Parm
248 Mulberry St.
(between Spring St & Prince St)
Manhattan, NY 10012
Rich Torissi and Mario Carbone opened Parm, a tongue-and-cheek ode to Little Italy and the Italian-American cuisine. Like the namesake restaurant, the menu and decor tow the fine line between street food and haute cuisine, diner and restaurant, creating a concept that is uniquely ground in its neighborhood and their evolution as chefs from their Cafe Boulud days.
As a restaurateur, you eventually realize that you must create a downmarket concept to successfully expand your empire. Consider this Torrisi Lite where you don't have to show up at 5:30pm to get one of those coveted dinner reservations.
The casual atmosphere remains the same, with 60's Motown and R&B playing in the background, and a kitchy neon sign promoting the health benefits of calamari. Despite the few items I had, I could tell they definitely take the food seriously.
The Saratoga club somehow breathed new life into the tired BLT classic. Confit turkey was bound with a spicy mayo and slathered over layers of bacon and shredded lettuce toasted white bread. The mozzarella ball was a Zen-like presentation: a creamy, dense ball of salty, creaminess sparsely seasoned with extra virgin olive oil and salt. The littleneck clams (5 for $10) expressed their sea legs well when bound with bread crumbs, butter, and finely chopped curly parsley.
Although one could fairly lobby that this is another hipster restaurant in an already played out neighborhood, Carbone and Torrisi continue to surprise. Even tired, old Italian-American classics can become fresh and inspired again.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
MCF Rare Wine
MCF Rare Wine
237 W 13th St
(between 7th Ave & Greenwich Ave.)
New York, NY 10011
There are honest wines and dishonest wines. There are honest wine stores and dishonest wine stores. MCF Rare Wine is a wine store run by an honest guy who sells wine that he honestly likes.
After working at various wine stores for nearly a year, I'm somewhat jaded by wine retail. As a salesperson, I become restless when I hear customers ask for a wine that goes well with Thai food or a dry, white wine that starts with Pinot and rhymes with the last name of former Houston Astros 1st baseman Craig Biggio. As a customer, I become more distressed when I hear a salesperson pitch me a blowsy California Chardonnay or sell me on a wine on the basis of Robert Parker or Wine Spectator ratings.
Matt Franco's store is old-school, back-to-basics wine selling. He picks great wine, he knows how to talk about it, and can turn you on to producers and varietals that you haven't heard about.
The selection is small (approximately 80 bottles), and focuses primarily on Old World. France, Italy, and Germany are well represented, but the store takes detours into some US wines (Arcadian, Belle Pente), but also more off-beaten Eastern European countries like Slovenia and Hungary. No Veuve Cliquot at this store: only Krug and small grower-producers man the ranks of sparkling wine at MCF Rare Wine.
This is not the wine store to buy wine if you are in a pinch for a dinner party. But if you take the time to mull the store's selections and talk with Matt, you will be greatly rewarded.
Check out Matt's blog at shopkeepersdesk.wordpress.com.
237 W 13th St
(between 7th Ave & Greenwich Ave.)
New York, NY 10011
There are honest wines and dishonest wines. There are honest wine stores and dishonest wine stores. MCF Rare Wine is a wine store run by an honest guy who sells wine that he honestly likes.
After working at various wine stores for nearly a year, I'm somewhat jaded by wine retail. As a salesperson, I become restless when I hear customers ask for a wine that goes well with Thai food or a dry, white wine that starts with Pinot and rhymes with the last name of former Houston Astros 1st baseman Craig Biggio. As a customer, I become more distressed when I hear a salesperson pitch me a blowsy California Chardonnay or sell me on a wine on the basis of Robert Parker or Wine Spectator ratings.
Matt Franco's store is old-school, back-to-basics wine selling. He picks great wine, he knows how to talk about it, and can turn you on to producers and varietals that you haven't heard about.
The selection is small (approximately 80 bottles), and focuses primarily on Old World. France, Italy, and Germany are well represented, but the store takes detours into some US wines (Arcadian, Belle Pente), but also more off-beaten Eastern European countries like Slovenia and Hungary. No Veuve Cliquot at this store: only Krug and small grower-producers man the ranks of sparkling wine at MCF Rare Wine.
