Restaurant Review: L'Artusi

I am going to go ahead and call L'Artusi one my new favorite restaurants. Jeremy and I actually had plans with another couple at a different restaurant because L'Artusi didn't have a reservation available, and I forgot that I had asked to be put on the wait list. So, at 4:30 that day I received a surprisingly delightful call that informed me of a reservation that opened up. The 4 of us happily switched our plans, and thankfully so, because we had a really wonderful meal!

We started with a bottle of wine recommended by our waitress, but I honestly have no idea what it was. Then we ordered up several apps and side dishes to accompany our entrees. The meal included:

A cheese plate with caciocavallo di bufala and taleggio that came with some fruit and crackers. It was high quality cheese on a pretty little plate.

Dayboat scallops crudo - raw thinly sliced scallops with sea salt, olive oil, lemon, and espelette. They were fresh, refreshing, and sliced to just the right thickness.

One of the specials, short ribs with polenta - this was divine. Short ribs were melt in your mouth, and oh so savory. Honestly, this is the best short rib dish I have ever had (and I have dabbled quite a bit in short rib). I would probably call and see when this was available again so I can go back that day to get it.

Fettuccine with rabbit, cacciatore, and parmesan - the pasta was homemade and perfectly cooked with a slightly spicy tomato based sauce that was well seasoned overall. The rabbit tasted braised and really made the dish stand out.

Side of brussels sprouts with black pepper and pecorino, which were devoured instantly. They were your typical delicious brussels cooked to perfection, crispy, and complimented with the right amount of cheese. We considering ordering 2 servings and decided against it, however we would have inhaled the second plate if it were to have arrived.

Side of caramelized parsnips with honey and almonds - I found this to have a good flavor combination, but it was a little too sticky and dense (maybe over cooked?) for me. It was getting stuck in my teeth. However, my tablemates really enjoyed them.

My fellow diners ordered the roasted beets salad and orecchiette with sausage, salumi, and pecorino. I did not taste these dishes so therefore cannot really comment, but I will tell you that there was nothing but praise for everything.

Highly recommended for date night, or even a small group. I noticed they have a nice private dining area upstairs for a small private party. Cool atmosphere and great service - I can't wait to go back!

Restaurant Review: Bohemian

Bohemian opened in NYC in 2009 (second to the first location in Japan), so it is definitely not new, however they have maintained their exclusivity as a "secret" restaurant with an unlisted number for 4 years so why not give it a try. Getting a reservation is quit difficult, so we settled on a 9pm Monday night dinner with another couple. When we arrived I realized I had actually been there once before a few years ago with a friend, so I knew how to actually find the place by entering the unmarked door and walking through a corridor all the way to the back. After ringing the doorbell, they let you in to what I would describe as a large living room with a bar and an inset garden display. It is quite small, seating maybe 20 people, and all of the seats are large loungey arm chairs with coffee tables and other non-traditional restaurant tables. They have chill music playing, but it is very quiet and the place feels intimate.

There is an option for a reasonable $55 tasting menu, however I was with 4 people and since they serve everything family style, we figured we could try everything we wanted by ordering a la carte. We went with:

Mac & Cheese - kind of random on this Japanese menu, but good nonetheless.

Washu-beef tartar - delicious and not scary raw, just really high quality raw.

Uni croquette - croquettes of mushroom cream topped with fresh sea urchin. This had quite the umami flavor and was very rich, creamy, and divine. You must order this.

Washu-gyu beef sliders - again, high quality beef and a pretty substantial slider. Bigger than a slider and I wasn't sure if we ordered enough so this definitely rounded out our menu selection

Pan roasted branzini - brought to the table whole, head on, and in a cast iron pan accompanied by anchovies, kalamata olives, onions, fingerling potatoes, whole bulbs of garlic and rosemary sprigs. The waiter filleted it for us at the table, but there were of course lots of little bones you had to watch out for. Aside from that, this fish was amazing. Crispy skin and flaky tender fish inside that had a simple flavor, because light seasoning was all it needed. A must order.

Foie gras soba noodles - the noodles were served in a tasty broth and we had to weirdly ladle out our servings. Besides the difficulty of splitting up the dish, the broth was so flavorful and the foie gras was really rich. It was a interesting combo with the soba noodles, but it all blended so well. If you like foie gras, you want to try this.

Oh, and we also drank up a storm trying out much of their cocktail menu, which had many unique choices and all were made with fresh ingredients.

Lastly, I need to tell you about the bathroom here. I know what you are thinking - ew, isn't this a food blog? - however this toilet is state of the art and I have never seen anything like it. I forget the brand but it's a high tech Japanese toilet that has a panel on the wall with all different "cleansing" options among other features. The lid was automatic too. Totally crazy, but kind of weird because while this place is very intimate, it is still a public toilet. Anyway, it makes for an interesting conversation piece after the first person in the group goes.

Overall I had a really nice experience here. The service was great and the staff is super friendly and you can tell everything is made with great care. The atmosphere is very relaxed and quiet and it is a great place to go and actually catch up with your friends while enjoying an authentic Japanese meal at an "exclusive" NYC restaurant.

Restaurant Review: Shelter Pizza

After a Sunday afternoon concert at Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg, my friend and I were hungry and wanted to grab a bite somewhere. I am not familiar with the neighborhood so we just walked a few blocks and looked at some menus on Wythe Ave. We saw a giant American flag painted on a building with a neon sign that read "PIZZA EMPANADAS BAR." Clearly this was a draw. 

We opened the enormous, heavy, industrial door to Shelter Pizza and entered some sort of hunting cabin situation, and I had to double check that we walked into the right place. Nothing about pizza and empanadas connects to hunting cabin decor, but alright, I was in Williamsburg so these things are expected.

We took a seat and looked around at the moose head hanging above the bar, the snow shoes and canoes on the walls, and the animal hides covering the bar stools. Still confused, we reviewed the menu which had a number of interesting choices. We settled on a pizza and 2 empanadas, which was the perfect amount of food.

The pizza had a crispy, thin crust and was topped with prosciutto, arugula, and Parmesan. It was a bit salty, but probably due to the meat and cheese. It was cut into 4 large slices, and I would have preferred 8 smaller slices to make it easier to eat, but that is my only complaint. Otherwise, I really enjoyed how the ingredients were actually added after the dough was baked. This made everything taste fresh.

The "empanadas" were more like quiche or savory tarts or something. One was filled with pulled pork and topped with a red cabbage slaw. The pork was delicious, tender, and tasted like it was cooked for hours. It was a southern BBQ dish with a Spanish twist, I think? The second one was spinach and cheese and it filled a dough cup. We cut it in half to split, and the cheese sort of oozed out everywhere. It was fine, but not memorable and definitely not an empanada. I would be interested to try some of the other options to see how they differ.

If I was ever back in the neighborhood, I would come back to try some of the other pizzas or menu items that caught my eye (like the pickles of course). Definitely a cool spot to keep in mind if you are going to Brooklyn Bowl.