Flatiron – Rays Picks NYC

Ilili

Ilili
236 5th Ave
New York,NY 10001
(212)683-2929
Official Site

Lebanese cuisine is rarely mentioned in the same sentence as high-end dining in New York City. It’s mostly associated with small falafel shops and food carts. Up to this day there are still only a handful of venues, such as Al Bustan and Almayass. So in 2007, when Lebanese born chef, Phillipe Massoud opened the restaurant Ilili steps away from Madison Square Park, in the Flatirion District, it was an ambitious undertaking that was eventually followed by success and consequently was embraced by the dining public.

Visible along Fifth Avenue passerby’s can’t help but notice the bustling dining room of Ilili, occupying a huge space that can seat at least 200 diners. Guests are greeted by a spacious lounge with wood panel walls, suede benches, and long bar in back with a thick stone top. The main dining room is designed with an abundance of wood and dominated by uncovered large round tables with cherry red armless chairs. The room’s high ceilings create an echo that can get loud on busy nights but that’s what gives Ilili its fun atmosphere. Tucked in the corner of the room is chamber that has more of an intimate settings and much quieter compared to the main dining room, the tables are covered in white cloth are setup for two people.

Leading the kitchen at Ilili is Chef Massoud. He left Beirut for New York at a young age to escape the civil war and after college; his love for Lebanese cuisine led him back to Lebanon cooking with some of the country’s best chefs. He returned to the US in the late 90’s to head the kitchen at Neyla in Washington D.C. before settling in New York.

Ilili offers a la carte lunch and dinner menu to go along with their $25 lunch pre fixe special and the lounge offers small bites and drinks. Small plates or Mezzes are separated in hot and cold. For the hot mezzes I had an excellent Octopus-lamb bacon, Piquillo peppers, garbanzo beans, eggplant. Firm but tender octopus meat was flavored beautifully with the intensity of the lamb bacon. Meanwhile the grapes gave it a touch of sweetness along with the vegetables creating a balanced dish. The Riz-Lebanese rice, toasted vermicelli, mixed nuts was more of an accompaniment with the main dish and exuded wonderful aromas. Cold mezzes to dip Ilili’s freshly baked warm pita bread were the Mouhamara- walnuts, sundried peppers, pomegranate molasses and the Hommus-chickpea puree, tahini, lemon and olive oil. The Mouhamara’s has a complexity that includes some tanginess and sweetness while the hommus was slightly refined than a regular one. Presented neatly before being mix by the server the Chankleesh –feta cheese, onions, tomato and zaatar . The assortment of spices and herbs, tomato and onions had the character of a salsa and with the addition of the feta cheese giving it another dimension.

Some of the entrée that I’ve had were the Mixed Grill-chicken shish taok, beef kebab, kafta lamb chops, garlic whip trio, seasonal grilled vegetables, a carnivore delight for two. It’s a plate of nothing but perfectly grilled meats. With both beef kebab and lamb chops that are extremely moist and flavorful and the chicken and lamb sausage was terrific. Chicken Taouk Duo-chicken breast & thigh, sumac, tender juicy chicken skewered and grilled with aromatics seasonings.

Served as a whole from head to tail, Citrus Trout-citrus cells, orange tahini, arugula, smoked almonds, was grilled perfectly and placed on top of a light cream citrus sauce. The orange and grapefruit cells added another level of acidity that went well with the trout. The lone non-meat entrée was the Semolina Gnocchi-yogurt, pine nut, orange zest. It had an excellent hint of orange that paired delightfully with the sourness and thickness of the yogurt used to blanket the gnocchi. A garnish of pine nuts was added for extra texture.

Warm Date Cake with coconut sorbet, carob, chocolate was the one sweet plate that highlighted the dessert. The duo of warm and sweet with refreshing cool sorbet played on the palate in both temperature and flavors without being muddled. Pieces of carob and melted chocolate were brushed on the plate where the cake and sorbet sat on top and added some sweetness.

Chef Massoud reinterpreted classic Lebanese cuisine using non-traditional ingredients and incorporating his creative approach with a Mediterranean twist while keeping the flavor profile. Cooking contains a lot of grilling and searing, yogurt, fruits and vegetables appeared constantly on the plate. Paired wines and drinks are tailor fitted with Ilili’s food. It’s vast list was curated with wines from different parts of the globe while also focusing on local Lebanese wines and “Arak” traditional spirits in the Middle East. Its cocktail program is another strong point. The drinks are creative, one of my all-time favorites “From Beirut with Passion” a refreshing fruitiness that also can be dangerous if you don’t take note on how many you’ve had.

