Wine Number One.
Trips to New York City with Spike usually mean one thing: a full-on total attack on food.
Never in my life have I ventured so deep into the heart of the restaurant beast than when traveling with Spike. No restaurant is too intimidating and no menu is too vast for a thorough vetting. In fact, it's never just one restaurant, on a typical evening, it hasn't been uncommon for Spike to lead the charge in hitting up to three restaurants for three complete meals, which usually leaves me unable to sleep and in various stages of discomfort. A learning experience for sure, but I pay in the end.
With Star Chefs in full swing, it was time to head down to The Bowery and check out Daniel Boulud's new joint, DBGB - a riff on the famous Bowery music venue CBGB's (now defunct).
Oddly enough, I'm old enough to have actually seen shows at CBGB's so going to DBGB was an interesting experience. The restaurant is more French brasserie and doesn't share the same location as the old club but it's pretty darn good. The fries were done right and generally the food is quite tasty.
But the true star of the menu are their sausages. The flavor and texture of the currywurst was just spot on. Creamy, smooth and with a little texture - sausage perfection. The Basque Boudin was just as good with the perfect balance of texture, spice and blood. I wanted more but there was so much to explore.
Soon Josh and ladyfriend Mo joined us and it was Game On. We went to town on the menu, and we hit it hard.
Octopus a la Plancha - eggplant, tomato, crispy panisse
Oysters.
Boudin Basque - blood and pigs head sausage, espelette pepper, scallion mashed potatoes.
Berliner - german currywurst, turnip confit.
Beef Bone Marrow - katz pastrami, watercress, pickled mustard seed, rye bread toast.
French Fries
Veal Tongue Sauce Gribiche - egg dressing, fingerling potatoes.
Tablier de Sapeur - lyonnais-style crispy tripe, mustard sauce, spicy tomato-tripe salad.
Pied de Cochon Pane - crispy pigs feet, romaine heart salad, sauce dijonnaise.
Red Curry Mussels - spicy coconut milk, tomato & thai herbs.
Handmade Strozzapreti Pasta - spring peas, zucchini & tomato.
Paleron Carbonnade - flat iron steak braised in dark beer, root vegetables & gingerbread croutons.
Wine Number Two
Fig Tart with vanilla ice cream
Lemon
Chocolate
and a Sundae
A bit of fanboy-ism: Thomas Keller's copper pot.
DBGB Kitchen & Bar
299 Bowery Street
New York, New York 10003
212-933-5300
www.danielnyc.com/dbgb.html
