Fat Radishes and Big Disappointments

Some places are more fluff than substance.  The Fat Radish on the Lower East Side is one of those places.
I went with some friends a few days ago, and I was thoroughly underwhelmed by the entire experience.  Let me set the scene: White-washed exposed brick walls; hipsters and scene-sters hanging out, sipping on craft beer; and flickering candles everywhere, many of which were scented.  (Cardinal sin #1: You don't burn scented candles where people are dining.  It overloads the senses, and keeps you from tasting the true flavor of the food.)
Anyway, I'll keep this brief.  Our server was fairly well informed about the Gluten Free options on the menu.  And while I felt very comfortable that what I was eating was safe, the portions were small and the flavors weren't all that memorable.  Even the pickled radishes that they put on the table for snacking were kind of meh--not bad, but not anything I'd crave.  The best thing I tasted all night was the roasted and fried brussels sprouts appetizer that we shared.  The sprouts were toasty and somewhat smokey.
My entree--pan seared black bass--was fairly tasty.  The skin was left on, creating a nice crunch.  But I had a really hard time enjoying it because my friend, who'd ordered the restaurant's signature veggie plate, was left waiting for her entree for a good 10 minutes after the rest of us had been served.  Cardinal sin #2: don't leave someone sitting there, hungry, while everyone else has their meals.
All in all, I wasn't impressed by the atmosphere, the service, or the food.  There are so many better options in the city and the Lower East Side than to mess with pretentious joints like Fat Radish.
Given the choice again, I'd skip this place.

www.thefatradishnyc.com

La Maison du NOM NOM NOM...

Gluten free treats at La Maison du Macaron.

One of my favorite gluten free treats is the macaron.  (NOT to be confused with macaroons, of which I'm not a big fan.)  Macarons are a meringue-y French confection made from egg whites, sugar, almond paste, and food coloring.  They're light, sweet, colorful, and absolutely satisfying.

As its name implies, La Maison du Macaron in Chelsea specializes in these treats.  Walking through the door of this small bakery, the first thing that grabs your attention is the display case.  It looks like a 64-color box of Crayolas with almost every color in the rainbow.  Each color represents just as many flavor varieties: Cassis, Jack Daniels, Fleur de Sel Caramel, Tiramisu, Champagne, Pistachio, Tarte Tatin, Nutella, and the list goes on.

On this visit, I tried three flavors: strawberry, kirsch/cherry, and Tahitian vanilla (all pictured here.)
The strawberry was sweet and fragrant with a nice visual touch of sesame seeds on top to replicate strawberry seeds.  The kirsch/cherry was my next favorite--full of dark cherry kirsch flavor without any hint of booze coming across.  But the surprise winner was the vanilla.  It had this amazing burst of true, vanilla bean flavor that tasted like a perfect slice of birthday cake.

While others may disagree, I think the consistency of La Maison's macarons is perfect.  There's a light crunch on the outside and a sponginess inside that makes you want to savor every bite.

In truth, the price also makes you savor every bite.  Each macaron is $2.50--a price that is indicative of the premium ingredients and skill that goes into making each confection.  While it's not an expenditure I can justify every day, the macarons at La Maison du Macaron are well worth splurging on when you want a unique gluten free treat.


132 W 23rd St
(between 6th & 7th avenues)
(212) 243-2757
www.nymacaron.com

Eastern Europe Meets Gluten Free

Saro is a tiny bistro on the LES that features
"cuisine from long lost empires."

It's small, cozy, and (I can't believe I'm going to use this word) cute.

All of these adjectives describe an eatery named Saro Bistro, a tiny (maybe 12-seat) restaurant on the Lower East Side, just off Delancey.  

Touting its food as the "cuisine of long lost empires," Saro features dishes from the former Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires, aka the Balkans and Eastern Europe.  Glancing over the menu, I saw a number of dishes that sounded like items that I've heard my Hungarian grandfather describe, but just never knew their names.

