Bouley

Bouley's front door, currently hidden behind construction scaffolds

Walking into Bouley it doesn't take long to see just how much the dining scene of NYC has changed.  In a time when restaurant decors are designed and geared towards sleek minimalism, Bouley sits as a reminder, amongst very few others, of the opulent chambers one diner can be tucked away into.

Fresh apples line the wall, perfuming the entrance

From the front door you enter a vestibule of shelves upon shelves of fresh apples.  Perfuming the air transporting you to a fresh countryside orchard.  To the left a waiting room with the hostess stand up front.  A waiting room comprised of plush couches and chairs, floor to ceiling windows and artwork, exquisite chandeliers, and hardwood floors.  Before even entering the dining room you realize Bouley is a labor of obsessive love and care for guests.  This is not the waiting area comprised of a thin banquette set against the wall at your local Applebees.  

The large, romantic, dining room evokes the feeling of the French countryside.  Large Monet paintings, wrapped in velvet no-less, of orchards and wineries hang on the walls.  Fresh flowers sit atop every table that are dressed with rich, thick tablecloths.  Deep banquettes line the walls with plush pillows to cushion your back and to keep you from falling backwards.  A vaulted ceiling is brushed with gold leaf.  A fireplace and a library are tucked away in a darker, more seclusive secondary dining room towards the back of the room.  

Atera

**Note.  If you are planning on dining at Atera, I highly recommend eating the food before reading this post, as it will ruin a lot of surprises through the course of the meal**

It's amazing how many culinary trends New York City has undertaken in the past decade.  The fall of the twin towers caused the death of fine dining, where as a nation we turned to more economically feasible comfort food options.  We looked for menus that had a recognizable burger and french fries, instead of duck and foie gras.  Fast forward a few years and we became ready to play with our food, and all the emphasis was on molecular gastronomy and the multiple ways we could manipulate nature's ingredients.  Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck in Bray, England, and Ferran Adria's El Bulli in Catalonia, Spain were the world's best known restaurants to showcase it.  When trendsetters like Alinea in Chicago, and WD-50 in New York City ran out of ideas, so did the city's interest with science.  We've seen it already, what can we do next?

Then out of nowhere the "fad" was a practice multiple chefs had been utilizing for years.  Relationships they had built with farmers and emphasis on fresh and local produce started the "farm-to-table" craze.  Like little kids showing off their newest and coolest toys, it became a trend for restaurants to show which local farmers they were using, and how they were showcasing their products.  "Here we have a strawberry soup utilizing strawberries from Berried Treasures Farm."  It was a vehicle that caused all these hard-working low-key farmers at the greenmarket to finally become celebrities in their own right, but chefs decided to push this further.  They wanted to up themselves.  Thus began urban farming and rooftop gardening.

But this is New York City.  We need to push the envelope even further.  We need to watch what chefs from all around the world are doing, and then we need to up that.  Well, New York finally has a theater in which to showcase the newest food craze.  It is called Atera, and the 31 year-old Chef Matthew Lightner has brought from Portland not just a philosophy to utilize local farms, but local parks.  The new trend is called "foraging", and foraged food is now beginning to pop up on menus all around the city.

The Nomad

 "The competition would be too great."

When I first heard news last year that Danny Meyer was selling his four-star restaurant, 11 Madison Park, I was a bit shocked.  Restaurateurs and chefs alike strive for that rating given to them by the NY Times.  It takes some restaurants decades to finally mature to that level, honing their skills year after year, until perfection is finally reached.  Once its reached, they strive for an even higher level.

Daniel Humm and Will Guidara, the Chef and General Manager of 11 Madison Park, with a group of investors started the company MadeNice.  Once hearing these two professionals, two people who are truly at the top of their game in their respected fields, were planning on opening a restaurant just a few blocks away from 11 Madison, Danny had no choice but to sell.  The diamond of Danny Meyer's empire was now sold to Daniel and Will, and just a year later, they opened The Nomad Restaurant located inside The Nomad hotel.  Finally having a chance to eat here tonight, I realized Danny Meyer made a very smart decision.

