Added bonus: last time we looked (ok, its been a year or so), Dennis M. our favorite longtime bartender at Otto was there waiting tables.
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Not sure if any of them were Dennis but there was a bearded older gentlemen, one I can only and affectionately describe as Sideshow Bob, and our waiter, a younger bald fella with glasses
Here’s a photo of Dennis
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Yep, thats the guy. Still there. Nice article.
A combination post-Valentine’s Day / Lunar New Year dinner at Che-Li, a place I’ve had on my radar forever. We had a fine time, but it was also something of a mixed bag. The atmosphere is the opposite of serene: a big crowd milling about the vestibule waiting for tables or takeout, servers tearing around and half-yelling into their headsets. Also, it’s HOT in there, especially if you’ve come dressed in a sweater, because it’s winter.
We were shown to our nice, semi-secluded table in the back a few minutes past our reservation time, and the host apologized profusely and explained that the owner refused to let anyone be rushed, and the party seated before ours was lingering. I appreciated the explanation, and I’m sure the trio he seated at the table next to ours 10:00 later also appreciated it, because he recited the exact same script to them.
With the distractingly high energy of the room, I was worried that our meal would be paced too quickly, but it was actually spot on, with each dish coming out just as we finished the previous one.
Some of the food was very good, like this longjing shrimp, not only perfectly cooked and seasoned, but also dramatically presented, in a roiling cloud (the video file is too big to post, unfortunately):
This little bowl of crunchy fermented mystery vegetable with edamame and hot pepper, which was on the table when we arrived, was also very good:
As were the egg custard crispy lava buns, which we had for one of our desserts:
Other dishes were less successful, like these tofo skin rolls, which were soggy, with wan, gloppy vegetables inside. (H loved these, though.)
I was excited to try the “favorite” eel, which was presented like Peking duck - something I’ve never had. But it wasn’t that exciting. The eel had an excellent texture, not to soft, not too firm, but its sauce was kind of one-note, very sweet and peppery. I guess that’s two notes.
And tofu crab stew, which I’m pretty sure I was also disappointed by at that other Shanhainese place we went to years ago, in Tribeca, maybe? Anyway, the stew was very comforting, like baby food, and didn’t taste like much at all. (H loved this as well.)
There wasn’t much on the drinks list that I wanted. Very few btg selections, and they were out of the only wine I wanted, a cava. We had the yellow rice wine, served hot in a sake carafe, with this piece of something (I thought the server said it was prawn, but that can’t be right). It was quite powerful, and not bad at all.
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Dinner last night at Jazba, a newish place on 2nd & 13th featuring Indian street foods, from the Junoon team. I tried four dishes and two cocktails, and liked about half of it. The menu is divided into “half ticket” (aka appetizers) and “full ticket” (three guesses), but everything was pretty much the same size. The mains each come with a bread, which I suppose makes them a little bigger. I started with a “stinging vesper,” which was very nice, but not stinging at all - just a regular ol’ vesper. Second drink was the mezcal-based “pipli,” a bit more exciting due to its candied pepper garnish. My companion, who has spent considerable time in India, consulted at length with the server, who advised against the appetizer she had her eye on because it involved yogurt, and according to him you’re not supposed to drink alcohol and eat yogurt at the same time (this is a new one on me). So we ended up the dabeli, a little spiced potato sandwich, which was just okay, not too exciting.
Our second appetizer, the kachori kadi bhujje, was much better - described simply as “stuffed onion kachori, tempered buttermilk,” it had a delicate gravy offset by some chopped raw onion, which, improbably, worked very well.
I had my eye on the ros omelet, which was indeed very good, some prawns in an assertive red sauce with a thin omelet buried underneath. Unfortunately, this was served with pao, the same bread as in our first appetizer, and my least favorite Indian bread, since it’s just a dinner roll, basically.
Our other main was the atari paneer. My companion was doubtful about this, but the server was pushing it, so we got it, and it was fine, nothing special, and slightly redeemed by the butter naan that came with it. I think if we didn’t already have two other very saucy dishes, we might have appreciated it more. So! judicious ordering will get you a good meal, and don’t listen to the waitstaff.
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Thanks for this; I’ve been wanting to try this place!
Get the basket chaat and let me live vicariously through you.
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Will make a mental note, though I’m guessing if I go with some of my regular peeps, we will also have some items that you will not be wanting to live vicariously through! Still worth a trip, methinks!
I hope you get only things you like. Even if they’re things I don’t.
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Bayon review is up on Eater
A new vegan Vietnamese place soft-opened on East Broadway yesterday (I think it was previously elsewhere as a popup), so I went to check it out. The menu is short, but composed of greatest hits: summer rolls, banh mi, etc. The cheerful little room was crowded (all those SLRs take up some space) and thus too claustrophobic for me, so I got takeout.
I went with the Hue noodle soup, which came with a big slab of tofu and one of (I think) seitan, plus a plethora of fresh vegetables (and some long-cooked carrots and mushrooms). Generally excellent, springy noodles, very hearty.
And the lotus root salad, which was a triumph of varied textures, but a little too in-your-face with the sweet and tart. Tragically, I waited too long to eat it, and the chips (which can’t be shrimp chips, so I’m not sure what they are) had gone soggy. Alas.
Welcome to the neighborhood, Sen Saigon!
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I’ve eaten at Chez Napoléon several times since I moved my second, country home from Long Island to Hell’s Kitchen in 2009. The food’s more solidish than spectacular, but the place holds memories for me. It was there that friends and I consoled ourselves with soufflés after standing in line from 5 a.m. till 2 p.m. for tickets to see Pacino play Shylock in the Park and failing. It was there that we took a relative who was having a tough time for cassoulet. Across the street from New World Stages, it was also our go-to spot for pre-theater dinner when we went to something there (NWS).
And, the kitschy decor is worth at least one visit, especially the jigsaw puzzle art on the walls.
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Love RVR, for the food more than the vodka
Same, although they do make an excellent bloody mary (it’s called something else). The eel salad and the smelt sandwich are favorites of mine.
It is a place would jump on! I didn’t see the planning post for that latest excursion - sorry I missed it.
Eater used to have a great feature ‘Who Goes There?’ You know those places you walk by and wonder “Who actually dines there?”