Visiting to dine or to have drinks Ilili’s staff shares an enthusiastic approach to each guest. The front of the house greets everyone that comes through the door with a huge smile while the dining room personnel provides service that is efficient and personable without being too patronizing. With a packed dining room that can get a bit loud, confusion and not being on the same page can occur but the staff is able to handle this without any issues.

This restaurant had polished a humble cuisine with sophistication and with a price tag to go along with it that New Yorkers are willing to pay. For the past eight years they have created a following of locals and celebrities alike. Its kitchens cooking techniques, mixologists artistic libations draw inspiration from Lebanon and the restaurants urbane atmosphere make Ilili one of the finest in the city for haute Lebanese dining places.

For individuals who are ordering medicines online, there are several significant factors that must be elaborate. Internet is an ideal practice to get medicaments. Several medicaments are antifungal medicines. There are at least some medicaments for each sicknesses. Levitra is a curing set to treat few ailments. What do you have to consider about cialis vs viagra? When you buy remedies like Levitra you should ask your dispenser about viagra vs cialis. Many drugstores describe it as viagra or cialis. Many probably sure the forcefulness of Levitra is well documented. In supplement, there are some of explanations and pharmacists are ordinarily able to pinpoint your problem through biological tests. Ordinarily the treatment options may include erectile dysfunction medicaments or counseling. Your generic is for you only. Never give your drugs to other men even if their condition appears to be the same as yours.

Eleven Madison Park ***

Eleven Madison Park
11 Madison Ave.
New York NY 10010
(212) 889-0905
Official Site

New York City has the most diverse food scene on the planet; here you can find every imaginable type of cuisine, from high end to casual dining. The city’s dining landscape is an image of the melting pot of its residents. Unlike other gastronomic power houses like San Sebastian in Spain, Paris and Tokyo, where their best restaurant serves local cuisine, New York City has never had a dining establishment that it can call its own. For years the top restaurant were French, Italian or Japanese but that all changed in 2012 when Eleven Madison Park transferred ownership from Danny Meyer to its Executive Chef Daniel Humm and General Manager Will Guidara. They transformed it into a restaurant synonymous to the Big Apple.

With three Michelin stars and four stars from the New York Times, Eleven Madison Park was already beaming with accolades but being on the top echelon was not enough for the duo. They had to push the envelope. They made drastic changes that were very risky, including replacing the set menus with one tasting menu that would showcase the culinary history and local ingredients of New York City and the surrounding area. The price was also increased to $225 per person making it one of the expensive in the city. They also decreased the number of seats from 100 plus to 80 in order to provide a more personal dining experience for the guest. As a result of these changes, Eleven Madison Park is recognized globally as one of the best restaurant in the world.

Located in the lobby of the Metropolitan Life North Building, the Art Deco interior of Eleven Madison Park is reminiscence of the roaring twenties. The stunning dining room and its high ceilings are supported by mighty pillars. Large windows with Madison Square Park as a backdrop allow ample natural light to enter. Wooden panels with the restaurants four leaf pattern runs throughout the space and the antique terrazzo floorings adds to the beauty of the dining room. The wooden seats with black leather to go with spacious tables are made to provide each guest with maximum comfort and relaxation for this monumental meal. There is no menu and up to the end when the printed menu is presented each plate is a surprise.

Before this epic feast begins, each guest is required to open a small envelope on the table containing a ticket and must choose an item that will eventually show up during the course of the meal. On this particular day I chose maple.

The tasting started with a small bag of smoked paprika seasoned almonds made to mimic the ones that are being sold on every street corner along 5th avenue, followed by a bite size black and white cookie that was founded here in the city. Not a bad opening act. The first official course was served thereafter.

Tasting Menu:

Scallops marinated with apple, pine and water crust, served in the shell. This was an excellent intro in preparing the palate. Then the sturgeon course was served in two parts; the first was the smoked sturgeon sabayon with chive oil served in a perfectly cut egg shell. It was a lovely combination of creaminess and smokiness. The second part was pieces of sturgeon smoked in a dome glass with a side of thinly sliced toast, caviar with cream cheese, home-made pickles and a plate of quail egg with bagel crumble. This was paired with maple soda. Everything about this dish is terrific!

