Today's review roundup includes: Grotta Azzurra, Pho Hoa, Amma, Pearson's Texas Barbecue, Public, Pylos
NYTimes Diner's Journal William Grimes visits Grotta Azzurra (177 Mulberry Street, at Broome Street):
. . . The reborn Grotta Azzurra is not too proud to put grilled sardines on the antipasto menu. Caprese salad, of course, remains on the menu. But there are deluxe touches here and there, like grilled langoustines, drizzled with a little olive oil, or the ravioli stuffed with lobster and crab, flavored with vin santo. By and large, seafood dishes outperform the meat dishes. Leading the list are swordfish with a robust topping of slow-cooked tomatoes, caper and black olives, and pan-seared lobster alla diavola, in a bright, fiery tomato sauce. It has twice the personality of grilled pork chops with polenta and cipollini onions, described in the menu, for mysterious reasons, as `stuffed.`
. . . There are better Italian restaurants in New York. A lot of them, in fact, But Little Italy, or what's left of it, needs all the help it can get these days. Grotta Azzurra, simply by refusing to be a cartoon Italian restaurant for the tourist trade, takes a noble stand.
NY Newsday reviews Pho Hoa (136-71 Roosevelt Ave., Flushing):
Pho Hoa. . . is part of an international food franchise, specializing in pho, a richly flavored, Vietnamese beef noodle soup. With operations in more than a dozen states, mostly in California and the West, as well as in Canada and six Asian countries, this is the first one to open in New York.
. . .Pho soups are divided into three categories: "The beginners" selection features lean cuts of beef and a broth skimmed of most fat; the "regulars" section offers fattier cuts of meat and a richer broth; while "the adventurers" listing has a mix of beef cuts, such as tripe or tendons, much loved by the Vietnamese but less familiar to the American palate. In addition to a rich, beefy broth and pieces of meat, the soup has thin rice noodles and garnishes of fresh bean sprouts, sliced white and green onions, fresh basil, and mint. If you want, you can spice up the soup with a squirt of red chili sauce from bottles on the table.
Citysearch reviews Amma (246 E 51st St):
The clean-flavored, delicate version of Indian cuisine served here is impressively tasty; several discrete notches above the average decent neighborhood establishment. Spinach chaat--peppery, batter-fried leaves topped with zingy mung sprouts--makes a terrific starter; so does a trio of small, subtle samosas. Tandoor-grilled lamb chops are incredibly juicy and savory, and a pear chutney sets them off terrifically. Kararee bhindi--crisp, tangy okra and onion salad--is memorably pungent. A couple of dishes, like the sauce-drenched Madras chicken and the tomatoey Malabar salmon, verge on ordinary, but that's the worst that can be said. Desserts--fluffy housemade mango cheesecake, kulfi in citrus soup--are a must-try.
Citysearch reviews Pearson Texas Barbecue (170 E 81st St):
Thanks to low-and-slow mesquite heat, the dozen-plus barbecues are intensely smoky and tender. Regional purists: Check you biases at the door. A Texas brisket sandwich, brimming with full-flavored slices, is the house specialty, but North Carolina-style chopped pork, meaty beef short ribs and snappy Kielbasa also stand out. Sample the three ketchup-based sauces with a trio of chopped 'cue "sliders" on mini Portuguese rolls. Porky collards and creamy cracked corn would make a southern grandma proud.
Digital City reviews Public (210 Elizabeth St.):
A hotbed of contradictions and incongruities, this fancy Soho spot knows how to garner attention. Open to the public, but "owned, envisioned, designed and run" by NYC-based design and concept company AvroKo, Pubic boasts a minimalist decor defined by smart usage of wood and brick, accented with simple glass vases and carefully placed ivy. A wooden magazine rack is filled with nostalgic publications and punch card-like paper menus are dispersed on wooden clipboards. Everything converges to give the effect of a public library. The food is a menagerie of flavors, cuisines, textures and tastes, epitomized in complex dishes like grilled kangaroo on a coriander falafel with tahini sauce and green pepper sauce; and roast duck breast on cassava chips and bok choy with sesame soy dressing and pickled chilies. These creations were conceived by a trio of chefs brought together by AvroKo: head chef Brad Farmerie, and imported New Zealand chefs Peter Gordon and Anna Hansen of London's Providores.
Village Voice Robert Sietsema reviews Pylos (128 East 7th Street):
In a saturated East Village restaurant environment that puts a premium on novelty and innovation, Pylos is the right thing at the right time. The menu neglects whole fish in favor of regional specialties inspired by the Greek cookbooks of Diane Kochilas—in fact, she's listed on the menu as consulting chef. Originating in the Ionian Islands—the site of Odysseus's home port of Ithaca—just west of the mainland comes kotopoulo sartsa ($13), a half-chicken cooked in a crock with tomato sauce. Little rafts of gooey yet firm graviera cheese float on top. The dish is tasty, but it caused a friend to exclaim, "This doesn't taste very Greek to me, more like Italian." The northern mainland region of Epirus is credited with a pork stew called psaronefri ipirotiko ($15), medallions clay-cooked with onions and sweet peppers, reminding me of Eastern European kvarma. No surprise: ancient Epirus included parts of modern Albania. One of the main attractions of Pylos is that it confuses our idea of what Greek food ought to taste like.
The grilled sardines ($10) are some of the best I've had in the city, three charred beauties refreshingly dressed with purple onion, chopped tomato, and flat-leaf parsley. From the "Greek Comfort Foods" section of the menu, roast leg of lamb ($13) is delicious, though geographically unidentified, and so is the pastitsio, a macaroni-and-ground-meat pie topped with clouds of béchamel. You won't be surprised to learn that it's offered—like fully half the entrees—in a crock. Though I've enjoyed nearly everything at Pylos, I'm disappointed that the menu ignores game like quail and rabbit, a major Greek passion, as well as the kebab of braided lamb liver, spleen, heart, sweetbreads, kidneys, intestines, and tripe known as kokkoretsi. Pylos clearly wants to challenge us, but not too much.
