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Mihoko's 21 Grams

I was lost... This couldn't be right.  I was on a block of 22nd street between 5th and 6th avenues looking for a new restaurant.  There's nothing here I thought except for a parking lot and some garages, a restaurant desert.  Wait there it is, just past the parking lot...Like an oasis 21 Grams appeared.

Mihoko was a professional ballerina and this restaurant is her Pièce de résistance, 21 Grams.  Upon entering you are transported somewhere else entirely, the foyer feels like a Madison Avenue tea shop with displays of ceramic teapots of Asian design, ceremonial tea bowls and stylized serving trays.  You imagine these might have all come directly from Mihoko's personal  kitchen.  At the end of the foyer beautiful hosts greet you and you have a choice of descending to French Lounge or ascending to the main dining room.


The French lounge has a beautiful bar and number of pristine white leather chairs.  Once seated in one of these chairs that literally envelope you, it's hard to get up.  The drink menu has a number of exotic sounding creations.  Our server asked what taste we were looking for and then guided us through suggestions.  I consider myself fairly well educated when it comes to food and wine, but I found myself asking questions about unfamiliar ingredients throughout the evening.  I had a drink called the Hommage after I said I was craving a Negroni, it had an orange liqueur, but not Campari.  It was refreshing with a nice bitterness to it.


When it came to dining, it's like you are entering a whole new world again.  I have never seen dining with this much room to breathe in NYC, well maybe Per Se.  The tables are far enough apart and secluded that you could have Barclay's talking about their finances and the Feds the next table over without sweating.  The decor of the room I would say is old world French updated with Japanese technology.  Large exquisitely adorned pictures become animated and move like something straight out of Harry Potter.  The chairs here are like thrones also adorned with leather.


The food is broken up between Japanese and French.  The Japanese menu featured a number of mixed rolls, including many vegetarian options.  There is also the option to do a seasonal omakase.  For this visit I went with the French menu.  It's all in the details and there is a lot of thought going into the details here.  I loved the simplicity of the silverware and the serving plates, let the food shine.


Heirloom Tomato Salad with sorbet, watermelon, cucumber and gazpacho
This was actually a trio of dishes.  The Tomato salad is was fresh and simple, just as it should be.  The gazpacho tasted pure and had a nice bit of heat to it added.  The sorbet we refreshing with a tomato gelee" surrounding it.  


Foie Gras with Sweetbreads, Japanese Leeks and Kuro Sichimi
It's seared foie gras and sweetbreads, who wouldn't like this?  Perfectly executed and delicious.


King Salmon Riviera with panisse, rainbow swiss chard and grenbloise
The fish was perfectly moist and topped with a crust(panisse?) and croutons.  The grenbloise sauce (butter, lemon and capers) was fantastic and served with the swiss chard shaped in a cigar.


Wagyu Beef Ribeye with spiced carrots, ginger bread and onion soubise
This meat served cut into smaller pieces almost melted in my mouth.  You could see the huge amount of marbling throughout the meat, unbelievably good.  In fact so good I can't remember much about the other ingredients on the plate.


Litchi Parfait with Rose-Champagne sorbet
I love litchi and this is just what this was, a perfect parfait full of litchi flavor.  Not too sweet and served on a plate studded with litchi stuffed raspberries.  Oh yeah, that rose-champagne sorbet was like eating refreshing flowers, yes that sounds strange but try it.


Meyer Lemon Chiboust and the Peach Melba
Both of these were great, but I was taken with the Litchi Parfait.  Extra points to the Peach Melba for looking so amazing though.


This place is not cheap, you will pay or hopefully have someone else pay.  But if you want an experience right up there with a Jean Georges, Daniel or Bouley and want something new, you have to give serious consideration to 21 Grams.  Everything is top notch; food, service, decor, everything.  If you want to impress and wow someone, this is the newest option that I have found in a while that absolutely will blow you and the rest of your party away.





Mihoko's 21 Grams

Decanted: Rosemary's Takes a Page From Cotogna With $40 Bottles

This is a great idea to generate business, especially with a place already known as a gathering spot for wine.  I am currently reading Restaurant Man by Joe Bastianich and he is a great resource for an education on the behind the scenes of the wine business. - K

Decanted: Rosemary's Takes a Page From Cotogna With $40 Bottles:
Welcome to Decanted, in which Eater wine editor Talia Baiocchi guides us through the treacherous world of New York wine lists.

Rosemary's, a new rustic Italian restaurant from the folks at Bobo, opened its doors last month to a steady stream of grown-up sorority types and fashionable bankers. It looks like a Crate & Barrel catalog full of unfinished furniture—which, it turns out, is actually a good thing.

It's one of the more beautiful restaurants in the West Village in a large corner space on Greenwich and West 10th that Keith McNally was eyeing for Pluino's 2.0. Once inside it's easy to see why. But McNally eventually backed out and the Bobo folks installed their roof-to-table Italian restaurant with the help of chef Wade Moses, formerly of Babbo and Lupa, and beverage director Dan Christensen, a former sommelier at Manzo and a recent NYC import from Colorado.