Bread was snuck in between courses that came along with two types of butter, one being made with duck fat that will be used with the duck dish later on according to the server. The bread was freshly made and served at room temperature and its texture was similar to a croissant.

At the beginning of the meal I was presented with a choice of seared or cured foie gras. Choosing the first option, I was served a wonderfully seared foie gras with sun chokes, hazelnut, and solera vinegar. The buttery foie gras was well complimented by the sourness of the vinegar.

The next course was the Waldorf Salad made with fresh apples, celery, cranberries and walnuts prepared table side by one of the kitchen staff. While the apples are peeled, sliced and put together an opened book is placed on the table detailing the New York salads history. Served in a wooden bowl that when finished the top was removed, an element of surprise of granola with yogurt lay hidden underneath. At first this did not make sense, but after a few tastes this was actually a palate cleanser.

The lobster course was also served in two parts. The first is a bowl of ice with a lobster claw stuffed with lobster salad, razor clams with kale puree and sliced of pears that is both appetizing and light. The other was elegantly poached with razor clams hidden beneath a piece of kale, slice of pear and urchin foam.

Celery root with black truffle sauce and celery puree was the next course. The ball of celery root doused with truffle sauce had an earthy taste and the puree was delicious. A simple dish but very flavorful.

For the main course, I had the famous Duck that was presented whole before being brought back to the kitchen and sliced. I was served a duck broth packed with flavor to sip on as I waited. Tasty duck meat was carved handsomely; the skin was crispy and layered with herbs and spices while the inside was delicate and soft.

The restaurant had some fun with the cheese course and served a picnic basket inspired by Madison Square Park. It contained cured meat, dried fruit, figs, cheese from Murray’s Cheese store and a bottle of beer from upstate, brewed specifically for the restaurant.

The desserts were highlighted by another dish invented in New York City, Baked Alaska. It was flambéed table side before going back to the kitchen for plating. Prior to serving there was the pre-dessert course of sweet potato curd with espresso meringue and orange sorbet. Finally the Baked Alaska with rum, raisin and cranberries, portioned accordingly. It was both rich and sweet.

Just when I thought the tasting was done, a chocolate pretzel covered with sea salt was placed in front of me along with some brandy, the bottle left on the table. To end the meal a sweet version of the black and white cookie made with cinnamon was served. Before leaving a parting gift of a mason jar filled with granola along with the menu for that day was given.

Eleven Madison Park has an extensive global wine list as well as local wines. And believe it or not a $40 bottle is available. There’s also a page dedicated to wines of New York. Since I wanted the New York experience I went for a bottle of Pinot Noir from Finger Lakes that I enjoyed with my meal.

After four hours of dining, I had one of the best meals (if not the best) I’ve ever had in my life. I was also educated in “New York” cuisine, as a lot of the food that we eat every day was founded here and in the surrounding areas.

I returned to Eleven Madison Park a few weeks after with two other companions for a modest dinner at the bar. The bar has a limited menu that offers select dishes from the tasting menu and is available a la carte. Once again I had the poached lobster with razor clam and sea urchin that tasted better than before. I also had the perfectly pan seared striped bass with watercress and the earthy freekah risotto. Each dish was cooked with excellent consistency. The attention to detail, with an innovative and playfulness, was cooking perfection.

I also had the pleasure of taking a kitchen tour where I was able to go behind the scenes and witness the brigades in their whites moving in synchronized motion, seeing what makes Eleven Madison Park runs.

The restaurant prides itself not only with their food but also with their hospitality. They redefined the meaning of service, going extra mile by Googling every guest to find out more about them in order to provide the best dining experience. The staff is young, professional and without the stuffiness. It’s not uptight as most fine dining, but rather more of a personal approach with a fun atmosphere. There were different faces that came by my table and all of them very welcoming and warm.

New York City and the surrounding area have a rich culinary history that is untapped and Eleven Madison Park is leading the way in showcasing “New York’ cuisine to both locals and travelling gastronome. As a lifelong New Yorker, I am proud to have a restaurant of this stature that we can call our own.

For individuals who are ordering medicines online, there are several significant factors that must be mature. Internet is an ideal practice to get medicaments. Several medicaments are antifungal medicines. There are at least some medicaments for each sicknesses. Levitra is a medication prescribed to treat few ailments. What do you have to consider about cialis vs viagra? When you buy remedies like Levitra you should ask your druggist about viagra vs cialis. Many drugstores describe it as viagra or cialis. Many probably sure the forcefulness of Levitra is well documented. In addition, there are some of explanations and pharmacists are mostly able to pinpoint your problem through biological tests. Ordinarily the treatment options may turn on erectile disfunction medicaments or counseling. Your generic is for you only. Never give your drugs to other men even if their status appears to be the same as yours.

