Narcissa

Images from Narcissa shot for the Village Voice.

Narcissa

21 Cooper Sq., New York, NY

ROTISSERIE-CRISPED BEETS bulgur salad, apples, creamed horseradish 

ROTISSERIE-GRILLED SWEET POTATO jerk spices, peppers, tofu aioli  

DUNGENESS CRAB SALAD blood orange, hearts of palm, hazelnuts 

CARROTS WELLINGTON bluefoot mushrooms, sunchokes, gremolata 

LAMB LOIN spinach pie, piquillo peppers, cauliflower

Weighing in on Pounds & Ounces

While Chelsea may be a fantastic area to play, lounge hop, and people watch, one thing it has seemed to lack is a one-stop shop where you can enjoy delicious food either as a snack with friends over conversation, specialty cocktails, intimate lounge seating, a communal bar with a great group scene, or secluded dining, along with outdoor seating in great weather.  And then I met Pounds and Ounces (160 8th Ave at 18th Street).

I was pretty thrilled to discover Jeff Kreisel had recently taken over as Executive Chef, as his creations in Long Island City at Penthouse 808 had really elevated rooftop dining in my neighborhood.

In a recent post by The Village Voice, the chef explains, "The whole dinner menu is new. We still have some burgers, but we've added lighter fare and gluten-free options, and we've focused on seasoning properly, portioning properly, and sourcing very locally."

Chef Kreisel is working on the lunch menu and a late night menu, so I can't wait to return soon to see what new dishes he has in store.  In the meanwhile, here are is a preview of what a great dinner menu he already has set in place.

Summer Watermelon Salad with mint, cucumbers, tomatoes, ricotta salata, toasted pine nuts, & lemon dressing.

Chicken Liver Pate with truffle salt

Citrus & Herb cured salmon with beet couscous, citrus creme fraiche, and corn blinis

Lobster Corn Dogs with Meyer Lemon Aioli

Seared scallops with eggplant caviar, roasted tomatoes, crispy sunchokes, & aged vinegar

Seared Halibut with maitake mushrooms, fingerling potatoes, and scallion-ginger pesto

F&Kn Burger with onion marnalade, fontina, pineapple braised short ribs, pickled green tomato chips, on brioche.

New Dishes at Locale

Almond brownie with peanut butter and marshmallow topping with a dollop of vanilla ice cream

Locale | 22-02 34th Ave, Long Island City | (718) 729-9080 | www.localeastoria.com

Don't arrive in a hurry.  Not because the service is lax.  To the contrary, it is rather attentive and refreshingly sincere.  Just plan to take your time ordering.  Ask to see the desserts first, because you will want to save room for a strawberry napoleon or the almond-studded brownie topped with a creamy pillow of homemade peanut butter, then draped with a blanket of whipped marshmallow that has been brulee-torched for a thin, crispy outer coating.

Passion fruit martini

Also allow yourself a few moments to drink up the beverage options.  Passion and pumpkin martinis incorporate luscious purees, but someone at the table should try Rosemary's Garden, a classic-style martini (and first course all on its own) with rosemary-dill infused vodka and a floater of crisp sauvignon blanc, garnished, of course, with a blue-cheese stuffed olive.  After you've determined the opening and finale of your meal, then debate over a colorful menu of starters and entrees worthy of multiple repeat visits until you try them all.  If you haven't sampled the new additions to the menu at Locale, I would highly recommend adding it to your to-do list this holiday season... and with a high priority.

Jumbo lump crab cakes with melted leeks and chipotle creme fraiche

At Locale, owner Johnny Koljenovic aspires to offer “a taste of the city without having to travel there.” With the expertise of Executive Chef and culinary visionary Jesse Davis (who returned to Locale after the unfortunate closing of Lucas Steakhouse), the team at Locale is achieving just that… and much more. “Families come for brunch, take the kids home, and then bring friends back for an elegant dinner,” smiles Kolyenovic.

By day, sunlight floods in through two floor-to-ceiling windows creating a cheerful openness.  By night, the glow of candles lights the entire street corner like a giant, serene luminary.  The restaurant is one of those rare chameleons that appeals to nearly every demographic, offering intimacy at window-side tables for two, communal space for larger parties, a vibrant bar for solo supping, and an elevated split-level lounge with sprawling banquettes for groups of friends.  A popular spot with nearby professionals of the film and television industry (Kaufman Astoria Studios is just around the corner), Nurse Jackie has filmed several episodes at Locale, and Life on Mars hosted its wrap party here.

Take just one bite of any of Chef Davis’s dishes, and it’s no secret why the stars and locals keep coming back again and again. Delicately balancing artistry with fresh flavors, the menu features gorgeous plates using only organic, locally sourced ingredients. Blackened Mayan Shrimp is served like a Jenga tower over a log cabin of yucca fries and a moat of tangy creole purée.

The cartoonishly plump thumb-sized homemade gnocchi get dollops of creamy fresh ricotta and a slathering of robust herb-roasted tomato ragu with a sprinkling of salty, crisped shallots and shaved cheese ribbons.

