5.29.2014

a UNION of flavors: Union Bar & Kitchen Opens in West SoHo


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Smoky sounds emanated from the accordion glass doors, opened wide to the SoHo street, letting the first breezes of summer into Union Bar & Kitchen. The low sunlight of the early evening reflected on the mirror just above the bar and antique mirrors wrapping the walls, played on the white subway tile and danced on the high ceilings.

Another glance up led to the elaborate paintings, transporting diners to another era depicting old time streets, jazzy feasts, and live music complete with a chanteuse. Artist, Clifford Bailey, brings forward the roaring twenties and a kind of liberation that hums to the tune of Owner, Executive Chef, and General Manager, Jonathan Renert’s vision— a union of flavors in a comfortable setting, a restaurant bar to get lost in time in and enjoy the present tense.


Newly open, UBK presents a lively mix of New American cuisine with global influences including Mexican, Asian and French twists. Dinner offers classics—  daily selection of oysters, clam chowder and moules mariniere to west coast cioppino rubbed rotisserie chicken. Lunch brings taquitos, fish tacos, and pulled chicken sandwiches. The bar menu puts a spin on the bar food cliché with smoked trout devilled eggs and Three Little Pig pork belly sliders. A clean drinks menu proposes diverse cocktails, a variety of draft and bottled beers, and a wide range of wines.

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Smooth and creamy bright green guacamole with a radiant note of lemon came paired with crunchy triangle chips. Each fresh and full, while the jalapeño cornbread spoke volumes of comfort and warmth at home.
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Delicate strands of spicy red pepper threaded through the Hamachi Tartare, while cubed yellow tail played with the tiny beads of sesame and poppy seeds. Even the briny capers sang, bringing studs of salt and firmness. A crispy crust led to the succulent oyster at the heart of the fried oysters, drizzled with the heat of chili  tonkatsu sauce and cooled with tangy tarter sauce underneath— a blending of feelings.
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Perfectly cooked hanger steak marinated for 24 hours produced a gamey essence and rhythm, but stumped. While the creamed spinach was cozy, dotted with soft carrots and celery. Hot French fries boasted herbal melodies of rosemary and earthy chords of potatoes and spice. A chili avocado slaw decorated the crunchy tilapia nestled deep in warmed flour tortillas, pulling together a harmonious taste of somewhere else in the popular fish tacos. Clear and straightforward dishes were elevated with quality, depth and details.

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Cubes of chocolate brownie dusted with powdered sugar spoke secrets of raspberry compote and ancho chili adding crunch and heat to the sweet ending, which made the chocolate deeper and more sophisticated. Peanut butter also got an elevated treatment, warm and salty mixed with the crunch of fried tortilla in this dessert take on chimichangas, pretty with a boule of vanilla ice cream.

UBK’s curated menu contains memories of the familiar while twists introduce international accents. The assemblage offers moments of here and there that illustrates the background of Renert, emphasized in the timeless décor, vibing art and unpretentious ambiance.
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Union Bar & Kitchen
300 Spring Street
New York City, NY 10013
Tel: (646) 791-0005

5.27.2014

re. CAP: Taste of Tribeca FAVES


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With so many delicious offerings from all ends of the spectrum—eats to sweets, meats to seafood, elegant to down and dirty— you would think it would be hard to choose favorites. Despite the difficulty, somehow, I managed to pick my top bites at this year’s Taste of Tribeca
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Sarabeth Tribeca’s offered the attendees the most perfect little sandwich, a bite of summertime and seafood. Those delightful crabcake sliders were my favorite down and dirty selection. Crabcakes and a sweet fluffy bun are classic, especially with these mini sandwiches from Sarabeth Tribeca’s. The crabcake was hearty, fresh and meaty, not weighed down with fillers and nonsense. Even the sweetness of the bun brought out the natural sweetness of the crab of the cakes. Bun sticking to the roof of my mouth was definitely the cherry on top, speaking to a job well done.
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Scanning through the program, and seeing foie gras sushi, I knew I had to try it. And let me tell you, I am so glad I sampled the offering from Daruma- Ya.  We watched them sear up the plump pieces of foie gras, and so when we got our plate, the foie gras was still warm, melding with the sweet sticky rice. My first bite was uncertain, unprepared for the texture. But then the decadent deliciousness set in, and I was overcome with fatty meaty flavors, countered by the chewy brightness of the sticky rice. The combination was so unexpected and intriguing, but the flavors and the textures are what won me over. But really, who could turn down foie gras?
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The chef surprise presented by Golden Restaurant, Bouley, was a showstopper, a crowd pleaser that definitely had more than a few guests running back for more, using another precious taste on their tasting card.  Bouley gave guests a stunning two-parter, a little bit of savory and a little bit of sweet. The two did not necessarily work together in terms of flavors, but the balance of the rich decadence of the savory bite and the refreshing nature of the sweet taste created cohesiveness. The crunchy kuzu chip balanced the smooth creamy thick whipped potato and cheese topping, while the truffle added dynamic luxury. The sweetness of the cooling parfait was layered with fruity cherry and raspberry flavors and adult moments of white chocolate and amaretto—a combination of heavy in light resulting in success.
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There was also a wide array of delicious desserts, but the big fat whoopie pies from Tribeca Treats most definitely caught my eye. Sure there were cupcakes of all different colors and flavors at their table, but those dark round pies were recommended. They were chocolaty and delicious, fluffy and satisfying. Chocolate chips melted through the chocolate cookies and the vanilla cream sandwiched in between offered sweet relief and balance. Somehow this childhood favorite felt fresh and new while recalling memories of times passed.


See more about the Taste of Tribeca benefit on their website or in my recap up on Miss A. And to taste more of Tribeca through photos check out my photo op from last week!
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5.22.2014

photo op: TASTE of TRIBECA

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This post is photo heavy and bound to make your mouth water!!
Last Saturday was the 20th anniversary of the highly anticipated outdoor culinary festival, Taste of Tribeca. The day could not be more perfect for devouring delectable bites on the street like eclectic sushi from Ninja New York, or pan fried pork buns from China Blue, or even a hefty bbq chicken wrap from Woodrow’s. With over 75 participating restaurants, the array was overwhelming but exciting, creating a tour of the gastronomical delights of the Tribeca neighborhood. Each restaurant brought a different flavor and feeling to the community event raising funds for two area public schools, PS 150 and PS 234. Scroll through and eat with your eyes and click over to Miss A for my event recap!
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Stay tuned for my favorite tastes from Taste of Tribeca, maybe you can even pick them from the footography.
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