Veritas et Venustas

 Veritas et Venustas

Veritas

    No doubt the Romans were reflecting on the effects, not the aspects of wine, when they said, "In Vino Veritas." There is however, a nobler truth to be found in great wine and cuisine. A truth both exquisite and genuine. To dine at the recently reborn Veritas, is to taste that truth.

    Joining Patti and I on this excursion is friend and blog wine advisor, Jackie. If anyone knows how to leverage the magic of Vetitas it would be Jackie. We cherish her company whenever she joins us and take unabashed advantage of her knowledge at times like these.

Aaron Zebrook watching over the front of the house.

   Aaron greeted us at the door as if we were expected guests, diplomatically arranging three seats at the bar. While Veritas has become more casual it has not lost its underlying haut service. 

First the Wine

Movia, Veliko Bianco, 2006

"we need to have enough love in our lives to transmit the passion"

Ales Kristancic

   A  fellow Bar Eater, Jackie appreciates wine excursions on roads less traveled. To start, she chose the Movia, Veliko Bianco, a blend of Ribolla, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio. Movia is Ales Kristancic's family's vineyard on the Italian border of Slovinia. Ales is something of a wine rock star with a dynamic personality and an adventurous approach to organic wine making. The Veliko Bianco, was an exquisitely complex, experience; we loved it.

The Space

Extending the possibilities for Bar Eating. 

    Meticulously designed yet casual, Veritas has a warm, welcoming feel. We love the extended bar and the possibilities it opens up for Bar Eating with friends. Credit for the elegantly balanced tones and textures of this room goes to Creme Design of Brooklyn. They have a lot of great work in their portfolio.    

Bartender Jon

   Confined to a more restrained roll than the average bartender, Jon was still a lot of fun. His affable nature made bar conversation a pleasure. A genuinely clever guy, Jon did his undergrad at culinary school and holds a masters in finance, though I suspect the ladies were more impressed with his other attributes. We enjoyed our time at the bar, but were so enthused with the wine that we never got around to trying any of Jon's cocktails.

On to Dinner

 First the Salmon and Tuna Crudo with Citrus, Pomegranate

   The right beginning, a refreshing palate awakener for the meal ahead. Jackie liked it so much she went with it for dinner. I didn't taste the special crab salad appetizer she and Patti shared, but there was a lot of "mmm-ing" going on next to me, while I had my crudo.

Seared Scallops Roasted Cèpes, Sunchoke Puré, Foie Gras

   That's my plate above; rich and delicious, I knew I had to have it, when I saw the guy next to us enjoying his, well before I'd glimpsed the menu. Patti had the Roasted Chicken with Potato Leek Cake, which she found hearty yet elegant.  If you'd like a better look at the food than I can provide with my little camera in dim light, there's a video with Chef Sam Hazen and Pastry Chef Emily Wallendjacks' descriptions at Vetitas Michelin Video. 

More Wine

Chateau Musar 2002

  
 Keeping with, organic wines from unexpected places theme of the evening, Jackie chose Chateau Musar 2002, a blend by Gaston Masar, of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Carigan. Chateau Musar  is in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon. It hasn't been easy making wine in Lebanon over the years. Which may explain Musar motto "Labor vincit omnia." Patriarch,  Serge Musar's philosophy, "wine must be true, it must be alive and it must linger long enough to infuse into memory." That it did beautifully. 

Orr Reches Sommelier

    We didn't get to meet Rubén Sanz Ramiro, Veritas' head sommelier, but we were ably taken care of by Orr. Being from Israel, he was eager to engage Jackie in some some banter on middle eastern wines.

The depth and breadth of Veritas' wine list is phenomenal.

  No discussion of Veritas would be complete without a little about      
Park Smith. A legend of the wine world, he is one of the greatest collectors alive today and one of the original owners of Veritas.

   Collectors, why do they do it? It must have something to do with possession of perfection. Yet, with wine the cake conundrum applies; to experience it is to consume it. And for we humans, to share that experience makes it all the more rewarding. Perhaps that's why Park opened Veritas to begin with. I've never met the man, but I suspect he would agree with Keats about truth and beauty.

