First Look: Killer Grizzly Burger & New Winter Menu at Bear

The Grizzly is a dangerously serious new contender

Bear Bar & Restaurant (12-14 31st Ave., Long Island City)

Chef Natasha Pogrebinsky is playing hard core.  The angel-faced young chef is refreshingly genuine and sweet face-to-face, but in the kitchen she is playing some serious hard ball.  Don't be fooled by the dazzle of the Swarovski crystal lamps.  This may be the home of Long Island City's first "New European" menu but not all dishes are duck confit and caviar fork-and-knife refined.  There's a burger, for one, that absolutely blew me away.

Starting with the bun, the buttery challah is sandwich perfection.  But the patty on this grizzly is absolutely mystifying.  Organic prime beef, your teeth are met with a beautiful chargrilled crunch, and then they immediately sink right into the middle of one of the most delicately ground, juiciest meatballs you have ever tasted.  And the seasoning... almost like a Balkan sausage or cevapi.  Add to that a blanket of melted fontina with paprika aioli, and the kicker--a crowning of carrots that have been shaved to paper thin ribbons, beer battered, and deep-fried.  All with a side of Persian pickles and steak fry wedges.  This bad boy truly is a very special burger, and at $9 for the entire platter, it's easier on the pocketbook than many of its neighbors.

The duck shepherd's pie, available in two portion sizes, is one of the most sophisticated, heartiest, most savory winter meals to hit Western Queens.  The ridiculously tender slow-roasted duck has been gently pulled, tossed with a blend of seasonal winter vegetables, and capped with toasted mashed Yukon potatoes, served in an individual ceramic pot ($9/$16).

An edible sculpture, the winter ceviche is scallops tossed in lemon and lime juices with delicately sliced Granny Smith apples, cilantro, and scallions, all jeweled with Alaskan salmon caviar, wasabi tobiko, and pea shoots.

Now I'm a sucker for a croquette, but I also love arancini--the Italian stuffed rice balls.  But the Three Little Bears is like a divine marriage of the two, almost little shepherd's pie fritters.  The perfect snack, these three substantial croquettes are stuffed with meat and cheese, served on a smeared dollop of creme fraiche.  Crispy golden delicious perfection.

Earthy woodland mushrooms have been stewed with roasted onions, garlic, thyme, and rosemary, then tucked into a ramekin with baby potatoes, topped with a soft-centered farm egg that has been brûlée torched with a ribbon of cheese.

Crispy-coated pork belly stuffed with garlic and parsley has been rendered exceptionally buttery and tender, one of the most delicious platings of it I have ever enjoyed.  One of the chef's personal favorites, this is a quintessential hearty winter dish.

Two pasta dishes are showcased on the winter menu, including a slow-roasted rabbit with house fettuccine and a white wine cream sauce, or one of my personal favorites, a stroganoff of mixed forest mushrooms seared with onions in a garlic-rosemary gravy with cheese shavings.

Crispy-skinned pan-seared sole with just a hint of lemon zest is an exercise in how delicious simplicity can be, served on a pedestal of potatoes poached in butter and dill with carrots, celery, and scallions.

Plump diver sea scallops make a highly-requested return, stewed in cherry tomatoes and a tarragon-barley risotto.

Short ribs braised in red wine falls off the bone, accompanied by carrots and fried-baked potatoes.

Formerly a whole-roasted duck, the confit is now available as a leg and thigh, served in natural juices, with a whole roasted apple and pan-seared young potatoes.

On Tuesdays, mussels & fries and select wine & cocktails are just $5 at the bar from 6PM to midnight.  And don't forget to check out the Saturday and Sunday brunch prix fixe for $14 with unlimited coffee and a brunch cocktail.

Minimized lunch offerings at Millesime

Chocolate Espresso Bar with Raspberry Ice Cream

Lunch at Millesime in the Carlton Hotel has ranged from one of my most memorable meals in New York City to one of the most forgettable meals of my life--which is extremely disappointing, because the food and setting can be truly sublime.

The focus seems to somehow have shifted, which is disappointing, to say the least.  My first lunch here was up in the rankings (in taste and quality, if not presentation) with Nougatine at Jean-Georges or Cafe Boulud.  But where lunch diners could once enjoy a lobster pot-au-feu (a 2-lb. whole lobster in a sauce choron, served with lobster-scallop sausages), the main event seems to now be "Le Chariot Express" a cart with a "selection of marinated vegetables and salads," as well as a daily selection from the raw bar.

