Motorino - The Use of Superlatives

The Use of Superlatives

Motorino

   Superlatives are more often a product of emotion than reason. A rational person does not engage in absolutes without caveats. And with them, what are we really saying? Best not to fall into the habit of using superlatives. Le raison avant la passion.

La perfezione della pizza.

   It is easy to be drawn into rating familiar things like pizzas, hamburgers, martinis... A year ago Ed Levine’s and Adam Kuban ran around the country in an effort to determine the (superlative deleted) pizza in America. Creative competitions generate interest but with so many variables, their results are meaningless.

Business was brisk.

   Bar Eater's Blog, friend and wine consultant, Jackie used (the superlative) when she told us about Motorino East Village last year. And each time we go, we say this has got to be the, (superlative deleted) pizza in New York. (Speaking as a New Yorker, that may mean the world). We are always blown away. Last year Patti took our friend Carlo, a very discriminating Milanese gentleman, to eat at Motorino. Sig. Carlo takes cucina very seriously. While he is much too refined a man to use superlatives in polite conversation, it is safe to say, he was favorably impressed. Chef/Owner Mathieu Palombino is the man behind the notorious pizza. Sam Shifton used (the superlative) in his New York Times review, but gave Motorino only one star.   I know how hard this is, for anyone, let alone an artist, but ratings aren't real. The proof is in the pudding, or in this case the pie. Last Sunday night Patti & I finally made it to the original Motorino in Brooklyn.

The Meal

Watermelon radish with sweet onion, plum tomatos and basil in vinaigrette.

   Simple and fantastic, it was a seasonal special. I confess this is the first time we have tasted a watermelon radish; it won't be the last. Matthew's brilliance in balance is very much in evidence here.

The meatballs.

   Searching for great Italian meatballs in New York has all the intrigue of a truffle hunt. With strong competitors tucked away in many less traveled parts of town. Patti is the Bar Eater's meatball aficionado. She liked Motorino's, but holds her highest praise for others. It might be a fun to do a Bar Eater - Meatball Crawl, someday. 

The subtle, perfection of this pizza stirs profound feelings.

    I do not exaggerate. While, tomato, mozzarella di bufala and basil lend their unadulterated magic, ultimately the sorcery is in the crust. Mathieu Palombino has created something of perfection. The doing, but not over doing, of every detail. Something rarely achieved in cooking, let alone life. This quality is consistent. We have never been disappointed and feel safe in saying so.

Photo by Alexandra

Patti & I after dinner, dropping the "superlative bomb."

The Room

   The Williamsburg space is way more comfortable than the East Village location. Warm and inviting, it has a neighborhood feel. It was worth the trip to Brooklyn, (which isn't really that far), to sit at a bar in such agreeable surroundings.

 The  bar, adequate but unremarkable.  

   Motorino is a Pizzeria with a bar and we are glad they have one. But, what can I say? Bar Eaters prefer a more robust bar experience. Our bartender, Alexandra was very sweet and hard working, but too young and inexperienced to master a real bar. Motorino has a reasonable selection of wines, but you don't come here for the wine. Pick something serviceable and get on with ordering your pizza.

Motorino, Brooklyn

There is a point when something moves beyond really, really good, to something that feels like... best. 

Ok, there I said it.

Pure Food & Wine - The Synonymy of Fresh

The Synonymy of Fresh

crisp, raw, natural, unprocessed, new, modern, original, novel, innovative, unusual, 

unconventional, offbeat, unorthodox, radical, revolutionary...

Pure Food & Wine

Nasturtium...

   Having wrapped up our juice cleanse, Patti and I were looking to ease back in to solid food with something healthy. While there is a lot of innovation going on in vegetarian cuisine these days, it is still a relatively small field. So where can discriminating bar eaters go to find food that is fresh and exciting? At the top of the natural food pyramid here in New York is Pure Food & Wine. Originally the (2004) creation of notorious chef Matthew Kenny and then girlfriend, chef Sarma Melngailis (sordid details); it still purveys some of the most inspired food to be found on any menu, in the city. Alone, Samara seems to have accomplished what Matthew never could, to keep a good thing going. 

First Plate

   We began with spinach and nasturtiums stuffed with polenta and garnished with droplets of wasabi, (a special not on the menu). Wow, what a re-entry! Not to forget the, olives cured in fennel and orange. We followed up with the zucchini and heirloom tomato lasagna and the sweet corn and cashew tamales. The lasagna, a signature dish was delicious, but the tamales were our favorites. 

 The Bar

   So that's how the fast was broken. But what did we drink? We were sorely tempted to toast our successful cleanse with a Master Cleanse Tini, but went with the, Saint Clair sauvignon blanc from New Zealand, (organic of course), because first night back, it was all about light and crisp.  

The sangria looked great, something to remember for the summer.

Victor 

           (a bit blurry)

   A word about Victor, our bartender for the evening. A genuine guy and pleasure to meet, he knows what he is doing and he keeps it real. So often its the added dimension of a good bartender, natural, unaffected, in tune to their surroundings that ties the whole experience together. We look forward to running into Victor again.

The knock on this place is that the portions are small and the prices high. It is undeniably, on the expensive side but we never balk when quality is exceptional. In our view, it is the mediocre that's a waste of money, at any price point. As for the portions they seemed ample to us. We even had left overs.

Chef / Owner Sarma Melngailis blogs about everything at One Lucky Duck.

Intermission - Blue Print Cleanse

Time for a break... 

Blue Print Cleanse

   From time to time it is wise for even the most ardent of bar eaters to pause and regain balance. This week is that time for us. I am not a subscriber to the belief that we humans are inherently "unclean" and therefore, in constant need of "cleansing." However, perhaps because I'm a Libra, the idea of rebalancing makes some sense. Blue Print Cleanse seems to be based on the alkaline diet theory. No matter what, eating (or in this case drinking), extremely fresh and simple food is a good idea after a run of lavish consumption. Just a week without alcohol and fat, at a thousand calories a day, is bound to lighten your load. 

   The folks at Blue Print Cleanse have it all worked out. You get six numbered bottles for each day of your cleanse, delivered fresh and packed in ice. A couple of days in,  I can report, all are palatable, even tasty. The green juice (1, 3 and 5), is the core of the diet, and tastes as the name implies. Concoctions 2 and 3 are quite refreshing. And 6, is reasonably rich and satisfying, so hitting the sack is no problem. We are far from suffering. The system is a smartly worked out even, dare I say, pleasant approach to "cleansing."

The Finish Line

(Maybe, reusable glass bottles for we locals.)