keen's chophouse: mini-review

Keen's chophouse has a great pub menu in its large, cozy bar area. No reservations needed. Mostly tourists and dudes, though there were a few women having salads (which here involve meat and/or seafood). There's a Keen's IPA on tap.

72 West 36th Street

212-947-3636

east wind snack shop, windsor terrace: review

Would you walk a mile for a good dumpling? I did today.

This unprepossessive, unpretentious little restaurant serves some of the most lovingly made dumplings in the city.

It's true that I was wearing a loud Hawaiian shirt, a straw fedora, and carrying a large camera. So I was not shocked when the owner's wife came up to me and asked, "Are you the tourist?" I explained that I was born in Brooklyn, and that I was a lifelong New Yorker.

The place was not mobbed, despite the New York Times review that came out this morning. In fact, it was mostly regulars who came in for takeout. I ordered the pork belly gwa bao, an order of dry-aged beef potstickers, an order of juicy pork dumplings and, to go, sweet chili ribs.

The potstickers and dumplings, which come without dipping sauce, were both lovingly made, fresh, hot, and perfectly seasoned. The potstickers have intense beef flavor while the dumplings are more delicate. The gwa bao is basically a Momofuku pork bun laid flat with these differences: the pork is darker with deeper flavor and the pickle is topped with dry seasonings including sesame seeds. The bun, which was extremely fresh (I saw it come up from the basement uncooked moments earlier) could have been slightly more svelte, but then again, I try to take it easy on the carbs. The ribs, which I had later, were tender, "candied," and satisfying.

The owner, who is quite suave and experienced for someone running a snack shop, was welcoming and charming. He talked about how he wanted his cooking to be like the food one would cook for one's family, as opposed to the "business dumplings" sold in many Chinese restaurants, which are mostly gummy dough and "mystery meat."


Grade: A

471 16th Street, Park Slope, Brooklyn 929-295-0188

eastwindsnackshop.com

eastwind471@gmail.com

baba's pierogies, gowanus: review

I can't believe this place is two doors down from the then-decrepit loft I lived in during the mid-eighties with two former Swarthmorians. There was no heat, so some clown plopped a wood-burning stove on the wood floor (there were a few bricks for "fire protection"). There was also a clear glass jar of gasoline that sat near the stove for no reason for several years. That was then. This is now.

The construction workers have discovered this place. I arrived on a Tuesday before noon and was stuck behind a glass-and-windows guy ordering hundreds of pierogies for his crew. I opted for a grilled kielbasa with saurkraut and a small order the bacon/cheese/potato pierogies (fried). There are several kinds of pierogies (classic potato, mac and cheese, etc) and you can get them boiled (served with butter and chives) or fried (served with sour cream). There are sides you can order with the pierogies. There are also salads, sandwiches, and dessert pierogies. Wine and beer TK.

The kielbasa was very good and the saurkraut was excellent. The bread served with it was not interesting and a little dry. This place is one block away from Runner & Stone, a restaurant that makes some of the best bread in the world. They need to have Runnner & Stone create a custom Czech (Slovak?) roll for them. The pierogies were excellent. They are fresh and made to order. This takes time. They were not gummy, but light and fresh. Though fried, they were not oily or greasy. I'm looking forward to trying the boiled. I would definitely get two small orders of pierogies (you get 5) and try two different kinds, one boiled, one fried. A large order (you get 9) would be better for sharing.

Tables and benches are made from the floor of a recycled bowling alley. They are attractive. Forks, knives, plates, etc. are compostable.

Grade: B+

295 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215 (718) 222-0777

www.babasbk.com

my "to-try" list: brooklyn

•Pok Pok
•DiFara pizza
•Finch
•Heyward
•Ramen Lab
•Ganso Yaki
•Willow
•Lucali (dinner only)
•Diner (Williamsburg)
•Frankie's Spuntino
•Brooklyn Fare
•Morris Sandwich
•Rose's

my "to-try" list: manhattan

•La Gamelle
•Rebelle (dinner only)
•Ivan Ramen
•Le Coq Rico
•Brushstroke
•Red Rooster
•Bâtard (dinner only)
•Gato (dinner only)
•Sakamai
•Prova pizza
•Ramen Ya
•Raclette
•Black Seeds bagels

my current go-to restaurants: manhattan

•Carbone
•Marta
•Momofuku Noodle Bar / Momofuku Ssäm / Momofuku Ko
•Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong
•Santina
•Birds and Bubbles
•The Breslin
•The Spotted Pig
•Cherche Midi
•Luzzo Pizza
•Motorino Pizza
•Ivan Ramen at Gotham Market
•Fung Tu
•Minetta Tavern
•Joe's Shanghai
•Bar Primi
•Bowery Meat Co.
•Burger and Lobster Flatiron
•Dirty French
•Lafayette
•Le District

my current go-to restaurants: brooklyn

•Peter Luger
•Threes
•Cooklyn
•Pines
•Roberta's
•Taro
•Chuko
•Ganso ramen
•Al di La
•Emily pizza
•Franny's
•Bricolage
•Prime Meats
•Runner and Stone
•Buttermilk Channel
•Berg'n
•Alchemy
•Joy Indian

kang ho dong baekjeong, korean bbq, manhattan: mini-review

Finally got to check out Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong Korean bbq. It's great! Go at lunch to beat the crowds. Get the small beef combo (for two) with brisket stew and a shake-it-up rice box. Kang Ho Dong is the dude and Baekjeang is pronounced Peg-Tong. They do the grilling for you at your table. Salads, sides (kimchi, tofu), and great sauce included.

grade: A
1 East 32nd Street, Manhattan

bricolage: vietnamese gastropub, park slope: review

Checked out Bricolage, Vietnamese Gastropub, on 5th Ave. near Lincoln (old Fish Camp space) last night. They got off to a bad start, making us wait half an hour for a table (we had a reservation!). Service was pretty ridiculous (overzealous young waitress) but they redeemed themselves with the food. Fresh, delicate summer rolls; a delicious (if hard to eat—ignore their instructions and use knife and fork) crêpe with shrimp (sounds gross, but we ate every crumb) [Vietnamese Crepe “banh xeo” – fresh Georgia white shrimp, pork, onion, bean sprouts]; a perfect grilled steak with delicious sauce [Unshaking Beef – Niman Ranch flank steak, pearl onions, scallion, lime-pepper sauce]. Expensive, but you can feed two with two starters and one entree. Good beer selection.
Grade: B+


162 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY

(718) 230-1835

mission statement

For nyc-luncher.blogspot.com, I will visit New York City's newest and/or best restaurants at lunch and write a review that will include a photo and a letter grade (e.g., B+). Reviews will be followed by untitled posts of photos of the restaurant and the neighborhood around it. No food photos ever!

My foodie credentials:
•Lifelong cook currently cooking for three to five people, five times a week
•Mastery of French and Italian cooking
•Master baker of sourdough bread: made one loaf a day for over three years = 1000 loaves
•Attended the California Culinary Academy
•Picked grapes for Château Lynch-Bages, Pauillac, France, 1986 vintage
•Sommelier at Restaurant Alain Chapel, Mionnay, France, a Michelin *** restaurant
•Cookbook collector with over 500 titles
•Fluent in French and Italian, speak German and Mandarin Chinese