Kitchen Conundrum

Kitchen Reviews-Niu Noodle House Opens in the West Village, NYC

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Last week we were invited to a tasting dinner at Niu Noodle House, a new Ramen noodle restaurant that opened about 4 months ago in Greenwich Village.

Do not be fooled by the interior- there are few Asian inspired design elements here. This restaurant’s vibe is modern, eclectic and feels very much like a pub with dark beams combined with funky wallpaper. At the front of the restaurant is a long, well stocked bar. There are a lot of interesting things to look at while you are waiting for your dinner to arrive but you aren’t there for the decor.

Niu Noodle House’s main focus is on creating freshly made soup noodles in a variety of  styles, broths and flavors. And this, they do very well!

The menu features appetizers of dim sum, satays and spring rolls. Of the many options, we choose the Flank Steak Spring Rolls, Vegetable Spring rolls and the Special Steam Char Siu Pork Buns to start.  Each of the appetizers were better than the last! The Vegetable Spring Rolls were  extra crispy and filled with flavorful vegetables. The beef version was packed solid with a well seasoned ground beef. It was almost like a meatball encased in a spring roll wrapper.  They were both accompanied by a dipping sauce that had just the right amount of heat to it and wasn’t too overpowering.

The pork buns though, were our favorite!  Light, fluffy and filled with tender, juicy slices of pork that melted in your mouth. It was served with the house special Hoisin sauce, pungent and perfectly sweet.

For our main course it was hard to choose from all the varieties of noodle soups on the menu. With the help of our highly skilled and attentive server, she recommended some great choices based on our likes/dislikes. In the end, we picked the Niu Beef Trifecta and the Sangi Chicken.

Soon, large black bowls  that were filled to the brim arrived  with an abundance of savory delights in them.  The Beef Trifecta was filled with homemade thin Ramen noodles, flank steak, short ribs, beef steak, scallions, and a spear of  asparagus. The chicken soup had heartier noodles than the beef’s more delicate kind and tasted like a very good chicken soup- one that would seriously kick a cold’s butt.  Mushrooms, thin slices of chicken breast, and vegetables were present in every bite.

A special delicacy – a wasabi, tempura battered piece of seaweed floated gracefully on the surface and a side bowl of sweet corn kernels accompanied  both of the soups. The broths were both very flavorful and  quite delicious. Ari preferred the beef and I loved the chicken, so we can safely say they both were excellent choices. We were hard pressed to leave some behind and not take a doggie bag to go- tempted as we were!

(A cute touch is the cow chopstick holder.)

After all the food we just enjoyed, we were hesitant to order dessert but we were so very glad we did!  We shared the Green Tea Shaved Ice Cream. What a treat!  A wonderful combination of Green Tea flavor and lightly sented Rose Water topped with Fruit Gels and tiny flavored Lychee balls that had been Spherified –  their liquid interior bursting in our mouths.  It was a delectable and refreshing way to end a delightful meal.

We are really looking forward to going back and tasting the soup dumplings that the manager strongly recommended we try.  And,  to have some more of that shaved ice cream! Yum!

Atmosphere:

Modern, Eclectic

Service:

Friendly and attentive

Price:

Moderate (approx.  $55 for 2 people-sharing a dessert)

Our Rating (Out of 5 Whisks):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Location:

15 Greenwich Ave
(between 10th St & Christopher St)
New York, NY 10014

(212) 488-9888

http://www.niunoodleny.com

 

 

Disclosure: We were invited to experience a meal at Niu Noodle House but as always, the opinions expressed here are our own.

 

O-Chateau Wine Bar and Restaurant

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I have a new favorite spot in Paris. It’s, not surprisingly, a wine bar and restaurant.  It’s true that I do enjoy a glass or three of wine from time to time (shh!) and well, food, it’s my comfort zone. If I’m not cooking, I’m eating. And so, this is really the perfect place to find me.

The ever charming, Olivier Magny, owner, sommelier and author of Stuff Parisians Like, a hysterical and snarky look at his fellow Parisians, has created a unique and exciting experience at O-Chateau.  He and his incredibly savvy and equally charismatic, business partner and friend, Nicolas Paradis, have taken the hoighty-toighty out of wine education and have made it remarkably accessible and enjoyable for even those who never thought they could learn all that much about wine.   From their new home near The Louvre, in a beautifully remodeled storefront,  featuring a wine bar and restaurant, a stunning stone wine cellar/tasting room and a large downstairs event space, they provide guided wine tastings throughout the week as well as excursions to several parts of the French wine country.

