[Pigging by Wilfrid: November 24, 2008]
Congratulations to chef Matt Hamilton and owner Mehenni Zebentout on entering a second year with their successful East Village bistro au coin, Belcourt.
Successful not only in the fundamental sense of attracting a fairly steady stream of customers (it always seems quite busy in the evenings, but there's rarely a long wait for a table), but also in maintaining the integrity of Hamilton's cuisine and the honest "everything that can be made in house, is" attitude.
I liked Belcourt very much when it opened; but then again, I liked Matt Hamilton's food pretty much most of the time when he was battling the lack of a full license and neighborhood price expectations at Uovo on Avenue B. I've returned to Belcourt often, for a quick dinner or with my daughter for weekend brunch. My initial fear that the kitchen would be obliged to sell out to the crowds, and substitute paté maison, chicken with pommes frites and le spaghetti au bolognaise for Hamilton's inventive, American-Mediterranean, seasonal sensibility proved unfounded.
Yes, there's roast chicken on the menu, but it's herb-rubbed and served with a celery root purée. There's a burger, but made with lamb, not beef. There's boudin blanc but it's house-made, quite distinctive, and presented as a "hot dog". And the chef continues to scour the markets for seasonal sides.
A favorite among current appetizers is the lamb tongue, poached, thinly sliced, really tasting of tongue, and accompanied by a sauce gribiche and a tangle of succulent marinated vegetables reminiscent, to me, of ratatouille.
The slow cooked, coffee-flavored brisket is a Hamilton signature, a winner from the Uovo days. Served with a mushroom garnish, it's a rich, subtantial piece of meat. My only new insight is that sliced for sandwiches the next day (yes, there's that much of it), the coffee flavor had really taken hold and came through very strongly.
Hanger steak with well-made fries. There's a choice of sauces, and I opted for the nutty, garlicky Romero. I might ask for it on the side in future, as there was plenty of it; the nutty greyness is a little off-putting (in the photo, at least), but we can't always eat with our eyes.
And a simple but knock-out dessert. Almond cookies, I suppose, with a shortbread texture. Some warm Concord grapes. And in the glass, a lovely, silky lemon sabayon. Dip the cookie, grab a bite, pop a grape. Quite messy, really, but sweet and autumnal and unusual.
Belcourt, keep doing what you're doing.