This is not the wine store to buy wine if you are in a pinch for a dinner party. But if you take the time to mull the store's selections and talk with Matt, you will be greatly rewarded.
Check out Matt's blog at shopkeepersdesk.wordpress.com.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
La Mar Cebicheria Peruana
La Mar Cebicheria Peruana
11 Madison Ave.
(between 23rd St & 24th St)
Manhattan, NY 10010
Despite common knowledge, Mario Batali, Jean Georges Vongerichten, and Daniel Boulud aren't the only chefs with restaurant empires. Gaston Acurio, widely know in Latin American circles, as the Jamie Oliver/Gordon Ramsay/Ferran Adria of cooking, travels with security detail because he is that popular.
After reading an article in the Financial Times about his goals to bring Peruvian cuisine to the same respect as French and Italian cuisines, I've been waiting with bated breath for this restaurant to open its New York location in the former Tabla space.
The drinks program is definitely not the strong point of La Mar.
As you should always do in a Peruvian restaurant, we started with a trio of pisco sours. These pisco sours were disappointingly blended, and not freshly shaken; this obfuscates the delicate interplay between the lemon juice, brandy, and egg white in this classic drink. Additionally, our first round had half froth in the drink, which was disconcerting given the $12 price tag for the 4 oz. of pisco imbibed. The chicha, a Peruvian drink made from purple maiz, had the sultry look of a jamaica (a Mexican sorrel-based drink) but the consistency of a watered-down sangria. Stick with the lightly, effervescent Peruvian beer Cusquena, served in a chilled pilsner glass.
Neither is the service.
Some drinks took 15 minutes to come to the table, and one runner accidentally placed our round of pisco sours on the table next to us, who arrived 5 minutes after we arrived.
The food however make this place a destination for the gastronomically inclined.
If there is one thing to try culinarily this fall, it is the cebiche at La Mar. My guests and I confirmed that the cebiche tasting (fluke/salmon/tuna) was absolutely mind-blowing. The fluke was marinated in a silky, lime juice and combined with red onions and Peruvian corn. Although salmon has become a cliche at most Japanese sushi restaurants, the mezcla of salmon, octopus, and crispy calamari was a beautiful combination of temperatures and textures. The hefty bite of yellowfin tuna was propped up by the smokiness of the red tamarind sauce. The sauces were so good I slurped up the remaining liquids from their bowls.
As our first mid-couse, we had he oliva causa (octopus, piquillo pepper, avocado, quail egg, black olive). Despite their diminutive stature, they were two bites of whipped goodness, halfway in texture between a bacalao fritter and a knish.
Next was the hamachi tiradito. Slices of fish were swathed (rather, dunked) in a yellow aji leche de tigre. I'm considerably more a fan of Desnuda's tiradito preparation where the sauce lightly dresses the fish, although I didn't mind scooping up the citrus sauce that the hamachi slices were drowned in with my spoon.
Lastly, we had the tacu tacu a lo pobre. Perfectly seared and sliced rounds of hangar steak were accompanied with a fried plaintain topped with quail egg, along tomatoes, onions, and a crispy potato hash, doused with a chorrillana sauce.
If you bring your appetite, be prepared to bring your American Express black card, because this place can get very expensive very quickly. Nevertheless, Gaston Acurio has brought a fresh new take on Peruvian cuisine that should be checked out in this beautifully redesigned space.
11 Madison Ave.
(between 23rd St & 24th St)
Manhattan, NY 10010
Despite common knowledge, Mario Batali, Jean Georges Vongerichten, and Daniel Boulud aren't the only chefs with restaurant empires. Gaston Acurio, widely know in Latin American circles, as the Jamie Oliver/Gordon Ramsay/Ferran Adria of cooking, travels with security detail because he is that popular.
After reading an article in the Financial Times about his goals to bring Peruvian cuisine to the same respect as French and Italian cuisines, I've been waiting with bated breath for this restaurant to open its New York location in the former Tabla space.
