Packie's Food and Wine

Happy St. Patty's Day! I know, I know, I'm a day late. But, admit it - you had so much fun celebrating yesterday that you were actually wishing you could prolong the day. Hopefully, this will help. And after finally making my first trip to the Emerald Isle this winter, I feel even more compelled to celebrate and praise the Irish for as many days as possible. If I could find a reason to talk about Ireland every day, I really would. I just can't believe it took me 29 years to discover the place! I had always been eager to wander the lush, green landscape and enjoy a few pints with the locals. But, in all honesty, I had never imagined the food would be anything to write home about. When was the last time I raved about a meal at an Irish restaurant?

I really I had no right asking that question having never visited Ireland. And, had I been there before, my answer most certainly would have been: "In Ireland!" I am not only writing home about their food, but I am praising them for it. I think the Irish have it figured out - they have kept the best of their cuisine confined to their own little island - fooling us all into thinking they couldn't see past meat and potatoes. Of course you will find both meat and potatoes on nearly every menu; but, they certainly know how to turn them into so much more - making me think twice whenever I now walk by an Irish pub in New York. Although, I know better than to stop and see if it can compare. To truly taste Ireland, you've got to get to Ireland.


My preconceived images of gorgeous landscapes and friendly Irishmen do not even begin to do them justice. Everything is just that much greener and that much jollier in person. And that is exactly how I feel about their cuisine, especially after dining at Packie's Food and Wine in Kenmare. Located in the southwest of the country, this picturesque town is situated on the Kenmare Bay, in County Kerry linking the Iveragh and the Beara Peninsulas. For nearly two decades, this tiny restaurant has taken all the concepts that Americans love and produced some of the freshest, gourmet dishes ready to take on any fine dining scene. With a focus on organic produce and fresh seafood, Packie's offers a menu that still has an Irish stamp on it. A basket of their brown bread, one of my favorite culinary discoveries during the trip, greeted us at the start of the meal. Wherever I went, I could not get enough of this national delicacy. At Packie's, I was careful to save room for our meal since the romantic, cozy setting alone had convinced me that I was in for a real treat.

We started the meal with potato pancakes and mussels in a garlic, white wine sauce. The potato pancakes were out of this world - a dish that is usually just so simple and mediocre, actually blew me away as they were full of flavor (most likely butter), while perfectly crisp. It takes a great deal for potatoes (besides French fries) to get me this excited. The mussels were, in their own way, equally as exciting. They were extremely fresh and infused with garlic. I soon realized that the Irish are not afraid of garlic - another sign that I was destined to discover and love Irish cuisine. For main courses, I highly recommend the roast rack of lamb with rosemary, red currant sauce and lentils. This is a simple, yet elegant preparation. The monkfish has been on the menu for years - and for good reason. It is roasted with a garlic and ginger crust and served with a thai dipping sauce. All dishes are offered with sides. The colcannon, an Irish specialty of mashed potatoes with cabbage and bacon, gave me reason number two to love the Irish handiwork with potatoes that night. And really, isn't everything better with bacon? For a lighter option, go with the simple green salad tossed with a light vinaigrette. It reminded me of being in a French bistro where the side salads are served with little dressing, yet just enough to fully appreciate such a simple vegetable.

While Packie's was certainly a night of fine dining in Ireland, I can easily declare that the food throughout the rest of my journey continued to impress me. Whether I was enjoying a "toasted special" - ham, tomato, and cheese toasted sandwich- or a seafood stew at a casual pub, the culinary talent was right up my alley. I'll take both shabby and chic, as long as the flavors are right on. And, I really do think the Irish are wise. Some may view it as keeping the best to themselves, while I like to think they are just perfecting their ability to host. The Irish are truly some of the most hospitable people I have encountered - so long as you head to their little gem of an island!

Packie's Food and Wine

Henry Street

Kenmare, County Kerry

Ireland

website

FOOD RATING (Out of 5):

Blue Hill at Stone Barns

Some places are simply made for occasions. Whether celebrating a birthday, anniversary, holiday, or even just the fact that we still have jobs, New Yorkers are simply made for going out. And New York City does a pretty amazing job guaranteeing its dwellers unbeatable destinations. That is actually one of the very reasons that I continue to live here - knowing that my list of restaurants to try will always be growing. But, having endless options of top notch restaurants right at your disposal can also be slightly overwhelming. What really separates a fun dinner out from an actual monumental occasion? Blue Hill at Stone Barns is the quintessential example of something special for a New Yorker. There are just so many distinguishing elements that separate this culinary experience from the consistent outings we have grown so accustomed to.

