The Savored Blog

At Sue Perette, a new Brooklyn bistro on Smith street, you can find the chef Benoit Rouan completing his tour de force; an ambitious rotating menu featuring a new traditional region of France each month. Aptly called a Tour de France, the menu takes its inspiration from each region, this month drawing from Franche Comte, where brooks and fisheries are abound, and of course, fromageries are plentiful. The little restaurant, settled into the heart of Brooklyn’s booming restaurant row has a big mission. Like the original Parisian incarnations, this true French gem prides itself on offering traditionally prepared dishes, while the new monthly menu excites the locals and brings fresh and seasonal ingredients to their keen Carroll Gardens following.

Details like the timely arrival of an infused olive oil, presented in a petite ramekin, and fresh bread from a local Brooklyn bakery were not under-appreciated by me and my hungry dining partner. The octopus starter was lusciously crisp, perfectly grilled and delicately plated. You could feel the polished french artistry as the pieces of tender tentacle melt in your mouth. The mussel stew with a fish sauce of trout and salmon was an exquisite dish. Though, to call the fish medley a sauce might be a bit deceiving. The large chunks of lightly seared fresh fish swam in a light cream, and were highlights of the flavor profiles. They call it the Atlantic answer to Bouillabaisse. I call it the perfect spring dish.

When done properly, a souffle is a joy of flavor, impossibly light and never, never, never comes out from the oven less than perfectly puffed. Consider Sue Perette’s chocolate fondant souffle their Arc de Triomphe. Whichever regions of France you visit with their dynamic menu, make this your ultimate destination. The airy souffle manages to simultaneously produce an unbridled rich creamy flavor.

When it comes to Wine, Sue Perette practices a xenophobia I can stand behind. The list of French wines features an intimate group from different regions. We chose a 2010 Domaine Puech Cocut Pinot Noir, befitting to the Burgundy regionally inspired meal. All in all, Sue Perette is worth frequenting and I’ll surely return for the next savory voyage.

A Bar with Food, but don't call it Bar Food

Some things are just meant for each other – think roasted beets and goat cheese, fresh mozzarella on a crispy pizza or even prosecco and me.  While all three of these simply perfect pairs were present and accounted for last weekend at Onieals in Soho, what is really remarkable is the unlikely pairing of a gourmet restaurant inside a neighborhood pub.  Although, with a gastronomic experience executed as successfully as my meal at Onieals, it’s no surprise I plan to become as permanent a fixture there as the menu items themselves.

After entering Onieals through the spacious lounge section, we were seated in the intimate dining room; the crowd would suggest that a refined palette is something developed by a sophisticated clientele.  Fitting into the scene was easy with a three-olive martini in hand and an elegantly-plated roasted beet and warmed goat cheese salad before me.  The candied spiced pecans and dried cherry dressing introduced a wide breadth of complex flavors that stood up nicely to the tang of the goat cheese. The subsequent course (obviously) entailed a bottle of prosecco and an order of mussels in a light white wine sauce, which were served with two slices of warm crusty bread.  Make no mistake; this was me in my happy place.

Scallop Perfection

After consulting with the host (who happened to be as fabulous and bubbly as my prosecco in hand), the entrée selection was complete.  The Snapper special of the day was served in a broth of coconut milk with hints of lemon grass, which lent its essence to not only the fish filet, but also several clams and a selection of mushrooms.  The light sear on the snapper was as expertly cooked as the bok choy, which was pure al dente perfection.   Not that it had anything on the utterly amazing pan seared fresh scallops; just remembering the buttery scallops sitting on top of a dish of asparagus-studded creamy risotto might warrant wearing a bib. The addition of a light carrot ginger sauce sprinkled with chive is a bit too much to imagine on an empty stomach.

Whether you’re looking for a trendy weekend dining destination or an unorthodox gourmet resto, Onieals has your number.  Sure, it’s a bar, with food – but don’t even think about calling it bar food.  I’ll see you there next time!

Dating, like hoola hooping or checkbooks, requires a strong sense of balance – knowing when to call and when to delete numbers from your phone book. Some people revel in the game, the poise of dating. I, on the other hand, celebrate dating itself, and by that I mean, of course, going out to eat. But it can prove difficult to procure those restaurants that say, just loud enough, “yes, I’m interested.”