The drinks program is definitely not the strong point of La Mar.
As you should always do in a Peruvian restaurant, we started with a trio of pisco sours. These pisco sours were disappointingly blended, and not freshly shaken; this obfuscates the delicate interplay between the lemon juice, brandy, and egg white in this classic drink. Additionally, our first round had half froth in the drink, which was disconcerting given the $12 price tag for the 4 oz. of pisco imbibed. The chicha, a Peruvian drink made from purple maiz, had the sultry look of a jamaica (a Mexican sorrel-based drink) but the consistency of a watered-down sangria. Stick with the lightly, effervescent Peruvian beer Cusquena, served in a chilled pilsner glass.
Neither is the service.
Some drinks took 15 minutes to come to the table, and one runner accidentally placed our round of pisco sours on the table next to us, who arrived 5 minutes after we arrived.
The food however make this place a destination for the gastronomically inclined.
If there is one thing to try culinarily this fall, it is the cebiche at La Mar. My guests and I confirmed that the cebiche tasting (fluke/salmon/tuna) was absolutely mind-blowing. The fluke was marinated in a silky, lime juice and combined with red onions and Peruvian corn. Although salmon has become a cliche at most Japanese sushi restaurants, the mezcla of salmon, octopus, and crispy calamari was a beautiful combination of temperatures and textures. The hefty bite of yellowfin tuna was propped up by the smokiness of the red tamarind sauce. The sauces were so good I slurped up the remaining liquids from their bowls.
As our first mid-couse, we had he oliva causa (octopus, piquillo pepper, avocado, quail egg, black olive). Despite their diminutive stature, they were two bites of whipped goodness, halfway in texture between a bacalao fritter and a knish.
Next was the hamachi tiradito. Slices of fish were swathed (rather, dunked) in a yellow aji leche de tigre. I'm considerably more a fan of Desnuda's tiradito preparation where the sauce lightly dresses the fish, although I didn't mind scooping up the citrus sauce that the hamachi slices were drowned in with my spoon.
Lastly, we had the tacu tacu a lo pobre. Perfectly seared and sliced rounds of hangar steak were accompanied with a fried plaintain topped with quail egg, along tomatoes, onions, and a crispy potato hash, doused with a chorrillana sauce.
If you bring your appetite, be prepared to bring your American Express black card, because this place can get very expensive very quickly. Nevertheless, Gaston Acurio has brought a fresh new take on Peruvian cuisine that should be checked out in this beautifully redesigned space.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Rubulad
Rubulad
338 Flushing Ave
(between Classon Ave & Taaffe Pl)
Brooklyn, NY 11205
Anyone who's read Jeff Stark's nonsensenyc list knows about the underground Brooklyn warehouse parties that go on each week. The parties usually are remotely located in far-flung stretches of Brooklyn, primarily to avoid the attention of law enforcement. Some of these parties are truly magical, providing a welcome diversion to the models-and-bottles, bros-and-hos driven Manhattan club scene; others are dirty-hipster/art-school hot messes, poorly organized, shoddily executed, and borderline dangerous.
Rubulad falls into the latter-category. Located in the middle of nowhere (25 minute walk from the Graham L stop, exactly), this warehouse party was a two-floor industrial loft next to a truck depot. Ascended by a narrow, dimly-lit staircase, the entire party had a DIY-feel, but like a Home Depot project gone wrong. Various art installations and graffiti randomly decorated the walls. Makeshift bathrooms were installed within the apartment, with the faint smell of sewage permeating the room. Crowd control was negligible, with patrons spilling unsafely onto the neighboring rooftops.
Rubulad's dance party had two dance floors: one with a live band crammed into the corner of the room and the other, an outdoor tent spinning some Girl-Talk inspired laptronica. The indoor space felt like a sauna, on account of the sweaty, teeming bodies crowded inside and the lack of cross-ventilation. The outdoor tent was perched on the adjacent loft's rooftop, which became difficult to move around as more people came into party. None of the music made me feel like dancing, unfortunately.
