Mucca Osteria

When planning out our meals in Portland, we wanted something that was classic, yet at the same time, progressive.  Enter Mucca Osteria located in Downtown Portland.  Opened by chef and owner Simone Savaiano in 2011, Mucca Osteria has earned its fair share of accolades over the years.  That was enough to convince us to go for their 4-course prix fixe menu for dinner for $125.00 each.

We had several options for each course and it was without hesitation we chose the gigantic and plump Scallops (Capesante con Fonduta di Parmigiano).  They were hard-seared on one side and rare in the middle.  Hence, they were buttery soft and the natural sweetness was pure since they were cooked just enough.  The saffron gel was aromatic but had a nice tanginess to it as well.  Parmesan fondue was super creamy and nutty.  We also found a shallot relish atop each scallop and it offered up some brightness.

The other appetizer we selected was the Tartara di Manzo (Beef Tartare).  It was fairly tender with a bit of a meaty chew.  The cut on the beef was good where each piece was manageable.  Color was great too being fresh and no grey portions.   Tangy and rich from the fermentation, the black garlic aioli provided depth, savoriness and slight tang.  We found some confit mushrooms as well which added texture and some woodsiness.  Lastly, the pomegranate gastrique provided some sweet tanginess.

My eyes went straight for the Agnolotti di Manzo and the one here featured tender little pockets of braised beef.  I thought the pasta was more tender than firm.  Beyond the delicate pasta, the beef filling was soft, yet still having texture.  With a creamy sharpness, the gorgonzola sauce also featured nuttiness from the walnuts and sweetness from the apples.

Our other pasta course choice was the Spaghetti con Funghi di Stagione, Salsa Agli Asparagi.  This had a green taste (in an asparagus kind of way) that was accented by the crispy and salty prosciutto.  Combined with the saltiness, there was also a bit of nuttiness.  Creaminess was due to the addition of mascarpone, which added sweetness too.  Pasta was firm and chewy.

Onto our mains, the Pesce di Giornata happened to be Halibut.  We found a hard sear which created a crispy nuttiness.  Inside, it was medium-rare being buttery and flaky.  The fish itself was nicely seasoned.  This all sat atop a creamy cauliflower puree with lacinato kale and braised fennel.  Grapefruit segments added acidity and just a bit of fresh sweetness.  The most impactful item on the plate was the caper salsa verde which brought saltiness and tanginess to the halibut.

My choice of main was the Brasato di Manzo. This fairly large boneless shortrib was tender and meaty while complimented by the silky red wine demi-glace.  English Pea-Mascarpone Purée was smooth and creamy with some sweetness.  This combined with the demi-glace helped moisten the drier parts of the shortrib.  Pickled fennel offered up crunch and of course acidity.

 

Since the choice of dessert totaled two, we had both of them including the Frutto della Passione (Passionfruit Cake).  Plating on this was a little like abstract art, but in terms of taste, it was properly structured.  First, the cake was a little dry, but the passionfruit coconut mousse afforded the necessary moisture, creaminess and sweetness.  That was furthered by the passionfruit gelato and compote.  Extra creaminess that was cold (nice temperature contrast) and even more tanginess from the compote made this dessert sing.

Yes, my dessert may have looked like a donut, but it was actually a Tortino al Cioccolato (Chocolate tart).  This thing was filled with creamy chocolate hazelnut mousse.  It was semi-sweet with some bitterness.  We found some crunchy candied hazelnut atop the exterior chocolate glaze.  This came with Gianduia gelato which amped the hazelnut quotient of this dessert even more so.  It was creamy and light with of course, nuttiness.  We were pretty stuffed at the end of the meal, especially with the large desserts.  Overall, we enjoyed the food as it was properly prepared and tasted great.  Service was also a highlight as it was friendly and informative.  

The Good:

- Delicious

- Generous portions

- Excellent service

The Bad:

- We had to change seats as the banquette upstairs is very narrow and uncomfortable

Ess-a-Bagel

From one bagel shop to another, we made our way to the ever-popular Ess-a-Bagel.  Due to its proximity from Utopia Bagels, we ended up at the West 32nd Street location.  Compared to Utopia, Ess-a-Bagel is more known for their giant bagel sandwiches and therefore, we snagged one of the precious seats and ordered a few them.  Oh, we also got some to go too!