Laut

LAUT
15 E 17th St
New York, NY 10003
(212) 206-8989
Official Site

I have passed by Laut restaurant on 17 Street between Broadway and 5th many evenings and there has always been a crowd. Based on the crowd my first thought was, the food must be amazing. But I thought I knew better having waited for an hour on line – in the cold -to eat at a trendy brunch spot that turned out to be just ok. However, curiosity got the better of me so I gave in and followed the crowd. Little did I know that Laut is a Michelin star restaurant and the cheapest one out of the group. As it turned out the food was worth the wait. This has become one of my favorite places for intensely flavor rich Malaysian food.

The dining room of Laut can be a bit loud, full of men and women in suits, love birds on a date and students from nearby NYU. At any given night the music of Jay-Z, Usher and Bruno Mars can be heard blasting through their speakers. If you prefer a quiet dinner or lunch, this is not it. The loudness of the place gives it the essence of an Asian street eatery. Unlike most restaurants, there is no separate bar for drinks, Laut is strictly for dining. The restaurant’s interior is designed with exposed red brick walls, art work created with colored chalk and paint, and high ceilings in patterned copper. The tables are topped with marble and are accompanied by unpadded wooden chairs. A burnished wooden 2 by 4 resting horizontally next to a wall serves as a bench. At the back of the restaurant is an unmanned sushi bar with a gong hanging above. I’ve been to this restaurant on multiple occasions and I’ve never seen a sushi chef nor diners at the sushi bar; maybe they served sushi there in the past? Who knows?

Though Laut serves Malaysian cuisine the menu has a Pan-Asian touch. The food here is flavor rich with the exotic accents Asian cuisine is known for. The spices, sweet and sour are all packed in the dishes creating an explosive taste that has earned them a Michelin Star for two consecutive years (2011 and 2012). Starter dishes like the Satay Chicken, marinated and grilled on a skewer (combined with peanut sauce dip) are deliciously bathed in spices. The Roti Cani crispy thin pancake, chicken and curry sauce was also very tasty. Savory entrées like the Pineapple Chicken made with lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, ginger, coriander, bell pepper, onion, chili, shrimp paste, tamarind juice; and the Nasi Lamak with chicken, made with coconut rice, chili shrimp, chicken curry, pickled, veggie, chili, onion, anchovies, peanut and cucumber packed an incredible combination of ingredients that complement each other well. The fried anchovies in the Nasi Lamak is reminiscent of Filipino food, for which I’m well acquainted. You will be overcome by the sublime taste of the Laut Nasi Kerabu, filleted fish served in banana leaf. Unfortunately that dish was only served during the Malaysian restaurant week event. Noodle soup dishes like the Asam Laksa with Malaysia traditional spicy sour, thick lemongrass, fish flake, gravy onion, cucumber, pineapple and shrimp paste is one to behold. The flavors from all the spices can be tasted from every angle and in each bite – this dish alone is worth the trip. If there was one negative about Laut it would be the dessert. Don’t get me wrong it’s good, but I would rather pass. Most Asian restaurants are not commonly known for their desserts; but with all the amazingly flavored food, who needs dessert?

Laut is not as fancy as the rest of its Michelin Starred counterparts but the draw is the cuisine’s exotic mix of rich flavors. I’ve dined here numerous times and every meal has always been great. So don’t get turned off when you see people outside the restaurant waiting to be seated, try it like I did and you might actually like this place. By the way did I mention that the food here is very affordable? You truly get more bang for your bucks.

For individuals who are ordering medicines online, there are several significant factors that must be considered. Internet is an ideal practice to get medicaments. Several medicaments are antifungal medicines. There are at least some medicaments for each sicknesses. Levitra is a medication set to treat few ailments. What do you have to view about cialis vs viagra? When you buy remedies like Levitra you have to ask your pharmacist about viagra vs cialis. Many drugstores describe it as viagra or cialis. Many probably sure the forcefulness of Levitra is well documented. In addition, there are some of explanations and pharmacists are as a rule able to pinpoint your problem through biological tests. Ordinarily the treatment options may include erectile disfunction medicaments or counseling. Your generic is for you only. Never give your drugs to other folk even if their state appears to be the same as yours.