Dessert

Chef Sam Hazen pours Orange-Vanilla Cream
over Cranberry Bread Pudding with Candied Pecans.

   Sam was very generous with praise of his staff. He wouldn't let us leave without trying some of Emily Wallendjacks' desserts. Bread pudding is a favorite of mine and Emily's is divine. She was preaching to the choir, Patti & Jackie, with her Chocolate Hazelnut Bar.

Bread Pudding happens to be my handle.

   

The Chef

The girls loved Sam.

   With good reason, Sam Hazen is a very charming man and a very talented one. Great chefs are artists and artisans at the same time, designing and making. Best known for his tenure at Tao New York and then the Las Vegas version, Sam's career is one of depth and breadth. It is obvious that he is at the height of his powers. It is equally obvious that he genuinely cares about what he does. We didn't interview Sam we simply enjoyed his company. (Also, a Bar Eater shout out to Chef de Cuisine, Alexander Williamson, who began his career at Nick & Toni's where Patti and I met.)

   The reviews are in, of this elegant new version of the once venerable Veritas; her three stars restored, the work of artists and artisans at the top of their games.

Veritas

You will not find what is true in life, if you have not experienced its beauty.

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.

The John Dory Oyster Bar - Exactly

Exactly

The John Dory Oyster Bar

No Reservations

   In  many ways The John Dory Oyster Bar is exactly what Bar Eaters are looking for. Ken Friedman and April Bloomfield are riding the crest of a trend in dining. Sam Sifton in the New York Times knows what he is talking about when it comes to food, but when he gets to grousing about the wait for a table... Well I think he needs to loosen up and join the bar eaters movement. While we waited for a spot at the bar, we enjoyed a crisp Spanish Albarino, and got on the spot recommendations from a very nice couple who had just finished their meal. It was Friday night about eight when we arrived, our dear friend and Bar Eater Blog wine consultant, Jackie joining us. The wait wasn't bad. Maybe we were lucky. Time is relative, and thanks to Tre Bicchieri we were in a festive mood. 

Bartenders, Theo & Tom

   Theo and Tom have got it down. They were busy but never seemed rushed. Concocting Sasha Petraske's authentic cocktails requires real craftsmanship. But, there is more to bar-tending than the mixing of drinks. People bring a range of expectations to a bar, looking for everything from servitude to friendship. Bartenders walk the line, the sweet spot is in the middle; that's where you will find the best.

The Oyster Bar

   Of course we had oysters. You don't go to an oyster bar and skip the oysters, unless you are forced to against your will. I understand even some vegetarians will eat oysters. We ordered half from the east and half from the west. Can't say which were better, although I must confess the Peconic Bay oysters, which we tried because they are local, were not our favorites. The food reviewers have spoken and I'm not a food reviewer, so I'll just say April Bloomfield's offerings live up to the hype. We had the octopus, the squid and the fluke with a quinoa crust, all were excellent, (check the menu for details). The Parker House rolls deserve special mention. How can something so basic be so fabulous? 

  Whoa baby, that's refreshing! Tom whipped us up a mid meal cocktail using some of his own patented elixer. (If he hasn't patented it yet, he'd better.) We'll be looking for the stuff to show up out east this summer.

Here it is, TomR's Artisanal Elixers.

   Looking back at The John Dory Oyster Bar, as we walked out into a prematurely warm February night. I could not help but wonder why it took us so long to get here. Well, three months is probably just the right amount of time for a restaurant to hit its stride. Friday night she was a thoroughbred. 

Café Luxembourg - Perennial Favorite

Perennial Favorite

Café Luxembourg

     I've been going to Cafe Luxembourg since Keith McNally opened it... a long time ago. The business, along with the Odeon now belongs to his ex-wife Lynn Wagenknecht. It's still a great place for the basics, like French onion soup, (a Patti favorite when its done right). The steak frites, their "Luxemburger," and their tuna burger are all tasty. Not to forget minted peas, a personal favorite. We don't go there expecting fine art just a good meal in comfortable surroundings.  