Well, there was only one choice for Viv and it was the Signature Favorite on a Poppy Seed Bagel.  This was fully-loaded with sliced Nova (Lox), scallion cream cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion and capers.  We got the butteriness and saltiness of the lox combined with its classic running mate - scallion cream cheese.  But with lettuce and tomatoes, we go much more moisture and it actually helped dilute the saltiness of the lox and heaviness of the cream cheese.  Of course, the sharpness and crunch of the onions and tanginess of the capers were also a classic compliment.  The bagel itself was pretty firm and chewy, so all of these ingredients helped offset that.

For myself, I went for the Eggstacy with ham, sausage and cheddar all on a Pumpernickel Bagel.  They really didn't skimp on the cheese and it was ooey gooey wonderfulness.  The egg was a bit overdone, but the sausage and ham provided some needed moisture.  I found the pumpernickel bagel to be even firmer and denser than the poppy seed bagel.  Loved the rich earthy sweetness of the bagel.

Of course I had to compare their Sesame Bagel with the one at Utopia.  First off, it was slightly bigger and had the same amount of sesame seeds.  Hence, there was the aroma and nuttiness of sesame seeds in taste and smell.  Texturally, I thought these were denser and heavier than the ones at Utopia.  After toasting, the outside was crunchy while the inside got a bit softer with an appealing chew.

Yep, got the Everything Bagel as well, but in both classic and whole wheat.  There was an obvious textural difference between the two.  Predictably, the whole wheat was a bit more robust and nutty.  With a mix of the usual sesame seeds (black & white), poppy seeds, onion and garlic, we had the usual aromatics of an everything bagel.  Once again, we made sure we didn't burn any of these.

So for our sweet bagel, we had the Cinnamon Raisin.  Beyond the size difference and denser bagel, this one here was not that dissimilar than the one at Utopia.  Yet, it was a little more dense and chewy as mentioned before.  Overall, we thought the bagels at Ess-a-Bagel to be good and pretty large in size.  They went well with the components of our sandwiches.  But if I really had to compare, the classic bagels from Utopia had a texture that was more to our liking.

The Good:

- Large bagels

- Those sandwiches are fully-loaded and tasty

- Thick crispy exterior

The Bad:

- More dense than others I've had, but okay for those who like it

- Long lineups

Utopia Bagels

On our last day in NYC before an evening flight, we made the trek out into midtown searching for some bagels.  The first stop was at Utopia Bagels out on East 34th Street.  Founded in 1980 at its original Queens location, Utopia is known for its hand-made bagels.  We made it rather early on a Sunday, so the place was only a bit busy.  We ended up grabbing a selection of bagels to bring home.

The most basic one in our bag of bagels was the Sesame.  After being toasted, the bagel exhibited classic NYC-style texture and density.  The exterior was crunchy, yet wasn't hard nor dense.  Inside, we found the desired chew, but it was still soft at the same time.  In terms of taste, the bagel was savory and not sweet (like the ones we had in Montreal at Fairmount).  The nuttiness of the sesame was very apparent.

Of course we went for the Everything Bagel as well (it is our favorite!).  Naturally, with sesame seeds, there was similar elements to the previous bagel, but adding poppy seeds (not very many), onion and garlic meant we had more complexity.  Be careful toasting this one up though since you do not want to burn the garlic.

Something a bit different was the Jalapeno Cheddar.  As you can see, this was almost completely covered with cheese.  As a result, the salty and nutty cheesiness was at the forefront.  Furthermore, this made the bagel a bit more moist and less crunchy on the outside (in particular, the side with the cheese.  Some tangy spice was provided by the jalapenos.

Moving over to the sweeter bagels, we tried the Cinnamon Raisin.  This was definitely sweeter and especially with pops of flavor from the raisins, it was great with some basic cream cheese or even good quality butter.  This could all be said about the Blueberry Bagel as well, except with a more muted sweetness.  A little bit more moisture from the blueberries though.  After toasting, both had the same crunchy exterior like the other bagels while being chewy, yet soft inside.  

Our last bagel in our order was the French Toast Bagel.  Yes, this was mapley-sweet with hits of cinnamon and a bit more sweetness from the powdered sugar.  Texturally, it was still classic bagel with a soft chewiness.  Really enjoyed this one, but I highly recommend that you get this in a separate bag because it took on all the essence of the everything bagel.

