The Gotham West Market - part 3/5: Genuine Roadside

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At Gotham West Market, away from the hustle and bustle of the main food court is Genuine Roadside, a casual sandwich shop with its own dining area, from AvroKo Hospitality Group, who also owns Saxon+Parole and Public. Well I guess it is it's own dining area, though I witnessed a group of people sitting at one of their tables and getting some food from another restaurant (I have names!). 

The seating area is definitely comfortable, especially if you want to avoid sitting at a counter of a restaurant or hate communal tables. 

Decor wise, it is suppose to reflect a certain nostalgia, from the old photos on the walls, to the old radio and cassettes. 

They also provide games, so you can play while waiting for your order. 

Food wise, it is more for the carnivore than vegetarian, the later having very limited choices. But if you like burgers, pork, chicken or seafood, this might be your spot. 

The way it works is that you order at the counter, and they will give you a buzzer that will vibrate and light up when your food is ready. 

Our food came after a reasonable wait. 

Jodi ordered the sole vegetarian sandwich from the menu: The High Five Mushroom burger.

It is made of a marinated portobello mushroom that is grilled, topped with dill, tomato, Swiss cheese and their house sauce. It is a very good sandwich, flavorful, and you do not need to be vegetarian to appreciate it.

On my side, I ordered the buttermilk battered chicken sandwich:

I think I inhaled it: it was delicious! The chicken was perfectly cooked, crispy on the outside and moist inside, it was paired with sambal mayo (sambal is a spicy Southeast Asian condiment made with chili pepper and salt) and a celery and apple slaw, giving a sweet and spicy taste. This is definitely recommended.

To counteract the spices and stay hydrated (???), I ordered a vanilla milk shake.

It was quite a good one, thick, but not to the point that when you will try to get it through the straw  it will be too hard, and not too milky, having a nice vanilla taste (they probably use vanilla syrup).

We enjoyed the food at Genuine Roadside. It is a bit on the pricy side considering the food they serve (for instance, the fries are extra, that is crazy: they could throw few fries with the sandwiches), but it might be justified by the quality if the ingredients. I would definitely go back to try some other sandwiches.

Enjoy (I did)!

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The Gotham West Market - Part 2/5: Tapas at El Colmado

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Next stop at the Gotham West Market: El Colmado, a Spanish tapas bar. I was pretty excited to try it, because I love the opportunity to try plenty of dishes as tapas (small plates) allow you to do. 

When dining at El Colmado (spanish for "The grocer", "to celebrate the artisanal olive oils, vinegars, and preserved seafoods for which the country is famous" as they say), you can either order and sit in the common area, or sit at the bar.

We went for the latter and picked a spot in front of the kitchen, allowing us to watch them prepare dishes crafted by Chef Seamus Mullen and his team. Just looking at this and the minutiae put into the presentation, we knew we would be there for a treat. 

So we had a look at the menu that proposes a large number of plates, some small, some even smaller as you order the number of pieces you want (it is the case for deviled eggs, ham croquettes or langoustines). If you are vegetarian, there are few options. 

We decided to start with the Huevo Al Diablo or deviled eggs. 

They were not your regular deviled eggs: they contained some smoked bacalao and roasted peppers. They were really good, the taste of the mayonnaise not too pronounced, and with a nice smokiness coming through. 

The second dish was the croquetas de jamon or ham croquettes.

Ordered by piece, it was very soft and creamy inside with a crispy shell that was not greasy at all. 

After that, we got a classic: tortilla or Spanish omelet. 

I really liked it. At first, I asked for mayonnaise, but there was really no need for it, the omelet being so moist and tasty.

Then, we had to try some cheese and chose to order the Queso Fresco ahumado (means smoked) served with delicious slices of bread toasted and brushed with olive oil.

It also had guindilla and rosemary. This homemade cheese was basically ricotta, this is the kind of cheese that has a very subtle taste. It therefore needs either something herbaceous, nutty or sweet to enhance the taste, hence the perfect pairing with the toasted bread and olive oil, as well as the pieces of roasted pepper that were put on top of it. However, I did not notice any smokiness...But still, delicious.

Next was the pulpo a la plancha that is octopus served with marinated potatoes and a spicy olivada (olive spread made of olives, olive oil, spices and herbs).

I like the dish that had not only a great presentation, but also a great taste. The octopus was quite tasty and very tender. I would have just liked some more char to it. Complementing them with the soft marinated potatoes was a good idea.

The last entree was the special of the day: mustarda verde that was, in a nutshell, a salad served with fried chickpeas, raisins and some cheese similar to parmesan.

Jodi loved it. On my side, I found it good, but was not wowed by it to the point that I would order it again like the rest.

Of course, we could not leave without trying a dessert. We decided to try their torrija or French toast.

I am not sure what all the ingredients were, but it was one of the best French toast I ever had! I know: it is a bold statement, but you would try it, you would agree! The brioche bread was perfectly soaked in the custard that I believe was vanilla. They used a torch to create a fantastic sugar/caramel crust that added a nice crispiness to the dish and topped it with orange peel.

We finished our meal full and glad that we tried this place, with already plans to come back (I saw them prepare these amazing lamb meatballs...). So, definitely, El Colmado is a tapas place on top of my list.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Restaurant Name
	El Colmado
	* Overall
	★★★☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	Hell's Kitchen / Spanish
	* Street Address
	600 11th Ave., New York, NY 10036
	* Phone
	(212) 582-7948

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The Gotham West Market - Part 1/5: Ivan Ramen Slurp Shop

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The part of Hell's Kitchen that is on 11th avenue is clearly not the best to satisfy an appetite. Or should I say was not, since the Gotham West Market is definitely changing everything! Some say that this place was created to lure renters to the Gotham West building, but they definitely did not stop there, as people start to know this place. We went on few occasions and, on the week end, it gets crazy crowded and it is difficult to find a spot to sit. 

