at the sign of The Pink Pig

Parked At Le Garage

[Pigging by Wilfrid: March 20, 2017]

I do understand that not everyone is looking for a replacement for the sadly closed Fritzl's Lunch Box. Not everyone finds themselves on a regular basis between bars or galleries or events, and near Maria Hernandez Park, and hungry.

Of course, you have high end and low end covered, what with Michelin-starred Faro, and everything from dogs caliente at Guacoco to the excellent pork shoulder at the Sazon Nunez buffet. But what about a mid-range sit-down restaurant?

St Patrick's Day: Ten Years Ago

[Pink Pig Time Machine by Wilfrid: March 20, 2017]

Cool, snowy in March 2007.  All familiar enough.  It was a quiet week in the city for me, broken up by the rousing racket of a St Patrick's Day concert at the Bowery Ballroom, put together by Joe Hurley, and featuring CBGB stalwarts like Tish 'n' Snooky and Richard Lloyd.

No grand restaurant meals.

Quick Bites: White Gold Butchers (Yes, Chopped Cheese)

[Pigging by Wilfrid:  March 13, 2017]

Ice cold blew the wind up (or down, who cares?) Amsterdam Avenue. We ducked into this corner butcher store (okay, Bloomfield-Friedman restaurant), and found it pleasantly busy on a late Saturday lunchtime.

I was ready for insanely busy, given its newness and provenance, but there were seats open, including a two-top. You order at the counter on arrival, and they hand you a flag. I dispatched my daughter to stake our seating claim before I even finished ordering food.

A Boston Bash: Ten Years Ago

[Pink Pig Time Machine by Wilfrid:  March 13, 2017]

It was off to Boston in a rental car, that cool March ten years ago, to see a family member perform in Joe Jackson's musical Heaven & Hell at the Boston Conservatory.

I took the opportunity to fill in some gaps in my Boston historic dining experience; but I did eat in New York before we left.

Quick Bites: Le Coq Rico

[Pigging by Wilfrid: March 6, 2017]

A return bout with Le Coq Rico recently, the really very good, professional, friendly, useful restaurant opened early last year by Antoine Westermann--someone to whom the sobriquet "top tocque" might actually be well applied.

Michelin-starred in France, Westermann gave New York a bustling, versatile, essentially casual restaurant (he calls it a bistro), with fine cooking and--for the most part--cracking correct service.

The Cheese: Heinennellie

[Pigging by Wilfrid: March 6, 2017]

Here's an interesting one: Vulto Creamery's Heinennellie. look familiar?

Of course, it looks, smells, and to some extent tastes, very like the great Vacherin Mont d'Or (or Hauts Doubs). Let's look at the specs.

Quietly Prune: Ten Years Ago

[Pink Pig Time Machine by Wilfrid: March 6, 2017]

After the rigors of the Food & Wine extravaganza in South Beach, a quiet week back in New York in the residual snow. Some home cooking, some German poetry, The Battle of Algiers on video.

Oh and a couple of restaurants meals.

Pass The Sel Et Poivre

[Pigging by Wilfrid:  March 2, 2017]

A second visit to this Upper East Side survivor, at the generous invitation of genial co-owner, host and chef Christian Schienle.

And coming up to 28 years, this place is now a genuine neighborhood treasure, not least because so much of its former competition has melted away. 

Quick Bites: The Cannibal

[Pigging by Wilfrid:  March 2, 2017]

This return bout with The Cannibal was prompted by daughter's remark that she'd never eaten steak tartare. In fact, that's not quite true. What she actually said was, she'd never eaten camel tartare.

Well, neither have I, nor the braised hoof of the dromedary--and we can thank "Chopped' for the revelation. But it did lead to a discussion of whether she'd eaten tartare at all.

Headed For South Beach: Ten Years Ago

[Pink Pig Time Machine by Wilfrid:  March 2, 2017]

Ten years ago, and I'm headed for the South Beach Food & Wine Festival in Miami for the first time. Something which would never have occurred to me a few years earlier--traveling not just to eat (nothing strange about that) but traveling to a commercial food event; and one where I expected to run in to chefs I knew.

A few bites in New York before leaving.