Overall, the bagels at Utopia were exactly what we prefer - soft but chewy with a nice crunchy exterior after being toasted.  They also have a wide selection of flavors too.

The Good:

- Classic bagel texture

- Lots of options

- Manageable size

The Bad:

- Lines can be a little long

Corima NYC

When booking restaurants for NYC, I was looking for something a bit different.  Look no further than an elevated Mexican-inspired tasting menu at Corima, located in Chinatown.  Chef Fidel Cabarello was a finalist for the prestigious James Beard Best Chef award.  With already a Michelin-star after its first year of operation and being named to North America's 50 Best Restaurants, Corima is one of the hottest places to dine in NYC.  We were lucky to secure a reservation!

We began with an Amuse Bouche consisting of a Beef Cecina with edamame guacamole and chapulines.  This little one-bite tart featured buttery beef that still had a meaty chew to it.  By its appearance, the beef was supremely fresh and it tasted that way too. In additon, the flavours were bright and there was some nuttiness brought forth by the grasshoppers.  Naturally, they also provide some crunch.

The most under-the-radar dish we had was the humble Sourdough Tortilla served with recado negro butter.  This was the softest and fluffiest tortilla I've ever had and on top of that, it still retained a beautiful chew to it.  Nice smokiness from the sear too.  Now that butter was super complex with creaminess, smokiness and saltiness combined with the burnt chilis and black garlic.  Lots of umami here.

Masterfully constructed, the Abalone Tostada sported layers of abalone and shiitake mushroom.  It all sat atop a crispy tostada which provided textural contrast.  As for the abalone, the slices were tender yet with the classic bite similar to Humboldt squid.  However, we also got the slightly spongy texture of the earthy shiitake as well.  I found hits of fermentation to go with the tangy salted yuzu.

Completely covered with chives, the Branzino Collar was not only a textural delight, it was also a flavor bomb.  The combination of chintextle paste and cascabel afforded intense smokiness, some brininess and just the slightest of spice.  As much as the green from the chives made things colorful, it was also important to the dish as it provided brightness.  The collar itself was buttery tender.

We moved onto the Rajas Croquette next and they were pretty light and airy.  We enjoyed the creaminess of the croquette along with the tangy spice of the jalapeno.  To literally top it off, there was some huitlacoche that offered up some fermented and earthy notes.  Served on the side was a Consomme with peashoot, ginger and sesame.  This was clean-tasting and light with the silkiness of chicken fat.

Wrapped in thinly-sliced jicama, we found the Surf Clam Crudo.  This was almost like an unsealed dumpling.  Mixed with the surf clam was green gooseberry, chayote, squid ink and coppa.  So just beyond the initial crunch of the jicama, we had the sweetness of the clam that was brightened up by the tartness of the gooseberry.  Add in the rich saltiness of the coppa and things were pretty balanced.

With vibrant colours, the spring carrots hid the Mussels underneath.  It sat atop a mole amarillo.  From here, there was another course, but it was so delicious, I ate it before I took a picture of it.  That was the Morel Taco with lamb and artichoke.  Click the link to see their Instagram picture.  That was fantastic with the with tender and juicy lamb that was not all that gamy.  Of course the morel added the unmistakable texture and flavor.  There was some spice and also brightness from the onions.

The meal kept moving along with the 10-day dry aged Turbot with white asparagus and plankton.  We found the fish to be buttery soft and delicate while retaining some firmness.  Silky with a balancing amount of acidity, the sauce was silky and smooth.  There was a background fermented hit to it which added depth while the caviar provided brininess.  Adding extra umami was the kombu foam.  Loved the crispy fish belly on the side.  It was also smoky and aromatic.

Topped with the salsa verde and celery, the 60-day aged Pork Collar was sous-vide, hence the rare color.  It ate super buttery where it required very little chewing.  The pork itself was rather mild, so the bright and tangy salsa verde did all of the heavy lifting.  Loved the fresh crunch from the celery on top as it provided textural contrast and brightness.

Topped with Avocado Leaf and cherrelle, the tangy yogurt sorbet was lightly sweet and refreshing.  There was a bit of dill water to make things herbaceaous and bright.  Hidden underneath, we had some crunchy and aromatic granola and cereal.  There was fermented hits from the black garlic while the sour notes from the yogurt kept things light.

