Featured Spotlight

Tiberias

Wednesday, January 19th, 2011

When I heard that Tiberias, a new 24 hour Dairy cafe in midtown was getting sushi, I was a little disappointed. I have been a fan of theirs since they opened this past summer and I was disheartened that they were falling into the disturbing trend in kosher dining where every restaurant, regardless of style offers sushi to its customers.  The problem isn’t so much that I don’t like the option of ordering sushi, though occasionally I find it out of place, the problem is really that most of the time it’s at best uninspired and at worst a few days old from a refrigerator.

Luckily, this is not the case for Tiberias. They deliver some of the most creative rolls that I’ve ever seen and the quality and variety of rolls offered rivals most dedicated sushi restaurants.

This success stems from Tiberias’ approach. When they decided to bring sushi to the restaurant, they didn’t just find a place to order some rolls, they teamed up with Sushi Tokyo out of Brooklyn. This afforded them the ability to have access to some of the top kosher sushi chefs, not only in their store, but for catering purposes as well. Tiberias sushi chefs cater high profile parties all over Manhattan, and have even made tempura rolls while cruising the Hudson.

My first taste of Tiberias sushi came only a week ago in their 34th street store. I began my sushi experience (it really was an experience) with the volcano tempura roll – a California style roll, but topped with spicy Tuna and fried onion crunch paired with a wasabi mayo – which was outstanding. The tempura was crispy and not at all oily, and the wasabi mayo only had a hint of spice which was a really nice contrast against the warm tempura roll.

Next came a classic cucumber roll and the Narudo roll. The most striking thing about the Narudo roll is that its contents – cooked salmon, avocado, Portobello and something crunchy – were rolled in cucumber, not seaweed. It took a few bites to get used to the unique texture but as soon as I did I found it to be truly delightful, and although I’m not sure about the nutritional value, it felt healthy. The cucumber roll was exactly what you’d want a cucumber roll to be, solid – a great roll for kids or sushi newbies.

The last 2 rolls we had were called the Mexican roll and the Kamikaze roll. The Mexican roll had spicy tuna, spicy salmon, crunch, and a great salsa essence. The sauce it came with was a really intense chili sauce, which isn’t for the faint of heart – it was even a bit too hot for me – but having this roll on its own, was still a mildly spicy treat. The Kamikaze roll had tuna, and yellow tail topped with olives and drizzled with my favorite, spicy mayo. Upon special request they added orange masgo caviar on top. The caviar and olives gave the roll a nice subtle saltiness that differs from the saltiness of soy sauce you may usually associate with sushi. It was unexpected, but it really struck me and was easily one of the highlights of the meal.

When I walked into the restaurant I could not have imagined myself leaving happy, but I could not have been more wrong. The sushi is moderately priced and really well made. Each roll has its own unique character, and there are over 100 variations on the menu so there is always something new and exciting to try. I work a bit too far away from Tiberias to conveniently go there frequently, so hopefully I’ll have an excuse to have their sushi chefs cater one of my parties soon!

Tiberias
45 East 34th Street
New York, NY 10016

(212) 481-4222



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V-Note: A Vegan Delight

Sunday, October 31st, 2010

Vegan: A strict vegetarian; someone who eats no animal or dairy products at all.

It used to seem to me that putting the word vegan before restaurant was a way to justify second rate food at top tier prices, but in the past few weeks my opinion has changed. My realization began with Blossom, a delightful restaurant on 82nd and Columbus and it continues with V-Note (not surprisingly both of these restaurants are owned by the same person). Vegan has become a mark of quality.

The restaurant hits a high note (be thankful I made it this far before making that joke) with its laidback wine bar atmosphere and stylish decor. The front entrance is separated from the seating area by a few half walls some lounge couches to have a glass of wine while you wait for a table or the rest of your party.

My evening began with a glass of Cabernet that was delightful and the perfect way to warm up from the rainy chill outside. The meal started with a wilted spinach salad and a house made ravioli.  The salad, with shitake mushrooms, roasted corn, and cashews was lightly dressed with a warm balsamic vinaigrette and garnished with a (fake) bacon crumble. The ravioli, stuffed with smoked tempeh, spinach, and pine nuts was served in a deliciously rich cashew cream sauce, which I ate with a spoon when the ravioli was finished.

For our main courses we got the feiloadinha stew and seitan scaloppini and a side of French fries. The stew, an almost chili like mixture of smoked tempeh and beans garnished with sweet potato chips, was not my favorite dish of the night. That’s not to say it wasn’t tasty, it certainly was, but it didn’t have the wow factor that many of the other dishes brought to the table. The seitan scaloppini, fried gluten cutlets served in a white wine sauce atop mashed potatoes and spinach was the highlight of the night for me. Its wonderfully simple yet elegant combination of flavors, layered over the unique texture of seitan made for an outstanding dish (check out the picture!). The french fries, crispy with a hint of basil, were a perfect compliment to this delectable meal.