The Nomad has taken casual hotel dining, elevated it with Mr. Meyer's signature hospitality warmth, and mixed it with cuisine cooked with incredibly high standards by a military-style French brigade in the basement kitchen.  Abram Bissell, the former Executive Sous Chef at 11 Madison, has been given the prestigious task of running The Nomad, which includes the now three-star restaurant, rooftop dining, and 24-hour room service.

The Nomad Hotel

The Nomad, which means "North of Madison Square Park", is located on the corner of 28th and Broadway, in a building very similarly designed to the iconic Flatiron Building located just five blocks downtown.  "The Atrium", or main dining room, is situated just off the hotel lobby, and is equipped with a skylight the same size as the dining room.  The skylight allows natural light to shine down on the dark wood furnishings, upholstered chairs, stone floor, and other forms of classic old-world architecture.

Located just off the Atrium is the bar, equipped with a dark mahogany countertop and designed to give the feeling of an old-world library.  Off in the other direction, is an actual two-story library, an area which serves small pastries and coffee.  The last section is The Parlour Room, and is a bit more intimate with red accents on the wall and a marble hearth imported straight from France.  Here, you can meet one of the sous chefs as he overlooks the cooking of small snacks and the now very well-known foie gras and truffle-stuffed chicken-for-2.

Animal

The front of restaurant Animal (via Eater.com)

For weeks leading up to my first trip to Los Angeles I couldn't help but constantly think about Restaurant Animal.  It was first opened in 2008 by Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo.  You may recognize these punk rockers from Food Network's "Two Dudes Catering".  Soon after opening Animal and losing the catering business, they grew to national culinary fame with their small meat and offal-centric, 45-seat nondescript restaurant, even being awarded some of Food & Wine's Best New Chefs title of 2009.

I first met Jon and Vinny at Meattopia 2011.  By now I knew of their reputation, after watching them on Food Network and skimming through their cookbook from time to time.  Although they don't match any type of contemporary look for chefs, one thing is for sure, these guys know how to cook, and they can cook pretty damn well.  

Lamb Head Skull, the only decor on the walls

Animal was inspired by trips to Martin Picard's Au Pied de Cochon in Montreal, and Fergus Henderson's St. John in London.  Their chicken hearts with burnt eggplant puree that I tasted at Meattopia was just a teaser for things to come.    For now I am finally here in Los Angeles.  Looking at the no-name restaurant with black beams, full wall-size windows, and the numbers 435 across the top from across the street, I became a giddy schoolboy.  Come on Chef Floyd Cardoz, it's time to eat.  

The decor of Animal is very minimal, with nothing more on the walls than a lamb head skull.  A small bar in the back of the room provides the only color contrast to a small restaurant with wooden tables and beige walls.  Forget about it, though, you're not here for tablecloth wine service.  Take one look at Animal's menu and be prepared for the rich, fatty, spicy, fresh, well-balanced meal to come.

Joe's Crab Shack

"Eat at Joe's."

The slogan is easily identifiable all over the country.  So what exactly am I doing here?  Am I really spending my money at a chain restaurant...willingly?

To be quite honest, there are just two national chain restaurants that I wouldn't mind having a hearty meal at.  Joe's Crab Shack is one of them.  For those that want to know...::sigh::...The Olive Garden is the other.  Yes..  I said it.  Salad, breadsticks, and never-ending pasta bowls?  Come on people!

This meal was very unexpected.  It was my first lunch while in San Francisco.  Waking up early at my hotel, which was just a few steps from Fisherman's Wharf, I took a long walk through the marina and eventually the Wharf.  Past the few food trucks with awesome names (Kung Fu Tacos.  Yes!), the In-N-Out Burger (eventually will return), crab shacks (mouth watering), pasta houses (why not?), chocolate stores (sweet cavity central!), I came to a sudden stop.  There it was. The large "Eat Crab" wall sign.

