Sunday, September 30, 2012

We arrived at our New York "home" Sunday afternoon on an uneventful American Airlines flight. After a quick taxi ride to our apartment, we headed down to the "Hot and Crusty" to buy our breakfast supplies for the week. As we rounded the corner . . . NO HOT AND CRUSTY! The windows were boarded up and two guys stood with signs exclaiming that the owners had closed it rather than negotiate with employees over a whole list of grievances. It was the NFL lockout! We would have settled for substitute employees, but it was not going to happen. So we found our own substitute a few blocks down, but Marlene reports that their bagels are poor substitutes.

Sunday night's restaurant was not a disappointment. Our first of many reservations was at Recette in the West Village. Marlene had read that the menu was "French inspired," but their website describes it as "Urban American."

The menu is designed as small plates and while you can order a la carte, our effervescent waitress suggested we choose one of the chef's tasting menus — 5 course, 7 course, or 10 course. Since we had vowed to pace ourselves, we opted for the 5 courses.

The wine list was different — wines from France, Italy, Spain, Greece and America — but narrow selections from each country. For instance, the reds from America were all Pinot Noir. We chose a nice Cotes du Rhone.

We were served an amuse bouche of marinated hamachi with uni, sea beans and harissa. After our first bite, we knew our first meal in New York was a winner.

For our first course, we were pleasantly surprised to each receive a different dish. We shared and didn't have a favorite — both were excellent.

MARINATED ARCTIC CHAR, Oyster, Crunchy Salad, Celeriac, Bonito Broth, Bottarga

TOMATO SALAD, Maine Lobster, Baby Summer Lettuce, Aged Balsamic Vinegar

Next, we were both served a cold sweet corn soup, which contained a tempura fried squash blossom with peekytoe crab. We ate every bite.

As you try to imagine the food, also try imaging the music. These wonderful dishes "rode out of the kitchen on the percussive thunderclouds of Pearl Jam, Nine Inch Nails, Alice in Chains, Metallica and Tool." And it worked. For those of you who are musically inclined, you'll enjoy this article in the Times.

Out third course was perfectly prepared roasted scallops with lots of caviar beurre blanc (butter!). They were yummy.

Next came Berkshire Pork Belly. It was the leanest pork belly I've ever had; it was fabulous.

The final course was dessert and it was so perfect that, again, both of us ate every bite.

“SMORES,” Graham Cracker Ice Cream, Toasted Marshmallow, “Hot” Chocolate Ganache

Recette was a fantastic start to our gastronomical New York adventure. And, believe it or not, neither of us felt "stuffed" at the conclusion of our meal. But we still had our taxi drop us at 40th and 2nd and we walked back to our 63rd and 2nd apartment.

  Monday, October 1, 2012
 

Copyright © 2012 TwoForTheTable.com