First of all, this is not the kind of place that you can go to on a whim. Located in Pocantico Hills, New York, about 25 miles north of the City, Blue Hill at Stone Barns actually requires city dwellers to drive or take a train to dinner! This is typically unheard of for those of us who have become so spoiled by the ease of taxis and subways. But, this is also just the first step in assuring that the night will be different from others. Reaching the grounds and realizing that you are actually dining on a farm will be the next indicator that you are in for a treat. I recommend arriving before sunset so that you can soak in the landscape - appreciating the fact that all that you are about to consume has never left the property. Surprise, number three - there are no menus at Blue Hill at Stone Barns. If you are seated in the main dining room, guests are presented with a daily list of over a hundred ingredients - containing the best offerings from the field and market. Based on dietary restrictions, the chef will then design a unique meal for each table - demonstrating creativity and a true passion for fresh ingredients.

Since I was actually there for a very festive event, celebrating my step mother's 60th birthday, we began the evening with an hour of passed wine and hors d'oeuvres on the indoor patio overlooking the farmlands. Not only was this an amazing way to watch the sunset, but this was also one of my favorite culinary portions of the evening. I was continuously wowed by each and every small treat that was passed around the room. We were offered everything ranging from shots of parsnip soup puree to mini beet burgers to foie gras surrounded by slivers of dark chocolate. While it is truly hard to say which were the best (and I am sure that every one in the room had a different favorite), I kept going back for more of the sea bass tartar tartlets, the potato croquettes topped with caviar, and the wild mushroom tartlets. All of these were so delicious and arriving in such a constant stream that I was actually a little concerned I might fill up before we sat down.

Seated in a private dining room adjacent to the porch, we were presented with menus describing the four course seasonal meal ahead of us - each dish paired with a different wine. Besides the wine list, this really was the only menu that existed in the restaurant that night. The meal began with Maine sea scallops with chickpeas, cauliflower, and curry. This was one of my favorite dishes - probably due to my affinity for Middle Eastern spices. The next course was a potato and ricotta gnocchi topped with locally cultivated mushrooms. My only complaint was that the portion was a little too small. I am well aware that we still had two courses ahead, but I was definitely there to feel completely full by the end - and I am certain that just a few more of these dumplings could not have hurt. The third course was my very favorite - pastured lamb with mokum carrots and toasted spices. This truly felt like a dish that had been directly transported from the farm outdoors.

Even though I had given up sweets for Lent, it took me about 5 minutes into the meal to admit that my willpower was definitely going out the window that night. For our final course, we were served a Bavarian spelt dessert which initially sounded very strange to me. I was even a little disappointed to learn that I had broken Lent for an ancient grain. But, after one bite in, I was quickly reassured. The dish was cooked with cream and spices creating flavors similar to rice pudding, and then served with caramel, poached seckel pears, and a pear-cider sorbet. It was a wonderful, light (yet flavorful) ending to what turned out to be quite a filling meal! And, to seal the deal - to truly fill us to the brim - to let it be known that this indeed was an occasion - the night ended with mini passion fruit macaroons. Yes, even on a farm in Westchester, New York, a chef has figured out how to immediately transport me back to Paris. These really were the real deal - a bite of Laduree or Pierre Herme - quite an ending to what was already a memorable evening.

And so, I leave it up to you as to how you want to define occasion. While we were there last week for a very important one, I think I am still going to stand by and support a very loose definition of the word. For all of my friends and fans out there, my half birthday is approaching at the end of the month. I'm just saying...



Blue Hill at Stone Barns
630 Bedford Road
Pocantico Hills, New York 10591
(914) 366-9600
website
FOOD RATING (Out of 5):

Little Giant

One of the best things about New York is that you are constantly discovering old friends throughout the city. Just as some of your best friends move away, you realize that many of your oldest friends have been living here all along. You have probably been going to the same bars, restaurants, and parties as them for years and may have never even realized it. Through friend of friends, I recently realized that two of my first nursery school friends have been living in NYC for several years now. Having moved to the south at the age of 5, I had definitely lost touch with them, but was excited to reconnect. It can be overwhelming picking out a restaurant for a group, but even more so when it's for group of people you may not even recognize when meeting up. While food is always top priority, I was also on a mission to choose a spot with character, in a fun part of town, and with a setting where we could actually hear each other. Little Giant ended up being a great place for our reunion.

I have always known that any friend of mine loves food - and it was so nice to see that was the case with even my childhood friends - I could even pick them out at age 3. Every one was up for sharing and trying as many things as possible on the menu. But, in the end, it came down to two words - short ribs. They were absolutely amazing. This was the winner of the night and a definite must. The bourbon molasses braised short ribs were served with rockland plantation stone ground grits and roasted tuscan kale with pine nuts, raisins, and grana padano cheese. Not only was the meat perfectly tender bringing out the hints of molasses and bourbon, but the kale was slightly charred adding great flavor and texture to the dish.

