Aureole

34 E 61st St

Situated between Madison Avenue and Park Avenue on the Upper East Side was a two story restaurant from the Charlie Palmer Group called Aureole. I use past tense because as I type these words, Executive Chef Christopher Lee is preparing the last plates for his final evening at 34 E 61st Street’s Aureole; the restaurant closes tonight. It is this closing that prompted InterSportsWriter to make reservations for 2 at one of his favorite dining halls in the city.

The Charlie Palmer Group is a collection of restaurants, wine shops and boutique hotels across the country under the direction of master chef and entrepreneur Charlie Palmer. Palmer is famous for his Progressive American cooking, or the art of combining distinct flavors and unusual concoctions.

Evidence of Palmer’s unique creations can be found in the following 9 course Vegetarian Pre-Fixe tasting menu served during our visit:

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Wild Asparagus w/ Asian Flavors

Summer Squashes feat. Burrata Cheese, Honey Mustard & Baby Greens in a Lavender Rosemary Dressing

Artichoke Ravioli feat. Tomato, Capers & Black Olive in a White Wine Butter Sauce

Green Asparagus feat. Watercress & Frisee in a Morel Mushroom Cream

Forbidden Rice feat. Ramps, Rhubarb, Fiddle Head Ferns & Pistachio Nuts

Spring Vegetable Tasting feat. Fava Beans, English Peas, Apricot Chutney & Chanterelle Mushrooms

Coconut Tapioca w/ Cherry Compote

Vanilla Buttermilk Panna Cotta feat. Strawberry Rhubarb Sorbet, Toasted Cornmeal Cake & Lavender Meringue

Warm Chocolate Banana Tartlet w/ Salted Caramel Ice Cream & Macadamia Croquant

After the tasting menu, I understood why my dining companion felt so strongly the establishment; Aureole is dining at its finest. The Vanilla Buttermilk Panna Cotta might be the single best thing to grace my lips in 2009, which is saying something because I have tried some pretty spectacular dishes this year.

Following the Panna Cotta, the Spring Vegetable Tasting and the Artichoke Ravioli were my next 2 favorite dishes. I didn't care so much for the white foam served with the Warm Chocolate Banana Tartlet; it looked and tasted like soap. In addition, the Rhubarb served with the Forbidden Rice was not so pleasing, but everything else was perfection.

The meal was bittersweet in a sense because I knew it would be the first and last time I ever visited the famous Upper East Side establishment. However, the good news is they are relocating to the Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Park.


DAMAGE ~$135 (pp, 7 course tasting menu)
VERDICT: GO NOW! (once their new location opens)

teany

90 Rivington St

It’s tea time at teany.

Despite my obsession with coffee and the jitters that result when I don’t get my fix, I’m actually a tea person. I wake up with tea every day and wind down with it nightly. Thus, a visit to teany on the Lower East Side not only makes sense, it is expected. I ventured here one afternoon following an eventful afternoon of watching people dance their way down Broadway during New York City’s annual Dance Parade.

The tiny vegan eatery opened by Moby and his ex-girlfriend Kelly Tisdale features 98 different kinds of tea and a decent selection of salads, soups, sandwiches, and breakfast items. Though crowded, I scored a table upon arrival.

I tried their “Hairy Crab Oolong” tea and a cup of lentil soup. Service was a bit slow and my tea was forgotten (I had to remind the server), but once everything arrived, it was very tasty. The tea was hot and flavorful with a distinctly peachy aroma; the soup was chunky and thick—the way soup should be.

I entered on an empty stomach. A pot of tea and a small cup of lentil soup left me full and satisfied. There is an interesting selection of vegan desserts, but my sweet tooth was not up for the challenge (rare but it happens). The place did feel a bit pricey (oolong tea starting @ $7.50), but all in all, teany is worth checking out.

There is no doubt I will be back. Hopefully the service will be better the second time around.

DAMAGE ~$15 (CASH ONLY)

VERDICT: Go

Billy’s Bakery

184 9th Avenue (b/w 21st St & 22nd St)

Holy Cupcake! Billy’s Bakery offers a variety of baked goods with one specific goal in mind—to satisfy your sweet tooth.

And satisfy my sweet tooth it did, so much that I teetered on the brink of nausea during a recent visit to the tiny Chelsea bakery.

The following was consumed in one sitting:

Chocolate Cupcake w/ Buttercream Icing.

Slice of Peanut Butter Pie.

Butterscotch Mini-Cheesecake.

Amongst my sugar overload, what stood out were the pie and the chocolate cupcake. The buttercream icing was superb; the cupcake itself was creamy and moist, ranking among the best I’ve had in the city. The pie was like biting into a jar of creamy whipped peanut butter topped with nuts and chunks of chocolate. The cheesecake, however, was somewhat disappointing; overtly sweet and dry.

