New York Restaurants

“You know what I also have that is gonna be delicious?” chef Zakary Pelaccio asks his wife and co-chef, Jori Jayne Emde, leaning over the kitchen island in their Old Chatham farmhouse. “We have the phytoplankton here, which I love.” It’s two days before their new restaurant, Fish & Game, opens in Hudson, and the couple is finalizing details of two prix fixe menus (one vegetarian, one carnivore) for the seasonal, local-farm-driven eatery. The restaurant will be a two-hour drive up the Taconic Parkway from Manhattan, but Pelaccio is banking on his city reputation as both the genius co-founder of the Fatty Crab and ’Cue restaurants and the spirited chef who once listed an eight ball and joints as merry-making “necessities” in a roast-pig recipe to convince the food-obsessed to make the pilgrimage. It’s hard to tell the couple are 48 hours from a restaurant launch; a half-hour morning menu discussion, occasionally accompanied by Pelaccio whistling along to Quincy Jones’s “Killer Joe,” is relaxed (but productive). He puts in a quick fish order, then we hit the woods to hunt for dinner: greens and mushrooms to use at the restaurant. After traipsing by creeks, under thorny branches, through pine-tree-bordered clearings, we drop to our hands and knees to comb the forest floor for morels. “I’ve never had much success, and I definitely want to,” says Pelaccio. “Well, who doesn’t?” Emde goads him. “I don’t know anybody who likes food and is like, ‘I don’t really have any desiiiire to find morels.’?” Foraging for ingredients turns out to have its limitations. Before long, Pelaccio suggests we give up the mushroom hunt. Emde reluctantly agrees. “I mean, I can smell mushrooms though,” she says, then tells me about recently sniffing her way to ramps. “Zak calls me a hound dog.” She gives an animalistic howl. “It’s weird, that’s the sound I make when we’re having sex.” “It boosts my self-esteem,” says Pelaccio. “Like you need it,” she returns. “We always need it,” Pelaccio says. Next, a search for salad greens. Pelaccio hands me a freshly picked garlic-mustard leaf to try (Pelaccio deems its aftertaste salami-esque). We move on to clip pepperwort (sharp and horseradishy) before heading back to the house, stopping by a barn that holds a pro-kitchen-size walk-in where prosciutto hangs drying next to jars of kimchee and Vermont butter aged for nine months. On one side of the room are barrels of homemade fish sauces, a healthy layer of funky mold growing atop them. The house begs you to be outside—sunlight irradiates the spacious kitchen; back doors open to reveal an outdoor fire pit. A large bookshelf of almost exclusively cookbooks—from The Way to a Man’s Heart to Modernist Cuisine—bisects the living room and dining area, and upstairs are two bedrooms, one soon to be decorated with Elvis prints for Hudson, Pelaccio’s 9-year-old son, whose drawings hang by a shelf stacked high with Emde’s homemade vinegars. After a thorough tick check, Pelaccio sets to work making a lunch of pasta, cutting the aged butter into rough blocks and coarsely chopping the garlic mustard. He runs to the barn to grab some cider a friend in Vermont made them while Emde tends to the boiling pot. Ten minutes later he stomps back in the house, mock-crying: “We drank all our cider! Oh, no!” Emde: “Get out of here! It’s all gone?” “It’s all gone,” Pelaccio confirms with a tragic laugh. “I’m so sad. That’s fucked up, right?” After a brief period of mourning, we instead drink a bottle of juicy Slovenian wine; Pelaccio swirls a Long Island white. “What vision did you have, Zak?” Emde