The lobster pot-au-feu, no longer available, was the perfect dish to share

The former menu offered a selection of mussels in several preparations, as well as a choice of meats and seafood with a broad choice of sauces.  On my most recent visit, I noticed that practically all of these options had been removed.  When I told the server I had come looking for seafood, and asked his recommendation from the new menu, he laughed and said, "I'd recommend the chicken club."  While I am sure their chicken club is tasty, that's like arriving at Disney World and asking which attraction would be the most exciting for my family, and being told to check out the hot dog cart on Main Street.  Service in general had gone down as a whole, actually.

This is a picture of the kitchen at around 1:30PM during weekday lunch service.  No I don't need to feel like a bread crumb dropped into a pond of starving koi, but a little more service would have been wonderful.  After finally deciding upon the 3-course prixe fixe lunch at $24.07 (they have extended the restaurant week pricing indefinitely) we waited an hour before our first course arrived, during which time we were splattered by a ramekin of ketchup a server dropped by our table (it must have been a miracle ricochet, as it landed on my leg, arm, and a large section of the table cloth in front of me).  We waited as the tomato slowly sundried before getting a napkin five minutes later, with barely an apology.  The maitre d merely seemed grateful we were friendly.  Sadly, a greater display of inconvenience would have probably gotten us an actual apology.

The tuna tartare is quite exceptional, prepared tableside, with fresh tuna, a whole egg yolk, mint, lemon oil, date marmalade, and berbere (an Ethiopian spice blend, offering a complex fusion of garlic, cumin, and peppers).  The ceremony of watching the server prepare the tartare is half the pleasure.

Reason enough alone to go to Millesime are the quenelles de brochet prepared in the style of Jean-Louis Dumonet.  These pike quenelles are a traditional dish of Lyons, and rarely found in the city, especially done well (I was first introduced to them at Le Perigord, where I instantly fell in love).  Named here in honor of the famous French Chef, the quenelles are impossibly smooth, poached to a delicate tenderness, and then served in a rich lobster sauce.  It's as if a tiny garden-kissed cloud of seafood is placed onto your tongue and instantly evaporates before you can close your lips, leaving only a memory of the ocean on your tongue.  They are insanely delicious.  And while they are no longer on the lunch menu, I unashamedly begged my server, who finally said that, "yes," the chef would prepare us an order.

A stemless martini glass arrives in a stand of crushed ice as a royal showcase for 4 enormous prawns, all perched around the best cocktail sauce I have tasted in years, fired with the perfect amount of horseradish, and studded with mint and capers.  We keep eating the sauce even long after the shrimp have disappeared.  After just the prawns, quenelles, oysters, and tartare, it is extremely sad to think someone may have missed out on these exquisite dishes simply because the server recommended a club sandwich!

The main course arrives, linguine piperade, served traditionally in the colors of the Basque flag, the red from sauteed tomatoes and peppers, the green from shaved basil, and the white from al dente pasta ribbons and slivers of cheese.  Jeweled with substantial pieces of rock shrimp, it is a simple, peppery, but altogether satisfying dish.

The espresso bar at the head of the post arrives as the caboose of the prixe fixe, and it is delicious.  So is the rhubarb crumble.  But the barre de chocolat is the piece de resistance, almost like a deconstructed spumoni sundae, with a chocolate-hazelnut mousse bar, pistachio ice cream, and plump brandied cherries.

Though the meal as an experience was a bumpy ride at times, and certainly poorly paced, by the end of dessert the food shines through as the star.  I would still recommend Millesime to anyone, especially for the quenelles.  And the downstairs lounge area has quite an interesting lineup of performers.  But because the service does not match the cuisine, or the stained-glass opulence of the spectacular dining room, know the menu before you arrive--and ask right away if the kitchen can prepare the quenelles as a starter.  And save room for dessert (the chef may even make you homemade doughnuts with an array of dipping sauces if they aren't too busy).

M. Wells Diner dishing up supremely delicious & innovative comfort food

M. Wells Diner (21-17 49th Ave., Long Island City)

Brunch Daily 10AM-4PM (Closed Mondays)

"Wowwww, what is that?!?" asks one man sitting next to us at the communal table.  As the server drizzles a small pitcher of heavy cream over the steaming bowl of gooey golden deliciousness bubbling in front of me, every diner around us momentarily freezes to watch the ceremony.  "It's the pudding chaumeur, basically cake batter poached in maple syrup" I reply, rather proud of my dessert selection.  "And according to the server, there's only one left today, so you should probably..."

