Apology Dinners and a perfect Valentine's Day
the best tables for saying "I'm sorry it won't happen again"
I got an amazing request last week, and gearing up for Valentine’s Day, there is no better time to address it.
In order to actually get to Valentine’s Day with your significant other, you may need to pay some dues, perhaps make a plan for some extra quality time that doesn’t revolve around an extraordinarily played out (but cute!!) holiday. And sure, maybe you are obligated to make a plan for Feb 14th—I’ll let you in on a little NYC secret, the best Valentine’s Day table is in your home. While you can find the a special table for two at the corner booth of a dimly lit restaurant, there is something ultimately not-at-all-romantic about crowding into a room full of two-tops as if you’re on one communal date night. I would opt for a thoughtful set up at home over a 9pm reservation over and over again. Before we get into your apology dinner, here is your foolproof Valentine’s Day dinner at home:
Two bottles of wine from your favorite shop, mine are Stranger Wines (Williamsburg, Wine Therapy (SoHo), Fiasco! (Crown Heights), Vanderbilt Ave Wine Merchants (Prospect Heights), Discovery Wines (East Village)
Osakana’s DIY Temaki Handroll Set
orrr
A couple of pies from L’Industrie, Joe & Sal’s, Chrissy’s, or Luigis’s
Finish off with something sweet—Eataly tiramisu, a collection of treats from Hani’s, a slice of cake from Red Gate, a Caffe Panna DIY sundae situation?
or, better yet, a home cooked meal. Some homemade mezze, saffron rice, a kebab or two, and a pavlova for something sweet. I even linked recipes for you.
A bouquet of flowers and a couple tapered candles… you’re all set babe.
Now for the good stuff… a restaurant that says “I’m sorry” is a restaurant that feels intimate yet gives you some extra elbow room, somewhere that requires effort to get into without being full of ring lights and video recording. Something sophisticated but not stuffy, nice but not too formal, special and a reliably good meal.
Pitt’s
Jeremy Salamon’s first restaurant, Agi’s Counter, feels like pulling up a stool in your grandmother’s kitchen, with food that inspires that same childlike excitement and nostalgia. When I heard that Salamon was expanding his talents elsewhere in Brooklyn, I couldn’t wait to see what kind of experience he would drum up. Pitt’s opened last Friday on a perfect corner on Van Brunt Street in Red Hook, a street that has begun to really make a name for itself in the food world. While I like to wait a bit to visit a new restaurant while they work out their kinks and find their groove, I was deeply impatient this time around and booked a reservation for the first turn of their opening night.
As soon as I arrived, entering a small room with curtained booths, painted tiles, and antique Tiffany style pendant lamps, it was clear Jeremy was doing what he does best, making his guests feel right at home. We snuck into a half-hidden corner booth, smiling wildly as we looked around at the sconces, the carrot wallpaper, the debossed leather menus… not a detail had been spared.
For the meal, the cocktails our server recommended (even over a glass of wine) were a dream—briny martinis, balanced margaritas, and a light sumac spritz to prep us for a fabulous few courses ahead. Everything we ordered was a hit—a gouda pimiento dip with fried saltines was unexpected yet seemed so… obvious. Of course delicious sharp orange cheeses should be worked into a pimiento dip. Saltines should obviously be fried. Why hadn’t I had this before? A small glass container arrived overflowing with hot and sweet peanuts, chilled shrimp came dressed in lemon and shallot with a side of oyster mayonnaise, luscious and light with a few saltines and some wet naps to round out a thoughtful plating. A tray of oysters with jalapeño salsa verde came alongside a slab of toast covered in bone marrow—we did as we were told, dressed the oysters and slid them onto the toast for a fatty, salty, crunchy bite that, again, seemed simple and yet revolutionary. Opting to place something cold and wet onto a piece of hot crusty toast… turns out is a genius idea. Our second course was a swordfish au poivre—the delicately cooked fish coated in black peppercorns, sitting on a buttery sauce with trout roe and chives scattered about. It was divine, as were our “carrot glazed carrots,” sweet and sticky and plopped onto a bed of aioli.
The desserts were nuts. If you go to Pitts, you must order the pancake soufflé, I promise you will regret doing otherwise. Ordered at the head of the meal to account for its 40 minutes prep time, the pancake soufflé is an overflowing ramekin cut tableside with warm maple syrup poured over, and a generous scoop of salted butter added on top. The soufflé tastes exactly like a pancake but with the texture of your favorite Parisian Grand Marnier soufflé. Warm and gooey, caving in from the syrup and butter soaking through the dish, we were in awe. You have to try it for yourself. We had also ordered the Pixie Pie for something a little tangy to neutralize our pancake— a saltine crust with grapefruit custard and a sour cream topping. Citrusy, creamy, and refreshing—I promptly ordered a pound of saltines to my house. Justice for saltines. They should be on every plate and Jeremy Salamon is here to prove it.