In October of 2011, I visited Taipei—the city where my parents went to college and where my dad and his parents currently live—for the first time in over a decade, accompanied by one of my best friends, Lee Anne, whose maternal grandparents live in Taipei. I'm guessing I wrote this post near the end of 2011, but it fell by the wayside because my words reach peak coherence when they're allowed to ferment for one and a half years JUST KIDDING I am really slow. So I'm writing about the trip now, long after my memories of the trip have mostly fizzled into question marks, because I won't setting for "giving up"—but I will settle for "barely trying." Well there, here we go. A road in Taipei. I couldn't get it out of my head. The question I asked myself shortly after stepping onto the streets of downtown Taipei. What's that smell? Not a lip-curling, is-that-the-stench-of-decay-or-did-someone-fart smell, but a mild, omnipresent scent that says, "You're definitely in Taipei." And thus I became unnaturally flush with excitement* when one night out of the blue Lee Anne said, "There's a distinct smell here." Oh, Lee Anne [clutches chest]—you totally get me. In addition to "BFF" you have earned the badge of "SMELL PARTNER 4 LYFE." And you're really smart, so I bet you know what the smell is. * I mean, I'm easily excited, but it's usually at the hands of a voluminous ice cream sundae or a puppy acting helpless in a totally nonthreatening situation and thus looking immeasurably cute, not by smells. "Oh my god, yes! The smell! There's a smell! You know the smell! ...What is this smell?" "I think it's a mix of food and exhaust," Lee Anne started. "With some incense." Keep going. "And a bit of air freshener." Keeeep going. "And...toilet?" I nodded. It's not a scent I'd apply to my skin, but If I could bottle up Taipei street air and take it home for the occasional closed-eyed whiff, I would. It would transport me back to Taipei in a way nothing else can. Nice door. Taipei's smell was one thing about Taipei that hadn't changed since my last visit in 1999 and when I had lived there from 1996 to 1998 (6th and 7th grade, if I am to date myself). Most things were familiar: towering department stores, alleyways full of restaurants and shops, 7-11s and Family Marts on every other corner, rows of scooters waiting at traffic lights, rows of scooters parked by the sidewalk, grime-dripping buildings that look like they'll be torn down before they ever get washed, dingy eateries aglow with fluorescent lights. Taipei City Hall station, doughnuts, and Taipei 101. Things that were different: Mister Donut, Taipei 101, bubble tea shops galore, far fewer stray dogs (the overpopulation of stray dogs is still a big problem, though), and the metro. The best new thing to me is the metro/MRT, which was but a stunted newborn the last time I saw it. It's clean! Bright! Spacious! Easy to follow! With trains that run smoothly and frequently! With clear announcements in Chinese and English! And the stations have restrooms—restrooms that don't make you fear for the potential horrors within! Ignoring that New York City's subway system has instilled me with low standards (it's very good for what it is—I do keep in mind it's an over hundred-year-old system that runs 24/7), I'm pretty sure Taipei's metro is objectively great. Grandma looking out the window of a relative's apartment. A fancypants apartment. Another difference: my grandparents. It's been years since I last saw them—perhaps a decade. They were old the last time I saw them; now they're...really old. More specifically, my grandma ("ama" in Taiwanese) is 91 and my grandpa ("agong" in Taiwanese) is 94. When I was little, I'd semi-joke that they'd live forever. They've outlasted colon cancer and stomach cancer; they really are en route to reaching 100. If it was hard to communicate with them before, it was even harder now. They speak Taiwanese, some Japane

Eater scanned through all 1326 NYC restaurants on OpenTable with reservations for two still available for tonight. It's a lovely evening to dine out at some of the city's best, including Kin Shop, L'Apicio, and Brushstroke. Here's the best of the bunch. Get 'em while they're hot: · Grape & Vine (7:15, 8:15) · Kin Shop (8:45) · Bill's Food and Drink (7:00, 7:45) · db Bistro moderne (8:15) · il Ristorante Rosi (9:00, 9:45) · L'Apicio (7:30) · Mas (la grillade) (7:00, 9:30) · Hecho en Dumbo Chef's Table (7:00, 9:30) · Betony (9:00, 9:15) · North End Grill (9:00, 9:30) · Feast (8:15, 8:30) · Perry St (8:30, 9:00) · Jo's (7:00, 7:30, 9:00) · Cherrywood Kitchen (7:15, 7:30) · Brushstroke (7:30) · Aldea (9:00) · Lincoln Ristorante (8:30, 8:45) · Willow Road (7:15, 7:45, 9:15) · Empellon Cocina (6:45, 9:30) · Cole's Greenwich Village (7:15) · Print Restaurant (7:15, 7:45) · Grand Central Oyster Bar (7:15, 8:30) · Quality Meats (7:00, 8:00) · Zoe (7:15, 7:30) · Commerce (7:00, 9:00) · OpenTable [Official Site]