One of the big draws here is the rooftop garden, which finds a way to creep down into the restaurant and deposit potted plants and herbs onto most of the available shelving and table space. The food is simple and the wine list even simpler: everything on it is $40. It's essentially the same concept that David Lynch installed at San Francisco's Cotogna.
Christensen, who joined Rosemary's after the skeleton of the list was already established, is quick to admit that the list is indeed a riff on Lynch's (the restaurant has investors based in San Francisco).

Like Cotogna's list, all of the selections are Italian, but here Christensen seems to feel more of an obligation to the mainstream, offering varieties like chardonnay, pinot noir, and cabernet for those just looking for something familiar. But including Cusumano pinot noir from Sicily isn't doing the region any favors and simply feels dated amidst the region's more recent renaissance. These concessions feel particularly unnecessary on top of the short tastings notes that Christensen has already attached to each wine to help the customer along.

But thankfully the list's abdications are fewer than its small triumphs, which come in the form of excellent table wines—like Vestini's 'Kajanero' made from Campania's pallagrello nero grape and Poggionotte's juicy and bright nero d'avola—that are reflective of their regional heritage.

While Christensen seems energized about the concept of the list, there aren't many wine directors who'd want to switch places with him. Putting together a full list of distinctive wines in this price point is difficult. But if there is any country that might enable such a thing, it's Italy. When the list puts its best foot forward, it's excellent proof of that.

Aside from the challenge of assembling a list in a single price point, what Christensen is most excited about is the list's ability, by taking price out of the equation, to inspire openness in the guest.

"Guests, particularly younger guests, seem to be really into it," he says. "It takes the fear of the upsell out of taking a chance on something I recommend and I think people are more willing to take my advice because of that."

In addition to the regular list there is a small reserve list, but there is very little depth and the selections are predictable. Save your cash and spend it elsewhere. For now, stay firmly within the $40 list and be adventurous. As is generally the case with Italy, the most obscure wines often offer the best value.

Bang For Your Buck

CAPITEL FOSCARINO, 2007, ANSELMI

Ansemli is a great producer of more modern-styled white wines from the Veneto region based on the garganega grape. This is a blend of primarily garganega with a small dose of chardonnay. The wines see some oak and do best with some time to integrate. This is a great deal if you're in it for a full-bodied white that's drinking well now.

ASPIRINIO, 2010, VESTINI CAMPAGNANO

On the flip side, if you want to go lean, high acid, and salty this bottling of the ancient asprinio variety is the one. Vestini is one of the Campanian producers credited with helping to revive the region's indigenous grapes, and is always a solid go-to.

BARBERA MONFERRATO, 2009, ACCORNERO

Accornero comes out of Piemonte's Monferrato region, which is perhaps the least well known of the three classified barbera-producing zones (Alba and Asti being the other two). Accornero makes a variety of wines from the region's indigenous varieties and is a reliable source of elegant, floral barbera.

NEBBIOLO D’ALBA, 2010, RENATO RATTI

Accessible nebbiolo from a more modern producer, that still manages to be true to the variety. From this vintage expect juicy acidity and bright red fruit. Nice wine for dishes that have a higher fat content.

KAJANERO, 2010, VESTINI-CAMPAGNANO

Just about the most charming pallagrello nero (a grape not known for its youthful nicety) you’ll ever have the pleasure of stumbling upon. Bright and forward with earth at its edges.

Crowd Pleaser

WEISSBURGUNDER, 2010, ERSTE NEUE

Weissburgunder, aka pinot blanc, is a grape you'll find planted throughout Alto Adige with mixed results. The grape can sometimes yield whites that are a touch flabby, but Erste + Neue typically manages to coax a lot of freshness out of the grape. A solid bet for a mixed crowd that offers equal doses of fruit and acidity.

NERO D’AVOLA, 2009, POGGIONOTTE

This is sort of nero d'avola that explains why the grape can be a great crowd pleaser that still shows a sense of place/varietal identity. This is all violets and dark fruit (without ceding acid) from the owners of the Di Giovanna estate, which is also makes a handful of solid value wines. The farming is organic and this particular bottling is un-oaked.

Off The Beaten Path

MARZEMINO, 2009, COSTARIPA

This particular bottling of marzemino—a grape planted throughout northern Italy—is based out of Lombardia and comes courtesy of the winemaker for Bellavista, one of Italy's best sparkling wine houses. The grape has a parent relationship with both refosco and teroldego and is a sibling of lagrein, so expect dark fruit, with floral and herbal aromatics.

Break The Bank

The best bet here is to stay put on the $40 list.

WTF?

PINOT NERO, 2008, CUSUMANO $40

There are a few additions like this one that don't do Italy any justice. Pinot noir just doesn't taste very good from Sicily and this doesn't belong on a list dedicated to the best affordable wines the country has to offer.

CABERNET SAUVIGNON, 2009. FAUST $115

The list is exclusively Italian, save for a couple Champagne options and this, a curiously out-of-place addition to the riserva list. If the goal is to have something in this style there are plenty of Super Tuscans that will fit the bill and the list far better than this lonely bottle of Napa cabernet.