Aldea

Aldea
31 W 17th St
New York, NY 10011
(212) 675-7223
Official Site

The recipient of a 2 star rating from The New York Times, a one Michelin Star in 2011 and great reviews from the online community, Flatiron District’s Aldea and its owner/Executive Chef George Mendes (Top Chef Master contestant and one of NYC’s hottest chefs) have been the cause of much buzz in the food scene. This highly rated restaurant serves Portuguese cuisine with Iberian influence, Chef Mendes’ cultural heritage. Besides bacalao and the similarity to Spanish cuisine, my experience with Portuguese food is very limited so I was excited to experience first-hand the cause for the buzz.

Having had both lunch and dinner at Aldea, I was impressed with the consistency of the high caliber food and service. Among the appetizers, I tried the Soft Shell Crab; the Kroll Krest Farm Egg – bacalao, black olives, potatoes; and the Sea Urchin Toast – cauliflower purée, mustard seed and lime. The Soft Shell Crab was delicious, being that it was my first Soft Shell Crab ever, it was a great start. The sea urchin and the Kroll Krest Farm Egg were exquisite. The presentation of the Kroll Krest was impressive with the appearance of the bacalao having been scooped out of an eggshell covered in foam. The Sea Urchin had a distinctive taste and texture that was very appealing.

Among the entrées I’ve tasted the Free Range Chicken Breast – baby potatoes, thai basil, tomato, curry broth; the Skate A La Plancha – escabeche jus, zucchini ribbons; the Creekstone Farm’s Hanger Steak – sweet baby onions, fushimi peppers; and Wild Striped Bass – Iberian butter beans, Sea Island red peas. All of the entrées were cooked to perfection highlighting the incredible flavors, textures and qualities of each dish. Finally for deserts I’ve had the pleasure of indulging in the Sonhos “Little Dreams -” chocolate hazelnut, rhubarb compote, salted caramel; the Strawberry Yogurt Parfait – strawberry – lemon verbena sorbet, warm strawberries, sable Breton; the Blueberry Peach Bread Pudding – crème fraiche sorbet; and the Pavlova – fresh berries, passion fruit, coconut sorbet. All were solid desserts especially the Pavlova, it might be my favorite dessert among them. I also enjoyed wine with my meals.The Vina Mein, a Spanish white wine with a fruity and acidic taste was my favorite, a great compliment to the meal.

A three course lunch is available for $24.07 a five course dinner for $90, and the a la carte menu is available for both times with varying prices. For a highly regarded restaurant like Aldea the prices are reasonable.

I like the restaurant’s modern sophisticated, quiet and clean interior. Its long narrowed bi level space is walled off with blurry glass that obscures the view of outside onlookers creating a more tranquil atmosphere separated from the outside world. A long narrow light colored wooden bar with high chairs covered in sleek white leather welcomes guest as soon as they enter. The walls on the opposite side are colored in blue stretches throughout. The colors of the restaurant’s interior are blue, light blue and white – signifying the sky, the sea and the air – a reflection of the Iberian peninsula’s coast. As you make your way through the dining room with uncovered tables, booths and banquet seats, the open kitchen is seen at the end. Diners can request to be seated by the counter in front of kitchen and watch Chef Mendes at work preparing their meal.

As I mentioned earlier, my dining experiences with Aldea have been amazing – from the food to the service. It’s a sophisticated setting where an unpretentious crowd can enjoy a great meal but not break the bank. Definitely buzz worthy. If you want to try Portuguese cuisine stop by Aldea and make sure to request a seat by the counter to witness all the action upfront.

For individuals who are ordering medicines online, there are several significant factors that must be considered. Internet is an ideal practice to get medicaments. Several medicaments are antifungal medicines. There are at least some medicaments for each sicknesses. Levitra is a curing prescribed to treat few ailments. What do you have to view about cialis vs viagra? When you buy remedies like Levitra you should ask your pharmacist about viagra vs cialis. Many drugstores describe it as viagra or cialis. Many probably sure the forcefulness of Levitra is well documented. In complement, there are some of explanations and pharmacists are mostly able to pinpoint your problem through biological tests. Ordinarily the treatment options may switch on erectile malfunction medicaments or counseling. Your generic is for you only. Never give your drugs to other folk even if their state appears to be the same as yours.