There are other safer and better organized parties in Brooklyn: The Rub's monthly party @ Southpaw, Questlove's Thursday residency at Brooklyn Bowl, and the occasional themed blowouts by the Gemini and Scorpio team.
338 Flushing Ave
(between Classon Ave & Taaffe Pl)
Brooklyn, NY 11205
Anyone who's read Jeff Stark's nonsensenyc list knows about the underground Brooklyn warehouse parties that go on each week. The parties usually are remotely located in far-flung stretches of Brooklyn, primarily to avoid the attention of law enforcement. Some of these parties are truly magical, providing a welcome diversion to the models-and-bottles, bros-and-hos driven Manhattan club scene; others are dirty-hipster/art-school hot messes, poorly organized, shoddily executed, and borderline dangerous.
Rubulad falls into the latter-category. Located in the middle of nowhere (25 minute walk from the Graham L stop, exactly), this warehouse party was a two-floor industrial loft next to a truck depot. Ascended by a narrow, dimly-lit staircase, the entire party had a DIY-feel, but like a Home Depot project gone wrong. Various art installations and graffiti randomly decorated the walls. Makeshift bathrooms were installed within the apartment, with the faint smell of sewage permeating the room. Crowd control was negligible, with patrons spilling unsafely onto the neighboring rooftops.
Rubulad's dance party had two dance floors: one with a live band crammed into the corner of the room and the other, an outdoor tent spinning some Girl-Talk inspired laptronica. The indoor space felt like a sauna, on account of the sweaty, teeming bodies crowded inside and the lack of cross-ventilation. The outdoor tent was perched on the adjacent loft's rooftop, which became difficult to move around as more people came into party. None of the music made me feel like dancing, unfortunately.
There are other safer and better organized parties in Brooklyn: The Rub's monthly party @ Southpaw, Questlove's Thursday residency at Brooklyn Bowl, and the occasional themed blowouts by the Gemini and Scorpio team.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Karczma
Karczma
136 Greenpoint Ave
(between Franklin St & Manhattan Ave)
Brooklyn, NY 11222
I can only express my fondness for Karzcma in troikas: Meat, starch, lard; Zywiec, drinking, debauchery.
The restaurant will not be remembered for its Michelin-level cuisine, but just like death and taxes, you can certainly count on several things: the meal will be solid, definitely coma-inducing, and a considerable value for the ridiculous amount of food that you were too pussy to finish.
When in Warsaw (or Greenpoint), eat pierogies. They come with potato and cheese, beef, and mushrooms fillings. Be a smart Pollock and 1) order all three; and 2) order them fried: the combination of beef lard, crispy starch, and hearty fillings are a perfect complement to the Zywiec Light and Porter on tap. Don't skip on the hunter's bacon either: thick and slab-like, it's about a third of the price of Peter Luger's famous bacon side, but just as porky and unctuous.
Don't wuss out and make sure to accompany that side of bacon with a grilled meat platter for two. Like Sir Mix-a-Lot's odes to booties, it's large and in charge, and simply difficult to get one's hand around. Kielbasa, bacon, pork chops, and blood sausage make appearances, along with slices of grilled chicken and salmon. Along with the BBQ, horseradish, and garlic sauces on your plate, it's a veritable Atkins Revolution on a hot plate. The grilled plate comes with a side of roasted, gar-licked potatoes and sauerkraut with mushrooms gratis; both of these are small meals in themselves.
Beside the $3.50 Zyweic on Thursday from 5-9pm, the mise en scene at Karzcma never disappoints. Waitresses with peasant dresses and orange Day-glo tans, Polish hipsters with retro mullets, and Zywiec-induced stupors from bar patrons: they are all part of the whimsy that has made Karczma one of my underground favorites for the past several years.
136 Greenpoint Ave
(between Franklin St & Manhattan Ave)
Brooklyn, NY 11222
I can only express my fondness for Karzcma in troikas: Meat, starch, lard; Zywiec, drinking, debauchery.
