craftbar vs. 'wichcraft: Colicchio Lunch Showdown

Oh, Tom Colicchio. How the mystery of your food has haunted me all these seasons of Top Chef. But what does it taste like? Why are you so famous? Why does everyone talk about all your restaurants all the time? What is New American anyway?

This week, I set out to compare and contrast two of Chef Tom’s restaurants; although neither is particularly cost effective or completely astronomical, I figured a juxtaposition of two of the popular spots that do vary in price and target consumer would be interesting.

richNY
One of Manhattan’s classier joints is Tom Colicchio’s Craft, on 19th Street. However, its downside is that they only serve dinner, so I opted for Craft’s sister restaurant next door, Craftbar; same delicious food and principles about ingredients and flavors; slightly less formal dining experience. It was the perfect venue to take my mom for a light birthday brunch, and also very cute: great décor and a wonderful waitstaff.

Weekend lunch at Craftbar means you have to choose between the brunch menu and the lunch menu, which, for an egg lover like myself, was no mean feat. In the end, we decided to share a few small plates off the lunch menu, which seemed designed for exactly that. All three came out together and the wonderfully fragrant smells blended perfectly.




Our first choice was off the Snacks section of the menu – always a brilliant section, in my opinion – a plate of three pecorino-stuffed risotto balls, fried to perfection and served in a spicy tomato sauce. The risotto was the perfect consistency, creamy and hot.

The most exciting item that caught my eye on the menu wasn’t a main course, but instead a bruschetta dish, a thick cut of grilled bread slathered with orange puree, duck egg and a hefty serving of mizuna, an arugula-type leafy green that was a perfect compliment to the sweet orange puree. Covering the whole dish were two thin sheets of a deliciously salty prosciutto that added a smoky flavor and a tougher texture. It was fabulous.

I have a weakness for mussels, as well, so when we saw Bouchot mussels in a lemongrass broth, we ordered that as well. The lemongrass was delicious, fragrant and sweet, with just enough onions floating in the broth to scoop up on the crusty bread that the dish came with.

Surprisingly, the three small dishes (one snack, two appetizers) was completely filling, and although I am still itching to try a main course, I really was full afterwards. Additionally, the meal was not that expensive for an expensive restaurant, although we easily could have spent a lot more by ordering slightly larger dishes (Entrees run from $16 - $25.) Overall, it was a delicious, light, classy lunch, and I would go back in a heartbeat.


craftbar
900 Broadway (at 20th Street)
$$$

poorNY
The thing about going back in a heartbeat is, well, I can’t exactly afford to eat there every day – who can? But Tom Colicchio, in a stroke of genius, started a sandwich lunch branch off of the Craft name, ’wichcraft, with twelve New York locations and a much lighter price tag (although albeit still not exactly cheap for lunch).

’wichcraft is one of my favorite places to grab a sandwich or a salad, which is another reason I was so eager to try the bigger Craft siblings. Their slogan, real food, hand-crafted, is a perfectly accurate description of their lavish sandwiches, carefully assembled with delicious fresh ingredients. I love their roasted beets salad - aged goat cheese, fennel, candied walnuts & arugula with balsamic vinaigrette ($8.95) which is large enough for a dinner portion, or their warm roasted turkey sandwich, a juicy cut of meat melted together with avocado, bacon, onion relish & aioli on a ciabatta roll ($9.50). Okay, you’re thinking, those are not cheap; true, but they are nice-sized portions of delicious and somewhat unique combinations of ingredients, not to mention convenient. They have beer and wine, and you can order takeout online on their website!

Most importantly, Colicchio’s ideas about fresh, distinct flavors being showcased by other ingredients rings true in this Everyman’s version of Craft. The sandwich is an art form in itself, and ’wichcraft proves how serious it is about taking care to ensure that every bite is delicious.

Running late to class and need a delicious fresh salad or soup? ’wichcraft is your best bet.


