Kentucky Derby Traditions

    I've never been too interested in horse racing or the Kentucky Derby but after doing some research for a food2 entry, that might change. Check it out here.

St. Anselm

Joe and Kim Carrol are slowly taking over their small area of Williamsburg. They first made their mark with the specialty beer bar Spuyten Duyvil which was followed by bbq wonderland Fette Sau directly across the street.  Their newest venture, a restaurant called St. Anselm, right next door to Spuyten, was initially intended to be hot dog joint that specialized in "Newark-style" deep fried hot dogs. However, the menu has expanded significantly and now includes nose-to-tail items like beer battered brain, smoked sweet breads, fried gizzard confit, marrow croquettes and foie gras pierogies; there is house made sausage, head cheese and scrapple. There are also White Manna style burgers and of course some interesting beer selections.

If a recent meal at Fette Sau (above) was any indication, St. Anselm, will be another weapon in their arsenal.

Pizza Pt. 2: Lil Frankie's, Artichoke Basil's, Franny's, Roberta's and L'Asso

    My unintentional pizza tour continued to Lil Frankie's Pizza in the East Village. It had been a while since my last visit, but after a few pints at d.b.a. down the street, it seemed like the right time to revisit. With Supper and Frank among it's sister restaurants, Lil Frankie's certainly has it's foot in the Italian pool. While the menu does feature entrees and pastas like Supper and Frank, it's all about the pizzas here. The featured combinations range from robiola cheese, prosciutto di parma & truffle oil to zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms & radichio. But I stuck to the basics and ordered the Salame Piccante pie. Why every pizza place doesn't have soppressata or some variation, other than pepperoni, I'll never know. Lil Frankie's gets it right. The wood burning oven produces a dough that is smokey, crunchy and light. The meatiness and mild spice of the salame, was a perfect combination with the cheese, sauce and dough.

Artichoke Basil's Pizzeria and Brewery on East 14th Street, unlike many of the places I have visited of late serves pizza by the slice. While I felt it was necessary to get the namesake slice (above), I might not get it again. It was delicious, but extremely heavy. Think spinach artichoke dip on pizza dough. The kind of slice you might need to be drunk to fully enjoy. I also tried the margherita slice (below) which was good. The fresh basil and crunchy crust really added that extra something that separates this from an ordinary slice. I tend to like a pizza with a decent amount of sauce and that is light on cheese, and this slice definitely had that going for it. However, the crust was a little over cooked and was a tad dried out. The biggest obstacle though facing Artichoke's is the space problem. The entrance way which is also where you wait to order and you eat if you're not taking it to go, is tiny. And I mean tiny. With only 6 or 7 people, it was difficult to manuevre. I also got the feeling that the people working there didn't care in the least about how long customers had to wait or whether they enjoyed their food. Ultimately, I have to say the pizza failed to live up to the hype.

 

Franny's located on Flatbush Avenue, is another story all together. Opened in 2004, FCI graduate, Andrew Feinberg and his wife Francine Stevens focus is on simplicity. Franny's has quickly become one of Brooklyn's most popular restaurants. With fans like Dan Barber, Alice Waters and mostly everyone in Brooklyn, at any time of day, during any season, Franny's is packed. And surprisingly, it wasn't until just weeks before opening that the couple decided to serve pizza. They certainly have a following now.  Although pizza is the main attraction, the menu consists of a several delicious appetizers (beets with hot pepper, walnuts and pecorino rossellino & caulflower zeppoles), pastas (baked paccheri with pork sausage ragu) and charcuterie. The pizzas aren't cheap though. The meatball pie I ordered, below, although incredibly satisfying, was $17. The crust is soft and smokey and along with toppings like buffalo mozzarella, clams, provolone piccante and hot peppers, Franny's in turning out some of the best pizza in New York. On the back of the menu, Franny's lists their resources. Everything from their meat to flour and even cleaning products are featured. Simply prepared, delicious local ingredients.

 

Roberta's located on an desolate block in Bushwick, is also a game changer. The pizzas are exceptional. The perfectly salty charred crust works in harmony with toppings like pesto, mozzarella, mushrooms and artichokes (The Madd Martigan); the Margherita with proscuitto (below); tomato, brussles sprouts, cotto, sweet onion and pecorino romano (Lion Hart); or the incredibley creamy and indulgent Guanciale & Egg (very top). Although they turn out some of the the city's best pizzas, it doesn't stop there. The menu also features roasted marrow bones, veal sweetbreads and grilled skirt steak. Or during brunch what some consider the best fried chicken in the city, ricotta pancakes and a porchetta sandwich. And in true locavore style the rooftop is also a greenhouse that sources some of the vegetables and herbs that they use in the kitchen.

 
    They can't all be winners can they? L'Asso located in Soho had a similar problem to Artichoke's although without the rave reviews and loyal following. The space itself really needs help. And while I did not have the pizza, I will not be returning to try it.

Pickle Juice

As I made my way across a cold and rainy Manhattan from Soho to the West Village with no idea where I was headed, my patience began to fade. I was hungry, it was late and the rain and cold did not help. Walkng down Hudson, we ducked into the dark dungeon that is Fatty Crab. I had just taken my mock midterm in culinary school and did fairly awful (consomme was cloudy, chicken not fully cooked). But it was a quick glance at the drinks menu that turned my mood around. The Recession Special, a PBR tallboy, a shot of whiskey and a shot pickle juice for $8. Pickle juice you say? yes, pickle juice. I had no idea that pickle juice shots would become a common practice in several bars. Among them, the Breslin and Death and Co.

As I investigated, I found that pickle juice shots are really just the tip of the iceberg. Pickle juice, is being used in all sorts of interesting ways. I wrote about it for food2.

No Reservations: Techniques

    Those of you who watch Anthony Bourdain's show No Reservations on the Travel Channel, know that he travels around the globe to far and exotic locales, eats all sorts of interesting foods and explores different cultures. But on Monday night our host will be in the kitchen at Les Halles for "an hour of instruction." And he has brought some amazing friends with him. Jacques Pepin, Thomas Keller, Scott Conant, Laurent Tourondel and Dave Pasternak will all demonstrate "how to cook a number of very basic things." So tune in this Monday for Tony's version of "home ec."