[Pink Pig Time Machine by Wilfrid: November 14, 2016]
A forgotten movie? A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints with great early performances by Shia LaBoeuf, Melonie Diaz and Tatum Channing (and a mis-cast Robert Downey Jr.). One of my favorite New York City movies, but who talks about it any more? Anyway I went to see it ten years ago, and ate at a bunch of restaurants too.
New ones like Bread (Tribeca): frito misto, orichiette with wild board ragu. And old favorites like Hearth: scallops with braised cabbage, figs, and squash purée; lamb chops, with braised lamb and sausage; and a share of someone else's beet and Gorgonzola risotto.
And how about Teresa's, that East Village Polish veteran? I ate there rarely, because the Ukrainian National Home demanded my allegiance, but this week ten years ago I was there for tripe soup, veal goulash with kasha and potato pancakes.
The first fancy dinner of the week, preceded by cocktails at Pegu Club, was at chef Alex Ureña's almost over-ambitious eponymous restaurant...yes, Ureña. It was now pushing in a more tapas direction: torta de ropa vieja, buñuelos de bacalao, pinchos de boquerones, sweetbreads, duck two ways, cheeses, and a bottle of Torres Grans Muralles, 1999, from the excellent Spanish selection.
A lunch at Daisy May's, way over on the far west side of midtown: barbecued brisket. A casual dinner at El Maguey y la Tuna on Houston: flautas followed by mole poblano.
And finally Perry Street--ten years ago a relatively new addition to the Jean-Georges family. Still with us, although--not unlike JoJo--less talked about than it once was.
Tuna in a rice cracker coating, scallion sauce
Rabbit ballotine, chili sauce
Goat cheesecake, Concord grapes
Champagne
Ramonet 2004
Well it says "ballotine" in my diary, but I suspect it was a stuffed saddle of rabbit. Warm, you know.
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