Aside from V-day dinner, Alobar is throwing more fun into its weekly schedule by hosting a Bulleit whiskey tasting and food pairing. For all you hard core bourbon fans, you're not going to want to miss this tomorrow night, especially since Bulleit is known for its smooth, clean taste.
The plan is to pair 3 whiskies with 3 food pairings for $35. This is a pretty great deal, since three glasses of whiskey would set you back about that much alone. If you're interested, please call them asap to make a reservation for tomorrow night.
Alobar - 46-42 Vernon Blvd, LIC NY 11101
718.752.6000
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue
www.alobarnyc.com
This past week, I mentioned to you that Alobar celebrated their big 1 year anniversary. I can't believe that a year has gone by, as it seems like these guys have been around forever.
Featuring a new special each day of the week, I just couldn't refuse, and took Gina along for the ride. Known for her open mindedness when it comes to food, she was happy to try the charcuterie special that night that featured all sorts of cured meats and terrines. Along with that, here's some of the other things we tried.
Maple Bacon Popcorn - Trying this once before at the recent Food Film Festival, I was so happy that Alobar's owner Jeff offered it to us as an app. While I thought the sample at the Food Film Festival was amazing, this one was better and piping hot. The maple glaze was sweeter and gooeyer and the bacon was just oozing with smokey goodness. And there was a A LOT of it to go around.
Jersey Heirloom Tomatoes - Just to throw in some veggies into the mix, we ordered this refreshing app, which certainly cut the richness in that decadent popcorn. I enjoyed the balsamic sweet glaze on it very much, which went perfectly with the bite sized pieces of mozz and the juicy tomatoes. The lardo toast (yes, you heard right) was the perfect vehicle for transporting all this goodness into your tummy.
Charcuterie - Consisting of a two tiered platter or 11 different types of house-made meats, we were quite impressed and also happy to see their pickled veggies as an accompaniment. Amongst some of our favorites were: the creamy chicken liver pate, the delicate pork tongue terrine (yes it was soft and jelly-like), the spicy chorizo with quite the bite and the smokey duck prosciutto. Everything was presented in small bites, which was approachable and conducive to sharing. We had a few pieces of crunchy toast to layer all this goodness on, and in my opinion there could've been a little more of it. In terms of the pickled veggies, the cauliflower and the carrots were superb.
Dessert - As a special treat, we got the toffee bread pudding - again, compliments of the chef. While I had this dessert here last time around, and loved it, this time was just as special, as Gina and I delighted in its, sweet, sticky interior and the extra toffee glaze on top. And just like the rest of the meal, it illustrated sophisticated indulgence.
Service and Cost:
As I've already hinted, the service we received was extremely welcoming and warm. Not only because I've given them a few shout-outs, I don't think - their attention seemed really sincere and genuine, as it was proven by other satisfied-looking patrons.
Costs are moderate and fair, and for the above mentioned meal (not excluding the $5 glasses of Montepulciano we had at the bar) set us back about $40 with tax and tip.
3 Meaty Mmmms
Alobar - 46-42 Vernon Blvd, LIC NY 11101
718.752.6000
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue
www.alobarnyc.com
I wanted to spread the latest deliciousness going on at Alewife, as they've added new menu items and tweeked some oldies too. You may remember me writing about this place a few months back, and totally boasting about the burger you see before you with a deep golden pretzel bun. Well you can still get that, along with other new goodies such as:
Apps:
Winter risotto - with barley, butternut squash, cauliflower, and brown butter...$10 or $17
Liver and onions - foie gras, onions, tangerine and brioche...$12
Beet carpaccio - beets, hazelnuts, goat cheese...$11
Entrees:
Salmon - with carrot puree and dashi, cucumber, dill...$23
Berkshire pork shank - confit pork shank, spaghetti squash, apple butter and mustard jus...$27
Magret duck - black rice, brussel sprouts, pistachio and sherry gastrique...$22
Sides:
Brussel sprouts...$7
Pomme puree - with chive and garlic chips...$6
Cauliflower - brown butter, lemon...$5
Baby bok choy - with black sesame chili, charred scallion...$7
Soy glazed carrots - soy, passionfruit...$7
Still on the horizon - steamed pork buns, chicken wings, and steak. Exciting!Alewife - 5-14 51st Avenue, Long Island City NY 11101
718.937.7494
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue
www.alewifequeens.wordpress.com
Ever since this place has been fabled to open (back in the summer), I couldn't wait to check it out. And while it was one thing or another that prolonged me from going, I finally had the opportunity to check it out with my friend Bob, who's a fellow food enthusiast. We enjoyed it very much and took away the restaurant's theme clearly - pig is king!
