American – Page 14 – Writing With My Mouth Full

Blue Ribbon Bar

34 Downing Street off Bedford
212/691.0404
$86 for two with four beers and a glass of wine, with tip
â™¥ â™¥ â™¥

So there’s Blue Ribbon Sushi and Blue Ribbon Brasserie on Sullivan; the Blue Ribbon Bakery on Bedford and Blue Ribbon Market around the corner. Of course, there’s the other brasserie in Brooklyn. I wasn’t surprised when I heard the Bromberg brothers have opened Blue Ribbon Bar on Downing Street because they have been in the business even before the Lambs started taking over the East Village and way before David Chang started attracting other chefs at his restaurant during its after-hours. What I like about any of the Blue Ribbons is that they go past the food trends. People who still wait in line are most likely customers who have been following the empire for the last ten years. I know that when I go, I will get more than just a decent, civilized meal; that I’ll get a tried dish that only a select few will appreciate.

It’s their dependable reputation that made me order the pickled tongue, the wild mushrooms with sweetbreads and the steak tartare with capers. I like that a restaurant, even a tight bar space, will be adventurous enough to offer those items. I like it even better when they can do them right. The pickled tongue, which reminded me of wd-50, was so tender that it made me happy to be eating it even as it discombobulated after a bite. The steak tartare was classically Blue Ribbon and put in mind one of my favorites from their roster, roasted bone marrow with oxtail marmalade. The mushrooms were so fragrant that my companion didn’t mind the sweetbreads even after I told him what they really were. They have a great wine list and less expensive flights for their sparkling wines, Pinots and Reislings. It’s also the same reputation that makes their employees less obnoxious–I was going to use an eight-letter word starting with an “a”–than other waitstaff in the city. Our bartender was very accommodating even after more people squeezed in and he never forgot us sitting in the corner, refilling our water glasses and serving us a complementary flight of wine after already several drinks.

Ed’s Lobster Bar

222 Lafayette Street between Spring and Broome Streets
212/343.3236
$90 for three with Birch beer and two glasses of sparkling wine, without tip
â™¥ â™¥

Ed McFarland, another Pearl Oyster Bar graduate, has opened up his own seafood restaurant and rawbar. (Ex Pearl partner, Mary, left to open Mary’s Fish Camp.) The location is great because it’s quite hard to find a decent place to eat in SoHo without straying away from Broadway. Ed’s Lobster Bar is narrow in front and opens up in the back. There is wainscoting on the walls and bricks are painted white. The space and the menu reminded me of the many seafood places I’ve tried during drives around New England. Three of us were seated in the back during its opening weekend where it was busy and pretty tight. We were next to the bathroom and the kitchen but the collective buzz contributed to a happier ambiance than not.

Press writeups laud the lobster rolls and everyone around us ordered them, but I just couldn’t get into all that mayo even after picking the fresh lobster pieces in it. The fries were a bit soggy and I ended up pushing the boring greens that came with it. The best thing on the plate were the homemade pickles. They were perfectly salty and briny. I know I’ll be back for a jar of them and skip the $19 roll altogether. All those years visiting New England never taught me what proper clam chowder is. I liked Ed’s version because it was runnier, but my companion told me she would have prefered it chunkier, Brooklyn style. We also ordered three oysters from Blue Point and three from Pine Islands. They were fresh, sweet and salty just like the ocean. We would have appreciated the scallops better if we weren’t painfully full because they tasted like they were seared in glorious bacon fat. We had visited two other places beforehand, so we called it an early night as if we were actually in New England.

Devin’s Fish and Chips

747 Saint Nicholas Avenue between 146th and 147th Streets
212/491.5518
$12 for two fish and chips, take-away
♥

Harlem is far away from England, but Devin’s fish and chips come close to a good snack on a lazy and gloomy weekend afternoon. For $6, you can eat or take away three pieces of lightly breaded fish, red snapper or whiting, with a handful of fries. They don’t have malt vinegar but there’s tartar and Tabasco sauce. We bought two and sat down on the stools in the narrow space inside while people stood in line to wait for their turn to order. The other customers were ordering everything from broiled whole fish to calamari to crab claws. While we waited, we discovered that the store across the street had some of the best beer selections in West Harlem. We bought two bottles of Smithwick’s and drank them wrapped in paper while we ate our fish and chips. Sometimes, the neighborhood pulls through.

Food

1569 Lexington Avenue off 100th Street
212/348.0200
$25 for two, without drinks, without tip
♥

For brunch one Sunday, we took the bus to the east side of Harlem and sat at the bar of Food. We watched ice skating on one TV and that weird game of stone and broom called curling on the other. Jewel also happened to be playing from their satellite radio. Food is a restaurant that seems out of place in the El Barrio area of the upper east side but it’s also one of the sure signs that the neighborhood is really changing. Space and rent prices are two of the reasons why businesses are opening uptown. They are also trying to reach those customers who have moved up for the same reasons. No one could have imagined two Asian people being served by a French man in Harlem just a few years ago.

Whether these changes are accepted or not, what we ordered were enough to start our day right: turkey burger with fries and huevos rancheros with bacon and beans. They were good, not exceptional, but the ritual of brunch is always better than the meal itself. I’m just glad Food makes it easier for us uptowners to partake in it.

The Red Cat

227 Tenth Avenue off 23rd Street
212/242.1122
$102 for two, with three beers, without tip
♥ ♥

The red and white wooden paneling didn’t fit the stereotypical Chelsea mold. The laid-back staff made me completely forget I was in New York City. It was a Friday night and all the tables were booked but the maitre d’ politely told me over the phone that I can easily sit at the bar before 7:30pm. For the next two hours, people slowly filled the place with a buzz. We weren’t at all rushed by the bartender even though a few other couples stood at the door waiting to be seated. Where was I? I was at The Red Cat.

It was also the day after Thanksgiving and at The Red Cat, there were plenty of non-fowl choices. We ordered the fried oysters served with creamed spinach. The spicy tuna tartare came with mustard, scallions and potato chips. The grilled octopus with zucchini and prosciutto. The lamb sausage was heartier than the others with white beans and watercress. A couple of pints of Old Speckled Hen pushed everything down and a lemon tart closed our tab.

None of the dishes made my eyes roll back but they were delicious and safely executed. I visited The Red Cat and left all my expectations at the door. Do the same and you’ll also be pleasantly surprised.

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