In a very relaxed atmosphere, with incredibly friendly sommeliers, each tasting provides a wealth of information about wine from all corners of France. You can partake in sessions from one hour tastings to full scale wine tasting lunches or dinners and easily walk away and be able to impress your friends and neighbors back home with everything you have learned. You are certain to smile and laugh and you may even speak a little French when you are done! There are even river cruise tastings and a day trip to the Champagne region will take you through some of France’s most beautiful countryside and quaint villages, all the while mellowly sipping glasses of bubbly.

Prefer to try some wine on your own? Well, at O-Chateau’s wine bar, patrons can sit at the bar and sample from forty different wines housed in the By the Glass refrigeration and dispensing system.  In measures of a large sip (3ml) up to a full glass (15ml) you can try red, white and rose wines plus a few Champagnes, all at very affordable prices. During happy hour, from 6-8pm, you can even sample a glass of whatever the house is serving that night for a mere 5 euro. A real steal considering the superior quality of wines offered.  They also offer “flights” of wine that have been pre-selected or you can do like I did one night and just start at the top of the wine list and work your way down. I choose 6- 3ml glasses at a time to try and in three turns I had tried every single red wine with the exception of the Petrus. (I am on a budget myself!) With the expert guidance and knowledge imparted by Maxime, the bar manager, I learned something about each wine I tasted (Yes, I took notes!) and now I know exactly what characteristics I prefer in my glass. Not to mention, it was great fun to try so many at once! (Afterwards, I had mustered up enough courage and took a ride on the nearby famous Paris ferris wheel, La Grande Roue, and wasn’t even afraid of the heights! I’ve since taken a daytime ride as well and have to say that the wine helped! In my defense, it was a very windy day and the swinging car didn’t go over well with me. Another story!)

As usually happens, you may become hungry while appraising your beverage.  You can order from the bar menu where you’ll be served wooden boards overflowing with premium cheeses or charcuterie. They are far too much for just one person to eat on their own, but sharing with your barmates or friends is ideal.  Small plates, like the simple but elegant bruschetta , foie gras  or the generous slices of the exquisitely sweet, salty and slighty nutty Bellota ham served with slices of fresh baguettes are perfect accompaniments as well.  Or if you are really daring, you can just have dessert!

Each evening, the restaurant serves a set three course menu featuring only the freshest, seasonal ingredients available for just 32euro. You can turn that menu into a full “Tasting Menu” (65euro) which includes 3 wines and 1 Champagne thoughtfully chosen by an expert sommelier to match your meal. This is a real bargain given the excellence of each handcrafted menu item.  Of course, if you so desire, you can also indulge in each course ala carte; appetizer (11euro), main course (17euro) and dessert (7euro).  You don’t have to break the bank in order to have a marvelous meal with wine here.

My first dining experience at O-Chateau came on New Year’s Eve when I booked to attend their gala event, a wine tasting dinner and party.  O-Chateau’s dynamic and extremely talented Executive Chef, Campbell Whitman created a stellar menu for the night. Hailing originally from California where she was a personal chef, Whitman is also the daughter of Old Creek Ranch Winery owners and a Cordon Bleu, Paris graduate. When she isn’t designing delectable dishes for O- Chateau, she can be found writing her blog, Boots for Breakfast.

My seat for the evening was barside and I was promptly granted a lovely glass of Champagne Grand Cru from Pierre Paillard.  Sipping champagne and listening to the cool jazz playing on the sound system set a terrific tempo for inaugurating the night’s events.  By now I had been to O-Chateau on a few occasions so it was nice to be recognized and welcomed so graciously.

The appetizer of Duck Foie Gras soon arrived, topped with Fleur del Sel de Guerande and Fig Preserves, providing a perfect bite of gently bitter pate, sweet fruit and a touch of salt in every mouth-watering morsel.  The course was paired with a glass of Domaine de Souch 2009 vintage from a small vineyard in the South West region of France called Jurancon, in the Pyrenees.  Wine producer Yvonne Hegoburu, who is now 85 years young, began making Domaine de Souch in 1987 when she was 60 years old as a tribute to her late husband Rene, and is now said to have one of the best wines in the entire Jurancon appellation.  Impressive!

The main entrée featured a delicate piece of Salmon filet swathed in a velvety caper cream sauce teamed with a light and airy broccoli soufflé and paired with an unlikely glass of red wine- Gevrey Chambertin “Cuvee Ostrea”  2009 from Domaine JL Trapet in the Burgundy region.  I would have thought that the structure and texture of this wine would have been too overpowering for such a light dish, but I stand corrected. The elements of red fruits, cherry and plums provided a lovely sappiness that complemented the acidity of the sauce and nicely balanced the entire course, debunking, yet again, that myth that fish only pairs well with white wine.

By now the music was picking up and the atmosphere was turning much more “party” like but not into full swing before the dessert arrived. A chocolate bomb, or as the menu referred to it, La Flocon de Pierre Herme, a thousand times richer and more divine! Creamy, heavenly chocolate goodness in every forkful. Of course, saying it in French helps too!

