A creative mingling of flavors and textures delighted discerning palates recently during gastronomic feasts in four New York restaurants. The special meals were prepared for events sponsored by San Francisco at the Americano Restaurant & Bar, Northwest Washington State at Bar Basque, Saborea Puerto Rico at Rayuela and Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit at Zengo. Chefs flew to New York to showcase their distinctive specialties for travel writers living and working in the New York area.
San Francisco’s culinary star, Chef Kory Stewart of Americano Restaurant & Bar at Hotel Vitale, featured his specialties at the Americano Restaurant & Bar in New York, located at 25 Cooper Square. Transporting fresh ingredients from the San Francisco Bay area, he complimented the restaurant’s soulful Italian cuisine with seasonal flavors and a robust sensibility. Served with the elegant six-course dinner were a 2009 Twomey and a 2008 Seghesio Zinfandel followed by a 2009 Moscato wine for desert.
Menu
Handmade mozzerella with Warren pears, raddichio and
Sicilian pistachios
Crispy Red Hill Farm egg with sunchoke truffle fonduta, pickled breakfast radishes and pancetta
Chanterelle mushroom and pumpkin lasagnette with Tuscan kale and ricotta
Fig leaf wrapped Pacific black cod with Castelvetrano olive tapenade and fennel
Liberty duck breast with California chestnut fondue, pink lady apples and Brussels sprouts
Candy cap mushroom custard with maple pecan sbrisolona.
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Bar Basque was the setting for a New York Travel Writers lunch hosted by regions of Washington State. The restaurant recently opened on the second floor of the new Kimpton Hotel, Eventi, located on Sixth Avenue between 30th and 31st Street. The glassed in dining area faces a large screen on the brick wall adjacent to the restaurant, which flashes a variety of subjects, from cartoons to scenes. Although some of the serving techniques have to be worked out, Executive Chef Yuhi Fujinaga (formerly at eighty one) brought his strong foundation of classical French training to create stunningly displayed, exemplary dishes. Included were:
Roasted Local Beets, Jones Farm Greens
Herb Pesto, Caramelized Goat’s Cheese, Marcona Almonds
Chicken Piquillo and Potatoes
Slow Baked Piquillo Peppers, Spicy Roasted Potatoes
“Chocolatina De Terry”
Glossy Chocolate Ganache with Praline, Caramelized Hazelnut
and Brandy with Double Whipped Cream
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Lobster ceviche
Lobster and shrimp,
grilled pineapple, jalapeno, young coconut water infused with lemongrass and
ginger, garnished with Uruguayan caviar
Mini Tuna Rellena
Shrimp, crab, and
avocado wrapped in sliced tuna served with cucumbers in a soy vinaigrette
A la lolita
Mushroom croquettes,
figs almonds, truffle trumpet allioli
Arepa de Bacalo
Sweet corn arepa
served with cod fish, tomatoes, peppers and hard boiled quail egg
Mofongo con Pulpo
Octopus, olive-caper
tomato sauce, mashed green plantain mixed with garlic and bacon
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Hors d’oeuvres
Sopa de mariscos in a
shot glass (chef Vazquez)seafood soup with two chiles.
Ceviche de pescado a
la naranja (chef Vazquez)Fish ceviche with orange sauce
Tacos de carnitas de
pato (Chef Sandoval)
Huaraches de hongos
silvestres (Chef Sandoval)
Menu
First course
Camarones con finas
hierbas(Chef Vázquez
Chipotle sauce /
sweet plantain mash / canela
Second course
Tablones de res con
achiote (Chef Sandoval )
Oaxaca cheese mash
potatoes / truffled huitlacoche sauce / short rib jus
Dessert
Trio
Dulce de leche
Chocolate caviar /
rum plantain puree (Chef Sandoval)
Sorbete de limon y
hierba santa(Chef Vázquez)
Churros (Chef
Sandoval)
Cajeta / chocolate
sauce
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