Have you heard about the great S'MACdown of 2013? Well over the past few weeks, mac 'n' cheese shop S'mac has been asking mac 'n' cheese fans to submit their creative takes on the comfort food staple via their Facebook page, and tomorrow, the build-your-own macaroni and cheese competition comes to a close. The top five recipe submissions will be on display at the restaurant's Murray Hill location for the live judging portion of the contest. The winning recipe will be featured on the menu at all three S'mac shops for an entire month. [EaterWire]

In this week's roundup of new videos, Food.Curated's Liza de Guia shares a behind-the-scenes look at what Landhaus is serving at The Great GoogaMooga this weekend, Annisa's Anita Lo makes some of her signature foie gras soup dumplings, Brooklyn Winery president John Stires talks about the winery's mission, and David Manheim shares a few anecdotes of his life at Katz's Deli. 1) GoogaMooga Sneak Peeks: All week long, Liza de Guia of Food.Curated has been releasing some behind-the-scenes videos of the prep work and concepts behind some of the food that will be offered at The Great GoogaMooga today and tomorrow. Here's a look at what Landhaus will be serving: 2) Untouchables: Anita Lo's Foie Gras Soup Dumplings: Watch Anita Lo make foie gras soup dumplings, the signature dish at Annisa: 3) Inside the Brooklyn Winery: John Stires, president and co-founder of Brooklyn Winery, gives a tour of the space and discusses the winery's mission: 4) The Last Jewish Waiter: Meet David Manheim, the "Last Jewish Waiter" at Katz's Deli: 5) On the Family Table: If you have fifty minutes to spare, listen to Danny Meyer and Michael Romano of Union Square Hospitality Group give a Google Talk about their new book, Family Table (or just watch a few minutes):

Will there finally be weekend brunch over at the eighth wonder of the world, Lafayette? Pastry chef Jen Yee has gone on record with Bedford + Bowery as saying the new menu will launch next week. Once brunch goes live, chef Andrew Carmellini and company (aka partners Josh Pickard and Luke Ostrom) will have fulfilled their dream of having an all-day French restaurant, and be well on their way to world domination. [Twitter]

No, this is not the line for food at The Great GoogaMooga. This is actually the line of people waiting to eat Dominique Ansel's now infamous Cronuts, just five minutes after the doors opened this morning. They just can't wait to get their hands on one of those rose-flavored rings of fried dough. In fact, these croissant-doughnut hybrids are so popular, they've been causing mass hysteria since they graced the streets of Manhattan last week, with people crying and flipping off baristas when they sell out. Ansel is so sure his half-croissant, half-doughnut creation will be a smashing, long-lasting success, he went ahead and trademarked the term 'cronuts' yesterday afternoon. · @DominiqueAnsel [Twitter] · All Coverage of Cronuts [~ENY~] · All Coverage of Dominique Ansel Bakery [~ENY~]

Looking for a place for brunch this weekend? Check out Eater's map of New York's hottest brunch spots of Spring 2013. It's looking like it's going to be a nice weekend, so take advantage of the good weather with some huevos rancheros in Gran Electrica's backyard garden or with a frittata by Rosemary's open floor-to-ceiling windows. [EaterWire]