"Excuse me... server!!!" hollers another guy at the end of the table, cutting me off, "I want the last of that pudding thing this guy is eating, okay?"  The faces of the couple beside me instantly fall, beaten to the punch, as if the prospect of their entire meal has now been ruined.  I feel a little guilty, like winning the $25 lottery tickets to see Wicked on Broadway, when some disappointed couple from Iowa doesn't win during their one time visiting New York City, and I live just fifteen minutes away and have already seen it multiple times.

Lacking on recent kind Samaritan acts, I lean back toward the sunken couple.  "Grab a clean fork or spoon and take a bite of ours before we ravenously devour it... I mean it, go ahead."  "No, we couldn't possibly..." her mouth says, while she and he both reach toward their forks.  I smile as my teeth sink into the sticky, crunchy toffee coating of caramelized syrup that cracks like a brulee and gives way to maple and cream soaked yellow cake dollops, simultaneously piping hot and refreshingly cool from the cream.  Within about sixty seconds, four of us have nearly licked the bowl clean.

"Oh thank you... thank you so much... that was heavenly." The couple grins like two children who just finished a whole jar of chocolate chip cookies that were intended to be saved for later.  They haven't even ordered appetizers yet.  "If you want to try anything of ours at all, please help yourself."  "That's alright," I smile gratefully, "but thank you.  This is my third time here this week.  I'm sure I will have it again."

(Entirely on accident [honest!], I snapped one young patron who brought his own milk.)

Owned by the dynamic team of married couple Hugue Dufour (of Montreal's famous Au Pied de Cochon) and Queens native Sarah Obraitis, the perpetually evolving menu features many traditional Quebecois classics (tourtiere and poutine specials--sans the curds), as well as some American favorites with a few smart twists.  Dubbed a Quebecois-American diner, the menu was slightly different each of the three times I have visited, though several M. Wells favorites remain with slight variations on fillings or garnishes.

Even on the coldest days, expect a sometimes substantial wait for this highly buzzed hotspot.  I waited one Sunday afternoon over an hour and a half, though the payoff was worth every minute.  Obraitis recommends coming right when they open, or around 3PM for the best chance at quick seating.  Short for Magasin Wells (juxtaposing the French word for "store" and Obraitis's middle name), do not be  misguided by the fact M. Wells looks every bit like a 50-year-old diner.  This culinary destination restaurant is serving up some of the most interesting and fantastic dishes in all of New York City, yet at accessible prices expected of a diner--with the occasional exception of daily specials like sturgeon with caviar for $45, still reasonable, if not diner fare.  Then again, even the most simplistic dish titles are merely deceptively pedestrian monikers for exceptionally executed and fanciful recipes.  While Dufour mans the griddle, Obraitis rather sweetly orchestrates the dining room and seats each guest, acting as liaison between the customer and the kitchen, occasionally touching base with a gentle hand on the shoulder to make sure everything is enjoyable.

(Tables are adorned with ceramic doll head planters by Plants on the Brain)

Eclectic decorations foreshadow the free spirit and sophisticated whimsy of the dishes.  Half of the dining car is lined with booths opposite bison leather-cushioned counter stools facing the open grill.  The other side of the diner holds showcases of a rotating selection of daily freshly baked goodies alongside a couple of wooden communal tables, ideal for large groups or diners willing to spark conversation with their neighbors.  It's also where the staff retreats after service each evening for a family-style dinner.

Inspired by the McDonald's breakfast sandwich, Dufour has quite possibly perfected the egg-sausage muffin.  Built on a flawless, warm, chewy English muffin made fresh on the premises, this sunrise flavor carnival is stacked with a thick Berkshire sausage patty that sings of nutmeg and sage, a substantial egg pillow first microwaved for fluffiness and then finished on the griddle, tangy pickled jalapenos, dripping ribbons of melted cheddar, sweet and juicy heirloom tomato, and a generous slathering of homemade mayonnaise.

Simply named "Hot Dog... $6" on the menu, this little puppy is a jazzed up New York classic, like a Coney dog on steroids.  Tucked in a gorgeously toasted New England style hot dog roll, this juicy frank is generously piled with a sweet chili of firm, plump beans and tiny salty charred bits of crisp bacon, all crowned with a tangy mustard grain slaw, knocking any other version way out of the ballpark.