Yup, this definitely got my appetite going

Being on the bay and not really knowing my way around yet, I longed for seafood.  In fact, I was dying for it.  This seemed like a good enough place as any to start.  And even better, coupon for free appetizer at the door.  Rachel Ray, eat your $40-a-day heart out.

The Crab Station at Fisherman's Wharf

Fisherman's Wharf is a neighborhood located in San Francisco's north-east corner.  Back in the day Fisherman's Wharf used to be the area where fishermen settled and fished for Dungeness Crab.  Although it is still used as a port for many of San Francisco's fisherman and their fleet, the area has mainly been redeveloped into a tourist attraction, attracting many people from all over the country.

Crab Houses lining the street along the Wharf

Walking into Fisherman's Wharf you start to see your usual tourist traps.  Small stores selling cameras, t-shirts, mugs with "I <3 SF", museums, and...an In N Out Burger?  Walk even further and you start to see pasta houses, seafood restaurants, and crab stalls that have been handed down from generation to generation.

If you're an avid seafood lover, there is no way you can turn down the idea of eating fresh seafood along the bay.  Seafood freshly caught hours beforehand, boiled, broken down, and served with nothing more than cocktail sauce and lemon.  Heaven.

Onieals

I love hanging out in Hoboken.  The square, mile-long city has plenty of perks.  I consider it "the village" of New Jersey.  Plenty of diverse restaurants and bars, great nightlife, people, and just an overall great vibe to the city.

When given the chance my friends and I will travel to Hoboken not so much for the food, but just to hang out in a fun city.  That being said, you can't expect much from the restaurants in this area.

Onieals is nothing too special.  It's your average neighborhood Irish bar.  They do, however, serve a menu that is slightly a step above than the competition.  In fact, residents in the area rave about the food here, and it sure does fill up quick.  Lets see if they're correct, or if this is just the best of what New Jersey has to offer.

Yes, if I sound bitter toward NJ restaurants, please check out my experience at Casual Habana.

At first impression the waitstaff here is very friendly.  Everyone from the hostess to the two cute, young female servers we had residing over our table gave off nothing short of a happy vibe.  Every time they looked and addressed us they smiled.  They were on point with their service.  They were very helpful in navigating us throughout the menu.  They checked on us regularly.  I would love to have service like this everywhere I go.

ABC Kitchen

First and foremost, I want to congratulate ABC Kitchen for winning the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant on Monday night.  For anyone that has eaten here (and there are many) you already know this award is more than well-deserved. 

ABC is the brainchild of Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Phil Suarez, the same team which brought you the four-star Jean-Georges, Spice Market, Jojo, Mercer Kitchen, and about twenty other restaurants across the world.  To lead the kitchen here, they tapped on the talent of Executive Chef Dan Kluger, formerly of Tabla and The Core Club, and who also was just recently honored as Chef of the Year by Time Out New York.  With years of experience under his belt, Dan uses a very simplistic approach to his food, by masterfully combining flavor profiles of the freshest ingredients possible. 

Tonight was my second time dining at ABC Kitchen, and like so many other diners, can’t stop raving about the experiences.  The restaurant is beautiful.  It has one of the sleekest looking bars in Manhattan, and a dining room which is blanketed in white.  Everything looks so modern, so elegant, so clean.  From the black & white artwork on the walls, recycled white tables and chairs, wooden beams which run through the dining room, and the handmade porcelain dinnerware.  The FOH staff, all dressed in plaid shirts and jeans, are on point, welcoming everyone with warm smiles and attentive service.  Even with a packed dining room your water glass will never remain empty for more than 30 seconds. 

The restaurant commits itself to buying local, seasonal, organic, sustainable products, and every ounce of this passion comes through in the menu.  I love to admit this to anyone, ABC Kitchen has made me fall in love with vegetables again.  Now if I, a self-professed lover of pork and offal can say that, then it’s not hard to see why people love this restaurant so much.  Not to say that the meat and fish dishes are not up to par, but I will happily go vegetarian for this restaurant any day of the week.