The restaurant will not be remembered for its Michelin-level cuisine, but just like death and taxes, you can certainly count on several things: the meal will be solid, definitely coma-inducing, and a considerable value for the ridiculous amount of food that you were too pussy to finish.
When in Warsaw (or Greenpoint), eat pierogies. They come with potato and cheese, beef, and mushrooms fillings. Be a smart Pollock and 1) order all three; and 2) order them fried: the combination of beef lard, crispy starch, and hearty fillings are a perfect complement to the Zywiec Light and Porter on tap. Don't skip on the hunter's bacon either: thick and slab-like, it's about a third of the price of Peter Luger's famous bacon side, but just as porky and unctuous.
Don't wuss out and make sure to accompany that side of bacon with a grilled meat platter for two. Like Sir Mix-a-Lot's odes to booties, it's large and in charge, and simply difficult to get one's hand around. Kielbasa, bacon, pork chops, and blood sausage make appearances, along with slices of grilled chicken and salmon. Along with the BBQ, horseradish, and garlic sauces on your plate, it's a veritable Atkins Revolution on a hot plate. The grilled plate comes with a side of roasted, gar-licked potatoes and sauerkraut with mushrooms gratis; both of these are small meals in themselves.
Beside the $3.50 Zyweic on Thursday from 5-9pm, the mise en scene at Karzcma never disappoints. Waitresses with peasant dresses and orange Day-glo tans, Polish hipsters with retro mullets, and Zywiec-induced stupors from bar patrons: they are all part of the whimsy that has made Karczma one of my underground favorites for the past several years.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Spritzenhaus
Spritzenhaus
33 Nassau Ave
(between Berry St & 14th St)
Spritzenhaus may be one of the most misunderstood drinking establishments in the better borough of Brooklyn, by both its customers and owners.
Contrary to recent reviews, Spritzenhaus has a solid draft and beer selection, more comprehensive and eclectic than the more popular Bohemian Beer Hall and Studio Square in Queens, Berry Park in Brooklyn, and Loreley in Manhattan.
German lagers are the focus point of the "Spritzen" in Spritzenhaus: besides your Weihenstephaners Weizen, Spatens Pils, and Goffel Kolsch on tap, there is Hofstetten Kubelbier Kellerbier, Einbecker Mai-Ur-Bock, and Schlenkerla Marzen, selections only available at dedicated beer programs at restaurants.
The Teutonic-ness further extends to their German bottle list, with hard-to-find stateside labels like Arcobrau, Reltberger Kloster, and Schoenramer making appearances in several styles.
If you decide to ante up, there are some stars (albeit pricey ones) on the beer menu: Del Borgo Reale ($38), Etienne Dupont Bouche Brut de Normandie ($38), Saint Bon de Chien Biere de Garde ($55).
What Spritzenhaus gets fundamentally wrong is its connection to its neighborhood. A 6,000 sq. ft., Keith McNally-esque bierhall couldn't help but be looked at with skepticism by the Greenpoint locals, despite the obvious effort put into the project.
Most popular (not necessarily equatable with good) beer halls have built their locations with their neighborhood demographics in mind: Studio Square reflects the aspirant douchiness of Long Island City, Bohemian Beer Hall embodies the Eastern European history of Queens, and Berry Park and Radegast capture the lo-fi, communal drinking of Greenpoint and Williamsburg. In terms of the owners, what lead them to plonk money into a project where there are already two other fairly decent competitors in the area is beyond me. Spritzenhaus will definitely not serve as Harvard Businesss School case study material anytime soon.
Unfortunately, Spritzenhaus will be remembered not for its aspiring German beer program, but a wary reminder of the most important tenet of Real Estate 101: choose your location carefully.
33 Nassau Ave
(between Berry St & 14th St)
Spritzenhaus may be one of the most misunderstood drinking establishments in the better borough of Brooklyn, by both its customers and owners.
Contrary to recent reviews, Spritzenhaus has a solid draft and beer selection, more comprehensive and eclectic than the more popular Bohemian Beer Hall and Studio Square in Queens, Berry Park in Brooklyn, and Loreley in Manhattan.