'wichcraft
multiple locations; I like 60 8th Street (at Broadway)
$

Sushi Lounge vs. Morimoto: The Sushi Spectrum

poorNY
New Yorkers, including myself, love sushi. It’s exotic, it’s delicious, we have access to an ocean, and it has the dual ability to be the most upscale thing you can consume or the cheapest and fastest delivery you can get. While I know there are right and wrong ways to do Japanese food, this week’s rich and poor entries are two great places to try if you’re balling out or balling on a budget.

As a broke college student, one of my favorite places to frequent is Sushi Lounge, on the ever-hopping St. Mark’s Place. Sure, it’s a bit garish, bright yellow paint on the walls and a less than classy restroom, but it definitely has character. Plus, what it lacks in class, it makes up for in price.

Here’s the amazing thing about Sushi Lounge: All Sushi is 50% off. All the time. So when the menu says, Tuna Roll, $3.75, what it really means is Tuna Roll, $1.85. Um, hello, yes. I know what you’re thinking: No way is the fish fresh or even decent if that’s the deal. Or possibly you’re thinking, there must be a catch. Well, the catch is minimal – to get the discount, you have to spend $10 after the 50% off, and cooked food is still full price. Still not bad when you can have double the amount of sushi you would get anywhere else. And, amazingly, the sushi is fresh! And it’s good! At least I think so. Did I mention the Free Delivery?

College Students: Listen Here. After 10 pm – not before – like, normal drinking times – beer is 50% for a pitcher of Kirin (so that’s $6) and sake-tinis are also 50% off ($3.) Okay. So we have here cheap, fresh sushi, with cheap sushi-accompanying beverages at normal drinking hours. An excellent deal for those on a budget.

Their specialty rolls are pretty good – I favor the Golden Dragon, with eel and Mango – and since they’re half off you can be a little more adventurous.

Bottom line: Cheap, good sushi, fun atmosphere, not world class service but pretty good for what you get.


Sushi Lounge
132 Saint Marks Place (At Avenue A)
$

richNY
I’d been hearing rave reviews about Steven Starr’s restaurants for so long and watching so much Iron Chef that I finally gave in and went to the trendy Morimoto downtown for dinner. Trendy it was, and although I love architect Tadao Ando’s work, I was hoping that the food would match up to the spectacle of the interior design.

We were seated at 9.45 with a 9.15 reservation, after being encouraged to have a drink at the bar downstairs, where there is also a lounge that you can order off a limited menu at. I was impatient for the food, however, and waited until we sat to order.

Even though I tend to lean towards wine with dinner, in the spirit of the cuisine, I opted for sake, ordering the Morimoto ‘junmai’ sake, $22 for 10 oz. (which was perfect) and described as ‘Subtle aromas of honey-d walnuts with a soft sweet finish.’ I like sweet, so I thought it was delicious, and icy cold.

From the beginning, the service was, while attentive, nothing compared to JLOB. I hope I don’t compare every meal I ever have to that one… Understandably, it was a holiday (Valentine’s Day, and I’m grateful to say, the only hokey V-day addition was a themed dessert from which we chose to abstain.) so the place was a bit rushed, but I did get the distinct impression that turnover was more important than Slow Food.

At any rate, we were never rushed, and all of our food came out gorgeously with generous descriptions. We started with the Morimoto Sashimi off the Cold Appetizer section (we aimed for a dish from each section for variety) which was presented fabulously.




My sneaky Gossip Girl-esque photo doesn’t capture the vibrant palate of the five types of fish stacked in cubes, each topped with a distinct garnish (ranging from caviar to pickled vegetables to avocado puree) and served with four test tube apparati. Now, what was this? The waiter demonstrated that each of the tubes contained a different flavored sauce that we should squirt on our plates and then dip the sashimi – either in its assembled form or layer by layer – into. How exciting! I preferred the white and orange sauces, a little citrusy. The fish was fresh and delicious, and made me excited for the rest of the meal to come. There were 6 individual stacks, which is actually a lot of pieces of fish individually, and I thought it was a great dish overall. We were not given soy sauce, which I appreciated, meaning that the flavors in the sashimi had been previously balanced so that we would not have to augment the taste with any extra condiments.

