A Full Belly

NYPost on James Beard New York Nominees

NYPost on James Beard New York Nominees

California East

California east

New York Pizza, Part II

Inspired by a recent viewing of the Travel Channel's excellent Food Wars: Pizza, Slice's excellent pizza coverage, and a couple of trips to my favorite New York pizzeria, Grimaldi's, I decided to do some reseach on the history of pizza in New York City and share my findings with you. In case you missed it, here is the link to New York Pizza, Part I.

Pasquale “Patsy” Lancieri was another New Yorker to master the art of pizza-making at Lombardi’s and then go on to open his own coal fired brick oven pizzeria, Patsy’s Pizzeria, in 1933 in the then largely Italian East Harlem. Patsy’s was instantly popular, and continues to be today. In 1974, Patsy Lancieri died, and his widow Carmela, took over the business, eventually selling the restaurant and the name “Patsy’s” in 1991.

Irish sushi

Irish sushi

NYMag Best of NY 2004 Food Winners

NYMetro Best of NY 2004 Food Winners

NYC: Review Roundup

Today's review roundup includes: Montrachet, La Nacional, Compass, Gaia, Robert's Steakhouse, Riingo, Overseas Asian Restaurant, Churrascaria Plataforma.

NYTimes restaurants Amanda Hesser gives Montrachet two stars (239 West Broadway; 212-219-2777):

I hadn't been to Montrachet in years, and I suddenly felt the disappointment of returning to a childhood home and finding that the backyard is not so big as you remembered, that the curtains are kind of shabby. Montrachet even smells old.

A lobster salad in a murky broth, duck breast and a gummy tarte Tatin shot out of the kitchen and paused briefly at our table. In an hour, we were done. In some respects, it was ideal. It was a weeknight, and I didn't feel like dining into the wee hours. But three-star restaurants shouldn't treat you as a takeout joint does.

On other visits, the food took on more luster. Roasted chicken was moist, its skin crisp enough to snap. It was nestled in a potato purée with bright green peas and a rich garlic demi-glace. Risotto with truffles was dense with mushroom flavor, and uninhibited by its simplicity.

A dish of braised tripe looked a lot like shreds of carpet in a brown sauce (how does one make tripe attractive?) but hit all the right notes. It was hearty and savory — a scattering of fava beans and chips of black truffle lurked within. The squab was equally well composed. Roasted pink, it was gamy and sweet, with the breast meat sliced and fanned and a leg there for gnawing. Atop a tangle of frisée, sharing the plate, was a quail egg cooked soft so that the yolk tamed the zesty dressing. But the squab also epitomized the problem at Montrachet. Much of the cooking is textbook-correct, yet you will not be awed. You will be fed well and sent home.

Monday nights tell the rest of the story. That is B.Y.O.B. night, and the otherwise sleepy restaurant springs to life. Regulars pour in and are greeted by name. A troupe of sommeliers glide around the three small dining rooms, pouring from bottles that crowd the tables. All evening, a clamor of glasses and conversation fills the air.

. . . This kind of service can be found only in an older, established restaurant. And it sums up what has happened to Montrachet. Its reputation for exceptional wine has trumped its food. It's no longer a three-star restaurant aiming to blend perfect food, wine and service. It's a wine haunt.

RECOMMENDED DISHES Roast squab; red wine risotto; roast chicken; saddle of rabbit; trio of beef; crème brûlée; strawberry and fromage blanc dome.

2004 James Beard Nominees

2004 James Beard Foundation Awards nominees annouced

Holy shitake!

Yimay's most excellent culinary tour of Taipei. Don't miss her pork dumplings, either.

Not messing around

NewYorkish on Masa's reservation policy and diner "background checks" via OpenTable

New York Pizza, Part I

Inspired by a recent viewing of the Travel Channel's excellent Food Wars: Pizza, Slice's excellent pizza coverage, and a couple of trips to my favorite New York pizzeria, Grimaldi's, I decided to do some reseach on the history of pizza in New York City and share my findings with you. Here is New York Pizza, Part I.

Early History
Pizza most likely evolved from the flat, round, un-leaven breads eaten by the ancient peoples of the Mediterranean region, and the introduction of the tomato into European cooking and recipes in the 18th century. Pizza as we know it today is most often attributed to Raffaele Esposito, who is credited with combining pizza crust with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and basil in 1889 to honor Queen Margherita. At the time he was considered Naples' most popular pizziola (pizza chef) and at the request of the visiting King and Queen, he prepared three kinds of pizzas: one with pork fat, cheese, and basil; one with garlic, oil, and tomatoes; and another with mozzarella, basil, and tomatoes (in the colors of the Italian flag). The Queen liked the last kind of pizza so much that she sent a letter to Esposito to thank him saying, "I assure you that the three kinds of pizza you have prepared were very delicious." This letter has been preserved and is on display in Naples' oldest pizzeria, Brandi, open since 1780.

Pizza arrives in New York City
New York City is the undisputed birth place of pizza in America. But the history of New York pizza is in itself, one big dispute, beginning with who was the first pizza maker.