But, I should probably back up to the start of the meal, since we had previously consumed many other great dishes that led up to this glorious one. Little Giant serves organic, farm-fresh fare down on Orchard Street in the Lower Eastside. The chefs bike to greenmarkets and local farm stands to hand pick the freshest and most seasonal ingredients, allowing the chefs to constantly change up the menu. We began the meal with warm spinach dip served with thinly sliced toast, and, unlike the typical version of this dish, you could actually taste the fresh greens. The spicy okra and the buttermilk-chive biscuits served with honey butter were also great accompaniments. While they were of course familiar with biscuits, I was able to introduce my old northern friends to one of my favorite southern veggies - their spicy tomato based preparation did the okra great justice. Another popular main course were the dayboat scallops on top of a butternut squash puree, toasted hazelnuts, and mache salad - all reflecting the bold flavors of the season.

While Facebook had already caught us up on the past few years, we had about about 15 more to catch up on throughout the meal. Over the course of the evening, we were never rushed and never without some form of food or drink in front of us - a great way to cover all grounds. It soon became clear how interesting and different all of our lives had become since our last pre-k gathering. Little Giant had brought together four old friends, making us realize how easy it is to reunite, catch up, and enjoy great food. I already look forward to our next gathering or even run in since we now know what each other look like. And since it's been awhile since I mentioned them - I want to leave you with the final thought - short ribs. I just hope that even as the menu changes, short ribs will always be in season.




Little Giant
85 Orchard St
New York, NY 10002-4564
Phone: (212) 226-5047
website

The Dressing Room

All New Yorkers needs to get out of the city every now and then. Although, every time I do leave the city, it is normally not in search of a restaurant. I embrace the slower pace, fresh air, extensive greenery, among other luxuries that I once took for granted growing up in Virginia and going to college in Vermont. The focus of my city escapes rarely seems to revolve around food. I do feel very spoiled having lived in New York and Paris most recently – and know that I cannot hold the same food expectations when I visit most other places. I sometimes worry that my food taste alone will cause me to have serious problems when eventually moving from New York one day. But, I don’t think I will have to worry about that since I have no plans to uproot anytime soon.

As I was headed out of the city to celebrate my dad’s birthday this past weekend, I was looking forward to a nice, celebratory evening with family and had not given much thought to where we would be dining. All I knew was that that we were headed to Westport, CT – a town we used to frequent for shopping and a trip to the movies – never fine dining. Upon arrival, the Dressing Room immediately took me by surprise, forever changing my views of Westport dining. Not only was I transported out of the city, but I was transplanted into a countryside setting surrounded by exposed barn board walls and heavy-timber wood columns and beams. I was quickly reminded that life (and great restaurants) do exist outside of the city!

The Dressing Room – A Homegrown Restaurant – was started by Paul Newman and follows the trend of the many restaurants who are now promoting healthy, sustainable food while supporting local farmers, fishers, and producers. All ingredients are locally and organically grown – and the enormous selection of produce on the menu definitely reflects this. While most items are not intended to be shared, there were so many of us at dinner that I was able to sample a variety of different dishes. We did order a side of cast iron corn bread with honey drizzle for the table – and, in retrospect, we probably should have ordered several more. The use of the cast iron skillet brought a richness to the bread that could not have been achieved any other way.

To sum up the meal, everything just seemed entirely fresh. My favorite appetizers were the wood-fire grilled squid with heirloom tomatoes, onions, garlic crisps, and arugula as well as the Niman range baby back ribs with apple cabbage slaw. Squid can be hit or miss, and this was definitely a hit. I loved the wood-fire preparation with the addition of the garlic crisps which were basically a gourmet version of garlic potato chips. But, the highlight of the meal was the main courses - in particular, the ricotta stuffed ravioli with fava beans, snap peas, corn, and mushrooms. I have never seen ravioli prepared in this way. It was actually one big ravioli wrapped (like a present!) around extremely fresh ricotta - creating the perfect balance between the thin pasta and the cheese. The garlic, basil, and butter sauce with fresh vegetables was the perfect topping to this unique dish.

To prolong the festivities, we continued to order it up when it was time for dessert. While the presentation of the chocolate farmhouse cake arriving with a shot of vanilla milkshake was most aesthetically pleasing, the fruit-based dishes (apple tart with cinnamon ice cream as well as a peach and raspberry cobbler) were actually my favorites. It was amazing that I was able to even continue eating at this point, but the food was just too good to turn away. As we sang one last round of Happy Birthday, I looked around the table at the spotless plates and the group surrounding me - 2 Californians, 3 New Englanders, 1 Midwesterner, 2 Virginians, and 1 Floridian. Sometimes, it just takes getting out of the city to remember your true roots and to admit that you can find great food, fun, and company almost anywhere. I sat back in the warm and rustic setting of the Dressing Room. Feeling full and relaxed, I was reassured that I will be just fine, if, one day, I actually do decide to move away from New York City.