Dessert was skillfully paired with a Saint-Estephe, Chateau Haut-Marbuzet 2007, a spicy, finely, balanced and flexible wine.

The rest of the evening was brimming with music, singing, a cabaret performance and lots of dancing. Everyone had a fun night filled with laughter and happiness.  And as they say in Vegas, “What happens in Paris, stays in Paris”.

My second meal at O-Chateau was prepared by Habiybah Washington, who also attended Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and is a former, fellow New Yorker.  She created not only one of my favorite meals at O-Chateau, but also the best meal of my entire stay in Paris so far. Simple a dish as it may seem; a filet, broccoli and potatoes gratin dauphinois, I have experienced my share of nearly inedible filets here in Paris. There have been fatty ones, thin ones and dry, chewy, leathery, tasteless ones. All at a rather expensive price too.  This filet, however, stood out against all the rest. It was seasoned perfectly, accompanied by a luscious mustard cream sauce, temperature right on the money, medium rare, not too bleu and not too brown. A beautiful shade of pink! There also was not a single bite of that horrid gristle anywhere, thus avoiding that awkward moment when you have to decide if you will choke to death if you swallow it or risk embarrassment by spitting it into your napkin.  Every single bite literally melted in your mouth. Silky, tender and juicy-just as a filet should be.

One of my favorite comfort foods is gratin potatoes and they are really easy to mess up. Overcooked, the dish becomes very dry and grainy. Undercooked, its just hard pellets of potato and unmelted cheese swimming in sauce floating around your mouth.  Not very appetizing!  But these potatoes were soft, creamy and smooth with hints of pepper, nutmeg and that delightful, rich cheesy tang.  I was lucky enough to have an end slice, where the cheese on top crisps ever so around the edge providing a sexy mouthful of textural contrasts.  I soaked up all the remaining sauce with the broccoli and devoured everything on my entire plate. Had I been alone at home… well, lets just say they wouldn’t have to scrape my plate that much.  I seriously could have easily eaten two servings and not have been ashamed of myself!

I’ve returned to O-Chateau a few evenings since and it has sort of become my “Cheers” in Paris.  If I’ve been out touring all day and I am nearby, I’ll pop in and have a seat for a while, a glass of wine and either a snack or dinner.  As a solo traveler it’s a great place to just relax at the bar and chat with the sommelier who’ll not only guide you through O-Chateau’ menu with precision and care and provide recommendations you are sure to love but will also make you feel very welcome and a part of the O-Chateau family.

Visit O-Chateau:

O-Chateau
68, rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1st)
Phone: +33 (0)1 44 739 780

 

 

The Periscope Hotel and P-Box Eatery; My Last Night in Athens

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Greece-711While I was very sad to leave Kea, I was happy that I had one last night in Athens.  Aglaia and Costas had recommended a wonderful boutique hotel in the chic and cultural neighborhood of Kolanaki called The Periscope Hotel.  It’s a member of the Yes! Hotels group, which stands for “Y”oung “E”nthusiastic “S”eductive.  Each of their boutique hotels prides themselves on being creative but comfortable spaces with excellent customer service. Aglaia said that the restaurant at the Periscope, π Box Eatery, was excellent and that the chef was doing very interesting things with the menu.  So I was very excited to stay there and try out this restaurant. It did not disappoint!

The hotel doesn’t look like much from the outside and the lobby is really tiny, but don’t let that dissuade you!   The rooms are spacious and light, even with the dark submarine gray built-in closet and workspace. There are floor to ceiling windows and lots of natural light that can be blocked out by the push of a button lowering the automatic shades.  Even the bathroom is quite large with a full sized shower and a full sized shower curtain, an uncommon sight in Europe. (I’ll never understand how half curtains or half glass walls are considered effective; I always end up soaking the entire bathroom and using my extra towels to mop up the water. I think full sized shower curtains would be a huge seller!) The plentiful and pleasantly scented bath amenities were made by a company called Korres Natural Products, a Greek company that focuses on homeopathic remedies, organic and natural products. There was the wonderful added touch of bath robes and pairs of nice flip flops for both him and her (my oldest daughter quickly absconded with mine as I unpacked and I remarked that I should have taken both pairs home! Oh well!)

In keeping with the submarine theme, there are plenty of gray walls and steel accents throughout the hotel. For added fun, there is a video monitor in each hallway linked to an actual periscope on the hotel’s roof offering guests various vista views of Athens.

But I wasn’t there just for the fabulous room and the submarine themed decor. I was really there for the food!