Next up was the Rock Shrimp Tempura Hot Appetizer, a dish I love at Nobu (although there with Ponzu sauce) and so was predisposed to order. It was a hefty portion (I thought to myself; How do people not share all these dishes?) divided into three sections: shrimp in a wasabi aioli sauce, shrimp in a spicy Korean 'kochujan' sauce, and lastly a dish of house ranch dressing, to dip the spicy shrimp pieces into. The ranch had a few sticks of cucumber and celery artfully arranged in it and the color of the spicy shrimp was a great orange. I loved the flavor of the wasabi aioli, but the spicy sauce with accompanying ranch was just a little too reminiscent of the wings we’d just eaten on Superbowl Sunday. I felt like the dish was a bit Americanized for the authentic Morimoto experience I was looking for.

We had to compare the actual sushi, so our next course was the most decadent roll off the sushi roll menu, the Soft Shell Crab Roll – ‘deep-fried soft shell crab, asparagus, tobiko, avocado, scallion, spicy sauce.’ It was delicious. Warm perfectly fried crab and wonderfully assembled thick pieces wrapped with the rice on the outside, with perfect hints of orange and green from the spicy sauce and asparagus and avocado. The roll was $12, which I didn’t think was so bad for a nice sushi restaurant (although for contrast’s sake, at Sushi Lounge, a Spider Roll (‘fried soft shell crab & avocado & cucumber inside & fish roe outside’) is $4.98 after discount. Just saying.

We rounded out the menu with a sampling from the entrée section: the Braised Black Cod served with a ginger-soy reduction– a tough decision but in the end a delicious one. Again, for the lovers of sweet, this dish was served in a delicious glaze with a few black beans on the side: very simple but with an absolutely amazing flavor. I would highly recommend this one to anyone who is comfortable not stuffing themselves full but interested in distinct flavors.

Personally, I’m jumping on the Slow Food Smaller Portions of Better Food bandwagon, and the fresh meal with distinct flavors was perfectly what I had in mind. According to Michael Pollan, author of In Defense of Food, “The people of Okinawa, one of the longest-lived and healthiest populations in the world, practices a principle they call hara hachi bu: Eat until you are 80 percent full.” A difficult task to attempt or manage, but one that I think the richny entry for this week helps underline.

The couple next to us tried the omasake, or the Chef’s Tasting Menu. At $120 pp, I wasn’t as prepared to splurge, but when I asked them how their meal was going, they said it was tasty but perhaps dragged a bit too long. The suggestion of the restaurant that the entire party order the omasake together made it look sort of like a monotonous meal; again, though, I’m biased by our deal at JLOB. Maybe something to save for when the bucks really roll in, and I can rewrite this post about Masa instead.

So, is you’re looking for a spectacular dining experience in a trendy setting, of course, Morimoto is for you. Plus, if you’re lucky like we were, you’ll get to thank Chef Morimoto personally for your meal.


Morimoto
88 10th Ave (Between15th & 16th Streets)
$$$

JLOB vs. Crif Dog: Exclusivity in the East Village

richNY
This weekend marked an unbelievable foray into the world of culinary excellence in downtown Manhattan for G and I, as well as a perfect comparison between two very hot spots.

The miracle occurred when a friend of G’s, who happens to be a prospective restaurateur in New York, told him to bring me to the restaurant that he is currently maître d' at, Jack’s Luxury Oyster Bar. After a quick peruse through Menupages to get a gist of the dishes, I was hooked. We made the reservation and spent the week saving up appetite and budget for the impending meal.