The appetizers and main courses, while not the biggest portions I have ever seen were certainly enough to send me away a happy camper, but a quick peek at the dessert menu, made it clear I couldn’t leave without sampling them. We got a rich Chocolate Gnash cake, with Vanilla ice cream, and a touch of raspberry and mint gele on the side. The cake was Donald Trump-esque rich and more than a bit ostentatious, which I love, but don’t say you weren’t warned. We also got a Peach tart on a freshly made pie crust, with Vanilla ice cream, and a thin crunchy pastry cookie on top. The cookie was the highlight of the dessert and combined with the sweet peaches provided the perfect cap to a tremendous meal.

Whether for a first date, romantic night out, or just a night on the town with some friends, V-note (and Blossom) are redefining what it means to be vegan.

V-Note
1522 1st Avenue
New York, NY 10021

(212) 249-5009

Click here for the V-Note listing



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Ariel’s of Englewood

Thursday, October 14th, 2010

Raise your hand if you’ve heard of this brand new restaurant before reading the title of this review. Odds are you haven’t and you really should fix that.

Walking into the restaurant for the first time my friend and I were greeted warmly by the owner, Craig Solomon, and shown to our table. The restaurant is spacious, very well lit (a restaurant that wants to let me see my food), and stylishly designed with a clean take on classical Italian motifs.

As we were seated, the waitress brought us a basket of delicious, home-made crispy, baked, Parmesan crusted bread. Our meal began with a selection of soups, a classic tomato garlic soup and a zucchini with mint soup that while good on their own, became sublime as vehicles for the bread.

After the soups we got a couple appetizers, risotto poppers and tuna tostadas. The fried risotto and wild mushroom balls served with an oregano mayonnaise sauce were extremely rich and buttery – and as someone who likes mushrooms, I loved them, but they are certainly not for everyone. The tuna was perfectly pan seared and served with cucumber and avocado on a crunchy tostada and topped with an excellent chipotle aioli.

Our appetizers were followed by four mains: pesto pizza with roasted tomatoes, striped bass, feta and spinach stuffed flounder, and cappelletti with fresh mozzarella. Pesto pizza is a tricky thing, it’s often dry, overly salty, or tastes only of garlic, but none of those problems plague this pizza. This is a truly delicious pizza, moist and flavorful. One thing that I was thrilled not to find on the menu was sushi. There is a bit of an epidemic in kosher dining that all restaurants, from pizza stores to steakhouses must have sushi! Craig, who graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, and trained with Bobby Flay for 2 years, takes his fish dishes in a more elegant and creative direction. The striped bass is seared and served with it’s crispy skin still attached. It is served sitting regally atop a bed of cilantro lime rice and mixed vegetables. Both the presentation and taste were spectacular. The flounder, stuffed with spinach and feta cheese, was quite possibly the first feta cheese dish I have ever enjoyed, since it managed not to be too salty. The homemade cappelletti pasta was served with mozzarella, made in house, that had an outstandingly soft texture, though the sauce it was served with was a bit standard given how flavorful everything else was.

Up until this point the meal was very very good, great even, but dessert is what really put the meal over the edge. It started with an out of this world flying saucer, or ice cream sandwich, made with home made cinnamon ice cream, on a freshly baked chocolate oatmeal cookie topped with a delicious caramel sauce. This was followed by a flourless chocolate cake, one of many gluten free options on the menu, that was as rich as you could possibly hope for. Then came the highlight of the meal, the autumn carrot cake. This cake, teeming with chunks of carrot, was topped with a super rich cream cheese frosting garnished with candied lemon and orange zest. It is an absolute must have.

Ariel’s restaurant may be a bit out of the way – it’s in Englewood – and a bit under the radar, but don’t let those things keep you from checking out one of the finest and most affordable (dishes range between $15-$20) dairy restaurants around today.

Click Here for the Ariel’s Restaurant listing



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Blossom – A vegan restaurant without an inferiority complex

Monday, August 30th, 2010

When I was told I’d be reviewing a vegan restaurant I was apprehensive, to put it mildly. The few lacto vegetarian restaurants I’ve visited have all shared a fatal flaw – a lack of confidence. Embracing a strong fear that vegetable-only menus wouldn’t appeal to the carnivores in the crowd, they served up imitation meals of mock chicken or beef, which tasted like salt and had the consistency of soggy marshmallows. These experiences lead me to believe a great vegan meal was no more than wishful thinking. Thanks to Blossom, I was wrong.

The restaurant’s allure begins with its décor. Blossom has a stylish, somewhat trendy design that features exposed ductwork, natural wood, and minimalist art. It’s not overpowering, and combined with the ample lighting (a restaurant that realizes I want to look at my company and, more importantly, my food) it creates a truly pleasant atmosphere, perfect for a friendly get together or a date.

My friend and I were seated quickly and with good cheer. Upon browsing the menu, I was delighted to see there wasn’t a single “mock” item in sight. We began our meal with specialty juices dubbed Pink Lady – a sublime juice mixture of beet, pineapple, ginger and pear – and Field of Greens – a mixture of spinach, cucumber, apple, lemon, and ginger that was less successful, only because it was a bit tart.