The award winning and renowned Executive Chef, Christoforos Peskias, was born in Cyprus and studied business administration at Boston University. While he was a student, cooking became a passion for him and when he returned to Greece he worked as a chef at the Dash Restaurant in Kifisia.  In 1992, he came back to the states to study alongside the famous chefs, Charlie Trotter and Jackie Pluton.  For the next six years he worked in several kitchens, including Balthazar. But even more impressively, he returned to Europe and worked under such notables as Ferran Adria, Mark Menaux and Joel Robuchon.  Influences of each can be seen in his menus today. From 2003-2008 he took over the kitchen at the now closed 48 Restaurant and garnered it a place on Restaurant magazine’s Top 100 list for both 2007 and 2008. In 2010 he opened the first Π box, in Kifisia, and recently, a second, smaller version at the Periscope Hotel where I would dine.

I was thrilled that my new friends from Maine who had also spent the week on Kea wanted to come to dinner with me that night at the hotel’s restaurant.  It was so nice to have such great company on my last night in Greece!

When we arrived at 9pm there was only one other table dining. We were very early by Greek standards! But the restaurant soon filled and the room was buzzing.

Our first server was not very familiar with the wine list and deferred our tasting questions to her manager, who found us the perfect crisp and fruity white wine to accompany our meal at a reasonable price as well.

The eclectic menu had several fun titles for several of the dishes.  We ordered three appetizers to share.  The first, “pan fried Ladotyri cheese with lemon marmalade from giam” was delicious! Ladotyri cheese is made from sheep’s milk or goat’s milk or a combination of the two. It’s a hard salty cheese that is stored and aged in olive oil. On it’s own, it has a very strong flavor but this melted version had a crispy crust of cheese with a gooey melted center and was a perfect balance of tart and sweet, made possible by the lemon giam (aka jam).  It doesn’t look beautiful but it tasted amazing. I loved it!

The next dish was entitled “street food of a different kind”.  This dish is a take on Athens’s most popular hot dog cart at Mavili Square’s fare. Think a kraut dog, upped ten notches. This version is a mustard laced, slightly spicy sausage served with a savory stewed cabbage and a fried egg all together in one cast iron pan. We devoured it!

The third dish was calamari in a deep red zesty sauce.

Then they brought us a few more appetizers to taste while we were waiting, a fresh tomato pizza bread and an Asian inspired cold chicken, rice noodle bowl. Both were quite good and had excellent flavors, but the fact that the chicken rice noodle bowl was actually a cold dish was a bit of a surprise.

By the time our main course arrived we were rather full!  One dish that was ordered was a “hamburger with three sauces”, a large American style burger served with three different sauces, each ranging in spice level. Two of us ordered the “Tandoori chicken with mashed potatoes”. I thought my chicken was a bit spongy to the touch and went to send it back for more cooking only to be told that it could not be cooked further. This was a bit shocking to me but the manager returned and assured me that it had been cooked thoroughly for several hours at a low temperature. Ah! Sous vide! Now it all made sense. The light bulb went off in my head. You see, restaurants in NYC are not allowed to use this method for fear of bacteria, so the only sous vide you can try is at home or in other cities and I must admit, I have not tried very many dishes prepared in this method. While not a visually appealing dish, this tender, juicy piece of chicken was coated in a tangy tandoori marinade and sat atop a fragrant and very flavorful yogurt and dill sauce which also served as the “gravy” for the mashed potatoes. Unfortunately, I was too full to eat the entire thing and had to leave a large portion left over.

Feeling quite full and satiated, all of us agreed that we would bypass dessert and head out for a quick evening stroll around the neighborhood. The bill for dinner was very reasonable for the three of us with a bottle of wine. We found out that the menu changes daily so if you go, your menu may differ from ours. But if you see these dishes, be sure to try them! You will be happy you did!

We then said our goodbyes and I retreated to my room for the evening and slept soundly through the night. The bed, while very firm, was incredibly comfortable, reminding me of memory foam and the pillows were soft but plump and offered a good amount of support. I had a great night’s sleep!

In the morning, I was delighted to try the restaurant’s breakfast buffet that was included in the room rate. There was a large selection of cheeses and charcuteries, fresh fruit, cereals, grains and yogurts. There were also several loaves of homemade breads that you could slice yourself and a wide assortment of pastries, including muffins, croissants and bite sized baklavas. If a guest desired eggs or omelets, they could make a request and it would be made to order. From fresh juices to strong coffees and lots of varieties of foods, there was nothing that hadn’t been thought of.  It was a good, solid breakfast to start the day.

Unfortunately, my stay at the Periscope Hotel was short as I was heading to the airport to return home that day, so a shower and some packing was all that was left for me to do But I vowed to return, and I would certainly stay at the Periscope Hotel again or recommend it to anyone looking for a reasonably priced hotel in a great neighborhood.

With the arrival of my new friend and driver, Loukas, to take me to the airport, my Greek adventure was sadly at its official end.  I had the most amazing time there and am plotting how to return and next time, bring the family.