Not satisfied with only one dessert, we added the supplementary option that was a Chocolate Tart of sorts.  It contained a rich banana ganache with chocolate mousse on top.  This was finished with some crunch from the cocoa nibs.  All of this was topped with ice cream and shaved black truffle.  This actually didn't eat as heavy as the shell was crispy while the mouse was light.  It was also not that sweet where the dark chocolate bitterness came through.  Not really sure of the black truffles though.  It didn't really go with the rest of the dessert in my opinion.  A little too overpowering.

The meal ended off with some Crispy Black Garlic Profiteroles with toasted vanilla and Passionfruit Caramel Bonbons.  Loved the contrast between the 2 bites as one was a bit savory and the other was tangy and sweet.  We even had some cookies to take away with us.  Overall, we really enjoyed the tasting menu at Corima.  It validates all of their accolades and awards a few times over.  Considering their tasting menu is only $140.00, we felt it was not only reasonable, but somewhat of a steal.  We went away full and truly impressed with Chef Fidel Cabarello's creations.

The Good:

- Modern Mexican that is delicious

- Well-priced tasting menu

- Excellent service that was not fussy

The Bad:

- Our main server was excellent, explaining everything.  But some others provided less information.

Gallagher's Steakhouse NYC (Lunch Special)

While dining at places such as Penny, Le Bernardin and Le Veau D'or gave us a taste of the best places to eat in NYC, they weren't a cheap proposition.  By no means do I think they weren't worth it.  Believe me, we truly enjoyed them and don't regret it.  However, we also need to check out other more accessible places as well.  Yes, we did some pizza and pastrami sandwiches, but we are talking about a proper sit-down dinner that would not break the bank.  Enter Gallagher's Steakhouse in the conversation.  They are well-known for their $34.00 3-course lunch special.  Yes, you heard me right.

Even though the actual meal is already a steal, they don't nickel and dime you.  We were started out with a Bread Basket that was loaded with different options.  It included a multigrain, sesame and plain white, but the star of the basket was the date nut bread.  Oh so sweet and a bit cake like.  All of this was served warm and went really well with the generous amount of butter.  You could ask for more if you wanted.

For myself, I started my meal with a small Wedge Salad sporting a quarter of an iceberg lettuce.  It had the usual items like bacon, blue cheese and blue cheese dressing.  Although this wasn't the biggest version of a wedge salad, it was more than enough, especially for lunch and the multiple courses with bread.  I found the lettuce to be crisp while the tomato was ripe.  That bacon was meaty while the amount of blue cheese was just enough for sharpness.

Viv went for the Manhattan-style Clam Chowder that featured a fairly decent broth.  It probably needed a bit more brininess, but there was no mistaking what type of soup we were drinking.  There was enough veggies and clams to make this hearty.  This was a bowl of chowder and not a cup.  Once again, they did not skimp despite the pricing of this 3-course meal.

For my main, I opted for the Chicken Paillard only because I wanted something different than Viv's choice.  The best way to describe this dish would be that it was "fine". The chicken breast itself was lightly grilled and a bit dry. The outside texture wasn't slightly crispy as it should be.  It pretty much ate like a plain grilled piece of chicken with very little flavor (lemon helped though).  The side of green beans were solid though being still a bit crunchy while being cooked through.

Viv had the Sliced Filet Mignon, which was pretty good, especially for the price.  The meat was closer to medium, but still tender and well-seared.  It was served with crispy roasted potatoes and buttery sauteed mushrooms.   On the side, it came with a red wine sauce that had A1 vibes.  Hence, it was thick, tangy and sweet.  If you wanted to spend some more money for a whole 8 oz filet mignon, it would be a $22.00 surcharge.

I was rather impressed with the size of the NY-style Cheesecake slice.  In addition in being large, the cheesecake itself was pretty good.  In true NY-style fashion, it was dense and rich with lots of smooth cream chese goodness.  However, at the same time, it wasn't so dense that you could kill someone with it.  Lots of cream cheese flavor while being accented by the strawberry sauce and some whipped cream.

