byAmy Nordrum and Joseph Pedro

No matter where you live, it’s worth visiting New York City at least once a year if only to be able to talk about the newest restaurants and hottest food trends from experience. It really makes no difference whether you long for New York street food or prefer to chase down Michelin stars. Though classic New York staples like bagels as big as your head and dollar-a-slice pizza are here to stay, much of the flavor of New York comes from the rotating cast of characters who are constantly reinventing the city’s cuisine. The choices here highlight some of the city’s most exciting and creative chefs, as well as the meticulously prepared dishes served by the world’s most venerable restaurateurs.

BEAUTY & ESSEX

The sign for Beauty & Essex hangs high above an entrance that blends better with the rough facades of mini-marts than those of the modern boutiques that surround it on the Lower East Side. Opening the door, I still wasn’t sure I was in the right place—instead of the restaurant I expected, I was standing in a vintage pawn shop. A few tentative steps forward, and the cashier waved me over to an unmarked door that opened into the lively bar and dining room of Beauty & Essex, an upscale lounge/restaurant/club with a growing reputation as a place to see and be seen.

Its rise in popularity might be partly due to this truth: Beauty & Essex is on a short list of places where you can confidently seek out both a superb dinner and a classy fling in the same, exquisite evening. The clientele is a celebratory bunch, a mix of trendy people in their late-20s to uptown sophisticates looking for the next big thing. Managers play matchmaker by encouraging patrons to mingle on the second-floor lounge for cocktails. Walking through the bar, the mood it set by dark décor and low lighting running down either side and into the dining room. High ceilings topped by a glass roof lend an air of infinity to a city so cramped. The aesthetic is smoothed by round wooden tables and curved leather booths.

To start, I chose a Cranberry Lorraine ($15/glass) from a list of creative cocktails made of D’usse Cognac, cranberry, lemon, orange bitters, and cranberry compote. The flirty flavors were the perfect way to punch up my palate in preparation for what was to come. The dinner menu is made up of small plates that are “meant to be shared” as my server, John, puts it. Start with a plate from the raw bar (I tried the tuna sprinkled with crunchy chorizo; both delicate and deep $14), or a starter like a duck pizetta ($15), or the chile relleno empanadas ($13). Of the “jewels on toast” varietals, I sampled a crisp and airy crust piled high with avocado, lemon, and espelette ($11) that brilliantly combined the serenity of this oil-rich tropical fruit with the saltiness of the ocean itself. Next, a house specialty: the lobster mac and cheese ($15) is decadence thick with cheese ragù and embedded with chunks of succulent lobster and crunchy green onions that I could smell as soon as I scooped it out with an oversized fork.

For the main course, my options included a 24 oz. bone-in ribeye ($55) served with four signature sauces, or the Beauty & Essex burger ($18) with roasted garlic aioli, beefsteak tomato, and goat feta. I decide, however, to take John’s recommendation and order the pan-seared scallops ($27) served on smoked tomato and sweet pea risotto. These delectable mollusks are the plumpest, juiciest scallops I’ve ever tasted, with a gorgeous sheen and firmness to each expertly seared morsel.

To finish, I accept another recommendation from John: the black-bottomed butterscotch pot de crème ($12) with coffee tones and bold butterscotch layered on a deep, dark chocolate base. All topped with toasted coconut chantilly. The best way to dive in? Scoop up all three layers on your spoon at once, and savor their sweet complexity. Now that dinner’s over, it’s time to head upstairs to the lounge where the mood relaxes further still. You won’t be alone as there’s a steady stream of singles and couples (both gay and straight) who keep returning to Beauty & Essex for the food, the company, and the class. 146 Essex St. Tel: 212-614-0146. www.beautyandessex.com

Поиск по сайту: