Living on the east coast, I could only take advantage of two of the top cities to enjoy during the Winter edition of Restaurant Week (RW). It was a gastric expanding experience to say the least. And, while there are still great cities to enjoy RW (like Chicago, Feb. 18th-27th), I decided to wrap it up and give my wallet and stomach a break!
I ended weeks of finger lickin' and belt loosing with an "under the radar" pick: ANJA Bar in the Meatpacking District of New York City. The "in-the-know" spot is easily overlooked due to its clandestine front. But once you step through the unmarked doors, the transformation begins.
I would describe the menu as "Asian appropriate". A decent selection of traditional Asian options like steamed dumplings and duck dominate the menu. The three course RW menu gave you an appetizer, entree and dessert.
I moved on to Grilled Chicken Salad. Much better! A true representation of the restaurant, the pacific rim seasonings brimmed with flavor. The highlight for me was the slivers of fennel giving my mouth a burst of freshness with every bite. It was a delicate balance of green papaya, mint and peanut tossed in a vinegar based dressing. The strips of grilled chicken gave the salad great depth.
Encouraged again, I prepped myself for the entree. A slow cooked beef short rib arrived to my delight. Holding true to the Asian theme cubed diakon and rutabaga replaced the typical potato starches that accompany the beef. Ordinarily, I spend my time picking through any beef dish, making sure it is fork tender and the sauce is well-developed. But, when I encountered the pearls of pickled mustard seed -- my routine was broken. The seeds burst in your mouth with the rich unique taste only mustard can provide. These blissful bursts gave this dish a whimsical edge. Not to mention the beef was perfectly cooked.
Look at the pickled mustard seeds on top...HEAVEN! |
My meal concluded with a molten lava chocolate cake. It should be well documented by now that I don't like dark chocolate. So, when a dessert based around dark chocolate impresses me, its worth noting. This isn't one of those times. Okay, maybe that was a bit harsh. But the cake was basic. The highlight was the homemade vanilla bean ice cream and the salted caramel drizzle. Personally, I could have had the ice cream and caramel without the cake.
Come for the food, stay for the ambiance...in that order. ANJA was a fitting end to the "Big Apple" bonanza of food frenzy. 4 forks up for the decor, 2 1/2 forks for the food. Now, if I can just burn off my self proclaimed "baby fat" in time for RW this summer.
To recap, I am going to list the restaurants I visited and my brief review on each.
WASHINGTON D.C.
Vidalia - 3 1/2 forks up. Check out my full blog review.
Jaleo - One of few Spanish-themed restaurants that aren't "dives." The Washington, D.C. stable delivers fresh and vibrant ingredients with swift service. 3 forks up.
Vieiras con calabaza y clementinas (Scallops) |
CoCo Sala - 4 1/2 forks up. Check out my full blog review. A MUST.
Farmers and Fishers - Sister restaurant to the more popular Founding Farmer's, the locale is perfect. The food is eh...okay. The decor is fun and simplistic. I definitely prefer her big brother. 2 1/2 forks up.
Birch and Barley - Beer lovers will reel at the endless spout of beer options. The bread is disgustingly GOOD and can soak up all your "ales". I enjoy kitchen theatrics, so the open air kitchen was fun.
Kalamata Olive Roll, Cornbread, Pretzel, Beer Mustard |
B. Smith's Union Station - There are a few constants about Union Station: Photo snapping tourists, dashing commuters and in the East Hall: B. Smith's. With such a scarcity of upscale minority-owned restaurants, it's great to see B. Smith still at it. Good Southern with stand out service. 3 forks up.
Oceanaire - One word: consistent! Oceanaire is like Tim Duncan and Pete Sampras combined; a proven winner with no pizazz. It's the perfect place for a business lunch or dinner. 3 forks up.
Cuba Libre - Check out my full blog review. 3 forks up.
Divino - Okay, this was technically part of Bethesda Restaurant Week but it was close enough. Flawed with food presentation issues and "the finish touch" Divino needs a little help. I enjoyed the warm-herbed bread and that was about it. 2 forks sideways
NEW YORK CITY
Gotham Grille - Check out my full blog review. 3 1/2 forks up
Cipriani Dolci - BBBBOOOOOOOO!!!! Check out my full blog review. 2 forks of disappointment
Red Rooster - Marcus Samuelson is my hero! The rebirth of Harlem continues with the addition of Red Rooster. Sophisticated southern meets Samuelson's background. Leave the allure of down and mid-town and hop on the (2) express up to Harlem and see how they've changed. 3 1/2 forks up
Morimoto - If I wasn't so busy, I would have given this restaurant its proper "full review". The famed Iron Chef delivers a zen-filled perfection of amazingly prepared Japanese traditional. From the decor, to the service, to the food, I found reason after reason to give them "brownie points." 4 forks up and 2 chopsticks on the side.
Bon Apetite! Make sure to check out of the photos from Restaurant Week on our facebook page: www.facebook.com/foodiesandfatties
I want to try Morimoto, the pictures look amazing. Of all the restaurants both NY and DC, which one was your FAV?
ReplyDelete