New York Restaurants by Area – Page 51 – Writing With My Mouth Full

Hanbat

53 West 35th Street between Fifth and Sixth
212/629.5588
about $30 for two, with two drinks, without tip
â™¥ â™¥ â™¥

If you tell any New Yorker Korean that you like Hanbat, they’ll tell you that it’s “peasant food” because their vegetables are traditionally from the mountains of Korea. I love the bibimbap, or mixed meal, which is a large bowl of rice topped with different kinds of root vegetables, shredded beef and fried egg, all brought together with gochujang or chili pepper paste. It can be served either hot or cold. I prefer it hot because I love watching the egg cook on top of the newly-cooked rice. My tongue burns every time I try to eat the first few spoonfuls but I can’t help myself from digging in.

Peasant food has never been this good.

Lure Fish and Raw Bar

142 Mercer Street on Prince
212/431.7676
about $150 for two, with two drinks, with tip
â™¥ â™¥ â™¥

There are nights in New York City when you become thankful for the people you know. I was very thankful this one summer night when the manager and sommelier of Lure invited a friend of mine to a menu tasting before their grand opening. I was even more thankful when my friend asked me to tag along. Lure is the latest restaurant to occupy the coveted space under the Prada store in SoHo, replacing the mediocre, orange-themed Canteen.

The yacht setting of the restaurant is new and very sleek, even people peeked and waved at us through the portholes from street-level. There are intimate booths with white leather seats and less private tables for smaller groups. The floor is immaculately shiny to mimic a ship’s deck. In the back is the raw and shellfish bar with the freshest sea creatures waiting to be eaten. The design of the space is so well done that even if you do not like maritime decor, you’ll fall in love with Lure. Separate rooms are available to rent if you want to throw a private party.

With a bottle of Burgundy, we had the following:

1. Arctic Char, Trout Roe, Creamy Horseradish and Dill

2. Coho Salmon, Pickled Japanese Cucumbers and Basil-Soy Tea
3. Toro, Fresh Wasabi and Black Olive Oil

4. Sea Scallops, Grated Scallion, Radish and Ginger Marinade

5. Black Sea Bass, Plum Wine Vinegar Gelee, Julienned Ginger and Jicama
6. Fluke, Cherry Tomatoes, Shallot

7. Yellowfin Tuna, Pickled Chilis, Olive Oil Brulee

8. six pieces of Blue Point Oysters
9. six pieces of Malpeque Oysters
10. Clam Chowder with Smoked Bacon
11. Grilled Swordfish, Soy-Ginger Marinade, Tomato Salad

12. Steamed Black Cod, Sake, Miso, Mushrooms

13. Crab Cakes with Mango, Yuzu and Fennel
14. Tempura Shrimp, Preserved Blackbean Mayonnaise and Lime
15. Peach Crisp
16. Warm Chocolate Cake

Sushiden

19 East 49th Street on Madison Avenue
212/758.2700
about $480 for four omakases, with a few drinks, with tip
â™¥ â™¥ â™¥ â™¥

There are two Sushidens in New York City, one on Sixth Avenue and this one on Madison. Whichever branch you pick, make sure you ask to be seated at the bar so you can talk to your chef and get the chance to eat fish that’s not on the menu.

One of the most memorable experiences I had at Sushiden was when our chef brought out some fresh shrimp, disassembled the heads, and used tweezers to pick the brain. He put all the gray and orange matter on top of Japanese mackerel with the shrimp body and made sushi. When we were done bowing in appreciation and glee, the chef deep-fried the shrimp head shells and offered them to us to snack on while we waited for the next course. No part of the shrimp was wasted.

Whenever I go to a sushi restaurant, I always start off with the uni, or the sea urchin. If it’s excellent, then I know the place will have more of the good stuff coming. At Sushiden, after the uni, the chef always asks me what I want next and that’s when I tell him that I’ll eat whatever he wants me to taste. The chefs will only ask you if you’re allergic to anything, and if that’s a negative, you will sit for the next hour eating fresh fish after fresh fish that melts in your mouth like butter.

Sparky’s All-American Food

135 North 5th Street off Bedford Avenue, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
718/302.5151
about $15 for two, with two drinks, without tip
â™¥ â™¥ â™¥

Updated, 2005: Sparky’s has opened a branch in Manhattan, 333 Lafayette Street off Bleecker, 212/334.3035

You can’t call yourself a New Yorker if you can’t make yourself cross the Brooklyn Bridge. Brooklyn is part of New York City, too. Sparky’s is a very good reason to visit the borough because it offers the best hot dogs, the best relish, the best chili, the best ketchup, the best mustard and the best buns. Don’t let the other organic hot dog stands that have sprouted all over the city fool you. Everything on Sparky’s menu is so good, it might just change the way you feel about Brooklyn.

Aquavit

13 West 54th Street
212/307.7311
about $300 for three, with a few drinks, without tip
â™¥ â™¥ â™¥ â™¥

Updated, 2006: Aquavit has moved down the block at 65 East 55th Street between Park and Madison Avenues, 212/593.0287

I had one of the most surreal dining experiences at Aquavit with two of my friends. It was herring week in New York City and we were seated at the best table in the house, facing their cascading waterfalls, at the right time. The service was extraordinary; two waiters were looking after our needs and another one always made sure we were having a good time. Our reservation was at 8pm, which is prime dining time, but we were never rushed. We stayed until 11:30pm.

The chef and co-owner, Marcus Samuelsson, is the youngest chef ever to receive a three-star restaurant review from food critic Ruth Reichl. The James Beard Foundation has also awarded him “Rising Star Chef” in 1999 and “Best New Chef in New York City” in 2003. I was so impressed that he used kalamansi to make sorbet because it’s the Filipino version of limes. The trio of sweetbreads, pork sausages and lobster was an odd combination but it spelled decadence all over. Just like his eclectic food creations for this Scandinavian-owned restaurant, he also has a very interesting background. He’s Ethiopian and was adopted by a Swedish couple and has apprenticed in Sweden, Switzerland and Austria.

With a bottle of Gigondas, we each went for the three-course prix fixe. Between the three of us tasting each other’s food, it was like having nine courses, plus the three complementary tasting plates the chef sent up. Here’s a run-down of our meal:

1. Lobster roll with pistachio and lemon yogurt, salmon roe and homemade ginger ale