The tortilla española is an exceptional rendition of this classic spanish omelette ($6), literally a cloud of buttery and fluffy egg laced with slivers of sauteed onion and potato, also available with sweet Maine shrimp ($9), both blended into the omelette, as well as garnished with two whole sweet sea jewels, decadently brimming with salty roe.

Not a day has gone by that I haven't described in extensive detail to someone in my life what was one of the most extravagant and luxuriously delicious dishes I have ever enjoyed in my life: the seafood cobbler.  A casserole pan is lined with exquisitely tender brussels sprouts, then cobblestoned with flaky chunks of pollock, all drenched in a thick, velvety pool of bechamel, stacked with two homemade biscuits, and then sealed with a blanket of gruyere cheese, and baked to golden brown.  Forkfuls of butter-drenched sprouts, flaky biscuits, ocean-kissed whitefish, and endless melted rivers of nutty Swiss cheese stringing from the dish... well, food just doesn't get better than this.

The fish 'n chips is yet another exceptional rendition, this time of an English classic, served at M. Wells in the traditional newsprint cone, with hand cut fries under the fried fish planks, as well as a generous boat of extra on the side.  While we enjoyed a version using crispy-battered pollock with skin on, sealing in extra flavor, M. Wells has also recently served them in a popular Australian style using shark meat.  The breading is wonderfully thick yet crispy, and refreshingly greaseless.

Though the chipped fries are substituted here will actual full-length french fries, I have no complaints.  These fried spuds are exceptional, remarkably long and thin, with a crispy coating and tender inside.  Be sure to ask for a bottle of malt vinegar to best enjoy some of the tastiest fried fish around.

Now with their liquor license, M. Wells offers a limited selection of beers and carefully edited wines, along with fresh lemonade, Boylan's sodas, and a killer bloody caesar laced with just a whisper of clam juice and a peppery rim.

The salads on the menu are practically a steal, ranging $6 to $9 and more than enough to share.  The blue cheese salad is generously studded with wonderfully light, albeit mutant-sized crumbles of blue cheese, candied walnuts, and tart julienned green apples.

One my favorite dishes out of everything I have sampled was this refreshing, bright, salad kaleidoscope of shredded green cabbage, plump dried cranberries, crunchy rustic croutons, parmesan shavings, and remarkably tender and and smoky venison jerky, with a light sprinkling of cracked black pepper.

For a somewhat refined yet lumberjack-satisfying breakfast, you can't go wrong with their rotating hashed potato selection; this particular visit it was jeweled with red peppers, toothsome slab bacon, and a perfectly poached egg.

Though you may not find classic Quebec poutine on the menu (Dufour claims the curds here just aren't worthy), who wouldn't drool over this absolutely mouthwatering heap, simply called "hot chicken".  Flaky biscuits are loaded with boneless, juicy skin-on poultry, a teepee of handcut fries, polka dotted with plump green peas, and then decadently glazed with hearty brown gravy.  Stacked like a blazing bonfire of comfort food at its very best, this is a simply must-try dish for any M. Wells first-timer.

                                          

Proof that the best things come in small packages, the Coquille St. Jacques earned a place in my top five of the most mind-blowing delicious explosions of carefully harmonized flavors I have tasted in recent years.  White wine and butter poached succulent scallops and plump mussels sit in a pool of their own reduction alongside herbed breadcrumbs in a scallop shell cradle, topped with mild gruyere and skirted with a delicate piping of creamy potato mash.  Though only a trio of these tiny gorgeous gems arrive per serving, it demanded unprecedented willpower to make them last, and even more to offer a precious bite to my friend.  

I would have to dine at M. Wells every day to sample the full array of what I can only imagine is an entirely delicious menu.  Parsnip soup with foie gras tempted me, as well as a cubano with roasted pork and mortadella.  Bone marrow and escargot is only $9, and they were sadly out of the pickled pork tongue each time I last visited.  Desserts are equally varied and beckon you from behind glass cases, like this wonderfully dense and dunkable cake donut I shared.

I have been told the banana cream pie is out-of-this-world, although I cannot even remotely fathom anything winning my obsession affection the way the pudding chaumeur has.  Even if you don't have room, at least brownbag a Graceland for $3.50.  This Elvis-inspired confection is an exceptionally moist banana cupcake topped with peanut butter buttercream frosting, and puts anything those other cupcake shops are peddling to shame.