German lagers are the focus point of the "Spritzen" in Spritzenhaus: besides your Weihenstephaners Weizen, Spatens Pils, and Goffel Kolsch on tap, there is Hofstetten Kubelbier Kellerbier, Einbecker Mai-Ur-Bock, and Schlenkerla Marzen, selections only available at dedicated beer programs at restaurants.
The Teutonic-ness further extends to their German bottle list, with hard-to-find stateside labels like Arcobrau, Reltberger Kloster, and Schoenramer making appearances in several styles.
If you decide to ante up, there are some stars (albeit pricey ones) on the beer menu: Del Borgo Reale ($38), Etienne Dupont Bouche Brut de Normandie ($38), Saint Bon de Chien Biere de Garde ($55).
What Spritzenhaus gets fundamentally wrong is its connection to its neighborhood. A 6,000 sq. ft., Keith McNally-esque bierhall couldn't help but be looked at with skepticism by the Greenpoint locals, despite the obvious effort put into the project.
Most popular (not necessarily equatable with good) beer halls have built their locations with their neighborhood demographics in mind: Studio Square reflects the aspirant douchiness of Long Island City, Bohemian Beer Hall embodies the Eastern European history of Queens, and Berry Park and Radegast capture the lo-fi, communal drinking of Greenpoint and Williamsburg. In terms of the owners, what lead them to plonk money into a project where there are already two other fairly decent competitors in the area is beyond me. Spritzenhaus will definitely not serve as Harvard Businesss School case study material anytime soon.
Unfortunately, Spritzenhaus will be remembered not for its aspiring German beer program, but a wary reminder of the most important tenet of Real Estate 101: choose your location carefully.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Beecher's Handmade Cheeses
Beecher's Handmade Cheeses
900 Broadway (between 19th St & 20th St)
New York, NY 10003
Depending on your viewpoint, Beecher's recent opening has contributed to the Flatiron District's reputation as the new culinary hotspot, or the Epcot Center-ization of food in Gramercy.
Whether it was wise to enter a long-term lease for a multi-million dollar location in one of NYC's trendiest neighborhoods, Beecher's Handmade Cheeses nevertheless is an addition to Madison Square area that is become a burgeoning foodie destintation.
The store specializes in their eponymous cheeses (Beecher Flagship, Flagship 4-year, Marco Polo, No Woman, and Flagsheep), but also specialty cheeses and charcuterie purveyors across the United States. The space is vast, with several retail counters on the ground floor to sample cheeses, charcuterie, and prepared foods, adequate seating for lunch and dinner upstairs, and a cellar of a bar in the basement. Beecher's offers free samples of all their cheeses, but this is a normal courtesy offered at many of the premier NYC cheesemongers.
I went down to the Cellar Bar and had a side-by-side comparison of Beecher's (Flagship, Flagship 4-year, Flagsheep) vs. the other cheesemonger's (Mozzarella Co's Hoja Santa/Jasper Hill Farm's Moses Sleeper/Wisconsin Sheep Dairy Coop) cheeses.
Regarding Beecher's selections, I was impressed by the nuttiness and funkiness of the 4-year Flagship, but let down by the lack of distinguishable flavors in the Flagship and Flagsheep.
The Cheesemonger's selection was considerably more impressive. The Wisconsin Sheep Dairy Coop's sheep cheese trumped Beecher's Flagsheep with it's saltiness, pungency, and earthiness. Jasper Hill's Moses Sleeper (cow's milk, aged 3-6 weeks) had the buttery, bright, savory flavor associated with cow's milk, but the bloomy rindness of a brie. The Hoja Santa (goat cheese wrapped in hoja santa leaves) was a revelation: the tanginess of goat cheese played off minty, earthiness of hoja santa leaves like a bow to a Stradavarius violin.
The sides offered with the cheese plates are not to be missed. Beecher's biscuits have a slightly sweet, wheaty taste that complements most cheeses. The pickled raisins provided a nice foil to some of the tangier goat and sheep's cheeses. And the pickled fennel stems might be my new favorite bar snack in all of NYC, with the vinegar notes providing a subtle facelift to the anise in the freshly shaved fennel.