I went to Saro for the first time for brunch a few Sundays ago and instantly warmed to the place.  From the (purposely) mismatched tea & coffee cups to the fresh flowers on every table, it feels like dining in someone's front parlor rather than a restaurant.

The friendly staff is quite knowledgeable and accommodating to those of us with gluten allergies, too.  

Case in point: They bring a basket of complimentary doughnuts to the table at brunch (for any of you out there who can eat gluten, I was told that they were dynamite.)  Our server let the affable chef/owner Eran Elhalal know about my allergy, and he arrived at the table with a plate of Gluten Free corn fritters, which he made with "a surprise inside."  They were perfectly fried with just a hint of bacon grease to give them a little bit of smokiness.  Inside, he'd snuck in a dollop of fruit preserves--my guess is currant--for a subtly sweet compliment to the hint of smoke.  Delicious.

I had a fairly traditional Peasant Breakfast with two scrambled eggs, smoky thick-cut bacon, and a perfect mixed herbs salad, dressed with a splash of lemon juice.  It was the perfect portion--hearty without being too filling.  A complete win.

I am determined to go back and try the Satarash, which came highly recommended by our server.  Basically, the dish is two eggs baked atop chunky pepper relish with a side of their delicious gluten free corn fritters.
I'm also determined to save room for a slice of their flourless, gluten free Hazelnut-Chocolate Cake next time, too!
Also, it bears mentioning that the total bill for 2 people was about $30.  A complete STEAL when it comes to brunch ANYWHERE in the city.
A true gem worth seeking out on the LES.

(DEFINITELY call ahead for reservations.  As I said, the place is tiny.)

Saro Bistro

102 Norfolk St

212-505-7276

www.sarobistro.com

Blue Hill NYC = An Amazing Gluten Free Meal

Blue Hill's NYC outpost on Washington Pl.

I recently had a meal that was so transcendent that it may very well be the best dining experience I've ever had.  No exaggeration.  I've had great meals at well-known restaurants in New Orleans, Chicago, LA, DC, and here in NY, but this particular dining experience was the culinary equivalent of a religious zealot finding the image of the Virgin Mary in the rusty fender of a '68 Volkswagen Beetle.

Said meal took place at the Greenwich Village outpost of Massachusetts-based Blue Hill Farm.  Tucked away on Washington Place just off 6th Ave, you could easily blow past the place without noticing the unassuming entrance a few steps below street level.  In fact, the only indication that a restaurant resides within is the bronze lettering on the wall that quietly announces "Blue Hill."  

As with many Manhattan establishments, the dining room is a little quirky because it has been shoehorned into the basement of a townhouse, which leads to my only gripe about the experience: The tables are uncomfortably close.  (If I can hear every detail of the real estate deal that the table next to me is discussing and they're speaking at a normal volume, you've packed in too many tables.)  Otherwise, the space itself is warmly decorated and inviting.

Okay, enough about the space.  On to the meal.

As the only Celiac in my party, it was very heartening that our server addressed my allergy as soon as he greeted us.  (It impressed me that he'd obviously consulted with our hostess before making his way to the table.)   He also did a great job of running through the menu with me, letting me know exactly what was gluten free.  But what won me over was him showing up at the table with a plate of gluten free bread and butter.  Major points for that move.

For my appetizer, I began with the Apple & Fennel Soup.  It was like the ideal embodiment of Fall: lightly sweet with just a hint of roasted almond to give it a nutty note.  It was absolutely perfect.

But my entree, the Seared Tuna, absolutely blew my mind.

The fish was cut into perfect little cubes and perfectly seared, creating this little bit of crunch on the outside.  These little morsels were artfully arranged on the plate atop fennel puree along with the most unique presentation of cauliflower that I've ever encountered: each floret was sliced paper thin, giving them an almost snowflake-like appearance, and then seared to give them a crunchiness like popcorn.  The dish was beautiful, full of flavor, and satisfying.