Upon arrival, the place was adorable; very small and cozy with room for about 20 patrons. Decorated mostly in red and with a bar that took up the back half, JLOB seemed like the perfect intimate setting for a good date, with its stock of regulars. My favorite part of the décor was a small sign at the back near the restroom that read, “Due to the shared bathroom arrangements, all luxury stops here.”

But of course we weren’t there for the ambiance alone. The killer menu was what had brought us in, and after a quick debate, we decided the only way to do the thing right was to get the Chef’s tasting menu, which at $50 each is a steal for six delicious courses, but a little hefty for college kids on a dime. What pushed us over the edge was when G’s friend offered to supplement one of the tasting menus off the regular menu, meaning there would be a huge amount of variety for us to share.

We started the meal with a glass each of a Sparkling Rosé, sweet but crisp and just bubbly enough to make us both giddy about the food to come. The first course was, of course, fresh oysters, from Washington, served on a bed of ice and with a square of Lychee (?) jelly. I’m hesitant sometimes about oysters, but these were shucked perfectly and actually a delicious combination of salt and sweet.

With our first course, we realized we couldn’t choose a wine that would go with everything, and decided to indulge in a wine pairing for the tasting menu…a little much, maybe, but in the end it was the exact right decision. The food came at the tail end of the champagne; for him, a Yellowtail crudo with pickled watermelon, light mustard glaze and tiny crunchy crackers that added an amazing texture. However, I won on the first course, because I was served Arctic Char with microgreens atop chickpea fries. The plates were small but fun to share, and the flavor combinations in those two dishes alone were enough to demonstrate the level of extreme culinary expertise that was being shown off by the chef. Our first wine was a Viña Mein from Spain, a nice white blend of eight grapes that was a little sweet but went nicely with the next course.

The next course was straight out of an episode of Top Chef. For him, a shoestring potato-wrapped fried octopus placed atop an artful swipe of pureed avocado, served with a spicy barbecue sauce and a lime, of which we were instructed to give a gentle squeeze. My answer to this challenge was a bowl of two dainty miso fried oysters on a bed of red peppers, which, after describing, the waitress dressed artfully with a delicate teapot full of potato and leek puree; less than a soup, more than a sauce, is how I would have to describe it. I absolutely loved both dishes. The octopus was accented perfectly by the crisp potato crust and creamy avocado, and the oysters’ lightness was matched by the slightly thicker potato puree. To get nitpicky, I would have put a few less red peppers in the bottom, although maybe that’s just my personal preference. G’s barbecue sauce was incredibly potent, but then we reasoned, that’s why there had been such a tiny amount of it on the plate.

Our wineglasses were swapped out and the maître d' / sommelier informed us that the next wine was a red, a velvety Burgundy Pinot Noir that opened up more with savory foods. We both liked the second wine better than the first, and the thought that savory foods were en route was certainly very exciting.

It’s hard to pick favorites in a meal like ours, but the next course gave all the others a run for their money. Two of the dishes that had caught our eyes on the menu before we decided to go with the tasting were placed in front of us. It was G’s turn for the Top Chef-style serving; his fresh gnocchi with black truffle and carrots were bathed in a gentle soup of pheasant consommé, and my jealousy was rightly put back in place when I was served the house linguini with beef tendon and cabbage, which was showered in fresh shaved parmesan from Erice. After our initial joy at how lucky we were (for followers, Gnocchi is a standard for us on any menu, as well as ANYTHING with truffle in it) we were able to really get into the dishes. We lamented the light hand with the truffles in the gnocchi, which were immediately overpowered by the consommé, but delighted in the discovery of some chopped-up cashes at the bottom of my linguini, a wonderful textural surprise.

Slight disclaimer: this is my first official tasting menu. Please forgive the overindulgent descriptions.