The Dressing Room
27 Powers Court
Westport, CT 06880
Phone: (203) 226-1114
website

A Cafe and Wine Room

There are very few BYO restaurants scattered throughout NYC. Prior to receiving their liquor license, many restaurants often start off as BYO - eager to set up shop, start cooking, and build their fan base. However, the moment that you realize this new, trendy BYO restaurant exists, you arrive with a pre-purchased bottle of wine only to learn that they received their license the day before - and now your dinner tab will be at least doubled. I am lucky enough to live around the corner from one of the most frequented, actual BYO establishments (Tartine) and work a few blocks northwest of another, A Cafe and Wine Room. No need to rush to A Cafe for fear that they will soon earn their liquor license - this restaurant is not changing. However,I do encourage you to hurry there for a great, affordable meal.

A Cafe is definitely off the beaten path, located in the Upper West Side on 108th street and Columbus Avenue. The restaurant originally opened over 7 years ago as a tiny, hole in the wall a few blocks south. The owners smartly expanded to a downtown location known as Ivo and Lulu - and eventually realized that the uptown location needed expanding as well. When you walk into Cafe A, you will be startled to learn that this is the larger, newer version of their uptown restaurant - it can now seat a mere 20 people! Nevertheless, A Cafe still operates on the bare minimum - a kitchen hidden behind bamboo curtains with one chef commanding a portable kitchenette. This set-up proves that food quality does not depend on fancy appliances - truly great food is left to the hands of the chef. At the same time, it made me realize that I can no longer blame my own hesitation to cook some nights on my kitchen lacking counter space, gas burners, and a reliable oven. My kitchen looks like Martha Stewart's compared to theirs!

A Cafe's setting is based around the concept of simplicity. The emphasis is on the food and that is more than apparent as wall and table decor are non-existent. The menu consists of only 6 appetizers, 6 entrees, and 3 desserts. But, each dish is far from simple - following a French, Caribbean theme which typically means a lot of spice and many ingredients. Every item they serve is organic and all-natural. While this has become a current trend in restaurants, A Cafe has been doing this for years - one of the many reasons that they are still going strong. Staying true to their original mission of creating neighborhood spots, they have also managed to keep their prices down - offering a $20 prix fixe if you dine from 6 pm to 8 pm. This is unheard of in New York City - especially for gourmet food! Even if you are not overly hungry, this is not an offer that should be turned down.

I greatly appreciated that the menu was so short because everything on it sounded so unique and delicious, making it nearly impossible to decide. The winning appetizer was baked pear with roquefort, raw honey and balsamic dressing. While it almost sounds like a dessert, the combination of all ingredients made for the perfect starter on a warm evening. But, the pheasant pate with fennel, white truffle oil and a raclette crust was a close second. This was different from any pate I had ever eaten, both in taste and in presentation (photograph above) - almost resembling a ground sausage dish with a light layer of baked cheese on top. I am pretty sure this would have been the winner had it been a cold, winter evening. Our favorite main course was the roast duck leg confit with jerk spices, peppercorn, and citrus jus reduction. This is a dish I have ordered in many French restaurants, but the Caribbean spices made it stand out from all the rest. I was also a big fan of the merguez sausages with harissa, dried figs, dates, and coconut creme fraiche; but, again, felt that this would be even more amazing in the winter.

I became more and more astonished with the kitchen as each dish came out. It just seemed impossible that one man was in charge up front and one in back. Each course came out perfectly timed and deliciously prepared. I was even more shocked when the dessert arrived. Since we were all pretty full from the prix fixe, we decided to just share one apple tart. Having no expectations other than satisfying a small sweet tooth, I was in awe when I took my first bite of the tart. I have definitely consumed many apple tarts in my day - and this was one of the best ones I have ever eaten. The apples were thinly sliced, and the pastry was equally thin and cooked to perfection. I normally take one or two bites of dessert and feel satisfied, but we were actually fighting over every morsel of the dish. Wishing we each had our own, I felt like I was in race to get the next bite in!

While I have eaten at Ivo and Lulu's several times, this was my first experience at A Cafe. Even if you do live and work downtown, I recommend that you take a trip to their uptown outpost. There will not be a line to get in and you will feel like you are truly supporting the neighborhood. It was nice not only being in a part of Manhattan that is not completely gentrified, but also feeling very welcome there. While times are changing, this restaurant stays true to its original, unique conception - affordable, BYO, simple, and organic with a French-Caribbean flare. It is a comfort to know that some things do stay the same in this city!





A Cafe and Wine Room
973 Columbus Ave
New York, NY 10025
Phone: (212) 222-2033
website