[Pink Pig Time Machine by Wilfrid: September 3, 2012]
Back from a summer break, and back into the old routine with a dinner at San Domenico on Central Park South.
Some comped prosciutto from the vintage Berkel slicer was a nice way to start.
Then a rabbit terrine with fresh figs, and saddle of veal with cream and pancetta sauce, endive, and caramelised pearl onions. Ten years ago, this kind of elegant cooking came as no surprise. Suffice to say, it's harder to find in 2012. Progress.
The meal concluded with sweet polenta nera.
I managed some home cooking this week too: lamb braised in white wine with rosemary, and brined and roasted California squab, stuffed with liver and prunes. Some Puy lentils with the squab, cooked with lardons and onions. A Wisconsin tomme was the cheese of the week.
An Asian small plates restaurant had recently opened on Avenue A. Forbidden City, which was still there last time I looked, started out with an ambitious menu, and I toured it exhaustively. Vegetables in miso; king crab croquettes; shrimp chawan mushi; blac cod with chives and plum sauce; flank skewer; belly pork over rice; duck breast with black beans.
Pork belly still wasn't on every menu ten years ago, and this was a good, wobbly version.
Finally, a lazy lunch at Balthazar, by far the best time to enjoy that restaurant. I've always liked the duck shepherd's pie. It was preceded by a few clams, and accompanied by a pink Sancerre, as I began to contemplate the end of summer.
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