 mos ago, though, so anything could have happened by now.

Does anyone have anything to say about Aurora in Wmsbg?

went once a while ago, it was pretty good.

I'm going to Zenkichi tonight.

yeah, went to aurora in soho once. solid modern italian.

Anyone recommend any good drinking dens for this evening?

looking for a nice somewhat romantic place in Williamsburg or an adjoining neighborhood, but quality of food is probably the top consideration. Any other recs are welcome.

Emma B, mrs Tracer Hand, rates food at Aurora very highly, which is about as good a recommendation as a place can get. I might try next week. I believe it is Cash only.

menu looks great

dressler. still haven't been myself, but i've heard glowing reports (and it got a michelin star, ooh la la).

ed, what neighborhood?

dressler looks good too but I have a feeling the wife will like Aurora better

is east side company bar still going? i love that place.

LES, Willamsburg, wherever, if anyone else is out drinking would be good too.

yeah, east side company is still around, i think. you'd probably like that, ed. milk and honey-affiliated so it has wicked cocktails but it isn't a members bar. on essex st, in the les. i think i'm out of commission tonight sadly due to martini/red wine hangover. ow.

it's the first thing that came to mind when the phrases "Ed" and "drinking den" appeared in the same sentence

Dressler has top hipster decor but it is noisy and overpriced, in my book.

You want Aurora for romantic. Grand to Aurora is one of the most romantic walks in Williamsburg. It is cash only. You need a reservation. Request the garden area if you can get it. The wait staff have such thick Italian accents you can barely understand them.

I am not a big drinker but the Prosecci are really good. Their pasta is like candy, and I don't even like Italian food!

only been to dressler once, but it was awesome (venison wau)

Definitely worth a visit. Brooklyn, represent.

Speaking of Williamsburg Italian, did any of you ever get to try 718 diner (R.I.P.)?

http://www.freewilliamsburg.com/restaurants/archives/w-diner.jpg

Their chocolate souffle was to die for. Does anyone know if 718 is permanently closed?

Another great, mobbed-up North Side Italian joint is
Cafe Capri at 427 Graham between Frost and Withers (technically Via Vespuccci).

http://www.brooklynrecord.com/archives/060719wrap.jpg

BEST ICED COFFEE.

dressler = fantastic. best service i have ever received.

also great in williamsburg: the diner/marlow pair. always great.

I ate at the 718 a while back. I thought it was good but the meal was not especially memorable. They had really good coffee though. Didn't know it had closed.

cafe capri is great.

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