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
$