   None of Keith McNally's establishments are original creations. It is his interpretation of European classics that makes them special. Luxembourg while calling itself a bistro is actually a riff on a brasserie. The New Oxford Dictionary defines a brasserie as “a type of restaurant with a relaxed, upscale setting, which serves single dishes and other meals. A brasserie can be expected to have professional service, printed menus, and, traditionally, white linen (unlike a bistro which may have none of these). Typically, a brasserie is open every day of the week and serves the same menu all day.” 

    While Cafe Luxembourg is based on a European classic it is, never the less, very "New York" in its way. Nothing finishes off a long stroll in Central Park like a warm meal and warm company at the bar.

Sometimes the well worn path is the best way home.

Le Jolifou - Sincerity

  Sincerity

Le Jolifou

   Bear with me, as I sketch out the Bar Eater philosophy. I know we're bouncing around a bit but Montreal isn't far to go to have a unique experience. While many of Canada's cities aren't so different from their US counterparts; Montreal is distinct, not only on the continent, but in the world. In less than an hour, (six by car), from New York, you can be there. (Don't forget your passport).

        

Joli fou translates to "pretty lunatic."   

   I was born in Montreal and although my family left Canada when I was young, the city still holds a place in my heart. Patti and I had come for the weekend, to celebrate my birthday. Saturday night we were looking for a unique and lively place for the birthday feast. The reviews of Le Jolifou were excellent and the name implied a certain levity. French - Mexican fusion definitely sounded different. Whoever was putting those cuisines together had a sense of whimsey. The who turned out to be chef David Ferguson and with his wife, sommelier, Helene Brault.   

                      

   There is a proper bar at Le Jolifou, however out of curiosity, we sat at the one over looking the kitchen. I remember watching David and his crew in full culinary fury, cranking out one enticing dish after another. We couldn't help but ogle the oysters as they were lined up. I don't know how he noticed, With so much going on, but suddenly there they were, Oysters with green apple mignonette, as tasty as we had imagined! I understand they have recently changed the menu so I can't speak to it directly. I don't know what to make of the new "roadhouse concept," but I'm sure David's experimentally playful spirit is behind it. We'll have to check in when next we are in town.

Cooking for people

    During the hight of the evening, chefs are too busy for any real interaction. But when the dinner rush is over, sometimes there is an opportunity to meet them. Fortune was with us this night. We got to talking with David and persuaded Helene to stay for a glass of wine before she headed upstairs to the kids. He is an anglophone from Ontario and she a francophone from Quebec. They live a life they have created for themselves. And they share their creation, Le Jolifou with anyone lucky enough to drop in. Pianist and blogger Minna Re Shin tells the whole story in her post from last summer. 

 Helene & David

   There is no pretense, nor posturing at Le Jolifou. These are real people and this is real food. Art is genuine when it is practiced with sincerely. What a lovely place to spend your birthday. And what lovely people to share it with. Canadians are known to be among the nicest people on earth. 

Sincerity is a big part of that.

La Huella - The Ideal

The Ideal

La Huella

   Last winter Patti and I escaped, briefly to José Ignacio, Uruguay. If fortune ever finds you there, you will see what a simply beautiful place it is.

A convient map of José Ignacio

"La Huella" means "The Trace"

   I know this is a little far afield for many, but I begin here to establish what we see as perfection. The Zen of perfection to be precise. Not a striven for perfection, but a natural, unforced perfection. While there are many excellent places to eat and drink in José Ignacio, we kept going back to La Huella.

   The crowd is from literally everywhere, with substantial Argentinean and Brazilian strains. What they say about these South Americans is true. They are warm, friendly and sensual, hedonistic in the best sense of the word. Their love of life, family and friends is palpable. Likewise, La Huella's staff achieves that often elusive balance of casual yet attentive service. The physical setting is essentially an elegant surf shack, airy and open letting in the surrounding beauty along with an ocean breeze. 

   La Huella cuisine is more about execution than invention. Everything we ate was simply perfect. Coco Weissmann in responsible for the sushi, some of the freshest we have ever tasted, likewise the cocktails, especially the Mojitos. Nothing about La Huella tries too hard and yet everything is just right.

Mmmm, take me back to José Ignacio...