Apparently, the bakery is known for their red velvet cupcakes; they were in the middle of making a new batch when I went. Rather than wait for them to finish (and endure creepy stares from onlookers noticing the drool creeping down my chin), I checked back two days later and bingo—red velvet cupcakes galore!

I had one red velvet cupcake and a slice of their banana cake (I couldn’t resist). Once again, yum and yum. I’m not sure if the red velvet is all it’s cracked up to be but it’s worth splitting with a friend. The banana cake, especially the icing, was so delicious that I still recall the taste clearly as I write several days later. This is worth stealing from your friend.

There are a couple more items I plan to try on future visits, and with a location opening up in Tribeca mid-June, that visit will be soon.

Recommendation: I would shy away from their cheesecakes but definitely try a cupcake or 4. If you order a plethora of desserts, try not to consume them all at once.

DAMAGE ~$20
VERDICT: Go

Ost Cafe

441 E 12th St (corner of Avenue A)

Ost Cafe, located in the East Village on the edge of Alphabet City, easily falls into my top five coffee shops in the city.

NYLawStudent and I stopped in for a late afternoon/early evening coffee on a Friday. I had a large mocha and a cookie sandwich cemented together with Nutella. NYLawStudent opted for an iced coffee.

Everything was perfect and delish. I expected the cookies to be hard and stale given the time of day. In fact they were the opposite; soft without being crumbly and ideal for coffee dipping. The coffee was smooth and allowed me to forgive myself for passing on Abraço’s coffee (don’t give me that look…they don’t have chairs and I didn’t feel like standing).

Perhaps the true selling point of Ost Cafe is the atmosphere. With large windows and ample natural light, it has that open airy feel of quaint European cafes. Its location away from the larger avenues of 1st and 2nd is perfect for catching up with friends or enjoying a latte with a good read. They offer free WiFi during the week.


DAMAGE ~$7.50
VERDICT: Go

Bread Tribeca

301 Church St (b/w Walker St & White St)

A 24-hr visit to New York City is not complete without the staple Sunday Brunch. For this reason, I insisted CanseoTaris and I feast at the prime Brunch hour of 1pm, several hours before she had to catch a flight back to Texas.

We ended up at Bread Tribeca, not to be confused with Bread off Spring Street. Despite not having reservations on Mother’s Day, we were seated immediately. I ordered a latte; my companion asked for a chocolate potion of deliciousness…more on this later.

For the meals, CanseoTaris ordered a salmon dish, while I had their specialty for the day, the virgin frittata w/ goat cheese, arugula, and tomato. It was one of the only items on the menu I could order.

The frittata was good but not spectacular—is there such a thing when it comes to frittatas? CanseoTaris really enjoyed her dish. The side salad that came with the frittata was a nice touch to finish off the meal.

Looking back, I should have brought a tape recorder to remember exactly what CanseoTaris ordered to drink. Her request was vague, “I’d like something cold with chocolate.” The server completely understood and returned with something light, cold, and chocolaty. It was the perfect drink on a gorgeous Spring day.

The space was open and airy, reminding me of Montreal cafes. Service was on the slow side. I can’t say whether I’ll be back due to the limited Brunch menu, but I will never forget that amazing chocolate drink.


DAMAGE ~$54
VERDICT: Pass

The Chocolate Room

86 5th Ave, Park Slope, B’lynDid someone say chocolate?

InterSportsWriter did, so ISW, CanseoTaris, and I ventured to Park Slope’s The Chocolate Room following dinner in Williamsburg one Saturday evening.

After a short but excruciating wait (no reservations accepted), we were seated at a table for 3 and proceeded to pour over the vast menu.

CanseoTaris, still full from dinner, ordered a small scoop of Sorbet Valrhona Chocolate Ice Cream.

Meanwhile, the true chocoholics at the table, InterSportsWriter and I, split the following:

Black Bottom Butterscotch Custard

Brownie Sundae w/ Hazelnut Ice Cream

Chocolate 3-Layer Cake

CanseoTaris’ ice cream was very tasty, but the butterscotch custard blew everything else away. It featured a thin layer of chocolate syrup on the bottom, and I just couldn’t get enough. It was so good that I hardly remember the other 2 desserts. However, I do recollect the cake being slightly on the dry side and us being unable to finish it. I don’t recall the brownie sundae at all. Not sure if that’s good or bad…I blame the custard.

If you live in Park Slope, you probably frequent this place often. If you don’t and are now considering subletting your apartment to move within walking distance from this chocolate fortress, just remember they also have a location in Cobble Hill.