Atmosphere:
A modern gastropub, Alobar has all the components that make it feel like a contemporary, sophisticated eatery. Starting with the dim lighting, your mood eases immediately upon stepping inside, and you can quickly tell that you can now begin to unwind from the stresses of the work day. Even though the space is on the narrow side, like many of the establishments on Vernon, it's spacious, has nice high ceilings and simple (yet classic) wooden furnishings.
My favorite aspect of the interior is the open kitchen, where you can observe the chefs working their magic. In fact, our table was pretty perfect for that, as it was right on the edge of the kitchen area. While normally I'd like to be in the comfy banquettes section, I didn't mind this at all and liked sitting in the middle of the action.
Food:
I love that the menu doesn't mess around with protein, and is filled with tons of traditional as well as creative proteins such as pork belly, bone marrow, short ribs, duck rilette and more. Of course if you're a vegetarian, you may have to get creative, although there are veggie plates on the menu too - the meat just happens to stand out for me.
Wild Mushroom Toast - This was my favorite starter, as it incorporated some gorgeously sophisticated elements such as a hearty portobella mushroom, smoked ricotta cheese, soft pearl onions and a fried duck egg on top. The latter was the icing on this savory dish, as we broke the yolk, let it spill over everything and relished each bite. Carnivore or veggie alike, you have to try this dish.
Citrus Roasted Beet Salad - To keep things at least a little healthy, we chose a veggie plate as well, and as we both happen to love beets, this worked out nicely. Although the plate was simple as can be, beets marinated in a citrus glaze, they were vibrant, fresh and a nice way to juxtapose the heavier flavors from the aforementioned toast dish.
Pumpkin Risotto - Another veggie friendly option come to think of it, it had all the components of a quality risotto. I loved that the rice was cooked al dente, however it was also enveloped in the most luxuriously rich pumpkin, cream broth with a healthy dose of peppery mustard greens on top. The contrast between the velvety rice and the earthy greens was just lovely.
Pork Belly Entree - How great is it that Alobar works through a whole pig over the course of a few weeks (a month?) and each day features a different part of it to its patrons? I thought this was just awesome and we couldn't resist ordering the pork belly, with another risotto base (just our luck). Not only was the meat as tender as pie, it had lots of delectable, smoky flavor that paid testament to the health of the animal from which it came. I liked that the seasoning was simple, but thoughtfully put together.
Chocolate Chip/Toffee Bread Pudding - Not sure how we found the room, but when they mentioned a chocolate chip toffee bread pudding, we couldn't resist. I loved how tender it was on the inside and how the chocolate melted beautifully upon contact with your spoon. The silky Anglaise sauce on top was a yummy way to dress this already sinful dessert and although it was small, it was so rich and therefore, hard to finish.
Service and Cost:
Just like everything that night, the service went off without a hitch. We really liked our waiter who was friendly, attentive and brought out each dish in good time. Never feeling like we had to wait long, the evening's service was very fluid and natural, as it should be.
Costs are moderate, but fair for the good quality food you're getting and include:
Charcuterie and Cheese - $10 - $23
Small Plates - $6 - $22
Pickles, Snacks & Sides - $4 - $9
Large Plates - $17 - $25
3 Mmmms
Alobar - 46-42 Vernon Blvd, LIC NY 11101
718.752.6000
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue
www.alobarnyc.com