Welcome, then, to Verde on Smith; the effortless Lucida typeface of the restaurant’s Smith St. storefront calls to Brooklyn dwellers as well as anyone in search of simple Italian fare, and really, lovers of all sorts. There were well behaved Brooklyn babies with their trendy poncho clad parents. There were loving longtime friends joking about the parking in Cobble Hill. Upon entering, we were seated next to the restaurant’s svelte bar where a younger crowd tasted highlights from the extensive wine list. The place itself was sleek with high ceilings and a long dining room. Weathered wood accompanied by smells of fresh seafood and smoky meats beckoned diners inside.

The sentimental owner of Verde on Smith was a convivial host, chatting up the crowd with tidbits about the restaurant’s launch and his feelings on Southern Italian fare. We learned that the restaurant prides itself in serving organic ingredients marrying an allegiance to Italian fare with a thoughtful contemporary twist.

We sat down to dinner with anticipation. Choosing a wine proved difficult. The restaurant prides itself in a homage to Italian wine, and our server recommended a beautiful Masciarelli that was clean and light. We began our meal with their ‘Smith Street Soup Festival’ winning Lobster Bisque. So what does first place mean here? The soup was an absolute masterpiece, rich and buttery, our spoons scrambled around the bowl. We sampled their appetizer of the day, a prosciutto wrapped scallops with a mango balsamic glaze. Call me a romantic, but I consider the partnering of a scallop and butter to be a sacred one. The prosciutto gave some textural foreplay, but the scallops were dimmed by the veritable explosion of mango.

I was anticipating the main course. Verde is known for their seafood, something I have a soft spot for.  The linguini arrived, swirled with a luscious serving of mussels and topped with a suggestively spicy cherry tomato sauce. The seared tuna was an elegant calculus of flavor- served on a bed of cannellini beans and Escarole, the flavor of the generous cuts of fish were emboldened by the thin smoky sear.

We stuck around for dessert, just as people began to filter out of the restaurant.  Thinking we had ordered a simple chocolate lava cake, we were surprised by a seductive and bold dark cake with a hint of acid in the drizzle of raspberry reduction.  Real vanilla bean ice-cream on the side didn’t get skipped over. Another bottle of the Masciarelli had appeared at our table just in time for desert, and maybe it was the wine talking, but I think I got lucky with Verde on Smith.

It’s sad but true; my biggest issue when going to a restaurant is narrowing down the list of everything on the menu to a single selection.  I like to taste it all – chalk it up to #FoodieProblems.  This may just be why I’m such a fan of restaurants that feature tapas (or small plates) meant to be shared amongst the table.  Topping my list of tapas is Alcalá, a treasure for plate-sharers like me that is tucked away in charming digs on 46^th St, just off the corner of 1^st Avenue.

After being greeted by Alcalá’s doting staff, sneak a peek at their phenomenal wine list – Spanish wines are amazing and oak-aged Riojas are my personal favorites.   Pop that bottle and in no time, you may just find yourself chatting up the resto’s delightful owner, Jesus Martinez.  Wherever your conversation leads, make sure you ask him for menu recommendations – his suggestions helped me with my indecision predicament!  Although, the answer is usually to order as much as possible – and my two friends and I did just that; if when I return to Alcalá to do it all over again, I’ve got my order down pat.

First, the rubbed tomato bread, a Spanish classic; it’s a light and refreshing start to the feast that will ensue.  Next, the Gambas al Ajillo will thrill shrimp lovers, though you might think twice about sharing the love with anyone YOU love after ingesting the healthy dose of garlic this petite dish packs.  The Almejas a la Bilbaína, a satisfying little bowl of delicious little clams, are easy to go splitsies on but feature the full flavor of a white Rioja wine sauce, combined with garlic and fresh parsley.

Canelones de Espinacas

Off-Menu Potatoes

Take a brief breather, as we did, and then get ready for Round Two, which, if done right, should be dedicated to carbs.  For the Canelones de Espinacas, dumpling-thin sheets of pasta are wrapped around a surprisingly light mixture of shrimp and spinach, plated in a pool of tomato sauce and then doused with Béchamel sauce.   An off-the-menu dish followed – just ask for the lightly fried potatoes with dijon mustard+ketchup/mayo drizzle – it tastes even better than it looks (and a whole lot better than it sounds) – trust me, it’s remarkable.

The main meal event is an order that I hope goes without saying: you’re at a Spanish restaurant, you order Paella!!!  The Paella de Mariscos is pure pescatarian delight; rice is simmered to perfection in a seafood stock and topped with an array of well-seasoned shellfish and prawns.   This dish is the epitome of Spanish cuisine and dinner at Alcalá certainly embodies all the elements of my ideal tapas-style meal.