snack

snackspot: blt market

I went to friends and family at BLT Market the other night. (F&F is the industry term for test-run before a restaurant opens to the public.) Occasionally when I meet people for the first time they ask "you're married to Laurent?" Yes. And then they say "I just went to BLT Steak and loved it. All his restaurants are great." Yes. I love BLT Steak too, but that is not my Laurent, otherwise it would be called BLG. The T is for Laurent Tourondel.

I first met Laurent [Tourondel] back in 1994. He was chef de cuisine at CT , Claude Troisgros's restaurant. I was working at D'Artagnan. We spoke daily when he would call in to order foie gras, squab, and the like. Ironically, BLT Prime now occupies the CT space on East 22nd Street.

He opened Cello in 1999, which had a fast and fabulous run as one of the city's top tables. It was near-perfect seafood served in an elegant townhouse. Incidentally, the building on East 77th street was recently purchased and is now being used simply as a residence by the owner.

My dinner date and I were discussing our memories of Cello. I recalled the orange flower water donut holes that were served warm on a square porcelain plate at the end of the meal. Almost on cue, our waiter delivered a plate of two orange beignets filled with marmalade. Not exactly the same, but a sibling of the Cello donut and just as good.

That is perhaps the best way to describe BLT Market. It is neither BLT Steak nor BLT Fish. It is something different, but still has the feeling of the BLT family. The menu is a blend of Italian, American and French, all the food Laurent [Tourondel] likes to cook. Yes. I like BLT Market too.      

snackspot: borough food & drink

As I walked down 22nd street last night, up to the door of Borough Food & Drink , I admit I was bracing for a maelstrom. I'd heard Tuesday night's party for the neighbors turned into a 700-plus crazy full house. I'd seen Wednesday night's invite posted online. I was surprised to see a very low key crowd, comfortably dispersed through the space. Jeffrey Chodorow and Terry Zarikian were standing on the outdoor terrace, discussing the money tree the manicurists next-door had given them as a house warming gift and when was the best time to go over and say thank you.

The space is a lot of wood, industrial light fixtures, shelves of potables and open kitchen. I kept asking who designed it? It seems Avroko derivative. But with the rocking background music people looked at me quizzically "A who? what? I don't know." While it is exactly the same footprint as restaurants past, design-wise they have erased all trace of them.

Food and drink were passed and served a plenty. Flat breads with various meaty toppings, the pork burger (Josh Ozersky's favorite), brisket and kim chee in steamed Chinese buns (my favorite), and deep fried pickles (Will Goldfarb's favorite). Beers on tap, red or white wine? Or that Brooklyn cocktail described as gin and juice (orange) which reminded me of those easily drinkable fruity concoctions you made in high school college.

Consulting has been treating Zac Pelaccio well. Things are good on both sides of the pond , and he was happy with this latest project and the talent of chef Paul Williams in the kitchen. 

So what's the verdict? Why it is far too early for a verdict I say. Restaurants need time. It has potential to be a comfy spot in the 'hood. But we'll have to wait a few months and see if that money tree blooms.

BONUS UPDATE:Download Borough_Food_& Drink_menu.pdf

snackspot: san loco on the cheap

At all the local San Locos.

snackspot: landmarc time warner center

Surprise! Marc Murphy has done the impossible! He's opened his new restaurant Landmarc a week early. Landmarc's the uptown, Time Warner shopping mall, mega 10,500 square-foot version of his downtown spot. It opened bright and early this morning at 7 am. So early, in fact the breakfast menu is still a work in progress, but it will be something like this. To wit, all I have to offer you right now is the press release, the dinner menu, Marc's bio, and the sound of the starting gun. Diners (and media) take your marks.

Download Landmarc_TWC_Opening_Release.doc

Download Landmarc_TWC_Dinner_Menu.doc

Download Marc_Murphy_Bio.doc

snackspot: 18,000 restaurants and nowhere to eat

Yawn. I have a touch of ennui. Perhaps it's the end of winter blues. Or the usual snail's pace of the first quarter in the restaurant industry. Actually I'm bored. (And a bit cranky.) Don't misunderstand, I've had some quality victuals recently at many of my usual snackspots (i.e. sushi yasuda, august, l'atelier, [brgr]), but it's been a long while since I've been wowed. I've pinned my springtime hopes for a gastro-thrill ride on Sam Mason. Waiting patiently. Where to go in the meantime for something new? And exciting? Maybe I'll just stay home. I think we're having sushi tonight.      

snackspot: shake shack chicago. (not.)

I recently got a call from a Chicago reporter who wanted to chat about potential sources in the hopes of tracking down a story. By the by, this person mentioned a Chicagoland rumor that Shake Shack was possibly opening, maybe, in Millennium Park. Of course Shake Shack is open now, here, in Madison Square Park. This will be news to you only if you've given up online media for Lent. Everyone braving the pre-spring chill (not to mention the line), to get a double shack burger, can warm themselves in the smug satisfaction of knowing that there is, and will only be, one Shake Shack.

snackspot: the inn

For many a month I've been hearing bits and pieces of a story about Daniel Boulud doing downtown. It's a tantalizing rumor of Daniel joining with Jeffrey Jah (the pied piper of downtown gold standards like Lotus and Double Seven) for late night noshing in the meatpacking. Enfin! Game on. As usual - the rumor mill is both right and wrong. Daniel is in the details.

..

Sources say the Jah spot - heretofore known as The Inn- will have a Euro-centric gastro-bistro-pub-type menu. Said menu will be produced by the young British toque Andy Bennett - heretofore known as The Chef of The Inn. Sources say The Chef is working on the menu (as I write) with Daniel - heretofore known as The Consultant. Follow me? Sources say all will be revealed when The Inn opens, eta end of February.

snackpspot: venetian palazzo, las vegas

As the sole power-that-is behind Snack, I often ruminate on how much fun (and less work) it would be to have guest bloggers. Some of my fantasy bloggers are actual people, like, say, Toby Young, who would review Graydon Carter's Waverly Inn. Some, however, would be fictitious renderings like Danny Ocean, as portrayed by one George Clooney. If he were to blog on Las Vegas I'd imagine he post something like…
"I know a guy, who knows a guy, who just got back from Vegas. And he said he can get copies of the plans for the palazzo at the Venetian with the Charlie Trotter restaurant space all laid out."

UPDATE 1.17.07: Robin Leach says Charlie Trotter is returning to Vegas.

snackspot: tsukushi? just checking

And snackspot? Mais oui! Interactive too. I recommend and reveal and you go eat and see if I'm right.

snackspot: tsukushi - escape the madness

The next stop on the 'escape the madness' holiday tour is Tsukushi, a little subterranean Japanese spot in midtown. A Japanese friend took me to dinner earlier this year and I loved everything about it, particularly the authenticity and surprises of the omakase-only menu. I thought I'd made a brilliant discovery. No. Peter at the Times beat me by a year. But I still think it's apropos for this category because it's open very late (late enough for the post-service chef crowd), requires a high level of adventurous eating (and comfort level, as you may be the only gaijin there) and is easy on the wallet. Go - escape the madness.

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PS: We were anonymous at said dinner. Paid in full.