Our next wine was a Chardonnay from the South of France, a better value than a Burgundy, G's friend told us. It came accompanied by a perfectly cooked Black Bass atop steamed watercress and wild mushrooms with a lemongrass foam for me, and lobster with crispy fingerling potatoes and edamame in a wonderfully nutty sauce for him. I was very much enjoying the style of the little plates, because I am sort of ADD with my flavor palate, and there is no way I would have been able to eat all of that food if the servings were any larger. I think, for this round, despite my love affair with lobster, I had to choose the Black Bass; it was just so savory.

Our last wine was my favorite, a Steven Vincent Syrah / Cabernet from California, very fruit forward and full-bodied. It reminded me of a Cinghiale we’d had at Otto. It was one of the few instances that I can readily remember a wine pairing going perfectly with its dish, which was a seductively spiced combination of clams and chorizo in a tomato basil bisque, accompanied with rough slices of French bread to soak up the delicious broth. We both got the clam dish, which was fine by me; I didn’t want to share, despite the fact that I was actually completely taken aback that we even had another dish left to go after the fish and lobster! I could see right away why the clams are a favorite at JLOB; the bisque itself is flavored by the chorizo, and the onions and whole slices of garlic are completely drenched with spice and tomato.


Almost three hours later and I could hardly even believe our luck. Dessert was coming! Paired with two tiny glasses of a very sweet dessert wine, I received a homemade blueberry sorbet with toasted chewy coconut flakes and coconut foam on top, and G was the lucky winner of my favorite: a spiced mug-ette of hot cocoa that was warm and rich, with a chocolate nougat biscuit underneath maple syrup foam. Wow.

In between the amazing flavors of the perfectly and artistically assembled dishes, the service was superb. We were not rushed to finish a glass of wine to match the next course, and the pairings were seamless transitions. It was Luxury indeed to be so spoiled. The wine pairing, which is usually $35pp, was a gift to us from G’s friend at only $11each. However, I do have to say that 6 glasses of wine might be too much for me…clouds the judgment of the delicious foods.

Overall, the experience was one to write home about, and it is with regret that I post the accompanying poorNY post, which is sadly outmatched. I would absolutely recommend Jack’s if you have a payday in sight.

Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar
101 2nd Ave
$$$

poorNY
This week’s poorNY might be easy on your wallet in terms of food, but is a total crowd pleaser. Although they deliver, the true Crif Dog experience can only be had late night, when you duck in for a greasy Dog and accompanying fries and or tater tots (yum!) Although it still pales in comparison to my favorite hot dog joint, Soul Dog in Poughkeepsie, NY, Crif Dog offers a delicious house hotdog as well as a slew of combinations of toppings. If the combos aren’t to your liking, you can, of course, order your own mix of avocado, cheese, sauerkraut, chili… the list goes on and on.

An average dog is somewhere in the range of $3+ but heap on the toppings and you're looking closer to $5 or $6. They do have special combos though. And the taste makes the difference between a $1 street vendor dog and a $3 Good Hot Dog.


Don’t get me wrong, I love me my hot dogs, but my favorite part about Crif Dog might not be the food. This week’s theme is exclusivity, and Crif Dog is the secret entrance to a New York hit hotspot bar, PDT. With a name that exudes mystery and an entrance that you have to be told about to find, PDT (Short for Please Don’t Tell, of course) is a great bar to show off to a new New Yorker or just grab a drink and a dog – oh wait, did I not mention that Crif Dog will bring your order next door? – with a friend. To get in, you have to first enter Crif Dog, and then control your senses: steer away from the ordering counter and left, towards a slightly decrepit London-style phone booth. Pick up the phone and press a button to alert the bartender of your presence. A push on the back wall of the phone booth reveals the door into PDT, and viola! You’re New York elite.

Even if you’re not going for the elite bar scene or the mysterious ambiance, Crif Dog / PDT is a great place to grab a cheap bite…and you can even take it to go.

Crif Dog / PDT
113 Saint Marks Pl
$