· All Editions of Decanted [~ENY~]

[Krieger]

Gadgets: Ice Huggy

Come on!  Does it really take you that long to eat a Popsicle? - K

Gadgets: Ice Huggy:


[Photograph: Ice Huggy]

For such a simple item, I had a heck of a time testing the Ice Huggy ($6.99/2), This product is designed to hold ice pops—you know, the sweet frozen treats that come in a long plastic tube. At first, I thought it was designed to insulate the ice pop to keep it from melting from the heat of your hand. I wasn't sure how much of a problem that could be, but that's what testing is all about.

First, I tried to find a volunteer mom who would be willing to test the Ice Huggy with her kids. I thought that would be easy, but either the kids were too old or too young for ice pops, or the moms made their own frozen treats. Hmmm... not quite as big a market as I expected.

So I went looking for ice pops that I didn't have to buy in a big box and finally found them at a little local store that carries items the big chain stores don't. That mission accomplished, I immediately understood the real problem. Those things are cold! Just carrying them to the register, my delicate ladylike hands were getting a serious chill.

The Ice Huggy acts as an insulator, but it's not protecting the ice pop; it's protecting hands from the chill. That makes more sense. Kids aren't going to want to hold something that's super-cold for very long. The Ice Huggy is made from a soft, thick, squishy material that no doubt is a good insulator. So far, so good.

The ice pop slips into the Ice Huggy sleeve that stretches a bit to hold the ice pop snugly. There's a flap that secures with Velco so you can fold the Huggy down as the ice pop gets shorter as you eat it. It's a really good concept. Unfortunately, the ice pops I bought were fatter than the Ice Huggy was designed to hold. It was like trying to put a toddler's sock on an adult foot.

Maybe there are regional or brand differences in ice pops and the ones I picked up were mutant super-large versions. It wouldn't make sense for these folks to make a product that doesn't fit the major brands of ice pops, so I have to assume that these would fit most of the ice pops you might buy.

But the story doesn't quite end there. I, uh...acquired an adult version of the ice pop that is essentially a frozen margarita. And the ice pop fit perfectly into the Ice Huggy and did a fine job keeping my hands protected from that evil frozen margarita. So I guess I can use them, even though I don't have kids.

About the author: Resident yeast whisperer and bread baking columnist Donna Currie also has a serious gadget habit. When her father-in-law heard about this column, he upgraded the nickname for her kitchen from "gadget world" to "gadget heaven." You can find her on her blog, Cookistry or follow her on Twitter at @dbcurrie.

Disclaimer: Testing samples were provided to Serious Eats.

RSVP restaurant

This fun little restaurant/lounge in SoHo has a very clubby feel it.  You could go for dinner and stay for more drinks after.  This is on what I would consider the "lower" end of SoHo, it's almost near Canal Street.  But if you have spent all day shopping or are in the area and looking for a decent place to eat, this is definitely worth looking into.




A very hospitable staff and I was pleasantly surprised bye the quality of the food.  The sunken dining room area feels like you are on stage in a theater in the round, but sometimes you would like to be the center of attention right?


Watermelon, Heirloom tomato salad
Seedless Watermelon rounds, Heirloom tomatoes, organic micro Basil, feta, balsamic glaze, Athena Vinaigrette
Perfect for summer, so refreshing and light.  A perfect way to prepare your palate.

Truffle Mushroom Pizza
Personal size thin crust pizzette sautéed wild mushrooms, Goat cheese, mascarpone, Sheep’s milk ricotta, Arugula, truffle oil, shaved parmesan
Ohhh Man, just all kinds of good on this one.  Nice crispy crust and who doesn't love truffles?  I could have eaten a whole pizza myself

Filet Mignon with a red wine and shallot reduction
This was the least exciting dish for me.  I'm not really crazy about the mignon cut, it was good, I just liked everything else that much more.




Norwegian Salmon Wellington
Farm raised Salmon wrapped in a puff pastry with a Meyer lemon aioli
This is such a great idea.  A nice update on the old standard Beef Wellington and the citrusy aioli was the perfect foil to the fish




Truffle Mac and Cheese
This dish seems to be popping up EVERYWHERE.  But hey, more truffles, I 'm not going to say no.  Well executed and tasty, no oily cheese residue.




RSVP Stuffed French Toast Box
Pecan crusted Brioche stuffed with Maple infused mascarpone and Sheep’s milk Ricotta
A fantastic ending to a fantastic meal, this is their signature brunch dish.  This was so odd looking, yet so good.  Crusty on the outside and sweet goodness on the inside.  Your kids and the child inside you will love this.




RSVP
15 Watts Street 
near Thompson Street.
212-300-3162

Hell or High Watermelon Beer from 21st amendment Brewery

In these hot Dog Days of summer, this is the perfect beer for cooling of and refreshment.  Go get some of this and try it.  It's not too fruity, just enough to quench your thirst.