Apart from a spectacular meal, Pitt’s has the luxury of space—tables aren’t crowded, there is space for walking and chatting, hooks at every table to hang your coats, and booths to lounge in. A fabulous meal at a hot new restaurant just off the beaten path where you may have to work for a reservation but won’t feel like Soho’s latest hotspot—all in all, a pretty good way to say sorry.
Borgo
By now, everyone and their mother has heard about Andrew Tarlow’s latest endeavor. In an area I would only go to for Kalustyan’s, Borgo is a welcome addition to Manhattan’s mid-20s. I felt about Borgo the way I feel about many of Tarlow’s restaurants—the food is very good, but it is not life-changing. Borgo, however, has something going for it that few other restaurants do, a lot of space and an impeccable vibe. The whole restaurant, which has like four separate rooms, feels like a very fancy upstate cabin. The entire space is sepia toned with strange Americana art covering the walls, and a wood burning fire separating the two main dining spaces. Guests can lounge by the bar while they wait for their table (great for people watching) before heading through room after room to reach their table.
The seasonal menu on a cold December night was rustic and robust with lots of mushrooms, braised meats, and rich pastas. We started with the Focaccia Borgo, one of my favorite dishes of the night— a large flat circle of focaccia with a layer of cheese so thin it was hard to tell if it was in fact dairy, and not the focaccia’s exceptionally stretchy dough. We had a huge plate of chicories topped with walnuts, pears, and ribbons of cheddar cheese—an ideal winter salad—and a cold octopus salad with chopped kohlrabi, lovage, shaved red onion, and a healthy dose of olive oil. Our main course comprised of the wood-oven chicken with marsala, a beautiful roast chicken that, while simple, was decadent and perfectly prepared. We also had mushroom and sunchoke ravioli (nothing to write home about) and a beautiful plate of linguini with a slightly spicy tomato sauce, shrimp, and basil. We passed on dessert, having had an indulgent meal with several drinks, but were given saffron meringues on a little doily which was appreciated and very cute.
The best part about Borgo is the fact that they set large four person tables for parties of two. It may seem simple, but feels a bit revolutionary these days. They have chosen the luxury of room to breath over squeezing a handful more tables into their space. It is the kind of restaurant you won’t want to leave to head back out into the cold, but it is worth the trip all the while.
Cafe Kestrel
Kestrel has gotten its well deserved accolades on right on Franklin before, but after a very special New Years Eve dinner there, I was reminded of its magic. With just a handful of seats, Kestrel feels like a well-kept secret, only so many people can be seated at once, and it is never mobbed, though very often talked about. Their changing menu is reliably great, showcasing the best of seasonal produce and their keen attention to detail. A killer martini, a bowl of popcorn, baguette and salty butter are a perfect warm up to plates of olive-covered farinata, decadent cheeses with fruity and floral jams and tuna crudo covered in waffle fries and herbs. Followed by their insane ditalini mac and cheese, coated in a rich white bechamel, fries with aioli and ketchup, salty and garlicky sauteed greens, and a big ol’ chicken atop a date sauce. No meal here is complete without the apricot cake, a toffee-pudding-esque mini cake served on a silver platter with fresh whipped cream and a helping of caramel.
Kestrel is special— just being there evokes a sense of warmth and welcome, the kind of place you wouldn’t bring just anyone. Note as your next date night, especially if you’re in hot water. No one can be mad at a little table for two eating these fries, I promise.
Honorable mentions:
Fradei, the cutest tiniest bistro in Fort Greene serving up seasonal dishes like scallop and apple crudo, meaty anchovies in a pool of olive oil with dill pollen, grilled parsnip with blue cheese and pear, and the most beautiful piece of halibut I have ever seen, with leafy greens, clams, and big white beans.
The Four Horsemen, if you are really in trouble, I promise 4H will fix it. Ultimate special occasion meal—will never let you down.
I’ve been hitting a lot of the new spots in the city and can’t wait to gush over Sunn’s and Ha’s Snack Bar in the coming weeks. I like to come up with appropriate occasions before churning out the latest and greatest as I visit them…In the weeks ahead, you can also look forward to my tried and true take out spots, where to take yourself out to lunch, some salad field research, and a deep dive into the pursuits of sweets. More Table Talk to come, too!
Next on my list:
whoever sent the message should send an update after valentine's day.. as a treat!
Sometimes the "family size" tiramisu at Eataly is appropriate for "single serve."