Oversized chocolate chip cookies are $2, and warm killer brownies the size of a jumbo slice of sourdough are $4, also available Mex-cellent style with spices and orange zest.

While the menu is gradually expanding, service currently remains every day of the week except Monday from 10AM to 4PM.  Dinner service, though initially scheduled to open last month, has been temporarily postponed, though it will gradually commence just a few evenings of the week.

Regardless of where you live, treat yourself to the brief ride on the 7-train to one of the most unique and innovative restaurants anywhere in the city.  Leave yourself ample time to wait, but if you're game, those waiting are likely to be regulars or return visitors eager to share their anecdotes and personal favorite dishes.  Besides, who doesn't love the nostalgia of eating in a half-century-old diner?

Astor Bake Shop with beer & wine license now open for dinner

(The Astor burger with applewood smoked bacon is jazzed up with swiss cheese, cole slaw, & garlic-pepper mayo)

Astor Bake Shop (12-23 Astoria Blvd., Astoria)

Bakeries in Astoria are a dime a dozen, scattered as frequently as Starbucks in Manhattan.  But a truly spectacular, gourmet bakery like 2010's hot newcomer, Astor Bake Shop, well... places like this are one in a million.  Tonight, an intimate gathering of friends and patrons assembled at ABS to celebrate the holidays, as well as their recently acquired beer & wine license, extended dinner hours (now serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, from 7AM to 9PM weekdays, 8AM to 10PM Saturdays, and 8AM to 9PM Sundays), as well as their A-rating from the Department of Health.

Even sweeter than his stellar baked confections is chef-owner George McKirdy himself,  a superior chef of impressive credentials, having worked in such kitchens as Nobu, TriBeCa Grill, Butter, and Café Boulud prior to opening ABS, his first independent venture under his own direction and vision.

The evening began with a selection of passed small plates, many of which are featured as daily specials alongside the regular menu.  First off were shooters of an exquisitely velvety and robust butternut squash soup, with a tiny dollop of cream, and miniature diced scallions sprinkled like spicy confetti.

Next came a wonderfully light but flavorsome crab salad sandwich, with lump crab meat and chopped winter vegetables, sandwiched on a buttery, light-as-a-feather pastry, almost like a seafood eclair.

Besides slider versions of the deliciously addictive Astor burger (one of Astoria's most underrated burgers, worthy of any "best of" list, in my opinion), we also enjoyed bite-sized shepherd's pie tartlets, a hearty meat ragu on a crisp puff pastry, crowned with whipped sweet potatoes, a beautiful spin on a neighborhood favorite.

An assortment of surprisingly light but outstanding tarte flambee were also enjoyed, one with caramelized onions and cherry tomatoes, this one with salty bits of smoked bacon and white onions, like little french flatbread pizzas.

Although the savory course were genuinely sublime, any guest would be lying to suggest they had come for anything other than George's famous sweets.  You can't stare at pastries like this rustic apple tart all evening (with shaved granny smith apples, walnuts, golden raisins, and a kiss of cocoa powder) and not have a stirring in your sweet tooth.

Flawless classic gingerbread men were studded with crunchy sugar crystals that popped between my teeth, giving way to a buttery, spicy, and moist gingerbread beneath.

His version of a raspberry linzer tart cookie put any other version to utter shame.  Crunchy, spicy, nutty, star-centered cookies sandwich a sweet and tart, luxurious raspberry filling, with a slight powdery dusting of sugar.  Without contest, the most exceptional linzer cookie I have ever enjoyed.  With a glass of eggnog, I could nibble on these all evening.

An array of chewy fudge brownies, pineapple almond cakes, and other sweets circulated the room, but it was this caramel yule log that had caught my eye the moment we walked in.  This holiday treat wins the award for my favorite cake I have tasted in years.  Thin strips of extremely moist vanilla sponge cake are rolled with buttery caramel and fluffy whipped cream, draped in a blanket of even more caramel with chocolate drizzle on top.  Standing guard over this spectacular dessert is a beautiful meringue mushroom, which disappeared as quickly as the cake, like stacked teardrops of crunchy marshmallow giving way to a sweet and chewy middle.  If you go for no other reason, get yourself to the Astor Bake Shop for this dessert alone (a white mocha version is also presently gracing the display case.)