I felt absolutely no qualms fueling my addiction to chocolate because I was surrounded by a room full of like-minded souls. Thus, until I figure out a way to sponsor myself a trip to Belgium for “research,” Park Slope’s The Chocolate Room will have to suffice.

DAMAGE ~$55
VERDICT: Go

Zenkichi

77 N. 6th St, B'lyn

It’s no secret that when dining out, I do extensive research on the restaurant and the menu. Before even walking in the door, I know exactly what I am going to order, what it will taste like, and how much it will cost.

As a result, InterSportsWriter has gotten into the habit of denying me my preview glory by refusing to disclose any details regarding the venue and cuisine of our outings.

Our latest excursion had me and CanseoTaris, a friend visiting from Texas, on the L train to Williamsburg. We exited the Bedford Avenue stop, where InterSportsWriter joined us. We were led to the end of the block at what appeared to be a shack. No sign, no hoards of people hanging about, just a wooden shack. Whatever was behind that wall better be good.

Arriving just in time for our dinner reservation at Zenkichi, a modern Japanese Brasserie, we followed the hostess through a maze of bamboo sticks to the second story and were seated at a semi-private dimly lit booth.

All three of us opted for the vegetarian six-course tasting menu, with CanseoTaris not wanting to feel like the odd one out in the presence of vegetarians.

The following is what graced my lips that evening in order:

Silken Tofu w/ Tomatoes

Spring Vegetable Tempura w/ Shiitake Mushrooms & Broccoli Rabe

Grilled Eggplant

Oven Roasted Japanese Mushrooms

Agedashi Goma Tofu w/ Scallops in light broth

Each of us ordered different desserts and rotated them around the table:

Chocolate Fondant w/ Raspberry Sauce

Black Sesame Ice Cream

Grapefruit Agar Gelee

Let me start by saying what stood out amongst the dishes: the Spring Vegetable Tempura and the Oven Roasted Mushrooms. Both were made to perfection and tasted superb.

What did not stand out was the eggplant (I am not a big fan in general), and the initial plate of silken tofu was a bit too silken for me (see texture of pudding). Also, the goma tofu in light broth was too watery for my liking.

As far as the desserts were concerned, the fondant was amazing; the ice cream was good; and the grapefruit gelee was gross (DISCLAIMER: I don't like grapefruit). InterSportsWriter, however, enjoyed it.

I was wrong about the modern Japanese Brassiere being good. What lay beyond that wooden wall was fantastic! For CaseoTaris, Zenkichi happened to be her first dinner in New York City. Needless to say, she was thoroughly impressed. I loved the layout of the space, despite the dim lighting and getting lost in the maze of bamboo sticks several times on my way back from the bathroom.

Meals are as much about the food as they are about the experience; this was one to remember. A Japanese eatery with a vegetarian tasting menu is practically unheard of. I’m not sure if I will be back, but I will definitely recommend this place to everyone I know. Be forewarned, they only do dinner Wednesday thru Sunday.

DAMAGE ~$48/pp tasting menu
VERDICT: Go

The City Grill

269 Columbus Ave (b/w 72nd & 73rd)

Meh.

A word used to describe a recent visit to Upper West Side’s The City Grill. Scoping out the menu beforehand to ensure I had options, I agreed to meet my dining companion at the American eatery for dinner.

Side note: Menu investigation only works when I know where I'm eating in advance. Otherwise, expect a mild panic attack while I grapple with finding someone with phone internet.

It was through this initial research that I learned their fries were something to try. With a little help from the server, I ordered the artichoke and spinach cheese dip appetizer and a portabella mushroom sandwich with fries for my entree.

My companion had mushroom ravioli in a tomato cream sauce.

The fries lived up to their expectations. Everything else, however, was meh. Average. Bland. Blah. Normal. Not bad, not great, just average. I was not impressed by the overall quality.

The artichoke dip was decent but somewhat bland in taste. The starter bread basket was ok, although one of the rolls felt like I was tearing into rubber (are rolls supposed to be that hard?). I had a bite of the mushroom ravioli; it tasted undercooked. My companion had no qualms, so I’ll call it al dente.

We completed our evening with caffeine. I had an espresso macchiato; my companion, a regular cup of joe. Thank goodness the macchiato was fantastic. Next to dessert, I can’t think of a better way to complete a subpar meal but with a great cup of coffee. Unfortunately, the desserts (like the menu) looked unimpressive.

I only finished half my sandwich and took the rest home. Currently, it sits in my fridge enduring insults from my organic skim milk, feta cheese crumbles, and cage-free brown eggs labeling it “glorified diner fare.” Oh well. At least the prices were reasonable.


DAMAGE ~50
VERDICT: Pass