Vetri

Vetri, the 10-table Italian restaurant where chef Mark Vetri creates miracles, is impossible to get into for a reason. Some say it's the best Italian restaurant in the country, and I would agree. My unforgettable evening there began when Mark Vetri himself walked out of the door to make a phone call (he then went back inside to cook my food). Not only was I excited to see him, I was eager to taste his delicacies:

Golden sweet onion crepe with white truffle fondue


Quail sausage with salt cured egg yolk, basil, and potatoes -A delicious mix of flavors, the basil was certainly the star of this dish.


Fazzoletti with duck ragu and black olives

Chicken liver ravioli with trumpet royale mushrooms - This was by far the best dish of the evening (I was so amazed that I forgot to take a picture of it). A photo would not do it justice, however, since the most remarkable part of this pasta was what hid inside the ravioli - a huge burst of flavor from the soft, tasty chicken liver that created quite a "party in my mouth." Am I sounding like a food critic yet? The delicate pasta (which is what Vetri is known for) melted in my mouth as well.

Roasted capretto (baby goat) with soft polenta


Orata in umido with mussels and fregola sardo - I loved the crispy skin of the fish (and it reminded me of the tasty orata I ate in Hawaii), but the mussels could have been larger


Chocolate polenta lava cake - A bit too bitter for my sweet tooth, but the warm liquid "lava" made up for that.


Panna Cotta


In summary, order at least one pasta dish!

Tinto

Tinto is right up there with Vetri; both are my favorite restaurants in the city. I've been to Tinto twice, but the pictures and this blog entry describe my most recent experience. After eating here and at Amada, I'm on a mission to try other Jose Garces restaurants. Tapas has become one of my favorite types of cuisines over the years, and Tinto does it best. I vote Tinto over Amada because the dishes are consistently better at Tinto, and the atmosphere is less noisy and chaotic than at Amada.

Charcuterie, Serrano ham wrapped figs, Cheese - We ordered the "mixto" from both the charcuterie and cheese menu, and everything tasted delicious. The cured meats were sliced thinly; the wrapped fig was a perfect mix of sweet and salty (much better than a traditional prosciutto & melon).


Tuna Tartare: big eye tuna, pickled guindilla, chorizo aioli - they could have left the bread in the kitchen and served more tuna


Pulpo: spanish octopus, confit potatoes, lemon powder - deliciously seasoned and very soft texture (despite the bumpy scales you see in the picture!)


Lamb Brochettes: lamb loin, eggplant, bacon, sherry jus - Lamb with eggplant (usually anywhere) is something I will always order, and this dish certainly ranks high among the numerous meals I've had with the same combination. The eggplant was very soft and I loved how it was wrapped around the tender lamb so that one bite included all of the important ingredients. I also thought that the presentation of skewers in "shot glasses" was a nice touch. And as you can see from the photos, all dishes were presented very nicely, so A+ on that.


Mussels with chorizo, fries, wild mushrooms - The mushrooms were the best (from this picture). They came with roasted potatoes, shallots, and parsley, with shallots and garlic as the dominant flavors. The mussels were also very delicious, but they could have been larger (I had the same complaint about the mussels at Vetri; I like big mussels!) The fries were brilliantly seasoned, but they were dipped in lemon aioli which didn't seem to go well.


Be sure to order the Sopa de Castano (not pictured), the best soup (and perhaps dish) that you may ever taste in your lifetime. It's truffled chestnut soup, duck and mushroom hash, fried quail egg, and pistachio. The flavors are just incredible and a hint of smokiness, paired with the distinct taste of truffle, just puts it over the top.

Barclay Prime

Not all steakhouses are worth the money, so if you're willing to splurge, do it at Barclay Prime. It's a "prime" steakhouse! The dining room is chic and classy, with green, squared couches and cushioned seats, old library books on the shelves, and delicate chandeliers (I wouldn't expect anything less from Stephen Starr).

Oysters and Caesar Salad - There were three different types of oysters, and while all were delicious, one type was especially plump and tasty (sorry, I forget which one!) I'm new at eating oysters, and these were certainly good ice breakers. Speaking of which, they were presented on a perfect block of ice. The caesar salad was excellent, not drenched in dressing and extremely flavorful; lettuce was crisp and fresh (and in small pieces, which I like).


"Choose your weapon."


16 oz. Dry-Aged NY Strip - Their signature steak and quite a hunk of meat, it was savory, tender, well-seasoned, and juicy. Leftovers heated up fairly well the next day!


Toasted Peanut Butter S'mores - These are not mushrooms, but marshmallows on top of a brownie, graham cracker, and peanut butter ice cream - I would have preferred the ice cream by itself; nothing else in this dish was nearly as impressive.