New Winter Eats at Bistro 33

It's been quite a while since I've visited Bistro 33, but that'll soon have to change, as I recently learned about a few new menu items they're featuring this season.  Sounding all sorts of decadent and comforting, I think these specials will do the trick as far as winter food goes.  Take a bite out of these seasonal specials:

Lobster Poutine $14
Pomme frites, Maine lobster, cheese curd, bacon jus

Scallops & Bacon $13
Root vegetables quinoa, maple syrup glaze

Seafood Crepe $12
Seafood medley, cognac creme sauce, mushrooms

Short Rib Ravioli $8
Shallot garlic demi glaze

Bar Snacks:
Parmesan Popcorn $6
With pancetta crisp

Bistro 33 - 19-33 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105

718.721.1933

N/Q Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

www.bistro33nyc.com

De Santos – Charming West Village Eats

Besides eating in Astoria of course, I love visiting and trying new restaurants in the city and its many charming neighborhoods. The West Village, an area that I really adore is fantastic for adventurous eats, and I recently had the opportunity to eat at a restaurant there called De Santos.

Atmosphere:
Never taking for granted the lovely atmosphere that the West Village naturally brings, with its gorgeous architecture and residential neighborhood charm, I was happy to see that De Santos embodied all of that. Housed in a pretty brownstone on 10th street, you immediately get a feeling that rich history was made here. And indeed this is the case, as I found out the building actually served as a previous home for famed musicians, artists and actors - Janis Joplin, Jean Michel Basquiat and others for example.

The dining room is a cozy place with quintessential exposed brick walls, a fireplace and dim candle light. It feels as if you’re sitting in someone’s private home, which is so lovely. This sentiment is shared with others I presume, as the space was always occupied and I saw people lingering and taking their time with their meals and conversations. There’s also an outdoor space, which is very charming, and is now covered to keep out the cold. That’s actually where we sat, as our host wanted to give us the full experience. I liked it very much and am excited to go back in the summer, when I can really enjoy some sunshine.

Food:
Boasting a menu of continental cuisine, the majority of it very comforting, there was plenty to choose from, and we took the sharing route for the apps and desserts, but ordered individual entrees.

Appetizers – Ordering a couple of things, including the beef carpaccio, the truffled mac ‘n cheese, and the pulled duck tacos, it was all very tasty. I had a strong preference for the mac ‘n cheese, which was stupendous, and breaded perfectly with really crunchy, delicious panko breadcrumbs. It was a fabulous way to start a meal – or it would’ve been nice too to share with a main dish.

The carpaccio was sliced delicately, as it should and was even accompanied by a helping of creamy gnocchi that were the perfect little size. It gave a hint of indulgence to this otherwise simple dish, and the whole combination worked well to create something uncomplicated yet elegant.

Entrees – Everyone went for something different for their entrees, which was nice to see, and I personally was attracted to the seared sea scallops. I adore scallops, and look forward to the big fleshy ones I can order at fine restaurants. The plate I got here was lovely, as you can see, with a beautifully seared scallop crust and some crispy parsnips on top that added a hint of earthiness. A bed of creamy truffled risotto sealed the deal on this already luxurious dish, and you can really taste the pungent truffle flavor coming through with each heaping forkful.

Desserts – Simple and delicious, we received two varieties of dessert, including a classic molten chocolate cake as well as thin Paris-style crepes with salty caramel sauce. Both were delightful, but I preferred the crepe and its simplicity – the dough was perfectly paper-thin, and the caramel sauce in the middle really made it sing. A generous scoop of good quality almond ice cream was a yummy way to refresh the palate after each indulgent bite.

Service and Cost:
I found the service a bit interesting, as our servers used iPads to place our orders and to show us pictures of the day’s specials. Not sure if I’ve ever seen that done before, it was unique, although I’m not sure necessary. In my opinion, it didn’t really go with the rustic vibe of the restaurant, but to each his own, I guess. Otherwise, the service was quite nice and everything went over smoothly. 

Costs are moderate and actually well priced for this expensive neighborhood at:

Appetizers - $12-$16
Entrees - $18-$29
Sides - $6

3 Mmmms

De Santos – 139 West 10th Street, New York NY 10014
212.206.9229
1 Train to Christopher Street
www.desantosnyc.com

Bear's Perfectly Seared Scallop

You may recall my recent behind the scenes interview with Chef Natasha Pogrebinsky at Bear Restaurant.  I had quite a good time getting to know the folks behind this awesome operation and especially loved being in the kitchen and observing where the magic happens so to speak.

While in their very orderly cooking quarters, Chef Natasha illustrated the process used to make one of her signature dishes, a seared diver scallop with corn risotto.  You can watch the video here to see how it's done, and possibly even recreate it at home, but I'd like to tell you more about its taste.

Seared Diver Scallops with Corn Risotto - If you'd like to get just a little taste of this instead of ordering a whole entree, you can do so, as it comes in an appetizer version too.   The beauty of this dish lies in its simplicity, as there's only about 3-4 ingredients in it, and they all shine.  The scallop is large and milky white on the inside but beautifully seared on the outside, boasting a caramelized crust.  Chef sure made it look simple, but getting a perfect sear on the outside of a scallop without overcooking it isn't easy.

Overall, I like that the dish was seasoned simply with salt and pepper, as well as a "secret" little spritz of something at the end (I'll give you a hint...it's very fragrant).  The corn risotto isn't actually risotto at all, but a refreshing corn salad that has only been put on the stovetop for a few seconds.  The whole thing tastes like summer and is further decorated with fresh herbs from the greenmarket.  It's really spectacular and I'd recommend starting your meal with it, or better yet, making it the main event.

Bear - 12-14 31st Avenue, Long Island City NY 11106
917.396.4939
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.bearnyc.com

Fooditka In the Kitchen at Bear

I'm excited to bring you a very special treat today, as I go behind the scenes at Bear Restaurant.  For those of you who've been keeping up with my blog know how much I love their local, seasonally-driven menu, and its brother/sister team Alex and Natasha who run the restaurant, are totally awesome.

I had the opportunity to spend some time with Chef Natasha last weekend, as we went into the kitchen and she told me about the ingredients that inspire her, as well as leading me through each step of signature dish, Seared Divers Scallops with Sweet Corn Risotto.  In addition to being in the kitchen, Chef Natasha and I also got to sit down and conduct a more thorough interview about her culinary inspirations, Bear's interesting beginnings and other fun tid-bits.  You can see the interview currently on We Heart Astoria.

Hope you enjoy the video, and do leave me a comment and chime in with your thoughts about this awesome local eatery.

Bear - 12-14 31st Avenue, Long Island City NY 11106
917.396.4939
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.bearnyc.com