For dessert, I had two perfect scoops of gluten free pear sorbet.  The flavor was as juicy and fragrant as a fresh Bartlett pear and sublimely velvety.  A great palate cleanser. 

As a crowning touch, we were treated to a final "candy course."  My dining companions were given chocolate truffle lollipops, filled with molten chocolate--not gluten free unfortunately.  But, once again, my server made sure I didn't miss out on the fun and brought me 2 tasty little morsels: a cocoa-dusted hazelnut and a piece of toasted sesame brittle.  Both were sweet enough to sate my sweet tooth.
In all, the meal was characterized by great service and artful, flavorful food.
Blue Hill is somewhat pricey, but the experience is completely worth it.  Highly recommended.


75 Washington Pl
(212) 539-1776
www.bluehillfarm.com

Turkish Delight on the UES

So, I had another one of those "stumble upon" experiences this week.  By that I mean, I was planning on grabbing lunch at a (usually) reliable diner, saw that this old standby now has a "B" sanitation grade, and ended up at a place just around the corner that was head and shoulders above what I would have had at the diner.

The name of this little gem is Beyoglu (pronounced "Bay-OH-loo.")

Borrowing its title from a district in Istanbul, Beyoglu is a Turkish eatery at the corner of E 81st at 3rd Avenue on the UES.  It's one of those neighborhood spots that I've seen filled to the gills with people every time I've passed there, and I've said to myself, "Wonder if they do gluten free?  I'll stop in next time."

Actually, Beyoglu does not have a separate gluten free menu.  However, the hostess and server who greeted me both immediately knew what I was getting at when I told them I had a wheat allergy and pointed out at least a dozen dishes that were inherently safe for me to eat.  (For the most part, the unsafe items revealed themselves pretty clearly on the menu: "cracked wheat taboule" was obviously out, as was the pan-fried, batter-dipped calamari.)

We ended up going with several different small plates, all of them GF, so that we could share and nosh as we wanted.

First, we tried the Sucuk Izgara--a cumin and garlic-spiced cured beef sausage served over some of the best home fries that I've had in quite some time.  While there was a hint of heat, it was nothing that couldn't be tamed by a spoonful of hummus, which had a perfectly creamy texture with just a hint of cumin and garlic.  

Next, we shared the Barbunya Pilaki, which was a light, sunny salad consisting of red kidney beans, carrots, potato, and lemon-infused olive oil, alongside Karides Izgara--grilled shrimp served with lemon wedges and a peppery cocktail sauce that reflected the flavors of the sausage, only kicked up about 5 notches.

Everything was delicious (we cleaned every plate) and priced quite reasonably (plates ranged from $5-$8), the service was fast and very friendly, and the atmosphere was homey and welcoming.  

A great experience overall and worth a repeat visit.

Beyoglu

1431 3rd Ave (at E 81st)

212-650-0850

Beygolu does not have a website.  But check out Zagat.com for its menu.

Gluten-free Latin-Asian Fusion in Murray Hill

Latin-Asian fusion.

(Okay, okay.  It's not as douchey and pretentious as it sounds.  Stick with me here.)

Zengo is chef Richard Sandoval's newest outpost in Manhattan, and it boasts a fairly substantial gluten free menu that artfully combines those two influences.  (Maybe I shouldn't be amazed that stuff like chorizo and Thai spices go so well together, but I have evidence that under artful direction, they do.)

I started with the Thai Coconut Chicken Soup, which was fairly straightforward in its approach, but tasty.  The basic elements were chicken broth and coconut milk with just a hint of Thai spice--enough to feel a little heat on your lips, but not too spicy--with shredded chicken, shredded carrot, and steamed edamame.  All very flavorful, although I found the shredded chicken and carrot a little difficult to scoop up with the dainty soup spoon that they give you.  I was almost wearing it a couple of times.