From there we moved onto appetizers, Goldenbeet Carpaccio and Autumn Sweet Potato Rolls. The beets were served with an excellent sweet drizzle (there was a hint of cinnamon) topped with a dab of horseradish sauce. The sweet potato rolls, raw sweet potatoes wrapped around a medley of raw vegetables, were a little underwhelming despite the efforts of a delightful ginger dipping sauce.

The evening truly blossomed (Get it? Get it? Yeah, you get it.) when the entrees arrived. The first was the Shepherd’s Portobello, Portobello mushrooms topped with a parsnip and truffle mash with a subtle peppercorn cream sauce. The mushrooms were cooked perfectly, and were firm, not crunchy or mushy. They delivered the powerful meaty taste that Portobello is known for, which was complimented perfectly by a smooth and light topping.

The Southern Seitan Sandwich, was no less delicious. It is a perfect combination of crispy fried seitan, which unlike many vegan staples has a satisfying texture, spicy chipotle sauce, and amazing rosemary focaccia bread. I can’t stress enough how much I enjoyed this sandwich.

The real star of the evening however, was the side order of sweet potato fries. No matter what you get at Blossom, make sure you get an order of these delectable finger foods. They may not be the healthiest item, on what is otherwise a very healthy, organic menu, but they are a must have.

I loved Blossom, and I heartily recommend it to anyone looking for a moderately priced, parve lunch or dinner (our bill came out to $30 per person, a bit more if you choose to partake in Blossom’s extensive wine selection). In the interest of full disclosure I should point out that my meal at Blossom was free. In the interest of even fuller disclosure I’ll let you know that I gladly paid for my meal the next night. Blossom is a unique restaurant, in my experience – a vegan restaurant without an inferiority complex.

Click here for the Cafe Blossom listing



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Yummy Yummy True to Its Name

Monday, August 9th, 2010

Yummy Yummy is one of the newest gems for kosher diners who work and live on the east side of Manhattan. Yummy Yummy offers a dairy Mediterranean menu, primarily focused on their highly touted falafel. Although their menu isn’t necessarily ground breaking, it’s their attention to detail that really sets them apart from like menu’d restaurants in the area.

The front of the restaurant is opened to the street in classic Israeli style, which is quite inviting. The interior is clean, sleek and modern. Although the look of the restaurant is welcoming, the atmosphere in the restaurant can be a bit overwhelming. On my visit to Yummy Yummy, there was loud techno music playing, and the place was very busy, as it was during their lunch hours. While both of these by themselves are not bad, coming in to that from the hot summer sun makes it all slightly off-putting.

The negatives come to a screeching halt at this point, as the food at Yummy Yummy definitely lives up to its name. I approached the counter and was greeted by friendly staff, who were more than happy to recommend their favorite items. I began my meal with a split pea soup, a bold choice on a summer afternoon, but even on such a warm day it turned out to be a good choice. The soup was creamy, but not to thick, and had just the right amount of spice to make it really interesting. To make sure I covered all the recommendations I was given by friends, I ordered a Falafel box, which came with 6 falafel balls on a mound of chumus, along with 2 sides and unlimited use of the salad bar. In addition, I ordered a Sabich sandwich which consists of eggplant, chummus, and a sliced hard boiled egg, along with all the salad you can fit inside. The chummus had a really authentic homemade Israeli taste which is a giant upgrade from the packaged supermarket variety that is often repurposed and used in restaurants. The falafel was crispy on the outside and soft and warm in the center, and even when I asked for a bit of olive oil to be drizzled over the top, it still was not overly oily. The Sabich sandwich was a new experience for me, and one that that I will be sure to repeat. Gearing up to try the Sabich is when I found the hidden gem of Yummy Yummy: authentic Israeli Amba sauce (Mango Chutney). Whenever I visit Israel, I drizzle Amba over almost every dish I have, and their version brought me right back to the streets of Jerusalem. I had my Sabich in a whole wheat pita, with Israeli pickles, and a healthy amount of Amba over the top. I highly recommend this for anyone looking to have a filling lunch, without going into a “heavy food coma”. The last dish I tried was the classic Potato Boureka. I wasn’t expecting much from the Boureka, but I was pleasantly surprised. The dough was flaky on the outside but still held together well, and the potato in the center was quite tasty.

One thing that you will notice in Yummy Yummy is the diverse crowd. Most kosher restaurants attract mostly kosher customers, however, at Yummy Yummy, the majority of patrons were not Jewish. It definitely seems like they have made a great impression on more than just the kosher the community in a very short amount of time.

All in all it is nice to see a new kosher place open up with a real focus on customer service, and attention to detail. The prices are highly competitive and the staff is friendly and helpful. I highly recommend giving Yummy Yummy a try!

Insiders tips:
- Try and check it out a little before noon or after 1:30 for a calmer experience.
- If you’ve had your fill of falafel recently, make sure to try the Sabich Sandwhich which is fresh, light, and delicious.

Click here for the Yummy Yummy listing



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