Despite the quality cheeses, I was disappointed by the lack of in-depth knowledge about the cheeses by the staff. I admit I am a particularly picky consumer, but for a store that features regional cheese, it's important to know not just whether it came from a cow, sheep, or goat, but how it was produced, and where it came from.
Beecher's is the new kid on the cheese block, and I wish it the best of success. After running into Kurt Beecher (who has an uncanny likeness to Eastbound and Down's Kenny Powers) upon leaving the store, I couldn't help but think how he has vastly underestimated how ruthlessly competitive the NYC fromagerie market has become since his visit to NYC in 2008. If it is going to make its mark just like it did in Seattle, it will have to step up the quality of its cheeses and staff education to compete against the likes of Murray's, Saxelby's, and Artisanal.
900 Broadway (between 19th St & 20th St)
New York, NY 10003
Depending on your viewpoint, Beecher's recent opening has contributed to the Flatiron District's reputation as the new culinary hotspot, or the Epcot Center-ization of food in Gramercy.
Whether it was wise to enter a long-term lease for a multi-million dollar location in one of NYC's trendiest neighborhoods, Beecher's Handmade Cheeses nevertheless is an addition to Madison Square area that is become a burgeoning foodie destintation.
The store specializes in their eponymous cheeses (Beecher Flagship, Flagship 4-year, Marco Polo, No Woman, and Flagsheep), but also specialty cheeses and charcuterie purveyors across the United States. The space is vast, with several retail counters on the ground floor to sample cheeses, charcuterie, and prepared foods, adequate seating for lunch and dinner upstairs, and a cellar of a bar in the basement. Beecher's offers free samples of all their cheeses, but this is a normal courtesy offered at many of the premier NYC cheesemongers.
I went down to the Cellar Bar and had a side-by-side comparison of Beecher's (Flagship, Flagship 4-year, Flagsheep) vs. the other cheesemonger's (Mozzarella Co's Hoja Santa/Jasper Hill Farm's Moses Sleeper/Wisconsin Sheep Dairy Coop) cheeses.
Regarding Beecher's selections, I was impressed by the nuttiness and funkiness of the 4-year Flagship, but let down by the lack of distinguishable flavors in the Flagship and Flagsheep.
The Cheesemonger's selection was considerably more impressive. The Wisconsin Sheep Dairy Coop's sheep cheese trumped Beecher's Flagsheep with it's saltiness, pungency, and earthiness. Jasper Hill's Moses Sleeper (cow's milk, aged 3-6 weeks) had the buttery, bright, savory flavor associated with cow's milk, but the bloomy rindness of a brie. The Hoja Santa (goat cheese wrapped in hoja santa leaves) was a revelation: the tanginess of goat cheese played off minty, earthiness of hoja santa leaves like a bow to a Stradavarius violin.
The sides offered with the cheese plates are not to be missed. Beecher's biscuits have a slightly sweet, wheaty taste that complements most cheeses. The pickled raisins provided a nice foil to some of the tangier goat and sheep's cheeses. And the pickled fennel stems might be my new favorite bar snack in all of NYC, with the vinegar notes providing a subtle facelift to the anise in the freshly shaved fennel.
Despite the quality cheeses, I was disappointed by the lack of in-depth knowledge about the cheeses by the staff. I admit I am a particularly picky consumer, but for a store that features regional cheese, it's important to know not just whether it came from a cow, sheep, or goat, but how it was produced, and where it came from.
Beecher's is the new kid on the cheese block, and I wish it the best of success. After running into Kurt Beecher (who has an uncanny likeness to Eastbound and Down's Kenny Powers) upon leaving the store, I couldn't help but think how he has vastly underestimated how ruthlessly competitive the NYC fromagerie market has become since his visit to NYC in 2008. If it is going to make its mark just like it did in Seattle, it will have to step up the quality of its cheeses and staff education to compete against the likes of Murray's, Saxelby's, and Artisanal.
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