It is like a food court where you can either sit at the counter of the restaurant or take your food and eat it on one of the tables in the common area(s).

There, you have plenty of choices: Ivan ramen for some delicious Japanese dishes (ramen or donburi), The Cannibal for the carnivores or The Sandwich Shop for...sandwiches.

So, when we went there, we tried quite few restaurants that will be featured in the coming days posts:

Ivan Ramen:

We went to Ivan Ramen couple of time after Jodi's cousin, Jessica, recommended it. The stakes for ramen restaurants are high considering the number of places that are present in the City, some successful, others just average. Adding to that that the owner, Ivan Orkin, is not Japanese, I was definitely curious. His story is fairly interesting: originally from Long Island, he discovered Japanese culture and cuisine at age 15, when working as a dishwasher in...a Japanese restaurant. After majoring in Japanese culture and literature, he lived in Japan and opened a restaurant there, before opening the location at The Gotham West Market, perfecting his soup recipe and testing it on his Japanese wife!

The menu is fairly straight forward, with three non vegetarian ramen and two vegetarian. If soups are not your thing, they also propose rice balls calls donburi with either fish or pork, as well as curry rice with rib-eye. We decided to try their ramen.

Shio Ramen (left) - Vegetarian Shoyu (right)

You first order at the counter, give your name, and, shortly after, they will call back your name giving you your order.

Each time, Jodi went for the Vegetarian Shoyu:

It is composed of enoki mushrooms, arugula, bathed in a soy sauce and vegetable soup. 

The eggs, perfectly cooked, are add-on ($2). 

And the noodles are rye noodles. I admit that I liked it a lot, the broth being very flavorful and the noodles slightly al dente. What I also liked is that it is a pretty simple soup, combining not too many ingredients, but still tasty. 

On my side, I tried the Shio ramen:

The broth is made with sea salt, chicken and dashi broth. It has pork chashu and I added an egg also.

It was so good that I finished it, although I found that the amount of pork was very small and I should have asked for extra pork. The noodles were also rye noodles.

The last ramen I tried was the Roasted Garlic Mazemen :

It is made of chicken and dashi broth, roasted garlic, nori. I ordered it "fully loaded", meaning with extra pork chashu, an egg and roasted tomatoes ($17). 

The broth was a bit thicker and definitely saltier and very garlicky (we probably were protected from vampires for few days). I was so thirsty after eating it! Not sure I would take it again. However, the "fully loaded" formula was great: their pork chashu is delicious and the roasted tomatoes superb.

I really liked Ivan Ramen: it might not be the cheapest, but it is definitely very good.

Enjoy (I did)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Restaurant Name
	Ivan Ramen
	* Overall
	★★☆☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	Hell's Kitchen / Japanese
	* Street Address
	600 11th Avenue (Bet. 44th & 45th St), New York, NY 10036
	* Phone
	(212) 582-7942

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Tabélog event at Skál on the Lower East Side

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Please note that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!

Skál, what a strange word, except if you speak old norse where it means "cheers". It also means little bowl, representing the concept of small dishes to share that compose the menu and are even present in the decor.

Skál is where Tabélog organized a meet and greet event for the bloggers who are actively participating in the content of the site. I think it is great as it brings food lovers together. It was also the occasion for their CEO, Kenta, to announce the expansion of the site to other states like California (congrats!!!). There, I had a nice evening talking with Lord of the Fork, Cutie Patroller, The Restaurant Fairy, Lea_K and Johnny Prime. There, food was more photographed than people and they conveniently set all the dishes in an area so we could take our time to take a pic. 

So, Skál is a Scandinavian restaurant located in the limit of Chinatown, where Chef Ben Spiegel (who worked at Noma in Copenhagen) crafted an original menu using products locally sourced. 

I also spoke with one of the owners, Christophe, a fellow Frenchman, who talked to me, with passion, about the restaurant and their future projects to expand it. I got a tour of the facility and could not miss the large selection of wines in the basement. They propose 27 wines from 12 different countries that they source at small producers all around the world, as well as beers from Iceland that are not that easy to find in the city. 

It is a small place with an interesting decor considering the raven (not to mistake for a crow) that sits on top of the bar. It is not that they are fans of Game Of Thrones, but because the raven is the emblem of Iceland. 

Food wise, we got a nice sampling of their menu. Here is what they served us:

Well fleet oysters served with a versus and chamomile:

Pickles (seasonal vegetables in their own brine):

Long Island duck wings with mussels and red seaweed:

Heirloom carrots prepared with burnt honey, buttermilk and dill:

Beef tartare served with fermented ramps, little neck clams and Sorrel:

Salt cod croquettes with a horseradish remoulade:

Smoked mackerel served in an onion with whey and foie gras:

Scandinavian donut with vanilla cream:

This was a very exquisite sampling, some of the dishes being truly original. I wonder if the duck / seaweed and mackerel / foie gras dishes were not a take on surf and turf! If it was: chapeau. If it wasn't: chapeau. 

After this event, I am looking forward to go back to Skál. 

Thanks to Tabélog and Skál for this wonderful evening!

Enjoy (I did)!

If you like this post or the photos, feel free to share it using the toolbar below or to write a comment! 

And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Restaurant Name
	Skál
	* Overall
	★★★☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	Chinatown / Scandinavian
	* Street Address
	37 Canal St., New York, NY 10002
	* Phone
	(212) 777-7518

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