Pan-seared organic salmon with chive whipped potato and pinot noir reduction

The platings are as beautiful as they are delicious. But the most beautiful part? Unlike dining in the city, there is no waiting for a train or cab for the trek home after.

Not egg-sactly your typical brunch

Scotch eggs at The Queens Kickshaw (pickled quail eggs in panko-crusted sweet potato over a garlic-leek confit)

The Queens Kickshaw | 40-17 Broadway, Astoria | http://thequeenskickshaw.com

Only open for just over a year, The Queens Kickshaw has already swept the "best of" title in a variety of categories from several respected publications: the best mac & cheese (New York Magazine), the best coffeehouse (The Village Voice),  one of the best restaurants in New York (Details Magazine), the best grilled cheese (New York Daily News), the best hard cider (The Queens Beat), even the best pick-up spot in Western Queens (Boro Magazine).  So when the accolades are rolling in from every direction, what can you possibly do to crank it to the next level?  You launch a killer, one-of-a-kind, "egg-centric" brunch.

Until today, the only sunrise menu offering was this delicious cheese crisp toasted brioche with egg, ricotta, thyme, and maple hot sauce.  Though it remains on the daily menu alongside such grilled cheese favorites as the Gouda (with guava jam, pickled jalapenos, and black bean hummus), today a new brunch menu is unveiled, which will be served alongside an edited version of the regular menu on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.  "We have wanted to do this for a very long time," smiles Ben Sandler (co-owner alongside wife, Jennifer Lim)... "this" meaning a "brunch menu of standard and exotic egg dishes with a twist."

Chef Youngsun Lee

"We've been working on this off and on since September, really..." explains Chef Youngsun Lee, whose credits include substantial kitchen time at the original Momofuku Noodle Bar, CraftBar, Blue Fin, and even two of his own endeavors, the Kimchi Taco Truck, as well as Persimmon in the East Village.  Juxtaposing his Korean heritage (he immigrated to Flushing at age 12) and culinary training, guests can expect some playful, inventive, quite sophisticated dishes on the new brunch menu--all the while maintaining a harmony with everything else that is TQK (the plates are all egg vegetarian.)  Here's a photo rundown of the new items you can expect to see on the brunch menu starting today (as well as the scotch eggs at the heading)...

The steamed Egg Custard balances the fine line between a "western version of chawanmushi and an eastern version of egg custard," explains Lee.  "Chawanmushi can be too light and thin sometimes, and western egg custard can sometimes be dense, so we tried to find a balance."  Soy milk and heavy cream add a surprising, consistent velveteen smoothness that maintains even as this dish cools.  Jeweled with red peppers, gruyere cheese, and a dollop of ricotta it makes for a perfect light, but exquisite brunch.

The Eggs & Miso Butter are the stuff of which dreams are made.  This dish is something I cannot easily describe, but will not soon forget.  Cranberry walnut toast serves as the pedestal for what can best be referred to as an umami benedict, which is blanketed with ribbons of luxurious miso butter, a glistening pair of Japanese-style cold poached eggs, and tangy mounds of pickled mustard seed "caviar".  The plate is runny, messy, and exceedingly satisfying.  By the time you master how to balance each component on a forkful, the plate is finished.  Though I attempted to show restraint as I sampled several egg dishes during my visit, this was the one that I absolutely had to devour in its entirety.

The Egg Salad is TQK's "nod to deli salads" explains Sandler, although those plastic containers never contained anything this good.  Served with homemade flatbread, the egg salad is made with both hard and medium boiled eggs, resulting in tiny orbs of glistening orange yolk adding a playful texture to the all-American classic.  Accompanying is a bowl of potato-beet salad tossed in a refreshing homemade lemon aioli.

And just wait 'til you get a bite of this french toast, a morning grilled cheese of perfectly custardy toasted brioche with a sweet and slightly tart hard cider pear compote, all crowned with a crisp, peppery chili frico adding crunch and a subtle kick.

TQK's twist on a sunnyside egg and home fries is this layered potato cake.  Wafer-thin gruyere scalloped potatoes are baked to golden, served alongside two eggs.  

Eggs with fingerlings and roasted vegetables will change seasonally with the market, but presently the dish is gorgeously prepared with tender balsamic glazed brussels sprouts.

What egg menu would be complete without an omelette?  TQK serves two beautiful renditions, a quattro formaggi (pictured) with gruyere, cheddar, manchego, ricotta, caramelized onions, and shallots--as well as a farmers market omelette with gruyere, red pepper, tomato, and shallots.

The other house favorites appearing on the brunch menu include the classic grilled cheese (above), the gouda, the egg & cheese sandwich, mac & cheese, the kitchen sink salad, and the orange caramel bread pudding.  New brunch cocktails range from a red pepper Michelada to a ginger shandy and sparkling cider sangria.

Congratulations to the entire TQK family on what is certain to soon be acclaimed as yet another best...