Viv had the Key Lime Pie and it was a bit similar to a lemon meringue pie, expect with much less meringue and a noticeably more tangy flavor.   We found this to be a bit on the denser side, almost like a cheesecake.  However, it didn't eat heavy due to the light and tangy sweetness.  Overall, the 3-course lunch at Gallagher's isn't going to blow your socks off.  However, the food is more than acceptable given the pricing.  They do not skimp on the portions either.  If you had an extra lunch slot to fill while in NYC, give Gallagher's a try.

The Good:

- Super reasonable price on their 3-course lunch

- More than enough food

- Service was pretty good

The Bad:

- Food is generally good for the price, but I thought my chicken was meh

- There is a lineup to get in, even with reservations, so it becomes a bit chaotic

Katz's Deli

If you can believe it, it has been 26 years since the last time I have visited Katz's Deli in New York City.  I've been back to NYC prior to this visit but ended up going to Carnegie's (before it closed) instead.  Sure, these types of places could be considered tourist traps, but for me, Katz's is still delicious despite that fact.  Hence, this time around, we made the decision to get into that long lineup to get in.  Don't let that intimidate you though as the lineup moves.  We were all the way back near CVS, but made it into the place within 20 minutes.  However, that only gets you into another line.  You are handed a ticket and you can lineup at at one of the 8 cutters who will prepare your sandwich order.  They will mark off your ticket and that will be what you present to the cashier before you leave.  You will end up paying for the amount of food on your ticket.  Don't lose this ticket as it will cost you $50!  There are 2 other lines where you can pick up your sides or a grill order.  One final line is at the back of the restaurant where you can get table service.  We opted for this one as it was a madhouse around the self-service lines.  We waited about another 15 minutes for a table.

Of course we had to get the famed Pastrami Sandwich.  Sure, it is $29.00, but it is packed with hand-sliced meat.  Despite the other options within Manhattan, I still think that Katz's pastrami is one of the best.  I've had some around the touristy areas and yah, I didn't even feel the need to blog about them.  This one was buttery tender and if you choose "juicy", there is enough fat for some melt-in-your-mouth meat.  I'm not a fan of the rye bread as it crumbles after you take a few bites.  By itself, the bread is great, but it does not stand up to the amount of meat.  As for the meat, it is well-seasoned with some pepperiness and smokiness. Really full-flavored and intensely meaty.  For me, I douse the thing with mustard.

We complimented this sandwich with another favorite of mine, the Tongue Sandwich.  This is a cold sandwich with thinly sliced tongue.  Ensuring that this would be the best experience, they only use the back to mid portion of the tongue where it is the fattiest and most tender.  That it was as it also melted-in-my-mouth.  Due to the amount of fat, it was full of umami and meatiness.   Seasoning was mild as it wasn't salty.  We only got a half order of this as we paired it with a soup.

That soup was the Matzo Ball Soup and it was decent.  The big matzo ball was fluffy and light, yet at the same time retaining slight density.  It was so large, we had some left even after we finished the broth.  We found the broth to be mildly flavorful with a bit of satliness.  It was full-flavored, but maybe lacking a bit of depth, but we still happily downed it.

For me, I really wanted a side of Fries and yah, it came as a really large portion.  These steak fries were crispy with a wealth of soft potato goodness inside.  The people beside us ordered one plate of fries each!  Yah, they didn't finish...  Also at the table was their usual complimentary plate of Kosher Pickles with full sour and half-sour.  I like the half-sours because they are fermented less, hence the natural cucumber appearance.  Also, they are only lightly sour with a much crunchier texture.

Lastly, we added an all-beef Frankfurter.  This was nicely grilled having a seared exterior.  There was an appealing snap with the casing while the inside was juicy and bouncy.  I protested against putting ketchup into this, but Viv did it anyways.  Even though it has been 26 years between visits, something felt very familiar with Katz's and despite what others have said about it not being the same or it is merely a tourist trap, we enjoyed our meal.  Was it expensive?  Yes, but that is subjective because if someone enjoys whatever they paid for, then it would be worth it.  I would actually come back the next time I'm back in NYC.

The Good:

- Still buttery tender pastrami

- The whole experience, despite the wait and such

- Touristy yes, but still good

The Bad:

- Lining up for multiple orders, such as sandwiches, sides/soups and grilled items as well as trying to find a table makes for frustrating experience for some

- Pricey