For my entree, I ordered the gluten free Pan Roasted Mahi-mahi.  Now, this is where the fusion really came together.  The plate came to the table beautifully presented with a perfect hemisphere of steamed rice and perfectly-cooked mahi-mahi topped with what was described as "Yuzu/Ginger-Enchilado Sauce"--in other words, a lightly gingery take on Cuban Enchilado--a tomato- and seafood-based sauce with green pepper and onion.  (Not exactly sure where the yuzu came in.  I know it's a Japanese citrus fruit, but nothing jumped out as being particularly citrusy.  Not that I would have wanted that flavor to jump out and slap me in the face...)  

In any regard, the aforementioned combo would have been enough to rate it a 4-star dish, but then the little surprise of lightly-sweet grilled plantain tucked under the mahi-mahi filet just cinched the whole thing for me.  An elegant blend of textures, flavors, and presentation.

The atmosphere is relaxed but elegant, too.  The decor is very eye-catching--trendy without being cold or feeling too "of the moment."  The real centerpiece of the place is the giant jellyfish-esque chandelier that is suspended over the dining room.  It's truly a thing to marvel at.

As my dining companion joked after the meal, the space itself at 3rd and E 40th has seen its share of restaurants come and go.  But with the fantastic gluten free meal that I enjoyed, I think if any restaurant could break that curse, it's Zengo.

Zengo

622 3rd Ave (@ E 40th)

212-808-8110

Website

Gluten-free menu (PDF)

A Fantastic Midtown/Kips Bay Eatery (That Gladly Accommodates GF Diners!)

Every so often, you stumble upon a restaurant where you go in with low expectations and you come out a fan.  Such is the case with Cask Bar + Kitchen.
This small eatery, which is quietly tucked away on E 33rd St between Lexington and 3rd, honestly doesn't look like much from the street.  A peek inside reveals a dimly lit setting of dark woods and wrought iron fixtures--it's what I'd picture a wine cellar in 16th century Spain might have looked like, only hipper.  The name also reveals little about the place.  If anything, it sounds like the kind of place where you might find wings n' jalapeño poppers on the menu--bar food, in other words.  For that reason, I thought we might be able to grab a drink and an appetizer (maybe--if they had anything gluten free), and then head elsewhere for our real dinner.
My conversion to being a Cask fan began with the charcuterie plate, which was graciously filled with thin slices of prosciutto, coppa, and bresaola along with green and black olives--all gluten free, I might add.  I washed this down with an Original Sin Hard Cider, which was clearly listed on the menu as being gluten free.
By this point, I was digging their cool soundtrack and had a bottle of GF cider in my belly, so we ordered dinner.
I should note, there is not a separate gluten free menu at Cask.  Also, no food items are specifically listed on the menu as being gluten free.  However, both the hostess and our server reiterated several times that they could alter practically any dish to accommodate my allergy; all we had to do was ask.  As an added safeguard, they ran every one of my menu selections by the chef to double check that it was safe.
Always a sucker for salmon, I ended up ordering a delicious piece of baked Alaskan salmon, served over roasted red beets and pan-seared spinach, accompanied by a side of the most perfectly cooked artichoke risotto that I've tasted in quite some time (creamy without being gloppy, with just a hint of tanginess from the artichokes).  The only alteration to the dish in order to ensure that it was truly gluten free was leaving off a dijon sauce that typically accompanied the fish.  In all honesty, the dish didn't miss it.  In fact, I think the sauce would have been somewhat extraneous, considering how creamy and flavorful the risotto was.  In fact, I'd even tell non-gluten allergic diners to leave off the sauce.
In short, the service was attentive and thoughtful, and the meal was well above average for a place that primarily fancies itself a "bar."  If this is pub grub, it's some of the best I've ever had, and I'll be back again.  Soon.


Cask Bar + Kitchen
167 East 33rd Street
212-300-4924
www.casknyc.com