Looking for something to do this weekend? Here are five choice dining events going on around the city: 1) Eatalian Beer Festival When: Saturday and Sunday Where: Eataly What: Teo Musso, brewmaster and a partner of Eataly's Birreria, has teamed up with Lurisia Water for the Eatalian Beer Festival. Musso has created four original beers n honor of the event, which will be sold for $5 a glass at every Eataly restaurant through Memorial Day. There will also be $15 flight tastings with cheese pairings available. Each of the Lurisia beers are named for their alcohol percentage, from 4% to 10%. 2) The Great GoogaMooga When: Saturday and Sunday Where: Nethermead Meadow at Prospect Park What: Ladies and gentlemen: the mammoth outdoor food and music spectacular known as The Great GoogaMooga is finally here. There will be over 85 food vendors, 75 brews, 100 wines and 20 live musical performances over the next two days. New to this year's event are three pop-up restaurants from the Spotted Pig, Roberta's and Little Wisco. The bacon-scented extravaganza kicks off today at 11 a.m. 3) Oyster Shooter Competition When: Sunday, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Where: Evelyn Drinkery What: Tomorrow evening, the Village Fishmonger is teaming up with Evelyn Drinkery to host an oyster shooter competition called "Shuck You!" In addition to the contest, there will also be passed oysters and glasses of champagne available between 7 and 8 p.m. Tickets are $10. [Photo: Paloma Pargac] 4) Taste of Tribeca When: Today, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Where: Hudson St. (at Duane St.) What: The 19th annual Taste of Tribeca takes place today. The outdoor culinary festival featuring tastes from over 60 restaurants in the area including Locanda Verde, Marc Forgione, and Terroir Wine Bar. Tasting cards are good for six plates and cost $45 in advance or $50 at the event. Proceeds go to benefit PS 150 and PS 234's arts and enrichment programs. 5) Brewed in Brooklyn When: Today, 9 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. Where: Maroney Theater at St. Francis College What: The New York premiere of Brewed in Brooklyn is this evening at the 2013 Art of Brooklyn Film Festival. The documentary, directed by John Weber, tells the story of how Brooklyn was once the beer brewing capital of the world and how it could be again one day soon. Check out the trailer here and purchase a $10 ticket here. Also of Note: Smorgasburg is open for business this weekend from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with vendors like Porchetta, Red Hook Lobster Pound, and Liddabit Sweets. The Hester Street Fair is on for this weekend as well. Looking to try a new restaurant this weekend? Check out Betony, the new modern American restaurant from Bryce Shuman and Eamon Rockey, Michael White's latest venture, Costata, head to Greenpoint for raviolo with ramps at River Styx, or The Fourth, the newest from the Tocqueville Team. Fans of Nolita favorite Jo's might want to grab one last meal there before the neighborhood gem closes on May 31. And if you're looking for somewhere to drink this weekend, do consult Eater's recently updated Cocktail Heatmap. · All Previous Editions of Something for the Weekend [~ENY~]

DUMBO — Rhode Islanders rejoice, there is now a Del's Frozen Lemonade truck in NYC. This is the first New York franchise for slushy frozen drink, which has been beloved in Rhode Island since 1948. According to the truck's Twitter account, they'll be up and running for the first time at the 9th Ave Food Festival this weekend, and at Brooklyn Bridge Park after that. [Gothamist] BOSTON TO BROOKLYN — The Water Table, the floating restaurant/bar project from Kelli Farwell (a veteran of Gramercy Tavern, Rye, Dumont, and Craft), starts its journey to Brooklyn this weekend. The old ferry's non-stop journey from Boston Harbor will take about 20 to 24 hours, and live satellite tracking of the whole thing will start on Saturday, May 18 at about 11 a.m. The boat will end up at Atlantic Basin, in Red Hook, where it will hopefully be open for dinner by July. [EaterWire] NEWSTANDS — The first issue of Cherry Bombe, the new food magazine from Seersucker's Kerry Diamond started hitting newstands in NYC this weekend, and will be coming out across the country throughout the next week. The biannual magazine, which "celebrates women and food" will be sold at select newsstands, indie bookstores and Barnes & Nobles, plus some "foodie-centric locations" like Bklyn Larder. [EaterWire] BOOK CLUB — Eater National has a first look at Wisconsin Supper Clubs: An Old-Fashioned Experience, the book by Ron Faiola that profiles 50 of those vintage Midwestern restaurants, including the one that possibly inspired Michael White's latest project. [EN]